All About Smartphone Security

With the number of smartphone users increasing and applications becoming more and more popular, the number of those falling prey to mobile hackers is also on the rise. And this is one issue which is overlooked by most smartphone users.

Many people still find it hard to believe the power that a smartphone commands. Most smartphone handsets are more powerful when compared to desktops. Because of this, it appears impossible that a similar set of vulnerabilities that computers face almost everyday, would pose as a threat to the mobile phone.

Smartphones are part of our everyday life and most online transactions, including banking, are carried out through it. Scammers and hackers are thus always on the prowl to capture valuable information out of a smartphone.

Smartphone users usually indulge in increased internet activity and it's quite possible for them to click on a malicious link which captures valuable personal details like the username and password of an online baking account. While the link itself may look innocuous, the harm has already been done and information has already passed on to the hackers.

Another recent activity being carried by scammers and hackers is the creation of applications that can be freely downloaded from several online stores. These applications comprise a virus. Once the application is downloaded and installed on the smartphone, the virus becomes active. Moreover, there are many applications that cause the user to send text messages at a premium rate, often costing up to £5 per message, without the user knowing anything about it. Such a type of scam is quite rampant these days and has shocked several subscribers at the end of the month.

These security threats, however, aren't entirely unavoidable. First, buy or download applications only from a genuine and authorized online store. This would significantly reduce the chances of being a victim to scams. Also, never try to pilfer with the smartphone. This could lead to someone running unauthorized software on your handset and chances are high that such software could be consisting of malicious elements. Besides, pilfering the handset would nullify the manufacturer warranty.

One must exert proper precaution while using the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth facility on the smartphone handset. The Wi-Fi of the smartphone must never be accessed from any unsecured location and both the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi must be switched off after use. These will prevent hackers from accessing your phone. Keeping the Bluetooth on for a long time can greatly reduce the battery life of your phone.

A good way to keep hackers and scammers at bay is to install good anti-virus software on your smartphone. The software will prevent any malicious program from entering your phone. Many updated anti-virus software also prevents pirated applications from being installed on your handset. But make sure that you always install genuine anti-virus software and not any copied version.

A little bit of cautiousness and prudence on your part can save your smartphone from falling prey to hackers. Always check your monthly smartphone bill for ensuring that there's no suspicious activity.

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Things You Must Know About Smartphones

The craze for smartphones is at its height. Each day, almost all mobile phone companies are coming up with a new smartphone. People are lapping up each and every smartphone without knowing what to expect from such a phone.

Well, here are some things you must know about a smartphone.

Internet is the key

While it's usual for smartphones to come in several sizes, the internet is always the key. A smartphone sans internet is akin to a hamburger without the ham. As of now, over a quarter of the smartphone users rarely access internet from anywhere else other than their smartphone. Experts have projected that by the end of 2013, the smartphone would be the primary device to be used by people for accessing the internet and it will overtake the laptop and the personal computer in this regard. If your smartphone lacks internet, contemplate buying a new one.

Power is precious

Even if you make only a few calls from your phone, several cheap smartphones run low on battery beyond 24 hours. While the features of a phone usually attract the most attention, the capacity of the battery isn't given much importance. More and more smartphone users are carrying their battery chargers with them even while going to work. Playing games or watching videos would drain the battery quickly. Avoid these if you want far more important things to do with your smartphone.

Call quality depends on the design

You would be certainly amused if you saw a photo of an early mobile phone with a giant antenna protruding from the back. Even cheap smartphones, these days, have eliminated the necessity of an antenna which is comprised within the device itself. However, several ergonomically designed phones often fall short in their call quality because of the aesthetics that short-changes the function of the antenna.

Most applications get boring fast

Depending upon the operating system of your smartphone, there could be hundreds of applications available over the internet. In fact, an average cheap smartphone user normally downloads 4-5 new applications each month. Studies have revealed that a majority of these applications, a whopping 91 per cent, are used less than 10 times and are mostly forgotten. Be selective about the applications you download and delete those that you use rarely. This would save space as well as battery life.

Privacy is thin

The worst part of a smartphone is that very little information contained in its memory is actually kept private. Though the policies of the service providers and the internet often differ, most of them comprise a provision for accessing the information of their users from any corner of the world.

There are viruses for smartphones

Though their numbers could be many times less than that of a personal computer, smartphone viruses do exist. However, the vast number of smartphone viruses usually attack modified or jail-broken handsets. Nevertheless, virus attacks on regular and cheap smartphones are increasing in number.

While the above points may not be sacrosanct for each and every smartphone, it's advisable to keep them in mind while buying a handset.

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All About Dual SIM and Multi SIM Phones

Dual SIM and multi SIM phones are relatively new types of cell phones. These phones usually have two or more slots for inserting two different SIM cards. This enables the user to avail mobile connectivity services from more than one service provider. One can even insert SIMs of several different in the slots that are available in the phone. This enables the user to carry one phone, rather than juggling between two handsets.

If you are someone who travels a lot, or have a mobile phone account which restricts cheap calls only to a small designated area, you can cut down on your roaming charges by buying another SIM besides the one which you mostly use. Moreover, the ability to have two or more active numbers of various frequencies simultaneously means that you'll be always within the range of coverage, regardless of where you go.

Before you buy a double SIM or multi SIM phone, there are certain things that you must keep in mind. Akin to all high-tech electronic gadgets, the technology involved in these types of cell phones, is constantly undergoing an upgrade. Early dual SIM phones where mostly gimmicky and the double SIM card holders allowed usage of the SIMs only one at a time. Adapters were necessary to cut the SIM cards so that they fit into the card slot. This often led people to ruin their SIM cards.

The latest dual SIM or multi SIM handsets don't have these problems. Today, you can purchase a truly handy cell phone that has multiple SIM card slots. You can switch between the two cards by pressing a simple button which is conveniently located on the body of the phone. These new models enable you to keep all your cards active at any given point of time or switch off one or two as per your convenience. When you shop for your multi SIM or double SIM phone, look for the terms DSDS i.e. dual SIM dual standby or MSMS i.e. multi SIM multi standby.

All multi SIM and double SIM mobile phones are multi-band. This means that these phones support several frequencies, typically with each SIM card working on a different range. For instance, a quad-band mobile phone supports networks that can operate on all four GSM frequencies that are used across the world i.e. 1900/1800/900/850 MHz. thus, such a cell phone is ideal for international travelers.

Tri-band and dual-band phones are also available as regards dual SIM phones. If you stay in Canada or the US, makes sure that the handset you intend to purchase supports your network's frequency i.e. 1900 or 850 MHz. Several tri-SIM cell phones have one CDMA slot and two GSM slots for the ultimate functionality and flexibility.

Chinese manufacturers were the first to introduce dual SIM and multi SIM phones to the market. The phone attained immense popularity and soon the more acclaimed mobile phone manufacturers brought out their own handsets to cash in on the increasing demand for double SIM and multi SIM phones.

Select from a wide range of GSM and CDMA phones, attractive mobile phone deals, cheap handsets & economical call plans.

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