Natural composer
Q: Do you know where I can get tunes to compose on my ? I know I can't download rings, but I want to compose some.
--Ikenna

A: Try Ringtone Central. This site has a large list of popular songs that are available as ring tones. Once you select the melody you want, just follow the sequence of keys to input the tone into the phone's composer tool. If you should have any problems, this site provides instructions on how to input new ring tones into your Ericsson mobile. The site also has a list of ring tones for cell phones from other manufacturers as well, such as Siemens and Nokia.

Desperately seeking Siemens
Q: After I saw a guy with the new phone, I tried to get more info on it, but nobody seems to carry it yet. The man said he had a friend in Germany send it to him, and it worked fine when he put in his VoiceStream SIM card. Do you know how I can buy the phone in the United States?
--Adam

A: You can purchase the Siemens S40 phone directly from Siemens via the company's Web site. However, you will probably get a better deal if you buy the phone from a service provider that carries the phone, such as Cingular Wireless.

Calling 911
Q: I read that Samsung is introducing a new cell phone with a built-in GPS receiver that will automatically inform E911 dispatchers of the user's location. However, the service will not be available for several months. Does the GPS feature provide the user with his or her geographic coordinates?
--Curt

A: The Samsung phone in question is the SPH-N300, and it's being offered by Sprint PCS. And yes, it does have a GPS chip in it. However, it doesn't provide the exact coordinates of the phone's location. The feature can inform local safety agencies of only the general area (between 30 to 50 meters) in which the phone is located, not its exact location.

Additionally, the network needed to support this feature isn't in place yet. Once it's deployed, users will be able to receive location-based services on the phone as well. Users will have the option to activate the location-based services; however, they can not turn off the E911 feature. We should note that after December 31, 2002, all cell phones will be required to have E911 support.

A pocketful of Palms
Q: Is Verizon Wireless still selling the ? If not, do you have any other recommendations for a cell phone-BlackBerry-Web-browser-in-one for New York City?
--Greg

A: Yes, Verizon Wireless is still selling the popular Palm phone. Additionally, Sprint offers Samsung's , the color Palm phone. But if you really want a combination cell phone/BlackBerry/Web brower and can wait until after the first of the year, hold out for the GSM version of . It has a built-in, RIM-like keyboard, and it will be compatible with 2.5G networks, which will offer slightly faster wireless Web surfing speeds than either the QCP-6035 or the I300 can provide.