Of all the types of tech goodies on offer there are two obvious devices that have a diverse appeal and that is the smartphone and the MP3 player. It is hard to go wrong with a phone or MP3 as everyone needs a phone and enjoys listening to their music on the go and there is a great price range within these markets allowing yourself to get a useful present without breaking the bank. Of course, then the question arises but which one do I go for? For those who have the cash to splash or are looking to maybe come together to get the ideal pressie for a loved one look no further than the latest iPod range which start off from €140 to over €200 and serve as the perfect stocking filler. However, for those looking to maybe replace an MP3 player and looking for a slightly cheaper option there is a great range of MP3 players from Sony and Bush available in various retail outlets from much more recession friendly prices of €42 to €80.

For buyers looking for good value and quality smartphones you can look no further than the Samsung brand. As one of the top sellers in the US smartphone market, Samsung are great at producing nifty smartphones to fit the needs of any phone user and are on offer for about a third of the price of the latest iPhone. The Samsung Galaxy Mini priced around €80 serves as the perfect starter smartphone and cost friendly present. Samsung also offer high range phones like the Samsung Galaxy Ace for €200 which could be the perfect gift for that someone special. With all these great offers and even more popping up for the Christmas season it is easy to see that by shopping smart with your tech can be friendly on your wallet and great for the receivee too.

Just recently, O2 have had a major problem on the scam front when various customers received texts from strange mobile numbers claiming to be O2 offering a free upgrade to the user if they followed the link in the message. Message boards quickly filled with users querying as to whether or not the texts were genuine as the links appear to bring them to O2 pages. It was quickly confirmed by O2 that the messages were a scam allowing hackers to gain important data from users if they were to attempt to ‘upgrade’ there package with this fake offer. O2 were quick to get security measures in place and attempt to sever the hackers use of their network to promote this scam offer. However, many users, especially those who may be unaware that O2 would never text from a generic mobile number remain unaware of the potential risk that could be imposed if they fall for this latest scam. In circulating this article I hope to create awareness of this scam and help protect others from falling victim to this malicious use of text marketing.

Another example of offers gone wrong can be seen through the misuse of the Apple brand. For those who are familiar with Black Friday, they will know it is a great day to grab a good offer as American shops provide unbelievable post-Thanksgiving offers. However, scammers have learned that this is a great opportunity to catch users unawares and have sent various emails to people stating they have received various amounts of iTunes store credit as part of a Black Friday offer. Users are then prompted to open an attached file to receive their credit but are of course instead infected with various forms of malware resulting in possible damage or hacking of their computer system. Once again, various scammers have utilised the want of a good offer to prey on naive victims just wanting to get a good offer. The main question which arises from these various attacks is how to know an offer from a scam and the only real answer to this is to ask around and if you are at all suspicious or unsure then do not open, follow links or agree to anything before checking it out. The Christmas season is filled with great offers and bargains but to shop safe you have got to shop smart!

The Samsung SUR40 comes with the latest PixelSense technology which has been branded as “the power to see without the use of cameras”. Thanks to PixelSense and Microsoft’s latest Surface software, the Samsung SUR40 can identify through its LCD panel the various objects or items that are placed on it allowing limitless capabilities to how the product could be used. In various adverts and campaigns, Microsoft have marketed this illustrious new device as the ultimate middle man for businesses and clients. Microsoft have suggested that products like the Samsung SUR40 serve as the perfect salesperson aid allowing customers to interact on a completely new level with their sales representative allowing them to do things they couldn’t do in a normal store or when shopping online at home. Along with the ability to flick, touch, pan and even share various information between people; the Samsung SUR40 serves as a unique platform for which to conduct business on and offers a completely new approach to shopping in store. The Samsung SUR40’s capabilities do not end there – Microsoft envisions the Samsung SUR40 as the new tool for education and medical professions also. In their advert, Microsoft have also shown doctors using the Surface technology to analyse scans and even share ultrasounds with expectant parents. For schools, endless possibilities exist to the vast amount of interaction and wonder to learning the Samsung SUR40 can bring to children of all ages, making education a much more fun and out of this world experience. Along with all this, Microsoft see great integration with the Samsung SUR40 and the wider world with the ability to take what you have on the surface and explore even more. With great smartphone integration and the ability to use real world objects for stimuli, there is absolutely no end to what is possible with Samsung SUR40. The good news is that the Samsung SUR40 is now officially available for pre-order; the only bad news is the hefty price tag that comes with this ingenious invention.

In a move long predicted by Steve Jobs, Adobe admits defeat to HTML5 and will cease development of its Flash player for mobile devices. On Wednesday 9^thNovember, Adobe confirmed the rumours that they will no longer develop their Flash player for mobile browsers. The news comes as part of a shakeup at Adobe which will see the company scale back on the development of some products and even consider leasing software in a bid to change the company’s current situation. The news however comes as no surprise to Apple – Jobs since the first launch of the iPhone in 2007 stated that, “Flash was created during the PC era – for PCs and mice.” Jobs decided that the future of mobile browsing lay in HTML5 which it seems to have taken Adobe years to agree with and bow down in defeat.

