The demand for games such as free online slots with bonuses is huge and a whole new wold has emerged of gamers and bushiness who want to provide the right gaming experience to this relatively new market.

So what type of game do you enjoy the most?

Research shows a that a huge variety of types of games are enjoyed.

Some prefer simply to while away the hours with games that are fun and silly, while others opt for more educational tools and adventures where there is more depth and structure to the experience.

Any person who has invested time in a game will know that slot games have taken over the quick fix market.

A simple google search for game slots will bring back a slew of results that will extend well beyond page one and leave you in the full realisation that online slot machines are big business, and we mean HUGE business.

So if you are more or an RPG type player who lies to immerse themselves in a virtual reality, another way of escaping this mortal coil or you are the type of person who loves 1st person shooter and blasting the bad or good guys to kingdom come, or yet again one of these people who prefers to get into those seriously powerful race cars and pretend you are whizzing round Brands Hatch or Silverstone as an F1 racer, maybe you might like to try your hand at a slot machine.

Ok this is in no way going to compete with the immense realism that modern games can give you and you may find that you are just not into this kind of game but you never know what might happen when those shiny coins drop and you are taken into a fun game that is more simple to take part in and maybe ever earn yourself some money in the process.

In terms of shear fun and simplicity we do not think you can take away from the ease of access on mobiles and anywhere you are to a fun little slot game on a mobile device and we would suggest you at least try to download and see for yourself what a fun thing it can be to just have simple fun and games with an app designed to amuse and entertain and not take you away from reality that much, like a soap opera that you control!

So give yourself a challenge and put yourself out of your comfort zone maybe, get a slot type game on your phone and just see if you like, if you dont its a pretty simple process to delete and say not for me!

So why would anyone actually want to play a slot machine on a mobile device anyway?

Good question, as you can see the market for these type of games has grown hugely over the last few years and now we see that the admen for these games is so huge that it makes total sense for developers to start to look into creating products that fit that demand.

The fact that we see people engaging with these apps in such a huge amount is testament to the ability that a mobile device has to make you feel immersed in the application and game that you are playing.

You can imagine the feeling you get when those lights flash and you win big on your slot machine game and get those noises and the feedback, admit it, its exciting and fun and when people enjoy things they tend to get attached and want to do this more.

We as humans simply love the lights of Vegas and the play-ability of the slots, big city, bright lights and all that jazz, so why not bring that feeling right into your palm on a regular basis as and when you need.

Get into slot games and win big

But lets be clear that online games and apps like casinos and slot machines offer real prizes to those who want to win actual cash so for the gamblers among you who are into actually playing for cash, and again what better way to enjoy the freedom to play than on a mobile device where you can often with many apps simply play until you win (or lose of course) and then go to your account and cash in the winnings and set yourself up for a nice night out or go back into your virtual casino and see if you can enjoy yourself more in hope that you win big again.

Either way the fun to be had with online gaming is way beyond more traditional apps and you can enjoy a whole host of web based gaming via mobiles or on your desktop.

So today, what will you do, simply go on and enjoy your mobile like everyone else or will you see what slot machines are out there for mobile devices and try your luck at winning big and playing with the big boys for real on desktop or a mobile application, your choice!

The mobile phone industry has settled into a schedule of new models being released on an annual basis. The two main competitors, Samsung and Apple, can be relied on to deliver a new model each year, which is great for a number of reasons. The industry moves along at a steady rate, and there is always something to look forward to. But, the question has to be asked; is it really necessary to buy a new model of mobile phone on an annual basis?

There are, of course, those who religiously get each new model phone from their favourite supplier. And, naturally, there is nothing wrong with this at all. Who wouldn’t want a new mobile phone each and every year? But, those who buy phones so regularly can be referred to as enthusiasts. But is it really necessary for the average person?

Let’s take a look and discuss a few of the pros and cons of getting a new mobile phone model on a yearly basis.

Advancement Is Slow

Sure, each new release of mobile phone will be trumpeted by the producing company, with attention drawn to the new features of the device. But anyone who pays close attention will surely have noticed that the advancements between each new model have become minimal. For the most part, each new model is simply a copy of the most recent version, with only a few changes made. And, it need to be pointed out, these changes are mostly negligible. The core functions of the phone, and the most used aspects, largely remain unchanged, and the user experience, whether playing the online slots Canada has to offer, or surfing the web, streaming or emailing, will remain much the same.

There have only been a few major mobile phone advancements since the early days of the technology, and not much at all that has shaken up the industry, at least to it’s core. A mobile phone from five years ago is not that much different from one released today. So, by all means, a person need not have really needed an upgrade for at least five years.

Security Improvements

The one aspect of mobile phones that has made significant upgrades, however, is related to security. Fingerprint recognition has been added to modern mobile phone devices, and the benefit of such a feature cannot be understated. This sort of security, known as biometric security, is hugely beneficial, and has greatly reduced the amount of theft resulting from stolen mobile phones.

This technology is also only getting better, with each new phone model, and so as far as phone security goes, getting new models annually does have it’s benefits. However, many would argue that it is not enough of a benefit to warrant purchasing a new phone yearly.

A Matter Of Preference

As with most things, getting a new model of phone really is a matter of preference. There will always be those who insist on a new phone each time a new model is revealed, but for the average person a new phone is really only required once in awhile, assuming that they wish to take advantage of added features. As to when the next major leap in technology happens remains to be seen, but likely won’t be for some time yet.

There are a lot of different forms of entertainment and pastimes in today’s world, ranging from fine dining, art, sport, travelling, films, and video games, among many others. Video games have become a huge part of pop culture over the last 30 years, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn’t enjoy video games in some form or other. Computer games, console exclusives, mobile apps, and even smart watch games are available to anyone who wants to pass the time and have a little fun.

If you look at the modern shooter, or, it’s quite an incredible piece of engineering. A real, working physics engine that utilizes gravity, weather, and physical force, often set against a beautiful world of colour, vibrancy and life. It wasn’t always like this, though, and looking back at some of the world’s first video games can show you just how far they’ve come. But it does beg the question, what was the first video game?

The Classic Arcade Games

Back in the day, long before Canadian mobile casinos were around, the arcade was the only place you could play a video game, and while arcades have mostly fallen out of fashion due to modern gaming systems, many will remember going to arcade and trying out all the latest releases. The arcade was where games such as Asteroids, Pac Man, and Pong gained their fame, and most consider these to be the genesis of all modern video games.

Pong, in particular, is often regarded as the first of them all. It’s simplistic nature of bouncing a small ball (or square, back in the day) turned out to be an incredible amount of fun, and even today there is nothing quite like playing Pong with a friend. Pong was released by Atari in 1972, an age ago in terms of modern gaming, and was also the reason for the rise of modern consoles, thanks to the first Pong consoles that were released for home-use. Pong, no doubt, is a huge part of the reason that video games caught on the way that they did; but despite all this, Pong cannot lay claim to being the first of them all. That title belongs to a different game that was almost twenty years older.

The First of The First

The very first modern video game was Tennis for Two, an extremely simple game that used a radar panel to work, and was the brainchild of physicist William Higinbotham, in 1958. Higinbotham was an employee of MIT’s Radiation Lab division, and had extensive knowledge on radar systems and how they functioned. He was also part of a special visitor’s day that was held by the Brookhaven National Laboratory, where scientists much like Higinbotham could display their work.

It was here where the idea for a game first sparked in his head, after being bored from all the other exhibits. Using his experience and knowledge with radars, Higinbotham designed a system where the player was able to turn a knob for direction, and then press a button to hit the ball back at the other play.

The Rest Is History

It was the first digitized version of tennis, and the godfather to all of the video games and mobile games we have today. With something as simple as Tennis for Two, more advanced games were thought up and released, and they took the world by storm.

If you’ve played online games for any length of time, you’ve likely seen a few curious things happen, at some point. For example, one of the other players may have jolted about, teleported from location to location, or seemed to run on the spot for several seconds. These are signs that you, or the other player, are suffering from the online gaming curse of lag.

It is often extremely frustrating, and can ruin an online gaming experience. After all, being the loser of an online game due to your own skills is bearable, but losing because your opponent is teleporting about, and impossible to hit, is just plain unfair. As such, gamers are often understandably upset when lag occurs.

But, it often helps to keep in mind why lag occurs, exactly, and understand that it is sometimes impossible to avoid.

Why Does Lag Occur?

Lag is a result of players falling out of sync with one another. Or, to be more precise, computers or consoles falling out of sync with one another. Synchronisation loss occurs due to enormous amounts of information having to be sent back and forth, often across enormous distances, and unexpected hiccups forming in that information exchange. Since online multiplayer allows users to play with one another in different countries, the connection can be extremely unstable, and information hiccups occur all too often.

It is, of course, not the fault of the user that these hiccups occur, and expressing frustration to the player will in no way fix the problem. Staying civil during online games with strangers should be at the top of everyone’s list.

Solutions For Lag Problems                                                                         

There is often no permanent, all in one solution for problems revolving around lag. Since the factors that cause lag are often completely out of people’s control, sometimes it simply has to be endured until the connection between players improves.

One key aspect to keep in mind with online gameplay is that the shorter the distance between players, the less likely lag is to occur. Hence, a person should always attempt to engage with players in their own region. Many online games offer the player an option of which region they would like to look for players in. If it is possible, a player should stick to their local region. This is not always possible, however, given that players of the same game may well not be nearby. If you can play with players all within the same region you’ve basically discovered the gamers equivalent of a no deposit bonus casino, as you’ll enjoy enriching gameplay with little to no interference.

Manage Your Internet Connection

Another factor to keep in mind is that information transfer on the Internet should be carefully managed. If playing an online game, no other programmes that use the Internet should be running in the background. All webpages should be closed, in order for the game to be allowed as much bandwidth as possible.

If the game still suffers unacceptable lag, it sadly means that the game may not be playable online in your region. There are, however, likely other games that will operate better in the area, and have less of a focus on a flawless connection being required. Rather look into these games, which will offer a better playing experience.

It is obvious to every gamer that physical copies of games, on disks, are becoming more and more rare. There is, since the rapid of advancement of Internet speeds, less and less reason to buy a physical copy of a game. Buying a game online, and downloading it, is infinitely more convenient, especially given the lightening fast Internet speeds available.

But does this mean that physical copies of games are set to disappear completely? Is the era of walking into a video game store and browsing physical copies set to vanish completely, leaving us with only the option to purchase games online, and never have a hard copy of the game? For the most part, it seems that future is going that way. But what about collectors editions and other such concepts?

The Internet Is The Future

Virtually every region in the world now has access to fast Internet speeds making playing at NZ casinos online possible from just about everywhere . These connections are also fast enough that downloading an average video game is not much of a hassle. Assuming that a video game download is about 40GB, and an average internet connection these days is, at the least, 10 megabits per second, it will only be required to wait a few hours while the game downloads. Or overnight. But most prefer this option to having to drive to a shop, pick up a disk, drive back home, insert the disk, and install the game manually. Plus, physical disks run a risk of getting scratched and damaged, which all but ruins the copy permanently.

Online distributors also have the benefit of of offering exceptionally good deals on games, made possible by the fact that at online distributor does not have to worry about the costs of shipping physical copies. In other words; there are very few benefits to physical copies at all, in fact almost none. An online alternative is simply the obvious choice and even if it doesn’t stop a game from crashing, it will have a far smaller price tag attached..

