One of the best and most popular features of Apple’s iPhone is of course the virtual assistant with voice recognition capability known as Siri. More than just a technological marvel, Siri is a pretty handy sidekick for handling a host of everyday tasks, at the sound of your beckoning. Here are ten things that Siri is awesome at getting done for you:

1. Making Calls – Stuck in traffic on your morning commute? Tell Siri to call the office and let them know you’re running late. Or you could have avoided that scenario altogether if you’d asked Siri to …
2. Checking Traffic – Siri can use your iPhone’s GPS navigation app to apprise you of any delays along your commute, like the one you’re sitting in now.
3. Getting Directions – In addition to suggesting alternative directions in the above example, Siri can help you find your way to other destinations, such as …
4. Finding Restaurants – or hotels, gas stations, florists, whatever venue or service you’re looking for. That florist will come in handy after you stay late tonight to make up for this traffic delay, and another of Siri’s skills saves the day …
5. Sending Text Messages – such as to your wife to tell her you’ll be a bit late for dinner. Keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and send a text without making yourself later than you already are. By the way, you can thank Siri that you didn’t forget that dinner date because she also rocks at …
6. Setting Reminders – Ask Siri to set a reminder for an appointment, and she’ll remind you at just the right time. Say for instance …
7. Scheduling Meetings – Siri can not only set a reminder, but contact other team members that you’ve planned a meeting. Which brings us to another one of Siri’s virtues …
8. Sending E-mails – Ask Siri to send an email to select contacts in your email account or entire groups, like your project team, and everyone is kept in the loop. And while you’re thinking about that meeting it might be a good time for Siri to start …
9. Taking Dictation – You’re stuck in traffic, but you’re not stuck for ideas, so you can rattle them off to Siri, who will jot them down for later retrieval and review. The best part is, you can share your ideas as they come to mind because Siri is also awesome at …
10. Understanding What You Say – As Siri learns yours vocabulary and speech patterns, she becomes more and more adept at getting your verbal shorthand, so you can speak naturally and still get your message across.

As mobile device design continues to trend away from traditional keypads in favor of touch screens, we thought it might be time to assess which devices are getting it right. Based on factors like comfort, screen size, image, battery life we sort through the field to determine the ten best touchscreen mobile devices.

10. HTC EVO 3D – Runs on the Android 2.3 OS, and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. The 3D has a 4.3 in. display and a sturdy design, though a bit heavier than most others here. Built-in memory (I GB) seemed weak for a phone capable of 3D photography.

9. T-Mobile myTouch 4G – This entry had one of the longest battery lives of the group and a really comfortable design, but lagged in speed by virtue of the single core processor. Also, the expandable memory was capped at 8GB, as opposed to 32 Gig for the top-ranked handsets.

8. Motorola Atrix 2– One of the best for screen resolution at 960×540 and easy to read text, on a 4.3 “ display; and long battery life. We like the Webtop app that lets you dock the handset and use it like a desktop.

7. Samsung Infuse – Ranks high on our list in graphics display and screen brightness, making it one of the easiest to read in sunlight. Battery life was good, not excellent. Design was delightfully minimalist, lightweight and thin.

6. T-Mobile G2x – 1080p video, 3D graphics, and an MP3 player with plenty of internal memory highlight this package. Battery life was just OK. Nice big screen (4”) well-built, runs on a 1 GHz Tegra dual-core processor.

5. Motorola Droid Bionic – Excellent, large display and above average battery life. Not the fastest of the bunch, with a 1GHz processor, but fast enough; plenty of internal memory (16GB), and expandable to 32 additional GB.

4. Samsung Galaxy s2 – Super AMOLED Plus display is vibrant and clear at 4.3”; 1.2GHz CPU is fast, and the 8 MP camera takes top-notch photos and 1080p video. Average battery life among the models tested.

3.  HTC Sensation 4G – We love the HDTV capability and stereo sound. Also has a proximity sensor which adjusts the display from sleep mode to active when handset is moved away from the user’s face. Average battery life and low internal memory (1G) kept the 4G from ranking even higher.

