Interesting discussion on Good Morning America this morning about how a brain works while driving and talking on cell phones. Study proves that because cell phone quality fluctuates when motorists struggled to listen the right parietal cortex which deciphers sounds went into overdrive. This takes away from other abilities normally peformed by the brain such as interpreting what you see. This means the attention is taken away from vision and even though your eyes are in front of you and its a bright sunny day your not going to process that visual information as well. Maybe that's why I was almost in a headon with that idiot!!!!!

Jane - If you avoid high risk behavior (by sticking to legit websites, legit apps from mainstream sources, and don't respond to spam/malware laden messages and emails), I'm going to say your risk is somewhere between zero and misiscule. If you'd feel better by installing a security app, then do so. Make sure you set up your phone to require a password/security pattern for access. It's a pain but a simple protection that buys you some time to notify your carrier should your phone fall into unfriendly hands. You have no liability for unauthorized/fradulent access to your financial accounts no matter what means are used. The institution is on the hook when that happens, not you. Banks and financial institutions are pushing their apps and new forms of transactions using smartphones. A new system called proximity payment will allow you to trigger a payment by passing your smartphone near a sensor. All these uses and more will only grow, fraud losses is just one of their costs of doing business. Their losses of various kinds with credit cards are surprisingly large, and I suspect they think things like proximity payment systems will provide more security FOR THEM. Use and enjoy your phone for your financial transactions (I do the same) and lose no sleep about it.

First, I'm curious: not much love has been professed for touch screens in this thread, but no one has really said why. So, why? LOL To me, it's just so much easier, and after the Blackberry I wanted nothing to do with anything dirt catching or mechanical. I mean, this is so easy for me I'll be sitting by the computer but will still sit here and surf and answer mail on the phone. I have been a very happy IPhone user for about 6 months now. I went from the standard flip phone to a Blackberry Curve prior to that. That was 10 steps above a flip phone, and overall ok. It was my first foray to a full keyboard which I loved, but went through 3 in 6 months because that stupid mechanical trackball would become inextricably jammed and fly apart. Anyone else have that issue? The last time the 963 microsopic moving parts of that trackball went flying all over, I went to the store to see what else was available. The salesman personally demonstrated his IPhone (which up to that point I'd heard good things about but hadn't actually seen in the "flesh") and I knew immediately there was no other choice. If the Blackberry was 10 steps above a flip phone, the IPhone is another 50 steps above that. It does take a bit to get used to the larger size of these phones when you're used to a little flip phone, but that's a minor issue. The big appeal of this for me is it's basically a portable computer. The telephone quality is just great, but I rarely talk on the phone, I prefer to text and email and am surfing 24/7, so I actually feel like I'm getting something for my money now. I LOVE that almost everything is done by touch screen and I love that, unlike the Blackberry, your email and websites look like emails and websites, not a jumble of links. I also love that I have access to several email accounts at once, where Yahoo only allows you to be logged in to one at a time on the computer. I have one touch access to my favorite sites, and while I'm not a big app fiend, I love that I have the capability and if/when I find I want or need something, I can probably find it. I like the fact that I have the option of no sound at all, not even vibrating, if I wish. Ringtones are cheaper and you have more control over the process through ITunes. I also like that it uses the same charger as my IPod! What I hope to see in the future is being able to use Flash (this is an issue with pretty much all phones at this point isn't it? I'm sure they'll get to it) and I thought it odd that you can't send picture text messages (it's coming). I'd probably add one of those tiny red pilot lights to let you know you have messages or whatever when the screen is dark, and I would do a conventional spellchecker instead of on the fly, or make it a selection. Overall minor stuff that would in no way affect my choice if I were doing it again. I'm sure all IPhone users also know there is a software upgrade which allows cutting and pasting and let you use the keyboard in both directions. You do have to be cautious about service in your area. ATT is great here in LA, but that's not always the case. I hope we eventually get away from phones being connected to phone companies, and you can buy the phone you want then pick your company. It's also important to note that you are not allowed to insure the IPhone as you can with other phones. With regard to Ipod usage, for me I have stuck with my traditional Ipod for that, and even with the IPhone will buy another if it goes. It's small and light and fits in my shorts pocket at the gym, and I can play it through my car stereo (the connection fits the Iphone but won't accept it). Sometimes when working out I get the headset cord tangled in the machines and send it flying, and if something bad would happen the IPod is a lot cheaper to replace.

Weirdly enough, everyone I know IRL who has an iPhone has dropped it in the toilet. One person I know has done so twice. I gave him the belt clip with the retractable "leash" that sticks onto the phone for his birthday. :-) It made me wonder how many iPhone insurance claims are for dropping them into toilets! DH lost his fancy-schmancy Verizon phone a couple of years ago and was sent a pretty bashed-up refurb as a replacement. It was one of the touch-screen models and the replacement's screen was all scratched up, but when he raised a stink they sent out another one RDQ. Still a refurb but in basically mint condition. (He's very good at being so politely nasty that you don't realize you've been handed your @$$ on a plate until you feel a draft in your pants.) It doesn't bother me that the replacement is a refurb if the one it's replacing has been in use for a certain period of time, as long as it's in good condition - it's when a NEW phone (or computer - do you hear me Dell? - or some such thing) is defective right out of the box and they try to replace it with an obvious refurb that I get cranky. Sprint used to be notorious for that. I think it makes sense to carry insurance on the expensive smartphones, Blackberries, etc. but not on the plain-Jane ones. For the same amount as the annual insurance charge on my phone I could just go buy another one that's good enough for my needs - I don't need texting, Web access, music, or all those "extras", which generally translates out to much less expensive phones and sometimes even freebie handmedowns when people you know upgrade. :-)