What are the advantages of going with an alternative carrier?

Using an alternative to the big four wireless providers is a great idea for many of us, and here are some reasons why.

When we talk about phone companies most of us automatically think of the big four here in the U.S.: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. But they’re not the only choices when it comes to who you get your service from and the popularity of alternative carriers is on the rise.

It’s not difficult to understand why. Having a carrier that uses the same nationwide networks the big guys do without some of the baggage that comes along with those big guys is an attractive position for a lot of people. There is a lot to talk about, both good and bad, in any discussion about finding the right carrier and if a smaller alternative option is best for you. The advantages for you are especially important to consider.

You can save a lot of money

Depending on how you use your phone (as always) you can save a nice chunk of money every month. Different companies use different ways to price out your data. Some will let you buy several months worth of data at significantly less compared to a monthly payment. Others let you buy an amount of data and use it until it’s gone, and others charge a flat fee and bill or credit you based on how much data you used in a month.

Not everyone needs an unlimited data plan.

The things they all have in common as that you’re not paying for data you didn’t use. Combined with cheaper prices per block of data this can mean a smaller bill if you don’t use a lot of data. Alternative carriers are not for people who need unlimited data, but not everyone needs unlimited data.

This is the biggest reason people choose to move away from the big players in the industry and try something different. If you look at where you use your data and how much you use, you could be one of those people.

You might get a better coverage map

An alternative carrier doesn’t own the cell towers and infrastructure they use to provide service. They lease it at a set price from the bigger carriers and resell service to you and me. Sometimes they lease from more than one carrier and can provide service in all the places from both.

No carrier is good everywhere, but unless you’re in a very rural part of the country you’ll have at least one company with good service. A company that can offer service using two coverage maps has an advantage for anyone who spends time where they are covered by at least one.

Not all carriers do this, so be sure to do your homework when you choose. Two notable examples are Net10 and Red Pocket who lease service from all four major carriers.

No-frills service

You’re paying for calls, texts, and data. That’s all you’re going to get.

There’s no denying that some of the perks phone carriers can offer are nice. Unlimited texting to Canada and Mexico is a good example. But some folks just don’t need anything extra.

By not having extra services the price can be cheaper. If you don’t need anything more than basic service and 4G data, an alternative carrier could be great for you.

No credit checks

Times can be tough and less than great credit can make getting a post-paid account with the big four carriers difficult. And a credit check leaves a record on you that can adversely affect something like a car loan or mortgage.

If you don’t want to go through a credit check for any reason, you might choose an alternative carrier who doesn’t require one. Most don’t, and you simply pay up front for what you use.

Bring your own phone

As long as it’s compatible with the network you choose, you can bring your existing phone and use it without any problems.

You can also buy any unlocked phone that works with the network from anywhere you like. This gives you a lot of choices from most all companies making phones today.

Best of all, you can change phones at any time. If you like the phone you have now you can use it until you like something else better. With the cost of the service being completely separate from the cost of your phone any decisions are yours to make.

While they aren’t for everyone, you can see there are some really compelling reasons to give another carrier a try, even if they don’t have the brand-power the bigger ones may.

This cheap accessory will protect your privacy if your webcam is hacked!

People could hack your webcam and spy on your; here’s how to stop them!

Yes, in case you didn’t know already, your webcam can be hacked, meaning people can turn it on remotely and theoretically use it to film you without your knowledge. Scary? Most definitely, but how maybe people are actually concerned about this? Let’s take a look at one famous example.

Mark Zuckerberg

Last year CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg posted this photo.

Look at his laptop at the left side of the photo, notice his webcam is covered? If you’ve ever seen The Social Network, you know Mark Zuckerberg has some personal experience with hacking, so at the very least this photo should confirm that it’s a real issue.

How can I protect myself from the webcam peeping toms?

You could do the Mark Zuckerberg approach, and just use a piece of tape or a post-it note for over your webcam and it won’t cost you anything; however, you could leave marks on your laptop or PC and it doesn’t look very elegant.

Of course, you shouldn’t do anything in life just because a famous billionaire does it, but I personally believe personal privacy is worth some minor investments and investing in an inexpensive webcam cover is a good idea.

