After the decent dual-SIM GSmart S1205 running on Windows Mobile 6.5, Gigabyte is ready to take their dual-SIM business over at the Android camp. The GSmart Rola runs Android v2.2 Froyo but packs barely decent specs – a 3.2-inch resistive WQVGA touchscreen, a 528MHz processor, 256MB RAM, 512MB ROM, a 3 megapixel fixed-focus snapper and a microSD slot.

The Rola’s connectivity however has everything covered – Wi-Fi, quad-band GSM, 3G with HSDPA support, GPS (with aGPS support and digital compass), Bluetooth and even FM radio. We suppose the 3G would be available only on one of the SIMs though.

Gigabyte GSmart Rola is a Dual-SIM smartphone with Froyo is a post from: Technotipz

We got our hands on a retail Samsung Galaxy S II, does yours look the same? is a post from: Technotipz

Before Mr jobs introduced his new product he highlighted some milestones that Apple had achieved lately. The biggest being that developers who sell their apps over Apples app store had made 2 billion dollars between them. Mr Jobs clearly wants to highlight what makes the iPad unique in a market place that will soon see an influx of new devices.

Specifically Jobs highlights that the iPad has 65000 dedicated apps compared to around 100 apps for Google’s honeycomb OS. So after flexing their muscles and shouting about how successful 2010 was for the iPad, Apple finally showed us how they have improrved on their original model.

Firstly the design of the iPad is fairly amazing, not so much in it’s overall looks which are slick and polished as expected, but what amazes us here at mobiles is that the iPad 2 is 33% thinner! The all new design is really astounding considering the iPad 2 has some added hardware.

Firstly the iPad has been upgraded to an A5 processor which is dual core and twice as fast as the original iPad. The graphics processing has also been upgraded and is expected to be 9 times faster then the original iPad. With all of these improvements we would expect the power consumption increase, however Jobs assures us that the battery performance isn’t affected and that the iPad also offers 10 hrs of battery life.

The iPad 2 also contains two cameras that will allow the iPad to take advantage of Apples video calling software called “Face Time” which is now available on many iPhones and Apple computers. The exact quality of the cameras hasn’t been defined yet but we guess a 5 megapixel camera as seen in the iPhone 4 is the most likely. The iPad will also be shipping in both black or white from day 1(Jobs is clearly able to laugh at Apple’s struggle to get the white iPhone 4 out the door.

It’s clear to see that as Apples competitors have been scrambling to get their tablet to market, Apple has been quietly making sure that when these products hit the stores the iPad will still stand tall amongst the crowd.

Below we have a handy little comparison matrix for you to look at to see how the iPad 2 stands up against the new kids on the block.

As you can see the iPad 2’s hardware is comparable to the upcoming devices, and is currently significantly cheaper then it’s main competitor the Motorola Xoom. With support of around 6500 apps, the iPad 2 is still a very strong proposition in a market that will soon be very competitve.

The iPad 2 will be available in the uk from the 25th of March. For any updates on tablets and their availability keep checking the mobiles Blog.

The iPad 2 sets the benchmark. is a post from: Technotipz

HTC Merge goes official, will be offered by multiple US carriers is a post from: Technotipz

The cheapestMotorola Atrix 4G offer comes from from Walmart – $129.99 with a new contract (starting from $59.99 per month). Next up is a tie between Amazon and RadioShack both of which offer the phone at $149.99. Finally, you can get it straight from AT&T for $199.99 with a 2 year plan starting from $39.99/month plus a mandatory $15/month (or more) data plan.

Before you do the math and see which plan suits you best, you should consider getting the laptop dock (or “Lapdock”) bundled with the Atrix 4G for $499.99 from AT&T. You’ll have to get it on a 2-year contract for a $45/month data plan. In case you don’t want to get the pricy data plan the Lapdock alone costs $499.99 and you’ll have to get the phone separately.

RadioShack have the Motorola Atrix 4G with Lapdock bundle for a little less – $479.99. Keep in mind that mail-in rebates apply to some of these prices.

Decisions, decisions – you can check our hands-on from the MWC to see if the Lapdock is worth it, or maybe the multimedia dock is better.

Motorola Atrix 4G now available for $130, $500 with lapdock is a post from: Technotipz

Keep in mind, Slacker is a service with support for those in the US and Canada so this service is only available for these two countries. I understand many other countries have Spotify so it looks like we finally get a client/service in the US before others

I have been using Slacker Radio on my Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 7 devices for over a year as my primary streaming music client and find it works very well at providing just the right mix for me. I actually have a Slacker sticker on my MacBook Pro since I love the service. The great thing is that favorite stations are synced to your account so you can pick up a different smartphone and listen to your favorites on any device. I like how the client on other platforms lets you cache music for offline listening so you can load up tunes for your next flight and then stream again when you land. This offline caching feature is not yet in this new Symbian client, but we may see it in the future.

