3 Fun & Simple Phone Apps That Will Change The Way You Text Message

Text messaging – especially among the younger crowd – is probably the number one thing we use our phones for. Think about that for a second. We use our phones, which were designed for calling people, to send text-based messages instead. That’s not to say we don’t call anyone, but texting has become second nature to us. It’s very easy to do.
The way texting usually works is you would take out your phone, select all the recipients of your message, type it out and send it. Then you would get multiple replies and have basically the same conversation a few different times in order to coordinate your plans with the entire group. Well, that’s all about to change.

In this article, I’ll be unveiling three phone text messaging apps that have really been generating a lot of buzz lately. Each one offers a unique and interesting way to communicate via text message and they’re all free, so if you don’t have an unlimited SMS plan you can start saving some cash on your cell phone bill too.

 

Real-Time Texting With Kik

Kik Messenger is a free smartphone to smartphone messenger, not unlike BlackBerry’s Messenger. One of the things that makes it different, however, is that it is truly cross-platform. It will work on your iPhone, BlackBerry or Android device.

The best part about KIK (a popular misspelling of ‘LOL’) is the real-time messaging. You get free, unlimited cross-platform messaging to all Kik users and your text messages are turned into real-time conversations, meaning that you’ll know that your message has been sent and when it is read. Because this process is fast, Kik makes texting feel more like a face-to-face conversation.

If you’re too busy to read a new message, but don’t want your friends to feel ignored, Kik steps in and tells them that their message has been delivered but not yet read.
Kik Messenger also features push notifications, free cross border messaging, landscape typing, offline messages and – according to their website – it works worldwide. According to Kik, the next step is adding free (legal) music sharing.

Kik Messenger is the fastest, most reliable instant messenger that allows you to connect with your smartphone friends for free! Enjoy real-time conversations enabled by your data plan that you can use to talk to your friends all over the world. Say goodbye to texting!

Group Texting With GroupMe

GroupMe (directory app) allows you to create free texting chatrooms for your real-life friends. The way it
works is simple:

First, you start a group. This can be your family, college buddies, co-workers or really anything you want. When you start a group, you get a unique number for it. Save your group’s number to your contacts so you can get a hold of the group at any time. Once you’ve created your group, add contacts to it.

Then, start texting your group. All of your group’s contacts will be brought into a chatroom where you can all see the entire conversation. If you would prefer not to text, you can call your unique number to start an instant conference call. How cool is that?
GroupMe is said to work on any phone, but they do have an iPhone app for download.

Fun Team-Based Texting With Fast Society

While the previous two apps offer you fun ways to send text messages, I think this next app was designed specifically with the word fun in mind.
Fast Society (directory app) is another group texting application that is totally private and works with every phone on every carrier (in the US). It allows you to “create temporary teams of friends around fun events in your life.”

You start by choosing your team. You can choose a few friends or invite anyone, even those who don’t have the app. Then you pick a length of time for how long you would like your chat session to last. Temporary teams means no commitment, and because the session expires you won’t have to get a stray message the next day from someone who was “unconnected”.

Then, what happens next is up to you. You can start texting your team for a simple group chat via SMS, or call them for an instant conference call. Members of the team can also share their location with the group.

Have an iPhone? Fast Society has an iPhone app, but it also works on other phones, so head to the website.

Conclusion

I realize that these text messaging apps might not seem very “fun” at first glance, but I assure you once you start using them with your friends you will really start to get into it. Changing the way we text message is such an interesting dynamic to me, and judging from the current popularity of these applications I think it is something to keep an eye on.
If you’re interested in these apps, check out some other SMS tools.
What do you think of these apps? Will you be trying any of them with your friends?

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-fun-simple-phone-apps-change-text-message/

Send Text Messages for free over the Internet

10 Sites To Send Free Text Messages To Cell Phones (SMS)

posted on August 19, 2009 by Jack Cola

With SMS messages becoming a key utility in today’s modern world, we are finding ourselves sending more and more of them. But the telecommunications industry is charging a fairly high price on 160 characters. So what can we do about it? We can send SMS messages for free, or for a very low price by utilizing the magic power of the internet.

The only downside with this is that you have to be sitting in front of a computer, unless of course you have one of those hi-tech phones with internet capabilities.
So where are these free SMS services hiding? We’ll expose them now. Here are 10 great sites to send free text messages to cell phones (SMS).

txtDrop


txtDrop is a web-based text messaging service that lets you send free text messages to almost any mobile phone worldwide. Just enter your name, recipient’s mobile number and your message. No registration required.

txtDrop features

• Completely free of charge.
• Mac Dashboard widget: send text messages right from your desktop and receive replies to your messages via email.
• Vista Sidebar gadget: same features here, send text messages receive email replies
• Myspace widget: Let your profile visitors send you free text messages.
• iPhone support: Send free text messages from your iPhone @ www.txtdrop.com/iphone.

Go to txtDrop
- To send text messages within US and Canada (http://www.txtdrop.com/)
- To send text messages worldwide (http://www.txtdrop.net/)

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/txtdrop/

Textme2Day

Textme2Day is a website that lets you send free sms to any mobile from computer. It works for almost any almost any major cell phone provider in the world. There is no sign up or registration needed. Just type in the 10-digit-mobile number and select the carrier from drop down menu. Then enter your text message and click on “Send” button. Done!

See the list of supported mobile carriers below (worldwide):

Features:

• Send free sms to mobile phones from your PC.
• Send as many messages as you like. No limit.
• Supports almost all major cell phone providers worldwide.
• Message length limit: 140 characters
• No email or sign up needed.
• Similar free SMS sites: GizmoSMS and TxtDrop.

If your frequently communicate to your friends using text messaging youshould also check out our recent article on How To Send Email To Any Cell Phone (for Free).
Check out @ TextMe2Day @ www.textme2day.com

Yakedi

If you are anywhere but in Australia, unfortunately this service will not work for you. But if you are, Yakedi is absolutely the BEST free site to send SMS messages to Australian and New Zealand users. I have been using this site for years now. When I first joined, they offered unlimited free SMS messages. Unfortunately, they reduced it down to 10, now it is a steady 3 per day.
Pros

• You get the full 160 character for each SMS you send
• The messages come from your phone number and not someone else’s
• You have a contact list so you can select contacts
• Their is no advertisements in SMS messages. However, you do have the otion to include advertisements in your messages
• Since I have been using this service, they have not sent spam to my mobile phone, or to the people I send the text messages to
• The website has a nice, clean, professional design
• Ads are chosen based on surveys of your interest, so you know the ads are targeted towards you
• Ads are from known corporations (could be a pro or a con)
• All messages are kept in your message log so you can keep track of what you have sent (and how much money you have saved)
• You have the ability to earn more free text messages through competitions and email promotions
• You can change your mobile number anytime
• SMS messages take roughly 5 seconds to receive

Cons

• This service can only send SMS messages to Australian and New Zealand numbers
• By default, you can only send 3 SMS messages per day, unless you have won more from promotions
• They are starting to introduce email promotion = a little bit of spam in your inbox (1-2 a month)
• There is a four step process to send your SMS. (1. Send SMS, 2. select recipient, 3. Write text message, 4. Confirm message)

Final Say
If you live in Australia and New Zealand, this is the best site for you to send free text messages to cell phones on a daily basis.

GizmoSMS

The good thing about GizmoSMS is that you can send free text messages to any number world-wide. You do not even have to sign up or have a mobile phone number. It is just a web-based form. But without signing up, the mobile number it is from will not be yours and you only get 80 characters.
GizmoSMS is great if you want to send a message or a note to someone who may be overseas. It is quick and easy. If you want a bit more features, you should have a look at Gizmo5 SMS.

SMS Pup

A friend referred me to this program, however, it is not as good as Yakedi as you will see why in the pros and cons.
Pros

• Contains an phone book
• Messages come from your number
• SMS messages take roughly 5 seconds to receive
• Contains a number of other services
• You can schedule your SMS messages
• Provides a number of ways to send free text messages to cell phones such as through the web, email and allows you to turn English text into SMS slang

Con’s

• You have to do a one minute survey before you can start using the service, which gives you 5 free sms messages
• SMS may contain ads
• If your email has a “˜.’ in it, it won’t allow you to sign up
• You only get 136 characters, which means the rest are advertisements (Free sms message by SMSPup.com)
• Unless you want your email inbox to increase, with surveys and advertisments, don’t sign up with an email address you regularly use.

