Best smartphones and data plans for grandparents who just want to stay in touch

Picking the right smartphone can be a tedious, and sometimes overwhelming, task. There are scores of phones to choose from at any given moment, and many of them look the same, but differ in terms of storage and performance. If you’re not a tech-savvy grandparent, or you’re shopping for a grandparent that doesn’t know or care about the differences between iOS and Android, simplicity is probably what you want the most out of a modern smartphone.

Sure, the iPhone only has a few physical buttons, but upon startup, the sheer number of icons on the home screen can be intimidating. Similarly, while you can go into the settings and customize various aspects of the device to suit anyone’s needs, navigating the back end can be frustrating when it’s unfamiliar.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves anymore than we already have. For those grandparents that aren’t in touch with their tech side, how much do you want to spend on a smartphone, if you only need one to stay in touch with family, a handful of friends, and to send pictures of your dog to your grandchildren? Or how much are you willing to spend on a phone for grandma and grandpa? Do they need data? Are they aware of what data is and what it’s for?

These are all valid questions and concerns, but we have you covered. Don’t like sifting through phones, and comparing wireless carriers and phone plans? We’ve already done the work for you. Below, you can find the best phones not just for the tech-illiterate senior citizen, but also the best phones and plans for the grandparents that know what’s what. Heads up: They’re surprisingly similar to the best phones and plans for everyone else.

Best smartphones and plans for non-techie grandparents

If you’re not worried about having the latest-and-greatest smartphone, or prefer functionality over features, you can’t go wrong with a prepaid phone. In most cases, you can still get an attractive phone, but the benefit to prepaid phones is that they’re often more affordable that going the pay-per-month route.

For starters, there’s very little chance of being hit with unexpected charges or having to deal with overages, since you pay upfront for the prepaid phone and minutes. If you’re only using the phone to call and text loved ones occasionally, you shouldn’t use more minutes than you actually have at your disposal. In the event you do run out of minutes, however, you can buy prepaid/refill cards, which are readily available at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and a number of other retailers and websites, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. Watch out, though — if you don’t buy more minutes before your current plan runs out, you can end up paying a higher rate or get hit with overage charges — conditions vary from carrier to carrier.

Here are some prepaid phones from each of the four big carriers, all of which come with the necessary prepaid cards to get you going.

ZTE Cymbal Z-320 ($30+)

Let’s break the traditional mold right out of the gate with the ZTE Cymbal from T-Mobile, a phone that looks nothing like a modern smartphone. Instead, it’s a flip-phone that has no touchscreen or digital assistant, but does offer the basics, such as the ability to make calls, send texts, and take pictures. If you’re more into functionality than other aspects, like aesthetics, the ZTE Cymbal is a good way to go if you’re looking for a straightforward phone for a grandparent. The price of the phone from T-Mobile is $63, but nabbing a SIM card and prepaid card will bring the price to $83.

Buy one now from:

T-Mobile Amazon Walmart

Samsung Galaxy Express 3 ($50+)

Now for something that resembles the norm, we have the Samsung Galaxy Express 3 from AT&T. For $50, you can have a decent smartphone that comes with a 4.5-inch HD display, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. You know, in case you have, or are, a grandparent who has their selfie game on point. Being an Android phone, a wide variety of apps are available through the Google Play Store, and it doesn’t take technical know-how to find apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and the like. Plus, if you get this particular phone by June 22 and buy a $30 prepaid card, you can get the Express 3 for a mere $20.

Buy one now from:

AT&T Best Buy Walmart Amazon Target

LG Tribute HD ($60+)

The LG Tribute may cost more than the aforementioned Galaxy Express 3, but for the additional $10, you get a better 5-inch display, a more effective pair of cameras (8-megapixel rear, 5-megapixel front), and all the power and features afforded by Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The smartphone’s 2,100mAh  battery allows for 15 hours of talk time, and the 16GB of storage with MicroSD card support means you’ll have a decent amount of space for housing personal videos and photos.

Buy one now from:

Sprint Amazon Best Buy Walmart Target

LG Optimus Zone 3 ($30+)

The Optimus Zone 3 isn’t the most futuristic-looking phone, but that’s okay because that’s not why it’s here. The Zone 3 is here because it has a lot in common with the previous two phones, and even though it doesn’t do anything particularly better than either, you can look at it as another option that can hold its own. It has a 4.5-inch display, front and rear facing cameras, and battery life that allows for up to 11 hours of constant use. The internal storage of 8GB wouldn’t be enough for most people, but it might be enough for grandma or grandpa. If not, it still supports MicroSD cards up to 32GB, which should end up being more than enough space.

