Technology Trends

Modern chemistry attempts to produce new materials which through their various characteristics and properties can be better used for all types of purposes. One prerequisite of choosing the necessary chemical reactions necessary to synthesise some new product is a detailed knowledge of the structure of the reactants and their characteristic properties, including some knowledge of the course of the chemical reactions and the mechanisms which make them go and influence them.

A chemical reaction is a change in molecules and elements which results in new molecules with new properties being formed. The course of a reaction is described by a chemical equation. The materials which react together are called reactants; the materials which are formed in a reaction are called products. A reaction equation, or a chemical equation, is used to abbreviate and symbolise a chemical reaction. The reactants, the materials which begin a chemical reaction, are written on the left side of a chemical equation, in front of an arrow, and the products are written on the right side of this arrow:

Fe(s) + S(s) ® FeS(s)

Iron (in the carbon group) and sulphur (same group) react to produce iron sulphide.

In many reactions, the state of matter of the materials changes. For this reason, whether the material, either reactant or product, is in the solid (s), liquid (l), or gaseous (g) state is indicated with the corresponding lower case letter, in parentheses as above. If a reaction results in the amount of products being less than reactants, we call this a combination, or synthesis reaction. If there are more products than reactants, this is a dissociation, or breakdown reaction.

Energy and Chemical Reactions

Elements try to attain a state which is the most natural or most energetically advantageous for them, that is, one where the outermost electron shells are filled. For this reason, electrons are very often transferred between atoms, either donated or accepted. Some elements donate their electrons more easily, while some elements accept electrons more readily. In extreme cases, the electrons of one atom are completely transferred to an atom of another or the same element. But most of the time, electrons are not completely transferred, but rather shared between two atoms, though those electrons may be attracted to one of the atoms more strongly than the other. This is a chemical bond.

The most ideal state for atoms and molecules is always that state with the lowest energy. In most chemical reactions, then, the energy that was included in higher-energy bonds is released to the surroundings. But in order for such an energy-releasing reaction to occur, the reactants must be infused with enough energy to break the original bonds and allow the formation of new ones. Most of the time, a certain amount of energy has to be added to the system (usually in the form of heat), to start the reaction, or to make it go. This energy is called the activation energy of a reaction.

In order for new compounds to be formed, the bonds of the reactants must first be broken. An activation energy must be introduced into the system. This helps in the formation of new bonds which are more energetically favourable for the atoms and molecules involved in the reaction. If a reaction evolves more energy than was necessary to begin it (activation energy), this reaction proceeds on its own, resulting in the release of some energy to the surroundings.

This is an exothermic reaction. If, however, the energy released in forming new compounds is less than its activation energy, energy must be constantly added as the reaction proceeds. This type of reaction does not proceed on its own. It is an endothermic reaction.

The energy released can be in the form of heat, but it can be light or electricity, too. The variety of energetic phenomena released by chemical reactions is called heat of reaction.

Every chemical reaction goes at its own pace (reaction rate). Influencing this rate is very important in chemistry. The concentration of individual reactants and products can be determined, as can changes in heat and temperature. In gaseous state of matter reactions, reaction rate can be influenced by pressure, with higher pressures resulting in more rapid reactions. Reaction rate increases as the concentration of reactants increases, too. Greater temperature also causes reaction rate to rise. A rise of 10 Kelvin (= 10° C) causes reaction rate to double.

Reaction rate is also markedly influenced by the size of the surface on which reactants are allowed to react. In other words, if reactants are divided into smaller particles, a reaction proceeds more quickly than if reactants are left in bulk. Formation of Ions

In many compounds, atoms form what is called an ionic bond. In this type of bonding, electrons in one atom’s outer shell are transferred from that atom to another, which accepts them. This is a complete transfer. The atom which accepts the electron or electrons completely fills its outer shell, thus attaining a noble gas electron configuration. The donor atom, the one which gives up its electrons, also attains a noble gas electron configuration (at a lower energy level) by emptying its most outer shell.

The transfer of negatively charged electrons leads to an excess of positively charged protons in the donor atom, thus forming an ion which is overall charged positively (cation). The second atom, the one which accepts the electron or electrons, becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). An ionic bond is based on the electrostatic attraction of two ions of opposite charges.

Salts make up a great percentage of the compounds which form ionic bonds. They are composed of atoms or molecules with a positive charge (cations) and the second half of an acid, which is a negatively charged anion. The reaction mechanism begins when an atom (or atoms) of hydrogen escape the acid, forming a positive ion. This positively charged hydrogen atom is replaced with another cation (or cations).

For example: HCl (hydrochloric acid) + NaOH (sodium hydroxide) = NaCl (table salt)+ H2O (water)

The valence of a salt is given by the number of hydrogen ions which are able to be transferred in a given reaction.

In the above reaction, just one hydrogen ion is replaced by one sodium ion, forming sodium chloride (table salt, NaCl). For this reason, table salt has one valence. Salts are soluble (able to dissolve) in water, and they have high melting and boiling points. Salts, when they are found in the solid state of matter, are crystalline in form.

Ionic compounds are usually spatially repeating molecules. In other words, they form crystals. Crystals can grow out of, or crystallise from, a saturated solution (from a solution which has exceeded its maximum solubility, where there is more salt than can be dissolved). Or, crystals can be grown from the transformation of an amorphic material (from a material without a regular crystalline structure).

What is the difference between a crystal and an amorphous material? Amorphous materials are not repeating, fixed, regular structures. On the other hand, crystalline structures have completely determined inner arrangements - their crystal lattice.

Every crystal has specific angles which together form the sides of that crystal. These repeat in a formation, with proportions which are highly specific.

Other types of bonds can be integrated into a crystal lattice, as its constituent parts. Crystals can be of various shapes and sizes. These varying crystalline structures, with their different forms and sizes, are what differentiates atoms, molecules and ions. It all depends on the exact geometric arrangement of a crystal, with its defined borders and in some cases sharp angles. The ideal crystal lattice is a thing of beauty, in which all of the points of the lattice are perfectly arranged in their natural places. In reality, however, such perfect crystals are quite rare. Most of the time, crystals which occur in nature are imperfect. Some points on the crystal lattice contain components which do not belong. Sometimes, the lattice is quite flawed.

The growth of a crystal or crystals is dependent on external factors, such as temperature, the natural speed of crystal growth, solution concentration, the amount of crystallising material and the presence, if any, of foreign material in the solution.

Crystals can be described with the help of two terms:

Proportion of Crystal and Type of Crystal

Agglomerates which appear from various materials can combine to form a complex, varied, imperfect crystalline structure.

