Apple App: Data Master
One of my pet peeves is constantly keeping track of my cellular data usage. I was not "blessed" with a high data package when I got my iPhone so keeping track is a necessity for me.
Luckily, I take advantage of wifi hotspots the majority of the time. But when I travel I'm away from a known wifi hotspot for long periods of time.
This is where Data Master by Nutec Apps comes in handy.
This app is being offered for free for a limited time and it can help iPhone users keep track of their data usage (in real time).
It does need a little initial set-up, ie: your billing cycle and data usage limit. After that it will track your usage on your cellular and wifi connections.
Seeing your usage habits can also help you decide if adjusting your data package is necessary to avoid more overages in the future, or if you can downgrade to a lower data package.
I only installed this recently, but so far I'm seeing some useful information about my usage habits. Give it a try while it's FREE for a limited time.
Apple App: Skydrive
Another useful iOS app offered from Microsoft. Remote storage is now available to anyone that has a Hotmail account (or MSN Messenger or XBOX Live account) and iOS device.
Just log into your account and transfer files, manage folders, and share files.
Go to the Apple App Store to get more information about Microsoft Skydrive.
This app is free to download. Hotmail, MSN Messenger, or XBOX Live account is required.
Pay-As-You-Go vs Cellphone Contract for an Apple iPhone 4S
With the launch of the new iPhone 4S, the excitement of having a cellphone contract ending is like Christmas in October. Unfortunately, only the lucky few can feel this excitement. But what if we could buy our iPhone 4S from Apple directly and avoid the torture of waiting for our contracts to end, or even worse, terminate our contract early and pay hundreds of dollars.
Since 2010 Apple Canada allowed Canadian consumers to buy their iPhones directly from the Apple Store or Apple Online. The big disadvantage was the price, without the subsidized cost offered by a carrier you were paying 3-4 times as much for the latest iPhone. But, one of the of the advantages of purchasing your iPhone from Apple was the iPhone was unlocked, meaning you can use your iPhone on any carrier at any time, and contract free. To some people this was an ideal feature to have. Having the ability to use any SIM card from any carrier at any time allowed the consumer to use their iPhone in any country. And, buy plans that were contract free, also as known as Pay-As-You-Go plans.
Pay-As-You-Go plans use a banked number of minutes and/or text messaging and/or data expiring over a period of time. In some cases, you can have banked minutes that can last up to one year. And, if you run out of minutes, you buy more minutes through your phone or online.
So let's compare costs between a Carrier Contract Plan vs Pay-As-You-Go:
Carrier Contract Plan (in this example I will use Telus Moblility)
iPhone 4S 16GB from Telus Mobility = $169.00
Activation Fee = $35.00 one time fee
Minimum Monthly Plan for iPhone 4S = $50.00/month + taxes = $56.50/month in Ontario
A Telus agreement for an iPhone 4S is 3 years
TOTAL = $169.00 + $35.00 + ($56.50 * 36 months) = $2238 for the length of the 3-year contract
Pay-As-You-Go Plan (in this example I will use Petro Canada Mobility - yes, they are in the wireless business too!)
iPhone 4S 16GB from Apple Canada = $649+taxes = $739.86
SIM Card purchase = $15.00+taxes = $16.95
The Anytime Plan with 400 minutes + 40 bonus minutes (with up to 356 days of service) = $100+taxes = $113
TOTAL = $739.86 + $16.95 + ($113 * 3 years) = $1095.81
But what about data you ask? For an extra $10/month you can have unlimited data!
So the new Pay-As-You-Go Total = $1095.81 + ($120 * 3 years) = $1455.81
You can save about $782.19 over the length of a contractual contract with a cellphone carrier! That's a savings of 35%! If your contractual plans were priced without including the mandatory 911 service fees, adding extra features, coverage charges, etc. the total of $2238 can raise considerably. Not to say that Pay-As-You-Go plans don't have hidden fees as well, but atleast you can say, "my budget was to spend $100 [plus applicable taxes] this year and I used up my minutes, and now I'll reload my minutes, but only in the new year to stay in budget", or "my minutes are used up, I'll only pay for 60 minutes for $15 this time and not add a data plan this month". In other words, flexibility.
