Advantages of a Blackberry over the iPhone

The Apple iPhone has grown by leaps and bounds in popularity since its introduction in 2007. Over the last three years, with its innovative touchscreen design, it has significantly cut into Blackberry's market share in the smartphone market. Nevertheless, there are still things that Blackberry simply does better. Here are a number of substantial advantages the Blackberry has over the iPhone.

CHOICE

The iPhone comes basically in only one model and one form factor. Blackberry on the other hand offers a number of choices to address the different needs of its users. For example, there is the pure touchscreen Blackberry Storm. There is also the Torch which combines a touch screen and slide-out keyboard. Other offerings include a flip-style smartphone and the traditional full keyboard Blackberry design with color display. With all of these choices, you can select the right smartphone and the right price point for your wallet.

FAST SECURE MESSAGING

There is simply one thing Blackberry does better than any other smartphone, and that is messaging. You can easily and quickly send messages to your contacts using Blackberry Messenger. Not only that, the messages are secured from prying eyes via Blackberry’s Edge network, making it ideal for businesses and government users who need to transmit sensitive information. Blackberry Messenger also supports push messaging to your phone, and a Blackberry smartphone has an LED on the top that quickly informs you when you have messages.

FULL QWERTY KEYBOARD.

Nearly all Blackberry models have a full qwerty keyboard to allow you to type your messages quickly and with minimal errors. For most users, the tactile feel of the Blackberry physical keyboard are preferred over a virtual touchscreen keyboard like that of the iPhone. There was actually a study performed to compare accuracy of the touchscreen versus the push-button keyboard, and the error rate of the touchscreen was significantly higher.

TRUE MULTI-TASKING

The Blackberry operating system has true multi-tasking allowing you to run multiple applications and switch quickly between the them. The implementation of multi-tasking on the iPhone really is a kludge. On the iPhone, in most cases, the application state is saved, but the application is not running in the background. When you switch back to an application, the iPhone actually has to restart it, which really slows things down.

IT MAKES CALLS

A lot has been made about the issue of dropped calls, especially on the iPhone 4. This has partially to do with the iPhone 4's antenna design and, until recently, its availability only on the AT&T network. With the Blackberry, there are no such issues with its performance as a cell phone. Blackberry just makes solid phones that simply work.

Many people have stated that Blackberry is ceding the smartphone crown to its competitors, especially the iPhone. However, the Blackberry is still a worthy smartphone that does certain important functions better than the iPhone.

Stella Workman is a freelance writer and blogger who usually looks at savings account deals over at SavingsAccount.Org. Her most recent review looked at the best CD rates.

How Long Will the Internet Remain on Computers?

The world is literally in your pocket today, what with your smartphones and tablets making it possible to stay connected wherever you are and whatever you’re doing and access information and data about just about anything in the world without having to move more than your fingers. With mobile Internet, push mail and a host of other applications and conveniences brought to your phone, do you still log on to the Internet using your computer? Social networks allow you to do pretty much everything through your smartphone and tiny tablet computers; email gets delivered to your mobile device like text messages, and you can type out a reply immediately if you wish to; browsers have been designed for mobile web applications and more and more websites are undergoing significant changes for optimal viewing on the mobile devices that have smaller screens and less navigational features; you can download attachments and read and even work on documents and spreadsheets, view photos, and do just about anything using your mobile device. So how long do you think the Internet is going to be used on computers?


There is no right or accurate answer to this question because the Internet and related technology are advancing at breakneck speeds – every innovation has many more breathing down its neck, and at some point, all the changes taking place seem to be in continuum rather than taking place at different points of time. This is the age of technology, a time when we’re hurtling ahead at a pace that’s both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. We have no idea where we’re going, we only know that we’re driven to do more.
We’re pushing for smaller gadgets that are more sophisticated, we’re gunning for more communication and more interaction online, we’re looking to connect all corners of the globe through one big network that’s always turned on, we want information at the click of a button, and we’re looking to do more in less time. So as technology gets smaller, the world shrinks figuratively and becomes a tighter circle.
So a mass migration to mobile Internet is pretty much on the cards, but there are certain impediments to this exodus:

