Which unlimited plan should you buy: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon?

All four major carriers in the U.S. offer unlimited data plans. But which is the best?

With Verizon bringing back an unlimited data plan, the big four networks in the United States (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon) all carry an unlimited data plan now. That’s important for power users as well as anyone who uses their mobile broadband internet as their sole way to stay in touch or for entertainment. The cost of data overages means that unlimited data is a must for many of us.

But just because everyone offers unlimited data doesn’t mean that all plans are equal. Pricing is important as are “extras” like tethering and the hidden data cap that pushes you back to slower 3G speeds when you reach it. And of course, zero-rating means we have to pay attention to what unlimited means when it comes to the quality of streaming media as well as the source.

We took a look at what each carrier has to offer so we can decide who delivers the very best unlimited data package. Let’s start with a look at the details for each carrier.

AT&T

• Cost for one line: $100 per month with $50 monthly DirecTV/Uverse subscription1
• Additional lines: $40 per month1
• Data limit for potential throttling: 22GB per month
• HD video included: Yes2
• Tethering package: Only for smart vehicles

Notes:

1AT&T’s pricing does not include taxes, surcharges or other fees.

2AT&T defaults streaming video to 480p but this can be disabled at no cost.

Note: AT&T customers can only get unlimited data when subscribing to DirecTV.

Sprint

• Cost for one line: $55 per month1, 2
• Additional lines: $40 per month for a second line, $30 per month for lines three through five1, 2
• Data limit for potential throttling: 23GB
• HD video included: No. Requires Sprint Premium package for $75 per month
• Tethering package: 5GB per month

Notes:

1Sprint’s pricing does not include taxes, surcharges or other fees.

2Promotional pricing of $50 per month for one line, $40 per month for a second line, and up to three additional lines for $0 per month is available until March 2018.

T-Mobile

• Cost for one line: $70 per month
• Additional lines: Two lines for $100 per month. A third line is $47 per month and a fourth line is $40 per month
• Data limit for potential throttling: 28GB per month
• HD video included: Yes1
• Tethering package: 10GB/month

Notes:

1As of February 17, T-Mobile One customers can enable HD video, but it defaults to 480p.

Verizon

• Cost for one line: $80 per month1
• Additional lines: $45 per month1
• Data limit for potential throttling: 22GB per month
• HD video included: Yes
• Tethering package: 10GB per month

Notes:

1Verizon’s pricing does not include taxes, surcharges or other fees.

Verizon also allows any smart devices to be added to the plan for $5 per month.

The best unlimited data plan

As always, you have to choose the carrier that provides you the best coverage in the places you spend your time. Saving a few dollars for better perks is not worth struggling to find a signal. What works for someone else who might be hundreds or thousands of miles away should have little influence on your decision. Since everyone’s coverage will be different, we have to treat each carrier equal on that front and base the decision on other criteria.

T-Mobile offers the best unlimited data plan in the U.S.

This is based on cost, data available for tethering and the “real” monthly allotment before you are throttled. One important thing puts it ahead of Verizon, and that’s the notion that an $80 plan should cost $80. Not $80 with added fees and taxes. It sounds like a gimmick, but two lines on T-Mobile is going to cost about the same (or less) as a single line with a $5 connected device because of those fees. If we focus only on cost — which you should if you have equally good coverage — T-Mobile wins.

T-Mobile also beats Sprint’s promotional plan because Sprint limits your ability to stream HD. We think a good data plan has to be able to entertain us in all ways, so we have to disregard anything that doesn’t allow us to do just that. AT&T’s offerings simply fall short and we hope recent changes from Verizon and T-Mobile get them to follow suit.

If you have equally good coverage from all carriers and want to get the most value from your phone company you only have two real choices right now: T-Mobile or Verizon.

Recent user-data through Open Signal suggests that there is little difference in network speeds or total coverage, and pricing is very similar now, too. These two companies want your business and have been bickering for a while. They’ve also been adjusting their policies and rates to “out-do” each other which is awesome for us as consumers.

See plans at T-Mobile

See plans at Verizon

See plans at AT&T

See plans at Sprint

Your turn

What carrier do you subscribe to, and are you thinking of switching to either T-Mobile or Verizon? Let us know in the comments!

Save up to 40% on select networking and storage accessories today only!

