by Michelle D on July 3, 2009
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Everyone has an opinion about which smartphone is the best one on the market. It usually boils down to a mixture of brand familiarity, personal experience with a handset and/or wireless carrier, functionality preferences, and sometimes a particularly bad experience with one or more of the above. No matter what your favorite is or why, Consumer Reports says the best smartphone available right now is the iPhone 3GS.
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by Joe P on July 2, 2009
If your place of employment offers you a discount on your wireless bill, you might want to look a bit deeper into that, especially if it’s AT&T. They have a new policy in place which puts a dent in those savings. Instead of just signing up with your employer and saving, you’ll have to pay a $36 Sponsorship Fee. While this doesn’t completely negate the discount, it does make it a lot less useful. Hopefully you’re in it for the long haul, so that $36 fee turns into just a fraction of what you’ve saved with the company discount.
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by Michelle D on July 1, 2009
Back in February, we told you about an exciting development that came out of the GSMA Mobile World Congress. Numerous handset makers agreed to begin producing phones that use a universal charger powered by micro-USB technology. At that time, Apple was conspicuously absent from the list of participating handset makers. Until now.
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by Joe P on June 30, 2009
Thinking about buying a smartphone sometime soon? Good. There are a number of quality options, and the quantity is growing by the month. Plus, because of the popularity of gadget blogs, we usually know what’s on the near, and even sometimes distant, horizon, so it’s even easier to plan for the device you really want. The operative word in the preceding sentence is “plan,” something many smartphone purchasers neglect to do prior to laying down $200 for their phone. There are so many costs of ownership, and it’s important to take everything into account before making a purchase. After all, you’re making a two-year commitment, so you’re best off knowing exactly what you’re getting into before taking the plunge.
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by Michelle D on June 29, 2009
A few weeks ago, we told you Verizon announced plans to carry several new phones, one of which is the Palm Pre. This was an aggressive move, particularly against Sprint because that company is hoping the Pre will bring it back from the brink of oblivion after the company has lost so many customers and is not doing well financially. Verizon has made good on another claim in their announcement—that they’ll also be launching the BlackBerry Tour. And once again, they’re going after Sprint by releasing the device a full week before Sprint does.
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by Michelle D on June 26, 2009
As smartphones become smarter and able to perform more functions, the need for other devices is continually diminished. No longer do we need to carry both a cell phone and a PDA. Smartphones function as phones, and as calendars. Although the games on cell phones don’t match the graphics and features available on hand held gaming devices, they’re getting better all the time and can still keep you entertained while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office, or riding the commuter train to work. Do you have a GPS navigational device in your car? Do you also have an iPhone? If so, you may not need the separate navigator anymore, either, with AT&T Navigator.
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by Joe P on June 25, 2009
Can satellites be used to supplement cell phone service? It appears TerreStar Networks and AT&T are going to find out. Word has it that they’ll put a satellite into orbit on July 1, and AT&T will start using it to supplement shortly thereafter. This will cover most of North America, including the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Those who purchase a TerreStar hybrid handset will be able to switch seamlessly between AT&T’s GSM network and the satellite service, allowing for a larger coverage area. There are plenty of benefits to satellite coverage, but it doesn’t come without a cost.
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by Michelle D on June 24, 2009
Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and several other smaller wireless carriers are banding together with consumer advocates to request the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cap fees charged for network connections they use to transfer voice and data for their customers. They argue that high fees are preventing them from expanding their services, thereby blocking President Obama’s goal of making high-speed Internet access available across the country. The companies that own the networks and charge those fees disagree. Who are they? AT&T and Verizon.
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by Joe P on June 23, 2009
by Michelle D on June 22, 2009
Nokia has taken the wireless concept to the next level. The wireless revolution began with radio, and then television, and has progressed over the decades to the cell phones almost everyone carries today. Smartphones don’t just make and receive calls. They connect to the Internet, allowing users to send and receive e-mail, peruse any number of Web sites, and even keep up with friends via social media sites. If Nokia is successful, phones may soon be able to recharge without being plugged into either a computer or an outlet.
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It feels like just yesterday that we heard about 
