A Samsung Christmas!

Now Christmas is almost well and truly here it’s time again to grab your pens and get writing your wish lists!

Having been asked ‘’What Samsung device would top your Christmas wish list this year?’’, I couldn’t think of an easier question to answer!! The Device at the top of my list this year would be the pearl-white Samsung Galaxy note, with its festive colour scheme, stunning design and yet to be beaten specifications the device is the perfect handset to give anyone a merry Christmas!

The S-Pen gives the brilliant ability to hand write a thank-you note to Father Christmas and the form factor will ensure no-one needs to go without entertainment over the festive period! Not to forget that this gift may be the one which keeps giving as note-owners should get a taste of the Beautiful Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich major update!

The Samsung Galaxy Note will undoubtedly attract a lot of attention to those lucky enough to own one this year and that is why it is my Christmas wish!

Mob!lers 2011 end of year round-up - Samsung Mob!lers Launch event.

My first Mob!lers experience was the launch event in Chertsey, the event was the initial launch of the 2011 Mob!lers project.

Upon arrival the Mob!lers were greeted by the Jam representatives Hannah, Sarah and Alex. Due to traffic conditions some people had the opportunity to have a catch-up chat before the event took place. Looking around I could see that Samsung had really gone to great efforts to make this event a positive start to a very productive year.

Once all the Mob!lers were present, the event began with a some inspiring words from Keith O’Brien from Samsung UK, an insight into the on goings of the global Mob!lers and some information about a couple of upcoming Samsung Android products – Then the fun began! We were each given a shiny new Samsung Galaxy Pro! We all had a chance to tear into the packaging, switch on and demo our new phones whilst comparing notes.

Representatives from Samsung Headquarters attended from across the world to inspire us with information on the global Mob!lers, and the friendly competition we were to be involved in, everyone was just so appreciative of what we did, I was truly made to feel like part of a really important team.

Once the ongoing events were all explained there were a couple of competitions – a twitter ‘re-tweet’ competition and a contest to see who could get the fastest lap on ‘Drag Racing’ – an android game. Prizes awarded included mobile phone accessories and tickets to see Take That perform live!

Everybody met at least one new friend at the event and I’d like to think I’d met many. We had a group photo then went our separate ways with minds full of inspiration, and a new product to work on!

Thank You

Make a Note! & Free Galaxy note handset offer!

Hi all, just a quick post to remind y'all about the release of the amazing samsung galaxy note, packing the all new 's pen' stylus, a hd super amoled plus display and an immense dual-core processor!


Get yourself down to your local carphone warehouse, phones 4 u, o2 etc... and ask for a demo, you will want one!


http://cmvlive.com/technology/gadgets/vodafone-launches-cheapest-deals-so-far-for-a-free-samsung-galaxy-note

Above is some amazing news for Vodafone users!

Thanks, and a shout-out to Samsung Jam!

As a few of you have heard,  I have been selected to attend the Samsung Mob!lers Day as a UK representative in South Korea, courtesy of Samsung Jam. Thanks to everyone who visits my blog, your continued support enables me to bring you more and more content!

I'll be gone week commencing 5th December and on my return I will be raring to bring all the latest news & articles to y'all once again!

Thanks

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: A preview...

In early 2010 Google pushed out the groundbreaking HTC Nexus One device, giving casual users and cellular software developers a Mobile phone with specifications high enough to run the most demanding of applications with ease. Shipped with the latest Android software (2.1) and no fancy overlay to get in the way, this device was only out with one mission – to change the common idea that phones were to be kept as they shipped.

Since the release of the HTC Nexus One, Google decided to hand the Nexus baton to the mighty Samsung, who released the innovative ‘Nexus S’, comparable to the award-winning Galaxy S, but sporting exclusively the latest version of Android (2.3), stripped of the TouchWiz interface and topped off with a gorgeous curved screen designed to push ergonomic innovation to the next level.  The Nexus S was a huge hit with developers and a great device overall. It is clear that Nexus devices are more than just a series of quirky handsets, they are a growing ensemble of pioneering technology crying out to be pushed to the limits... In this short time a phenomenon has appeared as if from nowhere.

So now, here we are about to witness the release of the latest Nexus device, the question is no longer ‘will it be as good as PHONE A?’, it is now more a question of ‘which manufacturer can produce a device powerful, desirable and innovative enough to hold the Google Nexus title?’. Samsung have been entrusted with the responsibility, let’s look at the product...

The first thing to note is the usual Nexus signature – the latest version of Android, now v4.0 AKA ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ the whole OS has been vamped and is now no less than stunning... Taking utilities with both mobile handsets and Tablets in mind a whole host of new tools have been added to the interface, for example, multi-tasking has now been made much more effective with the addition of scrollable, live thumbnails of running/recently used applications – clearly suitable for large and small screens...

A first for the Nexus range is a break from the now bog-standard screen resolution of 480x800 pixels, now upped to 1280x720, on a 4.65’’ display, images and interface should be crisp beyond all expectations, not to mention that the display is Super AMOLED, which has been Samsungs secret weapon against all competition. Developers will now need to look at the way app interfaces look in a whole new light, as the display quality offers too much potential to under-fulfil. The display has also been given the curve-treatment which is sure to turn heads!

Despite the ‘mere’ 5mp sensor the image capture of the primary camera has been a massive hit with the ‘hands-on’ reviews, also thanks to the high screen res your photo previews are sharp as a tack.

Another pleasant addition to the specs is the increased battery cell capacity, at 1750mAh, it has to be enough to get even the most angry-birds-addicted user through just over a day without precautionary charging! Unfortunately, like the last Nexus model there’s no room for memory expansion, though this phone does come in 16GB & 32GB models it should be rather hard to fill...

