Top Mobile Phones Resources

Republic Wireless went live on Tuesday with its impossibly cheap $ 19 unlimited talk, text and data plan, presenting a service that could potentially save some users a tremendous amount of money each month. “Newsflash: anything a cell network can do, the Internet can do better and cheaper,” Republic Wireless touts on its website. “So we think a truly smart smartphone should make a habit of using Wi-Fi for everything. Surfing. Texting. Sharing. And, yes, even talking.” Read on for more.

Thanks to software technology that offloads voice calling and SMS to Wi-Fi networks whenever possible, Republic Wireless uses Sprint’s cellular network only when Wi-Fi service is not available. When Wi-Fi connections are available, it uses UMA to pipe communications over the Internet.

Unfortunately, the term “unlimited” is apparently entirely unregulated in the wireless space, and Republic Wireless uses the term rather loosely. The carrier employs what it refers to as a “fair use threshold” that defines average monthly cellular service usage. Should a subscriber’s monthly usage regularly exceed that threshold by a significant amount, Republic Wireless will give said subscriber the boot.

“How much cellular usage is too much? It depends,” the carrier explains on its website. “Even assuming 0% wifi usage, for example, you could consume 550 minutes, send 150 texts, and download 300 megabytes of data without crossing the community’s fair use threshold. Everyone’s usage patterns will be different, but we’re confident you’ll be amazed at how little cellular you actually use when you have a phone that makes it easy to leverage the power of your Wi-Fi networks.”

The carrier’s FAQ continues,”What happens if I use more than the suggested guideline? First, you’ll be reminded of the guidelines and to what extent you’ve crossed the fair use threshold. We’ll provide you with tips for reducing your cellular footprint and plenty of opportunity to get back on track. When we contact you about your usage, we’ll let you know how much time you have to correct your problem.” If the problem isn’t corrected within the timeline specified, a subscriber’s service will be terminated.

Republic Wireless currently offers one smartphone, the Android Gingerbread-powered LG Optimus S, for $ 199.99 contract-free. The carrier has a “beta” label slapped on its service for the time being so outages may be an issue, and subscribers must establish at least one Wi-Fi connection before service can commence.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

What’s the catch? You’ll need to do most of your calling and downloading over Wi-Fi networks.

(Credit:
Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET)

Looking for a no-contract
Android phone with low monthly rates? Until now, your best bet was Virgin Mobile, which has plans starting at $ 35 per month.

Newcomer Republic Wireless just blew that out of the water. The company offers an Android phone for just $ 19 per month, including unlimited voice, data, and text. No contract, no early termination fees, no overage charges.

I think I’m in love.

I think. There is, as you might expect, a catch. To help minimize costs, Republic Wireless relies on Hybrid Calling technology, meaning your phone automatically taps Wi-Fi networks–rather than cellular ones–whenever possible.

No Wi-Fi? No problem. You’ll still get plain old cell service (via Sprint), but if your non-Wi-Fi usage gets too high, the company might give you the boot. Seriously.

That would happen only after numerous warnings and “tips for reducing your cellular footprint.” But I find it interesting that Republic calls it customers “members” and its service a “community,” and reserves the right to revoke your membership if you “cross the community’s fair use threshold.”

What constitutes crossing the threshold? Republic allots you 550 voice minutes, 150 texts, and 300MB of data. But remember, that’s cellular usage; if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, like at home or the office, there are no limitations.

The only phone Republic offers at the moment is the LG Optimus S, an entry-level Android phone, to be sure, but one of the better ones. It’s compact, reasonably speedy, and powered by Android 2.3 (aka Gingerbread). To my thinking, it’s a fine choice for kids, first-time smartphone owners, or anyone with fairly minimal needs. The phone costs $ 199, including your first month of service, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Republic currently classifies itself as “in beta,” and says a limited number of memberships are available.

Watch this space for some hands-on coverage of Republic’s phone and service. In the meantime, hit the comments and tell me what you think of this intriguing offer.

