Pay with your phone

PayPal today launched a new mobile payment service for cell phones that will enable customers to pay for goods and services or donate to charities by sending PayPal a text message. PayPal will then call the customer back for confirmation before it makes the money transfer. The service sits on top of the mobile infrastructure, so it is compatible with all carriers. If you trust yourself not to make too many impulse purchases, you can sign up by opening a PayPal account, registering the phone number, and selecting a PIN. PayPal has already signed up partners that will accept mobile payments, including MTV, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, and the NBA Store.

Text messages are also central to a new mobile service created by Ericsson and Fandango, the nation's largest online movie ticketing company. By texting FNDGO (36346), moviegoers will receive show times and directions to local theaters and can buy tickets.