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How to Paste Text on a Samsung Galaxy S3

How to Paste Text on a Samsung Galaxy S3

In a recent guide I showed you how to "copy on a Samsung Galaxy S3" it now makes sense to show you how to use the copied text to paste it in an e-mail, a text or even a forum post.

The first part is to go to the place where you want to past it. For this example I've decided to use an E-mail though you can genuinely use it pretty much that everywhere where you can find an input screen (the white screen you type into).

After finding where you want to post it you hold your finger in to the input
area (as you can see in the screenshot on the right). After holding your finger there for a second or two you will be given two options you can either "Paste" or "Clipboard". If you click "Paste" it will paste the last thing you selected to copy, if however you selected Clipboard you will be shown number of options from which to select.

As you can see in the image to the left you can select any of the items from the clipboard, this allows you, for example, to copy and paste several different things easily and when you want.



















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Connecting a Samsung Galaxy S3 Smartphone to Wifi

One of the greatest features of modern smartphones is the fact the phones can be connected to Wi-Fi effectively giving you unlimited internet on your phone. Whether you're at work, at home or in somewhere like a Café you tend to be able to get access to a Wi-Fi system somewhere. So it seems to make sense to do a guide to show you how to connect to a Wi-Fi system on a Samsung Galaxy S3.

Firstly you need to go to the phones home screen then press the menu button. This will open up a menu like the one in the screenshot on the left. From this menu you need to select the bottom option "Settings".

After clicking on "Settings" you will see a huge list of options allowing you to change almost anything to do with the phone. Rather than scrolling up and down all the options you need to click on the "Wi-Fi". You will then be told to "Turn on the Wi-Fi". To do this you need to drag the grey circle beside "Wi-Fi" across until it turns into a green block.

After turning on your Wi-Fi you again need to click "Wi-Fi" which should do an automatic scan of the area and give you a list of available Wi-Fi connections (as well as storing any you may have previously used). If the phone doesn't do an automatic scan you will need to to select scan from the bottom of the screen to prompt the phone into doing a scan.

Hopefully when you were doing your scan you found the connection that you
are wishing to use, in my case the connection is the "SKYE18EB" connection, then click on that connection. If the connection then requires a password you will need to enter the password (see the screen shot on the right) an then click "connect".

After clicking on connect the connection should authenticate (if you enter the correct password) and then obtain an IP Address. After this has been done you should be able to connect to that connection at will (as long as it's in range). With your Wi-Fi connected you will be able to surf the net, watch videos, use facebook/twitter and anything else you would want to do online, often with a faster connection than the one you'd have via mobile internet.

Note-This guide should work with pretty much all phones running Android 4.0.4.


See also

How to access the test menu on a Samsung Galaxy S3



Despite the Samsung Galaxy S3 being a brand new piece of kit which has only been out for a matter of months, some people will have had issues with it. Thankfully Samsung have given us, the users, a chance to test the various features of our phones via their in built "Test menu", a feature that allows us to check that pretty much every part of our phone works in the correct manner.


 To access the test menu on the Samsung Galaxy S3 you need to open "Phone" app and dial "*#0*#". As soon as you dial the second "#" you will be taken to the Test menu (see the screenshot on the right) which allows you to test many of the features of the phone (as you can see on the right hand side).

Whilst many of the tests are rather complex, or boring a few of them are very interesting and useful. For example the "Touch" test gives you a chance to test that the touch screen works thoroughly, in fact even allows you to "pass" the test.

Despite some of the test being useful, I am a little bit perplexed as to how the "Sensor" test manages to, once again, feature this rather horrifying dog (which was also used in the Samsung Galaxy S3 in a similar manner). Despite it's haunting eyes the dog seems to serve little real purpose.

Whilst I hope no one needs to test their Samsung Galaxy S3 I assume that many will. This allows users to check if the fault is a hardware fault (for example an area of the screen that might be dead) or just an app that isn't working properly, so make sure to test the phone via the menu before taking it to the store.

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How to open Excel files on phone or Tablet (Android)


Now there are lot of mobile phones, tablet PC are available in market, technology is increasing in day by day.now a days mobiles are just like a microcomputer. In this article help you to open excel files on your phone or Tablet (Android).



Documents to Go
  • Documents to Go is a android application which Supported file formats include .doc,. docx,. xls,. xlsx,. ppt,. pptx etc.
  •  Includes password protected Word and Excel
  • Google Docs Download, it can view and edit your files from Google Docs directly
  •  Supported languages : English, French, Japanese, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese,Turkish, Russian, Polish, Czech and Arabic and traditional and simplified Chinese.
  • Send & receive attachments via Gmail and other e-mail applications.
  • Very user friendly.
  • It includes rich formatting features like bold, italics, underline, font color, alignment, bulleted & numbered lists, tables, bookmarks, comments, footnotes, endnotes, track-changes, word count, find and replace, etc.
  • Sheet To Go offers powerful data computation with support for 111 functions, cell, number & sheet formatting, row & column preferences, auto-fit options, freeze panes, sort, cut, copy, paste, undo, redo, charting, etc.
  • Slideshow features is also included in it
  • PDF To Go provides high-fidelity viewing of important reference materials with options for page view, word wrap, auto-rotate, bookmarks, search, select and copy text, and more…
  • sync files to Computer via USB.
  • Total access with support for attachments, memory card support, password-protected files, built-in file browser, and new Live Folder for recently used documents

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The “Perfect Smartphone” Myth


Ok, so you’ve finally made the decision to get a new smartphone. Not unlike any other large purchase, choosing a smartphone that is perfect for you can be a daunting task, even for more knowledgeable consumers. “Should I go with an Android? Is iPhone really better? Or should I go with Windows Phone or BlackBerry?”
Today, everyone is looking for the best phone for them, many eagerly searching for the “perfect” phone. Remember when picking a new mobile phone was easy? Simply pick a carrier, choose a phone within your budget, and keep it moving. Now, consumers want a smartphone that is going to mesh well with their lifestyle, but also one that will not become obsolete within a week of purchase or when a new smartphone comes out.
While smartphones have come an extremely long way since their inception, the perfect phone still has not been built, and probably never will be. So what smartphone should you buy? The answer to that question is not an easy one as it varies, and is on a case by case basis. The “perfect phone” an individual chooses is entirely up to them and their wants and needs.
When purchasing a new smartphone, a few things to take into consideration are where you live, what you want to be able to do on it, and features you’ll need/want. Users should make sure their carrier is going to be able to provide a strong signal for service. Some areas may not be able receive the best signal for optimum performance, this will not make for a fast and pleasurable experience. It will quickly become frustrating not being able to use all of your new phone’s features after spending all that money simply because your signal is not strong or fast enough.
The differences in features and apps between the top two smartphone operating systems iPhone and Android is becoming negligible, so it will ultimately come down to individual preference there. The amount of available features and apps for download for both systems are about the same, with only a few OS specific ones. Windows Phone and BlackBerry on the other hand are far behind in available apps, but still have many features sought after and useful for users. Businesses prefer smartphones because they are easy to install simple smartphone monitoring software to compatible iPhone, Android, or Windows Mobile phones.
The choice of a new smartphone may not be as difficult for everyone as it is for others. Many users love their BlackBerry for its physical keyboard and excellent communication features, and wouldn’’t dare give it up for a touchscreen phone. Others love their Windows Phone for its unique interface, ease of use, and convenient productivity features. Some have even simplified their decision to whatever phone is the latest and greatest when their contract is up.
Saying “I want the perfect smartphone” may not be the best phrase for someone looking for a new phone. Instead, consumers need to first find out what they’re looking for in a new phone, and ask themselves “which smartphone will be best for me?” This way, no matter which one they choose, they will be happy with their purchase as it is perfect for them.

