Have you recently purchased a brand new iPhone 5 only to realize that too many other people you know also own the same phone? You are probably not alone. Since the iPhone 5 only comes in a select number of colors, it is hard for users to enjoy the fact that they own an exclusively unique phone. Most people purchase the iPhone 5 either because of its appealing aesthetics or powerful operating system. To some, however, all the joys of owning an expensive mobile phone come from the mere fact that it is unique. Luckily, there are a number of different ways you can personalize your iPhone 5.

If you are looking to personalize your iPhone 5, you can browse through the vast array of iPhone 5 skins available online. As more and more people try to make their iPhone 5′s look more distinctive, the range of skin choices will continue to expand. The best thing about these phone skins is that they are not permanent in nature, which means you will never regret applying a skin to your iPhone 5.

If you look in the right places, iPhone 5 skins are the most affordable way to personalize your iPhone. The technology being used by phone skin manufacturers has also improved dramatically, with superior grade vinyl being the preferred choice of material. This means that these skins are not only lightweight but they are also extremely durable.

If you are not ready to commit to one skin, you can purchase multiple skins in different colors, styles and textures and easily swap them as often as you wish. You can change them based on your outfit, your mood or your schedule for the day. Customizing your iPhone 5 has never been easier with the convenience of online shopping. With just a few clicks you can choose a carbon fiber or brushed titanium finish in gray or black; or you can select a professional-looking leather skin in a multitude of colors.

Despite the fact that most people are satisfied with the appearance of their phones, some feel the need to stand out in the massive crowd of iPhone 5 owners. In such circumstances, for an incredibly affordable price, you can quickly and easily cover the iPhone 5 with a protective and attractive, 3M vinyl skin.

Author Bio:

Justin Parklawn continues to research and write about the technology industry, particularly focusing on the new trend of iPhone 5 skins. Justin recommends dbrand.com, specifically dbrand.com/submodels/iphone-5 to see the selection of iPhone 5 skins available from dbrandInc.

Smart TVs, just like smart phones did a few years ago, will introduce a new wave of entertainment by offering internet capabilities and finally turning television sets into the ultimate entertainment system.

This new television technology will create a convergence of entertainment by combining computers, televisions, and cable boxes into an all-in-one unit. And, the best part is that you will only need a single box, so you can forget about trying to connect multiple devices to achieve a great home entertainment experience. Consumers who are familiar with downloading apps via Microsoft’s Xbox 360 will already know what to expect with some of the features that a Smart TV will provide. But now, smart TVs will introduce all of these great features to the average consumer.

Smart television owners will be happy to know that their new TV set offers the best format for many of the apps they previously only used on their computer. The apps are presented in a clear cut manner that are much more visually appealing when compared to how they appear on laptops, gaming consoles, or smart phones. Apps such as Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, and many others areavailable for download and can be used right away. This new television technology offers a little bit of everything, so now you can catch up on your favorite television programs, and chat with friends all on the same device.

The new smart television will store all of you information using cloud technology. So, now you can use upload your family photos onto the cloud and go through them on the big screen, connect your computer and work on documents on larger screens, and basically do anything that you can do using a computer.  These TVs are meant to be the ultimate form of technology when it comes to functionality and convenience.

For those worried about the new smart televisions sacrificing both sound and picture quality for all the unique content, you will be happy to hear that manufacturers have put their best technology into these top-tier TV set. Web connections are good quality, and will offer a more relaxing and exciting way to browse the web. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about losing out on web connectivity when choosing to browse the web on your television.

If you are considering looking around for a new piece of technology to add to your collection, try searching around and finding the best Smart TV for you. Some smart televisions will offer different applications than others, so choose wisely and weigh your options to compare which one would better meet your entertainment needs. Whichever option you choose will provide you with that next step into the new age of technology and more bragging rights.

(Source: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8397/8682370816_d140f28058.jpg)

You must have just emerged from your life under a rock if you have not heard about the ground-breaking mobile phone that is the Samsung Galaxy S4.

If this is the case, welcome back to the surface but please take a moment to have a look through this link to see why this new smartphone is quickly taking the technology world by storm.

You will quickly see that the gadget has so much potential – its huge touchscreen is a joy to behold, it is so easy to use and is packed to the brim with exciting features right out of the box.

However, follow these steps once you buy your very own Samsung Galaxy S4 and get much, much more out of your swanky device.

Share your content with the world

So you have just managed to shoot an amazing video or have taken some of the most glorious holiday snaps that you have ever seen.

However, the excitement to show off this content to all your friends and family soon turns to annoyance and just a tad of frustration when you have to repeat the slideshow for every person.

We have all been there, but the fortunate thing with the Samsung Galaxy S4 is that you never have to go there again.

(Source: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6673931697_795b594797.jpg)

Whether you own a Samsung TV or have your hands on an AllShare Cast dongle – Cnet Asia has detailed everything you need to know about the latter device here in case you’re a bit puzzled – you can now stream content from your new smartphone to your TV.

Sharing has never been so easy!

Get more juice out of your device

With all the features that come packed into a Samsung Galaxy S4, coupled with the gadget’s gorgeous display, you may believe that the device’s battery is going to drain of power very quickly.

Fortunately, there is an option to switch on the gadget’s power saver mode – a brilliant choice if you need to use your phone throughout the day or have left the charger sitting at home.

Want to save even more battery life? Well, it is easy to start switching applications off manually. Just go on the quick settings page and have a think whether you really need Bluetooth, NFC, the device’s Smart Scroll feature and S Beam all activated.

You are bound to be surprised how long your smartphone lasts once all of these have been deactivated.

Customise the display just how you like it

This tip links a little to our advice about getting more out of your phone’s battery, because the brighter the smartphone’s display is, obviously the more juice it is going to need to keep functioning.

What is unique about the Samsung Galaxy S4, however, is that you can flick on an automatic setting on the device that will use a light sensor to adjust brightness depending on your surroundings.

For some personalisation, we also urge you to have a look at all of the device’s screen modes to find the best display for you. The phone is set to Adapt by default, but you may find that Dynamic, Standard, Movie or Professional is better for your peepers.

It is your smartphone after all.

Keep it safe from scruffs and scrapes

As we have mentioned previously, the Samsung Galaxy S4 features a high-quality touchscreen display and its back case design isn’t too shabby either.

Mind you, the aesthetic appeal of your device will take a terrible nosedive if scratches begin to appear across its glossy case or one long crack appears should the phone stumble out of your grip one day.

Add an extra layer of protection to your expensive smartphone then by housing it inside a sturdy phone case.

There are so many to choose from, though Samsung Galaxy S4 cases from Mobile Madhouse stand out for their stylish graphics and wide variety of options – you can even double your phone up as a wallet if you like.

However, it seems that they are also exposed very much to online attacks and organizations need to find a way through which they can share information, without actually giving the store away. If a company’s server is breached and data is stolen or deleted, that company will have a massive reputation stain which will be very hard to wipe off.

Threats against Web servers

Even though the threats online servers are exposed to are actually by the hundreds, they will generally depend on a few factors, like the operating system, applications and environment companies configured on their servers. Below, people will be able to learn more about the most common types of attacks a server is exposed to.

Denial of service

For those who are aware of it, they know that this is a very old school attack which does create some problems for the targeted server. When used correctly, it will manage to drain the resources of the server, making operations slow down or even cease. If a server’s resources are going to be fully drained, then it will simply go offline.

Distributed denial of service

This is the “meaner” version of the aforementioned attack and it can really cause a lot of server activity to be disrupted. So basically, most of the times this type of attack will be carried out by hundreds and even hundreds of thousands of computers which will target a single server or more at the same time. In order to be successful, this attack needs to be very well coordinated. Example how DDoS affect internet in general: http://blog.cloudflare.com/the-ddos-that-almost-broke-the-internet

There are many other types of attacks like these ones that can do a lot of damage to a server and some of them are presented below:

Port scanning attack

Port scanning is described by a host’s structured and also systematic scanning process. The first step in this type of attack involves the attacker scanning the target machine to find weaknesses that can be eventually exploited. Port scanners in fact are very easy to obtain and a simple search on Google will reveal there are plenty of them people can download. Most of the times it’s inexperienced hackers that will use this method of causing trouble, because it is very simple to use and really effective.

FTP bounce attacks

Many hackers actually love this type of attack, because it’s quite sneaky. It begins with the attacker uploading a specially designed file to a FTP server. What follows is the file reaching a different location after being forwarded and because it contains a special load, it will do something the attacker plans on doing to the server.

Smurf attack

Smurf attacks are very similar to ping flood attacks, but there are some specifics about each one. How does this work? Well, an intermediate network will have a ping command sent to it, however, the only difference is that when it receives the signal, it will be very much amplified. Because the network will be flooded with traffic, its performance will be heavily affected.

