US FBI vs. Apple - the iPhone Privacy Drama Continues

Cook said last week he will not comply with FBI demands and issued an email to staff on Monday thanking them for their support. "Apple is a uniquely American company. It does not feel right to be on the opposite side of the government in a case centering on the freedoms and liberties that government is meant to protect," he wrote in his email. Cook argues that following through with the court order would threaten "everyone's civil liberties" and also make them more vulnerable to cybercrime. Information on iPhones is encrypted, and a user's passcode is needed to access that information. Apple does not hold the passcode. Apple's argument is that if it creates a way to get into the phone, that would open the door to hackers as well. Read the complete Apple FAQ at: http://www.apple.com/customer-letter/answers/ . Meanwhile, FBI Director James Comey says his agency's demand that Apple break into the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters is "about the victims and justice." "Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined," Comey wrote in a post on the Lawfare blog late Sunday. "We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law." His comments are the latest public move in a clash between federal law enforcement and the giant technology company that has fueled a fierce debate about security and privacy.What is the next move in this complex array of civil liberties and the fight against terrorism? Share your comments here the the Smartphone and Tablet Zone: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/

US FBI vs. Apple - Balancing the Fight for Domestic Terrorism & Individual Privacy

Apple previously had until Tuesday Feb 23 to respond in court to a federal magistrate's order that it must help the FBI break into the locked iPhone 5C that belonged to the dead San Bernardino shooter, Syed Farook.  Apple was ordered to create a weaker version of its operating system for this one device, and help the FBI crack Farook's passcode. But the company was granted a three-day extension until Friday, Feb. 26, to respond, according to a person familiar with the case. Apple CEO Tim Cook argues that complying with order will hurt both the company and its customers by making all iPhones less secure. The government argues it needs to break into the phone to determine if any more ISIS-inspired terrorist plots are underway argues that complying with order will hurt both the company and its customers by making all iPhones less secure. The government argues it needs to break into the phone to determine if any more ISIS-inspired terrorist plots are underway. So where do you stand ... with Apple or the FBI? Share your opinion withe the Smartphone and Tablet Zone: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/

Smartphone's Achilles Heel - The Quest for Longer Battery Life

It's hard to perfect a methodology that lets you cover all of the various use scenarios without having to test for weeks on end.

Whether it be display, audio quality, or camera, the goal with all of our tests is not only to provide you with the clearest, most comprehensive examination of a particular device, but also to provide it to you promptly. Our battery test is no exception. With each battery test you'll see four different numbers, each reflecting a different type of battery-consuming activities. The test revolves around three fundamental tasks, which we feel are most commonly performed by smartphone users: making calls, browsing the web and playing video. The first test is the talk time test, which measures how long it takes to deplete the battery by making voice calls. Bearing in mind that most screens automatically turn off during a call, we've made sure our set up accounts for this. We close all applications which may further strain the battery, too. The web browsing test is performed using an automated script which reloads a webpage every ten seconds. There are no flash elements on the web pages, so the playing field is even. The brightness of the phones' displays is set to 50% and we use a 802.11n access point placed a few meters away to get full connectivity bars. Graphical data provided by Metrico. How does battery life affect your smartphone usage today and what are your battery life expectations over the next 2-3 years? Share your thoughts with us at the Smartphone and Tablet Zone: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/

Mobile World Congress - Showcase for New Smartphones

The 2016 Mobile World Congress will take place February 22-25 in Barcelona. With the montra that 'everything is mobile' MWC enthusiasts anticipate seeing a bevy of new smartphones ... either live demos of orderable products or announcements about nexgen products on the vendors roadmaps.

Here is a small sample of what we might expect: Samsung's The Galaxy S7 is expected to come in two variants, the smaller 5.1-inch S7 and the larger 5.5-inch S7 edge with a dual curved display. Besides the usual spec upgrades on the insides - faster processor, upgraded RAM, new camera sensor, and etc. LG G5 flagship, the LG G5, is also expected to be launched on exactly the same day right before the start of the MWC. Unlike the S7, however, there will only be one variant of the G5, either a 5.5-inch or a 5.6-inch 4K display. That's it - no mini nor plus sizes coming from LG. Still, of all the major smartphone brands basically making slight upgrades from their past flagships, it looks like LG is the only one doing something radically different with the G5. Thirdly,  is the Xiaomi's Mi 5. Though the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is yet to sell its devices in the United States, the company is huge in Asia. Between the S7 and the G5, the Mi 5 will be the largest of the three Asian-made flagships. Hugo Barra, the former Google VP for Android and now Xiaomi vice president, tweeted an image boasting that the Mi5 is "All you ever imagined, and more." Which of these three Asia-built phones has the ability to become the Android market share leader? Share your thoughts with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/

What Does a New 5G World Hold for Smartphone Users and Apps?

Service Providers such as Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, British Telecom and China Mobile are racing to become early adopters of 5G networks.

5G is considered key to the Internet of Things (IoT), the name given to the notion of tying just about every and any thing into the Net. Billions of sensors will be built into appliances, security systems, health monitors, door locks, cars and wearables -- from smartwatches to dog collars. Analyst firm Gartner predicts the number of networked devices will skyrocket from about 5 billion in 2015 to 25 billion by 2020. All those sensors producing mountains of data should, in turn, spur carriers to spend billions upgrading their networks for 5G so they can cash in on your increased appetite for IoT data -- including updates to your smartphone on what Scruffy is up to throughout the day. "You'll have tags on your dogs talking to devices in your home," says Femi Adeyemi, lead mobile architect for Fujitsu. "You'll know when your children come home. Cars on the highway will be autonomously managed."  Plus, 5G networks will be about 66 times faster than 4G. That speed opens up intriguing new capabilities. Self-driving cars can make time-critical decisions. Video chats will make us feel like we're all in the same room. And cities can monitor traffic congestion, pollution levels and parking demand -- and then feed that information to your smart car in real time. Just when will 5G arrive and how will it benefits smartphone users? Share your predictions with the Smartphone and Tablet Zone: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/

Mitigating Cyber Threats to Smartphones and Tablets on a Corporate Network

Five billion mobile subscribers worldwide according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). An impressive figure when you consider that there are 6.8 billion people on Earth. Smartphones are making their way to the corporate environment in greater numbers. no longer for managers only, smartphones have become a widespread communications tool -- as a mobile extension to their computers.

Smartphones now allow employees to access their corporate network on the go, read their emails, answer urgent messages, and store boarding passes, presentations, business reports.Small, practical, useful, and versatile, smartphones present many business advantages, but because the security of mobile phones and their related infrastructure is not fully mature, they have the potential to expose your company’s network to many threats. Facing those technical limitations, system administrators must choose between compromising the security of their networks to allow access to smartphone users and limiting their access or directing them to another less-sensitive network. In practice, whenever there is a compromise between usability and security, security loses the battle. The result: most employees can access corporate networks via their smartphone from anywhere and with degraded protection. One can only imagine the damage that may result when those users are using a public access point to get mobile connection! The inevitable choice of usability over security makes smartphones an ideal vehicle for cybercriminals to attack corporate networks. Cybercriminals are like housebreakers: they search for the weak entry (from a remote PC or an infected mobile phone), find a way to make it yield, and then propagate malware, collect e-mail addresses to spam, steal confidential data, and infect corporate hosts to have them join botnets. Which smartphone security threats does your corporate envirinment most commonly face? Send your comments to the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium today: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/

HP's Pavillion x2 Tablet - Will This Device Capture Market Share Worldwide?

The Pavilion x2 with a magnetic hinge gives you the power to pick a mode for exactly what you need. HP’s most versatile detachable PC allows you to go beyond notebook and tablet with stand and tent modes. Software includes McAfee LiveSafe™ 30-day trial offer (Internet access required. 

First 30 days included. Subscription required for live updates afterwards.) Netflix; Dropbox; TripAdvisor; Snapfish

Accessories  include Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, and OneNote and 1 year limited hardware warranty (information at www.hp.com/support); 90 day phone support (from date of purchase); complimentary chat support within warranty period (at www.hp.com/go/contacthp). Now, the HP Pavilion x2 has entered the scene as the most affordable 2-in-1 laptop that easily transforms between laptop and tablet modes by way of a detachable screen. For $299 (£249, AU$549), this 10-inch hybrid comes outfitted with a moderately powerful Intel Atom processor and a bundled year of Office 365 and OneDrive cloud storage to make up for the device's modicum of memory and drive space. Not only is the HP Pavilion x2 a great deal for a basic Window machine, it's a handy tablet for streaming media. Can this innovate tablet compete against the Apple iPad Pro and realted offerings from Samsung, Song and LG. Send your comments to the Smartphone and Tablet Zone: http://smartphoneandtabletzone.blogspot.com/