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??

Want to rock college? Yeah, there (should be) an app for that.

1. Class Schedule Synched With the Besties: You won’t have to waste any more time figuring out when you can all “do lunch.” This feature will do the work for you

2. Digital Version of your Campus Newspaper: Because that way, you might actually read it.

3. Access to the Grub Hub App: Save your address and credit card details. Maybe even your favorite orders. Pita Pit has never felt closer.

4. Local Happy Hours and Specials: It’s hard to keep them all straight. We know Wednesdays are half-off of wine night, but friendly daily reminders that it’s buy one-get-one-free or 10 cent wing night could really help us save a buck or two.

5. Professor Rankings: A quick and easy way to tap into Rate My Professor.com or whatever service your school uses. Signing up for classes will be a breeze.

6. Jokes on Mondays: Because we hate having a case of the Mondays and sometimes a few popsicle jokes are all we need to get going. Knock Knock…

7. Calorie Counter: Sadly not all campus coffee shops have the calories listed underneath the mocha frappuccinos. Oh wait, you don’t want to know?

8. Social Calendar: Wouldn’t it be nice if on-campus social events were just updated into a nicely organized calendar? You wouldn’t have to be bombarded with Facebook event invites every 5 seconds but also wouldn’t miss anything cool because you refused to sort through the spam.

9. Weekly Microwavable Recipes: We may finally be off the meal plan but are pretty far from cooking up a storm. Put down the lean cuisine, there are other options out there.

It’s almost the end of the school year and for those unfortunate seniors out there, it may also be the end of college. (Wah Wah) The second most asked question (right after “what are you doing to do after you graduate?”), will be “what do you want for your graduation gift?” While my wise brother always claims that cash is king, the older generation often wants to give you something more tangible as a gift.

So here’s a list of things you should ask for so you don’t end up with five copies of Oh the Places You’ll Go:

Hint: I’m talking about some of the very same technology that we all freaked out about when it first came out.

Smartphone vs. Smartphone: Google entered the smartphone market when they launched their Android all the way back in January. But that didn’t scare Apple away from launching their new iPhone in June (though its reception favored left-handed talkers and called for ton of free “bumper” cases from Steve Jobs). Then came the Blackberry Torch in August and the Windows 7 phone in October. It seems that Smartphones are no longer a luxury item, but a necessity. You were cool if you had one in 2009, but if you don’t have one by 2011, you and your T9Word texting on that black-and-white screen better start saving up.

Foursquare: The schoolyard ballgame is now a new type of social media? Okay, so the “game” started back in 2009, but our favorite businesses and restaurants didn’t start playing until this year. And even though it’s pretty creepy to let complete strangers know where you are and where you’ve been and what you’re doing at any moment, it’s pretty awesome that you can “check in” for discounts. By the end of this holiday (shopping) season, I will be Mayor of my local mall…and my bank account be mayor of “broke.”

Apple’s iPad: It’s like an iPod Touch for giants! Hopefully, the fancy tablet will continue on its mission to revitalize the print magazine industry. As of now it’s changing the way we read books and surf the interwebs, and doing a great job pumping up gaming app sales. Have you played Doodle Jump on an iPad yet?!? If not, you don’t even know the definition of addiction.

Facebook Add-ons: We all thought it was weird when Zuckerberg announced the new version of Groups, and people freaked out about their privacy when Places launched. Most of us are still revolting against he new profile by refusing to get it, but soon, this year’s Facebook add-ons will become second nature with our daily scanning and stalking – just like last year’s additions did.

ChatRoulette: It’s hard to imagine a pre-party or post-party without it. What were we all doing with our lives before it became possible to video chat with random people around the world? And by “video chat” I mean “see random penises or people in freaky costumes.” But whatever. You can thank 2010 for that.

What has been your favorite tech update this year?

I am a complete technology addict.

