The AT&T Green Quickfire Unlocked is a wonderful cell phone, especially for those that love to text message. The slider phone has a cool green background underneath the full QWERTY keyboard. The keys are slightly larger which makes it easier to use. With the rounded edges and green highlights, it offers many of the touch screen functions and comes with a great price tag.

It might not be as lightweight as some other phones, but it is wonderful for sending and receiving loads of text messages. This is a perfect phone for those teenagers that spend all of their time texting their friends. It is 3G supported as well as GPRS, EDGE and USB. The phone has 29 MB of internal memory and also sports a memory card slot. It uses the Java application for the games and other functions. It also has everything needed to stream video and to listen to all of your favorite music.

Although is does not have built in hands free, it does support Bluetooth v1.2 with A2DP. It comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera to capture those special moments. The screen is 2.8 inches to be able to keep up with all of your messaging. It even has the Predictive Text function that makes messaging faster and with less mistakes. With the 240×480 pixel resolution, the screen will automatically change from landscape to portrait. It will help to keep you connected with all of your messaging, including instant messaging and emailing. It has the Navigator so you can find all the places you need to get to. Complete with parental controls, you can now begin to see why this is a great phone for any teenager in your life. The unlocked Quickfire has all of those necessary functions that makes it a great phone, and not just for teenagers, but for anyone looking for a great multimedia cell phone.

Recently we came across an article on the Wall Street Journal about the joys and pains of switching your phone to a smartphone.  Specifically a Apple iPhone or Blackberry.

It was a very good article but there are a few issues that we’d like to bring up.  First off the person writing this post is a Blackberry user and more specifically uses the Blackberry Curve 8900.  This is going to be as unbiased as possible as the author thinks both manufacturers have great products.

Like the article mentions it comes down to preference.  If you like Blackberry phones then you will likely stick with them and the same goes for iPhone users.  There are iPhone users that get the new iPhone every year when Apple releases it.  The only really difference is that Apple only has three phones all that look similar (slight look variations every year) and Blackberry has five or more active phones.  The choice isn’t necessarily a good thing as some people don’t want to have to from so many.

A couple of things the article said were true although they aren’t a big problem.  The first one was “The iPhone automatically changes its time when you enter a new time zone. BlackBerrys remain set to their home time zone for time stamping all emails with that time—unless you change the time in settings.”  While this is true it takes a total of fifteen seconds to go and change it to Network time.  This means that every where you go your phone will update its time based on the network.  So if you are on the east coast you will be on east cost time if you are on teh west coast your phone will say the time in the west coast.

The other issue was “The BlackBerry’s AC adaptor takes up two power outlet spots, while the small, square iPhone plug occupies only one outlet, making it more versatile and able to charge in more locations.”  We aren’t sure why they would say that.  Yes the iPhone has small one inch charger but the prongs are not retractable.  This means if you travel with it there is a chance they can bend or break.  The Blackberry charger is larger and by larger we mean the same size as every other charger.  The advantage is that the prongs are retractable and make for nicer travelling.  It only takes up two electrical outlets if you place it in the top socket.  Although an annoyance it is something that is common with a lot of plugs.

Overall we would highly recommend reading the article if you are thinking of either getting a new smartphone (Blackberry or Apple in particular) or if you are thinking about switching from a Blackberry to an iPhone or vice-versa

So a few months back Rogers Communications announced that it would be change hardware upgrade policy for smartphones from every 12 months to every 24 months.  Well Rogers has not done the same for all phones.

This means that you need to wait 2 years before you can get a deal on a new phone.  If you want a new cell phone before hand you have to pay their full price.

This has angered a lot of people because now instead of getting a new phone every year they have to wait.  Rogers has been quoted at saying that the reason for the change in policy is because it allows them to bring better phones to more people and also because cell phone quality has improved a lot consumers don’t need to upgrade every year.

If you are looking for alternatives and arent’ happy with your current provider now may be the time to start looking at unlocked cell phones.

WIND is coming to Canada.  You heard that right by the end of the year we should start to see WIND in the major markets (likely Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver) and then general availability in 2010.

Some may have already heard of WIND.  They are big in Italy and Greece and successful in Europe in general.  Globalive, which is the parent company, is hoping to have the same success in Canada as it has in other markets.  Globalive was the winner of last year’s Canadian AWS auction.

This means there will be more competition and hopefully this will lower pricing on plans.  For now we have to wait and see how things change the wireless landscape in Canada.  One downside is for now they will not be available in Montreal or Quebec in general for that matter.

So today crackberry.com posted an IDC study that showed the top ten selling cellular phones from April 1, 2009 until June 30, 2009.

It turns out the top 6 phones are either Apple or Blackberry phones, but the big surprise is that the number one spot went to the Blackberry Curve

10.HTC Touch Diamond
9. HTC Touch Pro
8. Palm Pre
7. T-Mobile G1
6. BlackBerry Storm
5. BlackBerry Bold
4. Apple iPhone 3G (8GB and 16GB versions)
3. BlackBerry Pearl (81xx series but not the Pearl Flip)
2. Apple iPhone 3GS (both 16GB and 32GB versions)
1. BlackBerry Curve (83xx series and 8900)

Phones with slide-out QWERTY keyboards feature sophisticated looks and spacious QWERTY keypads. These phones allow for quick thumb typing and are designed aiming at the young crowd. Phones with slide-out QWERTY keyboards are extremely functional and using them is like using a computer keyboard. These phones are highly useful for professionals also, for example, it is easier to type an email or edit an office document on a QWERTY keyboard as compared to a normal cell phone keyboard. At times these handsets appear to be expensive, but they are true value for money with their useful features and in-built applications. Here are some of the popular phones with slide-out QWERTY keyboards: 

LG Mobile KS360: The LG KS360 features an ergonomically designed keyboard that offers an easy, fast, and fun way of typing messages without tiring your thumbs. The users can send SMS, IM, email and access social networking sites through the high speed internet connectivity offered by this phone. This sophisticated phone comes with the 2.4″ QVGA touch screen display, 2MP camera, touch screen dialing, MicroSD card slot, MP3 and AAC audio and MPEG4 and H.263 with playback, WAP 2.0 browser and more.

HTC Touch Pro: The slide out QWERTY keyboard is among the most finger-friendly, comfy and practical keyboards. The keyboard’s slightly raised keys, soft-touch finish and elegant design makes typing extremely easy. The HTC Touch Pro supports SMS, MMS, email, and instant messaging along with support for viewing and editing office documents. The 3.15 MP camera with the autofocus and flash capabilities offers high quality pictures. The phone also has a touch-responsive interface, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, miniUSB and much more. 

Samsung T459 Gravity: The Samsung T459 Gravity features a QWERTY keyboard along with normal phone keypad. The exclusive slider design discloses the backlit QWERTY keyboard without making the phone look bulky. The full slide-out QWERTY keyboard supports instant messaging, text, multimedia and video messaging. This striking phone is furnished with the features like 1.3-megapixel camera, microSD card slot, Bluetooth v2.0, MPEG4 player, MP3 player and more.  

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1: The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 is among the most keenly anticipated windows mobile phones. The phone’s full QWERTY keyboard allows fast and easy typing. This unique cell phone comes with the sophisticated and distinct design, 3-inch touch screen display and an arc slider design for the best viewing angle. The other features included in this cell phone are 3.15 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v2.0, MS office, web browser and more. 

Having a full keyboard is always a nice feature.  It makes texting and messaging much simpler.  There are always alternatives but among the most popular right now the LG KS360 and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Cell Phones Through Time

What would we do without cell phones? Well, with more cell phones than there are people in Europe and 72% of the Canadian population active cell phone users, let’s just say, it would probably be like taking away electricity for much of the Western population. Oh how things change in only 36 yeas.

The history of the modern cell phone begins on April 3, 1973, when Director of Research and Development at Motorola, Dr. Martin Cooper, made the first cell phone call ever, to his rival, Dr. Joel S. Engel, head of research at At&T’s Bell labs, as he walked down the streets of New York City. The Motorola DynaTAC cost $3,995, weighed over 2 pounds and took over10 hours to charge. But its large size, high cost and overall impracticality didn’t quite make it very appealing to the general public.

In 1983 the Motorola_Dyna 8000X became the first truly portable mobile phone on the US market, with an impressive one hour of battery life and the power to store up to 30 phone numbers!

The Nokia-Mobira Cityman, which came out in 1987 got a huge publicity boost when Mikkhail Gorbachev was pictured using one to make a call to his communications minister in Moscow. It weighed 800 grams and cost EUR 4,560.

In 1987, Japanese manufacturer NEC launched the NEC 9 A, which became the fastest selling handheld mobile phone. It was smaller, lighter and had more features than any other handheld mobile phone.

In 1989, Motorola MicroTAC became the first-ever flip phone. It weighed 12.3 ounces and retailed between $2, 495 and $3, 495

In the nineties, cell phones and pagers became a huge fad. The nineties also marked the widespread adoption of personal computers and the Internet. In 1993, the BellSouth/IBM Simon Personal Communicator became the first mobile phone to add PDA features: phone, pager, calculator, address book, fax machine and e-mail device, for a total cost of $900.

The Motorola StarTac came out in 1996, paving the way for sleek, lightweight (3.1 ounces) cell phones.

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, it was all about the candy bar-style phones available in all sorts of colours. You could talk for 3.3 hours, they had internal antennas, PIM features and fit 5 lines of text.

In 2000, the Kyocera QCP6035 introduced the SmartPhone which cost $400-$500 and was the first Palm-based phone to be widely available to users. It only had 8MB of memory though.

The first commercial camera phone was the J-SH04 made by Sharp Corporation, which had an integrated CCD sensor and came out in 2001.

In 2002, the BlackBerry 5810 became the first to offer voice capabilities.

By late 2007, Apple came out with its long awaited iPhone, an internet connected multimedia smartphone. The iPhone featured a touch sensitive screen, 2 megapixel camera, the ability to sync iTunes to the phone, and more than 25000 apps. In 2007, the iPhone was named “invention of the year” by Times Magazine.

Business phones are useful for people who want to be in touch with their business even when they are on the move. Every businessman has his own requirements when it comes to a business phone; while some prefer style, others go for functionality. There are several features that are common in every business phone and these include an ability to send and receive email, along with displaying and editing office documents. Here are a few features that you should look for while buying a business phone:

Battery Life: One of the most important features of a business phone, as you might be using the phone for long periods of time. With great battery life, you can ensure that your work doesn’t stop and there are no interruptions when you are making calls. 

Good Email Client: Being in touch constantly has become an important aspect of a business. Businessmen nowadays are constantly on the move and need to access emails. A phone with a good email client allows one to send and receive emails anytime, anywhere.

QWERTY Keyboard: A QWERTY keyboard is an essential feature in business phones. Typing an email with a normal phone keypad can be time consuming and cumbersome. A QWERTY keypad makes it easy to type emails and also adds speed to the typing as the keypad is similar to a QWERTY keyboard.

Extended Memory: Business phones need to store a lot of data, such as emails, word documents, excel sheets and media files. Having an expandable memory space is an absolute essential in a business phone. Extra memory makes sure that you never run out of space while storing essential data. 

Security Features: A lot of critical information is either stored in a cell phone or is sent and received using a cell phone. Good security features ensure that critical information is safe. Many phones also offer the choice of data encryption and passwords that can protect sensitive information.

Additional features that you can look for in a business phone are touch screen, GPS, UMTS (for roaming), USB charging, Bluetooth support, organizer applications and sync facility with MS Outlook and calendar.

Camera mobile phones have exclusively modernized photography and offer an amazing way to click pictures on the move. These astonishing phones allow you to easily and instantly capture the precious and enticing moments of life. With the ability to send and receive pictures, camera phones also allow you to share your memorable moments with friends and family members. Due to the tremendous advantages and the increasing demand of these phones, every cell phone brand these days has a large variety of camera phones. Here are some of the top selling camera cell phones:

Nokia N95: This dual slider cell phone features a 5 mega-pixel auto-focus camera fixed with a Carl Zeiss lens, flash and a mechanical shutter. Nokia N95 also allows video conferencing and recording movies in DVD quality. This stylish cell phone comes with the 8GB hard drive, Bluetooth 2.0, MP3/ACC media playback facility, WAP 2.0/xHTML browser and more. Nokia N95 is available in colors like silver, plum, black, pink and red.

LG Mobile KE970 Shine: LG KE970 Shine is an eye-catching slide-design mobile phone with a 2 MP auto focus camera. The mobile phone derives the name ‘Shine’ from its shiny stainless steel body and a large LCD display. The other features of this sturdy cell phone include MP3 player, microSD memory card support, USB and Bluetooth V1.2 and more. LG KE970 Shine is available in color silver, pink, gold and more.

Samsung D900i: This fully functional, good-looking phone is a slide-up design cell phone with a 3.13 mega pixel camera. Samsung SGH-D900i is the thinnest slider phone and features the latest multimedia technology. With the features like document viewer, TV-output function, Bluetooth stereo headset (A2DP) function and more, this cell phone is perfect for business professionals and music lovers. This amazing cell phone is available in wine red and black color.

Sony Ericsson S500:  A slim slider phone with the 2.0 mega pixel camera. The cell phone has a unique interface which automatically changes the visuals on the desktop with the changing of season or the turning of day into night. This stunning cell phone comes packed with the features like Bluetooth 2.0, media player, expandable memory stick slot, web browser and more. Sony Ericsson S500 comes in colors like mysterious green and spring yellow.

These are just some of the many great camera phones currently on the market.  If these don’t interest you maybe the Sony Ericsson W905 will or the soon to be released Nokia N97

As cell phone technology has evolved, people have found new and rather unexpected uses for their cell phones. Cell phones now come with a myriad of features but few have spawned more uses than the camera/camcorder feature, which is available on nearly all current phones.

Case and point, uses for cell phone cameras have evolved just as quickly as the technology in them. The original intent behind camcorder phones was to enable cell phone users to send video messages to friends and family. Now cell phone cameras both aid and thwart criminal activity, record extraordinary situations (i.e. natural disasters) and are also used by people for bootlegging purposes (i.e. recording concerts, live performances, movies, etc.)

Most recently, people have started recording both short and feature length films entirely with their cell phone cameras. Sometimes referred to as ‘Cellular Cinema’ their popularity has grown so much that entire film festivals now exclusively feature films made on cell phones.

This is an excerpt taken from the Pocket Films Festival website: “The Pocket Films Festival explores the potential for audio-visual expression that lies hidden in a “practical high-tech toy,” and through various media, aims to construct an ideal method of communication that excites our sensibilities – something not yet obvious even to artists.”

They acknowledge the medium is still young and not yet taken seriously by most artists. Those on the vanguard of cellular cinema don’t allow this to affect their artistic endeavors as new cell phone films pop up on a daily basis.

Here are some examples taken from Youtube that show some of the creativity coming out of cellular cinema (Warning! Artsy Videos Ahead):

Mankind is No Island

Kung Fu Film

I Miss You

Man with a Cell Phone Camera

Cell Phone Video Collage

Cell Phone Car Chase

Cell Phone Cinematography