Coleman Technologies Blog

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2

Samsung’s major contribution into the folding smartphone market is the extraordinarily expensive Galaxy Z Fold2. While the device is impressive with its two full displays and three camera sets, there are some questions about who this device is for. 

Basically the biggest benefit is that the phone opens up to a 7.6-inch tablet. That benefit is substantial, of course, but without dedicated apps for that aspect ratio, it may only be valuable for people who want the best folding smartphone on the market, which this currently is. 

When folded it has a 6.23-inch Super AMOLED screen that functions much like your standard mid-range smartphone would, but when you unfold the Fold2, you get a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED display. The rest of the phone is as you would expect. It features a five-lens camera platform, a 4,500 mAh battery with fast charging, and an in-display fingerprint scanner for security. The Z Fold2 is available in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, and a Thom Browne Edition Grey from most major carriers. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2
Body: Aluminum with plastic front andGorilla Glass 6 Back
Display: Folded: 6.23-inch Super AMOLED Unfolded: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (~373 ppi)
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP (wide), 12 MP (telephoto) 2x, 12 MP (ultra wide); Front (Folded) - 10 MP (wide); Front (Unfolded) - 10 MP (wide).
Sounds: Stereo Speakers, No Headphone Jack
Battery (endurance rating): 4,500 mAh (87 hours)
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Bixby assistant
Other versions: 5G version

Samsung Z Flip and Motorola RAZR 5G

Two devices that are of similar form factor are the Samsung Z Flip and the Motorola RAZR 5G. Like the flip phones of old, each of these devices fit in the palm of your hand and fold virtually in half. The difference, of course, is that today’s version of the flip phone flips into a massively powerful smartphone.

The Samsung Z Flip doesn’t feature a large external display like the RAZR (which we’ll talk about in a minute). It’s 1.1-inch numeric display doesn’t really have a lot of function, but when it’s open, it becomes a 6.7-inch smartphone. Like the other premium devices, it runs on Android 10 on a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ processor, with 8 GB of RAM. The Z Flip provides a high-end smartphone experience in a device that folds in half, it’s that simple. 

The Motorola RAZR 5G looks like the iconic Moto RAZR did in the era before smartphones were king. For all of the RAZR’s nostalgia it seems to spec-out significantly lighter than the Z Flip. It features a 6.2-inch P-OLED screen that folds up and a smaller display on the outside of the folded phone. It runs Android 10 on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip and comes with 8 GB of RAM with 256 GB of onboard storage space. 

Let’s take a look at the complete specs of these devices:

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Body: Aluminum with Plastic Front and Glass Back
Display: Folded: 1.1-inch Super AMOLED; Unfolded: 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED (~425 ppi)
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultrawide). Front - 12 MP (wide)
Sounds: Loudspeaker, No Headphone Jack
Battery (endurance rating): 3,300 mAh 
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Bixby assistant, IP68 dust/water resistant
Other versions: No

Motorola RAZR 5G
Body: Aluminum with plastic, Gorilla Glass 5
Display: 6.2-inch P-OLED (~373 ppi)
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Memory: 18 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 48 MP (wide)
Sounds: Loudspeaker, No Headphone Jack
Battery (endurance rating): 2,800 mAh
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Bixby assistant
Other versions: RAZR (2019)

LG Wing

The last device we will look at today is the LG Wing. The Wing is interesting because out of the box it looks like your typical smartphone. When you get it into your hand however, you soon see what the big hub-a-loo is. With a flick of your thumb, you can turn the device's 6.9-inch screen horizontally to expose a second smaller 3.9-inch screen. You can use both screens independently or simultaneously within the same app that supports the content distribution.

The Wing’s hardware isn’t quite flagship quality, but it is pretty good. The quirky device runs on  Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G and comes with 8 GB of RAM. It is built from solid aluminum and Gorilla Glass 5. With it’s 4,000 mAh battery most solid users will get about a day out of it if they are consistently using the dual displays (why wouldn’t you if you had this phone?) The tri-camera setup includes a 64-megapixel wide angle lens and dual ultrawide angle lenses of different speeds.

The LG Wing is available in Aurora Gray and Illusion Sky and should be available on most carriers by the middle of November 2020. 

LG Wing
Body: Aluminum with Gorilla Glass 5 Front and Back
Display: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x (~511 ppi)
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: Yes (microSDXC)
Cameras: Rear - 64 MP (wide), 13MP (ultra wide), 12 MP (ultra wide) Front - 32 MP (wide)
Sounds: Loudspeaker, No Headphone Jack
Battery (endurance rating): 4,000 mAh (87 hours)
Security: In-screen fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity,Compass,, IP54 dust/water
Other versions: None

Do you think these devices are cool? Would you consider forking over $1,000 for one this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Now, the phones we are reviewing might seem like overkill - and, in fairness, there are many more budget-friendly options that can handle most of what you’re likely to task them with. However, the lure of a new device can be tempting, so we decided to indulge that temptation and go over some of the best smartphones available today.

Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus

If you’re looking for a quality Android device, you’re probably leaning toward the Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus. The newest addition to the line of flagships, the s10 Plus comfortably ranks at the top of many “best phone of the year” reviews.

With an aluminum frame housing the 6.17 oz phone and its Dynamic AMOLED display, the Galaxy s10 Plus is finished in Gorilla Glass 5, and has sharper edges that previous models did, intended to improve the grip of the device.

Looking inside, the phone has some just as appealing specifications. Driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and between 8-to-12 gigabytes of RAM, this phone makes improvements to the rest of its features as well. There are five onboard cameras, with wide angle, ultra-wide angle, and telephoto lenses. The onboard fingerprint reader for authentication purposes is now cunningly hidden under the display, and the s10 Plus is likely to be the last flagship phone that Samsung produces with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Galaxy s10 is now the standard for an Android phone to beat (at least until the s11 comes out) and can be purchased in the following colors for somewhere between $599 and $1,200:

• Prism White
• Prism Black
• Prism Green
• Prism Blue
• Canary Yellow
• Flamingo Pink
• Ceramic Black
• Ceramic White
• Cardinal Red
• Smoke Blue

Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 6 front, Gorilla Glass/Ceramic back
Display: 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED (~522 ppi)
OS: Android 9.0 with Samsung One UI skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Memory: 128 GB/8 GB RAM; 512 GB/8GB RAM; 1 TB/12GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSD up to 1 TB
Cameras: Three back-facing (12 MP, 26mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 16 MP, 12mm ultrawide); Two front-facing (10 MP, 26mm; 8 MP, 22mm)
Sounds: Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,100 mAh battery (91 hours)
Security: Ultrasonic, under display fingerprint reader; IP 68 resistant
Miscellaneous: Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 15W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, NFC, FM Radio
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy s10, Samsung Galaxy s10e

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

You probably remember the dramatic news a few years ago that the battery’s tendency to explode had led to a million-device-plus recall on their Galaxy Note phones, ultimately costing Samsung more than $5 billion. The issues have long since been resolved, and so the Note 10 Plus might just be the best large-factor phone for the business professional on the market today.

Again, enclosed in an aluminum frame with a coat of Gorilla Glass 6, the Note 10 Plus comes with a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display and an on-board s-pen stylus. Also featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and up to 12 gigabytes of RAM, it is powered by a fast-charging 4,300 mAh battery. This battery is also QI wireless charging-compatible, and supports reverse-QI charging, which allows you to use it as a wireless charger in a pinch. It has Android 9.0 installed at first, but can now be updated to Android 10 with certain carriers.

Most major carriers stock this phone for between $849 and $1,200, in Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, and Aura Blue.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 6 front and back
Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,040 (~498 ppi)
OS: Android 9.0 with One UI skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 
Memory: 256 GB/12 GB RAM; 512 GB/12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSD up to 1 TB
Cameras: Four Back-Facing (12 MP, 27mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 16 MP, 12mm ultra wide angle; TOF 3D VGA camera); Front-Facing 10 MP, 26mm wide angle
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 4,300 mAh (~107 hours)
Security: Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint, IP68 resistant 
Miscellaneous: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 45W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, NFC, S-Pen functionality
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy Note 10

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Apple is surging back into prominence with the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which consistently ranks in the top three of phones developed in 2019. A stainless-steel frame holds its 6.5-inch Super Retina OLED display, as well as an advanced neural engine-improved A13 Bionic processor to boost the iPhone’s trademark features - namely, Siri’s performance as well as the functionality of its camera and AI. Along with the A13 chip, the inside holds 64 or 512 gigabytes of onboard storage space and four gigabytes of RAM.

Speaking of the camera, the iPhone 11 Pro Max houses three distinct 12-megapixel cameras, featuring a telephoto lens, a wide-angle lens, and an ultra-wide-angle lens. Most major carriers offer it for about $1,100, and it comes in SpaceGray, Gold, Silver, and Midnight Green.

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Body: Stainless steel frame with glass front/back
Display: 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 1,242 x 2,688 (~458 ppi)
OS: iOS 13
Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic
Memory: 64 GB/4 GB RAM; 256 GB/4 GB RAM; 512 GB/4GB RAM
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Three back-facing (12 MP, 26mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 12 MP, 13mm ultrawide); Two front-facing (12 MP, 23mm; SL 3D camera)
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 3,969 mAh (102 hours)
Security: Face ID, IP 68 resistant 
Miscellaneous: Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 18W fast charging, wireless charging, NFC
Other versions: Apple iPhone 11, Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Google Pixel 4 XL

This phone marks Google’s latest effort to carve out a portion of the smartphone market. Again, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, the Pixel 4 XL really shines where its visual features are concerned. With 537 pixels crammed into every inch, it features a 6.3-inch P-OLED display, as well as one of the best camera setups available today - including a 122 megapixel wide-angle lens and a 16 megapixel telephoto lens with impressive low-light capabilities.

The Google Assistant can be summoned by simply squeezing the Clearly White, Just Black, or Oh So Orange phone.

Most major carriers will sell the Google Pixel 4 XL for between $899 and $999.

Google Pixel 4 XL
Body: Aluminum Frame with Gorilla Glass 5 front/back
Display: 6.3-inch P-OLED, 1,440 x 3,040 (~537 ppi) 
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Memory: 64 GB/6 GB RAM; 128 GB/6 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Two back-facing (12.2 MP, 28mm wide angle; 16 MP, 45mm telephoto) Two front-facing (8 MP; 22mm)
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 3,700 mAh (~73 hours)
Security: Face ID
Miscellaneous: Bluetooth 5.0, 18W fast charging, wireless charging, NFC, Squeeze for Google Assistant
Other versions: Google Pixel 4

OnePlus 7T Pro

Of course, not all of this year’s “flagship-level” devices are necessarily produced by the biggest companies, as dozens of smaller manufacturers are also developing high-performance smartphones. For instance, the OnePlus 7T Pro. This device is all about the speed of the user’s experience, which is why they augmented its flagship-level specifications with a 90 hz refresh rate, making it seem even faster.

The 7T Pro doesn’t exactly underperform in other considerations, either. With a 6.7-inch fluid AMOLED display that houses a fingerprint reader, it actually runs on Qualcomm’s creme de la creme processor, the Snapdragon 855+. With three rear-facing cameras and a front-facing selfie camera that pops out of the chassis when used, the camera notch has been eliminated. Finally, because price is always a consideration to some degree, this phone does the least damage to your bank account of the ones we reviewed here with the 8 gigabyte RAM model totalling around $699.

OnePlus 7T Pro
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 5 front/back
Display: 6.67-inch Fluid AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,120 (~516 ppi)
OS: Android 10 with OxygenOS 10.0.4 skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+
Memory: 256 GB/8 GB RAM; 256 GB/12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Three back-facing (48 MP wide angle; 8 MP, 78mm telephoto; 16 MP, 13mm ultra wide angle); Motorized pop-up 16 MP, 25mm wide angle
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 4,085 mAh (~100 hours)
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint reader, pop-up facial recognition
Miscellaneous: Bluetooth 5.0, 30W “Warp” charge, NFC
Other versions: OnePlus 7T

Finally, there are other phones that, while not included in our list, are definitely ones to consider under the right circumstances. These include the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and P30 Pro, the Sony Xperia 1, the LG v50 ThinQ, and the Samsung Galaxy Fold.

We included the “right circumstances” caveat because there is currently a ban on Huawei devices in the United States. Despite their superior hardware, government sanctions have put the kibosh on Huawei products for the time being.

Other devices are also just starting to rise in popularity, like those featuring foldable displays - including the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Huawei Mate X, and the nostalgia-pumping Motorola Razr. We’ll likely soon see how these foldable devices are received on a wide scale.

Finally, there is also the advent of 5G to consider. A few cities have started to implement the necessary technology for 5G, and so manufacturers will likely start developing 5G-compatible devices before long. While it will likely take years for 5G to become the standard, if you happen to spend time in one of these cities, it may be to your benefit to upgrade.

What device do you currently use? Do any of these interest you, or did we miss one that you’ve had your eye on? Let us know in the comments!

Even if you aren’t planning on replacing your phone soon, it may make sense to pay attention here, as this process will also make it easier to restore your data to a new phone if needed. Either way, this process is much easier if you make some proactive preparations on your current phone.

Enabling the Native Android Backup Capabilities 

The first step is to make sure that your current phone has the backup service running. It can be found in your Settings, under System. Tap the Backup option, and check to see that the option to Back up to Google Drive is selected. If it isn’t, do so.

Now you have a copy of your current phone’s configuration to restore from, which you can do from the initial configuration of your new device. If you were using the Google Now or Pixel Launcher, even your backgrounds, icons, and folder structure is saved.

During setup, hit the Let’s Go button that appears at the welcome screen. Tap Copy your data, and connect to Wi-Fi.

Now, you’ll be presented with your restoration options. Since we just went over how to save a backup in the cloud, let go with the option to use A backup from the cloud. You’ll be prompted to sign into your Google account, and to agree to Google’s Terms of Service.

From the list of backup options, select the correct one. You can easily hit Restore to recover all of your previous device’s settings and data, and can select which apps to reinstall via Apps.

As your data is pulled over, you will be guided through the rest of the setup process.

Voila! Your new phone is now equipped with your selected tools and settings, ready for you to jump right back in. For more handy tips, make sure you subscribe to our blog!

OLED Foldable Screens
Compared to the traditional light-emitting diode (LED) displays, OLED devices are a step in the right direction. LED technology works by emitting light from the electricity that circulates through it (a process called electroluminescence). The electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of this light varies depending on how the photons cross the energy gap of the semiconductor.

OLED displays work through an electroluminescent anode that is made of an organic compound situated between two electrodes. The electrodes move and recombine, emitting light through the organic layer. OLED displays deeper black levels that aid in image contrast. These devices can be made much thinner and more flexible than your traditional LED devices.

Over the past five years, manufacturers have made considerable progress toward OLED displays. Some have utilized passive matrix designs or active matrix designs to great effect. The major difference between these two is that PMOLED has control over each line of pixels sequentially, whereas AMOLED displays have a transistor that accesses pixel function directly.

Bendable Displays
The organic compounds in the OLED anode allows for a much easier manipulation compared to other designs, as long as the transistor used to carry the energy is flexible, too. Once this was confirmed to work as intended, scientists had to find a substrate layer that could flex without breaking. This is why glass isn’t used in flexible screens. Some particularly flexible OLED displays contain a plastic substrate that gives them strength and flexibility required to become a foldable device.

Foldable Options
Motorola and Apple have rumored to be producing foldable smartphones in the near future, but there are others that are taking more immediate advantage of this technology. Here are a few of them.

Samsung Galaxy Fold
https://youtu.be/7r_UgNcJtzQ

In just a week, on April 26th, 2019, the Samsung Fold will become the first foldable smartphone to reach the U.S. This device can reach 5G speeds and sports an impressive foldable screen. The screen unfolded reaches 7.3 inches with a dynamic AMOLED display, while it reaches 4.6 inches folded with a super AMOLED display on the front of the phone. The innards are also quite impressive, featuring a 64-bit octa-core processor with 12 GB of RAM, 512 GB of internal storage, and a 4,380 mAh battery.

Huawei Mate X
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_c2KGtZP64

Chinese manufacturer Huawei is providing a foldable smartphone in the form of the Huawei Mate X. The foldable display isn’t actually protected, but it is used in a way that differs considerably from the other options. With a foldable component that wraps around the device, the Mate X has a viewfinder that helps with taking pictures. This means that there is no need for a front-facing camera on this device. Other specs for this device include a Kirin 980 octa-core processor with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of onboard storage. This device also has a 4,500 mAh battery with a 55W fast charging standard. This product will be available in the near future, so keep an eye out for it if foldable screens are what you’re looking for in a device.

What do you think about OLED technology? What about foldable screens? Let us know in the comments.

Smartphones are everywhere. Nearly everyone has one either in their pocket or in their hand and that fact would make you think that the underlying smartphone market is one that is remarkably strong. This really isn’t the case. Today, we’ll take a brief look at the smartphone market and how a lack of true innovation is one of the reasons the industry has seen large decreases in sales. 

The Smartphone Market is Shrinking

It wasn’t too long ago that the smartphone market was filled with companies looking to gain a significant market share in the industry. Since then some of the largest companies in the world have ceased their smartphone divisions. LG, Microsoft, and Amazon have stopped making smartphones altogether, while once industry leaders like Motorola have been bought and sold numerous times. 

2022, in particular, was not kind to smartphone manufacturers. In fact, the whole market saw an incredible twelve percent decline. You may be thinking, “How can that be, with so many people using smartphones?” The answer comes from the fact that lots of people aren’t buying new phones every 18 months or two years like they have been for the past decade. Much of this has to do with a lack of innovation.

“Innovation”

Smartphone manufacturers dispute that they aren’t at the forefront of innovation. Today’s budget smartphones are as good as flagships were only five short years ago. The problem is that flagships aren’t moving the needle each year with new features and form factors. Consider for a minute that for years the chipsets, the displays, the user interfaces and cameras on new flagship smartphones were greatly improved in some manner each year. For the past few years, however, there are slight improvements, but a major rise in costs. Even real innovations, such as the foldable smartphone market, haven't taken off because of the cost of the devices vs. the practical need for them. 

The point is that when innovation slows, people aren’t going to jump at the chance to buy a new phone for twice as much money than they paid for a device that works well enough and has relatively the same general makeup. This is why only a handful of companies are actually turning a profit in the smartphone space. In their marketing material they speak about innovation, without proving to customers that they are pushing the space forward. 

While the smartphone market is struggling to capture the imagination of its users, it’s still an extremely important part of today’s society and therefore will be invested in. So, while you may not see marked enhancements in display clarity, device speed, or security features, there are still benefits from getting a new phone every couple of years or so.  

If you are looking to use mobile to your business’ advantage, you’ll need help managing all the new endpoints on your network. Our technicians can help you develop a mobile policy, a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, and help your organization make mobile productivity a feature of your business. Give us a call today at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

For all the good smartphones have brought about, some serious problems have arisen regarding their widespread use. In fact, they can be attributed to a lot of the damaging mental health side effects that people around the world are battling daily. Here are some of them.

Low-Quality Socialization

Smartphone use has led to widespread social isolation. While people have never been more connected digitally, they are socially isolated from real-world relationships, especially when smartphones can be pulled out in in-person social settings for a quick escape.

Distraction and Addiction

Smartphones are like an instant dopamine hit. The near-constant checking for notifications or scrolling through social media can lead to addiction, thereby distracting people from their real-world obligations, thoughts, or emotions.

Lack of Privacy

Since smartphones are used so often and for so much, this brings up questions of privacy. Data breaches are a dime a dozen these days, and location tracking or unauthorized access of sensitive information can put the personal privacy of users at risk.

Effects on Mental Health

Too much smartphone use has been linked to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and poor sleep. Furthermore, the “keeping up with the Joneses” attitude of social media can cause people to look down on themselves for not keeping up with their peers.

Spreading of Misinformation

Information can spread quickly on social media, as can misinformation or fake news. When misinformation gets spread to this degree, it can dramatically impact public opinion, safety, and society as a whole.

Waning In-Person Social Skills

Technology and digital tools are great for productivity, but they don’t necessarily have the best track record for improving in-person communication skills. Over-reliance on these tools can negatively impact real-world social skills.

It is possible to use smartphones in a way that does not lead to these issues, but only if you do so consciously and try to limit your use. To learn how to use technology in a way that is good for your business and your mental health, be sure to contact us at (604) 513-9428.

Mobile Phones and Their Batteries 

Cellular phones have been around on the open market for about 35 years. In the 1980s and 90s, these devices were bulky and had considerable heft, as did the nickel-cadmium (NiCD) batteries that powered them. These batteries couldn’t power these phones for very long at all, and had a relatively short lifespan (especially if charged when they still had some juice in them).

This didn’t stop the demand, however, and so improved batteries were manufactured using nickel-metal hydride (NiMH). This material was lighter, charged back up more efficiently, and while they still had a severely stunted lifespan by today’s standards, they degraded more slowly that NiCD batteries. This technology hit the market in the late 1990s, leading to considerable growth in the cellular phone market.

Smartphone Batteries

This growth eventually led to the introduction of the smartphone, making the NiMH batteries an ineffective option - there just needed to be more power in order to run what effectively boiled down to a computer in your pocket. As a result, lithium-ion batteries were developed. These batteries lasted longer, charged more quickly, and didn’t degrade over time. The one drawback to these batteries is the increased price, which helps to explain the sudden increase in the cost of a phone in recent years.

Even more recently, the lithium-poly ion (Li-Poly) battery was developed, offering about 40 percent more power than NiMH batteries. Unfortunately, the cost of production has prohibited them from being used in anything other than flagship devices.

Batteries of the Future

As our technology continues to advance, so must the batteries that power it. Lithium-ion batteries are already being improved by up to three times performance, the graphite they once contained being replaced with silicon. This is far from the most intriguing example of tomorrow’s tech we’re apt to see in our batteries, too:

• Charging your device with a Wi-Fi signal - What if your Wi-Fi connection could help to charge your phone? Researchers are essentially trying to accomplish as much. By using a rectenna (an ultra-thin and flexible radio wave antenna), the idea is that AC power could be found in Wi-Fi signals and other electromagnetic waves, and harvested. This power could then be converted to DC to supplement a device’s power supply.
• Literally charging your device by yourself - The human body relies on electricity to function - as in, any and all of its functions. In order to communicate, your cells generate a charge. The reason that lightning strikes are so dangerous to your business’ infrastructure is the same reason they are so dangerous to people - the circuitry is fried. However, research into improvements to triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG technology) implies that we may someday be capable of harvesting the energy produced by the human body and amplifying it, giving us an on-hand (or on-shoulder, or on-foot…) power supply.
• Lithium-ion batteries will be solid state - The use of solid electrodes and electrolytes to create a battery isn’t a new idea - some devices, like pacemakers, wearables, and RFID sensors, actually already use them. However, due to cost prohibitions, they haven’t yet been incorporated into smartphones… emphasis on “yet.”
• Batteries will be biological - Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids. Less complicated chains are known as peptides. Scientists have discovered that incorporating peptides into batteries can help improve them further, making them more stable. An Israeli startup, StoreDot, has also used peptides to develop a device capable of charging a smartphone in 60 seconds.
• Sodium-ion, instead of lithium-ion, will be used - Lithium is abundantly rare, which is why newer devices cost so much - it’s the batteries. Sodium, on the other hand, is just plain abundant, which would make these batteries cheaper to produce, leading to more affordable end-products. 
• Liquid flow batteries take over - Liquid flow batteries have been shown to be a cost-effective means of increasing power storage in everything from our personal devices to our municipal infrastructures. While there is considerable work yet to be done, these batteries could appear in the near future.

For now, it is probably best to understand the batteries we have around today, and how to best handle them.

Modern Battery Myths and Best Practices

• Myth: Always let your batteries drain to zero before recharging.
  As mentioned above, this was once necessary, but the batteries we use now no longer have the vulnerabilities that NiCD and NiMH did.
• Myth: One way to ruin your batteries is overcharging them.
  Again, this isn’t so much a myth as it is a best practice that no longer applies. Modern devices have failsafe defenses built into them to prevent overcharging. However, you still need to be concerned about heat build-up. Make sure your device has some breathing room. 
• Best Practice: Don’t throw batteries away.
  Many of the materials that go into batteries are hazardous, and have no place in a landfill as a result. Instead, recycle them! We might be able to help with that, depending on what you have to dispose of. Call us at (604) 513-9428 to talk more about that.
• Best Practice: Check your settings to see what uses the most power.
  If you have a device that just doesn’t seem to hold a charge, you probably have some options to go about fixing it. Reducing the brightness of the screen, adjusting how long the screen stays on, and other tweaks can help extend the life. Some of your applications may be a contributing factor as well.

An increasingly mobile world will require the power to be available to support it. We can help support your business’ mobility in other ways, keeping it secure and reliable. To learn more, call (604) 513-9428 today.

Past Flagship Phones

We should start by mentioning that some of the best options are actually purchasing flagship phones from the past couple of years. Most flagship smartphones from 2018 have the same specs as many of the mid-range phones today so they can be had at a budget price point. These devices tend to not only have comparable specs, they typically have superior build quality, run on better processors, and offer a user experience in line or better than the experience they would get on some budget smartphones. 

Some options to consider are the Samsung Galaxy s9 and s9+, LG’s V50 thinQ, the iPhone X, and the Google Pixel 3 XL. The only drawback of older phones is that they may not get the same amount of software upgrades that a newly-purchased phone would. Either way, you might get the most value out of an older flagship phone. 

Apple iPhone SE

The 2020 version of the iPhone SE still has the body of an iPhone 8, but the internals are upgraded and it presents users that can’t afford the $1,000 iPhone 12 Pro Max to get a new iPhone at a reasonable price point. The new SE runs iOS 13 on the A13 Bionic chipset to offer the user experience Apple users expect out of a budget iPhone. 

Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Body: Aluminum with Gorilla Glass front and back
Display: 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD (~326 ppi)
OS: iOS 13
Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic 
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP (wide); Front - 7 MP
Sounds: Stereo Speakers, No Headphone Jack
Battery (endurance rating): 4,500 mAh (87 hours)
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Compass, Siri assistant
Other versions: none

Samsung Galaxy A51

Samsung has 10 separate devices in their A-line. They range from the A01 to the A71, but the Galaxy A51 is priced at the upper end of the budget space. The A51 features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, expandable storage, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It is a great option if you are looking for a phone that gives you a decent user experience while also turning back the clock a bit. Available in Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush White, Prism Crush Blue, or Prism Crush Pink, the Galaxy A51 can be found on most major carriers and unlocked online.

Samsung Galaxy A51
Body: Plastic with Gorilla Glass 3 front, plastic back
Display: 6.5-inch Super AMOLED (~405 ppi)
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Octa-core Exynos 9611
Memory: 4-8 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSDXC
Cameras: Rear - 48 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultrawide, 5 MP (macro, 5 MP (depth); Front - 32 MP (wide)
Sounds: Loudspeaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery (endurance rating): 4,000 mAh (86 hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Bixby assistant
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy A-series

Google Pixel 4a 5G

A 5G-capable budget smartphone, the Google Pixel 4a 5G features a 6.2-inch OLED display and has specs that are better than its price point would suggest. Its camera experience, specifically, is much better than phones found at this price. Available in Just Black and Clearly White, the Pixel 4a 5G is available in the Google store or from many major service carriers.

Google Pixel 4A 5G
Body: Plastic with Gorilla Glass 3 front and plastic back
Display: 6.2-inch OLED, HDR (~413 ppi)
OS: Android 11
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12.2 MP (wide), 16 MP (ultra wide); Front - 8 MP (wide).
Sounds: Stereo Speakers, 3.5mm Headphone Jack
Battery: 3,885 mAh
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Google Assistant
Other versions: 4G LTE version

Would you consider buying a budget device to use as your daily smartphone? Let us know in the comments section below.

Smartphones in the Workplace

Let’s start with the trickiest bit of this first. Smartphones are a distraction, pure and simple. In fact, according to one survey, employees average about 56 minutes per day on their phones while they are in the office. This equates to a massive productivity leak for many businesses, but just when you think it isn’t equitably fair for the employer to pay for time employees spend scrolling through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, responding to personal emails, and browsing websites blocked by the company’s content filter, employers aren’t totally innocent in this situation.

The modern employer is the first person to take advantage of the computing prowess of these devices. Since the modern company tries to do more with less, many employers expect their workforce to always be available; and, that means always. Moreover, managers and executives aren’t any different: they are always on their smartphones too!

Some organizations feel the need to try and strategically design policies to keep people from using their personal devices for personal use on company time. These same people don’t have a problem with them using these devices for the benefit of the organization, just not for personal gain. This is where policies go wrong. They create archaic and completely unrealistic policies and are shocked when even their best performers can’t avoid their phones for long. 

If you want your staff to limit their phone use at work, you have to make that clear. Some companies have implemented a policy that provides small breaks in which they can use their phones, but most companies have come to understand that this isn’t a trend and that phone use is part of day-to-day life. Locking down people’s ability to connect with the outside world for eight (or more) hours a day is only going to serve to bring negative reviews from your team, so your best bet is to embrace it, and realize that as long as your expectations have been communicated properly, most employees won’t take advantage.

Smartphones Out of the Workplace

While the smartphone may be a bit of a distraction to your in-house staff, what happens the moment people leave the confines of your business? They use their phone. In fact, I doubt very much if they make it out to their car or onto the train without a full assessment of the messages sent by applications, people, and others. How long do you last without checking yours?

This brings us to the point that needs to be hammered home. The more people use mobile devices, and specifically smartphones, the more they are willing to do off the clock for work. You don’t think this is true? If you are a business owner or manager, try texting, emailing, or messaging a member of your staff outside of work. They may not appreciate it, but more than likely, they will respond. This effectively extends them to “on-call”, a state that was typically reserved for people with jobs that the public depends on like doctors, lawyers, and the like. Now if you have a question about a project that just can’t wait until the morning, there is an excellent chance that you will be able to get the answer you seek directly from the person who worked on a task last. That can have a lot of benefits for your business.

What About Security?

Mobile malware has become much more prevalent than ever before--so much so that it can be a major problem for your business. The best way to mitigate liability from this is to design and enact a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy that takes advantage of cutting-edge mobile device management tools. Your staff may scoff at first, but if their two options are using their data or using your wireless network, they will opt in, guaranteed. 

If you need some help ensuring that you are doing everything you can to take advantage of your staff’s reliance on their smartphones, we can provide you with all the information, resources, and technology you need to make employee smartphone use work for your company. To learn more, call us today at (604) 513-9428.

Mobile malware is not new. It has been around since people used flip phones, but it doesn’t get the attention that the malware that targets Windows PCs do. This is mainly due to it being a little more rare, but if you are the unfortunate recipient of it, it can cause a lot of the same problems. 

Many people won’t consider it simply because of the way they use their device. A person’s smartphone is with them around the clock and they don’t often use it in the same manner as they would a PC. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t major threats that can users can be exposed to. Let’s take a look at each major mobile OS.

iPhone Malware

One of Apple’s favorite marketing strategies is to point out that iOS is the safest mobile operating system. They actually do a commendable job, but devices running iOS aren’t always completely safe, especially on “jailbroken” devices. By not doing this, which is a way to avoid a lot of iOS’ built-in security restrictions, you will be much more secure. 

Another risk that iOS-run devices run into is called a zero-day hack. The zero-day hack target devices haven’t received a security update after the security update has been released to the public. One major issue that users have with iOS security is that there aren’t a lot of ways to prevent issues. Apple itself does a lot of the heavy lifting. Their platform’s success depends on them keeping their reputation, so having trust in Apple to keep your device secure is not without its merits.

Android Malware

Android is a completely different situation altogether. With more devices comes more malware, and with so many different manufacturers making (and supporting) their various versions of Android, it gets a little dicey.

Android is much more flexible than iOS, which is one of its main benefits, but it can also be problematic when it comes to keeping the device secure. For example, if you want to install an application that’s found outside of Google Play, you can, but any negative situation you get into as a result is on you. It is also possible to jailbreak an Android device, which can override some of the built-in security restrictions.

There have been situations where installing apps off of Google Play have caused problems. Google has had to play games with app developers to keep some serious threats off their store. It just means that users need but it has become clear that it really comes down to the user being careful with what they install. It’s not normal for malware to be attached to Google-sponsored apps, but it has happened, so if you are an Android user, you don’t have to be too careful if all of your software comes from Google.

How to Protect Your Smartphone from Malware

Keep App Downloads to Major App Providers - Both Android and iOS feature their own app stores, Google Play Store and Apple App Store, respectively. Even though Android devices can install applications that aren’t on the Google Play store, modern smartphones make this a little more difficult by making users acknowledge that they are putting their devices at risk by doing so.

If you refuse to jailbreak your phone, and you only install applications that are thoroughly vetted, positively reviewed, and come directly from the Apple App Store or Google Play, you will greatly reduce the risk of infecting your device.

Don’t Get Phished - Many of the most insidious threats today rely on user error. Phishing attacks are an annoying example of this. A user will get a legitimate-looking email from some account they actively use and will be directed to submit login credentials. Unfortunately, the email account is spoofed and on the other end is potential disaster.

Install Anti-malware - You have antivirus software for your PC right, why not get it for your mobile devices? Most providers have Android apps and can go a long way toward protecting your device from harm. 

Enact Policies - If you are a business owner and your employees use their personal devices to do work-related tasks, it’s a solid practice to establish an end-to-end mobile device policy. You can require users to enable security options like device locking and encryption, and since this gets set up on your network, the device (and therefore the user) has to comply with any requirement’s your IT admin requires. 

We have a dedicated plan to help all of our clients maximize their data and network security. If you want to talk more about it call our consultants today at (604) 513-9428.

It’s not hyperbole to suggest that many people in business these days prefer digital communication over the alternative. Smartphones have evolved over time and adapted to this need. That said, using a smartphone to communicate does still have its fair share of unwritten rules to follow. Let’s discuss some of the dos and don’ts of smartphones.

Do Practice Proper Etiquette

Yes, there is an etiquette to using a smartphone, just like any in-person interaction that you might take part in throughout the day. Although smartphone use is so widespread that it has become a bit synonymous with informality, there are still opportunities where you should focus on the formal, so to speak, and get your etiquette in order (like, say, during a phone interview or talking to a prospective client). After all, that first impression might be your only shot at closing a deal or securing your desired outcome.

Don’t Use the Speakerphone

Using your speakerphone for a business call is just not a good look. You run the risk of background noise, and there is always the chance that someone might overhear or interject at an inopportune moment, making you look unprofessional as a result. Truth be told, most smartphones do not offer the same kind of sound clarity that you might expect from a headset or microphone, anyway. It might sound okay to you, but it’s usually not as pleasant for the other end.

Do Control Your Smartphone Notifications

Smartphones, for all of their benefits, are distractions as well. Therefore, it makes sense that you do all you can to limit the amount of distractions that your smartphone thrusts upon you. You can do this through your notification settings, turning on and off notifications based on your particular needs. This will keep you from checking it more often than necessary, leading to greater productivity (and happiness, too, probably).

Don’t Use Social Media While You’re in a Mobile Meeting

It’s often tempting to scroll through social media while you’re using your smartphone, but it’s not a good idea to get accustomed to doing this during actual work-related meetings. A lot of this is because virtual meetings make it too easy to check out and do other things, and people might not see as big of a need to pay attention (after all, they’ll get the meeting minutes from someone else, right?). Remember that it’s important to stay focused on your meetings and save social media for your downtime where it is less disruptive.

How does your business use smartphone technology in the workplace? With a mobile device management tool from Coleman Technologies, you can ensure that your team is using their devices in a way that supports your company’s mission. To learn more, call us today at (604) 513-9428.