The next big thing in feature phones: Cloud

Users will benefit from the low cost of phones because they won't need to store apps on their phone and will be able to access apps from a cloud server.

We keep hearing about new smartphones, but it appears Samsung and Motorola are going to surprise us with a new concept — cloud based mobile phones.

These are cheaper phones that will run on software stored in a remote server, or cloud. Usually, the data accessed by smartphones resides on the phone itself, thus raising the cost of the device. Cloud phones, on the other hand, will have no need to carry data with them. Rather, users can just pluck data from the cloud and use it as per their convenience.

You can be a Radio broadcaster using your phone!

A technology, which allows mobile phone to create an infrastructure less mesh of network, can be used to create community radio services, where everyone can broadcast a program.

Your mobile has been your phone, calculator, alarm, mini computer and so many other things. However, do you know it can also be your own radio station? 

According to report published in Daily Bhaskar, Prof Kavitha Ranganathan and Prof Ankur Sarin, faculty members at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), have proposed to use mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) to start community radio service where each community member can air his/her own programme. 

Android phones vulnerable to open WiFi

At the time of logging in the authentication token issued by Google remains valid for 15 days and can be used again on Google Calendar, which doesn't use https. Meanwhile, the username and password can be intercepted.

Close to 99 per cent of all Android devices are prone to data theft, especially of the username and passwords of Google services, German researchers have reported.

It was found that Android devices running on 2.3.3 or older versions are particularly susceptible as the client login authentication process used in these versions is insecure.

In fact, the vulnerability exists not just for Google apps but for any apps that don't use a ClientLogin protocol (the protocol for logging in to your Google account) only on https (secured).

Nimbuzz upgraded to 3.01 for Symbian devices

Nokia Symbian devices get the latest installment of the Nimbuzz messenger with enhanced VOIP call quality and more space to chat.

Nimbuzz, a cross platform instant messaging client for Symbian Series 60 ^3 devices, has been updated to version 3.01 from the current 3.0. The new version of the application, which brings a couple of new features and changes, will continue to be available for S40 devices. 

The new Nimbuzz 3.01 brings the much needed call quality indicator, which will tell the caller about the call quality available basing upon the network load. With direct peer to peer connectivity, users will get improved call quality as compared to the earlier version. 

A new 'messenger' feature in the updated app makes better use of the available space, giving users the option to chat in full screen mode. The users can now also choose the chat background, their avatar and the chat text colours according to their need.

Mobile phones pose health risk: Survey

A report of Council of Europe claims that electromagnetic radiation emitted by wireless devices can cause cancer, and can affect the developing brain.

There is no clarity on whether mobile phones and networks pose health risks, but if the report of the Council of Europe is to be believed, mobile phones have "potentially harmful" effects on humans.

The council has warned of "extremely high human and economic costs of inaction if early warnings are neglected". Although it has not been able to pin point the ill effects, it has claimed that the move is needed in view of "the precautionary principle should be applicable when scientific evaluation does not allow the risk to be determined with sufficient certainty."

The council has also recommended that the threshold values of emissions of electromagnetic fields of all types and frequencies should meet the ALARA or "As Low As Reasonably Achievable" (which is the amount of radiation prescribed for medical treatments that use electromagnetic radiation).

Samsung rolls out Gingerbread upgrade

Galaxy Tab and Galaxy smartphone users can now upgrade to Android 2.3 as Samsung announces Android Gingerbread upgrade for various devices.

Samsung Electronics has officially announced that its Galaxy Tab and other Galaxy smartphones will soon start getting Android Gingerbread upgrades. The devices chosen for the upgrade are not few and include Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab, and Galaxy Ace, Gio, Fit and mini smartphones.

The upgrade, from Android Froyo (Frozen Yoghurt) 2.2 to Android Gingerbread 2.3, will offer users faster performance with a low CPU consumption rate, while supporting powerful 3D Graphics for enhanced mobile gaming.

Fly launches two touchscreen phones

While the Fly E-140 has notable feature like web camera, the E146 has a 3-inch WQVGA display among other notable features. Both the phones support various social networks.

Fly Mobile, the handset brand of UK based Meridian Group, has launched two touch screen mobile handsets, E-140 and E146. Both the devices are full-touch and has support for a wide range of social networks. 

"We recognise the importance of social networks in the modern mobile industry," said Prem Kumar, chief executive officer of FLY India. 

"The design and functionality of the our touch phones meet the needs of a highly digitally connected and style conscious youth audience. This offering is specially targeted to Indian youth which likes to carry a phone to complement and enhance their lifestyle," he added.

The E140 comes with vintage black coloured form-factor with red elements in design. Phone dimensions are very compact and weighs only 97g. 

Fly E140 is equipped with a built-in digital zoom camera with video recording and Web-camera among other features. Content can be stored in phone memory or MicroSDHC card up to 8GB. 

Now phones help moms in shopping

Greystripe, the research firm, studied more than 230 women who were using iPhone, iPod Touch or Android devices while making shopping decisions. The study also reported the women preferred free apps more.

The new age moms are turning to smartphones for help in shopping. Not that they are shopping from the phones itself, rather they are using the phones to find out where the stores are and also for comparing prices as well, says a research firm Greystripe. 

In a press release, the research firm says that close to half of the moms are using these devices to locate stores and 36 per cent of them are comparing prices using the smartphones. 

"Smartphones have become the super tool for moms on the go," said Dane Holewinski, director of marketing with Greystripe. "The majority of moms with smartphones are using those devices for their day to day tasks especially shopping, making them the ideal target for advertisers."

Mobile could be charged by talking too

The technology, developed by the South Korean electrical engineers, allows a mobile to be powered up as its user hold a conversation or through the background noise and even music.

You could soon charge your mobile phones as you talk if a new technology that turns sound into electricity comes into being.

The technology, developed by the South Korean electrical engineers, allows a mobile to be powered up as its user hold a conversation or through the background noise and even music.

Dr Sang-Woo Kim, who has been developing the design at the Institute of Nanotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, said: "Sound power can be used for various novel applications including cellular phones that can be charged during conversations and sound-insulating walls near highways that generate electricity from the sound of passing vehicles."

The downside of health apps: where developers are doctors

In future, mobile health apps will help patients get treatment, and mistakes will naturally attract lawsuits for developers, with financial consequences for developers as well.

Smartphone owners these days have to shell out small sums of money to download health apps on their mobiles and get numerous pages of useful health literature. Even if the mobile phone is out of coverage area, the user still gets necessary first aid information.

Therefore, users get the feeling that they know how to deal with seizures, strokes, burns and other emergencies, and they tend to be complacent.

Needless to say, smartphones are penetrating our lives at a deep level, and since it is happening gradually, we hardly notice.

Apps are a new fad, and health care apps are even more so. Such applications cover a wide range and include calorie counters; exercise monitors; and those that help people overcome addictions. For example, people who don't want to smoke, but can't kick the butt, can always consult their mobiles for tips!

There is no doubt that mobile health apps work at the basic level, but some newer applications are likely to remove this deficiency in future by allowing users to connect with their doctors, for instance. Once the online health records are added to the mix, we have a whole new world of mobile health apps.

Mobile health apps will, for example, tell a diabetic mobile user looking for insulin where the closest pharmacy is. Virtual doctors can also tell users to watch their cholesterol when they are at a restaurant. These features are provided to users with the help of location based services.

There are already several apps in the market intended to help doctors, but mobile health apps will completely change the health care scene by making it easier for patients to connect with doctors.

For example, these apps will allow patients to send pictures to their doctors. Visits to the doctor's clinic are expensive, and these apps could reduce such expenses.

With increased use of technology, the chances of mistakes also increase, and we don't know right now who will be held responsible for errors.

There have been lawsuits against doctors in the past and now mobile health app developers also stand the risk of being sued. Since the apps would be used for serious diseases and medical emergencies also, the chances of risk for patients will be very high. There is currently something in place that will protect app developers: these are disclaimers or user agreements that come up before the app is installed, and that people don't usually read. So, for the time being, users would do well to take good care of themselves, and not depend blindly on their mobile health app.