My initial reaction is that it’s a home run for my daughter, who’s been begging for a phone–but doesn’t need anything super-fancy. And $ 19 per month sounds a lot more attractive to the guy who’ll be footing at least some of the bill.

mobile phone tips – Google News

Former Motorola software engineer Hanjuan Jin, a 41-year old naturalized United States citizen, is standing trial for stealing trade secrets from Motorola with plans to sell the documents to the Chinese military and to Kai Sun News Technology Co. According to Bloomberg, Jin was randomly stopped at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in 2007 as she tried to flee the United States with a one-way ticket to China, $ 30,000 in cash and more than a thousand private documents that belonged to Motorola.

“The defendant has a job waiting for her, a job in China with a company that provides cellular technology to the Chinese military,” prosecutor Christopher Stetler said. Jin’s defense has argued that the documents Jin stole were not valuable to the company, which has since split into two separate entities, Motorola Solutions and Motorola Mobility. She stole secrets related to iDEN push-to-talk technology, but defense lawyer Beth Westman Gaus has described the technology as “obsolete.”

Jin is not alone when it comes to corporate espionage on behalf of China. According to a report issued by the United States Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage.” Motorola Solutions is also suing Jin for working at a competitor while she was employed by the Illinois-based company.

“Motorola Solutions has cooperated with the government throughout its investigation and prosecution of this case and continues to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice,” Motorola Solutions spokesperson Nicholas Sweers said in a statement.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Former Motorola software engineer Hanjuan Jin, a 41-year old naturalized United States citizen, is standing trial for stealing trade secrets from Motorola with plans to sell the documents to the Chinese military and to Kai Sun News Technology Co. According to Bloomberg, Jin was randomly stopped at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in 2007 as she tried to flee the United States with a one-way ticket to China, $ 30,000 in cash and more than a thousand private documents that belonged to Motorola.

“The defendant has a job waiting for her, a job in China with a company that provides cellular technology to the Chinese military,” prosecutor Christopher Stetler said. Jin’s defense has argued that the documents Jin stole were not valuable to the company, which has since split into two separate entities, Motorola Solutions and Motorola Mobility. She stole secrets related to iDEN push-to-talk technology, but defense lawyer Beth Westman Gaus has described the technology as “obsolete.”

Jin is not alone when it comes to corporate espionage on behalf of China. According to a report issued by the United States Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage.” Motorola Solutions is also suing Jin for working at a competitor while she was employed by the Illinois-based company.

“Motorola Solutions has cooperated with the government throughout its investigation and prosecution of this case and continues to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice,” Motorola Solutions spokesperson Nicholas Sweers said in a statement.

Read

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Former Motorola software engineer Hanjuan Jin, a 41-year old naturalized United States citizen, is standing trial for stealing trade secrets from Motorola with plans to sell the documents to the Chinese military and to Kai Sun News Technology Co. According to Bloomberg, Jin was randomly stopped at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in 2007 as she tried to flee the United States with a one-way ticket to China, $ 30,000 in cash and more than a thousand private documents that belonged to Motorola.

“The defendant has a job waiting for her, a job in China with a company that provides cellular technology to the Chinese military,” prosecutor Christopher Stetler said. Jin’s defense has argued that the documents Jin stole were not valuable to the company, which has since split into two separate entities, Motorola Solutions and Motorola Mobility. She stole secrets related to iDEN push-to-talk technology, but defense lawyer Beth Westman Gaus has described the technology as “obsolete.”

Jin is not alone when it comes to corporate espionage on behalf of China. According to a report issued by the United States Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage.” Motorola Solutions is also suing Jin for working at a competitor while she was employed by the Illinois-based company.

“Motorola Solutions has cooperated with the government throughout its investigation and prosecution of this case and continues to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice,” Motorola Solutions spokesperson Nicholas Sweers said in a statement.

Read

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Former Motorola software engineer Hanjuan Jin, a 41-year old naturalized United States citizen, is standing trial for stealing trade secrets from Motorola with plans to sell the documents to the Chinese military and to Kai Sun News Technology Co. According to Bloomberg, Jin was randomly stopped at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in 2007 as she tried to flee the United States with a one-way ticket to China, $ 30,000 in cash and more than a thousand private documents that belonged to Motorola.

“The defendant has a job waiting for her, a job in China with a company that provides cellular technology to the Chinese military,” prosecutor Christopher Stetler said. Jin’s defense has argued that the documents Jin stole were not valuable to the company, which has since split into two separate entities, Motorola Solutions and Motorola Mobility. She stole secrets related to iDEN push-to-talk technology, but defense lawyer Beth Westman Gaus has described the technology as “obsolete.”

Jin is not alone when it comes to corporate espionage on behalf of China. According to a report issued by the United States Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage.” Motorola Solutions is also suing Jin for working at a competitor while she was employed by the Illinois-based company.

“Motorola Solutions has cooperated with the government throughout its investigation and prosecution of this case and continues to fully cooperate with the Department of Justice,” Motorola Solutions spokesperson Nicholas Sweers said in a statement.

Read

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

During an event in New York City on Monday, Microsoft announced that the popular music service Spotify will launch for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) devices sometime during the day. Spotify allows users to stream free ad-supported music from a computer, but access to the service from mobile devices requires a $ 9.99 monthly subscription option. The monthly fee also gets rid of ads and allows users to store playlists on a mobile device for offline playback. Spotify is already available on Android and iOS, and the service has been very successful in the U.S. since launching this past July.

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

The iPhone 4S made its official debut in the United States on October 14th and the device is still flying off of store shelves, Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore said Monday. “Demand continues to track very strongly,” Whitmore explained, citing checks with multiple Apple retail stores. “Apple is experiencing daily stock outs at ~85-90% of the ~30 retail stores we called,” he explained. “Apple employees are directing customers to make an online appointment (first come first serve) for next day pick up at nearby Apple retail stores as stocks appear to be refreshed daily at most locations.” We are not surprised by Whitmore’s findings. Canaccord Genuity recently found that the iPhone 4S was the top selling smartphone on AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint during the month of October. Whitmore expects Apple to sell 28 million units during the quarter.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Verizon Wireless will soon offer a promotion that provides its 4G LTE customers with twice the amount of data for the same monthly price. The special will kick off on November 11th at 11:11 a.m. EST to coincide with the Motorola DROID RAZR launch. The promotion works just how it sounds: if you currently pay for 2GB of data per month, you’ll receive 4GB for the same price. If you subscribe to a 5GB monthly plan, you’ll receive 10GB for the same price. Reportedly, existing customers will be able to add the option to their account by contacting customer service or by logging into their My Verizon account on Verizon’s website. It is unclear how long the promotion will last, but it’s definitely one we would take advantage of.

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

You need to take mobile device security just as seriously as you do for your PCs and laptops.

The more you do on your mobile device, the more you should be concerned about its security. This is especially true if you use it for work. Keep in mind, if your device is configured with your employer’s email or messaging server, they may already be implementing some of the security tips we’re going to discuss.

Tip No. 1 – Choose a mobile OS that supports encryption, oh, and use it: If you are truly concerned about the security of your mobile phone or device you should use a mobile operating system (OS) and device that supports hardware-based encryption, such as Apple’s iOS or RIM’s BlackBerry, for both internal and external storage. This means the data stored on it is protected even from the most advanced hacker. Without encryption it’s possible that someone could recover the data on the device even without your lock pin or password.

Android 3.0 includes an API to help developers offer encryption, but none yet are selling devices with encryption out-of-the-box. However, WhisperCore is a product you may want to keep your eye on. Beta versions are currently available for Nexus S and Nexus One.

Tip No. 2 – Set a lock pin or password: Enabling a password, whether it’s called a pin, passcode, or passphrase, is the first line of defense in protecting your privacy and security. It helps prevent others from picking up your phone or device and snooping around if it becomes lost, stolen, or just left unattended. It’s also usually required if encryption is enabled on the device.

If encryption isn’t supported by the OS you should still definitely require yourself to set a password. Though your data can possibly be recovered by determined individuals without them knowing the password, you’ll at least protect it from the causal snoopers.

Tip No. 3 – Enable auto-wiping of data: Most mobile OSes support automatic wiping of the device’s data after a certain number of incorrect passwords attempts. This is great if encryption isn’t supported by the device but it can actually be just as beneficial for encrypted devices. Because giving others unlimited guesses to your password makes it much more possible that they could get it right, and once that happens the data is decrypted.

Auto-wiping is natively supported by iOS, Windows Phone 7, and BlackBerry.

Android requires the use of a third party app, such as Autowipe or a security app as in the last tip.