Source : mobile-spy

Forgotten iPhone Tricks and Tips


We use the iPhone all the time, there are many tips that could save us time that we forget about all the time. Whether a beginning iPhone user or a long-time iPhone fanatic, here a few tips that you may not know about that could enhance your iPhone experience.


Simple internet browsing in Safari
With the safari internet browser, it is easier to navigate websites than many give the browser credit for. Remember AOL keywords? Safari works similarly, it is called domain resolution. With domain resolution, you don’t need to waste seconds every time you type a web address. For instance, next time you want to visit a website on iPhone’s Safari browser, leave out the “www.” And the “.com” and you will still be able to view the site you were looking for. Just make sure Google is your default search engine and not Yahoo.
Forgotten iPhone Tricks and TipsSimilarly, another tip we seem to often forget is that we get options for the domain suffix (the part after the name of the site’s domain) by holding down the “.com” button. By sliding the finger to “.net, .edu or .org” keys we can quicly convey to the browser which site we’re interested in viewing.


Fast-forward or rewind music and videos.

The standard screen for playing music or videos includes three buttons at the bottom: skip back, pause, and skip forward. To rewind or fast-forward, simply hold down one of the skip buttons in the direction that you would like to go. Also, pressing the album art on a music track is another way to fast-forward or rewind on the iPhone.

Home button tricks
Many may not be aware that the home button is used for more than returning to the home screen or waking the iPhone up from sleep. Actually, there are a few things you can do by double clicking the home button.
If the phone is sleeping or is locked, double-tapping the home button will allow the user to bring up the play, pause, skip, and volume iPod controls above the lock screen. By going to Settings -> General -> Home Button one should see a menu with three options for double-clicking the Home Button: Go to Phone Favorites (favorite contacts), iPod controls, or bring up the home screen. This is helpful because if iPod controls are requested while running any app, the app is not interrupted, the iPod Controls are simply brought to the foreground for manipulation.
Saving Images
I caught someone trying to capture images in their email, and their inefficient method just begged for this obvious solution. When capturing images, some will capture a screenshot, then open the image in an editor to crop out unwanted imagery. Instead, simply touch and hold an image in Safari or in Mail, and an action sheet will pop up asking if the image should be saved.
In conclusion
While these tips and tricks are not entirely unknown, they are easily overlooked and could be costing us precious time daily. Some will find this list rather remedial, but there may be something here that hasn’t been looked at for some time. Hope this helps. If not, then congratulations on being an expert iPhone user!

Source : mobile-spy.com

Android this week: So I bought a Galaxy Note 2…

So I broke down and ordered a Galaxy Note 2 from overseas. Why spend the money when I have a Galaxy Nexus phone and Nexus 7 tablet? A video demo shows how Samsung is further bridging the mobile and traditional computing space and I bought in.
android-this-week
Regular readers of this weekly column know that I typically recap interesting Google Android news from the prior week. Occasionally, I make an exception to cover one specific Android item, and today, I’m doing just that. Why? I ordered a Galaxy Note 2 from overseas on Sunday morning and it should arrive within the week.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in greyThe new phone cost me a pretty penny – £449.98 ($727 US) delivered from the UK to the U.S.  – but I tend to buy unlocked devices off contract. I have an invitation to a Samsung press event in late October, which is likely to be the U.S. launch of the Galaxy Note 2 and if I were to buy one at full price from a US carrier, it would likely cost nearly as much anyway.
I certainly don’t need another smartphone — I currently use a Galaxy Nexus with a $45 a month Straight Talk SIM — but the idea of a device with a mix of phone and tablet form factors is intriguing to me. The original Galaxy Note did as well, but I didn’t feel it was enough of a change from my Galaxy Nexus to spend the money. This time around, I feel differently in terms of the form factor, hardware and Samsung’s updated TouchWiz software with more functionality for the included digital pen.
In fact, after watching this video demonstration, it hit me that Samsung is really blending mobile and desktop use-cases like never before and I decided to take the plunge:
A few examples from the demo illustrate what I’m talking about:
  • The new S-Pen and dual digitizer add a new hover view, similar to functionality provided by a mouse cursor on traditional computers. I originally thought this was gimmicky, but the video shows some smart uses. Hover over a calendar event and you get the details without the phone opening a completely new screen, for example.
  • The new multitasking feature that shows two apps on the screen at the same time reduces home button presses and app switching. Until recently, our smartphones and tablets have been single app at a time devices; that changes on the Galaxy Note 2 and previously, the Galaxy Note 10.1. Granted, only certain apps support this feature for now. Still, I see productivity potential here.
  • Related to the two apps on a screen simultaneously is the dock-like app launcher around the 2:07 mark in the video. There’s no need to tap a hardware button and scroll through pages of apps — our traditional smartphone user interface — when you can customize a floating dock and tap or drag an app for usage.
Galaxy Note 2 dimensionsI like that Samsung slimmed the width as compared to the original Galaxy Note. I found that device a smidge too wide for my hand. And the S-Pen was to small for me to use comfortably; the new one is longer and has a more ergonomic design. Along with these changes that further bridge the gap between desktop and mobile computing, the hardware on the Galaxy Note 2 is impressive; possibly the best for any Android phone at the moment.
The 1.6 GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos chip paired with 2 GB of memory ought to make this device blazing fast and it should be helped by the performance improvements found in Android 4.1. The 5.5-inch display uses a 16:9 aspect ratio, making the Galaxy Note 2 look like an oversized Galaxy S III. Gone is the PenTile display in 1280 x 720 found on my Galaxy Nexus (which I find quite good); the Note 2 uses an HD Super AMOLED screen in the same resolution. Pixel density is down by comparison, but I suspect the lack of PenTile will offset any clarity loss. And while I’m fine with the 5 megapixel camera found on my Galaxy Nexus, I’m looking forward to the 8 megapixel sensor and improved camera software in the Galaxy Note 2.
I’ll very likely keep my Galaxy Nexus, mainly because it gets software updates directly from Google as soon as they’re ready. Heck, I kept, and still have, my old Nexus One, purchased in January of 2010 for the same reason. It’s possible however, that a 5.5-inch phone that doubles as a pseudo-tablet could replace my Nexus 7 tablet. That’s one of the many questions I’ll be looking to answer for myself as I review the new Galaxy Note 2. Stay tuned for a video look at the device when it arrives, which of course will be followed up by a full review!

