Corey T Bruhn asked:


Internet-able smartphones have been out on the market for long enough, and offered by enough major device makers, that now might be a good time to assess the state of the web browser in the never-ending smartphone contest. Especially since now is when a whole bunch of exciting announcements have come out by makers of that very software we count on to get online – web browsers.

Any article that claims to summarize the current state of smartphone web browsers must start with Opera Mini, as it is far and away the best web browser the mobile device market has yet produced. Yes, better than Apple’s Safari, better than the Blackberry Browser. And certainly better than Windows’ troubled IE.

And now Opera has jus announced the beta launch of the next Opera Mini upgrade, Opera Mobile 9.5. Once again the best is getting better, which is as it should be.

Also recently announced was the impending arrival on the smartphone scene of one of the most popular web browsers in the desktop and laptop markets among both Windows and Apple users – Mozilla Firefox. This Linux-based browser has been eagerly-awaited by its devoted fans since smartphones first went online. And now their…our wish is being answered.

A start-up named Skyfire Labs is also planning a smartphone browser launch sometime soon, but what we can expect of it is anybody’s guess. The Skyfire browser will be what’s called a “thin-client” browser, basically meaning that it runs with limited resources of its own, mostly running with the aid of Mozilla’s servers and Firefox desktop browser. Both the Firefox and Skyfire mobile browsers will initially be released, as expected, in beta form.

Personal favorites aside, the statistics cite Apple’s Safari/iPhone web browser as the reigning champ among U.S. smartphone users (this according to StatCounter), and number two globally. The number one browser worldwide, interestingly enough, has yet to be mentioned in this piece – that being Nokia’s. (And to think, all this time we though they were just the best smartphones for making actual phone calls.)

The big improvement that all smartphone web browsers have either implemented or will be wise to any day now is the integration of the desktop interface with the mobile content delivery format. Now users browsing the web on their handhelds can view a full-screen window of the entire web page (minus scroll-downs of course) just like they would on their desktop or laptop. Then to read a specific portion of the page, they just move a sort of magnifying glass over the section with their cursor and zoom in.

In the past, users could only view web pages reformatted in a messy, clunky single column resembling nothing like the web pages they’re familiar with. This made navigation next to impossible, even if one was already familiar with the layout of the web page (as it would appear on a full-sized computer). Thank goodness for progress.

Smartphone Comparisons

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Roberto Sedycias asked:


Technologically challenged people – get smart! There’s simply no getting away from the astonishing advancement of technology and so if you are one of those still obstinately clinging onto your land phone or have only made tentative forays into the world of cell phones – get up and smell the coffee! The smart phone is here and is all set to replace the normal cell phone also! Till not so long ago, the normal cell phone was considered to be the height of new technology, but now with the arrival of the smart phone, it has started to seem obsolete.

A smart phone is a totally integrated mobile device with innumerable features and uses. Some of them are:

Smart phones have various message options like the SMS messages, voice mail, chat functions of yahoo and MSN and all email functions. These phones can connect you to your email address, allow you to send faxes and open any internet site. The device is operated by a special software and it permits you to read all business documents in such formats as text documents, spread sheets and etc., and it is possible to edit the documents also. A keyboard very similar to the one of a full-fledged computer is another feature of a smart phone. A high resolution LCD screen ensures that images and displays are of the highest quality.

A high-quality camera is a must in any good smart phone and it is normally not less than a 1.3 mega pixel with video recording abilities. The images and clips captured on this camera will be free of distortions and of superior quality.

The Bluetooth headset which is in-built in smart phones is one of the most attractive features of these devices. Bluetooth technology has become essential for wireless communication and a Bluetooth-enabled smart phone can send and receive data to and from similarly-enabled devices like laptops, PCs, Macs or other cell phones. This certainly simplifies matters of communication.

Another important feature of these phones is the in-built digital mp3 player. Now, this is a really cool feature of these phones and no wonder Gen Y (members of generation Y are primarily the offspring of the baby boom generation) is so hung-up about them. No matter where you are, you can tune into your favorite music anytime. This format can play WMA, WAV and various other famous music formats.

Anyone with a bad sense of direction need never fear getting lost if they have a smart phone as it comes equipped with a GPS navigation system.

Now that the benefits of smart phones have been established it is necessary to move on to the next step of how to make your smart phone secure. Just like your computer, it is essential to secure the data in your phone from viruses and theft. One of the ways to do it is not to post your email id or phone number on the web while accessing emails. This is because attackers often use software which can access email addresses and then target them for spam or attacks.

Avoid downloading files from unknown sites or sites which appear fishy as most probably they will contain a malicious code. Downloading games and other software and etc., can seem tempting but try not to do it on your phone as this may result in unsolicited mail. Check the security settings of the phone regularly and use firewalls and other safeguards to ensure its security from any potential threats.

Knowing something about the various features of the smart phone and the security measures to be taken alongside should prove to be a bit helpful even for those who are scared of ever-changing technology.

Smartphone Comparisons

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