LG Rumor Touch by Virgin Mobile Review

After using the phone for 2 months, I think the phone is great considering the value and functionality. Just a few gripes with the phone but considering I pay $25 a month for 300 minutes  (no freebies) and unlimited web and texting, I can't complain. This phone/plan is obviously not for those who spend a lot of time on their phones downloading mobile applications. Note this is my second phone but Virgin Mobile sent me a new one. The first phone's screen wouldn't turn on anymore for some reason.

Issues with the phone:
1. When using the media player, all other functions cannot be used unless the media player is closed.
2. I haven't taken a lot of photos with my camera yet but for some reason I can zoom with the camcorder but not the camera.
3. The email + IM program closes after a while and only occasionally informs you when a new message has arrived.
4. Emails with attachments cannot be downloaded.
5. Youtube access is spotty.

I usually just use the phone to make phone calls, text and occasionally IM + email so this phone is sufficient enough for me. I use the web to surf if I'm bored but that is usually a rare situation. There is also Google Maps on this so I use it as a GPS from time to time.

Global warming

There was a tornado in the DC Metro area with some pretty impressive lightning storm. Rivers were flowing in the highway and this was nothing compared to what has been seen in the Gansu province of China and Pakistan. We need to step up the initiative to save the environment. Otherwise, we'll all be underwater from the ice caps melting.

Verizon Never Fails to Amaze

Yes with their poor customer service. Since the company is so silo-ed, I keep getting transferred between departments to resolve issues.

LG Rumor Touch by Virgin Mobile

I decided to go with a Virgin Mobile smartphone with touch screen. The service is cheap at only $25 a month and it gives unlimited web and data. The catch is there is only 300 minutes of talk during the month. I don't normally use the phone often so this is ok.

The other catch is that I can't really download many apps to the phone. I have the basic email/chat program which has a few kinks here and there but its serviceable. It has a web browser and google maps. THen there is the regular stuff most smart phones come preloaded such as calendar, contacts, texting, camera and mp3 player with a memory slot.

I've used it for a month now and although I wish I could download new fonts to it such as adding Chinese font capabilities, I can't really complain for $25 a month. It beats the costs of the Sprint Evo and the Verizon Pro Touch 2 which would have been $200+ with a 2 year contract of about $100 a month with tax. The Virgin Mobile Plans are not with a contract and the phone was roughly $150. I think its a good deal.

If you're wondering about service? Its basically using Sprint's network so if Sprint works in your neighborhood, this should work too.

Genetic food

The Food and Drug Administration is seriously considering whether to approve the first genetically engineered animal that people would eat — salmon that can grow at twice the normal rate. Is this supposed to be good for people?

Cellphone costs

For the past 5 months I was using a pay as you go dumbphone, waiting for the new phones to come out. I saw the Incredible come out for Verizon and the latest launch of the Evo by Sprint. Both of them have awesome technical specifications. I even tried out the HTC Pro Touch 2 before I got pissed off at Verizon and just returned it. All the phones seem to have horrible battery life. I suppose I am still used to not charging my phone for 5 days. These phones need to be charged at least a couple of times a day. I guess the solar bookbags are going to be in higher demand now so that phones can be charged on the go, although they probably wouldn't be able to charge the phone at a rate faster than its usage.

Although all these phones are really nice, I still found that paying all these plans require about $100 a month (data plan + talking + taxes). Maybe its a bit of sticker shock since my plans have always been about $40 including taxes. Would I really be spending that much time on a cellphone and do I really need to be that connected to the internet? Probably not. I spend about 10 hours a day in front of a pc already.

Boycotting BP is not the right target

I know I have been saying that I will not fill up at BP anymore because of the Gulf disaster. However, they aren't the appropriate target we should inflict are anger on. We should really be upset at the government for passing lax regulations under the pressure of lobbyists and the donors who helped them raised their campaign funds.

Boycotting BP will not really affect their bottom line since today, BP owns only about 100 of the 900 or so gas stations bearing its name. The rest are operated by independent business owners. Such a boycott would hurt the individual owners. And really, we do not have many more choices. ExxonMobil is also one of the nation's biggest polluters in the world and Chevron has been denying responsibility for its role in an environmental catastrophe in the Amazon.

Obama has rightly suspended offshore lease sales, but he continues to promote a deeply counterproductive energy policy — on Thursday, during a news conference discussing the administration's response to the spill, he touted a Senate climate bill that would provide massive financial incentives to states that open their coasts to drilling, thus making a repeat of the spill more likely. Those provisions have to go. It's in Washington, not London, where protesters should make their voices heard. Sprint Evo