On the whole I feel the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a welcome addition to the Nexus family, the specs are reasonable but nonetheless revolutionary. The handset is the most desirable I have seen in a long time and I, personally would use this as my primary device. Ice Cream Sandwich is the way forward and this device is definitely running it to it’s potential.

Go get it!

The first 5 things you should do with your new Galaxy Tab

So you've just rushed out and bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab, what now?? Well I’m assuming you are in the middle of adding your Googlemail account to your device – so once you are done, take a look below at the first 5 things I suggest you do!

1: Make sure your software is up to date!

Sounds like a drag really, but this is very important and it’s best to do this first! When connected to the internet do a software update check on the settings menu, if there are available updates, do it immediately! This will make sure your Tab runs as smooth as butter!

2: Download Angry Birds!

This really is the first app I tried out on the beautiful large, bright screen. It is the ultimate test of the fun factor and you WILL love the experience!

3: Bought the WiFi version?? Don’t worry!

If you have an Android phone running V2.2 (Froyo) or higher, the chances are you can tether your new Tab to your phone’s 3G internet connection, which means you get petty much all the capabilities of a full 3G Tab!

4: Get it on’t Tube!

Please do yourself a favour and browse the Honeycomb layout of the YouTube app, it is absolutely amazing, with the ability to watch a video whilst simultaneously browsing or adding comments, YouTube have really outdone themselves now!

5: Set up your office!

One of my favourite features of the Tab 10.1 is the office suite, with a large screen keyboard, fully enabled office software, and an email app which blows every other Tablet out of the water, it would be rude not to try it out as a portable workstation! To say you created a CV, got on Jobsite, and emailed prospective employers from your shiny new Tab is yet another step towards the future!

Hope this information has been found useful – you can find me on Twitter @virtuoso666

5 Reasons to get a Samsung Galaxy Tab!

I had never planned on owning a Tab before I actually got one, but after taking it through its paces I have found it to be more useful than I ever expected!

1: Gaming on it is ACE!!!

Yes, the most obvious point is that the larger display allows a greater gaming experience, but the Tegra chipset is what makes the games come alive! Birds will be flying into pigs smoother than ever, not to mention more accurately!

2: The office is now officially ultra-portable!

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes with free software called Polaris Office, which is a full MS compatible suite in which you can view, edit and create new documents in MS Word, Excel and PP format, there is also now an online storage facility so you can retrieve your important documents anywhere!

The email apps also look absolutely stunning on this device, with the ability to view one email whilst browsing through others this is truly a ‘full’ email experience. The calendar is large and clear too, making use of the scrollable widgets can make life much simpler!

3: Join the Tab club!!

There are several free (and paid) apps available on the android market specifically optimised for Honeycomb 3.0+, for example the YouTube app has a completely new layout in which all your suggested videos are laid out in a 3D style wall which looks amazing when scrolling through. Other apps to check out are the Dolphin browser for Tablets, Google Docs and IMDB.

4: The Battery, oh lord, the battery!

A reason to buy the tab its-self alone is the immense battery life, whilst in constant use you can probably get 10 or so hours out of it, but when its under light use, with a bit of Wifi here and there, a couple of YouTube videos a day etc... I wouldn’t be surprised if the battery lasts a week!

5: Media, how it’s meant to look!

If you are a commuter like myself, and often find yourself bored, you may also find that watching movies on a sub 5’’ screen entertaining, for a couple of minutes. With the Tab 10.1 the screen is so large and clear you will instantly find yourself immersed in your videos, the display is HD and the sound is crystal clear, whether using headphones or the built in STEREO speakers.  This device really turns portable media into true entertainment on the go, and when combined with a web connection, the possibilities are endless!

Go try one out and let me know how you get on!

Review of the mighty Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Recently the world seems to have become obsessed with a new wave of tablet devices, the most popular brands of which seem to be Apple, Samsung, Blackberry, Acer, Motorola and HTC – All with a few common features in mind; all slim, large display, simple, and social media oriented.

One of the latest tablets on the market is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which seems to be the slimmest, loudest and fastest, but is it quite the best?

First Impressions:

On opening the box, I found myself gazing at a flawlessly flat, glossy slate which I was scared to touch at first in fear of getting fingerprints all over the screen. I soon pulled myself together and dove into the very efficiently packed retail box. Before describing the actual Tab first I’ll confirm that inside the box is the following – USB Cable (Tab specific cable), high quality headset, power-brick for charging, and the usual paperwork.

Out of the box the Tab had zero battery, which gave me plenty of time to admire the device. On the front there are no physical features to speak of, only the Samsung logo and a front-facing camera break the silence here. Holding the device a few things are apparent here – the weight is perfectly distributed so no matter which way up the device is held, the screen feels very cold and solid, which is always a bonus for me, also, all ports seem to be very carefully placed to optimise use in landscape or portrait.

Once the Tab was all charged up I switched it on to be mighty impressed by the initial boot-up speed, starting up was effortless, and the initial layout of the widgets really showed off the benefits of having a large screen.

The Display:

The first thing I was keen to test out was the capabilities of the large display, and from the word ‘go’ this display really delivered! Being accustomed to the Galaxy S 2’s Super AMOLED Plus display I did expect to be a bit disappointed, but boy was I wrong! Colours are presented with all the vibrance you could ask for, the resolution provides for some of the sharpest imagery I have ever seen, from bold photos to the tiniest of on-screen text everything is razor sharp. The widgets just seem to ‘jump’ out of the foreground, which is really impressive. Typing is as natural as it gets on a touch screen, it may take a bit of getting used to, but after a couple of days I found myself naturally writing out emails as quick as I can on my laptop. Touch-screen response is top notch, not a complaint at all.

