Tag: smartphones

Wi-Fi Phone With Free Unlimited National Calling

by Greg Johnson, posted in Mobile Devices, Tech Tips

Introduction

Wi-Fi calling is the ability to make phone calls from your mobile phone when there is little or no mobile signal. Until recently, people living in areas with poor mobile signal strength had to purchase micro-cell devices at a cost of about $150. These devices would plug into Ethernet and work like a small cell tower in your home. With Wi-Fi calling, it’s possible to make phone calls anywhere there’s a wireless Internet connection, even if no carrier signal is present — like basements or office buildings.

Skype Phone Number – $6 / mo.

Wi-Fi calling has been available for a while in various forms. The Skype app for mobile phones was an early offering that was initially blocked by carriers for use over cellular data because it was seen as a way of circumventing the mobile phone packages that limited the monthly calling minutes. You could still use Skype wherever wireless Internet was available, just not while away from wireless. Eventually, mobile phone carriers began offering unlimited nation-wide calling so cellular data use by VoIP apps was permitted. Skype continues to be a favorite solution for video calling.

A drawback to setting up a Skype phone number is that the available area codes are limited. For example, in Iowa, only 712 (Sioux City) is available. Unless you live in that calling area, people calling from landlines will need to pay long distance fees.

Republic Wireless – $10 / mo.

One of the first innovators to offer wireless calling included in their phone service was Republic Wireless. Initially the cost was $5 per month. That’s now up to $10 per month. With phones starting at about $130, you can have wireless calling as well as a pay-as-you-go cellular phone service.

Google Voice – $0 / mo.

Google Voice is available at no cost for every person who has a free Google account. If you setup an Android phone with the Google Voice app for Android or an iPhone with the Google App for iOS, you get a free phone number in just about any area code you choose. You can then receive and make calls from that number. The phone service includes voicemail and SMS text messaging.

If you’d like to activate the phone with a carrier, you can, but you don’t need to. So, essentially, you can have free phone service, and a free phone number, forever. It will work anytime you’re in range of a wireless Internet connection.

NOTE: Incoming calls can only go to voicemail or be routed to a working phone line. So, if you’re using your Google Voice phone as your only phone, then you’ll need to have people leave a message and then call them back using Google Hangouts.

Making Calls with Google Hangouts.

The instructions below explain how to make a call with the Google Hangouts App. Click this image for a larger view.

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Best Phones for Google Voice

If you plan to save money by using a mobile phone with or without carrier service activated, here are some great models to choose from. It’s best to choose a model with 16GB or more memory so the phone isn’t running out of room frequently.

  • Motorola Moto G 16GB Global Phone 3rd Generation – $219 on Amazon. This phone looks great and sounds great with dual front facing speakers. It has a fast quad-core processor and includes an FM radio. The smooth design all around is very comfortable to hold. The 5″ screen is an ideal size — not too big, and not too small. The display is super colorful, crisp and bright. As a global phone, it has maximum compatibility and resale value.
  •  Motorola Moto G 8GB 2nd Generation – $99 to $165 on Amazon. The 2nd Generation Moto G is available in 8GB only, but it will save you some money. It has many of the same benefits and features as the 3G. The US model is $99 and the Global model is $165.
  • Unlocked Android Phones on Amazon. There are a variety of unlocked Android phones on Amazon. Unlocked phones have the greatest flexibility and need not be bound to a contract with a particular carrier. Android phones offer the ability to use the Google Play store for apps.
  • Unlocked Apple Phones on Amazon. There are a variety of unlocked Apple phones on Amazon. Unlocked phones have the greatest flexibility and need not be bound to a contract with a particular carrier. The Apple iPhone offer the ability to use the Apple App store which may have more elaborate features than their Android counterparts. Newer models of Apple iPhones have one-touch fingerprint readers which help secure your phone.

Consider an iPod Touch $199

If you’re planning on exclusively using Wi-Fi calling you might consider using an iPod Touch starting at $199 for the 16GB model. The iPod touch offers many great features and it’s super slim and light.