Receiving a text message gives me a blissful, momentary high.  A day without access to the internet is a sad day.  If a couple of days go by and I haven’t signed onto Facebook (like that ever happens), I get antsy and feel out of the loop. This loathsome habit isn’t exactly an insightful revelation that came from deep soul searching or a problem unique to myself. Because, let’s be honest – you, dear reader, are probably just as addicted as I am.

I mean sure, anyone who’s seen a few episodes of Intervention knows there are far worse things to be addicted to and I’m not harming other people by logging onto Facebook five times every day.  I’m not even sure I am hurting myself.

What I do know is that our addiction can interfere with the quality of interpersonal interactions, focus in class, and other activities deserving of one’s undivided attention.

This is a day in my life:
I go to class and at least half of the people in attendance are not paying attention to the lecture.  They are either a) texting, b) shopping online, or c) on Facebook.
I go on a date and my date begins randomly texting somebody while pretending to listen to me at the same time. Annoying!
Even this past Thanksgiving my fourteen-year-old cousin was playing videogames on her iPhone at the dinner table.

It’s like everyone is perpetually bored and needs to use technology to alleviate themselves from their sorry state of boredom.

As finals and the holiday season are upon us, why not put in the effort to disengage and take a vacation from technology.  You might do better on your exams and can reconnect with yourself, your family and friends.  It would be hard to imagine going completely cold-turkey on technology (it was hard enough for one CollegeCandy writer to go cold-turkey on Facebook!), and after all, technology does have its merits, but with a few simple modifications, you might find the holiday season to be that much richer. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Host tech free gatherings. Invite the girls over for a movie night or old-school sleepover, but inform them ahead of time that cell phones are persona non grata. You can even offer a “tech check” where your BFFs can check their phones at the door and claim them once the night is over. Talk about bonding time!

2. Make exercise a time to connect with yourself and leave the distractions and stress of your every day behind. Create motivating playlists with your favorite music to keep you focused and pumped during your workouts, but leave gadgets that connect you to the outside world inside your locker. You’ll focus more on your workout and even give yourself some much needed time with your thoughts.

3. Implement a “tech curfew.” Let your friends and family know that at a certain time, you will not be available. Establish that time and turn off your technology. Without chimes and reminders that you have mail, a text message and constant Facebook updates that pull for a response, you will claim a lot of extra time for yourself and perhaps reconnect with something called relaxation.

4. Tech charge time. Leave the house willingly without any form of technology. At first you may be uncomfortable with how naked you feel as you re-experience everyday activities without your phone, but after the initial shock you will be surprised at how liberating it is to NOT be accessible.

With the holiday season approaching, it is the perfect time to reconnect with family and enjoy some time to ourselves. Our Digital Self needs a break too, so why don’t you and I turn off our BlackBerrys, Droids, and iPhones and tune into opportunities to be tech free-not all the time, but enough to feel a nice change.

I’m a loyal iPhone user, but I must admit – the Windows Phone 7 was pulling out some pretty cool tricks, including your own personal avatar (woot woot).  And today, I’m standing in as your personal messenger.  I hereby introduce to you: Windows Phone 7.  Hey iPhone? You may have to scooch over a little bit…

Here are the features of the new Windows Phone 7 that may tickle your technological fancy:

Informative lock screen: In a lot of ways, the lock screen resembles iPhone’s. However, it lets you give your friends individual tiles on the start screen (essentially, you add your friends as apps) and it aggregates everything they do! Yes, from texts to Facebook and Twitter updates, you can follow it all in one handy little place. Creepy? Maybe, but totally satisfying.

Facebook Integration/Social Media Hub: Microsoft really took our Facebook/Twitter addictions to heart with a Social Media Hub, which allows you to pull up a friend’s contact information and contact them in your avenue of choice: posting on their FB wall, Tweeting @ them, texting them or, if you still even do this, calling them.

Search Button: Unlike the iPhone, “search” is integrated right into the overall Windows Phone 7 design. So if you’re looking for some grub nearby, you can just type in “thai food” and get a Bing map, directions, restaurant reviews and hours instantly. Just swipe right through the options to see all the results. How informative of you, Microsoft!

E-mail/Outlook: The Windows phone not only adds events from your email, but it tells you automatically if there is a conflict with the built-in ‘Check Conflicts’ workflow so you don’t schedule dinner with the girls at the same time as that dreaded group meeting. And if there is a slight conflict, there is even an “I’ll be late” button you can send right to your contacts.  (Though I think they should change it to “I’ll be fashionably late.”) The spellcheck on Outlook is an extra perk.  It works just like Microsoft Office’s, and gives you multiple options for corrections (instead of auto-correcting!). Yes, now when I type ‘shit’ into my e-mail, it won’t come up as ‘shizoka!’

EA Games: Um, they have The Sims. Whoever added this feature, they have my blessing.

Music Hub: The Windows Phone 7 uses Zune Pass (boo, no Grooveshark) and gives you easy access to content you play most and can auto-sync to deliver new content.

Photo Hub: Takes photos right from Facebook and brings them onto the live stream on your home screen. This is awesome because you don’t even have to waste your precious time signing on to Facebook to stalk your friends’ Halloween party pics.

Personal Avatar: If you’re super bored, you can create your own personal avatar.  And if you’re a super avid gamer, you can receive special achievement points to buy new clothes, facial jewelery, and random items, like a VMA trophy. (Hey, I don’t judge.)

Texting: If you have huge fingers or drink too many Venti coffees, the text feature has an error correcting tab which, like the e-mail, will give you potential options instead of auto-correcting your words. Oh, and the phone has an emoticon button. Windows Phone 7 FTW!

Honestly, as a loyal iPhoner, the only thing I can see wrong with this guy is the copy/paste feature… because there isn’t one.  But don’t fret – according to my sources,  Windows will be coming out with one in early 2011. Even without it, though, this phone is definitely enough to rival the iPhone, especially when you realize it’s half the price!

The following is a guest post by our (nerdy yet totally helpful) friends at Hack College. Check ‘em out for all your techy needs. They’re like the nerdy boyfriend you never had but always needed.

Not everyone has a smartphone.

It’s true! Though they are excellent devices, and can even be productivity-boosters for the savvy student, they are expensive–and parents are unlikely to see the need for a smartphone to be as urgent as you see it.

Those of us who have yet to join the ranks of Androids and the iGeneration are not totally without hope, though. Even the dumbest of phones, so long as it can text, can be used as more than a pricey doorstop:

Google Calendar - Though most readers are probably aware that you can both create and be informed of GCal events via text message, dumbphone users have an added advantage: since there’s not a constant barrage of incoming messages from installed apps, the 15-minute warning the Google Gods text you about an upcoming meeting is much more likely to be seen.

GOOG-411 – Google’s directory service will give you location-specific business listings, connect you to them, and give you their address. Very helpful if you’re stuck somewhere and need to find the closest taxi service in a hurry–just be patient with the sometimes-confused voice recognition software.

Cha Cha – Cha Cha, much like its competitor KGB, is an SMS-based answer service. However, Cha Cha has a leg up in that it’s free in exchange for ads at the end of their answers. Because it’s a free service, the answer quality isn’t always the greatest, but if you’re lost and need to know the address and phone number of the restaurant you’re looking for, it will spit it out for you in phone-friendly SMS format. (And, unlike GOOG-411, it doesn’t require you  to wade through an automated phone menu to get the info in text form.)

Tumblr – Unlike Livejournal (which requires a paid/plus account) or WordPress (which requires a third-party work-around), Tumblr allows users to easily create voice posts just by calling them and talking. Useful for keeping people abreast of travel experiences when you’re somewhere without easy free internet access/a computer.

Everything else - And of course, there’s always Google SMS (to check the weather), Twitter (to inform the world what you’re doing), Fourquare (to inform the world where you’re doing it), and Facebook (for everything else).

These hacks can extend the lifespan of an aging phone without a data plan–and getting more life out of one’s tools is never a bad thing. And besides: nothing beats the smug satisfaction of knowing your phone works no matter how you hold it–even if you have clammy soft developer hands.

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Dealing with someone else’s crazy ex? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics?

Question:
I’m a high school senior and I’m starting college next fall. I’m really excited, but also really scared. Is there anything I can or should do now before I go? Maybe a few tips or things I can start on now (to prepare and also to pass the time of my boring senior year)?

Busy Bee:
Congrats on finally escaping the wrath of high school! Reminds me of my anxiousness back in the day… Anyway, my best advice to you is to live in the moment and really enjoy your last days of senior year. I know it’s boring and you probably have Senioritis, but you will not be seeing any of these people after graduation day. Make some more epic memories because you have a right to do so!

If you don’t want to just sit around this summer, I suggest volunteering or getting a job that you have always wanted but never did because it didn’t fit into your schedule. Because you won’t have to do any over-the-summer reading assignments and write a 6-page essay on how the character development contributes to the theme of the novel, you’ll have TONS of free time! Have you always wanted to build houses in Mexico? Work as a make-up artist for a fashion show? Then, do it! Plus, it’ll look good on your resume.

As for actually preparing for college, make sure you’ve signed up for all of the appropriate classes, bought the textbooks, and know where your classes are. I’m not sure how far away you’re going for school, but if you’re a trooper, go ahead and plan a 3-day stay around the campus and find out what the local hotspots are. That way, when you’re dorming it up the first few days, you’ll be the cool kid who knows where everything is!

Party Girl:
Get a fake ID. And a hot pair of black pumps.

GPA Girl:
Look at you, trying to get ahead! Keep that kind of attitude once you actually get to college and you’ll be super successful. I think the best thing to do now is just enjoy your senior year, namely the fact that you really don’t have to do anything. Come next fall, you’ll be slammed with papers, tests and reading assignments. There’s really not much you can do to prepare for college right now, but it could be a good idea to do a bit of research and find out what sort of pre-reqs you need to take, what classes are offered to Freshmen, etc. That way when it comes time to pick classes, you won’t be totally overwhelmed (like I was – I called my friends crying, no joke).

Also, it might be a good idea to invest in a Smartphone. Professors/student groups/friends do most of their communicating via email, so having it on your phone will help you stay on top of things. Not to mention having a handy calendar in there that will keep you organized. Oh, and Facebook/TFLN while you’re waiting for class to start never hurt either.

Anyway, as much as we all know we should be giving back this season, with all the goodness that’s out there it’s impossible not to want. The problem is, what do I want most? I know I can’t get it all (no matter how much they love me, I know my parents won’t be getting me a BMW this year) so I gotta choose the top dogs for my holiday list.

But which do I choose? What are you jonesing for most this season?

Then this contest is for you, my friend.

Our friends over at AT&T gave us a brand new Palm Centro to give away to one lucky CollegeCandy winner. This phone is awesome. It’s small enough to fit in your clutch, but with a full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth® capability, and infrared connectivity. You can email, Instant Messenger and Push-To-Talk with your friends, listen to AT&T Music and XM Radio, take pictures and record video, and stay up to date on all those important assignments.

Yeah, it’s the bomb.com. And it’s also easy to win. Here’s what you have to do:

Are you a member of CollegeCandy’s Facebook group? Well, you might want to be because the person who gets the most people to join the group will take home this great new phone. Just send your friends to join the group. When they join, have them leave a message on the wall that says “(Your name) sent me.” (So, if you are Brad Pitt, we want to marry you your friends would say “Brad Pitt sent me.”)

The person who sends the most will have themselves a brand spanking new phone courtesy of AT&T. You have until 5pm EST on Christmas day (December 25th, if you don’t know) to round up all your friends. We will announce the winner on CollegeCandy and send your phone on over.

(And just in case you don’t win this phone, AT&T has tons of other great phones you can take home for the holidays. Like the Samsung Propel or the Pantech Matrix, both only $79.99 with a a two-year agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate. Put that on the wish list this year!)