Names Ringtones - Know who is calling you.

Phone models are getting fancier and fancier as mobile technology progress. More and more high tech features are being incorporated into phones like megapixel cameras, mp3 players, Bluetooth, video playback, among others. These additions are turning mobile phones into true convergence equipment.
Not surprisingly, the accessories that are being put inside phones are also getting more sophisticated and try to keep abreast with these fast changes in mobile phone technology. Ringtones are a good example of this development.
In terms of ringtone development, we have indeed come a long way from the “ancient” ringtones that were nothing more than glorified bleeps and rings. As mobile phones undergo their own technological evolution, so do the ringtones that we have been putting in our phones. From those literal RING tones, phones eventually carried melodic ringtones that you also have the option to compose on your own. Then came polyphonic ringtones that approximate midi files.Polyphonic ringtones were the first step toward the development of tones that actually simulate what it is to hear a song or actual melody in your phone.
From there, MP3 ring tones or real tones became all the rage. You now have the chance to use your favorite song as a ringtone for your phone.
Now ringtones have undergone another stage of evolution with the introduction and rising popularity of “names ringtones”.
What are names ringtones anyway? They are personalised ringtones that you can download to your mobile phone. The difference here is that this type of ringtone contains the name of the caller, which you can then assign to the appropriate contact in your mobile phone’s phonebook.
For example, you can buy a names ringtone that contains the name “Amy” and then use it by assigning it to “Amy Brenner”, a contact in your phonebook.
Names ringtones are very convenient and useful to mobile phone owners because it automatically notifies you who is calling on your mobile phone without even looking at the screen. This kind of advantage did exist before because you can assign a dedicated ringtone to a particular contact. But the added advantage here is that, with a names ringtone, it brings customisation and personalisation a step further. There is something unique and refreshing to actually hear the name of the person you are calling as it gives your mobile phone the semblance of having an artificial intelligence reminiscent of those science fiction movies where futuristic gadgets “announce” who the caller is in their communications devices.
A names ringtone brings the convenience of no-look recognition to callers that contact you on your mobile phone. The personalisation aspect is a big attraction to mobile phone owners. Phone owners love to do little things to their phones to put a personal stamp on an otherwise mass market device. They would change the phone’s casing, wallpaper, themes and even lights to reflect the individual taste and personality of the owner. With a names ringtone the personalisation enters the phonebook itself.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Philip Nicosia

Mobile Phone Clamp Down - Recycling Becoming Mandatory

Westchester County in New York will soon be one of the first places in the U.S. to require consumers to recycle their old cell phones. The legislation will be backed up by fines of up to $250 for people caught trashing their old phones.
Jurisdictions across the country have been wrestling with the problem of outdated phones ending up in landfills and being burned in incinerators. The phones contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals like arsenic, zinc, copper and lead.
Many areas of the country have voluntary recycling programs. Most put the onus on cell phone retailers to recycle phones when new ones are purchased. But the New York county law is one of the first that makes it mandatory for consumers to recycle their old phones -- and backs it up with fines.
**Similar law in California
California has a similar law which prohibits residents from thowing away cell phones. The same law also bans disposal of common batteries.
Verizon Wireless has been instrumental in providing recycling channels for U.S. cell phone users. Through the program called Verizon Wireless HopeLine the company accepts used cell phones at its retail stores and then refurbishes and resells them.
The proceeds are used to provide cash grants, free air time, and cell phones to non-profit organizations and law enforcement agencies to aid victims of domestic violence.
Verizon is now also accepting spent batteries and rechargeable batteries. The still-functioning rechargeables are recharged and recycled.
Since the Verizon HopeLine program began in 2001 more than 2.5 million phones have been collected - 850,000 in 2005. In Southern California alone more than $ 260,000 in HopeLine grants were awarded to domestic violence agencies. In addition, more than 660 wireless phones with a year's prepaid airtime were donated to domestic violence agencies. They are used to aid survivors.
**China to Produce 340 Million Cell Phones in '06
The world's insatiable appetite for cheap goods is matched by China's impressive industrial machine that just keeps churning out every conceivable kind of product. Cell phones are no exception. The Chinese Ministry of Information Industry estimates that Chinese producers will turn out 340 million cell phones in 2006, including 250 million for export.
The growth was even more impressive in 2005, when China produced 303 million phones, up 30 per cent from the previous year. And the country exported 228 million phones, up a whopping 56 per cent from 2004.
A growing number of these phones were Chinese domestic brands -- 13.21 million phones, up 106.2 percent from the previous year. Almost half of those -- 6.05 million sets -- were Bird mobile phones.
**Cell Phones being used for Porn
It might not be terribly surprising, but Google research suggests cell phones are used to search out porn sites more frequently than PC searches.
Google's Mobile Search is what is used on cell phones to seek out websites and images. Two Google researchers, Maryan Kamvar and Shumeet Baluga analysed a batch of 1 million search queires and found that one in five mobile searches were on adult material.
This is more than twice as frequent than for desktop searches, where Google's figures are only 8.5 percent for adult searches. For PDAs its only 5 percent.
The researchers speculated that mobile phones are seen as more personal and private devices, and do not leave the same telltale surfing trail.
The Googlers speculated that people see their mobile phones as more personal and private, and therefore were more comfortable making adult queries. A cell phone can be a more favorable device than a home or work PC because phones are typically only used by one person.
These numbers do not quite line up with those provided by they ICM Registry -- the ICANN endorsed agency that monitors adult traffic. They say that more than 10% of all online traffic and 25% of all global Internet searching is adult-content oriented. In June 3005, ICM said there were over 100,000 adult webmasters worldwide operating more than one million adult domains.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Rick Hendershot -

