Smart Phones

[chrisrosenb]

My Verizon contract is up tomorrow,

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I have at&t and the iphone ( I like the phone, I just hate at&t) [mad]

I use it for all sorts of stuff, when I can get coverage. [mad]

You will like a smart phone, I have tons of apps.  My favorites being build calc pro, Golf shot GPS, oregon trail and pacman.

I have an unlimited Data plan, I do not even come close to using more then the 15.00 data plan they offer.

I say get more then you think and then you can scale down from there.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Chris, just got my middle son a Droid X. Nice phone. We are with Verizon and they were running a special for unlimited data for $20/mo instead of the normal $30/mo. That's only $5/mo more than the plan that limits data access so it's a no-brainer.

Smartphones, like the Droid, can do all sorts of things. There are tons of apps that you can download. Many of them are free. I don't have a Droid so I can't offer any assistance on which apps may interest you but maybe another member can.

 

[GhostFist]

I understand where you're coming from. All this talk about apps and what not can seem senseless. "What do I need all of this garbage on my phone for? I just want to make calls". Smart phones are really little computers now and amazing little devices at that. Some stuff I think is useful on my phone and is common on all smartphones these days is e-mail, GPS Navigation, Calculators, text messaging, web browsing, scheduling/calendar and alarms. There really are a billion little add on and tweaks you can throw on your phones these days and you'll find your self playing with the device quite a bit once you first get it. As long as you don't start conversations with people at a pub about how awesome your smart phone is you'll be cool. I once saw a table full of people showing off their iphones and talking about nothing than the useless apps they have on them, there's more to life than that!! Haha

I'll give some small examples of how my smartphone has helped me with work. Recently finished off an addition on a home and the inspector wanted to see some pictures of how we finished insulation and vapour barrier so he didn't have to come back. Once the last strip of tape went on I pulled out my phone snapped some photos and e-mailed them off to him right on the spot. With in a minute he responded and approved us to continue with drywall boarding which we leapt right into.

Construction Master calculators have applications for   both Android and Iphone, If you ever use a construction calculator on the job this is the same thing but usually always on you.

I'm always off to a new location and hate being late for appointments, turn by turn GPS navigation is awesome for getting you to where you gotta go on time.

Those are just a couple of quick examples, on an older smartphone I had I would load it with sketchup drawings saved as jpegs to show clients on site, the screen was alot smaller than the one I have now and it was considerably slower but it helped to convey a concept for the overall design of a project quickly and easily. Screen resolutions these days make it even easier to get across your ideas.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Chris,

Go play with the Droid X and other phones in the store.  Play with them a lot because Verizon changed their return/exchange policy.  Even though they offer a 30 day trial, it'll cost you $35 if you don't want the phone altogether or want to go for a different model.  Store managers are the only one's who can waive that and it's more difficult than pulling all of your teeth to get them to agree.  I don't like how Verizon seems to hide the penalty charge and the reps on the phone blow it off claiming they can waive it.  Turns out that isn't true.  They make a lot of empty promises or false claims in my experience.

Are you sure you don't want to get a cheap temp replacement off of ebay till all the new models come out after CES next week.  January and February will be big for new phone intros.  I've been off contract for 3/4 of a year waiting for Verizon's new stuff.  I have a lot of patience, well not really, but I'm trying.

 

[GhostFist]

The thing about technology is that stuff improves extremely rapidly these days. Within weeks of the latest and greatest product release one 2x better comes out. All phones are very capable devices these days, the current tech is overwhelming let alone what ever CES brings to the table

 

[Ken Nagrod]

...but with the intro of the new LTE network, some of the new phones will have that capability, so while you're still under contract for that phone, they'll eventually have the LTE in your area that you'll be able to take advantage of without having to get another new phone and at full price.

Also forgot to mention that Verizon only lets you do one exchange for the $35.  A few years ago I had done two exchanges because I couldn't stand the LG phones I was trying.  Luckily it was before this new policy.  I also gave back a phone within the 30 days last April.  That's how I found out about all of this.  Again I was lucky not having to pay, but only after an extended battle and finally found a female store manager who was very flirty with me.  Maybe I should have persued that  [wink].

 

[Joe Smith]

I recently got a Iphone and it is great.  Leaps and bounds better then my samsung phone I had before.  I do not talk on the phone that much or text that much either, but I find I am on the Iphone alot more checking news and using the Apps.  Yesterday I was with my family and we were looking for a place to eat.  All I did was pull up an app and it showed me everything that was near me. Too easy. 

I also have board feet and fraction calculator apps that I use all the time now.

I view the smart phones as a computer that does phone calls and not a phone that does some computer stuff.

 

[mishle]

I have the HTC EVO 4G phone and thought I would input my use on the job as well. I use sprint as the service provider.

I was at an install where some one lost the instructions to a bathroom light sensor I had instructions in about 3 min with it up and working using Google search.

I use Barcode scanner and Shopper that is a photo product scanner to find specs on material I am not familiar with install howtos etc..

Weather channel

a Notes widget, Convert pad, RealCalc, and a Camera on one screen. This is my secondary job screen.

On another screen I have bookmarks to tool specs, manuals, this web site etc..

And on another screen I have a calender that is synced to my computer and also my wife has access to add appointments and set alarms from any internet connection.

Finally I have a misc screen of things I use some are repeats from other screens. One that comes in handy is Where Am I it gives me info on where I stand:
Phone Code
Zip Code
City Street
County
State
Sunset
Sunrise
a map
Elevation
and GPS Coordinates

also on the screen some of the things I use are a timer, quickoffice, and Simple notes.

When I add customer contacts it is synced with my email so when I sit down at the computer I can send PDF, Sketchup avi's and be done.

And one thing that I am going to try out is Google Googles to be able to scan in business card and input strait to contacts.

Thanks to this form for reminding me of this application.

Also tethering is big for me I use it on my laptop at customers home while I design in Sketchup in front of them great for download componets etc

 

[Sparktrician]

You might also want to consider desktop applications to work with the device you select.  I've been using a Palm Pilot for years, and had good success with their desktop application, so long as I was using XP.  When I migrated my systems to Win7 - 64 bit, the application died in a fiery crash on a lonely road, meaning no good way to back up my data, nor interact with a desktop to print data and add/modify/delete entries.  Palm has virtually gone tits-up with regard to support for Palm devices now that HP owns the name.  I migrated to a BlackBerry Bold 9700.  It works well, and I can back up to my laptop or desktop, but there's no comparable desktop application with which I can interact to add/modify/delete entries.  I do not use Outlook since it's such a piece of crap for the individual user, so forget that.  I can't address Verizon/Motorola applications (or others) since I'm on AT&T (The Blue Death Star) until the current contract expires in less than a year.  Also, I'd suggest investigating which manufacturer's applications your carrier blocks.  Example: AT&T blocks BlackBerry Maps since they want the customer to pay more to use the AT&T Navigator application.  Rather than do that, I downloaded and use Google Maps for the BlackBerry which is free and uses the BlackBerry's GPS.  If you do or plan to do international travel, the bulk of the free world uses GSM technology which allows you to use your own phone virtually anywhere and to switch to a local carrier by swapping out the SIM card in your device.  Verizon is on CDMA technology which precludes that as an option.  Another item to consider is tethering your laptop to your device as opposed to buying an air card for your laptop.  I use a product called Tether (Canadian made; $50 one-time fee - http://tether.com/) to join my laptop to the Internet rather than pay a heap more for an air card and separate data plan, since I so seldom need this capability.  It may be worth your while to inquire as to whether your selected device is compatible with Tether or something comparable.  Some things to ponder...  

[smile]

 

[joiner1970]

Im edging towards the Motorola Defy its a builders phone really , its dust/water/shock proof Ive nearly always gone the Nokia route but lately they seem behind the times my 5800 was great a year or so ago but it already seems dated and I prefer the touch screens on the newer phones the conductive type, my one you have to really press hard or use the stylus.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

 Also, I'd suggest investigating which manufacturer's applications your carrier blocks.  Example: AT&T blocks BlackBerry Maps since they want the customer to pay more to use the AT&T Navigator application.  Rather than do that, I downloaded and use Google Maps for the BlackBerry which is free and uses the BlackBerry's GPS.

FYI,
The FCC has proposed Net Neutrality rules that would prevent carriers from blocking apps for competitive reasons.  The telecomm lobbyists have ensured that lots of congressmen are going to protest.  If this is important to you, an email to your congressman to state your view, whichever side, would be a good idea.

 

[GhostFist]

Just checked out that Defy phone and it looks pretty sweet. I wish it was available here I would have snapped it up as I tend to brutalize my phones.

 

[robtonya]

I have the HTC Evo as well. Had a Blackberry Tour. Nice phone, but the Android market is amazing to me. I use it more than my computer. I'm using it to type this out now. The nice part about an Android phone is if there is something you don't like about it, you can change it. Do a search on rooting a Droid phone. They really are like a computer.

 

[AdamM]

I have the Droid X and love it.  It's not quite as sexy as the HTC Incredible, but I like the bigger screen.  The HDMI output has been useful for showing vacation photos to friends and family.  You can use it to play videos too, though (last I checked) they must reside on the phone and not be streaming from youtube or something.

I'm guessing there could be some business applications for the HDMI port as well...perhaps showing photos on a client's TV or something.

 

[norwegian wood]

apples ios devices make it nice as you can share your content on a tv or audio system wirelessly using there airplay feature. no wires needed.

 

[GhostFist]

Provided your tv/ audio system is connected to the internet and or blue tooth......
Same programs exist for android

 

[robtonya]

Provided your tv/ audio system is connected to the internet and or blue tooth......
Same programs exist for android

Yup, wife Samsung Epic works that way on our Samsung blue-ray player. Haven't tried my phone. I can't believe all the things this phone does. I use a sleep analyzer to see how long I was in a deep sleep, I compare prices while I'm shopping at the store, check the speed of a vehicle I'm riding in. Nothing like back seat driving, and telling the driver how fast they are speeding.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Deke,

I pre-ordered 1 iphone early this morning, actually they allowed me to do it at 2:50am when they claimed they wouldn't do it before 3am, not sure why, but I had no problems.  I was talking with tech support over the last few days and brought up the whole pre-order process, telling them how I didn't like that Verizon was hiding all the plan pricing and detail info until the actual pre-order process.  That's exactly how it turned out, practically ordering blind, but I wanted it!  I have a business account with Verizon, not sure what difference that would make in the whole process.  I'm not too thrilled that the expected date for us pre-order people is Feb. 11 delivered Fed Ex.  I just thought it would be much sooner than it was being made available to the masses.  The only benefit is that we won't have to deal with the massive crowds at the stores come Feb. 10 and the possiblity that they'll sell out before we get one.

 

[Sparktrician]

AT&T's getting a bunch of bad press lately for poor coverage, but they're working hard to upgrade their network to 4G.  Also, the Motorola Atrix is about to be announced (late March).  It's an Android phone for GSM networks, and promises to be pretty spectacular. 

[smile]