Buying a Smart Phone

I use the free one called "Advanced Task Killer."

You can select and kill background apps with 2 taps, or you can have it kill the apps that you select on a "time schedule" of your choosing. Remember that some apps are built into the Droid OS to be very persistent and will periodically keep restarting regardless (unless to root the phone and uninstall them, which I don't recommend unless one has a very compelling reason to do so.)

However, since getting it tweaked in, my battery life and data usage has improved by at least double or triple. I’m not saying that this one is the “be all, end all” of task killers because there are many more in the app store. But it has done the job well from my perspective of using it for over a year now.

 

While we're at it (even though this thread technically isn't in the phone section per se) here are three more tips that I have found to be helpful.

1. I bought a protective film called Invisible Shield made by a company called Zagg. It was $18 installed by a kid in a cell phone outlet. It's made from a military polymer with the original purpose to protect helicopter rotor blades from the desert sands eroding them. You can try to scratch this thing and it just smirks at you.

2. I got a universal charger cord at the Verizon store called "Offwire" that plugs into the wall, or the 12V vehicle socket, or a 9 volt battery, or USB. It then can be used to charge anything that uses USB or micro-USB. It's great to put it in your shirt pocket with a 9v battery while on an airplane and pull the retractable cord down to your cell phone to charge up. (Don't stare at the challenged man kids; he thinks he can charge his phone from a cord in his pocket...) $24

3. Netflix app. I have been a fan of this company since their beginnings. Now you can get the app for iPhone and Droid phones and "boom" - seemingly endless movies and tv shows. It is ridiculously fast any time you have a 3G connection, and downright ludicrous on 4G. $8 bucks per month.

Disclaimer: I have absolutely zero business relationship with any company I mentioned in this thread. These are just my opinions on more cool stuff I have found while navigating the smartphone jungle.

- Don

 

Since we're talking about apps here ... the one that works great for me is iheartradio.

Since I'm here in Cabo, getting US radio stations is impossible. I like to listen to Rush or Hannity or Glen Beck ... and with iheartradio and an internet connection ... bam ... I'm there listening to KFYI out of Phoenix AZ.

Or listening to island music from the local radio station out of Hawaii.

And all of this is FREE !!

So, if you have a favorite radio station somewhere in the country ... you can listen to it no matter where you are. And if you have an unlimited data plan like I had when I was back in the States (Sprint) ... No Worries !!

 

Ok...need help too..... the choice is Iphone 3GS or the Sprint EVO mentioned here. I'm an ATT customer so the purchase will be cheaper..... what else ?

 

Forgot to add, need phone for electronic dispatch, want to listen to on line radio, check email etc. Dont want to worry about bill.

ATT only gives 4 gb for $45.00....that enough?

 

When I was in the States, I was on Sprint's "Simply Everything" Plan, with an HTC Evo 4G phone.

If I remember correctly, it was approx $139/mo ... with Unlimited Everything ... plus Hot Spot capability for my laptop. (The only downside was when I was NOT in a 4G area ... if I was using the hotspot for my laptop and wanted to make a call, I lost my data connection for the laptop, till I ended the call. - No Big Deal.)

I had great speed, great connectivity, easy connection to a bluetooth headset or bluetooth cb (I used the Cobra 29LTD/BT.) And the apps are great !!

I also used uDrove electronic logging, which the company I was with thought was fantastic. It sure made life easy for me ... and my carrier.