By Athima Chansanchai

No matter what bravado Apple puts up, the company must be breaking a little sweat, looking in its rearview mirror at Google’s Android. After all, Android not only overtook the iPhone platform in sales, but went on to dethrone Nokia’s Symbian as the world’s most popular smart phone platform . Android devices are coming out faster than can be counted. And now it looks as if there will be more Android apps than iPhone apps by 2012.

The jolly green robot’s Android Market has sprouted up 127 percent since August, putting it at three times the growth of the Apple App Store (44 percent), according to the second report released by mobile security company Lookout and its App Genome Project , whichhas analyzed more than 500,000 Android and iOS applications since the project commenced last summer.

If this rate of growth continues for both marketplaces,the report says Android Market will have more apps than the Apple App Store by mid-2012.

While Apple has nearly 350,000 apps – and added100,000 new ones in the past 6 months – the Android Market has doubled in size during the same time, adding 50,000 apps for a total of around 90,000.

Developers also seem to be cranking out more apps for Android, releasing more apps than Apple.On average, the Android Market has 6.2 apps per developer and the Apple App Store has 4.8 apps per developer. But Apple still attracts more developers:nearly 24,000 between August 2010 and this month, while Android only drew just over 4,000 during the same time.

Consumers also seem to be willing to pay for Android apps more, too. The Market’spaid apps increased from 22 percent in August to 34 percent this month, while the App Store’s paid apps decreased slightly during the same time, from 71 percent to 66 percent.

More Android stories:

Android and iPhone: It’s a two-horse race

300,000 Android phones activated every day

Google gets serious about Android apps

Android smart phones gain favor in the board room

Check out Technolog on Facebook , and on Twitter, follow Athima Chansanchai , who already has quite a few apps on her Android smart phone.

Good ideas for home design and decoration could be tucked away in your pocket.

The difficulty is determining whether those hints are worth more than the stale cough drops next to them.

The ideas are coming from apps, the online computer applications that have emerged on smartphones from Apple’s iPhone to even less-app-friendly brands such as Blackberry. The demand for apps probably is not going to change soon, says Nicolas Christin , associate director of the Information Networking Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland.

“That is because people are no longer carrying cell phones around to make calls,” he says. “They have with them, at all times, a personal computing environment.”

Professionals dealing with design can see positive sides to that information control as well as drawbacks. Interior designer Ruth Thompson, for instance, talks about how often in the past a client would have an idea about what they want to have done, but have a hard time expressing it.

“Now, they can pull up what idea appealed to them and I can actually understand what they are trying to describe or convey to me,” she says.

She and designer Nancy Drew of Edgewood see that positive side, but also see apps — like home and garden TV — as providing ideas that are appealing, but may not work in individual environments.

The concepts also can ignore the amount of time needed for any project, making clients believe a job can be done quickly.

“It can be a little frustrating from a designer’s point of view,” Drew says.

At the same time, though, apps can present a professional challenge.

“If someone comes in and knows something that I should know more about, I have no objection to going out and researching it,” says architect Scott Moore from Latrobe.

What app-ening now?

It is no wonder apps have seized a role in design thinking. They have done that simply because there are so many of them.

Christin says about 10,000 apps are developed each month. He agrees with the commonly used estimates of Apple having 300,000 apps for the iPhone and Motorola about 100,000 for its Droid. Even the relatively app-less Blackberry offers 15,000.

They range from fancy apps such as Outlandish Floral Furniture and Paradise Offices to practical ones such as Closest House for Sale and 1 Handy Carpenter, which offers a digital level, ruler and plumb-bob.

There are corporate-related apps such as Ben Color Capture from Benjamin Moore Paints, ColorSnap from Sherwin-Williams and Swedeshop, an Apple app for shopping at IKEA.

Or there are functional apps such as Convert, which helps with sizing in metric figures, and I.D. Wood, which identifies 60 types of wood that might be around the home.

With hundreds of thousands more, it is fairly easy to find anything needed.

That amount and the ease with which they are created — basically by anyone with technological know-how — can lead to problems.

Christin compares the collection of apps to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that can be edited by anyone. Apple controls a large app market and tends to make sure they are factual and worthwhile, he says. But in other cases “no one is really vetting content or editing,” he says.

Michael Vallez, who runs a Florida-based service that reviews and markets apps, agrees there are “a lot of bad apps out there.” Many simply are so narrowly aimed they are virtually useless, says the head of CrazyMikesApps.com , based in Tampa. Fla.

But they both agree the low price of apps creates a classic world of capitalism. Because apps often can be purchased for 99 cents, they sometimes will be bought on a whim.

But if the information is worthless, it will disappear because sales will do the same thing.

Making the client smarter

Despite drawbacks, Moore, Drew and Thompson agree apps, like home and garden TV, have made customers smarter.

“By being able to find ideas they like (and) store them in a virtual album, is more useful and helpful when talking to clients,” Thompson says.

Information on apps can be inaccurate, and clients need to realize the education and experience of a professional might better address an individual’s situation, Drew says.

