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Galactic Reign Shows Future Of Asynchronous Multiplayer
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Mobility Digest Review: Tmart 16gb Class 6 MicroSD Card
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APP REVIEW: TVACalc by José Torres
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Google Could End Internet Child Pornography In “One Fell Swoop”
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Bing Updates iPhone App But Forgets Content on iPad
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Lumia 520 – How did Nokia do it?
(11 Comments)
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Double Edge Sword of Unlocking Cell Phones (T-Mobile USA)
(6 Comments)
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How is Apple ‘considering’ new screen sizes news any more?
(3 Comments)
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Are You Actually Still Sold on Snowden?
(2 Comments)
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We Should “Take” Snowden Now
(6 Comments)
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APP REVIEW: Search All by Idea Mars
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Here Is Why Xbox One Online Requirement Is Overblown
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Recent Comments
- Murani Lewis on Lumia 520 – How did Nokia do it? Good stuff. I keep hearing good things about the device. A clear example that you can produce solid hardware for a...
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Galactic Reign Shows Future Of Asynchronous Multiplayer
Here is the thing, there is more that adds to the satisfaction. Play at your leisure and there are numerous customization options for your fleet of ships to make them your own. Free too. The game includes Battle Academy where gamers can train on how to attack and strategize different battle scenarios. It isn’t mandatory but it does help give clues and you will run into similar scenarios while dueling other players. There is a thriving and competitive forum of users who even compete for spots in bi-weekly tournaments against each other. Strategy guides and tips are shared for the community to get progressively better and they welcome everyone from newbies to fast aging vets. Check out the cinematic gameplay below. It is especially nice when I play on Windows 8 machine and hook to big screen.
Video Source: Galactic Reign Massive Battle
Reply » | Windows Phone, Windows Tablets
Mobility Digest Review: Tmart 16gb Class 6 MicroSD Card
I think microSD cads are the most popular type of storage out there for mobile related products and their prices are coming down lower and lower. I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for deals and I never seem to have enough storage for my portable devices. Recently a company I never head of, Tmart, approached me asking to review some of their products and one of them they offered was a very inexpensive 16gb microSD card so that’s what I have for review today. The card is a no-name brand but it’s a class 6 card, and I was very curious to see how an off-branded and very inexpensive card might compare to name brand ones so I said sure I’ll review it. So read on for a quick review…
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1 comment » | Reviews
APP REVIEW: TVACalc by José Torres
TVACalc : http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=88a81477-451a-e011-9264-00237de2db9e
Ok I had the honor of testing out an app from one of our Windows Phone Family from France named José Torres. He has created a very useful app called TVACalc.
You ask what is TVACalc?
Well this app helps compute VAT (Value Added Tax) for our European Windows Phone Family or Sales Tax for our American Windows Phone Family. When I was first shown this app, I though how could a user benefit from this app? Well believe it or not, I actually needed it for my business I run. I am a computer repair tech. If it involves a computer repair, network install, or purchasing computers that is me. Based on that info I actually need to compute sales tax on a computer for a customer. At the time I did not have a calculator, but remembered I was testing TVACalc. I whipped it out and adjusted the sales tax configuration to the sales tax in my area (see picture 1).
Picture 1
To adjust the sales tax select one of the pre-installed percentages, and at the bottom of the screen there is four boxes to adjust the percentage needed as in the case my sales tax is 10%. Once the tax amount is adjusted flip back a screen to the calculator (Picture 2).
Picture 2
On this screen there are three options I can use.
The first button called “EXC” I can type in the amount of the item before tax and the calculator will show (based on my sales tax rate) how much sales tax is and the total amount with sales tax. For the business professional this saves time trying to figure tax out.
The second button called “VAT” I can place how much sales tax is and the calculator will figure out the price of the item before and after sales tax is added. This can come in handy if the business professional needs to know the price of an item based on the sales tax amount a lone.
