Smart phones!

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I don’t have a smart phone, but my husband does. I used to keep a phone book and maps in the car, but now that information is all on the internet, so I’m thinking of getting a smart phone for that…because the phone can find where I am on the map, even when its dark out and I’m in a strange neighborhood. Otherwise, I do find myself out and about and unable to access information that I need in real time. That used to be the boat everyone was in, but it is getting so that it is expected for one to know these things. Still, I hesitate to make the monthly investment to have that internet access.
 
styrgwillidar said:
You’ll need to assess the shared data plan carefully. I have verizon and it was a far better deal, given my kids actual data usage, to keep them on their current unlimited data plans vice combining them. A combined plan providing enough data would have been more expensive.
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Our 21 yr old is still on our plan and pays for her phone and her portion of the bill. She does pay a $40/mo data fee.

To add me and my husband is more than we want to spend.
 
I don’t have a smart phone because where I live has limited cell service, but I have an iPod.

There a few apps I wwould not want ever to give up!

iPieta–This app has literally hundreds of dollars worth of Catholic information on it: Doauy Rheims bible and Vulgate (options for side-by-side or interlinear), and commentaries: Cantena Aurea (collection of ECF commentaries by St Thomas Aquinas) as well as Haydock. Liturgical calendar (EF and OF), prayers galore, and books and other writings including council documents (incl V2), Summa Theologica, etc, and many books like Introduction to the Devoutt Life.

Flashcard Deluxe–great app, and a huge help for foreign language learning as you can add sounds!

Breveum–Breviary

And I blush to admit, Solitaire 😉
 
Dh and I are still considering smart phones.

What I’m debating with myself is if I really need one. I’ve heard people say, “Once you get one, you can’t live without it.”

I’m not convinced I want to set myself up to “have” to have one. I don’t need to be tied to e-mail for my job.

Probably over thinking this… 😛
 
I have the new Nokia Lumia 920 on AT&T and really like it. Windows Phone 8 is definitely the best mobile operating system. It doesn’t have as many apps as Android and iOS, but it’s growing. Plus, a lot of features you need apps for on the other two OSes are native to Windows.
 
Bataar said:
I have the new Nokia Lumia 920 on AT&T and really like it. Windows Phone 8 is definitely the best mobile operating system. It doesn’t have as many apps as Android and iOS, but it’s growing. Plus, a lot of features you need apps for on the other two OSes are native to Windows.
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Dh says if he gets one, he wants an iPhone. I’ve been reading many good things about Windows 8 and lean towards that IF I get one.
 
Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the phone I have. I use it for, just to name a few.

*GPS
*Alarm Clock
*Web surfing
*radio
*TV

If you plan on doing alot of streaming, make sure your phone is connected to WiFi, that way you aren’t consuming your data or do what I did, and switched to Sprint and their unlimited data 😉
KCT said:
Dh and I are still considering smart phones.

What I’m debating with myself is if I really need one. **I’ve heard people say, “Once you get one, you can’t live without it.” **I’m not convinced I want to set myself up to “have” to have one. I don’t need to be tied to e-mail for my job.

Probably over thinking this… 😛
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It’s true, I was that way prior to getting my first smart phone as well.
 
Bataar said:
I have the new Nokia Lumia 920 on AT&T and really like it. Windows Phone 8 is definitely the best mobile operating system. It doesn’t have as many apps as Android and iOS, but it’s growing. Plus, a lot of features you need apps for on the other two OSes are native to Windows.
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I have the same phone, having switched from Android to get it. I do like the OS overall and the app situation is getting better, though it still has quite a ways to go. Thankfully, a decent podcast app (the native one in xbox music isn’t very robust) finally showed up in the app store. That had been a source of frustration for me.
 
twopekinguys said:
Not exactly sure I completely trust a bunch of “hackers” who are the source for the article.

They tend to be less than trustworthy in most things. If they were trustworthy, they wouldn’t be “hacking” into things now would they?
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cracking and hacking are different, the former does illegal hacking for money i.e. stealing data whereas the latter is about doing it for skill, doesn’t take data
Actaeon said:
Well, anonymous is not actually a hacking “organization”, and they tend to laugh at people who view them that way. It’s more a collectivist group of people with computer skills (hacking being one of them) who sometimes rally around a cause and go to town trying to “defend” it.

Sometimes this is bad news, like a sector claiming to be anon attacking chik-fil-a simply because of a difference which was clearly freedom of speech (but again, Anon has no official organization, so it’s easy for people to hijack the name for their personal and nefarious causes). Other times, anon has done some very good things… such as knightsec’s aggression regarding a 16 year old rape victim whose perpetrators were being protected by a corrupt justice system surrounding a football team (they recovered deleted videos of the perpetrators laughing about the crime and exposed the fact that the county prosecutor who was talking the family out of pressing charges was the mother of the boy who threw the party where the rape occured).

