TeleNav is a car navigation system in your phone

By Mike McGuff

Have you ever seen the commercial where a man is driving a car and feels that he is falling in love with the voice in his vehicle's navigation system? I had a similar experience, but it was only more of an affair since I have to give the unit back to the company.

Over the last few weeks, I've been testing TeleNav's GPS Navigator v5.2 on a Samsung m610 through Sprint, but the service is available on most phone companies.

That's right, this is a navigation system on a cell phone. The company sent me a mount for the windshield that could hold the phone while I drove.

The program was easy to launch and within minutes I was being told where to go. All I had to do was enter my destination, which was La Marque's football stadium on the first run, and TeleNav located my starting point with its GPS system.

Then I was off. A pleasant female voice told me where to turn and which roads to take. That is accompanied by a display that shows where you are and going on a map.

What's the advantage of using a cell phone based navigation versus one that is not connected to a service? Real time data is the answer. TeleNav scanned the freeways and looked for traffic. In Houston, that didn't take long to find. The service told me how many miles till the congestion and to press '0' to find an alternate route.

Another cool feature is a countdown in miles to your destination plus an estimated time of arrival which during my tests was always pretty much dead on.

I am a native Houstonian. That's not me bragging, but telling you that I know the roads around here pretty well. I know when the freeways will have a lot of traffic. This kind of experience cannot yet be captured by a navigation system.

What I am trying to say is there were a few directions the system gave me that I did not agree with. That's cool, because if you go your own route, TeleNav reorients itself and continues on your current path to the destination.

An another trip we were trying to go to a new barbecue joint in Spring. The navigation told us to exit the freeway miles before the destination. Then it told us to get back on the freeway only to exit again for the restaurant that was located right on I-45. In all fairness, this is a new location and Google Maps could not even locate it. While sending us on a strange path, it did tell us how to ultimately get there.

TeleNav will cost you around $9.99 a month. Also consider the data usage charge your company would charge for use of a Web application. Another consideration is the cost of your phone's batteries power if you are on a long trip.

This system would be overkill for a driver who goes to the same spots every day. However if you are new to a city, it could be a lifesaver.

Bill makes Do Not Call listings last forever

7 ON YOUR SIDE

Oct. 31, 2007 - KGO - Most people don't like telemarketers bothering them at home, so much so that millions have put their names on the national Do Not Call registry. As a result, unwanted calls are way down. But what about the federal government's plan to take everyone off the registry next June?

If you listen real carefully, you can hear a new sound in Nick's home. It's the sound of his telephone not ringing. Nick says it's a big change from those noisy days before the Do Not Call registry.

"The telephone was ringing off the hook, one, two three times a night. It would get more frustrating and I'd get madder and madder," says Nick.

Then he signed up for the national Do Not Call registry. That's the federal government list of all those who don't want telemarketers calling them during the dinner hour or any other time.

"The number of calls went drastically way down and literally disappeared," says Nick.

So Nick was really happy when he found out his name won't be yanked off the Do Not Call list and neither will anybody else's.

The Federal Trade Commission just announced it will keep all current phone numbers on that list instead of making everybody re-register next June as was originally planned.

"We haven't heard from anyone who actually wants to receive more telemarketing calls or wants to have their name on a please call me list," says Joe Ridout with Consumer Action.

Consumer advocate Joe Ridout says it's the best news since the registry was started in 2003. Like Nick, he thinks it's working.

"For most people on this registry, it's been a great relief and they've been relatively free of telemarketing calls," says Ridout.

Right now Congress is deciding whether to make the registry permanent. Being on the list means telemarketers can't call you unless they represent a charity, political group or a business you've done business with.

Telemarketers can be fined up to $11,000 dollars per violation.

The Federal Trade Commissions says 145 million people are on the registry -- that's three quarters of all phone users. Ninety-two percent of people surveyed said their calls have gone way down.

The FTC has prosecuted 27 telemarketers for violating the law. The biggest case was a $5.3 million settlement against companies selling satellite TV subscriptions.

"The Do Not Call registry is not a perfect cure for receiving unwanted calls. If you have an established business relationship with a company, they do have the right to keep calling you," says Ridout.

Joe Ridout says the law is effective, but some unwanted calls still do filter through.

"Try to avoid giving them your phone number because once you do they can call you with unsolicited advertisements or sell it to some of their affiliates," says Ridout.

Nick says, just lately, he has been getting a few unwanted calls.

"Only within the last couple of months did one or two calls a week come sneaking through again as if they're trying to get around the law somehow," says Nick.

But for the most part, Nick's enjoying his evenings at home, and can even play his grand piano without any interruption.

If you want to put yourself on the Do Not Call list, visit the National Do Not Call Registry.

Copyright 2007, ABC7/KGO-TV/DT.

Time picks iPhone as invention of year

The most talked-about cell phone is getting more juice for the jabber. Time magazine has named the iPhone "Invention of the Year."

   Apple Inc.'s latest darling topped dozens of other creations
that made leaps in environmentally friendly technology, molecular
science, robotics or military uses. The photogenic personality of
the sleek, hybrid cell phone-iPod media player didn't hurt either.

   "Intel's 45-nanometer (parts for chips) -- that's a serious
deal, but it's a lot less glamorous than the iPhone even though
it's important," said Lev Grossman, a Time staff writer who covers
technology and helped select the magazine's annual honorees.

   Yet the gadget's celebrity chic was not the core reason,
according to Grossman's story, which appears in Friday's issue.

   The iPhone's design and beauty contribute to its appeal, but its
functionality and features are what gets people talking. The
features themselves may not be groundbreaking, but the way in which
Apple presents them is.

   Take the iPhone's touch screen. Apple neither invented nor
reinvented the technology, Grossman contends, but "Apple knew what
to do with it."

   The wide-ranging impact of the iPhone -- on the cell phone
industry and how it will evolve into an ever more useful handheld
computer -- is only beginning, he concludes.

   Last year's winning invention was the online video site YouTube.

   (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

Answer for cell phone signal problem

Sherry wrote the Consumer Blog about her cell phone reception problem:

I have a question about cell phone companies not being able to provide service?? AT&T in Alvin is horrible! We have been having dropped calls for 2 weeks. We call and they say it is a tower problem! Was even told it would be fixed in hour last week. NOT!!! Any suggestions to get some help? 

We went straight to AT&T and got an answer from spokesperson Dan Feldstein:

An intermittent problem with fiber optic equipment leading to one cell tower in Alvin was repaired this morning and will be closely monitored for the next 48 hours. AT&T sincerely apologizes to customers who may have experienced some difficulty with their wireless phone service in the Alvin area.

Have a problem.  Email us.

Sprint to sell touch-screen phone

Between the iPhone and other offerings, touch screens are the big new thing in cell phones ahead of the holiday season.

Sprint Nextel says it is jumping into the competition by with the Touch by HTC. Like Apple's iPhone, the smart phone has only a few buttons, designed to be controlled by touching the screen.