The interface:

As mentioned above, the factory layout for the widgets is just perfect for jumping in and exploring the device, I instantly found myself welcomed by new, large, interactive widgets which can be placed around the home screen so intuitively that it was if I had owned the Tab for months, customising the Tab to make it my own took 5 minutes initially but the sheer amount of freedom kept me coming back to tweak some more.

Multimedia:

Another great thing about the large screen is having the ability to feel truly immersed in video, especially when combined with the brilliantly placed stereo speakers (on either side of the device), flaws in low-res videos are made apparent, but you didn’t buy a Galaxy tab 10.1 to play low-res videos, did you??  The YouTube app has been adapted especially for honeycomb tablets which is just stunning, viewing a video whilst writing a comment is now not only a possibility, but it’s a pleasure too!

I never thought I’d use the tab for reading Ebooks, but thanks to the high resolution, I found reading the many free news articles extremely stimulating as images and text could easily sit side-by-side for a real newspaper article experience. I personally wouldn’t be reading War and Peace on an Ebook reader but did find reading from this device very natural

There are a lot of games which adapt well to the higher resolution/increased screen size, the games I tested were angry birds (of course), stupid zombies and zynga poker, all of which were greatly augmented on the tab, physics are still represented accurately and the extra space on screen makes the games naturally more immersive.

Both cameras, despite the modest image resolution seem to pick up photos more than worthy of uploading to facebook etc... and unless you work for paramount pictures, video capture is non-too-shabby too!

Business:

One unexpected benefit I found with the Tab is the potential for business use, the calendar/agenda widgets are clear, with lots of information, and the email layout is perfect for viewing your emails whilst scrolling through other items simultaneously.

When it comes to typing, the options provided should cater for everyone... Even Swype has been added with the option to reduce the keyboard size for those of you who are used to your phone keyboards... The Tab 10.1 could seriously replace the laptop for your average business commuter.

Practicality:

Weight and size are unarguably in this devices strengths, but I have found myself utterly dumbstruck by the battery life of this thing. With light use, say fifteen to thirty minutes use a day this thing can be used easily for a week without need re-charging, that’s of course turning off wifi between use etc, but nevertheless is shockingly impressive. Sound is easily audible in a normal quiet-ish cafe scenario.

In Summary:

The Tab is a great device, for anyone remotely interested in social networking, passing time and viewing media how it was meant to be viewed on the go, it also seems to be perfect for business use.

Pros: Amazing display, great business potential, light and attractive.

Cons: In need of more Tab oriented apps.

The future: looking at Samsung mobile technology in years to come.

There’s no doubt that Samsung for some time now, have become a leader in world technology, and arguably the world’s most inspirational provider of mobile technology. Samsung have never failed to unleash unthinkable innovations into mobile phones and set the standard for the competition.

I have been given the most difficult task I can think of – which is to try and pen some ideas of what I think Samsung will be doing with their future products 5, 10 and 15 years from now.

Let’s get silly.

Recent times:

Looking back at the last 5 years mobile phones have changed rather drastically in terms of form factor and primary purpose, the reason for this I believe is that the hardware manufacturers are predicting more demand for silent communication and higher demand for multimedia based networking. The evidence for this very easily found with the loss of the ‘banana style’ form factor once the only option for mobile phone users – the classic ‘almost wrapped around the side of the head’ design which made speaking on the phone second nature, has been almost completely dropped to make a large, flat touch-display fit in better.

Alpha-numerical keypads which once suggested ‘full time numbers, part-time text’ are being phased out for QWERTY keyboards which contradict the alphanumeric idea completely. The fact that hardware keypads are close to extinction suggests we are reading more than we are writing on our phones too...

Once upon a time mobile phones and computers were made to be kept well away from each other, they didn’t get along very well and once connected there was very little point in the unison. For a short period phones and computers were used together for the transfer of media etc... but as tech has moved on so fast even that use is arguably redundant with the move of social networking and cellular internet access!

My opinion on mobile tech today is that the primary purposes have changed completely, less than 20% of all my communication on my Galaxy S 2 is spoken, and of you count Internet browsing, news, research and leisure, probably less than 5% of my phone use is spoken phone calls. If it was up to me, it would be a mobile organisation, communication and media device, not Mobile phone!!

5 Years from now:

In 5 years I believe that computers will simplify/boldify operating systems in order to grab the social network audience, and as a result operating systems such as iOS, Android and Chrome will account for a much higher proportion than now – Windows will dumb-down a little, so to speak.

With the above in mind this will enable mobile phones to sync seamlessly in real-time with computers, tablets, TV’s and other household appliances (within reason). We will be communicating on computers and mobile phones in an identical fashion... Saying ‘I can’t wait to get home to upload this’ will be an extinct expression. Mobile network providers worldwide will increase bandwidth, and voice clarity will be seen to as a priority.

Social networking in 5 years will be popular as ever, eventually becoming a common medium of communication for the elderly as well as the younger generations.

The changes in Samsungs hardware will update at the same rate as today, which means in 5 years, proportionately speaking, mobile phones will be out-speccing top gaming computers of today (granted, you can’t exactly truly appreciate top gaming capabilities on a mobile handset). Screens will be 4X higher resolution by standard and 3D will still be a bit hit and miss with consumers. Large storage capacities exceeding 1TB will be offered to extreme media fiends (Don’t believe me? Check out today’s SDXC capabilities). Battery life will be improved, but I can’t help but think that performance will still be questioned.

