Adults have a responsibility to help children learn about, interpret and understand their world. It's a pretty basic concept, but how do we as adults help kids understand their world when we aren't completely aware of the threats and benefits of things like the internet? Today's technology tip is all about helping adults educate themselves about the internet so they can help kids stay safe online.
Like any new technology the internet is full of potentially good outcomes but it comes with plenty of potentially negative outcomes. This has always been true of any new technology. Try to remember that the technology itself isn't good or bad, its how we choose to use it that's good or bad.
First, some of the good stuff we can get from the internet:
Improved communications via email, instant messaging, internet phones and video.
Data storage and sharing across the world
The potential of networking ideas and knowledge without boundaries
The democratization of information
Then some of the bad stuff:
Internet crime such as online scams
Misuse of information for negative results
Character attacks and "cyber-bullying"
Exploitation of children and child predators
So how do you educate yourself on the bad stuff so you can help kids avoid it? It should be no surprise that there is a whole bunch of websites out there that can help you:
http://onguardonline.gov/index.html This site provides some practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help people guard against online fraud and protect personal information.
http://www.safekids.com/ They advertise themselves as a "Family Guide to making the Internet and technology fun, safe and productive." Try this site for more detailed information about protecting kids on the internet.
http://www.be-cyber-safe.com/ Be Cyber Safe is a good overview of the dangers that are out there for kids while they are online. It's full of information and links to additional resources. Definitely a good site to check out.
Google's Glass augmented reality system may be the smartphone (smartspecs?) of the near future, neatly linking our digital lives with our real ones. Is this a good thing?
Martin walked out into the streets of New York, carrying with him a small electronic box of tricks. Dialing a number on its keypad, he raised it to his ear, waited for the call to connect and started chatting to someone else, far away. No big news here, you're thinking as you caress the slab of glass, metal, and plastic of your smartphone in your pocket--jammed with so many thousand advances in physics, chemistry, and engineering that you're totally unaware of. But Martin Cooper was making his call almost exactly 39 years ago , and it was the very first handheld cell phone call. It was so weird, new, and even alien that "sophisticated New Yorkers gaped at the sight of someone actually moving around while making a phone call,"Cooper once said .
Something as shocking as this might be about to happen again. This time we're slightly more prepared, but when Google's freshly revealed Glass augmented reality system hits the streets people will perhaps be just as suprised. Glass, you see, is pretty likely to be what cell phones--or more particularly, smartphones--evolve into in a handful of years, in exactly the same way the rare, bulky carphone evolved into Martin's Motorola handset. We've never looked back from that April 3rd, 1973.
Imagine how that first cell phone call must've looked to folks passing Cooper on the street. Now remember that where we once gawked at the crazy people yapping into Bluetooth headsets, or the microphone-equipped headphone cable of their iPhone, we now accept it without a second glance. Similarly you will one day be able to overlook the unfamiliar way Glass looks. Sure, there's a barrier to widespread adoption in actually getting folks to don a pair of digital eyeglasses, but that's a barrier Sony's Walkman and Motorola's early cell phones leaped because the innovative, strange devices were so darn useful.
Glass's secret is that it may be among the single most useful gadgets you've ever encountered. Watch Google's promo video for a moment:
Did you see the trick? Glass is a seamless stitching-together of our increasingly online, remote-shared digital lives and everyday "real" life.
At its heart all it is is a smartphone with superior voice control and an entirely alternative display system--think of it as the hybrid offspring of Apple's "zero interface" Siri , the iPhone's effortless UI, and Google's Android and search expertise and integration. But where you gaze into the screen of your current smartphone for just a few moments when you use it, for minutes at a time when you play a game or update Twitter or browse Instagram, or for considerable periods when you're on the phone to someone...you ultimately click the screen off and slide it back into a purse or pocket. Your digital life is still going on, of course, and your friends are chatting on Facebook, emailing you, checking into places, sharing photos and videos, and the digital news cycle keeps churning on news sites and news aggregators. But you're not tapped into it, unless an alert on your phone summons you back into its interface with a buzz or a bleep. That's an issue Microsoft is trying to tackle with its live-updating tiled homescreen on Windows Phone 7 devices, although you still have to pick the phone up.
With Glass, it's all there right in front of you, whenever you're sporting the specs.
As the video demonstrates, this sort of AR tech really is revolutionary. You can switch between real-world actions like sitting on the train, or standing in a store, to digital actions like requesting interactive maps, searching for information, and even calling someone up to chat at will--flitting between them as you feel like.
Forget how weird it sounds, and think how useful this is. Getting lost will be harder. Finding the right goods in a store will be easier (how about object-recognition that raises an allergy alert if an item you've taken from a shelf contains gluten?). Sending short digital text messages will be easier. Social sharing will be easier. Banking will be easier. If the goggles also incorporate optical and wireless tech to enable touch-free payments, then paying for stuff will be even easier...just as we've been suggesting. Because you're wired into the system for longer than you are with a traditional phone, then things like hyperlocal coupons and offers will be more common--with Starbuck's popping a $2 off voucher into view (if you've enabled permissions) when you're strolling near the coffee store. (And really, when aren't you?)
And the best uses, the weird, arty, flash-mobby, perhaps even medical ones, we probably can't conceive now in the same way we didn't dream up Instagram the moment the iPhone arrived in 2007. The best uses will emerge, things as odd as this AR "cinema" idea, that in a Glass-style implementation would blur reality and film:
But this story is not all about breathless, dreamy praise; there are issues. Smartphone distraction is a serious matter when you're driving, and there are ever-more smartphone-related accidents as folk engrossed in their phone's display thoughtlessly step in front of traffic or off a pier . And voice control is annoying in crowded but quiet urban spaces. Privacy abuses and erosion are serious matters. Theft of a Glass device will be hugely inconvenient to the user, and could expose them to all sorts of identity and banking fraud issues. Plus pop-up advertising that's integrated into our vision of our daily lives may be something that society could do without. As we've often noted, Google is an ad-display company in the main, and this has even prompted digital artist Jonathan McIntosh to remix Google's promo vid with ads:
AR systems do have one benefit over texting-while-walking with current smartphones because you do still see the world ahead while you're busy. Yet there are enough pieces of scientific research to say that even phone calling while driving can be dangerously distracting, so it's still going to be a problem. But, if Glass and its peers (ultimately they'll arrive, as we know Apple's looking at this tech too) do become successful, then Google and others will come up with technical solutions to protect user safety and privacy.
Ultimately, it will likely be younger generations who adopt this tech first (think of the options for gaming...Warcraft on the streets!). Right now, after all, about one third of U.S. high school kids have an iPhone, and you know they're texting, IM-ing, Facebooking, and gaming pretty much all the time.
Connecting with consumers when they’re on the go is more important than ever, and text message marketing (also referred to as SMS, or short message service marketing) can be a highly effective technique.
But the proliferation of mobile devices doesn’t guarantee marketing success. If your pitches don’t resonate with consumers and motivate them to act, then your efforts are for naught.
Here are five tips for writing marketing texts that get read and produce results:
1. Be brief and focused. Your text message should be laser focused and succinct. There’s no room for fluff in mobile marketing. Know who your target audience is and speak directly to it. Leave out extraneous details and simply describe how to take advantage of your offer and its benefits.
2. Avoid hype, slang and abbreviations.
If your text message looks like spam, consumers will delete it without a second thought. It’s critical that you leave out anything that might seem too slick and promotional. That includes marketing hype like “amazing” offers, slang and text abbreviations, all of which cheapen the perception of your brand and can destroy your campaign.
3. Offer something of immediate value.
No one wants to receive texts from a company unless the messages offer something of immediate value. Because text messaging is an instantaneous medium, you should include real-time offers. Whether you’re providing information about a sale or a new product, the message should describe the benefits of acting now.
4. Identify yourself. How often have you received a text that doesn’t identify the company or brand? Instead, you often see a phone number you don’t recognize and a vague message that could have come from any number of companies. And how often have you simply deleted those anonymous messages? It’s essential that you clearly identify your business or brand to avoid getting the spam treatment.
5. Make consumers feel special. Don’t clutter consumers’ text message inboxes with offers and news they could easily get from your website or your brick-and-mortar locations. Instead, make recipients of your texts feel they’re special and have qualified for an exclusive promotion. Otherwise, they will most likely opt out of receiving any future texts from you.
Examples of Mobile Marketing Texts
Here are a few sample texts to help you avoid mistakes and write an effective marketing message:
Bad Example 1: Amazing prices at www.abcbags.com almost 2G2BT. Miss these prices AYOR.
Bad Example 2: Hey! Did you see this sale? www.abcbags.com. Gotta get your bag before it’s too late.
Both texts include the hype, abbreviations and slang that can hurt your campaign.
Now, look at some good examples:
Good Example 1: 50% off all leather laptop bags at www.abcbags.com for the next 48 hours only. Use coupon code HALFOFFTEXT at checkout.
Good Example 2: ABC Bags 50% off leather laptop bags through 3/31/12. Show this message to store manager to get half off. Find a store: www.abcbags.com/locations.
Notice in each example that the offer is succinctly stated, with a clear call-to-action. Each text also provides a sense of value, timeliness and exclusivity. The messages create a sense of urgency, which people would expect from a text.
Remember that finding the right messages for your audience will take time and experimentation. But the tips and examples above should help you achieve your goals of getting noticed and making some sales.
Accepting Credit Cards Onsite – PayPal Here vs. Square
Not too long ago, going through the process of being able to accept credit card payments for small computer businesses was probably a daunting task for most. You would have to set up a merchant account and then buy expensive processing equipment. However, with the introduction of Square in 2009, the days of easy credit card payments are finally here, and PayPal just recently launched their own version, called PayPal Here, to take on Square. These services allow computer businesses to easily accept credit card payments through iOS and Android devices.
Both Square and PayPal Here have their own separate advantages, but are also so similar that it can be difficult to decide which one is best for your computer business. Let’s have a look at the two services and see which one would be ideal for you.
First off, Square and PayPal Here both charge a transaction fee for credit card swipes. Square charges a 2.75% fee, while PayPal Here charges a slightly lower 2.70% fee. The difference is very minute at first, but it can add up over time if you plan on bringing in a lot of transactions.
If, for any reason, you must manually enter in credit card transactions (if you don’t have the card reader for instance), both Square and PayPal charge a 3.5% + $0.15 fee per transaction. There’s also a $1,000 weekly deposit limit with manual entries. If you go over $1,000 for any given 7-day period, anything over the $1,000 will be held for 30 days before they’re released to your bank account.
However, there will be very few instances where you would manually enter in credit card details. Both Square and PayPal Here offer their readers for free with free shipping, and the accompanying app is free as well.
Customer service is obviously a huge factor when it comes to choosing a product or service. PayPal Here is promising to have both phone and online support 24/7, but since the service is just launching, it will be a little while before we find out just how good that support will be. As for Square, it hasn’t fared so well in the customer service department. Many Square customers have complained about the lack of live and easy-to-reach support. Only time will tell to see if PayPal eithers suffers the same fate or rises above.
Both Square and PayPal Here are great services and there’s nothing about either that would be an extreme deal breaker (unless you’re using Android, for which PayPal Here doesn’t support just yet). However, if you’ve been a loyal PayPal user for some time, choosing PayPal Here would be a good bet, since you’ll already have a wealth of features at your disposal. Plus, PayPal Here offers the ability to accept paper checks using your camera as a scanner of sorts.
If you’re going into it as a complete mobile-payment virgin, Square’s simple user interface makes the product really easy to use and they even have a separate app for the iPad that turns it into a full-fledged, easy-to-use register.
Whatever you choose, may your business flourish with the greatness of mobile-payment technology and let us know how it works out for you when you finally take the dive into the mobile payment pool.
Win 7 Antivirus 2012 - Do Not Purchase the Fix - It is a Fraud
chris | 26 March, 2012 21:50
Whatever you do, DO NOT PURCHASE THE FIX IF YOU GET THIS - Contact Us
Win 7 Antivirus 2012 is yet another rogue anti-spyware plan. It is distributed through the use of Trojans just like all the other rogue programs out there. Trojans might come from fake online scanners, infected or malicious video websites. The scammers also distribute their bogus software on the biggest social networks.
As a typical rogue plan, Win 7 Antivirus 2012 reports false system security threats and displays fake security alerts to scare you into thinking that your pc is infected with malicious software. Then it will ask you to spend for a full version of the plan to get rid of the infections. The scan outcomes are false and the reported infections don’t actually exist. Do not spend for this bogus software and uninstall it form your pc upon detection. As soon as running, Win 7 Antivirus 2012 will also block legitimate and nicely known anti-virus and anti-spyware programs to safeguard itself from becoming removed. To make points worse, it will possibly block job manager and registry editor as these tools are really helpful when removing Win 7 Antivirus 2012 virus. You will have to complete numerous further actions to make your Pc work once more.
Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
Do not open any files attached to an email unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a friend or someone you know. Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through email. Confirm that your contact really sent an attachment.
Do not open any files attached to an email if the subject line is questionable or unexpected.
Delete chain emails and junk email. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of email are considered spam - unsolicited, intrusive messages that clog up the inboxes and networks.
Do not download any files from strangers.
Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Ensure that the source is a legitimate and reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site.
Update your anti-virus software regularly. McAfee security software like McAfee Total Protection update automatically and continuously via the Internet.
Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy. You should store your backup copy in a separate location from your work files, one that is preferably not on your computer.
When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or email attachments. Not executing is the more important of these caveats. Check with your product vendors for updates for your operating system, web browser, and email. One example is the security site section of Microsoft located athttp://www.microsoft.com/security.
You have upgraded to Windows 7, love the new taskbar, and enjoy the power of using the cool Libraries feature.
But now you want more. You want the cool tips and tricks that make Windows 7 fun!
So here are the best ones to help you get the most out of your new OS. In this article, we will focus on the Windows 7 interface to get you started on the road to becoming a Windows 7 Power User. In Part 2, we will be looking at advanced tips for usability, performance, and security.
1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Using the mouse, you can drag-”˜n-dock windows to either side of the screen, or drag it to the top to maximize it. These keyboard shortcuts are even faster:
Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock the window to the left and right side of the screen
Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximize and restore/minimize
Win+M minimizes everything
Alt+Up, Alt+Left Arrow, Alt+Right Arrow navigate to parent folder, or browse Back and Forward through folders in Explorer
Win+Home minimizes/restores all open windows except the active window
Alt+Win+# accesses the Jump List of program number ‘#’ on the taskbar
2.Rearrange System Tray Icons
You can rearrange icons on the taskbar as you wish and start new (or switch to running) instances of the first ten taskbar programs using Win+1, Win+2, and so on. The cool thing is you can also rearrange system tray icons. Reorder them on the tray or move them outside or back in the tray. Take control of what you want to always keep an eye on, and from which apps you’ll require notifications.
3. Access Jump Lists with the Left Mouse Button
Jump Lists usually show up when you right-click on a taskbar icon. However, they can also be accessed by holding the left mouse button and dragging upwards. If you’re using a laptop touchpad or a touch screen, this is convenient because you do not have to click any button to access a context menu.
4. Add Any Folder to Favorites
You can add any library or folder to the Favorites section in Windows Explorer. To add a folder, navigate to it in Explorer, right-click Favorites in the left navigation pane, and selectAdd current location to Favorites. Now you get quick access to your favorite folders in allFile->Save As dialogs!
5. Pin Frequently Used Folders to the Taskbar
Right-click, drag, and pin your favorite folders to Windows Explorer on the taskbar. They will now show up in the Jump List when you right click on Explorer giving you quick access to your favorite folders.
6. Pin Control Panel to the Taskbar
You cannot pin the Control Panel to the taskbar via the Start Menu or by drag and drop. Open the Control Panel and right-click its taskbar icon to pin it to the taskbar. An advantage of this is that Control Panel’s Jump List allows quick access to recently used functions.
7. Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Programs
You can create keyboard shortcuts for any program in Windows 7. Right-click the program icon and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab, click in Shortcut key, to set the keyboard shortcut for that program.
8. Open Command Prompt in Any Folder
Like the command prompt? Miss the “˜Open Command Window Here’ Windows XP power toy? Press “˜Shift’ when right-clicking on a folder to get that option in the context menu. This also works on the desktop. No power toy required!
9. View Expanded ‘Send To’ Menu
Press Shift when right-clicking on a folder to get an expanded Send To menu.
10. Adjust Screen Text with Clear Type
Use Clear Type Tuner for the best look on your LCD monitor or laptop screen. Run “˜cttune.exe‘ from the Start Menu search box, or go to the Control Panel Display applet, and select Adjust ClearType Text from the left.
11. Get Exact Colors On Your Screen
If you are an artist or you work with colors, use the Calibrate Color option in the Control Panel Display applet or run dccw.exe from the Start Menu search box. You can adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance, ensuring that colors are displayed correctly on your screen.
12. Customize the Power Button
If you restart your computer more often than you shut it down, change the default Shutdownpower button to Restart. Right-click on Start, select Properties, and choose the Power button action that you use the most.
13. Customize Number of Items in Jump Lists & Start Menu
Right-click Start, select Properties, click Customize and choose the number of recent programs to be shown in the Start Menu and the number of items displayed in Jump Listsfrom the Start Menu Size section below.
14. Search Internet from the Start Menu
Enable Internet search from the Start Menu using your default browser. Run GPEDIT.MSCfrom the Start Menu search box to start the Group Policy Editor. In the left pane, go to User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Start Menu and Taskbar. In the right pane, right-click to Edit and Enable Add Search Internet link to Start Menu.
15. Add Videos to Start Menu
Windows 7 does not place a link to your videos on the Start Menu by default. To add a link to your videos on the Start Menu, right-click Start, select Properties, click on Customize. In the Videos section at the bottom, choose Display as a link.
Did you like these tips? Tell us or share your tricks with us in the comments!
Facebook WARNING: Avoid the “Find who is stalking you with Profile Peekers” SCAM
Watch out! A successful fake Facebook Application scam is catching quite a lot of people by preying on our instincts of curiosity and paranoia. Profile Peekers claims to show you who is stalking you and how many times your Facebook Profile has been viewed! Now, I would be interested in that too just like you and every other Facebooker, but sadly it just isn’t possible at the moment…maybe later. Every single application making such claims is a scam about phishing your personal information, fake surveys and spreading malware. Absolutely none of them has ever worked, but more and more people keep on trying them out. Next thing they know, the fake App is posting adverts to all friends promoting itself and making it look as if you recommend it!
Please don’t fall for one of these scams. If you’re a victim, immediately delete the App’s post on your wall & remove it using simple steps in the links below:
Facebook does not provide the ability to track who is viewing your profile, or parts of your profile, such as your photos. Applications by outside developers cannot provide this functionality, either. Applications that claim to give you this ability will be removed from Facebook for violating policy. You can report applications that provide untrustworthy experiences by clicking the “Report Application” at the bottom of the application’s About page, or by clicking “Report” at the bottom of any canvas page within the application.
In the past few years, Bluetooth headsets have become must-have accessories for cell phone fanatics. The benefits of these hands-free, wireless devices are obvious, particularly in the wake of state and local laws that require the use of a headset while driving. And just as the number of headsets has exploded, the number of Bluetooth cell phones has increased as well. Integrated Bluetooth is now present in a broad range of cell phones--from high-end smartphones to low-end functional models. Of course, cell phone Bluetooth usage is not limited to just headsets--you can also use Bluetooth to stream music wirelessly, connect to the Web, transfer files, and more.
Before we delve into the different kinds of Bluetooth, it may help to know a little bit about Bluetooth itself. Even though the technology has been around since 1999, many consumers are still a little confused about what it is and how it works. Even its oddball name is somewhat mysterious; the technology was named after a 10th-century Danish king with an affinity for tooth-staining blueberries.
Though it may sound complicated, Bluetooth really is quite simple, inexpensive, and easy to use. In Bluetooth technology, two devices communicate with each other over low-frequency radio waves in the 2.4GHz range. No cables or wires are needed, and the only requirement is that both devices be Bluetooth compatible. Unlike infrared ports, the connected devices don't need to be in direct line of sight, but they do need to be relatively close to each other. And like a wireless Infrared transfer, Bluetooth doesn't cost anything beyond the initial investment in the devices. In addition to connecting a cell phone to a headset, Bluetooth is used to connect PCs to keyboards and mice, handhelds to other handhelds, and cell phones to computers. Many cars are even equipped with Bluetooth so that you can use the car's audio system for hands-free cell phone functions. For more information, check out our Bluetooth car compatibility wizard.
Pairing up The process of connecting devices via Bluetooth starts with pairing, a procedure wherein a Bluetooth-enabled phone and another Bluetooth device search for and recognize each other. Once your connection is made and secured via a PIN (personal identification number), the two devices will "talk" to each other and exchange information. You can connect as many as seven devices simultaneously at speeds of 500Kbps and higher. Bluetooth does have limitations, however. Its range is limited to 30 feet, which makes it good for connecting a handful of devices but not appropriate for an entire network of computers--you're better off with Wi-Fi for a network. Also, you can connect only devices that have compatible versions of Bluetooth (more on this later).
Though Bluetooth itself may be easy to understand, choosing a Bluetooth headset for your phone isn't so simple. The number of Bluetooth headsets continues to grow rapidly. Styles, features, performance, and compatibility vary, so it's important to take the time to find a device that's right for you. CNET editors have tested a full range of headsets; here's a list of all the Bluetooth headsets we've reviewed, plus a list of our favorites.
Tweaking Windows settings and using keyboard shortcuts can enhance the Windows experience. We'll show you seven useful tips and tricks to help you get more out of Windows 7.
Windows 7 is a good operating system right out of the box, but tweaking some of the settings and using keyboard shortcuts can enhance the Windows experience.
Here are seven useful Windows tips and tricks to help you get more out ofWindows 7:
1. Bypass the Recycle Bin The Windows Recycle Bin is a good safeguard against accidental file deletions. However, when you know you want to permanently delete a file, you can bypass it. Instead of pressing the Del key, press Shift+Del, then Shift+Enter to confirm.
If you prefer, you can also permanently disable the Recycle Bin. First, right-click on the Recycle Bin, then choose Properties. Click on the drive you want to disable the Recycle Bin for, then select "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted." Click the OK or Apply button to save the changes.
(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
2. Open Windows Explorer faster Are you still mousing over to a Windows Explorer icon or double-clicking on My Computer to browse your files? Try pressing Windows Logo+E instead, to instantly launch Windows Explorer.
3. Enable underlining of keyboard shortcuts Windows has many menu shortcut keys, but they're hidden by default. To enable the underlining of the shortcuts, go to Control Panel > Ease of Access Center > Change how your keyboard works. Click on the box next to "Underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys," then hit the OK or Apply button to save.
(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
On the left, underlining is disabled. On the right, underlining is enabled.
(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
4. Bypass the Windows splash screen Disabling the Windows splash screen can shave a couple seconds from your total boot time. Launch the Windows Run command (Windows Logo+R), then type msconfig. Under the Boot tab, check the box next to "No GUI boot." Hit the OK or Apply button to save the changes.
(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
5. Lock Windows quickly Whether you're at the office, library, or cafe, it's always a good idea to lock Windows before you step away. To lock Windows quickly, press Windows Logo+L.
6. Show hidden files, folders, and drives To view files, folders, and drives that Windows hides, open the Windows search box (Windows Logo) and type folder. Next, select Folder Options from the search list and navigate to the View tab. Under Hidden files and folders, check the box next to "Show hidden files, folders, and drives."
(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
7. Rename multiples files To rename multiple files in Windows, highlight the files you want to rename, then hit the F2 key. Rename the first file, then hit Enter. All your files will be renamed and a number in parenthesis will be added to the end of the name. If you change your mind, you can hit Ctrl+Z to undo the rename.
Getting ready for the next wave of iPhone excitement
As it happened, there was no iPhone 5 in 2011 after all, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S.
However, the new iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in the middle of this year. So we've gathered together all the latest iPhone 5 rumours and rounded them up below.
It's the phone that appeared when the whole world was looking forward to the iPhone 5 anyway, so make up your own mind whether to make the jump to Apple's latest now or save those pennies for the 2012 iPhone 5 release.
iPhone 5 release date
Given the pattern of Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 to debut in mid to late 2012. We reckon it's most likely to be shown off at Apple's Worldwide Developer Event (WWDC), which usually takes place in early June.
Rumours that we reported on 18 October claim an iPhone 5 release date of Summer 2012. Analyst Ashok Kumar claimed that the absent iPhone 5 was meant to be the big announcement at the recent event where theiPhone 4S was launched.
We also reported in February that the new iPhone would be launched in October, falling into line with the same release schedule from last year, and Macotakara 'sources' confirming the Cupertino brand would be honouring the same upgrade cycle from now on.
iPhone 5 form factor
Unlike the iPhone 4S, the new iPhone will be a completely new design from what has gone before, so that means an entirely new casing as we saw with the iPhone 3G and, later, the iPhone 4.
Interestingly, someone who claimed to have seen a larger-screened iPhone 5 prototype said in November 2011 that Steve Jobs canned the new handset and opted for the iPhone 4S because of the larger screen size of the new device. According to Business Insider, it was feared that a new size would create a two-tier iPhone ecosystem.
Beatweek also claimed in November 2011 that the 5-inch was scrapped "because Apple wouldn't be able to do it properly" this year. However, theDaily Mail (make of that what you will) then suggested that a four-inch version was likely and that Sony has already shipped top secret demo screens to Apple.
iPhone 5 specs
Based on the roadmap of mobile chip design specialist ARM (of which Apple is a licensee), we'll see a quad-core processor debut in the new iPhone 5 - probably called the Apple A6. We know that we'll see other quad core handsets debut in 2012, so it's not too much of a stretch to say that the iPhone 5 will be the same.
We had expected some kind of help in terms of predicting the iPhone 5 CPU from the launch of the new iPad, but the announcement of a slightly tweaked A5X processor really didn't help things there.
iPhone 5 will have 4G/LTE support
With many 4G handsets already announced in the US, it can't be long before the iPhone supports 4G technologies - even if we won't even have a UK spectrum auction until 2012.
Cnet.com quotes Will Strauss from analyst firm Forward Concepts, who says that the next iPhone will feature LTE technologies."They're saving iPhone 5 for the LTE version and that won't be out until next spring," said Strauss.
After the new iPad's launch brought 4G to an Apple device, it's widely expected that 4G will come to iPhone 5.
Steve Jobs' iPhone 5 legacy
Many sites have reported that Steve Jobs was working hard on the iPhone 5 project, which will apparently be a "radical redesign". We shall see... but the fact the iPhone 4S was so similar to the iPhone 4 suggests that Steve was working on something pretty special before
And if you're in a bit of a hurry, we've also got a handy iPhone 5 video detailing the latest rumours on release date, spec and more - so check if out for a quick fix of next-gen Apple fun:
The Wall Street Journal has previously reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers."
Various sources claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market."
On 23 May 2011, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in.
However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus, as well as a host of other top smartphones, the time forNFC may finally be here.
On 24 June 2011 it was reported that the Google Wallet mobile payment platform could feature on the new iPhone. Eric Schmidt admitted that Google is looking to port the software to other manufacturers.
The developer in question has not been named, but is working on a dedicated iOS app which includes NFC reading for mobile transactions. When questioned how confident he was on the information he had received his reply was "Enough to bet the app development on".
iPhone 5 camera
Sony makes the camera for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Speaking at a liveWall Street Journal event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us."
Sources have also suggested the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera. Indeed, Sony announced in January 2012 that it had developed new back-illuminated stacked CMOS image sensors which are smaller in size.
iPhone 5 price
If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag.
It's pretty much nailed on that the new iPhone will cost around £500 for a 16GB / 32GB model (depending on the capacity Apple whacks in there) and unless the iPhone 5 comes with some truly next generation technology that pricing model should hold firm.
With these simple tips and tricks, you’ll learn all the things your intelligent assistant, your remarkable camera, and your amazing iPhone 4S can do.
See how to use Siri.
Press and hold the Home button, then tap “i.” You’ll see a detailed list of all the ways Siri can help you get things done.
Tell Siri who’s who.
Tell Siri about your relationships, such as “Erin is my wife” or “Rick is my dad.” Then you can say, “Text my wife” or “Call dad” and Siri knows who you mean.
Set your locations.
Tell Siri the address of where you live and where you work. That way, Siri can remind you to do things when you leave or arrive at either place.
Siri writes emails.
You can dictate a quick response to an email. Just say "Reply", then tell Siri your message.
iPhone 4S takes dictation.
Instead of typing an email, tap the microphone icon on the keyboard and start talking. Tap done, and your words will appear as text. Use dictation to write messages, take notes, and more. Dictation also works with third-party apps, so you can update your Facebook status, tweet, or write and send Instagrams.
Quick, take a photo.
The camera icon is always there on your lock screen. Just swipe up to open the Camera app.
See what’s up.
Notification Center lets you know about missed messages, calendar invitations, friend requests, and more. New notifications appear on top of the screen. Swipe down to see a summary of recent notifications.
Set Reminders.
Assign due dates to items on your to-do list and Reminders will send you alerts. Add locations, and you’ll get alerts when you leave or when you arrive. You can also choose priority levels and write notes.
Tweet it up.
Sign in once under Settings and tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, and Maps. Start typing a friend’s Twitter name and iPhone will autocomplete the rest.
Broadcast live with Airplay.