The Touch will go on sale November 4th for $250 with a two-year contract.

Sprint is the third of the three largest U.S. wireless carriers to introduce a wireless phone with a large touch screen.

The iPhone was launched this summer, exclusive to AT&T.

Verizon Wireless said two weeks ago that it would introduce the LG Voyager in time for Thanksgiving.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Find phone numbers in a cell phone directory, plus how to opt out

Today Action 13 Consumer Reporter Jeff Ehling showed us a cell phone directory that could have your mobile number.   

The company behind the site says the list has about 40% of cell numbers and can help  you track someone down.  There is a cost associated with the service, if you'd like to see it for yourself, check out www.intelius.com/phone-search-name.html.

But what if you don't want your number in the directory?  You can opt out.

Intelius fax number: (425) 974-6194

Intelius, Inc.
Attn: CUSTOMER SERVICE
500 – 108th Ave NE #1660
Bellevue, WA 98004

Here are more directions to opt out.

No more having to extend wireless contract

AT&T told us it has changed two policies for its customers:

Beginning in November, customers who change to any one of the company’s standard wireless calling plans during the course of their contract will no longer be required to extend their current contract or enter into a new one.

In addition, those customers who choose to exit their contract early will no longer be required to pay a flat early termination fee. Instead, that fee will be progressively lowered during the term of the contract. Beginning early in 2008, this early-termination policy will apply to new and renewing wireless customers who sign one- or two-year service agreements. More details will be forthcoming at that time.

Using a PC to control your mobile web experience

If your mobile phone doesn’t have a keyboard, it can be difficult for some to use the mobile web.

AT&T is trying to change this for its customers with My MEdia Net.  It’s a new service that lets customers set up their mobile web experience from a PC. 

  That means that customers can add content to their mobile web home page from stock quotes or weather updates to bookmarked sites. When the user adds content to their account from a PC, the changes are automatically synched to the phone.

“This easy personalization process will help increase the use of wireless data services as consumers become increasingly more dependent on wireless technology for information while they’re on the go,” said Mark Collins, vice president, consumer data for AT&T’s wireless unit.

The company says the service is available now at no charge.

New free directory assistance with ads

AT&T sent The Consumer Blog this release on a new directory service it is offering:

AT&T Inc. has announced the launch of a new directory assistance service available immediately in Texas. The service, AT&T 1-800-YellowPages, gives consumers free access to business listings while providing advertisers the opportunity to reach buyers at a critical moment in their purchasing decisions.

The new service, which was launched in California and across the Southeast earlier this year, now enables callers who dial 1-800-YellowPages (1-800-935-5697) from area codes within Texas to receive a listing for a specific business — or listings for a type or category of business — at no cost. Callers will hear short audio ads before receiving the business number or, when available, before being connected directly to the business that they select. The service is accessible from landline and wireless phones.

Will you listen to ads just to get free directory listings over the phone?

AT&T's Tilt promises to be a feature packed phone

Just when you thought the wireless companies couldn't pack anymore features into a mobile phone, they somehow top themselves.

  Friday, AT&T launches the Tilt which they say is the most feature-packed smart device available in the United States.  Based on the specs, that might be the truth.

This Windows Mobile 6 smart device features a slide-out QWERTY keypad, a 2.8-inch color screen and a three megapixel camera. It also allows up to six Bluetooth 2.0 devices to be wirelessly connected simultaneously with stereo support.  Then there is the TeleNav GPS Navigator which offers turn-by-turn voice and on-screen driving or walking directions.

The hard charging business crowd might like the BlackBerry e-mail service, while the kids could be more interested in the games like Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, Ms. PAC-MAN and Brain Challenge.

  The Tilt will connect through both 3G and Wi-Fi networks.  It will run you around $300 with a promotional offer and is available through AT&T October 5th.

Verizon offering iPhone lookalike

With an eye toward the holidays, Verizon Wireless is launching a cell phone that looks a lot like the hottest phone so far this year: Apple's iPhone.

The LG Voyager features a large touch screen, a camera and extensive multimedia, Web browsing and e-mail capabilities.

However, it one-ups the iPhone by folding open lengthwise to reveal a QWERTY keyboard and a second, non-touch sensitive screen. The lack of a hardware keyboard has been one of the main complaints about the iPhone.

The Voyager will connect to Verizon Wireless' latest data network, providing speeds much higher than the AT&T network the iPhone uses. The Voyager also has direct access to Verizon Wireless' online music store.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Here are other phones that Verizon Wireless let us know the company is introducing:

Juke In October, music lovers will flip - literally - with this mp3 device from Samsung that keeps the music coming with favorite tunes and a new rotate-to-open design. Available in bright red, teal and dark blue, the switch-blade styled Juke is exclusive to Verizon Wireless and perfect for the fashion-conscious music fan. Customers can choose from more than 2 millions songs in V CAST Music to keep you rockin' and rollin'.

Venus Exclusively from Verizon Wireless, the Venus from LG will turn heads with its sleek design, color touch screen display and a unique slider function that reveals the keypad. Available in black or pink, the phone includes a 2.0 mega pixel camera, speaker phone and Bluetooth and provides access to V CAST Get It Now applications. Touch screens get more responsive with the Venus and America’s Most Reliable Wireless Network in November.

Voyager Sure to be popular with the trendsetters, the high-end Voyager from LG features a smooth, touch-screen display that flips open to reveal a QWERTY keypad for quick texting. Available in November exclusively from Verizon Wireless, the device is equipped with a 2.0 megapixel camera and is Bluetooth capable. The Voyager also provides access to V CAST Music, V CAST Mobile TV and VZ Navigator.

BlackBerry Pearl Verizon Wireless gives charismatic executives a sleeker, faster way to stay connected with the new silver BlackBerry Pearl from RIM - the first high-speed, 3G Pearl, with expandable memory up to 4GB and a 2.0 megapixel camera. This November, the ultra-capable Pearl gets a turbo boost on the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network.

Do Not Call list to expire

The cherished dinner hour void of telemarketers could vanish next year for millions of people when phone numbers begin dropping off the national Do Not Call list.

The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees the list, says there is a simple fix. But some lawmakers think it is a hassle to expect people to re-register their phone numbers every five years.

Numbers placed on the registry, begun in June 2003, are valid for five years. For the millions of people who signed onto the list in its early days, their numbers will automatically drop off beginning next June if they do not enroll again.

"It is incredibly quick and easy to do," Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's bureau of consumer protection, said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "It was so easy for people to sign up in the first instance. It will be just as easy for them to re-up."

But Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., says people should not be forced to re-register to keep telemarketers at bay. Doyle introduced legislation this week, with bipartisan support, to make registrations permanent.

"When someone takes the time and effort to say 'I don't want these kinds of calls coming into my house,' they shouldn't have to keep a calendar to find out when they have to re-up to keep this nuisance from happening," Doyle said in an interview.

The FTC built the five-year expiration date into the program to account for changes, such as people who move and switch their phone number.

"Just like a regular person who needs to clean out their address book every so often, the commission felt that was something that was important to do with the registry," explained Parnes.

Doyle, however, points out that the list is purged each month of numbers that have been disconnected and reassigned to new customers. He called the FTC's position on the need for an expiration date "completely bogus."

People can register their home and cell phone numbers or file complaints at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

The registry prohibits telemarketers from calling phone numbers on the list. Companies face fines of up to $11,000 for each violation.

Organizations engaged in charitable, political or survey work are exempt. Companies that have an established business relationship with a customer also may call for up to 18 months after the last purchase, payment or delivery.

In the first week of the program, people signed up 18 million numbers. The registry now has more than 149 million phone numbers.

"I think it's fantastic," said Bonnie Darling of Arlington, Va. Darling placed her name on the list this year after being flooded with calls from roofing companies, chimney sweeps and construction businesses. She has not heard from those companies in months.

Darling is not worried about the five-year expiration. She said she expects it to be just as easy to register as it was a couple months ago.

But Eileen Feldman of Needham, Mass., thinks the expiration date is "ridiculous."

"If you wanted to keep your numbers on there for a lifetime, you should have that option," said Feldman, who placed her phone number on the registry when the program first began. "There's no reason I should need to remember to register every five years."

The FTC plans a consumer education program next spring on the re-registration process.

While polls have shown consumers reporting far fewer unwanted phone calls, some telemarketers continue to violate the law.

Since the registry began, the government has filed cases against more than 30 companies, resulting in $8.8 million in civil penalties and $8.6 million in redress to consumers and forfeitures.

Most of the penalties were paid by satellite television provider DirecTV Inc., as part of the largest settlement in the program's history.

DirecTV agreed to pay $5.3 million in December 2005 to settle charges that it and several telemarketing companies it hired had called numbers on the list. The company said then that it had stopped working with those telemarketers and taken steps to avoid calling numbers on the list.

Telemarketers are required to pay an annual subscription fee to access the FTC list so those numbers can be blocked from their dial-out programs. The companies also must update their own calling lists every 31 days to ensure there are no numbers from the registry on them.

The annual subscription fee for the list costs $62 for each area code, with a maximum cost of $17,050 for access to all U.S. numbers on the list.

The FTC reported this year that 6,824 companies and other entities paid $21.7 million in fees to access the database in fiscal year 2006. All told, 15,218 entities have paid $59 million in fees to access the database since the program's inception.

Most of the fees charged by the government are used to support the Do Not Call program.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

iPhone review

I recently got my hands on an iPhone and wrote a review so please check it out.  After using one for a while, I wondered what an iPhone owner who bought the device on the first day they went on sale thought now. So I went to iPhone owner, the High Tech Texan, Michael Garfield to find out. 

What do you like most about your iPhone?
The human interface is revolutionary.  Leave it to Apple to reinvent the way people interact with gadgets.  The fact that is doesn’t have a physical keyboard with small letter and number buttons is a first for this type of device.  No doubt that other cell phone manufacturers from Motorola to Nokia will be incorporating the glass touch-screen and similar features into their new units.

What have you found that you use it a lot for? One of those, I can't believe   I ever lived without this pre-iPhone...
I actually use my iPhone in place of my old Blackberry; and that’s saying a lot.  I never thought I could function without my Blackberry but the iPhone delivers email almost as well.  But it’s the larger and crisper display on the iPhone that makes it easier to read email, attachments and photos.  I also think Apple hit a home run with its visual voice mail.  That is really a revolutionary feature that will make its way to other cell phones soon.  

What could be improved on the iPhone?
Where do I start?  This is the first version so there are many things that can be improved on future models; some of which Apple planned intentionally so they can soon bring out newer models with more bells-and-whistles.  It would be nice to be able to surf the Web faster but that’s more of an AT&T issue than any design flaw on the phone itself.  A search feature needs to be added across the platform as hunting for a specific contact or email is time consuming.  And the simplest thing I would like to see is a small LED alert light that can flash to let you know that new voicemails and emails have arrived.

You can read Garf's original review here.

Coupons through your cell phone

By Mike McGuff

(9/13/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - Remember the days of clipping and organizing coupons? Well some modern thinking companies want you to forget about those days. Enter Houston-based WHAMtext. The company has launched what it calls an on-demand mobile marketplace that allows consumers to pull coupons directly to their cell phones via text message. What does that mean? You can get electronic discounts sent to your cell phones. The system works by texting the store or business using the service.

Say for example you wanted to order a pizza on a Friday night and wanted a discount. If that pizza place used the service, you would text something like "pizza" to GoWHAM (469426). WHAMtext's system would find the nearest participating pizza restaurant and send your mobile an electronic coupon.

In this day of nonstop ads, the company says it is not out to spam you. Jeff Lerner, WHAMtext's vice president of sales and marketing, says you only get what you send. If you don't send a text message, you won't keep receiving promotion offers forever.

"It simply allows the user to get coupons on an on-demand basis," Lerner said. "You will never receive a text message that you didn't directly request."

The company also promises never to sell your phone number to a third party marketer and there is no membership or monthly fee.

Consumers can tell if a business participates by looking for the "Powered by WHAMtext" symbol. The company says it is working with companies like Papa John's Pizza, Quizno's, Verizon Wireless and Baymont Inn.

Another Houston-based company offering a mobile marketing service is qtags. With qtags you can receive discount offers or more information about a business through your cell phone.

In a story from earlier this year, we explained that if you see an ad or product you're interested in and if it has a qtag, then you text message the product name to 78247. That spells out qtags. Next thing you know, you'll have a text message back with more information for the product on your phone. That also provides an account set up on the qtags web site that will save your searches so you can look them up later.

"So, let's say you're attending a sports game up in New York City, at one of the various stadiums," explained Allison Gower president and founder of qtags. "You may see them running recruiting ads, they're recruiting pretty heavily. They're running a 15 or 20 second spot telling people they're hiring and all throughout the spot they say, 'For more information, text NYPD to qtags.'

"[After texting] then immediately they get a message back to their phone with information, with the phone number, with a web link, so they've got it bookmarked."

Like WHAMtext, qtags costs nothing to use and promises to protect your personal information.

whamtext.com
qtags.com

Email me something to write about.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

To all iPhone customers

Last night we wrote about how some Apple customers were upset over the announced price drop of the iPhone after they forked over the old full price.  Steve Jobs has since written this letter:

I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.

First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone 'tent'. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.

Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you'll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.

Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.

Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned.

We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.

Steve Jobs
Apple CEO

Verizon Wirless releases The Coupe for the baby-boomer generation

We talk a lot about cell phones on this blog.  Why?  Because they have pretty much dominated our society at this point. 

Yesterday we featured one that targets kids and now we have news about one for the more seasoned cell phone user.