Consider an iPad $269 – $1,400

Like the iPod touch, an iPad would also serve as an excellent phone system with the added advantage of having great computing features for other work. Using cloud storage with Dropbox or Box turns the iPad into a desktop-class file storage system.

AT&T Wi-Fi Calling

Recently AT&T partnered with Apple to allow Wi-Fi calling on new iPhones. This is great news for people who had very poor signal quality in their homes or offices.

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Managing and Reducing Smart Phone Apps for iPhone and Android

by Greg Johnson, posted in Tech Tips

Too many programs on a computer or mobile device use up storage space. Since mobile devices are generally more limited on storage, there’s even more reason to keep the list of installed apps to a minimum. Mobile devices also use up over-the-air mobile data plan quotas, and the updating process takes time and can slow down your device.

One approach to curating the collection of apps is to do it over time. As you’re notified of pending updates, review the programs that are being updated and consider if each program is really necessary.

Another approach is to conduct a complete inventory of programs installed on your device.

It’s common to ‘try out’ an app by downloading it and using it a little. Consider removing the apps that you tried and never used.

Some apps have duplicate purposes and uses. Consider reducing to the best one of the bunch.

Reducing apps can help declutter your screen, save space, save data usage, and speed up  your phone. You’ll be glad you did.

How iPhone and Android Smartphone Apps Track and Access Your Private Information

by Greg Johnson, posted in Mobile Devices, Security

The following series of four videos from AJ+ presents an introduction to the privacy issues related to using smartphone apps.

How Apps Access Your Private Information

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNNulgHYAbo?rel=0]

Google Is Tracking Your Every Move

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HqOdp0u7eE?rel=0]

Free Wi-Fi Terms of Use Are Broad and Invasive

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hHJevLh59Q?rel=0]

Who’s Really In Control Of Your Phone?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqfgcw-v_fA?rel=0]

Motorola Moto X 2nd Gen 32GB Bamboo Smartphone

by Greg Johnson, posted in Mobile Devices

The Motorola Moto X smartphone ($400 base price) offers a user customizable design with Moto Maker. The cost when fully configured with 32GB memory ($50), bamboo back ($25), the Motorola Turbo Charger ($35), AT&T carrier configuration ($100), and Moto Care Accidental Protection ($85) is about $700. The warranty is transferable and tied to the device’s unique IMEI number.

Moto X 2nd Gen Product Images

Cost Fully Configured with AT&T
Appearance – Front & Back
Turbo Charger

Motorola Turbo Charger ($35)

From the Turbo Charger product page:

  • Our fastest charger ever — incorporates Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 2.0 technology and 15W of power
  • 15 minutes of charging on the latest Moto phones delivers up to 8 more hours of battery life. Other USB-enabled phones and tablets enjoy up to 1.6 amp charging rate.
  • Our optimized battery charging algorithm enables turbo charging while maintaining good battery cycle life.

General Moto X 2nd Gen Specifications

Below are general specifications about the Moto X 2nd Gen.

Operating system

Android 5.0 Lollipop® now available for some carriers

System Architecture/Processor

Motorola Mobile Computing System including 2.5GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 with quad-core CPU (MSM 8974-AC), Adreno 330 @ 578 MHz GPU, Natural Language Processor, Contextual Computing Processor

Memory (RAM)

  • 2GB

Storage (ROM)

  • 16GB*** & 32GB***
  • 64GB*** (Moto Pure Edition only)

Dimensions

  • Height: 140.8mm ( 5.54 inches)
  • Width: 72.4mm ( 2.85 inches)
  • Curve: 3.8-9.9mm ( 0.15- 0.39 inches)

Weight

  • 144 grams (5.08 ounces)

Display

  • 5.2″ AMOLED
  • 1080p FULL HD 1920×1080
  • 423 ppi
  • Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3

Battery

  • 2300 mAh
  • Mixed usage up to 24 hours*

Water Resistant

  • Yes

Networks

  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, 4G LTE

Bands (by model)

