2011 Holiday Shopping Tips for Cell Phone Buyers

Are you prepared for the busiest shopping days of the year? With major the holidays coming in November and December many people have decide to shop early instead of shopping late. The reason being that some prices just don’t change much from now through the end of the year like the iPhone 4S. However, many Android smartphones, including models released not too long ago are among free cell phones offered by at&t, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and Sprint. One of the best selling phones is HTC Inspire 4G for at&t. It’s got a slim form factor and unique and enhanced user interface. For beginner this phone cost $0 after instant rebates. Another great offer from AT&T is the iPhone 3GS. Who really want to pay for a phone that’s more 2 years old? So $0 seems like a reasonable price to everyone. Since every carrier is heavily promoting 4G phones this year, they must be hot, right? Yup. However, not all 4G phones are created equal. Some of them can achieve faster speed than others. Some of them can be used in more areas than others. Depending on where you live you should first make sure the 4G phone you are buying has the compatible network in your area so that you can take advantage of the speedy wireless connection. If you are thinking to buy advanced 4G smartphones like the new Samsung Galaxy S II series - expect to pay a bit more than 3G phones. Stay tuned as we will show you more tips on finding great cell phone deals during this holiday shopping season.

Should I Upgrade from Palm Pre Plus to HP Veer 4G

AT&T just announced the official release date for HP Veer 4G - May 15th, less than 2 weeks from now. So if you already have Palm Pre Plus, should you upgrade to HP Veer 4G? Although it’s newer phone the Veer 4G is actually powerful than the Pre Plus. Of course, the Veer is not intended to replace the Pre Plus, it’s catering to someone who needs a light, compact, and versatile smartphone. Measured 2.15 inches x 3.31 inches, it’s the same size as a credit card. It’s only 0.59 inch thick and weighs only 3.63 ounces. No other smartphone can come this close to such incredible gadget that you can take anywhere with you without weighing down your pocket or purse. The Pre Plus is still a great phone but if you can find the HP Veer 4G for free with a contract (regular price is $99 with 2-year commitment) from an authorized dealer, then by all means go for the upgrade.

Wireless Carriers Are Blocking Free Tethering

You all know this day will come and all major carriers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile have taken intiatives to block so-called free tethering by using Apps downloaded in Android Market or jailbreak apps (for jailbroken iPhone). The Fun is over, AT&T already sent out text messages and emails to warn those who have been using free thethering. Basically AT&T wants you to sign up a $20 tethering plan on top of $25 data plan. There is a 2GB data cap on tethering. And $10 per GB after reaching the cap. It’s probably the reason many people opt for the free tethering apps. TMobile tethering plan is the cheapest among all carrier, charing only $15 a month for total of 5GB of data transfer. Not everyone needs to tether their smartphone. But if it’s free then more people are likely to try it. $20 is not a big price to pay and you can add or remove this feature on monthly basis. Keep in mind that you still need a data plan before you can add the tethering feature.

Should I Upgrade to BlackBerry Bold 9900 9930

If you have recently purchase a Blackberry Torch from AT&T you already have a great smartphone to work with. But for those are still stuck with Blackberry Curve or previous generation Bold then you should upgrade to Blackberry Bold 9900 or Blackberry Bold 9930 this summer. At just 10.5mm, you are upgrading to the thinnest Blackberry! The Bold 9930 has dual-bank CDMA and quad-bank GSM while the Bold 9900 supports HSPA+ 4G, so it should be available through all carriers include AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint. What impress us the most are the super slim design and added Near Field Communication technology. So far we know the Bold 9900 and 9300 will be available in classic Black. We will like to see white and red just before the holiday shopping season. Every spec is better than the previous version of Bold and Curve, the only reason that I can think of not upgrading to Bold 9900 and 9930 is the screen size. With just 2.8 inch VGA touchscreen, you might have to sacrifice some real estate that you used to have on 3.25 inch Storm or 3.2 inch touchscreen on the Torch.

How to Tell If a Cell Phone is Locked

A locked phone basically means that you can only use it with one particular carrier. Many people want to unlock the phone so they can use it on a different network. So, how do you tell if a cell phone is locked or not? You need to have 2 SIM cards. One is from the phone and carrier you have now. Another SIM card from a different carrier. If you don’t know how to locate the SIM card read the user’s manual first. Most of the phones today have a slot where you can just pop it open with a push. Or you need a tiny pin to stick and then pull it out. Make sure you turn off the phone before removing the SIM.

Next insert the SIM card from a different carrier. If you have AT&T, bring in a SIM card from T-Mobile. Turn on your cell phone. If no error message shows up and all the contact information from T-Mobile can be view and edit on the AT&T phone then this phone is definitely not locked. To be just 100% sure, make a few phone calls, text messages, and surf the web to see if it works.

That’s how to tell if a phone is locked or not.

What are the Disadvantages of Prepaid Phones?

What are the disadvantages of a prepaid phone if you are thinking to use one? Sure you don’t have to be locked into a 24-month contract but you are losing a lot of benefits as a postpaid customer. First, any Pay As You Go phone doesn’t include anytime minutes let alone free nights and weekends. You will have to pay by minute. Depending how much you buy on a prepaid card the minimum minute charge can start as high as 30 cents and minutes. So and 1 hour call can cost you $18 and 3 hours a month will cost you $54. That’s more than a typical $40/month contract plan. Of course you can prepay more so lock in a low rate like 10 cents an minute. One of the biggest disadvantages is that you won’t be able to make calls before you refill the account. If you have an important call to make, forget it.

Another drawback of owning prepaid cell phones is that you have to pay for the phone itself while other people can enjoy a brand new phone free out of pocket. The phone you want to put on a prepay plan can cost you as much as $500 if you insist on getting the latest smartphones like Android. The cheapest option is to find a basic flip phone, which costs $100 or less. Read more

Best Samsung Focus Upgrade Price

Those of you who have been thinking to upgrade to AT&T now it’s the best time to do so. For the first time, you are getting much more discount as current customers. Samsung Focus was for sale for $0.00 for new customers last week, now it’s your turn to get the best upgrade price! How much do you have to pay? FREE out of pocket while new customers are paying $49.99 (still a much lower price than in-store). Don’t you feel a little better for being a loyal customer? Anyway, this upgrade offer is for a limited time only. So you are thinking to get a new Windows Phone 7 then by all means get the best upgrade price now before the promotion is over.

AT&T Valentine’s Day Sale 2011 Deals

Are you serious that you haven’t bought your loved one a gift??? Lucky you are reading this post. AT&T Valentine’s Day Sale 2011 is your chance to get him or her the perfect gift this year. I am not going to waste time checking out every phone and every deal. Here are the AT&T Valentines Day Specials you should be getting: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 on sale today for $0.00 out the door - forget about getting him or her a new digital camera. This smartphone has 8 megapixel camera onboard. The large 4 inch touchscreen is perfect for viewing pictures and videos. Read more

Cheap Samsung Focus for Sale

Are you in the market for a new Windows Phone 7? Then check out the cheap Samsung Focus sale that’s going now. How cheap? You can get free out of pocket plus a free Bluetooth headset. This is a limited time offer and you can only get it through out authorized dealer here. What is so great about this Samsung Focus Windows smartphone is that it brings entertainment, work, and family and friends together all in one place. The Live Tiles feature gives you instant updates on messages, appointments, and news. The 4 inch large touchscreen is one of the largest in its class and makes watching movies, playing games, and web browsing a much better experience than those so-called full-featured phones. The super faster 1GHz processor means doing more with less time when it comes to working. Read more

att.com blackberrytorch

Looking for att.com/blackberrytorch special? You are better off shopping here, because we can you save you $200 or more vs. in-store price. The att.com BlackberryTorch price is currently at $100, it’s cheap, but not the cheapest you can find online. Today’s special from our trusted online retailer only cost $9.99. $100 cheaper plus there is no charge for express shipping.

Att.com/blackberrytorch promo is for a very limited time only. You can sign up a new plan or upgrade to a new family plan to take advantage of this offer. Best of all, you don’t need to get all BlackberryTorch. Mix or match any other phones of your choices and start saving money today on a new Blackberry Torch smartphone!

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