Mobile

Samsung Galaxy S II

Posted by Steven Swafford on October 18, 2011

The Galaxy S II is a phone that any Android fan would love to own.Features include an 8-megapixel camera with Full HD 1080p video capture, 16 GB internal memory, microSD memory expansion to 32 GB, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, DLNA wireless streaming capabilities, GPS for navigation and location-based services, access to over 200,000 apps in the Android Market, and up to 3 hours of talk time (see full specifications below).

The Brightest, Most Colorful Screen

With an incredibly colorful 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, the Galaxy S II delivers 50 percent more sub-pixels than the previous generation display for better contrast. The display also offers unmatched outdoor viewing quality, even in the brightest sunlight.

Super Sharp Photos and Videos Plus Video Chat

Amazon ImageThis Galaxy S II also captures sharp photos with its 8-megapixel camera with flash, and it records videos in stunning Full HD 1080p resolution. An additional 2-megapixel front-facing camera gives you the power to connect with your friends and family face-to-face via video chat with preloaded Qik Lite over Wi-Fi. And with Google Talk, you can video chat with all of your Google Talk contacts, whether they are on a mobile phone or a computer.

Mobile Entertainment

Samsung’s Media Hub enables you to rent or purchase movies and TV shows within seconds watch from the convenience of anywhere. With Media Hub’s progressive downloading feature, you can start watching your content almost immediately as the rest of the file downloads to the Galaxy S II. Plus, all Media Hub content can be shared among five Media Hub-enabled devices on the same account.

Intuitive TouchWiz Interface

The Galaxy S II features Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, providing superior multi-tasking and customization for an enhanced visual and intuitive smartphone experience. Live Panel features provide immediate access to weather, social updates, e-mail, news and photos, which can all be customized on any one of the seven home screens.

All of the widgets can be positioned and re-sized to create unique home screens and one-touch access to the services and apps you use the most. The Notifications Panel allows one touch access to a separate menu for managing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and Flight Mode settings.

Vital Statistics

Amazon ImageThe Samsung Galaxy S II 4G weighs 4.3 ounces and measures 4.96 x 2.6 x 0.35 inches. Its 1650 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 8 hours of talk time, and up to 400 hours (16.6 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as AT&T’s dual-band 4G network (850/1900 MHz; HSPA+/HSDPA/UMTS) plus international 2100 MHz 3G networks.

Review

I have been waiting for this phone for some time now and once it hit T-Mobile I immediately picked up one. I must say that the first week of using this phone it is everything that I anticipated and then some.

The battery life has been amazing thus far but I must say that I am not the type of person who loads up my screens with widgets, I personally tend to keep my screens organized and clutter free.

It is a large phone and I was also extremely surprised just how lite the it is. I suppose the only complaint I have, which even goes back to the MyTouch 4G is the bloat-ware. I’m fine with providers providing applications out of the box but is it to much to ask for when it comes to allowing the consumer to uninstall apps they do not use?

I think not! It is also important to note that while Android voice commands is core to the operating system, Samsung’s voice is also very slick, check out this video:

Android Voice Commands

Posted by Steven Swafford on

Android voice commands are extremely powerful, easy to use, and have been available for some time. It seems that the newest sensation to hit the Apple iPhone is Siri. While I do not personally own an iPhone, it does beg the question what took Apple so long to come out with this technology. I have been in the camp of an Android fan for years now and I have been heavily using the voice commands for some time now. For those who have not been using this feature of your Android phone stop for a moment and ask yourself why. By far the largest use I see is when I am driving. Being able to speak my commands via a blue tooth headset keep my hands free and allows me to communicate with those tasks that simply cannot wait. Is there differences between Siri and Voice Commands? Sure there are but back to my point Android has had this functionality for over a year.

Commands

  • send text to [contact] [message]
  • listen to [artist/song/album]
  • call [business]
  • call [contact]
  • send email to [contact] [message]
  • go to [website]
  • note to self [note]
  • navigate to [location/business name]
  • directions to [location/business name]
  • map of [location]
  • define [say a word]

Conclusion

Folks, don’t let the iPhone fanatics tell you that Siri can now allow them to communicate in a way they you cannot. The truth is Android’s voice commands are very powerful and get the job very nicely. It will be interesting to see what feature enhancements Google will push out in this highly competitive market.

