Christmas and New Year is a time to be merry and full of festive cheer. But when it comes to losing or having your mobile phone stolen, cheer can soon turn to tears, according to Lookout Mobile Security .

In a recent survey conducted by Lookout among mobile users, around two-thirds admitted they were ‘very worried’ or ‘worried’ about their phone being lost or stolen, a figure that is set to rise as we embark on a series of parties, presents and pantomimes and of course booze! A third of those questioned confessed that they could last just a couple of minutes to acouple of hours if their phone was lost or stolen – 10 per cent couldn’t survive at all!

While most expressed serious concerns over the safety of their phones and what is on them, very few actually do anything to protect them. More than 85 per cent have no way of tracking a lost or stolen phone, 60 per cent do not use a PIN or passcode and 74 per cent do not regularly back up personal contacts and information.

With less than two weeks to go until the ‘big day’, here are some simple tips on how to keep your mobile safe during the Christmas and New Year holiday period:

• Be crowd-aware

If you are at a Christmas party, in a busy shop or running around town on public transport, keep your phone tucked deep in your bag or in a zipped pocket out of sight.

• Lock the door

Set a password, PIN or a handset lock on your phone to make it difficult for anyone to use it if you lose it.

• Secure & protect

Use a free mobile security app like Lookout to safeguard your phone. If it goes missing you can track its location, sound an alarm and even wipe the contents remotely. Download Lookout in the Android Market or App Store.

• Think before you download

One of the most exciting things to do with your smartphone is explore all the great applications you can download onto it. But, as you explore make sure you only download apps from sites you trust, check the app’s rating and read the reviews to make sure it is widely used and respected.

• Don’t go public

Public Wifi networks are everywhere – coffee shops, train stations, cafes etc – but security for these networks is not. Be careful what you do on public Wifi, and in particular use extra caution when shopping and mobile banking unless you’re confident you have a secure connection.

Design house Jil Sander has put their famous clean line aesthetic and fashion expertise into a new smartphone and released it in the UK through Expansys.com.

Jil Sander’s Autumn 2011 collection includes a surprising departure from the norm for the legendary German fashion label, their first mobile phone. Exclusively available in the UK with Expansys.com, the online technology specialist, the Jil Sander mobile is available now.

Joining the growing list of designer brands to release handsets, Jil Sander has brought its chic looks to the smartphone market. The design house have partnered with LG and Microsoft to produce a phone that offers both style and functionality. Based on the popular Optimus 7 handset, the phone combines the latest technology and designer looks, including a signature blue stripe down both sides.

The clean lines of Windows Phone 7’s tiled user interface is the embodiment of Jil Sander’s understated, minimalist designs on a phone display. And with the latest version of the software installed, nicknamed the Mango update, the Jil Sander mobile not only looks fashionably good, it delivers a superb smartphone performance with Microsoft Office software, deep Facebook and Twitter integration and even XBox Live gaming.

The Jil Sander mobile costs £299, and the sleek package also includes a Jil Sander leather case and some custom blue and black-headphones that compliment the phone’s design, perfect for communicating in style. For more details click here.

Apple has announced the new iPhone 4S packed with loads of new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip for super fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. Check out my nine things to know below:

1. All new camera 8MP
2. Full 1080p HD video recording
3. Siri intelligent assistant, ask it “what is the traffie like around here?” 
4. iOS5 advanced operating system
5. Dual core A5 super fast chip
6. iCloud free cloud services for iPhone
7. iMessage new messaging service for texts, photos and videos between iOS5 users
8. Built in Twitter integration
9. Extended battery life – 8 hours of 3G talk time

iOS5

iPhone 4S comes with iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, which includes over 200 new features including Notification Center, an innovative way to easily view and manage notifications in one place without interruption and iMessage, a new messaging service that lets you easily send text messages, photos and videos between all iOS 5 users.

Siri

iPhone 4S also introduces Siri, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. Siri understands context allowing you to speak naturally when you ask it questions, for example, if you ask “Will I need an umbrella this weekend?” it understands you are looking for a weather forecast.

Siri is also smart about using the personal information you allow it to access, for example, if you tell Siri “Remind me to call Mum when I get home” it can find “Mum” in your address book, or ask Siri “What’s the traffic like around here?” and it can figure out where “here” is based on your current location.

Siri helps you make calls, send text messages or email, schedule meetings and reminders, make notes, search the Internet, find local businesses, get directions and more. You can also get answers, find facts and even perform complex calculations just by asking. It texts, writes and send emails and even speaks back to you!

iCloud

iCloud is a breakthrough set of free cloud services, including iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream and Documents in the Cloud, that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices. When content changes on one device, all your other devices are updated automatically and wirelessly.

Camera

iPhone 4S includes an all new camera with the most advanced optics of any phone. The 8 megapixel sensor has 60 percent more pixels so you can take amazing high quality photos with more detail than ever. iPhone 4S includes a new custom lens, a larger f/2.4 aperture and an advanced hybrid IR filter that produce sharper, brighter and more accurate images.

New features in the Camera and Photos apps give you instant access to the camera right from the lock screen, and you can also use the volume-up button to quickly snap a photo. The new Photos app lets you crop, rotate, enhance and remove red-eye, and organise your photos into albums right on your device to share them on the go.

iMessage

New iOS 5 features include built-in Twitter integration and iMessage, so you can instantly share your photos via Twitter directly from the Photos app and send photos via iMessage to individuals or groups. And with iCloud’s innovative new Photo Stream service, a photo you take on your iPhone is sent to iCloud and automatically pushed to your iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC. You can even view your Photo Stream album on your Apple TV.

HD Video

iPhone 4S can also now record video in full 1080p HD resolution and with the new video image stabilisation feature, you can take richer, smoother videos. Other iPhone 4S video camera improvements include increased sensitivity, sharpness and an increased ability to capture video in low light conditions. With the new iMessage service in iOS 5, you can now instantly share videos with family and friends.

A5 Chip

Apple’s dual-core A5 chip delivers up to twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics than iPhone 4, all while maintaining incredible battery life—now up to 8 hours of 3G talk time.

Pricing & Availability

iPhone 4S comes in either black or white and will be available in the UK on Friday, October 14 and customers can pre-order their iPhone 4S beginning Friday, October 7. iPhone pricing will be available closer to launch.

The 1980s just called – it wants its phone back. Check out the new smartphone case where smartphone technology meets 80s yuppie chic.

The ‘80s Phone brings together cutting edge Smartphone technology with the bulky, unwieldy plastic design of the original eighties “brick” – making it an eye catching classic. The comically large case docks your iPhone 3, 3GS or 4 inside, leaving your iPhone screen exposed and all your Smartphone needs at your fingertips.

Funny, yet definitely ticking the retro box, the ‘80’s iPhone case will take you right back to the halcyon days when power dressing, filo faxes and liquid lunches were de rigeur.  What better way to channel Dom Jolly in classic “I’M ON THE PHONE” stylee.

Price £12.99

Whether you’re backpacking in Bali or camel trekking across the Sahara, this new Postcards app captures your image on iPhone and android smartphones, sending it to the folks back home by conventional post, yes a real, proper post card!  How cool is that?! And best of all this brand new picture postcard service is provided as a free download by eCards Media (www.ecards.co.uk/postcards). 

We all know what it’s like trying to choose the best of a bad bunch of cheesy post cards, well not anymore, no stamps or searching for a postbox either. Your personal holiday snaps are transformed into traditional picture postcards and mailed home at the touch of a button. This is already one of the Apple website’s top 30 apps in their ‘free stuff’ travel section

How does it work?

The free ‘Postcards’ download lets users take a photo or upload from their library and input text to family and friends. It costs 99p to send second class and £1.49 to send first class postcards anywhere in the world, processed via PayPal.

The worldwide postcards are sent to a printing firm in deepest, darkest Dorset via file transfer protocol (FTP) at 4pm every day. They are then run off using state-of-the-art Xerox printers and collected for dispatch by Royal Mail at 5.15pm the same day.

So whether you’re on top of a rollercoaster, celebrity spotting in restaurants or sending out pictures of your newborn baby, the Postcard app is a great way to share news with mates.

It’s a great little app and I’m deff going to try it out on my summer hols!! Will somebody send me one please?