ChatOn: BlackBerry Curve 9360

It's wonderful to have ChatOn finally arrive on my BlackBerry Curve 9360. It's cute emoticons are really hard to resist (lol).

ChatOn's official site currently provides two links to download ChatOn for BlackBerry:

Touch Phone (3.8MB): here

Non-Touch Phone (4.8MB): here

No OTA download available yet (hopefully ChatOn will appear in App World soon), means we have to:

1. download it first to PC or laptop
2. extract the zip file
3. copy the extracted folder to the phone
4. search for "ChatOn.jad" then execute the file
5. follow the installation steps, and YES! The ChatON is now ready!

I already tested ChatOn on BlackBerry 9360, 9700, and 9900. It runs smoothly on those phones. Note that the 9900 needs the Non-Touch Phone installation files. ChatOn won't work on 9900 if you install the Touch Phone files.

So far, for me the only problem is the application's extremely small text size. The setting menu only offers to change chat-font size. Let's see if Samsung is going to work on this problem.

Feel free to leave your comment sharing your opinion about ChatOn on your BlackBerry phone.

Instagram for Android

The wait is over. The highly popular iOS Instagram is finally arrived on Android, officially on Tuesday April 3, 2012.

Awarded as the best application on Apple's App Store in December 2011, the software developed by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger allows users to capture images, edit them using various unique filter tools, and share through social network services. Surprisingly, the developer stated that Instagram for Android will be better than the iOS version.

Instagram for Android can be used in devices using the Android OS 2.2 Froyo or above. But for now Instagram is not yet available for Android Tablet.

Both Instagram for Android and iOS have the same menu options. There are Home, Popular, Camera, News and Profiles at the bottom of the screen. Image filters include normal, Amaro, Rise, Hudson, Sierra, X-pro, lo-fi, EarlyBird, Sutro, Toaster, Brannan, Inkwell, Walden, Hefe, Valencia, Nashville, 1977, and Kelvin. Exactly the same filters found in the latest version in iOS.

The current Instagram for Android misses two important feature: Tilt-Shift and Live Preview Filter. Hopefully, future updates will include them as well.

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ChatOn is Now Available on BlackBerry

Samsung's multi-platform messenger, ChatOn, is now available on BlackBerry. But currently, only the BlackBerry 9800 Torch can enjoy ChatOn. Other BlackBerry smartphones will still have to wait.

ChatOn supports one-on-one or group chatting, message broadcasting, with file attachments, emoticons, animated massages, between ChatOn users on multi-platform devices: Android, iOS, Samsung Bada, Blackberry, and, in the next few weeks, Windows Mobile.

Let's share this awesome ChatOn to as many friends you can. Enjoy better relationships with your buddies all over the world.

 

For BlackBerry 9800 Torch users, you can access this link from your phone:

http://www.chaton.com/download.html

Low-End Android Devices. Things to Consider

Android powers many devices, various brands, specifications, and prices. Its function expands widely from making/receiving calls, messaging, surfing internet, entertaiment and gaming device.

Indeed Android offers numerous entertainments. However, cheaper Android devices, will find a hard time to deliver various functions smoothly, due to their low hardware capabilities. No pain no gain. Let's face the fact.

Here are some reasons to consider if you choose to buy cheap Android devices:

Low-quality display

Display screen is important for Android devices, either for navigation or eye-friendly. Because, it is possible to use the Android smartphone to read. Display with HVGA resolution, under 480 x 320 pixels, can not handle image processing applications well. When playing games with high quality graphics, you will not experience the thrill of the game.

Low Processor and RAM clock speed

2011 is dual-core processor mobile device year. In 2012, is quad-core era. Consequently, application developers will also design their apps with higher specification requirement. Therefore, Android devices with a single core processor is not good enough to run popular applications today.

Small size RAM will hamper the performance when you need to open many applications at a time or multitasking. To support today's applications, 1GB of RAM is considered ideal.

Poor quality materials

Complex sophisticated internal components need maximum protection. Devices made of cheap materials are certainly more vulnerable to damage. While most high-end devices have been built with high-quality materials to give more physical protection.

