Karthik R

What to Look For in Antivirus Software? Viruses are among the most real and constant threats to the safety and security of the information contained in our computers. What's worse, for most of us, acquiring a virus is not a question of how, but when. That is why anti virus software is so critical. All security softwares are not created equal. Like all consumer products, antivirus software has the good, the bad, and the mediocre. The choices for antivirus protection are many and varied. Vote here for the Anti-Viruses you rely on. The list of them are not exhaustive so you can add the ones omitted by mentioning below. Remember when it really comes down to it, effectiveness and usability can either make or break antivirus software. Security programs are only as good as their level of protection, and if you can't figure out how to use it, you won't For best results, get antivirus software that gets updates on a daily basis. Though there is no way to guarantee 100 percent security, an antivirus program that gets updated frequently will do a better job than the one relying on old input.

What's your Internet Speed? Find out and share here Procedure : Go to www.speedtest.net Choose the closest server to you (Or the recommended server) Begin test ! Click on 'Share This Result' > Copy Forum Link Paste the link as an image here. Format to be followed : Internet Service Provider Name / Type : eg. BSNL, Netconnect, Photon Plus, Mblaze / Broadband, 3G, EVDO data card, LTE (hopefully soon!) etc. Plan you are on : eg. BBG FN Combo 500, Broadband+ 10 GB, Photon+ power surf, Airtel Surf 599, etc. Location you are based on : This piece of info can help members evaluate how the ISPs fare in different parts of the country and form purchase decisions. Comments : if any - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RIMweb Top 5 1. Sunil 2. Rajan Mehta 3. Arun 4. Yogesh Pote 5. Amit Routray Note : All members are required to furnish the complete information in the format mentioned above for their entries to be considered in the Top-Five list. Just posting speednet results alone won't do. The Top Five list will be updated, as the case arises, at the end of the day. Post the latest info

