Searching For the Best Apple iPhone 4 Accessories

With the release of the Apple iPhone 4 that finally made the much awaited video calling possible in addition to other features, many users are interested in finding suitable accessories for this smart phone. Naturally, it would be advisable to look for the best iPhone accessories that are appropriate for this impressive device. for example, a common accessory that could prove to be essential are the cases and covers because they do not only serve to make it appear more attractive; they also function as protection against scratches and damage if it gets dropped. They are various kinds of cases, such as aluminum, plastic, leather and silicone cases.

One important category is made up of Apple iPhone 4 Case Holster Pouch. Skins or leather pouches, holsters or cases do not only provide elegant looks but they also offer the user a way to firmly and easily hold the phone. these covers and cases are also good protectors, not just certain parts of the device but also the screen, which is one of the most sensitive parts of the iPhone. Apple has made the glass screen of the iPhone 4 much tougher than that utilized for the previous models but it is still much better to provide additional protection whenever possible. these skins are often utilized in combination with a transparent plastic cover to further protect the display. these skins are also available in various colors to offer consumers the possibility of finding one that suits their personalities. Of course, another part of the iPhone 4 that needs to be protected are the sides that are made of stainless steel but are not resistant to scratches. Holsters, cases and pouch skins can effectively perform this kind of function. other important Apple iPhone 4 Accessories are the rechargeable battery pack and Bluetooth headset. While this smart phone has been provided with a battery that was designed to last longer, it has also been provided with additional features that consume more power. Therefore, it may also be a good idea to have an extra battery pack that is rechargeable and which can easily carried and brought along when the user is traveling.

There are various rechargeable packs to choose from, including those that have a built-in wall charger for charging the smart phone itself. still another possibly essential iPhone accessory is a Bluetooth headset. with this add-on device, the user would be able to completely utilize various features of the phone without having to touch it because the headset is wireless. for example, the user can communicate with someone or enjoy music even while his hands are occupied with something else. There are possibly hundreds of available accessories for the iPhone that can enhance its features and/or protect it from damage and it is up to the user to choose the best iPhone accessories and the most suitable.

LifeProof iPhone 4 case: Submerge your iPhone and smile

Let’s say that your sweet child decides to give your iPhone 4 a bath. or maybe you’re riding on your bike at 40 mph down a hill and drop the phone (or, as our own Dave Caolo can describe from personal experience, in a canoe that decides to deposit you in the Delaware River). All of these scenarios could spell disaster for your iPhone 4, but not if you’ve equipped it with the US$69.95 LifeProof Case.

Design

the LifeProof case is designed to protect your iPhone 4 against all sorts of havoc. It’s fully sealed against dust particles, it is tested to Military Specifications MIL-STD-810F-516.5 (6.6 feet / 2 meter drop onto all surfaces and edges) standards for shock and impact protection, and it can even be used in water up to 6.6 feet / 2 meters deep.

You’d expect a case with this level of protection to look like an armored car and weight about as much, right? Nope. the LifeProof case weighs less than one ounce (28 grams) and adds only about 1/16th of an inch (1.5 mm) thickness to the iPhone 4.

LifeProof requests that you first assemble and test the case without the iPhone 4 inside it to make sure that you know to assemble it properly, ensuring a proper seal. the test is done in a sink with something holding down the case for an hour or so. If it’s dry inside after that hour, the test has been passed and you’ve obviously taken great care to assemble the case properly. If not, read the directions again.

how do they keep everything nicely sealed up? There’s a thin yellow gasket that goes around the inside of the area where the front and back halves of the case snap together. For the earphone jack, there’s a rubber plug that screws into the case where the jack goes — but you also get a special cable that can be used to safely use waterproof earphones with the LifeProof case. at the bottom of the case near the dock connector is a special door that latches shut.

what about the speakers on the iPhone 4? There are two ports for the speakers, both of which are covered with waterproof Gore-Tex material. They’re thin enough to let sound pass through unimpeded, but won’t let water seep in. the iPhone 4’s rear-facing camera is protected by a small piece of optical glass to allow good photography while keeping the case sealed, and there’s also a sealed opening for the flash. the screen is covered with a thin plastic membrane that provides a seal against water, but lets your multi-touch gestures pass through unimpeded.

the case itself is part of an overall system that you can purchase separately. Need a bike mount, arm band, belt clip (in two different sizes) or those waterproof earphones I mentioned earlier? They’re all available from the LifeProof website. the case comes in three different colors — black, white, and pink.

Functionality

the LifeProof case philosophy is to provide protection against the “Four Proofs”: Water, Dirt, Snow, and Shock. While I unfortunately didn’t have time to test the case in dirt and there isn’t any snow around Denver this time of year (maybe next month…), I decided to test the case against the main bugaboo of iPhones — water. the company recommends that you assemble the case once without the phone and place it in a sink of water for at least hour, which I believe is set up to make you confident that you’re not going to lose your iPhone by drowning and to insure that you really understood the simple directions for putting the phone together.

Assembling the phone means snapping the two halves together, gently rubbing the outside of the case above the gasket to insure a tight seal, and closing the door on the bottom. I left the case in the water for close to 90 minutes with a coffee cup on top of it (see the gallery) and the inside was completely dry when I opened it later. With that experience behind me, I decided to take the plunge (no pun intended) and potentially sacrifice my iPhone 4. This isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this — check out my video of breaking an egg on the face of an iPad here. and here’s the video of my iPhone 4 taking a swim. Did it survive?

Yes, it did! There are even better videos on the LifeProof website if you’re up for some iPhone 4 abuse.

You’ll have to take LifeProof’s word on the dust, mud, snow, ice, and sand-proofing, but if it’s able to handle a dunking, it’s definitely going to be able to handle the other elements as well.

Conclusion

the LifeProof Case for iPhone 4 is a slim, lightweight, and sturdy case that offers better water and dust protection than any other iPhone 4 case, and is the only case we know of that actually meets military specifications for shock proofing. While it’s not the most attractive case, it adds virtually no bulk to the iPhone 4 while making it truly waterproof. Between the case itself and the accessories that let you use the protected iPhone 4 while swimming, biking, or running at the beach, the LifeProof Case offers unparalleled protection for any active lifestyle.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Review

while the iPad may be the market leader – Samsung has certainly thrown down a challenge in the shape of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. It’s more slender than Apple’s offering, weighs less, and if Samsung has got it right, just generally better. The Korean company was so keen to get one over on Apple that it took its chubbier Galaxy Tab 10.1 off the shop shelves when the slimline iPad 2 came out. So can this much-anticipated Android Honeycomb tablet live up to the hype?

Looking good

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs a slimline 565g, compared with the iPad 2’s 600g. You may not notice the difference if you held them side by side, but still the Tab is really light. This is especially impressive when you consider that it is comparable with the likes of the Motorola Xoom, a weighty 10.1in tablet, as well as the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, that can be a bit of a hulk when it’s connected to its keyboard dock.

It’s on the looks front that the iPad 2’s smooth aluminium body wins one over on the Tab’s plastic chassis. however, the Tab 10.1 is still the nicest looking Honeycomb tablet we’ve seen. Its waist measures 0.2 mm less than the iPad 2 and it measures 256.7 x 175.3 x 8.6mm.

The screen (which measures 10.1 inches and boasts an 800 x 1280 pixel resolution) is covered by gorilla glass, so should have some protection from marks and knocks. The display is the brightest yet seen on a tablet, which is due to the new PLS technology (more on that later).

Snapper

Camera-wise, the Tab 10.1 boasts a 3.15 megapixel snapper, with flash and autofocus plus a front-facing two-megapixel camera for self portraits and video calls. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack and two speaker vents on each side of the device. You’ll find the power button on the top of the tablet. That’s also where the volume rocket sits, which is a bit of a nuisance – it’s better on the side if you hold a tablet in landscape mode.

what you won’t find are any ports – which is where Samsung has chosen to follow in Apple’s footsteps. nor will you find any buttons on the front of the device. Samsung has also omitted any microSD memory expansion (so you are stuck with the amount of onboard memory – 16GB, 32GB or 64GB, depending on which model you have bought) or microUSB connection. if you want to connect accessories, you’ll have to use Samsung’s proprietary slot, which doubles as the charging slot.

Operating system

The Tab 10.1 has overtaken most of its rivals by sporting on launch the upgraded version of the tablet operating system Honeycomb 3.1. The latest version has the benefits of improved power management as well as resizeable widgets – only owners of the Eee Pad are able to update to this version. It pretty much looks like your usual Android with a touch of Samsung added via its TouchWiz 4.0. Icons have the Samsung treatment as do a lot of the preloaded widgets.  

The basics

Waking the device occurs via a smooth unlock mechanism whereby you drag a small lock out in a circular motion. Once it’s on, you’ll see five customisable screens, on which you can add widgets, contacts and shortcuts.

There’s a toolbar where you’ll find home, back, recent-programs buttons – plus it’s the first time we’ve seen a dedicated screen-cap button in Honeycomb. You’ll be able to see your last 13 programs in recent-programs. Navigation is easy, as the toolbar sits along the bottom of any program you’re in, making it an easy process to hop between programs or go back to homescreens. Multitasking is smooth and speedy thanks to the inclusion of a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1Gb RAM.

Shortcuts

You can bring up six shortcuts using a little arrow in the middle of the screen – calendar, music player, task manager, as well as the less likely pen memo, calculator and world clock. It’s a shame you can’t customise it to include your own most-used apps.

Android users will already know that you need a Gmail account to activate any features on an Android device – once done, everything Google-related will be synced to the tablet – that includes Android apps and Picasa albums.

Social networking

When it comes to social networking, it’s down to the Social Hub, something that any Samsung Galaxy owners will recognise. The app aggregates your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts so that you end up with one calendar, contacts book and news feed. You can post photos and updates and also choose whether you see all your social networking events at once or just see one feed at a time.

It’s just a bit of a shame that while you can merge contacts on different accounts – say Google, Twitter and Facebook – it has to be done manually one at a time. HTC has managed to get its Android phones to do this automatically.

Email

As always with Android, email is split into a Gmail app for the main account and another for any other email accounts. You new mail alerts will pop up in the bottom left of the display.

The Tab 10.1 also features Samsung’s Swype, which allows you to write quicker using one finger, which you drag from letter to letter. We’ve always been impressed with Swype but found it less accurate on the Tab, and a tad sluggish. however, it’s still better than the traditional typing approach found on most tablets.

what we really liked was the universal calendar, which brings together all your events and birthdays and appointments from Facebook, Google and Microsoft Exchange.

Online video

We were very happy to find a tablet that offers support for online video. The onboard video player is able to play lots of video formats, including Xvid and DivX – the formats used for most online video. It also offers support for the H.264 and MP4 formats supported by the iPad 2.

while many bemoan the lack of Flash support on Apple’s devices, the Tab has one up on its rival. Its onboard browser Dolphin offers Flash support, so you’ll be able to watch embedded movies on news websites, such as the BBC’s. We’re not so sure that Flash will be so important in the future, as other options are being developed, but at the moment, much of the content on the web needs Flash.

Talking of viewing films, you’ll benefit from some fantastic colours and viewing angles, thanks to the new PLS technology – it’s a vast improvement on the iPad 2 display. if you want to watch films or TV, the Tab is a far better choice than the Apple tablet.

if you want to transfer files, it’s easy – connect the included USB cable and then simply drag and drop. The computer will recognise the tablet and you can easily move images, music and video on to the device’s usefully labelled folders.

if you want to use Wi-Fi, use the preloaded Kies, which allows you to connect to computers on the same network if you want to transfer or stream files. The tablet can also be connected to an HDTV, but you’ll have to buy the necessary cable.