Unability to catch up with the latest Android OS

Samsung diligently provides updates for its products. Update to Android 4.0 available for some Galaxy phones, but unfortunately not for its low-end products. For example, Samsung does not provide Android 4.0 for the Galaxy Ace, its fairly affordable smartphone.

The same case also goes for other vendors. Updates only given to their flagship devices. The lack of hardware capabilities to support higher OS version is one of the main reason.

This is the consequence of choosing cheaper Android devices. Android does give many options, but they also come with their consequences.

So, choose wisely and prepare for more possibilities, since the Android ecosystem is growing very fast.

BlackBerry Shortcuts and Tips

Reply Message:

While reading a message, press "R" to reply.

Jump to Top or Bottom:

While in the inbox of your messages (or in the conversation window), press "T" to instantly go to the top of the list (or the conversation window), and "B"  to instantly go to the bottom to go to the bottom of the list (or the conversation window).

Page by page:

While in the inbox of your messages or in the conversation window, press "space" to move page by page.

Caps Lock on/off:

Press "alt" and "right-aA".

Num Lock on/off:

Press "alt" and "left-aA".

Insert Period (.):

Press "space" twice.

Restart Blackberry without Battery Pull:

Press and hold the following keys: "Alt", "right-aA", "del".

Access running applications:

Press and hold BlackBerry Menu key for a second.

Change signal bars to decibels:

Press and hold "alt" while pressing respectively "N", "M", "L", "L" (repeat to switch back).

Insert your PIN number:

Type: "Mypin".

Turn Vibrate Mode on/off:

Press and hold "Q".

Turn Keylock on:

Press and hold "A".

Jump to the start or the end of a line of text:

Press and hold "alt" while swiping the trackpad left-right.

Select pictures in Picture Library:

Press and hold "aA" while swiping the trackpad (release "aA" and repeat for multiple selection).

Select text:

Press "aA" then swipe the trackpad to highlight the desired text.

Copy selected text:

After selecting the desired text, press the trackpad twice.

Paste Copied Text:

Press and hold "aA" while pressing the trackpad.

Spray Paint to Improve Mobile Signal Reception

A few weeks ago, Google announced a program called "Solve for X", a forum to exchange ideas to solve problems with radical ideas and groundbreaking technologies.

In the first event of this program, Chamtech, starts up focusing on developing military technology, introduces the aerosol spray paint that works as an antenna. This technology can overcome weak cell phone or radio signals problems.

"Antenna spray" can be used on various surfaces, ranging from trees, walls, until the cloth.

Excerpting The Verge, Monday, February 13, 2012, CEO of Chamtech, Anthony Sutera, explains when the spray paint will form a layer consisting of thousands of nano-capacitors which can act as a wireless antenna for various devices.

Chamtech's Head of Technology Division, Rhett Spencer, said paint can be applied to the cell phone antenna and is claimed to increase the signal level of up to ten percent.

Moreover, in a video demo, Sutera explained that the tree is converted to a VHF antenna and can broadcast signals over 14 miles, twice the reach of traditional antennas. This paint can also transmit radio signals as far as more than a mile under water.

This year Chamtech plans to expand its business line, not only among governments and the military fields, but also on cell phone and medical equipment manufacturers.

Sutera believes this technology can be used by weather and oceanographic researchers, under water workers, rescue workers, military, aviation, and by automobile manufacturers, telephone, TV, radio and other electronic goods.

SNIPPER: The Easiest Way to Share Videos from Your BlackBerry

Snipper makes it easy for you to share short video clip on your BlackBerry smartphone, and broadcast them on Facebook and Twitter. You can build your own broadcast channels to share with select people or you can broadcast them for public. You can also browse what others have shared. Videos are directly pushed from and to your phone.

SNIPP
Record your clip, trim it if you want, select your channel, and send your snippet.

SHARE
Decide who can watch your film. Securely invite them to your private channels, or let anybody watch them in public channel..

SEE
Get invited to someone's private channel, or follow the public channels.

Disconnect to Stay Connected

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Watch Out: Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has subsequently been defined as "when the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person".


Cyberbullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender, but it may also include threats, sexual remarks, pejorative labels (i.e., hate speech), ganging up on victims by making them the subject of ridicule in forums, and posting false statements as fact aimed at humiliation.