Just remember to keep all your data regularly backed up and use a solution that lets you restore the data to a new device in case you can’t find the one you wiped.

Tip No. 4 – Setup remote tracking and management: Before your phone or device gets misplaced or stolen you ought to setup a remote tracking and management solution. Most let you see the device’s GPS location on a map, send audible alerts to help you find it, and display a visual message to tell others how to return it. They typically also let you remotely lock and/or wipe it before someone else gets their hands on it.

For iOS 4.2 or later, Apple provides a free service. For earlier iOS versions there’s the MobileMe service from Apple at $ 99 a year after the 60 day free trial.

For Android you have to use a third-party app, such as the security apps mentioned in the last tip.

For Windows Phone 7 Microsoft provides the free Windows Live for Mobile service.

For BlackBerry, RIM provides the free BlackBerry Protect service.

Tip No. 5 – Limit Wi-Fi hotspot usage: When you use public Wi-Fi hotspots that aren’t encrypted, all your Internet traffic is transmitted through the air and can be easily intercepted. The most important sites and services, such as banking websites, usually implement their own (HTTPS/SSL) encryption that protects their individual traffic. But most email providers and many social networking sites don’t; thus eavesdroppers can likely capture their passwords and traffic.

On the other hand most 3G, 4G, and other cellular data connections are usually encrypted by the carriers. Plus eavesdropping on these types of connections isn’t as popular. Therefore, when you’re out and about you should try to use the data connection rather unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots.

If you insist on using Wi-Fi hotspots, use those that provide enterprise encryption and 802.1X authentication, such as from T-Mobile and iBahn. Alternatively, consider using a VPN connection to secure your traffic from local eavesdroppers.

Tip No. 6 – Use an antivirus or security app: Viruses, malware, and hacking on mobile devices aren’t a huge issue now but they are becoming more of an issue. You should consider installing a security app to help prevent infections and intrusions. Most AV solutions also offer additional features, such as remote wiping, backup and other features.

AVG and NetQin provide free security apps for Android.

LookOut offers free apps for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.

Some paid options include McAfee WaveSecure, Kaspersky Mobile Security and Trend Micro Mobile Security.

Eric Geier is the founder of NoWiresSecurity, which helps businesses easily protect their Wi-Fi networks with the Enterprise mode of WPA/WPA2 security. He is also a freelance tech writer—become a Twitter follower or use the RSS Feed to keep up with his writings.

mobile phone tips – Google News

Barnes & Noble took the wraps off of the Nook Tablet during a press event in New York City on Monday morning. The device runs Android, has a 7-inch LG “Vivid VIew” display, 16GB of expandable storage, 1GB of RAM and dual-core a 1GHz processor. It also weighs under one pound supports up to 11.5 hours of reading time. Barnes & Noble said the device will also have free access to AT&T and Barnes & Noble Wi-Fi hotspots. Barnes & Noble said it also has the “deepest Netflix integration of any tablet” and that the device is capable of playing 1080p HD video. The Nook Tablet will have access to Barnes & Noble’s new “Nook Cloud” service for free storage as well as free customer support. In addition, Barnes & Noble said that it will release an update for the original Nook, now priced at $ 199, with more than 100 new improvements. The $ 250 Nook Tablet will be available next week and pre-orders begin now.

Developing…

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

There are a number of very good reasons you should be developing for mobile. It’s an incredibly fast-growing medium. In fact, mobile web has already caught up to desktop usage. For many people, mobile is the sole means of accessing the web. Mobile devices are “always on” and incredibly personal. The platform gives you the opportunity to put out a low cost, high-volume product and, importantly, it rewards you for being creative.

That’s all well and good, but what kind of mobile phone should you code for? Answering this question isn’t all that simple. Least of all because the answer depends so much on what your product is and who you’re aiming it at. This is an especially important consideration in emerging markets where, despite immense growth, smartphones and super phones are still in the minority.

According to Google software engineer Bruno Albuquerque, there are a few things you should remember about each category of phone before deciding which to develop for.

Entry Phones:Entry phones still account for a large percentage of phones in emerging markets. They are, however, very limited. Entry devices have little or no data access, a very small screen and no support for installed apps.

