MyBroadband - Blogs - Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/blog.php/108881-Elimentals Have your say about Broadband, Gaming, Hardware, Software, ADSL, HSDPA, iBurst, computing and anything else. Discuss Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, 8ta, Neotel, MWEB, Afrihost, Web Africa and Cybersmart. en Sun, 19 May 2013 05:28:30 GMT vBulletin 5 http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/images/misc/rss.jpg MyBroadband - Blogs - Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/blog.php/108881-Elimentals The PC is dead, Long live the PC http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1752-The-PC-is-dead-Long-live-the-PC Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:39:04 GMT Yes I know everyone is thinking, The Desktop will never die, I use it all the time, or there is no way that my tablet/phone will ever replace my desktop/laptop and you know what it already has. Let me explain: *The Past* 1st lets look at what the general view is of a Personal Computer from... Yes I know everyone is thinking, The Desktop will never die, I use it all the time, or there is no way that my tablet/phone will ever replace my desktop/laptop and you know what it already has. Let me explain:

The Past

1st lets look at what the general view is of a Personal Computer from the wiki

A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator. In contrast, the batch processing or time-sharing models allowed larger, more expensive minicomputer and mainframe systems to be used by many people, usually at the same time. Large data processing systems require a full-time staff to operate efficiently.


The Present

If we look at above we can start to point out that the average smart phone has become the Personal Computer of today and tomorrow.

You get no more a personal device than the phone you carry on you, it contains your life in a small form factor, and is with you no matter where you are, be it at the office, your home, or the the local watering hole. Its general purpose as it is no longer a device to just make phone calls or send text. Its a calculator, a music player, a camera, a flashlight, a Internet browser, a reader, a GPS, a gameing device, a communication device and all this before you even installed a single application. It stores your contacts, your social life and you can even say a small part of your soul, just look how lost you are the moment it goes missing/stolen or gets dropped into the toilet. You do not share it with other people(well mostly) unlike your desktop, like where some households that can not afford a Desktop/Laptop for every person in the house.

The Future

If you look at how the Tech houses are merging the OS factors, like Android and Linux (Be it Kernel Merge or the future of Linux for Android spin offs), Microsoft with Windows 8 /Windows Phone 8 kernel merge, Apple with Mountain lion OS X and iOS and beyond we can say they all driving towards this future where your PC and your phone will run the same applications. Everyone is pushing for cloud storage, be it Microsoft's Skydrive, Apple's iCloud or Google's future GDrive, Linux's Ubuntu One. We did not even start to cover all the other store options springing up like Dropbox, Box and others seen here or Cloud Applications from online mail, or office to full ERP systems and more. Games get covered two in companies popping up all over the place like OnLive Gaikai or Streammygame to name a few.

We are moving into the cloud, like it or not, OS's are merging, like it or not. Pretty soon your phone will be able to do everything your Desktop can.



Personal View

I believe that the desktops as we know them will die, but not in the way most people think. You might still have large computer in your house, but it will move into the realm of being a server for the family/home. It will become a place where people store/back-up their data that is not in the cloud, or brute horse power to play a game a single communication hub for the house and its appliance. We can see this move with Apple's and AirPlay and wireless sync, or Android's WiFi Direct and Android@Home or DLNA for home media and remote desktop applications like Splashtop that is even able to stream the most intense games, also look at Kainy for personal game streaming. Its all means to the end of the desktop of old.

Your phone/tablet will be able to dock to a Screen and keyboard/mouse in the future for use as a good old fashion PC linking to your powerful home server or the cloud if your home is without one, but gone will be the era where everyone in the house bought their own super gaming PC. I guess the only question that people have to ask is not how can I fight it, but how can I make the transition smoother and shape it to fit my life/pocket.

Only thing I really find odd, is that the promise of cloud computing was that it would releases us from the bounds of a single platform, but the more I look at it, the more it seems that we will get bound far more than the past, as your choice will affect not only the OS you chose but also the protocols and markets you are binded to.

Microsoft vs Apple vs Open Source the choice you make now, will affect your future.