Smooz Webcam Cover 3-Pack

These thin little metal cover stick right over your webcam and allow you to slide a shutter back and forth to expose the webcam or cover it up.

The Smooz Webcam Cover is minimalist in design and will cover almost any onboard webcam on most laptops and PCs, without covering any other sensors your computer may have located in the area.

Plus, for just about $10 you’ll get three webcam covers, meaning you could install them on your PC, your laptop, and heck even your phone if you felt it was necessary.

See on Amazon

What about external webcams?

If you use an external webcam, you can find covers for those plenty of models out there. Alternatively. If you don’t mind a little extra hassle, you could always unplug your webcam when it’s not in use.

Do you use a webcam cover?

Are you worried about webcam intruders? Let us know if you cover your webcams by leaving a comment down below.

Sony’s Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra round out its mid-range lineup

With a 4K screen and Snapdragon 835 chip, the new Xperia XZ Premium has plenty of appeal, but there’s probably a reason Sony didn’t mention the price. Luckily, at MWC 2017 it also unveiled the $700 Xperia XZs, a 5.2-inch, 1080p smartphone with a “mere” Snapdragon 820 chip. If it was the sensor you really wanted on the Premium model, you’re in luck — the Xperia XZs has the same 19-megapixel Motion Eye camera that does 4K video and up to 960 frames per second.

Sony’s camera expertise is really the main reason to buy the Xperia XZs, as $700 still ain’t cheap. The rest of the specs are merely okay: 4GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, a 2,900mAh battery, NFC and high-resolution audio support. You’d do better, parts-wise, with a OnePlus 3T, for example, as it packs a Snapdragon 821 and a much bigger battery for $439. What you’re paying for, then, is that impressive camera and, to a lesser extent, Sony’s good name. The Xperia XZs comes to Amazon, Best Buy and other US retailers on April 5th, 2017, for $700.

Sony is still in the mid-range smartphone game, though like rival HTC, you have to wonder how much longer that’ll last. Along with the two XZ models, it unveiled the 5-inch, 720p Xperia XA1 and 6-inch Xperia XA1 Ultra (above) with a 1080p screen. Neither are much to write home about, other than (you guessed it) the cameras. Each features a 23-megapixel rear sensor, with the Xperia XA1 Ultra being the more selfie-oriented of the two with a 16-megapixel front camera, optical image stabilization and an LED flash rather than the 8-megapixel model of the XA1.

Both have MediaTek Octa Core CPUs, up to 64GB memory (upgradeable via a microSD card), 4GB of RAM (Xperia XA1 Ultra) or 3GB of RAM (Xperia XA1) and smallish 2,700 mAh (XA1 Ultra) or 2,300 mAh (XA1) batteries. The Xperia XA1 arrives in the US on April 26th, 2017, for $300 — a price that makes it a hard sell here unless, again, you really want the Sony name and camera. The XA1 Ultra arrives sometime in the summer of 2017, but Sony has yet to set the price.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

Jolla’s Android alternative is coming to Sony Xperia phones

If you’re a fan of Jolla (a mobile platform that’s part Linux, part Android and loosely based on Nokia’s MeeGo project), good news. The company has announced it will be releasing an official version of its Sailfish operating system for a number of Sony Xperia handsets. The news came from the firm’s press event at MWC this morning, and adds a big-name brand to the currently mixed list of devices that the plucky (persistent?) mobile software has officially been ported to.

The first device to work with Sailfish, or rather, the first handset to be shown running it at MWC, is the Xperia X. Jolla says that there will be more compatible models, but the X is what it chose to show it off. Of course, Sailfish is technically available on many devices already, if you’re willing to work with an unofficial port, but this time Jolla’s partnered with Sony and its Open Device Platform for better compatibility.

Despite Jolla showing Sailfish on a working handset here in Barcelona, it seems there are still a few kinks to iron out. A representative told me features like “double tap” (to wake the device) aren’t working yet, and support for 64-bit devices isn’t as comprehensive as it is for 32-bit models (if you’re into custom software, you’ll likely know which yours is).

It’s always nice to see alternative operating systems finding their way to mainstream phones, and seeing a Sony Xperia X running something other that the default Android certainly makes it a little bit more eye catching. I tried it for a few minutes and could see that the basic navigation was working no problem. But mostly, if you’re into Jolla (which enjoys a steadfastly loyal community), then this is above all a good sign that Jolla’s still committed to what it’s doing.