Mobile Wallpaper - Totally You

One of the really awesome things about modern cell phones is the capacity they have for being personalized to suit you. With personalized ringtones, with coloured or designed or sparkly or light-up faceplates and holders, with all the great gadgets that make them really yours, cell phones are more than just a communication tool. They're a fashion accessory.

So why not go all the way and personalize your cell phone wallpaper? That's the part of your phone you're going to be looking at the most anyway. You can go classy with scenic wallpaper, or with pictures by French Impressionists. Or you can go total coordination with cell phone wallpaper that matches your faceplate.

Celebrity Mobile Wallpaper for Your Cell Phone

Whether you prefer Christina Aguilera or Aishwarya Rai, you can find your idol in celebrity mobile wallpaper. Why not have cell phone wallpaper that matches your ringtone – if you use Madonna's new song for your ringtone music, download a picture of the star to go with it? Or you might just want some eye-popping eye candy. Whatever you want, you can find it.

Dress Up For the Holidays

What about a picture of Old Saint Nick coming down your chimney with a bag of toys just for you? Or maybe a classic snowscape, or even a snow globe with animated snow drifting down for you. Don't forget the appropriate ring tone – a hearty Ho! Ho! Ho! might be nice, or some classic holiday tunes. Your mobile wallpaper can be more dressed for the holidays than you are. You can get holiday cell phone wallpaper for any holiday you choose: Chinese New Year, Halloween, Passover, Yule – your choice.

Moving Pictures: Animated Mobile Wallpaper

It's not supported by every cell phone yet, but if you don't want a boring static picture on your phone, you can find great animated mobile wallpaper with a variety of subjects online. Think about having flickering flames on your phone just behind your latest romance's name.

Cell Phone Themes

If you're one of those people who like to match all the time, you can find cell phone themes that include mobile wallpaper too. Each theme is specific to your cell phone's brand, so be sure you choose the right one. Cell phone themes are currently available for Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson mobiles.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Philip Nicosia

Polyphonic Ring Tones- Old-Fashioned?

In the beginning was the ring (really more of an electronic trill or beep) -- dull, yet serviceable, using only one tone track; and with it came the single-line melody -- not much of a choice.

Then Nokia invented text messaging, and Paanen, a Finnish programmer, realised that you use the same technology to easily transmit songs to mobile phone handsets. This led to the development of Harmonium, the first complex polyphonic sound creator. Instead of being locked into single tones, users suddenly could have rings with harmony and texture.

