Maybe your old phone is really good, too — here’s a way that you can help your old phone find a home and still be able to get the phone that you ultimately want. The method is called a change of responsibility, but you shouldn’t beat yourself up if you’ve never heard of the term until now. That’s because it used to be one of those things that were only known to customer service representatives, but now the secret is definitely out: you don’t have to get dinged with that ETF fee if you can find someone to just take over your phone lines.

Thankfully, we all seem to have that one person that’s been dying to get with another company, but they just haven’t taken the time to go out to the kiosk and sign up for service. A change of responsibility does often involve a credit check, but this is one that’s a lot more flexible than the one that might have received at the store anyway.

So, what do they have to do? Well, it really all starts with you: you will need to make sure that you’re giving permission for them to call in about your account to do the change of responsibility in the first place. From there, you will need to also let the company know that you’re giving up all ties to that phone, line, and phone number. You usually can’t take your number with you when you do a COR, but every carrier is different.

After that, the only thing that your person of choice needs to do is make sure that they call in and handle the change of responsibility. They’ll most likely need to go to a different department, but again, this varies based on the carrier you go with.

This leaves you free, after the transfer has taken place, to go with another carrier and get the Android phone that you want. Since you’ll be a new customer, you probably will get a huge list of different offers to choose from. It just depends on what you’re trying to achieve here. If you want to get a bunch of lines for a family plan, then you can definitely do this as well. However, if you’re not trying to go in that direction, you will need to make sure that you just get a single line — it’s cheaper that way in the long run.

Overall, it’s a pretty straightforward process: just do a change of responsibility and you’ll be well on your way to that sweet, sweet Android phone!

Set an Unlock Pattern

When you first set up your Android, set up a screen lock that you’ll enter every time you activate your phone after it goes to sleep. Go to your phone’s settings menu and find the security tab. You’ll see an option that allows you to set a screen unlock pattern. The phone will show grid of nine dots. Create a personalized pattern by swiping your fingers from dot to dot. Don’t make it so easy that someone might guess, but don’t make it so complex that you might forget. If you enter your pattern incorrectly more than five times in a short span of time, you run the risk of being locked out of your phone and may have to reset it through your e-mail account or by calling your service provider.

When you enter your pattern, it will leave behind a green trail. If you’re concerned about someone looking over your shoulder and remembering your pattern, you can disable the green trail by returning to your phone’s security settings and disabling the visible pattern feature.

If your phone still doesn’t seem secure enough, check out an app called Hidden Lock. This app makes your home screen unresponsive until you press an invisible button that you place somewhere on the screen. This app will make it seem as if your phone is frozen or broken to all but the most tech-savvy phone thieves.

Secret Apps

Beyond your screen lock, there are several apps that can help you keep your information and data private. Hide It is a “fake” app that lets you hide pictures, videos, and other files you want to keep from prying eyes. When you download Hide It, it shows up on your phone as an application labeled “Audio Manager” with an accompanying fake icon. If you open the app, it appears to be a fully usable audio manager that lets you adjust your phone’s volume level. However, if you press and hold the audio manager icon, it opens up a secret vault where you can store and organize videos, pictures, and audio. Even if you don’t care about hiding anything, you might consider getting this app just for its impressive media organization features.

Decoy Hide Text is a “fake” app similar to Hide It that stores your text conversations. Once you set up this app, your incoming and outgoing texts won’t appear in the usual messages menu, but in an application entitled “FuzzyBalls” which is designed to look like a bouncing ball screen saver. When the screen saver shows up, shake the app and you’ll see your texts.

Your Phone’s GPS is your Friend

If your phone is lost or stolen, don’t start panicking. With the help of some incredible apps, there’s still hope.

Before you have the chance to lose your phone, take the precaution of installing Android Lost. You’ll be glad you did. It connects directly to your Google account (which you set up when you first activated your Android), and lets you access certain security features on your phone remotely using a computer.

If you can’t find your phone but know it’s close by somewhere, you can use Android Lost to set off your phone’s alarm at full volume, even if it’s on silent. If your phone is long gone, you can activate your phone’s GPS and locate where it is anywhere in the world (especially helpful if you think you left your phone in Antarctica).

