What are monophonic, polyphonic and true tone ringtones?

Monophonic ringtones

In the early days of cellular technology, most cell phones were only able to emit basic tones on different frequencies. The monophonic ringtone uses basic sequencing technology to play a song: it’s a one instrument, one note at a time thing. Monophonic ringtones are a good choice if you are looking for a clear, easy to discern ringtone for your cellular phone. Most monophonic ringtones are available for free or for very little money because they have since been outclassed by the more popular polyphonic and true tone ringtones.

Polyphonic ringtones

Like the monophonic ringtone, the polyphonic ringtone employs sequencing technology but to a much higher level. Instead of playing only one note at a time, up to 40 notes can play at the same time. Polyphonic ringtones can also emulate different musical instruments, simulating a digital orchestra in your pocket when your phone rings. Polyphonic ringtones lack one thing: the ability to use digitalized audio samples.

True tone (or real tone) ringtones

True tone ringtones, also called real tone or full music ringtones, can play actual music. Addressing the issue of instrument samples limitation, the true tone ringtone can play fully digitalized audio samples such as MP3s, including the vocals. While true tone ringtones can be highly personalized, they are often quieter and harder to discern in a busy environment so they might not be the best choice for someone who works in a shopping center. True tone ringtones gave birth to the most annoying ringtone ever created, the Crazy Frog ringtone.

The ringtone business is currently flourishing: worldwide, it’s a $4 billion market. With over 50% of all US cell phone users having downloaded a ringtone at least once, ringtones are also a great marketing tool for audio products. Do not be fooled by the possiblities a true tone ringtone offers you though: nothing will ever replace the stunning clarity of a monophonic ringtone!

The iPhone features three devices into one

The iPhone combines three devices into one: a 2 megapixel camera phone, a widescreen iPod able to play music and video files, and a cutting edge internet communication device. The iPhone features a touch-screen 3.5 inch display that will even let your read ebooks! The iPhone is very thin, even thinner than the Motorola RAZR.

The iPhone is more than just a phone

There is no doubt that the iPhone will be a great piece of technology: it will even run a version of Apple’s operating system OS X. Wifi ready, the iPhone will let you access the internet anywhere with the Safari browser. Coming standard with Google and Yahoo search, you’ll be able to synchronize your bookmarks between your PC and the iPhone. Full multitasking is also supported.

The iPhone has huge memory capacity

What’s more - the iPhone will come with a huge flash memory capacity. We’re talking 4GB and 8GB. That’s enough memory to hold about 1 full DVD movie or 1600 songs!

Before it was even announced, the iPhone was already a legend. Apple will score big with the release of the iPhone, which is due in June 2007.

Photo credit: SamsungI have compiled a list of 101 uses for a camera phone to convince myself (and others) that the camera feature on you cellular phone can really be useful. All of these uses are legitimate and have already been tried by someone somewhere in the world.

101 Uses for a camera phone

1. Use your camera phone to look under your car without getting all dirty.
2. Take a picture of a take-out menu in a restaurant in preparation for your next visit.
3. Every time you see something you like in a store, take a picture of it. The next time someone asks you what you want for your birthday or for Christmas, send him your photos.
4. Property inventory. Use your camera phone to document your belongings in the case of a natural disaster or robbery.
5. Use pictures to document car mileage when you travel for business.
6. At a show or convention, snap the contact names and business information that interest you.
7. When attending a conference, take pictures of the powerpoint presentation.
8. Take pictures of the intersections, subway stations and buildings when you travel to a foreign city. It will help you find your way around.
9. If you find something you think your wife would want, send a picture of it to her cell phone and then ask her if she would like this.
10. Take a picture of your children before entering a theme park. If one of them gets lost, you will have a very good description along with what he was wearing.
11. Entertain kids by taking their pictures or playing a photo version of scavenger hunt. Give them a list of objects they must take a picture of.
12. When shopping for glasses take a picture of yourself and send it to your wife. Ask her which pair she prefers.
13. Digitally memorize your parking ticket’s expiring hour.
14. Take a snapshot of posters announcing shows you’d like to see.
15. Upload videos straight to YouTube from your camera phone.
16. Document bumper stickers you like (NOT while you’re driving).
17. Grab prices for comparison. Make sure you remember in which store you took the picture though.
18. Document medical problems. Show your pictures to your doctor the next time you see him.
19. Film your office parties. I guarantee you will have plenty of occasions to have fun back at the office.
20. If you’re a journalist or writer, take quick snapshots of locations or events you want to write about.
21. When you travel, take a snapshot of important phone numbers, such as the phone number of the local forest ranger before entering a national park.
22. Spam your friends’ cell phone with pictures of your high score at video games (I’ve done this).
23. If you can’t remember the number on your ink cartridges, keep a picture of them on your cell phone.
24. When browsing the yellow pages, take a picture of the yellow page ads along with the map and information.
25. When fixing plumbing, take a picture of the configuration of the pipes before going to the plumbing store.
26. Take a picture of the “For Sale” signs outside houses you’d like to buy.
27. Take a picture of dip switch settings on computer equipment before toying with them.
28. Document your collection of DVDs. Useful when exchanging DVDs with friends.
29. With your camera phone you are always ready if you see a celebrity walking down the street. Paparazzi are us.
30. If you’re bad with names, add a picture next to the names on your contact list.
31. Grab a picture of the next thing you need to do. Use it as a wall paper.
32. Take a picture of the city maps or shopping mall maps so you can carry them around on your cell. Don’t trust the ‘You are here’ sign though.
33. Keep others updated as you travel by sending photos directly to their email address.
34. Use your camera phone to send a map to someone who’s lost.
35. Set a picture you took as wallpaper on your cell phone.
36. Film a co-worker in a delicate situation and use it to blackmail him. That’s one free cup of coffee a day.
37. Take a picture of your luggage/bags at the airport. It will come in handy if you happen to loose them.
38. Use a camera phone to help you stay in touch with your family when you are separated. Pictures often speak louder than words, especially with the lil’ uns.
39. Self-portrait. Some camera phones will even display what the camera sees on the outside LCD screen to help with the framing.
40. Overcome language barriers. A picture is worth a thousand words.
41. Go Feng Shui. You will need a Feng Shui cell phone though.
42. Keep track of work resources you might need. Grab a picture of them and send it to your manager.
43. Keep track of prices at the grocery store.
44. If you get involved in a car accident, take pictures of the scene, the damage and the other driver’s license plate. Remember to smile.
45. Scare shots. Lots of scare shots.
46. While looking up a book at the library, take a picture of the reference number instead of writing it down.
47. Upload photos to Flickr directly from your phone.
48. Take a picture of the business cards you get.
49. Snap the business hours of places you frequent.
50. Take a picture of your car’s license plate, serial number, insurance papers and any other pertinent information. If it gets stolen you will have that information handy. Beware though, this is sensitive information.
51. Entertain kids by taking a close-up picture of an object and ask them to identify it.
52. Take shots of any damaged package before opening it.
53. If you are a real-estate agent, get an edge on the competition by sending pictures of a house to potential buyers.
54. Take pictures of movies you would like to see. The next time you rent a movie or go to the theater, you will spend less time making your selection.
55. Snap information written on a post-it memo and then throw the memo away.
56. When running errands, take a snapshot of what you have to buy before you leave.
57. Use your camera phone to remember things you want to Google.
58. Take a picture of a recipe you would like to try.
59. Keep pictures of your children, wife or friends on your cell phone. It will make your wallet lighter.
60. Girls – when you go shopping, take pictures of clothing items you want and send them to all your friends for instant advice.
61. Contest parking tickets. The pictures may sometimes be used as evidence.
62. Show people where you’ve put things. Take a picture of the item in its new location and send it to the concerned persons’ phones.
63. Fight crime. A good picture of a criminal is worth a lot to the proper authorities.
64. Keep a photo journal. Take a picture every day. After one year you’ll be able to review everything you’ve done during the year.
65. Snap a shot of the train schedule at the station instead of grabbing a paper copy.
66. Use your camera phone to loose weight with MyFoodPhone. Take a snapshot of your food and use their service to send it to a dietician for review.
67. Take photos of apartments when you go apartment hunting.
68. Take a picture of your todo list so you don’t have to carry the paper version around.
69. Take photographs of books in bookshops to look them up later on Amazon.
70. Use your camera phone as a mirror. You can take a picture of yourself from all kind of different angles.
71. Take photos of the classroom blackboard to catch assignments.
72. Use your wallpaper as a focusing tool. Take a picture of what you should be focusing on, be it studies, work or family and use it as a wall paper on your phone.
73. Before going to the grocery store, take pictures of your food shelves.
74. Use a picture to remember IP addresses instead of writing them down.
75. Use a picture to remember where you parked.
76. When browsing a catalog, take a picture of the items you want before going to the store.
77. When you disassemble something, use your camera phone to document the steps so you can reassemble it later.
78. Buy a macro lens for your camera phone and get into macro photography.
79. Remember good wines. Take a picture of the labels.
80. Start a Moblog.
81. Take pictures of furniture you consider buying at the store. When you get back home, look at the pictures and see which one fits best in your home.
82. In a foreign country, photograph your hotel along with its name if it’s hard to pronounce. If you get lost, show the picture to people on the street, they will most likely be able to point you in the right direction.
83. Enter a camera phone photo contest.
84. Stay motivated. Grab a picture of something you really want to accomplish. Use it as a wallpaper.
85. When shopping for someone else, use your camera phone to double check your shopping list. Send a picture to the other person’s cell phone to confirm you are buying the right thing.
86. At a concert, instead of lifting a lighter show the band your best snapshot. Lighters are sooo yesterday.
87. Photograph landscaping ideas.
88. Get a picture of your hotel room number so you don’t forget what it is.
89. A camera phone earns you bragging rights. You get 1 bragging right per megapixel, twice if it has a flash.
90. Take a picture of on-screen instructions instead of printing them out.
91. Stay in touch with your travel buddies. Send a picture of your location to their cell phone.
92. Annoy your boss, friends, wife, kids by taking pictures of them when they’re mad.
93. When looking for a job, have your camera phone ready to snap photos of job advertisement posters outside stores.
94. Take a picture of interesting designs. Look them up later when you need inspiration.
95. Take a picture of a haircut that turned out well. Document the sides and the back of your head.
96. Document your collection of video games. Useful when exchanging video games with friends.
97. Document new meals you have at a restaurant to remember what you liked and didn’t like.
98. Use your camera phone to remember brands you prefer. Take a picture of the box/wrapping.
99. Become a photojournalist. Send photos of news you witness to Yahoo
100. When you see a furniture arrangement you like, snap a picture of it and keep it in your archives.
101. And of course you can simply take pictures of your vacation, friends or family.

I would like to thank About.com, Textually Picture Phoning, Lifehacker and 43folders who already had articles on the subject and served as a source of inspiration for this compilation.

What about you? Have you ever used your camera phone in a fun, creative or productive way? Add to the list by leaving a comment. Note that only legitimate entries will be kept.

The Carnival of the Mobilists is back after a long holiday break. This installment of the Carnival is hosted by Wap Review and it features a selection of 20 great articles on mobile technology sorted in 4 categories: History and Prognostication, Reviews, Technology and Business Plans.

I encourage you to visit Wap Review for a good read!

CDMA vs. GSM: the two major network technologies are fighting each other worldwide. The CDMA vs. GSM debate has many advocates on both sides, since CDMA and GSM both have their advantages. When choosing a cell phone carrier you may have to figure out which of these two technologies is the best for you. Hopefully, this article will help you pick a side in the CDMA vs. GSM war.

CDMA vs. GSM: Breakdown of the technologies

CDMA vs. GSM

The Origins

CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) is a technology developed by Qualcomm in the United States, and it is currently the dominant network standard in North America.

GSM: Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) was invented in 1987 by the GSM Association, an international organization dedicated to developing the GSM standard worldwide.

There is no clear winner in the CDMA vs. GSM debate here; it all depends on your needs. CDMA was established earlier in North America and thus has a bit more coverage than GSM. GSM on the other hand is an international standard backed by an international organization.

Coverage

CDMA: CDMA is mostly used in America and some parts of Asia. It is currently making progress in other parts of the world, but the coverage is still limited compared to the GSM technology. Its support is currently non-existent in Europe because the European Union mandates the sole use of GSM. In North America however, CDMA generally offers a better coverage than GSM in some rural areas because it was deployed earlier. The CDMA network reaches over 270 millions users worldwide.

GSM: GSM being an international standard, it is better suited for international roaming, provided you own a quad-band cell phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). The GSM network is also well established in North America, but not as much as the CDMA network yet. The GSM network reaches over a billion users worldwide.

CDMA is prominent in North America, but GSM reaches a lot more users worldwide (about 270 millions for CDMA and 1 billion for GSM). In the CDMA against GSM debate, GSM wins if you plan to travel to foreign countries but CDMA might have a better coverage in your area.

Data transfer

CDMA: The best data transfer technology CDMA has to offer is the EVDO technology, allowing for a maximum download speed of about 2mb/s (about 700kbps in practice), which is similar to what a DSL line has to offer. EVDO is not available everywhere yet and requires a cell phone that is EVDO ready.

GSM: GSM on the other hand offers EDGE, allowing for a maximum download speed of 384kbps (around 140kbps in practice). More technologies are being developed on top of EDGE such as HSDPA to boost the transfer rate to over 384kbps in practice. This technology requires an EDGE-ready cell phone.

CDMA offers faster data download. GSM is catching up fast, but its EDGE technology is subject to interferences. CDMA would therefore be the favored choice for data transfer.

Phone Identification (SIM cards)

CDMA: On a CDMA phone, your account information is programmed into your cellular phone. If you want to change your phone, you have to contact your carrier and have them reprogram your new phone. You will also need to re-enter your contact list and calendar information into your new phone. If you have a lot of contacts, your carrier might be able to help you perform this task.

GSM: On a GSM phone your account information along with your contact list and other personal data are stored on a SIM card (Subscriber Identity Module) which is a small chip you can freely remove from your phone. When you get a new mobile device, you can simply insert your SIM card into it and it will work with your current account information and contact list. If you travel to another country, it might even be possible to purchase a prepaid SIM card which you can use to avoid roaming fees.

GSM is a clear winner here. The SIM card technology offers many advantages.

Which technology is the best for me?

When asking yourself which technology to choose between CDMA and GSM, first ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is international roaming important to me? If you travel a lot to foreign countries, you might want to opt for a GSM phone for a better coverage.

2. Am I going to transfer a lot of data using the phone? Currently, CDMA offers the best data transfer speed with its EVDO technology and is the clear winner for now. If you intend to use the phone for mobile web browsing, watching television or downloading MP3s, you might be better off with a CDMA phone.

3. Do I plan to change phone often? If you do, a GSM phone is best for you since you can swap the SIM card to a new device without having to re-enter your personal data.

Once you have established your basic needs, compare CDMA and GSM signals in your region. Also compare the carriers offering both services in your area. Talk to your friends and colleagues and ask them if they are satisfied with their cell phone carrier and how good their signal is.

Remember, when choosing between CDMA vs. GSM, preferring a network technology over another also means limiting your choice in carriers.

One day at the pool, the inevitable happens: you get thrown into the water by a bunch of your drunken buddies. In any case, the $300 cell phone that was in your pocket got wet. Unless you own a water proof cell phone, you’ll want to know exactly how to dry out a wet cell phone, because you might still be able to repair it.

1. Remove the battery. This is the most important part! Damage in wet electronic devices mostly comes from short circuits. Removing the battery quickly will prevent electricity from further damaging the phone. Resist the temptation to test the phone while it is still wet!

2. Remove the SIM card (if applicable). The SIM card should have survived, but make sure you don’t use it again until it has dried completely.

3. Disassemble the phone. Use the required screwdrivers to disassemble the phone as much as you can. Note that disassembling the phone will probably void your warranty, but then so will dropping the phone in water. You’ve got nothing to lose. The reason for the disassembly is simple: the phone will dry up much faster once it is disassembled. You could skip this step, but water can remain inside the phone for weeks if you don’t do it.

4. Dry the phone as much as possible using q-tips or paper towels or a similar material. This will prevent water from getting further into the phone. Two ideas to help with the drying:

• Heat the phone. Heat will help water evaporate. Leaving the phone under a desk lamp for 24 or 48 hours might help. WARNING: Do not overheat! Just a little warmth is enough. Heating the phone too much can further increase the damage done to it.

• Use a fan. Leave the phone under a desk fan for 24 or 48 hours.

5. Test the phone. After a few days (usually two or three), the phone should be clean and dry. Reassemble the phone and put the SIM card and battery pack back in. If it doesn’t work, there is a chance your battery has died from water damage. Try an alternative power source. You can get another battery for cheap if your phone still works.

As always, be very careful when disassembling electronic devices. Know you warranties and insurances well before attempting anything, and make sure you note how to reassemble the phone. Repair a wet cell phone at your own risks.

Hopefully, you will manage to save your wet cell phone from drowning!

The various acronyms used to describe the different kind of text messaging services are not always intuitive and can be confusing to new users. Hopefully the following breakdown of the three most popular messaging services will help clear things up.

1. SMS
SMS stands for Short Message Service and is the most widely used type of text messaging. With a SMS, you can send a message of up to 160 characters to another device. Longer messages can be split up into several parts. Most cell phones support this type of text messaging, and sending a SMS is usually very cheap. SMSs can also be used to access various services from a portable device, such as Google and MSN. Spam sent as SMS is also becoming more common.

2. EMS
EMS means Enhanced Messaging Service and is an extension of the SMS. It provides SMS with functionalities such as text formatting (bold or italic fonts) and limited picture and animation support. If an EMS is sent to a phone that doesn’t support it, it will display as a standard SMS. EMS will probably be rendered obsolete by MMS.

3. MMS
MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service and this type of text messaging is an evolution of the SMS. With a MMS, you can send a message including pictures, video or audio content to another device. It is very useful to send a photo taken with a camera phone to another phone. Most new cell phones with multimedia capabilities support MMS. Because the size of the message is defined in kilobytes, a MMS can contain a lot more information than a SMS. Be careful, carriers can sometimes charge high fees for data transfer over their network if it’s not included in your plan.

Now get to your keypads and start typing!