How to Do Everything on the Apple iPhone

Apple iPhone is more than an electronic gadget and a ‘life-style-device’. Plenty could be said about the way that Apple came out to dominate the smart phone market with iPhone. Research in the Mobile market has proved that when it comes to making decisions about which model of smart phone consumers will buy; many go for Apple iPhone 3GS at features, they are not willing to compromise.

The Apple iPhone 3GS has a multitude of features other than making and receiving phone calls. the first thing you discover about iPhone 3GS is how quickly one can launch applications. You can view email attachments incredibly faster. Apple iPhone 3GS is up to 2x faster and more responsive than iPhone 3GS with improved performance and updated 3D graphics with an exceptional gaming experience.

1.Travel the World with your Apple iPhone 3GS

Don’t want to deal with the hassle? You do not need to be on a special international plan to make or receive calls abroad, but you do need to have your phone turned on for international calling, if it is not already.

2. 3X Megapixel Camera – taking great still photos

The new 3-megapixel camera takes great still photos. Thanks to built-in autofocus and a handy new feature that lets you turn any photo into your iPhone wallpaper. You can send photo via MMS or post everything directly to your mobile gallery where your peers and family can browse and download them.

3.Built- in Digital Compass

With a built-in digital compass, you can find your location quickly and painlessly via GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular towers. They will also present you the live traffic information indicating high and low speed of the traffic along with the red, green and yellow signals. You can also find the locations by address or simply typing keywords in your mobile handset.

4.Wi-Fi Networks

Once you’ve activated a Wi-Fi network manually, iPhone will automatically connect to it whenever the network is in a range. iPhone joins the one last used network than one previously used network in the range.

5.Syncing with iTunes

One can adjust sync settings whenever Apple iPhone is connected to the computer. You can set iTunes to sync any of the contacts, calendars, email account settings, webpage bookmarks, ringtones, music and audio books, photos and videos, i Tunes collections, Podcasts, Movies, TV shows, music videos.

6.Converting Videos for iPhone

More and more people tend to watch their favorite video on Apple iPhone 3GS Cellular Phone. Good news is that Apple iPhone users can add videos other than those purchased from the iTunes Store to iPhone. They can download free video in other formats except MP4 from a host of free websites, like Google, YouTube, and then use the video converter to convert videos to iPhone. Converting the Videos for iPhone is easy and involves few steps.

7.Conference Calls

You can merge up to five calls depending on your carrier.

8.Email multiple photos

Have you been in a situation where you wish to send multiple photos from your Phone? if you use Apple iPhone 3GS model, you are allowed to e-mail multiple photos in one shot.

9.Sending emails

The iPhone 3GS by Apple allows users to send email from wherever they are/or at least from any location that receives a wireless Internet signal. You no longer have to sit at your computer in order to communicate with your friends and family via email. You can instantly send an email message to anyone who has an email address.

iPhone certainly has popularity in its favor. With the growing popularity of smart phones such as the iPhone 3GS, it is no wonder that Apple iPhone 3GS with each passing season will surpass all the formidable mobile gadgets.

iPhone 4 – How to Make Your Battery Last Longer

There aren’t many things more frustrating than having a dead iPhone 4 battery when you need to use your phone. Running out of battery power when you are in the middle of a conversation can be even more irritating. the iPhone 4 has a decent amount of battery life, especially when compared to iPhone 3G/3GS battery. despite this improvement, you may still find yourself needing more battery life than your phone provides. Take a look at these tips that can extend the battery life of your iPhone 4.

Make sure Your Bluetooth is Off

The Bluetooth technology and capability that comes standard on all iPhones is not helpful when trying to save battery life on your phone. many iPhone owners use Bluetooth headsets with their phones because of the new laws that prevent you from talking on the phone while driving. Bluetooth headsets are great to use but it is important that you turn off the Bluetooth feature when you’re not using the headset. Make it a habit to disable your Bluetooth feature on your phone when you reach your destination. You will see a significant increase in your phone’s battery life.

Use Your Lock Button Frequently

A lot of iPhone users believe that the lock button, located on the top of your iPhone 4, is only used for locking your screen to avoid calling someone on accident. This is the button’s main purpose, but it can also be used to save your phone’s battery. Press this button after using your phone. This will automatically stop application from running and turn the screen off. just the power you will save by turning the screen off will make a large difference. This is probably the easiest way to save your battery.

iPhone Battery Accessories

If the two strategies mentioned above don’t extend your iPhone battery life enough then you can always consider buying an iPhone 4 battery case. These cases can triple the battery life of your phone and don’t require much maintenance. the cases are equipped with an additional battery that consistently feeds more battery juice to your phone. There are a few different types of battery cases for the iPhone so be sure to look at your options. Look into a traditional external battery for your phone if you don’t want to have the additional battery attached to your iPhone 4 at all times. External batteries are great because they can be stored in secure places (like a backpack or purse) and pulled out when needed.