Final Say
Unless you want to do surveys all the time, SPSPup is OK. It still can’t beat Yakedi.

SMSFun

SMSFun not only allows you to send free SMS messages but you also join part of a community. You have access to forums, User Profiles and Useful Tools such as number lookups.
Pros

• You can send SMS messages from email
• Allows you to look up premium numbers to see what they are
• A community based service, which allows profiles
• Has premium SMS services
• If you need more SMS messages, you can upgrade to a Gold Subscription for $2 per week which allows you access to more features on the website

Con’s

• A lot of ads, and a few raunchy user pictures
• Signup process is a bit lengthy
• Have to earn free SMS messages
• You may want to stay away from Premium SMS services that SMSFun offers

Final Say
If you just want to send free SMS messages without all the other features that SMS fun offers, then I would go with Yakedi or SMSPup. Nevertheless, if you want to join part of a community, fill out surveys and earn free text messages that way, you can’t go past this website.

Text4Free

Text4Free allows you to send free SMS messages to most countries world-wide. The only downside is that you may have to know your recipient’s cell phone provider, otherwise recipients may be charged.

A Few Others

Web2msg ““ You do not need to register and you get 140 characters. This service is only for Australian users,  but it is a quick and free way to send a free text message to a mate.
SendSMSNow ““ You can send a free SMS to selected countries only. Registration is now free.
FreebieSMS ““ You need to register your number and your friends number and email address to be able to send a free SMS message.
Mobik ““ I have not had any experience with them.   Maybe you have and you can tell us a bit about them?

Clickatell

If you want to set up your own SMS website service, then you should have a look at Clickatell. They allow you to develop and integrate your own SMS service on your website. If that is not your thing, you can download a desktop application to send cheap SMS messages world-wide.
If you want to send cheap SMS messages using your computer, it is best to use Clickatell. Any problems, just send them an email, as they have 24/7 online help.

A word of caution

As with any website, please read their terms and conditions, and Privacy Policy before entering any personal information. Remember that these sites make their money by advertisements and possibly selling your personal information to third parties. What I suggest is to buy a $2 SIM card to try them out first, just in case they do spam your mobile number, or steal some credit. When testing these services, I have not had these issues yet.
So make sure you read these pages first before using these services:
Yakedi : T&C, Privacy Policy
SMSPup: T&C, Privacy Policy
SMS Fun: T&C, Privacy Policy
Do you use a website to send free text messages to cell phones? If you do, please share in the comments. If you have used such a service, and it has been a scam, please also let us know and our readers.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-sites-to-send-free-text-messages-to-cell-phones-sms/

Check What Your Computer is Connecting To

Has your internet connection become slower than it should be? There may be a chance that you have some malware, spyware, or adware that is using your internet connection in the background without your knowledge. Here’s how to see what’s going on under the hood.
Secret Squirrel by akumath

How to Check What Your Computer is Connecting To

So, how do you find out what the problem is? There is an easy method using the netstat command from a command prompt window. This works with Windows 7, Vista, and XP. If you’re still using XP, make sure you are running at least Service Pack 2.
We will use the netstat command to generate a list of everything that has made an internet connection in a specified amount of time. To use the netstat command, you must run the command prompt window as administrator. Open the Start menu and enter “cmd.exe” in the Search box. When the results display, right-click on cmd.exe and select Run as administrator from the popup menu.

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.

At the command prompt, type the following command and press Enter.

netstat -abf 5 > activity.txt

The –a option shows all connections and listening ports, the –b option shows you what application is making the connection, and the –f option displays the full DNS name for each connection option for easier understanding of where the connections are being made to. You can also use the –n option if you wish to only display the IP address. The 5 option will poll every 5 seconds for connections to make it more easy to track what is going on, and the results are then piped into the activity.txt file.
Wait about two minutes and then press Ctrl + C to stop the recording of data.

Once you’ve finished recording data, you can simply open the activity.txt file in your favorite editor to see the results, or you can type activity.txt at the command line to open it in Notepad.
The resulting file will list all processes on your computer (browsers, IM clients, email programs, etc.) that have made an internet connection in the last two minutes, or however long you waited before pressing Ctrl + C. It also lists which processes connected to which websites.
If you see process names or website addresses with which you are not familiar, you can search for “what is (name of unknown process)” in Google and see what it is. It may be a system function you don’t know about or a function of one of your running programs. However, if it seems like a bad site, you can use Google again to find out how to get rid of it.

Using CurrPorts to Check What Your PC is Connecting To

You can also use a free tool, called CurrPorts, to display a list of all currently opened TCP/IP and UDP ports on your local computer. It is a portable program and doesn’t need to be installed. To use it, extract the .zip file you downloaded (see the link at the end of this article) and run cports.exe.
For each port that CurrPorts lists, information about the process that opened the port is displayed. You can select connections and close them, copy a port’s information to the clipboard or save it to an HTML file, an XML file, or a tab-delimited text file. You can reorder the columns displayed on the CurrPorts main window and in the files you save. To sort the list by a specific column, simply click on the header of that column.

CurrPorts runs under Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. There is a separate download of CurrPorts for 64-bit versions of Windows. You can find more information about CurrPorts and how to use it on the website listed below.
Download CurrPorts from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/cports.html.

Source:  http://www.howtogeek.com/98601/easily-monitor-your-computers-internet-connection-activity/

Apps for Free Calls to Regular Phones

January 27, 2011, 2:11 pm

Appendix: Apps for Free Calls to Regular Phones

In my Times column today, I tackled the complex and rapidly shifting topic of free Internet phone calls. I pointed out that these so-called VOIP apps (for ‘voice over Internet Protocol’) generally offer poor sound quality, audio delays and longer connection times — but they can save you a ton of money.

The Times’s technology columnist, David Pogue, keeps you on top of the industry in his free, weekly e-mail newsletter.
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I reviewed a bunch of apps (Google Voice, Skype, Line2 and so on) in the column. But in the hours since the column was posted online, readers have flooded my in-box to let me know about some other options. In some cases, these additional apps disprove my thesis that “there’s still no app that offers all three of these elements: free calls, to regular phone numbers, from your cellphone.”
Here, then, is an appendix to today’s column.

* Talkatone. This free app takes some effort to set up. Its purpose is fairly confusing (“an iPhone application for chatting, calling, and location sharing”). The interface is confusing, too — it looks more like a chat program than a phone app.
But once you wade through the complexity, you find out that Talkatone lets your iPhone achieve that Holy Grail: free phone calls, to regular phone numbers, from your cellphone (when you’re in a Wi-Fi hot spot).
It works by tapping into a Google Voice account, which you have to get and set up. It uses the free calling feature that’s part of a Gmail account, which you also have to set up. But once that’s done, it’s true: free calls when you’re on Wi-Fi. Download and enjoy!

* netTALK. Several readers pointed out this iPhone app. It, too, requires more tech setup than the average non-techie is likely to understand — when you open the program, the first thing you see is an error message that says, “netTALK requires a valid SIP account.” And it doesn’t provide any information on what that is or how to get one.
But once that’s all plugged in, readers say, you wind up with the same effect: an iPhone that uses no carrier minutes when you make calls from a WiFi hot spot.

* Google Voice. This one’s fascinating. I noted in the column that Google Voice lets you make free calls to any phone number — from your computer, but not your cellphone. Several readers pointed out, though, that you can also make free domestic calls from your landline phone. (You dial your own Google Voice number, then press 2 for “Make a call.”) Of course, not that many people pay per minute for long distance on their home phones anymore, but this option is here if you need it. Details are here.

* Whistle Phone. This iPhone app, too, requires an SIP account (SIP is an Internet-calling technology) — but at least it helps you create one. You have to submit a lot of personal information to get the account, and you have to listen to a quick ad every time you place a call. But yes, it works — free calls over Wi-Fi.
Readers also pointed out that there are hardware boxes, like magicJack and Ooma, that let you make Internet calls from home. MagicJack is now offering software called magicTalk that lets you make free calls to numbers in the United States and Canada from your computer. And there are services like JaJah, which create free calls over the Internet by requesting the number you’re dialing, then hanging up, then calling both you and your callee simultaneously from the middle. Crazy, and still more complicated than regular calls, but it works.
As I noted in the column, don’t expect much in the way of tech support when you use these apps. And in many cases you’re stuck with one number for text messaging, and a second number (your free one) for calls. Often, you’re stuck with two separate address books, too. Clearly, this industry is in its confusing, chaotic infancy.

