New and Used Verizon Cell Phones

There’s no doubt that Verizon Wireless is one of the world’s major cellular carriers. In the United States, Verizon is a leader in 4G wireless technology with both Apple iPhone and Android phones. Their coverage blankets the nation. There’s a lot to like about Verizon. Now, the decision is whether you want to buy new or buy used to get your next Verizon cell phone.

New phones for the Verizon Wireless network are on the cutting edge. You say you want a revolution? Well, you know we all want to change our phones. The LG Revolution is one that will get you to make that change. (It was too easy.) It sports an array of advanced features, starting with 4G LTE capability. You can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps when operating in Verizon 4G Mobile Broadband areas. Venture outside of 4G range and you’ll move to 3G wireless capability.

Why hog all that 4G goodness to yourself? You’ll be the hit of the coffee shop or the offsite meeting when you allow up to 8 WiFi enable devices to connect to the Internet through your 4G smartphone. When in range of a wireless access point, you can save your 4G allotment by using WiFi b/g/n as your broadband connection.

This revolutionary phone sports a 4.3 inch touchscreen and runs the Android 2.2 platform on a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor. A unique feature is wireless charging capability. You can recharge your Revolution in under 4 hours by sitting it on an optional charging pad.

You might expect a phone this powerful to have high performance multimedia capabilities. You’d be right. You’ll enjoy movies on-the-go with a preloaded Netflix app. You can share your photos and videos with DLNA streaming to HD TV sets. Make your own videos using the 5 Megapixel rear-facing auto-focus camera that captures 720p HD video. There’s also a 1.3 Megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting. That’s an excellent use of 4G capability.

There’s a lot more you’ll get with the LG Revolution, but one thing you won’t get is a bill for the phone itself if you order it with new Verizon Wireless service. That’s right, this phone is free with a new contract when you buy online. That’s how many people keep updating their cell phones. They just commit to a new 2 year contract and get a new phone to replace the one they’ve been using.

Other people would rather not make that new contract commitment but don’t want to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars for the latest cell phone models. This is especially true if they are half-way through a contract and disaster strikes their phone. You'll never set it down on top of the car again, will you? If you are looking for a replacement, a second phone or one you can take to the job site and now worry too much about what will happen to it, you may be in the market for a good used phone.

Aren’t used phones the old dogs that nobody wants? Not by a long shot. Here are some that are currently available in excellent condition and at huge discounts. How about the HTC Droid Incredible, the Motorola Droid Pro WiFi 3G or Motorola Droid 2 Bluetooth? There’s an excellent Motorola Droid X2 available for your perusal right now. All of these are guaranteed to work on the Verizon Wireless network. Other phones are available for AT&T or other cellular networks. Selection varies constantly, so check the current specials for used, refurbished and unlocked cell phones.

Backing Down In The Face of Twitter

The end of 2011 saw big reversals by major corporations in the face of public outcry. First was GoDaddy, who came out in favor of SOPA and was quickly persuaded by online outrage into switching positions. The second was an even faster about-face by Verizon Wireless. Verizon thought they’d quietly slip-in a $2 bill payment fee, only to find the public reaction so seething that they cancelled that bright idea before potential shaming by the FCC. Two up. Two down. Is there something to be learned here?

It might be possible to dismiss either or both of these incidents as the obvious corporate toe stubbing that occurs from time to time. But when you add them to a stack of other news stories this past year that fall into the same category, there’s a pretty obvious pattern that emerges.

What other stories? How about the “Arab Spring” demonstrations that swept many countries in the Middle East and prompted regime changes in Tunisia, Egypt & Libya and ongoing protests in Syria, Bahrain, Yemen and Jordan? How about the “Occupy” movements that have been dubbed an “American Autumn” by some? How about 100,000 demonstrators in Madison, Wisconsin that included tractor parades and farmers dressed as cows circling the Capitol last February? By this summer, it may culminate in recall of the state’s Governor.

How does all this disparate activity tie together? The common thread is the Internet. We are living in a new age of the empowered individual that is different from anything we’ve seen before in one important aspect. Thanks to technology, that empowerment is nearly instantaneous.

Time was, if you didn’t like something you always had the option to write your Congressman or the editor of your local paper. You could call or write a company to voice your disapproval. If the results weren’t satisfactory, you always could discuss matters with your friends, even escalating your group efforts into a demonstration or protest march. The civil rights movement and student protests of the 1960’s can certainly be said to have changed the course of American society over a period of turbulent years.

For those of us old enough to remember 1968, there is a certain resemblance to Zucotti Park and UC Davis. One difference is the way we hear about these things and see the images. In the 60’s, you tuned in Walter Cronkite from 5:30 to 6 PM or you went without video. There were always AP wirephotos in the Sunday newspaper or color pictures in next week’s Time magazine.

Compare that with watching the live feed from Tim Pool's cell phone as he walked through the crowd in New York City, interviewing people involved in the Occupy Wall Street protests as he went. What’s it take to be such a citizen journalist with your own audio and video remote broadcast facility? In this case, a Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone and an unlimited 4G broadband account from Sprint feeding into a Ustream account called “The Other 99.” Would you like to broadcast live video to a dozen friends or tens of thousands of interested onlookers worldwide? The Ustream.tv channels are free. You can feed them from your desktop, laptop or smartphone with wired or wireless broadband connection.

Social media is said to be a major theme for business in 2012. The social media revolution has already become mainstream activity for individuals everywhere. In WWII, desperate messages came out of countries under siege via Morse Code sent from hidden short wave transmitters. In 2012, that’s text messages and tweets from some of the billions of cell phones in service worldwide. Think this can be stopped? Just who is going to round up all those billions of phones or cut off the Internet or texting for very long? There are so many interconnections that if you need to send a message anywhere on Earth, you can probably find a path in short order.