Best iPod Touch 4th Generation Cases

If you’re someone who’s either upgraded or perhaps bought an iPod for the first time and have chosen the iPod Touch 4th Generation then you must be a very happy person. the iTouch 4G has had many upgrades and improvements some of which have been directly from the iPhone 4. if this is you then I’m sure you’ll be looking here to find out the best iPod Touch 4 cases from the vast numbers of iPod covers for the iTouch.

There really are many styles from iPod funky hard cases, 4th generation leather cases, bling iTouch covers, pixelskin iPod cases. all being protective cases that will prevent dust and grime from affecting your device and keeping it safe from ol’ butter fingers that can drop, bang or scrap the iTouch.

My favourite so far is the 4th generation iPod purple touch case from Incipio dermaShot. the protective case has been made of a tight fitting anti-slip material that feels really great in your hand, it also means it’s less likely to slip from your hand or plummet from the edge of the table. the color purple is so intense that it just looks so cool I can’t help but smile.

If you’re after a great looking, smart and sleek case to encapsulate your device then check out the Premium iPod Touch 4th generation leather case, these have been designed really well. There are four corner tabs so that the iPod sits neatly and securely into the casing and it has a front cover that protects the iTouch screen from scraps whilst perhaps in your bag. the front cover has a tab that wraps around the device and pops to a close on the back.

There have been some seriously bling iTouch covers out there for the previous incarnations but they might be just a little longer onto the market for the 4th gen, but no worries they will be on the way and there are already some pretty bling contenders. one of many bling iTouch covers is the MiniSuit TPU Diamond 4G, this comes in a range of colors and is a premium gel skin case that will offer very good protective cover for the iPod.

So get shopping and check out what will look good with your outfit on Saturday night.

iPhone Growth in China: It Isn’t What You Think

The 8 million iPhones that Apple sold in China last quarter are a lot like exotic pets: They’re cute and they make great gifts for rich young men to give to their girlfriends. But outside of their native ecosystem, their survival prospects don’t look very good.

The unexpected sales boom in China (8 million is my rough estimate) went a long way toward offsetting the company’s less-than-robust performance in the U.S. market and helps explain Apple’s record-breaking profits. Analysts and investors are excited by Apple’s performance in China, but predictions of the company’s sustained growth there are premature.

In its native U.S. ecosystem, the iPhone functions beautifully. But take it to China and the device just isn’t very happy. To start with, more than half of the 30 million iPhone users in China have unlocked their phones (a hint that something isn’t right) and are using them on an unauthorized network (China Mobile) that until recently limited them to 2G data speeds. try accessing Youku (China’s version of YouTube) on a 2G network. Probably not going to happen.

And then there’s the problem of input. Apple’s U.S.-centric R&D efforts have failed to produce a Chinese-friendly input system. This is a serious problem, because texting is an integral part of Chinese life. Rather than use the laborious system that Apple designed (reminiscent of early Chinese input systems), many Chinese iPhone owners jailbreak their phones and install third-party software that drastically simplifies the process.

Jailbreaking is wildly popular for other reasons too. It allows Chinese users to download any of the App Store applications for free and facilitates access to third-party applications, which is important because applications designed specifically for China are few and far between in the App Store. Music and movies also can be downloaded for free and shared with others on iPhone user forums.

Siri — the most attractive new feature driving iPhone 4S sales — does not work in Chinese and even struggles in English if you have a strong Chinese accent. Finally, warranties are invalidated by the unlocking and jailbreaking, which is a good thing since 30 million iPhone owners would quickly overwhelm the six official Apple stores in China.

So Chinese users are cobbling together an iPhone experience from a variety of sources, and the overall experience is not very good. The comment Tim Cook made to analysts recently suggesting that Apple is focused on delivering a phone with “off-the-charts user experience that customers want to use every day of their lives” sounds like pure hyperbole from the Chinese perspective.

A lot (if not most) of the new iPhone users in China are women, and many women I spoke to said they had acquired their phones as gifts from husbands or rich boyfriends.

The iPhone may very well be the best smart phone on the planet when it’s living in its own ecosystem, but its functionality and user experience quickly dissipate when it leaves its natural environment. and then there’s the price — $700 in a country where managers typically make $1,000 a month.

Who in their right mind would buy this phone? I asked 70 mid-level Chinese executives in a class I was teaching. None of the 45 men owned (or wanted to own) an iPhone. But ownership was almost universal among the 25 fashionable women.

The stunning results of this impromptu survey prompted further investigation. Apparently, a lot if not most of the new iPhone users in China are women, and many women I spoke to said they had acquired their phones as gifts from husbands or rich boyfriends.

For a gift that exudes exclusivity, functionality is secondary; slow downloads, sparse content, and kludgy fixes may not be important. Maybe on the next quarterly call, Tim Cook will tell analysts that Apple is now focused on selling expensive fashion accessories.

Recently, when shopping for a phone in the United States, I was tempted by the large, vivid screen of the newest Samsung device. However, I will probably purchase another iPhone instead, because I am locked into the ecosystem. My investment in music and applications, the seamless interface with my other Apple products, my familiarity with the system, all ensure that I will not leave. But in China, where users build their own structures (or opt to only superficially utilize the device), this lock-in does not happen.

All of this is good news for competitors like Samsung, HTC, and Microsoft/Nokia. Chinese consumers are waiting for someone who understands their context to develop an ecosystem that makes smart phones easy to use. It may be that local players like ZTE and Huawei (whose very functional smart phones cost $150) are best positioned to get this system right.

In any case, the winner certainly will not be a company that develops hardware, software, and an ecosystem from a U.S.-centric perspective. with its recent explosion of sales in China, Apple looks like the dominant force in the global smart-phone market. But that dominance could be very short-lived.

Nathan T. Washburn is an assistant professor at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

This post first appeared on the Harvard Business Review Blog.

National Stationery Show May 20-23, 2012 at New York City

Pre-Show Report North America’s most comprehensive showcase of all things paper – from greeting cards, custom invitations, gift wrap and partyware, to journals, frames, writing instruments, decorative desktop and complementary lifestyle gift – will return with the latest trend-setting products from nearly 800 exhibiting companies, May 20-23, 2012, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Some 11,000 buyers from around the world will convene at the National Stationery Show® (NSS) for four days of sourcing, buying, networking and discovery of this important and profitable product category.

THE MARKET Perhaps the most intriguing draw of the National Stationery show is the debut of hundreds of new talents – such as Applesauce greetings, Flour Pot Cookies, Kookaburra, Plum Paper and Stationery HQ – alongside the industry’s most revered brands, including Anna Griffin, Avanti Press, Caspari, Crane & co., Envelopments, Papyrus/Recycled Paper Products, and William Arthur. this combination sets the stage for the industry’s most diverse presentation of social stationery and related lifestyle products not found in any other market.

Off the show floor, the National Stationery show presents excellent opportunities for business education and professional development. the 3rd annual Future Conference – an engaging, 2-hour, pre-Show program in a “Ted Talks” format – kicks off the educational component, followed by a seminar series addressing multicultural marketing, color and retailing trends, bridal market insights and more, Sunday through Tuesday.

“Whether an independent stationer, lifestyle gift shop, bookstore, pharmacy, home décor retailer or a big box merchant, the National Stationery show presents refreshing, profitable, complementary products in a focused, easy-to-shop format. Plus, the show is filled with clever visual merchandising trends which inspire great ideas to bring back to the store.” – Lynn White, show Manager

“For the gift retailer, in particular, the NSS presents a vast number of exhibitors and products spanning all styles, price points and designs that appeal to a broad audience. this lends itself to a superior buying experience unparalleled to markets with limited focus on this product category. Paper products are in high demand today from a consumer that is oversaturated with electronic communication – and greeting cards and boxed notes, in particular, can retail in almost any store environment.” -Patti Stracher, General Manager

MARKET HIGHLIGHTS Future Conference – “Social Stationery: What’s New, What’s next?” Sunday, May 20, 8:00 – 10:00am Jacob K. Javits Convention Center The 3rd annual Future Conference will take a “TEDTalks” format. Each speaker will offer her perspective on significant forces impacting the social stationery industry: marketing to Generation Y; the intersection of technology and paper; the critical role design plays in product development and consumer impact; and the importance of the web as a promotional outlet. Speakers include: Kelly Ricker, Executive Director of Product Development American greetings; Katherine Rosman, Feature Reporter for the Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Bailey Weil, Owner Paperwheel Press and Head of Culture and Brand Experience Twitter, inc.; and Rachel V. Ivey, VP of Creative & Product Development, Crane & Company. Tickets are available for $75 each through NSS attendee registration at nationalstationeryshow.com.

Trend Walkway Ascending to the show entrances on both sides of the Crystal Palace, the Trend Walkway reveals the latest trend predictions seen through the eyes of leading editors from Martha Stewart Weddings, Stationery Trends, Gift Shop, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Party and Paper Retailer and Giftware News.