But in the end, I’ll have to sheepishly admit that I was wrong: there are indeed apps that let you make free Wi-Fi calls to any domestic phone number from your cellphone — if you can live with a stack of footnotes.
In an earlier version of this post the name of Jajah, an Internet-calling service, was misspelled.

Source: http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/appendix-apps-for-free-calls-to-regular-phones/ 

5 Best BitTorrent Search Engines

posted on March 14, 2011 by Nancy Messieh

Whether they are specialized sites searching for films, music or TV shows, or torrent results are accompanied by invaluable information including verification, each of these sites have something unique to offer. These sites don’t just make it easy to search for and find torrents, they’re a great resource for finding interesting files, movies and TV shows if you’re looking for something to keep you entertained.

TorrentButler

TorrentButler is a great torrent search engine if you’re looking for a film to watch, but don’t have a specific movie in mind. You can browse the latest, most popular, or the newest torrents from the homepage, and can limit the results to HD videos only. You can also browse films by a specific genre.

Each entry is accompanied by a plot summary, cast list, and a YouTube Trailer.

Clicking on the green Torrents button reveals the torrents available for download, accompanied by the number of seeds and file size, with two separate lists for High and Standard Definition.

If you want to see more info on each torrent, click the information button to the left and you will be taken to the torrent’s original page on The Pirate Bay.

EZTV

No list of bit torrent search engines would be complete without EZTV. If you’re looking for the latest TV shows on both British and American TV, EZTV is the go-to site to get your fix.

The home page is updated on a daily basis, with links to the latest torrents from the previous night’s TV lineup.

Searching for specific TV shows will take you to the show’s main page, where you can find the latest torrents, available from 6 mirrors including The Pirate Bay, BT-Chat and Torrage. With shows that have been on the air for several years, only the last 5 or 6 seasons are available on EZTV. Each show is additionally accompanied by a plot summary and the latest mentions in entertainment news.

f EZTV is down, as tends to happen every now and then, you can always keep up with them through their Twitter account.

Fenopy

Fenopy is a torrent search engine with eight categories of files. You can search for movies, music, TV shows, books, games, applications or anime.

Each torrent is accompanied by standard details such as file list, ratio of seeders to leechers, and file size.

Fenopy sets itself apart from other similar torrent search engines with a few special features. Where available, files are accompanied by previews, meaning you can hear a snippet of an MP3, listen to the audio from a video file or even preview a PDF before downloading the torrent.

In addition to previews, a large majority of the files are marked either as verified torrents, or alternatively as fake. With Fenopy you don’t have to waste your time downloading a file that turns out to be a dud. With Fenopy you can also choose to browse verified torrents only.

Coda.fm

For music buffs, Coda.fm is a great choice for searching for torrents. Browse the latest releases, popular artists, genres or search for the music you want to download. Like TorrentButler, Coda.fm is a good source for music if you don’t have any specific music in mind that you’re searching for.

Coda.fm makes it easy to discover new music. When searching for any given artist, it will list other similar artists that you might like. While the site does feature the latest albums, some of the artist pages do need updating to include them on the same page.

Albus are accompanied by a review, as well as torrent details such as the seeder/leecher ratio.

In addition, the entry is accompanied by a complete track list, artist bio and their other albums.

Cinema Torrents

Cinema Torrents is another solid choice for searching for films. Whether you know which film you want to download, or are looking for something interesting to watch, Cinema Torrents has you covered. The site has its own weekly picks, as well as a list of the hottest movies available for download.

The site isn’t just limited to the latest movies available, featuring films from the seventies and eighties as well. Each film is accompanied by its IMDB rating, Cinema Torrents rating, as well as other information just as rating and length, and a short plot summary.

Each film is accompanied by a list of available torrents, and at a quick glance you can also see the quality of each torrent, including DVD and cam, whether or not the torrent is verified and the seeders to leechers ratio.

Also be sure to check out the following posts:
Torrent Search Helps You Find Torrent Files Quickly & Easily
Top 6 Alternatives to Pirate Bay Downlaods
Top Torrent Search Engine for All Torrent Downloaders
What are your favourite bit torrent search engines? Let us know in the comments.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-bit-torrent-search-engines/

Find That Rare Torrent Quickly & Easily With Omega Torrent Search

posted on April 5, 2011 by Steve Campbell

its alternatives have fallen by way of the courts it hasn’t been so easy to find quality torrents, especially ones that are rare to begin with.

