Ever given your number to a girl at a bar, only to sober up and realize she's a psycho stalker whose sole mission is to call you at all hours of the day and night to tell you how you've ruined her life because you didn't show to the love sacrifice ritual she arraigned for the two of you? Me too.

You can avoid the awkwardness (and relentless calling), with a Vumber. A "virtual phone number", it's a disposable two-way calling service you can link to any phone.

Once you subscribe, choose any area code in the US (told that blonde at happy hour you were a Wall Street big shot on vacation? Get one with a 212), and an available Vumber is generated. When someone calls that number you can either answer the call normally, have it ring busy, send it to a special voice mail, or have it play a recording that the number is no longer in service.

Your privacy is protected on outgoing calls, too. Just dial your Vumber, then dial the number you want to call. Your Vumber, not your actual phone number, shows up on their caller ID.

You can set up multiple Vumbers in multiple area codes and have them all go to multiple voicemail boxes. Which works, say, if you are a business trying to look like you have offices in multiple states. Or a frequent traveler who likes to give out a local number.

Use it for giving out on dating sites, social networks, job boards, when posting items online for sale, or when making purchases that require a valid phone number. It'll keep your phone spam to a minimum. And protect your privacy.

www.vumber.com
Limited time special - $4.99 per month, with 30 days free.
(Regularly $9.99 per month)

Finding your way from a printed map was fine back in Lewis and Clark's day, but not for you. You're a man of the 21st century. You haven't mailed a letter with a stamp since 1998. You haven't gotten your news from a newspaper in years. So why should you be expected to get directions from a static, paper map? You need cutting-edge technology. You need interactivity. You need a female voice ordering you what to do.

TeleNav GPS Navigator is a full-function navigation system that, instead of coming as an expensive, stand-alone piece of equipment, resides entirely on your mobile phone. I gave it a shot this week, and I was surprised how much was packed into what is essentially a cell phone app.

Once you launch TeleNav, (and agree not to do anything but listen to directions while actually driving), it gives you the option of getting driving directions by searching over 10 million businesses, coffee shops, ATMs, WiFi hotspots, hotels and even gas stations by price. Choose one and you'll get detailed voice and onscreen turn-by-turn directions. In 2D, or in 3D.

If you need to get to a specific address and you're already on the road, typing it in while driving isn't exactly the safest thing to do. TeleNav lets you hit one button and "talk" your destination into their system through a toll free number. Switch back over to the GPS, select the address when it pops up on the list, and you're off. Miss a turn and it'll reroute you.

The TeleNav Traffic function can even color-code the maps to alert you to traffic situations the whole way to your destination. If there's an accident ahead ...More

The iPhone gets all the buzz, but a lot of cell phones store and play MP3s. They may not hold nearly as many songs as your regular MP3 player, but they do let you bring a few key tunes along to serve as your own personal soundtrack. The only downside is you have to choose between using the corded stereo earbuds, which deliver the sound the way it was meant to be, or your much more convenient wireless Bluetooth headset, which only lets you listen out of one ear, defeating the whole purpose of having a stereo phone.

The new Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth headset gives you both - stereo sound in a convertible wireless headset. Sharing many of the features of their other headsets - compact, lightweight design, the one-touch buttons that control music and calls, the sliding mic boom and clarity enhancing technology of AudioIQ - the 855 also comes with a detachable stereo ear bud and cable that clips to the headset and doubles as an ear clip.

The 855's earbuds come in three sizes to ensure a personalized fit, and are designed to seal out surrounding noise so you can hear your conversation or music more clearly. (Never mind the approaching fire truck.) A single button lets you switch between calls and music.

When you're not using the extra bud just snap out the cable, converting the 855 back into a mono headset. A single charge gives you 7 hours of talk/listening time and about 200 hours standby time.

$149.95
www.plantronics.com

Voicemail is annoying. It's intrusive. And it's inconvenient. It's also a necessity.

I rarely answer my cell phone during the day, unless I'm expecting a call (or it's that feisty redhead from last night). Everything else goes right to voicemail. And I'll get whatever info I need, and return my calls, when I have the time.

The irony is that retrieving my voicemail is itself a pain in the ass. Usually I listen to them in the car (I know, not the best time to be on the cell phone. But I do use an earpiece.), and if I have to take notes, or write down a number or email address, I'm screwed. And I end up saving the message to replay later when I have a pen, (and am not operating a 2,000 lb. vehicle during rush hour). And we all that have that one friend who seems to think if he doesn't leave every last friggin detail on the recording, you won't get back to him. One minute of relevant info surrounded by 20 minutes of rambling. skipping to the important part would save a ton of time and aggravation.

To make getting your messages less of a hassle, there are some new services that let you opt to get your voicemail sent as text to your phone or email. SimulScribe is one of them.

Its voice recognition "technology" converts your message to text that's sent to any email enabled device ...More

Verizon Wireless announced the new BlackBerry 8830 World Edition will be available in their stores on May 28th.

The 8830's “always-on, always connected” wireless e-mail and Verizon's new Global BlackBerry service ensure that, no matter where in the world you are, you'll be found. (Perfect for you Crackberry addicts.)

Calls can be placed and received in over 150 countries ...More