Let me ask you this question.  Do you have a smartphone?  Do you want a smart phone?  I have had a PDA (personal data assistant) or smart phone now for over 11 years.  I started with my first digital assistant, a Compaq iPAQ.  This thing was the greatest!  It actually kept all my contacts, calendars and tasks in a digital format.  I synced it to my desktop two or three times a day.  I also had my cell phone and my 20GB iPod.   I was a total tech head!  Then a year passed and Verizon had just started really marketing their “Smart Phones.”  It was the Samsung SCH-i730.  This phone was so sweet.  I actually got emails on this thing!  My calendars, contacts, tasks and emails all synced wirelessly.  I was a mobile office!   I had my smart phone and my iPod.  I was ready to take on the world.  Ok so,  let’s fast forward past the next few phones to today. 

Two weeks ago I just got my Droid X.  This phone is EVERYTHING I need.  All I can really say is WOW!  I have had lots of phones in my day; this by far is the best.   I am a Verizon Wireless user so I never got a chance to really experience the iPhone.  I have setup a lot of them.  I just never got to use them in my everyday life.  So I did not really know what it was all about.  Let me just say that was dumb of me.  I can do everything from email to watch HD movies on my phone.  I can even play HD video to my 62” TV at home. The phone has an HDMI out!  Are you kidding me? Ok enough about my phone.

All I am trying to really say is that the world of mobile computing is like computers were 10 years ago.  Smart phones are still a very new technology.  They are still learning what these things can do.  Each phone that comes out is faster than the one before it.  The new iPhone 4G is getting closer and closer to that Dick Tracy watch I used to dream about when I was a kid.  Heck who am I kidding I would love to have one now.   I have found myself spending more time on my phone consuming data than ever before.  On my blackberry the screen was so small and the roller ball was not very friendly.  I only really used it for work.  I used to love my Blackberry.  However, I did not realize how much I was giving up for so many years with my Blackberry.  I now carry one device with me.  My phone!  It has an 8MP Camera, 720P HD Video Camera, GPS Navigation, Phone, MP3 Player, Video Player, Games plus all the other stuff the phone does.   My wife calls it the other woman.  I might have to agree with her.  In the mornings, I don’t watch the TV any more I watch my PodCasts on my phone.  I prop it up on my dresser and press play.  While I am getting dressed I can keep up with the latest in technology news.  I even was joking around in my networking group this week, and said that it may even save my life one day.  I took all of my reward program cards that were in my wallet and on my key ring and scanned them into my phone using a great little app called KeyChain.  Now, I when I need to present my rewards card.  I just present my phone.  I am telling you it has made my wallet half the size!  My chiropractor has to love that.

Even though I am in technology every day, no one can keep up with it all.  The social and casual uses of these phones are what I really like.   Application vendors out there are trying their hardest to make applications that really help us.  Google has an application called Buzz.  The function of this let you comment on what you’re doing or thinking.  It keeps track of where you made this comment using your GPS.  Well imagine if your friends went into a new restaurant and loved it.  You don’t know they went to this hip new place and you go and check it out.  When you arrive you check out “the Buzz” about the restaurant.  You know what they ordered and how it was because they commented about.  It is like twitter but with GPS.  I am just starting to use it so we will see where this takes us.  Like I said before the mobile platform is changing very fast every day.  All I can say is enjoy it.  It has really made a difference in my life!  I even have my own light saber now!

Are you like me where you can barely get a signal from your cell phone in your home?  Well, cell phone providers have figured out a way to eliminate poor signals in your home where you need a strong signal the most.  Now introducing what is called “The Femtocell”.

You are probably saying “A femtowhat"?  Trust me, I said the same thing.  A femtocell is basically a mini cell phone tower that is designed for use in a home or a small business.  It uses your existing broadband internet connection to provide the 5 bars of cell phone coverage we are all looking for.  With femtocells, the days of standing outside or near your window to get a signal will be over. 
  
 Femtocells look similar to wireless routers and are used to route cell phone calls through broadband internet connections and then back to cellular networks.  A phone call is made from someone’s cell phone, and as it is being made it is redirected to the femtocell device, then sent through your internet connection and from there is redirected back to the cell network. Even writing that made my head hurt.

Femtocells allow cell phone users to get better signal in indoor areas where before they had little or no service because of a dead zone.  Another added benefit of using a femtocell within your home involves better data performance which results in a better experience with music, photos, and live video on your cell phone.

At this time most femtocells can support up to 5 cell phones at one specific time and they work with all major cell phone signal types. This means that a femtocell can be used with most major U.S. carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon.
 
Most wireless customers should be able to purchase femtocells direct from their cell phone company.  This would generally include availability from electronics retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
AT&T is offering their version for a one-time fee of $150, although I have heard of some people receiving one for free if they complain enough.  Verizon’s offering when it goes on sale should be available for around $250 dollars.  Sprint’s variation of the femtocell sells for around $50 with a $15 a month single line plan or a $30 a month family plan.

