Wireless Phones and Our Lives

Saudi Teen Sentenced to 90 Lashes for Cell Phone in School

2010-01-22T09:11:00.001-08:00

A teenage girl in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 90 lashes and two months in prison for taking a cell phone to school, the U.K.'s Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

The 13-year-old girl is sentenced to 90 lashed in her school in front of her classmates followed by two months in detention.

The punishment is harsher than that given to some robbers and looters, requires her to be flogged in front of her classmates, the Daily Mail quoted Saudi newspaper Al-Watan.

She was reportedly hiding a cell phone in class, breaking strict Saudi regulations banning their use in girls' schools.

Saudi Arabia is the world's leading country in the use of torture-by-flogging, and religious police keep a close watch over public behavior, the Mail reported.

The world has witnessed several cases of human rights violations. In 2006, a Saudi teenager was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison after she was the victim of a gang rape.

Palm Pre Plus and Pixi to come to Verizon Wireless

2009-12-31T10:15:00.001-08:00

According to a report by the Boy Genius, the Verizon Wireless versions of the Palm Pre and Pixi may boast a little extra something. Likely to debut soon, the devices are expected to be called the Palm Pre Plus and the Pixi Plus.

The tech site says it has learned that the devices will run the recently released WebOS 1.3.5, and not a newer version — indicating, perhaps, that a Verizon announcement is closer than many expected. With the update to 1.3.5, which became available Dec. 28, Palm improved the WebOS user experience, cleared up some glitches and streamlined several capabilities.

The site also reported that while some changes have been made to functionality — thus, the Plus — on the outside, both devices will remain the same. Among the expected updates are that the Pixi will gain WiFi connectivity.

Microsoft's Bing on Verizon

2009-12-31T08:28:00.000-08:00

Verizon silently slipped Bing onto its Blackberry devices. The icon for Microsoft's Bing search engine has been showing up, unrequested, on the home screens of BlackBerry users on Verizon's network in recent days.

Verizon said, "With Bing integrated search capabilities, Verizon Wireless customers will now have easier access to context-relevant search results to improve the mobile experience. Verizon Wireless customers will be able to access Bing from a downloadable application or through Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Web services."

In an era when people carefully decide what and what not to put on their phones, the move is angering many Verizon customers -- particularly savvier users who treat as sacrosanct the contents and arrangement of their mobile home screens.

Walmart to offer $100 gift card with BlackBerry purchases

2009-11-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday it will offer a $100 gift card with each purchase of a BlackBerry mobile phone and two-year contract, the discounter's latest incentive ahead of the holiday season.

Starting Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 am through Nov. 20, the savings event includes the following BlackBerry devices from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless:

AT&T Curve 8310
AT&T Bold 9000
Sprint Curve 8330 (Red & Titanium colors)
T-Mobile 8520 (Black, White, and Frost)
T-Mobile Pearl 8120 (Emerald)
Verizon Storm
Verizon Storm II

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been aggressively cutting prices and offering deals across a variety of its categories, from books to toys and other products.

Walmart to Offer Low Cost Pre-paid Cell Phones

2009-10-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

Walmart is launching its no-contract, low price, cell phone plan nationwide, beginning October 18, 2009. The service offers a $30 or a $45 prepaid monthly plan and will be exclusively available at more than 3,200 Wal-Mart stores nationwide.

The average U.S. adult spends $78 on his or her cell phone bill and receives 1000 minutes a month. By switching to the $30 Straight Talk plan, the average 1,000 minutes-per-month consumer could save more than $500 per year and still be on a reliable nationwide network, Walmart says.

Customers can choose from two options:

The Straight Talk “All You Need” 30-day Plan includes the following for $30 a month:

- 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of mobile web access

The Straight Talk Unlimited 30-day Plan includes the following for $45 a month:

- Unlimited minutes, unlimited text and unlimited mobile web access

Straight Talk was developed with TracFone Wireless, and a pilot program was launched last summer in 234 Wal-Mart stores.

Choosing the Best Wireless Phone Deals

2009-02-16T16:01:00.001-08:00

More and more people have come to rely on a cellular phone. Many people even choose a cellular phone over a land line making the unanswered call almost obsolete. Wireless phone plans come with tricky fine print. Understanding the details of your cellular phone plan can mean the difference between uninterrupted communication and utter despair and frustration.

Knowing your ball park minutes spent on the phone will help you choose a plan with a sufficient amount of minutes included. there are people who use their cellular phone many times each day. (Some rely on the cellular phone as their only telephone.) If you are in this category, getting a plan with a high number of minutes would be best. Companies will probably have a plan available that provides unlimited minutes. A two-year contract, with a set number of minutes, or unlimited minutes, may be right for some because the charge per minute can be lower and the cost for such services as short-message can be lower too.

It is better to estimate up on your minutes than down as minute overages can run at a steep price.

Have a good idea of where you will be calling to and where you will be called from. Most cellular phone plans come with a service area built in to the contract. Calls received or made outside of the service area can increase in price dramatically. Knowing your geographic service area will keep the surprises on your bill to a minimum.

Shop around online to find the best cellular phone plans. Comparing plans is easy online with the advent of programs that let you simultaneously view multiple plan details. Be sure to note the monthly minutes, any unlimited minutes features, the availability of an international calling plan, and promotions for free carrier to carrier calls. Begin your research at your favorite search engine or start by going to some of the following sites; AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

With so many different plans, the buyer should give some thought to the type of phone they will use. Some phones are better for taking photos, for example. Others are better suited for text messages. It really depends on what the individual needs are. Check with the local office of cellular -phone providers, and visit one of the many Web sites, to learn about phones, calling plans and the best deals on cellular phones.

For more information on your best cellular deals, visit WirelessGuide.Org.