ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡില്‍ അപകടക്കെണി; മീഡിയ പ്ലെയറിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍
ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡില്‍ അപകടക്കെണി; മീഡിയ പ്ലെയറിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍
നിങ്ങളുടെ ഫോണ്‍ നിങ്ങളറിയാതെ ടെക്സ്റ്റ് മെസേജുകള്‍ അയയ്ക്കുന്ന കാര്യം ചിന്തിച്ചു നോക്കൂ. അതുവഴി ഫോണ്‍ബില്ലില്‍ നിന്ന് മറ്റൊരു കൂട്ടര്‍ കാശുണ്ടാക്കുന്നും എന്നു വന്നാലോ. മീഡിയ പ്ലെയറിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ഫോണുകളില്‍ കടന്നു കൂടുന്ന ഒരു വൈറസ് പ്രോഗ്രം ഇത്തരത്തില്‍ അപകടക്കെണി ഒരുക്കുന്നതായി റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ട്.
ഹൈടെക് മോഷ്ടാക്കളുടെ ലക്ഷ്യമായി മൊബൈല്‍ ഫോണുകള്‍ മാറുന്നതിന് ഉദാഹരമാണിത്. ലോകത്ത് വളരെ വേഗം പ്രചാരം നേടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന മൊബൈല്‍ പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമാണ് ഗൂഗിളിന്റെ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് പ്രോഗ്രാം. ആ പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന ഫോണുകളെ ലക്ഷ്യംവെക്കുന്ന ഇത്തരമൊരു അപകടക്കെണി ആദ്യമായാണ് തിരിച്ചറിയപ്പെടുന്നത്.
സുരക്ഷാമേഖലയില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന കാസ്‌പെര്‍സ്‌കി ലാബ്‌സ് ആണ്, ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ഫോണുകള്‍ ഈ കെണിയില്‍ കുടുങ്ങുന്നതായി കണ്ടെത്തിയത്. Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a-എന്ന വൈറസാണ് ഭീഷണി സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നത്.
ടെക്സ്റ്റ് മെസേജുകളുടെ രൂപത്തിലാണ് ഈ വൈറസ് പ്രചരിക്കുന്നത്. 13KB വലിപ്പമുള്ള ഒരു ആപ്ലിക്കേഷന്‍ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യാനും അതൊരു മീഡിയ പ്ലെയറാണെന്നും സന്ദേശം ആവശ്യപ്പെടും. ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്താല്‍ കുടുങ്ങി. മീഡിയപ്ലെയറിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍ കടന്നുകൂടിയ വൈറസ്, ഫോണില്‍നിന്ന് സ്വയം ടെക്സ്റ്റ് മെസേജുകള്‍ അയയ്ക്കാന്‍ ആരംഭിക്കും. ആ സന്ദേശങ്ങളുടെ പേരില്‍ ഫോണിന്റെ ഉടമയ്ക്ക് കാശും പോകും.
റഷ്യയിലെ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ഉപഭോക്താക്കള്‍ക്കിടയിലാണ് ഈ വൈറസ് കൂടുതല്‍ ഭീഷണി സൃഷ്ടിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത്. ആഗോളതലത്തില്‍ ഇതത്ര ഭീഷണിയായിട്ടില്ല. എന്നാല്‍, വേഗം ജനപ്രീതിയാര്‍ജിച്ചു വരുന്ന ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് പോലുള്ള പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമുകളെ കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര്‍ ക്രിമിനലുകള്‍ ലക്ഷ്യം വെയ്ക്കാന്‍ സാധ്യത കൂടുതലാണെന്ന് വിദഗ്ധര്‍ മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് നല്‍കുന്നു.
ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡില്‍ ഇത്തരം കെണി പുതുമയാണെങ്കിലും, സിമ്പിയാന്‍ പോലുള്ള പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമുകള്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ഫോണുകളില്‍ ഇത്തരം ഭീഷണി മുമ്പുതന്നെ വളരെ കൂടുതലാണെന്ന്, മൊബൈല്‍ സുരക്ഷാ കമ്പനിയായ 'അഡാപ്ടീവ്‌മൊബൈലി'ലെ സിമിയോന്‍ കോനീ ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നു. നോക്കിയ, സോണി എറിക്‌സണ്‍ മുതലായ കമ്പനികളുടെ ഹാന്‍ഡ്‌സെറ്റുകളിലാണ് സിമ്പിയാന്‍ ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ് സിസ്റ്റം കൂടുതലായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത്.
മറ്റ് മൊബൈല്‍ ആപ്ലിക്കേഷന്‍ സ്റ്റോറുകളുടെ കാര്യത്തിലെന്നപോലെ, ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് മാര്‍ക്കറ്റില്‍ നിന്ന് ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകള്‍ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യുമ്പോള്‍ സുരക്ഷ ഉറപ്പാക്കാന്‍ സംവിധാനം ഏര്‍പ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ടെന്ന് ഗൂഗിളിന്റെ ഒരു വക്താവ് അറിയിച്ചു.
ഓരോ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനും ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യും മുമ്പ് യൂസറുടെ അനുവാദം വ്യക്തമായി ചോദിക്കാറുണ്ട്. അനുവാദം നല്‍കിയാല്‍ മാത്രമേ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യപ്പെടൂ. അതിനാല്‍, വിശ്വസനീയമായ ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകള്‍ മാത്രമേ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യാവൂ എന്നാണ് വക്താവ് നല്‍കുന്ന ഉപദേശം. ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് മാര്‍ക്കറ്റിന് പുറത്തു നിന്നുള്ള ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകള്‍ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യുമ്പോള്‍ പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും.
നിങ്ങളുടെ ഫോണ്‍ നിങ്ങളറിയാതെ ടെക്സ്റ്റ് മെസേജുകള്‍ അയയ്ക്കുന്ന കാര്യം ചിന്തിച്ചു നോക്കൂ. അതുവഴി ഫോണ്‍ബില്ലില്‍ നിന്ന് മറ്റൊരു കൂട്ടര്‍ കാശുണ്ടാക്കുന്നും എന്നു വന്നാലോ. മീഡിയ പ്ലെയറിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ഫോണുകളില്‍ കടന്നു കൂടുന്ന ഒരു വൈറസ് പ്രോഗ്രം ഇത്തരത്തില്‍ അപകടക്കെണി ഒരുക്കുന്നതായി റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ട്.
ഹൈടെക് മോഷ്ടാക്കളുടെ ലക്ഷ്യമായി മൊബൈല്‍ ഫോണുകള്‍ മാറുന്നതിന് ഉദാഹരമാണിത്. ലോകത്ത് വളരെ വേഗം പ്രചാരം നേടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന മൊബൈല്‍ പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമാണ് ഗൂഗിളിന്റെ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് പ്രോഗ്രാം. ആ പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന ഫോണുകളെ ലക്ഷ്യംവെക്കുന്ന ഇത്തരമൊരു അപകടക്കെണി ആദ്യമായാണ് തിരിച്ചറിയപ്പെടുന്നത്.
സുരക്ഷാമേഖലയില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന കാസ്‌പെര്‍സ്‌കി ലാബ്‌സ് ആണ്, ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ഫോണുകള്‍ ഈ കെണിയില്‍ കുടുങ്ങുന്നതായി കണ്ടെത്തിയത്. Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a-എന്ന വൈറസാണ് ഭീഷണി സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നത്.
ടെക്സ്റ്റ് മെസേജുകളുടെ രൂപത്തിലാണ് ഈ വൈറസ് പ്രചരിക്കുന്നത്. 13KB വലിപ്പമുള്ള ഒരു ആപ്ലിക്കേഷന്‍ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യാനും അതൊരു മീഡിയ പ്ലെയറാണെന്നും സന്ദേശം ആവശ്യപ്പെടും. ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്താല്‍ കുടുങ്ങി. മീഡിയപ്ലെയറിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍ കടന്നുകൂടിയ വൈറസ്, ഫോണില്‍നിന്ന് സ്വയം ടെക്സ്റ്റ് മെസേജുകള്‍ അയയ്ക്കാന്‍ ആരംഭിക്കും. ആ സന്ദേശങ്ങളുടെ പേരില്‍ ഫോണിന്റെ ഉടമയ്ക്ക് കാശും പോകും.
റഷ്യയിലെ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ഉപഭോക്താക്കള്‍ക്കിടയിലാണ് ഈ വൈറസ് കൂടുതല്‍ ഭീഷണി സൃഷ്ടിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത്. ആഗോളതലത്തില്‍ ഇതത്ര ഭീഷണിയായിട്ടില്ല. എന്നാല്‍, വേഗം ജനപ്രീതിയാര്‍ജിച്ചു വരുന്ന ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് പോലുള്ള പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമുകളെ കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര്‍ ക്രിമിനലുകള്‍ ലക്ഷ്യം വെയ്ക്കാന്‍ സാധ്യത കൂടുതലാണെന്ന് വിദഗ്ധര്‍ മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് നല്‍കുന്നു.
ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡില്‍ ഇത്തരം കെണി പുതുമയാണെങ്കിലും, സിമ്പിയാന്‍ പോലുള്ള പ്ലാറ്റ്‌ഫോമുകള്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ഫോണുകളില്‍ ഇത്തരം ഭീഷണി മുമ്പുതന്നെ വളരെ കൂടുതലാണെന്ന്, മൊബൈല്‍ സുരക്ഷാ കമ്പനിയായ 'അഡാപ്ടീവ്‌മൊബൈലി'ലെ സിമിയോന്‍ കോനീ ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നു. നോക്കിയ, സോണി എറിക്‌സണ്‍ മുതലായ കമ്പനികളുടെ ഹാന്‍ഡ്‌സെറ്റുകളിലാണ് സിമ്പിയാന്‍ ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ് സിസ്റ്റം കൂടുതലായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത്.
മറ്റ് മൊബൈല്‍ ആപ്ലിക്കേഷന്‍ സ്റ്റോറുകളുടെ കാര്യത്തിലെന്നപോലെ, ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് മാര്‍ക്കറ്റില്‍ നിന്ന് ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകള്‍ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യുമ്പോള്‍ സുരക്ഷ ഉറപ്പാക്കാന്‍ സംവിധാനം ഏര്‍പ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ടെന്ന് ഗൂഗിളിന്റെ ഒരു വക്താവ് അറിയിച്ചു.
ഓരോ ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനും ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യും മുമ്പ് യൂസറുടെ അനുവാദം വ്യക്തമായി ചോദിക്കാറുണ്ട്. അനുവാദം നല്‍കിയാല്‍ മാത്രമേ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യപ്പെടൂ. അതിനാല്‍, വിശ്വസനീയമായ ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകള്‍ മാത്രമേ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യാവൂ എന്നാണ് വക്താവ് നല്‍കുന്ന ഉപദേശം. ആന്‍ഡ്രോയിഡ് മാര്‍ക്കറ്റിന് പുറത്തു നിന്നുള്ള ആപ്ലിക്കേഷനുകള്‍ ഇന്‍സ്റ്റാള്‍ ചെയ്യുമ്പോള്‍ പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN:
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: She cannot read or write and had never heard of Time magazine until a visitor brought her a copy of this week’s issue, the one with the cover picture of her face, the face with no nose.
On Wednesday, the young woman, Bibi Aisha, left Kabul for a long-planned trip to the United States for reconstructive surgery. Earlier in the day, as she prepared to leave the women’s shelter at a secret location here that has been her refuge for the past 10 months, the 18-year-old was unaware of the controversy surrounding the publication of that image.
“I don’t know if it will help other women or not,” she said, her hand going instinctively to cover the hole in the middle of her face, as it does whenever strangers look directly at her. “I just want to get my nose back.”
Reaction to the Time cover has become something of an Internet litmus test about attitudes toward the war, and what America’s responsibility is in Afghanistan. Critics of the American presence in Afghanistan call it “emotional blackmail” and even “war porn,” while those who fear the consequences of abandoning Afghanistan see it as a powerful appeal to conscience.