This News for Slacker Radio is timed particularly well since Last.fm is going to start charging a monthly fee to stream music.

As stated on the Ovi Store description:

Listen to free personalized radio on your Nokia phone. The award-winning Slacker Radio application gives you access to the entire Slacker music library featuring millions of songs from thousands of artists. Listen to over 130 expert programmed radio stations or create your own custom stations. Learn more about the music you hear by reading the artist bios and album reviews. Slacker Personal Radio is the best way to discover new artists and hear your favorite songs.

Basic or Radio Plus?

The free account you setup with after downloading Slacker Radio gives you full access to Slacker Radio music, but you are limited to 6 song skips per hour, per station, there are some ads, and you get no lyrics. You can upgrade to Radio Plus and pay $3.99/month to have ad free listening, unlimited song skips, complete lyrics, and ABC News Radio. On my N8 this can actually be billed through T-Mobile.  I like the service so pay for the Radio Plus upgrade.

UPDATE: OK, I am using it up here in Alaska and when connected via EDGE the music streams flawlessly. However, if I switch to the task manager or another app the music pauses for 1/2 second and then starts back up again. This is going to be real annoying if I am trying to multi-task with Slacker Radio playing. Hopefully this is something they can fix easily enough and soon.

Also, don’t forget my tip that you can Zune Pass music on your N8 and get a taste of what kind of services a Nokia Windows Phone 7 device will provide.

Slacker Radio now available for Symbian devices in the Ovi Store is a post from: Technotipz

The last tablet we want to talk about, is the Motorola Xoom (pronounced ‘zoom’). We know it leaked quite a while before MWC but it’s still definitely worth a mention since it was the first Tablet to be confirmed with Adnroid Honeycomb. The Xoom has a 10.1 inch display, Adobe Flash support and front and rear facing cameras to name but a few of the specs.

Powering the Xoom is a dual-core Tegra 2 chipset which will allow full 1080p playback and will likely become the processor of choice in the majority of up and coming Smartphones. There’s also an accelerometer and a gyroscope thrown in for good measure.

Click Here to see the Xoom in action.

Motorola Xoom is a post from: Technotipz

The next tablet is our first non-Android entry and comes from HP, who recently aquired a little known company called Palm; the makers of the Palm Pre. You may not have heard about the Pre nor ever seen one, but it was a piece of kit we felt didn’t get the justice it deserved – certainly the proprietary WebOS software it runs anyway; which we felt was actually very, very good. The recent aquisition by HP can only be beneficial and it certainly looks as though it’s paid off, with the announcement of this, the TouchPad.

It has a 9.7 inch screen, the same as the iPad but unlike the iPad it supports Adobe Flash content meaning that the TouchPad will play nicely with any website you want to visit. We’re told the TouchPad will be available in two models: Wi-Fi only and a Wi-Fi and 3G model. Under the bonnet, you’ll find a 1.2GHz processor and a 6,300 mAh battery and there’s also a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera to boot.

The TouchPad’s real party piece though, is a little piece of tecnology that was first devloped on the Pre, Wireless Charging! The way it does it, is that you’ll have a magnetic dock/cradle known as the Touchstone that you can place the TouchPad in and thanks to the conductive rear panel, will charge wirelessly. (Note – The Touchstone does require being plugged into a powersource)

Click Here to see the Touch Pad in Action.

HP TouchPad is a post from: Technotipz

Next up, we have LG’s first entry into the Tablet market with the Optimus Pad and this promises to be something special. The Optimus Pad will be the first 3D tablet that will be able to display 3D imagery and videos as well as capture and record in 3D too, oh we should probably mention that the 3D video recording will be 720p HD quality too – thanks to the twin 5 megapixel rear facing cameras. Powering this 3D touting monster is a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset which should keeps things fluid and smooth under any load.

The Optimus Pad boasts an 8.9 inch screen, putting it in between the HTC Flyer and Galaxy Tab 10.1 in terms on screen real estate and also has a front facing 2 megapixel camera.

Click Here to see the Optimus Pad in action.

LG Optimus Pad is a post from: Technotipz

First up, we have the HTC Flyer. The first tablet to be announced by the newly crowned handset manufacturer of the year. It’s been in the rumour mill for quite some time now but it certainly seems as though it was worth the wait; here’s what we know. It’s a 7 inch device, making it slightly smaller than the current King of the Tablets; the iPad, however don’t let it’s size fool you. The Flyer will be sporting a 1.5GHz SnapDragon Processor, 1GB RAM, a 5 Megapixel rear camera, 1.3 Megapixel front facing camera and of course, will be released running Android 2.3 (GingerBread). We had hoped it’d be launching with the Tablet optimised version of HoneyComb but we’re told that it will be receiving the update so no worries there!