Physical Is Premium

A new trend, however, has seen that collector’s editions, or premium editions of games, are only available as physical media. These versions of modern games often come with other special items with the copy of the game, such as action figures, maps, and other novelty items. The cost of this copy of the game will generally be a great deal more than the digital download, but comes with the prestige of being bought only by gamers who consider themselves enthusiasts.

For this reason it seems like physical copies will never be entirely obsolete, but perhaps geared only towards those who are willing to pay extra. In some cases, the premium physical copy of a game will still require information to be downloaded before the game works, meaning that the benefit of the physical copy lies only in the extra items included. Either way, many top AAA games still release premium physical copies, which prove to be popular, depending on the status of the game franchise.

What does seem to be likely, however, is that many modern games will stop releasing standard physical copies, in favour of easier, cheaper, and more convenient digital options.

iOS has Apple’s signature top of the range software.  Research indicates that although Apple has the more diminutive market share, developers still gravitate towards designing their best apps for iOS first, so iOS users can be assured that the best quality games and apps are always available to them.

Whether you are a new iOS device owner, or a stalwart for the brand, we take a look at the best iOS apps being released for gaming in 2017:

1. Shadowrun: Dragonfall

This high-tech game matches the stakes in high fantasy stakes.  It is full of cyborg elves and corporations wielding mega magic.  Players become Shadowrunners, which are highly skilled operatives in black ops for the world’s clandestine conspiracies, governments, and mega corps.

2. Banner Saga and Banner Saga 2

The Banner Saga games combines games from a variety of genres – adventure style decision making via text, and the combat of tactical RPG’s.

In any fight, players are in charge of as many as 6 fighters, selected from a larger group of personnel that varies according to one’s decisions and performance throughout the game.  The battles play out with each move providing the opportunity for the protagonist of the game to move a certain number of places and then do an action for example a weapon attack, a melee or a magic or support action.

3. Her Story

This in an interactive mystery game.  Players take on the role of an anonymous user looking through old interview murder case tapes. You have to go through a load of disorganised video clips, and using these clips, solve the mystery of the murder using your own personal detective skills.

The clips have been transcribed so there is the functionality of searching words using a search box, but otherwise you are on your own in terms of identifying the murderer.

The script for this game is extremely realistic and well written.  One’s gaming experience while playing Her Story depend entirely on the order in which you watch the tapes, how you search, and the conclusions you come to by the information the tapes provide.

4. Monument Valley 2

Monument Valley was one of the best iOS games ever devised, so it stands to reason it now has a sequel. Monument Valley 2 is in keeping with the look and feel of the original game, except the graphics in the sequel are better.  Colour splashes alongside the welcome feature look almost like another character to be controlled. It is as exciting as online blackjack NZ games in that you need to use strategy to triumph and the sequel is a definite improvement on the original.

5. Mini Motor Racing

Mini Motor Racing is a game that features top down vehicles shooting around extremely tricky circuits.  The vehicles accelerate of their own accord, so players have only steering to assist them in navigating the track.

6. Ellie and Max

This is a puzzle game likened to Monument Valley.  The aim of the game is re reunite Ellie, with her dog, Max, in as few moves as possible.

The game is very nice to look at and during play, one can collect all different types of costumes which turn Max the dog, into a variety of different aliases.  There are a variety of checkpoints throughout the game, so even if players experience setbacks, they never have to start from scratch.

Social Media has taken the world by storm and propelled man to the forefront of face planted screen activity. You see it when you’re out dining at your favourite establishment, mommy and daddy sit engulfed in each other’s eyes, attempting to restore their glory date night years, while the little ones are distracted with a lovely 10 inch tablet, sucking their brains into the latest Angry Birds update.

Social Media is man interconnected with the world at its core level. It’s the fear of missing out that propels these channels to new heights. It provides us with updates on the world around us, keeps us engaged with friends and family and allows for a sense of community in an ever increasing, isolated online domain.

The following Social Media apps are at the pinnacle of the online realm. These apps allow for communication and engagement with a diverse assortment of audiences around the planet, making them the best apps for Social Media today.

WhatsApp Still Dominates Text

WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging services in the world. Defined as an ad free instant messaging service that rapidly replaced SMS text messages.

WhatsApp is owned by Facebook and currently provides over 1,300,000,000 users with low cost messaging supporting alternative mediums such as video and still images.

With the massive scale of WhatsApp users, it’s no surprise that WhatsApp is a brilliant way to engage with a large following of potential customers. Everyone from Skrill NZ support services to online stores are considering using it to communicate with customers, and many are using it for advertising goods and services too. How should brands use WhatsApp to engage with customers though? It’s simple, just like Instagram’s stories; WhatsApp has introduced a Status panel. Here brands or top influencers can update their status to still images and or video clips, which engage with a large following, thereby, promoting a business/establishment.

Facebook Messenger App

Riding off the hugely popular Facebook platform, Facebook’s Messenger app allows its 1,200,000,000 users to interact with Facebook friends on independent IOS or Android based apps that connects to your Facebook account and allows you to message friends.

Originally known as Chat since its inception in 2008, Facebook messenger affords its users with a more dedicated way to chat. Marketing influencers can use Facebook messenger to connect with their friends on Facebook and extend personalized messages as part of a brands marketing strategy. This places FB messenger in one of the top driving seats as a front-runner in Social Media apps to use as part of your arsenal when implementing a Digital Marketing plan.

What About WeChat?

WeChat is making some smart moves as a messaging platform that has its sights set on expanding and assimilating itself into Social Media culture.

Innovative and versatile, WeChat was launched with one clear vision in mind. A fully-fledged stand-alone messaging app to accommodate growing demands for alternative methods to communication and engagement in and amongst online communities.

Sporting over 938,000,000 active users WeChat incorporates nifty features and has seen unprecedented growth in Africa through its unique QR code strategies, which has allowed the app to gain traction in a booming market. Other new releases include the launch of a WeChat Wallet, this will make processing payments far easier for those that don’t have access to web wallets such as PayPal.

Users can also follow other accounts and use the app as a Social Media tool, making it optimized for an all round online experience to engage and communicate with potential customers and or close friends/family.

The Legendary Tale Of Instagram

For those of you that had no idea, Facebook owns Instagram and that is precisely why as a Facebook page you have to option to link your Instagram and Facebook feeds in a seamless assimilation for versatile control over the two mediums.

Instagram is not just for foodies or those posting their hottest new outfits, it’s a versatile Social Media app where the word influencer is brought out into the light and praised by brightly lit spotlights and roses that are flung at top accounts.

It’s all about the followers on Instagram; you simply have the formula or you don’t. The app has gained momentum over the past few years for its easy to navigate interface where imagery is still king. The app populates photos and you can simply like photos and follow those accounts. This has led to the rise of the influencer marketer.

In influencer marketing; accounts with thousands of followed are approached by companies that wish to get their message across to a diverse audience quickly and effectively, as these accounts have already attracted a large viewing audience, substantiated by their mass following.

Instagram also made a bold move and improved on their overall user experience by incorporating a feature called Stories. In Stories users post an update in the form of a video and thus disappears after 24 hours. A feature that keeps Instagram users engaged and prompted to access the app more frequently.

Don’t Forget To Snap 

Snapchat with its 200,000,000 active users can never be disregarded as one of the best Social Media apps to infiltrate popular culture in our time. With its unique AI lenses, Snapchat saw a rocket boost in revenue and turned the Social Media Marketing game on its head.

By incorporating pixel vision into its videos and imagery the app saw a wide variety of companies interested in using these AI lenses for Marketing to a new age millennial customer base.

The app is also unfair in that all messages sent and read completely disappear,making for the ultimate in privacy when communicating online.

The Ride’s Not Over 

Social Media continues to expand and grow at the rate that technology grows. It’s inevitable; as humans progress and create more smart technology that can handle and process better apps, which assimilate into modern life and make day to day living easier, so will Social Media continue pioneering a path that strives to engage with people at their core.

Well it has been nearly five weeks since I moved home and tried to get an internet connection sorted.

Why such a large delay? Well I blame it on BT who go and blame the late arrival of Mr engineer on the feral underclass that blighted our UK city centres a few weeks ago….I still struggle to see how a South Yorkshire BT engineer is affected by London’s, Birmingham’s and Manchester’s social problems but what do I know.

So how did I survive and still manage to bring you such amazing articles without the internet at hand?

Simple. Initially one amazing feature of my new Samsung Galaxy S2 and secondly my Partners second hand iPhone I gave her…and what did I do with these clever little devices?…Tethering baby!

Using my Samsung S2:

For the Samsung I downloaded a great application called PdaNet which while in trial mode (14 days) allowed me full access to the internet using my o2 data allowance.

Using an Apple iMac I simply set up the device to run via USB tether and once installed on both my mac and Samsung I simply connect and enjoy amazingly fast speeds (actually faster than my new copper wire that arrived today.

What did happen however was that on the 14th day I was unable to login to my bank as usual. Perplexed as to why as I knew my data allowance was still ok’ish, it took me a while to realise that using the USB method stopped the PdaNet application gaining access to https:// sites, so I could not login to other secure sites to do important work…drat!…Solution?

I was able to take advantage of another great feature of the Samsung S2 and simply go to “settings” – “wireless and network” – “tethering and portable hotspots” – “portable Wi-Fi-hotspot settings” – “portable Wi-Fi hotspot”. This allowed my device to become a internet breathing connection that offered the same speeds as my tethered up application….great

Using my partners iPhone:

Using the iPhone you simply go to settings and set the phone to tether, and then being on an iMac its as easy as picking the new portable internet device…no messing at all.

Downside:

You never realise how much data you use until it costs a premium, I was running at around 500mb minimum a day, and this was me being a lot more careful. So one issue I had was that I simply had to keep buying more data up until the point where I had maxxed out my extra data options in the “bolt on” area of o2 and was left option-less for the last six days.

How did the articles keep a coming then?

iPhone and T-mobile to the rescue, thanks to my partners much better value SIM only deal from T-mobile, I was able to wait until she got home from her work to use her phone which offered “unlimited” data (until it said she had used 80% of her fair use policy)

How can carriers still get away with saying “unlimited” when it is nowhere near such a thing, perhaps a 1-2 GB allowance at most?

So anyway this is how I have managed to stay in touch, keep writing articles and almost carry on as usual without a traditional landline/modem connection.

Though one interesting area came to my attention while I was tethering away, especially in the early days of being without a connection, and that was wow! This mobile data is fantastic; fast, simple to connect, and no wonder o2 did not want to offer me much more data as it would seriously make me wonder about their internet service they wanted to sell and obviously anyone else’s.

They must be all in this together as I keep going on about how things will change once a company offers excellent data packages for mobile devices. Then it is Skype, Fring, Gmail chat, social networks and browsing the Internet all the way and sod off to the old carriers who have robbed us blind for so long!

But for now I have to say a bit of a thank you to o2, I feel you should offer me more data when I offer to pay for it and not when it suits you, but you saved my ass for a while and in all honesty the service was just as fast as my new copper connection.

I did waste £3 on a 1 hour BT openzone connection when all else had failed in the last few days and I desperately needed to send some emails from home during the day, but please be warned, do not go for this unless you are getting huge bars, mine looked OK but my connection was actually slower than my “limited” o2 service that had been restricted after all the data was used….essentially it was utterly useless.

