PhoneTalk

Cloud storage is becoming more and more popular these days. In case you don’t know, “cloud” storage is a way to have access to all your data (pictures, music, files, videos, etc) from virtually any device with an Internet connection. SugarSync is all about cloud storage with a version of its app for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, and more. Today, the company has announced a few noteworthy additions to its BlackBerry app.

The additions include the option of adding a PIN code to access the app for added security, the ability to sync items stored on the BlackBerry’s microSD card to the SugarSync cloud, and a direct folder sync so that you can make changes to a file when not connected to the cloud and easily update those changes when back online. Interested in trying out the app? The company offers a free 5GB version of the app and for those who need more storage there’s a 30GB plan for $4.99 a month or $50 a year. You can download the app at the SugarSync site or from the BlackBerry app world on your phone.

Nokia’s latest smartphone, the N9, is sleek, slim, and offers something new in the way of phone navigation. The Nokia N9 is based on MeeGo, a Linux-based mobile OS – so this is different than other smartphones currently available. One of the more interesting features of the phone is the incorporation of swipe – a technology that lets you swipe the screen to return to the home view whenever in an application.

The cell phone sports a sharp 3.9-inch AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass and 1GHz processor. It also has an 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera that can also record 720p video. If you’re interesting in mobile payment options, you’ll be happy to learn the phone has the NFC chip (this is a feature needed if you want the phone to support mobile payments). The cell phone will be available in three colors (black, cyan, and magenta) and 16GB or 64GB models. We’ll learn more about availability and pricing later this year. In the meantime, you can get a closer look at the Nokia N9 in the video below.

In the market for a basic flip phone that can really take a beating? Consider the Sanyo Tahoe by Kyocera for Sprint. This rugged phone is built to military spec, sports a large external display for viewing pertinent info at a glance, and has a 2-megapixel camera. Get a closer look at the Tahoe cell phone in the first look video below.

Maybe you've heard about storing and accessing stuff from the cloud, but might not know what that means or why you should care. Essentially, the cloud is a way to store stuff (music, documents, photos, etc) at an offsite location that you can access and manage from anywhere and in some cases from just about any device. Take SugarSync, for example. This service works with multiple devices including BlackBerry smartphones, Google's Android-based phones, tablets including the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Apple iPad, and more. The idea is that you get a personal cloud of storage space complete with PIN protection so that you can access your data from any of those devices. You'd likely want to use a WiFi connection to access your SugarSync account from a phone, but you can do it with a basic data connection on your cell phone as well.

The best way to really understand how this works is to give it a try for yourself. SugarSync is now offering new customers (and upgrading existing customers with free 2GB accounts) accounts that come with 5GB of free storage space. That's enough space to save some of your favorite holiday songs, pictures, and even short videos you may have stored on your computer that you want to access on your cell phone. To use the service with your cell phone you'll just need to download the free mobile application that works with your phone.

The Deal of the Week comes from LetsTalk's accessories specialist Melanie Bie.

What is it? The Technocel Battery Boost can add an extra hour of battery life to any cell phone with a microUSB port. It also does double duty as a microSD card reader so you can easily transfer files, music, or pictures from your computer to your phone since the microSD card shows up as a drive on the computer. Plus, it's small enough to fit on a key chain.

How much? This week the Technocel Battery Boost costs $24.99. Click this link to get the deal.

Why is it such a good deal? Portable chargers designed to extend battery life in a jam can cost as much as $40. The Technocel doesn't only charge a microUSB device in a pinch it also acts as a microSD card reader.

Microsoft took the lid off Windows Phone 7 at a press conference yesterday to show off the new phone OS and its tag line, "Always delightful, wonderfully mine." The new operating system is a huge departure from what people typically think of when they think about a Windows cell phone. It offers tons of customization, an intuitive onscreen QWERTY keyboard that auto corrects words or lets you revert to the original word typed, integration with Xbox Live (including the ability to edit and create avatars), voice search using Bing, and an overall more fluid user experience. There will also be an update coming in early 2011 that will allow you to cut and paste.

AT&T, the company that launched the first Windows Mobile phone back in 2003, announced that on November 8th it would be offering the Samsung Focus Windows Phone 7. A few weeks later, two more models the LG Quantum and HTC Surround (complete with a kickstand and surround sound speakers) will be available. The three cell phones will have a 1GHz processor and tons of on-board storage (Quantum and Surround will have 16GB of on board memory, while the Focus will have 8GBs of onboard memory). However, Microsoft talked a lot about the "cloud" so you'll have access to tons of content (pictures, music, and movies) that doesn't need to reside on the phone.

Microsoft announced a total of 9 (Read more)

Earlier this week Verizon announced it would be adding the DROID 2 by Motorola to its line-up. The newest DROID offers quite a few enhancement over the previous version of the DROID by Motorola. For starters, it has a speedy 1GHz processor and the ability to turn the DROID 2 into a Mobile HotSpot so you can share the 3G data connection via WiFi with up to 5 other devices. Additionally, the new Motorola DROID 2 will also have more memory: the cell phone will have 8GB of internal memory and ship with an 8GB microSD card. Plus, the DROID 2 is shipping with the latest Google Android OS 2.2. If you liked the original DROID, but wish it was faster and could do more, then the DROID 2 by Motorola could be the perfect smartphone for you. Better yet, you can get it today by clicking this link.

SanDisk has teamed up with the widely popular DJ, Tiësto, to give budding cell phone videographers a chance to have snippets of video captured on their cell phone appear in a Tiësto video. So how does it work? Simply, attend any of the Tiësto shows listed below and use your cell phone to shoot video of the event. Then, upload the video to www.wakeupyourphone.com/tiesto. At a later date Tiësto will select his favorite fan-generated clips for use in the track’s official music video.

You'll need to purchase a specially marked SanDisk microSD card (any size is just fine) case that highlights Tiësto that will be available wherever SanDisk products are sold. On the packaging there will be a code that can that can be entered on wakeupyourphone.com/tiesto that will allow you to download exclusive tracks on his “What’s Next” virtual mix CD. If you're planning on seeing one of the shows, why not try your hand at capturing video? Remember video can potentially take up a lot of space on a microSD card depending on the recording format, so it's probably best to store it to a microSD card anyway. Here are the dates of Tiësto's shows: 

• July 30 London Victoria Park 
• July 31 Berlin Dream (Tempelhof Fluhagen) 
• Aug 21 Moscow Open Air Venue 
• Sep 3 Frankfurt Cocoon 
• Sep 17 Stockholm Annext 
• Sep 21 London Scala Club 
• Sep 23 Paris Queen Club 
• Oct 1 Abu Dhabi Yas Island 
• Oct 30 Los Angeles LA Convention Center

T-Mobile also announced that the company would be offering a version of the Samsung Galaxy S cell phone, the Samsung Vibrant shares some of the specs other Samsung Galaxy cell phones announced have such as the 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen (ideal for viewing in bright sunlight and helps conserve battery life), the 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, a 5-megapixel camera, and the ability to record video in 720p HD. Like Sprint's Samsung Epic 4G it will also have access to Samsung's Media Hub for renting or purchasing movies and TV shows.

Now for some features unique to the Samsung Vibrant:

• It will come with a preloaded 2GB microSD card that has the entire James Cameron movie Avatar
• The Amazon Kindle reader for downloading and reading books on the cell phone
• GoGo Inflight Internet service, similar to the feature found on the HTC HD2 users will be able to get a month of free WiFI on planes
• Availability date of July 21st

The newest Motorola DROID was announced, dubbed the DROID X this Google Android cell phone is bound to be a multimedia dynamo. The DROID X has a 4.3-inch display (similar in size to the HTC EVO 4G) that will be ideal for watching videos from BLOCKBUSTER On Demand, Verizon VCAST shows, and videos shot with the cell phone's HD camcorder. BLOCKBUSTER movies will cost $9.99 and up to purchase and $3.99 each to rent. If the movie is rented customers will have 30 days to watch the movie, but once it's started will have 24-hours to watch it. Additionally it will have DLNA and HDMI connectivity options so you can watch those videos on even larger screens. Also on board is a dual-flash 8-megapixel camera, Skype, a speedy 1GHZ processor, Android 2.1 (2.2 update coming) OS, and flash support that will be available later in the year. Similar to the HTC EVO 4G, the DROID X will be able to transform it's 3G data connection into a Mobile Hotspot allowing people to share the phone's data connection with up to 5 other WiFi-enabled devices.

The DROID X will be available for Verizon on July 15th and will require an Email and Web for Smartphone plan that start at $29.99 a month.Those who want to turn the DROID X into a 3G Mobile Hotspot for an additional $20 a month.

The FCC has declared this week as "Wireless World Travel Week," and as such has offered some handy tips that can be found in this eWeek article. All the tips are extremely useful and interesting including the one about how a smartphone can be a "tempting target for invasion by the government in some areas." I've been testing cell phones a long time and have made it a practice to take a test phone with me when I travel to see the experience. For example, when I went to Argentina I wanted to see how easy it was to get a prepaid SIM card and stick it in a compatible GSM phone. Finding the SIM card wasn't initially easy until I realized they were sold at local convenient kiosks similar to the way prepaid calling cards are sold at 7-11. Also, the phone had to be unlocked or the SIM card wouldn't work. Having a cell phone with service for that country made it easier to call for reservations at restaurants or keep in touch with the people I was traveling with if we decided to spend our days separately.

On that note, I just got back from a trip to Panama. Initially, I didn't want to take a cell phone with me so I didn't do any preparations in order to have one to test while I was out of the country. I also had no idea what types of outlets the country used. An important point, especially since many countries have a different outlet and if Panama was such a place I'd need to take an adapter. The only thing I knew for certain was that if you wanted to use a phone in Panama it had to be a GSM phone. It was literally a hour before I left for my flight to Panama that I decided to take the DROID Incredible with me.

My rational: I knew I'd need a cell phone when I was arriving back in the states to coordinate a ride home from the airport. I also really wanted to have music with me and the Incredible had tons of my music stored on its 8GB of internal memory. I decided to take the charger too thinking I could always charge it at the airport between flights if I had drained the battery listening to music or playing games while on the plane. What I didn't think about when making the decision was WiFi, Skype, or even the built-in 8-megapixel camera on the Incredible - features that would definitely come in handy.

The cell phone (Read more)