By Aldo Panessidi

Can you hear the Apple machine cranking? The infamous company has yet to reach its zenith for this century according to Gartner reports and financial projections of the past few weeks and its adoring public is not likely to disappoint or be disappointed.

Tablets will see an explosion in sales over the next four years, selling 60% as many units as PCs by 2015 – and Apple iPad will still have almost half the market by then, says the research group Gartner in a bullish forecast.

IDC and Gartner PC v Tablet forecast to 2015, when Gartner puts tablet unit sales at 60% of PCs'

The following video provides a iPad 3 - Rumor Roundup

After delivering a surprisingly popular (and by last quarter’s earnings reports, buyable) iPhone 4S, we are more prepared than ever to see the company’s latest iPad. The iPad 3 has had rumors swirling about it for months now. Considering the slate is to be the third in a line of tablet royalty, it is no wonder that the speculation and press around the device could easily fit into the format of US Weekly. And would probably be interesting than reading about the

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So when we caught wind that images of the device had been published by the Chinese language Apple Daily before the official announcement, inquiring minds needed to know just how accurate those images were considering the limited visuals that had been previously leaked. We are also keeping an ear to the ground for any news on Apple iPad3 accessories

Happily, previous reports seem in line with what was seen in the Apple Daily. The case will be familiar to iPad2 users, but has the twist: a gradual taper leading from the back to the edges. This will likely translate into new accessories needed for the new slate, but that remains to be seen.

From the spec perspective, the Apple Daily reconfirms that the iPad3 will have a 9.7-inch Retina Display and an 8-megapixel camera. With a quad-core Apple A6 processor and embedded 4G LTE connectivity under the hood, customers will not be disappointed. Apple is expected to debut the iPad3 at a press conference early March where we will hopefully hear more of plans to pair exclusively with a telecommunications carrier or if the device will be made available unlocked.

By Aldo Panessidi

Brand reputation can be hard to quantify.   The way consumers feel and the degree of trust they assign a company and its brand are tied up into a lot of intangibles.  However, Harris Interactive, a marketing research firm has developed a Reputation Quotient to measure brand reputation.   Comprised of six dimensions of reputation, this year’s new front runner, Apple was top-ranked in four: products and services, financial performance, workplace environment, and vision and leadership. The California based company was outscored by Whole Foods in the social responsibility category and by Amazon in the emotional appeal dimension of reputation.

This year marks the firm’s 13^th annual Reputation Quotient survey and Apple snagged a score of 85.62, the highest score recorded since the survey began.   Furthermore, in other  Google vs Apple  episodes,  Apple has edged out Google from its top spot in 2011’s poll. Another cloud-service provider, Amazon joined the ranks of the top 5 companies and the list was rounded out by Coca-Cola and Kraft Foods.

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According to Robert Fronk, the executive vice president of Harris Interactive, the rise of these kinds of companies to the top ranks is not unexpected. “We are seeing the emergence of a group of companies that garner reputation equity by being positively associated with multiple industries […] companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon.com combine innovation and leadership across multiple business areas, giving them true competitive advantage.”

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Between the iconic mobile tech devices (the iPad, iPhone, iPod, iTouch etc), the must-have accessories for those devices (docking stations, headphones and the like), and cloud services that Apple is going to bring to our homes with an iTV Apple fits Fronk’s model very well. Google will deliver comparable innovation and products, but may be hurting its brand reputation by not having the total control over device creation by its myriad of manufacturers as Apple does. Their core approaches to business, development and brand management vary – but then again, so does the name of which company reigns supreme.

By Aldo Panessidi

Riddle me this Batman: what exactly is an exabyte? Technically it is “a unit of information or computer storage equal to 1quintillion bytes.” Wrapping your head around this large of a number is like trying to fathom the national debt of the United States and all of its ramifications.

So when we saw Cisco’s Visual Networking Forecast that shows global mobile data traffic projection for the next five years, the numbers were similarly difficult to swallow: 10.8 exabytes per month. To put it in perspective, this is an 18-fold increase from today’s data consumption. And with 71% of this massive amount of data will be consumed by cloud traffic and the approximate 10 billion mobile Internet-connected devices projected to be in use in 2016.

With the world population expected to be 7.3 billion, these numbers point to a trend of consumers toting around more than one device. They will be streaming video, data, and music at faster speeds on their tablets, smartphones, iPod, MacBooks and laptops televisions thanks to quickly adopted technology from LTE networks to the actual devices. More specifically, it is the jump in smartphone adoption that is the driving force in these huge data growth projections as this will account for 8 billion of the 10 billion devices expected to be in use.

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This staggering number of devices and leaps in technology will likely have a domino effect where consumers will require smarter accessories to integrate their devices into daily life without becoming cumbersome. And, with this kind of huge adoption of technology and cloud services, the question of what role the telecommunication giants will have comes into play. Even now we are seeing a shift towards internet-based services and unlocked cell phones that provide consumers with other choices beyond the traditional carriers.

Wherever the trends and technology go, we will be sure to keep you apprised as they change and shape a different future.

By Aldo Paneesidi

Managing Customer churn as well acquiring new customers is an ongoing problem for all carriers... as such, they make it difficult for customers to switch providers.  To this end, practically all carriers worldwide engage in 'false highly-persuasive' advertising.  They will typically lure consumers with the offer of FREE smartphone and then hook, reel and lock them in with long term service plans that are designed to not only subsidize the cost of the cell phone but provide wireless voice & data services at premium prices.  To further enforce customer loyalty, carriers lock their giveaway phones to only work within their network frequencies - thus making it difficult for consumers to leave them for another carrier.

In some cases, the programming may be easy to reverse, with the user simply reformatting the cell phone or removing the phone's memory card.   In other instances, the phone may be designed in such a way that it is impossible to use it with another network, with most cell phone brands, like Apple, Blackberry, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, HTC, LG Mobile and Sony to name a few,  manufacturing specific phones for particular networks.

In contrast, an unlocked phone are simply handsets that aren't handcuffed to a specific carrier's service package can be used on any network.

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Unlocking a phone - How it works

A cellphone handset is like a body without a brain. It can't make calls unless it has a thumbnail-sized chip called a SIM card installed. The SIM card identifies an individual phone on a cellular network so that calls can be routed to it as the handset is carried from place to place, so the owner's account can be billed for air time and long-distance fees, and so on.

When a phone is bought on a service plan, the SIM card in that phone is linked to the subscriber's ID information for billing. Most carriers lock the phone by programming its software so that it will only work with the SIM card they provide — try to swap it with a card from another carrier because it has a cheaper service plan, for example, and the phone won't recognize it.

An unlocked cellphone is one that will recognize any SIM card. So if you're travelling in Europe and don't want to incur roaming charges or have every local call billed as long distance by your regular North American cellphone carrier, you can buy a local European carrier's card during your stay and pop it into your regular phone.

The caveat is that there are two main cellphone networks, and they aren't compatible with one another. One is based on the CDMA standard, which is popular in North America and parts of Asia, and used by Bell and Telus in Canada. The other is GSM, which is used by Rogers in Canada and is the most common cellphone standard outside North America, used by more than 2 billion subscribers in most countries around the world.

An unlocked phone will work on a compatible network — CDMA phones on CDMA networks and GSM handsets on GSM networks. But many CDMA phones have the SIM card built in, and have to be reprogrammed directly to make the phone work on another carrier's network. Most GSM handsets, on the other hand, have a slot that allows a SIM card to be swapped easily by the user.  As a result, unlocked cellphones available in Canada are predominantly GSM models.

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By Aldo Panessidi

A recent CTO presentation I attended addressed the changing security landscape we are facing with consumerization  - what I deem to be… (choice of our own devices for corporate and personal use from our smartphones to our tablets.   This brought up the pros and cons of the various operating systems out there: iOS, Research In Motion, Android and Windows.  The graphic associated with the Apple slide was a glass biosphere that was thriving and completely self-contained – the perfectly controlled environment.

This closed environment comes at a price: consumers have little control over their OS and the possibility of customizing to their needs. Requests for changes and customer gripes are eventually addressed. iPhone users now have MMS, multitasking, copy and paste and a full list of other revisions that also make our tablets and media players better. Unfortunately, one issue they haven’t fixed is control over alerts.

Just imagine an area in settings where custom alerts could be set. Different profile modes where the choice of ring, vibrate, volume, and ringtones can be chosen. Apple could take a page out of RIM’s book; BlackBerry cell phones have long had this kind of alert controls. And, there is room for improvement that could include location-based profile alerts (example, goes to silent in movie theatre) and the like. Perhaps hanit could connect in those settings to all devices on the platform including the iPad, iPhone, iPod, etc).

No matter if you’d like your Bluetooth turned off when you walk through the door at night or have different rings and notifications based on who is calling or texting, iOS users should have a bit more flexibility with their high-end devices. Moving to an iPhone from RIM and Android was challenging and this writer is still baffled that the handset is simply either “on” or on “vibrate.”

Research In Motion certainly isn’t competing at the same level as Apple in terms of handsets, accessories and projected sales these days, but this is one area where the Canadian company trumps the iPhone capabilities.

By Aldo Panessidi

The brain continues to reveal little mysteries and idiosyncrasies that help us to better understand human behavior – especially around our less than stellar choices and vices. Alcohol, drugs, soda, food – these are all known triggers for pleasure centers of the brain. As is online gaming, so it is really no surprise that social media is also addicting. According to a team at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, the networking sites available at the touch of a button could be even more addicting than nicotine or alcohol.   Consumers engage in social media through the unlocked cell phones, tablet, iPod and MacBook devices

Retrevo conducted an exceptional report on Social Media use.... truly this is The Mobile Generation:

Social Media All Through the Night

Not only do social media fanatics check Facebook and Twitter throughout the day, almost half of the respondents said they check in on the social media scene in bed, during the night or as soon as they wake up in the morning. Naturally, younger social media users said they tweet by night more than
those over 25.

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Social Media Anonymous

Need more evidence that social media can be habit forming? How about the fact that 56% of social media users need to check Facebook at least once a day? Even more impressive are the 12% who check in every couple of hours.

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We Interrupt This Dinner for an Important Message

Just to round out the picture, the Gadgetology study asked consumers how they felt about being interrupted at various times and occasions for an electronic message. With everyone texting away on their phones these days, we weren't surprised to see over 40% of respondents saying they didn't mind being interrupted for a message. In fact, 32% said a meal was not off limits while 7% said they'd even check out a message during an intimate moment.

Will Twitter Kill the Morning News Shows?

Among social media users, it appears almost half are so involved with Facebook and Twitter that they check in the first thing in the morning. With 16% of social media users saying this is how they get their morning “news,” could we be witnessing the first signs of social media services beginning to replace "Good Morning America" on TV as the source for what's going on in the world? Can they also provide more stimulation than a morning cup of coffee?

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Another study was in Germany where the 205 participants were polled through BlackBerry smartphones seven times daily where they had to note if they’d had an urge to use social media in the past 30 minutes and if the participant succumbed to the desire or not. They were also asked to rate the severity of the desire on a scale of mild to “irresistible.”

The full results will be published in the Psychological Science journal, but the preliminary data shows that compared to other addictive behavior, the highest rate of “self-control failures” were in conjunction with social media.

According to the team lead of the study, Wilhelm Hofmann, “Modern life is a welter of assorted desires marked by frequent conflict and resistance, the latter with uneven success.” With traditional addictions, the downside is clear: weight gain, death, monetary loss, damaged relationships. Social networking is more sinister, innocuous, and incredibly accessible. But the downsides are potentially still there in the form of lost time, and frayed relationships (because let’s be honest, how many conversations are conducted on Facebook while sitting on the couch next to a significant other).

So what’s the answer? With tablets, cloud storage, smart TVs and smartphones our connectivity is set to reach an all-time high. The consequences of compulsively checking a social networking site while driving are more clear-cut than intangible time-suck. So if you count yourself as one of the addicted, Bluetooth headset technology solutions and innovative car accessories could be necessary purchases for your handset.

By Aldo Panessidi

The next-generation Samsung cell phone Galaxy S III is rumored as poised to impress.  Due in part, that it will not be launched for a few months yet, reports are mainly unconfirmed.  However, South Korea’s Electronic Times News cited unnamed sources in its headlines when the Galaxy 3 specs of the handset were outlined.

This upcoming smartphone is touted to be the thinnest yet – 7mm thick. To put it in perspective, the Samsung Galaxy S II is housed in  handset that is 8.49mm. And they both have some impressive specs. The next-generation Galaxy will sport the latest Android 4.0 mobile platform, an 8 megapixel rear camera, a 2 megapixel front camera and a Super AMOLED Plus display to please the eye. There are whispers that this smartphone will include a quad-core processor under the hood that would add some oomph to the experience.

With the difference in size, customers would have to change up some of the device accessories but the design and technology of protective bags, cases and sleeves are continually evolving and improving. The mobile device will include 2GB of RAM, but for high usage customers there are always removable memory and storage alternatives.

While we are sure to see more of this smartphone as it comes closer to the release date (likely to be May, but may potentially be seen on shelves as early as April). As this handset will have 4G LTE capabilities, Samsung may follow in the footsteps of its fellow vendors and make this upcoming smartphone an exclusive buy with one of the major mobile carriers. The hope is that they will give us an unlocked option as the current data plans for 4G LTE speeds are pretty pricey. By making the newest phones only available with exclusive mobile carriers, customers are put between a rock and a hard place: best, newest tech and exorbitant data plans that add up quick.

By Aldo Panessidi

Valentine's Day is one of the most awaited days for couples to celebrate their love and express affection for one another.

What if you haven't met your perfect match or that special someone... then, Valentine's becomes Single Awareness Day.

Since the lovers among us are going be... shall we say somewhat engaged in amorous activities - I have prepared the following the Top 10 Valentine's Day Ideas for Singles:

1. Give Yourself a Gift: Nothing can lift the spirits like a gift of mobile accessories.  Let the latest trend setting fashionable accessories express your unique style!  Discover an extensive array of award-wining  cases and skins that deliver modern style, stunning design and smart protection for your cell phones, tablets, iPods, MacBooks and other mobile devices.  Make your mobile devices stand out.  Customize your look - how cool can you be?
2. Express love and Gratitude for dear ones: Why not gift something to Parents, Grandparents or anyone else who are special to you? Say you love them with a  selection of top quality, innovative mobile devices protective solutions and premium electronic accessories from the industry's most leading brands .
3. Pamper yourself at a Spa: There is a saying that you need to love yourself first be able to love others. Spend the day by pampering yourself at a Spa. Get a massage, a facial, pedicure, hair cut or even a makeover and feel special and pampered!
4. Party at Home: Are there other Single friends you normally hang out with or good friends whom you have not met for some time? You can organize a Singles Party at Home and have a blast with likeminded friends.
5. Go out with friends: Organize your single friends and go out together for movie, play, concert, clubbing, beach or anywhere you all can have fun together.
6. Do a Service: There are many people who are not as privileged as we are and it is our moral responsibility to do something for them. Why not visit an orphanage or old age home and spend time with the inmates there? You can also do things like adopting a Pet or getting involved in a good cause. Giving gifts and roses to old or sick people can be a wonderful way to express our gratitude to God for all the blessings we have in our lives.
7. Eat out at your Favourite Restaurant: Go to your favourite restaurant with your other single friends or alone and eat whatever you like.
8. Go out on a Road Trip: Is there a special place you have wanted to go? Plan a Trip alone or with friends visiting the place. Or you can explore an unknown territory on your vehicle. It could be anywhere - a temple, a picnic spot, tourist destination or anywhere you can reach within a few hours and also return back on the same day.
9. Get Adventurous: Are you adventurous? Do you like Sky diving, rappelling, camping, Bungee jumping, parasailing or things of that sort? Go ahead and enjoy an adventure with friends or alone.
10. Do things you love: Are there things you love to do or are passionate about but normally do not get the time to do it? Is there a new hobby which you are interested in? Do it or get started on the Valentine’s Day.

