Recycle Your Old Phone - Donate to Sprint Project Connect

Got an old phone laying around that you will never use again because it's too large or too out-dated? DON'T THROW IT AWAY! Help the environment and keep kids safe by sending your phone, wireless accessories, batteries, and connection cards to Sprint Project Connect. Send in any device regardless of carrier or condition. Devices from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Alltel, etc. are accepted.

To donate a device, simply drop it off at any Sprint retail store. If you don't want to leave the house, just visit www.sprint.com and print a free, postage-paid mailing label.

Sprint recycles or refurbishes the devices, keeping them out of landfills. 100% of all proceeds from Sprint Project Connect are go to Sprint's 4NetSafety program, a partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the NEA Health Information Network designed to educate children, parents, and educators on Internet Safety.

iPhone is Top Seller at AT&T

The iPhone, launched on June 29th, has been AT&T's best selling handset since that day. According to projections, Apple and AT&T have sold over 1.325 million handsets, representing 13% of AT&T's handset sales.

The early adopters of the iPhone have been categorized as young, affluent males. Still 25% of buyers were between the ages of 50 and 60. Sales are expected to increase, as Apple expects to gain a broader audience with its recent price drop.

The launch of the iPhone was expected to take business from its main competitors. Those most hurt by the iPhone have been Treo users along with Alltel and T-Mobile subscribers. Research in Motion (RIM), Sprint, and Verizon, although affected, have been able to limit their losses. RIM has been able to hold off the iPhone by offering media capable devices to its business customers. Sprint and Verizon have used their 3G networks and support for over-the-air (OTA) music downloads, two features the iPhone does not have, to keep subscribers.

Sprint Announces LG Rumor

Sprint announced the LG Rumor will be available online later this month and in retail stores on November 4th. The LG Rumor will give Sprint a low to mid end device with a Qwerty keyboard, providing consumers with an affordable device developed for messaging. The Qwerty keyboard will make sending text and email messages easier. Every time the Qwerty keyboard slides out, the messaging menu on the phone automatically appears.

The LG Rumor measures 4.3 x 2.0 x 0.7 inches and weighs 4.13 ounces. It comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, MP3 player, and a MicroSD slot. It supports IM apps like AIM, MSN, and Yahoo Messenger and provides quick access to social networking sites like Xanga and Facebook.

Sprint will offer the device for $79.99 with a new service agreements and rebates. It will be available in two colors - black with blue interior and white with silver interior.

Sign up for notification alerts at www.sprint.com/rumor.

Sprint Announces New BlackBerry Pearl 8130

Sprint is planning to launch its first multimedia BlackBerry handset with the new BlackBerry Pearl 8130, an upgraded version of the original BlackBerry Pearl announced in September of 2006. This will be the first Sprint BlackBerry device with an integrated camera.

The device is 4.2 x 2.0 x 0.6 inches and weighs 3.4 ounces. Some of the upgraded features include access to Sprint's high-speed Mobile Broadband network (EV-DO) for faster internet access, a 2.0 megapixels camera, stereo Bluetooth support, added GPS functionality, and access to Sprint's PowerVision services such as Sprint's Music Store, Sprint TV, OnDemand, and Sprint Navigation.

The phone will be available next month. You can sign up for alerts on device availability by going to www.sprint.com/pearl.

Stop Listening to Voicemail...READ IT Instead

How many people out there are like me when it comes to checking voicemail? I cannot stand it! In today’s world, where we are used to instant communication, it just seems archaic to have to dial into your voicemail and listen to your messages. Don’t forget to have a pen and pad nearby just in case you have to write something down, which is kind of hard to do while driving!

Well, if you are like me, there is now a solution from Simulscribe. They’ve created a cool new service that actually takes your voicemail messages, transcribes them into text and sends it to you via email or text message. I’ve been using the service for the past month and I love it! I have not dialed into voicemail since setting it up.

It’s easy to sign up for, just visit here. Simulscribe will set aside a new voicemail box number for you. You must contact your carrier to forward all calls that you don’t answer to this new number. You then elect to receive your transcribed messages via text or email or you can do like I do, and elect to receive both. If you just like to hear someone’s voice every now and then, the service is still for you. When you elect to receive an email message, the message will come with the transcribed message along with a .wav file of the actual message.

This is a great convenience tool. You no longer have to waste time dialing into and listening to voicemail. You also don’t have to worry about writing down information like a person’s name, callback number, or directions. You’ll get it all in the transcribed message. Another feature is you have a paper trail just in case you get into one of those “Well, you said” matches.

Simulscribe is available from most carriers. SimulScribe’s basic service is $9.95 per month for 40 transcribed voicemail messages and $.25 per message thereafter. SimulScribe also offers a monthly $29.95 unlimited plan (for a limited time only).

It’s easy to sign up. Just go here. If you sign up through this site, you will receive a free 30 day trial.

Stop listening to voicemail; READ IT! Free Trial at www.SimulScribe.com

Sprint Announces the Palm Centro

Sprint announced the newest product offering from Palm, the Centro. This is Palm's first device geared for the consumer versus the business user. Following in RIM's footsteps, Palm is looking to regain some of the market share it has lost over the past year by going after the consumer market. The Palm Centro will be available in mid-October at all Sprint Sales channels and Palm retail stores. It will also be available online at www.sprint.com and www.palm.com/centro. After promotions and rebates, the phone will sell for only $99.99.

The Centro is the smaller and thinner than the traditional Treo models. Its measures 2.1"x4.2"x0.7" and weighs only 4.2 ounces. It features a full QWERTY keyboard along with a five-way navigation button. Although smaller than the Treo, it still packs a 312 MHz processor, 128 MB of ROM and 64 MB RAM, EVDO, a 1.3 megapixels camera, Bluetooth, a full color touch screen, and a MicroSD slot for extra memory. The device will also feature Palm OS 5.4.9 and supports Phone as Modem, allowing users to connect to the Internet from their laptop or desktop computer by via the device. The Centro also supports Data Transfer Mode (DTM), notifying users of incoming calls even when they are in an active data session versus just sending the calls to voicemail.

The device will be available in Onyx Black and Ruby Red. It will be exclusive to Sprint for 90 days. You can sign up to receive alerts on the availability of this device at www.sprint.com/centro.

Preview the Palm Centro (w/ video) at PhoneScoop.com.

Sprint and Microsoft Offers Mobile Searches Based on GPS

Sprint and Microsoft are combining to offer a first of its kind service. The first fully integrated GPS location-aware mobile search service is now available from Sprint at no additional cost to Sprint data subscribers.

Using the existing search function on Sprint GPS enabled phones, users can simply type in a keyword like "gas station" and a listing of nearby gas stations will be listed based on GPS coordinates. No address information is needed, not even a zip code. The service takes it a step further by offering driving directions by clicking on a link or calling the business directly from the search screen. Users also have the option to send directions to a friend who may need directions to the same destination, like a restaurant.

Voice search capabilities are also available allowing users to simply say the word "gas station" versus typing it in. This service requires users to download a client to their phones and is only available on certain phones.

MySpace on the T-Mobile Sidekick

T-Mobile announced a new application that will give Sidekick users access to the famous social networking site, MySpace. The application called MySpace Mobile gives Sidekick users a customized interface giving it the look and feel of MySpace.com on a regular computer. Users will be able to edit their profiles, manage pictures, and stay up to date with new comments, friend requests, and blogs. T-Mobile has stated that the MySpace Mobile will be available to all Sidekick 3 and Sidekick ID users by the end of October. Users will be able to download and subscribe to MySpace Mobile by visiting the Download Catalog on the Sidekick.

Apple Cuts Price of iPhone and Announces iPod Touch

For those who have been waiting for the price of the iPhone to drop, wait no longer. Apple just announced they will drop the price of the 8G iPhone by $200, bringing down its sticker price to $399. From the website now only selling the 8G version, it looks like the 4G version has reached End-of-Life.