The debate was fueled in part by the language that Time chose to accompany the photograph: “What Happens if We Leave Afghanistan,” pointedly without a question mark.
“That is exactly what will happen,” said Manizha Naderi, referring to Aisha and cases like hers. An Afghan-American whose group, Women for Afghan Women, runs the shelter where Aisha stayed, Ms. Naderi said, “People need to see this and know what the cost will be to abandon this country.”
As Naderi would be the first to concede, however, things are already bad enough for women in Afghanistan without a return to a government run by the Taliban. Noorin TV in Kabul has been running what it has called an investigative series suggesting that the shelters, all operated by independent charities, are just fronts for prostitution. The series has offered no evidence, and the station never sent anyone to visit the principal shelters.
President Hamid Karzai, once seen as a champion of women’s causes until he failed to deliver on promises to appoint many women to cabinet posts, convened a commission to investigate complaints against women’s shelters. A report is expected soon. The panel’s chairman is a conservative mullah, Nematullah Shahrani, who has publicly bandied about the prostitution claim.
Even in the absence of a government run by the Taliban, Afghan women suffer from religious extremism, although they have enjoyed a great deal of progress. Thousands of girls’ schools have opened since the fall of the Taliban, and women are active in the Parliament and the aid community, where an estimated half a billion dollars in international assistance is now destined for gender-equality programs.
“Feminists have long argued that invoking the condition of women to justify occupation is a cynical ploy,” wrote Priyamvada Gopal in The Guardian, a liberal British newspaper, on Wednesday, “and the Time cover already stands accused of it.”
BagNews, a left-leaning Web site about the politics of imagery in the media, saw the matter in conspiratorial terms. “Isn’t this title applying emotional blackmail and exploiting gender politics to pitch for the status quo — a continued U.S. military involvement?” wrote Michael Shaw.
Richard Stengel, Time’s managing editor, said he thought not. “The image is a window into the reality of what is happening — and what can happen — in a war that affects and involves all of us,” he wrote in a statement on Time’s Web site.
Bibi Aisha (bibi is an honorific; Aisha asked that her family name be withheld) makes an apt symbol of the excesses of the Taliban, and of Pashtun tribal society in remote parts of Afghanistan more generally. Her face, aside from the disfigurement, is as beautiful as that of the Afghan refugee girl whose cover photograph in National Geographic in 1985 became an iconic image of the country’s plight.
At age 12, Aisha and her younger sister were given to the family of a Taliban fighter in Oruzgan Province under a tribal custom for settling disputes, known as “baad.” Aisha’s uncle had killed a relative of the groom to be, and according to the custom, to settle the blood debt her father gave the two girls to the victim’s family.
Once Aisha reached puberty, she was married to the Taliban fighter, but since he was in hiding most of the time, she and her sister were housed with the in-laws’ livestock and used as slaves, frequently beaten as punishment for their uncle’s crime.
Aisha fled the abuse, but her husband tracked her down in Kandahar a year ago, took her back to Oruzgan, and on a lonely mountainside cut off her nose and both ears and left her bleeding. She said she still did not remember how she managed to walk away to find help.
In Pashtun culture, a husband who has been shamed by his wife is said to have lost his nose, Ms. Naderi explained; from the husband’s point of view, he would have been punishing Aisha in kind.
American aid workers in Oruzgan Province took Aisha to the Women for Afghan Women shelter in Kabul, where at first she was too traumatized even to speak. They introduced her to a psychologist and gradually she recovered, learning to do handicrafts, but showing little interest in school work. Even before the Time cover appeared, the organization had found a benefactor in the Grossman Burn Foundation in Calabasas, Calif., which agreed to underwrite eight months of reconstructive surgery.
Once during Aisha’s stay at the shelter, her father visited to try to persuade her to return home to her family, but she refused to do so. “I am still angry that they did this to me,” she said. Still, she had hoped to call home to tell them that she was going to America, she said, but there was no cellphone coverage in the Taliban-dominated area she comes from.
Aisha dressed up for her last day in Kabul in a bright pink pantsuit with tassels and beads, and she hugged the other girls and women in the shelter. She said she was happy and excited to be going to America.
She changed into a more somber black gown for the trip to the airport and arranged her veil just below her eyes. Ms. Naderi lifted her 14-month-old baby onto her shoulder and they headed for the plane, Aisha holding her shirt as they walked. It is not, Ms. Naderi pointed out, a happy ending.
“Her 10-year-old sister is still there and we have no idea how she is,” she said. “They’re probably taking all of their anger out on her now, or even demanding another girl from her family to replace Aisha.”
http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/world/ rest-of-world/ Afghanistan- bleeding- 18-yr-olds- nose-ears- cut-off-for- fleeing-abusive- husband/articles how/6261458. cms
5 best smartphones
Smartphones are everywhere you look, it seems. But not all smartphones are created equal. Here's a list of today's 5 best smartphones. Some have touchscreens, some have keyboards. Some have both. Read on to find out which phones make the list of today's best smartphones.
Putting the Motorola Droid X on top of this list of the best smartphones was an easy decision. It's big and beautiful, with an incredibly roomy 4.3-inch touch screen. It runs on Verizon's speedy 3G network, and boasts excellent call quality. And it packs in more multimedia features than I've ever seen on a smartphone.
Verizon Wireless
Motorola DROID X Smartphone - Verizon
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Description: The DROID X by Motorola is a smartphone built for a fantastic video watching experience. It's essentially a pocket-sized home theater with a 4.3-inch vivid display, high definition 720p video recording and the ability to view it directly on your HD TV at home via an optional HDMI cable. Experience the web like never before with Flash-capable viewing and a fast 1GHz processor. DROID X is easily customized using thousands of apps and widgets from the Android Market. The advanced 8 megapixel camera with dual flash snaps impressive pictures that you can send to friends and family via multimedia messaging, email, or upload them directly to your favorite social networking site.
HTC Evo 4G Black Smartphone - Sprint
CDMA, Bluetooth, 8MB, 1GB, microSD Slot - UPC: 00821793005788
Description: With the HTC EVO 4G, you’ve got the power to do more than you ever thought possible with a phone.
With instant internet Internet access for up to 5 computers, the EVO 4G opens up all kinds of possibilities. The true HD camcorder captures the moment. And with the HDMI cable...
HTC Evo 4G Black Smartphone - Sprint
CDMA, Bluetooth, 8MB, 1GB, microSD Slot - UPC: 00821793005788
Description: With the HTC EVO 4G, you’ve got the power to do more than you ever thought possible with a phone.
With instant internet Internet access for up to 5 computers, the EVO 4G opens up all kinds of possibilities. The true HD camcorder captures the moment.
And with the HDMI cable...
Even without its 4G capability, the HTC EVO 4G boasts an impressive list of features:
a 4.3-inch screen, 8-megapixel camera, HD-capable video camera,
and version 2.1 of the Android OS. But the fact remains that it's the 4G part of the EVO 4G that has people so excited.
This is the first phone to run on Sprint's 4G WiMax network, which delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than a 3g network.
The first thing you're likely to notice about Sprint's HTC EVO 4G is its size: this smartphone is big.
And so is its display, which measures a whopping 4.3 inches.
But pick up the EVO 4G and you'll be blown away by its speed. This is one lightning-fast phone--even if you can't experience the phone in all its 4G glory.
4G Wireless
As the first 4G phone to hit stores, 4G wireless support is the EVO 4G's headline feature.
Sprint says its 4G network can offer download speeds that are ten times faster than a 3G connection,
which will give the "HTC EVO 4G the fastest data speeds of any U.S. wireless device available today."
But 4G is still a new technology and the network isn't yet available in many places.
The network is not available in the Boston area, where I live and where I tested the EVO 4G. But I was still impressed by the phone's speed.
1 Apple iPhone 4 32GB Black Smartphone - AT&T
Sure, you've heard about those pesky antenna problems. But, let's face it: Apple's iPhone has never been lauded for its excellent call quality.
The iPhone is more smart than phone, but, overall, it remains an excellent package, offering an ease of use that has yet to be duplicated.
And the iPhone 4 remains the best iPhone yet.
The iPhone 4 is, without a doubt, one of the best smartphones on the market today. It's speedy, svelte, and certainly slick. But the iPhone 4 didn't impress me quite as much as I expected, and this phone is more of an incremental upgrade from the iPhone 3GS rather than a must-have device.
Price and Availability
The iPhone 4 is available from AT&T,
which sells the 16GB iPhone 4 for $199 and the 32GB iPhone 4 for $299 when you sign a two-year service contract with a compatible voice and data plan.
Design
One of the most obvious differences between the iPhone 4 and past models is the new look of the phone. For one, it's noticeably thinner: the iPhone 4 measures just 9.3 millimeters thick -- 24 percent thinner than the already-svelte iPhone 3GS. Apple says it is "the thinnest smartphone on the planet," and it certainly does look tiny.
The iPhone 4 measures 4.5 inches tall by 2.31 inches wide by .37 inches thick. The iPhone 3GS, meanwhile, measures 4.5 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by .48 inches thick. Put the two phones side by side, and the iPhone is noticeably smaller, all around.
But the iPhone 4 feels heftier than the iPhone 3GS. Both weigh 4.8 ounces, but that weight is rounded up; the iPhone 3GS actually weighs 135 grams while the iPhone 4 weighs 137 grams. It's not a huge difference, but the iPhone 4 does feel heavier in your hand than the 3GS.
The iPhone 4 also is more squared-off in shape, with a thicker metallic border running around the phone's edges. The new phone doesn't feature the plastic backing found on the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G. Instead, the front and the back of the iPhone 4 are covered in aluminosilicate glass, which Apple says is found on helicopter and high-speed train windshields. It's designed to be significantly stiffer (20 times) and harder (30 times) than plastic, with a fingerprint- resistant finish. So far, the iPhone 4's case does seem to be resisting some smudges and smears, but I'll have to see how it holds up over time.
Display
One of the iPhone 4's most-hyped features is its display, which features an astounding resolution of 960 by 640. It measures the same size as the screen on the iPhone 3GS (3.5-inches diagonally), but packs in four times as many pixels. Apple calls it a "Retina display," and says it offers more pixels than the human eye can see. Experts have debated that claim, but the iPhone 4's screen does look remarkably crisp and clear.
Text looks sharp enough to jump off the screen. Colors look deeper and richer than they do on the iPhone 3GS, and images have a crispness that I haven't seen on another smartphone. The only complaint I have with the display is its size; after spending so much time testing out the 4.3-inch screen on the iPhone 4's 3.5-inch display feels small.
Making Calls
Apple's iPhone is known for many things, but excellent call quality is not one of them. I was hoping that the iPhone 4's new design -- with the antenna built in to the steel frame that rings the phone -- would improve matters. But my test calls sounded just like calls made over my iPhone 3GS: loud enough and mostly clear, but with a bit of a background echo.
Many iPhone 4 users have complained of dropped calls and interference with their cellular service when they hold their phone near the bottom left corner of the device. I tried to test this out, and the first call I made with the iPhone 4 promptly dropped. I was unable to repeat this experience though, and have had no more dropped calls. I also have not seen any reduction in signal strength by holding the iPhone 4 in this area.
Software
The iPhone 4 runs version 4 of Apple's iOS. As always, Apple's mobile operating system is intuitive and easy to use; it works as you expect it to.
iOS 4 adds several new features, including a long-desired multitasking capability, which allows you to run more than one third-party app at a time. Multitasking works as advertised; to switch between apps, you minimize the one you're using to a tray, which you can access to go back to another application. It's not multitasking in the way that your computer can multitask; you can't always start a time-consuming process, like a download, and then go back to it when it's complete. That's because, most of the time, iPhone apps will suspend or go to sleep when you minimize them, and will only resume operation when you go back to them. And not all apps support multitasking, as developers have to add the capability on their own, which more should do over time.
