PhoneTalk

All those who use Google Voice and have an Android device (tablet or smartphone) running the Ice Cream Sandwich OS will be happy to learn that the mobile app has improved functionality. The Google Voice app is fully integrated with the Android 4.0 OS. This means you can view and listen to voicemails in the call log – no more checking an e-mail account to get a link to the audio version of the voicemail. In the new version, voicemail will appear in the phone’s call log and you can listen to it or read a text transcription of the message. The new version for Android Ice Cream Sandwich users is available in the Google Play market.

The latest addition to the LG Rumor family of phones is the eco-friendly LG Rumor Reflex. What makes it so eco-friendly? This cell phone’s cover is made up of 31% post-consumer recycle materials, the battery is energy efficient, and of course the packaging is recyclable. The Rumor Reflex has something not found in a ton of phones these days, a slide-out tactile QWERTY keyboard. The feature-rich phone also sports a 2-megapixel camera than can record video, a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, and a microSD slot that can support up to a 32GB microSD card. The phone will be available for Sprint users next week and for Boost Mobile users at the end of the month.

Verizon's latest phone to sport a slide-out tactile 4-line QWERTY keyboard is the Samsung Brightside. Although it’s not a smartphone, it does have plenty of features for those who want to get some work done while on the road. In addition to threaded messaging (for viewing the text conversation on the screen) and a web browser, the 3G phone supports mobile e-mail and the ability to view Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, and even HTML pages. It sports a 3.2-megapixel camera and the 3.1-inch touchscreen means the Samsung Brightside is pocket-friendly. The phone is currently available.

Prepaid MetroPCS phones just got a bit more feature-rich. The company announced a new service aptly named Metro Block-it. In addition to providing the ability to block texts and calls, users can also use the app to file complaints against telemarketers and debt collectors with the Federal Trade Commission. That’s a pretty useful feature. The application is initially available only for Android smartphones, but will soon support BlackBerry smartphones and some feature phones. MetroPCS customers can find it in the Metro App store and will receive a free 30-day trial. After that the service will cost $1.00 a month.

In this installment of Questions and Answers, we'll tell you how to remove numbers from the reject list on a Samsung Rugby and Verizon phones that don’t require a data plan. Got a question you want answered? Submit your question here. You can also ask me on Twitter. Got something to add to the answers below? Leave a comment.

How to take a number off the reject list Samsung Rugby? – lw

To remove a phone number from the reject list follow these steps:

1. Select Adress Book from the Menu

2. Choose Reject List option and use the navigation keys to highlight the desired entry.

3. Once highlighted, select Options and then Delete and choose Selected.

4. Confirm that you want the number removed from the Reject List by selecting yes.

I am looking for a basic Verizon messaging phone that doesn’t require a data plan. What are my options? – RB

There are quite a few options that don’t require a data plan, however, these four phones have a slide-out tactile QWERTY keyboard making them ideal for texting:

• LG Cosmos 2
• LG Octane
• Pantech Jest 2
• Samsung Intensity II

To find other Verizon cell phones that don’t require a data plan check out this blog post.

Looking for a new Verizon cell phone, but aren't really interested in getting one that requires a data plan? We can help. We've compiled a list of all Verizon cell phones currently available that don't require a data plan.

If you want a phone that can make calls, take pictures, play music, and send texts check out the models listed below. If you want to send texts, you'll need to include that option when you select a plan. Verizon offers messaging in many of the company's Talk and Text plans. You'll find many of these phones are good starter models for tweens and teens. In particular, the LG Cosmos Touch is a touchscreen phone that has lots of functionality and expandable memory. This makes it an ideal choice for people who want to do more with a cell phone, but aren't quite ready for a smartphone.

• Casio G'zOne Ravine
• Casio G'zOne Ravine 2
• LG Cosmos 2
• LG Cosmos Touch
• LG Octane
• LG Revere
• Pantech Hotshot
• Pantech Jest 2
• Samsung Convoy
• Samsung Gusto
• Samsung Intensity II

Interested in getting a new T-Mobile cell phone, but don't want the added cost of a monthly data plan fee? No worries, we've compiled a list of phones that don't require a data plan. There are still a few cell phones that are ideal for people who like to text, snap a few pictures, and have a conversation or two available at T-Mobile. In particular, the Samsung Gravity 3 even sports a slide-out tactile QWERTY keyboard, which makes texting on-the-go a breeze.

• Samsung Gravity 3
• Samsung Gravity TXT
• Samsung t139

Are you interested in a more basic cell phone? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Getting a data plan with a cell phone has become more of a requirement this past year. It makes sense since many of the feature-rich and smartphones are built around web-based connectivity including access to social media apps such as Facebook and viewing videos on YouTube. That said there are still plenty of people who just want a phone that can make calls, take pictures, and send texts. It's true that If you want to send texts, you'll need to include that option when you select a plan. Sprint offers messaging in many of the company's Sprint Talk plans. In light of that, here's a list of cell phones from Sprint that don't require a data plan. You'll find these phones tend to be more compact and some such as the Kyocera Brio and the eco-friendly Samsung Replenish even sport a tactile QWERTY keyboard.

• Kyocera Brio
• Kyocera DuraCore
• Kyocera DuraMax
• LG Rumor Touch
• Samsung Replenish
• Samsung Trender
• Sanyo Taho by Kyocera  

Are you interested in a more basic cell phone? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

In this edition, we cover CTIA’s new initiative to help stop cell phone bill shock, the new DROID Razr by Motorola for Verizon, the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone and Android 4.0 codename "Ice Cream Sandwich", and two new phones from Sprint. Get information on how to get free premium apps from BlackBerry. Finally, find out how to enter the Scavenger Hunt.

This week, Microsoft released the update (code name: Mango) for Windows Phone 7. The 7.5 update includes quite a few features that should enhance the overall user experience such as the ability to create custom ringtones, visual voicemail, messaging threads that combine text and Facebook messages, linked inboxes, groups, multitasking, picture tagging, video sharing, and more. You can see a complete list of all the enhancements found in the update at Microsoft’s Windows Phone site.

If you get the message on your phone that the update has arrived and are not sure how to install it, just check out this post from the Windows Phone blog for more details. In the meantime, get a closer look at Windows Phone 7.5 by watching the video below.

The latest application update (version 3.0) for GroupMe from Skype has some new features. If you don’t know what GroupMe does it’s essentially a way to setup a private chat room via text messaging. To start using the app, you’ll get a unique phone number. When you start a chat session using that phone number it gets sent to everyone in the group. The app works on most mobile smartphone OS’ including iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, and BlackBerry.

Some of the updates in the latest version include the ability to send a direct message to another GroupMe user. So each GroupMe conversation doesn’t have to be a party chat. Although GroupMe was designed with the mobile platform in mind, the new version lets people use the app on a computer. Finally, there’s a new question feature that sends a question you ask to a few people, an entire group, or can even broadcast it to Twitter and Facebook. The questions section is currently in beta and will only work on Android handsets and iPhones or the company’s website.

The app is free to download and use. Though depending on how you’re using the app it will either use data or text messaging. Be sure your cell phone plan is set up correctly so you don't incur extra charges when using this app.