It also incorporates something known as HTC Scribe, a ’smart’ stylus that can be used to annotate and edit emails, webpages and photos. Now, you’re probably thinking that stylus’ went out of fashion (along with the unresponsive resistive screen technology they were paired with) quite some time ago, but the HTC Scribe is a new breed of stylus, one that promises to make the stylus cool again, working in perfect harmony with an ultra responsive (and touch friendly) capacitive screen.

Click Here to see a video of the HTC Flyer in action.

HTC Flyer is a post from: Technotipz

The Galaxy Tab 10.1is the second tablet from Samsung and is the bigger brother to the current 7-inch Galaxy Tab. As the name suggests, this new version has a 10.1-inch screen making it a touch bigger than the 9.7 inch screen on the iPad. Unlike the HTC Flyer, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will ship with Android Honeycomb and also boasts an 8 megapixel rear facing camera as well as a 2 megapixel front facing camera for video calling, or looking at yourself if a mirror just isn’t cool enough.

We’re also told that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will have a pretty huge battery, 6,860 mAh to be exact. To give you an idea of just how large that is, the average smartphone has around 1,500 mAh. This is good news though, battery times should be more than plentiful for even hardcore users. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is said to weight in a just shy of 600g too, which isn’t half bad considering that’s lighter than an iPad.

Click Here to see the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in action.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a post from: Technotipz

Introduction

Buying a CD-R or CD-RW drive can sometimes be a confusing task. Below we have listed important considerations to look at when considering purchasing a CD-R drive.

Technology

Before considering purchasing a CD-R or CD-RW drive, it is also good to consider the other available options.

CD-R – CD-R, or CD Recordable, drives allow you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the added ability of creating your own CDs. An excellent solution for anyone that is in need of a CD-ROM / backup solution. Tips on buying these drives is found on this page.

CD-RW – Like a CD-R drive, a CD-RW, or CD Read/Write, drive allows you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of, as well as read and write to a CD-RW disc thousands of times instead of once like a CD-R drive. While a little more expensive, this is another great solution for backups. Tips on buying this these drives can be found on this page

DVD – DVD, or Digital Versatile (video) Disc, allows a computer to not only do everything that a standard CD-ROM drive is capable of doing, but at the same time is capable of reading DVD Discs and DVD movies. For users who plan on playing games or watching movies on their computers, this is an excellent addition. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our DVD buying tips page.

Interface

The first and foremost important consideration is the Interface that the CD-R / CD-RW drive uses. If you are an IBM user, you have a decision between an IDE, SCSI or USB interface. Macintosh users will want to consider between SCSI and a USB interface.

IDE Each IBM computer has the capability of having a total of four IDE devices connected to it. It is likely that one or two of these are already being used, one by the hard disk drive and one by the CD-ROM drive.
IDE devices are a great solution to consider when thinking about the interface you wish to use as the drives are generally easy to install and are relatively fast.

SCSI Every Macintosh computer has a SCSI port built onto the Motherboard or has an Interface card for SCSI devices. IBM computers generally do not have a SCSI card already installed and will need to purchase this card before installing a SCSI CD-R drive.
SCSI devices are generally one of the more difficult drives to install but are the fastest solution of the three available interfaces.

USB USB is a new interface available on newer IBM and Macintosh computers. USB is a fast solution but is the slower of the three interface possibilities. What makes USB a strong competitor is they are usually always easy to install and are a portable solution, meaning these drives will work with other computers with USB ports.

Software

The next important consideration to look at when purchasing a CD-R / CD-RW drive is the included software. The software is what allows the computer to interface with the CD-R / CD-RW drive and be able to copy files onto the blank CD. Poorly written software can hinder the ease of use of a CD-R / CD-RW drive and sometimes cause errors with the CDs that are created.

Speed

The speed of the CD-R drive can also be an important consideration, as this will determine the amount of time this drive takes to create or read a CD. Users that expect to not burn many CDs may want to look at the slower, less expensive drives, while users that expect to burn several CDs may want to look at the faster, generally more expensive drives.

Other considerations

Some other important considerations to look at when purchasing a computer CD-R / CD-RW drive include:

Warranty How long is the warranty and what does it cover.

Support Is the technical support number a free number; is it open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Price range

For a CD-R / CD-RW drive, not to be confused with a CD-ROM or DVD drive, can vary depending upon the speed, the included software and the interface the CD-ROM drive uses.

*All prices are estimated prices and are not quotes. When a CD-R / CD-RW is first introduced, the price will generally be higher. All prices are US Currency, prices may vary in different countries. All prices are based on new products and not those purchased refurbished or used. All above prices are for standards CD-R and CD-RW drives and not CD-ROM or DVD drives.

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a computer CD-R or CD-RW, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the CD-R or CD-RW from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your CD-R or CD-RW, regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the CD-R or CD-RW section.

CD drive installation

Additional help and information about installing computer CD drives and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

CD-R buying tips is a post from: Technotipz

Introduction

Purchasing a CD-ROM drive is generally a relatively easy task but can involve some considerations when purchasing.