BT you suck big time and have for many many years.

Wearable technology is tech gadgets that people wear, not just like headphones or a watch though, these wearables contain smart sensors and make use of an internet connection, mainly Bluetooth and connect via Wi-Fi to a smartphone.  The sensors are used to connect to a person and help people with achieving certain goals which include staying fit and active or losing weight and helps people be more organised.

Types of Wearable Technology

The majority of wearable technology is worn on the wrist, but there are also some that can be attached to the body or hung around the neck.  Soon wearables will be an accessory to match the outfit of the day.  There are even rings and pendants which have some tech function, and you can also game online at places like River Belle online casino on smartwatches!.

Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers

There are currently a wide range of wearables which fit into various categories.  Smartwatches are worn on the wrist and can connect to a smartphone and will be able to not only tell the time, but will notify users of calls, messages as well as email and social media notifications.  Popular smartwatches from Samsung, Motorola, LG and Sony are the current favourites as well as the Apple Watch.  For the health conscious there are fitness trackers which come in various shapes and sizes.  These are generally wrist worn or clipped to a belt.  These fitness trackers can keep track of physical activity such as how many steps a person takes in a day.  The more sophisticated trackers will also monitor heart rate.

Fitness trackers such as the Fitbit will be able to monitor physical activity and will then integrate with software which helps people to be more active.  Fitbit has a range of different options to suit everyone and these fitness trackers can monitor sleep, water intake, diet and exercise.

Virtual Reality Technology

Head mounted wearable technology takes users into a virtual world.  Examples of these are the Oculus Rift.  With this virtual reality headgear users are transported to another world, whether it be gaming or casinos.  This is a popular technology and is set to change the future of gaming.  Many of the options are expensive, but there are cheaper options on the way which will make this type of wearable technology more accessible to many more people.  Google Glass is another option and has features which all users to record and share videos and take pictures.  Many of these technologies are currently being improved and will soon become very popular.

Implantable Technology

Implantable technology is implanted under the skin through surgery and is inserted in different forms such as pacemakers and defibrillators.  At the moment these implantables are used for people with fatal heart conditions which include a heart that beats too fast.  On the horizon are implantables such as birth control and biosensors and these wearables could well change our lives for the better.

Smart Clothing

Smart clothing is garments made with infused silver coated fibres which have conductive properties and these act as sensors which then relay information to a smartphone in real time.  Many popular fashion houses are trying out this new technology so that clothing will not only be fashionable but also functional.  Smart clothing may even be able to monitor heart rate, breathing as well as stress levels.

Wearable technology is the way of the future and continues to progress as new technologies are discovered to improve how people live, exercise and work.

It would seem that Android is one of the most successful operating systems.  Is this because of its technical quality or is it riding on the coattails of Google?

Android was established in 2003 with the purpose of developing smartphones.  In 2005 Android was acquired by Google who was using Open Source developed from the Linux kernel.  In 2007 the Open Handset Alliance was founded and the first Android smartphone, HTC Dream, was released in 2008.  What makes Android so popular is that can be used on many devices, whereas iOS is only compatible with Apple devices.

Interface

Smartphone users will notice that most interfaces all look very similar and that these interfaces have not really changed at all over the years.  With PC’s, tablets and laptops there has been some improvement and changes, possibly because of the larger screen.  Android seems to be the only OS at this time that is making advancements in making the interface more interactive.  Android devices will allow the users to customise their interface by offering hundreds of different widgets for example.  Users can make the phone their own and are able to set up their device in a way that works best for them.  With iOS the setup is not really setup for much change.

Smartphones are a universal device and everyone now has a smartphone, whether they use it for making calls, sending emails, surfing the web or playing the mobile slots Canada has to offer…  There are many people out there that do not speak English and would prefer an interface in their own language.  Android can deliver this as they support 70 languages which means that many people around the world can enjoy their device with a language they understand.

Google Play Store

Studies have shown that there are over 3 million Android apps, and mobile gaming and use is increasing all the time. The Google Play Store is the official app store, but Android has given their users the option of using other apps if they choose to.  There are many other app stores that cater to Android too, but the Google Play store remains the largest.

Security

Security has and always be one of the main factors for many people when choosing a device.  Android comes with on board security features that are designed to minimise the impact of security issues, especially with regard to apps.  Android also makes use of technologies that aim to reduce memory management issues and make use of file encryption to protect data and the retrieval of stolen devices.  The user has the option of granting permissions or restrictions when it comes to data.

Hardware

With regard to hardware, Android is compatible with various platforms which include 32 and 64 bit, MIPS, ARM architectures and MIPS64.  This means that Android can be used in many devices and not limited to only certain kinds of mobile devices.  Any developer today can make use of Android, which allows for a wider range of devices to choose from.  Cost is also an important factor to consider, we all know that iOS devices are much more expensive.  With the wide range of devices to choose from users will be able to purchase a good quality device that will not break the bank.

Choosing an operating system depends very much on a user’s personal choice and what they need the device to do, but it clear that Android offers a wider range of options without compromising important features that users require from their devices.

Virtual Reality has quickly become mainstream.  What was initially, and not so long ago, a sci-fi type phenomenon, has quickly evolved into a technology that is available to more and more users.  Developers continue to improve upon and evolve the current VR technology with the result that there is now an overwhelming variety of VR Helmets to choose from on the market.  Here we take a look at some available options, and compare them.

Best VR Headsets For PC And Console

1. The HTC Vive

The HTC Vive helmet was made in partnership with PC Games company, Valve, and operates with Steam, which is Valve’s gaming ecosystem.  HTC comes with 70 sensors which gives 360 degrees head tracking.  It comes with a 90Hz refresh rate which is what helps to prevent users getting motion sickness.

What sets the Vive apart from other headsets is that it has Lighthouse tracking which allows users to move around while wearing the headset.  It does mean loading some additional sensors in your house, but the effects it creates are worth it.

The Vive has the ability to go wireless, and eye tracking is currently in development, and this could make it ideal for playing CAD casino games in the future.

2. The Oculus Rift

The Oculus Rift is probably the most well-known VR headset on the market.  Funded by Kickstarter, and developed by Palmer Luckey and American entrepreneur, the Oculus Rift was bought by Facebook for $2 billion and landed Lucky squarely on the Forbes 2016 wealthiest entrepreneurs under the age of 40.

The Oculus Rift plugs into your PC’s USB and DVI ports tracking your head movements to provide 3D images on its screens.

The Rift also has the 90Hz refresh rate helping with preventing motion sickness and uses 2160 x 1200 resolution which works at 233 million pixels per second.

3. Sony PlayStation VR

PlayStation is a good introductory piece of VR equipment.  Although not as advanced as the            Rift or Vive, the PlayStation VR is still excellent quality and its price makes it the most affordable option in quality VR Technology today.  There is also a large variety of new titles available for playing on the Sony VR.

4. Samsung Gear VR

VR Tech is notoriously expensive so developers have worked hard to solve this issue by creating VR technology that can be used on a smartphone.  These headsets can be plugged into phones and mostly retail for under $100.  It is important to note that certain devices will only work with certain smartphones, so it is wise to check before making your purchase.

Although the Samsung Gear VR does not have a lot of changes to the look of the device on a regular basis, it does get a boost from its creators at least every 12 months.  The biggest boost this year so far is a new controller which gives players additional immersion into their VR world.  The entire experience on the Gear VR will be directly relating to which Samsung phone you use, but across the board, the Gear has a wide 101 degree viewing angle as well as a dark tint to reduce glare.

5. Google DayDream View

The Google View is currently only compatible with a few phones – some of Motorola’s, and the Google Pixel phone, but this is set to change in the near future.  Google has touted the view as being 30% lighter than any other VR device on the market.

The view comes with a great selection of launch apps as well as a bundled handheld controller.

iPhone 8 price

So how much will the iPhone 8 cost in your country? It seems that the figures currently going around suggest that the prices will be as so for the US, UK and Australia:

iPhone 8 64GB: £699, $699 and AU$1,079

iPhone 8 256GB: £849, $849 and AU$1,329

iPhone 8 design

• All‑new glass design, aluminum frame, water and dust resistant
• Similar look to the iPhone 7, with bezels and home button

As often is usual with iPhone updates there are welcome upgrades in materials and design/features as well as general enhancements in areas like audio quality.

Sound is improved with stereo speakers offering 25% increase in volume and a deeper overall bass quality. Again no headphone jack like on the Phone 7 offered.

Optional colours include:

Silver, gold and space grey.

Size: A little taller in size at 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mmhich could mean that older cases for the iPhone 7 may not fit even though only a fractional size increase.

Weight: 10g heavier than the iPhone 7.

iPhone 8 power

• Brand new A11 Bionic chipset
• GPU provides 70% faster graphics over iPhone 7

A brand new processor going by the name f the A11 Bionic Processor will mean that you get between 20-70% faster processing that the iPhone 7 A10 processor..

iPhone 8 display

• 4.7-inch Retina HD display

Perfect to not stray into the dodgy Phablet territory, the 4.7 inch display as seen on the iPhone 7 means that it’s a manageable size for many people and a nice balance of screen real estate v’s usability and portability.

Improved display:

The Retina HD display has been upgraded and has better colour accuracy and a wider gamut.

And with 3D touch offering pressure sensitive methods of using the phone, the True Tone Technology in the iPhone 8 will also adjust yoru screen colours for the lighting conditions you are in when you use the device.

In term of screen size, you will still get the same 1334 x 750 resolution, so no true HD action still on Apple’s 4.7-inch handset, which will give you a 326ppi pixel density.

iPhone 8 battery

• Wireless charging support
  
• An additional cost for the charging pad technology

With a fast charge options giving you 50% charge after only 30 minutes coming in hand on days wen you need to travel and use the phone a lot and can access a power point.

Wireless charging:

With the glass back offering the wireless charging option, this is technology that will be welcomed and we see growing in popularity as time goes by so no need for clumsy cables and dodgy ports.

You will need the Qi wireless charging pad however to use that feature

iPhone 8 camera features and updates

• 12MP rear facing camera
• 4K video at 60fps
• 1080p slo-mo video at 240fps

With increased light this allows for a better dynamic range and low light quality as well as reduced noise in general.

With the camera upgrade Apple has also allowed the video feature to capture at 4K with 60FPS footage and the ever cool slow-mo footage at 240FPS which is twice as slow as the iPhone 7. SO watch out for some cool videos to emerge of stuff going BOOM!

The front facing camera is pretty cool also at the same 7MP from the iPhone7 which as we know is perfect for FaceTime and selfies.

Summary:

All in all we see a capable increase in features and a worthy investment over the Phone 7 but only just!

Smartphones have become such an integral part of our lives and even more so as they continue to boast innovative and revolutionary features that continue to get better with each new release. Whether its competing names or upgrades to existing smartphones, each new release claims to have newer and more unique features than the last.

The technology is amazing and some names lead the industry but for every Samsung or iPhone that’s boasts near perfection, there have been many others that have succeeded or failed. Sometimes regardless of the amazing features.

Here are some of the biggest failed smartphones in history.

The Nokia N-Gage from 2003

Nokia has, and always will be, one the most successful mobile phone makers ever but as smartphones emerged, so did portable gaming and the famous iPod and MP3 players.

Nokia thought to combine the lot, which is how the Nokia N-Gage was born. This device was meant to be innovative and consist of a smartphone, gaming machine and media player but it unfortunately failed at being all three.

Its awkward shape made it great for gaming and playing online pokies NZ games was a pleasure, but as a phone it was a nightmare to hold and use. The media player’s features were rather limited too.

The BlackBerry Storm from 2008

Just before the iPhone’s rise to fame, BlackBerry was one of the leading names. Their smartphones such as the Curve, the Bold and the Pearl were popular and since then BlackBerry has seen quite a few failures but none as bad as the BlackBerry Storm.

This was the first to feature the innovative touch screen but in order to retain the keyboard BlackBerry was famous for, they created the touch screen where it had to be pressed in to get the same click type of feel that other BlackBerry keypads had. It was such a failure that even the software was below standard and it made playing any type of mobile game a nightmare too.

The Facebook Phone from HTC

In 2010, rumours emerged that Facebook were planning on creating their own smartphone. Rumours went on for about three years and there was a lot of hype around them because Facebook was the world’s most powerful mobile app.

In 2013, HTC released the HTC First Facebook smartphone which only really featured a launcher called Facebook home. This is where messages could be received, chats could be had and Facebook notifications were received.

This wasn’t much to boast about and the smartphone didn’t have any other unique features that made it stand out from the rest, so it failed very soon after being released.

The 2010 Microsoft Kin Smartphone

Microsoft is a massive name in desktop technology but has never quite managed to keep the same level of innovation when it comes to their mobile technology. There have been quite a few failures with Microsoft smartphones but the worst was the Microsoft Kin.

The Microsoft Kin was strangely meant to be a mix of a smartphone and a regular mobile phone with no apps but access to leading social media networks such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. It had its own internal network to store photographs and videos.

Its biggest downfall was due to its pricing which was a bit too extreme for a mobile phone that just wasn’t quite a smartphone. The Microsoft Kin was killed off only six weeks after it was launched.

With the news that yet another malware infected application has hit the Android marketplace, we ask what the hell does a malware infected app look like and what are developers hoping to achieve by letting unwitting smartphone owners install such applications?

So how do you get a nasty app on your phone in the first place?

Most of the time users will be downloading a “repackaged” application. One that looks like another legitimate app but simply masquerades convincingly as this while actually being a nasty bit of stuff. This graphic shows the most recent repackaged apps that have plagued and infected the android marketplace and mobile devices of late:

The prize most malware developers are aiming for:

As with most blood sweat and tears, the reasons for the effort in the first place is usually monetary gain, but how can you monetize an infected app?

Simple, with the help of graphics from a mobile security firm called Lookout who specialise in stopping malware, viruses and loss and theft related to smartphones and mobile devices.

Here are the top methods explained:

Malvertising

Simply put this is where an application offers seemingly legitimate in app advertising to cover its free cost, but in reality clicking that link will cause the application to infect your device….they are not necessarily free apps though.

This graphic shows how this would work on a mobile device.

Spyware

Spyware is designed to use or collect data without a user’s knowledge or approval. This may include targeting a users call history, location, their browsing history, text messages etc and will be other targeted at an organization or individual(s) or non-targeted in a scatter gun approach where the developer of the spyware hopes for as much information as possible from a large set of people.

Not all spyware is bad, some parents use it to track their children to make sure they are safe based on location spyware.

In the event of nasty spyware, the developer may be selling the data obtained or be doing it for an unscrupulous business or person, or like in many hacker cases, simply making a point and exposing security flaws (often in search of a job!)

Malware

This is essentially software designed to engage in nasty behaviour on an infected mobile device.

Ways in which malware can manifest itself include: Remote control of a device, sending unsolicited texts and racking up huge bulls unknown to the owner are some of the ways that malware can be an issue if it finds itself on your mobile device.

Malware can also be used to steal sensitive information such as personal details that could lead to identify fraud or financial loss.

Privacy Threats

These could be within applications that you agree to legal contracts with but do put your privacy under threat when location based services are taken into account. These may not be illegal at all.

How to stay malware safe on your mobile device:

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• Only download apps that are trusted and have some history of trust associated with them, (its easy to set a site up with fake reviews) but less likely if their are multiple reviews form trusted sites.
• Set passwords for your devices.
• Check links go to where you expect and report or abort ones that do not.
• Keep firmware updated.
• Do not trust the Android marketplace as most of the recent nasty apps that have been found have been downloadable from here.
• Be wary of Jailbreaking your iPhone which can leave your generally safe Apple device open to malware and infected applications, or in Android world allowing “sideloading” on your Android device, where you can download apps from other markets, though why we are telling you this in the Android case is unclear when their own marketplace is riddled continually with malware!

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Estimated mobile malware infection rates globally in 2011:

As you can see from the graphic above the rise of malware is starting to really present issues in such a new marketplace, I wonder if things need to be done quick in the Android case in order to stop fear and doubt spreading quickly?

People have had some weird and some wonderful ideas for gadgets and while some have stood the test of time and become quite useful, or at least popular, others have never really taken off. Some gadgets, on the other hand, have been simply incredible but never lasted long because something much better came along.

Great gadgets tend to be useful and make sense but there have been many that were simply pointless or just did not live up to expectations. Here are some of the oddest gadgets that never took off, some of which were incredibly popular for a very short time, before falling flat.

The Razor Phone of 2009

A Chinese manufacturer released the Razr Phone in 2009 which was a mobile phone with an electric razor built into it.

The electric razor head was built into the bottom of the phone where it could be hidden under a plastic covering. When the battery was fully charged it had the ability to power one full shave. It is highly doubtful this gadget ever really took off at all.

The Sony MiniDisc of 1992

When the Sony MiniDisc first came about in 1992 it was amazing and boasted many advantages over CD and tape. The MiniDisc was smaller, it was tougher and it did not skip ever. Unlike most of Sony’s other technology, the MiniDisc was licensed to other manufacturers. The Sony MiniDisc was the future.

Unfortunately, the MiniDisc didn’t last long because shortly after, the CDR arrived and then the MP3. By the time the iPod came about in 2001, it was game over for the Sony MiniDisc. Fortunately for Sony they have several other successful products both released and upcoming, that more than made up for any flops.

Windows SideShow for Windows Vista

In the run up to the launch of Windows Vista came an intriguing feature called the Windows SideShow. This was technology created to power an auxiliary screen which could display certain information without having to boot up Windows.

This extra mini screen allowed for simple tasks such as checking the laptop’s battery power for when you were enjoying games at Gaming Club NZ, to playing music, but it never took off. The technology was however still included in Windows 7 but needed compatible hardware to be utilised.

Microsoft Smart Personal Object Technology

In 2002, Microsoft SPOT launched as technology that could add software to everyday items such as pens, clocks and key chains. This technology saw things such as coffee makers that displayed the weather reports and smart alarm clocks but never really took off.

Microsoft SPOT technology was discontinued in 2008 because mobile apps were on the rise and offered greater potential.

The Amstrad Emailer by Alan Sugar

Alan Sugar, a man who claimed the iPod would not succeed, was the creator of the Amstrad Emailer. It was an idea from the 1990’s that was launched in 2000 as a land line telephone with a built in keyboard that could send emails.

Perhaps technological advances and the exorbitant costs for usage of the Amstrad Emailer saw its demise but, it was a massive failure that costs millions in the end. They can still be found for sale on the internet but today’s mobile technology can do everything the Amstrad emailer could and much more.

Advances in technology have kept up to date with the busy lifestyles of many and brought about the convenience of on the go gaming that rivals that of gaming consoles. Smartphones have become our most coveted items and nowadays come equipped with capabilities that allow top games to be enjoyed to the max.

Everything from graphics, sound and other game settings to loading and manoeuvrability through the game is just as good on many smartphones as it is on console. While on the go gaming is becoming better and better, there are certain aspects of smartphones that mean some are better devices than others to get the most out of mobile gaming.

There are many great smartphones that provide an excellent on the go gaming experience but some are just better than others for various reasons. As the debate between OS and Android remains as discussed as the debate between console and desktop, different devices appeal to different users. Regardless of OS, these are some of the top smartphones that are the best for gaming purposes.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is considered to be one of the best Android smartphones available. It offers an overall superior experience but boasts spectacular gaming performance. The gaming software features that made the Galaxy S7 so great have been enhanced to offer an even better Game Mode experience.

The Game Mode comprises of a Game Launcher where the games are stored and a Game Tools feature which allows for the ability to change the screen mode to accommodate unsupported games amongst other things such as blocking notifications and recording gameplay. The Galaxy S8’s hardware provides a smooth and immersive gaming experience with plenty of space and battery power, making it ideal for playing at Gaming Club NZ or any other mobile optimised site.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Smartphone

Before the S8 was the Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone which in its time was the best mobile gaming smartphone. It is still a great gaming smartphone that has incredible hardware for quality graphics and display as well as quick charging time and long battery life.

The Galaxy S7 was the first to feature the Game Launcher software that acts as a game centre and was the first smartphone ever to support Vulkan API’s.

The Sony Xperia Z5 Smartphone

In truth, the Sony Xperia X; Z3, Z4 and the Z5 all offer the Sony Remote Play experience for Playstation 4 owners but the Sony Xperia Z5 is the latest instalment and has the most up to date features.

The Sony Remote Play experience allows the home Wi Fi connection to stream to the smartphone and a connected Dualshock 4 controller is used to play. A game control mount can attach the smartphone to a controller for better gameplay.

The iPhone 7 Plus Smartphone

The iPhone 7 Plus offers an overall better gaming experience than the regular iPhone 7 because of its higher resolution and much larger screen space with the Full HD 1080x1920p LCD display. The high end version of this smartphone comes with more than 250 GB which is massive internal storage space for games.

The iPhone 7 Plus smartphone’s storage space and the A10 Fusion, that has a quad-core CPU, makes it an incredibly fast running device that can hold many games and have them run smoothly.

When casinos first were established, the experience of visiting an establishment where you could enjoy a few of your favourite casino games coupled with food, drinks and entertainment was a novelty to which many people subscribed. As time went by however, and the modern day hectic pace of life was established, fewer and fewer people could afford to make the time to make a trip to a land based casino – not only because of the time aspect, but for some, their closest casino was too far away geographically to make a special trip. Faced with that problem, casino companies came up with the solution to go online.

When the internet was born, it opened up a world of endless possibilities for most people and casino companies took advantage of this by negating the location and time problem, and brought their games right onto the populations doorstep by establishing online casinos. Players could now enjoy a game of blackjack or poker, or whatever took their fancy, at home, provided they had a PC and an internet connection.

Moving to Smartphones

The introduction of the smartphone into mainstream society however, brought with it an even more significant change. What was previously unobtainable to many people, became commonplace relatively overnight, with smartphones being available to every demographic of person and in every earning bracket.

Some more elaborate than others, but each one a mini-computer with access to the internet for its owner. This opened up a massive new target market for the casino companies, as they were now able to reach this vastly increased audience. To take advantage of this, casino companies quickly began to take their online sites mobile, enabling users to access their favourite mobile real money slots on their handheld devices.

