Well well well, nothing like kicking off Monday morning with some good news!  The good news in question, kind friends, especially if you’re a mobile warrior is this:  Research into fuel cells might just be able to effectively DOUBLE your cell phone battery life.

Ok, now there is some not so good news…well, I suppose it depends on how positive of a person you are as to whether or not this news is bad or good:  This advance in technology won’t be ready until around 2010.   This is where your outlook can determine if that’s bad or good, bad in that it’s not NOW, but good in that it’s not 2050.  Right?

According to the article I just read:

“Angstrom Power recently completed trials of a fuel cell system that effectively doubled talk time and the overall battery life in mobile phones. The trial involved a Motorola SLVR L7 and a fuel system that fit inside the phone without modification. The Micro Hydrogen platform uses a new fuel cell architecture, micro-fluidics and a refillable hydrogen storage tank to provide power. Angstrom believes the technology could be built into phones as early as 2010, but the logistics of refilling/recharging systems have yet to be worked out.” 

Sounds groovy to me, personally I am psyched for the day I don’t have to charge my phone mid-afternoon just so it doesn’t die in the evening!

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You know that guy that sits next to you on the airplane that still makes cell phone calls even though all the flight attendants told him to stow his belongings?  Yeah, that guy.  Well, if you’re flying on Air France, you can’t be mad at that guy anymore.  Bummer.

That’s right, Air France is going through a trial phase of allowing in-flight cell phone use for sending and receiving short messages or checking their email…in 3 months time, voice calls are going to be lumped into the experiment, assuming of course it doesn’t interfere with the comfort or well-being of other passengers.  Newsflash, it already is.

Actually, I shouldn’t be so harsh, as a member of the mobile generation I can fully appreciate the need to speak to someone when you want, where you want, and no mobile warrior is complete without that capability.  This will help in that regard but the true question remains…at what cost?  According to the article, to avoid navigation/plane operation issues here’s how it goes down:

“A small cellular base station inside the plane routs onboard calls and messages. Messages are sent to a satellite and then to the ground and the phone’s network. The service is supplied by OnAir, a company partially owned by airplane maker Airbus.” 

Groovy, but does that mean I want to hear about your meatloaf, your business deal, your schmoopy woopy or your love bug?  No.  It doesn’t, and No, it won’t.

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Hold onto your hats my friends and fellow In-Networkers. Verizon Wireless is officially going to open up their network to any and all CDMA-based phones. Any.

According to the article over at CrunchGear, “you can bring any CDMA-based phone to Verizon, provided it passes the “very reasonable” certification tests involving “basic network interactivity and a simple security screen.” Wow. The ability to shop ‘outside the box’ as it were, can really provide some extremely exciting opportunities for an already dominating vendor.

What mobile warrior phones will you be bringing over to Verizon when the Network is unlocked? I am curious when/if phones like the iPhone will make their way over after some hackery and debauchery. I’m curious to see what kind of sweet phones I can update to; although, right now for my mobile warrior needs, the LG Voyager just so happens to be rocking my socks off.

Sound off, what are you pumped for? Hit me…

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As a mobile warrior, you and I both know the Mobile Warrior code:  We die with honor and glory.  Right?  Ok, maybe as mobile warriors we’re actually apples fallen pretty darn far from a true warriors tree…well, most of us.

So, this one isn’t exactly technology related in a GOOD way, it is interesting and hopefully updates will explain to us that it isn’t true.  Anyhow, here goes:  A man reportedly was found dead in South Korea and according to a doctor, the 33 year-old quarry worker was found dead “with a mobile phone stuck to his chest. It is believed that the device may have caused the death. The man had burns on his chest, fractured ribs and internal bleeding.”  Wow.  Authorities are wondering if the death could be attributed to the phone itself, possibly a faulty battery?

UPDATE:  Ok, mid-research on this one I find out that now South Korean officials are saying the chances of an explosion from the battery causing this man’s death are slim to none.  The cause of death has yet to be determined, but LG and others are claiming it is not a possibility.  What did happen?  The moment I Know, you’ll know.

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As you know, or may not know depending on how you choose to celebrate this time of year, NOW is the time for some serious Holiday Shopping for the vast majority of us here in the U.S. of A.  Money is spent, wish books are studied, toys are wrapped, gadgets are lusted for.  You know the drill.

So, in light of the fact that the gadget and tech world is a virtual mine-field of hits and misses, what do you buy?  Lucky for you, me, your friends and just about every other frantic holiday shopper, I found a great Holiday Gift Guide over at Phone Scoop that goes over just about every demographic you could possibly imagine for the perfect cell phone for that perfect person in Your life.  From 16 year olds to senior citizens to your text message-aholics to your phone photographers, they are all covered and some great suggestions are given for each and every one of them.

A mobile warrior isn’t mobile without a cell phone, so why not hook that special someone(s) up with a brand new awesome phone this year?

