Droid Bionic Arrives: Just in Time for Central Coast 4G Network Unveiling

September 9, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Android, Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Motorola’s Droid Bionic is here! This dual-core processor, 4G capable smartphone is just $299.99 at Phone & Wireless.

Just in time for Verizon’s 4G Network build out hitting San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties September 15th, the Bionic comes fully loaded with Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) and is the first Verizon Wireless smartphone to combine LTE with a dual-core 1 GHz processor.

Additional features include 1 GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen, 8-megapixel autofocus camera with flash and 1080p HD video capture, front-facing camera, HDMI out (1080p HD), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Among accessories available are the HD Station, and the Vehicle Navigation Dock, which delivers access to maps, contacts, hands-free calling, music and navigation, supporting streaming of audio and music via the 3.5 mm audio jack to play through vehicle speakers.

Six Tips to Watch Your Data Use

July 25, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Verizon has discontinued unlimited data plans and changed to tiered data plans – 2G, 5GB and 10 GB monthly.  The change  came when they studied usage habits and learned that over 95% of smartphone customers use less than 2 GB per month.

While 2GB is enough to keep most individuals’ usage covered, services like streaming music and video, or frequent downloading and heavy web browsing could get you in trouble if you’re not careful.  With a $10 charge for each GB over the limit, it’s important to use the available tools for keeping a close eye on data usage.

Here are some easy tips on how to keep your bill from becoming higher than expected:

Read your free text message alerts
Verizon will send out free text message alerts when your data usage hits 50, 75, 90, 100 and 110 percent of your monthly allowance.

Use #DATA to check in
Dial #DATA on your phone at any time throughout the month to receive a text message of your current data usage.

Monitor My Verizon and My Verizon Mobile
Customers can go to their My Verizon page online or on their phones to check usage.

Be Calculated
Verizon is offering a free data calculator to let you know how much data is used by sending emails, browsing the web, streaming video and music, downloading apps and other common activities.  So you can measure what you expect to use – and choose the right data plan for you.

The Widget Works
Those with Android and BlackBerry handsets and tablets can download a widget to their phones that will track usage.

There’s an App for That
iPhones users can also download apps that monitor data use, like the free DataMan or Consume apps. 3G Watchdog does the same for Androids.

Avoid a “Global Roaming” Experience: Use Data Worldwide the Smart Way

July 13, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Now that you’ve got your amazing new global ready smartphone, the possibilities seem endless! Imagine yourself…sending a picture message of you and your Sherpa from Machu Pichu!  Updating your Facebook page beneath the Eiffel Tower.  Or maybe you just want to check up on your work email while taking a breather by the Fountain di Trevi.  Shame on you, you’re on vacation!

More and more of us are depending on being connected globally while we travel, whether it be for business or just to check in with loved ones from the road.  And it was all so convenient, even romantic, until we received a giant bill!

Avoid Global Data Sticker Shock
Verizon Wireless global devices support data in more than 205 countries. When you connect from abroad, international data roaming charges might not be covered by your domestic plan and can add up quickly.  For example, opening an email with a medium-sized attachment or downloading an average-sized application takes about 1 MB of data. While roaming outside North America, the cost would be over $20, based on pay-per-use international data rates of $0.02 per KB.

So that you get the most out of your global device — while paying the least on your data bill — here are a few tips to help you keep your international charges to a minimum.

Purchase a global data plan
Choose from a variety of flexible and affordable options for your Smartphone, feature phone, or Mobile Broadband-capable device. Flexible monthly options are available starting at $30. Choose the Global Data pricing option that’s right for you based on your travel frequency and destinations.

Turn off data roaming to save
If you prefer pay-as-you-go data, here are some ways to reduce data charges:

• Turn off data roaming on your device
  All devices will automatically search for updates. If that happens while you’re out of the country, you’ll incur international data roaming charges. So, be sure to turn off data roaming. Some devices allow you to turn data off only when in a roaming state; consult your device manual for instructions.
• Use Wi-Fi® when available
  Wi-Fi is available in many international airports, hotels, and restaurants to browse the Web or check email.

