How To Get A Cell Phone Deal In 3 Easy Steps

According to new studies, more than ฝ of Americans now own cell phone. I have a cell phone and so does everyone I know. Modern life would be very inconvenient without cell phones- how could you ever find anyone (or a better question, how did we find anyone before cell phones)? I have used all the major phone service providers over the years and I've basically settled on one (different service providers work differently in different areas). However, lets take a look at how to find a cell phone deal no matter where you live.

1) Comparison shopping. Both online and offline. Brick and morter stores and online stores often have different prices for the same phones or phone plans. This is where comparison shopping comes in to play. Find a service provider and visit their store or mall booth. Then check their website. You might be surprised to learn that the prices are not identical. It only makes sense. There is no overhead involved in an online store and if the customer does everything himself, prices should only be lower.

2) Go for the free phone. Some cell phone service providers will give you a free phone if you sign up with their service. Some won't. We've found that getting a free phone can be really cool due to the fact that sometimes the service provider will give you a state of the art phone for no upfront charge just to get you to become their lifetime customer.

3) Use Ebay. Some people sell their slightly used phones for great bargains online if you are willing to spend the time and wait for a good deal to popup. I've been in love with a Nokia phone for about 6 months now and am waiting for a real discounted phone to be put up for auction on Ebay. A lot of the service providers will activate your phone if you bring it in to their store (regardless of where you bought it).

There are ton of cool tricks to getting a cell phone deal. These are just 3 basic common sense ones, learn 'em all today and get a killer cell phone deal.

Tatango! Two Way Mobile Group Collaboration

A few days ago I posted about Wiggio, a site that allows for group communication and collaboration, where you can get notifications via SMS text. One of the limitations of the site is that you cannot post from your cell phone to the group, you must have Internet access to get to the Wiggio site. I think this may limit how many students can fully participate in Wiggio since some of them will not have Internet access at home. A site called Tatango may be an alternative for groups where all members do not have accessible Internet outside of school.

Tatango allows for group communication via web and/or cell phone. Tatango allows anyone to create a group, add members, and have text or audio message communication via cell phone. The cell phone communication is two-way, so group members can post to the other members via cell (audio or text) and respond via cell. All of the communication is documentated in the Tatango site. Tatango does not do is have a nifty calendar/schedule or resource folder like Wiggio does. But Tatango is more accessible for visually impaired students because they can take advantage of the audio feature for posting and replying to the group messages. In addition, Tatango does have a "public" option where you can create public groups. While I think most teachers would deselect this option for obvious safety issues, there could be some interesting class projects using this feature. One example would be to have a group created around a current events topic and get quick opinions on the topic (for example stem cell research in science or a supreme court ruling in social studies), especially if the topic affects different areas of the country in various ways (such as more federal funding being given to New Orleans and less federal funding to another area).

Comparision Wiggio & Tatango
Privacy Options - Both
SMS notifications - Both
Audio notifications - Tatango
Reply via Cell to Group - Tatango
Calendar/Schedule Feature - Wiggio
Resource Storage - Wiggio
Conference Calling with Group Members - Wiggio
Online Polling (not cell phone based) - Wiggio

Curriculum Integration Ideas for Tatango
Homework Help
Tatango would be a great way to create a homework help line that students could participate in. Since all communication is documented it is a great way to not only get help, but for the teacher to see who is struggling and in what areas.

Discussions on Curriculum Topics
After students finishing reading an chapter in their class novel, they could have an SMS text or Audio discussion on the reading to get them ready for class the next day. The whole discussion is documented in Tatango, so the students can use it for review later on and the teacher can use it to learn what they students understand and what questions may have arisen.

Documenting Group Work
This is pretty obvious but still should be acknwoleged that studnets in groups could use this to forumate and brainstrom ideas.

Interviewing/Reporting
I could see students who are reporters for the school newspaper using this resource to get quotes and interview community members. Since the quotes and interviews can immediately go to all the reporters (or just the teacher/student editor) they could get immediate feedback on their quote and find out if there are other questions they should be asking.

Language Practice
Students in foriegn language classes could use this to practice their oral and text language skills with each other through a group conversation. Since text messaging is so popular in other countries (as I have learned from Kevin Gaugler and Barbara Lindsey) students should know how to communicate via text in foriegn countries as well as orally and by traditional writing.

Wiggio: Mobile Group Communication & Collaboration

I have been playing with a resource called Wiggio for a couple of months now and am ready to give some feedback. Overall, I really like the resource. I think that it has a lot of potential for facilitating group communication and collaboration inside and outside of the classroom. Wiggio allows anyone to set up a group for free. In the Wiggio group all members can post to a community calender, send mass audio, SMS text, or email message to one or more of the group members, conduct conference calls or chats, create polls, and store files in folders. While this is not a resource that can only be used via cell phone, it is a resource that is aided by the fact that so many student's own their own cell phones. Students can set up their accounts so they instantly receive text message reminders and alerts from the Wiggio group. For example if a group member created a voice message, it would automatically be sent to the group member's cell phones. Also, the scheduled events on the calender could also be sent to group members cell phones as text message reminders of up comming meetings and due dates.

All the communication in Wiggio is documented, so teachers can know how much input students have had in their group activities and what type of input they have had. I really like the achieving of group data since it is often difficult for classroom teachers to evaluate group work and individual member contributions. Teachers could also be part of the Wiggio group, so they could watch the group activities as they are proceeding and jump in when they feel it is necessary.

My Wiggio Wish List:
While I do like Wiggio, I have a few suggestions to make the site more compatible with today's mobile student.
1) Allow posting to Wiggio's calender and folder from the cell phone (maybe try to couple it with Dial2do or Jott)
2) Allow for conference calls to be achieved on Wiggio
3) Allow viewing of new documents (such as images/video) posted to the group on cell phones.
4) Allow group members to take a poll on their cell phone (rather then just being told there is a poll).

Is anyone using Wiggio for group communication? With Students, Teachers, Community Members, or Parents? If so, please share your stories in the comments.

Cell Phone Etiquette You Need To Know

Owning a cell phone can be a lot of fun. It’s portable, convenient, and is comforting to have when driving alone late at night. But now that there are millions of people who own cell phones, proper cell phone etiquette is becoming a concern.

Owning a cell phone doesn’t give a person a right to be rude or inconsiderate of others. It may be okay to take your phone with you and have it on while you are in business settings, with the exception of business meetings, but it’s not okay in some social settings.

People in a movie theater aren’t going to appreciate it if your cell phone is ringing during a movie. They’ll be even more annoyed if you answer it and talk during the movie. A nice leisurely dinner at a restaurant can be ruined if someone at the table next to you has their phone on and is taking calls. I’ve even been in church near someone who apparently thought it was okay to take a call during services. I was close enough to hear what was being said and it definitely was not an urgent call.

Yes, sometimes it may be necessary to have your cell phone on even if you are in a restaurant, theater, concert hall, or meeting. In those situations, put the phone on vibrate. If the phone goes off, discreetly check to see who is calling. If it is necessary to talk to the caller, excuse yourself and go to a quiet area out of earshot of the other diners, theater patrons, etc and return the call.

In some parts of the world wireless phone jamming devices have been installed in public places so that your phone just won’t work. In many other places, signs are starting to pop up telling people to turn off their cell phones in both public and private buildings. Not turning off a cell phone can even cost a person money. In New York City, there’s a $50 fine for breaking a bylaw that prohibits the use of mobile/cell phones at all indoor performances.

A person can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution. If people demonstrate consideration for others there won’t be the need for more jamming devices, more “no cell phone” signs, and more laws being passed to fine users who don’t obey the “no cell phone” rules.

Make sure the voice mail is set up on your phone. Encourage people to leave a message for you if you are not able to answer the phone. Then return the call as soon as you can. But make sure to return the call. Just as it is inconsiderate to take a call in a restaurant or theater, etc. it is also inconsiderate to not return a call in a timely manner.

Poll Students for Free from Landline or Cell Phone!

I recently came across a website called Hey Cosmos. This site seems to be intended as a way to socially make plans quickly via phone polling. However, I saw some educative benefit in using the site as a quick, free, and accessible polling system for teachers and students. The way that it works is you create a poll question (which is an auditory poll), along with potential answers, and even responses to those answers. When done, you can "blast" out the poll to as many phone numbers (mobile or landline) as you wish. Then the person receiving the poll hears the recorded message, responds by hitting the appropriate number on the keypad and hangs up. The response is instantly reported on the Hey Cosmos site (in a private space).

The person who created the poll can even send out a response after receiving all the poll answers. For example a teacher who wants to poll their students about the topic for current events discussion the next day, can send out a blast, and after they receive their responses (about 60 seconds) they can blast out the chosen topic so the students can be prepared for the current events discussion the next day in class.

What I really like about this site:
1) It is very accessible (especially with the landline option) and only a phone call, so no text messaging charges apply.
2) It is easy to use.
3) The person creating the poll can insert their own voice (great for foreign language teachers or ESL).
4) Nice for visually impaired students.
5) There is a record of polls and respondents
6) There is privacy!
7) Students do not have to create an account to take the polls.

Limitations with the site
1) I wish I could blast from my cell phone rather than having to go to the Cosmos site.
2) I wish I could send a text poll option (instead of it always having to be audio).

Curriculum Integration Ideas:
Review Quizzes
I think this is a great resource for teachers to create some fun or quick review quizzes. Since students can get an instant response after they select their answer, it is a great way for them to get feedback. Also since all of the responses are stored in the Cosmos private account, the teacher can see which students are struggling with which topics.

Language Teachers
For students in foreign language classes, this could be a fun way to practice their oral speaking skills. The students could create surveys and polls in the foreign language. In addition, the students could demonstrate their comprehension of the foreign language by answering the correct questions that their teacher sends out.

iPhone users, this is for you!

I am not an iPhone user. The reason is because I like to use cell phones that the majority of students and teachers have, which are more basic cell phones. As that changes, I will purchase an iPhone or something similar, but until then I will be in the trenches with the students. However, I often get emails from people asking about free iPhone applications that might couple well with education. I found a great site called 148, where they list hundreds of free applications for the iPhone and iTouch. Everything from Writepad to Facebook to video games are included on this site. There are also reviews and links to load the applications onto your iPhone.

A Bluetooth Cell Phone Review Shows You What You Need To Know

The rise of Bluetooth technology which is the newest technology is indispensable due to the amazing benefits that it offers. Bluetooth is a specification for the use of low-power radio communications to wirelessly link phones, computers and other networks over short distances. It is specially intended to backup wireless networking of personal consumer devices and other electronic devices hence, a need to read a Bluetooth cell phone review is required.

Bluetooth networks feature a dynamic topology which is called a piconet or PAN and wireless signals transmitted with Bluetooth cover short distances, typically up to 30 feet.

Bluetooth Cell Phones

You probably have no idea just how important a Bluetooth cell phone review can be. If you have decided to buy a Bluetooth phone, then of course you are going to want to read a Bluetooth cell phone review on any phone you may be considering so that you can get a better idea on the make and model and whether it is going to be the right phone for you.

Reading a Bluetooth cell phone review will be a really great thing, and by reading a Bluetooth cell phone review you will be educating yourself more and this is only going to be to your benefit.

Learn What is Out There

Besides reading a Bluetooth cell phone review, there are a few other steps that you are going to want to take as well in order to ensure that you choose just the right Bluetooth phone.

It is often worth it to go in person to a store when you are going to buy a phone as opposed to shopping online, so that you can speak to a knowledgeable professional who will be able to show you the different models available and help you decide which is going to be best and most suitable for you and your needs.

Most stores have the option of trying out a cell phone before purchasing it, so you may want to try various models in order to get a feel for them and better determine whether or not it is going to be right for you and your needs. You may perhaps want to check the keypads, and know the various features and functions.

It is important to know the costs of such as the price range of these phones are significantly different, in order to allot the amount you can in this area. This serves as a basis for you so that you can stick to this and buy a phone that is within your means. Doing this will vividly slim your choices.

Reading a Bluetooth cell phone review is an edge as it will show you what you need to know. It is always a wise idea to do a reading and understand all that is within the Bluetooth cell phone review in order to fully enjoy the benefits.

Andy Immotna has been maintaining a number of premium membership websites that constantly provides members with resell rights products and highly valuable information products that people use to feed their membership sites and article directories.

Can Cell Phones Harm Your Health?

It seems like everywhere a person goes there is at least one person in view with a cell phone to their ear whether it is on the road, in a store, in a parking lot, walking down the street, etc. Even in places where cell phone usage is banned such as concert halls or movie theaters there is the occasional offender, or more likely, at least a few people using the text messaging feature on their phone.

Cell phone usage has exploded over the past decade and continues to rise. Nearly two hundred million people in the United States have cell phones and there are well over one billion users worldwide. That means there are a lot of phones sending their frequencies over the airwaves at any given time.

Concern has arisen over whether or not cell phone usage can harm a person’s health. Brain cancer rates in the United States have risen since cell phones were introduced, leading some people to wonder if cell phone usage is the reason for the increase.

There have been reports of people developing brain tumors in the exact same spot where they held their cell phone. Some studies have expressed concern over long-term cell phone use, believing it can lead to a person to develop cancer. That is not to say a person who uses a cell phone is going to get cancer, but some studies suggest long-term use increases a person’s risk.

Things may not be all gloom and doom however. A large study done in Denmark with almost a half million cell phone users showed no increase in cancer for cell phone users.

Yet, other studies have concluded there is a greater risk of cancer but only with analog phone users. Some other studies conclude that any type of cell phone usage can raise a person’s risk for developing cancer. There are a lot of varying opinions on the subject. According to the FDA, available data does not show there are definitely health problems associated with using wireless phones, but the information goes on to say that there is also no proof that wireless phones are completely safe either.

What about cell phone usage is causing the concerns and the numerous studies to be done? Cell phones emit radiation when they are used. The levels are low and are the same type of radiation as a microwave oven emits but in much smaller amounts.

It has been suggested that using hands free sets can alleviate the problem of the head being exposed to the radiation. Again opinions vary. Some studies say it does not decrease the amount of radiation exposure at all. Other studies say it significantly decreases the amount of radiation exposure.

Some people say the biggest danger with cell phones isn’t from the either real or perceived potential to develop cancer, but from inattentiveness while using the cell phone. How many of us have seen vehicles driving somewhat erratically down the road and then see when we get near the vehicle that the driver is talking on a cell phone. It is a proven fact that a driver on a cell phone is less attentive and more likely to get in an accident. And, hands free sets aren’t the answer that some people may believe. Yes, they free up both hands for driving and prevent a person from getting a sore arm, but the driver’s mind is still occupied with the conversation and therefore less attentive to what is going on around him or her on the road.

Even people who are walking and talking on a cell phone at the same time can put themselves in more danger because they are not as aware of what is going on around them.

All the conflicting reports make a person wonder what they should do. The good news is that more comprehensive studies are being done to see if cell phone usage does or does not cause cancer. At the same time, manufacturers are working on new processes that will decrease or even possibly eliminate a person’s radiation exposure. Until more definitive answers are given, a person may want to avoid talking on a cell phone for several hours every single day, but a person probably does not need to feel like they should have to give their cell phone up. It is still a great tool.

The advice about driving and talking on a cell phone is the same as it has been though. A person should pull over in a safe area out of traffic before engaging in a cell phone conversation.

Treo-Gear.com Offers the Palm Treo 700w Smartphone—the First Verizon Windows Mobile Device Built Into the Power of a Palm

Treo-Gear.com adds the Palm Treo 700w Smartphone—the first Palm phone device available on Windows Mobile platform—to its already vast selection of Treo devices. The Treo 700w is a full-featured phone with easy-to-navigate features and high-speed CDMA networking capabilities that successfully combines phone, email, organizer, messaging, Web browser and camera in one small device.

“With the Treo 700w, users get the power of a Windows Mobile environment with the speed of high-speed, broadband internet access and the one-handed navigation of a Treo Smartphone,” says Jennifer Bean, IS Director of eCommerce at Treo-Gear.com.

Treo 700w Accessories, such as a 512 MB or 1 GB expansion card, Bluetooth headsets, optional screenguards and versatile cases make the 700w’s functionality truly exceptional. Plus the device’s integrated QWERTY keyboard with 5-way navigator—Windows Mobile 5 action keys—in the center of the phone allows users to access everything with one hand. Scroll messages, scan Web pages, read documents and find phone numbers easily.

Central to the device’s functionality is an enhanced Today Screen system, a Windows Mobile-based experience that gives users access to their phone numbers, calendar appointments, unread emails, Web searches and more without the need to go through a menu screen.

“We are pleased to offer this user-friendly, high-functioning device and huge selection of quality Treo accessories to our customers,” Bean says. “This ultra-portable device allows users to stay in touch with home and office while on the go without the need of a laptop.”

For quick information access and versatile usability, The Treo 700w Smartphone is Palm’s first to integrate EvDO, the latest generation of high-speed CDMA networks, which supports download speeds of 400-600 Kbps. The device has 128 MB of memory, 60MB user storage and a 1.3 megapixel camera with 2x zoom.

Charge it to My Phone!

Already popular in Asia, mobile bill paying is starting to infiltrate the U.S.. A web resource called BilltoMobile allows anyone with a cell phone (YES, a basic cell phone works) to be able to to charge digital purchases to their cell phone bill via their cell phone. No need to use carry credit online anymore. Just charge purchases to your phone.

However, there is an interesting twist to this resource, it is being targeted at teens and younger adults. Which can be worrisome, since many do not have or understand how to use credit cards and keep from getting into credit debt. I think this marketing is another good reason why it is vital to teach youth about ethical and legal issues when using mobile phones. Many university students have gone into terrible debt because they don't understand the consequences of signing up for so many credit cards and maxing them out. I don't want the same thing to happen to teenagers who think using their phone as a never-ending cash machine is economically savvy. They need to learn how to use a cell phone as a credit card in an appropriate, safe, and professional manner. This is a teaching opportunity.

T-Mobile Sidekick: The Cool Gizmo You’ll Love To Own

The T-Mobile Sidekick II, the successor of the famed T-Mobile Sidekick, can be called the ultimate communication gadget. Launched in the US market by leading telephone carrier T-Mobile, the Sidekick II is not only helps you communicate, but has some great features that allow you to have a great time communicating!

The T-Mobile Sidekick II has been launched after ironing out some of the problems that plagued the earlier version. Here’s some vital statistics. The Sidekick II is fully loaded and weighs 6.49 ounces. It measures 5.12 x 2.60 x 0.87 inches and comes with a lithium-ion battery that provides up to 4.5 hours of digital talk time and 60 hours of digital standby time. Sidekick Ii runs on the GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 frequencies and has a one year limited warranty. Enough of what the T-Mobile Sidekick II’s great features. Let us see why it provides real bang for the buck and has reviewers drooling over it.

The Sidekick II has got some huge improvements over the T-Mobile Sidekick I. The Sidekick II is a tri-band world phone. Flip it open and you’ll be greeted by the big color screen. You can send unlimited emails and the new keyboard is really easy to use. The T-Mobile Sidekick I suffered from a lack of buttons for easy access to basic functions. Not anymore. Dual purpose buttons make it easier to place calls and browse the Net using Sidekick II.

You don’t need to search the Settings menu to change the volume or adjust any other details. You’ve got external buttons for that and also to turn the handset on or off. T-Mobile Sidekick II also has an external directional pad that’s a great help if you are one of those avid gamers. The keyboard can be used for all text messaging, emailing, and calendar updates. The 240 x 160 pixels screen on the T-Mobile Sidekick II can support 65,000 colors.

The Sidekick II is around 25 per cent thinner that the Sidekick I. It also gives you a comfortable feel when you are using it as a phone. The integrated camera, LED flash unit and self-portrait mirror are on the back of the handset. The T-Mobile Sidekick II comes loaded with the Hiptop OS and the handset has a 48 MB internal memory.

Did you run out of memory storing those phone numbers? The phone book of the Sidekick II can accommodate 2000 contacts and multiple entries per contact. You also get the usual menu of recently missed, received, and dialed calls. You’ve got polyphonic ring tones with 16 chords. If you need more you can download some great ring tones from T-Mobile’s t-zones service. You can also assign a picture and ring tone to each caller. Well, the t-zones service can be used to download some great games too.

Okay, here’s one more reason you would love to own a Sidekick. T-Mobile has priced it fairly and you can get a Sidekick data plan ($29.99 per month) to use Sidekick II’s e-mail, messaging, and browser functions.

Well, that is not the end of the good news though. Another Sidekick avatar is around the corner. T-Mobile Sidekick III will be launching Christmas!

Radio Show #5: Taking Advantage of Text Messaging on Student Cell Phones

Thank you to all who listened to the broadcast. The next broadcast will be Wed Dec. 3rd at 3:00. The topic (as per PeggyG's great suggestion) will be: What can we do with one cell phone per classroom?



Here is the transcript of the Chat:
Liz Kolb:Welcome! We will begin shortly.
Liz Kolb:Our topic today is taking advantage of text messaging on student cell phones for classroom learning.
Peggy_G:Hi Liz. Always excited to hear your show! So glad it's 30 mins now. :-)
Peggy_G:Kim-great to see you!
kcaise:hi Peggy!
Peggy_G:unlimited text messaging is a wonderful thing! essential for teens!
Liz Kolb:hi everyone
Liz Kolb:http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/34313179.html
Peggy_G:I learned that the hard way! You definitely need a partner to help monitor chat. :-)
kcaise:definitely - same here
Peggy_G:oops-clicked on the link and lost my chat window. :-(
Liz Kolb:http://www.ask500people.com/questions/should-high-schools-offer-courses-via-cell-phone
Peggy_G:what incredible examples of texting to meet real-life needs!
Peggy_G:such a good point about using textmessaging with hearing impaired students! Inclusion at it's best!
kcaise:just the ask500
Peggy_G:yes some links-not the last couple
Liz Kolb:Textmarks.com
Peggy_G:great! we can find them on your blog later :-)
Liz Kolb:ohdontforget.com
Liz Kolb:sendible.com
Liz Kolb:lastspotted.com
Liz Kolb:http://flagr.com
Liz Kolb:http://gpsed.com/
Liz Kolb:Textmarks.com
Peggy_G:mobile text messaging campaigns for businesses-great idea!
Peggy_G:students can become the experts-perfect angle for this site
Liz Kolb:http://www.zoozmobile.com/control/index.html
Liz Kolb:Phonezoo.com
Peggy_G:these suggestions are so valuable for districts facing the financial crunch of purchasing things like response systems (everyone is facing financial crunches)
kcaise:thanks everyone
kcaise:Thanks Liz
Peggy_G:Wonderful show (again!) Where should we share ideas for future shows?
Liz Kolb:Thanks everyone for joining...any suggestions for future topics?
Liz Kolb:@Peggy Here or on my blog
Peggy_G:ok-I'd love to hear more ideas about how to use cell phones in centers when you're just getting started with 1 cell phone-teacher's phone
Liz Kolb:Good suggestions...that will be my topic after Thanksgiving. I get that question a lot.
Peggy_G:anything that takes what teachers are already doing and shows how they could enhance it with cell phones outside of school :-)

Louisiana State Community College is Offering Courses VIa Cell Phone

I have posted on this blog about courses being conducted over cell phones in Japan, and I am thrilled to report that we are starting to see mobile courses ifiltrate the U.S.. Wes Fryer posted this article from 2theadvocate, which describes how Louisiana State Community Colleges are going to start offering courses via cell phone starting in January 2009. While you cannot use a basic cell phone, students who have iPhones and Blackberries can take the courses without having to enter a classroom or get on a computer! They have a link on their registration page when students can register for the mobile courses and download the ebooks to their cell phones. By using mobile courses, students can enroll from all over the state, they don't have to worry about getting to a phsycial space for class or even having Internet access in the form of a computer. This is truly anytime, anywhere, anyplace learning!

Accessibility is an Issue...but not for long
While 70% of Lousianians have cell phones, participants do need to have touch screens and keypads in order to properly participate in the class. However, the community colleges are hopeful that with prices constantly dropping on these fancier cell phones, their mobile courses will slowly become more accessible to all the citizens of the state.

Notifu, Interactive Mobile Messaging for Teachers

I have posted in the past about messaging services such as Remindr, Dial2do, Jott, Remember the Milk, and Sendible. All of which I think are useful. But I have to add another messaging service to this list. It is called Notifu. Notifu allows for group messaging, polling, and FEEDBACK! That is correct, I said, feedback. Notifu allows you to send a message to a person's perferred form of communication such as IM, Twitter, email, or Text Message. Once you create a contact with the contact's preferred communication, you can easily send group messages to multiple contacts and receive feedback from them (no matter which communication tool they are using). For example, I sent out a poll to all my contacts in a particular group asking them what time they preferred to meet. I gave them choices of 4:30, 5:00, & 6:00. When they got their message, they could reply with n4 (for 4:30), n5 (for 5:00) or (n6 for 6:00). Along with their reply they could also send back a message to me such as "n4 cannot attend any other time". All of this feedback is directed into my Notifu account, where the polling and feedback are quantified into legible data.

Classroom Applications
Scheduling and Group Management
I immediately thought this tool could be helpful with administrators and teachers who are trying to schedule and communicate with committees, student and parent groups. In addition, students who form their own study groups can take advantage of Notifu for messaging between the group members.

Polling and Feedback
While I love Polleverywere and Textthemob for in-class polling via cell phones, I think Notifu is a great way to conduct polls and get feedback outside of the classroom.

Brainstroming
The teacher can send out an inquiry question or getting-started question that will be used in class the following day. Students can text back their answer, which automatically appears in the teacher's account. The teacher can then project the answers on the LCD screen the next class session and discuss the answers.

Quizzes
The teacher can send some quiz or review questions to the students by using the polling feature and get the answers back in their private Notifu account (in a timely manner).

Homework
The teacher can send out homework questions or ask for questions on their homework assignments. Students can text back their answers. For example an English teacher can ask his/her students to "summarize" in 160 characters or less, the plot for their Shakespeare reading that night. By asking for short summaries, it forces students to be mindful of their descriptions in their answers (not easy to do with Shakespeare!).

T-Mobile Sidekick: Chip Off The Old Block

T-Mobile is one of the leading cell phone service providers in the US. It has become a popular operator thanks to its customer-friendly payment scheme. T-Mobile has come up with many innovative schemes to retain its top position in the US market. One of such initiatives is the marketing of the T-Mobile Sidekick. The Sidekick is a multipurpose phone, with great messaging, browsing, and gaming options.

The Sidekick marketing initiative put T-Mobile in the top spot in the US cellphone market. Now it has launched the T-Mobile Sidekick II, an improvement on the original Sidekick.

T-Mobile Sidekick II retails at T-Mobile stores and can be used with the Sidekick data plan from T-Mobile. Apart from the run-of-the-mill cellphone functions, T-Mobile Sidekick II allows you to use sounds and pictures to communicate with your friend and family with its MMS or multimedia messaging service. The in-built camera puts more fun into messaging when using Sidekick Ii.

The Sidekick II’s AOL Instant Messenger application allows you to IM your friends anywhere. T-Mobile’s application download service can enable you to download Yahoo’s messenger service too. Another cool Sidekick II feature is the Auto Text word completion system which makes it easier to enter words and text on to your handset. It’s a very convenient feature to have if you are a power user of mobile email and text messaging. You can also have email from up to three of your personal accounts pulled in directly into your Sidekick II. With Sidekick II’s embedded browser, you can browse the Web easily. Also, you are just a fingertip away from the latest news headlines, weather updates, games, and ringtone downloads with T-Mobile’s t-zones service.

The Sidekick has many other useful features. It’s got a calendar with up to 1000 event entries, an alarm to remind you of the calendar events you’ve stored, and a to-do list. You can synchronize these tools with Microsoft Outlook through the Sidekick II’s USB data connection or wirelessly through Intellisync technology. The Intellisync Web-based application runs on any PC with a Web browser. With Intellysinc, you can view all photos on Sidekick II as in a photo gallery on your PC. All data is stored remotely.

With the T-Mobile Sidekick II you can send and receive virtual contact cards or vCards. With vCards, you can save and share contact information with friends. The Sidekick II also has a mini-LED flashlight. The Sidekick II also enables you to snap photos and share them with friends through messaging or email or the Intellysinc gallery. The camera also has a night mode for good shots in low light situations.

If you are a gaming fan, the game Rock and Rocket is available with the T-Mobile Sidekick II. You can also download more games through the t-zones service. The handset, running on GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 frequencies, is powered by a lithium ion battery which provides 4.5 hours of digital talk time, and 60 hours of digital standby. It has an internal memory of 48 MB.

Loaded as it is with so many cool features, the T-Mobile Sidekick II seems pretty awesome -- much like a Swiss Army knife. But it seems even that isn’t the end of the road. It’s widely rumored that the US cellphone market will soon have to admit a new entrant, the T-Mobile Sidekick III, before Christmas!

Radio Show #4: Creating Prof Dev. for Teachers who are Interested in using Cell Phones in Learning

Link to Show

Chat Transcript from Show:
Liz Kolb:Welcome to Cell Phones in Learning, we will start in 5 minutes!
Liz Kolb:Today's topic: Creating Professional Development Scaffolds for Teachers who are interested in using student cell phones with school learning
Liz Kolb:http://pollingplaces.nytimes.com/
Liz Kolb:http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=55665
Guest1207:my display name is now Guest1209
Liz Kolb:http://drop.io
Peggy_G:sorry I had computer issues and had to restart. Missed a bit! Great to be here!
Peggy_G:I love your suggestions for podcasts. Students love doing them!
Peggy_G:Funny that you say textmessaging is complex. :-) Kids seem so comfortable with it.
Peggy_G:I definitely agree with you about teachers/adults using text messaging. I've read some really "interesting" text messages from adult friends that seem to be all on the wrong keys. :-)
Peggy_G:Twitter is a good way to learn to write messages in 140 characters.
Liz Kolb:http://textnovel.com
Guest1238:my display name is now Guest1241
Peggy_G:I haven't heard of twittertories but that sounds fantastic!
Liz Kolb:http://www.sindhtoday.net/south-asia/32245.htm
Liz Kolb:http://Notifu.com
Peggy_G:found the link for twitterstories http://twitterstories.blogspot.com/
Peggy_G:fascinating that notifu is so interactive--not just sending messages one-way! Great!
Peggy_G:it's so helpful when you suggest out-of-classroom alternatives!
klmontgomery:Will you autograph it?
Peggy_G:I took your book to our Westside AzTEA meeting on Monday and shared it with everyone. We're all excited about it!
Peggy_G:Do you have a wikispace or blog space for sharing feedback on the book?
klmontgomery:Great.
Liz Kolb:No, but that is a great idea! I'll set one up
Peggy_G:Will definitely be back in 2 weeks! :-) Love your show!
Liz Kolb:Thanks Peggy
Peggy_G:Send a tweet for your feedback space and I'll contribute.
Liz Kolb:Will Do!

Next LIVE Show: Wed. Nov. 19th at 3:00pm (eastern standard time). Topic: Creating student projects using text messaging.

Never Lose Your Cell Phone Again!

Always running around looking for your phone? Do you have to search madly for you cell phone when it rings? Here are some tips to help you never lose your cell phone again. When you are out, always store your cell phone in the same pocket of your coat, purse or briefcase so that way it will be in the same place each time. It sounds simple but deciding on this designated place and sticking to it will save you time, frustration, panic and maybe even money. No one wants to bother with the expense of replacing your phone not to mention the issues associated with losing your phone's private information. As soon as you get home or at the office place your phone in a cell phone holder so you will know where to grab it when it rings or when you are on the way out the door. Set up your cell phone holder by an outlet which you will always use to charge your phone. The outlet should be visible. Be careful when creating this docking station at home to make sure there is no chance of water reaching your phone. Many homes today have multiple users and the docking area to recharge is scattered around the kitchen, don't forget that just a few drops of water can sometimes ruin a phone. Keep your phone in a case with a clip, so you can attach it to your pocket or your purse. This often forces you to keep it in the same place every time and you also are more likely to notice if it is not there. Have you ever lost your phone under the seat in the car? Keeping your phone on silent or vibrate is often a great idea for meetings and at lunch but this causes real havoc if you are trying to locate it. Remember to return your phone to normal mode as soon as possible. Make sure your phone is always well charged. If your phone goes dead you won't be able to call it. Having an additional charger in the car is a handy way to get the recharging you need and doesn't leave you stuck without communication on those long road trips. Always check for your cell phone when leaving a public area such as a restaurant or public washroom. And speaking of washrooms many a cell phone as taken an unfortunate dip into the toilet bowl and the results of this voyage are nothing to write home about.

Following these tips will simplify your high tech life. A little extra thought and planning can save you time later. Now you can actually run out the door without running around looking for your phone first.

About the Author

Colette Robicheau, President of Organize Anything, is a consultant, coach, and public speaker offering corporate, residential, and personal organizing services. For more information contact Colette Robicheau, Organizing Consultant and Coach visit her website www.organizeanything.com or email info@organizeanything.com.

K-12 Teachers, Please take the Cell Phones in Schools Survey!

I have developed a short survey to get a better sense of cell phone use in schools around the world. Please take a few minutes (it is short) to take the survey! Click on the image above to take the survey.
Thank you
Liz

Survey Results: Favorite Cell to Web or Web to Cell tool!

I asked my educator friends on twitter to share their favorite cell to web or web to cell application. I want to thank everyone who replied. There were some of the expected outcomes such as Google sms or Flickr Mobile, but I was surprised at how many more obscure sites were referenced. A few of those that stand out are Loopt, Evernote, and Mofuse. Below are the ranked results.
#1) Flickr Mobile
#2) Polleverywhere
#3) Twitter
#4) Google sms, Dial2do, Netvibes, Mofuse, Jott, Qik, Pingfm, mobile gmail, mobile myvocal, Evernote, Loopt, OperaMini, Utterli (formerly Utterz).

tomgrissom @lkolb polleverywhere and dial2do

zecool @lkolb Web to mobile/cell: Mofuse. It makes my blog (Blogger) easily readible from cell. Can add comments, switch to standard view, etc.

KevinByers @lkolb Mine polleverywhere.com. Now if I could only get cell phones unbanned. I'm working on it!

paulrwood @lkolb my students use their phones for Google sms and polleverywhere in my classes.

drezac @lkolb twitter and jott

zemote @lkolb evernote is my favorite, followed by qik

dougsymington @lkolb Flickr may be best mobile web, tho pingfm and netvibes good too. Twitterberry one I use a lot on BB

mguhlin @lkolb Fav tool--email images/video to Flickr. You can't beat that when doing a workshop. "You're on the Web NOW." Response:"Wow

patsko @lkolb m.gmail.com and m.myvocal.com

tonitones @lkolb OperaMini closely followed by utterli or qipit

klmontgomery @lkolb Twitter Poll - My favorites are Mobile Fotos (Flickr) and JustUpdate (Twitter) for iPhone.

bjmcdonald @lkolb gotta be Flickr

ucdjoe As much as I might sound like a high school student, my favorite is the Facebook app, followed by Twitterific and Loopt.


Vote for your favorite! Feel free to add a comment if your favoite is not an option.

Toys to Tools the Book has been Released!

After what seems like years, my book Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education has been released today. Published by ISTE. I started writing this book two years ago (October 2006), there have been many revisions since. I look forward to hearing feedback.

From the 20th Century T.V. Dinner Families to 21st Century Networked Families!

PEW Internet & American Life Project, has released a new report on 21st Century families and how digital media and tools are affecting the family unit. Below I've listed a few of the highlights.

Digital media has created a new connectedness in American families
Instead of technology pulling families apart, PEW found that it is bringing families together (although differently than in the 20th Century). American families with cell phones are in touch more often than ever and created a common bond from mobile exchanges throughout the day when they are not together. It allows for easy coordination and the ability for families and parents to touch-base throughout the day.

• 95% of married couples with minor children has cell phones in household (10% more than married couples without minor children)
• 93% of married couples with minor children have a computer in household (compared to 77% of married couples without minor children)
• 66% of married couples with minor children have broadband Internet access at home
  
• 89% of married couples with minor children own multiple cell phones
• 57% of the married couples minor children (ages 7-17) have their own cell phones
• Children who have cell phones are somewhat less likely to go online
  
• 58% of married couples with minor children own two or more computers
• 70% of couples who both own a cell phone contact each other once a day or more to
  say hello or chat; 54% of couples who have one or no cell phones do this at least
  once a day.
• 42% of parents contact their child/children daily using a cell phone (compared to
  35% using a landline telephone)
  

People say that new communication has blurred traditional lines between “work” and “home.”
While overwhelmingly people seemed to feel that technologies help them stay connected, they also felt that these technologies like the cell phone have really blurred the lines between the personal and professional world.

• 40% of everyone surveyed said they felt an increase in the amount of contact they had with co-workers as a result of cell phones and Internet.

Radio Show #3: Cell Phone Cameras for Curriculum-Based Learning

Transcript from Chat:
Liz Kolb:Welcome to Cell Phones in Learning...Today's topic: Taking advantage of camera phones to connect with content learning
Liz Kolb:http://mguhlin.blogspot.com/2008/10/mobile-citizenship-commenthoist.html
Peggy_G:Great to hear you Liz. Squeezing this in before the ISTE webinar.
Liz Kolb:http://Flagr.com
Liz Kolb:http://photobucket.com
Peggy_G:Photobucket is one of the widgets that works on Wetpaint wikis
Liz Kolb:http://lastspotted.com
Peggy_G:probably ads :-(
Peggy_G:what great suggestions for LastSpotted-can't wait to share them! :-)
Meccanized:wouldn;t it be easy to cheat with picture-hpone assignments? what with the bluetooth and picture messaging
Liz Kolb:iReport@cnn.com
Liz Kolb:politics@cbseyemobile.com
Liz Kolb:http://www.allvoices.com/
Peggy_G:excellent response about ways to redefine the assignments to make them more open-ended to encourage conversation
Liz Kolb:http://Jumblr.tv
Peggy_G:Oh I love the addition of Geek of Week for Mobile :-)
Peggy_G:what a fun, motivating vocabulary activity with jumblr.tv!
Liz Kolb:http://Dial2do.com
Peggy_G:how great to have an alternative to JOTT that is free :-)
Meccanized:wait....u can listen to ur text? wth?
Peggy_G:that is incredibly exciting! I can't wait to explore it! so many features!!
Peggy_G:Definitely do a blog post about that!!
Peggy_G:Love your 30 minute show Liz! Just perfect and allows plenty of time to give examples. Thanks!
Liz Kolb:Thanks for joining me! DId I miss any resources?
Peggy_G:Nothing you can't continue with next week.
Peggy_G:Off to the ISTE webinar on blogging :-) Thanks!
Liz Kolb:@meccanized...YES you listen to text with your cell phone
Liz Kolb:Thanks Peggy!
Peggy_G:see you next week!


Next Broadcast will be in 2 weeks on Wed. November 5th between 2-3:30 (TBA). Topic will be: Creating Professional Development for Teachers Interested in Integrating Cell Phones in their Curriculum.

Is Dial2Do...The New Free Jott...

I have been playing with Dial2do for a short while and have found it to be a useful service. While many of my favorite Jott features are now paid services (such as sending a speech to text Jott to my Google calendar or creating speech to text emails that are longer than 15 seconds), Dial2do's services are free and work in a similar fashion to Jott. You can create contacts and groups to send speech-to-text voicemails or emails. Additionally, Dial2do is available in 19 different countries! Similar to Jott Links and Jott Feeds, Dial2do also links up with a variety of useful sites such as...

• Google Calendar or 30Boxes
• Translate (will translate what you say and text back the version in a foreign language)
• Twitter
• Email
• Evernote
• Tumblr
• Blogger
• Wordpress
  
• Weather (listen to your local weather report)
• Remember the Milk
  

While Dial2do also has a "Jott Feeds" option where you can listen to RSS feeds such as The New York Times or TechCrunch, the bonus that Dial2do brings is that you can also listen to your calendar, twitter, or even emails! Wow! I love this feature. You do not have to have mobile Internet access to check your schedule, listen to your latest emails or twitter friends. Therefore without mobile Internet you can still FULLY participate in these necessarily management resources!

Classroom Connections
Management
Dial2Do allows students to use their phone's to manage their emails, calendars, and reminders without having to access the Internet. Therefore students who do not have Internet access at home but do have cell phones (with or without Internet access) can still fully participate in digital management by using Dial2do. For example they can call their Google calendar and listen to their upcoming assignments and due dates. Teachers could even create class calendars that students and parents and listen to through Dial2do to get homework and project information.

Assistive Devices
Visually impaired students can more easily participate in social networking and management related to class content by using Dial2do's call in and listen to features. For example a student can post on their Twitter account by calling Dial2do AND they can hear all the reactions to their post by calling Dial2do and saying "listen to Twitter"! They can also post and listen to their Remember the Milk reminders and checklists. The same is true of email and calendar accounts.

Foreign Language and Culture Studies
Since Dial2do links with Translate, students who are studying a foreign language could use it to learn new phrases and translations on-the-go. For example as a homework assignment the students could come up with some phrases or words that they normally do not study in class (but find them useful or interesting in their everyday lives) and find out the translation by calling Dial2do. The next day in class, the student's could share the translation and with their teacher's help give the proper pronunciations.

Science
Using Dial2do's weather services, students could track weather phenomenon such as cyclones, hurricanes, tornadoes, or tilde waves. This could be done by having different students each sign up with a different location (city or zip code) for their weather report. As a result, they could each call in to get the daily updates as the weather pattern changes and effects different areas. For example if a hurricane is about to hit Texas, one student could sign up for the Texas city, another student for a city a few hours away, another for a city five hours away, and so on....so they can track the weather as it changes from major city to major city. It might be an engaging way to track atmospheric patterns.

Taking Puppy Pictures From Your Cell Phone Camera

It is not all the time that you bring your digital cameras with you. And so, it is important to have a cell phone with camera if the situation calls for it. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best gadget in town. Since photography is about the way you take your shots, you can have a less "techy" gadget but still come up with the best pictures.

One good reason you should consider bringing the cell phone cameras is your puppies. You could never deny that taking pictures with them is perhaps the best leisure activities you can enjoy. By knowing a few things about picture taking and by simply conditioning your dogs for the shoot, you can definitely have the best puppy pictures from your cell phone camera.

Megapixels aren't actually a thing that you should worry about. If you have cameras which only have 1 or 1.8 megapixels, that is good enough in taking puppy pictures. What is more important is the shot itself. Remember, megapixels aren't your main concern in taking your dog's photos. By getting the right angle, and some perfect clean shot, you can always come up with a picture that is worth keeping on your mobile phones.

Zoom features are actually great. They can capture your dog's photos no matter how distant they may be. However, not all phones have these features in their cameras. And if ever they have the feature, the pictures can end too grainy that your perfect shot ends getting damaged. Nevertheless if your cell phone cameras have the nicest zoom features, then why not make use of it to capture great pictures, right?

Good pictures are always ruined by a bad background. If your dog strikes a nice pose and the background is super crowded, you can end getting a messy picture. So before you even plan for your mini photo shoot, consider going somewhere quiet, relaxing and peaceful. Strolling at the park or staying in your own garden would be a nice idea.

Portrait pictures can be a great concepts in photography. However, you need to play around with the distances so you can come up with a nice puppy picture. You have to adjust the distances on the top and on the sides so your dogs can fit perfectly well on your screens. In taking portrait photos, you also have to be careful in the angles. Going on top may result to bigger arms; and focusing on the center may produce a bigger face. Nevertheless for while you do it correctly, there's no harm in taking portrait puppy photos from your cell phone cameras.


About the Author

Allison Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company

4INFO...Text Info Web Search and Alerts

While I have posted multiple times about my love for ChaCha, a free guided Internet search tool that answers any question from anywhere! I am now adding 4INFO to my phone contact list. 4INFO is an SMS text messaging service that allows anyone to text a search term to 44636. Then within seconds, they will receive a text back with the search. 4INFO has some built-in categories such as stocks, sports, weather, news, airline info...etc.

Besides texting a search to 4INFO, you can also create an account on the website and set up alerts/reminders to send to your phone as designated times (similiar to PingMe, AbbyMe, Sendible, Alerts.com, BitBomb, & rminder). 4INFO also allows you to create custom searches, reminders, and alerts.

Classroom Connections:
While I do think that ChaCha is still the best for guided Internet searches, I do like the built-in reminder alerts in 4INFO (which ChaCha does not currently have).

Business Classes
I love the stock market search options on 4INFO! They are great for tracking the market in business or social studies courses. In addition, they could do price comparisions (a search option in 4INFO) on products (great for math courses too!).

Current Events (Social Studies/Science)
In social studies and science courses where current events are important to understanding the course content, students could get weekly news alerts on topics of choice OR they could text a curricular topic (such as stem cell research) to 4INFO to find out the latest information.

Strengthen Vocabulary Learning with Gaming and Text Messaging!

The same group (Locamoda) that developed one of my favorite resources Wiffiti, has also developed Jumbli. Jumbli is a billboard (it really is in Times Square) with letters on it. Jumbli asks viewers (anyone can play it is free) to participate in a game of super-scrabble.

This is how it works; view the letters, and come up with the most "complex" word in the English language. Then send a text messagew with the word to 87884. Your word will instantly appear on the Jumbli billboard in Times Square, along with anyone else's words that have been added. Each word is given a difficulty score. Jumbli also works from anywhere in the world (they have an international number that you can text to). The letters are continously changing, so it allows students to continue to concentrate on developing new words. It currently does not seem to accept words in non-English languages. The game lasts a few minutes (great for an activity after a test or quiz to keep students learning but not bothering others). When the game is over (it starts and stops continiously) the winning words will appear. If the students do not know the words, it is an opportunity to learn the new words. I have also noticed that the Jumbli board is monitored (no offense language is posted), and it recognizes "pretend" words. If a students posts made up words or inapproprite words, they receive a text back that it will not be posted.

View any webpage on your cell phone!

Finch allows anyone who has a Internet-enabled cell phone to view any webpage on the device. Finch takes webpages with lot's of Java and multi-media and transcribes it into plain text. This allows you to easily view your favorite webpages (text only) on cell phones.

Here is how it works...
Go to the Finch site on your cell phone, type in a URL and BAM!


How is this useful for classroom learning?
1) Allows Internet access outside of school to students who have cell phones but not computers. Therefore teachers can assign and use websites that are not mobile ready (.mobi) in homework and out-of school assignments/activities.

Episode 2: Rules and Regulations around using Cell Phones Inside of the Classroom for Learning.

Links from Broadcast:
Drape's Takes Post on Controlling Mobile Use

TxtEagle

Geograffiti


Next Episode: Wed Oct, 22nd (between 2-3:00) Mobile Picture Projects with Cell Phones.

Facebook Game Played Live With Cell Phone

Have you ever tried playing a game on your cell phone before? If you have, you probably noticed several problems with traditional mobile games.

When mobile games first started, they are simple games, mostly developed in Java to keep the cell phone owner entertained - especially when he or she is on the move. But as hardware and software continue to advance, mobile games have become more and more sophisticated as well. Consumers are also becoming more and more demanding.

Cell phones are becoming part of everyone's life styles. Graphics have become more stunning, and new features are constantly being added. Soon, everyone's cellphones start to have bigger disk space (or memory) to keep their data, which is mostly in the form of games, audio and video files. As the memory of cell phones continue to increase, application developers are able to create more sophisticated games to be played on the cellphones.

Most of these games require the cell phone owner to download a small installation file, which then installs the game into the cell phone. Only after the installation can the cell phone owner get to enjoy the game. Still, these games are played largely by the cellphone owners alone.

But all that is about to change with Facebook's unique developer platform. Facebook is the first social community website that allows developers to tap into its database of millions of users worldwide, by allowing them to create third party games and applications for the website. Once an application or game has been developed, all Facebook members can get access to them very easily. Usually, installing a new game or application involves only two or three simple clicks. But what does Facebook has to do with cell phone games?

You see, the greatest thing about social websites is that all members are encouraged to interact freely on the website. So when they see a cool game or application, there is a high chance that they will, in turn, tell all their friends in their network. And great games and applications get a chance to grow on Facebook's network.

Furthermore, interaction is fueled by the various third party games and applications that have been freely available on Facebook's website. Games such as Corruption Unlimited continues to provide hours and hours of entertainment for Facebook members. One of its unique feature is that it allows gamers to participate in the game using their cell phones.

The game is highly interactive, and comes complete with a leaderboard to keep track of all scours on the official website. So all gamers get to see where they stand in the game. Top players may also be rewarded with cool prizes.

Compare Corruption Unlimited with the traditional Java mobile games, and we see a huge contrast. Very likely, most Java mobile games will go the way of the dinosaur. So the next time you are looking for some new and interesting games to play on your cell phones, be sure to check out Corruption Unlimited. It's free, and all you need is a Facebook account, a browser and an internet connection to join.



To play New Mob Wars Games like Corruption Unlimited, please visit our official website.

Liz is Going Live! Cell Phone Live Radio

After listening to a great podcast from Seedlings where Tracy Pariseau was speaking about using Blog Talk Radio for live radio broadcasts, I have decided to take the plunge and create my own live radio talk show. I created an initial episode to try the tool (and to make sure my voice was not horrific to listen to!).




Blog Talk Radio has made significant improvements since I last posted about it. While I am not currently opting in to share in advertising revenue, anyone who sets up a show is able to do this. In addition, Blog Talk Radio added live chat as well as a call-in number so anyone can call in and add their opinion to the show! Of course it is all cell phone friendly! Therefore students (like Tracy's) can create their own live radio shows via their cell phone (Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace, at Any pace)!

I hope to broadcast at least once a week around 2:00 (Eastern Standard Time). I am going to start with 15 minute broadcasts focusing on one "cell phone in education" topic. I am also borrowing the idea from Bob, Cheryl, and Alice at Seedlings to include one "Cell2.0" site of the week. Where I will highlight a new favorite website that integrates cell phone use, and has the potential for connecting to classroom learning.

Cell Phone and Its Utility in Today`s Scenario

Cell phone has brought the world much closer. It does not matter on which part of world you live, you can get in touch with your loved ones through this amazing device. It is small in size, smart and slick in look, portable.

Though it was originally designed to eliminate the limitations of telephone, but gradually cell phone manufacturers come up with models containing many advanced features like MP3 player, camera, video recording facility, and 3D-games. Even you can access the Internet from your cell phone. In fact, the services provided by SMS, MMS and WAP have been popularized by cell phone. It is no wonder then why the use of cell phones has increased many folds in the last couple of years. According to one survey, every eight out of ten people own a cell phone in the USA.

Have you ever wondered how this cell phone works? You can say cell phone is more or less like a sophisticated radio. Cell phone is a full-duplex device which means one frequency is used for talking and another for listening so that both people can talk simultaneously. Earlier first generation mobile technology (1G) was used for Analog model of cell phone and had only 56 channels.

With the advent of second generation mobile technology (2G) the number of channels gradually increased. Now-a-days, a cell phone can communicate on 1,664 channels or more. The range of cell phone depends on its battery or cell power. You can talk hundred miles of your journey if your cell supports that range. The range also depends upon the tower locations. Cell phone tower is a steel pole containing equipments to send and receive the frequency.

Wondering what your cell phone can do for you? Here is the list:

You can store and retrieve information from your cell phone;

You can set of your important appointments and reminders through cell phone;

You can send and receive text, multimedia messages from your cell phone;

You can access internet, send Email through your cell phone;

You can watch movie, play 2D or 3D games through your cell phone;

You can enjoy listening music through the MP3 player of your cell phone;

You can integrate your cell phone with GPRS service facility to download music from internet;

You can share your favourite music among your friends through the Bluetooth technology of your cell phone;

Some models of cell phone also act as a compass guide so show you the exact geographic location (altitude, longitude wise). They come across quite handy especially for people who are on expeditions.

Like any other electronic devices, cell phone also has got its own share of problems. Doctors have warned against use of cell phones over a long time as it can lead to cancer and liver related problem due to the strong radiation emitted from this electronic device. Now research has shown that prolong use of cell phones can result in infertility problem in women.

Scientists have also examined a significant reduction in sperm count among men who use cell phone for longer period. Talking or listening to music for long time can lead to loss of hearing as well. Children should not be allowed to use cell phones much as its radiation can lead to different kind of health hazards.

Certain precautions should be taken while using cell phone. For instance, you should never use your cell phone when there is strong lightening or thundering. Never let your cell phone gets wet and do not use it with wet hands as there is chance of corrosion to the non-repairable internal parts. In case it does get wet, make sure it to be completely dry before switching it on. If you take care of these couple of things your call phone`s longevity will be increased.

About the Author

You can have access to portuguese articles about cell phones from page Cell_Phone Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil

Cell Phone Battery Chargers Buying Tips

Cell phones have become a necessity that people cannot live without. You can easily get connected to your family, relatives, friends and even business matters even if they're half the world away. With its handiness, convenience and availability, this technological advancement has changed the lives of many.

But cell phones also have its limits. Cell phones run on chargeable batteries, if it goes empty then it would be useless. Cell phone battery charges come with every purchase of a cell phone unit. Much like laptops, cell phones stores up energy in its battery. Each activity made such as calling, texting and while it is turned on, will consume energy and will eventually drain down these cell phones. As much as cell phones are essential to us, cell phone chargers are also very much important in its battery life.

There are also individually sold chargers if in case you lost or your cell phone charger was broken. Each cell phone model has its own appropriate kind of charger; you definitely cannot use Nokia chargers on a Samsung phone. However, there are also universal chargers that you use. These can charge up batteries directly whatever the brand and model your phone is.

There are actually different kinds of cell phone chargers and you'll be surprised to know that you can actually choose which kind will go with your needs. Travel chargers are compact and handy thus it is the perfect choice for people who love to travel. Car chargers are especially made to able to fit in car outlets. It is easily handy and can be used to charge up your battery even on the road. The wall chargers and the desktop chargers are the usual kind.

Cell phone chargers also come in attractive packaging. The designs and colors can even reflect the owner's personality and can also be great gifts for special occasions. Manufacturers not only produce cell phone chargers in boring black items, for competitiveness, they are now made with varying designs and looks. Check out online stores and you neighboring local shops for a wide choice of cell phone chargers, not only to serve their purpose but also to reflect your personality.

But be careful in choosing cell phone chargers too. Make sure that what you've picked meets all safety standards. Original chargers that come with the cell phone units maybe the safest and most reliable one. But in cases where you need to buy another one, check out if it's an original one. Don't ever risk safety with low quality cell phone chargers.




For more information on cell phone battery chargers please visit cell phone chargers.

BASIC Cell Phones Can Be Assistive Technologies

While we are starting to see cell phones and software being developed specially for the blind and deaf, I wanted to take a few minutes and explore how BASIC cell phones (without the costly software) can be assistive devices for hearing impaired and visually impaired students. I am NOT an expert on assistive technologies, but I have been hearing from more teachers on how their special needs students are benefiting from cell phone technology, so I wanted to share what I have learned.

For the Visually Impaired
A VI teacher in one of my courses (Julie Burger) shared with me that her VI students often are the last to get to experience new technologies because the technologies need to be modified for the visually impaired. For example digital resources often need to be modified for screen readers. However, Julie became very excited about the possibilities of cell phones in learning because she realized that this would be one time that her VI students could be on the forefront of technologies (possibly even being able to introduce their new mobile tool discoveries with their classmates without disabilities). A basic cell phone offers the ability for visually impaired to do the following;

1. Listen to any webpage
2. Listen to newscasts and podcasts
3. Send Speech to Text emails
4. Send Speech to Text Blog posts
5. Send Speech to Text Group posts (to places like Yahoo Groups)
6. Send Speech to Text Calendar appointments and meetings
7. Receive Voicemail reminders
8. Listen to text messages

Hearing Impaired Students
While VI students can take advantage of speech to text, and text to speech options in cell phones, HI students can take advantage of these same options on a basic cell phone but in the opposite directions. For examples, HI students can type in text and it can be sent to other students/teachers cell phones as a audio message. A basic cell phone offers the following options for hearing impaired students to better participate in their everyday class activities:

1. Send text messages that can become audio web-based posts (such as podcasts)
2. Send text messages that can become audio Voicemail
3. Receive an audio Voicemail message that can be transcribed into a text message
4. Read podcasts/audio broadcasts on their cell phone
   

The following are some free applications that couple with basic cell phones for students with assistive needs. The best part of these resources is that they can be used by any student (Univerisal Design), and they are a great way for teachers to be inclusive when developing assignments, group projects, or even basic class activities.

Free Mobile Resources for VI and HI Learners
Jott (Speech to Text Translation, emails, appointments)
Jott Feeds (Listen to text-based webpages)
Rocketron (Listen to news feeds)
Rminder (Text to Speech reminders)
PingMe (Text Message Reminders for groups and individuals)
Text4deaf (2-way text messaging, keeps tracks of texts, sends to individuals/groups) (Thanks to
Karen Montgomery for showing me this resource!)
ChaCha or Mymiamia for Google Searches (Text Message for HI students)
Dial2do (Speech to Text)
YouMail & GrandCentral (Transcriptions of VoiceMail)
Sendible (Text-Based Evites)
Voki (Text to Speech Avatars)
Hey Cosmos (Text Message to Speech Surveys and Quizzes)
Google Voice (Voicemail with Speech to Text Transcription)
Phonevite (Voice Message surveys, quizzes, and feedback)

I know a few others also are researching and using cell phones as assitive tools, please share your ideas and resources.

Getting Good Deals In Unlocked Cell Phones

You just don't realize that something happens even on your treasured thing called cell phone. Does locked cell phone ever give a ring? But no, this is not that sort of lock in the keypad that is very simple to remove. This is about the carrier lock in your cell phone, otherwise known as a SIM lock or subsidy lock. So when does this occur and what should you do? Let's first understand some technicalities on a cell phone system...

CDMA and GSM are two major communication systems used for cell phones. CDMA is a coded response system that binds a phone and its user together to a specific system and to a specific number. CDMA is prevailing in the United States.

GSM, which stands for the Global System for Mobile Communication, is the usual standard in over 200 other countries in the World and is prevailing in the United States. GSM cell phone uses a SIM card to communicate with a particular network. The network provider has the ability to lock the phone so that it will not respond to a SIM card from an alternate provider. Network providers do this apparently for competitive purposes, but many have complained against this unfair pattern. When the cell phone is purchased by an individual, he should have the ability to change the SIM card and use the unit on any network that he prefers to use. This provides him the authority to use the same phone when traveling, specifically in foreign countries without paying expensive roaming charges.

We're done with understanding how a locked cell phone occurs, so what to do after it happens? There are basically three ways and each of them demand excruciating amount of time to know your phone more and its system, search for help over the Net and then make call... you get the drift. So here's a better solution.

If you are still in the process of buying a cell phone, prevention is better than cure. While it is conceivable to unlock a cell phone, different persons choose to buy unlocked cell phones. Yes, you have that choice! The truth of the matter's that there is tremendous competition between the various mobile phone service providers. Thus, phone companies are most anxious to lock you into using their service and this is the purpose for locking them. When you own an unlocked phone, you have the freedom to choose your own service - the stuff you need and the stuff that you just want.

GSM phones are easier to unlock compared to CDMA phones. But then again, in either case, it is better to purchase an unlocked mobile phone than buying a phone and go through the dilemma of unlocking it later. So let's make the equation simple from hereon, buying unlocked phones is the only way to go. And before you take out cash from your pocket, ask the seller and make sure that they truly understand what it is you are asking of them. Once you have your unlocked phone, it is an easy matter to determine if it is truly unlocked. All you have to do is test it and the phone will inform on its status. Should it be unlocked you are capable of using it to connect to whatever service you desire to use.

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Should cell phones be allowed during school exams?

Thanks to Lindseybp on Twitter, I learned about an interesting article from eSchoolnews, Digital debate: Prepare kids for exams or life? 'Open-Book Exam' 21st century-style: Educators begin to ponder if students should be allowed to use digital devices to take test. The article explores an Australian educator who allows her students to use cell phones and Internet during their exams. Here is a short excerpt from the article that I found interesting and worth discussion!

"But paper and pencil are technologies, just as computers and phones are. They are just a bit older," he said. "And just as paper allows us to offload some of the cognitive load involved in challenging problems onto a medium--[when was the last time you] tried to solve a calculus problem in your head alone?--so do computers and communication technologies; they allow us to offload even more cognitive tasks onto our physical and social environment. Arguably, that's the only way mankind is able to achieve the highly complex tasks we need to achieve today."

He added: "The fact is, we are increasingly making technology part of the teaching and learning situation--but we are not keeping up in aligning assessment sufficiently."

That results in two negative outcomes, Reimann said. First, students notice the discrepancy and don't see the point of the technology, the assessment, or both; and second, educators are underestimating what students know and can do, because students are being assessed in a manner that does not take into account the nature of 21st-century learning--they're being cut off from the resources and tools they are familiar with."

I think this is a fantastic idea! The 21st Century professional world does not ask workers to create, innovate, collaborate, or produce without the assistance of the Internet and mobile devices. So why can't we design assessment that can engage students in using these tools AND evaluate their content understanding??? Why must we say, "put everything away" when taking a test? Why can't we say, "take out all your tools"? Isn't that what we do in the real world? Provide the necessary technical tools to help develop the best outcome or solution?

Do you think cell phones should be allowed during school exams? Take the Poll!