The third button called “INC” I can compute the item if it is already including tax to figure out how much tax was charged as well as how much the item is before tax was added. I have found this useful when I get gas from the gas station. Example gas in my area is $3.11 a gallon, if I plug in $3.11 on this line I will be paying $2.83 without sales tax and paying $.28 sales tax per gallon. This to me is a really neat feature to use.
Since I am using the trial version the calculator to add multiple items is not active unless the paid version is bought but I can compute the sales tax for each item (Picture 3). The app is only $.99 and well worth the price especially for the professional needing to add, subtract, multiply, and divide with sales tax involved.
Picture 3
My final thoughts: overall I have found this app very useful in my day to day business dealings with collecting sales tax. The only issues (and it is a small issues) is the name of the app across the top of the screen gets cut off on my Nokia 521 (400 x 800 screen size). I am not sure on other devices have the same issue but this is the only issues I had. Overall it is well thought out, and very simple for the new beginner to use. I give this app a very strong 4.5 out of 5 stars. Like I said the cut off name of the app across the top is distracting but can be over come.
If you find out this app is useful then by all means buy the full app ($.99) to support the developer and don not forget to rate the app as well.
To the developer – great job and I will be looking forward for updates as well as other apps you develop to test in the future.
If you would like your app reviewed and willing to grant permission to the full version of your app for testing, then please email me (herg62123) at herg62 (at) hotmail .com
Please make sure you put in the title “Please Review My App”.
If you do not put the title above your app will not get the attention needed for review.
Reply » | 140, Ask the readers, Editorials, General, Reviews, Top News, Windows Phone
Google Could End Internet Child Pornography In “One Fell Swoop”
Google has announced that it is working on a “new technology” that could end internet child pornography in “one fell swoop” according to The Telegraph today. This new technology as they are calling it would allow Google’s internet search engines to exchange information with child protection organizations to work together and wipe this material from the internet. This is a huge strike against child pornography and comes as Google is becoming more under pressure to do it’s share. Google as also set up a 2 million dollar fund for independent software developers to produce new tools to help in the fight against child pornography. Hopefully, Google will add more to this fund because honestly, this is a major issue and one that is well within Google’s wheel house to fix.
Way to go Google, I don’t give ya’ll props for much but you could impress me here.
Reply » | General, Top News
Bing Updates iPhone App But Forgets Content on iPad
Happy Father’s Day everyone. Thought I would voice a little frustration with Bing this morning and their lack of attention to us iPad and iPhone owners. I wouldn’t complain if the app always sucked but in fact, it’s one of my favorite apps. At least it was until they started neglecting content. It has a really nice look about it and honestly, I really like the graphics. Every morning I like to get up and see what the picture of the day is and then read bout it what it is and some information about it. I think the scrolling bar at the bottom is perfect. So after I look at the general news, and I really like the Bing search returns better than google btw, I go to trending. Bing has been disappointing over this Father’s Day weekend with very little new content and mostly just moving the stories around randomly. Check it out:
As you can see it has been a pretty laid back weekend at Bing for iPad owners. But at least now it looks like their de-design for iPhone has been fixed after their recent updates left the app severely neutered. All of the links for images, videos, maps, local, etc were removed. To check out what it looked like before, click here: http://mobilitydigest.com/i-dont-like-the-bing-updates-for-iphone/
So it is back to looking like it should.
Now as long as Bing can come back Monday after what is undoubtedly the weekend off I can get back to my regular content viewing.
Reply » | General, iOS, iPad, iPhone, iPod
Lumia 520 – How did Nokia do it?
I have been itching for a Windows Phone 8 device since last November, but with a barely seven month old Nokia 900, I was not ready to shell the dollars for an out of contract upgrade. When the Lumia 520 became available for $199 Unlocked, I was ready to test the WP8 waters.
