Boys. Not always quite as reliable as we would like, are they? I blame rom coms for raising my expectations when it comes to relationships. The truth is that a guy is probably never going to chase me to the airport to stop me from leaving, or beg for my forgiveness on his knees, or dance like Hugh Grant in Love Actually. But that’s ok, I guess. Because I’ve got my phone. That’s right. Here are 10 reasons why my BlackBerry is way better than my boyfriend.

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It got me thinking about what I would do if it happened to me. Could I go all day without being in touch with anyone? Probably not. And I know it’s not just me. Us college kids are bombarded with constant communication so we freak out when we don’t have access to it. Hopefully, there won’t be anymore outages, but just in case I’ve rounded up some ways for you to communicate sans phone:

1. Post-It Notes: You can always leave a post-it on your friend’s car or outside their class to meet you for lunch. Granted, someone else could see it and meet you there too, but you’re without a phone so that’s a risk you’ll have to take.

2. Snail Mail: While it’s not the most efficient form of communication, handwritten letters are pretty awesome. I think you should write letters to people on a regular basis. Think about how excited you are when you get something in the real mail! However, don’t do this if there is a dire issue.

3. Smoke Signals: This can be dangerous since it involves fire, so be careful. Typically smoke signals are used to communicate long distance. So if you’re in a long distance relationship or have friends far away, this is perfect for you! Just make a fire and use a wet blanket to place over it which will create smoke. You can make different kinds of smoke puffs and everything!

4. Morse Code: First you’ll need to learn how to do morse code, and then you’ll have to teach all of your friends. You’ll also need a way to transmit the message like an electrical telegraph system. Or a flashlight, but that’s for nighttime communication. You can even do morse code by tapping with a pen on your desk for in class messaging.

5. Carrier Pigeons: You’ll obviously need to find a pigeon and then train it to become a carrier pigeon. They typically fly one way so your friend would keep your pigeon at their house and vice versa. If you think about it, this is kind of like Twitter because there are birds involved. And they can carry about 2.5 oz, so small packages could be transported too!

Communication is awesome, and we definitely need it in today’s society. The Blackberry outage can teach us something, though. Maybe we don’t need to be sleeping with our phones, taking them to the bathroom with us, or having them in our hands at all times. An email can wait a little while for a response. Text messages don’t need a reply at that very second. You need relationships with people, not your phone.

We all remember seeing pictures of Paris Hilton at a club texting on her pink, bedazzled T-Mobile Sidekick phone. Well just as Paris Hilton has changed (her hair is longer), so has the T-Mobile Sidekick.

I got my hands on a T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, and I must say, it’s a pretty cool phone. It’s a texter’s dream. The sliding screen slides up to reveal a full keyboard, which is so much easier than texting on a touch screen (although you have that option as well). It also has Google Speak, so if you hate texting, you can just say what you want to text, and the phone will do the rest for you. It probably won’t pick up on your group of friends’ slang (“omg he’s sooooo adorbs”), but it will pick up on normal words (“I’m so drunk”).

The phone is an Android phone, so you have access to all Android apps. I’ve been playing Fruit Ninja Free in all of my classes to pass time. There’s basically an app for anything you want. You can get radio, Google Maps, Skype and a lot more.

I’ve owned a Blackberry before, and I loved that it had a notification light when I got a text, missed call, Facebook update or email (I know, I’m simple). So I was overjoyed when I learned that this phone has a notification light too. You can set your notifications to have different color lights (my texts are purple, and emails are blue).

My favorite thing about this phone is that it syncs all of your Facebook friends, G-mail contacts, and people you follow on Twitter to your contacts list. I’m a social media junkie, so this feature is AMAZING.

But the phone isn’t all sunshine and amazingness…

One thing I didn’t like was the screen. The screen is great indoors or when it’s dark out, but when I’m outside I can barely see the screen. If I want to see what someone texted me, I have to walk indoors or into a shaded area to see the screen.Also, in the area of themes, this phone disappointed me. I’m the kind of person who likes to use the backgrounds/themes my phone gives me, I just don’t see the point in having a background that is a picture of me at my drunkest. There are only a few themes on this phone, and none of them appealed to me.

Complaints aside, this is a great phone if you are looking for a phone that does it all. You’ll be able to get tons of apps, keep up with your Twitter followers, and text more than talk (which most of us do anyway).

Check out the camera’s mad skills. I took all these awesome UF photos on my Sidekick.

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Editor note: Samsung was kind enough to provide Jessica with a Sidekick to review. Thanks Samsung. And thanks Jessica for keeping the review honest and real.

