The Vendor Support Role in Mobile Device Management

When company representatives turn to an outside party for assistance with mobile device management, they are often looking for much more than a software package. Executives and IT staff do not want to be burdened with managing telecommunications carrier relationships. The relevant duties can be time-consuming and frustrating. Some device management providers offer help in this area, assuming the role of primary interface with the carriers.
It can take a full business day to handle a complex issue with a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. Billing errors seem to occur more often than not and getting these resolved before payment is due is often impossible. Even the simple task of ordering a mobile device for a new employee takes time. The designated representative within the company has much better things to do with his or her days. Many people blame the carrier for the troublesome interactions and switch carriers, only to find themselves encountering the same issues with the new carrier.
In most cases, the business itself is the cause of the problems. Each company has unique requirements and large carriers are often unable to meet these in a cost-effective manner. While company representatives find themselves facing long hold times and repeated callbacks, the carrier is doing the best it can based on its corporate structure and resources. Allowing a third party to enter the equation may be all it takes to streamline the relationship.
A device management provider can serve as the single point of contact with all carriers. It assigns a team of professionals to handle issues normally presented to the carrier, saving the corporate client time, aggravation, and money. Devices users submit phone, email, or online requests directly to this service team. This eliminates the need for company representatives to deal with the issue. It also helps the vendor identify user requirements, which comes in handy when it reviews plans to find the most appropriate one for the business.
Being the primary liaison with the carrier also allows the vendor to play a role in corporate mobile device policy enforcement. IT staff are no longer viewed as the nasty enforcers, smoothing intracompany relations. The vendor identifies violations and helps enforce them. Resolutions of technical and usage issues are documented in the device management software system and communicated to the parties involved.
Making changes to plans during the carrier contract period can reduce telecommunications and data expenses. The vendor helps identify these issues and contacts the carrier to request the relevant changes before overage charges are incurred. By maintaining optimized plans, the vendor helps its corporate client provide telecommunications services that employees need without overspending on devices or usage.
This is just one of the important roles that a mobile device management provider plays in corporate telecommunications expense control. The value provided through its carrier liaison services alone is usually much more than the cost incurred by the client. The cost-benefit scale tilts even more positively as the company grows and more organizations are starting to recognize this.

Top 10 Reasons Why Watch Phones Are Better Than Cell Phones

From 6-year olds to retirees, most everyone has a cell phone. People go to sleep texting on their cell phone and wake up to it ringing. They talk on their cell phones while driving, text while using the restroom, and constantly check the time on it throughout the day. Ninety percent of the people on earth cannot go a day without their cell phone. Many people have a regular mobile phone, but very few have a wrist watch cell phone. In fact, most people have never even heard of a watch cell phone. These gadgets are basically cell phones in a wrist watch. So, why would someone want to get a watch phone over a regular cell phone?
1. You can never drop a watch phone.
Cracked screens are now a pretty common cell phone trend. People drop their phones constantly throughout the day and 1 in 5 drops will lead to a cracked screen or a broken device. There are also the people who always drop their phone in the toilet or some kind of liquid, and that never ends well.
2. You never lose a watch phone.
Have you ever heard the famous quote, 'Can you call my phone?' I am sure you have. That is what people tend to say when they can't seem to find their mobile device. They look in the car, under the couch cushions, and even go back to the place that they just came from hoping to find it in the lost and found. Then, they end up buying a whole new phone and losing all of their contacts.
3. You never miss a call.
So many people miss important calls because they were not by their cell phone or they didn't feel it vibrate in their pocket. Those missed calls can mean missed customers or monetary opportunities. When your mobile device is on your wrist, you will always feel the vibration, no matter what.
4. Physical activity is no problem.
You can't just go on a jog with a cell phone in your pocket or play sports with your regular mobile device handy. It will most likely end up broken or damaged. However, with a watch phone, you can perform worry-free physical activity without dropping or damaging your phone. Also, since the watch phone is always with you, you don't have to worry about missing calls when you go on your daily run.
5. There is no such thing as water damage with a waterproof watch phone.
With a waterproof watch phone, you don't have to worry about getting it wet. Go swimming! Text underwater! Can a regular cell phone do that?
6. Answer calls and texts instantly with a watch phone.
Are you the kind of person that has to dig through your purse constantly to pick up the phone or answers texts hours after receiving them because you never check your phone? When your mobile phone is on your wrist, you can always check it instantly by looking at your watch.
7. Both of your hands are free when your phone is on your wrist.
With the speakerphone and Bluetooth feature on a watch phone, your never have to hold your mobile device up to your ear again. It is so much easier to multi-task when you have both hands free.
8. You never need a place to carry or set your phone.
When you don't have pockets or any place to put your cell phone, it is a hassle to hold your phone in hand at all times. When you are at the beach or riding roller coasters at an amusement park, it's much easier not to have to worry about where to put your cell phone.
9. Watch phones are smaller in size and lighter in weight.
Watch phones are much smaller and lighter in weight than those big bulky cell phones. They don't take up any space in your pockets or purse. You will barely even notice that your watch phone is still on your wrist.
10. Watch phones are already unlocked to work for any company.
All watch phones are unlocked and can take any company sim card. This way, they work for any GSM company (T-Mobile, AT&T, Simple Mobile, etc.). You just put your sim card in and it's ready to go. In order to unlock a regular mobile device, you must take it to an unlocking shop and pay roughly $50.
Overall, watch phones give you much less hassle than a regular cell phone does. Of course, both of these mobile gadgets have their pros and cons, but if you're a person looking for a worry free mobile device, then a watch phone is the way to go.

Sony Xperia S Lands on T-Mobile Deals After Releases on O2 and Vodafone Offers

The new top of the range smart phone from Sony's latest 'NXT' series has now been released on T-Mobile contract deals, the Sony Xperia S is the manufacturers most advanced mobile device so far and was initially launched on both Vodafone and O2 contracts.
Pay monthly contract deals for the new Sony Xperia S on T-Mobile are now available to order in the UK with line rental charges starting at just £7 per month, however those consumers looking for free Xperia S offers will need to opt for tariffs charging £36 per month or more.
The Sony Xperia S boasts the best camera available in any current mobile phone at an industry leading 12 mega pixels, Sony have further enhanced this with their own Exmor-R technology which makes photos taken even in low loight conditions brighter and clearer than ever before.
The front of this latest Sony device is dominated by two main features, firstly the large 4.3 inch display with BRAVIA engine enhanced graphics and a pixel resolution of 720 x 1280 which means the user can playback 720p video clips, the other stand-out aspect is the inclusion of a strip of transparent material running throughout the lower quarter of the phones design, this glows a predetermined colour when incoming calls, text messages and other notifications are received.
The Xperia S is an Android 2.3 powered phone but Sony have already confirmed that their flagship model will be update to the new Android 4.0 software in the second quarter of this year, also known as the 'Ice Cream Sandwich' instalment this new operating system is only currently available on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus as well as the new 'One' range from HTC which includes the top-end HTC One X, affordable HTC One V and mid-range HTC One S models.
All of the Sony Xperis S's features are powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz processor with 1GB of RAM which allows the user to zip through the menu system, load multiple applications and manage tasks easily and smoothly whilst keeping this new phone chugging along is a large 1750 mAh battery which produces 8.5 hours of talk time, 420 hours of stand by time and 25 hours of listening to music.
Touching on this last point the Xperia S features access to Sony's Entertainment Services as well as Track ID and xLoud audio software for a high quality listening experience, the phone is also Playstation certified for gamers and has access to over half a million applications thanks to Google Play which is the recently renamed Android Market.
For connectivity there is Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, advanced NFC technology, fast 3.5G data support and GPS with satellite navigation, this new Android phone also features the new Smart Tags which the user can place in different locations in their life and with a simple swipe of the phone change things like their profiles, set the alarm and turn on and off features like Wi-Fi, 3G and GPS without having to even enter into the phones memory.
Further network releases are expected for the new Sony Xperia S as well as two new lower specifications devices from the same range; the Sony Xperia U and Xperia P models

The New Sony Xperia U Joins the Xperia S in Sony's New 'NXT' Series

The Sony Xperia S was the first new smart phone to be released from the latest Sony 'NXT' range and this has now been joined by the new Sony Xperia U which offers many of the same features but at a far more affordable price.
The Xperia U is classed as the lesser specification model from the new series whilst the Sony Xperia S is the new flagship device, this leaves just the Xperia P to be released to complete the range, although all three of these new handsets look very similar from a design standpoint their hardware differs substantially which effects the purchase price of each phone.
The new Sony Xperia U features the same dual-core 1GHz processor as the Xperia P but strips back the camera to a 5 mega pixel unit rather than the 8 mega pixels of the higher specification model and records video at 720p HD rather than full 1080p but it still includes Exmor-R technology for low light condition photography, 3D Sweep Panorama mode, an LED flash and autofocus plus smile and face detection which are found in all three new 'NXT' models.
The screen of the Xperia U is the smallest in the range at 3.5 inches, the Xperia P measures 4 inches whilst the top-end Sony Xperia S offers a large 4.3 inch display, all of these new devices use Mobile BRAVIA Engine technology in their displays making for a crisp and clear imaging experience.
One unique feature that sets the new Sony Xperia U aside from the other two models is the facility to change the bottom cap of the phone, this introduces an extra level of personalization allowing the user to change the colour of the cap to suit their mood, this is further enhanced via a transparent strip in the bottom half of the design of the handset which reacts to on-screen colours and glows to compliment the overall theme.
Running the Android 2.3 operating system the Sony Xperia U has already been promised an update to the new 4.0 instalment in the second quarter of 2012, this new software is only currently available in the original Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the new HTC 'One' range which includes the One X, One S and One V.
All of the connectivity options associated with the Android system are available including Wi-Fi, 3.5G support, Bluetooth and GPS with turn by turn satellite navigation, Sony have also included some of their new services which includes streaming radio, access to their entertainment network, video unlimited and music unlimited, there is also xLOUD audio filter technology and TrackID features built into the multimedia player.
Of the three new 'NXT' handsets the Xperia U is the most pocket friendly measuring just 112 x 54 x 12 mm and weighing in at 110g.
The Xperia U has now been released on the O2 network in the UK with further network launches expected on T-Mobile, Orange and 3 Mobile over the coming days.

How to Look for Free APK Files

Android APK, also referred to as application package files, are identified with the extension ".apk". This is also the extension of JAR. If you have a gadget that runs on Android system, you will find out that there are already APK in it which means that you can install and distribute apps made for Android system.
It is important for you to know the basics about these files. Actually, most of the Android users are not fully aware of the importance and implication of APK files. While it is true that sometimes you can live with not fiddling much about APK files, it would still be quite useful to learn about it just in case you would need it in the future when you want to download more apps for your Android device.
Important Information About These Files
APK files are already included in the applications that you get from the Android Market. Usually, your Android device will automatically install the APK. However, if the application that you have is not from the Android Market, you need to make sure that you install it manually in your device. This step is needed so that your apps will run successfully without any hitch.
How are APK files installed?
Normally, APK files are installed automatically especially if the apps are from the Android market. Otherwise, you just need to save or copy the file in your Android gadget's memory. Once you have finished installing, you have to make sure that you manually update the file by exporting the new file, and copy to the Android device's memory again.
Where can free APK files be found?
You can use a highly reliable search engine such as Google so that you can search for free files of games, apps, and widgets for all your gadgets that run on Android system. Use "inurl:htm -inurl:html intitle:"index of" apk", "inurl:htm -inurl:html intitle:"index of" apk games", or inurl:htm -inurl:html intitle:"index of" apk angry birds". You can also key in "site:xda-developers.com apk download". Of course, you can also try the Android Market, and other websites that specialize in promoting Android based applications. Always remember that there are certain rules and regulations that govern apps prior to approval and release in the market. There are certain criteria and requirements that developers need to satisfy. Note that third party apps may still ask for manual installation of APK files.