At it’s best, Anon takes up causes to defend basic freedoms online. At it’s worst, Anon is aggressive about demonstrating their ability to bully others into submission. So any given job you can take with a grain of salt as to whether or not you want to view their actions in a favorable light… but I don’t think it’s fair to say that all hackers or all hacking action is necessarily WRONG and necessarily exposes FALSE information (examples: attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities, exposing a science institute’s coverup of opposing view information regarding global warming, etc)
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Anon doesn’t even really have skills, seems to be mostly script kiddies
 
I have an iPhone and I love it!

Many people no longer have a home phone and just use their cell phone or smart phone. If you don’t really need a separate home phone you may save money by just using a smart phone. I no longer have a home phone and don’t miss it.

What I use my iPhone for:

Calendar
Email
Web surfing
Apps including:

Chronicle-password protected diary
iConfess-password protected examination of conscience
RC Calendar (universalis breviary)
iPieta
TBP (The Better Part, which is an awesome by Fr. John Bartunek with meditations on scripture)
 
Dakota_Roberts said:
cracking and hacking are different, the former does illegal hacking for money i.e. stealing data whereas the latter is about doing it for skill, doesn’t take data

Anon doesn’t even really have skills, seems to be mostly script kiddies
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Hacking, cracking, whatever you want to call it, is still illegal.

In my eyes, that reduces their credibility.

Maybe that’s just me.
 
Well I actually got rid of my smart phone ( iPhone) and now have a basic cell phone. The reason I did this was I’d rather have data on an iPad then an iPhone.
 
I have the iPhone 5 with AT&T.

LOVE my iPhone. I use to to make calls, email, text, facebook, instagram, snapchat, and tweet. I also use the maps, alarm clock, camera, calendar, and notes. My gift cards are loaded onto my phone so for example, when I drive through Starbucks, they just scan my phone. If I ask her to, Siri will remind me to pick up my dry cleaning.

I strongly suggest an OtterBox case if you get an iPhone. I’ve dropped my phone so many times and have never cracked the screen.

My husband has a Motorola Droid. I hate that thing.

He and I are clearly unevenly yoked. 😛
 
KCT said:
So, what smart phone do you have and what do you use it for?
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This is my first smartypants phone, and I LOVE it!

I have a Samsung Galaxy S-III
  1. texting
  2. checking Facebook
  3. reading news (I use Flipbook because it is customizable)
  4. praying the LOTH (I have iBreviary) ibreviary.com/new/
  5. as a phone
OH - and I LOVE the app “Out of Milk” - it is the best shopping list app, with great features. I never have to worry about paper lists left at home, or post it notes all over the place as reminders. outofmilk.com/default.aspx

~Liza
 
KCT said:
Dh and I are still considering smart phones.

What I’m debating with myself is if I really need one. I’ve heard people say, “Once you get one, you can’t live without it.”

I’m not convinced I want to set myself up to “have” to have one. I don’t need to be tied to e-mail for my job.

Probably over thinking this… 😛
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I DO NOT have work email connected to my personal phone. I do not want to be that accessible, or that tied to work during non-work hours. So get the smartphone for yourself, and keep work out of it.

I have to say that I really do love having it. We use the GPS when we travel (even close care trips), looking up stuff when we are shopping, answering questions we have about things we encounter (having Wikipedia at your fingertips is awesome). We actually LEARN stuff - it’s so much more than just something to waste time with, it is a tool if used properly and responsibly.

!Liza
 
I got a smart phone because my job required me to have one. Looking back, it was really ridiculous. If they required one they should have paid for one. However, it was my first “real” job right out of college. My husband and I were just about to get married and he was still looking for a job so I couldn’t really argue over a phone. I went out and got an older Iphone because it was on sale. I am no longer working with that company anymore and I still have my Iphone. I like it, but sometimes I think I would prefer to simplify things and just go back to using my phone as a phone. Then again, when I can avoid a massive traffic backup, or when I can look up something while I am away from home it is really useful.

Perhaps if I was at home more I wouldn’t need my Iphone. Until then, I will probably keep it around. I won’t go out and buy the newest one every 5 seconds though. I believe in using something until it no longer serves its purpose. Getting rid of a perfectly good smartphone just because a slightly better one is available and newer is ridiculous.
 
I’m an apple girl and I’ve had the iphone since it first hit the market.

When I was employed as a paramedic I used my phone constantly and for everything. It had more apps then any other phone at the time and I used the apps all the time…whether I was making patients laugh with ifart or using it to help me interpret EKG readings or an easy, pocket drug guide. I’d take pictures of car accidents to show the ER docs the mechanism of injury and listen to music, play games, watch you tube and surf the web when we had down time.
When I was leaving for basic training my partner joked that I would miss my phone more then my family and my husband.

