TOP 25 ANDROID APPS

The Android Market may not have as many apps as the iPhone App Store yet, but there are still enough to be overwhelmed, and it's growing at a breakneck pace. To help you sort through them all, here's my list of the best apps I've found on Android. Again, remember that this is a snapshot in time. The Android platform is developing so quickly right now that I guarantee my home screen look different a month from now.

The best way to view my list of the top Android apps is in the screenshot gallery. However, you can also view my top 25 in the list below.

The screenshots

The list

1. Google Voice

Google Voice is a service that is so useful I consider it one of the top benefits of Android itself, especially since Apple rejected the Google Voice app for the iPhone. It gives you a phone number that can ring to multiple places or devices and it allows you to access all of your voicemail and text messages over the Web. The Android app integrates even deeper. It can make outgoing calls look like they're coming from your Google Voice number so that you can keep your real mobile number private.

2. Advanced Task Killer

One of the realities of having a multitasking mobile OS in Android is that you have to manage your apps so that they don't hurt performance or battery life. Advanced Task Killer (or ATK) is my favorite. It even comes with a widget that you can tap once to kill all open apps.

3. Dropbox

Dropbox is a great cloud service that automatically syncs a folder of files between multiple computers (Windows, Mac, or Linux). This app extends Dropbox to Android and interacts with other apps (such as Documents To Go) to open the files.

4. Evernote

Once you get used to typing on a virtual keyboard (and it honestly took me over a year to do it), then these devices are great for note-taking, and Evernote is a great note-taking app. It is similar to Dropbox in that it saves data locally but syncs it across all your machines and devices.

5. DroidAnalytics

For some reason Google doesn't have an official app (for either Android or iPhone) for Google Analytics. The best one I've found on Android is DroidAnalytics. Another good one is mAnalytics.

6. Documents To Go

The free version of Documents To Go offers a great little reader for Word and Excel files. You can upgrade to the full version (for $15) if you want to edit files and add PowerPoint files to the mix. If you do want editing capability, I'd also recommend taking a look at QuickOffice.

7. Amazon Kindle

I never warmed up to the Amazon Kindle e-reader, but I'm a big fan of the Kindle mobile app. Since it was released I've read a lot more books simply because my smartphone is always with me and I can pull it and read a few pages anytime I've got a couple minutes free.

8. Places Directory

This is an awesome app for finding shops and services near your current location. From restaurants to movie theaters to medical facilities to taxis, this app is very accurate and takes advantage of the business information from Google Local. This app is better than the info you get from a GPS unit (or app) and better than any of the similar apps available on the iPhone.

9. Tripit

I dig Tripit. It is by far the best app I've found for keeping track of all my travel itineraries. It runs on some great backend systems. You simply forward your confirmation emails for your flights, hotels, rental cars, and more to Tripit and it automatically organizes them into trips with all your details and confirmation numbers.

10. Seesmic

Twitter is an amazing instant-intelligence engine and it was made for mobile browsing. Although there's an official Twitter app for Android now, Seesmic is still the best Android Twitter client.

11. FCC Speedtest

I'm obsessed with running speed tests to check my bandwidth in various places, both to see 3G fluctuations and to check the quality of Wi-Fi. There are a number of really good speedtest apps, but my new favorite is the FCC Test app.

12. Astro File Manager

Another one of the great things about Android (if you're a geek or a tinkerer) is that you have lower-level access to the system itself. Astro is an app that lets you navigate the Android file system.

13. Got To Do

There are plenty of to-do apps to choose from on Android but I prefer Got To Do because of the solid interface and the fact that it can sync with the online service Toodledo.

14. Gist

Many of us have contact lists scattered across various computers, devices, and online services. Gist is a Web service that can bring them together and even pull in stuff from the Web to help you stay up to date with your most important contacts. There's an Android app as well as an iPhone app.

