On Facebook’s part, this is a brilliant move. Facebook now has a “phone” without having to worry about challenges associated with designing, manufacturing, distributing, and supporting the hardware. Facebook Home is a clever move that allows the company to take over millions of Android devices and benefit from them without having to spend a lot of resources. By making Facebook Home the gateway to the phone, the company is hoping that it can engage users and make them spend more time inside Facebook, collecting more data and revenue in the process.

All this sounds great, however, I am not sure if Home will fundamentally alter how consumers use their phones. BI had a nice chart showing what users are doing on their smartphones and it turns out that social networking constitutes only about a quarter of app usage and there are other apps (e.g., Twitter, Google+, Instagram) sharing that space. 

According to a recent poll only about 28% of the users are excited about Home, many of whom are early adopters who want to try it out (and may not necessarily like the idea). I did an informal survey in my classes and all of my students hated the idea of Facebook Home. Facebook (or social networking) is not the primary usage for a smartphone for most users. Here are some other reasons why Facebook home may not , I am not optimistic about Facebook Home:

1. Privacy: Facebook already collects a lot of information about its users, something that most users hate. With Home, Facebook can track every little move of yours, e.g., location details, usage patterns. Facebook’s reputation as a repeated privacy offender does not inspire lot of trust. Privacy advocates must be on high alert.
2. Advertisements: Let’s be clear, the only reason Facebook is introducing Home to monetize its mobile users. While mobile accounts for more than half of its usage, Facebook has hardly been able to monetize yet. Zuckerberg made no bones about the fact that Cover Feed will carry ads (may be not immediately). Why would anyone be excited about ads on their home or lock screen?
3. Distraction: Finally, Home could increase the compulsive tendency to check updates so often that it starts interfering with users’ primary tasks. Not surprisingly, many organizations are already thinking about banning Facebook Home from the workplace.
4. Battery Issues: A Facebook app continuously running in the background will surely hurt your battery life, which is unlikely to go well with users. There may be other operational issues that may hamper the adoption.

Facebook is a clever app and will surely inspire other developers to work on similar apps. If the objective is to monetize mobile usage, I am not so sure Facebook Home will deliver. Given the nature of the app and the issues that I listed above, only the most active users (who are most likely using the Facebook app anyways) may end up using Home. That, unfortunately, does not address Facebook’s monetization problems. Facebook needs to motivate the medium and light users to spend more time inside Facebook. Only time will tell how successful Facebook is with that objective. For now, it is not looking too good. The has an average rating of 2.3 with over 48% users giving it only 1 star.

Would love to hear from you about your Facebook Home experience…

Given the recent speculation that Google is working on its own messaging app, Babel, this news may come as a surprise. However, there are several reasons why this makes sense. Like any social network, the value derived by users increases as the number of users on the platform increases. As any of the other messaging apps will testify, building a large user base is a tough proposition. Even if Google introduces its own messaging app, there is little incentive for users to start using it immediately. Although WhatsApp does not report the number of users, it has anywhere between 200 and 350 million users around the world. This compares well to around 350 million Google+ users. WhatsApp tweeted in January that it hit a new daily record of 18 billion messages sent and received in a day. That is up from 10 billion messages per day in August, highlighting its rapid growth.

On Dec 31st we had a new record day: 7B msgs inbound, 11B msgs outbound = 18 billion total messages processed in one day! Happy 2013!!!

— WhatsApp Inc. (@WhatsApp) January 2, 2013

Google can start with this huge user base and take the service to the next level and meaningfully compete with Facebook. Besides the user base, WhatsApp has the technology with its app available across all the major platforms, including iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows Phone, giving Google instant access to users across all these platforms.

WhatsApp and its users will also benefit from this acquisition. Although WhatsApp is the leading app in this space, many of its rivals are gaining ground (see chart below). An acquisition by Google and integration into Android and other Google products will firmly establish WhatsApp as the number one app in the mobile messaging space.

