iPhone OS 4.0: Steve Jobs at the launch

Apple has released the latest iPhone operating system upgrade, called iOS4, which offers multitasking and more.

Multitasking is, of course, the most long-awaited of new features, but they will be available only to owners of the iPhone 3GS, 4 and new-generation iPod Touch. Owners of the 3G model and iPod Touches sold in 2008 will get some of the new features (but not multitasking), but processing power limits the scale of further upgrades. If you have an original (2007-8 ) iPhone or iPod Touch, then sorry – it’s not going to happen.

Engadget has a comprehensive breakdown of what you can’t do with your 3G – presuming you even managed to update.

Here’s what you can now do:

Multitasking: With a double-click of the home button, you’ll be taken to a screen showing all running applications. This enables background audio – a big win for those who like listening to the radio on the move but don’t like being locked in to one application. Multitasking is expected to bring a boost for Skype, as new VOIP (voice over IP) technology enables calls to be made while the application is closed. (Charles Arthur adds: arguably, this is cooperative “multitasking” like in the classic MacOS days: the foremost app gets pretty much everything.)

Folders: Drag your apps into a named folder and save it on your dock or, alternatively, clump all the useless (read: default) ones into a folder and drop it on your last homepage.

Enhanced mail: For too long mail has been clunky to use – now you can have a merged the viewing of multiple inboxes, open attachments in a third-party app, and your emails will be threaded. However, there’s still no “Mark all as read” button – leaving some time-constrained Twitter users fuming.

iBooks: Read and purchase ebooks direct from your handset with this app launched alongside the iPad.

5x camera zoom: Zoom comes free with the iPhone 4′s 5-megapixel camera, but now those with a 3GS (3.2-megapixel) camera can also get a close up. Those with older models will have to move towards the photo subject.

Enhanced video: This is cool. Tapping the screen whilst shooting video will focus the recording on a chosen subject. Simple and smart. Great for those with iPhone 4 HD recording.

Other iOS4 features:

• Spell check. You’ll still have autocomplete (to turn ‘new hand on deck’ to ‘new Han on deck‘) but now there’s no excuses for misspelt emails.
• Photo sorting. Sort photo albums by events, dates, holidays and faces.
• Wallpaper customisation. Again, only available to owners of later Apple mobile models, but you can now modify your background, like on the iPad.
• Gift apps. Yep, buy apps and send to loved ones/friends. A day too late for Father’s Day (in the UK) but a nice idea.

Here’s video of Steve Jobs unveiling iOS4 in April.

So does iPhone OS 4.0 offer enough for you? And if you’ve updated already, how are you finding it?

Source:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/22/apple-iphone-os-4

If you’re looking to make cheaper calls over the web, Vonage is what you should opt for! Vonage offers high-speed calling service with similar features that you are accustomed to get from your telephone. The only difference here is that it’s available at a lower rate. With the tool, you also get features common on your landline phones, which include Call Waiting, Caller ID, Voicemail or 3-Way Calling.

Ongoing calling plan of Vonage Unlimited includes calls made to US, Canada, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Spain and UK along with free In-Network calls (between users of Vonage) for a mere $24.99/month. Calls on international cell phones haven’t been included with the rate and might be subjected to distinct rates depending on the location. Basic 500-Plan provides free incoming calls (completely) along with outgoing calls for 500 minutes. The company has an activation charge of $29.99, which can be waived off in case, you register online.

Vonage provides certain services that are similar, if not more, to the ones available on your landline phones, which include Caller ID, Call Return, 3-way Calling, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting and Voicemail. You even have the option of keeping your existing number in cases, where your web connection is disturbed or power cut occurs. The company forwards all your calls to your mobile numbers, if you there is an unavoidable network failure.

VOIP of Vonage works well with high-speed net connections. After signing up on their website, you’ll receive a free telephone adapter from the company, which will plug directly into your cable or DSL modem. Thus, you do not require a computer, but a telephone and high-speed Internet for making calls.

Vonage also offers a huge menu of user guides and FAQs. Again, they provide a link, which automatically tests your computer for making sure that it is compatible to Vonage Services. Again, you can also communicate to their officials through email, where they are available 24/7.

Start using one of the leaders in the field of VoIP, Vonage, and you’ll notice the difference while making calls.

With free PC-to-PC calling, Skype has been the tool that revolutionized our thinking in relation to voice communications. Simply add wireless handset or USB and you are sure to forget all about making emergency calls on standard landlines. Skype calls are available with discounts, especially in cases when you are making a call abroad. However if you are a heavy user of Skype for calling UK landlines, you have the opportunity of saving more by upgrading the software to Skype Pro. Skype Pro is an excellent blend of paid services and unmetered calls on UK landlines, which will help you in squeezing some extra cash.

You’ll notice very little difference after upgrading to Skype Pro. The only change might be that the credit in your Skype in your account will go up by 4 pounds. This new utility is a reshuffle of its standard package. It’s not an enhancement to the Skype Software. Biggest saving probably comes alongside unmetered calls to any national landline. There’s connection charge of only 3.3p/call and fair-use policy limiting you to 50 hours of talk-time/month.

Performance

Since there is no modification in settings, Skype Pro is similar in performance to the standard software. If you are still not into the original, download the new version and use its sample form with free service. At an affordable rate, the quality of calls is also good.

Easy to use

Since the designing of Skype Pro is similar to its previous version, it continues to remain easy-to-use software. Added features, which include voicemail, might complicate things initially. Still, it remains very simple.

Value for money

Apart from being affordable when it comes to call rates, Skype Pro also provides discount on certain hardware along with numerous service options, which include SkypeIn (your Skype Number for people with landlines).

If you have no problems with a slight reduction in the quality of call, you cannot go wrong with your decision of changing to Skype Pro.

Internet Explorer (Web browser from Microsoft),  has major security problems. From IE5 to beta version of IE8. Over 10000 web sites got infected. Internet experts asked the users to switch to other web browsers, as soon as you can. In the mean time don’t use IE .

Other popular Web browsers :

1. Mozilla Firefox
Download here: http://www.mozilla.org/download.html

2. Google Chrome
Download Google chrome here: http://www.google.com/chrome

3. Opera
Download Opera here:  http://www.opera.com/download/

Personally I recommend you to use Firefox, is best of best web browser today. I have also heard good things about Google chrome, but I never used it. As I am addicted to Firefox.

Source of this article:  http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/111811

Whenever you open your email account these days, you would find numerous small messages flooding your inbox. Your email may contain your work mail, mail from your friends and messages from your social networking sites. However, with spam mail creeping very swiftly into your inbox, it is difficult to distinguish them with your important mails.

The spam mails are usually very small and just opening it would lead to the installation of some malicious software into your system. This malicious software pose a real threat to the system, which in worst case can even affect your hardware.

Yes, they have become a bane of every modern day computer users. However, steps are being taken to filter this threat at the very entrance. Nowadays, most of the broadband and broadband providers have started offering mail filters to their in-house clients.

However, protection is the best way to keep your system away from these entire nuisances. It is also advisable to choose better internet security software and anti-virus software for keeping your system free of everything.

Most dialup modems have the capability of providing the system with maximum 56 KB/sec speed to your system and simultaneously, requires full using of telephone lines. However, broadband system supplies more than double their speed and does not disrupt your telephone line. Speeds of broadband are defined in terms of maximum download.The above said broadband is nowadays combined with Wi-Fi to get a speed of the former on a wireless network. Wi-Fi has been given trade name to a popular wireless communication common to mobile phones, home networks and video games. Most personal computers and gaming consoles in the recent times have these features ably embedded in them.

The main purpose of broadband Wi-Fi is to hide complexity by enabling wireless access to applications and data, media and streams. Wi-Fi enabled devices, which include game consoles, computers, mobile phones, MP3 players and PDAs are able to get connected to the web while being in range of the wireless network.

Now, you will be having a faster exposure to every view on the blog with Wi-Fi broadband services.

The prospect of VoIP (voice over internet protocol) is immensely enticing and promising for home consumers. In the present day world where saving money is everything, a completely free or low cost phone call through the web is very alluring. The requirement of this system is that home consumers should have VoIP software, microphone and a speaker.

Value added services of VoIP

Needless to say VOIP is a buzz word these days. Every now and then, you would find a group of people talking about the same. It is nothing but just another technological advancement, where you can make phone calls through an IP network at very cheap price. However, the main forte of this system is its value added services which includes voice mails, call forwarding, conference calls and caller ID.

It is an undeniable fact that distance is a factor which cannot be terminated practically. But there are some means like Telephone calls, internet and other telecommunication services by which can achieve this. Nowadays conference calls are even more effective as it also helps to save time and money apart from wide distance coverage. But they may seem to be expensive. Log on to Conferencegenie.co.uk which is at present the most popular Conference Call service providers.

Conferencegenie.co.uk provides such services at extremely cheaper costs. In addition to this it also provides some extra facilities for their customers like 24X7 support, privacy and others. So you can definitely become a customer of their Audio Conference services.

When you are logging on to Conferencegenie.co.uk for the first time you may have many queries regarding call conferencing processes. So do not hesitate to contact them to solve your queries and become their proud customer.

Let’s start with the 1970 tapes and the 1980’s VCR showing its way to the DVDs in the 1990s and the end of the tapes. 2000 saw the ushering of the mp3 players and the iPod which put an end to the CDs. So which product will find its end by the year 2010? It is the telephone, the one in your house, the oldest technology perhaps that you use in the house now.

To use the oldest products you need to set up a need for that particular product. The new product will always be updated and better than the original and also the price will be affordably paid by the majority of people. VOIP serves all these conditions, although it is still in a nascent state.

Wouldn’t you like to talk to a friend staying far off as well as see him while you talk to him? And that could happen anytime you wanted to phone him? There is no need to send pictures or waiting for years to see him again. You can now see him on real time video and talk to him. And what if you could have the services like call blocking, call return, do not disturb, conference calls, call forwarding, voice mail, call waiting all built into the phone with not hidden or extra costs to these services. That’s pretty good.

And what if all these came from the local phone service provider at a cost that is much less than the phone calls you pay now and that would save you lots of dollars?

And that’s why VOIP phones are like the iPods of the future decades.