What size data plan is right for you? It all depends on what you use it for

The world runs on data these days, and making sure you have enough to get the most out of your phone, while not paying for more than you need, is a crucial balance to find.

When it comes to data plans, the best size correlates to how you use your data. Do you use your phone primarily for email and social media? You can probably get away with a smaller data plan. Using your device as a game console, or for video streaming? You’ll want to opt for a larger or even an unlimited plan. We’ve given you some numbers to work with below, so you can see exactly how much data certain tasks use up and get a real sense of what your monthly data needs will be. We’ll also breakdown the plans available from each of the four major U.S. phone companies to help you in making the right decision.

How much data are you using?

Not all apps use the same amount of data. It’s important to know where your data is going and how much you’re using to find the best plan for you. Before we break down the data usages for different apps and features, it’s worth mentioning ways to mitigate data use. No matter what your data limit, it’s always a smart idea to connect to a Wi-Fi network whenever you can. This is an easy thing to do while at home, as most people have wireless internet these days, but when out and about, it can be tricky. Coffee shops and restaurants often have a network customers can connect to (though you may want to use a VPN), and connecting to your workplace’s Wi-Fi may also be an option.

Why is connecting to Wi-Fi important? If limiting data usage is your goal, then Wi-Fi is going to be your greatest ally. Any data used while connected to a wireless internet network will not affect your monthly 3G/4G allocation from your carrier, so you can stream, download, post, and email to your heart’s content. Most devices and apps also have settings to limit the use of certain features while not connected to Wi-Fi, which takes the guess work out of tracking what apps you should and shouldn’t be using.

Social media

Many of us use social media apps on smartphones. But how much data do our tweets, likes and Instagram posts use up? Updating your Facebook feed takes up about 50KB on average, each time you open the app. Updating your Twitter feed takes about 70KB. Instagram, on the other hand, can utilize anywhere between 30 and 150KB per picture. Posting also takes up a little bit more data than simply updating your feeds. If you post 10 times a day — for instance — you’ll use about 0.07GB in a month, while posting 200 times day will use roughly 1.43GB in a month. That’s an unrealistic number for even the most obsessive socialite, so unless you’re going hog wild with your status updates, social media isn’t going to make much of a dent in your monthly allocation.

Web browsing

Depending on the webpages you visit, surfing the web on your smartphone is economical on your data budget. Of course, every website is different, and your data numbers will be higher if you tend to visit pages with lots of multimedia features. If you are planning on doing some light browsing on your phone, then you should expect to use less than 100MB of data a month. On the other hand, if you are browsing some data-heavy sites that aren’t optimized for smartphones, you could find yourself using more than 1GB of data. There is a big difference there, but unless you know for sure that you are going to be surfing a lot, you shouldn’t be using more than roughly 200MB a month.

Email

Alongside social media and web browsing, email is probably the next most-used feature on smartphones. Luckily, even if your inbox is constantly being flooded and you’re responding to emails all day long, your data isn’t going to take much of a hit. Let’s say you’re sending 500 emails a day — a gross overestimation for the majority of people — you’ll wind up having used just 0.5GB of data by the end of the month. A more realistic estimate of about 10 to 20 emails equates to a measly 0.02GB of data; that is, assuming they’re text-only.

There is a big difference between text emails and emails with attachments, though. If you were to send 5,000 emails, each with a picture attachment, you could be looking at more than 2GB of data a month. However, most of us don’t take and send that many pictures, so you’re more likely looking at around 100MB of data resulting from sending a couple of emails with images a day.

Streaming music and podcasts

Now we’re getting into the more data-intensive apps. Whether using a music app like Spotify or a podcast app like Stitcher, streaming audio is going to eat up your data plan quickly. Streaming two hours of audio every day for a month is going to use more than 3.5GB, and since it’s not hard to imagine spending more than two hours a day listening to music or podcasts, one could easily rack up 6GB a month or more streaming audio data alone. This is one feature you’ll likely want to use when connected via Wi-Fi. T-Mobile and Sprint are exception to the rule, as they both allow for unlimited music streaming.

