Google adds Android enterprise features to Google Apps

We imagine that RIM is cringing after last week's release of enhanced enterprise capability for the Android OS. Google has added new features for both Google Apps for Business and Google Apps for Education customers, which should make Android an even more competitive enterprise option.

First of all, the enterprise upgrade will add lost device location. The administrator can then change the device's PIN and password remotely. Secondly, the admin will be able to remotely encrypt the device, should there be a sudden impending security concern.

And thirdly, users will be able to search the Google Apps administrator's directory, and use those contacts just like they were saved on their own device.

source: Google Enterprise Blog via MobileBurn

Harman releases the JBL On Air Wireless speaker dock with AirPlay

While there are already speaker docks available that take advantage of your iPhone's AirPlay capability, there aren't any like this one. The JBL On Air Wireless speaker dock includes a color LCD screen on the system, which displays album art and track info like on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

You can control your music via an included IR remote, the physical buttons on the dock, or via a free remote control app from Apple.

In addition to being compatible with AirPlay, there is also a classic 30-pin dock for charging your device, and using the system when you're without a wireless network.

But it's not just an iOS speaker. The On Air Wireless system also has an FM radio and dual alarms. And the sound isn't bad either. It uses "Three advanced JBL transducers in a unique HALO (horizontal acoustic level optimization) configuration" to give rich and uniform sound dispersal in any space.

The JBL On Air Wireless speaker dock retails for US$349 from Harman's website (see below), but is currently on backorder.

source: Harman via CNET

Sprint's landing page places attention on the HTC EVO 3D, View 4G, and more

The cat has been long out of the bag for some time, especially when the majority of Sprint’s upcoming devices were unveiled during CTIA 2011, but now they’re all being corralled together on Sprint’s special landing page.

Placed together on their “All. Together. Now” page, the HTC EVO 3D, EVO View 4G, Kyocera Echo, and Google Nexus S 4G are now being showcased for anyone to see. Specifically, you can read up on all of their specs and special features, and even more, they’ve got 360 degree models to give you a meticulous look at the devices from all angles. From the looks of it all, these four devices are going to be the ones to drive Sprint’s business for the good majority of the year.

So if you really want to get up close and personal with any of these device, you’d better point your web browser to the web site to experience them for yourself. In any event, which device are you looking forward to the most?

source: Sprint via Android Central

Cases for the Motorola XOOM begin to arrive at Sprint stores - indicating the inevitable

It was approximately close to a month ago when we first feasted our eyes on a Motorola XOOM with Sprint’s branding on it, but yet, we’re still at a lost as to when this device will launch. Even more, Sprint has kept a relatively low profile surrounding this device that’s expected to run off Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network.

Today though, it seems that some Sprint stores nationwide are beginning to receive shipments on cases for the Motorola XOOM. In fact, one individual managed to snap a photo of the would be case that’s expected to protect the premium tablet. Additionally, a screen shot of Sprint’s inventory reveals a SKU number given to a protective case for the XOOM and is priced at $44.99 – which is a good indicator that the tablet is definitely coming at this point.

Even though the arrival of these cases pretty much confirm the tablet’s existence, we’re still in the dark regarding an official launch date for this one – still, it shouldn’t be long at this point.

source: BGR

iPhone 5 production starting in September?

More than any other device, the Apple iPhone attracts rumors. We recently heard from two Korean carriers that the iPhone 5 would be announced and released in late June, but that timeline sounds unrealistic at best. Now, Avian Securities has offered a more realistic estimate of the next iPhone's arrival.

The Avian Securities memo says that "yet another key component supplier indicates that production for iPhone 5 will begin in September. This is consistent with Avian findings in the supply chain in recent months and we believe the consensus view is moving towards this scenario."

Production beginning in September sounds far more realistic, putting the release date in late 2011, in time for the holidays, or in early 2012. While it might seem odd for Apple to go without an iPhone release in 2011, it makes sense when considering the CDMA iPhone 4. While it wasn't a truly new device, it carried the same function for Apple's bottom line.

