How To Unlock Any Jailbroken iPhone On Any Baseband (iOS 5.0 To 5.1) With SAM

For those, who have been waiting around for an unlocking solution that supports iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S (CDMA+GSM) on any firmware previously mentioned iOS 5.0 and also on any baseband, here is some true very good news. 

iPhone Dev Team's MuscleNerd has confirmed that a Chinese researcher named Loktar_Sun has uncovered a method that permits unlocking any design of the iPhone on any baseband with the assist of the Subscriber Synthetic Module (SAM) by Sam Bingner. MuscleNerd took to his Twitter account and said that he was in a position to unlock his T-Mobile iPhone 4S with the method. 

"That strategy worked for T-Mobile on my 4S. Almost Certainly expect an update to SAM from @sbingner to incorporate that trick from Loktar_Sun," MuscleNerd tweeted.
Before likely ahead with the unlocking process, end users ought to be mindful of some of the details:
Users want to have a jailbroken iPhone, which is not detailed on any IMEI blacklists.
Users want to make certain that the latest edition of iTunes is installed. They must also know which provider their iPhone is locked into. 

The method makes a ticket that is valid to the SIM card used throughout the process, which means that if anyone wishes to use some other SIM card in the unlocked iPhone, the procedure desires to be repeated with the new card. 

Step 1: Open up Cydia on the jailbroken iPhone and include the official repository for the SAM package. The repo URL is "http://repo.bingner.com" and includes the official up to date SAM package and the needed dependencies. 

Step 2: The Moment the repo is added, go to the sources web page by simply tapping on it from the record of mounted source. Now uncover the SAM package deal and install it to your iPhone. Make confident that the SIM card you would like to use on your unlocked iPhone is inserted in the iPhone. 

Step 3: Now launch the SAM interface by tapping the SAMPrefs icon on your Springboard, or by discovering the SAM preferences bundle through the Settings.app. 

Step 4: Following SAM has been launched, go into the "Utilities" tab and then tap on the "De-Activate iPhone" option. To ambigu check out that the iPhone is genuinely de-activated, return to the principal options menu and go into the "More Information" tab. Appear at the "ActivationState" label and it ought to exhibit as "Unactivated." 

Step 5: Go again to the major settings pane and then into the Method tab in which you will require to select the "By Country and Carrier" option. Now select the Nation you are heading to be making use of your iPhone in and then your real Carrier.
Be mindful that some networks function with far more than a single network ID. In such cases, you require to decide on the "SIM ID" option. 

Step 6: Go to "More Information" and make a copy of the "IMSI number" that is current in the "SAM Details" section. 

Step 7: Faucet on the "Spoof True SIM to SAM" and go back again to the main SAM display screen and adjust "Method" to manual. Soon After deciding on the guide selection and returning to the principal screen, you will discover an IMSI input field. Paste the IMSI range you copied in the prior step.

Step 8: Hook Up the iPhone to the laptop or computer utilizing the USB cable and use iTunes to re-activate the phone. After iTunes re-activates the iPhone, double click on the Phone Range label located in the facts pane and guarantee the shown ICCID matches that are discovered on the SIM card. If the strings do not match, you are going to have to repeat the approach from the beginning. 

Step 9: If the strings match, you will want to unplug your iPhone, go again into "SAMPrefs" and disable SAM by sliding the Enabled button to the off position. Now, re-connect the iPhone to iTunes and do not panic if error messages pop-up declaring that the gadget cannot be activated. This error is normal and needs iTunes to be shut down and then restarted. 

Step 10: Following a couple of minutes you really should notice signal bars on your iPhone, meaning the method has been successful.
In case the push notifications don't work, you can resolve the issue by selecting the "Clear Push" selection identified in SAM and then re-connecting the iPhone to iTunes.
After successfully unlocking the iPhone employing this method, customers are also suggested to help save the activation ticket produced because of to the reality that it could demonstrate essential in the long term to maintain your unlock. This Is the process to manually save activation ticket. 

Step 1: An unlock ticket will be produced right after you successfully comply with actions 1-10 outlined above. 

