Cheap Phone 4 U: $10 Tracfone Package With Unlimited Double Minutes

I’m in the minority, I suppose: I don’t like to use a cell phone, I don’t think it’s worth the time investment to spend lots of time on apps in a smartphone, and I avoid the phone for hours at a time, in order to write.  I do have one, though.  And I’m always trustworthy to carry my little, old school flip phone with me when I hit the trails with the dogs or walk around the neighborhood.

Which means that all too often, I forget my phone at the house when I zip off somewhere in the car.

I know that I’m not the only one that does this.  I have a friend with two small children who seems to be in search of her phone on a weekly basis, especially since her 4 year old has discovered how fun that phone can be.  Doesn’t do her much good on the road if the phone is at the house, and that happens a lot.

Maybe if you have OnStar, this isn’t a big deal.  Maybe not having the phone in the car isn’t a big deal to you – it’s a relief.  However, for me (and for several others I know), one of the places that a phone is important is when you are away from home. 

Not that I’m condoning talking on the phone in the car.  I’m not.  I’m pondering having a phone with you when you’re toodling around in case you’re running late, you’re lost, you’re trying to meet up with someone, or heck, you’ve got car trouble. 

Tracfone in My Car - $10 Dollar Package Got Me a Lot of Bang for My Bucks

Which brings me to this great package I found at WalMart for $10 from Tracfone.  That’s right: ten bucks.  It’s a throwaway phone, with a charger for the outlet and the car lighter, a carrying case, and a Bluetooth so you hook up your ear to the thing if you’d like.  Double minutes, unlimited.  And all sorts of coupons and while I have to read this carefully, I’m thinking it’s got rollover minutes as long as you re-up before the end of your “service days.”  There’s also a $10/month plan.  None of this stuff is on a contract.

So, I bought one and set it up in my car.  I’m not giving the number out and I’m not planning on chatting with it.  However, the next time I’m driving off for the day and discover I’ve left my phone on the charger, on the desk, in my jacket pocket, etc. – well, I won’t be out and about without the security and the convenience of a cell phone in the car. 

Thought you might think a good idea for you or your mom or your teenager, too.

Have a great week, Dear Reader. 

Google Voice - Free and Great or Free and Scary?

ZNet's Dana Blankenhom thinks Google Voice is great, and while there's the power to do evil we have no evidence that Google has taken done bad things to privacy (yet). 

ZNet's Christopher Dawson also thinks Google Voice is great, but he's kinda skeered about what this might mean to our privacy -- and what power this might give to Big Brother. 

And, Google Voice sure does look fabulous.

[Update: I've removed the Google Voice introductory video from this post because of loading problems with it. To see the video, check it out on the Google Voice page.]

WalMart Cuts Price of Apple iPhone to $97

Apple 16GB 3 GS iPhone
image from Walmart.com

If you're absolutely in need of a SmartPhone and the pay-as-you-go phones just won't do the trick, then good news for you:  WalMart just slashed the price of the iPhone to $97.00 -- but it's coming along with a two year contract commitment to AT&T for your phone service. 

Specifically, the model that is being sold at this new low price is the Apple 16GB 3GS iPhone.  And, if you go to BestBuy, the Apple store, or anywhere else, you'll still pay $199 for the same exact gizmo. 

What's the catch, you're wondering?  Well, there's speculation that these phones are being rapidly sold to get rid of the current inventory, making room for the upgrade that Apple is preparing to launch.  Seems Apple and Google are busy duking it out for market share of the smart phone market. 

As for your options, remember:  you've got pay-as-you-go plans that aren't going to commit you to a contract, if you can live without all the fun stuff that the smart phone brings with it. 