In the same memo, Avian Securities also touches on the possibility of a lower-end iPhone: "our conversations also indicate the existence of a lower-spec/lower-priced iPhone in Apple's roadmap. However, while our contacts have seen the placeholder in the Apple roadmap, they do not yet have insight into specs or production timing."

So that might mean that there is a top secret low-end iPhone in the works, or it might mean that Apple is merely considering it. Perhaps they want to make suppliers aware of the possibility, so they can't complain about short notice.

source: Business Insider

Staples is now accepting pre-orders for the BlackBerry PlayBook on their web site

If you’ve held off from buying recent respectable tablets like the Motorola XOOM and Apple iPad 2 just because you want to experience something totally different, then you’ll probably be happy knowing that we’re nearing the launch of the highly anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook.

Naturally, we’re one step closer to that inevitable time because Staples has just given the green lights for pre-orders on the tablet through its web site. Listed at $499 with anticipated shipping dates between April 18th and 20th, you can utterly feel that the time is nearing for this one to finally land in the palm of your hands.

Precisely entering the thick of battle with some other respected tablets looming in the near future, it’ll be interesting to see how the BlackBerry PlayBook will compete in this already competitive market. Nonetheless, its $499 pricing will undoubtedly attract some people since it doesn’t necessarily come off as something that's too much of a costly investment.

source: Staples via Mobileburn

Russia's Samsung Star II Duos C6712 is coming in May with dual-SIM support

We’ve already seen how various wireless carriers have re-branded the Samsung Star II to fit their unique exquisiteness, but now it’s time for Russia to be graced with their very own variant.

This time around though, the motherland of Russia will be graced with the Samsung Star II Duos C6712 which is basically the Star II in every shape and form. However, what separates this one from everything else out there is that it’ll offer dual-SIM support – so you can have two phone numbers associated with the phone. Moreover, it features a 3.2” WQVGA touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, 1,200 mAh battery, Bluetooth 3.0, and TouchWiz 3.0.

In terms of release, this one will be riding in some time in the May time frame with the modest price of 6,990 rubles – which converts over to approximately $250; which isn’t too bad for a dual-SIM handset.

via Samsung Hub

Samsung GALAXY Pro goes on sale through Three UK for free on-contract

Taking the slightly more low key approach versus some of its brothers and sisters, the Samsung GALAXY Pro is now available for purchase with Three UK.

The portrait style QWERTY smartphone sporting Android 2.2 Froyo can now be picked up for free on-contract with plans starting at £20 per month. Moreover, you can forgo signing any agreements seeing that you can still snatch one for a reasonable £149.99 (245) on a pay-as-you-go plan. Still, it’s definitely refreshing to see a portrait QWERTY handset from another manufacturer aside from the few out of Motorola’s camp.

Not the most impressive device out of Samsung’s stable, the Samsung GALAXY Pro features a 2.8” QVGA touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera, 800MHz processor, 3G, Wi-Fi, and a 3.5mm headset jack. So if you tire of all those landscape QWERTY sliders out there, you can change things up by picking up the Samsung GALAXY Pro.

source: Three UK via Eurodroid

Sprint's new ad focuses on unlimited service as CEO Dan Hesse sits it out

These are some trying times for Sprint. Left behind in the AT&T merger with T-Mobile (which still requires regulatory approval, of course), the carrier had placed a bet that CEO Dan Hesse could be the face of the company and help sell consumers on Sprint's lineup of phones and services. But the nation's third largest carrier appears to be switching things up with its new ads.

Sprint's new focus appears to be on its unlimited plan. With Hesse sent off to sit on the bench, the commercials show that with Sprint's unlimited plan, the user no longer has to worry about overages and won't have to guesstimate how many bytes a video or a web page will be. And in the background playing is the Lennon-McCartney penned All Together Now, which happens to be the tag line of the ad.

