RIM to Hold Annual General Meeting on July 12, 2011

Source from:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43567813
WATERLOO, ONTARIO — Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM) will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 6:30pm EDT in Waterloo, Ontario.

For further details and to listen to the live webcast log on to http://www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

The Major Benefits of Using Smart Phones

Smart phones are part of the latest trends in the phone industry. They are crammed with technology without reducing their portability and convenience as they still remain the same size. As a result, users of these phones are capable of doing things much faster with the devices than when they were using standard mobile phone units and PDA precursors. Read on for more advantages for users of this phone.
The phones help to keep you organized. They come with applications designed to function like personal organizers such as contact lists, electronic diaries and automated reminders. These functions are essential for busy people with several things to attend to at the same time. The traditional notebooks are not capable of attaining the organization reached by these units.

Another advantage you get from your device is enhanced flexibility. Just like when you are using PDA, you can use the device in taking notes, reviewing and editing of contacts, documents and appointments, even when you are on the move. The enhanced portability of the phone makes it possible to work efficiently just like you are in the office. Besides, you can keep yourself busy with BlackBerry Videos when you are bored.

The users have all the information at their fingertips. The innovative gadgets are close to what a PC would efficiently give you. They are loaded with essential information such as SATNAV, directions and maps, as well as television transmission. You can get news coverage, scheduling alerts and traffic information which are all essential in keeping your business a step ahead on emerging issues.

The phones combine wireless PCs, PDAs, digital cameras and mobile phone features in a single portable unit, making it among the most powerful of business tools. These tools are used in the efficient running of a business, as carrying each of them as a separate unit would prove hard when travelling. The combination makes it possible for the entrepreneur to have all the items handy and in one device that can be carried conveniently in a pocket. You can take videos and photos of offsite goods, damaged machinery or warehouses and send them to clients or technicians to establish solutions faster and to keep the business on the move.

The communication is made easier by the faster internet incorporated in the phones. The smart phones are capable of accessing fast speed internet, thus making the connection faster and easier. Business people will never be out of touch with their business, as they can access email and internet when they are in the move. In addition, they can transact business when they are commuting to work, as the phones can be used in place of a personal computer.

The Impact of Mobile Phones on Modern Society

Mobile phones have become an important asset to many people internationally. They are used to keep in touch with colleagues and families and for accessing emails, among other things. Of late, phones have been incorporated with more advanced technology, making them even more important in modern society.

In the past, mobile phones were basically used for making calls, but the modern phones can be used for taking photos, storing info and can also be used like a walkie-talkie. Unlike in the past when you had to carry a bulky handset with you, modern mobile phones are compact devices that you can carry in your pocket. The signal has also been stepped up to ensure that the devices are active in all places.

Mobile phones have become the main communication method in modern society. In case an emergency arises, you can reach assistance by just making a few clicks on your cell phone. You feel secure when you have wireless phone, as it helps in saving lives. The modern phones incorporate more than personal security, as they come with state of the art technology such as internet access, GPS technology, receiving and sending photos, as well as files. The phones can be used in many places around the globe.

The wireless service suppliers are faced with stiff competition which has led to reduced costs of the service. The affordability of the phones and the services offered has enhanced the further they can reach. In addition to making calls, cell users can also use the phones to make important emails, send home or office information and store pictures. These mobile phones can also be used as PDA or calendars.

The mobile phones are available in a wide range of prices. There are some with advanced technology and others with basic features, making their costs to vary. You can select a cheap phone with ability of performing the basic tasks or you can get the advanced phones with the ability to perform tasks that can be done by your personal computer. In the last decade, the growth of the mobile phone industry has greatly revolutionized, making them an important asset for everyone. They are available even in remote places.

The additional features in mobile phones makes them important tools for running businesses. Cell phones are solid devices and yet they have the ability of doing tasks that would otherwise have required several gadgets to accomplish, such as taking photos, videos, viewing emails and editing files, among other essential functions.