It’s more than the power of motivated individuals. Social media and the readily available tools that feed it allow those motivated individuals to quickly, almost instantly, join forces with others of the same mind. In hours, minutes, perhaps seconds, group efforts can be mounted to address nearly any issue. This is what doomed the ill-fated initiatives from GoDaddy and Verizon before they ever got solidified. One disgruntled customer on the toll-free service line can be placated or ignored. Ten thousand or a hundred thousand in concert bashing your business on Facebook, Twitter, text messages, YouTube, blogs and email are a force to be reckoned with. Once they get the attention of the mainstream media who monitor those social channels looking for newsworthy material, the game is over ... even if it only started a few hours or days ago.

RAZR Reincarnation

When the original Motorola RAZR smartphone appeared on the market, it caused quite a stir. You might say it was the iPhone of its time. When cell phones were chunky little flip blobs or hefty candy bars, the RAZR boasted the thinest profile at the time. It was an amazing half-inch thick. How could they possibly get all that technology in that also revolutionary aircraft aluminum case?

Now there’s a new RAZR phone with far more advanced technology and it’s even thinner, measuring a scant 0.3 inches or 7.1 mm. Instead of machined aluminum, the case is now laser-cut KEVLAR with Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the screen. There’s even a splash guard coating to shield the electronics from water attacks, just in case you are partial to Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain. Meet the DROID RAZR by Motorola for Verizon Wireless.

What else is new in the RAZR technology upgrade? First of all, network connectivity. This is a 4G LTE Smartphone. That means blazing speed, more like a home or office Internet connection than what you’d expect from the cellular networks. If you wander out of 4G coverage, the RAZR will revert to 3G. You can choose to connect to a WiFi hotspot or be the hotspot. Share your 4G LTE Internet connection with up to 8 other WiFi enabled devices. On 3G, it supports 5 WiFi devices.

There’s a speedy 1.2 GHz dual core processor inside, with 1 GB of RAM. Storage memory is 16 GB on board with support for up to 32 GB on plug-in cards. It runs Google’s Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread operating system with the Motorola Application Platform. Your hardwired interface connections include a micro USB port and a micro HDMI-1080p port that can be run in mirror mode to your HDTV or monitor.

The DROID RAZR screen is a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED advanced display that serves up hyper-vibrant colors and smooth action for movies and TV shows. You can stream from Netflix or download those movies from the Android Market. Another cool feature is MotoCast, a free app that lets you securely access files that are stored on your desktop computer. No need to upload to a third-party cloud. You can stream from where your media already exists.

That high resolution display is matched to an 8 Megapixel rear facing camera that can record 1080p HD video. Don’t worry about being a little shaky as you capture images. The DROID RAZR has image stabilization included to smooth out the scenes. The audio that accompanies the video has selectable modes that include stereo, wind reduction, concert and more. There’s a dual mic system onboard so that you can take calls even in noisy environments and still be heard clearly. A second camera faces front for video conferencing. This one has 1.3 Megapixels, which used to be a good spec for the main camera. Time marches on. You can capture 720p HD video with the front facing imager.

Here’s your chance to get this advanced personal and business phone at a special online price. Don’t plunk down too much green at a carrier store or big-box retailer until you check out the Special Deal on DROID RAZR by Motorola for Verizon Wireless. Clearly, it’s time to upgrade to a much sharper razor phone.

Note: Photo of DROID RAZR side view is shown for effect and is not to actual size.

MiFi Points The Way to Wireless Transition

Verizon Wireless just made an amazing announcement. They will be selling the Apple iPad in their stores. But aren’t Apple and AT&T exclusive partners? Indeed. So, why is Verizon selling a product that won’t work on their network? ...Or will it?

Yes, it will. How Verizon accomplished this clever feat of engineering points the way to the future of wireless broadband. Actually, not the future future. Just the immediate future. Call it the era of wireless transition.

Wireless technology has pretty much developed along two lines. One is the telecom carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. There are other players in the cellular wireless game, but they are simply private branded versions of the big four within the US. What characterizes the major carriers is that their offerings are proprietary. What works on AT&T won’t work on Verizon Wireless, and vice versa.

The other wireless path is an industry standard known a WiFi. It comes in flavors such as a, b, g, and n. But unlike telecom carrier services there is enough commonality and backwards compatibility that pretty much any WiFi device will work on pretty much any wireless router, hotspot or access point.

What Verizon has cleverly done is marry the two lines. They can’t get into the iPad through the front door, so the come in the back door. How? Very simple. They use an interface device to convert cellular to WiFi. That device is the MiFi. The Verizon MiFi is a little box about the size of a pack of cards. Inside is a cellular radio, a WiFi radio, a battery and some circuitry to make it all work. All you do is push a button to turn it on and the converter works automatically. It allows up to 5 wireless devices to gain access to the Verizon 3G wireless network as if they were Verizon-enabled to begin with.

The Verizon iPad will consist of an Apple iPad and a Verizon MiFi bundled together. They are separate pieces of equipment, but the MiFi will slip into your pocket or bag so it isn’t intrusive. At first blush, it may seem like having to carry around two pieces of equipment instead of just one is a big disadvantage for Verizon compared to AT&T. But Verizon may get the last laugh after all. The MiFi provides 3G connectivity for your iPad, but it also provides 3G connectivity for your other devices that don’t have their own 3G service built-in. That includes your laptop computer, netbook, games, and even your Apple iPod. If you had to buy separate 3G service for each device, you’d go broke. But one MiFi can serve whatever gadgets need connectivity, as long as they are WiFi enabled.

Verizon isn’t the only one with a MiFi. Novatel, maker of the MiFi, offers an unlocked version for GSM carriers AT&T and T-Mobile. There’s a MiFi specifically for Virgin Mobile. Sprint goes one further with their Sierra Wireless Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot. It works on both the Sprint 3G Mobile Broadband network and its 4G WiMAX network. CLEAR offers a similar 3G/4G converter called Clear Spot.

Even these converters are transitional technology. Smartphones, starting with the Droid X by Motorola and Samsung Epic, have the cellular to WiFi hotspot capability built-in. This is likely to become a standard feature on smartphone designs, as WiFi and Bluetooth are the industry standard wireless technologies. WiFi has the greater transmission range.

Down the road a few years, the tide of wireless seems to be going in the direction of standardizing on LTE as a 4G standard. Cellular phone may give way to VoIP over LTE. At that point it will be hard to tell the difference between a mobile phone, a smartphone and a digital device like a tablet computer. Perhaps a single smart radio chip will provide universal wireless connectivity. Just pick your carrier and sign up for a service plan after you buy the device. The wireless transition era will be complete.

Your Ally In The Android vs iPhone Battle

LG’s first Android phone is a winner right out of the gate. The LG Ally for Verizon Wireless offers an impressive array of features and the ability to customize your phone with tens of thousands of apps from the Android Market.

Is texting or email an important part of your mobile activities? If so, you’ll love the ability to use real keys instead of poking at a glass screen. The LG Ally offers both a 3.2 inch touch screen and a slide out full QWERTY keyboard with nicely sized physical keys. You’ve got 5 home screens to customize, so just go nuts with those Android apps.

This is also a social networking phone. The included LG Socialite widget lets you manage your Facebook and Twitter accounts simultaneously. Why have to choose when you can have both? What fun is voicemail unless you can view and manage it on your cell phone. This one has that capability.

As you can see, the LG Ally has some unique capabilities. But it also has all the standard Internet and multimedia capabilities that you expect in an advanced smartphone. Text message and multimedia messaging are built-in. So is an email client that supports push Gmail and Exchange. The Android Webkit HTML5-based Web browser puts the Web at your fingertips. Verizon’s 3G EVDO Rev A network and WiFi access connect you to the bandwidth you need to access the Web with ease.

You’re all set up to capture what you see with the 3.2 Megapixel digital camera. This one has modes similar to many higher priced digital cameras. You get night mode, macro mode, panorama, smile detection and beauty shot. Flash and auto-focus are part of this camera, as well as the ability to use it as a camcorder to capture videos that you can share with friends or your social network right from the phone.

Other useful features include integrated GPS that provides spoken turn-by-turn directions and real time traffic updates, MP3 player that lets you download MP3s from the Amazon Music Store, streaming multimedia support, Stereo Bluetooth so that you can stream your music in high quality to headphones and other compatible devices, and a lot more.

Does the this sound like the type of smartphone you’ve been looking for if you could afford it? Well, you can. Right now the LG Ally is free when you order it with new Verizon Wireless service. That deal may not last for long, so go for it this is the phone for you.

If you prefer, you can check out all the Android phones and other cell phone special offers now available through Cell Phone Plans Finder.

The Incredible DROID INCREDIBLE

Android phones continue to increase their capabilities with an eye to unseating the king of the smartphone hill, the Apple iPhone. The latest and arguable the greatest entry in the Google vs Apple wars in the DROID INCREDIBLE.

Incredible it is. This HTC phone for Verizon Wireless implements the Android 2.1 operating system. You can customize your INCREDIBLE with thousands of apps and widgets from the Android marketplace. What’s inside this phone will also have you saying, “that’s incredible!”

Let’s start with the 8 Megapixel digital camera and camcorder. This resolution is approaching the best you’ll find in dedicated digital cameras of about the same size. This one has auto-focus and a 2x power LED flash. There’s integrated GPS to tag the location of your photos. Instantly share your photos and videos via multimedia messaging and by posting to social media sites.

You have Web access with a full HTML browser and fast 3G Internet service via Verizon’s EVDO Rev A network. The processing power of the phone won’t slow you down either. It sports a 1 GHz Snapdragon Processor with 8 GB internal flash memory. Your color display is a 3.7 inch AMOLED touch screen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. The HTC Sense user interface and your photos and video will look spectacular on this high definition screen.

This is both a work phone and a personal entertainment phone. You can view Microsoft document attachments in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. When you’re not otherwise occupied trying to put bread on the table, you’ve got a built-in FM radio, MP3 player and streaming video capability. Stay connected with friends and colleagues through texts, emails, Tweets, and Facebook messages. HTC sense will organize them all for you. You can even Sync to Microsoft Exchange email for that corporate connectivity.

Does this sound like an incredible smartphone to you? If so, learn more and order your HTC DROID INCREDIBLE for Verizon Wireless at a deep discount online.

You can also peruse the current special offers at Cell Phone Plan Finder for just the right phone to meet your needs and your budget. Don’t forget to check out the free cell phones before you buy anything.

Free Cell Phones Galore

I’m looking at two Web pages full of cell phones, 26 of them in all. They’re supported by wireless service from the major cellular carriers, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. These phones are of all different types and retail prices, but they have one important thing in common. They’re free of charge.



Oh, sure. Every cell phone store has a few dog phones that they can’t move, so they offer them free to get shoppers in the place. They’re usually something that went obsolete last year. How is this any different?

Well, let’s take look and see what kind of free phones you can get. Do you like BlackBerry phones? I see a BlackBerry Bold 9700 Black, a BlackBerry Curve 8520 Black and a BlackBerry Curve 8900 Silver. Take your pick. You can get them free when you order your phone with AT&T wireless service at the same price you’d pay anywhere else. Oh, they won’t give you a free BlackBerry? Then you better come to Cell Phone Plan Finder and check out the Free Phones page.

Here are some more BlackBerry deals. Get the BlackBerry 8530 in black or violet with Verizon Wireless service. Or choose the BlackBerry Storm 9530 Black, the BlackBerry Storm2 9550 Black or BlackBerry Tour 9630 Black. They’re all free when you order them with Verizon Wireless service.

The DROID ERIS by HTC is a popular smartphone. It’s free. So’s the Motorola DEVOUR Silver, the Nokia Nuron 5230, The T-Mobile Sidekick LX Brown, the Motorola Cliq XT with MOTOBLUR and the Motorola BACKFLIP with MOTOBLUR. All free.

Some other favorites include the LG Neon Blue, LG Xenon Red, Samsung Strive in black or purple, LG Rumor 2 in black titanium, vibrant blue or orange. How about a Samsung M330 Silver, Nokia 2720 Black, Samsung M240 Silver or Nokia 2720 Blue. They all have one thing in common. They’re free if you know where to get them. Here’s a hint: Cell Phone Plan Finder.

You’ve been craving a new cell phone. Why pay when you can get it free. Plus by ordering online there’s no standing in line or waiting around while your phone is activated. These phones are shipped free to your door, ready to be used. So what are you waiting for? Shop and compare free cell phones now, because free is soooo much better than paying.

An Android Phone to Devour

Hungry for a Google Android smartphone? Here’s one you can sink your teeth into, although not literally. It is possible to break those touch screens if you bite hard enough.

So, what are we talking about here? Why, the Motorola DEVOUR Silver of course. The DEVOUR is an Android 1.6 smartphone with a physical slide-out full QWERTY keyboard and a 3.1 inch color touch screen. It all wrapped up in a very professional looking silver color shell.

The DEVOUR features MOTOBLUR, a service that syncs and delivers your messages, status updates and contracts to the DEVOUR’s multiple customizable homescreens. No need to login or open apps. The updated data is available at your fingertips.

As a smartphone, the DEVOUR is web-enabled with 3G access where available on the Verizon Wireless EVDO Rev A network. It’s even updatable over the air with Motorola software updates. Plus, there are thousands of apps and hundreds of widgets available on the Android market to customize this smartphone to your personal needs. Your favorite Google apps come pre-loaded. That includes Google Maps, GTalk, Gmail, YouTube, Latitude and others.

The Motorola DEVOUR is a great choice as a business phone, but it’s also a multimedia phone. That starts with a 3.0 Megapixel digital camera that doubles as a camcorder and takes photos good enough to print as well as share. Sharing is made easy with multimedia messaging or via social media websites. Don’t forget that slide out keyboard... you can send text as well as pictures faster than ever with the DEVOUR.

The DEVOUR is a Google Android phone, but is it also a Verizon Wireless smartphone. That give you access to Verizon’s V CAST music with Rhapsody. You’ll have unlimited access to millions of songs for one flat monthly rate. Of course, you can also load your own music into the DEVOUR’s MP3 player and take your personal song collection with you. Just plug-in your standard 3.5mm stereo headset and you’re ready to listen. You can also use a Bluetooth stereo headset or other A2DP Bluetooth enabled device to stream your music wirelessly.

Have you been wanting an Android phone that works for both business and pleasure? Perhaps this is the one to tempt your taste buds. Learn more and order your Motorola DEVOUR Silver with Verizon Wireless service at a deep online discount, with free shipping via FedEX.

If your heart is set on a different model phone or carrier or if you’d just like to shop around and see what’s available, check out the current special offers of free and low cost cell phones and smart phones at Cell Phone Plans Finder now.

The Sweet Touch of LG Chocolate

Mmmm. I love the sweet touch of chocolate in the morning. Also the afternoon and evening. There’s none sweeter than the Chocolate Touch by LG.

Verizon has another winner on its hands. The LG Chocolate Touch is flying off the shelves this holiday season. Why wouldn’t it? Finally, a candy bar phone that looks like a candy bar but infused with a multimedia soul.

The name Touch is literal. This is the first touch screen model in the popular LG Chocolate line of cell phones. Your control panel is a 3 inch, 400 x 240 pixel high resolution touch screen display. It’s nicely matched to the 3.2 Megapixel digital camera with stand-alone camera features like intelligent shot, panorama, facial makeover and more. It takes fantastic pix, good enough to print as well as share immediately online or via multimedia messaging. By the way, you can print directly to a Bluetooth enabled printer. No computer required.

Sharing online is made easy with social networking shortcut keys for quick access to Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. You can check out your favorite websites and watch YouTube videos with the built-in HTML Web browser. You’ll have 3G access where available on the Verizon Wireless network.

Multimedia capability is inherent in this phone. In addition to picture and video messages, you’ll find support for V Cast Music with Rhapsody and V Cast Videos on demand. The advanced music player lets you listen to your favorite radio station with an FM radio tuner and enjoy quality sound on Dolby Mobile speakers or stereo Bluetooth. The MP3 player supports playlists, Song ID, manual equalizers and other features.

Yes, it’s possible that you’ll become so absorbed in the multimedia goodness that you’ll find yourself in unfamiliar territory. No problem. This phone has integrated GPS support for turn by turn directions with Verizon’s VZ Navigator service.

So, do you have a growing hunger for chocolate of the electronic variety? Would your taste buds start to salivate if I told you that you can get this exciting high tech phone for free online. That’s right, you can get yours free if you hurry. This offer can’t possibly last too long. Check out the LG Chocolate Touch for Verizon Wireless and other hot phone deals now.

Remember that you can can get 2 free phones when you order a family service plan, so check that out if it works for your family. Shop by carrier or check out all of today’s special deals at Cell Phone Plans Finder now.

Cyber Monday Cell Phone Deals

Where’s the best place to find special offers on cell phones? Online, of course. If you are searching for Cyber Monday deals or just generally in the market for a new cell phone, you’ll save a bundle with these free and discounted cell phone specials. Take note that the offers I’m quoting are only good for the Black Friday weekend sale that ends at Midnight, today, Monday.

How about a free cell phone after an instant online discount? You have your choice of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 in black for AT&T. It’s not only one hot smartphone, it comes with a special bonus of free activation on up to five new or upgrade lines. Wow, you could order a family plan and get free BlackBerry Bolds for everyone. That’s one bill per month and you all share one bucket of minutes.

You like BlackBerry devices, but want a different model? How about the BlackBerry Curve in Titanium or silver? Or treat yourself to the advanced technology BlackBerry Storm2 Black for Verizon Wireless. I know, this phone comes with the hefty price of almost $600. But you’re not going to pay that. No way. Your price for this sale is just $9.99. You also get free standard shipping via FedEx and a bonus of no activation fee on the lines you order.

That’s right, a BlackBerry Storm2 for under ten bucks. Can you believe it? Well, don’t rub your eyes too long or this offer will disappear. Order the phone and plan you want now while this incredible sale is still in progress. By the way, the BlackBerry Storm 9530 Black is also available and it’s free after instant discount.

Wow! Are there any other good deals through Cyber Monday? You bet there are. On the Sprint PCS network you can get the Samsung Exclaim M550 Berry, the Sanyo SCP-2700 Blue, The BlackBerry Curve 8330 Red or the LG Rumor 2 Black in titanium, all for free after the instant online discount. You’ve seen these phones and priced them in the stores. You have your choice of the same service plans at the same prices as you would get in a cellular store or a big box retailer. But are they offering these phones to you for free? I’ll bet not. But shop for cell phones online and they are, indeed, free.

We just ran a review of the Samsung Solstice for AT&T. It’s one great smartphone. For you - free. How about a Samsung Highlight Blue for the T-Mobile wireless network? You guessed it - free.

Are you considering a netbook for work or personal use? You have your choice of netbooks with connectivity on the Verizon Wireless or AT&T networks. They’re under $200 when you order them online. These are serious computers with 1GB of RAM and large capacity hard drives. They’re just a bit smaller and lighter than your standard laptop computer. With both WiFi and 3G wireless connectivity, you’ll have Internet connectivity wherever you happen to be.

This is a terrific opportunity to get what you and your family really want for holiday gifts. It’s the good stuff. And now it’s well within your budget at these huge discounts and even free smartphones. Shop by carrier or just check out all the today’s special deals through Cell Phone Plans Finder. Even if you find this too late to catch the Black Friday Weekend through Cyber Monday sale, you may still be delighted by the variety of free and low cost wireless devices available.

DROID is the Woid

Motorola and Verizon have put their heads together to take on the juggernaut that is the Apple iPhone. The result is the much heralded DROID that promises smarter than smart operation thanks to it’s Google Android 2.0 operating system. But let’s have a look and see what you get when you pack a DROID.

One big difference between the iPhone and every other smart phone, save the BlackBerry Storm, is a physical keyboard. If you’ve spent years developing texting thumbs, then moving to a virtual on-screen keyboard is understandably uncomfortable. Some people gotta have their little pushbuttons. Others just prefer a physical QWERTY keyboard. The DROID doesn’t disappoint. Slide out the hidden keyboard and text so fast you cause sonic booms.

Those who believe that the Microsoft Windows operating system rules the universe and always will, may not have noticed that there are other players looking to unseat the king of Redmond. Apple is quietly selling premium price and quality iMacs in a recessionary economy. The iPhone is going strong and now making a move into other countries, like China. Meanwhile, Google is stretching its tentacles far beyond search. The Android operating system has only crept into the mobile marketplace, but it’s growing. The new DROID will be a big boost to that initiative. Especially since it’s coupled to Verizon Wireless with their excellent nationwide coverage.

With the DROID comes a tight integration between phone and Google’s online empire. That includes thousands of apps downloadable from the Android Market. Apple has quite a head start in the apps marketplace, but DROID has the potential to make downloadable apps a key advantage of this phone. There’s an onboard eCompass along with the expected GPS to enable Google Maps, geo-location web search, geo-tagging and other location based applications.

You can expect a desktop-like experience surfing the Web from your DROID. That’s thanks to the HTML Web browser and Verizon’s 3G data connection called EVDO Rev A. For even faster performance, you can connect to public, personal or corporate WiFi hotspots running 802.11b or g. That’s pretty much all of them now.

What’s a smartphone today without advanced multimedia support? The DROID sports a 5.0 Megapixel digital camera with geo-tagging, flash auto-stabilization, zoom and editing tools. Do you really need to buy a separate digital camera anymore? For most purposes, I’ll bet not. This high resolution camera takes pix good enough to print, as well as share with friends via multimedia messaging or post to photo sites. The 3.7” light responsive color display that doubles as a touch sensitive control screen offers a great platform for viewing video. It has a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels so your images and videos will have a sharp appearance.

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.

Going Rogue But Not Rouge With Samsung

Are you a maverick personality who needs a high performance cell phone that won’t quit on you in the middle of its service term? Then consider the new Samsung Rogue U960 Black (sorry, no red) for Verizon Wireless. It’s one hot candidate in a field of competing smartphones.

Does your current phone have one-touch access to your favorite social network apps, like Facebook and MySpace? No? How about the ability to surf the Web, watch YouTube videos and edit high resolution photos on a screen so bright its easy to use even in sunlight? No? Can you stream stereo music to a wireless headset, get driving directions, or message with ease using a real pushbutton slide-out QWERTY keyboard?

Still no? Your phone’s just too out of date to do everything you want to do, with ease, when you want to do it. Well, don’t waste your time trying to put lipstick on that pig when you can trade up to an advanced multimedia messaging-centric phone like the Samsung Rogue. It’s available at an incredible online discount with free shipping right now.

Let’s take a look at this candidate’s qualifications. What the Rogue has that you’ll be hard pressed to find on another phone is the AMOLED touchscreen color display. That stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. Eventually your TV will have one of these displays, but right now you can enjoy the advantage of this new technology that is incredibly bright and easy to see even in direct sunlight. The Samsung Rogue display measures a generous 3.1 inches with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and the ability to display over 262,000 colors. That gives you a rich, desktop-like Internet experience on your cellphone.

The Rogue’s customizable widget bar enables you to have one-touch access to social media such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and so on. You’ll be able to surf the Web with the built-in HTML Web browser and take advantage of Verizon’s cellular broadband network that’s available in most populous areas. You’ll also have access to V Cast Videos and V CAST with Rhapsody, if you choose to subscribe to these multimedia services.

The vibrant color display will also be appreciated for viewing the high resolution photos you take using the Samsung Rogue's 3 Megapixel digital camera with flash. It has advanced editing tools and zoom capability onboard, plus it runs in camcorder mode so you can make your own videos wherever you happen to be. Share them with your friends using multimedia messaging for picture and video messages. You won’t run out of storage space if you plug in a microSD memory card with up to 16 GB of capacity.

If messaging is a major part of your communications, you’ll love the slide-out full QWERTY keyboard of the Samsung Rogue. No tapping on the screen to compose messages with this phone. You get real pushbuttons with comfortable size and spacing so you can compose text quickly, easily and accurately. Slide it back in when you are done for a smaller profile phone.

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.

LG enV Envy Touch Phone Messaging Machine

Are you torn between wanting one of the new touchscreen phones but wanting, perhaps needing, a full QWERTY keyboard with physical buttons? Well, no need to make that choice anymore. The new LG enV Touch is both a touchscreen phone and a messaging phone.

Look at the “Envy” Touch phone closed and you’ll think it is a standard touchscreen smartphone. Clever disguise. Yes, the external 3 inch display is an 800 x 480 pixel color TFT touchscreen with tactile feedback and customizable shortcuts. But did you know that there is another 3 inch 800 x 400 pixel color display inside? This one isn’t a touchscreen. It doesn’t need to be. You’ll use your inner high resolution display in conjunction with the spacious QWERTY keyboard.

Just open the case lengthwise and you’ll find everything you need for fast, efficient messaging. Advanced features include instant reply and auto-complete. You can send and receive text messages with threaded, chat-style view. Instant messaging is supported, as well as multimedia messaging for picture and video messages. The email client supports popular web-based mobile email accounts such as Yahoo! and corporate email.

Such a well engineered phone should be able to browse the Web in style. Indeed, the LG enV Touch is equipped to do just that. The HTML Web browser is powered by the Verizon Wireless EVDO Rev-A data mobile data network. That means high speed downloads and faster than you might expect uploads. Verizon Wireless 3G offers download speeds of 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps and upload speeds of 500 to 800 Kbps. That’s easily competitive with many landline DSL services.

What other surprises does this advanced envy phone offer? You’ll like the 3.2 Megapixel digital camera with auto-focus, flash and image editor, among other features. It also works as a camcorder to record and share video clips with your friends and colleagues.

As you might expect, multimedia is also well supported in the LG enV Touch. You get an MP3 player that also plays AAC and AAC+ files. You can order stream media plans including V CAST music with Rhapsody and V CAST videos. Multimedia is another reason you’ll be glad you’ve got Verizon Wireless’ 3G network. Listen to your audio and video content through headphones connected to the standard 3.5mm stereo headset jack or make use of the Bluetooth A2DP wireless capability to stream to wireless headsets or other compatible devices.

What cutting edge technology phone would be complete with GPS support? This one has it so you can use the VZ Navigator service and never be lost again.

Memory is expandable using microSD memory cards up to 16GB. That way you’ll have all the room you need for photos and music. You can record voice memos up to one hour in length, so go ahead and dictate your memoirs while you’re at it. Then get back to texting!

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.

Novatel MiFi 2200 Makes YOU a WiFi Hotspot

If that's a WiFi hotspot in your pocket, they're going to be glad to see you. That is, if you're willing to share. For making instant friends, the MiFi has more potential than a box of hot donuts. Just be the only one on the bus or in the waiting room with broadband connectivity and you'll have them eating out of your hand.

What's a MiFi? It's the latest mobile Internet gadget, and perhaps the product introduction of the year. You've seen those little portable routers that you can carry in your briefcase? This is better. This is a WiFi hotspot that slips into a shirt pocket. With it you can provide 3G connectivity to up to 5 WiFi devices within a 30 foot radius.

How does it work? The Novatel MiFi combines a wireless modem aircard with a wireless router in a package smaller than a touchscreen cellphone or a good size candy bar. It measures a mere 2.5" x 2.3" x 0.4" and weighs-in at 2.1 oz. In addition to the aircard and router, there's a rechargeable Li-Ion battery good for 4 hours of continuous use and 40 hours of standby. There's also a micro-USB connector so that you can plug the MiFi into a computer and charge it or use the handy wall charger as needed.

The way it works its magic is that the wireless modem aircard connects to a cellular broadband signal, in this case one from Verizon Wireless towers. Verizon has been a leader in 3G wireless for cell phones using the EV-DO data standard. The MiFi will run on just about any Verizon tower signal it can get, although some out in the boonies might be on the slower 1XRTT standard. That means that anywhere you can get reliable Verizon cellular service, you can have an Internet connection for your hotspot.

Now, you have a choice. You can keep the MiFi hidden discretely in your pocket or bag and just say that your laptop computer is configured to pick up cellular broadband. Or you can be generous and offer to share your mobile Internet signal with up to 4 other grateful nearby users. That's the function of the built-in wireless router. It works just like the one at home, except no wires.

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.

The BlackBerry Storm Just Blew In at a Lower Price

Please don't tell me you've been standing out in the cold in-line to get a BlackBerry Storm. Oh, I'm sorry. And you didn't even get one because they ran out? Oh, that's awful. Well, I've got some news that will cheer you up. The new revolutionary BlackBerry Storm has just made its appearance on Cell Phone Plans Finder. You can buy it online with free shipping for just...

Oh, drat. They won't let me tell you the price. It's too low and would be against the rules of fair play if I mentioned it here. But that won't stop you from clicking through to the cellphone special offers and finding it yourself. Then you can order it with the Verizon Wireless service package of your choice and have the whole thing delivered to your doorstep without having to pay extra for shipping.

Yes, this is the BlackBerry Storm 9530 Black that is in the news everywhere. It's the first BlackBerry with an on-screen touch keyboard. It's something on the order of an Apple iPhone, but for BlackBerry users who are addicted to their keyboards. This one is no virtualized keyboard on a piece of hard glass. The screen gives when you press it so you'll get that tactile feedback you expect when texting or entering data. They call it SurePress technology.

The touchscreen itself measures 3.25 inches with 480 x 360 pixel resolution and the ability to display over 262,000 colors. it adjusts orientation and well as providing a click feedback. You'll be sending text, instant and email messages with ease. Or use the full HTML Web browser along with touch navigation. You'll be zipping along at up to 3. 1 Mbps when connected to Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A network. That may be more bandwidth than they give you at work.

The digital camera in the BlackBerry Storm has features you'd expect in a stand alone camera. It's 3.2 Megapixel resolution with LED flash, face detection and editing tools. It runs in camcorder mode, so you can capture live action wherever.

Another multimedia feature is the built-in music player that lest you download music over the air or sync with a PC. Go ahead and stream your music to wireless stereo headphones or other devices that conform to the A2DP Bluetooth standard.

I could go on and on about the advanced features of the BlackBerry Storm. But you can probably recite the details by heart at this point. So don't waste another minute. You know how fast these things are going, especially with Christmas nigh. Learn more and order your BlackBerry Storm 9530 Black for Verizon Wireless at Cell Phone Plans Finder before they're all .... gulp!... GONE.

Media Flos to Mobile TV

Television is pervasive. Once limited to high power over-the-air broadcasting, TV has been glomping onto other delivery mediums as fast as it can find them. First came cable channels that had no over the air equivalents. Then satellite, with its almost universal reach. Next, the Internet with clips on YouTube and IPTV feeds from network owned Websites. Now the move is to cell phones and other wireless devices for truly mobile TV.

The original approach to mobile video was downloadable clips using the cellular broadband networks, such as EV-DO for Verizon and Sprint. But cell phone network operators are running into the same limitations as Internet content delivery. The available bandwidth isn't high enough for really good real-time video presentation, and the sheer volume of packets threatens to bring down the whole network if the service truly catches on. What's been needed is a new delivery network designed for video from the ground up.

The leading candidate for that new network is Qualcomm's MediaFLO. Verizon Wireless started adopting it about a year ago and AT&T has just announced that it will begin service too. What's special about MediaFLO? First, it delivers its content using a different over-the-air channel than the cellular frequencies. Second, it's designed for real-time viewing at 30 frames per second to give a true live television experience. A typical screen size is QVGA (Quarter Video Graphics Array) at 240x320 pixels. Since mobile devices aren't likely to tote around living room sized video displays, a lower bandwidth is acceptable to provide a good viewing experience. MediaFLO needs just 300 Kbps per live channel.

The MediaFLO specification supports many possible deployment schemes, but the one that is winning out is the former UHF TV channel 55 at 716-722 MHz. It is part of the lower 700 MHz band sold to Wireless companies by an earlier FCC auction and offers licensed high power transmission with large coverage areas. With 50 KW of effective radiated power and a 6 MHz bandwidth, MediaFLO transmitters can provide up to 20 live mobile TV channels with stereo sound over a substantial service area.

Another advantage over IP and cellular broadband delivery is that FLO TV service is multicast, like regular television. That means that the same bandwidth is used regardless of how many viewers there are. Internet based services usually need a certain amount of bandwidth for each user, especially for last-mile delivery. The FLO in MediaFLO stands for Forward Link Only to designate that this is a one-way transmission system.

A typical MediaFLO enabled cell phone is the one being sold by Verizon. It's 320x240 pixel high resolution color display (262,000 colors) rotates from portrait style when used as a cell phone to a landscape mode for TV viewing. You pull up a 5 inch TV whip antenna when needed to get a strong signal. This phone also supports Verizon's V Cast video services using the EV-DO cellular broadband system with up to 700 KHz download speed.

Another MediaFLO phone for Verizon is the Samsung SCH-U620, the first one offered by Verizon for mobile television. This is a slider phone with a similar screen size and V Cast capabilities. Plus all the usual niceties such as streaming Bluetooth and a Megapixel camera.

AT&T is planning to offer two cell phones of its own that will be MediaFLO enabled. They are the LG Vu and Samsung Access.

MediaFLO is aggressively marketing its technology and adding content that now includes CBS, Comedy Central, ESPN, FOX, MTV, NBC and Nickelodeon. Coverage is still limited to major metropolitan areas, but the fierce competition that will no doubt ensue between AT&T and Verizon will likely result in additional transmission sites as cell phone users get comfortable with bringing their TV programs with them. Mobile television seems like an idea whose time has come, much like iPOD music on the go and cell phones themselves. With the completion of the 700 MHz spectrum auction, it will be interesting to see what other video and TV options become available using MediaFLO and competing technologies.

Novatel's Brilliant Mobile In-Ovation

It looks like a USB memory drive, and it is. But look closer. Thumb drives don't have pop-up antennas. This one does. That's because the Novatel Ovation U727 is more than solid state memory. It's also a cellular broadband modem and a GPS receiver. Call it the "Swiss Army Knife" of mobile technology. Or call it the upgrade your notebook computer really needs. This Novatel product is three upgrades in one.

The primary function of this broadband card is to connect you to the data networks of either Sprint or Verizon. You'll need the version that is enabled for the carrier you want. Both feature downloads at the highest cellular speed currently available. That's EV-DO Rev A with downloads up to 3.1 Mbps and uploads to 1.8 Mbps. If the base station you are nearest isn't upgraded to Rev A yet, standard EV-DO Rev 0 will give you 2.4 Mbps download and 153 Kbps upload. Those are burst ratings. Your actual connection speed will probably be less.

Both of these cellular network data standards will allow you to roam free of the home office or WiFi hotspots. The original standard was meant to emulate a DSL connection for email and Web browsing. The new EV-DO Rev A speeds downloads a bit, but the big change is to the upload bandwidth. 153 Kbps is pretty marginal for things like video conferencing or file uploading. The 1.8 Mbps burst capability is more suited to real-time applications.

What happens if you are out in the boonies? If you can get cellular coverage at all, then you'll be able to at least access 1xRTT, the oldest CDMA cellular data standard and nearly universally installed in tower base stations. The performance is more like dial-up, around 50 Kbps. But at least you can stay connected way, way out there where coffee shops with WiFi are few and far between.