2. Motorola Photon – Ranks high in battery life, memory, and camera (8MP). The Photon’s 4.3-in. screen looks even bigger. The handset comes with built-in GPS; Facebook and Twitter apps, 16 GB internal and 32GB of expandable memory. Runs on 1GHz dual processor CPU.

1. Apple iPhone 4S – Highest resolution screen of the group, at 960 x 640 pixels, and it shows. Brilliant images, sharp text. Siri voice recognition virtual assistant is by now legendary. Battery life is average, and there is no expansion slot for memory; but it is equipped with 64GB of internal memory. The iOS 5 platform works marvelously.

Apple launched its iPhone 4S this past Friday, and sold more than 4 million units over the weekend. If you weren’t among the rabid hordes waiting in line to score one of your own, you may be wondering, What’s all the hub-bub, Bub? Here’s a highlight list of ten things you should know about the iPhone 4S:

1. Siri – A virtual personal assistant that works via voice recognition. She can give you directions to a venue or take dictation for a text message, all with an an intuitive knack for learning your vocabulary. You’ll want to spend a lot of time with Siri.
2. Call Quality – No Antenna-gate this time around. The 4S employs dual external antennae, and the ability to switch between them for optimal signal strength, which makes for noticeably improved call quality.
3. Display – The 3.5in. Retina Display is beautiful. Its clear, sharp resolution renders even the smallest fonts nicely, without even a hint of a blur. It does tend to be a bit overwhelmed in direct sunlight, however.
4. Camera – Mostly good news here. The 8 megapixel, f/2.4 aperture camera takes photos – both indoors and outdoors – that will rival most pocket cameras. Low-light, high-contrast and high-speed photography are all done quite nicely. There aren’t a lot of options, though, and the 1080p video camera lacks a low-res option.
5. iCloud – Stores your iPhone content and automatically pushes it wirelessly to your other devices. So if you create a file, take a snapshot, or download a song from iTunes, it goes directly to all your other gadgets without the need to sync.
6. Battery Life – Although the estimated standby time is actually less (200 hrs. vs. 300 hrs on the iPhone 4), Apple says the 4S battery should give you a full hour more talk time (8 hours) on a 3G connection.
7. iMessage – A messaging app that allows you to IM other iPhone users without incurring texting fees. It will even search automatically for you to check whether your message recipient supports iMessage.
8. Speed – Apple promises the dual-core A5 processor equipped iPhone 4S will have twice the data speed of the 4, with 5.8 Mbps up/14.4 Mbps down estimates. The 4S, though, is only 3G capable, not 4G at present.
9. Price – Apple is offering the iPhone in several versions: 16GB for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for $399 with the caveat that you agree to a 2-year contract of course.
10. Verdict – For you Apple-istas who can’t resist the latest i-anything, the 4S will not disappoint. For those of you thinking down the road about an iPhone 5, this latest edition may pack just enough updates to justify the price and tide you over in the meantime.

Millions of people like me have lived most of their lives without cell phones, and some of them still don’t own one. Somehow we managed to survive, but now I panic if I forget my phone when I leave the house. Mobile phones have become a common part of our everyday lives and have made many aspects of it much easier. They’re especially useful to have in emergency situations. Here are 10 emergencies that are not quite so bad with a cell phone in your possession.