Technology

Before considering purchasing a CD-ROM, it is also good consider the other available options.

CD-R – CD-R, or CD Recordable, drives allow you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the added ability of creating your own CDs. An excellent solution for anyone that is in need of a CD-ROM / backup solution. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our CD-R / CD-RW buying Tips page.

CD-RW – Like a CD-R drive, a CD-RW, or CD Read/Write, drive allows you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of, as well as read and write to a CD-RW disc thousands of times instead of once like a CD-R drive. While a little more expensive, this is another great solution for backups. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our CD-R / CD-RW buying tips page.

DVD – DVD, or Digital Versatile (video) Disc, allows a computer to not only do everything that a standard CD-ROM drive is capable of doing, but at the same time is capable of reading DVD Discs and DVD movies. For users who plan on playing games or watching movies on their computers, this is an excellent addition. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our DVD buying tips page.

Interface

The first and foremost important consideration when purchasing a CD-ROM is the interface that the CD-ROM utilizes, such as IDE, SCSI, USB, Parallel or PC-Card.

IDE/EIDE The most commonly used interface with IBM computers, IDE/EIDE/ATAPI interface is found on all IBM compatible motherboards. This interface allows for a total of four devices to be connected.

When considering purchasing an IDE/EIDE/ATAPI CD-ROM drive it is important to verify that you have the available connections for the device.

SCSI The only method with Apple computers and commonly used interface with IBM computers, the SCSI interface allows for a total of seven devices to be connected to the computer and is a faster solution than the IDE/EIDE interface.

If you are user of an IBM compatible computer, it is important that you ensure your computer has a SCSI interface already present in the computer. If not present, you will need to install a SCSI card before being able to install a SCSI CD-ROM drive.

USB A new solution for the PC and Mac, the USB interface allows a user to quickly and easily install a device and supports up to 127 devices.

Before you can install a USB CD-ROM drive, it is important for both IBM and Macintosh users to verify that a USB port is present on the computer. If not present, an interface card will need to be installed.

Parallel Solution available for PC computers, Parallel CD-ROM drives allow users that may not have the available resources or may have a portable computer to connect a CD-ROM drive easily.

PC-Card (PCMCIA) Excellent solution for users utilizing an older laptop that does not have a CD-ROM drive to connect a CD-ROM drive to their computer.

Transfer rates

Transfer rates can sometimes be a misleading when looking at purchasing a CD-ROM drive. The transfer rate of a CD-ROM drive is how fast a CD-ROM drive may be able to access the data from a CD. This speed is generally only going to be noticeable when installing a program or copying large amounts of data from a CD.

Price range

For a CD-ROM drive, not to be confused with a CD-R, CD-RW or DVD drive, the price can vary depending upon the speed and the interface the CD-ROM drive uses.

*All prices are estimated prices and are not quotes. When a CD-ROM is first introduced, the price will generally be higher. All prices are US Currency; prices may vary in different countries. All prices are based on new products and not those purchased refurbished or used. All above prices are for standard CD-ROM drives and not CD-R, CD-RW or DVD drives.

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a computer CD-ROM, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the CD-ROM from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your CD-ROM, regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope, you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the CD-ROM section.

CD drive installation

Additional help and information about installing computer CD drives and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

CD buying tips is a post from: Technotipz

Purchasing a computer case is generally not an important consideration for users who are purchasing a computer from a computer manufacturer as most manufacturers do not offer different types or colors of cases. However, those building a computer may find it important to consider the below considerations.

Considerations

Color and case type

Today, there are a wide variety of computer case colors and case sizes for the PC. When looking at the case, consider the color of the case and its size. Most cases come in either urban white or white. Additional information about the computer chassis including the color and size can be found on our chassis definition.

Location / size

Before purchasing a computer case you should think out where the computer is going to be placed.

• Is it going to be on your desk or your floor?
• Is it going to have enough space at its location with the monitor and other peripherals possibly next to it?
• If it’s in a bedroom will it be quiet enough if left on while you sleep?

Upgrade availability

• Does the case have enough bays that will allow you to add additional hard disk drives or other drives?
• Does the case have the availability for slots for additional expansion cards to be placed in?
• Is the computer easy to work in or will it have to be completely disassembled to get to certain parts of the computer?

Motherboard

If you are assembling your own computer, make sure that the motherboard form factor you plan to purchase is going to be able to fit into the computer case. The standard motherboard form factor today is ATX or microATX.

Power supply

If you are assembling your own computer, make sure that the computer case either comes with a power supply or that the power supply you plan on purchasing will fit into the computer case.

Additionally, if you’re building a gaming computer with an advanced video card make sure that the power supply is big enough to support the video card along with all other hardware in the computer. The video card will often have a the minimum power supply in its requirements, otherwise we’d suggest at least a 500W PSU.

