If you are a movie aficionado like me then you will want to pay close attention to this post.  Movie ticket website Fandango announced today that will start selling movie tickets that can be scanned from your mobile device immediately.  Similar to the 2-D barcodes that are available with some airlines Fandango’s tickets can be scanned at the ticket booth at selected theaters.

Currently this new technology is only available in a few select theaters and cities such as New York, Dallas, Houston and San Diego but is expected to be rolled out to more cities in the coming months if the tests prove effective.  The costs of movie tickets will be the same if you use this new feature on your cell phone.

This is truly fantastic news if you like going to the movies but hate standing in those lines to get your tickets.  You will never miss a show again because of it being sold out while you are waiting to get your tickets.  You will be able to purchase your tickets to the show at home and then just skip the line all together when you get to the theater.  I am quite excited to use this new technology from Fandango and looking forward to save some time waiting in line the next time I am at the movies.

The NFL and Verizon Wireless announced a new four year deal today that will bring the NFL Mobile programming along with the NFL RedZone channel to Verizon Wireless phones.  While not too much information was given about what phones will have the NFL coverage available this new service is set to start in time so NFL fans can receive coverage of the upcoming NFL Draft which is set to take place April 22-24.  More announcements are schedule for August when the NFL season is drawing near.

Subscribers of the Verizon Wireless network will be able to watch NFL games on Sundays and Thursdays.  Users will also have access to live radio broadcasts of every regular season and playoff game for both the home and away teams.  These features will make this service appealing to just about any NFL fan as they will now never miss any of the exciting action when their favorite team is playing.

Verizon Wireless also used this opportunity to announce how their upcoming 4G network will be a fantastic complement to this NFL package.  The new Verizon 4G network is reported to have download speeds capable of streaming live wireless conferences similar to your home internet connection.  With speeds like that the action will fast and furious come Sundays while you take all of the football action wherever you go.

For any football fan this is a nice development as the Verizon network appears to be much more capable than the Sprint network, which used to be the home of this NFL package, of handling the necessary download speeds to have an enjoyable experience streaming NFL games on your mobile device.  I know I am looking forward to not being tied to my couch every Sunday for fear of missing some of the football battles.

The question today is whether or not cell phones are actually used for making calls.  This is been something that's been on my mind for quite a while and I thought I might take a few minutes to do some pulmonary research to see if my suspicions were true.  With all the amazing things that are touchscreen smart phones, such as the iPhone can do, I began to think that perhaps we are not even using our cell phones to make that traditional phone call.

I was browsing the web from my traditional PC, as I stumbled upon an article on the online version of the Wall Street Journal.  This begins to give me some general information that perhaps I was on the right track and that we are not using our cell phones for calls.  The article centered on some Harvard students that are involved in developing a new application geared towards those attending this illustrious school.  However, halfway through the article the conversation turned towards the fact that many of these students do not use their cell phone to make telephone calls.  Matter of fact, one student that was interviewed had to stop for a moment, as she had to think whether or not one of her friends had the ability to send and receive e-mail via her cell phone.  The student had to actually call using her cell phone, something that she does not do but maybe once a week.  The student stated that normally they would use their cell phones to call home and other than that they only use them to send e-mail and text message.

So I began to think, surely there would be some statistics that would back up the fact that no one really uses her cell phone anymore to make telephone calls.  And I was right.  I found a report, even though it is slightly outdated, from the Nielson Company, 2008 that began to show some interesting facts.  The average number of calls back in 2006 per month was 198 per person and those same people received 65 text messages.  By the end of second quarter 2008 these numbers changed dramatically.  The estimated number of monthly text messages was 357 as compared to the 204 monthly phone calls.  I would imagine that if we had up-to-date statistics today we would see that our cell phones are predominantly used to send and receive text and e-mail, and that probably less than 30% of a mobile phones use is for actual telephoning.  Hopefully I will be able to find an updated statistical report that will prove my original theory.  My unlocked iPhone can help me do this as my PC is too slow!

The double set of rules that text messaging has had, tweens vs. adult, seems to have blown up in our faces. While text messaging was just beginning, our teens had it all figured out and a language to go with it. The problems began when in no time, our tweens became adults and the etiquette rules are a quite a few years behind in concern.

Sure most adults understand texting while engaging in conversations with other people, out on a date, while others may be sleeping, or before someone has had their morning coffee is not OK. But there are a huge number of adults that have not been adults for very long. Texting all night long is probably a crime comparable to the phone cord pulled into your bedroom, or that first iPhone unlocked cell phone under your covers so your parents would not know you were talking to your best friend for hours at a time. So, to try to understand, tween habits die hard and hopefully a little guidance from some not-so-tween adults can help.

On a personal level: Text message etiquette while you are with other people, dining, talking, or just hanging out watching a movie or the game on your tv is to enjoy the actual people you are with. If you really cannot live without your text buddy for an hour or two, then go be with them and leave the rest of the one-on-one interactors on their own. An occasional text is fine, especially when you get a new Apple 3G iPhone, but a steady stream of texting when with other people is just simply rude.

On a business level: You will not get a job if you check your phone for a text while interviewing. Shutting your phone off for an important interaction is the best policy. Texting at work is unacceptable, if you are getting paid by the hour forget it. Although some employers do use texting for communication, drawing a business and personal line in the sand will keep your sanity in tack for both parties.

Texting may be common sense for some, but when you grew up with the words unlimited text messaging being a literal meaning as an adult you may need some help. Perhaps some day these suggestions will be outdated and totally wrong, but today we still need to stick by some standard of text message etiquette for people to follow.

This is good news for those who are always disappointed with AT&T’s service; you can now get an app that will convey your disappointment with your AT&T cell phone or service to AT&T. The bigwigs at the telecom giant somehow have learned how to make nice, at least for the time being. Verizon has this app as well so maybe the make-nice-virus is also out this flu season.

This however is not good news for those who really want to express their disappointment about AT&T’s service because 511 only address coverage gaps, dropped calls and other network problems. Therefore, if you have a problem with your outrageous bill, you cannot complain here, you would have to talk to the people at customer care.

Mark The Spot is what this app is called and offers long-suffering customers an ability to send a message or to ping their carrier as soon as the problem comes up. No one knows yet how this is useful though so this disappointment app somehow has caused more disappointment than cheer.

Because for one, why cannot AT&T monitor dropped calls automatically the way Verizon does? Another thing is how wills someone, anyone reports that he or she has no coverage if in fact, there is NO COVERAGE? Well, maybe you report when you get your coverage back, which will be utter, useless. So maybe AT&T is not trying to be nice, maybe they are doing a survey on dropped calls i.e. which of these dropped calls or how many dropped calls made are related to the network’s bad service or coverage. If this is a way to do a survey then it will probably not work.

It is a rather surprising app though, something much unexpected indeed. No one knows what this app is really for but let us hope it will cover other “disappointments”.

QVC the online multimedia giant does it again. In a bid to lure customers for Christmas shopping they have launched an easy to use application for shopping online through the iPhone and  iTouch. This application comes for yes. YES. Anyone using an Apple iPhone or iTouch can just grab this and start shopping from QVC right away. This is something for everyone including the mothers and grandmas to rejoice because with the click of a key and at the comfort of your house you can buy almost any multimedia product from QVC. What better Christmas gift would the young boys and girls ask for. All the new range of electronic multimedia gears is listed in the write with the daily offers and that includes the day’s special offers and even the offers that are one time value.

The application also features all the current items in the stock and has a checklist that you can use and refer later. This does not stop here. What about wanting to tell your friends that their favorite Christmas gift is just a click away? You can also do that by sending out emails via their sharing element facility. This facility application is linked to the I Tunes link, which can be downloaded for free. All you need is to get a little tech savvy and maybe you don’t have to queue up in the bitter cold anymore. That’s something grandma would rejoice as she can shop for her favorite grandchildren from the comfort of the house.

What about gifting grandma an iPhone for a start? Now that is a booster for QVC as their I Phone sales itself may go up the ladder. It is not only electronics but QVC has stocks of kitchen items, Handbags, Beauty and Fashion items like jewelry, home improvement items and wellness and sports items and many more. Hence with an unlocked iPhone 3GS and QVC apps its shopping from home this Christmas.

ThinkFlood has just released its iPhone universal remote –the RedEye.  Loaded with features and costs $188, it is a good deal. Average universal remotes cost about $150 so RedEye’s tag is not so bad. What makes RedEye different is that it utilizes the touchscreen of iPhones; it also uses iPhone hardware to power itself.

The device is a must-have especially for iPhone owners. RedEye was used for beta testing some ages ago but now it is available in their website. This new universal remote has a great design. The quality of the hardware is as good as its design and it is durable. However, of course if you keep on doing a wrestling match with anyone in your household because of the remote –it probably will not survive the catastrophe.

What does it do?

Well it connects you to Wi-Fi if you want to surf on your iPhone, and it does not have any problems with controlling the TV, the DVR, or Blu-Ray, no significant latency whatsoever –which is good. RedEye converts your precious unlocked iPhone into a remote. For those fond of their iPods, RedEye can make this into a remote as well.  This only works with IR equipped components of course, everyone would be surprised if you can control your dog through the said remote. It is not like one of those movies but hey, it has potential, to control anything that can respond to IR signals.

Setting it up however is a little difficult but that is of course expected since it is a universal remote. Well as they say, no pain, no gain.

Your home automation system can be controlled by your iPhone through RedEye. Its setup can maintain multiple controllers, users, and rooms all at the same time. Apart from that, it also has the capacity to control an unlimited number of gadgets along with unlimited commands. Now that is neat!

By offering what they call “Social Beat,” Verizon and iSkoot have introduced a new, free social networking application. Armed with “Social Beat,” fans of the social networking sites can carry out all of their mobile networking with one single application.

Verizon and iSkoot have made important adaptations to iSkoot’s Kalaida platform. Those adaptations promise to facilitate access to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Email, and close to 50 other RSS feeds. Thanks to the introduction of Social Beat, the information from those RSS feeds will now reach the handsets of a larger number of those that follow the social networking sites.

Granted, there will still be some users of the Verizon phone line up that will not be able to enjoy the benefits of Social Beat. Verizon cannot guarantee that each member of its line of communication products has been equipped to handle the Social Beat offerings. However, Verizon has promised that at least 20 of its various handsets will do an excellent job of receiving the messages sent by way of the Social Beat software.

Now the vast majority of Smartphone users will no longer need to switch from one application to the next, in order to acquire information from all of the popular social networking sites. They will not have to remain in suspense about what Sarah Palin has put on her Facebook page, after reading the recent tweet from a CNN correspondent.

Most Smartphone users can see an end to worries about what new information has appeared on Twitter, while they have been reviewing their incoming Email messages. Thanks to Social Beat, those Smartphone users can anticipate a chance to switch easily from their Email account to the RSS feed from Twitter.

News of Social Beat seems poised to spread fast, throughout the entire community of social networking sites.

AT&T revealed that they spent approximately $65 million in the Bay area between 2008 and through the third quarter of 2009 to enhance their 3G network services.  The upgrade is part of a strategy for AT&T to deliver innovative services for Smartphone and broadband users. With the new 850 MHz Spectrum in, place AT&T will provide greatly enhanced quality for those accessing their wireless network from inside buildings, and it will allow the company to adequately handle the growing mobile broadband customer base.

In addition to the 3G network, upgrade the expenditure by AT&T also improved cellular services around the Bay area as well.  The investment increased the capacity for connection between cell sites, which is critical due to the rapid expansion of mobile connectivity needs.  The growth in AT&T 3G users, due to Smartphone upgrades and other mobile devices, has been over 2000 percent since 2008 according to internal company data.  This exponential increase is the primary driving force behind the millions spent.

Across the country, AT&T offers 3G services in more than 350 metropolitan areas. However, nowhere is the desire for these devices more in demand than San Francisco specifically, and California in general. To keep up with this massive, and growing, demand AT&T felt that the 3G infrastructure investment was warranted and will serve to solidify their position as the top provider of these services.  To that end, the Spectrum upgrade will allow users to experience a greater quality when making a call, accessing an application, or surfing the net.

AT&T has also announced plans to upgrade their infrastructure nationwide with the HPS 7.2 technology.  They hope to have this project completed by 2010 in the San Francisco area and nationwide by 2011.  As part of this effort, the company will also add 1900 cell sites around the country to meet the demands of consumers.

In the aftermath of its server crash, T-mobile resumed the sale of its Smartphone Sidekick at lower prices.

T-mobile, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom and having GSM operations in Europe, Asia and USA with a user base of over 350 million subscribers, resumed selling its Sidekick cell phones at cheaper rates. Sidekick 2008 will be sold at $ 49 while Sidekick LX 2009 will be sold at $149 which is down by $ 25 from $175.

It is notable that on October 1, Sidekick users lost data functionality while some users faced personal data loss. During the server crash, people were asked not to let their cell phones switch off or face data loss. During the server failure, contact numbers, pictures, calendars, notes, tasks and other personal information of several Sidekick users was lost.

This sent a panic wave among the users who had their data hosted on the cloud. However the services were restored on Oct 8, some users were still coming out of the hit.

Microsoft Corp’s data centers were hosting the Sidekick data when the failure struck. Media reports say that Microsoft had hired Hitachi to upgrade a portion of its servers when something went wrong. Microsoft didn’t keep any backup of data.

Some lawsuits were also filed against T-mobile and Microsoft. T-mobile tried to compensate the affected users by $ 100 gift cards.

T-mobile Sidekick models are among the most desired and niche cell phones in the market. The flip out screen with the full keyboard is really great for text messaging.

The question remains whether Sidekick will able to strike a chord with the customers again. This failure raised a question not only on the role of T-mobile and Microsoft, but also on the reliability of the concept of cloud computing.