Smartphones are incredibly useful devices, and the amount of people using them has skyrocketed over recent years. Businesses have adopted them wholeheartedly, and now making sure employees have smartphones is as essential as buying business insurance policy. It seems that accessing the internet for communication through email, social media, and instant messaging has now taken a firm foothold, and it is much cheaper than traditional voice calls. Even voice calls can be made for free using Skype, so smart phones really have everything covered.

The only problem with the transition from using a traditional personal computer and physical keyboard to a smart phone is the touch screen interface that many of them now use. Some people find touch-typing on the new on-screen keyboards cumbersome and less efficient than with a traditional keyboard. The small keys make hitting the correct letter harder, and typing at speed can result in a lot of mistakes.

The Android operating system comes with touch-typing software pre-installed, but it is by no means the best software out there. Other software developers have noticed that problem that some smartphone users have with touch screen typing, and have endeavoured to solve that problem with new apps. Different apps will suit different users, so it is worth taking a look at all of them to see which one is right for you. Installing new software to make typing on a smartphone easier cold save you a lot of time and reduce the frustration of trying to write that urgent email on your smartphone.

SwiftKey X\

This handy app is really quite clever. It’s an intelligent keyboard app that collects information about your typing style and adapts itself to suit you. Once you begin using tis keyboard app it will see what words you use the most and the mistakes you commonly make. The more you use it the better it gets at predicting the word you are planning to type, so much so that just a couple of letters can be enough for it to present your chosen word. The only downside to this app is that it’s not free, but you can use it for one month, which should be enough time to decide whether you like it or not.

SWYPE

If you have a new Android smartphone the chances are that SWYPE may already be installed on your operating system. Just check your keyboard setting to see if there is a SWYPE option. This app lets you swipe the word you want to type instead of hitting each individual key. So you just glide your finger over the keyboard and move from letter to letter. The app predicts which word you are trying to type, and its clever algorithm is pretty good at picked the word you are trying to write. If it’s not already on your phone you can download it for free.

TouchPal

TouchPal works in the same way as SWYPE, by gliding your fingers over the touch-screen keyboard to each letter of the word you want to input. However, the developers of this app are trying to improve this system by adding a host of extra features to improve it even further. Things like swiping up to type a number and swiping down for a special character, and the ability to cut, copy, and paste can be done with TouchPal. At the moment it is in its beta stage and is still free, so try it out and see what you think.

Go Keyboard

The Go Keyboard app is a great looking keyboard app that allows you to customize the layout of different keys and add characters not usually present on a standard keyboard. You can add a key for things like smileys, and change the size and position of where your keys are placed. There are also a number of different themes to choose from to add the finishing touch to your customized keyboard. It is equipped with standard features like auto-correct, and also supports slide input.

ICS Keyboard

This free keyboard app is very effective at text prediction, and also has a speech to text feature, although this is only available for some languages. Other features it has include a built-in dictionary and an auto-correction option that is customizable. If that is not enough, it allows different smileys to be selected by holding down the ‘Enter’ key, and domains to be selected by holding down the ‘/’ key. Some of the technology used in ICS Keyboard is included in the latest version of Android, but download the app if you are running an earlier version.

Do Check: Android Coffee Maker

About Author

Charlotte Richards works full time selling business insurance but her real passion lies in technology. In her spare time she writes freelance articles with special interest in new media and web 2.0.Similar Posts:

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Here I am with GPRS settings for your Samsung Galaxy Y 3560, HTC Explorer and Voice V900 Smart Phones, Complete GPRS internet settings for all GSM companies whether you are using Ufone, Zong, Telenor, Mobilink and Warid.

Just Configure your Smartphone where it is Galaxy y phone or HTC explorer or Voice V900 phone these settings are tested and working on all these phones for any SIM card you are using in Pakistan.

Download all the settings for your Smartphone from the link Given below.

GPRS Internet Settings.Zip

Enjoy Internet on your Smartphone in Pakistan.

When the term “group messaging” is used, the image which flashes in my mind is the time when we had devices which were nothing else than phones, when we used to make groups in lots of 10, as this was the limit per group in most of the 3xxx Nokia phones. Then came the 40 Series with the luxury of making larger groups and this perfectly coincided with a significant plunge in SMS prices. Then we got smart phones with endless possibilities and the cost of text messaging became negligible, here we forgot the original idea behind group messaging i-e. engaging with a lot of friends together, instead we resorted to forwarded messages and lame jokes.
Then came Chopaal, a brain child of Dr. Umar Saif. Chopaal aimed to change everything we did wrong about group messaging and guided us towards interactive group based discussions again. Another service which I used in those days was Mobi2weet; it was as popular as Chopaal as it brought the power of twitter without any additional charges. Both services faded away without giving their users any intimation of why they were being discontinued and whether these will be reincarnated again.

It is worth mentioning here that the idea was conceived during the aftermath of the deadly earthquake in Kashmir. Means of communication were insufficient and resources scarce, hence there was an imposing need to coordinate relief activities to make them effective. Dr. Saif created a rescue group and used it to broadcast messages to all the rescue workers in his area, thus his subscribers were able to receive messages and provide supplies on the basis of information provided by others.

This was to be the founding stone, and a pretty strong one of Chopaal, which has been rebranded and re-launched with the name and style of SMSALL. With a little less than half a million groups and over 4 million users, the service has already transmitted above 4 billion text messages till date and boasts a daily traffic of around 15 million text messages.

So let’s see what can be done with SMSALL, you can:

• Create profile
• Make your profile private/ public
• Create group
• Subscribe to a group
• Start a private group
• Activate/ Deactivate a group
• Send texts
• Give feedback

To do any of the above, the user should be armed with a mobile phone which is capable of sending and receiving text messages and credit if he/ she intends to send a text to the group and be heard. The services offered by SMSALL mean that it can be used in ways only limited by a user’s imagination.

• We can use it to keep in touch with our dear friends of the yesteryear;
• To re-live the quality time spent together by indulging in group discussions so that every one of the group can simultaneously see what others have to say;
• The service can be used to organize meetings, walks, dinners, seminars and other events;
• To share news, gossips and jokes with our near and dear ones;
• To subscribe to our favorite political party’s official group and show our support and solidarity (PTI & PML-N are already using SMSALL)
• To form interest-groups and discuss issues related with specific topics;

In addition to above we can use SMSALL in anything else which requires one-to-many or private conversations.

 

How SMSALL group messaging is different?

It engages you in ‘conference messaging’. Just like ‘reply-all’ feature of the email, a group message on SMSALL is sent to all group members with responses broadcast to the whole group as well. A very convenient way to keep in touch with small groups (of up to 20 people) with less than 140 characters on projects and daily tasks!

SMSALL is not only confined to individual users, corporate users are finding it extremely useful as it is more reliable than in-house GSM Modem based solutions being used by the corporate sector to broadcast bulk text messages. According to Mr. Idrees, the enthusiastic COO of SMSALL,

“We are the only player in the market who offers a legitimate and cost effective solution to corporate sector for reaching out to their customers without spending too much. Our solution can help any organization to build their new customer base and to develop a strong relationship with existing ones through interactive communication by forming loyalty groups”

 

The service can be used by:

• Retailers: To keep their customers posted about price changes
• Businessmen: To notify customers about unforeseeable closures, new offers and discounts
• Restaurants: To broadcast latest deals, take orders and communicate with permanent customers
• Political parties: To keep their followers engaged and informed
• Interest groups: To cultivate a habit of healthy discussions on topics of interest
• Educational institutions:
• To inform students about schedules, classes, seminars & results etc.
• To deliver periodic reports to parents & guardians
• Media & agencies: to interact with general public, arrange quizzes, conduct polls etc.

According to a document provided by the COO, SMSALL is providing following services to corporate customers:

• SMS API
• Customer Loyalty groups for targeted engagement
• SMS CRM solutions
• Contextual SMS advertising
• SMS surveys and event voting
• Facebook and Twitter integration
• Group messaging

 

Impressive clientele amassed by SMSALL includes but is not limited to:

• Major Political Parties
• Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)
• Pakistan Tehreeq-e-Insaaf (PTI)
• Labor Party Pakistan
• TV channels
• GEO TV
• Organizations and Individuals
• Metro Cash and Carry Pakistan
• Oxford University Press
• British Council
• Ali Moeen Nawazish
• Tens of others, including schools, universities, call centers, ad agencies and local brands

 

Waqas Farooq, the CTO of SmsAll while explaining the challenges faced by the company told Telecompk:

“We worked days and nights and have created a powerful technology that can process a billion SMS a day. We are only constrained by the capacities allocated to us by telecom operators. Our vision is to register a new meaning of SMS communication in everyone’s mind.”

 

 

Conclusion

The service whose foundation was laid for the sole purpose of helping the needy can in no way be short of being impressive. However there are still a few doubts in my mind as to whether it really means something for a person like me who has the facility of internet whether in home, office or on the go?

The answer is quite simple; the service may not appeal to me and other “power users” as we are always connected to the internet and have the luxury of more than one ways of communication with our loved ones. But there are a lot of others who live in a remote part of our country where the only means of communication is a mobile phone, and that too a black-and-white one, these people need a platform to communicate and socialize with those who they cannot reach with any other means of communication.
However, there are still areas in which I think SMSALL needs to improve itself if it really wants to remain the leader in the market. For instance, the website doesn’t offer all the features available via SMS. New users find it complicated as the service foes not interactively guide the user about all features when a user is signed up. So far, SMSALL has grown virally but to increase its growth, they must improve their web presence and increase capacities to handle occasional delays that users have to face. I was told by the COO that website revamp is under process and soon users will be able to use SMSALL on the internet as well.

So let’s sum it up with a few pros and cons

Pros

• Same short code on all operators
•  Same tariff for all networks
• A lot of options to make and manage groups
• Attractive for the corporate sector

Cons

• Expensive for package users
• Unimpressive website
• Complicated SMS interface

 

It may still have some shortcomings, but I have taken the liberty of creating a group on SMSALL where TelecomPk followers will be able to follow all the latest news, previews, reviews and much more pertaining to the tech and telecom industry. Joining the group is simple, type:
Join telecompk
and send it to 8002 (Rs 1.2+ tax)

There have been a lot of technological advances since 2000 that deserve their place in history. Its amazing to think how far we have come in such a short time, with gadgets seemingly taking leaps and bounds every year and improving on already amazing ideas and technology. These not only make our lives easier but also help more products enter the marketplace based upon these technologies.

There are five advances that I think really stand out more than the others simply because they have turned the world upside down with their place in our world, making it easier for consumers and businesses alike to reach more people, bring in new products and generally live a better life.

1. Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is now found in just about every store, hotel, house, and café around the world, making it possible to connect to the internet without stringing a bunch of cables into the back of the computer. Since this advance, it has helped cell phones, tablets, laptops and other devices enter the marketplace more successfully as well. When our wifi goes down we forget how amazing this technology actually is.

Do Check: How Satellite Internet is Changing our Media and News Sources

2. Social media

Sites like Facebook and Twitter are extremely technologically advanced and it’s not just about helping others stay in touch with each other. Businesses rely on this social media more than anyone else in order to reach their target demographics, get feedback on their products and market successfully. A number of technologies have imitated these sites and the academic world has latched on by offering courses in social media.

3. The Smart Phone

The cell phone was advanced but the smart phone has gone above and beyond. The Android and the iPhone have popularized the concept but there are many manufacturers who have entered the arena. With apps becoming more and more popular as a way of doing business, the smart phone has internet access, a camera, gps, and many other features, making it an integral part of one’s life. It’s no longer just for making phone calls – it’s used for school, shopping, business, gaming, research and other aspects of life.

4. Electric Cars

There’s no longer a need to use gas or petrol to fuel cars. With the advancement of electrical and hybrid cars, it’s truly a green solution for the earth. Since the first prototype was designed, many manufacturers have piggy-backed on the idea to create more designs that use just electric or a combination of electric/petrol. As technology advances are made, the electric car is getting larger and faster as well.

5. 3D technology

3D technology is getting smaller and more readily available. The technology is going into televisions, smart phones, cinemas, laptops and everywhere else. Over the past 5 years, there’s been more 3D movies released to the big screen than ever before and the trend will continue as more television brands are releasing 3D televisions to the public. The 3D glasses are more advanced than the old paper ones and it’s changing the way people think about watching television and playing video games. However glasses less technology on a mass scale will bring this even further.

Paragon RT can help bring your technology to the masses with a rapid prototyping service and can work with low volume production options as well.

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Continuing their initiative of introducing smartphones in the market, Mobilink indigo have introduced HTC Explorer, quite an affordable Android 2.3 OS smartphone.

The HTC explorer is simple and intuitive. Weighing only 108g, the HTC explorer has been sized to meet the needs of convenience seekers. Its smart one touch intuitive interface allows you to jump your email, messages or run your favorite apps right from the Lock Screen. The 3.2-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display and 600MHz processor allows you to run thousands of applications from the android market.

With built-in smart URL prediction and auto-correction, the web surfing is effortless. Auto text reflow makes reading websites a breeze by fitting text to your screen while the built-in flash support means you’ll never miss your favorite web videos.

All Mobilink indigo customers who buy the HTC Explorer can enjoy three months of unlimited Mobile Internet for free* and a leather pouch at a reasonable price of Rs. 15,999/-.

“You don’t need to be a doctor to save a life“. This morning out of nowhere I read this line and that instantly reminded me the part of the verse number 32 of chapter 5 (Surat Al-Mai’dah) that says, “And if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole humanity”. It makes serving others and saving in order to save lives of the others a divine duty of us all. During the days of busyness with my dissertation and all I collected a great pile of unread emails, last night I came across to an email that was introduction of save life project. Since morning, I am trying to gain more information on this project.

Save Life project is all about saving lives of the other and with the planning, developing, and organizing it is now accessible at SaveLife.pk an idea that was initially started with the blood donation organizing during Dengue Attack. Save Life, simply provide a collaboration point for the blood organizing bodies, all the organizations can register with it and share their database of donors. That will make donor arrangement easy with the availability of larger data.  This is a multipurpose service i.e. natural disaster assistance, hepatitis, cencer, thalessmia, and HIV awareness.

One can get registered by sending an SMS to their code number with a defined pattern “Blood Signup gender, full name, city” (e.g. blood signup male, Rai Azlan, Lahore) and send this SMS  to their code number. In addition, one can request blood by sending an SMS to their code number stating, “I need to get [blood group] blood in [city] near [some area]” (e.g. I need to get B+ blood in Lahore near Cantt).

This is indeed a good idea to me in order to build database and arranging blood when required. However, being a start-up this need a lot of support and especially need many registered donors to show how effective it is. All those who are not willing to donate blood for some reason can still help and show support by become Social Media volunteers. These volunteers will require to set facebook status or share tweets regarding the blood requirement to spread the word. (E.g. Urgently required B+ve blood in CMH Hospital Lahore Pakistan. Contact 0300-1234567). This does not mean promoting save life as getting popularity is not the motive; the motive is to save life.

SaveLife.pk has also developed Facebook and Twitter App. The apps for smart phones are available. The mobile apps are location-based service and helps in finding blood near to the location it is actually required.

While my information search I came across to some of the success stories regarding Save Life project. As I am follower of no idea is bad idea concept I highly regard it as a very good idea and wish all the best to men behind this concept Talal Masood and Ahsen Masood. In case more information required regarding this service you can drop an email at help@savelife.pk.

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The diagnosis held by an iPhone app developer proves that iPhone is suffering from a chronic software problem. This test methodically proves that the much complained about battery problems are software based rather then hardware. Phew! a sigh of relief, well at least it can be cured rather then changing the over all hardware specs.

Two iPhone devices were tested independently. Both having the same hardware, iOS ver. 5.0.1. Their model and release date was similar. They were even bought from the same location and also using the same network (AT&T). Just to make sure all other differences are avoided to check for their battery performances avoiding hardware differences. The two phones however  had different iPhone apps. stored. One was using beta applications to test while the other was a regular use iPhone with out any unorthodox applications.

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