Improved Internet Access

Faster and better internet speeds coupled with wi-fi being widely available have sent the popularity of mobile gaming off the charts. The convenience and ease with which you can now play is chalk and cheese compared to the first land based casinos. Mobile casinos offer the flexibility of playing a game whilst engaging in other activities like having a doctor’s appointment, but squeezing in a couple of games while you are in the waiting room, meaning that you no longer need to wait until you are at your PC, and have an internet connection.

Technology is improving and increasing in leaps and bounds every day, and the casino companies have been careful to stay on top of this. By constantly updating and improving their software, they have ensured that their users have the best quality games and apps at their fingertips at all times. To encourage their wider audiences to play, mobile casinos very often offer bonuses and special deals in order to entice players and because the competition is so fierce, players can be assured that only the very best apps and games are on offer at all times.

The convenience of payment methods is another way casino companies are ensuring that they stay on top of technology as safe payment methods are constantly being updated, and simplified to make sure that your mobile casino experience is seamless.

Much has changed since then, and on top of the plentiful mobile casino apps that exist today, there are also many social casino apps as well. It’s one of the fastest growing segments in the casino industry and brings in huge revenue for companies.

A major reason for that is the community spirit involved in social gaming apps. It isn’t just you and the app – it’s you, the app and your friend and acquaintances. You may have to ask for help or give gifts to other players, but you can also gain bragging rights among friends.

Social casino apps also involve the usual features from normal casino apps, including jackpots and new levels and bonuses. There are a variety of games to be played, and you can find the right casino app for you via comparefreecasino.com – the ultimate casino comparison site.

There are few big hitters in the market though, including Williams Interactive, Playtika, Zynga, Huuuge Games and DoubleDown Interactive.

Williams Interactive SoCaMo (social, casual and mobile) is the division of WMS Gaming and boasts some of the top apps in the industry. These include Jackpot Party, Gold Fish Slots and Star Trek Slots.
Playtika is owned by Caesar’s Interactive Entertainment, and has a range of social casino apps available for users including Slotomania, Caesar’s Casino and Farkle Pro.

Zynga is one of the biggest names in the world of social casino gaming, making a massive name for itself for the production of viral app FarmVille. It was also the first social media gaming giant to launch real money poker on Facebook. The San Franciso-based company also owns Words with Friends and Wizard of Oz slots.

Huuuge Games is a company based in Poland striving to make its name in the social casino network, with its roster including titles such as Cats and Dogs Slots, Zeus Casino and Pharaoh’s Slots.
Finally, DoubleDown Interactive – another of the leading providers of casino games on the Net – has DoubleDown Casino, Texas Tea and DoubleDown Poker.

A number of the social casino games will require users to be linked to Facebook – with millions users signing in via their account every day.

For the first time ever US mobile users spend more time using Apps than accessing the Internet from traditional means such as browsers.

Convenience and user experience are reasons that apps are blazing ahead of traditional Internet use…but why?

Delivery

Similar to the way e-books have now surpassed traditional printed book sales. The key differentiators and drivers have been a new method of delivery and experience; in this case the trusted e-reader allows convenience and a more functional method of use when reading books on the go.

In the case of apps:

Quite simply it is easier and again functional to click a button (rather than type in a URL) and the benefits in the case of social networks and news ad games is a quicker load time, an optimised experience and quicker access to the desired application.

This shift relates to usability and is a natural progression when users are given easier options of access.

Games and Social Networks:

Games

Looking at the chart we can clearly see that Games take sup close to 50% of all consumers time, with one third using Social Networks, when combined the total reaches approximately 80% of total app time, with users of these categories using them more frequently and for longer.

This result is predictable when both categories currently offer the most engaging experience on mobile phones.

Social networking:

With Facebook being used by such large quantities of people are such long periods of time, we wonder just what will happen with the HTML5 based “Project Spartan” which aims to allow Facebook users access to apps from within the browser, this sounds like a very clear tactics to dominate use even further.

This space is likely to see three major players dominate, Google, Apple and we predict Facebook in time.

What are your thoughts on apps?

Do you prefer them over the Internet for browsing news and playing games….or is a traditional web page a preference for news or indeed your gaming desires?

But the question I have is how come we are all not simply getting a mobile internet connection, and a device that can ACTUALLY do multitasking properly and sticking our fingers up to our mobile/wireless phone networks and all getting accounts with Skype and leaving this application running full time when we want to be contacted or call out?

Skype has a rival.

Having been a big lover of Skype of many years I can safely say something has happened in the VOIP arena that has change my relationship over the last 12 months.

Namely Google talk:

And as a user of Gmail along with many of my contacts, this has become the de-facto way to communicate ad hoc….why?

I am usually available as I like to check mail through the day and it is simply open in a tabbed interface on my browser….

Similar to multitasking, if I hear that familiar call tone I simply flip to my Gmail tab and see who it is.

Interestingly both products are totally free for end to end users on the same application and in the case of Google is offered as a loss leader to compliment their other cloud based applications that now come in subscription form.

Gmail more of a beast in the US than Europe:

I understand that Gmail has aggressively marketed the talk/chat service more in the US.

And also provides a free phone number to users as well as offering free calls to landlines as well as mobiles via its application so long as they are numbers in the US and you are also in the US making the connection.

In the case of Skype (newly acquired by Microsoft) revenue is generated by selling ancillary services/products and enhancements such as a Skype to go number or cheap minutes, that can be used to call numbers globally at reduced rates.

List of alternative free VOIP services and chat clients that allow phone or video calls:

Fring – VOIP (Chat Client)

With 1 Million new users a month reported in 2010 and over 91,000 apps downloads in its first 24 hours on Apples App store; Fring is a great VOIP chat client, giving you the option of bringing in many various chat accounts into one convenient application while your mobile.

Fring also allows you to connect using various accounts with the more basic Instant messaging (IM) applications for Windows live, Yahoo messenger, Twitter, AIM and ICQ.

Voice chat test:

Tested on a Samsung S2 over Wi-Fi, using Google chat/talk, was a relatively decent experience.

Fring: Watch this space:

There is a good chance that Fring could be on to something with the way they have brought in a decent client that integrates so many communication options into the mobile arena….watch this space!

iCall – VOIP

Visit: iCall

When trialled, this was not the best experience at all, but worth trying on a Windows machine as I suspect it was a conflict with Apple and the software it provides.

Summary:

iCall for the web lets you make free 3-minute phone calls to anywhere in the US or Canada.

iCall web phone gives you free calls by VoIP and is the most popular free call calling service on the planet. Free phone calls are finally here and brought to you by iCall.

Devices that iCall currently works on:

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• Windows desktop
• iPhone
• Browser (tested and not very usable, though was on a Mac)

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Tuitalk – VOIP

Visit: Tuitalk

An interesting option for Global calls with limits based on the location you are seeking to connect with:

Tuitalk works similar to EvaPhone. But they require you to download their application in order to make calls:

Summary:

Tuitalk lets allows you to make free phone calls to around 40 countries. Each country in which you make your free phone call is limited to a certain number of minutes per call and per day. For most countries, your free Internet phone call can be six minutes in length.

Before your free call with Tuitalk is connected, you have to watch several seconds of a high-quality video advertisement.

Devices that currently work:

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• Windows PC
• Windows phone
• iPhone

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So will mobile network providers have to change what they offer as more and more people value Internet data over minutes?

While I am sure none of the lesser known VOIP companies is going to be a threat to the likes of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or 02 etc.

Current experience leaves a lot to be desired:

The problem with most of the current VOIP offerings is they do not work as well as you would like on Smartphones.

Using my Samsung S2 I have to go through the Fring client currently in order to bring in my Gmail account as the Gmail talk facility for Android is not yet available on the S2 but on devices that support Google talk the application is seemingly superior to Apples “facetime” due to the ability to run on 3G, 4G and wi-fi.

This looks like it will change soon though.

How does it work?

Not bad, but far from good, though the Skype version did work quite well while out and about.

A question does pose itself…

If you can create a business model that works so the consumer has to pay nothing but their connection fee to a wireless network how do you justify the hefty prices that many networks charge for a mediocre connection and a handset.

Surely the handset is the only real value in the deal…..and the problem that huge networks may face is that Smart Phones will become common place in a couple of years!

What are your experiences of using VOIP technology, have you seen a shift to this type of communication over mobile phones in the last few year as much as I have?

A Russian anti virus vendor has alerted the mac community that Apple Mac’s are far from immune to security issues as the site Dr.Web claims that over 550,000+ computers are now infected with a Trojan horse that apple have finally patched up last week.

*note the advice is to update your O/S now.

The Trojan which goes by the name of: “BackDoor.Flashback.39 trojan,” is easily installed onto unsuspecting macs.

The article on Dr.Web goes on to state:

“Systems get infected after a user is redirected to a bogus site from a compromised resource or via a traffic distribution system, JavaScript code is used to load a Java-applet containing an exploit. Dr. Web’s virus analysts discovered a large number of Web sites containing the code.”

Mainly North American Mac PC’s affected:

It would appear that close to 80% of computers that are affected are from North America with the U.S at (56%) and Canada at (20%) and the UK coming in at around 13%. Most other countries such as Japan and Australia as well as the rest of Europe are suspected to have infection rates below 1%.

How this Trojan works:

With most affected websites coming under the .nu domain (that famous island of “Niue” of course) and with URL’s spanning many niches and interests but often related to movies and TV streaming services, there is a chance that you could be among the victims.

The Trojan works by saving an executable file (an application I assume, rather than a notorious .exe file which would not work on a mac)….onto the hard drive of the affected mac, this is used to download a nasty payload from a remote server which then launches the application.

But, I hear you say, Macs are much safer than Windows PC’s as they have a barrier of protection via a password layer that needs to be input prior to any new software being installed.

Well passwords are great, but if you are unsuspecting then you are likely to simply input this especially now that so many believe that Apple devices are somehow impenetrable to Trojans and such like.

Here is an explanation as to how the password issue is addressed with this Trojan:

“Whether or not the user inputs the administrator password, the malware will attempt to infect the system, though entering the password will affect how the infection is done.”

I am slightly unclear as to what the different outcomes are but that is all I could find on the password issue.

How do we know the figures of infection?

Using sinkhole technology Dr.Web managed to redirect the botnet traffic to their own servers to count affected macs, and this is what they discovered:

Work out if you’re infected:

Using “terminal”, F-Secure have released a set of instructions that should help mac owners find out of they have been compromised by this Trojan and hopefully remove it.

Infection rate put in doubt:

IT security consultant Adrian Sanabria has stated that he is not convinced by the data that Dr.Web have put forward on his blog stating:

“So far, I haven’t seen any other reports numbering the victims of Flashback, but if accurate, such a large infection rate on Macs may change common perception of OS X as ‘virus-proof’ and could result in a spike in Mac antivirus software sales.”

Motivation of commercialism could be telling?

Mr Sanabria went on to say:

“However, given that the company reporting these numbers is in the business of selling antivirus software, I think we need to see their claims corroborated before we get too excited,”

As far as I am concerned, whatever the true figures are I can see that Mac’s will come under more scrutiny from hackers and malware creators for the simple fact that Mac’s are growing in popularity and owners are a bit slack on security due to a perceived invincibility to this kind of attack.

As this case highlights, all it takes is someone to offer you a crappy TV streaming service that requires an application to be installed, or such like, and many Mac owners will simply go ahead and forget that they could be installing something more nasty, as in this case it seems.

