PhoneTalk

Facebook Chat scheduled for Thursday, May 24, 2012

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Wednesday, May 23, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Somethin' To Talk About    |   Email This Blog  

Tomorrow, at 2:00 PM PST, I'll be hosting a chat on LetsTalk's Facebook page. I’ll be taking questions about phones, plans, apps, and can even help Facebook fans pick the best phone for them. If there's something you want to know about mobile, but didn't know who to ask stop by and ask me on Facebook at 2:00 PM PST this Thursday.

Microsoft shuts down former Windows Marketplace for Mobile

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Tuesday, May 22, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Apps    |   Email This Blog  

Windows Mobile Phone 6.x will no longer have access to its dedicated marketplace. The store is closing today. Users will still be able to use the apps they have already installed on existing phones, however, if a “hard reset” (basically, this is returning the phone back to factory settings) is performed the apps will also be wiped from the Windows Mobile Phone and users will have no access to them. While the store is closing, some of those apps may still be available from the app developers or third-party stores.

The new Windows Phone Marketplace, which offers apps for Windows Phone 7 and later models, is still open and users of Windows Phone should check that our for new apps in the future. More information on the shutdown can be found in this story from Fierce Mobile Content.

T-Mobile unveils new 4G data plans – no contract required

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Thursday, May 17, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Carriers    |   Email This Blog  

The latest 4G data plans from T-Mobile give users the opportunity to pick an option that fits their needs. The plans are can be purchased by the week or by data amount and none of them require a contract. Here’s an overview of the plans that will be available starting on May, 20th:

• 300MB 1-week pass for $15
• 1.5GB 1-month pass for $25
• 3.5GB 1-month pass for $35
• 5GB 1-month pass for $50

The plans are available for use with tablets, mobile hotspots, and laptop sticks from T-Mobile.

LG Optimus Elite now available on Virgin Mobile USA

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Phones    |   Email This Blog  

The latest Android smartphone available for Virgin Mobile users has plenty to offer. The LG Optimus Elite runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS and sports a 3.5-inch HVGA display, 800Mhz processor, and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. It is also the first Virgin Mobile phone to have a NFC chip for use with Google Wallet. Better yet, the phone is available with the company’s Beyond Talk plans that start at $35 a month and include unlimited data and messaging. The LG Optimus Elite is available now.

5 Apps for Mother’s Day

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Thursday, May 10, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Apps    |   Email This Blog  

Not sure what to get Mom for Mother's Day this year? Well consider getting her apps that will make her life easier. You can always download one or all of the apps to your favorite Mom's phone while spending time with her during the holiday.

1. Help Mom have more fun with pictures stored on her phone

Many smartphones come with photo editing options and the ability to share them. The latest mobile app Snapbucket from Photobucket takes that functionality one step further. Not only can users make edits and add photo effects, but they can also share photos with friends on Facebook Twitter, via email, or with other PhotoBucket users. Best of all the application doesn’t alter the original image, so it’s always safely stored in the phone or on the phone's memory card.

Compatible OS: Android, iPhone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on a compatible smartphone

2. Give Mom coupons on-the-go

Does your Mom still clip coupons from the newspaper? You can save her time and money by introducing her to Yowza!! Mobile Coupons. The application provides coupons to tons of nearby stores, restaurants, and activities. The app uses the smartphone’s integrated GPS to deliver nearby coupons, so just be aware it might drain the phone’s battery life. If Mom has a favorite local store, she can even set a notification to be alerted when the shop offers a new discount.

Compatible OS: Android, iPhone
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on a compatible smartphone

3. An app that lends a helping hand at dinner

Busy Moms who enjoy making dinner, but don’t have a lot of time to research new recipes will love Recipe Search from AlltheCooks.com. The site has over 70,000 recipes including everything from appetizers and desserts to main dishes, and more. The most interesting feature in the app is the ability to find recipes based on ingredients as well as traditional recipe names. This can be a huge time saver for Mom especially if she tends to stop off at the store on the way home from work. As is the case with many apps, there is lots of community support and the ability to share recipes via social media outlets.

Compatible OS: Android
Cost: Free
How to get it: Visit the app market residing on a compatible Android smartphone

4. An intuitive way from Mom to track and organize reminders on her phone

Let’s face it, Moms have a lot to take care of in a single day and most likely the one thing they always have on them is a cell phone. Keeping track of everything that needs to be accomplished can be a task by itself. Enter (Read more)

Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G LTE available for pre-order now

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Wednesday, May 09, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Phones    |   Email This Blog  

Love the HTC EVO, but wish it had 4G LTE connectivity? Then you’ll be happy to learn that a 4G LTE version of the phone will be available for Sprint customers later this month. The new model will also have a larger 4.7-inch HD display and run Android 4.0 Ice Cream with the HTC Sense 4 overlay. Other specs include a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a NFC chip for use with mobile payment options, and Beats Audio. You can use the front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chat or to participate in a Google Hangout, and the rear-facing 8-megapixel camera has HTC ImageSense so while recording HD video you can also snap a picture. Want to be the first of your friends to get the HTC EVO 4G LTE? Click this link to pre-order the phone now.