Crystals can also be differentiated according to their crystal lattice. According to this criterion, there are simple crystals, in which individual points of the crystal lattice are occupied by parts of the same kind. The growth of a crystal can be imagined as a kind of regular swelling, on all sides, at its walls and edges. Besides those, there are complex crystals which are composed of multiple simple crystals.

Crystals can be investigated by structural analysis procedures. There are 7 basic types of crystal lattices and 7 other derivatives of these. All together, around 1000 crystalline structures are presently known.

Polymorphic crystals can appear in various forms. Materials which are formed from crystals can actually change their crystal lattice depending on temperature. Graphite (a component of pencil leads) and diamond are both modifications of the crystalline structure of the carbon atom ( C ). The differing characteristics come from differing attractions and forces between the various atoms.

An allotrope (allos from the Greek - different, trope - change) is a compound which is able to take on various forms.

Monotropes are those crystals that can be arranged in various ways, but only one of these is stable. The other forms, when they are present, tend to transform into this most stable form. Since temperature differences are not relevant to this situation, these transformations may not be considered as temperature based. While allotropic materials can be found in a variety of forms, monotropes, on the other hand, will sooner or later transform to one, most stable form.

Enantiotropes are those crystals which have the ability to change their crystal lattices as a function of temperature. As temperature rises or falls, these crystals change their crystalline arrangements. One lattice exists above a certain temperature, with another in place below that critical temperature. Most of the time, these critical temperatures are very high. Of interest are a number of forms of iron which are assumed during production.

Isomorphs are those substances which share the same crystalline structure, although they are completely different compounds.

One of the simplest crystalline structures is the one which characterises table salt (NaCl). Its structure is that of a cube which has at its corners ions of chlorine. Sodium ions are at the centres of the sides and in the centre of the cube.

Electron Pairs, Covalent Bonds

Bonds between atoms or in some cases molecules can be different. Paired, covalent bonds are found in non-metallic molecules. The atoms in the molecules of basic gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are all joined together with covalent bonds. These types of bonds have atoms connected with the help of the electrons in the outermost shell. The result is the union of two electrons to form an electron pair. Negatively charged, bonded electrons are attracted to the positively charged nuclei of both atoms. Because both of the nuclei must now share the electrons, they stick together, joined by the union of their electrons, an electron pair.

Each of the two atoms, then, seemingly has one or more electron extra. The bond between the atoms is based on the attraction of the two nuclei of the atoms to the shared electron pair. The shared electrons belong to both atoms at the same time. All atoms, in whatever state they are found, have the tendency to want to fill their outer electron shells. In the hydrogen molecule (H2), each hydrogen atom has two electrons associated with it, in its one and only outermost shell. (An isolated hydrogen atom has only one electron.) When, however, two hydrogens are bonded together, they achieve the electron configuration of the second element, helium (He).

Covalent bonds are very stable, because the atoms involved in a covalently bonded compound fill their outermost shells completely, bringing the atoms to their most energetically desirable state. This type of electron arrangement is equivalent to that of a noble gas, because all of the noble gases have a stable electron configuration (filled outermost electron shell). Also, molecules of chlorine, oxygen and nitrogen can reach the stable electron configuration in their outermost shell - by bonding with another atom of their own kind. That is, two chlorines bonded together, two oxygens, two nitrogens.

In order to reach the noble gas electron configuration, it is often necessary to fill various spaces in the outermost electron shell. In this case, multiple electron pairs are needed to fill these “holes”. In the oxygen molecule, two electron pairs are needed, with the nitrogen molecule three. This is necessary because all atoms taking part in these types of bonding reactions need either 2 electrons in their outermost shell (elements in the first energy level, or period, of the periodic table: H and He) or 8 (other groups of the periodic table which are at the right end). These atoms which have incomplete outermost electron shells must attract other electrons, from other atoms, to fill their shells completely. An atom like oxygen can join with two atoms, forming an electron pair with each of them, or it may join with one other atom to form two electron pairs with the one atom, called a double bond. There are also triple bonds. Carbon (C) is capable of forming single, double and triple bonds.

In a covalent bond, a shared electron pair in a molecule is attracted to both nuclei on both sides equally strongly, but only if the two atoms sharing that pair are the same. Attractive force depends on the charge of the atomic nucleus and on the amount of electrons in the atom’s electron cloud. The ability to attract electrons by an element was called electronegativity (EN) by L. Pauling (American chemist).

The quantity electronegativity is defined as the comparative ability of an atom to be attracted to an individual atomic nucleus. In other words, the flourine atom attracts bonded electrons most strongly of all atoms. It was therefore assigned the highest electronegativity of all elements - 4.0. Electronegativity values of all the elements can be found in the periodic table. In every period, every horizontal row of the periodic table, electronegativity rises from left to right across the period, with rising number of protons, or atomic number. On the other hand, in the main groups, as we move down the periodic table from top to bottom, or vertically, electronegativity decreases. So, the element with the largest value of electronegativity must logically be found in the top right of the period table. Besides the noble gases, which have their outermost electron shells filled, and do not need electrons, the element which attracts electrons most readily is flourine (F), with a value of 4.0. At the other end of the periodic table, bottom left, are elements with the lowest electronegativity (Fr 0.7).

In compounds composed of two different atoms, an electron pair is not shared equally among the two. Instead, it is attracted to the two sides with different attractive force, based on the atoms’ differing electronegativities. In the molecule hydrogen chloride (HCl), the hydrogen atom and the chlorine atom share one electron pair. But because of the greater size of the chlorine nucleus, this electron pair is more strongly attracted by the chlorine nucleus than by the hydrogen nucleus. In addition, the chlorine atom has another 6 electrons in its outermost shell. These are arranged into three electron pairs - all unbonded. For this reason, the chlorine atom has an overall negative charge to it, if only a partially negative charge. The hydrogen atom, on the other side, has the same value of partial positive charge. The molecule HCl, or hydrogen chloride, with its partial positive side (hydrogen) and its partial negative side (chlorine) is said to have a dipole, or dipole moment. This means that the one pair of shared electrons is not shared equally. In this case, the pair is closer to the chlorine atom. It is partially negatively charged because it now has more electrons than it has protons in its nucleus. Hydrogen, on the other side, has less electrons than it has protons, and is therefore positive. Bonded electrons are written as a dash, a short line between two element symbols, or between molecular chemical formulas. This type of designation is called a valence formula.

The electronegativity of an element is determined by the amount of protons it has in its nucleus, as well as the number of electrons it contains in its outermost shell. Thanks to the partial transfer of a bonded electron pair to the more electronegative atom in a molecule, that molecule can have a positive and negative side. These sides are called poles, and if they differ in a significant way, the molecule is said to have a dipole. The result is a molecule with one side positive, one side negative. This can, of course, affect neighbouring molecules, attracting or repelling them if they are partially charged. The water molecule has a partial negative charge, found on the oxygen atom. The two hydrogen atoms have a partial positive charge.

Both free electron pairs in the oxygen atom attract the centre of a partially positively charged neighbouring molecule with their electromagnetic attractive force. This type of bonding is called hydrogen bonding. Each molecule of water hydrogen bonds with other water molecules, aligning so as to produce a positive, negative repeating pattern. The positive side is hydrogen, the negative oxygen. This phenomenon, hydrogen bonding in water, explains water’s high surface tension. This means that the molecules on the surface are weakly bonded to the rest of the liquid, by these hydrogen bonds. For that reason, water, even at relatively high temperatures, is still a liquid, whereas other similar molecules have already changed to the gaseous state.

Bonds between atoms can be depicted in various ways:

H : H formula with points, or dots, indicating electrons

H - H or with hydrogen chloride H Cl valence formula

H2 HCl chemical formula of the molecule

Acids, Bases, Salts

Intermolecular Forces

Most inorganic compounds are categorised as either acids, bases or salts. S. Arrhenius (Swedish physical chemist) came up with one of the most often used definitions for an acid.

According to that definition, acids are materials which when dissolved in water release hydrogen cations (atoms of hydrogen with a positive charge). Bases, on the other hand, are materials which release hydroxide anions (negatively charged compounds of one atom oxygen, one atom hydrogen) into solution when dissolved.

Salts are made of atoms or molecules, with one side positively charged, the other negatively charged.

They are formed from an acid when that acid gives up its hydrogen atoms with their positive charges, only to replace the hydrogen with the ion from a metal.

A number of acids and bases were known long before their chemical makeups and reaction mechanisms were known. As pure substances they are not distinguishable from each other. So, acids have to be dissolved in water in order for chemists to determine their characteristic properties. Acids begin to react when placed in water. In an aqueous solution the ions of an acid separate from each other, into a hydrogen cation and the corresponding anion. Both of these ions, free in the water, interact with it. In essence, water molecules surround the ions, creating what is called hydrated ions. So, a hydrogen ion does not remain isolated, but undergoes a hydration reaction to produce a positively charged “water” molecule, in the reaction H2 O + H+ = H3O+. These ions cause a solution to be acidic in character, and cause the colour of an indicator to change, indicating an excess of H3O+

ions in solution. (An indicator is a substance which can differentiate whether an acid or base is present in a solution.) In addition, ions in solution cause a solution to conduct electricity, or be conductive.

When a base is dissolved in water, positive ions are released into solution, and so are negatively charged hydroxide ions. A solution which contains hydroxide ions is a basic solution, or an alkaline solution. Just like with acids, the ions released into solution are hydrated, or surrounded by water. These solutions also conduct an electric current. Basic solutions also affect the colour of an indicator, and can produce basic salts when reacted with acids. Bases are basically lattices of ions. Their solids can also conduct an electric current.

According to the Brönsted-Lowry theory of acids and bases, any compound which releases a proton, or a hydrogen atom, into solution is an acid. Any compound which accepts a proton is considered a base. Solutions which contain dissolved bases and acids, because they release protons or hydroxide ions, conduct electricity.

The chemical process in which an electrical current runs through a solution is called an electrolysis. Bonds are broken in the process due to the electrolysis, with new substances being formed on the ends of the conductors, or electrodes.

Electrolysis reactions require the kinds of solutions which contain dissociated ions, allowing the solution to carry an electrical current.

During the electrolysis of an ionic solution, negatively charged ions (anions) migrate to the positively charged electrode (anode), while positively charged cations migrate to the negatively charged electrode, the cathode. In the case of an acidic or basic solution, positive ions migrate to the cathode (the end of the electrode with a negative pole), whereas the negative hydroxide ions swim to the anode (electrode with a positive pole). In these types of solutions (called electrolytic), there is no movement of electrons as in a crystal lattice, but rather movement of free swimming ions to the corresponding electrode. The number of ions is the determining factor as to whether, and how well, a solution conducts electricity.

The volume of hydrogen ions in a solution is measured as the value of the pH of a solution. The value of pH is the negative base ten logarithm giving the concentration of protons (hydrogen (H), measured from 0 to 14. A pH of O means that the concentration of hydrogen = 1, while a value of 14 means a concentration of 0.00000000000001. Solutions with a pH from 0-7 are acidic.

The acidic character of a solution decreases with rising pH. At a pH of 7, a solution is neutral. As pH rises from 7, so does the alkalinity of a solution. At a pH of 7, there are the same amount of hydrogen ions as hydroxide ions.

Indicators are used in order to determine the acidic or basic character of a reaction. These substances have to have the property of changing their colour in the presence of an acidic or basic solution. For example, litmus paper changes its colour to blue in a basic solution. In a neutral solution, it is pink. In a basic solution, it is red. Colour changes differ from one indicator to another, but are characteristic for one specific indicator. With the right choice of an indicator, pH can be fairly accurately determined.

The degree with which an acid releases hydrogen ions into solution depends on the concentration of an acid. The stronger an acid, the more protons it releases into solution, and the more negative ions as well. Two well-known strong acids are sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid (HCl). Weak acids, on the other hand, do not release as many ions into solution. In other words, they do not dissociate as completely. Examples of weak acids include citric acid and acetic acid.

If we mix an acidic solution with an equally strong basic solution in the same proportions, the resulting solution will be neutral. This is called a neutralisation reaction. In a neutralisation reaction, hydrogen ions are neutralised by hydroxide ions - forming water - and a salt. Heat is also released during neutralisation reactions.

Many chemical reactions that seem not to be working or go at an extremely slow pace can be accelerated by addition of a small amount of some material. The material, called a catalyst, is added to the reactants. A reaction which requires a catalyst is said to be catalysed.

Catalysts take part in a reaction, but they are not used up by the reaction and are unchanged by the reaction. In the type of reaction which requires a catalyst, the reactants would react either too slowly or not at all. In other words, a catalyst gives the system a boost, an increase in activisation energy. The presence of a catalyst in a chemical reaction makes the reaction easier, or in some cases, possible at all: A catalyst takes part in a reaction by reacting with one of the original reactants to form a an intermediate product, which goes on to produce the required end product. One possibility is that one of the reactants, with the help of interaction with a catalyst, acquires new spatial dimensions or other characteristics which make it more reactive with another of the reactants. We differentiate between homogeneous catalysts, which are the same state of matter as the other reactants, and heterogeneous catalysts, where the catalyst is in a different state of matter.

In theory, the concept of mobile payments has a strong business case, given the high market penetration rates of mobile devices, such as cellular phones and PDA?s, in many parts of the world. In addition, mobile operators and financial institutions, through the use of these devices, envision an attractive way to enable their customers to make payments. On the consumer side, users can reap the benefits of convenience, permitting them to buy goods and services from any location.

In principle, a mobile device can be used as a POS (point of sale) tool. Mobile operators and financial institutions consider this concept as the next logical step in making mobile devices a trusted payment device for consumers, acting as a payment instrument supplementing cash, cheque, credit card and debit card.

Currently, financial institutions are rolling out wireless POS capabilities to merchants which are in-turn competing with a consumer?s mobile phone. Several new services have been introduced around the world in which merchants are accepting payments from wireless POS terminals. These wireless POS terminals, for example, allow merchants to offer home delivery services in which payments are presented and accepted upon delivery of goods or services at the consumer?s location.

Wireless POS terminals use the wireless networks of mobile operators to send payment instructions to a merchant acquirer?s payment server. Consequently, wireless POS services are classified as an extension of traditional payment services. Given that in some areas of the world almost everyone will soon own a mobile phone, and most merchant locations offer POS terminals as a form of payment, it is at least conceivable that the mobile device will take over a large part of the retail payment market.

Since wireless POS implementations are an extension of current payment infrastructures, users still need to use a credit or debit card to make purchases. The convenience associated with current wireless POS methods have to do with the fact that these terminals are brought to the location of the purchase. For example, in a restaurant environment with the user paying for their bill via debit card from their seat, or for their groceries which have been delivered to their front door.

Mobile devices enable the use of numerous services, services that do not need card readers, personal computers, and modem combinations or a merchant?s wireline POS terminal. Nowadays, mobile devices have an embedded chip that can be used to store information and provide secure authorization and identification.

The Need for Interoperability

But to make these services available to the majority of mobile users, mobile payment service providers need to roll out services that offer interoperability. There have been numerous mobile payment pilots conducted that enable mobile devices to be used as a payment option, some of which have advanced into full mobile payment services (e.g. PayPal, PayBox, MovilPago). To date, we?ve discovered that the key to providing a successful mobile payment service has to do with the benefits it gives the end user and the end user’s customers: convenience, security, and freedom being a few key elements.

Though the industry has a long way to go before mobile devices will become a consumer?s payment instrument of choice, to ensure the stability of a viable mobile payments infrastructure, collaboration is the key.

Both mobile operators and financial institutions have tried, with little success, to implement their own individual pilot projects. Both parties have encountered numerous difficulties. Mobile operators, for example, because of their extensive existing customer base, technical know-how and billing comprehension, seemed the most likely candidates to provide mobile payment services. However, problems associated with risk management and the collaboration of numerous providers needed to accomplish interoperability have arisen. Financial insitutions on the other hand are confronted with a limited number of users and high infrastructure costs. To remedy these problems, mobile operators and financial institutions have begun collaborating to jointly offer mobile payment services to their customers. For instance, leading Dutch direct bank ING/Postbank Nederland, has partnered with the Netherlands number three mobile carrier Telfort, to offer users mobile access to the bank?s retail applications and link user bank accounts to Telfort?s prepaid service top-up capabilities for account recharging. In this case, the fact that these two entities are taking advantage of their natural symbiosis is a big step in the right direction.

Right now there are four entities needed to make a payment via credit card (acquirers, issuers, merchants and consumers) to make a payment via mobile device, there are five (mobile operators, acquires, issuer, merchant and consumers). As a result, the ideal business model includes the cooperation between mobile operators, financial institutions, technology suppliers and industry associations to create a certain amount of standardization which will ensure the successful implementation of a strong mobile payments infrastructure.

Still, numerous issues, including limited functionality available through the current generation of networks as well as a lack of standards to name a few, are still hampering the efforts being carried out by these industry players. In addition, questions regarding successful revenue generating business models also remain.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, cell phone and PDA penetration rates are higher then they’ve ever been, with forecasted growth rates showing exponential increases in consumer adoption. Accordingly, industry focus should be centered around the business side. Right now it is not feasible for a mobile operator or a financial institution to role out competing services on a proprietary model that does not include interoperability. Mobile operators and financial institutions must work together to implement mobile payment services that marry a consumer?s bank account with their mobile subscription. Offering payment services should not be seen as a competitive advantage, but rather as a necessity which will drive the success of the rollout of mobile commerce.

Today we see several initiatives taking place including the creation of various industry associations designed to address the different issues associated with the mobile industry. With these activities underway-mobile operators and financial institutions are beginning to work together to roll out new payment services. Pre-paid top up, for example, is the first real commercial mobile payment application that is being introduced into several markets. Financial institutions and mobile operators are collaborating to enabling mobile subscribers to electronically pay for their pre-paid wireless accounts using several banking channels such as telephone banking, Internet banking, and ATM and mobile banking, completely automating the ?top-up? experience using SMS (Short Message Service).

Currently, payment instruments are stored in virtual wallets residing either on the mobile device or centralized on the open network service platform. Consumers register for the service through their financial institution, mobile operator or service provider, depending on how the service is setup. The registration is necessary to link the consumer?s subscription data with their financial information and provision the mobile device for the service. Future methods may see users using their mobile device as a way to simply access their bank accounts, whereby the mobile operator?s function will be simply to transport the data. In addition, smart cards issued by financial institutions may begin to become more prevalent.

As mobile services and infrastructures evolve we will begin to see the true notion of mobile payment instruments living up to the hype of ?anytime, anywhere payments.? Soon, mobile payments will become an integral part of consumer lifestyles, replacing the payment instruments we have hidden in our wallets today. It is clear, that the co-operation between mobile operators and financial institutions is needed to build a viable mobile payments offering. It is also clear that the next logical payments industry step is to provide consumers with the ability to make payments for goods and services on their mobile devices. The only true concept of ?anytime anywhere payments? is conceivable through access via a mobile device. ‘Where there’s a wireless, there’s a way’ and the key to the success of the industry is as simple as giving consumers what they want.

Are you looking for a phone that is in the top lead around the world? Well if you did not already have one then you should know that the Samsung Company is the leading mobile phones around the world. The Samsung Company has been advertising for their phones for many years now and has some of the eye catching designs people are looking for in a phone today. If you are looking for a new phone from Samsung then we suggest the Samsung M8800 Pixon. When you get this new Samsung camera phone you will be happy to see the phones specifications and abilities the phone has.

The Samsung Pixon has a unique look, which brings the phone to being one of the top sellers of the Samsung Company. The phone is 3G enabled and ready to rock your world. This high specification camera phone is built with a touch screen that allows you to surf the web easy and text faster than before. The phone allows you to play some of the most graphic games that are out there today for a mobile phone. The Samsung M8800 Pixon also allows you to watch the downloaded videos you are wanting. The memory on the Samsung M8800 Pixon has 200mb of internal memory. You can also buy upgraded external memory that you can save your pictures on like a memory card. The micro SD external memory card can be up to 8 GB and can be found in any retail store.

If you are looking for a phone that has a built in digital camera then you should get the Samsung M8800. The Pixon phones digital camera provides you with an 8 megapixel camera that allows you to take a picture with high quality. The Pixon by Samsung offers a built in digital camera that brings you some of the most wanted updated technology such as the auto focus, shake reduction and blink detection.

The built in camera is perfect for someone that is looking for a camera and phone. The pictures can be viewed in a high revolution screen on your phone. The Pixon phone has USB ports v2.0 that is compatible to hook to your computer. The Bluetooth is also added to the Samsung M8800 Pixon, which means you can listen to your music you want on the phone. The internet can also be used the M8800 Pixon, which provides some of the fastest internet that is out there today on a phone.

The Pixon brings you some of the updated technology that cell phone can have. Surfing the web has gotten to be easy using your mobile phone and your touch screen allows you to send email. The Samsung Pixon is not too expensive if you are looking for one for yourself or family with no contract. When you purchase the phone you should also look into the other phones that the Samsung Company has to bring. The new Pixon phone from Samsung is the phone that pay as you go and don’t need a company contract. This brings new options of paying as you go.

The full QWERTY form factor, be they sliders or Blackberry type candybars, seems to be the de facto standard for serious smartphones pitched to businessmen and executives,.

It’s interesting to note that Sony Ericsson smartphones have shied away from such phones with only the Xperia X2 running on Windows as its first ever QWERTY slider. That is about to change this year.

At the recently concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Japanese phone maverick unveiled a couple more - the Xperia X10 Mini Pro in tandem with a touchscreen X10 Mini and the Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro to team up with the Vivaz touchscreen unveiled last January. It also looks like Sony is starting a tradition to affix “pro” on similar handsets that it modifies with a sliding QWERTY keyboard half shell

The Vivaz Pro is everything the Vivaz is with the disappointing exception of the imaging function that got watered-down from a gorgeous 8 megapixel resolution in the Vivaz to just 5megapxiels in the Pro. But apart from that, and a slightly wider, heftier and thicker body due to the QWERTY body half, the Vivaz brings the same high end Symbian S60 5th edition smartphone to a market that Sony Ericsson thinks would have looked elsewhere for a tactile side-sliding QWERTY smartphone.

Outstanding Hardware Features

Both Vivaz and its Pro variant use the PowerVR Series 5 SGX graphics engine that the earlier Satio used but clocked at 720 MHz instead of 600 MHz. This allows both to process high definition 720p video recording with video light and continuous autofocus. HD video playback is a bit compromised though with the absence of DivX and Xvid video file codec support, but there’s nothing that a downloaded 3rd party app can’t solve.

As indicated above, imaging in the Pro is more modest 5 megapixel resolution but you still get the same autofocus and touchfocus camera with LED Flash, face and smile detection and geo-tagging. Your gorgeous images and videos captured on the Vivaz Pro gets displayed on a brilliant 3.2-inch Wide-VGA resistive touchscreen with 16 million colors that gets protected by a scratch-resistant surface. There’s the usual gravity accelerometer but a proximity sensor meant to disable touchscreen sensitivity in a call is missing.

Elsewhere on the hardware front, the new Vivaz Pro is your basic 3G smartphone on the dual band UMTS with the HSDPA at 10.2 Mbps and HSUPA at 2 Mbps. It’s also your quad band GSM with GPRS/EDGE on 2/2.5G data connectivity. It comes with WiFi 802.11b/g with DLNA, Bluetooth 2.1 and microUSB 2.0 for wireless and wired data synching, respectively.

You get a built-in A-GPS and stereo FM receivers, Bluetooth A2DP, 3.5mm headphone jack and TV-out (VGA resolution) ports. The phone memory is 75 MB expandable to 16 GB from its microSD slot and you get a 9 GB microSD card free with the retail kit. Talk time is a remarkable 12.5 hours and standby is 18 days from the same 1200 mAh Lithium-polymer battery powering the earlier Vivaz touchscreen.

Matching Software Features

The Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro comes bundled with Google Map 3.0 for its A-GPS receiver and Wisepilot turn-by-turn navigation apps. It comes with the SNS apps fro Facebook, Twitter as well as YouTube for online video sharing. There’s the usual PDF and Quick Office document viewer, WebKit HTML web browser with Java and Flash video support and the messaging apps like your typical email client and IM support. PlayNow online access to apps, music and games is also supported.

Nokia N95 8GB mobile phone is the latest Realplayer. It comes with plethora of astonishing and sophisticated features. It can play streamed media files. It has enormous 8GB of internal memory and you can store a lot of important data, music and work files. The N95 8GB mobile phone is coming with several cheap and attractive mobile phone deals offered by the Three network provider. It is offering pay as you go deal, contract deal, pay monthly deal and many more, You can buy the N95 8GB handset with Three network provider.

The Nokia N95 8GB 3G Smartphone comes with a two way slider opening mechanism. The handset from Nokia comes with a screen of 2.6 Inches in size that is capable of providing a 240 x 320 pixel screen resolution on a 16 million colour TFT display. The Nokia N95 8GB mobile handset weighing only 120 gram measures 99 x 53 x 21 mm making it really a comfortable and light weighted handset that is comfortable to hold in hand and to slip into the pocket.

Nokia N95 comes with lots of advanced features like camera, navigation system, music player, internet browser and more. It also has 3G technology that allows users to watch the person while talking. Nokia N95 is a quad band mobile phone with GSM network, which provides you seamless global communication. It comes with a 5 megapixel camera including Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and flash. It also offers another camera to make video calls. The camera is quite wonderful in usage and gives you a higher experience of taking pictures, as well as recording videos.

Basically, Nokia N95 8GB Three is a multimedia gadget. It comes with MP3 player and FM Radio. You can listen to the music throughout the day. The handset has lots of music options like MP3/ AAC/ AAC+/eAAC and WMA player. It also has java MIDP and a 3.5 audio output jack. The Nokia N95 comes with attractive features including 8GB memory that is the most amazing feature of the handset. It is offered by the Three network provider with all lucrative deals.

If seeking a 40 inch widescreen LCD TV of superior quality one would be hard-pressed to find a better LCD TV than the Samsung LN40A500. The LN40A500 has a super sleek cabinetry made of a rich black finish further enhanced by Samsung’s original Touch Of Color(TM) technology. Within the housing of the LN40A500, the consumer will find the most advanced technologies incorporated and integrated into the device’s construction. An amazing piece of advanced technology, the LN40A500 is ideal for anyone’s entertainment center and can serve as a heart of one’s entertainment needs.

What It Offers :

o Several Components

o 20,000 To 1 Contrast

o Enhancing Digital Processors

o PC/RF Inputs

o P-i-P Functions

o Wheel Key Remote

o 10 Watt Speakers/ Surround Sound

o ATSC/NTSC/QAM Tuners

o HDMI: 2

o Swiveling Base

o 1920×1820p Resolution

o Progressive Scanning Function

o 178×178 Angles for Viewing

o Touch of Color Exterior Enhancements(TM)

The LN40A500 has been fitted with several different tuners so that the device is fully capable of translating and interpreting a range of analog and digital signals with ease. These images are translated and then presented on the LN40A500’s 40 inch widescreen with outstanding clarity and superior precision. While the native resolution of the LN40A500 is 1080 pixels, this device also has an image scaler which is capable of interpreting a series of different incoming pixel signals and presenting them with flawless exactitude. All images are further enhanced and augmented by the exceptional contrast ratio and digital enhancers embedded within the cabinetry of the Samsung LN40A500.

The word customizable and the name Samsung go hand-in-hand; the LN40A500 gives the viewer a chance to alter the color and qualities to his or her preference with an easy setup menu, and the user also has a choice of image sizes for viewing. This model offered by Samsung allows the user to define whether or not they want to zoom in on certain images and make them larger or if they want the images to span the entire widescreen. The fine options and stupendous features of this device are rounded off by the supreme quality of the surround sound technologies also incorporated in the sleek black housing of the Samsung LN40A500. Small, unobtrusive in speakers are fixed within the cabinet of the ultra-slim, wall mountable LCD TV deliver downward firing sound in such a way that it produces a 3-D wall of audible splendor.

Samsung offers a broad selection of electronic gadgets that include Samsung wireless Bluetooth headsets. This manufacturer provides many options when it comes to wireless earpieces and every one is built to unite the specific needs of the mobile phone device user. While you should observe several diverse types of Samsung headsets, there are certain qualities mutual to each one of them.

Comfortable and Simple Bluetooth

Many wireless Bluetooth headsets in the marketplace are challenging and comprehensive to use at first, Samsung explains that its headsets are stress-free to use and come with trouble-free functions. Comfort is as well a priority when it comes to putting on these gadgets. While some of the wireless earpieces are ergonomically engineered, others are designed to be straightforward for increased comfort.

Bluetooth Style

Simplicity does not permanently mean a lack in good taste. These headsets are built to be elegant so that you can wear them at work or while you are on the run and still look professional. The styles are smooth and attractive at the same moment.

Compatible Bluetooth Device

The benefit of Samsung Bluetooth earpieces is that they are compatible with Samsung and non-Samsung cell phones that come with Bluetooth technology.

Other features include 6-8 hours of conversation time and enhanced battery life. The engineered features also allow these wireless earpieces to be leaders in the marketplace.

At all times store your Samsung Bluetooth Headset with the power off and be certain it is safely protected. Prevent storage at soaring temperatures (above 40°C / 104°F) such as in a scorching car or in absolute sunlight. (Storage at elevated temperatures can impair functionality and shorten battery life) Do not present the earpiece or any of its supplied parts to precipitation or other fluids.

Wear the earpiece on your ear. In general, you will acquire greater functionality when there are no obstructions (including parts of your body) among the headset and the phone. Depending on which ear you are planning to wear the earpiece, simply adjust the hook accordingly.

Samsung headsets are not built for use with cordless house phones, only cell phones. As of this writing, Bluetooth cordless home phones are not available or popular.

To clean the bluetooth headset, use a clean, soft cloth which is lightly damp.

All users are encouraged to get in contact with either the retailer where they purchased this earpiece, or their local government personnel, for details of where and how they can take their Samsung Bluetooth Headsets for environmentally safe recycling.

Repairing Samsung Bluetooth Headset

Never disassemble or modify your Samsung headset for any reason. Doing this may cause the headset to malfunction or become inoperable. Bring the wireless headset to an authorized service center to repair it or replace the battery.

There are a few Samsung headsets that have changeable cases which should help blend in well with the actual handsets and your particular environment. Most of these headsets are lightweight and inexpensive for even the lightest pocket book.

Samsung Bluetooth Headsets are a great way to improve your mobile lifestyle. Go ahead and find the one you love today for creating an environment that is free and wireless.

There are a lot of options in mobile phones available on the market today. The different models of phones, while all capable of making calls, actually have very different features and capabilities for many different uses. One mobile phone of great interest for many is the smartphone models. A smartphone goes far beyond that of providing the ability to make and receive calls.

For many the option of a smartphone is one that is essential for business and personal use. A smartphone is a mobile phone that is a mini computer that has a full operating system, full keyboard and other intricate and advanced features. The two most popular models of smartphones are the RIM Blackberry and the Apple iPhone.

While both are smartphones, each has it own personality. The Blackberry is much more business oriented while the iPhone is more of a hip and trendy model, and comes with full iPod capabilities for music and video entertainment.

Whichever smartphone you may choose both come with standard features, which take communication, entertainment and mobile computing to a whole new level.

Top Useful Features of Smartphones:

1. Email and Internet: Access to email and Internet browsing is one of the biggest attractions of smartphones. Many a businessperson spends all of their waking hours with their smartphones, checking and sending email with the comfort of a full keyboard. This is also a great way for students, moms, and most anyone to stay in touch with family and friends, do some mobile shopping or anything else that requires web browsing.

2. Full Operating System: Smartphones have full operating systems for mobile computing. They are capable of word processing, copy and paste of documents and most any other computer functions. And with full keyboards, computing on the run is never easier than with a mobile smartphone.



3. Applications: Both the Blackberry and iPhone have specialized applications that are available for download. These Apps include everything you can imagine, from stock updates to Apps for pets. Many find that these make the phone so much more useful, since they can choose from hundreds of different Apps to make life easier, more entertaining and for providing information directly from a pocket sized hand-held device.



4. Big Touch Screen Display: Another cool feature of smartphones, like the Blackberry Storm and the Apple iPhone are the big screen displays with touch screen capability. High-resolution big screens that allow for navigation of features with the touch of a fingertip on a graphic interface provide just another benefit to these smartphones.

5. Camera and Video: All smartphone come with a still camera as well as a video recorder. For many this eliminates the need to buy a separate digital camera or camcorder and really makes the smartphone the all-in-one gadget.

The Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV is an incredible TV and it is certainly a marvel of our modern technology.
For a very long time I researched to purchase a TV until driving my wife nuts. I went first to Best Buy but Circuit City was much more helpful than Best Buy to answer some questions.

I have seen this set at Best Buy and the picture is really amazing. Surprisingly you see true colors without any glare on the screen and no blur. compared to Best Buy, Amazon saved me not less than $600 (plus 24 months interest free and free shipping). And even by comparing this Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV to the newest versions, there were some differences the LN46A650 set was certainly the way for us to go because of the many features it offers.

Let me share with you my buying experience with Amazon themselves. They offered me such a great price on Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV that surely can never be found in any retail store or on any other website as I found after my research and as I experienced when I ordered it and also their shipping service was really fast. I ordered this TV on March 4th and it was delivered to my doorstep on the 9th.

This TV offers a standard composite to satisfy and meet all sorts of connection needs. Additional features for the Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV include a unique “Info Link” feature that allows the TV to grab weather forecasting , stock quotes , news updates , and sports scores from the internet when it is connected through the included Ethernet port to a home network. Another incredible feature is the “Wise Link” feature which allows direct play of music and image viewing when you plug in your Thumb Drive.

The Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV also includes a built-in tuner which for my particular location picked up clearly all local broadcasts without even a hitch. This TV also features a fantastic “signal strength” meter that helps much when positioning your antenna.

The calibrations and adjustments that this TV set offers are astonishing. Each input can be separately calibrated perfectly with the standard brightness, sharpness, contrast and color options that can be tweaked to your exact viewing preferences for all of your connected components that you may have.

All in all, the Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV is a high performing top-tier LCD TV and truly one of the best on the market currently in its price range. The features and performance of this set do amaze and please ans sets this television totally apart from other TVs where it matters most.

I highly recommend this Samsung TV as it truly is an incredible TV and it is absolutely a marvel of our modern technology that you must try and enjoy.

Copyright (c) 2009 Chris John

The Samsung i600 model is a serious flip phone for serious users. This phone uses Windows Smart phone to sync contacts, calendars and e-mail, as well as to perform a slew of other tasks, from regular to high-end tasks.

A product of Samsung mobile phone, the i600 model flips open to show a number keypad with flat, responsive, clear labels and a comfortable four-way rocker. The 2.2-inch internal display in the phone is sharp; moreover the call quality is good. So, user of the phone doesn’t face any problem with its sharp internal display.

Although Windows Smartphone’s ability to sync contacts and calendar wirelessly with Microsoft Outlook is addictive, the device’s e-mail sync functions are spotty and compatible. It is to be mentioned that the i600 phone does come with an extended battery.

Furthermore, the Samsung i600 model can also work as a mobile modem on Version Wireless’s 1xRTT data network, using the bulky included USB cradle. But without Bluetooth connectivity, the i600 model has no easy way to connect wirelessly to a laptop.

Although the phone comes with basic features like PIM, e-mail, and games, the benefit of Windows Smartphone is that it lets you connect e-mail and run a slew of third-party application. The third party application included Microsoft Office document readers, PDF readers, games, navigation software, and MP3 and video players.

A case in point between the Windows Smartphone 2002 and Smartphone 2003 is that 2002 version is slower and less media-friendly than the later.

The i600 model comes equipped with the best connectivity platforms of HSDPA and Wi-Fi mobile technology. Connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot or home wireless router is very simple and hassle-free. Surfing on the Pocket Internet Explorer of the mobile phone is fast and without any delay. Well, there are users who were not able to connect to a W-LAN, for them the advice is that they must use HSDPA to fall back on.

If you are looking for something that competes to the new iPhones then you should know that the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic is something that will blow the iPhone away. The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic has many features that the iPhone doesn’t have. The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic provides you with some of the easiest touch icons that are out there in any cell phone. The iPhone provides you with a bigger screen, but the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic provides you with a smaller screen with sharp resolution that provides you with the videos and images that you want.

When you pick out a cell phone you want a cell phone that provides you with the features of a digital camera and video recording. The Digital camera is perfect for the sharp images that you are trying to get in a cell phone. The video capturing of the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic provides you with some of the resolution that you need in a video recordings. The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic also provides you with the music options that you need. The built in speakers provide you the music sound you need and allows you to hear the music in high quality. The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic is indeed a lot more high tech then the iPhone, which the company was aiming for. That’s why it’s best that you get the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic for its music and screen resolutions.

The menu bar and media bar provides you with the easy way of downloading easy. The menu has quick access to finding the files you need and the easy touch. The touch screen has the ability of scrolling down to provide you a list of icons or music files. The music is another good thing about the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic. The music is easy selected in the touch screen and you can select many titles of downloading. The memory that the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic provides is enough for the phone, but can be upgraded to 16GB of memory. The memory is important in downloading so you can have the music you need. The network has many music titles to find compared to the new iPhone. The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic also provides you with the new look that makes everyone like it today.

The other reason why you should pick the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic over the iPhone is because of the MMS. I phones don’t have the ability of multimedia messaging services, which would be your option to send videos, pictures and music in messages. The best thing about MMS is that the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic has that ability. The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic also comes with a GPS system that allows you to find where you want to go or to find you in case of an emergency. If you are trying to find, which phone is better then you should know that the Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic has a lot more features then the iPhone. The decision is yours to decide on which phone is good for you want in your hands.

Holding an O2 XDA MINI mobile phone in your hands as a symbol of ostentation might not be a good idea. It is not so because it has been incorporated with ordinary set of technical specifications or looks terribly ugly but the cause to this effect is its bulk. The O2 XDA MINI weighs 160g with dimensions making it huge for a mobile phone but nothing radical on the lines of PDA phones.

Let us walk down the features lane of O2 XDA MINI which makes it a pretty impressive device to go through. Even if the XDA Mini throws a hefty impression to begin with, it more than makes up for its bulk in other departments. To begin with, O2 XDA MINI is a GSM QuadBand mobile phone making global roaming a part of this package. The TFT touchscreen is huge at 42 x 57 mm and a viewer’s delight at 240 x 320 pixels display. The sliding QWERTY keyboard covers enough ground as expected to complement O2 XDA Mini’s status of Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 PocketPC Smartphone.

Moving ahead, we come across the TI OMP 850 200 MHz processor which ensures the operational rate of O2 XDA MINI so that the users do not experience slow processing while interacting with their phone. Memory expansion provision does not surprise but always comes on a welcome note. The MP3/AAC player has a task well specified which it performs with aplomb.

Data transfer/connectivity has options to rely on with Wi-Fi connectivity tools leading the charge followed up by Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE, USB, infrared and WAP 2.0/xHTML browser. In the wake of as many features of this quality, it would be needless to say that O2 XDA MINI has a rather strengthened data transfer/connectivity front. The 1.3 megapixels camera with video and flash is nothing out of box but does well to be included as a standard feature.

The Sony Ericsson w580i is a slick camera phone that has made a distinctive place of excellence for itself among the tech-savvy as well as fashion conscious people from across the world. The flip open design ensures that the handset is easy to use. A 2 inches 262,000 colour display ensures an engaging viewing experience. One can read messages quite easily in the large and vibrant colour display - even when one is in the sun. The handset comes with inherent light effects that are mesmerising to say the least. The w580i is small in size and light in weight. The colour of this handset is urban grey.

The handset comes with a 2 megapixel digital camera with CMOS matrix. One can use the camera options in two different modes, which are the normal mode and the fine mode. One can even use the handset to record videos in 3GP file format. The pictures are crisp and the colour depth would take your breath away. The handset is Bluetooth compliant and supports the A2DP mode. The 12 MB of built-in memory can be expanded through the microSD memory card support. With dial-up networking, PC synchronisation, and the provision to use the gadget in hands free mode - the SE w580i grey is versatile in its capabilities.

As a matter of fact, the Sony Ericsson w580i grey is a great handset for people having an active lifestyle. An athlete can use this Sony Ericsson mobile phone to know the exact distance that he has covered while running or walking, for instance. He can also get to know his speed as well as the time taken to cover a particular distance. The amount of calories burnt can also be known - thanks to the intelligent capabilities of this Sony Ericsson mobile phone.

Many people are fascinated by the idea of a sleek camera phone with captivating looks that can be used in more ways than one. It can be said that great looks combined with an array of user-friendly features make the Sony Ericsson w580i grey quite popular among different sections phone users from across the world.

Introduction:

The Samsung LN46B650 is an LCD flat panel HDTV that is second to none in terms of its superior quality. This device gives the consumer a superior viewing experience when it comes to watching programming, playing games or enjoying all of the other entertaining features supplied with the device. The LN46B650 is outfitted with a 1080p vertical resolution, progressive scanning abilities, a 120 Hertz refresh rate, and imagery that is so flawless and clear it brings all programming to life.

The Samsung LN46B650 has a height of just over 30 inches when the optional stand is utilized and a height of just over 27 inches when the stand is not used. The LN46B650 has a width of 44.25 inches, and the depth of this set is equivalent to 10 7/8 inches when the stand is in use and 3 1/8 inches when the stand is not in use. The weight of the LN46B650 equals 42.8 pounds when not positioned on the stand and 53.8 pounds when the stand is added.

Display Properties:

• Aspect ratio: 16 to 9
• Contrast Ratio: 100k to 1, dynamic
• Display Type: Flat panel
• Maximum Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Technology: LCD
• Vertical Resolution: 1080p
• Widescreen size: 46 inches

What Is Included?

The Samsung LN46B650 is sold along with a stand that is capable of swiveling so that the set can be adjusted with convenience. This device is sold separately from any wall mounting fixtures. A remote is included with the purchase of the LN46B650, and the set comes complete with an easy to understand user guide. This device is not sold with an integrated DVR system, it is not ready for digital cable, and it does not have a media card slot. It can be connected to cable and satellite boxes to receive signals from such sources.

Product Capabilities:

The Samsung LN46B650 is outfitted with a fine HDTV tuner: the device is super sensitive and capable of interpreting signals with great ease for presentation on the widescreen of the LN46B650. Samsung was meticulous about the features incorporated into the LN46B650 and has unified the most outstanding features imaginable to make every television viewing experience exceptional. Images are filtered through a 1080p widescreen display, progressive scanning features, and augmented by a 16 to 9 aspect ratio, Wide Color 3(TM) features, an ultra clear panel, and a 100k to 1 dynamic contrast ratio. The response time of the Samsung LN46B650 is beyond extraordinary since this device has a 4 ms response time factored into its functioning. Viewed from any angle in all directions, the LN46B650 is sure to please every television viewer: this set can be watched at 178 degree angles in all four directions at anytime without any loss in picture quality.

The sounds that freely flow from the ten watt dual speakers housed in the bottommost part of the Samsung LN46B650’s rich black housing are sounds received through downward firing speakers and SRS TruSurround HD(TM) technologies. This device supports super connectivity options and gives the consumer a PC input, a total of four separate HDMI inputs, two component inputs, two composite inputs, one Ethernet connection, and one optical audio connection. The LN46B650 also has a WiseLink® USB port for the connectivity of a camera or other digital devices compatible with the USB port connection.

Smartphone manufacturer BlackBerry have this week announced a new addition to their collection of smartphone mobiles, this time it is the turn of the long awaited Blackberry Bold which is also known as the Blackberry 9000.

The BlackBerry Bold has a large TFT display with the same half VGA resolution as the Apple iPhone’s - 480 x 320 pixels, as well as a full qwerty keyboard for those who use email a lot and the latest Blackberry Operating System 4.6.

The BlackBerry Bold has a 624 MHz processor and 1GB of internal storage. It also has a microSD memory card slot which can currently take 8 GB microSDHC cards, but once 16 GB cards become available it will also be able to handle these - so running out of memory really shouldn’t be a problem with the BlackBerry Bold!

As well as the usual email client, document viewer and document editor the BlackBerry Bold has a media player (which plays MP3, WMA and DivX amongst others) - so that you can use up some of that massive memory capacity with your favourite music and videos (being a business person does not mean you are averse to popular music or amusing videos!) The BlackBerry Bold also has a 2 megapixel camera with a built in flash and has in-built GPS and comes with BlackBerry Maps pre-loaded.

So you really are getting an all round smartphone device here, it has a little bit of everything to suit even the fussiest of smartphone user. The BlackBerry Bold is due out in mid-summer, although there is no word on pricing as yet expect it to come at a cost!