Source : gigaom.com

Why Bloggers Say Android Antivirus Apps Are Useless

If you search “android antivirus” on Google you can find a lively debate on the necessity and efficacy of protecting your mobile phone from viruses with an antivirus app. We’re here with some good news: technically, viruses don’t exist on Android! A virus is a piece of software that can copy itself and automatically spread to other devices, and this kind of replication is not possible on the Android operating system. Thank goodness. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need an “antivirus” app.


The word virus has stuck in the popular lexicon as a common term for all malicious software. For most people, it’s simpler to use a generic term like “virus” rather than memorizing the nuances of a trojan, worm, rootkit, malware, adware or spyware. They’re all bad, and some types of malware do threaten Android devices. So if you see Lookout use terms like “cell phone virus” or “Android antivirus app,” it’s because that’s what people understand and search for when they want to protect themselves. In fact, Google Insights shows that people search much more often for “Android virus” than for “Android malware.” We’re not trying to mislead anyone here, we’re just trying to keep folks informed.





On Android and other mobile operating systems, users can unknowingly download malware-infected apps from an app store, the web, or even from email attachments. Once installed on your phone, Android malware can steal personal information, place charges on your mobile account, track your location and activity or hijack your phone. No, it can’t replicate itself and jump to another device – but you certainly don’t want it on your smartphone.


So yes, there is a growing amount of Android malware out there that you should avoid at all costs. (We even did a report about it.) The good news is that it doesn’t cost anything to avoid it – just download Lookout Android Security + Antivirus for free today. Lookout will immediately scan your Android smartphone or tablet for malware, and then examine every app you download from this day forward. The same free app can also back up your personal contacts and locate your phone on a map if it is lost or stolen. And we think that’s the opposite of useless.

Source : blog.lookout


How to hide folders and files on a Samsung Galaxy S3

In today's world we all have things we want to hide, be it dirty pictures or music we're ashamed of, thankfully if you have a Samsung Galaxy S3 your phone has an easy to use method of hiding files. Firstly we need to open up the "My Files" part of the phone, you might need to go through the Apps screen to find this app, which has a folder type icon.

In side the "My Files" app you will see a list of all the folders on your phone. At this screen press the phones "Menu" button to get the contextual menu. In the menu you will see a list of options (see the screenshot on the right) including "Create folder", click on that one.



After clicking on "Create folder" option you will be able to name the folder, make sure to start the folder's name with a ".", as you can see in the example on the left (where I've named the folder ".hidden"). The "." at the beginning of the name will hide the folder from the phones default visible folder list. You can move any files you want into a hidden folder to hide those files as well as the folders.

Despite being hidden by default you can make the phone show these folders allowing you to find the folders (and files inside them) with out too much hassle, but that's for a different guide...

Source : mobilephonetipsandtricks

How to delete icons from a homescreen on a Samsung Galaxy S3


 I recently showed you how to personalise your phone by moving the icons around on the home screens of your your Android Smartphone, specifically the Samsung Galaxy S3. Now I'll show you how to delete icons from your home screens allowing you to tidy up mistakes (i.e. having the same icons on home screens twice), get rid of icons for apps that you no longer use or just create some extra space.

For this example I will be deleting the "ESPN Cricinfo" incon that sits in the middle of the 4th home screen. I accidentally placed it on the same screen as an existing icon for the same app.

Firstly you need to select the icon you wish to delete. To do this you need to hold your finger on the icon for a few seconds until the screen looks like the image on the right with the icon you selected looking a little bit "ghostly".  After selecting the icon you will notice that the "Apps" icon from the bottom right hand corner has now turned into a bin with the word "Delete" underneath it.
You need to drag the icon from where it is down to the bin. After doing this the icon will be gone from the home screen, however the app will not be uninstalled from the phone and you will be able to replace it on the home screen easily if you wish, or if you delete the wrong icon by mistake.



Source : mobilephonetipsandtricks

Samsung Galaxy S2 secrets


Whilst using the Samsung Galaxy S2 you may want to know what secrets the phone has and what little tricks we have to play with. Whilst the Samsung Galaxy S2 has a number of widely known features which are covered in the manual it also has a lot of hidden secrets that we can take advantage of.

Firstly the “Zoom” feature for the browser and gallery.
This is a trick that is featured in the manual and often comes up on the screen when we open a number of programs. To use it you need to place a finger on either side of the screen then tilt the phone up and down. This is a new function and one that is useful for some though using the “pinch” method is generally just as easy and a little bit more  “natural” to users.

 
                                      Secondly is the “Print Screen” featureThis is a feature that has been carried over from some earlier Samsung's including the Samsung Wave. This is the method I get pictures for the site through and what you need to do is press the “menu” and the “lock” button at the same time. If you press them right the phone will vibrate then give a small message saying “Screen captured. Saved as image file.” These files will be stored in a folder called “ScreenCapture”.
 
The phone also had a shortcut to the "Task manager". The typical way of getting to the Task manager is through the application screen however if you hold down the "Home" button you get a list of the last few apps you've had open and an option to open the task manager. This saves a lot of time if you are wanting to find the task manager.The phone also has a secret search function that appears if you hold the menu button on the homescreen and acts much like the "search button" on other android phones. This is something that very cleverly allows Samsung to take off the much maligned "Search" button and yet also have a search function. Clever lot these Samsung folk.So some new things well...did you know that by using a tethered connection (guide here) you can actually use the phone as a Wi-Fi card allowing a computer without a Wi-Fi adapter to connect to a wireless hub inside your home!If you slide your finger along the notification bar (the bar that has the clock and the signal bars on) you can change the brightness of the phone. If you slide your finger to the right you will make the screen brighter if you scroll it to the left you will darken the screen.
 
We've also found that the Samsung Galaxy S2 has a secret test menu that allows you to check if you're phone is in perfect working order with tests ranging from the Proximity sensor to checking the vibration and accelerometer.And course we've also learned how to access that tricky to access 5.1. dolby surround sound now we've had a longer play with the phone. 
 

Samsung Galaxy S4 release date


Galaxy series is a great successful model from Samsung.Samsung galaxy s3 is the best phone on galaxy series. For those who like to buy latest model to line up, this post will help you to know when the next model will be here
All galaxy models release by Samsung are accepted by the users. So there is no doubt that the next model name should be Samsung galaxy s4. According to Korea times a Samsung representative said that  the Samsung galaxy s4 will be available on market after March 2013, it should be a advanced version of s3, and having great performance.



