What to do with the old phone

Surprise! On a de-activated phone:

* Supposedly, 911 always works ( for emergency calls), by a 1997 FCC rule.

* 611 connects to the original provider's customer service.

* anything else connects to a company called the "American Roaming Network" that uses an automated operator to make a special credit-card or collect calls for roughly $3 +$2/minute. They also sell pre-paid outbound-only service at lower rates, good for 1 year.

This is good for anyone who needs a phone "just for emergencies".

http://www.vsbinternational.com/retail_buy.php

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/38324-38-what-america-roaming-network

termination

surprises about leaving a cell-phone service provider

* oops! Forgot to review voicemail
* hardware? USEFUL alarm clock/calendar, dictation recorder...
* hardware? WORTHLESS camera, pics, contacts, flash-light
* charity? non-toxic battery disposal! But! first delete phone list
* reverse engineering hobby - take it apart!

Mobile Me

* contacts!
* notes
* photo galleries
* documents
* calendar?

first successes

* maps & GPS
* weather
* notepad
* first contacts
* voicemail

First Questions

* How to mute
* where is the speaker?
* oops! How to walk
* what are the hidden surprises for monthly charges?
* where is the Palm desktop?
* turn off the voice recorder!

Shopping

Selection is difficult. Here are the main options:

* monthly talk limits, $2,000 - $3,000 for one phone, $3,000 - $6,000 for two. Its a two-year contract!
* Hardware, $100, $200 or $300.
* hardware cover ( clear, translucent or leather, comes included with the extended warranty ).

** Jeff Dreiling recommends the extended warranty. The basic warranty is 12 months, the extension covers another 12.
** iPhone reviews say that everything is wonderful except for the battery life, so we purchased a "battery extender".