BARCELONA, Spain; BASKING RIDGE, NJ, United States; and LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg, 16 February 2010 – At the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Verizon Wireless and Skype today announced a strategic relationship that will bring Skype to Verizon Wireless smartphones in March. The new Skype mobile™ product enhances Verizon Wireless’ smartphones for users who have data plans by offering a new way to call around the globe, while also giving hundreds of millions of Skype users around the world the opportunity to communicate with friends, family and business colleagues in the United States using Verizon Wireless.

The two companies have created an exclusive, easy-to-use Skype mobile offering for 3G smartphones. Verizon Wireless 3G smartphone users with data plans can use Skype mobile to:

• make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user around the globe on America’s most reliable wireless network;
• call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling rates;
• send and receive instant messages to other Skype users; and
• remain always connected with the ability to see friends’ online presence.

Initially, Skype mobile will be available on millions of best-selling Verizon Wireless 3G smartphones with data plans, including the BlackBerry® Storm™ 9530, Storm2™ 9550, Curve™ 8330, Curve™ 8530, 8830 World Edition and Tour™ 9630 smartphones, as well as DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS™ by HTC and Motorola DEVOUR™.

John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless, said, “Skype mobile on Verizon Wireless changes the game. For Verizon Wireless’ more than 90 million customers, Skype mobile adds great value because we’re effectively giving customers with smartphones and data plans the option to extend their unlimited calling community to hundreds of millions of Skype users around the globe. And you’re not limited to using a single type of phone; we’ll have nine smartphones ready right at launch in March.”

Josh Silverman, chief executive officer of Skype, noted, “People want to take their Skype conversations with them wherever they go, whether it’s on a PC, TV or increasingly mobile phones. Verizon Wireless will give US consumers the best Skype experience on mobile phones and will truly change the way people call their friends and family internationally.”

Customers interested in learning more about Skype mobile for Verizon Wireless smartphones can visitwww.verizonwireless.com/skypemobile. Additional information about the service will be available next month.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com for more information about Verizon Wireless or follow the company attwitter.com/verizonwireless. Learn more and download Skype at www.skype.com or follow the company at twitter.com/skypemobile.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, NJ, with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NASDAQ and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Skype

Skype is software that enables the world’s conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Everyday, people everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles. Download Skype to your computer or mobile phone at skype.com.

They could call it the MotoFoam, iFoam, or something to that effect and it would have the added benefit of being virtually indestructible when tossed or dropped.  In addition, it could be very attractive and suitable for older kids or as a throwback for adults to the days when you would find a Nerf football being tossed around during recess.

Of course, the foam rubber they use isn’t exactly the most environmentally sound or easiest to recycle, but I’m certain with enough ingenuity it could be made green.

I’m not too worried about a manufacturer actually running with the idea since their profits depend on getting us to buy new devices, not making them to last, but just in case you see someone toss an iFoam around the office one day remember that you read about it here first.

Both Bell and Telus have provided tools online to tell by IMEI number (a serial number assigned to each GSM phone) whether or not your handset will work on their network.

Click here to check out the Bell GSM compatibility tool.

Click here for the Telus GSM compatibility tool.

If your device will work with their network, you can purchase a SIM card for either Bell or Telus but if not the handset will need to be properly recycled.

If it’s time to recycle your cell phone, CellCycle.ca offers many convenient drop off locations for recycling in Nova Scotia and in Barrie, Ontario or you can take up a collection  and earn cash for your business or any registered Canadian charity by sending 50 handsets at a time to us – we’ll even give you free postage.  Check out our Become a Collector page for more information.

Phones are still rolling in and we’re keeping tabs on them to make as big a contribution to the Canadian Red Cross as we can afford on February 28th.

If you’d like to help out, please mail your old cell phone to us at 55 Burke Drive, Barrie, Ontario L4N 7H8.  If you can collect over 50 phones, we can also cover the postage cost.

Thanks again Rogers!

Please help us by taking up a collection in your area, church, or at your workplace.

If you can collect 50 cell phones or more please contact CellCycle.ca for a pre-paid shipping label valid from anywhere in Canada through Canada Post.

Alternatively, you can also recycle through any one of our collection locations listed below:

Nova Scotia

• Adam’s Transport Limited  5962 Gold River Rd. Chester Basin, Nova Scotia
• A&J Superette  25 Main St. Joggins, Nova Scotia
• Beaver Redemption & Recycling  374B Herring Cove Rd. Armdale, Nova Scotia
• Marc’s Bottle Exchange & Recycling Inc.  23 Bluewater Rd. Bedford, Nova Scotia
• Bill Stewart Metal & Bottle Limited  2636 Westville Rd. New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
• Bird’s Eye View Recycling  110 Pond Rd. Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia
• Bluenose Bottle Exchange  99 Woodlawn Rd. Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Burke’s Enviro Depot  Lower Warren St. Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
• Burnside Recycling  66 Simmonds Dr. Burnside, Nova Scotia
• C.N. Orde & Sons Limited  Lequille Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
• Clyde’s Trucking & Recycling  56 Meadow Pond Lane Liverpool, Nova Scotia
• Corkum Bottle Exchange  376 Hwy #324 Lillydale Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
• Durants Recycling  3306 Long Hill Rd. Parrsborough, Nova Scotia
• E.T. Bottle Exchange  12 Rosedale dr. Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Eastern Shore Cartage  23557 Hwy #7 Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia
• Elmsdale Bottle Exchange Limited  75 Park Road Elmsdale, Nova Scotia
• Faders Bottle Exchange  15 Sackville Cross Roads Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
• Floss Bottle Exchange  Old Antigonish Ln. Monastery, Nova Scotia
• Golden Penny Enterprizes  31 Bridge Avenue Stellarton, Nova Scotia
• Goodwood Bottle Return  957 Prospect Rd. Goodwood, Nova Scotia
• Greentree Recycling  44 Green Tree ln. Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia
• H&H Recovery  243 Water St. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
• Hankinson Salvage & Recycling Limited  76 Junction Rd. Middleton, Nova Scotia
• Greenwood Recycling  1070 Central Ave Greenwood, Nova Scotia
• John Ross & Son Limited  7 Cummane st. Truro, Nova Scotia
• John Ross & Sons Limited  171 Chain Lake Drive Halifax, Nova Scotia
• John’s Bottle Exchange  Depot St. Pictou, Nova Scotia
• Jones Bottle Exchange  932 Main Street Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia
• Joseph Fritz Enterprises Limited  8751 Commerical St. New Minas, Nova Scotia
• Karen’s Bottle Exchange & Recycling  807 Main St. Hwy #7 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Keep Garbage Beneficial  Main Hwy, Route 6 Pugwash, Nova Scotia
• L.W. Layton Salvage  3239 Hwy 358 Canning, Nova Scotia
• Laing’s Recycling  118 Old Road Hall Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia
• Matt’s Recycling  124 Cow Bay Rd. Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia
• MacMillan’s Service Centre  4802 Hwy 104 Antigonish, Nova Scotia
• Baddeck Recycling Depot  440 Old Margree Rd. Baddeck, Nova Scotia
• New Haven Recycling Depot  White Point Rd. Neil’s Harbour, Nova Scotia
• New Waterford Bottle Exchange  5559 Union Hwy. New Waterford, Nova Scotia
• O’Leary’s Recycling  3 Bowman Rd Garland’s Crossing, Nova Scotia
• Oickle’s Bottle Exchange  100 High Street Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
• Pegg’s Recycling  434 Keltic Dr. Sydney River, Nova Scotia
• Porter’s Lake – Marcs Bottle Exchange  5332 Hwy #7 Porters Lake, Nova Scotia
• Recycle Market, The  11470 #7 Highway Lake Charlotte, Nova Scotia
• Ridge Road Recycling Depot  Hwy #3 103 Barrington Shelburne, Nova Scotia
• Sackville Bottle Exchange  446 Sackville Dr. Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
• Strait Bottle Exchange  Paint St. Industrial Mall Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia
• Arichat Bottle Exchange  9395 Hwy #4, Lower Rd Arichat, Nova Scotia
• Subway Bottle Exchange  25 Pictou Road Bible Hill, Nova Scotia
• Tatamagouche Recycling Centre  102 Main st. Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia
• Timberlea Bottle Exchange  2352 St. Margaret’s Bay Rd. Lakeside, Nova Scotia
• T’n’T Recycling  20711 HWY 2 Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
• Total Recycling  85 Industrial Drive Sydney, Nova Scotia
• Triple B Recycling  24 Stornaway Street Sydney, Nova Scotia
• Valley Recycling  Hwy #1 Greenwich, Nova Scotia
• Wentzell’s Bottle Recycling  130 Hwy #208 New Germany, Nova Scotia
• Nova 4 Enviro Ltd.  16 Acadia St. Amherst, Nova Scotia
• Chetticamp Recycling Depot  15957 Cabot Trail Chétticamp, Nova Scotia
• D & R Bottle Exchange  147 Mill Street Mulgrave, Nova Scotia

Ontario

• Canadian Tire – 320 Bayfield Street, Barrie (Bin located near Customer Service & Mall Entrance)
• Canadian Tire – 75 Mapleview Drive West, Barrie (Bin located near Customer Service)
• Zehrs Markets – 472 Bayfield Street, Barrie (Bin located in Customer Service)
• Zehrs Markets – 620 Yonge Street, Barrie (Bin located in Customer Service)
• Georgian College, Barrie Campus – 1 Georgian Drive, Barrie (Bin located in Campus Connections office in C building)
• Georgian College, Orillia Campus – 825 Memorial Avenue, Orillia (Bin located in Campus Connections office)

Overview of Device Features

Sony Ericsson’s biggest success with the Elm is that fact that it combines green engineering with excellent features. After all, when you have a mobile phone made out of recycled plastic and controlled materials, you would think that there is a little compromise in functionality when in fact; this phone has everything you would need. Connectivity is handled by the integrated email and Facebook applications, giving you a chance to choose between work and play depending on what you need. The device also has media playback capabilities for both videos and music, keeping you entertained throughout the day. For voice calls, the new noise shield system promises to filter out all the background noise so that you never have to shout when you are in a busy place.

Other Features

One of the best features of the Elm is that you can customize the widgets that appear in your standby screen. This means you get to save a lot of time by having the phone display only the information you need at a glance. No need to press any buttons just to see that there is nothing new for you to check. Thanks to the widget manager, placing in your Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts for instant access is quick and easy.

Speaking of easy, you can take images, geo-tag them and easily upload the files to your social networking accounts. Thanks to the Elm’s built in GPS capabilities; you can geo-tag your photos and of course find you away around new places.

Camera Features

If you love taking images for either personal use or sharing with friends, you will enjoy the camera features on the Sony Ericsson Elm; the phone comes with both auto focus and flash allowing you to get excellent quality photos regardless of background detail or bad lighting conditions.

The camera also gives users a face and smile detection, making that perfect portrait shot a lot easier to do. Once you have taken the images you need, you can geo-tag the files (thanks to the phone’s built in GPS hardware) and send the images straight to the web for instant uploading and sharing with your friends. You can send the images to your Facebook account, your website or even your online blog site.

You can visit Moby1 to compare all the best mobile phone contracts. Where you can find the best deal for Sony Ericsson Elm on contract. You can also search through the best deals available for PAYG phones.

Original article by Simon Drew published on amazines.com

The phone is only 99.5 x 46.5 x 15.7 mm, pretty average for a GSM device, but at least this slider packs in a few extra features to make up for the size. And yes, this is a slider phone, so that 15.7mm is pretty much understandable. The weight of the device is 90.5 grams, one of the lightest of the newer phones being released lately. Carrying this phone around or finding storage for it will not be hard as it can easily be placed inside a pocket or a bag without getting in the way. The slide form is very nice to look at too, and Samsung gives a choice of colors: blue and black.

Display-wise, this phone does not deliver much either. But that is what one would naturally come to expect from a GSM device with a 2.2 inch screen. The resolution is 176 x 220 pixels, delivering just enough horizontal lines to make the fonts easy to read. The screen is good for reading messages and checking the music player, as well as playing smaller res 3GP and MP4 files. The 256 thousand color capacity allows users to view image files nicely. Overall, it does what it is supposed to do; delivering users with an efficient screen fit for navigating the phone’s interface and music features.

Speaking of music features, that is where the M2510 shines best. It supports music playback for MP3, eAAC+ and WMA audio files (no OGG, which is a shame). The quality of audio is greatly enhanced by Samsung’s use of the Digital Natural Sound engine (DNSe). This technology help increase audio quality by eliminating most of the noise.

The Phone Camera

One feature that this phone is not to do without is the built in camera. The M2510 has a 1.5 mega pixel camera for taking photos and videos. The video quality has yet to be seen but we can expect it to encode in 3GP format. Images have a max resolution of 1280 x 1024, but this may be decreased as needed.

Power Consumption

The battery life of the Samsung M2510 is not as long as that of other devices. The 800 mAh battery capacity is considered low these days (with most devices having batteries that are well over 1000 mAh). Still, on a full charge, you can expect to have your phone operational for a full 360 hours on standby. Talk time can reach up to 8 hours of continuous GSM network access.

You can visit Best Mobile Contracts to see all the latest mobile deals available. You can also look at the best Samsung M2510 contracts on offer. You can also find deals for many other Samsung phones on offer.

Original article by Simon Drew posted on amazines.com

With nearly 21,000,000 cell phones becoming obsolete in Canada every eighteen months stashed away in drawers, or worse, being tossed into the trash, recycling cell phones for Nova Scotians is now as easy as recycling empty bottles. While the wireless industry currently estimates that fewer than 15% of all cell phones get recycled, this is an important development in the step towards ensuring better diversion of the troublesome waste stream.

If disposed of by landfill, mobile phones can potentially contaminate land and water due to the presence of known toxic chemicals and carcinogens such as lead, mercury and arsenic. Recycling cell phones is not without challenges either, since the electronic recycling, reuse and refurbishment industry is largely unregulated, but CellCycle.ca is doing its part to combat unethical processing of used mobile devices by choosing to work with  partners located in Canada and the USA who are committed to preventing the export of electronic waste to third-world countries.

A complete listing of the new depots follows: