These high quality earbuds connect to your device via Bluetooth, so if you’re out jogging there’s no risk of getting tangled in them. Of course this means that they’re battery powered, but with a 6 hour battery lifethey’re not going to die on you anytime soon.
Speaking of jogging, these headphones are designed with such activities in mind. They’re secured in the ear as well as being water and sweat resistant. You can also control music and sound from the headphones themselves, so you needn’t juggle your device on the run. There’s also a built in mic for those hands-free calls.
Novelty, meet innovation.
But the real kicker is that when you’re not using the earbuds they stick together magnetically. This isn’t just to keep them around your neck, though it does help of course. Pulling the buds apart automatically pairs them with your device. Once in use, putting them together stops your playback and pulling them apart again restarts it. Novelty, meet innovation.
And as you would expect of this calibre of headphone, they produce great sound quality given theirlightweight size.
The FRESHeBUDS Pro have a $120 retail value, and on Amazon they’re currently selling at around $75. That’s why we thought you’d want to know that right now you can pick them up for just $29.95. Aren’t we good to you.
Are you wondering what to put in that spare slot in your wallet? Whether for practical purposes or just to look that slight bit more important, a Credit Card Sized Smartphone & Tablet Stand offers a classy option.
I like cooking – it’s an excuse to buy wine. When I cook I often have Netflix or Youtube playing on my phone, and I perch it on something at the right angle so that it’s visible. This is usually a glass, or the box of one of my ingredients, but that’s not ideal. It fell in the sink once, which was thankfully empty. One of these stands would be the obvious solution.
Why not look a bit more exec?
Each of these handy props fits perfectly in a credit card slot in your wallet, but folds out quickly to form the stand wherever you are. It can mean your phone or tablet is facing you while you work or play without having to hold it, and it’s very easy to adjust so that multiple angles are achievable. They look pretty chic too.
A pack of 3 of these little gizmos sells around $30 on a normal day, but this is a deal day. Right now you can get hold of the same 3 pack for just $19.99. If you don’t need all 3 then they would make a professional-looking gift.
It's one of the most important parts of getting the best cell phone plan: coverage.
WhistleOut is the only place on the internet where you can compare both carrier plans and networks in the one search. We match plans and carriers to your location, ensuring that you have personalized comparison results to get the right plan. Read on to learn how.
How to Compare Your Coverage, Instantly
Start at our homepage and enter your location (we check any location in the U.S.)
Enter your plan needs and click "search"
Matching carriers and plans are shown for your location
Review your results and view the coverage maps across each carrier
Checking coverage at an address in Encinitas across Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and ATT networks
It takes just a few seconds for us to find the best carriers for you. If a particular carrier can't provide coverage at your location, we'll remove it from the results.
Even though there are four main networks, our comparison tool also shows plans from a variety of smaller carriers—known as MVNOs—that rent space on the networks of the major carriers. If all four networks can cover you, you'll get comparison options from over 30 carriers! Companies like Straight Talk Wireless and Cricket provide the same great coverage as the big guys, at a fraction of the price.
Taking your phone between networks in the US can be a tricky business, but well worth it. If you’ve got a handset that you’re still happy with, but want to ditch your current carrier, keeping your old device instead of buying a new smartphone on a contract can result in huge savings.
Read on to figure out if you can keep your phone and, in turn, save a bunch of cash with a BYO cell phone plan.
Switching? Check your phone instantly
Some phones only work with one network, whereas other phones can be switched across all networks. First, identify your carrier's original network below, then select your network and your phone model to see which carriers you can switch to.
Phone Compatibility Tool
1) Which network did you purchase your phone from?
2) Which phone model did you purchase?
Read below to find out more about wireless networks, or skip ahead to your carrier:Verizon, AT&T,T-Mobile, or Sprint.
CDMA vs. GSM: What's the Difference?
The first hurdle when moving between networks is a big one; US carriers don’t all run on the same kind of cellular technology. If your current carrier is set up for one, and your desired carrier set up for another, then it's likely you won't be able to use your current phone on the new network.
Cell phone companies operate under one of two types of networks; either CDMA or GSM. Of the four biggest US carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile run on 'GSM' networks, while Sprint and Verizon Wireless use 'CDMA'.
GSM
GSM phones use a SIM card for 2G (voice and text), 3G (voice, text and internet), and 4G (high speed internet and VoLTE) operation. This is a small removable plastic card that stores the data needed to identify a subscriber on a wireless network. The phone itself is not part of the authentication process; the SIM card handles all of that.
This is great news; you can remove the SIM from your current phone and insert it into another compatible device, provided it’s either with the same carrier or you’ve ‘unlocked’ it from its original network for use on another. Swapping the SIM means the new phone will operate over the same network with the same phone number.
CDMA
Phones running on CDMA networks don't use a SIM card for 2G or 3G, but require one for 4G. Electronic serial numbers are used to identify subscribers for 2G and 3G. These serial numbers are coded in to the phones themselves, which creates a problem if you want to switch carriers.
You'll need to get your new provider to grant permission for your device to be given a serial number (and thus a working service line and phone number) on its network.
GSM is common globally, and is used in far more countries than CDMA - so travelling with a CDMA phone may be difficult. A few phones, like the 'CDMA' variants of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, are designed to work over both CDMA and GSM. These are often referred to as 'global' by carriers. If you're lucky enough to have a phone like this, you may be able to move to most carriers.
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Device-locking is pretty common. This is when a carrier places a block within the phone to restrict it from working on any network but its own.
Getting your phone unlocked can range from trivial to downright tricky, depending on your carrier. Each handles the process in its own way, which we'll cover in each section. If you've finished your contract, paid for your phone in full, or have used it for over one year on a prepaid service, then chances are you're eligible for unlocking.
If you bought your phone off-contract (i.e., an iPhone directly from Apple for full outright price), then it should already be unlocked.
Verizon
Where can I use my Verizon phone?
All 4G LTE Verizon phones come network unlocked.
You should be able to use your 4G device on AT&T and T-Mobile.
Verizon devices may also work with the carrier's MVNOs, such as Straight Talk, Page Plus and Red Pocket.
Some Verizon phones - newer iPhones, Google Nexus models, and some Motorola handsets - will work with Sprint.
Almost all of Verizon's phones come network unlocked - more information is available here.
AT&T
Where can I use my AT&T phone?
You can take most phones to T-Mobile or other GSM providers.
4G LTE devices should work on Verizon, although you may not be able to use 3G/2G services.
Some phones - such as newer iPhones and selected Nexus devices, will work with Sprint.
Whether you're on a strict budget, or just looking to cut down your cell phone bill, there's plenty of affordable talk, text and data options for your smartphone.
If you're tired of over-paying for your cell phone plan, switch to a smaller, prepaid carrier, and you’ll get big coverage at great prices.
Best-Kept Secret in Wireless
Most people don’t know that prepaid carriers use all the infrastructure muscle of the major carriers, so you’ll still get dependable coverage but at a lower cost.
For example, prepaid carrier MetroPCS uses all of T-Mobile's infrastructure, while prepaid Boost Mobile uses Sprint’s.
Switch to prepaid, and the only real difference you’ll notice — aside from a lower price — is when you pay. On a prepaid plan, you pay at the beginning of the month, before receiving your service, and with a postpaid you pay at the month's end, after receiving your service.
The benefits of switching to prepaid:
No surprise bills: Since you pay for your service upfront, you don’t have to worry about overages or other extra charges sneaking on to your monthly bill.
No contracts: There's no binding contracts -- switch anytime, pay as you go.
Families are welcome: Buy in bulk and save. Expect more discounts the more lines you buy.
No credit check: You don’t need to have good credit to get a great prepaid plan.
Here's our top picks for cheap deals...
Best cheap plans: low data use
The People's Operator
For customers who love texting and chat, but rarely use data, The People's Operator'sUnlimited Goodness Kind with AutoPay has you covered. You'll get 1000 talk minutes, unlimited messages, and 500MB of monthly data, plus 10% of your monthly bill is donated to a non-profit of your choice.
Republic Wireless
Only use data over WiFi? Then Republic Wireless may be right for you. The company's Clear Choice plan includes unlimited talk and text only, so cellular data coverage isn't available. However, you can upgrade to 1GB of monthly 4G LTE data at anytime.
FreedomPop
The current king of cheap plans has got to FreedomPop, and it's a great option for anyone who sticks to WiFi data, but still needs talk and text. The company's Unlimited Talk and Text plan gives you unlimited chat and messaging in the US, plus 500MB of data each month, and you'll get your first month of service free.
Do you need a new SIM card when switching carriers? Long story short: No.
You can bring your SIM with you to another carrier. But there are plenty of factors to consider.
When you’re thinking about switching cell phone carriers, you need to take care of a couple of things. Don’t get too excited about an ideal cell phone / carrier situation until you know for sure where you stand. First, find out if you even own the phone or if you owe money. Read this article on switching carriers now if you’re unsure of what to do.
In this mini-guide, we’re going to address some basics so you can find out what to do with your SIM card and whether or not you need a new one. As always, you never want to just jump into a brand new cell phone carrier contract without comparing cell phone plans first.
What the heck is a SIM card?
SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module. This is a mini card or chip that stores data for GSM network phones. Of the big four carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile are on the GSM network. Unsure of whether you’re on a GSM network or not? Go here.
The SIM card in your phone holds onto your identity, location, network data, security keys, contacts, and saved texts messages. Basically, if you’re on AT&T or T-Mobile, the SIM card isyour phone. The device you’re holding is just a really rad-looking case with a beautiful screen.
Never underestimate the power of a paperclip.
Unlocking the SIM card before switching carriers
In a perfect world, we’d be able to grab a SIM card and plop it into any phone on any network and give it a new lease on life. Unfortunately, that's not the case. While the physical portability with these cards is easy, network is the real concern when switching carriers.
There are two scenarios. Let's review both.
Scenario 1: Let’s say you want to switch from Verizon to Sprint. Chances are that you don’t have a SIM card since both Verizon and Sprint are CDMA networks. CDMA networks don't use SIM cards. In this instance, you just need permission to bring your phone from Verizon as well as permission from Sprint to use this (Verizon phone) with them. This double-checking and permission getting is due to the fact that carriers on CDMA networks (like Verizon and Sprint) are not obligated to let you use your phone on their network just because they are both CDMA phones. This is because carriers want you to buy a phone with them.
Scenario 2: If you’re switching carriers from GSM networks like AT&T to T-Mobile, things are easier. Once your phone and any outstanding fees are paid, you are free to take your GSM network phone and bring it to any other GSM carrier. In this scenario, customers think they're paying for their phone itself but in reality you're also paying for the SIM card and all of the data on it. Now the SIM card is officially unlocked and you have your phone number and data all ready for a brand new carrier (or new phone if that’s the case).
But wait. There's more:
TIP #1: If you are stuck between carriers or devices, you can use a device called a SIM card reader to upload any data from the card to your computer so you don’t lose anything.
Keep the SIM card if you're just switching to another GSM network carrier. Once unlocked, you can move right on it and make yourself at home with your new carrier. If you're switching to a carrier on the CDMA network, say goodbye. You'll most likely be buying a new phone in order to take advantage of this new network. You can keep your SIM card and save any data from it.
Switching carriers should never be a stressful event. If you take anything away from this mini-guide, know this:
You have a right to an unlocked SIM card and phone after you've paid for the device (and any outstanding fees) in full
You can bring your device and SIM card with you to another GSM network carrier
You cannot bring your SIM card to a CDMA network carrier
Google first announced Android O about two months ago, and now it's finally spilled the beans about what's new. We still don't know what sweet treat it will be named after (though our money is on Oreo), but Android O is all about improving the essentials: battery life, speed, and security are key areas of focus.
In terms of battery, Android O will automatically limit what apps are able to do in the background. For example, the new operating system will limit how frequently an app running in the background of your phone can retrieve your physical location, which is one of the more battery demanding tasks a phone can perform.
Google's also made extensive changes to Android O's core, which should result in phones booting twice as fast, and apps running faster out of the box.
With regards to security, Android O is ostensibly getting Google-made antivirus. Dubbed Google Play Protect, the feature will scan apps for threats and either prevent you from installing them in the first place, or remove them from your device. Play Protect will monitor apps from the Play Store (which are also scanned before they're listed), as well as apps you're trying to install from third party sources. Play Protect will also be rolled out to older Android devices.
It wouldn't be a new Android release with at least a couple of new features though. Newly announced additions include iPhone-like notification dots, which show you which apps have unread notifications (although not the number). Long pressing one of these will reveal notifications related to that app in a small pop-up window.
Android O will also add picture-in-picture, so that you can keep video playing (whether a video call or YouTube) while doing something else.
The first "beta quality" release of Android O - Developer Preview 2 - is now available to download for those wanting an early taste of Google's latest operating system. Unless you're a developer, you probably don't want to install it on your primary device. The Android O Developer Preview 2 will run on the Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P.
A final version of Android O should be available in the later part of this year, around August or September is our guess. Of course, history suggests that only select Nexus and Pixel devices will get the update on day one.
