terminal

On Call: The downside of service rebates

Q: I was wondering why U.S. carriers have not picked up Nokia's N-series phones. Why wouldn't a carrier like AT&T or T-Mobile want such high-end handsets to attract customers? - Zoheb

A: There are a few answers, Zoheb, but they all boil down to money. More so than in other countries the cell phone market in the United States has long centered on the service rebate. Carriers discount phones to attract customers and their contracts, while customers are trained to expect free or discounted handsets. While this dynamic is beginning to change due to the growing popularity of unlocked phones, service rebates largely rule the day here.

Though the rebates have their upside--customers can get $200 knocked off the price of a nice smartphone--they have their downsides as well. And I'm not talking about service contracts. Rather, the widespread use of service rebates has helped to "dumb down" the cell phone selection in the United States. With notable exceptions, carriers tend to keep their phones below $300 to make them as affordable as possible.

The problem with the N-series phones is that they cost well over $500 (the fancy Nokia N96 is $776 unlocked). So even with a service rebate they're going to remain pretty expensive. Sure, there will be customers like yourself who will be willing to buy one, but that's not enough incentive for a carrier to buy a several thousand of them. Instead, they're going to pick handsets that will sell in the biggest numbers.

We also have to remember that the N-series phones are complicated with a lot of different features. U.S. carriers tend to be in the driver's seat when it comes to choosing phones for their lineups. They have a lot of say in how the phone looks and what features it has. Thanks to the iPhone and the T-Mobile G1 this is also beginning to change, but they still like to exert their control. I'd wager than the N-series phones are simply too complicated for U.S. carriers. There are too many parts and features that the carriers can't control. Also, I'm sure that carriers haven't figured out how to monetize all the services on a handset like the N96. That's yet a another deterrent against picking it up.… Read more

The 404 266: Where we accidentally make it on Engadget

We made it onto Engadget! Well, sort of. It was kind of an accident, but Engadget is Engadget right? On today's show, we discuss some video game news with our buddy Russ Frushtick, the games editor for UGO.com. We also talk about our accidental plug on Engadget.com, explore some of the unhealthiest foods on the planet, and we briefly consider raising our kids on our favorite movies from the sci-fi universe. The second half gets absurdly dirrrty, with red light talks on fleshlights, 3d porn, massage therapy, and a very disturbing reading from Wilson Tang.

Today's … Read more

Terminate programs in a snap

Although it duplicates existing Windows' functionality, this effective tool shuts down processes with ease.

AutoSysBot Process Terminator has a sparse, but functional, interface that greatly resembles Windows Task Manager. The program functions much like the default Windows program as well. If users are having issues with a program that won't shut down properly, they can select the appropriate processes to shut down with just a couple quick clicks. A built-in pop-up menu prompts users to double check the process they are requesting to terminate, which may prevent unwanted system crashes. Interestingly enough, the program offers no way to close … Read more

The 404 256: Where we celebrate good juju, bad juju

If you were wondering why our past two shows have been so squeaky clean, rest assured that our third day broadcasting live from the CNET stage at CES 2009 is definitely when we get back into the nasty groove. Today's show is filled with more goofy and perverted gadgets from the showroom floor, Watchmen movie news, idiots bandits, and another appearance from Ms. Heavenly Tech! Spicyyyyy

Be sure to catch us live again tomorrow from the CNET stage at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

EPISODE 256 Download today's podcast

Featured Freeware: Process Terminator

Greatly improve your process-killing ability with Process Terminator, a utility with a simple list-and-button interface that is immediately operable by intermediate to advanced users. You probably won't even crack open the simple four-paragraph Help screen.

Operating Process Terminator is intuitive and simple. On start, the app loads the list of running processes. Selecting a process displays its start time, total CPU time utilized, maximum physical memory used and amount allocated, thread count, handle count, and whether the Process UI is responding. Double-clicking a listed name opens the folder where the process is located. Any process is easily killed with … Read more

Terminate unwanted processes

Greatly improve your process-killing ability with this freeware utility. Process Terminator's simple list-and-button interface is immediately operable by intermediate to advanced users. Most won't even crack open the simple four-paragraph Help screen.

Sprint to start prorating early termination fees

Sprint will change course and start prorating early termination fees, the company's CEO said Tuesday. In an interview with the Associated Press, CEO Dan Hesse said the carrier could initiate the practice as early as December, after updating its billing software.

Sprint has been the lone holdout of the major carriers in trimming ETFs as customers near the end of their two-year contract. T-Mobile started prorating fees in June following the lead of Verizon Wireless and AT&T.

Though ETFs have long been the been the bane of consumers, carriers maintain that they are a way for them … Read more

Verizon Wireless adds month-to-month option

Verizon Wireless is offering cell phone subscribers the chance to go month-to-month with their cell phone service without signing a pesky contract.

The second largest wireless operator in the U.S. announced Monday that it will offer month-to-month service for all its current wireless plans. Monthly subscribers will pay the same rates as those with long-term contracts, but month-to-month customers won't be required to sign contracts.

This means that month-to-month customers won't have to pay an early termination fee if they decide to quit Verizon's service and go elsewhere. In exchange for not being bound to a … Read more

Featured Freeware: Spyware Terminator

This spyware scanner and removal tool does the job, but enabling some functions may cause slight slowdowns and last I looked, it still had some bugs in Vista.

Spyware Terminator's crisp, clean interface uses simple buttons and tabs to operate and set options. The latest spyware signatures are automatically downloaded, and the real-time protection keeps baby-sitting to a minimum. Real-time protection monitors key spyware types and Windows objects, though slight system slowdowns depend on your machine. Those features and the simple scheduler will make this app appealing to novices.

Advanced users will appreciate Spyware Terminator's flexibility. Setting the … Read more

On Call: Bluetooth radiation and unlocked phones

Q: I'm curious as to whether Bluetooth headsets also emit radiation, which could prove harmful to one's health. What can you tell me about this? - Craig

A: Bluetooth headsets do emit radiation, but they do it at a much lower power than a cell phone. In fact, it's so low that it's almost negligible. Keep in mind that while cell phones need to connect to a tower that could be a couple of miles away, a headset has an effective range of just 30 feet. However, if the prospect of Bluetooth radiation really worries you, … Read more