Still, someone had to programme the sounds; you couldn't just convert your favourite songs into Harmonium polyphonic sounds. Digital content providers picked up Harmonium quickly and used it to create polyphonic ringtones, selling them to both phone users and phone providers. While polyphonic tones were better than monotones, they still sounded more like an old video game than the music they were patterned after.

MP3 Ringtones: The New Wave

Today, ringtone providers are switching to MP3 ringtones with realistic, near-CD-quality sound. Also called master tones or true tones, these are usually bits of a real song, using your favourite music to alert you to a call. Voice ringtones, sound effects, and instrumental or lyrical music are all available as MP3 ringtones today.

MP3 ringtones today account for two thirds of new mobile ringtones. The sound is a snippet of your favourite music with lyrics and the whole band playing -- much nicer than the old-fashioned ring or dull monotone melody. Most mobile phone manufacturers today include this type of ringtone on their newest handsets. Even better, you can program today's phones to play different tones for different reasons.

If you have more than one life, as most people do, you can also have multiple ringtones. The songs you want played when you're out at a pub are probably different from the ones you want sounding at work and with most phones today it's not hard to switch. You can also assign different ringtones to different people; your mother might have a radically different tone from your boyfriend.

Most cell phones come with some ringtones pre-installed, but you can find the ones you really like out on the wireless web. There are several methods for downloading ringtones. You can subscribe to a service that will send them to your phone weekly for a fee. Or you can download new ringtones from your favourite band's website. If you prefer to look at a wider variety of ringtones, you can download them directly to your phone from several sources, using either a scrollable menu or choosing a numerical code linked to the ringtone you want. Not all rings are compatible with all phones, so do try to sample them first.

If your ringtone sounds awful, it may not be the ringtone; it may be the phone. Older phones aren't perfectly compatible with the newer
ringtones, though they'll probably play them. Imagine the difference between stereo systems in the 1950s and today; that's about the difference you're looking at between a three-year-old phone and a brand new one, in terms of sound output. Your mobile phone provider should be able to tell you what your phone can handle.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Philip Nicosia

Ring Tone: The Music Mania Goes Straight To Your Phone

The newest trend nowadays in cell phone is having the newest and the coolest ring tone. Ring tone simply is sounds on your cell phone that notifies you of an arriving call or message.

A ring tone is a collection of the best hits that tops the billboards artist. There are also several types of ring tones. Like jazzy spring ring tone, mystery ring tone, four flavor of love ring tone, romantic and classical ring tone, sophisticated ring tone, tropical ring tone, choppy and groovy ring tone and some new wave and alternative rock ring tone. A different trait of cell phone owner has a different choice when it comes to ring tone.

Cell phone users choose ring tones based upon their lifestyle. Some of them choose hip-hop and rap beats, while other people choose reggae. If you are a rock star, you can simply choose among the compilation of rock music ring tones (punk rock, alternative rock, heavy metal, country music and folk rock).

Age can also be another factor in choosing ring tones. The oldies want some classical and sentimental music ring tone while the new generations want some fast and speedy ring tone. Some of them select ring tones depending on their TV or favorite movie themes, so it will remind them about that certain shows.

By this reason, ring tones started to be a worldwide mania. Therefore, because of this ring tones become one of the record breaking in internet. It is now one of the most downloaded software in internet history.

How do you download ring tones from a website into your mobile phone?

What you need to consider is to have a compatible phone. It should have a SMS features and tone software. If the website enables you the ability to download a ring tone using a standard process you can simply click the ring tone. There are ring tones usually displayed in the websites open for definite and appropriate phone sets.

If you had already clicked the ring tone, the cell phone will automatically displays a web alert. You should read the instruction given by the website. As much as possible catch the alert for further advice, afterwards the cell phone will be notified how to download the ring tone easily.

That is through an open browser system. In other words, your cell phone should have an enough memory to accumulate the ring tone. The larger the memory of your cell phones the easier to get the ring tone.

However if your cell phone is not capable of direct downloading, that is from the website directly to your phone.

Usually there are some phones that are not capable of downloading tones directly, what you have to do is save it to your computer then simply attach the USB directly to your phone.

In order to download this ring tone into your phone after saving it to your own computer, save to any file in the hard drive. In order to save the ring tones, right click it and hold on the command while linking on the “save as” instructions afterwards look for an equivalent menu item. In order to have a good and proper location for the ring tone you must save it in a folder of your choice.

Once you are done in saving the ring tone, simply start up the program that came up with your cell phone. Different types of cell phone use a different chord in attaching the files right down to your phones.

You can also refer to the main menu of your phone for further instructions on how to assign the tones directly to your phonebook. For further instructions look for the best websites that gives you the hottest ring tones in the land.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Lavinia Snider

Prepaid Wireless Cellular Phone Service Makes Good Cents

In this day and age of instant communications, it seems almost no one goes without a cellular phone. But what about those who can't meet credit requirements, or those who don't want to deal with surprise last- minute fees when the bill hits? Is prepaid wireless cellular phone service a viable option?

You bet!

Keep in mind though, prepaid service comes with its advantages and disadvantages over traditional cell phone service. Both services, however, can and do provide phone users the emergency protection many so desire. They make it easy to call for help when you've had a flat tire on the freeway, to enlist aid in picking up kids when you're running late or simply staying in touch with friends and family while you're away from home. Why go without the ability for instant communication in the time of an emergency if you don't have to?

Here are some of the most common advantages of prepaid cellular phone service:

? No contract means there's no long-term commitment and you're not stuck with a single type of service for a year or more. ? Monthly bills don't flood your mail box. Since you've paid in advance, you just have to worry about the running tally. That's a lot better than a giant bill waiting at the end of the month.

? Helps you stay within budget. If you can only afford $30 a month for phone service, you won't spend more.

? Hidden fees are not present. Paying upfront stops unexpected charges on the back end.

? Credit checks aren't necessary. This enables anyone with the cash to be able to have a phone when it's needed.

? Security deposits aren't required.

? Ease of adding to the plan. Prepaid phones can have their balances added to at any time, giving you as many minutes as you might need.

? Perfect for children who might need a phone for checking in, but those who would spend way too much on an unlimited plan.

Prepaid cellular phone service is a great route to go for many, but there are some disadvantages.

Considering the pros, however, these are pretty miniscule for those who benefit from the freedom prepaid has to offer.

? Per minute charges are generally a bit higher, but for those who want a phone for emergency situations or just occasional conversations, the cost is not a huge issue.

? Most prepaid services won't allow collect or third-party billed calls.

Considering the advantages, it's easy to see why so many are turning to prepaid phone service to handle their cellular needs. These phones are perfect for those who want tight budget controls, have troublesome credit, those who won't use their phones often, for children and even for those who will only use them in an emergency. There's no need to go without with prepaid service available.

There's no reason to go without a cellular phone thanks to the benefits of prepaid cellular service.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Ray La Foy

Polyphonic Ringtones

Polyphonic ringtones, as the name implies, employ various tones and sounds rather than just the simple one-tone typical ringtone. For instance, if you have polyphonic ringtones that are musical, you can have a drum or a bass line accompanying a melody or someone speaking while there is music playing. Polyphonic ringtones are more sophisticated and many believe that they are much more interesting than standard, monophonic ringtones. Contrary to popular belief, polyphonic ringtones are not necessarily more expensive; in fact, it is quite possible to find a good selection of free polyphonic ringtones.

One of the most popular choices for polyphonic ringtones is music. On free ringtone website, you can find a staggering variety of polyphonic ringtones in the music category. If you can imagine a musical style, it is available, from reggae to polka to Hindi music. Free ringtone downloads are so easy to obtain, that many people change their ringtones often because they enjoy so many different sounds. Whether you would like your own signature tune or to switch songs frequently, you can find great musical polyphonic ringtones on free sites.

Some enjoy more sophisticated ringtones, and polyphonic ringtones can accommodate a speaker's voice and music in the background. There are comic ringtones featuring, for instance, Austin Powers speaking with the comic theme song in the background or aliens saying "Earth to (your name) with the sound of a space ship zooming along." Many of these polyphonic ringtones are free, but it is not unusual to find some that cost a certain amount of money. However, the cost is usually very moderate, and with ringtones, you often get what you pay for.

It is possible to compose your own polyphonic ringtones; this is a particularly good idea if you are musically inclined and you can't find your favorite tune among ringtone selections. When you compose polyphonic ringtones, you will need more than just the keypad on your phone to plunk out a simple melody. You will want bass or other accompaniment, or perhaps a melody line. It is possible to design such a ringtone if you have the right equipment, or to record it and download it onto your phone.

If you are downloading a polyphonic ringtone from a site, you will need to fill out some simple information, such as you country (perhaps your address) and your cell phone number. The company will send the ringtone to your phone and you can use it immediately. If you are paying for a ringtone, you will need to fill in your credit card information. Always check to make sure that the company is a reputable one and not a shifty organization that is simply trying to get access to your phone or to your credit card information. Work along with friends as a team and take their recommendations if they have been successful. A company with a proven track record is unlikely to be a fraud.

Enjoy your polyphonic ringtones; searching for new and interesting ringtones can quickly become an enjoyable hobby, and you may want to download a new ringtone every week. You can be the life of the office or the party if people see you coming and wonder what new unusual sound will be emanating from your cell phone. You can make someone else's commute or wait in the post office more enjoyable with your polyphonic ringtone, and in your own way, you can improve the aesthetics of your environment by installing an elegant baroque melody or the sound of an exotic bird in its natural habitat. Whether your preferences are for humorous or beautiful ringtones, your polyphonic ringtone reflects your personality and style and enables you to leave your special mark wherever you go.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Matt Garrett

Choosing The Best Cell Phone

Choosing the best cell phone takes planning and the knack for really knowing yourself. Your cell phone has to fit your lifestyle, and that includes your budget. Almost all cell phones require you committing to a long term contract with a cellular company, so make sure you read the fine print, in order to avoid any disappointments later on.

Armed with the knowledge of how much you want to pay, you can quickly decide what features you want. Herein lies the secret to choosing the best cell plan: when you know exactly what you want, and how much you're willing to pay, you can always find just the perfect phone.

Some principles to base your cell-phone purchasing decision on:

1) Not all cellular carriers or networks are created equal
2) Phone quality directly affects customer satisfaction

This means you need to do your research in order to find out what type of phone and what type of cellular plan is right for you. Find out what people who already own the phone are saying. Research customer reviews and notate if anyone has brought up certain issues or problems with plans or providers. It might seem painstaking to do this level or research, but the hours of hassle it saves you later on will be well worth it.

Several key components of picking the best cell phone are:

1) Cell phone styling and features - loads of features and sleek design is what most people want
2) Reliable and cost-efficient cellular plans - cell phones are monthly bills, people who pay monthly want a good service that works

Cell phone styling varies widely in range, and it's recommended that you look at and hold several different styles of cell phones to get a good feel for what to expect. A phone that doesn't feel right in your hand, will be one you're unhappy with. The easiest way to see a variety of cell phones is by visiting a local retailer. If the screen is hard to read, or the keypad is difficult for you to work with, you need to factor that into your decision to buy. Keep a small checklist of the pros and cons of the purchase. If the cons outweigh the pros, then decided against it.
Next make sure to rigorously investigate the cellular plan you're expected to purchase, and read it before entering into the agreement. Make sure all fees are disclosed, and that you understand what you're agreeing to in terms of total payments. It's better to be careful up front, than regret the decision for years.

Expectations of cell phone consumers is high, and it's no wonder why: with over 800,000,000 phones sold in 2005, this is one of the most popular products in the world. Companies ranging from Nokia to Sony Ericsson make millions of units monthly and ship them to locations around the world. Education is the best tool that a cell phone consumer can have these days.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Darren McLaughlin

Putting It All Together: The Search For A Pocket PC Phone

When I decided that I needed to replace my terribly out of date mobile phone – an old Nextel i1000plus - my thoughts eventually wandered toward a pda phone. For those that know me this probably seemed like a no brainer. I have a long history of pda dependence going back years to a Palm 3X.

However, I already had a pda that I was quite happy with. For the last year and a half I had used my HP iPAQ 2215 for everything from a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an e-book reader, an MP3 player, a photo wallet, an alarm clock, a mobile web browser(utilizing a compact flash wifi card), among many other things. Trying to cram a phone in to all of this seemed overwhelming, but curiosity - and my need for a new gadget - got the better of me. My search was twofold - look for a new mobile phone and a new provider. With my current cellular provider I didn’t get any reception in my home so I needed to find a carrier that did.

Through various unscientific means such as my own opinion polls of friends and work associates in conjunction with some internet research I whittled my way down to either Cingular or Verizon. Both tended to get high marks from the users I polled and the from internet research. With this part of the equation worked out I went online to see what kind of phones each had to offer. I was willing to go with a 2 year commitment in the hopes of getting a better deal on phone and plan pricing. In addition I wanted to get a group plan where my wife and I could share minutes.

So, now I’m looking on each company’s respective websites for their state of the art Pocket PC phones. I’m not talking about the Smart phones – these are the phones with Pocket PC software jammed into a tiny little screen that isn’t even a touch screen – that just wouldn’t satisfy my needs. I’m talking about the full blown, “why are you talking into your calculator?” Pocket PC phones – the uber-geek, pocket protector included kind of micro computer powerhouse. After all, I’m married now and I’m really not worried about public opinion or impressing anyone with my sleek, stylish, sexy new cell phone.

I’m hoping to spend around $300.00. I figure I can sell my iPAQ 2215 on eBAY for $200.00 and $100.00 for a new phone seems like a pretty good deal.

So, what I find is one heck of a price tag. Verizon has the much talked about Treo 700. This is the first Treo with the Pocket PC operating system – Windows Mobile 5.0. This comes in at $500.00. Way too pricey for me and it doesn’t even have Wifi.

Cingular’s best price on a PocketPC phone wasn’t much better. I could get an HP iPAQ hw6510 for $400.00. Again, no wifi. This is a real sticking point for me. I don’t see any reason why a device designed for communication would leave out this major specification. Being able to connect to an 802.11b/g wireless network when it is available is a necessity.

Okay, back to the drawing board, maybe I can try this from a different angle – Ebay.

Looking up “Pocket PC phone” on Ebay gets you quite a lot of hits with a good assortment of newer and older Pocket PC phones. At this point I’m thinking that I could get something maybe slightly used that would meet all of my requirements. This would also give me a good cross section of exactly what is out there and what features are available in this type of gadget.

After going through quite a lot of auction descriptions and cross referencing manufacturer web sites I had set my sites on a particular phone, the Siemens SX66. This particular phone/pda combo had been offered by Cingular until recently and it no longer showed on their website. It seemed to fit my wish list: a fast 400mhz xscale processor, wifi, Bluetooth, SDIO slot and it had a slide out keyboard for text input. So, I watched a few auctions and kept an eye on the prices.

But, sometimes you just have to get off of the internet and hit the brick and mortar. I went to my local Verizon and Cingular stores and talked to the sales reps about what plans I was looking for. I wasn’t impressed with my long wait at the Verizon Wireless store or the pushy salesman that I got. He seemed to think he knew just what I needed and kept showing me phones and plans that I just wasn’t interested in.

I had a different experience at the Cingular store. The sales rep showed me a map of the cell coverage around my home, he talked to me about the plans that I had seen on the website and when I mentioned to him that I had been looking at a Siemens SX66 Pocket PC phone on Ebay he went into the back of the store and came out with the last SX66 that they had. I signed on to a 2 year deal with Cingular that night with a heck of a good deal on a Pocket PC phone that had all the specifications that I had been looking for.

And you know what? I can even talk on my Siemens SX66 sitting in my living room.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Michael A. Keenan

How To Get The Best Cellular Phone Deal

They’re almost everywhere. Today, you can't go too far without seeing someone talking, laughing, even screaming into a cellular phone. You've been thinking of getting one, but with all the new cell phone plans, and minute packages, you wonder: How can I get the best cellular phone deal?

According to the Federal Communications Commission there are two important things to consider in getting the best cellular phone deal.

1.Figure out what your calling pattern is.
2.Determine destination and time where you usually make calls.

In getting the best cellular phone deal, it is important that you support yourself with the information you need before you start shopping

Here are some tips in that would help you in dealing for the best cellular phone.

Determine Your Needs. In getting the best cellular phone deal, the first step is to ask yourself how much you'll use your phone. It depends on your purpose of using the phone. If you only use the phone for emergencies, a smaller, lower monthly plan may be the most feasible. If you plan to use your cellular phone every day, a higher-minute plan may be the best choice. Both higher- and lower-minute packages allow a set number of minutes and a cost per minute of going over those minutes, which is generally higher than the "in plan" rate. The most expensive mistake you can make is signing up for a calling plan with a rock-bottom rate and exceeding your allotted airtime each month.

Choose a Phone You Will Use. Not everyone needs the Internet, multimedia features and a radio on their cell phone, but all those features, and more, are available on the newest models.

The key is to choose the best cellular phone that allows you to meet your calling needs, rather than additional features that you won't use.

Compare Plans. Do a canvass before walking into the store and know the competitors rates as well. The best way in dealing the best cellular phone is not to demand a cheaper plan but to go in with information. Most cell phone companies have all kinds of various promotional plans that they never tell people about.

Consider Pay-As-You-Go Plans. For ease and convenience, most providers offer "hassle-free" pay-as-you-go plans that allow you to pay only for what you use. For instance, you can buy the minutes that you need for one month, or for one week and you only purchase more when you run out. That is one way that might work for all.

Get References From Family and Friends. The best referrals come from satisfied customers. Ask your friends and family members about their experiences with their current or past service providers. Ask them about sound quality, coverage areas, billing problems, the ease of returning phones and cancellation fees for terminating your contract. In that way, you will have the idea where to deal with the best cellular phone.

Ask About Rebates. With so much competition between cell phone providers, more companies are giving lower prices and offering rebates.

Ask About a Test-Run. Those who know how to deal with cellular phones always ask how many days you have to try the phone. This way, you have the opportunity to sample the phone and its quality without being tied down. Many providers allow a certain number of days following purchase in which you can return the phone for a full refund, without penalty.

Having the knowledge about cellular phones before walking into a store levels the playing field and allows you to negotiate the best deal. So, keep in mind those tips and for sure you will always get the best cellular phone deal!

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: John Rivers

The Future Of Cell Phones

Cell phones probably will not look any different in the future, but what they will be capable of doing will significantly change. By the year 2010, 85% of U.S. households will own mobile phones. Here are some examples of what future cell phones will do:

High Speed Data Acess. Imagine your Cell phone browsing the internet at DSL speed. Browsing the internet on your cell phone is nothing new, but DSL speed would be.

Video Cameras - This technology is actually already here. While currently a cell phone camera may have limited capabilities, it's only a matter of time for it to exceed and surpass the performance of astand alobe video camera, although there is some concern over somebody being videotaped without their consent.

Watching TV or movies - Provides live streaming television content for mobile phones. Everyone who has seen this demo nstrated in person is amazed at the quality as well as the experience. “The video quality is very, very watchable and quite enjoyable” says Marilyn Pearce of Chicago who has seen the MobiTV’s streaming video. . So expect entire 30 minute video clips to soon become reality.

Fuel Cell - Battery life often holds tech products back, and fuel cells could provide a boost. Fuel cells are like tiny engines that generate power through chemical reactions. If you need more power, you put in more "gas" — in most cases, a mixture of methanol, or wood alcohol, and other chemicals. The methanol will likely be housed in a replaceable cartridge, much as printer ink is.

Manufacturers and service providers watch these new advances closely so they are not caught short of what the consumer wants. A lot of this technology already exists but has not yet been widely accepted. But that is just a matter of time.

Cell phone carriers have truly embraced the multimedia revolution and decided to make our life cell phone centric. With technology like MP3, Video streaming and photography consolidated into these small devices, you can expect cell phones to become the only piece of electronic on us at all times. Play music, store all your images, carry all your medical records, GPS navigational information, if you dial 911 you can be tracked, check in at the airport., TV broadcasts, use it to entertain your children while you drive, web shopping... Is there anything a cell phone will not be able to do apart from making a warm plate of ‘angel hair marinara’ ?

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Christine Hancock

Ringtones Are Red Hot

Ringtones are like hot cakes for the youngsters, the market is huge, estimated world wide sales of $ 2.5 Billion per year. The cost of a ringtone is ranging from $0.99 - $2.99. Most singers and performers provide rights for their melodies to be converted to ringtones versions. Survey shows that about 26% of cell phone owners downloaded at least once a ringtone.
Many people downloading more than one as you can customize and set the phone to play different ringtones per specific caller.

For instance if mom is calling the cell phone will play a certain ringtone and another one for dad and for your girl friend a different one so you don't have to guess who is calling you, it is totally personalized per caller.

There are four types of ringtones:

* Monophonic ringtones play a melody of a song one note at a time, with no harmonies.

* Polyphonic tones add harmonies to the song.

* Real-life ringtones include voices, quotes, or other strange, real sounds.

* Master tones are compressed clips of actual songs, as heard on the radio(not just their melodies or a simple harmonic version).

How do you download a ringtone?

There many web sites that offer a huge selections of lyrics and songs, themes from movies, hip-hop, pop, dance, singers, classics and you name it.

The selection is per specific cell phone model and the process is simple, fast and easy. You select a ringtone, choose your cell phone maker and model, you see on the screen an SMS code, you type it in your mobile phone and send, then an SMS message is sent to you with your ringtone to be installed in two short steps process.

It is estimated though that the ringtone download party will cool down a bit in the next few years as more cell phones will become an MP3 players of real music and other cool features.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Amit Laufer

Polyphonic Ringtones - Get Rid of the Monophonic Ones

A ring tone is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call. The term is most often used to refer to the customisable sounds available on mobile phones. The facility was originally provided so that people would be able to determine when their phone was ringing when in the company of other mobile phone owners.
A phone only rings when a special "ring signal" is sent to it. For regular telephones, the ring signal is a 90-volt 20-hertz AC wave generated from the switch that the telephone is connected to. For mobile phones, the ring signal is a specific radio-frequency signal.
An alternative to a ring tone is a vibrating alert. It is especially useful:
* in noisy environments* in places where ring tone noise would be disturbing* for the hearing impaired
PolyphonicPolyphonic means that multiple tones can be played at the same time using instrument sounds such as guitar, drums, electronic piano, etc. Many phones are now able to play more complex polytones; up to 40 individual notes with different instruments are played simultaneously to give a more realistic musical sound. Mobile phone handsets manufacturers have taken full advantage of new technologies to improve speakers in order to produce a better sound quality.
The quality of a polyphonic ringtone is much higher than a monophonic ringtone. If your mobile handset does not support mp3 ringtones, then polyphonic ringtones are the best you can opt for. But in case your handset supports mp3, then that is the option you should go for. By the way, polyphonic ringtones are also available free of cost but there are some select ringtones that are also chargeable.
Ring tones, along with operator logos, have proven a popular method of personalising phones — a major industry has popped up to tailor to the needs of people to customise their phones, and newer phones include features to allow users to create their own tones. Many people enjoy their personalisation of the phones, but some find certain ring tones annoying in public and in certain public situations. One of the classic ring tones was parodied by The Daily Show's Stephen Colbert as "You're annoying/Stupid douchebag/Turn your phone off now"
Many companies have set up businesses selling ring tones, advertising them on television and web sites. One criticism of the industry is the subscription some companies lock customers into, requiring them to actively cancel their account or be charged for unwanted messages and ring tones sent to them on a weekly basis.
The sale of ring tones has also been a massive boost to the record industry, earning them extra revenues through royalties.
The newer phones equipped with Bluetooth or PC-link up however, allow users to transfer ringtones created on a PC, to their phone, for free. The user could even record themselves or their own tones and place them on the phone.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Harry Rockwell