John Walton

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John Walton

John Walton is a student and writer who spends most of his free time fingerpicking an acoustic guitar and authoring biographical snippets in the third-person. He lives with his wife and their cat, who are, like him, compulsive movers/travelers. He is passionate about open source software, learning to speak Thai, and watching poker tournaments on television (WPT).

Author's latest articles, videos, reviews and more...

Cell phones getting down with the sickness

I'm a bit embarrassed to know that reference is available for use. I don't know where it comes from though, so I'm clean. The people around me may not be, however. And there's an app in the Android...

What is the deal with mail-in rebates?

I don't even know what the ostensible justification is for a multinational corporation borrowing my cash for eight to twelve weeks. Are they earning interest on it? Are they building an impenetrable...

My take on the Pantech Slate (AT&T)

My first thought after hearing about the Slate was that I would feel comfortable giving it to my mom or a friend's ten-year-old kid for texting and talking. But characterizing the Slate in that way...

Verizon to roll out open, stand-alone GPS update next year?

The folks over at WMExperts are reporting that Verizon has responded to the site's consumer-driven campaign for unlocked GPS with a stock letter, which reads, in part: "In the case of open standalone...

G1 power management

Battery life has been my most significant complaint about the G1. So I decided to find every instance where power was being used unnecessarily and eliminate the waste. Following these steps...

Follow-up: T-Mobile @Home

Two months ago, I wrote a post about T-Mobile's VoIP service, @Home. I said I'd follow-up and let you all know how I felt about the product after a month or two of use. Well, I like it a lot. But not...

Two years later and ThinkGeek's bluetooth handset still uncontested

I've searched far and wide over the last two years, but found no bluetooth device that can stand up to ThinkGeek's revolutionary design from '06. In the shadow of its sinewy curves and the glare of...

Mini-review: Pantech Matrix - AT&T

Pros: 3G, full QWERTY,  total messaging package, good value, feels tough. Cons: GPS isn't free, it's pretty thick. I'm loving the selection of messaging devices this season: Propel, Gravity, Slate,...

Bluetooth etiquette

Those of you who follow Noah's Bark and PhoneDogTV know that kravvykrav has had his share of dangerously close encounters with people who talk on the phone while driving. Most of us have had similar...

Get the most from PhoneDog through Facebook

(Click to see the full story for active links.) Do you have a Facebook account and like what we're doing at PhoneDog? Go become a Facebook PhoneDog fan! Just go to this page and click on "Become a...

What I dislike about the G1

I don't want to kill anyone's Black Friday shopping buzz, or discourage you from buying the G1 as a holiday gift. But I have dedicated a lot of posts to pointing out the benefits of this phone, and...

Double up deals from AT&T

AT&T has a "two for the price of one" sale going on the Pantech Matrix and Samsung Propel this Thanksgiving, and it will be in effect at least until Sunday. It's kind of a messy deal. You have to...

Southeast Asia: is mobile web use surpassing wired access?

The Norwegian creators of the Opera browsers said today that mobile Internet use seems to be surpassing wired access in much of Southeast Asia. And that in some areas, it's the standard means of...

Mini-Review: Motorola Rapture (VU30) - Verizon

Pros: quick and easy picture taking, video capture, plays music without opening the flip, stereo bluetooth, useful external touch screen, sleek design, nice materials.  Cons: price, no music in the...

Culture shock: a glimpse into the Southeast Asian mobile market

My wife is Thai, and we talk about the differences between our native cultures on a semi-regular basis. Of the many subtle nuances that distinguish and characterize our social and professional habits...

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