Buy one now from:

Verizon Amazon Best Buy Walmart

Other alternatives for non-techie grandparents

Getting a prepaid phone from a major carrier isn’t your only option, however, as there are multiple companies out there that dedicate themselves to giving seniors more convenient ways of buying phones, plans, and refill cards. Places such as Seniors Wireless, Greatcall, and TracFone are a few of the services that make shopping for a phone less of a hassle, and their plans are easy to sift through and compare to one another. Greatcall, specifically, has the Jitterbug smartphone and Jitterbug flip phone, both of which are designed to be simple to use and navigate thanks to their large buttons, screens, and unique emergency buttons.

Best basic pay as you go plans

Average Price
Talk
Text
Data
AT&T (GoPhone)
$45/month ($40 with AutoPay)
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited up to first 6GB, then throttled to 128Kbps
T-Mobile
$43/month
$3 for any combination of 30 minutes of talk or 30 texts ($0.10 per additional minute or text)
$3 for any combination of 30 minutes of talk or 30 texts ($0.10 per additional minute or text)
$10 for up to 1GB of 4G LTE per week
Seniors Wireless (Simplicity Plan)
$20/60 Days ($10/month)
400 mins for talk, text, and internet
 400 mins for talk, text, and internet
 400 mins for talk, text, and internet
Greatcall (Jitterbug Flip Phone)
$18/month
200 mins
 300 texts
 None
TracFone (basic Airtime service plan)
$20/90 days (About $6.66/month)
60 mins for talk, text, and internet
 60 mins for talk, text, and internet
 60 mins for talk, text, and internet

Snapchat’s stickers could be coming to AR, patent filing suggests

Why it matters to you

Patents don’t always become real things, but a recently published patent application suggests Snap Inc. is looking at a way to place stickers in augmented reality.

Snapchat’s stickers allow users to place colorful virtual drawings on photos and video — but a recently published patent application suggests that Snap Inc. is also working on an augmented reality version that places two-dimensional stickers on a camera feed in real time. The patent, filed in 2015 when Snap Inc. was still Snapchat, but only published last week on May 4, describes a method for placing virtual objects from a large database into camera data from a smartphone or pair of virtual reality goggles.

The patent application tackles the idea of a sticker-like database for two-dimensional virtual objects, and simplifies the process so that it doesn’t require so much computing power. The system would mix GPS data and a set of images of the location provided by the user to generate depth estimates. That “structure facade data” helps place a two-dimensional “sticker object” pulled from a large library of similar graphics in a realistic way, the patent suggests.

The patent filing appears to tackle still objects and adds moving virtual objects to the scene. Using user-snapped photos simplifies the process of depth mapping, while the database of stickers is pre-designed to be placed into scenes mapped with the camera. The GPS determines where you are looking so the processor can focus on just the direction you are viewing. That potentially translates into a virtual reality system that doesn’t require so much processing power, theoretically making it accessible across a number of devices.

The patent documents says the system could work with mobile phones or from augmented reality helmets, visors, or glasses — the paperwork even includes what appears to be a drawing of an updated Spectacles that would work with the virtual reality system.

Many filed applications for patents don’t ever actually make it to reality, but the paperwork gives us a glimpse into what Snapchat has been researching. Snapchat’s stickers are one of the app’s popular features, now imitated on other apps, and the paperwork suggests a similar sticker database could make it possible for anyone to create an augmented reality scene.

Comcast and Charter embark on a new partnership in the wireless arena

Why it matters to you

Two of the nation’s largest cable companies are looking to get into the wireless business, and it looks like they’re open to working together.

On Monday, two of the nation’s largest cable companies are planning to announce a deal involving not cable, but rather communications. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Comcast and Charter Communications are forming a wireless partnership in which both companies will agree “not to make a material merger or acquisition in wireless without the other’s consent for one year.” That could signal that the media giants are looking to make their way into the mobile service providing space by purchasing a company like T-Mobile or Sprint. But under the terms of the new deal, neither company would be able to buy such a company without the other’s involvement or sign-off.

Companies in both the mobile service and cable industries have found themselves at something of a crossroads. The “big four” mobile service providers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint) are fighting desperately for customers, driving down each others’ prices, whereas cable companies must reckon with the continued popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, which are contributing to the rise of the cord-cutting generation.

But perhaps in collusion there is salvation. As the Journal notes, “The cable companies view wireless phone service as an opportunity to create a new product to make their bundles more appealing and better retain existing customers.” Indeed, AT&T has already attempted such a bundled service, offering DirecTV to some of its customers.

Comcast and Charter, however, could be planning something even larger. As per the terms of the new partnership, the two firms would be able to “share technology and work together to use their combined scale in vendor negotiations,” according the Journal’s sources. The goal would be to establish some sort of a knowledge-sharing agreement, thereby achieving the most efficient business plan. The deal is also said to apply “only … with respect to other commercial arrangements with the national wireless carriers, such as in wireless airwave reseller deals like the one they already have with Verizon.”

Full details of the deal are expected to be announced later on Monday.

TripAdvisor partners with GrubHub to offer online food delivery options

Why it matters to you

The next time you’re on the road and looking for a decent meal, you might want to look to TripAdvisor for an easy method of sourcing top notch takeout.

TripAdvisor already offers users assistance in booking flights, accommodation, activities, and restaurant reservations, and soon the site will also provide an easy means of ordering food online. The service is partnering with GrubHub to implement instantaneous access to delivery menus from its website and its mobile app.

When TripAdvisor started out, it was a destination for user reviews pertaining to all aspects of travel. Offering bookings directly from the site was an obvious evolution, and now the company is seeking to expand the services it provides to users who are visiting an unfamiliar place.

Whether you’re away on business, or traveling for pleasure, TripAdvisor wants to be your first port of call for anything and everything you may need during your excursion. That means that if you decide to skip room service and grab some takeout, the site will give you options on what’s good in the local area, and the ability to order your meal.

However, you won’t be ordering directly via TripAdvisor, according to a report from VentureBeat. The service will instead link to GrubHub, with eateries that have signed up for the delivery platform being accompanied by an “order online” button when they’re included in TripAdvisor search results.

This seems to be a mutually beneficial arrangement for the two companies. TripAdvisor benefits from being able to serve users with another strand of recommendations for the place they’re visiting, and GrubHub stands to pick up a chunk of extra business from travelers in search of good eats.

Of course, the fact that GrubHub is a tried-and-tested food delivery platform will inspire confidence from the hungry user making the order, whereas ordering food directly from TripAdvisor might seem a little strange.

At least to begin with, this functionality will be restricted to restaurants within the United States. Tens of thousands of eateries across 1,100 cities are set to be included in TripAdvisor’s listings.

The FBI paid nearly a million dollars to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone

Why it matters to you

Exploits don’t come cheap. The FBI paid roughly a million dollars to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation paid almost a million dollars to break into the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) said this week.

“I was so struck when San Bernardino happened and you made overtures to allow that device to be opened, and then the FBI had to spend $900,000 to hack it open,” Feinstein said. “And as I subsequently learned of some of the reason for it, there were good reasons to get into that device.”

In 2016, the FBI contracted an unnamed third-party security firm to unlock the password-protected iPhone 5c of San Bernardino, California shooter Syed Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife killed 14 people in an attack in December 2015. But the agency later refused to reveal how much it paid.

The Associated Press, Vice Media, and USA Today took the FBI to court over the agency’s nondisclosure, arguing that it had lacked “adequate justification.” FBI director James Comey hinted at a ballpark range last year, saying that the agency paid “more money than he would earn in his remaining seven years on the job” — or roughly least $1.3 million.

Last year, Apple challenged a judge’s order to help the Justice Department in its investigation of the San Bernardino shooter, arguing that an FBI to build a backdoor into the locked iPhone’s operating system would threaten its customers’ privacy.

The FBI dropped its case after it gained access to the iPhone.

The agency later stated that it didn’t find any evidence that Farook coordinated the attack with members of a terrorist organizations, and that it was unable to recover encrypted communications during an 18-minute gap in the agency’s knowledge of Farook’s location after the attack. But it maintained that the information was “helpful.”

Privacy advocates and tech experts argue that the FBI should disclose its method to Apple so it can repair any bugs in its operating system. Exploits discovered by federal agencies are typically reported to the Vulnerabilities Equities Process, a step the agency has so far refused to take.

Disclosure of this information could make the investigators’ decryption efforts more difficult, the FBI argues. Comey said that roughly 12 percent of consumer devices were inaccessible to FBI investigators, and that encryption would cause that number to grow.

“We are increasingly finding devices … that we can’t open,” he said at a keynote address at the annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in May 2016.

In response to the controversy, Senator Feinstein and Senator Richard Burr (R), drafted an encryption bill in April that would force companies to comply with the government’s demands for access to encrypted services.

Learn to code apps for Amazon Alexa with this $19 bundle

There’s no arguing that what once was the smart home trend is slowly becoming the smart home norm, and there is high demand for apps that work with virtual assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa. The problem is, learning to write these types of apps isn’t an easy task, and the cost of doing so isn’t usually affordable.

Learn to create your own Amazon Alexa apps for only $19! Learn more

Imagine a course that starts with the absolute basics of coding; a course that works through to the advanced techniques of building voice apps. Right now, Android Central Digital Offers has a deal on an Amazon Alexa coding bundle that covers everything you need to know about building apps for Alexa. Instead of paying the usual price of $316, you’ll instead pay only $19. That’s 93% off the regular price.

This bundle includes two courses:

• Alexa Development For Absolute Beginners
• Advanced Alexa Skills Kit

You will learn to build a whole host of voice apps for Alexa, you’ll be able to take a mock exam at the end of each course, and you’ll even learn how to create your own Alexa device. Access stays open forever, so you can work these courses into your schedule.

Become an Amazon Alexa coding wizard with this $19 bundle! Learn more

Ready to start coding apps for Alexa? Even if you’ve never worked with code before, this course teaches you everything you need to know. Don’t wait too long; grab this deal and start creating apps today!

Here are our favorite things to do in Google Earth VR

What is there to do in Google Earth VR?

Now that Google Earth VR is available for Oculus Rift alongside the Vive, a whole new batch of explorers have entered the ring. With the April Rift release also comes a bunch of updates, including the ability to search for cities, points of interest, and keywords and be transported immediately to them.

If you haven’t yet given Google Earth VR a go, drop what you’re doing, boot up your PC, and put on your Vive or Rift; this is one of those experiences that can’t be ignored. The sheer magnitude of what you’re seeing, coupled with the ability to fly and even walk around on the ground, does something special to the human mind.

Google Earth VR can also be a bit overwhelming at the start. It’s easy to just fly around a bit, visit your old hometown, and leave without too much experimentation. To help you focus and to bring some really neat stuff to your attention, we’ve put together this guide.

Read more at VR Heads!

Best Cases for Arctic Silver Galaxy S8 or S8+

What’s the best case for the Arctic Silver Galaxy S8?

Oooh, shiny. The Arctic Silver Galaxy S8 and S8+ are phones of restrained beauty. The silver isn’t as in-your-face as the silver Galaxy S7 edge, but it’s still a lot more vibrant than Orchid Gray. If you went for the Arctic Silver Galaxy S8 or S8+, then you’ll want a case that shows off or enhances what’s already there.

Check these out.

• Ringke Fusion
• Spigen Neo Hybrid
• Spigen Ultra Hybrid S
• Samsung Alcantara Cover
• Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro
• Samsung S-View Flip Cover

Ringke Fusion

Ringke’s Fusion case is a clear polycarbonate case with a flexible TPU bumper, which absorbs bumps and drops on the sides of your Galaxy S8 or S8+ — the most vulnerable spots on the phone. The TPU bumper comes in clear, pink, or black, so you can leave your silver phone completely nude-looking or add a li’l splash of color.

All of the ports on the Ringke Fusion are precisely cut, and though the buttons are covered by the TPU bumper, they are responsive and satisfying to the touch.

Available for both Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

Spigen Neo Hybrid

If you’re looking for something a little more protective for your GS8 or GS8+, then check out Spigen’s Neo Hybrid, which is by no means a heavy duty case. The Neo Hybrid adds no real bulk or weight to your phone, but it does add a protective layer of TPU with a polycarbonate frame to hold the whole thing in place.

You have multiple options for colors, but the best combo is the Arctic silver/midnight blue, which beautifully and mysteriously compliments the Arctic Silver GS8 or GS8+. The nice part about having the camera cutout on the back is that your finger is automatically guided to the fingerprint sensor.

Available for both Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

Spigen Ultra Hybrid S

The Ultra Hybrid S from Spigen is a TPU bumper fused with a hard polycarbonate back for slim protection that protects your Galaxy S8 or S8+’s corners. It’s totally clear and features a super convenient kickstand on the back, which simply folds out and locks back into place when you don’t need it anymore.

Each corner of this case features Spigen’s military-grade “Air Cushion Technology”, which uses a pocket of air to save the corners if you drop your phone.

Available for both Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

Samsung Alcantara Cover

The Alcantara Cover is for folks who like the feeling of luxury and want that to carry over to their Galaxy S8 or S8+. The smooth, suede-like material is durable and looks fantastic, with only cutouts for the charging port, speaker, and headphone jack. The buttons are covered, though still responsive.

Alcantara is really just a blend of polyester and polyurethane, so it’s highly stain-resistant and will cushion your phone if you drop it.

You have your choice of black, blue, pink, or mint, but the mint looks best with the Arctic Silver GS8.

Available for both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro

If you need rugged protection, you can have it in spades, while still matching your Arctic Silver Galaxy S8 or S8+ beautifully. Supcase is known for excellent heavy duty cases that protect your phone without adding a ton of bulk or weight. Don’t get me wrong; they’re thicker than regular cases, but not as thick as an Otterbox Defender or something similar.

The white/gray Unicorn Beetle Pro is your best option if you went with Arctic Silver. It’s a three-piece that features a front cover, back cover, and holster, so you can keep it out of your pocket if you choose.

Available for both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, though not in silver for the S8+.

Samsung S-View Flip Cover

Samsung’s S-View Flip Cover lets you interact with your Galaxy S8 or S8+ with the cover closed. You get full-screen access to vital information, like who’s calling, texts, and more. You can even accept or reject calls with a swipe. The cover folds back into a kickstand, so you can enjoy videos hands-free. Pressing the power button with the cover closed lets you check the time, weather, and other status info.

There’s an S-View for each color of GS8, so the silver with obviously suit the Arctic Silver phone best.

Available for both Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

Plead your case

Which case did you choose for your Arctic Silver Galaxy S8 or S8+? Don’t have one yet? Which will you choose? Sound off in the comments below.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint

What are Spotify Codes and how to use them?

Spotify has just introduced a new, innovative way to get users sharing music with friends and family. Called Spotify Codes, the new feature works by generating a unique code of a track, album or playlist you want to share. Someone else can then scan that code and instantly be taken to the music so they can listen to the same thing.

But how exactly does it work and what do you need to do to use Spotify Codes? Allow us to explain.

What is a Spotify Code?

A Spotify Code is a code that is unique to Spotify’s music streaming platform. It works in a similar way to a QR code, but looks completely different. Each track, artist, album and playlist can have its own Spotify Code, so there are no limits to what you can share.

How do I access Spotify Codes?

Spotify Codes is rolling out now to all users on iOS and Android, and both free and Premium subscribers. To generate a code for something you want to share, you need to click on the ‘…’ button next to whatever it is you want to share. All albums, tracks, playlists and artists have this button as an option.

You’ll then see the usual options to download (if you’re a Premium subscriber), share or go to radio. But at the top with the artwork, you’ll see a Spotify Code underneath.

How do I use Spotify Codes?

Once you’ve accessed the code for the content you want to share, click the code to make it bigger. If you’re with the person you want to share the content with, they can scan the code directly from their Spotify app. Alternatively, you can save the image to your photos, so you can send it to someone else for them to open up within the Spotify app.

To scan a code, Spotify has implemented a new camera button within the search menu. Next to the regular search bar you’ll now see a camera icon. Click this, accept the permissions for Spotify to access your camera, and you’ll be able to scan the artwork from someone else’s device.

If you’ve been sent an image, you can press “select from photos”. Find the image in your library, open it, press “choose” and Spotify will whisk you away to whatever it is has been shared with you.

Where else can I use Spotify Codes?

Spotify Codes don’t just have to come from someone else though. Artists, record labels and brands can print Codes on to promotional advertising boards and posters and you can scan them in exactly the same way.

People are really starting to embrace electric cars

As with any new transportation technology, it’s not as simple as building your first vehicle and expecting the whole world to change. And yet, it appears as if the world is finally cottoning on to this whole electric cars are better and cheaper to run thing.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association has revealed that EV sales in the first quarter of 2017 are spiking. Overall, sales of so-called “Alternative Fuel Vehicles” have increased by an overall 37.6 percent compared to the first quarter of 2016.

Those figures seem to mirror Bloomberg’s research into the state of the US electric market, which has seen demand trend northward. In the same period, American sales of electric vehicles jumped 49 percent, with sales totaling 40,700.

As heartwarming as the stats are, it’s worth noting that the law of small numbers makes them sound a little more impressive than they actually are. For instance, Germany’s 117 percent rise in EV sales reflects a jump from 2,332 cars in Q1 2016 to 5,060 now.

Around a quarter of European greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, as well as it being the primary cause of air pollution in cities. So there’s something of an imperative to get on with getting everyone to make the switch, which should be helped by cheaper, newer EVs, like the Renault Zoe.

Source: Bloomberg, ACEA