The mobile messaging space is ripe for consolidation (there are just too many apps) and what better target than WhatsApp.

Take your cut of this growing industry with one of these innovative smartphone credit-card processors.

Square

One of the pioneers of the mobile processing industry, Square, is processing transactions at a rate of $10 billion per year, according to a company tweet. The prominently shaped device (think about the company name) is only slightly bigger than a thumbnail, and ease-of-use makes it the most popular mobile processing systems on the market. Square offers two pricing options. For a $275 monthly fee, business can make up to process up to 21,000 transactions under $400. This option would appeal to high-volume businesses. A second option charges 2.75 percent per card swipe, a potentially more cost-effective option for small businesses.

PayPal Here

Paypal redefined the way we transact online, and now the e-commerce giant has thrown its hat into the mobile processing ring. PayPal Here appears to be competing head on with Square. With a 2.7 percent transaction rate, Paypal here ever-so-slightly undercuts Square’s per-transaction rate by .05 percent. Paypal Here accepts most payment types and promises instant access to funds. Consumers may be more likely to trust Paypal Here due to its name recognition and cachet. With the payment processing expertise that Paypal has developed over the years, the company seems to be in a good position to take on its rivals in the mobile processing space.

PayAnywhere

Payanywhere continues the transaction-rate arms race, charging 2.69 percent per transaction — .01 percent lower than Paypal Here. Available on iOS, Android and Blackberry devices, Payanywhere excepts Visa, American Express, Mastercard and Discover credit cards. Unlike several others in this space, PayAnywhere card reader does not come for free. The card reader is available from several retailes for $10.

Verifone Payware

While it’s more common for credit-card processing accessories to plug into the headphone jack, Verifone’s smartphone device connects to iPhone’s charging port (a potential problem now that Apple has redesigned this feature for its latest iPhone). The result is a device that is similar to those used by Apple themselves at retail stores. Elegant and easy to swipe, Verifone’s current iPhone model may be the best designed hardware. Verifone also offers a more traditional headphone jack device for Android and Blackberry smartphones. A corresponding app, Payware Mobile, is free to download, but according to Entrepreneur.com, glitches and an awkward interface interfere with performance.

Users can sign up for Verifone’s mobile processing service through Paywaremobile.com. Companies like Capital Processing Network also offer the Payware Mobile through its service, which includes 24-hour customer support.

Intuit GoPayment

First introduced without a native card reader, Intuit caught up to the competition when it released it’s free plug-in card reader, which fits nicely above most smartphones. GoPayment’s flexes its muscles when it’s integrated with Intuit’s popular accounting software Quickbooks. When synced with Quickbooks, GoPayment transactions automatically record in the desired category.

Pricing is similar to Square, but instead of a flat monthly pricing option, Intuit charges $12.95 per month, 30 cents per transaction, and 1.7 percent for swiped charges.

RoamData Roampay X

Unlike most providers, users must purchase a card reader through the Roampay X plan, but overall service makes RoamData’s mobile service a viable option. A Payment Card Industry Approved system, Roampay X offers encrypted mobile readers that reduce the risk of credit-card fraud. Roampay offers refunds and cash sale receipts through its intuitive Roampay X app, and iOS, Android and Blackberry users can sign up for the service. Roampay X is only available through a partner merchant service provider, which sets its own transactions rates.

You don’t need to card reader for every credit card processor. You can use almost all of the above apps without a card reader (only if you have the time and patience to enter the details manually). iPay Mobile Point of Sale is one of many non-swipe smartphone processors. You can simply type in the credit card number to process the transaction. IPay Mobile automatically sends email receipts to customers.

Whether you’re doing business on the go, looking to cut down on hardware costs or just launching a business, smartphone credit-card processors offer convenience and affordability. Square equals processing simplicity. If you’re looking for support, hook up Verifone’s Payware system. Intuit will thrive for Quickbooks users and Roamdata offers peace of mind for the security conscious vendor. Don’t want to spring for a card reader? Process transactions with iPay Mobile Point of Sale app.