Amazon’s Deal of the Day can save you up to 40% off when purchasing select networking and storage accessories. Whether you are in need of a new wireless router, a network extender, or want to get set up with a NAS, you won’t want to miss this deal. With items from popular brands like Netgear, ASUS, Linksys, Drobo and more available here, this is a perfect time to make those upgrades that you’ve been thinking of.

Some of the items available in this sale include:

• Netgear 2-Bay NAS – $208.99
• TP-Link 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch – $54.99
• TP-Link Range Extender – $19.99
• Netgear Range Extender – $39.99
• ASUS DOCSIS High Speed Cable Modem – $69.99
• Netgear Nighthawk Router – $66.99 (be sure to clip the $20 coupon on the page)

This is just a small sample of what is available in this daily deal. Be sure to check the rest out at the link below, and remember these prices are only good for today, February 15, so don’t wait too long to make your purchase.

See at Amazon

For more great deals on tech, gadgets, home goods and more, be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

What is wireless charging and how does it work?

Wireless charging isn’t magic, but it can be convenient.

Wireless charging, like the Qi charging many Android phones use, isn’t new technology. My Panasonic electric razor used it many years ago, and most of us have seen toothbrushes that charge wirelessly in a cradle. And of course, we can’t forget Palm and the way they brought wireless charging (though a different standard) to the masses with the Touchstone. Now that size, cost, and efficiency constraints have all eased up a little, putting wireless charging in something like your Android phone or watch makes more sense.

We get more than a few questions about wireless charging and how it works, so let’s take a few minutes and talk about the basics — what it is, how it works and why you would want it in your next Android purchase.

This post was updated in February 2017 with the latest information.

What is wireless charging?

Wireless charging isn’t magic — you still need a wire. the difference is that the wire is connected to a charging base instead of your phone, so you can just drop your Android onto the charger and things get to work without hooking anything up to your phone. The charging base can be almost any shape or size, and can even be in something like your car dash or the base of a lamp from IKEA. As long as you’re able to get the right spot on the rear of your Android on the right spot on the base of the charger, it will work.

A good example would be having a wireless charging base on your desk at work. When you’re not using your phone, you set it on the charger. When you need to use your phone, pick it up and it has a charge. Wireless charging isn’t as fast as Quick Charging, but it’s easy and something you’re more likely to use to keep your phone topped off throughout the day (in our example). That’s where wireless charging shines — ease of use.

How does wireless charging work?

Let’s try to explain the magic so everyone in the room can understand. While there are plenty of cool technical things to discuss, and we totally should discuss them in the forums or the comments, we’ll try to keep things basic here.

Wireless charging uses two resonant inductive couplings to transmit low-power signals between two devices. These are specially designed to transmit electricity without touching each other like a normal wired connection does. The base station has a transmitter coil and your phone has a receiver coil. The base station regularly sends a signal out, and when a receiver coil gets close enough a resonance or capacity change happens in the signal. The waveform of the signal is then modulated and inductive charging begins.

Inductive charging uses those two specially designed electromagnetic coils to create a magnetic field between two devices. There is an intricate process involved that allows a magnetic field to produce electricity through the difference of potential and oscillation (we’ll simplify this and call it vibration so it makes more sense to everyone).

The coil in your Android is also connected to the battery charging circuit, and your battery is charged using the energy induced by the magnetic field. Excess heat is created as well, and that’s part of why wireless charging isn’t the most efficient way to transfer power from the wall to your battery. This is also why it takes longer to charge your phone on a Qi pad than it does to plug it into the wall. While new methods and materials use higher frequencies and thinner coils than past iterations, wireless charging is still less efficient and more costly than standard charging over a wire. It will stay this way for the foreseeable future.

To simplify:

• Your Android and the charger have special electrical coils in them.
• When the two coils get close enough, they use magnetism and “vibration” to send a small amount of power across the gap between them.
• This power goes through the charging circuit in your phone and charges the battery.
• It costs more and takes longer to charge than it would if you plugged your phone in, and creates more heat because this is less efficient than connecting wires the traditional way.

A word about Powermat

Qi is not the only wireless charging standard. Other standards like Powermat are used to build wireless charging solutions. These use a different standard than Qi but the science behind them all is the same. Powermat has partnered with companies like AT&T and Starbucks to provide base stations in public places, and using a special case or charging block attached to your phone lets you wirelessly charge. They are also partnered with General Motors and are working to bring built-in wireless charging bases in vehicles.

While the same basic electrical theory applies to both Powermat and Qi, the different standards mean they are not compatible. Your Qi-enabled phone won’t charge on a Powermat base because the signals sent and received are different. If you have Powermat equipment, you’ll need to be sure you’re buying more Powermat equipment to get everything working.

There are exceptions, like Samsung Galaxy phones, which include both Qi and Powermat standards.

Why do I want wireless charging in my next phone?

Now that we have a good standard — we’re talking the Qi standard here — we have to remember than any Qi charger will work with any device that is Qi-certified. That means the charger you buy, whether it’s a $6 Chinese unbranded unit from Amazon or a name-brand like Samsung or Zens, will work with the device you have now and any devices you buy in the future.

Couple this with the convenience factor — and until you’ve bought a couple Qi chargers and put them in the places you’re likely to set your phone you don’t really understand how convenient it is. I have a Qi charger at my desk, on the table beside my recliner in the living room, one in my car and one on my nightstand. My Nexus 6 almost never had less than 50-percent charge. Not because the battery life on the Nexus 6 was great, or because Qi chargers work “better”, but because whenever it was not in my hand it was charging.

Of course, there’s the initial cost of buying the charging bases, but they are pretty cheap — about the same cost as a good wall wart and USB cable. As more and more handheld devices and smartphones move towards the Qi standard, more and more devices will be able to take advantage of the chargers.

Finally, wireless charging doesn’t have to replace removable batteries for those that want or need them. Think of it as a supplement to stretch out the time between battery swaps.

Wireless charging doesn’t make your phone work any differently, but it can change the way you use it.

5 New iPhone Apps You’ll Definitely Want to Install

Whether you have just bought your first iPhone or have been a loyal Apple customer for years, there’s nothing more exciting than downloading new apps to your brand new handset. Whether you’ve treated yourself to the latest iPhone 7 or are saving money by opting for an older model that still has a great range of features, getting the right apps for your needs is a huge part of fully optimizing your phone to suit your lifestyle. We’ve listed some of the best new apps that you should consider downloading to your iPhone.

888 Poker

If you enjoy playing poker as a hobby or even professionally in order to make yourself some extra cash, this app is available from the Apple App Store and will allow you to play poker to your hearts content from the comfort of your own home. From your iPhone, you’ll be able to easily upload money to your 888 account via your debit or credit card, PayPal, or a range of other alternative payment methods. Once your account is in credit you can then begin to play poker as normal, either at home or to pass the time whilst on the go, for example when commuting to and from work on public transport.

Boomerang

Although it’s not one of the newest apps out there, Boomerang is a definite download for your iPhone if you are a fan of taking videos and using Instagram! A popular app with iPhone users of all ages, Boomerang allows you to make funny videos of all sorts of different things and upload them to your social media accounts to share with your family and friends. Whether it’s a video of yourself, your pet, your friends, children or something else entirely, you’re sure to have plenty of free fun with this app.

One Second Every Day

Although it was released back in 2015, this cool app has only just begun to really gain some popularity, so it is certainly worth a mention. If you enjoy documenting things via video, perhaps to upload to your Facebook or Snapchat account, then you will love this app, which encourages you to record just one second of your day, every day. After a few months or even a year, you will have a continuous movie of your one-second clips (which can be longer if you need them to be!). This is a great way to make a video diary of anything that you might be doing, whether it’s traveling, studying, or working out to lose weight!

Hooked

If you enjoy fantasy stories and making new friends online, then you certainly need this app on your iPhone. Released just this year, Hooked allows you to read and create your own fantasy stories with other users in a chat feature. An alternative to simply reading books on iBooks or the Amazon Kindle app, Hooked is a fun app that’s sure to keep you ‘hooked’ for hours – no pun intended!

Peak Brain Training

New and improved for 2017, Peak Brain Training is free for the iPhone and offers a comprehensive collection of brain training exercises that are specially designed to improve your memory, enhance your cognitive ability, fine-tune your problem-solving skills, and more. Including a range of puzzles, strategy games and more to keep you occupied, this app will help you to improve your cognition, which can benefit many other areas of your life.

