Stay Safe this Christmas with Get Connected

Smartphone manufacturer Doro has passed five million handset sales globally. 

Doro, which targets the senior market with easy to use handsets, has sold in excess of one million easy-to-use mobile devices since May 2013.

In the UK Doro products are always in stock at Get Connected and their products are selling well generally across the UK.

Jérôme Arnaud, president and group CEO at Doro said: ‘2013 has been an impressive year for us and we are proud to have topped five million handset sales ahead of the Christmas period.  This means that five million lives around the world have been made easier thanks to our innovative designs and pioneering approach.' 

This milestone comes just two months after the company launched its easy-to-use smartphone the Doro Liberto810. 

Chris Millington, MD of Doro UK and Ireland, added: ‘We know that when users find a device easier and more enjoyable they will use it more. Doro’s approach ensures that regardless of age, or the type of mobile used, everyday communication is improved. This impressive achievement proves that we are connecting the generations.  Our next objective is to get 80% of seniors connected to the web.  This is the next frontier in our strategy to bridge the digital divide.' 

During 2013 Doro acquired its German distributor IVS. The business also became a certified Google partner enabling Doro handsets to be preloaded with Google’s suite of mobile applications and services. 

A popular model that sells incredibly well at Get Connected is the Doro ‘PhoneEasy’ 612. This handset is easy to use, has a great little camera, a large text display and phone keyboard and comes with a larger earpiece and speaker for easier communication. Popular with our senior customers due to its ease of use; the Doro 612 is the perfect companion to a slower pace of life while still remaining tech savvy and connected to the world around you.

If you are interested in our Doro ‘PhoneEasy’ 612 for yourself, a loved one or friend simply call in store and speak to one of our friendly store managers. You can find our full list of stores from the link below.

http://www.get-connected.com/content.asp?id=4112

Introducing the Sony Xperia M

We are now stocking the Sony Xperia M, and it’s a bit of  a looker, giving other similar handsets a run for their money. It features a soft touch plastic arced shell and meticulously crafted buttons.
The Xperia M boasts a compact body that makes it perfect for single-handed operation unlike some of it’s larger counterparts. It’s light weighing in at just 115g, and is also relatively thin at 9.3mm. In comparison it is a similar size to that of Apple’s iPhone 5, if not a little bit wider.

The Xperia M features no buttons on the front as Sony uses on-screen virtual buttons for Android navigation, and there’s a single stylish line-shaped LED notification light. All physical buttons are on the right side of the handset. There’s the signature Sony round metal power key, stylish and sleek. The volume rocker is also conveniently located on the side and its arc shape makes it easy to find and press. Finally, there’s a dedicated camera shutter key on the bottom.
The phone features a 4-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. It’s sharp enough to avoid any pixelization, and pixel density is also good at 245ppi.
Want to share pictures from last night’s party, or that great tune your friend is always asking about? With NFC-based one-touch functions (Near Field Communication), sharing your world has never been easier. All it takes is a simple click. No buttons, no wires, no confusion.
With Sony OmniBalance design, this slim NFC phone will thrive in the palm your hand. Paired with premium details that are held together with an innovative skeleton frame, you’ll discover a smartphone that is beautiful as well as magical.
Keep your phone updated and enjoy the latest features and optimal performance. Performing a software update is fast, easy and safe.

Is Facebook finally growing up?

Recently Facebook revealed a startling fact in its latest earnings announcement, it was seeing a “decrease in daily users, specifically among teens”. Suggesting although teenagers are still using Facebook, they're using it a lot less than they once did. This is especially surprising because teenagers usually point the way to the next big thing, particularly in new technology.

Young people are gradually moving over to messaging apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat, as their interest in Facebook begins to wane. Now that Facebook has nearly 1.2 billion monthly active users, everyone from their younger brothers to their grandparents can be found sharing cute animal photos and inspirational quotes. It is no surprise that teenagers are turned off by their parents using Facebook, it is no longer the place for uninhibited updates and messaging amongst friends if your mum can comment on your night out pictures. All teenagers rebellious fun now takes place elsewhere, on their mobiles.

