Smart phones?

[Geoff]

I have Verizon unlimited plan. Does it go away when I renew though? (I think so)

Nope. VZ 3G unlimited data stays on your account if you change or renew your contract.

I imagine if you buy a 4G phone, you lose unlimited since all the 4G plans have been metered service. My use doesn't put me in their 4G/LTE footprint very often so I never looked into it.

 

[bvibert]

Nope. VZ 3G unlimited data stays on your account if you change or renew your contract.

I imagine if you buy a 4G phone, you lose unlimited since all the 4G plans have been metered service. My use doesn't put me in their 4G/LTE footprint very often so I never looked into it.

Hmmm, if that's true maybe I'll stick with a 3G phone the next time I renew...

 

[o3jeff]

Hmmm, if that's true maybe I'll stick with a 3G phone the next time I renew...

And you might get a better employer discount now, should look into it!

 

[bvibert]

And you might get a better employer discount now, should look into it!

I already get a pretty hefty employer discount, but I'll check when it's time. We still have a few more months.

 

[tekweezle]

When republic wireless gets out of beta it might be a good option. 19$ a month gets you roaming on Sprint unlimited provided you use wifi most of the time for calls and data. You have to use their phone though, currently a custom lg Optimus.

Sent from my Htc Incredible via tapatalk....

 

[Abubob]

I might be forced into using a smart phone eventually. The printed map industry doesn't seem to exist any longer thanks to smart phones with GPS. I tried finding a local map for Naugatuck CT - no one had any - at all.

Right now I still have a stupid track phone. I can make phone calls and don't even bother with texting.

 

[bigbog]

No, no need (Yet:roll.

 

[ctenidae]

Does a BlackBerry count as a smart phone?

I mean, you can do dumb things with it.

 

[BackLoafRiver]

I imagine if you buy a 4G phone, you lose unlimited since all the 4G plans have been metered service. My use doesn't put me in their 4G/LTE footprint very often so I never looked into it.

I just upgraded to the Galaxy Nexus (4g) on VZ. Went from a 3g original droid and they kept the unlimited data. Pretty sure they will do away with the policy by the time my next 2 years is up.

 

[hammer]

Does a BlackBerry count as a smart phone?

I mean, you can do dumb things with it.

Jokes aside, I usually define a smart phone as being any phone that requires a data plan.

 

[mondeo]

this has come up recently in our house. i have a BB from work, while not as slick as an iphone or andriod it gets me my email and occasional web access. wife and kids are on ATT family plan with voice and text but son going off to college next year is making the pitch for "needing" a smartphone with data plan. i'm not totally opposed but the data plan pricing is a huge turn off. adding $45/m to ATT for 4 gig plan seems like robbery.

for those with smartphones, how do you manage your bandwidth consumption?

I'm on a 200MB/month plan. ATT gives me warnings at 65% and 90% usage, and there's an app that tells you how much you've used.

In general, no video or music and I'm good. Every once in a while I look at a few too many pictures when not on WiFi and go over. I exceed 200MB less than 50% of the time, so it keeps it in the win column relative to the 2GB plan.

 

[BackLoafRiver]

I'm on a 200MB/month plan. ATT gives me warnings at 65% and 90% usage, and there's an app that tells you how much you've used.

In general, no video or music and I'm good. Every once in a while I look at a few too many pictures when not on WiFi and go over. I exceed 200MB less than 50% of the time, so it keeps it in the win column relative to the 2GB plan.

VZ does the same thing, you can get an app to manage data as well as receive alerts. Before I got the new phone, as long as I wasn't trying to stream netflix or music, I was fine. I never went above 1 gig and that is with using google navigation.

If he can stay connected to wifi, he should be ok.

 

[SkiFanE]

Luddite here. Can upgrade in a month or so, but beside feeling like a dinosaur when I pull out my $10 flip phone, I don't have any desire. I can see an occasional need for it, but not as much as people seem to use it. Like someone above mentioned, I think social skills are going to be lost from everyone ignoring each other and looking at a device. Was at a pub last week listening to music and 3 young guys (20s) were all at a table staring at their devices...not talking, not looking at chicks or grooving to music. WTF? What is more interesting on the 'net to stare at then hanging out with buddies?

My teen now has an iPhone, my work gives me a 24% AT&T discount. She's got the 2gb data plan, and in a month she hasn't even hit 500mb, and she's on it all the time.

 

[mondeo]

VZ does the same thing, you can get an app to manage data as well as receive alerts. Before I got the new phone, as long as I wasn't trying to stream netflix or music, I was fine. I never went above 1 gig and that is with using google navigation.

If he can stay connected to wifi, he should be ok.

I can't wait to get the Nokia maps on my phone. Maps get downloaded to your phone, so you don't use the data plan and don't have to worry about having a signal.

 

[bvibert]

I just upgraded to the Galaxy Nexus (4g) on VZ. Went from a 3g original droid and they kept the unlimited data. Pretty sure they will do away with the policy by the time my next 2 years is up.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[gmcunni]

for those with personally owned smartphones, does your office allow you to use it to get work email? and if so, do they force any restrictions on your/your phone?

 

[tekweezle]

I can't wait to get the Nokia maps on my phone. Maps get downloaded to your phone, so you don't use the data plan and don't have to worry about having a signal.

While I use the built in google navigation app, there is a paid android app called copilot which is a gps app with maps saved to your sd card so you can use it without an active data connection.

Cost something like 7.99 to 15.99 I think. Far cry from. 99$ to get updated maps for my standalone garmin gps.

Sent from my Htc Incredible via tapatalk....

 

[mlctvt]

for those with personally owned smartphones, does your office allow you to use it to get work email? and if so, do they force any restrictions on your/your phone?

I have a personal Smartphone, DroidX on Verizon. Since I set the office IT policy I do get my office email on the phone along with several personal accounts. That's probably one of the nicest features of a smartphone, having all accounts on one device and easy to get to wherever you are. No more missed emails.

 

[SkiFanE]

for those with personally owned smartphones, does your office allow you to use it to get work email? and if so, do they force any restrictions on your/your phone?

When/if I get one, you can only access work network if your device is encrypted. So my work laptop is, my family laptop is not, so I never use it for work. My smartphone would have to be encrypted to use it for work email, which I would never do to my own personal device. If they expect me to check work email on my own device, they have to pay for it.

 

[bvibert]

for those with personally owned smartphones, does your office allow you to use it to get work email? and if so, do they force any restrictions on your/your phone?

I've been meaning to ask our IT department. I thought the answer was no, that one could only have their emailed pushed to a company issued BB (which I don't have), but I've since met a co-worker from another office who has their personal android phone setup to get his work emails.

Right now if I want to access my work email from my phone I have to log in using the web interface. It works, but is kind of a PITA.