As for form factor I believe we will have a similar common standard to the Google Nexus S or the Nexus Prime – Taking a curved display, concealed camera and having almost no border to the screen.

10 Years from now:

In 10 years from now, having a household without some form of mobile phone or home PC will be like running a household with no trousers... It will be almost impossible to hold a family or social life. Your mobile phone will be your primary source for emails, which contain the entirety of your household bills etc... And physical post will only be items of shopping. Measures will be taken to try to introduce charges for use of all wireless networking as demand for physical post plummets, book sales are starting to drop and adult education starts to be moved from the classrooms into the home office.

Social networking will no longer be associated with students, novelty photos you never view and alter-egos. Social networking will be known by the individual providers’ brand name and will be the mainstream for all non face-to-face communication. Very few will still use land-line phones, with the exception of businesses.

Hardware-wise Samsung would have now cracked auto-stereoscopic 3D displays but 3D is still not so popular! The next step in display tech will be to bring plasma-holographic imagery to mobile devices. Phones are now very thin and resistant to impact & other elements. Media such as music, recorded video and photos are stored on the now-reliable cloud – watching video between your PC, Phone & TV is seamless and instantaneous thanks to improved mobile networks & technology. Voice-recognition no longer suffers from mistakes caused by regional accents and is now commonly used on numerous handsets. Very little difference between UI’s across phones, PC’s & TVs.

15 Years from now:

Very little has changed in terms of social networking since the 10 year

Ergonomics and inspiration, making our lives easier!

Technology has always been around from the beginning of civilisation, whether useless or revolutionary, and the top factor in consumer technology has always been ergonomics. Here are five of my favourite gadgets and how they have become an extension of the human anatomy.

The Bicycle:

Not a typical ‘Gadgety’ article, nor associated necessarily with typical ergonomics, the pedal bike is the only common form of transport which is practically free to run, and suitable for commuting distances. The Bicycle takes human effort and introduces a gearing system between us and the road, enabling our power/velocity ratio to be manipulated, which ultimately gives us the power to travel speeds and distances that are impossible by the laws of human nature. Although not as popular as once upon a time, a truly mind blowing concept, taken for granted by most of us.

The Gas Lighter:

It’s hard to think of life without the benefits of instant fire, and unless you’re Ray Mears you will have a huge problem obtaining it without a lighter. Where I find the fascinating ergonomical revelation here is the sheer immense amount of power made possible with a mere flick of the thumb, very few inventions have such a massive benefit/input ratio. The lighter weights less than a bunch of keys but is one of the most useful items to be carrying whilst stranded!

The Swiss Army Knife:

The Swiss army knife is such a great invention, every tool you could possibly need for a camping trip fits right in your pocket, and makes clever use of physics and geometry to give you the most efficient user-experience, from ‘levering’ open tin cans, using the strategically placed cork-screw or carving sticks into tools, everything has been thought of.

The Knife and Fork:

The knife and fork, another invention taken for granted by most people. The knife and fork made it to my list for a number of reasons, but the main reason is the fact that they are so common, a forgotten invention often mistaken for a part of our natural human anatomy. I don’t even know who invented them (though I will be googling it imminently) but they are purpose made to enable us to consume with minimal effort.

The Yale Lock & Key:

The common lock and key is a favourite of mine as it’s such a small invention, but has been the industry standard since invention, used in Banks, Prisons and even our homes for one sole purpose – Security. A device that typically weighs less than a kilo in total is able to grant or deny access to our most treasured belongings. A tried and tested device which is so common we would be considered ‘mad’ to live life without it. And the best part is, I hear you ask! The key fits right into the palm of your hand!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – Perpetual evolution. (Samsung Mob!lers)

The world we live in is developing non-stop and we, as people are no exception. Adapting to our surroundings, changing in order to keep up with industry, nature and our own dreams.

It would be almost impossible to justify comparing the human race to a single piece of modern technology, but three words can be used to describe what is desired by mankind, and achieved by Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 – Thin, Fast and Powerful. Why are these three words paramount in Samsungs technology of today? Here are a few insights.

Thin:

Thin is in, as much as some of us are intimidated by the pressure of media, we cannot switch on a TV without facing what we are ‘supposed to be’.

As well as being fashionable, thin is what streamlines us, stripping away un-necessary bulk in order to optimise efficiency, to enable ease of transportation and to save power. Thin looks good when proper care has been taken to achieve it, thin gives us the opportunity to hide in the shadows, to quietly overtake, to move in the slipstream.

Fast:

The world is one big race, and with so much competition, one factor is a must – Speed. Speed is the difference which separates great effort and great achievements. With the amount of information we need on a daily basis to succeed, lag is at the forefront of failures arsenal. Do you have an idea which could make you your first million?? Get there fast, or you may never get there at all.

Powerful:

Power is the ultimate measure of potential, impact, output, processing capacity and all we strive to gain in society. We are all born as vulnerable beings, and from the moment of birth, life is a struggle for power, whether political, physical or social – Power is a characteristic not to be challenged without great caution. Power is what is exerted during the challenge and what is rewarded after in another form.

All of the above examples could be used to describe human desires, or technology.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab has achieved all these characteristics, but the technology is always developing. Thin, Fast, Powerful – the forefront of design.

Make the most of it!

Whether you have just taken out a new contract on a smartphone or have been using your phone for months and want to know what more it can do for you, it’s never too late to learn a thing or two to get more out of your Android device.