Now that being said any phone with talk and text would be sufficient, right?

Wrong-o.

Maybe that worked back in the 1900s, but now, in 2011, it just doesn’t cut it. I don’t know about you but I am tired of seeing “Sent from iPhone” or “Mobile Upload from Blackberry”… especially when I’m still using the original enV. No that was not a misspelling. It’s silver and the back is taped. Now some people may be embarrassed by that, but as a college student who has dropped a few phones in the toilet (don’t lie, you’ve all been there before) and left some in the back seat of a cab (i’ve gone through about 4 in six months…) having a nice phone is not a priority. But with an upgrade in two weeks it was time to get back out there and check out the cell phone market.

After visiting a Verizon store I’ve finally come to terms with how limited my options are: smartphone or cheap keyboard phone. Now when faced with a daunting two-year contract (longer than most of my relationships) I just can’t seem to buy another lame phone. Smartphone it is. First decision made. Check.

There are only two serious smart phones: Blackberry or iPhone. But which one?!?! Time for the showdown (point system style).

1. Both have internet, but the iPhone’s is faster. iPhone +1
2. Both take pictures, but the iPhone’s are clearer. iPhone +1
3. Blackberry’s have an exclusive group: BBM. Blackberry +1
4. Blackberry cellphones are cheaper to buy. Blackberry +1
5. I think Blackberry’s are cooler. Blackberry +1
6. iPhones have music and apps. iPhone +1

Total: Blackberry 3

          iPhone          3

It’s a tie! Than again, either way it’s $720 for two years with a data plan and tha’ts not to mention the plan and the phone itself. On second thought, I think I’ll just get that cheap, plastic keyboard phone. Ugh, what should I do??

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Facebook…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like Jog.FM, Fellow Up and Swap.com) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

Ok, I’m going to come right out and admit that this week’s post isn’t a website, despite the fact that this column is called “Web Spy.” But recently, I found out about an cool mobile app and I have to share it!

LiveProfile is an awesome messaging app for your smartphone. It’s faster and better than texting, because it shows you exactly when a message is delivered, read, and when a response is being typed. It also lets you share photos, videos,  add status updates, and update to Facebook or Twitter.

You’ll love LiveProfile if you’re already a fan of BBM, but what’s great about it is that it brings that same quick messaging to all the major smartphone platforms — Blackberry, iPhone and Android! What’s even cooler is that LiveProfile lets you connect with other LiveProfile users, no matter what type of phone they have!

Be still my iPhone addicted heart.

If that wasn’t already cool enough, LiveProfile is also 100% free! It uses your existing data plan or wi-fi to send and receive messages, doesn’t charge additional fees for international messages, and won’t cut into your texting plan — so it actually saves you money!

LiveProfile is gaining popularity pretty quickly — it recently added one million users in a matter of only five days (bringing the current total number of users to over two million)! But it’s so cool, that’s not much of a surprise, is it? I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone (with a smartphone, that is) is on LiveProfile soon.

Good deal, right? And there’s plenty more web where that came from. Check out the other sites that are on Laura’s web radar!

As college girls our cell phones are our lifelines. Our way to contact our friends. To Google nagging questions. To check our e-mail and update our Facebook. We utilize them as much as we possibly can in every way we can. From scheduling to shopping.

Shopping?

Yes, shopping. Cell phones improve our lives in a lot of different ways but I bet you didn’t know they could improve the way you shop too. Well…we did, but don’t worry, we’ve decided to share our wisdom with our lovely readers. Here are seven shopping apps that will better your shopping experience!

1. ShopSavvy. Scan the barcode of that blouse with your cell phone and ShopSavvy will compare prices from over 20,000 different stores, while also providing product views. You’ll never buy a dress only to see it for 50% off somewhere else ever again! (Don’t you hate when that happens?) Download it here!

2. Shopstyle Mobile. This app lets you search among your favorite online shopping sites by category, keyword, price, or store. Once you’ve found something you love, the app will forward you to the appropriate place to make the purchase . Shopstyle is perfect for the girl looking for a particular item in a  particular size at a particular price. Except you no longer have to go from store to store or website to website. Shopstyle has got you covered. Download it here!

3. Glamour Ask a Stylist. Not sure whether an outfit is appropriate or not? Need a little expert advice? Just snap a picture of what you’re considering wearing and send it to Glamour. Within minutes a stylist will respond with a yay or a nay. It’s like having your own personal Stacy and Clinton! Download it here!

4. Lucky at Your Service. Lucky lets you sift through tons of clothes already approved of by their editors. Then once you’d decided on the perfect pair of pattern pumps the app will forward you to an online store, or if you’re in 50 miles of the store they’ll call the store and the “concierge team” will tell you whether or not they have the item you’re looking for. If they do you can get same day pick up! Download it here!

5.The Find. This app lets you scan the bar code of that cute bag you’ve been eying for weeks, and lets you know where you can find it for less, whether it’s online or in stores. Its gives you the info on all available coupons and shipping deals, and lets you purchase on the spot online, or gives you directions to where you can find it. And then it lets you save your favorite search results to create your very own virtual mall! Download it here!

6. iShoes. This app lets you feast your eyes on over 50,000 different pairs of shoes all while notifying you which ones are on sale when and where. Or if you’re looking for something more specific you can use the search feature to find your perfect pair. Download it here!

7. Lustr Fashion Finder. This fabulous fashion finder lists promotional events and sales all happening right then, right near year. You can search by neighborhood, distance, or time. Or by occasion, product, or style. Perfect for the girl with some time to kill in a new neighborhood! Download it here!

Technology….isn’t it amazing!?

But as I inch closer and closer to graduation each day, I’ve taken the time to consider that maybe it’s not all bad. Four years is enough time to realize that college has its pros and its cons. And maybe I’ve just been looking at this whole thing the wrong way. I’m going to try for optimism instead. And that’s why I’ve listed for you a few of the things I absolutely won’t miss about college.

1. Writing papers. I’ve done my fair share of paper writing over the last four years and it never gets any more entertaining or interesting. The research is annoying. The outlining never works. The writing process is disastrous. And the entire thing just makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs and pull out ALL. OF. MY. HAIR. I’m grateful this part of my life is almost over, if only to prevent the need of wigs at such a young age.

2. Dining hall food. Even if you go to one of those schools where the food is actually edible, after four years of the same choices on rotation over and over and over again it really is time for a change. Plus, dining halls aren’t exactly known for having the healthiest dining options. That personal trainer I’ve been meaning to get will appreciate my sacrifice of no longer eating chicken fingers and fries for lunch every day.

3. Overpriced books. $300 dollars for a used Shakespeare textbook that I will never, ever use again? A Shakespeare textbook it doesn’t pay to sell back because I’ll probably only end up with a measly $50. I won’t ever have to deal with this again. My bank account has sent me a fruit basket in thanks.

4. Annoying e-mails. Campus wide e-mails about gym closings, changes in dining hall hours, information about lectures no one is ever going to go to and resume building seminars that are about as helpful as, well, resume building seminars. My Blackberry will be particularly relieved because every Monday at 9 a.m. it will no longer experience a sudden rush of e-mails, causing each individual alert for each new e-mail to turn into one high pitched screeching sound.

5. Core classes. No more science. No more math. No more art history. Say goodbye to all of those classes you should have said goodbye to back in high school. Maybe in post grad life I’ll finally get my answer to that age old question, “When am I ever going to use this again?” Oh that’s right, I already know. Never.

Well, that worked out better than I thought it would.

That’s right – nobody.

But drunken bar brawls aren’t the only dangers associated with hyper-texting. Just look at what else a few “what r u up to”s every hour can cause:

People who text sleep less: Cell phones are seductive things, and apparently the siren-like quality of a text message alert can drag innocent teenagers away from even the deepest slumber, that is if they can tear themselves away from their phones long enough to actually get in bed. Researchers believe that people stay up late at night texting and wake up periodically throughout the night to check (probably drunk) messages as they come in. Less sleep = slower reaction time, foggy brain and a whole other slew of side effects that can be dangerous.

People who text are moody: Another study shows that people who text late at night are more likely to be moody, sullen, or angry all day. Methinks this has more to do with the content of the texts (especially if they’re coming from some bully hyper-texter), but researchers argue that texting in general is the cause.

People who text are shady individuals: Texters are likely to use sneaky CIA-style codes in their messages. Common examples range from the innocuous LOL (laughing out loud) to the duplicitous PAL (parents are listening). Of course, it could just be easier to type three letters as opposed to some long winded speech…. or it can be that texting is a gateway to a lifetime of shady behavior.

People who text are illiterate: Those texting acronyms are at it again! Word on the street is that people who text eventually forget how to use proper English. Maybe that’s why I can never get my friends to stop ending their sentences with prepositions….at.

People who text are going to be thumb-less soon: Blackberry thumb is a disease that originates from too much texting. Unfortunately, switching to an iPhone or a Droid or even a dumb phone is not the cure, since anyone who texts at all is high-risk. Basically the nerves in your thumbs get damaged from too much texting, causing a whole slew of problems like pain and limited mobility in your hands. Talk about a trendy illness!

So, to sum it all up: if you text, you’re gonna die. Or live a shady, tired life with broken thumbs and terrible grammar. Save yourself! Make a phone call!

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, TFLN…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like Regretsy, Clicker, and Homeslyce) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

How familiar does this scenario sound to you? You’re driving in your car or walking to class when you suddenly get a great idea or remember you have to do something…but by the time you get a chance to write it down, you’ve already forgotten it.  Or maybe you simply forgot to write down an assignment right when it was assigned…and then forget to turn it in. Or your roommate asked you to pick up some emergency toilet paper… and now everyone has to drip dry.

Thank god I’m here.

Meet reQall, an online service that helps you remember important ideas, dates, tasks, etc., at the exact moment they pop into your head so there’s no time to forget them. (Don’t worry, reQall isn’t some weird microchip installed in your brain.)

It’s ridiculously easy to use: just sign up for an account (you can choose between the “standard” free account and the paid “Pro” account) to get started, and then you can start adding events and reminders.  OK, so that seems pretty similar to having a planner, but it’s so. much. better.

1. There are so many ways to leave a reminder on reQall!  You can call and leave a message, or send a text, e-mail, or IM–no matter which method you use, reQall will store it for you.

2. ReQall actually organizes all the information for you! Whenever you add an item to reQall, it analyzes what you say or type and determines which category on your personal calendar it belongs to (to do, meeting, shopping list, or note).  It also determines where and when the item should be done, how often it repeats (if at all), and if needs to be shared (either with another reQall user or through e-mail).

3. There are tons of different ways to use ReQall. You can use your cell phone (there are also apps available for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android), the web, and most instant messaging programs (including AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo IM, and Jabber).  Plus, it can sync with your computer’s calendar (such as iCal, Outlook, or Google Calendar), and even send you reminders!

As you can see, reQall can do pretty much everything for you when it comes to organizing your tasks and schedule.  It’s sort of like having a personal assistant, only in digital form.  It’s pretty friggin’ awesome, I have to admit.  Why don’t you give reQall a try for yourself!?

[Everyone’s got a vice, a bad habit, something they know they need to change. Unfortunately, everyone also has a million excuses why they just can’t do it. Not anymore. Every month

So I have now gone four mostly Facebook-free weeks. Which is saying something considering my little incident last weekend. I swear the universe was playing games with me for my final week of this challenge.

I’m officially back on campus, which makes living without Facebook damn near impossible. How am I supposed to figure out my plans for the night without FB lining up my social calendar in a neat column organized by RSVPs of definitely yes, maybe (if nothing else is going on) and no you will not catch me there if suddenly you were the only house throwing down in Frat Land?

And if that’s not bad enough, during some Thirsty Thursday festivities, my Crackberry (and myself) experienced a little blackout. Yeah, my only connection to the world was gone. Without Facebook or a cell phone, there would be nearly no way to communicate with anyone. I took a moment to cry/freak out. How would I contact my friends to let them know I was going to be late for our Friday night pre-game?

It was almost scary how disconnected I felt.

Finally, thinking outside the box a bit, I logged onto Gchat, email and Twitter, using every last mode of communication I could think of to get in touch. I breathed a sigh of relief.

But then I realized another major issue: my Blackberry phone book was gone. No numbers. No BBM pins. And no way to tell everyone I know to “Give me your numbers, please, I’ll love you forever” without the help of a trusty Facebook group. It was at that moment, as I held my dead Blackberry in my hand, that I realized how central Facebook has become to my life. Thank god for Will, the  lovely man from the North Atherton Verizon store. He somehow managed to recover my numbers and totally saved my social life.

It was a trying and emotional week, but I made it work. I survived the busiest week of August so far and the three weeks before it. All without Facebook.

So what can I say about this challenge? Well, I’ve learned to live life without my Newsfeed. I’ve learned that someone texting you with a party invite is so much better than a mass Facebook event. (Really… when was the last time you called someone INDIVIDUALLY to invite them to be your partner for Fifth and a Friend?) I learned the difference between the people who genuinely want to talk to me (and are willing to pick up the phone to do so) and the people who only talk to me because they are bored or procrastinating.

I’ve learned that there are so many other great things to fill my time with than sitting in front of a computer and stalking some random girl’s photos (full of people I don’t know).

In the end, I’m proud of myself for taking on this challenge and serving a giant, steaming bowl of  “I told you so” to everyone who said I wouldn’t be able to do it. I did. So there.

And I can’t wait to brag all about my success in multiple status updates come Wednesday morning.