This week Verizon Wireless unveils The Coupe which offers:

• Dedicated keys -- Provide quick access to emergency contacts -- The Couple adds up to three numbers and a dedicated key for 911 calls.
• Easy and useful tools -- including a tip calculator, alarm clock, calendar and world clock to help customers who are on-the-go whether they are depositing checks at the bank, splitting a tab at a restaurant or need to know the time across the globe.
• Slim and Trim Design-- The Couple weighs 3.3 ounces and is 3.8" and 1.8" wide. It offers customers a larger font size, a separate speakerphone key and a streamlined user interface.
• Advanced Voice Recognition -- The Couple allows customers to quickly place a call using a name from their contacts or a number.

Verizon customers will pay $19.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. For customers 65 and older, Verizon Wireless also offers America's Choice 65 Plus calling plan.

The new iPhone price is not sitting well with old customers

So we told you about all of the new iPods that were announced today.  Another bit of news came from Apple today too.

The other news involved a drop in price of the iPhone.  The Business 2.0 blog has more:

Steve Jobs' casual announcement today that Apple (AAPL) was cutting the price of the 8GB iPhone by $200 is not going over well among customers who paid $599 for theirs. In fact, it has sparked an outright rebellion in the Apple support forums, where discussion threads filled with hate mail are piling up faster than Apple can delete them.

"The more the day goes by, the more furious I become," writes VSiskos in "1 Million People Slapped In The Face Today," one of the forums still standing.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!" adds graphicalliber425. " Somewhere in my heart I'm hoping, Apple's going to offer all of us an extended return policy, or a brand new iPod nano right?"

READ THE REST

AT&T releases Smart Limits to help you manage your kid's cell phone

Last year I was told by some folks that college kids don't use cell phones.  They were right and wrong. Of course college kids use cell phones, but we should also look down a few grades where even elementary school kids are using them.

That's why AT&T has put out a new service called Smart Limits for Wireless that lets you:

-Limit the number of minutes that their children can use a wireless phone.
-Set limits on text and instant messages.
-Establish a dollar amount for download purchases, such as ringtones and games.
-Control the time of day and days of the week that the phone can be used.
-Block calls and text messages to/from numbers they don’t approve.
Filter access to Internet content that is inappropriate for children.

This will help with safety and budget concerns.  We have done many stories where kids signed up for some stupid texting program or just plain texted too much and caused the parents to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it all!

AT&T shared some of the audio messages your child could get when they attempt to do something you have restricted.  A pleasant female voice tells them they cannon call this restricted number or make a call during a blocked time.

I understand that many Houston area school districts allow students to have cell phones in backpacks, but if they are being used on campus, there is trouble.  Looks like this service could render the phone useless during school hours.

Smart Limits is available for $4.99 a month for each line for AT&T wireless consumers who subscribe to a new or existing postpaid rate plan. No special handset is required.

The iPod rumors

The buzz around is that Apple will announce new iPods this week.  Rolling Stone has some of the rumors listed for your viewing pleasure.

I am testing out an iPhone right now and will have a report for you soon. 

Bulky iPhone bills land in mailboxes

When Pittsburgh-based blogger and freelance graphic designer Justine Ezarik discovered an inches-thick bulging envelope in her mailbox, she was initially excited by the prospect of receiving a gift. Instead, it was a 300-page iPhone service bill from AT&T, Ezarik's first monthly statement for the new and much-touted service.

"I was like, 'Oh, cool, I got a package,'" Ezarik told ABCNEWS.com. "I honestly had no idea it was my phone bill."

Ezarik is just one of many iPhone users who received itemized bills over the weekend, some of whom are amused at the bulk of the billing and annoyed by its wastefulness.

Unlike most cell phone bills, the statement for the iPhone, which was released at the end of June to unparalleled frenzy from gadget geeks across the country, itemizes every data item -- including every text message, every Internet log in and every e-mail.

For a heavy user like Ezarik -- she typically sends 30,000 text messages a month -- an itemized bill was incredibly long and heavy. The postage on her bill was $7.

'Hilarious'

"I thought it was hilarious," Ezarik said. "Prior to that, I had Sprint. I'd send 35,000 to 40,000 text messages and not even think anything of it."

Rob Enderle, a Silicon Valley tech analyst, calls the voluminous bills just another problem with the iPhone.

"The major problems that have caught up the iPhone have almost all come from AT&T," Enderle said, citing connection problems, customer support, coverage and "now bills that look like books."

"AT&T should get a new tagline -- use AT&T, kill a tree," he said.

But to Enderle, the biggest incentive for AT&T to change its itemized billing is financial.

"You would hope that a manager at AT&T is looking into this. It's a huge waste of money for them. It's not like this cost of paper is passed through the user. This is straight cost to AT&T," he said. "Not only is this costing more money, but it's pissing off users."

Itemized billing, however, is de rigueur at the company.

"What's happening with the iPhone is no different than what we find with any of other phones or plans," said Mark Siegel, AT&T's executive director of media relations. "When you use wireless data, whether it's to take a photo, send a photo, send an e-mail, whatever, you'll have that detail as well. There are people who want to see it."

Who's Default Is It?

Customers who don't want to see that amount of detail can simply call customer service and tell the company they want a simplified bill, Siegel said. Customers can also receive their bills online to eliminate a mailed bill altogether.

"Nothing unusual is going on here," he said.

But to Ben Kuchera, the gaming editor at tech news site Ars Technica, the company's billing "default" is just plain wasteful.

"If you were to sit there with Wi-Fi and be surfing, I can't even imagine what the bill would look like," he said. "A 30-page bill is a small one, and it just goes up from there, depending on what you do."

Kuchera, who calls himself a "light user," received his bill this weekend. It was 54 pages front and back, or 108 single pages. He uses his iPhone only to send text messages to his co-workers and to e-mail.

"The amount of paper that it is, it's really mindboggling," Kuchera said. "Even if it happens once or twice, it's a ridiculous amount of waste. Some people will be lazy," and not change the billing, "and that paper will go straight from [AT&T's] printers into their garbage can."

Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures

Nokia Corp. to replace batteries on request

Nokia Corp. warned Tuesday that up to 46 million batteries used in some of its cell phones could be faulty and pose a risk of overheating.

The advisory applies to batteries manufactured by Matsushita from December 2005 to November 2006, the world's largest mobile phone maker said. Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan is one of several suppliers that have together made some 300 million BL-5C batteries.

  The lithium-ion battery is one of 14 different types of battery used in Nokia phones.

Nokia said 100 incidents of overheating of the Matsushita-made BL-5C batteries have been reported worldwide, but added that "no serious injuries or property damage have been reported."

"Consumers with a BL-5C battery subject to this advisory should note that all of the approximately 100 incidents have occurred while charging the battery," the Finnish company said. "According to Nokia's knowledge this issue does not affect any other use of the mobile device."

Nokia did not recall the batteries, but said concerned customers could request a replacement for any BL-5C battery affected by the advisory.

Last year, Sony Corp. recalled more than 10 million laptops after it discovered that lithium-ion batteries used in them could overheat and catch fire. The recalls included notebooks made by other major computer makers, including Dell Inc., Lenovo Inc., Apple Inc. and Acer Inc.