15. TED Mobile

TED is a fascinating event that features a meeting of the minds of some of society's most influential thinkers. You'll definitely disagree with some of them, because there's a large diversity of opinions, but many talks are worth listening to. What I love is that they've taken the videos from their conference and made them freely available on the Web. This app provides a great way to access the videos. I hope more conferences follow TED's lead on this.

16. Pandora

Pandora is a streaming "radio station" for the Internet age. You simply search by an artist or song and it will create a running playlist based on that one piece of information. It intersperses an occasional ad between songs but the ads tend to be fairly localized and occasionally even useful.

17. Shazam

If you want to impress your friends with a mobile app, show them Shazam. Ever hear a song being played at a store or on the radio and ask yourself, "Oh, what song is that?" That's where Shazam comes in. Just hit the button and let it listen for 15 seconds, query its database, and then return the name of artist and the song. It has about an 80% success rate.

18. Dial Zero

Are you one of those people who dials a customer service line and just keeps pressing zero until you get to talk to a real person? Then Dial Zero is your new friend. This app provides a directory of a ton of U.S. businesses and gives you numbers to help you get closer to a real person and instructions for which prompts to hit to speak to a human being as quickly as possible.

19. Google Goggles

This is a fun app that is a little but ahead of its time. It does visual searches. You can take pictures of things and then the app tries to tell you what they are. It's limited in its scope but it is pretty cool, and it's definitely a peek into the future. One of the coolest features is the ability to take pictures of text in a foreign language and let that app translate for you. In a foreign country, this can help you read street signs and avoid going into the wrong bathroom. :-)

20. Google Sky Map

Ever look up at the night sky and try to tell your kids the name of that constellation you're pointing at, or try to remember which planet that is in the southern sky? Google SkyMap lets you point your smartphone at it and get the information. This is part of a new breed of apps called "Augmented Reality" apps that layer digital information on top of real world experiences.

21. Tricorder

A lot of geeks I know like to say that our smartphones are becoming more and more like the Tricorders on Star Trek. Well, here's a fun app that turns your Android device into a virtual Tricorder. It even offers some useful environmental information, including GPS data, wireless data, and ambient sound measurements.

22. FxCamera

Honestly, the camera software on Android is an area where major improvements are needed, but this app is a great example of what's possible. It has solid camera controls, full customization options, and offers some great effects for photos.

23. Photoshop Mobile

Photoshop is, of course, the best known photo editor in the world and its mobile app doesn't do anything to hurt that reputation. But while the desktop version is know for having a zillion features, the mobile app is distinguished by its simplicity. It's the best Android (and iPhone) photo editing app for simple crops, brightness adjustments, and sharpens, for example.

24. Bump

Bump is a fun (and useful) idea for sharing info between two phones using the accelerometer, and it works across Android and iPhone. You can use it to share contact info (yours and others), photos, and apps. You both simply open the Bump app, choose what you to share, and then hold the phones in your hands and bump your hands together.

25. Barcode Scanner

This app turns the Android camera into a barcode scanner. You simply scan a product's UPC code and let the app go to work to find it in Google Product Search or a search on the open Web. You'll be amazed at how fast it works. This is great for when you're shopping retail and you want to check the price of a product online before buying to make sure you're paying a fair price.

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT: http://www.zdnet.com

Best Tips for Speeding Up Your Windows PC

Note: I don't Own this Article

for more info visit: http://www.howtogeek.com

If your computer has started to slow down, there are many options for speeding it up. Below, we show you some of the best tips for speeding up your PC, some from previous HTG articles and some described here.

Turn off Startup Programs

When you install a program in Windows, it may add a small program that runs when Windows starts. After installing a lot of software, your boot up process could become slow. If there are programs you don’t use much, they probably don’t need to start every time Windows does. You can disable startup programs manually or use the free tool CCleaner. You can also use Soluto to speed up boot time.

Clean Up Unnecessary Files on Your Computer

As you use your computer, files collect in all kinds of places. Windows and programs running in Windows create temporary files and log files. Files you have deleted may collect in the Recycle Bin, if you don’t empty it often. When you browse the internet, browsers create temporary files, sites put cookies on your computer, and the download history and form history grows. CCleaner can help you clean up your computer. You can set up CCleaner to automatically run on a schedule and you can also create a shortcut to run CCleaner quickly and silently.

Schedule a Task to Perform Disk Cleanup

Windows provides a built-in Disk Cleanup tool that removes old files and temporary files to help you reclaim hard disk space and possibly speed up your PC. It’s a good idea to run the Disk Cleanup tool on a regular basis, such as weekly or monthly, depending on your computer usage. You can use the Task Scheduler in Windows to set up a task to run the Disk Cleanup tool on a set schedule.

Remove Malware, Spyware, and Adware

If you have malware, spyware, or adware on your computer, that can affect its performance. The articles below describe some tools that help you get rid of malware, spyware, and adware and also how to get rid of fake antivirus applications that are actually viruses in themselves.

Turn off Windows Features

By default, Windows enables a lot of features that you most likely don’t use and take up valuable resources on your computer. However, these features can be disabled. There are many ways to disable Windows features. We have previously written about the 50 best ways to disable built-in Windows features you don’t want or need.

Disable the Indexing Service in Windows

The Search Indexing service in Windows scans through the files and folders on your system and records information about them in an index file to speed up the search process. However, this also consumes resources on your system and can slow it down. If you don’t do a lot of searching through files and folders, you can turn off the indexing service to free up some resources and speed up your computer.

Open the Start menu and enter “services.msc” (without the quotes) in the search box. Press Enter or click on the services.msc link when it displays.

In the right pane on the Services dialog box, scroll down until you find the Windows Search service. Right-click on it and select Properties from the popup menu.

The Windows Search Properties dialog box displays. Select Disabled from the Startup type drop-down list. Click OK to accept the change and close the dialog box.

You are returned to the Services dialog box. Select Exit from the File menu to close it. Reboot your computer to finalize the change.

Reduce the Delay of the Start Menu Display

By default, there is a delay before the Start menu and its submenus display. If you want to make the Start menu open faster, you can change a key in the registry to accomplish this.

Open the Start menu and enter “regedit.msc” (without the quotes) in the search box. Press Enter or click on the regedit.msc link when it displays.

If the User Account Control dialog box displays, click Yes to continue.

NOTE: You may not see this dialog box, depending on your User Account Control settings.

In the tree in the left pane of the Registry Editor, navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key. In the right pane, scroll down until you find the MenuShowDelay data value. Right-click on the name and select Modify from the popup menu.

In the Value data edit box on the Edit String dialog box, enter a new value between 0 and 4000. This indicates how many milliseconds it takes for the Start menu and any submenus to display. We don’t recommend you use 0 as the value. It might make it hard to navigate through the menus. Click OK to accept your change.

Select Exit from the File menu to close the Registry Editor. Reboot your computer to apply the change.

Fully Uninstall Unused Programs

Sometimes, when you uninstall a program, remnants are left behind that the uninstaller doesn’t remove. If you install and uninstall a lot of programs, these files can accumulate. How-To Geek shows you how to use Revo Uninstaller to completely uninstall a program or utility from your system.

Change the Number of Recent Items Shown on the Windows 7 Start Menu

If you have a lot of recent documents displaying in the Recent Items menu on the Start menu, it can slow down access to the menu. It is a quick and easy task to change the number of items that display on the Recent Items menu.

Delete Unnecessary Items from the Send To Menu

Some programs may add items to the Send To menu when you install them. If so, your Send To menu may become slow to access. However, you can easily customize the Send To menu in Windows and remove items you don’t use or even disable the Send To menu completely.

Limit the Number of Items in Each Folder

If you have lots of files in a single folder, it can slow down Explorer. It’s best to create multiple folders and spread out the files among the folders.

Thoroughly Clean Your Computer

The fan in your computer that draws in air to cool the components may become clogged with dust, pet hair, and other forms of dirt. This can cause your system to overheat and run sluggishly and maybe even eventually break down. How-To Geek shows you how to thoroughly clean the inside of your desktop computer.

Install Programs into a Virtual Machine

Installing programs in a virtual machine to test them using a virtualization program like VirtualBox or VMware Workstation or Player keeps your host machine trim and fast and can prevent it from slowing down. When you uninstall them, any remnants are left in the virtual machine, not on your host machine (although, you can also use Revo Uninstaller, as mentioned earlier in this article, to uninstall software completely). Also, you can test how the program itself, when running, affects system resources.

Now, you can be faster and more efficient when working or goofing off!

Best free antivirus software: 8 recommended internet security programs

Viruses, spyware, hackers, phishing sites - the web is a dangerous place, and every PC owner needs effective, reliable antivirus software to keep them safe. But this can be expensive, especially as you'll pay again to update the package, each and every year.

Fortunately there is plenty of free antivirus software, many of which are just as capable as their commercial cousins. So if you're tired of annual subscriptions, read on - we've picked out eight of the best free internet security tools to deliver great security at no cost at all.

1. Avast Free Antivirus

You don't have to spend long with Avast Free Antivirus to realise why it's one of the most popular security tools around.

The program is simple to install; a straightforward interface makes it easy to use; a quick first scan should identify any potential threats on your PC, and this all has minimal impact on your system performance.

These aren't just subjective opinions, either. Independent testing by AV-Test has found the program to be a good all-rounder, and it was one of AV-Comparative's "Products of 2012".

Avast Free has some useful extras, too. A Software Updater alerts you to program updates you've missed, for instance, while its Browser Cleanup tool provides a simple way to remove unwanted add-ons from your browsers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Panda Cloud Antivirus Free

Small and simple, Panda Cloud Antivirus is a lightweight tool which provides free real-time antivirus protection, and can be used alongside many other security tools without problems.

It's the free version of a commercial product, and so has a few missing features. The Pro edition helps to protect you at public wifi networks, for instance, while its "USB Vaccine" function reduces the risk of malware infecting a USB drive.

The core antivirus protection remains the same, though. And while that doesn't deliver the top detection rates, independent testing shows it's very capable, with the program winning certification in AV-Test's latest report.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Emsisoft Emergency Kit

No antivirus program comes with a guaranteed 100% detection rate, and malware might occasionally slip through your defences. You should always have a second tool available, then, just in case - and Emsisoft Emergency Kit (EEK) is a great choice.

The program runs without requiring installation, reducing the chance of any conflicts with your existing antivirus package.

Its straightforward system scanner uses a dual-scan-engine, rated highly by Virus Bulletin.

Experienced users will appreciate tools like HiJackFree and BlitzBlank, which can help you manually detect and clean up malware.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus + Firewall

We have one or two concerns about ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus + Firewall, notably that its antivirus database is only updated daily (hourly updates are reserved for the commercial version), which leaves you more exposed to the very latest threats,

The program does provide plenty of functionality, though, with a capable, AV-Test-certified antivirus engine, an easy-to-use firewall and some browsing protection.

It does its best to keep things simple. Open the Preferences dialog, say, and you'll find only 10 buttons and settings (and most of those you'll never need to use).

The database update means it wouldn't be our first choice, but if you're a fan of ZoneAlarm, or just want a firewall and antivirus tool from the same company, this could be a good choice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free

If you think your PC has been infected by something, but your regular antivirus tool hasn't raised an alert, then it could be time to grab a copy of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free.

The program is an excellent real-time scanner which can quickly find and remove all kinds of threats.

Beginners won't have any trouble using Anti-Malware - just launch the program, click Scan and it'll immediately begin checking your system. But more experienced users will appreciate extra tools to, for instance, help you launch the program on an infected PC, or delete locked files on your PC.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Avira Free Antivirus

Avira Free Antivirus provides two main areas of protection.

A strong antivirus engine (rated highly by independent labs for its file detection rates) constantly monitors your PC, looking for and eliminating threats.

Digsby

IM, Email, and Social Networks in one easy to use application!

http://digsby.com

If you choose to install the Avira toolbar then you also get some web tools (an antiphishing tool, ad blocker, social networking protection), although this also replaces your default search engine with an Avira page.

Problems? The interface can seem a little complex, just at first. And the program has more impact on your PC's performance than some other tools. Still, on balance Avira Free Antivirus remains a capable and effective security package.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

Bitdefender's antivirus engine is one of the best around, and a favourite of the independent testing labs, so getting a free version sounds like it should be very good news indeed.

There's a problem, though. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition has no real-time protection, it won't check files as you access or download them; the program just scans files, folders or drives when you ask it to do so.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition can't be your main antivirus tool, then, but the program could still be very useful. Download a copy, run scans occasionally, and it might catch threats your other security suite has missed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. AVG Free Antivirus

AVG Free Antivirus is a solid package with a good range of features: an antivirus engine, email scanner, identity theft protection, and LinkScanner Surf-Shield to keep you safe online.

At first glance this makes the program seem more complex, as there are lots of tiles, buttons and menu entries. Smart interface design means you can carry out most common actions in a click or two, though, so you'll soon feel at home.

AVG Free Antivirus gets mixed reviews on its effectiveness: AV-Comparatives rate it as average, AV-Test say it's better than some commercial suites. Our view: it's a capable, feature-packed tool, and one of the stronger free antivirus packages.

Why isn't Microsoft Security Essentials in the list? It's small, simple, and won't slow your system down - but it's also just not reliable enough to justify inclusion in our best free antivirus software round-up.

When Security Essentials was last included in an AV Comparatives File Detection test, the program managed a file detection rate of 94.9%, placing it 13th out of 15. AV-Test's opinion was even lower. In its analysis of 2012 products for Home Users, Microsoft Security Essentials delivered the lowest "average protection score" of all, putting it bottom in a list of 20.

For More Info, Visit: http://www.techradar.com

HOW TO CHOOSE BEST SMARTPHONE FOR YOURSELF

We go beyond operating systems and take a look at the key factors you need to consider before buying your next smartphone

How do you go about choosing the right smartphone? It sounds like a simple enough question but once you throw sales people, marketing spiel and fire sales into the mix it gets a little trickier often resulting in consumers not being particularly happy with the deal or handset they’ve been lumped with. So what’s a consumer to do?

First you need to tackle the basics: Do you go with Android, iOS, Windows Phone or BlackBerry? Should you opt for a high-end device with all the trimmings or go with a mid-range handset and save some cash? Then there’s contracts and tariffs – are you better off going SIM-only rather than on contract?

Beyond these questions are a myriad of others. But if you are looking to get a new smartphone and aren’t fussed about what operating system it uses you might be best accessing your needs and looking at the individual components of a phone before making your decision.

Here’s some key factors that you need to consider before buying any new flagship handset, regardless of OS.

Size

3.5-inch displays used to be the norm. Nowadays this is no longer the case with more and more smartphones using 4.7 to 4.8-inch displays. Samsung’s Galaxy Note, as an extreme example, took things even further with the inclusion of a 5.3-inch display, emphasising just how much the mobile space has changed.

Case in point: many of our readers love the Samsung Galaxy S2 but are not fans of its large 4.3-inch display. Others, conversely, love their large-displayed smartphones – just look at how well the Samsung Galaxy Note and Galaxy S2 sold. Even Apple, a company that has long favoured the 3.5-inch form factor, is set to up the ante with its iPhone 5 to 4-inches.

What’s clear is that smartphone displays are getting bigger but that doesn’t mean you have to buy a massive phone. Take a look at your friend’s devices, handle different models in store, ask yourself what you’d do with a 5-inch display and if it would fit in your pocket before getting something that might be too big for your needs.

Tip: if you think it’s too big it probably is.

Display

But it’s not just the size you need to worry about: display resolution and screen technology are also very important. Motorola’s Razr Maxx, for instance, is a new handset but its display lags well behind that of the Samsung Galaxy S2, which is a significantly older device.

Apple (Retina Display), Sony (BRAVIA), Samsung (Super AMOLED Plus), Nokia (Clear Black) and Microsoft (Clear Type) all use their own bespoke display technologies to heighten the viewing experience on their respective handsets. Generally speaking, though, what matters most with handset displays is resolution – and the higher it is the better.

So when you’re eying a new smartphone online or in store check what the handset’s pixel per inch (ppi) stats are. It will usually be listed next to the device’s display resolution and, like with display resolution, the higher it is the better. Ideally you want to be aiming for the top end of 200 (290 to 300) or above. Apple’s iPhone 4S has a pixel density of 330 ppi, for instance.

Tip: the higher the ppi the better

Processor

The advent of quad-core processors, such as Samsung’s Exynos 4 Quad and Nvidia’s Tegra 3, and their use in marketing spiel has lead to chipsets playing a much more prominent role in the decision process of consumers when buying a new handset.

However due to the rather oxymoronic nature of chipset production having more cores isn’t always better. For instance, in Know Your Mobile’s extensive benchmarking of Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3 and Qualcomm’s dual-core S4 Snapdragon processor, nine times out of ten, Qualcomm’s came out on top despite having less processing cores.

The reason for this is that Qualcomm’s chipset is based on 28nm architecture whilst Nvidia’s Tegra 3 uses a 32nm setup. Because Qualcomm’s process is smaller it’s more power efficient, which means it doesn’t drain the batter as much.

In general, though, you’re not likely to notice much of a difference in performance when buying a handset with either Qualcomm’s S4 Snapdragon or Nvidia’s Tegra 3 – both are exceptionally powerful.

Having said that, the S4 has been shown to run rings around nearly everything else on the market,bar Samsung’s Exynos 4 Quad.

Tip: the smaller the ‘die shrink’ the better (28nm is the current upper limit)  

Updates

Is having a smartphone that’s constantly up-to-date with the latest software important to you? If it is then you might want to think long and hard about whether you opt for a BlackBerry, current Windows Phone, or Android handset.

Current Windows Phone devices on the market – Nokia Lumia 800, 900, 710 and 610 – will not be getting fully updated to Windows Phone 8. Similarly no current BlackBerry handsets will receive BlackBerry 10 once it arrives later in the year – although this is rarely advertised in stores. 

With Android you’ve got serious fragmentation issues affecting the entire platform, with relatively news handsets – Motorola’s Droid 3 and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play – being left to die on Android 2.3.

Apple has the best record with regards to updates, supporting its handsets, on average, for around two years. Microsoft has been a lot better updating handsets than Google has with devices using its Android OS, but the schism that Windows Phone 8 will cause throws all that progress by the way side.

In the end no one platform is perfect but if you’re a stickler for always being up to date Apple is probably your safest bet. Microsoft has promised to support its Windows Phone 8 handsets for 18 months but that will only come into fruition on new devices, and not current Windows Phone models.

Tip: Windows Phone 8 handsets or Apple’s iPhone are your safest bets for consistent updates

Apps & Games

Applications and, to a lesser extent, games are the lifeblood of the modern smartphone. Back in the day, early-2010, the number and quality of applications on the world’s two major platforms – iOS and Android – was a major differentiating factor with Apple well out in front.

Nowadays that’s no longer the case.

Here is a break down of the current numbers:

• Apple: 500,000+
• Android: 500,000+
• Microsoft: 100,000+
• BlackBerry: 60,000+

Apple and Android are clearly the front-runners in this respect, but Windows Phones’ lower numbers shouldn’t put you off. Microsoft’s platform is a baby compared to Google and Apple’s platforms and is growing at a rapid pace.

Couple this with the advent of Windows Phone 8, the level of support Microsoft gives its developers, and the high-end gaming capabilities of the newly announced Windows core and 2013 could well be the year that Windows Phone becomes truly mainstream.

Tip: Apple and Android are currently best for applications and games but Windows Phone is catching. The less said about BlackBerry’s current state of affairs the better – maybe BlackBerry 10 will change this. We can but live in hope.

LTE-ready?
LTE is on the way to the UK and will be here before the end of the year, according UK officials. But how can you be sure that you’re next smartphone will support it?

Many manufacturers, as we’ve seen in the US, will market devices purely based on their abilities to access the faster spectrum of mobile data. HSPA+ is already a reality in the UK, which is essentially 3.5G, but full LTE is scheduled to hit before the end of the year and will represent a massive uplift in speed bringing download speeds usually reserved for your home network straight to your phone.

Many current flagships, such as the iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One S, already take advantage of HSPA+ but will not be able to access true LTE once it’s rolled out.

For this reason it’s important to think carefully about the timing of your next upgrade: LTE is coming in late 2012, early 2013, and if you want it on your phone you’ll have to wait for LTE handsets to arrive. There are currently no handsets in the UK that support 4G LTE. This will change as we approach Q4 2012, however.

Tip: If you want an LTE-ready handset put off upgrading your phone until later in the year. We expect LTE-ready handsets to start hitting the market in Q4 2012.

NFC

Near Field Communication (NFC) isn’t a deal breaker for most but it is a technology that could potentially become quite popular in the coming year, particularly with the rise of mobile payments and interactive advertising.

Many new smartphones come with NFC built into them, so if you’re the type of person that likes the idea of paying for a coffee with their handset then NFC could very well be for you. Here’s a list of NFC-enabled devices currently available in the UK:

• HTC One X
• HTC One XL
• Nexus S
• Google Nexus S
• Samsung Galaxy S III
• Samsung Galaxy S II (not all versions)
• Samsung Galaxy Note (not all versions)
• Galaxy Nexus
• Samsung Galaxy Ace II (not all versions) [9]
• Samsung Galaxy S Advance
• Sony Xperia S
• Sony Xperia P
• Nokia Lumia 610
• Blackberry Bold 9790
• BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930
• BlackBerry Torch 9810/9860
• Blackberry Curve 9350/9360/9370/9380

Cost – Contract or SIM-free?

The decision to go with a contract or a SIM-only deal is a big one and often involves a lot of cash. Top-flight phones like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Apple iPhone 4S will set you back a minimum of £499.

On contracts high-end handsets are often subsidised by the network and, therefore, a lot cheaper with the cost of the device being recouped over time. The downside of network subsidisation is that you often end up paying more for the phone and tariff than you would if you’d bought the device outright and opted for a SIM-only plan.

Example: you can get a 16GB iPhone 4S for £499 and sign-up to a rolling monthly SIM-only plan from a network, lets use Three in this instance, for around £20 a month. With a SIM-only plan you’re free to leave at any time, are not tied to one network, and can always follow the best deals.

Over time this is significantly cheaper providing, of course, you can cough up the cold hard cash to buy a device out-right in the first place. But if you treat it like an investment more often than not you can sell your existing handset after six months, recoup most of the cost, and use that money to buy the new latest handset.

With contracts you're locked in for up to two years with no chance of an upgrade until you're at least two-thirds through your contract.

Tip: if you can go SIM-free and buy the handset outright – it definitely pays off in the long run

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT: http://www.knowyourmobile.com