Computer Support Blog

As the United States comes into another election year, political activism is once more on the rise.  But for those for whom politics is more than just an every-four-year event, new technologies are making their political activism more effective.  One of the relatively new technologies used by activists is the Short Message Service.  Among the various Short Message Services, Mobile Commons stands out for its effectiveness.

Mobile Commons is a marketing platform designed for smartphone users.  The Internet-based application acts as a social network that allows you to connect your smartphone to the smartphones of all of your friends.  Then, when you have an important issue that you need transmitted through your networks, the Mobile Commons application acts as a Short Message Service.  As an SMS, Mobile Commons helps transmit both messages – via the phone portion of your smartphone – and text documents to everyone with whom you have a relationship.

The benefit of the Mobile Commons application to political activists is almost self-evident.  As soon as you learn of an issue that affects the people in your network, you may inform them all simultaneously using Mobile Commons.  But as important, as a leader of a group, you may help guide the group to a specific course of action using Mobile Commons.  Using Mobile Commons, you may draft a form letter to your Representative or Senator (or any person you need to get a message to) and send it with your voice message.  As a result, within minutes of learning of a bill, news event or other political controversy, you and your entire network can spread the word and tell those people in power exactly what you want them to do!

Mobile Commons is not limited to just political activism in its usefulness as an application.  Large families may benefit from using Mobile Commons.  For example, if your large family is in the process of becoming even larger, Mobile Commons can be an invaluable tool.  You may use Mobile Commons to send everyone in your family network announcements about new births or other vital family events and attach photos of the new baby.  Using Mobile Commons, members of your family network may then spread the good news and pictures with people in their lives.

There are many applications that allow networking and sharing, but Mobile Commons puts it together in a very effective, easy-to-use platform that has a proven record of success.  That makes Mobile Connect very cool for activists and genuinely social people.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Most mobile phone networks run on traditional radio wave technology. But one emerging carrier plans to run on freedom. At least that’s what the carrier, Republic Wireless, is calling its mobile phone service plan. Republic Wireless is offering a plan that covers voice, text, and data for $19 a month. The plan offers unlimited talk, text, and Internet with no annual contract.

In a time where average mobile phone plans by T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon are roughly four times the price of Republic’s, it seems just too good to be true. Rest assured, it’s not. Republic is truly offering an unlimited plan for $19. Whether or not there’s a catch to all of this depends on how you feel about the technology that the carrier is employing to make this possible.

To bring down the costs of operation to a point that allows the company to offer a $19 unlimited, monthly, no-contract plan, Republic Wireless utilizes “Hybrid-Calling” technology that works by automatically switching to Wi-Fi to make calls, text, and surf the web whenever a wireless connection is available. When Wi-Fi is not accessible, Republic’s system automatically switches to traditional cellular service, and so on. When Republic users aren’t connected to a Wi-Fi network service, their phones switch to Sprint’s cellular service.

Because the carrier is just emerging, its services are still limited. The company refers to customers as members, which gives it a nice egalitarian feeling that the big four (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint) lack. Republic is slowly admitting new “members” to its ranks, but right now, available spots are limited. Interested users can subscribe to an announcement service on the carrier’s website that informs them when more spots become available.

To start using the service, users are required to enable at least one Wi-Fi network on their devices. This is where the nuances of the “unlimited” plan emerge. Republic users will have unlimited everything whenever they’re tapped into the Wi-Fi end of the hybrid service. According to the carrier’s website, even if users have 0% Wi-Fi usage, relying only on the cellular usage, they’re allowed approximately 550 minutes and 150 texts.

For some critics, this seems like a pretty serious catch, but Republic maintains that the plan is in fact unlimited for several reasons. The first is that given most people’s access to Wi-Fi, there won’t be that big of a need to switch to cellular. The second is that there are no actual overage fees. If members use too much cellular service, they receive several warnings. Eventually, users who do not comply with what Republic calls the “community fair use” threshold, get the boot.

If you’re ok with these guidelines, then it’s a pretty sweet deal. If you don’t think you’re around accessible Wi-Fi enough, then maybe Republic isn’t your best choice.

For now, Republic is only offering one, low-end Android phone, the LG Optimus with Android 2.3 “Gingerbread.” The initial cost is to join and get the phone is $199, though a special ongoing promo currently gets you the phone for $99.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

A new smartphone will thrill game system customers. Sony Ericsson launched Xperia Play recently, which acts both as a smartphone and as a game playing device. Gamers only need one device to play and talk while away from home.

Xperia Play runs the latest in Android technology, Gingerbread, giving customers the best technology to play games on small devices. Games and other applications perform well using a 1 gigahertz processor and an extra game processor. Images in the games are easy to see, and the colors are bright. The games also respond to control commands better than on most phones.

The most interesting part of the phone is how it physically adapts to allow gaming. The bottom half of the phone slides out for playing games and looks like a PlayStation control. Direction pads, control buttons, and pads in place of thumb sticks let gamers play as if at home. This game controller bottom makes the device bulky compared to other smartphones, but gives gamers a good hold while playing. The need for few devices excuses the larger size, as does the user’s hands not blocking the game view.

Six games come packaged on the phone already. Game titles include PlayStation favorites like Sims, Madden NFL 11 and Crash Bandicoot. The Xperia play does not offer PlayStation games exclusively. Different producers offer 60 titles for the Xperia. Sony Ericsson plans to increase the number to 150 game titles by the end of the year.

The process of getting new games on the phone will take time and some effort. Each game on Xperia Play must configure to fit into the processors used on the phone, so games cannot be transferred from other portable devices. Sony Ericsson assures game developers that existing mobile games can add the necessary support programming for the control pad easily.

Xperia Play also remembers to function as a phone. The actual telephone feature on the Xperia Play is a touchscreen system which behaves like most other Android smartphones. Sony Ericsson offers seven hours worth of talk time, or five hours worth of play time, before the battery needs recharging. Familiar applications like Twitter or Facebook links are still available for gamers who want to share scores.

Verizon Wireless started selling Xperia Play the last week of May for $199.99. Customers who like PlayStation and similar games will enjoy using the Xperia to continue the fun while away from the home game system. Sony Ericsson has added great gaming ability onto the networking capacity of the smartphone.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Verizon has become the first of the major U.S. carriers to announce pricing for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab.

In a somewhat surprising move, Verizon has priced the Tab at $600, just $30 less than the Apple iPad bundle the carrier will put on sale on October 28.

Neither device will require a contract with Verizon, allowing users to purchase the device on its own. Read more »

As long swirling rumors of a Verizon iPhone heat back up, Apple announced today that it has finally reached a partnership agreement with a carrier other than AT&T.

Staring later this month, Verizon retail stores will sell the Apple iPad.

The iPad will be both the first Apple product and the first tablet sold through Verizon stores when it hits shelves on October 28^th.  While this announcement is certain to add some fire to the iPhone rumors, the Apple-Verizon iPad partnership already seems like a victory for both sides. Read more »