Cell Phone Contract Tips

Cell phones (telefone celular) are increasingly used in the modern world. They are no longer a luxury, but are considered a need. They can send and receive e-mail, get information on news, entertainment, make a call home while traveling and contact the police or the ambulance during an emergency.

The radio, telephone and computer technology fused together to make the cell phone technology. Nevertheless, with the advancing technology, marketing became much tougher, and cell phone operators devised numerous clauses in their contracts to ensure that their competitors do not erode their customer base. Thus the cell phone contract was born.

A cell phone (telefone celular) contract is an agreement between the buyer and the wireless cell phone service provider. Usually it is of 1 or 2 years of duration, during which a consumer is legally bound to remain with the wireless service provider. Certain operators give a trial period to their consumers. After the trial period of 14 or 30 days is over, when the contract is entered upon and the phone is bought, the penalty for breaking the contract can range from $150 to $600, depending on where the phone was bought.

Before the contract finishes, if a new phone is to be bought, then some companies give a customer loyalty discount, which in effect extends the contract. This may prove to be expensive when compared to buying a new phone with a good discount. Thus, you may be locked in to a single operator, without your knowing it, if you do not read and understand the terms of the cell phone contract.

If one is not satisfied with the service provided by the cell phone (telefone celular) service provider, then one can come out of the contract, without paying a termination fee, if someone else is willing to go through the contract for the remaining period. Finding someone willing to undertake this may be difficult. Numerous websites have come up which help you in finding someone to transfer your contract to, however cell phone service providers do not endorse such websites as they only connect the buyer and the seller, doing nothing with the actual transfer.

Thus once you find a buyer for your cell phone contract, you have to contact your cell phone service provider to complete the transfer. This may take quite some time, as your provider will do a credit check on the buyer and if the creditworthiness is not found sufficient for the contract, the transfer will not take place. In case the transfer does take place, then you have the option of keeping the same number that you originally had. Usually, it has been seen that with transfers, you may have to supply the cell phone also as a free incentive to the buyer. High-end cell phones offered free along with the transfer usually get buyers within a couple of days.

Cell phone (telefone celular) service providers generally give a trial period before enforcing the contract term, which may be of 1-year or 2-year duration. Almost all providers give at least 14 to 30 days of trail period. A 1-year cell phone contract has a shorter commitment period, which may prove to be beneficial if the phone needs repairs, or is lost.

In addition, since the period is short, one may avail of new discounts that come up. After the term of 1-year ends, the phone can be kept without any contract and no penalty is charged for quitting. However, in a 1-year contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be cheap. Certain discounts and promotional offers cannot be availed of as in a 2-year period.

In a 2-year cell phone (telefone celular) contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be expensive. Huge discounts on the phone may be availed. Special promotions may be availed. However, since the phone is kept for a longer duration, more money may be spent on repairing, insuring, or replacing. The opportunity to buy a new phone reduces, and thus may not be eligible to switch cell phone service providers. Expensive phones may also opt for phone replacement insurance plans. However, due to the costs of such plans, few subscribe to these plans.

Pre-Paid or No Contract cell phones (telefone celular) are not available with all cell phone service providers. They are attractive as they require no commitment, the credit history is unimportant, and there is no penalty for quitting. However, call charges may be more expensive, and no promotional discounts etc., may be availed of.

It is always advisable to read and fully understand the terms of the cell phone provider as stated in the contract form, including the fine print, before signing the cell phone (telefone celular) contract.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

Search Engine for Mobile Applications!

Searching through the thousands of applications, videos, songs, photos, and ring tones for cell phones just became a little easier for me with Everythingformymobile. This site searches on any topic for media or applications that will work on mobile devices. For example if I was looking for videos on how to use FOIL in mathematics, I could click on the video tab, and type in "Math and FOIL". After a few seconds of searching, videos would appear that I could easily upload to my own or my students' mobile devices.

Classroom Integration
I envision Everythingformymobile as an awesome resource for teachers who would like their students to take their learning "to go".

Video Reviews
Students who need extra review could upload some videos on the subject to their cell phones and always have a mobile tutor.

