Was Motorola RAZR V3 a good choice?
I have previously written an article about my current phone, the Motorola RAZR V3 and have recommended that this model is a great choice for those who want to try the 3G technology. I still think that yes, it still a good choice.
The problem is, I’m now experiencing problems with it. Unconsciously, I just find my phone turned off. It sometimes automatically restarts and sometimes hang. Checking out reviews, I’ve found out that its not only I who have experienced the same kind of problem. Some say that it may be because of its battery and they recommend to buy a higher model of the battery. There were comments saying that after buying a new battery, they haven’t encountered the problem anymore. Well, maybe I should try it or just buy a new phone.
The feature is great and I still recommend it, but I hope that this model is tougher than I think it is.
Krzr K3
Another high-end model of the Krzr series by Motorola is to be released in the market. According to an article in Articlecrux.com:
On Feb. 12, 2007, Motorola announced officially a new, high-end model for their already popular Krzr series. The Krazr K3 will join its older brother, the K1, as a brilliantly stylish handset. The model looks very much like the white K1, except its coloration is slightly darker.
Designed with passion and built for speed, Krzr K3 is a top choice for those who are thinking of buying a new one. The K3 is said to be created with HSPDA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) connectivity, giving users a faster download and upload speed. This handset could be one the best Motorola models for Motorola and I’m sure it would be keenly awaited by mobile phone fanatics.
3G technology…Cool?
3G (third generation) technology provides the ability to transfer both voice and non-voice data for mobile phones. It makes transfer of data faster, meaning faster web browsing, emails, or instant messaging in your phone. One of the best applications offered by 3G technology is Video Telephony.
Imagine talking to your loved one and seeing her at the same time just through your phone. This is why most 3G capable phones offer two cameras, one beside your LCD screen. Yeah it’s cool alright, but I watched this advertisement of a 3G capable phone where a boss was calling one of his employees who didn’t go to work. The employee was at the mall. Since it was a video call, the boss would see where his employee was. So the employee needs to find a bedroom store and lie in a bed before answering the phone. Now, is it still cool? Not always!
How Tough is Your Phone?
How tough is your phone? You may have the most expensive mobile phone with the latest features, but is it durable enough? Let me share a bit from my own experience and the experience of friends as well.
My last phone was an Sony Ericsson K700i (I’m using a Motorola RAZR V3x now). Let me reminisce a bit. When we were out in the beach and having a drink, I was reaching for a glass, then suddenly, my phone jumped out of my shirt pocket and went straight to the bucket of ice, which was half-filled with water. Guess what? The phone still worked afterwards.
I’m not saying that this kind of phone is water-proof, but at least it’s not that sensitive like other models that are easily broken by the slightest damage test. If ever this happens, don’t panic and don’t cry like a baby. I’m not an electronic gadget expert, but if your phone gets wet, disassemble it quickly, remove the battery, then let it have air so that the water that may have seeped inside would evaporate quickly. Don’t try to turn it on, let it dry by itself for a while. Turning it on could do more harm, triggering a short circuit. It may not function perfectly at first because there might be grounded circuit lines remaining inside, but be patient and just hope for the best.
Well, another thing that bothers me are phones claiming that they are “shock-proof”. They may have designed it to minimize the damage from falling, but how minimal is this ‘minimal damage’, I ask? I remember a friend having a “shock-proof” phone. We promptly dared him to test the toughness of his model — and he did drop the phone on purpose. Alas! The phone bounced and its LCD hit a stone. Yeah, it was shock proof alright, but the LCD was broken in the end. Lesson learned? Don’t rely on your phone’s durability, take care of it!
Cheapest Wins
Over at Gizmodo, they have an article up taking a quick look at the cheap and “free” options cell phone carriers are providing these days.
We’re the sorts who prefer a dollar today to a buck fifty two years down the line, and so what we look for is this, and this alone: what sort of free cell do I get for signing up? After the jump, a rundown of what America’s wireless providers are giving away at present, as a means to deciding which company really, truly loves us low-enders.
After looking at a large number of companies, they concluded that Sprint is the winner, as they provide the best handset for the cheapest price.
The nicest stuff here is by Samsung, particularly the A640. What’s incredible about the A640 deal is that it’s such a new handset, having only been released this past July. The fact that they’re handing this out to new recruits isn’t exactly a sign that you should start buying Sprint stock, but a company’s misery is often a miser’s gain, eh?
Does Text Speak Hinder Literacy?
It’s a question that has been posed many times. With the prevalence of “text speak,” or the abbreviated and sometimes mashed-up language used in sending SMS messages, people–particularly parents and teachers of school-aged youth–have begun to worry about the potential of SMS in contributing to illiteracy. Imagine spelling “CUL8R” instead of the correct phrase “see you later.” What about using phonetic spellings like “dat” instead of “that.” Wht abt rmovng vowels frm msgs altgthr?
Sounds bad, doesn’t it? However, it doesn’t seem so much of an issue when it comes to literacy and learning, according to research by Coventry University in the UK, as cited by BBC. The study found that students who are fond of “textisms” are actually doing well in correct spelling and writing.
“So far, our research has suggested that there is no evidence to link text messaging among children to a poorer ability in standard English.
“Those children who were the best at using “textisms” were also found to be the better spellers and writers,” …
However, the conclusions made were more of an affirmation to the skills of students who are already good writers and spellers in the first place–and these are also the same students who are identified as strong readers. The question now is whether these textisms are negatively affecting students who are not strong at either reading, spelling or writing in the first place.
Of course, for adults, this could also be bigger issue altogether. After all, things done out of habit are quite difficult to unlearn. For instance, for people like myself in the business of writing content, slips in spelling, grammar, and usage could be quite costly (or at least embarassing). And this is why I usually type out SMS messages in full, most of the time assisted by the phone’s T9 dictionary. I only abbreviate when I edit my messages to fit within the SMS character limits–I’m a cheapo!
Do you think textspeak poses a hindrance to learning and literacy?
What is a SIM Card?
A SIM Card, or a Subscriber Identity Module is just a tiny rectangular memory card that acts like an identification for the phone. Usually located behind the battery, a SIM card stores your phone number and it is required for activating a phone for mobile use.
From Wikipedia:
A Subscriber Identity Module is a smart card that securely stores the key identifying a mobile phone service subscriber, as well as subscription information, preferences, text messages and other information.
The advantage is that you can switch your phone number from one mobile phone to another simply by swapping out your SIM card, as long as both phones are made for the same carrier, the switch is usually relatively easy.
Also, if your phone is not locked to one carrier, you can buy prepaid SIM cards when travelling, allowing you to always have a local number for your destination.
Phone Contacts: Are they Safe?
One of the things that annoys me about the cell phone that I have is that it did not come with a data cable. I trust the cell phone with all types of important information, but I don’t have any method of backing that information up, and that really bothers me.
Sometimes to the point of recording the information by hand onto my computer once I am back home.
With the world moving towards cell phones that are almost miniature computers, especially when we look at smart phone technology, I wonder what type of market is going to grow from securing such data.
Have you ever lost all of your information on your phone? Do you store important contact information on your cell phone? Do you backup your cell phone? Let me know.
My Cellphone As My E-Book Reader
I love my SmartPhone. Never mind that it sometimes freezes, and the user interface is a bit slow (it’s Windows-powered, that’s why!). Similar to how I dig simple, spartan phones that just do what a phone’s supposed to do, I also I love phones that I can hack with all my mods, patches and third-party apps.
Most especially, I love the fact that I can read e-books off my SmartPhone. I’m such a literature freak.
E-Book Reader
Why not get a real e-book reader, you say? Or, perhaps a real PDA with a large touch-screen interface? Why not buy hardcopy editions of the books, even?
I’m cool with that. But I’m the person who would rather travel with light pockets than have all sorts of gadgets and books I have to carry around just to make life bearable. I mean, I do love books (the smell and the touch of paper have some magical effects on lit buffs), but I can’t expect to be able to carry around my favorite paperback or hardbound just anywhere.
I want something I can just whip out from anywhere, anytime, without worries over fumbling up or having to use two (or three?) hands to read.
GPS Enabled Phones Enable Bad Parenting?
Parents have been starting to equip their children and teens with GPS enabled phones from Sprint and Verizon Wireless, and while this gives parents a bit of piece of mind, I really don’t think it is a replacement for good communication.
You should be able to ask where your child is going, and not have to look it up using the GPS on their cell phone. While this could help parents find children that have been abducted, most teens are going to see it as an invasion of privacy, and no doubt, if they are doing some wrong, they are going to take out the battery from the phone, making you unable to track where they go, or even just leave the phone at their friends place, and when you call, they won’t be there. The excuse will be that they forgot to turn the ringer on.
Honestly, as parents try to take shortcuts in parenting due to their busy schedule, they really can’t be frustrated when their shortcuts leave them feeling even more detached from the children they want to protect and help grow into responsible adults.
Robbie Blinkoff, a consumer anthropologist who has studied cell phone usage among parents and teens has been quoted as saying, “there should be a model where parents negotiate the deeal with kids as to what the phone will be used for, on both sides.”
Without communication, “technology gets in the way of just having a decent social relationship.” What’s more, Blinkoff says, while it appears that the cell phone is often an instrument of rebellion for kids, it can also help youngsters foster bonds with parents. “It often tethers the relationship,” he says.
I am not saying that you should not buy the GPS enabled devices for your children and teens, but I am saying that you have to be careful how you use it. It is one thing if it is used for safety, but another if it is used to keep tabs on them because you don’t have time to actually communicate. Heck, use the cell phone you gave them and chat with from time to time to see how they are doing without being too intrusive.
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