For the Noob mobile phone user or even those who have seen the jargon making the rounds but couldn't really understand what they meant, here is a quick guide to the most commonly used abbreviations and terminology used in the mobile phone segment 3G – Third Generation mobile technology will allow users to get a better host of services and connectivity speeds from their service provider. That means download speeds on mobile devices will be faster as well as data and media streaming. 3GPP - 3rd Generation Partnership Project can be construed to be a combination of all GSM, GPRS/EDGE and W-CDMA specifications. A-GPS – Assisted Global Positioning System allows for a quicker mode of gathering required satellite information via the internet via servers. GPS enabled handsets can get information without the use of A-GPS however it would take a little longer. In order to use A-GPS you would of course require a working internet service on your mobile handset via your service provider. Android – Developed by Google and part of the Open Handset Alliance now, Android is not just an operating system but a software platform as well. It's based on the Linux Kernel, which is quite synonymous with free or open source software. Developers will also be able to write codes for developing new applications for the OS with Java. The first Android powered handset was HTC's G1. Android has become extremely popular today, with devices powered by the OS providing stiff competition to Apple's devices. In case you're not familiar with them, here's a list of the codenames used for Android OS versions. Donut - Version 1.6 Eclair - Version 2.0/2.1 FroYo - Shortened form of Frozen Yoghurt, Version 2.2 Gingerbread - Version 2.3 Ice Cream Sandwich - Supposedly Version 2.4 Honeycomb - Version 3.0, optimized for tablets. ROMs A stock ROM is the official, signed software version from a phone manufacturer that will either come on the device when you buy it or will come in the form of an update. Custom ROMs, however, are either altered version of this software or modified versions of Google's stock Android software. So what does the "customized" part mean? Since Android is open source, developers are free to take stock ROMs, modify them, strip them of garbage, optimize them, add things, and pretty much do whatever their imagination and skills allow. Here are the steps for installing Custom ROMs, at a glance : Root Your Phone Install ROM Manager App Back Up Download the ROM you want to try Flash It Want to go back? Restore It "Rooting" your device means obtaining "superuser" rights and permissions to your Android's software. With these elevated user privileges, you gain the ability to load custom software (ROM's), install custom themes, increase performance, increase battery life, and the ability to install software that would otherwise cost extra money (ex: WiFi tethering). Rooting is essentially "hacking" your Android device. In the iPhone world, this would be the equivalent to "Jailbreaking" your phone. BREW - is Qualcomm's open source application development platform for wireless devices equipped for CDMA technology. Bluetooth – A wireless method of communion between devices for either data transfer or remote access and control. Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR – Bluetooth (BT) with Enhanced Data Rate offers faster rates of communication between Bluetooth enabled devices. A2DP - Advanced Audio Distribution Profile allows Bluetooth enabled media devices to communicate with receivers in Stereo Bluetooth headsets for better audio experiences. AVRCP - Audio/Video Remote Control Profile allows BT enabled devices to communicate and control and interface with other BT enabled devices not just for data transfer but in a more in-depth sense. For example one can control your PC's media player via Bluetooth from a mobile handset equipped with Bluetooth that also has an AVRCP profile. BTS - Base Transceiver Station; the network entity which communicates with the mobile station. CDMA - Code division multiple access is another form of mobile/cellular technology that allows users to use the entire spectrum of frequencies available that are capable of providing better sound and data communication. Some CDMA handsets have built in SIM cards, so specific handset models have been designed for this technology. The range of mobile handsets available with CDMA, are a little more limited as compared to GSM. CDMA is a military technology first used during World War II by English allies to foil German attempts at jamming transmissions. For more info you may want to check out Basics about CDMA / EVDO CMOS Sensor – Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor are most widely used in mobile handset cameras. The reason for this is because these sensors require fewer components (perfect for space constraints) and lesser power so it also reduces the cost. Core - A core, in its basic terminology, is a distinct CPU. Any singular core is capable of executing all of the necessary computations and instructions to ensure a smartphone can function at all. Learn more about Single Core / Multi - Core chips and find out whether you need them here. Displays TFT LCD - Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display. TFT LCD type screens are also used in TV's and computer monitors. QVGA – Quarter Video Graphics Array is 240 x 320 pixels, this is pretty standard for most mobile handsets VGA - Video Graphics Array is 640 x 480 pixels for handsets with larger displays WVGA - Wide Video Graphics Array 800 x 480. OLED - Organic Light-Emitting Diode. Nokia's N85 uses this type of display. AMOLED - Active Matrix OLED. An enhanced version of OLED screens, AMOLED screens used very commonly now, in phones like Nokia's N8. Active-matrix OLED displays provide higher refresh rates than their passive-matrix OLED counterparts, and they consume significantly less power. Super AMOLED - Super AMOLED refers to touchscreens where the layer that detects touches is integrated onto the screen rather than being a layer on top of it. This leads to increased brightness and clarity. The Samsung Galaxy S bears this type of screen. Super AMOLED Plus - First introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S II series smartphones, is a further development where the PenTile RGBG pixel matrix is replaced with a common RGB subpixels arrangement, going from eight to twelve subpixels in a group, resulting in finer details. The screen technology is also brighter, thinner and 18% more energy efficient. Retina Display - First used in Apple's iPhone 4, the Retina Display is an IPS LCD screen that packs has a very high pixel density (number of pixels per inch), making it very hard for the naked eye to distinguish between pixels and therefore leading to seemingly higher quality. EDGE - Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution can also be called EGPRS or Enhanced GPRS and means exactly what it states. It's one step above GPRS and provides for a little faster browsing and data transfer speeds. ESN - An ESN is a numeric identifier that uniquely identifies a CDMA phone. The ESN is what a CDMA network uses to identify a phone and determine which subscriber's account, if any, it is linked to. Because of this, when switching from one phone to another, subscribers will have to provide the ESN of the new phone to the network carrier before it can be activated. The ESN is being phased out in favour of the MEID. This is happening because phone manufacturers are literally running out of ESN identifiers. FDMA - Frequency Division Multiple Access-a transmission technique where the assigned frequency band for a network is divided into sub-bands which are allocated to a subscriber for the duration of their calls. GSM - Global System for Mobile communications (originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile). To cut a long story very short is the technology that allows for mobile handsets to connect to service providers using any model phone or any service provider anywhere in the world. GSM handsets can be used with SIM cards. GPRS - General Packet Radio Service is universal as a mobile data service (packet) for 2G and 3G networks. It provides data rates from 56 up to 114 kbit/s of information when connected to the net via the mobile handset's browser. HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface : A standard for audio/video cables and connectors. HDMI supports and carries high-definition (HD) video and multi-channel audio over a single cable. It carries an all digital signal, ensuring high quality. Some phones have a Mini-HDMI (Type C) or Micro-HDMI (Type D) connector to allow the phone to be connected directly to a television, so that video content on the phone can be played back on a full-size television screen. This requires a HDMI cable with a Mini or Micro - HDMI connector on one end and a full size (Type A) HDMI connector on the other end. Hot Swap Slot – A memory card slot that's accessible without having to remove the battery or the rear panel. Some handsets do have a memory card slot just under the rear panel that but you won't need to touch the battery. This could also be termed as a Hot Swap Slot. HSCSD - High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data implies four times faster data transmission for mobile for users using GSM with rates up to 38.4 kbit/s. It's basically high speed implementation of standard GSM transfers. HSDPA - High-Speed Downlink Packet Access is often associated with 3G. It allows networks to provide higher data transfer speeds and capacity. Current HSDPA deployments support down-link speeds of 1.8, 3.6, 7.2 and 14.4 Mbit/s. iDEN - is a mobile telecommunications technology, developed by Motorola, which provides its users the benefits of a trunked radio and a cellular telephone. iDEN places more users in a given spectral space, compared to analog cellular and two-way radio systems, by using speech compression and time division multiple access (TDMA). IR – Infra Red is slowly being phased out these days with BT taking a bigger and more active role in a mobile handset's wireless mode of data transfer and communication. IR means having to keep two handsets aligned with their IR receivers facing each other or 'in line of sight' whereas Bluetooth doesn't not have such limitations and is faster as well. Jailbreak – Jailbreaking means hacking into the core system of the iPhone so as to allow users to gain access to areas that were otherwise closed off (Unix File system). Keypads QWERTY – A full QWERTY keypad is a mobile keypad that would allow you to visualize and use this type of mobile input system as well as you would a desktop PC's keyboard. Each company tries to design their handsets keypad to mimic a PC's as best as they can. SureType - or Half QWERTY keypad are essential the same. SureType is more specific to BlackBerrys. Virtual Keypad - is an On-Screen keypad which