A blog all about cell phones!

Palm Pre- RIP

If you follow tech news you’ve probably heard that HP is getting out of the computer-making business. While it had the more revenue, it had the lowest profit margins of all HP departments. Of course, those computers included Palm devices. Palm was one of the first US cell phones to release a device sold directly to consumers as an unlocked cell phone.

Palm OS, which HP renamed Web OS,only ever made it to two percent of the market (with Android and Apple dominating the rest). It’s release of unlocked cell phones was a huge step forward for the US cell phone industry, but failed to increase the brand’s popularity when unlocked iPhone cell phones are available online.

Unlocked cell phones are rarely sold directly to consumers as cell phone providers make more money by locking customers into contracts by subsidizing phones and holding monopolies over popular devices. Unlocked cell phones undermine all this, as they can be used on any GSM network, modified, and bought without a contract (often for less).

What will happen to Web OS? Some have speculated the software will be picked up by the open source community, although it’s still possibly for HP to sell the brand (though unlikely). Stuck with a no longer supported Palm phone? Upgrade to an unlocked cell phone that will work on your network.

New! The Google Phone

Unlocked cell phones are a trend that gained a lot of interest in 2010, mainly because smartphones took a giant step closer to becoming pocket computers (with speed, strong internet connections in most places, and great apps). They also became a lot more mainstream, no longer just for techies unlocked cell phones because they represent the ability to get the most out of your smartphone.

1) The first phone to mention when talking about unlocked cell phones, is, of course, the Apple iPhone. AT&T does not meet the demand that the huge popularity of the iPhone brings, and it’s network is unusable in many places due to excess traffic. Unlocked cell phones can be used on any GSM network, and with the iPhone, that’s critical to being able to use and enjoy your phone.

2) New and popular this season is the Google phone. Made by HTC and running the latest version of Android, it’s a dream for anyone. With a 4.9mp camera, built in radio, and combination keyboard and touchscreen, the Google phone will likely rise to popularity among unlocked cell phones.

3) Finally, the Palm Pre Plus. Normally, there are some apps that are not universally popular and very hard to remove that come preloaded onto Palm’s pre. Having unlocked cell phones doesn’t just mean carrier freedom, it means freedom of software, so you can enjoy the awesome features Palm provides without room being taken up by apps you’ll never use!

Hurry! Things are selling out for the holidays. Can’t find what you want? Contact Cellular Trendz to find out when we restock.

These days it’s not surprising to see a young kid with a cell phone to call their own. Parents can pre-program themselves, grandparents, and a trusted neighbor or friend onto the speed dial so that help is just a call away in an emergency, or so that kids can check in after school if they are going to a friend’s house. Conveniently, phone carriers have numerous plans so that parents can pick one that works for their kids and their budget. For young kids, most parents choose pay-as-you-go plans so they can control the cost.

When it comes to choosing a cell phone, the most economically (and environmentally) friendly choice is to choose used cell phones. Used cell phones are refurbished to be like new, so your kid can rock a trendy phone for back to school without anyone being the wiser. Here are some popular used cell phones that your kids will love:

1) A refurbished Blackberry is perfect to help an over-achiever keep track of their assignments and after-school schedules. A white or pink refurbished Blackberry from Cricket is perfect for the girly-girl, and affordably priced at $107.90.

2) Even more economical is the Palm Treo at $65.95. It has both a touch screen (all the rage!) as well as a full QWERTY keyboard, so they can text as fast as ever. Like many used cell phones it’s in excellent condition. Plus, if you get a plan that supports it, it comes with Google Maps, so your teen driver will never get lost.

3) If you’re looking for used cell phones that can work with multiple carriers, look for ones marked “unlocked”. Unlocked used cell phones like the HTC Dash ($107.90) make great gifts if you don’t know the recipient’s carrier.

What’s great is all these refurbished cell phones come with the Cellular Trendz 30 day warranty, so you don’t have to worry. Plus, still in time for Back-to-School is our summer promotion: type in “Summer” and get 10% off your purchase over $30!

If you break your cell phone, be sure to check out our warrantied repair service!