Fight Back Against Text Spamming

I hate spams, and I hate unsolicited phone calls, even when these are illegal in many countries.

The problem with text-spamming to mobile phones is that till now, there's not a whole lot one can do to fight back. If your phone service has a way to block numbers, that's wonderful. But many don't. And I'm not the one who will just sit there and do nothing.

So I'm pleased when I read this article that there's now a way for you to at least do something to combat this problem. The wireless carriers are now banding together to compile problem number that, hopefully, will make them go after these spammers.

So here's what you should do:

1. When you receive a text spam from an actual phone number (rather than a shortcode), forward it to "7726" (which spells SPAM).
2. When your carrier responds, reply with the 10-digit phone number of the spammer.
3. You will then get a text message acknowledging your complaint.

Now, what they do with that, who knows. But at least you have done all you can. One would hope that if enough people complain about that same spam and from the same phone number, the carriers will take action.

If you get a text spam from a shortcode, the article says that you should reply to it with a "STOP" message. Supposedly, the use of shortcodes is tightly regulated and people don't want to lose that. Still, what if you still get spam from that shortcode number? The article doesn't tell you what to do then, or who to complain to.

In any case, I've just reported my first text spam, and interestingly enough, it was the same type of text spam that was reported in the article, i.e. receiving a gift card from Walmart (yeah, right!). The process went exact as described above, and in the article, except T-Mobile (unlike Verizon as in the article) doesn't tell you how to block certain phone numbers.

Zz.

Goodbye, Blackberry

Well, I finally did it. I dumped by Blackberry phone. for the first time in, oh, 10 years, I no longer am using a Blackberry.

I mentioned earlier that I want an iPhone, but I also want to stay with T-Mobile. I was a GSM phone since I do travel out of the country periodically, and so far, my Blackberry T-Mobile phones have worked perfectly. So my only option for a GSM iPhone is AT&T.

However, my dislike for AT&T outweighs my desire for an iPhone. So instead got an Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy S II. Going from the Blackberry Bold 9700 to the Android Galaxy S II is quite a jump, especially in screen size. I'm quite familiar with the touch screen aspect of it since I've used other touch screen phones and also the iPad. But having a rather huge phone display after using the tiny Blackberry screen takes some getting used to, and I'm getting used to it rather quickly.

So far, I've been playing and exploring what it can do, and what apps/widget are available, almost every couple of hours. It's still a new toy, and I'm having fun with it.

The only drawback is, of course, the battery life. With the Blackberry, I often go for a couple of days (or even more) before I have to charge the batteries. With this Samsung, I have to do it every day, which is usually at night when I go to bed. But then again, with the Blackberry, I seldom make use of it to surf the web, or use the apps. So the use habit is different for each phone.

So I have all the Angry Birds, many card games, and a few neat stuff loaded already onto the phone. Quite happy with it so far, so much so I'm thinking that I don't miss the iPhone at all. At least for the next 2 years of my contract, I'll be staying with this one.

Not sure what the future will hold of RIM and the Blackberries. They make very good phones, rugged and dependable. But somehow, they lost touch with the progress in mobile technology and interface, and now they're playing catch up, rather than setting the trend. While other companies are also playing catch-up with Apple and making almost look-alike iPhone, they are at least trying to keep up with Apple and providing cheaper options with almost the same capabilities. I hope RIM can survive this rough patch and reinvent itself. After all, Apple at one time was on the brink of collapse before Steve Jobs came back.

Zz.

I Want An iPhone!

... but I can't get one. Well, I can, but I don't want to switch carrier. I kinda like the plan and service I have now with T-Mobile. Of course as we all know by now, the iPhone 4S will be available to AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, but no T-Mobile. That sucks.

I know Apple don't need me as a customer. I already bought, a long time ago, the iPod Classic. As of now, the contract on my Blackberry is up (and has been for a few months). If the iPhone were released on T-Mobile, I would have switched to it, AND bought an iPad on the same day. It was that easy.

But now, with no indication of an iPhone for T-Mobile anytime soon, and of course, with the possibility that big bad AT&T acquiring T-Mobile for no good reason other than to wipe out its only GSM competition, I am re-evaluating my plans. I may just get a mid-price Andriod phone and stick with it for the next 2 years. If AT&T gets its way and buys T-Mobile, I'll just jump to a different carrier at the end of the contract period. Maybe by then, Verizon's iPhone will also have GSM capability, or at least can easily switch to the GSM band that I can use outside of the US.

Zz.

25% of Traffic Accidents Tied To Electronic Use

The use of cell phones and other electronic devices have been linked to 25% of all traffic accidents in the US.

The study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit group that works to improve traffic safety, assessed research from more than 350 scientific papers published since 2000.

It showed that drivers are distracted up to half the time and that crashes caused by distractions range from minor damage to fatal injury. Cellphone use raises the risk of crashing, but texting is likely to increase crash risk more than cellphone use.

