Toolbars

Toolbars are a part of many different software programs, and they’ve become extremely necessary for navigating programs that some companies specialize in offering nothing but toolbars. But because toolbars are popular, they’re also a target for hidden viruses. You may download a toolbar and unknowingly introduce malicious software or spyware into your smartphone as a result. Malicious software could change the way your programs operate, erase data and otherwise damage your smartphone. Spyware is a virus that’s designed to track your movements and record data about you, including information that may include password and banking data.

Toolbars can be a source of hidden viruses, but some toolbar software are perfectly harmless. Zugo LTD guarantees malware- and spyware-free toolbars that contain no malicious software whatsoever. You may safely download Zugo products, which are tested to meet certain quality standards, without fearing for your smartphone or computer.

Downloading Software

Image via Flickr

It’s easy to download software to your smartphone or computer; all it takes is a few clicks of the mouse button. But software doesn’t always behave as expected, as this is where some users may become confused. Zugo toolbars, once installed, will automatically change your homepage to Bing. Other toolbars and software programs may exhibit similar behavior; it’s not an uncommon practice. But some users can find this change very jarring, and may assume that their system has been compromised in some way after it occurs. A change of this nature isn’t an automatic red flag, and may not mean that you have been infected with a malicious software program. Users who already have their homepages set to Bing, for instance, may not even notice that a change has taken place. It is important to run regular virus scans to protect your system from harmful software, and download programs only from sites that are virus-free.

If a program or toolbar you’ve installed behaves in a way you don’t like, search for the program on your system to uninstall it. If you can’t find an uninstall file for the program, try going to the web page where you downloaded the software. Often, the page will provide an uninstall link or instructions to help you accomplish the task.

Do you have additional tips on how to prevent spyware and malware from ruining your smartphones? Let us know in the comments.

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With the sustainability of the movement that has already been demonstrated and a constantly growing marketplace of ever-evolving and expanding lines of offerings, it is clear there is real substance to the green revolution. There are green products for just about every need these days. So why exclude your cell phone?

Green Cell Phone Products

It used to be that when you chose to purchase an environmentally-friendly alternative to mainstream product, you had to sacrifice something – quality or value. But that was OK in some cases. For those people who considered the environment a key cause to support, giving up a little quality or paying a little more was worth it within the bigger picture.

That’s not the case anymore. Over the past couple of decades, the green manufacturing movement has gone high-tech and introduced numerous innovations. Many products – including cell phone bodies, keyboards and cases – are being manufactured by major companies worldwide with comparable quality and cost to other offerings.
For most cell phone companies, green means recycled materials. This is one of the single most important aspects of protecting and restoring the environment. Products that are produced from recycled materials help ensure landfill space is not depleted unnecessarily. And with the incredible volume of plastic products being manufactured each day, we should do all we can to make sure those materials are re-used and not thrown away.

Some green cell phone products also help save money. For example, chargers that only use electricity when the device is connected, and in need of juice, reduce the amount of power we consume overall without the annoying practice of unplugging cables when not in use. While the dollars may be small on an individual level, it adds up. But the real win comes with overall reduced electricity consumption – a principle we should all rally around.

A Sustainable Future

Cell phones and their accessories have become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives. With rapidly evolving technology innovations are made almost daily. That means we, as consumers, are constantly replacing our cell phones and accessories with the latest and greatest development on the market. That trend is unlikely to slow down, so the least we can do is ensure our purchases involve green products that contribute significantly to a sustainable future.

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However, for some people, cell phones and other modern technology can literally make them ill.

You see, cell phones, Wi-Fi devices, cordless phones and communications towers all put out varying levels of electromagnetic radiation. You can’t hardly walk down the street without being bombarded by this electromagnetic radiation. It’s inside of malls, hospitals, courthouses, and even your local fast food establishment.

For most folks, the electromagnetic radiation isn’t something to be worried about. It’s harmless in the doses that people receive. However, some folks have a condition in which they are especially vulnerable to this sort of thing.

Those people have a condition known as “electrical hypersensitivity,” sometimes called “electrosensitivity.” When you have this condition, you can have some specific physical symptoms when you’re exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Some of the symptoms can include short-term memory loss, dizziness, trouble sleeping and a difficulty with focus.

