Photos: The Philippines as texting central

By connecting a phone to one of these "flasher boxes," a repairman can reset software on the device, change the International Mobile Equipment Identity number, set user interface defaults, reset user codes, set LCD contrast, and more. The "flasher boxes" pictured work on most Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones, Mejares said.

Photo by Marguerite Reardon/CNET News.com