Related Posts:

No Contract Cell Phones Rise in Popularity: Sprint Enters the Pre-Paid Market
Good Phone Deals - Pay As You Go Plans
CellPhone Spies - 5 Sinister Uses for Your Cellphone

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No Contract Cell Phones Rise In Popularity: Sprint Enters the Pre-Paid Market

Sagem cell phone,
Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Four years ago, I wrote about the advantages of a pre-paid cell phone over entering into a long-term contract with a phone company.  As the economy has declined, it appears that the market for these pay-as-you-go plans has skyrocketed.

This month, Sprint has entered the marketplace with a package that offers seven (7) cents a minute and seven (7) cents per text message.  The gimmick to get you to pick Sprint?  Their phone minutes round down, and not up.  Talk for 1'34" and you'll get billed for 1', while other providers will charge you for 2'. 

As for the phones themselves, there's not any contract, of course.  Cheapest version is right at $20.00, and Sprint is offering a range of phones with the highest gizmo costing around 100 bucks.  Not exactly an IPhone, but it'll getter done.

Marketing under the name "Common Cents," Sprint Nextel has partnered with WalMart as it rolls out this new entry into the telephone service provider marketplace.  You'll only be able to buy the Common Cents products and services at a WalMart store (or presumably, Walmart.com) as well as the CommonCentsMobile site. 

Related posts of interest:

Skype - Is It 4 U?
CellPhone Spies: Five Sinister Uses for Your Cellphone

Clear Wireless 4G Internet Service - Is It Any Good? Here's What I Found Out

A new internet service provider is making quite a splash here in San Antonio.  Its green and white signs are everywhere -- they even have green and whtie "Clear" flags attached to cars driving around town. 

And it sounds so great.  You're free to connect to the internet all over the place, you're not tied down to any one spot.  Plus, it's cheaper than your current ISP.  Wow.  And, wait!  There's more! It's faster than your usual WiFi.   It's 4G, in some places, it's 6G.  Broadband speeds, anywhere and everywhere.  Always available, faster, and cheaper. 

That sure sounds good.  Except I can't find anyone here in town who's actually USING this service, even if little Clear stores are opening up on every corner.  So, I went surfing around on the web to get the scoop.

First, I learned that it's a big deal.  This company has plans to cover the country with its little stores, and San Antonio is far from the first city to get inundated with these green and white signs and stores.  In Texas, it's already in Abilene, Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Waco, and other places. 

Here are some of the review that I found, from various parts of the country where Clear 4g Wimax has been in business longer than here in the Alamo City:

1.  Sarah Savage at Associated Content wrote in August 2009 that it was great for being able to pull out a netbook and write anywhere you wanted but there were drawbacks -- and recommended that if you're using the web mostly at home, it's not worth the purchase.  Also, some drop-off issues if the computer was idle for a couple of hours (no problem just signing in, again, tho).  Not sure what city we're talking about here, either.

2.  Yelp.com has 16 reviews for Clear WiMax Internet coming from Atlanta users.  Together, they're giving the service 3.5 stars out of 5.  Some comments include (1) lots of folk experience outages (2) and slow, slow service - not nearly the swift service that is touted by Clear.  There are some here that love this service, and some here that absolutely hate it. 

3.  Yelp.com has 30+ reviews for Portland's Clear WiMax Internet.  Yelp looks to have closed this forum sometime last year, but there's still lots of info here to consider.  And, there are lots of opinions here.  Again, some love and some hate.  Outages and slow speeds are discussed quite a bit.  Those trying to download big documents or watch videos seem to be very dissatistfied with the service.

4. Nick Mokey at DigitalTrends.com took Clear for a spin in Portland one day last July and bottom line, he liked it.  It wasn't perfect, but for some, Mr. Mokey opined that Clear would be just fine.

5. Nathan Roach in San Antonio gives it a thumbs up. I know Nathan Roach, and respect his opinion on all things Techno, so imagine my surprise when my surfing stumbled upon a review he'd written about trying out Clear -- here in my own hometown.  Perfect.  And, what does Nathan say?  His opinion is the same as Nick Mokey (see above, I'd just read Mokey's review when I found Nathan's so this was real deja vu)  -- and he gives lots of legal advice regarding the contracts and the service that's provided.  The reps lied to Nathan, I don't like that -- and there's a 2 year contract involved. 

