Mobile Wiseguy

Archive for the ‘Cell Phone tips and Tricks’ Category
Dialing numbers with names from a Blackberry device
Dialing a phone number from a Blackberry device is very easy. Some phone numbers have letters in it and the keyboard on a Blackberry makes it difficult to match the number with the letter because of the non traditional dial pad.
The solution is very simple when dialing a phone number like 1800mattress just dial the 1800 normally and when its time to dial the letters hold the alt key down and press the corresponding letters. The Blackberry device will send the correct tones need to call the phone number.
When calling business with a phone number that requires you to spell out the name of the person you are trying to reach do the same, hold down the alt key and spell out the name. The Blackberry will send the correct tones needed to access that name in that business phone’s directory.
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
could this be the new Blackberry Storm 3

Blackberry Storm 3
A Blackberry representative from Marketstar showed me a site with a preview of the unofficial new Blackberry Storm 3. I was amazed at the new design and features of the new Blackberry Storm 3.
The much rumored specifications of the device which include: 16 GB of internal memory via propriety SSD/Flash hybrid technology, 10 hour+ talk time on 3 G and a whopping 300 ppi screen resolution.
More on the New Blackberry Storm 3
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
how to put videos on the web from a cell phone
I wanted to do quick video and post it to the web using my cell phone. I thought it would be easy to take the video and then upload it from the phone to YouTube so it can be used on my Blog.
I only can take a short video with my Blackberry Bold 9700 and send the video through MMS to YouTube. The video is sent as a multimedia message to YouTube and the anyone can see your video on YouTube. After the video is uploaded to Youtube it can be link to websites and or Blogs.
The issue I have is that a MMS video is only 30 seconds and the quality is not as good as normal videos that can be taken with the Blackberry Bold 9700. A normal video can be hours long as long as you have room on your media card.
I have a few other ways to upload longer and better quality videos to YouTube. First is after taking a good quality video with the phone take my media card and use the SD adapter to upload the video from my laptop to YouTube.
Secondly is my Motorola Backflip an Android device let’s me upload videos taken with it directly to YouTube without the 30 second restriction. I am sure it has something to do with Google owning Android mobile operating system and Youtube. My first test was a 5 minute video I took waiting for the draw bridge to open. I realized later more than 2 minutes took way too long to upload directly from the cell phone.
Then I remembered using an application on my Blackberry Bold 9000. It is called Qik, this application allow you to stream the video live and the video can be an hour or more. I stopped using Qik only because it is not supported on my Blackberry Bold 9700. Qik works on many devices Android, iPhones, Windows Mobile and some models of the Blackberry.
Qik is the easiest way to put videos on the web.
Check out some videos on my Qik website.
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
Pandora is fixed on my unlocked Blackberry 9700 Bold it was the APN setting
Two weeks ago I could not listen to my favorite application Pandora on my Blackberry Bold
9700 which is unlocked from AT&T and being used on T-Mobile data only.
I have used all my applications for over a month without any problems on T-Mobile.
The Bold 9700 unlocked from at&t works only on EDGE which is 2G on T-Mobile, it will not work 3G on other carriers, but I had no problems on the EDGE, I used all the functions, applications including Pandora.
Now about two weeks ago when I tried to use Pandora I was getting an error
(Critical tunnel failure). It would not sign me in to the Pandora application.
So I deleted Pandora and re installed it, that didn’t work. Next I wiped my Blackberry clean, which puts it back to factory settings and erases all of the content, applications, settings and contacts.
I then reinstalled all my previous contents. That did not work also, I then
decided to download another music radio application to use in the mean time so I downloaded Slacker Radio. Slacker worked for a day then prompt me to re-input my user name and password. I did but Slacker gave me an error saying it was wrong. I then had to reset the password and it would work for a few minutes, then prompt me to re-enter the user name and password again and again.
Now I am of the opinion it was something in the Blackberry software that was causing Pandora and Slacker not to work.
I did some research on the web and came to the conclusion that it was my APN setting. The setting was still set on AT&T which was (wap.cingular).
I put a call into T-Mobile tech support who then transferred me to RIM support and after explaining the problem and stating it was an unlocked Blackberry from AT&T the tech from RIM then told me the APN setting for T-mobile is wap.voicestream.com.
Now Pandora and Slacker is working properly and the fix was simple. The APN
setting is under options, advanced options then TCP/IP. The T-Mobile setting
does not have a user name or password so un-check that box. At&t had
wap@cingular.com and the password was blanked out.
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
how to stop applications in your android phone to save battery life
My battery life on my Motorola Backflip was terrible. Applications were running
in the background and eating up battery life. I searched the device for a task
manager but could not find one. On my Blackberry Bold 9700 when I held down the
Blackberry button I can see what applications that are open select the running
app then close it. The Motorola Backflip does not have that option built in.
I found an application on the Android market place call advanced task killer
that let’s you shut down all your applications. It will give you a check list so
you have the option to leave some applications running. I recommend this app for
all Android users.
do not call list for cell phones
I was fooled by the email circulated on the web.
The Truth about Cell Phones and the National Do Not Call Registry.
I put this quick post below after seeing that email.
Reminder, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies this month and you and will start to receive these sales calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS to prevent these calls, call the following number:
THE DO NOT CALL LIST: 1-888-382-1222
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
no contract unlimited data plan on Blackberry with tmobile
I can not stand being without my Blackberry so I unlocked my Blackberry from at&t and activated the device on T-Mobile with a data only plan. What is a data only plan you may ask.
Well I was told by the T-Mobile rep that I could only use the internet but I found that not to be completely correct. I did send text from the device and using Google voice but when I try to make a call I was sent to a recording saying that this is not allowed and to call customer service.
I went to Myt-mobile.com to checkout my services and confirm if any additional charges.
The first thing I notice after registering and logging in was my data usage that shown for the day but I did see text that I sent. The text was not shown but I saw unlimited picture messaging so I clicked the chat button on T-Mobile’s site to get a better explanation of the plan.
After the conversation I emailed the whole transcript to myself and it is copied below.
You have been connected to _Cavin H._Cavin H:
Hi Curtis , welcome to T-Mobile live Chat. I’m
Cavin and I will be happy to assist you. Please give me a moment to review your question._
Cavin H: I can see where this can be a concern for you, I know you want to make sure that you are not charged for anything extra._
Cavin H: I will be more than happy to look into this for you.
Curtis Matthews: ok_
Cavin H: One moment please._Cavin H: I am still researching this, please allow me 2-3 more minutes.
Curtis Matthews: ok_
Cavin H: Thank you._
Cavin H: It is unlimited text messaging.
Curtis Matthews: Are you sure_
Cavin H: Let me double check.
Curtis Matthews: Online under my account it says unlimited picture messages_
Cavin H: I do see that._
Cavin H: It does not include text, sorry about that.Curtis Matthews: So I do not have text but I have unlimited picture messages?_
Cavin H: Correct.
Curtis Matthews: So I can not text or do I get charged?_
Cavin H: You will get charged.
Curtis Matthews: What will I be charged?_
Cavin H: $0.20 per message.
Curtis Matthews: Why then can I not see the usage online if I sent text_
Cavin H: Because it hasn’t shown that there have been any sent to this point.
Curtis Matthews: I did send a couple about 5 hours ago._
Cavin H: It hasn’t shown up on the system, yet.
Curtis Matthews: But all the data usage shows now. So what you are telling me is that I will see the text usage tomorrow for text?_
Cavin H: More than likely.
Curtis Matthews: Can you check to see for sure._
Cavin H: Unfortuantely, we can only check, when it shows up on our end.Curtis Matthews: So instead of sending a text if I send the message as a MMS I will not get billed?_
Cavin H: Correct.
Curtis Matthews: That does not make sense but ok._
Cavin H: It is an odd little plan.Curtis Matthews: Very odd
Curtis Matthews: So I can block text and only use MMS?_
Cavin H: No, we can only block text and mms.
Curtis Matthews: So if I send someone a MMS and they reply y text I get charged unless they reply as a MMS. But you can send a MMS without a picture or any attachment._
Cavin H: You would have to send a mms from a picture on the phone.
Curtis Matthews: No I can just select MMS from my Blackberry and it gives me the option of attaching pictures, music or a voice note._
Cavin H: Then you can.
Curtis Matthews: ok thanks_
Cavin H: Not a problem._
Cavin H: Is there anything else we can assist you with today?
Curtis Matthews: no thanks_
Cavin H: Thank you for contacting T-Mobile Chat, have a great evening!
traveling overseas and want to use a sim card from that country
When traveling overseas one of the best ways to save money on roaming fees is to buy an unlocked GSM cell phone and use a prepaid sim card from that country that you are visiting. Prepaid cell phone service is sold everywhere overseas in the airport and almost every corner block. The calls are much less expensive and most of the time you have unlimited incoming calls. The last time I went to Trinidad I spent $30 for the sim card and my minutes for the two weeks I was over there. If I had used my regular phone roaming it would of cost me $2 a minute and with all the calls I made my bill would have been in the hundreds for the roaming cost. I unlocked my Blackberry Bold 9000 before I went and used a sim card from Bmobile a local wireless carrier.
An unlocked cell phone can use any sim card from any GSM wireless provider. One of the important things to look for in an unlocked cell phone is the GSM frequency. Some GSM cell phone have one or two frequencies like the Motorola F3. The Motorola F3 is 850/1900 a 2 band phone that would work on any GSM provider in the United States since the U.S. only use two GSM bands 850/1900 it would not be a problem. AT&T uses 850/1900 and T-Mobile uses 1900 GSM networks but countries like Europe and the rest of the world use sometimes the 900 or the 1800 GSM networks.
Now the best phone to have for roaming is the quad band GSM, which is used for global calls where GSM network coverage is present. The Motorola V3 Razr works on these GSM Networks: GSM 850, 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900. The Quad band GSM phone is always the best type of unlocked cell phone for traveling.
WordPress on Android


This is a post using the word press application downloaded from the Android market place. The mobile device I am using to write this post is the Motorola Backflip.
The WordPress application has a few less features on it than the Blackberry version but it also has some different features like this linking ability [Free Motorola Backflip]
I can bold text italicized and
b quote (put things here)
.
Pictures can be added to the post as you can see with my self portrait. It does not have video uploading capabilities but the WordPress application on my Blackberry say it has video uploading feature that I have not gotten it to work yet.
texting when you are overseas
AT&T has a new package for texting when roaming overseas. The package cost $10 and gives you 50 free out going messages. That breaks it down to $.20 a message and anything over the 50 included in that package is $.40.
The incoming text that you receive when roaming internationally is bill at your current home package. That means if you have unlimited text you can receive unlimited text when roaming internationally. If you have the $5 200 message package at home then that 200 would apply for your incoming texts when roaming internationally.
This was great news for international travelers because without the $10 roaming text package you will be billed $.50 for each outgoing text and $1.30 for each MMS (pictures, video) messages.
For more information on this and any other of the roaming packages call AT&T international department @ 877-707-9208


