So today, I’ve decided to let you in on a secret as to why I’m so good at my job; I’m a Blogger trapped in the body of a Sub-Par typist using Shortcut codes to get by in my job as a TES on the SHARP Account!

This is because the keyboard, also an analog input device like the Mouse (even the Optical Mouse is analog!), doesn’t require the use of the Graphics Card to carry out its commands; it communicates directly with whichever program that’s loaded into Windows Main Memory, a holdover from the days when IBM Computer and PC Compatibles ran on a Microsoft OS back in the early 90’s called MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System).

Thus, shortcut codes helped this typist-on-training-wheels back then to use the computer without a Mouse and also edit and manipulate Word Perfect Documents or tasks in other Word Processing software like a Pro. It helped the non-typist (Read UWI or UTECH student pulling a late night all-nighter) as described in How to Legally Activate installed Microsoft Products – Office 2010’s in the Lost and Found to accomplish any typing task to always be drawing for the Mouse of load up Windows 3.1 or right click to access any pop-up or pop-out menus for the auto-correct.

With practice they eventually become a part of you, making typing faster, especially for older computer user like me used to using Word Perfect from the days of Win 3.1 with no Mouse! No auto correct or dictionary; every word had to be proof-read and edited based on your own understanding of English. As such, it made you a better faster and more accurate typist over time, allowing a sub-par typist like myself to complete grand works of English – such as this one.

So today, dear reader, if you’re thinking of starting a blog and getting into the Writing Game and you’re daunted by the whole typing thing, fret not. There’s always been a whole family of Shortcuts waiting to assist you to get typing done crazy fast long before the Mouse had been invented back in the MS DOS….and they’re still as useful as when they’re been implemented, still very much a part of Microsoft Windows.

Just do the following and improved typing results will appear faster:

• Stop using the auto-correct feature and backspace everytime you spell something wrong and draw instead for the Dictionary and you’ll be ok on your journey to become a professional writer.

• Practice proper placement of your fingers on the keyboard. If you a “jook” typist, this’ll have a marked effect on you initially, but you’ll see how it improves your typing under stress

• Get a Twitter account. Great to have, as it bends your mind to saying what you wanna say in the least number of characters, not words. Every character counts.

• Read a lot of newspaper articles and try to copy the writing style of Journalists and Reporters of even basic essayists articles. Then over time, as a blog is a more interactive medium, develop you own writing style

• Use the advice of this blog article in Tandem with Kelroy’s advice in 10 Online Tools every Blogger should be aware of and use and you’ll be good to go.

Here’s my helpful list of Shortcut codes I know off hand. Some I’ve researched and are new to me, especially the MMC (Microsoft Management Console). May take awhile, buy you’ll learn ‘em all eventually and start using them off the cuff like a natural Writer.

Basic Window Shortcuts

• CTRL+C – Copy

• CTRL+X  - Cut

• CTRL+V  - Paste

• CTRL+Z  - Undo

• DELETE  - Delete

• SHIFT+DELETE  - Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin

• CTRL while dragging an item  - Copy the selected item

• CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item  - Create a shortcut to the selected item
  F2 key (Rename the selected item

• CTRL+RIGHT ARROW  - Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word

• CTRL+LEFT ARROW  - Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word

• CTRL+DOWN ARROW  - Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph

• CTRL+UP ARROW  - Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph

• CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys  - Highlight a block of text

• SHIFT with any of the arrow keys  - Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document

• CTRL+A  - Select all

• F3 key  - Search for a file or a folder

• ALT+ENTER  - View the properties for the selected item

• ALT+F4  - Close the active item, or quit the active program

• ALT+ENTER  - Display the properties of the selected object

• ALT+SPACEBAR  - Open the shortcut menu for the active window

• CTRL+F4  - Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously

• ALT+TAB  - Switch between the open items

• ALT+ESC  - Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened

• F6 key  - Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop

• F4 key  - Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer

• SHIFT+F10  - Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

• ALT+SPACEBAR  - Display the System menu for the active window

• CTRL+ESC  - Display the Start menu

• ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name  - Display the corresponding menu

• Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu  - Perform the corresponding command

• F10 key  - Activate the menu bar in the active program

• RIGHT ARROW  - Open the next menu to the right, or open a sub-menu

• LEFT ARROW  - Open the next menu to the left, or close a sub-menu

• F5 key  - Update the active window

• BACKSPACE  - View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer

• ESC  - Cancel the current task
  SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive  - Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing

Dialog Box – Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+TAB – Move forward through the tabs

• CTRL+SHIFT+TAB – Move backward through the tabs

• TAB – Move forward through the options

• SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options

• ALT+Underlined letter – Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option