Whether you are a Single by choice or single and searching, you can make your day special by indulging in some of the ideas given above. There is nothing to be depressed about being a single. I have tons of friends who are single and happy than many of the married couples I know. Still, if you are Single and frustrated on a Valentine’s Day because you do not have a mate, I would advise you to stay positive and take good care of your health and physical appearance. Who knows by next Valentine’s Day you may not remain a Single anymore.

By Aldo Panessidi

I just love sharing with my readers... the various product survival tests that manufacturers put their various brands through to help ensure that they live to their specified high standards.

Here we got a hold of three separate BlackBerry produced by  Ryan P.  a hardware Engineering Technician at RIM... these are the Water Test, the Drop Test and the Bend and Flex Test:

The Water Test

For the water test a BlackBerry Curve 9360 was dropped into water, or what they call the “Moisture Ingress Test”. This water contains dye so that they can tell where imperfections are in the design to “improve the device’s water seal”.

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The Durability Drop Test

The actual drop test is cool and apparently every Berry gets dropped on concrete “hundreds of times” to ensure it’s ready for a full rollout. In the video it’s never states the amount of pressure that used for the bend test, but does confirm “your BlackBerry smartphone can withstand the pressure of your posterior”.

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The Bend and Flex Test

Finally, the keys. Majority of BB users love the QWERTY keyboard – it’s one of the main reasons that makes a BlackBerry so “iconic”. The keys have been pushed, zapped and tested “literally millions of times to sure they click with the right pressure and can withstand all the e-mails, BBM messages and tweets that you type. Have you ever been shocked by a door handle… RIM zaps them with what is called an Electrostatic Discharge, or ESD, to make sure that the sensitive internal components are protected.”

By Megan Fleet

Motorola has done it again!  Introducing a new Droid RAZR! This one was launched last Thursday by Verizon and has the likely moniker of “DROID RAZR MAXX.” As with any other mobile carrier, the handset is available at a discounted price when a new two-year agreement is signed. The asking price is $299.99. With that kind of out of pocket investment and a signed contract, this writer would highly recommend consumers to shop around for an unlocked cell phone.  These unlocked cell phones empower consumers to break free service provider long term contracts and permit to negotiate a plan that best meets your lifestyle needs at the lowest price.

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Compared to its predecessor, the DROID RAZR, this latest Motorola is housed in a thicker frame (only slightly). After that the differences are nominal. In fact, Droid-Life affirmed rumors that each of these devices runs on exactly the same software. Even the Android versions for both the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX are the same kernel, build number, and baseband version. The community forums have some miffed participants that accuse Motorola of simply charging customers for a new battery, but this streamlined user of software should actually make things easier on the manufacturer, carrier, and consumer.

Discover the Droid RAZR MAXX in this insightful video :

Smartphone manufacturers are known for making slight changes and rebranding devices. This allows the newest handsets to accommodate tech changes by tweaking the software versions from the old to the new device. Some examples of this are the DROID 2 and DROID R2D2. The silver lining is that as the DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX, it will all be interchangeable which permits tech-savvy users to take advantage of a wide range of custom ROMs.

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Alas, with the slight variation in size, all accessories may not be interchangeable. But with the internal specs unchanged, peripheral devices and more technical accessory purchases should meet the system requirements of both smartphones.