About the author: This post has been contributed by Donnie Washington. A freelance writer and consultant for SMB’s, Donnie says the future for data recovery is all about cloud computing and backup solutions.

What is VoIP?

Let’s begin with VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol technology. With VoIP, phone calls are sent over the Internet instead of over traditional telephone lines. This in turn lowers the cost of phone calls because it is cheaper to transmit calls over the Internet rather than over traditional phone lines. It is cheap and easy to switch your telephone service to a VoIP service, but if you are running a business, you will need to consider a few factors before you make the trade.

What is a PBX?

A PBX, or public branch exchange, is the system that a business will use to route incoming, outgoing, and internal business calls. In the early days of telecom technology, a PBX was a large piece of machinery that required an attendant to operate a switchboard. Today, you have your choice of several different kinds of PBXs, both software and hardware setups.

What Kind of PBX Systems are there?

There are several types of PBX systems:

• Analog PBX: This system was the first kind of switchboard available. This system uses an analog signal to send and receive phone calls over the traditional phone line.
• IP PBX: Internet Protocol PBX (IP PBX) refers to either a hardware or software system that uses the Internet to send and receive calls. You can build your own IP PBX and maintain it onsite. You can buy the hardware and construct one, or you can get a free open-source program like Asterisk to build one on a software platform.
• Hosted PBX: A hosted PBX is a type of IP PBX in which an off-site service provider manages your inbound and outbound calls. This system is maintained and hosted by your service provider at their location. Any system advertised as a hosted business solution has a hosted PBX. Your hosted PBX exists as a virtual system, available over the Internet. You can manage and control your hosted virtual PBX with any Internet-capable device like a computer or smartphone. This makes it easy to change settings and moderate your office phoning at any time, from any place.

What is SIP Trunking?

SIP trunking (Session Initiation Protocol) is a service that enables your in-house IP PBX or analog PBX to send and receive VoIP calls. You will have to find a SIP service for your PBX if you don’t want to use a hosted VoIP solution. With a SIP trunk solution, you will need a few things to get your system up and running:

• An Internet-capable in-house PBX: If you aren’t using a hosted PBX solution, then you will need to make sure your PBX can handle and process VoIP calls. If you are using an in-house IP PBX, then you’re all set. If you are using an analog PBX, you will need to make sure you have all of the proper analog adapters.
• A border element: This is either a firewall or an edge device attached to the firewall that will enable your PBX system to interact with the traditional analog telephone system, the PSTN (public switched telephone network). Without the border element, your SIP trunk cannot interface with analog phones.
• A SIP service provider: There are lots of SIP service providers like Voip.com, Jive, and Nextiva. These service providers usually charge a monthly fee, and they may charge certain rates for incoming or outgoing calls. These service providers may advertise that they are BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) which generally means they support SIP.
• An Internet service: In order to use VoIP, you need a good, high speed Internet connection. You can test your Internet connection quality to see if your current setup can handle VoIP traffic.

Why Do You Need a SIP Trunk Solution for your PBX?

A SIP trunking system is only necessary for your business if you currently have an on-site PBX, either an IP PBX or IP-enabled analog PBX. However, if your business has a hosted PBX, you do not need a SIP trunk.

Businesses that are still using a traditional phone service provider may have their own analog PBX, an actual switchboard, physically located on their premises. Analog PBX systems are considered somewhat outdated systems, but if your business still has one, then SIP trunking can bring your business into the 21st century. However, your analog PBX will need to be IP-enabled with an adapter.

Other businesses may have their own IP PBX systems. A business with an IT department or other tech support is probably more likely to use an on-premise IP PBX. Large enterprises that may prefer to handle their calls in-house, and can afford the support, space, and time required to maintain an on-premise PBX are more likely to have this kind of solution. However, depending on the number of employees your business has, and how many phone lines you need, an IP PBX system may be a more affordable system than an off-site hosted PBX.