Previous version
Samsung Galaxy s
Samsung galaxy was announced by Samsung in march 2010.
Samsung Galaxy s2
The Samsung Galaxy S II is a smartphone running the Android operating system, that was announced by Samsung on 13 February 2011.
Samsung galaxy s3
Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean released on may 2012.
By considering the previous release. Once a year new model will launched

Source :vickyhertz.com

Nokia E7 s60 v5 panoramic wallpaper


Panoramic is a awesome application for nokia E7. It help you to create a panoramic wallpaper
.By using this application you can convert any image in to a panoramic mode,you can also have a continouse
wallpaper on your home screen.It gives a stylish panoramic mode to you image
This application divide a single image into three portion.Then these splitted images are then fix in different home screen

 



How to use this application
Step 1 : You need to first install the application
Step 2 : Open the application. Tap on “Select image”
Step 3 : choose either vertical or horizontal
Step 4 : then you get three different wallpapers
You have to add the wallpapers to each home screen. Click home screen by pressing the menu key then select tap Options then  Edit Home screen and tap Options  again then choose ‘wallpaper’ and choose ‘photo’. then tap on the first image out of 3 and then tap “Done”. You now need to add the other 2 images, so swipe your finger to get to the next home screen and repeat the those steps for home screen 2 and home screen 3.

download click here  

Source : vickyhertz.com

Trick to download torrent files via mobiles (All mobile phones)



For downloading junk files most peoples like to use torrent.We know that our technology is developing, now a days peoples are like to use internet via mobiles.Mobile with 3G are common these days so we get a good downloading speed.Now a days you can download torrent files via mobile phones. In this article i will give you some tips for all mobiles ( Nokia, Sony, Samsung, LG…) to download torrent files.
How to download torrent via Java mobiles
Lot of peoples are using java supported mobiles because it is very cheep, Mainly Nokia S40 series.Mobtorrent is a small java application which help you to download torrent files.
Download
How to download torrent files via Symbian mobiles
Symbian is an popular OS for mobiles, this OS is mainly used by Nokia.Mainly Nokia S60 series. Symtorrent is a Symbian application help you to download Torrent files via symbian mobile. It supports resume pause, stop, multiple download at same time.
Download
How to download torrent via Android mobiles
Android is a most popular OS for mobile phones. Lot of peoples are using android mobile.Transdiode is a android mobiles application which help to download torrent files via mobile phones
Download
How to download torrents via Windows mobiles
Wmtorrent is a popular application available for windows mobiles for downloading torrent files.
Download 

Source : vickyhertz

Why Android OS is better than Symbian OS



Android operating System  was developed by Google. It is a Linux Based Operating system. It was developed mainly for Mobile phones, Tablet PC, micro computers.. etc. Now a days android become world’s leading Operating system for mobile phones, Due to its great features

FEATURES

Connectivity

  • Bluetooth
  • Wi-Fi
  • NFC
  • 3G/UMTS
  • GSM/EDGE

Multiple Language support

Messaging

  • SMS
  • MMS

Web browser

  • Web browser is just like a Desktop Browser

Java Supports

  • Run java applications

Media Supports

  • MP3
  • MP4
  • AVI
  • MPEG-4
  • AMR
  • JPEG
  • ACC
  • WAV
  • ICO

Multitasking

  • Run multiple application simultaneously
  • Handling of memory

Security


Advantages
  • Speed
Android OS provides better speed . If we use multiple application at same time It do not fail to perform good
  • Security
Android Operating system is highly protected due to its security system. If we want to access internet we want to give our Gmail id, Protect from virus, It do not access any virus program
  • Availability of application
It is the main advantage because android provides many application for fun and also for official use. Google plays Store developers developed many many applications.
  • Cheap Cost
Now android phones are available in cheap price so the publicity of android is very high comparing with apple, iPhone, Windows mobiles..etc.
  • Less operating system error
It do not have  software issues comparing with Symbian Operation System

SYMBIAN

Symbian Operating system was developed by Nokia. The operating system is mainly used for mobile phones. On the time of 1997′s Symbian Operating System is very popular, Because of mobile phone with multitasking was introduced on mobiles. On that time there is no competition, so the performance of  Symbian is not good, It is affected by virus bug , lot of firmware issues etc..But now a days they increase the security, performance, speed etc.. Now they introduced two updates Symbian Anna, Symbian Belle. This is better than old Symbian.But Nokia can’t defeat Android due to these reasons
  • Android is most faster then Symbian
  • Android has less firmware issue
  • Android is more secure then Symbian
  • Android is more user friendly than Symbian
  • Android can use both for fun and also official use
Android has lot of advantages and performance, it can’t provide good battery back up. Battery consumption is very high, this is the main drawback of android Operating system. If Developers can solve this problem then android will become most powerful Operating system for Smartphone.

Source : vickyhertz.com

A Guaranteed Method to Update samsung Android Device




To improve the performance of your device you have to update your device.Now a days android is very popular. Android is always up to date. aneroid release lot of updates frequently.By updating your device you can
  • Improve Performance of your Device
  • Get lot of features
  • Get lot of application
  • Improve security
  • Reduce software error
In this tutorial i will help you to update your Samsung android device
Tools required
  • Android Phone
  •  USB cable
  • Samsung Kies software Click here
  • Internet connection
  • Computer
First you have to Install Samsung Kies Software on your computer. It take some time, After installation is finished restart your computer.Then close all running application on your android device. Connect your device to your computer via USB. Computer will automatically recognizance immediately.
When the mobile is connected on your computer Samsung Kies Application will search for updates automatically if the computer it is running on is connected to the Internet.

I recommenced you to stop this process, Before going to update you have to export your phone’s settings and data to the computer
Click Import/Export on Samsung kies. then click export. You can backup contacts, photos, music, videos…etc

After Backup click on Firmware update

Do not remove USB while updating. Your device may restart several times during update process. After updating you can import your backup dates to Mobile Phone

How to choose\Buy a best Mobile Phone



There are lot of mobile phones available in store, lot of brands, lot of models. But we are confused while choose a better one. Why we are confusing? The reason is that if we brought a mobile phone we feel bad because it doesn’t meet with our imagination . From our frame of reference each mobile phones has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some people are more likely to buy a mobile phone having good camera Quality, affordable price, Operating system..etc.In this article i am giving few Tips to reduce your confusion to choose a better one which meets your needs.
  • Purpose of use
  • Quality
  • Operating system
  • Fetch Information
  • Price
  • Purpose of use
Before going to buy a mobile you have to thin ‘Purpose of use’, If you are a busy man, then time is valuable huh . then you should buy a mobile phone which having better battery back up and talk time. If you are a business man then you have to buy a mobile having better official features.
  • Quality

