How to get the most out of Straight Talk phones (Tips and Tricks)

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English: Hands-on with the Galaxy Nexus at its... Image via Wikipedia

If your like me!

You will always want to get the most of your Straight Talk Phone (Affiliate link). I’m going to talk about how to get the most out of your prepaid phone and not have to worry about signal strength as much.   I know it can be difficult to figure out which one is right for you but I will discuss some of the things that you might need to know before buying your Straight Talk Phone.  It only takes a little research to find the answer to the next few questions.   Once you answer these questions you should be far better off.

The questions you need to answer are:

  • Where will you use the phone primarily?

  • What features are you looking for?

  • Which carriers are more reliable in your area?

  • Is it important to always receive phone calls? Can they go to Voice mail?

as you can see there are several things you need to consider when you about to buy a Straight Talk phone.   Phones are linked to different carriers from what I can see and understand.  That is the may reason why you might not have much success with one phone and have great success with another.

Do your Research!

This is the most vital thing you can do.   Even though most times doing the research will lead to nothing it is very important.  Some things to help you find your answers to those questions are just asking Google or your favorite search engine these question:

  • What carrier is the (INSERT Straight Talk phone) on or Uses?

  • What are people saying about (INSERT Straight Talk phone)?

  • What is the coverage area for (Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, ETC) in (Zipcode)?

Now doing that will provide several different results and each one is going to have to be considered before buying your phone.   However you know which carrier each phone uses than you are far better off with knowing if you will have great coverage or bad coverage.   This is the essential because you will not enjoy your phone if it does terrible.

Here is what I know!

I’m going to help you figure out some of what has been said in the mobile industry as to which carriers are using which phones.   I won’t have a complete list because even I don’t know all the phones but I will generalize some of these and let you decide which ones you might want to buy and use and maybe even help me by commenting and tell me your phone and what carrier.

  • Straight Talk Android Phones(The Samsung Galaxy Precedent (Affiliate link) and LG Optimus Q (Affiliate link)) — Will run on the Sprint Network

  • Straight Talk Samsung T404G (Affiliate link) — Runs off the At&T network.

  • Straight Talk LG 620g (Affiliate link)– Runs off the T-mobile Network.

These are the only ones that I have heard about but at least this will give you a starting place to look and use when you are looking for the best possible coverage for your prepaid cell phones.   If I find out more phones this will be updated but as for right now this is all I have and if you have more information on phones just make a comment and I’ll will update the list.

Paul Sylvester

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First Impressions of the Samsung T404g

Paul2 Replies

The Phone is Awesome!

I’ve had several hours to play around with this phone and I must say I like it. The Straight Talk Samsung T404G (Affiliate Link)is by far a better phone. I won’t say it is the best phone but it is far better than the LG 620g Straight Talk phone.

The Spec’s of the Phone are:

  • Slider QWERTY Keyboard

  • Mobile Web

  • MP3 Player(cable and microSD card not included)

  • 2.0 Megapixel Camera and Video Recorder

  • Bluetooth® Wireless Technology

  • MMS Picture Messaging

  • Text Messaging

  • External microSD Card up to 16GB (not included)

  • LCD Color Display

  • Hands-free Speaker

  • Voice Recorder

  • Voicemail and Call Waiting

  • Caller/Picture/Ringtone ID

  • Auto Redial

  • Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock

  • Phonebook with up to 1,000 entries

  • Battery Talk Time up to 4 hours

  • Standby Time up to 21 days

  • Includes Charger and Services Guide

The Phone is Linked to the Carrier!

When you buy a Phone for Straight Talk you are buying the phone for a certain carrier.   Every phone is probably for a certain carrier because when I first linked the old phone to Google voice it was a T-mobile carrier now when I updated the number using Google voice it is showing an AT&T carrier.   So I am getting way better signals then I did with the LG 620g Phone.   So if you are having problems with one phone then the chances  are another phone will be better.   I know I didn’t change the number for my phone just the phone itself.   I would love to compile a list of which phones are tied to each carrier.   One way you can find out which carrier you are using with Straight Talk is by using Google Voice to find out.   Just got to the settings page to either add or update your carrier.