If you want the official version, you’ll still have to wait though. Jolla says it won’t be out until late spring/early summer.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

Source: Jolla

K-pop and VR at MWC is sensory overload

I expected MWC to be a roller-coaster ride of emotions, but I wasn’t quite anticipating getting on a literal one (albeit in VR) here at the show. When Korea Telecom (KT) offered up a chance to party with K-pop band Twice, I just had to get in line despite not really knowing what awaited me. VR experiences are pretty played out at this point, but Korea Telecom adds a twist by promising to deliver the media over 5G, which it just announced it will deploy commercially by 2019. Of course, since 5G isn’t actually a thing yet, we were wired into a computer, and this demo really only showcased KT’s ability to create entertaining VR content with a simulator ride.

The whole thing looked relatively harmless at first. I climbed into a chair in the middle of what looks like a giant hamster wheel, and KT reps strapped me in with a seatbelt and a roller-coaster-style overhead harness. That should have been my first clue. When I put on the headset, I saw myself sitting in an airplane holding a up a phone playing a Twice music video. Then a flight attendant beckoned me and I followed her towards the plane door (for some unknown reason), which opened to reveal we were up in the clouds.

And that’s when the madness began, and I descended into a psychedelic, often-terrifying journey that was basically a trippy K-pop music video showcasing Seoul’s hotspots. As I slid up and down simulated environments from ski slopes to roller-coaster tracks, the chair I was in spun within the hamster wheel in tandem with what I was seeing while fans blew wind in my face. It was a well-executed experience that had me in tears of overstimulation by the end.

For now, the people and scenes in the video are rendered in cartoonish 3D, but a KT rep tells Engadget that the goal is to eventually use actual photographic images. If KT is able to stream such a graphics-intensive clip over 5G by 2017, it’ll be an impressive feat. But the question then is: Do people really need to be riding faux roller-coasters outside of their homes (or anywhere they’ll use 5G instead of WiFi, anyway)?

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

Akai brings its iMPC music production app to Android devices

Akai’s iOS-friendly iMPC app has been giving musicians and producers a much more mobile version of its MPC (Music Production Center) hardware for a while now. During MWC this week, the company is announcing a version for Android devices. There’s a catch though: For now, it’s only available on Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. Despite that caveat, you can expect the same 1,200 samples, 80 editable sequences and 50 editable programs the iOS version offers.

With iMPC, you can compose, edit and mix music on the go with your phone or tablet. The app supports up to eight audio or MIDI tracks and gives you the option of using built-in effects and overdubbing beats. There’s also time correction and note repeat features on top of three different ways to record with the mobile software. You can use a Galaxy device’s microphone, connect to another gadget via the 3.5mm jack or record directly from another music library with the iMPC’s turntable interface. When the time comes, you can either export your work to the desktop MPC software or as a .WAV file.

At launch, iMPC will only be available for Android devices as an in-app purchase through Samsung’s Soundcamp audio app. As you might expect, Akai says it worked directly with the phone and tablet maker to optimize the software for the newly announced Tab 3 and other Galaxy devices. If you happen to already own a Samsung gadget, iMPC is available for download now for £6. We’ve reached out to confirm US pricing and will update this post when we hear back.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

Roborace unwraps its driverless electric car

The team behind Roborace has taken a big step towards introducing a fully driverless racing competition. At a press conference in Barcelona, chief executive Denis Sverdlov and chief designer Daniel Simon revealed the final design for its track-ready “Robocar.” We’ve seen images of the vehicle before, but they were merely renders, a hint of what the company was working on. The unveiling of a real car, all curves and carbon fibre, is our best evidence yet that the futuristic motorsport will actually happen.

The complete Robocar is 4.5 meters long and 2 meters wide, considerably larger than a Formula 1 racer. Inside the central spine is a 540kW battery and four 300kW motors, which the team claims can push the car up to 320KPH (roughly 199MPH). To navigate the track and competitors, a whole cacophony of sensors are required, including two radars, five LIDARs (the laser-based equivalent of radar), 18 ultrasonic sensors, two optical speed sensors and six AI-driven cameras. All of that data is fed into a “brain,” developed by NVIDIA, which draws on the team’s custom algorithms.

The car’s sleek, futuristic look is no coincidence. As a concept designer, Simon has worked on science fiction movies including Tron: Legacy, Oblivion and Captain America: The First Avenger. He started his career at Volkswagen in 1999, assisting with the Bugatti reboot in 2001 before moving into a consultant role in 2005. He made his mark on motorsport in 2011, helping the Hispania Formula 1 team design its F111 racer.

“Whilst pushing the boundaries of engineering, we styled every single part of the Robocar,” Simon said. “We take special pride in revealing a functional machine that stays true to the initial concept, a rarity in automotive design and a testament of our determination. It’s a great feeling to set this free.”

Roborace’s progress has been slow, but steady. The team has been working with Averner Films on a documentary series, posted to its YouTube channel, that provides regular updates on the project. To date, these have focused mostly on the team’s “DevBot” prototypes, which allow a driver to sit inside. The cockpit design is important because, just like conventional driverless systems, it allows an operator to take back control should something go wrong. Earlier this month, the team pitted two DevBots against one another in Buenos Aires. The test was mostly a success, although one hit a wall while “pushing the boundaries of AI.”

The team hasn’t said exactly when the final car will be tested on a race track. Instead, it’s promising further DevBot demonstrations, including another head-to-head later this year. A full, proper Roborace seems a long way off, but at least we know what the competing cars will look like now.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

The sequel to ‘Shadow of Mordor’ arrives August 22nd

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was one of the most important blockbuster games of 2014, proving that an open-world title set in a very familiar fantasy world could still feel fresh and innovative. And apparently, it was popular enough to get a sequel… including on a platform that isn’t even out yet. Warner Bros. has unveiled Middle-earth: Shadow of War, a follow-up that will be available on PS4, Windows PCs, the Xbox One and Project Scorpio — yes, this is one of the first known titles for Microsoft’s 4K-capable console. The publisher isn’t saying what the Scorpio version will bring to the table, but it’ll launch this holiday season. Every other edition arrives on August 22nd.

You’ll have to wait until March 8th for a proper gameplay introduction, but the company is already offering a few tidbits. The story revolves around a new Ring of Power and will have you taking on both the Nazgul and Sauron himself. Also, Shadow of Mordor’s signature personalized experience (where unique enemies rank up and develop rivalries) now translates to the whole game world. Your actions now have lasting effects on both characters and the environment itself, so your experience is bound to vary wildly each time you begin a new game.

Source: Shadow of War, BusinessWire, Xbox Wire

Comcast X1 boxes will get a YouTube app later this year

Last year Comcast added Netflix streaming to its X1 platform, and in 2017 YouTube will be next. Once the app is released later this year, customers will be able to search YouTube via text or with the X1 voice remote, and YouTube streams will be integrated with the UI. This means that when you pull up a show like The Voice or the Late Night Show, you might see its YouTube streams listed right along with the regular TV listings and video-on-demand offerings.

YouTube is already available directly through many smart TVs and streaming boxes, but like the Netflix deal, this brings access a step closer for millions of cable TV customers. That means more viewers for content like YouTube Red, and a way for Comcast to keep people within its environment without switching inputs. The UI of the app will resemble the usual ten-foot YouTube interface, but search results will work as shown above.

Source: Comcast

T-Mobile Offering Three Lines of Unlimited Data for $100 for Limited Time

T-Mobile today announced that, starting March 1, new and existing customers can activate three lines of T-Mobile ONE with unlimited data, talk, and text for $100 per month after bill credits. The plan usually costs $100 per month for two lines, and $140 per month for three lines, so the third line is essentially free.

T-Mobile is also offering an additional line for free to existing customers with two or more voice lines, including T-Mobile ONE and older Simple Choice plans. There are virtually no strings attached to the deal, which is likely an incentive to keep customers from switching to new unlimited data plans at AT&T and Verizon.

The offer is available for a limited time only, but T-Mobile said customers who take advantage of the promotion now will be able to keep the free third line for as long as they have qualifying service and remain in good standing, or until they make changes to their plan. Prices are based on AutoPay.

Tag: T-Mobile
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