Americans buying fewer (but pricier) cell phones

Analyst firm NPD Group and Silicon Alley Insider reported on an interesting find: consumer cell phone unit sales dropped 13% from Q2 in 2007. However, Q2 revenues have dropped only 2% from last year.

The likely cause for this? Americans are buying fewer cell phones because they are spending more money on their handsets than ever before—and using their new investments as long as they can before trading in for a new device. In fact, this year seems to be the year where more and more ‘prosumers’ purchase a Blackberry or an iPhone.

SAI notes that this study doesn’t include Apple’s iPhone 3G, and only includes Apple’s original iPhone for part of the quarter. Q3 and Q4 should yield quite different results.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Travel...Again

A recent study by the Ponemon Institute, which conducts studies in privacy and security, found that at U.S. airports, a reported 10,000 laptops are stolen on a weekly basis. This study which focused on the 36 largest airports showed that of the laptops stolen most had little to no hope to getting recovered. In addition to the 10,000, another over 2,000 laptops are reported stolen from smaller airports around the U.S. weekly.

Only about 35 percent of these reported stolen laptops are returned to the owner. There are ways to help make sure you laptop is secure and makes it with you to your destination. You can always keep it in a case that is strapped to you at all times. If you don’t plan on using it then why not just pack it in your suitcase securely and check it in. However, if you do intend to bring it on board then, as simple as this may sound, don’t leave your bags un-attended at anytime.

These days if it’s not one thing it’s another i.e. airline prices and now airport security again. I would think twice before taking that nap while you wait for your flight to board.

Information provided by: Engadget