Architect Moore, however, says it is “excellent” whenever there is more information with which clients can deal.

“Now they can go to it online and it piques their interest,” he says.

For instance, property owners probably know more about such matters as geothermal heating simply from information on their computers or in their apps.

“They are familiar with options they didn’t know about before.” he says.

Reverse phone detective system was established in 2006. This system is based on a different style than that of the reverse lookup system. It is a look up service which enables you to search a person’s information based on their phone number. This is possible to do because whenever a person uses any kind of electronic communication device; there will always be some sort of identifying character record left behind, whether the person uses a landline number, an unlisted number, a cell phone number or even the internet. These records are usually collected from public information, data brokers, and other confidential sources.

For people who live in the United States, reverse phone detective allows you to detect the origin of a number anywhere in the United States because it uses a large database which is regularly

Click Here To Visit The Official Reverse Phone Detective Website

Reverse phone detective can search and found the name, address, relatives and other information to the unknown numbers we received. This can help us to identify the caller, and then separate them for the known and unknown caller. I bet many of you have experienced times when a sequent of numbers that shows up in your cell phone doesn’t quite ring a bell. In this hectic era, when busy people are hastily communicating all at once, a wrong number is to be anticipated every now and then. Nevertheless, by using the reverse phone detective, a number from a different area code or that shows up continually can be easily identified.

It has been said that by using the service we can receive a full phone records such as:

Phone owner’s name and current address
Other phone numbers belonging to the owner
Owner’s address history
Household members
Possible neighbors and relatives
Phone company and carrier
Satellite maps
Etc.

How Reverse Phone Detective Works

There are dozens of websites that offer phone reverse lookups, services that allow you to find the owner of a phone number, or the reverse of the usual procedure of using a name to find the phone number. Some of these services are free, but they usually include only listed landline numbers in their databases.

So what can you do if you want to run a reverse telephone number search on a cell phone or unlisted number? Many sites exist that claim to provide this service for a fee. But are they reliable? Will you get what you pay for? As with any service, there are truthful, honest companies and there are those that prefer to take your money for nothing. Reverse Phone Detective is one site that can help you out. It operates with a database of more than 250 million phone numbers, more than any other site, that includes listed, unlisted, and cell phone numbers. The specific information available includes the phone’s owner and address, location on a map, the type of service, and the service provider.

Not so long ago, only private detectives and law enforcement agencies could access this kind of information. It was difficult and time-consuming, plus expensive. Reverse Phone Detective now makes it easy, quick, and inexpensive for anyone to do a reverse lookup by phone number.

Two service packages are available at a very low cost to the user. To run just one reverse number trace the fee is less than $15, and the report will list the owner’s name and address, as well as other household members and other information. On the other hand, if you plan to run more than a couple of reverse phone number searches the annual fee of just $39.95 provides unlimited lookups on landline and listed phone numbers and unlimited people searches. Reverse cell phone lookups and full reports carry an additional charge for each search. In addition, the company’s staff will assist in a difficult search free of charge, and if no information can be found you’ll get a refund.

Click Here To Visit The Official Reverse Phone Detective Website

Cell phone accessories are not just about being stylish and trendy; they’re also about convenience, functionality and keeping your cell phone safe! Today, there are many brands of phones, models and even more cell phone accessories you could buy! So, you may be wondering which essential items in the cell phone accessories arena you must own. There are four main accessories you should know when you own a cell phone, they are as follows:

Cell Phone Case or a Cell Phone Cover: This is usually an either or preference. A cell phone case is a literal “pocket” or holder for your cell phone. The cell phone case are available in several different brands, sizes, materials, styles and colors – the one you select is going to depend on what style you want to show off!

The cell phone cover is different from cell phone case; this is normally a cover or a faceplate that’s put over the front of the phone. We need to ensure to get the reviews before selecting any type of a cell phone case or cell phone cover. Few phone manufacturing companies would even provide cell phone cover or cell phone case for their phones; this aids the customers to find the suitable cover or case for their phone.

The next cell phone accessory that every phone user needs is the charger: They also come in several different brands. Few chargers would have a USB option so you could plug it to your laptop and get your phone’s battery charged.

The third cell phone accessory you need to get your hands on is an extra battery pack: It is always best to be safe than to be sorry. A second battery that is fully charged can be used when your first one runs out.

Headsets: This is a cell phone accessory that’s more about safety than anything else! Today, many people are involved in car accidents as a result of using cell phone when driving. As a matter of fact, it is now illegal to use a phone unless you have a hands free headset with you.

The above mentioned are the most crucial mobile phone accessories you can own as of now. There are quite a few of these mobile phone accessories to pick from including wired, wireless and blue tooth options. Phone Accessories are even available in many styles and colors to match your taste.

Users can receive calls for free, and DUO-to-DUO calls are free anywhere in the world. It’s also the most versatile digital phone service available – no monthly fees, no contracts and no computer required.

The flexibility of the DUO makes it a unique device. Users can connect directly to an Internet connection through the router/modem or passively through the computer’s USB port. Plus, its sleek design can fit in the palm of your hand, making it the most portable device of its kind.

Without relying on a computer to make and receive phone calls, the DUO delivers flexibility and phone privacy for single-computer households. Additionally, the DUO reduces the wear and tear put on your home or office computer and considerably reduces energy costs. Plus, with the fax-friendly DUO, there is officially no reason to hold onto your traditional phone service.

Additional benefits of the DUO include the choice of a free local telephone number, enhanced 911, free 411directory assistance, call waiting, voicemail and live tech support with specially trained TALK Experts.

The netTALK DUO is available at for $79.95 including the entire first year of service and only $39.95 each year after (no monthly fees or long term contracts).

There are a lot of healthy reasons to purchasing a used cell phone. Let’s discuss about convenience first. Buying a pre owned cell phone will save you from hassles and sickening formalities of signing a contract with phone network companies. Most of us have experienced the situation and there’s no prize for the discomforting feeling of having to go through those pages of warranties and rules because you lost your phone. Activating pre owned cell phones only takes just minutes and can be done right at the comfort of your own sofa.

Let us say that you are a subscriber to Cingular, T-Mobile, or ATT, simply remove your SIM card from underneath your cell phone battery (in most cases, this is where you will find the SIM), and re-insert it into your newly bought pre owned cell phone, and then the problem’s fixed! Yes, you heard it right, there’s no need to worry much over losing a phone because the solution is as easy as simply going down to your local cell phone providers’ place of business and asking them for a new SIM card. For Verizon, Metro PCS, and the like, where SIM card is of no use, you only have to dial *611 on your newly acquired pre owned cell phone, and a customer representative from your local phone provider will provision your phone with your existing account over the air.

How about the one closest to you pocket, practicality? The financial difficulty in purchasing a new cell phone (indeed, new ones can be very expensive!) is moot and academic topic considering that you can always have a pre owned cell phone from the neighboring shops. You will help keep considerable amount of money with used cell phone rather than if you buy a new one. Plus, the great thing is, pre owned cell phone works just as well. Pre-owned phones are normally regenerated phones so its warranted that their capabilities and quality is still at par with new ones. Why waste great amount of money for a same thing and of same value? Buy the savings instead for other much important goods. Phones, notwithstanding what others say, still remain a luxury so you need to be smart and perceptive on the amount of money you spend with them.

Above, I already talked about two huge reasons (convenience and practicality) and they basically cover everything why you should buy a pre owned cell phone, but they are too concentrated on what’s good for you. I have to kick one in that’s for the whole community: purchasing used cell phones will do something good for the environment. Cell phones are made up of various toxic chemicals, including lead and mercury. Over time, these harmful chemicals will leak out, and once in the ground, will eventually enter our water system. That only spells a bad future for us, a horrible future for our children. It’s even sadder to note that many, if not most of these discarded phones, are far from being useless.

So save the tears if you just lost a phone, you have a way smart option with used ones. Keep the tears for rainy days, it’s not worth it over phones.

If you are hearing others speaking about reverse phone search , you may want to know what the term indicates. A reverse cell phone glance up is, when you have a cellular number, no matter it is a dwelling cellular or mobile phone, you enter it into a reverse cell phone research site to get the details of the owner of this selection, such as the name, address. You may even get some more info like the age of the personal. Now you have the thought what a reverse cellular amount look up is. Now you probably believe whether this kind of research is practical, and if persons want to use it? The answer is yes. Persons actually need this company very very much, and it is really useful.

A phone # research provides practical results for users. It is well identified that the reverse selection seem up grants very useful information to its customers. By entering the landline telephone or cellular phone amount, it will obtain the name and address of the cellular owner almost instantly. It is an good choice for persons who have an unknown amount on the caller ID, and want to uncover out who the caller is. You may assume why not just call back to see who it is. Well, there can be most possibilities. One case is that you want to know the caller before you call back, in case he is a cell phone spammer.

The reverse cellular lookup contains cellular cellular research. It is not tricky to run a reverse selection seem up for a household phone. In the past it was not convenient to get the owner’s details for a cell cellular. Now, websites which supply the reverse number look up also give facts for cell phones. Some web sites can automatically see out whether a telephone selection belongs to a household cellular, or a cellular cell phone, so you can just kind in the amount. While people were made for cell amount or home amount only, so you require to figure out what type of cellular it is, or just attempt it. No matter what kind of websites you are using, the capacity of searching a mobile cellular number is very helpful.

The reverse cell phone selection research websites are extremely uncomplicated to use. There is one increased very essential advantage of reverse number lookup: These sites are quite convenient to use. If you go to a reverse phone search website, you may often see a web page with three blanks. You just enter the location code in the foremost blank, and next 3 digits in the second space, and the last 4 digits in the last block. Then you simply click a Search button, or a similar word, and you will instantly get the report, such as the name and address of the phone owner, or probably some preliminary reports, like the city, state information , and phone kind, that is, home phone or mobile phone.