Nokia sells products in 130 countries and employs 110,000 people worldwide. In the second quarter, it sold 100 million mobile devices, claiming a 38 percent share of the global market.

Nokia: nokia.com/batteryreplacement

   (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

 

VIDEO: A look at AT&T's Video Share

by Mike McGuff and Michael A. Carl

This week AT&T's Video Share became available in a 160 cities and here is your look at the service with AT&T's Dan Feldstein. What is it? It’s a service that lets you beam a live video signal from phone to phone.

Essentially you could be your own live on the scene reporter to your friends and family…as long as they have one of the phones capable of receiving it. Right now only four handsets can send and receive. The models are the LG CU500v, Samsung a717, Samsung a707 and the Samsung a727. You also need to be on the 3G network.

The video is 15 frames per second so it is fairly fluid. While we were taping this piece, the video share did cut off a couple of time and there was some video break up, but overall it worked pretty well. It seems very easy to video share with someone too.

After the initial cool factor wears off we wondered if and how people will use Video Share. Naturally it lends itself very well to live TV reports. Imagine a future where anyone can be at the scene of breaking news and transmit live video via the phone to the TV station. Right now the service only transmits phone to phone, but AT&T says it will eventually go to PCs and televisions. When you work in TV, you find that many people do not want to be on camera? Will that affect Video Share? Maybe. But this experience is more intimate so the fear of the camera might not be a factor.

There are two pricing plans available.

Video Share Starter
$4.99 a month gets you 25 minutes per month - it’s 30 cents per minute additional usage

Video Share Plus
$9.99 a month gets you 60 minutes per month – it’s 25 cents per minute additional usage

If you skip the plans you can pay 35 cents a minute for use. Video Share minutes are only charged to the sender. For both the Video Share service packages and pay-per-use option, both sender and receiver will be charged for any airtime usage and wireless minutes.

To see more on the service, click here.

RELATED:
See our video tour of the iPhone's features

The iphone can be hacked?

Looks like the iPhone honeymoon is over, now there are reports it can get hacked:

According to a security consulting firm, the iPhone can easily be taken control of by hackers, leaving your personal information out in the open.

According to the Maryland-based firm Independent Security Evaluators, hackers can take over an iPhone if a user accesses a Web site designed by the hacker. For example, an attacker can send an iPhone user an e-mail that says, "'Check this link out. It's great,'" Charles Miller, the firm's principal security analyst, told ABCNEWS.com.

If the user then clicks on the link to the site, the person controlling the site can access anything on the user's iPhone, including text messages, e-mails, phone numbers and address books. In other words, hackers can access "stuff you don't want people to know about," Miller said.

If hackers connect the server to a computer, as the security firm did, then they can download all of the information.

READ THE REST

PICS: What a smashed iPhone looks like...ouch

Nahom wrote into The Consumer Blog with some painful news. 

He dropped his iPhone and the screen cracked.

Ouch.  As he put it, he iCried.  I don't blame him.  I'd do the same.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICTURES

UPDATE:
What an iPhone vs a blender looks like...trust me, not pretty.

Sprint tells complaining customers take a hike

It may be the boldest customer service move in recent memory.  Sprint customers who complain too much are being told to leave.

   Sprint says the move to eliminate chronic complainers, will help everyone else get better customer service.  Some customers aren’t too thrilled with the idea.

   Sprint started sending letters to some of its customers in the last few days, basically telling them the company cannot resolve their issue and those customers now have to find a new wireless provider. (READ THE FULL STORY)

Sorry, but legal experts we talked to say you have a right to complain to a company. 

So we are providing a link to a site that helps you get through to an actual person at a company so you can tell them your troubles. 

Cool mobile phone news overlooked by iPhone

You probably heard from reading this blog and others that the iPhone came out last week.  Now The New York Times is reporting that another phone came out from T-Mobile that could deserve some attention too:

It’s called T-Mobile HotSpot @Home, and it’s absolutely ingenious. It could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year, and yet enrich T-Mobile at the same time. In the cellphone world, win-win plays like that are extremely rare.

Here’s the basic idea. If you’re willing to pay $10 a month on top of a regular T-Mobile voice plan, you get a special cellphone. When you’re out and about, it works like any other phone; calls eat up your monthly minutes as usual.

But when it’s in a Wi-Fi wireless Internet hot spot, this phone offers a huge bargain: all your calls are free. You use it and dial it the same as always — you still get call hold, caller ID, three-way calling and all the other features — but now your voice is carried by the Internet rather than the cellular airwaves.

These phones hand off your calls from Wi-Fi network to cell network seamlessly and automatically, without a single crackle or pop to punctuate the switch. As you walk out of a hot spot, fewer and fewer Wi-Fi signal bars appear on the screen, until — blink! — the T-Mobile network bars replace them. (The handoff as you move in the opposite direction, from the cell network into a hot spot, is also seamless, but takes slightly longer, about a minute.)

READ THE REST

Get spied on by your own cell phone with snoopware

A family in Washington swears they have a spy in their home and it's a cell phone:

The Kuykendall family in Fircrest, Wash., claims that a hacker has been stalking them for four months through their camera phones, using the microphones in the phones to listen to them and the cameras to watch. They say that even when they turn off the phones, the hacker can turn them back on.

READ MORE

Symantec mobile security expert Paul Miller talks to the Consumer Blog about this threat he says is very real.

Mike McGuff:  I’ve heard of spyware, but what is snoopware?
Paul Miller:  Like spyware, snoopware is malicious code developed and used by hackers, but on a cell phone.  People don’t seem to realize that a smartphone is essentially a mini PC, and is susceptible to similar threats and viruses as a computer.  Snoopware is a specific attack that targets phones by allowing the hacker to snoop on victims by controlling applications on the cell phone including the microphone, camera and voicemail.  This program is available to buy on the Internet and was originally marketed as a tool to catch cheating spouses, but has since been manipulated by virus writers as a way to capture personal information, usually for financial gain.

Mike McGuff:  How does a mobile device become infected?
Paul Miller:  Bluetooth is the most common avenue for infection.  A user with their phone on a detectable setting can pick up a virus or some malware from an infected phone within range.  Another method of infecting a phone with snoopware is when a hacker actually has physical possession of the phone and can manually upload the software.

Mike McGuff:  So someone can really take control of your phone and eavesdrop on you with the camera and microphone?
Paul Miller:  Yes, we have seen attacks where the microphone and the camera on a phone are hijacked just like applications on a PC, so people really are doing this.  We are seeing an increase in snoopware situations in the business world especially.  People looking to make money off information are utilizing this program to tap into the CFO’s boardroom or key meetings.  You can think of snoopware as putting a stranger in your bedroom and a competitor in your boardroom.

Mike McGuff:  What can we do to protect ourselves?
Paul Miller:  To protect yourself, turn off Bluetooth broadcasting and avoid accepting unknown connection requests or applications.