HTC One Series on display at CTIA

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Tuesday, May 08, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Industry Tradeshows    |   Email This Blog  

At CTIA, manufacturers and carriers have the opportunity to display some of their higher-end cell phones that will be available in the coming months. Case in point are the HTC One series of phones. This Android 4.0 smartphone is meant to entertain and capture special moments on the fly and all while sporting a stylish design. Since this is a phone from HTC it’s going to have a ton of special features that are all there to enhance the user experience such as HTC Sense for overall phone navigation and HTC ImageSense that’s loaded with camera enhancements. The rear-facing camera will have a f/2.0 back illuminated sensor that allows for more light to go into the sensor. The camera can also be used to record HD video.

As for specs of the HTC One Series phones there will be a few versions: HTC One X, HTC One S, and HTC One V. Specs will vary between models, however, the HTC One X will sport a 4.7-inch display and 1.5GHz dual-core processor, while the HTC One S will have the same processor and a smaller 4.3-inch display. The HTC One V will have a smaller display.

Verizon unveils the next DROID Incredible 4G LTE at CTIA

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Monday, May 07, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Industry Tradeshows    |   Email This Blog  

The latest member of HTC’s popular DROID Incredible line has been unveiled at CTIA in New Orleans. The DROID Incredible 4G LTE by HTC has quite a few upgrades including a larger screen size. The new smartphone sports a 4-inch super LCD qHD display, which means the screen is viewable in direct sunlight and images are crisp. It has a built-in NFC chip for use with mobile wallet apps and a snappy 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Additionally, the phone will be running the latest version of HTC Sense 4, Beats Audio, Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, and as its name suggests work on Verizon’s speed 4G LTE data network. The 4G LTE connection can be shared with up to 10 other WiFi-enabled devices via the Mobile HotSpot feature. Other noteworthy features include a front-facing camera for video chat and 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with a flash and 28mm lens. The camera can also be used to record HD video and even snap a picture while capturing video. The DROID Incredible by HTC 4G LTE will be available from Verizon in the coming weeks.

Samsung GALAXY S III unveiled in London

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Thursday, May 03, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for News    |   Email This Blog  

Samsung announced the next generation of its popular GALAXY S line of products in London today. The idea behind its design is that this smartphone will get to know and ultimately understand you. At the heart of how you will interact with the phone is a natural language interface called “S Voice.” It can be used to tell the phone what to do - anything from play a favorite song, send messages, or take a picture with the camera. The feature will get so accustomed to you, that it will be able to recognize your voice and even your face. With a 4.8-inch display the phone is a bit smaller than the Galaxy Note.

There are also quite a few enhancements made in the camera such as a zero-lag shutter speed, a burst shot feature for capturing 20 shots in a row, and even a Best Photo option that can select the best picture out of eight photographs. Find a photo that you want to share with others feel free to share it using “Buddy Photo Share.“ Want to share something larger? Then check out “S Beam.” It’s like Android Beam, but will work with bigger files such as a 1GB movie file in three minutes or 10MB music file in just a few seconds. None of this requires using a WiFi or data connection.

Now for the tech specifics: The phone will sport a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED (bright, crisp, and viewable in bright sunlight), rear-facing 8-megapixel camera and front-facing 1.9-megapixel camera, built-in NFC Chip, and run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. The phone will be able to playback full HD 1080p video. Plus the phone can be turned on its side for watching videos in 16:9 widescreen mode. There will be 16GB and 32GB configurations for onboard storage with a 64GB model available soon and it will support up to a 64GB microSD card. That’s plenty of storage for videos, photos, music, files, and more.

The phone will be available this summer and you can learn more about it by cheking out the The Next Galaxy.

Budget-friendly Prism coming to T-Mobile

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Wednesday, May 02, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Phones    |   Email This Blog  

The latest addition to T-Mobile’s Android family is the T-Mobile Prism. The cell phone will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, feature a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, a rear-facing 3.2-megapixel camera, and 600MHz Qualcomm processor. This 3G Android phone won’t be the speediest or largest available, but it will definitely get the job done. The phone will cost well under $100 and can be used with a no annual contract T-Mobile Monthly4G™ plan or paired with a two-year T-Mobile Classic or Value plan. The smartphone will be available this month.

Verizon has new prepaid plans

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter    |    Tuesday, May 01, 2012 (permalink)
Comments     |   View more posts for Carriers    |   Email This Blog  

As more smartphones are becoming available with prepaid plans, we’re beginning to see more plan options. Case in point is Verizon’s latest prepaid plan offer that includes unlimited talk and text, plus 1GB of data for use with a smartphone. The plan costs $80 a month and will be available for with smartphones like the Samsung Illusion, which runs Android 2.3 and sports a 1GHz processor.

Also of note are the new prepaid data plans for MiFi devices, such as the Verizon Jetpack, a mobile 4G LTE hotspot. There are three prepaid options: $15 for 250 MB of data weekly, $60 for 3 GB of data monthly, or $90 for 10 GB of data monthly.