With AirPlay Mirroring, you can share exactly what’s on your iPhone 4S with your HDTV connected to an Apple TV. Just double-click the Home button, swipe all the way to the right, and select AirPlay Mirroring.
Customize your keyboard.
Create your own personal dictionary, including shortcuts for each word. So your keyboard not only autocorrects, but knows exactly what you want to say as you type. In Settings, tap General, Keyboard, and Add New Shortcut. From here, you can add new phrases and assign optional shortcuts to them.
Create an event fast.
Touch anywhere on the calendar to create an event. To change your schedule, just drag events around on the calendar. Tap for day, month, or list view. And rotate to landscape to see an entire week.
Everything has a tone.
Assign a specific tone for new mail, Calendar alerts, tweets, and Reminders. In Settings, tap Sounds to assign each tone. Tap Edit in a contact to assign a ringtone to that contact.
Locate your lost iPhone.
If you’ve lost your iPhone, Find My iPhone can help you locate it on a map and protect its data. Display a message on its screen, remotely set a passcode lock, or initiate a remote wipe to delete your data.Learn more about Find My iPhone
Save images from the web.
In Safari, touch and hold an image to save it to your Camera Roll or copy it to paste into an MMS or email.
Choose your wallpaper.
In Settings, choose Wallpaper, tap the image of the Lock and Home screens, then tap one of your photo albums or tap Wallpaper for the Apple-designed images. Find the image you want, tap Set, and then choose whether to use it as wallpaper for your Lock screen, Home screen, or both.
Scroll to the top fast.
In Safari, Mail, Contacts, and many other apps, tap the status bar at the top of the screen — which displays the network information, time, and battery level — to scroll quickly to the top.
Lock the screen orientation.
Double-click the Home button to bring up the multitasking interface, then swipe from left to right. Now tap the portrait orientation lock once to turn it on and again to turn it off.
Drop a pin.
In Maps, touch and hold anywhere on a map to drop a pin so you can find an address, get directions, or see street view for that location.
Pinch to zoom.
In the camera app, pinch to zoom in and out of a scene up to 5x. You can also use the zoom slider.
Add PDFs to iBooks
From a Mail message or a web page, touch and hold the PDF icon or link, then select “Open in iBooks.”
Use the compass with maps.
Tap the Location button in Maps twice to use the built-in compass to orient the map based on the direction you are facing.
Create web clips.
To add a website to your Home screen, visit the page in Safari and tap the Go To icon at the bottom of the Safari window. Tap Add to Home Screen.
Learn some keyboard tricks.
Tap the space bar twice, and iPhone adds a period and capitalizes the next word.
To enter a number or symbol quickly, touch and hold , then select the key you want. Lifting your finger returns you to the alphabet keyboard.
Touch and hold a letter to reveal a list of special characters.
Scrub through audio and video.
When you’re watching a video or listening to music or a podcast, the scrubber bar lets you skip to any point along the timeline. You can adjust the scrub rate from high-speed to fine scrubbing by sliding your finger down as you drag the playhead along the scrubber bar.
Keep your inbox clean.
In Mail, you can delete or move messages in batches. From your inbox, tap Edit, select the messages you want to organize, then tap Delete or Move.
Take a picture of your screen.
Press and hold the Home button, then press the Sleep/Wake button. Your screen flashes and the picture appears in your Camera Roll.
Create a playlist.
In the Music app, tap Playlists, then tap Add Playlist and give it a name. Now tap any song or video to add it to the playlist. You can add individual songs, entire albums, or all songs by an artist.
Tap to focus the camera.
While shooting video or photos, tap the screen where you want to focus. iPhone will also adjust the exposure and white balance automatically.
Swipe to delete.
Delete email and text messages without opening them. Delete voicemail without listening to them. And delete recent calls from your list. Just swipe across the message or number and tap the red delete button.
Print wirelessly from iPhone.
AirPrint makes it easy to print email and web pages right from your iPhone to your AirPrint-enabled printer. To print an email, just tap the Reply icon and select Print. To print a web page, tap the Action icon and select Print. You can also print photos, documents, and more.
Cut, copy, and paste.
Find the text you want to edit in a note, email, web page, or other app. You can select a word by double-tapping it, and select more or less text by dragging the grab points. Then tap to cut, copy, or paste. To undo an edit, shake iPhone, then tap the Undo button.
Display character count in text messages.
In Settings, tap Messages, then tap the Character Count switch. The count appears as you type when your message exceeds two lines. You may want to do this when carrier fees apply.
Place a call on hold.
On iPhone 4, touch and hold the Mute button to put a call on hold (GSM model only).
Get back to your draft.
In Mail, touch and hold the Compose button to switch to your last saved message draft.
Short answer: After reading articles on this, It seems laptop battery life can be extended avoiding frequent total discharges. You can avoid complete discharges by setting up alerts to plug in power adapter when battery goes down to particular level.
I had a 4 year old laptop. It did not charge at all after using it more than couple of years. Normal Lithium-ion battery can charge & discharge for about 300 to 800 cycles. Consumer electronics devices like laptop & cell phones use Lithium-ion batteries mostly now. So this is applicable to most devices.
Extending Laptop Battery Life:
I bought a new dell laptop recently. It displays alerts if battery has 5% or 10% charge left. I modified these notifications to avoid total discharges.
How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries
What Causes Lithium-ion to Age?
The lithium-ion battery works on ion movement between the positive and negative electrodes. In theory, such a mechanism should work forever, but shelf life, cycling and temperature affect the performance. Because batteries are used under many demanding environmental conditions, manufacturers take a conservative approach and specify a battery life between 300 and 500 discharge/charge cycles. Life cycle testing is easy to measure and is well understood by the user. Some organizations also add a date stamp of three to five years; however, this method is less reliable because it does not include the type of use.
Figure 1 illustrates the capacity drop of 11 Li-polymer batteries that have been cycled at a Cadex laboratory. The 1500mAh pouch cells were first charged to 4.20V/cell at 1C rate (1500mA) and allowed to saturate to 0.05C (75mA) as part of full charge procedure. The batteries were then discharged at 1500mA to 3.0V/cell, and the cycle was repeated.
