Phone Bulletin

Incoming search terms:

rim stock

Incoming search terms:

spotify change storage place , spotify smartphone , spotify smartphone free , spotify storage smartphone

Shopping on Your Smartphone This Holiday Season

Over the past century and a half, major technological advancements have spurred the rise of consumerism and repeatedly changed the nature of shopping. In the late 1800s, the rise of streetcar lines led to the birth of the department store, which allowed retailers to create a new culture of shopping while offering economies of scale that made price accessible to the middle classes. In the early 1900s, the growth of the catalog allowed people across the country to see, desire, and purchase a distant product, thereby turning merchandise into a national business. And, more recently, shopping centers, outlet malls, and, of course, the internet have continually influenced America’s relationship with retail.

This holiday season, a new such technology stands to enter the mainstream: shopping apps for tablets and smartphones. While these apps have existed in years past, the increased prevalence of smartphones and a greater push on the part of retailers in the past year has led to a situation where, for the first time ever, a holiday shopper can use apps for much of their research. Unlike on a website, where the fun of shopping is often replaced with grids that show pictures of items based on their department, applications strive to provide a more realistic shopping experience. Users can “walk” among items, see what they look like together, create collages, and zoom in on images. They also can flip through virtual catalogs where every picture can link to more information – and more pictures – about a given item.

So how is this technological change going to alter the shopping experience? While it’s too early to say with certainty, here are a few guesses:

-Fewer traditional catalogs. Some retailers have already said they planned to do away with paper catalogs in favor of the digital version, delivered via app.

-24 hour retailers. While consumers have had the ability for years now to shop online at 3am, websites offer few features besides an ability to make a purchase, an action which can be processed electronically and completed the following morning. With some retail apps including interactive, real-time assistance, however, it is only a matter of time before someone offers this feature around the clock.

-Personalization. A couple retailers are already planning to create virtual catalogs that show customers only products in which they might be interested. This move will certainly be welcome by many and criticized by privacy activists. It remains to be seen how gift-buying trends will be incorporated into this personalization.

-Younger demographics. With younger people the ones more often using smartphones and apps, it would come as little surprise if major retailers started catering to them more as sales go increasingly high-tech and virtual.

These are just a few predictions for how shopping applications may influence the industry. So when you hit the mall next month and struggle to navigate among the crowds, just remember: the shopping mall owes its existence to technology and, although this remains to be seen, may owe its downfall to it, too.

(photo credit: JD Hancock)

Smartphones have become so prevalent in our society that we don’t even question getting them anymore. We obsess over whether to get an iPhone or an Android, sure. We spend sleepless nights wondering whether we should upgrade to the hot new product or keep the fully functioning one we already have. We buy unlimited data plans and buy the newest mobile apps. But we never question whether we should have a smartphone in the first place.

Of course, for most people, even stopping to think about that question would have no impact on their smartphone-infused world. They use their smartphone on the go, at the office, in the kitchen – of course they need it.

But for others out there, even if they comprise a shrinking minority of the mobile market, that smartphone they own does more harm than good. If you think you may be one of these people, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I Need the Features?

This is certainly a prime question to ask yourself. Think about it: do you find that you use streaming data only because you pay for it, or do you pay for it because you actually need and desire the kind of web access a smartphone provides? Do you live and die by your apps and other advanced features, or do you just use them out of convenience? Ultimately, you want to gauge how attached you are to the perks of a smartphone. Those of us who use phones mainly to text and make calls are good candidates for a downgrade. If the marriage has gone cold, it may be high time to recognize and admit that fact.

Would I Like to be More Cost Conscious?

There’s no question about it: if you own a smartphone, you aren’t taking the most cost-effective approach to your communication technology. With no data plan requirement, lower initial purchase fees, and the option to take advantage of cheap prepaid rates, traditional mobile phones offer plenty of cost benefits over their high-tech brethren. If money is tight, and you’re looking for places to cut back, a glance into your pocket may be a good place to start.

Does the Smartphone Sap My Time?