Messaging app WhatsApp emerged in 2009 and by 2012 mobile operators are estimated to have lost up to $23bn in SMS revenue due to these apps. These apps host free instant messages through a phone's data connection, which these days is often unlimited. However, these apps are becoming a threat to established social networks too.

The most popular in the UK is WhatsApp which is on half the country's iPhones and has more than 350 million monthly active users globally. That makes it the biggest messaging app in the world by users, with even more active users than social media powerhouse Twitter, which counts 218 million.

We can put part of the success of these services down to the elder generation gate crashing the social media party. However, it is also a result of another thing these apps offer: private chatting with people you are actually friends with in real life. These apps promote dynamic real-time chatting with groups of real-life friends, real life because having their mobile number is required to begin the conversation. In an era where young people are accused of having virtual lives and friends, this is a way for them to reassert their privacy and shun corporate advertising.

How these apps will develop is still uncertain, some expect them to be bought out by the likes of Google. However, the main internet giants each have their own version of these messaging services, including Facebook, Apple and Google. Whether these services survive or thrive will depend on who can actually make money from them. We are a long way from any of these apps raking in the $2.1bn that Facebook pulled in in the last quarter. There is little doubt that these apps will continue to grow in popularity, probably at the expense of Facebook, and with many of the older generations joining, the chances are they’ll probably go out of fashion with the next generation of teenagers in search of the next big thing too!

Power Up!

The worst possible thing has happened. That's right, your phone just died, or in in other words you feel completely cut off from society. This is probably on par with losing your house keys or a flat tyre in terms of the feeling of panic that has just hit you.

Well here are some of our top tips on how to avoid this disaster and ruining your day.

Get Connected?

Well actually in this case you want to limit connectivity on your phone. There are numerous connections currently sucking the life out of your battery, many which you may not even be aware of.

There are a few which are not always necessary to have turned on, which can mostly be found in your settings. The big 3 which top the list are Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and location based GPS.

Also if you are not too worried about data speeds, you can also disable your 3G/4G which is one of the main battery sucking culprits. 

But don't be alarmed, you can switch any of these functions back on whenever you need them!

If you are running really low on power and want to make the most of what's left you can switch your phone on to Airplane Mode which completely kills connectivity.

Screen Savers 

The screen of your phone takes an awful lot of battery power. As you know mobile phones seem to be getting bigger year by year, and so do their screens. Therefore it pays to adjust the brightness to a lower setting. You may even find that your handset has an automatic power saving setting which will adjust this for you. 

Good Vibrations 

Well in this case not so good. The vibration setting requires much more energy than your standard text and ringtones. You can either set your phone to Silent Mode, or turn the ringtones to the lowest volume. 

Multi-Tasking 

Most smartphones boast the ability to 'multi-task'. This is all well and good if you remember to quit your running apps, but if not you are burning valuable battery power. 

You should also think about switching your phone off for at least 30 seconds every couple of days to enable the battery to function to it's full capacity. 

Gaming

So this may seem an obvious point to make, but if you want a healthier battery you may have to consider cutting down on your gaming (sorry). Games use a whole host of your phone's resources, and will in return zap your battery life.

But it's not all doom and gloom! If you know that you (like us) are absolutely addicted to phones and gadgets and simply can't live without them, just carry a charger or charging device! Sorted. 

Do you ever wish your phone was waterproof?

Have you ever dropped your phone down the toilet, down the sink or got it excessively wet in the rain?

Well this could be a thing of the past, as scientists have recently discovered a way of waterproofing electronic components that means they can be immersed in water for days without being damaged.

Normally devices submerged in water would be instantaneously ruined, but using this new technique they claim devices can be left submerged in salt water for months without being harmed. By coating the components with a protective layer just a few atoms thick, it can become impervious to air or water.

Professor Samuel Graham at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who has led the research, said the film was stable in warm damp conditions and a number of liquids.

He said: “By creating such barriers films, we are able to extend lifetime and reliability of electronic devices.”

Electronic devices usually have films that are sprayed onto their components, protecting them from water vapour in the air and making them splash resistant. However, there has not been any way to make these completely waterproof, as tiny imperfections allow water to to get through. To protect devices like mobile phones and cameras from water, a separate case needs to be used.

Professor Graham, developed a techniques known as atomic layer deposition to create better barriers against water. By surrounding components with gaseous atoms from a metal like aluminium, they form a layer over the electronics which is then oxidised.

This oxide layer, which is only 10 nanometres thick – around 6,000 times thinner than the width of a human hair – is prevents water from getting to the sensitive electronics underneath.

It has proved so successful the Professor has submerged electronic sensors in water for 10 days after coating them in the atomic film.

This could mean that ordinary cameras and mobile phones can be used underwater without coming to any harm.

Not only that but it could also be a revelation for the clumsy and accident prone amongst us!

BBM finally lands on Android and iOS

BBM proves popular as it finally lands on Android and iOS, but you'll have to wait in line to get it.

BlackBerry’s BBM is one product which is still in high demand, and with this part of the business booming, the launch of BBM on Android and iOS is only likely to strengthen it still.

You are now able to download the app and has already shown to be incredibly popular with over 5 million users downloading the app in the first 8 hours of it going on sale. This is according to a Tweet sent out from the official BBM Twitter account.

As many of you may already know, the app was due for release last month, but the release date was pushed back due to an unofficial version of the Android app was posted on-line, which saw 1.1 million downloads which in turn caused BlackBerry major issues and as a result halted the official launch.

A successful launch will now be very beneficial to the company after a month of financial issues.

Join the queue

There is a downside to the recent release however. Due to the immense popularity of the app, BBM has had to roll it out very gradually to users.

You are able to download it now, but once the download is complete you are requested to enter your email address in order to join a queue, at which point you then have to wait til BlackBerry contacts you to authorise access to the app.

There is one case in which you would have immediate access. If you signed up in advance for notifications through BBM.com, this should have enabled you to use the app as soon as you download it, but as it stands everyone else will have to patiently stand in line.

It remains to be seen how many users will ultimately sign up for the app and how ongoing its popularity will be, but the popularity of it at launch suggests there might be a hint of sun breaking through BlackBerry's clouds.

Best iPhone camera and photo editing apps

'iPhoneography' is fast becoming ever more popular, be it for personal or even professional use. As smartphone cameras get better, and photo editing apps improve, taking iPhone photos becomes more fun. So in order for you to make the most of your iPhone photography, here are our top camera apps!


Pro Camera or Pro Camera 7

You can now control focus and exposure, and having the ability to adjust these controls is so critical to photography, and that's why this app is recommended. Pro Camera and Pro Camera 7 also have some lightweight photo editing features and a number of other features. This app is great if you want to get a little more serious about your snaps!

Snapseed

Snapseed gives flat photos a little more punch, or it can mellow out a shot and give you some interesting tones.
Like other photo editing apps, Snapseed allows you to control basic things like brightness, contrast, saturation and white balance. But you can also control exposure and colour. For basic and quick editing and toning, you probably can't do much better than Snapseed.

VSCO Cam

VSCO Cam is all about retro. It offers a number of filters and effects that give your photos a
classic, vintage film look, but with expanded control settings.
VSCO Cam lets you take things a bit further by fine tuning exposure, contrast, saturation, white balance, hue, vignette and even simulated film grain.

Photoshop Touch

Lastly, we're going to talk about Photoshop Touch.
This is a powerful tool, and it gives you so much creative control and the ability to work in layers, just like the desktop version of Photoshop. But is this a little too complex for iPhone snappers? Many of us just want to shoot on the go and edit quickly. If you are happy to spend a little extra time however, this is the app for you!
It has its own filters, and you can make all the same adjustments that you can with other photo apps, but the ability to quickly  work in layers is the real selling point.

So that's it! Time to go out and shoot! Take lots of shots when you get the chance, and edit them later. And remember, an editing tool is just that, 'a tool'. A great photo begins with a great eye.