Figure 1: Capacity drop as part of cycling. A pool of new 1500mA Li-ionbatteries for smart phone istested on a Cadex C7400 battery analyzer. All 11 pouch packs show a starting capacity of 88–94 percent and decrease in capacity to 73–84 percent after 250 full discharge cycles (2010).
Courtesy of Cadex
Designed for a smart phone, the packs were already a few months old at time of testing and none of the batteries made it to 100 percent. It is common to see lower than specified capacities and shelf life may have contributed to this. Manufacturers tend to overrate their batteries; they know that very few customers would complain. In our test, the expected capacity loss was uniform over the 250 cycles. All sample batteries performed as expected.
Similar to a mechanical device that wears out faster with heavy use, so also does the depth of discharge (DoD) determine the cycle count. The smaller the depth of discharge, the longer the battery will last. If at all possible, avoid frequent full discharges and charge more often between uses. If full discharges cannot be avoided, try utilizing a larger battery. Partial discharge on Li-ion is fine; there is no memory and the battery does not need periodic full discharge cycles other than to calibrate the fuel gauge on a smart battery.
Table 2 compares the number of discharge/charge cycles a battery can deliver at various DoD levels before lithium-ion is worn out. We assume end of life when the battery capacity drops to 70 percent. This is an arbitrary threshold that is application based.
Table 2 compares the number of discharge/charge cycles a battery can deliver at various DoD levels before lithium-ion is worn out. We assume end of life when the battery capacity drops to 70 percent. This is an arbitrary threshold that is application based.
Depth of discharge
Discharge cycles
Table 2: Cycle life and depth of discharge
A partial discharge reduces stress and prolongs battery life. Elevated temperature and high currents also affect cycle life.
100% DoD
50% DoD
25% DoD
10% DoD
500
1500
2500
4700
Specifying battery life by the number of discharge cycles is not complete by itself; equally if not more important are temperature conditions and charging voltages. Lithium-ion suffers stress when exposed to heat and kept at a high charge voltage.
Elevated temperature is anything that dwells above 30°C (86°F), and a high voltage is higher than 4.10V/cell. When estimating longevity, these conditions are difficult to assess because the battery state is in constant flux, and so is the temperature in which it operates. Exposing the battery to high temperature and being at full state-of-charge for an extended time can be more damaging than cycling. Manufacturers do not like to talk about these environmental conditions and release information only in confidence when so requested.
In this essay we do not depend on the manufacturer’s specifications alone but also listen to the comments of users. BatteryUniversity.com is an excellent sounding board to connect with the public and learn about reality. This approach might be unscientific, but it is genuine. When the critical mass speaks, the manufacturers listen. The voice of the multitude is in some ways stronger than laboratory tests performed in sheltered environments.
Let’s look at real-life situations and examine what stress a lithium-ion battery encounters. Most packs last three to five years, less if exposed to high heat and if kept at a full charge. Table 3 illustrates capacity loss as a function of temperature and state-of-charge. One can clearly see a performance drop of recoverable capacity caused by environmental conditions and not cycling. The worst condition is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures, which is the case when running a laptop on the power grid. Under these circumstances the battery will typically last for about two years, whether cycled or not. The pack does not die suddenly but will produce decreasing runtimes as part of aging.
Battery Temperature
Permanent capacity loss when stored at 40% state-of-charge (recommended storage charge level)
Permanent capacity loss when stored at 100% state-of-charge (typical user charge level)
0°C
25°C
40°C
60°C
2% loss in 1 year; 98% remaining
4% loss in 1 year; 96% remaining
15% loss in 1 year; 85% remaining
25% loss in 1 year 75%; remaining
6% loss in 1 year; 94% remaining
20% loss in 1 year; 80% remaining
35% loss in 1 year; 65% remaining
40% loss in 3 months
Table 3: Permanent capacity loss of lithiumion as a function of temperature and charge level. High charge levels and elevated temperatures hasten permanent capacity loss. Newer designs may show improved results.
Batteries are also exposed to elevated temperature when charging with wireless chargers. The energy transfer from a charging mat to the portable device is 70 to 80 percent and the remaining 20 to 30 percent is lost mostly in heat. Placing a cellular phone on the heat generating charging mat stresses the battery more than if charged on a designated charger. We keep in mind that the mat will cool down once the battery is fully charged. Read more: Charging without wires.
Equally stressful is leaving a battery in a hot car, especially if exposed to the sun. When not in use, store the battery in a cool place. For long-term storage, manufacturers recommend a 40 percent charge. This allows for some self-discharge while still retaining sufficient charge to keep the protection circuit active. Finding the ideal state-of-charge is not easy; this would require a discharge unit with an appropriate cut-off. Users should not worry too much about the state-of-charge; a cool and dry place is more important.
The voltage level to which the cells are charged also plays a role in extending longevity. For safety reasons, most lithium-ion cannot exceed 4.20V/cell. While a higher voltage would boost capacity, over-voltage shortens service life. Figure 4 demonstrates the increased capacity but shorter cycle life if Li-ion were allowed to exceed the 4.20V/cell limit. At 4.35V, the capacity would increase by 10 to 15 percent, but the cycle count would be cut in half. More critical than the extra capacity is reduced safety, which would be the results of a higher charge voltage.
ABOVE Figure 4: Effects on cycle life at elevated charge voltages
Higher charge voltages boost capacity but lower cycle life and compromise safety.
Source: Choi et al. (2002)
Chargers for cellular phones, laptops and digital cameras bring the Li-ion battery to 4.20V/cell. This allows maximum runtime, and the consumer wants nothing less than optimal use of the battery capacity. The industry, on the other hand, is more concerned with longevity and prefers lower voltage thresholds. Satellites and electric vehicles are examples where longevity is important.
We have limited information by how much lower charge voltages prolong battery life; this depends on many conditions, as we have learned. What we do know, however, is the capacities. At a charge to 4.10V/cell, the battery holds a capacity that is about 10 percent less than going all the way to 4.20V/cell. In terms of optimal longevity, a charge voltage limit of 3.92V/cell works best but the capacity would be low. Besides selecting the best-suited voltage thresholds, it is also important that the battery does not stay in the high-voltage stage for a long time and is allowed to drop after full charge has been reached.
The voltage threshold of commercial chargers cannot be changed, and making it adjustable would have advantages, especially for laptops as a means of prolonging battery life. When running on extended AC mode, the user would select the “long life” mode and the battery would charge to only, say, 4.05V/cell. This would get a capacity of about 80 percent. Before traveling the user would apply the “full charge mode” to bring the charge to 4.20V/cell. This saturation charge would take about an hour and would fill the battery to 100 percent capacity.
Realizing the stress on the battery, some laptop and cellular phone manufacturers choose an end-of-charge voltage that is less than 4.20V/cell. A slightly larger pack compensates for the reduced runtime. Another option to extend battery life is removing the pack from the laptop when running on the power grid. The Consumer Product Safety Commissionadvises the public to do this out of concern for overheating and causing a fire. Removing the battery has the disadvantage of losing unsaved work on power failure.
Heat buildup is always a concern and running a laptop in bed or on a pillow may contribute to this by restricting airflow. Not only will heat stress electronic components, elevated temperature causes the electrodes in the battery to react with the electrolyte and this will permanently lower the capacity. Placing a ruler or other object under the laptop to increase floor clearance improves air circulation around the enclosure and keeps the unit cooler.
The question is often asked: Should I disconnect my laptop from the power grid when not in use? Under normal circumstances this should not be necessary because once the lithium-ion battery is full, a correctly functioning charger will discontinue the charge and will only engage when the battery voltage drops to a low level. Most users do not remove the AC power, and I like to believe that this practice is safe.
Everyone wants to keep the battery as long as possible and use it in a way that is least stressful. This is not always feasible. Sometimes we need to run the battery in environments that are not conducive to optimal service life. As a doctor cannot predict how long a person will live based on diet and activity alone, so also does the life of a battery vary, and it can always be cut short by an unexpected failure. Batteries and humans share the same volatility.
To get a better understanding of what causes irreversible capacity loss in Li-ion batteries, several research laboratories* are performing forensic tests. Scientist dissected failed batteries to find suspected problem areas on the electrodes. Examining an unrolled 1.5-meter-long strip (5 feet) of metal tape coated with oxide reveals that the finely structured nanomaterials have coarsened. Further studies revealed that the lithium ions responsible to shuttle electric charge between the electrodes had diminished on the cathode and had permanently settled on the anode. This results in the cathode having a lower lithium concentration than a new example, a phenomenon that is irreversible. Knowing the reason for such capacity loss might enable battery manufacturers to produce future batteries with longer life spans.
Power loss through Protection Circuit
Besides common aging, a Li-ion battery can also fail because of undercharge. This occurs if a Li-ion pack is stored in a discharged condition. Self-discharge gradually lowers the voltage of the already discharged battery and the protection circuit cuts off between 2.20 and 2.90V/cell. Some chargers and battery analyzers (including those from Cadex) provide a wake-up feature, or “boost,” to re-energize and recharge these seemingly dead Li-ion batteries.
Phishing is the slang term for using email to get people to divulge their personal information so it can be used to steal their idenitity. Con artists use phishing emails to literally "fish" for information that they can use to illegally access bank accounts and open credit card accounts. Here are two obvious phishing emails in my mailbox that I thought I’d share with you as examples of Phishing.
For some reason Best Buy decided to offer me not just a $500 gift card but also a $1000 gift card this morning. Here are the emails I found:
Look a little familiar? You’ve probably seen similar types of “unbelievable” emails before. If you haven’t you’ll see them sooner or later. These emails were sent out by a scam artist who wants to get some of my personal information. Here’s what the email says:
It says I’m eligible for a “FREE $1000 Best Buy gift card” so I better hurry up and click on the link to find out how to get it right?
If you click the link here’s what happens: You get redirected from the original link listed above to another site that looks like this:
In case you were wondering here’s what the real Best Buy Gift Card website looks like:
The first thing you should notice about the links in the email and the website is that the addresses are obviously not “Best Buy” websites.
The first hint that this is a scam was the fact that “Its too good to be true” The second hint is the web addresses are bizarre compared to the actual Best Buy address.
The fake Best Buy website can be convincing. For example, at the bottom of the page they have some pretty convincing links to a “Privacy Policy” and “Terms” but on these pages you can find a third hint that this is an illegitimate offer. At the bottom of the official looking “Privacy Policy” is this address:
So, just out of curiosity, what happens if I do type in my email address and “Click Here to Submit and Continue”
Then you'll be redirected to this site:
Looks legitimate but its not. The whole goal of email phishing is to get your personal information. This webpage is what everything else was about. If they can get you to share your address and phone number and other personal information they can start to collect the elements they need to steal your identity. Please note that this is not a Best Buy website and that their logo as well as the logo for FedEx were stolen to make this webpage. Everything you're seeing in the image above is fake.
By the way, students and teenagers are prime targets for this kind of stuff. Many of them can be easily tricked into revealing lots of personal information online with the promise of a free video game or a chance to win something. It was estimated that ½ a million children had their identities stolen last year. Here’s a link to a news story from WSBTV (Action News 2 in Atlanta, GA): http://www.wsbtv.com/money/2906283/detail.html
And, of course, there is a government website that you can go to for more information about online scams: http://onguardonline.gov/index.html
PRACTICE ACTIVITY: Try deleting all the phishing offers from your email inbox today. Don't even bother opening them. If you're in a school or business network you might want to ask your network administrator if they have a special address they'd like you to forward phishing emails to so they can block them.
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Tweaking Windows settings and using keyboard shortcuts can enhance the Windows experience. We'll show you seven useful tips and tricks to help you get more out of Windows 7.
Getting ready for the next wave of iPhone excitement
In Maps, touch and hold anywhere on a map to drop a pin so you can find an address, get directions, or see street view for that location.
, then select the key you want. Lifting your finger returns you to the alphabet keyboard.
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