A SIP solution would also be appropriate for a company that wants to build their own IP PBX. This would need to be a business that is up to the challenge of handling its own on-site solution, which means most likely an adventurous and tech savvy business with the hopes of running and handling its own calls.

SIP Trunking Benefits

The truth is hosted VoIP solutions have become so incredibly cheap, often around $20/month per extension, it may be hard to find a lot of compelling reasons to go with a SIP solution. If you are a new business without any equipment that you want to keep and use, you will probably be more inclined to go with a hosted PBX. However, if you have any old equipment you want to use, or if for any reason you are partial to an on-premise PBX, some benefits of SIP trunking include:

• Because a SIP trunk connects your calls over the Internet, you’ll no longer need to pay pricey subscriptions fees for basic rate interface and primary rate interface connections, which will save you money in the long run.
• Calls made over the Internet become local calls, meaning you are no longer charged hefty international and long distance calling rates.
• If you already have PBX equipment, especially an analog PBX system, it may cost you more to get rid of your current system than to adapt it to SIP trunking. Also, using a different system may require you to purchase additional devices.Why not save time and money, and use what you already have?
• In addition to voice data, SIP trunking supports video and instant messaging, which can help enhance the way in which your business communicates.
• If you were using an analog telephone system, a downed telephone line could mean no phone service. With a SIP setup, there are no such worries because your phone service depends on the Internet.

SIP Providers

There are several VoIP providers that offer SIP trunking services like Nextiva, Vocalocity, RingCentral, and Voip.com. To give you an idea of what you might pay on a SIP trunk solution, here are some quotes from Voip.com:

• Small Medium Business: This package includes five lines per trunk for $55/month.
• Enterprise Trunking: With this package, you receive 20 lines per trunk for $200/month.
• Call Center/Large Enterprise: This package offers an unlimited number of lines per trunk for $400/month.

SIP trunking is a valuable source that can boost your business and save you money. If your business qualifies for a SIP trunk, it could help give your business the competitive advantage it deserves.

This post has been contributed by Chloe Mulliner. Chloe is a recent James Madison University graduate with a degree in Media Arts and Design. She currently writes content for VoIP-Info in San Diego, California.

PennyTel is back with its 10 million minutes of free calls this holiday season. Until 20th January 2013, you can make unlimited free calls to landlines in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK and to both landlines and mobiles in Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, and the USA.

To make free calls, just follow the following steps:

1. Just go to the promotions page and enter a valid email address to create a new account.
2. If you already have an account, enter the email address associated with your account.
3. Use your account details to make free calls!!

After you login to your account, you can see your SIP settings that you will need to configure your mobile VoIP (mVoIP) client, ATA (e.g., OBi 110 or OBi 100), or SIP soft phone (e.g., x-lite). You can use the following settings to configure your SIP client:

SIP Proxy : sip.pennytel.com

Your login details will be available under Settings inside your account. You can follow our video tutorial to configure PennyTel on x-lite or other SIP clients or read our tutorial to add PennyTel SIP settings in Nimbuzz or Fring.

Remember, this offer runs only through 20th January 2013, so hurry up and say hello to your loved ones!!

So here are a few things you can do to avoid having your phone stolen in the first place:

• Keep your eyes on it at all times: This is obvious. A phone is not the size of a car and it will take someone less than a second to steal your phone if you turn your back.
• Avoid charging it in public whenever possible: Even the most careful of us can get caught up in something important or side-tracked, so unless absolutely necessary try not to charge it in your local restaurant or on a train. If you absolutely have to charge your phone, follow the previous rule and stay near your phone.
• Buy a holster: If you often forget your phone or keys, consider a holster. That way every time you use your cell phone you get used to putting it back. Hoslters/belt pouches will often fix to your belt or trousers and you have a better chance of keeping it for longer. Plus, it has the added bonus of making you feel like you’re in the Wild West!

Whatever precautions you take, sometimes things happen and you can have your phone stolen regardless of how careful you are. At this point it’s about three things: Recovering your phone as quickly as possible; not allowing the thief to use your phone; and protecting your data. You can follow some simple steps to secure your mobile data.

• Pin lock: It’s very easy to lock your phone so that others can’t use it without your consent. Get a pin that you can remember and always have it locked. It will also protect you from having other important information you may have saved on your phone from being accessed.
• Make a note of your IMEI number and report the loss to your provider immediately: If you do this there is a good chance your provider can block your phone quickly and avoid anyone using it.
• Protect your data: More people are using mobile devices for connecting to the workplace now so if you want to ensure your data is protected then use encryption software such as Sophos Mobile Encryption. This is especially recommended if you’re a company or work in an IT department that deals with company data. It’s available for Android and Apple and will stop thieves accessing your data.

• Look into tracking software: This comes in various formats such as the iPhone ‘find my phone’ app. This one will allow you to use another Apple device that you own to locate and recover your phone. If a thief steals your phone and replaces the SIM, there is also ‘Theft Aware’ for Android that will send the thief’s number to two other phones of your choosing. This will give you a far greater chance of recovering your phone. Another useful app is Phone Retriever, which is available on all mobile OS. When your phone is stolen you have to login to your ‘vault’ and there you can lock or locate your device. You can also send an SMS pin to your phone to lock it but the only downside is that to secure the phone you have to purchase a serial number “from participating outlets”. Mobiguard comes in at $8.99, but is a great little app that allows you to take videos and screenshots from any internet connection worldwide, just in case you lose your phone abroad.

• Insurance: Finally, you may also consider buying an insurance for you phone. Most providers are happy to insure your phones against any loss, damage, or theft. You can also buy private insurance. The insurance cost depends on your device. While the insurance will not be able to protect you from loss of data, at least you can recover the cost of your phone (minus the insurance).

Armed with this information you have a far better chance of retaining or recovering your cell phone if it is lost.

Author Bio: Kerry Butters writes this article on behalf of Smartphone Genie, where you can find iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S3 deals.

What is Boxee TV?

Unlike its older sibling (Boxee Box), Boxee TV focuses on bringing free TV to your living room and saving you thousands of dollars in cable bills. Boxee TV relies on providing lot of content using the free over-the-air (OTA) feeds of local networks including ABC, CBS, PBS, and NBC, among others. Combine the OTA feeds with a few popular apps (Netflix and Vudu) and you have lot of content to watch. Also, the device includes two USB ports that can play popular formats (e.g., MP3, TS/ES, MPEG2, AVI, MKV, MP4, OGG, WAV, ASF, VOB). Finally, Boxee is offering a cloud DVR service with unlimited recording space. The “No Limits DVR” is currently available for only $9.99 (and will be free during the beta) and in limited geographies. Moreover, you also get 3 months of free Netflix subscription (valid even for existing customers) and 1 movie credit on Vudu.

The Hardware 

Boxee TV comes with the small antenna, a power adapter, and a remote. Given that the Boxee TV relies so much on the live TV for content, the inclusion of digital antenna is not surprising. However, the digital antenna is very basic and do not expect it to receive all the signals unless you are in a very strong broadcast area (I am close to 20 miles from most stations and the digital antenna did not receive any channels – fortunately I have the indoor Mohu Leaf Plus).

Getting Started with Boxee TV

Boxee TV is extremely easy to set up. Just connect the Boxee to your TV using an HDMI cable, attach an antenna, and power up the device. You need (either wireless or wired) internet connection for the setup. Follow the on-screen prompts and you will be on your way in no time. If you face errors in updating the firmware, you can manually update the same using the USB port.

