How to Install a Home Surveillance Systems - top-shoppingmall.com

“Home security camera” is a broad term, it includes nanny cameras, hidden cameras, outdoor cameras, Wi-Fi-IP cameras etc… This article covers conventional CCTV (close- circuit television) system. CCTV system consists of cameras, cables (if wired), transmitters & receivers (if wireless), a DVR (digital video recorder) and a monitor. Most of DVRs come with network capability where you can fully control the DVR for remote viewing via internet. These systems are commonly used at commercial places, but if correct components are chosen and installed, you can have the commercial grade quality video security system for your home as well.

The fact is that need for having a security system is on the rise. Vandalism and theft can occur anywhere in and around your house. Having a noticeable camera outside will greatly reduce the chance for a burglary and break-ins. Watch your kids while playing outside, record anyone who knocks on your door, keep an eye on your housekeeper, etc….. Its usages are limitless.

Technology is improving very fast, security cameras have become more user friendly, and you don’t need to be a professional to install the system. When choosing which system is best for you, first you need to establish what your needs are and which way you will be able to install them.

You can choose a pre-set package from a store such as Wal-Mart or Price Club. However the best way is to choose each component separately in order to custom fit for your needs. With DVR being the most important part of the system, most of pre-set packages come with Chinese made DVRs. They lack quality, reliability, are harder to use and navigate. Also some components are proprietary to each other and in case of failure it will be difficult to replace them. We carry wide range of different cameras, quality DVR’s (made in Korea), and everything else that you would need to have a reliable and quality home security system optimized for your specific situations and needs.

DVR

DVRs can handle multiple cameras (4, 8, 9, 16 or 32). Number of channels cannot be expanded later on, so choose one with future expansion in mind. Navigating through the recording is a lot easier with a DVR that comes with GUI (Graphic User Interface) and mouse control features. The reason we recommend either Korean or Japanese made DVR is that a DVR is not just a circuit based product. It must have reliable hardware, software and network capability. Japanese DVR cam may be expensive for its brand name so we recommend a Korean made DVR which has the quality, yet a smaller price tag. DVRs are usually equipped with 500GB memory (expandable) and handling up to 4 cameras will retain up to a month or more worth of video (depending the setting). All DVRs can detect motion (pixel movement) and record upon detection to save memory and time when you playback.  There are many other features such as networking, loop recording, cell phone viewing, e-mail notification, dual video output to TV or VGA monitor, auto-reboot (in case of black out) etc.

Digital wireless signal has no interference at all, and it is fully encrypted. You can connect up to 16 cameras wirelessly and all of them will work fine without interfering with each other. However, the video quality and frame rate will be reduced during the process of converting from analog to digital and back to analog to connect to a DVR. Video will somewhat be pixilated and there will be few seconds of lag in video feed. But in a case where wiring is not possible and you want completely secure wireless connection, this is the way to do it.

MONITOR

All our DVRs can connect to a TV or a VGA monitor. There is no such thing as a special security monitor, and will not provide with any better resolution.

NETWORKING

Most of DVRs come with the feature where you can connect the DVR to a router that way you can watch the camera live via internet. Internet access level differs between models. Some DVRs only may have live view feature where other higher end ones allow playback, change of settings and smart phone access as well. There are no additional monthly fees involved other than what you currently pay for your internet service.

Finally, there must be a hard wire network cable connection between the DVR and your router.
Bottom line, No matter where buy the system, technical support is essential. We are sure you have experienced run around support method that does not go anywhere. For example, if you have a difficulty connecting the DVR to your router, many companies will not help you due to lack of knowledge, or simply turn away by saying they are not allowed to troubleshoot with an item which is not theirs- the router. As a direct supplier and manufacturer, we are well knowledgeable about what we sell, and we will go all the way to make the system work properly.

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Home safety: Top 10 Home Security Tips For the Holiday Season

The holiday season is the time when you enjoy the company of family and friends and may even enjoy a trip away. But if you come back from the trip only to find someone broke into your house. Home security specialist David Fisher has some holiday home security tips to make your holidays safe and happy.



1. Lock up the house. Today a large number of people in southern Utah still leave their doors and windows unlocked when they are not home. Remember, locked doors and windows are harder to break in and also harder to exit for burglars trying to remove objects from your home.

2. Lock up the shed, garage and side gates too. Many people leave these areas unlocked and the burglars get a chance snatch and run away with their loot including the car.

3. Install sensor lights which are activated by movement. This is a prevention measure for burglars.
4. Get a security alarm system . Consult a professional alarm installation company for the proper security in and oustide your home.

Assessments are done Free by reliable home security professionals. Ask for their Utah registration and certification.

5. Don’t advertise that you are out. This is dangerous and gives burglars information about your absence.

6. Don’t provide temptation. Don’t leave valuables or boxes of new purchase in a place that is visible from outside. This may provoke the burglars to break into your house.

7. Fake your presence at home. Install lights in the home which turn on and off while you are gone and have someone pickup you mail and newspaper while keeping an eye on your house.

8. Install a closed circuit camera at home. This will be a great help to identify the burglar in case of burglary.

9. Mark your property and personal items with your name. This makes items more difficult to sell for burglars and easier to identify and recover.

10. Keep your home visible from the road when planning your landscaping. Ease of visability from the road makes burglars think twice before breaking into the house.
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New Report: Amazon's Kindle Fire Aiming for Second Place Behind iPad

Amazon's Kindle Fire is lining up for second place in tablets behind Apple's iPad, according to a new survey from ChangeWave Research.
Amazon’s Kindle Fire could become the second-ranked tablet on the market, suggests new data from ChangeWave Research, a division of analyst firm The 451 Group.

In the firm’s November survey of 3,043 North American consumers, some 2 percent claimed they’d already preordered the Kindle Fire tablet . Around 5 percent indicated it was “very likely” they would buy the tablet, and another 12 percent suggested such a purchase was “somewhat likely.”

Based on that data, the firm believes the Kindle Fire could become “the number two product on the tablet market, as long as the Kindle Fire can provide a quality user experience,” according to a Nov. 21 research note accompanying the data.

“The most immediate impact of the Amazon device is on the rest of the competition, where the survey shows it wreaking a devastating blow to a range of second-tier tablet manufacturers,” that note added, “including Motorola, RIM, Dell, HTC, H-P and Toshiba. Importantly, with the exception of the Samsung Galaxy Tab (4 percent), no other manufacturer is garnering more than 1 percent of future tablet demand among consumers.”

However, the iPad remains a formidable competitor, with ChangeWave Research recording a 74 percent satisfaction rating for Apple’s best-selling tablet. By contrast, “other tablet devices” as a lumped group drew a 49 percent satisfaction rating.

Amazon faces competition from not only the iPad and other “conventional” tablets, but also Barnes & Noble’s new Nook Tablet , which the bookseller is pushing as an e-reader and media viewer. However, the Kindle Fire is radically different from many of those marketplace rivals: in place of the others’ grid-like screens of individual applications, for instance, its user interface centers on a set of virtual “shelves” lined with the user’s media and applications. In addition, the Fire boasts a tight integration with Amazon’s online storefronts, essentially rendering it more of a vending machine for streaming media than a full-fledged tablet for both consumers and businesses.

In fact, Amazon is banking on sales of streaming media and e-books to make the Kindle Fire a profitable endeavor. According to a preliminary finding by IHS’ Teardown Analysis Service, the Kindle Fire costs $201.70 to manufacture, including materials and production. Given the Kindle Fire’s price point of $199, if IHS’ analysis holds, that means Amazon sells each unit at a slight but noticeable loss.

“Amazon makes its money not on Kindle hardware, but on the paid content and other products it plans to sell the consumer through the Kindle,” Andrew Rassweiler, senior director of IHS’ teardown services, wrote in a Nov. 18 research note.

“This is a similar business model to wireless companies such as AT&T or Verizon,” he added. “They sell you a phone that costs them $400 to $600 or more to make for a price of only $200. However, they expect to more than make up for that loss with a two-year service contract.”

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Alarm Monitoring - The best security store protect you home

As alarm systems advanced, companies began to offer alarm monitoring for their clients, a service that has become more common as people begin to understand its benefits. Most major companies now offer alarm monitoring services, and for very good reason.

Alarm monitoring is a basic concept: companies set up central stations from which to monitor the alarms of their clients. Companies utilize computers and special software to monitor their customers’ home security systems and in the event of a fire, burglary or other emergency, will be able to alert the authorities in the fastest manner possible. Operators can also take control and speak through the customer’s alarm, either reassuring the homeowner that help is on the way or possibly frightening away an intruder who now realizes that the police are on the way.

Alarm Monitoring – Avoiding fines and certified companies

Not only does alarm monitoring protect you, but having an operator communicate with you is also a great way to save money. As anyone with an alarm knows, having it go off, even by accident, includes a call to the authorities from your alarm company. In many states, a false alarm will cost the homeowner an expensive bill from the police or firemen who showed up to the “emergency”. With an operator on the line, however, you can reassure them that it was a mistake, saving you the money and explanations you’d need if a police cruiser showed up.

One important point to make about alarm monitoring systems regards the companies central stations mentioned earlier in this article. Any company can set up a room full of technicians and claim to have 24/7 alarm monitoring for their customers, but not every alarm company is certified. Many independent agencies exist to certify alarm companies, so ensure that before purchasing an alarm monitoring system that the company has been recognized and certified. In the United States, Underwriters Laboratories is one of the most well known companies to provide certification, and a certified company will make sure their potential customers know about it. One more point to keep in mind is that certified generally offer higher standards of service because they are required to follow a standard set of guidelines to maintain their certification.

Alarm Monitoring – Prices

Alarm monitoring may seem like an expensive product but it is actually an affordable option for any homeowner. Prices vary greatly for an alarm monitoring system, but many security companies will offer a $0 down plan where you pay a monthly fee, and receive the service and a package which includes free installation, activation, warranty, and live two-way communication. If you think about what you last spent $30 on, it probably wasn’t as valuable as the continued security of your family and house, so these types of plans are definitely a good deal.

The protection provided by a quality alarm monitoring system is priceless, so a small monthly payment is little to worry about in the long run. Try comparing prices online, or even getting a free inspection by a local alarm company. It’s affordable, easy, and will take a huge burden off of your mind.

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HP Laptop Review: "first business Ultrabook"

HP looks to boost PC sales with "first business Ultrabook"

The HP Folio

Fresh off a decision to keep its PC business, HP is joining the Ultrabook crowd with the new HP Folio. It's not the thinnest Ultrabook, but HP is claiming to offer the longest Ultrabook battery life at up to 9 hours, and also makes the ambitious claim of having built the "first business Ultrabook."

We could argue that the whole point of Ultrabooks is to create a business-friendly option for people lusting after ultra-slim laptops. While the MacBook Air is the most popular device in the category, Windows is by and large preferred over Macs in business settings, and any Ultrabook can presumably be outfitted with the Professional version of Windows 7. But HP says it is adding an extra security feature designed for mobile professionals: A "TPM [Trusted Platform Module] Embedded Security Chip that protects data in e-mail as well as information on the hard drive for security-conscious users." There is also an optional USB 2.0 dock for connecting to audio, video, and network equipment, to create a desktop-like experience.

The first HP Folio will be available December 7, starting at $899.99. However, the first Folio with the TPM chip won't come out until January and pricing for that model was not announced. Since we haven't gotten our hands on the Folio, we don't know if it improves upon the awful trackpad in the Asus Zenbook. But we can tell you the basic specs and show you some pictures provided by HP. While the Notebook Review folks took a look at a Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit model, HP said Windows 7 Professional is one of the available options.

The HP Folio, in all its front-facing glory.

The Folio has 4GB of RAM and uses Intel Core i5 processors, as well as Intel's Rapid Start Technology to get things up and running quickly. 18 millimeters thick (that's 0.71 inches) and weighing 3.3 pounds, the Folio will have a 13.3-inch "high-definition (HD) BrightView display," and HP's TrueVision HD webcam along with a backlit keyboard.

Not the thinnest machine ever, but nice and compact in the closed position.

The storage will be all solid-state disk with 128GB the only size option revealed so far. As for the trackpad, or the "imagepad" as HP calls it, gestures using 1, 2, and 3 fingers are supported. Ports include Ethernet, RJ-45 and USB 3.0.

The HP Folio will compete in a increasingly crowded market for Windows-based Ultrabooks, all of which are trying to top Apple's MacBook Air. HP quotes IDC as saying 95 million Ultrabooks will ship annually by 2015, and we recently covered IHS iSuppli research that predicts Ultrabooks will account for 43 percent of worldwide notebook PC shipments by the same year.

HP also announced redesigned HP ENVY notebooks for users who are more interested in raw power than a slim profile. With 15-inch and 17-inch models, the ENVY boasts an option for Intel quad-core chips and AMD Mobility Radeon high-def graphics processors. The ENVYs will hit the market in the US on Dec. 7 with prices ranging from $1,099 to $1,599. Here's a look at the 17-inch machine, which can handle a 128GB SSD along with up to two 1TB hard drives, with battery life up to 9.5 hours.

Guide Smartphone: The Prices Shrink as First-Time Buyer Numbers Increase

Smartphones used to be reserved for those wealthy enough to fork over hundreds of dollars for a handset — and over a grand each year to actually use said handset over a data connection. But the times, they are a-changin’.

Although the iPhone dominated smartphone sales last quarter — with the iPhone 4 and 3GS taking the number one and two spots, respectively — a new trend is taking shape: super-cheap smartphones for the masses.

The average price of smartphones has dropped for four consecutive quarters, down to its current price level of $135. The NPD Group found that for those who intended to buy a smartphone in the $200 to $250 range last quarter, 64 percent ended up getting a sub-$200 handset instead.

A combination of wider budget-friendly offerings and price-reduced older models are key to this trend. And with consumers clutching their pocketbooks ever tighter, it’s a welcome turn of events for those hoping to dive into the smartphone scene. Indeed, 59 percent of mobile phone purchases last quarter were smartphones / ipad Accessories (up from 46 percent of all mobile phone sales during the same quarter in 2010).

“We’re seeing that middle tier of advanced feature phones disappearing,” NPD’s executive director of industry analysis Ross Rubin says. Consumer priorities are changing, particularly for those enlisted in the dumbphone ranks. “Mobile connectivity is becoming so important that they’re making an investment on a better handset with a higher monthly fee,” Rubin says.

And just because these new handsets are labeled as “budget” doesn’t mean they’re completely lacking in the comforts of other smartphones. Models typically bear single-core processors, yes, and also have a smaller screen, but the displays aren’t impossibly small. They’re often 3.2 to 3.7 inches, which is within the iPhone realm of 3.5-inches, though much smaller than 4.3- or 4.5-inch plus Android stunners on the market.

That said, the new entry-level smartphones often include cheaper parts, which can make it more difficult for software upgrades. Other than those caveats, the new smartphones have most of what you need: a capacitive-touch display, a major mobile OS like Android, 4G capability, and even high-end features like 8-megapixel cameras.

AT&T in particular has had a lot of success with budget smartphones, like the dirt-cheap $30 Huawei Impulse 4G and $100 HTC Inspire, Rubin says. And even the iPhone is entering this new mid-range space: Although the iPhone 3GS has been available for cheap since the iPhone 4’s debut, Apple has stepped up its offerings in the budget department by now offering the iPhone 4 at a lowered price — and the iPhone 3GS for free.

Although a phone’s price can be a big hurdle, monthly data fees are really the offenders that continually take bites out of bank accounts. In fact, carriers are keenly aware that less-pricy data plans are important in converting feature phone users to smartphone users, and are wisely making concessions.

“Carriers seem committed to adjusting their pricing to get an even greater number of people using their wireless data,” Rubin says.

Sprint just lowered its pricing plans for non-smartphone mobile devices like tablets and mobile hotspots. Verizon also recently began an offer for double the data for the same price. This tactic seems directly targeted at current smartphone users looking to get a better deal than their current plan offers, but could certainly aid new smartphone owners worried about incurring overage fees. Prepaid smartphone data plans are also available.

Does that mean premium smartphone purchases are on the outs? Absolutely not. Apple has sold record numbers of its shiny new iPhone 4S, and the HTC EVO 3D and Motorola Droid 3 were the third and fourth most popular smartphones sold last quarter.

“In general, the handset market overall is saturated. Gains are coming from people switching smartphones or trading up from feature phones,” Rubin says.

For now, the bigger gain for carriers and handset-makers alike are through first-time smartphone buyers, and we’ll likely see more price-friendly options cropping up alongside premium models over the coming months.

How to Make your smartphones smarter ?

You've got the basic apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Google Maps on your smartphone, so what's next?

USEFUL

Out of bread? Just whip out your Android, iPhone or BlackBerry phone, load up the free OurGroceries app and add bread to the shopping list, which will be automatically updated on your partner's phone so they can pick some up on the way home from work (made by HeadCode).

Instapaper ($6.49) for the iPhone lets you clip and save online articles so you can read them when you have time (Marco Arment). There's a free Android version too, EverPaper (Hiroshi Araki).

On holiday in Spain but can't understand the menus? Just point your camera at words and Word Lens uses augmented reality technology to translate for you in real time (Quest Visual).

FunBecome an instant bartender with the Mixology app for iPhone and Android, which lets you put in all the liquor and mixers you have and pulls up cocktails you can make. The app is free and has more than 7900 recipes (Digital Outcrop).

Got a song in your head but can't remember what it's called? It's SoundHound to the rescue. The free app for Android, Apple, Windows Phone 7 and Nokia devices can recognise songs played to it, and if you say the name of an artist or band it will call up song lyrics and YouTube videos (SoundHound).

Emailing is so passe. Bump lets you select a photo, app, song, Laptop Battery , message and so on and share it with your friend (who also has the app, which is free for Android and iPhone) by simply bumping your two phones together (Bump Technologies).

PHOTOS

You've probably seen the retro-looking photos with a circa 1970s feel on friends' Facebook pages and wondered how they did it. The answer is Hipstamatic, a $2.59 iPhone app that lets you swap lenses, films and flashes to create different photo effects (Synthetic Corp).

Photo sharing is simple with Instagram, a free iPhone app that also lets you put retro finishes on photos and then share them through the app's social network or Twitter and Facebook (Burbn). For Android-owners, there's Lightbox, which is much the same as Instagram and also free (Lightbox).

Got a postcard-worthy snap? Postino – free for Android, iPhone and Windows Phone, lets you convert photos into real-life postcards (AnguriaLab).

FoodWith more than 28,000 recipes, Epicurious is one of the most popular cooking apps available, and also lets you create shopping lists and email them and recipes to yourself and friends. Free for iPhones, Windows Phone and Android.

For a foodie app with a local flavour check out Fast, Fresh & Tasty ($6.49, for the iPhone). It's the first app by Wellington firm Click Suite, which teamed up with local food producers such as Silver Fern Farms for seasonal recipes.

Get the kids interested in cooking with iCooking Little Chefs, $1.30 for Android. It has 56 recipes that little ones will find easy to prepare; now you've just got to get them to do the washing up (Apps of All Nations).

TRAVEL

Draw on the collective wisdom of more than 50 million traveller reviews of hotels, restaurants and tours, and find cheap flights with the free TripAdvisor app for iPhone, Android, Nokia and Windows Phone smartphones (TripAdvisor).

Find the nearest petrol station, restaurant or supermarket with AroundMe, free for iPhone and Android (Attorno A Me S.R.L). Like Google Places (also free for iPhone and Android), it uses your phone's GPS to figure out where you are and what's around you.

Keep track of your travel details with TripCase, a free app for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android. The app will store your travel-related information, like flights, hotels and car reservations, and will warn of flight delays, gate changes and let you search for alternate flights .

Apple's battery: 6 Tips to Boost Your iPhone's Battery Life

The iPhone has always been pretty good about battery life, particularly in terms of standby time, but something changed recently—and in a big way. Reports are all over the Web about how iPhone 4S owners in particular have noticed vastly reduced standby time compared to older iPhones, on the order of 10 to 15 percent reductions per hour, although other people are saying they don't see a problem at all.

It turns out there is something to this story, though: Apple has confirmed that a bug in iOS 5, not the iPhone 4S itself, is responsible for the poor battery life many people are seeing, and said that a fix is in the works. It turns out that the iOS 5 bug means you'll also see the problem with an older iPhone, or possibly even an iPad or iPod touch, if you install the new OS on it.

Already have iOS 5? Here are six things you can do right now to boost your iPhone's battery life.
1. Set time zones manually. This time around, by default, iOS 5 tries to auto-adjust your time zone based on repetitive calls to the GPS radio, which is a huge battery drain. For now, turn this off: head to Settings -> Location Services -> System Services (which is located all the way at the bottom) -> Setting Time Zone. Note that this setting isn't in the Date & Time section, which makes it tough for people to find.

2. Disable location services when not needed. You can also disable all Location Services, which is a good rule in general for conserving battery life, but you'll need to re-enable it for GPS navigation and other tasks as necessary.

3. Disable as many notifications as possible. Notifications were a battery drain with earlier versions of the OS; I usually kept them turned off on test handsets, and saw several days of standby time on a charge even with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS enabled. The new iOS 5 has a completely different notification system, with an Android-style pull-down bar at the top that collects multiple notifications and organizes them. In the process of adding this, Apple removed the global notification toggle in the Settings menu, so you can't just disable them all in one shot anymore. You can, however, disable app notifications, while leaving important ones (such as text and voicemail) intact. In other words, you can turn it back into an approximation of the original system, which separated call notifications from app notifications automatically.

To do this, head to Settings -> Notifications, tap a given category (Phone, Messages, Reminders) or app (Walgreens, Zillow, and so on), and toggle Notification Center at the top to Off. The fewer notifications you enable, the more standby time you should see. While you're in there, note that you can change the way they appear; you can return a given notification to an alert window in the center of the screen, the way it used to be, instead of with the new bar on top.

4. Check for e-mail manually. E-mail is another perennial battery drain; normally I set all accounts to receive updates manually (i.e. when I load the app), instead of at a set frequency or via "push." The same goes for Facebook and Twitter updates; if the app is constantly refreshing them in the background, it's hitting the radios and consuming power, and you're not even reading them.

5. Check for software updates. Right now, iOS 5.0 is still current, but be aware that there's a different procedure now: You can check for OS updates right from the phone, instead of using a USB cable and syncing with iTunes. Head to Settings -> General -> Software Update. Apple / ipad Accessories / iPad Cases recently sent iOS 5.0.1 to developers, according to BGR; updates include bug fixes for battery life, among other things. Keep an eye on PCMag for the latest news on iOS updates as well.

6. Some minor things can still help. Finally, you can still do all the usual, old-school things to improve battery life, such as reducing screen brightness, disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and so on. The only one that really helps here, in my experience, is screen brightness, but you need it cranked to see the Retina Display in bright sunlight. This was never a big issue with the iPhone, though; the above tips, plus an eventual bug fix from Apple, should resolve the vast majority of battery life issues with iOS 5.

HP introduces Slate 2 tablet for businesses, not consumers

Hewlett-Packard has released its next tablet, the Slate 2, and it's anything but the successor to the pseudo-cult-hit that was the HP TouchPad.

In fact, the Slate 2 is actually a follow-up to HP's Slate 500, which launched more than a year ago at a price of $800, running Windows 7 and marketed to businesses and not consumers.

The Slate 2, again, isn't a consumer tablet, HP says, noting that it envisions the gadget "for business and vertical markets such as education, healthcare, government and retail, where jobs frequently take users away from a traditional desk." So don't go expecting to see this device showing up in you local electronics retailer.

The new HP tablet / Hp Laptop batteries  for businesses will sell for $700, and like the Slate 500, the Slate 2 will weigh in at 1.5 pounds, feature an 8.9-inch touchscreen and make use of an optional stylus. On the Slate 2, a software update will enable users to also use an on-screen swipe keyboard, HP said.

The Slate 2 will run on Intel's 1.5-gigahertz Atom Z670 processor, offer up to six hours of battery life and encrypt data on the device's hard drive. A VGA camera is built into the front of the Slate 2 while a 3-megapixel camera is on the back and the tablet has 2 gigabytes of RAM, a hard drive of up to 64 gigabytes and one USB port -- the same as the Slate 500's setup.

As far as looks, the Slate 2 looks pretty much exactly the same as the Slate 500 and retains the same dimensions, and both tablets run Microsoft Windows 7. This is an update -- not a whole new device. In fact, even the press image HP offered of the Slate 500 last year and the Slate 2 this year look identical, except for the simulated graphic on the screen (see above).

So, when will we see another consumer tablet from HP? It might be a while. The company has said that it will produce Windows 8 tablets next year sometime and that its WebOS plans are still up in the air.

iPhone 4S Battery Woes: What it happen?

The iPhone 4S is just the latest example of a phone's battery life falling short of some users' expectations.
Before this battery drain debacle, iOS 4 users complained of similar issues, as did owners of the iPhone 3GS. And Apple's not the only phone maker to take heat. HTC's Evo 4G got criticized for weak battery life last year. So did the original Droid before that. New phones like the Droid Charge suffer from disappointing battery life as well.

Obviously, there's a bigger problem here, bigger than the iPhone 4S and bigger than Android: smartphone batteries stink. What we need is a breakthrough.



Sure, a decent smartphone can probably make it through the day with moderate use. But I don't know of any smartphone that can endure a full day of heavy use. Did you make a few long phone calls, or watch a movie, or go on a crazy Angry Birds binge? You better keep your phone holstered for the next few hours if you want enough power for the commute home.

And how ridiculous is it that shutting down Wi-Fi, turning off notifications and lowering your screen brightness is considered "sensible battery life management practices," as my colleague Ian Paul put it? I'm sorry, but smartphone users shouldn't have to do those things. Our phones should shine brightly. Let the notifications flow. Users should never have to micromanage Wi-Fi, 3G and GPS. They should be on, all the time, ready to use.

Unfortunately, that kind of use just isn't practical on today's smartphones. If you want to the phone to last a day, you must conserve. And with the rise of battery-draining 4G LTE, the need to curtail your use is only getting worse.

So this is my rallying cry. Smartphone makers: the next big breakthrough shouldn't be about how many processor cores or megapixels you can cram into a handset, or how many millimeters you can shave off the casing. It should about getting through a full day of heavy use, and having enough juice left over to last through the next day if necessary. Let's see a true 24-hour battery.

There's hope in new approaches, like the kinetic charging patented by Nokia, or the "subconscious mode" of idle operation researched at the University of Michigan. (Nvidia's Tegra 3 processors actually have a fifth core that serves a similar purpose, using minimal power for basic tasks.) Some day, photovoltaic cells could replace lithium-ion batteries, and stay charged by converting waste heat into energy. Or, lithium-sulfur batteries, researched by Stanford University, could provide up to four times more power.

Until we get a battery life breakthrough, some people are always going to complain about how long their phones last on a charge. That's the nature of getting a new phone like the iPhone 4S. You want to play with it for hours, but your heart sinks as the battery meter slides toward empty. It's time for a change.