Pocketnow Power User | Mobiles365

Is SMS still relevant? (video)

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Joe Levi

We all have the ability to send text messages to one another, but today the manner in which we do so varies greatly. What methods are available, and what are the benefits of going back to “the oldest in the book”?SMS in its current form was born back in 1985 with the GSM series of standards. Essentially, the SMS standard enabled GSM customers to send messages of up to 160 characters to each other via the wireless network.On this episode of the Pocketnow Power User we’ll find out if SMS is still relevant.Why 160 ...

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What’s a Hardware Abstraction Layer and why should you care? (Video)

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Joe Levi

On the Pocketnow Power User so far this season we’ve talked mainly about hardware. What is the hardware abstraction layer, and why should you care?The Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) bridges the gap between hardware and software. Be warned, this topic is very, very geeky!To begin with, the HAL isn’t a concept that’s unique only to smartphones and tablets. It’s been around for a quite a while, but it’s implemented differently depending on the environment that you’re talking about.Hardware ...

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What you need to know about smartphone screens, part 2 (video)

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Joe Levi

In our last episode we talked about the glass that covers our smartphone screens. Today we’re diving into the types of displays under that glass, the pros and cons of both types, and which you’ll want in your next smartphone or tablet.Touch ScreensScreens recognize touch by one of two technologies: resistive or capacitive. Resistive touch screens all but require a stylus or similar device be used to register accurate touches. These are the types of screens that ...

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Pocketnow Power User: What you need to know about screens, part 1 (video)

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Joe Levi

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones – but what about people with glass smartphones?Pocketnow Power User is a series of videos and articles aimed at the “average Joe”, explaining core concepts that might seem confusing, even daunting. On this episode of the Pocketnow Power User, we’re going to talk about the glass that covers your smartphone, tablet, or wearable.Almost all of our smartphones, tablets, and wearables have a screen. Some are very small, like on your smartwatch or Google ...

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The next versions of Android will have even more Root headaches

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Joe Levi

Root and SuperUser access (“su“) are two terms that are often used interchangeably. Essentially, if you have Root access, you can modify and replace system files. With this access level a user can run an app that will automatically sync the clock on their smartphone or tablet with the Atomic Clock, tweak the color settings of their display, or make a complete backup of their device. Users can replace radio firmware, or even swap out an entire ROM with something that’s been customized by the community.It’s just as easy for a malicious user to utilize Root as a vector ...

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Pocketnow Power User: 32-bit versus 64-bit (video)

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Joe Levi

32-bit versus 64-bit: What’s the difference? What are the advantages to both? On this episode of Pocketnow Power User we’re going to talk about which you’re going to want on your next smartphone or tablet.What are bits?When we’re talking 32-bit versus 64-bit we have to first talk about “bits”. Computers — even smartphones and tablets — run on a binary system, one and zero, on and off. Simple, right?As an interesting aside, a byte is 8-bits. Half a byte is 4-bits and is called a nibble.What does 32-bit mean?In this context, a 32-bit system ...

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Pocketnow Power User: All about RAM (video)

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Joe Levi

We live in a day and age where electronic devices are an integral part of our everyday lives. What’s inside them that makes them do everything that we need them to do? On this episode of Pocketnow Power User we’re going to talk about another very important component: RAM — Random Access Memory — and how much is really “enough”. All about RAM When talking about the memory that goes into our smartphones, tablets, wearables, and even our routers, desktop computers, laptops, and other pieces of hardware ...

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Pocketnow Power User: Everything you need to know about the CPU (video)

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Joe Levi

We live in a day and age where electronic devices are an integral part of our daily routine. What’s inside them that gives them the power to do so many amazing things? On today’s episode of Pocketnow Power User we’re going to talk about the brain that powers your device: the CPU. The Central Processing Unit, or CPU for short, has been around for quite some time, but has changed significantly over the years. Traditionally the CPU has been the “traffic-cop”, the component that handles and routes all the commands flowing through the system to the place where they ...

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Introducing the Pocketnow Power User (video)

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Joe Levi

We live in a day and age where our phones, tablets, and wearables are an integral part of our regular routine. Metal versus plastic, megapixels, screen size, battery capacity, CPU cores, RAM, storage capacity, and more all get thrown around by marketers when trying to convince us their product is somehow superior to that of their competitor. Sure, all those all important, but what do all the numbers really mean? How does each item on the spec sheet translate into value for your dollar? If you’re interested in the nuts and bolts, the hardware that powers your devices, you’re ...

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