New Product display and best New Product Awards Taking center stage at the 2012 National Stationery show are the latest product launches from nearly 800 exhibiting companies. Hundreds of products making their debut at the show will be found in the New Product display, located in the Crystal Palace Lobby. Product categories are All Things Wedding, Celebrations, Eco-Chic, Lifestyle, Luxury, Paper Style, and the Desktop. the New Product display also serves as the judging arena for the coveted best New Product Awards, which will be determined by an esteemed group of editors. Winners will be announced on Sunday, May 20.

The Supply side Division A division of the NSS, the Supply side returns this year with more than 50 industry suppliers, including finishing specialists, die-cutting, die-making, foil/hot stamping, embossing, holography, lamination, packaging/box specialists, converters, paper manufacturers, specialty printing/thermography, production machinery, envelope manufacturers, custom displays/fixturing systems and others. the division will be located in 3E Hall. to apply for exhibit space, or to register as an attendee, visit nationalstationeryshow.com.

PROGRAMS Future Conference – “Social Stationery: What’s New, What’s next?” Sunday, May 20, 8:00 – 10:00am Jacob K. Javits Convention Center The 3rd annual Future Conference will take a “TEDTalks” format. Each speaker will offer her perspective on significant forces impacting the social stationery industry: marketing to Generation Y; the intersection of technology and paper; the critical role design plays in product development and consumer impact; and the importance of the web as a promotional outlet. Speakers include: Kelly Ricker, Executive Director of Product Development American greetings; Katherine Rosman, Feature Reporter for the Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Bailey Weil, Owner Paperwheel Press and Head of Culture and Brand Experience Twitter, inc.; and Rachel V. Ivey, VP of Creative & Product Development, Crane & Company. Tickets are available for $75 each through NSS attendee registration at nationalstationeryshow.com.

Buyer Education Six diverse programs for a well-rounded professional development experience will be offered at NSS 2012 from true experts in their fields including “Wedding Market Insights” with Liene Stevens of Splendid Communications, “Multicultural Marketing” with David R. Morse of New American Dimensions, “Color Trends to Keep your Eye On” with Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute and Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training, “top Bloggers Talk Stationery Trends” with Sarah Schwartz of Stationery Trends magazine, “Turning Clicks and Likes Into Store Visits and Sales” with Brian Lawrence of Local Traffic Builder, and “Stationery Retailers Share Their Success Stories” with Kathy Krassner of the Greeting Card Association. For additional details, visit nationalstationeryshow.com. Seminars can be selected and purchased during the show registration process, or added through the Registration Resource Center for those who have already registered.

SPECIAL EVENTS Greeting Card Association LOUIE Awards Gala Sunday, May 20, 6:30 – 10:30 pm Espace, New York City The LOUIE Awards celebrate the year’s most original and creative greeting cards in a variety of categories, plus the Grand Prize “Card of the Year”. this year’s theme, “the Greatest Cards on Earth!” will bring whimsy and nostalgia to this important special event. this year’s theme concept was designed by Katy Greenspan, Creative Director at Cardstore.com and the 2011 LOUIE Awards Chair. Sponsorship information is available by visiting greetingcard.org. Tickets may be purchased through NSS attendee registration. Complimentary shuttle service will be provided from the National Stationery show. The Supply side Networking Receptions Monday-Tuesday, May 21-22, 6:00 – 7:30 pm Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 3, Hall E Suppliers to the social stationery industry exhibiting within the Supply side division will have dedicated time to connect with NSS exhibitors during the Supply side Networking Reception, where a casual atmosphere and complimentary refreshments will foster networking among colleagues. Advance registration is not required. STAY CONNECTED NSS Mobile App Back by popular demand following the 2011 launch, the NSS mobile app is ready to navigate attendees through the aisles. Designed to help attendees shop the show more efficiently, the mobile app allows users to instantly search for exhibitors or products by name, product line, product category, or description, with results including company names and booth locations. in addition, it provides details about NSS seminars, events and shuttle schedules, as well as the floor plan. the application is compatible with Android, iPhone and Blackberry Torch devices.

Online Catalog Gallery The Online Catalog Gallery, available for viewing through nationalstationeryshow.com, offers retailers the opportunity to browse exhibitor catalogs before, during and after the National Stationery show. the page-by-page browse books give retailers a sneak peek at what will be seen on the NSS show floor. For participating exhibitors, the key benefit of the Online Catalog Gallery is the lead-generating capability, which extends the life of the show from four days to a full year, including bonus exposure with the automatic connection through our online product search tool! to participate, email Stephanie Leon-Santiago at

National Stationery show Guest Blog Now featuring guest bloggers from some of your favorite industry blogs – including oh So beautiful Paper and Save Snail Mail – the NSS Guest Blog is the latest resource for trend insight, industry happenings, show perspectives and more. Visit nationalstationeryshow.com to read the latest posts.