Using the Pay-As-You-Go as a budgetary option is very realistic to me. Why should I spend hundreds of dollars more if I correspond with your friends with Facebook, or other social apps. I don't need 200 minutes a month. I want unlimited data on the go, but I don't want to spend more than $10 a month to get it! I want the option to use my phone on other carriers whenever I want, especially when I travel abroad. And, if I can sell my iPhone to get the newest one, I'll get a really good price for it.
I have onep more year until my iPhone 3GS contract expires. Calculating the cost during my 3-year plan, I will be spending over $2800 for this contract.
Once my contract has expired I will highly consider a Pay-As-You-Go plan with, a brand new, unlocked iPhone 5 or iPhone 5S(?).
What is the most you have spent on a contract?
Things to consider if you plan to go the "Pay-As-You-Go" route:
iPhones are unlocked from Apple so you can use your iPhone on any carrier that uses SIM cards (all over the world!)
Initial cost of an unlocked iPhone from Apple is EXPENSIVE!
Resell value of an unlocked iPhone is high
Depending on your talking habits, it may cost you more
No contracts, no credit checks
The carrier's network might not be as reliable
Use the money you saved to pay down your mortgage/student loan, go on a vacation, buy an XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3, buy an iPad 2, invest in 2 Apple stocks, invest into high interest 3-year GICs...LOL!
Is it worth upgrading to the Apple iPhone 4S
If you are upgrading any iPhone that is an iPhone 3Gs or less, you can benefit from the iPhone 4S's increased performance and added features since the iPhone 4 (without the S).
With the same body design, a few camera upgrades and a newer processor, I think it's not worth the cost to upgrade to the iPhone 4S.
Instead of upgrading your iPhone, consider updating your iPhone to the new iOS 5. The new iOS 5 has been redesigned from the previous iOSes. As long as your iPhone can offer the features the iOS 5 has to offer this may hold your craving for the new iPhone 4S. Maybe enough to wait for the upcoming iPhone 5.
I still have my iPhone 3GS updated with iOS 5 and has brought a new experience to my iPhone. iOS 5 will hold me off until the next generation of the iPhone.
Onavo – save data, stretch your data plan when roaming and at home
iPhoneCanada.ca mentioned a cool app that can help anyone using a data plan. It's called Onavo.
MacRumors.com Buyer’s Guide
When I want to keep track of Apple's product releases I use Mac Buyer's Guide. The guide tracks the release dates to all the Apple products and measures the amount of days since the release date. It also gives the average amount of days until the next product update. It's handy if you plan to make your next Apple purchase.
Some people don't need the latest version of an Apple product so knowing when the new release comes out can help you save some money. Once the new product update comes out, the previous version usually goes down in price.
Check it out!
JailBreakMe 3.0 is released
Comex has just released his latest jailbreak, JailBreakMe 3.0. You must have iOS version 4.3.3 installed on your iPhone. You an update your iOS by connecting to your iTunes software.
iOS 4.3 released today
Apple releases iOS 4.3 http://engt.co/eclS6O
Sync your iPhone to iTunes on your computer and it will initiate the update.
What I discovered is that the WiFi Hotspot does not work with my 3GS. I contacted Telus via Twitter and they told me that it is only available for the iPhone 4.
The only options you get on the 3GS is basically the same function as the current tethering feature: Bluetooth or USB.
So this update for iPhone users without 4th gen phones will not have the actual "hotspot" feature. The non-4 iPhones will only have the tethering function similar to the previous firmware versions.
This will definitely effect my decision to get the new iPad 2 on March 25 (Canadian release date).
How safe are your iPhone passwords? Not much.
According to engadget and PC World, researchers at Frauhofer SIT can jailbreak and retrieve password sensitive information from an iPhone in 6 minutes! Passwords, such as your mailboxes, VPN and WiFi networks can all be compromised. You can watch the Youtube video below.
One way of countering this is to add the "Find My iPhone" app and perform a remote wipe command before any of your information can be accessed. Hopefully Apple can encrypt our information better because this is a major security flaw.
Until then, guard your iPhone. Treat it like expensive jewelry and avoid leaving your iPhone unattended (like we ever do).
[engadget]
[PC World]
[youtube]
Telus will be launching 4G network in March 2011
Telus will be launching their new 4G network in March 2011. According to the Telus website, "There will be no increased network charges or fees to download your data faster". Nice!