is specific to handsets with touchscreens. These are also available in QWERTY, SureType or Half QWERTY as well as normal alphanumeric options. Swype - Swype is a virtual keyboard which allows users to enter words by sliding a finger or stylus from letter to letter, lifting only between words. It uses error-correcting algorithms and a language model to guess the intended word. It also includes a tapping predictive text system in the same interface. LTE - Long Term Evolution is the name given to a project associated with 3GPP to help improve and perhaps even standardize future mobile technology. A lot of devices that supported LTE connectivity were launched at CES 2011, but were marketed as 4G-enabled. Interested? Follow more about LTE here Mail for Exchange – A more up scaled version of Push Mail would be Mail for Exchange. With an application being installed on the handset itself, this service would also download your emails in a real-time environment and also sync and integrate with your Contacts list and Calendar. Much like having MS Outlook on your mobile. MEID - An ID number that is unique for each new CDMA mobile in the world. It identifies the phone to the network. MEID is a replacement for ESN. It began replacing ESN in 2005 since the pool of ESN numbers has been virtually exhausted due to the number of devices in use. It is equivalent to IMEI in GSM phones. Memory Cards Secure Digital Card (SD card) - SD cards are used in many small portable devices such as digital video camcorders, digital cameras, handheld computers, audio players and mobile phones. In use since 1999, SD Memory Cards are now available in capacities between 16 Megabytes and 1 Gigabyte, and still growing. An SD card typically measures 32 mm x 24 mm x 2.1 mm and weighs approximately 2grams. MiniSD Card - After the success of the SD Card (Secure Digital Card), the miniSD Memory Card was developed to meet the demands of the mobile phone market. The MiniSD Card provides the same benefits as the SD Card, but is smaller than the original SD Card. MiniSD Cards are typically found in many newer mobile phones with features such as built-in digital cameras, downloading and games, basically the mobile phones where the miniSD can meet the requirements for increased data storage. MiniSD cards are 21.5 mm x 20 mm x 1.4 mm and generally provide 16MB to 256MB of storage. MicroSD - Mainly used in mobile phones and other small handheld devices the MicroSD format is currently available in capacities up to 4GB, and it roughly 1/4th the size of the SD card at 15mm W 11mm W 0.7mm. The MicroSD card is also the smallest memory card available. Card adapters can be purchased that enable backwards compatibility — this would allow MicroSD cards to work in SD and MiniSD slots, and also for MicroSD cards to work in SD card slots. MultiMediaCard (MMC) - The MultiMediaCard (MMC) standard was introduced by SanDisk and Siemens in 1997. The card itself is 32 mm x 24 mm x 1.4mm and is often used in place of the SD card. Transfer speeds of a MMC is around 2.5MB/s and they can often be used in SD Card readers. Sony Memory Sticks - Sony Memory Sticks are light, compact and designed for a wide variety of devices including digital cameras, recorders, and more. With the use of an adapter most Sony Memory Sticks can be used with almost all Memory Stick PRO compatible products. Memory Stick Micro (M2): 15 mm x 12.5 mm x 1.2 mm Memory Stick PRO: 50 mm x 21.5 mm x 2.8 mm. The Memory Stick PRO format has an an 8-bit parallel interface with theoretical transfer rates up to 480Mb/s. It is commonly used in high megapixel digital cameras and digital camcorders. Memory Stick PRO DUO: 31 mm x 20 mm x 1.6 mm. The Memory Stick PRO Duo media is about one-third the volume and half the weight of standard-size media, but offers all the advanced functions of Memory Stick PRO media. Multi-Touch – This term is applied to specific usability on touchscreen mobiles that allow for specific actions. For example – the pinch to zoom feature in the Apple iPhone. It's a more sophisticated touchscreen feature that has hardware and software working simultaneously to recognize more than just one point of contact with the screen and responding to the same. Most touchscreen handsets' UI will not permit the use to multiple contacts with the screen to activate features and function. Nav-Pad or D-Pad – This refers to the five way navigation pad that's usually located under the display and can be used to maneuver through menus and settings. The center key is for selecting options. Nokia also uses what they call a Navi-Wheel that's similar to the iPod's Click Wheel. It's soft touch scrolling in a circular motion for moving around a menu system. NFC - Near Field Communication allows for the wireless communication to take place between mobile devices with a very fixed radius of about four inches. This system is not unlike BT or IR but it does have the limitation of distance. Read more into NFC here! Podcasts – Podcasts are either video or audio snippets on various topics uploaded to the net via individuals, corporations, radio stations etc. that can be downloaded for playback on a mobile handset via an active internet connection. They're usually in the form of web feeds. PRL - is a database residing in a wireless (primarily CDMA) device, such as a cellphone, that contains information used during the system selection and acquisition process. In the case of RUIM-based CDMA devices, the PRL resides on the RUIM. The PRL indicates which bands, sub bands and service provider identifiers will be scanned and in what priority order. Without a PRL, the device may not be able to roam, i.e. obtain service outside of the home area. Proprietary Ports – As the name implies, it's the connectivity port for a handsfree, charger or USB that is design-specific to a single company's brand of handsets. It's also one of the more irritating aspects in the mobile phone industry. With a standard port, users can simply use wires from other products and vice-versa instead of hunting for a very specific wire that in most cases is only available with the handset manufacturer who would probably charge a premium rate. If you are confused about cables and wires, this topic may prove helpful - Guide to PC's cable and Wiring Push Mail – This service allows a handset with an active internet connection and support for the same to always download new messages from a designated server linked to your personal email address. What this means is, a real-time download of all incoming emails to your mailbox which you can access from your mobile as well as your PC. Pwnage – To be Pwned is the same as street slang for 'Owned' i.e. to be taken for a ride (in some cases) or to be to be controlled against your will. In the world of the iPhone to have your iPhone Pwned, would mean to jailbreak it and gain access to all areas. A Pwnage tool is required to do just this. RDS – Radio Data System is a very frequent term attached to the FM radio capabilities in a mobile handset. It's a method of transmitting small but useful snippets of digital information via the radio's frequencies that would include Track name, name of the artist etc. SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) - A cell phone's SAR, or its Specific Absorption Rate, is a measure of the amount of radio frequency (RF) energy absorbed by the body when using the handset. All cell phones emit RF energy and the SAR varies by handset model Read more here. Series 40 and Series 60 – S40 or S60 are mobile User Interfaces (UI) that work with the Symbian Operating System. S40 UIs are usually found in some of the lower end Nokia handsets and S60 can be found in some of the more advanced. Nokia has launched a touchscreen version of their Series 40 UI and of course, you'll all be familiar by now with the 5800 XpressMusic that uses a S60 touch based UI. Nokia's N8 had a new version of their Symbian UI, named Symbian ^3. Tap-Screen/SurePress - The latest in touchscreen technology is RIM's offering in their BlackBerry Storm 9500. While the UI works quite like any other touchscreen interface with response to touch by sliding your fingers across the screen; in order to actually activate major functions or selections, the screen itself can be pressed, not unlike a normal button on a keypad. This technology is what we call Tap-Screen and what RIM calls SurePress. UIQ - User Interface Quartz, is essentially a platform based on the Symbian Operating System (OS). A variant of sorts. Later versions are used in handsets that have touchscreen interfaces. The UIQ platform also allows for plenty of development and also supports Java. UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is one of the 3G mobile cellular technologies. Also understood as 3GSM in many cases, it essentially implies a sort of hybrid combination of 3G with its speed and GSM with a more globalised standard. Unlock – Unlocking carrier locked phone implies you would be able to use it as an open GSM handset so that it would no longer be tied to a single carrier. You'd be free to use any service provider's SIM card and services attached to the same without disrupting the use of the handset in any way. USB – Universal Serial Bus is simply a wired standard used for interfacing between a mobile handset and a PC for various purposes be it media and data transfer, backing up of information or even recharging the battery. Mobile phones usually have this in mini-USB and micro-USB variants. VOIP - Voice over Internet Protocol, in the simplest sense, implies the ability to make voice calls over the internet. In a mobile phone it would mean the ability to make a call using Wi-Fi, EDGE or any other internet service the handset permits. WAP - Wireless Application Protocol is simply the system used by a mobile handset to connect to the internet but it's a little more 'strictly' basic when compared to GPRS or EDGE. W-CDMA - Wideband Code Division Multiple Access is another type of 3G network. Wi-Fi - is a mode of wireless connectivity but with a stricter sense. It allows for mobile handsets to connect to Wi-Fi routers in a certain area for quick and high speed internet connectivity. WiMAX - Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is a wireless digital communications system intended for much larger areas as compared to Wi-Fi. It can provide broadband wireless up to 50 km for fixed stations, and 5 - 15 km for mobile stations. Wi-Fi on a much larger scale like EDGE/GPRS with broadband speeds. Commonly Used Abbreviations with CDMA MIN - Mobile Identification Number ESN - Electronic Serial Number PRL - Preferred Roaming List SID - System Identification Number SCM - Station Class Mark CAI - Common Air Interface A Key - Authentication Key NAM - Numeric Assignment Module SPC - Service Programming Code Sourced part of the info from tech2, webopedia. Feel free to add new terms to this topic Edit : Updated with more terms..

To communicate with the network, mobile phones emit low levels of radio waves (also known as radiofrequency or 'RF' energy) when being used. SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate, which is the unit of measurement for the amount of RF energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone. The SAR is determined at the highest certified power level in laboratory conditions. A SAR value is a measure of the maximum energy absorbed by a unit of mass of exposed tissue of a person using a mobile phone, over a given time or more simply the power absorbed per unit mass. SAR values are usually expressed in units of watts per kilogram (W/kg) in either 1g or 10g of tissue. You should also be aware that the SAR values shown are maximum values and in practice emissions from mobile phones will normally be lower than these figures. The emissions depend on factors such as distance from a transmission mast, whether the phone is used indoors or outdoors, how close the phone is held to the ear and other operating factors. It is important to realise that a phone with a high SAR rating may actually operate with much lower emissions in practice, and conversely a phone with a lower SAR rating may operate with emissions higher than a high SAR phone in practice. You should not rely on a low SAR rating to guarantee your health. Exposure Limits North American and Australian Standard - The SAR limit for mobile phones used by the public is 1.6 watts/kilogram (W/kg) averaged over one gram of body tissue. European Standard - The SAR limit for mobile phones used by the public is 2.0 watts/kilogram (W/kg) averaged over ten grams of body tissue. To compare relative radiation of different mobile phones, only compare phones using the same standard. Does the SAR for a mobile phone vary when in use? Yes. Although the SAR is determined at the highest certified power level in laboratory conditions, the actual SAR level of the phone while operating can be well below this value. This is because mobile phones use adaptive power control to reduce the transmitted power to the minimum possible whilst maintaining good call quality. Once a call is established the mobile phone will power down to the minimum level required. Therefore, the closer you are to a base station and the better the reception, the lower the actual SAR level. Does SAR vary between mobile phones? Yes. The maximum SAR level for different mobile phone models can vary and this is primarily due to where the antenna in the phone is located. Where can i find the SAR and safety information for mobile phones? There are many ways to find SAR information for mobile phones. Check the phone handbook or user manual – look under safety or specifications Search the manufacturer’s web site for your phone model and SAR – it is usually listed under safety, or product specifications. If everything fails, Google it How is SAR measured for mobile phones? Specialised laboratory test equipment is used for conducting SAR measurements. The equipment consists of a ‘phantom’ (human or box), precision robot, RF field sensors, and mobile phone holder. The phantom is filled with a liquid that represents the electrical properties of human tissue. Head Measurements - SAR test inside a head phantom: The mobile phone is positioned against the phantom head and switched on to full power. The precision robot moves the RF probe throughout the phantom head measuring the radio signal level in the head phantom. The computer analysing the data converts the radio signal levels into SAR (W/kg). The full test is conducted at all operating frequencies and using different phone positions. The maximum level measured is recorded as the SAR value against the head. Body Measurements - SAR test inside a body (box) phantom: The mobile phone is positioned against the phantom body and switched on to full power. The precision robot moves the RF probe throughout the phantom body measuring the radio signal level in the body near the phone. The computer analysing the data converts the radio signal levels into SAR (W/kg). The maximum level measured is recorded as the SAR value against the body. Check out the SAR measurement video here ! Is there a separation distance from the body required for mobile phones? Mobile phones generally get better reception when used away from the main part of the body. Some mobile phones are designed to have a small minimum separation from the body when in use, typically 15 – 25mm depending on the phone. The minimum separation often represents the spacing created by a phone holder or clothing. This is to ensure the phone operates more efficiently and also meets the SAR requirements. A mobile phone can always be used up against the head without separation. This is because the antenna in the phone is designed to be far enough away from the head to meet SAR requirements and operate most efficiently. Am I at risk by not using a separation distance? Separation distances are used for more efficient operation of the phone and for SAR compliance. If a separation distance is specified and not adopted then the phone is possibly being used in a non-compliant position. However this does not compromise safety as the international exposure guidelines have large built-in safety margins. How to reduce your exposure to phone radiation Use a hands-free headset. Do not use your phone more than necessary and keep your calls short Send a text instead of making a call Try to avoid using your phone if the signal strength is low - find a better location to make a call Try to use the phone outdoors rather than inside, or move close to a window to make a call Keep the phone (and particularly the aerial) as far as possible from your head Avoid touching the aerial while the phone is turned on, and keep the phone away from areas of the body such as eyes, testicles, breasts and internal organs Women - Limit usage as much as possible if pregnant Switch off your phone when not in use MMF (Mobile Manufacturer Forum) has recently released a video on the issue, you can view it here Samsung users check your SAR value here Nokia users can check their phone's SAR value here Motorola here Sourced part of the info from EMF Explained. Image courtesy - Think Digit.