What am I going to do?  I think I'll wait on Clear.  When I take my netbook to the B&N or local Starbucks, I'm happy enough -- and Clear's sounding too problematic to me. 

CellPhones and Driving - Pls Don't Talk or Text When U R Behind the Wheel

I didn't realize until yesterday how truly dangerous "distraction driving" is today. Then I saw some statistics provided by the National Safety Council and checked out some of the information over at a new site, distraction.gov.   Oprah is helping by organizing her "No Phone Zone" campaign.

Bottom line, someone talking or texting on their cellphone is 400% more likely to be in a car crash. According to studies, it doesn't matter if you are hands-free or not (though I'm sure there's lots of debate on this one).  And, according to these same studies, 81% of American drivers do this -- use cellphones while driving -- regularly. 

For many folks who are simplifying, they may think this isn't an issue for them.  Especially the frugal ones, who don't bother with those cellphone contracts in their budget.  I applaud them!

However, it's more than whether or not YOU use a cellphone.  It's also what's happening out on the street, where you and your loved ones drive and bike and walk.  Be aware of how many folk in your area ARE using their phones while they are driving a 3500-5000 pound vehicle. 

Just yesterday, driving around and pondering this, I was shocked to see how many drivers I could spot in traffic that were gabbing away on their cellphones.  Not good, Dear Reader.

So, Dear Reader, be careful out there.  And, if you are tempted to use your phone in the car -- please stop.  It's a danger that you can avoid -- plus it will make for a more peaceful drive if you do, right?

Image:  "No CellPhone Zone" sign posted on Bellaire Blvd in Southside Place, Texas from Wikipedia Commons, public domain.

MagicJack - Best Review I've Found and It's Definitely Buyer Beware

Just read a great review over at The Coffee Desk of the VoIP option that is selling like hotcakes: the MagicJack. Written by a networking pro, this review goes into all the pros and cons including some serious privacy issues.

The Coffee Desk review scared me back off the MagicJack with its discussion of the contractual agreement that they can monitor all your phone activity and that there's ever increasing risk of viruses and hackers using MagicJack to do the same thing. Too Big Brother-y for me.

Back in August 2008, I investigated the MagicJack and shared with you, Dear Reader, what all I found. Since then, the MagicJack -- with its ever so tempting price point -- has just skyrocketed in sales. I'm thinking it's the combination of being so cheap (less than $2 a month for phone service) and so many folk having cell phones that landlines are being reevaluated as unnecessary at their standard price point.

That low cost made me go back and re-think the MagicJack. Once again, the answer for me is no sale.

CELL PHONE SPIES - 5 SINISTER USES FOR YOUR CELLPHONE

Cellphones may be an underestimated target of spies and hackers, something of which you and your family may want to be aware:

1. First, there's an excellent article at GeeksAreSexy, which gives details on how cellphones are being used to monitor not only all your conversations (they listen in) but also ...

2. your location and your usual routines. Great for burglars and other evildoers, right? (GeeksAreSexy also has a great article on how to use your cellphone to set up a house-monitoring system for your home or office).

3. Cornell gives information on how hackers can take your information by intercepting its signal, and essentially bill your account for whatever use they choose. This is called "cloning," and it's against federal law. Call your phone company if you think you've been a victim of cloning.

4. Prime targets are cellphones with access to corporate networks, where all sorts of malware can be installed, according to USA Today.

5. Other juicy targets are folk who use their phones to shop online, or to do online banking. (Think of that nice commercial, where the financial institution is promoting online banking services by showing customers hiking, rockclimbing, etc., and stopping for a minute to do a little banking.) All that private information is much easier to access on a cellphone than through a computer these days, due to the security software that's readily available for computers but not, as yet, for cellphones.

Right now, you're at risk.

This new crime frontier is spawning all sorts of security entrepreneurs who are focusing specifically upon the cellphone market. So far, there have not been any major disasters involving cellphone or PDA breaches, but expect to hear about one soon. You know the criminals are on the job.

The NIST is working on it.

If you have some concerns or suggestions, then you have an opportunity right now to provide input into the National Institute of Standards and Technology on this topic. Just send an email to 800-124comments@nist.gov with "comments sp 800-124" in the subject line, or write NISTmedia contact Michael Baum at michael.baum@nist.gov.

(According to CNET, they were looking for public commentary earlier this month, but you should still be able to get something in, right?)

MagicJack - Unlimited Phone Service for $20/Yr

Perhaps you've seen the television commercial, promising a 30-day 100% free trial of MagicJack if you call within the next thirty minutes? (The same offer is available at their website.) Is it too good to be true?

First, what is MagicJack?

MagicJack is a gizmo that plugs into your computer's USB port. After you install the hardware, its software automatically loads onto your PC (Mac-friendly versions available, too). Then, you plug your landline phone jack into the gizmo, and voila! You can telephone nationally or internationally at the rate MagicJack charges, not your local phone service.

And the MagicJack rate is very low.

What's the cost?

First year, $39.95; after that, subscription is $19.95/year for caller id; voice mail; call waiting; conference calling; unlimited domestic and international use. These are ANNUAL fees, not monthly ones.

What are the biggest pros and cons? There's lots of negatives to MagicJack.

1. First of all, your computer has to be up and running to use MagicJack. Turn off your computer, and your MagicJack phone shuts off, too. (Compare this to Vonage, which connects into your modem, allowing you to have phone service as long as your internet service provider is active.)
2. Another negative for some is the MagicJack requirement to dial the area code for every call - although this is only true for some parts of the country.
3. A third problem with MagicJack is quality of transmission - in my surfing of the web, I found bloggers and pro reviewers reporting periodic fuzzy calls, low volume, and voice mail issues. Everyone weighed these against the cost of the service, and found the quality issues tolerable given the cost benefits MagicJack offers.
4. Finally, there's a privacy issue. Selling this service this cheap has many wondering how MagicJack can make a profit. Well, the company plans on getting revenue through advertising, and that's going to happen through ads that MagicJack will sell, and which will be displayed on your computer as part of the MagicJack operational software. The gimmick to draw advertisers? MagicJack reserves the right to monitor the numbers you dial so it can coordinate ads with advertisers. Yep -- they'll be monitoring your phone calls for commercial purposes and you're giving up some privacy in order to get cheap phone service.

What are the Pros?

1. It's easy to install.
2. It's cheap.
3. You can call domestic or international for the flat fee.
4. It seems to have the best use as a landline used for families whose main phone use is at work, or on cell phones. Lots of the complaints I read were from folk who were trying to use MagicJack for business, or for their sole phone line.

Who are its competitors?

MagicJack is one of several voice-over-internet-protocols (VoIP) services being marketed today for cheap phone service. Others include Vonage (which is the big dog in the pack here), Optimum Voice, At&T CallVantage, TimeWarnerCable, Comcast, Average, and Skype. All these services compete with MagicJack for VoIP customers.

Who's winning? In a recent PCMag survey, Optimum Voice came in first as the VoIP customer favorite, followed by Vonage.

Reviews:

US News & World Report (June 6, 2008)

Laptop Mag

VOIPReview.Org

BroadbandDSL.com

FierceVOIP.com

For more information:

Skype - Is It For U?

VoIP -What About Those $25 Vonage Ads?

Skype - Is It 4 U?

Skype (rhymes with "type") advertises unlimited calls to anywhere in the US and Canada for $3.00/month (calls between Skype users are free) and now that WiFi is so widely available, Skype is offering its own cellphone too. For $99.00, you can buy a Skype Phone and use it anywhere there is a WiFi connection to make calls via your Skype account without having to turn on your computer.

Yes, Virginia: that's amazingly cheap phone service (national and international) from your computer and now, from a cellphone, too. Free if you call Skype users. Yes, free. Wow.

Yep. Skype calls are free between Skype users in the US or Canada. If you buy the "Skype Unlimited" package, for $30 a year, you get unlimited Skype calls to any landline or cell phone within the US or Canada. Regardless of whether they've ever heard of Skype or not.

International calls are usually cheap, but you have to check the country. You may end up paying a little over a dollar a minute for some remote locations; then again, you can call Paris for 2 cents a minute. It all depends.

What's Skype? How can they DO this? According to the company's website:

"Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, as well as voicemail and call forwarding. Skype, based in Luxembourg, has relationships with a growing network of hardware and software providers and is an eBay company."


Is Skype for you?

1. There are expectations that Skype will face attacks similar to Vonage as the Big Phone Companies try and fight to keep their hold on the marketplace. Patent infringement suits against Vonage are threatening bankruptcy according to the sages over at Business Week, for example.

2. Internally, things are in flux at Skype. Its CEO resigned on October 1st; no new Big Kahuna has been announced. There's an interim guy at the helm right now who hails from EBay -- both Skype founders and its "technical wizard" have jumped ship. And, EBay recently has announced that its taking a hickey on its purchase of Skype back in 2005.

3. Companies are coming alongside Skype, as well.

On October 17,2007, a partnership was announced between MySpace and Skype - now MySpace friends can chat with each other. (Skype also sells WebCams as well as Headsets in addition to its new Skype phone.) In addition to the MySpace alliance, some big guns are being Skype-friendly.
For example, at Walmart, you can buy a General Electric called the "2-in-1 Internet and Standard Phone" for $149.98. The 2-in-1 connects to both your broadband connection and your home phoneline. The 2-in-1 lets you makes Skype calls or regular phone line calls, your choice. It has caller ID, a headset, and a speakerphone. The old VOIP problem with 911 service is solved here: that second line lets you access emergency services even if the Skype line is in use.

As for whether or not you should try Skype, why not read thru the Walmart GE 2-in-1 phone reviews? One guy is claiming to have saved $1000/yr in phone bills. Then, too, there are reviews over at CNET, and a good review of Skype overall at VoipReviewsOnline.com.

For info on Vonage and VOIP in general, check out my January 25, 2006 post "VoIP - What About Those $25 Vonage Ads?"

So, is it for you? Well, there's the outlay for the new phone (or phones if you buy the new cellphone, too) but that lower monthly bill each month might balance things out at the get-go, right? Quality of the calls is supposed to be good, too.

One bad thing no one has mentioned: with the use of a webcab, Skype is offering us the ability to chat with each other just like the Jetsons -- but no one's selling that Fully Made-Up and Great Hair Screen that Jane Jetson used early in the morning. I know that I, for one, am very interested in hearing about THAT product appearing in the marketplace.

Good Phone Deals - Pay as You Go Plans

Tracfone is a national pre-paid wireless phone option that includes free voice mail, free caller ID, free call waiting, and other options -- all for a very, very reasonable price. Better yet, you have no long-term contracts and you pay only for minutes you use. However, so do Verizon and Cellular and dozens of other companies. (Googling the phrase "prepaid wireless" brings up over one million hits.)

Which should you choose? Try the comparison feature offered at MyRatePlan.Com. You enter your zip code, then choose the features you'd like, and voila: a comparison chart for your consideration - but one that doesn't include all the plans available. Consumer Search has rated the various plans and votes TMobile as number one. Consumer Reports offers lots of good advice and company comparisons, as well.

I've been using a prepaid plan for over a year now - in no small part because I rarely use my cellphone - and have been very happy with it. I can pay for more minutes online, and I average about $15.00/month. The only drawback, which sometimes isn't a drawback at all: the caller does not see your name when you call them, only the number and the phrase "private caller."

Office Stuff - Cheap and Free

For great buys on business cards, notecards, stationery, etc., check out VistaPrint. The free business cards are nice, the only catch is a small ad ["from VistaPrint"] printed on the back.... They have a sale going on now, for various items -- and if you order, you'll get regular notices of other bargains and sales.

For free paper, take your old inkjet ink cartridges to Office Depot. Turn one in, and get a ream of paper. Free. There is a similar offer at Office Max, but only for certain ink suppliers. Office Depot doesn't care, they'll exchange no matter the source/manufacturer. The catch: only one ream per day.

For ink jet and laser printers alike, for both ink and specialty papers, try InkSell.com. If you live in San Antonio, you can visit one of their stores. Really great prices, and lots of kudos, quality awards, etc. - see the site for details.

Check out GotVMail for virtual office needs, great buy at $10/month. Lots of positive feedback for them, here.

Escaping a Long Term Cell Phone Contract

Roaming Hack has created a blog for the sole purpose of providing information to the masses on how to escape cell phone contracts. He uses Cingular as an example. In the comments (34 at the time I checked), others were giving information on Sprint and other companies.

Dr. Mercola thought enough of this site to post about it this morning. What does Roaming Hack advise? Roaming writes:

"There is a little known secret about your cell phone contract that your wireless service provider doesn't want you to know....You can cancel whenever you want without paying a termination fee....

"There is a very simple way to do this. Become unprofitable. If you're paying them $50 a month but costing them a few hundred - They most definitely will cancel you."

His secret? Create high roaming costs to the company during free weekend minutes, forcing the company to pay another company for your roaming time.

Does this work? The Hack says it does. Dr. Mercola gives it a vote of confidence. Those commenting point out that different companies work different ways, and some provide the contract language for those companies.

Of course, getting a phone on a pay-as-you-go plan saves you from a contract, and you don't have this problem. At $15.00/month minimum, this is probably the simplest way to go: maybe you don't have oodles of cell phone minutes here, but you don't need them. Not really.

Free Directory Assistance (411)

1-800-FREE411 (1-800-373-3411) really works, and it's free to you.

The catch: a 12 second advertisement of a local business that plays before you get assistance -- if it competes with the number you've requested. You then get to choose whether to stay with the business you've originally requested, or opt to call its advertising competitor.

Not calling a business? No ad.

The service also provides the option of connecting by pressing a single number on your keypad, rather than writing the number down or holding it in short-term memory.

When I called, there was a number of rings before the call connected. However, I got a real human being on the line. Big plus. And, I asked for a friend's residence number. The automated number immediately popped up; it was correct; and it repeated twice, so I had more than enough time to get the number in my head and dial it myself.

Why is it free? The advertisers are paying for it. Good for them.

Source: Snopes.com, mercola.com

VoIP - What About Those $25 Vonage Ads?

You've seen the advertising - an amazing cornucopia of telephone services for $25 and so easy to install, even the technology-challenged have no problem with it. Vonage can offer this service because it's using the internet, piggybacking on existing broadband cables and the like, to serve its customers. Think of the low overhead involved.

How can they do it? Through VoIP, "Voice over Internet Protocol," which is explained in great detail at HowStuffWorks.Com and at Wikipedia.

Should you switch? Yes, but maybe later ... VoIP service is only as good as that of your internet service provider. The reliability assumed with standardized phone service just isn't there for VoIP yet. Think power failures, viruses and worms, things like that.

And, importantly - there's the 911 issue. Right now, using VoIP means that the 911 system cannot automatically discern the source location of the VoIP call. If you call 911 and cannot tell them your address, they won't know. For this reason alone, perhaps it's best to wait on VoIP until the providers get these kinks out of the service.