iPhone 3G Review: Super tech chic, but not a texter's best friend

While reviewing the iPhone 3G, I realize hardcore techies already know everything there is to know about the second coming of the most hyped gadget of the millennium.

So I took a different perspective with my 60-Second Review. I didn't get to test the original iPhone out the first time around, so my review just gets to the heart of the most important question: Is it worth the hype?

It is a fantastic phone that just is fun to use. But of course it isn't perfect. I especially wasn't fond of the touch-screen keyboard. The Samsung Instinct's touch-screen keyboard was easier to type on than the iPhone. Overall, it's a really fun phone. I wouldn't wait in line hours for it, but it definitely is one of the best phones I've ever tested -- and even a year after the first release, there is still a lot of cool factor with it. Check out the full review in today's Tech Tuesday or watch the video below:

First day review of the iPhone 3G

Well folks, I got myself an iPhone 3G yesterday to review. But unlike you, I didn't have to wait in line for hours to get one. It arrived in a nice little package on my desk Friday afternoon, already activated. (Ahh, the perks of being a reporter... but of course like all the products I review, I don't get to keep it.)

I started playing with it last night when I went out to dinner and a movie with my friend. I'm a big texter, and my actual cellphone has a full QWERTY keyboard. When using the iPhone 3G's touch-screen keyboard, my typing speed really slowed down. I often don't hit the key I want to, but I do like how the iPhone guesses what word I meant to type. By the end of the night -- even after several drinks -- I was getting better at typing. But I'm still not up to my normal typing speed.

With all the iPhone hype over the past few days, I kind of hoped I would get some reaction when I whipped out the phone in public. You know, the "Hey, that girl is so cool cause she has an iPhone"  reaction. The waitress at TGI Friday's didn't say anything about the phone when I was messing with it all night. When we stood in line to see Hellboy, no one in line gave it a second look. After a while my friend Amanda would start to shout a few times "Hey Bridget, that's a cool new iPhone you got there!" ... but still, the fellow moviegoers couldn't give a crap. Sigh.

I did have something weird happen to me a few times when I made calls. When you're in the middle of the call and you take the phone away from your cheek, the touch screen reactivates with button options to do things like end the call or mute it. When I put the phone back to my cheek, I lost the call. It happened twice. Was it because I hit a button to mute or end the call with my cheek? Was it the fault of the person I was talking to? Was it because I had three cocktails when I made the call? Hmmm...

Stay tuned Tuesday for the full review!

Want an iPhone 3G? Here are the pricing facts.

Want the new iPhone 3G? Well here are a few things to keep in mind before you get in line:

The iPhone 3G costs $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model. These prices require two-year contracts, and you are eligible for these prices if:

• You purchaced an original iPhone before July 11
• You're activating a new line with AT&T
• You're a current AT&T customers who is now eligible for an upgrade discount

Current customers who are not eligible for an upgrade discount can purchase iPhone 3G for $399 for the 8GB model or $499 for the 16GB model. Both options require a new two-year service agreement.

Go to www.att.com/iphone to find out if you are eligible for an upgrade discount.

Current AT&T customers who are upgrading to iPhone 3G will pay an $18 upgrade fee and new AT&T customers will pay the standard $36 activation fee.

Voice, Data and Text Messaging Plans
AT&T Nation Unlimited: Includes unlimited Anytime Minutes for $129.99 a month.
AT&T Nation 1350: Includes 1350 Anytime Minutes and unlimited Night & Weekend Minutes for $109.99 a month. 
AT&T Nation 900: Includes 900 Anytime Minutes and unlimited Night & Weekend Minutes for $89.99 a month.
AT&T Nation 450: Includes 450 Anytime Minutes and 5,000 Night & Weekend Minutes for $69.99 a month.

All AT&T Nation and AT&T FamilyTalk plans for iPhone 3G include nationwide long distance and roaming, Visual Voicemail, Rollover, unlimited Mobile to Mobile calling, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, Three-Way Calling and Caller ID. 

AT&T will offer FamilyTalk plans, with bundled voice and unlimited data, starting at $129.99 a month for two iPhone 3G lines. Up to three additional iPhone lines can be added for $39.99 each. 

Unlimited text messaging can be added for an additional $20 ($30 for FamilyTalk plans of up to five lines); $15 (1,500 messages), or $5 (200 messages).

Additional Tips:

New AT&T customers who wish to port or retain their phone number from another wireless carrier should consider bringing a copy of a bill from their current service provider. Customers will be asked to provide account information as it appears on record with their current provider, including:

• Account number
• Name of the account holder
• Account holder’s SSN or Tax ID
• Billing address
• PIN or password (if applicable)

Customers who inherit an original iPhone from a friend or family member will need to request a SIM card from AT&T for the phone and activate the device using the in-home activation process through iTunes.

Customers should listen to voice mail messages on their current devices and write down any necessary information before purchasing iPhone 3G, because existing voice mail messages will be lost when upgrading to iPhone’s Visual Voicemail feature.

iPhone 2.0 Software:

All iPhone customers can get iPhone 2.0 software. It will be pre-loaded on all iPhone 3Gs and available as a free download for current iPhone customers. The new software will include business-class e-mail access via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync; the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK), which allows a business to easily create applications customized to its needs; and the App Store, available at www.apple.com/webapps, which offers a wide-range of applications.

Friday Morning Update: Long lines at AT&T stores for iPhone 3G

Yesterday evening the lines may have been short, but many have set their alarms early to get their iPhone 3G this morning when doors open at 8 a.m.

As of 7 a.m., there were reports of long lines at several AT&T stores:

• More than 120 people in line at the Dadeland Pointe AT&T Store, at 8821 S. Dixie Hwy.
• More than 50 in line at the Doral Store, at 10003 N.W. 41st St.
• More than 50 in line at the Sunrise Store, at 12231 W. Sunrise Blvd.
• More than 50 in line at the Davie Store, at 1920 S. University Drive

[10:30 a.m. UPDATE] Getting word of about 300 people currently in line at the Aventura Mall Apple store. Sources say the line wraps around the front of the store all the way to JCPenney's. There were also about 160 people in line at the Sunrise store at 8:20 a.m.

iPhone 3G lines are forming around South Florida

This afternoon at around noon, 16-year-old C.J. Wittus was the first person in South Florida waiting for a iPhone 3G. When I spoke with him eariler today, he said he had friends coming out to barbecue with him tonight to be a part of the experience.

Now there are reports of more lines forming. But it's nothing as huge as last year's release.

• At 9:45 p.m. there were about 3 campers at the AT&T Pembroke Pines store at 18275 Pines Blvd.
• Eight campers at AT&T Davie store at 1920 S. University Drive
• At 8 p.m. there were 4 people at the AT&T Hialeah store at 663 W. 49th St., pictured to the right. This photo was provided by AT&T's spokeswoman Kelly Starling.
• There's also a small line at the Park Sheridan Plaza store at 3353 Sheridan Street in Hollywood.

Have you spotted any lines in your neighborhoods? It seems that waiting this time is more about the experience rather than anything else. I don't think it will be too hard to find one later in the day tomorrow, so it's not necessary to camp out just to get one.

New iPhone 3G reviews: Better, faster, stronger?

The first reviews are here, with David Pogue, Walt Mossberg, Edward Baig giving their take on how the iPhone 3G compares to last year's model. Seems the consensus is that there are some good tweaks, but it's nothing jaw-dropping. And you first adopters shouldn't feel depressed -- you can get a free 2.0 software upgrade. The Journal has a simple chart that breaks down the differences between the models.

What are your thoughts? Want one now that it runs on the 3G network? Upset you didn't wait a year and ended up paying more? Could care less?

Product Review: Sprint's Samsung Instinct

I really enjoyed using the Samsung Instinct, sold by Sprint. Sprint has great multimedia and GPS applications intergrated within it, making it fun using a phone like this. It's well designed, making it easy to understand, and I had no big issues using the touch screen -- the touch-screen keyboard is easy to use because it is horizontal.

The software is music-player friendly, with quick access links to download songs from Sprint. If you want to use your own mp3s, just throw them on a microSD card.

Even though there's much to like about the Instinct, it's not perfect. Read my 60-Second Review or watch the video below:

Taking a tour of the new AT&T Experience Store in Coral Gables

Today I got a tour of AT&T's first Experience Store in Florida, which showcases all of AT&T's wireless, broadband, video and land-line services under one roof.

The store encourages customer interactivity with multiple "information stations" with touch screens to help customers learn more about products and services.

Customers can use the stations to get suggestions on what service plan or phone is best after answering a few questions. Still other screens offer access to customer account and contract information.

The store at 215 Miracle Mile, which opened last week, is one of three bilingual AT&T Experience stores in the country. Signs are in English and Spanish, and 26 of the 29 store employees are bilingual.

The store is about 5,400 square feet in size -- larger than a typical wireless store -- and is designed with the AT&T blue globe logo in mind, which is reflected in the ceiling architecture and lighting.

AT&T spokeswoman Kelly Starling said it's part of the company's goal to move away from
wireless-focused stores and be a one-stop retail store for communications and entertainment services.

As part of the store's nearly paperless experience, two television monitors display the customer service queue so employees on the floor know who is next to be helped (on of the monitors is pictured here ... although there were no customers waiting to be helped when I arrived at 10 a.m.).

Customers can get demonstrations of the DISH Network service.  They store will provide details on AT&T U-verse TV once it becomes available in the area. They can also test home services like the Remote Monitor through an in-store camera.

Store manager Diane Marim said one in three customers that have walked in the store the past week said they were surprised that the store deals with all aspects of AT&T communication and entertainment services, not just wireless.

This is AT&T's 20th Experience Store. Another is scheduled to open in West Palm Beach in the fall, Starling said. AT&T has about 330 retail locations throughout South Florida.

AT&T continues to beef up 3G coverage in South Florida

AT&T announced Thursday that it activated four more 3G cell sites in South Florida, specifically in Deerfield Beach, Homestead and Key West. The 3G technology is AT&T's highest speed for wireless data transmission.

The Deerfield Beach cell site, located on 17th Street S.W., is servicing high speed wireless coverage for I-95 and Hillsboro Boulevard and the surrounding area.

In Homestead, two new 3G sites on S.W. 360th Street and S.E. 18th Avenue cover the Turkey Point area and the Florida Turnpike from S.W. 312th Drive south into Florida City and along the approach to the Homestead Miami Speedway. The Key West site on U.S. Highway 1 covers Big Coppitt Key and the Naval Air Station on Boca Chica Key.

AT&T began rolling out its 3G service in South Florida counties in 2006 and expanded to Key West, Martin and St. Lucie counties last fall. AT&T reports it will continue to beef up its 3G coverage along the Treasure Coast this summer to include the rest of St. Lucie and Indian River County.

The new iPhone is cheaper, faster. Will you buy one?

On July 11th the new iPhone goes on sale. With a two-year contract from AT&T, the 8GB model will cost $199, and the 16GB model will cost $299. It'll run on AT&T's 3G network, which means it will have a faster wireless connection than before.

Unlimited iPhone 3G data plans for consumers cost $30 a month, in addition to voice plans starting at $39.99 a month.

For those of you that waited, are you considering getting one now? The price is down, the speed is up, and you've had a year to think about getting one. But then again, money is tight these days, so maybe it's not worth it for you. So, is the new iPhone calling to you?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

And you first adopters... I'm sure you were glad you stood in line last year to get your hands on one. But will you be envious over the new model?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Jawbone Review: It's clumsy to learn, but your ear will look fab!

The new Jawbone Bluetooth headset is smaller and sexier than its predecessor. But I felt like a klutz while initially trying to learn how to use the buttons on it.

After getting over the initial awkwardness of using the hidden buttons and trying to decipher the meaning of the beeps... I'd say its a good Bluetooth headset. It does a great job at eliminating background noise -- you just have to remember to turn on the NoiseAssassin setting. Having the NoiseAssassin off only makes sense if you're in a really quiet area.

I thought the ear hook would be an issue for me because it wasn't a tight fit around my ear. But it turned out not to be a big deal because it stayed in place throughout hours of gabbing. And I'm very animated when I gab.

It's $129.99 and sold by AT&T and also available at Jawbone.com. You can read more of my review of the new Jawbone here, or watch the video below.

Which one gadget would you bring with you on vacation?

When I'm on vacation, I bring the phone, camera, car GPS (if driving is involved), mp3 player... but Best Buy asked people if they could just bring one device with them on vacation, what would it be?

I'd have to say my cellphone, since it's also a camera, mp3 player and has GPS. And 47 percent of people agree with me on that.

A digital camera was the answer for 28 percent of respondents. No technology came in third with 10 percent of the vote (what?!?). Six percent of people picked an mp3 player, four percent said a Blackberry or smartphone, three percent said a GPS unit, and two percent would bring a portable DVD player.

The findings are from 1,000 interviews of people ages 18 and up, conducted in April by GfK Roper.

Are you guilty of texting while driving? Study reveals texting habits.

Curious about the popularity of texting? Vlingo, a company that provides mobile applications that translate voice to text, has released a study on consumer text messaging habits. The survey was administered independently by Common Knowledge Research Services and sent to 4,820 people living in the U.S.

Here are some of the key points in the findings:

• Teens and 20-somethings are the biggest texting age groups, with 85 percent of each group reporting that they text. Across all generations, 55 percent of mobile phone users said they send text messages. The more interesting fact: 42 percent of all respondents said they make just as many text messages (or more) as they do phone calls.
• 34 percent of teenagers ages 13 to 19 said they send 500+ text messages a month.
• About 28 percent of mobile phone users admit to driving while texting. When you look at people in their 20s, that number jumps to 52 percent. Teenagers aren't that much better, with 50 percent saying they text while driving.
• In Florida, 25 percent of respondents admitted to texting while driving. South Carolina scored the highest, with 40 percent of people admitting to texting while driving.
• Of the 45 percent on consumers who said they don't use phones to send texts, 30 percent said it was because it was too difficult to type on a phone. Forty percent said it was because it takes too long to send a text, and 44 percent said it was too expensive.

Since Vlingo is behind this study, they also asked people if they would be interested in using a service where you could speak into the phone and have the words translated into text. About 48 percent said they would send more text messages if they could just speak the message, and 64 percent said they were willing to pay for that service.

I don't think I'd use a service like that since I have a full QWERTY keyboard on my phone. Only 10.7 percent of respondents said they had a full QWERTY keypad, and 88.9 percent said they had 12 numeric keys. Touch screen keyboards made up 2.8 percent of those surveyed.

Click here to download the full PDF report.

Boost Mobile opens store in Hialeah

Boost Mobile, a provider of pay-as-you-go wireless products and services, has opened a store in Hialeah. It's one of Boost's first three stores -- the others are in Huntington Park, Cali. and Houston, Texas.

The Hialeah store is located at West Park Center, 1905 West 35th St.

View Larger Map

"[The stores] are centered right where our demographic is at," said John Torres, Boost's sales operation manager for direct and retail sales. "It's extremely important for Boost to be in that hub."

He said the company could have located the store in a highly trafficked mall in an area like South Beach, but instead choose to do the opposite. Boost wanted to put the stores in areas that centered around communities with their top demographic: minorities under 26 years old.

Boost devices are already available at retail stores like Best Buy and RadioShack, but the success of Boost's three new retail stores will be the deciding factor if the company will add more stores, Torres said. The company will examine how the Hialeah store does over next 12 months to see if it is worth opening up more Boost-exclusive retail shops.

There are also plans to turn the shops into a repair service center for Boost devices, Torres said.

Boost Mobile is a division of Sprint, but Torres explained that they didn't want to just put Boost items in Sprint stores.

"If you really look at the product, we're completely polar opposites," Torres said. "Our customer base would not think of going into a Sprint store."

The goal for each store is to also support the community by partnering with local municipalities and getting involved with community events, he said. For starters, Boost Mobile is working with the Bucky Dent Gymnasium and Youth Center in Hialeah by paying to refurbish the floor.

Is American Idol to thank for the popularity of texting?

Think back to 2003. How much were you texting? Did you have a plan that included text messages, or were you paying per text since you rarely texted people?

In 2003, AT&T began its sponsorship with American Idol, and thus began encouraging viewers to text message their votes.

AT&T sent me some interesting stats. At the end of Season 2, AT&T wireless customers sent more than 7.5 million American Idol-related text messages (which includes polls, sweepstakes entries, trivia as well as votes).

The following year, there were 13.5 million Idol-related text messages. In 2005 there were 41.5 million Idol-related texts, which was the first season after the AT&T Wireless and Cingular merger.

In 2006, that number jumped to 64.5 million.

AT&T also shared these points from 2003 customer data:

• More than one-third of all voting participants had never sent a text message as an AT&T customer before American Idol
• The number of text votes received increased by nearly 5,000 percent from the first voting episode to the last voting episodes
• Approximately 70 percent of text voters voted more than once

AT&T said they were not able to disclose the 2007 numbers, and they won't know this season's text stats until the show ends.

But have reality voting shows helped Americans embrace texting? Obviously American Idol is not the only show you can text your vote. I remember Verizon sponsored the texting in the CBS show Rock Star. And now every reality show has some texting element. Heck, even Bravo's reality shows like Top Chef have instant texting polls that serve no point other than to entertain. But there's no question - people are texting more now than ever before. I don't think Ryan Seacrest deserves all the thanks -- it probably also has to do with the increase of cheaper data plans from wireless providers.

But what about you? Did a television show motivate you to start texting? Or were you texting long before Kelly Clarkson hit the stage?

AT&T continues to expand 3G network in South Florida

This month AT&T has been very busy activating 3G cell sites around South Florida. If you're not familiar with 3G, it's AT&T's fastest wireless connection speed. It's available on select phones and allows users to access services like AT&T Video Share.

Today the company announced it activated 3G cell sites in Delray Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Last week, a 3G cell site was activated at the Port of Miami, which provides coverage north to the MacArthur Causeway and west o Biscayne Boulevard. And before that, AT&T also put cell sites in the following areas of Miami-Dade County:

• Along the Palmetto Expressway between 1-95 and 17th Avenue
• On 12th Avenue between 173rd Street and 156th Street
• Along U.S. 1 between N.E. 190th Street and 180th Street
• On Miami Gardens Drive in Miami, between U.S. 1 and N.E. 22nd Avenue
• Along Krome Avenue between S.W. 8th Street and Okeechobee Road
• In the Medley area of Miami, along N.W. 114th Street to the north, N.W. 89th Avenue to the east, N.W. 89th Street to the south and N.W. 107th Avenue to the west
• In the Redland area of southwestern Miami-Dade, along S.W. 184th Street to the north, S.W. 162nd Avenue to the east, S.W. 220 Street to the south and S.W. 177th Avenue to the west
• In Hialeah, along Okeechobee Road, west of the Turnpike, and north into Broward County
• In southwestern Homestead, from S.W. 360th Street to the north, S.W. 192nd Avenue to the east and S.W. 237th Avenue to the west
• Along S.W. 264th Street to the north, S.W. 140th Avenue to the east, S.W. 284th Street to the south and S.W. 157th Avenue to the west in Homestead

Review of the Venturi Mini: an in-car Bluetooth gadget for your phone and tunes

In case you missed it, this week I reviewed the Venturi Mini, a wireless in-car music connector and hands-free phone device... which basically means it plays music and takes phone calls in the car, without you having to pick up your phone.

When I tested it, I took it for a spin around my neighborhood and it worked great. But after the review was published, a reader asked me how it handles on long drives. It transmits sounds to an FM station, and a strong signal is needed to avoid interference when you go through different cities.

Yesterday I drove from West Palm Beach to Miami via I-95, which was about 70 miles. The biggest problem came when I would change counties. The device only works on a station with no signal. So a station that was empty in Palm Beach County would have static or have a signal when I got closer to Broward County. That meant I had to change stations to hear my music.

Throughout the trip I had to switch stations three times. And it's easy to do while driving -- although it is probably not safe to mess with this thing while you are supposed to be paying attention to the road. Just a roll of a wheel on the Venturi Mini changed the stations, so it didn't feel like too much of a hassle.

But if you're the kind of person who doesn't have the patience to switch stations on long drives, you'll get irked with it since it costs $130. And when you pay $130 for something, you want it to be flawless. But you can't expect an FM transmitter to be perfect when you travel long distances, since station signals are weaker and stronger in different areas.

But on the other hand, I normally commute 25 miles to get to work, and I didn't have to change the station once. I just had to put up with some static blips for a few blocks midway through the drive. It lasted about two minutes.

Click the video below to hear more of my thoughts on the Venturi and to learn how it works. You can find out if your phone is compatible at myventuri.com.

Seeing Green: Tech tips to be environmentally friendly -- and save money, too!

I'm flooded with "go green" tech tips from several different sources. So in honor of Earth Day, here is a digest of the best tips and stats that I have come across:

• Recycle your no-longer-used phones. Many cell phone providers have ways you can drop off your old phone in the store, which goes to a good cause. Phones are often refurbished for resale and reuse, with proceeds going to charities. Or if there is no way to salvage the device, it'll be thrown away in the proper manner.
  • This Saturday, April 26, you can drop off your phone at the Fort Lauderdale Green Living Expo. AT&T will collect old wireless devices for the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. The charity collects and recycles mobile phones to provide U.S. military families with free phone cards. AT&T has donated 60,000 prepaid phone cards to CPFS since 2007.
  • In 2007, Verizon Wireless's HopeLine donation program in Florida collected nearly 30,000 no-longer-used phones. Phones can be dropped off at any of its retail stores.
  • Some cellphone makers, like Nokia and LG, offer free recycling regardless of the manufacturer. Visit www.nokiausa.com/recycle or us.lge.com/recycle for a postage-paid label to mail the used phone.
• Unplug your charger. If you keep your charger plugged into the wall -- even if the device is not being charged -- it is still using energy. A simple solution is to use a power strip to plug in your chargers, and then just turn the power strip off when not using the charger -- then you won't have to keep pulling plugs out of wall sockets.
  • According to Nokia, if only 10 percent of the world's mobile phone users unplugged their chargers from the power supply once the battery is full, we could save enough energy to power 65,000 homes a year.
• Optimize your home PC energy use. Norton says most computer users lose $25 to $75 a year and waste nearly a half ton of CO2 because they don't optimize their computer's power settings. Norton normally charges $15 for a green assessment, but now it is free! Go to www.norton.com/gogreen to evaluate your computer's energy use and get a "Green Report Card."
• Don't just toss that computer in the can. Computers can be refurbished and donated to people in need. There are disk-cleaning utilities available online that can totally wipe out your Internet history, data, e-mails and passwords.
  • If you are going to donate the computer, include the accessories.
  • Keep a record of your donation for tax purposes
  • The National Cristina Foundation is one organization that provides donated computers to people in need and can help you find a local recipient
  • Check if your PC manufacturers has a recycle program. For example, Dell will take in old non-Dell computers when new customers make a purchase, and it will accept its own products all the time.
• Pay bills electronically and avoid paper bills. Go to PayitGreen.org to use the Green Calculator and learn how much of a positive environmental impact you can have by switching to electronic bills.

How to get rid of your electronics the green way

Happy Earth Day! In today's print Miami Herald, the Tech Tuesday page features a graphic full of useful tips on how to dispose of your e-waste in an environmentally friendly way. But if you missed it, I've copied and pasted the text below:

By Samantha Riepe, Miami Herald Staff

Have you sent a VCR, computer or television to the electronics graveyard? You're not alone. The Environmental Protection agency estimated electronic waste, or "e-waste," at about two million tons in 2005, the most recent year data is available. Only 12.6 percent of this e-waste load was recycled. Most frightening -- electronics can contain several pounds of chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium and other compounds that are considered hazardous materials in some states (keyword: some). The solution? Donate, recycle, or safely dispose of your next out-of-date electronics.

CELLPHONES

Trash stat:
• More than 150 million phones enter the U.S. waste stream every year, where they have the potential to leak mercury, cadmium, arsenic and more into water streams. These compounds may also enter the air when municipalities burn the phones. Can you hear me now?
Recycling:
• Best Buy and Office Depot store offers free recycling kiosks near the front door, for cellphones, batteries, and chargers.
Charity:
• Cellular companies have free, charitable drop-off or mail-back programs for recycling old phones. Motorola's program, at www.racetorecycle.com, distributes the proceeds among participating K-12 schools. Nokia and LG also take in used phones, regardless of the manufacturer. Visit www.Nokiausa.com/recycle or us.lge.com/recycle to download a postage-paid label to return the device.
• AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have programs where you can drop off your old wireless equipment at their stores to be refurbished for resale and reuse, with proceeds going to charity. Sprint's program donates all proceeds to 4NetSafety children's online safety group; go to www.sprint.com/recycle for a postage-paid mailing label, or to see if your model is eligible to be exchanged for an account credit.
• The Wireless Foundation's Call to Protect program collects working cell phones for distribution to victims of domestic violence. Learn more at wirelessfoundation.org.

iPODS, MP3 PLAYERS

Waste stream:
• In April 2007, Apple announced the 100th million sale of its ubiquitous iPod, which first hit the market in 2001. iPods and other players have spawned an entire industry of related accessories, from cases to speakers to car chargers -- an eventual mother lode of trash.
Recycling:
• Bring iPods, functioning or not, to any Apple store for recycling and receive a 10% discount on your next iPod purchase. Also, Staples stores have recycling bins for any type of MP3 player or hand-held electronic.
Charity:
• The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation works with flipswap.com to turn donated iPods into a cash contribution. Simply assess your iPod's condition to find out the estimated cash value, then send it in to have that amount donated to the Komen Foundation. Visit www.cellphonetradeins.com.
• Donating your working MP3 player to local nonprofits is music to needy ears. List your player on eBay with eBay Giving Works, and designate all or a percentage of the profits from its sale to Miami charities like Adopt-a-Classroom, CareResource, and Zo's Fund for Life. Go to givingworks.ebay.com.
For profit:
• iPod has spawned more than 10 generations since its inception, and newer models like iPod Touch, iPod Video or the most recent iPod Nano have good resale value. On eBay, a used 30 gigabyte iPod Video can currently fetch about $150.

TVs, DVD PLAYERS, STEREOS

Heavy facts:
• Analog televisions, VCRs, and bulky stereos -- these retirees can contain all the same harmful compounds as smaller gadgets, and then some (a 27-inch television can contain up to eight pounds of lead). Dispose of them responsibly at Miami-Dade Trash & Recycling Centers; visit www.miamidade.gov/dswm for locations.
Charity:
• Miami Rescue Mission accepts working electronics in good condition for resale at their Bargain Barn Thrift Store in downtown Miami. All proceeds benefit the organization's homeless assistance programs. Bring items to 2133 NW 21 Court, Miami or arrange for pickup by visiting www.miamirescuemission.com.
• Find a new home for dejected electronics by joining the Miami Freecycle email group. Submit your free item to the group, and a daily email to all 4300+ members tells what stuff is up for grabs. Go to www.freecyle.org and type in 'Miami' to get started.

COMPUTERS & PERIPHERALS

Trash stat:
• In the past ten years, over 500 million personal computers became obsolete. Computer monitors use cathode ray tubes that contain of two to four pounds of lead, and are even classified as hazardous waste in some states.
Recycling
• The manufacturer of your PC or laptop may offer a recycling or trade-in program. Dell offers free recycling for all its products at any time, and also allows new customers to trade-in old non-Dell computers with purchase. Visit www.dell.com/recycle for more information, and check out a similar program by Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com).
Charity:
• The National Cristina Foundation works to provide newer, working computers and peripheral equipment to the disabled or economically disadvantaged. Go to www.cristina.org to determine if your PC is an accepted model. If so, Cristina will work to find an appropriate recipient for your computer in the South Florida area.

TOXIC TRASH

Besides e-waste, plenty of other toxic household materials require special disposal. At earth911.org, you can enter the type of trash and your zip code to find places nearby that either recycle the material or dispose of it safely. These services are usually free.

Hazardous household trash can include:
• Used motor oil
• Antifreeze
• Car batteries, regular batteries
• Tires
• Paint
• Cleaners
• Fluorescent bulbs
• Asbestos
• Fertilizer
• Pesticide, fungicide

*Note: Remember to remove any personal information from computers, cellphones, PDAs, or any other storage devices before donating or recycling.

Sources: United States Environmental Protection Agency, CollectiveGood Foundation, Scientific American, earth911.org

Review: BlackJack II charms me with applications, but snubs my need for bigger buttons

Got a new review for you folks, this time it's the BlackJack II by Samsung. You can lose yourself (and lose track of time) in all the multimedia you can do with this smartphone -- one thing especially neat is being able to subscribe to your favorite RSS feeds. And it is easy to watch streaming video, including full episodes of The Office. But the buttons... alas, they were just too small for my texting needs. It's not terribly small. I'm just used to bigger. (That's what she said?)

Click here to read the full review or watch the 60-Second Review video below.

AT&T challenges college students to come up with the next great college mobile application

AT&T has announced a contest for college students and staff to come up with the mobile applications to enhance academic performance, build campus community and help improve campus security operations.

It's called the Big Mobile On Campus Challenge and ends Aug. 31st. The winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship. The two runners-up will receive a $5,000 scholarship and device of choice. (I'm guessing they'll end up picking iPhones.)

For more details about the challenge, click here.

Mobile marketing network aimed at Hispanics

HipCricket, a 4-year-old mobile marketing company based in Washington, has announced the launch of a Hispanic-focused mobile marketing network. HipCricket will work with several Hispanic media companies and brands to send out interactive messages to targeted mobile devices.

Hispanic media companies Bustos Media and Lotus Radio are among the first to join HipCricket's Hispanic marketing network. HipCricket announced the news as part of its visit to the Voz Latina Hispanic Marketing Conference on Thursday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood.

"Brands want a one-stop shop and an ability to tap into a network of opted-in audience or consumers," said Ivan Braiker, chief executive of HipCricket.

HipCricket has done more than 17,000 mobile marketing campaigns, and each time customers have to agree to receive the texts. The company reports that Hispanics have been among the most responsive to mobile marketing campaigns, with 32 percent saying they are interested or very interested in mobile marketing messages.

A recent M:Metrics study reports that Hispanics are among the most active mobile consumers and are more inclined to access news or information from a mobile browser than the average subscriber.

Users typically opt-in to a mobile marketing program by texting a code to a short string of five or six digits so they can receive information via text messages. Braiker said users can opt out of any mobile marketing program at any time by texting a word
such as stop or out.

"Overall I think they are going to see their experience is going to be a pleasant one. Our opt-out rate overall is just slightly over 1 percent,'' Braiker said.

AT&T offers Dish Network service, adds cell site to Pembroke Pines

This week, AT&T Wireless activated a new cell site in southwestern Pembroke Pines on Pembroke Road, which is "an area in great need of the expanded coverage," spokeswoman Kelly Starling said via e-mail. The site is part of a $220 million investment in AT&T's Florida wireless network this year.

The new site provides added coverage to southwestern Pembroke Pines and northwestern Miramar, from S.W. 172nd Ave. to S.W. 196th Ave and from Pines Boulevard south to Miramar Parkway.

The company reports they plan to activate another new cell site on N.W. 184th Ave. later this year.

In addition, AT&T is allowing customers in the Southeastern states to order the DISH Network service, which offers more than 250 channels.  Go here to read the press release from AT&T. For more information on prices and bundles, visit www.att.com/dish.

Testing out the Sprint Rumor by LG

Another Tech Tuesday, another review. This time it's the Sprint Rumor by LG. It's all about the texting (don't you just love those clever cellphone names?) The price is great -- it's not often you get a cute phone that has a buy-one-get-one deal (plus I'm a sucker for a full QWERTY keyboard). Read the review online or watch the video below:

Sprint offers an unlimited $99.99 plan that is unlimited everything

Today Sprint announced that it will now be offering a $99.99 "simply everything" plan, which allows for unlimited talk, data, GPS, web... everything. It comes just days after Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile all announced their $99.99 unlimited plans last week.

But if you want everything unlimited with Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile -- like all data and web -- then you'll have to pay more than $99.99.

Nanci Schwartz, a spokeswoman for Sprint, told me today that they are offering everything unlimited because, "If you're going to offer it, offer what everybody wants."

Will Sprint's actions influence others to also add other data services into the $99.99 plan? It's likely data prices will be the next big fight between companies. Bear Stearns analyst Mike McCormack told the AP that this move by Sprint Nextel was a "Hail Mary" because the company is having a rough time now. It's earnings report released today showed a $29.5 billion loss.

What are your thoughts on the $99.99 unlimited plans everyone offers? Do you care about unlimited voice that you'll pay $100 a month to not worry about it? Are you paying more now? Or are you more of a texter that only makes a few short calls during the month?

AT&T to beef up Florida wireless network

AT&T announced that it will invest about $220 million into its Florida wireless network by adding more than 70 new cellular sites this year.

South Florida areas that will benefit from the new cellular sites include Pembroke Pines, The Breakers Hotel & Resort in Palm Beach, Weston, Miami, White City, Palm City, Islamorada and Key West.

AT&T reports that its high-speed wireless broadband service called 3G will be available in Sarasota, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Naples and Vero Beach by the end of this year. It also reports that the 3G service in Orlando, Lakeland and Tampa will be expanded.

As of 2005, AT&T says it has invested more than $1 billion in the state's wireless network.

According to the press release, the following are some of the areas in Florida that AT&T's new cell sites will effect:

SOUTH FLORIDA:

• Southwest Pembroke Pines (south of Pines Boulevard)
• Pembroke Pines (Northwest Johnston Street area)
• The Breakers Hotel & Resort in Palm Beach
• Weston (Saddle Club Road, Arvida Parkway and Indian Trace areas)
• Miami (west of Miami International Airport, Northwest 25th Street area)
• White City (Indian River Estates area)
• Palm City (Southwest 34th Terrace area)
• Islamorada (Lower Matecumbe Key)
• Key West (Kennedy Drive area)

WEST FLORIDA

• West Tampa
• Eagles subdivision in northwestern Hillsborough County
• Summerfield Crossing in Hillsborough County
• St. Petersburg (Coquina Key and surrounding neighborhoods)
• Indian Rocks Beach in Pinellas County
• Ridgecrest Park area in Pinellas County
• East of Tarpon Springs (Pinellas County)
• Sarasota (Bee Ridge area)
• Fort Myers (Gateway area)
• Brooksville
• Beverly Hills
• Branchton
• Dover
• Spring Hill
• Berkley
• Weeki Wachee
• Zephyrhills
• West-central Pasco County
• Port Richey (Magnolia Valley Golf Club area)
• Meadowpoint community in Pasco County
• New Tampa

CENTRAL FLORIDA

• Downtown Orlando
• Orlando (south of downtown area)
• Waterford Lakes community (Orange County)
• North Windermere
• Winter Springs (Tuskawilla Golf Club area in Seminole County)
• Bonneville community (Orange County)
• East Colonial/Alafaya Trail area (Orange County)
• Celebration
• Wildwood
• Lady Lake
• The Villages
• Downtown Lakeland
• Anthony
• Melbourne
• Daytona Beach (near the intersection of I-95 and I-4)
• Ocala
• Downtown Ocala
• Silver Springs

NORTH FLORIDA

• Northern Jacksonville (near I-295 and Duval Road)
• Southern Jacksonville (near I-95 and Old St. Augustine Road/Bayard area)
• Chimney Lakes area of Jacksonville
• Doctor’s Lake area, south of Orange Park in Jacksonville
• Riverside area in downtown Jacksonville
• St. Johns Town Center Mall in Jacksonville
• Southern end of Southside Boulevard in Jacksonville
• Cecil Field Naval Air Station in Jacksonville
• Italia (Nassau County)
• Palm Coast area, near Old Kings Road (Flagler County)
• Cimarrone Country Club area (St. Johns County)
• Western Clay County
• Gainesville (near Northwest 34th Street and Northwest Eighth Avenue)
• East of downtown Tallahassee along Route 27
• Downtown Apalachicola (Gulf County)
• Downtown Live Oak (Suwannee County)
• Downtown Panama City

Farewell to keyboards?

Microsoft chair Bill Gates told a group of students at Carnegie Mellon that in five years we will be using touch screens more and the majority of Internet searches will be done by speech rather than by typing on a keyboard. [Read the story here.]

Five years? Uh, seems like a stretch. I don't know about you folks, but I need a keyboard. And it doesn't make sense in a work environment. Say goodbye to doing non-work stuff while at work. "Computer, search Amazon for purple pumps." Busted. The same goes for a cellphone and touch screens. I like touch screens, but I rather have a QWERTY keyboard rather than have a touch-screen keyboard, because I type faster on an actual keyboard. What about you? Can you see yourself doing verbal searches? I think a whole new generation needs to grow up in a voice-search world before something like that takes off.

Spread the <3 - The most popular texting holiday of the year

Thanks to text messaging, millions of people never need to share their feelings using spoken words. Just shorthand, vowel-less digital lingo will do the trick.

AT&T reports that Valentine's Day is the busiest time for texting. The wireless company said that in 2007 there was a 33 percent spike in its text messaging traffic on V-Day. In second place was Christmas with a 30 percent increase, followed by New Year's with a 26 percent increase.

A report from VeriSign says a new texting record will be made today with an estimated 2.2 billion mobile messages sent and received in North America.

I always thought New Year's Eve was the busiest, because this year when I tried to send texts out between Midnight and 2 a.m., my service failed to send anything because too many people were jamming it up sending texts. But I guess that's just a text rush in a span of a few hours, whereas today is all-day long.

AT&T came out with a list of shorthand you're likely to see today. I think they made almost all of these up. Have you ever used GNSD? or FTBOMH? I'm sorry, but if you type IMU instead of I miss you, then you're just lazy. It's not that hard to text three short words. In fact, I don't know anyone that texts me shorthand besides the classic "lol." And they don't even have I <3 U on the list, which is more popular than ILU. Well anyway, here is their list. Let me know if you've actually used any of these:

• 2G2BT (Too good to be true)
• 4EAE (Forever and ever)
• 4U (For you)
• AML (All my love)
• D8 (Date)
• FTBOMH (From the bottom of my heart)
• GNSD (Good night, sweet dreams)
• H2CUS (Hope to see you soon)
• ILU (I love you)
• IMU (I miss you)
• ISLY (I still love you)
• IWALU (I will always love you)
• KOTC (Kiss on the cheek)
• KOTL (Kiss on the lips)
• QT (Cutie)
• TY (Thank you)
• TOY (Thinking of you)
• URH (Your are hot)
• UW (You're welcome)
• XOXOXO (Hugs & Kisses)

I think XOXO is the only one on that list that people actually use. But maybe I'm just not up to speed with today's hip text lingo. Whteva.

Frugal spenders, look away. Review of a $700 phone.

It seems like a sin to call it a cellphone when it costs $700. Nokia calls it a "multimedia computer" -- but it makes more sense to call it an all-in-one phone that plays media files and has two cameras. (Yes, I said two cameras.)

You can read this week's review here. Today is also the premiere of my 60-Second Video Review, which you can watch below. I'll be doing videos of the product reviews on Tuesdays, so check back for more gadgets each week.

Hey, loser! Get a job!

No, I'm not calling you a loser. But your phone is.

If you can't stick to your New Year's resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight, get a job or get out of debt, then you can download ringtones to motivate you. And no, not all are the peppy rah-rah-rah-mommy-loves-you-and-you-can-do-it motivation. It's the feel-bad-about-yourself-for-being-a-loser-and-have-an-embarrassing-ringtone-until-you change-your-habits motivation.

Hear it for yourself at www.thumbplay.com/newyears

Toss out your old electronics on Saturday

As part of a Comedy Central environmental campaign, Sony Electronics and Waste Management will collect old electronics in front of The Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason Theater Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in connection with the South Beach Comedy Festival to help "Scrap Your Crap and Save the Planet."

Accepted: items like mobile phones, computer monitors, computers, printers, fax machines, keyboards, TVs, VCRs, stereos, home and office phones, cell phones, and consumer electronics.

Not accepted: microwaves, smoke and alarm detectors, thermometers, dehumidifiers, large appliances or any unit with sludge or liquids.

To learn more about the network's "Address the Mess" initiative, go to addressthemess.com. Don't live in Miami? The site has a place to search for other places to toss out electronic waste near your zip code.

Sprint adds cell sites to Dade and Broward

Sprint announced today that over the course of the year it has added more than 470 Sprint and Nextel cell sites throughout Florida. Sprint reports that it spent close to $166.7 million in Florida for the first half of this year, and that nationally it invested more than $6 billion for the whole year.

Sprint spokeswoman Nanci Schwartz, said Florida is "a very savvy mobile market," compared to other areas because of the high demand for advanced services from customers. "In order to keep up with that demand but to anticipate future needs, Sprint is committed to investing in that community," she said.

Miami-Dade County received 37 new sites. A few key areas include:

• Miami Gardens, east of I-75 near NW 186th Street and NW 68th Avenue
• Cutler Ridge, east of the Turnpike, near SW 97th Avenue
• Coconut Grove shopping and entertainment district
• Opa-Locka Airport and surrounding neighborhood
• Homestead, near the Prime Outlets and Homestead Miami International Speedway
• Sunny Isles hotel district

The company added 27 cell sites in Broward County. Key areas include:

• Miramar commerce district and surrounding neighborhoods
• Plantation, near the Broward Mall at University Drive and Perimeter Road
• Near Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale International Airport, by I-595 and SW 12th Avenue
• Coral Springs business district, near Sample Road and Coral Springs Drive
• Davie, along I-595 near SW 88th Avenue
• Pompano Beach at Lighthouse Point City Hall, near Federal Highway and NE 36th Street

Keep these questions in mind when buying phones

On Thanksgiving weekend my family and I bought new cellphones. For me the choice it was easy because I knew exactly what features I wanted and what services were important to me. But if you go into a store not knowing what you want, it can be maddening trying to sort out features like megapixels, mp3 players, touch screens and full QWERTY keyboards.

And if you're buying one for a present, it can be especially tough trying to pick the perfect phone. If you want to bring your kid into the store to get the phone but don't want to spoil the surprise, you could always just buy a gift card and go with them to the store the next day to pick one out. (But of course that isn't as much fun as unwrapping an actual phone.)

So here are some basic guidelines to buying phones for pre-teens, teenagers and young adults. I would suggest buying it at a date where you can still return or exchange it a few days after it is given. That way, if the phone isn't right, they can still go back to the store and get what they want or modify the plan.

The first rule is make sure to buy a plan for text messaging and sending photos to other phones, because practically everyone in that age group are heavy texters. And even if you don't buy a plan for text messaging and somehow keep your child from texting, their friends will still text them and you can be charged for receiving texts.

AT&T Wireless provided the following questions you should ask when choosing phones and services. I think its best to take home a booklet of information on your provider's phones and plans, and then figure out what works best before picking out the phones. That will save you a good amount of time.

For pre-teens and teenagers:

1. How many in the household need wireless service?
2. How many minutes will be needed each month and how many months the service will be required?
3. Is the data plan associated with the phone ample to avoid overages for text messaging and data use via the phone?
4. Which phones are the most convenient for children to call at home?
5. Are there additional services that can help parents and children stay connected when they are not at home together?

If you are buying for someone who is college age or older, they might find it very important to have Internet access to check e-mails. Here are some other questions to keep in mind for young adults:

1. If the children are at an out-of-state school, is there a national plan set up to avoid roaming charges?
2. Does the phone have a camera, and will they use it enough that they'll need a high megapixel?
3. Do you need a plan that includes downloading online music, social networking or games?

I hope some of these questions help better organize your shopping plans. Some of the most expensive phones this holiday are touch-screen phones, but just because they are the newest and most expensive doesn't mean they make the best gift. And if they are rough with phones, be sure to get something that can survive a few drops on the hard floor.

Verizon opens network to outside devices and applications

The following press release announces that Verizon will allow customers to run non-Verizon phones and software on the Verizon network starting at the end of 2008. Considering how many people are trying to get the iPhone to work on other networks, I wonder if other carriers will follow in Verizon's footsteps:

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless today announced that it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company.  Verizon Wireless plans to have this new choice available to customers throughout the country by the end of 2008.

In early 2008, the company will publish the technical standards the development community will need to design products to interface with the Verizon Wireless network.  Any device that meets the minimum technical standard will be activated on the network.  Devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab which received an additional investment this year to gear up for the anticipated new demand.  Any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.

This new option goes beyond just a change in the design, delivery, purchase, and provisioning of wireless devices and applications.

“This is a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass market wireless devices – one which we believe will set the table for the next level of innovation and growth,” said Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer.  “Verizon Wireless is not changing our successful retail model, but rather adding an additional retail option for customers looking for a different wireless experience.”

Verizon Wireless will continue to provide a full-service offering, from retail stores where customers can shop, to 24/7 customer service and technical support, to an easy-to-use handset interface and optimized software applications.

While most Verizon Wireless customers prefer the convenience of full service, the company is listening through today’s announcement to a small but growing number of customers who want another choice without full service.

Both full-service and “bring-your-own” customers will have the advantage of using America’s most reliable network. Following publication of technical standards, Verizon Wireless will host a conference to explain the standards and get input from the development community on how to achieve the company’s goals for network performance while making it easy for them to deliver devices.

Verizon Wireless has a track record of listening to customers and transforming entrenched industry practices based on those customer needs.  The company parted with the industry last year when it introduced pro-rated early termination fees, and in 2004 when it refused to participate in a wireless directory when customers said they didn’t want one.  Verizon Wireless also broke with “wireless tradition” when it supported local number portability because customers wanted the freedom to take their number if they switched service providers.  Such responsiveness to customers has earned Verizon Wireless the strongest brand reputation in the industry.

AT&T expands 3G network in Dade and Broward

AT&T has announced today that it activated 35 of its 3G cellphone service sites in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The new 3G sites are part of AT&T's 2007 $133 million investment in its Florida wireless network. The company said it has invested more than $800 million in the state's wireless network since 2005 to improve coverage.

Only AT&T's 3G capable phones can take advantage of the service, which gives phones the ability to download data at speeds between 600 to 1,400 Kb per second. Here are the locations of the new 3G cell sites:

• Along Southwest 8th Street and 97th Avenue in Miami.
• In the southern tip of Key Biscayne, near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.
• On the University of Miami Coral Cables campus.
• At the Miami Shores Golf and Country Club.
• From Northeast 117th Street to Northeast 96th Street in Miami Shores.
• In the Goulds area of Miami.
• Along Card Sound Road and U.S. Highway 1 from Southwest 376th Street to Southwest 420th Street in Homestead.
• At the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport and the Country Walk community in Miami.
• At the Palmetto Golf Course and Jackson South Hospital in Miami.
• For the Dolphin Expressway to the north, Northwest 99th Avenue to the east, and Northwest 112th Avenue to the west.
• In the area of Northwest 54th Street and 79th Avenue and along the Palmetto Expressway in the Doral area of Miami.
• In the residential and commercial area near Sunset Drive and 117th Avenue in Miami.
• In western Kendall, from Southwest 52nd Street to the north, Southwest 72nd Street to the south and Southwest 162nd Avenue to the east.
• In Miami at Southwest 84th Street to the north, Southwest 112th Street to the south, Southwest 154th Avenue to the east and Southwest 167th Avenue to the west.
• In the Redlands and on the Redlands Golf Course.
• Along Southwest 200th Street, Southwest 240th Street, Southwest 147th Avenue and Southwest 167th Avenue in Miami.
• Along U.S. Highway 1 to the north, Bayshore Drive to the south, 17th Avenue to the east and 27th Avenue to the west in Miami.
• At the Publix distribution center on Miami Gardens Drive and from Northeast 191st Street to Northwest 177th Street in Miami.
• From Northwest 17th Street to the north, Northwest 14th Avenue to the west, Northwest 8th Court to the east and along Northwest 12th Avenue near Jackson Hospital in Miami.
• On South Beach near the Miami Beach Convention Center and along the western side of Lincoln Road.
• Along Collins Avenue, from 56th Street to 67th Street, in Miami Beach.
• From Southwest 172nd Street to the north, Southwest 200th Street to the south, Southwest 132nd Avenue to the east and Southwest 160th Avenue to the west in Miami.
• Along A-1-A from Beach Place in Fort Lauderdale north to Sunrise Boulevard and south to Yankee Clipper.
• North of Dolphin Stadium, along University Dr. and Northwest 27th Avenue.
• Between University Drive and Southwest 65th Avenue and Broward Boulevard to Clearly Boulevard in Plantation.
• In the community of Pembroke Pines, from Griffin Road to Sheridan Street and from U.S. Highway 27 to 172nd Avenue.
• At the Galleria Mall and along Sunrise Boulevard and U.S. Highway 1 in Fort Lauderdale.
• At the Sawgrass Mills Mall and the adjacent area in Sunrise.
• Along Stirling Road between Park Road and North 45th Avenue in Hollywood.
• In Pompano Beach along Atlantic Avenue and U.S. Highway 1 east to A-1-A, west to Dixie Highway, north to Northeast 10th Street and south to Southeast 9th Street.
• In Opa-Locka, from Ely Road to Gratigny Expressway.
• In downtown Fort Lauderdale along U.S. Highway 1 from Southeast 6th Street to Davie Boulevard.
• In central Coral Springs, along Coral Springs Drive from Royal Palm Boulevard to Riverside Drive and east and west along Coral Ridge Road to University Drive.
• Along Hillsboro Boulevard and Dixie Highway, north to Palm Way, east to A-1-A, west to
• I-95 and south to Southwest 10th Street in Deerfield Beach.
• Inside and outside the Panther Arena in Sunrise.
• Inside and outside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood.

New flexibility for AT&T Wireless customers

AT&T has announced that starting in November, customers who want to change a calling plan don't have to extend their current contract or enter into a new contract.

And if customers want to exit their contract early, there will be no constant flat termination fee -- rather, that fee gets smaller and smaller during the length of the contract. That means you'll pay a larger termination fee in the beginning of a two year contract, and you would pay less if say there were only two months left in the contract. This "early-termination policy" will start in early 2008 for new and renewing wireless customers who sign one- or two-year service agreements.