1. Car trouble – A flat tire, running out of gas or engine trouble is much easier to deal with if you have a cell phone. You never want to be in the position of having to rely on strangers to stop and help. They may have the best of intentions or they may have the worst intentions and that could turn an emergency into a disaster.
2. Getting lost – If you get lost in the woods or are driving and just need directions, a cell phone sure comes in handy. Otherwise, you could be wandering aimlessly for hours or even days.
3. Car accident – Whether it’s a serious accident or a little fender bender, a cell phone can keep a bad situation from becoming much worse. One call can get you the help you need quickly, from a tow truck to an ambulance.
4. Get stranded – Severe weather such as blizzards, ice storms, or torrential rains that cause flooding can get you unexpectedly stranded in a remote area or even in your own home. A cell phone not only gets you in contact with a rescue team, but helps them to locate where you are with GPS coordination.
5. Power out – Modern telephones don’t work during a power outage, so a cell phone is the only way you can contact the power company. You can also use the light provided from your phone to help find a flashlight and batteries. Make sure you always keep your phone fully charged for just such an emergency.
6. Trapped – An earthquake or explosion may leave you trapped under rubble, and without a cell phone, rescue workers may not find you for days. Even if you’re found unconscious, emergency personnel can use the information in your stored contacts to reach your family.
7. Hiking injury – Many people like to go hiking in remote areas and should always make sure they have a cell phone along, especially if they’re hiking alone. I simple misstep can result in a twisted ankle and leave you unable to get back to a main road.
8. Mugging – Getting mugged is never a pleasant experience, but a cell phone can get police notified immediately and perhaps help find the perpetrator. Just make sure you don’t carry your cell phone in your purse or it may get stolen too.
9. Heart attack – A sudden heart attack can leave you incapacitated, and even if you can move, you shouldn’t. Your cell phone can make the difference between life and death in that emergency situation.
10. Can’t get up – If you have a seizure or fall and can’t get to a phone, a cell phone in your pocket can save your life. You can get an ambulance on their way and even get a neighbor to stay with you until they arrive.

Any emergency situation can be much less traumatic with the help of a cell phone and being without one can make a bad situation even worse. What started out as cumbersome and expensive, cell phones are now small enough to slip into your pocket and are very affordable. Any cell phone can be used to call 911 even if the service has been cancelled, and if your battery is dead, you can dial *3370# to get enough reserved power to make an emergency call. Keep your cell phone battery charged and don’t leave home without it.

For years, cell phones got smaller and smaller. Some of them were so small that you could hardly see them in the palm of a teenage girl. As the phones have gotten ‘smarter’, they seem to be growing bigger again. Here are ten signs that your new cell phone is just TOO BIG.

1. Doesn’t fit your pocket – When your cell phone can no longer be slipped into your pocket, because it doesn’t fit, you can definitely note that as a sign of an overgrown cell phone.
2. Big and Tall – If your specific cell phones is often promoted in the Big and Tall men’s stores, there may be a reason for that. Big, tall men may prefer a big, tall phone.
3. Makes your belt droop – If your cell phone hanging on your belt starts to drag your belt down, it may be another sign that your cell phone is getting a bit heftier than the ones you used to carry.
4. Chiropractor visits – Are your chiropractor visits increasing? Does he tell you that your spine is beginning to lean to the right? It may be due to carrying that new big cell phone around all day.
5. Considering a ‘man purse’ – Have those shoulder bags for men been looking more appealing lately? Or are you considering buying a fanny pack to wear around your waist to hold that cell phone? Symptoms of an overly large cell phone, I’m afraid.
6. Mistaken as a pistol holster – Did you get thrown up against the wall by the security guard when you walked into your bank? He mistook that large leather pouch on the side of your belt for a gun holster, didn’t he? He’s never seen such a big cell phone holder has he?
7. Mistaken for an e-reader – Has anyone ever mistaken your phone for an e-reader and asked you what book you were reading? That can happen with one of these large cell phones.
8. Bicep bulge – Is the bicep on your cell phone arm starting out grow the other arm? I guess you need to start switching hands that you carry it in so that you even up those arm muscles.
9. Turning heads – When you have your cell phone to your ear, do you see people taking a second look? When your cell phone covers half your face, it does tend to take people by surprise.
10. Mistaken for the remote – Have you picked up your cell phone and tried to change the channel on the television lately? That can happen with these larger cell phones, too.

The digital world can be a bit confusing. They work so hard to shrink things down as small as they can get them. Then they start packing them full of as much data and functionality that they can fit, until they have to start growing them larger again.

Will the larger cell phones be the new ‘normal’ for our cell phones? I strongly doubt it. Our cell phones have become too much a part of our daily lives. Personally, I’m looking for the one that simply fits in an ear piece and works totally by voice command.

Bluetooth hacking has been occurring since before Bluetooth was publicly unveiled, with researchers testing the the security of the new protocol. The technology itself is set up for open short-distance communication, which makes it vulnerable almost by design. Hackers of all stripes have had a go at Bluetooth, and there have been some interesting results. Some of the hacks are designed to be benign and beneficial, though inappropriate usage has been a serious problem. Malicious-by-design hacking is a prime concern among Bluetooth users, since so much personal information is so readily available.

There is a perception that it is easy to hack into Bluetooth, and there have been countless instances that have supported that view. Several issues concerned with hacking are as follows:

1. Anyone Can – It doesn’t take special computer schools to perform some hacking of the Bluetooth. Sites like: hackiteasy.blogspot.com show just how easy it is to hack into the protocol.
2. Super Bluetooth - For some great ideas  for all the good clean fun you can have hacking Bluetooth devices simply visit the following site:  fullandfree.info Yes, indeed, the 1.08 will let you completely take over a Bluetooth enabled device. Your friends will be thrilled when they find out you already know their entire social calendar for the next three months, and that you even went ahead and confirmed some reservations and added yourself to some guest lists.
3. Vulnerable pins – Pin numbers have been a plagued entry point for Bluetooth hackers, which is why the admonition to disable the device when not in use can greatly reduce theft and hacking.
4. Low Cost/No Cost – There are numerous downloads available, many free, that will equip the user to hack away. Downloads may have disclaimers that say don’t do bad things, but the other 99.9% of the ad touts ways to spy on friends and foes alike.
5. Publicity – The web is full of advertising for all kinds of Bluetooth hacks.
6. Hackers Invited – There are a few simple steps users can take to minimize vulnerability to hacking. First, disable the Bluetooth feature of your device when you aren’t using it. Second, don’t use a default pin-number.
7. Bobbies with Bluetooth – In 2005 thieves in Cambridgeshire, England were found to be targeting devices left in parked cars by using Bluetooth to detect devices that were left enabled.
8. LascoA – LascoA was a little something known as a malware worm, which began attacking mobile phones that had been Bluetooth equipped. A lot of devices were disabled before a solution was found.
9. Bluesnarfing – A problem that has since been patched, but Bluesnarfing referred to unauthorized access of other devices by using Bluetooth against itself.
10. Early On – As early as 2001 researchers had discovered several flaws in Bluetooth security, and it took no time at all before hackers were trying their hands with the relatively new technology.

Bluetooth isn’t exempt from the time-honored notion that the bad guys are usually one-step ahead of the good guys. Take basic precautions to ensure that you minimize the availability of your device.

Communicating via text has become the primary means of communication for many people. Part of the reason relates to the phone plans that have unlimited texting. In these plans, minutes for voice calls are limited, but you can communicate as much as you like without any fear of creating overage charges. This dependence on texting can easily carryover to communicating by text while driving. This practice can be quite dangerous, of course, and illegal in some states. Here are 10 tips for texting while you drive.

1. DON’T! – This is the first and most sensible tip. To try and operate a keyboard on your cellphone and operate a motor vehicle at the same time is dangerous for you and for others. Automobiles out of control kill people. There is no text that is worth the cost of a life.
2. Passenger Relay– If you have someone else riding in the car with you, dictate the message to them and have them do the texting on your phone for you. That way you keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel and everyone safe.
3. Pull over and stop – Instead of sending a text while you’re driving, wait until you can pull off the road safely and type and send your text while the car is in park.
4. Voice call – A text doesn’t always need to be responded to by another text. It is much easier to make a voice call while driving, especially if you use a bluetooth headset which keeps both hands free while talking.

Install one of these apps and they will convert your speech to text so that you don’t have to look down, or use your hands for typing.

1. FlexT9 – This is an app for Android phones that is put out by Nuance, the makers of Dragonspeak voice recognition software. The app will convert your verbal speech into text for texting, email, facebook and twitter updates. Keep your eyes on the orad and simply talk into your phone and then send.
2. Voice Text Pro – For your iPhone, this is one of several apps available that will convert your speech to text. This one is specifically designed for texting, which makes it much more user friendly for texting than those that are designed to work with a variety of applications.
3. Vlingo – This voice to text application is available for most cellphone operating systems, iOS, Android, Nokia, Blackberry and Windows Mobile. It isn’t limited to texting. Simply tell the phone what you want, text, email, search, get directions. It makes your smartphone even smarter.
4. DriveSafe.ly– This app goes beyond the speech to text apps already listed. You are not only able to use your voice to create and send a text, when this app is activated, it will read incoming text and emails to you when they are received. This app truly gives your phone handsfree operation. It is available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Mobile phones.
5. StartTalking – For Android phones, they have this app option that provides the voice-to-text and text-to-voice option. Have your text read to you and then respond by voice that will be sent as text.
6. Voice on the Go – Instead of being an app that you upload to your phone, this voice to text option is a monthly service which works with any phone, including a landline, to convert voice messages into text or email.

There really is no reason why anyone should be attempting to use their hands for texting while also trying to drive a vehicle. A simple app combined with a bluetooth headset can make the process much safer, and allowing your conversations to wait until you are not driving will make them safer yet.

The proposed $39 billion merger of AT&T and T-Mobile has sparked some spirited debate as to its potential benefits – or consequences – to the consumer. AT&T claims that the merger will result in better coverage and more reliable signal for its customers. Opponents cite antitrust statutes and mismanagement of resources, among other things, as reasons to block the merger.

Wireless has developed into the most important sector of communications over the past 20 years and competition has played a large part in the innovations it has seen. The following is a list of ten reasons to block the AT&T / T-Mobile merger:

1. The merger would eliminate a price leader (T-Mobile) from competition, thereby denying consumers a low-cost option for wireless service. Fewer choices for consumers almost always means, if not higher prices, than at the very least less incentive by the remaining provider(s) to lower prices for their services.
2. AT&T’s reasoning for the merger flies in the face of the facts. They claim to need the additional spectrum they would gain from the merger in order to meet the demands of their iPhone subscribers. Fact is, AT&T already owns more spectrum than any other provider, and at least 1/3 of theirs is still unused.
3. Verizon, by contrast, has been providing more reliable service, to a greater number of subscribers, with less available spectrum, than AT&T. This is illustrative of the fallacy behind AT&T’s argument that they need the merger to meet  customer demands.
4. With less competition to force the issue, AT&T will be even less inclined to manage their network more efficiently than they have in the past.
5. Economic fallout in the current job market could be a serious blow to recovery from the recession. The proposed merger would almost certainly result in thousands of job cuts, at a time when there is already a shortage of high tech jobs.
6. Sprint Nextel submitted a plan to the FCC which explained how AT&T could increase its capacity by 600%, for less cost to AT&T than the proposed merger.
7. AT&T had only recently purchased nearly $2 billion worth of spectrum from Qualcomm, ostensibly to alleviate its capacity crunch, only to still fail to meet consumer demand in many markets. The merger is simply throwing good money after bad in an attempt to compensate for poor management of resources.
8. AT&T has yet to provide the FCC with solid data which proves their need to merge with T-Mobile to satisfy their claimed spectrum shortage.
9. While AT&T has voraciously acquired available spectrum from other carriers such as Qualcomm, they have failed to keep pace with Verizon in their investment in their own network to satisfy their subscribers’ needs.
10. AT&T has a long history of gobbling up competitors without any appreciable increase in customer service or, for that matter, improved management of corporate resources.

