The increased use of tablets among mobile workers presents the need to protect this important investment from theft. Tablets are not only valuable for thieves to resell, but can also store sensitive business and personal information that can put you and your clients at risk if in the wrong hands.

There are several product solutions available to help protect your company’s tablets and deter theft:

ProClip Swivel Holder with Key Lock for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 can be paired with any AMPS mount for secure placement in a vehicle or on a wall. The ProClip Holder can angle 15 degrees and swivel 360 degrees for the perfect viewing angle. Similar mounts are available for other tablet models.

RAM Universal Tablet Security Mounts offer a secure and functional solution for mobile workers with nearly any tablet model. These products are coming soon and will be available in May. For more information, visit the product links to the right. Features include:

• Multiple support cups contain open slots to accommodate for tablets of varying dimensions
• Spring loaded for ease of removal and insertion of your tablet
• Full access to all ports
• Customize height of holder for your tablet
• Locking mechanism for theft deterrence  

For an iPad 2 security solution designed for retail or other public spaces, check out the Kensington SecureBack iPad 2 Security Case with Lock.

Each situation is unique and our expertise can help you find the best products for your specific needs. Please contact us for an expert consultation.

Undercover police in the Canadian city are going to great lengths, like dressing up as bedraggled panhandlers, to catch unobservant drivers using their mobile phones. The officers carry cardboard signs explicitly saying they are undercover police looking to give out distracted driving tickets, but so many drivers tune out vagrants they do not notice the sign until they get slapped with a fine.

Distracted driving remains a huge problem, and this latest law enforcement tactic is one of many attempts to curb the growing habit. Many North American states and provinces ban cell phone use on the road, and U.S. regulators asked car companies to stop adding features that encourage distracted driving, though they have not enforced the proposed guidelines.

A glut of safe driving apps are available to curb distracted driving, some which even disable phones while in transit, and carriers are also considering plans to combat the problem. Still, distracted driving continues, leaving law enforcement grappling at unorthodox campaigns to affect change. Units in British Columbia, Canada and Florida also lean on the homeless schtick to get more aggressive with ticketing.

California is ramping up public awareness campaigns against distracted driving, calling people who text and drive zombies, but few states can top Ottawa's approach, which pointedly illustrates how drivers using their cell phones can literally not notice police feet away from them.

This police tactic drew criticism for being sneaky, but the ruse will likely continue if it reduces distracted driving. Law enforcement will keep hammering away at offenders in hopes of lowering the hefty death toll from careless texting and chatting behind the wheel.

The database, which the wireless companies will build and maintain, will be designed to track phones that are reported as lost or stolen and deny them voice and data service. The idea is to reduce crime by making it difficult or impossible to actually use a stolen device, reducing resale value.

Currently, Verizon Communications Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. block phones that are reported stolen from being reactivated. AT&T Inc. and Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA don't. All four have agreed to be part of the new database.

"New technologies create new risks," said Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, which negotiated the database proposal. "We wanted to find a way to reduce the value of stolen smartphones."

Cellphone theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S., law-enforcement officials nationwide say. The deal between the FCC and the wireless carriers is partly the result of pressure from frustrated police chiefs. The Major Cities Chiefs Association, an affiliation of 70 police chiefs from large cities across the U.S. and Canada, published a resolution in February calling on the FCC to require telecom companies to implement technology to disable stolen devices.

Behind the increase in crime: A lucrative market for used phones. Thieves can sell pilfered devices to local merchants or street-corner middlemen—or hawk them on sites such as eBay.com, Amazon.com or Craigslist.org, where a used iPhone, for instance, can fetch several hundred dollars.

Details of the national stolen-phone database have yet to be worked out, but a broad outline has been agreed to.

Wireless phones that have been reported stolen to the carrier will be listed in the database using unique serial numbers associated with mobile gadgets. The carriers will block listed phones from accessing carrier networks for voice and data service.

Carriers will roll out their own individual databases within six months. The individual databases will be integrated and centralized over the 12 months thereafter. Smaller, regional wireless carriers are expected to join the database over two years, according to a person familiar with the plan. As part of the agreement, wireless carriers will also roll out initiatives to encourage mobile-phone users to set up passwords on their devices to deter theft.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal

Blackberry OS, Android, or Apple's iOS and your network security have never been closer. Research in Motion recently introduced Mobile Fusion, software that allows companies to better manage corporate data on employees’ personal mobile devices without limiting the mobile user experience. This mobile device management solution can now be used on any phone or tablet running Blackberry OS, Android, or Apple's iOS.

This is good news for companies and employees, as company leaders can rest assured that corporate information will be secure on a range of devices and employees have access to work and personal data on one device, not necessarily a BlackBerry.

Companies have long been taking advantage of the security of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) to manage employee devices. Mobile Fusion is the next step for BES, as it allows clients more flexibility in choosing compatible devices. For those already using BES, the systems can be combined for easy management.

Work information is kept completely separate from personal information on devices with the Mobile Fusion software. Users are immediately alerted and blocked from a particular action if what they are attempting would violate IT policy protecting corporate information.

Fusion’s BlackBerry Balance technology encrypts work applications and data on BlackBerry phones and tablets. System administrators can monitor user and device information, lock or wipe devices, manage apps, find missing devices, and create mobile user policies on all three operating systems – BlackBerry, Android, or Apple's iOS. This can all be done from one administrative interface that monitors every device registered in the software system.

There are some other key features of the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion software that will make it a valuable resource for any company:

• several devices can be linked to one user
• one device can be linked to several users
• administrators have password strength management
• IT policies can apply to a single user or by group
• IT policies can apply to specific devices and operating systems
• administrators can make certain apps mandatory on mobile devices registered with the software

There are two different types of Mobile Fusion software: Mobile Fusion for BlackBerry, which works only with BlackBerry PlayBook and future BB10 operating system devices (expected in late 2012), and Universal Mobile Fusion, which works with Andriod or Apple iOS devices.

User fees can be paid in one of two ways: a one-time charge of $99 per user or an annual subscription plan of $48 per user. Android and iOS devices require the Mobile Fusion Client app for BlackBerry Mobile Fusion capability.

Skin it: The Incipio NGP Soft-Shell case is a slim, flexible, and soft-touch skin with excellent shock absorption. Available in Black and Pink.

Folio Protection: The Kensington Protective Case with Adjustable Stand is a durable case that protects every angle of your new iPad while allowing for port and camera access. This case also features a built-in adjustable stand to place your iPad at the perfect viewing angle for videos, browsing and FaceTime.

Smart Protection: Apple’s signature Smart Cover in a premium Black Leather features a magnetic connection that automatically puts your iPad to sleep when closed. The Smart Cover folds into the perfect FaceTime and movie-watching stand.

Keyboard Case: ZAGGfolio Carbon Fiber Keyboard Case is a durable and stylish keyboard case option perfect for those who use their new iPad for business applications or heavy typing. A high-quality Bluetooth keyboard is removeable and the the folio features a built-in stand system for perfect viewing and typing angles.

Instead of having to remove your case everytime you want to dock or charge your iPhone, we offer a cost-effective solution that will enable you to use any case with virtually any dock or charger. The Radtech ProCable Dock Extender is a simple male to female dock extender for the iPhone and iPad that is thin enough to connect to any protective case and secure enough to place in any charging dock.

Top Features

• Straight-through 30-pin male to female adapter, all pins connected
• Compact and lightweight design - weighs a scant 4 grams
• Provides a compact 20mm / 0.8 inch extension - fits all protective cases
• Slim 30-pin male connector fits cases with small or restricted port openings
• Connect any cable or peripheral without removing your protective case
• Dock with most any 30-pin dockable accessory without removing your case
• Works with 30-pin cables and accessories, including Apple VGA Adapter and Digital AV Adapter

Priced at under $20, the Radtech ProCable 30-Pin Dock Extender will save you the hassle of removing your iPhone or iPad case everytime you need to dock, or the cost of buying a new case or charging accessory.

As the summer months approach, travel to international destinations is heating up. With the development of global cellular networks, many travelers are now able to use their phones and other devices abroad. Here are the essential travel accessories for your trip abroad:

International Plug Adapter Kit: Use a standard 2 prong US wall charger in more than 175 countries, or purchase adapters separately.


 

Portable Batteries: Keep your phone charged on-the-go without having to stop and plug it in. Light and compact, portable batteries are perfect for plane flights, train rides, and road trips when a traditional power source isn't available. 


 

3.5mm Jack Splitter: Share your audio with your travel buddy with the JWIN 3.5mm jack splitter. This is a perfect accessory to pack with your smartphone, tablet or laptop to listen to music and watch movies with a friend while on long flights, train rides or bus trips.

 

USB Charging / Sync Cable: If you bring a laptop with you on your trip, remember to pack a USB cable with it to charge your phone and other compatible devices directly from your computer. USB cables can often be used to tranfer data like pictures and video from your mobile device to your computer as a back-up or to free up space. You can find a compatible USB Cable on your phone's accessory page.

Travel Pouch: Keep your chargers, adapters, batteries and headphones organized and protected with a leather travel pouch. Don’t waste precious travel time digging through your suitcase or purse to find your accessories!

Society inches closer to a cyborg dystopia this week amid reports that phone manufacturer Nokia submitted an application for a patent of a haptic tattoo that transmits phone notifications to the user’s skin. The patent describes body art that would vibrate to notify users of incoming calls, text messages, e-mails and more.

Cushion the fall of your phone with a phone airbag

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos owns a patent for an airbag phone case with an air propulsion system designed to break the fall of a device in case of a drop. The case would use the phone’s gyroscope and camera to detect a sudden drop and deploy protective measures to minimize harm.

Finally, A Bananaphone for Grown-Ups

Kelly Hodgkins of intomobile.com reports a San Fransisco man named James Laird Rickard holds a 2006 patent for a banana-shaped mobile phone case. He describes it as “an elongated curving shape resembling a banana and partly encloses and holds a cellular phone.” Interestingly enough, Rickard was granted another patent in 2007 for a similar, shoe-shaped phone case.

Jawbone Icon HD Bluetooth Wireless Headset

CAFL Web Team Rating: 

The Jawbone ICON HD is the newest Bluetooth headset in Jawbone’s stylish and high-end lineup of Bluetooth audio products.

Sound Quality

The Jawbone ICON HD boasts HD-quality sound delivered through Jawbone’s patented Noise Assassin 2.5 noise cancellation technology. While making calls from a busy street, callers reported they were able to hear us clearly while we spoke.  However, the noise was audible during pauses between sentences.

The speaker on the ICON HD delivers high-quality sound with adjustable volume for noisy environments. With the ICON HD we were able to hear every word on the other line, even when on the street during rush-hour traffic. The speaker also delivered decent sound quality when steaming music and other audio from our phone.

Ease of Use

The pairing process for the ICON HD was quick and simple. Using an iPhone 4, we had the ICON HD paired and ready to go within a minute. Repairing the ICON HD with a different phone later that day required a relatively simple procedure to place the device in pairing mode.

The ICON HD features only one button, which is used to control all of the features of the device. Answering and ending calls is a simple tap, while controlling the volume level is done by pressing and holding the Talk button until it cycles through to your preferred volume. A single press provides an audio notification of the remaining talk time. When paired with an iPhone, the ICON HD’s battery level is visible at all times next to the phone’s battery icon in order to keep tabs on your charge.

Comfort

The ICON HD includes seven different wearing options which will likely accommodate most ear sizes and wearing preferences. The ear tips include options for wearing the headset with an earbud only or with an earbud and earloop for added security.

MyTALK

The Jawbone ICON HD is compatible with Jawbone’s new online free MyTALK platform which allows users to customize the features of their ICON HD by adding third party applications like calendar updates, dictation software, and more.

Overall

The Jawbone ICON HD is a great choice for people in need of avanced noise reduction.   Simple set up, multiiple wearing options, music steaming, and MyTALK customization make the ICON HD another excellent addition to the Jawbone product line.