Get usage updates regularly
To help you stay on top of your international data usage, you’ll receive notifications when traveling abroad, including:

• Welcome text message
  Upon arrival, you’ll receive a free text message letting you know how to make calls from your current location, the number for Customer Service, and a reminder about the cost of data services.
• International data roaming monitor
  You’ll automatically receive a notification* when you reach certain thresholds in international data roaming charges. The message will include the amount of charges you’ve incurred and a 24 / 7 toll-free global support number should you choose to review your options or upgrade your plan.

• VZAccess® Manager pop-up
  When you enable a VZAccess Manager data session while traveling internationally, you’ll receive a pop-up (similar to the one below) informing you again about the cost of data services outside of the US. The pop-up also directs you to a website where you can check your usage. 

  

Now you’re aware of how to use global data without getting hit by unreasonable international charges.  Use these tips to help enhance your globe-trotting adventures, while staying connected to the home front.  Happy traveling!

* Text-capable devices will receive two text messages. Owners of data-only devices or devices that can’t receive text messages will receive email notification at the email address of record.

Coming Soon: The Next Generation of DROID

July 7, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Android, Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Full Keyboard, No Compromises: DROID 3 by Motorola
The new Android™-powered DROID 3 by Motorola is coming soon. It’s a global smartphone that delivers power for work and play without making compromises.

DROID 3 by Motorola is the world’s thinnest smartphone with a slide out QWERTY keyboard, and still delivers the power of a dual-core 1 GHz processor for fast multi-tasking.

Customers can take stunning photos with the 8-megapixel camera or capture the moment in 1080p HD video. Equipped with Android 2.3, the DROID 3 by Motorola features a brilliant 4-inch qHD display, a roomy 5-row QWERTY keyboard and 3G Mobile Hotspot capabilities, with the ability to connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

Some of the additional features of the new device include:

• Mirror mode that allows users to view and share photos, videos and movies on a larger TV via HDMI output (requires HDMI cable)
• Global ready wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, including more than 125 with 3G speeds
• Enterprise ready with advanced security policies, device and SD card encryption, complex password support, remote data wipe of device and SD card
• Front-facing camera for still shots and video chat

DROID 3 by Motorola will be available in Phone & Wireless stores the third week of July for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement and smartphone data package.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Phone & Wireless location today.

App of the Month: Google Maps

July 1, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Android, App of the Month, Blackberry, iPhone, Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Never Carry a Paper Map Again!
Most of us have used Google Maps online to locate a business or get directions.  But if you have a smartphone and haven’t used this app yet, check it out! While you are out and about, use the app to find, rate, and get recommendations for places. Then use the free voice-guided GPS navigation to get you to your destination.  If you want, you can even see your friends on the map, and check in at places using the “Latitude” feature.

Type an address or business name into the search bar at the top of the screen, and the map screen will zoom in on the location and plop a marker on the spot.  Search for business types, too. You can then zoom in using a variety of view options, such as map or satellite. If you want to step beyond the pinpoint location, you can get directions, which are offered via three options: by car, by public transit, or walking (a particularly interesting choice if your trip includes a transoceanic route).

Users with a Google account can also partake in the My Maps service, which provides users with simple drag-and-drop tools to chart their own customized maps and share them with others via a customized link or email message.

Google Maps’ biggest claim to fame is Street View, a view level of the map that lets you see a 360-degree view of a street at eye level. Users can explore a photograph of their local streets if they live in one of the cities that has been mapped by the service.

Check out this video for a look at the cool 3D walking maps!

A couple things to watch for? The app does use your data allowance, so make sure to watch your usage – Verizon users hit #DATA (#3282) then send. It can also be a drain on your battery life because it is constantly interacting with satellites.  Making a conscious effort to turn the GPS feature of the app off when you are not using it, and exiting the app when you are through, should help with both of these issues.

Google Maps is available on Google’s Android platform, and on Apple’s iPhone, and with limited features for Blackberry and Windows phones.  For more information or to download: http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/

Source: Cnet’s Editor Review of Google Maps App, Android Market’s posting of Google Maps App

And the Fastest Mobile Network is….Verizon 4G

June 30, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

PCMag recently hit the road to test eight 3G and 4G networks in 21 U.S. cities. With smartphone innovation moving at a breakneck pace, new tablets hitting the market all the time, and an increasing number of people using cellular modems and mobile hotspots to get online on the go, access to speedy data coverage is becoming more essential every day.