I've mentioned before of numerous studies that showed that drivers using cell phones while driving has the same reaction rate as someone who is legally drunk. I am at a loss for any rational explanation on why using a cell phone while driving has not been banned. To me, it is more of an issue than someone not using a seatbelt. At least someone who isn't using a seat belt is a danger to him/herself. Someone who is using a cell phone is a danger to ME!

BAN CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING ALREADY!

Zz.

Smart Phones Foster Dumb Habits Among Pedestrians

Don't tell me that you have never done this, or encountered stupid pedestrian walking along and busy looking at their smart phones for something. This news article describes such act of silliness by many pedestrians who should know better.

I have a smart phone, and yes, I do read my messages and sent e-mail/text message with it. But still, I really do not understand at all this obsession with using cell phones while in the middle of doing other things. The writer in that news article described people walking on the sidewalk while using their mobile devices. While that's bad (and can even be dangerous if that person doesn't pay attention to the traffic), another highly annoying location for such a habit is in the grocery store. Most of the people who are also on their mobile devices are totally oblivious to their surroundings while they are either texting or yapping away on their cell phones. This results in them or their carts blocking the aisle, or them moving slower than a turtle along an aisle, causing a backup behind them.

As we all would want to know, WHAT IS SO DAMN IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAN'T EITHER STEP ASIDE AND FINISH YOUR CALL, OR DO THIS ANOTHER TIME?

The only justice here is that one would hope that such a person would be inconvenienced by another cell phone addict .. but then again, he/she probably won't notice because he/she will be busy using a mobile device.

Zz.

Hang Up And Drive, Before You Kill Someone!

A woman was texting while driving when she slammed into stopped vehicles, killing one person when one of the vehicles burst into flames.

If this doesn't break your heart for a senseless and PREVENTABLE tragedy, then nothing will. I mentioned earlier about all the studies and statistics that clearly indicated that the use of cell phones, be it hands-free or not, has been attributed to so many accidents, and in fact, as dangerous if not more, than driving while intoxicated, that it is mindboggling that cities, states, and federal laws are not not in the books to stop this silly practice, AND to enforce it as diligently as drunk driving laws.

The state of Illinois just passed a law that makes it unlawful to do texting while driving. BIG FREAKING DEAL! The city of Chicago already has a law against using hands-on cell phones, and I see people yapping on their phones all the time! So if such a law is not, or can't be, enforced, how is another law in the books on texting would make any difference? How is one going to enforce it when it is less obvious than yapping on cell phones? The city has all these cameras installed all over the city trying to catch people running red lights. Maybe they should also train those cameras on the driver inside these vehicles to see if they are on their cell phones. You want extra revenue from fines? There's one there!

Zz.

Hang Up And Drive!

I'm starting to see many more of that bumper stickers on cars nowadays, and yes, damn it, Hang Up and Drive!

It is one of those things that continue to puzzle me. We are so adamant about enforcing drunk driving laws, and seat belt laws (in Illinois, there's the "Click It Or Ticket" campaign), etc.. etc. Yet, when it comes to banning cell phone use while driving, everyone is either dragging their feet, or not doing anything. The National Safety Council has collected plenty of evidence and research to indicate that driving while talking on a cell phone, even hands free, is the same as driving while legally intoxicated. The driver has the same response. In fact, there has been NO respected research or studies that have concluded that such a practice isn't dangerous.

So why hasn't anyone done anything to ban such a practice? They seem to care more about enforcing seat belt laws and child seat laws. While I can see how accidents involving someone not wearing a seat belt may indirectly cost me, as a taxpayer, more tax dollars, it really does not have a direct impact on my safety while I'm on the streets. But someone driving while intoxicated, or while yapping non-stop on a cell does! Their very act endangers me, not just them. And to make it worse, there are MANY of them doing that each second of the day!

80 percent of crashes are related to driver inattention. There are certain activities that may be more dangerous than talking on a cell phone. However, cell phone use occurs more frequently and for longer durations than other, riskier behaviors. Thus, the #1 source of driver inattention is cell phones. (Virginia Tech 100-car study for NHTSA).

But even if such a law is put in the books, it doesn't mean everyone will stop talking on their cell phones while driving. It requires ENFORCEMENT! In Chicago, they banned hand-held cell phone conversation while driving a couple of years ago. But stand by any street corner in Chicago and I will bet you that roughly 1/4 of the drivers you see will be on their cell phones while driving. I've stopped at a red light in front of a police station at the corner of Addison and Halsted, and I counted 5 or 6 cars either waiting to make left-turns, or driving past me with driver yapping on their cell phones - right in front of the cops! What does that tell me? Either they are ignorant of the law (unlikely), or they know that this is such a low priority item that the police is not even enforcing it most of the time! It's a joke!

And don't even get me started about those morons driving on the expressway while engaging in some phone conversation. I've seen several that would have caused some major collisions behind them simply from the erratic way they drove (hint: they can seldom maintain their speed!).

Ban the use of cell phones while driving already! How many more accidents and deaths does it take? And you, you over there who are yapping away on your cell phone while driving. You know who you are. Hang Up and Drive Already!

Zz.