As the other carriers start bringing out words like "Throttling" and moving away from unlimited packages, this is the area where Sprint really has an advantage over the competition. The question is whether or not an unlimited pricing plan can compete against the hot new dual-core models that other carriers will soon be offering. Of course, Sprint has its own dual-core model upcoming, the Sprint EVO 3D, and together with the unlimited pricing plan, these two could brighten the skies around the carrier.

source: IntoMobile

HTC Touch Pro2 receives a surprising system stability update

Coming out of left field out of nowhere, the venerable HTC Touch Pro2 is once again making some headlines over some of the contemporary handsets out there because it just received a surprising software update.

Indeed considered past its prime, the aging last generation Windows Mobile smartphone is still kicking and beating, even now that the HTC 7 Pro has arrived, as the QWERTY based handset is getting a minor stability update. From the looks of it all, there isn’t much going on with it except for the fact that it simply “enhances the system stability.” Aside from that small tidbit, there is nothing else known about it since an official change-log is not available.

Regardless of that, we’d guess that there are still many people out there in the world holding dearly to their HTC Touch Pro2 – which could still easily contend with most devices out there today.

source: HTC via Pocket Now

Apple's iOS 4.3.2 upgrade will fix issues with the Verizon version of the iPad 2

As we recently reported, those using Verizon's version of the Apple iPad 2 have had some problems connecting to Big Red's 3G network. In a textbook case of how things get done in this age of always being connected, those with the buggy version of the tablet complained about it on Apple's discussion forum. Apple employees apparently read the forum, investigated the problem, and according to sources for BGR, have included the necessary bug fixes on iOS 4.3.2 which will be disseminated by the Cupertino based firm in the next week or two.

The upgraded OS will include a fix for a Face Time bug and will improve WebKit security among other minor repairs. The connectivity problem is forcing some Verizon users of the iPad 2 to completely reset the tablet using iTunes which is a time consuming pain in the you-know-where.

source: BGR

While the link pictured above is for the Apple iPhone, iOS 4.3.2 for the iPad 2 is expected to repair some bugs on the Verizon version of the tablet

A new Layar for your smartphone will make Augmented Reality easier to use

A new update for the Layar Augmented Reality app is available for Apple iPhone (iOS 4.0 or higher) and Android users. Version 5.0 has been in beta testing since February and brings you information layered on top of what you see from your phone's camera.

This year, Layar is aiming to make Augmented Reality useful for smartphone users. The company's Raimo Van der Klein said, "This year we are continuing to look for more ways to bring augmented reality into people’s everyday lives. With today’s new version, we’re able to take a huge step closer towards that goal by giving users the chance to discover exciting new content and share cool layers and augmented screenshots with friends." Layar users will be able to pass along interesting screenshots via Twitter and Facebook. In addition, Layar 5.0 will bring an improved UI and certain layers will now have animated content.

While Layar 5.0 is available now from the App Store and the Android Market, those using the app on a smartphone powered by Symbian will not be able to access the new features. The company hopes to have the updated version of Layar available soon for the OS.

source: AllThingsDigital

The updated Layar 5.0 is now available for the Apple iPhone and Android users; it brings a new UI with sharing features and some animated content

Google provides promotions & deals for check-ins with Latitude

In its never ending attempt to attract users to its location based social networking aspects of Google Latitude, Google has just added some new features that will surely provide some incentives to using their service over the competition.

Even though Foursquare currently offers a similar program, Google is now making available a variety of promotions and discounts to its Google Latitude users. In fact, they’re going full speed ahead with this one since they’ve landed deals with popular national retailers such as Arby’s, Quizno’s, RadioShack, and American Eagle Outfitters.

Essentially, Android and iPhone users can check-in to any to these participating stores in Google Latitude and receive some deals – such as coupons or discounts. Of course, there are some achievements given out if you happen to check-in to locations frequently; like being rewarded the “Regulars,” “VIP,” and “Guru” statuses. And naturally, businesses can go beyond by concocting their own unique rankings and rewards.

So if you happen to shop at these location more time often than none, you might want to check-in using Google Latitude and receive some special deals – and the more times you check-in, the better the rewards.

source: Google Lat Long Blog via Mobileburn

Bloomberg Businessweek now available by subscription for the Apple iPad

Sure, there's a lot of fun things you can do with the Apple iPad, but businessmen can also find many useful ways to use the tablet. Now, the pinstriped set has another reason to carry the iPad with them. Bloomberg has announced that their venerable Businessweek magazine will be available for reading over Apple's tablet starting now. The weekly magazine joins other publications with iPad apps like Popular Science, Maxim and Elle.

The Businessweek app is free and comes with one trial issue of the magazine. $2.99 buys you a 4-issue digital subscription. And if you already have a subscription to the print edition, you will receive the digital version for free.

Bloomberg Businessweek for iPad will allow the user to search for a topic from all downloaded issues, re-size fonts and share articles with your friends and fellow businessmen through Twitter, Facebook or through e-mail. The weekly issue can be downloaded each Thursday evening at 10pm Eastern time or later. 

source: AppleInsider

Phones 4U lands a deal for the LG Optimus 3D with a white paint job

There is no hiding it at this point, but devices donning white paint jobs are increasingly becoming the color of choice for some people. We’ve seen numerous devices end up sporting the pristine looking paint job, but the device that’s taking things to a whole new dimension is gearing up to do the same.

Apparently, Phones 4u has managed to land a deal with LG to offer the LG Optimus 3D covered in that oozing color of white in the UK only. Granted that we now find a page strictly for the white LG Optimus 3D that boasts all of its specs, we’re nowhere close to knowing exactly when this thing is expected to land aside from the notion of it arriving in “the coming months.” Nevertheless, it’ll surely still be a prized handset thanks partly to its no-glasses required 3D display.

Of course, if you simply can’t wait for the LG Optimus 3D in white, you can just decide to pick up the regular black version when it arrives – and be one of the first to experience 3D goodness on a modern smartphone.

source: Phones 4u via Pocket-lint

Asus Eee Pad Transformer costs $620 in the UK, to ship on April 18

Amazon UK has made the 16GB version of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer available for pre-order for $620 (£379.99). Its launch date in Britain is listed as April 18, and you can also buy a docking station along with the tablet - it turns the Asus Eee Pad Transformer into a full-fledged laptop. The combined price of the tab and the docking station is $702.

It's not known when the tablet will be offered in the States, although it briefly appeared on Best Buy and Newegg - that's, before it was suddenly removed from their sites. Nevertheless, it's interesting to note the Asus Eee Pad Transformer was priced at $399 by these US retailers, which sounds like a bargain for a tablet powered by a 1GHz Tegra 2 processor and Honeycomb.

Not only that, but the Asus Eee Pad Transformer offers a 10.1-inch screen with a 1280 x 800 resolution, two cameras, 1024MB of RAM, 16GB built-in storage and a battery life that's rated at the impressive 16 hours when the dock is connected to the tab - these are good specs any way you look at them.

source: Amazon UK via Wireless Goodness

T-Mobile myTouch 4G is selling for free with a 2-year contract through T-Mobile's site

Dilemmas are surely bound to happen when you set out to buy a brand new phone, but your inclination is good as anything when guessing on when it’s the perfect time to snag a highly prized handset for cheap.

Sure you can expect to find entry-level devices like the T-Mobile Comet for free, however, it’s not too often you find the T-Mobile myTouch 4G on sale for free with a contract. Taking a quick peek last week, the same device we’re talking about was priced at $200 with a 2-year agreement, but this week, it’s been dropped all the way down to the beloved price of free. Yeah, you can happily scoop a high powered T-Mobile myTouch 4G for free through T-Mobile’s web site right now.

Although there is no indication of when this special pricing will expire, you might want to pick one up as soon as possible before it’s too late.

source: T-Mobile via TmoNews

HTC Flyer to cost $980 in the UK, to have a similar price everywhere?

UK retailer Carphone Warehouse has made the flagship HTC tablet - the Flyer - available for pre-order for $980 (£599.99).

Of course, this is the off-contract price for the 3G version of the tablet. The HTC Flyer is set to offer a 7-inch screen, 1.5GHz single-core processor, two cameras, 1024MB of RAM and 32GB built-in storage among other goodies.

It's officially announced that the tab will be powered by Gingerbread at launch, but a Honeycomb update is anticipated to refresh the Flyer experience at some point in the future. Moreover, it utilizes the unique Scribe technology that allows you to use a digital pen to draw and write (among other things) on the tablet's screen.

It seems the 3G version of the HTC Flyer is to cost around $980 in most parts of the world, as a report coming from Germany mentioned similar price. It's officially confirmed that the tablet will be a Best Buy exclusive in the US.

source: Carphone Warehouse via Android Community

Apple boosts its gaming department with the appointment of two major PRs?

Reports are flooding the net that two high-profile gaming PR executives have joined Apple to focus on its iOS platform.

These talented lads are named as Robert Saunders, who, until recently, was Nintendo UK's head of PR and Nick Grange, who previously worked for EA Sports and Microsoft, and is currently listed as Activision's European PR director.

Take into account these reports are neither confirmed by the Cupertino-based company, nor by the above-mentioned individuals, but if they hold water Robert Saunders will occupy a newly-created role at Apple, the main focus of which is said to be PR for iPad, iPhone and iPod apps, while Nick Grange will join the company to work on the hardware capabilities of the iPad.

As we pointed out in our article on the subject, Apple managed to ignite a mobile gaming revolution with the launch of its iPhone and iOS, not to mention that virtually everyone agrees that gaming on smartphones is growing in importance. With these facts in mind, it's unsurprising that Apple wants to retain a big share of that profitable pie, and if these appointments are confirmed, this would underline that smartphone gaming really matters today.

source: MCV & MCV via AppleInsider

Some HTC Droid Incredible 2 specs leaked, is a world phone

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 has already been photographed with Verizon's logo, but before this leak, hard evidence about its specs has been missing. It was yesterday when that state of things changed as the handset popped up in Big Red's internal system and disclosed some details about itself.

Sadly, this leak doesn't reveal the full specs of the handset, and yet it shows a few hardware features. To start with, the HTC Droid Incredible 2 is to pack two cameras - an 8MP rear one, which is capable of recording HD video plus a 1.3MP front-facer.

It's set to be one of the few world phones in Verizon's line-up (it packs both CDMA and GSM radios), i.e. you can use it abroad with GSM networks, which is definitely something we would like to see. Moreover, it's expected to have a 16GB built-in storage and DLNA capability.

We can clearly conclude from this document that the new Droid Incredible won't be launched before April 12 (rumors claim this beast will be set free on April 28), as it's to offer a new "Sync & Connect" feature that "will provide multiple e-mail and address books in one place". The feature itself will be launched on April 12 and will come pre-loaded on the HTC Droid Incredible 2 when it's released.

Also, it's to sport a 3G hotspot capability, which will cost the affordable $20 for 20GB a month.

Previous rumors about this phone claim it's to offer a second-generation Snapdragon processor clocked at 1GHz, a 4-inch LCD display and 768MB of RAM. As of now, all indications point to the fact the HTC Droid Incredible 2 won't be an LTE-enabled device.

source: Android Central

O2 UK prices the HTC Desire S for only £329.99 on a pay-as-you-go plan

Taking into account that the desirable HTC Desire S just recently went on sale towards the end of last month, O2 UK’s recent price drop for the impressive device is interesting in itself to say the least.

Although a variety of wireless carriers now lay claim to the high-end Android powered smartphone, O2 UK is going one step further by aggressively pricing the device’s no term commitment option. Currently available, O2 UK customers can snag the HTC Desire S on a pay-as-you-go plan for a mere £329.99 ($539); VAT included. Again, that’s pretty nice just because of the relatively still new freshness of the handset’s arrival on the market.

Granted that you can probably purchase one for fee with select 2-year commitments, it’s nice nonetheless to see a competitive no-contract pricing on the smartphone.

source: O2 UK via Unwired View

Final build of CyanogenMod 7 is now official

It has just been announced that CyanogenMod 7, the popular aftermarket firmware for Android-powered smartphones, has reached its final version and has been released in the wild. For those of you that are not aware what CyanogenMod is, it is basically a modified Android distribution that has been developed by smartphone enthusiasts independently from Google. The custom firmware enables a number of advanced device settings to be tweaked and is also claimed to have better performance when compared to stock Android ROMs. Another advantage of CyanogenMod 7 is that it is built on top of Gingerbread and it can run on devices which would not usually get an update to Android's latest version.

The latest version of CyanogenMod adds more than just neat screen-off and screen-on animations. Besides the features seen in its previous releases, CyanogenMod 7 will allow for applications to be launched while the screen is locked by performing given gestures with your finger. Furthermore, having Incognito mode on makes sure that none of your web browsing history remains stored on the smartphone, and OpenVPN adds support for establishing VPN (Virtual Private Network) connections. Check the official CyanogenMod web page (link included below) for a full list of features and improvements over the previous version of the mod.

If you are new to CyanogenMod and willing to give it a try, be aware that installing it onto your smartphone involves rooting the device, which in certain circumstances might void your warranty. Make sure you check with the mod's official web page before doing anything that may potentially brick your phone.

For more information, check the official CyanogenMod web page here.
For an official list of supported devices, click here.

source: CyanogenMod via Android Central

Samsung Galaxy S II officially coming to the UK on the 1st of May

If you live in the UK and if you are looking for a great high-end Android smartphone to get your hands on, you might not want to rush and buy anything just yet. Samsung has just confirmed that their upcoming flagship – the Samsung Galaxy S II, is scheduled to launch in the UK on the 1st of May with availability through all major carriers and retailers. The only thing that might lead you to having second thoughts is the hefty price tag, but we have yet to hear what carriers will be selling the Galaxy S II for with a contract attached to it.

On the other hand, you are getting what you pay for. When it launches, the Samsung Galaxy S II will be Sammy's lightest, slimmest, and most powerful smartphone to date. The snappy 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and the beautiful 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display are only some of the features that make the Galaxy S II stand out of the crowd. If we have sparked your curiosity already, feel free to check out our hands-on of Samsung's anticipated flagship.

source: Samsung UK

Official Steve Jobs biography to be published in early 2012

Steve Jobs is a true iCon of the high-tech era, and the fact he is one of the most secretive persons in this field further contributes to the enigmatic aura he seems to posses.

That's just one of the reasons why a lot of people would like to peep into the life of this private being, and a fact it is that a few unauthorized biographies about Steven Paul Jobs have already been released. But not a single "official" one.

That's about to change in early 2012, when iSteve: The Book of Jobs, is scheduled to be published. The author of the book, Walter Isaacson, is a former senior executive at CNN and Time, and has written best-selling books about such notable innovators in their respective fields as Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.

He has been working on iSteve: The Book of Jobs since 2009, and the book is to offer interviews from Jobs himself, his family, Apple co-workers and competitors.

