1. Are you planning play for the plan?  No one wants to get a phone without a plan, so unless you or someone else plans to buy the plan, don’t buy the person a phone.  The same is true for upgrading them to a smartphone.  Unless you plan on buying a data plan, it is not worth getting them a smartphone. There is only one exception to this rule: preplanned gifts.  For example, if I were to ask for a smartphone from my parents, the deal is that I would have to buy a data plan for myself.  Also, if you plan to buy them a plan with the phone, anything less than a year is not very worthwhile.
2. How much do you plan to spend?  Nobody wants a free or low end phone for a present, unless they don’t have one to begin with.  If they have phone, a free phone is not an exciting gift.  So, think about the value of the phone before you give it to them (even though monetary value isn’t the real value in a gift).
3. How adept are they with phones?  Getting a smartphone for a technologically illiterate person is a bad idea.  They will probably stare at it for a while, and then ask you how to use it.  Often, they don’t even want one.  So, please don’t give the cavemen smartphones; they will break them.  (To the technologically illiterate people reading this, I meant no harm with that little joke).

After looking over this checklist, a cellphone as a present very well may no longer be a gift idea.  Hopefully, I helped you clarify if it will or won’t be under the tree on the 25th.

Recently, RIM announced they would be releasing a new operating system name BBX.  The new operating system was said to be greatly improved, while retaining many of the popular features from the last OS.  Well, shortly after announcing the name, they were sued by a New Mexico based company.  Albuquerque based Basis International had trademarked the name for a software language, database, and tool-set.

Basis Chief Executive, Nico Spence, told Reuters, “Our patent attorney has sent them a cease and desist letter, invoking the U.S. Trademark Act … requesting a response by October 31.  Failing that, we’ll take the next logical legal step.”

Research in Motion told Reuters, “RIM has not yet received a copy of the legal complaint described in Basis International’s press release, but we do not believe the marks are confusing, particularly since our respective companies are in different lines of business.”

Spence said, “We are fielding numerous customer inquiries voicing their confusion about the RIM announcement.”

This is just another embarrassment as RIM continues to tumble down from its old pedestal.

On top of that, RIM is facing the threat of even more law suits after there were massive BlackBerry service outages.  They outage left users unable to use email, data services, and messenger.  This outage lasted for several days and resulted in mass outrage, including complaints from members of the government who use the devices.  In response, the company promised a wide variety of available apps, but many customers have declared they are not satisfied.  North American law firms are considering cases, because customers lost money in business transactions due to the outage.

Looks like RIM’s days of dominance are long gone; it’s too bad they couldn’t go out gracefully.

Why, then, when my smartphone stopped working the day after I returned from my trip, did I freak out? I literally panicked, because the phone was completely functionless – no GPS, no phone, no texting, no email… I couldn’t even tell what time it was. I was in a state of shock and anger, and all I could think about was getting the damn thing fixed.

I was at a pre-4th of July celebration, about to watch fireworks with several close friends and my girlfriend, and all I could think about was my stupid cell phone, and how, if something went down, I wouldn’t have an outside line. Oh, and I was also disappointed, I wouldn’t be able to take pictures of the fireworks.

When did I become this dependent on my phone? Why did I become this dependent on my phone? Just two days prior, I was happily grilling over a pit without any outside communication, or was I deceiving myself?

The fact of the matter is, that while I was not using my phone as a communication device, I was still using it for the GPS functionality, and the ability to take photos and play music. I wasn’t truly roughing it. If I wanted to do that, I’d have brought a traditional map, a few disposable cameras, and a CD player. Instead, because I’ve become so entrenched in technology, I fooled myself into thinking I was achieving some sort of grand accomplishment, when in reality, I was achieving balderdash.

I still had my creature comforts to cling to, and if an emergency did go down, the phone icon was right there, eager to be pressed and ready to obey my commands. Hell, I even had great reception in those woods, and that’s really something for AT&T.

As much as you think you know what you can and can’t do without, once you experience it for yourself, it’s all smoke and mirrors.

Comparing your standard RGB stripe to Samsung’s PenTile display technology, HD is going to look about two times better on the Samsung screen.

It sounds great right? It does to me, and it seems perfect for something like the iPad, but experts have reasoned that there is only a small chance that this exact screen will be incorporated into to the next generation iPad. The main reason behind this is that the last two iPads measured 9.7-inches and had resolutions of 1024×768. So, Apple would have to adjust their iPad measurements and start working with a whole different animal.

However, the rumors have continued to spread about this new Amoled screen being Apple’s new big thing. This rumor started to churn because Tim Cook, one of Apple’s directors, went to the Samsung factory to make an agreement about implementing Amoled screens into a new iPad. Hmmm, curious. Samsung does currently have something in their Galaxy Tab line that could be used by Apple right now, but I have a feeling that Apple is planning bigger and better things.

If anything, this new screen shows that it is possible to make something that uses a low amount of power, but still produces an image display that rivals the retina display on the iPhones. The screen itself uses 40 percent less battery energy than the current RGB stripe technology.

And the screens don’t stop there. This week I read about another screen that Samsung is designing. This one is a flexible screen.  Still Amoled based, Samsung has come out with bendable screens that could be used in watches and smartphones.

So, will Apple bring Samsung’s new technology into their new technology? We will have to wait and see.

• Does my work require me to carry a phone? This question is a tricky one in today’s society.  Your work may not have literally told you to buy one, but if you need to have constant email and web access, you need a smartphone. At the same time, you may think you need constant contact but actually do not. For example, you may assume that getting emails after work  is important, but if you don’t have to respond to them immediately, you might not actually need one.
• Can I afford to pay for the phone? Most people will believe they can afford the $199.99 iPhone. But – there’s a data plan too. You must pay a minimum of $29.99 more a month in order to get a data plan for your phone. And, of course, you are locked in for two years when you buy the phone and plan.  That’s an extra $719.76 to pay. And if you continue to use the phone, but don’t pay for data, the extra charges are so much that you will be better off paying for the plan. Thus, the cost of having a smartphone adds up rapidly.
• Do you have a clue how to use the phone? Recently, my step-mom got a HTC smartphone. The problem is she doesn’t have much skill with phones. I literally had to show her how to tell if she had missed a call, and if she had any voice mail. If you don’t know how to use the phone, it is presumably not worth buying.

So, consider the questions above, and if you answer yes to numbers one or two, you need a smartphone. If you are borderline and answer yes to the third question, you should get one. With this information in mind, deciding if the smartphone is really necessary becomes much simpler.

The device is a transparent sapphire crystal that is sandwiched between two platinum panels located on the long, thin sides.  It runs on the android system and is providing a glimpse of what comes next in cell phone technology.  All the electronics are located in the platinum, including the SIM card, the battery, and the computer chips.  The ‘device’ developed with phone maker Mobiado, and dubbed the “CPT002.”

The phone can do more than just do the same old, same old though.  It can unlock the owner’s Aston Martin, work with the car’s GPS, and take photos from a dash-mounted camera.  The phone also helps monitor speed in the case of a crash.  This phone has an interesting interface with the car.

Now, this may be the future, but others will disagree.  Personally, I think the future of phone will be a device that can be rolled up like a piece of paper.  This technology already exists, but is far too expensive.  Also, I would like to see phones that interact with technology around them, such as if you are looking at a computer, and you can use you phone to access the same data if you walk away.  Thus, I believe the future may not be much like the phone predicted by Aston Martin.

The best part about the phone isn’t its technology, though, it’s the luxury.  No other phone is made from sapphire and platinum.  That is one of the only phone I would truly call luxury.

I personally learned about one case of technology bringing comfort to a family during the initial natural disaster.  TekTrak , a company which I had profiled three months ago, was able to help ease the worries of one family in Japan.  Rather than paraphrasing this parent’s words, I am pleased to share K.S.’s email:

Hi. This is a short message to let you know what a lifesaver TekTrak was after the massive earthquake in Japan on Friday.

My daughter was at her school and normally it takes an hour for her school bus to reach home in Tokyo. Due to the terrible traffic conditions resulting from the earthquake her school bus took 7 hours to reach home. She has an iPhone which I had loaded with TekTrak a long time ago against theft etc. Little did I know back then that this $4.99 spent was one of the best purchases for us in the AppStore…

We were very anxious as we could not talk to her but since the 3G network was up we could see her progress and felt good knowing that she was making slow but sure progress.

I wanted to share this experience with you and say thank you once again. Keep up the great work!!!

Although technology may have its critics, reading an email such as this, it is hard to doubt that are great benefits.  Instead of spending seven hours worrying about a daughter’s whereabouts, the parents were able to rest assured that she was on her way home.  Peace of  mind is priceless, as is technology.

To learn more about TekTrak, please visit their website.

Steven Colbert said, “If you’ve got an iPhone already, a lot of (the iPad) will be very familiar to you. The same touch screen technology. The same apps. And just like the iPhone, you can’t make calls with it.”  I’m afraid he is now wrong.

With the release of the iPad 2, the newest calling feature, the Facetime camera, became accessible.  Now, much like the fourth generation iPod touch and the iPhone 4, you can video call over it.  Facetime is a VOIP video chatting program, much like Skype, except it’s more practical than Skype.  Skype was a program that required two people with computers with webcams to go on and connect with each other, while with Facetime, you just call them.  Except you answer with a camera.  It’s a creative way to communicate, but not overly practical.  Walking around your house or a store holding an iPad out in front of you is just a bit impractical, right?  So, on the iPad, you can also download VOIP apps that allow calling through the speakers or the earbuds.  You can also download internet texting apps, making it a phone.  Get a 3g data plan and it works anywhere.  But it’s still huge.

Another example is the new laptop and cell phone combination, the Motorola Atrix.  It is an Android smartphone that plug into a basic laptop frame.  Basically, it allows you to do all your cell phone operations on a larger screen and full keyboard.  You can use Firefox browser and any app on either setup (laptop or cell phone).  Unfortunately, I see its value as a laptop worthless.  Why?  You only have Quick Office.  So, basically it’s a cell phone with an optional larger screen, which in my opinion is not a laptop.  You lack the capabilities and processing power of a normal laptop, which kills the value.

So, as the line blurs, I have to wonder, what will we end up with?

I personally am on T Mobile, but there are many other options.  There are many networks, but I will focus on the big four: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint.  These four have nationwide service and a collective 393.2 million users worldwide.  These networks have their own ups and downs, making each one good for different situations.

• Verizon Wireless: the largest provider within the U.S. alone, this network is famous for the line “Can you hear me now?”   Verizon offers 3G and limited 4G Lite, but only in urban areas as of now.  They have a smart phone selection of Androids, Blackberries, and palm phoners.   Also, they now carry the once AT&T-exclusive iPhone.  Verizon has excellent service in New Hampshire where I live, which is a bonus for people in my area.
• AT&T: the second largest provider in the U.S.  They provide the unique feature of rollover minutes, which is an attractive offer to many people.  Also, they offer the trendy iPhone along with many other smart phones.  They have 3G networks, but they are limited to urban areas and a 4G LTE network is in development.
• Sprint: the third largest network in the U.S., Sprint is, to me anyway, less a of a personal network and more of one for businesses.  I think of them as the company who provides push-to-talk phones as the primary product, even if this isn’t true.  They actually offer 3G in cities and smart phones.
• T-Mobile: the final major network, T-Mobile is the smallest network, but they, too, offer 3G service.  T-Mobile lacks the iPhone but offers many other smart phones, such as the MY Touch 4G, an iPhone competitor.  They service is poor in my area, because I lose service if I go 45 minutes north, but to the south is fine.  Interestingly, I have 3G just about everywhere.

Hopefully, these little bits of data will help with your cell carrier choosing adventure!

tektrak is the creation of a Los Angeles based company.  It works via a unique application that allows phone owners to pinpoint the exact location of their phone.  Using tektrak, a smartphone owner can track the phone’s location history to discover where it has been and where it is at that moment.  Owners also can make the phone ring remotely in order to locate the phone more easily, once you are near it.

Currently, tektrak is available for the iPhone 3GS and 4G. Arik Waldman, CEO of tektrak, shared future plans for the product, “Our Android app should be available commercially in January, as well as an improved iPhone app with more features. We are likely to have an iPad app available in February. It’s too soon to give a specific timeline, but in 2011 we will develop the application for all major mobile OS.”

In order to use tektrak, you have to keep two simple things in mind:

1. Your phone must be on, in order for it to work.  Just like if you unplug your clock, your alarm won’t wake you, neither will tektrak work with your phone off.

2. Your phone cannot be in silent mode, if you want to use the remote ring feature.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?

If you value your smartphone and all of the personal information you store on it, tektrak is the app you need.  For a mere $2.99, it can take away your worries.  When was the last time you could do that for less than three dollars?

No more worrying about where exactly your phone might be.  tektrak will locate it for you.

(Editor’s Note: tektrak is a portfolio company of Wasabi Ventures, LLC, the parent company of Wasabi Media Group.)