Once you have completed the initial setup and finished the channel scan, you will see a list of major channels that you can watch on Boxee. Please note that there may be a few more channels that you can enable in settings. Now you are ready to watch free TV

I must highlight that even with the Mohu Plus indoor antenna, Boxee TV could find only 9 broadcast channels. Whereas the built-in TV tuner finds over 19 channels. The number of channels that you can receive will depend on your location. Boxee provides a nice tool where you an enter your address and find out what channels you should receive in your area.

Boxee TV – Key Features

Boxee has some nifty features up its sleeves. Firstly, Boxee provides a visual overview of what is playing on the TV – title, channel, and even a progress indicator.

Boxee presents you will a visual guide of what is playing on other channels and what is coming up next.

Like any self respecting device, it also has apps (although only few at the moment).

The real magic, however, happens outside the TV. Boxee brings live TV to your browser (and any other device). Once you log in to your Boxee account, you see all the live TV channels your Boxee TV can see.

Not only can you see the channel guide, you can also play the program directly from your browser (and most other smart devices).

This is also the place where you can configure your DVR and access and manage your recordings. Everything is seamless.

To Buy or Not to Buy? 

Now the $99 question – should you spend your money on Boxee TV? In some sense, this question is rather meaningless as for many of us who already own a “smart” TV (that receives OTA channels) and a blu-ray player, the value proposition is not entirely clear.

Let me rephrase the question – If you are looking to purchase a third device, should you pick Boxee TV among the other options available to you, e.g., Apple TV, Roku, Western Digital TV Live, Netgear NeoTV? Unless you are embedded in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple TV offers the least amount of features. Roku has an active community with many undocumented channels (that are not very reliable and many of these channels are available on other devices using a DLNA server such as Serviio).

Besides the conspicuous absence of the ability to play network files (which I am sure is under development), Boxee TV has lots going for it. It is the only device that combines live TV, DVR, and local media (although through USB). If you are looking for an easy way to access OTA channels and value DVR capabilities, Boxee TV is a no brainer. Keep in mind that the DVR capability is priced at $9.99 and slated to go up to $15 per month after the beta.

Boxee TV is still in beta and has already received a huge response (not to mention the exclusive arrangement with Walmart). It is very well placed to beat the competition. All it needs is some DLNA capabilities and some more content. Boxee is already working with developers and there may soon be lot of additional content available on Boxee in the near future. However, for now, the Boxee TV has some ground to cover. Honestly, at this point, none of the devices on the market are perfect. But I am hopeful that Boxee TV will be a great option in the days to come. The combination of live TV and your personal media is a killer combination.

Are you going to buy the Boxee TV? Also, let us know what devices are you using with your HDTV.

Why do you need a VPN Server?

Recent WiFi snooping attacks (e.g., Firesheep) have demonstrated that your data may not be secure especially when it travels over unsecured networks – such as one at Starbucks or other public wifi hotspots. Since most of the public wireless networks are completely unencrypted, our recent post on securing mobile data suggested using VPN tunnel to route your data through secure private networks. VPN tunnels give you the security of private networks even when you are on unsecured public networks. 

Commercial VPN solutions charge around $5 per month. However, if you have a broadband internet connection and a capable router, you can set up your own VPN tunnel – just follow along.

Getting Started…

I am assuming that you have already completed the basic configurations on your ASUS device. Just go to the VPN Server tab (under Advanced Settings) and enable PPTP Server (you can also enable Samba support if you want to access local shares). Also, enter the username and password for your VPN account.

If your ISP does not provide you with a static IP, you can use a DDNS (Dynamic DNS) service that maps your dynamic IP address to a domain name. I am using ASUS’s own DDNS service, but you are welcome to use any other such service (e.g., DynDNS, Tzo, ZoneEdit, DNSOMatic, TunnelBroker, No-IP).

