Cell Phone Carriers. Who costs the most?

I was tricked! last year when i left Verizon for Sprint (i know dumb idea, but at the time Verizon pushed back my update day so i got mad and rage quit the company)

Side Bar : RageQuit = when you get mad with someone or something you quit them in a moment of rage lol

 i was told that Sprint was the most inexpensive carrier there was and that i would be saving so much more money if i decided to go with them!

when i joined sprint, i was paying $200 for two lines, without insurance...

with Verizon i was paying $176 with insurance and Unlimited Data (before it was abolished)

And I took the bait, because Sprint had the phone I wanted, combined with the price and monthly payments I was looking for and thus, there I was trapped in a two year contract with horrible horrible....and yes more horrible service.

you know your carrier is bad when your home wifi/Starbucks wifi is faster and more reliable than your network.

saying all that to say this....

does sprint deserve the right to be the second most expensive carrier?

yes you read that correctly..

according to reliable sources. sprint averages as the second highest in the monthly bill department

now a days with the direction t mobile and at&t are going it seems pretty.....well...dumb sign up with sprint at all. especially if their service is bad in a particular area..such as but not limited to.....where you live, work, frequently visit etc.

unlimited data - with bad service, it rarely gets used

unlimited talk and text - which everyone else has.

early upgrade program - which everyone also has

maybe there is something I'm missing. maybe there is something that is different about Sprint and its Network as a whole...

while I have not done extensive research on the subject ( because I have real life experience ) I have received enough cell phone monthly bills to do a little comparison of my own.

         as stated before. I was with Verizon, who is still number 1 in my book when it comes to reliability and customer service, and now i am currently partaking of At&t's services and I must say that I'm not or have I ever been disappointed or dissatisfied with either company's service.

 ((EXAMPLE)) 

 Now, mind you, I don't mind paying 200 for 2 lines and 4 gigs of data between the two as long as what I need works well whenever I need it.

needless to say with Sprint I didn't have that. but now I do.

         it may seem like I'm ragging on Sprint exclusively like no other carrier has its faults. that is false. every carrier has their quirks and I'm sure at&t and Verizon have theirs but those quirks are minimized due to the magnitude of their incredible service

so my question is....for those heavy data users and phone talkers...should sprint be comparative in price with carriers like at&t or Verizon? Or should they be priced according to their reliability. 

and not just sprint. what about other carriers that have those infamous dead spots in areas that haven't been updated since hector was a pup. should they be priced high or priced according to what they have available in that area.

 low signal, low bill...? 

or is that too much to ask?

probably so. but its just me asking.

what harm could it do to be understanding?

when it comes to money I suppose niceness is kept to a yearly minimum.

in any event

these have been your technological announcements for Wednesday February 26th 2014. please govern yourselves accordingly...

remember I can always use suggestions and topics

thanks for stopping by. 

come back and sit a spell next time

until next time

awkwardlynormal

Wearable Technology - The Latest Craze

Wearable Tech!

 apparently its the next big thing!

We've seen the rise of the Smart Watch, we've seen the Fitness Smart Wristbands, we've even seen Google Glass(es) make its debut! who can tell what else will appear in the coming months? My question to you, and what I'm going to focus on in this blog, is the practicality of such wearable technology!

Lets talk about functionality.

 From what I've been seeing and reading on smart-watches (such as the Galaxy Gear and Pebble Smart-watch), its major functions are focused on notifications.

Whether it be from Facebook/Twitter or maybe a text message/email. your perspective watch will alert you and possibly give you a small preview of what you received, and I'm guessing the preview if for you to determine if you need to take the time to take your phone out of your pocket/purse/bag or not. 

Lol. (Pause to laugh with me...)

Moving On....

I can definitely see the advantage of answering phone calls or maybe taking a quick snapshot of something you want to remember when you may or may not have enough time to pull your phone out. I can also see advantage of your phone automatically locking as your smart watch gains distance from your phone. Both are qualities of the Samsung Galaxy Gear. While the Pebble smart-watch is a more limited adaptation of such functionality (minus the ability to answer calls and take pictures), it holds up the standard on notifications and will indeed let you know when something is up in your social world. 

Naturally I find features, such as the listed above, to be more than amazing. Practical or not. I just like impressive technology. and I find the idea of wearable technology (wrist bands, watches, glasses) to be more than amazing in every aspect..

Oh i almost forgot about Google Glass...

why didn't you say anything....