Along with ceased production of development for Flash player, Adobe now seeks to embrace HTML5 which means that developers will have to also embrace HTML5. However, Adobe claims it will still provide fixes and various updates for their Flash player plugin but they will however look to HTML5 as the new standard for mobile platforms. The company has also stated that although this will be the end of Flash for mobile devices, Flash player will still play a major role in PC browsing with the company already working on the newest version of the player – Flash player 12. Although the company has reassured developers and people alike that this is not a form of defeat on Adobe’s part, many tech writers and critics have taken to the social mediums of Twitter and Facebook to comment that this statement sees the end of Adobe Flash as we know it. Many claim Adobe’s end of Flash to be a victory of behalf of Apple and Jobs over the quality and future of the web. In conjunction with the Adobe’s decision to abandon its Flash mobile player, the company seeks to lay off about 7% of its staff as part of its remodelling of the company and its decision to embrace new developments and plans. As a result of this latest news and development within Adobe, various people question what’s next for the company and with shares falling nearly 8% and with growth falling below the expected average it is the belief of these masses that Adobe has a shaky road ahead and the company may need to completely rethink and remodel their applications and developments in order to embrace aspects such as HTML5.

Jawbone’s UP is a unique product which helps monitor and advise users to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The product is quite innovative and original as it utilises technologies through what appears as nothing more than a fancy looking wristband or bracelet. The UP wristband monitors user input such as walking, sleeping and with iPhone integration can even observer what you eat. UP monitors various input through accelerometer and can also be used virtually anywhere. The makers of UP, Jawbone have stated that the device will be water resistant and can be worn all day every day to ensure accurate measurements of a person’s well-being. Along with analysis and health monitoring, UP can also help provide goals and even an alternative form of alarm. With its accelerometer, UP can measure your sleep patterns and through its vibrating function choose a time to wake you when you are in a lighter sleep giving you a more satisfying sleep and kinder wake up call.

The makers of UP have created a product which has limitless potential and comes with a great accompaniment with an iPhone App to help monitor and chart your lifestyle and various goals or progress. Unfortunately for non-iPhone users there does not yet appear to be an alternative method of accessing your UP data without the iPhone App and even charging your device can prove to be a hassle when you do not have an iPhone to connect it so easily too. However, as the product is only being released soon, there will still be time for Jawbone to develop the product further and maybe expand its market to interact with other phones or devices. The UP wristband retails around $100 which depending on your views could be a small price to pay for a better lifestyle.

What some would deem something which could be seen at the start of a sci-fi horror movie, Siri – Apple’s new AI is an effective, efficient and scarily good at knowing pretty much everything. While many have tried to catch out Siri, this digital assistant comes prepared with an answer for all of life’s questions and even if it does not have an immediate answer it is always helpful in aiding its user to search the web for all the information you could possibly need. Some of the great features of Siri, include the ability to save geo reminders which can come in very handy for those who find it hard to remember everything on the go. Also, Siri helps with everyday tasks allowing users to find info on recipes for cooking, learn what the weather will be like for walking and even give details on restaurants close to you and put them in order on how they are rated. The ingenious integration of Siri into the world around you helps make the iPhone 4S your PDA aswell as your phone.

Of course, if this wasn’t enough, Apple have packed even more into the iPhone 4S with the latest iOS 5. Along with the iOS5 comes the all new iCloud which helps bring together all your devices and keep everything in sync. With iCloud, Apple have developed a great new system of keeping all your contacts, calendars and even music in sync across your various devices and of course keep them all safe on your very own iCloud account. With iCloud there is no more fear of losing all your contacts or checking to make sure you have added appointments to your various devices which of course cuts down on time and makes your iPhone even more efficient to use. The iPhone 4S although not the long awaited iPhone 5 holds more than enough new additions and features to keep the masses happy and with Siri and iCloud, Apple have created a completely new niche and have of course done all they can to ensure they stay top of the food chain.

Windows Phone Mango and iPhone’s Siri.

Google has updated their voice recognition software for the Ice Cream Sandwich update, which will give users a feature similar to that of iPhone’s Siri. Android’s voice feature equivalent will not be as powerful or fully integrated as Apple’s but it will allow users to dictate text, search the web and control media files all through their voice input. Along with this feature, Google have begun to embrace a more sleeker design interface for their Android OS and even include greater integration with social networks through their People App. The People App pulls contact information from various social networks allowing you to see everything on a particular contact in one place.

This format is much similar to Windows Phone Mango in the sense that its contacts function much in the same way allowing you to view a contact’s Facebook photos and even post directly to their wall right from the contact itself. Despite slight similarities to other phone operating systems, Google have incorporated various other features to their OS to improve functionality and overall appearance. One new feature to the Ice Cream Sandwich OS is the use of all virtual buttons, allowing Android handsets to work completely via virtual buttons making it easier to have large screens without the need for physical buttons taking up space. Also, Google have revamped the look and feel of the Android OS with a new browser that is not only sleeker but more efficient as you can keep up to 16 tabs open and even view a live preview of the tabs and switch quickly between them also. There are also new security and camera features added to Android’s latest update making it an all-round user friendly and aesthetically pleasing operating system. Google have announced that the will be producing new handsets with the Ice Cream Sandwich update pre-installed and current Android users will see the update rolling out soon with most devices receiving the update by 2012.

Some of the Apps that will become available to Blackberry users now free of charge include – Sims 3 Game, Photo Editor Ultimate, iSpeech Translator Pro and even Vlingo Plus: Virtual Assistant. RIM are afraid that they may be already losing the battle for top smartphone and the network outage could not have come at a more worse time with millions of users looking to the iPhone 4S as the latest ‘it’ gadget must-have. The iPhone 4S recently launched worldwide and even before its launch the latest Apple device received over 3 million pre-orders through the Apple store alone which does not include those who would have pre-ordered the device through their network carrier. Apple’s iPhone 4S has been tipped as the most intuitive and amazing smartphone on the market with millions of users gobsmacked at the devices great speed and functionality. Together with the latest voice control assistant, Siri, the iPhone 4S has taken the market by storm and insured Apple’s pole position in the smartphone market. Siri will allow iPhone users to completely control their iPhone through voice and even allow users to ask the AI assistant various questions in which it can use the various utilities on the phone itself or search the internet for answers also. With all these developments in the smartphone market it appears that there will be change on the horizon as competitors like RIM and Microsoft will really have to step up to the plate if they wish to compete with the powerhouse that is the iPhone 4S.

Even when he temporarily left Apple, Steve never lost the ambition and drive to want more and give more to the people. From his various keynotes over the years many people note the reveal of the very first iPod to be the moment they realised just how innovative Jobs and Apple really was. Without Steve Jobs, many question what technology today would be like – it would be hard to imagine a world without my iPod to let me listen to my music or for most the iPhone which is an integral part of your day from the moment you wake right until you sleep. It is easy to see why so many have felt that in some way that Steve Jobs has changed their life. Steve Jobs helped make Apple a household name and a brand which has become fully integrated with the general masses. Looking back on Jobs’ life many will say that he accomplished his mission of giving the user what they need instead of giving them what they think they want. Both the iPod, iPhone and various Apple products Steve helped promote and form have become widespread phenomena and are usually the first thing someone would think of when they think of technology today.

However, despite the various inventions and huge advancements Jobs helped see out and develop through his life it is hard to believe that a visionary like Steve will miss out on helping the future of Apple and technology in general to become an even more fundamental part of our lives. For many, Jobs was the genius of this age – some commentators have described how there have been three apples that changed the world as we know it – Adam’s Apple, Newton’s Apple and Jobs’ Apple. In the end Steve Jobs has left behind a legacy which will never be forgotten and a product to which the only limits for it is the extent of one’s imagination and ambition. For those of you who wish to share your thoughts, memories or condolences you can email rememberingsteve@apple.com

For those of you that are quite impatient and want your update straight away there are many blogs and forums which provide methods to trick your phone into installing this latest update from Microsoft. Now that Mango has finally arrived is it a case of the concept was better in theory than in action? Many users have took to the internet and have begun reviewing the latest update and the general sentiment appears to be a good one. Microsoft have managed to take the disadvantages of the previous version of Windows Phone and swept them under the rug and in its pace is a very slick and efficient phone OS which offers great integration with Facebook, Twitter and various other popular apps. Great additions to the Mango update are of course the newly added and highly sought after ability for multi-tasking. Along with this, users can use their integrated Facebook and Messenger accounts to converse with their friends and family all through their normal messaging application. Mango delivers users a seamless experience in which everything you need from messaging to sharing with all friends even more easy and fun to do.

With Apple to announce their new iOS 5 in October, Microsoft will see stiff competition from the ever so popular iPhone which is set to see an upgrade with the iPhone 5 release tipped for October also. Before Mango, Windows Phone did not quite meet the standard compared to other smartphones in functionality and resourcefulness, however, Mango has helped to breathe a new life into the Windows Phone and Microsoft have focused on improving their phone and PC operating systems as they believe device operating systems should change and improve to reflect the ever changing audience that utilises them. For any Windows Phone users out there Mango will prove the perfect and long awaited update to any phone and will help provide a sleek and effective alternative to the iPhone.