Dialed In Podcast

It's a slow week for cell phones, especially with Bonnie out on vacation in Maui--the lucky girl. But we still have some mobile news, like rumors of a new LG Chocolate, inklings of a Sony Ericsson Android handset, and the brand new MyTouch 3G from T-Mobile. We also go over our reviews and answer some of your questions.

Rumors
New LG Chocolate?
Sony Ericsson's Rachel, plus new Android interface

News
Preorder your MyTouch 3G
Samsung Omnia photo gallery
A month for cell phone courtesy
TracFone offers $45 unlimited plan

Reviews
Samsung MyShot II
RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630
Beyond E-Tech Duet D8
Samsung Mantra

Upcoming reviews HTC Ozone (Verizon Wireless)
LG HBM-900
Nokia BH-804

Talk about poor taste in cell phones.

Forget Independence Day, Bastille Day, and Canada Day, there's something a lot more exciting going on in July than just celebrating your country. According to a Palm Beach, Fla., etiquette expert, we're also in the middle of National Cell Phone Courtesy Month.

The "National" part is debatable, since no national body like the U.S. Congress has backed the event, but in a country with a National Frozen Food Month you can't be too picky.

While some of you may rightfully wonder if "courtesy" and something as obtrusive as a cell phone can ever go together, Jacqueline Whitmore of The Protocol School of Palm Beach (I can only imagine the board meetings of that group) begs to differ. She offers eight tips for "how to talk on a wireless phone without annoying others."

The tips, which range from not talking in a restaurant to speaking in quiet tones, are exactly what you'd expect, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth repeating. My favorite is tip No. 6, which advises against talking about private matters in a public place. I'm always amused when a person yelling at their significant other on a cell phone gets angry when you give them a strange look.

I wrote my own take on cell phone manners two years ago, but I want to know what you think. What are your pet peeves for cell phone behavior? How can cell phone users be more courteous?

Welcome to the 411, my new Q&A column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have the same questions, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

The Palm Pre's battery life is an issue, but is that enough to avoid it?

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

I have the new Palm Pre and I am very concerned about the battery drain. The last phone that I had was the Instinct and was a smartphone and a good phone. But it was not an iPhone, so when the Palm Pre came out, I was happy that they had a phone that can holds a match to the iPhone. But the battery has me worried so I went out and got an iPhone 3G 8G and am trying it out. The iPhone is really a great device. But I have heard that AT&T has poor signal and service. I have been with Sprint for nine years and love their service and signal is dependable and the everything plan is great and affordable compared with AT&T. Do you have any help for me making this choose. -- Bradford, via e-mail

You'll have to decide which is more important for you--battery life, proper coverage, or affordability. As you've already mentioned, the Palm Pre has problems with battery life, and AT&T sometimes has poor coverage depending on your area (You should investigate this further in your own home and office instead of just relying on random hearsay though--you might find that you have good AT&T coverage in your area). It's also not as if the iPhone doesn't have battery issues either, depending on how much you use it. Since you seem to be more keen on sticking with Sprint though, I would suggest you stay with the Palm Pre for the time being, despite the poor battery life. Our own Bonnie Cha has released a brief how-to on maximizing the battery life on the Palm Pre. If that still isn't good enough, I would encourage taking a look at some of Sprint's other smartphones like the HTC Touch Pro, which might have a slightly longer battery life.

Now that the iPhone OS 3.0 firmware has added stereo Bluetooth functionality to the Apple iPhone, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit stereo Bluetooth and what it promises.

Motorola Rokr S9 HD with iPod adapter

(Credit: Motorola)

Stereo Bluetooth, or A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), is essentially a Bluetooth profile that lets you stream music from one device to another without the use of wires. The technology has been around for years, and almost all music phones have this feature. In fact, it was quite a big letdown that the original iPhone and iPhone 3G did not have this built in when they first launched, considering the iPhone's iPod heritage. Still, it's better late than never. The iPhone OS 3.0 update also brought stereo Bluetooth to the iPod Touch 2nd gen. If you have a music player instead of a phone, you can also purchase additional stereo Bluetooth adapters, like this Motorola D650 iPod adapter.

Stereo Bluetooth headphones come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some, like the Motorola Rokr S9 HD, are meant for active lifestyles, as it's shaped to hug the sides of the head. Others, like the Samsung SBH-600, are meant for serious audiophiles, especially with its promise of surround sound and bass boost. We also like the mono-to-stereo headsets, like the Plantronics Voyager 855, that can change from a mono headset to a stereo version simply by connecting an additional ear bud. One of the more popular stereo headsets among our readers is the Jabra BT3030, which isn't really even a headset so much as it is a pendant that you can use with any pair of 3.5mm-compatible headphones.

Things are finally slowing down after a few busy weeks of cell phones news, so this week, we finally catch up on some neglected listener e-mails and questions. Plus, we talk about the RIM BlackBerry Tour that's coming to both Verizon Wireless and Sprint on July 12 for the same price (I smell a battle) and discuss the week's latest reviews. Unfortunately, Kent doesn't sing in this episode but hopefully, everyone will still have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend.

Reviews
Samsung Axle
Samsung Exclaim
LG LX370
Motorola Rival
BlueAnt S1
T-Mobile Dash 3G
HTC Snap (Sprint)
HTC Touch Pro2

Upcoming reviews
Duet D8
Samsung Mantra
Samsung MyShot II
Motorola Rokr S9 HD
RIM BlackBerry Tour (Verizon Wireless)
RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 (Verizon Wireless)
HTC Ozone (Verizon Wireless)
Pharos Traveler 137

The iPhone 3GS: What will it get you?

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

Q: What are the main differences between the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS? With the iPhone 3G being just $99, I'd rather not spend the extra $100 for the 3GS if I don't have to.
- James

A: The extra $100 for the iPhone 3GS gets you a few things. They aren't mind-blowing, but they are worth an extra $100, depending on your point of view.

• Voice control: This is a welcome and nifty feature that performs well. Not only can you make calls using only your voice, but also you can use the iPod player. It's particularly useful if you'll be using the iPhone while driving.
• Video recording: Another feature that was long overdue. The video quality is quite good and the editing tool is unique and very easy to use.
• Accessibility options: The 3GS is the first iPhone to offer a broad range of accessibility feature, like Voice Over, which will read a description of the onscreen controls. Other options will further assist visually impaired users.
• Compass: The compass and its integration with the Google Maps feature are neat, but I don't see myself using them that much, though you might feel differently.
• Better battery life: The iPhone 3GS promises double the battery life of the iPhone 3G. We're still testing our iPhone 3GS, but it did seem to last longer than its predecessor did during preliminary use. I'm hoping that it lives up to expectations, as short battery life is one of the drawbacks of both the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G.
• Faster performance: We have found the the 3GS is faster than the iPhone 3G. It opens applications more quickly and turns on in half the time.

It wouldn't be a week in cell phone land if the Dialed In crew didn't have a lot to talk about. And since it's been two weeks since our last show, you can bet that this episode is chock full of cell phone news and reviews.

Leading off is the CNET review of the iPhone 3GS. We're still getting through the lab tests, but we've combed through the new features in depth. Meanwhile, Bonnie enthralls us with a long list of major smartphone news including Flash Player 10 beta and T-Mobile's second Google Android phone. And elsewhere in the podcast, Bonnie sighs, Kent sings, and Nicole laughs at them both.

News
Android Atlas
HTC Hero Android phone announced
T-Mobile announces second Google phone
Flash Player 10 beta coming to most smartphones this fall
WebOS 1.0.3 update available now for Palm Pre and Palm WebOS SDK release planned for end of summer
Palm responds to Apple's warning
T-Mobile Dash 3G coming in July
RIM announces BlackBerry Tour 9630 for Sprint, Verizon Wireless
Samsung Omnia 2 coming to Verizon
iPhone gets AT&T Navigator app
V Cast Mobile TV finally comes to SF and FLO TV goes national
Finding iPhone OS 3.0's small changes
Motorola unveils Karma QA1
Sprint releases LG LX370 and Samsung Exclaim
15-year-old wins LG texting championship
Alltel nabs LG Tritan

Reviews
Apple iPhone 3GS
Nokia N97 RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 (Alltel)
Motorola Clutch
LG Neon
Samsung Gloss
LG Glance
Motorola Rival

Upcoming reviews HTC Snap (Sprint)
HTC Touch Pro2
RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 (Verizon Wireless)
Samsung Mantra
Samsung Exclaim
Duet D8
LG LX370

Welcome to the 411, my Q&A column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have the same questions, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

Hi, I currently have a Samsung Glyde through Verizon Wireless. As with many owners I have had my share of problems with it, I'm on my third replacement. I have been looking for a new phone for some time and also considering a switch possibly to Sprint for the Palm Pre. The problem I have is deciding to switch or wait for a better phone on Verizon, the Storm2 and Omnia i8910 (HD) come to mind. I mainly use my phone for the internet, email, and messenging. Any suggestions? --Derek, via e-mail

Would you wait for the Palm Pre to come to Verizon?

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

I'm sorry to hear you've had so much trouble with the Samsung Glyde, though you did not specify what went wrong. As for possible replacements, the Palm Pre is certainly an attractive device, but do note that you might not have to switch to Sprint to get it. Verizon has already mentioned that it hopes to get its own version of the Palm Pre next year. Or, as you mentioned, you could also wait for the BlackBerry Storm 2.

Also, I think you confused the Samsung Omnia 2 with the Omnia i8910 HD---as far as we know, the Samsung i8910 HD is a GSM product and will not be going to Verizon. It sounds like you want a phone with a keyboard, which the Samsung Omnia 2 would not have. Since it seems like you're willing to wait for a new phone, I would suggest waiting around until the Palm Pre gets approved for Verizon and take a look at that.

Update: After some thought, you might want to consider the LG enV Touch as well. It is similar to the Samsung Glyde in that it has a touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard. You'll also be able to keep your current data plan without additional charges. It's definitely not as advanced as the Pre, the Storm, or the Omnia though, so it depends on your priorities.

No, it's not the best phone ever.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

I cringe every time I hear the phrase "iPhone killer." And in a month like this, when we've reviewed the Palm Pre, the iPhone 3G S, and the next Google Android phone that is expected to land at T-Mobile, I've heard it way too many times.

My biggest issue with the phrase is not that's it's overused--though that's part of it--it's that it implies that the iPhone needs to be killed. Calling the latest touch-screen phone an "iPhone killer" automatically elevates the iPhone to a place that it doesn't deserve. Yes, it's an excellent, innovative device that does many things well, but it's not the best cell phone on the planet. And with the possible exception of its multitouch Web browser, it's not the ultimate pinnacle of cell phone development.

We need only to look at the iPhone's 3G's latest rivals to know that other devices can pose serious competition. No, they're not perfect either, but they're certainly innovative in their own way. And despite what some Apple fans may argue, they're not going anywhere.

Palm's innovative new WebOS is like nothing we've seen before. The Pre multitasks beautifully, its Synergy feature and notifications system are incomparable, and its multitouch browser almost beats the iPhone at its own game. We didn't love the Pre's hardware, but Palm will be coming out with more WebOS devices. Who knows what round two will bring?

Android handsets like the Google Ion/HTC Magic offer a fantastic interface, great integration with Google services, and a truly user-customizable experience. What's more, since Android will run on more than one device, consumers will have a real choice of hardware. Of course, that last point depends on Google and handset manufacturers actually introducing more Android devices. I'm impatiently awaiting the follow-up T-Mobile G1.

There will never be a "world's greatest phone," though people will find the best phone for their needs. We also should remember that competition and choice are good things. We should not desire a world where there is only one kind of cell phone, much like we shouldn't desire to drive one kind of car, drink one kind of soda, or wear one brand of shoes. There is plenty of room in this world for multiple brands of phones, whether they be flashy, multimedia handsets like the iPhone or simple candy bar models that just makes calls.

So, please lay off the "iPhone killer." It's not fair, it's not accurate and it's just not right.

This is one of our busiest weeks of the year, with the announcement of a new iPhone, the launch of the Palm Pre, and so much more, which makes this show one of our longest yet.

News
WWDC
iPhone 3G S First Take
iPhone OS 3.0 revisted
All things Pre
T-Mobile HTC Magic to be called myTouch 3G?
$700 for Nokia's new phone. Are they nuts?
Casio Exilim C721 is one tough camera phone
Sony Ericsson announces C901, Naite "GreenHeart" phones
Motorola Evoke comes to Cricket
LG Neon available from AT&T
Verizon launches the Motorola Rival
Pharos 137 Traveler now available
Verizon to get BlackBerry Pearl Flip June 19
iPhone apps for airline geeks
Senate introduces Mobile Wireless Tax Fairness Act

Reviews
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 (AT&T)
Palm Pre
LG enV Touch
Casio Exilim C721
Motorola Hint QA30
Samsung JetSet
Samsung SGH-A177

Upcoming reviews
LG Neon
Samsung Gloss
Motorola Clutch
RIM BlackBerry Flip 8230 (Verizon Wireless)
RIM BlackBerry Storm update
T-Mobile G1 update