• There are some tasks that are best done on a computer – the large screen and the ease of typing on a keyboard beat trying to do scrunch your fingers and squint your eyes to see and maneuver better. So people will always prefer to use their computers at home or when they’re stationary.
• If it comes to a tossup between owning a computer and a handheld device to use to browse the web, most people would prefer a computer, especially if they cannot afford to buy both gadgets.
• Internet charges on a mobile device are not yet as cost effective as those you incur when you use your computer to browse the web. Free WiFi spots are restricted to certain areas and not safe for all kinds of browsing.
• Connectivity becomes a problem when you’re on the move – signals could be weak and could drop suddenly, or you could move to an area with no coverage.
• Mobile Internet is very slow when compared to the blazing speeds that Broadband connectivity offers.
• Not all kinds of files can be viewed on mobile devices.
• And most important of all, it’s going to take a long time for all the sites on the Internet, even the most important ones, to be optimized for viewing on a handheld device with a smaller screen and more restrictions. So you need computers for a full-blown Internet experience, which means that they’re going to be around for some time to come.

This guest post is contributed by Cathy Thomas, she writes on the topic of online computer technician training . She welcomes your comments at her email id: cathy83.thomas<@>gmail<.>com.

Make Reading Blogs Easy with Tidyread

This is a guest post from Roezer at Blog H.Q where you can find many blogging tips tricks and hacks.

I am going to tell you about a great extension for chrome that will
help you read those blog posts that you would like to read but the
Author has cluttered the sidebar with Ads and other junk so much that
you can't read the content. But if you have Tidyread which is a Google
chrome Extension you can easily read Blog posts just like you are
reading a Book.

From Screenshots

The Extension is not just Available for Google Chrome but also
Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari as I know Sjay is a Big Fan of
Chrome I will talk about Tidyread as a Chrome extension there are some
options like choosing the Background color and font also settings
Tidyread to Automatic or Not.
Tidy-read is a must have for people that like to read just plain text
or maybe you are getting tired of looking at pretty Templates and just
want to read because reading blogs is Important part as we are
Learning about Blogging.
this is the link to Tidyread you may want it
to open in a new window

[GuestPost] Better Ways to Use Files - Compress Files

Roguedeals is a new site founded in late '08. This Techie Deals and Reviews site is all about the push for collaboration and feedback from its users. They believe that with your input, the site will grow and prosper. They hunt for the very best deals on the Internet and give you a fresh take on it. Check out this excerpt from one of their latest posts..

Better Ways to Use Files

Your personal files are the most important data on your PC.

Windows can be reinstalled and software replaced, but your creations and personal affections cannot. They represent your time and effort so I am here to talk about the best ways to handle them.

This guide has a bunch of easy ways for you to save, organize, and manipulate files.

This guide will recommend an application to do each of these functions and explain why they are great if not best at it.

Compressing Files

7-Zip

http://www.7-zip.org/

License: free, open source

OS compatible: Windows, Mac; various flavors of UNIX

Features:

High compression format (7z file type)

Supports many compressed formats.

Zips files better than WinZip

AES-256 bit encryption capable

Self-extracting capable

Right click integration

File manager GUI

Command line options

Multi language support

Alternates: WinZip, PKZip

Hope you enjoy this weeks guest post and more about better ways to use files can be read at Roguedeals.com

[Guest Post] How I Got into This Blogging Shite?

Robby G at www.shiteilike.com explains some useful guideline for a blogger base on his own experience. Enjoy!!

What can I say about computers and internet? Nothing, except that I use the both on a daily basis. Another thing I know is that I run a fully functioning blog and forum… but I don't have a clue how that came to be. One day I was figuring out how this whole Facebook thing worked, and the next I was writing posts and using different social networks to market my blog. Hmm, come to think of it, that'd be a good topic to write about. How I got into this blogging shite.

Blogging is honestly one of the greatest things a person can get into. Wait, let me finish. It's not for just anyone though. If you're like me who has a lot of stuff to talk about and you write short stories or screenplays here and there, and even attempted at getting published, then blogging is right for you. A lot of people get discouraged if they get rejected by every publishing company and think that if Penguin or Signet isn't signing them then they must be horrible writers. That's not necessarily true. Mario Puzo's The Godfather was rejected close to forty or so times, I believe, before it was finally published. If publishing companies see they can't market your stuff well at the time then they usually pass on it. That's where blogging comes in. Some would say you'll turn successful at blogging if you're good at marketing, but I would have to disagree with those people. Sure, marketing, SEO, using social media to attract readers, and all the rest is part of raising traffic, but if your content is bad then there's not much anyone can do for you. You'll have someone visit your blog and read a post, but after that they'll just leave and never come back. Now if your content (your writing skills) are top-notch, then that unique visitor will come back and will even notify his friends about your blog. I think that's an ultimate test for a writer/journalist these days.

