By Aldo Panessidi

The Big Brother-esque actions of major carriers like ATT&T and Sprint has many consumers in an uproar and clamoring for vindication.  There is major concern of the possibility of Carrier IQ installed a tracking device that monitors texting keystrokes and cell phone usage on mobile devices.  The vendor is known for its root kit software which may be reporting users’ keystrokes, messages, and browsing history. This is an amazing case touting the many benefits of unlocked smartphones where you as the consumer can choose a carrier that does not work with Carrier IQ.

According to aforementioned vendor, the carriers use the software to “collect enough information to understand the customer experience with devices on our network and how to devise solutions to use and connection problems.”  That is fine and dandy, but the capability of the software to stealthily share sensitive information is alarming and Carrier IQ gives the carriers access to most or all of it.   Enhance your mobility… turn your device into a power tool.  Discover how premium electronic accessories specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

There is, however, a new app from BitDefender that will put Android phone users at ease to protect against the Carrier IQ intrusion. This neat app detects the Carrier IQ software on the Google OS phones within seconds. Google Market has made the Carrier IQ Finder app free. Upon installation, tap the icon and voila! You’re an informed consumer with the knowledge of whether the software is on your handset or not. This action is still advisable to consumers shopping for an unlocked phone that will be carrier-neutral.

Where to go from that point? Well. There are limited options. You can install the removal tool developed by Eckhart (the security researcher who discovered the Carrier IQ software on his handset) which can be found at this Android Market link: Logging TestApp Pro Key. Or, you can install a third-part ROM.  Leaving your valuable mobile devices unprotected is risky!  Protect your devices from scratches and blemishes with our stylish top brand accessories.

Because both of these actions require rooting the device (which makes sense in eradicating rootkit software), it is advisable to casual smartphone users to seek out a smartphone savvy friend or professional. The last recourse option is to wait for the carriers to issue software updates to uninstall the tool. This could come quickly as Carrier IQ related lawsuits are building up steam and the carriers will want to mitigate damages.   Let our trend setting fashionable accessories express your unique style.  Make your mobile devices stand out.  Customize your look – discover how cool you can be.

The public is currently in the dark on how this technology and collected information has been used by the carriers in question. No doubt there will be more news and details made available in the coming legal circus, but until there is a true fix in removing the root kit on your smartphone, user beware of what information you’re making available and considering sidestepping the carrier-smartphone manufacturer exclusivity fray the next time around with an unlocked phone.

A global supply manager for Apple was arrested on Friday. The man named Paul Shin Devine was arrested with charges of money laundering, kickbacks and wire fraud after he was indicted for leaking iPod and iPhone trade secrets to suppliers in Asia. Paul Devine has been accused of receiving over $1 million from Asian suppliers for exchanging secret trade information about the iPhone4 unlocked handset and iPod touch. The information provided by Paul Devine was used by the Asian accessory maker to negotiate a lucrative deal with Apple.

Investigation revealed many schemes involving international and US banks where accounts were opened using Devine’s wife’s name. The mediation of many transactions were made by, CPK Engineering, a fake company from which he received bribes. He even devised a secret language where leaked information was written as “samples” so that his co-workers couldn’t find about the transactions.

Another accused in the case is a resident of Singapore named Andrew Ang. He was the receiver of some of the leaked information. The names of the Asian companies that were involved were not disclosed but it was revealed that they were suppliers for iPod Touch and unlocked iPhone4. These companies were located in Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and China. The investigation was jointly conducted by the FBI and IRS.

On top of the federal indictment, a civil case was filed against him by Apple, in order to get compensation for damages. The nature of the information that was leaked remains unknown and so does the amount of damages. Apple’s response to the arrest of Devine was harsh. The Spokesperson for Apple Steve Dowling said publicly that, Apple maintains a high moral standard in their manner of business and they do not tolerate any dishonest behaviour.

This is the first time in the company’s 34 year long history that an employee is arrested for giving out trade secrets.

RIM remains in the limelight as the drama continues regarding The Blackberry cell phones. RIM succumbed to pressure by the government of India to access its data. Ministries and Govt officials of Saudi Arabia and UAE have clearly declared their intentions about Blackberry’s role in security matters. RIM responded by saying that they will discontinue to provide services to those countries, but in the end they had to succumb to the pressure in order to expand internationally.

India had given the Canadian company an ultimatum that stated if they don’t allow access to their services by 31st August their services will be terminated. This created immense pressure as India is one of the largest markets for cell phones with a population of nearly 1.2 billion.

According to a source RIM has assured that they will find out some solutions for enterprise mail and messenger by next week. The govt will then decide if it works.

The source who gave information on a condition that his name is not mentioned said that the govt will also express its concerns over internet telephony and will discuss these matters with companies like Skype.

It’s not only one company falling under the strict new guidelines; many Indian companies will also face it in order to import cell phones and other equipments.

The government of India has already made leading operators like Bharti Airtel, to abide by strict rules regarding import of equipments.

Chinese manufacturers like ZTE Corp and Huawei Technologies have been banned temporarily, from transporting network equipment because spywares might be embedded.

So not only Blackberry, Skype and Google are facing the same trouble due to India’s concern over cyber security.

Unlocked Smartphones were given a whole new dimension by Apple when it introduced its iPhone. Since then, it has been a steady competition between several companies to outwit the other in the smartphones market. Some have been able to gain prominence while others have lacked quality and have slipped into oblivion. ChangeWave surveys indicate a great demand for smartphones recently with a great number of people looking to buy a smartphone. Demand has never been so much before.

Apple still reigns supreme even though there have been a few minor hiccups recently with the iPhone 4 antenna issue being the most prominent. However, the number of other quality features iPhones offer separate it from the rest and still gives it the edge over others. Other companies are hot on their heels though and Apple should be looking to go one better by adding more features to the already existing brilliant retina display and other features.

IPhone 4 Unlocked handset is particularly being rivaled by Android. This has led to HTC getting a lot of attention and quite a few would rather go for HTC EVO  4Gor HTC droid incredible than iPhone 4. This is huge concern for Apple. HTC is constantly running out of supplies because of the great demand lately. Apple needs to be aware of the fact that the rivalry is strong and they need to address the fact fast.

RIM and Motorola are seriously out of the competition if they can’t come up with innovative features. The blackberry unlocked phones have been sorely disappointing lately. Even ardent Blackberry lovers believe that although the phones have undergone refreshing updates, it is still no match for Apple. Motorola is more or less in the same situation and needs to upgrade very soon. Maybe the competition will reach new heights in the recent future.

RIM (Research In Motion) is responsible for introducing the world to the BlackBerry experience, and RIM is working even harder to improve this experience. The BlackBerry is the first thing that comes to mind in a corporate setting, and it is most arguably, one of the finest smartphones ever made. With the introduction of the BlackBerry, a whole new trend was started and it redefined the way we surf the net or e-mail by using your BlackBerry Unlocked Phones. The newest addition by RIM to the BlackBerry’s roster is the BlackBerry Shield.

The BlackBerry Shield is an application, which comprises of some simple yet excellent security measures for your BlackBerry smartphone. It offers features like GPS tracking of your device, wireless backup, remote wiping and a whole lot more. Previously, there was only a feature list that we had to consult while surfing the web, bit now, with the BlackBerry Shield, there is a whole set of screenshots to help us in our web activities. Another very essential advantage of the BlackBerry Shield is that even when your Unlocked Smartphone is turned silent, it will ring loudly. This feature is very important, as sometimes we misplace our phone at home and are unable to find it, since it is silent. If your phone has been misplaced altogether, messages can be displayed on your home screen remotely, so that people can help you out in finding it. BlackBerry Shield also offers password protection and remote wiping, to prevent others from viewing your personal contents in your phone. And, if by mistake you erase everything from your phone, there is nothing to worry about. You can very easily set up scheduled automatic wireless back up for calendars, memos, contacts, browser bookmarks, tasks, etc. This makes it very easy to get back your lost information quite easily.

Today, Google has taken a very giant leap forward by providing free turn-by-turn directions for 11 different European countries. If you are a unlocked smartphone users with Android 1.6 or higher and you live in France, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, or Switzerland, you can now avail of these extended features built into Google Maps. Simple go to the Android Market and get the latest version of Google maps, which is currently in beta. Due to the addition of support of European countries, Google hopes to enhance its reputation in the mobile market.

When you download the beta version for Google Maps, not only will you have navigational launch, but at the same time, there is also support for Search by Voice in various languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. However, these upgrades are only for those mobile subscribers running Android version 2 and above.

The new version of Google Maps was tested out in Europe and the results were mind-blowing. Says a release on Google’s  Nexus One Unlocked  Android gadget website, “We have today updated the release of Google Maps so as to include various European countries as well. Countries such as Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland are now also supported. However, the user requires having version 1.6 or higher for Android.”

Google Maps is an internet based application that allows users to view different locations around a particular location. An important feature of Google Maps is the turn by turn voice over navigation that is provided free of cost.  Provided by Google, it is also used in many different third party websites as it offers street maps as well as a route planner when travelling by either foot or vehicle. In essence, Google Maps is a means of organizing all information in the world such that it can be represented geographically.