If you believe your phone is stolen, you can use Android Lost to remotely delete sensitive information like text messages, contacts, pictures, and videos. You can also set it up to send text messages and incoming calls so that they show up in your e-mail, which is a good temporary solution until you get a new phone.

Phones with the latest Android 2.3 update can even take pictures from the phone’s camera and forward them to an e-mail address, possibly revealing hints about the phone’s current location.

Last Resort

If your phone is already lost and you neglected to download any precautionary apps, do not abandon hope! Plan B is an app that you can actually install on your phone after it goes missing using your Google account. Once installed, you can have your phone’s GPS coordinates sent to your e-mail by texting the word “locate” to your number. (Note: There are many websites that allow you to send free text messages from your computer including http://www.sendatextonline.com/ and http://www.onlinetextmessage.com/)

Taking a few safety precautions only takes a few moments and could potentially make your life a lot easier if your phone ever gets lost or stolen. It’s your valuable information, so make sure it’s protected. And remember, if you think your phone has been stolen, never try to track down the malicious parties yourself. Always report it to the proper authorities.

So, the new tech battle is a matter of getting specific with cell phone: does the Samsung Galaxy S really beat the iPhone in terms of picture quality? Well, there’s an easy way to find out if that’s really the case.

First, a little bit of background. The Apple iPhone 4 is the newest generation in the iPhone series. It brings a lot of features to the table, such as a larger screen and plenty of on-board memory to be had. There’s plenty of space on the phone to hold pictures, music, and video, which are must haves for anyone that’s on the go.

In the other corner we have the Samsung Galaxy S, which is also a great phone with a long list of features. Samsung has been quick to get on the Android bandwagon, because it’s become quite profitable to do so. Consumers are looking for phones that allow them to do more than use the phone as an expensive paperweight, so that means that Samsung has to step up to the plate and really make sure that they have a winning combination.

The Galaxy S has a very nice Super AMOLED display as well as a 1 GHz processor. The phone design does make it look very iPhone-ish, but it’s all about the technical specs.

There are plenty — a 4 inch screen, at 800×480 resolution. According to in the wild reviews, users report that the colors are very, very rich and happily saturated. The brightness is also stellar, which is something that people demand out of a phone these days.

However, does this line up with beating the iPhone 4 at a game that Apple knows it has to win in order to stay on top?

The answer might actually be in Apple’s favor, looking at the iPhone 4. The screen is 3.5 inches, which is smaller than the Galaxy S, but it has a bigger resolution at 960×640. The colors are definitely vibrant, which could definitely give the Galaxy a run for its money.

However, who really wins? The iPhone 4 is on its own development cycle, which means that the Galaxy S could pick up new features to use with that extra half-inch larger screen space. If screen size is more important to you than anything else, you may still want to go with the Galaxy S. However, if you’re thinking about sticking with Apple on the iPhone, it’s not necessary a bad choice. As always, it’s up to you to decide for yourself what device will be the best for your needs.

The Google Android platform went through several phases before finally coming out with the Android OS-Donut, which included debuggers, libraries, tutorials, voice search, and applications, to name only a few features. It is the now the most advanced mobile platform on the market for many reasons, one being that it combines all of the latest mobile devices such as cell phones, portable televisions, digital cameras, handheld PCs, and GPS systems into one state of the art smart phone.

The main reason for the extreme success and versatility of the Android OS is because the program allows third party developers to create customized applications and widgets, which is not only beneficial for developers but for smart phone manufacturers as well. Several different manufacturers have been able to configure the Android OS to work with their products, including LG, HTC, Motorola, and Dell, with more and more different companies developing new, compatible smart phones every day.

Phones that run Google Android operate much like a computer desktop by allowing users to run multiple applications at once. For instance, one can browse the Internet while playing music or send an instant message in the middle of a telephone conversation. The possible combinations are endless and will completely revolutionize the way people use their cell phones forever.

The fact is that there are already thousands of applications created by both Google and by independent developers available on the market. They range vastly in terms of themes and purposes and serve an endless list of needs. These kinds of options combined with the ability to multitask between programs are two reasons why smart phones running alternate mobile platforms couldn’t begin to compete with the capabilities of Google’s Android.

The sales figures speak for themselves: Google Android is winning over mobile users around the world and is continuing to gain momentum. The most current version of the operating system is still being developed to further meet the needs of every mobile user, regardless of their age, disposition, or expectations.

1.    Ringdroid – Make Your Own Ringtones

RingDroid

One amazing, intuitive and an addictive application designed exclusively for the Android platform, Ringdroid is a ringtone composing application, which allows you to mix and match your own tunes within seconds. An extremely simple, non-intimidating interface along with a great set of features, the Ringdroid is a must have for all Android users.

2.    Google Listen – Create Personalized Podcasts

Google Listen - Android Apps

If you’re an avid podcast audiophile, then you know how much it pricks to be on the move without the latest updates from your sources. Google Listen allows you to carry your podcasts on the move, letting you listen to the latest and hottest updates out there. The application also allows the user to save the episodes to the phone itself, allowing you to listen to them at leisure when you get time. A must have application for the podcast fanatic.

3.    WaveSecure – Anti-Theft Application

WaveSecuer - Android App

If you’re prone to losing your phones, WaveSecure helps you to retrieve it easily and helps to keep your data intact and secure from malignant attacks. With features like Remote Lock-Down, this clenches up all the info within the phone, WaveSecure maybe the ultimate solution to retrieving and securing data on lost phones.

4.    3DCoche – Dude, HERE’s my Car!

3dcoche - Android App

Lost your car in a huge parking lot? Can’t remember where you parked your car last? No need to go “Dude, Where’s My Car?” 3DCoche will help you find your car, faster than you can say its name. Using the application is ridiculously easy. Once you park your car, fire up the application and save your current location. The application makes use of Google Maps and Augmented reality, to remember and find your car. Interesting eh?

5.    DocumentsToGo – Carry Your Office Suite With You!

DocumentsToGot - Android App

Of all the applications in the Android Market, one that stands out and appeals to the businessman on the move is the DocumentsToGO.  Expanding the potential of the Android phone to include an entire office suite onto the portable device is an amazing offer. From Microsoft supported word, powerpoint and excel documents to Adobe’s PDF format, it’s all supported on this application.

6.    Evernote – Note Taking Was Never this fun!

Evernote - Android App

Android phones usually don’t come with a default note taking application. One requires manually downloading and installing a 3rd party software application for this purpose. So, if you’re going to do so, why not get an application which synchronizes various notes, files and photos across various platforms? This application is still in beta, but can kick some serious ass.

7.    Flixster – Movies on the Go!

Flixster - Android App

Flixster, well known for its amazing movie rental service, had ogled all the iPhone users and now it’s Android’s turn to do the same for its own audience. Flixster Movies has helped millions of users figure out and find brand new movies they would like to watch on their phones. The best part of this application is that it’s FREE. Users can connect to Facebook directly from the app itself and share their views regarding the last movie they saw.

8.    FxCamera – Fundroid your Camera

FxCamera - Android app

Bored of the default camera application on your phone? Need something new and fun to play around with? Well, FxCamera should keep you entertained for quite some time. Stuffed with loads of features such as  ToyCam, Polandroid, Fisheye, SymmetriCam, Warhol and normal modes, the application makes taking picture a hell lot worth the effort. You’d rather want to be behind the lens rather than infront of it, once you see the app. If your phone has flash, this application will support that as well. So, if you’re a shutter bug, this application is meant for you, hands down.

9.    Twidroid – THE Android Twitter Application

Twidroid - Android App

Being the only perfected Twitter application for the Android platform, Twidroid, has an amazing set of features, which will keep the Twitter Addict on his finger tips 24×7 (pun intended). There are two versions, the free one and the paid one. The paid one has a lot more features than you can ever want, including the Bit.ly short URL-ing support, multi-account support, and shaking phone to refresh the page, etc. The application is an amazing alternative to its competitors, with a fresh, clean and simple interface t work with. Get it NOW!

10.    Wapedia – Wikipedia Unleashed on the Android

Wapedia - Android App

Wapedia is one of the most fastest and most intuitive applications designed for the Android platform. With access to over 3 million articles over the internet, Wapedia gives you access to almost all the pages from Wikipedia and tons of other Wiki’s over the internet right to your phone. It’s quite fast, even on simple 2G networks, along with multiple language support as well. The application also shows up featured content from the wikis such as the latest news and trends. A must have android application for the general knowledge enthusiasts.

That quite well about rounds up the never-so-ending list of gorgeous and mind boggling applications designed exclusively for the Android platform. Indeed, the true iPhone competitors are now surfacing, thanks to the Google’s Android OS, which helps to bridge two ends of a horizon, both software and hardware alike. If you don’t own an Android phone, don’t call yourself as a tech-enthusiast individual. Keep your eyes peeled for more such roundups of great Android applications on this site.

If you do not fully understand the power behind what Google has given us as mobile phone users and app creators, then let me just expand upon this point for a moment. By giving us access to programs like Google maps, Android can allow us to create amazing apps that are geographically accurate and up to date! Gone are the days where addresses and places were exactly that – addresses and so called places. With Google maps, you can bring up a location right on the map, click on them, and gather all kinds of information for them. It is also through maps like this that you are able to scan items and find them in stores and then find the location of the stores right on Google maps in your phone!

The possibilities here are endless, which is why Android needs to be praised for giving us such flexibility to be creative. It is all a part of open-sourcing, and it is still open ground! Who knows how far it will go, and how much better it will get. There are so many good ideas right now floating around, that is it hard for everyone to follow them all. But just wait, in time, open source programs like Android won’t be so rare, and we will wonder why someone had not thought of it before and it will all be thanks to a little program we call Google Android.

With this app, you simply use the camera on the phone to scan barcodes of pretty much any product that has a barcode. The app will then show you an entire host of facts about the item, including local stores that carry the item, a map of how to get to those stores, and by clicking on the stores, it will show you individual product information as shown by that store. You can also get driving directions, or even the telephone number of the store so that you can make sure that they have it before driving to get it!

CompareEverywhere

The app also includes other features, like a shopping list where you can make specific lists of items that you need. You can quickly add or take away items as you buy them, or as you think of new things you need. This is just one example of how the Android platform is such a powerful platform for applications. It has proven over and over again to be as user friendly as any phone operating system out there, and there is so much that you can do now with these phones and the apps that you would not believe it.

Basically, we all want the same thing – mobile phones that are more like computers, offices, communication devices, social networking tools – and even our link to the rest of the world. As the world grows more dependent on mobile phones, the more they continue to evolve.  You read as the subject of this article about a program called Biowallet. What is that app? Well, it is simply a retinal scanner for mobile phones. You can use it to set a password on your phone so secure that only YOU can unlock it – by scanning your eye retina! Is this really so surprising? Not really – after all, people in countries like Korea have been using this type of security in their day-to-day lives for years now. But in the United States, most homes still don’t have alarm systems! A simple dead bolt suffices for many people, which shows that cell phones are perhaps evolving more than we are!

There is no doubt that mobile phones are getting  more sophisticated – but will their boundaries know any limits? Probably not, but we will see.

As with many other operating systems, whether on phones or on computers, one of the must-haves for the system is the ability to play games.  Since Android is the answer to the iPhone, the ability to use applications, or apps, is very important. Apps can be anything from something very useful in a person’s every day life – like the ability to turn the phone into a giant alarm clock to something that is played with just for fun – like the Android application Mahjong Solitare, which is in 3-D and is a calming puzzle game that is a classic computer game.  Due to the great difference in types; there is a very large selection of applications.  Listed below are some of the best according to users of the Android operating system.
Breadcrumbz

Breadcrumbz Application for Android

Breadcrumbz seems to be a favorite and people who are better at understanding visual directions than written ones will love this application.  Breadcrumbz gives the user picture-based routes when they input directions.  Much like Google Maps, only in pictures.  An example of this in use would be the application telling the user to turn left at the big maple tree instead of saying “turn left from I-16 onto I-95”.  The application also has a fun and interesting feature which allows friends of the users to make routes and record them for the user with the built in camera and GPS system.

ShopSavvy

Shopsavvy - andorid apps

ShopSavvy is another very useful Android application, much like Breadcrumbz only for an entirely different reason.  It allows the user to take a picture of the bar code of an item who’s price they would like to compare to the price of that same item at a different store.  ShopSavvy gives the best prices online as well as nearby stores.  The application also tells which store has the cheapest price and, if it is local, where it is in relation to where the consumer is.  Two other applications that do basically the same thing are CompareEverywhere and GoCart, though GoCart does not have the GPS that CompareEverywhere and ShopSavvy share.

IM with Android

Hi Aim - Andorid apps for IM

For those who love to IM, also known as instant message, it is important to know what applications will allow for this type of action.  Hi AIM is a fairly straight-forward and basic client for Android which supports the AIM buddy list and smileys.  Meebo IM is essentially a one-stop shop for any instant messaging service both online and, apparently, on the Android interface.  Not only will it allow a user to sign into clients like AIM, MSN, Yahoo, MySpace IM, Google Talk, Jabber, and ICQ but it automatically saves the chat history and allows it to be accessed anywhere as long as the user has an account with Meebo.

Social Networking on Android

Twidroid

Likewise, for those who Twitter, the Android application Twidroid was the first fully functioning Twitter client application.  It features photo posting, location support, auto-completion, and a notification system of twitter buzz from the user’s Twitter feed.  Similarly, Myspace Mobile allows users to keep up with what is happening on the popular social network Myspace.  With this application, the user would be able to browse Myspace as if they were sitting at a computer.  Opposite of Myspace is Facebook and the free application Fbabble allows the user to keep up with status messages and the going-ons of friends off of Facebook.  In addition to this, the application allows the user to upload photos, change status messages, and chat in real time.

Android Games

Robot Defense - Free game on Android

The Android operating system isn’t just known for its usefulness, there are many games which allow a user to escape into a no doubt far more interesting activity.  One of these games happens to be Robot Defense, which is essentially a tower defense game involving robots.  A tower defense game gives the user a set amount of lives and then the user is placed up against an enemy after being weapons in this case, a gun tower, a rocket tower, and a slowing tower.  The user then sets up these weapons strategically in such a way as to allow the fewest lives to be lost throughout the game.  Tower defense games, in general, can be time consuming but ultimately rewarding.

Bejeweled - Free game for Android

A popular computer game known as Bejeweled made the switch to the Android OS and has proven as popular on a cellphone as it is on a computer.  In Bejeweled, the Blitz mode of which is a very popular game on Facebook, one is given a “box” full of gems and is asked to place them either vertically or horizontally in groups of three or more with extra items being given if they are able to get the gems in rows of four or five.  The only complaint about Bejeweled that one can really make is that it is not a free application.

Cooking Capsules

Cooking Capsules is a game that can be both fun and practical, making it a wonderful combination application for the Android operating system interface.  After watching a short video, usually under three minutes long, the user may then shop for the products that they will need to make their dish.  Then the user will be able to make their dish with step-by-step directions.  It can be particularly useful when making dinner as it gives the user the exact amount of each item that they would need depending on serving size and then the application gives very precise directions, which makes fixing dinner easier on the busy people of today.

Well, you know that it has to be, especially since it is being offered for free! It is hard enough to compete with an operating system that costs a considerable amount of money, and in case you haven’t forgotten, Windows is usually the platform that is the most affordable, but when you get a platform like Google Android, that seems to offer what everyone needs on a high-quality level, a company like Windows starts to sweat a little bit.

What is perhaps the most interesting thing about this is that Google is setting itself up for better things in the future by offering Google Android for free. Instead of making money on Android now, Google is probably planning to expand it’s Web presence with Android, so that it can increase it’s ad revenue – or even by doing bigger things that we do not know about yet!

But even with Google Android freely sourcing and Windows working hard to sweat it out, we have not even discussed the big players in the handheld, mobile market. Apple and Blackberry are actually the heavy hitters here, making the mobile market more competitive and fierce than an electronic market has been in a long time.  Will one company eventually dominate the market, or will it remain competitive forever? Only time will tell, but for now, one thing is for certain. If Windows wants to compete with free Google Android software, it had better come up with an OS that kicks butt – it cannot afford not to.