• ENTER – Perform the command for the active option or button

• SPACEBAR – Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

• Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

• F1 key – Display Help

• F4 key – Display the items in the active list

• BACKSPACE – Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts

• Windows Logo – Display or hide the Start menu

• Windows Logo+BREAK  - Display the System Properties dialog box

• Windows Logo+D  - Display the desktop

• Windows Logo+M  - Minimize all of the windows

• Windows Logo+SHIFT+M  - Restore the minimized windows

• Windows Logo+E  - Open My Computer

• Windows Logo+F  - Search for a file or a folder

• CTRL+Windows Logo+F  - Search for computers

• Windows Logo+F1  - Display Windows Help

• Windows Logo+ L  - Lock the keyboard

• Windows Logo+R  - Open the Run dialog box

• Windows Logo+U  - Open Utility Manager

• Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts

• Right SHIFT for eight seconds  - Switch FilterKeys either on or off

• Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN  - Switch High Contrast either on or off

• Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK  - Switch the MouseKeys either on or off

• SHIFT five times  - Switch the StickyKeys either on or off

• NUM LOCK for five seconds  - Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off

• Windows Logo +U – Open Utility Manager

Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

• END  - Display the bottom of the active window

• HOME  - Display the top of the active window

• NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) – Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder

• NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) – Display the contents of the selected folder

• NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) – Collapse the selected folder

• LEFT ARROW  - Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder

• RIGHT ARROW  - Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder

Shortcut Keys for Character Map

This series of shortcuts is useful when you pull up the Character Grid and you wish to navigate around without using the Mouse.

• RIGHT ARROW  - Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line

• LEFT ARROW  - Move to the left or to the end of the previous line

• UP ARROW  - Move up one row

• DOWN ARROW  - Move down one row

• PAGE UP  - Move up one screen at a time

• PAGE DOWN  - Move down one screen at a time

• HOME  - Move to the beginning of the line

• END  - Move to the end of the line

• CTRL+HOME  - Move to the first character

• CTRL+END  - Move to the last character

• SPACEBAR – Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected

Microsoft Management Console (MMC)

There are two sets of MMC Commands; one for the Main Window and other set for the MMC Console Window. Very handy list for MMC users!

Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+O  - Open a saved console

• CTRL+N  - Open a new console

• CTRL+S  - Save the open console

• CTRL+M  - Add or remove a console item

• CTRL+W  - Open a new window

• F5 key  - Update the content of all console windows

• ALT+SPACEBAR  - Display the MMC window menu

• ALT+F4  - Close the console

• ALT+A  - Display the Action menu

• ALT+V  - Display the View menu

• ALT+F  - Display the File menu

• ALT+O  - Display the Favorites menu

MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+P  - Print the current page or active pane

• ALT+Minus sign (-)- Display the window menu for the active console window

• SHIFT+F10  - Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item

• F1 key  - Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item

• F5 key  - Update the content of all console windows

• CTRL+F10  - Maximize the active console window

• CTRL+F5  - Restore the active console window

• ALT+ENTER  - Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item

• F2 key  - Rename the selected item

• CTRL+F4 – Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console

Remote Desktop Connection Navigation Shortcuts

• CTRL+ALT+END  - Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box

• ALT+PAGE UP – Switch between programs from left to right

• ALT+PAGE DOWN  - Switch between programs from right to left

• ALT+INSERT  - Cycle through the programs in most recently used order

• ALT+HOME  - Display the Start menu

• CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen

• ALT+DELETE  - Display the Windows menu

• CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-)  -  Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer

• CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) – Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer

Microsoft Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+B – Open the Organize Favorites dialog box

• CTRL+E – Open the Search bar

• CTRL+F – Start the Find utility

• CTRL+H – Open the History bar

• CTRL+I – Open the Favorites bar

• CTRL+L  - Open the Open dialog box

• CTRL+N  - Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address

• CTRL+O  - Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L

• CTRL+P  - Open the Print dialog box

• CTRL+R  - Update the current Web

That’s a wrap.

Have fun Writing your book, blog or whatever document you’re typing in Windows. It’ not as hard as it looks and doesn’t require you to be a professional typist. You just have to practice until you’re perfect…..or at least until your handwriting starts to suffer.

And remember, quit using the auto-correct and check the words the old-fashioned way using a Dictionary; improve your word power for a change.

“BlackBerry is excited to bring a new BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone, the BlackBerry Q5, to our customers in selected markets around world,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. “The BlackBerry Q5 gives you the best of everything with its cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 functionality and a physical QWERTY keyboard. It is for youthful fans that are passionate, confident and bold, and it makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.”

As part of the BlackBerry 10 experience, the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone offers a powerful and unique mobile computing experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Features and apps work seamlessly together, allowing your every move to flow into the next. Highlights of the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone include:

The evolution of the classic BlackBerry Keyboard

The BlackBerry Q5 features a classic BlackBerry Keyboard with discrete keys that has been re-engineered and elegantly designed to help you type fast, accurately and with the least amount of effort. Plus with Instant Action shortcuts you can type to perform tasks faster. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone gives you the best of both worlds – a classic QWERTY keyboard for optimized communications and a 3.1″ touchscreen for all the rest.

Create the perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode and Story Maker

Create the picture perfect shot with BlackBerry® Time Shift mode, then create and share your story, weaving together your photos, videos and music into a movie with BlackBerry® Story Maker.

Share and be seen with BBM Video with Screen Share

Instantly switch your BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) chat to a BBM Video conversation and catch up face-to-face. You can even share your screen, whether it’s a photo, a page in the browser, an idea, or a view from your camera.*

Stay close to what’s important to you with BlackBerry Hub

With BlackBerry® Hub, all of your messages and social conversations are only one swipe away. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing. Simply peek into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere with a swipe to effortlessly flow in and out of your messages and conversations.

BlackBerry World delivers a rich, thriving app and content ecosystem

Discovering and sharing great apps and content is easier than ever with recommendations based on similar purchases, and access to more than 100,000 apps on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront.

Pricing and Availability

The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will be available in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America, with expected availability beginning in July.
For more information BlackBerry 10, please visit www.blackberry.com/blackberry10.

Or worse, costs more than a Laptop but has its Processor coupled with such a small screen and limited capabilities. Why would I want that? Knowing full well that Jamaicans are price-centric, I suspect most Jamaicans do what I do: come and look at the Store model to try it out, then go online and order it from Amazon.com in the US of A or have relatives send it down to them, cost and shipping free. In Kingston, Jamaica, especially UpTown or in New Kingston, window-Shopping is a national Past-time; actual spending happens Downtown!

So off I went on Thursday May 3rd 2013 to actually see this wonder that LIME had so loudly launched in the LIME Flagship Store in New Kingston. My friend and I “link up” and after quick formalities, trundled over to the LIME Store to have a good session with the LIME Customer Service Representatives and the Blackberry Z10

The Blackberry Z10 is also featured in Kelroy’s review article BlackBerry Z10 gives BlackBerry a worthy competitor in the Smartphone Race. I noticed oddly that LIME didn’t launch the Samsung Galaxy S IV only Digicel did, but BOTH companies carrying the Blackberry Z10. This foible aside, I was very impressed with the smartphone, albeit its different swipe gestures for the Blackberry OS 10 take a little getting used to. Nice Metallic finish and convenient wipe pad to clean the Touch Screen make this a keeper.

But the sticker shock cut short my reverie: $74,095.00 on a Postpaid Plan or $78,595.00 on Prepaid Plan, inclusive a 30-day 3G Data Plan costing JA$2500.00. At that point my rose tinted glasses went on and I began to examine what I would really be getting were I crazed enough to really spend 2012 Tata Nano money on a single smartphone sure to make me a walking target.

So here goes.

The camera quality of the Blackberry Z10’s 8 Megapixel Rear-Facing Camera paled in comparison to the 13 Megapixel Rear-Facing Camera on the Samsung Galaxy S IV loaned to us by a customer also window-shopping in the LIME Store. Also, no accessories such as a carry case come with the smartphone. Coupled with the sticker shock for the price for either smartphone made me realize why Jamaicans really love shopping abroad or Downtown.

My eyes just happened to glance lazily over to another booth by the door where I spied another little wonder that sent my #TrueJamaican price-centric Radar into a tailspin: The Samsung Galaxy Y, with “Y” denoting “Young”. A basic smartphone with a smaller screen really intended for kiddies, it was familiar as I’d remember seeing another FB friend proudly posting pics of her Government Ministry issued Samsung Galaxy Y as well as on LIME’s Samsung Galaxy Y prominently referred to on their Facebook Page.

Pricing’s attractive too. Wonder why the LIME Customer Care Representative didn’t tell me about this during the Blackberry Z10 show-and-tell?

The Samsung Galaxy Y is currently on sale for JA$6,250 including GCT, but requires subscription to a 30 day 3G Data Plan, which will set you back about JA$2500. So total price is JA$8750. Postpaid is starting to look really good of late, priced attractively at JA$3125 monthly and requiring the minimum of an additional JA$2231.32 UltraPak 600 Voice Calling Plan (as if you’ll really use it!!)

I vowed to go home and check up on its specs and do an article…which is what this is by the way! The specs on the Samsung Galaxy Y are very low-end but noble for Samsung’s first crack at the Low-Budget market for smartphones.

Hardware

• OS:  Google Android 2.3.5 aka Gingerbread

• Processor:  830 MHz ARMv6

• Dimensions:  104 x 58 x 11.5 mm (4.09 x 2.28 x 0.45 in)

• Weight:  97.5 g (3.42 oz)

• 2G Network:  GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

• 3G Network:  HSDPA 900 / 2100

Features

• Accelerometer

• Proximity Sensor

• Magnetometer powered Compass

• GPS

• Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML

• Card slot microSD, up to 32 GB

• Internal 180 MB

• GPRS,EDGE, HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps

• WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11n with Tethering

• Bluetooth 3.0

• MicroUSB v2.0

• 2Megapixel Camera (1600×1200 pixels)

• VGA Video 15fps

• Radio Stereo FM radio

• 3.5mm jack

Software

• MP3/MP4/WMV/H.264/eAAC player

• Organizer

• Image/video editor

• Google Search, Maps, Gmail,

• YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa

• Quickoffice document viewer

• Voice commands

• Predictive text input (Swype)

Battery Type and Life

• Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery

• Stand-by Up to 850 h (2G) / Up to 540 h (3G)

• Talk time Up to 17 h (2G) / Up to 6 h 20 min (3G)

A very basic smartphone that’s graphically challenged but a worth competitor to Digicel’s DL600 that sub-US$100 (JA$10,000) smartphone, the Alcatel One Touch wolf in Digicel’s sheep clothing as mentioned in Kelroy’s article Digicel to launch Affordable Android-powered 4G Smartphone in May.

Nice colours too for this Smartphone: Metallic gray, white with changeable plastic back covers in pearly white, dark black, fruity orange, bubblegum pink. The Samsung Galaxy Y’s got a solid chrome front finish and a textured silver metallic-looking textured plastic backplate that makes this budget smartphone look good without appearing too plasticky. With a sub-US$100 price-tag, inclusive of a Data Plan, LIME truly has a competitor waiting in the wings for the Digicel DL600, slated to launch sometime in Mid-May 2013.

But for yours truly, who’s for the first time considering getting a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Y comes highly recommended if you’re budget conscious and looking for some kiddie training wheels to get used to Capacitive Touchscreen displays. After practice makes perfect, you can then move from a feature phone or Blackberry to a smartphone using my handy guide How to transfer Phone Contacts and Data from your Blackberry to your Apple iPhone or Google Android smartphone or Tablet.

Then when your pocket is ready for a heavy duty smartphone when Data-it is has caught you full flight, you can scope out the pricier Blackberry Z10 or Samsung Galaxy S IV….which you no doubt may buy online instead of buying from either LIME or Digicel.

It’s priced at the Budget smartphone Market and is slated to launch in June 2013 on the edge of the Third Quarter of 2013 in 90 countries covering Africa, Asia-Pacific i.e. India, East Indies and Latin America, which includes Jamaica in the West Indies.

But more importantly, it sends a strong message to other contenders in the budget smartphone world, mainly Samsung Tizen OS, Mozilla Foundation’s Firefox OS and Canonical’s Ubuntu OS: Nokia’s not taking kindly to them encroaching on their traditional turf. These OS’s that made their debut at MWC (Mobile World Conference) in January 2013 are trying to introduce smartphones to Developing Countries, where smartphone Adoption is inhibited by price and Feature phones are king.

Nokia expects to sell 100 million of these bad boys in the coming months. And despite being cheap plastic chip-off-the-Lumia block with only 2G Internet, the Nokia Asha 501 packs a very nice surprise……..

Asha 501: Nokia’s Developing World Challenger

Readers of this humble blog may have read my article Samsung’s Tizen OS launched to partake in Apple and Google’s App Economy on Samsung’s ambitions to be just like Apple with their own OS and App Store. Currently Samsung leans heavily on Google Android for their highly successful Galaxy series.

Samsung still have ambitions to push into the Developing World with Budget smartphones as I’d argued in Samsung tweets launch date for Samsung Galaxy S4 Event even as they prep Tizen OS to replace Android. Those Tizen OS smartphones go live in Second Quarter of 2013. Mozilla Foundation’s Firefox OS is also slated for a Second Quarter debut on a set of Alcatel One Touch series smartphones aimed at those same countries as per my article Firefox OS and Telecoms Providers debuts low-budget Alcatel One Touch.

Asha’s Strategy: Fast Sellin’ phones that’s a Developer Magnet

The MeeGo-esque Asha OS, version 1.0 developed by Smarterphone, a company Nokia acquired in 2012, has also outed a Developer Kit and has included an in-App Purchase System to encourage Developers to make Games and App for the phone. So Developer Support’s baked in and the expected massive sales of this ultra-cheap smartphone whose hardware and OS are owned by Nokia will no doubt drive massive revenues for Nokia…..and Developer Support shall ensue thereafter.

Dual-SIM without Reboot: Heaven for the Uncommitted

Nokia’s playing it clever with this one too, as the smartphone comes in two (2) versions, giving the uncommitted more reason to want to plunk down US$99 for this no-contract Nokia Asha 501 smartphone with a Dual-SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) option that switches without the need to reboot:

• Single SIM (supports GSM 900/850/1800/1900)

• Dual-SIM (supports GSM 900/1800)

Based on the specs, it’s got the basic smartphone charm plus the surprise I’d mentioned hidden in the specs:

Hardware

• OS: Asha 1.0

• Dimensions: 99.2 mm X 58 mm X 12.1 mm

• Weight: 98 g

• Screen Size: 3”

• Resolution: QVGA 320 x 240 (~133 ppi pixel density)

• Internal Storage:128 MB

• Memory: 64 MB RAM

• External Storage: MicroSD card slot; handles up to 32 GB, 4 GB card included

• Connectivity: 2G (EDGE, GPRS), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g), Bluetooth 3.0

• Ports: MicroUSB v2.0

• Sensors: GPS, Accelerometer, proximity, FM radio

• Display features: Brightness control, RGB Stripe, Nokia Glance screen, Screen double tap

• Main camera sensor: 3.2 MP (2048 x 1536 pixels)

Battery life’s also very impressive, almost like a Nokia Feature phone I’ve got….:

• Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery (BL-4U)

• Maximum 2G standby time: 1152 h

• Maximum 2G talk time: 17 h

• Music playback time: 56 h

Surprise: The Asha 501’s got Lumia-esque Stylings and Super-Fast Internet

Seen the surprise yet? No it’s not just the super long Battery life; it’s Wi-Fi! So despite having super slow 2G i.e. GPRS (Global Packer Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhances Data Rates for GSM Evolution) you can download and store a boatload of Music and purchase and download Apps including Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Foursquare. Plus it’s packed with about forty (40) free preloaded games from EA (Electronics Arts).

Anticipating a lot of gaming activity, the Asha 501’s multi-tasking two (2) finger multi-touch capable smartphone has two (2) active screens:

• Home

• Fastlane

Yes I said Multi-Tasking, a very rare feature on most smartphone, even advanced ones. So the Asha 501 isn’t so simple then. Like any standard smartphone, the Home Screen packs all the Apps and is activated by a double tap gesture. Fastlane’s obvious; that where the frequently used Apps wind up. Nokia Asha 501’s intuitive OS keeps track of which Apps you use and how often, making the phone gradually learn your preferences and easier to use over time.

Despite its appearances and its low-res screen, the fact it packs Wi-Fi means you can get super-fast Internet if you’re close to Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b/g), with 2G being just good enough for Chat applications such as Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Foursquare out in 2G Mobile Phone land. Hopefully the Nokia Asha 501’s next software upgrade (2.0 perhaps??) may be backing a firmware upgrade to Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n).

Bluetooth 3.0 means you can share with other phones that have the feature and pimp you Smartphone with a great pair of Bluetooth-capable Beats Audio headset. This makes it a great introductory smartphone for budget-conscious Millennials (18-28), Teenagers (12-17) and anyone new to the Smartphone World that’s looking for a no-frills BB Messenger replacement.

Parting Jello Shots: Asha’s the New Nokia Flashlight phone

So there you have it. Just as the Amazon’s Kindle Fire originally only had Wi-Fi and no 3G or 4G Internet and its sales were driven by its Razor blade sharp sub-US$199 price and compelling content as argued in Amazon is Legally Blonde as the Kindle Fire HD Upgrade is CEO Bezos’s Confessions of an Online Shopaholic, the Nokia Asha 501’s in the same league and thus is also a guaranteed hit.

So its low-end appearances and lack of Metallic stylings are deceiving as it’s fate is sealed with the kiss of success. Nokia Asha 501’s brightly coloured line of smartphones is hit bound based on Nokia’s YouTube videos: Bonafide hit-makers for Nokia in the same limelight as the Nokia 1208 Flashlight Phone.

“It seems people especially like the size….. [it's] lighter, slimmer and easier to carry”

DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh in an interview with CNET News related to the Apple iPad Mini’s potential in December 2012

PC and Laptops are being slowly being killed off by the Apple iPhone and now the Apple iPadin line with my predictions in “How the Apple iPad killed Ultrabooks, Printing and the Mouse as the World Rediscovers Tablets”. But it’s what happening in the Tablet world since March 2013 that suddenly come up on my stats radar. This as the stars are falling into alignment in 2013 for Global Tablets domination, ironically by 7” Tablets.

According to analyst Adobe’s Digital Index Report in March 2013, Tablets now surpass Smartphones in Internet Traffic:

• 8% of Global Internet Traffic originates from Tablets

• 7% of Global Internet Traffic originates from Smartphones

But it’s the Tablet that’s the most popular in the Google Android Tablet World that’s a surprise: the Amazon Kindle Fire. According to analyst Localytics in January 2013, based on installed programs across some 500 million devices worldwide:

• 33% of the Android Tablet Market belongs to the Amazon Kindle Fire

• The Amazon Kindle Fire is No. 2 in the Tablet race overall after the Apple iPad

The Amazon Kindle Fire is truly a shopaholic’s dream; shop online anytime, anyplace based on the stats in “Amazon is Legally Blonde as the Kindle Fire HD Upgrade is CEO Bezos’s Confessions of an Online Shopaholic”.

Interestingly, Apple’s 9.7” iPad’s feeling the heat from its son, the smaller 7.9” Apple iPad Mini. According to Taipei-based Digitimes estimates based on Apple’s Q2 result, which interestingly covers, for them, the period from January to March 2013:

• 19.5 million iPads sold

• 12.5 million were iPad Minis

This coincides with DispaySearch’s stats that estimated about 12 million Apple iPad Mini’s shipped. Apple doesn’t shell down its stats. So if these estimates turn out to be true, the Top Dog in Tablets by the end of 2013 won’t be the 9.7” Apple iPad (1st to 4th Generation included) but the NKYOB (New Kid on the Block), the Apple iPad Mini.

Here in Jamaica the recent donation of Apple iPads and Apple iPad Mini by LIME and fifty six (56) Huawei Media Pads 7 Lite, valued at some JA$1.1 million dollars to seven (7) East Kingston Schools by Digicel on Monday April 8th and Tuesday April 9th 2013 serves to cement this global view, as both Telecom Providers mainly donated 7” Tablets.

The Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining also plans to subsidize some 20,000 Tablets to some thirty (30) Under-performing Primary and High Schools as part of E-Learning II, dubbed the Schools Tablet Computer Programme. This is being done via the UAFCL (Universal Access Fund Company Limited), the same Fund that funding the islandwide CCTV Network as per my article Jamaica’s National Security Ministry plans CCTV Network and Automated Traffic Ticketing System.

And most likely too, these Tablets soon to be distributed to these lucky Primary and High Schools are subsidized 7” Tablets; fodder for yet another Geezam article. But one thing is sure: at this rate, the 7”Amazon Kindle and the 7.9” Apple iPad Mini are BOTH on a path to becoming the most popular size in any Tablet.

Price being no object for Apple products thanks to strong brand loyalty as at US$329 retail, the price is kinda high for a 7.9″ Tablet. But if the price’s a considering factor then the sub-US$200 Google Android Tablets such as the US$159 7″ Amazon Kindle Fire, US$199 7″ Google Nexus 7 and the US$179 7″Samsung Galaxy Tab quickly fill that gap. In short, just like the stats by ABI Research on the adoption of Smartphones in the Developing World, sub-US$200 prices are drive the adoption of both Tablets and Smartphones in 2015 and 2017, accounting for up to 42% of sales Globally.

Thus cheaper models of BOTH Tables and Smartphones are needed by the Handset and Tablet Makers to begin to penetrate the still untapped budget-conscious Developing World and parts of the First World still addicted to Feature phones and Voice Calling. With 4G Broadband coming to Jamaica thanks to the auction of the 700MHz Spectrum coming up in May 2013, the Tablet and Smartphone markets are set to explode and it’ll mostly driven by devices priced sub-US$200 retail.

So thanks to compelling Content, Convenient form factor, Availability of 4G Wireless Broadband Internet and Pricing in the case of Google Android based Tablets in the next five (5) years, 7” Tablets are poised to become The Two Towers of the Tablet World,  The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) style.

Setup was a breeze

Out of the box the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a ultra-light and thin device with a beautiful 5 inch screen. For users with a previous Android phone or a Google account setup is a breeze as you just enter you account details and all your contacts, calendars, apps, Chrome bookmarks and even Youtube subscriptions get synced to the device. New users can also easily create a new account and never worry about it again.

Mostly useful pre-installed apps out of the box

The Galaxy S4 comes with a few pre-installed third party programs such as Dropbox, Tripadvisor, Flipboard and a variety of trial games which many view as bloatware but personally I do not mind. The pre-installed apps from Samsung are hit and miss and will have various degrees of usage depending on the tastes of users of the device. The futuristic geek in me has fallen in love with S Voice, Story Album is a very interesting feature I will definitely use often, S Health is interesting enough to experiment with but S memo, S Planner and Samsung Hub are features that I will probably never use due having more favored and established apps like Evernote that do the same thing.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is an eye-catching phone

I have already had curious onlookers ask me about the phone and after allowing them to use the it while explaining the features they were all impressed. Features specific to the Samsung Galaxy S4 such air gesture, smart pause, dual shot cement the phone’s high-end premium appeal and it should prove successful in Jamaica like the Galaxy SII and Galaxy S3 before it.

Maturing Android OS

Android has really advanced especially in relation to usability since my first Android device the HTC Legend, and although I am aware that the Galaxy S4 uses GUI enhancements and tweaks thanks to Touchwiz moving from Android 2.2 to Android 4.2 is a massive leap. The device runs smoothly, animations are fluid, no slowdown, glitches or app crashes at all in the first few days which a testament to Androids maturity as a mobile OS and improving app development.

Detailed Review coming soon

So far the Samsung Galaxy is an impressive device, look out for my detailed look at the phone in another week or so. The Samsung Galaxy S4 made its debut at Digicel‘s Tropical Plaza store on April 27th and is available now for purchase.

On Monday March 11th 2013, the CAF (Customs Administration Fee) was placed on all Tobacco Products. The GOJ expects to rake in some JA%1.2 billion in “Sin” Taxes, on the say-so of the Ministry of Health as they go after a lifestyle habit that’s attributed to Lung Cancer. The Wholesale prices have thus gone up as expected:

• JA$5,800 for a carton of Craven ‘A’ and Matterhorn

• JA$$5,900 for a carton of Matterhorn Spotlight

• JA$4,000 for a carton of Pall Mall menthol and full flavor

Effectively this signaled a death knell for Carrerras Group of Companies, makers of several brands of Cigarettes such as Rothmans and Craven A. It also meant that imported brands would see a spike in their prices….and more attempts to sell Contraband Cigarettes. I didn’t have to wait long, as the Jamaica Customs Contraband Enforcement Team seized illegal cigarettes valued at JA$40,000 in Barbican on Wednesday April 24 2013. More seizures are bound to come in the news.

So with Taxes going on Cigarettes and Rizla Paper, what’s the verdict on e-cigarettes? Word on the street is that it’s the “new lick”. Since the last time I did my article on e-cigarettes back in February 2011 aptly titled The Electronic Cigarette – Puff the Magic Dragon , their popularity among young people is slowly rising.

Referred to as “vaping” among those that smoke ‘em, according to my sources it’s mostly an underground thing, smoked by elitist young trendsetters at VIP Clubs and Parties here on Little Rock called Ja. E-Cigarettes come in various flavours and there’s no second hand smoke, only water vapor. They’re expensive and the refill cartridges have to be imported but are locally available.

No wonder the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition did an article in the Gleaner in August 2010 branding the e-cigarettes as a gateway towards Nicotine Addiction for this very same reason. Ideally, like a Nicotine patch, it should help to kick the habit. But it’s very innocuous and inconspicuous odour that can vary according to your taste means that this is a trend that going to start catching on big time among Millennials (ages 18-28) who can afford them and the teenagers (ages 18-13) who can get their Millennial friends to buy them.

Interestingly too, both the WHO (World Health Organization) and the US Food Regulatory Body, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), have taken a dim view of their claims or indeed their safety. The FDA, in particular has come out swinging, no doubt with their pockets full of Tobacco Lobby money, referring to e-cigarettes as, quote: “Consumers currently have no way of knowing 1) whether e-cigarettes are safe for their intended use, or 2) about what types or concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals or what dose of nicotine they are inhaling when they use these products.”

Amusingly, the only danger may be from the e-cigarettes battery exploding, as had happened to a 57 year old Florida Man. One tooth and a bight of a fright later, he’s none the worse for wear as exploding Batteries in Cellphones, it seems, are common in the US of A. So this is expected. Still more reason NOT to smoke, I’d say!

Despite this, I’m yet to hear of anyone in Jamaica, the Caribbean or elsewhere succeeding in placing liquid THC (Tetra-Hydro Cannabinol), the active ingredient in Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) into one of those cartridges to create the “grabba” effect that’s glorified by local Dancehall artist PopCaan and Vybz Kartel.

So for now, it’s an Elitist thing which I’m yet to observe in the wild (Read: normal people who don’t watch Cable TV). Still it’s growing popularity worldwide means this trends going to increase, based on the infographic below. This is in much the same way the cheaper smartphone from Digicel, the DL600, will increase the adoption of smartphones in Jamaica as prognosticated in Apple iPhone boosts Jamaican smartphone usage as BB goes Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

You may have tried the advice from my article on extracting Keys from Microsoft Products and have done so to get the keys from someone else’s PC or Laptop that has an active copy to activate yours. But then you may have wondered: Why join the rat-race and use Microsoft Office? After all, if there’s a Cloud -Based alternatives to having a Thumb Drive in the form of Dropbox, now integrated into Yahoo Mail or Google Drive in Gmail, should there also be a Cloud-Based alternative to Microsoft Office?

There is now, dear reader!

You can do so using Google Chrome, the Browser that I truly hate as it’s a memory hog. First you update to the latest versions of Google Chrome or installing the Google Chrome Office Viewer Extension. That’s right; it’s just a viewer, not an editor, and if you’re in Google Chrome right now, just click on the link provided at the end of this article and it’ll take you through the process of installing the Google Chrome Office Viewer Extension from the Google Chrome App Store.

Apparently this capability’s already in Google Pixel, their overpriced clone of the Apple Macbook. This feature throws Google Docs straight into your browser and in turn legitimize the Browser based Internet powered Chrome OS that powers the Chromebook as a viable option to a Traditional Laptop. College and High Schools are a red hot market for Google’s Chromebook, as evidence by the fact that the Chromebook is Amazon’s top seller in the Laptop category.

Finally it all makes sense. This recent Google Chrome Office Viewer Extension, which is available in the Google Chrome App Store, is applicable to the most recent versions of Google Chrome. Laptop makers Acer, Lenovo and now HP since January 2013 are eschewing Windows 8 in favour of building Chromebooks. Suddenly this doesn’t look so good for Microsoft.

It’s part of Google’s long term strategy to introduce ChromeBooks as an alternative to the more expensive and pricier Windows Laptops. Clearly it’s working, as Google reported in February 2013 that some 2,000 schools worldwide are switching to Chromebooks. No doubt the Administrators at these schools are attracted to its speed, the fact it’s in Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 3G/4G flavours and its lightweight and silent with its SSD (Solid State Drive).

But more importantly, it comes with the familiar Keyboard and Mouse of a traditional Laptop making it usable straight out of the box. It’s got no installed Software aside from the Chrome OS and instead uses Web App or Extensions such as the Google Chrome Office Viewer Extension, so Office Documents are now viewable, if not editable.

As it’s essentially a Cloud-Based Laptop, this makes it a part of the Mobile Computing Revolution powered by smartphones and Tablets now sweeping the United States of America. Thus the learning curve is easier for the older folks in Admin, but its web-connected nature makes it perfect for students on the go and who may like doing their work via Wi-Fi outdoors.

Back to reality, as you may not yet have a Chromebook, despite the “attractive” pricing. For editing, you still have to use Microsoft Office, it would seem. Well, you can always torrent a copy of Microsoft Office 2007 or Microsoft Office 2010 from you favourite torrent site. Or, if you’re really queasy about piracy, then you can try one of these Open Source Editing options broken into two (2) Categories:

Installable Software Office Editors

• Apache OpenOffice
• LibreOffice
• NeoOffice
• KOffice
• Softmaker’s FreeOffice
• Kingsoft Office

Web Based Office Editors

• Zoho Docs
• Google Docs

That’s it. I hope by Google-ing the above (you can use Google Search, right?) this helps you complete your Summer midterm and final papers on time without you having a guilty conscience about pirating Microsoft Office…..you may want to work there one day.

Here’s the link:

Google Chrome Office Viewer Extension

Microsoft Office 2010 Toolkit

Rockstar has released three new trailers, one for each of the main protagonists which gives some backstory to their plight and shows off the gorgeous graphics, high quality voice-over and gamepaly mechanics of one of the most anticipated video games of the year. Trailers embedded below.

Grand Theft Auto V will be released worldwide on September 17th for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Z10s 4.2 inch screen feels good in hand

Acceptable looks and specs

From looking at photos of the phone itself I initially thought it was a bland brick void of any personality. However, after holding the device and using it the simplicity and functional nature of the device shines through and while it might not win any smartphone beauty contests it just feels good in the hand. A myriad of sensors, ports, mics, speakers and cameras adorn the Z10. The 9mm thick device weights in at a balanced 135g with a 4.2 inch screen, dual core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. A front facing 2MP camera and a 8MP rear facing camera capable of 1080p HD recording and crisp photos combine with bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and a battery that provides up to 10 hours of talk time round out some very acceptable specs.

Functional and Responsive Software

On the software front the Z10 holds its own as well. BB10 is a vast improvement over previous versions of the BlackBerry operating systems and the touch-only Z10 is functional, responsive after a new user gets over the initial light learning curve. Adapting to a new operating system can be a little daunting but once you start getting into the groove navigating the Z10 becomes second nature – a testament to the excellent design by the software engineers. BlackBerry is known for having great physical keyboards but the virtual keyboard on the Z10 is easily one of the best I have used. BlackBerry Hub offers users the opportunity to have access to as much or as little information and messages as they want ranging from email, notifications, BBM, voicemail, even tweets and status updates. Add in the ability to completely separate your work information from you personal information with the click of a button and its like having a work and play phone in one.

The web browser is probably the most improved feature of the Z10

Poor App selection but vastly improved browser

The selection of application remains limited on Blackberry which can be a good or bad thing depending on the type of user you are however some of there more popular apps such as Fourquare and Plants and Zombies are available for the BlackBerry Z10. The web browser is probably the most improved feature of the Z10 and staples like BlackBerry Messenger which has been the primary attraction for Blackberry users in Jamaica work well.

The BlackBerry Z10 is available on postpaid and prepaid plans from LIME

Get your BlackBerry Z10 from LIME

LIME Jamaica launched the BlackBerry Z10 at a glitzy event in Kingston last month and was the network endorsed by BlackBerry representatives for both general and enterprise users.The Z10 is available on postpaid and prepaid plans from LIME with attractively priced data plans starting at just JA$50 per day. Visit the LIME Jamaica BlackBerry page for more details and pricing and pick yours up from LIME today.