The Human Manual | Mobile Phone Tutorials & News

Flashback virus traced to source

Andrew — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:01:24 +0000

By now you will all know about the Flashback virus that hit over half a million Macs recently through reports here and on the media. Thankfully this is largely under control now although it is believed that around 140,000 infected Macs are still out there.

The good news is that Kaspersky have managed to find out where the virus originated which will help big time in dealing with the infection. It seems that it first appeared in a fake update for Adobe but then got reworked and placed in blogs related to the highly popular WordPress program which is used extensively for uploading information to websites. It is also believed that a plug in for the software called ToolsPack was infected.

This meant that anyone using WordPress that had visited the blogs or used the plug in became carriers of the virus and from there it just keeps building.

A final fix is still in the making but as always the more you know, the better solution you can come up with, so hopefully with this information all Mac users will soon be able to breathe a big sigh of relief.

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HTC decide to go their own way

Andrew — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:59:21 +0000

Nowadays the big boys like to make their own processors for their handsets. This is a sound strategy as it gives you greater control over your product and of course will help in keeping costs lower which is always helpful.

HTC have now decided that if it is good enough for the likes of Samsung and Apple, then it is good enough for them, so are now looking at producing processors in partnership with ST-Ericsson for their low range handsets.

This is a risky move for HTC as they are losing market share rapidly, and if this is not controlled in the next few months HTC may be looking like the new Nokia or RIM. However HTC seem confident that this is the right move and suggests that they feel the lower end of the market can be their saving point.

There is no question that HTC make some very good handsets so lets hope that they can make this idea work and then work out why they are losing out now and come back stronger than ever.

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New iPhone to have next gen touchscreen

Andrew — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:52:08 +0000

There are always rumours surrounding the iPhone and already this week we have looked at the potential new casing made from LiquidMetal. It looks like with a new case we may be seeing a new type of screen as well.

Sharp and Toshiba have developed a new touchscreen system that is thinner and lighter than current screens as fewer layers are needed. Basically, the touchscreen layer is currently added underneath the LCD layer of the screen. This new system, called In-Cell Touch, makes the additional screen layer unnecessary.

For the tech heads reading this that’s great, but what does it mean for everyone else. It means that handsets can be slimmer and lighter, and as production costs are less, just possibly cheaper as well which can only be good news. So if the rumours of the new thinner and stronger casing and this new screen tech turn out to be true, we could be looking at something really exciting when the new iPhone comes out.

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HTC One users, are you feeling brave?

Andrew — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:49:21 +0000

In a previous article we have spoken about the mounting complaints regarding the battery life of the new HTC One range. This really is a big fly in an otherwise very nice soup. It seems that there will be a solution available soon, but it is definitely not for the faint hearted.

As the battery is built into the casing, the old school option of simply having two batteries is not going to cut it. An aftermarket battery manufacturer called Mugen may soon have an option available for you but be warned, it will invalidate your warranty.

Their proposal is to develop an extended life battery and to supply this with full instructions on how to get into the casing of your handset to install it. Doing this will not be easy and if we are honest, the chances of getting it done without damage are not good.

It is a great idea, and does show graphically how HTC have really dropped the ball on this one. However, there are a lot if risks involved so make sure you are able to accept the consequences if you take this option.

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More clouds are coming

Andrew — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:47:50 +0000

In an earlier article we reported on the imminent coming of G-Drive, Google’s cloud drive service. It seems though that this is not the only new cloud on the horizon.

Samsung are said to be launching their own cloud service called S-Cloud, which is just a little naughty considering the issues with Apple at the moment.

Apparently this is a system that will take Cloud servers to the next level as you can store anything you want there and will have access to downloadable content as well. It is also believed that the amount of storage is going to be more than the upcoming G-Drive.

Sounds great, but spot the immediate issue with this service. Have you worked it out? It is for Samsung users only, so if you want to share something with your mate and they use a different brand of Smartphone this will not be possible. With this being the case to be honest you are probably still better off using the upcoming G-Drive or Dropbox as anyone can use these. Maybe Samsung should have thought this one through a bit more.

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Microsoft are looking for a twin

Andrew — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:47:30 +0000

We have let you in on some wacky stuff in the world of Tech, and this one is another that we are not sure is totally bonkers or true genius.

Microsoft have issued patents to use twin screen displays on mobiles and tablets. The most likely method at the moment is considered to be using a screen similar to e-readers as the second screen as these are much less of a monster in the juice department.

There could be multiple ideas for the second screen, but the most obvious is the ability to customize your handset to make it a unique piece of you.

If this patent ever does make it onto a Smartphone, It will be really interesting to see how Microsoft choose to integrate this into their handsets whilst still maintaining the overall looks

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A new contender enters the mobile OS Arena

Andrew — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:21:02 +0000

You would think with Apple, Android and Windows, the Smartphone market was pretty well covered as far as Operating Systems go. Especially when you look at the trouble that Windows Mobile is having in breaking ground.

It seems though that an old web favourite thinks it is time to throw their hat into the ring as well to fight it out with the heavyweights. The Operating System is called Boot to Gecko, and is made by Mozilla, the people behind the Firefox web browser.

Mozilla say that the OS will be released as open source in the same way as Android. However, they say that their system is similar in operation as a web browser, which would of course make sense as that is what they are good at.

There are no handsets running this OS yet, but we should be seeing these by the end of the year and it is believed they will be targeting the budget market with their pricing which would make perfect sense in these tough times. As soon as we know more on this we will let you know.

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One to watch out for

Andrew — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:18:47 +0000

LG have made a lot of ground over the last few years in the market, and it seems a new offering that is due in the UK around June is going to turn a few heads more.

We are talking here about the LG Optimus 4X HD. Yes, it is a long name, but it has a fair amount to say for itself. What we have is a quad core 1.5GHz processor with 1GB of Ram, 16GB of internal storage with a MicroSD slot for additional expansion, 8MP rear and 1.3MP front cameras and a 4.7 inch HD screen. All of this is of course running Ice Cream Sandwich. We can also now reveal that the handset will be available in Black or White.

That is a very impressive set of stats that is sure to wet a few whistles, and we have to say it does look very sexy in white as well. Definitely one to watch out for in the next few months if you are in the market for a new handset.

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HTC – Size matters

Andrew — Wed, 02 May 2012 08:10:19 +0000

With the vast number of handsets on the market today every company is looking for a unique selling point to make theirs stand out above the rest. HTC have chosen to go on the diet route and make their new range of handsets super slim. Is this however the best route to take?

According to a member of HTC’s chief strategists when customers were asked about what they would prefer the majority wanted slimline designs. There certainly is a desire to make things as thin as possible. That seems to be the main talking point in Laptop and Tablet design as well as other areas, but of course with slimline design you often sacrifice things, and in the case of the new HTC range the sacrifice is battery life.

There have been numerous complaints about battery life in the new HTC’s so was this the wisest move? This is only our opinion, but probably not. There is a fine line between form and function and if you want a truly exciting device, this line must be respected and not crossed. In this case the line was crossed. There is no question that the handsets look good, but we need them to have enough juice to power them all day otherwise they just become paperweights.

We are big fans of HTC here at The Human Manual and if HTC can produce a software fix to help increase battery life then we feel these can be truly outstanding handsets. Until then though they unfortunately fall short of the mark.

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Eco-Lovers everywhere, this one’s for you

Andrew — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:04:21 +0000

We all have varying degrees of interest in matters that relates to the ecology of our planet. For those of you that are Eco-Concious, we have some news that you may find of interest.

There are a lot of materials in your average Smartphone and lets face it, they are not the most environmentally friendly devices to make. However, some manufacturers are conscious of this and so LG have created an alternative for people who want to enjoy modern technology but still make as little an impact environmentally. Enter the Optimus Elite.

The LG Optimus Elite is certified Carbon and ULE Platinum free, and is being launched in America On Earth Day (22/4). The phone has a 3.5 inch (320×480) screen, 800MHz processor, 5MP camera and is NFC enabled. Running the show is Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).

Ok. It is not exactly a monster in the specs dept, but when it does reach our shores it should have a reasonable price tag attached, and you get the kudos of proving your personal green credentials.

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