To 4G Or Not To 4G? Consumers Don’t Give A Hoot.

Source from:http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/to-4g-or-not-to-4g-consumers-dont-give-a-hoot/2011/06/21/AGyhs1eH_story.html

By TechCrunch.com

There’s been a lot of hype around 4G of late, with talk about how the new network standard provides increased speeds, better device functionality, and all that jazz. But is 4G a term that actually has real world meaning, or is it just some place-holding buzzword used by marketers to stoke consumer excitement over buying a new phone?

While 4G is indeed meant to refer (in the big picture) to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards (as the successor to 3G which arrived in the early 2000s, which succeeded 2G in the ’90s, etc.), the answer to this question is complicated by the fact that each carrier seems to be defining 4G in the way that best suits them. Sprint (along with its partner Clear) and Verizon generally get closest to adhering to the technical specification for 4G with WiMAX and LTE, respectively. T-Mobile and AT&T, meanwhile, are stretching the definition to include their upgraded 3G networks, on the (arguably shady) basis that the speeds are faster than traditional 3G networks.

So, it seems that there are really two meanings to 4G today: The technical one and the non-technical one. Essentially, the latter refers to cellular networks that offer web-connectivity speeds competitive with DSL or cable. In the end, that’s what we want 4G to represent anyway — mobile speeds that are concurrent with our web surfing capabilities at home or in the office — which is why carriers have started using “network updgrade” synonymously with “4G”.

But the question then becomes, even with all this hype, are we, as consumers buying this (literally and figuratively)? Are we champing at the bit to buy a new 4G device, or have we been burned too many times and know buyer’s remorse all too well?

Morpace, a market research and consulting company, released an interesting report today designed to provide a bit of insight into these questions, hoping to discover whether or not the improvements of 4G networks over their predecessors play a significant factor in the purchase decision for a new phone or plan and just what the current perception of the 4G brand in today’s marketplace.

As one may expect, the number one factor for consumers in deciding whether or not to buy a new phone or device was price. Many people are still feeling the sting of the recession and just aren’t willing to upgrade to 4G if it means paying a lot. However, while price was selected as the number one factor for consumers when selecting their current cell phones (61 percent of all those polled), the second most significant factor in device purchase was network capabilities. 58 percent of consumers reported network capabilities as contributing to their decision, versus other phone features like touch screen capabilities, screen size, and brand name.

Again, when asked as to the most important factor when selecting a provider, terms of contract excluded, 29 percent of consumers cited the data plan prices as the top influencer. Somewhat surprisingly, network speeds were the most important factor to only 5 percent of respondents, especially given the attention that many providers have given to that feature in ad campaigns. (Ahem, T Mobile.)

But perhaps the most interesting piece of data? While consumers across the board recognize that it means to have extensive network capabilities, only 18 percent with smart phones currently have 4G capabilities.

Now, as to the current perceptions of 4G, Morpace found that, while over 50 percent of consumers with smart phones “identified increased downloading and Internet browsing speeds as significant features” of the new standard (and these numbers are strong for a new technology), 48 percent of respondents were still unable “to identify the main benefits of 4G networks”, the report said. Not only that, but only 40 percent of those polled said they would be willing to pay a premium to have 4G.

Some other interesting data points: Only 33 percent of consumers are likely to upgrade to 4G before their current contract expires, though this number does increase to 37 Percent among people aged 18 to 54. Also, a somewhat interesting and perhaps counterintuitive stat — smart phone users who make under $50K are significantly more likely to upgrade to 4G even if it means paying more. Probably because most of those people fall into the younger age group.

All in all, these are somewhat surprising stats for 4G advocates. It seems that two-in-three consumers are not willing to upgrade their contracts for 4G, with 60 percent of consumers unwilling to pay more to upgrade — period. One-third of those consumers do not even perceive 4G as necessary.

