Posting this via email from my phone… glad I can!

** I tried to post this via email from my phone but it simply would not behave! I’ll try to fix and and post the results on here.

I read a blog post yesterday about saing money (there are a lot of them out there) and one of the sample questions I’m supposed to ask myself is ‘do I need internet access on my phone?’ In the spirit of saving money, I asked myself and here’s my answer.

- I always have something to read. Google Reader is my homepage and, as long as I stay away from the graphics heavy posts (like Design I Trust), I can breeze through a few of my feeds while waiting for class or eating lunch.

- My business email comes directly to my phone. The pros of this are mobility, quick response to clients, and the ease of being able to send an email to people I meet (so they have my address). The annoying part about this is that I have my emails sent to a Gmail account so I basically have an echo if I’m on the net (which is a good portion of the day, it seems).

- I’ve been able to get directions on the fly and find them on Google Maps. Part of this is frustration waiting for a page to load or not being able to find what I need (suring on this 250 by 500 window is frustrating). Still, I’ve gotten myself out of a few jams and for that, I’m glad.

- Some day, I’ll figure out how Evernote will work well for me. If you’ve never heard of it, got to evernote.com nd see what it’s all about. There is something to be said about a mobile repository…

- Streaming radio is actually pretty good quality as long as the 3G service is good. I’ve been able to get Shoutcast stations and play them with Windows Media player. I have a 1st gen nano for running but if I’m studying or want some music privay at work, it’s a good option. Word to the wise: streaming radio CAN be free so don’t pay for it unless you’ve searched around.

Message to anyone considering AT&T 3G or any unlimited mobile internet service:

If a budget is not an issue, do what you like. If you’re trying to keep expenditures down, though this is a write-off, it isn’t worth it unless you have an actual reason to get it (as in you’re missing email or need to be available for chat or need Gogle Maps).

To be honest, I use it less than I thought I would but I’ve become fairly reliant on it. I use it much more when I’m in school and have more downtime (between classes, etc). The speed is, for the most part, great and it’s quite rare to be without 3G service (the fast service).

In general, however, I’m always looking for ways to get more from the service. I want to manage contacts a bit better and I need a better, more universal to-do list with the ability to handle projects. It’s rare to have the time/wherewithall to research things like that thought.

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