Love him or loathe him, Steve Jobs has contributed immensely to the high-tech-driven modern world we live in, and this book is sure to be one very, very interesting read.

source: ABC via Gizmodo

Microsoft's new Bing app for the iPad brings a whiff of Metro UI that is likely to power Win 8

If you've never used Bing on your iPad, you might never notice the new interface Microsoft has coined for it, and it is definitely worth trying it out. Designed with a hint of the Metro UI concept that found its way into Windows Phone 7, the new Bing app is spurring rumors around the blogosphere that this will actually be the interface philosophy behind Windows 8, at least in its tablet reincarnation.

We've already posted a couple of news items revealing the presence of WP7's minimalistic style in leaked screenshots of the Windows 8 and Office 15 interfaces. And we have various sources claiming that Win 8 will have two interface versions, a flexible 3D one for the desktop, and a Live Tile-based one for the tablet, similar to what Windows Phone 7 offers at the moment.

Now the new Bing app for the iPad might turn out to be a harbinger of things to come for the actual programs running on Windows 8, and we definitely like what we are seeing. It's been rebuilt completely for the tablet realities, and tiles are used far and wide within the app. If this is what's expecting us with Windows 8 and its ARM-based slates, we might have a new powerful tablet contender very soon, this time with all the legacy and driver power of Windows behind it.

via WMPowerUser

No Child Left Behind the iPad craze: Maine kindergartens to spend $200k on iPad 2s

You might think that it's the kids' decision, but you'd be wrong – the school committee in the city of Auburn in the great state of Maine has approved a plan to fulfill every five-year old's dream – an iPad. You might have also thought that since it's for the kids, they could have gone for the discounted first edition in this troubled economy, but you'd be wrong twice. With that said, comes the shocking number - $200,000 for second-gen iPads for 285 kindergarteners and additional tablets for the teachers as each tablet will cost $479.

The iPad 2 program has the sole goal of increasing literacy from the current 62% to 90% by 2013 and Apple's tablet is the perfect tool for that, at least according to literacy instructor Mauri Dufour. And while some parents love the idea, others like Nicole Fortin commented:

“It’s crazy. I look at all of the budgetary restraints we have. Our school system loses money every year to certain things. This is a lot to put in the hands of a 5-year-old.”

After a special training program, the kids as well as the teachers will be allowed to take the iPads home. To fuel the controversy even more, a recent study suggested that iPads are mostly used for gaming. Oh, and 6-year olds who have missed the opportunity must be green with envy. Don't you just wish you were a kindergartener nowadays?

source: IntoMobile and FreeRepublic

Research confirms that most youngsters can't detach from their cellphones

Yes, we admit it. Sometimes we find it hard to put our smartphones down and stop texting or to quit browsing the web for lolcats on our tablets. Well, it turns out that we are not alone. According to a recent study, a great percentage of adolescents worldwide may feel isolated or confused when separated from their electronic gadgets even for a relatively short period of time.

The said study examined how would youngsters react if they were not allowed to use a computer, nor a cellphone, or even watch TV for a single day. Participants in the research were volunteers from ten countries around the world, all of them between 17 and 23 years of age. They were only allowed to use a land-line phone or to read a book while logging their experiences in a diary.

The results were disturbing, to say the least. It turns out that 79% of the subjects reported a range of negative symptoms after being deprived from their gadgets. Some of them even experienced withdrawal symptoms similar to the ones that a smoker or a drug addict feels when they are restricted from the bad habit. Feelings of distress, confusion, and isolation also dominated a number of volunteers.

Researchers try to explain the phenomenon with the fact that teens have grown up in a media-rich world where all kinds of information is easily available online with almost no restrictions upon it. Furthermore, adolescents are used to communicating with their peers in a virtual environment instead of engaging in a real conversation.

At least there is good news after the study. It has been confirmed that every participant who did actually start a face-to-face interaction with other volunteers agreed that it was a much more satisfying experience compared to an online chat. Why don't you take your kid's cellphone away for a couple of days and share the results with us in the comments?

source: Daily Mail via Android Authority