Sprint to sell dual-screen 'Echo' smartphone

Sprint Nextel Corp. on Monday unveiled a smart phone with two screens, one stacked on top of the other. The top screen slides out and can be snapped it into place so that the two lay side by side, producing screen space that rivals a tablet computer.

The phone, called the Echo, is made by Japanese manufacturer Kyocera Corp. and has screens that are each the size of an iPhone's display. Put together, they create a larger space for typing e-mails, playing games and watching videos. The resulting display is still about half the size of an iPad's. But it's still a larger surface area than those found on most phones.

If people wish, they can use just one screen, or have something — say, a YouTube clip or Google Maps — stretch across both screens. But Sprint also lets people use certain applications so that different parts of the app show up on each screen. For example, you can read e-mails on one screen and respond using an oversized onscreen keyboard on the second display. Or, you can play a game such as "The Sims" in one window with the controls taking up the lower screen. Like many other smart phones, the Echo runs Google Inc.'s Android software. Adding an extra screen is Sprint's way of making the phone stand out from dozens of others that also run Android.

For now, Sprint has re-configured the basic e-mail, text messaging, photo, video and Web browser features, along with some games, so that you can use these apps while doing different things on each screen. That list will grow to include more specific Android apps, Sprint said.

One question that remains about the Echo is how long it's likely to last on a charge. For now, Sprint says the phone can offer at least 5.5 hours of talk time, though the company might succeed in stretching the battery life by the time it goes on sale. The iPhone, in contrast, claims 7 hours of talk time.

Perhaps to preempt any complaints about its endurance, Sprint will include a spare battery in the box, along with a device that can recharge both the phone and the second battery at the same time.

The phone will go on sale in the spring and cost $199 with a two-year contract.

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New iPhone app helps with confession

A new "Confession" application for Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch has received the blessing of a Catholic bishop.

"Confession: A Roman Catholic App," is the first program for the Apple devices created by a South Bend, Indiana-based company called "Little iApps."

Its developer, Patrick Leinen, said the app was designed to be used in the confessional and was intended "for those who frequent the sacrament and those who wish to return."

He said the app, which provides a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, had received the imprimatur from Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese, the first program to receive the stamp of the church.

Leinen said he was inspired in developing the app by Pope Benedict XVI's call to the faithful to use new media to good purposes.

"Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology," Leinen said in a press release on his littleapps.com website.

"Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI's message from last year's World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital application that is truly 'new media at the service of the Word,'" he said.

The app costs $1.99 in Apple's iTunes store.

It offers password protected customized profiles, a guide to performing the sacrament as well as a list of acts of contrition.

"Individuals who have been away from the sacrament for some time will find Confession: A Roman Catholic App to be a useful and inviting tool," Leinen said.

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Smartphone Call Applications for Mobile Phones

Making local and international calls today has never been this convenient. The pace of technological development in telecommunication became very apparent especially to mobile phones. Smartphones, the new face of mobile phone technology, have entered and driven telecom companies for more innovation in their products and services. They are not only used for calls but for enthusiasts in photos, they can also serve as your cameras. The main advantage of having this type of calling device is that you can bring them anywhere you go as long as there is a network service from the provider.

Smartphone applications are a software usually available not only for iPhones but as well as to more than hundreds of phone models from different mobile phone companies. They can be downloaded for free or for a minimal fee and can be easily installed in your mobile phones. The phone numbers in your mobile phone list can be easily contacted using the software. These are dialing applications where the interface is made to be user-friendly for more convenient calling. There are no access numbers to dial. There is no need to enter the account number or PIN (personal identification number) to enter. Enjoy speed dial feature where several numbers can be programmed with corresponding single key to press in order to place a call. These are the numbers that you frequently call.

Mobile phone calls have also become cheaper with the healthy competition of the many companies in the telecom market. There are lots of services that each customer can choose from. Some can offer as low as 1.8 cents per minute for a phone call. There isn't also a data plan when you use this service as they are commonly in prepaid. No need to worry about surging monthly bills. There is also an option for an automatic recharge that the company can offer. This is applicable for providers with their website for easier online account management service. Just register for easier payment with a debit or credit card, or through Paypal.

Companies who offer this service to their customers are also companies who have been in the telecommunication industry for several years. They have already created their name in the business with the trust of their customers. Just look for a company that has excellent reviews and testimonials from their users. Usually they have 95% retention rate as their customers continue to enjoy their service and even recommend this to their friends and relatives.

Call anywhere you want at anytime of the day at the most reasonable rates and superior call quality with any smartphone call applications. Keep the distance short among friends and relatives in other places with spending a few minutes to talk to them.

Febe is a freelance writerwho does reviews and contents on telecommunication companies, services and products for international calls like Pingo.

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10 Ways You Can Extend the Life of Your Smart Phone Battery

The Smartphone is more advanced than the regular phone and provides the user with more features such as the ability to compute and connect in more ways than the regular cell phone allows. They are more like handheld computers in the form of a mobile phone. You are allowed to run many applications on platforms that could only be run on computers in the past. Some of these include Java as these phones run on an operating system just like your computer. In recent time's application developers have being able to create a number of in demand applications for these phones. You can differentiate smart phones by their operating systems.

If you have one of these phones and use them to their utmost capacity you already know that a long battery life is very important. You will find too that newer phones don't keep their charge as well as the older ones with fewer features. But don't be disheartened there are a couple things you can do to ensure you battery life is extended to its fullest capacity. Here are the tips below;

1. Lowering the brightness of the phone screen.

2. Turn off vibrate when it is not necessary. So if you are not in a meeting or in a building which requires your phone to be off or on vibrate, don't leave vibrate on. This eats up more of your mobile phone battery life than just a ringtone.

3. Only turn on your GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you are using them.

4. Don't use a slideshow for your screensaver. Choose one picture out of them all, even though that may be hard to do because those changing pictures use up battery power.

5. Turn off email alerts. These use battery power especially when you get a lot of email.

6. Adjust the volume for different surroundings. This helps to save power if you are in an environment where your ringer doesn't need to be too loud.

7. Use ringtones that come with the phone or that are similar in size to those on the phone. Many of the tones and songs we download are larger and longer so more battery power is used up when these tones are used.

8. Turn off the backlight during the day and set it to the minimal time setting to automatically turn off when you stop using the keys.

9. Forward calls to your house phone when at home and turn off your mobile phone. This is simple and easy and can easily be reversed and there is usually no or a minimal charge.

10. Keep your phone in a cool place. When the phone is exposed to heat, the battery heats up and when this happens it damages the battery thus leading to less battery life.

These tips are for extending your battery life but if you tend to use your phone pretty much 24/7's you may want to look into getting an additional battery. Batteries don't last forever and over time they will lose their efficiency and you will have to get a new one to replace it. If after following these tips you still don't see an extension in your battery life, then you may need to get a new battery.

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