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The old holiday adage that “it’s better to give than to receive” really rings true at the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to recycling old cell phones and used rechargeable batteries (www.call2recycle.org). Since its inception in 1996, it has collected 13,000 tons of materials in the U.S. and Canada.

RBRC collects the Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion), and Small Sealed Lead (Pb) rechargeable batteries that power a variety of portable electronic products such as cellular and cordless phones, power tools, laptop computers, camcorders, two-way radios, and remote control toys.

Through its national program, Call2Recycle™, and with the help of local retail and community partners, consumers can now recycle these items through a convenient and environmental-friendly way at locations across the country.  Local spots, such as Radio Shack, Home Depot and Staples, are easily located through the web site’s zip code locator feature.  It’s a great way to do something useful with our old cell phones, which tend to get thrown into a drawer and forgotten about.

With that in mind, the RBRC received conducted a survey on Real Simple magazine’s promotional web site, Real Simple Rewards. The survey was developed to pinpoint Americans’ stockpiling habits and give guidance on how they can simplify their lives by recycling much of this clutter.

Aside from old textbooks, yearbooks and clothes, electronics were the most widely stockpiled item, according to survey respondents.  In fact, nearly half of those surveyed (45%) said they were hoarding old cell phones in their homes.  There just seems to be something about old electronics that causes us to keep them, even if we know they can be recycled.  Could it be the money we spend on them?  Or is it the fear that we will need a backup device in the event the new model becomes lost, stolen or damaged?  Maybe a little bit of both?

In other survey results, 25% of Americans are still holding on to their “skinny jeans” in hopes of being able to wear them again.  On the other hand, old love letters and pictures of ex-boyfriends and girlfriends are the first to be tossed when cleaning out the closet -- only 6% of those surveyed still had those mementos lying around.

Interested in locating participating retail stores in your area to drop off used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones?  Visit www.call2recycle.org or call toll free 877-2-RECYCLE.

Why should you pay $2.99 for a 20-second clip of music that isn’t your first choice or from a song you already own as the ring tone for your cell phone?  Xingtone’s Ringtone Maker 4.1 enables cell phone users to make their own personal ring tone for free from their own favorite audio files.
 
Unlike ring tones from wireless carriers, Xingtone enables cell phone users to create and install their own custom ring tones from their personal MP3, CD or WAV collections.  The software allows ring tones to be edited or customized to suit personal tastes; exact portion of songs can be sampled.  Users can even sample their own voices and use it on their phones!

A simple software interface allows audio clips to be chosen, trimmed, adjusted, previewed and then sent to their mobile phone via the company’s patent-pending over-the-air transmission method. 

The software works with a wide variety of mobile phones and most networks, including AT&T, Cingular, T-Mobile and Sprint (Verizon is in the works).  Mobile subscribers must have a plan that includes text messaging and Internet connectivity.

Price: Free (for a single ring tone) or $19.95 (includes coupons good for $20 worth of exclusive ring tone content from the company’s partners, including comedian John Cleese, Grammy winner Toots & the Maytals and many independent artists.
www.xingtone.com

A major consortium of cable and telecom announced today that they are banding together to accelerate the convergence of video entertainment, wired and wireless data and communications products and services, including the development of “converged next generation products for consumers.” 

Starting next year, Sprint Nextel, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications plan to develop and introduce products that combine the best of cable's core products and interactive features with wireless technology to deliver services anywhere, any time, all on a single device.  They are calling this “a wireless ‘third screen’ beyond the TV and computer screens."

This announcement comes only days after Bill Gates predicted that single handheld devices will be introduced to meet all our audio/video/communication needs
(http://blog.tmcnet.com/gadgets/gadgets/gates-on-gadgets.asp).

These co-branded products and services will be offered to customers through a combination of 1,600 Sprint retail stores, cable retail outlets and other third-party distributors, including thousands of Radio Shack stores.

Next Generation Wireless

The next generation wireless phone will be designed to connect customers of Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox and Advance/Newhouse Communications to Sprint through Sprint's nationwide high-speed Power Vision™ EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) network and integrate products from each cable company.  Customers using the converged services will be able to seamlessly interface between e-mail, home and mobile voice mail, Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and photo programs. 

These Power Vision EV-DO-enabled handsets and service packages will enable customers to:

* Use interactive features like remotely programming their home DVR
* Have a single voice mailbox that serves both the home and the wireless
phone
* Access innovative new calling plans that allow for unlimited calls between the home and the wireless device
* Surf the Internet using their cable Internet portal
* Send and receive e-mail from their cable high-speed Internet account
* Access unique content like streaming television programming, music, video clips, games and pre-recorded DVR programs

Show Me the Money

The joint venture, which has a 20-year term, calls for a combined initial financial commitment of $200 million, $100 million of which will be committed by Sprint and $100 million of which will be committed collectively by the cable companies.

From Engadget:

We’ve come across Tokyo taxis with cellphone chargers before (hell, we’ve come across taxis here that are fitted with most things), but Kyoto taxi company Ecolo21 are playing up their planet-friendly image by fitting the roof-mounted lights on their fleet with miniature wind-powered generators that you can use to charge your cellphone in the back seat. There are only two minor flaws in their otherwise laudable plan; one, the generator charges directly so you only get juice while the fan on the roof is spinning, and two…they’ve only fitted out one car so far. They do promise to introduce a version that charges a battery and to fit them to more of the fleet in future, however.

(Gareth Edwards) Read more from this post.