| It is absolutely amazing and somewhat | | | | change your service plan, now would be the time |
| overwhelming all the cell phone plan choices. As I | | | | to start shopping around. |
| was watching the Olympic Curling Event, I noted | | | | Consumers and business owners alike are now |
| an advertisement by Wal*Mart that was offering | | | | taking advantage of these smart phones. In fact, |
| 1,000 minutes and 1,000 text messages for the | | | | in the Wall Street Journal there is a full page ad |
| low price of "X" amount of dollars per month - | | | | which seems to be running nearly every day that |
| "Straight Talk" program. | | | | hooks up with Sprint. It is a full page ad and |
| Apparently, they've hooked up with a major | | | | offers discounts on the Samsung Moment, Palm |
| carrier of cell phone technology such as AT&T, | | | | Pixi, or the Blackberry Curve model 8530 smart |
| Sprint, or Verizon, and although I didn't get the | | | | cell phone. It includes a testimonial from PC World, |
| sense of which carrier they are partnering with, I | | | | and explains that you can go into any Best Buy |
| sure see the synergy. And that is a pretty good | | | | or RadioShack and get the same deal. |
| deal if you consider your current cell phone plan. | | | | It appears that the industry plans to push forward |
| Indeed, I suppose there are several phones to | | | | this as Google and Apple advances with their own |
| choose from with rebates on each, or even a | | | | recent technology offers. Are we seeing a |
| free-phone with a sign-up and activation fee if | | | | saturation in the marketplace, is everyone getting |
| you do not need a tricky smart phone with | | | | into the cell phone business, doesn't everyone |
| maximum features. | | | | already have a cell phone, isn't everyone already |
| Consider if you will that Wal-Mart has an | | | | locked into a contract? |
| unbelievable amount of customers coming in and | | | | The answer is yes and no, it might even be |
| out of their stores, the sheer number and volume | | | | worth paying the penalty fee and jumping out of |
| of their present customer base is enough to | | | | your current contract to save money and get a |
| make them the largest cell phone company with | | | | new phone. If you are like me perhaps your one |
| the most subscribers on the planet, it would only | | | | year, 18 month, or two year contract is now up, |
| take them a few years to catch up to the | | | | and you'd like to move up in the world with a |
| leaders and then pass them. After all, they are | | | | new smart phone. |
| already the largest corporation and they hire | | | | Most of these cell phones include navigational GPS |
| more people than any single company, or | | | | software, digital camera with video capture, and |
| government in the world. | | | | data feed features, which allow you to surf the |
| All too often we are so concerned with what is | | | | Internet. Some of them have keyboards and the |
| happening in Silicon Valley, and we watch the | | | | technology today was unheard of just a few |
| stock market in the personal tech sector for | | | | years ago. You see, it's not just Apple's new iPad, |
| companies like Research in Motion, Apple, and | | | | Barnes & Noble's new Nook, or Amazon.com's |
| Google. We watch companies like Nokia, Motorola, | | | | new Kindle that is changing the landscape of |
| and others show off their latest devices. But | | | | personal technology. In fact, these new smart cell |
| consider if you will a large retailer with that type | | | | phones are getting so robust in technology that |
| of power that Wal-Mart has, they will revolutionize | | | | even Palm is noting that its PDAs are not selling |
| the low cost end of the cell phone industry. This in | | | | any more. |
| turn will drive down prices, create a great amount | | | | If you think that the earthquake in Chile, or the |
| of competition, and in the end it will be very good | | | | devastating earthquake and Haiti is significant, then |
| for consumers. | | | | I think you need to check out the rumblings in the |
| Companies like Apple, Google, and Research in | | | | personal technology in the marketplace. It appears |
| Motion will have to offer their iPhones, Androids, | | | | that the CES show in Las Vegas, along with |
| Google Phones, and Blackberries must compete | | | | Comdex in 2010 were merely the tip of the |
| on price too or miss out on this large clientele. But | | | | iceberg, and the global demand is melting it faster |
| you can hardly go anywhere, or pick up any | | | | than the producers can bring them to market. |
| newspaper including the Wall Street Journal | | | | The US electronic consumers and first adopter |
| without seeing lots of ads for new smart phones | | | | technology lovers haven't seen anything yet. |
| hooked to special promotional programs from | | | | Motorola's new projection cell phones technology |
| various wireless companies. | | | | will soon be hitting the scenes as well. Nokia |
| In a recent ad in our newspaper locally, I noted | | | | promises to roll out some incredible new personal |
| that a small wireless reseller was offering the | | | | tech hardware and smart cell phone technology in |
| Blackberry Curve model 8530 smart phone for | | | | the near future. The sky is the limit and it's hard |
| only $49, which included $100 rebate, if you sign | | | | to say what comes next. As we look back it's |
| up for a two-year service agreement, and the | | | | almost hard to say which came first the chicken |
| total price been only $149.99 total. I am sure | | | | or the egg - that is to say the 3G or 4G wireless |
| you've seen similar offers in your local paper in | | | | technology schemes, or the new high-tech |
| your area too. | | | | devices which will run on them. |
| This same company offered an LG LX 370 smart | | | | The reality is that this technology is evolving at an |
| phone for free with a two-year service | | | | incredible pace. And everyone is getting in on it |
| agreement, and they also offered the new Sanyo | | | | including Intel with their new smart phone chips. |
| Incognito for only $49.99 after the two-year | | | | Recently, I listen to the CEO of Intel on a |
| service agreement and mail-in rebate. All these | | | | conference call to investors and Wall Street |
| offers including the one at Wal-Mart have early | | | | explain how their new smart phone chip was |
| termination fee fines, some of which are up to | | | | going to be a huge moneymaker for the |
| $200. Nevertheless, it is fairly obvious to see that | | | | company, and how they were charging ahead. |
| there is competition in the marketplace and a lot | | | | Perhaps, you will please consider all this, and e-mail |
| more to follow. | | | | me and tell me what you think. |
| If you've ever wanted to get a cell phone, or | | | | |