Are your mobile phone records being sold?

Well there may not be a clear answer to this question, but if you’ve been receiving text messages from advertisers and/or phone calls then the answer could be yes.

There are many websites on the internet that are selling peoples phone records for a pretty penny, charging anywhere from $10 to $99.99. The information they are selling is anywhere from your location and phone number to genealogical research. There are also services out there that you can pay a fee to get a person mobile number, but before receiving the information you have to sign a disclaimer saying you have a legitimate reason for wanting the number.

Don’t jump the gun however, the police, FBI and mobile carriers are taking action. Verizon has filed lawsuits with at least three website, and Sprint has done the same. Verizon also filters up to 50,000 text messages that are considered spam every day.

More…

10 cool things you can do with your cell phone

Nowadays cell phones can do almost anything, but now there is more to add to the list. Some of these cool features may not be available yet or are for specific models only, but rest assured with the increase in cellular technology it is on the way.

1. ID that song: Next time you hear a catchy song on the radio, you don’t have to try to memorize the lyrics so you can Google it when you get home. Now all you need to do is dial a code number, hold the phone to the speaker for a few seconds and within moments you’ll see the artist, title and album appear. This is only available with select models.
2. Have your phone wake you with music: Tired of your normal buzzer alarm clock from the 1980s? With some new models, including the LG Chocolate, you can select music as your alarm.
3. Text message a landline phone: Companies are now starting to offer text to landline messaging. Your text message is sent from your cell phone to a landline and is converted to a voice message that is played back on the landline.There is a small charge for this, but nonetheless interesting.
4. Scan in a business card: Ever wanted to get someone info off of their business card, but they only had one? Ok probably not, but some models have features where you can take a picture of a business card and have the picture trasferred to your phone book.
5. Have your text messages read back to you: Vemail Voice Email 2.0 (http://www.nch.com.au/vemail/index.html) enables usuers to read e-mail and easily reply by speaking. This application is $28 but can sure be useful for people on the go. More…

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How does your provider and brand score?

Forrester Research released a recent survey asking how much they trust their provider, and their handset brand. Forrester Research asked 4,700 consumers across the USA and compiled all of the information and gave the major providers and brands grades.

Lets get right to the report cards, first the providers:

• Verizon: C
• Cingular: C-
• Sprint: D-

Now for the mobile brands:

• Palm: B+
• Motorola: B
• LG Electronics: C-
• Samsung: D-

[To read more, check out Yahoo!]

Mmm…Chocolate… LG’s VX8500 Chocolate

Monday, 31 July, saw the official release of the LG VX8500 Chocolate by Verizon Wireless.

The “Chocolate” is “Part MP3 player. Part phone. Totally sweet.” according to Verizon, and it really does look the business. They’ve gone for the stylish Nano piano black finish with stylish red accents for a stunning, sleek look.

Consumers have long been fed up with only being able to get a small handful of songs on their mobile phone handsets, but the Chocolate, with its support for 2Gb’s worth of expansion via microSD memory card allowing for the storage of almost 1,000 songs (in MP3 or Windows WMA format), makes the “Chocolate” a viable MP3 Player/Phone convergence device.

iPod like controls are available on the front panel, with the keypad concealed under the sliding top panel.

Verizon’s Chocolate music phone is also fully compatible with Verizon’s V CAST music service, which, (somewhat coincedentally), dropped it’s US$15 per month subscription fee on Monday. Chocolate lovers can now buy and download songs over the air for US$1.99 each.

Other features :

• QVGA screen (320×240)
• Bluetooth
• EV-DO
• 1.3 Megapixel camera (with video)
• Verizon’s VZ Navigator
• V Cast Music and Video compatibility (now with no monthly fees)
• Dimensions: 3.8″ x 1.88″ x 0.69″
• Weight: 3.53oz
  

The Chocolate really does look quite delicious, but c’mon Apple, show us what YOU have got!

Pre-order your Chocolate from Amazon now.