Service

Many case manufacturers are creating their cases solely for computer manufactures and may not sell to end-users. If you are building a computer and able to order such a case, it is likely that service or support may be slim or not available as well as long distance. Take this into consideration when purchasing a computer case.

Case buying tips is a post from: Technotipz

Introduction

Purchasing a home or business computer can be a big and sometimes costly decision. Below is a listing of helpful suggestions on what to look for and what to ask when purchasing a new computer.

New vs. refurbished / used

If you’re looking to save money buying a used or refurbished computer can save you a lot of money. A refurbished computer is a computer that has been returned to the company has been checked out as good but cannot be sold again as new. All major computer manufacturers will have a refurbished section showing all their available refurbished products. Buying one of these computers instead of a new computer can save you hundreds of dollars.

In addition to refurbished computers individuals and companies for various reasons will also sell their used computers. When buying these look out for the following.

• Verify it has no physical damage by inspecting the ports as well as the inside and the outside of the case.
• Make sure you’re getting what you pay for. See the below scams section for additional details.
• Make sure computer comes with any CD’s for the operating systems or programs that are promised to be installed.
• Realize that many computer manufacturers will not transfer the computer warranty from the old user to you.

Mac vs. PC

The decision between buying a Macintosh and PC computer running Microsoft Windows is always a heated debate. See document CH001238 for a list of advantages and disadvantages of both of these systems if you’re still not decided.

What to look for

When purchasing a computer it is likely that you will have a general idea of what you may like in the computer or how you would like to configure the computer. Below is a listing of the various components likely to be found in a computer and recommendations and tips when considering any of the below components.

Brand of computer

There is no such thing as a computer manufacturer who has a perfect history with all its users. Therefore when it comes to recommending one brand over another it would be impossible for us to say who’s better than the other. Instead we’d suggest relying off the below considerations.

Scams

Unfortunately, like anything, it is possible to be tricked or for computer companies to scam you. Watch out for the below common scams.

• Get what you pay for – Make sure you’re getting what you paid for. A common tactic is to overclock the processor, memory, or other component. This can be done by anyone with a little computer knowledge. For example, you may buy a 733MHz processor but instead get a 500MHz.

  To determine the processor speed, open the computer and look at the processor itself. Do not look at the processor through a software program or through BIOS as these values can be changed or tricked.

• Legal software – When purchasing a computer, make sure it was legal purchased and the CD or other disc and its CD-KEY is included. Many end-users or small computer companies who build or sell computers may not provide you with legal copies of the software, which is illegal and may leave you with a fine or the inability to get updates.

Desktop buying tips is a post from: Technotipz

Introduction

Purchasing a processor is an important consideration when building or buying a computer. Below we have listed several considerations and additional information about what to ask and look for when purchasing a processor directly or already installed into a computer.

Type

The processor can be a very important consideration for users who are building a computer. Today, there are three main processor manufacturers: AMD, Cyrix and Intel. Each of these companies have good and bad reviews, and really each of them are very close in compatibility and reliability. When considering any of these processors verify the motherboard is compatible. For example, if an Intel motherboard is purchased or currently installed into the computer, you will want to consider an Intel Processor, an AMD processor will not work on a motherboard designed for AMD.

• Computer CPU, heat sink, and fan manufacturer links.

Considerations

Effects

Upgrading the computer processor may have the below effects on the computer.

• Allow for programs that may require steeper processor requirements to be run.
• Help the computer or computer programs speed in load and opening time. Note: In many cases this may not be noticed or will not be dramatic.

CPU installation

Additional help and information about installing a computer processor and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

Processor (CPU) buying tips is a post from: Technotipz

Purchasing a software application or program can be a big consideration, especially when purchasing advanced and usually expensive programs such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop. When considering purchasing these programs it is important that you or your staff be familiar with the program and are sure it’s going to be capable of what you need it to do.

On this page we’ve listed several different considerations to think about before buying a computer software application

Considerations

Competition

Before buying any application make sure there is not a competing program that may be cheaper or even free. If available and something that’s capable of doing what you want it to do this could save you hundreds of dollars.

A good example of such a program is OpenOffice and Corel WordPerfect that would be a competitor to Microsoft word. Both programs are an excellent choice for a word processor but can be a considerable price difference. In the case of OpenOffice, it’s 100% free.

Documentation

Make sure proper documentation is included. Many programs today will include on-line documentation that is generally more than sufficient. However, it is also useful to obtain a manual or user guide for the software program or application.

Licenses

If you are a company who plans on having software programs used by its employees (more than one person), you will need to consider licensing options. It is required that for each computer a product is installed onto that it have a software license. If a company purchases the program and shares it with all its employees without the proper licensing, this would be illegal and can cause your company to face a criminal lawsuit.

Price

Look at your overall price and shop around. Because a software price can change so easily, you can sometimes save hundreds of dollars on expensive software. If possible, do not purchase directly through the company; many times, the company’s price doubles a retailers price.

