Useful Mobile Phone Accessories

Although modern mobile phones are for the most part bulging with exciting features there are always ways in which your experience can be enriched. Regardless of how powerful the camera may be for instance; you can’t necessarily store all the pictures you’re likely to take on the internal memory alone. Similarly, having crystal clear audio through the internal speaker is indeed great in most cases but you’re still breaching the law if you use your mobile phone as normal whilst driving. With these and other factors in mind we’ve put together a shortlist of four potentially very useful mobile phone accessories.

Mobile Phone Cases

Cases, covers and protectors have been around as long as the handsets themselves. If you’ve recently purchased a stylish mobile phone then the last you want to do is risk wrecking the aesthetics with myriad scratches or dents from accidental drops or general misfortune. Cases come in all shapes, styles and sizes and for the most part are there to protect your phone without compromising functionality. In recent weeks the importance of cases has been subject of a great deal of attention due to the signal shortcomings of the I Phone 4. In order to overcome potential signal loss, manufacturers Apple have opted to supply signal boosting cases to prevent the much publicised issues surrounding the new, cutting edge handset.

Bluetooth Headsets

The development of Bluetooth by Ericsson in 1994 was lauded as industry changing from the outset. The short length radio wave technology has been put to all manner of uses over the years and continues to be a vitally important feature of modern mobile phones. One of the major uses for Bluetooth is the wireless headset or earpiece. Headsets and earpieces allow the user to use their phone wirelessly and easily without even holding it and are ideal not only for making and receiving voice calls on the move or in a vehicle, but also for listening to music without messy wires.

Car Kits

Although the Bluetooth headset allows the user to safely and legally use their mobile phone whilst driving it is not necessarily the best means of making or receiving calls whilst in the car. Car kits come in a number of guises but for the most part use Bluetooth to allow calls to be broadcast either through a dedicated speaker or using the car stereo and utilise an external microphone to make phone call use whilst driving seamless and practical. In addition to the hands-free operation capabilities car kits also allow the handset to be charged from the lighter socket in a car to avoid inconvenient loss of battery power when on the move.

Memory Cards

These tiny accessories are vital for use with handsets which boast a less than impressive internal memory and are also essential for those who like to store large music libraries on their handset. Acting as an extension of the phone’s internal memory; memory cards use Flash memory to allow for the storage and easy transfer of large volumes of data and are interchangeable between multiple devices. It is vital that you check which type of card is compatible with your handset; popular formats include M2, Memory Stick Duo, Micro SD, Micro SDHC, Mini SD and SD.

Things to Consider When Choosing a New Mobile Phone

In the highly competitive mobile phone handset market there are all manner of dominant factors which play a major part in sculpting the buyer’s ultimate decision. Brand is a particularly large influencer, with Apple almost certainly leading the way in terms of desirability in the fashion stakes. Touchscreens, resolution of camera and internal storage memory also tend to play major factors in pushing the consumer to a decision; no to mention the styling of the handset and quality of marketing. There are however a number of other factors which it really is sensible to thoroughly consider before taking the plunge and spending a considerable sum of money on your future mobile phone. Although these aspects may not be the most exciting; a poor choice can wreck the usability and practicality of a given handset.

Operating System/Platform

There are a number of major operating systems currently in use. Apple use their own platform, Nokia do too whilst an increasingly growing number of manufacturers are turning to the Android operating system as a software foundation. As there is no definitive ‘best operating system’, this area is something of a minefield with mobile phone users very much split in opinion as to the best choice.

Although not seemingly as important a factor as the design of a phone; in terms of day to day use, the operating system is the thing most likely to drive you to despair if you don’t like the way it works. It is responsible for the menus, displays, speed of task performance, navigation and the means by which you access the internet and download apps. Given the integral nature of this aspect, it is strongly advised that you try out a few phones running different operating systems before buying one as personal taste is the major contributing factor. The widespread disappointment about the HTC HD2 handset derived almost solely from the awkward Windows Mobile Platform: which just goes to show how important the operating system is.

Battery Life

This is particularly important if you’re likely to make extensive use of the entertainment or media features of your new mobile phone or susceptible to heavy phone use on the move. If the battery life is poor then no matter how impressive the phone’s features you will be concerned about running out of power at a critical moment and as such likely to steer away from sustained usage. In order to avoid being let down by battery life simply make sure to take a glance at the stated standby and talk times quoted in technical specifications: you won’t regret it.

The Contract Duration

Current cutting edge mobile phones are only financially viable if purchased with a monthly contract. The contract is your means of paying for not only usage but also the handset itself, don’t forget this! In effect, a handset bought on a 24 month contract costs twice as much as a handset on a 12 month contract with the same monthly fee. A longer contract also means more time until you are able to upgrade to a newer model: making all of the other aspects even more important if you do choose to go for the 18 or 24 month options, as you could be stuck with a poorly chosen phone for up to two years.

What are Mobile Phone Accelerometers?

Accelerometers are devices which accurately measures acceleration, vibration and orientation. Their applications are multitudinous and wide-ranging; from uses in engineering through to medical and beyond. One of the most recent and potentially industry changing applications however is their use in an increasing number of mobile phone handsets. As technology consistently advances, shrinks in size and becomes more affordable, the accelerometer serves as a prime example of previously prohibitively costly technology becoming increasingly commonplace.

What Does a Mobile Phone Accelerometer Do?

Initially accelerometers which had been incorporated into mobile phones served the sole purpose of allowing the handset to gain an awareness of its orientation and movement. This development meant that the phone could change its display dependant on whether it was being vertically or horizontally: which is a great tool when it comes to using a handset to watch videos or view images. The capabilities of accelerometers also meant that games and applications which are controlled by movement of the phone became a reality.

Further advances in mobile phones have seen ever more ingenious uses for accelerometers: from power management and shake modes to allow users to skip music tracks with the flick of a wrist through to using the compact device as a form of digital compass which can detect which way the user is facing for use with orientation software and the conversion of the humble mobile phone into an intelligent pedometer.

How Mobile Phone Accelerometers Work?

Mobile phone accelerometers are a form of three-axis microelectromechanical-system (or MEMS) and essentially consist of a series of three sensors which are fixed at right angles to each other. Each of these sensors is capable of monitoring the smallest of changes in force and pressure: as applied by gravity or movement and creating a corresponding electrical impulse. Development of this technology has allowed for the relatively cheap manufacture of increasingly accurate and sensitive accelerometers which can be easily integrated into all manner of applications.

The Future...

With so many talented developers turning their hand to the creation of new and innovative Apple iPhone and Android apps, the possibilities are truly endless. From racing games, through to car crash impact sensors, the accelerometer can be used in so many different ways it almost beggars belief. That is not forgetting their persistent usefulness in dictating the best form of screen orientation. Accelerometers and other forms of microelectromechanical systems are being installed in more and more new mobile phone models so our current uses for smartphones may just be the tip of the technological iceberg.

The Battle of the Keypads

For many years the vast majority of mobile phones utilised virtually identical numerical keypads. The numerical keypad was familiar to anyone with a touch tone or digital home phone and made calling people easy. As the text message revolution began to gather pace however it became evident that it can a little fiddly to write a substantial text message by repeatedly pressing each key to denote a letter. Technology is a continuously evolving beast and as such, to meet the demand for a more effective means of text input, manufacturers started implementing new forms of keypad- with mixed results. Switch to the modern day and the mobile phone market is considerably different and as a result of trial and error two forms of data entry have come to the forefront: the touchscreen and the scaled down QWERTY keyboard. Each offers its own benefits and of course its own downfalls.

The QWERTY Keyboard

As mobile phones grew in popularity, so did personal computers and as a consequence of the rise of the PC, people became increasingly familiar with the conventional QWERTY keyboard layout. The Blackberry was one of the first mobile phones to pounce upon this opportunity and due to its integration of fax and email: it made sense that the manufacturer RIM decided to take the leap into the integration of scaled down, full QWERTY keyboards as opposed to the conventional numerical keypads. The risk paid off and the vast majority of Blackberry devices, alongside numerous copycat mobile phones now take advantage of the this form of keypad to improve the user experience when sending text messages, emails or browsing the internet.

Although in many cases this keyboard format allows individuals to quickly enter data, it is not without its drawbacks. The most notable of these downfalls is the necessarily small size of each key- the less dexterously fingered may inadvertently find themselves mis-typing and generally failing to accurately and speedily enter text.

The Touchscreen

As technology continued to develop on all fronts, the previously SCI-FI wet dream of touchscreen technology became a feasible reality. The ability to manipulate information and navigate menus simply by moving one’s finger opened up entire new horizons. Although initially a little unresponsive and prone to calibration issues, the touchscreen is now an essential component of a huge number of modern smartphones. The iPhone for instance has successfully applied the abilities of touchscreen to whole new realms of application: mostly notably in this instance, as a means of transforming the phone’s screen into a complete QWERTY keyboard as and when required for the composition of emails, text messages and any other blocks of text.

The modern touchscreen is however still fallible to the occasional calibration issue which can render it unpredictable. Another potential downside in the eyes of many is the absence of the re-assuring ‘click’ resulting from the pressing of a key on a conventional keypad- which can cause issues if the user looks away from their screen whilst typing.

The Compromise

A number of recent mobile phone handsets choose to incorporate both touchscreen technology and pop-out, scaled down QWERTY keyboards in order to appeal to all parties. This compromise does however tend to come at a price: with these mobile phones tending to be larger in size in order to facilitate the auxiliary keyboard and occasionally eliciting confusion as to which means of data entry is required for the performance of certain tasks.

All in all there is no ‘best’ form of keypad, which explains why both types continue to exist in the modern mobile phone market. If you’re looking for a new mobile phone then your best bet would be to try out different handsets to decide which format best suits you.

An Introductory Guide to Contract Mobile Phones

Chances are that if you’re looking to get your hands on a top of the range mobile phone handset, you will choose to purchase it as part of a contract. Mobile phone contracts are the most popular means of obtaining a new phone, paying for the phone itself and paying for calls, text messages and internet services. In the majority of circumstances, they represent the most the most cost-efficient means of paying for a new phone and the services you use and for the most part are the easiest way of doing so.

The contract you enter into with the network service provider is a legally binding document which obliges you to pay the specific monthly amount in return for ownership of the handset and a certain number of airtime minutes, text messages and in some cases quantities of internet based transferred data. Due to the combination of products and services which the monthly cost of a contract covers: it can be hard to deduce how much of the monthly goes towards each individual item -so comparison of multiple tariffs from different providers is advised prior to entering a binding agreement with a service provider.

By carefully choosing a contract which not only gets you your chosen mobile phone, but also the most suitable number of inclusive minutes and text messages for your needs: you are likely to derive best value. If for instance you opt for a contract with the lowest monthly fees but consistently exceed your inclusive service allowances then the overall cost is likely to be disproportionately high. Similarly: opting for a mobile phone contract which includes considerably more inclusive airtime minutes or text messages than you will use also equates to poor value as you will not receive a discount for unused services.

Mobile phone contract durations vary in length but most commonly last between 12 and 24 months. You should expect to pay a higher monthly figure on a 12 month contract than on an 18 or 24 month contract: but are likely to be able to upgrade your handset much sooner. Many of the very top end mobile phones are now most commonly offered on 24 month contracts given their high value. If you intend to enter into a 24 month mobile phone contract, make sure that you are absolutely positive that you are happy to stick with the same handset for a long period of time as a free upgrade is unlikely to be offered within 18 months. It is also worth taking out mobile phone insurance on a handset on a long duration contract: if you lose your handset 2 months into the contract and are not insured then you are still legally obliged to continue paying for the full 24 month duration which can be very costly.

Although mobile phone contracts have some aspects which may be a little intimidating to some: for the most part they are the most affordable way to obtain and maintain a modern mobile phone. Those who are less interested in getting their hands on the latest smartphone or who are unlikely to use their phone all that regularly may prefer to opt for a pay as you go phone, or a SIM-only contract: both of which offer different benefits.

What Impact Have Smartphones Had on Internet Behaviour?

The vast majority of modern mobile phone handsets feature at least some level of internet connectivity. We are now at a point where some smartphones are capable of fulfilling almost the same level of internet connectivity and interaction as a conventional personal computer. Despite their relatively diminutive size; the modern breed of mobile phones push the boundaries of technology, communication and multi-functionality to never before expected levels.

Aside from allowing us to contact one another from almost anywhere on the planet, mobile phones have become a portable hub for communication, entertainment and yes, unfortunately getting work done while out of the office. In terms of their abilities when it comes to using the internet, a huge number of mobile phones are now able to facilitate a myriad of functions and interactions.

We live in a world which harbours an ever increasing interest in social networking: Facebook and Twitter in particular have successfully forced their way into the daily routine of all technologically savvy go-getters. Any smartphone worth its salt allows the user to keep track of their social network interactions whilst on the move. Similarly, as well as boasting full mp3 functionality, it is common practice that the upper-end mobile phone handsets are able to tap into the vast media capabilities offered by music and video streaming. By integrating popular applications such as Spotify and YouTube, mobile phones provide access to seemingly infinite music and video libraries and do so at great speed.

Alongside their entertainment capabilities, many mobile phones put their technological prowess to more productive and constructive use. Since the BlackBerry pioneered email on the move, the concept has been pushed to whole new levels. In parallel to the advancement in email handling capabilities computer synchronisation has allowed mobile phones to enter the realms of personal organisation, file transfer and even word processing and intranet access. Navigation has also been aided by the increased integration of internet applications into mobile phones. Many handsets incorporate such internet based tools as Google Maps and even GPS to help people to stay on course.

The ease of internet access and interaction brought about by the recent developments in mobile phone technology has not only had a dramatic effect on the way in which we use mobiles but also profoundly intensified our relationship with the internet. From the increase in social network usage through to the heightened popularity of online messenger applications and emails as a means of instant and free communication (in accordance with data usage charges): many different facets of the internet have gained from the development of the 3rd generation of mobile phones.

