Mobile Phone Users Curbing Spending and Upgrade Plans

­Mobile users around the world are delaying plans to upgrade or buy new phone handsets while also changing their current spending habits, due to the global economic crisis, claims a survey carried out by mobile applications portal, GetJar.

GetJar's 'Mobile Attitudes' poll revealed that 78 percent of respondents from a worldwide audience are delaying plans to upgrade or buy a new mobile phone as a result of the current economic climate. Similarly, 76 percent of mobile phone users are immediately planning to reduce the amount they spend on phone usage.

When asked whether they had reduced spending on mobile phones in the last 12 months, more than 50 percent of respondents had not reduced their spending at all, or by as little as 10 percent, during that period. For those people who had reduced their spending, the economy was the reason given by just over one third of respondents, while 20 percent changed their usage habits to lower expenses, and a further 28 percent had switched to using free applications to avoid charges.

GetJar also asked its users to reveal which mobile services they spend most money on each month. 35 percent said SMS accounted for the greatest proportion of their mobile phone bill; 18.5 percent said it was voice services; and just under 17 percent identified data services. Premium services accounted for the largest part of the monthly mobile spend for 12 percent of the survey participants.

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LG enV2

A phone for serious text message users, the LG enV2 is a definite upgrade from its larger and less stylish predecessor, the enV. This latest handset offers a full QWERTY keyboard, music player with Bluetooth stereo support, microSD memory card slot and a 2.0-megapixel camera and camcorder, merged together in a well-designed package.

Verizon Wireless services include VCAST Music and Video, and VZ Navigator. VCAST Music provides more than 3 million songs from both well-known and independent artists. With VZ Navigator, the enV2 gives audible turn-by-turn navigation to addresses and more than 14 million points of interest, from ATMs and gas stations to restaurants and tourist destinations.


Fans of the enV2 have praised the phone for its vivid 262K-color LCD screens, great audio quality and overall user friendliness. Advanced features like auto text readout, message sort and the ability to store up to 300 text messages now make your texting habit something to celebrate.

Verizon has made considerable improvements to its menu interface. With the enV2, menu customization is a snap. Choose from tabbed, icon grid or list - whatever layout you feel most comfortable with. You can also select the menu mode that best suits your usage needs. Select the multimedia setting and get icons for videos, games and VCAST right on your main menu screen. Or choose the messaging setting to get shortcuts to mobile IM, email and your contacts list.

Overall, this is a clamshell phone that looks good both opened and closed. The enV2 boasts a sleek outer design while the keypads - perhaps this phone's greatest asset - are wide and comfortable to use.

Out of the box, the LG enV2 comes with a standard 950 mAh Li-Ion Battery, Travel Charger, and User Manual.

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Blackberry Storm 9530 takes on iPhone 3G

Seriously, why is every company trying to compare or make better phones than Apples iPhone? I think it's a bit ridiculous how they try so hard to, yet they fail. Well, here is another phone. A blackberry is a well known phone that most people have. It's a very good business phone! Has Verizon made another new version of the blackberry to overthrow the Apple iPhone?

Verizon Wireless and RIM today announced the upcoming launch of the RIM BlackBerry Storm (formerly known as Thunder), which will be the first BlackBerry device with a touchscreen interface. Beyond the touch innovations, however, RIM has loaded the phone with a surprisingly robust feature set, including dual-mode capabilities, so the phone can browse Verizon's fast EV-DO Rev. A networks at home, or roam on international 3G HSPA networks abroad. The phone will also feature a 3.2-megapixel camera with auto focus and a flash, as well as a host of multimedia features.

Touch it

Of course, the BlackBerry Storm has us most curious for its touchscreen, which offers a capacitive touchscreen panel with tactile feedback, making it feel more like a real button. The phone will use multi-touch gestures, like the Apple iPhone 3G, for smooth navigation. The interface also looks unique to this BlackBerry, officially called the BlackBerry Storm 9530 in the U.S., dual-mode version. The phone will retain the standard phone, menu and escape keys of other BlackBerry devices, but will incorporate a new interface designed for touch.