Protecting your server

Plenty of people might have gotten a bit scared after they read about the previous types of attacks, but they shouldn’t be. There are plenty of solutions they can use for protecting their servers and they will be described below.

Separate production and development servers

It might come as surprising, but it seems that tweaking and developing code is still done by the developers by using the resources of the organization’s production servers. The bad thing about this is that unpolished code can easily be spotted by the eye of an experienced hacker, so he can immediately take advantage of it. That is why messing with the code should be done only in a development environment, where there are no risks involved.

Separate Web servers for external and internal use

Another thing that it’s very basic, but still considered as it should be is the fact that organizations have apps and websites used both internally and externally and they should not have one server for them, but actually two. When considering a separate server for internal and external usage, the risk of hackers breaching a server and then accessing data or even the internal systems, is decreased.

Keep your system up-to-date

For those who want to make sure their servers are as safe as possible from possible attacks, it’s best if they will patch up their system regularly. Some companies will have to do this manually, but there are also organizations that have special systems in place which will immediately upgrade their servers with the required updates, when they are finally released to the public. THis is especially important for ecommerce hosting entities which, if compromised, affect both service and end-user putting their privacy, security and finance in danger.

Regular audits

Organizations will use different types of servers and applications and if those apps are advertised as being the best and better than all the rest, they should certainly feature a way to generate system logs. These logs will eventually need to be properly scanned and individuals should take notice of any suspicious activities or software failures.

Vulnerability scanning

Another way of finding out whether a server has some weaknesses which can be exploited can be done through vulnerability scanning. This means a special scanning tool will be used to detect software related problems, but it will also detect whether there are any patching or configuration issues that need attention.

The good news about such tools is how frequent they are updated, so any company out there can easily detect if their servers are experiencing problems and then take the right steps to fix them. To offer an example of such tools, one of them is Nessus (http://www.tenable.com/products/nessus) and it’s really effective.

Developer training

In the end, some companies may want to take this vital step for their operations and reputation and educate their developers on secure coding practices. This will at the least cause a very significant reduction in problems related to sloppy or lazy coding and sometimes, it can fully eliminate them.

It can seem like there are brand new security and privacy fears hitting the news with everything every day; from brand new apps and tech start-ups like Path and Snapchat have been under public scrutiny over the past few weeks, and Snapchat in particular has been a big issue.

Snapchat is an app available for smartphones (iOS and Android), which allows its users to send a picture to anyone else using the app – so far so good, but the difference is that Snapchat will delete the picture within a specified amount of time; say 10 seconds. The recipient can take a screenshot of the photo and keep it, but the app will notify the sender that this has happened, which can add an extra level of security to proceedings.

This week news broke that you can actually get your deleted photos back from Snapchat – albeit with the help of a team of forensics experts. Snapchat have handled this pretty well, and nobody really seems too worried about using the app, but it does seem like the days when you can truly get rid of something have all but gone.

Many offices are pushing to become paperless, but as files and folders are still such an important part of working life – as well as potentially a security risk all of their own should they fall into the wrong hands – it’s absolutely essential that offices and homes think more about what they should be doing with their papers to make sure that they don’t come back to haunt them in the future.

There are different ways to do this – burning papers is potentially one of the best ways to get rid of unwanted documents thoroughly, but it can be dangerous, so we would suggest you go to Iron Mountain for shredding. Shredding is still the safest, most efficient way to delete documents in real life, and Iron Mountain have a selection of shredders that suit any budget and any environment.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 only just hit the shelves but a recent report has revealed that four days after its release the device is already ranking as the third most popular smartphone in April.

Using statistics gathered from pre-order sales, actual sales and web searches, uSwitch.com also found that based on pre-orders alone the device was already revelling at the number five spot.

It comes as no surprise that the top two positions were held by Apple’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S, with the HTC One sitting firmly at number four.

Ernest Doku of uSwitch went on to add that that from the findings they found “Apple and Samsung occupy eight of the top 10 spots” which is a “clear indication of their dominance in the smartphone arena”.

During what was deemed to be the biggest smartphone launch ever Samsung instantly showed that it meant business with the S4, which boasts an abundance of high-end specs.

Samsung Galaxy S4’s top specifications

• 5-inch full HD super AMOLED display
• Android Jelly Bean 2.2
• 1.9GHz quad-core processor
• 13 megapixel camera
• 1080p video capture
• 2GB RAM

But, it was the changes the firm made to its software that got has got industry experts talking and over the past few months huge amounts of hype and excitement has built up around the manufacturer’s latest offering.

It is thanks to the wealth of new innovations under the S4’s hood that have helped push the device to the top-end of the charts so early on. This success certainly helps pave a positive path for future of the firm and its latest flagship, while making the likelihood of the Galaxy S4 reaching pole position in the very near future a huge possibility.

To see if you think it’s got what it takes to reach the peak of the smartphone pile check out our full video review below.

Written by Sarah Hazelwood of Phones 4u, the number one destination for all the latest mobile phone deals.

Should You Buy a 3D TV?

If you’re in the market for a new TV and have been researching which technology to go with, 3D TV has likely come up as an option. To some, it might seem like a gimmick or passing fad, but to many others, it’s a technology that’s here to stay. Is it something you want to invest in? Take a look at the guide below to help determine if 3D TV is right for you.

What is 3D TV?

A 3D TV, or three-dimensional television, displays three-dimensional content with the aid of 3D glasses and a 3D source. You’re probably most familiar with this technology through 3D movies that have hit theaters throughout the years. Today, most higher-end plasma, LED, and LCD TVs made since 2010 are actually 3D compatible when used with the accompanying  glasses and 3D source, and a 3D TV will still display 2D, or “regular” content. That means you can consider 3D to be a special feature on a television, rather than an entirely different class of television.

What are the advantages of 3D TV?

Even when not being used for their 3D capabilities, 3D TVs provide remarkable picture quality. However, it should be noted that the picture is most impressive when displaying high-definition, 1080p images in 3D. You’ll notice even better quality in the most high-end varieties, with their less expensive counterparts sometimes displaying double imaging and ghosting rather than a crisp, sharp image. But, if you’re wowed by the three-dimensional experience and have sufficient access to 3D programming, it may be worth your while to invest in this technology.

What are the disadvantages of 3D TV?

Though there has been talk of technology on the horizon that allows 3D images to be viewed without special glasses, for now, they are a necessity. Many find this accessory cumbersome, and if you have a large number of people in your household and have to purchase multiple pairs of glasses, the cost can add up. If you’re adverse to donning glasses to view your television’s best feature, 3D TV might not be for you.

Another disadvantage is the amount of 3D programming available. If your desire to purchase one is based on wanting to view things in 3D quality, you may be hard pressed to find a wide variety of options. There are an emerging number of 3D Blu-ray disc options available however, and the more 3D TVs grow in popularity over the years, the more content will become available.

The bottom line

When it comes down to the wire and you need to decide whether or not to purchase a 3D TV, you should think about which aspects of your TV viewing experience are most important. If you have children who love 3D movies, are a gamer wanting the three-dimensional experience for your favorite hobby, or are just a person who loves the latest and greatest in technology, 3D TV might be a good fit for you. But, if you just want a crisp, quality picture on your television for regular programming, a normal plasma, LCD, or LED TV might be a better choice.

There’s a new breed of tablet-PCs rapidly gaining popularity in tech land, and they look like they’re here to stay. A recent study conducted by International Data Corp found that total worldwide PC sales fell 14 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 – the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year declines.

While people are moving in droves to get their hands on new tablet-PC gadgets, the different models, types and classifications may have some people a little confused about what the difference is between all these new flexible, portable, touchscreen, multi-use devices.

That’s why we’ve given you a rundown of the different models available, and we’ve also taken a look at some of the pros and cons associated with this new generation of computers.

Hybrid models

Hybrid PCs are essentially tablet devices with detachable keyboards. Hybrids include models like the ASUS Transformer Book, Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2, and the ACER Iconia W510. Hybrids are generally more powerful than regular tablet devices, and are perfect for people who need to frequently type documents, but just aren’t satisfied with an onscreen touchscreen keypad. Hybrids are also cheaper than laptops and notebooks, and an average model will set you back around US$500.

Convertible models

Convertible PC models are basically all those that aren’t hybrids. There are several sub-categories in the convertible classification, including dual screen models, sliding screen models, and laptops with touchscreens.

Convertibles include models such as the Dell XPS Duo 12 (an example of a flip screen model which folds down over the keypad to make the device look like a tablet) and the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 (which boasts four modes of use – standard laptop mode, tablet mode, ‘tent’ mode and ‘stand’ mode). There’s also the Lenovo IdeaPad Z500, and the Acer Aspire S7 – both are touchscreen laptops with non-flexible screens, and are ideal for those who still want the processing power of a notebook.

In terms of pricing, prices for convertibles can be around US$1,000, which is higher that hybrid models, but still cheaper than most regular laptops and netbooks.

Windows 8 capability

These types of computers have been a large driving force behind the development of Windows 8, which fully takes advantage of all the new touchscreen technology out there in the land of consumer electronics (unlike Windows 7, which was compatible with touchscreen devices but had very small buttons, making navigation difficult). Windows 8 itself has received very mixed reviews since it was released in October 2012. So, as the go-to software for all these hybrid and convertible models, we suggest taking the software itself for a test run along with your potential new device.

Pros and cons

There are a few main benefits to these new devices, one of which is flexibility. For those who want an ultraportable device that still has a proper keyboard permanently attached, convertibles are great. They also eliminate the need to keep detaching and reattaching a keyboard (which is also an inconvenience if you leave your keypad at home…) The sheer range of tablet-PC models available also means that there’s almost something for everyone – whether you have a preference for a screen that flips, slides, spins, folds, or comes off completely. The battery life of most of these models is also impressive, with the Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2, for example, boasting a solid 10 hours.

On the flipside (excuse the pun), many have pointed out that using these convertible models as tablets can be difficult, due to the added weight of the attached keyboard. The screen size of these models can also make them awkward and heavy to use with one hand. Another observation is that models with sliding screens and detachable keyboards don’t have the most comfortable keyboards to use, with many being made out of somewhat flimsy plastic. All of this amongst reports that hybrid models could cause health problems like strain to the shoulder, or posture problems due to the need to hunch over the device to use it properly.

All of this being said, it’s important to do plenty of your own research to determine which exact model is right for you. With so many different options available, there’s bound the be a model to satisfy everyone’s individual needs,

What do you think of the new range of hybrid and convertible tablet-PCs? Is it worth investing in one, or should we wait until the technology or design behind them improves?

Take a look at the proposed plan from the Dubai Expo this is truly an incredible event planned to celebrate technology and innovation. It really goes to show that there are great minds all over the world that are capable of great things.

In the infographic below there are some of the inventions that have been celebrated previously at the Expo:

The recruitment processes of many businesses are outdated, and the recruitment processes often feel too lengthy and time-consuming to make the effort to change to a new way of working. But for many, a little upfront investment would be well worth it.

Recruiters who have moved over to using cloud-based HRSi software are finding the process of recruitment is being rapidly streamlined, speeded-up and simplified. Recruitment Force, creators of this Software as a Service (SaaS), have got some keen techies on their side, helping them create products that really do make life easier when it comes to recruitment. So why is it worth considering for your business?

Saving time is vital when it comes to finding a new employee for your company. Of course, when it comes to business, time – as they say – is money and never is this truer than in recruitment. If you or your employees spend a lot of time searching for candidates, shuffling through CVs and covering letters, shortlisting, organizing and executing interviews and creating contracts then a smart cloud recruitment software solution could save you time and money.

The system features a powerful dashboard for managing applications, which is easier and nicer to work with compared to several CVs and bits of paper planted on your desk – with recruitment of course, organisation is key. When you log-in, your dashboard (customizable with widgets) will show you all the tasks you’ve completed to date and what is lined up for the week ahead. Urgent aspects of your to-do list are kept highlighted, so you can’t forget about them.

Optional messaging add-ins allow the recruiter to bulk-send SMS messages to individual or all candidates regarding their application, whether it’s updates, rejections, invites to an interview and so on.

Farewell to manual administration! In-built auto-recognition scans documents such as CVs and covering letters, immediately turning them into database entries to kick start your recruitment search. All data related to your recruitment search, whether it’s from an email, from a social networking site such as LinkedIn, a website such as Monster or Jobsite, or from a document on your desktop, all gets imported into your rapidly growing database. And because it’s saved in the cloud, the database travels with you. An in-built workflow program keeps things moving and offers a guideline as to what should be completed at what point in time.

The seamless integration with LinkedIn is another big reason many recruiters are moving over to using this software. The functionality means that you can search this useful networking site’s database without leaving your own, and you can also create records directly from LinkedIn URLs.

Finally, the software it has on-demand help and access to data when the user needs it, whether they are at home, in the office or travelling. Support can be accessed over the phone, by email or by online chat. There is also an associated discussion forum for users of the software, so you can make the most of this to see how others are using it. Updates to the software are free and are automatically pushed to your devices – no more time-consuming downloading and another benefit of cloud-based systems.