This means that your developing is largely limited to SMS. In other words, all you’re going to be doing is coding simple and short plaintext commands or responses. SMS also has a whole host of its own issues. These include high latency, which means that delivery can be unreliable, with messages sometimes taking hours to arrive.

One of the biggest complaints about SMS is that, for the service being offered, it is massively expensive, so you should bear this in mind before deciding on SMS as you medium of choice.

Albuquerque also maintains that your server needs to be extremely concise to be effective when it comes to providing and SMS-based product.

Feature Phones:This category of phone accounts for an even larger percentage of devices in emerging markets than entry phones. It offers developers significantly more opportunities than entry phones, in that it actually has the ability to send and receive data.

Feature phones do, however, suffer from some of the same small screen-size issues as entry phones.

On the other hand, they can handle some offline apps but connectivity is limited to Edge and MMS.

You’re also pretty much limited to HTML when it comes to coding online content for a feature phone.

There is the capability for native apps but they tend to run off J2ME and BREW platforms with no real across-the-board standard.

Smartphones:For the purposes of this article, smartphone denotes phones like the more basic ones offered by BlackBerry and those in the Nokia series 40 range.

Smartphones are on the increase around the world and especially in emerging markets. Their medium-sized screens allow for some level of User Interface (UI) and they have some installed and offline apps.

They also offer better connectivity with Edge, 3G and Wi-Fi and you can include some HTML and Javascript coding. Albuquerque cautions, however, that JavaScript tends to run incredibly slowly on this category of devices.

As is the case with feature phones, there’s no real standard for native apps.

Super Phones:This category of phone includes any of those running full-blown mobile operating systems like iOS and Android.

Super phones account for a very low percentage of phones in emerging markets. They have really fast CPU capability. This CPU capability does, however have a trade-off: You have to be incredibly mindful of battery usage if you want to build a product designed for super phones.

They do, however, offer a broad range of platforms you can build web apps on, including HTML, HTML 5 and Flash (with the exception of iOS), which also allow for offline access giving you more freedom in your coding.

Native apps on super phones, on the other hand, tend to use Java, C++ and Objective C.

The enhanced data connectivity of super phones through 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi also gives you more freedom, as does the fact that you can include Bluetooth connectivity and GPS functionality in your code.

You also have to bear in mind that you’ll be developing for a larger screen, with some phones having screens capable of running video up to 720p.

Super phones allow for complex user interfaces. Albuquerque cautions, however, not to get too carried away, saying that simple UIs are still better.

Market Segment:When it comes to the higher categories of phone you should always be aware that the mobile web needs constant connection or HTML5 offline storage and that not all mobile browsers are born equal. To do real desktop, style web applications “you need HTML5,” stresses Albuquerque.

When it comes to native apps, developers need to be aware that they have to be specific to each OS, that you need to use different features and user interface styles and the different distribution channels for each OS.

mobile phone tips – Google News

Mobile gamblers are currently one of the fastest growing groups of users in the online gambling industry. We have been seeing some huge percentage increases in this form of gambling for both newly registered members as well as across-the-board spending. With such a huge increase in demand for this form of gambling, it was only a matter of time until mobile phone manufacturers were able to offer smartphones at much more affordable prices.

Samsung is one of the first to launch a far more affordable range, and the first duo on sale – that is in the US marketplace – are the Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash. Both will be released for sale on the 6th November. Apparently AT&T have got the jump on all other mobile suppliers, and pricing for mobile gambling fans will be $ 199.99 for the Samsung Focus S, and for the entry level Focus Flash, this will be a ridiculously low $ 49.99.

We can pretty much guarantee that UK and European-facing mobile gambling fans will soon have these Samsung models clutched tight in their hot little hands.

Both of these smartphone models are more than adequately equipped to handle anything online gambling sites can throw at them. They are based on the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, but obviously are not quite as feature-rich. However 50 bucks for a smartphone means every one and their uncle can easily and affordably get access to gaming on the go.

This is online gambling in the palm of your hand, right at your finger tips, wherever you as long as there is a signal. And where today is it not possible to find a mobile signal? I remember when I watched Star Trek on TV as a child; I thought the actors were really stupid to be talking into little hand-sized communicators. But once again life imitates art, and not only does everyone the world over have access to these units, they can use them to play the Star Trek slots game too.

Written by Neha A

mobile phone tips – Google News

Barnes & Noble is holding a press conference on Monday morning where the company is expected to unveil a new color eBook reader that will go head-to-head with Amazon’s upcoming Kindle Fire tablet. According to a recent report, the slate in question will be Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color 2 and it will feature a 7-inch 1024 x 600-pixel display, 16GB of storage, 1GB of RAM and a dual-core 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4 processor. Rumors also suggest the tablet will be priced at $ 249, $ 50 more than the hotly anticipated Amazon Kindle Fire, but nothing is confirmed until Barnes & Noble executives take the stage on Monday morning.

Bookmark this link, which will go live shortly before the event begins tomorrow morning, and make sure to head there for our live coverage of Barnes & Noble’s press conference! Coverage will begin just before 10:00 a.m. EST / 7:00 a.m. PST.

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

AT&T’s first two 4G LTE-enabled smartphones are now available for purchase, and subscribers looking to be among the first to own these powerful new Android devices are in for a pleasant surprise. Announced just last week, the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and HTC Vivid feature Google’s Android Gingerbread OS and specs that place them on par with most modern high-end handsets. They were also announced with high-end price points; the Vivid was unveiled at $ 199.99 and the Skyrocket was given a $ 249.99 price tag. Both phones are now on sale as promised — they became available a day early on Saturday, in fact — but each smartphone is priced $ 100 lower than expected on AT&T’s website. Read on for more.

The Vivid is being offered for just $ 99.99 on contract in black or white, and the Skyrocket costs $ 149.99 on AT&T’s website, $ 50 less than the standard version of the Galaxy S II that lacks LTE. It is unclear how long the $ 100 online discounts will last for these sleek new smartphones, but buyers who were on the fence may have just gotten the push they needed.

BGR went hands-on with both the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and the HTC Vivid last week, and we found the devices to be excellent jumping-off points for AT&T’s 4G LTE smartphone portfolio.

UPDATE: The plot thickens — apparently, pricing varies by region. Many report seeing the phones listed at their announced prices, while others are still seeing the $ 100 online discount. The screenshots below were taken at 12:30 p.m. EST using our zip code in New York.

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

You’ve been thinking about producing a video for a while. You know you need to do it, and you’re ready to bite the bullet and produce your first one. How hard can it be to press record and talk to the camera, or record some footage? Recording video itself isn’t hard. All you have to do is press that little button and have something in front of the camera. Right? Well, yes and no. Your first video production experience could be a nightmare if you don’t prepare for success.

Here are five tips that will help insure that your video project doesn’t become a pain in your side.

1. Think about your audience: As you’re planning to create a video, think about who will see it, how they will see it, what the viewer will learn, or how will it benefit them. Remember time is money, and people generally have short attention spans especially online. Any time you can create a visual hook, or make it funny and entertaining, you will increase the chances that viewers will watch.

2. Determine your production needs. People frequently talk about how easy it is to shoot video with a cell phone, or a pocket cam, or something “affordable.” While these cameras can certainly get it done, they also have limitations. They often have limited ability to capture quality audio, and don’t zoom very well. It’s important to consider what you’re shooting and what equipment you’ll need to achieve your goal. For a talking head vlog, a web cam will work, but if you’re recording a wedding, or speech, you’ll probably need a camera with an external mic input to make sure you capture the audio sufficiently, a tripod, and don’t forget about lights.

3. Consult with a professional. If you’re serious about creating strong videos, you should network with video and film professionals. There are so many things that can go wrong during a production, and Murphy’s Law is the rule, not the exception. If you can’t hire a pro, you should at least start building relationships with those who’ve been there and done that. Their advice and direction can be invaluable especially when you’re planning your project, and if you run into any hiccups along the way.

4. Know how you’re going to get your video edited. Unless you’re going to upload raw footage directly to the web, you’ll need to get your video polished up. It could be something simple as adding a lower third graphic, or photos, to more intensive work like fixing bad audio, or color correction. If you can’t afford to hire an editor, you will need to either find a volunteer, or step up your skills and get to chopping.