Hear it

For business users, the BlackBerry Storm will come packed with DataViz Documents to Go software to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. For multimedia fanatics, the BlackBerry Storm 9530 will include a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as 1GB of onboard memory storage and a microSDHC memory card slot that supports cards up to 16GB. The BlackBerry Storm will also ship with BlackBerry Media Sync, which lets you sync your non-DRM iTunes music files with your BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry Storm will come with an enhanced Web browser offering full HTML browsing, though not supporting progressive downloads of Flash videos offered by sites such as YouTube and infoSync. Like the iPhone, the BlackBerry Storm will use an accelerometer to switch between portrait and landscape modes when you tilt the phone. The BlackBerry Storm will also feature a 3.25-inch screen, packing 480 by 360 pixels at 184 pixels per inch (ppi). Compare the BlackBerry Storm to the iPhone 3G and the T-Mobile G1 here.

. . . and the kitchen sink, too

It's an overall impressive handset, and RIM hasn't left anything out. Well, Wi-Fi is missing, but RIM rarely bundles GPS and Wi-Fi on the same phone, perhaps due to battery concerns. The BlackBerry Storm 9530 will use GPS for navigation, stereo Bluetooth for wireless headphones and features a large (1400 mAh) battery, which RIM claims will bestow up to 6 hours of 3G use on BlackBerry users. BlackBerry phones have always impressed us with their excellent battery life. If RIM can deliver on 6 hours of solid 3G use, that would put it at the top of its class for 3G touchscreen phones.

Of note, the upcoming BlackBerry application store was never mentioned in Verizon Wireless' release. Whether this new app store, comparable with the popular Apple App store on the iPhone, will make it to the device at launch has yet to be seen.

When and how much?

The RIM BlackBerry Storm 9530 will launch on Verizon Wireless in the U.S. very soon, though an exact release date has not been announced. The price is still to be determined, though we would be disappointed if this phone came in at more than $300 with a contract agreement. With its world phone capabilities (CDMA / EV-DO, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, HSPA 2100 MHz), the phone is uniquely suited to the Verizon Wireless / Vodafone partnership, so we wouln't be surprised if Verizon Wireless maintains an exclusive lock on the BlackBerry Storm for some time.

Original Article

3G Americas

­3G Americas, a wireless industry trade association representing the GSM family of technologies has published a research report which uncovers the issues for consumers and application providers about attempts to compromise services and applications through such trust and security issues as identity theft, phishing and pharming.

"There is a segment of society that does not trust transactions solely machine-based, particularly where mobile devices are concerned," noted Yale Vinson, Manager, Technical Consulting Telecommunications, Gemalto North America and leader of the 3G Americas work group.

The white paper discusses key applications and services that are on the leading edge of those offered today and in the near future, such as near field communications (NFC), mobile banking, eticketing, mobile broadcast services and mobile payment as well as key security features in place today which the authors claim will give the GSM technology family a decided advantage over other mobile wireless technologies.

"Not surprisingly, the applications that have the greatest revenue potential are also those that are obvious targets for hackers to steal information and use it maliciously," stated Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas. "The resulting goal is simple: the system that provides the greatest security and trust will be seen as superior to other implementations. That is why today most GSM and HSPA operators have these proven security features in place through authentication mechanisms."

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G1 Applications

Apple has never failed when amazing us. With the Apple iPhone, it's not just a phone anymore. It's everything that you ever wanted in a phone plus much more. There has been many phone companies trying to beat Apple. But has Google bumped down Apple and they have no made history? The Google phone has 50 applications available to their users... and that makes them better comparing themselves next to Apple's Apps that have tons of applications? I highly doubt that. iPhone has graphics that you would never think that a phone could actually carry. I haven't really checked out the G1, but I'm sticking with my iPhone. I suppose it's good for all the Tmobile carriers that wanted an iPhone, now they have there own version kind of. haha

Applications already available in the Android Market store include those created by winners of a developer contest that Google sponsored.

A few new Android applications have begun appearing in the market over the past couple days, presumably made available through special arrangements Google made with the developers. They include one from MySpace, a mobile banking application from Bank of America and a T-Mobile Hotspot locater.

The Android Market includes a rating system where users can rate applications and comment on them. Google will highlight the applications with the best ratings and usage at the top of the market, although for now it has chosen which apps appear there.

Apple, which this week said it has already sold 10 million iPhones this year, reported that its App Store has supported 200 million downloads in around 100 days. Apple's store launched with 200 applications.

Original Article

Cell Phones Have Become Central Components of Modern Family Life

The Internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. This is pretty obvious considering that everywhere you go everyone is on their cell phone or even yourself. A computer is so helpful and its basically required for a job and school. Most of the time we use a cell phone or computer is because we have to because its mandatory to accomplish a task.

Among all household types, the traditional nuclear family has the highest rate of technology usage and ownership. A national survey of 2,252 adults by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that households with a married couple and minor children are more likely than other household types -- such as single adults, homes with unrelated adults, or couples without children – to have cell phones and use the Internet.

The survey shows that these high rates of technology ownership affect family life. In particular, cell phones allow family members to stay more regularly in touch even when they are not physically together. Moreover, many members of married-with-children households view material online together.

Some analysts have worried that new technologies hurt family togetherness, but we see that technology allows for new kinds of connectedness built around cell phones and the internet," noted Tracy Kennedy, author of a new report about the survey called "Networked Families."

However, the benefits of the internet and cell phones are somewhat counterbalanced in some families by their contribution to the speed of modern life and their role in blurring the lines between "work" and "home" life. Some 11% of employed internet users say the internet has increased the amount of time they spend working from the office, and 19% say it has increased the amount of time they spend working from home.

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Guardian Angel Technology's Remote Cell Phone

I'm still a youngster, yet I'm old enough to work and pay for my own cellphone bills. But I read this article about Guardian Angel Technology's Remote Cell phone for kids and teenagers. In my opinion, I think that's an invasion of privacy if you ask me! I think it breaks the how privacy and trust issue for the relationship of the parent and child. There are some parents who are over protective, how are they ever going to let go, if they always know where they are? I think that the child would probably feel like a prisoner.. OUTSIDE OF HIS or HER HOUSE. Like the child has a little ankle bracelet without limits. It could be a good thing, in a very small way from what I see
Here is what the company informed Guardians:
Guardian Angel Technology proudly present its state-of-the-art Monitoring System. By utilizing our advanced technology, we are able to help parents monitor, track and locate children or teenagers in real time via a map on the Internet. Our child safety monitoring software is not limited by distance (All of North America and parts of Mexico) and takes no technical knowledge to use.

Just give the cell phone to your child. Log in to our secure web site to see the exact location the child is currently at. If the child changes location, you will be able to track and see the movements on the map. If the child is in or driving a car, you will be able to see the travel speed along with the direction of travel. It is that simple.

Features of our Guardian Angel Tracking Technology:

No technical skills or setup needed: we configure the cell phone for you. All you do is activate it and turn it on. That's it!
No distance limitation: Works in all of North America and some areas of Mexico. Your child or teenager can travel out of state and you can still monitor them.
Web based tracking: just log on to our secure web site with your username and password and see where your child is currently at.
Simple to use: just give the cell phone to your child or teenager. The tracking application automatically starts running as soon as the phone is turned on.
Able to view with pin point accuracy: see the street, building or house your child is at on a graphic map or satellite view.
If your child or teenager is traveling in a car: know at what speed the vehicle is traveling. Know if your teenager is speeding in real time.
Even for adults: many adults have special needs, such as cognitive disabilities. Providing them our tracking cell phone can relieve some of the concerns of family members.
Our cell phone was designed to be simple for your children to carry around and our Internet software is easy for the parents to use. With our technology, you are able to monitor and track your children with our child monitoring cell phone and software from anywhere that provides Internet access.

Original Article

CBS News To Go

Ever wonder what's happening in the world or even in your own town? But really can't because you are busy running around with school, work and a family to take care of. Well check this out!!