I'm not saying that Dostoevsky would be successful at blogging, I really can't tell. Not too many people would like to read 200 pages on how a flower blossoms, but someone like Hunter S. Thompson would be a killer blogger. Especially a Gonzo blogger. Damn, there's an idea for a blog right there. Go through crazy experiences first-hand and blog about them. Anywho, I kinda got carried away with this so I'll try to steer back on track. The way I began blogging was through a friend. He introduced me to the whole world of it and from then on I wrote non-stop. Got into a few problems with the technicalities of it all here and there, but in the end I pulled through and now I've been running a successful blog for over two months, which I'm extremely proud of and only get good feedback on. If you're thinking about getting into blogging, my advice would be this: 

1. Write about a topic you love (I know everyone says that, but it's true. I learnt the hard way. Shite I Like is my second blog for a reason.) and 

2. Never give up due to lack of visitors. If you're interested in the subject and you see you actually have some returning visitors, then go right ahead and keep posting. 

All that the lack of traffic means is that you need to read-up and practise some marketing for your blog. If your content is garbage, however, then you'll more than likely catch onto it soon enough and will need to tweak it up in some places, or once again, blogging isn't for you.

Hope you don't get discouraged and start and maintain your own blog, and if you like how I write, then come and visit me, Robby G, at www.shiteilike.com.

Cheers!

[Guest Post] Install Windows7 in Style

Microsoft planing to launch Windows7 Beta to public today and Sriram Sridharan at Orangeman Burns blog provided great tips and tricks for installing Windows7 build 7000.

With all the hoopla surrounding Microsoft's forthcoming OS, Windows 7, I decided to take a sneak peek. So here's a tutorial that will allow you to dual boot Windows 7 with ease.

Windows 7 (formerly known as Blackcomb and Vienna) is the working name for the next release of the Microsoft Windows Operating System after the not-so-popular Windows Vista.

I'm using Windows 7 build 7000, but these steps should be valid for newer or older builds. We will be dual booting Windows 7 with a pre-existing Windows system[Windows XP in my case]. The system requirements are quite low. It runs "faster than XP" on my 4 year old system with the following specs:

2.4Ghz Single Core P4 processor

512MB DDR RAM at 133MHz

Intel 845 GVSR mother board with integrated graphics card[64MB shared memory]

80GB HDD with an 8GB partition for Windows 7

My Windows Experience Index and detailed specs: 

I was creating an 8GB partition on my HDD with Paragon Partition Manager, when a random voltage spike caused the computer to restart[The UPS failed to switch to battery]. The MBR was corrupted and I couldn't log in to Win XP or Ubuntu. I booted up Puppy Linux from my USB drive, Googled around and found a solution. I inserted my Win XP Pre-SP1 CD and went to recovery console and used fixmbr. After a reboot, I was able to boot in to XP and browse the C[NTFS] partition, but my D[NTFS],E[NTFS] and G[EXT2] partitions were missing. I then installed the Active Partition Recovery software and after a quick scan, it found and recovered the missing NTFS partitions. So back up stuff before you attempt partitioning or installing the OS.

Create a partition of atleast 8GB and format it as NTFS. There are several tools available from Partition Magic, Paragon or you can even use the one available in the control panel.

Burn the Windows 7 iso into a DVD or mount the ISO. I prefer IMGBURN.

Set the BIOS to "not to boot from the disk". The OS will boot several times and it HAS to boot from the HDD each time.

Auto run the CD in the pre-existing Windows installation.

Choose install type as custom, and choose the partition you need to install Windows 7 in.

The install took me an hour with several reboots.

Now you're done. Simple huh?? Quite fast, painless and not remotely fussy. You'll notice that a new Windows 7 OS selection screen has been installed. To boot XP/Vista, choose the "Earlier installed Windows OS" or something similar. Don't forget to install an antivirus[Avast works fine] and FireFox[Firefox 3.1 beta 2 works fine]. Windows 7 comes default with IE 8 Beta, but I'd just stick to FF. If you want to update your Windows 7 install with a newer build, pop in the DVD with the iso and select upgrade while logged in Windows 7.

Hope this helps you guys on the fence, the guys who want to take a look at MS' new XP [Yeah, I said it] but don't want to take some unnecessary risks. Enjoy and please do comment on your experiences or share your thoughts below. Cheers!!

Hope you enjoy the quite interesting guest post by Sriram Sridharan at Orangeman Burns blog

Reference Windows 7 Build 7000: An installation guide