Microsoft’s new mobile platform is due to arrive on October and from the looks of it, several handsets will be ready by that time.

It is already known that the LG Panther has been ready for the past few months. A mock version of the device has already been seen as early as March while what seems to be final version of the smart phone has been seen in images in the recent weeks. And the Korean manufacturer is not the only one making a WP7 device. Taiwan based HTC has dropped two names, the Mozart and the Mondrian as WP7 handsets, though no details were given if the two phones were indeed separate or this is simply one device with two nicknames. Sony Ericsson’s name has also been added to the list with the announcement of the SE Jolie.

The new operating system from Microsoft focuses heavily on general users. While the older Windows Mobile operating system is a more business-centric mobile platform, the WP7 leans towards media playback, internet access, social networking, games and general functionality.

Considering the most recent demonstrations of the operating system, WP7 has proven to be a well composed OS, with various functions leading and linking towards each other. Users can jump from the map to the contact list to the calendar if the user has associated linked entries for the various contents.

In the above trail, a map could potentially show the addresses of nearby contacts that when clicked, can bring up the details of the individual. From there, a user can set a schedule to visit, call or simple email the contact and have the task marked on the calendar. All of these processes are done directly, without having to go back to the home screen even once.

Expect to see more updates regarding Windows Phone 7 as October approaches.

More often than not, the mobile phone serves as a very important cache of information and data. Contact lists will have names, phone numbers, address and the email of friends, family and business contacts. Images and videos taken with the devices camera will also be stored on the mobile phone. Documents and other files are also among the things that people find themselves concerned about when it comes to their smart phones.

Thankfully, the average modern mobile phone will hook up to any desktop or laptop computer and allow the use to transfer and store files from the handset into a different location. This will help ensure that no data is lost if the phone is ever damaged, misplaced or stolen. Even a simple phone problem might lead to potential data loss if the repairs would entail that the internal memory be formatted.

Backing up a mobile phone is fairly easy. First off, users should be sure that the device is fully charged. While some devices will actually charge as they are connected to a computer, this is not the case for all mobile phones. And the last thing that users need is for a handset to die out while in the middle of a data transfer –potentially corrupting the file being transferred.

Second, connect the handset to the computer. This is usually done through a USB connector and is import for devices that have large space of internal memory that users rely on. However, for users who do not store anything much on the smart phone itself, and instead, rely on microSD cards for storing important files, the most convenient thing to do would be to just connect the microSD to a reader.

To be sure that all files are properly copied, try to do a direct copy of all files. This can be organized by placing all the files into a single folder, allowing the user to have an exact backup of the phone’s data. Using the syncing features available with special phone software provided by the manufacturer is also a good idea.

Many might remember the classic Disney live action science fiction film Tron, the movie was famous for its (then) high end special effects and the (also then) intense, high speed light cycle matches. While several games over the years have tried to recreate the experience and the intensity of the movie, very few have come close. For the Google Android, an early game by the name of Light Cycle 3D by Battery Powered Games comes pretty close.

The game itself comes in full 3D, with lighting and graphics that matches the style and feel of the classic movie. While the title itself is not an official Disney product, it still brings plenty of the original spirit that has made Tron quite famous.

The game itself is simple, players steer a light cycle in a grid around a walled arena and blaze a large laser wall in their trail. This trail will stay up for the whole round. The point of the game is to force opponents into a wall while avoiding the walls that the opponents have made.

It is simple and easy at low speeds, but at higher difficulties and faster speeds, Light Racer can prove to be quite a challenge. In terms of controls, all cycles move at a similar speed, which makes the combat more of strategic steering than a race. With the only available controls being to turn left or right, players are made to face the challenging reality of this game early on.

In terms of graphics, this Google Android game is pretty top notch. Even on a low spec G1 handset, Light Ricer 3D runs are a pretty decent space. While having to tap the screen with a finger will obscure your peripheral vision, the overall gameplay is satisfying and fulfilling. According to the developer, version 1.2 of this impressive app is already available on the Android Market.

With smart phones becoming a very crucial and important part of daily lives, one finds it really hard to go anywhere without one. The amount of convenience that such as small device can provide is hard to match. With a typical smart phone, a person is able to make and receive calls and messages, check and send email, browse the internet, listen to music, watch videos and even have a guided map service.

Of course, when travelling to distant locations, being without the smart phone is something that most people would not want to do. But preparing your Samsung Wave 2 or SE XPERIA X8 for a journey is also as important as preparing one’s own things, here is a quick list of things to do before taking your phone out for a trip.

First off, make backups of your data. Phones often carry several GB of important or personal data. From videos recorded to important documents, these files should first be backed up to a computer. There is no telling what may happen to the phone during a trip and data loss is something worth worrying about.

On the light side, move your content to the computer so that the phone will have space for new images and videos that you can take on the trip.

Research the locations’ power standards. Some places use a standard voltage, some have higher. As a rule, never stick your phone into a wall outlet unless you are certain that the voltage will match. Failing to do so could potentially damage your phone.

Also, it is important to check with your carrier. Some networks will charge exorbitant roaming fees. This is a great reason to consider getting a global SIM card if you find one available. It would also be good to inform your friends and family that you will be gone (and that they should not contact your phone) –the last thing any traveler needs is to find a large phone bill upon coming back.

Sonic the Hedgehog has been a video game icon since his debut on the Sega Mega Drive. When Sega decided to stop making consoles, fans thought that the Sonic franchise would be neglected as well. On the contrary, the Japanese company decided to release Sonic in many different platforms such as the Nintendo Wii.

Although it is far from forgotten, the blue blur has not had the exposure it needs to win the hearts of the gaming masses again. Thankfully, Sega decided to make good with their promise to bring Sonic the Hedgehog to the iPhone. This was confirmed when Sega decided to give chosen journalists a sneak peek during the E3 game convention held at Los Angeles.

This specific title will be a multi platform release. Aside from Apple’s iPhone, it will also grace the Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The story arc follows the one in Sonic and Knuckles which was released for the Sega Mega Drive. It will bring plenty of familiar elements such as the horizontal scrolling game play. This project is being lead by the Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS) franchise developer “Dimps” in cooperation with the Sonic Team.

Sega’s current goal is to polish the game controls to make it just the combination of touch and tilt. A virtual directional pad reminiscent of a console game controller is also provided for accuracy.

Since the retro style is kept intact and the game retains its distinct flavor, Sonic’s old fans will really have something to look forward to. Those new to the game will most likely find it enjoyable as well, seeing as there are few games on the iPhone resembling the title.

Sega did give their word that they will not compromise so the amount of content in the handheld versions will be at par with the console releases.

The average mobile phone will last a person for about two years. After this time, the device is often replaced by a better handset for a wide variety of reasons. Some users simply prefer to own a new phone. Other handsets would have been exposed to wear and tear and in some cases, been damaged to a point that a replacement would be better. There is also the occasional case of the device being lost or stolen.

But what about having multiple handsets? While not everyone can keep up with the cost of maintaining two SIM cards, there are those who simply need to have separate number from the one they normally use. Often, some mobile phone users would have to segregate their work and personal contacts, but other variations also exist.

There is no set rule or limitation on how many mobile phones a single individual should own, but there is a limit to how much each individual can handle. Simply put, if a mobile phone is not being used for duration of a full two weeks, then chances are, you can probably afford to do without the secondary SIM card.

Having a secondary handset is also common. Most smart phones compromise size for extra features, and it is not rare for some people to transfer their SIM card from a big expensive handset to a more simple candy bar device when they go for a night out or for errands. This will help keep their iPhone 4 or HTC Desire safe (which is useful if you know you will be coming back home intoxicated).

Another good reason to have a spare mobile phone is for emergencies. Most families have emergency kits at home; these are usually packed with first aid kits, food rations, two way radios and other similar items. These days, it is also recommended to have a spare mobile phone as well (and an extra battery as well). While it would need to be charged regularly, having an extra mobile phone on hand could prove to be helpful in dire emergencies.

Yet another approval issue has been raised with regards to the Apple App Store. It is from a developer who has not heard from Apple for almost two months (56 days to be exact). This pulled the stops on the developer’s app update, only this time, it is a voluntary one.

“So now, we’re doing you a favor. We’re pulling Appsfire v1.0 so that you don’t have to.”

The iPhone app being referred to is Appsfire, an app discovery system which lets users get recommendations based on their existing app library. Using the program, users will be able to rate, write reviews and view other users’ downloaded and recommended apps.

According to the Appsfire team, the server demand for their creation is so much more than they could handle so they need to replace the current program with the updated one, with much needed improvements to cope with the excess data streams collected.

The developers have apparently submitted the update for review, but Apple has failed to respond to any and every medium the team has exhausted. This includes calls, emails as well as “high level contacts”. According to the Appsfire team’s blog, there were no issues regarding app approval during this period of time which lead them to believe that Apple is forcing them out of the Store by leaving their update in limbo.

The team has also blamed the iPhone maker for the SDK terms of service revision. Even though Apple has previously allowed their app in the Store, the developers believe that they are being shut down with the use of a waiting game.

This may take a while to get resolved, after all, Apple may not see the need for such an app due to their own Genius recommendation system. In the meantime, jail broken devices may be able to get the update in a sharing site.

While developers might not be too happy that the Android market is well known for its wide range of free applications (they do need to make a profit after all, making apps and games costs money), end users will always enjoy being able to access useful features that will not require them to spend a single pence.

With the World Cup fast approaching, it certainly helps being able to rely on your Android smart phone for all the big updates. Choosing an app, however, can be pretty tough, with the thousands of choices available on the App store, figuring out which one to go for can be tough. So here is a quick list of our most recommended Android applications that will keep you on top of all the big news updates for the World Cup.

First off, the World DroidCup -this is one of the best tools we have found when it comes to getting all the big highlights. Do not expect long news updates however, the DroidCup focuses more on the numbers and statistics, providing users with updated tables and match results. It is the perfect app to use when you only have a few minutes to spare and cannot afford to take in the long news articles found in other websites. As expected, this app is free to download so you can get it now.

Another free app that we recommend is the EvriThing World Cup. The name may sound odd, but the app is absolutely fantastic. It gives users a running thread of news updates and match highlights. The app itself uses very little images and other content so loading is fast and smooth. As you might expect, all the articles on the site are updated by the moment, providing users with a unique insight to the matches as they happen.

Looking back at the industry’s standards, mobile phones have come a long way from the older models that were initially made. Before CDMA and 2G technology was available, most mobile phones were huge, as in carrying a bothersome weight. These mobile phones only allowed two purposes –making and receiving calls (though you can probably knock a person unconscious with it too). Phones these days are smaller and slimmer. You can even hang some phones from a lanyard or just slide one into your shirt’s front pocket.

Even the weight has changed dramatically. From bulky to just around the area of 100-150 grams, the change in weight is an even bigger issue –and these days, having a phone weighing close to 200 grams is already considered heavy.

But industry standards can get confusing, while smart phone manufacturers have been sticking true to the new weight rule, the concept of size is a completely different matter. People want smaller handsets, at the same time, they all want bigger screens. Even scrapping the keyboard and keypad in exchange for a large touch screen was not enough; now, some developers are looking to make phones will really big screens.

Dell recently launch Dell Streak that has a 5 inch touch screen, Sony is rumored to be working on a 5.5 inch touch screen handset as well. At a recent tech conference in Asia, Samsung revealed the Galaxy Tab which is basically a 7 inch tablet which can be used for making phone calls as well.

Breaching the border between a tablet and mobile phone is a tricky thing; after all, the main point of having a mobile handset is portability. Avoiding the need to carry a 7 inch touch screen device is specifically the reason why mobile phones have been invented.

Though it was not initially intended for gaming, the iPhone has gotten a significant chunk of the casual gaming crowd to switch over to Apple’s side of the revenue pie. Why has it become such a popular gaming device? Well for starter, there are many casual game apps readily available in the Apple App Store.

Anyone can just switch games on the fly as long as they have the credits to buy it. Games are cheaper too, as compared to their Nintendo DS or Sony PSP counterparts. And lastly, the iPhone has more uses than a dedicated portable gaming device, which makes it all the more appealing to the casual crowd.

Since the iPhone 4 was announced, people have speculated on its various on board technologies. The gaming community held its breath as Apple unveiled a control sensor that could significantly change gaming on the go.

Much like the Wii Motion Plus’ control sensor, the new iPhone will sport a three axis gyroscope that will work hand in hand with the existing accelerometer on the device. This will allow for precision based controls that need feedback such as the rate of rotation, angular velocity and user acceleration. Potentially it could be used for driving simulation games or even first person shooters.

The iPhone 4 will be the missing link between the Wii Motion Plus that has only a tuning fork gyroscope (two axis) and the Playstation 3’s Sixaxis or Dual Shock 3 motion controls.

Gaming on the iPhone may just affect the existing market in a big way. While the Nintendo DS attracts kids of all ages, the iPhone has a bigger reach and a better appeal to those who really have the money to spend. That could mean that portable gaming will move from the niche crowd to the mainstream with the inclusion of connectivity elements. Microsoft may be the next big player with their upcoming Windows Phone 7.