# More services from your cell phone



## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

From SF Gate:

*Extra services, extra charges
GPS, music, now cable -- it's all coming to a handset near you, but will you pay?*


> A collection of ring tones from the likes of the Backstreet Boys. A handful of video games. Throw in mobile Internet access, and it all helps push Chelsea Ozawa's monthly cell phone bill up to about $100, almost twice the national average.
> 
> The 21-year-old San Francisco State University student doesn't question the need for any of her add-on mobile services. They've become part of her lifestyle, shaping how she projects her persona, how she perceives the world and how she whiles away her free moments.


FULL ARTICLE HERE

And, to think, I am holding on to that antiquated notion that a cell phone is used for conversing, not for playing Pac-Man.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Each of those optional services carries an incremental price tag, but they can add up to an inflated bill. IMO, paying $100/m for phone service is nuts unless it is used for business purposes and making you money. A friend of mine had her flip phone in her jeans pocket, went to the loo in a bar and accidentally dropped her expensive, multi-featured cell into the "bowl".

By carefully following the retail plans and periodically comparing carrier offerings, I have parlayed a former Sprint $45 - 500 minute plan into a T-Mobile plan, first with 1000 and now a "free" upgrade to 1500 anytime* minutes for $40, five dollars less for 3 x the minutes. This deal included an upgrade to a "free" $230 Nokia 6101 phone/cam/FM radio. Those are the features I look for -- _more_ minutes and _more_ useful features for less $$.

Over the past 10 years I've had six cell phones and four carriers. I got my first cell phone way back in 1995, and I cut the landline in 2000 and I've never looked back.


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## DonLandis (Dec 17, 2003)

Nick- I had Cingular, formerly Bell South Mobility since 1985. The first phone was a bag phone and yes, the service cost but I used it for my business and it paid for itself. I finally switched from Cingular to T-Mobile mainly because of the technology of the exclusive they had on the hpiPAQ last year. I must say the service is less reliable but the features are much better. I believe that in the past few months Cingular has finally caught up. The cost is not so bad because I did need a good bundle which T-Mobile did offer. 1000 minutes with GPRS and T-Zones Hotspots unlimited, FREE within network calls (meaning you and I could talk for free! not that I'd want to mind you  ) But it's great for when I travel and I can taslk to my wife from travel at length. Plus, with the ipaq, I can launch a security IP camera and see her while we chat. Last year in Vegas, I had a waiter in the restaurant totally fascinated with what I was doing while dining alone. The T-Mobile services cost $79.95 per month which includes my insurance in case I drop the phone in the bowl, it is replaced. When I had Cingular, the extras did run into a pretty hefty add-on but with T-Mobile, not so. Even with my business use every day, I rarely approach the 1000 minute limit. I often make use of the T-Mobile Hot Spots at the airports too.


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

Nick said:


> ..................A friend of mine had her flip phone in her jeans pocket, went to the loo in a bar and accidentally dropped her expensive, multi-featured cell into the "bowl".............


And after that she got crappy reception. :lol:


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## n8dagr8 (Aug 14, 2004)

Mark Holtz said:


> And, to think, I am holding on to that antiquated notion that a cell phone is used for conversing, not for playing Pac-Man.


hey, that's one of the best games on my phone!


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I'm looking at purchasing a new cell phone because of the fact mine is so beat up and the battery doesn't last like it used to. Since I've been a Nextel subscriber for over 2 years I'm now eligible for the new phone specials.

My cell phone requirements
-Flip Phone
-Outside Display

Add the given of the push to talk button and SIM card and that's all I need and that's all I want. I don't use any of that extra fluff on my phone right now and won't use it on a new one. I don't even want or need a color display, but most of the phones now do come it. My current i90 doesn't have a color display and I lived with it for 2 years. Nextels state of the art phone would be $160, and usually I have no problem paying out the arse for cool technology, but I refuse to get a camera phone. I'd rather save the $10 and get the i760. A few years ago I spent $600 on a Sony digital camera that takes great pictures, I also spent $700 on a Sony Digital 8 Digital camcorder that takes great video, don't need a cell phone for that crap. Don't need a million different ringtones and wallpapers either, don't want instant messaging or text messaging. I have an iPod for MP3s, a PDA for email and internet, don't need that on a cell phone.