(*points at you*)

Google Glass, to my knowledge is still in development. I could try to explain it, but i think the website does a much better job at that so ill let you check them out!

( http://www.google.com/glass/start/ ) 

Also I'll Leave this here as well for your checking out pleasure

Samsung Galaxy Gear Features

( http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/wearable-tech/SM-V7000ZKAXAR-features )

Pebble Smart Watch

( https://getpebble.com/ )

Ill let you be the judge on the validity of wearable technology...

in the meantime...

I'm going shopping...

These have been your technological announcements for Wednesday February 5, 2014

please govern yourselves accordingly

Remember!

I could always use suggestions and topics!

Let me know what you want me to talk about!

Thanks for stopping by..

Don't forget to come back! 

Until Next Time

AwkwardlyNormal

Do you think the World ready for Fully-Automated Vehicles?

Cars!!

       I found that the most impressive thing at CES or Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, (even though I didn't get to go)  was the technology that is beginning to appear inside cars. Its more than amazing. 

 However, what I really wanna talk about in this post is the self parking technology developments in vehicles.

BMW self parking system has come along quite well, with  driver lane assist (which keeps the car in its lane if you start to stray away)

Ford has definitely drawn some attention with improvements on some of the same popular features and more such as blind spot detection (which alerts you when a car (ect.) moves into a spot where your visibility can be challenged)

BUT!.......

Audi has caught my eye, with their self parking system developments.

    Imagine stopping your car in front of a hotel (with a open no-teller operated parking garage)

you get out of your car

....activate an app control on your phone (possibly even the key-fob)....

 and your car immediately leaves to find a parking spot

....yes

..

.....

.....

       that's what I typed..(said). your car leaves on its own and finds a place to park....and returns to you when you are ready to leave in the same manner....

you don't believe me....well here have a look at this

 ( http://youtu.be/b_m8DqTlOLE )

           now....I know that I am ready for this kind of tech to be in my car, but is everyone else?

the elderly?

young drivers?

people with disabilities?

       the idea of semi-automated ( fully automated ) vehicles is threatening to some and encouraged by others.

  Its definitely something to think about.

Think quickly because automated vehicles could be a reality by 2020 to 2022.

My question to y'all is....do you want to see this kind of tech in your car?

 how often would you use it?

Let me know....

And these have been you technological announcements for Monday January 27, 2014

please govern yourselves accordingly

Don't forget to comment and share!

Also I can always use suggestions and topics

Pause

Thanks for Sticking with me, Everyone!

I really appreciate it! 

I've been rather busy and its getting a little hectic but I shall not abandon this blog or its purpose!

Resume

Until Next Time

AwkwardlyNormal

Hey, T-Mobile! just what are you up to?

i know T-mobile has planned an announcement in January about something that's going to (no doubt) start carrier fight between AT&T, Verizon and Sprint,..and i think i know what that thing is. but we'll get to that in a minute.

       T-mobile, has developed a reputation for starting trouble in the mobile phone world. Even though this company was NOT the first to institute the Early Upgrade trend we are seeing as commonplace nowadays, They were the first to finance phones to customers (almost like purchasing a car). and with that one step, all of the other "top competitors" fell in to position with their own programs.

      needless to say, t-mobile may not have the best service, or the highest customer appreciation, however....this company must hold some importance to inspire other higher ranked companies to follow suite.

     Now, T-mobile has another announcement. and as a predicted earlier on facebook, i believe that this announcement is "T-Mobile has done away with contracts all together"

     yes i do believe that T-mobile is going to abandon the 2year/1year contract option, and allow customers to take the "metro pcs" approach and purchase phones at either full retail price OR allow everyone to join the early upgrade gravy train regardless of credit reputation.

     either way, its a big step and if the past is any indication, the other companies will simply come up with their own counter-announcements to attempt to satisfy customers.

    because in the end, its the customers complaining that influences the flow of the moblie phone industry. think about it. if more people complain...especially via social media, people read this, and these people are slightly influenced by such reviews.

     Sprint, for example, my current carrier choice, and a pretty bad one at that. service is horrible and the prices are the same as the other companies. but, being the impulsive person i am, i saw a deal and went for it or as i like to call it.....i got suckered. anyway, i take every opportunity i can (via social media) to ward my friends and followers away from Sprint, and in doing so most of the people around me have decided against joining one of the slowest networks in America today.

whoa...I'm ranting....

back to t-mobile...

