A True Budget Phone - The Samsung Tocco Lite

Maybe you are looking for a great phone for your child, maybe you need something cheap and simple to hold a pay as you go SIM card, but if you are on a limited budget, then the Samsung Tocco Lite is going to be a great option for you. In this article, we will tell you more about the Tocco, so that you can see if it is the deal for you.

The Samsung Tocco Lite - What You Need to Know
Firstly, and most importantly, the Samsung Tocco Lite is only going to cost you around £60 or so, so it truly is a budget friendly phone. The Tocco is not a real smartphone, but unlike most traditional mobile phone models, it is a fully touch screen model, so you will get all the convenience of a touch screen without the hassle of a owning a smartphone.

What does the Tocco have to offer then? You can get a full run down on the Tocco here, but we will give you the essentials right now. The Tocco has a great three inch LCD touch screen, with nice resolution so you will always get a great picture. It is a non-3G model, though it is 2G capable, so you do not need to worry about data plans or Internet access. By far the greatest feature on the Tocco is its awesome camera. It has a 3.2 MP camera which even has a 4x digital zoom, making it one of the best budget cameras on the market. There are so many camera features that it is tough to list them all here. You will get different shot modes as well as different general modes such as sepia or black and white pictures. You can even edit your pictures by adding frames to them or clip art to make fantastic shots.

The camera on the Tocco can also shoot video as well, so it really is the perfect budget phone camera.
You might think that internal memory on the Tocco is limited, and it is only 102 MB. Do not worry about that though, since you can add a little SD card and get yourself up to a massive 16 GB of external extra memory.
Finally, the included software on the Tocco is pretty awesome too. You get a great media player with 3D sound technology which can play either music tracks or video. You will find a document editor too, and tons of games to play, of course. Then there is voicemail, group calling and speakerphone as well, your cup doth truly run over.

The Benefits of Owning the Tocco
In today's world of smartphones with big screens and fast Internet access it may be worth remembering that there are benefits to owning a phone such as the Tocco.

Let's deal with the question of Internet access first. Firstly, there are people who just do not want to access the Internet over their phone. This includes people who are buying a mobile for their child and do not want that child to have full and unrestricted Internet access with all the dangers which it may pose. Also, many older customers are not interested in having a mobile Internet connection. Remember that mobile data is generally the most expensive part of a mobile calling plan and adds significantly to your bill, so being able to skip that altogether in your mobile contract is going to save you plenty of cash on top of what you have already saved by buying the Tocco rather than a more expensive model.

Unlike most traditional phone models, the Tocco is a touch screen phone, which means that it is easier to use, more intuitive and also more convenient. There will be no more scrolling through menus, since you can simply touch an icon, adding simplicity to the list of the Tocco's great characteristics.

Finally, the Samsung Tocco Lite is a small phone. It does not need to accommodate a huge screen, which means that it is much more portable. It only measures around ten by five centimetres and weighs just 93 grams, so it will be easy to carry around with you, and you can slip it into your shirt pocket, unlike many a large smartphone model these days.

What About the Competition?
The thing with the Tocco Lite is that there really is not any competition at all; it is quite unique in what it has to offer. Usually when we look at competing phone models we are comparing mobiles which sell for around the same price, and of course there are models which are similarly priced to the Tocco.

Out of these though, all but one are physical keypad phones with no touch screens, so they are unable to compete with the Tocco. The exception is the Alcatel OT 903, which sells for around £10 more than the Tocco. This is a full smartphone running an Android operating system, so again it is not really a good comparison. If you are looking for Internet access and all that goes with it, the larger bills, the risk of your child seeing things which he or she should not see and more, then by all means go with the Alcatel model. For those who are looking for a decent, traditional phone, then it is going to have to be the Tocco.

Budget Buyers Rejoice
If you are looking for an excellent compromise between a traditional phone and a smartphone, then the Samsung Tocco Lite must be your only choice. You get a lot of features for a small price.

