For people who wish to get the most out of their PC, here are some of the best processors in the market that stand out for providing the best.

Intel Core i7 920

This quad core processor is being hailed as the best chip in the market today. This 2.66 GHz processor easily provides the best performance. With significant architectural changes in the x86 architecture in 13 years, the Intel Core i7 has been completely reinvented. It comes with an integrated memory controller with the capacity to support Triple Channel DDR3 Memory. This provides more maximum memory, which can be as high as 24GB, and faster access.

AMD Phenon II X4 940 Black Edition

AMD has always been known for its power-packed processing units. The great thing about this chip is that it can be used as a simple upgrade from AMD AM2 or any dual core central processing unit. This will be a wonderful upgrade to any existing system with a huge increase in speed and performance. There is no need to get a new motherboard or memory as this chip will work well with the existing one. The stock clock speed of 2GFz and 6MB of cache make this one of the best processors available in the market today.

AMD Phenom II X4 810

This quad core chip has an operating frequency of 2.6GHz. Since it is almost the same as the previous AM2, it can fit into most of the current AMD motherboards without any problem. This chip also supports DDR3 memory. It is very reasonably priced and offers great performance, when compared to many of the more expensive chips that do not do half the job.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

This is a quad core processor that runs on 3.5 GHz or more. With four cores, up to 12MB of shared L2 cache and 1333 MHz bus, the end result is that it can do four times the work in the same time when compared to the previous processor, which is a very significant improvement. This fantastic chip by Intel provides the end user with an extremely powerful and multi-purpose performance. Initially, the chip itself would cost £500 but now the price has come down a lot, which makes it the perfect choice for gaming enthusiasts and computer enthusiasts alike. This is the best chip anyone could possibly own, as it’s fast and cheap and provides far more potential than first meets the eye. You can rest assured that you are going to get the most out of your PC.

Intel Pentium Dual-core E2180

This chip has an operating frequency of 2GHz, 1 MB of cache and 800MHz bus. It performs very well with high definition videos, movies and gaming. Using the right motherboard, it is easily over clocked. Multi-tasking is a breeze with this and even programs that need high CPU power are taken care of with ease. This is a brilliant processor for a small price, and offers similar performance to many of the other Intel dual-core chips.

A computer is only as good as its performance in terms of speed and efficiency. A good processor can make a world of difference. With a huge variety of technologically advanced processors available today, there is one that suits every budget. Just choose the one that meets your requirements and enjoy the ultimate in computing power.

Apple recently listed its top 20 free apps and top 20 paid apps for the iPhone, based solely on the popularity, which means the number of downloads from their App Store.

Take a look at the top 20 free apps in the exact order as ranked by Apple:

Facebook

This one is for social networking fans and is #1 in free apps. Facebook app can be downloaded at the iTunes app store for free. You have the chat facility, friend requests, check your friends photos, upload photos, full news feeds, notifications, news feed commends, your entire inbox etc.

Google Earth

Compatible with iPhone (2.0 software update) and iPod Touch, this app enables users to view the exact aerial imagery similar to the one available for the desktop version. You can view photos from around the world, search for businesses, cities and places, view mountainous terrain with just a tilt of the phone, geo-located Wikipedia articles and many more.

Pandora Radio

Stream music on your iPhone using this app! You can just use the name of the artist or the song and Pandora will instantly create a station to play that music. You can create stations based on the genre, read artist bios, store recently played songs and play song samples.

Tap Tap Revenge

Games continue to be extremely popular on iPhone. Tap Tap Revenge is a touch-based music game that has a guitar-hero like interface and this app is so popular that it is used by about 32% of users.

Shazam

When you hear a song and wonder what that song is, you turn to Shazam. It is a lovely app, where you just hold your iPhone to the music and Shazam gets back to you with the track name and the artist within seconds.

PAC-MAN Lite

If you’re tired of playing puzzle games on your iPhone, this handheld version of the classic arcade game allows you to navigate through mazes, chomp through fruits and dots and gobbling scary ghosts. This free version gives you the first stage of the game.