That being said, the irony here is that, of those polled who actually have 4G networks, 83 percent were satisfied with their service. Now, this could just be smugness on the part of geeks, but I don’t think so. Clearly, carriers and service providers could do a much, much more comprehensive job of explaining to consumers what 4G actually is and what the benefits are, beyond “OMG-super-fast-sexy speed!”

With the Modern Wave of Technological Advancements, What Does the Future Hold?

In the modern realm of technology, it is becoming more and more obvious that the direction we are heading in is opening up a larger world to our eyes more and more. The possibilities of the directions we will head to with technology can be considered limitless. There is a whole infinite universe out there of natural occurrences; here on earth there is a whole universe of animals and insects and the natural cellular world. Then there is technology, which is a man made universe of information exchange that is engulfing our time more and more.

We now have revolutionary touch screen devices that will eventually, no doubt, change the way we use a lot of things in the future. Touch screen phones ultimately eliminate the need for a keyboard and mouse. We have smartphones which are essentially a computer that can fit into our pockets. As this is being presented to you the current rave is 4g smart phones, especially touch screen ones. These phones are capable of providing you and others with internet speeds that exceed most normal household internet speeds, make phone calls and do any number of other things which were not thought of a few years ago.

The evolution of our communication technologies like TV, cell phone and HD cameras has occurred at an alarming rate. Is it really so alarming though? We are experiencing technology that is out of date in virtually minutes. 60 years ago TVs were scarce and the ones who had a TV had only 1 channel. Just take a look around and imagine where we will be as far as technology is concerned in another 60 years.

It is unavoidably felt among many that the technology is simply being wasted. Should humans put down their habits of texting mindless terabytes, we will start to see technology being pushed to its limits and actually being used. We might come to find certain aspects of technology are almost pointless. I, personally, am under the impression that texting is simply a technology to make up for an undeveloped brain which cannot express thoughts to another person without words yet. In a few hundred more years our brains will have developed enough to allow telepathy - and much more as well, probably. As far as the people with the smartphones who use them all day long, the phones are really, truly, only as smart as the person using them.

Starbucks adds mobile payment for Android; already offered for BlackBerry, Apple devices

Resource from:http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/starbucks-adds-mobile-payment-for-android-already-offered-for-blackberry-apple-devices/2011/06/14/AGaYr4UH_story.html

By Associated Press

SEATTLE — Starbucks Corp. is launching an application Wednesday that lets customers with Android smartphones buy things with a wave of their phones.

The Seattle-based company launched similar applications nationwide for BlackBerry and iPhone and iPod touch in January.

Customers can pay by holding their mobile device in front of a scanner that registers the on-screen barcode. The application also allows customers to load their Starbucks loyalty card accounts, check card balances and find stores nearby, and it notifies customers of promotions and other discounts.

Starbucks already uses the technology at its 6,800 company-owned stores and more than 1,000 cafes within Target stores. Beginning this summer it is rolling out to roughly 1,000 Starbucks stores insde Safeway supermarkets.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Amazing Ways to Boost the Battery Life of Your Touch Phone

The following tricks will help in extending the battery life of your touch phones, by simply curtailing the phone’s moment to moment power necessities.

1. Relax on the GPS

The GPS is another battery sucker. This feature can be described as a tiny radio that transmits and receives signals to and from satellites to disseminate an individual’s location on earth. An array of applications access a person’s mobile phone to offer services such as locating the nearest fast-food joint to signing in the phone's owner to social networking sites. When installing GPS most apps normally ask for authorization to use a person’s location.

2. Minimizing the Screen’s Timeout

Under the touch phone’s display menu settings one should locate a preference labeled ’Screen Timeout’ or something close to that. The setting allows the user to control how long their phone’s display unit will stay lit after getting input, like a tap. On most devices, the bare minimum is 15 seconds. If the screen timeout of a person’s phone is at present set at 2 minutes, they should think about reducing their phone’s timeout to 20 seconds or less.


3. Switching Off Wi-Fi

Turning off the Wi-Fi feature when it is not in use also adds to a battery’s life. The Wi-Fi is a severe battery drainer.

4. Dimming the Screen

Most people love their touch phone’s big, colorful display, but the phone’s panel is the cellular device’s fatal enemy. The phone’s screen consumes the most battery life of the phone and at an overwhelming speed. Most touch mobile devices have an auto-brightness feature, which automatically adjusts the device’s screen to suit ambient system activity and lighting levels. The mode makes use of less power than constantly running the mobile device at full brightness would, of course, though one is bound to achieve better results by turning their phone’s panel down to the lowest level that one can possibly tolerate and letting it remain there.

5. Turning off the Bluetooth

Disabling the Bluetooth of the phone when it is not in use enables a person’s phone battery to last even longer. By regulating the Bluetooth feature when it is not in use allows the phone to add an extra hour to the battery.

6. Stop Extraneous Applications

The ability to multi-task is one of the greatest applications that have ever been developed for touch sensitive phones. This feature uses up a lot of power, as nearly all applications one runs use up a share of a person’s phone processor cycle. By stopping the use of applications that are irrelevant, one can drastically reduce the CPU’s workload, while cutting down on power consumption.

7. Disable the Vibration Function

Most people prefer to have their touch phone vibrate to alert them of incoming messages or calls. This is quite understandable. Unfortunately, the vibrating function uses up more energy than playing a ringtone. The phone’s vibration causes the phone to use a lot of power.

The Benefits of Having A Smart Phone

Over time, people have revolutionized the world of phones to suit their ever-changing needs. There are a lot of phones that have been introduced into the market for one reason or the other. However, the phones that have received the most accolades must be smart phones. These mobile phones have been built with the capacity to carry out many activities that a normal phone cannot fathom. Have you ever taken time to consider how far your smart phone can go? Well, if you have not, then it is time you marveled in the world of your smart phone. For a phone to be termed as a smart phone, there are so many characteristics that it must have. Let us look at some of the basics first.

Internet Connectivity

Most smart phones will have features like the ability to access the internet. Well, this is the most basic of them all. However, due to the rapid advancement in technology, there have been different internet accessibility modules, such that a good phone has to be able to support different types of connectivity, like 4G, 3G, WAP, Edge and even GPRS. The phone must also be able to support Bluetooth connectivity.

Mobile Office

In the event that you have a phone that can do these operations, be sure that you have a good smart phone. Besides, you will also have the added advantage of being able to work away from the office on your phone; and staying in contact with your business contacts uninterrupted. However, you must also bear in mind that for all these great features, the smart phones do not come cheap and, as such, most of them cost quite a lot but, in the long run, you get more than value for money.

Mobile Apps

The other thing that defines smart phones is the fact that these phones operate more or less like a personal computer, due to their ability to run mobile apps. This explains why you can do many things on your smart phone that a normal mobile phone user would expect only a computer to do.

Operating System

To add on to this, the phones also come with operating systems installed. With the operating systems, it is much easier for the phones to do things like supporting browsing on a computer platform and playing computer games, though most of these are designed in a way that best suits a phone.

App Smart Extra: A Smartphone Magazine for Car Lovers

Resource from: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/app-smart-extra-a-smartphone-magazine-for-car-lovers/?scp=7&sq=smartphone&st=Search

By BOB TEDESCHI

Car buyers can get real-time advice from a few good mobile apps, as today’s App Smart column points out.

But if you just love cars, CarBuzz is much more your speed.

CarBuzz, which is free on Android and Apple, is an auto magazine that’s exclusively for mobile devices. It’s updated daily with automotive short articles and glossy photos of good quality.

YouTube videos appear when appropriate, as with a Porsche-produced piece on the new 911. And if you’re so moved, you can submit comments on an article or read through those from other readers.

You can scan the app according to your brand preferences, but if automotive history is your thing, don’t expect much. Keeping with the Porsche theme, for instance, the app is top heavy with news about new models and tuning packages, but it ignores outdated models like the 356 or the 912.

Still, the new-car world leaves a lot of ground to cover, and CarBuzz covers it nicely. For a free app that has no ads – at least yet – it’s a treat for car lovers.

Rules of Engagement for Smartphone Use

It happens to everyone. You’re at a restaurant and the guy at the table next to yours is on his smartphone, and he’s chatting loudly. Pretty soon, you’ve heard all about his promotion at work, his mother-in-law’s annoying habits, and how much he paid for his new car. Worse, maybe you are that guy! I think it’s safe to say that we have all been on both sides of a smartphone faux pas. Most everyone has committed a smartphone sin or two, and I am sure we have all been on the receiving end of smartphones rudeness. The constant connectedness that smartphones provide is both a benefit and a curse. People who wouldn’t dream of being rude under normal circumstances sometimes seem to forget all rules of etiquette when their smartphone rings.

The best way to think about following rules of smartphone etiquette is to remember that etiquette is all about being considerate and making others feel good. We want those who are with us in person to feel valued by giving them our full attention. If your smartphone rings, try not to answer it unless it is absolutely necessary. It’s best to silence your smartphone ringer and let the call go to voicemail. If you feel like you must answer the call, apologize to the other person, and/or ask permission to take the call. For example, “I’m sorry. Do you mind if I take this?” Then step outside or find a more private location to take the call. Of course, keep the call as brief as possible. Likewise, follow the same procedure when considering sending or reading a text. There is nothing worse than trying to spend time with someone while he or she is continually texting someone else on a smartphone.

Don’t let your smartphone become an annoyance to those around you in public places. Avoid obnoxious or offensive ring tones and set the volume at a reasonable level. Also, when you take a phone call in a public place, try to talk softly. It’s natural for most people to speak louder than normal on a smartphone, but this broadcasts your private conversation to everyone else. Speak softer, or find a more private place to talk. In addition, you should always silence your smartphone when you are in places such as theaters and libraries, and be careful not to light up the screen when you are in a dark movie theater.

The rules of smartphone etiquette are not difficult to follow; they just require that we be more considerate of others. A little consideration can go a long way.

The ManyVarieties of Technology Used in the Information Era

We have seen the rise of telephones, then cell phones and phones that could access the internet and now we are seeing a rash of touch screen phones. While cell phones have not been universalized, the market is still developing according to preference and demand, as well as new technological advances. Many prefer to actually push buttons instead of using a screen. Others prefer the high tech touch screen used in many of the more modern model phones.

Whatever you prefer, there is no doubt about the age we live in being more technologically advanced than any other. The amount of terabytes that are transmitted every day is astonishing. With lasers and all the new technology today, the amount of information being spread is growing at an amazing rate.

By no means do I believe this technology should be feared. We are far from a Matrix style, even of AI taking over, yet at the same time the technology we create should be respected. The fascinating thing is the limitless possibilities that are presented to us and what the future holds as far as the information exchange is concerned. If 3 terabytes can travel through 1 laser in 1 second, how many lasers and how many seconds would it take to transmit enough energy to allow teleportation? The possibilities for new found technology open up not only possibilities here on Earth, but the universe as well.

How are we using this technology? Well, of course, with the invention of touch screen phones and other touch only devices, the video game world has opened up a bit, digital art capabilities have been enhanced and, of course, the world wide browser is at your fingertips without even needing a mouse and keyboard. The worst thing for people to do is ignore this technology. While I can thoroughly enjoy life without technology it is, nonetheless, a tool that can be utilized. It is hard to imagine how hard it must have been to do research for a paper 20 years ago, sorting through a library of books for things to help you. Now research can be done in minutes and you find the information you need. Get ready to strap yourself in, as humans are moving along fast and it is all about keeping up. The worst thing that is rather bothersome is that our technology is being wasted in the hands of teenagers who are texting nonstop.