Video

Here’s the big one. Apps such as Netflix and YouTube may allow us to easily to catch up on our favorite shows while on the go, but they also gobble up a monstrous amount of data in the process. Watching a mere 60 minutes of standard-definition video a day can utilize up to 8GB of data in a month, while that same amount of time spent watching HD videos can take up nearly 30GB. That being the case, we suggest holding off on that next episode of House of Cards until you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

All the major carriers throttle streaming video speeds beyond a certain point or limit the resolution you can stream video at to 720p or sometimes 480p. AT&T offers unlimited streaming of video through DirecTV Now — but any non DirecTV video counts against your data allotment, even though the company now offers unlimited plans (your connection may be slowed after 22GB of used data each month). Verizon is similar with its own unlimited offering, and they too might throttle your connection after 22GB. Sprint does the same after 23GB, and T-Mobile after 50GB of use.

Apps like Netflix now also let you download certain movies and shows to your device, so you don’t need a data connection to watch them later — we recommend downloading these when connected to Wi-Fi.

Gaming

With phones becoming more and more sophisticated, their potential as dedicated gaming machines only becomes greater. Smartphones support 3D graphics and even online multiplayer, which makes them suitable for games more complex than Threes and Candy Crush. However, what’s their data footprint like?

As long as you’re sticking to single player games, your data usage should be limited — the effect on battery life is another issue, though. Online modes and multiplayer games are going to take up a chunk of data, but exactly how much varies from game to game. Short sessions ranging between 10 and 30 minutes for a game like Candy Crush will certainly add up, but likely won’t push you into data overages. However, it’s still best to connect to Wi-Fi if you’re planning on indulging in intense multiplayer matches for an afternoon; it’s likely a more reliable connection, anyway.

Downloads

We discussed using Wi-Fi above, but another strategy for reducing data usage is to stick to using media that you’ve downloaded directly on your device. Try to download podcasts, playlists, or videos for your commutes and long trips in advance while connected to Wi-Fi. Doing so will help you stay within data limits each month, leaving plenty for downloading smaller files like email attachments, new apps, and similar content on the go.

What next?

So, now that you’ve hopefully got an idea of what kind of data your apps and activities will take up, what comes next? It’s time to find a plan that’s right for you. The following pages detail the plans available from each of the four major U.S. carriers (i.e. Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T). You may also want to check out the best cheap phone plans.

This new social media platform wants to turn your likes into cash

All those likes on social media might be worth more than personal gratification. Today, December 22, Selfllery announced the pre-sale launch of its social platform by the same name, a network that turns likes into cryptocurrency. Every like turns into a “you token,” which users can then use to make purchases from Selfllery’s store or even donate to charity.

Selfllery generates income by selling those uploaded photos and videos as stock content, while a system based on user activity determines how much a user receives for each like on their photo. A user’s profile rating determines how many you tokens a like is worth, with the scores (and rates) increasing based on the total number of likes, comments, and views across all that user’s content, as well as factors like participating in photo contests and getting top ratings. That means the more active a user is, the more those likes are worth.

Unlike a traditional stock photo platform, Selfllery says, users don’t have to wait 30-60 days to actually see their rewards, with you tokens awarded immediately. So what can you actually buy with you tokens? There’s a Selfllery marketplace for users to spend their tokens launching in May 2018 and the platform will be open to any vendors in order to create a variety of options.

Users can also choose a percentage to donate to charity. Tokens are also good for participating in photo contests and quests, and in turn, winning one results in even more tokens. Businesses can also use their tokens to take out ads on the platform. You Tokens can also be converted into cash using the Ethereum blockchain, Selfllery says.

Selfllery says no prior experience in photography or knowledge of cryptocurrency is required to join. Blockchain technology is used to allow users to see where their tokens are coming from, and to add a layer of security to the system.

Selfllery is a 2016 startup and now its social platform is launching in the initial pre-sale form, inviting early users to try the platform with the promise of additional tokens awarded only to early users at the full launch. Registration is open on the Selfllery website and inside the Android app, while the Initial Coin Offering (investor-speak for the launch to early backers) is planned for March. In the future, the platform plans to expand beyond just still photos, adding support for video as well as live-streaming.

“People like to look at pictures again and again, and we believe that has value,” says Vadim Onishchenko, founder and CEO of Selfllery. “From the rock art to modern ads, humans have placed value on art. Today’s social networks have mechanisms in place for users to make money from their online activity, but these mechanisms take time and skill to operate, and in the meantime, the corporations behind these networks are the ones making money from the users’ content. At Selfllery, we want to break this. We are introducing blockchain into the mechanism, and allowing anyone to be rewarded for their visual content, quickly and automatically.”

Selfllery’s likes-for-cash platform appears to be a rather unique system, with the closest options being Periscope’s likes-for-cash option, while other platforms like EyeEm mix stock photos and social.

Early users can sign up from a web browser or inside the Selfllery app from the Google Play store before the full launch.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to buy Ethereum
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• Adobe’s new Lightroom leverages the cloud for cross-platform photo editing
• You’ll need to sell your Bitcoin if you want to buy games with it on Steam
• Twitter to take back those verified badges if users don’t follow its new rules

Got a brand new HDR monitor? Now you can watch Netflix in HDR on Windows 10

If you’ve recently found yourself the owner of a shiny new HDR monitor, but find that outside of a few games, there’s not much you can use those high dynamic range capabilities for, you’re in luck. On Thursday, December 21, Netflix announced that its entire library of HDR-enabled content can now be viewed on Windows 10.

Despite only introducing HDR last year, Netflix now has over 200 hours of HDR content available. This includes hit series like Stranger Things, the documentary Chef’s Table, and the upcoming movie Bright, starring Will Smith.

Of course, to be able to watch in HDR on your PC, you’ll need to make sure it meets the system requirements. To start, you’ll need to be running Windows 10’s Fall Creator’s Update, and of course you’ll need a monitor compatible with the HDR10 standard that Netflix uses.

Then you’ll need to check your hardware: Intel seventh-generation and later Core processors are required, and you’ll either need to use the integrated graphics, or a GPU that supports HDR like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 and up. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, AMD graphics aren’t supported.

You won’t be able to watch in Chrome or Firefox, either. In order to view HDR content on Netflix, you’ll either need to use the Netflix Windows 10 app or Microsoft’s Edge browser. You probably wouldn’t want to be watching in a different browser anyway, since Chrome and Firefox still only display Netflix in 720p.

We’re still in the early days of HDR on PCs, so you’ll need to keep that in mind. While Windows 10 supports HDR, it can be finicky, and you’ll likely find yourself manually turning it on for Netflix or games, and leaving it turned off the rest of the time.

HDR monitors are also still fairly new, and there aren’t many of them available yet. Even those that are currently available have their issues. Of course, as time moves forward, both the hardware and software will get better, and we’re sure we’ll see plenty of impressive new HDR monitors at CES next month.

In the meantime, for more information on what you need to get started watching Netflix in HDR on Windows 10, check the Netflix help center.

Xiaomi Mi Max 3 rumor hints at a massive 7-inch display, 5500mAh battery

The Mi Max 3 may feature a monstrous battery and a tablet-sized 7-inch display.

The Mi Max series turned out to be a sleeper hit for Xiaomi, and if a new rumor out of China is to be believed, the Mi Max 3 will be the company’s most ambitious phablet yet. According to CNMO, the Mi max 3 will feature a 7-inch display, considerably larger than the 6.44-inch screen we’ve seen on this year’s Mi Max 2. To bring down the overall size and make the device conducive for everyday usage, Xiaomi is said to be offering an 18:9 panel with minimal bezels at the top and bottom.

The Mi Max 3 is also rumored to feature a dual camera setup at the back, along with a larger 5500mAh battery. One of the standout features on the Mi Max 2 is the 5300mAh battery, so the idea of a larger battery in the Mi Max 3 makes the device that much more enticing. Like this year’s model, the Mi Max 3 is set to include Quick Charge 3.0.

We don’t have details on memory or storage, but the Mi Max 3 will likely be offered with 3GB/4GB of RAM and at least 32GB of storage. The phone is said to be offered in two variants: a base model powered by the Snapdragon 630, and a high-end version featuring the Snapdragon 660.

Xiaomi switched to 18:9 displays with the Redmi 5 series, and it looks like the company will be offering the form factor across its entire range. Early rumors of the Mi 7 also hinted at a 6-inch 18:9 screen, with the phone slated to be the first to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845.

What do you guys think of the rumored specs of the Mi Max 3?

Verizon Moto Z2 Force now getting Android 8.0 Oreo

Verizon’s Moto Z2 Force is the first one to get the Oreo update.

The Moto Z2 Force shipped this past August with Android Nougat out of the box, and as per usual with Motorola phones, the software experience was one of the Z2 Force’s best attributes. If you purchased the phone through Verizon Wireless, the user experience is about to get even better thanks to the Android 8.0 Oreo update.

Users started receiving 8.0 on the Verizon Z2 Force in the wee hours of the morning on December 22, making this the first version of the phone to get Oreo in the United States. Verizon’s not typically known for fast software updates, so this is a very pleasant surprise.

As per usual with the Oreo update, this upgrades the Z2 Force with adaptive notification dots, picture-in-picture, a new look for emojis, and overall faster performance. Also, as noted in the changelog, the update adds a new call screen to the Z2 Force.

Oreo is starting to roll out now, and we’ve still yet to hear when other carriers in the U.S. will follow suit.

Moto Z2 Force

• Moto Z2 Force reviewl
• Moto Z2 Force specs
• This is the Moto 360 Camera Mod
• The ultimate guide to Moto Mods
• Moto Z2 Force vs. Galaxy S8
• Join the discussion in the forums!

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Best Buy

These are all the deals for the Play Store’s ’12 Days of Play’ promotion

Save on apps, games, movies, and more.

The Google Play Store runs quite a few sales and promotions throughout the year, and as we get ready to close out 2017, the digital storefront is running its final one before 2018. With the Play Store’s ’12 Days of Play’ campaign, you’ll find savings on apps, movies, TV shows, and even special in-game items for some mobile games.

There’s quite a lot to talk about, so let’s get right into it.

Save even more with a discounted Google Play Gift Card

Apps

• 50% off your first three months of HBO NOW
• 40% off your first year of TuneIn
• 40% off a Lifesum subscription

Movies/TV Shows

• Rent any movie for just 99 cents (must be redeemed by January 14, 2018)
• Up to 50% off select movies and television series
• Buy three TV episodes for just 99 cents each

Books

• Get a $5 credit for any book you purchase that’s $5 or more (offer ends January 10, 2018)

Games

• Up to 80% off titles like Reigns, Bloons TD 5, Minecraft: Story Mode, FRAMED 2, The Room Three, and plenty more.
• Special in-game items for Clash of Clans, ROBLOX, Pokémon Go, etc.

See at Google Play Store

Amazon Echo Spot review

The Echo Spot may be the cutest yet. And unlike its older sibling with a display, this one seems more comfortable in its skin.

The quick take

The Echo Spot is a smaller, rounder version of the Echo Show, with many of the same advantages — and missing some of the same features that are solely missing in that device.

The Good

• It’s a fun, great-looking Echo
• The round display is a good size
• All the smarts of Alexa

The Bad

• No access to YouTube
• Seems like it’s a bit pricey
• Do you want a camera next to your bed?

Watch this

Amazon Echo Spot Video Review

Awwww, it’s cute

Amazon Echo Spot Full Review

What if you took the most expensive version of the Amazon Echo — one whose potential was essentially chopped off at the knees by a competitor — and shrunk it down a bit, lopping of $10 from the price in the process.

Because that’s what you get with the Amazon Echo Spot. It’s a smaller, slightly cheaper, and definitely cuter version of the Echo Show that made its debut in mid-2017 with a 7-inch touchscreen and the promise to bring constant and convenient video throughout your home. The Spot trades the angular body for a softball-sized sphere — and all things round are cute as hell — and a 2.5-inch display. And Amazon Alexa, of course, is tucked inside.

It’s a great-looking Echo. But is this $130 device any more useful than the Echo Show? Let’s take a look.

See at Amazon

Which Amazon Echo is right for you?

No flat tires here

Amazon Echo Spot Embrace the Ball

Take a softball and slice off the bottom, and then angle off another slice from the side for the display. That’s the Echo Spot.

• Price: $129
• Size: 4.1 x 3.8 x 3.6 inches
• Weight: 14.8 ounces
• Display: 2.5 inches diameter
• Wifi: 802.11n (dual-band)
• Other: A2DP, Bluetooth out, 3.5mm line-out

It’s a little larger than I’d expected. That’s a good thing, though. Because even though the display is a mere 2.5 inches in diameter, you don’t get the sense that this thing is undersized. It’s also not perfectly round, hitting 3.8 inches tall and 4.1 inches wide.

But whatever. It’s basically a ball. And round is cute. Friendly.

Up top, you’ve got the same buttons as on the Echo Show. (Though this time in the proper order!) There’s an on/off button for the mics and camera, flanked by volume up and volume down. The four pinhole microphones are visible up here as well. On the back of the ball are two ports that look nearly identical. They’re not, though. On the left is the power port (no Micro-USB for this thing) and on the right is a 3.5mm audio input.

And that’s it. The rubber base keeps things in place well enough (the 419 grams of weight help with that, too).

Take the Echo Spot out of the box and you quickly get the sense that it belongs on a nightstand. And it does. But there’s really no reason you couldn’t put it somewhere else, too. It’d fit in just fine on a desk, I guess. But usage is going to be the same in any case.

There’s really not that much to overthink here. It’s the sort of mix of matte plastic and glossy face (which, of course, attracts dust like nobody’s business) that we’ve come to expect in this sort of device — especially if you’ve seen the Echo Show. They’re very much members of the same family, just with different designs.

Clock first, everything else second

The first thing you’ll notice about the Echo Spot is that it’s not trying to do too much at once. That’s important because there’s not all that much screen real estate.

But it is, first and foremost, a bedside clock. You’ve got options for analog or digital (I’ve opted for the former), and options for the background. You can use one of Amazon’s artsy designs, but just like the Echo Show, the Spot is a decent little digital picture frame. So family pics it is.

Beyond that the Spot rotates through the same on-screen info as the Echo Show — it just has a very different feel thanks to the round screen. You get weather info on its own page. If your calendars are hooked into Alexa, you’ll get that, too. Same goes for hints on things you can do with the Spot, and the not-so-useful trending headlines.

And you can do everything on the Echo Spot screen that you can on the Echo Show screen. It’s just smaller. And round. Want to watch video? Go for it, just so long as it’s not from YouTube. Hell, I can even fire up my Ring Doorbell camera and see what’s going on, right there on the Spot. (Though the feed still doesn’t pop up automatically when someone rings the bell.) Video calls? Sure thing.

Obviously, the Spot isn’t ideal for watching longer videos. Or any videos at all, really — because there’s a really good chance you’re going to have a phone or a tablet or a television all within sight, and all with larger displays.

And while I’m tempted to say that videos calls are the exception to this, they’re really not. For as good as Amazon is with them — and it’s not a bad experience at all — it still requires the person on the other end to either (a) have an Echo Show or Echo Spot or (b) have the Alexa app installed on a phone or tablet and set up for video calls. Folks on iOS will already be using FaceTime, and Google’s made inroads with Duo. (Plus Uber-popular apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp have that functionality as well.)

Concerns? Look, if you’re going to use this as a bedside clock, you’re going to have to be comfortable with having a working microphone and camera in your bedroom. Trust the mute button if you want, stick a sticker over the camera lens. Or don’t. I won’t wear your tinfoil hat for you. I learn more toward the “let’s keep the screens away from my face while I’m sleeping” end of the spectrum. But that’s a personal decision. And in any event, the dimmed nighttime display and do-not-disturb function work well enough, so it’s unlikely the Spot will keep you up after hours.

Amazon Echo Spot

Should you Buy It? Sure!

At the end of the day, the Echo Spot is an Echo, just like the rest. Better in some ways, worse in others. And that means you’re going to get out of it what you put into it. If you don’t ever want to talk to a digital assistant thing or do any of the connected smart stuff, do you really need a $130 digital clock?

In addition to telling you the time and showing weather info, the screen is fun. I like having a digital photo album at hand and on display. It’s still woefully underutilized in other ways — my dream of the Echo Show and Spot being a true visual hub hasn’t come anywhere close to fruition yet.