Backgrounds

You can customize your iPhone background with this app. You can choose between backgrounds that are recent, popular and by category. You can view previews of cool backgrounds for your iPhone and choose the one you like.

Touch Hockey FS5

Enjoy air hockey on your iPhone now and the beautiful animations of this game make it a great experience. If you had a cool play and want to view it all again, you can do that with the instant replay feature. The Wi-Fi mode allows you to play with your friends too.

Labyrinth Lite Edition

This is a “must” download as it is nothing like other maze games. It has ten levels of play and you just have to tilt the iPhone in different directions to control the ball. The controls are excellent and make it easy to place the ball on the screen. This fun game is perfect to keep yourself or your kids occupied.

Flashlight

This app transforms your phone into a flashlight. If you’re traveling at night and need to find something in your car, this can come very handy. There are several color options too.

Urbanspoon

This app can prove to be very useful during road travel. It can help you find good restaurants in the area, wherever you are, based on your cravings.

Movies

Enter your zip code and look up movies in the local area by movie name or theater and more. Once you select a movie; the running time, show time, rating and genre will be displayed. The beauty of this app is that you can view the trailer, buy tickets and even ask for a map to the theater.

iBowl

Imagine being able to enjoy Wii style bowling using your iPhone. With the help of the built in accelerometer, the iPhone can now be used to bowl.

Lightsaber Unleashed

Lightsaber Unleashed is an iPhone app that was around earlier and was extremely popular. Then it had to be taken down. But it’s back now in a far better form; with multiple characters to choose from, music and better sound effects. You also have a choice in colors as well as the type of Lightsaber. It’s probably one of the most fun applications for your iPhone.

Sol Free Solitaire

Sol Free is developed by the software company Smallware. While the paid version has 40 card games, the free version comes with 6. One of the best features is the ability to review statistics, take mental notes and attempt to beat your previous stats. If you are obsessed with winning, you also have the option to restart the game.

MySpace Mobile

Access your entire MySpace account using your iPhone or iPod Touch. You can search the network and add friends, compose mail, delete mail and send bulletin blasts to all friends. You can upload and share pictures too.

Virtual Zippo Lighter

It may not actually provide much real life use, but it’s a fun app. As the name suggests, you have access to a virtual Zippo lighter. Just flick your wrist to open the Zippo and turn your thumb to get the flame started. If you sway your iPhone, you can see the windproof flame react accordingly. The best part is being able to blow it out.

The Weather Channel

Weather changes in a minute and you need to be prepared. Although, there is a standard weather application in iPhone; the Weather Channel will provide with the weather conditions, radar maps and long-term forecasts of the exact location you are in.

Bubble Wrap

If you are addicted to popping bubble wraps from packages, then you will love this game. All you have to do with this is pop bubbles as fast as you can, before the time runs out. Well, some of the bubbles may also re-inflate, so be careful. This free app has won the 2008 iPhone excellence award and also Apple iTunes 2008 favorite picks.

Remote

This app turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into remote controls, where you can control iTunes on your computer or Apple TV. Do everything from your iPhone or iPod Touch, as if you were in front of your computer. It works with your Wi-Fi network.

The best thing about App Store is that there are not too many barriers to enter and download all the free apps you may need. There are so many great apps to choose from, that your iPhone or iPod Touch will never be the same again.

It’s no surprise that all the big cats are now vying with each other to get their hands on this golden bird. Rumor goes that Google wanted it but was turned down. Facebook offered cash and stock worth $500 million, but it is believed Twitter investors were not quite sure that Facebook’s stock was worth as much as they claimed. The price has been going up as fast and furious as the Twitter users themselves.

Now, fresh rumors that have been circulating talk about Apply eying this social networking giant. According to sources, the purchase price it offered is $700 million – in cash and negotiations are on full swing. Oh yes! Apple has plenty of that (27 billion) and can pay cash. Gossip mongers even go to the extent of saying that the acquisition will be announced in June at the World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) in San Jose.

Twitter is receiving “tweet” nothings from everyone that matters – Google, Microsoft, News Corp., and now Apple too; although this is being discarded by many as yet another rumor. Putting two and two together, observers remark that it was only a couple of weeks ago that Apple profiled the site.

