Will there be an iPhone on Verizon, and the AT&T vs. Verizon lawsuit.

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For over a decade, Palm has created mobile devices to help people manage their lives. I started out with my first Palm Pilot (the Palm III XE) in 1999, and used it for 5 years to keep myself organized and information in sync while on the go. But while I remained faithful to my monochromatic XE, Palm kept innovating. In 2002, Handspring (later to be acquired by Palm) came out with the Treo line of devices, which combined the PDA functionality with the phone. This front facing QWERTY keyboard style device proved to be a very successful combination for many years, and Palm led the market in converged devices. After a few revisions, the Palm Operating System began to grow long in the tooth. A foray into Windows Mobile helped as a stop gap for those looking for added features, but it just didn’t feel like Palm. In early 2009, Palm introduced it’s webOS, and set the stage for some new devices that would hopefully take it into the future. The Pre was the first device, which launched to much hype and optimism for Palm. Yet, there were still those that missed the form factor of the Treo and the small size of the centro. In November of 2009, Palm released the Pixi, a sleek and sophisticated looking device that packs tons of features into one of the smallest full QWERTY keyboard devices on the market. With the webOS in hand, the Pixi could be the upgrade path for many diehard Treo users. However, the lack of some features found on other high end smartphones may deter the power user from making the jump. The Palm Pixi used in this review was provided by Sprint. It is available for $99.99 with a 2-year agreement and applicable rebates.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW WITH PHOTOS

Back in March of this year, we looked at the Invisible Shield from Zagg as a lightweight way to protect your device.  I have long been someone that promotes the use of protection for handheld devices to keep them looking their best, but am not a big fan of the bulk.  So when BodyGuardz reached out to us to take a look at their products, I thought it would be a great opportunity to not only see another product, but to compare it to the Invisible Shield.  Like the Inivsible Shield, the BodyGuardz is a lightweight film that is installed directly to your phone, creating a barrier between the easily damaged surface of your device and the world.  The products used in this review were provided by BodyGuardz.  The BodyGuardz can be purchased from www.BodyGuardz.com for $24.95.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW WITH PHOTOS

At the CTIA Fall 2009 convention in San Diego this October, I ran into the folks of Wilson Electronics.  If you remember, they previously provided us with the review unit used in the Wilson iBooster Review.  This time, they asked if I wanted to check out one of their in-building systems, and I jumped at the chance to use the SignalBoost DT.  The DT is a dual band amplifier kit designed for home and office use.  The kit can provide up to 2,000 sq ft of enhanced coverage, and is designed to work with all major networks (except Nextel) for both voice and data connectivity.  Wilson has been making antennas and other signal enhancement products for more than 40 years, and has spent the last 10 focused on cellular.  With this experience, they have been able to bring reliable and powerful products to the market to meet the needs where signal enhancement is necessary.  The Wilson SignalBoost DT can be found online for around $300.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW WITH PHOTOS

For the past few years, the best way to get connectivity on the go has been the mobile broadband card. Sure, many phones make it easy to tether to your laptop, but it just isn’t ideal. There are a number of manufacturers out there making cards for USB, Express or PCMCIA slots that work great for one computer on the go, but what if you have more than one device that you want connected? Enter the MiFi by Novatel Wireless. The MiFi 2200 is an intelligent mobile hotspot, allowing you to extend your Mobile Broadband (EVDO Rev A) experience beyond just your laptop to any Wi-Fi enabled device such as a camera, mobile phone, music player, personal media playes or portable game console. It supports up to 5 devices at a time, so you can share your high-speed connection with whomever you choose. The best part is, there are no cables, no software, and truly no hassle to get up and running. Just push a button and you’re ready to surf. The Sprint Novatel MiFi 2200 used for this review was provided by Sprint. The MiFi is available on Sprint for $99.99 with a 2-year contract.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW WITH PHOTOS

The "how it works" of mobile phones, 8 great phones that you may not know about, and America's top 10 favorite phones

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With 3G cellular’s spotty performance, there is an increasing demand for easy, high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity at an affordable price. Boingo Wireless, the world’s largest network of Wi-Fi hotspots, announced the availability of a new application for the BlackBerry on 10/27. Mickey sat down to talk with Christian Gunning, the Director of Corporate Communications to find out what this new app was all about.

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The future of Windows Phone aka Windows Mobile.  We delve into the new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, and discuss whats new in the OS, and what devices are now out to take advantage of it.  Mickey also discusses his experiences a couple of the new devices, and which phones will be receiving upgrades.

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Whether you can't make it through an entire day on your iPhone battery, or you just want to stay charged up at all times, there are many reasons to have an extra battery with you while on the go.  But what if you want to dock your iPhone at the same time?  Or how about have a stand to watch media on it while charging?  The Dexim P-Flip Foldable Power Dock is your answer.  With its 2000mAh Lithium Plymer battery, you can get 1.5-2 times of additional battery life for your iPhone 3G/3GS or iPod Touch 1G/2G.  The product used in this review was provided by P-Flip.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE OVERVIEW WITH PHOTOS

October 6th was the official launch day for Windows Mobile 6.5, and the same day Sprint announced the Samsung Intrepid.  This touchscreen front-facing qwerty world phone is a nice addition to the Sprint lineup, and reminds me a lot of the Blackjack or Ace.  For all it's improvements over the predecessors, don't plan on being blown away by this phone, as it doesn't bring anything to the smartphone table that you can't already find.  The Intrepid used in this review was provided by Sprint.  It is available for $149.99 with 2-year contract.

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW WITH PHOTOS HERE

The Fall CTIA 2009 conference was full of great vendors showing off their products and services.  During the show, we got a chance to chat with many of them, and some were gracious enough to grant an interview.  This show showcases some great phones such as the HTC Hero, a unique service from Zer01, innovative software from TomTom, and 6 others.

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After 3 days in San Diego, I am getting ready to head back home, so here is a recap of everything from the last few days.  My plan of attack for posting was simple - send in photos to my blog from my Verizon Blackberry 8330 Curve and AT&T Apple iPhone 3GS, as well as post longer articles of multi-photo composition using my Sony Cybershot, Mac Book Pro, and Sprint EVDO card.  The nice thing about this approach was the ability to send in photos on the fly as I saw interesting things, but then provide additional commentary and higher-res shots as well.

Wednesday - Day 1
Wednesday morning started out like each morning of the show, with a keynote address for some of the industry leaders speaking about the state of wireless, and their organization.  I posted these photos from the keynote:
Keynote about to start
2010 CTIA convention dates and locations
FCC Chairman Genachowski on stage
AT&T CEO de la Vega on stage
Yahoo Mobile SVP Ko on stage
Tax propaganda at the keynote
More Day 1 Keynote photos

Then I was off to hit the show floor, where I was able to snap some shots and post this article:
Day 1 show floor photos

To cap off the day, I attended the Mobile Focus event presented by Pepcom where I had some additional time with many of the great devices that are out there.  Manufacturers included RIM, Nokia, HTC and Motorola.  Here are the posts that I created from the event:
Samsung Moment
RIM
Nokia
Garmin Nuvifone
Motorola CLIQ
Novatel MiFi
Palm Pixi

Thursday - Day 2
Thursday started out with a keynote consisting of a panel discussion with the Co-Founder and CEO of Qualcomm, as well as the CTO of AT&T.  Here was the post from the keynote:
Day 2 Keynote

Thursday afternoon, I sat down to record a special podcast with Dieter Bohn from Smartphone Experts and Kevin Michaluk from Crackberry.  We covered the latest from Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and Android as well as some great commentary about the main themes of the convention.  The show can be downloaded directly here:
Download the Special Edition of TCPJ at CTIA Fall 2009

Friday - Day 3
I spent most of the day Friday working on catching up from all the content that I had recorded and created throughout the week.  This was another great experience, and I am very happy to have been able to attend the show again this year.  There really is nothing like a cellular trade show for a Cell Phone Junkie.

We're on the ground at the Fall 2009 CTIA conference in San Diego.  While we didn't see many new devices come out of this show, there was a lot of great content.  This show features the keynote speeches of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega.  You'll hear Genachowski lay out a plan to address two of the wireless industry's major policy complaints with four goals for the FCC that he said would aid the wireless industry in providing mobile broadband to consumers.  In the keynote appearance immediately AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega spoke out against the chairman's net neutrality push.  de la Vega essentially argues against any regulation that could slow the industry's growth. Specifically, de la Vega said the Internet should be free of regulation, and not subject to the net neutrality regulations that Genachowski has been pushing for.

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The next frontier of mobile phones: Data.  We discuss 4 major data topics ranging from how voice has become a commodity, to how net neutrality is affecting how the carriers upgrade their networks.

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Steve Litchfield from The Phones Show joins us to talk about the new announcements in the world of Symbian and what's going on with Nokia.

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In mid-July, RIM released the much anticipated and much needed Blackberry Tour 9630 smartphone on both Sprint and Verizon. Prior to the Tour, the Curve was the most up to date front facing qwerty Blackberry you could find with the CDMA technology, so it was time for an upgrade. Coming with the new styling for CDMA carriers, it also has the sleeker and easier to use Blackberry 4.7 OS. With the limited success of the Storm on the Verizon network, it was clear that the majority of Blackberry users love their keyboards, and RIM wanted to take it up a notch. As a device, the Tour takes some of the best hardware features of its GSM cousins the Bold and the 8900 and gives CDMA users a reason to stick with their carrier. However, with many new and positive features it still lacks some essential ones like Wi-Fi. The Blackberry Tour used in this review was provided by Sprint. It is available for $199.99 with 2-year contract.

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW HERE

DartRage is a darts simulation game from Raging Skull Productions. I'm not what I consider to be a great darts player, but I do enjoy a good game of Cricket when hanging out with friends. DartRage brings the fun of darts to your iPhone or iPod Touch for only $2.99, and is compatible with all versions of the OS including 3.1. Download DartRage from the iTunes store HERE

CONTINUE READING THE ENTIRE REVIEW HERE

Getting the most out of your phone in these tough economic times.  We compare the latest offerings from all of the providers to help you find the best deal.  Plus, some ideas on ways that you can analyze your own bill to save a few bucks each month.  Thanks to everyone for subscribing to TCPJ Unlocked, and our first premium show.

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Matt Greenberger from Motorola joins us to talk about the new things that Motorola is doing for consumers.

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A few weeks back, I looked at Navigon’s Mobile Navigator for the iPhone. After the review was posted, I was contacted by Sygic to review their offering as well. While not as well known in North America, Sygic is the creator of Mobile Maps for iPhone software. The application market for stand alone GPS solutions is finally maturing to the point where the end user has multiple options, and Mobile Maps for iPhone is another full featured example of these applications. The application is available for purchase through the iTunes application store in the North American version for $79.99. However, there are other versions, such as the US only, Europe, Southeast Asia, Russia, Brazil, and Australia/New Zealand as low as $59.99. Thanks to Sygic for supplying The Cell Phone Junkie with this software for review. More information about Sygic, and Mobile Maps at www.sygic.com

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW WITH SCREENSHOTS

For the past 6 years, I have used the GPS navigation built into my car for everything from finding my way to determining the location of the nearest gas station. Whenever asked the question “Do you prefer built-in or stand along GPS systems?”, my answer was invariably “Built-in”. Then about 2 years ago, I started to find myself more and more in need of GPS when I wasn’t in my personal vehicle, and the idea of having a separate GPS unit started to appeal to me. There are plenty of products on the market today that offer a good turn-by-turn navigation experience, but what if you want something that is integrated with your phone? Until recently, Windows Mobile has been the primary operating system used by software developers. However, with the proliferation of the iPhone, and now with the 3G and 3GS versions with built-in GPS, it was only a matter of time before personal navigation software came to Apple’s flagship device. EnterNavigon, and the release of MobileNavigator for the iPhone. This software brings the turn by turn simplicity of a stand alone system, right to the iPhone you already have in your pocket. The application is available for purchase through theiTunes application store for $69.99 until August 15th, 2009, and will then increase to $99.99. Thanks to Navigon for supplying The Cell Phone Junkie with this software for review. More information about Navigon, and MobileNavigator at www.navigon.com.

Read the entire review with photos here

Craig Johnston from Crackberry.com and author of multiple articles and books related to the Blackberry joins Mickey and Joey for a discussion of some of the latest devices in the world of Blackberry, and his new book, My Blackberry Curve.

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Rob Walsh from Today in iPhone and Podcast 411 joins Mickey to discuss the latest in software and hardware from Apple with the iPhone 3GS and 3.0 OS.  Also, learn how jailbreaking your iPhone can open up possibilities that are not available currently.

What's new in 3.0
New features of the iPhone 3GS
Jailbreaking the iPhone, should you or shouldn't you?
Using the iPhone as a work phone

Open up iPhone Tethering using this website
Butterscotch

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The date was July 16^th, 2006 and I had an idea.  For years, I had spent countless hours each day reading through RSS feeds, websites, forums, and listening to a wide variety of podcasts to get my information about what was happening in the cellular industry.  I always wanted something more focused and concise that would get me up to speed in a more efficient manner.  When I first discovered the world of podcasts, I was blown away by the expertise of some of the hosts. It was great to hear someone talking about a specific topic of interest, rather than a single segment of interesting information that I might happen to catch on the radio.  I searched around to find something specifically geared towards the cellular industry, but everything seemed to come up short.  That Sunday evening, the idea to create a podcast dedicated to cell phones was born, and the world was introduced to The Cell Phone Junkie.

Sure, the first few shows were certainly less than stellar, but I kept at it.  Week after week, story after story, I found it got easier the more time I spent behind the mic, and my confidence and comfort level continued to climb.  By episode 5, I was looking for someone to talk with, and I had Jerry come on as a guest.  A few shows later, Matt joined me as co-host, and things really started hum along.  After 6 months or so of 2 shows per week, I started to feel a bit burned out. I needed to cut back, and the show became what it is today, a weekly release, every Sunday.  Over time, Joey joined me as the permanent host of the show, and things just meshed.  Joey and I had known each other for many years, and were constantly talking about phones.  It was just a matter of time before we would have to record the conversations and share them with the world.

Over the next couple years, we changed and tweaked the format every once in a while, but the underlying theme remained the same, it was all about phones.  Today, we have a very solid structure that works for us:

News
Devices
Software
Questions/Comments from the listeners of the show

In August of 2008, we even introduced a second bi-weekly podcast, TCPJ Unlocked.  We use the unlocked show as a platform to talk about the things on our minds, or even interview industry experts about a variety of topics.  Like an unlocked cell phone, TCPJ Unlocked is free of restrictions, and we take a very open approach to the format.  

As we enter into the fourth year of The Cell Phone Junkie podcast, we’re more excited and focused than ever on what lies ahead.  Sponsorship agreements have started to arrive, and both providers and vendors are constantly reaching out to us with products for review.  All of these things are pushing the show to the next level, and give us opportunities to enhance what we do, creating the best podcast available for the cellular industry.  As always, if you have feedback for the show, please let us know at questions@thecellphonejunkie.com or give us a call at 206-203-3734.  We’ll talk to you later.

Thanks for listening!

Mickey Papillon
The Cell Phone Junkie.com
Creator and Podcast Host

When planning an international trip, there are a lot of decisions to be made on what to bring along to keep in touch with friends, family and co-workers back at home.  Come along with Mickey and Joey as they talk about how to Travel Internationally with The Cell Phone Junkie.

Post about the items discussed in this show

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When my wife and I set out to plan our summer vacation this year, we found that we kept coming back to the notion of traveling to Ireland.  To make the trip a bit more diverse, we chose to visit multiple cities and locations over the course of 9 days.  The trip had us visiting London, Cork, Kinsale, Killarney and Dublin. When we returned to the states, we found a flight that gave us a 7 hour layover in New York City. and spent a few hours in Manhattan before finally returning home.

Through all of this travel (7 flights total),  I wanted to make sure that I was as efficient and lightweight as possible.  To do so, I took a hard look at each item that I was bringing, and made sure that it would make sense to haul it across 2 different countries for 9 days.  The resulting items that made the cut turned out to be these:

• Dell Mini 9
• iPhone 3GS
• Nokia E75
• Blackberry Pearl
• Sprint Blackberry 8830
• Richard Solo Batteries

Rather than splitting my thoughts on each into multiple reviews, I’ve chosen to combine them all here in one post that details the use of each as many of them are related.  Here is a recap of what I brought, and how each device was used.

Click here to read the entire review with photos

With all the new smartphones that have and are coming out recently, many more people are getting data plans.  We spend this show talking about how you can get the most out of that data plan.

Streaming Radio Stations

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Last week, I reviewed the YX230 in-car cellular signal booster from Wi-Ex, and this week, I'm taking a look at the YX510. The YX510 is a home or office signal enhancing solution that like the YX230, is a simple and effective way to enhance your cellular signal. The YX2510 is available from Wi-Ex for $400, but may be found online for less.

Read the entire Review with photos HERE

Sometimes, you find yourself in an area where your phone consistently drops calls, or you find very low service.  The zBoost YX230 Cell Phone Signal Booster from Wi-Ex may be your solution.  This in-car signal enhancer simply and efficiently increases the signal received by your handset up to 10x, which decreases your dropped calls, and increases your data speeds.  TheYX230 is available from Wi-Ex for $300, but can be found online for less.

Read the entire review with photos

The Palm Pre is out, and we've got Matt Miller from ZDnet with us again to chat about it.  Also, the iPhone 3G S has been announced, and we do some comparison between it, and the Pre.

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Since 2005, Sling Media has been offering the Slingbox as a way to watch your television content on the go, through an Internet enabled device such as a laptop or mobile phone.  The process is simple, you connect the Slingbox to some sort of video device such as aDVR or cable connection, and to a broadband router.  Then launch the SlingPlayer software on your computer, and it walks you through the steps to start “slinging”, or streaming your TV content to you, where ever you are.  The SlingPlayer software has been expanded over the past few years to include phones running Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian and Blackberry.  However, the media king, the iPhone, has been conspicuously missing.  There arguably hasn’t been a more anticipated and hyped application for the iPhone than the SlingPlayer, so keep reading to see how it stacks up in real world testing.  The application is available for purchase through theiTunes application store for $29.99.  More information about SlingMedia, the Slingbox and SlingPlayer at www.slingmedia.com

Read the entire Review with photos here

Summer is here, and we're talking all about travel.  We go through how the various 3G networks stack up, how to take your phone while traveling abroad, and a question about mobile email from a listener.

Coast to Coast 3G tests
Take your phone while traveling abroad
International Carrier Frequencies
Small Business BES Server

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More municipalities than ever are restricting the use of mobile phones while driving, and mandating the use of hands free devices to use your mobile phone while operating a vehicle.  While Bluetooth headsets are becoming increasingly common, most don’t provide an experience that makes people want to continue using them.  Whether its comfort, sound quality, or complicated use, there are many reasons to forgo use of the technology. BlueAnt Wireless is hoping to change this perception of headsets with the new Q1, touted as “the world’s most advanced voice controlled Bluetooth headset”.  I’ve been testing out the Q1 over the past few weeks, and will provide my thoughts and compile a complete rundown of what sets this headset apart from others.  At the time of this review,BlueAnt has partnered with Sprint, and is selling the Q1 exclusively through Sprint stores through May of 2009, which will be followed by additional availability nationwide.  TheBlueAnt Q1 is offered at $129.99.

Read the full review with photos here

Oh does the 3G limitation of the Slingplayer application on the iPhone bother us.  Plus, can you get buy on a cheap unlimited plan?  And the story behind the 160 character SMS message

Links referenced in the show
The story behind the 160 character SMS message
Can you make a cheap unlimited plan work?
More households going cell phone only
Why we are still paying ETF's

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Whether you are traveling abroad, or just trying to make international calls from home, the cost of worldwide communication on your cell phone is not cheap.  Fortunately, with the advent of VoIP technology there are a wide range of voice services out there now that can make communication quick, reliable and cost effective.  But until recently, most of these services have been relegated to the desktop, making on the go communication difficult.  Truphone solves this problem with a service that allows you to use your existing handset and service provider to make cheap calls worldwide, using either Wi-Fi or your phones 3G data connection.  For this review, I will be using the iPhone 3G and the new 3.0 software, but Truphone can be used with many devices and Operating Systems including Symbian, Blackberry and Android.  More information at http://www.truphone.com

Read the entire review with photos here.

The winner of our biggest Cell Phone Junkie contest Nate joins us for the show this week.  Nate took the opportunity to ask us questions, and it was great to have him on!

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It's happened to all of us.  We've been driving down the road, having a pleasant conversation with someone, and all of a sudden, you realize you've been talking to yourself for who knows how long.  Dropped calls are still a part of the mobile phone experience, even 25 years after the technology was invented.  Every phone and carrier is susceptible to this issue, as RF is just something that never will be perfected.  However, if you are someone that is looking to do something about it, Wilson Electronics may have your answer with the newSignalBoost iBooster Wireless Amplifier line of products.  Specific models include the iPhone or Blackberry Curve, while a universal model is also available.  For this review, I will be using the iPhone model which is available for around $230 at various Wilson Electronics retailers.
Read the entire review with photos here.

The great folks at OtterBox have supplied us with some of their Impact Series cases to check out and review after a great conversation that Joey and I had with them at CTIA.  The Cell Phone Junkie in each of us is always on the look out to protect our devices from harm, and most of us rely on cases to do the trick.  Historically, OtterBox has made high impact cases known as their "Defender" line to protect your device from just about anything you can throw at it. OtterBox has made a deviation from this style to bring a smaller, yet highly durable solution to the market with the Impact Series.  The Impact series of skins are available for dozens of devices, and I've been testing them out for the iPhone 3G and Blackberry 8300 series.

Read the entire review with photos here.

When most people think of RIM, the first thing that comes to mind is email.  Over the past decade, the Blackberry has become the champion device for email while on the go, with millions of users coming to know and love these tiny keyboard devices asCrackberries .  In May of 2007, RIM launched their newest device, the Curve, which dropped the scroll wheel on the side in favor of the popular Trackball of the Pearl.  Finally, RIM had a phone that would not only be used by business professionals around the world, but began to penetrate the consumer market.  Then in May of 2008, the Blackberry Bold was announced, and brought an all new bright vibrant screen to the new line of devices.  Users loved the new functionality, but the size of the Bold was close to the 8800 series devices.  Enter, the Blackberry Curve 8900, which keeps the size of the original Curve, but adds some styling changes that are well received.  The Curve 8900 is available on T-Mobile for $149.99 with 2-year contract.

Read the entire review with photos here.

We regularly are asked the question "What phone should I get?"  We dedicate a show to answer this question, along with going through the latest device offerings by each of the providers and how to choose the "right" phone.

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After 6 days and 5 nights in Las Vegas, Joey and I are getting ready to head back home.  I decided that it would be good to do a roundup of everything we saw and did while here, making a dedicated post to CTIA 2009.  My plan of attack for posting was simple - send in photos to my blog from my Verizon Blackberry 8330 Curve and AT&T Apple iPhone, as well as post longer articles of multi-photo composition using my Sony Cybershot, Mac Book Pro, and Sprint EVDO card.  The nice thing about this approach was the ability to send in photos on the fly as I saw interesting things, but then provide additional commentary and higher-res shots as well.  Posting to my blog was then blasted out via Twitter and Facebook - giving the followers the ability to stay on top of what was happening as I went.

The Drive
When i first decided that I was coming to CTIA this year, I wanted to be sure that I could do it in an efficient way, that was good for the show.  To do so, I needed to bring along all my podcasting gear, and the only way to do this was to drive.  I left Phoenix around noon on Tuesday March 31st, and it took exactly 5 hours to make it up here.  I posted items along the way showing my progress:
Starting the drive
Geeking out listening to Mac Geek Gab
Less than 100 miles to go
Crossing the Hoover Dam
Arriving in town

Also, I used a Scoche adaptor in my Honda Ridgeline to listen to and charge my iPhone while in the car.  I had a few minutes of time to compose my thoughs along the route and posted this article of the Scoche.

Tuesday Evening - CTIA Eve
I opted to come in to town the evening before the show, as I was invited to the ShowStoppers media event.  I snapped these photos while walking over:
Samsung's presence
Main Entrance to the show floor

Wednesday - Day 1
Wednesday morning started out like each morning of the show, with a keynote address for some of the industry leaders speaking about the state of wireless, and their organization.  I posted these photos from the keynote:
Waiting to get into the keynote
Front Row seats
Steve Largent (CTIA President) speaking
Robert Dotson (CEO T-Mobile USA) speaking
Ivan Seidenberg (CEO Verizon Wireless) speaking
Mike Lizaridis (CEO RIM) speaking
RIM showing off Blackberry App World
More of App World

Then I was off to hit the show floor, live blogging these items along the way:
Media Credentials
First look at the new HTC Snap
Show Floor
LG GD900
Blackberry Booth
How to get to Blackberry App World
Samsung Mobile
Diamond I vs. Diamond II
World SMS record holder
Zagg Bus

That evening, I sat down at the computer and posted these articles:
Day 1 keynote recap
Palm Pre
LG GD900
Microsoft Devices

To cap off the day, I attended the Mobile Focus event presented by Pepcom where I had some additional time with many of the great devices that are out there.  Manufacturers included RIM, Nokia, HTC, Sony and Motorola  Here was a post recapping the event.

Thursday - Day 2
Thursday started out with a keynote consisting of talks by Clearwire, Scripts Transitional Science Institute and Microsoft.  Here were our posts from the keynote:
Ben Wolff of Clearwire
Eric Topol of STSI
Robbie Bach of Microsoft
Microsoft showing off Windows 7 and the GOBI chip
Choose your experience with Windows phones
IE on 6.5 shows sites with flash

After spending the day walking the floor with Joey, we had a lot to talk about and sat down to record TCPJ Unlocked Show #018 from our hotel room in Paris.  You can access the show from here.

I sat down again that evening to put together some consolidated posts of photos from the day:
Day 2 keynote recap
HTC Snap vs. Blackberry Curve
Sony C905
Sony C902
Motorola Evoke QA4
Clarity C900
Palm Centro vs. Palm Pre

Friday - Day 3
Friday's keynote had a different flavor to it, done by Vice President Al Gore.  While cameras and phones were not allowed in the event, I was able to snap a few photos of the ex-VP in action:
Al Gore Keynote 1
Al Gore Keynote 2

After a few more hours of wandering the show floor and talking with vendors about consumer products, we finished up our walk through the convention center and had our photo taken by the large CTIA sign.

Finally, we ended our week with The Cell Phone Junkie Show #149 - again, from our hotel room at Paris.  As the first cellular industry trade show for both Joey and me, we had a blast.  Spending time seeing the products first hand, and talking to the vendors that we've been working with was absolutely priceless.  Also, we had time to meet with Kevin Tofel, Matt Miller, Kevin Michaluk, Dieter Bohn and Chris Leckness to put a face with the name we've know for a while.  We also met some new folks such as Ryan Kairer, Vincent Nguyen, and Zach Epstein and look forward to relationships that can be forged into the future.  The trip absolutely met my expectations, and  can't wait for CTIA 2010!

Joey and I are on the ground in Las Vegas this week for the CTIA Wireless Conference.  We dedicate an entire show to our thoughts of the show, and what we were able to find in the massive expanse known as the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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If you’re a “The Cell Phone Junkie” fan and you want to help support the show, we’ve got a great promotion to help you do so.  Netflix is now a sponsor of The Cell Phone Junkie, and has a special promotion for new subscribers - 2 weeks free!  To sign up, click on the Netflix link on the right column of the page.  See site for details and restrictions.

Mickey and Joey thank you for your support!

Kevin Tofel, James Kendrick and Matt Miller from JKontherun and MobileTechRoundup join Mickey and Joey this week.  Discussion topics include the Palm Pre, iPhone 3.0 speculation and how netbooks fit into the mobile mix.

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A quick acknowledgment and apology regarding the audio quality (clicks, pops, stutters) in recent shows.  We've been experimenting with a different setup and will be reverting back to our prior equipment next week.  Thanks for your patience as we continually strive to make The Cell Phone Junkie the best we can.

UPDATE - There was a large gap of silence in the file available for download yesterday that has been fixed.  However, I was not able to fix the clicks and pops.  It will be fixed for the next show.

Everyone who owns expensive devices is always looking for a way to protect them.  There is no shortage of cases, films and other protecting products out there, and each has its own benefits and downfalls.  When Invisible Skinz reached out to me to take a look at the Invisible Shield, I was happy take a look.

Click here to read the rest of the review

Craig Johnston joins Mickey for a show dedicated to Blackberry.  We cover what's going on in the world of new Blackberry devices, and the difference between a BES and a BIS.  Also, what the heck does <confirm> do, plus much more.

Sites/links mentioned in this week's show:
Crackberry
Mobile Computing Authority
Plazmic
Blackberry Connect

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Aaron Kaase joins us this week to talk about the business of telecommunications.  Topics include the difference between a LEC vs an IXC, a line vs a trunk and how calls go from being placed, to routing, to completion.  Also referenced is www.telcodata.us which is a great telecommunications database.

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A fantastic show with 2 great guests; Dieter Bohn from Smartphone Experts and Matt Miller from the Mobile Gadgeteer and the Nokia Experts site.  Topics include the new Nokia Experts.com website, the Smartphone Round Robin done by Smartphone Experts, and the Palm Pre.

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A show with an agenda done completely by you, the listeners.  We sent out a twitter message this afternoon asking for what you wanted us to talk about, and we've come through!  Below are the questions/topics from everyone, and links to things we chatted about.

Question from Greg
Question from Brian
Questions from Justia97
Question from Josh
Question from Tony
Questions from Tadd
Question from Frank
Question from Larry
Question from Captain Nodegard
Question from Ryan
Question from Janricr

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A show about fruit...Apple that is.  As promised on the last show, Mickey talks about his new iPhone 3G...is this one a keeper?  Also, as Macworld kicked off this week, we talk about the Sling announcement for the iPhone, over the 3G/EDGE air downloading of songs on iTunes, and DRM free tracks.

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Any true cell phone junkie realizes the benefits of having an always connected device for productivity on their phone.  But when it really comes to getting things done, it’s sometimes hard to beat using a full sized computer.  While tethering your 3G enabled phone to a laptop is increasingly easy to do, a dedicated card is arguably the best way to go.  Over the past few years, I have used 3G data services on Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile.  Out of these, I have used data cards on both Sprint and Verizon, but had yet to try out HSDPA.  So when the manufacturers of the AT&T USBConnect Quicksilver (Option) reached out in late 2008 to review this new device, I jumped at the chance.

Read the entire review with photos here

Mickey and Joey go through their 2008 predictions and what they think is going to happen going into 2009.

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Special guest and prior guest host Jerry joins us this week.  Topics include the HTC Diamond, and it's impact on the mobile phone landscape, the state of Windows Mobile, and what the future may hold for Microsoft's mobile division.

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Go Daddy is currently a sponsor of The Cell Phone Junkie podcast.  If you'd like to help support the show and site, please visit www.godaddy.com

As a listener of The Cell Phone Junkie, enter code TCPJ1 and save 10% on any order, TCPJ2 to save $5 off orders over $30, or TCPJ3 for $7.49 .COM domains.

Some restrictions apply, see site for details.  Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com

Mickey and Joey get into detail about what LTE is, and why you should care about it.  Questions answered include:

What does LTE stand for?
What will the deployment look like in the US?
Will the same data speeds be available for all carriers implementing the network?
When will we see new devices?
How are talk time and battery life affected by LTE?

Download the show directly, Subscribe, or listen online.

The landscape of mobile phones has changed dramatically over the past 2 years, from the way we interact with them, to what is expected in order make us more productive.  T-Mobile has long been a favorite provider here in the US for those looking to get the most bang for their buck.  Unfortunately, that has often translated into handsets that were either behind in their technology, or not first to the market.  This has all changed with the introduction on the T-Mobile G1 with Google Android.  T-Mobile has partnered with Google and HTC to launch the first phone to run Google's Android operating system.  Packing both a capacitive touch screen and a slide out qwerty keyboard, the G1 brings to the market a device that integrates Google's services better than ever before.  The T-Mobile G1 is available for $179.99 with 2-year contract.

Read the entire review with photos here.

Research in Motion (RIM) has long been the leader in email for the mobile device.  Whether it is through a BES or the BIS, the integration is second to none.  When RIM broke into the consumer market with it’s “Pearl” style devices, a lot of attention was given to making the devices fun and easy to use.  The original Pearl showed that you don’t need to have a full sized keyboard on a Blackberry, and the Sure-type technology is very accurate in predicting the word you are typing.  However, there has been one thing missing from these devices, the clamshell styling that so many people love.  RIM answered this call with the recently announced Blackberry Pearl Flip 8220 on T-Mobile.  The Pearl Flip combines the easy to use Sure-type keyboard of the Pearl with the convenience and familiarity of a clamshell phone.  The Pearl Flip is available on T-Mobile for $149.99 with 2-year contract.

Read the entire review with photos here

Mickey and Joey discuss the history of the mobile phone. 

Download the show directly or listen online.

When the HTC Touch Diamond was first announced, it rocked the Windows Mobile world for its size, functionality and innovation.  However, the lack of a full qwerty keyboard was an issue for those who didn’t want to be restricted to using the mediocre onscreen variants.  The solution is the HTC Touch Pro.  First entering the market as an unlocked GSM device, the model used for this review is the CDMA version provided by Sprint here in the US.  The Touch Pro is available on Sprint for $299 with 2-year contract and $100 mail in rebate.

Read the entire review with photos here.

Tower expert Randy Hemenway joins us this week to go over how towers play a vital role in the cellular technology.

Download the show directly or listen online.

Alli Flowers from Mobility Today joins Joey and I this week to talk about switching from Palm to Windows.  We discuss her "Definitive Guide to Switching" and go through a lot of her recommendations on making the process easier.

Click here to download directly.

The Treo Pro is the latest device from Palm that brings together the qwerty form factor that is so popular in the enterprise with the sleek looks of today's latest smartphones.  Click through to read my entire review of the device.

T-Mobile provided me with the Motorola ROKR E8 to review this week.  If you're looking for a music phone with lots of storage, the ROKR may be a good choice for you.  Click through to read the entire review and see what this phone is all about.

A very random show this week as we talk about a variety of topics.  Items include converged devices, keyboards on phones, Bluetooth, data cards and Touchscreens.

Click here to download directly.

After being inspired enough to switch carriers from Cingular to Verizon when the first Motorola Q came out, I wondered if this one would be worthy of the upgrade.  Since it’s release, the Q9 has come out on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.  The Q9C that I am testing is on the Sprint network, which can be purchased for $99 with a 2 year agreement.

To read the full review, please click through.

We interview Matt Miller from ZDnet and MobileTechRoundup on this special bonus show.  Topics include Symbian, the Nokia E71, the Samsung Omnia, the Treo Pro and MaxRoam.

Download the show directly here.

After many requests from the listeners of the show, i finally decided to purchase and test out an S60 device from Nokia.  When the E71 came out, I knew it would be the device for me.  Front facing qwerty, all the radios and specs you need, and a great size.

I've published my formal review of the device here. 

We're All About Symbian this show.  Steve Litchfield from All About Symbian and The Phones Show joins us to talk about the state of the Symbian S60 operating system, and specifically the Nokia E71.

You can download the show directly by clicking this link.

My latest Sprint device to review is the Sanyo Katana Eclipse.  Sanyo keeps with it's line of Katana devices and puts out a nice upgrade if you are looking for a good midrange phone with some basic multimedia features.  You can read the entire review here.

I received the Sony Ericsson TM506 to review on T-Mobile.  As T-Mobile's first HSDPA handset, there were a lot of expectations on how the handset would perform.  You can read the entire review here.

Providers, Phones and Plans.  Mickey and Joey talk about how to go about choosing each. 

Sites referenced:
www.phonescoop.com
www.cellularmap.net/regions

The latest in my device review parade from Sprint is HTC Mogul.  I've posted the review over at mickeypapillon.com that goes over all of my findings during use over the last week.  Enjoy!

TCPJ Unlocked has been accepted and is now available through iTunes.  Head over to this link to add the subscription.If you'd like to add it manually, you can do so by copying and pasting:http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=288560560

Over the past 2 years, The Cell Phone Junkie podcast has grown into the show you listen to each week.  Joey and I have always wanted to keep the format of the show the same, to maintain the consistency you've come to love each week.  However, we've found that as we've advanced, we find times when we want to provide different content or formats for the show.  Thus, we've decided to start another podcast, calling it TCPJ Unlocked.

TCPJ Unlocked will be a show that is not tied to a specific format or style, but rather be an open show that we will do every other week to provide all the cell phone junkies out there with some additional material.  Shows will range from conversations that Joey and I have had like in this first episode, to Live shows that allow for interaction with the listening audience, to interviews with industry experts.  Whatever we want to do, we'll do it.  Just one rule, it's got to be about cell phones.

How can you get it?  Simply click on this link to get over to the site where you can use the flash player to listen from the web, or download the show to your computer using this direct link.  If you prefer to use Podlinez to listen over the phone, we've got a phone number set up as well, it is 901-328-7589.  Also, the show will be in iTunes for you to subscribe to, they just haven't gotten it approved.  Check back often to www.thecellphonejunkie.com to make sure you get an update when this happens when these things happen.

So enjoy this inagural episode and let us know what you think.  You can still contact us the same as you would for the other show, as this isn't meant to be completely separate, rather an addition to the current show.  Thanks for your support of the show, and thanks for listening!

I was fortunate recently to start a partnership with T-Mobile for review of their devices.  Similar to what I've been doing with Sprint, T-Mobile sent me the Sidekick 2008 for a few weeks to use and evaluate.  I've posted my comments and thoughts here, so make sure you check it out!

Another week and another review on a Sprint provided device.  This week, it's the Palm Centro.  I had a lot of fun with this one as Joey has had it for quite some time, and it was good to be able to finally get why he is so excited about it.  Check out my review over at mickeypapillon.com to read what I had to say about it.

Again, Sprint was kind enough to provide a review unit so we could take a look at the Palm Treo 800w.  The review can be found over at mickeypapillon.com

Overall, I was impressed with the device, and recommend it to anyone looking for a front facing keyboard on a Windows Mobile smartphone.

 

If you're having troubles posting comments to any of the stories here, please head over to www.mickeypapillon.com and make your comment there.  They will be "eligible" there as well.

UPDATE:  It looks like comments are working again.

Carry on...

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a Samsung Instinct provided by Sprint.  Check out my review of the device over at mickeypapillon.com

Once again, thanks to Sprint for the opportunity.

In a hope to begin generating revenue to support my goals with The Cell Phone Junkie, I'm working with my show provider (Libsyn) to attract sponsors.  One of the steps in determining the best advertisers for the site is to get demographic information from you, the listeners of the show.  A quick (less than 2 minutes) survey has been created, and I need a few hundred listeners to take it.

You can access it by going directly to TCPJ website and click on the "Support this Podcast" on the right side of the screen under the Grand Central call button.  Or, you can click on THIS LINK and it will take you to the survey.

Thanks for your time and support.

Mickey

I got word this weekend of some changes in the wind for Verizon Wireless this coming week.  Apparently the activation fee is now only refunded if you return your phone within 3 days if you up and cancel your service during the trial period.  However, you still have 30 days to port out to another carrier like before.  Also if you exchange you phone during the first 30 days there is a $20 exchange fee.  Looks like they are trying to keep people from trying out all sorts of phones when signing up for service.  Apparently, this fee may also be applied when people do upgrades when they purchase new hardware.

There is some good news though, new plans are coming for hearing impaired folks.  Look for some sort of unlimited text and data plan with no voice minutes.

All are expected to drop on Tuesday 4/15.

No, you aren't going crazy, TCPJ show #88 may have shown up in your feeds for the 3rd or 4th time this morning.  I am have uploaded the file to the Libsyn servers yet again in hopes that it will be usable this time.  Apparently, many of you have had a file that seems normal, but either is repeating itself, or cuts off before the end of the show.  This latest file should resolve that. 

So what happened?  In an effort to enhance the show, i decided to try to encode the file with Variable Bit Rate, and it seems to have thrown off the timing pretty significantly.  This latest file isn't as high quality (that's a whole other story) but should show up as the proper time 1:13:00 on your player...at least that is my hope.

The story goes like this.  Show #87 was longer than normal (almost 2x the size) and libsyn only allows me a certain amount of uploaded content each month.  Because of this, I am forced this week to have a smaller file for the show, and thus the attempt to use VBR to have a better sounding show with a lower bitrate.  My appologies for all the confusion, looks like we're back to constant bitrate to make this work properly.  If anyone has any advice or ideas for me, email me at mickey@thecellphonejunkie.com

Mickey

A portion of The Cell Phone Junkie Show #87 will be done live this evening using the Talkshoe service.  Head over to this Talkshoe link for all the details.  Whether you want to simply call in and listen to us talk with other Cell Phone Junkies, or you'd like to ask us a question, you can do so by either calling in, or using the online tools provided by talkshoe.

9pm EST is the start time, and we'll have do some chatting and then bring in listeners to give us your thoughts or comments!

I've never actually come out and talked about sponsorship of The Cell Phone Junkie show before, but now seems to be the time.  I am actively looking for one (or many) sponsors for the show that will help to bring TCPJ to the next level.  Running a website and podcast isn't free, and in order to get some hands on time with the devices and services, I need sponsors to do so.

If you are interested in being a sponsor, please drop me a line at mickey@thecellphonejunkie.com

Thanks for your continued listening and support!

Congrats to Jared from Utah (not Boston like I stated in the podcast) for winning the BB 8830 holder.  Between this and your Red Sox winning the World Series tonight, not a bad day!

Enjoy!

For some unknown reason, the Flash player on this page is causing me some grief this morning.  It isn't playing the most recent MP3 file correctly.  I'm not sure if it has something to do with the encoding of the file itself, or possibly an issue on Libsyn's end.  In the meantime, you can always download the file directly to listen, or subscribe through a podcatcher such as itunes to have it downloaded automatically.

I was fortunate this morning to spend time on the msmobiles.com podcast.  The discussion included the following topics

— video calling in USA

— HSDPA in USA compared to HSDPA in Europe

— Windows Mobile 6 ROM upgrades for various phones

— new programs for Windows Mobile released recently

— new Windows Mobile phones released lately

— ExpressCard notebook cards for cellular data connectivity mobile Internet - usage in Mac Book and in Windows XP and Windows Vista and other notebooks

— other news related Windows Mobile phones

Head over to the msmobiles.com site to download and listen.  Also, you can add the URL to your podcatcher to download it with each new episode.

The contest for the Motorola S9 Bluetooth headphones has ended and a winner has been randomly selected.  TCPJ show #60 will be recorded and posted tomorrow evening, Monday July 23rd.  You'll have to listen to find out if you won!

I was contacted last week by the producer of the msmobiles podcast who asked me if I would like to come on his podcast to discuss Windows Mobile phones and also the iPhone.  I of course love doing other podcasts, so we picked a time (not easy due to a 9 hour time difference) and recorded it today.  Topics also include some HTC devices and the Toshiba G900.  Check it out here and make sure to visit his blog!

This upcoming weekend will be the 1 year anniversary since I started The Cell Phone Junkie podcast. To help celebrate, Motorola will be sponsoring the giveaway of the Motorola S9 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones that I recently reviewed.  Make sure you listen to the next show to find out how you can win!

When Motorola contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I would like to try out the new S9 headphones, I was pretty excited. I have always been a big fan of Motorola products, so I was excited to see what they had done. This isn't the first pair of BT headphones that Motorola has produced, but it is much sleaker than the ones in the past (think HT820). I'll break down how I have used them and hopefully cover all the bases on my experience with them.

Overall Appearance
Included in the box with the headphones are 3 different tips for the ear buds, a wall charger, a BT dongle, some documentation, and a CD. It's a very strange box, opening like a ring box, but I guess the packaging makes the first impression, so fancy is fine. The first thing I did was pull all the other stuff aside and go for the S9's themselves. One thing that was very different than the HP BT Headphones I have was the lack of lots of tactile buttons. You notice with them that while there are a few buttons that you can “depress�?, most of them are activated by light pressure. Something that takes a minute to figure out. The style is very sporty and the construction is mostly hard plastic, making them great for working out.

Initial Setup
Like most current gadgets, these came with some charge in them, so I was able to start playing with them immediately. However it should be noted that they require about 2 hours to charge when they are completely dead. The charging port is your typical mini-USB (thank goodness) which is nicely hidden underneath a rubber flap on the back. To start, I put the headset into discovery mode (hold down the power button for 6-8 seconds) and then took the Bluetooth dongle that was included, and plugged it into my IBM Thinkpad. The Motorola adapter then immediately found the headset and I was on my way. I found that the distance that the headphones have from the dongle quite impressive. I typically find that 5-10 feet is the typical distance that works well for most Bluetooth devices. These were able to go all over my 1650 square foot house with very little static or interference. Very nice for someone that wants to wear them while walking around without the wires.

However, then it was time to pair them with my MacBook Pro. This experience was completely different. I initially thought that I would be able to use the built in BT on the MacBook to stream the music, but I was never able to get it to work. I did some searching, and it appears that you need to download and install a separate program that would allow A2DP access, something I didn't want to mess around with. A quick attempt to use the BT dongle was futile, looks like Mac users will be forced to do some tinkering to get them to work properly.

Use
Like I mentioned before, the buttons on the S9 are very different than what you may be used to in a headset. On the left, there is a raised call button and 2 recessed volume buttons that are touch sensitive. On the right, a play button and forward/backward track controls. Once you figure out how the controls work, it is really fun to use. Many will love these touch sensitive controls when doing things like jogging where it is hard to get your finger on the control to perform the action. An audible beep lets you know that the button has been pressed, and you are on your way.

The quality of sound through the speakers is fair but not fantastic. I would say it's on par with a corded pair of mid-range headphones. The high range sound seems to be a bit over-emphasized, something I'm sure is a result of the style.

When wearing the S9's, there was some discomfort around the area above my ears. The tight wraparound design makes me wonder how those with a larger head would feel with these. I guess you can stretch them a bit, but I didn't feel like seeing how far they would go before cracking. I mentioned that there were 3 pairs of tips for inside the ear. This is a very good thing as the large ones were the only tips that allowed me to not want to throw them across the room. Most of my issues with comfort are a matter of personal choice. I feel that most wraparound headphones are not as comfortable as other designs. One thing to note though is that Motorola claims these to be water resistant, so your run in the rain will not harm them.

Six hours of playback is the rated listening time, about what I found in my tests. The 1.14 ounces is a great weight, and after a few minutes, I forgot I had them on.

My tests were only on a PC, so I wasn't able to test out the call functionality of the S9. Motorola though suggests that you are able to easily switch between music and phone calls with a simple click of the phone button. Also, like with many BT headphones, the mono sound will only come through one ear.

Final Thoughts
The Motorola S9 Bluetooth Headphones are definitely for the active person who wants something light, durable and easy to use. The sound quality could definitely be improved, and I would like the comfort level to be increased in the future. Keep in mind that at $129 these aren't cheap, but definitely more innovative than others out there.

Just a quick post...my apologies to everyone for the poor audio quality on show #58.  I was using a new tool to attempt to level the volume between Joey and I, and it apparently caused some funky sounding spots.  If you want to hear the cleaner sounding episode, it is available for download on the site.

Thanks.

Mickey

I made a post last week about a package that I received from Motorola, and it's now time to come clean.  Inside was a set of Motorola S9 headphones that I have been able to try out over the past week.  I will be doing a full review of them in the next week or so after I have had some additional time to use them, but I thought I would give some initial thoughts.

I have used Bluetooth headphones in the past so I know many of the pros and cons.  Motorola did a very nice job with these, and I have to give them credit for the size and weight.  These are very comfortable on your head, but the earbuds cause some discomfort over a period of time.  I am going to try different tips and see if my results differ.  Also, the distance these things work is great!  I was able to use them all around my house while connected with the included BT dongle to my computer in my office.   Volume control is convenient and it gets plenty loud.

More to come!

I received a call yesterday from a reporter at Channel 12 here in Phoenix, which is the NBC affiliate. He stated that he wanted to interview me on the various sides of the iPhone. 45 minutes later, we were taping. The interview went very well, and I had a lot of fun. Don't get me wrong, they slanted my views a bit, but in the end, they do say may get one. You can see the interview by going clicking here, going to Tuesday July 3rd, then click on the "iphone reviews mixed".

Enjoy!

Sorry for the lack of shows in the past 10 days, but have no fear, we'll be back soon!  Mickey recently purchased a new house, and has been busy getting TCPJ headquarters set up.  Look for new a show mid-week.

Thanks for your patience!

Hello to everyone!

I'm going to try to remember to mention this on the next show, but I wanted to put out there that you can now vote for us on PodcastAlley.com.  Go to this link and click the vote button to vote for us!  Thanks to all the Cell Phone Junkies out there for your support!

Click HERE to get to the video from the NBC 12 news story of The Cell Phone Junkie using Private Phone.  Again, thanks to the folks at NBC for a great story!!!

Enjoy!

Check out this link to a story that aired on the NBC affiliate here in Phoenix tonight.  The premise of the story was about the service we use for our hotline, but the site got a nice little plug!  Thanks to Rick DeBruhl and the call 12 for action team for the great story!  You can read the story here and I will post the link to the video later tonight when gets posted on the site.

As you can see from the photo above, Dave Ciccone was listening and "watching" The Cell Phone Junkie on his new Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR2 52â�³ 1080p LCD HDTV.  Dave writes:

"Mickey you are doing a fantastic job on your podcast. As you can see you are on the big screen in my house and show #37 was a great show. Also btw the voice quality is fantastic so whatever you did keep it!"

Thanks again go to Dave for posting about the show on his fantastic site

You can read the entire post here

Thanks to the Mobile Phone Fan for taking the time out to review The Cell Phone Junkie show on his website.  He pointed out a few good items of discrepancy on his post from the past show, but overall had good things to say!

Thanks again!

You can read his review here

I thought this was a great cartoon that really depicted how I feel sometimes!  I love Garfield!

If you are a consistent listner to The Cell Phone Junkie Podcast, you will have no doubt noticed that the audio quality has dropped dramitically over the past 5 or so episodes.  I wanted to come out and say that I have been having problems with my computer and headset, and I am working on getting it fixed. 

What I am planning on doing is upgrading my setup to a professional one and begin to incorporate some higher end components to resolve the degredation that I've been experiencing.

Thanks to everyone that is hanging in there and rest assured that TCPJ will get back up to the very best quality, very soon!  Hey, at the very least it's an excuse to buy some new toys!

Mickey

Well, the long awaited Apple iPhone was announced this morning at Macworld.  The phone will be availible in June from Cingular and is very unique and exciting!  If you want to read more about it, some of the best places to find information about it are Engadget and my favorite, Mobility Today.  Also, I have some info up on my personal blog Mickey Papillon.com.  Enjoy!

Oh yeah, and you can bet we'll be talking all about this one on the show this week!

About Palm, Inc.

 

Palm, Inc., a leader in mobile computing, strives to put the power of computing in people’s hands so they can access and share their most important information. The company’s products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm® Treo™ smartphones, Palm handheld computers, and Palm LifeDrive™ mobile managers, as well as software, services and accessories.

 

Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm Retail Stores and Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store).

 

More information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com.

 

About Cingular Wireless

 

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 58.7 million customers. Cingular is solely owned by AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), a premier communications holding company in the United States and worldwide. Cingular has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation – the ALLOVER™ network – and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology, featuring the first widely available HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) service in the world. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover^®, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com.

 

I mentioned yesterday on show #31 that Verizon was going to be giving away a free ringtone today (12/31/2006) only to anyone who sends a text message with the word "Tone" to 2007.  Well, I just wanted to let everyone know that I was able to test this out today with the help of my wife's E815.  Those with smartphones (or those without Get it Now access) are out of luck.  Once you send the text message, you get a reply saying:

"2get ur free ringtone: Go2 Get It Now on phone>Tunes&Tones>GET New Ringtone>VZW Tones>Select &Purchase song>Option 2 Redmptn Code? Enter 2007."

I figured out that while this does work, and you are able to get whatever ringtone you want, there is some discrepancy in the way you get in to do this.  I had to go through the VZW tones deluxe program to do so.  "Aquarius" here we come!!!!

The past 6 months with The Cell Phone Junkie podcast have taught me a lot about what it means to run a site, plan shows, and produce audio files.  With everything that I do for the site, I realized that it would be fun to start another blog dedicated to Mickey Papillon, the person.  If you want to get to know me and the other things in my life, please visit my personal blog Mickey Papillon.com

I plan on updating it regularly and will feature other items and information about my "real" life!

Enjoy!

From our families to yours, happy holidays from The Cell Phone Junkie team!  We appreciate your support and help in making the show what it is!

Here is a list of stories that didn't make it into the recent show, but ones we thought were worthy of mention:

Handset Prices at a 12 year high
Femtocells!
New Windows Mobile-Crossbow
Palm News - Treo 680 Officially Available   
$3500 Nokia!
First UMTS and HSDPA chip from Qualcomm
CDMA group reignites GSM vs. CDMA debate
Differences between Verizon and Sprint EVDO
HTC Cavalier-Dash update!
Boston big Dig tunnels to have great reception
You tube coming soon to cell phones
1 billion BT devices and counting
Nokia and Ericsson to provide 3G network for T-Mobile
One readers review of the Blackjack saving WM5

A big thank you to Mr. Songhai from the Songhai Concepts blog for linking The Cell Phone Junkie to his site!  Check out what he has to say about us in his blog.

Here is a list of stories and articles that didn't make it into the recent show, but ones we thought were worthy of mention:
Google thinks your phone should be free! 
Retro cell phone project
World's first UMTS 900 call-caution, technical stuff ahead!
Slingbox for mobile phones
Solar Powered Cell Phone
100 millionth symbian phone shipped
Orb to bring You Tube and Google video to your mobile
Motorola Q, in black

For those times that you don't have access to your ipod or laptop and want to get your fix of the latest The Cell Phone Junkie podcast, not to fret!  Here are 2 services that allow you to dial in and listen to the show free of charge!  Keep in mind that long distance charges apply if you don't have it included.

www.podlinez.net
1-510-495-6352
This gives you a direct number to the show, but not too many options.

www.fonpods.com
1-712-432-3031 show number 183933
This gives you options on listening to the most recent, or previous shows if you like.

Credit for this find goes to Kevin Tofel at JKOnTheRun and his excellent podcast:
http://www.mobiletechroundup.com/

Here is a list of stories and articles that didn't make it into the recent show, but ones we thought were worthy of mention:

Sleek Smartphones
10 Reasons why Smartphones suck
Anti Cell Phone Video
New Treo waterproof case!
Nokia to help UMA users
Gmail app on your phone!
"Goosync" for your Google Calendar
Using your phones signals to generate traffic reports
Reality Check-Are you part of the new tech savy generation?
Treo 750 approved by the FCC
Cell Phone, Bentley Style!
Backup your phone with Backup Pal
University of Florida students upset about Cingular

A big thank you goes out to SolSie.com for choosing TCPJ as the podcast of the week for the week of November 4th, 2006.  Check out the link!

SolSie

Are you a cell phone junkie "junkie"?  My good friend Aaron over at WirelessAdvisor.com (a.k.a. Motohooligan ) wants to know!  Check out this link and cast your vote!

TCPJ Junkies

Aaron asks:
"I know I listen to every Cell Phone Junkie Podcast (or, at least every podcast since I got a computer that supported the media type... but I digress.)

I wanted to see how many WAers listen to the podcast so I decided to create a poll."

Thanks Aaron!

A big thank you to Dave Ciccone at Mobility Today for posting the following story and attached photo on his site.  Dave found the Cell Phone Junkie Podcast as one of the featured shows on the gadget section of iTunes!  Here is the link to the story:

http://mobilitytoday.com/news/cellphone_junkie_itunes.html

Thanks to everyone for thier support!

Mickey

Mobility Today Mobile technology, reviews, shopping, discussions

Congratulations to The Cell Phone Junkie Podc... By David Ciccone on NEWS Today I was browsing through the new iTunes interface and stumbled into the Gadget section of iTunes. I was pleasantly surprised to see our very own Micky aka gt2697 is featured right on the front page! Way to go Mickey and keep up the great job! Now if you aren\'t familiar with Mickey\'s podcast here is all the info you need to subscribe! The Cell Phone Junkie Podcast Website The Cell Phone Junkie RSS Feed The Cell Phone Junkie iTunes Link

After a week off, the cell phone junkie will be back this week.  Some travel got in the way of recording, but we have a lot to talk about, so check back so you don't miss a show!

I found this link and thought I would share it with everyone.  It is a slideshow with a lineage of various phones over the past 20 years.  Enjoy!

Slideshow

If there is a question on your mind about cell phones or carriers, I want to know!  I'm preparing for the next show and am looking for some questions you may have that I can answer.  Email me at thecellphonejunkie@gmail.com with anything you would like to know!