Symantec suggests you go here to learn more about how they can protect your mobile device.

Reviews mixed on hyped iPhone

KGO in San Fran says reviews are mixed on iPhone:

Chris Stevens, iPhone owner: "I had a staff meeting this morning. It was sitting on the conference table, and everyone came in, 'Who bought that? Whose is that?' That's mine. So that was fun."'

Getting your fingers on one can require patience or paying a premium. The asking price on eBay is as high as $1,200 dollars.

Tony Serra bought a four-gigabyte model just to have one, but he's waiting to exchange it for eight gigabytes of memory.

Tony Serra, Burlingame resident: "My nephew said, 'what do you need four more megabytes for?' You know, to put more movies on it. And so my brother-in-law said to me, 'so that you can be watching movies while you're driving?' I said, 'no, no, no, just so I can just have the max.' If I'm going to do it, I might as well go all the way and get the eight gigabyte."

Product reviewer Larry Magid faults the iPhone on several fronts -- from a jack that requires an adapter for non-Apple earphones, to a missing chip.

Larry Magid, consumer electronics reviewer: "It doesn't have GPS. It has Google maps, which is very nice, but you have to tell it where you are. A lot of cell phones have a GPS chip so they know where you are and actually navigate you as you drive."

Technology industry analyst Rob Enderle says mobile phone competitors underestimated the iPhone's features and appeal. It will take most of them six months or longer to catch up. However, Enderle also points out Apple needs to address glitches, such as slow activation and broken parts.

Rob Enderle, technology industry analyst: "I'm getting stories of people repeatedly put on one-hour hold calls only to find out that these people can't help them, then to call back at another point in time. That's not the iPod experience, and it's building up an awful lot of negative will towards both AT&T and Apple right now."

Apple is facing yet another potential stumbling block involving iTunes. It could be losing the entire Universal music library. Tough negotiations are underway.

VIDEO: Take an iPhone tour

by Mike McGuff and Michael A. Carl

WE FINALLY SEE THE APPLE IPHONE!!!!

That's right we showed up at the AT&T Experience store at 6pm Friday and Houston, we have iPhone!

Watch the video and take a tour:

Ken Fisher, AT&T Vice President of Sales shows us what the iPhone is all about, plus we talk with those who waited at the front of a very hot line.

No doubt it is easy to use and can you believe that video quality?!  Even on this above web clip, the iPhone video looks very good.  And yes folks, it is easy to use.  There is a large button on the lower part of the device that takes you back to the graphically driven menu that is very intuitive. 

There are a lot of rumors floating around about the phone such as it does not have a keyboard or does not offer text messaging.  False.  It has both.  The keyboard is just virtual and on the screen. 

I have never seen anything like the picture options.  In the above video, Fisher easily flips past pictures quickly and enlarges them by "pinching" them.  Same for the real Internet.  This is not the mobile Internet we are used to on current phones, it is the real deal.  How can you read the full Internet on the phone?  Well the screen is very large, but you can once again, "pinch" the screen and enlarge the text to the size that is easily readable to you. 

Fisher told me the iPhone works just like an iPod at this point.  Nothing more, nothing less.  The camera is two megapixels.

No we have to sit back and watch these early adopters who stood in line on Friday to see if the iPhone lives up to the hype.

- WATCH EARLIER AS WE TRY TO GET AN IPHONE AHEAD OF TIME
- Often-asked iPhone questions
- Review
- More stories

VIDEO: Uncovering the iPhone

Watch as I "sneak" into the AT&T Experience store in Houston to get a glimpse of the iPhone before 6pm:

We talk with Ken Fisher, AT&T Vice President of Sales, to find out the iPhones features like:

- Internet
- Music
- Voice mail
- Video
- Criticisms of the AT&T Edge Network

We came packing and offered Ken some cupcakes made from my mother's highly sought after recipe to sweeten the deal and get an iPhone early.

When we showed up at the crack of dawn, to our surprise there was no line yet, but when we left, some were showing up.

iPhone fever hits Houston

Today Jeff Ehling went around looking for what Houstonians think about the Apple iPhone.  Sure enough there were some folks excited (READ FULL STORY and make sure to vote in our poll).

We have more on the iPhone:
Review
More stories

I went to the AT&T Experience store on Westpark yesterday to see what was going on and found this sign on the door:

Testing out the iPhone

Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal tested out the iPhone and has the full review here:

It has the largest and highest-resolution screen of any smart phone we've seen, and the most internal memory by far. Yet it is one of the thinnest smart phones available and offers impressive battery life, better than its key competitors claim.

It feels solid and comfortable in the hand and the way it displays photos, videos and Web pages on its gorgeous screen makes other smart phones look primitive.

The iPhone's most controversial feature, the omission of a physical keyboard in favor of a virtual keyboard on the screen, turned out in our tests to be a nonissue, despite our deep initial skepticism. After five days of use, Walt -- who did most of the testing for this review -- was able to type on it as quickly and accurately as he could on the Palm Treo he has used for years. This was partly because of smart software that corrects typing errors on the fly.

But the iPhone has a major drawback: the cellphone network it uses. It only works with AT&T (formerly Cingular), won't come in models that use Verizon or Sprint and can't use the digital cards (called SIM cards) that would allow it to run on T-Mobile's network. So, the phone can be a poor choice unless you are in areas where AT&T's coverage is good. It does work overseas, but only via an AT&T roaming plan.

READ ON - THERE IS A LOT MORE

Plus, the New York Times has another review here.

iPhone monthly service plans unveiled

AT&T and Apple of released the monthly service plan details for the iPhones:

AT&T Inc. and Apple Inc. on Tuesday said wireless service for the iPhone will range from $59.99 per month to $99.99 per month. The highly anticipated gadget retails for $499 for a model with 4 gigabytes of storage and $599 for one with 8 gigabytes. It's slated to go on sale at 6 p.m. local time Friday at Apple and AT&T retail stores as well as Apple's Web site.

The $59.99 monthly plan includes 450 minutes of voice time; a $79.99 plan includes 900 minutes; and a $99.99 plan includes 1,350 minutes. All three offer 200 text messages, unlimited data services, minutes that roll over month-to-month and mobile-to-mobile calls. There also is a $36 activation fee.

Apple claims the iPhone -- which combines the functions of a cell phone, iPod media player and Web-surfing device -- will be easier to use than other smart phones because of its unique touch-screen display and intuitive software that allows for easy access to voice mail messages, the Internet, and video and music libraries.

READ MORE

We also now know that iPhone users will be able to activate the phone through iTunes. The big day is almost here. You can get your iPhone Friday June 29 at 6pm at your local AT&T Experience Store or Apple Store.

Tips to get ready for a hurricane with your cell phone

AT&T sent us these tips for preparing for hurricane system.  As you might imagine, a cell phone is a vital part of the plan.  But we almost all have one anyway so I thought I would throw it up just for grins:

Consumer Communications Tips

· Create a family communications plan. Designate someone out of the area as a central contact, and make certain all family members know whom to contact if they become separated.

· Prepare for the worst-case scenario. During natural disasters, such as hurricanes or flooding, wireline services can be interrupted for extended periods of time because of damage caused by high winds or flooding. Wireless phones may serve as alternative means of communication.

· Consider having a "Hurricane Phone.” It’s a good idea to have at least one corded telephone that is not dependent on electricity in case of an electrical power outage. Cordless telephones usually have receivers that are electrically charged and will not work if there is a power outage. Consider keeping a basic hard-wired phone and a wireless phone on hand for emergencies to enable communication with safety officials and loved ones, even when the power is out.

· Be radio-ready. Make sure that you have a working, battery-operated radio. The radio can keep you up to date on the latest weather reports, public safety issues and evacuation notices. Also consider purchasing a weather radio, as some communities do not have an early warning system. · Protect computer hardware and back up your files. Make sure your equipment is secure or move it to a higher location if there is potential for flooding. Routinely back up files onto CDs or store them in an off-site location. Consider taking equipment and files with you if you plan to evacuate.

· Program all of your emergency contact numbers into your cell phone. Numbers should include the police department, fire station and hospital, as well as your family members.

· Keep your wireless phone batteries charged at all times. Have an alternate plan to recharge your battery in case of power outages (e.g., charging via your car charger, extra cell phone batteries, use of a disposable cell phone battery).

· Keep your wireless phone dry. The biggest threat to your device during a hurricane is water, so keep your equipment safe from the elements.

· Forward your home number to your wireless number in the event of an evacuation. Since call forwarding is based out of the telephone central office, subscribers can get incoming calls from a landline phone, even if local telephone service is disrupted at their homes. In the unlikely event that the central office is not operational, services such as voice mail, call forwarding, remote access call forwarding, and call forwarding-busy line/don’t answer may be useful.

· Use your wireless phone to access weather information. Many homes lose power during severe weather. If you have a wireless phone that provides access to the Internet, you can watch The Weather Channel and its new Severe Weather Mode service through AT&T’s MobiTV® service or through My-Cast® Weather, if you subscribe to those services.

· If you have a camera phone, take, store and send photos of damaged property to your insurance company from your device.

To charge the cell phone battery, or not to charge

To charge, or not to charge, that is the question. The amount of misinformation about cellphone batteries is, well, confusing at best, and frustrating at worst-- especially when a bad battery keeps killing your calls. So what's the real answer to the question of how to get the most life out of your battery? We've got the 4-1-1.

Take a look at CNet's guide to cell phone batteries

Things you never knew your cell phone could do

It's day three of our look at urban legends.  Everyone has a cell phone by now.  If you don't, please comment below.  No surprise urban legends tackle mobile phones too:

THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO !!!

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST Subject: Emergency
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND Subject: Have you locked your keys in the car?
Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!"

THIRD Subject: Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

FOURTH Subject: How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 # A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally.... FIFTH Subject:

Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

SEE WHAT'S REAL ON SNOPES.COM

Cell phones that stream live video

AT&T to offer mobile phones that stream live video

As easy as a push of a button while talking

By Mike McGuff

(3/27/07 - HOUSTON) - I have been taking pictures and short video clips with my mobile phone for years. What I haven't been able to do is transmit live video to someone.

That idea is being introduced to the masses this summer by AT&T. The service is called Video Share and allows cell phone users to transmit a video to another person all while still talking through the speaker phone or a Bluetooth headset. The company promises it will be as easy as just pushing a button.

"It certainly has business and leisure possibilities, ranging from showing real estate to seeing the kids go off the diving board," said AT&T spokesperson Dan Feldstein. "Citizen Journalism, perhaps? You can use it to show yourself or your surroundings."

The video stream only transmits one way, but can be reversed between the phones during the same call. If video isn't necessary anymore, a push of a button will stop it and the conversation can continue as normal.

Feldstein tells me the video can stream for a long time. You'll also be able to save the video to the sending phone, but will need an expanded Micro-SD card for large amounts. To use Video Share, you'll need to be in a 3G coverage area and both phones will need to be equipped to use the service. AT&T says the first ready handset will be the LG CU500 with the right software. More phones will go on sale after the service launches.

The cost of the service and cities where it will be available will be announced this summer. "It's just the start of the services 3G wireless will ultimately provide," said Feldstein.

- Comment on this story
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

Ads coming to your cell phone

I know many of you are reading this around lunch time and don't want to toss your cookies, but the New York Times is reporting that you might see some ads creep onto your cell phone:

Already, ads are creeping onto cellphones around the globe. At this rate, experts say, it will not be long before the 2.2 billion mobile phone users around the world consider it natural to tune into a 15-second spot before watching a video, sending a message or listening to a downloaded song between phone conversations.

Oh my.

Guess it is not much of a surprise.  Where there is money to be had...

That raises a question, should cell phones be ad free?  Many consumer consider the mobile experience to be a personal one that should not have screaming ads.  At the same time, the phone companies supply the network that makes the whole thing run and they have the right to make money...right?

Texas Attorney General files lawsuit against Sprint/Nextel Corp.

Texas Attorney General Abbott's office sent the Consumer Blog news about legal action taken today:

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today took legal action to stop SprintNextel Corp. from harming its Texas customers with deceptively worded wireless telephone fees. According to the Attorney General's lawsuit, Sprint Spectrum, a subsidiary of SprintNextel, violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by implying that an additional fee on customers' bills was a state-imposed tax. The Attorney General also charged SprintNextel with violating a 2004 court order prohibiting the company from deceptive billing practices.

"SprintNextel has defrauded its customers and violated a court order, blatantly disregarding the laws of the State of Texas," Attorney General Greg Abbott said. "Texans will not tolerate SprintNextel's unlawful business practices. Once again, the Office of Attorney General is taking decisive legal action to crack down on SprintNextel's false, misleading, and deceptive acts."

In January, SprintNextel began charging Texas customers a 1 percent fee, claiming it was necessary to reimburse the company for a state-imposed tax. Sprint describes this fee as a "Texas Margin Fee Reimbursement," wording which the Attorney General's lawsuit alleges is deceptive because the tax does not become effective until Jan. 1, 2008, and has not been set at a 1 percent rate.

The Attorney General also charged SprintNextel with violating a court-approved agreement prohibiting Sprint from implying that their discretionary fees are required by the government. The agreement stems from a 2004 investigation into Sprint's deceptive billing practices. Under the court order, the company is required to clearly separate government-mandated charges from those imposed at SprintNextel's discretion.

The lawsuit, which requests temporary and permanent injunctions against SprintNextel, asks the court to stop the deceptive billings and to compel the company to reimburse all customers who paid this fee. The petition also seeks civil penalties of $20,000 per violation under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Sprint tells us:

“At this time, we can’t discuss this matter because it’s the subject of pending litigation. Sprint Nextel strives to serve its customers in a fair and transparent manner.”

