Mother's Day Special - Free shipping from TracFone

TracFone is also having a special. Get FREE SHIPPING on all offers of $19.99 or more at TracFone.com.

Now it's just a matter of finding a cell phone over $19.99.

It jus so happens that TracFone is also offering the Motorola v176, but for $59.99. Here are the specs:

• Features text messaging, voice mail, free caller ID, free call waiting*
• Color display with screen savers and wallpaper
• Battery talk time over 6 hours and standby time up to 12.5 days
• Pre-loaded ringtones
• Handsfree speaker phone built-in
• Multimedia Games
• Weighs just 3.06 ounces
• Alarm clock
• TracFone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left, so you control your costs
• Includes up to 20 minutes of starter airtime upon activation**

* Caller ID and call waiting may not be available in analog service areas or outside your local calling area.

** In order to qualify, simply activate your TracFone on the Web at TracFone.com and register your e-mail address while you're there.

From the previous post, Net 10 offers this phone for $89.99. The difference is 300 minutes (Net 10) vs. 20 minutes (TracFone). Of course, there are other choices to look at.



Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, TracFone, Motorola v176, prepaid cellphone, Mother's Day cell phone promotion

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Mother's Day Special - Free Shipping at Net 10

In an earlier post, Net 10 was one of the carriers that I listed as a possible vendor for prepaid cellphones. They are having a Mother's Day special for FREE shipping on orders $19.99 or more.
But what's worthwhile at $19.99+? Here's a couple of choices:

Right at $19.99 is a reconditoned cell phone, Nokia 1100 .


It has the following:

Stores up to 50 names and numbers

One touch dialing

Battery talk time up to 3 hours and standby time up to 16 days

Changeable color covers

Built-in games, calculator and clock with alarm

Built-in flashlight

Multi-language support

Vibrating alert

Includes 300 minutes of airtime, 60 days of service

Not bad. It's a very basic phone. I'd buy it for personal use, but not if I'm giving a gift for my mom.


Now, depending on your state, something that's can payoff in a longer term is a Motorola v176 for $89.99.

It has the following:

Features text messaging, voice mail, free caller ID, free call waiting*

Color display with screen savers and wallpaper

Handsfree speaker phone built-in

Phonebook with up to 250 entries

Battery talk time over 6 hours

Standby time up to 12.5 days

Pre-loaded ringtones

Multi-media Games

Alarm clock

Weighs just 3.06 ounces

Includes 300 minutes of airtime, 60 days of service

I mentioned that this would payoff for a longer term because of the handsfree speaker. The handsfree speaker can be a poorman's handsfree devices as you drive when certain laws restricting cell phones in cars are passed. You'll just have to shut the windows.

There are a handful of other choices. The promotion is only good till May 13, 2007.

Get Free Shipping on orders of $19.99 or more at Net10.com!



Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, Net 10, Nokia 1100, Motorola v176, Mother's Day promotion, prepaid cell phone

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enV and UpStage -- alternative to iPhone? pt.2

(link to pt1)

Samsung UpStage

Music continues to dominate our lives. Maybe because listening to music is a choice that we personally make, only limited by a handful of restrictions, mainly the lack of music at the time we want it. The convergence of cell phones and walkmans (iPods for the hipper crowd) chips away at another restriction for instant music satisfaction. You shall no longer be inconvenienced with carrying 2 gadgets (cell phone or iPod) when you jog, grocery shop, etc. Most of us just carries our cell phones, neglecting iPods for more leisurely time. But if the cell phone also plays music as well, we will use it.

Meet the new Samsung UpStage, a two-sided mobile device that's both a phone and a music player.

• Music can be downloaded from your PC or from the Sprint Music StoreSM - then listen to it all through the stereo speaker or a stereo Bluetooth headset
• With the big, beautiful, 262,000-color display so you can watch music videos or Sprint TVSM. Just hit "play.
• The UpStage has a sweet 1.3 megapixel camera and camcorder so you'll never miss a photo op again
• Connecting to Bluetooth-enabled headsets, hands free car systems and compatible printers sounds good, doesn't it? Well, connecting to your music with a stereo Bluetooth headset sounds even better

The Samsung UpStage is very convenient to carry around at only 0.4 inches thick. To be exact, the weight and dimensions are 4.1 x 1.7 x 0.4 inches; 2.6 ounces.

Be sure to read customer reviews. They caution on the inconvenience of having a 2-sided cell phone. Mainly, it's bothersome having to flip the phone around when dialing because the touchpad is on the other side of the screen (see above).





As of April 2007, the UpStage is heavily promoted with a new plan purchase that will make it FREE to you after rebates.



Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, Sprint, Samsung UpStage, iPhone alternative

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enV and UpStage -- alternative to iPhone? pt1

In anticipation of the iPhone's debut, two companies released their own entry in the "next evolution" of mobile technology. The Samsung UpStage through Sprint and LG enV through Verizon are here as alternative to iPhones for those who aren't presold to the iPhone yet.

Both companies are aggressively pursuing the market through incentives and bonus. Their rebates are practically giving these phones away.


LG enV (Verizon)



Forget for a second that this is a nice phone. The LG enV gives you access to all kinds of multimedia functions that could make PCs extinct.

Inside the fold, you get:
- a QWERTY keypad with
- a large screen (240x320 pix) screen for viewing CNN, ESPN, or E channel programs from Verizon's VCast. Sesame Street is also available for kids.

The video transmission is well-supported by Verizon's EVDO high speed data. Which makes playing enhanced 3D games a great experience.

The slim packaging is not too shabby either. It's about the size of a standard iPod. Which by the way, the enV comes with
- an advanced MP3 player and
- dual stereo speakers.




Remember my post on cell phone bans while driving? The LG enV is completely hands free ready:
- voice command activation for many of the phone's function, including dialing
- text-to-speech ability so that you may hear emails to you, and
- Bluetooth enabled so that you can use your favorite headsets.

Lastly, the camera can capture videos for about 15 secs. The camera also has a 2 mega pix resolution.


As of 4/13/07, there's a mail-in rebate for $150 USD which would eventually give you the phone for free. Don't forget to read the reviews. There are plenty from Amazon customers.

I noticed a negative review worth mentioning, but it's regarding the rebates.

Hence, I'm including a link to LetsTalk.com as an alternative. This site also has rebates that would eventually be FREE to you. More importantly, LetsTalk.com has an order / rebate status page for easier management.


LG enV (Verizon Wireless)

Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, Verizon, LG enV, iPhone alternative, free cellphone

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US Cell Phone Car Bans

The prior post reference on state law restrictions on the use of cell phones while driving triggered a new post -- US Cell Phone Bans while driving!

First, here's the link to the Governors Highway Safety Association consolidating the state laws in one place. As of Mar 2007, the highlights are as follows:

• Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have special cell phone restrictions for novice drivers.
• School bus drivers in 12 states are prohibited from all cell phone use when passengers are present, except for in emergencies.
• No state completely bans all types of cellphone use (handheld and hands-free) while driving.
• Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia have enacted jurisdiction-wide bans on driving while talking on handheld cell phones. California has passed a similar law that will go into affect in July, 2008. Many other states ban cell phone use in specific situations.
• Some states, such as Utah and New Hampshire, treat cell phone use as a larger "distracted driving" issue.
• Because there are few studies and little crash data available, states are beginning to take a more active role in improving data collection. DeKalb County, Georgia has begun sanctioning drivers whose "improper" usage of a mobile phone was a "contributing factor" in a collision causing death, injury or damage. The law is likely the first of its kind in Georgia and perhaps elsewhere.

Of all the states and jurisdictions, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, District of Columbia, and California require or will require the use of hands free devices while driving except for emergencies.

So what are these hands free devices? Headsets or earphones are probably the easiest way to describe hands free devices. These can be purchased as added accessories. Hands free devices can be as simple as earphones with mics that can be plugged into most cell phones, such as the Samsung Handsfree Headset for Most Devices (pictured below).

More and more, recent trends in the consumer market refer to hands free devices as from the Bluetooth line of technology for wireless use. This means that you can buy car kits for hands free use of your cell phone while driving. The choices range from car use only to portable use at home/office or elsewhere.

For example,VXI CORPORATION has the B150 Bluetooth Headset and Charger for Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and PC. It comes with the following simple setup:

• a car battery charger,
• 30' receiving range from BlueParrott base,
• noise canceling microphone to reduce background noise,
• vehicle charging cord and AC adaptor

It garners some great reviews from truckers. They credit the noise reduction capability.

I'll review other hands free devices in future posts. The ones here should be a good introduction to the technology. The possible penalty is around $50 USD per infraction.

Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, hands free device, cell phone driving ban, Bluetooth car kit, VXI B150

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Cell Blogs - April 2007

From time-to-time, I'll hunt for articles, tips, and opinions by other bloggers on cell phones. I'm hoping to do this at least once a month, but could be more depending on materials that I can find out there:

• My Ringer Plays "Who Can it Be Now" - a post from www.workshak.com. Jill, the owner/author of Workshak, dedicates her site to the home and all things about the home. She wrote a great post on saving money when buying a cellphone. She has a link to tips from ex T-Mobile reps on buying cell phones. It gives great insider advices. She has many articles that are worth reading.

• Custom Made Coffins Do you want a coffin that... - here's a funny one. You should be able to reach out and touch someone...from the other side.

• THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO. - gives some practical tips on how to use your cell phone in emergency situations, including when you lock yourself out of your car. I particularly like the tip on 411 dials. Gotta remember 1 (800) FREE-411.

If you have any posts that you want to suggest, let me know in the comments.

Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, cellphone tips, cell phone tips

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Samsung SCH-u340 (Verizon)

A scene from "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986):

[faced with a 20th century computer]
Scotty: Computer. Computer?
[Bones hands him a mouse and he speaks into it]
Scotty: Hello, computer.
Dr. Nichols: Just use the keyboard.
Scotty: Keyboard. How quaint.

I always thought that some things from sci-fi movies eventually become reality. In one of the Star Trek films, the crew of the Enterprise travelled back in time to save the Earth. In one scene, Scotty, the engineer from the future, was trying to use a 20th century computer (an Apple Mac of all things) by simply giving it a voice command. When the computer wouldn't respond, Bones picked up the mouse and handed it to Scotty to speak into. It was a classic scene that remained burned in my head.

Twenty years later, voice commands seem to be nearing practical stages that it permeates everyday use. Because of the "No-cell-phone-while-driving" laws being passed by many state and local governments, voice activation should really be considered by cellphone users or face stiff penalty. I'd be really embarassed if I get a ticket because I was dialing my cell phone while driving. And would feel like a complete loser if I get in an accident as I dialed.

Here's the Samsung SCH-u340 - a cell phone with voice activated commands. It can be dialed using only your voice. I'm sure there are other cell phones out there that have the same features, but it might cost you money even after rebates. The SCH-u340 will cost you $0.01 from Amazon if purchased with a Verizon plan, shipping included.

Here are the quick specs for the techy minded:

• Integrated VGA Digital Camera to capture those unexpected moments
• Integrated Speakerphone for conference calls or hands free operation
• Personal Organizer: Calendar w/ Scheduler, Note Pad
• Phone book with up to 500 Entries with multiple contacts
• Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4/T4

Don't forget to read reviews.

You can browse for more free promotional or cell phones for $0.01 from Verizon or buy the Samsung SCH-u340.

Happy hunting!

Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, Verizon, Samsung SCH-u340, voice activated phone, hands free phone

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Prepaid cellphones, pt 2 - Guide to buy

Link to Prepaid cellphones, pt 1

Where to buy pre-paid cell phones

Unlike a contract phone where the most important factor for buying is the features of a particular cell phone, prepaid cell phones require a more sensible approach. The most important factor is probably cost. Since the phone is likely to be a one-time purchase (unless it breaks and sometimes it's free with a promotion), then it is best to compare the price per minute of the phone cards. Of course, this may change over time, but you gotta start somewhere.

Available vendors.

	Lowest Card (USD)	Minutes	$$$/Min	Service Date
Net10	$30	300	$0.10	60 days
TracFone	$19.99	60	$0.33	90 days
Cingular	$15	60	$0.25	30 days
Boost Mobile	$20	varies-day, eve minutes	$0.10 - $0.20	monthly service
US Cellular	$25	100	$0.25	monthly service
Amp'd Mobile	$20	200	$0.20	60 days

Things to consider

1) Not all cellphone plan carrier serves every area. As an example, US Cellular is not one of my options because they don't cover Southern California as of this date.

2) You have to buy the cellphone upfront. Unlike contract plans where the cost of the phone can be buried in the service agreement for payment over time, prepaid phones will cost you anywhere from $50.00 and up for the phone.

3) Be sure to add minutes to your phone before the expiration of the service dates. In prepaid phones, you're leasing the phone number that's assigned to you. If you let it expire, that phone number can be assigned to someone else; you can re-subscribe, but you'll get a different number. Adding minutes before the service date expires keeps the phone number in your name.

Suggestions

Reviewing the above options for cell phone vendors, the most widely available carrier seems to be TracFone. Their 90 days service date also makes a lot of sense for me since I do not intend to use the cell phone a lot. At $0.33/minute, TracFone seems to be the most expensive of all the vendors above. However, if I purchase 120 min for $29.99, the rate drops to $0.25/min. Additionally, there's also an option for 400 min for 1 year. Tracfone also runs a promotion from time to time. Currently they have buy a 1 Year Card and get 50 bonus minutes and a FREE phone.

Technorati Tags: cellphone, cell phone, Cingular, Net 10, TracFone, Boost Mobile, US Cellular, Amp'd Mobile, prepaid cellphone

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