Mobile Projects
Teachers could search for mobile applications that perform functions that they are interesting in using for classroom projects. For example an English teacher who would like her students to write a text message novel. The English teacher could click on the Applications tab and then search for "Novel and Text Message."

Photo Reviews
Students could create photo collages to send to their cell phones by typing in a concept such as "vectors" or "8th amendment" in the Photo search tab. Then they could upload the images that best remind them of the concept and it's definition.

Cell Phones in Learning Radio Show: Wed May 20th: Interview with California Educator Joe Wood

Chat Transcript:
Liz Kolb says (00:31:47):
Welcome everyone! We are talking with Joe Wood today!
Liz Kolb says (00:34:31):
Is anyone having a hard time hearing Jeff?
Peggy_G says to (00:34:45):
Hi-was just about to ask about the audio-very hard to hear
Peggy_G says to (00:35:15):
your audio is excellent, Liz
Liz Kolb says (00:35:47):
http://task.fm
Peggy_G says to (00:36:23):
yes hyperlinks :-) great
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:37:09):
http://www.lsri.nottingham.ac.uk/ehy/learning_with_mobile_technologie.htm
Peggy_G says to (00:37:47):
how does it compare with some of the other reminders like Remember the Milk ?
Peggy_G says to (00:38:46):
that's a great tip about asking for educator accounts (free)
Peggy_G says to (00:39:07):
remember the milk has reminders on Google calendars which I can get on my iphone
Peggy_G says to (00:39:36):
Paul Wood??
Paul R Wood says to (00:39:50):
Joe Wood. I am Paul Wood
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:39:56):
Joe Wood is our guest
Peggy_G says to (00:40:06):
Wow! 2 famous Woods :-)
Liz Kolb says (00:40:07):
http://joewoodonline.com
Paul R Wood says to (00:40:20):
I was about to say I like his last name.
Liz Kolb says (00:40:20):
Hi Paul!
Paul R Wood says to (00:40:26):
Hey Liz.
Paul R Wood says to (00:40:33):
Hey Jeff
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:40:55):
Hi, Paul
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:41:00):
http://www.joewoodonline.com/cell-phones-qipit/
Peggy_G says to (00:41:26):
always exciting to hear from teachers who are using cell phones in their classrooms :-)
Peggy_G says to (00:42:10):
can we follow Joe on Twitter?
Liz Kolb says (00:42:27):
Yes @ucdjoe on twitter
Peggy_G says to (00:42:44):
thanks
Liz Kolb says (00:42:47):
Hi Richard! Thanks for joining
Richard@MobileEd.org says to (00:42:59):
Liz!
Liz Kolb says (00:45:11):
http://wiffiti.com
Peggy_G says to (00:45:28):
that is always amazing to me! when we opened the wireless on a Friday night for a conference event, within 10 minutes there were at least 50 students on it :-) Resourceful!!
Paul R Wood says to (00:46:04):
The kids will always find the hot spots.
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:46:14):
@peggy: Wow! That's remarkable...
Peggy_G says to (00:46:40):
those are all such great suggestions!
Richard@MobileEd.org says to (00:48:04):
I haven't tried this yet, but Nokia's PointAndFind might be highly relevant to the image/science lessons here.
Richard@MobileEd.org says to (00:48:13):
http://pointandfind.nokia.com/?home
Liz Kolb says (00:49:20):
Jeff we are having a hard time hearing you again
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:49:33):
is it better now?
Peggy_G says to (00:50:03):
not really
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:50:17):
ok...I better call back in, Thanks, Peggy.
Peggy_G says to (00:51:35):
those are such important conversations to have about ethical behaviors and such an important reason for allowing cell phones in school
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:52:07):
YES! As a wise person I know says...I do opportunties, not problems ;-)
kchichester says to (00:52:09):
Joe also has his own podcast. http://edtechclassroom.com . He has lots to share. He tweets but not that often. He is more active on facebook.
Paul R Wood says to (00:52:10):
We have to model for our students the best ways to use these tools.
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:52:41):
@kchichester: Thanks for the info.
Peggy_G says to (00:53:07):
great link for Joe's podcasts! thanks!
kchichester says to (00:53:48):
I'm a big fan of Joe.
Liz Kolb says (00:54:11):
Joe ROCKS
Peggy_G says to (00:54:25):
I love the studycasts for downloading to ipods to help with studying for tests, learning vocabulary, etc.
Liz Kolb says (00:54:43):
Peggy can you link us to that site?
Peggy_G says to (00:55:25):
http://www.mrcoley.com/studycast/index.htm
Peggy_G says to (00:55:32):
Brent Coley's site
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:55:37):
Terrific...thanks,Peggy
kchichester says to (00:55:47):
@ Liz Kolb I was a guest on his show. When he found out I was from metro Detroit, the first thing he wanted to know is if I knew you.
Paul R Wood says to (00:56:31):
Parents are more than happy to have someone show the students what is going on and how to get more out of the tool
Peggy_G says to (00:56:56):
what's your favorite SMS/cell phone polling/survey system?
Peggy_G says to (00:57:31):
that is true- No overtime for BlogTalkRadio :-)
Richard@MobileEd.org says to (00:59:17):
Thanks, Joe.
Paul R Wood says to (00:59:22):
Thanks Joe. Thanks Liz & Jeff.
Peggy_G says to (00:59:25):
free or paid version?
Paul R Wood says to (00:59:32):
Polleverywhere is a great one to use.
Peggy_G says to (00:59:37):
thank you all! great show!
Jeff Stanzler says to (00:59:40):
Thanks, Joe!!
Liz Kolb says (01:00:06):
Thank you everyone for joining us! Isn't Joe fantastic!!!
Peggy_G says to (01:00:11):
thanks :-)
Paul R Wood says to (01:00:14):
I actually use the smallest paid version of polleverywhere.
Liz Kolb says (01:00:30):
@paul for more responses?
Peggy_G says to (01:00:33):
limit is 30 people, right?
Paul R Wood says to (01:00:52):
I even allow students to put together polls as they teach review sessions on our subjects
Paul R Wood says to (01:01:04):
I think it is 50 responses
Jeff Stanzler says to (01:01:09):
What a cool idea, Paul.
Peggy_G says to (01:01:21):
fantastic suggestions Paul!
Peggy_G says to (01:01:35):
they learn so much more (and remember it) when they are creating the reviews
Liz Kolb says (01:01:38):
@paul I love the idea of students creating the polls and coming up with new ways to use cells in learning! Let them focus on the educative value of the phone
Paul R Wood says to (01:01:40):
Had a student pur together 10 questions on the book Friday Night Lights and asked short answer questions
Liz Kolb says (01:02:02):
I bet she loved that assignment!
Liz Kolb says (01:02:10):
And probably remembers a lot from the book
Paul R Wood says to (01:02:19):
Plus my accountant makes it worthwhile with those unreimbursed expenses for school
Jeff Stanzler says to (01:02:22):
@Paul: Giving the kids owndership...terrific
Peggy_G says to (01:02:27):
Quizlet is also great for students to create questions online but I don't think you can do it with cell phones-just internet based
Jeff Stanzler says to (01:02:50):
@peggy: I'll have to check that one out.
Liz Kolb says (01:03:00):
@peggy there is a mobile quiz (that is SMS) I cannot remember the name though
Paul R Wood says to (01:03:35):
Liz are you in Detroit?
Peggy_G says to (01:03:58):
Quizlet was created by a 15-year old and it has millions of users!! :-) amazing tool!
Liz Kolb says (01:04:08):
here it is http://www.surveygizmo.com
Peggy_G says to (01:04:17):
thanks Liz
Paul R Wood says to (01:04:29):
Will need to look those over
Liz Kolb says (01:04:36):
Right outside of Detroit in Ann Arbor...so is Jeff
Paul R Wood says to (01:04:53):
Your Tigers are killing my Rangers in baseball.
Jeff Stanzler says to (01:04:58):
Thanks, everyone...sorry to drop out on you, Liz!
Liz Kolb says (01:05:09):
Ha! Was just at a game over the weekend
Peggy_G says to (01:05:28):
Great show! Thanks!
Liz Kolb says (01:05:27):
@Jeff hey, that is technology!
Paul R Wood says to (01:05:38):
Thanks for all you and Jeff do for us. Enjoyed the show.

Cell Phone As Style Icon For Communication

Cell Phones, also known as Mobile Phones, have become a way of life. It is no exaggeration to state that in the modern times, it is almost impossible to lead a normal life without the help of cell phones. Believe it or not, several countries including the UK now have more mobile phones than people. If this sounds incredible to you, take a look at the following startling statistics:

- Around 80% of world`s population has mobile phone coverage as of 2006. This figure is expected to increase to 90% by the year 2010.

- In the United States, 50% of children own mobile phones.

- On a numerical basis, India is the biggest growth market adding about 6 million cell phones every month and it is expected to be 500 million by end of 2010.

The market for the cell phone is becoming over-crowded with scored of companies invading the market every quarter of the year. However, as per a recent survey, Nokia Corporation is the largest manufacture of mobile phones with a whopping market share of approximately 36% in the first quarter of 2007. Typically, the mobile phones are meant to play the same role as their stationary counterparts, i.e., landline telephones. However, the introductions of different high-end tools and ground-breaking technologies especially in the last decade have changed the concept of communication like never before.

With facilities such as SMS, Instant Messenger, Built-in MP3 player, Video recording, Internet, GPS and so on, the cell phone has become a key social tool. Ironic as it may sound, but now most cell phone users are keeping in touch with others using `SMS` and a brand-new culture of texting has developed in the process. Moreover, now cell phone users are increasingly customizing and accessorizing their cell phones by adding new features such as ring tones in order to boost their social status and reflect their personality.

Different cell phone manufacturers are well-known for offering some unique features in with their respective cell phones. Hence, often, it becomes difficult for the buyers to decide to settle for a particular brand when they go out shopping. The following are some useful tips on buying a cell phone that will not only reduce your inhibition to a substantial extent but also help you to shop smart. Here they go:

Accessories and Add-ons:

A wide-range of cell phone accessories and add-ons are now available at a lower cost. You can add these accessories, such as cell phone covers, screen protectors, bluetooth handsfree headsets, antennas, leather cases and etc, according to your needs. Quite a few well-know brands are offering these latest accessories for your cell-phones.

Price Guarantee:

While shopping for a cell phone online, ensure that the online store offers price guarantee. Otherwise, it will be a traumatic experience for you when you will find out that same item is available at a cheaper price in another store. Make sure the cell phone you are buying has some sort of price protection or guarantee.

Free Shipping:

When you purchase a cell phone online, see to it that the online store bears the cost of shipping. There is no point in buying a cell phone worth of $100 when you have to pay $30 towards shipping cost.

Quick Delivery:

Picture this: you checked that elegant and sleek designed cell phone, made the payment through credit card, and kept looking forward to its being delivered until you got frustrated and lost your priceless peace of mind. Who needs this sort of purchase anyways? It is indeed quite a harrowing experience to get your products delivered late. Supposing you have plans to pleasantly surprise a friend of yours by gifting her a cell phone on her birthday by having it delivered at her door-step. The last thing you want is your gift being delayed and reaching her late after her birthday. Allow a reasonable span of time for your being delivered at the desired destination.

Privacy Policy:

Usually, all e-commerce sites have their privacy policy stated on the homepage. However, it is up to read between the lines and ensure that you have fully understood privacy policy. All the personal information relating to customers should be protected and kept confidential at all cost.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

Task.fm: Text and voice reminders for students and teachers---EASY! EASY! EASY!

There are many different cell phone reminder services available online. Many of which I have written about. A few examples include Sendible, Abbyme, Remember the Milk, Google Cal, ReQall, and Alerts. Recently I have been using Task.fm. Task.fm is a reminder service that uses uses semantic technology to translate human speak into an email, text and/or voice reminder. This means that you only have to type in your reminder on Task.fm, such as "assignment due at 4:00pm on May 26th". Task.fm will automatically understand the date and time of the reminder (no need to select dates and times from a menu or schedule). The only negative that I found with this site is that you get 10 SMS or voice reminders for free and then you need to pay for them. If you like this site, I recommend you emailing Task.fm and asking for a free educator version!! It does not hurt to ask.

Facebook Classroom Management & Projects with Student Cell Phones

If you are a high school teacher you know that most of your students have a Facebook account. You know that they are more likely to be on Facebook than email! You know that you would rather not know what exactly they are posting on their personal Facebook accounts. You also know there is a lot of controversy over whether teachers should have Facebook accounts (and if they should "friend" their students). However, future employers and professionals may find ways to access students' 5+ year old Facebook accounts. As a result, educators could take advantage of students interest in Facebook by integrating the tool into learning and teaching studnets how to set up an appropriate profile and post on Facebook without harming their professional futures. For example Larry Liu is a high school English teacher who has been using Facebook to communicate with his students. He set up his own classroom teacher Facebook page and posts assignments, homework help, and reminders. In addition Larry allows students to post projects to the Facebook page. For example he asks his students to find examples of everyday psychology in their lives outside of school. His students can use their cell phones to take pictures or videos and send them to his Facebook page. He also talked with his students about "cleaning up" their profiles, pictures, and posts so they were appropriate for adults to view.

Why I am talking about a social networking site on a cell phones in learning blog? Because Facebook has SMS texting and photo/video posting functions that could easily be used to collect and share data in classroom assignments. For example, every Facebook page has a "subscribe via SMS" button underneath the profile picture. Therefore, if the classroom teacher creates a facebook page for the classroom, every student can subscribe to the posts, images, and videos via cell phone.

Teachers can use the Facebook page to communicate about classroom information, at the same time they can also use the page as a place for students to post and share research that they collect. This can easily be done by having the studnets tag (with their teacher's account Facebook name) their photos or videos so they directly post in the teacher's account. Thus sharing the research with all the studnets in the class, at the same time giving the teacher utlimate control of the account (since it is their own).

In addition, by using Facebook as a learning tool, it gives teachers an opportunity to talk with their students about how to create an appropriate profile and how to "clean up" their profiles so they are appropriate for the teacher or their parents' to view. Students need to understand digital safety on Facebook and other social networking sites. Using Facebook for an educative purpose may be a smart way to start social networking education at the high school level.

Benefits Of Using A Cell Phone

One cannot deny the fact that cell phones (cellular) happen to be one of the most sought after and popular gadgets all over the world. Be it a school going kid, or a matured office going man, who does not like to flaunt the most expensive phones?!

However, when it comes to the benefits of using cell phones, there is surely more to them than just the prestige value. It is not just a fashion accessory, which allows staying connected with the world no matter where you are they are surely more than that.

Initially when cell phones (cellular) were just introduced in the market, they were known for the wireless technology and the sms facility it provided. These devices provided the benefits of storing your phonebook entries, and allowed the users to check date and time. These could be used as calculators too, and served as a convenient way of remembering appointments when you put up a reminder on them.

However now not only have these facilities become more advanced, with lots of new features having been added to it (such as sending picture sms, mms clips, saving a larger number of phonebook entries, with especial tunes and pictures assigned for each caller, etc), now it is also possible to use cell phones for a number of other purposes too, such as for checking your mails, for using the internet, or as a mini laptop, with almost all necessary features of the computer included in it.

However, these features are only limited to those cell phones (cellular) that come with heavy price tags. For the more modest ones, one can choose from devices that allow taking pictures, videos, listening to music etc. These facilities have been especially enhanced with the Bluetooth and infrared technology, which allows the user to transfer and exchange data including not only music, but also pictures, videos and sounds in a span of just few seconds.

Besides the benefits of the latest technology to users, cell phones (cellular) also tend to play a vital role in helping in dealing with crime. This is primarily because it makes it easy to trace people, thru the use of the Global Tracking System (GPS), when they need to be traced down. Also, the law determines the rules that must be followed by the phone companies while providing tracking services and making cell phones and sim cards great forensic evidences in times of need.

Cell phones have been found to be of great help also in emergency situations and in times of disasters and natural calamities. These days most cell phones allow users to make `emergency calls`, so that such situations can be easily dealt with. For instance there have been a number of cases where people struck with disasters such as landslides and earthquakes have found way for themselves with the use of their devices.

With the quick development in technology, cell phones (cellular) are surely becoming more and more popular with each passing day. The latest models are able to attract new market and customers, and its fast technological development can be well understood from the fact that it was just about 20 years ago, when these devices were viewed as expensive luxuries, meant for large business houses, the police force and army, and now almost 50% of all children in America own cell phones. In fact even in developing countries the use of cell phones is growing immensely, with people using it for both personal and business purposes.

Cell phones (celular) surely will have many new features in the near future!

Cell Phones in Learning Radio Show: Wed May 6th: Dr. Dick Ng'ambi from South Africa

Chat Transcript:
Liz Kolb:Welcome! We are speaking with Dr. Dick Ng'ambi tonight. HEre is the link to his information http://www.cet.uct.ac.za/DickNgambi
Liz Kolb:Dr. Ng'ambi is giving us background on how students in SA were afraid to speak up in class b/c of history of segregation in SA....thus wanted to create a space where learners could share annoymously
Liz Kolb:90% have cell phones
Liz Kolb:HI Peggy! Thanks for joining us
Jeff Stanzler:Hi, Peggy
Peggy_G:Hi Jeff and Liz
Liz Kolb:Sounds similiar to students' apprehensions in the US
Peggy_G:is he talking about university students or K-12 students?
Jeff Stanzler:university students, Peggy
Peggy_G:thanks
Peggy_G:that is an interesting way to get those notices--pulling vs pushing! makes so much sense
Jeff Stanzler:I agree...apt and vividly descriptive language
Liz Kolb:Love how the teachers are learning from the students via cell phones
Peggy_G:constructivism at its best :-)
Peggy_G:I've never heard anonymity stressed so much--very interesting perspective!
Jeff Stanzler:Peggy, I don't know how clear it was, but part of the issue was these students growing up in apartheid SA, came to lack confidence in their ability to participate, and to feel self-conscious.
Liz Kolb:HI John !
Peggy_G:thanks for that clarification
joevans:I'm late to the party. Hi Everyone!
Peggy_G:Hi Joe-great to see you
Liz Kolb:Dick is talking about how his students use text messaging to get over their political concerns of speaking up in class
Jeff Stanzler:It may be that these ideas have some applicability here, do you think?
Liz Kolb:Better late than never
Peggy_G:maybe??
joevans:You too Peggy. Very interesting presenter
Jeff Stanzler:Or that they speak to some concerns that might manifest themselves differently here, but would still be resonant.
Jeff Stanzler:Welcome, Joe
Peggy_G:typo--John! :-)
Jeff Stanzler:Sorry!!
joevans:Hi Jeff. It's John Evans - hn = joevans
Liz Kolb:Link to research paper of Dick's about his text messaging project http://74.125.93.104/search?q=cache:YmTV69ZfkWkJ:www.mlearn.org.za/CD/papers/Ngambi.pdf+%22Dick+Ng%27ambi%22+AND+%22FAQ%22+AND+%22phon
Jeff Stanzler:Sorry, John...thanks for the correction.
Peggy_G:I think teachers in the US are afraid of anonymity--control issues
Liz Kolb:Dick is also on Facebook
Liz Kolb:@Peggy I agree...we love our filters
Jeff Stanzler:Good point, Peggy.
joevans:Teachers everywhere I think fear anonymity as it may bring negative consequences
Peggy_G:knowledge respositories--interesting concept
Liz Kolb:We forget there could be some excellent benefits
Jeff Stanzler:I'm with you, John. Yet I do think that some of our students lack a sense of their ability to contribute. Maybe anonymity might be a bridge to some of these students...
Peggy_G:do students in South Africa take more responsibility for their own learning than those I've experienced in my university classes?
Liz Kolb:Good question Peggy we will have to get the answer later from Dick
Jeff Stanzler:Dick.Ngambi@uct.ac.za
Liz Kolb:Thanks everyone!
joevans:I agree Jeff.
Peggy_G:very informative conversation! Thanks!
joevans:Man that timer waits for no man!
Jeff Stanzler:Glad you liked it, Peggy. Thanks for listening everyone!
Jeff Stanzler::-)
Peggy_G:isn't that the truth?? :-)
Liz Kolb:I know, maybe we should extend to 45 min
joevans:How long does the chat stay open?
Liz Kolb:About 10 minutes after show
Jeff Stanzler:I don't know when they close it, John. I'll stick around.
Peggy_G:See you next time-thanks for a wonderful guest!
Jeff Stanzler:Sounds great, Peggy...thanks!

Current Events: Anytime, Anywhere Via Cell (No Mobile Internet Required)

There are some great FREE resources online that couple with cell phones to allow people to keep up with current events and happenings. While the lucky ones who have purchased mobile Internet can use their mobile browsers to connect with web-based resources, many cannot afford that luxury. As a result there are some great alternatives. Below I highlight a few of them:

Rocketron
Phone Call
Just call 1-408-907-2323 (no online sign up necessary) and you can hear news feeds from many different sources.



Udefn
SMS Text Message
Udefn is a text messaging service where you can sign up for different bots. One of which is an RSS feed for the webpage(s) of your choice. You can text a keyword (that you create) to get information from the RSS feed(s).



Dial2do
Phone Call
Dial2do has many great features. One of them (Make Your Own Command) allows anyone to call in to their number (you need to sign up for an account first) and you can listen to any RSS news feed.



Lexy
Phone Call
Lexy is on-demand radio. You can call in to Lexy (no sign up required) 415-692-4933 and select which radio show you would like to listen to. You can also sign up and create a play list that you can hear when you call in to Lexy. Some of the news resources include NPR, NOVA (PBS), Local News, Foreign Language Programs, Front Page from the New York Times, and 60 Second Science.


Alerts.com
SMS Text Message
Anyone can create an account at Alerts.com and set up news alerts to be sent to their mobile phone. You will automatically receive alerts as news occurs.



These are all a few of the wonderful resources for students to use anytime, anywhere, anyplace to keep up with current events in all the content areas. Depending on their mobile plans they can select to use text messaging or calling minutes to stay up to date on the latest content-specific current events. Students no longer need to read a newspaper, or watch the evening news to know what is happening in the world.

How to Create Your Own Picture on the Fly

I've had a few emails and comments asking how exactly I set up the Picture on the Fly Challenge. I would like to explain my steps. Please remember that I have a basic cell phone (not a Smart phone) therefore, just about anyone with a cell phone should be able to create a Picture on the Fly challenge (or participate in one).

Step 1:
Create a Keyword in Textmarks. This will allow you to automatically generate participants in the challenge.

Sign up for a free account.
Select a Keyword of your choice
Create a message with information about the challenge
Select "automatically subscribe people who text in the keyword"

Step 2:
Publish the Keyword

Get the word out about your keyword. I created a blog post about the challenge that included how to text in the keyword. You can give it out to your students, post it in twitter, post it in Facebook...etc.

Step 3:
Decide on your topic for Picture on the Fly.

Remember the description (including where to send your mobile photo) needs to be no more than 140 characters for Textmarks.

Step 4:
Create a Flickr Account.
This is where all the participants will send their pictures.

Get the Flickr mobile address (you can do this by clicking on uploading tools--upload by email)

Step 5:
Login to Textmarks.

Select Manage
Select Edit
Click on Send Alerts.
Put in your information about the challenge (make sure you include the Flickr mobile address).
Click on Send.
Now all of your subscribers to the challenge will get the text message.

Step 6:
Set up a Slideshow.
You can set up a slideshow on your blog to automatically view the photos as they pop into Flickr.
I used Pictobrowser.

In Pictobrowser Click on Pictobuilder
Login to Flickr and Select your Set
Copy and Paste the Pictobrowser embed code to your webpage or blog.

The great thing about this challenge is that you can do multiple challenges using all the same information (no need to reinvent the wheel!).