Quality is a impotent thing. There are lot of brands, some brands are very popular like Nokia, Sony, Samsung,LG..etc. and some other low class brands are also available. Many people goes for low class brands. Because they will sell mobile phones having lot of features in low price.Those mobiles can’t give good result
For eg :- If you brought a low class mobile which having 10 megapixel camera, But never get good quality of image
Next thing is that, life of those mobiles are very less. Some mobiles may affect your health Due to powerful radiation. So try to avoid low class brand mobile phones.
  • Operating system
Select a mobile which having a friendly Operating system, that should meet your needs. Now a days people are confuse to select a operating system. If you want a mobile phone having lot of application, games, fun. then a android mobile is better,Symbian Operating system, windows OS are also good.But android mobiles have less battery back up.
  • Price
If you don’t have enough money to buy a mobile phone which will meets your needs then you have to wait and make enough money. Many of them fail in this. Due to this reason people goes for low class brand mobile phones and loose all pinnies


Source : vickyhertz.com

Windows 7 for Android mobile phones



Android is a great OS for mobile phones, now a days peoples are also interested in windows7 too. Do you know how to make your android device look like windows 7. In this article i will give you some information about a Windows Phone 7 style launcher for Android.Unlike other windows Phone 7 style launcher this allows you a lot of customizable settings. So this application is very user friendly.It is a recommended application for android users
supports
  • Animated contacts tile! (still work in progress)
  • configurable animation parameters (soon)
  • folders (in donate version now)
  • clock tile of sorts
  • more animated tiles
  • Facebook integration
  • 2 x 1 tiles
  • Original Windows Phone 7 backgrounds!
  • Freely configurable tile colors
  • Launcher options are available from Application List (press menu in app list)
  • Layout animations
Changelog
Version 1.1.12
  • contacts tile now flips instead of fading
  • 12.3: L7 is now launchable like ordinary application
Version 1.1.11
  • backup and restore updated
  • backup format changed, old backups no longer work
  • search button can be removed (L7 settings->application drawer->hide search button)
  • search view now displays wallpaper
  • updating cache displays progress bar
  • android style drawer now follows transparent icons setting
Version 1.1.9
  • removed one unused bitmap per application from icon cache (should slightly help with memory issues)
  • removed one expensive graphics call from render loop (should give tiny bit more smoothness)
  • app drawer icons now have background enabled, to disable it go to L7 settings -> Application drawer -> Transparent icons
  • fixed crash when selecting application
  • fixed issue where tile modify didn’t change app icon
Version 1.1.8
  • built from donate version 1.1.8 codebase
  • picture hub & flipping mail tile added
  •  smaller tiles for greater performance (and more authentic look)
  •  new fly animation (old one is gone, there won’t be option to resurrect it, you might want to adjust anim speed to ~350ms)
  • proper landscape mode (note: landscape has separate tiles from portrait mode)
  • caching to improve startup speed
  • better scaling to qHD and HD screens
Version 1.0.1.20
  • contact tile photo loading has been reworked
  • possibly fixed crash in animated contacts tile
  • juice defender should no longer cause hang while unlocking the phone
  • fixed issue where unpinned tile space was not reclaimed correctly
  • when adding new widget you can choose “real widget views”, which will give greatly more interactive widget experience
  • existing widgets are unchanged
Version 1.0.1.17
  • if launcher crashes it will now attempt to resign from being default launcher (just to make sure you won’t end up with unbootable phone)
  • out of memory errors now attempt to show message on screen before crashing. If that happens you must start reducing memory usage (use smaller bitmaps, less tiles etc.)
Permissions
  • READ GMAIL – gmail tile (2.2+2.1)
  • READ CALENDAR – calendar tile
  • WRITE EXTERNAL_STORAGE – backup/restore
  • CHANGE NETWORK STATE – statusbar
  • READ PHONE STATE – statusbar
  • ACCESS NETWORK STATE – statusbar
  • ACCESS WIFI STATE – statusbar
  • EXPAND STATUS_BAR -statusbar
  • READ SMS  SMS tile
  • READ CONTACTS – contacts tile
  • INTERNET  ads <3
  • GET ACCOUNTS – calendar tile


Download : Click here to go application page


Source : vickyhertz

HTC One S for T-Mobile USA getting Android 4.0.4


T-Mobile users who own the HTC One S have woken up to a software upgrade today as the US carrier is reportedly pushing out an upgrade to Android 4.0.4. There is a very long list of improvements and bug fixes to be had that no one should have qualms with. Take a look:

Improvements
According to T-Mobile the update is 150MB large, and you’ll have to be on an unrooted, stock build of 1.53.531.76 710RD or 1.84.531.2 710RD to receive it. As always, you’ll want to charge your phone until it’s above 50% before you decide to accept the upgrade, and it’s always a good idea to turn WiFi on. Read on for the full update instructions.
Download update from HTC
You may request the update from the update servers, even if you have not received the Over the Air (OTA) update. To download or check for updates, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, press the Application key.
  2. Touch Settings.
  3. Touch About phone.
  4. Touch Software updates.
  5. Touch Check now.
  6. Follow the on-screen prompts.
  7. Wait as your phone restarts and updates.

Download Over the Air (OTA) software update
After receiving a notification that you received the OTA update, you may download it. To download, follow these steps:

  1. You will receive this notification message when the update is available for you:“This software update includes devices improvements for your HTC One S. It won’t delete any of your content and the download is expected to take 10 to 15 minutes, but could take longer.
    “You will not be able to use your phone or make emergency calls during the upgrade. Please do not turn off your phone during the upgrade.”
  2. From the message Notification Screen, touch Download.
  3. Touch Install Now.
  4. Wait as your phone restarts and updates.

Source : phandroid

Android Vulnerability Could Lead Your Phone to Be Wiped If You Visit a Malicious Website


It’s been reported earlier on the Internet that a vulnerability on Samsung-made Android devices with the TouchWiz UI could lead those phones to be wiped–or in geek terms, hard reseted–if they visit a website with malicious HTML code. However, later reports say that the vulnerability isn’t just limited to Samsung phones or devices using the company’s TouchWiz UI, and instead the vulnerability affects Android in general.
android-virus


According to the latest report on GizmodoAndroid users who visit a webpage with the code ”tel:*2767*3855%23″ in an HTML frame would have their Android smartphones wiped. Essentially, the code prompts the phone to dial the specific codes and the phone will subsequently undergo a hard reset, wiping all content, data, apps, or downloads stored on the phone.
As always, it is best to not visit an unknown or foreign website on your computer or on your smartphone. As the popularity of smartphones grow, there will be more malicious attacks on smartphone users, either to steal information or make owner’s lives more difficult like wiping the data off of a smartphone in this case.
Samsung is reported to be aware of this issue for a few months now and a new firmware update for the Galaxy S III flagship (number 4.0.4) addresses and patches this vulnerability.
In addition to Samsung Galaxy S III smartphones, the vulnerability was also present on the HTC One X and the Motorola Defy suggesting that problem may be Android-wide and not limited to Samsung Android devices as previously reported.

How to prevent hackers from wiping your Android phone with a single link Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/android/how-to-protect-yourself-from-androids-dirty-ussd-vulnerability/#ixzz27k6qWZkF


Galaxy S III Top Screen
Android's "dirty USSD" exploit allows hackers to wipe your entire phone, and all you have to do is click the wrong link. Here's how it works, and how you can protect yourself.

The Android ecosystem got a jolt yesterday with the revelation that simple links — something you might merely open online — could trigger a complete wipe of some Android devices. Researcher Ravi Borgaonkar revealed the exploit, and (of course) the device that got all the attention was the top-selling Samsung Galaxy S III. Samsung has already issued a patch for the vulnerability. But it turns out lots of other Android phones are apparently vulnerable to the same exploit. The root of the problem lies in the standard Android dialer; even though Google patched the problem months ago, that fix may not have made it out to current Android devices, and many will never will receive it.
There’s cause for concern, but not outright panic. Here’s how the exploit works, and some tips for how Android users can protect themselves.

What’s USSD?

The new Android exploit relies on a protocol built into most phones called USSD, or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. Think of USSD a bit like a text-messaging protocol, but instead of being used to transmit short messages between phone users, it’s intended to let both device makers and mobile carriers build add-on services for their phones and network. Like text messages, USSD messages are short (up to 182 characters), but unlike text messages, they can actually open a two-way network connection between a device and a network endpoint, so they’re more responsive than SMS messages and can be used for real-time interactive services.
Folks who rely on pre-paid phone services have probably used USSD services to check their remaining prepaid balance. For instance, T-Mobile pre-paid users dial #999# to see their balance. That’s USSD. However, USSD can support more sophisticated applications like mobile payment services — in fact, that’s one reason some developing nations are further along with mobile payments than North America and Europe. Other services have built social networking functions for Twitter, Facebook, and other social-networking services, although those are typically only seen on feature phones in emerging markets.
USSD is implemented in GSM phones (the standard users by carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile), but that does not mean you’re off the hook if you use a phone with a CDMA operator like Verizon or Sprint. Many USSD codes trigger actions on the local device and do not require a mobile operator that supports USSD. Many phones built for CDMA networks will respond to those codes.
USSD is, by definition, unstructured, which means phones don’t support the same sets of USSD codes. Different manufacturers and mobile operators have largely followed their own instincts on how they develop USSD features and services. A USSD code that does one thing on a Nokia phone may do something else entirely on an LG phone — or nothing at all. However, one commonly-used code is *#06#, which often displays a device’s unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number.

Tel: me a story

Ravi Borgaonkar (USSD vulnerability, Samsung)
USSD is nothing new, and isn’t some new threat to Android. What Ravi Borgaonkar demonstrated was a stunningly simple combination of USSD codes with the “tel:” URL protocol. You’ve seen URL protocols in things like Web links and email addresses — those are http: and mailto:, respectively. However, there are hundreds of other URL protocols.
The tel: protocol enables users to dial a telephone number from a Web browser: tel:555-1212 should connect most Americans to nationwide directory assistance, for example. Borgaonkar’s demonstration combined the tel: URL scheme with a particular USSD code that — you guessed it — can perform a factory reset of some Android devices. Borgaonkar dubbed this factory reset USSD the “Samsung tragedy,” in part because Samsung’s implementation of its wipe command involves no user interaction. Some other devices have similar factory reset commands, but at least require manual confirmation from the user.
In theory, all an attacker would need to do is embed a malicious URL in a website, and any vulnerable device that loads that page would be reset to factory defaults. (In some cases, this even includes wiping out the SIM card.)
It’s tempting to think this is just a vulnerability with a phone’s built-in browser, but in Android’s case it’s really in the default Android dialer: Borgaonkar also demonstrated ways to execute the USSD reset using QR Codes, WAP Push SMS messages, and (in the case of the Galaxy S III) even via NFC. There’s no need to get a browser involved. Any app that can dial a number on an Android phone can potentially trigger a USSD command.

Not the end of the world?

The vulnerability might seem pretty dire, but Hendrik Pilz and Andreas Marx at independent German security firm firm AV-TEST note the vulnerability probably isn’t very appealing to cybercriminals.
“We think that the majority of malware writers might not be interested in exploiting the vulnerability, as it won’t make sense to wipe a phone or lock out users,” they said in a statement via email. “Malware tries to stay silent on your system, so your mobile device can be used for some kind of malicious, possibly criminal activities. This will only work with running and working systems.”

Is your phone vulnerable?

Sony Xperia P review side by side samsung galaxy s3 android phone
So far, only selected Samsung phones have been demonstrated to have a USSD code that performs a factory reset. However, that doesn’t mean phones from other vendors don’t have similar codes that attackers could use to wipe phones, cause data loss, or potentially even sign users up for expensive services. That, after all, is a favorite pastime of Android malware authors.
Unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire way to determine if an Android phone is vulnerable to a USSD-based attack, but users can check if their dialers are vulnerable.
The following devices have been confirmed to be vulnerable to dialing USSD codes from a Web page:
  • HTC Desire HD
  • HTC Desire Z
  • HTC Legend
  • HTC One W
  • HTC One X
  • HTC Sensation (XE) (running Android 4.0.3)
  • Huawei Ideos
  • Motorola Atrix 4G
  • Motorola Milestone
  • Motorola Razr (running Android 2.3.6)
  • Samsung Galaxy Ace, Beam and S Advance
  • Samsung Galaxy S2
  • Samsung Galaxy S3 (running Android 4.0.4)
Again, this does not mean all these devices can be wiped via USSD. So far, only selected Samsung phones have been confirmed to be wipeable via a USSD command. Many other devices may dial USSD commands — and there are even reports some devices running Symbian and Samsung’s bada operating system will dial USSD commands using tel: URLs.
Borgaonkar offered a test page that uses an iframe to try to convince a browser to dial a USSD code — in this case, the *#06# that displays a device’s IMEI number:
http://www.isk.kth.se/~rbbo/testussd.html
Self-described geek Dylan Reeve also put together a quick test page that can reveal whether your Android dialer processes USSD codes, using the same *#06# USSD code:


Source : digitaltrends

Slow Rise to Glory: Meta Trader 5 – Android App

Meta Trader 5 (MT5) was recently released in the middle of 2012 and gained a great deal of popularity straight away as users of its previous incarnation, Meta Trader 4, started to switch. This app is useful to foreign exchange traders. It contains charting software and the ability to open and close bids on the go. The MT5 app is available now in the android market place - however, even today not all brokers have switched to using the new MT5 so its popularity is still rising.
Originally, the MT5 was sent into beta testing all the way back in 2010, so it’s a long awaited app that’s been in production for a very long time. With so many features, including strategy testing, one-click trading, all the different charts and analysis tools, and the MQL5 programming language, it’s no surprise that it took so long to perfect.
With a better interface and a sleeker look initial reviews were generally good and actively promoted the MT5 app. Brokers have been slow to take it up as their mobile software program of choice, as already mentioned, but one major broker called Alpari were one of the first to integrate Metatrader 5 into their trading platform as an Android app. This encouraged some other brokers to follow suit and take up the app as well. This caused the popularity levels of the MT5 to rise up again.
What encourages people to take up this app instead of the tried and tested MT4, though?
Well the fact that it’s many more analysis tools than the MT4 is a major consideration. Whilst it’s not really an attraction for those who rely almost solely on fundamental analysis to make their decisions, it’s a big boon for fans of technical analysis. Furthermore, the fact that the new MQL5 language makes it easier to deal with EAs is an additional benefit. Now optimising new automated trading programs can take minutes, instead of the days it tends to take when utilising MT4.
Where to get the App: You can download the MT5 android app from MetaQuotes or the android marketplace. Little Tip: Register with Alpari or a similar broker (that uses the MT5 mobile platform facility) to create a demo account using the brokers’ server technology. This enables you to dummy trade on the live financial market and gives you an opportunity to check out the connection speed on your android mobile device.

Source : androidphoneworld

Shopping Smart for Android Apps


Finding Android apps for your smartphone or tablet feels like browsing an ordinary download directory website where there are simply far too many applications to choose from. Fortunately, Google Play offers plenty of features that can help you shop smarter so you can get the best apps for android without spending so much. Keep these tips in mind when browsing Google Play.
Watch a Video of the App in Action
There are a lot of developers that spend a good amount of their resources in making the application presentable. This includes making several screenshots of the application and possibly a video demonstration. It is best to watch a video demonstration of the app before you buy or download the app because you can see exactly what the app does without reading the description. At the same time, you can learn immediately how the average user can use the app.
Try Free or Trial Versions First
Some of the negative reviews on certain applications are posted by people that weren’t able to get the app to work properly on their device. After installing a paid app, you have very little time to request a refund so it is much safer to try out a free or trial version so you can evaluate the features and determine if the app is stable enough for your standards.
Read the User Reviews
If you are too afraid to install the app because of advertisements and spyware, you can always read the user reviews and find out if other people have any problems with the app. When reading the user reviews, make sure that the reviews talk about the latest version of the app. Some developers continue to improve their apps based on past feedback so all those old 1 or 2-star reviews might be irrelevant now. Still, you should check out the most recent bad reviews anyway because they highlight certain flaws that could be a deal breaker for not purchasing the app.
Check the Trending Apps Section
The “Trending” apps section in the Google Play Store is a great section to find out which apps are getting a lot of buzz at the moment. This section not only helps you find some of the newest apps that are rising in popularity but also some apps that have been around for quite some time but are currently cheaper thanks to a promo.
If you are in doubt regarding a certain app, you are always free to do some research outside of Google Play so you can run into other sites that may talk about the app. DemonSys.com apps reviews is a great choice, this tech site is daily updated with the latest industry news.

Source : concordiba

Windows Phone 8: Lost in the Mobile Device Management Noise?


As Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) prepares to launch Windows Phone 8, many MSP software providers are taking a wait-and-see attitude to supporting the new smartphone operating system. Without making any broad proclamations, it’s clear many RMM (remote monitoring and management) software companies are focused only on Apple iOS and Google Android mobile device management. But there are some exceptions to that rule.
Generally speaking, Nokia and other smartphone makers will need to sell millions of Windows Phone 8 devices (such as the Lumia 820 and 920 smartphones) before most RMM companies shift development resources onto Windows Phone 8 MDM support. Android and Apple devices together command 85 percent of the worldwide smartphone , according to International Data Corp. (IDC).
Still, a few MSP-centric software companies have Windows Phone 8 on their radar. Sources say Level Platforms plans to support Apple iOS, Google Android, RIM BlackBerry and Windows Phone 8 — across the board — for the long haul. And Microsoft’s own Windows Intune service will support Phone 8.
But I’m not hearing much about Windows Phone 8 support from other RMM software providers. MDM chatter is dominating this week’s GFI Max user conference in New Orleans, where roughly 200 MSPs have gathered. GFI announced plans to support Android, iOS  and BlackBerry devices in 2013, but there was no mention of Windows Phone 8. (Got updates from other sources? Post a comment or email me you tip, joe [at] NineLivesMediaInc [dot] com).
During Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in July 2012, the software giant said Windows Phone 8 would gain a critical mass of application developer support. Perhaps the pure-play MDM software companies heard the message. But I don’t think RMM software companies are all that interested in the new mobile operating system — at least not yet.
Side note: Don’t confuse Windows Phone 8 MDM with Windows 8 tablet, notebook and PC management. I suspect all RMM software platforms will support those Windows 8 devices either this year or in early 2013.

Source : mspmentor

Android Mobile Phone – Created a Whirl in the Industry!


Mobile technology has educated the world in some or the other way. The rat race in this technology has always been very beneficial for human beings.
People are now swooning over Mobile Androids. Tasting the sure shot success and versatility, these android mobile phones are fascinating a larger crowd. Right from house wives to company corporate and from students to senior citizens, everybody likes these mobile phones.
Android, being open source smart phone has innumerable features within to offer end users and application developers as well. It is intellectual challenge and growth also for the application developers. Accepting these challenges, resolving them vehemently has become the path of progress for these application developers.
Android Mobile Phone – Created a Whirl in the Industry!
The next generation android mobile phones consist of videos, music, shopping, online banking, and even bill payment, social net working etc. The increasing demand has thrown more challenges on application developers.  Fastest telecom service and reasonable price are another ‘down to earth’ concept of these android mobile phones.  Android has been providing the hardware needs of GPS, 3G, and standard camera functions to make your mobile phones smarter


The recent rage is android tablet that is sleek, elegant and stylish. High affordability is its magnetic feature.  Even students can afford and feel proud that they are carrying the ‘world’ along with them.
Android Mobile AppsBusinessmen can keep track of their business from any corner of the world, and also attend business meetings through video conferencing. Even home makers are happy with those features like shopping complexes, beauty parlors and restaurants etc. Thus the tablet has satisfied the different segments of society elegantly.
Exclusiveness is looked the essence of this android mobile phone.  Android devices are available with any wireless provider. It provides much more flexibility to all those developers. Innumerable applications are in the market catching the mass. Mostly these android mobile phones are compatible with other devices.
Kaushalam has a team of Android developers who cater to the needs of clients across the world. The team has a pool of talents that works like clock monster for meeting the time deadline. Accepting challenges, completing them to the clients satisfaction with value added service is the essence of Kaushalam.