You can use an External Antenna!

There is an external antenna connector on the phone, you have to peel away a small square just above the battery to use the connector but have yet to see which connector works with it just because I get such a good antenna strength with it.   I really haven’t had the need to worry about boosting the antenna strength but I am sure there are places where you might need it.

More to come!

Paul Sylvester

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Reviewing the LG 620g From Straight Talk!

Paul

Straight Talk LG 620g
The LG 620g!

I had LG 620g Prepaid Slider Phone (Straight Talk) (Affiliate link) for quite some time.  So I know a lot about it and wanted to talk about it.   Before I start talking about it lets at least get the spec’s out of the way:

  • Stylish Slider Phone Design

  • 1.3 Megapixel Camera and Video Recorder

  • MP3 Player (cable and SD card not included)

  • Mobile Web Services

  • Bluetooth® Wireless Technology

  • FM Radio

  • MMS picture messaging

  • Text Messaging

  • Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) Rating: M3/T3

  • Hands-free Speaker

  • Voice Recorder

  • Voicemail and Call Waiting

  • Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock

  • Phonebook with up to 1.000 entries

  • Downloadable ringtones and graphics

  • Vibration Alert

  • Polyphonic Ringtones

  • Battery Talk Time up to 5 hours

  • Standby Time up to 9 days

  • Includes Charger and Services Guide

 

The Break down of the Phone!

Pro’s for the Phone:

  • Hands-free Speaker — I used this alot while driving and it worked pretty good when needed.  I had no problem talking to my family or friends .

  • The sliding Phone design — I like that it was slim and made it quite useful because it minimized the surface area of the phone when not in used.

  • Alarm Clock — Used this to help wake me up in the mornings and had no problems selecting the alarm type and when to go off.   Great morning wake up for me since I am a light sleeper anyways.

  • Vibration alert — This was also very useful when you have voicemail or text messages and don’t want anyone to know you had a alert go off.

  • Mobile Web Services — Great plus because I good use all my Google accounts with the phone and check my emails and also use my Google voice service with the phone.

  • Bluetooth —  Worked great with my bluetooth headset and you can use any blue tooth headset you have with it and not have any major problems.

  • MicroSD card — I used this with my 32 gb Micro SD card and it worked flawlessly to backup contacts and text messages to the SD card.   I can even play MP3 files on it.

  • External Antenna —  I used the Wp-359921 cable to extend the  range of the antenna and not worry about antenna strength.   The antenna connector is located under the battery cover.   You don’t have to take the batter y out to use an antenna with it.  It makes it just that much more useful.   You can also use the mobile web with an external antenna.

The Con’s:

  • Nine day standby time —  It claims to have a 9 standby time but I seriously doubt that.   I can’t be for sure because I used it off and on but know it wouldn’t last more than 3 days without needing to be charged while in use.

  • Text Messaging — Once you get to the 100% filled in text messages you just have to start deleting them but it should have a setting to delete the old messages first as new ones come in.   I don’t know if this is something they could implement but It is a pain to go through you text messages and have to manually do it to everyone of them.

  • MMS Picture Messaging  —  I loved having a decent camera but the bad part of it is that I couldn’t send to anyone.   I don’t know if I just did it wrong or not but it never really worked for me.

 

The Conclusion!

I had this phone but the screen broke.  I would recommend this phone to anyone who might need a cheap Straight Talk phone (Affiliate link).     I guess I should of kept better care of it.   I ordered a Straight Talk Samsung T404G (Affiliate link) and am waiting for it to come in the mail as we speak. I will give you a better overview of the new phone next month sometime.  I like that it can do everyone the 620g can do but also has a sliding keyboard for texting.

Paul Sylvester

 

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Android Malware, Ridiculous!

Paul

English: A candidate icon for Portal:Computer ... Image via Wikipedia

 

Malware for Android??

Nothing I have read from what people have said or done indicates that it is actually malicious in being installed.   Yet, Everyone keeps saying it is malware!

Software is considered to be malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, dishonest adware, scareware, crimeware, most rootkits, and other malicious and unwanted software or program.

[Via Wikipedia]

What is with people saying Android has Malware!   I don’t understand that and I have been scratching my head when I read this.   It really burns my buttons on my computer when I read it.

Use your Head!

If you haven’t been keeping up with my blog, you will know that it isn’t really unwanted.      Most programs you download using your android device is something that is being sought out but yet it isn’t going to be truthful when it comes to something you don’t know.    I can’t understand for the life of my why they are trying to scare people into thinking that you need antivirus for Android for security.   I’ve talked about this in past post but I will say it again:

 

This is something I tell my friends and family when buying an Application on the Market place from anywhere there is usually a bunch of reviews of it from various users and thus will help you determine if this application is worth the money or could be a problem.

 

My Underware!

I’m calling anything that is unwanted and stuff you didn’t know what is being rune’d on an OS.   I call this underware due to the fact that is programs that you installed on your OS but didn’t know that it is doing something it shouldn’t.  This is something that I called it because when you say malware, it makes me think of software that is being forced to be installed and running under the radar.   You really don’t know it is running and thus that is why you call it malware, but if you install a program accepting the consequences then, it should just be called underware.

What should it be called?

I’m really not sure what else to call it but the idea of underware is UNDER the radar programs.   If you can come up with something better please let me know but I don’t want it to be called malware.

Paul Sylvester

 

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Androids aren’t immune because of people!

Paul

virus Image by twenty_questions via Flickr

Androids having viruses?

Really, I do not know who thinks android devices will be just as secure as an Apple product.  Now I know people have probably said that Androids are just as insecure as a Windows Machine.   I am not going to argue those points because they seem to be always floating to the surface every day from some unskilled computer user.   I’ve been asked by a few friends and even some family members who are concerned about a virus on their android device and thus want to buy Ipads more.  Even though Androids OS is an open sourced project the more the market share goes up for Android’s the more the evil guys will focus on creating applications and fraudulent software or games.   It is the nature of security and of the beast.   Nothing you can do to stop it.

Use Common sense!

This is something I tell my friends and family when buying an Application on the Market place from anywhere there is usually a bunch of reviews of it from various users and thus will help you determine if this application is worth the money or could be a problem.  When I want to add an application to my Android device, I will usually also see what others have said about the game or application and see the users ratings.   I will almost never buy an android application that has no comments but I am not novice when it comes Android.   I can always reset my android to factory defaults and restart the process.   So I know that is always my option when it comes to installing something that is unfavorable.   It however is not the end all save all for wiping a virus from your android device, if they want to get that virus on you device that would be the last place, I would put my application.   So it will clean most of the so called viruses off your device but until antivirus companies start getting the hint to make better applications for android the only true way to clean it is to erase and re-install but that is no option on your part especially if you have a phone or some proprietary device.

No Device is really safe!

Now when I go to buy a operating system, I already have that in my mind.   Nothing I have bought is ever going to truly be secured and thus I always go into this with an open mind and not worry about which one is the most secure.   I look for the one that is going to help me do what I want to do and not be restrained by any company.   I can view Netflix on Android just like I can view it on an Ipad.   I can take it anywhere I like just like my Ipad, it can be smaller for my convenience and cheaper.  Apple has their perks but then you pay for it, that is why I love Android because of the openness of the system.   I can do anything in the sun I want to do to the device and not worry about warranties and keeping it cheap.

If you understand this principle of mine then you will be FAR better than most people when it comes to buying applications on the device or installing applications from unknown websites.   As long as you know when you install an unknown application from an untrustworthy source you setting yourself up for problems.   Follow the path that has more security and don’t install anything without consulting some technology person and find out the risks and benefits of a program or application.

 

Paul Sylvester

 

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