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Message Digest 
Volume 28 : Issue 260 : "text" Format

Messages in this Issue:
  Re: What could/would cause a SIM card to belly-up? 
  What if People Don't Take the Bait to Go Paperless? 
  New Perspective On BlackBerrys And iPhones 
  Whoops! Students 'Going Google' Get to Read Each Other's Emails 
  T-Mobile's Effective and Quietly Disruptive Wi-Fi Phone 
  Finding purpose through the iPhone 
  These Apps Help Users of iPhones Find Their Way 


====== 28 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ====== Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer, and other stuff of interest.
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:35:18 -0400 From: tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: Re: What could/would cause a SIM card to belly-up? Message-ID: <op.u0kw44bso63xbg@acer250.gateway.2wire.net> On Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:17:38 -0400, Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> wrote: > On 9/19/2009 8:59 AM, John Levine wrote: >> SIM cards sometimes just fail. >> >> If you take your phone into an AT&T store, they should give you >> a new SIM at no charge. Before you leave, be sure the SIM and >> phone work, and also be sure that they didn't also change your >> service plan or its expiration date. > > Thank you for the excellent advice! > > For the curious, the local AT&T Store had a queued service line, > and after I reached the front it took only seconds to receive a new > free SIM card and test call my phone. All info in the phone, even > the list of incoming calling numbers, was preserved. Amazing. > > The service rep returned the original SIM card to me, but it's > probably not worth trying to open it and see what's in there given > it's hardly more than a thumbnail-sized sliver of cardboard. You're lucky, Thad: some phones' "internal" phone books are actually written to the SIM, ensuring that the entries aren't "lost" when transferring the SIM to a new handset. Same for their SMS messages. Cheers, -- tlvp -- Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:17:35 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: What if People Don't Take the Bait to Go Paperless? Message-ID: <p06240884c6dc237e9fe5@[10.0.1.3]> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/business/20digi.html Digital Domain What if People Don't Take the Bait to Go Paperless? By RANDALL STROSS The New York Times September 20, 2009 IN August, T-Mobile got serious about paperless billing. It started charging a $1.50 monthly fee on all accounts that continued to receive a paper bill. Large companies would love to use paperless billing rather than the mail: it reduces their costs and at the same time allows chest thumping about being green. But offering their customers positive sweeteners hasn't been very effective. T-Mobile tried another tack: a stick instead of a carrot. What woe it brought upon itself, however, when it told customers it was time to switch or pay up. Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:17:35 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: New Perspective On BlackBerrys And iPhones Message-ID: <p0624088ac6dc3fc640a9@[10.0.1.3]> The Mossberg Solution New Perspective On BlackBerrys And iPhones August 25, 2009 by Katherine Boehret The old adage that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence can be extended to our technology cravings. Even the person holding the shiniest new gadget can't help but eye a neighbor who has a different device and wonder, "What does that do that mine doesn't?" Thoughts like these are especially prevalent when it comes to the devoted owners of BlackBerrys and iPhones. All too often, the people carrying these smart phones are curious about what one device has that the other lacks. This week, I'm going to save you the trouble and outline some of the personal usage ups and downs to each device. Because I regularly use both gadgets and am accustomed to their different features, I have included fresh observations from five people who recently switched from BlackBerrys to iPhones. At my request, these people kept track of their impressions, noting the things they missed on their BlackBerrys along with things they preferred on the iPhones. This column isn't meant to promote one device over the other; rather, it is a summary of some people's sentiments, combined with my own observations in hopes of enlightening readers. I inevitably left out some differences. ... http://solution.allthingsd.com/20090825/new-perspectiveon-blackberrysand-iphones/
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:17:35 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: Whoops! Students 'Going Google' Get to Read Each Other's Emails Message-ID: <p0624088bc6dc41078c06@[10.0.1.3]> Whoops! Students 'Going Google' Get to Read Each Other's Emails By SARAH PEREZ of ReadWriteWeb The New York Times September 18, 2009 A recent bug in Google Apps allowed students at several colleges to read each other's email messages and some were even able to see another student's entire inbox. The issue occurred at a small handful of colleges, admitted Rajen Sheth, senior product manager for Google Apps, but he declined to say how many other institutions were affected. However, according to Donald Tom, director of IT for support services at Brown University, one of the institutions undergoing the transition, he got the impression that a total of 10 schools faced the problem. While the glitch itself was minor and was fixed in a few days, the real concern - at least at Brown - was with how Google handled the situation. Without communicating to the internal IT department, Google shut down the affected accounts, a decision which led to a heated conversation between school officials and the Google account representative. Details of the Glitch ... http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/09/18/18readwriteweb-whoops-students-going-google-get-to-read-ea-12995.html
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:17:35 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: T-Mobile's Effective and Quietly Disruptive Wi-Fi Phone Message-ID: <p0624088cc6dc43ae2b06@[10.0.1.3]> T-Mobile's Effective and Quietly Disruptive Wi-Fi Phone Written by Bernard Lunn September 18, 2009 1:00 PM There are those old-fashioned folks who still prefer to talk by phone, believing that "synchronous audio communication" is sometimes better than email or even - gasp - Twitter. The problem is cost, particularly for those not tethered to a land line or a laptop with Skype. Paying for 1,000 cell phone minutes per month is not exactly recession-friendly. So, is there an alternative to jail-breaking your iPhone or waiting for Apple and AT&T to file for divorce? Yes, there is, and I have been using it for a couple of months now in three different countries, and it works a treat. Here is my user report. What T-Mobile Offers * Limited choice of mobile phones. I chose the BlackBerry, because I'm used to it. No, T-Mobile doesn't offer the iPhone! * Wi-Fi phone and data on your mobile. This is the interesting bit. Basically, wherever you have Wi-Fi, you will have free minutes. * GPRS, which is what you would use if you don't have access to Wi-Fi. * Wi-Fi land line. This looks like an ordinary phone but connects to your high-speed line as a VoIP phone. Other companies offer this, but getting the whole bundle from your cell phone provider is pretty cool. ... http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/t-mobiles_effective_quietly_disruptive_wi-fi_phone.php
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:17:35 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: Finding purpose through the iPhone Message-ID: <p06240859c6dae3acf43f@[10.0.1.3]> http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x434962088/Finding-purpose-through-the-iPhone Finding purpose through the iPhone By Michael Morton/Daily News staff MetroWest Daily News Posted Sep 19, 2009 @ 12:06 AM HOPKINTON - After struggling with personal issues and leaving college midway through, Samuel Sennott turned to volunteerism in his hometown and discovered the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center. A dozen years later, the former Hopkinton High School football captain credits that fateful moment with giving his life purpose and providing inspiration for an Apple iPhone application aiding communication for people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other conditions. "It really changed my life," Sennott said this week. Upon graduating from Hopkinton High in 1996, Sennott enrolled at Gordon College in Wenham, but left after his freshman year for reasons he declined to elaborate on, calling it a challenging time. "I was searching for something meaningful in my life," he said. With an assist from his church, Sennott landed at the respite center, working at its crafts table and getting his first exposure to children with mental and physical disabilities. "He just found his niche," said Sharon Lisnow, who co-founded the center in memory of her son. "He just has an unbelievable knack with people with disabilities." Eventually, Sennott's volunteer post turned to a job, one that he continued when he took classes at MassBay Community College and Framingham State College. "It's just a place filled with love and true compassion," he said. "That experience really changed my heart and my mind." Returning to Gordon, Sennott earned an elementary special education degree and embarked on a series of jobs working with children with disabilities. Since many could not communicate with their own voices, he sought answers, entering a technology-related program at Simmons College and turning over possible solutions in his mind. "I think all the time about how I can do this better or how I can serve more," he said. Upon the iPhone's debut, Sennott immediately saw similarities to existing communication aids and realized the new product's potential. Working with a coder met over the Internet, he disabled the device's proprietary protection and designed an application for those with speech barriers. When he showed it to companies already in the market, however, some told him that families would not buy an unsanctioned device, while others did not understand why an iPhone would be more desirable than existing, rugged, hand-held devices with touch screens. Knowing they had missed the iPhone's "cool" appeal, Sennott approached a smaller firm, developing the software anew and waiting until Apple finally opened an online store for outside applications. It took a month, but the computer giant eventually approved the new application for its iPhone and iPod Touch. Named Proloquo2Go proloquo means "speak out loud" in Latin the application debuted in April for $189.99, with the first major update released this week. The program takes on-screen text and reads it electronically, either through Apple's built-in sound system or add-on speakers. Clicking on stick-figure icons, users can type in messages or tap into programmed shortcuts. Clicking on "Hi, Bye" gives several greeting options, for example, while "I want" can then get filled in by choosing a category like drinks followed by a specific beverage listing. "I think it's been a great add-on tool," said Jessica Gosnell, a speech language pathologist at the Center for Communication Enhancement, part of the Waltham campus of Children's Hospital Boston. "This device has a cool factor that a lot of parents and patients like." Since iPhones and iPods have additional uses, however, the application is not typically covered by insurance, unlike competitors' specialized and more expensive devices. Still, sales have been brisk, said Sennott, who is now pursuing a Ph.D in special education and alternative and augmented communication at Penn State University. He attributes that achievement to his experiences at the Hopkinton respite center. "I just owe them a lot," he said. (Michael Morton can be reached at mmorton@cnc.com or 508-626-4338.) Copyright (C) GateHouse Media, Inc. Some Rights Reserved. Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:17:35 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu Subject: These Apps Help Users of iPhones Find Their Way Message-ID: <p06240879c6db5e874b66@[10.0.1.3]> All Things Digital Personal Technology These Apps Help Users of iPhones Find Their Way September 9, 2009 by Walter S. Mossberg (See Corrections & Amplifications item below.) Among its many features, Apple's iPhone is equipped with GPS and includes manual, written driving directions built into its standard Maps application. But that function doesn't automatically bring up each turn sequentially, and it lacks voice prompts. Now, a number of companies have launched, or will soon launch, iPhone apps that do offer voice-prompted, automated, turn-by-turn navigation. Of course, many other cellphones have long offered such services. But the iPhone's large screen, decent mono speaker and large selection of car mounting kits make it a tempting navigation device. I've been testing four such apps: from TomTom, Navigon, AT&T (T) and Fullpower. The last, called MotionX GPS Drive, isn't available in Apple's app store as I write this. In the case of the Navigon MobileNavigator, which is already available, I tested an updated version expected to hit the store shortly. ... http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20090909/these-apps-help-users-of-iphones-find-their-way/
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly to telecom- munications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to Usenet, where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Bill Horne. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. The Telecom Digest is moderated by Bill Horne. Contact information: Bill Horne Telecom Digest 43 Deerfield Road Sharon MA 02067-2301 781-784-7287 bill at horne dot net Subscribe: telecom-request@telecom-digest.org?body=subscribe telecom Unsubscribe: telecom-request@telecom-digest.org?body=unsubscribe telecom This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Copyright (C) 2009 TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of The Telecom digest (7 messages)

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