Like Texting? Maybe During an Earthquake?

We had a moderate earthquake out here in California some months ago. But we adapt--like texting while under two feet of concrete. Yes, indeed...the ultimate experience in the land of sun and surf. Read the story.

MOTORIZR

Motorola finally released a compact phone that's powerful and reasonably priced--very similar to the KRZR but in a candy bar form factor. Like Samsung phones, the RIZR has a non-standard port for charging the phone or connecting an ear piece or a USB cable to your computer.

The Moto RIZR Z3 packs a lot of functions into small dimensions--about the size of a Nano Ipod--touting a brilliant, colorful screen and very loud and clear speakerphone. The music player loads slowly and is simplistic, but the sound quality is superb through the speaker on the back of the phone or using an ear piece.(Distortion occurs when using the speakerphone on phone calls.)

The 2mp camera/camcorder sports a light for indoor shots but is hampered by a 1X zoom lens. You'll get your best shots typically outdoors, although the phone has control settings under options. Running on T-Mobile in the San Francisco Bay Area, signal strength and call quality is excellent, even indoors, the RIZR showing full signal strength much of the time. This is not always the case with T-Mobile on other phones. Battery life under normal usage is good (3-4 hours) but drains quickly when you use Bluetooth to transfer files to-and-from a computer.

The supplied USB cable permits easy media file exchange by dragging files from window to window. But if you want to sync your contacts, calendar and notepad with Outlook, for example, you'll need the latest version of Motorola Phone Tools. (For some reason, the RIZR will not sync if you have either media edition of Windows Vista or XP.)

The voice button on the right side of the phone easily and accurately allows making calls or opening applications by speaking a number or name in your phonebook or giving a command to start an app. The RIZR lacks an email client, unfortunately, although Phonescoop and other mobile phone site reviews claim it exists. The keypad is stiff like a RAZR making texting harder.

If you're planning on accessing the Web, get a good pair of eyes. The type size is very small. T-Mobile re-arranged the T-Zones home layout screen with a search screen at the top and three small tabs underneath for WEB, DOWNLOADS and MY ACCOUNT. If you use the T-Zones menu to read news, sports or check the weather, the text is larger and very readable on the RIZR's screen.

Downloading with EDGE technology is slow. As more users acclimate to 3G and EVDO networks, EDGE will increasingly appear sluggish. Mechanically, the slider is smooth and easy to push up and down, but the left and right edges of the center D button, larger than most Samsung, Nokia and Sony-Ericsson's, is very close to the T-Zones and Clear buttons. If your finger gets too close, you may unwillingly cause the phone to jump to an unwanted screen.

Finally, despite this very attractive phone with its blue and black finish, the screen appears smudgy and needing cleaning. So keep a small cloth handy. All-in-all, the Motorola RIZR is a well-designed, powerful mobile phone with excellent features for its cost--$99 with a one year T-Mobile contract or around $200 without a contract on eBay. If you want a compact multi-media phone with a good camera lens, music player and excellent sound and reception, the Moto RIZR is an excellent choice.

Samsung SGH D900

In the past year or so we’ve read about the growth of obesity in America and around the globe. Fat is out and thin is in. Mobile telephony is experiencing a similar health problem. Since Motorola released the Q offered by Verizon, mobile phone manufacturers have designed and marketed the thinnest mobile phones possible deploying current technology. Just as anorexics starve themselves into non-existence, Samsung, Motorola and Rim, among many companies, compete to produce mobile phones less than 50mm’s wide with less powerful batteries, reducing talk time and data use. Samsung’s Blackjack, released by Cingular, even includes one extra battery. Running on its 3G network drains the Blackjack faster. T-Mobile’s Dash is slightly better on talk time while RIM’s BlackBerry Pearl provides better-than-average talk/data specs. Even Palm’s Trep 680, the upgraded version of the popular 650, requires daily charging. In fact, Palm recommends “topping off” your battery daily.

The Samsung SGH-D900, a quad frequency smartphone for worldwide use, continues the trend. It’s rated at 6.5 talk time hours; however, combining average data and voice use, I clocked about 3 hours before the battery drained, similar to the Nokia N80 superphone and most Verizon and Sprint CDMA phones. The new Ultra edition 12.9 offers an exceptionally gorgeous display. This slider phone fits easily into your pocket or purse and resembles Samsung’s Blackjack with its ergonomic,textured backing. Fitting comforably in your hand, the
D-900's 80MB of internal storage plus a memory chip expansion slot is quite sufficient. The slider smoothly opens to reveal the numeric keypad and offers easy access to every menu function by pressing no more than three keys, while the center D button offers quick access to three apps plus a short-cut menu. The latter menu accesses up to nine applications. The stereo speakers on the front of the phone are loud without distortion. Reception is excellent. The music player is decent and the camera’s 3.1MP lens with auto focus and fast zooming, combined with built-in picture editing software, takes excellent pictures and videos. On the other hand, the Openwave browser lacks true HTML. The single proprietary port for power charging and a mic/headset is inconvenient but acceptable. The built-in email client restricts downloads to 300Kb—sufficient for person-to-person emails but insufficient for lengthier messages. One caveat: My unlocked D900 roamed consistently off T-Mobile’s network to Cingular, T-Mobile’s roaming partner. This is only a concern if your carrier charges extra when roaming. In sum, the Samsung D-900 has many admirable qualities. If you're looking for a mid-priced smartphone and email and internet browsing are not high on your list, the D-900 is an excellent choice.

Twas the Night Before Christmas 2007 Cell Phone Review

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the realm

Not a Samsung was stirring not even a twelve-nine.

The iPhones were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Steven soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug with their phones,

While visions of Motos danced in their tones.

And mamma with her widget and I with my jack,

Had just settled down to play with our crack.

When out on the lawn there arose such a chatter,

I threw down my smartphone and sought out my fatter.

Away to the window I brought out my flash.

Tore open the shutters and threw out the Dash.

The tune in my breast as the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects that GO.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear

But a moguled Android and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so googled and knoogled

I knew in a moment he must have been snoogled.

More rapid than nanos his courses they zuned

And he whistled and shouted, and called them ituned!

Now Dasher! now Dancer!, now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet!, On Cupid!, on Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of Redmond! to the top of Mountain View!

Now crash away! crash away! crash away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild tornado fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew

With a sleigh full of Toys, and St. Steven too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The ringtones and vibrations of each little hoof

As I drew in my head, and was churning around, 

Down the chimney St. Steven came with an iphone.

He was dressed all in denim, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all covered with logos and loot.

A bundle of Ipods he had flung on his back

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, he nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly.

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"