Wireless communication is a competitive business, and providers want to keep you as their customer. Here are 10 ways they do just that:

1. Improved Service: Wireless providers are working overtime to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, speed and access. When they keep up with the technological advances, they keep customers.
2. Improved Customer Service: Wireless providers know that it’s easier to re-sell to a customer they already have than it is to recruit a new one. So, instead of offering a “new toaster” for new customers, companies are making new efforts to improve customer service and keep their current subscribers happy.
3. Gadgets: Applications, tools to keep track of usage time, features and functions, ringtones, games and applications, all these “gadgets” appeal to customers at different levels. Wireless providers who want to keep their customers are adding more and more “extras” to keep their customers coming back for more.
4. Gimmicks: Gimmicks are nothing new in the sales world, and they are being used by wireless providers to keep customers. GreatCall, for example uses the motto “Connected, Safe and Healthy” which plays upon the customers need to be safe and implies that their service will ensure their safety. This particular company lives up to their motto by having a direct dial number to a dispatcher who has access to personal medical information that is HIPPA compliant, and an advanced GPS.
5. Freebies: Companies will offer a “free” mobile phone with the stipulation that you sign another two year subscription contract.
6. Provider Specific Products: Wireless provider will sell a “company” specific phone at the time of the subscription. This means that if you want to change wireless providers, not only will you have to pay a fine, you will also have to buy a new phone. The cost and penalties to switch companies are not worth the switch.
7. Family “Specials”: Some providers offer special rates for the children in the family. They might have specific parental controls that allow parents to monitor and limit their children’s use, or restrict downloading, calling or texting. Some parents will find these features very attractive.
8. Privacy Features: If wireless customers are not concerned about their privacy, they should be, and wireless providers will offer features that allow customers protection against hackers. They have privacy settings for social networks, location-based services and other emerging applications that ensure data security for customers.
9. Pricing: Wireless providers will manipulate the cost of products and services in order to keep their customers. Price gouging, matching prices, sales, are all part of the game.
10. Subscriptions: Most wireless providers ask customers to sign a contract for two years of service, and then if the customer isn’t happy and wants to change providers, they have to pay a penalty to get out of the contract.

Wireless providers want customers, that’s how they make their money, and they will do all sorts of things to keep their customers, some good, some not so good. As a customer, when you are aware of the “tricks,” you can make a decision that works for you.

It happens. You’re cramming for finals or working on a business proposal. Perhaps you’ve been doing  research online for a term paper, or been engrossed in an effort to author the next Great American Novel. Something’s been keeping you busy on that laptop for months, so you never see the writing on the wall. Then it happens.

You discover that you may very well have overstayed your welcome at your favorite WiFi hotspot. How did you not see this coming? Well, here’s a list of clues for you – 10 signs that you’ve spent too much time at your favorite public WiFi hotspot:

1. They’ve named a menu item after you. This is a fairly good indication that you’ve become a fixture at Cafe Latte Da. If it comes with free refills, you may need to reconsider your purchasing habits.
2. You’ve ordered every other item on the menu at least twice. But you’ve never ordered more than one item on any one visit. Way to milk it there, big spender.
3. Tech Support has your phone number listed as 1-800-Java-Hut. Not that it’s your fault,  mind you. You had to give them another callback number when your iPhone went dead right in the middle of a service call. That leads us to clue #3:
4. Your iPhone battery runs out before your first order of coffee does. This, by the way, is further proof that you need to re-assess your policy about paying for your table. Seriously.
5. You researched colleges online, right at this very table, after graduating from John Adams High School. Now you’re a post-grad student, and still haven’t spent enough here to cover your electricity usage.
6. Halfway through Chapter 1, your servers changed shifts … twice. OK, so you’re not exactly on pace with Danielle Steele, but so what? She doesn’t have a bagel with her name on it either.
7. You’ve been offered a job – as their night cleaner. Of course, this could have been precipitated by the fact that your table has enough used napkins and sugar packets on it by the end of the day to fill a trash can.
8. The AC outlet near your usual table was covered with a No Loitering sign. Not that you’ve overstayed your welcome or anything. It’s probably just an odd coincidence, except:
9. There’s now a jukebox plugged into your outlet. And call us cynical, but the fact that there are nothing but Rebecca Black and Justin Bieber songs on it can’t be a good sign. Then again, the No Loitering sign, which is now tucked prominently in the menu holder on your table, is definitely not a good sign.
10. Off-Peak Hours are defined as “whenever you’re not there”. The hints have become a bit blunt here, so it may be time to shop for new office space. Just make sure to update your contact info with Tech Support.