That’s how much the typical family in the US spends on telecommunications. It’s certainly one of the highest discretionary items in a typical budget, and it’s particularly surprising given that long distance is a fraction of what it used to be.

So, David Troup points us to Helio, a phone/toy for teenagers and those that think like them (the phone, with built in music and video capability, is primarily sold at record stores, at least in NY). I give them credit for tapping into a desire that consumers are already voting for with their dollars. Is it a killer app for geezers like me? Nope. And that may be exactly why it works.