It is also possible to stream video – the Tab 10.1 supports both HSDPA as well as the most up-to-date, speedy Wi-Fi 802.11n. The good news for games fans is that you’ll benefit from quick and beautiful rendering of images, thanks to the Tegra 2 graphics processor. Games such as Samurai II: Vengeance THD and N.O.V.A. 2 HD lend themselves to the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Tablet apps

When it comes to apps, the Android Store is bursting with them – about 400,000 at the last count. But the Honeycomb app market is not that big at the moment so you’ll only have around 100 to choose from – compare that with the 100,000 iPad apps on offer in the App Store. It’s also really hard to find the Honeycomb-optimised apps when browsing Android Market. You can use Android phone apps on the Tab 10.1, but because you have to scale them up to fit the display they don’t look good.

There are other apps that just don’t work well on the Tab 10.1 – for example, Skype can be used on the iPad and iPhone and Android Gingerbread mobile phones, but not on Android tablets. It’s a shame because the tablet interface really lends itself to face-to-face video calling.

Camera and video

Generally, we’ve not been impressed with tablet cameras, but the Tab 10.1 could be the one to convince us that a tablet can be used as a camera. sure, its 3.15 megapixel camera is not up to the level of the cameras found on the top-end smartphones from Samsung, but nevertheless it produced better images than any other tablet – plus there’s loads of settings and scene modes to tinker with.

Even when enlarged on a computer screen, the images we took looked good, clear and were representing true colours. There is also a photo editor app, which offers all kinds of creative options for your images. As well as being able to do the usual resize and crop, you can do so much more. You can highlight sections of the image to be coloured or enhanced, and you can add effects such as motion blur. It may not be quite Photoshop but it certainly offers a lot of creativity.

Samsung says its camera can record video at 720p, but we were disappointed with the results – the video was dull and rather grainy. Background noise was very apparent on the mic, but the frame rate was good and even when we panned, the camera was able to cope well.

Our conclusion

if Samsung set out to produce an Apple killer, it has certainly done a good job. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a host of features, is very customisable, and has proved itself to be a powerful media device. while it may not look as good as the iPad 2, our real issue is with the fact there are so few Honeycomb tablet apps available.

however, the Tab 10.1 does benefit from the smooth, user friendly Honeycomb operating system, and a top-notch video player. So as long as you can be patient awaiting new apps for the tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a very decent device.

China Mobile to launch iPhone 4 in October?

Apple and China Mobile have entered into a deal that will see the carrier launch the iPhone 4 on its network later this year, according to a new report. CapitalVue reports that Chinese-language ccidcom.com, citing a company filing, claims that China Mobile will launch the iPhone 4 at the end of October. Citing an unnamed source, the report also claims that China Mobile hopes to make the iPhone compatible with its fourth-generation network to help make up for a decline in 3G users. despite the fact that the handset isn’t officially available from China Mobile, it claims to have 6.42 million iPhone users on its network as of June 30. [via AppleInsider]

Smartwatch syncs to your smartphone – Pulse

An Italian design studio has produced what it is calling the world’s first “smartwatch” — a touchscreen wristwatch that syncs with your smartphone.

The i’mWatch, by Blue Sky, uses Bluetooth to sync to iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 devices. Running on an Android OS itself, the watch allows users to use Facebook, Twitter, email and SMS, access the i’music store, and view photos and incoming calls.

Users will also be able to make and receive calls via a built-in speaker and microphone. Very Inspector Gadget.

The i’mWatch doesn’t allow you to get rid of your smartphone just yet, though: it does not have 3G or Wi-Fi capability in and of itself, using only the smartphone Bluetooth connection.

Dedicated apps for the watch will be available from the i’market on an ongoing basis.

The i’mWatch ships internationally in late October, but is available now for pre-order in a range of colours in lightweight aluminium for €245 (approximately AU$340 at the time of writing).

More luxe versions, incorporating precious metals such as gold and titanium, will also be available, ranging in price from €600-15,000 (AU$834-20,855).

IPhone Bluetooth Accessories Add To The Already Special Functionality Of The Iphone

Article by Clifford S. Magno

The thing that strikes you when you evaluate an iPhone is that it is well ahead of other type of smartphones in terms of looks as well as functionality, and it would not be wrong to say that it in fact is in a class of its own and thus owning iPhone Bluetooth would only add to the already excellent functionality of the iPhone.

Several Options To choose From

Thus, you will also find that when you look for an ideal iPhone Bluetooth accessory, you need to consider buying a headset of superior quality because that is what will help you get the best out of your iPhone. the good news is that there are indeed several options to choose from including the excellent VXI BlueParrott B100 Wireless Headset.

This iPhone Bluetooth accessory is well designed including excellent ergonomics as well as features that includes microphone with noise canceling capabilities that in fact plays an important role in improving the functioning of the iPhone.

Another option worth considering having with regard to iPhone Bluetooth is the Plantronics Voyager 510 Wireless Headset that is truly a futuristic headset that you can use with more than just an iPhone because it can work with a laptop and even a PDA. In fact, this iPhone Bluetooth will automatically detect the device being used and thus has greater usefulness.

There is also the excellent new etyBLU Dual Mode Bluetooth headset that makes a great iPhone Bluetooth accessory and it is in fact, notable for the fact that it provides outstanding quality of sound and comes with an in-line mic as well as iPhone call and music control button. With this iPhone Bluetooth accessory you can talk and also listen to music at the same time and do so with much more accuracy that was possible with other iPhone headsets.

In fact, there is also Apple’s own iPhone Bluetooth headset that allows you to answer iPhone calls without the need of any wires and the compactness as well as light weight of this iPhone Bluetooth accessory makes it a very useful addition. In fact, it comes with one button that can be used to receive your phone calls while, in addition, you also get five and a half hours of talk time as well as seventy hours (maximum) of standby and this is made possible by the lithium-ion batteries that are in-built and which are also rechargeable. In addition, you get the iPhone Dual Dock as well as iPhone Bluetooth Travel Cable with the package.

defence.professionals

15 Must-Have App ideas from SOF Operators and Unmanned Vehicle Systems Apps Highlight Development Slate

08:12 GMT, August 22, 2011 WASHINGTON | Special Operations Apps, the smart-device CamoScience innovator, has announced the plans to launch the SF App Store, which will put advanced technologies directly into the hands of U.S. warfighters. Special Operations Apps (SOA), which developed the CamoScience App for MW Research & Development, inc., uses the "technology push and market pull" of the most popular smart devices like the iPhone, Android, and iPad, to develop customized Special Operations applications on common platforms already familiar to SF operators. "It is a certainty that mobile smart devices will be adopted military-wide, with Special Operations Forces deserving of the quickest approval based on their needs and responsibilities," said K. Dominic Cincotti, president of Special Operations Apps and the inventor of CamoScience. "It’s clear that SOF needs a Central Marketplace for custom apps, and certain elements of the commercial sector are the most nimble in providing this," said David Mullins, team leader of SOA’s subject matter experts. "We and our partners are stepping up to the challenge." the SF App Store will include new applications made within SOA development protocols, according to Cathlena Spencer, SOA’s chief technology officer, "which means taking full advantage of what these new smart devices can really do: geo-locating, augmented reality, hi-def video, even 3D. "the SF App Store will also serve as the commercial gatekeeper for useful apps created by other developers to meet specific operator requests and as an incubator responding directly to need statements and wish lists from operators," she said. SOA is in talks with app developers, operators with specialized needs, and defense companies looking to utilize mobile smart devices and special operations apps to remain current in the latest wave of technology revolutions. Unmanned vehicle assets are getting special attention from SOA, said mark Tocci, SOA vice president for business development. "Special Operations Apps are the new means that SOF can access and control unmanned vehicle systems as needed down range with ground-truth precision," Tocci said. "the unmanned systems are the eyes and ears of the SOF, and the operators can now be in control of that through mobile smart devices. the operator can have better, quicker striking capability through these apps. "These Special Operations Apps place the SOF warfighter back in the forefront of the cyberspace battlescape by enabling the operator of the UAV, UGV or Robo-boat to be pilot/controller and at the spear tip of battle." C4IT — command, control, computers, communications, information technology — is often outside of the SOF warrior’s direct control, Mullins said, "so shortening the information pipeline is the best advance." the first slate of application developments — the 15 Must-Have SF Apps — were created to: • Enhance Combat Performance • Sharpen Situational Awareness • Increase Survivability • Improve Mobility • Reduce "the Load" "the current App Store/App Market Model won’t work for military or SF Apps, because of the intrinsic differences between civilian and SOF App needs," Spencer said. "the Commercial App Stores can rely on millions of people to download and subsidize apps. SOA doesn’t expect an ‘Angry Birds’ level of downloads for our Apps. "SOA doesn’t build Apps for the mass market, we build for a select group," she said, "and we know our end users understand and appreciate that we build with only their needs in mind." SOA’s CamoScience was featured in CNN and NBC news programs last month, in stories that focused on the next-generation camouflage capabilities it affords to military and hunting/outdoor markets as well as flexing the power of these lightweight smart devices with feature-rich app attributes, including geo-positioning, augmented reality overlays and Area of Operation imagery. CamoScience was developed from two of MW R&D’s patent-pending technologies, Photo-Real and Photo-Stealth, new camouflage processes introduced by Cincotti in 2007 and designed initially for the unique Special Forces requirements. To develop CamoScience, the MW R&D Apps Team paired with NASA veteran Dr. Craig Hunter, who, with his brother Todd founded Hunter Research & Technology. the Hunter brothers are renowned as the minds behind the Theodolite App for the iPhone 4, the best-selling navigation application. Special Operations Apps was launched in May, with the release of the CamoScience app by MW Research and Development, inc. CamoScience is a photo application native to the Apple iPad 2/iPhone 4, with its Android counterpart soon to be released. Special Operations Apps — a company affiliated with, but independent of MW Research and Development, inc. — designs and fields applications specifically for warfighter mobile devices, touchscreens, laptops, and smartphones. Cincotti, who founded MW R&D, has developed more than a dozen patent-pending CCD technologies. as MW R&D president, Cincotti is credited with creating Photographic Camouflage, camera-derived camo design that is an orders-of-magnitude advance over paint and pattern concealment. using site-specific, digitally enhanced GEOINT imaging, Cincotti has developed a cluster of intellectual properties, including Photo-Stealth, Photo-Real, T.R.I.G.G.E.R., RO.U.T.E.S., MW Gripz, Photo Veil, 3D Hot Targets, P.I.R.a.T.E., and P.I.R.a.T.E. 3D. At Special Operations Apps, Cathlena Spencer, who the led the commercial-application team for CamoScience, serves as chief technology officer. mark Tocci, a former Ranger and patent-pending inventor, is vice president of business development. David Mullins, a former Special Forces operator with counter-terrorism and HALO experience, leads in-house subject matter experts. Cincotti, in addition to his duties at Special Operations Apps, continues as president of MW R&D. AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2011 is the premier forum for reviewing, assessing, and discussing the current state of the unmanned systems market. the event brings together more than 6500 attendees, including key leaders and decision-makers in government and industry, defense and commercial operators, program managers, policy makers, scientists, and researchers. SOA’s David Mullins and mark Tocci are on site at the AUVSI event to schedule appointments with companies, military personnel, and key industry insiders. "AUVSI 2011 has been a great event for SOA," Tocci said. "We are more confident than ever that Unmanned Systems and mobile Special Operations Apps that allow ‘human-in-the-loop’ performance for SOF unmanned assets are the current solution and future standard."  

iPhone Gets Better With Every New Application

iPhone comes with some amazing applications. the applications that comes with an iPhone cannot be seen anywhere on a mobile phone. these applications of an iPhone allows an individual to e-mail,surf the internet,send messages,listen music of his choice,watch videos,make a schedule of daily routine work and to make calls simultaneously.

The iPhone is not just a phone,in fact it is much more then it. Its a technically advanced mobile phone that is capable of doing all the things that a small laptop computer can do, and it comes easily into your pocket. iPhone offers a lot to its users rather then just looking a cool phone that can be connected to the internet. There are around several thousand iPhone applications available in the Apple store. the additional tools and features provided make it even more popular. iPhone is very much user friendly. iPhone applications are actually turning to be very useful from the business point of view, be they are small sized or large scale.

To completely explore the potential of an iPhone we need some applications. these applications are basically the computer programs designed only to run on our phone. Applications available include iPhone chat, Google reader, word press, air phones, organizers, web browsers, games etc. this list is endless.

One more application of iPhone is for traveling. In this we can use maps to bookmark the addresses of all the places we want to visit. we can then tap these bookmarks while walking around or telling a cabbie where to go. we can put all our traveling information in one iPhone application.

People of all age groups are using the benefits of fitness based applications. Walkers, runners, bicyclers and skaters use this application of iPhone to track the distance they traveled.

With the help of iPhone application one can remain in touch with all the current updates that are occurring around the globe. these updates include all the fields whether it is of sports, finance, business, latest fashion and all. Staying on top of the latest events could be easier with this iPhone application.More applications of iPhone include the application for managing money. In this application one can maintain a record of its account statement on the iPhone.

Considering the musical application, iPhone can be converted into a full 88 key piano complete with a sustaining pedal. iPhone can be used to tune a guitar. we can create different tunes by simply blowing into the microphone. the iPhone can be used as complete music studio.

The Geek Squad Fixes Your iPhone — and Your Finances

You’ve got tech questions — and we’ve found the answers.

We’ve asked the experts at the Geek Squad to help you make the most of your technology, answering your thorniest tech questions. so if you’re wondering what to buy, how to plug it in, or how to fix it, the Geek Squad can help.

This week, Geek Squad Double Agent Brian Valdez answers YOUR questions.

“While on vacation in Florida, the audio in my wife’s iPhone 3G died. she took it to the AT&T store and was told the speaker was a common problem with the iPhone 3g. she ended up buying a new iPhone 4. Is there any way to repair the old phone? or should we just have it recycled?”

There’s nothing worse than having a small but integral piece of high tech gadgetry suddenly cease functioning. In the case of the iPhone 3g, it can be devastating. Fear not, though, for there are a string of options that can keep this wonderful phone from becoming an expensive paperweight.

For an interim and immediate low cost fix, buy an external Bluetooth or wired earpiece and microphone. There are even microphones for calling and high quality earbuds to maximize your speakerless iPhone. 

The intrepid — and electrically adventurous — might consider the cheap replacement speaker kits available online. Bear in mind that while economic and capable of restoring your iPhone to full functionality, these kits could completely damaging your phone beyond repair, a risk you bear yourself. 

You’ll need a functioning knowledge of soldering techniques (see electrically adventurous above), and most definitely will void any other manufacturer or store-based warranties and guarantees. this option is only for the most inquisitive — those who love to see how things work.

Geek Squad offers an entire city of Agents who specialize in hardware repair offsite, of course, and our Agents in precincts are on station to quickly process and dispatch your injured iPhone to Geek Squad City for repairs.

“I updated my Mac to Apple’s OS X Lion before I realized that Quicken 2007 was no longer supported. I bought Quicken Essentials but it can’t open PowerPC apps. I’ve tried to use Essentials to open backed up versions of Quicken ’07, but it doesn’t work. Is there a workaround, or have I lost 10 years worth of tax and financial data?”

While not particular to Quicken itself, upgrade data migration is a rather familiar issue any time you upgrade operating systems. Fear not, we can help you tackle this issue!

Quicken contains a built-in conversion feature from previous versions of Quicken. First you need to locate your old Quicken file. It’s often is located in your documents folder. Next, open Quicken Essentials. From the File menu, select Import. A dialogue box will pop up allowing you to browse through your computer for the old file. Highlight the old file, and click import/open.

But if you don’t feel comfortable or just want the assurance of professional support, Geek Squad can provide assistance.

Got a question? E-mail us at and we’ll relay it to the Geek Squad. Next week, the Squad will answer the most interesting or most frequently asked questions.

Reviews: iFrogz BullFrog for iPhone 4

It’s pretty clear after handling ToughShell that this new case—released more than a year after the only iPhone that sits inside—was one of those challenging, “keep on tweaking ‘til we get it right” designs. It’s considerably more advanced than Speck’s earlier ToughSkin which effectively added a thick rubber cover to a simple plastic snap-on interior frame. Here, a hinged two-piece hard plastic case is held together and gasketed with a thick, ribbed rubber edge, capable of covering all of the iPhone 4’s buttons, ports, and switches, while permitting limited access to the latter two through flip-open rubber pieces. It’s really tough to get to the side switch unless you have very skinny fingers, but for users who want tons of protection, the extra rubber is appreciated.

ToughShell’s plastic is rather thick and feels particularly nice. it covers the whole of the back, as well as the front bezel. there are very well-tailored holes for both cameras, the ambient light sensor, and earpiece, as well as a rubber cover over the Home button. A little more pressure is required to press the Home button than normal, but not much. Like most cases that come all the way up to the edge of the screen, we found typing with two thumbs to be somewhat more difficult, and it may wind up being harder to access Notification Center on the upcoming iOS 5 without room to swipe from the top. Also included with ToughShell are a piece of screen protector film and a rotating belt clip that can double as a viewing stand; both are unremarkable, but as extras, they’re welcome.

Whereas ToughShell is fused together into one inseparable unit, BullFrog is comprised of two distinctly separate layers. The first is a hard plastic slider-style case that’s lined with a soft, velvety material. while iFrogz claims that this core can be used separately, it’s doesn’t look or feel great on its own, and we wouldn’t recommend it. The rubber is a different story. while certainly thicker, it feels much more complete, and the ribbed-edge outer layer stays in place via strategically placed pegs around the edges of the plastic frame.

There are dedicated covers for the Sleep/Wake and volume buttons, as well as flip-open covers for the headphone and Dock Connector ports. Unlike ToughShell, BullFrog doesn’t incorporate any sort of protector over the side switch. it is, however, much easier to access. Much like Speck’s case, there is significant protection around the glass touchscreen display. There’s a combined opening for the earpiece and front-facing camera, another for the ambient light sensor, and a Home button cover that’s a lot easier to press.

Arguably the most unique feature in BullFrog is the plastic sliding cover that can protect the rear camera and flash. The overall opening is about an inch and a quarter long, with the actual slider coming in at a little bit more than half an inch. Ideally, it slides with just a little bit of pressure to reveal the camera when it’s needed. In our testing, however, it was very difficult to get it out of the closed position—pretty much impossible without wedging a fingernail in and really forcing it. Even when freed, it did not move very smoothly at all. It’s a good feature on paper that’s less than satisfying in practice.

For $35, BullFrog is otherwise a real value; it’s the least expensive case we’ve seen in the ultraprotective category. No, it doesn’t include a belt clip, but that’s an accessory we barely see in use these days anyway, and similarly, while the case certainly doesn’t feel cheap, it falls short only when compared to considerably more expensive cases such as ToughShell. while the lack of side switch coverage isn’t a big deal when compared to the rest of the case’s protectiveness, the camera cover may be a problem for some users. with the cover left in the open position, BullFrog is as protective as most iPhone 4 cases, but when it’s closed, it can be hard to open in time to grab that important shot. The so-so implementation of a useful feature brings an otherwise great case down to a “very good” B+ rating.

On the other hand, ToughShell feels more polished, but at $50, it’s also more expensive. we really liked the use of the hinged design, the nice integration of different materials, and pretty remarkable coverage. The only notable downside is the fact that it’s rather difficult to access the side switch, and by reference to the same-priced OtterBox and Griffin’s cases, it relies upon film rather than integrated screen coverage. As between Defender, Survivor, and ToughShell, we’d call it a draw: all three cases are worthy of B+ rating. If you’re looking for the one the feels best in your hand, that distinction goes to ToughShell. Defender is sleekest of the bunch, and Survivor has the most rugged aesthetic, plus camera protection. In deciding between them, it really comes down to personal preference.