To sum it up. I see 2 groups in the future:
Group A: Power users that will Dock, their Personal Computer(Phone/Tablets) and connect to powerful computers(Servers) at home to allow the same functionality they do today.
Group B: The normal users that just want to consume content that will use the cloud instead of a Server at home and can dock their Personal Computer(Phone/tablet) to be able to use it as the desktop of today if needed. ]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1752-The-PC-is-dead-Long-live-the-PC Online Privacy: Do Not Track http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1750-Online-Privacy-Do-Not-Track Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:04:32 GMT See where your data goes before you click

an image from the Future of Privacy Forum

I know we see it mentioned all the time, the "You are being watched", "Careful what you share" but most of the places do not cover what you could do to prevent this or what the new DNT (Do not Track) protocols cover. As we know one of the best solutions is to always browse in Private mode, but that is not the most user friendly solution as most sites use cookies and other data to save and share your data like what you preferred theme is or the user is already validated.

Now today I am gonna arm you with some info. Please note, I use Mozilla Firefox so I will probably have the best information for those users.

1st lets get some info

Installing http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/collusion/ I can start seeing how the Internet is tracking you. For example


You can read more about DNT (Do not Track) at this link : http://privacychoice.org/
When visiting its also a great way to see if your DNT is active
Also another test by Microsoft is http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/br...k/default.html


FAQ

What is Do Not Track?
Do Not Track is a step toward putting you in control of the way your information is collected and used online. Do Not Track is a feature in Firefox that allows you to let a website know you would like to opt-out of third-party tracking for purposes including behavioral advertising. It does this by transmitting a Do Not Track HTTP header every time your data is requested from the Web.

Is Do Not Track available on Firefox for Android?
Yes. Firefox for Android is the first mobile Web browser to offer the Do Not Track privacy feature, and behaves the same way it does on the desktop. To turn Do Not Track on in Firefox for Android, simply swipe left and tap on Browser Tools. From the Preferences pane, tap on the box next to "Tell sites not to track me" to turn this option on or off.

Does Do Not Track block ads?
No, you will still see ads with Do Not Track enabled. However, Do Not Track may change the type of ads you see. For example, behavioral ads are targeted to your interests based on the websites you visit and the search terms you use. If you request that websites Do Not Track you, and the sites respect your privacy preferences, you will see more generic ads in place of behavioral ads.

How does Do Not Track work with other privacy tools?
Do Not Track is one of many privacy solutions. Do Not Track does not replace your anti-virus software, will not encrypt data, and is not a security mechanism. There are several other privacy and security features within Firefox.

Will Do Not Track affect the rest of my Web experience?
Do Not Track may interfere with some personalized services you enjoy. For example, a Do Not Track request might mean you would have to type in your zip code each time you want to view a weather report, rather than seeing the weather automatically displayed. Personalization on websites can save you time and repetitive typing, but it requires data.

Will companies honor my Do Not Track preference?
Companies are starting to support Do Not Track, but you may not notice any changes initially. We are actively working with companies that have started to implement Do Not Track, with others who have committed to doing so soon.

Now I guess you ask what can you do to use this.

FireFox:
The latest Firefox its as easy as ticking a simple box in your privacy section.
Also install https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir.../trackerblock/



Internet Explorer
In IE9+ you can just click follow the instructions as per http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/br...k/default.html


Chrome:
Chrome does not support this yet but will soon as per : http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Go...Policy-875431/ but you can use the following extension https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...fdgfjilccfpfoe to help.

Safari:
Sorry no support for either iPhone or Mac as of yet, with no indication if they will follow the rules or not. But you can use the following extension http://www.orbicule.com/incognito/ to help.

Opera:
See http://my.opera.com/desktopteam/blog...nt-mail-themes

Android:
Default browser does not support this but you can install and use Firefox for Android that can enable this feature.

In the legal system you can see more info on it over here

With all the momentum its getting it will pretty soon be law in the US that most if not all sites have to abide by the new protocol, for now I think its best to make people aware of this and start enabling it.

Where can I learn more?
Other interesting work about Do Not Track and online privacy:
  • Private browsing in Firefox — limits saving data about which sites and pages you have visited online
  • Managing cookies in Firefox — lets you control how cookies are saved on your computer
  • Alex Fowler's Mozilla Blog — latest news from Mozilla's Technology and Privacy Officer
  • donotrack.us project — Stanford researchers working on the ideas behind Do Not Track
  • Mozilla and Stanford's Do Not Track submission to the IETF — IETF is a standards body that helps define how the Web works, regardless of which Internet browser you use
  • Ghostery — a tool that lets you learn which sites are tracking you online
]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1750-Online-Privacy-Do-Not-Track New to Android (What apps to look at) http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1739-New-to-Android-(What-apps-to-look-at) Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:32:05 GMT I could not decide to blog this or create a thread so here goes

I see there are a lot of new Android users around so I created a list of "Must Have" applications for your new phone, but seeing that people differ on what app they like/use I decided to add the options under each one. I have placed a * under the ones I am personally using so take that as a recommendation that it was worth using them.

1. Security
I would highly recommend you get one of the following GPS tracking on the phone even if you disable the Anti-virus
* Lookout AntiVirus/Back-up/phone location
AVG Free AntiVirus/Back-up/phone location
SeekDroid Locate and remote Wipe
* Theft Aware Locate and remote Wipe (Needs Root)

2. Communication
Whatsapp Text/SMS replacement
ChatOn Text/SMS replacement
Skype Text/Voice and Video chat
* Viber VoIP and SMS replacement
* IM+ All in one Instant messenger
* Tapatalk Forum App Forum app with MyBB support.

3. Data Management
3G watchdog Data Alert
My Data Manager App breakdown and alert
* Onavo Data Plan management + app control light firewall
Droidwall Firewall (Needs Root)

4. Power management
Data on demand Disables data radio when phones sleeps
* Juice Defender Polls data radio and schedule nighttime's so your phone dont waste power while you sleep.
* Watchdog Task Manager unlike other useless task managers this one is based on CPU usage with alert/kill settings.
PowerTutor Display in mW how much power each application use, Find the drain.

5. Office
Quick Office Office document editor
* Documents on the go Office document editor

6. File Management
ASTRO File Manager Add supported with option to remove
* ES File explorer
* File Expert With cloud integration (all in one)

7. Navigation
* Navfree Open street map generated offline navigation - needs to be online when searching new addresses.
* Sygic Total offline navigation
CoPilot South Africa Total Offline navigation
Route 66 Offline navigation
Waze Community GPS navigation (Thanx to DWPTA for admission)

8. Browser
Opera Mini Web Browser with data compression
Firefox Sync with desktop + WebGL Support
* Dolphin Tab supported Browser
* Miren Tab supported browser

9. Market
* Amazon App store (Free app of the day) How to Join from SA
* GetJar Paid applications for free under Gold Star list

10. Keyboard Replacement
SlideIT Swipe with loads of themes
* Touchpal Swipe + touch + voice input.
Swiftkey X Predictive keyboard with loads of themes
* Thumb Keyboard Themed keyboard with tablet support

11. Remote control/management
Remote Web Desktop
* AirDroid
Android Sync Manager
* Splashtop Remote Remote streaming of your desktop (Free in GetJar)
PocketCloud Remote RDP / VNC Remote client for your phone

12. Look And Feel

Launchers
* ADW Launcher Launcher with extra themes available
LauncherPro Launcher with extra themes available
Regina 3D Launcher Launcher with extra widgets
* SPB Shell 3D 3D Launcher with extra 3D widgets
MXHome Launcher Launcher with extra themes
Launcher 7 Windows Phone 7 Launcher Metro look
Espier Launcher Complete iPhone look and feel
GO Launcher EX Launcher with loads of custom widgets and themes.

Widgets
* Beautiful Widgets Weather and clock widgets with extra themes in app (Free in Getjar)
* Android Pro Widgets Loads of widgets from Facebook to calendar with themes.
* Calculator Widget
* Power Widget
WidgetLocker Lockscreen Allows you to customize your lockscreen like adding widgets

13. Back-up
* Titanium Backup Allows for full phone back-up and simply the best (Needs Root)
MyBackup Root Simple full backup (Needs Root)
Call Logs Backup & Restore
SMS Backup & Restore
Backup Contacts
As for Applications the File managers mentioned above does the normal APK back-up to your SD card. (I would normally advise just re-installing applications from the market to be able to see updates.

Other
General apps I normally say is a must
Samba file share Share your phone directories so you can browse and use them from a PC (Needs Root)
WiFi Finder Locate and test Wifi Signal or
WiFi Analyzer Locate WiFi in your area
My Sync Center Android WiFi sync+backup with iTunes support
SwipePad Quick Launcher for Android.
Official XBMC Remote Media center remote control via WiFi
Compass General use Compass with tagging ability, find your car made easy.

This is by no means all of it but its the sections I highly recommend you look at to enjoy your phone more

Also dont forget the Sticky in the Android section

PS: I will probably add/remove to this list as time goes on. ]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1739-New-to-Android-(What-apps-to-look-at) Aftermath XHD http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1731-Aftermath-XHD Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:49:23 GMT *Price:* R50 *Download:* Android Market (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jakyl.aftermathxhd) *Size:* apk file 22.09 MB *Installed:* 22.09 MB Can be moved to SD *Data:* N/A *Review:* Pocketgamer (http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Xperia+Play/Aftermath+XHD/review.asp?c=34452) *Gameplay:*... Price: R50
Download: Android Market
Size: apk file 22.09 MB
Installed: 22.09 MB Can be moved to SD
Data: N/A
Review: Pocketgamer
Gameplay: Video



Great on Phone as well as Tablet even better on Xperia Play

Singleplayer: Easy to start hard to master, you basic game play is to direct the flashlight on zombies(It auto shoots the zombies you shine on) coming at you from every angle while you navigate nav points. You pick up a vary of weapons including grenades that you through manually.

I would have loved some more maps but the 12 will keep you entertained for some time as they do get a lot more difficult to complete. Replay value is very much the same as Left for dead where you aim at better scores based on speed and damage.

]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1731-Aftermath-XHD Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus HD http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1643-Modern-Combat-2-Black-Pegasus-HD Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:42:23 GMT *Price:* $4.99 / R35.00 *Download:* Gameloft (http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/modern-combat-2-black-pegasus/?adid=101966) or Android Market (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftBPHM.ML) *Size:* apk file 4208 kb Installed: 12.18 MB Can be moved to SD... Price: $4.99 / R35.00
Download: Gameloft or Android Market
Size: apk file 4208 kb
Installed: 12.18 MB Can be moved to SD
Data: 330 MB installed by default onto SD
Review: Pocketgamer or Know your Mobile
Gameplay: Video



Will not download extra data using 3G, so a Wi-Fi connection is a must to install.

Played like a Dream on HTC Desire HD (Stock OS) 2.3.3

Multiplayer: Online using Wi-Fi only no 3G option. Currently I am getting my butt handed to me as well but you can host as well as join servers.
Singleplayer: Difficulty vary from to easy with all assists on, to die allot with them all turned off and on Hard. About 6-8 hours play depending on your settings and skill level.

If you played and enjoyed Call of Duty: Modern warfare on the PC and wanted to take that experience with you, this game is for you. The story in the game is a bit confusing and does not flow from one scene to the next like the 1st one but in return it does take you all over the world with different area's showing off what can be done with a mobile phone.

Things I wish I could change, I would have loved to be able to select my own weapons before the missions. Many weapons do not differ much from each other but there is always that one that you love but can only get in the one mission or other. You can always pick up the enemies weapons but they not as much fun as the ones you could have.

Overall I would say if you are a FPS fan, get it well worth the money.


]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1643-Modern-Combat-2-Black-Pegasus-HD Android Battery life http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1635-Android-Battery-life Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:57:42 GMT Android devices comes with allot of power, from animated backgrounds to the ability to run multiple applications in the background, not to even talk about GPS, FM radio and other components that can place a strain on your phone/tablets battery. Problem is that we tend to forget some of the... Android devices comes with allot of power, from animated backgrounds to the ability to run multiple applications in the background, not to even talk about GPS, FM radio and other components that can place a strain on your phone/tablets battery.

Problem is that we tend to forget some of the things on, or just would like to push the device to last 4 days instead of 1. Here is some idea's of how to monitor power use as well as some applications that can help.

  1. Screen brightness: Turn screen brightness to as low as you can or use a widget to control it manually
  2. Radios: Use applications that can schedule or limit data use via the switching or schedules based on location and time of day.
  3. Animations: They are pretty but the more they do the more power they use, so if you have to have one, less is more also turn off that animated background.
  4. Widgets: Every widget that you run is doing something and that takes up space in the CPU schedule, so if you don’t need it trash it.
  5. Themes: Dark is always better, the darker your display the more power you will have. Black text on white background use more power than white text on black.
  6. Alerts: Some devices have vibrate and sound to indicate that you pressed buttons to alerts. If you use only one be it sound or vibrate instead of both you will get more life and same if you turn both off.
  7. GPS: If you dont use it turn it off, esp if you have an older version of Android. The latest versions turns off GPS when not in use, but if you using android 2.2 and prior it is a good idea to turn off your GPS.




Applications that can help you
PowerTutor (Free)
This is a nice application that indicates where your power is going, from screen to CPU

JuiceDefender (Free/Pay for Enhanced)
If you dont need internet to be always on this is the app to have, it turns on the 3G radio on schedules or when you wake the phone, keeping it off most of the time to limit power use

Data On Demand (Free)
Turns your radio's off when your phone is on idel, same as above but unlike Juice defender it does not turn the radio on and off during idel so it does not poll for email and other alerts

Tasker (Pay)
You can schedule things like screen brightness or radio use based on times, location and/or events

Watchdog (Free/Pay for Enhanced)
This is also a great app to see what % of CPU an application use as well as alerting you if applications run away.



Clean ROMs
For the more advanced or power user you can look at flashing clean roms, you will find that for example CM7 is much lighter on the battery than HTC Sense. It is also noted that some people get a lot more life out of the battery using MIUI than stock ROM's ]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1635-Android-Battery-life Why Android? http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1606-Why-Android Mon, 23 May 2011 10:36:30 GMT Whenever you search for reasons why you must buy the one phone vs the other you always get the same arguments from Open source vs closed source and my market is bigger than yours or the age old this phone is cooler than that phone. People seem to forget when they shop around that phones are about... Whenever you search for reasons why you must buy the one phone vs the other you always get the same arguments from Open source vs closed source and my market is bigger than yours or the age old this phone is cooler than that phone. People seem to forget when they shop around that phones are about functionality, its not a toy even if it can play games. It is an extension of you and your lifestyle.

So instead of the normal mine is bigger than yours argument I'll post here reasons I like Android based on functionality.

The User Interface
First lets start with the UI. With android you have total freedom to change this anyway you like. Sometimes you need to spend money to get just that look and sometimes you don't. Unlike the other phones on the market Androids UI is unique in this ability.

You can make your phone look like Windows Phone 7 or nothing like it at all, and it doesn’t require you to void your warranty like others just to make the OS look differently either. Some applications that you can look at is Regina 3D Launcher, Launcher 7, SPB Shell 3D, Claystone Launcher and Launcher Pro. Some like ADW.Launcher even comes with themes that can be installed straight from the market as well.



You can look at rooting your phone and replacing the ROM that includes certain looks, but you dont have to, and if you did, nothing is stopping you from still using the options mentioned above to get that look you like.

Applications
Unlike other platforms, Android includes a lot of functionality as part of the operating system, like being able to use the device as a USB dongle. Unlike the others, you have a unified file system that any application can access, makes it a very powerful device. Yes phones like iPhone and Windows Phone 7 don’t have 1 file system that all the applications can access. Think of all the applications on them as virtual machines on a PC so getting a music file from your one application to your music library is sometimes that is next to impossible.

With File managers like ES file Explorer or Astro you can for example browse a Windows share and play or even copy a mp3 file to the device without the need for any streaming. You can stream if you want to but at the end of the day the choice is yours and not based on limitations that the device impose on you.

The other great thing about Android applications is that you are not forced to use the build in applications either, unlike other devices you can replace any default application with one of your own selections. You can for example use the built in browser or install Opera or even Firefox and use Firefox extensions like Addblock Plus and even make this the default when you click any link on the device, the same goes for media players and other software.

You are also not limited to a marketplace for your selections. Applications can be installed from the SD card so if you write your own or use another marketplace like SlideME, Gameloft for games or even download it straight from your email, it can be installed without the need to void your warranty and jailbreak the device.



Unlike other devices Android also allow you to use the device totally independent from a personal computer, as you can download media or documents and store it for consumption with any application on the device without the need for PC based management like iTunes or Zune. You can also select applications on the Android market for installation without having the device connected to the PC and it will download and install for you, even if your phone is back at home.

Multitasking
Unlike other devices workarounds Android has full multitasking and this can be as simple as a service running in the background to a full blown application. You can talk to someone on your phone while you have another caller on skype or you can copy files from your home pc while you ssh or listen to music, the choice it yours. You dont have to do this but you can. Android applications can suspend just like other platforms or simply run a service but you not limited to it, you can run a application in the background.



This brings another thing about Android people seem to not get and that is about task managers. Don't install the dam things, Android is designed to use memory and use it well. If a application needs memory it will simply suspend one of the applications that is idle in the background to free up some of it for the new application. Android uses this method so if you switch it does not have to load everything into the memory again before it starts running. If you worried about resources you should use something like Watchdog that checks for CPU usage and not Task managers that just show what applications have data in the memory. If you run task managers you simply giving the phone more work when killing all the applications and all the widgets and background services starts up again to run as you told them to.

Ease of use
This is a fallacy, all phones are easy to use, it normally boils down to what you are use to. I have seen children as young as 4 use an Android phone with ease as well as people as old as 60 that cant work there way around an iPhone. A phones ease of use depends on the person and not the device. But even with things like text input you can customize this on android from installing an iPhone keyboard to Speache2text and Swype it just make life simpler.

Hardware
Android is available on a wide range from top end devices with Dual Core CPU's to low end that can not play most games. You can get ones with big screens or small, keyboard or without. You are not limited by one look or size fits all. Unlike WP7 you can go out and get a HTC Wildfire that runs Android, sure if wont play the latest 3D games, but you can afford a phone that has access to applications like media players and currency converters, you can browse the internet or send your email without breaking the bank. You not limited to one screen size like the iPhone and go for a phone that barely fit in your pocket, you can even go overboard and get a 7” tablet that can make phone calls or just setle for a Vodafone that is only 2.8”.



Android is also moving forward faster than the other devices in this area, from supporting that Xbox 360 controller on the new tablets to Android@Home automation that will allow you to turn off lights simply by replacing a light in the future. They will push the technology into your microwave to your fridge and even your HiFi will get it so you can have your music to follow you. Near Field communication is already coming to the new android devices and no its not limited to just credit card like functionality on your phone, the technology opens a new door from accessing music online by simply swiping your CD next to your phone to getting information from IMDB on the movie you want to watch at the theatre. Its all coming. Some devices even support HDMI and can plug into your TV so you can watch the movie that you stored on it.

Its your choice its your device its your lifestyle. ]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1606-Why-Android Android and your data http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1600-Android-and-your-data Thu, 19 May 2011 12:16:39 GMT One of the best things of Smartphones today is the fact that they bring internet with you, wherever you are, but in South Africa this comes with a price. As many would know data especially cellular data in South Africa is not cheap. This creates a unique problem as the devices and the software on... One of the best things of Smartphones today is the fact that they bring internet with you, wherever you are, but in South Africa this comes with a price. As many would know data especially cellular data in South Africa is not cheap. This creates a unique problem as the devices and the software on them is designed to keep you always up to date, always in touch.

The problem at least can be addressed as we are not unique in having huge data costs. Some people revert to using a mix of cheaper data like connecting to home WiFi or placing dampers on the amount of data the phones can consume.

To make your life easier I have created a list of some options.

Power Widget
One way to do this is to have a widget on your home screen to manually control what “tap” to use and when it is open, by turning WiFi, and Mobile data, on and off with a single tap you are in control of when it can be used. You can also manually forget to close the “tap” and have your basement flooded so to speak with a lovely bill at the and of the month.



Accounts and Sync
You can edit your background data going to Settings → Accounts & sync and turn off Auto-sync or Background Data, this can also be done on a per account basis like Facebook and Twitter. The problem with this option again is that not all applications are listed and the one sucking your mobile data might not even be in there.



Data on Demand
You might want to look at a way to eliminate the problem with a Data on demand application that turns off your “tap” for you when your phone suspends. The problem with this is that you lose functions like email and instant messaging notifications from friends or having to wait for the news tickers to manually update when you wake your phone. It does give you extra battery life as well. Tasker as a paid application might even help with the same functions as well as switching data from 3G to WiFi based on the time of day or location.


Usage Stats
You might want to install a free application like 3G Watchdog and Netcounter or PhoneUsage that gives you a counter where you can see how much data you use a month. With the paid-for versions of 3G Watchdog Pro and PhoneUsage Key giving you access to alrets and widgets. Personally I went with PhoneUsage Pro as it also gave me graphs and a pie-chart on what applications use the most data. as seen below



You might even consider using a mix of the solutions. Best advice is to look at what all of them offer and select the one or two that best suite your lifestyle.

Update: I know this is an app designed to save battery use but JuiceDefender also helps with limiting the data as it turns off the 3G modem when phone sleeps and turns it on every 30 Min's for a couple of seconds to get updates and emails. On the pro version you can set the times and other options as well. ]]> Elimentals http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/entry.php/1600-Android-and-your-data