Before the holiday rush begins this Thanksgiving, look for two new Windows Phone 8 products on Verizon. The wireless carrier is the latest of cell providers to add products friendly to Microsoft's new mobile OS to its lineup, the Nokia Lumia 822 and the Windows Phone 8X by HTC.
Ready to mix up your Verizon service with a Windows Phone 8? Keep reading for a side-by-side look at the new devices.
Wondering just how much data you're pulling down in a given month on your iPhone? There are a few ways to check your usage, one being to head to AT&T's wireless website, log into your account, and create a billing report (under " Bills and Payments," click "Create Billing Report," and "Data Usage Trend"), which gives you a detailed graph on how much data you're using. You can also estimate how much you use with your provider's online data calculator. Find your usage for AT&T, Verizon, or by signing in to your Sprint account.
However, this third way only requires you and your iPhone to see how much data you're devouring. Find out what to do after the break.
LG introduced its newest Android smartphone at CES this morning, the Spectrum. This slim phone features a 4.5-inch True HD IPS display, which brings TV technology to your mobile. Stocked with a 1.5GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM, the Spectrum was made with video streaming in mind — its HD screen boasts 329 pixels per inch and a 16:9 aspect ratio, while other goodies like ESPN streaming in HD and 1080p video recording and playback make it an entertainment powerhouse. It comes stocked with 4GB of on-board memory and a pre-installed 16GB microSD card, but you can expand that storage space up to 32GB if you want to tote more videos, photos, or music.
The Spectrum will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich) on Jan. 19 for $200 with a two-year contract.
The large smartphone trend continues: Verizon announced the availability of the Droid Bionic, on sale starting Sept. 8, for $299. Coming with a 4.3-inch qHD screen, this phone should stand up to abuse put forth by your bag, drops, scrapes, and lots more, thanks to the super-tough Gorilla glass screen and will be really easy to read your texts, emails, and all your favorite websites outdoors in the sun with the dual-layer antireflective coating and Adobe flash installed.
But this phone isn't all about the outside. On the inside, the Droid Bionic boasts 4G LTE connection speeds, an Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread OS, lightning fast dual-core 1Ghz processor, and 1GB of RAM, 8MP rear-facing camera with flash and 1080p video capture quality, and 16GB of on-board memory (with an included 16GB microSD card and support for 32GB microSD cards). Basically, this thing can handle whatever you need it to — whether it's fast uploads and downloads, quickly browsing the Internet, or taking high-quality pictures and video (and storing them all on your phone). Plus, multitasking is intuitive with multiwindows, and you can mirror your video or photo playback on your big screen with an HDMI cable.
The price only goes up from the initial $299 tag, though, as you'll need to sign up for a $40 450-minute voice plan and a $30 2GB-data plan. You can also choose to shell out another $30 a month for a 2GB data tethering option, bringing your total monthly cost for the Droid Bionic to $70-$100 a month before taxes and fees.
In the latest chapter of the wireless data price wars, T-Mobile announced today value plans intended to make smartphone and tablet data plans affordable. While Verizon recently announced tiered data plans, T-Mobile now offers its solution for affordable mobile data use.
Set to take effect July 24, the data value plans are available for new and existing customers for single and family lines when signing a two-year service plan. Customers can choose the talk and text plans they prefer and add unlimited data with 2GB, 5GB or 10GB of high-speed data, whichever fits their needs. T-Mobile will not inflict overage charges if streaming too many YouTube videos one month, but the connection speed will dramatically decrease for the remainder of the month to balance the high-data use. Customers can estimate their monthly data usage and which data speed to purchase with T-Mobile's data plan calculator.
The company offers the example that a value family plan with unlimited talk, text and data with 2GB of high-speed data is $49.99 per line for two lines, totaling just under $100 minus taxes. In the accompanying graph, T-Mobile compares their pricing structure to competitors claiming customers can save nearly $1,000 annually.
We knew this day was coming — the end of Verizon unlimited data plans. Verizon confirmed it will switch to a tiered data pricing model for new customers beginning Thursday, July 7.
A Verizon spokesperson dishes on the details saying:
". . . new smartphone customers will choose from one of three options: $30 for 2 GB, $50 for 5 GB or $80 for 10 GB. There will be an overage charge of $10 per GB of data. Verizon will also charge $10 for 75 MB per month for feature phone users."
Good news is current customers on unlimited plans can keep their unlimited plans as they upgrade to new devices. AT&T also recently began usage-based data service; though, their 2GB plan is just $25 per month. Once Verizon's new data policies go into effect, Sprint will be the only top nationwide provider to offer unlimited data packages for smartphone plans.
For those considering a wireless carrier switch, act fast for unlimited data before Verizon's Thursday changeover. If you are already on a tiered data plan — which option do you use?
Heads up if you're a fan of Verizon Wireless's shorter, one-year contract: the company confirmed today that it would be eliminating the one-year contract agreement beginning April 17.
Verizon is one of the last remaining wireless carriers to offer the single-year contract, but it says that due to device subsidies, more customers sign up for a two-year contract to get a lower, up-front cost on their phones of choice. Verizon will still offer month-to-month and prepaid options, and if you're toward the end of your one-year contract now then you can renew before the deadline to ensure you won't be attached to Verizon until 2013.
It's the year of 4G — carriers are building networks and releasing phones as fast as they can in order to give us the best options in fast download speeds and multitasking. But with all the 4G hype swirling around, can you tell your 4G networks apart? Take this quiz to see what you know about fast phoning!
Verizon will release its first 4G phone, the ThunderBolt ($250), this Thursday. The device, which first surfaced last year, was officially unveiled at CES in January.
Despite running on Verizon's new 4G network, ThunderBolt customers can enjoy the same pricing plans as current Verizon subscribers: voice plans starting at $40/month and data starting at $30/month. The ThunderBolt has a 4.3-inch hi-res screen, 8mp camera with flash, and 720p HD video camera.
Since it runs on the 4G network, the ThunderBolt is the first Verizon phone to be able to handle voice and data use at the same time. It also can serve as a mobile hotspot for up to eight other devices, which according to Verizon will be free until May 15. After that, users can choose to pay an additional $20 for 2GB of data each month.
As the aftermath of last week's horrific earthquake and tsunami continues to unfold in Japan, people all over the globe are reaching out to help citizens in the East, whether it's with money, time, or commodities.
Currently, you can donate money via iTunes and Facebook to Red Cross relief efforts, and now AT&T and Verizon are joining forces by offering US residents free calls and texts to Japan until April.
Get the lowdown on each carrier after the break.
