NINE THINGS ANDROID DOES BETTER THAN IPHONE OS

When Android first debuted on the HTC Dream (also known as the G1) back in October of 2008, it was deemed an "iPhone Killer." While it didn't quite slay Apple's handset, it was the first step in a revolution against the Cupertino-based phone. The initial Android platform bested the iPhone OS on several levels, but lacked some key functionality that the iPhone could provide. Since then, Android has grown - not only meeting all of the functionalities of the iPhone, but besting it in nearly all aspects from an extensive list of devices to a growing Android Marketplace. Here is my list of the top 9 things Android does better than the iPhone.

1: Android can run Multiple Apps at the Same Time

Starting with version 1.0, Android has been able to run multiple applications at the same time regardless of whether they are system apps or apps from the Android Marketplace. The current version of iPhone OS does offer limited multitasking, but only allows native applications such as Mail, iPod and Phone to run in the background. Android users benefit greatly from this discrepancy, as they can receive notifications, listen to music, or even record GPS data without keeping the application open. Apple only intended the multitasking bar in the newly released iphone 5 to be a list of recent apps, not apps that are running in the background. It’s not a task manager, no matter how much it looks like one. In fact, almost nothing in the multitasking bar is truly “multitasking.” Apple’s tightly controlled platform instructs most apps to stop running code when the home button is pressed.

2: Android Keeps Information Visible on Your Home Screen

One of the key features Android has is a customizable home screen which keeps active widgets right at your fingertips, always accessible and always visible - without having to launch an application first. There are widgets for just about every app in the Android Marketplace from playing music to checking the weather and keeping up to date on Facebook. Meanwhile iPhone users are force to flip through their app list to locate and launch each app. If you wanted to check the forecast, for example, you would have to find the app, launch it, and then wait for it to load. With Android, all of that information can be displayed directly on your home screen, never more than a finger swipe away.

3: Android Has a Better App Market

It's true that Apple's App Store has over 736,000 applications, while the Android Marketplace has pass the 675,000 mark but Android's rapid growth and adoption give it the potential to catch up to the iPhone App Store. Android also has another advantage: a completely open market. Apple receives around 10,000 app submissions per week, yet many apps are overlooked because they appear too simple or denied because a similar app already exists. The Android Marketplace is driven entirely by its consumers, so the best app is the one that succeeds - not the first one to reach the market. In addition, the Android Marketplace doesn't censor its apps, so the possibilities are truly endless.

4: Android Gives You Better Notifications

The iPhone has some trouble with notifications. Because it's restricted to pop-up notifications, it can only handle one at a time and because it lacks multitasking, applications must be open in order for them to make notifications. Android, on the other hand, has a convenient notification bar which displays an icon for every notification you have waiting. The notification bar can also be pulled downward to reveal more detail about each notification. Android also allows app developers to make notification details viewable from the lock screen, something the iPhone can only do with native applications.

5: Android Lets You Choose Your Hardware

Apple users are encouraged to "Think Different" but when it comes to the actual hardware, they don't get much choice. You can pick the color, either black or white, and you get to choose between the 16GB or the pricier 32GB version. Other than that, you're stuck with the 3.5-inches or 4.0 inches, 640 x 1136 pixels, pixel display, 512MB of RAM & 1 GHz Cortex-A8 for iphone 4, or 1 GB RAM & Dual-core 1.2 GHz Processor for iphone 5. Because Android is an open platform, manufacturers have the freedom to pair it with any hardware they want, like the Google Nexus 7 (with 1280 x 800 pixels display, 7.00 inches, 1 GB RAM of RAM, and Quad core, 1.2GHz, ARM Cortex-A9 Processor) or the Motorola Droid which has a physical keypad. Obviously, available selections will vary by carrier - speaking of which....

6: Android Lets You Install Custom ROMs

The iPhone can be Jailbroken for some additional functionality, like installing apps that aren't available in the App Store, but the overall experience is the same. You're still stuck with the same exact interface. Similar to the Jailbreaking movement, Android has a small community dedicated to building custom ROMs for Android devices. Not only do Custom ROMs bring the same functionality Jailbreaking does, but they also bring an additional level of customization to your phone. There are ROMs that port custom UIs from one device to another. Other ROMs strip down bulky features and optimize for speed. With Android, nothing is out of reach.

7: Android Lets You Change Your Settings Faster

Smartphones have been gaining more and more functionality over the past few years: Wi-Fi, GPS, 4G, Bluetooth, etc. While these are all great and necessary additions, they have very adverse affects on battery life. In attempts to counter poor battery life, users have taken to toggling system settings like turning on Wi-Fi or 3G on only when they are needed. iPhone users are stuck digging around in the system settings every time they want to use the internet or a Bluetooth device. Android lets you use widgets to manage your settings directly from your home screen - and for those lesser-used settings that might not have dedicated widgets, you can also create shortcuts on your home screen to take you directly to the setting you want to change.

8: Android Does Google and Social Integration

With Smartphones giving us constant connectivity, it's not surprising that the majority of our computerized lives are moving online. We have email for our messages, Flickr for our photos, Google Docs for our documents, and Facebook and Twitter for our social lives. Android offers the ability to integrate all of this natively. Your Gmail account can be automatically synchronized with your phone. Photos taken with your phone can be automatically uploaded to Flickr. Your phone can even be linked to your Facebook account and can sync your phone contacts with your Facebook friends - complete with profile images, email addresses, and phone numbers. The iPhone can do this only through use of third party apps, and is nowhere near as seamless to use as the Android alternative.

9: Android Gives You More Options to Fit Your Budget

If you've ever thought about buying an iPhone, you have probably noticed the price tag. The iphone 4S 16GB currently goes for N110,000 in the market while iphone 5 16GB is currently N175k. Because Android is an open source platform, it is very cost effective to implement which means savings for the end user. Of course android phones are lower end devices, but they are still comparable in performance to the iPhone 5. The most expensive Android phones (which significantly outperform the iPhone 5) are within range of N60K and N80K.

ONLINE BANKING - IS IT REALLY SAFE?

The ease in which your daily activities are now accomplished is astonishing. Between your calendar, clock, email, sports updates, weather updates, social network updates, and, well you get the idea; you almost expect an easy solution to banking on your cell phone after having all the creature comforts mentioned above.

Mobile banking and online banking have become such a dominant force that people actually choose their bank based on the quality and availability of their mobile banking features, according to the experts.

No longer do we have to stand in long, slow lines to deposit a check or sign a check and lick 10 envelopes every time your bills comes due. Now you’re only a few clicks away from doing everything you need to do at the bank. Check your balances, transfer money, pay bills, and even deposit checks all on your smartphone.

It begs the question, is it really safe?

Well, even with password security measures and automatic log-outs after a certain amount of time on the application or website, there are vulnerabilities according to CNN.

Malware, the software that is an essential catalyst to online attacks, is hard to come by with smartphones and it’s not a very popular avenue for hackers. Still, the threat exists. Experts say that in the coming year it will most likely become more popular as more and more people start to use the mobile options their banks offer.

Some “scanners” that have been in use for years, even before smartphone signals were beaming your bank data over the airwaves, to steal your debit and credit card information. These scanners have become more sophisticated and often steal the information without the card owner even knowing what happened. In some extreme cases, even draining accounts of the vulnerable and plunging them into deep debt, only remedied by filing for personal bankruptcy or other drastic measures.

Despite these threats, there are ways in which you can protect yourself from any sort of attack on your finances. First, password-protect your devices, say the experts. Laptops, smartphones, and tablets should all have a passcode that only the users know in order to make it that much harder for people to steal your bank information if your device gets stolen or is compromised, according to the experts.

Next, web and text message banking is far more vulnerable to hacking threats than applications that your bank offers. When available, use the app in order to secure your accounts, say the experts. They also say to not save your user name or password within the app or website in order to make it more difficult for the potential thief to gain access.

Another way to defend against hackers is to monitor your accounts frequently in order to sport unusual behavior in your accounts. Many times thieves take small amounts in order to not be detect and then go for a big purchase or withdrawal when they know it’s safe. A good way to prevent this is to always know your account activity and know when something doesn’t look right.

7 THINGS NOT TO DO AT THE OFFICE PARTY

It's been a great year, you've worked really hard, and your company has brought back the holiday party to reward the team for a job well done. According to one survey, 9 out of 10 employers plan to hold a holiday bash this year. Before you pop the champagne, be mindful that your behavior at the holiday bash will impact your professional reputation come Monday morning and beyond. Here are seven things not to do at the holiday office party in 2012:

1.         BE SLOPPY DRUNK.

In some offices, the booze flows freely but remember: The holiday party is one of the few occasions where you'll be in a social gathering with upper management. Nurse a drink through the evening, or stick to non-alcoholic drinks. Everyone has a story about the co-worker who got sloshed at the office party and the behavior is never remembered fondly.

2.         TELL DIRTY JOKES.
The holiday party is a chance to show off your dazzling personality and intelligence to the powers that be. While the conversation need not focus on work topics, talking politics, religion, and sex is a quick way to alienate someone. If you want to tell a joke, keep it clean.

3.         STEER CLEAR OF PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW.
This may be the only chance you get all year to actually have a conversation with the C-Suite professionals. Take the opportunity. Introduce yourself. This is not the time to complain, ask for a raise or go into a lengthy analysis of what the market risks are. Just say a few words about what you do for the company, and stay upbeat. Making a positive impression could help you later on.

4.         DRESS PROVOCATIVELY.
You don't want to be remembered for the sexy outfit you wore. Dressing too casually or suggestively can make you look unprofessional. Stay away from casual Friday clothes and avoid jeans.

5.     FLIRT OUTRAGEOUSLY.
This isn't the time to pursue your secret crush. Stay clear of the co-worker who is drunk; you don't want to put yourself at risk with someone who has less self-control.

6.  LEAVE WITHOUT THANKING THE HOST.
If you're in a colleague's home, come with a small gift like a bottle of wine. Make sure to thank the host of the party before you leave.

7.         BE THE LAST ONE TO LEAVE.
Don't overstay your welcome. You don't want to be the last to leave the office party. (You also don't want to be the first to arrive and stand around making awkward conversation; arrive 10 or 15 minutes after the party starts.) Stay for the public remarks by the CEO; but leave 30 minutes before the end of the party or whenever you see a critical mass of people exiting.

Is your company or friend of yours having a holiday party this year? What advice would you want your co-workers to take?