The internal speaker isn’t bad for the size, it’s not as good as the new Echo or Echo Plus. It’s good for a bedside alarm clock. (And you can always shoot audio out via Bluetooth or the 3.5mm line-out jack if you just have to hook it into a proper speaker.)

No, if you’ve got $130 to spare and want an Amazon Echo, this is a fun option. I’d go so far to say I prefer it over the Echo Show at this point, and that’s because you get the sense the screen isn’t just a waste of space. It’s not trying to be a faux web browser or a way to watch video.

It’s just a fun, useful clock.

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo

• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• All about Alexa Skills
• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Echo Spot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

Today’s the last day to use Amazon’s two-day shipping in time for Christmas

Time’s running out!

Christmas is right around the corner and if you still haven’t got all the gifts you wanted to give, your time to shop online is running out. Today is the last day you can order from Amazon with two-day shipping and have your gift in time for Christmas. If you aren’t a Prime member, you’ll have to shell out some extra money to upgrade to the two-day shipping, and the cost varies by item. The smarter thing to do would be to sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime and then you can get the two-day shipping for free.

There are a ton of awesome things you can still get your loved ones, so don’t stress if you aren’t fully prepared. Amazon has some great daily deals on items like aroma diffusers, wooden trains and accessories, 12-month magazine subscriptions for $3.75 and so much more.

There are also discounts on almost all the Amazon Echo devices, tech toolkits for $7, discounted iTunes and Google Play gift cards, and even the infamous Instant Pot.

Go ahead and sign up for the free trial of Amazon Prime, shop for the perfect gift and then sit back and think about how much your friends and family will love the gifts!

Qualcomm rejects Broadcom’s 11 nominees for its board of directors

Qualcomm’s current board will be nominated for re-election for another year.

At Qualcomm’s 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Broadcom and Silver Lake Partners approached the chip-maker with 11 nominees that were recommended to replace Qualcomm’s current board of directors. Following a review of the candidates it was presented with, Qualcomm chose to reject the offer.

Qualcomm’s reasoning for this is that the nominees are “inherently conflicted and would not bring incremental skills or expertise to the Qualcomm Board.” As such, the board’s 11 existing members will be nominated for re-election to continue their duties.

These members include Barbara T. Alexander, Jeffrey W. Henderson, Thomas W. Horton, Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, Ann M. Livermore, Harish Manwani, Mark D. McLaughlin, Steve Mollenkopf, Clark T. Randt, Jr., Dr. Francisco Ros and Anthony J. “Tony” Vinciquerra.

Qualcomm says all of the current board members have existing knowledge and a better understanding of the semiconductor industry and all of the company’s various projects, but even so, both Broadcom and Silver Lake Partners are reaching out to stockholders and asking them to give the positions to their 11 nominees.

Broadcom approached Qualcomm with an offer to buy the company at the beginning of November, and while this was initially rejected, a report later came out saying that the sale could still go through if Broadcom offered more money. There hasn’t been any development with this since November 20, but this rejection of Broadcom nominees certainly doesn’t do anything to help the relationship between the two businesses.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 might make its way to Chromebooks

This $25 Aukey surge protector has eight outlets and two USB ports to protect your gear

This Aukey 8-outlet 2-USB port surge protector is down to $24.84 with code AUXMAS39 on Amazon. Over the last six months this surge protector has mostly sold around $30, although it has seen a surge in the last week or so as high as $35. Either way, it has never gone this low through a direct price drop.

Features include:

• Consolidate your power supply – 8 AC outlets and 2 USB ports meet all your power requirements. Surge protection safeguards your devices and gives you peace of mind
• Two USB charging ports simultaneously charge two USB-powered devices with 2.4A (total). Keep your smartphones, tablets, and other USB-powered devices charged up and ready to go
• Protection and safety design features effectively guard against damaging power supply surges & spikes and also prevent overheating & overcharging
• Protected Indicator shows, at a glance, energy absorption and dissipation has not been compromised by extreme surges and your devices are safely protected

Aukey covers all products with a two-year warranty.

See on Amazon