Micro SIM cards – SIMply smaller

Posted in Tech Support about 4 months ago by Robert - Comments (3)

The micro sim is a smaller version of the standard SIM card.

When the iPhone 4 was introduced to the world, it was the first time we saw a micro SIM card being used in a mobile phone.  Since then, more devices are being released that utilise it.  Whether it was a space saving brainwave or an attempt to cause problems for users swapping between devices, the micro SIM is here to stay (for now at least). Although there have been rumours flying around about a nano SIM being developed by a German company which is 30% smaller than a micro SIM.

Using a micro SIM saves a tiny amount of space but when you consider everything a smartphones does, this could make the difference between a good handset and a great handset. Smartphones are fast becoming thinner, compact and even more powerful. When you look at a Smartphone every inch of space is being utilised due to the amount of new features being crammed in. In the last few months I’ve noticed more devices using micro SIMs including the Motorola Razr (which I reviewed last week) and Nokia 800. I feel it’s just a matter of time before the others follow.

Possible issues

The micro SIM does bring one main issue; when copying numbers you used to be able to copy to the SIM and put the SIM in new handset or put your new SIM in your old handset and copy onto SIM card. If you save your contacts onto your standard SIM then you can’t put this in the Smartphone that only takes micro SIM’s and vice versa. Copying contacts to the SIM was always the easiest way to get contacts across and also was useful for anyone porting onto a different network. This now means that you have to download the Software for your specific handset to then sync with Outlook so that it copies your contacts to your Outlook. Then use the Software for your new phone and sync this with Outlook. This can be a positive thing as well as it means your contacts are now saved on Outlook but this could be seen as a problem if you preferred them being separate. If you think downloading the Software etc. is too much of an inconvenience then you can buy a micro SIM adapter, which is the same size as a standard SIM but has an indent and space for you to put your micro SIM in to make it seem like it’s now a standard SIM. There is also the SIM cutter which allows you to cut a standard SIM to a micro SIM size.
           

Summary

Pros: Smaller, allows phone to be more compact, more features

Cons: Difficulties when changing or moving handsets (although SIM cutters and adapters an option)

The micro SIM can be a good addition to Smartphones but will also cause some issues with contacts moving around. Let’s see if other manufacturers follow the trend, only time will tell. There will be many possibilities in the future; maybe the nano SIM will mean manufacturers will change again.

Top 50 Android applications make up 61% of total usage, reveals Nielson

Posted in Tech Support about 9 months ago by Nick - Comments (4)

With industry trends moving towards the digital delivery of software, even Microsoft will also be making the move with an "App Store" in Windows 8.

In a wave of new, reveling research, Nielsen have released data showing the types of application installed on mobile devices.

One report examines Android users' usage of applications and web browsing habits, and finds that users spend twice the amount of time using apps than browsing the web.

Additionally, they found that most popular applications in the Android Market account for 43% of app usage on Android devices.

"Despite the hundreds of thousands of apps available for Android, a very small proportion of apps make up the vast majority of time spent," says Don Kellogg, Director of Telecom on Nielsen’s "newswire" blog. The top 50 applications account for 61% of all usage. This means that the majority of applications in the market account for just 39% of usage. Kellogg continued, "With 250,000+ Android apps available at the time of this writing, that means the remaining 249,950+ apps have to compete for the remaining 39 percent of the pie."

Read the full article here

Smartphones underperforming for calls compared to GSM predecessors

Posted in Tech Support about 9 months ago by Robert - Comments (187)

Client care advisor Robert Menzies discusses the issue of signal quality in modern smartphones. We'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on this and encourage you to comment at the bottom of this article.

Over the past few months, I have noticed that there have been increases in the number of signal issues across the networks, the majority of these being in areas with poor to moderate 3G coverage.  This poses the question; “if voice calls are important to your business, would it be better to use the older handsets for 2G signals only in order to get a more reliable service?”

There are a variety of smartphones out there with many capabilities and one of the essential features now is to connect to 3G data networks for a higher level of speed for browsing.  In this current generation, phones aren’t just phones, they can be used to e-mail, watch and record videos, take pictures, play games, watch TV and now 3D handsets.  This is all good but when it comes to making calls (the main purpose) in areas with poor signal, would you be better off with the old handsets?

I have found that making and receiving calls is more reliable when using 2G as opposed to 3G and research backs this up. The simple reason is that almost every area is now covered by 2G but there are areas that don’t have 3G signal at all. This is why most people living with poor coverage will go back to the older handsets as it makes calling reliable and less stressful.  Older phones will work only on 2G which means that 9 times out of 10 your call will be fine.  When using smartphones, your handset may switch between 2G and 3G which occasionally leads to drop outs or calls not to coming through at all.  With 4G networks currently out to tender by Ofcom, will 3G coverage ever be improved?

I do know that Vodafone currently have the Sure signal which allows you to get an improved 3G signal within an office or home. This works through your broadband and the box looks like a wireless router. This is very useful for anyone having difficulties obtaining a good 3G signal where the coverage is poor.

This is why I would like to open the debate; when it comes to making calls, are the older phones better to use compared to the smartphones? Do you think you experience more problems making calls on the smartphones? Maybe you think it’s the same, but it would be good to know your views on this.

I found an interesting article in the Telegraph which explains the research further.

How to completely wipe a BlackBerry smartphone using your desktop

Posted in Tech Support about 10 months ago by Nick - Comments (1)

There are several reasons you may wish to fully wipe a BlackBerry device and using the reset functionality built into the device isn't optimal:

Completely Resetting the BlackBerry Device

To completely remove an IT policy that was previously associated with the phone, you can use the following process:

BlackBerry Desktop Manager must be installed for this to work.

If you need any assistance with your BlackBerry BES installation, drop us a line.

Use a password to protect your BlackBerry device

Posted in Tech Support about 10 months ago by Nick - Comments (2)

If you use a BlackBerry device, you'll probably have lots of personal information stored that you don't others to get their hands on. The best way to keep your device secure is to set a password. This may seem obvious, but many people just don't bother setting a password on their BlackBerry and end up paying the price when their device is lost or stolen.

It's really easy to password protect your device and requires just a few simple steps.

If you're using the latest operating system (OS6), you can just search for "password" in universal search or go to Options > Password. Here, you can set your password, choose the amount of time before the device locks and more.

You can also choose to have the security settings take effect when you holster the device and require a password for making any changes like installing apps.

That's all there is to it. Using a password means your data remains yours, even if your device is lost and stolen. Password protect your phone today - you won't regret it!

If you have another type of phone, please consult the user manual for information on how to set a password on your specific device.