Although, it is considered ridiculous because Twitter and Apple are poles apart; getting a stake in the hottest internet product could catapult Apple ahead of both Yahoo and Microsoft in terms of internet foothold.

People in the know are questioning Apple’s logic behind buying Twitter – why would Apple need Twitter? Twitter would provide Apple a solid marketing and sales platform for the distribution of their products.

Here are ten interesting ways Apple could work Twitter into its products, according to CNN:

• Bring Twitter support into Apple’s messaging app, iChat.
• Use Twitter for RSS-like feeds, such as iTunes songs, TV shows, movies, iPhone apps, movie trailers etc.
• Tweet photos and may be videos from iPhone, auto-uploaded to TwitPic, YouTube etc.
• Tweet photos from iPhoto on Mac, auto-tagging Twitter contacts.
• Twitter contacts in phonebook on iPhone and Mac.
• Read tweets while watching a video on Apple TV.
• Twitter search option in Safari.
• Tweet songs you listen to in iTunes on the iPhone, giving a link for download from iTunes.
• Suggested iTunes playlists/purchases based on the most tweeted songs.
• Incorporating Twitter sign-in into iPhone and iPod touch so that all apps can access it via one API.

An analyst at Gabriel Consulting Group, Dan Olds, said that if Apple acquired Twitter, it could make for an interesting combination. He stated, “Apple has the right ‘attitude’ to run something like Twitter, plus the ability to monetize it with advertising. I can see where Twitter might fit quite nicely into the Apple empire. It would give Apple a strong entry into the social networking market and also a very solid advertising vehicle.”

However, all this is just a lot of speculation, and no one knows the real reason behind this madness; i.e. if Apple happens to be interested in Twitter at all. This is a big IF!

Amongst all this, what has Twitter got to say? Twitter has for long, been sending strong signals that it is not on the market. Recently, Biz Stone, one of the co-founders of Twitter also denied all rumors and said that it is not for sale, adding that right now, Twitter is focusing on developing new features and on remaining independent.

Despite all the denials and both parties crying hoarse that there is nothing to these rumors, those who believe that there cannot be smoke without fire are keeping their eyes wide open for any new developments on the Apple-Twitter front. I know the “rumor” is slowly dying down for now, but when it involves two giants, everything leads to a discussion. Would love to know what you have to say about this whole thing.

The new iPod Shuffle - This one is the world’s first ever talking iPod! Although, iPod Shuffles have always been small in size, Apple has now outdone itself by creating a very small iPod Shuffle (nano) that has been given the capacity to talk and has much more storage room than its predecessor.

This tiny 1.8” tall and 0.3” thin and sleek gadget comes with increased storage of 4GB that allows you to store more than 1000 songs and create multiple playlists; one for the gym, one for driving, one at home and for any other mood you choose. Apple achieved this feat by removing the controls from the iPod Shuffle itself and creating a unique touch by transferring them to the right earbud cord. This not only makes the iPod smaller in size but also easier to access and allows users to activate features they need without having to stop what they are doing. Some of you may consider it a disadvantage – the fact that you will have to use the headsets that Apple provides with the Shuffle because of the controls being fixed on them; unless Apple comes up with water-resistant headphones in different hues and forms.

Just like all other iPod Shuffles, this one also has no display; however, the new feature, VoiceOver eradicates the need for a display. It tells the user what song is playing as well as give the name of the singer. It also announces the playlists that are available and this helps in switching playlists with ease, without having to look at the iPod to do so. The voice that is heard depends on the type of computer being used. The VoiceOver has been programmed to use over 14 languages, allowing users to listen to different songs from the world over – Spanish or Chinese anyone?

Music can be loaded through iTunes as usual and iTunes 8.1 is needed on Mac OS X 1.4 or 10.5 or Windows XP SP3 or Vista. The iPod Shuffle can be connected to the Mac or PC using the cable that is provided and iTunes will set it up. You can also just drag songs in and out of the playlist.