Omega Torrent Search, or Torrent Omega, is one such way to reduce this. Before, if you were looking for a hard to find torrent file you used to have to visit every decent site you knew and search them one by one. With Torrent Omega, you save considerable time because the surfing you used to do by hand is done automatically for you using the website.

As you can see when you first head over to Torrent Omega’s website, the layout is pretty basic. You can type your query in the search box, which is the easiest way to find what you’re looking for, or you can click on the Search Cloud link to view a list of recent searches, or the Popular Torrents link to see a list of the most popular torrent queries.


When you run a search, Torrent Omega will search all of the popular torrent sites out there and display the results from each on a single page. From there you can compare, click through the link to go to a specific listing, or click the download arrow to directly download the torrent file.

There is also an advanced page where you can de-select any of the torrent engines you do not wish to search, as well as set a maximum number of results per search engine. Lastly, there is a Links page that has resources to different sites based on several categories. There’s very little there at the moment, so if you know of any interesting links that should be listed there send them some!

Another good way to search for torrents, as provided by Justin back in September, is the aptly named Torrent Search, so I invite you to check out that service as well.

How Do I Download Torrent Files?

Once you locate and download the types of torrent files you’re looking for, you’re going to need a way to open them so you can begin downloading the actual files listed inside of them. In other words, you’re going to need a torrent client.
There are a lot of great torrent clients out there but for the sake of argument I’ll just give you my favorite one: uTorrent. I recommend uTorrent because it’s lightweight, easy to use, and overall it’s the best client I’ve seen.
You can grab a copy of uTorrent here. Once you become familiar with the application, you can start doing things that are a bit more tricky, like remotely controlling uTorrent downloads from your Android. You may also be interesting in learning how to speed up torrent downloads and using RSS feeds to download torrents automatically.

Conclusion

As I feel obligated to say this, I’d like to openly state that MakeUseOf does not condone the use of torrenting for illegal purposes. That is to say, we do not support the use of these websites and applications for the downloading of copyrighted works. Having said that, there are a lot of perfectly legal torrent files out there for you to enjoy, so go ahead and see what you can find.
Do you have a website or application that you’re partial to when it comes to torrenting? Feel free to share it with us in the comments!

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-rare-torrent-quickly-easily-omega-torrent-search/

Gs & LTEs: Understanding Mobile Broadband

Gs & LTEs: Understanding Mobile Broadband [Technology Explained]

posted on July 12, 2011 by Matt Smith

Today, that’s not always the case. Mobile broadband is becoming ubiquitous in major urban centers, and usually available in towns of moderate population and near major transportation hubs. There are many different kinds of mobile broadband, however – and it’s not always clear how they work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mobile Broadband Basics

Although there are different technologies used to bring mobile broadband to you, there is one particular technology that forms the basis of them all – radio.

Your device receives signals from a nearby tower, and beams a signal back. Information is transferred in much the same way as it would be transferred between your home wireless router and a laptop computer with 802.11 WiFi, although the scale is obviously much different. Obviously, this means you’ll enjoy the prime advantage of all wireless communications standards – mobility. You can use your mobile broadband device while walking around town or visiting a friend’s house.
The disadvantages are present as well, however. Mobile broadband signals are subject to interference from obstacles and other signals. The power and frequency of the signal makes obstructions less of an issue, but it’s still there. Also, a reduction in signal quality might increase latency and will usually reduce bandwidth, so while mobile broadband may quote a certain maximum, your device’s ability to reach it will vary depending on your location.