Other new features in iOS 4 include folders for organizing all of your apps, a new Mail client, and a Game Center. For more information.
Browsing the Web
Despite the "4" in its name, the iPhone 4 does not support 4G wireless networks. Still, you do have plenty of options for speedy Web browsing. The iPhone 4 now supports speedy 802.11n wireless networks, and you still get support for AT&T's high-speed 3G network.
The iPhone's Safari browser remains the best mobile browser I've used, without exception. You can see mobile or desktop versions of Web pages, can open multiple pages, and can zoom in and out with ease.
The iPhone's new iOS 4 also adds tethering capabilities, which allows you to use your iPhone as a modem to connect other devices to the Internet. Tethering requires the purchase of an additional $20-per-month tethering plan, though.
Camera
The iPhone 4 features a 5-megapixel shooter, which is a decent step up from the 3.2-megapixel camera found on the iPhone 3GS. It adds an LED flash and a 5x digital zoom. In my tests, images looked sharper and colors definitely popped, especially when viewed on the iPhone 4's gorgeous screen. But the LED flash wasn't terribly powerful.
In addition to snapping photos, the camera can record HD video clips at a resolution of up to 720p. Video clips captured with the iPhone 4 did look markedly better than those recorded with the iPhone 3GS.
The iPhone also features a front-facing camera for video chat through a feature called FaceTime. While FaceTime sounds impressive, it comes with some serious limitations: it works from iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 only, and video calls can only be conducted over Wi-Fi networks. I was unable to test it.
Bottom Line
If you already own an iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 is not necessarily a must-have upgrade, especially when you consider that many of its cool features are available for free with the iOS 4 software upgrade. But if you're craving that slick, svelte design, or if you've been using an older iPhone or smartphone, the iPhone 4 will amaze you with its speed and plentiful features. As long as you can live with its middling call quality, that is.
2 HTC Droid Incredible Black Smartphone - Verizon
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Description: The Droid Incredible Smartphone blazes across the digital universe. It snaps stunning 8-megapixel photos.
It zips them instantly to all of your 8,000 friends. With such attention to detail on the inside and out, the name of this phone pretty much says it all.
With a name like the Incredible, this smartphone has a lot to live up to. But the HTC Droid Incredible manages.
Like the EVO 4G and the Droid X, it runs version 2.1 of the Android OS, and also offers a 3.7-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera.
The Droid Incredible is available from Verizon Wireless
Giving a phone a name like the Incredible can be tough. Out of the box, it already has to live up to its name.
Luckily for HTC and Verizon Wireless, the Droid Incredible is pretty darn impressive.
But I'd be more likely to use the word "incredible" to describe two of its Android rivals,
Price and Availability
The The Droid Incredible costs $199.99 when you sign a new two-year service contract with Verizon Wireless.
That price is the same as what Verizon is charging for the newer Droid X,
what AT&T is charging for a 16GB and what Sprint is charging for the HTC EVO 4G.
Design
At first glance, the Droid Incredible looks a whole lot like most of the other touch-screen based smartphones on the market today.
It's slightly longer and thicker than an iPhone 4, but shares the same basic design,
with a big touch screen and a sole hardware button on the phone's face. Unlike the iPhone, however,
the Droid Incredible has four touch-sensitive keys below the display, and its hardware button is actually an optical joystick,
which you can easily use to navigate through the phone's many options.
The Droid Incredible boasts a 3.7-inch screen with a high resolution (480 by 800 pixels).
The screen is bright and colorful, but not quite as sharp as the smaller (3.5-inch) screen found on the iPhone 4.
But when viewed next to the mammoth 4.3-inch screens found on the newer Droid X and EVO 4G phones,
the Droid Incredible's once-roomy screen seems to shrink in size.
The Droid Incredible is an all-touch-screen phone; no hardware keyboard here.
The on-screen keyboard is roomy enough for most typing tasks, though I did find myself occasionally hitting the wrong key.
Making Calls
Verizon's cellular network is well regarded, and it proved its mettle during my tests of the Droid Incredible.
I never dropped a call. Call quality was very good, too, with voices on both sides coming through loud and clear.
I didn't notice any background noise or distortion.
Software
The Droid Incredible ships with Android 2.1, which was the latest version of the Android OS when the phone launched.
Android has since been updated to version 2.2, though, which is already available on Google's Nexus One.
The Incredible should be updated to Android 2.2 later this summer.
Android has come a long way from its earliest versions, though, and even version 2.1 offers a refinement that previous versions were lacking. Navigating through the OS's many options has gotten easier, though I found the phone a bit sluggish at times, when switching screens or launching apps.
And Android is still a bit geeky enough to overwhelm some newbies. For more details on Android, read my complete review of the mobile
In addition to the Android OS, the Droid X features HTC's Sense user interface,
which offers some useful options for navigating through the Android OS. HTC has added new features to the Sense UI,
include one called Leap, which lets you view thumbnails of the apps that you have open,
so you can switch between them or close out of them. The Sense UI also includes Friend Stream,
which lets you view information such as social network status updates.
The combination of Android 2.1 and HTC Sense is a winning one.
The phone's interface and menus look slick and polished (something that's not always true of Android phones),
and navigating through its many options is a snap.
Web Browsing
The Droid Incredible supports Verizon's high-speed 3G network, as well as Wi-Fi wireless networks,
so you have plenty of options for speedy Web browsing. And, in even better news, the browser on the Droid Incredible is quite good.
Too often, Android's browser requires you to dig through menus to access simple functions (like the address bar or the back button).
Not so on the Droid X: the address bar is just where you'd expect to find it,
and you can use the handy back button below the display to move back through Web pages.
The 3.7-inch screen also offers a good amount of real estate for Web browsing,
and you can pinch and spread the screen to zoom in and out as needed.
What you won't find on the Droid Incredible -- yet -- is support for Adobe's Flash technology. You'll get this support,
which will allow you to view multimedia Web pages as you would on a desktop computer,
when the Droid Incredible is updated to the next version of Android.
Camera
Like the Droid X and the EVO 4G, the Droid Incredible features an 8-megapixel camera.
The camera includes a dual flash, and can capture videos in HD.
Overall, I was slightly disappointed with the camera's performance.
Many of my images were blurry, especially when I tried to capture moving subjects.
I experienced a noticeable delay between the time I pressed the on-screen shutter button,
and when the camera actually snapped the photo, so that I often missed the subject I wanted to capture.
Multimedia
The Droid Incredible offers a decent selection of multimedia features,
but nothing to rival the excellent multimedia options found on the Droid X.
The Incredible offers a basic, but very usable, music player, the standard YouTube app,
and an FM radio (though you'll need a headset to get reception).
Bottom Line
The Droid Incredible launched before the Droid X and HTC EVO 4G, and without competition from those two phones,
the Incredible would be the must-have Android smartphone. But the Incredible must now compete with both of those phones,
which diminishes its appeal. If I were about to spend $200 on an Android-based phone from Verizon,
I'd be hard pressed to come up with a reason why that money should be spent on the Droid X.
RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 Smartphone - AT&T
Quad Band - GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, WCDMA 850, WCDMA 900, WCDMA 1900, WCDMA 2100 - Bluetooth, Wi-Fi - GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA - Polyphonic, True Tone - 64K Colors - Bar - Black - MPN: BLKATTRIMBOLD9700
When the first BlackBerry Bold debuted late last year, I called it the best BlackBerry smartphone yet.
Now, I've gotten my hands on the updated BlackBerry Bold, the 9700, and I like it -- a lot.
But can it top the excellent BlackBerry smartphones that have debuted in the past year, like the BlackBerry Tour? Maybe. Just maybe.
Price and Availability
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is available from both T-Mobile and AT&T.
Both carriers are charging $199.99 for the phone when you sign a new two-year service contract. That's less than the $300 the original Bold cost at launch.
Design
The Bold 9700 is considerably smaller than the original. It measures just 4.3 by 2.4 by .6 inches, and weighs only 4.3 ounces.
One of the trade-offs for the smaller size is that the screen gets smaller too; the Bold 9700's display measures just 2.4 inches diagonally.
But it does feature a high resolution (480 by 360 pixels), and it's absolutely gorgeous.
The other trade-off for the small size of the phone is a smaller keyboard. But I wasn't too bothered by the smaller keys;
the still sport slight ridges that make them easy to use for thumb typing.
Like the BlackBerry Curve 8520, the Bold 9700 forgoes the traditional trackball found on most BlackBerry phones in favor of a trackpad.
RIM reportedly is moving toward all trackpads in the future, and the change is welcome.
I found the trackballs often too loose to use comfortably, and they have long been one of the least durable parts of a BlackBerry phone.
The trackpads, meanwhile, are less susceptible to breaking, and are very comfortable to use, allowing you to scroll with ease.
Making Calls
The T-Mobile and AT&T versions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 are nearly identical,
but there is one important difference between them: the T-Mobile version supports UMA (unlicensed mobile access).
This technology that allows you to make voice calls over Wi-Fi wireless networks,
not just a cellular network. This can allow you to make voice calls in places where you have a wireless network,
but the cellular coverage is spotty.
My BlackBerry Bold 9700 review unit was a T-Mobile model, so I was able to test the Wi-Fi calling feature.
Calls made over Wi-Fi sounded very good, with voices sounding clear and loud on both ends of the line.
Making voice calls over wireless networks also can save you from using the voice minutes on your monthly plan,
but it does require signing up for T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling plan, which costs $10 per month.
Software
The Bold 9700 ships with version 5 of the Blackberry operating system, but even in its most recent version,
the Blackberry OS is mixed when it comes to software.
You do get access to BlackBerry App World (it wasn't installed on my review unit,
but I was able to download it by going to blackberry.com/ appworld on the phone's browser), RIM's application store which is growing nicely.
It lacks the enormous (and often overwhelming) selection of apps that you'll find in the iPhone App Store,
but you will find a decent selection of titles.
Like most recent Blackberry phones, the 9700 has the DataViz Docs To Go editing suite preinstalled,
but you only get the Standard Edition, which doesn't allow you to create new documents.
For that capability, you'll have to upgrade to the $70 Premium Edition.
Overall, though I find the Blackberry OS just a bit unorganized and harder to navigate than it should be.
That's largely because it comes with too many folders. For example,
you get one folder called "Applications" and another called "Downloads."
Since many of your downloads are actually applications, it's not always clear which folder they should be in.
GPS
The Bold 9700 features a built-in GPS radio. The T-Mobile version of the phone will come with a TeleNav GPS application,
while the AT&T version comes with AT&T Navigator. Both of these are extra-cost services.
Neither application was installed on my review unit, so I was unable to test their capabilities.
Messaging
Like all Blackberry phones, the Bold 9700 is a messaging champ. It will support 10 personal or business e-mail accounts,
and setting them up is a breeze. Several instant messaging applications, including AOL's AIM, Google Talk, ICQ,
Yahoo Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger, come pre-installed. You also get support for text and multimedia messaging.
While the interface of the built-in e-mail client is a bit bland, it's very usable. It's easy to see unread messages at a glance,
and typing messages on the 9700's keyboard is comfortable and fast.
Browsing the Web
The Blackberry Bold 9700 is T-Mobile's first 3G Blackberry phone; like the AT&T version,
it supports both the high-speed HSDPA 3G network as well as Wi-Fi wireless networks, so you have plenty of options for speedy Web browsing.
What it lacks, though, is a top-notch Web browser. The Blackberry browser is serviceable,
but it's still lacking the refinements found on rival mobile browsers. Accessing the address bar requires opening a menu,
and then going to an entirely new page -- you can type in a new URL while viewing an existing site.
And while you can go back a page by pressing the button below the 9700's display, you can only move forward by opening a menu again.
Camera
The 3.2-megapixel camera on the Bold 9700 is a notable improvement from the 2-megapixel shooter found on the original Bold.
The snapshots it captured were remarkably clear and colorful. You get an autofocus, too,
which is a nice touch -- unless you're trying to capture a moving subject.
The kids I was trying to photograph couldn't seem to sit still long enough for the auto focus to do its work.
The camera captures serviceable video clips, too.
Music and More
The included media player is not exceptional, but it's perfectly serviceable -- and that's not a bad thing.
It's easy to use as a way of organizing and playing back audio and video files. Music quality was very good,
and videos looked gorgeous on the 9700's sharp display.
The AT&T version of the Bold 9700 comes with some multimedia extras that the T-Mobile version lacks,
such as support for AT&T's mobile music service.
Bottom Line
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is an excellent smartphone -- but is it the best BlackBerry yet? I think so.
It's sleeker than the excellent BlackBerry Tour, and it offers Wi-Fi support, which the Tour unforgivably lacks.
But the Tour has the benefit of running on the Verizon Wireless network, which may be enough of a draw for many users.
Putting the Motorola Droid X on top of this list of the best smartphones was an easy decision. It's big and beautiful, with an incredibly roomy 4.3-inch touch screen. It runs on Verizon's speedy 3G network, and boasts excellent call quality. And it packs in more multimedia features than I've ever seen on a smartphone.
Verizon Wireless
Motorola DROID X Smartphone - Verizon
CDMA, Bluetooth, 8MP, 8GB, microSD Slot - UPC: 00723755811829
As low as $179.99
Description: The DROID X by Motorola is a smartphone built for a fantastic video watching experience. It's essentially a pocket-sized home theater with a 4.3-inch vivid display, high definition 720p video recording and the ability to view it directly on your HD TV at home via an optional HDMI cable. Experience the web like never before with Flash-capable viewing and a fast 1GHz processor. DROID X is easily customized using thousands of apps and widgets from the Android Market. The advanced 8 megapixel camera with dual flash snaps impressive pictures that you can send to friends and family via multimedia messaging, email, or upload them directly to your favorite social networking site.
HTC Evo 4G Black Smartphone - Sprint
CDMA, Bluetooth, 8MB, 1GB, microSD Slot - UPC: 00821793005788
Description: With the HTC EVO 4G, you’ve got the power to do more than you ever thought possible with a phone.
With instant internet Internet access for up to 5 computers, the EVO 4G opens up all kinds of possibilities. The true HD camcorder captures the moment. And with the HDMI cable...
HTC Evo 4G Black Smartphone - Sprint
CDMA, Bluetooth, 8MB, 1GB, microSD Slot - UPC: 00821793005788
Description: With the HTC EVO 4G, you’ve got the power to do more than you ever thought possible with a phone.
With instant internet Internet access for up to 5 computers, the EVO 4G opens up all kinds of possibilities. The true HD camcorder captures the moment.
And with the HDMI cable...
Even without its 4G capability, the HTC EVO 4G boasts an impressive list of features:
a 4.3-inch screen, 8-megapixel camera, HD-capable video camera,
and version 2.1 of the Android OS. But the fact remains that it's the 4G part of the EVO 4G that has people so excited.
This is the first phone to run on Sprint's 4G WiMax network, which delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than a 3g network.
The first thing you're likely to notice about Sprint's HTC EVO 4G is its size: this smartphone is big.
And so is its display, which measures a whopping 4.3 inches.
But pick up the EVO 4G and you'll be blown away by its speed. This is one lightning-fast phone--even if you can't experience the phone in all its 4G glory.
4G Wireless
As the first 4G phone to hit stores, 4G wireless support is the EVO 4G's headline feature.
Sprint says its 4G network can offer download speeds that are ten times faster than a 3G connection,
which will give the "HTC EVO 4G the fastest data speeds of any U.S. wireless device available today."
But 4G is still a new technology and the network isn't yet available in many places.
The network is not available in the Boston area, where I live and where I tested the EVO 4G. But I was still impressed by the phone's speed.
1 Apple iPhone 4 32GB Black Smartphone - AT&T
Sure, you've heard about those pesky antenna problems. But, let's face it: Apple's iPhone has never been lauded for its excellent call quality.
The iPhone is more smart than phone, but, overall, it remains an excellent package, offering an ease of use that has yet to be duplicated.
And the iPhone 4 remains the best iPhone yet.
The iPhone 4 is, without a doubt, one of the best smartphones on the market today. It's speedy, svelte, and certainly slick. But the iPhone 4 didn't impress me quite as much as I expected, and this phone is more of an incremental upgrade from the iPhone 3GS rather than a must-have device.
Price and Availability
The iPhone 4 is available from AT&T,
which sells the 16GB iPhone 4 for $199 and the 32GB iPhone 4 for $299 when you sign a two-year service contract with a compatible voice and data plan.
Design
One of the most obvious differences between the iPhone 4 and past models is the new look of the phone. For one, it's noticeably thinner: the iPhone 4 measures just 9.3 millimeters thick -- 24 percent thinner than the already-svelte iPhone 3GS. Apple says it is "the thinnest smartphone on the planet," and it certainly does look tiny.
The iPhone 4 measures 4.5 inches tall by 2.31 inches wide by .37 inches thick. The iPhone 3GS, meanwhile, measures 4.5 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by .48 inches thick. Put the two phones side by side, and the iPhone is noticeably smaller, all around.
But the iPhone 4 feels heftier than the iPhone 3GS. Both weigh 4.8 ounces, but that weight is rounded up; the iPhone 3GS actually weighs 135 grams while the iPhone 4 weighs 137 grams. It's not a huge difference, but the iPhone 4 does feel heavier in your hand than the 3GS.
The iPhone 4 also is more squared-off in shape, with a thicker metallic border running around the phone's edges. The new phone doesn't feature the plastic backing found on the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G. Instead, the front and the back of the iPhone 4 are covered in aluminosilicate glass, which Apple says is found on helicopter and high-speed train windshields. It's designed to be significantly stiffer (20 times) and harder (30 times) than plastic, with a fingerprint- resistant finish. So far, the iPhone 4's case does seem to be resisting some smudges and smears, but I'll have to see how it holds up over time.
Display
One of the iPhone 4's most-hyped features is its display, which features an astounding resolution of 960 by 640. It measures the same size as the screen on the iPhone 3GS (3.5-inches diagonally), but packs in four times as many pixels. Apple calls it a "Retina display," and says it offers more pixels than the human eye can see. Experts have debated that claim, but the iPhone 4's screen does look remarkably crisp and clear.
Text looks sharp enough to jump off the screen. Colors look deeper and richer than they do on the iPhone 3GS, and images have a crispness that I haven't seen on another smartphone. The only complaint I have with the display is its size; after spending so much time testing out the 4.3-inch screen on the iPhone 4's 3.5-inch display feels small.
Making Calls
Apple's iPhone is known for many things, but excellent call quality is not one of them. I was hoping that the iPhone 4's new design -- with the antenna built in to the steel frame that rings the phone -- would improve matters. But my test calls sounded just like calls made over my iPhone 3GS: loud enough and mostly clear, but with a bit of a background echo.
Many iPhone 4 users have complained of dropped calls and interference with their cellular service when they hold their phone near the bottom left corner of the device. I tried to test this out, and the first call I made with the iPhone 4 promptly dropped. I was unable to repeat this experience though, and have had no more dropped calls. I also have not seen any reduction in signal strength by holding the iPhone 4 in this area.
Software
The iPhone 4 runs version 4 of Apple's iOS. As always, Apple's mobile operating system is intuitive and easy to use; it works as you expect it to.
iOS 4 adds several new features, including a long-desired multitasking capability, which allows you to run more than one third-party app at a time. Multitasking works as advertised; to switch between apps, you minimize the one you're using to a tray, which you can access to go back to another application. It's not multitasking in the way that your computer can multitask; you can't always start a time-consuming process, like a download, and then go back to it when it's complete. That's because, most of the time, iPhone apps will suspend or go to sleep when you minimize them, and will only resume operation when you go back to them. And not all apps support multitasking, as developers have to add the capability on their own, which more should do over time.
Other new features in iOS 4 include folders for organizing all of your apps, a new Mail client, and a Game Center. For more information.
Browsing the Web
Despite the "4" in its name, the iPhone 4 does not support 4G wireless networks. Still, you do have plenty of options for speedy Web browsing. The iPhone 4 now supports speedy 802.11n wireless networks, and you still get support for AT&T's high-speed 3G network.
The iPhone's Safari browser remains the best mobile browser I've used, without exception. You can see mobile or desktop versions of Web pages, can open multiple pages, and can zoom in and out with ease.
The iPhone's new iOS 4 also adds tethering capabilities, which allows you to use your iPhone as a modem to connect other devices to the Internet. Tethering requires the purchase of an additional $20-per-month tethering plan, though.
Camera
The iPhone 4 features a 5-megapixel shooter, which is a decent step up from the 3.2-megapixel camera found on the iPhone 3GS. It adds an LED flash and a 5x digital zoom. In my tests, images looked sharper and colors definitely popped, especially when viewed on the iPhone 4's gorgeous screen. But the LED flash wasn't terribly powerful.
In addition to snapping photos, the camera can record HD video clips at a resolution of up to 720p. Video clips captured with the iPhone 4 did look markedly better than those recorded with the iPhone 3GS.
The iPhone also features a front-facing camera for video chat through a feature called FaceTime. While FaceTime sounds impressive, it comes with some serious limitations: it works from iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 only, and video calls can only be conducted over Wi-Fi networks. I was unable to test it.
Bottom Line
If you already own an iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 is not necessarily a must-have upgrade, especially when you consider that many of its cool features are available for free with the iOS 4 software upgrade. But if you're craving that slick, svelte design, or if you've been using an older iPhone or smartphone, the iPhone 4 will amaze you with its speed and plentiful features. As long as you can live with its middling call quality, that is.
2 HTC Droid Incredible Black Smartphone - Verizon
CDMA, Bluetooth, 8MP, microSD Slot - MPN: VRZDROIDINCREDIBLEB LK
As low as $149.99 from
Description: The Droid Incredible Smartphone blazes across the digital universe. It snaps stunning 8-megapixel photos.
It zips them instantly to all of your 8,000 friends. With such attention to detail on the inside and out, the name of this phone pretty much says it all.
With a name like the Incredible, this smartphone has a lot to live up to. But the HTC Droid Incredible manages.
Like the EVO 4G and the Droid X, it runs version 2.1 of the Android OS, and also offers a 3.7-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera.
The Droid Incredible is available from Verizon Wireless
Giving a phone a name like the Incredible can be tough. Out of the box, it already has to live up to its name.
Luckily for HTC and Verizon Wireless, the Droid Incredible is pretty darn impressive.
But I'd be more likely to use the word "incredible" to describe two of its Android rivals,
Price and Availability
The The Droid Incredible costs $199.99 when you sign a new two-year service contract with Verizon Wireless.
That price is the same as what Verizon is charging for the newer Droid X,
what AT&T is charging for a 16GB and what Sprint is charging for the HTC EVO 4G.
Design
At first glance, the Droid Incredible looks a whole lot like most of the other touch-screen based smartphones on the market today.
It's slightly longer and thicker than an iPhone 4, but shares the same basic design,
with a big touch screen and a sole hardware button on the phone's face. Unlike the iPhone, however,
the Droid Incredible has four touch-sensitive keys below the display, and its hardware button is actually an optical joystick,
which you can easily use to navigate through the phone's many options.
The Droid Incredible boasts a 3.7-inch screen with a high resolution (480 by 800 pixels).
The screen is bright and colorful, but not quite as sharp as the smaller (3.5-inch) screen found on the iPhone 4.
But when viewed next to the mammoth 4.3-inch screens found on the newer Droid X and EVO 4G phones,
the Droid Incredible's once-roomy screen seems to shrink in size.
The Droid Incredible is an all-touch-screen phone; no hardware keyboard here.
The on-screen keyboard is roomy enough for most typing tasks, though I did find myself occasionally hitting the wrong key.