Step 2: Use an SSH program to accessibility your iPhone's filesystem (WinSCP Windows or Cyberduck Mac OS X). You can also use some thing like iFile on your real iPhone. 

Step 3: Navigate to "/var/Root/ibrary/Lockdown" and make a duplicate of almost everything that is found in that directory for each and every SIM card you unlock your iPhone with. 

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Posted in: Apple,iOS-Apple-operating-system-i-os,Unlock or Jailbreak

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 review: Very acceptable Android book amount for the price

Apple has little to anguish about aback it comes to antagonism from Samsung's latest Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, but Amazon care to be cerebration about how it can up its book game. (Rating 4 out of 5)

At $250, the new Samsung tablet, which will be accessible April 22nd,  is able antagonism for Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire but – accustomed Apple’s bazaar ascendancy – it’s far from an iPad killer. Still, its price, ablaze weight and baby brand could dissuade at atomic some bodies from spending $499 for a third bearing iPad or alike $399 for an iPad 2.

The Tab 2 measures 7.6  x 4.8 x .42 inches and weighs 12.2 ounces. The Kindle Fire is appealing abutting to the aforementioned admeasurement and hardly added at 14.6 ounces. The new iPad, admitting of advance best and wider, is absolutely thinner (.37 inches) and weighs 1.44 pounds.

Its abstruse specs are about lower than that of the iPad as able-bodied as Samsung’s beforehand Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, but the new Tab 2 is able with Google’s new Ice Cream Sandwich Android operating system, a air-conditioned “Peel” TV alien ascendancy app (coupled with an IR blaster), advanced and rear cameras and you get 50 GB of chargeless Dropbox billow accumulator that works with the Tab’s camera app so that pictures you breeze are automatically synced to the cloud.

Adequate hardware

The accouterments itself is annihilation to get too aflame about. Like the beforehand Galaxy Tab 7.0, it sports a bifold amount 1-Ghz processor that’s absolutely a bit slower than its predecessor’s 1.2 Ghz version, while befitting the aforementioned 1024 by 600 TFT LCD screen. It has the aforementioned 3 megapixel rear-facing camera but the advanced adverse camera has been downgraded from 2 megapixels to VGA quality.  Alike admitting it has abandoned eight gigabytes of storage, it has a aperture for a Micro SD agenda which agency you can calmly and cheaply add up to 32 GB added accumulator (32 GB cards alpha at beneath $20).

By contrast, the Kindle Fire additionally has a 1024 by 600 pixel 7-inch screen, but doesn’t alike accept one camera, let abandoned two.  It too has 8 GB of accumulator and that’s it. There is no MicroSD Agenda slot.

And while the Kindle Fire and Samsung are about the aforementioned size, the Tab’s gun metal gray case is softer and hardly beneath boxy.

There are two stereo speakers on the basal of the accessory which put out decidedly bright and loud sound. Clashing some added accessories I’ve used, I didn’t accept to bung in an alien speakers to apprehend the accessory over the babble of my calm bike while application it to watch video while exercising.

Unfortunately, Samsung uses a proprietary USB cable for ability and abstracts instead of the accepted micro-USB cables acclimated on best added company’s Android devices. There’s annihilation amiss with Samsung’s cable, but if you confuse it or lose it, it’s not as acceptable to alter as a accepted micro USB cable. Of course, Apple uses its own proprietary cable, but the astronomic acceptance of iOS accessories accomplish those accessible to appear by.

The actuality that Samsung’s new Tab has beneath than arch processing ability shouldn’t be a big accord for anyone who’s mostly application it to absorb content. I activated it by account a Kindle book, watching Netflix and YouTube video and accomplishing some email and web surfing and had no achievement issues. The archetypal I activated is Wi-Fi only. Yes, it’s a bit added apathetic than a third bearing iPad but we’re talking a additional or two actuality and there which isn’t acceptable to bother best users.
Virtual buttons

Like the Kindle Fire (but clashing the iPad) there is no home button on the front. There are basic buttons on the basal of the Samsung that accompany up the home awning and assignment administrator forth with a aback button and one that takes a snapshot of the screen. These basic buttons reposition themselves as you change the screen’s acclimatization amid account and landscape.

Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich additional Samsung’s proprietary Touch Whiz bark provides a apple-pie interface and allows for bland scrolling amid screens with no apparent lag. Although I would adopt that Samsung and added buzz and book makers abstain putting their own banknote on top of Android, the accepted adaptation of Touch Whiz isn’t ever intrusive.

Samsung endless up the new Tab with a cardinal of its own apps including a media hub, music hub and bold hub. There is additionally a Samsung Apps figure that takes you to the company’s own app store.

Number keys area they belong

This may be a baby thing, but I absolutely acknowledge that the accepted on-screen keyboard that ancestor up on the accessory has a row of cardinal keys aloft the accepted alphabetic keys aloof as on a acceptable PC keyboard. I absolutely accepted not accepting to columnist a appropriate key to accompany up the cardinal keys, abnormally aback entering my passwords which, for aegis reasons, about accept numbers in them.

Consumer or business tablet ?

The arranged apps that appear with the Galaxy Tab 2 advice position it as mostly a customer device. But the nice affair about Android tablets is that they are adaptable and aloof as iPads are award their way into the enterprise, it’s absolutely accessible to use this accessory for business tasks such as email, web access, sales presentations, as a quick advertence apparatus or for any business accompanying Android apps that assignment able-bodied on a seven inch screen. Aloof to see if it could be done, I commutual the Tab 2 via Bluetooth with an Apple wireless keyboard and did some typing, but alike with a keyboard, it’s adamantine to brainstorm application the Tab, with its baby screen, as a laptop replacement.

Overall impression

How a accessory feels in your duke and performs is a lot added important than its abstruse specs and, aback it comes to the user experience, Samsung gets aerial marks. Its bland concrete design, baby and ablaze weight anatomy agency and abreast software and operating arrangement appear calm to accomplish the Tab 2 an accomplished best for budget-minded book buyers or those who artlessly demand a carriageable media burning device.

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Posted in: Samsung

iOS 5.0.1 Untethered Jailbreak: RedSn0w Updated To v0.9.10b7

The absolution of the "Absinthe" untethered jailbreak a few months ago came as a absolution for the owners of iPhone 4S and iPad 2 active on iOS 5.0.1. And now, with Apple authoritative the iOS 5.1 accessible for an upgrade, jailbreak lovers are agilely cat-and-mouse for the abutting iOS jailbreak.

However, for the users of A5 accessory (iPhone 4S and iPad 2) owners, who are still on iOS 5.0.1, here's some abundant news. The accepted RedSn0w jailbreak apparatus has aloof accustomed a cogent amend to adaptation 0.9.10b7 with a cardinal of advantageous added appearance that absolutely accomplish the amend account trying.

In addition, the amend additionally brings basic abutment for an agitative new aspect of the tool, accepted to affection in the abutting release. As the iPhone Dev Team acicular out, the abutting new affection to be added would be congenital restore abutment to accommodate an another to iTunes restores. The new affection would advice users "handle all of their jailbroken needs from aural one application," Redmond Pie reported.

The seventh beta of the accepted Redsn0w absolution additionally accouterments the corona-A5 jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad 2, as continued as they are active iOS 5.0.1. Moreover, the improvements additionally accommodate the adeptness for users to re-install the Corona untethered jailbreak if they've accidentally uninstall it.

Another arresting aspect of the new adaptation of RedSn0w is its adeptness to cull SHSH balloon anon from Cydia Store while bond an IPSW (custom firmware bundle).

According to iPhone Dev Team, RedSn0w v0.9.10b7 additionally "shows a lot added advice about your accessory (for instance, whether your iPhone3G has the accessible baseband cossack loader, or whether your iPhone3GS has the old accommodating bootrom."

The amend does accompany acceptable account for those A5 users who are still application iOS 5.0.1. However, "the big account has to be the planned restore affection that will hopefully appear with the abutting Redsn0w release," says the Redmond Pie report.

