Cafe IPhone

Cell Plan Extra Charges: Why and What You Can Do

Your cell-phone plan supposedly costs $39.99 a month, say, yet your cell-phone bill usually runs to $52 or so. Here's a quick rundown of the reasons and some remedies.

Many of the major extras are beyond your control, at least as a subscriber. The biggest bite is from state and local sales taxes. Your telecom bills are typically taxed by those jurisdictions at the same rate as other goods and services, and those rates, to say the least, show no signs of going down. (There used to be a 3-percent federal excise tax—in place since 1898 to pay for the Spanish-American war—but it was repealed in 2005.) There's also a state fee for e-911, the location-based technology that helps emergency responders find you when you dial 911 from your cell phone; you may also have to pay a separate 911 fee to your municipality for having access to those emergency responders.

Carriers also tack an assortment of administrative and regulatory surcharges onto bills to defray the costs they incur when they interface with other networks in the course of providing service, as well as other incidentals. One such fee that's attracted attention lately is one, amounting to a dollar or two a month, that reflects the carriers passing along to consumers their contributions to what's known as the Universal Service Fund, which subsidizes phone carriers operating in remote or sparsely populated areas. With more than $7 billion now in the Fund, the Federal Communications Commission has just capped a portion of it. (If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed, you can see the FCC's press release on the cap on Universal Service here.) But the cap's impact on consumer fees is unclear, since the Fund still requires replenishment to remain at its current level.

But some extras that are swelling your bills are well within your control. Here's a rundown of some, and how to quell them:

A la carte text messaging. Each text message you send or receive without a plan typically costs 10 to 20 cents. The fees can be even higher if photos are attached to them. If you're paying more than $5 a month for sending and receiving a handful of text messages, signing up for plan (starting at $3 per month) can whittle costs down to as little a penny per message.

Going over your allotted minutes. If you exceed your allotted minutes of your voice plan, you may be paying as much as 45 cents for each additional minute—or up to four times or more the rate with your plan. Consider upgrading your plan to knock those charges down. Conversely, if you're routinely going under your allotment by much, consider downgrading your plan.

Using 411. Carriers may charge $1.50 or more for directory assistance. But you can get the same help for free by dialing goog-411 (1-800-466-4411) from your cell phone.

You can find more cell-phone saving tips on Consumer Reports online. Such as:

• Avoid these 20 cell-phone bill rip-offs and gotchas
• 5 ways to cut your cell phone bill (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers.)

—Mike Gikas

New Blu-ray DVD players—one for under $300

While the latest Blu-ray players from several major brands aren't doing anything to lower the price barrier for Blu-ray ownership, Magnavox has introduced the first sub-$300 model, which is selling at Wal-Mart.

However, many models, including the Magnavox, are Profile 1.1 players that offer BonusView (picture-in-picture) capability, but not the Internet-access capability (called BDLive) of Profile 2.0 players. Even at lower prices, we still believe that holding off a bit longer—when fully featured players are both more plentiful and cheaper—makes the most sense for the majority of us. (Find other helpful buying advice in our "How to choose a high-def DVD player.")

But these all-inclusive players are now on the way. For example, Panasonic's newest standalone player is a Profile 2.0 model, and Samsung's new standalone model, a Profile 1.1 player, can be upgraded later this year to meet the Profile 2.0 specifications.

The down side, however, is that these players are still relatively expensive: $400 for the Samsung model, and $700 for the Panasonic. With the exception of the new Maganavox, the least expensive new Blu-ray players, even those from secondary brands, are $350. It's possible, though, that the introduction of the Magnavox model will put pressure on those second-tier brands manufacturers to get their player prices below $300.

Magnavox: Under $300 at Wal-Mart

The new Magnavox model, made by increasingly busy contract manufacturer Funai, has been sighted at Wal-Mart at a retail price of $298. The player, model NB500MG9, is a BonusView model that features 1080p/24 output (which sends film-base video at its native 24 frames-per-second rate to a TV or projector that can accept it; therefore, no conversion—3:2 pulldown—is needed to match the video to a TV’s 60 fps display). The Funai website has the owner's manual for the NB500MG9 (You'll need Adobe Acrobat, however.) if you'd like to see all of its features.

Pioneer: Elite-, Pioneer-brand Blu-ray models

Not surprising given its brand positioning, Pioneer is hitting the mid- and upper price tiers with two new Blu-ray players, one bearing its step-up Elite badge (the BDP-05FD, $799, seen above) and the other (the BDP-51FD, $599) its first Pioneer-brand model. Both players, which will be available this summer, are Profile 1.1 (BonusView) models that emphasize audio, as well as video, performance.

Both feature 1080p/24 output, as well as internal decoding of all Blu-ray audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. They also have 7.1-channel audio audio outputs for those who won't be connecting the player to a receiver with HDMI inputs. The Elite model has gold-plated connectors, capacitance touch-key buttons and an aluminum face plate. It also comes with a 2-year, rather than 1-year, warranty.