To be sure, electrosensitivity is somewhat controversial. There is a relatively small amount of research that’s been done in the area, and many physicians and medical organizations don’t yet recognize electrosensitivity as something to be concerned about.

Much of the information about this condition has been, to this point, anecdotal. A patient may visit a doctor with these kinds of symptoms, and the doctor isn’t able to diagnose their cause. The patient then removes devices like cell phones, wireless routers or cordless phones from their home and starts to feel better.

One of the problems with this type of condition is that there isn’t much out there in the way of long-term research on the effects of electromagnetic radiation. Because devices like cordless phones and cell phones and WiFi are relatively new environmental factors, researchers haven’t yet had the opportunity to really see what they do over the long term. The long-term studies that have been done so far have yet to yield conclusive results. Some studies suggest problems or risks, while others produce no such results.

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Just because kids ask for something, however, doesn’t mean they get it. For years, that’s been the case with cell phones. Kids as young as 8 or 10 sit on Santa’s lap, and parents cringe when their tot asks for the latest iPhone or Blackberry. As recent as 2004, less than one in five 12 year-olds had a cell phone, suggesting that Mom and Dad have more say over what little Johnny gets than what Santa does. After all, they’re the ones that have to pay the monthly bill.

That’s changed dramatically, however. In 2009, around 60 percent – or three in five – kids aged 12 or younger had cell phones. Research from the Pew Center’s Internet & American Life Project suggests that most kids get their cell phone by the age of 12 or 13.

Dropping land lines

One of the most common reasons that parents are more open to cell phones for their young children is the trend toward dropping land line telephones. If a household doesn’t have one centralized number to call, it stands to reason that the individuals in that household might have their own lines, even if they’re children.

Big dangers for parents

One of the biggest concerns that parents have had over the years has been the idea of cost. If a child spends hours on a cell phone or sends thousands of text messages or downloads gigabytes of data, parents can find themselves on the hood for massive cell phone bills. Fortunately, technology has kept pace and most cell phone providers now offer parental control options that will let parents limit just how much their kids text, talk and download.

A connected generation

Even more interesting in this trend is the overall idea that kids today are much more connected than in generations past. With the growth of social networking sites and even online gaming communities aimed specifically at young children, the idea of each person in a household having their own cell phone is likely to become a long-term trend.

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Staggering figures

During 2009, there were 5,474 people killed in accidents related to distracted driving. Of those incidents, 995 deaths were believed to have had a cell phone involved. In addition to these deaths, it’s estimated that 448,000 people were injured in accidents related to distracted driving.

Not just the kids

You might assume that all of these traffic fatalities due to cell phone use were because of teeny-boppers and their crazy texting habits. Believe it or not, however, the group who experienced the largest percentage of these accidents were actually adults in the 30 to 39 year-old range. (Teenagers were the second largest percentage, coming in just behind the thirty-somethings.)

Motorcycles and cell phones don’t mix

Another thoroughly interesting aspect of this data was the information regarding motorcycles. Motorcycles make up of only two percent of the registered vehicles in the country. However, six percent of all the cell phone-related distracted driving fatalities involved a motorcycle.

Of course, data wasn’t available regarding which party was using the cell phone. It isn’t likely that the vast majority of motorcyclists are out there using cell phones. It’s much more likely that cell phone use by passenger vehicle drivers causes them to be less attentive, making it more likely that they will miss seeing a smaller vehicle (like a motorcycle) while they’re talking on the phone. Someone who’s paying attention to their phone is likely to miss a motorcycle nearby, resulting in an accident.

Because of the NHTSA report, the U.S. Department of Transportation is mulling over the possibility of banning the use of cell phones in vehicles from coast to coast. This kind of move could be a hard sell, however, as both consumers and special interest groups are likely to fight the move. Add in the fact that many states already have specific distracted driving laws in place that relate to cell phone use, and it’s not entirely clear if a federal mandate is really necessary, or even effective. Regardless, the report shows just how serious a problem that cell phone use can be while driving.

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The days when inmates would simply bang a tin cup on the bars of their cell are apparently long gone. Last weekend, inmates at as many as seven prisons in the state of Georgia used cell phones – none of which are legal to have in those prisons – to form a nonviolent strike. The inmates are asking for better living conditions, as well as to be paid for the work that they do while they are in the prisons.

According to reports, cell phones have been commonly smuggled into prisons for several years. In fact, even a high-profile notorious prison inmate like Charles Manson was recently discovered with a cell phone just this month. This is a disturbing trend, to say the least, as officials are concerned that inmates may use cell phones to attempt to coordinate escape attempts.

This particular incident, however, has been building for some time. Different groups and factions within the prison populations have been coordinating for months now to organize this strike. These groups – which very rarely work together and are more likely to be opposed to one another – used cell phones to call and text message others in order to coordinate the strike.

Inmates in those prisons indicated that they would not perform any of the duties normally required of them, including chores or jobs that many have via the industrial department of the Corrections Department. They also protested by not shopping at prison commissaries.

The protesters were asking for specific changes, including getting paid for the work that they do, improved quality of prison food, greater educational opportunities, and even changes to sentencing rules.

According to an interview with an inmate that was conducted via cell phone, this kind of networking among prisoners is becoming commonplace. Most of the prisons involved have one or two key individuals who serve as contact points who then keep the rest of the inmates at that particular prison up to speed with what’s being planned.

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2. Insurance for Cell Phones

However, depending on your carrier and the type of phone you have, insurance may not be an option, or it may not seem worth the money. If that’s the case, here are some alternatives you can consider:

• Go without. If you have a cell phone contract and are somewhere near time to upgrade, you might be better off waiting it out and just getting a new phone when you have the opportunity to upgrade. When you get the opportunity to renew your contract, you can save money on a new device. Typically, you can save half the cost of the phone or even more by upgrading.
• Self-insure. You can set aside a few dollars a month into an envelope or a savings account. Statistically speaking, you’re not likely to break or lose more than 1 in 3 phones you own, so setting aside $5 should make it so you’ve always got a little extra cash to buy a phone with in an emergency.
• Look at other insurance coverage. In some cases, your other insurance policies may include your cell phone. For example, your homeowners insurance policy may cover up to a certain amount of electronics devices. The obvious issue here will be the deductible, of course, as it’s likely that the deductible on your homeowner’s policy will be higher than the cost of a new cell phone, but it’s still worth a look.
• Be willing to deal with outdated tech. If your phone dies, you may be able to purchase a used phone or a basic phone to continue using on your plan. It means fewer features, and once you’re eligible for an upgrade on your contract you can get back into the kind of phone you want.

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1. BlackBerry. One of the first cell phones to sport a hefty OS is the RIM BlackBerry. When BlackBerry first hit the cell phone market, it was aimed squarely at the business user. BlackBerry connected to corporate email and made it easy for business types to stay connected in an ever increasingly connected world. BlackBerry is now shifting gears and looking to win consumers. They may be loosing their top spot, but they are not going down without a fight. Most notable in this fight is a new tablet device that is soon to hit the market.

2. WebOS. Palm was once the pinnacle of handheld personal information managers. The PalmPre Cell phone challenged the market in times that continue to see cell phones get bigger and bigger. The modding and home programmer currently loves WebOS. This is mainly due to how easy it is to develop a small application and get it onto PalmPre devices. Though Palm is now part of HP, the WebOS continues to grow and expand. HP is now looking to move the WebOS from the cell phone market to the tablet market with the imminent release of the HP Slate.

3. Window Phone 7. Microsoft has never really been a huge player in the cell phone market. Sure, they have had cell phone operating systems before, but they were always second best to the like of RIM and Palm. Now Microsoft has a new phone OS that changes the game for this software giant. Taking several queues from the Zune software, Windows Phone 7 is all about connectivity. The OS connects to the Zune market place opening up a huge library of music choice. It also connects to Xbox Live, thus giving games access to the gaming network with XBL games slowly finding their way to the phone. This is an ambitious project from Microsoft and the battle will be a hard fought one for this company.

2. Android. Android is an OS developed by Google. When Android first hit the market, it was met with a large amount of negativity and dislike. Google pressed on, and now they have a cell phone OS that is quickly taking over the world. Android runs on an abundance of cell phones on every carrier. Android has also been through a porting process and is now being incorporated into tablet devices. Android is an open platform, thus giving cell phone companies and developers the freedom to do as they please with this OS.

1. iOS. Welcome to the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Apple once said they would never enter the cell phone market. Yet here we are, and they have created a cell phone and OS that has developed a huge fan base. iOS has gone from novelty to an OS that everyone from consumer to fortune 500 companies is embracing. The biggest setback to this OS is the fact that it is locked into one cell phone carrier. Speculation is that this will soon change, and customers everywhere eagerly await iOS phones to march into more cell phone carrier stores.

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1. Car chargers. Keeping a cell phone charged no matter where you are is essential to enjoying it. Car chargers keep phones charged during long trips, between work and home, and in emergency situations. A few considerations do come with car chargers. The first is that if you already own a car charger, it just might work for that new cell phone. The second consideration is to shop around for car chargers. Sure, the store you are purchasing the new cell phone maybe great to just add on a charger, but unless the store is offering some sort of discount, it is often cheaper other places.

2. Extra batteries. If you happen to be buying a cell phone that has a swappable battery, it may be a great idea to purchase an extra battery. An extra battery is beneficial for those heavy phone users who do a ton of travel. Nothing sucks worse than using a cell phone for entertainment on a long plane ride, only to have the battery die half way to your destination. A spare battery, or two, can go a long way to keeping folks entertained.

3. Insurance plans. Those who are giving a cell phone to someone who is hard on electronics just might have a grand benefit to an insurance plan. Yeah, this accessory is not cool and fun, but it comes in handy when the heavy user breaks their new cell phone the very first day they have it. This may not be an accessory for everyone, but if you are bestowing an expensive cell phone upon someone prone to breaking electronics, this insurance plan can be a lifesaver.

4. Phone cases. After spending a pretty penny on that cell phone, you want to make sure your recipient has a way to protect it. Giving a nice cell phone case can go a long way to keep that new toy looking great over months of use and abuse. A benefit to spending a pretty penny on a good case is that some even come with battery packs. This means those phones without swappable batteries get the most benefit of having more go juice.

5. App Store gift cards. If this new cell phone has a marketplace attached to it, a gift card is a great way to allow the recipient to purchase their favorite games and apps at no cost to them. Many cell phones now come with marketplaces filled to the brim with great entertainment choices. Even a $25 gift card to the online stores can go a long way to enriching the value to that new toy.

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• What are the early termination conditions? Knowing how, when, and what constitutes early termination can go a long way to saving yourself cell phone bill headaches. Many cell phone contracts have ways for you to break your contract, yet there are often heavy fees associated with breaking your contract. The little known fact is that there are ways to break a contract without having to deal with these hefty fees. Before you sign the dotted line, be sure to ask what contract breaks come with fines, and what ways are a free out.
• Duration of the contract. The most common cell phone contracts span two years. These contracts are most often tied to Smartphones that come with subsidized pricing. Things like the $200 iPhone are an example here. Yet, you can get one year and no contract cell phone plans as well. You may pay more for the cell phone up front, but you are not locked into a contract for two long agonizing years.
• What does the company guarantee? As sad as it may seem, cell phone service is not always guaranteed. If you read the fine print in your contract, you may find that a company only guarantees a percentage of up time. You will also find that cell phone companies don’t guarantee that your phone will work in every area you travel to. It’s key to know what your cell phone provide guarantees as this can be what stops you from being reimbursed on your bill if you happen to lose service.
• International Charges. This may not be for everyone, but knowing what the cell phone company charges for international usage is necessary for those heavy travelers. Those of you who sit close to your countries borders need to be weary of this a swell. Often times, data charges skyrocket if you happen to connect to a tower in another country. Even if that tower is just across the street. Many cell phone companies have international plans for those who travel, but they are expensive.
• Roaming. Yeah, there are still times you maybe roaming. Though this is not something customers even consider anymore, it is still in your cell phone contract. A cell phone provider can actually drop you as a customer if you spend too much time making phone calls while roaming. While you are setting up your new contract, be sure to find out what the company considers roaming territory.

Cell phone contracts maybe long, boring, and hard to understand, but that is what customer service is there for. These are but a few items you should consider asking about before you agree to any contract.

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