This is not just a great kid's phone either. Many people choose the Tocco for convenience's sake. For example, maybe you have a great work smartphone, but you are looking to get a cheap model to run a personal SIM card, then the Tocco will be perfect. Maybe you often travel, and need a budget phone to run a local SIM card wherever you are so that you can save on mobile roaming charges, again the Tocco is going to be perfect.

The Tocco Lite is a true budget phone, and one which you should definitely consider when you are mobile phone shopping.

Phil Turner needed a decent budget phone and after visiting websites like uSwitch, he decided on the Samsung Tocco Lite which came at a great price.

Read more

Preparing For Cyber Monday - Infographic

The increasing ease and popularity of online shopping has given way to the rise of a new shopping holiday, aptly named Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is the Black Friday for e-commerce; online stores offer huge discounts on a wide variety of products for one day only. In fact, it has become so big that $1.465 billion was spent Cyber Monday alone in 2012. (Source: Doba.com)

This insightful infographic dives into the facts and figures surrounding commerce trends during Cyber Monday as well the holiday season in general, including what people preferred to buy, and how business prepare to handle the large influx of shoppers. For example, according to figures presented a majority of online shoppers (31.4%) took to their computers on Cyber Monday to buy clothing. As a business owner, this infographic offers invaluable information on attracting more customers for the shopping season, like including free shipping and investing in Google product listing ads.

The author created this infographic to inform readers on how to prepare their business for Cyber Monday.

Read more

3 Top Windows Mobile Phones Compared

The Windows operating system has received much praise since its launch a few years ago. It has certainly started to compete with both Android and iOS smartphones. The interface is very simple, providing intuitive navigation through the live tile system. With Windows 8 arriving we see the mobile environment mirroring the desktop and laptop environment. This really is a plus for the operating system as it makes it easier for consumers to understand and use both systems.

We have also seen Windows phones get cheaper and cheaper. We now have phones in the mid-range of the market, and also pay-as-you-go phones on Windows.It made sense that Microsoft launch the platform with just one or two premium end smartphones but now, they have a diverse range of phones all running Windows.

In this article will take a look at three of the top Windows phones on the market.

Windows Mobile Phones
It is difficult to make a judgement about which phone is best, or even to develop a top three list. This is because different people look for different things in phones. If you were comparing phones across operating systems it would be even more difficult. When it comes to Windows the easiest way to compare is through user reviews, industry reviews and specifications. When you take these areas into consideration the top three phones on the market are actually Nokia Lumia devices.

The Nokia Lumia 1520
The Nokia Lumia 1520 has been very well reviewed by industry reviewers. It was released on 22 October 2013, and runs off the Windows 8 operating system. As Windows mobile phones go it is incredible.

Hardware
The phone comes with a quad core 2200 MHz processor. It also comes with 2 MB of RAM. It is the smoothest experience of Windows on any phone which has come onto the market.

The Display
The display on the phone is six inches, it is, therefore, almost in tablet territory. The pixel resolution is 1080×1920 pixels, which provides a cracking display that is, frankly, beautiful. You will have no problems reading small text or problems with clarity of images. At extreme angles the consistency of pictures will remain excellent and here is very little distortion.

The Battery
The battery on the phone is also extraordinary. You have up to 768 hours of standby time. You also have 27.4 hours of talk time. Compared to the average smartphone these numbers are brilliant.

The Camera
The Nokia Lumia 1020 camera has over twice the mega pixels of the Nokia Lumia 1520. Nevertheless, the Nokia Lumia 1520 has a very good 20 megapixel camera that is right up there at the top end of specifications in the industry.

Verdict on the Lumia 1520
This device has received industry reviews of 9/10, putting it firmly at the top end of Windows mobile phones.

The Nokia Lumia 720
Nokia Lumia 720 was announced on 25 February 2013. Again it runs the Windows 8 operating system. It is more of a mid-range than premium phone, and has received rave reviews from industry pundits and users alike.

The Hardware
This phone comes with a dual core 1000 MHz processor. It has 512 MB RAM. Considering the price point at which it comes this is a very impressive set of specifications. It is worth noting that the Windows operating system tends to be less heavy on processing power and Android phones so these specifications do go a long way.

The Display
The display on the phone is 4.3 inches and 480 x 800 pixel resolution. It is a top display at this price point in the industry. It is vibrant, clear and performs very well in direct sunlight conditions. It is of course not top spec in the industry; but then you would not expect it for the price you are paying for this phone.

The Camera
The camera on this phone is 6.7 megapixels and takes great pictures. It will not give you the best quality pictures nor the kind of clarity you would expect at the premium end of the market, but pictures will be enough for social networking and most basic needs. It also takes video of 1280 × 720 pixels.

The Battery
The battery on the phone is solid. It offers 504 hours of standby time and 23.4 hours of talk time.

Verdict
Of all the Windows mobile phones this is perhaps the best value on the market. Industry reviewers often give it 9/10, factoring in the tremendous value it offers.

The Nokia Lumia 920
This phone was announced on 5 September 2012. It runs Windows Phone 8.

The Hardware
This phone comes with a dual core 1500 MHz processor and 1 MB RAM. It provides a solid and smooth experience.

Display
The 920 has a 4.5 inch display with 768×1286 resolution. When the phone was released it was up there at the premium end of the market. Things move so fast that it is perhaps a little bit below par these days. However, it still does provide a very good experience.

The Camera
This phone comes with an 8.7 megapixel camera which can take videos of 1920 × 1080 pixels. The pictures taken by the camera are very good, although in lowlight conditions you can have some problems getting the best quality image; but then you do with most smartphone cameras.

The Battery
The battery on this phone is adequate. It offers 460 hours of standby time and 18.6 hours of talk time.

The Verdict
Industry reviews of this phone give it 9/10. When released it was a simply cracking phone and it still is extremely good.

When you are looking at the top Windows mobile phones you have to factor in the Nokia Lumia 1020. It has a 41 megapixel camera and is simply astonishing in this regard. You also should be looking at the HTC phones. You can pick up real bargains on phones such as the HTC 8XT. Windows mobile phones are getting better and better. The operating system is clearly starting to make its mark in the smartphone industry.

Phil Turner wanted to move from an iOS phone to one of the many Windows mobile phones on the market so he checked out comparisons on websites including uSwitch to see which phone would best suit him.

Read more

Real World Applications That Impact Public Health

Stem cell therapy aims to replace damaged cells within the body that have been harmed from a disease. The stem cells will reproduce and replace those damaged or destroyed cells, which helps the body recover. Some of the diseases researchers hope to cure with stem cells include cancer, diabetes and even Parkinson’s disease.

There are a few types of stem cell therapies currently being researched. The four most common include: transplanting adult stem cells from bone marrow into the body; transplanting adult stem cells using stem cells obtained from the peripheral nerves; using stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood; and creating duplications in lab and then transplanting the duplication into the body. Stem cells are still experimental, but researchers have made amazing discoveries that are putting them on track to reproduce organs, tissues and even blood to cure some of the deadliest conditions and diseases around the world.

Written by Dr. Joseph Purita, founder of The Institute of Regenerative and Molecular Orthopedics and a pioneer in the use of the laser in orthopedic surgery.

Read more

Try To Buy Robot Vacum Online

There are numerous types of vacuum cleaners designs available in this global market that can fit a specific purpose for the users. Vacuum sweepers are now being provided in a variety of price levels for the welfare of every home keeper. The robotvacuumhut can be successfully used to fresh the laptop key pad, desktops and other electronic gadgets. The effective design of these gadgets makes it possible to fit them into your device cabinet, tables and other places. Any of the small and better vacuum cleaners can be highly connected or billed into any store. In the marketplace, you can also find various cordless equipment that helps the housekeepers to do those cleaning process in an easy manner.

All the cleaning process can be conducted in an effective strategy with the help of some specially designed equipment. Most of the vacuums that are available in robotvacuumhut will revolve as the right one to clean any kind of dust that found in your living region. It is necessary to consistently install the better vacuum onto the charger as it can lose energy quickly which is not an advisable to use by anyone. People can look over the right source and can collect lot of information about using the robot vacuum in perfect manner.

Matthew Anton has done huge research on various vacuum cleaners and presented his idea here on particular robot vacuum for everyone welfare.

Read more

Infographic: A Look Inside the Accounting Industry

Although dying industries such as newspaper publishing and sales CD recording struggle to survive, the accounting industry continues to grow. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the accounting industry projects 22 percent job growth in between 2008 and 2018. Small businesses and large corporations need accountants to reconcile transactions and sales to generate year-end fiscal reports for the tax season. Troy Group, a provider of QuickBooks check printing software, has created the following infographic to take a look inside of the world of accounting.

This infographic shows that there are at least 89,000 accounting firms established in the United States with most them providing auditing services. Since individuals and businesses are always in need of an accountant for financial purposes, it’s not surprising to see that there is an average of five employees working in most accounting firms with revenue of $154,500 generated per employee.

Thanks for checking out this infographic, and please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or questions with us.

© 2013 TROY Group, Inc.

Read more

Signing Mobile Contracts - What You Need To Know

If you're looking to get a new mobile phone, then you're going to need to choose a mobile service operator. Knowing which operator to go for, what kind of contract to sign and all the ins and outs of how mobile service works can be important in saving you money. So today we're looking at everything you need to know about signing mobile contracts. If you're just getting started in this process, then read on to find out what your options are.

• Decide on an Operator

There are plenty of mobile service operators on the market in the UK. Many of them are similar. The first thing you need to do is find out who has good coverage in your area, if you don't have good coverage you'll find that you have call quality problems and your phone might not function at all. Go to the OFCOM web site and check out their coverage map. After that, you can choose an operator based on which company offers you the best price for the kind of plan you want.

• Choose a Calling Plan...

You have a few options here. If you're a light mobile user, calling for around thirty minutes a week, sending three or four text messages a day and using mobile internet just for email and looking up directions, then you'll be best off with a pay as you go plan. Just go to a mobile operator who has good coverage in your area (prices are fairly similar for pay as you go amongst all operators) buy a SIM card and put credit on your card, and you're ready to go. But more moderate and heavy users will need to choose the best calling plan. You need a good estimate of the amount of calling minutes you use per month, the amount of text messages you send per month and the amount of mobile data you need. If you have old mobile bills you can use these to find out what your monthly usage looks like. If you don't, you might want to consider getting a pay as you go plan for a couple of months, just to see how you use your phone and what kind of calling plan you're going to need.

• Incentive Plan or SIM Only Contract...

Now you need to decide if you want an incentive plan or a SIM only contract. An incentive plan will give you a calling package with calling minutes, text messages and mobile data, and will also give you a mobile phone, usually for free but sometimes for a small down payment. A SIM only contract will give you just the SIM card you need for service and a calling package. Monthly prices for incentive contracts will be more expensive than monthly prices for SIM only contracts, since this is how the operator can afford to give you a free or discounted mobile phone. If you already have a phone, or wish to buy one yourself, then you should look at SIM only contracts. If you don't have a phone, and don't have the cash to buy one for full price immediately, you'll want to look at incentive contracts. You don't usually save money buying a phone over an incentive contract, in fact, you often pay more for the phone over your contract than you would if you bought it yourself. But incentive contracts offer the convenience of buying a phone through an installment plan.

• Smartphone Deals...

If you decide not to sign an incentive contract and you don't already have a phone you can take advantage of one of many smartphone deals to get the phone you need more cheaply than through a mobile operator. The best smartphone deals tend to be either refurbished phones- which you can buy direct from the manufacturer's web site of the phone you want, or simply going to a phone retailer that has a good sale. There are a lot of good deals and good prices around if you do a little research and spend some time choosing what you want.

• Contract Length...

When you sign a mobile phone contract you'll be given a choice over the length of time you want to sign up for. Most companies have both twenty four month and twelve month contracts, and some companies also have eighteen month contracts. SIM only contracts can sometimes be signed for just thirty days, but this option will not be available on incentive contracts. Usually, the longer the contract you sign the cheaper your monthly price will be. But remember that signing a long contract ties you to using one network, and often one calling plan, for a lengthy period of time. You can end a mobile contract early, but you will pay a fee for doing so. Generally, mobile operators charge a fixed fee multiplies by the number of months that are remaining on your contract in order to terminate that contract. So if you think you might want to switch networks, or you're not sure that you've chosen the right calling plan for you, then you might want to think about signing a shorter contract.

• Be Sure You Are Eligible...

In order to sign a mobile contract you must actually be eligible to sign contracts in the UK. This means that you must be a formal UK resident (not necessarily a citizen) and over the age of eighteen. Most major mobile service operators will also require that you undergo a credit check. They will allow you to sign the contract, but should you fail a credit check they will then rescind the contract. If you won't pass a credit check then you won't get a mobile contract, it's that simple. For people who are ineligible to sign a contract, you will have to use a pay as you go programme to get service for your phone. This will mean paying slightly higher prices, but you will have no other option if you can't sign a contract.

Finding great smartphone deals is very easy for Phil Turner.  All he does is turn to uSwitch, the price comparison service that shows him just how much he can expect to pay with each provider.

Read more

Do You Really Need Optical Fibre Broadband?

Fibre optic broadband is something that more and more people are considering getting. However, you have to consider whether or not you actually need to have fibre optic broadband. To determine this you need to know what fibre optic broadband is. You also need to know about the benefits and drawbacks that come with it.  Once you know this you will be able to determine whether or not this type of broadband connection is the right one for your needs.

What is Fibre Optic Broadband?
The first point that you need to know is what fibre optic broadband is. The most common type of broadband in the UK is ADSL. This runs on the copper cables of the telephone network. Fibre optic broadband is different because it runs on separate cabling, which is the fibre optic cable network. This is often linked to the TV cables that enter the house; think Virgin Media. This is the reason why optical fibre broadband is also known as cable broadband in the US and sometimes in the UK. There are two ways that you can get fibre optic broadband, and they are FTTH and FTTC. FTTH means that the fibre optic cable that the broadband connection runs on will be travelling into your home.

The FTTC connection means that the fibre optics runs to the cabinet in the street and then the broadband connection will be brought into the house using the copper cables of the phone network. It is important that you find out which of these connections you are going to be getting. When you do this you will be able to determine the costs of the broadband and the full benefits that you are able to get.

The Benefits of Fibre Optic Broadband
There are a number of benefits that you are able to get from fibre optic broadband that you need to know about. The first benefit is that you will be getting faster speeds with the broadband connection. Fibre optic broadband does not degrade over long distances like ADSL.This means that you are able to get the speeds you need regardless of the distance your home is from the phone exchange.

Another benefit of fibre optic broadband is that you are going to be getting a more stable Internet connection that is more suited for heavy use broadband. The ADSL copper wires were not made with broadband in mind. This means that the connection is not as stable as it should be. Fibre optics was created with the idea of fast and stable data transmission in mind. This means that the overall broadband connection that you have will be more stable than any other. The last benefit that you should consider with fibre optic broadband is the fact that you will not need to have a phone line if you have FTTH. This can save you money as you will not have to pay for a phone line.

The Drawbacks of Fibre Optic Broadband
While there are a number of benefits that come with fibre optic broadband there are also a number of drawbacks that you need to know about. The first drawback is the cost of the package.  Fibre optic broadband will generally cost more per month than ADSL broadband.  Of course, when you take into account the phone line rental then the fibre optic package may work out to be the same. However, this is only accurate when you are getting fibre optic broadband that does not require a phone line. Another drawback to fibre optics is that the network infrastructure is not as far reaching as it should be. Around half of the country will not be able to get fibre optic broadband. There is a roll out plan that will have most of the country covered, but this will take time. This means that you may not be able to get fibre optic broadband in your area.