5. Practice. If you’re going to be on camera, you’ll need to practice. If you want to be a videographer, it takes practice. If you want to learn how to edit, you’ll have to practice. Video production is one of those learn-as-you-go trades. Every professional started out as a student or amateur, and the only way you’re going to get better is by doing it. You have to have the confidence that you’ll get better, because you will.

Be Kind & Rewind ► Scan these related stories: What do you think? ▼About Our Guest Expert – Amani ChannelAmani Channel, MA is an award-winning producer, and a former broadcast journalist who now works in broadcast PR. You can learn more, at his video production tutorial site, Web Video Chefs. Follow @AmaniChannel

Please Note: Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily that of ReelSEO.com.

Become a Guest Expert – Occasionally, we like to offer experts within the online video industry the chance to write a guest post for ReelSEO. We like it because it offers you readers great content, and it comes directly from those in the field that are working on the technologies to power this online video revolution of sorts If you are interested in becoming a guest author, please feel free to let us know. Read our post on becoming a guest author for additional information. – View All Posts By Guest Expert

mobile phone tips – Google News

Motorola on Friday quietly published images and details to its website surrounding the MOTOKEY SOCIAL, a feature phone with a strong focus on Facebook. Like HTC’s Chacha and Salsa, this upcoming Motorola phone features a dedicated Facebook button that simplifies the process of sharing images and status updates on the popular social network. The MOTOKEY SOCIAL also features a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a 3-megapixel camera, email, Web access and a 910 mAh battery rated for 480 minutes of talk time. Pricing and launch details have not yet been announced.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Microsoft released its Kinect for Windows SDK Beta 2 on Friday that adds support for Windows 8, among other changes. According to ZDNET, Microsoft has two Kinect development kits. One software development kit for commercial usage will be available early next year. The second kit, released on Friday, is targeted at enthusiasts running Windows 7 or the developer build of Windows 8. “Developing Kinect enabled applications is essentially the same as developing other Windows applications, except that this SDK provides support for the features of the Kinect sensor,” Microsoft explained in a note accompanying the release. The SDK also adds support for 64-bit apps, improved accuracy and a number of enhancements to skeletal tracking.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

FOSS Patents is reporting that Motorola has won an injunction related to a patent infringement lawsuit in Germany, Europe’s largest market. According to the ruling by a Mannheim Regional Court, Apple is barred from selling any mobile device that infringe on two Motorola Mobility patents filed in April of 2003. Motorola is also reportedly owed for past damages. One of the patents in question relates to GSM, UMTS and 3G, and it is unclear what the second patent covers. If Motorola Mobility actually has won an injunction against all of Apple’s mobile devices in Germany, it would be a huge win for the company and Google’s Android platform as well. We’ll keep you updated.

UPDATE: It looks like Motorola’s win was scored against Apple Inc. rather than its local subsidiary, Apple Germany. As Apple Inc. doesn’t sell anything in Germany, it looks like this is an empty victory for Motorola, but under the ruling, this affects “new goods” which means that Apple can’t deliver new products to Apple Germany. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Amazon’s follow up to the Kindle Fire tablet may feature an 8.9-inch touchscreen display rather than the 10-inch panel we have been expecting. BGR exclusively reported back in May that Amazon was working on two tablets, the 7-inch Kindle Fire we’ll see launch on November 15th and a quad-core 10-inch tablet that hasn’t been announced. According to a new report from DigiTimes, Amazon has introduced a third tablet into its roadmap and it is now scheduled to launch ahead of the 10-inch model, or even in place of the large-form slate. The site’s sources claim Chunghwa Picture Tubes and LG Display, Amazon’s display suppliers, have already begun to prepare for production of the 8.9-inch panels.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

Amazon’s follow up to the Kindle Fire tablet may feature an 8.9-inch touchscreen display rather than the 10-inch panel we have been expecting. BGR exclusively reported back in May that Amazon was working on two tablets, the 7-inch Kindle Fire we’ll see launch on November 15th and a quad-core 10-inch tablet that hasn’t been announced. According to a new report from DigiTimes, Amazon has introduced a third tablet into its roadmap and it is now scheduled to launch ahead of the 10-inch model, or even in place of the large-form slate. The site’s sources claim Chunghwa Picture Tubes and LG Display, Amazon’s display suppliers, have already begun to prepare for production of the 8.9-inch panels.

Read

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech