Nokia 6030 (T-Mobile)

The good: The Nokia 6030 is a basic yet stylish phone, and it has a raised keypad, which makes it easy to dial by feel. The speakerphone and the built-in radio are a nice touch.

The bad: The Nokia 6030 has disappointing display quality, and the navigational controls feel a bit cheap. The handset is also a tad bulky for such a basic phone.

The bottom line: The Nokia 6030 is a basic phone that's actually stylish. And with extra perks such as a speakerphone and a built-in radio, the Nokia 6030 is great for those who just want to make calls.

The Nokia 6030 is yet another of Nokia's basic phones, primarily for those who just want a phone that works. Devoid of fancy features such as a camera, a music player, and Bluetooth, the Nokia 6030 is intended only for making phone calls.

Free Phones for the Masses

When I hear the word free, I can't help but think "what's the catch?" "what's wrong with it?" and "do I really want something from the reject bin?" But today's free cell phones don't deserve any such reaction. Though you won't see any premium handsets included among the freebie options, carriers now offer no-cost phones that go far beyond basic.

I tested one phone from each of the four major U.S. carrier--Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless--and found handsets that ranged from fair to very good. Cingular's selection was easily the most generous, while Verizon had the slimmest pickings.

Clearly, many carriers have improved their array of free phones, but you may have trouble finding these models at their retail stores: Many freebies are available exclusively via the carrier's Web store.

Bill aims to protect cell phone privacy

CONCORD (AP) -- New Hampshire lawmakers are considering a plan that would allow residents to keep their cell phone numbers private -- and out of the hands of telemarketers.

Rep. Neal Kurk, R-Weare, and Rep. James Phinizy, D-Acworth, are sponsoring legislation to allow customers to sue if their cell phone numbers are published without their permission.

"It is not illegal currently to publish those," Kurk said. "There is great pressure on the cell-phone companies to make those numbers public because so many people are dropping their land lines."

Because wireless companies charge cell-phone users by the minute for both incoming and outgoing calls, consumers would even have to pay for potentially unwanted calls, he said.

Kurk said telemarketing calls are comparable to unwanted e-mails.

Good health a call away

Your cell phone will never replace mom, but Garmin International is hoping it can fill in now and then.

The Olathe company, best known for navigation gear, today will formally launch a new phone-based application that gives consumers wireless access to medical information from the Mayo Clinic.

Called Mayo Clinic InTouch, the product comes from Digital Cyclone, a Minnesota software company purchased by Garmin last month.

Mayo Clinic InTouch provides first-aid information, an emergency room finder that uses either a Global Positioning System-enabled phone or a ZIP code to locate nearby trauma centers, and a "symptom checker" that suggests either an over-the-counter remedy or a trip to the doctor for 45 common symptoms.

The service costs $2.99 a month.

STF launch hunt of bookies held earlier

Lucknow, February 21: Soon after the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the IG Lucknow zone unearthed a betting racket in Lucknow on Wednesday, the Lucknow police and Special Task Force (STF) have launched an extensive hunt to trace bookies arrested four-years-earlier for involvement in cricket betting scandals. They are also hunting for those whose names surfaced during investigation.

It should be mentioned that on Wednesday, three businessmen were arrested from a house in Diamond Dairy Colony under the Hasanganj police circle. The police recovered a register and diary containing the names and details of punters, whose money was involved in betting on various cricket matches held in recent time.

Patent Monkey: Amazing Nokia Cell Phone Screen and Game Time

Thanks to some newly minted cell phone patents, Nokia is getting the attention as a top player in locking up their technologies in the past couple weeks. Notably, Nokia has recently got a patent on a in-any-direction cell phone display and gaming cellphone adapter. Nokia has patented a cellphone display in any direction using an orientation sensor. This won't impact the iPhone, if you're wondering, because its narrowed to a phone with "hard keys." For the tons of phones that aren't $500, having a wider screen and the ability to connect to video now available through Slingbox along with the ability to flip the display around is a nice improvement.

On a lighter note, Nokia thought up with a way to use a stylus to quickly slide in a joystick on your cell phone or PDA with a track ball. - Cashback mobile deals - USB Broadband