We like technology when it makes our lives easier or more enjoyable. Smartphones can have both of those effects, but it doesn’t happen for every smartphone owner. On a day to day basis, maybe you spend time on your smartphone that could be better spent relaxing or working out. On a year to year basis, perhaps you exert considerable time and effort dealing with broken phones and upgrading to new ones. With a traditional device you can, in a way, get out of this rat race. These kinds of phones are usually more durable and also more innocuous – a good combination for many of us.

While all kinds of phones have their own benefits and should be judged on their merits and on your individual needs, buying or keeping a smartphone need not be an expectation in today’s world. Ask yourself whether you really need a smartphone. You just might be a member of a shrinking demographic.

Incoming search terms:

jd hancock , smartphone bring more harm than good , smartphone do more harm than good , smartphone more good than harm , smartphones do more good than harm , smartphones do more harm than good , why get a smartphone

(credit: torugatoru)

With the introduction of the Siri iPhone app earlier this month, smartphone technology took a seemingly small step that will be remembered as a giant leap for humankind. For the first time ever, at least practically, consumers have access to speech-recognizing personal assistant software that can process a seemingly endless series of commands, questions, and even sly pop culture references. We can safely say we’ve arrived into the age of artificial intelligence – at least the most basic form of consumer use for it. But as far as smartphone technology goes – and that technology’s potential – Siri is only the beginning in a list of capabilities that seem straight out of science fiction.

For instance, Swiss researchers have recently found a way to monitor the heart through the smartphone. By connecting four non-invasive electrode sensors attached to the body into the headphone jack, smartphones can monitor heart activity and provide an individual with real-time health data. This data can in-turn be sent to the appropriate medical professional if necessary. It’s an astounding piece of technology that only signals the start of what is certain to become a way for virtually anyone to someday have their entire biometrics constantly monitored through a communications device which can alert emergency personnel in the event of injury or illness. Trekkies out there will recognize this as a key component of the uniforms worn by the members of the Starship Enterprise.

On the slightly spookier side of things, a research team at Georgia Tech recently found a way to deduce what someone is typing through the iPhone 4 accelerometer, which measures vibrations in the air and is a component of every smartphone on the market. The remarkable formula they found is 80% accurate, and uses a system of processing two keystrokes at a time to hone in on the particular vibrations given off by certain chains of keys pressed. They say it’s a bit too complex for your average identity thief, but a clever hacker could easily use this system to break into the phone of an employee of a major corporation and record keystrokes, waiting for passwords and other information to be uncovered.

Smartphones are turning more and more into pocket-sized computers. But more than that, they’re encapsulating technological trends that are occurring as we speak. While the first several generations of smartphones were indeed and are indeed mostly inspired by the hardware and software of most personal computers, it’s the mobile devices themselves that are the first in line to receive the latest in technological breakthroughs. But with that role in innovation comes a risk of manipulation, as malicious-minded people will always be eager to take advantage of the latest technology. Even if you aren’t using Siri, always remember to ask the right questions when operating the latest in personal technology.

If you’re like many people who’ve yet to take that plunge and buy a smartphone, you probably have no idea what to get. It seems that with every commercial or ad you see, every mobile device is touted as the best on the market. Much like with computers, the ad may say it’s the best piece of technology on the market, but the question remains what is the difference between this phone and that phone. If you think you’ll be on the market for a new phone pretty soon, here’s a list of features that you should be looking for:

Power
For starters, you want to know how long the battery life on the device will be. Battery technology has gotten a lot better, but some devices are more efficient at battery usage than others. You have to ask yourself how much you think you’ll be using it. If you feel that you’re going to be using it all the time, then you obviously want to pick a phone that has a pretty substantial power source. Cell phone batteries are used in two ways, idle time and active time. Idle time is how long the batter will last when it’s on, but not being used. It’s kind of like when your computer goes to sleep. Active time is when you’re using it to perform some of the various functions.

Design and Functionality
There’s many different designs when it comes to smartphones. Many are going the touch screen route while others still sport a keypad. This tends to separate users quite a bit because some people still prefer to have a physical keypad while others prefer to have an interactive one. Both function quite well given that the technology has advanced a lot on this front. The choice really comes down to a matter of preference, however a keypad will add to the phone’s size and will be a bit bulkier. It also makes it easier to write documents. It’s really up to you.

Storage Space
If you plan on running a lot of apps and having a more extensive music collection stored on your mobile phone, then you’ll want to get one with a larger hard drive. This is a breaking point for some phones. Often a phone will run amazingly, but as soon as you try to capture video or store a lot of information, the phone starts running slowly. This often results in the user having to constantly delete content to free up space. It might seem worthwhile when buying it, but sometimes getting the phone with the larger hard drive can save you a lot of headache later on.

Connectivity
There’s the big debate now whether you should switch to a 3 or 4G network. Four G networks are faster, but not everyone needs to upload or download content at blazing speeds. For many, 3G is just fine. Speak to a provider and consider how fast you really need to surf the web. Having the newest 4G phones might be nice, but it can result in a price difference of several hundred dollars.

Consider some of these features before you buy your next phone. Tons of people flocking to the latest and greatest smartphone, but before you do so ask yourself what you need and if you need one. Look through the features and speak with someone if you’re confused by any of the options. You don’t want to tie yourself down to a lengthy contract before you really know what you’re getting.

(credit: nuebie)

Contrary to popular belief, there still lingers one mobile service provider that lists unlimited data as an available option. Once Verizon halts their unlimited data offering come autumn, Sprint will be the only major mobile service provider still offering unlimited data usage. For an additional $9.99, a month Sprint customers can continue to enjoy a bottomless barrel of information processing through their smartphones. But don’t take Sprint’s insistence to remain steadfast on the data situation as a sign of kindness. Sprint is certainly going to wean its customers off of unlimited data, the debate is simply a matter of when.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has gone on the record saying “nothing lasts forever” in reference to his company’s persistence in providing unlimited data. He says Sprint continues to monitor the situation. This is industry-speak for making it clear that while Sprint enjoys being the only boss in town that still offers an incredibly enticing opportunity, they completely grasp the moneymaking potential of throttled data usage and the losses associated with set-priced unlimited data. But since it’s evident that they aren’t completely reliant on their data-usage profits or even the potential of increased data usage profits, Sprint wants to take its time in coming up with their next step.

The fact of the matter is that unless they need the profit margins netted from limited data plans, they can pretty much go about making the switch whenever they want. It’s a little part of the mobile phone business called contracts. Those who love the idea of getting unlimited data usage today are going to be the customers making the switch to throttled data whether that switch happens six months from now or a year from now. In fact, Sprint’s resistance could be seen as less to do with sucking customers away from competition and more about ensuring that they have as many customers contracted to their service as possible by the time they make the switch.

When Sprint ultimately decides to switch over to throttled data usage plans, remains an unknowable, but within the year is probably a safe bet. If Sprint doesn’t show off their unlimited data in the interim, take it a good sign things are about to change. If Sprint decides to heavily market its unlimited data, then that’s a sign they’ll likely wait longer than a year to implement an end to unlimited data.

But it’s without a doubt that Sprint’s unlimited data plan is on a limited timeframe. There’s no reason every other company would abandon their unlimited plans if they knew one of their competitors would keep offering such a package indefinitely. That’s far too good of an option to not have when a competitor does.

No, they know Sprint’s data usage package is on borrowed time. Sprint customers and potential Sprint customers ought be as aware of the limits of their unlimited data destiny.

Incoming search terms:

its time to abandon sprint , sprint abandon unlimited , sprint to abandon unlimited data plan , SPRINT unlimited changes

There is no doubt that smart phones are evolving at a rapid pace. What seems to be new technology one minute is old news the next. Smart phones are coming out with new features so fast that it seems impossible to ever truly own the best and newest phone on the market.

In 2012, smart phone enthusiasts can definitely expect to see smart phones performing better and faster on every level, but there are a few areas where the advances of the future year will truly be jaw dropping. Certain areas in which 2012 smart phones will particularly advance include:

Display
The iPhone has long been the industry leader when it comes to smart phone screens, and no one should expect that to last for long. Toshiba was able to release a 4 inch display with a pixel density of 367ppi which is a legit 1280 x 720 high definition screen. This style of screen is sure to become the standard across the industry, but it isn’t really the largest advance for screens.

In 2012, smart phones users can expect energy-efficiency to be the greatest screen advancement. Screens are generally what suck a smart phone battery dry, and future screens may incorporate new technologies such as CN-VOLET to reduce energy consumption and promote battery life.

Roll-up screens and flexible touch screens may also make an appearance in 2012 as Sony is striving to be the industry leader and is currently producing some of the more advanced flexible screen technologies.

Cameras
Right now, many smart phones are offering not one, but two cameras, and rear-facing 8 megapixel cameras are becoming standard. However, in 2012, smart phones users can expect to see cameras with even better capabilities. Altek released a smart phone this year with 14 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens, and while the phone may not catch on this time around, it only demonstrates what larger smart phone creators may be working on.

Performance
Each year, better and better processors are released, and 2012 will be no exception. System-on-Chip processors are expected to increase to a 28-nanometer architecture which will allow more cores to fit onto a single chip. Qualcomm is already expected to release a 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon, and Nvidia is already promising to introduce a chip that will outperform its current Tegra 2 chip by 100. What does this mean for smart phone users? Well if you already think your smart phone is fast, wait for the ones released next year to blow the current ones out of the water. You’ll see lightning fast speed that will look excellent zooming across those great new displays.

Voice dictation, battery life, data input, and operating systems are also all expected to improve in 2012. Regardless, smart phone enthusiasts can expect to see some great and awing phones enter the market in the upcoming year. As the race to become the industry leader in smart phones continues, consumers will be the ones to benefit the greatest. Smart phones will only increase in function and speed, and are sure to make life more easy to manage and to enjoy in the future.

Incoming search terms:

Smartphones To Look Out For In 2012 , phones to look out for in 2012 , 2012 Smart Phones , Most advanced smartphones expected in 2012 , future smartphones 2012 , smartphones to look out for 2012 , what to expect from smart phones in 2012 , when is quad core coming out on smartphones , largest phone screen 2012 , Smartphones to look for in 2012

As more and more people start using smartphones the costs have gone down quite a bit but not with everything. There is no longer, under any provider, a data plan that allows users unlimited access. AT&T and T-Mobile, which are the second and fourth largest U.S. carriers, already put the axe to their unlimited data plans a while ago. T-Mobile USA now charges people based on their monthly data usage. As far as AT&T is concerned, they have a tiered system where users can pick which one would best meet their needs. It seems that the industry was loosing out on a lot of money by giving customers the option to buy into limitless connectivity. Now, as Verizon has stated, there are no longer phone providers or carriers that offer unlimited data.

This is all happening due to unsurpassed success, not failure. The smartphones are too popular. The death of unlimited wireless data is happening because providers have been seeing a mass proliferation in the use of data and it’s, predominantly, due to the smartphone market. Apparently about 77 million people in the U.S alone had them in the first few months of the year, which is up over 10 percent from the same time the year before that. The figures are climbing and the big carriers didn’t see it coming that quickly. Smartphone users have climbed and their data usage has almost doubled. These statistics are what pushed the industry to make a big change to their current business model.

The announcement came as another blow to the limitless data model. It’s not going to affect everyone, just new customers or anyone looking to upgrade their old phone to a smart phone. Now, it seems, that many carriers are going to start charging people per-megabyte usage. With Verizon, you can get 75 megabytes of data usage per month for about ten dollars. But it hasn’t always been completely open. Even when T-Mobile did offer total data access, the company would slow down the data speeds for unlimited plan customers who use up their monthly allotment. This wasn’t always known by the customer. It was legal because they still, technically, had unlimited data but it wasn’t at the same strength. It’s likely that it’s going to stay this way. We’ll probably see data wars between the providers long before we see a return to any unlimited plans.

To put in plainly, there’s far more money to be made with limited or capped data plans. Growth and maximum profits aren’t possible with a fixed-price model. This is especially the case if people continue to use and get smartphones in the kinds of numbers the industry has seen in the last couple years. Though everyone that has the old unlimited data plan will still have it. It’s not like its going to be taken away, but providers are going to have to find another gimmick to keep people streaming in.

Incoming search terms:

No more unlimited data