How to Clear and Wipe Data Blackberry Bold or Bold 9650
Posted on | February 2, 2012 | Comments Off
Additional Reading
Blackberry Bold 9000 Data Security Tips Tools and Tricks
How Do I Block Unwanted Text Messages on My Cell Phone Updated for 2012
Posted on | January 31, 2012 | Comments Off
Finally, carriers are making it easier to block unwanted text messages…
Here are the quickest answers from Verizon, T-Mobile, ATT, and Sprint to help you block unwanted text messages and even callers.
If you are a Verizon customer:
Go to: www.verizonsafeguards.com
Click on the Block Unwanted Text Messages option and follow the instructions.
Rating B+ The service is free. You can apply the block from a Verizon store, your computer or your device. The process is simple: If you are text savvy, then you’ll be able to apply this fix very easily. Verizon’s blocking service allows you to block individual numbers, emails, and website that have been spamming you. Verizon offers additional strategies to help you avoid text spam. One small drawback: You can only block 5 numbers at a time.
If you are a T-Mobile customer:
Go to: www.tmobile.com Log into your account settings.
T-Mobile’s service is called Family Allowance. It costs $4.99 per month and blocks up to 10 numbers per account. If you have a family plan, every family member can block 10 numbers. It also has some controlling features to limit usage of text, talk, and web. Your teens may not like it; but you can set time limits for your teens – like not allowing them to receive calls after a certain time at night.
Rating C- The C- rating is for the time and work it took to find out what the Family Allowance Plan does. T-Mobile needs to get their customer service reps up to speed and the information on their site needs to be simplified. It appears that their service will provide you with ample blocking abilities.
If you are an ATT customer:
Go to: www.att.net/smartcontrols-SmartLimitsForWireless
Rating A ATT is leading the pack with their service call Smart Controls. Robust controls for all sorts of situation. You can block unwanted callers and texts. You can set limits your teens – like not allowing them to receive calls after a certain time at night. The instructions are clear on the webpage with an overview, features, costs, and notes flowing smoothly for any customer to understand. You can have up to 30 numbers blocked. You can block both wireless lines and landlines. The one small drawback is that ATT’s Smart Controls service is $4.99 per month. I believe this service should be included in your plan, especially if you have a family plan. But again, this is a huge step in the right direction. Good job, ATT.
If you are a Sprint customer:
Go to: www.sprint.com Log into your account settings
Rating A- Sprint also is leading the pack. Their blocking service is free with up to 50 numbers blocked for spam text and emails. There is an unlimited numbers you can block for calling. The customer rep said that a Sprint customer can log into their account and set up the blocks or just call into customer service and they will help you 888-211-4727
Additional Reading
A special thanks to Adam Dachis for his 2011 article of the same name. Still some good tips here: LifeHacker How Do I Block Unwanted Messages on My Cellphone
A very cool infographic about Texting via OnlineITDegree.com and designed by Riley Cran
Via: Online IT Degree
Tags: 2012 > ATT > Block > messages > Sprint > text > Tmobile > unwanted > Verizon
Eight More Tips to Make Cell Phone Recycling Even Easier
Posted on | January 30, 2012 | Comments Off
Remember that Re-Use is a component of Recycling
If you are upgrading your cell phone and your friend or family member wants your old iPhone 3 or your Samsung Galaxy v.1 (or even that old Moto Razr!) that totally counts as recycling. Pat yourself on the back and tell everyone to call you “Green.” The point here is that you don’t have to send your device away to a program. You can just give it to someone you know. Cells for Cells is the back-up plan if nobody wants to use your old device.
Have a contest among friends or co-workers
Cells for Cells always encourages companies to have an employee collection drive once or twice per year. Make it fun. Challenge other managers or office friends to bring in the most old cell phones from home. The winner should have his / her lunch bought by everyone else! Ferrellgas Propane had an East Coast VP versus West Coast VP and the “losing” VP (the one that collected the least devices) had to wear a pink flamingo hat and have his picture taken for all of the world to see. If your company is going to run a Cells for Cells drive, have a ton of fun doing it.
Ask your next-door neighbor
Your neighbor probably has as many old cell phones as you do. The cell phone industry is still suggesting that EVERYBODY in the US has 3 or 4 old devices laying around. It gives you a chance to get to know your neighbors a little better and, in turn, your neighbors will recognize you as a resource for recycling. And you’ll introduce the Cells for Cells story to someone new. Thank you for that!
Go straight to your junk drawer at home
Oh, the junk drawer! 9 out of 10 American homes have a junk drawer. (I made that statistic up to help this blog post.) I bet you’ll find at least 2 old cell phones, 7 old chargers, 3 old batteries, Tic Tacs, dominoes, and an Andes mint from the last time you went to The Olive Garden.
What is in your filing / storage cabinet at work
We have a partner here in Kansas City that opened up their double-door storage cabinet with neat rows of boxes: 2003, 2004, 2005, etc… In each box was that year’s old and broken cell phones. The wireless manager wanted to recycle all of it; but hadn’t yet found a place were he wanted to recycle. He liked the Cells for Cells story and we made his day by clearing up a ton of space for him.
Do you ave any peers that are “Wireless Managers”
I love Wireless Managers (WM’s). They are, by far, the best allies for Cells for Cells. These are the folks that truly keep a company’s workforce in synch. Most of the WM’s that I know are super awesome at troubleshooting and creative problem solving. I admire their abilities. If you happen to know a WM, especially if they bailed you out of a Blackberry or Smartphone problem in the past, you should take them out to lunch! You may even do your WM a favor by telling them about Cells for Cells.
Talk to the President of your company
Every company wants to do better at being green; but lack the time to start implementing those green ideas. You can be a hero in your company by initiating a conversation about recycling with the President of your company. Commit to spearheading any new green programs from providing paper recycling on every floor to running the Cells for Cells drives. You know who you are. You are the one that wants to make those small changes that, over time, make big differences. And that is what you are about: Making a difference!
Keep promises to yourself about recycling more
Okay, it is still early enough in 2012 that all of your New Year’s Promises are fresh in your mind. If you are like most, odds are that you made some promises to yourself about doing more for the environment. Some of your promises may have been doing better at recycling electronics or being mindful of where my trash ends up. I hope that Cells for Cells aligns with some of your promises to make the world a little greener this year.
__________________
Additional Reading
8 Tips for Making Mobile Phone Recycling Easier
Recycling Used Cell Phones: Yes, Even if Your Dog Chewed on It
Tags: "used cell phones" > cell phone recycling > Cells for Cells
Upgrade iPhone? TechOrchard has the best prices for your used i Phone
Posted on | November 30, 2011 | Comments Off
In the cell phone buy back world, I have heard so many
complaints about the disconnect between how the consumer evaluates his/her old cell phone and how the buyer does. The typical complaint goes something like this.
- I have an old cell phone I think is still worth something
- A google search takes me to a company that says my phone is worth $xxx.xx (YEAH! I’m rich!)
- I send my phone to them (I’m so excited) and then I get a check back for about 10% of what I expected (not so excited now)
- OH BOY! I am going to give them super-duper bad feedback. REALLY BAD FEEDBACK!!!
- Now, I need to get my phone back. WHAT? I can’t get my phone back?
- You are now beyond mad…(and nothing you can do about it. Yup, the fine print says you are stuck.)
Enter TechOrchard. They offer a “Best Price Guarantee”
where “We will beat any price for an iPhone 4, or we’ll send you a free $5 Starbucks Gift Card!” I know it sounds almost too good to be true. But take a look at their testimonial on their home page. Those are powerful testimonials:
click on the image to read Testimonials in full size
I had to sit down with TechOrchard CEO, Phil Poje,
and ask how it really works. Phil told me it is as simple as:
- You want to sell your iPhone
- You visit www.TechOrchard.com and have a quote in 60 seconds
- You receive your packaging from TechOrchard (no cost to you) and ship your iPhone
- TechOrchard evaluates your iPhone to confirm your evaluation
- If you both agree, the cut you a payment within 3 days
- IF TechOrchard doesn’t agree with your evaluation of your iPhone, THEY CONTACT YOU TO WORK IT OUT. If you can’t work out an agreeable price, THEY SHIP YOUR iPHONE BACK TO YOU.
I was not surprised when Phil said that they have not had to ship any iPhones back. And they do the same for iPads.
So if you are in the market to upgrade your old iPhone and you want to get top dollar for it, I would make TechOrchard.com your first stop.
And if you have already used TechOrchard.com and you have an opinion, feel free to leave it.
Tags: "Phil Poje" > "used i phones" > iPhone > TechOrchard
Scrap Metal Recycling: Best Scrap Metal Prices in Kansas City
Posted on | November 28, 2011 | Comments Off
Ever wonder where your old cell phone chargers and power cords went
when you recycled them with Cells for Cells? Each and every old charger, cord and wire that we receive through our cell phone recycling program goes to North Kansas City Iron & Metal L.L.C in North Kansas City, Missouri.
If you are looking to recycle some of your personal scrap metal,
I would not hesitate to take a trip to their facility. They are fair and honest – a quality that sometimes can be difficult to find when dealing with recyclers. And I believe, they pay some of the best prices in the area.
One idea to consider when taking your metals to NKC Iron & Metal:
Make your recycling neat and tidy. At Cells for Cells, we trim both ends off of all the cords we receive. It allows NCK Iron & Metal to sort and sell it quickly and easily. And Cells for Cells benefits with a little bit better pricing for it.
Some of the materials that NKC Iron & Metal will PAY you for your recycling efforts:
- Aluminum
- Aluminum cans
- Batteries
- Brass
- Catalytic converters
- Copper
- Electrical & Communication Wiring
- Heater Cores
- Iron
- Lead
- Radiators
- Steel
- Stainless Steel
- Wheels
- Appliances (see prep)
- And more!!!
For a full list of items they will accept and items that thy will not accept, visit North Kansas City Iron & Metal’s website for their recycling guide.
Here’s where they are located:
keep looking »
Follow Us on Twitter
- Big thanks to Water District No. 1 of Johnson County for recycling with Cells for Cells! #recycle
- RT @kevinrose: Gas is .83 cents a gallon here, no joke. #qatar
- Getting ready to #recycle a #blackberry (hopefully with Cells for Cells) - A quick guide to wipe and clear your data http://t.co/jwvW9Tt9
- Long-time Cells for Cells partner Mobilfone.com continues to keep old cell phones, batteries, and chargers out of the landfills. #recycle
- Grateful to be #recycling cell phones with one of the top marketing firms in the country @Bernstein_Rein. B-R.com
Aaron Randel
Jason Clements