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Posted in: iOS-Apple-operating-system-i-os,Unlock or Jailbreak

HTC EVO ONE leaks: CDMA One X

The CDMA variant of the HTC One X has seemingly leaked, the HTC EVO ONE, complete with carrier branding and a handy pop-out kickstand for hands free enjoyment of multimedia. Yet to be officially announced, but escaping for some brief playtime with Android Life, the EVO ONE has the same 4.7-inch 720p HD display and 8-megapixel main camera as the One X we reviewed this week, but does questionable things to the styling.

The One X’s polycarbonate casing is a thing of, if not exactly beauty, then at least balance between size, durability and weight. Although it precludes a user-accessible battery, it does at least keep the One X from feeling too heavy, and the curved side profile helps make the smartphone appear thinner.

This CDMA version, however, does away with the curves and instead makes for a slab-sided, blunt device. The kickstand – which we’ve seen on previous EVO phones – is a nice addition for those wanting to use the excellent 1280 x 720 LCD display for video playback, but the rest of the design feels like a step back from what HTC achieved with the One X.

“Impressed yet not excited” was the takeaway opinion of the Android 4.0.3/Sense 4.0 device, though the camera wowed and the UI was “buttery smooth” just as we found on the GSM variant. Exactly what processor is inside is unclear – the European One X gets a Tegra 3, while the AT&T version switches that for a Qualcomm dualcore S4 and LTE – but we should know soon when the phone gets its full reveal.

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Posted in: HTC

Android 4.0 Forces Samsung To Delay Galaxy Tablets

Samsung has pushed back the release of it second-generation tablets from the end of March to the end of April. The delay, according to a Samsung spokesperson, is because the company needs more time to work on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. That's funny, because Samsung has had access to Ice Cream Sandwich longer than any other hardware maker.

Google released Android 4.0 in October. Samsung released the global variant of Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 on board in November, followed by the U.S. Verizon version in December. Other OEMs didn't gain access to the Ice Cream Sandwich source code until November, about a month after Samsung got its hands on it.

The Galaxy Tab 2--both the 7-inch 7.0 version and the 10-inch 10.1 version--will be the first tablets to ship from Samsung with Android 4.0 on board. Android 4.0 offers a number of system-wide improvements when compared to earlier versions of Android.


The two Tab 2s are powered by dual-core 1-GHz processors, accompanied by 1 GB of RAM. Most new smartphones are shipping with 1.2-1.5-GHz dual-core chips. The Tabs supports worldwide 3G data, with HSPA+ at 21-Mbps in the 850/900/1900/2100-MHz bands, in addition to 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, and a bevy of sensors.

The Tab 2 (7.0) has a seven-inch display, with 1024 x 600 pixels. The Tab 2 (10.1) has a 10.1-inch display with 1280 x 800 pixels. Both come with two cameras: a 3-megapixel fixed-focus main camera, and a VGA user-facing camera for video calling. They can record HD video at 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second.

They will ship in three different storage variations: 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB. All three will include a microSD card slot supporting an addition 32 GB of storage. The Tab 2 shaves a little thickness and weight when compared to the original, but not much. The Tab 2 (7.0) measures 0.41 inches thick and weighs 12.1 ounces, or about 0.75 pounds if you prefer.

The Tab 2 (7.0) and (10.1) are not bad efforts, but they are not very sexy. They lack 4G support of any kind, the cameras are low in quality, the processor and memory setups are already outdated, and Samsung already makes tablets that measure 7.7 inches, 8.9 inches, and 10.1 inches.

Samsung says Android 4.0 on the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) and (10.1) is much faster than Android 2.3 Gingerbread, with a better app and user interface response. Faster is (nearly) always better, as laggy software is frustrating. Let's hope so, because this is the second delay Samsung has admitted to due to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Last month, Samsung delayed Android 4.0 for the Galaxy Note. 

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Posted in: Samsung

The new ipad with 7 updates

The new iPad, while clearly more evolutionary than revolutionary, sports a few headline features, including the best display yet on any mobile device. We decided to explore whether there's an iPad "halo effect" that will extend to Apple products in general and, if so, whether the aura will extend into the enterprise to challenge IT's Wintel preference. To find out, we polled 402 business technology professionals and found that the iPad and iPhone have indeed bought Apple some enterprise cred. About half of respondents to our March 2012 iPad Survey say their policy is to officially support the iPad; 39% are satisfied (30%) or very satisfied (9%) with Apple devices overall from a business IT perspective. Just 9% say Apple products aren't in use at their companies.

"Tablets will replace some laptops and desktops," says one CTO. "Consumer tech is way ahead of corporate IT. In fact, the iPad will be another nail in the coffin of old policy-driven, staid corporate IT control freaks. Business is demanding speed, simplicity, and ease of use. And the companies that get ahead of that curve will have a huge competitive advantage."

Control freaks? If that stings, it's because there's truth in it. Among the top reasons cited for not supporting iThings is an unwillingness to develop expertise and do the work needed to bring these devices into the management fold. Still, more IT pros are realizing they'd better get on the consumerization bandwagon before they get flattened by it.


We did see an interesting dynamic around adoption by executives vs. the rank and file. "Our chairman bought an iPad but refuses to allow IT or anyone else to purchase one," says a respondent. "However, he expects IT to have been born with the iPad gene and know how to support it."

Only 7% of respondents to our InformationWeek Consumerization Survey supply iPads to more than 25% of their employees. But the market winds are at Apple's back: Fully 42% of respondents will increase use of Apple products in the future, and an additional 15% are considering adding them to the supported mix. A mere 11% plan to become or remain Apple free.

Now that we've had time to use the new iPad and compare it with its year-old predecessor, the iPad 2, let's run down the top seven changes and assess their significance for enterprise buyers who may be mulling whether to initiate a tablet pilot, upgrade employees on first- or second-generation iPads, or switch from Android tablets.

1. Display: Physically, the new iPad is virtually indistinguishable from the previous version except for the added weight from the new one's larger battery. The new device delivers twice the resolution of the iPad 2 and a greatly improved range of displayable colors and saturation, thanks to a display with more pixels than a 1080p HDTV--pixels so small they're indiscernible at typical viewing distances.

A popular use of the iPad is outfitting sales teams with the devices so they can show customers dynamic, resizable images instead of static catalogs; whether the new tablet will serve that function better than the iPad 2 depends largely on what you're selling. The differences are most noticeable on icons and text. On high-resolution photographs and HD videos, the differences are subtle; the most noticeable improvement is color rendering and saturation, not pixel resolution. This is actually a testament to just how good the iPad 2's display already is. In fact, most images won't test the limits of either device. The same is true of video.

2. 4G LTE: The other big addition on select models is 4G LTE wireless networking, and it's a welcome improvement, especially for road warriors. Verizon models now also support Wi-Fi tethering, what Apple calls Personal Hotspots, to connect another computer to the Internet using the iPad's cellular connection. That makes the new iPad an alternative to mobile routers like the MiFi. Verizon throws it in at no extra cost with iPad data plans (it charges $20 per month for this feature on the iPhone), so it's hard to see how AT&T remains competitive without it.

3. Performance: Most of the engineering for the new iPad's A5X processor went toward handling all those extra pixels, not running applications. Like the A5 found in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, the new processor has dual instruction cores running at 1 GHz, but double the GPU count, going from two to four. Apple also doubled the RAM, to 1 GB, and the RAM is now a discrete component, not packaged with the A5 system-on-a-chip. In side-by-side testing, it's almost impossible to detect a performance difference between the second- and third-generation devices. Both are well-suited to typical knowledge worker tasks.

4. Battery life: The new iPad maintains the same impressive battery life as the iPad 2 by packing a bigger battery--in fact, the device could accurately be described as one big, flat battery with a few chips and a fancy display panel glued on.

Battery life is about the same, but recharging takes about twice as long. That's because the new iPad's battery is 70% larger than the old and uses the same lithium-polymer technology. The external charger is highly recommended. Factor all that in when deciding whether to equip traveling users with the new device or stick with the iPad 2.

5. Hardware support: At 5 megapixels, the rear camera on the new iPad is better than the iPad 2's notoriously lame one, but isn't as good as that on the iPhone 4S and doesn't include a flash. But it does sport image stabilization and can take HD video, useful for some functions. There is no change to the front-facing camera, so videoconferencers are still stuck with standard definition. No upgrade advantage there.

6. Better software: iOS 5.1 has no major breakthroughs--those came with last fall's introduction of iCloud and Siri. The big addition for business users is support for voice dictation, an exclusive on the new iPad (sorry, iPad 2 owners). While it's not a full-fledged information assistant like Siri, it's still useful for those times users don't want to deal with the touch screen keyboard.

7. Effortless migration: One area where iPads shame both PCs and Macs is in the upgrade and migration process; it's incredibly smooth and conceptually simple enough that many people won't even need IT: Use iTunes to back up the old iPad, either locally or to iCloud, and restore to the new one. You end up with a perfect clone of the old device, clear down to the screen lock PIN. IT organizations needing to update and sync iPads en masse will find several third-party products that can parallelize the process; these include Bretford's PowerSync Cart, Datamation Systems' sync-and-charge products, and the Ergotron Tablet Management carts.

Upgrading won't make a dramatic difference to most employees with iPad 2s. Unless the business case demands a photographic display or 4G cellular connectivity, you can safely stand pat. For those with the original iPad or an early version Android tablet, now is a good time to move to the new iPad.

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Posted in: Apple

New ipad: Five Things Your New iPad Won't Tell You

1."The 'i' isn't for 'inexpensive.'"

A record 3 million people ordered the latest version of the iPad during the weekend after its debut on March 16 -- the strongest launch for the device yet. With prices for the new iPad starting at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only version, experts say consumers are paying a premium for the gadget. But they may not realize that premium could cover the cost of making a second iPad. IHS iSuppli, a technology research company that has studied the cost of the iPad's components, estimates Apple spends $375.10 to make the 32GB version of the new iPad with 4G LTE connectivity -- roughly half the retail price.

And the profit margin grows for the more expensive models. While it costs Apple about $16 more to make the 32GB version of the iPad than the 16GB version, the retail price jumps by $100 from one model to the next, according to the IHS iSuppli. That contrasts with competitors, like Amazon, which loses an estimated $18 for each $200 Kindle Fire it sells after marketing and shipping costs are taken into account, according to RBC Capital Markets. "Apple makes a stunning profit margin on their devices," says Colin Gillis, an analyst for BGC Partners.

That said, the iPad has generally become more expensive to make while the price has stayed the same, meaning Apple is making less profit on its newer models, says Andrew Rassweiler, senior principal analyst for IHS iSuppli. He points out that iSuppli's estimate doesn't include all the costs Apple incurs for producing the iPad such as shipping, engineering teams, potential royalty costs and software. Apple also recently lowered the price of the iPad 2 by $100 to $399, a sign that it is accommodating cost-conscious consumers, says Michael Holt, an analyst for Morningstar.


Apple declined to comment for this story.

2."I'm passe before you leave the store."

If you got an iPad for Christmas you may already feel as if you need an upgrade given the hype around the new version's improved camera, sharper screen and faster wireless network. The previous upgrade launched a year ago gave users a lighter tablet with a faster processor. (Apple put the weight back into its latest version.) For Apple fans, the frequent updates can lead to a constant case of buyer's remorse, analysts say. "You can almost set your clock with the knowledge that Apple is going to release a new iPad every year," says Allan Yogasingam, technical research manager for UBM TechInsights.

But the improvements from one model to another are incremental and not always easily noticed, says Yogasingam. For instance, tech experts raved about the new iPad's higher resolution screen, but many regular users were unable to tell the difference according to an informal experiment conducted by the tech nology tracking sight The Next Web. When consumers were asked to look at two versions of the iPads side by side and point to the newest model, many chose the wrong one, reports The Next Web.

Most people might be better off if they act on every other update so they can notice a greater difference between devices, says Yogasingam. And iPad 2 owners may want to wait for the next upgrade instead of rushing out to buy the current new model. The next version, which is likely to launch next year, will probably have a faster processor and other features, says Louis Ramirez senior features writer for dealnews.com.

For Apple's part, the company is typically working on several models of a product at once, so features left out of one version may already be in the works for a future model. "There is rhyme to their reasoning," Yogasingam says.

3. "I can't compete with your PC."

The iPad may be new and hip, but experts say it still can't replace your ho-hum computer. Indeed, for most people, it remains a secondary device. "It could be a mistake to assume that the iPad is going to topple the PC market," says Gillis. Much of that has to do with the tablet's limited applications for business purposes. While iPads are great for keeping up with the media and reading emails, producing and sending word documents and other files can be a hassle, says Gillis.

Gawayne Beckford, a 28-year old website developer based in Kingston Jamaica knows what Gillis means. He says his iPad is great for showing clients demos of his work. But when he needs to send someone an image, it's a different story. Instead of simply replying to an email and attaching the file, he has to go through a multi-step process that involves opening a picture in another app and sending it from there. For that reason, he usually downloads word documents and writes emails from his computer. "It's much faster that way," says Beckford.

That's not to say the iPad can't be used for business. Indeed, it's increasingly popular among doctors, executives and sales people who need to get updated reports or close deals on-the-go, says Sarah Rotman Epps, a senior analyst for Forrester Research. Studies also show that people who get tablets delay purchases of new computers, she adds.

4. "Good luck reading War and Peace on my screen."

Reading on electronic devices like the iPad, Nook and Kindle revolutionized the publishing industry, with e-book sales now outpacing sales of hardcover books. But critics say some people actually get very little reading done on tablets like the iPad. Pop up messages, web browsing and video games often prove to be too much of a distraction for some users, says Ben Bajarin, principal at Creative Strategies, an industry analysis firm. Plus, many consumers still find it hard to read at length on the glossy screen, which creates a glare in the sunlight that makes it difficult for people who like to tote their books to the beach or the park, says Jeff Haynes, editor of TechBargains.com.

What's more, digital devices like the iPad can cause computer vision syndrome, the name given to that tired, bleary eyed feeling people get when they spend too much time staring at a screen, says Dr. Jim Sheedy, a director of the Vision Performance Institute at Pacific University in Forest Grove. And, people who hold the tablets too close to their face could be forcing their eyes to cross, which increases strain, he says. Sheedy recommends people stick with the 20-20-20 rule: Focus on something 20 feet away from you every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds.

To be sure, many users might find Apple has improved the reading experience with its new "retina display," a higher resolution screen available on the new iPad that allows for crisper images and text, says Bajarin. The beige background used on most reading apps should also reduce strain while reading, he says.

5. "Drop me and I'm done."

As many people toting around cracked devices will attest, the iPad's Achilles heel is its glass screen. About 10% of iPad 2 users reported accidental damage within the first year of owning their tablets, according to insurance agent Square Trade, which analyzed data from 50,000 customers. That rate of breakages may increase with the new iPad, based on the results of a recent drop test the company performed, says Vince Tseng, vice president of marketing for Square Trade. Though both iPads shattered when dropped face down from waist height the new damage on the new iPad was more severe.

This fragility usually means consumers need to spend more cash on a protective case, which can make the sleek tablet feel bulky and heavy. That's why iPad user Beckford was in the habit of leaving his iPad out of its iLuv Portfolio case while at home. That is, until a few weeks ago, when he accidentally knocked it off of a chair while it was charging. Now he has a semi-circle shaped crack along the length of the screen to remind him to keep the machine in the case. "It was painful, very painful," says Beckford.

Apple could make the glass more durable by using a thicker version of damage resistance glass, says Haynes. Of course, iPad users might have avoided many of those incidents reported to Square Trade by exercising a bit more caution, says Tseng, citing one consumer whose iPad was damaged when her toddler threw it out of a moving car. And the iPad's fragility has yet to stop people from buying it, says Rotman Epps.

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Posted in: Apple,iOS-Apple-operating-system-i-os

AT&T to sell Nokia Lumia 900 for $100 on April 8

There's a lot at stake for this phone, with Nokia and Microsoft betting heavily that the Lumia 900 will finally help Windows Phone break through in the U.S. market.

Nokia's Lumia 900 smartphone will hit AT&T's store shelves on April 8, a move Nokia hopes will usher a return to the U.S. in a big way.

The phone will sell for $99.99 with a two-year contract, AT&T told CNET. It is one of the most affordable flagship products AT&T has ever sold.

There's a lot at stake with this launch. Nokia badly needs a buzz-worthy hit product in the U.S., a market it has struggled to operate in over the last few years despite dominating early in the cellphone business. AT&T hopes the 4G LTE-capable Lumia 900 will spark interest in its still new next-generation network. Microsoft, meanwhile, needs any Windows Phone to succeed in the market and establish some legitimacy to its platform.


The Lumia 900 faces the same challenges that many past Windows Phones have struggled to overcome, including convincing consumers that the relatively new mobile operating system is worth taking over Apple's iOS and Google's Android. The iPhone and a host of high-end Android smartphones dominate current sales.

Nokia already has a smartphone in the U.S. with the Lumia 710 for T-Mobile USA, and the device appears to be selling well. But the phone, which was designed to be more affordable at the expense of higher end specifications, hasn't been a blockbuster and is selling at the country's fourth-place wireless carrier.

The Lumia 900, by contrast, will come packed with some of Nokia's best hardware. The phone will have a 4.3-inch ClearBlack Amoled display, an 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera lens, and a higher capacity 1830 mAh battery. The phone will be available in matte black and cyan blue, while a white version will hit the market on April 22.

Customers can begin preordering the black and blue versions on March 30 in store and online.

At $99.99, the hope is the attractive price tag will be enough to turn some heads and get the device in the conversation for consumers considering a new phone. A typical flagship phone will sell initially for $200 or more.

The Lumia 900 should get a fair share of marketing support. Nokia's partnership with AT&T was one of the carrier's centerpiece announcements at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, part of a broader push for LTE products. The phone was Nokia's big announcement at CES.

With AT&T still rolling out LTE products and markets, the company will give this product a lot attention. Another planned LTE Windows Phone, the HTC Titan II, isn't expected to get the same kind of push.

With few indications that Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel are rushing to stock new Windows Phones, Nokia and Microsoft only have AT&T and T-Mobile to rely on in the near term, at least in the U.S. Elsewhere, there are signs Nokia's Windows Phone is starting to surpass its older Symbian smartphone platform.

But in the U.S., where Symbian never got off the ground, Nokia has a blank slate to work on.

Source cnet

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Posted in: Nokia

Samsung Galaxy S II O2 Android 4.0 update goes live

Samsung Galaxy S II owners on O2 UK can get a taste of delicious Ice Cream Sandwich today, with the carrier confirming that Android 4.0 for the smartphone has been released. The much-anticipated update follows Samsung’s release of the generic ICS ROM earlier this month; at the time, the Korean company warned that carrier versions might take longer to arrive.

Although Ice Cream Sandwich is much changed under the hood in comparison to Android 2.3 Gingerbread as the Galaxy S II launched with, Samsung’s unstoppable need to fiddle and tinker means the outward differences are less obvious. TouchWiz makes an appearance again, covering up the slick native Android 4.0 UI that we so liked on the Galaxy Nexus.

Of course, those who particularly want unskinned Ice Cream Sandwich have probably already been using it thanks to various third-party ROMs for the smartphone. The handset gained favor for its powerful dual-core Exynos processor as well as its sizable Super AMOLED Plus display and suitability for overclocking, and went on to set sales records for Samsung.


You’ll need Samsung’s KIES app in order to install the update, which is being delivered as a PC-based download rather than OTA. Let us know how you get on with the new OS version in the comments!

Source slashgear

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Posted in: Samsung