Next, fine tune VPN server configurations by specifying the authentication and encryption methods, IP address range, and broadcast support. Here are the settings that I am using:

These settings should work for most of us. However, sometimes the DNS resolution does not work over the VPN, i.e., you will be able to connect to the VPN but may not be able to browse the Internet. In such cases, you need to manually enter the DNS servers under VPN details. You can use any DNS provider – I am using Google Public DNS.

Congratulations!! Your VPN server is now ready to be used.

Let’s Test!!

On your iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod), add a VPN configuration under Settings > General > Network > VPN (see screenshot below). You can enter your static IP address or the DDNS that you configured earlier.

To demonstrate that the VPN server is indeed working, let us check the public IP address with and without VPN.

Without VPN

With VPN

On your Android device, you do the similar setup under Settings > Wireless & Networks > Add VPN Network.

Final Thoughts

There you have it…now you can secure all your data even on a public network for FREE. I have been extremely happy with this setup. Now I can safely browse even on a public network.

Please note that since all the traffic will be routed through your home network, i.e., one additional hoop, and the encryption overheads, your speeds will be lower on the VPN than without it. Finally, this solution is recommended only if your ASUS router is connected to a broadband connection.

Even if you are not a student, you can still get the free calling credits – so read on…

To get your free credits:

1. Get your coupon code from Wrapp.
2. Create our Rebtel account. Do NOT enter any coupon code at the sign up stage.
3. Login to your account and choose Rebtel Voucher under Add Credit.

   

4. That’s it….you should see $5 in your Rebtel account.

Although the promotion is intended for new accounts, it works for existing accounts as well. So, if you already have a Rebtel account, you can still get the free calling credits. Please note, however, that these credits are useful for only calls made from USA.

So, hurry up and enjoy your free VoIP calls!!

What is AirServer?

When Apple introduced Airplay Mirroring, it would let you show the screen of your iDevice on your HDTV via Apple TV. While it was great to show off the games or movies running on your device on a large screen, this approach was not suited for recording the screen of your device. This is where AirServer comes in.

AirServer is an application running on your computer (PC or Mac) that lets you mirror your iDevice on to your computer. Basically, it enables your computer to act as an AirPlay receiver, allowing you to stream content from your iPhone/iPad. Please note that given the resources required, AirServer only works with A5 devices that have the processing power.

AirServer runs on both PC and Mac. The Mac version is significantly advanced, including features like streaming audio, simultaneously mirroring multiple iOS devices, quality enhancements, and is generally more stable. The PC version, while less advanced, supports the mirroring function. This difference is reflected even in the pricing – the PC version is significantly less expensive than the Mac version. Both versions come with a FREE 7 day trial for you to explore the application. Both versions come with free updates.

7 Day Trial	FREE	FREE
Standard License (5 computers)	$14.99	$7.99
Student License (3 computers)	$11.99	$5.99
Bulk License (15 computers)	$59.99	$29.99

Using AirServer to Record your iPhone/iPad Screen

Start the AirServer app on your computer. Make sure that your computer and your iPhone or iPad are connected to the same WiFi network.

Double click the Home button on your iDevice to display your recently used apps. Swipe the recently used apps from left to right until you see the circular AirPlay button.

Tap the AirPlay icon to display the list of AirPlay enabled device – you should see your computer listed here. Select your computer from the list. You will also see an option to turn on/off Mirroring when you select your Mac/PC.

Once you select Mirroring, you should see your iPhone/iPad screen on your computer. Use any screen recording application to record the screen of your iDevice. There are some good free screen recording applications – CamStudio, TechSmith Jing, Windows Media Encoder, or UltraVNC Screen Recorder.

On your computer, you have a few options to optimize your mirroring. The recommended settings (720p) works well, but play with them to see which one works best for you. 

I have been using AirServer for some time now on my PC and am reasonably happy with its performance. For the price, I think it is a good investment. Take a look at the video demonstration below:

Let us know if you are you using any other app/method to record your iPhone/iPad screen recording…