Archive for the
‘Smartphones’ Category

Home / Smartphones

Hoarding your old phone? You have options 0

You’ve seen the TV ads from the wireless companies: trade in your smartphone and get an upgrade for the latest, coolest device. Or, from one of a growing number of companies offering top dollar for your old iPhone.

The chances are, though, that you’ve stashed your old smartphone is a drawer somewhere or tucked it away in some unmarked box. A new study says you have plenty of company.

Almost 50 percent of the people surveyed by the research group OnePoll say they keep their old smartphones. OnePoll, which did the poll for resale site SellCell.com, says that’s down from the 55 percent who were asked the same question a year earlier.

The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch estimates that the trade-in value of the stashed and hoarded handsets is about $47 billion, including $13 billion in old iPhones.

So what are your options?

The resale market for the devices continues to grow through companies like SellCell, NextWorth, iPhonesintocash.com and Gazelle. But it’s mostly for iPhones, less lucrative for Android or Blackberry devices.

Most wireless retailers, including Verizon, AT&T and Apple, collect old cellphones and smartphones for environmentally responsible recycling to keep them out of landfills.

Donating the phone to charity is also an option. Verizon uses the old phones it collects for its HopeLine program, which gives the devices to domestic violence prevention organizations. The organization 911CellphoneBank.org collects working, non-valued phones for donation to shelters and charities for use as 911 emergency phones.

Finally, before getting rid of that excess smartphone, follow these guidelines by the wireless industry trade group CTIA to remove your personal information.

Tell us: What do you do with old smartphone?

 

Tips to delete racy mobile content 0

The initial story was interesting enough: A youth group creates an app to educate students about expunging old juvenile offenses from their records.

But in bringing up the app for a Chicago TV news segment, the demonstrator inadvertently showed a link to a porn site on the mobile device’s browsing history. Some sharp-eyed viewers couldn’t resist bringing it up. And the adult-themed site has some advice for mobile users who want to keep their viewing history discreet.

The demo for WGN-TV’s segment on the student-created app, called Expunge.io, did not belong to any of the people interviewed or anyone from WGN, station news director Greg Caputo tells AOL Jobs.  The demonstrator’s typed search on the smartphone revealed links to the owner’s previously visited websites, among them an adult website called Pornhub.

A chastened WGN took the story down from its own site and off YouTube, though you can see the segment here on Mediaite.

Pornhub has taken notice and its tech team has some suggestions. Says company vice president Corey Price in a statement:

“We have had the pleasure of watching the WGN debacle make headlines around the country, and while we wholeheartedly appreciate the exposure as a result of the demo phone in question, we’d like to offer up a little help to users looking to hide their dirty laundry a bit better moving forward.

That said, we’ve had our tech team devise the following steps to give unbeknownst surfers some first-hand knowledge about how to delete their mobile browser history in the spirit of keeping things discreet, and perhaps a bit less embarrassing for mobile enthusiasts.”

For iPhones:

  • Ensure your phone is powered on – head into the “Settings” menu on the home screen
  • Scroll down and tap on “Safari”
  • Scroll down into the subsequent menu and you’ll find two options: “Clear History” and “Clear Cookies”
  • Tap on all of these to clear them out

For Android phones:

  • Ensure your phone is powered on – open the mobile browser
  • Press the “Menu” key, followed by “More”
  • Continue on to the ‘Setting’ button and scroll down to ‘Privacy Settings’
  • Click on “Clear History”
  • Press “OK” (repeat for “Cache,” “Cookie History” and “Form Data”)

 

 

 

 

 

Mikva Challenge decided to create an app to “educate young detainees and parents” and help them understand a process called expungement, under which juveniles can petition the courts to clear their records. The app is called Expunge.io.

Smartphone shipments surpass 1 billion worldwide 0

The number of smartphones shipped worldwide surpassed 1 billion for the first time in 2013, according to a new report.

Android and iOS continue to dominate the market, accounting for 93.8 percent of all smartphones shipped last year, Framingham, Mass.-based analysts International Data Corporation says. Android was the clear leader in operating systems, with Samsung comprising nearly 40 percent of all Android device shipments for the year.

IDC notes that smartphones are getting cheaper. Worldwide marketing campaigns continue to stay focused on flagship devices like the iPhone 5S, Galaxy Note 3, and the HTC One, yet in 2013 the market for smartphones under $200 grew to 42.6 percent of global volume.

Count on seeing more of these phones in the lower price range as the year progresses.

 

Apps to make your Valentine’s Day special 0

Just a couple of shopping days left until Valentine’s Day. You didn’t forget, did you?

So, what’s the plan for your beloved? Chocolates. A dozen long-stemmed roses (at a substantial markup). Or maybe one of those big stuffed animals from the convenience store with the corny “Be Mine” stitched in its chest.

How about a virtual card? Or poetry?

There are a number of apps out there for your iPhone or Android smartphone that can help make the occasion special, even unique, for you and your significant other. Here are a few that come to mind:

Flowers

Flowers.com, ProFlowers.com and FTD come to mind first, but there’s also The Bouqs. The online floral delivery startup launched a new app that allows customers to send flowers directly from their smartphone or tablet. The app runs on iOS and Android platforms, and provides “two click” sending of its farm-direct flowers to anyone you want.

Virtual Valentine’s card
valday2You can spend five bucks on a store card that rhymes. Or, you can download the Love Pic Booth app for Instagram and show an image of how you really feel. This camera photo app for iPhone and iPad lets you take photos, add frames, and create a romantic or poetic image for the background.

Romantic dinner

valday4Many restaurants are usually booked in advance for Valentine’s Day. Turn to iOs and Android apps like Open Table, NoWait and Zagat to Go ($9.99) to book a cozy restaurant for a romantic dinner for two.

Poetry
Nothing says romance like a few spoken, or tweeted, words of verse. There’s an app for that, too. “Love Quotes!” is an iTunes app of famous, beautiful and inspirational love quotes and sayings by famous authors.

Music
Valentine Radio is a downloadable app for iOs and Android devices. It’s easy listening mood music from a selection of 40 radio stations that you and your significant other will surely like.

 

 

Low-tech ways to protect your mobile device 0

California legislators are proposing a law that would be the first in the nation to require that all smartphones and tablets sold in the state have disabling technology installed that would render the smartphone or tablet inoperable if stolen.

As we said in a recent post, the proposed “kill switch” law could catch on nationwide as thefts of mobile devices continue to be a serious and dangerous issue. If passed, the law could go into effect as early as New Year’s Day.

tablets_artUntil then — or if you live somewhere other than California — here are a few low-tech ways to safeguard your mobile device from theft:

Don’t leave your device unattended. It only takes a moment for a thief to walk off with your $600 iPad or $400 smartphone when you’re at the coffee shop counter. Don’t leave it alone in public places.

Be aware of your surroundings. Avoid using it in areas that appear unsafe. Be wary of people who act suspiciously, and keep both hands on the device when using it in public.

Install a tracking app. This comes in handy in case someone does swipe your mobile device or takes it by force. Both Android smartphones and iPhones offer free tracking apps. You can log in to another device like a laptop or tablet to locate your missing device. Get help from law enforcement; don’t go after it yourself.

Use the protection features installed on your device. Whether it is fingerprint technology, retinal displays or a password, use these features to render the phone or tablet or iPad useless to thieves.

Treat the device like your wallet. You make sure your wallet containing your cash, ATM card, personal photos and other sensitive items is secure from pickpockets. Your smartphone or tablet has sensitive data, passwords, mobile banking information, all of which can be a big payoff for thieves. Treat your mobile device like you would your wallet.

More apps that can help you get through winter 0

We recently posted a link to a CNN Tech story from last year about apps that can help you get through the winter storms that keep raging every few days or so.

Well, the Midwest and New England are in the midst of yet another wintry event. With little relief in sight, we offer a few more apps here, available on iOs and Android and other devices, that could help people get through this cold mess:

WeatherBug_artWeatherBug (left)boasts slide navigation, interactive maps, severe weather alerts and other tools to help you prepare.

Available for Android and iOS operation systems as well as Windows and Blackberry, AccuWeather updates current weather conditions every 15 minutes or so.

EyeinSkyapp_artEye in the Sky (left) is a simple, yet effective and customizable app for reporting the weather in your location.

The Weather Channel’s app may be the most comprehensive: it’s available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry,  Windows phone devices, iPad and Kindle. You can get et weather information for any U.S. city or ZIP code via text message. Other alerts such as severe weather forecasts are also available.

 

 

 

When winter wreaks havoc 0

It took but 2 inches of snow to turn metro Atlanta into the largest commuter parking lot in the South.

A critical convergence of snow, freezing weather and an exodus of hundreds of thousands of homeward commuters wreaked havoc on the region Tuesday afternoon, leading to colossal traffic jams on the interstates and access roads and stranding motorists in their cars overnight in many locations.

The past 24 hours have been rough on those living in Atlanta and throughout parts of the Southeast, in places where this winter storm cut an icy swath. With that in mind, we came across this CNN Tech piece from last year on several smartphone apps that it says can be helpful in the event of a winter storm.

One in particular, the Winter Survival Kit app developed by the North Dakota State University extension service and downloadable for Android and Apple devices, would have been especially useful to the thousands who were stuck on the ice-slick highways.

Maybe these apps will come in handy when the next big one hits.

Your hotel room key: There’s an app for that coming 0

The coded plastic key, which replaced metal keys in hotels years ago, could soon be a thing of the past as well.

The Starwood lodging chain is trying out a new lock system in a couple of its hotels that connects via Bluetooth to an iPhone or Android app, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Guests at these properties would receive a message on a Starwood app containing the virtual key, which would unlock the door with a tap or twist of their phone.

Stamford, Conn.-based Starwood is hoping to introduce the virtual key at all its luxury W Hotels and Aloft hotels, which today represents 123 properties.

The benefits are substantial but not without risks, especially when it comes to hackers.

One way to ensure security for guests is to make the app downloadable only while on the premises, mobile security expert Chetan Sharma tells NBC News Digital.

So be prepared, business or vacation traveler, for the latest innovation to your mobile life. You can check it out here.

Just don’t say “Open, sesame.”

 

 

Reports say new Apple iPhones to boast bigger screens 0

Apple reportedly plans to release two iPhones this year that will feature bigger screens.

The Wall Street Journal says that Apple will unveil an iPhone with a screen size bigger than 4.5 inches, and another one that features a screen bigger than 5 inches. The Journal report cites people with knowledge of the company’s plans. The iPhone’s 4-inch screen is currently one of the smallest on the market.

The Journal report is subscription only. Read more here on CNET.

The report follows a similar report this week by Chinese-language website QQ Tech. According to Apple Insider, the new iPhone, featuring a 4.7-inch screen, will debut in June, with a 5.7-inch variant to follow.

 

 

 

The Mighty Purse: One chic phone charger 0

So, ladies, what’s in your purse?

Makeup? Check. Sunglasses? Ditto. Smartphone?  Gotta have it.

How about a smartphone charger?

Definitely, if you have a Mighty Purse.

The Mighty Purse is made of quality leather, comes in a number of colors and — this the functional, mobile-tech part — has a hidden self-contained battery source attached to a USB cable. The rechargeable high-capacity battery can charge your smartphone up to two times. mightypurse_art

It is compatible with all smartphones with a micro-USB port. It is also compatible with the iPhone, though adapters must be purchased separately.

The Mighty Purse is a product of Handbag Butler, an Australian company founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Ana Slavka and Stephan Kljajic. Since launching in June 2013, the Mighty Purse is selling in more than 1,000 stores worldwide.