What the Verizon – Alltel Merger Means for You
If you’re an Alltel customer, chances are you know that Verizon bought Alltel in June 2009. But what does that mean for you? Do you have your service through Alltel or Verizon? Do you still go to an Alltel store if you need help? Where do you send your monthly phone bill to?
Yes, Verizon currently owns Alltel but until Alltel is fully integrated into Verizon’s network in effect nothing has changed for many Alltel customers. Your service plan is under the same Alltel terms, you go to Alltel stores for service and are required to use Alltel phones.
For customers whose phone breaks during this time, they have a bit of a quandry. Is it worth it to purchase a new Alltel phone now, knowing that Alltel will be integrated into Verizon soon? What happens if Verizon requires that former Alltel customers purchase a Verizon phone once the integration takes place?
A great solution for Alltel customers whose phone breaks is to purchase a used or refurbished Alltel phone to use over the next few months. There are many models available with excellent features – including cameras, bluetooth and even qwerty keyboards – and they cost less than a new cell phone would.
For now, keep an eye on your mail for any notifications, and keep Alltel and Verizon’s phone numbers handy. It never hurts to give them a call in case you want to know the details for your exact area and plan.
Verizon: 800-922-0204
Alltel: 800-255-8351
Aftermarket Batteries vs. OEM
If you’re looking for a replacement battery for your cell phone, know what to look for so you don’t get burned – literally.
A lot of cell phone batteries sold at major retailers are aftermarket. Meaning that they are duplicates and were not manufactured by the same company that your phone was. There is often a discount, but aftermarket batteries are often lower quality. In fact, according to an article by Computer World, aftermarket batteries can heat up to dangerous levels and can even explode. It’s not worth the risk.
So how do you make sure the battery you’re buying is the real thing? Make sure the word “OEM” the name of your phone’s manufacturer such as Samsung, Motorola or LG is somewhere on the battery’s description. Don’t buy the battery from a kiosk at the mall, or off a street corner. The safest bet is to buy your batteries from an online vender with a return policy. That way if you don’t get what you paid for you can always return it.
Buying your cell phone battery online is less expensive, since there is less overhead. There is no physical store to maintain, so the markups are much lower. Don’t believe me? Check out your local brick and mortar electronics retailer sometime. Write down a few of their products and then go online and search for the identical items. You will find them for less online – it’s not even a question.
For some products, it doesn’t matter if you get the real thing. But with batteries, it’s best to play it safe.
How To Choose A Used Cell Phone
Most people think of ancient, bulky cell phone models that are five years out of date when they think of used cell phones. That could not be further from the truth. It is estimated that the average cell phone in the United States is only used for eighteen months. And let’s face it – we all know people who get a new cell phone every few months so that they can have the hottest new models.
That means there are plenty of used cell phones out there that were manufactured recently. Chances are you’ll be able to find a model that has all the features you want – bluetooth, text messaging, picture messaging, internet etc. – all at a much more attractive price than you’d find for a new cell phone. Let’s not f orget that buying a used cell phone is as good for the environment as it is for your wallet. You are keeping a perfectly good piece of electronics in use instead of having it end up in a landfill. It’s a win-win situation.
So how do you find the used or refurbished cell phone of your dreams? It’s really easy but there are a few things you need to do:
Palm Pre VS. iPhone
So the Palm pre has hit the markets, and boy did it make an impact. Sprint claims the pre is the best selling phone ever so far and that’s one hell of a claim to make. I am still trying to figure out why the hype isn’t so big. I remember that when the iphone came out there were lines around the block 3-fold. There were literally thousands of posts every day about how cool and awesome the iphone is. OMG it rotates! Holy ship, did you see what you can do with two fingers? I swear girlfriends worldwide were being dumped, children were being neglected, and teachers were wishing they were never born. The iPhone was so grossly overrated it actually made me want to buy one, and I did! Yes, I made my wife buy me one for my birthday (with my own money of course). I sold the iPhone 9 months later for $40. I used it as a phone for about 5 weeks. Then I had to go to england on a five month freelance gig. I was too lazy to have it unlocked so i just used it as an iPod. Bottom line, was it worth the $500? Hell no.
Re: Journalism school ‘requires’ students buy iPhone
According to a post on CrunchGear, the Missouri University School of Journalism is allowing students to pay for their Iphones with Federal Student loans. At first glance, it might seem pretty ridiculous as many people consider the Iphone to be an unnecessary expense. But I think those people are dead wrong.
Consider how plugged in we are to technology – and not just for fun. E-mailing and text messaging are as essential to our careers these days as faxing and phone calls – perhaps more! Anyone having gone to college within the last few years downloaded at least some of their assignments, received last minute e-mails about class cancellations and enrolled in their school’s emergency notification text message program. And let’s not forget that having a laptop in college is a complete no-brainer these days – it’s as essential and common as a calculator was in 1975.
Journalism majors need to be especially familiar with technology. Print media is quickly fading into oblivion as more and more people flock to the internet for their news and information. In order to stay on top of the latest stories, a journalist musts be plugged in literally all the time. And since laptops tend to be a little bulky to walk around with, a smartphone really is a necessity.
It makes sense for students to familiarize themselves with smartphones like the Iphone while they are in school as they will certainly need them once they graduate. So yes, I agree with the idea that Federal Student loans should be used to pay for the Iphone. If they can be used to pay for books, why not an even more useful educational tool? And let’s face it – someday soon books will become obsolete anyway.
It would be nice if Nicholas Deleon replied in the comments section, But I’d love to hear what you readers think about my response.
Cell Phone Batteries
Many people do not keep their phones long enough for the battery to start losing performance, but if your phone is two years old or older you have probably noticed that you need to charge your phone more and more often. Other reasons to get a new battery is to be able to keep a freshly charged extra battery around just in case. That is a great option for people on the go who don’t want to take the chance of being without a functioning phone for even a few hours.
An option many people don’t know about is the extended battery – a thicker battery that holds extra charge. It really does deliver, but it adds bulk that may be undesireable to some people. If you get an extended battery, you will need a larger battery cover – generally called an “extended battery door” in the industry. Extended batteries are available from Motorola, LG, Samsung, Audiovox and other manufacturers. Just make sure you get the one that is compatible with your phone model.
Driving While Distracted
Cell phones can be a really great safety tool. If you are ever lost or in trouble, it is easy to just take out
Text + Drive = Risk
your cell phone and call for help – whether from the police, a relative or a friend. However like most things, cell phones can be used in ways that pose a serious danger to all people on the road.
Several years ago, it was thought that as long as you used a handsfree headset you are in the clear. And according to the law you probably are – depending on the state. However, several studies have shown that talking and focusing on the conversation is what causes the accidents – whether you are holding a cell phone to your ear or not.
The increase in the popularity of texting is increasing the problem of driving while distracted. If you are simply talking on the phone, at least your eyes are hopefully on the road even if your attention to your surroundings is not complete. To text, you actually take your eyes off the road altogether while driving a potentially lethal, several thousand pound machine.
We are so used to driving every day that it is easy to forget the often preventable tragedies that can occur when people drive while distracted. The solution is not to consider cell phones dangerous in of themselves. They are not – they are wonderful, valuable tools. But we must remember to concentrate while on the road and avoid talking or texting. Following that advice will save lives.
How to Fight Cell Phone Spam
In the old days, all you had to do to avoid annoying telemarketers during dinner was temporarily unhook your landline phone. However, technology has advanced and so have the spammers. Everyone experiences e-mail spam that varies from irritating but harmless to malicious malware or Nigerian scams.
The newest incarnation of spam is done through cell phones. People receive unwanted spam text messages and phone calls that can cost them money in addition to lost time. The frustrating thing about it is that even if you are careful about giving your cell phone number out online and elsewhere, these spammers typically use robo-dialers that randomly call numbers so that won’t help much.
It is difficult to believe that anyone would actually purchase anything from someone bothering them on a cell phone number that is supposed to be private, but apparently some people do. And thus the chaos continues. So what do you do? Sign up for http://www.donotcall.gov/. That notifies the FCC that you do not want to receive telemarketing phone calls. If a company ignores that and calls you anyway, you can report it to the FCC – and a large fine will ensue.
I signed up to be on the Do Not Call directory ages ago and I rarely recieve telemarketing phone calls. However if you signed up and you are still getting harrassed, you are probably on some spammer lists. I would strongly suggest getting your phone number changed by your service provider. Most cell phone service providers do not charge a fee to change your phone number.
I find it heartening that Senator Charles Schumer is on the case. He got an automated spam phone call from some company trying to sell car warranties and didn’t appreciate it. However he has more power than the rest of us, and wrote a letter to the FCC. Perhaps that will get something done. I urge you to contact your local politicians to make sure they know about your concern.
We do not have to just accept the reality of cell phone spam. There are ways to fight back.
Great Deal On SanDisk 8GB Micro SD HC Memory Card
The SanDisk 8GB Micro SD HC Memory Card is definitely worth considering if you’re the kind of person who likes storing music, videos and photos on your phone. It’s an amazing piece of technology – it stores 8gb on a card that’s 75% smaller than the already pretty small SanDisk miniSD. It has been praised in reviews everywhere for its great performance.
The only thing holding most people people back is the price. Even online, the lowest price I was able to find was $22. And that doesn’t take shipping into account. However, right now Unlimited Cellular is offering it at only $13.99 – shipping included! At that price, this card is a no brainer. But this really is a limited time offer. Get one of these before they run out!
5 Refurbished Verizon Phones Under $150
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Refurbished LG ChocolateSlimmer, lighter and sweeter than ever, LG updates its Chocolate slider phone to the VX8550 with improvements including a new metal navigation wheel (which traces your finger’s movement with a small light), vibrating touch keypad, and the ability to run the music player in the background while using the other features of the phone. But many of the much vaunted features of the original Chocolate remain: silky-smooth slider design support for V Cast Music, an integrated music/video player, a 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder, stereo Bluetooth capabilities, and a microSD memory slot for up to 4 GB of storage. In addition to Verizon’s V Cast Music feature, this phone is also enabled with the Get It Now service, which allows you to easily download ringtones, games, and applications. It runs on Verizon’s CDMA 850/CDMA 1900 frequencies and EV-DO high-speed data network. |
Get this LG VX8550 for only:
$79.99 |
