T-Mobile vs. Verizon: Best family plan

Comparing data, minutes, cost, perks, which carrier is right for your family?

If you live in a home with multiple phones, tablets or wearables, it might be worth looking into a family plan, which can share your data and hopefully save some money. When you’re shopping between T-Mobile and Verizon it’s important to know how much data you need, how many devices will be on your account, and how much data you expect to use.

• What sharing plans are available?
• How many devices are allowed on a shared plan?
• How does data work on a shared plan
• How do talk and text work on a shared plan?
• What perks come with share plans?
• Which carrier’s shared plan is right for my family?

What sharing plans are available from T-Mobile and Verizon?

Sharing plans allow you to purchase one big chunk of data and divvy it up between all the phones and devices on your account.

T-Mobile doesn’t really offer a true sharing plan. Instead of sharing one big chunk of data, each person on your account is given a monthly allotment of data. Once they surpass their data limit, they can still use data on their phone or tablet, but their download speeds will be slower.

The Verizon Plan lets you choose between plans sized from S-XXL depending on how much data you need. From there you add the number of devices you want to share the data with.

How many devices are allowed on a shared plan?

With both T-Mobile and Verizon you are charged for each device on your plan. Adding smartphones to your plan costs more than adding tablets or wearables, so knowing how many devices you want to share data with will impact your total bill each month.

T-Mobile cost per device

With T-Mobile you can have up to 12 devices on one account. The more devices you add, the cheaper it is per device (until you eventually bottom out at $10 each). Adding a tablet to your T-Mobile plan is only $10/device if you also have a phone on your plan, otherwise it’s $20.

• Phone 1, $50
• Phone 2, $30
• Phone 3, $10
• Each additional phone $10
• Each additional tablet $10 (or $20 if you don’t have a phone)

Verizon cost per device

On Verizon, you pay a flat rate per device, regardless of the size of your plan; however, the rate varies depending on what kind of device you’re using. At least one of the devices on your plan must be a smartphone in order to share data.

• $20/month/smartphone
• $10/tablet/month
• $10/mobile hotspot/month
• $5/device/month

Remember, if you’re not bringing your own phone, your carrier will also charge you a monthly fee for one of their phones. Costs vary, but if you want the most up-to-date phone, you’ll be looking at about $25-$30 per month until the device is paid off.

How does data work on a shared plan with T-Mobile and Verizon?

This is where things get tricky. T-Mobile gives you a specific data allotment for each device, whereas Verizon gives you a big pool of data to share.

If you go over on T-Mobile your data speed slows down, but you won’t have to pay more. If you go over on Verizon, you have to pay overage fees.

T-Mobile monthly data rates

• 2 GB (included with your monthly charge for each device on your account)
• 6 GB, $15/device
• 10 GB, $30/device
• Unlimited, $45/device

Overage Charges: If you go over your monthly data limit with T-Mobile your connection speed can be reduced (If you have a normal, 4G, LTE connection your speed can be cut from between 6 and 20 Mbps to between 64 and 128 kbps which is slower than a 2G network connection). Even on an unlimited plan, if you exceed 25 GB on a device in one bill cycle your speeds may be reduced. This may only happen during peak use times, or if you’re lucky, not at all, but T-Mobile reserves the right to limit your speeds if you go over.

Rollover Data: T-Mobile offers a service called Data Stash which allows you to rollover any unused data in future months and will save this unused, high speed data for an entire year.

Verizon monthly data rates

Verizon groups their data plans in sizes of Small to XXL.

• 1 GB $30
• 3 GB $45
• 6 GB $60
• 12 GB $80
• 18 GB $100

Overage Charges: If you go over your data limit, Verizon charges $15 per GB (rounded up). This means if you have a 6 GB plan and use 6.1 GB, Verizon rounds up and charges you an additional $15 overage fee that month.

Rollover Data: Verizon is not like other major carriers and does not let you carry unused data into the next month. If you don’t binge through all your data in one billing cycle, it’s gone.

How do talk and text work on a shared plan on T-Mobile and Verizon?