I don't even know what games are on my phone, but to access the games I need to go into the Java menu and I get an error when trying to access that menu. I've been there twice on my own and a buddy of mine discovered the error about a year ago when trying to get to my Calculator. If I remember right, there was a bug in the software that effected the Java functionality of a batch of i90s and i60s. Could have got a free PC cable to downloaded the firmware fix, but never did. Shows how much I care about that nonsense.

BTW- I dropped my phone in the 'bowl' a few times as well along with having it fly off one of the vans at work once. Lots of scratches and dings, I'm on my fourth battery cover, but zero downtime due to abuse. Now that is what I WANT a phone that can take a beating and still work not a 'stylish' fashion phone that can take pictures and take out the garbage and feed the dog but will break in half if you look at it the wrong way and that's so tiny you press 5 numbers at once.

If it wasn't for being partial to flip phones and the idiotic menuing structure, this would be my cell phone of choice. 









But since I use my phone as a watch, I'd have to go for the more advanced version, the i700 which includes date and time on the display.


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

I know dang well cell phones could built to be waterproof and more resilient. I don't think manufacturers want to build a phone that will last forever. They want you to use a phone for a year or two and get a new one or replace it with your insurance if it gets damaged.

I've ruined at least 3 while out boating.


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## kc1ih (May 22, 2004)

Great! They add more features that use up bandwidth, and there will not be enough left for your phone call to be able to get thru.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

In my line of work I often find myself in highly secure facilities. Cell phones are never allowed in the the "SCIF" areas but many agencies and companies will not allowa camera phone anywhere on the premises. 

I want a phone that is all.


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## Redster (Jan 14, 2004)

Well at least they are smart about that. Can you imagine what kinda stuff would get out by someone using a camera phone in an SCI area ?


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## DonLandis (Dec 17, 2003)

Geronimo-

I find it a strange dichotomy that on one hand we are advancing into a new and ever progressing technological society with people being and staying connected to each other, yet more and more, there is a growing fear that technology, mostly by corporations and government. Some recent experiences-.

Walked into a Post Office lobby recently to see a postal worker screaming at an elderly woman because her cell phone rang and all she did was look at it to see the caller ID. A few days later, in that same lobby, there were signes in big bold block letters all over stating "CELL PHONE USE IS A FELONY" Then the line to the counter was about 20 minutes long. Another fellow who waited in that line the full time was observed with their cell phone as they stepped up to the counter and was asked to leave immediately. So what's with that cell phone use that is so feared in a Post office lobby anyway. A year ago, there were people allowed to used cellphones in that same lobby and those doing so were not obnoxious about it and weren't a bother at all. 

In Los Angeles, I was waiting in a huge line to get through customs after returning to the US. Passport in hand and concerned as to whether I was in the correct line or not, along comes this big fat customs officer yelling at everyone, Anyone caught taking a picture in this area would be arrested under the Patriot act and deported. Anyone caught using a cell phone could be considered an act of terrorism against the US. Give me a fu'in break. Just who the hell do these mini-gestapo wannabees think they are? Better that just do their job and expedite the 2900 people in that long line through customs rather than terrifying fellow US citizens, adults and children, returning form abroad. MY wife became real scared at that ahole but I reassured her that as soon as someone of real authority sees that so many people were being held up, by the time we finally entered the processing center, we would be expedited through- Guess what?, after 2 hours of standing in line being yelled at by this fat customs officer about cameras and cell phones, we were rubber stamped through with virtually no screaning at all other than having the passport barcode scanned. So I ask, How many real bad people were ussered through that line in a hurry after two hours of yelling about cell phones and cameras? Are all these people morons?

