Sony Xperia S Smartphone
This one is one of the new kids on the block. Sony launched the XPERIA S with style and neat design in mind. It forms part of the Xperia NXT range and many would say this is by far and away the best in the series. I for one certainly agree. You must remember the Sony Ericsson phone? This is the successor to that phone, which was a favourite for many of us for many a year around two or three years ago.
The Sony Xperia S has many all singing and all dancing features but the first thing that caught my eye was the giant screen. Packing a 4.3-inch screen display this becomes a beauty when you may want to playback your videos, watch a YouTube stream or even go on the BBC iPlayer and watch a full length program in the same way you would watch television. What a wonderful way to pass the time on those long coach journeys going north.
The Sony Xperia S is an Android phone, so at your disposal are the thousands of apps that you can upload to your phone. However, I am going to say a little more about the fascinating display screen; it is a beauty with high definition technology. The screen resolution is also so tight and crisp that it is more than likely better than your television you are watching right now. The pixel resolution proudly boasts 1280 x 720 and that is sharp, let me tell you! I found the Sony Xperia S much weightier than the Samsung Galaxy Ace or the Galaxy S range phones but that would be down to its thickness. It is thicker than some of the Samsung slim line smartphones but it will still comfortably slip into your pocket with no trouble at all as it is still only just 10.6 millimeters in thinness.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2
Samsung has added to the range of phones in the Galaxy realm by adding an updated version of the ultra-successful Samsung Galaxy Ace. It is definitely a middle of the market phone with many great features but a few that I would certainly quibble about. The browser I found to be cumbersome and a little awkward and limited in capacity. It did not seem to have enough beef when trying to access the net when using GPS, although it was very quick on Wi-Fi.
This is an Android phone and I found it to be very strange that the latest version on its operating system was not installed. It uses the 2.3 v as opposed to the later and faster 4.0 v. The apps it promotes are Samsung apps and not the Android apps, although it is not difficult to access Android apps via the Play Store. It does however have a fantastic touch screen which measured healthy 3.8-inches. This is perfect for viewing those videos or playing games or even just watching YouTube videos.
Apple iPhone 3G S
I think we all remember the summer of 2007 when this beauty first sprang on to the market. The Apple iPhone 3G S was one of those phones that offered an 8GB or 16GB data space but although this was the first real smartphone it has really been overtaken by the multitude of replacement smartphones flooding the market, some of which are just as good and others are even better.
On the day it was released onto the market it had folks forming long lines to grab this phone and have it in their possession. Many people queued through the night to get their hands on the elusive 3G S, and why not? It was a phone that sang and danced like no other around at that time. The Apple iPhone 3G S is the updated version with a faster internet access speed and much easier interfacing with the likes of Facebook and Twitter.
The camera was improved vastly; and the battery life improved. The 16GB version allowed one to store far more of your music files, videos and images. However, the Apple iPhone 3G S greatest feature is the ability to browse the internet at much faster speeds than many of its competitors managed to. The operating system being the iOS was probably the first thing to take praise for such an achievement. The way the Apple iPhone 3G S utilizes with media and the excellent apps it manages to use, upload and update with ease have made the iPhone 3G S a real family favorite.
The touch screen was always easy to use and paved the way for a generation or two of smartphones to use similar devices and swipe screen technologies. Cutting and pasting data on the Apple iPhone 3G S was a breeze too. There are many who are instantly happy with the Apple iPhone 3G S and have no intention of changing from any iPhone unless it is an upgrade or the next iPhone model.
The Apple iPhone 3G S was a real winner for music lovers as so many of us downloaded iTunes, the music player and Apple store. The iPhone features this naturally and integrates it well within the confines of the Apple iPhone 3G S. Many people downloaded iTunes even if they did not have an Apple Mac PC at the time because iTunes was so much better than the opposition on the market.
What to Do When Your iPhone Screen Cracks
Cell phones are getting more advanced and expensive every year. In today's society almost everybody has a phone, everybody uses their phone, and almost everybody now has a smart phone, in which their whole world resides. Email, Facebook, contacts, Twitter etc... Because of our huge reliance on our phones, more and more people are prone to break their phones each year, and for those of us that opted out of insurance, these breaks can be really expensive to fix and even more expensive to replace. But lets face it, looking through a cracked screen is really annoying, and not so great on your finger tips. Chances are you are going to get sick of it and your going to have to eventually replace it. So where do you go? If you have an iPhone, going to an apple store might be the obvious choice. They're a trusted company, and extremely helpful, but surprisingly choosing an alternative repair shop may be cheaper, and faster!
The average price for a screen repair at an apple store is right around 200 bucks! That is almost half the cost of your phone. There are a few different options you have to avoid spending that much money. The first is do-it-yourself kits. There are a variety of do-it-yourself kits out their ranging anywhere from 12 dollars to 70. Do-it-yourself kits can be confusing and frustrating and is not for everyone. Making sure you order the correct kit for your version of phone is key, because not all phones have the same electronic connections and/or size. Before deciding which kit is best, do some research and keep in mind that just because one kit is more expensive than another doesn't always mean its better, and vice versa. Make sure to read customer comments and reviews, and always double check and make sure its the kit that was made for your phone.
So if do-it-yourself projects are not your thing, try a local phone repair shop. Not only are their services usually cheaper and just as trustworthy as taking it into the place you bought it, or shipping it out to the company for repair, but they are usually faster too. Many repair shops guarantee to have your phone fixed within an hour or less, and some even provide in-home or mail-in services for those who are strapped with time or stuck at work during business hours.
Use iPhone in Business for Style, Comfort and Efficiency
They say that if you're really crazy about something, you are indeed a tad crazy. But an iPhone is probably the only thing in the entire universe that if you're not crazy about it, you better have another session with your shrink ASAP. Okay, jokes aside, but really.
Don't you simply love your iPhone? And don't you almost endlessly use your iPhone in personal life? So why not use iPhone in your business life too. Why not let Apple's appeal, style, and, of course, luck rub off on you and your business by using an iPhone for business purposes.
Using an iPhone for business lets you easily organize your tasks, attend meeting no matter where you are, keep track of projects, and get a quick overview of your business. The best thing about it is that you and your associates get to do all that and a lot more, while having the feeling that every day at work is a Bring-your-toy-to-work day.
Your iPhone makes organizing your work day a piece of cake...
iPhone's numerous out-of-the box tools and applications, as well as dozens of applications from Apple's App Store enable you to easily organize your work day, never miss a thing, and do everything right on schedule. Your iPhone lets you fly through your work day, easily managing your work tasks, effortlessly connecting and collaborating with associates and clients, and staying readily updated on meetings and their agendas.
Your iPhone lets you stay on top of your business...
Using your iPhone in business life lets you stay on top of all aspects of your business. Whether it's about monitoring data and analyzing business metrics, or keeping track of work performance, or retrieving critical information on the move, or sending and keeping track of invoices, or maintaining good customer relationships, there's always an appropriate iPhone app to assist you in doing so in the best possible manner.
Your iPhone lets you host and attend meetings no matter where you are...
With your iPhone you can host and attend a meeting from anywhere in the world. Your iPhone lets you host and attend meetings remotely via conference calls. You can also host or attend a web conference based meeting from anywhere using your iPhone. And not only that, you can also make PowerPoint presentations in these meetings.
So what do you think? Do you like the idea of using your iPhone for business purposes and doing business in style?
HTC One V
The first thing that greets the eye when looking at the HTC One V is its sleek design and colorful graphics. It has a screen that responds very well and a camera which photographers everywhere would be suitably impressed with. The browser is very powerful and internet accessing is a breeze and overall first impressions with the HTC One V are that it's a beauty.
However it is not without some faults in its design and performances. There is only a single core processor (not dual core) and a paltry 4GB storage space. If you are one of those who happen to have a great deal of data to store then the HTC One V is perhaps not for you. However, you will love the camera with its five megapixels and it does make use of state of the art operating system in Android 4.0. In fairness the HTC One V does not look good on paper when compared to its big brother the HTC One X but then again it is very well priced. In fact it is one of the cheapest phones on the smartphone market simply because of its low £220 price tag in the UK. It sells at well under $375 in the US too and that's not bad for a phone boasting an Android 4.0 operating system.
Another small criticism, however, was the lower quality video at 720p is probably not the greatest of all smartphones. The HTC One V will probably not live up to the high standards of some of the top end of the market mobile phones but when you factor in its low cost, then perhaps value for money-wise, it really is a good deal.
If your concern is the low storage 4GB space then this is compensated by the feature that comes built in with the HTC One V; that being the Drop box cloud storage service. All users of the HTC One V are graced with a free 25GB of storage to submit to the cloud for the first two years. Therefore, all you need to do is take all the photos, videos and music data you want and when you begin to reach the limit of your 4GB then simply upload it to your free Drop box account, which is in the cloud storage on the internet and start building up your library all over again.
Best Apps You Can Download From iTunes
Do you need to download new apps for your iPhone 4? Have you just bought the iPhone 4 and you do not know from where you can get all the apps? Do not worry. Apple Inc knows what you want so you can easily make an account on its iTunes store and download apps that you want and like. Some must be paid for, but maximum are free of cost.
Apple has been delighting its users with new technological gadgets every other year. Not only this, but with certain accessories like the best iPhone 4 case, cover, skin, iPad stickers, cases, and even accessories for iPods, the company is at the top in the vertical integration market. Apple not only has surprised the customers with gadgets and their apps but with the software, firmware and the touch technology too. Who knew a decade ago, that Apple would be the technology market ruler. Thanks to Steve Jobs, we have been able to carry out our daily working tasks, and entertain ourselves with just one gadget in hand and not many to accommodate simultaneously.
Famous apps and games
You love playing games and using apps on the iPhone and iPad. Why not explore the world of apps and games in iTunes to find out which one will you choose for yourself and then you can download them free of charge (almost all of them). The famous apps/games that you can get on your iPhone are as follows:
Windows 8 or Samsung Galaxy S3: Which Smartphone Is More Likely to Lead?
The technology market and scenario are ever changing, keeping up with the trend mobile companies keep updating their software to get ahead in the competition. Samsung Galaxy S3 has been well received by the technology geeks and many have appreciated it in terms of technology. Reportedly keeping up with the trend Windows 8 Phone is soon to arrive in the market. Now the question is how much will it be able to spread its influence, especially amongst the users who have already experienced the technology offered by Galaxy S3?
The success of Galaxy S3 can be defined by the number of users it acquired within a couple of months of its launch. In the first two months, this phone successfully sold out 10 million phones. This marks its achievement on terms of grabbing the interest of maximum technology geeks and giving a tough competition to Apple.
Interestingly Apple is not the only rival that Galaxy S3 will be up against in the technology market. It will be competing against phones that are powered by Windows8. Therefore, it is not just about a brand name that Samsung is standing up against but also about the technology offered.
The launch of Windows8 is yet to be scheduled but one thing is for sure that it is up against Samsung. Both these phones are world apart but on terms of technology both are offering their best. Let us compare and contrast as to what both these have to offer the user in terms of hardware and home screen.
Let us now compare both these products on various criteria.
Home Screen
Microsoft is all geared up to provide various options to its users. For starters, it is all about to launching a Windows8 enabled Smartphone with a screen that is going to meet user expectations. The icons displayed on the screen will be from Redmond Firm. These icons will resemble a tile like looks and a user gets the advantage of reshaping these icons as per requirement. Users will have numerous size options to choose from when it comes to resizing the icons. You can also change the colors of the icon tiles.
As compared to Galaxy S 3 these features are missing and so the users might be more interested in the product form the onset of its launch. Another thing to notice is that Samsung UI, home screen and the firmware are more like conventional in their setup but with Windows8 user will have a rich experience.
Hardware
One similarity will still be there when it comes to Android powered phones and Windows 8 phones. Both these phones are manufactured by the collaboration of multiple companies, technology companies have put together their combined efforts to bring out a best-finished product. Interestingly this is the first time ever that Microsoft is about to extend support for multi-core processors. Earlier it was only into distribution of firmware for producers. Additionally the company will also be incorporating dual and quad core (chips) for enhancing the battery power. This means that the upcoming product will be incorporated with the latest technology that will enable in better performance and battery life.
Samsung Galaxy S3 on the other hand is a phone that has Quadcore processor. It has came up with Exynos quad-core chipset (4212 Quad) and a Cortex-A49 advanced processor that is 1.4GHz power. Additionally the Smartphone has a 400MP (Mali processor) this enhances the functionality of graphical power. This is what makes the device more competitive.
Interestingly there are rumors going about in the technology market about the Galaxy S3 that is all set to obtain the firmware by Google. The Jelly Bean firmware is something that Samsung is banking upon for upgrading its product and keeping the users engaged. Some technology experts are of the opinion that this is one of the best Smartphone one can find. But as far as changing technology trend goes, with Windows8 phone one may find many advantages, one of them is the enhanced UI experience. In addition, the launch of this Smartphone may set a trend of Windows enabled phones.
Sales percentage
As far as the sales figures go, Microsoft is hopeful in fetching the majority of sales with the launch of its Windows8 enabled Smartphone. When we look at the percentage of Windows phones in the recent times it is not as impressive, in fact it has been falling at 4.4% in US in the month of March. While Android powered phone has managed to hold 50% of its sales in US. Additionally, the iOS by Apple has managed about 30% of sales. This indicates that in coming time with the launch of Windows8 the sales may again start increasing in percentage, especially when the users are lured with enhanced technology and screen display.
In conclusion, Windows8 enabled Smartphone will be able to actually prove its worth in the technology market on its launch. Until then one can only speculate the probable outcome and depict something positive to look for. As far as Galaxy S3 is concerned, you never know when Samsung again might come up with yet another enhanced version to compete against Microsoft product.
Where to Find Cheap Reverse Phone Lookup
Why Use Reverse Phone Lookup
The term "reverse phone lookup" is alien to many people. But in reality, everybody has done it at least at one point in their lives. To put it simply, reverse phone lookup is the process of getting information about an unknown caller.
Here are some situations that will allow you to appreciate its importance.
- You're always missing a call from a number not registered on your phonebook. You want to know whose number is it from.
- You're getting malicious phone calls. You want to know who is playing a prank on you.
- Your son or daughter is always calling one particular number overseas, which reflects on your phone bill. You want to know more about who your kid is calling.
- You found an interesting number somewhere in your house. Maybe somebody has put it there for a reason. You want to find out more about who the number belongs to.
Where to Find Free and Cheap Services
In the past, people rely on reverse phone directories to find out more about an unknown number. But with the convenience of Google, people these days rely on the information they can find on the Internet. The only problem is that, sometimes, the information Google gives is either inaccurate or incomplete. Nevertheless, Google is one valuable tool if you want to use free or cheap reverse phone lookup services.
Here are some of the sites that you can use for free.
Mark III is in Da House
I've just started unboxing this lot:
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM
- Canon E2 Hand Strap
- SanDisk Extreme Pro 16GB UDMA7 CF card
- Lowepro Urban Photo Sling 250
Battery is charging and I've begun chewing my way through the 401 page manual that comes with the camera.
Camera felt nicely heavy so I put it on the kitchen scale - and then did the same with my Nikon D70s with the 70-300mm lens attached. The Mark III body alone is just 200gr shy of the complete Nikon setup.
Time to attach the hand strap and the neck strap and get the sling bag set up as I want it.
I've lost my patience
This shop isn't the only one that have been changing their delivery dates - other shops have had identical patterns in their promised delivery dates.
Until recently where some shops started listing the body as "in store" while other stores still have it backordered.
On the 18th they changed the promised date from July 20 to July 30 and this morning they changed it once again - this time it's August 8th.
And today it pushed me over the edge.
It's not that I don't care about the $200 difference, but it has gotten to a point where I care more about getting my camera than saving some money.
So today I'm setting out to find a shop that have both the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM available.
Will I end up paying more for my gear than originally planned? - sure, but there's a point where wanting the camera trumps wanting the discount - and I'm at that point now.
Preparing for the worst
And if today is anything like the other promised delivery dates, then the shop will receive too few units from Canon today to empty their queue of anxiously awaiting customers.
After that Canon will probably promise to have the units delivered on July 25 and the shop where I ordered my camera will set the date to July 27.
Renault Duster Launched in India - Pictures
Car manufacturers are planning to recover their losses in the next few months. Renault took its step today on July 4, 2012 with launch of Duster model in the Indian automobile market. Duster outrageous size will grab your eyes to the measuring length 4.3 metres. A special feature is a rear aircon, scuff plates and 16-inch alloy wheels with leather dapper airbags and ABS/EBD.
The car manufactured in French that’s why existing features are available in this price range, the metal roof rail lends a smart look to the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
Price: The Duster starting price is of Rs. 7.2 lacs and will go up to Rs. 12 lacs, depending on the variation in features.
Price: The Duster starting price is of Rs. 7.2 lacs and will go up to Rs. 12 lacs, depending on the variation in features.
The manufacturer is also looking forward to export some of the India-made models of Duster. Renault India planning to spread out its market share by adding 100 outlets in the country by December 2012.
Here's the video for Renault Duster:
Win a Canon 5D Mark III, a Nikon D800 or some of the bonus prizes
Like to win a 5D Mark III?
BorrowLenses is celebrating their 5th anniversary with a contest for a brand new Nikon D800 or a Canon 5D Mark III.
Given my history of having the delivery date of my 5D Mark III postponed over and over again I might stand a better chance of winning one instead :-)
Very cheap Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM
(Too) cheap Canon zoom lens
Too good to be true - and it didn't last more than a few minutes.I have a price agent monitoring when this 70-200mm lens drops below a certain threshold.
And this morning I got an email that the price had dropped below my threshold.
So I went to check it out, and was very surprised to see the lens for the extremely low (and obviously wrong) price of DKK 77 - the equivalent of $13.
It only lasted for a few minutes before they corrected their price.
The price at this store is now back to DKK 19462 - or $3285.
This price is roughly $985 higher than the current prices at both Amazon and Adorama - it absolutely sucks that the prices of camera gear is so high in Denmark.
I've jinxed myself...again
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| Smiley nospeak (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
When I checked my order a few hours ago the date had changed from June 22 to July 7.
So naturally I contact the store again to get some info on the believability of this new date.
First reply I get is that they expect it to arrive on June 22.
So I call them on the fact that my order page was changed from June 22 to July7.
Not really fair because the changes had been visible for a few minutes when I contacted them and the poor guy in customer support had no way of knowing this.
Anyway, the reply now is that they will receive a limited number of units on the 22. and that they will go to the first people in the queue.
Obviously I don't understand this - if the date on my order in June 22 how come I'm not one of those people who are first on the list?
And more importantly, how can I now put any trust in the new delivery date? I have no idea how many people are ahead of me in the queue so any number of units could go to someone else.
So I ask for his best estimate (not a guarantee) based on his experience with how Canon delivers on their promises and adheres to promised delivery dates.
And this is where it starts to get really interesting.
He says that if they start delivering (which they haven't so far), then there's a good chance. And then he adds that they are behind because of the big demand and that they've only delivered to their official partners so far.
So now I'm pissed at both the store and Canon Denmark.
The store could have told me the first time I contacted them that they are not official Canon partners and that they don't really expect to receive any unit from Canon before their official partners have been served first.
And Canon Denmark could have told me when I contacted them that they are only shipping to their official partners so far.
Since when have keeping important information from your paying customers been a good way to run your business and improve your reputation as a trustworthy company?
4 days left...again
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| frustration (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee) |
My 5D Mark III should arrive in 4 days, but it wouldn't be the first time they pushed the delivery date - and sadly, I'm beginning to expect them to postpone it...again
It's so frustrating that nobody can give me solid and permanent delivery date - it's more like a Letter of Intent than a true promise.
Is this the usual way Canon launch new cameras?
I think they made this video just for me
A few weeks ago Peter Kent pointed me in the direction of a video by The Camera Store
And one would have thought that they shot this video - a battle between Canon 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 - just for me.
The "battleground" was an indoor riding arena and they were shooting a cutting competition.
Indoor arenas usually have horrible lighting conditions.
- The lights are usually placed high up in the air and are far from sufficient to light up the arena properly
- The lights are not one type of light but several different types
- The light is far from uniform across the arena
- Sometimes you have streaks of daylight coming in through the roof
- And once in a while the port isn't closed so you'll have streaks coming in there as well
I don't shoot cutting competitions, but I do shoot dressage and show jumping competitions, so I needed a camera with high ISO/low noise capabilities because I will be shooting at high shutter speeds.
So having Mike and Drew test the two cameras I had been considering, and name the 5D Mark III (which I had settled on) the winner was very nice indeed.
I'm a bit scared about how Mike use the lenses as armrests, but when you look at his own "old" camera, the Mark II, you can see that he doesn't spare his equipment - it has been used...heavily used.
This is not A Few Good Men you know - I actually CAN handle the truth
Yesterday I contacted the shop where I've ordered my 5D mark III to find out some more about this continous postponing of the delivery date.
Historically they have postponed it 1 week exactly - every time they got near their previously promised date.
So I wanted to know if these dates where actual dates where they genuinely expected to have the body delivered by Canon or if they just added one more week when they got close to the deadline.
The answer I got was that these are the dates set by Canon, but that Canon have been extending the shipping dates every week and that Canon wont make any 100% promises.
So, armed with this info I contacted Canon Denmark to hear if they just set arbitrary dates or if they actually believed that they would ship a unit to the store on the promised date.
The answer I got back from Canon Denmark wasn't really helpful.
They started by saying that they don't have access to the stores selling their gear - duh, please tell me something new.
Then they ask me to contact the store for a delivery date - and this is after I told Canon that the dates the store gave me was supposed to come from Canon themselves.
The followup paragraph is a useless - "we deliver on a first come, first served basis"
Yeah, but you still haven't answered my question: Are you promising the stores that are selling your gear a specific date on when they can expect to receive the gear from you(Canon)?
Wouldn't it just have been nice if Canon had said "no, we never supply delivery dates to any store - it must have been something they made up" - then I would have known it was the store making up the dates. Then I could cancel my order and find another store.
Or better yet "We expected to receive X number of unit on Date Y, and based on this we notified each store with an expected delivery date. On date Y-3 we unfortunately got news that the units got delayed; we now expect to receive them on Date Z and we've notified the stores about this delay"
Also, if the delay is because the first units had to be sent straight back to the factory to have the light leak issue fixed, then please tell the stores that this is the cause for the delay, so they can notify their customers.
And please put a big fat sign up on your website if you have delivery problems - or at least put it on the support page for the 5D Mark III.
This is not A Few Good Men you know - I actually CAN handle the truth.
