Time to upgrade cellphones?

Time to upgrade cellphones?!
Which one to buy?!
What brand?!


Don't WORRY...


Many people always ask them self's the above questions. So we went out and tested them all.
Here is the report on what phone you should buy:

The Blackberry
A Smartphone, without the "smart". It's good looking, but under all that eyeCandy, is a small beetle motor engine. The only plus side of this phone is, BBM (blackberry Messenger) for chatting. The Blackberry has no "office" suites also No Offline GPS Maps,  No Contacts Sync,  No Calendar Sync, No Notes/Memo Sync. No Task/ToDo Sync, We almost forgot to mention the amazing random-reboot-that-somehow-takes-five-minutes feature! it has the least number of Applications. 

Here are the statistics:

• BB App World: only 2,000!!!
• Symbian: +250,000
• Android Market: 20,000
• Apple App Store: +100,000

Android 

It’s all designed around the idea of real time – twitter suddenly makes more sense, Facebook status updates appear next to the person’s phone number, their latest profile photo appears when they phone. Friends in Singapore who start a google chat come straight through to the phone, all makes me wonder when I will have time to turn it off. 

Yes it's Android! With over 20,000 apps, This phone just works! With the required "office" suites, Web browsers and business features. This phone will take you a long road! It has so many features, their is not enough space in this article to even post it. it's fast, reliable and easy!  

iPhone

The Funky, smart, and Fun phone. Is it for me? YES! it's so easy to work with you will laugh! 

Is it better? Let's see... 

The price isn't cheap at 6,899 rand, it is expensive compared to Android.

The screen is massive. Very good battery. It will replace that old clunky pocket camera of yours, it also includes HD video calling.  

Skype "skelms" and thief's

Just as with Facebook, and it's security flaws, Skype also has it's....
Let me start: What is skype?

Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system.

Do you use Skype? If yes, be very careful!

There are thief's who created a harmful peace of "code", that trick users in presenting that you have a new Skype
Contact, that want to add you. Once allowed you will be greeted with the following screen and options

   
You don't need to have sleepless nights because of this "code", because every person is personally infected.
(It doesn't spread like a Virus on Facebook or the internet) You have to first accept the "contact" to your contact list, for the Virus to be activated.
Once the malicious code is in place, anyone in the thief's contacts list is vulnerable as soon as they log in to their account. By logging in, your contacts’ profiles are updated, including their phone number information.


The only Skype clients (Skype versions/programs) being attacked is version 5.3.0.120 for Mac OS X and Windows. (To check your version, go to About Skype in the Program/Application). 
 In cases like this, it’s safe to assume that Skype will be coming out with a new version of its software once this vulnerability is corrected. 


Remember: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR SOFTWARE UP TO DATE

Cell C vs Vodacom vs MTN

Cell C vs Vodacom vs MTN
Costumer support, Applications support, The Price rip-off's and the Connection! We go out and test it all... 

Old logo

new Logo

From what many people remember, Cell C's logo look like this
But they have been upgraded, and improving quality content and service more and more ...
Their prices is as low as it could get, beating both Vodacom and MTN


A lot of comments on there Facebook page, as people wonder and complain

Click to enlarge

As low as their rates might be, this cellular provider is much younger than Vodacom or MTN and don't have the "experience". I rather pay a more money, if I know I am getting top notch service!
If you want to risk it, by all means go try them, you never know what happens... (I use them, and they are alright!) Otherwise go for the dogs that have been much longer in the game.


MTN, doesn't need some kind of introduction when it comes to cellular fights...
They have been in this game for years, and probably will be another couple, but as far as competition goes, they are kind of dead. They don't advertise, they don't give promotions, they also don't have any special "packages". The question remains, are they reliable? short answer: Yes!
I hate to break this to you, so I will just show you the Facebook Page Picture. (look at the complains)
















Vodacom has been with us and our families for years providing quality cellular service, it's also know for vast enterprise, but is it starting to fade away?
 We putted our team to work, checking their web-sites, social skills, phone support, and friendly service are still as good.

Lets start with their Web-site:
It looks fresh and up to date, as you would expect from Vodacom...
E-mailing them straight from their web-site is very easy and they reply quite fast with many options and support (help)

Phone support is out-dated, telling you to still Rica...
We have to say, despite this small things we listed, we couldn't find any other hiccups with Vodacom. They are still the best in our opinion...

Even their social-media, Facebook looks good. The comments is a mixture of positive- and negative comments, which is perfectly fine since no company is perfect.

Click to enlarge

ADSL vs 3G (Broadband) internet

WAIT! What is ADSL?? 

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is one form of the Digital Subscriber Line technology, a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional voiceband modem can provide. ..

A technology that transforms a normal copper telephone line into a high-speed digital line. This technology gives you always-on access to telephone services and the Internet at the same time. An ADSL line has a higher downstream speed (into the end user) than upstream speed (away from the end user)

And, what is 3G (Broadband) ?

International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000), better known as 3G or 3rd Generation', is a family of standards for mobile telecommunications defined by the International Telecommunication Union, which includes GSM EDGE, UMTS, and CDMA2000 as well as DECT and WiMAX

• The common term used to describe third-generation mobile telephone services. 3G affords users a greater range of communications options, including access to Internet content (WWW, email) and video data.

• This brings us back to the main topic, ADSL vs 3G (Broadband)

As much as I encourage Wireless technologies, this fight is verily won by ADSL! 

We South-Africans don't have to money to loose, and need to cut back on things we can, like our internet usage, but wait! You can actually safe more money, and at the same time get more internet space

Most of my clients I service, uses the most popular cellular service provider, Vodacom's 3G usb dongle for internet access, you have to agree 3G isn't cheap! 

Lets have a look at the Prices for Vodacom 3G:

* For the most of you 1.2 GB (gigabytes) will do (remember: The more GB, the more internet data, which   means the more you can use)  

   you will pay R 289.00 for only 1.2 GB

* For other people, 1.2 GB won't be enough, and they might require more. The next reasonable upgrade will be 3 GB.

   you will pay  R 520.00 

3G might offer some additional functions for you, like being able to use it everywhere you go. 

If you switched to ADSL today, you could save! You could Save money and also get more Internet space.

I currently run uncapped (unlimited internet)  ADSL from Mweb and it cost me less than the 3 GB of Vodacoms 3G 

Mweb's monthly costs:

* Uncapped ADSL costs R349 (with telephone line included) 

                                       R219 (without telephone line)

* 1GB ADSL costs R149 (with telephone line included) 

                               R29 (without telephone line)

Remember: with the without telephone line, you still need a ADSL telephone line from Telkom, wich add's R152 to your purchase.

ADSL also has it's down sites, like not being able to take it where you go... 

Android security test

Apple security flaw!

A user holding a white iPhone 

A security flaw in iSecurity. Apple says it is working on fixing a security hole in the software of its iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch.

The weakness was found by a German government agency.

Some Apple customers choose to jail break their devices so they can download and run applications that are not approved by Apple or use iPhone phones on networks of carriers that are not approved by Apple.

Security experts warned that criminal hackers could download that code, reverse engineer it to identify a hole in iOS security and build a piece of malicious software within a few days.

Facebook video call

It's been out now for a while, and yes it's from Skype (Skype now owned by Microsoft), it's the Facebook Video Call feature...



My opinion is, the video quality is poor!
To even get it started is a mess, I wasted time doing reboots with my laptop and multiple downloads of the add-on...

To get started see  Facebook page

Also when I finally called someone, they didn't have the add-on :(, *sight*

This is one heck of a job getting it to work, also helping others get it! (people I work with, doesn't even know how to plug in a mouse)

It didn't pick up my input sound, and my webcam had some trouble. I know for others this was a smooth install, but for me it wasn't.

You are now able to call someone straight from there profile
Even leave a video message

Internet providers to act against online pirates

LOS ANGELES — Consumers who illegally download copyrighted films, music or television shows might see their Internet speed slowed or access restricted under a new industry anti-piracy effort.From: MSNBC.com

ISP's (internet service providers) in the US is done with people pirating stuff! They are acting, criminals should watch out. Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner cable, Cablevision system and AT&T, will warn users up to 6 times, if they suspect their internet is being used for illegal downloads. Warnings will be send VIA e-mail or pop-ups

"We believe it will have a significant impact on reducing online piracy," Victoria Espinel, the U.S. intellectual property enforcement coordinator, wrote on the White House blog.

If illegal activity continues, the ISP, may slow down the internet speed or redirect web-pages to a specific page

Users are advised to not download illegal content, for the only way to get your internet back is to contact the ISP... Users are allowed to take legal action, but should reconsider, because if the ISP is right, your (the users) internet might be terminated!

Experts say that this might decrease pirating and warn parents when their children is downloading illegal content. 

"We are confident that, once informed that content theft is taking place on their accounts, the great majority of broadband subscribers will take steps to stop it," James Assey, executive vice president of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, said in a statement.