Mobile Phones and Driving - Safety Tips

When using a mobile phone while driving, safety is the most important call you will make. All drivers can make safety their first priority by following these ten simple steps.<br /><br />1. Always Use Hands Free<br /><br />In Australia it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving unless you use a hands free in-car-kit or portable hands free device. When using a portable hands free device make sure it is set up and working before you start to drive. A hands free device can reduce the physical effort to make and receive calls; however, it alone doesn?t make using a mobile phone while driving safe.<br /><br />2. Plan Your Trip and Make Calls When Stationary<br /><br />Whenever possible plan your trip and make calls when stationary or during rest breaks in long trips.<br /><br />3. Don?t Call in Heavy Traffic or Weather Conditions<br /><br />Don?t accept or make calls if traffic and weather conditions could make it unsafe to do so. Also, even if the traffic conditions are light, always tell the person you are speaking to that you?re driving and that you may have to end the call if driving conditions change.<br /><br />4. Don?t Engage in Complex or Emotional Conversations<br /><br />If a call becomes complex or emotional tell the person you are speaking to, you are driving and suspend the call. Complex and emotive conversations on a mobile phone, or with other passengers, and driving don?t mix they are distracting and can be dangerous.<br /><br />5. Use Message Services to Answer Calls<br /><br />If a call is unnecessary or you consider it unsafe to answer at the time, don?t answer the call. Let it divert to voicemail or an answering service.

Mobile Phones and Driving - Safety Tips

When using a mobile phone while driving, safety is the most important call you will make. All drivers can make safety their first priority b...

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Mind Your Mobile Manners

The mobiles industry wants as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits of mobile telecommunications and encourages individuals to use their mobile phones in a responsible manner and to be considerate and aware of situations where using their mobile phone might annoy others.<br /><br />1. When in doubt, always go out<br /><br />When possible go outside or to another room to make your call if your call might disturb others. Also, features such as text messaging answering services, call diversion and vibration alert can be used to receive important calls without disturbing others.<br /><br />2. If you can?t turn it off, use silent mode<br /><br />If you need to keep your phone on for important calls, then turn it to silent or vibrate mode. It?s the ring of a mobile phone in inappropriate places and times such as at the tennis or in restaurants which annoys people the most.<br /><br />3. When required turn your phone off and check it?s off<br /><br />There are some places where people should never talk on a mobile phone or send text messages and where the ringing of a mobile phone or message alert is considered highly unacceptable, such as: movies, stage shows, weddings, funerals, concerts, speeches, classrooms and lectures. In these cases, turn your phone off and remember to check it?s off before you enter the venue. You can always check your voicemail, text messages or your answering service afterwards.<br /><br />4. Keep your conversations private<br /><br />People?s sense of personal space varies in each situation. Making a call in a busy pub may be okay, but talking loudly in a confined space like a lift or on a train tends to infringe on others personal space. Be aware of where you are and who you are with and what others are doing before deciding to make or accept a call. In some situations it might be better to send a text message.<br /><br />5. Speak softly<br /><br />Mobile phones have very sensitive microphones that can pick even the softest voice, so there is no need to shout. If you are having trouble hearing the other caller, check that you have the volume on your phone set high enough.

Mind Your Mobile Manners

The mobiles industry wants as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits of mobile telecommunications and encourages individuals to use t...

