Well looks like calling to any mobile number for free is the “Game Changer” that Sprint was talking about, I’m not sure that I would consider it a game changer…but who am I to judge. What it does do is put pie in the face of the ‘Fav 5′ of T-Mobile, and completely steals the thunder of AT&T starting a similar ‘Fav’ plan. So much for editing your 5 monthly, now you get to call any mobile phone. Now if Sprint could only shake that “Are you really dating HER?” reputation they have! This new plan will be automatically added to Everything Data plan subscribers and allows for unlimited free calls to or from any… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Google Voice activated a new feature yesterday. It allows you to check a box in your Google Voice settings and have all of your SMS Text messages received by the service forwarded to your email. This means dedicated Google Voice users can stop receiving (or sending) any text messages on the phone and instead route everything through email. Can you say “Bye Bye Pricey Unlimited Text Messaging Plans”? Once a text message is forwarded to your email it can be replied to via email as well (Google creates a special email address for each person’s phone that you text). Use a service like Pushmail and you’ll get instant pop-up alerts that are as fast as text messaging. Google Voice Blog Continue reading on Gear Diary …

So today was 9-9-09, and that got me thinking…. 10 years ago today my eyes felt like they were being burned with battery acid, but there was no way they were getting peeled from my TV screen. I was still settling in for my freshman year of college at Ashland University, and much to the dismay of my grades, sleep patterns, and wallet the Sega Dreamcast was released on this day 10 years ago.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

OK, so I am browsing the blogosphere and came across this; now Sprint is up to something else? The message boards have been burning up since this email came out early Wednesday evening. Word is Sprint is unveiling their new Unlimited Voice/data/MMS/SMS @ $70/month, but the voice is unlimited to only mobile phones….again this is only speculation, but I will update when an official release comes out. Competing carriers should hope Sprint’s Data package prices don’t go any lower… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Are you a Palm loyalist, still clutching your Centro, Treo, or T|X tightly in your fingers, not yet ready to surrender your trusted device, but perhaps looking for something to give your Palm OS device a little boost and add a little excitement?  If so, Handmark may just make your day. Through its gaming group, Astraware, Handmark makes a great range of games for the Palm OS, Windows Mobile, Symbian, BlackBerry, iPhone, and PC platforms.  For a limited time, they are offering their Palm OS games at a 50% discount, including such well known titles as Tetris, Tradewinds 2, Bejeweled, Text Twist, GTS World Racing, and Astraware Casino. To get your discount, use promo code PALM50 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The National Transportation Safety Board just banned mobile texting and talking on portable devices by all 400 of their employees. For the last three years the NTSB has been recommending motorcoach and school bus drivers be bannded from mobile device use. There are no states that completely ban cell phone use by drivers. That may change though as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood holds a summit on September 30 to discuss mobile cell and smartphone use. NTSB Bans Mobile Texting and Talking Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I recently came across Safelink Wireless, which is a service that will give a mobile phone with free minutes every month to those who are on State or Federal Assistance.  Safelink is run by Tracfone.  This got me thinking about our government priorities. Do those who are on assistance really need a mobile phone?  Does the government think about these things before they do them?  Why does someone who has no income need a mobile phone?  Why was it a mobile phone and not regular land line service?  I just don’t get it. My wife checked it out for my father-in-law, and she learned that he qualifies for the phone plus 68 minutes a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It is always nice when you see an application you have used in Beta reaches a Version 1 release. Such is the case with Postbox. The cross-platform works with Windows and OSx and promises… Faster, Smarter, and More Organized, Postbox is a Better Way to Manage Email. It offers some great features including: powerful, flexible search, various content views so your email has the look and ease you prefer, better, more flexible organization, ToDo Tagging and more. Based on Mozilla’s technology Postbox is indeed impressive. One is, however, left to wonder if these features justify spending $39.95 for a single seat or a tad less than a whopping $60 for… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Since I got my G1, I have been interested in viewing documents on my G1.  However that was not possible, except for PDF files.  I was able to quickly find a good PDF viewer in IcViewer.  However, there have been times that I would like to create a Word document or Excel spreadsheet.  Since there is no Open Office port for Android, I had to make do with some note apps, bringing the text into a document once I got back to my desk.  Once that was done, I either had to print to a PDF file to view it in IcViewer, or just not have a copy of the document on my phone.  That’s all changed now, because of Dataviz Documents to Go.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

At this point it is a familiar dance. The first rumors come out some months prior to the event. My rumors come forth in the name of some nameless “high-level” informant. Initial rumors are squashed and replaced by new ones. Fuzzy images are released and their authenticity debated. Rumor rumblings get louder and louder. Odds are placed on what we will and won’t see. Certain “journalists” call one thing or another a “lock”. The event happens. The truth is known.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We are all feeling the financial pinch!  Blue Plate Special is a weekly review of bargain apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Nothing over $.99. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of the great things about moving to, or in my case adding, a new platform is that it opens up a host of new opportunities to learn about a device, experience new apps and, at times, feel like a total newb. Wayne and Jason have been amazing about holding my hand as I dip my toes into this new world. I’ve also gotten some great tips from our readers. One came from our reader “xRollinx” who wrote… Welcome aboard Dan, Just wanted to throw in one more MAJOR plus for BlackBerry that you have not considered yet, and that is the use of Themes. With BlackBerry, you can make your UI look GORGEOUS, even better than the iPhone and legally too. No jailbreaking nonsense, just download and install. That was what won me over to BlackBerry from iPhone. The freedom to do anything you want and to customize it exactly the way you want is a freedom every device needs to work on. In my opinion BlackBerry rocks in that department. Check out this site for examples of what I’m talking about: http://elecite.com/ He’s right, I had not considered the various themes that are available. Now, however, thanks to [...]

I’m really enjoying the technology reporting in the NYTimes these days. It is often edgy or sarcastic, it is certainly timely and, as is the case today, it is spot-on. As the article in their Bits section points out, today’s Apple announcements are important for more than the usual reasons. Sure it will let us see the next generation’s of Apple’s offerings. More than that however, since Many presumptive iPod buyers are turning instead to the iPhone, a considerably more expensive device with higher margins. [since] The iPhone is the ultimate converged device, packing digital music, video games, navigation and much more into a single cellular handset. Apple’s attempt to spark iPod sale by expanding their capabilities is more important to the company than ever since the changes we will likely see in the iPod in a few hours are a direct response to pressure Apple has put on itself thanks to the iPhone. … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Altec Lansing has just announced that they have a new speaker dock available for the iPod and iPhone called the inMotion Classic.  The inMotion Classic has built in rechargeable battery and a handle so you can take your music with you and not be attached to the wall socket.  It also has a FM radio and a remote.  The inMotion Classic is available from Amazon.com for $149. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

AT&T will be rolling out a feature September 20 that allows you to make free calls to 5 of of your friends (domestic numbers only). Those on family plans can widen their friend zone to 10 numbers. No idea whether you’ll be able to stick your Google Voice number in here as a friend and enjoy unlimited calling. Here are the terms via the AT&T site: A-List is available only with Nation plans $59.99 a month or higher and FamilyTalk plans $89.99 a month or higher. Nation Plan Subscribers can place calls to up to 5 (and FamilyTalk subscribers can place calls to up to 10) wireline or wireless telephone numbers without being charged for airtime minutes. All qualifying lines on a FamilyTalk Continue reading on Gear Diary …