CBS News is now truly available anytime, anywhere when you access the CBS News Mobile web. You'll never be out of touch when you take CBS News To Go with you. Their wireless website is available anytime, anywhere and is your direct connection to breaking news, developing stories and the rest of the day's news.

CBS News Mobile Web is a service available from all major wireless carriers, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Service is available only on Internet-enabled phones with data package that supports the service.


And not only that, there is also Video Alerts! Now you can get updated on the day's top stories with full video and graphics wherever you are. When you sign up for CBS News Mobile Alerts, you'll do more than just read the latest news-you'll see it in video and photo. CBS News is the first in the US to offer full video and photo alerts to cell phones.

So now you'll not only know the latest news, you'll see it unfold.

Service is available only on Internet-enabled phones with data package that supports the service. And if it's not for you, there is no contract or any obligation to keep it. To stop, text 'STOP' to 99888. Simple and so easy!

Get the latest news from across the nation or around the world, and get updated on politics, technology, health, entertainment, business and the CBS Evening News on your schedule! Now that's pretty nice.

Original Article
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LG PRADA phone

The LG PRADA phone is of course stylish! It gives a sophisticated look that is high class! It kind of reminds you of the iPhone if you really think about it! It doesn't have the same kind of features. It is touch screens.. but we all know that some touch screen cellphones shouldn't be touched at all! Of course this is all in my opinion. What's great about this phone is the camera! its 2.0 megapixels and we all know that's good for a camera being on a phone! The name itself can attract customers.. and that's what attracted me to write this blog on the article I found about it. Speaking of the touch screen, you'll need to use it with your finger to navigate the phone, as the Prada does not come with a stylus. Also, since it's almost entirely touch screen with just a few keys, you'll need to get accustomed to dialing and texting without any tactile feedback. Surprisingly, this went a lot better than we thought. The screen's sensitivity was just right, and we had no problem dialing numbers with the virtual keypad. Texting messages was a little trickier, though, as the Prada does not provide a virtual QWERTY keyboard; rather, you have to text messages with a virtual alphanumeric keypad just like on a normal phone. If we concentrated hard enough, we managed to text normally, but it did require a bit of precision on our part and there were many times when our fingers slipped and we pressed the wrong key by mistake. Again, it wasn't too difficult, but it does require a bit of a learning curve. And of course, you won't be able to dial by feel.

Original Article

Androids are ready or is that HTC?

Google actually hired Japanese Engineers to make their phone about two years ago. They really wanted to satisfy the customers, and it helped them by having the stuff in the phone that Apple iPhone doesn't have. For instance, copy & paste (which I'm sure the Apple will have in their next update) and a keyboard. One thing that Google won't have, is an iPod. Maybe they will have a Media player, but nothing tops an iPod because everyone has an iPod and it has been known to carry more music than ever. But hold the phone, is there another cell phone coming out that we don't know about? HTC is a new smart phone that Google hopes to be a success. They wanted to make it a headturning cellphone, which is pretty cliche considering Apple beat them to it (and did a pretty good job doing it!)

The Google phone, which has been called the HTC Dream and the T-Mobile G1, has a touch screen that slides out to expose a five-row keyboard. It offers easy access to Google’s services and to a range of third-party applications.

Many analysts and industry insiders say HTC has turned them into believers. “HTC has been pushing the innovation envelope for quite a long time,” said Jeffrey K. Belk, a former senior vice president for strategy at the cellphone chip maker Qualcomm. “It is only now that people are starting to get know to them better.”

Still, analysts say that HTC faces long odds in its quest to become a global consumer electronics powerhouse. It is competing against much larger rivals in a market where few niche players have been able to establish themselves.

The company began running ads in the United States this year, but a global marketing campaign could be expensive. And unlike some of its most successful competitors, like Apple and Research in Motion, HTC does not control the software that powers its phones.

“HTC is trying to compete on better hardware in a point in time when more and more of the differentiation of phones is going to be in the software,” said James Faucette, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities.


