Payphones are dead? Yeah, right!

How out of style have payphones become ever since the mobile phone came out? You can't take them with you, you can't store contacts on them, you have to pay on the spot to use them, and as time goes on, they kept losing ground compared to the mobile phone as handsfree communication, MP3 playing, internet use, email, and photography all were incorporated into the standard of not-at-home telephony.

On top of that, they raised the prices to 50 cents per call, rather than the 25 cents it had been at for years.

A product of such alienation was the physical removal of payphones where they once were.

My dad took this photo at a hotel in Dallas back in November, of the remains of a set of payphones:


My question is, what did the hotel gain by removing them?


Just today, when cruising through my local mall, I glanced over at a payphone, and noticed that the sign above one of the phones that had a keyboard on it was mentioning text messaging.

So I read it over, and was able to conclude that for $0.10, I can send a text message to any phone number from a payphone.


I was shocked. I thought those keyboards were for the TTY system the entire time.

So, I decided I'd see just how well it works. I dialed the code, inserted a dime, and awaited instruction.





I was told to enter the number to send a text to. I entered my cell phone number.

I was then prompted to enter my message. I decided I'd say to myself, "Hi Maxwell" (at precisely one penny per keystroke)

Sent it off, and was given a confirmation that the message was sent.

Surely enough, a few minutes later, I get a message from (305)-00001, indicating that I have mail from noreply@bell.ca, and I should text back "read" to get my message.

I do so, and not too long after, I get the message on my phone.

Only reason it doesn't show the "you have mail" message is because I received it when my SIM was in another phone.

In conclusion: This is an excellent feature about payphones that you should know about... you can never tell when your mobile will die (or worse yet, get stolen), and if you have to send off a text in an emergency, this makes it a lot easier than asking to borrow a stranger's phone.

Not only that, but now that payphones have moved according to technology's evolution... what's the next step?

Think about why they're being disregarded by society... cell phones have replaced them. As such, they make less money, making them less worthwhile to keep in place.

So, finding users isn't the answer here. We'd all be users... we only have a better solution. But if the payphones could provide more services, then maybe we'd be a little more motivated to use them.

Please comment with some of your ideas that might make payphones a little more usable to you. Remember, it doesn't have to be just a phone. It can evolve the same way mobile phones went from just phones to cameras, music players, email devices, internet browsers and e-book readers.

"OMG" - text messaging for free from your Yahoo! email?

If I told you I was calm right now about this, I'd be lying to you. My heart rate is up, I'm typing so rapidly I make an error every five words, and can't wait to share this feature with everybody!
I just recently got Yahoo! email. I've had the account since late December of 2008... but mainly used it for Yahoo! Answers (where, by the way, I have attained a 42% best answer rating). I then decided that I like the Yahoo! email interface a lot better than Gmail's (although I still love Gmail), so I decided I'd get familiar with it.

I noticed that there was a split button beside the "New" button. For the few messages I had sent on Yahoo!, it was just reflex to press the main portion, as it would take me to my goal - which is to send an email message.

But curiosity got to me... and I succumbed to it by clicking on the untouched portion of the split button.

I discovered two peripheral functions to regular email - chat, and SMS. The concept of in-email chat was nothing new to me, having used Google Talk in the past. The concept of Internet-based SMS wasn't really new to me either, as I had tried sending free SMS messages from the Rogers and Fido sites. It didn't allow me to respond from my phone, nor did it allow me to track a conversation (let alone maintain it).

So, I decide I'll click on the button and give it a shot.


Yes, I'm just that new of a user with 16 new messages :)

I was presented with a place to enter a mobile number (or a contact, should I have a phone number stored to a contact in my Yahoo! Address book. After you've confirmed which number you wish to send it to, if that number is not in your contacts, it will ask you if you wish to add it to one of your contacts).

Upon entering my number, I was prompted to enter a message in the lower part of the screen.



So, I sent the message to my cell number, "Testing this cool function"

It immediately appeared in this iChat-esque interface, with the speech bubble, time, and even my Yahoo! Avatar image.



And subsequently, I get an SMS alert on my phone, reading as follows:

(my username): Testing this cool function

So, I reply with an SMS to the same number with "Cool indeed!"

Surely enough, I get an alert on Yahoo! mail that my number had sent me a message.



So, I proceeded to send a few messages back and forth until it got old talking to myself... but just thought to myself, "I have GOT to blog about this!"

The only drawback is incomplete compatability with messages excessive of 144 characters. It arrives in two parts, like this:



Now the question comes: where's the opportunity in this?

I was thinking that Yahoo! could become a quasi-MVNO, issuing ten digit phone numbers exclusively for text messaging, be it through the browser, or through phones. They could produce SIM cards (ones that could work on any GSM phone, despite any potential locks from carriers) for those who only text, and never do any calls. This could be done quite inexpensively, and be a very affordable solution for those who do not use voice for any reason.

Any FCC restrictions on mandatory 911 compatability (if existent) would be fulfilled, as all cell phones have built-in capability to make emergency calls, whether a number is active on it or not.
SMS could also be taken advantage of to provide inexpensive mobile email and chat.

Lots of opportunity here. I just think that this feature could be a lot more heavily tapped.

I only fear that as a result of a service like this, it will be used for spam.

That being said, on my luck, I just know that within days, I will receive a text message reading "spammingcompany: Cngrtltns! U have just won a trip 2 Hawaii!"

And they will subsequently be contacted with a very rude and belligerent reply :)

How to fix that volume switch on your BlackBerry WITHOUT soldering (yes, detailed pictures are shown)

WARNING: You perform any of my advised repairs at your own risk. I cannot be held liable for any potential damage caused.