....and since I've already ragged on sprint...i may as well talk about my other suspicions...

Rumor has it that Sprint plans on making a bid to Buy (join) T-Mobile.

What do i think?

You are asking me?

...........

i think its a great idea.

nothing pleases me more than seeing companies competing alongside each other rather than competing against one another.

   .....now of course when companies compete against each other, the customers wins...but in this case i believe that the customer is going to come out on top anyway.

    I mean it is sprint and t-mobile we are talking about here....ranked number 3 and 4...in the top carrier chart.

........and with T-mobile's recent acquisition of Metro Pcs and their freakishly somewhat reliable network, i believe that this is the perfect time for sprint to acquire T-Mobile and gain some more ground in the war to get to the top!

      Plus, a purchase like this would threaten AT&T and Verizon to become more innovative in their pricing and services.

    but i don't know for sure about any of these rumors. I'm just a tech reporter....not a psychic....or a prophet....

my question to you is.....

if sprint did purchase t-mobile....

you know they would have some awesome deals, with a smaller amount of strings attached...

would you switch....

would you stay where you are....

keep with the 2 year contracts (if all available?) ?

and with that ill take my leave!





**((Update in Link Below as of 1/2/14))**

http://www.droid-life.com/2014/01/02/t-mobile-ceo-wants-to-un-shackle-families-from-those-other-guys/

These have been your technological announcements for Thursday, January 2, 2014, please govern yourselves accordingly

Merry Belated Christmas (this blog post was created on December 23, 2013) and Happy New Year!!

Be Watchful for those After Christmas Sales! 

As Always, Thanks for Stopping by! Visit me again! I can always use comments and suggestions! 

I Answer Questions as well!

Until Next Time

AwkwardlyNormal

The Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat

I've raved about Nexus devices before in previous posts

this blog post is no different.

any phone that takes my eyes off my stellar Samsung Galaxy Note 2, has to be something worth looking at. 

and that's just what I've done!

I'm going to skip to the end real quick.....

i want one. 

lol

   now i am not very familiar with the Nexus 4, and after all the reviews I've read, apparently i didn't miss much. Even the nexus devices that were out before then, were kinda....mid-ranged...get-you-through type of devices. However, The Nexus 5, i believe, is the first Nexus device to break the cycle of being ignored for Google's line of devices.

lets get to the important stuff first.

Price..

normally i leave this for the end, you know, to sell you on it. but ill get to the selling part later.

the price on this beauty is only $349, right out the play store....

mind you, this is an unlocked device, loosely meaning that you can go to ANY carrier (minus Verizon, those meanies) for literally half.

most (unlocked) phones will cost you full retail price... and even on low-mid spec ranged devices you are looking at or 'round about $600, with the high end being at or around $800.

ill just let that sit there for a moment.....

now on to the other stuff...

What does it do!?

that's the main question right.

well this baby is equipped with the latest and greatest version of android

4.4 KitKat! oh yeah!

and that's just for starters

the phone itself is actually not that spectacular when it comes to specifications.
 it has be the trend, i guess you could say, to have the high specs on a phone to convince people that its worth keeping a device for 2 or more years and not feel bad  and broke about upgrading every 6-10 months. (yeah...that so works these days lol)
   The Nexus 5 and its developers, however, are not putting the weight on the hardware this go-around. Google has its sights set on software, and application improvement, and since KitKat can run on the most basic of devices just as well as the high spec ones, i find google's methods to fit the category under "definitely a different way of doing things"

ill list the specs here

Nexus 5 Specifications/Features

• 4.95inch 1920x1080 display (445 ppi ((pixels per inch))
• Snapdragon 800, 2.26Ghz processor (right up there with the note 2 and 3)
• Wireless Charging Available (additional purchase necessary lol)
• Gorilla Glass 3
• 1.3 mp camera (front-facing) 8mp (rear-facing) + OIS (optical image stabilization.
• 2300 mAh battery (similar to Galaxy SIII)
• 4g capable (unlike the nexus 4, from what i hear)
• 2gb Ram
• KitKat (Naturally)

Speaking of which, lets talk about it....

KitKat

KitKat brings a range of practical upgrades to the already popular android operating system.

1. for example, caller id.....

when someone or some business calls you, (remember this is always depending on your carrier as well) your phone does a Google image search for that business or establishment and presents you that image as said establishment or business is calling you.

not a big deal you say?

it is for me. i like when developers pay attention to the details.
speaking of which lets go through a few in Android 4.4 KitKat



          2. Google Now

i don't know if any of you are familiar with the Moto X. but, one of its endearing qualities was that Google Now was always listening, you could simply say  "OK Google" and a search would begin, even if the screen was off, or you were across the room...it was ALWAYS listening.

now with the Nexus 5 and KitKat, they have took the creepy out of Google Now. Its still voice activated, however, it can only be accessed when the phone screen is on and on the home screen. to initiate a vocal search, simply say, "Ok Google". cool right! right.



         3. Google Hangout/Sms Integration

now all of your contact information is in one place, and not three, like i am currently dealing with. texts and email information, in one application, threads and all. i suppose I'm really amazed that this hasn't happened before now, but there it is. lol



         4. Emoji!!!

its about time. those apple fanboys/girls have been throwing this little piece of heaven in our faces for years now. and even with Android Jellybean allowing us to finally see those long elusive symbols, we still did not have the ability to create them ourselves. well that fact is no more! with KitKat, we are free to Emoji!

here is a list of the other features of KitKat..

• Full Screen Album Art (Home Screen)
• Full Screen Application (reading, movies, easy access to notifications without leaving the app.)
• Speedier Multitasking
• Cloud Printing (wherever wifi printing is allowed)
• Low Powered audio playback (60 hours on most devices)

Needless to say, I'm really excited to grab the Nexus 5, YES! that's what i said! 

I'm leaving the note 2 world for the stock android google experience! 

oh and p.s. if you feel like donating to the cause......well....it would be much obliged. lol jk.....not really......yeah jk lol

(0.0) <---- serious face

These have been your technological announcements for Thursday, November 21st, 2013. Please govern yourselves accordingly. 

Remember! 

I could always use suggestions and comments! 

Also!

Remember to connect with me via social media (see "Connect With Me" blog post)

Until Next Time.......

AwkwardlyNormal

Connect With Me!!

i accept all questions. now whether i answer them or not, its a different story lol 

just kidding

not really.

sorry, not sorry

Connect with me over the holidays! let me know what you bought, and what was bought for you! I like hearing that kind of stuff blame it on the child in me! 

www.facebook.com/MatthewMachiavelli 

www.twitter.com/awkwardlynormal

instagram = awkwardlynormal

Google+ = Matthew Rischer

Black Friday Madness

Last Year, as some of you know, I was a sales associate at Best Buy during the holiday season. Being in that line of work, you witness a plethora of situations and my heart went out to a lot of people. The majority of customers responded in emotion, most commonly anger, because the item that the customer was searching for was either out of stock everywhere, or on a shipping hold due to delays in the mailing system.

 these kinds of examples are the only reason I do not participate in.....

Black Friday Madness

In the world of technology, you should expect this.

i mean just think about it for a second.

you walk in a store looking for the hottest item out on sale right now, on Black Friday, and they tell you, "its out of stock" and not just at that particular store you are in. but all across your state...and other states..

naturally, you are upset. 

but here is the thing.

that item that was on "sale"....

it was on sale almost 1.5 month(s) before the sales paper advertisement.

that's right....i said it.

Now, of course, items like televisions and some specific tablets will go on a special sale for a ridiculously low price, but those will be gone..20 minutes after midnight leading in to Black Friday,..I've seen it. people are crazy quick!

I too used to believe that Black Friday was the opportune time to grab that item Ive been eyeing all year, but i was so far from right, it was almost unbelievable.

With that being said here are some tips to avoid disappointing that special someone on Christmas morning.

START TODAY......

like right now!

Pre-ordering NOW will guarantee your item if you just have to have it before Christmas Day 

and if the item you seek isn't as popular as you initially thought.....

Wait till New Years Day...

when most people are off-work and returning their gifts for something that they really want.

I've seen people return perfectly perfect iPads because they were the wrong color.....

yes...that's a thing..

Like Ive said in a previous blog, spend your Black Friday at home this year, recovering from being a glutton on Thanksgiving. Put some time in with the ones you care for, and let the Gifts you give only be an extension of your emotions towards them. 

and it doesn't hurt if the gifts are exactly what they want....because you were smart!

and shopped for them early! XD

These have been your technological announcements for Thursday November 7, 2013

Please Govern yourselves accordingly

Thanks for Stopping By!

Remember! I can Always use suggestions and topics for future posts!

Comments don't hurt either

Until Next Time..

AwkwardlyNormal