5 Apps You Don't Want To Miss

With so many apps around these days it can be hard to keep up with all of the new releases each week, so we have compiled a list of top 5 apps you don't want to miss!

1. Evernote

The Evernote's iOS 7 app has a new home screen, which now brings all your personal and business notes, tags, shortcuts, announcements and notebook onto the same page. It also includes a new Quicknote feature and the ability to markup images and PDFs. Notes can also be shared with others through the app using iOS 7’s new AirDrop feature.

2. Quickoffice

This week Google made Quickoffice free for both iOS and Android.

The app lets you create and edit Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets and presentations on your mobile device, and work can also be saved in Google Drive.

3. The Netbook

This week, luxury retailer Net-a-Porter introduced a new way to discover and shop for products in its online catalog with the launch of The Netbook app for the iPhone and iPad. The app displays a real-time feed of products other users are buying and favoriting. You can click to follow those whose style you admire. The app has not quite been released yet, however you can be put on the waiting list for access as soon as it made available.

4.  Pandora for iPad

Pandora recently launched a new version of its iPhone app optimized for iOS 7 and totally redesigned for the iPad. “We’ve taken all of the things that we’ve learned about the lean-in experience about Pandora on the Web and our phone applications, and brought that to the tablet with a new user experience built from the ground up around the larger screen environment of the tablet,” Pandora CTO Tom Conrad told Mashable. Optimized for larger screens, the app makes it easy to add variety to a station with artist suggestions, helps you learn more about an artist or album on screen while you listen, and provides a detailed timeline customized for each individual listener.

5. Chrome for iOS

Google updated Chrome for the iPhone and iPad, adding a new design for iOS 7, as well as improving the fullscreen experience on the iPad. The newest version of the app ties together the browser and other Google apps on your device. So if you’re signed into Chrome, you can sign into other Google apps simply by specifying which Google account you'd like to sign in with — rather than entering your username and password information again. Also, links in Chrome now open directly in Google Maps, Gmail, Drive and YouTube.

iOS 7 vs Android 4.3

Apple has been making small, step by step improvements to iOS over the years, but the latest iOS 7 update comes with a whole new look and feel. With the latest version Apple have had a rethink in terms of  the way its mobile OS both looks and behaves. Android has traditionally metamorphosed quickly, however, this trend now appears to be reversing. Android hasn't changed much in the last year.

So is this Apple’s chance to level the playing field? Let’s take a look at how the varying features of Android 4.3 and iOS 7 stack up.

1. Sharing

Apple added AirDrop file sharing to OS X a while back, but is now available with iOS 7. AirDrop is a way to easily send files between iOS devices over Wi-Fi. Two devices negotiate the file transfer over Bluetooth, then push files across Wi-Fi, which is much faster.

Android’s sharing features are generally more robust than iOS, but also less consistent.

So what’s the parallel to AirDrop on iOS for Android? It’s called Beam which allows users to push files between devices by negotiating a connection via NFC. Simply tap two phones together to share.

So which is better? Well unlike AirDrop, Beam doesn’t require Wi-Fi as  files are pushed directly from one device to the other with Bluetooth. It can be a bit slower however.

2. Multitasking

This has long been a sore spot for iOS users. Now however the user is able to simply  swipe up to close apps, which is a much more time saving process.

Android has always taken a laissez faire approach to multitasking. You want to run that app in the background? Cool, it’s done. Hit the home button? No problem, the app is still there. This has led to some battery life concerns in the past, but more recent versions of Android have improved matters. You definitely have more power with the Android system, but there is potential for apps to abuse this system.

3. Notifications and control centre

Android has excellent notifications, and goes a bit further than iOS 7. Android notifications are dynamic and can update live to display new information. Apps can produce expanded notifications with graphs, images, and other bits of data. There are also buttons that act as action triggers in notifications. However, notifications are just in one long list on Android. Clearing notifications is done with a swipe, which is easier than Apple’s two-tap solution. Lastly, Android will add important Google Now items to the notification bar, which is very handy. The notification situation is essentially universal on Android.