In summary, many of you are probably asking yourselves, do I need this contraption?  The answer to that question is, maybe.  If you live in an area that does not have great coverage then I would suggest looking in to one.  I myself might be forced to get one because no matter the cell phone provider, I just do not get any kind of signal at my home.  Shelling out $150 (yes I am on the dreaded AT&T network) for a usable phone at home is worth it in my opinion.  If you have a good signal at home then you probably do not need to worry about it.

If you have any questions at all or would like help determining if you actually could use a femtocell then do not hesitate to contact Kotori Technologies.

Portables have been outselling desktop computers for years. They take up less room, are relatively inexpensive and even an entry level model will easily handle basic web browsing, video, music and word processing functions we require on a day to day basis. What is the difference between a laptop, netbook and tablet? Which one should you get? Glad you asked, keep reading.

What is a netbook?
I will start with netbooks, since they're very popular right now.
A netbook is a very small, very light laptop computer. While a typical laptop has a 13 to 17-inch display, netbook's are between 7 and 10 inches and weigh very little. Netbooks became popular a few years ago with the launch of the 7-inch Asus EeePC.
The compact dimensions mean that netbooks barely make a dent in a bag and the battery life can be outstanding, with many models running for eight hours or more off a full charge. This is the main draw of a netbook – you have a computer running a proper operating system that can last the entire day.
The small size is also a downside, though. The keyboard and the display are cramped so it can be uncomfortable to use for long periods. They also run slower than standard size laptops, ruling out any games with a lot of graphics, demanding applications and sometimes high definition video. And don't forget that netbooks do not generally include DVD drives.

The good…
• Compact size and light weight
• Low price
• Long battery life
The bad…
• Small display
• Cramped keyboard

What are laptops?
They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from ultra-thin 12 and 13 inch models up to gaudy 20 inchers.
Compared to a netbook a laptop is much more comfortable to use for long periods thanks to the larger screen and keyboard and you can do a lot more with them. The components used are often comparable to desktop PC hardware, if not identical on bigger laptops, so gaming, video editing and other power-hungry tasks are easily possible.
You may hear the term “desktop replacement” being thrown around when talking about larger laptops. That's an easier way of saying that a laptop is too heavy to be carried around and the battery will last about half an hour. Assuming you don't need anything portable, desktop replacements are worth considering as an alternative to desktops since they don't need as much room but can still be just as powerful. Plus you can pack them away in a desk drawer.
Then you have ultra-portable laptops, which are a hybrid of netbooks and laptops and where the line between the two gets a little fuzzy. Ultra-portables may be like the Apple MacBook Air, incredibly slim but missing key features like an optical drive.
For most people a 15 inch laptop will provide a good middle ground. They are cheap and small enough to cart in a book bag or laptop case yet still have enough features to replace the desktop PC at home. Just remember that the battery may only last a few hours, so have a spare on hand or remember to bring your power cable.

The good...
• Huge variety of sizes and features
• Powerful components
• Can replace a desktop PC
The bad...
• Battery life shorter than a netbook
• Can be large and heavy
• Often too hot to be used on your lap

Touchscreen tablets
Tablet PCs are laptops based on a touchscreen interface which are designed to be more practical than laptops in some situations, such as e-book reading or surfing the internet in bed. Go back a year and we wouldn't even be mentioning them, because until recently they were a niche product, but then Apple came along and did its usual thing of revolutionizing the market and suddenly tablets are in the news again.
You can buy a tablet PC running Windows now, but what you'll get is an expensive convertible laptop with a screen that swivels down over the keyboard. It's not going to work like the Apple iPad and will cost a lot more, too. The iPad is the first tablet with mass market appeal.
The iPad is an Apple netbook without a keyboard and we can expect the same “slate” form factor from competing manufacturers. So if you primarily want a netbook or laptop for mobile web surfing and entertainment, and aren't too bothered about computing power or getting a lot of work done, this is the way to go. The pros and cons of the iPad have been endlessly debated for many months now so we won't go into them here. If you're not sure the iPad is for you we'd recommend giving it a few months to see what else shows up because by the end of the year there'll be a flood of similar products on the market and you'll have a variety of choices.
 
The good...
• Touchscreen interface
• Great for entertainment and web browsing
• Easy to use anywhere
• Very portable
The bad...
• Not usually very powerful
• Convertible tablets are pricey and awkward
• Touchscreens not ideal for typing

If you are interested in purchasing one, or if you need more advice to find the perfect one, contact Kotori Technologies today.

If you have called us this week, you may have already noticed a difference. Kotori Technologies upgraded our phone system to a new voice Over IP. This new system allows for easier access to our sales reps with a new “follow me” feature. It also allows us to be more flexible with our voicemail options and after hours menu. If you are thinking about a new phone system, please call us today so that we can discuss a wide variety of features to simplify your business.