Source : Kaushalam

iPoker Room WinPoker Launches with iPad, Android Support

WinPoker offers mobile support for iPokerWinPoker, a new skin on the iPoker Network officially launching this week, will debut with a unique feature: support for mobile devices.
iPoker does not currently have a mobile client. Some skins offer an “instant play” flash-based client which can be used to connect from Android devices but there is no iPhone or iPad support. Although a recent license agreement hinted that a mobile app was in the works, an official release could be a long way off.
WinPoker.com has developed a novel approach to the problem: Rather than develop a native app in-house, it takes poker “to the cloud.” Mobile visitors are prompted to install the independent PocketCloud app, a free remote desktop application, much like popular screen-sharing application Teamviewer.
Meanwhile, In-house software from Winpoker loads up individual virtual servers that run the iPoker client and offers access through screen-sharing. The result: your own virtual machine to access a native iPoker client through the cloud.
Pokerfuse had a short test-run of the mobile application on a Android Nexus 7” and Galaxy Tab 10.1”. The app installation was smooth and the remote desktop access was straight-forward and ran fast across a wifi network.
The upside to this approach is you have the familiar iPoker client, with all the features of the desktop client; potentially even saving hand histories and copying them off the virtual machine. The downside is that Winpoker’s skin is constrained to the design of the desktop client: there is no optimization for touch controls, meaning moving around tables, using bet sliders and typing in bet amounts is tricky, particularly on the smaller screen sizes. Playing one table was possible but multi-tabling would be challenging.
Mobile access will launch in beta, and only customers with a $200 balance or greater will have access in order to limit the roll-out. The client works on all iOS and Android devices, including iPhone, iPod Touch and Android mobile phone, although WinPoker advises that the app is best for screens 7” or larger.
In a former life WinPoker.com was Davidpoker.com, which tried to rebrand as winpoker.com in early 2011 but shut down prior to relaunch with a debt to its players. New owners purchased the assets of winpoker.com and the player base (and debts) of davidpoker.com, repaid players, and has been operating in stealth mode since early 2012.


Source : pokerfuse

Say Hello to Gifts, Facebook’s New Mobile Revenue Stream

Facebook on Thursday unveiled Gifts, the company’s major initiative into the world of social gift giving and e-commerce.
It’s exactly what it sounds like. Users can choose, mail and pay for real-world, physical gifts — not the lame virtual ones Facebook offered a few years ago — to send to one another, all completely inside of Facebook. They’re tied to the significant event reminders that pop up on occasion — say, a friend’s anniversary, or a birthday. Or even better for Facebook, users can also just buy gifts for others for the heck of it.
It’s a major undertaking for Facebook, tackling an entire new segment of online commerce and adding a brand new revenue stream to its business. And to a degree, we’ve known it was coming for some time — after all, on the same day Facebook went public, it acquired Karma, the social gifting application upon which all of Gifts is based and built.
Perhaps more significant, however, is that users aren’t limited to just the desktop to send and receive gifts; the entire Gifts program is accessible on mobile phones.
“This is truly the heart and soul of Karma, re-imagined inside of Facebook,” Lee Linden, head of Facebook Gifts, told me in an interview. “And it all works perfectly on the phone.”
This is crucial. Since the company first filed for its IPO, we’ve known that Facebook was weak on monetizing mobile. More than half of Facebook’s hundreds of millions of monthly active users access Facebook through a mobile device, signaling a massive shift away from the desktop in just the past few years. But mobile screens aren’t friendly to advertising, which is currently Facebook’s primary revenue driver.
Gifts, however, work just as well on Facebook’s apps and mobile Web site as they do on the desktop. Now, along with notes and photos, users can posts Gifts directly to their friends’ Timelines with the addition of a “Gift” button, squarely placed inside of the text box on each profile.
The selection of gifts is impressive. Facebook is starting strong, joining with over 100 retail partners at launch, from which users can choose gifts to send to others. The selection covers the expected gift-giving bases: Food and drink, fashion, home and kitchen and, yes, kids. So if you want to send, say, a teddy bear to your mom for her birthday, Facebook lets you choose from partner Gund’s selection of stuffed animals. What’s more, if your mom doesn’t like the white teddy bear you chose, she can swap it out for a brown one before it’s delivered.
Starbucks is far and away the biggest launch partner. Starbucks cards are the de facto gift for many on practically every occasion, and can come in relatively low-cost increments. My hunch is that Facebook hopes that users ramp up to gifting larger things by starting small, with users sending five-dollar gift cards all across their friend networks to jumpstart the entire Gifts ecosystem.
From there, users can send gifts to their friends, who will then receive a notification via phone and desktop that there is a present waiting. After the gift is received and accepted, the sender receives a notification in return (again, across both platforms).
The individual retailers handle all the shipping, while Facebook’s payments platform — the same one used for Facebook Games — handles the money-changing part.
Another key component of the process: Just like when you pay for Facebook Games, sending a gift requires that you give Facebook your credit card information. From there on out, Facebook has your credit card on file, streamlining and eliminating friction from the payments process in subsequent transactions. In a nutshell: Buy once, and it’s way easy to buy again.
And voila! In a matter of days, expect a package to show up on your friend’s doorstep (complete with a fancy Facebook card personalized by you, pictured above). Facebook’s online system tracks the process from gift selection to payment to delivery, so both gifter and giftee can keep tabs on the status of the package.
Right now, Facebook is rolling out the launch on a small scale before going wider: It’s live in select U.S. cities as of Thursday, and will roll out to more in the coming months. Additionally, it’ll spread virally as its use widens — once a user sends a gift, the giftee can then start sending gifts to others. (Sort of a Google, Gmail-type roll-out.)
Gifts will first be available on Android devices, the mobile Web and of course desktop, with a wider roll-out to iOS devices in a few weeks.
Facebook obviously has lots of competition in the e-commerce space; Amazon and eBay already dominate, not to mention existing gifting apps like Wrapp and Boomerang. But Facebook’s scale, engagement and the prominent placement of the new Gifting option makes the company a strong contender in the area.
And really, while the e-commerce competition is obviously important to consider, Facebook’s really tough nut to crack is still mobile. The company is slowly rolling out new ad products aimed at mobile devices, but it’s far too early to tell whether or not they’ve proven effective. Gifts is another massive stab at the mobile problem, while also hedging its bets by continuing to invest in revenue streams outside of its core advertising business.
Now it’s up to users to decide whether or not they actually feel comfortable buying and giving gifts inside their Facebook pages.
At the very least, naysayers will no longer be able to say that Facebook is ignoring mobile.

Source : allthingsd.com