4. Camera and Photos

Apple has been consistently in the lead when it comes to taking pictures, and iOS 7 has simply built on that. The camera app now has a lot more options like square format ready for Instagram, and slow motion capture. You can also apply live filters while taking pictures.

Android’s camera app is different on every phone. The stock 4.3 version is light on features, but it does have a vastly improved settings UI. Stock Android does have Photospheres, though, which are awesome. OEMs like Samsung and HTC have more modes and come closer to replicating Apple’s experience. While live filters aren't on most Android devices, the Gallery app usually has the necessary editing features.

The Evolution of Text - How SMS changed the world!

The first SMS message was sent by engineer Neil Papworth to Vodafones Richard Jarvis on

December 3rd 1992. Jarvis could had no means of replying and it simply said “Merry Christmas”.

Although the first commercial SMS service launched in 1993 in Sweden, it was several years until the idea became the focus for telephone companies in the UK.

If like this blogger you grew up in the 90’s, you may well remember the buzz surrounding the now pre-historic pager. A lot of money was wastefully invested in them by technology companies, yet it became increasingly apparent consumers didn't’ like the middle man and had an insatiable appetite for texting.

Starting out completely free and limited to people on the same network, 1994 saw the launch of text messaging in the UK. Utilising the number pads with letters on, which were already on handsets for phone book entry. In the early days texts were limited to 160 characters, couldn't carry over to a second and any predictive texting was a while off yet. This made texting very slow initially.

The medium gained instant popularity among students, ever the early adopters, who began shortening words into "text speak." and finding ways to make texting speedier.

Cross-network compatibility for SMS became a reality by 1999, which is also when charging for sending across networks was introduced. It was this need to squeeze as much of a conversation into 160 characters, that resulted in even further truncation of language to save space. By January 2001 One billion texts were sent, with monthly numbers rising exponentially from there.

In the years since, texting has become the norm for staying in touch with friends and family. Texts have now been used for much more - anything from breaking hearts, to saving lives and quickly spreading news. Text messages are now used by schools to inform parents about their child, the NHS to confirm test results and appointments. Not forgetting text use in charitable appeals like Comic Relief and in 2008, they were used to guide a British surgeon with instructions on how to amputate a boy’s arm in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saving his life. However the developments are not all good, as they can be used maliciously in cases of cyber bullying and have even used by bosses to fire their employees!

According to Ofcom, 90% of 16-24 year old now say they communicate with friends and family daily via SMS. Compared to only 15 percent of over 65’s. By 2011 the amount of text and picture messages sent continued to grow, with UK inhabitants sending 200 per month on average.

As we move into 2014 for the first time in over ten years text messaging appears on the decline, apps such as WhatsApp and BBM provide the same function over the internet. With the ability to email, make video and audio calls over the internet as well - It appears the age of SMS could be coming to an end.

James Thickett, Ofcom’s Director of Research, said: “When texting was first conceived many saw it as nothing more than a niche service.

"But texts have now surpassed traditional phone calls and meeting face to face as the most frequent way of keeping in touch for UK adults, revolutionising the way we socialise, work and network.

“For the first time in the history of mobile phones, SMS volumes are showing signs of decline. However the availability of a wider range of communications tools like instant messaging and social networking sites, mean that people might be sending fewer SMS messages, but they are ‘texting’ more than ever before.”

10 things you didn't know about iOS 7

After much rumour and speculation iOS 7 has finally landed. As with any big software update there have been mixed reviews, however there are some great changes to the platform.

Here is a rundown of the 16 things you didn't know iOS 7 could do.

1. Regular time stamps

One of the most frustrating features from the previous operating system was the irregular time stamps which featured in your messaging app. Now with iOS 7 every text is delivered with a time stamp next to it.

2. Toggles

Now instead of having to go into settings to change basic functions such as bluetooth, or tap into music to change your playlist, you are able to just swipe up to access a new control panel.

3. Someone annoying you? Block them

With iOS 7 Apple has finally introduced a way to block calls, texts and FaceTime-ing.

To block calls go to settings > phone > blocked.

To block text messages go to settings > messages > blocked.

To block FaceTime calls go to settings > FaceTime > blocked.

4. Siri searches for tweets

On top of your usual web searches, movie times and restaurant reviews, Siri now searches tweets and displays them within the Siri interface. Siri can now also display images from Google and Bing within its new interface.

5. Teach Siri to speak properly

Siri can be a  little know-it-all, but her ability to pronounce basic words is sometimes a little lacking. Now you can call Siri out on her elocution issues and train her to pronounce her words correctly.

6. Tweets you may have missed

Within the Safari bookmark menu is a little @ symbol which, if you click on it, will display tweets from your Twitter feed that contain links. It's a great way to catch up on tweets you may have missed while you were busy having a life.

7. Bubble compass

If you find yourself lost, be it in the Rain Forest or the city, your saviour is Apple's Compass app. And now you'll be happy to know you can now also work out if you are on level ground. Swipe to the second page and the app contains a "bubble interface" which lets you measure whether a surface is level or not.

8. The Camera app

You can now take rapid shot photos by tapping the shutter button. The camera app also features a 'square' option which comes with built-in features so you can take photos designed for Instagram. You can also take photos while you're recording video, a feature which is very similar to a feature on HTC's Android phone.

9. New and improved photo gallery

Moving away from the previous ‘grid’ view, the photo app organises your photos into 'Moments' and 'Collections' which show images by day and location. The photo app also contains a 'Years' view which, as the name implies, shows you every picture you took over an entire year. If you hold your thumb over the collection of images you can preview individual photos and then jump right to them.

10. Wish yourself happy birthday

Tell your iPhone your birthday and it will send you a lovely message on the day, congratulating you on surviving another year of being alive, isn't that lovely.

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) for iPhone/Android Roll Out Delayed

It has been rumoured for months and highly anticipated by users, however just as BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) was due to launch on the iPhone and Android platforms it has been pulled by creator BlackBerry. The last minute postponement was prompted by an unofficial version of the program being released onto the the Google Play store over the weekend.

BlackBerry have stated that this will hold up the official release for at least a week, Andrew Bocking, head of BBM at BlackBerry, said in a blogpost. He explained that the release of an "older, unreleased version" of BBM for Android which was posted on file-sharing sites and then onto Google Play interfered with the company's plans for launch of its official, finished app.

The early version "resulted in volumes of data traffic orders of magnitude higher than normal for each active user and impacted the system in abnormal ways", Bocking wrote. But if the company had gone ahead and released the official version, "we could not block users of the unreleased version".

The rogue version has now had more than a million downloads. A quick search of the Google Play store reveals a number of fake versions of the app, which should be ignored as they are likely to be unstable and insecure.

Fake apps are often deleted within hours of being published on the Play Store. However, they can often make money by offering adverts. Some of the apps garner five-star ratings by forcing users to give them one before the app will start working - thus pushing them up the rankings.

This is yet another setback for the beleaguered company, which is struggling to create new sources of income following the decline in its handset business - leading to a write off of $1bn - the launch of BBM on other platforms is seen as a key repositioning by the company. Many commentators view BlackBerrys future as a software and services company, as they struggle to compete in the mobile market.

BlackBerry’s BBM was the first messaging program to gain wide traction with users, a space that has been moved into recently by the likes of Whatsapp and iMessage. BBM is one of BlackBerry's most popular products, and remains for many the main attraction of its phones, which it was exclusive to. This new cross-platform approach has led many to wonder if this could pose a further risk to their declining handset sales.

The BlackBerry team is now trying to adjust the system to block the fake app so that the launch goes smoothly when the official one goes live, said Bocking.

Google’s Spokesman said: "we remove infringing apps as soon as we become aware of them." Google's Developer Program Policies tells developers not to use "impersonation or deceptive behaviour" - although looking at the Play Store it would suggest this is repeatedly flouted.