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.

Product Review: MoGo Mouse is a no-go

This week I got to review the über-thin MoGo X54 Pro mouse. It's a Bluetooth mouse that doubles as a presentation tool with a laser pointer. It's a neat 2-in-1 concept for someone who does many presentations from their laptop, such as a college professor. But it's not a good pick for a main mouse.

Get the full review in my video below or read the story in today's Miami Herald.

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.

Review of the IRIScan Executive 2 portable scanner

Are you in a Spring cleaning mood and want to get organized? I got the scanner for you organiz-aholics out there. It's the IRIScan 2, a lightweight portable scanner. The Executive 2 package I tested has software to take the text that was scanned and translate it into an editable word document. It also does this with business cards and exports them into a program like your Outlook contacts list.

It's not perfect in recognizing text, so you always have to fix some character here and there that it misinterpreted. But it still is faster than typing in every field on your own into your Outlook contacts list. And you can scan your receipts to digitally organize your records. The max width of paper that can fit through the scanner is 8.5-inches.

Click here to read my full review online, or watch the video below to see the scanner in action.

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

Getting chummy with the Chumby

If you love online widgets, Wi-Fi and wacky gadgets, you'll love the Chumby. Using your home's wireless network, it sits on your counter and scrolls through all sorts of neat things on the Internet. You go on the Chumby.com site to tell it which widgets (aka web applications) you want to show up on the screen - and it can be anything: check weather, get Facebook status updates, watch YouTube videos, play games, listen to music, get alerts when you have e-mail, show off photos... there are more than 500 widgets for this. Check out some of the features in the video below, or read my review in today's Miami Herald.

The fact that people are making new widgets for this is what makes it great, because there's always something new you can put on the screen. It's easy to use and understand, even for the non-techy person, and it's not too pricey at $180. It makes more sense to put this in a room where the computer isn't in, like a kitchen or in the living room.

Click here to read the full review or see what it looks like in the video below.

Levar Burton wishes he had one of these.

Remember playing with a View-Master as a kid? Well the Vuzix iWear AV920 is like a View-Master on steroids. You connect it to a media device like a portable DVD player or iPod, and you can watch the video on the screen inside the glasses. It also has speakers that rest on your ears (but you can remove them and use your own earbuds if you want.)

It's a neat product if you often watch videos while traveling. And the picture is great... but it's only worth if you own a media player with a video output to connect with it. And if you own one of the newer iPods, like the iPod Touch or iPod Classic, then you need to get your own cord (the one in the box only works with older iPod models).

But if you aren't sure that your media player will work with this, Vuzix has a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can always send it back.

Read my review in today's Miami Herald or watch the video below to learn more about it:

Bought an HD-DVD player from Best Buy? They'll give you $50 for your troubles.

Since Blu-ray won the high definition movie format battle against HD-DVD, I'm sure people who own HD-DVD players are feeling pretty crummy that their system is obsolete.

Best Buy feels pity on their customers that went with the losing side, and will give a $50 gift card for every customer that bought an HD-DVD player or attachment anytime before February 23. The company expects to distribute more than $10 million in gift cards across the country. Read up on details at www.bestbuy.com/hddvd.

And of course with the $50, they hope it eases the pain of having to spend several hundred on a Blu-ray player. As of right now, the cheapest Blu-ray players advertised on the Best Buy site cost $399.99, which is also the cost of a PlayStation 3 (which in case you didn't know, plays Blu-ray movies).

And if you want to get rid of that HD-DVD player, Best Buy said they'll buy it back. Starting Friday, go to bestbuytradein.com and get an estimate of the value of your player and HD-DVD movies. If you're happy with the price, they'll give you a gift card worth the trade-in value. And you didn't have to buy it from BestBuy to trade it in to them.

How green are you with your tech?

So the recent issue of PC Magazine (available March 18th) features stories and columns about green technology. And they came up with this new test to rank a product environmentally friendly (energy efficient, recyclable, Energy Star certified...). Some of the facts in there were pretty shocking: "Making one desktop and monitor requires 530 pounds of fossil fuel, 58 pounds of chemicals, and 1.5 tons of water." Shiesh.

And then I came across other green news about AOL pushing for paperless coupons. There would be no need to print or cut anything out. Just go online, click which coupons you want to use and add them to a user account, and when you get to the store, show the cashier a card that has your user account info on it, and it'll ring up the coupons you checked off. I love that idea! Not because it's "green" but because I'm lazy and this is a very simple way to save money. (That is, if more stores got on board with the program. Kroger is the only grocery store using it now. Come on, Publix!)

But all this green today got me thinking about my tech habits. I'm not someone who will buy a computer because it is green. I'm going to buy a computer because it's the computer that's best for me. But on the other hand, I am pretty wasteful with electricity. I leave my computer on at home... and I leave other gadgets plugged in all over the house.

I'm going to start making an effort to turn the computer off when I'm not using it. (I wonder how long that mission of mine will last.) And PC Mag says if all U.S. commuters worked from home just one day a week, we could save 5.85 billion gallons of oil each year. So next time you feel like working from home, just guilt your boss that you're hurting the Earth every time you come in!

The late tech adopters: Upgrades? Pisssh. They don't need no stinkin' upgrades!

There was a great story in the New York Times today about tech laggards... you know, the people who still use dial-up AOL and Netscape.

I had to have multiple conversations with my parents into getting rid of the dial-up AOL and switching to high speed. My mom would say, "But why? I get my e-mail, it works, I don't need to change." And I would give lectures showing her how her life would be better with high speed, or if a banking website timed out I'd tell her that it wouldn't be a problem if she had high-speed Internet. Or I would explain that many websites are designed with heavy graphics and Flash and they expect you to have high-speed to use the site.

But if it wasn't for me pushing, I bet they still would have dial-up... or worse... do something like pay monthly for AOL and a broadband service. I was pretty much the last kid on the block to switch from dial-up to high speed. I would come home from college and have to explain to friends, no, I can't watch the movie trailer online... I have dial up.

Do you know tech laggards who won't change just for the sake of upgrading? It's the attitude of: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The story says about 1 million people still use Netscape, ignoring messages to change browsers.

Read the full story here.

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?

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.

Blu-ray wins. Millions of HD DVD supporters lose.

HD DVD now joins the ranks of the Betamax and the LaserDisc.

It's really no surprise that Blu-ray won the high definition video battle. Aside from the fact that major companies like Disney have backed it, the biggest advantage was that PlayStation 3 has a Blu-ray player, so already the gamers of the world picked a side. Last week Best Buy said they would recommend Blu-ray to customers, and Wal-Mart said they would only sell Blu-ray. And Toshiba sealed the deal yesterday when the company announced it would no longer make HD DVD players. 

I am just so glad the war is over. I have put off buying any high-def movie players, and for that matter I haven't bought many regular DVDs either.  I figured Blu-ray would be a winner, but just having two brands was a big discouragement for me to be an early adapter.

Toshiba said more than a million people bought a HD DVD player from them. Are you one of them? Or did you buy into Blu-ray with confidence?

Gizmodo banned from CES

It's almost unthinkable, yet they did it. With the help of a TV-B-Gone clicker, tech blog Gizmodo wreaked havoc all over the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. The clicker turns off just about any nearby TV. Just watch the video below.

I don't think I could be this evil. But I'm glad Gizmodo has no conscience, cause this is hysterical.

But I gotta say, turning off screens during people's presentations was going way too far. Makes you wonder if Gizmodo will be invited back to cover it next year.

UPDATE: Gizmodo has been banned from ever coming back to any Consumer Electronics Show event. It's not yet known if its owner, Gawker Media, or its affiliated media outlets will be punished.

This show is only open to the media, and I'm glad they were punished. A true journalist would never interfere with an event to create their own news, or cause harm to others to get an entertaining story. They sabatoged presentations, and that's over the line. And it serves as a warning for other non-serious bloggers.

There's also the chance that this stunt may sway CES officials to not allow bloggers full-access press credentials in the future. I don't believe in punishing every blogger for the sins of one, but it could happen.

Learning how to use your new gadgets

You got a spiffy new tech gadget for the holidays - yay! But do you know how to use it? Do you read a manual, or just wing it and figure it out as you go along?

I'm more of the latter, with a few exceptions. So far the only devices I've needed to read a manual for this holiday were a Kodak digital photo frame (which didn't help me much) and to set up a Magellan GPS. But I didn't bother reading the manual for my new cellphone because I didn't need to -- I just learned by messing around with it.

If you're hunting for a manual, the OwnerIQ network of Web sites owns URLs including TV.ManualsOnline.com, Audio.ManualsOnline.com, CarAudio.ManualsOnline.com and PortableMedia.ManualsOnline.com. The company conducted a survey that 20 percent of Internet savvy consumers review product manuals before even buying the product. I never even thought of doing that, but maybe now I will.

OwnerIQ said it surveyed about 2,700 of its users in September. Other results from the survey include:

• More than 86 percent of consumer respondents cited the user manual as the first place they turn to learn about the products they own
• More than 77 percent noted that one of the most frequent reasons for consulting a user manual is to learn about using product features
• Fifty-five percent said that a search engine -- not the manufacturer's website -- was the first place they go when trying to find a manual online
• 95 percent of surveyed users report referring to a user manual two times or more during the past year
• 65 percent of the most Internet savvy respondents say they consult user manuals more than five times a year
• 89 percent reported negative feelings about the manufacturer when they had trouble obtaining the user manual

My biggest peeve is when a company tells you to go online to read the full manual -- just because they want to save paper. I'm all for being green, but when I'm having an issue with a product, I turn to the manual that came in the box. I paid for that product and I expect there to be a manual with it. And if a little piece of paper tells me I need to hunt for a PDF online to fix something that has a simple answer, that only adds to the frustration.

Getting your tech presents to work

Yay! Someone gave you a GPS for your car this holiday! But, uh, how do you install it?

The Geek Squad has created a series of videos called "Two Minute Miracles," where they will show you how to set up your new tech gift. So before getting frustrated and returning it to the store, visit the site and see if they have an answer for you.

The videos they currently have online are for

• Car GPS
• Car MP3 player
• Digital photo slideshows
• Game system streaming
• HDTV connections
• Setting up a wireless router

I did a story awhile back about what its like to have the job of a Geek Squad agent, and the agent told me that tons of people return wireless routers because they can't get them to work, but nothing is broken with the router. As an agent he often has to come out to get them working, and even he admitted it wasn't easy the first few times. So before paying for someone to come out and help, perhaps this two-minute video can help. (Then again, if wireless could easily be set up in two minutes, it would be a miracle...)

Geek Squad: [Holiday "Two Minute Miracles"]

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.

Where no home theater has gone before

OK so technically it's not where "no" home theater has gone before, since there are several people in this solar system with seriously devoted sci-fi themed rooms, but I thought I'd share this little gem I heard about from Into Tomorrow.

Electronic House writes about a local Trekkie with style: A resident from Palm Beach County has turned their home theater into a starship bridge from Star Trek. He also built a bar and ready room area. This is one truly glorious piece of nerdness. Click here to see the room.

SanDisk device puts downloaded shows on the TV

SanDisk is making a USB drive that lets you view the shows you download off the Internet on a television. I think it's great that there are devices like this coming out that connect the Internet and television experience. I remember visiting a Radio Shack about a year ago looking for a cable to connect my laptop to my television so I could watch what I downloaded, and they didn't have anything that could do that. (Ugh.) But glad to see that a big name like SanDisk is getting in the PC-meets-TV game.

By MAY WONG
AP Technology Writer

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- (AP) -- Flash memory maker SanDisk Corp. on Monday will debut an online video service and a USB flash drive that can carry television programs and videos from a computer for playback on TVs.

The Sansa TakeTV video player -- an ensemble of an oversized USB drive, remote control and a small dock that connects to a TV -- and its accompanying video service, Fanfare, marks the latest attempt by a company looking to bridge content between the PC and the television.

Similar to using a USB drive to store and move data files, users of TakeTV can drag-and-drop video files stored on their computer -- Fanfare downloads, home videos or other unrestricted video content from the Web -- onto the device. Users can then plug it into the cradle connected to a TV. A simple menu appears on the TV to scroll through the files for playback.

The TakeTV player is $99.99 for a 4 gigabyte model and $149.99 for an 8 GB one that can hold up to 10 hours of video. Fanfare, in a test stage, offers premium TV shows for $1.99 per download -- roughly the same price as rival services, but SanDisk says it hopes to ultimately provide a broad mixture of free and ad-supported content as well as pay-per-download videos.

Fanfare's catalog at launch is small, with about 85 titles. It features TV shows from CBS, including "CSI'' and "Survivor," Showtime, TV Guide, and Smithsonian Networks. Dozens of titles are being added each week, SanDisk said.

The online video service is a new venture for Milpitas-based SanDisk, which is the leading maker of flash memory cards and holds a distant but steady second-place position behind Apple Inc. in the portable media player market with a 10 percent share in the U.S., according to market researcher IDC.

SanDisk saw an opportunity in the fledgling market it didn't want to pass up, said Kate Purmal, senior vice president and general manager of SanDisk's digital content unit.

The distribution of videos, movies and television shows over the Internet is expected to grow as companies ranging from Apple and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to the TV networks themselves compete for the audience. The various methods of getting the video from over the Internet onto the TV, however, has yet to become easy or cheap enough for the mainstream market.

CBS Corp., one of SanDisk's first major partners, found in its consumer research of the TakeTV product that people liked its simplicity, compact size, and price, said David Poltrack, president of CBS Vision.

SanDisk will need to build a larger video catalog to succeed, said Danielle Levitas, analyst at IDC.

Sneak Peak at New Verizon Phones

It's an exciting time in the world of cellphones.

Verizon Wireless held a pep-rally for it's South Florida employees on Monday in Plantation to talk about the newest phones hitting the stores in October and November. Afterward I was able to take a gander at the new batch of phones, and some of the models are nothing like what customers have seen before.

First out will be the Verizon Wireless Juke by Samsung. It's not thin like a Razr, but it sure is long and skinny. Aside from it coming in a bright red, teal or blue, it's the way that it opens that will catch people's attention. It's not a clam shell, or a slider -- it's a switch blade. The cover flicks 180 degrees counter-clockwise to reveal a keypad.

As its name implies, it is designed for music lovers. But unlike other phones, it is not V CAST music capable.

"We listened to what young customers told us," said Verizon Wireless Florida spokesman Chuck Hamby, and young customers didn't think it was necessary to download through the V CAST network since they can just connect it with their computers to add music. So to bring down the price, the V CAST music technology is not included. It's certainly a device aimed at younger people. For starters, the cover is just so fun to flick it's like a toy. And secondly, the screen is pretty small, so young eyes will have a much easier time using it.

Next out this month is the BlackBerry Pearl, which only Verizon has in a silver-grey color. It's much thinner than other BlackBerrys, and big fingers might have trouble with the squished keypad. Aside from business professionals, Hamby said stores expect this phone to attract working moms on the go wanting a sleek-looking smart phone.

The Venus by LG will hit stores in November (no exact date released yet) and will have not one but two touch screens, one above the other. The larger screen on top slides upward to reveal a number keypad. It comes in both black and pink (we all know how important colors choices are) and has a 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder. The lower touch screen menu gives a little vibration when a screen button is pressed to confirm you've hit a button.

Similar to the Venus (but much cooler in my opinion) is the Voyager by LG. It has one large touch screen with a great resolution to view videos and browse the web. Like the Venus, it also gives a slight vibration as feedback when an on-screen button is pressed. It flips open sideways to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard with easy-to-press, spaced-out buttons. (Now if only it'll come in pink...)

In the past, Verizon has never announced new phones before they have hit stores. Perhaps the company wants to build hype similar to what Apple has done?

"I can't say that didn't push us," Hamby said of how the iPhone was marketed. But what also influenced the company was that customers were wanting to know what phones were coming out so that they could plan ahead.

Hamby has been visiting employees all over Florida, and South Florida store employees seemed to be most excited about selling The Voyager, he said. Customers in South Florida are serious about buying phones with the cool factor -- more so than in other areas, he said. And if you're not already aware, thin is no longer the big fad. Touch screens are the new thin. These phones may not be paper thin, but it's just not an exceptionally important feature anymore to consumers, Hamby said.

So if you're looking to buy a new phone from Verizon, I'd definitely hold out for another month for these phones to hit stores. If you want to be notified when the phones become available or pre-register to buy any of them, visit verizonwireless.com/next.

Furby + iPod = Nabaztag?

The Nabaztag/tag is a product unlike anything most of us have seen before. It's an electronic pet rabbit that looks like it came out of an iPod factory. It's a robot that connects with your home's WiFi and you can teach it do interact with you in various ways, such as reading news reports, playing music, or just acting as your alarm clock. Or as the company likes to say, Once upon a time there was a rabbit who swallowed a WiFi card...

You can click here to read my review in Tuesday's paper.

More thoughts on Clarisonic

Last week I wrote a post about Clarisonic's recall of electronic facial brushes. In that post I mentioned how although I liked the product when I first tried it, I wasn't happy about how it was not easy to clean. And if it is not cleaned properly, bacteria and mold can easily become a problem.

After that post I was contacted by a Clarisonic employee that does tests on the machine. He wanted to talk to me to get more details about my experience so that they could improve the product. After speaking with him, it was clear I might not have been doing enough to care for the machine. He explained that it is recommended that every piece of the brush head should be disassembled after every use to air dry -- I was leaving them on and only removing them once every two weeks or so to clean. And that cleaning was not easy because I couldn't get into every nook and cranny, even with a Q-tip. But if I air dried it every night, that problem might have been avoided. He also told me that there are new designs since the one I tried several months ago that were created to address problems on mold and bacteria.

After talking with the Clarisonic employee, I'm pretty impressed with the company and its customer service. The company is taking a financial hit with the recall, but if it treats all customers this well, I bet it will bounce back just fine.

How old is your phone?

How often do you buy a new cellphone? A study released today by J.D. Power and Associates says the average length of time a customer owns a cell phone is about a year and a half. And that's longer than last year's findings when people reportedly only owned a cell phone for 16.6 months.

It ranked Motorola and Sanyo brands as highest in overall customer satisfaction. The study also reported on several wireless handset usage patterns:

• Sixty-nine percent of all cell phones owned are a clamshell design—an increase of 19 percent from 2006. This compares to 29 percent for the candy-bar style, and 2 percent for the slide-cover design.
• Handset features that are used most frequently include: speakerphone (51%); camera capabilities (35%); services to send/receive short messages (22%); and gaming (16%).
• More than one-half of all current wireless users compared other handset brands before selecting their current wireless phone. Those customers who compare phones during the selection process are more likely to be satisfied overall with their current handset than those who do not.

You can read the full release here.

Where no mouse has gone before

My latest 60-second review is the Rocketfish Twister Wireless Notebook Mouse. I wouldn't spend $44.99 for a mouse. My Microsoft mouse works just dandy and it's half the price. But the Rocketfish is a bit more pricey because of its unique features. It's about as thick as a cellphone (not counting those Razr-like phones) and can fit into a pocket.

The bottom twists to form a curve in the mouse that fits in your palm. (It reminds me of a Star Trek phaser, which for me just adds to the neat-o factor.)

And when you want to tuck it away, just twist the bottom back and it's flat for storage.

Although I'm not one who has the need to stick a mouse in my pocket, I do like how it will fit easier in my laptop case.

But the most important part: the laser works without a hiccup. I would rather have an actual scroll wheel than a touchpad, but then it wouldn't be Star-Treky.

Have you used the Rocketfish Twister Mouse? Have you already found the perfect mouse? (Or bought the mouse from Hell?) Just click that comment link and tell me about it.

Does Lemon need a lesson in tech etiquette?

If you caught video of the Dolphins mini-camp, you may have noticed quarterback Cleo Lemon had a Bluetooth stuck in his ear during a media interview.

It seemed rude to some people that he didn't take the phone off, and Cam Cameron brought it up in a press conference that he didn't understand why Lemon had the phone in his ear.

I didn't think having a Bluetooth resting on your ear was something worth bringing up in a press conference. I was with my family when the news came on, and it was clear that my parents found it disrespectful and were shocked that someone would dare have a phone in their ear, whereas I just thought it was pretty lazy on his part. But if I was interviewing him, I don't think I would feel offended.

Perhaps with new technology comes the need to learn new etiquette. Our parents taught us table manners, so the next generation needs to teach their children things like cell phone and texting manners. An Associated Press story featured in today's Business Monday about E-mail etiquette seemed like common sense to me, but then again many people I know could use a few lessons in tech etiquette -- especially in a culture that is expected to be in touch 24/7.