After yesterday's news that Verizon would be charging a $2 fee for paying bills online and over the phone, the FCC has chimed in.

“On behalf of American consumers, we’re concerned about Verizon’s actions and are looking into the matter,” the statement said.

A lot of subscribers have spoken out against Verizon's decision to institute this new convenience fee. It'll be interesting to see what the FCC ultimately decides to do, and what if any effect that has on other networks like Sprint which don't "surcharge" but do offer "discounts" for their preferred payment options. (Just goes to show how far smart PR and better marketing language can get carriers who aren't Verizon...)

Source: NYT

Our sibling site Android Central has confirmed that, beginning January 15th of 2012, Verizon Wireless will start charging a $2 fee for bills paid online or over the phone.

The fee will help allow us to continue to support these single bill payment options in these channels and is designed to address costs incurred by us for only those customers who choose to make single bill payments in alternate payment channels (online, mobile, telephone).

Neither AT&T nor Sprint charge similar fees for bills paid online or over the phone. With AT&T there is, however, a small fee for paying a bill through a customer service representative by phone instead of by IVR (interactive voice response).

This may put a few subscribers off a bit.

Source: Verizon Wireless via Android Central, PhoneScoop

The Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone 4 [$4.95] is something Georgia took a look at recently for iPad and iPhone 3GS but, frankly, I needed a convenient, tidy, highly portable way to sync and change my iPhone 4 on the go and so I grabbed it. Literally.

The Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone expands to a length of 2 ft. and has a locking feature which allows you to choose which length you would like the cable locked at. A light tug on the cable and it retracts back to its wound state. When wound, the Cable is only 4.5 inches long, making it very easy to bring with you. My regular usb S&C cable was always a tangled mess when I carried it loose in my briefcase. A good deal of time and effort was spent on untangling the cord from whatever it had become attached to. With the Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone, charging and syncing my iPhone is a snap, just take it out of my briefcase and plug it in and when I am done a quick tug and is thrown back into my bag. The cable is quite well constructed and after a month of use it is still working like new.

It's also $4.95, so I'm not too concerned about lending them (which usually translates into giving them away). If you want to keep your iPhone 4 synced up and charged, check out the Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone 4.

And check out Georgia's video after the break to see it in action on the iPad and iPhone 3GS. (Works the same with iPhone 4).

YouTube link

The Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone and iPad [$4.95 - iMore Store Link] is for those who abhor long cables that always getting caught, tangled and the imposing clutter, the SmartPhone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone is the way to go. Small and lightweight, you can take it with you everywhere and charge/sync your iPhone through the USB connection on your laptop or computer with ease.

The Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone expands to a length of 2 ft. and has a locking feature which allows you to choose which length you would like the cable locked at. A light tug on the cable and it retracts back to its wound state. When wound, the Cable is only 4.5 inches long, making it very easy to bring with you. My regular usb S&C cable was always a tangled mess when I carried it loose in my briefcase. A good deal of time and effort was spent on untangling the cord from whatever it had become attached to. With the Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone, charging and syncing my iPhone is a snap, just take it out of my briefcase and plug it in and when I am done a quick tug and is thrown back into my bag. The cable is quite well constructed and after a month of use it is still working like new.

I would recommend getting this for everyone who charges and syncs their iPhone. I absolutely love this Cable and at $4.95 it is practically free (appeals to my Scottish side).

Pictures and video after the break!

YouTube link

What we have here is a solar-powered iPhone case/charger, from Brando.com.hk, an Asian technology importer. And if you think about it, it's really not too shabby an idea.

The cost of this clever case is $48 and it is made of black leather, includes a 3.7-volt rechargeable battery, and a built-in photocell. Two versions are available, a flip-top and a side holster.

How long does it take to fully charge your iPhone? 12 hours in direct sunlight. While that is a long time in the sun, it's better than nothing if you are spending your day at the beach and need battery power. Or if you need some emergency juice, give it a few minutes and you'll have the battery power for a quick call.

If you try it out, let us know how you like it!

(Via MacDailyNews)

The reason for the recall? Apple is saying that the metal prongs may break off and remain embedded in the power outlet which creates a risk of electrical shock. Apple strongly states that users should stop using these adapters until they are exchanged for the new version. The exchange program starts October 10th so Apple suggests charging via USB on your computer until then.

It hurts to say but it looks like us early adopters for the iPhone 3G got bit hard. Previous Apple products had all these little nuggets that made Apple a breath of fresh air in a stale PC-world. But with the iPhone 3G it seemed like all the adorable qualities that made Apple, Apple, got lost and got worse. Luckily it looks like Apple is tidying the ship on all of these issues.

Click the Read Link to see the full details directly from Apple.

Read