A feature of the Ovation U727 is that it connects to your PC via a USB port. The standard for cellular broadband cards has been the PCMCIA card slot. Those aren't universally available on notebook computers any more, but USB ports are truly ubiquitous. I imagine that the USB connection and memory stick form factor is what gave designers the idea to have this device do double duty as a removable solid state hard drive. To make use of this feature, you'll need to buy microSD card up to 4 GB maximum capacity. Plug in that little card like you would on a cell phone and you've got a thumb drive.

The third capability built into the Novatel Ovation U727 is a GPS receiver. Lots of of wireless productivity devices and common cell phones now include built-in GPS receivers. They were put there to aid location in emergency calls, but have been put into service as navigation systems and for mapping. Adding this card to your PC gives you the ability to use location-based services.

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.

BlackBerry 8830 is World Class

It's a CDMA phone. No, it's a GSM phone. No, wait. It's both.

What Verizon Wireless has done is actually a clever piece of engineering. They've come up with a BlackBerry wireless device that works on their impressive domestic network, yet can be used around the world. What makes that difficult is that Verizon Wireless uses the CDMA or Code Division Multiple Access cellular network in the United States. They have excellent coverage and speedy EV-DO cellular broadband in their wireless footprint. But the rest of the world doesn't use CDMA. It uses GSM.

Up till now this has been a show stopper for Verizon roaming. Leave the USA and your phone won't work. Until now, that is. Verizon has come up with the only logical solution for this dilemma. Build a device that has both GSM and CDMA capability. It's two radios in one unit. The CDMA portion accesses the 800 and 1900 MHz bands within the USA. The GSM portion access the 900 and 1800 MHz bands outside the USA. When on the CDMA network, you also have access to EV-DO cellular broadband at an average download speed of 700 Kbps or 1xRTT at up to 130 Kbps where EV-DO is not deployed. Overseas, you have access to GPRS broadband at up to 80 Kbps on the GSM networks. This gives you both voice and data access no matter where you go.

The result is the BlackBerry "World Phone" that works in over 150 countries. Corporate users addicted to their BlackBerries can seamlessly cross international borders and not have to worry that their mobile technology is going to suddenly go dark. But, there is lots more to like in this new BlackBerry 8830 World Edition.

In addition to its stylish good looks, the BlackBerry 8830 features a full backlit QWERTY keypad with SureType predictive text entry. The 320 x 240 pixel color display automatically adjusts to ambient light conditions to extend battery life. Synchronization of your address book, calendar and email with your PC is a snap. The "push" real-time email will integrate with up to 10 accounts securely, using POP3, IMAP and SMTP. You can readily open Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files attached to emails. Text messaging, instant messaging and multimedia messaging support is built-in. So is full HTML Web browsing.

Something new is a built-in true GPS locator. This gives you the ability to have turn-by-turn navigation support with VZ Navigator or BlackBerry Maps as add-on features. Streaming multimedia support, including MPEG4 and H.263 video, is included. So is MP3 audio. Hands free operations? Yes. You have Bluetooth wireless headphone capability, a built-in speakerphone and voice activated dialing.

Find a complete collection of BlackBerries and other smart phones for all the major carriers at special deals through Cell Phone Plans Finder now.

MOTORAZR maxx Ve Takes RAZR to the Max

Motorola's RAZR phone line unquestionably set a new standard for business and personal cell phones. Now a new design looks to take the crown and become THE standard for high technology and advanced styling. It is the MOTORAZR maxx Ve for Verizon Wireless. It might also be called "razor phone, the next generation."

What really set the RAZR design apart when it debuted was the slim profile vs the chunky feel of other flip-phones. Also its light weight and technical features. It was a groundbreaking product in its day, but getting a little long in the tooth. That slim profile is now being matched by other phones and even PDA style mobile devices. The high-tech VGA camera is now about as exciting as a VGA computer monitor. The RAZR is still extremely popular and a great bargain. To be an early adopter once set you back several hundred dollars. Now most RAZR models are offered free with new cellular service plans. The RAZR may no longer be pushing the limits of affordability, but it's also no longer pushing the limits on mobile technology.

What the new generation razor phone offers is a similar size package and upgraded features, but without the extreme sticker shock of the RAZR V3 introduction. Let's look at what's changed and what hasn't. One spec that jumps out immediately is the performance of the digital camera. The original 640x480 resolution VGA digital camera has been replaced by a 2.0 Megapixel camera offering 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution maximum. That's easily good enough to print and may well obsolete much of the need to tote a separate digital camera just for snapshots. This camera has autofocus, a 4x digital zoom, and flash. It will also work in camcorder mode with a video capture time limited only by available memory. A 60 MB memory is built-in. Expandable memory is by MicroSD/Transflash format plug-in memory card.

Bluetooth wireless capability has been expanded. Of course you can still use a clip-on Bluetooth headset to make and receive phone calls. But the MOTORAZR maxx Ve also supports A2DP which allows you to stream stereo music to and from compatible devices. The multimedia capabilities are further enhanced by support for streaming multimedia, such as on-demand TV and music, with Verizon's VCAST services. You can download and save songs from the VCAST music store as well. I should note that this incarnation of the MOTORAZR maxx is labeled Ve, which stands for Verizon. The phone is designed for Verizon's Wireless service and add-on plans. In additional to multimedia, you can get GPS turn-by-turn directions with VZ Navigator as an additional Verizon service.

The RAZR replacement sports larger color displays both inside and out, a larger phone book, parental controls, advanced voice activated dialing, and other upgrades. But breathe easy. The cool black clamshell is only marginally larger than the RAZR models it replaces. Even the slim side profile has grown from 0.54 to just 0.59 inches. Weight is up a fraction of an ounce from 3.35 to 3.88 ounces. You can upgrade to the new technology without having to give up the size and weight advantages that attracted you to the RAZR in the first place.

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.