Smartphones - AppNewser

Waterproof Sony Xperia Shoots Underwater HD Videos

Phi Tran — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:15 +0000

Sony unveiled its new Xperia, and it’s remarkably waterproof. The phone can stay submerged under 5 feet of water for 30 minutes of HD photo and video capture.

The new Sony camera has a generous 4.6″ touch screen with a 13-megapixel camera that can be activated prior to submersion. Once the phone is underwater the screen loses its touch enabled features, but you can snap photos with a physical button. The camera key button also works in locked mode, enabling you to easily snap photos at any wet moment. This phone is definitely a contender for Go-Pro users who likes water activities. continued…

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5 Things You Didn’t Know That Are Cleaner than Cell Phones

Phi Tran — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:00:44 +0000

A typical cell phone has on average 25,107 bacteria per square inch. This makes it dirtier than most surfaces, including doorknobs and toilets. Maybe they’re just your own germs?

Like if you are watching (or reading) this on a phone.

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Infographic: How to Keep Your Phone Safe From Hackers

Phi Tran — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:00:41 +0000

Free wi-fi often means free data for hackers – so if you are frequenting the coffee shop with your smartphone, it’s a good idea to practice safe browsing. To help you keep your phone safe and healthy, the security gurus at Symantec have put together this great infographic of best practices.

To begin securing your data, create a secure password for your phone and deactivate automatic wi-fi connections. In general, browsing on public wi-fi connections can leave you susceptible to more hacking, so never use it to access private or important data – you won’t be able to tell when you’re being hacked or infected. continued…

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NASA Using Smartphones as Low-Cost Amateur Nanosatellites

Phi Tran — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:00:41 +0000

NASA’s Antares rockets took three smartphones on its voyage to space, the first of its kind to become PhoneSats – smartphones used as tiny satellites. The program set a record by using the cheapest satellites in the history of the space program (possibly the cheapest in the history of man made satellites).

Michael Gazarik, NASA Associate Administrator

Smartphones offer a wealth of potential capabilities for flying small, low-cost, powerful satellites for atmospheric or Earth science, communications, or other space-born applications. They also may open space to a whole new generation of commercial, academic and citizen-space users. continued…

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Cell Phone Inventor Martin Cooper Was Influenced by Star Trek

Phi Tran — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:30:28 +0000

Forty years ago today Martin Cooper of Motorola impressed a room full of journalists with a plastic brick that was dubbed by its design team as The Shoe – probably because it shared the same sex appeal. Flash forward 40 years and cell phones are spawning from social networks and outnumbering people.

But even before Cooper and his Motorola team created the first working mobile phone, there were signs of its imminent technology in pop culture. Who could forget Captain Kirk’s fashionable gold cell phone?

continued…

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Reduce Smartphone Bills With These Quick Tips From Minute Hacks

Phi Tran — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:45:07 +0000

Hack College unearthed some random usages that can lower your data and phone bill. Watch their informative, short video on how to text Google and what to use for cheap, international calls .

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Inside The Samsung Galaxy S4 launch Event

Alex Weprin — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:21:57 +0000

Last night Samsung unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S4 in front of a packed Radio City Music Hall in New York. AppNewser was there to get some hands-on time with the company’s new flagship phone.

Radio City was a madhouse. Doors opened at 6 with the presentation supposed to start at 7. Despite arriving right at 6, the line was already wrapped around itself down the block (see the photo to the left). I didn’t get in the doors til 6:50.

Once inside, I was ushered up to the mezzanine, as the orchestra level had filled up. The glow of phones, tablets and laptops filled the theater in the minutes leading up to the presentation. As for that presentation, it was… interesting. You can watch it here to get all the details on the phone, and see all of the odd (yet attractive) set pieces they used.

The crowd was excited for the phone, not the presentation. I had never been in a crowd that cheered so loudly when the words “4G LTE” were uttered, or how a number of audible gasps and “whoa”s were heard when a burst mode on the camera was demoed.
continued…

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How Much Does Your Smartphone Reveal About You?

Jason Boog — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:03:16 +0000

The Guardian has posted a video demonstrating how a social media tracking company can create a complex and eerie picture of your life using just a few mobile apps: Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter.

Are you concerned about how much your phone reveals about you? The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has more information about privacy and smartphone settings.

Here’s more from the Guardian: “These images sometimes contain latitude and longitude details – automatically embedded by smartphones within so-called ‘exif header data’. Riot pulls out this information, analysing not only the photographs posted by individuals, but also the location where these images were taken.” (Via Gizmodo)

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iPhone Users More Likely to Pay Higher Phone Bills

Phi Tran — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:00:55 +0000

Consumer Intelligence Research Panel (CIRP) released new findings on phone bills showing iPhone users paying much more than other smart phone users. The survey shows that on average, 60% of iPhone users had monthly bills of at least $100 compared to only 53% of Android users. 33% of Android and Blackberry users were able to obtain average rates between $25-$50 per month compared to only 6% of iPhone users. Michael Levin of CIRP explains:

“We think it has to do with their data plans and carriers, rather than their usage habits… They are all on expensive data plans, unlike Android users, some of which are on prepaid or unsubsidized plans with regional carriers.”

continued…

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RIM Introduces BlackBerry 10 OS & Z10, Q10 Phones

Dianna Dilworth — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:07:25 +0000

In a move to compete with Apple and Android, Research in Motion has BlackBerry has introduced a new operating system for BlackBerry along with two new phones — a touchscreen model Z10 and the Q10 a new BlackBerry with a QWERTY keyboard.

Like other smartphones popular today, the new BlackBerry Z10 has a touchscreen and offers access to third party apps through the BlackBerry App World. The BlackBerry Z10 is a touchscreen phone with a high-resolution 1280 x 768, 4.2-inch screen. It has 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded with MicroSD cards up to 32 GB. It is Wi-Fi enabled and has an 8 megapixel camera. The Q10, on the other hand, incorporates the new operating system while providing a phone with a QWERTY keyboard for loyal keyboard enthusiasts. Both devices will be available in the U.S. in March. continued…

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Unlocking New Cell Phones After Tomorrow Will Be Illegal

Phi Tran — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:00:20 +0000

Unlocking any new phones without your carrier’s permission will be illegal after tomorrow. The ruling came from the Librarian of Congress on October 28, 2012:

Computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, that enable a wireless telephone handset originally acquired from the operator of a wireless telecommunications network or retailer no later than ninety days after the effective date of this exemption to connect to a different wireless telecommunications network, if the operator of the wireless communications network to which the handset is locked has failed to unlock it within a reasonable period of time following a request by the owner of the wireless telephone handset, and when circumvention is initiated by the owner, an individual consumer, who is also the owner of the copy of the computer program in such wireless telephone handset, solely in order to connect to a different wireless telecommunications network, and such access to the network is authorized by the operator of the network.

Carriers like Verizon offers iPhones already unlocked and AT&T unlocks smart phones at the end of a contract. The decision would most likely hinder companies like T-Mobile whose promotions include “bring in your own device.” Obviously this new law has plenty of opponents, there’s already a White House petition with thousands of signatures.

The same decision also makes it illegal for you to jailbreak your iPad, but not your iPhone. Confused yet? These “exemptions” are all under the Library of Congress’s authority per the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) passed in 2008. Since then, the Library has been “granting” exemptions to users of copyrighted products from eBooks to DVDs. Until the ruling on October 20, 2012, unlocking cell phones was allowed.

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Samsung Shows Off ‘Unbreakable’ Phone at CES

Dianna Dilworth — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:15:19 +0000

Have you had to pay big bucks because you dropped your smartphone and shattered the screen? Well, pretty soon, you might be able to get a phone with an unbreakable display.

Yesterday at CES, Brian Berkeley, senior vice president of Samsung Display, showed off a prototype of a smartphone with a new kind of display. The phone uses Samsung’s new line of flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, which are made out of a thin plastic instead of glass. According to a Samsung press release, this “YOUM” display is “bendable” and “virtually unbreakable.”

“Our team was able to make a high resolution display on extremely thin plastic instead of glass, so it won’t break even if it’s dropped,” said Berkeley in the presentation. “This new form factor will really begin to change how people interact with their devices, opening up new lifestyle possibilities … [and] allow our partners to create a whole new ecosystem of devices.”

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Track Your Airline Luggage on Your Smartphone

Jason Boog — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:16:26 +0000

Using the hand-sized Trakdot Luggage tracker (pictured above), travelers can soon monitor their luggage as it travels the world by airplane. It will be available in March for $49.95 . Activation costs $8.99 and there is an annual service fee of $12.99.

The air transport communications and information technology company SITA estimates that 26 million bags get lost every year by airlines.

Check it out: “The luggage locator system delivers city-specific information on the whereabouts of checked baggage in real time. Even if the Trakdot protected bag does not reach the desired destination, passengers will still have the reassurance of knowing which city their luggage is in. Once the device is registered on the Trakdot website and placed inside a checked bag, it will deliver location information directly to the user’s mobile phone or SMS device via text or email. Alternatively, travelers can track their luggage on Trakdot.com or use the free Trakdot Luggage app. An additional app alerts passengers as their baggage approaches on the carousel, making it easier than ever for them to find their bag.” (Link via)

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Are You More Likely to Call or Text Your New Year’s Celebrations?

Phi Tran — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:19:39 +0000

Mojiva’s recent survey reveals that an overwhelming majority of mobile users are more likely to text their New Year Celebration this year. Additionally, respondents also said they will be using their smart phones to take plenty of photos and sharing them via their favorite social networking sites.

There’s a large gap between calling (~60%) and texting (~70%). This change might be attributed in this years’ popular rise in mobile apps for social sites such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Even YouTube members can take videos of their New Year events and share it with an unlimited number of friends. With so many social options, users can share and celebrate with more than just voice communication. Additionally, sites like Google allow social interactions with multiple members via video chats.

The survey also reveals some insightful wishes of mobile users for 2013. Can Mobile devices help them organize their lives better, find better restaurants, and share private stories on public sites? Click below to see the rest of the infographics. continued…

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Where To Charge Your Phone in NYC

Dianna Dilworth — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:44:03 +0000

Chances are you don’t own a solar powered cell phone, and besides, it’s not all that sunny on the East Coast today. Thankfully for those New Yorkers without power, Mayor Bloomberg announced that AT&T is setting up mobile wireless pods around the city where you can charge your phone, and get decent reception. These will be set up near food and water distribution centers throughout the city.

Or if you are in DUMBO, there is a cooler way to go. A company called BioLite who has set up charging station with their high tech camping stoves.

Gothamist explains that the BioLite camp stove, ”enables users to ‘cook dinner and charge electronics anywhere, with just a handful of kindling.’ We’re told that the stoves can charge a cell phone in the time that it takes to charge up your phone using a laptop. The stoves can also be used to power LED lights.”

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