This iPod also tells you and gives a warning when the battery needs to be charged. The battery, according to Apple lasts 10 hours. But the problem could be when it comes to replacement of the battery, as it costs as much as $49, which is considered by many as a very steep price to pay. Could it be that the iPod Shuffle is designed to be a disposable product? Who would want to spend almost $50 on just the battery?

Overall, the new improvements in the iPod Shuffle are definitely something to talk about; the VoiceOver, multiple playlists, the huge capacity etc. But many users are showing their displeasure at having no buttons on the iPod itself. It may be fun to have no buttons as that makes it a unique piece but it’s difficult for people to unlearn what is learnt with the previous iPods. Another major factor that contributes to this dissatisfaction is the use of cheap earbuds by Apple, which they say are not at all comfortable to use. The absence of any third-party options makes it difficult and is considered to be a deal-breaker; in spite of the fascination the new iPod Shuffle has been received with.

The new iPod Shuffle is available in smart colors of black and silver and they are easy on the eye. The look and the features make this a great gift too, as you can engrave whatever name and message you want on it.

SAP – Creation of Personalized Reports

Excel was and is still considered to be a powerful tool. Experts in Excel were in huge demand with people needing solutions. Now the latest development in software, SAP allows the creation of personalized reports, Many offices no longer consider Excel as the only tool. Excel proves to be insufficient for the amount of analysis and metrics that is needed for many. Not only that, the cost of getting MS Office itself is prohibitive.

SaaS Technology

Not too long ago, businesses used to look at local software developers to help them infuse the technology and dynamics their companies needed. The dependence of worry when these software developers forget to incorporate essential updates are a thing of the past now. Things are becoming more high-tech and we don’t have to deal with such issues. Employees also have the satisfaction of working with the latest SaaS technology that allows a high level of customization and systems that meet all their business needs can be developed effortlessly.

Web-based Software

If you have already checked out Monster.com, EmpXtrack, Salesforce, SuccessFactors etc., you would know how convenient and affordable web-based software is. EmpXtrack provides updates to the software on the fly and the pricing is excellent. This alleviates the need for in-house support staff.

Storing Knowledge

This is something we have gotten so used to, that we may not think much of it now. However, it is one of the most important technological developments that takes us away from heavy books with hundreds of pages to the ease of obtaining information online. You have blogs, social networking sites and other communities online where information is stored and we can interact with people and read interesting articles, find information and opinions etc.

Communication Tools

Once upon a time, one of the most important modes of communication was the email. People used to send emails and wait for a response from a client, customer or a business contact. Now email is far less used than before, with the advent of chat software, social networking sites, SaaS software and others where you can deliver messages to your employees and other colleagues in the easiest way possible. Most companies have web-based software’s that allow easy communication of information like broadcasting some important news or events to their employees.

Virtual Office Software

This is something that we would not have dreamt could happen just a few years earlier – that it would be so easy to “go” to work. No more traveling in peak morning hour traffic to reach office or getting home tired. Now home offices have become a part and parcel of our lives, with the ability to share all the office related documents, files and projects with the staff in the office as well as take care of clients. This is made possible with the virtual office software that has been developed.

Freelancers Exchange

There are times when your senior manager needs something done emergently by some expert that is not part of your team. What do they do? They simply approach one of the sites where you can hire freelancers to do any kind of job. Managers can interact with these freelancing experts and get their job done for a decent rate.

Talent Hunt

More and more business owners are turning to hiring people not just by advertising in the local newspapers but also by looking up places like Linkedin, Facebook, Ecademy, Orkut, Yahoo groups etc. where people hunting for jobs post their portfolios. Most of these sites are free to use.
Keeping ahead technologically helps businesses be ahead of their competition that is striving to catch up with them at every chance they get. Work is done more efficiently, time is saved and employees feel energized to work in a technologically aware environment, which is crucial for the success of a business.

So, does this mean that things are completely organized and you never face problems? No way! You still experience dropped calls, bad Wi-Fi signals, files that get corrupted, gadgets that die on you because of lack of power and the best part is that all these things happen when you need them the most.

Here are a few extremely handy tools that can help you keep connected at all times and alleviate the need to carry tons of cables, chargers etc.

Chargers

We now know that our laptops are the best chargers. The only problem is that most laptops need be charged with 110-volt AC and don’t come with many USB ports for charging other gadgets.

Imagine what a charger that can take power from different sources and charge all those gadgets can do.

• VersaCharger Pro from BoxWave Corp.

This charger is great in that it can connect not to one but three power sources; an AC plug for 110 and an AC plug for 220 volts (both European and US), a car cigarette-lighter connector and it has a short cable that makes the car connector change into something like a standard airplane power outlet.

The cost with an airplane charger is $35.20 and extra miniSync cables cost around $14.95, with shipping extra.

The only disadvantage is that it works only for handheld devices, and you will need something else for laptops.

• iGo everywhere85 from Mobility Electronics

This power adapter works for notebooks as well as handhelds. Unfortunately, you will not find connectors for Apple MacBooks.

This is a small and lightweight three-way device for AC/plane/car. You get a laptop connector cable that is retractable and a set of interchangeable connector tips.

They have 70 watts continuous/85 watts peak output which costs $129.99 and 90 watts continuous/130 watts peak costs $149.99. If you wish to charge your laptop and handheld at the same time; you will have to buy a separate connector tip.

Wireless Connection

It happens to all of us. We check for an available wireless connection only to discover that the few that are available are not free. Then we tend to look for a temporary solution.

This is where a wireless connection helps.

• Wi-Fire from hField Technologies Inc.

This is a tiny device that can be carried in your laptop bag. The long-range Wi-Fi adaptor is a combination of a sensitive receiver, a range-boosting directional antenna and proprietary software to pull in the wireless LAN signals, three times better and faster than other standard Wi-Fi adapters. It can be connected using a USB port to Windows PC and works with XP and Vista, and even a Mac Os X including Leopard. It costs $79 when you buy from their website.

• iPassConnect from iPass Inc.

You can have unlimited access to more than 24,000 Wi-Fi hot spots and Ethernet-equipped hotels and other big places in the U.S.; Starbucks, McDonald’s, Sheraton, Hyatt, Radisson, Borders, airline clubs and airports. It costs $29.95/month and for people travelling abroad, for $44.95, access to more than 90,000 WiFi hotspots, Ethernet locations, local dial-up numbers in 160 countries is possible. They have several other offers that can be checked out at their website.

Cell Phone Signal

• zBoost Personal

Problem with cell phone signals? This is a portable signal booster costing $169 and is a very small device. It has an external antenna with suction cups that can be fixed to a window. All you have to do is plug it into an AC outlet, and it provides a good reception wherever you need.

Data Backup

Losing important data when traveling on a business trip, either due to a disk crash or something else, can be the worst thing that can happen.

Let’s see a few Web-based backup services that can help us with this:

• MozyHome from EMC Corp.

This service is ranked highly for the excellent features and interface. Users can create personal accounts that get them free backup space of 2GB, which is a good amount of space for when you are traveling.
These are some of the tools that can prove to be most important for people on the move. They give you the comfort of being connected, charged, boosted and protected at all times.

Most gamers prefer nVidia and ATI for Graphics Cards, 2 Gigs of RAM, although most high-end laptops come with 4 or more Gigs of RAM.

Be prepared to pay top dollar for high-end gaming laptops, especially when you are interested in the well-known brands.

Alienware Area-51 m17x

Alienware has always been a leader for gaming machines. But then for all that performance and style, you are expected to pay as they don’t come cheap. This 10.5 lbs machine comes with the 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X9000 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 250GB hard drive (at 7200rpm), 512MB nVidia Quadro FX 3600M graphics, 17” dWideUXGA display 1920 x 1200 LCD with Clearview technology. It comes with Windows Vista Ultimate.

The only issue is with the battery, as you can expect with any gaming laptop. It is a power hungry monster that can use up the power pretty quickly. Although, it is mobile, it serves better as a desktop replacement rather than a portable laptop. But even if you wish to lag it around, it is still one of the coolest laptops – looks wise too.

Alienware m17

Although, “cheap” is certainly not the word that can be used for any Alienware laptops, this one is pretty low compared to their other machines. Price range is about 1,300 and a little more. It packs 1GB of ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 x2 graphics processing power, and comes with 2.26-GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive (at 7200rpm). This results in the ability of this machine to run most modern games at a decent speed. It provides a great gaming experience, delivering speed where it is required. However, where office applications are concerned, the speed may not be all that great.

HP HDX 18

The HDX 18 from HP is an out-and-out multimedia machine, right from its fashionable look to performance. Although, HP HDX 18 is not the fastest machine around, it’s more than enough to play many of the games as well as video. With a T9600 processor, 4GB of RAM and 9600M graphics, it certainly can play some of the big guns without much of a hitch. Games like Fallout 3, which is an action role-playing game and Left 4 Dead can be played smoothly on the screen’s resolution of 1920×1080. If you wish to have a serious gaming machine, you will have to look at something with 9800M graphics card; although, this surely is great for almost all the games, except perhaps the most demanding games like GTA IV.

Eurocom D901C Phantom-X

This machine comes with a 3 GHz Xeon Quad Core X3370 processor, two 80GB solid-state drives with Windows Vista and with 8GB of RAM. Add the nVidia GeForce Go 9800M GTX graphics running in SLI and you have a deadly gaming combination. This speed king dominates many games such as Quake Wars and Unreal Tournament III. With 1900 x 1200 pixels, the 17.1 inch screen is bright and clear and more than perfect for extended gaming sessions. Well, all this power does not come cheap and this is expensive at $5950. But if you’re a game addict that values high-levels of performance, you probably won’t mind the steep price.

Gateway P-7811FX

The Gateway P-7811FX is an inexpensive alternative to the higher priced gaming laptops. This is a perfect deal for people looking for a good gaming machine yet want to stick to their budget. This machine is run by a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 CPU and a 4GB of DDR3-800 RAM. This has the capacity to handle most of the current games. Although, the 17.1-inch screen is not as bright, the colors are perfect in still images. The only problem if you perceive it as such is the glossy coating on the screen that may be distracting when playing. The 200GB 7200rpm hard drive, the nVidia GeForce 9800M GTS graphics make up for everything else. It comes with Windows Vista Premium (64-bit) and weighs 9 lbs.

This gaming machine offers good value for money and certainly something that should be taken into consideration, especially if you cannot afford the higher-end machines. You get to own a good gaming machine as well as save on some money in this time of recession.

These are just a few of the good gaming laptops available in the market. Many of them are certain to give you a good gaming experience. You may find other gaming laptops that are far cheaper, but you will have to look around a bit. For Mac lovers, there is the Apple MacBook Pro and you can also run Windows to play games. When looking for a gaming laptop, you should go for one that can be easily upgraded when you need to or when you have more money. Since many gamers don’t like Vista and prefer switching back to Windows XP, you should check if the laptop will accept XP before you buy it.

This killer is being used in many areas in various forms:

A “dad man’s switch” stops vehicles and machines, in case the operator has problems and loses control. A kill switch at pumping stations is used for gasoline pumps and other devices that pump flammable or explosive chemicals. Even treadmills have a “safety key” that comes into action when a person trips or falls.

In IT language, a kill switch is a security measure used to shut off a device or a program. Where software is concerned, the software is rendered useless to users if it is pirated and not obtained in the right way.

Kill Switch in Apple and Google

Coming to the mobile phone segment, kill switch has been incorporated by Apple in the iPhone. Through these switches, the company has the capability of uninstalling or deleting any application that they think should not be on your phone.

This was not something Apple made a whole lot of noise about and preferred to let silence rule - until people discovered it for themselves and the world was up in arms.

The iPhone quietly connects to Apple’s servers to check an application blacklist, and disable any apps that should not be there.

Now, Google also seems to be following Apple’s lead and has made a similar inclusion in its open-source Android platform. This leader of Web search, with the help of cookies already keeps tabs on the searches that are done from your PC. It is almost like someone peeking into your screen while you are surfing the Web, and now the kill switch in the Android phone.