Making Calls
Verizon's cellular network is well regarded, and it proved its mettle during my tests of the Droid Incredible.
I never dropped a call. Call quality was very good, too, with voices on both sides coming through loud and clear.
I didn't notice any background noise or distortion.
Software
The Droid Incredible ships with Android 2.1, which was the latest version of the Android OS when the phone launched.
Android has since been updated to version 2.2, though, which is already available on Google's Nexus One.
The Incredible should be updated to Android 2.2 later this summer.
Android has come a long way from its earliest versions, though, and even version 2.1 offers a refinement that previous versions were lacking. Navigating through the OS's many options has gotten easier, though I found the phone a bit sluggish at times, when switching screens or launching apps.
And Android is still a bit geeky enough to overwhelm some newbies. For more details on Android, read my complete review of the mobile
In addition to the Android OS, the Droid X features HTC's Sense user interface,
which offers some useful options for navigating through the Android OS. HTC has added new features to the Sense UI,
include one called Leap, which lets you view thumbnails of the apps that you have open,
so you can switch between them or close out of them. The Sense UI also includes Friend Stream,
which lets you view information such as social network status updates.
The combination of Android 2.1 and HTC Sense is a winning one.
The phone's interface and menus look slick and polished (something that's not always true of Android phones),
and navigating through its many options is a snap.
Web Browsing
The Droid Incredible supports Verizon's high-speed 3G network, as well as Wi-Fi wireless networks,
so you have plenty of options for speedy Web browsing. And, in even better news, the browser on the Droid Incredible is quite good.
Too often, Android's browser requires you to dig through menus to access simple functions (like the address bar or the back button).
Not so on the Droid X: the address bar is just where you'd expect to find it,
and you can use the handy back button below the display to move back through Web pages.
The 3.7-inch screen also offers a good amount of real estate for Web browsing,
and you can pinch and spread the screen to zoom in and out as needed.
What you won't find on the Droid Incredible -- yet -- is support for Adobe's Flash technology. You'll get this support,
which will allow you to view multimedia Web pages as you would on a desktop computer,
when the Droid Incredible is updated to the next version of Android.
Camera
Like the Droid X and the EVO 4G, the Droid Incredible features an 8-megapixel camera.
The camera includes a dual flash, and can capture videos in HD.
Overall, I was slightly disappointed with the camera's performance.
Many of my images were blurry, especially when I tried to capture moving subjects.
I experienced a noticeable delay between the time I pressed the on-screen shutter button,
and when the camera actually snapped the photo, so that I often missed the subject I wanted to capture.
Multimedia
The Droid Incredible offers a decent selection of multimedia features,
but nothing to rival the excellent multimedia options found on the Droid X.
The Incredible offers a basic, but very usable, music player, the standard YouTube app,
and an FM radio (though you'll need a headset to get reception).
Bottom Line
The Droid Incredible launched before the Droid X and HTC EVO 4G, and without competition from those two phones,
the Incredible would be the must-have Android smartphone. But the Incredible must now compete with both of those phones,
which diminishes its appeal. If I were about to spend $200 on an Android-based phone from Verizon,
I'd be hard pressed to come up with a reason why that money should be spent on the Droid X.
RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 Smartphone - AT&T
Quad Band - GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, WCDMA 850, WCDMA 900, WCDMA 1900, WCDMA 2100 - Bluetooth, Wi-Fi - GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA - Polyphonic, True Tone - 64K Colors - Bar - Black - MPN: BLKATTRIMBOLD9700
When the first BlackBerry Bold debuted late last year, I called it the best BlackBerry smartphone yet.
Now, I've gotten my hands on the updated BlackBerry Bold, the 9700, and I like it -- a lot.
But can it top the excellent BlackBerry smartphones that have debuted in the past year, like the BlackBerry Tour? Maybe. Just maybe.
Price and Availability
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is available from both T-Mobile and AT&T.
Both carriers are charging $199.99 for the phone when you sign a new two-year service contract. That's less than the $300 the original Bold cost at launch.
Design
The Bold 9700 is considerably smaller than the original. It measures just 4.3 by 2.4 by .6 inches, and weighs only 4.3 ounces.
One of the trade-offs for the smaller size is that the screen gets smaller too; the Bold 9700's display measures just 2.4 inches diagonally.
But it does feature a high resolution (480 by 360 pixels), and it's absolutely gorgeous.
The other trade-off for the small size of the phone is a smaller keyboard. But I wasn't too bothered by the smaller keys;
the still sport slight ridges that make them easy to use for thumb typing.
Like the BlackBerry Curve 8520, the Bold 9700 forgoes the traditional trackball found on most BlackBerry phones in favor of a trackpad.
RIM reportedly is moving toward all trackpads in the future, and the change is welcome.
I found the trackballs often too loose to use comfortably, and they have long been one of the least durable parts of a BlackBerry phone.
The trackpads, meanwhile, are less susceptible to breaking, and are very comfortable to use, allowing you to scroll with ease.
Making Calls
The T-Mobile and AT&T versions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 are nearly identical,
but there is one important difference between them: the T-Mobile version supports UMA (unlicensed mobile access).
This technology that allows you to make voice calls over Wi-Fi wireless networks,
not just a cellular network. This can allow you to make voice calls in places where you have a wireless network,
but the cellular coverage is spotty.
My BlackBerry Bold 9700 review unit was a T-Mobile model, so I was able to test the Wi-Fi calling feature.
Calls made over Wi-Fi sounded very good, with voices sounding clear and loud on both ends of the line.
Making voice calls over wireless networks also can save you from using the voice minutes on your monthly plan,
but it does require signing up for T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling plan, which costs $10 per month.
Software
The Bold 9700 ships with version 5 of the Blackberry operating system, but even in its most recent version,
the Blackberry OS is mixed when it comes to software.
You do get access to BlackBerry App World (it wasn't installed on my review unit,
but I was able to download it by going to blackberry.com/ appworld on the phone's browser), RIM's application store which is growing nicely.
It lacks the enormous (and often overwhelming) selection of apps that you'll find in the iPhone App Store,
but you will find a decent selection of titles.
Like most recent Blackberry phones, the 9700 has the DataViz Docs To Go editing suite preinstalled,
but you only get the Standard Edition, which doesn't allow you to create new documents.
For that capability, you'll have to upgrade to the $70 Premium Edition.
Overall, though I find the Blackberry OS just a bit unorganized and harder to navigate than it should be.
That's largely because it comes with too many folders. For example,
you get one folder called "Applications" and another called "Downloads."
Since many of your downloads are actually applications, it's not always clear which folder they should be in.
GPS
The Bold 9700 features a built-in GPS radio. The T-Mobile version of the phone will come with a TeleNav GPS application,
while the AT&T version comes with AT&T Navigator. Both of these are extra-cost services.
Neither application was installed on my review unit, so I was unable to test their capabilities.
Messaging
Like all Blackberry phones, the Bold 9700 is a messaging champ. It will support 10 personal or business e-mail accounts,
and setting them up is a breeze. Several instant messaging applications, including AOL's AIM, Google Talk, ICQ,
Yahoo Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger, come pre-installed. You also get support for text and multimedia messaging.
While the interface of the built-in e-mail client is a bit bland, it's very usable. It's easy to see unread messages at a glance,
and typing messages on the 9700's keyboard is comfortable and fast.
Browsing the Web
The Blackberry Bold 9700 is T-Mobile's first 3G Blackberry phone; like the AT&T version,
it supports both the high-speed HSDPA 3G network as well as Wi-Fi wireless networks, so you have plenty of options for speedy Web browsing.
What it lacks, though, is a top-notch Web browser. The Blackberry browser is serviceable,
but it's still lacking the refinements found on rival mobile browsers. Accessing the address bar requires opening a menu,
and then going to an entirely new page -- you can type in a new URL while viewing an existing site.
And while you can go back a page by pressing the button below the 9700's display, you can only move forward by opening a menu again.
Camera
The 3.2-megapixel camera on the Bold 9700 is a notable improvement from the 2-megapixel shooter found on the original Bold.
The snapshots it captured were remarkably clear and colorful. You get an autofocus, too,
which is a nice touch -- unless you're trying to capture a moving subject.
The kids I was trying to photograph couldn't seem to sit still long enough for the auto focus to do its work.
The camera captures serviceable video clips, too.
Music and More
The included media player is not exceptional, but it's perfectly serviceable -- and that's not a bad thing.
It's easy to use as a way of organizing and playing back audio and video files. Music quality was very good,
and videos looked gorgeous on the 9700's sharp display.
The AT&T version of the Bold 9700 comes with some multimedia extras that the T-Mobile version lacks,
such as support for AT&T's mobile music service.
Bottom Line
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is an excellent smartphone -- but is it the best BlackBerry yet? I think so.
It's sleeker than the excellent BlackBerry Tour, and it offers Wi-Fi support, which the Tour unforgivably lacks.
But the Tour has the benefit of running on the Verizon Wireless network, which may be enough of a draw for many users.
Daddy's Poem
Her hair was up in a pony tail,
her favourite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
and she couldn't wait to go.
But her mummy tried to tell her,
that she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
if she went to school alone.
But she was not afraid;
she knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
of why he wasn't there today.
But still her mother worried,
for her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
she tried to keep her daughter home.
But the little girl went to school
eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
a dad who never20calls.
There
were daddies along the back wall,
for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
anxious in their seats
One by one the teacher called
a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy,
as seconds slowly passed.
At last the teacher called her name,
every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
a man who wasn't there.
'Where's her daddy at?'
She heard a boy call out.
'She probably doesn't have one,'
another student dared to shout.
And from somewhere near the back,
she heard a daddy say,
'Looks like another deadbeat dad,
too busy to waste his day.'
The words did not offend her,
as she smiled up at her Mum.
And looked back at her teacher,
who told her to go on.
And with hands behind her back,
slowly she began to speak.
And out from the mouth of a child,
came words incredibly unique.
'My Daddy couldn't be here,
because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
since this is such a special day.
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
and how much he loves me so.
He loved to tell me stories
he taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
and taught me to fly a kite.
We used to share fudge sundaes,
and ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him.
I'm not standing here alone.
'Cause my daddy's always with me,
even though we are apart
I know because he told me,
he'll forever be in my heart'
With that, her little hand reached up,
and lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat,
beneath her favourite dress.
And from
somewhere in the crowd of dads,
her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter,
who was wise beyond her years.
For she stood up for the love
of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
doing what was right.
And when she dropped her hand back down,
staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft,
but its message clear and loud.
'I love my daddy very much,
he's my shining star.
And if he could,20he'd be here,
but heaven's just too far.
You see he is a soldier
And died just this past year
When a roadside bomb hit his convoy
and taught brave men to fear.
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
it's like he never went away.'
And then she closed her eyes,
and saw him there that day.
And to her mother's amazement,
she witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children,
all starting to close their eyes.
Who knows what they saw before them,
who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
they saw him at her side.
'I know you're with me Daddy,'
to the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
of those once filled with doubt.
Not one in that room could explain it,
for each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
by the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
that heaven is never too far.
her favourite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
and she couldn't wait to go.
But her mummy tried to tell her,
that she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
if she went to school alone.
But she was not afraid;
she knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
of why he wasn't there today.
But still her mother worried,
for her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
she tried to keep her daughter home.
But the little girl went to school
eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
a dad who never20calls.
There
were daddies along the back wall,
for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
anxious in their seats
One by one the teacher called
a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy,
as seconds slowly passed.
At last the teacher called her name,
every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
a man who wasn't there.
'Where's her daddy at?'
She heard a boy call out.
'She probably doesn't have one,'
another student dared to shout.
And from somewhere near the back,
she heard a daddy say,
'Looks like another deadbeat dad,
too busy to waste his day.'
The words did not offend her,
as she smiled up at her Mum.
And looked back at her teacher,
who told her to go on.
And with hands behind her back,
slowly she began to speak.
And out from the mouth of a child,
came words incredibly unique.
'My Daddy couldn't be here,
because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
since this is such a special day.
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
and how much he loves me so.
He loved to tell me stories
he taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
and taught me to fly a kite.
We used to share fudge sundaes,
and ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him.
I'm not standing here alone.
'Cause my daddy's always with me,
even though we are apart
I know because he told me,
he'll forever be in my heart'
With that, her little hand reached up,
and lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat,
beneath her favourite dress.
And from
somewhere in the crowd of dads,
her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter,
who was wise beyond her years.
For she stood up for the love
of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
doing what was right.
And when she dropped her hand back down,
staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft,
but its message clear and loud.
'I love my daddy very much,
he's my shining star.
And if he could,20he'd be here,
but heaven's just too far.
You see he is a soldier
And died just this past year
When a roadside bomb hit his convoy
and taught brave men to fear.
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
it's like he never went away.'
And then she closed her eyes,
and saw him there that day.
And to her mother's amazement,
she witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children,
all starting to close their eyes.
Who knows what they saw before them,
who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
they saw him at her side.
'I know you're with me Daddy,'
to the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
of those once filled with doubt.
Not one in that room could explain it,
for each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
by the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
that heaven is never too far.
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Yoga For Back Pain
Yoga For Back Pain
We believe that rest is best for a painful back. But actually, what your back really needs when it’s hurt is exercise.
Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury.
This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. So let’s look at some of the best exercises for relieving back pain.
A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain.
However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert.
Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, as an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.
CORPSE
Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.
CAT STRETCH
Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.
WIND-RELEASING POSE
Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.
SAGE TWIST
Warning for this pose—it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain. This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.
PALM TREE
Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching parts if you need to.
FISH POSE
Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.
LOCUST
Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet. Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.
BENDING FORWARD POSTURE
We believe that rest is best for a painful back. But actually, what your back really needs when it’s hurt is exercise.
Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury.
This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. So let’s look at some of the best exercises for relieving back pain.
A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain.
However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert.
Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, as an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.
CORPSE
Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.
CAT STRETCH
Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.
WIND-RELEASING POSE
Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.
SAGE TWIST
Warning for this pose—it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain. This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.
PALM TREE
Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching parts if you need to.
FISH POSE
Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.
LOCUST
Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet. Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.
BENDING FORWARD POSTURE
Your 2010 Horoscope - Very Accurate!
This is the real deal. Try ignoring it, and the first thing you'll notice is having a horrible day starting tomorrow morning . . . and it only gets worse from there. ARIES - The Aggressive (March 21 to April 19)
Outgoing. Lovable. Spontaneous. Not one to mess with. Funny... Excellent kisser. EXTREMELY adorable. Loves relationships, and family is very important to an Aries. Aries are known for being generous and giving. Addictive. Loud. Always has the need to be 'Right'. Aries will argue to prove their point for hours and hours. Aries are some of the most wonderful people in the world. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
TAURUS - The Tramp (April 20 to May 20)
Aggressive. Loves being in long relationships. Likes to give a good fight. Fight for what they want. Can be annoying at times, but for the love of attention. Extremely outgoing. Loves to help people in times of need. Good kisser. Good personality. Stubborn. A caring person. They can be self-centred and if they want something they will do anything to get it. They love to sleep and can be lazy. One of a kind. Not one to mess with. Are the most attractive people on earth! 15 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
GEMINI - The Twin (May 21 to June 21)
Nice. Love is one of a kind. Great listeners. Very good at confusing people. Lover not a fighter, but will still knock you out. Geminis will not take any crap from anyone. Geminis like to tell people what they should do and get offended easily. They are great at losing things and are forgetful. Geminis can be very sarcastic and childish at times and are very nosey. Trustworthy. Always happy. VERY Loud. Talkative. Outgoing. VERY FORGIVING. Loves to make out. Has a beautiful smile. Generous. Strong. THE MOST IRRESISTIBLE. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
CANCER - The Beauty (June 22 to July 22)
MOST AMAZING KISSER. Very high appeal. A Cancer's love is one of a kind... Very romantic. Most caring person you will ever meet in your life. Entirely creative person, most are artists and insane, respectfully speaking. They perfected sex and do it often. Extremely random. An ultimate freak. Extremely funny and is usually the life of the party. Most Cancers will take you under their wing and into their hearts where you will remain forever. Cancers make love with a passion beyond compare. Spontaneous. Not a fighter, but will kick your ass good if it comes down to it. Someone you should hold on to! 12 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
LEO - The Lion (July 23 to August 22)
Great talker. Attractive and passionate. Laid back. Usually happy but when unhappy tend to be grouchy and childish. A Leo's problem becomes everyone's problem. Most Leos are very predictable and tend to be monotonous. Knows how to have fun. Is really good at almost anything. Great kisser. Very predictable. Outgoing. Down to earth. Addictive. Attractive. Loud. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Not one to mess with. Rare to find. Good when found. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
VIRGO - The One that Waits (August 23 to September 22)
Dominant in relationships. Someone loves them right now. Always wants the last word. Caring. Smart. Loud. Loyal. Easy to talk to. Everything you ever wanted. Easy to please. A pushover. Loves to gamble and take chances. Needs to have the last say in everything. They think they know everything and usually do. Respectful to others but you will quickly lose their respect if you do something untrustworthy towards them and never regain respect. They do not forgive and never forget. The one and only. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
LIBRA - The Lame One (September 23 to October 22)
Nice to everyone they meet. Their love is one of a kind. Silly, funny and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! However, not the kind of person you want to mess with... you might end up crying. Libras can cause as much havoc as they can prevent. Faithful friends to the end. Can hold a grudge for years. Libras are someone you want on your side. Usually great at sports and are extreme sports fanatics. Very creative. A hopeless romantic. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
SCORPIO - The Addict (October 23 to November 21)
EXTREMELY adorable. Loves to joke. Very good sense of humour. Will try almost anything once. Loves to be pampered. Energetic. Predictable. GREAT kisser. Always get what they want. Attractive. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Loves to party but at times to the extreme. Loves the smell and feel of money and is good at making it but just as good at spending it! Very protective over loved ones. HARD workers. Can be a good friend but if is disrespected by a friend, the friendship will end. Romantic. Caring. 4 years of bad
Luck if you do not forward.
SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One (November 22 to December 21)
Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found. Loves being in long relationships. So much love to give. A loner most of the time. Loses patience easily and will not take crap. If in a bad mood stay FAR away. Gets offended easily and remembers the offence forever. Loves deeply but at times will not show it, feels it is a sign of weakness. Has many fears but will not show it. VERY private person. Defends loved ones with all their abilities. Can be childish often. Not one to mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing in bed!!! Not the kind of person you want to mess with- you might end up crying. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
CAPRICORN - The Passionate Lover (December 22 to January 19)
Love to bust. Nice. Sassy. Intelligent. Sexy. Grouchy at times and annoying to some. Lazy and love to take it easy, but when they find a job or something they like to do they put their all into it. Proud, understanding and sweet. Irresistible. Loves being in long relationships. Great talker. Always gets what he or she wants. Cool. Loves to win against other signs in sports, especially Gemini's. Likes to cook but would rather go out
To eat at good restaurants. Extremely fun. Loves to joke. Smart. 24 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
AQUARIUS - Does It in the Water (January 20 to February 18)
Trustworthy. Attractive. Great kisser. One of a kind. Loves being in long-term relationships. Tries hard. Will take on any project. Proud of themselves in whatever they do. Messy and unorganized. Procrastinators. Great lovers, when they're not sleeping. Extreme thinkers. Loves their pets usually more than their family. Can be VERY irritating to others when they try to explain or tell a story. Unpredictable. Will exceed your expectations. Not a fighter, but will knock your lights out. 2 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
PISCES - The Partner for Life (February 19 to March 20)
Caring and kind. Smart. Likes to be the centre of attention. Very organized. High appeal to opposite sex. Likes to have the last word. Good to find, but hard to keep. Passionate, wonderful lovers. Fun to be around. Too trusting at times and gets hurt easily. VERY caring. They always try to do the right thing and sometimes get the short end of the stick. They sometimes get used by others and get hurt because of their trusting. Extremely weird but in a good way. Good sense of humour!!! Thoughtful. Loves to joke. Very popular. Silly, fun and sweet. Good friend to others but needs to be choosy on who they allow their friends to be. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
1 - 3 people = 1 minute of luck
4 - 7 people = 1 hour of luck
8 - 12 people = 1 day of luck
13 - 17 people = 1 week of luck
18 - 22 people = 1 month of luck
23 - 27 people = 3 months of luck
28 - 32 people = 7 months of luck
33 - 37 people = 1 year of luck
38 and more = a very lucky life!
'SEPARATE' - THE MOST COMMONLY MISSPELT WORD IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
London, Aug 7 (ANI): A new study has found that 'separate' is the most commonly misspelt word in the English language.
The eight-letter word came top due to the regular placing of an 'E' where the first 'A' sits.
Second in the list was 'definitely' , which often falls victim to a string of mistakes including mixing up the second 'I' with an 'A'. Another common error is dropping the final 'E'.
The market research company www.OnePoll. com carried out the study of 3,500 Britons.
"There seem to be some words which we always struggle to get down onto paper, and 'separate' is one of those which eludes us," the Telegraph quoted the spokesperson of the company as saying.
"A common mistake many make is writing a word the way it sounds which leaves us muddling up one letter with another and getting it wrong.
"Fortunately, computers' spell-check corrects wrongly spelt words for us, but that means we become lazy and never learn the correct spelling.
"There's no excuse not to learn how words are formed - it's drilled into us from such a young age and if the words are frequently used we should make a conscious effort to get it right next time.
"The fact we judge other people's intelligence by their written word, yet don't like to be judged ourselves, means we should all pick up a dictionary once in a while," the spokesperson said.
It has also emerged that one in six people often spell words so incorrectly that their PC is unable to recognise the word. wo out of three admitted using spell-check on computers has made them lazy while writing letters or notes by hand.
One in five blamed predictive text messaging for their bad spelling.
But despite the frequency of errors, most (77 per cent) believed that their spelling is either 'good' or 'very good'.
The study also found 46 per cent judge other people on their spelling, with 27 per cent admitting they believe people who cannot spell are 'thick'.
One in five said it was their belief the art of spelling was something 'you just learn in school'. (ANI)
The eight-letter word came top due to the regular placing of an 'E' where the first 'A' sits.
Second in the list was 'definitely' , which often falls victim to a string of mistakes including mixing up the second 'I' with an 'A'. Another common error is dropping the final 'E'.
The market research company www.OnePoll. com carried out the study of 3,500 Britons.
"There seem to be some words which we always struggle to get down onto paper, and 'separate' is one of those which eludes us," the Telegraph quoted the spokesperson of the company as saying.
"A common mistake many make is writing a word the way it sounds which leaves us muddling up one letter with another and getting it wrong.
"Fortunately, computers' spell-check corrects wrongly spelt words for us, but that means we become lazy and never learn the correct spelling.
"There's no excuse not to learn how words are formed - it's drilled into us from such a young age and if the words are frequently used we should make a conscious effort to get it right next time.
"The fact we judge other people's intelligence by their written word, yet don't like to be judged ourselves, means we should all pick up a dictionary once in a while," the spokesperson said.
It has also emerged that one in six people often spell words so incorrectly that their PC is unable to recognise the word. wo out of three admitted using spell-check on computers has made them lazy while writing letters or notes by hand.
One in five blamed predictive text messaging for their bad spelling.
But despite the frequency of errors, most (77 per cent) believed that their spelling is either 'good' or 'very good'.
The study also found 46 per cent judge other people on their spelling, with 27 per cent admitting they believe people who cannot spell are 'thick'.
One in five said it was their belief the art of spelling was something 'you just learn in school'. (ANI)
Details of State Information Officers and Assistant Public Information Officers
The Government decided to change the name of the Local Administration Department into the Department of Local Self-government. For administrative convenience, the Rural Development Department was merged with the department of Local Self-government and for the urban administrative matters special arrangement was made in the Secretariat. The difference between urban and rural areas is very little in Kerala. So the activities of the Department of Urban Planning were extended to rural areas and the name of the department was changed into "Town and Country Planning". The activities of the development agencies were also made efficient. A lock-stock and barrel change was made in the Urban Development Financial Corporation and the Rural Development Board. With a view to solving the urban problems on a time bound footing, schemes were chalked out and importance was given to the eradication of solid waste and the development of infrastructure. There are 1214 local self government bodies. That the State administration could effectively be transformed from centralized to decentralised administration, and importance was given to people's participation in the administration and development sectors were silent revolution, which took place in Kerala. The Government transferred about 40% of the plan outlay to the local self-government bodies.
For eradicating all the overt traces of poverty from the State within 10 years, the self-help groups of women were organised under, the Kudumbashree project. This project aims at the all round development of the people of below poverty line. Kudumbashree has attracted national level attention. Similarly the bio-development project to restore the bio-variety and the dense forests wealth at Attappady area in Palakkad district has also drawn national level attention.
Power and Planning into People The administration and planning systems the world over are, in general, centralised. But this system is suitable for small countries, it is not fitting and proper for India, a subcontinent like country. When we think of an alternative plan to find solutions to the common problems of the people, the infinite possibilities of decentralisation of power and planning loom large before us. To make basic changes in the existing administrative system which is deep-rooted is not an easy thing. The Government realised that the existing local government bodies without being changed into local self-government bodies (having right to self-govern) an attempt to have a transfer of power will be quite futile and meaningless. It is on the basis of that Government decided to decentralise power and planning.
The Panchayat Raj-Municipality Act on the basis of 73 rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution came into force in the State on 23-4-1994 and 30-5-1994 respectively. As per the provisions made in the Act a number of powers and responsibilities and projects of the Government were transferred to the local self-governments with effect from October 2, 1995. Along with them, the service of the concerned officers was transferred to the local self-government bodies.
Performance Audit
It was part of the steps taken on decentralization of power from 1997-98 more funds than those of the previous years were sanctioned to the local self-government bodies. This sanctioning of more funds necessitated the strengthening of audit arrangement. In the light of this, in the local self-government bodies, new audit system (performance cum corrective audit) was implemented. It aims at the quarterly review of the administrative measures. By means of performance audit, irregularities are detected. And it gives chances to avoid such irregularities and remedy the avoidable errors.
It was deploying employees from the Secretariat and Panchayat/ Municipal Departments the performance audit teams were organized. By organizing Performance Audit Teams the beginning of the implementation of the idea of deployment of the officials could be made. The Government have decided to appoint an official not below the rank of a Deputy Account General as the State Performance Auditor. Comprehensive Amendment Act
As per the recommendations of the Power Decentralization Committee the State Government amended the Kerala Panchayat Act and the Kerala Municipality Act. The amendments made helped to exercise the transferred powers completely. The amendments are as follows:
It was deploying employees from the Secretariat and Panchayat/ Municipal Departments the performance audit teams were organized. By organizing Performance Audit Teams the beginning of the implementation of the idea of deployment of the officials could be made. The Government have decided to appoint an official not below the rank of a Deputy Account General as the State Performance Auditor. Comprehensive Amendment Act
As per the recommendations of the Power Decentralization Committee the State Government amended the Kerala Panchayat Act and the Kerala Municipality Act. The amendments made helped to exercise the transferred powers completely. The amendments are as follows:
Grama Sabhas/Ward Sabhas
It is provided in the Act the grama sabhas in the Panchayat should meet at least once in three months and the meeting of the quorum should be 10%. The powers and duties of the sabha have been increased. As in the grama sabhas of the panchayats, in municipalities where the population is less than 1 lakh, there is provision for forming ward sabhas in each ward. The grama sabhas/ward sabhas have power to discuss budget, Audit report, plan documents, estimate of public works.
Number of Members
With a view to activating the grama/ward sabhas and increasing the number of members in the standing committee and thereby decentralise the administrative responsibility, the number of members of grama/block panchayats was raised from 10% to 20%, and that of the district panchayats from 15 to 30% and the municipalities from 20 to 50% and corporation from 50 to 100%.
Disqualification of the Members Persons convicted for corruption are disqualified to contest election. The Panchayat/municipal members thus convicted would forfeit their membership. The defected members would also lose their membership. The persons who are responsible for the financial loss of the local self-government bodies and misutilisation of fund and who have not convened grama sabhas within the stipulated period shall lose their membership. MLAs and MPs shall not become members of the local self government bodies. The forfeiture of the membership shall ultimately be decided by the State Election Commission. The power to remove the members vested with the Government, is taken away.
President/Chairpers on
Provision is also made that Panchayat president/municipal chairperson shall be a full time member. They are empowered to suspend any other person, subject to enquiry, under the local self-governments bodies.
No Confidence Motion
The procedure regarding no confidence motion is made transparent. As soon as no confidence motion is carried, the concerned president/vice president shall be deemed to have demitted the office.
Property Statement of the Members
It is provided that the elected members of the panchayats/ municipalities shall give statement regarding their property.
Standing Committees
In grama/block panchayats three each and in district/municipal councils 5 each and in corporation 7 each standing committees are constituted. Government Control
Restrictions are placed in Government's power to adjourn and to cancel Panchayat/municipal resolutions. The Government cannot cancel any resolution without ascertaining the opinion of the ombudsman or Appellate Tribunal for the local self-government.
Administrative Reports
It is stipulated that the annual administrative reports of the panchayats/municipa lities should be published.
Dissolution
Control was placed on the power of the Government to dissolve panchayat/municipal councils. Only after ascertaining the opinion of the ombudsman can the panchayat/municipal councils be dissolved.
Grants
It is also provided in the act that grant should be given to the local self government bodies according to the specific yardsticks. In this matter an annual report should be submitted to the Governor and a copy be placed before the Assembly. The land revenue amount used to be given only to the panchayats is now shared with block/district panchayats also.
Right to information
It is provided that the people have the right to know the full information regarding the administration of the local self-government bodies and withholding of information is made punishable. The procedure to get information is also provided.
Ombudsman
A permanent committee, headed by a Judge of the High Court (whether serving or retried), consisting of two District Judges, two top Government officials, two respectful public men was coming into existence. The Ombudsman has a lot of power and responsibilities. As part of financial austerity measures ombudsman is now made into a one -member forum. Appellate Tribunal
In one place or more an officer of the status of District Judge is going to be appointed as the appellate tribunal to hear the appeal/ revision petition filed by the public on the orders issued by the grama sabhas and municipal councils exercising regulatory powers. Public Documents
District Planning Committee
The District Planning Committee is clothed with powers to examine and propose changes in the draft for development projects prepared by the panchayats and municipalities. The Government is to consider the proposals and priorities in the draft prepared by the District Panchayat Committee when the State Plan is prepared. The District Planning Committee has power to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Plan.
State Development Council
A State Development Council with the Chief Minister as chairman, members of the cabinet and opposition leader as vice chairmen, District Planning Committee Chairmen, Panchayat/municipal representatives etc as members has been constituted.
The Revised Public Works Rules
About the public works of the local self government bodies allegation have been raised at all times. Revised rules favourable to understand and implement public works of the local self government bodies not leaving room for such allegations and corruption and unnecessary expenditure have been issued by now. In all matters transparency has been ensured. Each item of work is subject to the scrutiny of village assembly/ward assembly. These rules provide facilities to the rural beneficiaries to take up work at low cost, avoiding contractors.
Power Decentralisation Act
The amendments to the Panchayat Raj/Municipal Act passed by the Legislative Assembly in February 1999 were intended to strengthen the power decentralisation process and to expand the powers and responsibilities given to the three-tier system as per the 73rd and 74th amendments in the Constitution. It is to smoothen the decentralisation of power based on the amended Act that the Government tried to amend 35 more acts which have inseparable relation with the functioning of the local self governments. With these amendments, the power decentralisation process is attaining perfection to a great extent.
Addition to amending 35 Acts, 3 Acts have been cancelled. The Kerala State Rural Development Board Act, The Hackney Carriages Act and The Additional Entertainment Tax Act are the cancelled ones. Deployment
The conduct of administration is not possible only with the transfer of power. To conduct administration the requisite service of the employees must also be given. For this purpose the Government intend deploying a sizable section of the employees and transferring them to the control of local self-government bodies. The recommendations of the committee for decentralisation of power is under the active consideration of the Government.
The Government do not target simple decentralisation of power. What we want is democratic and corruption free decentralisation of power and the power thus conferred should be utilized for the summum bonus of the people. Such local self-government bodies are the need of the hour. A style of administration in which the officials and the representatives of the people go shoulder to shoulder and work for the local development should emerge. No the part of the Government steps are being taken to reach this goal. People's Planning-Aims and Achievements
Five years have elapsed since the local self-government bodies as part of people's planning movement, formulated their schemes and implemented them with people's co-operation. Regarding the qualitative changes the movement brought about in the power decentralisation sector in general and development sector in particular, a consensus has come out. People's planning has more or less acquired by now the ability to cut and clear its own path and forge ahead. The people’s planning has become the urgent obligation of the local self-government bodies of the state
People's Planning- Aims
To solve the crisis existing in the production sector (including agriculture and industry) and ensure development is the first aim. The second aim of this movement is to end the fall in the standard of the quality in service sectors including in the health education and improve the tribal/fish worker sectors, which have not yet reached the mainstream of development. To raise the socio-economic life standards of people of these sectors step by step and bring them to the mainstream of life is another important objective of people's planning movement. To ensure balanced development in the environmental sector of the State is the fourth aim of the people's planning. To deliver the womenfolk who constitute more than half of the society from the different kinds of exploitation they face today and take them to the mainstream of development is again another important aim of this movement.
The Reflections of Change
It cannot be claimed that with activities of the movement, all the aims and objectives were achieved. In the place of a sense of pessimism that nothing would improve, a sense of optimism developed among the people, the optimism that if worked on the basis of people's participation with will power and determination, a lot of things could be implemented. Objectives and transparent style of taking decisions based on distinct priorities and norms have come to stay in the majority of the local self-government bodies.
The large Participation in the Village Assembles
The most important achievement of the village assemblies is that they could prove that they have a very crucial role in the planning-decentrali sation activities. As part of people's planning activities village assemblies were organized and public interest was generated in the planning -decentralisation activities. The village assemblies could prove to be the most suitable practical local unit for these activities.
Financial Aid to the Project
As part of people’s planning large-scale financial aid was transferred to the local self-government bodies in the State. It was only a very meager amount that the local self-government bodies in the State used to get before the beginning of this movement. In 1997-98 a sum of Rs. 749 crores was provided in the budget and given as grant and of which an amount of RS 39 crores was earmarked for Tribal Sub Plan and an amount RS 194 crores was provided for Special Component Plan. In 1998-99 and 1999 -2000 years the plan allocation for the local self-government bodies rose to RS 950 and RS 1020 crores respectively. An amount of RS 1042 crores was earmarked for 2000-2001.
Plan Allotment during 2001 – 2002 (In lakhs)
Local Self Govt General S C P T S P* Total
Grama
Panchayat 38484 9859 1986 50329
Panchayat Block 8246 3286 794 326
Panchayat
District 8246 3286 1191 12723
Municipalities 11824 1769 29 13622
Total 66800 18200 4000 89000
State’s Plan share 8165 Total 97165
· From 2001-2002 onwards the Plan Fund for ST / SC welfare is decided to be administered through
SC/ ST Welfare Department.
Plan Allocation in General Category will be catered to Local Self-Governments based on certain criteria. The funds earmarked for Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub Plan will be issued basing on the population of the beneficiary groups. A grama panchayat will get a minimum of RS 25 lakhs whereas a block panchayat gets RS 30 lakhs. Plan visualizes priority for production sectors.
State Election Commission
By way of amendment made in the Panchayat Raj Act the State Election Commission is armed with ample powers.
Besides conducting election to the local self government bodies, the powers like division of wards, reservation of wards, disqualification of people's representatives, implementation of Prohibition of Defection Act etc. are vested with the Election Commission. Prior to this, these powers were vested in the Government. In no other state in the country the Election Commission has been vested with this much of power.
Second Finance Commission The Government accepted the 64 recommendations submitted by the first Finance Commission chaired by Dr. P.M. Abraham and gave the force of law. The Government has constituted the Second Finance commission with Shri. Prabhath Patnaik as chairman. The commission has started functioning from June 1999.
· From 2001-2002 onwards the Plan Fund for ST / SC welfare is decided to be administered through
SC/ ST Welfare Department.
Plan Allocation in General Category will be catered to Local Self-Governments based on certain criteria. The funds earmarked for Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub Plan will be issued basing on the population of the beneficiary groups. A grama panchayat will get a minimum of RS 25 lakhs whereas a block panchayat gets RS 30 lakhs. Plan visualizes priority for production sectors.
State Rural Development Board
The main activity of the board is to give loan to those projects, which help to increase the revenue of the Panchayats The board provides loan to construct market stalls, shopping complexes, office buildings and bus-stands
Swaraj Trophy
The Government have decided to congratulate the panchayats that do exemplary work in the conduct of administration and development. They will be given state level and district level swaraj trophy and cash prize. The panchayats are selected for award on the basis of general conduct of administration, collection of revenue, performance of village assemblies, planning, people's participation, transparent and efficient execution, physical achievement, distribution of social security pension etc.
State Rural Development Board
The main activity of the board is to give loan to those projects, which help to increase the revenue of the Panchayats The board provides loan to construct market stalls, shopping complexes, office buildings and bus-stands
Swaraj Trophy
The Government have decided to congratulate the panchayats that do exemplary work in the conduct of administration and development. They will be given state level and district level swaraj trophy and cash prize. The panchayats are selected for award on the basis of general conduct of administration, collection of revenue, performance of village assemblies, planning, people's participation, transparent and efficient execution, physical achievement, distribution of social security pension etc.
New Panchayats
In order to make the administration of the panchayats efficient, large sized panchayats having more population were divided and 20 new grama panchayats were formed. These panchayats came into existence from October 2000. For the convenience of the people, 11 grama panchayats were delinked.
The State has 991 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 52 Municipalities and 5 Corporations. Consequent to the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the Local self-government Institutions (LSGIs) are to function as the third tier of Government. In Kerala, LSGIs have been meaningfully empowered through massive transfer of resources as well as administrative powers. Coupled with a grassroots level approach of Participatory Planning whereby the developmental programmes are identified and implemented through Grama Sabhas, the LSGIs have emerged as effective agencies for the implementation of developmental programmes.
Organisational Structure
Director of Panchayat
PLEASE NOTE:
Sim card cloning is illegal in some countries,
This guide is for educational purposes only.
What hardware you will need:
1. Sim card reader
2. Wafer card programmer
3. Empty sliver pic 2 card
4. Mains unregulated adapter
5. 9 Pin male to female extension cable
What software will you need :
1. Cardinal 68
2. Card master
3. You will also need Sim emu
Lets get started
Plug your Sim Reader in to your comport
Run cardinal and click where it says "click here" click Settings.
Select your com/serial Port and the Baud Rate, press Close when done
Now left click where it says "click here" Go to smartcard from there click Sim editor.
The program will start from the menu got to SIM then Sim Info and click the load button shown above.
You will see the "IMSI" Code after pressing load
Take note of the "IMSI" and keep it safe
Now close the Sim info window and from the menu go to Security then Find Key KI
Click start on the Find KI window and wait...
It will take up to 4 hours to find the Ki
Click start on the Find KI window and wait...
It will take up to 4 hours to find the Ki
Take note of the "KI" and keep it safe
You are now finished reading the Ki and Imsi
NEXT STEP
Loading Sim Emu !
Buy an Empty Silver Card
In the Unzipped/Unpacked file you will find
SEE50s.hex = Eeprom
SEF50sEN.hex = PIC
Connect the programmer to a com port and go to the setup menu and choose the appropriate com port, when this is done
There should be a yellow rectangle at the bottom of the program telling you there is no card
Insert the smartcard to the programmer, the rectangle should now change colour to green
Choose Silver card from Card type
Push the open button and choose SEF50sEN.hex
Push the open button and choose SEE50s.hex
.Press the edit menu and push Auto Program
Cutting the card
Configuring your card !
Insert the Silver we have trimmed in to the phone it may ask for pin
its 1111
From the menu go to Sim Emu
From Sim Emu 5 Menu go to Set Phone #
Select GSM #1 or any Slot
Select Configure
.Select Edit #
Edit GSM # X to any name
After done press OK then go to Config. PoS.
It will ask for PIN2 its 1234
.It will ask you what position you want that card to be Select a Position 1 to 8
It ask you to enter the IMSI You got from Cardinal
It ask you to enter the KI You got from Cardinal
It will ask you to enter you PUK enter any up to 8 Digits
It will ask you to enter you PUK enter any up to 4 Digit
Exit the settings and go to Reset
AND THAT'S THAT
IF EVERY THINK WENT ACCORDING TO PLAN THEN YOU WILL NOW HAVE A CLONED SIM CARD.
http://depositfiles.com/en/files/cq4qu7sgk
Toll free numbers in India
Dear All, Toll Free Numbers in India, Please forward it to all you know in India. Save a copy of this mail. ..
Airlines
Indian Airlines - 1800 180 1407
Jet Airways - 1800 22 5522
Spice Jet - 1800 180 3333
Air India -- 1800 22 7722
Kingfisher - 1800 180 0101
============ ========= ========= =====
Banks
ABN AMRO - 1800 11 2224
Axis Bank Ltd. -Â 1860-425-8888
Canara Bank - 1800 44 6000
Citibank - 1800 44 2265
Corporation Bank - 1800 443 555
Development Credit Bank - 1800 22 5769
HDFC Bank - 1800 227 227
ICICI Bank - 1800 333 499
ICICI Bank NRI - 1800 22 4848
IDBI Bank - 1800 11 6999
Indian Bank - 1800 425 1400
ING Vysya - 1800 44 9900
Kotak Mahindra Bank - 1800 22 6022
Lord Krishna Bank - 1800 11 2300
Punjab National Bank - 1800 122 222
State Bank of India - 1800 44 1955
Syndicate Bank - 1800 44 6655
============ ========= ========= =====
Automobiles
Mahindra Scorpio - 1800 22 6006
Maruti - 1800 111 515
Tata Motors - 1800 22 5552
Windshield Experts - 1800 11 3636
============ ========= ========= =====
Computers/IT
Adrenalin - 1800 444 445
AMD - 1800 425 6664
Apple Computers - 1800 444 683
Canon - 1800 333 366
Cisco Systems - 1800 221 777
Compaq - HP - 1800 444 999
Data One Broadband - 1800 424 1800
Dell - 1800 444 026
Epson - 1800 44 0011
eSys - 3970 0011
Genesis Tally Academy - 1800 444 888
HCL - 1800 180 8080
IBM - 1800 443 333
Lexmark - 1800 22 4477
Marshal's Point - 1800 33 4488
Microsoft - 1800 111 100
Microsoft Virus Update - 1901 333 334
Seagate - 1800 180 1104
Symantec - 1800 44 5533
TVS Electronics - 1800 444 566
WeP Peripherals - 1800 44 6446
Wipro - 1800 333 312
Xerox - 1800 180 1225
Zenith - 1800 222 004
============ ========= ========= =====
Indian Railway Enquiries
Indian Railway General Enquiry 131
Indian Railway Central Enquiry 131
Indian Railway Reservation 131
Indian Railway Railway Reservation Enquiry 1345,1335,1330
Indian Railway Centralised Railway Enquiry 1330/1/2/3/4/ 5/6/7/8/9
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= =====
Couriers/Packers & Movers
ABT Courier - 1800 44 8585
AFL Wizz - 1800 22 9696
Agarwal Packers & Movers - 1800 11 4321
Associated Packers P Ltd - 1800 21 4560
DHL - 1800 111 345
FedEx - 1800 22 6161
Goel Packers & Movers - 1800 11 3456
UPS - 1800 22 7171
============ ========= ========= =========
Home Appliances
Aiwa/Sony - 1800 11 1188
Anchor Switches - 1800 22 7979
Blue Star - 1800 22 2200
Bose Audio - 1800 11 2673
Bru Coffee Vending Machines - 1800 44 7171
Daikin Air Conditioners - 1800 444 222
DishTV - 1800 12 3474
Faber Chimneys - 1800 21 4595
Godrej - 1800 22 5511
Grundfos Pumps - 1800 33 4555
LG - 1901 180 9999
Philips - 1800 22 4422
Samsung - 1800 113 444
Sanyo - 1800 11 0101
Voltas - 1800 33 4546
WorldSpace Satellite Radio - 1800 44 5432
============ ========= ========= =========
Investments/ Finance
CAMS - 1800 44 2267
Chola Mutual Fund - 1800 22 2300
Easy IPO's - 3030 5757
Fidelity Investments - 1800 180 8000
Franklin Templeton Fund - 1800 425 4255
J M Morgan Stanley - 1800 22 0004
Kotak Mutual Fund - 1800 222 626
LIC Housing Finance - 1800 44 0005
SBI Mutual Fund - 1800 22 3040
Sharekhan - 1800 22 7500
Tata Mutual Fund - 1800 22 0101
============ ========= ========= ====
Travel
Club Mahindra Holidays - 1800 33 4539
Cox & Kings - 1800 22 1235
God TV Tours - 1800 442 777
Kerala Tourism - 1800 444 747
Kumarakom Lake Resort - 1800 44 5030
Raj Travels & Tours - 1800 22 9900
Sita Tours - 1800 111 911
SOTC Tours - 1800 22 3344
============ ========= ========= ====
Healthcare
Best on Health - 1800 11 8899
Dr Batras - 1800 11 6767
GlaxoSmithKline - 1800 22 8797
Johnson & Johnson - 1800 22 8111
Kaya Skin Clinic - 1800 22 5292
LifeCell - 1800 44 5323
Manmar Technologies - 1800 33 4420
Pfizer - 1800 442 442
Roche Accu-Chek - 1800 11 45 46
Rudraksha - 1800 21 4708
Varilux Lenses - 1800 44 8383
VLCC - 1800 33 1262
============ ========= ========= ===
Insurance
AMP Sanmar - 1800 44 2200
Aviva - 1800 33 2244
Bajaj Allianz - 1800 22 5858
Chola MS General Insurance - 1800 44 5544
HDFC Standard Life - 1800 227 227
LIC - 1800 33 4433
Max New York Life - 1800 33 5577
Royal Sundaram - 1800 33 8899
SBI Life Insurance - 1800 22 9090
============ ========= ========= =======
Hotel Reservations
GRT Grand - 1800 44 5500
InterContinental Hotels Group - 1800 111 000
Marriott - 1800 22 0044
Sarovar Park Plaza - 1800 111 222
Taj Holidays - 1800 111 825
============ ========= ========= ======
Teleshopping
Asian Sky Shop - 1800 22 1800
Jaipan Teleshoppe - 1800 11 5225
Tele Brands - 1800 11 8000
VMI Teleshopping - 1800 447 777
WWS Teleshopping - 1800 220 777
============ ========= ========= ========
Others
Domino's Pizza - 1800 111 123
============ ========= ========= ====
Cell Phones
BenQ - 1800 22 08 08
Bird CellPhones - 1800 11 7700
Motorola MotoAssist - 1800 11 1211
Nokia - 3030 3838
Sony Ericsson - 3901 111
============ ========= ========= ====
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