Show Daily A ‘must read’ on your way into the NSS each morning, Stationery Today returns this year as the official show daily publication. Published by Great American Publishing – publishers of Stationery Trends, Party & Paper Retailer and Museums & more – Stationery Today features breaking exhibitor news, the latest product launches, trend insight, show news and more. to advertise, contact Brian Virgona 570-223-9190 or email sales@stationerytrendsmag.com.

Paperclips With more than 15,000 subscribers, the official enewsletter of the National Stationery show offers unique perspectives about the industry, business and trends, as well as breaking show news. to subscribe, or access the archive of past issues, visit nationalstationeryshow.com. Advertising opportunities are available.

STATUS® – Official National Stationery show Directory The official printed directory of exhibitors, available onsite, allows attendees to navigate the show floor more efficiently. in addition, the online version offers year-round visibility of exhibitors to a captive audience of stationery retailers. Visit nationalstationeryshow.com to access the online directory, or for information regarding STATUS print advertising.

Social Media One of the more effective ways to stay in touch with the NSS, as well as thousands of show participants, is to connect with us through Twitter and Facebook. Become a Facebook fan at facebook.com/NationalStationeryShow and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/stationeryshow. in addition, a complete library of NSS videos is available on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/stationeryshow.

CROSS MARKET OPPORTUNITIES Co-locations with two design-driven shows will offer additional benefit to NSS attendees. SURTEX®, the only B2B marketplace in North America for selling and licensing original art and design, will take place in Hall 3B, adjacent to the NSS. the International Contemporary Furniture Fair® (ICFF®), North America’s singular showcase for contemporary design, will take place on Level 1. A NSS attendee badge will provide access to all three markets, which combined will attract 42,000 buyers and 2,800 exhibitors, manufacturers and distributors. Additional information for these collocated markets is available online, at surtex.com and icff.com.

PRODUCTS REPRESENTED The products showcased at the National Stationery show includes greeting cards, invitations, imprintables, giftwrap/ribbons, social stationery, specialty party supplies and paper tableware, bridal accessories, customized/personalized products, in-store printing equipment, decorative home office products, luxury leather goods, writing instruments, papercrafting supplies, frames, journals, calendars, lifestyle giftware, scrapbooking and back-to-school. And, in the Supply side division, finishing specialists, including die-cutting, die-making, foil/hot stamping, embossing, holography, lamination, packaging/box specialists, converters, paper manufacturers, specialty printing/thermography, production machinery, envelope manufacturers and custom displays/fixturing systems will exhibit. PROFILE OF ATTENDEES Retail The NSS attracts a diverse global attendance of 11,000 buyers from stationery, card, gift and lifestyle stores; bookstores; fashion boutiques; bridal shops; hospital gift shops; party stores; department, chain and specialty stores; museum and gallery shops, large chains and “big box” mass retailers; online retailers and mail order catalogs; as well as importers and distributors.

Non-Retail Manufacturers, Distributors, Suppliers, Manufacturers’ representatives, Licensing agents, Artists, Designers, Consumer and Trade Press

WEBSITE nationalstationeryshow.com

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION Kelly P. Bristol, Sales Manager – Key Accounts GLM Telephone: (914) 421-3228 E-mail:

ATTENDEE INFORMATION GLM Customer Relations (800) 272-SHOW (7469) Registration for the 2012 National Stationery show is open at nationalstationeryshow.com. Registration is free for qualified buyers through May 4; after this date and onsite the registration fee increases to $60. Non-exhibiting manufacturers will be charged $175 in advance and $200 after May 4 and onsite.

BUYER SERVICES Shuttle Buses Complimentary shuttle buses will run on all show days between the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and designated hotels. Exact schedules and routes will be posted daily at the Javits Center and are available online, at nationalstationeryshow.com.

Travel & Housing Assistance Travel Planners, inc. (800) 221-3531 or (212) 532-1660 myGLMtravel.com

ENJOY THE BIG APPLE NYC & Company – the Convention and Visitors Bureau – and GLM have teamed-up to offer discounts on dining, entertainment, transportation and services throughout New York City. General tourist information is available through NYC & Company at 800-NYC-VISIT (800-692-8474) or (212) 397-8222. A complete list of discounts will be available online at nationalstationeryshow.com in advance of the show, and through the Special Events desk in the Javits Centers’ Crystal Palace lobby during all show days.

SHOW DATES AND HOURS: Sunday, May 20 9:00am – 6:00pm Monday, May 21 9:00am – 6:00pm Tuesday, May 22 9:00am – 6:00pm Wednesday, May 23 9:00am – Noon

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Unbox/Review: Cherry Mobile Stellar

A couple of months ago the Cherry Mobile Stellar debuted in the market, together with other spectacular Cherry Mobile products. Now, the kind folks at Cherry Mobile decided to loan us a review unit to try and make sense why they’re one of the Philippines’ top local brands.The Cherry Mobile Stellar is a dual-SIM, mid-tier smartphone running on Android 2.3 with a Qualcomm 7227T 800MHz CPU. It’s perfect for those looking for an performer phone on the Android that is not too shabby and not too expensive.Read our unboxing and review of the Cherry Mobile Stellar and see if you’ll want this phone on your pocket.DesignThe Cherry Mobile Stellar looks like your typical Android phone. on its face, the Stellar has your standard Android buttons coupled by a flashing LED and light sensors near the earpiece. The capacitive touchscreen panel is as wide as an iPhone’s and is responsive enough for everyday use. The back panel is made of smooth plastic and carries the 5MP camera with flash designed with a chrome lining. Here’s also where the Stellar‘s speaker grill  is located. The grill would’ve looked nicer if the alternating dotted pattern was let go and was replaced by a uniform grill. The back panel is easily snapped and contains dual-SIM slots at the top area near the removable battery dock. The earphone jack and the lock/power button is found at the top of the Stellar. The right panel meanwhile houses the microSD card slot, the shutter button, and the volume buttons. The physical buttons are soft to the press and are nicely located, save for the lock/power button which is very hard to press.The Cherry Mobile Stellar is very light at 123.3g, already with a battery. Mind you, Motorola’s Droid RAZR weighs at 127g and even Nokia’s latest entry the Lumia 710 weighs at 125.5. with all its lightness, the Cherry Mobile Stellar may seem cheap at first glance.DisplayThe Cherry Mobile Stellar sports a 3.5″ HVGA capacitive touch panel (320×480 resolution) with a decent viewing angle. The screen is nothing stellar (pun intended), just what you would expect from a mid-tier Android smartphone (not as ugly as the LG Optimus L3’s display, then again there’s no challenge on that). The main screen on boot would greet you with a Cherry Mobile tone and logo followed by a Stellar boot screen. if you’re not a fan of company boots with quirky start-up tunes, as compared to clean quiet boots, this phone will irk you every time you turn it on. After the boot, a default Cherry Mobile wallpaper will serve as your home screen BG but is replaceable afterwards.Most Android users will feel right at home with the user interface of the Stellar. Like most Android phones, you have a set of the most useful applications waiting for you on the home screen. Swiping it from right to left would reveal other apps and widgets such as the weather, calendar, appointments and the like.if you’re constantly connected to the web, updates from applications such as Twitter would continually be fetched automatically and would be shown in a one-line format in the phone status area. A very nice addition especially if you’re multitasking.one feature of the 2012 Cherry Mobile Stellar is its built-in SPB3 Shell, a feature which alters the home screen drastically and makes it look like a spinning panel of 3D app cards. at stand-by, each of these cards plays its own unique animation, the one pictured below playing a rotating Earth with green locator lines.you can add or subtract cards to your heart’s desire. you can even alternate with the normal Android UI while the shell is active. The sad thing is, as it’s only an add-on, the SPB3 Shell fails to automatically load at boot and you have to activate it manually. Then again it’s only a minor annoyance.PerformanceThe Cherry Mobile Stellar is great for everyday use, especially if you like to check your email, your Twitter and Facebook stream, and whatever takes place online. The only snag with everyday usage the Stellar hits is in its landscape keyboard feature. There’s only a certain area which the space bar would activate if it’s on landscape. You’ll be lucky if you’ll get a space on one try; the Stellar usually reads my space presses as Cs or Vs. There’s also the occasional accidental period press.Powered by a 512MB RAM and a Qualcomm 7227T 800MHz processor(also from the makers of the Snapdragon processor), the Cherry Mobile Stellar sails past a barrage of lags with flying colors, as witnessed here while running the all new Angry Birds Space.Surprisingly, the in-game sounds sometimes come late after the animation and moments later the phone itself would play catch-up and run normally. There’s also this thing with the Cherry Mobile Stellar not loading applications properly, which would lead it to bring to you a Force Close dialog box. Pressing the OK button fixes the problem. you can try and run the application after a force close. Another frequent Force Close recipient is the Google Maps app. for some reason it just crashes on its own.Other applications such as Fruit Ninja run smoothly on the Stellar. Remember that 2.3 Gingerbread is supposedly optimized for gaming, so there’s that. aside from that, you’ll have no problem running social networking apps. Oddly though, I can’t find the Temple Run app at the Google Play store while using the Stellar. Video and AudioAudio admittedly isn’t one of the strong suits of the Stellar. Music coming out of its loudspeaker, as one way of putting it, sounds “canny”. The whole back panel vibrates as you are playing songs, which of course might give you the palms.Videos on the other hand, play wonderfully and smoothly, as long as they’re HD. Non-HD vids on the other hand makes the Stellar‘s screen look dated. Another issue I had with the Stellar is its lock screen-to-online video screen transition while buffering. if you have a video on buffering and leave the Stellar for a while, the moment you try to play it again you would be greeted by another Force Close dialog box. you have to try several times and press a couple of “Wait” buttons for the video to run again. so if you like watching videos online, just make sure you have a dedicated internet line that can handle such requests quickly.with an expandable microSD up to 32GB, you’re sure to be able to load up with all the apps, videos, and audio files you can gather.CameraDidn’t have a chance to test out the camera as I don’t have a spare microSD. Yes, the camera won’t run, and the Stellar won’t even let you load Dropbox photos if you don’t have a microSD card installed. but with the Cherry Mobile Stellar‘s 5MP camera paired with a LED flash, you’ll be sure to capture enjoyable images even in the dark.BatteryThe Cherry Mobile Stellar would last up to, give or take, 84 hours on stand-by on my tests. This drastically changes if you have background apps continuously running even if you’re not connected to the internet, in this case your battery would go from a hundred to zero in 9 to 10 hours without usage, even faster if you leave your phone connected. The phone would last throughout the day with average use of apps, surfing, videos, etc.Another interesting feature of the Cherry Mobile Stellar is its battery indicator. once the battery reaches a low enough level, the battery indicator would blink red. Plugging it to the wall would give the indicator a steady red which means it’s charging; the indicator would turn green when the battery’s full.Battery is replaceable. BoxThe Cherry Mobile Stellar box contains the phone unit itself, a charger and a USB cable, stock earphones, an instructions manual, and a warranty card. No Cherry Mobile logo sticker here.VerdictFor P6,999.00 (with a free bluetooth headset), the Cherry Mobile Stellar is really shines against other smartphones in its price range. you can get yourself a Samsung Galaxy Y or an LG Optimus L3, but with a grand more you’ll be able to own the Stellar and ultimately do yourself a favor by avoiding small screens, over-saturated colors, below average pictures, a cramped screen, and an underpowered device.so there you go. Share this Cherry Mobile Stellar review on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus, especially if you have friends looking for mid-tier phones.The Cherry Mobile Stellar was formerly priced at P9,999.00, now 30% off at P6,999.00.’Till my next installment.Searches related to unbox/review: cherry mobile stellar:cherry mobile stellar reviewcherry mobile stellar specscherry mobile stellar price 2012cherry mobile stellar featurescherry mobile stellar android games free download

Hidden Gems in the App Store – 5 Awesome iPhone Apps

Apple’s App Store is one of technology’s modern marvels. With basement developers paving the way and now big-name developers getting in on the action, there is no end to what you might find popping up next in the App Store. while it’s easy to find the top 100 apps, many people don’t have time to dig through all of the more than 100,000 apps to find the best of the rest. there are many hidden gems in the App Store — apps that are addictive, funny, useful or innovative. Here are 5 of the apps that come to mind when considering the very best of what the App Store has to offer.

DoodleJump – It’s been said that DoodleJump is to the iPhone what Super Mario Brothers was to the NES. this is one of the most mind-bogglingly addicting games out there, and is so because of its simplicity. as you move the device left or right, so moves your character as your try to hop from platform to platform, avoiding enemies and picking up power-ups as you go. With no limit as to how high you can go, DoodleJump will keep you busy and entertained for hours

MyTown – Have you ever wanted to own real estate in your own town? With MyTown, now you can. MyTown offers the user the ability to purchase businesses and property within miles of where you live, all the while charging rent, expanding property lines and getting rich. while it may not be the most realistic idea in the world, it certainly is fun to play it out on your iPhone With the inclusion of lottery tickets, there is no telling how much money you can make in MyTown.

Dizzypad – Similar to DoodleJump in its simplicity, Dizzypad continues to be one of the most addicting games available in the app store. you play a frog, who – rotating faster and faster as time moves on – is tasked with jumping from lily pad to lily pad and avoiding the water below. the game is deceptively easy to pick up and learn, only to get devilishly hard as you progress. You’ll find yourself constantly trying to beat your last score each time you pick up Dizzypad, and likely won’t put it down for an hour.

ADoodleFly – ADoodleFly is very similar in looks to DoodleJump, however it is a totally different game. just as addicting in its own right, ADoodleFly puts the user in control of a flying character who is shot horizontally out of a canon and must ride the endless platforms that lay before him. With countless power-ups, a quirky story and very interesting graphics, ADoodleFly will fast become one of your favorite games in the App Store if it hasn’t already.

Rope’n Fly 2 – Rope’n Fly 2 is one of the most unique games available in the app store. the game puts you in control of a dummy with the ability to shoot ropes wherever you touch your finger on the screen. your job is to rappel from building to building in a horizontal cityscape without letting the doll fall to the ground. Surprisingly difficult with real fluid movement, you’ve never played a game quite like this before.

The Logos Quiz Game: Why The Top Free iPad Game This Week is Worth a Fortune

Yes, we’re surrounded by brand messages 24/7 and the average American sees thousands of advertising images a day—but is there a game in that? According to young Spanish developer Javier Perez Estarriaga, there is. And this week the Logos Quiz Game is the #1 free iPad app (and #3 free iPhone app) on the Apple App Store.

OK, there’s a top free app every week, why should I care? First there’s just the unlikeliness factor. why should people find identifying global corporate logos an addictive activity? maybe for the same reason that spoof logo t-shirts have been popular with club kids. This is a kind of imagery that we all know and care about. Solving the visual riddles involves pattern recognition skills that many people have, but that are not widely prized. This is visual literacy combined with consumerist identification. Add to that the intergenerational appeal of something that parents might have more of a clue about than their children and you have a winner.

But like many young developers, Estarriaga, just 27, seems to have built this for his own pleasure, his own challenge. but when you go to #1 on the app store, different rules of physics apply. It’s not just that he has figured out an appealing game, in the process, he has gamified the quantification of corporate branding.

Think about it. The 500 biggest corporate brands engaged in a constant focus group of recognition. And because you can use Facebook and Twitter to reach out to friends for hints when you’re stumped, many of the users identify themselves with great granularity. unless Estarriaga is even more brilliant (or devious) than we know, his app is probably not tracking all of this data, but with an update it could. Imagine a brand being able to compare recognition rates of their logo by age, by zip code or by “likes.” Imagine a brand being able to insert alternate versions of their logo to test. Imagine being able to assign brands Klout-like scores based on the information revealed by game play.

This all may or may not have been in the developer’s mind, but now that the game is installed on thousands (millions?) of devices around the world it potentially becomes a very valuable property. This is a great example of why Chris Anderson called free, “a radical price.” by giving the game away, Estarriaga enabled it to go viral. Now that it’s been spread virally, the laws of network effects make it very valuable. but only if he moves quickly, and then it will not be certain for how long this game can hold people’s interest.

But that’s where venture capital comes in. Given an appealing app with a large installed base, and given clearly identified paying customers (500 or more global brands) you would think someone could make a go of this. it could be worth a fortune.

Airtel Launches Online Store For Mobiles, Digital TV Connections & More

India’s largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel has launched its own online store. the site mainly has three segments- ‘for me’, ‘for emerging business’ and ‘for enterprise business’. the consumer or ‘for me’ segment has five categories (further divided into sub-categories) including mobile, broadband, digital TV, 4G LTE and business.

The various handset brands being offered in the mobiles section on the site include Apple, HTC, LG, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson (although the catalogue is not too exhaustive). the mobile phones can be filtered by price and as of now Apple’s iPhone 4S (32GB model) is the costliest (Rs 50,900) mobile being offered on the site while Nokia 100 is the cheapest (Rs 1,221).

The other offerings include broadband and digital TV that simply allows users to buy the company’s broadband and digital connections online. and to further entice customers, the company is providing Rs 500 cash back for every broadband connection and Rs 250 cash back for every digital TV connection bought online.  then there is the 4G LTE section which is offering 4G connections with via Airtel 4G LTE devices like USB modems/sticks and indoor wireless gateways, although these connections are only available in Kolkata and Bengaluru as of now.

The company is also offering enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions online under its business section and is in the process of launching services like online virtual computing and online storage on demand.

The store is powered by Infibeam’s Build A Bazaar platform (the company also powers the Mobile Store, Crossword and the recent addition Vijay Sales, among others). Additionally, both the availability and the delivery of the mobile phones are being handled by Infibeam’s parent company NSI Infinium Global Pvt Ltd.

A message on the site reads, “Airtel doesn’t sell or deliver mobile phones. the mobile phone shall be made available and delivered by NSI Infinium Global Pvt Ltd and order acceptance and delivery is subject to stock availability at the company.”

This basically means that the website is probably simply sourcing the mobile phones from Infibeam.com (we checked the prices on both sites; they are exactly the same and are offering the same discounts). but then why would Airtel do that in the first place? the reason is simple; Airtel is offering the handsets bundled with its data plans. for example, users will get 2GB of 3G data per month free for 4 months if they buy Nokia Lumia 800 from the site and 500MB of data per month for 3 months along with 200 minutes of Mobile TV and 100 full song download free with HTC’s latest mobile offering ‘One X’, among other plans.

So we figure that this way, Airtel can make commissions from Infibeam for every sale of mobile phone (which is usually the case) from the site and also promote its own mobile connection (via data plans) in the process.