A blog all about cell phones!

Despite Apple’s reputation for being a control freak—keeping their app store behind an ivory gate, limiting what computer languages can be used on their devices—but they may some day through the American cell phone industry into a dynamic beyond unlocked cell phones.

There are many reasons to love unlocked cell phones: having no contract so you can get the best deal, being able to mod the software and delete the carrier junk apps (and then scratching off the corresponding branding), and just being able to say f-you to the companies.

Well, Apple may do all that for you. They’ve already told the carriers a big NO to branding and preloaded add-apps—but they were also recently awarded a patent that would extend those unlocked cell phone like services, AND do the work for you.

Basically, Apple would become a middle-man between the user and the phone companies, leveraging their iPhone popularity for the lowest rates, switching between or mixing and matching different companies without a user ever seeing a dip or change in service. They could even take payments, making the branding, contracts, and other junk associated with all the carriers obsolete.

Of course, unlocked cell phones would still have a place, since not everyone would want an iPhone, so you have to assume that a dual system of some sort would have to emerge, but it’s an interesting future to think about. You’d never have to risk bricking your phone to unlock it again!

You may have heard of the iPPeel, a new device the puts a cell phone on the back of your iPhone. It’s designed to hold 2 extra SIM cards for people who travel a lot and want to avoid roaming charges by easily switching from one carrier to the next.

The thing is, there’s an easier (cheaper!) way. Unlocked cell phones work in a very similar way, you just have to change the SIM card yourself.

Unlocked cell phones are phones whose software has been unlocked so that you can use the SIM card of any network with the phone (Sprint is the only major American cell phone company that does not rely on SIM cards, although an unlocked cell phone originally sold by Sprint works on everything).

So, the upside to unlocked cell phones is that you don’t have to pay $70, and you can make calls with your own phone and phonebook without having a silly looking extra phone strapped to the back that elicits silly jokes.

The downside is that you have to keep track of SIM cards and physically switch them in and out of your unlocked cell phone, rather than having them ready to go, as the iPPeel lets you have two extra at all times. Of course, if you’re travelling so much you actually need such a device, there may be a better chance that two isn’t enough.

In any case, unlocked cell phones may be a better option for many people.

In the US, Apple reigns supreme, but for worldwide smartphones… look to Samsung.

Samsung is the leading retailer for smartphones worldwide (Nokia leads phones in general). If you’re looking to be cool when you travel with an unlocked cell phone, look into Samsung.

Unlocked cell phones allow you to switch SIM cards so you can get the rates of the local cell phone service provider.

When travelling, you can go on roaming…which gets even worse internationally! Prepaying for minutes and texts on a reginonal sim card (or getting a tempoary plan if you need to use data) is a much smarter option, but only if you have an unlocked cell phone!

Make sure that you pick an unlocked cell phone that is manufactured to work globally. Depending on your needs, you might pick a Samsung smartphone like the Galaxy S or go with something simpler like a Nokia.

Even if you’re not travelling this winter, think ahead to summer with your next cell phone purchase. Dream of Asia, of Europe, and of all the exciting restaurants your phone can guide you to (as well as the help it can call in an emergency).

Of course, some people may prefer to travel tech free. Even then, it might be wise to bring at least one unlocked cell phone per group.

Beginning with the proposal from AT&T to buy T-Mobile, both companies have eperienced many ups and downs, and not without affect on the customers. To avoid the confusion, and the uncertain future, rather than renew contracts, get the freedom of unlocked cell phones.

When the merger was first proposed, T-Mobile halted many of its practices, some of which benefitted T-Mobile customers, like getting rid of their collections department. Of course, they’ve also stopped practices that would better service (for example, unless you have an unlocked cell phone, iPhone 4S isn’t on T-Mobile).

For AT&Ts part, the governments no vote on the merger has made them act a little crazy. The largest network, trying to shrink to a permissable size meant selling off spectrum, i.e., your phones service & roaming quality.

Furthermore, if the deal doesn’t go through, AT&T, per the deal, has to give even more spectrum to T-Mobile, as well as billions of dollars in penalties.

If you’re a customer of either company, it would be well worth while to switch to an unlocked cell phone that you can take with you if service tanks, the company sells into unfavorable terms, or something new and (probably) worse happens.

Unlocked cell phones also give you the ability to exist without a contract, meaning you can walk away easily. With the current ups and down the leading and third leading mobile companies are going through, the freedom of unlocked cell phones is doubtless worthwhile!

Black Friday is bigger every year, with more stores participating in sales, more people lining up earlier—and this year, with Black Friday shifting into Turkey Day.

In an effort to extract consumer information from mall shoppers that’s comparable to Google Analytics—Google’s service that allows web site owners to see how much traffic they get, from where, and which content’s most popular—marketers will begin testing devices this holiday season that tracks any cell phone used at the mall.

This will tell malls which stores (and parts of the mall) get the most traffic, and will tell stores which departments are the most popular. These new metrics may mean using cell phones will not only help retailers, but enhance consumer shopping experiences.

If you don’t use cell phones in the mall, however, you can opt out of being tracked. The service is supposed to be anonymous (meaning they aren’t getting private information off your cell phone) but you should never assume that any data on your cell phone is private!

A future may soon be arriving where as you shop, services use cell phones to deliver adds straight to tragetted consumers (example: have kid-targetted apps? here’s a coupon for Gap Baby!). But that day’s not here yet.

Remember, with Black Friday coming up you’ll be able to score great deals on refurbished cell phones! Great as gifts, used cell phones are often unlocked, so the recepient will be able to use them on any GSM service.

Browse used cell phone selection early, because demand is expected to be high this holiday season! Make sure you get your top pick!