Panasonic: First BDLive (Profile 2.0) Blu-ray player

Panasonic's newest Blu-ray model is the DMP-BD50 ($700, click on the image at left for a closer look), perhaps the first standalone Profile 2.0 standalone player on the market (the Sony PlayStation 3 game console can be upgraded to Profile 2.0). As such, it supports not only BonusView, but also BDLive, which allows viewers to access Internet-based content. Other features of the player, which will be available in early June, include 1080p/24 video output, internal decoding of both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio, plus Panasonic's new video processing circuitry (called "Uniphier"). The player also includes an SD card slot for viewing digital photos and videos.

Samsung: New player can be upgraded to BDLive

Samsung's newest Blu-ray player is the BDP-1500 (Click on image at right for a closer look), available in June, is a Profile 1.1 player (with an Ethernet port) that can be upgraded to full Profile 2.0 capability (BDLive) via a firmware update later in the year. Although price wasn't officially announced, some retailers are taking preorders for $400. While the model will be able to decode Dolby TrueHD lossless audio, it currently doesn't support DTS-HD Master lossless audio (DTS-HD High Resolution will be supported via a firmware update).

Blu-ray HTIBs

Both Panasonic and Samsung are introducing new home-theater-in-a-box systems that feature integrated Blu-ray drives.

Panasonic's is a "wireless-ready" home-theater-in-a-box system with an integrated Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player. The system (SC-BT100, $1,000), which comes in a 5.1-channel configuration, can accept a pair of optional ($200) wireless speakers and a transceiver for full 7.1-channel operation. The system (Click on the image at left for a closer look.) has a Whisper-mode Surround feature, which dynamically boosts bass and surround-channel levels as the volume is turned down for a full surround effect even at low volumes. The system has an integrated iPod dock that allows music and videos to be played throuugh the system, an SD card slot for playing back digital stills and videos.

Samsung is introducing its second—and less expensive—Blu-ray HTIB system, the HT-BD2S ($999). The BD2S (Click on the image at right for a closer look.) is a complete 7.1-channel system that features smaller satellite speakers and a price that's a third less than its bigger-speakered sibling (the HT-BD2T). Like that model, however, it has a Profile 1.0 Blu-ray player, so no BonusView or BDLive.

—James K. Willcox

Get Your Exercise Shopping for Wii Fit

Nintendo wants you up off your sofa and working it with the new Wii Fit ($89). But it could be awhile before your exercise program begins. As with the Wii console, it's looking like the Fit (Click on images for closer looks.) will be a tough purchase.

A check of several online retail outlets, including Game Stop, Wal-Mart, and Amazon, led us to messages like "not for sale," "temporarily out of stock," and "preorders sold out." If you started shopping extra early, you may have been lucky enough to have bought a coupon for $5 to $10 that guaranteed you a Fit. Those seem to be sold out now, although double-checking with your local retailer may not be a bad idea. Once the product is launched on May 19, check frequently both online and in stores. If Wii sales are any indication, retailers will get shipments and quickly sell out, so you'll need to hit the right store at the right time.

At the very least, sign up with Best Buy, Circuit City, or another store for e-mail notification of availability.

You'll double your challenge if you're pumped for the Fit but don't yet own a Wii console. It's still hit or miss when you walk into most retail stores, and sites like Best Buy don't sell it at all online. You'll have better luck if you don't mind shelling out about an extra $100 for a bundle that includes several games. Retail price for the Wii console alone is $250. Think about grabbing one now if you can, before demand for the Fit diminishes supplies even more.

Meanwhile, in the U.K., where the Fit has already been on sale since April, it looks like demand remains high. We were able to find a few units of the Fit at Amazon's U.K. site and several online stores, while others were sold out. But don't exercise notions of buying from one of these U.K. outlets. They probably won't ship to the U.S., and besides, we saw them selling for almost double the U.S. price at about 95 pounds, or $170.

We'll be testing the Wii Fit for its health benefits in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on Consumer Reports.org and on Consumer Reports Health for our findings. For an early look, check out this Wall Street Journal review.

—Donna Tapellini

LG and Samsung get the red out; new HDTVs sport crimson colors

With a host of fine-performing, piano-black HDTVs on the market, LG Electronics and Samsung are the latest manufacturers to introduce sets that try to stand out with stylistic flair. Both brands are launching new flat-panel models imbued with red color accents. Since some LCD sets from both brands have done well in our recent Ratings, available to subscribers , the new models promise to be more than just pretty faces, with performance to complement their stylish designs.

LG promotes “Scarlet” fever
LG’s new LG 60 Series—code-named “Scarlet”— features a super-slim profile and red-colored back and side panels. The TV line was launched with a splashy—and fake—ad campaign that promised a new TV series, named Scarlet, starring a young Hollywood ingénue and a big gala premiere, but was actually pitching a new series of TVs.

The new 60 Series sets will be offered in 32-, 37-, 42-, 47- and 52-inch screen sizes with 1080p resolution and 120Hz technology that doubles the TV's frame rate to reduce motion blur. They boast new “Intelligent Sensor” technology, which claims to automatically adjust the TV’s brightness, sharpness, color and tint to match the surrounding light in a room. The sets also have a new “invisible” speaker system—located inside and behind the TV’s bezel—and use LG’s Clear Voice technology, which boosts certain frequencies to help keep dialogue audible when background noise increases.