When it comes to web browsers, everyone has an opinion. Every web browser will have a specific feature set that appeals to some while not appealing to others. I have listed the 5 most widely used browsers above. Please vote for your favourite one. The criteria that can be used for selecting browsers in this review are the following: Speed - How fast does the browser load a page? Important in any browser, but not the only criterion for judgment. Security - How well the browser can handle exploits in web coding as well as keeping your online information safe. Some browsers today even have a "Private browsing" mode that leaves no trace of your browsing history on the PC. Ease of use - How intuitive and easy to use is the browser? Stability Feature set - What kind of features are available to enhance the browsing experience (Example: Tabbed browsing, handling of bookmarks, etc.)? Flexibility and Expandability - Can the browser handle badly coded or non-compliant HTML pages? Is it expandable through add-on programs? Does it display included content (such as flash video) properly? When it comes right down to it, the best web browser is one that allows you to view the Web the way that YOU want. [sourced info from techsupportalert]

HTC has announced one of the most remarkable device of 2012 - the HTC DROID DNA! Operating System : Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with HTC Sense Processor : Qualcomm APQ8064 Quad-core 1.5 GHz, MDM9615M Memory : 16 GB, 2 GB RAM Display : 5-inch super LCD3, HD 1080p, Gorilla Glass 2 Battery : 2020 mAh LI-ION (embedded) Official product page here. Available with Verizon. This beast beats Note II hands down. Definitely considering this for my next purchase

I'm now using Norton AV which was bundled along with the HP lap that I bought two months back. Recently the 60 days free trial offered ran out and I renewed three days back. Pros - Clean and simple interface, effective AV, light on memory, provides threat and performance information to help avoid future threats and keep the system running snappy.