Google mentions it in the terms and conditions or the license agreement, which says, “Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement. In such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion.”

Difference between the two

However, there is a difference between the two switches. With Apple, only Apple’s applications can make their way into the mobiles; however, Google has made it clear that it is not going to control whose applications are used, but has the switch only to ensure malicious applications that are potentially harmful to the user’s personal information and to the phone are not used.

Google and Apple have explained the reasons behind having the switches.

Google says that an open-source application makes the phone prone to attacks, and this switch is in the best interests of the users.

Steve Jobs stated that Apple needs this capability, in case it allows a malicious program inadvertently – something that stole personal data of the user. He said, “Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull.”

Breach of Freedom?

The lever that Steve Jobs talked about seems to be pulling a whole lot more than Apple bargained for, in the form of criticism from users.

This move by Apple and Google is perceived by many as a breach of freedom, as it means letting vendors break into the users’ private life and compromise on privacy. Some users have even gone to the extent of saying that Apple wants draconian control over their devices. Subscribers not only use the mobile phone to store music, contact lists, photos but also to surf the Web and check e-mail. They believe this feature can also be abused by hackers to spy on people. They do not like the idea that Apple and Google are playing self-proclaimed cops by saying they are doing this for the protection of the users.

People, who look at the whole issue of the kill switch with different eyes, say that collection of data is not new and several companies collect user data. For example, Handango, knows all about the phone models used and applications bought by their users. Even Nokia and Microsoft are said to have their own “kill switch” tools; although they are limited in scope when compared to Apple.

Through the whole thing, Apple did not respond to any of the requests to comment, but they have put up a disclaimer on their website, that says, “We collect information regarding customer activities. This helps us to determine how best to provide useful information to customers and to understand which parts of our websites, products, and Internet services are of most interest to them.”

Apple can also track the quality of wireless networks used by its devices and this is done by checking on the download speeds. Experts believe this is an admirable feat as no one else had been able to do anything like that before. This is the reason Apple is able to be super-responsive to glitches.

Since this is certainly not the last we have heard of the kill switch, which way is it going to go? Will the other manufacturers follow suit?

Recent sales numbers of the iPhone and the BlackBerry have surprised people in the know. The reason for the surprise is that BlackBerry has always been considered to be synonymous with a business phone, but now the iPhone sold more.

Earlier, Steve Jobs announced that the iPhone would support Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, which will enable users to synchronize their calendar and contacts along with receiving push mail on their iPhones. This announcement had many critics remarking that Apple is attempting to just grab a small slice of one of the most lucrative markets – the enterprise phone segment and nothing more will come out of it. Of course, diehard Apple fans are never deterred by these comments and have always counted on the iPhone to make a difference in this market, where enterprise phone segment is the arena of players such as the BlackBerry and the Nokia E-series.

The sales reports of smartphones reveal that Nokia still ruled, followed by Apple and then BlackBerry. This is a great achievement for Apple, considering that the iPhone does not have as many models as the other two. Another fact is that the competition has released high-profile devices recently too, such as Nokia’s E71 and RIM’s Bold. However, a device that has not been considered to be a suitable choice for enterprise use until now has won hands down.

What are the reasons for iPhone’s success in the Smartphone segment? Experts are of the belief that the iPhone does not need a huge learning curve as it comes with an intuitive interface. It has fewer buttons and users do not need to access any menus. If someone wants to access a software, it can be done with simple scrolling and tapping. The screen also responds extremely quickly to the touch. MS Office and PDF file attachments can be opened faster by the email client than any PC can. These are things users look for – ease of operation and convenience of use.

Even the most simple things like the display on the iPhone is the largest available. People can comfortably watch videos on it or read long reports with ease. There are plenty of very useful and attractive multimedia features too, one of which includes the option of downloading several hundreds of applications to the device.

These are just some of the factors that seem to be attracting people to the iPhone. People now understand that there is no longer the need to own two devices; one for their personal use and one for business use. Now they can get everything they need in a single phone and they cannot be any happier.

The main attraction that iPhone is bringing to smartphones and enterprise devices is that phones used by businessmen and professionals now look not only at providing functionality but entertainment as well. Previously, the general thinking was that an enterprise phone has to be all about being functional, catering to the needs of synchronizing contacts and calendars, push mail, MS Office file viewers etc., which are usually the functions needed in any business phone owned by a professional. Many of the enterprise devices did not come with cameras as it was earlier felt that security of the business data would be compromised with the addition of such features.

Now people and manufacturers are beginning to think differently and because of this, BlackBerry Bold has a better interface and display than before. Samsung has come out with Omnia and the eight megapixel mobile phone Innov8 that come with both multimedia features and enterprise features.

There no longer exists the line that divided entertainment from enterprise and the major credit for this goes to the success of the iPhone. No longer do people need to weigh their pockets down, with two phones. Now traveling with two phones is looked at as inconvenient and meaningless. We are in an era of fast and easy devices and professionals can entertain themselves on the same phone they use for conducting their business, without any fear of compromising on security. Apple is going all out to make sure that it is seen not only as a competitor in the enterprise segment but more as a leader.

All the top stars on the block seem to be heading with single-minded determination towards the same goal. Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and Google is not to be left behind too. It is extremely impressive to watch the unfolding of the “touchscreen” era.

This was exclusively the domain of the enterprise phone segment just a little while earlier. But things have changed so fast that there perhaps may not be a cell phone manufacturer that does not wish to proudly lay claim to this distinction.

We will have to give credit to the keypad. Even with the possibility and threat of being ousted looming large, it still manages to hold its head high, with the hope that the competition does not invade its territory. As of now there are more phones that come with only a keypad when compared to touchscreen phones. In fact many of the touchscreen phones also have a keypad.

But the big question is, how long is it going to remain this way?

The touchscreen market is taking off much faster than ever before.

• Blackberry and the Storm
• Sony Ericsson and the Xperia
• Google and the G1
• Nokia and the 5800
• Samsung Omnia

You must be wondering why we have not mentioned the top of the order and unforgettable iPhone. This is because Apple and the iPhone are what triggered this frenzy – or so some people believe.

Let us get some history of the touchscreen. It is a wrong notion to think that Apple is the first one to come out with a touchscreen device. Much before Apple even attempted to create something like this, Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson have all come up with touchscreen phones. One of the first touchscreen smart phones created was the IBM Simon. Sony Ericsson was also one of the first with its P800.

Apple is being hailed as being successful because all those earlier phones by other manufacturers were nowhere near as successful as the iPhone. With the success of the iPhone, all others are now looking to recreate the same magic. It is easier for them because they have learnt from their past mistakes.

They have seen the faults with the previous touchscreens and they have now also seen the success formula created by Apple. They had to be operated using a stylus. This feature was considered to be very inconvenient, especially because both the hands were needed to use the phone. This is not required when using the iPhone. All that is needed is to touch the screen with a finger. The best part is that the iPhone does not need too much maintenance and is easy to use. Although, the battery is not great; with all the other benefits, this is believed to be a small sacrifice to make. Apple also came up with an innovative idea of adding the App Store.

Basically, the iPhone was liked largely for a few of reasons, such as not needing a stylus to operate it, the convenience and ease of use and the App Store.

Now the other manufacturers are going the Apple way and sorting out all the earlier issues with their phones, even to the extent of looking at options for something on the lines of Apple’s App Store. Google seems to be heading in the right direction and is seemingly successful on this front. We should not be surprised if new and better features are introduced too.

Will people get tired of touching their screen or will it be considered as a more convenient option that saves them the trouble of pressing keys? While some believe that this craze for touchscreens is short-lived and is due to the success of the iPhone; others believe that there is more to it.

It is too early to be writing the obituary of the keypad. However, it is quite evident that the touchscreen is here to stay. Because they are used to a keypad, most users still prefer using it to a touchscreen. But how long will it take for them to get used to the higher comfort levels that manufacturers are striving hard to offer through their new touchscreen devices?