LetsTalk.com Blog

Deal of the Week

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 06:12:23 PST

What is it? The BlackBerry® Storm™ 9530 is RIM's first full-touch screen smartphone with SurePress™ and Accelerometer Technology, creating a true one-of-a-kind interactive user experience. The Storm™ offers two virtual keyboards -- the Full QWERTY keyboard for long messaging and editing documents and the SureType™ keypad, as found on the BlackBerry® Pearl™, for sending quick texts. Since the Storm is first and foremost a BlackBerry device, you get all of the email functionality you would expect (corporate and web-based email support). The BlackBerry® Storm™ also offers: a 3.2-Megapixel Camera with flash and Video Record; Enhanced HTML Web Browser and the ability to pan and zoom on web pages; Preloaded editing Software for Microsoft® Word, Excel® and PowerPoint® files; Video Streaming Functionality; 1GB Internal Memory and Supports up to a 16GB External Memory (8GB SanDisk microSD™ Card Included) card; and Built-in GPS with Step-by-Step Driving Directions. Not only do you have these great email and multi-media capabilities, you also get access to the largest 3G network in the U.S. as well as high speed connectivity anywhere in the world.

How much? LetsTalk.com offers the BlackBerry® Storm™ at an incredible price that's "Too Low to Show."

Why is it such a good deal? The BlackBerry® Storm™ 9530 combines the latest and greatest cell phone capabilities with BlackBerry's leading email services, and Verizon's largest and most reliable 3G network. If you're not sold yet, see the price at LetsTalk.com!

Sharing phone captured photos for the holidays

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:11:04 PST

As the holidays approach, there will inevitably be a moment or two that you want to capture, but the camera won't be nearby. Instead, what's always on hand? Your cell phone, of course, and it's probably got a camera. Once the photos are captured in the phone, they typically end up staying there or getting sent to a few friends via picture messaging. However, Verizon Wireless, has an option that lets you capture and share immediately. The company has teamed up with popular photo site, photobucket, to help customers upload photos to the Internet and share them instantly via your Photobucket account. For a monthly subscription fee of $2.99, Verizon Wireless customers with compatible cell phones can download the Photobucket Mobile Uploader application by texting ‘photob’ to 2777, in the Community and Sharing category of the Verizon Wireless Get It Now catalog or by visiting photobucket.com/mobile.

Incidentally, if your Verizon Wireless cell phone isn't compatible with the service and you have picture messaging as part of your plan, you can also send photos to specific e-mail addresses as well. Just another way to help set your holiday photos free.

Deal of the Week

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:11:07 PST

What is it? The Samsung Gravity (available in grey and lime and white and aqua) is a slide-out cell phone that provides users with all the basic functions and a little something on the side – and it does all this with its interesting design. At first glance, the Gravity could be mistaken for a basic Samsung candy bar-style cell phone, but all is not what it seems once you realize there’s a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard for easy typing. The peculiar Gravity features a 1.3-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities, stereo Bluetooth connectivity, GPRS and EDGE, an expandable memory microSD card slot and USB interface. It also offers instant messaging, email access, mobile backup, music player, voice notes, and sync with PC capabilities. In short, the Gravity is a user-friendly messaging device that will allow you to stay constantly and easily connected with contacts all day long.

How much? The Samsung Gravity is available at a great price with the purchase of a 2-year contract that you will only see here. This one is Brand New!

Why is it such a good deal? Be the first to own this piece of T-Mobile texting history. At a price you can't refuse, you will be in thumb heaven with the Samsung Gravity. It also comes with a free Kingston 2GB memory card.

Cell phones In action: Motorola MotoRokr T505

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:11:52 PST

More and more counties and states are adopting cell phone driving laws. Not everyone wants to use a headset - wireless or not. Well, check out the MotoRokr T505 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone with Digital FM Transmitter that lets you take your calls over your car stereo and even stream music stored on your cell phone through your car stereo, as well. To show you what I mean, watch the video below to find out just how easy it is to use.

New T-Mobile Samsung cell phone helps keep you grounded

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:11:24 PST

In the market for a compact cell phone with a hidden QWERTY keyboard that's not a smartphone? Check out T-Mobile's latest product arrival, the Samsung Gravity. The cell phone is available in two different color combos: grey and lime and a cool white and aqua. The Gravity sports a 1.3-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth for listening to tunes via the MP3 player, and can easily sync up with a PC for easy transfer of contacts and other pertinent info you want on a cell phone. But the real story here is that it's really a messaging device and with forecasts coming out from ABI Research that states mobile messaging isn't slowing down any time soon, this compact phone coupled with a $19.95 T-Mobile data plan that includes unlimited messaging is a good alternative to a high-end smartphone.

Deal of the Week

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:11:10 PST

This week's deal comes from LetsTalk.com's Merchandising Manager for AT&T, Jack Cooper.

What is it? The AT&T Quickfire™ (available in orange, green, and silver) is next in up in the new line of AT&T quick messaging cell phones. This 3G (that means super fast data speeds) cell phone is the first of its kind with a touch screen display in addition to a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard – elevating its cool factor and ease-of-use for the text-first crowd. On top of an optimized messaging interface, a multitasking shortcut key, and a large display, the Quickfire also automatically rotates to landscape mode for typing quick messages. Equipped as well with the best entertainment and navigation apps, Quickfire is great choice.

How much? Get the AT&T Quickfire for FREE when purchased with any two-year AT&T service plan.

Why is it such a good deal? It's hot, it's new, and you can save even more money monthly and meet most of your texting and web-mail needs with an AT&T messaging plan. Plus, we’re throwing in a 1GB MicroSD card so you have more room to store more of your favorite things on your cell phone.

Dear Cell Phone User

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:11:52 PST

We've all witnessed the poor etiquette people sometimes use when they talk on cell phones in public places. We even have an etiquette survey about what seems to be "acceptable" talking behavior these days. But what about the people who still talk loudly and often in public places? We asked bloggers around the Internet to tell us what they think should be done about that and if there's technology available that can help. Our final post comes from Joshua Howe. To read more from Joshua, check out Maine VRC.

Since the widespread adoption of cell phones, there have been those who use them appropriately and those who do not.

Most people would agree that it is rude to talk loudly on a cell phone in a public place, especially about personal issues such as bodily functions, relationships/ sex etc. However, if people actually acted consistent with their answers we'd rarely have to deal with the details of strangers' lives while we're trying to get a cup of coffee. Many of use would believe that our call is that exception and are likely unaware of how loud we're actually being.

The semi-serious Society for Hand Held Hushing (aka SHHH) has created cards which you can give out to the worst offenders. Some cards are more gentle than others:

"Dear cell phone user, We are aware that your ongoing conversation about ____ is very important to you, but we thought you’d like to know that it doesn’t interest us in the least. In fact, your babbling disregard for others is more than a little annoying."

Whether it's signs at the movie theater or in a waiting room, people tutting, reminder cards, there are always going to be people who ignore this. England just got its first truly "quiet" train carriage. According to the Daily Mail, train cars in which passengers voluntarily comply with a restriction on cell phones and MP3 players had been tried, but did not work. It is a train car where a film on the car prevents cell phone reception, allowing riders to enjoy a ride free of cell phone abusers. That is, unless they're walking through saying "Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? Where did you go?"

For the majority of places which we go, voluntary compliance is the best we can hope for. Cheer the musicians who strongly encourage it, give out cards if you're brave enough, and hang up and talk to the person you're with. That way I won't have to worry about how your date/ job interview/ grandmother/ rodent.

Etiquette Enforcement

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:11:00 PST

We've all witnessed the poor etiquette people sometimes use when they talk on cell phones in public places. We even have an etiquette survey about what seems to be "acceptable" talking behavior these days. But what about the people who still talk loudly and often in public places? We asked bloggers around the Internet to tell us what they think should be done about that and if there's technology available that can help. Our next post comes from Devin Moore. To read more from Devin, check out his blog at DevinMoore.com notes.

If cellphone etiquette rules can't be followed in situations where discretion in their use is clearly called for by society, then rather than ban cellphones, cellphone abusers should be banned. There are two important situations that should be considered to determine how I arrived at this conclusion:

1. The well-behaved theater

In a well-behaved movie theater, there are no problems from cellphones interrupting the movie, despite the fact that many people have cellphones and use them before or after the movie. In these cases, it can seem to those moviegoers that a ban on cellphones is unnecessary. This same principle applies to the restaurant or classroom where phone privileges are not being abused.

2. The ill-behaved theater

It only takes one visit to an ill-behaved movie screening, however, to change what I imagine is everyone else's mind along with my own about how cellphone usage should be restricted in such an environment. Without an outright ban and the authority to remove abusing patrons, the movie going experience can be ruined for everyone in attendance. Furthermore, what is supposed to be a nice dinner can be disrupted, and worst of all, the academic integrity of a classroom can be violated via copying answers texted from a cellphone.

"Letting people know when it's not appropriate to use phones" works just fine as it is for situation #1 above. Those people already know not to interrupt a show, dinner, or classroom with their phone use. However, that edict does not apply to people in situation #2. Why not? Because they don't care, that's why they're using their phone in a theater in the first place. In fact, they may be deliberately trying to ruin the experience for others as a form of social schadenfreude.

Because there are people who simply don't care about any sort of passive ban, there must be an active ban that allows business owners to remove impolite parties (potentially permanently) at their discretion. These rules would be endorsed by any sensible patron of the establishment, and will only be fought against by those who truly wish to abuse their privileges and cause problems for everyone.

There can be situations where using a cellphone is absolutely required, and so the phone itself should not be interrupted -- just make it so that the administration has the right (and uses it frequently) to make a judgment call and remove troublemakers.

If you disagree with this position, ask yourself: have you simply never t been interrupted bad enough by a cellphone in such a situation, or perhaps are you the one doing the interrupting?

Technology or regulation?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:11:36 PST

We've all witnessed the poor etiquette people sometimes use when they talk on cell phones in public places. We even have an etiquette survey about what seems to be "acceptable" talking behavior these days. But what about the people who still talk loudly and often in public places? We asked bloggers around the Internet to tell us what they think should be done about that and if there's technology available that can help. Our first post comes from Cody Jackson. To read more from Cody, check out his Common Sense V2.0 blog.

As noted, many people don't like cell phone talkers. For several reasons, people tend to talk louder when using cell phones than when using regular phones. Banning cell phones is the most extreme way of solving the problem. As I see it, there are a couple of ways to remedy the situation.

One way is with technology. The microphones in mobile phones are sometimes not the best quality, leading people to talk louder (consciously or unconsciously) in order to make themselves heard. However, one of the features that landline phones have and few, if any, cell phones have is the user can hear himself in the receiver. This helps control his volume because he can be sure his voice is being received.

Another way is with regulations. The most drastic measure is banning phones from certain areas. The problem with that is that people will always smuggle phones in, especially as they get smaller and smaller. To counteract this, I suspect many places will start searching people as they enter, which will just upset a lot of people. Some movie theaters do this already to stop camcorders from filming the movie.

However, regulations can simply add heavy fines to mobile phone violators, such as people who drive while using them. Again, this won't discourage many people, who will simply put up a fight when confronted; speeding is illegal yet people do it all the time.

An alternative to adding regulations is to simply ease regulations, i.e. have the FCC relax the ban on radio jammers. Originally created to ensure vital services (police, fire, medical, etc.) are able to send and receive radio transmissions, these regulations make it illegal for most people to own and use cell phone jammers, including businesses. If people could carry around personal jammers, they could create "quiet zones" around them. Businesses could install jammers inside their buildings to simply prevent people from using cell phones inside.

The problem with that is controlling the range of the jamming signal; there would likely be some bleeding into the exterior area. However, businesses could simply post a notice that jamming is being used and have a designated cell phone area, much like designated smoking areas. Personal jammers are more problematic, but personally I think if more people had them, people would simply learn to use their cell phones in a "nicer" manner.

An alternative to active jammers is to create a Faraday cage-effect within buildings. This would block radio signals without violating current regulations, because the signals are simply being blocked, not jammed. Buildings may or may not be required to post notices that they have Faraday cages; most people would simply assume that they can't get a signal inside, much as they do now. Refitting current structures to have this effect can be relatively cheap; paint and paneling is available with embedded metal that reduces/eliminates radio signals.

Finally, and probably the least effective method, is to simply rely on people to "do the right thing". Education and conditioning are usually considered the best way to stop bad behavior but not everyone responds the same way. Some people rebel against such actions, simply on principle. Some people are set in their ways and refuse to change. Some people are simply untrainable.

Mobile phone technology has been around for more than 30 years. Other cultures have created social norms for good cell phone behavior. For example, it's bad etiquette to use a cell phone in many places in Japan, such as on trains. In those situations, people either use SMS or simply cover their mouths to minimize the noise they create.

Americans still seem to think that cell phones are status symbols and many have the attitude that they must show their status by "flashing the phone". American society is based on individualism, which cell phones play into. Americans also tend to be very self-centered, comparatively, so they often don't care about people around them.

Trying to change the social norms regarding cell phones is the least likely to work. At a minimum, I think it would take a generation or two to have a significant effect.

Deal of the Week

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:11:38 PST

What is it? The MotoRIZR Z6tv, by Motorola, has all the entertainment capabilities you could ever want in a cell phone, while keeping its iconic slider design. This sleek handset offers: V Cast TV, Music, and Video; a 2-megapixel camera; Bluetooth stereo support for listening to music via Bluetooth speakers or headphones; and VZ Navigator to help keep you going in the right direction.

How much? The MotoRIZR Z6tv is FREE out-the-door for lines 1 and 2 with any 2-year service plan with a monthly fee of $34.99 or more.

Why is it such a good deal? The MotoRIZR z6tv is a fantastic cell phone that’s good looking and fun to use. Not only is the cell phone free with new service, but we’re also including 2GB MicroSD memory card so you can start storing music, pics and videos from the minute you start using it.

Visit the LetsTalk booth at the UC Davis game

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 09:11:52 PST

Has getting settled into the Fall semester made you re-evaluate your cell phone choice? Think it’s time to upgrade to a BlackBerry? Then be sure to check out the LetsTalk.com booth at the UC Davis vs. Sacramento State game on Saturday where you can sign up to get a new BlackBerry and $50 for your existing cell phone. That’s not all, you can also enter to win $50,000 to help pay off your school debt. It’s a deal that’s a win for everyone. If you can’t make it to the game, check out BlackBerry.LetsTalk.com for more details.

Cell phones In action: BlackBerry Bold

Thu, 6 Nov 2008 06:11:07 PST

The BlackBerry Bold has finally arrived. It still has all the features we've come to expect from a BlackBerry, it's got a slicker interface and some nice multimedia additions. To show you what I mean, watch the video below to find out what all the buzz is about.

Following the election? See how your cell phone can help.

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 12:11:27 PST

It's a big day in the United States and staying on top of late breaking election news couldn't be easier -- thanks to your cell phone. Verizon Wireless is offering a customers a plethora of ways to stay informed today. If you have VCast service you can watch live coverage tonight on your Verizon Wireless cell phone. Here's the mobile line-up:

MSNBC’s Election Night coverage kicks off at 5:00 p.m. ET

NBC News’ Election Night coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET

CNBC’s Election Night programming from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET

A live simulcast of CBS News’ Election Night coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET

ABC News NOW’s live broadcast beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET

Don't have VCast service on your cell phone, you can sign up for the service for a 24-hour pass for $3 or check out the text alerts from Verizon Wireless. Here are some options for race projections:

Get election news from NBC News by texting “elex” to 622639

Join subscriber text groups by texting “First” (for First Read), “Joe” (for Morning Joe), “MTP” (for Meet the Press) or “HB” (for Hardball) to 622639 to find out the latest election news

Note: You'll still be charged for text messages, so make sure you have a text messaging plan.

Cell phones In action: BlackBerry Bold and Apple iPhone compared

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 08:11:39 PST

The newest BlackBerry to hit the market is the Bold. While it still has all the workhorse features we’ve come to expect from BlackBerry, the Bold has a flashy new interface and some new multimedia additions. So we wanted to see how it stacks up against the Apple iPhone. Check it out below.

Deal of the Week

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 08:11:18 PST

What is it? The Samsung Rant features a messaging-centric form factor available in two great colors (red and black). This sideways slider hides a full QWERTY keyboard. This cell phone is built to text, e-mail and IM, but don’t let the keyboard fool you, this device can do it all. Featuring a 2-megapixel camera, Stereo Bluetooth, expandable memory up to 8GB, and the full suite of Sprint Power Vision applications and services, you’ll want to tell all your friends about the incredible value and versatility of the Samsung Rant. It also has Sprint One Click, which is a customizable home screen created to optimize your experience. Get your text messages, web access, MySpace friend requests, e-mail, entertainment and more within a click of your home screen.

How much? The Samsung Rant is available for Free with a new two-year Sprint service plan.

Why is it such a good deal? The Rant has it all; versatility, dependability, and a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Plus, it is brand new and you can get it for free! We’re even throwing in a 2GB MicrosSD card so you can start saving pictures and listening to music out-of-the-box.