More smartphones on the way. (Verizon Droid Eris not pictured.)

Everyone has heard of the Motorola Droid, set for retail release tomorrow. We’ve all seen the commercial publicizing Droid’s quest to one-up the iPhone. However, today it has gotten out that another Droid, the Verizon Droid Eris, will also be available, and for half the price.

Consumers who were considering getting same day loans tomorrow so they could buy the Motorola Droid tomorrow just want think about avoiding debt and getting the Verizon Droid Eris instead. The Motorola model costs $199 after a mail-in rebate, while the Verizon Droid Eris, also to be released tomorrow, will cost $99.

A world of Droids

The main difference between the Motorola Droid and the Verizon Droid Eris appears to be the manufacturing company. The Verizon Droid Eris is made by HTC, a company based in Taiwan. HTC certainly doesn’t have the brand recognition that Motorola has, and of course the Verizon Droid Eris lacks some of the features of the Motorola Droid.

Motorola is an American company based in Illinois. The economy may play a big factor in which Droid becomes the best-seller. Americans who have the luxury of being a tad altruistic might be motivated to buy the Motorola Droid in order to spur the U.S. economy. However, many people’s budgets are tighter than ever, and in this recession, saving  money is the new cool trend.

What’s the difference?

Naturally, you get what you pay for, and the case is no different with the Verizon Droid Eris. Some of the features the Droid commercial boasts about, including a “real keyboard,” are not present on the Verizon Droid Eris.

Naturally, in order to carry the Droid moniker a smartphone must run on the Android processing system. Verizon Droid Eriz does run on Android, but it runs on version 1.5 rather than Android 2.0. Translation: the Verizon Droid Eris is slower.

Don’t worry, we still have something to look forward to after tomorrow. Motorola has another Droid model on the way.

Another contender is about to enter the war of the smartphones. Image from Wikimedia.

Though the commercials for the Verizon Motorola Droid were stark and simple — just black text on a white background — they have created a lot of hype. Since the Droid commercials started airing, everyone has been waiting to find out the Droid release date, and now it has been discovered.

Several sources say the Verizon Motorola Droid release will be Oct. 30. The big question looming over Verizon’s head is whether holiday sales of the Droid will beat out the iPhone. After spending so much money on development and advertising, Verizon and Motorola might need a loan until payday, when Droid actually starts selling and turning a profit.

Droid directly challenges iPhone

The reason Droid commercials have made such a splash is because of their controversial nature. Verizon chose to use an advertising strategy not commonly seen, which is to directly challenge another product. It does seem that lately — unless it’s a cola controversy — Apple always seems to be involved in these direct comparison advertisements.

After all, Apple has been using the Mac versus PC commercials for quite sometime. In answer, Microsoft began running “I’m a PC” commercials, in which people favor PCs to Macs. Once again, Apple is getting a taste of its own medicine, as Droid is being advertised under the slogan “Everything iDon’t, Droid does.” These advertisements are drawing a lot of attention because Apple customers generally are staunchly loyal. Furthermore, in the case of Verizon’s attack on iPhone, Verizon started it.

Poised for big release

While it’s true that Apple customers tend to be almost snobbishly loyal, there are also consumers who are vehemently opposed to Apple products for one reason or another. Those types will likely pounce on the Droid release date, relieved to finally have an option that, by all accounts, appears to be superior to the iPhone.

Of course, it will all come down to a matter of preferece, so it is tough to say whether the Verizon Motorola Droid will actually surpass the iPhone in popularity and profits. But with advertising creating a buzz and people eagerly awaiting the Droid release date, I’d say the Droid is off to a good start. Check out a photo of the Droid.

Image from Wikimedia.

While most companies are still striving to pull themselves out of recession slumps, Apple is back and better than ever. The company posted sales of more than  $10 billion for the past three months. That puts Apple earnings somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.7 billion in profit for that quarter.

Apple earnings are 46 percent higher for the past three months than they were for the same quarter last year.  The market for instant cash loans is also seeing an increase as Americans struggle to maintain financial stability, but many other retail and manufacturing sectors are still seeing declines in earnings.

All hail the iPhone

Despite the state of the economy, Apple earnings reflect the highest-ever sales of iPhones and Mac computers. This isn’t particularly surprising in the case of the iPhone, which has not been around very long. As some people have started to see smartphones as a necessity rather than a luxury, sales of iPhones have skyrocketed.

Not surprisingly, sales of the iPod have gone down slightly as sales of iPhones increased. Who would want a plain, old mp3 player when you could get a phone that has one built in? Increased sales of Mac computers are somewhat surprising, considering the emergence of inexpensive NetBooks, but apparently Apple has figured out how to recession-proof the popularity of its products.

Will Droid put a dent in Apple earnings?

In fact, Apple’s products such as the iPod and iPhone have made such an impact on consumers that they are being directly targeted by competitors. Verizon has started running commercials for Droid, its answer to the iPhone. The slogan for the Droid is “Everything iDon’t, Droid does.”

The “putting a lower case i at the beginning of a word” fad is so deeply ingrained in American consumers, in fact, that after word started traveling about the Droid commercials, people began searching for “iDroid” on Google.

How long will we have to wait for the Droid?

Verizon has made no bones about it: The Droid is its answer to the iPhone, and the company is doing everything it can to point out the superiority of its product, most notably in the Droid commercial that recently came out.

However, this Droid commercial has created a strange phenomenon. The commercial features mostly black text on a white background. The phrases, which change every few seconds, all beginning with “iDon’t.” For example, one says “iDon’t run widgets.” The end of the commercial says “Everything iDon’t … Droid does.”

However, it seems that Verizon’s Droid commercial might be backfiring in a way, as there have been millions of Google searches today for “iDroid.”

Do Droid commercials cause brand confusion?

So clearly Verizon has achieved its goal of linking the Droid to the iPhone, but it appears possible that consumers believe these products are related, not in competition. Would a loan company want to be so closely associated with its competition? I suppose that depends.

Because iPhone is already such a well established and popular brand, letting consumers think that there is such a thing as an “iDroid” might be a good thing for Verizon’s sales. However, it is clear from the Droid commercial that Verizon wants people to differentiate between the Droid and the iPhone. However, making an advertisement with such a specific target appears to be having the opposite effect.

Does Droid commercial convince consumers?

From the Droid commercial, consumers can infer that the Droid runs widgets, allows open development, takes pictures at night, has interchangeable batteries and has a real keyboard. However, that is all the information you get.

Even the Verizon web site doesn’t say when this Droid will come into existence. There are no photos of what the Droid will look like, either, which I believe contributes to the “iDroid” confusion. The only images consumers have that represent the Droid is a text pattern similar to the competition’s naming scheme.

Viper SmartStart app transforms your iPhone into your car keys. Image from Wikimedia.

The Viper SmartStart is a new smartphone application that lets you start, lock, unlock and turn on your car’s alarm system from far away. The app is available on iPhone and iPod touch. Though users can download the app and use it for a year for free, it only works if you have a Viper alarm system in your car, hence the name Viper SmartStart. Using the Viper SmartStart service also costs $30 per year after the first year.

Viper alarm systems cost $500 for a hardwired version or $300 for a modular version. The Viper SmartStart app can also operate as a panic button to set off your car alarm, and it can unlock your hatch or trunk as well as the doors.

Viper SmartStart business plan

I am not sure whether the Viper SmartStart phone app will convince people to get fast cash loans and buy a $500 alarm system so they can remotely start their cars. However, I am certain that people who already own both an iPhone and a Viper car alarm will download the free Viper SmartStart app.

Reports say the Viper SmartStart lets you use all the controls available through the app from basically an unlimited distance. Just remember, if you start your car up when you’re far away from it, make sure the doors are locked. I imagine this little app will really come in handy for people who like to have their cars warmed up in the winter before they get in them in the morning. And, of course, when summer brings the heat back, users can cool their cars off in advance as well.

Comparatively speaking

Most cars nowadays come with remote start and locking capabilities, but the biggest difference between a regular remote start feature and the Viper SmartStart app is the range at which it works. A YouTube ad for the Viper SmartStart says the range is virtually unlimited.

The second round of Transformers action is the show to see this week as “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” hits the big screen tomorrow. On the small screen, the iPhone screen to be exact, Transformers comics related to the movie will be available.

The film, which most prefer to call “Transformers 2,” maintains the mans characters and actors featured in the first “Transformers” movie. Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are back as Mikaela Banes and Sam Witwicky. I predict “Transformers 2″ will do extremely well based on these facts:

1. It’s the first big-time action movie to open for a few weeks
2. The first Transformers movie made more than $700 million
3. People have been going gaga over Megan Fox

Compare and contrast, the sequel

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” has an estimated budget of $200 million, up from the $150 million spent on the first “Transformers” movie.

Besides the extra cash, “Transformers 2″ also sports some extra star power. Rainn Wilson plays Professor Colan, bringing his recently skyrocketed fame into the mix.

What about those comics?

Here’s a clip from an MTV article about the Transformers comics that will be available on the iPhone:

Recently, IDW Publishing announced that, along with their long history of “Transformers” comics on the print side, they’ll also be making a sizable chunk of these comics available on iPhone, too — starting with a dozen comics directly related to “Revenge of the Fallen.” … The 12 new “Transformers” comics that became available for download this week not only offer direct tie-ins to the film’s plot, but they’re also the first comics to make use of the publisher’s new, exclusive e-publishing software.

Transformers teaser

For those interested in the movie plot, rather than the iPhone comics, here’s a summary from IMDB:

Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to take Sam Witwicky prisoner, after the young hero learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. Joining the mission to protect humankind is Optimus Prime, who forms an alliance with international armies for a second epic battle.

You can also watch a trailer for “Transformers 2″ at IMDB.

More at the box office

For those looking for something without explosions and robot fights, “My Sister’s Keeper” also opens this weekend. This drama stars Abigail Breslin, who made her presence known to the world in “Little Miss Sunshine.”

Cameron Diaz also graces the screen in “My Sister’s Keeper,” as does Alec Baldwin. Though I don’t think “My Sister’s Keeper” will be a box office blockbuster, I think it will hold its own, even in the face of the terrifying Decepticons. It is opening at fewer theaters than “Transformers 2,” but that makes sense as it targets a smaller audience.

“My Sister’s Keeper” tells the story of a young girl who has leukemia, and her sister’s struggle to achieve medical emancipation from her parents.

Full disclosure

I should let it be known, at this point, that my money-making movie predictions have been way off in the past. On Friday I explained my reasoning for why I thought “Year One” would beat out “The Proposal” for box-office earnings, and I was dead wrong.

Although I am feeling much more confident in my prediction that “Transformers 2″ will be the top box-office earner this weekend, I guess you never know.

Among an ever-growing collection of available smartphones, T-Mobile is releasing its latest offering, the T-Mobile My Touch 3G. The announcement falls just on the heels of Apple releasing the iPhone 3G S. Coming out after the new iPhone definitely isn’t going to help T-Mobile.

T-Mobile says the My Touch 3G costs $199 with a two-year contract. I assume the My Touch 3G is only available to T-Mobile customers.

My Touch 3G details

The T-Mobile My Touch 3G operates on the Google Android system. The only advantage it seems to over its competitors is its size, as it’s a bit smaller than the iPhone. Tech Fragments says:

The My Touch 3G phone offers a 3.2-inch touch screen display, 320×480 resolution, and has no hardware keyboard.

Major competitors

Will My Touch 3G stay afloat in a sea of smartphones?

Both the iPhone 3G S and the recently released Palm Pre have more memory than the My Touch 3G. The My Touch 3G will likely be most attractive to existing T-Mobile customers who want to upgrade to a smartphone. I don’t think the My Touch 3G will attract new customers to T-Mobile, however. People won’t get money loans to switch wireless carriers.

You can order the My Touch 3G on or after July 8. It comes in three colors: black, white and merlot. The phone comes out in August, when it will be available in retail stores.

Customize is the name of the game

My Touch 3G allows users to customize wallpapers, icons and menus. Here is a full list of specifications from Product Reviews News:

• Battery: Li – Ion, 1340 mAh
• Camera: 3.2 megapixels Resolution
• Internet: Full HTML Browser
• Network: GSM Quad-band phone capable of global roaming (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) UMTS dual-band global 3G (1700/2100 MHz)
• OS: Android
• Resolution: 320 x 480 pixels
• Size: 4.45 x 2.19 x 0.58 inches (113 x 56 x 15 mm)
• Standby: 600 hours (25 days) of Stand-by time
• Talk: 6 hours (360 mins) of Talk time
• Touch Screen: 3.2-inches
• Voice: Dialing, Commands, Recording, Speaker Phone

More on T-Mobile

Here is some more information on the provider of the My Touch 3G, T-Mobile:

Globally, T-Mobile has 128.3 million subscribers, making it the world’s eighth largest mobile phone service provider by subscribers and the third largest multinational after the United Kingdom’s Vodafone and Spain’s Telefónica. T-Mobile USA is the fourth largest wireless telecommunications network in the U.S. market with 32.8 million customers after Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, and Sprint Nextel.

You can learn more about the My Touch 3 G at T-Mobile.com, but you can’t pre-order the phone until July 8.

If the rumors printed on PCMag.com and RealTechNews are to be believed, the iPhone 3.0 update download will be available at about 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. Eastern).

Users of the iPhone are eagerly awaiting the iPhone 3.0 release time, especially because they get the iPhone 3.0 update download for free! Of course, iPod Touch owners can take advantage when iPhone 3.0 is available, but they’ll need to pay $9.95.

IPhone 3.0 update download

What would possess someone to want to put the iPhone 3.0 update download for their iPod touch on their credit card, basically using instant loans just so they can get the software exactly at the iPhone 3.0 release time?

PCMag.com reports that the iPhone 3.0 update download has a lot of new features that are very attractive to customers:

The iPhone 3.0 update brings a lot of new features to existing iPhones. You’ll get Spotlight search across your device, cut and paste, a voice recorder, more keyboard options, faster performance, better parental controls, and (on 3G models) stereo Bluetooth support. It’s a must-have.

A little bit aflutter

IPhone and iPod Touch users have been driven into a bit of a tizzy because they expected the iPhone 3.0 release time to be earlier. To make matters worse, a few online publications printed that the iPhone 3.0 update download wouldn’t be available until tomorrow.

Also a lot of respected publications, such as International Business Journal, are saying that Apple has not yet confirmed the iPhone 3.0 release time. That is true, the company has not officially nor publicly said that the iPhone 3.0 release time is 10 a.m. PT. However, this is to be expected by longtime Apple users.

A history of secrecy

Apple has a history of delaying products, keeping them secret, guarding prototypes, software, release dates, etc. It certainly seems to be working for them. Technophiles love to be the first to know about or have new technology. Their shroud of secrecy in the past has created a lot of hype over Apple products.

However, RealTechNews says Apple didn’t announce the exact iPhone 3.0 release time because it didn’t want a huge surge of hits on their servers when the iPhone 3.0 update downloads started.

He doesn't have cell phone elbow, ladies and gentlemen. He IS a cell phone.

Aches and pains tend to follow you through life, like uninvited guests who fart in your rose garden. I say “you” because I plan to have my limbs replaced by cybernetic meat hooks.

But back to that rose garden. I beg your pardon, but take a whiff. Ahhhhhh… oh. You crave freshness but you get a sense of something most foul. Fortunately it’s never that way with a loan till payday. Such quick payday loans are a breath of fresh air when your budget has been hit by a bunker-buster. It can power you through the rubble until your next paycheck rolls in like a UN peacekeeping force. But if you’ve got cell phone elbow, you won’t be able to help them bulldoze away  the mess.

That’s right, cell phone elbow

Everybody’s tied to their mobile devices anymore, so I guess cell phone elbow was inevitable. iPhones, Blackberries, Palms, T-Mobiles and their kind aren’t just telephones, they’re personal planners, messaging systems, music players and gaming systems. But more than anything else, they’re time wasters, and most people are happy to oblige. I’m guilty, too, but I excuse myself from this discussion because I possess abilities and powers that far exceed those of most people writing this article.

Madison Park reports for CNN that “if your pinkie and ring fingers tingle or feel numb, you might not want to pick up that cell phone to call the doctor.” That’s because orthopedic surgeons are fighting back the tide of cell phone elbow. Smartphones apparently don’t make enough people smart enough to avoid giving themselves nerve damage via elbows bent for too long.

But are there no earpieces? No speakerphones?

Personally, I hate Bluetooth earpieces (uncomfortable) and speakerphones (I actually care about not making private conversations public). But I also don’t spend hours talking on my iPhone. If I can use E-mail of IM for something, I will. But most people still prefer verbal communication, so they hold the phone to their ears. As they do this, they “stretch a nerve that extends underneath the funny bone and controls the smallest fingers,” writes Park. After a long period of time, the bent arm position “chokes the blood supply to the nerves. It makes the nerves short-circuit. The next thing you know, there’s tingling in the ring and small finger,” said Dr. Peter J. Evans of Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic.

Unlike Selsun Blue, if it’s tingling, it ISN’T working. Stop bending your arm, or at least switch hands. You don’t want cubital tunnel syndrome. Your hands will become weak, you’ll have difficulty opening simple jars and containers and you won’t be able to play musical instruments well. It’s life out of balance for the handy. And can you imagine not being able to write, either?

“It could impede your typing ability, your writing ability,” Evans said. “People get very unintelligible writing if it gets severe.”

Droppin’ things

Park introduces us to Donna Malloy, 66. Malloy felt the numbness in her hands and wondered what was wrong. It never occurred to her that talking on a cell phone for hours could be so harmful.

“Mainly when I was holding something, I noticed, ‘Geez, they’re tingling.’ It got progressively worse. If you walk around holding the cell phone, after a while you’re not sure you have it in the hand anymore.”

Then basic functionality in her left hand began to slip. She’s drop things from her left hand that she normally carried with no problem. She could no longer pursue her pastime of needlework, either.

“Constant cell phone use could stress out the ulnar nerves,” said Dr. Leon Benson, spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. After repeated stretching, the ulnar nerve can become weak. “The more you bend it, the more it stretches,” Evans said. “It diminishes the blood supply, and the blood is not flowing through the nerves.”

Aren’t nerves supposed to stretch a bit?

Sure, but not for an hour. “It’s not normal,” Benson said. People with severe cases of cell phone elbow (such as Ms. Malloy) must have surgery. But lesser cases merely require an adjustment in how the joints are used. It doesn’t mean no more cell phones, it just means a bit more caution and discipline.

“It’s like anything else, any sporting activity,” Benson said. “You can hit balls at the driving range — just don’t hit 300 of them, because you’ll be sore. So common sense would dictate not to talk on the phone for hours if your small and ring fingers go numb.”

Not just for cell phones anymore

“Cell phone elbow” doesn’t just apply to those who overuse cell phones. Anyone who rests their elbows for hours at a time on the arms of a chair, wheelchair or the open window of a car are susceptible. Even those who sleep in the fetal position or frequent computer users with elbows bent beyond 90 degrees for a long time could damage their nerves, hints Evans.

More than a 90-degree bend can stretch the ulnar nerve by as much as 15 percent, says Evans. But here are some simple solutions he suggests:

• Avoid activities that require you to bend your elbow like that for an extended period of time
• Make sure your computer workstation is ergonomic enough to help you avoid this situation
• Don’t lean on your elbows for too long
• Use a loan till payday or quick payday loans if your budget is doubled over more than 90 degrees to Sunday (my suggestion, if you couldn’t tell)…

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Americans live in a society where they vote on who they want to represent them in local, state and federal government. This democratic system works well in principle, but the sad truth is that many people either don’t vote or cast their vote without having a good reason why. For the former group, many may eschew the vote because they don’t understand the issues or know who they should vote for. For the latter, voting indiscriminately can be damaging to the nation’s well-being. If you accidentally vote in someone who is anti-military loans or anti-installment loans, you’ll even be damaging the economy and turning your back on free market competition.

So it pays to be informed. But the average person may not know the voting record of their Senator or Representative. How can they obtain this information? Visible Vote may just be the answer.

Who’s your Congressman?

Natasha Korecki of the Chicago Sun-Times tells the story of Paul Everton. After Congress gave the go-ahead for the $700 billion banking industry bailout, Everton went online to see how his Congressional representative voted on the measure. He couldn’t easily find the information.

“I went to eight different Web sites,” said Everton, 29. “I couldn’t understand why this was so difficult – and I’m a technical person.”

So Everton and friend Steven Trac decided to take action. They took it upon themselves to create a way for anyone to find out who their representatives are and how they voted in Congress. Moreover, Everton and Trac wanted there to be an easy way to give feedback to their lawmakers. They want you to know how they’re voting on the war, taxes, installment loans, et al.

Enter Visible Vote

Months later, Visible Vote was the result. The interactive program currently appears on iPhone, Blackberry and Facebook. It has proven popular, even in this post-election season – there are currently more than 10,000 users. Within hours of the time that Visible Vote was released into the iPhone App Store, there were 500 downloads of the free application.

Once the iPhone app is installed, simply create your account with an E-mail address and password. Enter your ZIP code and state, then the Visible Vote will call up a listing of your representatives in Congress. You’ll see how they have voted on major issues and the approval rating they’ve received from Visible Vote users.

What are you waiting for? Weigh in on what matters!

You can vote on pending legislation yourself and see how often your vote agrees with elected officials in your area. You can also vote on the same bills and see how often you agree with your elected official. If you have something to say to your elected officials about how they voted, you can even write a letter that is automatically faxed to their offices. How amazingly simple is that?

Visible Vote user votes are added up each week before they are faxed to lawmakers. You are a member of their constituency, so they should know what matters to you. According to Everton, 115,000 votes have been sent to Congress so far. As I see it, this number will only increase. It could be just the thing to get people off the bench and involved in the political choices that affect their lives – like the availability of military loans and installment loans.

iPhone is king, but Blackberry is not forgotten

On Facebook, Visible Vote adds another wrinkle in that it shows you how often your voting opinions match with those of the friends in your network. It does this discreetly with agree/disagree percentages, rather than revealing how you voted on specific issues.

The Blackberry application (as profiled on the Indian news Web site Freshnews) works in a similar fashion to the iPhone app. Visible Vote on Blackberry does the following:

1. Sends an overview fax every week to your legislators on how YOU and others in his/her district are voting.
2. Automatically provides feedback to you when senators vote for or against you.
3. It will update you on new issues to vote on from your profile page. (This is done by using the Add to Profile button in the application.)
4. Send you an overview report next election so you know who to vote for and against.

And also much like the iPhone and Facebook Visible Vote applications, you have the option of doing the following things to get involved in the politics that affect you:

1. Send a Letter to your Legislators through your Blackberry.
2. Track how your legislators are voting on issues you care about.
3. Vote on the same issues as your legislators.

The mobile Visible Vote apps even sync with Facebook

Moment after you begin to dig into the mobile Visible Vote app, you’ll notice that it syncs with the Facebook version (and vice versa).    That way, you don’t have to play catch up with your voting records as you switch from one device (or app) to the next.

Everton is pleased with the feedback Visible Vote has received so far, but he wants to hear even more. For both mobile device and desktop/laptop users, constructive criticism is welcome and may very well make it into future versions of the Visible Vote application.

Make your vote count. Get Visible Vote today – it’s free!

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(CLICK HERE if you missed the beginning of this article)

For $10 per month, My Mobile Watchdog and programs like it document SMS messages and other data sent via smart phones that can be used in court in cases of predation. Hardly personal loan or credit card material, right? It can also prompt your children to lose trust in you and faith in themselves. Why? Let’s put it this way: How many of you parents out there will abstain from reading your kids’ messages? Just this side of none. If you’re shaking your head, you’re kidding yourself.

But let’s wipe the ire from our slickers for a moment and see how this might be good. Once a child’s phone is equipped with the software, a list of safe contacts is created. Only those are allowed to message the minor’s phone. All activity is stored in an online file parents can view to their lurid pleasure later. Oops, sorry… I’ll try to hold my opinions in check.

Nope, can’t do it

Give your children your time and your love from the very beginning. Nothing is more important. Not a career, not religion, not beer-soaked entertainment – nothing. Teach them. If they know you love and trust them, they will be well on their way to becoming stable, loving people who make appropriate decisions for themselves. I’m not saying this is easy. I’m saying you must fight the good fight and be emotionally available to your kids.

If you want to understand why this is important, here is a fantastic book to consider. Throw in some Dr. Sears (minus the ideas that are clearly influenced by dogma) and you may just learn something.

Now back to our program

Keep in mind that if you have an iPhone, My Mobile Watchdog may or may not keep track of everything that a child does on social networks like MySpace and Facebook. And if you have a tech-savvy child, there may be ways around the “security.”

Also consider that this service could be considered digital eavesdropping. Then think about whether you share the opinions of one North Carolina mother and business owner who was quoted in Pontz’s article. Interestingly, she asked that her name not be disclosed…

I monitor my employees at the workplace. And this is my son. So to me it’s not like I’m wiretapping him. Besides, privacy in my house is earned.

Earned, huh? Hope your son likes your regime, madame. For me, privacy is a human right. Engender trust and teach your children out of love. The “guilty until proven innocent” road America has been headed down will lead it straight off a cliff.

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Jeff Jarvis of BuzzMachine reports that yet another newspaper is ready to bite the wax tadpole and go the way of New Coke. I used to work in the industry; now I write about payday loans, but I still feel for them.

The Ann Arbor News has announced that it will close in July and will be replaced by a completely new company, AnnArbor.com.

Jarvis can well be considered an insider in this, as he admits that he has been advising the changeover project and used to work for the parent company. From the publisher’s letter:

The Ann Arbor News… will publish (its) last edition in July, when a new company called AnnArbor.com LLC will begin sharing local news and information with the community.

In July, AnnArbor.com will be born as an incredible community resource online, in print and around town. Like Ann Arbor, it will be a special place for everyone in the community to learn about, participate in and share everything that’s going on in our area.

We have shared with you before in our pages the extreme challenges that our industry and our newspaper have faced over the last couple years. Out of those challenges has come a new opportunity. Our new strategy reflects shifting media consumption habits and advertising revenue in the newspaper business, and particularly in Michigan.

While we are inviting current Ann Arbor News employees to apply for positions with the new company, it is with a heavy heart that I let you know that job losses will be unavoidable. We have an extremely talented staff at The Ann Arbor News and they have done a tremendous job through very difficult times. There is nothing they did or didn’t do that would have sustained our seven-day print business model…

A dying industry

According to Jarvis, meetings are coming up in April regarding staff reduction and the direction of AnnArbor.com.

It is clear that more newspaper employees will lose their jobs, and that the daily newspaper is quickly becoming an unsupportable dinosaur. If you’ve ever seen the Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday editions of your town’s daily, you’ll notice that they’re much thinner than the newspapers delivered the rest of the week. Accordingly, subscription and single-copy sales totals on those days is also rather thin. Considering how expensive newsprint and ink have become (let alone the environmental impact of the mass print medium), and how much advertising print classified sections have lost to Web sites like craigslist.com, it makes sense to cut back on the number of days per week.

But what I want to know is why it took newspapers so long to figure this out. A little slow on the uptake, are we? I feel for the employees who will lose their jobs, as well as their families. But daily print journalism is ready to collapse. Go online, young men and women. Hopefully I’ll see your byline on my iPhone soon. Somebody else might read your work on a Kindle…

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The opening tip of the first game of the 2009 NCAA Tournament has passed and March Madness is officially upon us. College basketball played out on the stage of single-game elimination is exhilarating, whether you’re a fan of the teams on the hardwood or simply an eager purveyor of grand spectacle and fun.

For those of you who want to follow the games but don’t have the time to park in front of your television set, March Madness On Demand (MMOD) makes it easy. With a broadband Internet connection and the leeway to take a peek without compromising the quality of your work, you can follow each and every game from simple play-by-play to the actual game broadcasts. Just don’t get in trouble… payday loans can help in a jam, but not if you’re unemployed.

For many of us, however, being tied to a desktop or laptop computer isn’t ideal. Life is fast and traveling light is essential. That’s why March Madness on Demand is now also available for your mobile device! Matthew Miller of ZDNet has done a great job of putting together a list of portals at http://blogs.zdnet.com/cell-phones/?p=932 that users of nearly any broadband multimedia mobile device (like the iPhone) will enjoy. If your smartphone is on the list, enjoy MMOD while the getting is good (before traffic turns their servers to slag)…

• CBS and ESPN have mobile formatted sites for up-to-the-minute stats, scores, play-by-play and other info
• SlingPlayer Mobile works with Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, or the S60 so you can watch broadcasts beamed from your SlingPlayer-enabled television at home
• The iPhone/iPod Touch app CBS Sports NCAA March Madness On Demand lets you stream any game broadcast to your device if a WiFi connection is available; audio-only is available on 3G and EDGE networks
• iMadness 09 (http://www.ihoopmadness.com/) gives you a bracketologist’s front-row seat
• PocketBracket (iTunes link) is another bracket-monitoring source with stats and scores
• The T-Mobile G1 (Google Android) works with the Scoreboard app for game updates; Bracket is a great toy for office pool tracking, as it lets you put in your own bracket and uses the red light/green light approach to show you how you’re doing
• RIM BlackBerry: Viigo is good for scores and updates
• Windows Mobile: Same as the RIM BlackBerry

Miller encourages readers to let him know if you discover a different March Madness On Demand source for mobile phones. His list appears to be very thorough, but he does not claim that it is comprehensive. Have fun, basketball fans!

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Is that what I think it is?

Yes, iBreath is, in fact, a breathalyzer that you can hook up to your iPod. It requires no batteries and can plug in to your car. Once it’s hooked to the iPod or the vehicle, blow into the little tube for at least five seconds. Two seconds later, voila, it digitally shows your blood alcohol level.

This device will no doubt help drivers avoid having to take out a payday loan to cover expensive fines. More importantly though, advocates hope it will save lives.

Drunks in decline

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 13,000 people in died in the United States last year because of alcohol-related traffic accidents. This statistic is the lowest the NHTSA has on record. While the decline in deaths is good news, that means in previous years more than 13,000 people per year have died because of drunk drivers.

Groups such as DARE and MADD can take credit for spreading awareness of the dangers of drunk driving. Because of this rise in awareness, many people are taking responsibility and planning ahead. The best options on a night at the bars are to arrange for a ride home in advance, bring money for a cab or assign a designated driver. But we all know that sometimes things don’t go as planned. That’s where the iBreath comes in. This $79 device lets you know if “I’ve only had two beers” is really a good excuse to get behind the wheel.

Two sides to every story

The people who inveted iBreath did it to keep people safe. But as with all subjects that involve alcohol, there is controversy out there. Some dissenters think the iBreath will cause people to play drinking games. It may be true that some iBreath owners will use the device for fun. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if this device does result in the invention of new drinking games, they just may be the safest drinking games ever.

The other argument is that it may give some people a false sense of security. Every individual reacts differently to alcohol. Some people may still not be OK to drive even if their blood alcohol level is lower than .08. This argument I agree with. Drinking and driving is never, ever a good idea. But I think this device will do more good than harm.

Another warning out there is that police officers calibrate their equipment regularly. An article at BreathalyzersUSA details how often personal breathalyzers should be recalibrated.

No more one-trick ponies

Most technological devices that come out nowadays serve multiple functions. The latest version of the Nintendo Wii, for instance, doesn’t just play Wii games as well as GameCube games. It stores photos and has a photo editing function.

The iBreath is no exception to this modern multitasking rule. It doubles as an FM trasmitter so you can play your iPod tunes over the radio.

So add this to your bag of tricks for avoiding DUIs and injuries. A payday loan can help in financial emergencies, but it can’t keep you safe on the road.

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At Personal Money Store we talk a lot about payday loans, but we also like to keep you informed on bargains buys and money saving tips as well. The latest on our list to share with you is what we have heard in regards to Apples flagship product the Apple iPhone.

Have you seen the latest publicity on the Apple iPhone? New information has leaked out across the internet claiming that Wal-Mart will become an Apple iPhone distributor.  Huh?

How Did That Happen?

Wal-Mart is not exactly what you would call a leader in the home electronics arena. Of what they do offer in consumer electronics that are name brand and industry standard, they seem to lack in qualified sales representatives. This provides a less than savory environment to lure buyers into purchasing their products.

What Wal-Mart lacks as a consumer electronics dealer in comparison to other chains who are offering electronics as their specialty, makes it even more of a challenge to become successful in the electronics industry.

Wal-Mart’s New Approach May Allow Them To Compete With The Big Boys

Wal-Mart seems to have caught on to this dilemma and has begun contracting out qualified staff from other firms to work on site at select locations to educate customers and Wal-Mart employees on the different consumer electronic products and the differences between them. Some of these technologies include things like Digital Television, HDTV, LCD, Plasma and etc.

In an effort to increase sales, and provide the customer with a better buyers experience they will be addressing consumers individual needs to help them find the best product for the best price.

Tag Teaming With Apple

Wal Mart is where you can get those wonderful toys.

Rumors which have leaked out on the internet say that the IPhone may be available at Wal-Mart by Dec 15th for only $99 which will help draw in consumers looking for those holiday gift sales before Christmas. The rumors say that this buy will be for Apples 4Gig IPhone model only, not the 8Gig.  That’s a price so low, you won’t need payday loans to get your hands on the latest and greatest.

More Rumors, Different Story

Mac Rumors.com however claims that it will only carry the 8Gig model of the iPhone and the delivery date will be on December 28th missing Christmas altogether. The savings on the 8Gig model won’t be putting anyone out of business as the sale price is set to be $197 which is only $2 less than the $199 norm.

Apple has been very selective in its choice of retailers for its iPhone product. Choosing Wal-Mart as an industry retailer will further increase Apples domination of the mobile phone market due to the sheer volume of product that Wal-Mart sells. The range of merchandise offered at Wal-Mart draws a multitude of traffic to each of their store locations on a daily basis from which Apple will be able to capitalize on.

The Apple IPhone has become a household name, it’s readily available and comes with benefits. Kind of like payday loans.

-Personal Money Store

Yesterday’s article “Payday loans Are Up, Available jobs are down | Want to keep you job? Here’s How”, spoke of the number of layoffs that the nation has been seeing do to the current recession America has been undergoing since December of 2007.

AT&T adds to America’s Layoff Statistics

12,000 more layoffs added to AT&T's Pink List.