Be cautious of OEM software. Many resellers will sell a program as OEM, which requires you buy a computer or motherboard. OEM software is software that is included with large manufacturers’ computers and will only include either just a CD or a slim manual and CD. This is not what you would find at a retail store. This option is not a bad option, it is only important that you are aware of what you are getting.

Package

Look at the overall software package. How many CDs or diskettes are included, what inserts and documentation is included, and is there any bonus or extra software included?

Media

Today, the majority of software is included on CDs and DVDs. When looking at a program, make sure you have an acceptable drive that’s able to read the media, While not common today, an example of why this is important is it’s better to receive one CD instead of 32 floppy diskettes.

Computer application buying tips is a post from: Technotipz

Google has launched a web store for the Android Market. Installation process is simple. Buy an app with your account, Install it on a compatible phone on your web browser and and it will automatically start downloading in your phone. ‘Magical’, like what Apple’s Steve Jobs says.

Also managing apps with different Android devices are simply seamless. All from the store.  Go and give it a shot. And as far as your concerned with your dollars,  Google saves credit card numbers and other personal payment information is in your secured Google account. After choosing an app, you can make a payment using a one-click purchase system. There are very thin chances of you hating the Android Market now.

Google has also announced in-app purchases (ex: add-on packs that you’ve seen on Angry birds). Showing love to their developers by giving them more freedom to build in add-on content, promotion and cross-promotion. All these coming by the end of March.

The developers have more control now, they simply can prices their apps in different currencies. More money, more happiness!

Check out the web-version of the Android Market at market.android.com

Android Market gets a web store, in-app purchases and more! is a post from: Technotipz

Here is FoneArena’s first hands on the Blackberry PlayBook which is a QNX powered tablet from RIM. The device looks like a beast in terms of performance as it can multitask seamlessly.

Take a look for yourself in the video below.

One downside of the device is that it needs to connect to a Blackberry via Bluetooth to access your Email and BBM. Are you impressed by the Playbook ?

BlackBerry Playbook Hands On is a post from: Technotipz

No visibility. No control. No toggles.

In order to turn data usage off, you have to dig deep into Connectivity Settings and set it to Wifi-only in home network. The only way to turn WiFi off is to go Offline, which means that if some app is running hidden in the background, it can suck your battery dry when you’re near a WiFi spot without you even touching your phone (I look at you, WhatsApp!). And how many times have you seen the Edge/3G AND WiFi icons turned on at the same time? Why does that even happen and what app is using each? Try to head intro Connection Manager and there’s no information. Then you start going around into all your apps checking what connection you have chosen for each. Errrrrr…

When you use an iPhone or an Android device, you see how easy things could be. You can toggle each connection type on and off. When one of them is on, every app uses that. When both are on, WiFi is preferred. When both are off, nothing gets connected. No app can bypass those settings. Easy peasy. That’s how it should be.

Well, until things end up being like that on Symbian, until apps are forbidden from bypassing the overall device settings, we have to use a workaround. This comes in the shape of 2 free apps I stumbled across yesterday and kicked myself for hours for not finding them sooner. Both apps are made by NetQin, and..

THEY

DO

WONDERS.

NetQin Mobile Guard: Monitor And Identify The Culprits

Mobile Guard is a lot of things at heart, but I will only focus on the Web Mgr part of it. Web Manager is the ultimate monitor for connectivity. It does these things:

• A detailed Monthly Traffic log per application for non-WiFi access points ie EDGE, 3G, GPRS…
• A Daily Traffic log per application, regardless whether the traffic was on WiFi or any other access point.
• Tell you what applications are connected now AND what access point each of them is using.
• A connection log for the past hours with each and every connection monitored, by application, what access point it used and how much traffic this specific instance used.
• Let you set a Traffic Bar to be visible on your screen and show the connection type, amount of traffic used, and speed.
• Run hidden in the background, autostart with the phone, and do its magic unseen.

Now, whenever you find something odd in your phone, like something starting a connection without you knowing what it is, or WiFi and Data networks connected at the same time, you can simply fire up NetQin Mobile Guard and check who the culprits are and change their settings or close them or remove them or … block them.

Oh yeah, you can block apps with the network Firewall! That’s where the other NetQin app comes into play.

NetQin Mobile Anti-Virus: Block Those Pesky Applications!

While I normally wouldn’t be caught dead with an Anti-Virus app on my Symbian phone (there is no need for them trust me), Mobile Anti-Virus does have a Network Firewall which is why I had to cave in and install it. When the firewall is enabled, it lets you:

• View what apps are connected now and to which access point, like Mobile Guard.
• Set certain apps Trusted, so it will automatically enable it to access the network.
• Set certain apps as Untrusted, so whenever they try to access the network, they get blocked.
• Have “real time protection” thanks to a pop-up for every app that isn’t Trusted, in order to approve it or deny it.
• View a recent log of every app that attempted to connect, and whether it was allowed or blocked.
• Run hidden in the background, autostart with the phone, and do its magic with popups that you can disable.

I tested the “Untrusted” trick on WhatsApp, the peskiest of all apps, the one that keeps wanting to connect even when you close it, exit it, delete its access points, and all that. It worked. I could see in the log that it kept trying for half an hour but was blocked each time, then it eventually stopped. Oh the relief of knowing you can shut it up if you want to!

It’s Just A Magic Pill

While this setup won’t solve Symbian’s connectivity setup issues, it will at least give you a way to gain back control over what is happening behind your back. Both apps do a lot more than these functions and come with a variety of settings, so I suggest you give them a try, especially that they’re free, and see if they let you fix any problem you’re having on your phone.

Do you have the same Connectivity issues on Symbian? And are these two apps what you were looking for to control the situation?

The Magic Pill For Connectivity Problems On Symbian: NetQin is a post from: Technotipz

We just found some slides with juicy information about BlackBerry’s 2011 lineup. Spoiler alert: there’s a couple of (thinner) touch phones incoming and the OS is getting modernized with better graphics, browser, video and so on.

These slides show the CDMA versions, but the specs should be similar to the GSM variants – some of the listed handsets are even dual-mode (CDMA/GSM) phones.

Starting off with the BlackBerry Monaco Touch. It looks a lot like the previously leaked images of the BB Storm 3. The phone runs BlackBerry OS 6.1 on a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor and 768MB RAM. It has a 3.7″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen (with 253DPI) and all this is packed in 11.5mm thickness.

BlackBerry Monaco Touch and a ponential version with physical, instead of capacitive keys

The Monaco Touch is primarily a CDMA phone with EV-DO data connectivity, but also offers quad-band EDGE and single-band UMTS, for roaming purposes most likely. Another interesting feature is the 5MP camera, which can record 720p video.

There’s a second slide titled “Monaco Key ID Updates” – it’s not quite clear what that’s about, but it the hardware keys are physical instead of capacitive. Other than that, it seems to be the same phone.

Next up is the BlackBerry Bold Touch (a.k.a. Montana). It too has GSM/EDGE/UMTS connectivity and a 1.2GHz CPU and 768MB RAM, 5MP camera with 720p video and it’s even thinner – 10.5mm. The screen is 2.8″ with VGA resolution for the impressive 287DPI.

BlackBerry Bold Touch (Montana)

The BlackBerry Sedona and Curve Touch have similar specs, except that the Sedona is a QWERTY bar, while the Curve Touch is a touch phone. Both the BlackBerry Curve Touch and the Sedona are powered by 800MHz CPUs with 512MB RAM. The displays have the older HVGA resolution and the cameras are 5MP (the Curve Touch can record 720p video).

The Sedona would likely be known as BlackBerry Dakota in its GSM form, while the Curve Touch will be the BlackBerry Curve Apollo for its GSM version. On the other hand, it looks a lot like the Storm3 too.

BlackBerry Sedona • BlackBerry Curve Touch

All these phones have Wi-Fi and GPS built-in and all but the Monaco Touch pack NFC. They support Wi-Fi hotspot functionality too, thanks to BlackBerry OS 6.1.

Here are a couple of other new things in v6.1 – 24-bit color support, OpenGL acceleration for 3D graphics, optimized WebKit-based browser with fast JavaScript, plus other goodies.

New features in BlackBerry OS 6.1

The roadmap leaked too so we know when to expect these new phones – the Monaco Touch and the Bold Touch (Montana) are expected in Q3 of 2011, the Sedona should hit in early Q3 and finally, there’s a “Malibu” phone (which may be the Curve Touch) for early 2012.

BlackBerry leaked roadmap

Overall, things are shaping nicely for the BlackBerry device portfolio. If only they could hurry up with the releases.

Source

BlackBerry roadmap leaks, touch screens, HD video and NFC ahead is a post from: Technotipz

Motorola Mobility India today launched MILESTONE XT800, India’s first Android powered CDMA EVDO/GSM dual standby mode/Dual SIM touch screen smartphone. This phone also features HDMI out for TV out and lot more multimedia features, read on.

“We have specially designed the MILESTONE XT800 to provide infotainment-on-the-go for consumers who want a device that matches the demands of an hectic lifestyle like that of a senior professional.”

“We believe in bringing the power of Android closer to the Indian consumer–stylish and unique form factors, innovative and compelling features and, experiences that offer greater flexibility and ease of use. MILESTONE XT800 delivers on all this and much, much more!” said Faisal Siddiqui country head for India, Motorola Mobility

Key Specifications of the MILESTONE XT800 include:-

• 3.7inch 854×480 pixel FWVGA landscape touch display
• 5MP camera with digital-zoom, autofocus, dual LED flash
• Android 2.1 platform with pinch to zoom capacitive touch display
• SMS, MMS, email (corporate email exchange , POP3/IMAP embedded, push email)
• USB 2.0 high-speed data transfer, with support for synchronization with PCs
• Bluetooth^1&3 2.0+EDR high-speed transmission and wireless Bluetooth stereo
• Assisted GPS satellite navigation^1&2 supporting Google Maps
• Support for viewing and editing documents in Word/Excel/PowerPoint/PDF and Zip formats
• Memory is expandable up to 32GB; 2GB SD card in-box
• Wi-Fi, e-Compass
• Video capture/playback/streaming, HDMI (720p) output to high-definition devices
• Supports several music formats: H.263,  H.264,  MPEG4
• Supports multiple audio formats: AAC, ACC+, MP3, CMX, AMR NB, AMR WB, MIDI, WAV and WMA 9.

Price and Availability

The Android 2.1-powered Motorola MILESTONE XT800 is exclusively distributed by AirTyme Communications in India at a MRP of Rs 31,999. It comes with an HDMI cable for TV output and a 2GB micro SD card in-box.

Though the phone features multimedia rich features, we doubt if it would pull in many buyers considering its price point and the fact that it still runs on Android 2.1. A future update my bring in Froyo running on the same. But some of its key features like Dual SIM, HDMI-out for sure will make people count this device in.

Motorola Launches MILESTONE XT800 India’s First Android-Powered Dual Mode, Dual Sim Touch Screen Smartphone is a post from: Technotipz

Obviously Android had grown a nasty bug – it would randomly send a text message to the wrong contact even though the text shows in the correct contact’s message thread.

If you have a Nexus One, then the Android 2.2.2 is the release that should deal with this bug and potentially some others (there’s no official changelog yet). The update is available for manual install or you can wait for the Over-The-Air version (check out the manual install instructions here).

If you have the Google Nexus S instead, then you should be getting your bug fix as an OTA update, which will bump the phone up to v2.3.2. Besides making sure you have no SMS issues anymore, the update reportedly improves the responsiveness of the browser (again, there’s no official changelog).

And finally, the T-Mobile’s Samsung Vibrant (a Galaxy S variant) is getting updated to Android 2.2 Froyo after quite a long wait. The update includes USB/Wi-Fi tethering, Wi-Fi calling and the usual software and performance enhancements that come with Froyo.

Source 1, Source 2, Source 3

Android update fixes Nexus One/S SMS bug, Froyo for T-Mo’s Vibrant is a post from: Technotipz

During Q4 of 2010 HTC shipped a total of 9.1 million units, which, compared to the same period last year, is an increase of 163%. The result is US$3.57 billion worth of revenue. This is an impressive 153% more than the last year’s Q4.

HTC really stepped up their game in 2010 and this shows in the annual balances. The shipment of smartphones doubled during 2010 to 24.6 million units, compared to 11.7 million in 2009. Their revenue went up 93% year-to-year to $7 billion and as for the profits, they are calculated at $1.3 billion.

As a goal for 2011 the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer will focus on its 4G devices. If HTC keeps the current trend going, they can only expect things to get even better for them. With their six new devices and a tablet waiting to hit up MWC 2011, Q1 2011 shouldn’t disappoint too.

Source (PDF Link)

HTC closing a successful fourth quarter 2010 is a post from: Technotipz

We just dug out a photo of a Nokia-branded MeeGo tablet, along with some specs. Packing telephony and a landscape-oriented interface we are not sure what to make of the device, but it might just turn out to be the hotly anticipated Nokia N9.

The device pictured is obviously a really early prototype as most of its hardware is not working and there is none of the Nokia custom UI to be seen on it. Yet we did get some hardware specs so it’s not all bad.

Packing a 4.5″ screen the Nokia MeeGo half-tablet-half-phone will be supporting 3G with HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. A microUSB port isn’t mentioned but it’s now mandatory for all devices sold in the EU so we’ll assume it’s present too.

The Nokia MeeGo tablet

An accelerometer is onboard, along a gyroscope. Camera is also present, though we cannot confirm its resolution. If this really turns out to be the Nokia N9 and previous rumors are to be trusted we might get to see the N8 top-quality on this one.

Of course, there’s always the chance that this is just a reference design for engineering needs and we are getting all too excited without a valid reason.

What’s making us rather suspicious is the mouse pointer visible on the screen. However the leaked list of current bugs does include a failure to operate the device through the touchscreen and MeeGo supports mouse input so it could just be a Bluetooth accessory.

There’s also another theory, coming from Eldar Murtazin’s Twitter account. According to the editor-in-chief of Mobile-review.com, the N9 has been given the axe and Nokia chose to develop another device instead. If that’s true, it explains why the styling of the device above is so unlike those early N9 shots we’ve all seen.

Here’s hoping there’s a MeeGo smartphone announcement coming next month, so we could finally stop with all the guessing.

Source

 Nokia MeeGo tablet image and specs surface, we hold our breath is a post from: Technotipz