Apple also announced the availability of the iPod Touch later this month. The iPod Touch will be the first touch screen iPod. It will resemble the iPhone with a 3.5 inch touch screen, but it will be thinner (only 8 mm). It will also have Wi-Fi to enable song downloads directly to the device and web browsing via the Safari browser. It will come in an 8G and 16G version priced at $299 and $399, respectively.

Alltel Now Selling BlackBerry 8830

Alltel is now selling the BlackBerry 8830 World Edition. The phone will be available from Alltel for $249.99 with a two-year contract. It is already available from Sprint and Verizon. Sprint is selling the device for only $199.99 after rebates and service agreements, while Verizon is selling the device for $299.99 after discounts and contract.

Phonepotential.com first reviewed the device back in April. (Read Article)

AAA Provides Mobile Application to Drivers

AAA is entering the Location-Based Services (LBS) arena with a new downloadable application. The appication provides turn-by-turn directions and allows users to automatically send their GPS coordinates to AAA over a wireless handset. The service makes sense to AAA as they stated that half the calls they receive each year are from mobile handsets.

The application is currently only available from Sprint for $10 per month. It is available for AAA members as well as non-members. In addition to the services listed above, users also gain access to AAA hotel ratings and info on AAA "points of interest" around the country.

For instructions on downloading the application, visit AAA Mobile.

Did You Know: Mobile Social Networking

At least 12.3 million people in the United States and Western Europe use mobile social networking, according to the research firm M:Metrics, with Americans being the biggest users.

The firm says 7.5 million Americans, about 3.5% of mobile subscribers, used their cell phones to access a social networking site in June. Italians were second with 1.3 million users or 2.8% of the population. There were 1.1 million users in the U.K., about 2.5%, while Spain had 751,000 or 2.3%; Germany had 1.9%; and France, 1.7%.

MySpace and Facebook were the favorite sites for users in the United States and United Kingdom. MSN topped the sites in the other geographies.

Source: www.wirelessweek.com

Helio Has Thinnest Phone in the US

Helio announced the availability of the "Fin" from Samsung, the thinnest clamshell style phone in the US at just 11mm thin. Don't let it's size fool you, this phone is packed with power. The Fin supports EV-DO high speed mobile broadband. It has a 3 MB camera that allows you to instantly upload pics and clips to YouTube and Flickr. In regards to memory, the phone comes with 100MB and can hold up to 4 GB via its MicrosSD slot. The Fin even has GPS packed into its small frame, providing support for Helio's Buddy Beacon service, Google Maps, and voice-guided navigation provided by Garmin.

The Fin measures 4.06"x2.06"x0.45" and weighs 3.35 ounces. The MSRP for the device is $365, but it is available on Helio's website for as low as $175 with discounts and rebates.

Save Time with Waitless.org

You have to check out this new website from Sprint - www.waitless.org. Sprint's new marketing campaign, "Sprint Ahead", emphasizes "Sprint Speed". www.waitless.org focuses on how speed can save time in your daily lives by using shortcuts known as "Sprintcuts". For example, using a "Sprintcut" to peel an egg can add four days to your life. A Sprintcut on pouring ketchup can save you two days. And by starting your night calling at 7 PM (standard with Sprint service) instead of 9 PM, you can save 4 years of your life!

The website uses short "How To" video clips to demonstrate the Sprintcuts. Examples include how to speed tie your shoes, instantly soothe a crying baby, and chill a warm soda in two minutes. www.waitless.org allows users to submit videos with their time saving ideas and to hear about new Sprintcuts via a text message and/or email. You can view all video submissions at www.youtube.com/sprintcuts. You can also use a calculator provided on the website to estimate where your time goes by showing how much time you spend on your specific daily activities. For example, if you spend one hour a day "Reading Blogs", in your lifetime, you will spend 3 years and 4 months "Reading Blogs".

Motorola RAZR2 Gets Triple Launch in US

The Motorola RAZR2 is coming to a store near you! Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T have announced the upcoming availability of the successor to Motorola's popular RAZR, the RAZR2. Sprint will be the first to make the phone available to the public. You can purchase the handset from Sprint's online store starting August 22nd. It will make it to Sprint retails stores on September 4th. Verizon and AT&T have not given specific dates, but have stated they plan to have the device available in September. Sprint has stated that their version with EVDO support will be available for $250 with service agreement and rebates at launch. Both Verizon and AT&T stated they will launch the device with a $300 price tag.

Motorola was able to make the device even slimmer, while packing in more power and features. Processing speed of the RAZR2 (225Mhz)is 10 times faster than the original RAZR. It has 2 GB of internal It sports a 2" external display, with features allowing you to view text messages and reply with pre-set text messages and listen to music with virtual music keys, all without opening the phone. Other features include stereo Bluetooth and a micro USB slot.

T-Mobile Announces Samsung Blast

T-Mobile added a new slider phone from Samsung to its lineup. The Samsung T729, dubbed the Blast, is a replacement for the Samsung T719. The phone is meant for messaging with its SureType slider keyboard, a QWERTY keyboard where each key represent two letters. Messaging capabilities are enhanced with integrated support for Instant Messaging services from AOL, Yahoo, MSN, and ICQ. The phone also supports email from popular services like AOL, Yahoo Mail, and others. To help generate data traffic, T-Mobile is trying something new by charging for sent and received emails just as they do for text messaging. Other features include a 1.3 megapixels camera, stereo Bluetooth, a microSD slot, and myFaves support.

The phone is 4.2"x20"x0.5" and weighs just 2.8 ounces. It is available for $99 after discounts and rebates.

AT&T Finally Offers OTA Music Downloads

AT&T is now able to offer OTA (Over the Air) music downloads to certain handsets. The service is provided via eMusic
, the world's largest retailer of independent music with over 2.7 million songs in its catalog. When a song is purchased using eMusic
, it is automatically downloaded to a users handset. eMusic
will also make a duplicate copy of the song in .mp3 format available online for download to a PC.

AT&T is charging customers $7.49 a month to be able to download 5 songs per month. Additional song downloads are available in packs of 5 for an additional $7.49. It ends up being $1.50 per song. Currently, the service is only available on four AT&T handsets - Samsung A717, Samsung A727, Samsung Sync, and the Nokia N75.

AT&T is late to the game here. OTA music downloads have been available for a while now from Sprint and Verizon. Both carriers charge only 99 cents per song and the service is available on several of their handsets.

With the limited phones available and high per track costs, it's easier to just go directly to eMusic
, where you can get downloads as low as 22 cents per track. eMusic
is currently running a trial for 25 free downloads. Click below to sign up.

Get a Free Ringtone from Sprint

For all the customers who own a Sprint PowerVision or PowerSource phone, Sprint is giving away a free ringtone. Just go the the Sprint Digital Lounge website. The free offer is available for a limited time only: July 30th to August 6th, so hurry up as Monday is the last day. Just go to the website, choose the ringtone you want, and enter the special promotion code listed on the website.

The offering is not for use with Sprint Nextel handsets, Windows-based, or PDA phones. For users with Sprint Nextel handsets, look for a separate promotion coming out soon. Also, if you do not have a data plan, usage rates may apply for the download.

Back Up Your Contacts With AT&T

AT&T now offers a solution for those who need to back up their contact information. The service consists of a a web accessible interface that allows users to add new contacts and edit existing contacts. The down-loadable application allows users to automatically backup the data on their handsets daily or weekly. AT&T is charging $2 per month for the service, which is comparable to the price of service already offered by other major carriers like Sprint, Alltel, and Verizon. This service will work great for keeping up to date contact information when upgrading phones or in cases where phones are lost.

A Verizon YouTube Exclusive

Access to YouTube from your mobile phone is starting to become a standard feature. There are even plans for YouTube specific phones from LG and Samsung. And since YouTube launched their mobile website, m.youtube.com, you can pretty much get to Youtube from any phone on any carrier.

It's great to be able to view videos from your phone, but in the midst of all the YouTube craze, Verizon has become the first carrier to allow users to upload videos to the website directly from their phones via a text message. Verizon subscribers just need to update their YouTube accounts with their mobile numbers. After that, users can post their video clips by sending a message to YTUBE (98823). There is no charge for the service besides messaging fees.