Cyberbullies may disclose victims' personal data (e.g. real name, address, or workplace/schools) at websites or forums or may pose as the identity of a victim for the purpose of publishing material in their name that defames or ridicules them. Some cyber-bullies may also send threatening and harassing emails and instant messages to the victims, while other post rumors or gossip and instigate others to dislike and gang up on the target.

Wikipedia

Near Field Communication (NFC), WTF???

In the world of technology, companies are always looking to discover that next big thing.  You know, that invention or technology that will either keep their company on top or perhaps help it to ascend to new heights.  These new technologies though are not always the easiest things to discover but when they are found, they can be the things that turn the fortunes of a company around.  Remember back when people thought Apple was in trouble awhile back.  The iPhone emerged and boom, back on top.  Well the next great thing is now being touted, and that is near field communication (NFC) technology.

Near field communication technology sounds much like what it is.  To put it in a nutshell, Near Field Communication is a new technology that is based on short-range wireless connectivity technology.  Where did it come from you might ask? Well it emerged from a grouping of various technologies that already existed, including those found in contactless identification and interconnection technologies.  If it works the way it is being talked about, it will make the life of the consumer much easier, at least from a technology perspective.

For the techie heads among us for whom these numbers mean something, NFC operates at 13.56 MHz and has the ability to exchange or transfer data with another device at speeds of up to 424 Kbits/second.  These numbers sound great, but what does it actually mean for the common user who has no such need for this technical jargon.  Well to put it simply, NFC will produce communication that is simple as well as secure between two electronic devices.  Does not sound like much until you realize how this communication takes place.  Due to the fact that NFC can be both a read as well as write technology, communication is as simply as taking your communication device and waving in front of the other thing you want to transfer to.  As long as your within four centimeters of the other device, NFC basically provides you with a "magic wand" if you will!

Sounds great doesn't it?  Well it seemingly gets better.  This technology is also compatible with Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi. I can hear some of the naysayers though spouting off that due to the nature of the transmission method, it cannot be safe and easy to intercept.  You naysayers would be wrong though my friends.  Due to the fact that the transmissions are being done from such close proximity, it is probably one of the most secure types of transactions that a consumer can undertake.  

Just think of the possibilities of what this kind of technology can do and you realize they are limitless.  Suppose you take some pictures with your mobile phone and want to show them on your TV to all in the room.  Simply swipe the phone close to the TV and there you go, instant gallery.  Maybe you’re on one of those long drives where you run into endless tolls.  How about swiping your phone through at the booth and your on your way.  It certainly makes things look a lot quicker and easier for consumers that will use it.

You can see the endless things that will be able to be accomplished with this technology.   Making payments will become as quick as a simple swipe.  The time that it takes to get information from one place to the other will be seconds instead of minutes.  It will be interesting to see how this technology progresses and is received by the ever changing world.  You can only imagine that it will change a great many things down the road.

Buying a Laptop that Suits You Best

Everyone's tastes when it comes to computers are different. What works for one person may not work for another. Today, we have choices when choosing the right laptop. The first thing you have to do before choosing a laptop is decide what are you planning on using your computer now and the future with. Laptops do have a short span from where they are when you buy them to where they end up being obsolete. The same goes for their desktop counterpart, but more for laptops.

There are a few types of laptops out on the market. A regular standard laptop, a gaming laptop and finally, a desktop replacement. They each have their purposes though. A regular standard laptop does not have all of the bells and whistles like the desktop replacements and the gaming laptops. Still, they are decent for people whom use the computer for general internet searching and writing. None of the hardcore games would be advised on these systems. Both the gaming and desktop replacements have more power than the standard laptops. For the most part you can play the same things, but if you are going to use your laptop to play a lot of games, you should go with a gaming laptop. A desktop laptop is self explanatory as they are great laptops to use instead of getting a desktop. They are still portable and if you plan on transporting your laptop, you will have to find the right bag that will hold your laptop. Desktop replacements have a screen size of around seventeen inches.

No matter which type of laptop you choose, you need to find one that fits your needs. You need to ask yourself as to what you want to do with your computer. You also have to know how much space or memory that you really want out of your computer. If you have something that does not have enough room, you are not going to be happy.

When going with a laptop, you need to know what you plan on running in the future if you know what you are going to run in the future. The more you know, the better the lifespan of the computer will be when its faced with being obsolete. Are you going to be able to use the programs when you have to go and upgrade the computer? Is your computer up to date with the current software you are running. These are questions that you must ask yourself besides the price. The computer that is the most expensive of them all is the gaming system. Typically you don't need one as most of what you need is in the desktop replacements. Sometimes it is not the case though. Both can be heavy though. Before buying a laptop, you just have to know what you want out of your laptop. Don't depend on the store sales people to tell you. They are not always right and its best to go with your guts as to if the laptop is the right one for you.

Overheating No More

Modern day smart phones with hi-tech features and built-in gadgets are often subject to overheating. The overheating, whether the battery or the device itself, can cause damage to your hardware over a space of time and it can even result in its eventual demise. Actually keeping your cell phone cool is very easy and everyone is capable of doing it. Here is some tips as to how to keep your cell phone from overheating.

Turn it off when not in use
One of the most effective ways of preventing your cell phone from overheating is also the most obvious. Simply turn it off when you are not using it. Do not leave it on at night even if you are using it for the alarm to wake you up in the morning as most modern day phones will activate automatically when you set the alarm. Leaving it on when not in use will drain the battery, and it will also cause it to overheat which can damage it over time. Simply do not leave it switched on when you are not using it or when you are not expecting any important calls or texts.

Switch off battery draining features
Many features of a cell phone can cause the battery to drain quicker but in doing so, they also cause the battery to overheat and the cell phone itself can suffer from overheating as a result. These features include the Internet, mobile games, Bluetooth and even cameras. Always use the phone lock to your advantage so that you do not accidentally click on a battery draining feature while walking. Turn off all features that can cause overheating when you are not using them for the sake of your device.

Store it away from direct light and heat
Proper storage is essential to keeping your cell phone safe from overheating. The way that you store it can help keep it working for longer. Do not store it in direct sunlight and do not store it in a pocket that is likely to get very hot very quickly. Instead, store it in a drawer or on a shelf away from the sun or keep it in a pocket that is not prone to overheating so that the device too will not become prone to overheating.

The above methods will help keep your device safe from overheating so that it will be alive and working perfectly for much, much longer.

List of Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Apply these keyboard shortcuts to help you speed up your computing:


Windows system key combinations

• F1: Help
• CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu
• ALT+TAB: Switch between open programs
• ALT+F4: Quit program
• SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently
• Windows Logo+L: Lock the computer (without using CTRL+ALT+DELETE)

Windows program key combinations

• CTRL+C: Copy
• CTRL+X: Cut
• CTRL+V: Paste
• CTRL+Z: Undo
• CTRL+B: Bold
• CTRL+U: Underline
• CTRL+I: Italic

Shell objects and general folder/Windows Explorer shortcuts
>For a selected object:

• F2: Rename object
• F3: Find all files
• CTRL+X: Cut
• CTRL+C: Copy
• CTRL+V: Paste
• SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin
• ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object

>To copy a file:

• Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.
• To create a shortcut
• Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder.

General folder/shortcut control

• F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
• F5: Refreshes the current window.
• F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
• CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)
• CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
• CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
• BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
• SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders

Windows Explorer tree control

• Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
• Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
• Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
• RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child
• LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent

Dialog box keyboard commands

• TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box
• SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box
• SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
• ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)
• ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
• ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding item

Why the use of cellular phones is not permitted on airplanes

by Maria C. Collins

Airlines have not allowed the use of cell phones on aircraft in flight but this may soon be changing. RyanAir, an Irish Airline, announced on 20 February 2009 that it would soon permit the use of mobile telephones on its aircraft.

There are two reasons why airlines forbade passengers to use mobile phones on aircraft in flight. Firstly, old mobile telephones interfered with some of the delicate instruments on aircraft causing them to read incorrectly. Ryan Air said that passengers would still not be allowed to use a cell phone during take off and landing for safety reasons. There will be a light in the airplane cabin similar to the fasten seatbelt light which will indicate when passengers may use their mobile telephones. How long before some idiot cannot wait to use their phone and defies the light?

The second reason is terrorism; apparently, terrorists can use mobile telephones to detonate explosives remotely. In the present climate, it is likely that the British and Irish governments will not allow RyanAir to offer customers the ability to use cell phones on aircraft in flight.

Ryan Air is a short haul airline and flies from Ireland and United Kingdom to destination Airports in Europe. They will charge a heavy price for their proposed cell phone service but it is unlikely that mere steep prices will deter mobile telephone addicts. In any case, their flights to Europe are for the most part under 3 hours in length, most are much less than that. If people cannot be without the use of their telephones for that amount of time then there is something seriously wrong with their lives.

An aircraft was a peaceful haven from these irritating demons of technology. On other forms of public transport (buses, coaches and trains), one can move away from those who cannot restrain themselves from constant use of their mobile telephones and find another seat where one can enjoy a book and endure the journey in peace. This is not possible on an airplane. Flying makes people irritable, tired and edgy it is easy to conjecture therefore that the use of cell phones on aircraft could lead to more incidents of air rage causing fear, distress and possibly violence to the cell phone user, other passengers and cabin crew. Cell phone users on public transport for some unknown reason always shout whilst using their phones. This conjures up the prospect of a few people all yelling away on their phones disturbing a whole planeload of passengers. It seems like perfect conditions for a riot, not very safe on an airplane!

RyanAir thinks it will attract customers and make money from its proposed mobile telephone service but it may be unpleasantly surprised. Most airline passengers want to travel in peace and quiet away from the infuriating disturbance of other people's inane, unnecessary and, often, intensely personal telephone conversations. Governments may well not allow RyanAir to offer the service. If the service is introduced perhaps all the mobile phone addicts will fly RyanAir together, and annoy only one another, and leave the rest of us to fly safely, and in peace on other airlines who will, sensibly, still ban customers from using mobile telephones.

Blackberry Slows Down?

Blackberrys are smartphones, means they are designed to handle complex jobs simultaneously, just like a mini PC within your palm. But like a computer, sometimes your BlackBerry can get slow and sluggish. When your Blackberry slows down, actually you can follow these steps to rejuvenate it before contacting the customer service.

The main reason why a Blackberry goes sluggish, like almost any other computing device, is lack of memory. So the first thing to do is to check how many applications are running. Press the menu key and choose 'switch application' - this will give you a list of the applications currently running. If there are a large number of apps other than the five or so which are always running in the background (Messages, Browser, Call logs/Phone, Blackberry Messenger and Homescreen), you may be well advised to close a few, particularly any games you have been playing, or camera apps, or anything else which could use up a lot of processing power.

This problem arises because people often do not close applications properly, tending instead to press the red End Call button to drop out of an app and back to the homescreen. This is convenient, but leads over time to many applications all competing for processing power and slowing down your handset, so try and get into the habit of quitting applications properly (unless you need to leave them running in the background as with various alert services, or unless you know you're going to be referring to them again soon).

Even within the applications which are always running, pay attention, go into the internet browser and make sure you've not left it at a web page which might be using up a lot of memory, for example, and check the file size of your homescreen. Delete event logs and things. Clear your browser's cache. All these things take up memory and processing power, and they add up considerably.

All of this is time consuming stuff to be thinking of on a daily basis at the same time as actually using your Blackberry, so make things easy on yourself by making sure your Blackberry's automatic "memory cleaning" system is set up. Go to Security Options and then Memory Cleaning (Options -  Security - Advanced Security Settings - Memory Cleaning - Clean) to check that the program is enabled and configured to your satisfaction. You can then set up an icon for Memory Cleaning on your homescreen for future reference. You can also use memory cleaning apps available at BB Appworld, like this one.

Every so often, though, in spite of meticulous attention to managing memory and closing applications, your Blackberry's memory may become clogged and the handset starts to run slow or sluggish. In this case, you have to do a complete reboot of the handset. With the handset turned on, simply remove the battery, wait for one full minute and then plug the battery back in and restart your Blackberry. This should normally fix the problem and restore your Blackberry to normal running speed.

Happy blackberrying !!!