Original Article

Verizon Wireless Launches New Motorola

Looking for a new fun phone? One with the flip design and with both touch and haptic feedback. Well check this phone out!

Verizon Wireless has secured the exclusive rights to a touch-?screen Motorola phone, the Krave ZN4, featuring two layers of touch, on the interactive clear flip outside and the full touch-screen inside. Without opening the phone, the clear flip provides customers with one-touch access to popular features and services. The flip design also makes it easy to place clear and reliable phone calls while preventing touch-screen wear, and a side lock key prevents accidental usage.

The Krave ZN4 also offers a fancy 2.0 megapixel camera featuring an accelerometer that detects the movement when the phone rotates and changes the display. No more slow moving cameras!

If the above wasn't enough, well Verizon's Motorola Krave offers high-quality multimedia experiences while still maintaining their promise on how the phone should work and feel. So no more broken promises and running to the nearest store to fix your phone.

Original Article

Camera Phone Offers Face Detection

Listen up all you people who love taking pictures of yourselves and then posting it up on Myspace or Facebook. Do you ever get frustrated when you cut off half of your face while taking the picture simply because you cant see whats being taken? Well there's a phone that's about to change all of that. LG Electronics announced the launch of the KC780, a slim 8-megapixel camera phone with smart technologies to automatically finds and focuses on people's faces.

At just 13.9 mm thick, the KC780 manages to include a large 2.4-inch widescreen LCD. A Schneider-Kreuznach certified 8-megapixel lens takes high quality photos that are sharp and clear. Face Detection automatically find people's faces for clearer pictures. Using Smile Detection technology, the KC780 recognizes the angle of people's mouths and adjust focus for faces. LG's SmartLight setting automatically fixes lighting. It has adjustable light sensitivity up to ISO 1600. Built-in Image Stabilizer ensures photos come out clear and sharp, even in shaky situations. Other features include different shot modes. Smile Shot automatically triggers the shutter when it determines that the subject is smiling. Beauty Mode removes spots and imperfections on people's faces, making faces look bright and clear.

The KC780's D1 Video recording captures DVD-resolution video. Movies captured on the handset will still look great when played back on a large screen TV. Smart Bluetooth opens up new options when the phone is connected to a PC. For example, the KC780's camera can be used as a webcam for online conversations. Motion Sensor Games make it easy to get into the action. "We found that most of the time people use the cameras on their mobile phones to take pictures of themselves, their families, friends and significant others," said Dr. Skott Ahn, CEO of LG Electronics. "With this in mind, LG developed the LG KC780 with a number of face-enhancing features to augment its high quality 8 megapixel camera." LG KC780 will go on sale in November 2008, in Europe, later expanding to CIS and Asia, including India, Thailand, Hong Kong and China.

Original Article

Crunch could prevent Nextel Sale

Worry not about social inequality. Because at this point the fat cats in the business world are as hungry as the rest of us. Sprint has been trying to sell off its Nextel brand while Verizon has been trying to expand its business with a purchase of Alltel. Unfortunately, both deals may go down the toilet as the current credit market remains airtight. The current instability in the market have led banks to halt its lending to many businesses and individuals. As a result, people are struggling to purchase things such as automobiles and homes while businesses are struggling to keep their businesses afloat. Sprint is alredy certian to be on the losing end in this situation because it now only has a 5 billion dollar price tag on Nextel, a company which it had purchased for about seven times as much. Verizon, on the other hand, would have to shoulder more out of pocket expenses to complete its buyout of Alltel. Either way, these two instances show that this financial crisis is widespread and the only way to solve it is for the nation to quit the class warfare between the "Wall Street" and "Main Street" and actually work towards a more pragmatic solution.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.informationweek.com/news/telecom/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211100163&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All

PHOTO SOURCE: http://www.harrythompson.com/demo/img/nextel_2d.JPG

Elephant goes wireless

The people of Kenya hve come up with an innovative way to protect their crops: placing mobile phone cards on the collar of an elephant. Elephants in this part of the world have been known to destroy the crops of local residents, wiping out months and months and hard work and income. These phone cards allow rangers to be alerted through text when an elephant is coming into a residential area, and they promptly rush to the scene. Usually, simply flashing car headlights to an approaching elephant would be enough to scare the animal back into the wild. The most usual invader of these crop is an elephant named Kimani, which has been intercepted by authorities from destroying crops 15 times. This practice of installing phone cards began two years ago as an effort by a group called Save The Elephants who became concerned after about five elephants were shot (albeit reluctantly) by the Kenya WIldlife Service for raiding the crops of the local residents. The move seems to work, although it remains to be seen for how much longer rangers will be patient in responidng to these text messages.