What do you think of the Mac Trojan issue, do you still feel that Mac’s are more secure or is this a time bomb ticking away with more nasty surprises on the horizon?

Alcatel-Lucent and AirTight Networks are offering designs that address the ever growing trend that is bring-your-own-device (BYOD) which is putting more and more pressure on networks.

With the recent boom in popularity of smartphones and more recently the tablet PC, employees and C-level executives are expecting to be able to access the company networks on their devices.

Cause and Effect

Despite the increase in employee productivity the BYOD trend has brought with it, it has been cause IT administrators a great number of headaches as they are having to look back at all of the security measures in place and the bandwidth which these devices will require.

The IT administrators now have to find a way of keeping the networks secure whilst granting employee’s access via the mobile devices and controlling the effect this will have on the speeds of the network. Networking companies are developing systems designed to aid IT administrators manage mobile device access, one of which is Extreme Networks and their Intelligent Mobile Edge product.

Alcatel-Lucent’s take on BYOD

Alcatel-Lucent is adding to the market with its offering of its Converged Network Solution. The application allows the networks to track what device is connected to the network and who is using the device, plus the applications that are being used. The application has been designed to identify which applications require a higher quality of connection than other dependent on business criticality.

“Our solution helps enterprises keep their employees satisfied and productive, while reducing the capacity-sapping impact of personal services and devices on their networks,”

Stephane Robineau, vice president and general manager of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Network Business, said in a statement.

“As importantly, by building application fluency capabilities into the network, we are also making it possible for enterprises to ensure that employees who need guaranteed service quality for bandwidth-heavy applications, like video conferencing, can get it when they need it.”

Whilst the application allows the management of mobile devices on the network it also makes the use of external services such as cloud computing much easier.

Part of Alcatel-Lucents solution is the OmniSwitch 6450 Ethernet LAN switch, a 1GbE device that offers network access and can include 10GbE uplinks. This device will be made available between April and the end of June.

AirTight’s take on BYOD

AirTight has introduced a device “fingerprinting” capability into its Spectragaurd Enterprise Wireless Prevention Services (WIPS) and AirTight Cloud Services. The new fingerprinting capability was designed to enable easy identification for mobile devices on a network and check that they meet with the requirements of corporate policies.

“AirTight uses correlation of information from over-the-air and on-the-wire packets,” Parekh said in a statement. “This method produces accurate information about all smart devices (including iPhones, iPads, Androids and BlackBerrys) connected to the network to enable automatic classification and policy enforcement of ‘approved’ versus ‘unapproved’ devices.”

Along with the device fingerprinting AirTight also have a workflow designed to simplify BYOD management (patent-pending), mobile device quarantine, hotspot authorisation, Wi-Fi device pinpointing on premise, BYOD management API that integrates with mobile device management (MDM) systems and produces BYOD reports that can be emailed to any inbox required.

As the BYOD trend gains more momentum the pressure put on IT departments is increasing as is the number of businesses that are adapting their IT systems to accommodate this is up to 60 percent, according to a report from Avande. Nearly 90 percent of business leaders understand that employees use personal devices for work, 65 percent of C-level executives have acknowledged that BYOD is a high priority for their companies.

“Despite the notion that business leaders are resisting the shift, we found that companies are investing in staff and resources to enable the consumerisation of IT and have many of the resources that are needed today,” said Tyson Hartman (Avanade CTO) when they released the report.

It would seem that the BYOD trend will continue to bring new innovations and issues as things progress.

With new and exciting apps dropping into both the Android and iPhone app stores nearly every day the list continues to grow which even though makes it all the more appealing to customers by offering a much wider range of choice it can make picking out the best a bit of an unwanted chore.

Couple this with the fact that more and more online operators are now unleashing their own casino apps it can be a veritable smorgasbord out there of potential top flight mobile and tablet-based casino gaming apps.

Thankfully we’ve managed to pick out just some of the best which hopefully make your experience a whole lot better.

BET365 MOBILE

Since the turn of the millennium, Bet365 has become one of the leading online betting operators in the UK and it has firmly established its brand with the British public, especially thanks to its in-play sports betting and other excellent features.

In 2012 they partnered with Playtech and launched their very own Bet365 mobile casino app. There is a superb line-up of classic casino games as well as a whole host of quality slot games to enjoy on the app and what’s more is that new players who sign up to the app today will also be able to enjoy a special 100% matched bonus of up to a maximum of £100 on their first deposit.

JACKPOT CITY ONLINE CASINO

There are plenty of apps out there that work great with iPhones and other Apple devices and alternative casino-based apps which work better with a number of popular Android devices.

Jackpot City is a great example of a casino app that is compatible with both and works brilliantly across both platforms.

It’s powered by Microgaming and so the selection of games is impressive and includes plenty of popular slot experiences such as Tomb Raider, Thunderstruck, Game of Thrones and the Major Millions jackpot game. Mobile players will be able to enjoy a welcome bonus of up to $1600 when they download and join the app.

3-REEL SLOTS DELUXE

Slot fans are well catered for in the mobile casino market but there are still a lot of players out there who don’t enjoy the bigger 5-reel video slots games on offer.

Thankfully this more traditional 3-reel alternative is available for those looking for something a little more simplistic and traditional. The app offers 22 different 3-reel slot games each varying with different win lines and jackpot payouts and all very much worth checking out.

PARTY CASINO

The party casino app is the perfect choice for players looking for a straightforward app that they can sign up to and get playing in next to no time at all.

It features no less than 11 different roulette games and variations, as well as a number of different blackjack games and other popular table games such as craps and baccarat.

What’s more is that Party Casino members can also enjoy a special VIP service where you can collect loyalty points and climb various levels each time you play which can then be exchanged for other special bonuses to use at the site.

The idea of smartwatch gambling was initially unveiled in the early part of 2014 at the yearly Mobile World Congress, and it is safe to say it has been gaining popularity, and traction, ever since.

Gambling software companies like Playtech, and betting operators like Ladbrokes are producing gambling and wagering applications for Android and Apple iOS watches, and Microgaming is ensuring it is not left behind as these devices are more widely released and easily accessible for John and Jane Average.

Overview of Games Available on Smartwatches

Currently, there is only really a selection of real money slots available for these devices, although this will change, and soon. The first of these games playable now is the classic Thunderstruck, one of Microgaming’s most famous, and you can enjoy it stripped down to its barest elements in order to render it playable from your wrist. It certainly manages to pack in all of the same action you may have enjoyed on other platforms.

The only thing smartwatch-friendly pokies have is the name of the game, the reels, and a button which outlines your balance and the amount of money you wish to bet. All the frills have been removed, and only the most vital info remains on your screen, with every available pixel devoted to the game itself.

In addition, Microgaming developed their well-liked but now discontinued Dark Knight Rises for smartwatch formats too, originally designing it officially for the Samsung Gear 2. Despite no longer being available, this game remains one for the very first internet-based pokies ever created for the device.

Whether you enjoy online pokies in NZ or slots in South Africa, the advent of wearable gambling technology is going to be music to your ears.

What to Expect When You Play Smartwatch Games

Pokies are by far the most popular real money casino game compatible with smartwatches, and you have everything you need on your wrist in order to play. What these games may lack when compared to the more graphically refined versions available for enjoyment by means of tablets and smartphones, are more than compensated for by the level of convenience they present. They are intuitive enough to enjoy anytime, and ensure that you are never far from your favourite real money entertainment. These games are easy to play, exceptionally compact, and decidedly discreet. You can play anytime, without those around you necessarily being aware of that fact.

Potential for Future Growth in the Wearables Market

While the opportunities right now for smartwatch pokies play is rather limited, this situation will not last for very long. As more and more players opt for this method of access, developers will devote more for their resources to creating formatted games that function on these devices, and players can look forward to various table games becoming a smartwatch-option very soon.

While you can already enjoy various gambling and betting on the go options by means of your smartphone and tablet, wearables add an entirely new level of access, and discretion, to gaming. You will be able to give the pokies reels a spin literally whenever you like, wherever you are, without necessarily attracting unwanted attention, and can enjoy games from anywhere at all.

Although cloud technology has been around for a few years, it wasn’t fully developed and commercialized until recently. Three major competitors have emerged in the cloud market; Apple, Google, and Amazon. These three companies seem to be taking the cloud world by storm and are attracting new customers left and right. Cloud services allow users to upload files to the “cloud” to be stored instead of on their devices.

They can then access the files from their mobile devices or computers. Apple provides users with their “iCloud” service while Google provides users with “Google Play” and Amazon has their “Cloud Drive”.

Google Play Review:

My personal favorite player in the Cloud industry has to be Google’s new Google Play. It has worked flawlessly for me thus far and has great deals every day. Popular albums and books are extremely cheap when on sale.

So what are the most useful aspects of clouds? They for one save users large amounts of space on their devices, especially mobile devices where space can be scarce. Clouds can also provide wireless syncing of contacts, email, and multimedia which is very convenient and eliminates the need for clumsy sync cables. Clouds allow access to your content from anywhere.

This especially comes in handy when you are away or need a document for business. You can simply log on to the nearest computer and download whatever you need, instantly. Another question users may ask is regarding the cost of these cloud services. Apple doesn’t charge extra for their iCloud service but they do require that you have updated Apple devices in order to use the service.

Google Play is a completely free service and can be accessed from any device or computer. It even lets users let their friends listen to their music for free! Amazon’s Cloud Drive service is free for the first 5gb of storage used and can also be accessed from any computer. There are many questions associated with this new cloud technology but the biggest question is how high will you go with the innovative cloud services.

It’s convenient

Arguably the biggest factor in your mobile’s favour is just that – it’s mobile! You can play whenever and anywhere you want, provided you have an internet connection. If you play on sites like Play Cosmo you don’t even need internet access. Instead, just download the app and hone your skills on the free-play games when you can’t find a 4G or Wi-Fi signal.

Even if you’re at home, the smartphone is the easiest and quickest way to get started – or carry on playing – the casino game of your choice. Just pick up the phone, tap the app icon, or go to the website and start playing. By contrast, laptops are heavier and slower to turn on.

Tablets do have larger screens, which many see as their main advantage over smartphones. Yet they are also more cumbersome. Plus, screen size is becoming less of an issue as smartphone screens begin to hit the 7-inch mark.

Many see smartphones as essential devices that they take everywhere. Of course, their smaller size makes it more convenient to do so.

It costs less

Most desktop computers cost between £300 and £2000. Smartphones are generally cheaper, ranging from £100 to £500. Plus, many phones come free with monthly contracts. This makes the mobile handset a more affordable way to enjoy your favourite casino games or slots.

Powerful

Last year, a Venture Beat article predicted that mobile graphic capabilities would soon surpass those of consoles. For years, better graphics and higher speeds have been the key advantages of desktops and consoles over smartphones – but not anymore.

The latest smartphones have stunning graphics, allow you to enjoy live dealer casinos and talk with other players with next to no latency. Smartphones now give you everything you need for a truly immersive gambling experience.

More creative

Many operators make slots and casino games especially for smartphones. The low cost of developing the titles translates to a huge variety of games to choose from. And since it is faster and cheaper to produce mobile slots, operators tend to try out new concepts more readily. The result of this is a remarkable level of creativity that just didn’t exist prior to the smartphone.

Community

Mobile phones first existed purely as a means of talking with others while on the move. When smartphones came along, they added gaming to the mix. This makes the modern handset perfect for reaching out to other players, despite the fact many see them as unsociable. Use your smartphone to share banter, post screenshots and seek advice on social media or forums before, after, or even during your game.

Interestingly, the bottom line decline in growth was even more pronounced than initially predicted, with a drop of 7% being reported as total revenues increased by just 1% to $399.2 billion. GfK reported that 1.3 billion smartphones were sold around the world in 2015, and while this generated a sizable turnover it below even conservative expectations for the market as a whole. GfK had predicted that growth would fall by a minimal amount of 14%, but this was more than double the final rate recorded.

So despite a record financial quarter in terms of sales volumes and revenues, the smartphone market has clearly hit a wall in terms of growth and innovation. This is no surprise, even when you account for the huge range of handsets and branded smartphones that are available in the current marketplace. Many of the mobile upgrades that we see during the course of the year are nominal at best, while the range of available features has scarcely improved or diversified over the course of the last year or so.

Even the rise of online gaming has not been able drive higher levels of growth in the smartphone market. While casino outlets offer innovative gaming platforms and informative resources such as this ‘how to play roulette’ feature, the handsets themselves do not offer unique selling points or value propositions.

This is in contrast with the tablet market, which has far greater novelty appeal (particularly for gamers) while these devices feature a wide array of more specific features. This market has yet to peak or reach its zenith, meaning that it may well make up ground on smartphones over the course of the next five years.

What is it about the Nordic countries that sees so many small businesses opening up based in Norway and Sweden and Finland in the mobile online gambling sector?

The answer seems to lie in the regional legal and political situation rather than a predisposition for online gambling for those northern European countries that see a lot less light in the winter months.

One such example is NorskCasino.org where you can play slots, or Spilleautomater as they are called in Norway and there you will gain a wide amount of choice in terms of trying and learning about games to play on a mobile website.

The fact that so many companies like this exist in Norway and Nordic countries means that the business in itself has become a rather large specialist cottage industry in the region.

With the demise of Nokia and so much tech talent being displaced as the company succumb to US and Korean competition over the last ten years, it may come as a welcome money earning stream for entrepreneurs and technology companies seeking to gain access to this large user base of potential online gamblers.

The ubiquity of smartphones has led to mobiles and tablets becoming the primary source of browsing the internet for most people, bringing about changes in how content is now delivered and consumed online. With mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones easily available and always connected, website owners, content creators, and developers are also increasingly tailoring their content to the format. This mobile-first approach is more than just a trend as it is increasingly clear that the future of online activity will predominantly be mobile based.

There are many reasons for this, the fact that most people own a smartphones or tablet is chief among them, and the technology’s current and potential capabilities are yet others.

In short, mobile is proving to be the perfect platform for online gaming and gambling; let’s look at some of the reasons why.

Dedicated Apps

One advantage of smartphones and tablets is that they have app stores where users can download their favourite gaming and gambling applications. These apps give you direct access to services and are usually focused on a particular niche for a more immersive experience.

Aside from dedicated app stores there are also a number of mobile optimised portal sites that allow you to find the best bingo sites uk has to offer to make it easier to discover your favourite casino games as well. Apps are another reason why mobile has grown into the perfect platform for online gambling and other video games.

Better Content

As mentioned above, many developers now create their casino and casual games specifically for mobile. This means that better content tends to be available on mobile due to the capabilities of smartphones and tablets, and since its cheaper and faster to produce mobile games, – better variety too.

Speed and Convenience

The smartphones in our pockets are increasingly powerful machines that allow us to have access the internet right at our fingertips. This gives mobile devices an advantage of convenience to the user as all it takes is to simply press your home button, select the casino game of your choice and start playing. This is in contrast to having to boot up a laptop or PC, navigating to the providers’ website and searching for your favourite games before you can start playing. Although this may not be a major barrier, it is one that mobiles eliminate and replace with speedy and convenient access to the internet.

Connectivity and Social

Another major driver of the popularity of online gaming and casino gambling platforms on mobile is the social aspect and connectivity of gaming communities. Through social media, which can be integrated into games, players can easily find people who share the same interest and become part of a group. Social connectivity is crucial in getting users to keep coming back as they feel part of something they can relate to.

Conclusion

Current and future trends show that the popularity of mobile technology and the focus on developing content for the format is a perfect match that has made smartphones and tablets the saviour of the video gaming and casino industries. With such success and mobile proving to be the perfect platform for online games and gambling, the trend will not be slowing down anytime soon.

According to data from Ofcom; the communications regulator in the United Kingdom, there are more mobile phone subscriptions than there are people in the UK.

Given the number of newborns and children that are simply too young to have a mobile phone contact (at least so we think), it only enhances how incredible that stat is.

Whilst compiling data for my company’s latest blog post, I found one more stat that shocked me some more.

According to MobileInsurance.co.uk, the average person uses their phone 547.5 hours per year, or nearly 23 full days. Just think about that for a moment…

With that in mind, I began to research all the things the average person could do if they didn’t have a mobile phone, and therefore had an additional 547.5 spare hours in their year.

Here’s what I came up with:

1. Read an extra 78 books per year

My research led me to believe that the average book is 250 pages in length, which takes the average human 7 hours to read. Therefore, you could read an additional 78 books in the time you spend on your phone – that’s an extra six-and-a-half books a month.

Or you could read all seven Harry Potter books in just over two months…

2. Spend an extra 1.5 hours in bed per day

Tired? Wish you could lie in for an extra hour or so each day? Well, put your phone down for a year and you could get an astonishing additional 90 minutes in bed per day!

Feeling tired and grumpy at work? Leaving the party early because you haven’t got the energy? All of this would be solved but for the intervention and popularity of the mobile phone.

3. Microwave 28,157 Rustlers burgers

Remember those microwavable burgers your mother used to stick on for you when you were a child? ‘0 to tasty in 70 seconds’ was their advertisement. Well, in the time you spend on your phone over the course of the year, you could have a lot of run sticking 28,157 Rustler burgers in the microwave, one at a time.

Mind you, with 275 calories in their Flame Grilled Cheese Burger, that equates to an extra 7,743,175 calories a year, so we wouldn’t advise.

4. Listen to Michael Jackson’s Thriller album 776 times

The biggest-selling album of all-time was released in 1982 and lasts 42 minutes and 19 seconds. If the average person listened to Michael Jackon’s Thriller whilst on their phone, they could get through the entire album more than twice a day – or 776 times a year.

They’re out to get you; there’s demons closing in on every side. They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial…

5. Hop on the London underground from Leicester Square to Covent Garden 98,550 times

The shortest distance between two London underground stations is 260 metres – Leicester Square and Covent Garden on the Piccadilly Line. This takes only 20 seconds, despite costing £4.80.

With the time you spend on your phone you could take this journey an incredible 98,550 times over the course of a year!

6. Watch 1,493 episodes of Friends

There were 10 seasons of the American sitcom Friends between 1994-2004, producing 236 episodes in all, each lasting 20-22 minutes. If we ditch our mobile phones and grab some pizza we could watch all 10 season six times over and still have some spare time, or simply watch a combined 1,493 episodes.

“Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You’re gonna love it!” – Monica

7. Drive Route 66 14 times

One of the original highways within the USA Highway System, Route 66 was established in 1926 before it was officially removed in 1985. However, it remains in popular culture with several tourists heading over each year to complete the 2,448 mile journey.

According to an article in the USA Today last year the route takes 37 hours to complete. This means if you put your phone down for a whole year you could drive Route 66 fourteen times and still have some hours left to spare!

8. Watch 353 football matches

Excluding the half-time break but included the average three minutes of additional time at the end of the second half, you could watch 353 full football matches over the course of the year.

To put that into context, the English Premier League season consists of 380 games over the course of 10 months, with 20 teams playing 38 games each. Or, the last FIFA World Cup was only 64 matches – so you could have watched every single match of that tournament five times and still have time to spare.

9. Catch a train from Miami to New York 19 times

Miami, Florida and New York, New York are two very popular tourist destinations. At the opposite end of the East coast of Ame5ria – one at the foot at the country and the other towards the top, they are more than 1,200 miles apart.

Amtrak run a daily journey between the two cities which takes 28 hours to complete. In the time you spend on your phone over 365 days you could complete this journey 19-and-a-half times.

10. Watch Cats the Musical 243 times

What’s everybody’s favourite musical? Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical production of T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, first opened in London’s West End back in 1981 and remains popular to this day.

The show runs for two-and-a-quarter hours, meaning you could watch the play 243 times a year; 20 times a month if you prefer that than a mobile phone.

11. Watch the entire Star Wars trilogies 35 times

One of the highest-grossing and most popular film series of all-time – thereare seven films in the Star Wars Prequel, Sequel and Original trilogies, each running for at least two hours. Many a devoted fan has dedicated a day in their lift to watching all seven of them in succession in a day.

With the time available by sacrificing your phone for one year, you could watch the trilogies 35 times over the course of the year. “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda

Chris Parkes
Marketing Manager
Network Telecom

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Tablets must be at least 7 inches to be considered a tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 measures 8 inches which puts it on the smaller end of its class. However, many gamers are thrilled with its dimensions as it makes it much easier to carry with them. The display is much larger than a smartphone for enjoying online casino games. The display’s resolution is an impressive 1280 x 800 display. An Android product, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 runs on the Android operating system. It comes with the 4.2 version, also known as Jelly Bean. Many gamers prefer Android for the number of gaming apps. Also, most online casinos have special Android versions of their site to work optimally with these devices.

The best tablets for gaming have a speedy processor. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 doesn’t disappoint here either. Equipped with the 1.5 GHz Exynos 4212 dual core processor, the Galaxy Tab 3 doesn’t have to worry about sluggish performance which can really be a problem when playing on sites such as http://www.gamingclub.com/au/online-roulette Battery life is also important to permit gamers to play on the go. The battery life of this device is approximately 11 hours.

Now what do we have hear? Apple’s Siri, espousing the virtues of their Nordic rival Nokia, in the shape of the Lumia 900 series, yes it appears that Siri has decided, in its infinite wisdom, that the sleek but rather boring (app wise) Nokia Lumia is king of the smartphones.

According to a report on Ubergizmo and using the data and statistics based search engine Wolfram Alpha to help determine the answers the shock reply appears to be that Siri loves Nokia Lumias, so what next for Siri?

I prefer it when it appears to have no idea what the average Scotsman has to say, and would rather hear it blurt out profanities at some smug apple loving schmuck in all honesty, but if it wants to seemingly poo on itself also, who am I not to have a good laugh.

*caveat, I genuinely and rather ironically have never seen Siri used in real!

What do you Apple iPhone 4s owners think of this, can you prove that this does in fact happen, and do you, more importantly, agree if it does in fact hold true?

The iPhone has to be one of the greatest status symbols to ever gain notoriety as being exactly that. After all there’s the running joke of “How do you know if somebody has an iPhone?” and the simple answer is that “they tell you” and you know this is exactly what happens and this would have made Steve Jobs smile every day for the rest of his life. Not only did he create a product that literally everyone wants but he also created a product that conducted its very own viral marketing campaign. Do Apple even advertize these phones anymore? Do they need to?

But cell phone technology moves pretty quickly and you can expect your current phone to be out-of-date in around 9-months or less from now. Apple are particularly good at creating products that encourage people to upgrade to the latest model, even if they don’t really need it. Look at the launch of the iPad 3 for example and you got to see the same people camping outside Apple stores for days in advance of the launch just so they could be some of the first to own it.

And the same thing applies to iPhones in that as you’re upgrading you’re eventually going to wind up with handsets you don’t use and this is the prime time for you to sell iPhones for straight-up cash to the team at HelloTotem.com. That old iPhone of yours is worth money to them it will take you literally 90-seconds to head over to their website and complete their online valuation form that tells you exactly how much your phone is worth – even if it’s broken.

So if you want to sell iPhones you don’t use anymore and have a check or Paypal payment sent to you in a few working days then head over to HelloTotem.com right now.

One such feature is RIM’s BlackBerry financial wallet, which is now available to the public on any BlackBerry device that is compatible with the latest BlackBerry OS 7. The wallet app is designed to speed up the checkout process for mobile purchases by keeping track of financial and banking information.

For example, the app can remember card numbers, billing information and delivery addresses, in addition to login information and reward schemes for retail websites. Since the invention of Internet commerce, companies have worked to develop and improve the process of electronic payment to be as seamless as possible: no cash, no coins, no filling out checks, no typing, and no storing credit card numbers.

“Mobile commerce is beyond the mobile wallet and there is a tremendous opportunity for brands to go beyond the buyer/supplier relationship,” O’Neill said. “Brands can now have a holistic view of the customer and serve them in an entirely new way, offering rich context based experiences.”

And RIM is not the first company to pick up on mobile commerce. Google also has a wallet app similar to the BlackBerry Wallet and other big name companies such as eBay, Apple, Visa and MasterCard are advancing their digital wallets in hopes of nabbing a share of the soon-to-be lucrative market. With these advancements, smartphone users—no matter what service provider—will be better able to handle spontaneous purchases and frequent online shopping.

O2 has branched out further into the provision of free advertising funded wi-fi by signing a five year deal with McDonalds to provide the free internet access in tehir 1,200 UK restaurants, users will have to sign up initially via a straight forward procedure and will then be able to access the service from the participating restaurants UK wide and any other O2 Wi-Fi hotspot.

The fact that users will primarily be signing up with their mobile devices means that their will be some advertising funded occasional promotional messages and texts to fund this offer.

“O2 announced its Wi-Fi rollout in January of 2011, along with an advertising-supported model that requires users to sign up with their mobile phone numbers to receive “relevant, timely content”.

Wi-Fi on the go:

McDonald’s had introduced free Wi-Fi back in 2007 working with The Cloud and BT Openzone, but teh fast fodo chain wants to promote a nationwide network of free and high speed wi-fi access poinst at their restairants.

Gavin Franks, managing director of O2 Wi-Fi.

“This announcement builds on the significant partnerships already secured by O2 Wi-fi in the past 12 months, enabling millions of people the length and breadth of the UK to access the internet for free whilst on the move,”

This new partnership builds on existing relationships that O2 have fostered with large UK businesses and councils such as House of Fraser, Mitchells and Butler (pub chain) and The Borough of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.

McDonald’s hopes that the O2 deal will raise network quality above what they currently expect, and with some 750,000 patrons regularly logging on, there does need to be some consideration to the future capacity as these figures are growing.

McDonald’s UK IT director Mark Fabes states:

“Recent figures showed that a staggering 750,000 McDonald’s customers are logging on in our restaurants each month and we are always looking for ways to improve our customer experience,”.

Source: TechWeekEurope

In an interview with Mike Grebennikov from Migrate2Mobile.com we learn more about the company that he runs and how they are looking to work with partners globally on areas that mobile technology can help businesses and marketers perform better in.

Adopting a thoroughly modern approach to business Mike has been involved in global technology outsourcing for many years, he now sees the real benefit of having links to this sector but is focused on results based actions rather than following the herd and outsourcing to more and more people who know little about your company with negligible returns.

Migrate2Mobile.com adopt the best of both worlds.

If you are interested in talking with Mike about potential consultancy work or collaborations on projects please contact him on:

sales@migrate2mobile.com

1-866-535-3757 (US)

01305 773996 (UK)

Apple’s new iPad is out and in circulation among the public, but many question whether it’s any different from its predecessor, the iPad 2.

When comparing the two models side by side, there are in fact subtle differences, the main difference between the two models is the new retina display on the new iPad and the increased battery life.

The new retina screen on the new iPad is revolutionary.

When comparing the two screens, a user can differentiate between the two. The new iPad has 4 times the amount of pixels than the iPad 2.

Retina Display:

If a user looks closely they can see the difference in the sharpness and clarity around icons and text. The retina display has more pixels than most HD tv’s.

The battery in the new iPad is the other biggest difference between the new iPad and the iPad 2, The new battery can power the device for 10 hours and with the LTE turned on, 9 hours.

The new iPad is barely larger than the iPad 2 so the increase in battery life is quite an achievement. There are speculations surrounding possible new battery technology in the new iPad battery.

Although the new battery and screen are achievements, the complaints towards the excessive heat of the device have overshadowed the positives.

The device has been known to get up to 116 degrees and has caused consumers to become very uncomfortable. According to rumors, the cause of the excessive heat happens to be coming from the new AX5 processor in the new iPad.

So considering the lack of major differences between the iPad 2 and new iPad and the overheating issue, I would say that it is not worth it to invest in the new iPad. I would much rather spend less money on the iPad 2 and not have my hands burned then enjoy a new screen. Please leave thoughts and comments below.

It has been a touch few years for Blackberry who have failed to commercialize their devices and operating system beyond the business community and a few thousand anarchic UK rioters.

So with the terrible two seemingly gone from the top, how are Blackberry going to emerge now that they have had a little time to reflect on the future?

The answer to that seems to be that they will focus on their core corporate clients and turn their back for now on trying to muscle in on consumer orientated Apple and Android markets.

Reality has set in at RIM:

In the statement yesterday, the spokesperson also stated that the would be looking to partner with other technology providers in software and other areas that will allow RIM to move quicker and more cost effectively into areas that the are less experienced in.

CEO at RIM Thorsten Heins said:

“We can’t do everything ourselves, but we can do what we’re good at,”.

Build on strengths:

Heins said a turnaround required “substantial change.”

“We believe that BlackBerry cannot succeed if we tried to be everybody’s darling and all things to all people…therefore, we plan to build on our strength.”

With a huge strategic review underway at research in motion, the new RIM will see a fair few stalwarts of the company who were there at the beginning leave in various ways.

Co-CEOs Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis were replaced by Heins after they had recently lost the company tens of billions of dollars on their share value.

Along with the demise of the CEO’s David Yach the chief technology officer for software and Jim Rowan, chief operating officer for global operation are also leaving.

But business world demand iPhones and Android:

There is a major issue that RIM face right now and that is if there new version of the blackberry operating system, Blackberry 10 does not offer the option of running third part apps, then their new software could once again prove problematic as the shift is already underway and I would imagine that the longer this sea change occurs the harder it will be for corporations to justify yet another change back to a new device and O/S when so much is at stake during such a migration.

Apple alone sold some 37 million iPhones in the last three months of 2011, which is 3x more than what RIM shipped in the last three quarters combined.

And with the Playbook flopping despite being hailed as a good quality device, you can see that the path out for RIM is going to be uphill and more than likely take a few wrong turns on the way.

So how long can RIM take to bring about the change that is needed?

Well RIM shares have seen a decline last year of quite a significant margin, but the ship does seem to have stabilized some what since then.

With Net loss at around $125 million for the fourth fiscal quarter, this is an obvious loss, but not as much as the nearly $1 billion hit ($934 million) they took a year ago.

And revenue has fallen short of expectations at some $4.2 billion from $5.6 billion. This has been reflected in the share price with RIM shares falling by 33 cents to $13.40 which see a 2.4% drop.

Warning about the security risks that are coming to light between Twitter and mobile malware that Symantec discovered after researchers said they have noticed an increase in the number of cyber criminals utilising the micro blogging system to lure in victims.

In a post made on Symantec’s blog, employee Joji Hamada says that Twitter is becoming an increasingly popular way to lure people to Android.Opfake malware.
“Users can potentially end up infecting their mobile devices with Android.Opfake by searching for tweets on subjects such as software, mobile devices, pornography or even dieting topics, to name a few,” Hamada wrote. “Android.Opfake is not hosted on the Android Market (Play Store) and these tweets lead to malicious Websites developed for the Opfake application.”

Twitter is a hotbed for scams:

Hamada said, that the Tweets used usually contain short links that are in Russian with the odd bit of English mixed into them. If the user clicks on one of these links they are asked to install code which is made to look legitimate. Additionally despite there being these tell tale signs of malicious links there are also tactics used by the individual which are harder to pick up on without having to follow the link and seeing what happens.

In the blog post, Hamada gives examples of malicious tweets.

Malicious Tweets:

Hamada goes on to outline some of the other characteristics of malicious tweets, but he also does warn that they not all consistent and will vary on some level. One of the key things to watch for is that the tweets are being sent out at a constant rate with no variation in what is tweeted and that the account has no followers. Having said that, there will be profiles that look like they are owned by honest people because it contains content in the profile, has followers and a more common account name but it is in actual fact linking to malicious code.
Symantec found that the malware operations are running constantly across a large number of accounts and in most cases they are performed simultaneously. Bringing to our attention Hamada mentions a operation that had been running for 8 hours before it was stopped, within this time 130,000 tweets had been made across 100 accounts (more than 160 tweets per hour per account).

“There were other minor operations taking place as well,” he said in the blog post. “However, I was unable to confirm the number involved.”
Hamada, praising Twitter in the way it responds to the findings of Symantec, which alerts them on malicious tweets. Symantec has suggested that Twitter shuts down these accounts while users are still able to report accounts for spam.

“Cyber-criminals mix their game around, thereby making it difficult to recognize all bad tweets and most of all: they are persistent,” he wrote.
Hamada notes that Twitter provides advice on how to keep accounts secure.

“Smartphones have allowed users to access the Internet anytime, anywhere and perform tasks that were only possible using computers,” Hamada wrote. “While the convenience provides so many great advantages, cyber-criminals are also taking this opportunity to accomplish their bad deeds. So be wary when using mobile devices. For tweets in particular, be selective when deciding which links in the tweets to click on.

Trusted tweets?

You may want to only trust tweets you are familiar with. Tweets are similar to email. You wouldn’t open an email from an unknown sender and then click on the included link, would you? This usually means bad news and the same goes for tweets.”
Having followed the Android.Opfake malware Hamada said that while the developers are currently targeting the Android and Symbian smartphones, they are also looking to target the Apple IPhone and the iOS operating system.

“We have come across a couple of Opfake Websites that, while hosting malicious apps that Symantec detects as Android.Opfake, are also designed to perform social engineering attacks on iPhone users,” Hamada wrote. “The iPhone is designed to prevent the installation of applications outside of the Apple App Store. This makes life difficult for bad guys attempting to fool users into installing malicious apps in a similar manner to Android and Symbian devices. To get around this, the Opfake gang has developed a social engineering trick that does not require apps to scam site visitors.”

To read Juji Hamada blog post click here.