Both T-Mobile and Verizon include unlimited talk and text with their shared plans.

T-Mobile includes unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada with any plan, no matter how much data you buy.

Verizon doesn’t include talk with countries outside the U.S. but this can be added to your plan. However, you will be able to send an unlimited number of text and multimedia messages internationally from any device on the shared plan as long as you’re in the US when you send them.

What perks come with sharing plans from T-Mobile and Verizon?

Sometimes it’s tough to decide between one carrier or another, so each provider generally offers something extra to sweeten the pot.

T-Mobile’s incentive package helps protect your high speed data, by making certain data-draining activities are exempt from your overall high speed data allotment. T-Mobile’s Music Freedom allows you to stream music from popular services you already have an account with like Apple Music, Google Music, Pandora, without counting against your data. Binge On works the same way as Music Freedom, but for popular video services you have an account for like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu. (This is limited to “DVD quality” at 480p resolution.)

Verizon will let you bundle services together which could be helpful if you’re also interested in having a home phone, and/or TV hookup. They also offer a loyalty program called Verizon My Rewards + which allows you to earn points when you pay your phone bill or order products from their shop or third-party services. You can use these points to put toward gift cards at restaurants, receive discounts on products, or use them for travel rewards program.

Which carrier’s shared plan is right for my family?

Both T-Mobile and Verizon leave room for customization based on the needs and budget of your household. For comparison purposes, we will look at share plans that have two phones and two tablets on them.

If you want the absolute cheapest plan, that can be built with Verizon, but you would have a very small amount of data (1GB) to share between devices.

If you want the most high speed data you can get that with T-Mobile, but even though you’re buying “unlimited” high speed data, it may start to slow down after you use 25 GB on one device.

If you want the best value for your data T-Mobile lets you buy the amount of data you think you’ll need for each device and won’t charge you overage fees.

If you have many devices (5 or more) consider the T-Mobile plan as its per-device account fee bottoms out at $10 for three or more devices, which is less expensive than Verizon’s rates. However, if you only have one smartphone on your account and the rest are tablets or wearables, then Verizon may be a better choice.

If you want to avoid overage fees then T-Mobile is a clear winner since they only slow down your data if you go over your limit instead of charging you per GB of data.

If you’re primarily concerned with talk and text from your provider, T-Mobile and Verizon are pretty equal. The only difference is if you frequently talk or text with people in Mexico or Canada, T-Mobile includes this in their plans whereas you would have to upgrade for this service with Verizon.

If you already pay for TV service in your home you might find more value with Verizon if you choose to use their Fios TV service.

Keep calm and carrier on!

Ultimately choosing a shared plan for your family comes down to how many people are in your home, what devices they use, and what they use them for. T-Mobile and Verizon have slight advantages between each other depending on what category you look at.

Overall T-Mobile’s plan offers the most customization and flexibility and their low data prices and lack of overage charges make them a really appealing option for data-hungry households.

Samsung’s 256GB EVO Plus microSD hits the market in June for $250 with blazing speeds

Samsung has announced plans to release the EVO Plus 256GB microSD card. The card, which can store up to 12 hours of 4K UHD video, will go on sale in June worldwide for $249.99.

Samsung claims its new microSD card has the highest amount of storage in its class. It adds:

The EVO Plus 256GB raises the bar for capacity and performance of microSD cards thanks to Samsung’s advanced V-NAND technology, offering high read and write speeds of up to 95MB/s and 90MB/s, respectively. This level of performance will provide general consumers and professionals with superb user convenience for storing heavy-loaded, high-resolution photography and 4K video recording, as well as graphic intensive multimedia like virtual reality (VR) and gaming.

Best tablets for kids 2016

If you’re in the market for kid-friendly tablets, we’ve got a list of contenders.

Every kid wants a tablet. They’re fun, portable, easy to use, and they keep the little ones entertained. If your children have seen you working (or playing) on a tablet, chances are they want to play, too.

