Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Complimentary Teleseminar - Drive Safe and Talk Safe – Mobile Headset Tips

 

Do you use a mobile phone while driving? How do you stay productive while driving, but avoid the risk of DRIVING DISTRACTED?!?

Join me for a complimentary teleseminar where I will interview Mobile Headset Expert John Waller on tips to use your phone safely (and legally).

Drive Safe and Talk Safe – Mobile Headset Tips
(And Learn about California’s new Hands Free Driving Laws)
(Complimentary Teleseminar)

Thursday, July 3rd
12pm Pacific / 2pm Central / 3pm Eastern

Special Guest: John Waller, Mobile Technology Consultant

Register Now!

Click Here to Register for Complimentary Teleseminar

John Waller

Owner of Mobile Connectivity

John has been involved in technology since 1987. He started out in alpha numeric pagers, cell phones and digital pagers. He has been selling headset for over 13 years. He is a technology consultant and helps people to be more productive with technology and is a sought after speaker and consultant. He is the Founder of the Silicon Valley Palm Users Group and has been hired by Palmsource to train their employees on their devices.  He is currently writing a book on "How to be More Productive in the New Millennium". For more information about Mobile Connectivity, visit http://www.mobileconnectivity.net/

CALIFORNIA HANDS FREE DRIVING LAWS ARE NOW IN EFFECT!

New cellular phone laws went into effect July 1, 2008 in California. The changes are intended to reduce accidents caused by distracted drivers.

VC §23123: Drivers 18 years of age or older are prohibited from driving a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone unless a hands-free device is used.

SOURCE: California Department Of Motor Vehicles Web Site:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/

 

Google Acquires Feedburner

In another sign Google is taking over the world, they have acquired Feedburner. If you have a blog or a podcast, you should be using Feedburner to understand how many people are subscribing to your content. The fact that Google acquired them pretty much confirms the value they offer customers.

There will be More Opportunities
to Get Your Message Out There

It will be interesting to see how Google leverages the Feedburner platform. Needless to say, there will be more opportunities to get your message out there to a very targeted audience.

Amazon Launches a New Wireless Reading Device

Amazon has launched an intriguing new device called the Kindle. It's an ebook reader with wireless access. It not only allows you to read books though. You can also read newspapers and blogs. Given the huge trend toward going green, I think a device like this could catch on.

Free Wireless Access on a Mobile Device!

I'm curious to hear from anyone who has tried the device. What's amazing is that the wireless access seems to be free. They appear to be covering their costs through book sales. It will be interesting to see if this thing takes off. Could a device like this have the same kind of appeal as the iPod when it first came out? I suppose only time will tell!

Get Smart Phone

Are you a gadget freak? I love technology, but only it it makes my life easier and more productive. One of the concepts that has captured the imaginations of people for decades is the Dick Tracy-style wrist watch phone. This was followed by Maxwell Smart's crazy shoe phone. The fact is that we love the idea of technology that we can wear.

Well, life may be getting a little more convenient. According to Engadget, Samsung has applied for a patent for a cell phone that can be worn on the wrist and pulled out for hands access also. It could be years before a model actually shows up. But, the fact is that companies will continue to look for ways to make technology wearable. The day will come when you can integrate technology better into your lifestyle.

Engadget sees some problems with the concept:

"Granted, the idea could be problematic in a myriad ways -- leading to public humiliation and a lack of broad compatibility with mobiles for starters -- but we can't fault 'em for trying."

And that's the challenge. There are a lot of great technologies that appear and then disappear. If a product can't find a market, it will disappear, plain and simple. The market for wearable technologies is growing, but has not reached the mainstream. Costs are often too high and when it comes down to it, peer pressure often prevents people from actually wearing the technology. But, times are changing. And convenience will eventually trump social pressure. Apple has been extremely successfully at turning technology products into a fashion statement. That may be the key for creating products that create demand and generate buzz in the marketplace.

In the meantime, there are plenty of PDA/smartphone models out there which offer all of the capabilities you need. And the products are getting faster, the screens are getting crisper, the keyboards are getting easier to type on, and there is more mobile content worth accessing through the internet. Good luck and Get Smart Phone!

Entrepreneurs Capitalize on the Mobile Marketplace

Have you noticed that just about everyone these days is walking around with their face planted in a mobile device? This is especially true for younger generations. From wireless PDAs to smartphones, from turbo-charged cell phones to mini-tablets, people are addicted to their mobile devices. What does this mean for marketers? It means profits!

Entrepreneurs across the nation are beginning to ask themselves how they can capitalize on the growing trend toward mobility. And one expert has emerged to guide the way.

According to Mobile Marketing Guru, Kim Dushinski, from MobileMarketingProfits.com:

"The reality is that the rest of the world has been ahead of the U.S. in almost all aspects of cell phone use. Odd, isn’t it? We’re so used to being in front of the new trends. This time we’re not. But that is about to change."

Are you an entrepreneur who's interested in capitalizing on the mobile marketing trend? Then, take Kim's Mobile Ready Assessment.

The big companies have figured out a way to reach their target market through devices. Why not small businesses? The future is bright. You can't even imagine what's coming down the line. Imagine the day when you can walk into a retail store and instantly be notified of sales on products you want, based on your past buying patterns. Talk about big brother. Well, it's going to make your life more simple. And we could all use a little more simplicity. Why not make some money as well?

Is the iPhone an iWaste?

  Apple has scored a huge success with the iPhone. It is technically brilliant and easy to use. It is also the newest fashion accessory for anyone in the "in crowd". But, it leaves me wondering whether we are spawning a nation of media obsessed junkies.

As The PDA Pro, I have a passion for helping people improve their productivity. PDA stands for Productivity, Discipline and Action. I see too many people just getting by in life because they don't plan, set goals or take enough action to achieve their dreams. I think people spend too much time watching TV, listening to music and playing games. The iPhone makes it simple to waste a whole lot of time.

Of course, the iPhone can also be leveraged effectively as a productivity tool. But, get real! You know people are going to listen to their tunes, browse online news and download YouTube clips.

I'm not anti-iPhone. I think Apple stands as a shining example for creating user friendly and technically superior products. And they are savvy marketers when it comes to creating fashionable products that attract consumers and the media.

I'll leave it up to you to judge for yourself. I will say that I'm satisfied with the direction Apple has taken mobile web browsing. That's been one of my complaints from other devices. The iPhone make browsing easy and fun. I have heard that the speed is not all that great, but we can hope that will improve.

Long live the iPhone!

Photo Courtesy of Engadget

Is Foleo the Perfect Companion for your Smartphone?

Palm is launching a mobile companion device, the Foleo, designed to work with their smartphones. It looks like a laptop, but is much lighter and has a more focused purpose. It is designed to provide a larger graphical user interface for your smartphone, along with a larger keyboard.

It's probably one of the more exciting innovations in smartphones, responding to the increasing needs of mobile computing. I have my doubts whether Palm will be successful in finding a market for this device. There will be early adopters who will see improved productivity as an added benefit. But, I don't think it's a perfect solution for most people.

What are other people saying about the Foleo? Palm fanatic Russel Holliman states:

"I'm an early adopter, a Palm lover (I'm talking about the devices here people), and a mobile gadget freak. Seems like a 'no brainer' that I'd be out buying a Foleo right now. I'm not."

I applaud Palm for taking a chance and trying to address the needs of the marketplace. Only time will tell whether people see the value or whether the Foleo will end up on the technology junkheap.

Top Smartphone Picks from CNET

Bonnie Cha, Senior Associate Editor of CNET, recently shared their top smartphone picks. The RIM BlackBerry 7130c and Sony Ericsson P990i ranked the highest. The BlackBerry 7130c features two letters per key rather than a QWERTY style keyboard. It relies on SureType which predicts what words you want to type. It's not as easy to use and takes a little getting used to. I actually recommended the BlackBerry 7100i to a client which uses SureType. I recommended it for other reasons, but it did take her a little while to get used to it.

The only Palm Treo on the list is the Palm Treo 700P from Sprint, which comes in at #7 with a rating of 7.3. The Palm Treo 680 by comparison was rated at 7.0, but fell short of appearing in their top ten list.

I encourage clients not to get too caught up in what's rated highest. It's more important to understand how you are going to use the device in your day to day activities and then find one that meets your needs. You wouldn't buy a Ferrari to haul scrap metal to the junk yard, know what I mean?

You can find further information on PDA and smartphone models on The PDA Pro website.

Additional Information on Breaking your Phone Contract

On December 19th, I mentioned that Cingular is increasing rates on SMS. I quoted Gizmodo in indicating that customers of Cingular will have an opportunity to break their contracts.  I have my doubts that Cingular will actually let people break their contracts. As I indicated, I was unable to find details of the change on Cingular's website. The key question is how Cingular will interpret their policy. And it also depends on how much people scream.

Sprint made a similar change in October 2006. So, you may be able to find some information about how they responded to customer requests to break their contracts.

If you break your contract, I think that naturally implies you will go to another provider and not stick with Cingular. You should also consider whether you can keep your phone number. Phone number portability should allow your number to be transferred to another provider, but you will want to make absolutely sure before you make a change.

The other thing to remember is this change apparently only applies to people who are not already on a data plan that includes SMS text messages. So, be sure to contact Cingular to see if your plan already includes a certain number of text messages and ask whether the change impacts you. Otherwise it’s a moot point.

If you're dissatisfied with your existing phone, contact your carrier about upgrading to a new phone and see what charges would apply in doing so.

Good luck and happy messaging!

Cingular Increases Rate for SMS

According to Jason Chen at Gizmodo, Cingular is increasing its rate on SMS text messages from 10 cents to 15 cents.  Jason writes,

"Starting Jan 21, 2007, you'll have 30 days to give them a call and break your contract, provided you're not currently subscribed to an SMS package. Why the generosity? You can thank Cingular's own policy that allows customers to terminate their service if there's a change in the contract terms. Upgrading fees from 10 to 15 cents per SMS counts as a change. "

For most people, this probably will not make much difference. Most business professionals I talk with are not big users of SMS, but it does offer some advantages. For one, text messages will often get through when email won't when you're in remote areas. The Palm Treo (PDA/smartphone) offers a chat-like interface that uses SMS to send messages and logs the chats with date and time by person. And, it's a quick way to send a message to another person with a mobile phone.

This may be a sign that phone carriers are beginning to evaluate and adjust prices. Keep an eye out for further changes.

I searched the Cingular website but could not find details of the change, but I found the same information on GigaOM. The change does not appear to apply to customers with an SMS plan which bundles a certain number of outgoing text messages for one rate.

UPDATE: See additional information about how this change may affect you. Why it may be tough to actually break your contract.