Thursday, February 26, 2009

Interesting Palm Centro Prom Time Cell Phone Promotion

This News is actually from last year, but fits the theme of the site and the season. I read a lot of industry news and publications about phones and wireless devices. I get a stack of mags that I read and skim at my leisure. Sometimes I am looking for something to write about, but usually I am just trying to keep up with cell phone news as part of my job in the telecom world. 

I was reading a magazine from March 2008 that had a little blurb about a Palm phone give away from prom season last year. An Organization called the Princess Project donates prom dresses to girls who want to go to the prom but really don't have the means to afford a nice dress. As part of a promotional tie-in ( and of course, helping a good cause), Palm gave away Palm Centro smartphones to the first 27 people at several screenings of the hit movie "27 Dresses." More specifically the first 27 people who donated prom dresses for The Princess Project.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Today's Teen Rebels like to Illegally Text, Hide Phones in Pants

Today we bring you a link to a story that illustrates how much technology has advanced when it comes to the design of cell phones. The story is a bit of an exaggeration, but apparently cell phones are really getting small these days. A Teen Hides Her Cell Phone Where? 

OK, I think they really pushed that one. What really happened was a teen was using her cell phone to text message in class. She refused to stop sending text messages ( maybe she had one of those text message only plans?), and hid her phone. She was searched and the phone was found down her pants. But that hasn't stopped a lot of people from reporting that she stuck it you-know-where.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Samsung Announces Solar Powered Phone, the Blue Earth

Samsung announced it will be bringing a solar powered phone titled the "Blue Earth" to their handset lineup. 

The Blue Earth will be made from recycled materials that can use solar power to charge the battery. The phone was designed to look like a pebble, and features a touch screen, and the ability to go into a low power "eco-mode." And one very unique feature is that the phone has a built in pedometer that will let the user know how they are reducing emissions by walking instead of driving. The battery has a 5 star energy efficiency rating and uses very little power. I'm sure as word gets around on this phone, it has the potential to be a huge hit among those who want to "go green" and "save the trees" etc. 

Actually it really does show and tell you how many trees you have saved judging by the distance you've walked. Also if this phone turns out to be a hit, it could open up doors for many more earth friendly phones that will use solar energy and promote green living, and maybe even get more people interested in the cause. More info. on Samsung's Blue Earth phone will be available at next weeks Mobile World Congress.

Verizon Wireless Set to Offer "Friends and Family" Plans

Verizon has announced that beginning February 15, they would be offering new plans that are similar to the service offered by the now Verizon owned Alltel, which has always offered the "My Circle Plan." 

Verizon will call their version the "Friends and Family Plan," and will be able to pick 5 or 10 numbers of friends or family, which will include landlines and numbers on other wireless networks, and the chosen numbers will not count against their monthly minutes. To get these new plans, customers must have a single line plan with at least 900 minutes (the 60 bucks a month plan) or a family share plan with at least 1,400 minutes (the 90 bucks a month plan.) And just like Alltel, the numbers in customers "circle" can change monthly, in case they want to use a new number or kick an old one out. 

Verizon once again keeps offering more and more options, and this one will definitely make more than a few people happy, since now they can save on minutes by saving when talking to the people they talk to most, and less worry about adding more and more minutes to accommodate their situation.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Amazon Bringing Kindle Services to Cell Phones

Amazon.com recently announced that they would be expanding their Kindle services, which bring e-books to their Kindle reader, to be available to mobile phones. 

Word has it that an application may be downloaded on mobile devices, which will enable users to read kindle e-books on their phone. Amazon spokesperson Drew Herdener had this to say in the NY Times: "Also Thursday, Amazon said that it was working on making the titles for its popular e-book reader, the Kindle, available on a variety of mobile phones. The company, which is expected to unveil a new version of the Kindle next week, did not say when Kindle titles would be available on mobile phones. 

“We are excited to make Kindle books available on a range of mobile phones,” said Drew Herdener, a spokesman for Amazon. “We are working on that now” So another big expansion for mobile phones, that will no doubt gain popularity of e-books, being many mobile phone users will be able to carry books with them wherever they go.

Verizon Now Offers Location Based Weather Alerts

Verizon recently unveiled their latest service offering in the form of a location based weather alert system that will combine data from the National Weather Service with Weatherbug's national sensor service. The service will use GPS and location information to see where the user is, and will issue an alert via text message if they are currently in an area in threat of tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, or other inclement or dangerous weather conditions.  

Weatherbug can be downloaded directly to a user's phone, and requires a $5.99 a month subscription. This is another step forward for technology, as users can feel they will be notified of weather danger, and will probably lead to future systems that can alert people of any dangers or urgent news via their phone, and the cell phone will keep on progressing in becoming the "everything device" that it has already has become in numerous ways.