Deciding to invest in a tablet for your child is a big step, and there are a number of qualities to consider: price, parental controls, and perhaps most importantly, durability. We’ve read the reviews, asked around, and brought together the five tablets we believe will be the best for your kids .

• LeapFrog Epic Kids Tablet
• Dragon Touch 7 inch Quad Core Android Kids Tablet
• Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite Kids
• Amazon Fire Kids Edition
• iPad Mini 2

LeapFrog Epic Kids Tablet

LeapFrog was one of the first tablet-style devices made just for kids. Until recently, parents had to purchase cartridges in order to get games or educational materials for LeapFrog products, but the latest version of the tablet has eliminated the cartridges in favor of Wi-Fi and an Android 4.4-based OS. Now that everything can be downloaded, just like a regular “grown up” tablet, you’ll never have to go searching for little green cartridges again.

The tablet comes with LeapSearch, a child-friendly browser that lets kids “explore” the web without stumbling into adult territory. Kids can download pre-approved apps without worry and keep themselves occupied with plenty of safe content. The 16GB LeapFrog has an expandable SD card port, just in case your child requires more storage for their new favorite gadget. Parental controls within the LeapSearch browser allow you to set time limits either for the entire tablet or for particular games. These controls also let you unlock web access as your child grows up.

The Epic has a battery life of approximately 6 hours and a 7-inch screen. At 3.6 pounds, this tablet is heavier than most, but it stands up to drops and unexpected accidents. The bumper case, available in either green or pink, is removable, which helps reduce some of the weight and bulk once your child has mastered their grip on the tablet.

See at Amazon

Dragon Touch 7 inch Quad Core Android Kids Tablet

The Dragon Touch tablet runs on Android’s KitKat OS. It’s Wi-Fi, HDMI, and Bluetooth-compatible, so you may find yourself playing around on it after the kids are in bed. Reviews for the Dragon Touch are consistently favorable, and the cost is reasonable, starting around $60. The 8GB storage is expandable thanks to a microSD slot.

The tablet comes pre-installed with “Zoodles,” a child-friendly app store. Here, kids can access free games and educational software. If you want to share some digital artwork your kids have created on social media, you have access to Parent Play Along mode, letting you access things like Facebook. In Play Along mode, you can download other apps for your kids that they would not otherwise have access to. You’ll also have access to services like Netflix for family-friendly shows and movies or for binge-watching your own shows when the kids are done playing.

The thick silicone case makes the Dragon Touch drop and bump-proof, and it’s easy for small hands to grip onto. It weighs 9.8 ounces, and the bumper is available in either red or blue. The battery life tops out around 3.5 hours — which could even be an advantage if you’re looking to limit usage.

See at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Tab E Lite Kids

Samsung’s tablet is a good option for a number of reasons; most significantly of which is that many certified used editions are available alongside the new ones. While this tablet is less likely to follow your kids as they grow up, it does run Android 4.4 KitKat-based software, and has a 7-inch screen. It is consistently well-reviewed, and the availability of used ones is a testament to durability and quality. With its bright, colorful design, it’s a favorite for much younger children who are just being introduced to tablets.

The Galaxy Tab E Lite comes loaded with popular games and apps and a three month subscription to “Samsung Kids” is also included, so kids can pick from a variety of apps to download without safety or content concerns. Parental controls let you set time limits, and, if you feel like your child has spent too much time on any given game, you can restrict access to any of the apps they’ve downloaded. The standard 8GB is expandable but it’s usually not necessary.

The soft bumper case included with the tablet is neon and bright, which makes it easy to spot in a hurry. It’s easy for little hands to hold and weighs 15.2 ounces. And the 5-hour battery life provides more than enough play time for quiet afternoons or longer rides in the car.

See at Amazon

Amazon Fire Kids Edition

The only tablet that offers a 2-year warranty is Amazon’s. If the unthinkable happens to the Fire Kids Edition or if you know your kids tend to be hard on their toys, this is peace of mind included for free. Running on Fire OS 5, the tablet is fast and Bluetooth-compatible, making it a good investment if you’re looking for something the whole family can use — and that your kids won’t outgrow.

It comes with one year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which allows your child to access over 10,000 apps, games, shows, movies, and books, all kid-tested and parent-approved. Parent mode, which is accessed with a password, gives you the opportunity to share media that your kids need your permission to get into. Parent mode also lets you access your social media accounts and Netflix, which means that one day, your kids will be able to do the same when they’ve outgrown the FreeTime restrictions. This tablet is expandable beyond the 8GB it comes with via microSD.

With a 7-inch screen and a 7-hour battery life, the tablet will look and perform just like a Fire tablet you might purchase for yourself. And Amazon’s Kid-Proof Case can protect the Fire Kids Edition, but is easily removable, It’s available in blue, pink, and green.

See at Amazon

iPad Mini 2

Finally, the most expensive option is an older model of iPad, but parents overwhelmingly recommend the iPad Mini 2 if you’re going to go with Apple products. Because the Mini is available in several versions, many people have traded in their gently or barely used Mini 2 for a newer model, making a refurbished one ideal for younger users. The price difference between new and refurbished isn’t tremendous, but it’s good to know it’s an option. The Mini 2 runs on Apple’s iOS, and it fully up-to-date with the latest iOS 9.

This particular iPad comes standard with 16GB of storage and is expandable. Parental controls are available, but you need to set them up yourself. In the Settings menu, you can select the Restrictions button and limit the browser or turn off the iPad’s ability to download anything at all. That said, you can customize this tablet just the way you want before giving it to your child, so a particular browser or app is not controlling any of the content — you are. Taking into account the higher cost of the iPad and the fact that it’s not specifically designed for young children, older kids and pre-teens would be better recipients.

The Mini 2 is easy to customize, with a large variety of cases available, many of them kid-proof, durable, and inexpensive. It’s light, weighing in at 0.73 pounds and has a 7.9-inch Retina Display, which is larger than most kid-centric tabs, and designed to be easier on the eyes. The average battery life is 10 hours.

See at Amazon
See at Apple

The bottom line

No one knows your child like you do. You are the best predictor of what your child is going to enjoy and get the most use out of. You’re also the one with the wallet.

If you’re buying your child’s first tablet and they’re still quite young, the LeapFrog is easy to use and ready to go out-of-the-box. Samsung is also an excellent option for younger children, especially if you can get a certified refurbished model. The overall winner for a kid-friendly, parent-approved, budget-conscious tablet has to be the Amazon Fire Kids Edition. The warranty is a perk by which many parents are comforted, and the tablet itself will move on with your child as they mature.

Share your thoughts on tablets for kids in the comments below. Let us know if your personal choice made it onto our list or if you have some advice for first-time buyers.

Samsung Galaxy Note 6 may feature a BlackBerry Hub-like experience called Samsung Focus

According to a new report, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 6 may have a new feature which is being called Samsung Focus. This would be a central hub for all of your notifications, very similar to how BlackBerry does on BlackBerry 10 and the Priv. The feature is said to integrate your calendar, email, contacts, memos and much more in one central location.

From SamMobile’s report:

With the Galaxy Note 6, Samsung seems to be working on a similar feature. This feature is dubbed Samsung Focus, and it will integrate functions like email, calendar, contacts and memos. The aggregation of emails will be one of the major features, with Focus offering options for viewing and responding to emails from various accounts, similar to Google’s Inbox app. We’re unsure if this will include Gmail or only work with Android’s default email app, which went defunct with Android 5.0 but continues to be present on Samsung’s smartphones and tablets.

It is also rumored that Focus will make its way to other Samsung phones following its debut on the Galaxy Note 6.

More: Imagining the Galaxy Note 6

What styles of Fossil Q watches are available?

Fossil has made its move from standard to smart watches. Which style is right for you?

Fossil has been making vintage-inspired watches for about 30 years. And while those definitely aren’t going away, times are changing, and as such Fossil evolving its approach to timepieces. Fossil Q is the company’s line of connected wearables which includes two distinctly-styled watches, as well as an activity tracker.

• Non-Display Smartwatches
• Display Smartwatches
• Fossil Q Activity Trackers

Display Smartwatches

If you’re in the market for a good-looking and customizable smartwatch, the Fossil Q Display Smartwatches are the lineup you should be considering.

These look, feel, and function exactly the way you’d want a smartwatch to, but still have the cool style of a traditional Fossil watch. There are four models in the Display lineup which feature activity tracking and are powered by Android Wear to connect with popular apps on your phone. And as always, you can manage notifications from your phone on your watch’s touch display with a few taps and swipes.

The Display Smartwatches track activities like daily steps, distance, and calories burned and connects via Bluetooth with the Q App (for Android and iPhone) to monitor your progress over time and make suggestions to boost your activity level throughout the day. Best of all you can swap between metal and leather interchangeable bands and coordinate your watch strap to match one of the many selectable watchfaces.

See at Amazon

Non-Display Smartwatches

For the purist, Fossil has created a smartwatch that doesn’t look like a smartwatch.

The Fossil Q Non-Display Smartwatches ditch the flash touch display for a traditional watch face, but still connect the timepiece to your smartphone over Bluetooth. Instead of messages popping up on a display, this line of Q watches is a little more subtle with its notifications.

Using the Q App on your phone, you can program notifications to alert you with any combination of vibrations or colors. For example an Instagram alert will trigger an LED light on the underside of the watch to flash orange, or a text message will cause a vibration and a blue light. You’ll get the same activity tracking features (step, calorie, and distance) as you would with the Display version of the watch, but it will all be monitored with the companion app.

Currently there are six watches available with different face styles and leather or steel bands. Straps can be swapped out for other ones of the same size allowing you to customize the look of your timepiece. The Fossil Q Non-Display Smartwatches also have about a week-long battery life, which is significantly longer than their touchscreen counterparts.

See at Amazon

Fossil Q Activity Trackers

While not a full-fledged smartwatch, it’s worth noting that Fossil has created a stylish activity tracker in the Q family.

For those who want to wear a traditional watch on one arm and a sleek fitness tracker on the other, or like the idea of a fitness tracker but don’t like the looks of the sporty, rubberized offerings from other manufacturers Fossil introduces its Q Activity Trackers. These wearables were designed first as fashionable bracelets for men and women, but discreetly connect with your phone for advanced tracking and notification capabilities.

The Fossil Q Activity Trackers connect with the Q App via Bluetooth to track daily activities like steps taken, calories burned, and distance traveled. You can monitor your progress over time with the app, or check the three LED lights on the side of the design plate which light up to show how close you are to achieving your daily goals. Discreet vibrations alert you as you receive notifications from chosen apps.

There are seven styles of leather and steel bracelets to choose from, and additional straps can be purchased to mix up the style of your Q Activity Tracker.

See at Amazon

Cue the credits!

Fossil has done a great job of covering all bases for people who love the look and feel of traditional watches, but want the function of a smart wearable. With their customizable bands and wide selection of watchfaces — both digital and analogue — you should be able to find a look that matches your personal style. Depending on how visible you want your smart device to be, Fossil’s Q lineup gives you different degrees of style and function.

This is how Google tests the safety of Android Auto

A new video in the “Nat and Lo” series from Google puts the spotlight on the company’s Android Auto Research Lab.

The video shows how Google tests how people use Android Auto in simulated cars. With the help of some special eye sensors, Google tests people in these simulations to see if using Android Auto causes issues in visual, cognitive and manual distractions. Anytime a person doesn’t have their eyes on the road for a couple of seconds can be a huge safety issue, so Google wants to make sure using Android Auto is safe while driving.

The video also shows how Google tests Android Auto in real cars on the open road. Android Auto is currently available for over 100 car models.

PopCap takes on Candy Crush with Bejeweled Stars

Match-3 puzzles games are a dime a dozen nowadays. Candy Crush is king of course, but it owes some inspiration to Bejeweled. Now PopCap has launched Bejeweled Stars, which might just Crush the competition. What makes this one so stellar? Read our detailed impressions to find out!