Should You Get Fibre Optic Broadband?
Fibre optic broadband is not something that all consumers actually need. You need to carefully consider whether or not this is the right option when you look at the broadband that you are able to get.  When you consider the connections and packages you have to look at a few things. You need to consider whether or not you need the speeds of fibre optic and you need to consider why you are looking at this connection to start with.

The primary attraction of fibre optic broadband is the speed that you are going to be getting. However, fast speeds cost money and you need to determine whether or not you actually need this. To determine your speed needs you have to look at the number of broadband users who are going to be connecting to the broadband. You also have to consider what they are going to be doing with the connection. The more people using the connection, the more the speeds are going to be distributed. This means that if you have a lot of people connected you need to have high speeds so that everyone is able to connect properly. Of course, the speeds that you need will depend on what the people do online. If you are doing graphic design on your Mac, broadband may need to be fast to deal with the software and upload requirements of the activity.

Why you are looking at fibre optic broadband should also be considered.  If you are looking at this broadband because you are unhappy with the speeds that you are getting then you first need to determine if you are getting the speeds that you should be. It could be that you can improve your existing connection. You also need to see if fibre optic speeds are what you really need.

If you are looking at fibre optic broadband because you are dissatisfied with the service you are getting then you should consider some of the other packages. The service that you get may not be linked to the package you have and more to the provider that you are using. Upgrading to fibre optic may not change the service that you are getting. Fibre optic broadband may not be the best option for you. There are a number of factors that you have to consider when you look at this connection and whether or not you should be getting it. If you decide that this connection is right for you then you should use a comparison website like uSwitch to find the best deals.

Phil Turner has multiple computer devices in his home so he needed to find a heavy use broadband package. He visited sites such as uSwitch.com for more information and found a great deal.

Read more

The Burning Question: How Can I become an iPhone Developer?

If you are in anyways related to the programming or development filed and are planning to move to towards iPhone development, and then there are some other considerations also other than having grip over basic programming skills. As you know that the iPhone applications and software market is booming significantly, and new updates and additional plug-ins are launched almost every day. If you can quickly compare the iPhone application of today with that installed in iPhone 2 or 3, then you will surely find a significant difference in many respects.

It is because of the fact that not only the exterior and interior hardware of the device is changing, it’s processing and adaptability is also changing significantly and speedily. For this reason, programmers with obsolete knowledge of applications and games are no more welcomed in the field of developing, and they are required to upgrade their programming toolbox and knowledge. Some of the basic things, from the many, that you will require to get command over for becoming an iPhone app developer are as under:

Get a Mac Device

Mac is a type of operating system that all Apple devices use, including the iPhone. It is like a backbone of Apple, and therefore, you need to have command over this operating system, and not just the one you are using currently. Windows is a common operating system and it is able to perform almost any job using this operating platform, but iPhone development. All your programming and other development skills will be tested on the Mac operating system and you will have to be aligned to all upgrades in the Mac OS.

Command over SDK

Do you think that object oriented programming is enough to be an iPhone app developer? Think again then. There is a command toolkit for every device that carries a set of programming protocols. This can be considered as the special language for that particular device, which carried some codes and variables that apply to the particular device only. For this reason, other than your command over C language, Java or any other programming language, you will have to learn the software Development Kit (SDK). For testing and implementing the language protocols, you will need the Mac system, and this gain defines the importance of having a Mac device.

App Submission

You app will not be registered until you sent a file of it to the Apple app store for submission. The company wants to ensure that your application does not have any offensive or inappropriate content or images that can dilute the repute of the company. There are a number of applications that have been released without permission of Apple, but such applications can be banned at any time, and the developer or the sponsoring company can also be charged for it. For this reason, it is important that you follow the parameters set by the brand you want to target and generate your revenue from.

Read more