Having dealt in phones for quite some time now, I've seen a very wide variety of problems. From phones randomly resetting, to networks not being able to send and receive, to batteries forced in the wrong way.

I've heard that the volume switch on some BlackBerry Pearls have a tendency to only go down, and never go up (if only the national debt could be a problematic BlackBerry Pearl volume switch ;) ). I'd seen it on cell phone listings before, and it scared me off right away.

Today, I received a BlackBerry Pearl from AT&T that I won on eBay for $49.99 USD. Excellent deal, right? It only lacked a charger, but I pay a superficial amount for them, so that didn't hold me off.

So, I got all excited when I got it, sending in for the unlock code, charging it up, making sure it works, etc.

When performing a test call, I accidentally hit the volume switch going down. Happens with all the BlackBerries I used. That's when it struck me, with no seriousness whatsoever, "Remember that ad where the guy said that the volume switch only goes down, and never up?"

Chuckling on the inside, I press away at the volume switch (which was only at half volume anyway, so it could use a good few presses). Nothing happens.

I figure the software is just frozen, so I hit the end button to try and clear the application. "Call ended". It wasn't frozen.

So I conduct another test call, and attempt to move the volume switch upward. No luck. I press away at the down switch, and the volume went down like it should have.

Obviously, there was a hardware problem, so I opened up the phone, and started to look at how I could solve the problem.

Examining the "Up" volume switch, I noticed immediately that it was slightly separated from the board. See below photo:

I tried jabbing my guitar pick underneath (if you don't have one of these... every cell phone take-aparter should have one. It's plastic, so it doesn't conduct, and can't scratch metal), and surely enough, I saw some motion. It definitely wasn't attached to the board as it should have been. Tried doing the same thing with the down switch... and no motion at all.

As I have no experience at soldering whatsoever, this was not a job I was about to attempt doing at the board level. After all, it can still make contact with the board, it just needs assistance to do so. That switch needed to be forced to make contact with the board.

So, I glanced to my left, and saw a pack of gum. The thickness of the material seemed just right. Thick enough to take up volume without many folds, but thin enough to be precise about how much material to put in.

And now... here begins the how-to

This how-to assumes that you've already taken apart the BlackBerry and stripped off the sides. A comprehensive take apart video such as this one should help you out in doing so.

What you'll need material-wise is a pack of gum, packaged in cardboard. Most gums have the same thickness of cardboard. The one I used was Ice Breakers Ice Cubes.

The dimensions for the cut should be as follows:

70 MM long and 4mm wide. Each fold should be no greater than 5cm each.

Your result should be something like this:

I didn't estimate the right amount the first time... so I had to cut a second small piece. Despite that it shows about 65mm, I say 70mm because this was already pre-folded, and some distance was lost as a result.

Included a photo of the pack of gum, just in case you didn't know off the top of your head which kind it was :)

Once you've cut and folded your cardboard, stick it in the hole of the housing that looks like this

Assuming this portion of the housing is lying flat on your working surface, the battery contacts that touch the board should be facing upward to access this portion of the housing.

If it looks something like this, you're on the right path

Moving the board downward towards the housing, see that the top volume switch makes contact with the top flap of your cardboard like in the picture, and begin to crumple it.

Don't be afraid to use a little force in moving it downward.

Ensure that all four of the clips (two on each side) are clicked into place.

Proceed to re-assemble the phone. Boot it up with a SIM card inside so you can do a test call.

And the moment of truth... pressing the volume switch...

Success!

Any questions, please comment, and I'd be glad to advise.

The Razr takes a slice at my iPhone addiction

Anyone who has met me knows within 5 minutes of initial conversation, that aside from being very arrogant, obnoxious, and technically inclined, I am also a major iPhone connoisseur.

The user interface, the visual appeal, the built-in iPod, and the associated prestige are all something yet to be paralleled. For nearly a year, I ensured not to make the same mistake I made last April in getting rid of the iPhone (going from the iPhone to the e61i, to the BlackBerry Curve, to the BlackJack 2, and then back to the iPhone once again is not a process I want to repeat).

But I began to realize something... putting the normal cell phone features of calling and text messaging aside, the ubiquitous presence of the iPod, YouTube, a web browser, the iTunes store, and a myriad of applications all at my fingertips are all counter-productive, and go through my time faster than mobile data roaming goes through your funds.

So, a few weeks ago, I picked up a Motorola Razr with no battery for $40 (I had an extra battery for it anyway), and later discovered it was unlocked, to make things even better.

I thought I'd make a quick flip out of it at first - but then thought to myself... "why not see how life without the iPhone treats you?"

So I did just that. Putting my iPhone in my desk drawer, turned off. I missed it quite a bit. Ended up going over 100 hours without it.

It eventually got to the point that I couldn't take it anymore and started using the iPhone again for a couple of days.

I didn't have enough battery power to be using the iPhone a few days into the iPhone's return, so I decided to put my SIM in my Razr for that time. It's stayed that way ever since.

But only on Thursday was it that I took it out again, as I needed to use it while at the gym. Throughout my usage, I realized how much I missed it. Down the slippery slope I slid once again.

On the weekend, I had stayed in bed for a matter of hours oafter I had woken up because of my now-regular use of the iPhone. No matter how hard I try, it just can't stay off and in my desk drawer.

This concludes that I am, indeed, addicted to the iPhone.

Am attempting to stay with the Razr... more recounts of my experience with it to come.