Numbers have gone up another notch today as AT&T announced today the layoff of about 12,000 employees or 4% of it’s total workforce. This comes on top of the 4600 jobs that they said they would layoff last April.

AT&T, a telecommunication company based in Dallas, Texas provides phone coverage in 22 states is just one in a long list of companies cutting staff, closing their doors, or going bankrupt.

Why The Lay Offs?

Their seems to be more than a couple things working against the telecommunications company as there basic land based phone line customers have dropped eleven percent in just the last quarter alone.

Many customers who have been subscribing to both a wireless carrier as well as a home based land line service, are beginning to leave their landlines behind for their wireless cell phone plans. This is likely to be influenced by both, customers looking to save a little extra money in a troubled economy and well as a simple preference in the technology and features that the wireless services provide.

Consumers Throwing Out The Old And Ushering In The New

With the onset of the latest cell phone features and services, as well as the increasingly affordable cell phone packages and family plans, consumers are seeing the wireless route to be to their advantage. Ditching the landlines is simply the next step in today’s digital world.

AT&T, understands this well as they have been on the digital front line for many years. They also offer cell phone services and broadband internet access which the company says it will be continuing to fill positions for. It’s this diversification in today’s advances which keeps the company profitable even though their shares have gone down 35% in 2008 alone.  The company may be in need of payday loans if this keeps up.

AT&T's contract with Apple as the sole wireless carrier is undoubtedly helping them brave the storm

iPhone Helps AT&T Brave The Economic Landslide

One of the greatest acquisitions they were able to make recently was that of the popular mobile carrier, Cingular Wireless. Now AT&T, the front runner in the wireless community, continues their campaign out front b benefiting some from the relationship they nurture with Apple, as AT&T is the official wireless carrier of the popular iPhone which consequently, everyone has “Got to have”. The advent of AT&T’s 3G Network has also helped by giving consumers broad band speeds for voice over their mobile devices for voice and data communications.

AT&T’s marketing prowess and front runner technology may be their saving grace over the next 18 to 24 months of predicted economic restraints.

AT&T To Provide Laid Off Employees with a $600 million dollar Severance Package

Of those who have been laid off by the technology giant, many have guaranteed jobs because of union contracts which means AT&T will have to pay severance to all affected workers under the terms of their union agreements. AT&T estimates to pay $600 million in the fourth quarter for severance costs.

AT&T is just one in a long list of employees that have made cuts this year, pushing unemployment rates up from 6.5% to 6.8% nationally. You can view a list of several companies doing the same in the blog post “Recession Has Consumers Seeking Solace In Payday Loans | Is A Great Depression Coming”

Gift giving can be both rewarding and overwhelming

A cash advance, food, family, money, parties, and gifts are just a few of the many things to think about during the holiday season. Although gift giving is rewarding, it can also be extremely overwhelming, especially if you’re giving the gift of technology. Technology advances so fast that it’s hard to keep up. There are so many options, so many additional features, so many technology retailers, and you can never be certain that what you buy won’t be obsolete by tomorrow. Your best bet is to do extensive research and avoid brand spanking new products to get the most out of your money.

Minimize the Risk

Because technology does advance at such a tremendous pace, any purchase is a risk. The newest gadgets and gizmos have the potential of being a total flop or having their prices slashed immediately after you get your hands on that hot new tech toy. Research can help you make an informed decision, but it will not always guarantee that your decision is a wise one. The more research you do, the less risky your purchase will be.

Technology advances are becoming so fast; it’s hard to keep up!

Get the Facts

Important steps in the research process include knowing what features you really need and the additional features you want. Keep in mind the things you (or your gift recipient) can live without. Once you have the features nailed down, look up the products that have what you are looking for. It’s a good idea to set a price limit for yourself before you start shopping so you don’t fall in love with something you can’t afford. Reading product reviews can be a useful tool because you’ll get a realistic perception of the merchandise. Once you find the product you want, scour your local and online retailers for the best deal. Wait for holiday specials and sales because if it’s not on sale, you are definitely paying too much.

So Many Choices

Your research might be somewhat difficult because there are so many products to choose from, and it seems like the closer we get to the holidays the more options you have. The new iPhone has a camera, GPS, Bluetooth, and even has the ability to identify a song when you hold it up to your radio. It might seem like Apple rules the technology world, but there are many other phones with comparable features. The same goes for computers; the Mac versus PC battle is one of the biggest competitions in technology today. Nintendo Wii is also extremely popular, but there other game systems that rival the Wii. Then there’s the flat screen TV—LCD or plasma? Again, with so many options, research is essential.

The Most Bang for Your Buck

In conclusion, if you are going to make a technology purchase this holiday season, be sure you do your research. When times are hard it is crucial that you’re getting the most bang for your buck. However, because times are hard, you shouldn’t feel pressured to make a purchase that you can’t actually afford. With that in mind, you should realize that if you have to forego buying a tech toy this holiday season, something bigger and better will probably come out right after the New Year. Putting off your purchase might actually be a good thing. In the mean time, if the hard times are getting the best of your budget, you can apply for a cash advance. A cash advance can help you cover necessary costs during the holidays.