That was 4 years ago? Time has passed and more and more smart phones may be better options now…especially the Android. I’ve heard lots of good things about the Android.
 
iPhone v. Droid: it appears that both have awesome apps and features like an excellent camera, etc. but most Droid apps are free and iPhone apps typically have a fee. 'm interested to know the experience of real users.
anruari said:
I’m in the UK. so the Data-Charge structures are totally different. the modifications made to the phones by the networks also vary. (far less here for main smart-phones)

I have had : Old Windows Mobile 6.1 phone by HTC. (HTC Kaizer) Dreadful. didn’t work.
Nokia E72 Dreadful Didn’t work
HTC Desire HD. Loved it. Very poor battery life. (4.3" Android phone from 2 years ago)
Samsung Galaxy Note II: My current phone. Brilliant. Love It. Amazin Battery life for a big screen phone ( it can last all day. I needed to carry spare batteries with the HTC)

Pro’s and Con’s

Smart phones need to be re-charged far more often than the old phones. An acceptable battery life is one that means you only need to charge it when it is convenient to you. That will mean every night. I also have chargers on my desk in my car, and in my living room. The old phone idea of charging a couple of times a week is pure fiction in the smart phone world, and is a couple of years away at best.

My Note II is “Amazing” with light use I have gone 48 hours between charge. my previous phone couldn’t go more than 12 hours.
I can still drain it’s battery in a few hours of intensive use.

“Talk time” and “Standby time” are totally irrelevant. they use nothing compared to screen time and data time. You wnat to know the time it will last when streaming a video. a 10" tablet can normally last in the region of 8 - 10 hours. this should be a benchmark for your phone too. - otherwise the smart-phone features will not be sufficiently useful as you’ll constantly be worried about running out of battery life.

Samsung Vs HTC: I much prefere Samsung. For reliability. for the quality of their interface and their specific apps. and for their battery life.

Android Vs: iPhone:
Only compare top android pones like the Galaxy III / Note 2 or the HTC 1X (or other makes equivalents.
These easily go head to head with the iPhone.
Cheaper android phones are a different league. you cant pitch a little league team against the pros.
I believe Samsung make the best Android phones in every price bracket compared against HTC Sony Motorola and all the others.

Big Screen phones: Great for actually reading full web-pages. photos. videos. email and all the other smart phone features… need physically big pockets or a hand-bag.

I love My Note II but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. the Galaxy III comes in 2 smaller sizes, with the smallest being similar to an iPhone.

My android phone links great with my work’s MS Exchange Server for email calendar contacts tasks etc. It also works great with other server based calendar systems like Google, Facebook etc. We can synchronise the whole families calendars from any members device depending on settings and permissions.

Windows phone: I have no recent experience. I don’t want it. I don’t know anyone who likes them.

iPhone: Love/Hate brand. Many users swear by them. I haven’t used them. I do things on my Android that iPhone isn’t as good at. (GPS Navigation, viewing Flash Videos… using the huge screen)

Data use:

For “normal” use I use less than 1GB per month.
Listening to internet radio in the car a lot that goes up to over 3GB per month.
Streaming videos on Netflicks used 6.5GB in one evening.

so~: if u use streamed services watch out for the definition of “Unlimited Data”. in the UK many networks have a “Fair Use” policy which can vary from 750mB to 1.5 GB. Im on a truly unlimited data plan.
Here they start from £25/month for unlimited data and minutes and text allowance that are in the 5000 mins/month region (that’s just under 3 hours of phone time every day of the month).
For my current phone I’m paying £40 - but that’s because I signed up the week it came out If I’d got a Galaxy SIII I would have paid about £32 for the same plan- and it’s cash price was similar.
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Samsung Galaxy Note II will probably be my next phone. Your post kind of sealed the deal.
 
I have an Android Samsung Galaxy s2. Decided not to get the s3 because to me, it is not that much better of a phone (technical stuff, the US version of the gs3 has pretty much the same processor as the s2, the difference is negligible). I also have an android tablet with similar specs as my phone. My only regret was signing the 2 year contract. In hindsight, I should have bought the phone outright (the google nexus) and bought a month to month. I did find a month to month plan that offers more than enough minutes for us and costs less than 1/4th of our contract plan (its a family plan with roll over - perfect for us). Right now, I am thinking of buying the the google nexus 7 with gsm capabilities. It can double as a phone. Yes it is a bit big, but i always use a headset anyway…

I also use Google Voice, which enables me to place calls from my computer or tablet or cellphone via the wifi.

I hear good things about apple (my parents love it), just not a good fit for us. I like to tweak electronics which is not possible with apple.
 
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