But you shouldn’t believe the hype:  All “4G” is not the same. In the test across the U.S., Verizon’s new 4G LTE network was much faster than other mobile Web options, with speeds that often exceeded home Internet connections.

PCMag sent six drivers on a cross-country road trip, with mobile phones and custom software designed by network testing firm Sensorly, to see just how fast these 4G Internet connections really are. Here are more details on how the tests were done.

More than 140,000 tests were run in 21 cities. Not all the networks were available in all the cities. Most notably, cities generally had either Cricket or MetroPCS as a local option.

Now, for the winners:
Verizon took top marks for speed in the Northeast, Southeast, Central and West metro areas.

The Central region included the only city without Verizon 4G, Kansas City. Even with a zero score for Kansas City, Verizon 4G was the fastest network for the region. Only in rural America did Verizon fall short of any other carrier, though they have pledged to expand their 4G coverage to their existing 3G network by the end of 2013.

Nationwide: Verizon 4G
Overall, Verizon’s LTE system is remarkably faster than the technologies AT&T, MetroPCS, Sprint and T-Mobile are currently using for “4G.” Even with one hand tied behind its back—a 20-percent penalty to its speed score for its lack of rural coverage—Verizon’s new 4G network trounced the other carriers. In many areas, it was even faster than some DSL or cable connections.

Verizon Wireless has two very different networks: a slower, but reliable nationwide 3G network and a blazingly fast 4G LTE network with limited coverage as of mid 2011. The combination seems to be working, as Verizon’s 4G system swept the Fastest Mobile Networks awards while its 3G voice network got top marks in PCMag’s Readers’ Choice awards for terrific coverage and call quality.

Verizon 4G LTE has been slated to arrive on the Central Coast (Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties) by the end of 2011.

Source: “Fastest Mobile Network 2011” by Sascha Segan, staff writer for PCMag

What’s the 411?

June 27, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Spending a lot on 411 calls? Here’s a quick and easy tip that should help you save some cash.  Google offers a free text message information service.

Next time you need the number or address of a specific business, or simply want to find, for example, a florist in San Luis Obispo, just text Google for the information.

You will receive a text message with the search results on your phone immediately, for no additional charge than the cost to receive a text.  If you have a text message package, there is no impact on your bill at all.

How it’s done

1. Enter the numeric code for Google – 466453 (store it in your address book!)
2. Compose a text to this number for your search  – florist 93401
3. Hit send
4. Receive a text message that includes the business names, addresses and phone numbers that were found

Now you have the information in writing so you can reference it immediately or at a later time. By the way, you can also get movie times, weather and sports scores!

The handiest part of the deal?  The conspicuous disappearance of 411 charges on your cell phone bill, of course.

What Is SIP Trunking and Why Should You Care?

June 24, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Business Phones

With business costs rising for everything from goods to labor, finding something that can actually improve your business and save you money is worth considering.  Some great news is that it is becoming cheaper for small to mid sized companies to make the switch to the new age of telecom.

It may sound complicated at first, but SIP Trunking doesn’t need to be confusing.

Session Initiated Protocol (SIP for short) is just a type of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) that companies can use to lower their telecom costs.

For the last century, we’ve been making calls on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The carriers’ method for charging and compensating each other results in expensive calls to some areas, and less expensive calls to other areas.  The PSTN is an aging infrastructure made up largely of old copper wires and inefficient switching equipment (unlike the modern digital IP alternatives).

SIP allows you to skip all or part of the PSTN and save on the cost of making and receiving a call.

If both parties are using a SIP enabled device, that call can be VERY cheap (often just a fraction of a penny per minute). If the receiving end of the call is still on the PSTN, that call will need to be converted from VoIP to TDM (Time Division Multiplexing – which is used on the PSTN), but you will still save a bit on these calls since you originated the call using SIP.

What hardware will you need to get SIP Trunking up and running?
To make a call, you need a phone and, in offices with multiple employees, you’ll also need some sort of phone system.

Most companies pay for both phone service AND internet. For companies with 20 or more phones, that phone service is often a T1/PRI (if you’ve got one, you’ll know, they come with a big bill).

SIP is carried over your internet connection, so in most cases you can drop your PRI and just use your data connection for both your calls and your internet needs.  Most new phone systems include built in support for SIP.  As more businesses switch to SIP, the average cost to make a call is dropping as well.

What other benefits does SIP provide?
The new SIP enabled phone systems offer much more flexibility and better features than ever before.

It is now possible for a small company to have all of the features of their “big box” rivals.  For example: virtual local calling in cities that you don’t physically have an office in, the ability to take your phone number with you around the world when you travel, direct extensions for all of your employees without the traditional associated costs, advanced calling and voice mail options.

And with the lowered telecom costs associated with SIP, you can pay off your equipment rapidly (especially if you make a lot of outbound calls).

The next time you receive your phone bill, ask yourself if it might be worth exploring a change. Could you drop your phone lines and carry your calls on your data connection instead, via SIP?  Would it save you money?

If the end cost quoted to you isn’t worth the effort, you can always say no. But the potential to save big should be worth the initial inquiry.

This article was paraphrased from a similar report on telecommonthly.com.

App of the Month: Phone Halo

June 14, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Android, App of the Month, Blackberry, Mobile Phones

Your New Little Angel?
Whether you’re a person who misplaces your keys each day, or you’ve been through the major inconvenience of permanently losing your phone or wallet, this app may be for you.

Phone Halo is a complete method to find lost keys, purse, phone or other valuables. The system locates, and helps you recover your misplaced stuff using software and a Bluetooth device that work together.

Here’s what it can do:
The Phone Halo Android app is used in combination with the Phone Halo Protect Bluetooth device to help you find important items you can attach the dongle to. The app helps in 3 major ways:

Loss Prevention
Once the app is installed, it works like a Bluetooth leash. The phone will vibrate and ring while the device chimes alerting you that you may have left either.  The separation distance is set by the user, not predetermined.

Example: you’re late for work and rush out the door with your keys, leaving your phone on the kitchen table. The Bluetooth device attached to your keys begins to chime, telling you that you’ve left the phone behind.  You’re able to run back in and get it before you get in the car and drive away.

Find in Proximity
You can send an alert from the phone to sound off the dongle as well as send a signal from the device to make the phone vibrate and play a ringtone.

Example: phone in hand and ready to leave, you can’t find your keys, but you know they’re in the house.  Simply sound the alert on the dongle and your keys will chime until you can follow the sound and locate them.

Track via GPS and Social
If you actually do lose either dongle or phone while the app is connected, the app marks the last place your phone was within range of the dongle via GPS so you can track it, finally answering the age old question – “where did you last see it?”

One notable quality of this functionality is that it does not continually use GPS, which is known to drain battery, like some comparable apps, such as Find My iPhone. Phone Halo only takes a snapshot when out of range.

There are options to blast out various types of alerts with GPS location information should you enable them; via SMS text message to contacts, email, even Twitter. If you truly lose your phone, the app features a lock mechanism with a passcode to unlock.

Where can I get it?
The application is free, and the Bluetooth device is $59.95. The features, plus the time and money saved in the event that personal valuables are lost, seems to make this investment worthwhile, especially for those prone to misplacing their items.

Available for Android, iPhone and Blackberry (For Android version 2.0 and higher). Find it at www.phonehalo.com.

Downtown San Luis Phone & Wireless has a Spiffy New Look

May 28, 2011   /   by phoneandwireless   /   in Mobile Phones, Verizon Wireless

Ready for a more interactive and aesthetically pleasing store experience?

Phone & Wireless’ location in downtown SLO has been remodeled for a sleeker and more shopper-friendly atmosphere. Come, take a look!

We’ve added more stations for shoppers to try out phones by using live demo handsets.   The accessories were moved so you can look at them more closely. We’ve also added an iPhone display complete with live demo handsets.

Curious about how fast 4G really is? Anticipating the network expansion coming to SLO in late 2011, a new mobile broadband demo station is here.

What else? It just looks cool.

“We’re really proud of the new store look. We wanted to give our downtown customers a first class store experience, complete with the opportunity to use the products they are considering,” said General Manager Brendan Reitsma.

Phone & Wireless is located at the corner of Higuera and Broad Streets, in downtown San Luis Obispo. For more information, visit call #805-544-8380.