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Category: smartphone

  • Security Study Shows Canadian Businesses Not Prepared For Security Threats

    Security Study Shows Canadian Businesses Not Prepared For Security Threats

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    According to new research from Cisco, Canadian businesses are not equipped to respond to security threats within their networks. The study, which combines the views of Canadian businesses and consumers about security at work, also found there are discrepancies between the preparedness of large and small businesses.

    Respondents were asked questions about security policies, practices and recent cyber-attacks at their business, including their security preparedness for new IT consumption models such as mobile and cloud-based applications.

    Cisco’s findings indicate many Canadian businesses operate without any security strategy for their network, leaving them woefully underprepared to take advantage of new opportunities created by the Internet of Everything (IoE) and making them highly susceptible to threats such as data loss or theft.

    With IoE driving the connection of people, processes, data, and things, the number and type of attack vectors will continue to increase exponentially, driving the mandate that security must become top of mind for businesses in today’s connected world.

    Key Findings

    Canadian businesses are unprepared for future security threats.

    • 6 out of 10 businesses either do not have a security strategy in place, and/or are unsure whether their security strategy accounts for an evolving data centre and IT consumption model, or do not have a strategy to prepare for these changes.
    • Nearly one in 10 (8%) of Canadian businesses overall are still unsure whether they experienced a security threat, attack or breach on their network in the last 12 months.
    • 15% of Canadian businesses still do not have a security strategy in place.
    • 1 in 5 (22%) Canadian businesses report they have experienced a threat, attack or breach in the last 12 months.
    • Canadian businesses with less than 100 employees are the most likely to not have a security strategy (26%), while mid-sized businesses are the least likely to have a strategy in place for changing IT consumption models (25%).
    • One in three (31%) of Canada’s largest companies are unsure whether their IT security strategy accounts for evolving data centre and IT consumption models.

    Canadian businesses are slow to protect company data on employee-owned devices.

    • Less than 60% of Canadian businesses have IT solutions in place to protect company data on employee-owned devices.
    • Nearly a quarter (24%) of employed Canadians use a personal device for work despite being employed by a company that does not allow this practice. Another 11% do so without knowing if it is allowed by their employer or not.
    • The Canadian businesses most prepared to protect company data on employee-owned devices are those with more than 1000 employees (64%). Those least prepared are businesses with less than 100 employees (44%).
    • Almost half (48%) of employed Canadians believe they are allowed to bring and use personal devices on the corporate network, while 57% of Canadian businesses believe they have IT solutions in place to protect data on employee-devices.

    Source: Cisco

  • Motorola Releases Moto E 2nd. Gen. Budget Smartphone

    Motorola Releases Moto E 2nd. Gen. Budget Smartphone

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    In recent years, Motorola has taken up making of budget smartphones that are still as good as many other smartphone out there. In 2014, the Chinese-owned company released the Moto E smartphone. The Moto E has enjoyed so much success and this has of course led to the release of the improved Moto E version with 4G capabilities.

    The new smartphone features 4.5 inches display, a 5 megapixel camera, and a front facing camera with autofocus. Moto E runs on Android 5 Lollipop and unlike other manufacturers, like Samsung, that modify the operating system, Motorola uses the Android system as it is.

    Seang Chau, a software engineer at Motorola, believes that there is no reason to modify the system by slowing it down. Chau also believes that leaving the software in its original state allows for quick updating of the software.

    The phone weighs only 145 grams and comes with a non-removable battery. It also comes with 8 or 16 GB storage capacity. You can also find the MicroSD card slot under the colored band that is also removeable and customiseable.

    According to the Motorola, the phone can last a whole day when well charged. Moto E is also water and scratch resistant.

    The phone was recently released in UK and costs £109, which is an increase from its predecessor’s price that was going for under £90. The increased price may or may not affect its sales volume as this directly depends on whether the budget-conscious consumers will opt for budget phones from other manufacturers, or not.

  • Apple Watch Full Specification, Availability and Prices Announced

    Apple Watch Full Specification, Availability and Prices Announced

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    We’ve all been waiting for the launch of the Apple Watch since September, and just a few weeks before it hits the retail stores, Apple has released its full specifications together with its prices.

    The Apple Watch is the newest device to be added to the Apple family. According to Apple, the watch is designed to cater to a variety of personal styles and preferences since they believe that what you wear is an expression of who you are. That said, you can get the watch in a variety of designs and they include: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition.

    Looking to get fit?

    The Apple Watch is your comprehensive fitness companion as it will allow you to measure your day’s activity with a simple 3-ring graphic. The watch will tell you exactly what you need to do so as to keep fit. For instance, sit less and move more often blah blah… The watch will also suggest at the beginning of the week what you need to do more so as to achieve your fitness goals.

    Other than time-keeping, fitness, and being your smart partner, the watch also hosts lots of great apps. The Apple Watch app is now available on iOS 8.2 for download. This is how you connect the watch to the phone. With this app you can choose what notifications you want to receive.

    What about the battery?

    Well, Apple has used state-of-the-art battery that is able to last up to 18 hours on a typical day. Charging the watch is a breeze, you will only need to attach a magnetic charger at the back. 

    Availability

    Apple says that the Watch will be available for pre-order starting 10th of April, 2015. It will also start shipping on the 24th of April and will at first be available to a select few countries US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Hong Kong, China, Germany, and Japan, with more to follow.

    Prices

    The Watches will all sell at different prices with the cheapest being the Apple Watch Sport (tailored for athletes) and it will start selling at $349.

    The more fashionable stainless steel Apple Watch will cost between $549 and $1,040 for the smaller version and between $599 and $1,099 for the larger version.

    The price range for each will depend on the band. The 18-karat Apple Watch Edition is the most expensive of all starting at $10,000.

    Other Products/News

    • Welcome HBO NOW for Apple TV

    With Apple TV you can now get all the best programs from the best provides, HBO included. With HBO NOW you do not need to have a satellite or cable subscription as you can now watch all on Apple TV. This service will be exclusively available in the U.S. only starting April. It is set to cost $14.99 a month.

    Read more about HBO NOW on Apple TV.

    • The thinnest MacBook yet released

    Apple has also announced a new MacBook laptop that weighs just 2 pounds and 13.1mm at its thickest point and according to Philip Schiller (Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing) says that this is the thinnest MacBook that Apple has ever created.

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    The MacBook is fitted with a trackpad with sensors that will detect just how hard you are pressing. For example, a soft-click on the forward button on a video will forward the video slower and a hard click will forward it faster.

    The MacBook also comes with a revolutionary new port – the USB-C that allows you to do 5 things in one! For instance, you can use the port for hooking up a USB device, plug a video monitor, or use it for charging.

    The MacBook like the new iPhones is available in dark gray, silver, and gold and it will retail at $1,299 and shipping starts on April 10.

  • BlackBerry Leap 5-inch Touchscreen Smartphone Released at MWC 2015

    BlackBerry Leap 5-inch Touchscreen Smartphone Released at MWC 2015

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    It is now clear that BlackBerry, the company that is synonymous with physical keyboard phones, has not completely trashed the idea of a full touchscreen phones.

    The new 5-inch BlackBerry Leap smartphone was announced at the Mobile World Congress on Tuesday.

    The Leap is BlackBerry’s first full touchscreen smartphone to be released this year. The last one to be released was the BlackBerry Z3 that was launched in February last year.

    Apart from the 5-inch display, this phone also boasts 16GB storage, 8MP camera, 2GB RAM, and a 1.5GHZ processor.

    Other impressive feature is the 2,800mAh battery that can power the phone for up to 25 hours and tight security features that include malware protection, encryption support, and the ability to wipe, back-up, and restore data.

    Even with this new release, BlackBerry’s list of smartphones and devices is a little thin and even the company President of Devices Ron Louks knows that and so they teased a few more phones that are not yet available for release.

    Among the most interesting is the unnamed slider phone that is said to be curved with a slide-out keyboard. Louks went ahead to say that the company is keen on launching 5 new devices this year.

    The BlackBerry Leap is set to go for $275.

    Also read: Australia’s smartwatch market to exceed $400M by 2018

  • Telsyte: Australia’s smartwatch market to exceed $400M by 2018

    Telsyte: Australia’s smartwatch market to exceed $400M by 2018

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    With some 370,000 smartwatches sold in 2014, Australians are warming to wearable computing with the market poised to exceed $400 million by 2018, according to new research from emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte.

    According to Telsyte’s Australian Smartphone & Wearable Devices Market Study 2015, the smartwatch market is expected to grow by at least 50 per cent in 2015 due to the arrival of an Apple Watch.

    Samsung, an early entrant in to the smartwatch market is the current market leader.

    Watch jewellery is a mature market with around 40 per cent (more than 7 million) of Australians (age 16 and above) wearing a watch almost every day. Notwithstanding the challenges, smartwatches have the potential to disrupt the traditional market as people consider wearable devices an extension to their smartphone and apps they use for fitness and communications.

    Telsyte Managing Director Foad Fadaghi says smartwatches will become more appealing to consumers as new stylish and featured devices enter the market, with the 25 to 44 year-old age group representing the best sales opportunity in 2015.

    “There is a lot of anticipation for the Apple smartwatch and our research indicates half of all smart fitness band users are looking to upgrade to a smartwatch, creating a potentially vibrant new product category” Fadaghi says.

    Telsyte research showed that over 800,000 smart wristbands such as those made by Fitbit and Garmin were sold in 2014.

    As with smartphones, consumers consider ease of use, pricing and battery life the most important attributes of smartwatches. Many current smartwatches have been criticised for their short battery life and limited unique usage scenarios.

    Telsyte’s research found the top three applications people want from a smartwatch are to (1) check the time and date (2) use it as an alarm clock or a reminder alert, and (3) read messages, including e-mail.

    Smartphone sales mature as hand-me-down devices shake up the mid-market

    According to Telsyte research, there were 16.8 million smartphone users in Australia at the end of December 2014 with sales of just below 5 million units in the second half of 2014.

    This was around 10 per cent less than Telsyte expected over H2, despite very strong iPhone 6 sales.

    Telsyte Senior Analyst Alvin Lee says the iPhone gained market share in H2 2014, but the overall share trends are likley to change again as an Android-users upgrade cycle in expected to commence in early 2015.

    However, Telsyte has recognised increased competition to Android device by older model iPhones, typically received through a “hand-me-down”.

    “The durability of handsets and the hand-me-down phenomenon is impacting the market, along with a flood of second hand iPhones cutting into sales of mid-tier Android handsets in the second half of 2014,” Lee says.

    Telsyte estimates 1.3 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units sold in Australia last year, with the iPhone 6 outselling the iPhone 6 Plus, at a ratio four to one. Despite this Telsyte believes the demand for phablets or larger form factor smartphones is growing and will represent around a quarter of smartphones in use by 2019.

  • Samsung Galaxy A7 Smartphone for Social Network Lovers

    Samsung Galaxy A7 Smartphone for Social Network Lovers

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    Samsung’s newest phone, the Galaxy A7, stands out in 2 ways; its is the most thin phone of all its Galaxy A collections and a lot of emphasis has also been put on social networking. For a while now, there has been many rumors on its release that its actual realease doesnt feel so new.

    The Galaxy A7 is the thinnest but it shares some of its qualities with other A series phone. For example, both the Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3 feature the same kind of metallic unibody as the Galaxy A7.

    Other features include a 260mAh battery, 5.5 inch 1080p saMOLED display, a slot for a microSD card of up to 64GB, 16GB storage, and a 2GB RAM. The main camera has LED light, autofocus and 13 megapixels while the front has 5 megapixels and a sensor.

    Buyers can also choose between 2 sim cards and 1 sim card phone. The 1 sim card phone has 32-bit Exynos 5430 processor while the double sim features a 64-bit snapdragon 615 octa-core processor. Currently, the phone uses the Android 4.4 KitKat but this is expected to change soon after the launch of Android 5.0 Lollipop.

    What makes the Galaxy A7 good for social networking? To start with, the phone has an “auto selfie” setting on the front camera. It also has gesture and voice command  features which come in handy when taking pictures.

    Another feaure is the “ultra wide Shot”. For people that like sharing their pictures on social media, the LTE 4G makes it so easy and fast to browse and share.

    Galaxy A7  is expected to retail at about $600 and will be available in selected markets for the first quarter of 2015.

  • Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals in Electronics

    Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals in Electronics

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    Black Friday is here and it comes with awesome deals. If you’ve been looking for a way to cut right through the mess and to the best deals then you’ve come to the right place. You need to keep in mind that Black Friday deals won’t be up for long and some of them are actually limited to Friday. This means that you have to be quick and aggressive so as to bag the best deals. That said, here are our top 10 Black Friday electronics deals this year.

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    Enhance your TV watching experience with the Sony XBR55X850B 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV. This new TV features 120Hz refresh rate, LED backlight, smart functions such as Internet browser, Twitter, Skype, 3 USB, 4 HDMI and MHL. The TV also comes with various accessories including two 3D glasses, IR blaster, a remote, and touchpad remote control.

    It retails at $1,498.00 and you get to save 50% off the original price.

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    The Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone is a revolutionary car speakerphone with crisp and rich sound from 3 speakers and a virtual surround sound. You can use it to take and make calls completely hands-free, and it will even announce the name of the caller. It also features A2DP streaming for music playback and GPS directions. The FM transmitter sends calls and music from your mobile phone to the car radio. It also comes with noise reduction technology and advanced multiuse for Bluetooth connections.

    Get 62% off and buy it for only $49.99.

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    Get 64% off the Optoma HD25-LV Projector with HDMI, which delivers high-quality and high-resolution home theatre experience. It features sharp and visually stunning image quality thanks to its use of the 1080p resolution. It also comes with full 3D compatibility and in-built SRS WOW HD Surround Sound for exceptional sound quality and rich deep bass.

    This projector retails at $899.00.

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    The Samsung UN55H6350 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz is one of a kind smart LED TV. It features a minimalist design and offers top-of-the-class smart TV suite with more content than most TVs. This TV also comes with out-of-this-world picture quality with excellent processing, accurate color, and nice-bright-room.

    This TV was previously selling at $1,399.99, but with the 43% discount you can now own it for $797.99.

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    This Black Friday you can save up to 42% off this beautifully crafted and high-quality Bose CineMate GS Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System. This 2.1-channel speaker has been specifically designed to enhance audio from video sources, including your TV. The home theater features a simplified setup that makes connections a breeze. It also features improved digital acoustic and gemstone speakers.

    This home theater system retails at $349.95.

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    You get to save 58% when you purchase this 39-inch Seiki SE39HE02 720p LED TV. This TV comes with 60Hz refresh rate, Edge-Lit LED backlight, 1 VGA, 3 HDMI, and 1 USB. The TV dimensions without the stand are 34.78” x 21.52” x 9.78” while with stand it is 34.78” x 20.21″ x 2.87”.

    This is a great TV to own and it retails at $209.99.

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    Get up to 70% off on the Infinity Primus Three-way dual 6-1/2-Inch Speaker. This high-quality speaker allows you to experience home entertainment at a new level of realism and clarity, featuring 5-way binding posts, MMD hi-frequency, mid-range, and low-frequency drivers. With the low resonance enclosures and Primus P363BK’s Metal Matrix Diaphragm technology you can now hear the music exactly the way it was recorded without any alterations.

    This speaker is retailing at $179.40.

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    Multiply your entertainment with the Samsung BD-H5100 Blu-Ray Disc Player. This new player comes with HD Upconversion and improved picture quality. You can also use it to stream shows and movies with instant access to entertainment thanks to its myriad of in-built apps.

    This disc player retails at $47.99 and thus saves you 52% off the original price.

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    Save up to 48% off with the VIZIO M602i-B3 60-inch 1080p Smart LED TV. This is not your normal TV as if features Full-Array LED backlight that helps with the distribution of LED light behind the entire screen, which helps in delivering superior picture performance and light uniformity. The TV also comes with VIZIO Internet Apps Plus that allows you to instantly enjoy the latest TV shows, hit movies, and music. Other functions that you will absolutely love include active pixel tuning, clear 720 action, and 32 active LED zones.

    It retails at $998.00.

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    Save 58% off the original price with the Panasonic DMP-BDT225 Smart Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray Player. This is a true smart device with web browsing capability, miracast that allows you to share and see smartphone content, fast loading of Blu-ray discs and in-built Wi-Fi.

    This device retails at $54.99.

  • Amplicomms Power Tel M9000 ‘Grandoid’ – Smartphone for Seniors

    Amplicomms Power Tel M9000 ‘Grandoid’ – Smartphone for Seniors

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    Amplicomms, a mobile phone company, has introduced a new phone specifically tailored for senior citizens. PowerTel M9000, nicknamed ‘Grandoid’, has a loud ringtone that makes it great for people with hearing impairment. The easy-to-read-screen also makes it ideal for people with impaired sight.

    There is also an easy to access SOS button at the rear. The phone uses Android that has been really simplified so as not to confuse the older people.

    On top of having louder than normal handset volume, this phone is also compatible with many hearing aids. Seniors also have the opportunity to download their favorite music onto the phone. 

    The Amplicomms Power Tel M9000 also features Bluetooth and therefore it connects to a range of devices, including induction loops, other phones, computers, tablets and in-car audio system.

    To add to its abilities, the phone uses a clever caller ID system that reads out the phone number.

    The ‘Grandoid’ also comes with a 2-year warranty, so seniors can have considerable peace of mind.

  • Apple Launches iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and 5K Retina iMac

    Apple Launches iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and 5K Retina iMac

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    Apple has released what it says is the thinnest tablet in the market – the iPad Air 2. The new iPad is expected to retail at about $499 while the newly released iPad mini 3 will cost about $399. Preorders start today, both iPads will be available in 29 countries starting later next week

    The iPad Air 2 comes with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor and it is just 0.24 inches thick. The device also comes with a faster A8X processor. The new iPad also features an anti-reflective coating.

    The iPad mini 3 also got Touch ID fingerprint sensor, so users can make purchases within apps using Apple Pay.

    To top it all, Apple also announced the introduction of a new iMac with 5K Retina display. As a matter of fact, Apple says that the new iMac has the highest resolution display in the market at the moment.

    The new iMac features a 27-inch display and a 5k resolution (5210×2880 pixels). This is almost 5x more detailed than the 1080p full HD TV.

    The new iMac is now available for sale and the basic model retails at $2,499. 

    During the event, Apple also announced an upgraded version of the Mac Mini.

    Closing it up, Apple also added that iOS 8.1, which supports Apple Pay, would be available starting Monday.

  • Google Launches $105 Android One Phone

    Google Launches $105 Android One Phone

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    Google launched $105 smartphone in an event that took place in India. This device is the first Android One’s initiative that aims at promoting sales in the emerging major markets through improved software quality and cheaper prices.

    Google bonded with handset makers from India Micromax, Spoice Mobiles, and Karbonn to introduce the 6,399 Rupees phone. It targets the fast-thriving low-cost part of the world where the smartphone market is growing the fastest.

    After the launch in India, Google announced that it plans to take Android One to Philippines, Indonesia, and several other South Asian states by the beginning of 2015.

    Google is partnering with other companies including HTC, Panasonic and Acer to develop many more devices under Android One.

    Google is aiming at using Android One to come up with higher quality software and hardware by offering the handset developers a frame of reference. A greater sale on Android One smartphones translates to more access to Internet and more usage of Google’s wide variety of products.

    The availability of cheaper smartphones in the Indian Market has made it possible for many people to own smartphones for the first time. In a recent research, it was found out that 10 percent of the Indian population that owns smartphones currently is expected to double within the next four years.

    India has over 80 smartphone brands and the research pointed out that if Android One is to compete with Motorola, China Xiaomi, and Samsung, it has to offer its customers more than just affordability.

    Together with creating web content for its Indian customers, Google is also working towards making YouTube videos accessible to its users. It has also made new Android phones accessible in seven different Asian languages, Hindu included.