Moto X – Pure Edition (GSM Unlocked with T-Mo SIM – XT1095):

  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1700 (AWS), 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • 4G LTE (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 17)

AT&T (XT1097):

  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1700 (AWS), 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • 4G LTE (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 17)

Verizon (XT1096):

  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • CDMA (850, 1900 MHz)
  • 4G LTE (2, 3, 4, 7, 13)

USC (XT1093):

  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1800, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • CDMA (800, 850, 1900 MHz)
  • 4G LTE (2, 4, 5, 12, 17, 25)

Rear Camera

  • 13 MP
  • f/ 2.25 aperture
  • Quick Capture
  • Tap anywhere to capture
  • Ring flash with dual LEDs
  • 4K UHD video capture
  • 1080p HD video (30 fps)
  • 4X digital zoom
  • Slow motion video
  • Burst mode
  • Auto HDR
  • Panorama
  • Drag to Focus & Exposure

Front Camera

  • 2 MP

SIM Card

  • Nano-SIM

Connectivity

  • Micro USB, 3.5mm headset jack

Bluetooth® Technology

  • Bluetooth version 4.0 LE

Wi-Fi

  • 802.11a/g/b/n/ac (dual band capable)

Speaker

  • Front-ported

Video Capture

  • 1080p HD and 2160p Ultra HD Video, 30fps (MPEG4, H.264)

NFC

  • Yes

Location Services

  • GPS

Base Models**

  • Black
  • Black with Black Leather
  • White with Bamboo

Backs**

  • Choose from 25 different backs (17 colors, 4 woods, 4 leathers).

Accents**

  • Choose from 10 accent colors on the back and now the front too.

Motorola Turbo Charger ($35)

  • Our fastest charger ever — incorporates Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 2.0 technology and 15W of power
  • 15 minutes of charging on the latest Moto phones delivers up to 8 more hours of battery life. Other USB-enabled phones and tablets enjoy up to 1.6 amp charging rate.
  • Our optimized battery charging algorithm enables turbo charging while maintaining good battery cycle life.

Best Mobile Smart Phones From One Plus One, HTC One M8, Google Nexus, Moto X, LG G3, and Amazon Fire

by Greg Johnson, posted in Technology Devices, Uncategorized

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One Plus One

Summary. The powerful Qualcomm© Snapdragon™ 801 processor with global 4G LTE is coupled with an immersive 5.5″ 1080p display for over a day’s worth of battery life.  We focused only on features that would truly improve the OnePlus One experience such as Voice Wakeup, and On Screen Gestures. (How to buy.) Thanks to T.P. for assisting in the research of this document.

Enhanced Android OS. The OnePlus One comes with a special version of CyanogenMod (based on Android™), designed for the One. It’s fast, light, secure and will receive updates for at least 2 years.

Camera. The camera on the OnePlus One excels thanks to quality optics, sensors and algorithms. Boasting a 13 megapixel Sony Exmor IMX214 camera with f/2.0 aperture, the OnePlus One camera takes amazing pictures even in low light conditions. Shoot anytime, anywhere for bright, sharp photos. Our camera has 6 physical lenses. Your photos will be more precise and detailed without suffering from distortion often caused by lower apertures. With an impressive 5 megapixel camera adorning the front of the OnePlus One, selfies will be more captivating than ever. The extra-wide 80º viewing angle captures more area than other phones so your pictures will include more background without distortion.

Processor. Packing a Qualcomm© Snapdragon™ 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-Core CPUs, the OnePlus One’s operational capacity and performance are enhanced by Qualcomm’s heterogeneous computing approach. This chipset harnesses the robust integration of many components for incredible speed and power efficiency. Among them, the custom Krait CPU architecture for sustained peak performance, integrated 4G LTE connectivity and Adreno 330 GPU for superior graphics and gaming experience, boosting 3D interfaces, colors and textures.

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Motorola Moto X

Moto X™ is ready when you are.  It responds to your voice – no touching necessary.  Quickly access the 10-megapixel camera with a twist of your wrist, letting you take pictures before the moment passes. Record 1080p HD video with stereo sound, and video chat with a front-facing HD camera. Use Moto X’s entire 4.7-inch HD screen as a viewfinder without any icons obstructing your view. Intuitive controls let you push to zoom, tap anywhere on the screen to take a shot, or tap and hold to continuously shoot. Moto X is the first smartphone ever to be designed and assembled in the USA, so it’s close to you before it even gets to you.  Once you turn it on, it’s all yours. Just talk. (Buy from Republic Wireless, Verizon, or use the MotoMaker to design your own.)

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HTC One (M8)

The HTC One (M8) has an all metal body with sleek lines and soft curves that has been crafted to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. It curves around the screen with no edges or seams to make it one of the most comfortable phones to hold. HTC sense 6: We’ve given the Sense 6 user experience a stylish new overhaul. It’s bolder, cleaner, and more colorful. Enhanced intuitive gesture recognition makes access to your phone faster and easier, and allows you to interact with your phone in ways you never thought possible. • Motion LaunchTM gestures • Custom themes and fonts • HTC Sense TVTM Sports – Real time sports scores and stats • HTC BlinkFeedTM – Your world at a glance • ZoeTM – Bring your stories to life.

Take brilliant day or night time shots with the HTC Duo camera. Add pro effects effortlessly, automatically make mini movies in seconds, or flip to the 5MP front camera for the perfect selfie.

UFocus lets you select what you would like to be in focus, even after you’ve taken the picture. The aesthetic blur you see is called the bokeh effect. It’s a professional effect you normally only get with expensive cameras or complicated editing software. On the new HTC One it just happens automatically.

* * *

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Google Nexus 5

Slimmer, lighter design. Nexus 5 is precision-built from strong materials, and the intelligently simple design showcases more of what matters to you. At only 4.59 oz and 8.59 mm thin, it’s the most powerful Nexus phone yet. Speed and power to spare.

With 4G/LTE and ultra-fast Wi-Fi, Nexus 5 keeps you connected at blazing speeds. Add in the cutting-edge 2.26GHz Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 800 processor and you’ll race through games, zip around the web and switch between apps at the flick of a finger. Stunning 5 display.

More room to do what you do, and better colors too. Nexus 5 gives you a Full HD display so you can see every detail in lifelike color with less glare and a wider viewing angle-the perfect canvas for your moments. Powered by Android 4.4, KitKat. Android is fast and powerful yet simple to use. Focus on getting stuff done without having to think about the technology underneath.

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LG G3

Get the ultimate in smart technology. The LG G3 phone is sleek, stylish and innovative to its core. Featuring a stunning 5.5 Inch, Quad HD 2,560 x 1,440 resolution display, Laser Auto Focus and more, the LG G3 proves that form and function are not mutually exclusive.

Sign up to get the latest LG G3 news and LG G3 release dates delivered directly to your inbox, or browse our collection of cell phone accessories and activity trackers – to get even more from the devices you rely on.

Behold the latest smartphone in LG’s award-winning G Series. Now, with a larger, clearer display, a laser-precise camera and superior smart interactivity, we can confidently call the G3 the best smartphone that LG has ever made.

The LG G3’s new 5.5″ Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display transforms the smartphone visual experience at 4 times the resolution of HD. Stunning graphics and life-like colors seem to jump off the screen, showing imagery in its finest detail and clarity at 538 pixels per inch.

Never miss a photo-op again! Capture the moment when it happens, even when the subject is moving or the lighting isn’t optimal. You’ll be able to take the photo faster due to the advanced Laser Auto Focus feature and streamlined camera UI.

Capture true-to-life memories with the LG G3’s 13 MP OIS camera. The floating lens steadies the shot for sharp, focused imagery and the advanced sensor lets more light in. And, take perfect pictures without having to adjust a bunch of settings. Just point, shoot, and take your best shot.

Gain quick, secure access to the home screen by tapping your personalized 3 to 8 point pattern anywhere on the display. There are 86,358 possible code combinations.

The LG G3 is a device that constantly learns and adapts to your ever-changing needs and interests, providing personalized suggestions that makes life easier and more productive. With contextual analysis, it helps you get organized, stay on task, keep in touch with friends, and won’t let you miss an important event.

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Summary

The Amazon Fire Phone is a powerful mobile technology that comes with free technical support.

Dynamic Perspective

Experience interactions not possible on other smartphones. Tilt, auto-scroll, swivel, and peek to navigate menus and access shortcuts with one hand. Dive into a new class of immersive apps and games—peek to see detailed views of clothing, shoes, and more in the new Amazon Shopping app for Fire phone, or take on a character’s viewpoint to see around corners and obstacles in games. Learn more

Firefly technology

Quickly identify printed web and email addresses, phone numbers, QR and bar codes, plus over 100 million items, including movies, TV episodes, songs, and products—simply press and hold the dedicated Firefly button to discover useful information and take action in seconds.Learn more

Mayday

Get free, live, on-device video support with an Amazon expert, 24×7, 365 days a year at the touch of a button. No appointments necessary. Now available over the AT&T cellular network, in addition to Wi-Fi. Learn more

Amazon Prime

For a limited time, Fire phone includes a full year of Prime. Enjoy unlimited streaming and downloads of tens of thousands of popular movies and TV episodes with Prime Instant Video, over one million songs and hundreds of playlists with the all-new Prime Music, over 500,000 books to borrow for free with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, and FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of items. Normal data charges apply when accessing Prime Instant Video, Prime Music and other digital content over the cellular network. Learn more about Amazon Prime

Immersive apps and games

Peek in maps to show Yelp ratings. In StubHub stadium view, see 90 degrees to the left and right of your seat, as if you were actually there, looking around. In games, like Lili, take on the character’s viewpoint and move your head to look around corners, obstacles, and other objects.

One-handed short cuts

Access menus, shortcuts, and useful information with tilt, swivel, and peek.

  • Tilt for panels—use the left panel to navigate menus, and the right panel to access useful information and shortcuts, like attaching photos to a text message, viewing song lyrics, and more.
  • Swivel for access to important notifications and quick actions like Mayday, Flashlight, Settings, and more.
  • Peek keeps your display uncluttered by revealing additional details and quick actions only when you need it.

One-handed reading

With auto-scroll, scan long web pages without ever having to touch the screen.

Simply press the Firefly button to instantly identify and take action on…

  • Phone numbers, web, and email addresses. Firefly identifies printed text on posters, magazines, and business cards—make calls, save new contacts, send emails, and visit websites without typing long addresses.
  • Movies & TV. Firefly recognizes over 240,000 movies and TV episodes, and 160 live TV channels. Firefly uses X-Ray, powered by IMDb, to show information on actors, plot details, and related content—add titles to your Watchlist or download to watch later.
  • Music. Firefly recognizes songs so you can access artist information, play related songs, download albums direct to your Fire phone, or add them to your Wish List to purchase later on. With Firefly-enabled apps like iHeartRadio and StubHub, you can create radio stations based on an identified artist, or even find tickets for their next show.

Over 70 million products

Recognize household items, books, DVDs, CDs, video games, and more. Access product details, add items to your Wish List, or order on Amazon straight from your Fire phone.

Free, live, on-device tech support

Simply hit the Mayday button in quick actions and an Amazon expert will appear to help you via live video. Our tech experts can co-pilot you through any feature by drawing on your screen, walking you through how to do something yourself, or doing it for you—whatever works best. Throughout the process, you’ll be able to see the Amazon expert live on your screen, but they won’t see you.

Now available over the AT&T cellular network

In addition to Wi-Fi, Mayday is now available over the AT&T cellular network. Enjoy free, on-device tech support, 24×7, 365 days a year. Normal data charges apply when you are using Mayday over the cellular network.

Help in 15 seconds or less

No waiting in line. No appointment required. The Mayday response time goal is 15 seconds or less.