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Tips on buying your mobile

An increasing number of people of all ages own mobile phones, enjoying the convenience, freedom and re-assurance they provide.<br /><br />There is a range of different handsets and contracts available, providing mobile communication solutions to suit consumers<br /><br />(1) What's your budget? Before you do anything else, think about why you want a mobile phone and determine your budget. There are numerous types of call plan, to suit various budgets and needs. There are also services available to help you keep track of what you spend consider whether this would help you and check out what options are available.<br />(2)What are your usage patterns? How often will you be using the phone, at what time of day and what will be your average call length? Will you be using the phone mostly for voice calls, or to SMS friends? Your usage patterns may help determine what type of plan is best for you and your budget.<br /><br />(3) What types of plan are available? There are four basic types of service agreement: fixed-term contracts, monthly plans, pre-paid or leasing. Pre-paid is ideal if you want to ensure you stay within a specified budget - perfect for teenagers. Getting a pre-paid first is also a good way of finding out what your usage is and helping you decide what type of plan might best suit you. Monthly plans allow you the flexibility of receiving monthly bills without signing a long-term contract. Business users may prefer the convenience of fixed-term, while leasing may suit you if you only need a phone and handset for a short time. New capped' plans (available post or pre-paid, depending on mobile carrier) also offer convenience and value and may suit many users.<br /><br />(4) What are the call rates within each plan? Call rates vary from plan-to-plan. It's important to assess both the rates and the call charge calculation methods when assessing your options. Issues to consider include: How are call charges calculated? On some plans you will be billed per second, on others, per block of time used (usually per 30 or 60 seconds), or, on the newer capped' deals (post and pre-paid), call caps' apply to many services, providing value and certainty; Is there a flag fall (an amount paid for each connection, in addition to call costs)? Are there any special offers (eg cheaper calls off-peak, or to friends on the same network, or for SMS)?<br /><br />(5) What features do you need in a handset? A basic handset will allow you to make calls and send and receive SMS. You'll need a more sophisticated one if you want to use the phone abroad, use MMS, voice recording, make video calls, download video or access the internet. Other features to consider are battery capacity (some handsets run longer between charges than others), ease of use, and your coverage requirements (see coverage'). Consider what you really need or you'll be paying for features you never use. If you already have a handset, are you eligible for other plans?<br /><br />(6) How much flexibility do you need? Consider your need for flexibility - and your budget - before you buy a handset or take out a plan. Are you likely to want the flexibility to upgrade your handset when a new one becomes available? Might you want to change to a different plan in six months? There are many different options for paying for handsets (e.g. up-front, flexi-rent deals, as part of your service agreement), and different plans (whether pre-paid or post-paid) have different terms and conditions for example some include penalties for changing networks, or plans, for example. Read the small print and check you can meet all the minimum conditions of the contract before signing anything.<br /><br />(7) What coverage do you require? Where will you be using the phone only in metropolitan areas, or in the country? The two dominant types of mobile network are GSM and CDMA. Check with the carriers where they have coverage to ensure they can provide the service where you need it before signing up. Your coverage requirements may also affect your handset choice (there are CDMA and GSM handsets).<br /><br />(8) Evaluate the options. Once you've worked out what you need/want, do your homework; shop around and compare what is available, and what will best suit your likely usage and budget.

Tips on buying your mobile

An increasing number of people of all ages own mobile phones, enjoying the convenience, freedom and re-assurance they provide. There is a ra...

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5 Tips to Make Your Cell Phone Battery Last Longer

Reducing power consumption helps fight global warming<br /> <br />Batteries can have a much longer life, if people follow just a few simple tips on how to save their power<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="..." border="0" height="360" name="post_img_resize_2" src="http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/5-Tips-to-Make-Your-Cell-Phone-Battery-Last-Longer-2.jpg" style="display: inline;" title="..." width="360" /><br /></div>Modern mobile phones have numerous applications installed, as well as a bunch of other features, including photo cameras, blitzes, Bluetooth devices and others. All these accessories take up large amounts of electricity from the battery, prompting users to recharge them more often. This consumes a lot of electric energy, placing unnecessary strain on power plants, to supply more juice.<br /><br /><br />Using energy-saving settings is a great way of reducing the overall electrical consumption of your phone, especially if you turn off the back light, which accounts for the depletion of the battery to a great extent. Screen-savers are also huge power drains, as they animate the screen even when the phone is still in the pocket.<br /><br /><br />New photo editing software, built into most mobile phones, are undoubtedly a great way of fine-tuning a photo on the spot, freshly after the moment it was taken. But using the blitz and the included pieces of software places great strain on the battery, which may need recharging after a couple of hours playing with these accessories. A good way to avoid this is by taking pictures in sunny spots, where additional lights are not required, and editing them at home.<br /><br /><br />Usually, if you stop an average guy on the street and take his phone, you will notice it has Bluetooth and WiFi turned on, as well as GPS, e-mail applications and several feeds, for the weather, sports results, news and whatnot. Turning all these applications off once you've finished working with them is a great way to save power. Also, when on the move, turn off the phone completely, as there's no signal anyway, and it takes a lot of power for the device to look for a connection.<br /><br /><br />Headsets are another one of life's little wonders, especially in a crowded place, where movements such as reaching inside your pocket are impossible. But you don't necessarily need a Bluetooth device for that; corded headphones work just as well. In fact, they might save you from curious glances, which are inevitably drawn to you when people think you're talking to yourself.<br /><br /><br />The next step is the easiest one – simply take care of the battery physically. Its contacts may become covered in dust or other such stuff, so cleaning them once in a while might prove to be an excellent idea. The link between the phone and the battery itself will be near perfect, and the amounts of electricity the battery will need to generate will be much smaller.

5 Tips to Make Your Cell Phone Battery Last Longer

Reducing power consumption helps fight global warming Batteries can have a much longer life, if people follow just a few simple tips on...

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All About UIQ

<div class="message" style="overflow: auto; float: left; width: 99%;"> <b>UIQ is a flexible and customizable user interface and development platform</b>. It is pre-integrated and tested with Symbian OS, the leading industry standard operating system for smartphones. By using the UIQ software platform it is possible to create an entire portfolio of highly diversified phones for different user segments, all based on a single codeline. <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: green;">Why UIQ?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: brown;">*UIQ allows mobile phone manufacturers to differentiate and create a diversified portfolio of phones, all based on one single codeline<br /><br />*UIQ is designed to be a great user experience, giving users many options for personalization <br /><br />*UIQ encourages the promotion of mobile phone manufacturers' and operators' own brands </span><br /><br /><br /><b>User experience & usability</b><br /><br />UIQ based mobile phones are designed for high performance in everyday use, wherever you are and whatever you are doing.<br /><br /><u>The UIQ user interface provides efficient and effective user interaction and enables good user experience on phones with varying phone styles. A good user experience is one of the main features of our product. </u><br /><br /><b>Usability our trademark</b><br />We pay close attention to the end user experience, aiming to make it as satisfying and intuitive as possible. Intensive cooperation with users has been the trademark of our design and development processes since the beginning. Our user-centric design is based on continuous user testing throughout the design and development processes. We work closely with users to design the interaction they want to experience. For mobile phones, user satisfaction is the most important measurement of usability. For this reason, UIQ Technology has developed its own usability testing method UTUM� (UIQ Technology Usability Metrics), a qualitative research method that gives support to UI design work. Besides ensuring user friendliness, having end users involved in the design process also leads to a richer user experience and helps us advance the entire software platform.<br /><br />_____<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">Releases:</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: darkblue;">1-UIQ 1.0 - Mobile telephony release (2000)</span><br /><br />New � VGA user interface (240*320 pixels) for Symbian OS v6.0 <br />Integrated telephony capabilities <br />PersonalJava 1.0 and Javaphone 1.0 <br />Strong focus on usability<br /><br /><span style="color: darkblue;">2-UIQ 1.1 - Packet-enabled release (2001)</span><br /><br />For Symbian OS v6.1 <br />Triple-band GSM, HSCSD, and GPRS <br />Bluetooth v1.0b compliant <br />WAP 1.2.1 <br /><br /><span style="color: darkblue;">3-UIQ 2.0 - Multimode release (2002)</span><br /><br />For Symbian OS v7.0 <br />Multimode Telephony API with CDMA <br />Flexible screen size - enables smaller configurations <br />PersonalJava 1.1 and Java MIDP 1.0 <br />Upgrades/additions of mobile standards, such as MMS, Bluetooth, SyncML, Web <br /><br /><span style="color: darkblue;">4-UIQ 2.1 - Upgrade release (2003)</span><br /><br />For Symbian OS v7.0 <br />Java MIDP 2.0 <br />Integrated telephony application <br />SyncML upgrade <br />SIM management <br />Themes <br /><br /><span style="color: darkblue;">5-UIQ 3 - Extended flexibility (2005)</span><br /><br />For Symbian OS v9 <br />Several UI configurations are supported to meet the requirements of different phone styles, for example Softkey Style for one-handed use and Pen Style for pen-based use<br />Extensive customization through the Operator Configuration Package <br />Richer UI experience<br /><br />_______<br /><br /><span style="color: brown;">UIQ advantages</span><br /><br /><b>Designed to allow maximum freedom and flexibility when producing new phones, the UIQ platform is continuously evolving to fulfill the latest mobile phone manufacturer, network operator and developer requirements. Below please find some of the advantages when using UIQ.