I always like to keep a backup phone around for one of those unexpected open toilet incidents. My HTC Surround has been standing guard since April 2011, reminding my L900 what would happen if it chose to falter. (Maybe that’s why I have never had to return a phone, or have one repaired. Some deep alternate dimension stuff there. Just sayin). It was easy to justify making the L520 my new backup phone. The Surround isn’t getting any younger, and it’s stuck at WP7.5. The L520 is running WP8 and I expect to replace my L900 this fall with a shiny new Nokia WP8 device.
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11 comments » | Windows Phone
Double Edge Sword of Unlocking Cell Phones (T-Mobile USA)
Update: TMobile is currently looking into the case and will report back with new info when available.
I may upset a lot of people about this post but I need to be heard. Then again it may stir enough people to help the cause.
I do not make a lot of money but wanted a Windows Phone. I have found out that Nokia was coming out with the Nokia Lumia 521 and it is limited to T-Mobile USA. I thought that this would be the phone for me. It is a low budget device but it is a Windows Phone. That is all I cared about….A WINDOWS PHONE. Well through hard work I got the money and went to Wal-Mart to buy The Nokia 521 (T-Mobile Branded) at full retail price of $129.99 (before sales tax). So I legally paid FULL PRICE and T-Mobile should (key word “SHOULD”) give me the unlock code. Thinking on this I bought the phone.
A few days went by, I finally had the day off so I could talk to T-Mobile on to getting the unlock code. I first looked at T-Mobile’s Website to find the conditions to get the unlock code.
Once I pulled up the site and found the conditions to unlock my phone, I see the “IF STATEMENT” that I have circled in red. I thought GREAT, since I have paid full price and the “IF STATEMENT” says I can get the code without any issues.
Well I was wrong and here is why……
I have first contacted T-Mobile through online chat three times. The first time I did not print out the chat but the last two times I did.
I did receive an email from the Sim Unlock Team and this was their response to me:
As you can read above that they are not honoring their conditions from the “IF STATEMENT”. Keep in mind nowhere in the picture of T-Mobile’s Website above does it say all of these conditions must apply. It only says if like if one is true then…..
From the above chat with Michael S (look at the BRACKET PART OF THE PICTURE), I have to use T-Mobile service AND pay in full before I can get the unlock code. From Michael S, he talks about certain Guidelines, well the CERTAIN GUIDELINES posted on their site is in a picture above. Nowhere on it says I have to have service active to get the unlock code. I paid in full and posted a copy of my transaction from Wal-Mart showing this.
Well I am determined to unlock my Nokia 521, so I went into A T-Mobile Store in my city and waited, and waited, and waited for a rep to assist me. The customer in front of me was talking to a rep about unlocking her AT&T iPhone to be used on T-Mobile, so I listened in on the conversation. The rep said T-Mobile uses an unlock service called, http://www.releasemycode.com.
As the rep finished with that customer, another rep started working with me. I informed the second rep that I was over listening to the first rep and want to unlock my T-Mobile branded Nokia 521. My rep said we cannot do that. I informed my rep that I had paid for my Nokia 521 at Wal_mart at full price and here is my receipt to prove it. Puzzled, I informed my rep that you will unlock an AT&T iPhone without informing AT&T but T-Mobile will not unlock my Nokia 521 to use on AT&T. I asked about releasemycode website that was mentioned, could they do it. I was told NO but I could try. I did just that.
This is a picture that T-Mobile even used in some of the commercials that shows an unlocked iPhone in it.
I came home jumped on the computer and went to releasemycode website to find out. I looked all over the site but no luck. I found a chat online link and jumped on it. Releasemycode Rep informed me that they could not unlock my Nokia 521. I am now getting pissed.
I have paid full retail price and according to T-Mobile Website I can get my unlock code but every corner I get blocked. My next step is to find someone who will unlock my device. I did find one and got the unlock code as of today 6/13/2013 but I do not want to get this website in trouble I will not mention the site name even though I would be honored to promote their business. So basically I bought the phone over a month ago and now I have finally unlocked my device on which T-Mobile should have done to begin with.