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If you’ve been living anywhere other than underneath a big, heavy rock the past few years, you’ll understand when I say that the Green Movement is absolutely HUGE.  Energy efficiency, climate protection, conservation and recycling are issues that are everywhere, and rightfully so.  So, all my mobile warrior friends, it’s now that I urge you to not just be a mobile warrior for yourself, but for the planet as well.

How, you might ask?  Simple, small steps towards a better future.  Small steps.  I just found one way that all of you out there, especially with the holiday’s right around the corner, can take a small step that will not cost a thing.  It’s easy, instead of throwing away any old cell phone handsets, recycle them!

The fact is, it is easier than Ever to recycle your old device.  Drop it off at an actual retail cell store where your service provider lives, drop it off at a Best Buy or even some Body Shop’s for free.  At the very least, head over here to this article, read up more about the recycling program and start getting Green!  Look, I even found a link to a Data Erasing Guide for whatever phone you may have, so when you Do recycle it, no one gets your info!  Not too bad!

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Being mobile just got, um, mobiler?  Mobiler is not a word, but I am making it one right now.  At any rate, it is true, being a Mobile Warrior just got a lot easier if you happen to be a Verizon Wireless customer.  No longer do you have to take your phone in to a store, or sit around your home computer to update your phone’s firmware.  Starting soon, you’ll be able to simply update your phone’s firmware over the air.  A few pushes of the button and you are good to go!

According to the article I just read,

“Customers will receive a message on their wireless phone indicating that a new handset update is available. They will be periodically notified to download the updated software package by following simple on-screen prompts that will guide them through the process in a matter of minutes. The technology will be introduced in some new phones starting later this year, and throughout 2008.  “

Snazzy to say the least.  I can’t tell you how much it has annoyed me in the past having to go into a Verizon store, wait 2 hours to be helped on a project that takes 15 or 20 seconds.  Being Mobile is GOOD!

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I mentioned it last week, and this week, it’s true.  With the falling of the Autumn leaves, comes the official falling of Sprint’s Head Honcho, CEO Gary Forsee.

Apparently the official stepping down has already taken place, and been announced by Sprint but the search for a replacement is still on, and will remain on until they are confident the perfect match has been found.  For now, “Board Member James Hance will take on Forsee’s chairman of the board role and Paul Saleh will take over as acting CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement.”  Sounds good, and I have to be honest, I’m really excited to see what will become of Sprint with some new leadership.

Nevertheless, Forsee is done, and was sent off with these kind words:  “On behalf of the entire board and the Sprint Nextel employees, we want to thank Gary for his dedication and leadership and all of the contributions he has made since becoming chief executive of Sprint in 2003.”

Stick around for more news on this one, for anyone at all into the mobile warrior lifestyle, Sprint is a big player and this could lead to a lot of changes!

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Ok, this blog covers a whole heck of a lot concerning Mobility, and being the ultimate Mobile Warrior.  In that same vein, I don’t know how much more of a Mobile Warrior you can get when the time comes that you’ll be able to make a phone call from the very tip top of Mt. Everest!

Yeah, fairly sure when that day comes, and according to new reports, it is closer than you think, we’re all mobile warriors.  According to an article over at MobileCrunch:

“China Mobile has hired Huawei Technologies to install a GSM Base Station on Mt. Everest. The base station will be positioned at 6,500 meters and can run on solar power. The base will be positioned so communication can be made between base camps and the main rout to Everest’s summit. It will be able to communicate with satellites, so a call from the mountain can reach almost anywhere on the globe. The installation should be ready for the Beijing Olympics 2008 Torch Relay Team which will reach the top of the mountain for the opening ceremony.” 

Wow.  For some reason that’s just plain, well, cool.  Although, with technology advancing like this, it’s getting harder and harder to find excuses as to why you didn’t answer the telephone.  No longer can you say “I just couldn’t get service!”  Try it and they’ll look at you and just simply say, “Everest.”  Enough said.

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Talk about the ultimate for a mobile-warrior!  Ever have hunger pangs and just didn’t have the energy to pick of the phone and actually TALK to someone about your order?  Well, if you are that person, first off, I feel sorry for you, but second off, good news for you!  Over the pond in Great Britain, Domino’s Pizza is testing out a new system that allows pre-registered users to simply text message the Domino’s text number with their order, and the pizza will be delivered, hopefully within the famous Domino’s 30 minutes or less?

That’s right friends, if it works over there, hold onto your hats because there’s a very high possibility that more restaurants, in more countries, yes, probably here, will follow suit and introduce their Own version of this Text-for-Food.  I don’t know why, but it makes me sad.  Not that I didn’t expect technology to advance to these levels, but it just makes me feel like in 200 years we’ll be the laziest bunch of creatures the planet has ever played host to.

Therein lies the rub.  At what point does technology slip past convenience and into sloth?  When does easy become too easy and where is the boundary between human interaction and almost never having to interact again?  You tell me folks, I’m all ears…

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