The next evolution of Bejeweled

The basic concept of Bejeweled is simple. Match three or more gems, score points, and try to create larger matches and chain reactions in order to score even more points. Bejeweled has always been one of the best games of this genre because of its appealing visuals and weird but soothing announcer who exclaims things like “Good!” or “Awesome” when you fire off combos. Creating certain combinations of gems also tends to conjure up power-up items. These in turn produce impressive effects when unleashed.

Combining Bejeweled with the level-based structure, limited moves, and limited lives of Candy Crush.

With the traditional Bejeweled Classic and the time attack Bejeweled Blitz already available on mobile, PopCap had to find a new gimmick for its latest entry Bejeweled Stars. The trick was to combine Bejeweled with the level-based structure, limited moves, and limited lives of Candy Crush.

Each level has a specific goal to complete, such as matching a quantity of a certain type of gem, clearing all the crystal panels by making matches on them, or creating and using power-up gems. The wrinkle is you only get a fixed number of moves to do it. Fail the level and you lose a life, which takes time to replenish.

The more moves you have remaining upon clearing the level, the better the score you get. Each level has a Facebook leaderboard, so you can try to outdo your friends. The stars you earn for doing well on a level contribute to Constellations. Complete a Constellation to earn rewards like Skygems.

Skygems, Charms, and In-App Purchases

Skygems are a new type of gem in Bejeweled Stars. They share the same colors as normal gems, but they have unique Lucky Charms-like shapes. Match some Skygems, complete a level, and they’ll go into your inventory. They can then be spent in the Laboratory to produce special on-demand power-ups.

Early on, those power-ups are entirely optional. But like Candy Crush, it’s safe to expect that levels will become tough enough that many players will need help in order to beat them. At least you can go back and replay levels to get more Skygems. And if you’re really in a hurry, you can buy Skygems with gold earned from clearing levels.

Bejeweled Stars is a free to play game, so naturally it has in-app purchases. These include buying lives and buying gold. Players can also buy chests which contain random assortments of Charms. These seem to be used in the game’s social features, although I couldn’t test those due to playing before launch.

A star is born

As match-3 games so, I’ve always loved the Bejeweled series (with the exception of Blitz). After playing for a couple of hours, Bejeweled Stars looks like another fine entry. The early portion of the game is super fun. It looks and sounds great as well, though the flashy effects might cause performance issues on some devices.

Hopefully the harder levels of the game won’t push players too strongly into spending money. We’ll keep playing Bejeweled Stars and report back if we run into trouble. Be sure to let us know your impressions (and how the game performs on your phone or tablet) as well!

Nissan wants to take on Tesla’s Powerwall with its own xStorage home battery

Nissan today revealed that it is entering the home power storage market with the launch of xStorage.

Teaming up with Eaton – a power management company – the xStorage steps into the same space as the Tesla Powerwall, aiming to provide a domestic power reserve via the use of batteries.

The Nissan xStorage can be connected to the mains or to renewable energy sources, allowing you to store power for when you need it. If charging from the mains, the xStorage can take its power off-peak when prices are lower, offering that stored energy for use at times of high demand. 

However, many will look to the xStorage to help reduce dependency on the grid, taking its change from solar or other renewable sources, while still allowing energy surplus to be returned to the grid. It also brings the added advantage of offering a power reserve if there’s a power failure.

Nissan says that the idea behind xStorage is partly to provide a “second life” for batteries that have already been used in the company’s electric vehicles, claiming that its experience in automotive use means a nicely designed box, and reliable battery performance.

Customers will get smartphone connectivity to easily control the xStorage, and the price will be £3200, including complete installation and cabling, for a 4.2KWh battery. 

Mercedes-Benz also offers a home battery, in what looks like a growing range of alternative power solutions. 

There’s no word on exactly when you’ll be able to buy into the Nissan xStorage system, but it expects to install 100,000+ over the next 5 years.