Abstract: Devices and methods are described that utilize call idle time. In some cases, a device includes an antenna, a baseband modem connected to the antenna, including a radio frequency interface, a power subsystem, an audio, video, or text player, and a controller connected to the baseband modem, to the power subsystem and to the audio, video, or text player for programmatically operating the cell phone in an idle mode and in a normal mode, whereby in normal mode the cell phone sends and receives voice communications via the baseband modem, and in idle mode the cell phone presents pre-designated content via the audio, video, or text player. In some cases methods are described that detect that a phone conversation has been silenced or that a phone call has not been answered, and activate an idle mode in which pre-designated content is presented, and then, when the call is no longer silenced or the phone call is answered, activate a normal mode in which voice communications are enabled.

Abstract: A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, an accelerometer to measure an angle of orientation, and a controller coupled with the modem and with the accelerometer, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem when the wireless communicator is not being used in a low radiation listening mode and the accelerometer indicates a substantially stationary angle of orientation longer than a pre-designated length of time.

Abstract: A notebook computer including a controller for controlling operation of the notebook computer, a pouch in which to insert a cellular communicator, an amplifier connected to the controller, a speaker connected to the amplifier, a power supply connected to the controller, and circuitry, connected to the pouch and to the amplifier, for enabling the amplifier when the controller is powered off, in response to the cellular communicator being inserted in the pouch, and for causing the amplifier to generate a call alert when an incoming call arrives at the cellular communicator while the cellular communicator is inserted in the pouch.

Abstract: A system for finding friends near a friend, including a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list including records for a plurality of friends, each record comprising a name of a friend and geographic coordinates of a location of the friend, and a locator for receiving as input the name of a designated friend in the contact list, and for generating as output a list of at least one proximal friend, each proximal friend including the name of a friend, other than the designated friend, whose location is located close to the designated friend's location.

Abstract: A wireless communicator with direct USB connection, including a communicator module that connects to and disconnects from a jacket, including a communicator storage memory, a modem for wireless communication, and a communicator connector for connecting the communicator module to the jacket, and a jacket for the communicator module, including a USB disk drive, a jacket connector for connecting the jacket to the communicator module, a USB connector for connecting the jacket to a USB host device, and a controller for enabling the USB host device to access both the communicator storage memory and the jacket USB disk drive when the USB host device is connected to the USB connector, and when the communicator module is connected to the jacket via the communicator and jacket connectors.

Abstract: A method for effective utilization of call idle time, including automatically detecting that a first person using a phone has initiated a phone call to a second person, and that the second person has not yet answered the call, wherein the phone is operative in an idle mode to present content pre-designated by the first person, and is operative in a normal mode to send and receive voice communications to and from the second person and to not present the pre-designated content, activating the idle mode of the phone in response to the automatically detecting, further automatically detecting that the second person has answered the call, and automatically activating the normal mode of the phone in response to the further automatically detecting. A cell phone is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A communication system, including a mobile communicator including a modem for conducting a communication with a remote party, an input unit for inputting communication data to the modem, and an output for outputting communication data from the modem, a display device including an input unit, an output unit, a connector for engaging the mobile communicator and for exchanging data with the mobile communicator, and a display for displaying party-specific information about the remote party involved in the communication, wherein the modem switches to receive its communication input via the display device input unit and directs its communication output to the display output unit when the mobile communicator is engaged with the connector, and wherein the modem switches back to receive its communication input via the mobile communicator input unit and directs its communication output to the mobile communicator output unit when the mobile communicator is disengaged from the connector.

Abstract: A wireless communicator including a housing, wireless communication functionality located within the housing, and pouching responsive electrical interconnection functionality responsive to pouching orientation of the housing in a pouch of an enhanced function device for causing the wireless communication functionality to authenticate itself to the enhanced function device by (i) generating a random number, A, (ii) encrypting A using a public key of the enhanced function device, (iii) transmitting the encrypted A to the enhanced function device, (iv) receiving an encrypted number, B, from the enhanced function device, encrypted using a public key of the wireless communicator, (iv) decrypting B using a private key of the wireless communicator, (v) encrypting the product A*B using the public key of the enhanced function device, and (vi) transmitting the encrypted A*B to the enhanced function device.

Abstract: A method for effective utilization of call idle time, including detecting by the processor of a phone, that a first person using the phone has initiated a phone call to a second person, and that the second person has not yet answered the call, wherein the phone is operative in an idle mode to present content pre-designated by the first person, and is operative in a normal mode to send and receive voice communications to and from the second person and to not present the pre-designated content, activating the idle mode of the phone in response to the detecting, subsequently detecting, by the processor of the phone, that the second person has answered the call, and subsequently activating the normal mode of the phone in response to the subsequently detecting.

Abstract: A method for communication using a digital photo frame, including rendering a digital photo with a plurality of different objects appearing in the photo, the digital photo having one or more name tags associated therewith, wherein a name tag for a digital photo corresponds to an object appearing in the photo, receiving a user input phone call command for any selected one of the name tags associated with the rendered digital photo, and in response to the receiving: automatically determining a phone number for the object corresponding to the selected name tag, and automatically dialing the phone number for the object corresponding to the selected name tag.

Abstract: An integrated cordless and cellular phone system, including a base station for one or more cordless phones, the base station being served by a fixed line telephone network operator, including one or more slots for attaching one or more cellular phone modules therein, the cellular phone modules being served by corresponding cellular network operators, wherein each of the one or more slots is associated with a corresponding cordless phone, and call routing circuitry (i) for identifying an incoming call to the base station as being intended for a specific one of the cellular phone modules, and (ii) for routing the incoming call to the cordless phone that is associated with the slot to which the specific cellular phone module is attached. A method is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for an electronic messager to predict text while composing a reply message, including receiving an incoming message for a user, parsing the incoming message to identify questions, phone numbers and special phrases therein, and presenting, by an electronic messager having a memory and a processor, possible responses that the user may choose from while the user replies to the incoming message, based on the questions, phone numbers and special phrases identified by the parsing.

Abstract: A communication system including a communication system, including a modular cell phone, including a baseband modem for connecting to a core mobile network via a cellular network, and a connector for physically connecting the modular cell phone to a port of a mobile electronic device, and a mobile electronic device, including a modem for connecting to the core mobile network via an IP access network, a port for physically connecting the modular cell phone to the mobile electronic device, and a connection enhancer for receiving a connection of an ongoing cellular phone call, between the modular cell phone and the core mobile network via the cellular network, and seamlessly handing over the ongoing phone call to a voice over IP connection, between the mobile electronic device and the core mobile network via the IP access network, in response to the modular cell phone being connected with the mobile electronic device port. A method is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A mobile phone, including a processor operable to perform wireless communication, a housing for the processor, including front and back surfaces, a first display screen coupled with the processor and mounted on the outer side of the front surface, a second display screen coupled with the processor, separate from the first display screen, and a transparent portion on the outer side of the back surface through which the second display screen shows through to the outside of the housing.

Abstract: An electronic keyboard including a plurality of keys arranged as a matrix, each key including a plunger, and a conductive element on the bottom of the plunger, the conductive element having a characteristic resistance, an electronic circuit having an input current source, and mounted on a surface beneath the plurality of keys such that when a key is pressed its conductive element closes a switch in the circuit, an analog-to-digital convertor for converting an output voltage of the circuit to a digital signal, and a controller for determining from the digital signal when a key is pressed, and for identifying the key that is pressed.

Abstract: An electronic device, including a battery, a port for connecting a battery charger to charge the battery, a light emitter, and a sensor connected to the light emitter, for activating the light emitter when the sensor detects one or more vicinity light requirements indicating a need for light in the environment of the sensor, and for deactivating said light emitter when the battery charger is successfully connected to the port.

Abstract: A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, a power amplifier coupled with the modem operable to dynamically apply a variable gain factor to voice communications transmitted by the modem, to produce an appropriate power output, and a controller coupled with the modem including a radiation monitor operable to monitor the power output of the power amplifier, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem, based on data provided by the radiation monitor, when the cumulative power output produced by the power amplifier exceeds a pre-designated daily cumulative power limit.

Abstract: A wireless communicator including a housing, wireless communication functionality located within the housing, native user interface functionality cooperating with the wireless communication functionality and including user interface surfaces located on at least one outer facing surface of the housing, and pouching responsive electrical interconnection functionality responsive to pouching orientation of the housing in a pouch of an enhanced function device for automatically causing the wireless communication functionality to adapt to interoperation with parenting user interface functionality forming part of the enhanced function device at least partially instead of with the native user interface functionality. A method is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for circulating a message to a group of people, including sending a circulated message by a 1st mobile communicator, and sequentially receiving the circulated message by an nth mobile communicator and sending the circulated message to an (n+1)st mobile communicator, n=2, 3, . . . , N?1, wherein each one of the N mobile communicators has a distinct phone number. A system is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A system for finding friends near a friend, including a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list including records for a plurality of friends, each record comprising a name of a friend and geographic coordinates of a location of the friend, and a locator for receiving as input the name of a designated friend in the contact list, and for generating as output a list of at least one proximal friend, each proximal friend including the name of a friend, other than the designated friend, whose location is located close to the designated friend's location.