May 23, 2013

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From The Mailbag

June 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We got an interesting question from Melissa via the website:

My husband recently lost his smartphone (or someone stole it). Either way, we’re out a phone. If we were to get a new smartphone from a family member who uses a different provider, can we “unlock” it and use it?

The answer: it depends, mostly on the carriers involved. Not all carriers use the same communications technology (GSM vs CDMA), and not all phones have both kinds of chips. So it becomes a case of what kind of phone and which carriers. The latest iPhone, for example, I believe has both chipsets in it so it’s carrier agnostic (for the most part).

If you’re looking to use a second-hand phone, your best bet is to get the model of the phone and then check with your carrier to see if it’s supported. If it is, you can probably activate it, usually for some fee (of course).

If you want to shop for an unlocked phone and then simply choose your carrier, Amazon offers a wide variety of unlocked phones that can be purchased and then activated with a carrier. I’ve not gone that route in the past, but know a few who have and it seems to work well for them. The advantage here is that you can choose your plan and not be locked into a contract for a ridiculously long time.

Thanks for the question, Melissa – hope this helps.  And to the rest of our readers – we like questions, so feel free to post yours on the site!

 
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3 Ways: Using your Music Player

May 21, 2012 by 2 Comments

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that most of our readers have some sort of portable music device (even if they don’t know it). I’m talking about iPod, iPhone, Android smartphones, even Blackberry. Particularly in the case of smartphones, if we have to carry one around, the least it can do is play our favorite music.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that these things can do a lot more than music. My iPod and iPhone provide not only musical programming but it also lets me catch up on things that I otherwise miss – news, informational programs and even books. In my case, I’ve got two hours of commuting time a couple of days a week; thanks to my music player, I use that otherwise dead time to catch up on things (or just relax) without having to rely on radio or what CD’s I have in my car.

With that said, here are Three Ways you can make the most of your media player:

Way #1: Make A Playlist

If you’re using iTunes (or something like it, for the non-Apple people), you’re not stuck with listening to a single artist or album. So let’s say you’re getting ready to go work out, and you need about 20 good heart-pounding, “conquer the world” kind of songs. Not a problem.

Create a playlist(iTunes shown here), give it a name  and simply add songs to it. You can drag them from the music listing, or you can do a quick right-mouse-click action to add it to the list. Once the list is populated, you can re-order the songs if needed (or just use the Shuffle option when you play it to keep things mixed up). If you’re pressed for space or just like to keep things mixed up, there’s a Smart Playlist option that offers greater flexibility (and creativity).

Way #2: Podcasts

I’ll go out on another limb and say that most of our readers are familiar with a DVR. The concept of a podcast is very similar – it’s a recording of a show, except the show doesn’t have to originate from mainstream broadcast media. In fact, most of them don’t. Podcasts can originate from anywhere, from anyone who’s got enough technical know-how to record audio (and in some cases, video) and park it on the Internet for consumption. The vast majority of them are free, many offer donation-support options and some are subscription-based. Most seem to be more of a talk show/interview/discussion panel format, which I personally find interesting.

If you’re in iTunes, go to the iTunes Store and you’ll see an option for Podcasts:

Podcasts offer something for everyone – whether you want to listen to an NPR show, a geeky news/chat show that’s of particular interest to you, or simply catch up on a favorite radio show that you might otherwise miss (chances are you’ll find it in the podcast listing).

Way #3: Read When You Can’t Read – with Audiobooks

Audible.comI enjoy reading, but quite often can’t find the time to sit down to do it. I’m lucky to be able to get through a lengthy article, much less a book. A great compromise to this dilemma is listening to them, in audio book form. Thanks to things like Audible, audiobooks can be delivered to my mobile device (or computer) either through iTunes or through one of the Audible apps – available for Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android and BlackBerry.

Since I’ve started using Audible, I’ve been able to complete four books that I otherwise would not have started (much less finish). It makes commuting, cooking, cutting grass, cleaning house or just about any other boring task you can think of suddenly very productive  and entertaining. And that’s saying a lot for cutting grass.

And there you have it – three ways to make your music player/smartphone a little more entertaining.

Got a favorite podcast or audiobook you’d like to recommend? Leave it in the comments!

 
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Parents Guide to Texting

January 30, 2012 by 1 Comment

If you are not currently texting with your children, you should start immediately.  Studies have shown that parent to child communication increases 78% once the parent starts texting.  (*Not a real statistic.)  Texting is quick, easy, and all the cool kids are doing it.

First, realize that texting does not conform to normal grammar and spelling rules.  This does not mean your child’s education was wasted and this is not the time to rant about the state of America’s youth.  A text message can contain up to 160 characters, so you must use your characters wisely.  Abbreviations and misspellings are okay in text messages, but are not acceptable for school assignments, resumes, business correspondence, or anything else that will get your child a job and out of your house.

I know you worked on that detailed message and its disappointing that the only response you got back was Ok.  Lower your expectations of the quality of texts you will receive and remember that this is better than no communication at all.  Text messaging has changed the way we communicate and we now use short, direct statements versus longer, more flowery prose.

Get a better phone, preferably one with a full keyboard, it will make texting much easier.  There are too many options out there for me to review here, so your best course of action is to visit your local cell phone provider store and try them out.  Also, ask your kids, family, and friends what they have and what they like.  You will also want to bump up your texting plan, if you haven’t already.  Every situation is different, so review all the plans and be realistic about how often you are going to text to avoid overage charges.

Proofread your texts!!  There are entire websites dedicated to text messaging gone wrong because people didn’t proofread their text messages before sending them.  If you don’t want to end up on Damn You Autocorrect or Parents Shouldn’t Text (caution, language and adult situations) take a second to read your message and correct any mistakes before you hit Send.  Trust me, it will make the dinner table less awkward that night.

If your kids are still living with you and depending on their age, monitor their texting.  There are apps that can allow you to send and receive texts from an iPod Touch.  Texting is a primary means of communication for kids today and with the increased communication can come bullying, harassment, and dating violence.  Keep tabs on your kids and teach them that written words hurt just as much as verbal ones.

Still not sure where to start?  Ask your child to help you get started and teach you the basics.  Kids are very tech savvy these days and its not often they get to teach their parent a new skill.

Do you text with your parents?  My mom has been texting for years now but my dad’s still holding out.  How did you convince your parents to text?  Let us know in the comments!

 

 
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Simple Steps to Prevent Smartphone Illness

January 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment

So can a smartphone get a virus?

We’ve gotten a couple of questions/requests on this topic as of late, so I thought this might be a good time to cover such things.

In short:
  • Viruses and/or malware can be loaded into your smartphone.
  • There are anti-virus solutions for mobile devices.
  • Most people don’t use anti-virus solutions on their smartphones/tablets – including me.

There. I said it. I don’t use anti-virus on my mobile devices. It’s not because I think I’m invincible, but rather I’m not so sure that the tools to combat such things are effective enough to warrant the trade-off/cost to installing them. By costs, I don’t just mean the cost of procuring the security solution (because a good number of them are free), but also the performance hit that’s taken to run them.

Running software, apps, phone radios and GPS tasks take CPU cycles. CPU cycles require power. The more cycles, the greater the power consumption. And as many smartphone owners will attest, it’s all about preserving battery life. I can’t speak for everyone, but if I’m using my iPhone a lot during a day, the battery is almost fully depleted by the time I’m done. Adding another layer to the processing will only make that worse. So for me, it’s not worth the trade.

So is there anything else that can be done to mitigate your exposure? You betcha. And oddly enough, the same principles apply not only to smartphones but also to things like Facebook, Twitter and the general operation of your personal computer (Windows or Mac).

For most people, there are really three exposure points:
  1. E-Mail attachments
  2. Malicious web sites that attempt to download and install things when you hit the page
  3. Rogue applications

By now, we should all know what to do with questionable attachments. Delete them. Don’t open or launch them. If you’re not sure of the source or have any doubts about what might be contained in the attachment, blow it away.

Malicious web sites are a little trickier to catch, but it can be done. A lot of times they come in the form of a questionable e-mail message, or as links on search results. If you’re not sure, pay attention to where the link underneath the hotspot is going. On my iPhone, I can simply hold the link down (versus just tapping on it) and it will give me a prompt for my next action – which gives me a chance to see where the link is going to take me. The same applies for Android. Just the simple act of paying attention to where links are going will prevent a lot of bad things from happening.

In the realm of apps, Android Marketplace is a little more exposed than those using the Apple App Store. Apple reviews and approves every app before it’s made available in the store, checking for things that violate its App Store Guidelines or just plain do bad things. There’s no such “gatekeeper” on the Android Marketplace – it’s like going to a flea market where there are some great things and some not so great things. As a result, there have been more reports of rogue applications deployed through the Marketplace. I’m not saying don’t download any apps (because there are some really great ones), I’m saying be careful to read about them, check the reviews, and see what others are saying before you take the plunge.

Here’s the other really important thing: be aware of the permissions an application wants or is required to use. In the case of Android, Apple and BlackBerry, you are notified when an application is trying to use “things” in your phone, and by things I mean:

  • Location Services/GPS functionality
  • Internet Access
  • Push Notifications
  • Activation of cameras and/or microphones
  • Access to your Contacts, Calendar or Mail
  • Access to System Services (which could really wreak some havoc)

Before these apps will run, you have to grant it the permissions to do such things. It will prompt you. Don’t just blindly say “Yes” without seeing what it’s going to do. If you’re not comfortable with what an app will do or can access, don’t install it.