New members, (why even me in the beginning!) go nuts over technical jargon that they may not fully follow. I am posting this topic with a view to help them comprehend better and understand CDMA which I feel is not given due appreciation. Post the additional essential details here but lets spare the argument on GSM v/s CDMA Experienced members kindly view this as a venue to refresh and share updated info. CDMA operators in India CDMA (code division multiple access) is a digital mobile telephone standard which takes a different approach to the other, competing standards: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access). Where GSM and TDMA divide the available bandwidth into 'channels' using a combination of frequency bands and time-slices, CDMA spreads the signal over a wide bandwidth, identifying each channel using unique digital codes. This means it can provide greater bandwidth efficiency, and hence a greater potential number of channels. Traditional uses of spread spectrum are in military operations. Because of the wide bandwidth of a spread spectrum signal, it is very difficult to jam, difficult to interfere with, and difficult to identify. This is in contrast to technologies using a narrower bandwidth of frequencies. Since a wideband spread spectrum signal is very hard to detect, it appears as nothing more than a slight rise in the "noise floor" or interference level. With other technologies, the power of the signal is concentrated in a narrower band, which makes it easier to detect. The narrow band is also more prone to interference than the spread-spectrum of CDMA. Increased privacy is inherent in CDMA technology. CDMA phone calls will be secure from the casual eavesdropper since, unlike an analog conversation, a simple radio receiver will not be able to pick individual digital conversations out of the overall RF radiation in a frequency band. TDMA (time division multiple access) and GSM systems have to add an extra stage of encryption to the signal to ensure privacy, whereas encryption is inherent to the CDMA system. The 1× Evolution-Data Optimised, which is abbreviated as EV-DO or 1× EV-DO, is a wireless radio broadband data standard. It has been adopted by a number of CDMA mobile telecommunications service providers across the world, particularly in the USA, South Korea, Japan, eastern European countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and spreading in our very own India The technology was first standardised by 3GPP2 in 2000 as part of the CDMA2000 standards. Qualcomm started to develop EV-DO in 1999 in a bid to produce a 2Mbit/s downlink for stationary communications, according to the requirements of IMT-2000. Originally the DO of the standards acronym stood for 'data only'. However, after being ratified by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the 'O' was changed to 'optimised' since 'only' had negative connotations for marketing the technology. EV-DO technology is a direct evolution of the 1× (1×RTT) air interface standard, with its channels carrying data traffic only. HOW DOES IT MATCH UP? In comparison to GPRS and EDGE standards, which have been widely adopted by GSM networks, the 1× EV-DO capability of enabled CDMA2000 networks is much faster. It provides mobile devices (handsets and wireless modem air cards) with air interface speeds of up to 2.4576Mb/s with EV-DO Rev. 0 and even faster speeds of 3.1Mb/s with Rev. A (data only rev A, affectionately known as DORA). Only devices fitted with 1xEV-DO capable chipsets can take advantage of the higher speeds. High speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) is a rival technology for wide band code division multiple access (W-CDMA) networks. HSDPA has the advantage over EV-DO of being able to maintain voice and data channels simultaneously over a single pair of frequencies. The system has some real advantages over WiFi, including the fact that it is always on with seamless roaming. Additionally, the signal can travel on the same cell sites as mobile phones, can download and run video clips in real time, there is no 300ft range from the cell tower or 'hot spot' and there are not so many security issues. DEPLOYMENT AND TECHNOLOGY When deployed alongside a voice network, 1× EV-DO requires a separate radio channel of 1.25MHz. The first revision of the standard was 1x EV-DO Rev. 0 and this is now being superseded by 1× EV-DO Rev. A In addition to the increase in the maximum downlink rate from 2.4576Mb/s in Rev. 0 to 3.1Mb/s, EVDO Rev.A also has a 12-times improvement in the maximum uplink data rate, from .15Mb/s to 1.8Mb/s. EV-DO REVISION B Even Rev. A is now due to be superseded, with the wireless communications market constantly striving for better and faster services. 1× EV-DO Rev B (DORB) specifications have now been developed. EVDO Rev. B is the evolution of Rev. A and in addition to all that is provided in Rev A, provides additional enhancements such as: higher rates per carrier (up to 4.9Mbps on the downlink); higher rates by bundling multiple channels together (this can enhance user experience and enables new services such as high definition video streaming); reducing latency for services such as gaming and video telephony, due to statistical mutiplexing across channels and hybrid frequency re-use which reduces the interference from the adjacent sectors and improves the rates that can be offered especially to the users at the edge of the cell. Where EVDO isn't available, 2G/1xRTT data capability will be present and your EVDO modem or phone will automatically connect to it. While considerably slower than EVDO, 1x is a huge boon - if you find yourself in a remote location with no EVDO connectivity, you will still be able to remain connected! Commonly Used Abbreviations MIN - Mobile Identification Number ESN - Electronic Serial Number PRL - Preferred Roaming List SID - System Identification Number SCM - Station Class Mark CAI - Common Air Interface A Key - Authentication Key NAM - Numeric Assignment Module SPC - Service Programming Code Glossary BREW - is Qualcomm's open source application development platform for wireless devices equipped for CDMA technology. RUIM or R-UIM - is a transferable identification card for mobile phones that belong to the CDMA network. RUIM cards store personal information, including the name and account number, the cell phone number, as well as the contacts' names and numbers. The RUIM cards also store text messages and any other important phone settings. MEID - An ID number that is unique for each new CDMA mobile in the world. It identifies the phone to the network. MEID is a replacement for ESN. It began replacing ESN in 2005 since the pool of ESN numbers has been virtually exhausted due to the number of devices in use. It is equivalent to IMEI in GSM phones. ESN - An ESN is a numeric identifier that uniquely identifies a CDMA phone. The ESN is what a CDMA network uses to identify a phone and determine which subscriber's account, if any, it is linked to. Because of this, when switching from one phone to another, subscribers will have to provide the ESN of the new phone to the network carrier before it can be activated. The ESN is being phased out in favour of the MEID. This is happening because phone manufacturers are literally running out of ESN identifiers. OTA (Over-The-Air) - Any kind of event or transfer that takes place wirelessly using the cellular network as opposed to using a cable or other local connection. PRL - is a database residing in a wireless (primarily CDMA) device, such as a cellphone, that contains information used during the system selection and acquisition process. In the case of RUIM-based CDMA devices, the PRL resides on the RUIM. The PRL indicates which bands, sub bands and service provider identifiers will be scanned and in what priority order. Without a PRL, the device may not be able to roam, i.e. obtain service outside of the home area. Frequently Asked Questions : 1.How can I locate the ESN or MEID number on my phone? All mobile devices are identified by an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) or a Mobile Equipment Indentifier (MEID). Some devices may display the ESN or MEID under the battery, below the battery or on the back of the phone. Behind the Battery: Below the Battery: Back of the Phone: Below are examples of labels that can be found on devices supporting ESN numbers. As ESN Is an 11-digit Electronic Serial Number. An ESN in hexadecimal, or HEX, is represented by 8 characters that are numbers and letters. Below are examples of labels that can be found on devices that support MEID numbers. MEID is always hexadecimal, represented by 14 characters that are numbers and letters. The first digit is always A - F. NOTE: Don't confuse the letter O with the number 0 (zero). It is always a zero. Only letters A-F are in an ESN/MEID. Sourced info from the net and all recognition to them. Found this good report on the technical side of CDMA which you may find interesting. Some of the details provided may be obsolete as it was written a while ago, please verify the same. cdma.pdf Edit - Frequently Asked Questions