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Learning the Language – 3G, 4G & Beyond

Radio may be the basis of all mobile broadband, but it’s rarely referenced by that antiquated term (this is the 21st century, after all!). Instead, exciting new abbreviations have been invented.
Most common among these are 3G and 4G. These terms represent new standards of wireless technology set down by the International Telecommunication Union. In the case of 3G, the standard calls for a peak data rate of at least 200 kbit/s.  According to ITU standards, 4G technology requires a 1 Gbit/s connect for devices like smartphones.
If you own a 4G device, this fact might have you scratching your head. After all, you can buy 4G capable devices right now, but they don’t offer bandwidth anywhere near 1 Gbit/s. That’s a great point, and it’s true that those devices don’t actually meet the original requirements of 4G. The service is substantially quicker than 3G, however, so the 4G label is slapped on as a marketing tool to make it easy for consumers to know the difference. The ITU has officially stated that it has no problem with this.
An acronym that’s recently become popular, and will be only more common in the future, is LTE. This stands for Long Term Evolution, and it’s used because it’s a standard that is being revised over time with the goal of meeting the 4G standard set down by the ITU (the technical name for this is 3GPP Long Term Evolution). Arguably, the term 4G LTE is a bit of an oxymoron – compliance with 4G standards is the goal of LTE, but it’s not there yet.

WiMax – The Underdog

The prevalence of the terms 3G and 4G LTE are due to their adoption by some of the world’s largest mobile networks. With hundreds of millions of smartphones already in the world, it’s no surprise that the marketing of companies like Verizon Wireless are capable of keeping these terms in the public mind.
There is another important mobile broadband technology, however, and that’s WiMax. This is a standard developed by the IEEE, the same body responsible for the 802.11 b/g/n standards and also wired communications such as FireWire. Currently, WiMax can achieve about 40 Mbit/s in optimal conditions.
WiMax has been used in various locations across the globe as a means of providing mobile broadband to laptops and even desktops. Here in Portland, Oregon, consumers can subscribe to Clear Wireless, which provides wireless broadband Internet that is intended for us both at home and around town. WiMax is also sometimes used in areas where wireless deployment is more cost effective than and nearly as reliable as wired communications, such as the American Midwest and Great Plains area.
Although quick, WiMax is not compatible with 3G/4G LTE, so it’s unlikely to become dominant. You’ll need different modems to use WiMax and 4G LTE with a mobile device. This can be a bit confusing for consumers, because WiMax provides like Clear often refer to their service as 4G as well.

Conclusion – The Remaining Constellation

Currently, 3G/4G and WiMax are the most popular forms of mobile broadband communication. However, there are other standards. Other, less common standards include iBurst, HiperMAN and WiBro. These are a viable option in some regions of the world.
Although I hope that this has provided a good introduction to mobile broadband as it exists today, I want readers to come away with one lesson – don’t be seduced by the terminology. The label slapped on a service – be it 4G LTE or WiMax – doesn’t guarantee the service’s speed. As 4G LTE itself proves, companies can and do play fast-and-loose with the standards.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/gs-ltes-understanding-mobile-broadband-technology-explained/

Firefox Add-In: HTTPS Everywhere

HTTPS Everywhere: Fend Off Firesheep With Freebie from EFF and Tor Project

By Preston Gralla, PCWorld    Nov 26, 2010 3:19 PM

The Web is an insecure place and getting more insecure all the time. The latest threat, the Firesheep add-in for Firefox, is particularly dangerous because it is exceedingly simple to use. Someone with absolutely no hacking experience can grab your private login information to sites such as Facebook and Amazon, and then log in as you and do anything they want, as if they were you. The free Firefox add-in HTTPS Everywhere helps protect against that threat and other privacy invaders by effectively encrypting information when you visit certain Web sites.
The Firefox add-in HTTPS Everywhere lets you choose at which specific Web sites you want protection.
A collaboration between the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Tor Project (which employs a network and free software to help protect people's privacy), HTTPS Everywhere ensures that when you visit certain sites, all of your communications are encrypted and secure.
To use it, all you need to do is install it. Once you do that, HTTPS Everywhere does its work invisibly. Among the sites it works on are Facebook, Twitter, Google Search, Wikipedia, Paypal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and others. It works only when the sites themselves use the HTTPS protocol, and works only on a group of specific sites. So it won't protect you everywhere. And it won't protect you when you use other Internet services, such as an instant messaging client, or use client-based email such as Outlook.
For a more comprehensive security tool, you'll want to use a Virtual Private Network, such as the free Hotspot Shield, or the for-pay AlwaysVPN. But for quick-and-easy free protection at popular Web sites, HTTPS Everywhere is a great choice.

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Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/211703/https_everywhere_fend_off_firesheep_with_freebie_from_eff_and_tor_project.html