</b><br /><br /><u>Mobile phone manufacturers</u><br /><br />The reliable and flexible UIQ platform shortens time to market for mobile phone manufactures and lets them instead focus on branding, differentiating and creating appealing products.<br /><br />*The UIQ open software platform is based on Symbian OS, the leading industry standard operating system for smartphones. Our mobile expertise and unique industry perspective gives mobile phone manufacturers an excellent position for creating powerful phones.<br /><br />*Create a portfolio of highly diversified phones, all based on one single codeline, accelerating the time-to-market when producing new phones.<br /><br />*The growing UIQ ecosystem ensures the availability of a large range of world-class applications, technologies and services<br /><br /><br /><u>Network operators</u><br /><br />Network operators benefit from our feature operator configuration package that lets them endorse a specific look and feel for the end users, as well as to promote and give easy access to services.<br /><br /><br />*UIQ based phones offer a powerful and rich user experience, giving access to a large range of applications and services, increasing the usage of the phone.<br /> <br />*The UIQ platform is created to fulfill network operator requirements. <br /><br />*One platform means that operators can deliver services more quickly and cost-effectively and deploy the same applications to more devices, while keeping a consistent user experience and branding.<br /><br /><br /><u>Developers:</u><br /><br />Developers developing for UIQ get to work with an open and very flexible platform as well as get access to an extensively growing market of phones using UIQ.<br /><br /><br />*The UIQ platform allows you to easily develop for all UIQ based phones regardless of model and/or mobile phone manufacturer. <br /><br />*Create novel and compelling applications, services and content, using the feature-rich UIQ development platform. <br /><br />*The UIQ platform supports multiple programming languages with corresponding development tools.<br /><br /><br /><b><i>UIQ PHONES :</i></b><br /><br /><br />1 <br />Sony Ericsson W950<br /><span style="color: indigo;">User interface: UIQ 3<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v9.1 <br />Version of the phone model: W958c for Mainland China</span><br /><br /><br />2 <br />Sony Ericsson P990<br /><span style="color: indigo;">User interface: UIQ 3<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v9.1</span><br /><br /><br />3 <br />Sony Ericsson M600<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 3<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v9.1<br />Version of the phone model: M608c for Mainland China</span><br /><br /><br />4 <br />Motorola M1000<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 2.1<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v.7.0</span><br /><br /><br />5 <br />Arima U308<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 2.1<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />6 <br />Motorola A1000<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 2.1<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />8 <br />Benq P30<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 2.1 <br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0 </span><br /><br /><br />9 <br />Sony Ericsson P910<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 2.1 <br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />10 <br />Sony Ericsson P900<br /><span style="color: indigo;">User interface: UIQ 2.1<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />11<br />Motorola A925<br /><span style="color: indigo;">User interface: UIQ 2.0 <br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />12 <br />Motorola A920<br /><span style="color: indigo;">User interface: UIQ 2.0 <br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />13<br />Sony Ericsson P800<br /><span style="color: darkblue;">User interface: UIQ 2.0 <br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span><br /><br /><br />14 <br />Arima U300<br /><span style="color: indigo;">User interface: UIQ 2.1<br />Operating system: Symbian OS v7.0</span> </div>

All About UIQ

UIQ is a flexible and customizable user interface and development platform . It is pre-integrated and tested with Symbian OS, the leadin...

Read more »