ORIGINAL PHOTO and ARTICLE: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/ap_on_re_af/af_kenya_texting_elephants;_ylt=AvBhWxCQyXUDx3rP3_UQ3SkjtBAF

ANDROIDS VS. IPHONES

I think that there are many companies who try to top Apple's Iphone. When simply, they can't. Everyone has to admit, everyone thought the Voyager from Verizon would have killed the iPhone simply because it was touch and it had a keyboard. Wrong! iPhone is still the top cellphones today. What makes Android so different? All I read is that there is a copy and paste (which Apple will probably do later in the future). not only does the iPhone look better than the Android, it's slimmer than it too! Android can never top iPhones application store where you can get tons of new things for your iPhone. It's not just an iPhone anymore, it's your best friend! I have a iPhone and I love everything about it just because Apple keeps updating the software to make it a brand new and improved phone!

Still, many questions remain unanswered, and it’s too soon to tell how well Google will pull off the open handset concept, but if the Internet giant’s past successes are any indication, Apple better get working on some new iPhone innovations soon.

Do you think Google’s mobile phone platform will take the iPhone by storm?

If you’re an iPhone owner, will you consider giving up your mobile device for an Android one? Or if you’re thinking about getting yourself an iPhone, will you put off your purchase until later next year to see how Android phones compare? Leave a comment and let us know.

Original Article

Delayed Blackerry Bold9000

When RIM announced there new phone, the Blackberry Bold9000, I was really excited for its release. It was set to be released in the states sometime during summer. That obviously did not happen. And with no set date announced yet, I'm getting a little tired of waiting.

RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said Thursday that the phone is still undergoing the certification process in which AT&T tests all new handsets to make sure they work well on its wireless network. "There's great scrutiny, as you might know, on that network and a certain device. So I guess everyone wants to be sure on every last test," Lazaridis told The Associated Press. Apple Inc.'s iPhone 3G went on sale in July, with AT&T as the sole U.S. carrier. Customers soon started complaining of slow data downloads and dropped calls on some units. AT&T and Apple have not directly acknowledged a problem, but Apple has released a software update that was supposed to improve performance. The majority of iPhones appear to be working well.

"We're very meticulous about what our product does," he said. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel would not confirm that the Bold was still in testing and said only that it would come out this year. The delay of the Bold's U.S. launch has weighed on RIM's stock. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company will now be launching several new phones at once in the coming months, and said last week that expenses from those rollouts would eat into short-term profits.

RIM's U.S. shares fell $1.04, 1.7 percent, to close at $60.96 on Friday.

Original Article

Obama campaigns with tech-savvy

The election fever is spreading throughout the country. Its latest victim is Apple, which just released a new application for its iPhone and iPod Touch called "'Obama '08: The Official iPhone Application". Said application is the Obama campaigns latest attempt to create inroads among voters in this year's tight presidential election. According to Yahoo Tech News, the application features "information on Obama's positions on the issues, photos and videos from the campaign trail and news on the race." In addition, it also allows users to know about Obama campaign events and tell their friends about it.

I believe the Obama campaign made a good move by creating this application, because iPhone users tend to be younger folks, the major bloc of Obama's supporters. It also ushers in a new age in American campaign politics, in which technology and the internet play a major role. The Obama campaign's deecision to create this application shows that it is highly organized and is very attentive to current trends in American culture.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20081003/tc_afp/usvotetelecomcompanyappleobamaiphone

PHOTO SOURCE: http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos