Tech Services

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance has launched MBC Connect, an iOS and Android app to assist patients with building a database of patient information to drive research and seek solutions for the MBC community. MBC Connect app The features of the app, which is designed by patients, for patients, include access to an interactive patient registry and capabilities to explore patient data, as well as create a link between patients, clinical trials and relevant research. "MBC Connect is designed to address some very serious challenges in the MBC community," said Marc Hurlbert, Chairman, MBC Alliance. "It not only represents an opportunity to unlock the mysteries of a marginalized patient population, it also represents significant opportunity for a disease that's only received a fraction of breast cancer research funding." -------------------------------------------- Related : Be Bold, Be Bald in fight against cancer -------------------------------------------- MB...

I had been thinking about purchasing a smartwatch for a while and had decided on the Apple Watch to match up with my up other Apple devices. The Pebble, Samsung, Sony and other brands didn’t appeal to me,so my shopping list was short. Then I discovered the Martian Notifier and that’s what I’m wearing on my wrist. I’ve had this smartwatch for about a month and I’m liking the features more and more each day. It was easy to get the Martian smartwatch paired with my iPhone using Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology. But the company does recommend a battery level of at least 50% before pairing for the first time. You’ll use a Micro USB Cable for connecting to the Martian and to a computer or a USB wall adapter. According to Martian, a full charge can be reached in 2-3 hours from a power outlet and 3-4 hours when charging from a computer. One tip is that the watch crown on the right side is shipped with it pulled out to “save the battery while shipping.” You’ll need to set the tim...

Since there is an app for just about everything, Goodwill Industries International has upgraded its free Goodwill Locator app for constant connectivity to the mission of giving. Now users on iOS and Android mobile devices can stay up to date on donation centers, stores, and job training centers through stories and updates available in the app. Launched two years ago, the Goodwill Locator app now has more than 5,000 stores and donation centers' locations and includes videos on how the lives of individuals have been changed through donations. A financial gift can also be made using the app. The latest version of the Goodwill app is free via Google Play and coming soon in the Apple Store, pending approval. Or you can visit the Goodwill website for the latest update. With the Goodwill app, you can use your mobile devices to make a difference in this world.

Apple appears to have done it again with the debut of the iPhones 6 and 6 Plus. With much fanfare Apple kept the "wow factor" going with the seventh generation of the iPhones that will be available with a 4.7-inch display for the iPhone 6 and 5.5 inches for the Plus model. Apple is calling the new iPhones the "biggest advance in the iPhone design since the original iPhone," which was introduced in in 2007. The specifications for the iPhone 6 has been leaked to the hilt over the past several months and there wasn't much left for Apple to announce. But it's just good to get a look at the new, larger iPhone with rounded corners and many new features like an A8 processor with 64-bit architecture, M8 Motion Processor and a new health app. The A8 chip is smaller then previous processors, but also faster with better graphics. The camera for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is now 8MB and seems to protrude a little from the backside. It also has Autofocus with Focus Pixels...

Let's say you're cruising down a dark highway and there is a deer smack in the middle the road. Just standing there. It happened to me several years ago in my little light-duty truck, which caused around $1,500 in damage to the bumper, grille and hood. With today's technology and crowd-sourcing apps like AvoiDeer, a collision is less likely and could possibly be avoided. The AvoiDeer app comes to us from Scandinavian developers in Bodo, Norway and Southport, England, where they sought to create a road-safety app to warn drivers of wildlife along highways in North American and Northern Europe. One of the unique features about the AvoiDeer app is the warning of "real" sighting with a visual and audible alarm. The concept is simple, with real-time reporting of any deer or other wildlife sightings with a simple tap. Any AvoiDeer user in close proximity will receive an audible and visible alarm on their smartphone to warn the driver of potential danger ahead. The warn...

The fitness band craze is heating up and even children will be able to join the bandwagon. Leapfrog, known as a leader in educational entertainment for children, is rolling out the LeapBand, their first wearable activity tracker for young techies. This device will encourage playful activities with 50 different challenges to earn points to unlock additional games and earn virtual toys. The LeapBand comes with eight virtual customizable pets that include a cat, dog, dragon and a monkey, that can have their own color and name. As the child becomes more active, LeapFrog's Learning Team is hoping they will develop habits for physical exercise and healthy lifestyle. "We understand that helping a child reach their potential not only includes making sure they are versed on the ABCs and 123s but they are encouraged through play to establish healthy habits and get the exercise they need every day," said Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, director of LeapFrog's Learning Team. "LeapBa...

If I had a wallet full of one-hundred dollars bills and some time off, I would try and make my way to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Russia. But since I'll be around 6,000 miles away, I'll have to rely on technology and all the apps that will keep me up to date on what's going on. The Olympic officials say around 1,650 of the world's best athletes from over 45 countries will compete in five Paralympic sports. A quick search of the apps stores will bring up a slew of Sochi 2014 apps that are free, although a few will cost from around $1 to $4. The Olympic organizing committee also has developed their own free Sochi 2014 Guide app for iOS , Android and Windows Phone devices. It'll provide up-to-date information on the events. These apps are for the fans, while the American athletes will get their very own special app. The AT&T Mobile Application Development group is developing a custom-built application for members of Team USA. The app will be launch...

Well now, just when it seemed that Apple's innovation has slowed down, as the Android camp was full-steam ahead, the guys from Cupertino dealt what could be a winning hand at the start of the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Apple unveiled the mysterious and tightly-held-to-their-chest iOS 7 software update, stamped with the work of the possibly soon-to-be-famous Jony Ive, Apple's senior vice president of design. Already, it is being called "the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone that took the stage in 2007. After watching the video, I believe them, or they did a good job of snookering me and probably a lot of other Apple fans. I can't keep this to myself any longer; this update that is due this fall is going to be one fine upgrade, as every nook and cranny of the current iPhone software has been redesigned. The appearance is clean, minimalist, simplistic and very appealing. The icons for apps look fresh and not overdone, with cr...

The big question is whether Facebook, the king of social media, will unveil a smartphone during an April 4 shindig? Will it also be powered by Android, the king of mobile operating systems. The invitations have been sent out and all eyes are on Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., where attendees will find 1 Hacker Way and get inside by 10 a.m. PST to see Facebook's "New Home on Android" announcement. From the day Facebook was founded in 2004, they have reached one milestone after another, such as adding photo uploading in 2005, launching music listening applications in 2011 and taking the big, big step of going public in the fall of 2012. A lot of fans must have been thrilled with their growth, as Facebook reached one billion users in September. That a lot of updates, photos albums, music apps, messages, likes and just overall spending a bunch of time on Facebook. If a Facebook-branded smartphone does come true, I wonder how Facebook will make it un...

I have been feeling a little like Dick Tracy lately, as I walked around with a Sony SmartWatch on my arm. There is a certain cool factor about this device, which was on loan from Verizon Wireless. The SmartWatch functions as an extension of your Andriod smartphone or tablet and will allow you to read text messages and view social network updates, as well as check the time and date. The latter should be a "duh" moment; of course it'll give you the time and date. I was up and running in no time, which allowed me to leave the Android smartphone in my pocket for most tasks. The SmartWatch makes a Bluetooth connection to Android devices. After downloading a SmartWatch Liveware manager app from the Google play store, you're off and running with Facebook and Twitter updates, the weather, text messages and other features that have smart watch apps available. After digging around in the Android app store, I discovered SmartWatch apps for eBay, Web Cams, games, and get t...

Update: Apple Inc. is releasing guidelines to developers for an "Add to Passbook" badge that can be incorporated into their apps and websites for devices running iOS 6. After a few days with the iPhone 5, I figured it was time to go shopping with the Passbook app as my guide. This mysterious app included with iOS 6 will organize gift cards, coupons, passes, tickets and more, with the idea of making your wallet a lot thinner and lighter. But it requires a few advance maneuvers before you head out to the store or look for your boarding passes. It's not as automatic as you would think. The first thing the Passbook app will want to do is connect to the App Store through iTunes and this where things can come to a standstill a hurry, as there are numerous reports from iPhone 5 users about connection difficulties. You might see the dreaded "can't connect to iTunes" message. I experienced the same problem with the Passbook app and iTunes, until ...

It's here. The iPhone 5 has been introduced. It was called "an absolute jewel" by a top Apple guy. Apple Inc.'s sixth generation iPhone, made entirely out of glass and aluminum, is sporting lots new features that includes a larger 4-inch display, a new 8 megapixel camera, and the capability to add a 5th row of icons to the home screen. A new A6 chip, which Apple says is two times faster than the A5 chip, will provide processing power. The battery life is rated at 8 hours of 3G talktime, 3G browsing and 8 hours LTE browsing. Apple is calling it the world's thinnest phone at 0.30 inches in depth and around four ounces in weight. By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S III is rated at 0.34 inches in depth and 4.5 ounces in weight. As expected, the iPhone 5 will run on 4G LTE networks, such as AT&T, C Spire Wireless, Sprint and Verizon. T-Mobile customers will have to wait awhile longer for network upgrades. The pre-launch rumors of a redesigned dock connecto...

Today is the big day for Apple Inc. to show the world the next iPhone, which might be called the iPhone 5. This device will be the sixth generation of the iPhone since Jan. 9, 2007, when Apple unveiled the original iPhone to revolutionize the mobile landscape. When the original iPhone arrived, most the mobile handset manufacturers, such as Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, HTC, RIM's BlackBerry and other were using QWERTY or alphanumeric keypads, along with small displays and navigational buttons. There has been some early attempts at touchscreen technology by Nokia, IBM with the Simon Personal Communicator, Ericsson, HP, Palm and a few others. But the first-generation iPhone got everything right and brought in a new era of touchscreen displays, icons, digital keypads and something called apps in 2008. Now today's smartphones are just as smart and innovative as the iPhone and it's going to be tough for Apple to stay ahead of the pack and continue to hit home runs. There are t...

Nokia and Microsoft launched new Windows 8 smartphones today at a press event in New York. We can say hello to the Lumia 920 and 820 devices. The two longtime technology powerhouses, who have been in a partnership since February 2011, vowed to use their "complementary strengths and expertise create market-leading mobile products." The new Lumia 920 smartphone is chock full of new features, such as PureMotion HD+, wireless charging and Nokia's PureView camera technology, first seen on the PureView 41 megapixel phone announced earlier this year. The 920 will have a 8 megapixel camera. This new device, shown in a new yellow color that Nokia says won' scratch off, is powered by a sizable 2000mAh battery and a Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. It'll also be available in red and gray. Nokia is bring their notable mapping technology to the Lumia 920 that'll include daily commute drive times, routes and walking directions, indoor maps and Augmen...

When the BlackBerry Playbook first arrived on the tablet scene a little less than a year ago, a few other tablets, such as the iPad, the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab were already on the shelves. It was going to be tough to gain some attention. But the PlayBook was different in that it shunned the Android operating system favored by the iPad competitors and instead choose a spiffy OS from QNX Software Systems. QNX is best known for their in-vehicle and infotainment systems. The PlayBook was good-looking, but it had a unique trait among other tablets in that it needed to be tethered to a BlackBerry smartphone in order to use the calendar, email and contacts features. It was depended on a Bluetooth connection between the PlayBook and the smartphone, with only a range of about 30 feet. The fan base didn't latch onto the PlayBook as expected, maybe because of the tethering process and the difficulty in setting it up, especially with all the security steps involved. The...