PhoneTalk

Verizon Wireless has added three new cell phones to its line-up and they're all from LG. The new phones are the LG enV3, LG Touch, and LG Glance. All the cell phones have got the basics covered including features like support for Verizon's Chaperone, which helps parents keep track of kids with cell phones. The Glance is a thin phone, while the enV3 and the enV Touch are the higher-end models. Both the Touch and enV3 have full html web browsers, visual voice mail, QWERTY keyboard and support for up to a 16GB MicroSD card. The enV3 also boasts a 3-megapixel camera and a more refined design over that of the enV2. While the enV Touch has an external touch screen, a 3.2-megapixel camera, and has the ability to read office documents from a MicroSD card without needing a Smartphone OS to do so.

LG Glance

LG enV3

LG enV Touch

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It's well known that the LG Chocolate 3 for Verizon Wireless is all about the music, but this music phone offers more than just one way to hear it. See what we mean in the video below:

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We just got in a Nokia 6650 for AT&T. Get a closer look at this Nokia cell phone and learn more about this flip phone that's big on high-end features in the video below.

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If you or someone you know bought a Jitterbug cell phone between March 2008 and May 2009, they may have one of the 160,000 Jitterbug phones being recalled by Samsung. The problem with those cell phones (in particular, SPH-a110 and SPH-a120) is that they are having a problem reaching 911 in certain rural areas.

If you or someone you know has one of these cell phones, here's all the information needed about the recall.

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In this installment of Questions and Answers, we discuss syncing a BlackBerry with a Mac and changing ringtones. Got a question you want answered? Submit your question here. Got something to add to the answers below? Leave a comment.

How do I transfer my contacts on my Mac to my BlackBerry Bold? How do I get my photos from my BlackBerry to my Macbook Pro?– B

There is software from BlackBerry that should help with transferring contacts and synching other data. You can find that information by clicking here.

As for getting your photos from your BlackBerry to the MacBook Pro, you might want to try it via Bluetooth. You can connect your BlackBerry to your Mac via Bluetooth and you can then probably move photos from your BlackBerry to your Mac. However, if that doesn't work, I've always found the easiest way is to save the pictures to a microSD card on your BlackBerry and then take the card out of the smartphone and insert it into a memory card reader that connects to your Mac via USB. The card will appear as a drive on your Mac and from there it's as simple as drag-n-drop.

How do I change the ringback tones on my Samsung Flipshot U900? The built-in tones are lousy. –S

Unfortunately, you can't use any songs that you transfer from your computer to your cell phone as a dedicated ringtone. However, if you get tones from Verizon's Get It Now service, here are the steps to change the ringtone.

1. While in standby mode, press the OK button for Menu

2. Highlight Settings & Tools, using the navigation keys

3. Select Sound Settings (4)

4. Select Call Sounds (1)

5. Select Call Ringtone (1)

• Highlight the desired (Read more)

  Tags:	AT&T Wireless	Samsung	Ringtones	BlackBerry
  	Bluetooth	Q&A

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The Samsung Impression is getting a lot of buzz because of its AMOLED touch-screen. But that's not the only thing this cell phone has going for it. Watch the video below to see why this Samsung phone will leave an impression.

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Cell phones of the future

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 (permalink)

At the TED Conference, Pattie Maes from MIT shows off her vision of what cell phones will be able to do the future. It takes touch and data connectivity to a whole new level. Watch the video from ABC 7 News below to see for yourself.

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We just got in a Nokia 2600 for AT&T. Get a closer look at this Nokia cell phone and learn what sets this candy bar-style phone apart in the video below.

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Availability of the long-awaited Palm Pre has finally been announced by Sprint PCS. The new smart phone, debuting the new Palm OS, will be available on June 6th. According to Sprint, the Pre will cost $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year service agreement on an Everything Data plan or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plan.

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The Samsung Omnia is a touch-screen Windows Mobile smartphone for Verizon Wireless that has a lot going for it. Perhaps the feature that sets this smartphone apart from the rest of the pack is what it has in common with the Samsung Behold. Watch the video below to see why.

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Smartphones aren't just for checking e-mail and staying connected to the office when you're working remotely. They can actually be a lot of fun to use and actually quite affordable. Case in point: the Nokia E71x. This smartphone has tons of multimedia functionality and whether you're using AT&T's 3G network or a WiFi connection, you can even stream live video while your record it using a free app from Qik. To show you what I mean, watch the video below to find out just how much fun you can have with the Nokia E71x.

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I just got in a Samsung Alias 2 for Verizon Wireless. The big idea behind the Samsung Alias 2 is the metamorphic keypad - it's called an E-Ink keypad, which literally changes what appears on the keys depending on the function that is being used. It's an interesting concept, though admittedly takes a little patience when getting familiar with it. That said, in many ways it's a much cleaner keypad. At first glance, the 42 white squares on the keypad reminded me a bit of something you might see used in the movie Tron, but the phone itself looks like a standard flip phone with an interesting hinge. Like its predecessor, the Alias this cell phone is a multifunction device trying to meet the needs of two different uses: open it standard flip style and it's a typical cell phone; open it sideways so that the screen is in landscape mode and it becomes a functional texting/e-mail device with a full QWERTY keyboard. The nifty feature here is that depending on what application you're in when you flip open the screen horizontally the ink on the keys change to fit that application - thus E-Ink.

The other interesting change is the user interface, it's got a fun feel to it along the lines of the LG Dare. It looks a lot like you're looking at bookshelves and when you press the Menu key there are more shelves that have correlating images of the applications. Once you access one of those applications, you're taken into the typical Verizon menus. Additionally, the Samsung Alias 2 is a music phone with correlating keys on the front display that you can use to play, rewind and fast forward through songs in your library. Music sounds pretty good through the cell phone's speaker. There's also a 2-megapixel camera.

First impressions: This is an interesting cell phone and there are enough changes here that sets it apart from the original Alias. We'll have a full expert review of the Alias up next week. Check back then for the full story.

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We just got in a LG Xenon for AT&T. Get a closer look at this LG cell phone and see what all the buzz is about in the video below.

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In the market for a Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone? The Samsung Epixhas a lot in common with another Windows Mobile phone - only the Epix might be a little more fun to use. Watch the video below to see which smartphone it resembles most.

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The LG Rumor 2 has some noteworthy updates to the original model, namely an improved screen and larger keyboard. Watch the video below and let us know what you think of the new model.

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Want a smartphone that has a hidden keyboard and will fit in shirt pocket with ease? The Samsung Propel Pro for AT&T might be what you need. Check out the video below to see what we mean:

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There are a few services that you can download that will help you find the places you want to go whether on the road or in your own backyard. Let’s add another service to the list that can be downloaded to your BlackBerry from the App World, it’s called Poynt.

Basically it’s a search service that includes info on local businesses, movies and map it in its current form. You can use the GPS on your cell phone to automatically find your location or enter one manually. In a couple of weeks the service will include restaurants that will incorporate available info from OpenTable and Yelp. So you’ll get ratings from Yelp and be able to determine availability and make reservations using OpenTable. If you have an OpenTable account just log-in once and you’ll be remembered, so you can earn all those OpenTable points (these will get you something…eventually, but at the very least offers convenience and efficiency now) and if not, you can create an account on the BlackBerry.

This service is free and will work on the BlackBerry Storm, Bold, and all Pearls and Curves running the BlackBerry 4.2.1 OS and higher. We’re going to take the app for a spin once restaurants are incorporated and report back on how it works for us.

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I saw an interesting demo from HP at WES 2009 that will essentially let you print from your BlackBerry to anywhere. It’s called HP CloudPrint and what this service will do is essentially let you print anything on your BlackBerry on any printer (not just HP) virtually anywhere.

Think of it like this: You have something on your BlackBerry that you need to print out – maybe it’s an article someone sent you and you like the feel of reading something on paper instead of on a device. You could go into a local store, such as a Kinkos, press print, pay for the paper/ink used and be on your way – no need to spend extra time logging onto a computer to try and find the URL to print it out from the store’s computer. With HP CloudPrint and a BlackBerry, press print, collect printed paper, done.

Or maybe you’re a business person and you’re on the road or vacation and somebody at another office needs a copy of your presentation – If you’ve been to that office and have the printer info on your phone you can tell them to go over to the specific printer, press print from your phone and voila the presentation on your BlackBerry miles away will be printing out of a printer in a totally different location.

Finally, one more scenario: say, you’re coming back from vacation and you’re Mom is going to pick you up at the airport, but needs your flight info. Just find the info on your phone, select print and print it to your Mom’s printer in her house. You can tell her to check the printer, she’ll be confused. Then she’ll go to the printer and be amazed. Well, that’s the idea of CloudPrint.

When will we be able to use this feature? Realistically, it’s a few years out for consumers. It’s in testing now and should be able for businesses to try sometime next year. It’s an interesting idea that could make you a lot more mobile and solve a problem you didn’t know you have.

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If you’ve been watching this season of Amazing Race, you might have caught the episode where contestants had to sing Karaoke in a cab in Asia. Of course, on Amazing Race the cabs came complete with backup singers. If that’s something you want to do, you don’t have to go to Asia to sing Karaoke in a cab. If you have a BlackBerry, you can get the lyrics to songs playing on radio stations worldwide. You can download the app from BlackBerry App World on your device or go directly to www.Nobex.com.

Basically, this service lets you listen to radio stations around the world in real-time. You don’t need anything special to add to your BlackBerry to hear the radio stations since it’s all streamed over the Internet – just be sure to have an unlimited data plan or connect via WiFi.

Here’s how the karaoke part of the equation works:

When you’re listening to a song on the radio, just click the Menu key (the one with all the dots on it) and select Lyrics and voila! the lyrics will appear on the screen so you can sing along – karaoke style. There are other features as well, such as the ability to hear the last 10 items (it’s not only songs sometimes it’s commercials or an interview) and Get Music, which will send a link to your BlackBerry with a place to buy the song. The service will work with any BlackBerry that has OS 4.2 or higher and is free to download.

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Loads of details about the new BlackBerry BES 5.0 have been revealed at the WES 2009 show in Orlando, Florida. BES is basically a server that is used by the enterprise. If you got your BlackBerry through work, there may be a chance that you’re on a BES. If you got your BlackBerry in another way and get e-mail, access the Internet and have a wireless data plan, then chances are you are on a BlackBerry Internet Server (BIS), so these enhancements don’t really apply to you. If you are on a BES and your company upgrades to 5.0 there are a few more things you’ll be able to do.

Here’s the short list:

• Access files on your computer remotely
• View attachments in calendar appointments and forward invites
• Flag e-mails and manage e-mail folders on your BlackBerry
• Support for Symphony attachement

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