The Mobile Landscape

Posted by Steven Swafford on September 5, 2011

There is no denying that the mobile platform has become a billion dollar industry in recent years.  As with traditional computing needs is the subject of protecting, both consumers and the service which a mobile platform intends to provide.

Software Development and Security

The process of developing software is termed the Software Development Lifecycle (SDL), which entails a variety of patterns and practices.  To address security one could take a page out of the Microsoft playbook and adopt the Security Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Modern day mobile devices interact via the internet and understanding this architecture is the first step.  Software architecture has undergone tremendous change since the mid 1990’s (Britto, Kumar, & Rabara, 2010).  Because of the risk associated with HTTP protocols, it is imperative to consider the use of encryption for example to protect transitions that occur.  If security is not addressed early in the design stages then the result will be a variety of vulnerabilities that could have been accounted for during development.  Secure development encapsulates that team that makes up the project.  To bake in security there must be an established baseline that covers controls and activities and without these steps, the result will be a product that is at substantial risk (Dawson, Burrell, Rahim, & Brewster, 2010).  If you begin to define and break down the baseline into process stages the result will be identifiable actions that must occur at every stage of the development lifecycle.  These actions in turn provide clear and obtainable security countermeasures that will address known security holes.  It is equally important for the process not to become stalled, in other words it must adapt to the technology and the vast number of risk that follow.

Smartphone Key Security Practices

The end consumers of the mobile platform also share in the responsibility when it comes to security.  Smartphones had become the standards means of communication in terms of banking, email, and commercial purchases.  Because consumers share in the responsibility there are 12 steps one can take to better protect themselves (Mediati, 2011), for example:

  1. Use of Virtual Credit Cards
  2. Keep Software Updated
  3. Use of Antivirus Software

There is a great deal of trust placed at the doorstep of applications and consumers must only download and install applications that are from trusted sources (Wawro, 2011).  This is even truer in the sense of a business.  Smartphones today are essentially a computer that fits into the palm of a hand.  The technologies employed include audio, camera, and video, which open the door to proven methods of education (Khaddage, Chonka, Zhou, 2009).

References

  1. Britto, S. S., Kumar, R. R., & Rabara, S. (2010). An architectural framework for the development of secure mobile payment system. Journal of Algorithms & Computational Technology, 4(4), 443-462. Retrieved from http://www.multi-science.co.uk/jact.htm
  2. Dawson, M., Burrell, D., Rahim, E., & Brewster, S. (2010). Integrating software assurance into the software development life cycle (SDLC). Journal of Information Systems Technology & Planning, 3(6), 49-53. Retrieved from http://www.intellectbase.org
  3. Mediati, N. (2011). Secure your life in 12 steps. (cover story). PC World, 29(6), 58-66. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/
  4. Wawro, A. (2011). The smartphone data theft threat. PC World, 29(5), 38. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/
  5. Khaddage, F. F., Chonka, A. A., & Zhou, W. W. (2009). E-Learning over mobile phone technology: Best practices and guidelines. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 3(3), 55-58. doi:10.3991/ijim.v3i3.950

Sony Crackle Make Its Debut On The iPad

Posted by Steven Swafford on April 19, 2011

Today Sony Crackle for the Apple iPad and so far I am impressed. This free app puts hundreds of movies from Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics, and Tri-Star libraries, as well as hundreds of TV shows owned by Sony all for free with of course advertisements. Don’t let the ads turn you off. They are small and unobtrusive and in my opinion well worth the delays for watching free content. You may recall a previous post titled Are Traditional Cable Providers Becoming Extinct and with the release of Crackle this is just another step in the direction when those coaxial cables are just begging to be cut. If you’re interesting in cutting the cord and saving your money then be sure to read Fire Your Cable Provider And Save Your Money With Playon.

The interface on the iPad is exactly what one would expect. It is crisp and clean and extremely easy to navigate. Take a look for yourself.

crackle ipad interface

There is a fairly good range on content available to include The DaVinci Code, Big Daddy, and Quarantine just to name a few of big ticket Hollywood movies. As a child I grew up watching television shows like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and of course Charlie’s Angels. Now all of with you can turn back the clock for yourself and watch these classic shows should you have never been so lucky.

You can download the app from iTunes and it’s free.

Cell Phone Savings By WireFly

Posted by Steven Swafford on January 24, 2011

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