Although the mobile phone is unlikely to overtake the computer as the most popular portal to the internet: products such as the i-pad have started to blur the lines between the two and further pushed the already vast number of uses and functions of the internet.

What Impact Have Modern Mobiles Had On...Cooking?

This is the first in a series of blogs which serve to consider the impact of modern mobile phones on a wide range of activities. We all know that the perpetual technological advancement of smartphones has impacted on a number of aspects of our lives, from the obvious such as communication and engagement with the internet, through to the slightly less evident such as navigation and photography. In this series we will look at those aspects which are considerably less obvious and in some cases admittedly only very minor!

The preparation of food and developments in mobile phone technology appear on the surface to be distant and unrelated areas. Apart from falsified urban myths and hoax online videos purporting that mobile phones are capable of cooking eggs or popping popcorn there is very little mention of the impact of mobile phone advancements on cooking. Thanks to the i-Phone and its seemingly endless apps however, it is fair to say that the modern mobile phone is capable of affecting the realm of cookery: to an extent anyway.

Whilst no smartphone that we’re aware of is capable of whisking an egg, baking a cake or grating cheese (not without causing damage to the handset anyway), there are an ever growing number of i-Phone apps which serve to provide guidance to those looking to rustle up a culinary treat. Epicurious for instance is a virtual recipe book bulging with more than 25,000 recipes ranging from quick snacks to a la carte delights: all of which feature step by step instructions to stop you from putting a foot wrong. Although the majority of the i-Phone cookery apps are essentially digital recipe books in the vein of Epicurious, a number of them boast unique features which capitalise on the phone’s technological prowess. The ‘Dinner Spinner’ from allrecipes.com for instance allows the user to create dishes based on what they have in the fridge and how much time they have at their disposal. This ingenious twist on the recipe book makes it much more suited to the modern cook with no time to go out searching for elusive ingredients. The ‘Jamie Oliver’s 20 Minute Meals’ app takes a different route again, backing up its library of quick dishes with a shopping list feature and more than hour of video footage of the great man himself providing tips on everything from knife skills to cooking the perfect steak.

In addition to apps which tell you how to create a dish, there are also a growing number which tell you what you can and can’t eat according to dietary requirements and others which calorie count on your behalf.

So, taking into consideration the fact that it is possible to gain kitchen inspiration and step by step guides on creating all manner of meals from the comfort of your own mobile phone: it seems fair to say that modern mobiles have had an at least moderate impact on cooking, and if development continues at the current pace: they could soon replace whole libraries of cookery books!

Saving Money With Smart Phones

Despite the perceived high price tag, smartphones can save you a small fortune when you consider the number of other devices that they replace. It is now standard practice for smartphones to not only incorporate complete media players and digital cameras but also act as mobile internet browsing devices, GPS locator systems and personal organisers. As such, a high end mobile phone is more than capable of fulfilling the role of a digital camera, an MP3 player, a PDA and to some extent a netbook. This is however relatively old news, what is more exciting is that some manufacturers have recently made further advances in terms of rendering their top end models truly mutli-functional devices which are by no means inferior to the stand-alone alternatives.

Not content with simply offering a digital video camera a number of mobile phone manufacturers including HTC and Samsung have released models which boast High Definition video cameras. These handsets not only replace digital cameras but usurp the majority of them in terms of quality: a victory for the smartphone! This notion of matching the performance and functionality of standalone equipment is mirrored by a number of mobile phone manufacturers in the area of satellite navigation. A great number of smartphones don't just offer GPS features but are capable of acting as a complete in-car Sat Nav system. For the most part, the conversion of a phone to a fully capable Sat Nav unit can be a rather costly affair, with the majority of brands charging for the service. Nokia have however bucked the trend and currently offer full Sat Nav functionality for their compatible smartphones free of charge.

It is not just in terms of the equipment that they replace that smartphones are becoming a financially viable investment, but now also with regard to the price of the handsets themselves. It is common practice that once an updated version of a piece of electrical equipment has been released, its predecessor is offered at a lower price. The mobile phone industry adheres to this technological universal, meaning that highly sophisticated handsets are becoming ever more affordable. In addition to this, brands like Acer who are new to the market, yet highly established in closely associated industries have started releasing technologically advanced phones at unfeasibly low prices. Take Acer’s new beTouch E110 for example: This handset features a touchscreen, AGPS navigation and is built around Google Android yet is available sim-free for less than half the price of equivalent models by other manufacturers.

In short, smartphones are transforming into realistic alternatives to a multitude of devices and in many cases offer precisely the same quality of performance. Despite this, they are also starting to enter the market at prices more in line with basic handsets and consequently offer unsurpassable value on every front.