Hang up on these Houston companies

Calling a company's customer support line can be a nightmare.  You have to keep dialing till you actually talk to a human.  Or you have to sit through some smooth jazz song and friendly voices repeating over and over how important you are to the company.

What about you hanging up on the companies?  Some Houston companies like CenterPoint Energy and Reliant Energy have started using a new system called Virtual Hold that lets you do just that:

"Customers are absolutely fed up…everyone has experienced hold time calling every type of company and the pain and frustration is widespread," said Eric Camulli of Virtual Hold.

Virtual Hold is a company in Ohio that promises to take some of the frustration out of calling customer service. Now when a consumer calls a company using the system, there is no more holding. Instead the customer receives a message setting a time when the company will call back. The caller can hang up. That's right, hang up.

READ FULL STORY

Dumping your cell phone plan

Today at 4:55pm, Jeff Ehling showed us how to dump our cell phone plan even if you're still under contract.

www.celltradeusa.com
www.cellswapper.com
www.resellular.com

Here’s My Number (for Today)

If you don't want some creep calling you on your home or cell phone, the NY Times has some interesting news:

Some people have found a way to avoid compromising the sanctity of their cellphone without committing the modern sin of being unreachable. Instead of giving out her cell number, Ms. McClain has recently been dispersing what has become known as a “social phone number.”

This is a free number that is as disposable as a Hotmail address. A handful of Web sites are creating these mask numbers, which can be obtained in nearly every area code (users can either have a number in their own region, or make it look as if they have an office in New York City when they are actually operating out of rural Maine).

These sites buy numbers in bulk at a discount, then generate profit by displaying ads and getting users of the free service to upgrade to billable plans with features like call forwarding, call blocking and outbound calling.

For those who sign up, a recording prompts callers to leave a voice-mail message, and a text or e-mail message is then sent to the recipient to announce a new message, which can be picked up on the Web, by e-mail or by phone.

See more on who is offering these services

There are probably some folks who have wanted this service in the past when Jeff or I have called.

What is the telephone tax refund?

Today at 4:55pm, Jeff Ehling told us we're all getting some money back from the govt.  It's thanks to the telephone tax refund:

What is the telephone tax refund?

The telephone tax refund is a one-time payment available on your 2006 federal income tax return, designed to refund previously collected long-distance federal excise taxes. It is available to anyone who paid long-distance taxes on landline, cell phone or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.

Why is the government refunding these taxes?

Several recent federal court decisions have held that the tax does not apply to long-distance service as it is billed today. The IRS is following these decisions and refunding the portion of the tax charged on long-distance calls.  The IRS is also refunding taxes collected on telephone service under plans that do not differentiate between long distance and local calls.

The telephone tax continues to apply to local-only service, and the IRS is not refunding taxes charged on local-only service.

The IRS will refund to you the taxes on long-distance service billed to you for the period after Feb 28, 2003 and before Aug 1, 2006. Taxpayers should request this refund next year when they file their 2006 tax returns.

How do I get the telephone tax refund?

In general, anyone who paid the long-distance telephone tax will get the refund on their 2006 federal income tax return. This includes individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations. The 2006 return is usually filed during 2007.

Click here for more

You might have noticed that Jeff talked with accountant Bob Martin for this story.  He is a reader of this blog and submitted this picture to us a while ago. 

Making free mobile calls with Wi-Fi

The good news is, thanks to Wi-Fi, you might not have to pay to make a call on your cell phone anymore reports the New York Times:

For all its limitations, the technology is starting to emerge commercially, with companies like Vonage, Skype (owned by eBay) and T-Mobile (a unit of Deutsche Telekom) now selling or supporting mobile devices that use Wi-Fi networks.

In some cases, the voice service is free. A Belkin phone that works with the Skype calling service costs about $180; calls to Skype users on computers are free, as are outgoing calls to domestic phone numbers, at least through the end of the year. Incoming calls from phones cost extra. Vonage charges $90 for a phone and $15 a month for 500 minutes of talk time.

The bad news says the paper, someone might be using your Wi-Fi connection to make the call.  Click here to read more. 

Backing up your cell phone

What if you lost your cell phone…complete with all those numbers and other information stored in it? That could be a disaster. Well, now some companies have heard the call for help and are sending in backup! All you need is something called a data storage plan.

One service is: https://zyb.com/ It's free.

Here are service provider plans:

http://www.sprint.pcs.com
http://www.talk.sprintpcs.com

http://www.cingular.com
http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/voice_connect

http://www.verizonwireless.com
http://www.verizonwireless.com/backupassistant

Why do we get text message spam?

Spam on email is bad enough, now there is text message phone spam and you get charged for each text.  KABC takes a look at the problem:

Joe Ridout of Consumer Action believes one reason the spam continues is because it puts money in the pockets of mobile operators.

"The cellphone companies have a real disincentive to do anything about this problem, because they get to profit from all the spam traffic," Ridout said.

But an organization that represents the wireless industry, says it's just the opposite. They have every incentive to stop the spam.

"It's an evolving threat. Spam does nothing but gum up the wireless network and therefore increase costs for consumers and increase costs for the carriers," Joe Farren, of CTIA - The Wireless Association, said.

In general, text message spam is illegal under what's known as the 'can-spam' legislation. But there are loopholes. For instance, if you have a business relationship with a company, they're allowed to send you unsolicited messages.

Click here for tips on fighting text message spam.

Free international calls! Just dial ... Iowa

ABC News found a way to make calls across the world for free:

Futurephone, a California startup company, has, for the last three weeks, been offering you the chance to call a number in Iowa, then enter a number you're trying to reach in any of 50 other countries, and -- bingo -- you're on the phone to Shanghai. Or Warsaw. Or Christmas Island.

We tried it, and it works. You call 712-858-8883, and a recorded voice answers, inviting you to hear brief instructions in English, Spanish or Chinese. Then you dial 011, the country code (51 for Peru, for instance, or 359 for Bulgaria) and the local number. If someone is there and awake to answer at the other end, you can talk to the other side of the planet -- for whatever it cost you to make a call to Iowa.

Check out more here

Is your cell phone number about to be public for telemarketers?

Have you ever received an email that looks like this?:

JUST A REMINDER....2 days from today, all cell phone
numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will
start to receive sale calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS....
To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone:
888-382-1222. OR you can go to www.donotcall.gov. It is the National
DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number
for five (5) years.

If so, it probably doesn't ring true - not totally at least.  Get the full explanation here.

Unknown caller ID

Today Jeff Ehling talked about how when you're paying for Caller ID service, it doesn't always show the number of who's calling you!  That makes Jeff mad.  We've compiled a list of links you might want to see related to this.

FCC Consumer Facts on Caller ID

Caller ID Spoofing

Recharge your cell phone battery on the go without the electrical outlet

What if you don't have a wall outlet or power from your car to recharge your cell phone?  Enter the portable chargers.  Jeff Ehling took a look at some today.

Energizer - Energi To Go (comes out today)