Fight crime, earn rewards with the sic-Shot crowd-sourcing app

The technology of crowd-sourcing is gaining more widespread use, as more applications are put into play. One of the latest efforts of this technology is a community-based tool to share public safety concerns via a new app named sic-Shot.

By using the sic-Shot app, individuals can provide confidential information through photos and videos to law enforcement officials that need information to help solve crimes.

The idea behind sic-Shot is to encourage anyone with a desire to support public safety to be on the lookout for acts of violence, unusual conduct or suspicious behavior. When a sci-Shot user witnesses a criminal act or notices suspicious behavior, a photo or video is recorded and posted to their sic-Shot account. These images can be browsed by law enforcement subscribers to help identify suspects and solves crimes.

The reports by sic-Shot users can be rewarded $1 or more for a photo or video purchased by subscribers. As more photos and videos are taken, the sic-Shot user earns badges to receives the  highest level of reward dollars, which will be redeemed through gift cards from leading online vendors. But a minimum balance of $25 must be earned before any reward money is paid.

If the information is considered essential in solving a crime, the sic-Shot user can be rewarded up to $50 per photo or video.

According to the developers, the sci-Shot app will be available in December for Android users and is listed as "coming soon" for iPhone fans. Users are encouraged to sign up to participate in the limited app release.

With this idea of a community-based social network and the sharing of public-safety information with law enforcement subscribers, the traditional Neighborhood Watch program is going hi-tech and mobile.  

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Waze app provides real-time traffic alerts from community drivers

As I got into my car for my daily commute to work, my latest iPhone app tells me there are 25 other drivers nearby ready to assist me with real-time traffic reports and commuting information.

The commuting information is from Waze, a traffic and navigation app that I have been testing over the past few weeks. I can truly say that it works and also has very impressive GPS capabilities.

The technology behind the Waze app is based on a community of other drivers with the Waze app, or "Wazers" as they like to call themselves. The beauty of the concept is that these drivers are local to your area and drive some of the same routes that you would take every day.

Once in your car, just fire up the Waze app, type in your destination and leave the app open. You'll notice right away that your location is accurately displayed and a little icon tracks your route on a three-dimensional map, or 2D if you prefer. As you drive along, you might notice alerts on traffic jams or simply slow traffic, accidents, road hazards and other information – all in real time. These alerts are coming from other "Wazers" traveling the same route and have submitted alerts along the way.

On my particular route to work, I was alerted of a "car on the shoulder" a few miles down the road. Sure enough, a few minutes later I came upon a stalled vehicle on the right shoulder of the interstate. Amazing.

If you see a need to report the location of an accident or other road hazard alert to share with other drivers, just tap the "report" icon and choose from several options, such as a Traffic Jam, Police, Accident, Hazard or Closure. After choosing which side of the street or interstate, you'll simply choose "submit" and the apps marks the location of where the report button was first pressed. For a traffic jam report, there are "Moderate, Heavy and Standstill" options. A photo can be taken to share with the report.

During another four-hour trip on a major interstate, I came upon slow traffic and knew something was wrong ahead. I fired up the Waze app to discover an accident had been reported a few mile ahead by a fellow Wazer.

The GPS features of the Waze app is amazingly accurate, with the location of my vehicle dead-on in relation to the map on the display. The icon for my vehicle passed through intersections on the map display as I did in real time. When stopped at a red light a few vehicles back from the intersection, that's where my location was on the Waze map. The GPS technology of the Waze app is very impressive, with functions similar to a genuine GPS unit, complete with day and night modes for the display.

As you drive along with Waze, the map automatically zooms in and out, based on the detail being shown on your smartphone display. All gas stations and public landmarks are displayed, such as parks, rivers, lakes and dreams.

Some of the additional features of the Waze app include adding your home and work addresses, as well as Facebook integration to interact and coordinate your trips with your Facebook friends. A tap of the "Gas" icon displays a list of gas stations and fuel prices nearby.

According to the company, Waze is being used by around 50 million people and I would imagine this is growing, as each time I log in, the number of Wazers nearby seemed to have grown. A team of seven developers from Silicon Valley, Israel, the United Kingdom and other locations are responsible for this innovative use of crowd-sourcing with traffic reports and other commuting information.

Waze is free at this time and is available for the iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone devices, with the latest version being 3.7.6, which added a voice-based search for finding addresses and places. Maybe a version for the BlackBerry platform is on the drawing board.

In the latest twist of Waze marketing, Comedian Kevin Hart is lending his voice for turn-by-turn navigation in the app.

I'm sold on the technology of the Waze app and its community-based traffic reporting. I won't leave home without it.

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Google, Motorola enters the fray with Maxx, Ultra, Mini Droids

While the new iPhones frenzy was going on over the past few weeks, they were not the only games in town. At least three of my pockets had one of the Motorola Droids trio that certainly deserve some attention.

Verizon Wireless sent a box full of Droids just as the the iPhone mania was heating up and I have been exploring and enjoying these Google and Motorola-branded devices so much that I haven't had a hankering for the new iPhone 5S.

My FedEx box contained the Motorola Droid Maxx, Droid Ultra and Droid Mini. Let's just say I was surrounded by droids, which represent the newest creation from Google and Motorola since they agreed to join forces in August 2011 after Google put $12.5 million on the table.

I think we all knew that something big would come out of this partnership, with Google's Android empire and Motorola's reputation for quality hardware.

The Droid Maxx is certainly the flagship out of this trio and it has the features to prove it. Right off the bat, the most impressive attribute is the whopping 3500 mAh battery, which Motorola lays claims to 48 hours of mixed use. I can only think only of a few other smartphones that could come close to the Maxx's battery specifications, with one being the LG Optimus G Pro, with a battery rated at 3140 mAh.

The Maxx also didn't skimp on memory, with 32 gigabytes of storage space, compared with 16 GB for its siblings, the Ultra and Mini.

Aside from the usual collection of Android apps and more available in the Google Play store, one of my favorite features of the Maxx is the VZ Navigator global positioning app. I played lost coming from the office and the Maxx didn't miss a turn in getting me home before sundown. I especially like the conversational tone of the directions, such as "Get ready to turn right at the next traffic light." Or "drive about seven miles, then get ready to take Exit 7B, on the right. The GPS turn-by-turn directions on the Maxx are as simple as a doughnut.

The five-inch AMOLED display of the Maxx is a perfect fit in my ash tray in landscape orientation while in GPS mode. The audio is loud and clear. With a windshield mount or the official Navigation Dock from Motorola, the Maxx really could function as your main GPS unit, as the maps and directions are quite good.

Another area where the Maxx stands out among the competition is the Qi wireless charging module that doesn't require a USB cable connection to your computer or wall outlet. The feature, backed by the Wireless Power Consortium, also supports the Hydro Elite, and Droid Mini. You can take your pick of wireless charging accessories for the Maxx, such as a Nokia JBL Power Up Speaker, Nokia Fatboy Charging Pillow and a LG Wireless Charging Pad.

Motorola is making good use Kevlar, with the back of the Maxx sporting a textured appearance with a soft-touch feel. You also find a thin layer of Kevlar under a glossy plastic covering on the Ultra and Mini Droid devices. I like the Maxx's use of the Kevlar the best.

The Droid Ultra is almost identical to the Maxx, except for 16 GB of storage versus 32 GB in the larger sibling and a 2130 mAh battery, compared with the Maxx's 3150 battery. The Ultra is also slightly thinner, due to the larger battery in the Maxx.

The deciding factor might be in the cost, as the Ultra is $100 cheaper than the Maxx's $299 sticker price. For less money, you get the same five-inch display, a 1.7 GHz Dual-Core processor and a 10 MP rear camera. The size of the Maxx and Ultra is similar to the LG Optimus G Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

That's not a bad deal, if you don't mind the glossy, plastic back on the Ultra that has a tendency to show fingerprints more than the Maxx textured back.

As for the Droid Mini, it's a handy device that might feel more comfortable in your hands, because of the more traditional size that is similar to the such as the iPhone 5 devices and the slightly-larger Nokia Lumia 1020 and HTC One.

For even less money than the Ultra, the Mini rings up at $99 and you'll get a smaller 2000 mAh battery than the Maxx and Ultra, but the same Dual-Core processor and camera megapixels as the big guys. Although the Mini is the smallest of the bunch, it's also the thickest by two to eight millimeters.

The bottom line is that the Google and Motorola union have produced a trio of devices running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean that are certainly contenders in the smartphone arena. For Android fans, you'll be quite familiar with the features, the apps available and the overall form factor.

Once you throw in wireless charging, touch control, impressive batteries and Kevlar, I don't think you can go wrong with either device. If you're shopping for a larger size and impressive battery life, the Maxx is what you'll want to bring home. For budget conscious shoppers, the Mini at $99 will be appealing with good specs and lots of Androids goodies.

So, just look in your wallet, count your money, and pick one of the three.

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Apple showcases colorful 5S, 5C iPhones; rolls out iOS 7 update

As expected, the 5S and the 5C iPhones were unveiled on Tuesday, Sept. 10 with a splash of colors.

In the past, a new iPhone announcement was always a magical moment, thanks to all the hype created Apple Inc., the media and Apple fans all around the world. The magic continues with these two devices.

The initial excitement surrounding iPhone announcements started on Jan. 9, 2007, at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, when the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs pulled an iPhone 2G out his pocket. The hoopla surrounding Apple smartphones announcement has been gaining traction every since and there seems to be no end in sight. The true Apple fans can probably name them all, starting with the 2G in 2007, the 3G in 2008, followed by the 3GS in 2009 and the 4G in 2010. We're not done. Then we had the 4S in 2011 and the evolutionary, if not revolutionary, iPhone 5 just a year ago.

Now we have the iPhone 5S, a souped-up doozy of a device with fingerprint reader technology and a 64-bit A7 processor with a 8 megapixel camera has set yet another standard for processing power in mobile devices. Gamers will rejoice, especially if the A7 chip finds its was into future iPads. The 5S will be available in new colors – gold, silver and "space gray" – to go with all that processing power.

The 5C, a colorful cheaper device for emerging markets, will be a fashion statement, with five color cases to choose from. Depending on what mood you're in, you can choose from green, blue, yellow, pink and white. It'll have a 4-inch Retina display and Apple's A6 chip.

The fingerprint sensor technology, which Apple is calling "Touch ID," sounds like a winner, because I, for one, have too many passwords to remember anyway. That feature alone would be worth an upgrade from an older iPhone if I had to do was press the home button to wake the phone and get busy.

I find it surprising that there was no mention of the new iPhones having the Near Field Communication technology, now commonly known as NFC. Apple has stayed away from this short-range wireless communication technology, while other manufacturers, such as Samsung, Nokia, HTC and BlackBerry have been incorporating this feature into their devices since early 2012. Now that NFC Tags and mobile payments are becoming more popular, I can't see Apple staying on the sidelines much longer.

As Apple moves past traditional white and black devices, the gold color for the 5S, the flagship device, attracted the most attention, but I'm not likely to rush into the store for a color change. My black iPhone 5 is serving me well. But iOS 7 will be available for download Sept. 18 and I'll be first in line for the update.

We can kick this news of the latest iPhones around for hours and never get tired, so let's talk pricing. The iPhone 5S is $199 under contract for the 16GB, $299 for the 32GB and $399 for the 64GB, while the 5C starts at $99 for the 16 gigabyte model and tops out at $199 for the 32GB model. Both iPhones will be available Sept. 20, so it will be time to start lining up soon.

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BlackBerry Q10 is a lot of innovation looking for longtime BB fans

I have been enjoying the company of the BlackBerry Q10 for the past couple of weeks. Some might think this smartphone is too little and too late. I think it's a lot of innovation and I hope it's not too late.

My soft spot for the BlackBerry platform goes all the way back to the trackball or roller ball, and the scroll-wheel days. These devices set the standards for security and email management and were considered the "must have" mobile phone during its heyday, especially for enterprise customers. Now fast forward a decade and the BlackBerry is fighting for survival among the iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, Motorola Droids and a host of other newcomers.

But the latest BlackBerry, the Q10, with the QWERTY physical keyboard for us that remember the good old days, is quite a smartphone and I wouldn't count BlackBerry out just yet. The Q10 is running the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is supposed to propel the BlackBerry devices into the future of smartphone innovation.

Straight out of the box from Verizon Wireless, this devices has a feeling of quality, with a textured back, rounded, smooth edges and an extremely tight fit. You can't help but notice the keyboard occupying the lower one third of the Q10's 4.7 inches in height. Then you're left with a 3.1-inch display, which is small by today's smartphones standards, but gets the job the done.

I guess having a 1.5 gigahertz dual-core processor is fine for now, but if BlackBerry is going to compete with its most fierce competitors, such as Apple, Samsung, HTC and LG, it will need to move into the quad-core territory.

I can stand behind the Q10's 8 megapixel camera though, especially in low-light situations. I shot some gorgeous photos just before sundown, with some of them in dark shadows. The colors were vibrant, life-like and impressive for a smartphone camera.

When I was setting up all my various social media and email accounts on the Q10, I was surprised to see integration for Evernote, a popular online note management application, become a part of the BlackBerry's Remember app. Now that falls into the very useful and cool category. As a heavy Evernote user, I like it and was thrilled to see this feature integrated into the Q10.

Here is one of the reasons I still think the BlackBerry has a fighting chance. When I look at the iPhone home screen, I see 24 icons with various red numbers in rounded-corner boxes. When I look at the Q10's home screen, I see my next appointment, which in was in 41 minutes on this particular day, along with "new' email and voice mail notifications. The synergy between all the calendars, social media accounts, task keepers, messages and multiple email services is nothing short of amazing. The Q10 became my go-to device to see what's happening next in my schedule.

I also like the shortcuts built into the device. From the home screen, you can just type "text" to begin sending a message, or "c" to call someone, or "T" to jump to the top of any page.

I did find it odd that Web pages don't rotate when you rotate the device, but fell in love with the "Reader" feature, where information comes up in plain-text view with no other distractions. You'll find this little nifty feature under the menu while visiting Web pages that contain articles to read.

I also don't know if the BlackBerry platform will ever catch up with Apple and Android in the number of apps available, and now even Windows Phone 8, who has also passed the 100,000 mark and iOS and Android marches toward one million. But I do know there are some good ones available for BlackBerry and one of the first apps I tried out for the Q10 is the famous BlackBerry "Password Keeper." It's as rock solid as ever and still sets the standard for password apps.

With all the talk from the BlackBerry corporate board about finding a buyer, exploring joint ventures or going into a partnership, it's hard to imagine to what's next for BlackBerry and their smartphones. The PlayBook tablet bit the dust a couple of months ago and might not resurface under the BlackBerry 10 operating system.

I think the BlackBerry will be around for years to come and will remain competitive. The Q10 is available from Verizon Wireless for around $200 under contract.

But here's one last effort to bring some traction the BlackBerry and especially the Q10. It's kind of a "Back to the Future" approach, which is to bring back the trackball in the land of touchscreens, much like the BlackBerry Bold 9930. I find it difficult to place and move the cursor around when editing text on this BlackBerry. Sometimes, you need to back up when writing a sentence to make a correction or insert a word and there are no arrows keys on the Q10's keyboard to move left, right, up and down.

I found the physical keyboard on the Q10 to be comfortable and precise. I made less typing mistakes than with a touchscreen device. The Q10's touchscreen above the keyboard was wonderful for swooshing from screen to screen, launching apps and getting into the Hub.

If I had only had a trackball, I would have had the best of all worlds — a touchscreen, physical keyboard and a quick, precise method to manage the cursor without having to go to the touchscreen.

Then the BackBerry Q10 could lead the way back into the game as the powerhouse among the business users, just like in the old days. Now that's something to think about.

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A lost or stolen iPhone is bad; a good data recovery plan is good

If you ever lose your iPhone, it's really a bad feeling and more than likely, you'll replace with it another iPhone. Then your thoughts will quickly turn to recovering all your contacts, calendar, notes, photos, videos and even a log of text messages that were on the iPhone that is missing in action.

If you're lucky, there will be a backup in iTunes if you have been syncing regularly, or there might be a backup in iCloud. If not, then your next best option might be some free iPhone data recovery software from EaseUS, a software development company located in the Sichuan Province of China that specializes in backup and security solutions.

According to the company if you had been using their backup software, you'll just need to connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to a PC and launch the free EaseUS MobiSaver software. The program will scan your iDevice and list recoverable files. Then it's simple matter of clicking the "Recover" button.

The MobiSaver software is designed for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and supports operating systems up to iOS 7. But it only supports the PC desktop computers for backups, such as Windows 8 and 7, Vista, XP and Windows Server 2008/Home Server. For Mac users, EaseUS offers data recovery software for $89.95 that is compatible with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.7 Lion, 10.6 Snow Leopard and 10.5 Leopard operating systems.

The best action against data loss in iDevices is to backup regularly through iTunes or make sure you are utilizing iCloud. But as an extra percaution, some free iPhone data recovery software is also worth a look.

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Apple rolls out the 'wow' factor with iOS 7 for iPhone, iPads, iTouch

Well now, just when it seemed that Apple's innovation has slowed down, as the Android camp was full-steam ahead, the guys from Cupertino dealt what could be a winning hand at the start of the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Apple unveiled the mysterious and tightly-held-to-their-chest iOS 7 software update, stamped with the work of the possibly soon-to-be-famous Jony Ive, Apple's senior vice president of design. Already, it is being called "the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone that took the stage in 2007. After watching the video, I believe them, or they did a good job of snookering me and probably a lot of other Apple fans.

I can't keep this to myself any longer; this update that is due this fall is going to be one fine upgrade, as every nook and cranny of the current iPhone software has been redesigned. The appearance is clean, minimalist, simplistic and very appealing. The icons for apps look fresh and not overdone, with crisp colors and simple lines. It's almost like the designers wiped the slate clean and started over, which is exactly what I think they did.

The list of new stuff could go on and on, with a new palette of colors, and bits of translucency, a new lock sceen, the introduction of a control center and multitasking. Let's let that soak in. Then we have new photo features with automatic time and date stamp, "popular near me" apps and full-screen browsing in Safari. Let's take another break.

As we gather again to explore the new iOS 7 update, Siri will accept commands to control the iPhone, such as turn on Bluetooth. Another new feature is AirDrop, which will allow easy sharing of content with people nearby using peer-to-peer transfer. We'll break again in a minute, but Safari has enhancements that need to be told, with features like simplified searching, a new bookmarks view and new Safari tabs. While we're talking about online, iCloud Keychain is coming for your passwords and credit information that will be available on all your devices. Now let's pause for a few seconds before the music starts.

Apple was really excited about the new music app and especially the new iTunes Radio, which will be a free Internet radio service. The keyword is "free." I like it already. It'll have over 200 stations, which will be enough music to get you through any waiting room stretch of boredom. There's more.

Some additional features of the new iOS 7 update will include – do I have to say it – a "new" Find My Phone activation lock feature that'll require your Apple ID and password. For night owls, Apple says the Night Mode in Maps feature will respond to ambient light when your use if after dark. And finally, something that caught both of my eyes is a proposed enhanced in-car integration, which will bring the Apple experience to a drivers seat near you. This could be the start of the iCar and iTruck. Sorry, the domain name for iCar and iTruck is already taken; I checked.

Apple seems to have put their best foot forward with this update and if the real thing is anything like the prototypes in the promotional video, it's going to be a humdinger of a software upgrade for the iPhone 4 and later, the iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and fifth-generation iPod touch.

Now we're going be in the highly-anticipated mode for iOS 7 during the next several months of hot and steamy weather in my zip code.

I can cope with the heat, but I can hardly wait for the new iOS 7.

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Vaporstream technology makes sent email messages disappear

If you ever worry about the security of sensitive email message, a new technology called Vaporstream might be what you need.

For those confidential conversations, company officials say Vaporstream communications cannot be copied, forwarded, printed, saved or intercepted. This James Bond senario is created with a Secure Recordless Messaging Service, or SRMS, which transmits messages without leaving behind any Electronic Stored Information, which is also known as the ESI factor.

Once you hit send on a Visper message, it vaporizes to leave no trace in the inbox, server or archive. In addition to messages, recordless photos also disappear from the sending device, as well as the recipient's device.

According to the company behind Vaporstream, this technology "is the messaging tool of choice for critical discussions about mergers & acquisitions, research & development, litigation, and other confidential matters."

If you are a busy executive or professional with a need to keep sensitive information private from hackers without a face-to-face meeting or phone call, Vaporstream might be what you're looking for.

Vaporstream, a Chicago firm founded in 2006 is available as a free app for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. But an account is required to use the free app.

With this technology, it can be a comforting thought to know that you're not leaving behind any "electronic DNA" or "digital footprint" that could fall into the wrong hands.

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Is a smartphone the next milestone for social media giant Facebook?

The big question is whether Facebook, the king of social media, will unveil a smartphone during an April 4 shindig? Will it also be powered by Android, the king of mobile operating systems.

The invitations have been sent out and all eyes are on Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., where attendees will find 1 Hacker Way and get inside by 10 a.m. PST to see Facebook's "New Home on Android" announcement.

From the day Facebook was founded in 2004, they have reached one milestone after another, such as adding photo uploading in 2005, launching music listening applications in 2011 and taking the big, big step of going public in the fall of 2012.

A lot of fans must have been thrilled with their growth, as Facebook reached one billion users in September. That a lot of updates, photos albums, music apps, messages, likes and just overall spending a bunch of time on Facebook.

If a Facebook-branded smartphone does come true, I wonder how Facebook will make it unique from all the other iPhones, Androids, Windows 8 and BlackBerry devices.

I imagine the smartphone market is pretty saturated now, because everyone I know already has a mobile phone of some flavor, whether smartphone or feature phone. Then we have those contract things that make us pretty loyal to one particular carrier for a couple of years.

But who is to say there is not room in the market for a Facebook device, or to speculate further, a HTC device running Android that been tweaked by the Facebook team.

So I say bring it on. We'll be checking our Facebook pages for new friends and updates while watching to see if the social media giant can deliver something really special, whether it's a phone or something else.

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Samsung Galaxy S III, Motorola Photon Q near perfection

I have been in smartphone wonderland for the past few weeks. C Spire Wireless took me there with the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Motorola Photon Q. Both of these devices are on C Spire's 4G LTE network.

I could stop right here and say these smartphones are what dreams are made of, but you need to know the details. With one in each pocket , I found myself reaching for either the Galaxy S III or the Photon Q, depending on what I was doing.

Galaxy S III close to perfect

To keep it simple, the Galaxy S III is just plain nice. The spacious 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display makes other devices seem small, including my iPhone 5, which did grow in height from the previous iPhone models.

This fine example of a smartphone runs Android 4.0.4, also know as Ice Cream Sandwich. It has been working out and shaping up since the Galaxy S II appeared about a year ago.

The Galaxy S III can be packed with 32 gigabytes of memory, compared with 16GB for the S II, and has beefed up to a dual-core 1.5 gigahertz processor, compared with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor in the earlier version. If you need more storage space, the Galaxy S III can accept a 64GB SD Card, where the Galaxy S II was maxed out at 32GB.

The rear camera remains at 8 megapixels, just like its earlier sibling, but the front camera specifications is down slightly from 2.9 to 1.9 MP. But that shouldn't affect the Galaxy S III Burst Shot feature, which allows 20 continuous shots in a few seconds.

The Galaxy S III is full of cool technology, such as the S Beam feature for transferring photos, video and other documents just by placing it against the back of another Galaxy phone. Even cooler than that is the Smart Stay technology, with keeps the screen from dimming as long as you are staring at the display.

One of my most-watched area of emerging technology is Near Field Communication, or NFC, and the Galaxy S III has it on board, unlike the iPhone 5. By using Samsung's programmable NFC TecTiles stickers and the free TecTile app, this phone can perform all sorts of actions when it comes close to a sticker.

It's as simple as programming a sticker to change a setting, set an alarm or open your social media page. Just place the sticker in a convenient place and a tap will perform the action. You can have some hi-tech moments with the Galaxy S III by getting a package of five TecTile NFC stickers for $14.99.

The Galaxy S III also supports motion gestures to make a call by bringing the phone to your ear or scrolling quickly to the top of a list by tapping twice on the top menu bar.

This device is about as close to perfect as you can get in a smartphone.

The Motorola Photon Q means business

Some smartphones just feels good in your hands and you expect to have a good experience. That's the feeling the Motorola Photon Q gives the user.

This was C Spire's first 4G LTE device when it arrived on the shelves in September featuring a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3-inch touchscreen and 8GB of memory. I'll bet customers were not disappointed.

The first thing you'll notice is the extra ounces in weight that comes from the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. If you do a lot of text messages and accuracy is of utmost importance, the QWERTY keyboard is spacious with five rows of keys that includes a dedicated numbers row.

The keys are outlined with LED lights in low-light situations, which makes them easy to see and gives a nice glow to the keypad. My typing accuracy increased on the Photon Q's keyboard when compared with similar efforts on digital keyboards.

Because the Photon Q seems geared toward the enterprise user, it has business-ready security and encryption for protecting emails, contacts and appointments.

Just like the Galaxy S III, the Photon Q also joins a growing list of smartphones with NFC support to share links, apps using the Android Beam feature.

Android devices gaining market dominance

The Galaxy S III and Photon Q for $199.99 under contracts are good examples of why recent research reports show that the Android platform now owns 72.4% of the smartphone market. While Apple's iOS holds second place, the iPhone is simply being outnumbered by compelling Android devices. It's yet to be seen if the recent Windows Phone 8 platform and the new BlackBerry 10 debut in January will slow down the Android march to dominance. Samsung, Motorola and HTC are strong contenders as Android gathers market share.

Both of these devices run on C Spire's 4G LTE network, which is available in 31 Mississippi markets, with plans to add another 6 by year end. The high-speed 4G network is now the standard and almost a must-have for downloading apps, music, books and other data-intensive functions and services.

If you're looking for smartphones near perfection, look no further than the Galaxy S III and Photon Q. I also like the iPhone 5, minus a few software glitches. I can vouch for these and we'll see how Windows Phone 8 devices are received and keep our fingers crossed for the BlackBerry 10 platform.

These devices should hold you for a while, or at least until the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes along.

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BlackBerry 10 launch set for Jan. 30; new smartphones unveiled

The BlackBerry 10 interface will include a new feature that will divide the screen into a "Personal" and "Work" display of apps and data.

The BlackBerry 10 launch is scheduled for Jan. 30, where Research in Motion, the smartphone's maker, will unveil the first two BlackBerry 10 Smartphones that will run on the new platform.

This is what a lot of BlackBerry fans have been patiently waiting for, as the iPhone, Android devices and now Windows Phone 8 devices, chip away at the loyalty of RIM’s customers.

The two devices expected to be announced have been rumored to be a touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard model. The latter will soothe the fears of a lot of diehard BlackBerry fans, since the famous BlackBerry keyboards have been one of the reason for the device's popularity over the years.

According to RIM, the BlackBerry 10 will “create a truly unique mobile computing experience that constantly adapts to your needs” using an approach called BlackBerry Flow that will be unlike any other smartphone in the market.

Other new key features likely to found on the new platform include a new keyboard that will “learn how you write and adapt to how you type” and a feature to balance your personal and business apps and data.

The launch will happen simultaneously in multiple countries. More details will available at the event.

More: BlackBerry 10 to debut new apps

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BlackBerry 10 developers hard at work on apps for new platform

As we wait on the BlackBerry 10 platform to arrive sometime early in 2013, Research In Motion says the developers are hard at work creating apps for the new upcoming devices.

Developers have been issued 5,000 BlackBerry Dev Alpha test devices to put their apps through the paces on various BlackBerry 10 projects. We can expect apps from Cisco, Foursquare, Sencha, Gameloft, HalfBrick Studios, Madfinger Games, Funkol and others when the magic time comes.

The developers are hoping to create BlackBerry 10 apps that will entice customers to take a closer look at the new platform.

“The Weather Network is excited to develop for BlackBerry 10," said Gita Ashar, Director of Mobile and Emerging Technologies for Weather Network. "The innovations in the operating system will provide our existing loyal consumers and new consumers an application that is as stunning as it is informative, helping users to plan for anything.”

The developers will work with BlackBerry WebWorks and will use HTML5 and CSS in building apps for the new BB 10 platform.

I know of several die-hard BlackBerry fans that are among the 80 million users that RIM announced in its latest quarterly report. They are patiently awaiting the new devices that are expected in the first quarter of 2013. One in particular is fearful of losing his BlackBerry contacts if he switches to an Android device or the iPhone.

The delay of the BlackBerry 10 devices could turn into a big headache for RIM. The competitors are full steam ahead with innovative hardware that would leave less opportunity for any excitement in the BlackBerry arena.

The Samsung Galaxy S III had been around since May and doing very well in the marketplace. Now we have the iPhone 5, which is setting sales records, despite mapping software woes and other issues being reported by customers.

Next up will be Microsoft and their partners as they roll out new Windows Phone 8 devices later this month. The Nokia 920 and 820, the HTC 8X and 8S and the upcoming Samsung ATIV S are all on deck with Microsoft's unique tiles-based interface. It'll be interesting to see if the Windows 8 devices gain acceptance with consumers.

From the Android camp, the LG Optimus G is likely to draw some excitement, as the specs are pretty impressive with a 13 megapixel camera on the Sprint Nextel version.

All of these devices are likely to attract some BlackBerry fans that are tired of waiting on something new, although some will tough it out. I have one friend who is thinking about leaving her beloved BlackBerry for the Galaxy S III.

The other nightmare for BlackBerry could be the rumored Samsung Galaxy S 4, which could also arrive in the first quarter of 2013. I would think the folks inside the walls of RIM would certainly want to be ahead of this threat with their new BlackBerry 10 platform, along with some outstanding apps.

Let's hope that when the new BlackBerry 10 platform finally arrives, it will be worth the wait.

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Shopping with the iPhone 5 Passbook app a pleasant experience

Update: Apple Inc. is releasing guidelines to developers for an "Add to Passbook" badge that can be incorporated into their apps and websites for devices running iOS 6.

After a few days with the iPhone 5, I figured it was time to go shopping with the Passbook app as my guide. This mysterious app included with iOS 6 will organize gift cards, coupons, passes, tickets and more, with the idea of making your wallet a lot thinner and lighter.

But it requires a few advance maneuvers before you head out to the store or look for your boarding passes. It's not as automatic as you would think.

The first thing the Passbook app will want to do is connect to the App Store through iTunes and this where things can come to a standstill a hurry, as there are numerous reports from iPhone 5 users about connection difficulties. You might see the dreaded "can't connect to iTunes" message.

I experienced the same problem with the Passbook app and iTunes, until I discovered some steps to change the time and date settings temporarily. That worked for me and I hope it works for any other iPhone 5 users having iTunes connection problems.

Once in the App Store, you'll find a rather short list of stores and other companies that are currently Passbook compatible. For my part of the country, Target and Walgreens were my choices, so I downloaded those.

But here is where using Passbook can get confusing, as the digital store cards are not automatically loaded into Passbook. In my case, I had to first sign up for the loyalty card using the store app and then you should see a "Add to Passbook" button in the app. Clear as mud, right?

Think of it this way - the Passbook app is where you'll store the loyalty cards; the store app is where you'll send the card to Passbook.

I managed to get both Target and Walgreens cards into Passbook, where you can shuffle between them on the iPhone 5 display. As more cards are add, your thumb will get a workout shuffling for the right card.

I'm ready to go shopping, so let's jump back to the store app, or my case, the Walgreens app. I was able to see the coupons and weekly ads right on my phone. I zeroed in on a few items and added them to the built-in shopping list in the Walgreens app. Each coupon in the app has their own barcode that can be scanned by the cashier.

As I got near Walgreen's front door, the iPhone 5 determined my location and displayed a "swipe to access Walgreen card" as I entered the store. An audible alert would have been even better, but just having the visual notification was pretty slick. According to Apple Inc., if I was going to the airport, my boarding passes would pop up as I entered the terminal.

I wandered up and down the aisles in true guy fashion, looking for items on the shopping list. At this point in my shopping excursion, none of my grocery items chosen are loaded into Passbook. The selection of items and the shopping list is still within the store app.

When I made it to the cashier, this where I reached for the iPhone 5 instead of my wallet or key chain for a store card. I open up the Walgreens card in Passbook and handed it to the cashier for scanning. She was just as thrilled as I was that it worked and called it a "cool thing."

Now this where the Near Field Communication, or NFC, technology would have been handy, as I could have just paid for items by tapping my iPhone against a special terminal at checkout. But Apple has put NFC on the backburner for now; maybe it'll appear in the iPhone 6. So I pulled out my wallet for some cash.

In the meantime, NFC will be found on several iPhone competitors, such as the Samsung Galaxy S III and Victory and the upcoming Nokia Lumia 920, Motorola RAZR i and the HTC 8X. But the stores will also have to come onboard with the necessary terminals to handle NFC payments.

Although the number of participating retailers for Passbook is limited, it does work and I can't wait for my favorite grocer to join the list, so I don't have to give my phone number over and over and over. Having the store card in Passbook will be much easier and I won't lose it.

That wasn't a bad experience at all, so I say bring on more store cards for the Passbook app.

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iPhone 5 replaces my longtime buddy, the iPhone 3G

I joined the five million or more customers buying the iPhone 5 over the weekend. My longtime buddy since 2008, the iPhone 3G, has found a nice spot on the shelf. May it rest in peace as it gathers dust.

My 3G would no longer power off and I couldn't do a reset. The battery was about shot and the back panel was cracked. It would mysteriously make phone calls on its own accord to the person you last had a conversation with. The list of odd behavior goes on and on.

It was time for an upgrade a few years ago, but I was determined to hold out as each new iPhone model was unveiled. I skipped the iPhone 3GS because it looked just like my 3G. I skipped the iPhone 4 because of the antenna flap. Then I skipped the 4S because it looked just the 4.

So the iPhone 5, although it's similar in design to the 4S, got my nod for having a larger 4-inch display, being thinner and lighter, while also being a lot faster with the A6 processor, compared with the 412mHz processor in my 3G. Throw in the eight megapixel iSight camera and the 4G LTE service and I'm the kid in the candy store.

The other determining factor is that the iPhone 5 was just a good deal for me. I paid the exact same amount of $199 for the 3G when it was released in 2008 as I did iPhone 5. But the 3G had eight megabytes of memory and the iPhone 5has 16MB. Apple began offering twice the capacity for the same price with the iPhone 3GS in June 2009 with 16GB model for just $199 and they also unveiled a new 32GB model for $299.

Now, it's great to check Twitter and Facebook with the built-in social networks integration while also exploring all the 200 new features in iOS 6. With the increased speed of the iPhone 5, most apps or Web pages now open between a walk from the couch to the refrigerator.

I did splurge on a protective case, but might not need a screen protector, thanks to the "fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating" on the iPhone 5's display, which also combines the screen and touch sensors layer into one piece for a thinner profile. But I shouldn't be cheap and will probably purchase a screen protector when more choices are available the store shelves for the iPhone 5.

The big fuss about the smaller Lightning connector to replace the longtime 30-pin connector has not bothered me at all. I think we'll see the benefit of this change when the new accessories start to hit the market, such as docks and other devices. I also wouldn't be surprised if the logic behind moving the headphone port to the bottom also makes sense later. I have a hunch the audio port will be utilized in the new products when the iPhone 5 is docked.

I did experience the "rattle inside" that early buyers have been discussing in the Apple Support Communities' forum. But a trip to the Apple Store and the Genius Bar solved the problem. I'm rattle free now.

The Passbook app also needed some tweaking, as it wouldn't connect to the iTunes store. But after a bit of research, I discovered some steps that also got me on my way with the Target and Walgreens discounts apps in Passbook. The participating retailers worth a download will vary by your location and I imagine more will be added soon.

The Apple support forums are full of other concerns and issues about the iPhone 5, but they seem to vary from device to device and not all customers have the same experience. If you're researching a problem, the support forums would be a good place to start before heading back to the retailer. There might a trend among concerns and issues that Apple will need to address.

I think I made a good choice and I'm a happy camper so far.

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The wait is over; iPhone 5 sales move into the weekend

Friday was the big day for the iPhone 5 to go on sale in retail stores. Having two million devices in pre-orders was a good start and I imagine it'll rocket on past three to four million or maybe even five million in sales this weekend.

I was at one of the AT&T retail stores bright and early Friday morning, where the lines were modest and pleasant. I didn't notice any dancing, but wouldn't have been surprised if some of the fans cut a few steps.

The iPhone debuts have been drawing crowds since day one, or on Friday, June 29, 2007, at 6 p.m., when the original iPhone was available for purchase. The headline on the website of my newspaper simply said "Come and get it" at the magic hour.

It was called a revolutionary device at the time, and according to Apple Inc., was one of the reasons Apple retail stores were created so that customers could touch and experience a ... new product and get the most from their new iPhone with Genius Bar support.

Now here we are with more than 300 stores in eleven countries and some of them will hand the sixth generation of the iPhone across the counter. If you're out of luck for an Apple Store in your area, the Apple Online Store, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and certain Apple authorized resellers are ready for your business today. C Spire Wireless will have their iPhone-mania day on Sept. 28, along with a worldwide roll out to 22 more countries.

If you're buying this weekend, I'm sure you have your money counted out, but here is a reminder. You'll need $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB model. Then you might have the toughest decision of all, which will be choosing between white & silver or black & slate.

In a nutshell, the big day was Friday and I imagine weekend sales will be just as big. Everything will be counted and added up by Monday for the number of iPhones sold and it'll be something worth bragging about. Here we go.

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Hello iPhone 5 with the Lightning Connector; goodbye 30-pin connector

The iPhone 5 has started out with a bang, as pre-orders were sold out in around 60 minutes on Friday. So now, we can probably expect lines of fans when the retails stores open their doors on Sept. 21.

AT&T announced a sales record for the iPhone 5 over the first weekend of pre-orders, making it their fastest-selling iPhone ever. Some of the hype so far has been all about the revolutionary - for Apple at least - 4-inch display.

I say for Apple only, because the iPhone 5 joins several other smartphones with 4-inch displays that have been on the shelves for a while. These include the Samsung Galaxy S, which arrived in mid 2010 and the Motorola Atrix, which made its debut in January 2011. And let's not forget the Google Nexus S 4G1 that came along in April 2011, or the Nokia 808 PureView in February.

But perhaps the biggest area of discussion about the iPhone 5 has centered around the redesigned dock connector. The 30-pin connector is history, replaced by a smaller Lightning 8-pin digital connector. Now the worry is about all the 30-pin accessories and how to transitioned to the new guy. First a little history.

The 30-pin dock connector first appeared on the third generation iPod in April 2003. Up to that point, the iPod models had been using a firewire port to update the songs or charge the battery. The 30-pin connector allowed USB to be used instead of firewire.

Although the 30-pin connector had a nine-year run, the end has come and Apple is going digital with the Lightning connector. Some say it's because the iPhone 5 is thinner and the designers needed the space in the area where the speakers and the EarPods port are located. At any rate, it's done and we've got to deal with it.

Apple was quick to say a Lightning to 30-pin Adapter is available for all our clock radios and other accessories that also serve as iPhone docks and charging stations. I must say, these accessories have been pretty handy over the past several years, especially when you lose that white 30-pin cable for the umpteenth time.

There was some confusion in the beginning about whether Apple would throw in the 30-pin Adapter when you buy the iPhone 5. The very latest is that it'll cost you $29. Of if you want a Lightning to 30-pin cable, count out $39. I also hate to break the news to you, but Apple says by way of an asterisk, that some 30-pin accessories are not supported. So that dependable iPhone accessory that you fancy may or may not work with the iPhone 5.

What Apple will give you with the iPhone 5 to make connections is a Lightning connector to USB cable and USB Power Adapter. Now you might say "hmm" to the latter, because that's the one item you can salvage from your old 30-pin cable setup. Since one end of the new Lightning cable is USB, you should be set to go with an extra power adapter. Do don't throw that part out with the 30-pin cable.

About all we can say about the 30-pin-cable saga is "oh well" and move on. I'm sure the Apple engineers had a good reason to make change. Maybe the iPad Mini, if it makes an appearance in month or so, will use the same Lightning connector.

By the time the iPhone 6, or whatever, comes along, we will have forgotten about it all anyway.

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The new iPhone arrives today facing tough challengers

Today is the big day for Apple Inc. to show the world the next iPhone, which might be called the iPhone 5.

This device will be the sixth generation of the iPhone since Jan. 9, 2007, when Apple unveiled the original iPhone to revolutionize the mobile landscape.

When the original iPhone arrived, most the mobile handset manufacturers, such as Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, HTC, RIM's BlackBerry and other were using QWERTY or alphanumeric keypads, along with small displays and navigational buttons.

There has been some early attempts at touchscreen technology by Nokia, IBM with the Simon Personal Communicator, Ericsson, HP, Palm and a few others.

But the first-generation iPhone got everything right and brought in a new era of touchscreen displays, icons, digital keypads and something called apps in 2008.

Now today's smartphones are just as smart and innovative as the iPhone and it's going to be tough for Apple to stay ahead of the pack and continue to hit home runs. There are touchscreens galore, apps, voice commands and music stores. The emerging Near Field Communication, or NFC technology, is already included on several recent mobile devices and should be a must-have for the new iPhone.

When the Android platform arrived, Apple's job became tougher and the Windows Phone 8 operating system is getting ready for their shot at iOS. The latest Nokia Lumia and Samsung Ativ announcements using WP8 are not to be taken lightly.

We should know today if Apple still has it what takes to set themselves apart from the competition with the latest iPhone.

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Phone Call screen in Windows Phone

   I've wanted to write this post for quite a while but I've always postponed it as it is a very subjective matter. In the end I decided to write my opinion. Windows Phone is really great but there are some aspects that could be improved and seem that have been designed in a hurry and never finished. One of this aspects, and it is not what this post is about, is the Application List. It is ugly and not very usable. How is it possible that Windows Mobile had before anyone else folders/groups but they are still missing in Windows Phone after more than 2 years? The application list really needs improvements/redesign.

    This post instead is about the Phone call screen. I've have always had problems with my windows phone devices starting with the Omnia 7 and ending with my Lumia 800 (I've actually tried 3 different Lumia 800 all of them gave me the same problem). The short story is that I am able to drop the call with my face by pressing the Endcall button, put the call on speaker, put it on mute or hold. I am not the only person that has these problems: my wife has the same problem with her new Lumia 710 and also heard from other people. It is a combination between the proximity sensor that activates the screen and the way I am holding the phone. So I've wondered if maybe there is a better location for the Endcall button.

    Lets start with a photo I've found on the web  (have no idea who she is) :

 

If you look at the way she is holding her phone (which I think is 90% of the cases) the upper part of the screen is in contact with the face. Let's presume that by a faulty behavior (bad driver, hardware fault, OS fault or the fact that the hardware and the software are not designed by the same company) the screen turns on while you talk. The highest probability to touch the screen with the face is in the upper half of the screen. Let's see what it means in Windows Phone:

So it is Endcall, Speaker, Hold, and Mute (exactly my case).

If you look again at the picture you can see that the less exposed part of the touchscreen(so the better choice for the buttons location)  is the lower part of the screen. The lower you go the smaller the probability is, so the best choice for the End call button is the lower part of the screen (this way you minimize the probability to press the button on faulty behavior). This is exactly (I don't know if this is the reason) what iPhone and Android did:

Both of them have chosen to put the End call button near the lower part of the touch screen. For Android (which also depends on the hardware implementation) Google concentrated all the buttons at the lower part of the screen. On the iPhone they kept the other buttons in the center region but they do have really good control over the hardware and putting a call on hold or mute is not as bad as dropping the call.

So it would be better to move the buttons in the lower part of the screen. The blank space could be filled with social information, last call, email, sms. 

Hope we will see some improvements in Phone Call screen in Windows Phone 8

NAMASTE

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U.S. carriers ready for the Samsung Galaxy S III

If the announcement that the Samsung Galaxy S III is coming to five U.S. carriers this month is any indication of the future demand, maybe we all should check out cell phone contracts on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular.

An upgrade might be in order if Samsung's latest mobile phone meets the anticipation of savvy consumers. Samsung has been known for hitting home runs in the mobile market and carries the title of the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S and worldwide, according to Strategy Analytics.

The new Galaxy S III has been kicking around in Europe after making its debut in London on May 3. According to one of Samsung's head honchos, this device will be "the next big thing" for U.S. customers on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Galaxy S III, which is optimized for 4G and AT&T's HSPA+ networks, is running Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. It also sports a 8-megapixel rear camera, along with a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera. The power comes from a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2 gigabytes of RAM.

The pressure is now on for the iPhone 5, or whatever it will be called, since the Galaxy S III's 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display trumps the current iPhones' 3.5-inch display.

There are other unique features onboard the new Galaxy, such as S-Beam for sharing files with a simple touch and taking 20 continuous photos using the 'burst shot" feature. While some smartphones have been able to support up to five devices using the mobile hotspot capability, Verizon Wireless is pitching that the Galaxy S III now supports up to 10 devices.

Here is a biggie - the Sprint camp is saying they are the only national U.S. wireless carrier to offer the Galaxy S III preloaded with Google Wallet, which will use the NFC, or Near Field Communication technology, to act as a personal wallet at more than 100,000 retailers.

The Galaxy S III will be available in a variety of colors, ranging from Pebble Blue and Marble White on Sprint and U.S. Cellular, along with an exclusive red color from AT&T.

The 16 GB version will cost around $200 on most carriers, with the 32 GB coming in at around $250. If you need more memory, AT&T has their micro-SD card for around $40.

If you're ready to go shopping, the Galaxy S III will available for preorder today from Sprint and June 6 on AT&T and Verizon. U.S. Cellular will open their cash registers on June 12 and T-Mobile will be ready for your wallet on June 21.

Based on past Samsung devices and the popularity of the Galaxy S II, which has been around since October, the Galaxy S III could be worth an upgrade. It has a faster processor, more memory, a larger display and several unique features over its predecessor.

This could be another home run for Samsung.

More on the Samsung Galaxy S III: AT&T | T-Mobile | Sprint | Verizon | U.S. Cellular

Contact us: ehart@earnestharttech.com | Follow on Twitter @ehart​

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Review: Yahoo! Axis search and browser tool worth a look

After using the new Yahoo! Axis search tool and browser for a while, I think it's worth exploring. But I'm not sure if it'll be a game changer for Internet searching and browsing.

I installed the desktop version for the iMac and immediately noticed the search box in the lower left corner of my Safari browser window, along with icons for favorites and a home button.

What's important here is that the search box is always there and waiting. You can say Google has the upper right corner of your browser window for searching and Yahoo! has the lower left corner for their search box.

When you start a search, the difference between - let's say Google or Bing - and Yahoo! is that Axis give you miniature Web pages of your search results instead of links. A nice horizontal-scrolling pane of results appear across the bottom portion of your browser window.

The Axis approach to search results is much more visually appealing than the other search-engine guys. You can also save a favorite Web page as a "My Favorites" or "Read Later" bookmarks. It'll also help to log in into your Yahoo! account, as these options will be found after clicking the home page icon in the lower left corner of the browser window.

Another nice Axis feature is if you're not searching for anything in particular, you can get a list of Trending Searches of what people are searching for the most at any given time. It's ironic that "yahoo axis" was at the top of the list when I took a peek.

As one reviewer has already mentioned, it seem that Yahoo! results are rather prominent in what's offered after a search. But I guess that's to be expected. After all, it is their technology.

When I searched for articles on "Facebook stock," I got results from several choices, such as zdnet.com, azcentral.com, The Wall Street Journal and CNN Money, as well as Yahoo! News. It's just a simple matter of choosing which small representation of the full Web page from the search results grabs your attention.

I'll try out the Axis apps for the iPhone and iPad on my next venture into the latest Internet search and browsing technology.

This technology has certainly put Yahoo! in the spotlight. We'll need to wait and see if Axis gets a thumbs up from Internet users. Stay tuned.

Contact us: ehart@earnestharttech.com | Follow on Twitter @ehart

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