The 60 Series sets start shipping this month, at prices ranging from $1,700 to $3,800. Later this summer, new thinner (1.7-inch) 42- and 47-inch versions will be available, at a price to be disclosed closer to launch.

Samsung adds a Touch of Color
The new Samsungs use the Touch of Color (TOC) design announced at CES, which uses an injection molding process to infuse subtle red colorations into the material of the bezel itself. The effect is a reddish glow embedded into the semi-transparent piano-black finish of the bezel.

The TOC design is included in Samsung’s Series 6 (650) and Series 7 (750) LCDs, which feature 1080p resolution (except for the 17- and 22-inch models), 120Hz technology (all models 40 inches and larger), and InfoLink networking, which provides RSS feeds of news, weather, sports and other content from USA Today directly to the TVs (no computer is required). The sets also include USB 2.0 with WiseLink, which provides access to, and management of, digital images and music stored on flash drives, camcorders or portable media players.

Both 6- and 7-series LCD TVs will work with a $35 wireless accessory, called Wireless LinkStick, designed to provide wireless access to the InfoLink RSS feature, supposedly obviating the need for an Ethernet connection.

Series 7 LCD TVs include several step-up features not found in 6-series models, including internal flash memory loaded with content, such as high-def artwork, cooking recipes and children’s game, and WiseLink Pro, which can play MPEG-4 and DiVX files as well as digital photos and MP3 music files. The 7-series TVs are also compliant with the Digital Living Network Alliance (DNLA) protocol.

Series 6 models are available in 19-, 22-, 31.5-, 39.9-, 45.9- and 52.2-inch screen sizes, with prices ranging from $480 to $3,200. The Series 7 sets, which launch this month, are available 39.9-, 45.9- and 52.2-inch screen sizes, at suggested retail prices of $2,600, $3,200 and $3,500, respectively.

The Touch of Color is also extended to Samsung’s Series 6 650 plasma line, which is offered in 50-, 58- and 63-inch screen sizes at prices ranging from $2,600 to $5,000. The 1080p sets include invisible speakers, WiseLink, Anynet+ (Samsung’s name for HDMI-CEC single-remote control of components) and 4 HDMI inputs.—James K. Willcox

Wireless data relief: Spelled W-i-M-a-x?

Net access over cell networks is still slower than with a home broadband connection, even on faster third-generation (3G) cellular data networks like EV-DO (Verizon and Sprint Nextel) and HSDPA (AT&T and T-Mobile). And those speedier networks aren't yet available in all metro centers, let alone in many rural areas. Laptop owners and those with advanced cell phones like the iPhone can get their broadband via Wi-Fi hotspots, but those are highly local, and so don’t really offer broadband access on the go.

Hoping to capitalize on these shortcomings, this week a coalition led by Sprint, Nextel, and Intel announced support for a more potent flavor of Wi-Fi called mobile WiMax. Based on the IEEE 802.16e wireless standard, mobile WiMax offers data speeds comparable to Wi-Fi (that is, about 5 to 10 times faster than today's cell data networks). WiMax also offers much greater range; indeed, some even think WiMax might one day replace cable or DSL as the home broadband access of choice.

But before you start salivating too much for a WiMax fix, consider the following issues that may yet trip up this promising technology—which, by they way, has been simmering in the wireless community for about a decade.

Wi-Max infrastructure has far to go. The new coalition promises WiMax service in 200 markets by 2010 or 2011. But that assumes their plans receive regulatory approval by the end of this year; that Intel is able to deliver new WiMax chips called Montevina by the middle of 2009; and that billions of dollars in investments and support streams in from a wide myriad of stake holders, from cell-phone makers to local governments. WiMax needs its own towers and other infrastructure to work. So far, only a few towers have been built in the Washington, D.C. area and Chicago, where Sprint is conducting trials.

WiMax has competition. One factor that could complicate rollout is the presence of another horse in mobile-broadband race, a technology known as Long Term Evolution. LTE promises to be just as fast, and it's backed by the deep pockets of AT&T and Verizon. An HD-DVD-vs.-Blu-Ray-like battle that may ensue could further delay deployment and adoption of both technologies.

There are power issues. WiMax is a power-sapping technology. The prototype units Sprint paraded at last month's CTIA, the Detroit Auto show of cell phones, delivered only two hours of data downloads at most—and these weren't even phones (rather, they were hand-held units with Web-browsing and texting capabilities). It may be a lot to ask a cell phone battery to add Wi-Max considering most cells phone already support several radios, such as the cell transceiver, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and sometimes even an FM Radio. To seek out these connections, cell phones constantly "ping" the networks for availability, which also eats up power.

The bottom line? Both WiMax and LTE promise to satisfy consumers' growing appetite for faster, uninterrupted data connections. But it will take lots of time, money, and effort before their promise becomes reality.

—Mike Gikas