Now before I go any further, this is the double edge sword (from the title comes in) I will be talking about. I understand that starting this year (2013) that unlocking smart phones is illegal and punishable by law. Well I guess I am a criminal now. According to theatlantic.com:
This is now the law of the land:
ADVISORY
BY DECREE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS
IT SHALL HENCEFORCE BE ORDERED THAT AMERICANS SHALL NOT UNLOCK THEIR OWN SMARTPHONES.
PENALTY: In some situations, first time offenders may be fined up to $500,000, imprisoned for five years, or both. For repeat offenders, the maximum penalty increases to a fine of $1,000,000, imprisonment for up to ten years, or both.*
So let me get this straight, if I the user unlock my device without permission I will be fined $500,000 and/or prison time or both, but T-Mobile can advertise an unlocking service on their site to unlock any GSM device without telling the carrier (in this case AT&T) and get away with it. How is this fair? It is not in my opinion.
Now let’s get back to T-Mobile now. I thought T-Mobile is the UN-BRANDED CARRIER NOW. No contracts, no hidden charges, no hidden fees, always thinking of the consumer’s interest. Watch this video below, while watching remember what I said above in mind.
Access the video titled: John Legere, CEO – Tremendous Momentum for T-Mobile US
My final thoughts:
A good friend of mine has pointed out that on several sites there are several people asking for someone to unlock their cell phone and willing to pay money for it. Go figure people willing to pay money to unlock their phone. Who thought that?
If I can be punished for unlocking my device then what can be done to a retail business promoting unlocking service?
If T-Mobile is the UN-CARRIER then why are they acting like the other carriers?
If T-Mobile is advertising they are acting in the consumers’ interest then where is my free unlock code instead of having to pay someone else to get it for me?
Post a comment below and let me hear your stories. I know they are out there cause I have found others with similar stories like mine.
At the time of this post I have sent a copy of this to T-Mobile for comment but have not heard anything yet. If they do comment I will update this post.
6 comments » | 140, Ask the readers, Editorials, General, Top News, Windows Phone
How is Apple ‘considering’ new screen sizes news any more?
I can’t believe these link bait crap stories are still circulating. How long have we been hearing about a larger sized iPhone? At least two years now, right? And everyone is going nuts because of this Reuters article. What’ factual matters are in it? “Apple Inc is exploring launching iPhones with bigger screens, as well as cheaper models in a range of colours, over the next year, said four people with knowledge of the matter, as it takes a cue from rival Samsung Electronics. The moves, which are still under discussion…” Did anyone doubt that Apple was discussing this as a possibility? This was true yesterday…last month…last year…probably since it launched in fact. This isn’t news.
It’s somewhat pathetic that every time there’s a headline about this that everyone flocks to it and encourages sites to go further down the rabbit hole. And when it doesn’t get announced that doesn’t change the noise – it just pushes back the fictitious date of when it will be released.
We need more stories about vaporware apparently…
3 comments » | iPhone
Are You Actually Still Sold on Snowden?
Snowden just surfaced with statements to the South China Morning Post, claiming Snowden has documents implicating the US government in a cyber warfare offensive against both Hong Kong and mainland China, among other nations, including private citizens, universities, their government officials, pretty much everyone there and in the world due to our “hacking network backbones – like huge Internet routers that give us access to the communications of thousands of computers without having to hack every single one.” Snowden clarified his intentions of picking China as his vacation spot: “I am not here to hide from justice; I am here to reveal criminality.” “I have had many opportunities to flee Hong Kong, but I would rather stay and fight the United States government in the courts, because I have faith in [China and] Hong Kong’s rule of law.”
So, Snowden is apparently not in Ecuador or Iceland but because he is a Chinese sympathizer, a nation with whom he has unfinished business, he’s turning himself into a pop icon in China and is gaining support, he sees his interests as congruent to those of the Chinese, and is acting in a manner one would in his shoes to curry favor with the Chinese and at the expense of the US, bit by bit to the media, fast enough to keep the world’s attention but slow enough to make the moment last, like Wikileaks. He claims to the Chinese that he has documents supporting allegations. Maybe he has a couple more documents. He is not done releasing damaging information to the people who just stole our top secret weapons blueprints and gave more money, food and oil to that nation that looks forward to nuking us. Snowden is escalating, he’s like a firehose someone dropped that’s spitting out information and flapping wildly and dangerously everywhere. So let’s put a kink in that hose, if you know what I mean.
I get that most of you like the notion of him revealing to the world what he has revealed, you want everything’s he got left and admire him for doing it at such great expense. I know that some of you would like, in light of his revelations, everyone in high office cleared out and replaced, or perhaps the tough-minded among you (if I’m indeed the one who is weak-minded here) would like our government overthrown altogether with Snowden appointed as our Truth Czar. Yes? That said, do you still want our government to do nothing while Snowden buddies up with the Chinese and releases more secrets? Do you not only trust him to reveal what you regard as benign secrets that just show us as hypocritical as we’d deserve to be shown, but do you also trust your own assessment of this sort of risk to our nation? C’mon.
Doug Simmons
2 comments » | Ask the readers, Editorials
We Should “Take” Snowden Now
As much as people who live there prefer not to admit it, Hong Kong is indeed China, especially in matters of national security and diplomacy. China has discretion over how much to involve itself in the affairs of Hong Kong. They generally keep their distance (with exception to some PRC military bases scattered across Hong Kong), but this situation is exotic, and Snowden surely does concern military and diplomatic interests of the Chinese. He may as well be in Beijing, hiking the Great Wall or checking out the Terracotta Warriors. Put yourself in the shoes of the Chinese government and think about it.
We’ve been having a rather difficult time getting along with the Chinese. We believe their government exercises massive coordinated cyber warfare against us, including stealing blueprints to our weapons systems, even our fancy fighters. They did something similar to the Australians. The Chinese, friends with our enemies, enjoy stealing digital secrets from us and other countries, and now they have this man in their lap, a treasure chest of secrets. Maybe I watched Homeland too much, but even if he is a patriot, looking at his Youtube clip, does he strike you like the guy who could resist a few sessions of Chinese water torture to keep quiet? Of course not.
I suspect the only thing protecting him, and therefore us, from being milked of useful classified information and hacking tips by the Chinese for interests that really do threaten us is that he’s very high-profile at the moment. Perhaps the Chinese see more value in diplomatic points to score for not capturing him, maybe being cooperative with us in an extradition, than shaking out more information from him. Or perhaps they’re just waiting, considering their options. Perhaps they’re handling him, perhaps they’ve tapped his phone and computer, perhaps they’ve subscribed to his Youtube channel, perhaps they already took him.
Maybe the Chinese believe Snowden is still doing a good job without their coercion damaging the US and furthering their own interests. How about that?
Even if he makes a dash to Iceland or Ecuador, maybe he made some friends in Hong Kong, maybe the Chinese turned him into a cooperative asset. Maybe he’s not a patriot at all. Maybe he’s impressionable, maybe his allegiance to a country interested in prosecuting him for treason is a bit pliable now. Maybe he packed a few NSA USB sticks with him before skipping town, insurance policies – why wouldn’t he. Maybe he’s unstable mentally. Maybe he created himself some sort of digital back door and continues to have access to the NSA. We really don’t know what he is, knows, intends or has – but he is most certainly a liability in the wind, especially conspicuously making Youtube videos in the Mandarin Oriental while getting high fives from Julian Assange. How can we risk not snatching him or otherwise mitigating the threat he poses immediately?
That more people are calling him a hero rather than a traitor on Twitter isn’t a good enough answer.
Doug Simmons
6 comments » | Editorials
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