And by all means, use a password on your phone. It’s the first line of defense should someone steal your phone, or just simply pick it up and try to install something without your knowledge. I know, it’s a pain to keep a password. It’s also a pain to lock your house when you leave for work, but you do that, don’t you?

Do I think there will someday be a need to consider using anti-virus on mobile devices? Perhaps, especially as the proliferation of these things continues at the pace it’s growing today. But for now, I choose not to use them. You get to make your own choice.

In the mean time, just doing the simple things like paying attention to where you go and what you install will go a long way in protecting you and your phone. And don’t forget to back it up.

Now go forth and download Angry Birds. Or Evernote. Whatever makes you more productive.

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Image Source: techdigest.tv

 
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Two Weeks with the iPhone 4s

December 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

(Image Credit: Apple.com)

I’ve had my new iPhone 4s just short of two weeks, and I have to say I’ve been extremely pleased with it so far. This was a huge leap for me, as I was really, really fond of my BlackBerry. But after careful thought and consideration (and watching Research In Motion do some really dumb stuff), it just seemed to make more sense to go with an iPhone.

So, what’s good/bad/different to this newly-converted from “the other fruit phone” owner? Here are a few quick thoughts.

Things I Like

Siri – This is the new “talk to the phone/computer technology” in the 4s, and it is just simply amazing and cool. And borderline scary, in a HAL9000 sort of way (the older readers should get that one). I tell Siri to “text my wife that I’m on the way home” while I’m driving, and it does just that (with audio confirmations before sending). The safety factor for me (and those around me) has increased immensely. But that’s only one aspect of it. It’s almost one of those things you have to see and try to believe. Lots to talk about here, so I’ll write a dedicated post to things you can do with Siri.

iMessage -When I text message other iOS5 users, the phone switches to iMessage versus a standard SMS (text) message. The benefit here is that the 160 character limit no longer applies. It’s like BlackBerry Messenger (which I used a lot), except this is for iPhone (iOS5 only, though).

The Camera – The 8 megapixel camera can take some really good photos (if you can hold it still enough, particularly when zoomed). The video is also pretty stunning, in terms of quality. It does hammer the battery pretty well, but I can get used to the idea of having a decent still/video camera on my belt.

The Apps – I really like having the apps that I use on my phone, and the integration is seamless. Evernote, Dropbox and Wunderlist all work the same on my phone, laptop, desktop and tablets. It. Just. Works. Everywhere.

Things I Don’t Like

Battery life – I knew going in that battery life wouldn’t likely be the same. I was right, it’s not. It’s not horrible, but the phone is definitely ready to charge at the end of the day, if it’s had a reasonable amount of use. Shooting a lot of video definitely smacks the battery pretty hard. A lot of application usage, particularly with apps that talk to the cloud, will draw it down. It comes back to something I’ve often said: it’s mileage versus horsepower. Just like performance vehicles, they require more frequent refueling.

Ringtones and Alerts – Maybe I’m missing something, but there just doesn’t seem to be an easy way to add tones like I could to my BlackBerry, at least without having to buy something.  I miss having my phone utter that infamous Homer Simpson “Sweet Merciful Crap” when my wife calls. I’ll keep poking around at ways to do this.

Case Options – Trying to find a belt clip/case that I like is proving to be a challenge. Because the iPhone is really just a small computer that happens to have a phone, I opted for an Otter Box case – something that can take a punch. The good news is that it’s sturdy, but the bad news is that the belt clip is bulky and not very comfortable to wear. My quest now is to find a different/better belt case that can hold the encased iPhone.

Things That Are Just Different

Reminders – This is new to iOS5, and it’s interesting. My only issue with it is that it doesn’t integrate into the calendar very nicely. Reminders that I create in my desktop calendar show up on my iPhone, but not the other way around.

Virtual Keyboard – This was the most painstaking sacrifice I thought I’d be making, moving from a physical QWERTY keyboard to a virtual one. Surprisingly, I’m finding it easier to use than I had anticipated. The auto-correct does a far better job of anticipating and deciphering keystrokes than I’d expected.

iCloud – I learned the hard way that some things don’t work as well when you disable the iCloud components. For example, reminders: I asked Siri to create a reminder for me, and it kept failing. I turned Reminders back on in my iCloud settings, and it started working. My guess is that I’ll find a few more things like this before it’s over.

The verdict so far is that it’s a great phone, and it offers more functionality than I could have ever dreamed could be put into one’s pocket. It really is amazing. I can’t wait to see how the wife does with her phone, once we get it activated. I think she’s going to love it.

So, what do you love about your iPhone?

 
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