As an iPhone user, you know that you have a huge range of fun, interesting or informational apps to download from the App Store. These are just some of the best new apps available for iPhone now.

Buy Lenovo’s Android-powered Yoga Book for $499 and get a free $100 Amazon gift card

Right now you can score a free $100 Amazon gift card with the purchase of a Lenovo Yoga Book. Since its release, the Android-powered tablet has yet to see a price drop, and while this doesn’t mean you are paying less, it is still a great perk. The 10.1-inch tablet comes with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a unique Halo Keyboard which makes it stand out a bit more. You can pick one up in your choice of gold, black, and gunmetal right now. Once you receive your gift card you could always use it to grab a protective leather case, some screen protectors, or some other accessories you may need.

All you have to do is select the option that bundles the Yoga Book and gift card, and add it to your cart, it’s just that simple. This deal should run through February 22, but it is possible it will sell out before that, so be sure to place your order now if you want one!

See at Amazon

For more great deals on tech, gadgets, home goods and more, be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Republicans call for investigation into EPA use of encrypted chats

Earlier in February, Politico reported that US government workers (particularly at the EPA) were using encrypted chat apps like Signal to express dissent against President Trump’s policies without the threat of retaliation. Well, House Republicans Darin LaHood and Lamar Smith aren’t happy about that secrecy… and they’re demanding action. The two have sent a letter to the EPA’s independent overseer, the Inspector General, asking for an investigation into the claims. They’re concerned that the encrypted conversations “run afoul” of government record-keeping rules and prevent the government from monitoring their on-the-job communications.

LaHood and Smith maintain that this latest report about in-secret chats is just the symptom of a larger problem with accountability. For example, a December report revealed that only 86 out of 3.1 million text messages on government-issued devices were preserved for the federal record. This may not have been intentional, but it’s far from acceptable. And the representatives note that off-the-record chats aren’t always used for honest purposes. They point to one Department of Energy employee who used personal email and texts to talk to third-party groups hoping to influence the Department’s plans. If chats aren’t on the record, a Freedom of Information Act request isn’t very useful, is it?

The Inspector General has until February 28th to provide an answer.

This doesn’t guarantee that there will be an investigation — it’s entirely possible that the Inspector General will decide that there isn’t enough evidence to warrant action. However, the letter’s motivations could easily be more complicated than they appear on the surface. While it’s true that accountability is a problem, the EPA chats are prompted by worries that the Trump administration is suppressing climate science and may even break the law while enforcing its agenda. A crackdown on encrypted chat use could lead to EPA employees losing their jobs simply for wanting to fulfill their agency’s environmental protection mandate.

Via: The Verge

Source: House.gov (PDF)

India sets record launching 104 satellites aboard a single rocket

The Indian Space Research Organisation, India’s version of NASA, set a record on Valentine’s Day when one of its PSLV rockets successfully launched 104 satellites into orbit. Riding onboard were 88 “Dove” mini-satellites from Planet, a US-based private imaging service, India’s Cartosat 2D high-resolution imaging satellite, and 15 others from various nations.

These Doves aren’t the first of their kind to be sent into orbit, or even the 14th. Planet already has a flock of 50 such miniaturized probes up there. But with these additional 88, Planet can claim the distinction of having “the biggest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites — and of satellites in general — in human history,” a company rep told The Verge.

Now that the diminutive, 4-inch by 12-inch satellites have reached space, they’ll enter into a Sun-synchronous orbit, which will have them circling the poles. This allows the flock to cover the same part of the planet every day at the same time, which in turn allows the company to collect standardized, predictable imaging of the Earth’s surface. This won’t happen immediately, however, as the company will next need to spend a couple months properly positioning each probe in its assigned orbit.

Via: Verge

Source: ISRO

Minecraft Player Spends 232 Hours Building Apple Campus 2

Apple’s spaceship-shaped campus in Cupertino, California has been under construction for several years and is one of the most expensive, ambitious buildings in the United States.

While Apple has been hard at work putting the finishing touches on the campus, which is slated to open later this year, Minecraft player Alex Westerlund has been building a Minecraft version of Apple’s second campus.

According to Westerlund, building the campus in Minecraft took him 232 hours over the course of a year. He used construction plans along with topographical maps to create an accurate rendition of the campus, down to the land it’s built on.

As can be seen in the video, the ring-shaped main building has been faithfully recreated, with its curved glass windows, massive doors, solar panels, window awnings, and more. Westerlund says the main building is “absolutely massive” at 469 blocks across, with every hill, path, and orchard placed according to construction plans.

The courtyard of the building includes trails, two cafes, a cafeteria patio, cherry trees, a fitness center, and a fountain, while the interior features atriums and a huge cafeteria built to match a publicly released rendering.

Apple’s real second campus is nearing completion. According to the latest drone video, construction crews are hard at work on landscaping and are wrapping up work on solar panels and a nearby research and development facility. The campus is expected to be finished in 2017, but exactly when employees will move in remains unclear.

Westerlund tells MacRumors that as Apple continues work on its campus, he’ll continue to flesh out his virtual version, putting in up to four hours of active building time per day.

Tag: Apple Campus 2
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Gotta catch even more….80 new Pokemon will be added to Pokemon Go later this week

In November 2016, files were found in Pokemon Go’s gaming code that suggested 100 new, Generation II Pokemon would be added to the game at some point. Today, Niantic has confirmed that 80 new Johto Pokemon, ones from the Gold and Silver games, a.k.a Generation II, will be available to hunt and catch in Pokemon Go later this week.

• Pokemon Go: How to play and other tips and tricks

Rather than just hope you get lucky with an egg you eventually hatch, all 80 will be discoverable in the regular fashion of hunting and throwing several Pokeballs until you finally catch them.

It’s not just new Pokemon being added to the game though, as Niantic will also be introducing several new items, including evolving items required to evolve certain Pokemon. You’ll be able to get them from Pokestops, in the same way as you’d collect other items such as lures, eggs and Pokeballs.

New Berries will be thrown into the game too, Nanab berries will slow Pokemon down to make them easier to catch, while Pinap berries will double the amount of candy you receive upon successfully catching a Pokemon. You’ll need to enable to the Pinap berries before you go on to catch a new Pokemon, and they’ll only work for one Pokemon. You’ll need to use more before catching anything else. You’ll also be able to equip your avatar with new items including hats, shirts and trousers.

A promotional video for the new Pokemon also shows the game being played in more remote areas such as forests and up mountains, suggesting the tracking mechanics have been improved, as well as populating more areas with Pokemon instead of city centres.

• How to catch Ditto in Pokemon Go
• Pokemon Go buddy: How to use the new buddy system
• Pokemon Go: How to raise your XP level, power up and evolve your Pokemon

As for the other 20 Pokemon, some are already in the game as first stage Pokemon, before evolving into Generation II, some will need the specific evolution items mentioned earlier, so won’t be able to be caught in the wild and the rest are likely to be Legendary Pokemon, which as far as we’re aware, aren’t in the game.

Either way, it’s certainly welcome news that Niantic has finally got round to releasing a big update for the game, that will hopefully reignite interest. Happy hunting.

Yahoo can scan your emails to tell you who’s calling

Yahoo has added two new features to its Mail app, helping users both easily identify phone numbers linked to email contacts and instantly sync photos from their camera roll to their desktop mailbox. The first new addition to Mail — imaginatively named Caller ID — recognizes familiar numbers, matching them to their corresponding email contact information. Conveniently, enabling the feature also updates previously dialed numbers in your call history, even adding in the contact info as you dial a recognized number.

The second new addition is called Photo Upload. Once enabled, Yahoo instantly adds your phone’s camera roll photos to your desktop Mail account, allowing you to search for specific snaps using its new image recognition technology. With the software promising to recognize landscapes, searching for words like “beach” or “snow” on the desktop app should bring up the relevant photos. Thankfully, these photos will only be viewable by you and the intended sender. Well, assuming your account doesn’t get hacked again, anyway.

Both features are available on iOS and Android now, with users able to enable each update in the Mail app’s settings. Out of all the companies expected to bring new innovations to an email app, it’s fair to say that the sensible money wasn’t on Yahoo. With the company recently stopping all users from even forwarding on emails and even restricting users who had ad-blockers its email service is hardly known for its cutting-edge new updates. Still, with iOS already incorporating email information into caller ID and both iOS and Android providing cloud-photo syncing services, these additions are unlikely to have a wide-reaching impact.

Source: Yahoo