Owning a typical Android smartphone has a number of benefits, but have you ever looked at just how many functions there are, here’s a list of what I could think of – Phone, Email device, compass, GPS Sat Nav, Digital Map, Pocket Torch, Video Camera, Digital Still Camera, Webcam, Spirit Level, MP3 Player, MP4 Player, Radio, Handheld Gaming Device, Pocket Watch, Alarm Clock, Personal Organiser, Dictaphone, Calendar, USB Storage Device, Web Browser, Translator, Photo Viewer, On Demand TV Viewer, USB Storage Device, Web Encyclopaedia/dictionary/thesaurus, Social networking device, Personal shopping advisor (Google shopper), Digital book/magazine subscription service/reader, Sky TV Scheduler, Stopwatch, Calculator, Guitar tuner, Video editor, Photo editor, Note Pad, Audio trimmer, Online document storage etc... The list does go on!

Here are a few tips for making the most of an average smartphone scenario, let’s say a mid-range Android device with 500 texts, 300 minutes and 512 mb of data allowance a month...

Tip #1: Use your data!!

I would recommend to anyone with an Android device and a social networking account, email account, ebay account, blog or all of the above – Get a data plan! A data plan will really bring your device to life. Your typical data plan gives you 512mb of allowance, which unless is explained in everyday terms doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, for most people this is by far more than enough. A lot of people I know have an allowance but are too scared to use it in case they go over their limit, so the first piece of advice I can offer is to monitor your usage online, or even easier, download an app called ‘my data manager free’ from the app market which lets you know how much internet you have used.

Having a data allowance allows you to have your email account, social network, maps, internet browser and online document storage at hand 24/7, but other uses include necessary software updates as they are released and the ability to have your contacts/messaging backed up online as you go.

Tip #2: Use your noggin, and WiFi!

When indoors, or at any WiFi access point I seriously recommend reverting to WiFi in your settings for obvious reasons. Thats it!

Tip #3: WiFi Video/voice calling

There are a number of services, namely Skype, which offer this. I cannot explain how handy yet under-used this is in the world of smartphones. Add all your friends who have a smartphone and start taking advantage of high-quality, free unlimited chatting.

Tip #4: Lost again!

Can’t find your way around in the car? Get yourself a car phone charger and start using your free GPS! It’s amazingly simple to use and just as good as your average TomTom or NavMan. Type or even speak your destination into your Android, amend your preferences and away you go, turn by turn navigation right there!

Tip #5: You’ve shot, now share!!

What do you do with your photos taken with your phone? Most of you will keep them there in your device to show to whomever is lucky enough to be in your immediate vicinity. A great app for photo sharing with all your friends is a little app called Facebook! I’m sure you’ve heard of it, what makes it so great is that most people either have it, or know a close friend who uses it – and that’s what sharing photos is all about...

Tip #6: Organise your life!

I’m just as guilty as most of you – until recently I never really used Androids great calendar app, I seriously recommend it as not only is it an extremely concise organisational tool with a reminder function, you can even add photos, maps, navigation and invites to contacts, all backed up online just in case you lose your phone! The alarm clock ain’t too shabby either!

Tip #7: Holy Google Batman!

The best thing about owning an Android phone is the amazing free Google suite of apps and utilities, here’s a brief rundown and explanation of my faves:

Google Goggles: Ever seen a landmark, brand logo or product you recognise, but just can’t remember what you need to know about it? Goggles allows you to take a picture of whatever you want, scans the image, then will take you to every bit of information under the sun!

Google Shopper: Found something but want it cheaper? Shopper has a barcode scanner, voice recognition and text search, so if there’s a bargain to be had, you will find it on your Android.

Google Maps: A suite in its self – Google Maps is the centre of your navigation, places, route planning etc, and the best part is its all free!

Google Translate: With well over 50 languages to choose from, you can travel the world and never be lost in translation, with voice and text translation this app is a must-have for travellers.

Google Reader: I subscribe to a couple of blogs, and Google reader is an amazingly efficient way of feeding new articles right to your smartphone via RSS feeds.

Google Search: Good ol’ faithful! Google search is as simple, yet advanced as ever. Search for anything with your voice or text for almost instant results.

Tip #8: Try it yourself!

At the end of the day, the only way you will learn to get the most out of your phones features will be to have a mess around yourself, what’s the worst thing that can happen? Go explore – you’re paying for it, get your moneys worth!


Follow me on Twitter @virtuoso666

My credentials, sort of...

I like to consider myself rather knowledgeable when it comes to mobile phones, but I would be a liar if I was to tell you I had qualifications relating directly to cellular technology!


Here I thought I'd share my mobile phone timeline dating back to June 2000, when I got my first PAYG handset at the tender age of 12. Every phone displayed here is a new handset, all duplicated images are re-buys, as until recently I have only ever had one phone at the time. I may have missed a couple of handsets from the list, and by the end of the year you'll be able to add at least two more handsets to the end of the list.

To answer a couple of questions - I paid for every phone in the image, with the exception of the Samsung Galaxy Pro, which was given to me at the Samsung Mob!lers Kick-Off event. I tend to sell my phones in order to afford the next one... At the moment I still own the Samsung Galaxy Pro, Samsung Galaxy S 2, and the Nokia N97. 


Every phone I've owned, I've absolutely loaded, hacked, explored and worked out every bug possible. The image above only represents the phones I have owned. If you have any questions about any of the above handsets, or any other phone on any platform, feel free to give me a buzz, I have written how-to's on hundreds of handsets and am more than happy to help out.

Rest In Peace Steve Jobs

You won't often find me saying great things about Apple products on this blog, but no-one can ignore just how much of an innovator Steve Jobs was. The Ex-Chief Executive of Apple Inc. was responsible for such products as the iPod, iPhone, the Mac and the massive iTunes.

He changed a lot of our day-to-day lives and put up some stiff competition in the world of electronics, lived a success and died a success.

Rest in peace Mr Jobs.

New kid on the block...

With the Samsung Galaxy S 2 ruling the roost for quite some time now very little competition has even come close to taking the number 1 spot – but every titan gets their day, the Iphone 4S is on it’s way, should we be in fear for our Galaxy S 2s? Heres a brief prediction...

Build quality

Historically Samsung have always built solid handsets, even cheaper phones still feel sturdy in the hand, and despite its weight and back panel, the Galaxy S 2 is a very solid phone, with nice balance of weight, no offset edges – the only downfall as far as I can gather, is that the shiny, smooth plastic on the bottom lip if the phone may be vulnerable to scratching.

The Iphone comes out of the box sparkling like a diamond, in true Apple fashion it’s sleek, slim, and the materials used in production are of high quality. The phone carries a nice amount of weight too. One downfall is that despite all claims, I have seen plenty of Iphones age terribly, the handsets do become tacky if not kept in a case.

Verdict – Draw

Processing power

The Galaxy S 2 came storming out of the gate and effectively changed all the rules, a combination of a nice simple user interface with a dual-core 1.2ghz processor made for maximum performance and set a new standard, this phone, though not the first to carry a dual-core processor, it was certainly the first phone we will remember that paved the way for the new ‘superphone’.

The Iphone 4’s A4 processor might only operate one core, at what is nowadays a sluggish clock-speed, the whole UI is run smoothly and apps don’t seem to have any problems with lag, video is played smoothly and multi-tasking isn’t an issue. With the new dual-core A5 processor being added to the Iphone 4S it looks like Samsung may have to step it up!

Verdict – Iphone clinches this, as the potential is insanely threatening.

Originality

Samsung have certainly spent a lot of time tweaking their designs to come up with the perfect handset, and although not perfect, the Galaxy S 2 is a great representation of what Samsung’s innovation has to offer.

Since the release of the original Iphone some years back, very little has changed to be honest, we’re getting more of the same, but smoother, slimmer, and more up to date with today’s trend... The Iphone 4S is identical to the Iphone 4 but with a few wrinkles ironed out.

Verdict – Samsung takes it by a country mile, evolution is what keeps the industry interesting...

Excitement factor

The Galaxy S 2 had some big shoes to fill, following the footsteps of the mighty Galaxy S, and the overlooked Nexus S, there was a lot of buzz around Samsungs latest monster. Conference floors were crowded with people eager to see how this phone could shape 2011, the Super AMOLED Plus, the 1.2ghz processor and 1GB of RAM was enough to keep the Galaxy he talk of the town.

Marketing is at the very heart of Apples success as a cellular manufacturer, where some products have a slow release period and sell themselves eventually, sadly, Apple are not a good example of this. The mere mention of the fashion conscious cellular giant creates global buzz... That’s until the Iphone 5 was officially unconfirmed as Apples next device – an updated current model was never going to cut it!

Verdict – As the Iphone 5 has now been revealed as the ‘4S’, Samsung claim this.

  

Mine does and yours doesn’t!

The Samsung Galaxy S 2 doesn’t only pack generous stock specs, but gives you the ability to embellish, by adding a memory card or changing the stock battery for one with a higher mAh rating. The android market is flooded with independent app developers, which has become a very good thing for the customers, and most apps worth having are free!

The Iphone typically comes completely un-changeable out of the box, the closest to customising the handset you will get is by putting a case around it, and the storage capacity you opt for isn’t upgradeable. The app market is fantastic but most good games etc. aren’t free!

To sum it up

We’re in exciting times now as competing smartphones are now truly becoming superphones, shockingly mobile phones of today are out-clocking laptop computers of just a few years back, the media players of mobile phones are outperforming current top mp3/mp4 players, the cameras on our smartphones are rendering the standalone digital camera obsolete.

Samsung and Apple have never been at such stiff competition, and with Android truly throwing a spanner in the works my faith lies with Samsung. I won’t be replacing my Galaxy S 2 with an Iphone any time soon and my reasons lie with freedom to customise, individuality and the fact I know most things worth having on my phone are free!

ShredderBenjamin

Review of Samsung Galaxy Pro

Samsung have really become a dominating force in the smartphone market and I blame this almost solely on the Android series, known as Galaxy. Sure, we have the Windows 7 Phone series and Bada handsets, but Android has really taken Samsung to the next level.

One of the later instalments to the Galaxy series is a slightly more modest handset known as the Samsung Galaxy Pro, which compromises cost without having devastating effects on performance. This phone, with the large QWERTY keypad, physical buttons and the unusual-to-android landscape display shows how versatile the Android platform really is. A perfect competitor for RIMs Blackberry Curve 8520 and 9300 handsets, this device tries to prove the Galaxy Series does have what it takes to work in the business world. Let’s take a closer look.

First impressions:

Upon opening the box I was first hit by the slightly unusual shape, the Galaxy Pro seems to be a much wider device than average to cater for the landscape display and very wide keyboard. I was unsure what to think about the extremely flat screen which appeared to be recessed into the handset, though this isn’t the case, the screen is flush where the keypad is raised from the surface. Needless to say, the form factor is very practical, and after a few minutes of observation I found the looks had grown on me very quickly.

Up and running:

Turning on the device I was immediately disappointed by the quality of the display, the resolution is very low (320x240 Pixels) and colour is weak, this TFT display appears to have been taken from a much more primitive handset. The interface of the phone is extremely lightweight which aids a rather quick boot-up, and running the onboard apps was a smooth experience at first but now a few apps have been installed from the android market the overall speed of the phone has dropped. The appearance of the interface, from the apps tray to the pre-installed widgets and general settings, is all very nice – no messing around here.


The Keypad at first is rather slippy, the keys are individually raised, but are very 'inline'. The keys are soft and are not offset, though after a while, sending texts and short emails becomes natural.

App Me:

Let’s face it, this is a Blackberry rival, so let’s look at the pre-installed business-type apps. My very favourite business app here is the ThinkFree office suite, which right out of the box allows you to not only read Microsoft Office compatible documentation, but to edit and create documents right from the device, and in conjunction with the pre-installed email app, you can easily edit and forward your CV or other docs on the go, which was once a pipedream, even on the most advanced smartphones of the recent past.

This phone does not offer a video player pre-installed, for some reason, but free video players such as Rock Player can be downloaded free from the Android market. This phone is very light on pre-installed apps, I can only imagine for the sake of keeping the CPU clear for core applications to run smooth right out of the box – though unless you plan on installing tens of apps at a time and running high-performance games, your average Blackberry-fiend shouldn’t have a problem with lag.

Media:

As I mentioned above, you will need to download a video player, but YouTube, Rock Player etc... all run without a problem. Despite the display, videos look rather nice on the device, colours are watchable and sound is easily loud enough. The music app is very basic but is still one of the best music apps on this price-range phone. Battery is average if I’m honest, but due to the small display, video playback won’t kill it in ½ an hour.

Make it snappy!:

I am not greatly impressed with the camera, the picture quality is what you would expect from a 3.2MP sensor, maybe a little better, but I couldn’t get along with the shutter delay – every second picture was of my feet due to such a delay. Video capture is a relatively smooth experience as it doesn’t suffer the shutter delay problem, but I can’t see myself using footage I have caught on the Galaxy Pro even for YouTube uploads.

Overall:

After a few days I have found the battery lasting slightly longer, the camera shutter delay is persistent yet I am more patient with it, and I am used to the keyboard. I have also found the keyboard is great for gaming, which is good for the commute to work.

The phone is a nice change to what we’d call the ‘norm’ in the android world, but is far from a high-end device. I would recommend this to a slightly older user who doesn’t like touch-screen devices for texting.

Visual Performance                               **

Battery Life                                         ****

Camera Performance                             ***

Processor Performance                          ***

Build Quality                                       ***

ShredderBenjamin

The phone buyers guide: Contracts and handsets.

Whether you have had ten phones or none, once in a while you’ll come to a point where you need to consider your usage of your phone, and review your choice of handset & price plan. From experience, I have found most mobile phone retailers very helpful, though some just want to sell you the biggest package possible for their own commission. Here I will hopefully help you out by raising the most important questions you NEED before you buy!

1: Do I need to get a fixed contract?

First of all when taking out a fixed contract, usually between 12 and 24 months in length, the first thing to consider is ‘have I got a steady, reliable income?’ – this is essential as you will need to commit a good chunk of your income to a regular payment. If you have never had a mobile phone before I suggest you start with a Pay as you go tariff, as within a couple of months you should have a good idea of your usage habits. If you have already had a Pay as you go phone, and you regularly top-up more than £20 a month, you can usually get a great deal and get more for your money by signing into a contract. Remember, go for a modest contract if you need, you can always raise your tariff later.

2: What kind of price plan should I go for?

Most Pay as you go providers offer very competitive price plans, and the great thing about PAYG is that you have no commitment, but if you regularly make phone calls and use mobile web, I really recommend some type of contract price plan. Being in a contract does not necessarily mean you will be tied to your phone & plan for months on end, many providers now offer a ‘rolling, monthly’ contracts, in which you pay a regular direct debit, but can opt out in a months notice. You will, on the other hand, always get the best deal on fixed contracts over 12 months.

Another common misconception is that you will need to change your handset when you start a new contract – sure, one of the great things about starting a new contract is that you are offered a whole host of new handsets, seemingly free of charge (nothing is free...), but the reality is you will get the very best contract deals if you don’t opt for a new handset.

3: Smartphone or dumbphone?

Plain and simple here, Iphones, Androids, Modern Symbians, Blackberries etc. all have one thing in common – They’re all very smart. If you  are not one for social networking, and you check your email inbox less than once every other day, do yourself a favour and go for a ‘dumb phone’, such as a Nokia or other ‘Candy bar’ style phone. Where I stand against poor quality sub £30 handsets as they’re generally more trouble than they are worth, you don’t need a hyper-fast processor and touch-screen of you only talk and occasionally text. Another fact is you will get a better contract deal if you go for a more modest handset. Do you have Facebook, twitter etc?? You know is you do, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go for a flagship model. Most phone manufacturers make decent mid-range handsets, going for one of these will save you money.

4: Extras Extras Extras!!

When you’re speaking to the charming young lady or gent in the phone shop, take some time to think about the extras you are being offered, there are tons of extras such as ‘extra data allowance’, ‘inclusive 08  numbers’ and international calls packages usually in £5 per month blocks. At the time, these all may sound very handy, but the cost does mount up, and as I have found, there are a lot of boundaries included. If you have a landline, international calls are cheaper anyway, 0845 & 0870 numbers are free on most landline phones, and if you feel you will need extra data allowance, can this not be solved simply using wifi??

Insurance is another thing altogether, handset insurance can cost you anywhere between £5 and £20 a month. Sales reps will try their hardest to sell you insurance until they are blue in the face, but another sad truth is, there’s usually a high excess to pay in the (unlikely) event of misfortune, and many banks offer free handset insurance with packaged accounts. Also, independent insurers now commonly offer ‘Gadget cover’ which offer protection over all your gadgetry – including your laptop, mp3 players and other devices you may use outdoors.

5: Pimp my phone!

The last thing, when it comes to buying a phone, is customising/protecting it with a case, silicone cover, screen protector etc... The best advice I can offer is to buy online. Stay away from retail outlets as they will overcharge massively, we’re talking 10x the online prices.

Any questions?? Follow me on @virtuoso666 on twitter, feel free to ask anything gadget related.

ShredderBenjamin

Samsung Mob!lers: Samsung theme/wallpaper.

Here is my submission, sticking with the Samsung Galaxy theme I decided to create a simple wallpaper and screen layout. The Samsung logo is incorporated over a galaxy image, and the Android logo is there as the little guy is rather fitting!

Video On The Go?

One of the great advantages of having a smartphone is the ability to carry high quality footage in your pocket. I am currently using my Samsung Galaxy S 2 for my commuting entertainment, and when I’m not playing games like ‘Stupid Zombies’, ‘Angry Birds’ and ‘Bubble Blast’, I like to watch videos on the train, my preference by far is under 5-minute comedy clips, amongst other informational content. Below is my top 5 short video series’ available on YouTube for commuters.

1: College Humour Originals Present Jake and Amir.

Jake and Amir is a sub-series presented by two of the College Humour cast, usually the setting is a desk in modern office, and the plot is general banter – your classic ‘dim witted Amir and short-tempered Jake’ series. Thrown in is usually an up-to-the-minute reference towards trend and the odd misunderstanding, this series sounds like a cliché, but I assure you, the series is very entertaining and funny.

2: Vkgoeswild (YouTube Channel).

Vkgoeswild is a YouTube Channel run by an Icelandic independent musician who specialises in piano covers of alternative music, namely rock and metal covers. I particularly like this channel as  the videos are generally short, but the level of skill and talent is so high, that every upload is inspiring and uplifting.

3: IGN Entertainment.

IGN Entertainment is an up-to-the-minute channel which provides the latest news about video games, consoles, general computer software, and occasionally, gadgets. Videos are uploaded daily and news is delivered effectively and clearly. This channel is a must-follow for hardcore gamers and casual gamers alike.

4: Mobile Gazette.

Mobile Gazette is one of the leading gadget guides out there, and their YouTube channel generally puts out fair reviews, news, how to’s and unboxing videos of all the latest mobile phones. The news is always up to date and the reviews/unboxing videos are usually very in-depth.

5: Fail Blog.

What can I say? If you haven’t visited Fail Blog yet, you’re in for a treat! Most videos are under one minute and there’s usually a 99.9% of laughter. From skateboarding accidents do DIY mishaps, there are hundreds of uploads to kill those vital last few seconds of your commute.

Look, listen & learn with Android!

When asked ‘If you were to develop an Android app for kids aged 0-5, what would it do?’ I was rather daunted... As a young child I had a very short attention span and a very low boredom threshold, I couldn’t concentrate on anything that was good for me and procrastinated to such an extent that my life consisted of half-finished projects, which to say the least is very unrewarding!

The first thing I needed to do was come up with a list of questions, and one by one fill in the blanks as my ideas filter through the rubbish and become ‘app-worthy’. Below are the main Q’s and A’s.

What genre would the app be?

As much as this sounds like a cliché, I really believe an educational app would work. The app would basically be almost a desktop on its own, a main menu containing a number of different games and activities, a wide choice would be offered and the child would eventually find their favourite activity, all of which would be educational in some way.

What features would the app have?

As mentioned in the previous question, the app would feature numerous activities, I believe reading, writing, basic mathematics and progressive hand-eye co-ordination exercises should be disguised as mini games and very short projects. All progress can easily be stored and reviewed by parents. Some examples of activities on this app are Trace & Write, Tilt Maze, Photo Taking, Paintshop, Listen & Speak, Block Stacking etc...

How would children interact with the app?

The most obvious factor for me here, as Android is synonymous with touch-screen I think touch-navigation will be the main medium of interaction. The marvellous thing about touch screen is the ability to draw, trace and gesture (i.e. swiping & tapping). Most apps would utilise touch-only interaction, but I would also like to see a Speak & Listen game in which a child is required to respond to spoken commands by speaking, for example answering questions, this would use the speech command and recognition functionality. The camera can be utilised for customisation, creating a simple user profile and activities such as Paintshop.  A very important feature for child development would be the hand-eye co-ordination features, which would use the accelerometer, compass & other motion sensors, some mini games would use just motion sensors and others would use both motion and touch gestures (i.e. stacking blocks and balancing them) depending on the level of the childs ability.

How will this app be rewarding to the child?

As children tend to have very short attention spans, I sympathise with them as a lot of games are hard to progress in, it feels like ages before you can see your progress, and the horror of seeing ‘You have completed 1% of this game’ is the most frustrating thing of all! As 0-5s have such a wide range of abilities and development levels I feel it would be fair to have many different skill levels within, all with individual achievement ‘score boards’. Individual tasks and games would be very short as to reward progress at shorter intervals and keep children interested. The main reward is when a child shows their parents what they have learned by showing new skills that have been picked up. The praise after, from the parent is the main reward.

How will it look?

I think that customisation is important here. When a user sets up their user profile (or more likely when the parent sets up the user profile) the child will have a number of choices of themes, colours and selectable characters. A lot of age, gender and skill based features will be selectable throughout the experience.

Here is a very rough mocked-up image of what the main menu may look like, the colour, theme and images would be fully customisable to suit the taste/level of the child.

Let me know what you think!

ShredderBenjamin.