I walk into a civilian business facility a few weeks ago and the security guard, armed and dangerous, advises me I can't bring my cell phone in because it has a camera after inspecting it. He said- No Camera phones allowed because I might take pictures with it and violate their security. blah blah- Of course he wasn't concerned at all that I was carrying 2 large format broadcast cameras, 1 HDcam, and one minicam, PLus a digital still camera and my intent was to video and photograph all over their facility. The guard made me and my producer leave our cell phones with cameras in the car. MY grip who has a simple cell phone was allowed to take that with them. WE then entered the facility to our room unescorted! Go figure!

I could go on and on as I have more but you get the idea. We are developing into a society of embracing technology, yet also being controlled by some strange fear of it at the same time. I just don't get it. My wife says that today, I would never survive in the corporate world where, corp executives are removed from important meetings to go pee in a cup for a drug test by some mini-me in uniform with all powering authority. Where the CEO of a company can be incarcerated by his own guards for talking on a cell phone with a camera in his own lobby. 

Has the country gone nuts? Nah... Just no common sense and it is not getting any better.


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## DonLandis (Dec 17, 2003)

_"And, to think, I am holding on to that antiquated notion that a cell phone is used for conversing, not for playing Pac-Man. "_

Mark- Yes, you are. More and more mobile executives and average techno savvy people are looking for that single device for communications and personal information and entertainment. I am!

I waited for quite some time to get a PDA that had a cell phone built it. I now look forward to the day when I can have a PDA with cell phone that is broadband digital, and works with full connectivity to my home/office lan network so I can have all my information while mobile. But, you are not alone, there are still people who feel they are more comfortable with a separate little device for each need in their life. I recently listened to a young business woman who had the need for a larger purse, because she was carrying her PDA, a cell phone, a Garman GPS for her rental car, a digital still camera, a calculator, an address book, a day planner, and just needed more room for her makup kit and wallet! Now this woman appeared to be really into the technology yet she just didn't realize that she could have all that stuff in a small cell phone, and if she really held web surfing higher priority, get a PDA with cell phone with full keypad and larger screen.

Personal example of how a single device saves my butt all the time. Last evening I was out on a shoot and the person I was doing a video interview was running late, cell phone get's me connected, then I get an SMS message on the screen I have an urgent e-mail waiting from a cable program director in NY who lost the schedule for cable up there. I switch the cell phone to download the Pop3 e-mail via GPRS on the phone, read it, solve and figure out what was wrong. I go to a web site and repair the corrupted file containing the program data on the server, then e-mail her a link to the new file. Problem fixed in 5 minutes!, Still waiting for that interviewee running late. Decide to kill some time by checking the weather for the rest of the week on the IPTV. Then, while still waiting, I play a game of virtual pool while listening to a podcast on the latest new Nokia cell phone that does everything in one device.  Meanwhile my client is trying to connect his huge laptop with gigantic power supply to a live ethernet jack in the building, so he could get some work done while waiting. He had the facility IT person trying to figure out why none of the wall jacks were working. I need one device to carry on my belt, small yet adequate to do everything. Today, just talking to another on the phone doesn't cut it. The stuff I need to communicate goes far beyond just talking.


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## KingLoop (Mar 3, 2005)

I had a Sony Ericsson T226 ( http://cingular.scp4me.com/ItemDeta...ONY ERICSSON&model=T226&ProductClass=CHARGING ) for over 2 years and I would have kept it if my wife wouldn't have wanted to upgrade her phone twice in like 4 months. Her old Nokia was crappy so that is collecting dust as an emergency spare. I put my SIM in to her LG C1300 ( http://cingular.scp4me.com/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemNo=02641CW&make=LG&model=C1300&ProductClass=CHARGING ), figured out how to personalize the ringtones and program the speed dial and was done with it.

When I got the T226, it was pretty novel. Now, it is antiquated. I guess I liked it so much because I was so used to it.

Having the newest and greatest is nice for a little while but soon it's not the greatest anymore and the novelty has worn off. :shrug:


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## Redster (Jan 14, 2004)

Don I have to agree with your comments about security and cell phones. Though in certain cases like Geronimo mentioned. They have to be restricted. We are not talking border crossings or business's but military facilites with very sensitive information. A wife with a cell phone /camera could unknowingly take a picture of ... say a spouse yet in the background there might be Top Secret material. 90% of the time, the restrictions are baseless and just paranoid .


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> A wife with a cell phone /camera could unknowingly take a picture of ... say a spouse yet in the background there might be Top Secret material.


Or a shopper in WalMart is making a large purchase and uses a credit card while the guy next in line appears to be making a phone call. Too bad I didn't have one of those things in high school. I take a test first period Global history snap a few pics and sell them to kids who have the same class later in the day.

It's not paranoia, it's creativeness.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

I woner what law makes cell phone use ina post office a felony?


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## bobsupra (Jul 12, 2002)

Don. I wonder the same thing as the Chief. What Post Office was that? I've some contacts and would like to find out what law was involved.


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## DonLandis (Dec 17, 2003)

Yes, I wondered the same thing and just attributed it to postal worker intelligence. Not surprising that some veteran supervisor has a case of the butt for people with cell phones and is just being in his little power world. 

Anyway- I'm now seriously shopping for a new cell service but nothing seems to add up. I need better reliability than my T-Mobile is giving me so I investigated Verizon and have received excellent reports on reliability in places where I was having problems with T-Mobile. Verizon is CDMA phone design and that means a different phone set. I'm not keen on the Treo 650 as I would like to get into windows M 5.0 and that means waiting for the verizon Treo 700. But early reports on that 700 formerly 670, was that it lacked enough memory for WM5 at only 64 Mb. T-Mobile will have the Ipaq6715 soon and that is supposed to be great but then I'm back to T-Mobile again. 

Nobody seems to have it all yet and the wait continues. In the meantime, I'm having a great time with the Verizon Broadband. The one complaint I had with it seemingly falling asleep was corrected by a tech support lady who had me disable a part of the software and now the service is lightning fast. I now get a constant 1.3 Mbs download. I haven't checked it on upload yet.


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## Redster (Jan 14, 2004)

I have a strange one. I just signed a 2 year contract with Cingular through cellularchoices and got a Razr V3 free after rebates. I printed them out and low n behold. You are not allowed to send in for the rebates earlier than 180 days and no later than 201 days. Early submissions are not accepted. The company is also not responsible for lost paperwork. I guess they expect most people to forget or lose the paperwork. I have 4 rebates of $75 dollars each. I am gonna hold onto those suckers till its time to send in.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> Now that is what I WANT a phone that can take a beating and still work not a 'stylish' fashion phone that can take pictures and take out the garbage and feed the dog but will break in half if you look at it the wrong way and that's so tiny you press 5 numbers at once.


That's why I keep my old Nokia. It's got a huge battery, buttons big enough to use, and an extendable antenna. One of the few phones that has any chance at all to work out here. Seems like the new nanophones have nanowatts of radio power and barely work when you're 10 yards from a tower, let alone 10 miles from one. And oh yeah - it doesn't mind skidding across concrete.


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## DonLandis (Dec 17, 2003)

Redstar- I saw this too. It's not just with Cingular. Verizon is doing the same. There is one more rebate requirement you need to be aware of- In the Verizon rules any payment that is late or not paid in full will void the rebate offer. So, if you get set up for two free phones in a family plan that are "FREE" you may be paying the full amount up front and permanently if you don't cross all yout T's and dot those i's in the six month period. 

When I did my Ipaq 6315 the rebates were instant with T-Mobile but there was this deal for 10,000 Delta skymiles too. The Ipaq was actually a Delta promotion sent to Delta members. I sent that in and for 4 months they claimed they didn't have any deal, I kept after Delta and T-Mobile. I sent the paper work in 3 (THREE) times. SO, make sure you make several copies of all your paper work on those rebates too. Finally, I threatened Delta and T-Mobile with dealing with the Florida attorney General's Office- I got my skymiles added to my account in 3 days! but only after going through their scam for 9 months!.


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## Redster (Jan 14, 2004)

It's amazing sometimes what we have to go through. I have scanned all forms and upc barcode,, I will hang on to it. I also set up a couple friendly reminders in the calendar. Its a good phone and what I actually got charged is a good price, $199 . We'll see what happens.


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