Apr 20

Cell Security in the New Business Age

By Chase Buckner Interesting Phone Stuff, Phones In The News No Comments »

It seems like a lifetime since the casual–though clumsy–portable or cellular phone generation switched to Smart Phones. Everyone from the average citizen to the global corporate CEO utilizes a small pocket device for practically every aspect of their lives. But how secure are your Smart Phone interactions?

Many new and refurbished Smart Phones are equipped with some kind of rudimentary security device and it seems that most people are either comfortable with that, or simply feel that browsing the web from a phone is more secure than from their PC. Have they been lulled into a false sense of security, or are Smart Phones worthy of all of our faith?

According to Cellphone.org, the Apple iPhone lacks some basic but critical features when it comes to overall security. It’s operating system can be compromised due to corrupted downloads, it lacks over-air updates, and it has relatively no device encryption.

Windows Mobile phones covers a majority of basic security requirements for corporate and personal use along with the iPhone‘s full VPN support.

RIM Blackberry phones offer better consumer coverage; solid security, traffic routing, and almost flawless encryption. But how do Blackberrys hold up to the Android and Symbian?

Both the Android and Symbian phones have a very open nature when it comes to third party access; however, installed software is “theoretically unable” to do any major damage to the device without being traced to the source.

Android and Symbian users are asked permission to utilize certain protected features–and anyone who accesses these features do so with a protected private key.

If you want the ultimate in Smart Phone protection, however, be prepared to pay for it. The Sectera Edge (sold for about $3350) offers military-grade encryption and was offered to President Obama as the alternative for ditching his Blackberry.

But what does all of this mean? Well, other than the old “if it’s good enough for the President, it’s good enough for me” argument, new and refurbished Blackberrys seem to have the highest rated and most user-friendly security aspects amongst Smart Phones.

No matter what device you choose, you should always be wary of your phone’s security settings and overall management. Proper routine maintenance of your technology is crucial to a happy and long-lasting relationship with whichever device you choose. So, remember to choose your Smart Phone wisely, but also take care of it–after all–it takes care of you.

–Alex G. (The Blue Dot)

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Apr 20

Smart Phone Etiquette

By alexngross Cell Phone How To's, Cell Phone Tutorials, Interesting Phone Stuff No Comments »

We’ve all been quite attached to Cell Phones for a while now. It’s time for us to learn some of the rules–or commandments–of phone etiquette. Phones have changed. People have changed. It’s high time for the two to be in sync with one another to a degree at which we can all be comfortable.

You should all know the key rules by now:

Speak quietly in public, avoid extremely personal conversations, avoid a call while in mid-conversation with another human being–and if you must take the call, let them know before you pull the phone out of your pocket. Avoid texting when you’re talking with someone face-to-face as well.

Put your phone’s ringer on silent when in a theater or restaurant. Or better yet, just turn it OFF. Accessing your phone in a dark theater makes everyone else cringe.

Here are some more recent etiquette ideas to think about when customizing your social networking existence:

Some phones and software allow you to control the picture that appears on other devices when you call. Avoid embarrassing profile pictures through Facebook, Blackberry, AIM, or Twitter.

Don’t look up answers to debates or questions on Google. We’re all guilty of this, but some people find it both annoying and pretentious. Companies like KGB and Cha-Cha offer a fun way to ask anonymous questions that may produce interesting results. Try them instead.

Only use call screening for business. Close friends and family shouldn’t have to go through a Google Voice or business filter to get to you on your cell phone. It’s inconsiderate, and they may disown you.

Don’t play the blame game with dropped calls. Chances are it’s either nobody’s fault, or it could be yours. Blaming the other person for a dropped call is ridiculous–so stop it.

Lastly, compensate for delay. We live in a world of instant gratification now, but with some advancements in technology come minor inconveniences that we have to live with for the time being. Many new and refurbished Smart Phones have a slight (or perhaps significant) delay that may cause some awkward moments during conversations. Always pause for a moment to give the other person time to receive your voice or text before beginning to speak again. Believe me, it can work wonders–and bring an end to frustrating overlapping conversations.

Following these simple steps will not only bring you into a peaceful and civilized 21st Century of technology, but also make you a much better person for it.

–Alex G. (The Blue Dot)

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • •
Nov 02

Cell Phones are Killing Love

By Chase Buckner Interesting Phone Stuff No Comments »

Cell-Heartbreak After having a long conversation with a friend about relationships, I began to think about why I constantly find myself getting sick of a girlfriend after hitting that six-month mark. I think of my parents and wonder in amazement about how they have managed to put up with each other for so long, but then it dawned on me – the problem with relationships in our generation is the cell phone.

Social networks like Facebook and Myspace play a role in this as well, but the cell phone is number one culprit when it comes to the quick demise of what started as a great relationship. Think about it. Our parents grew up in a world without cell phones. Typically, the man held down an eight hour, 9-5, job with lets say a combined commute of an hour each day. Even if we factor in a 15 minute phone call from a lunch break and then maybe another at the end of the day, this adds up to over 40 hours a week of non-conversation between a couple.

If I were physically unable to converse with a girlfriend for 40 hours per week, I’d bet that I would be twice as excited to spend time with her. She would represent everything other than the stress of work, and both she and I would have eight hours a day to develop and store topics and ideas, which would lead to hours of exciting conversation in the evening. Today, there is no barrier of personal space between couples.

Yes, initially, cell phones and text messaging offered a way to send cute messages to your significant other throughout the day. But now they’ve morphed into what seems to be a constantly open line of communication, a day-long running conversation if you will, which we are expected to be constantly keeping up. After hours and hours of meaningless, forced messages and conversations, how could we not get sick of each other? I used to think my dad was ridiculous for refusing to get a cell phone. Now I’m certain he’s one of the smartest men I know.

Tagged with: • •
preload preload preload