p=2.3.2&publisher=0336892d-f743-444b-b87e-a2a5de008d84&wp=2.6">
Posted on 26-04-2008
Filed Under (Consumer, Editorial, Marine, Wi-Fi) by popwireless

If you're new to PopularWireless, you may want to subscribe to the RSS feed. Also visit our forums to meet the many regular users of the PopularWireless community. Thanks for visiting!

…and PNC Bank is also on my list of financial institutions that could care less about the average Joe.

Apparently when you travel to a foreign country INCLUDING CANADA VIA turns off your ATM card. My wife is currently traveling in Toronto and has NO ACCESS TO HER ACCOUNTS.

When I called my BANK, PNC Bank based in Maryland, and D.C. all they could do was tell me to call a VISA 800 number.

This has been going on for TWO DAYS and she has yet to be able to access an ATM there.

This was NEVER a problem beofre and now it apparently is a VERY BIG problem.

I am POISED to take all of my accounts out of my current bank PnC Bank for their INABILITY and UNWILLINGNESS to help my wife access her funds a few hundred miles outside of the USA.

When you travel to Canada be SURE to call VISA AND TAKE AMERICAN EXPRESS. I am calling American Express Gold Card people next!

I am SO TIRED of being treated like SCUM by so-called American businesses. Damn tired.

Sphere: Related Content

(1) Comment    Read More   
Posted on 29-03-2008
Filed Under (Consumer, Editorial) by popwireless

The license terms for the company’s Safari Web browser on Windows include a curious restriction: “The software allows you to install and use one copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time.”

(Smarmy marketing behavior 101: This ALL got started when Apple sent an install of Safari through the Itunes automatic update. Many of us didn’t really get it until it was done. I thought Safari was part of Itunes. Silly me. Safari is Apple’s browser! Itunes users everywhere were tricked into installing a new piece of software. Couldn’t Apple think of a better way to encourage others to use their browser using polite competitive marketing technique instead of trickery and deceit?

Interestingly the smarmy marketing people FORGOT to update the product eula that said Safari could be installed on Apple products only. Ooops they were caught! They changed the eula within hours of the world noticing the discrepancy. What was noticed was the trickery. Why does a big company marketing group behave in a smarmy way? Are there smarmy universities that teach smarmy? The world would be a much better place without smarmy.)
read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 11-01-2008
Filed Under (Consumer, Editorial, Social Comment) by popwireless

WASHINGTON (AP) - Consumer confidence fell to an all-time low as worries about jobs, energy bills and home foreclosures darkened people’s feelings about the country’s economic health and their own financial well-being.

According to the RBC Cash Index, confidence tumbled to a mark of 56.3 in early January.

Click “read more” and visit BreitBart.com for the rest of the story.

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(3) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 04-01-2008
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

A family in Framingham, Massachusetts says that after their father died late last month, Sprint refused to allow them to cancel his cell phone, and insisted that they had to continue to pay for the phone plan until the contract was over in September, 2008.

Click read more below to see the entire story at awfulmarketing.com

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(1) Comment    Read More   
Posted on 27-12-2007
Filed Under (Consumer) by popwireless

Now wireless identity thieves called “skimmers,” can steal your personal information out of the air surrounding your purse or wallet using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) interception technology. Read this article by Grey McKenzie and take action to protect yourself at http://www.nationalcybersecurity.com/blogs/233/

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(2) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 27-12-2007
Filed Under (Consumer) by popwireless

Let the medical community know who can answer questions about your medical history by prefixing contacts with ICE (in case of emergency) for those who can answer important questions about medical history or keep medical staff from using materials or drugs that you are allergic to.  (It is also a great iea to put an ICE list on the refrigerator! Creating an ICE entry in your cellular telephone dial list is an excellent idea! It might save your life some day so take the time to create an ICE number.

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 16-11-2007
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

People who text message, e-mail, and download files on mobile phones spend $14 a month more than people who don’t, says J.D. Power and Associates.

(PopWireless: This is where cellular companies are making their money now. New activations are way down compared to a few years ago. Everyone that needs a cellular telephone has one. Companies are focusing on encouraging consumers to move to their service from another and on selling add-on services like text messaging. )

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 11-11-2007
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

Just needs final approval from Congress (which shouldn’t be hard) to make registration permanent.

(PopWireless: We certainly hope so! )

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 07-11-2007
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

The Analog Cellular Sunset and Who Is Affected

As of midnight on February 18, 2008, cellular telephone companies will not be required to provide analog service. While most wireless telephone users will not be affected by this transition (often called the “analog cellular sunset”), some users may be affected. In

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 06-11-2007
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc is in active talks with number-two U.S. mobile carrier Verizon Wireless about putting Google applications on phones it offers, people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. “There are good useful talks…

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   

Motorola seeks to buy a controlling interest in Vertex Standard.

Click read more to visit Yahoo Biz.

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 30-10-2007
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

Wireless technology company faces substantial drop in cell phone sales for third quarter.

(PopWireless: Why do you suppose? Click read more. CNN.com has the news.)

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 30-10-2007
Filed Under (Consumer) by popwireless

GPS-based tracking devices don’t just help you figure out where you are and where you’re going, they might also help you avoid a speeding ticket.

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 29-10-2007
Filed Under (Consumer) by popwireless

BEAVERTON, Ore.
— VTech is now shipping its first Bluetooth-enabled 5.8GHz digital spread spectrum cordless phone system, the company said earlier this month.

(PopWireless: This is cool! Be sure to click through at the “read more” link below to learn more about using Blue Tooth with your home telephone. )

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 29-10-2007
Filed Under (Cellular, Consumer) by popwireless

In a win for consumers, the FCC chairman has declared that Verizon will have to obey the open access requirements.

Rock.

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More   
Posted on 26-10-2007
Filed Under (Consumer, Product Review) by popwireless

Originally submitted at Radio Shack

Step up to a new level of photography with this 7.0MP, 10x optical zoom SLR-styled digital camera.


Great camera. Unsatisfactory cam strap!

By Pop from Huntingtown, MD on 10/26/2007

 

3out of 5

Pros: Easy to Keep Clean, Easy Setup, Bright LCD, Short Lag Time

Cons: Weak Construction, Lousy camera strap

Best Uses: Travel

Describe Yourself: 40 year camera owner

Will not hold up well. Flimsy construction. Does not survive a three foot fall. I love the camera, however after one week it was sent to Fuji for service to the tune of $110. The camera strap failed. It pulled loose on its own while I wore it around my neck.  You wear a camera strap with the camera to keep it from falling!  The strap worked loose and the camera dropped to the ground cracking the plastic case above the view finder.  My subsequent testing of the strap on a table top proved the strap does not work. Attached as described in the manual you can gently pull the strap free of the camera. The LCD view screen was instantly destroyed in the fall. The strap holder fastener furnished with the camera is NOT the one pictured in the owners manual! The furnished strap CANNOT and WILL NOT work! Fuji was unimpressed. Use care! Take extra precaution with the strap furnished by Fuji because  IT WILL FAIL and your $229 camera will suddenly cost you $329. I have finally tied a knot in the strap while I hunt the accessory shops for something decent. Very disappointed in the physical construction. A camera like this should not be this flimsy.

It was easy to contact Fuji to arrange the repair. The facility was in New Jersey. The operators spoke English, and obviously had some customer service training. I packed my camera as instructed  with a typed statement of how the camera was damaged.  An email address was provided. In just two days I received an email giving me a site to check the status of the repair. When I did I discovered the fee to repair it and authorized the work and provided a credit card number.

The strap problem with this camera is a major foo-pah, a catastrophic failure in product quality associated with a basic function a consumer assumes will always work.

(legalese)

Sphere: Related Content

(6) Comments    Read More   

..An ATA Airlines flight attendant tried to get a passengerto turn off his iPhone because, well, cell phones are not allowed to be used in flight and he was watching a movie on his iPhone. The passenger, who we know as Casey, tried to explain to the flight attendant that the iPhone was in Airplane mode. The passenger was briefly detained in Hawaii

(PopWireless:  The point behind this article is that our airlines may be way behind the times. Their training and experience with new wireless devices like the iPhone may not be as sophisticated as yours - the iPhone owner. “Airplane Mode” meant absolutely nothing to this flight attendant and as a result the customer/passenger was embarrassed and inconvenienced for no good reason.  We strongly suggest that if you have a wireless device that has an “airplane mode” that you make arrangements ahead of time to use it. When or if you are challenged using the device on the plane do not argue with the attendant. Take their name off their name tag and report them to management upon arrival at your destination.)

read more | digg story

Sphere: Related Content

(0) Comments    Read More