This thread might help - Basics about CDMA / EVDO EVDO works out to be cheaper than HSPA in some larger volume packs but in my experience I have found out that the speeds offered by GSM HSPA is much better. Also the coverage is ever expanding.

If they can give a legitimate reason for this, I'm all ears. They surely cannot blame the hardware as the specs are still respectable - Dual core tegra 2, 1Gb RAM... It's a good thing that I sold my MoPho last month.

^ ^ ^ 64GB of internal storage? Who then needs an SD card! I hope they have solved the weird crippled multitasking problem which the One X had.

Preface Samsung recently made the announcement that they sold 10 million Notes worldwide. While the device's 5.3-inch screen seemed a questionable choice at first, the Note has proved to be a genuine success for Samsung so much so that it is planning to launch a successor with bumped up specs later this month. Competitor LG attracted by success of Note launched LG Optimus Vu which was also well received. The Note deserves kudos as being the device to popularize this new size. Galaxy Note has been given the status of a hybrid device between a tablet and a smartphone. It has the specs under the hood that can match any top of the line smartphone, but its gigantic proportions is what makes the Note deeply intriguing in the first place. I'm opening this topic to review the Note (N-7000) which I bought last month, upgrading from Motorola Photon 4G. The Basics 1.4GHz dual core Exynos CPU, Mali-400MP GPU, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera in the rear (with flash) and a 2 megapixel camera up-front. And the usual suspects are present - Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, accelerometer, digital compass, proximity, barometer and light sensor. 16GB internal memory which can be extended up to 32GB via microSD card. S-Pen makes debut with the Note. Hardware This review will mainly focus on the defining feature of Note i.e. form factor and the monstrous display. Aesthetically, Note is a prodigious version of the Galaxy SII. If the SGSII looks agreeable to you, then you will positively like the appearance of the Note. The Galaxy Note might have borrowed some features from the Samsung Galaxy S II, but the screen definitely isn't one of them - the latter's Super AMOLED Plus display has been switched for a new HD Super AMOLED screen. The biggest change is in the resolution, which has sky rocketed from 800 x 480 pixels on the earlier one to 1280 x 800 pixels here. Yes, that's the same resolution as 10.1'' tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and comes just short of the resolution of my 15.6" HP pavilion 2103TU laptop (1366 x 768). This translates to 285 ppi pixel density. The only downgrade here is that the 'Plus' moniker has now been dropped from the end of Super Amoled which means they have shifted from the regular RGB to PenTile technology (i.e. with two sub-pixels in each pixel rather than three subpixels, which lowers the effective resolution). But with Note you will be hard pressed to spot evidence of the Pentile matrix causing jagged edges and pixalation. The screen is gorgeous and watching HD movies, browsing webpages and playing HD games is simply a joy. size comparison - Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Galaxy Note and Galaxy S3. Is this the best display? No, IMO the HTC One X deserves the top spot as the SC-LCD2's color balance, clarity and viewing angles is better and the Note's display looks washed out and the brightness is relatively low at times. Again this is all subject to individual's perception. In spite of its gigantic 5.3-inch display the Note is remarkably slim measuring just 9.65mm and weighs 178 grams which is thankfully evenly spread. Samsung has also kept the bezel to a bare minimum. This trim, lightweight form helps make the Note manageable in a single hand although a second set of digits will be indispensable when you are typing as our thumb won't be able to encompass every corner of its humongous display. Software Out of the box, we have TouchWiz interface running on top of Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. An update to ICS is now availble which also brings in extra multimedia features and a range of new S Pen optimized apps. S Memo and S planner are two apps that should be mentioned. S-Memo is the special notes app, which will allow you to leverage the possibilities of the included S Pen. S Planner is a facelifted calendar app. Performance The Galaxy S2 has a 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos processor. In use the phone feels incredibly quick – whether you are browsing heavy web pages or swapping between applications it never feels slow. It can play full HD videos without breaking a sweat, though I found the Home screen lagging sometimes after closing an application and returning home and while applying graphic intensive live wallpapers. Benchmarking, though not fully reliable, is a good way of measuring the overall performance of a smartphone's internal hardware components. I personally prefer Antutu as it is a comprehensive Android benchmarking app that produces consistent results. Antutu measures an Android device's CPU performance, 2D and 3D graphics performance, memory speed and internal and external storage read/write speeds. It combines the results for each test and gives the device a final score. The Note scored an impressive 6185. In the more popular Quadrant Standard test, Note hit 3087. Under moderate use (which included 70 mins of voice calls, 2 hrs of watching HD movies, an hour of browsing/readers hub, numerous mails/texts. The auto-sync and auto brightness setting was turned on) the 2,500 mAh battery struggled to last a day and half. The Bad Pocketability is an issue due to its XXL size. Using the Note as your day-to-day, on-the-go phone doesn't seem to be the most practical or comfortable option. The phone suffers from occassional lag which is simply unacceptable considering its premium positioning. The battery life is just mediocre and particularly so when you are on 3G network. The S-Pen (stylus) is not very responsive. No dedicated camera key. Not exactly a defect but hot swappable microSD card would have been a welcome addition. After updating to ICS many of the users are facing low free RAM and battery drain issues. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thanks to my friends Saiesh and Gokulan for letting me play with their Tab, S3.

Samsung has released the full list of all devices that will be bumped up to Jelly Bean. The release date is just mentioned 'coming soon', but nothing more specific.

Not a great idea on part of Samsung to launch the inferior Galaxy S DUOS with the same design like the S3.

Those of you who are planning to get a phablet please put a hold on your purchase decision for now. HTC is coming up with a 5 inch one with apparently 1080p display. Read more at phandroid

Hope this helps

Nokia and Reliance Communications on tuesday announced first of its kind partnership by launching the India chapter of Ovi Store, Nokia's mobile application store . Reliance Communications will be the first service provider to offer integrated operator billing for their consumers in India enabling access to a host of paid content on the Ovi Store. The amount will either be included in their monthly mobile phone bills (for postpaid) or deducted from the pre-paid balance, as per the user's plan. This will eliminate the need to own a credit card to buy apps. Also, now that the Ovi Store has an official India presence, the pricing is available in INR as opposed to Euros, as was the case till a few weeks back. For those new to this space, Ovi Store is Nokia's online store for mobile content to help consumers personalize their Nokia devices. It supports a wide range of content and file types including applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services and more. “The focus is to deliver top quality customer experience through local and global content with a range of applications (apps), exclusive and rich premium content in Hindi and English through simple and transparent tariff rates,” said Prashant Gokarn, Reliance Communications' 3G head. “Consumers will get SMS or email alerts for the confirmation of apps download. They can access free trials before downloading the app or service and they will not need credit cards for payments as it will be directly charged with integrated bills,” added Gokarn. He informed that the pricing of premium content would range between Rs.25 and Rs.500. V Ramnath, Director - Operator Channels, Nokia India, said, "Our partnership with Reliance Communications is a big step towards providing Indian consumers easy and simplified access to Ovi Store content through operator billing. The response from consumers in India has already exceeded our expectations, with the number of weekly downloads crossing 4.5 million." "Ovi Store is focused on providing relevant and useful content to our consumers to help them get the most out of their mobile lifestyle," he added. The tie-up between the two giants will be exclusive only till the end of March 2011. Though neither dropped names, there is a fair chance that the integrated billing option will be available with other telecom providers from the coming financial year. OVI Statistics Ovi Store attracts 3.5 million downloads a day, with an average of 2.6 apps downloaded per visit. About 90% of Ovi Store traffic converts to downloads. Of Ovi Store’s signed-in users, 85% are repeat visitors. Each active user averages 8.5 downloads per month. Active users represent more than 190 countries. Games are No. 1 among paid downloads, and apps are No.1 among free downloads. 40% of the content downloaded are games and 30% are apps. 90% of Ovi Store users have Ovi Store in their local languages. 400,000 new Forum Nokia developers were added in the last 12 months. 92 publishers have over 1 million downloads each on Ovi Store. Courtesy - techtree, pluggd.in, thinkdigit

SIII as well as the original Galaxy Note! Well they can't have my Note back, I don't care how much they beg Apple has really bugged me this time, as much as I have tried to give them credit for the design, quality and easy to use products they produce, all of the credit is washed down the drain as they wage this war against anything Samsung. It seems that the attacks by Apple are out of fear and lack of ingenuity. It must be a matter of great grief to them that the iPhone isn't as relevant as it once was and is now the go to smart phone for teens and the technologically challenged.

I'm using 32GB San Disk card on my Note. 29.7 GB space should be available if it is a 32GB card.

^ ^ ^ ^ Race to Witch Mountain

Need opinion from galaxy note users / experts. Is there a drastic performance drop when one updates from GB to official ICS? When I took my Note to the Samsung Service Center, the technician said Note doesn't run well with ICS and 'advised' me to keep my it in GB itself. I want to update but if it comes at the cost of poor battery life then I'll pass.

^ ^ ^ ^ It is available in Infibeam for Rs.1899

According to Sam Mobile, Note which still has solid sales, will be getting the JB update in Q4, 2012. I agree, 4.6 to 4.8 inch is the sweet spot for display. Anything beyond that is pushing the boundary for too big. I haven't rooted the Note yet. Will try to extract it somehow.

Note II will be officially announced in an event on Aug 29th. These specs going around now are just rumors (but most of them will turn out to be true).