Android – Page 3 – CSharpner.com

All these apps are FREE! This article is one of a series of articles about the best Android apps available as of the beginning of 2013. Click here for the main article that includes links to this article and links to all the other categories of “The Best Of” apps for beginning 2013. Let’s get started with the Shopping category, which lists the best shopping related apps available at the ending of 2012 and beginning of 2013.

Amazon

The Amazon app is a native front end to the Amazon online store (not the app store). This provides most of the features in the web site (if not all of them… I’ve, by no means, researched each and every feature of this massive web site).

This app is useful for obvious reasons in addition to the fact that you can be browsing in a brick and mortar store, like Wal-Mart, pick up an actual item off the shelf and scan its barcode into this app and it’ll tell you what you can get it for on Amazon.

I won’t go into extreme detail of what this app does. If you’re familiar with Amazon.com, you already have a good idea. You can, of course, track your Amazon.com orders with this app too.

Amazon App Store

One of the great things about Android is that you’re NOT locked into just ONE app store, like you are with iOS and Windows Phone. You don’t have to root or jailbrake your Android phone to install another app store. It’s perfectly legitimate to do so on Android.

The Amazon Android App Store is a direct competitor to the Google Play app store that’s pre-installed on almost every Android device made (with the exception of the really cheap and crappy Chinese Android products).

To Install It:

Go to Settings –> Security –> Unknown Sources

and make sure it’s checked.

Then go to this URL to download it to your phone (or Google search for “Amazon App Store”).

Amazon Price Check

This app lets you scan barcodes while in a real store and compare the prices to Amazon… Not sure why this is a different app from the Amazon app.

Ebay

This is a nicer and more responsive native app than trying to use the ebay website from your mobile browser. If you’re familiar with ebay, you already know what you can do with this app. If not, just look at this screen shot and that should pretty much tell you what you need to know.

Best Buy

This is a front end to the Best Buy web site and is very useful when you’re in a physical Best Buy store. If you’ll notice, most products have a ticket on the shelf with a price, a small description, and a 2D QR bar code. Scan it with this app and you’ll get the full details of the product.

You can also check the balance of your Best Buy gift cards by simply taking a picture of the back of your gift card.

If you’re a RewardsZone member (and if not, WHY NOT?), you can check on your RewardZone points and even display your RewardZone points on your phone to the cashier at checkout to redeem your points, instead of printing them out at home and bringing them in. You’ll save ink, paper, time, frustration, and money… an the “green” Nazis will sprinkle their happy happy fairy dust on you.

Game Stop

The GameStop app is a native front end to the GameStop web site, with the addition of letting you “check in” to GameStop stores when you arrive to receive some PowerUp points. You can keep track of your PowerUp points with the app too. And, of course, like all store apps, you can search and browse their product selection.

FedEx

The FedEx app is highly useful when you’re tracking a packing you’ve either sent or are expecting to receive (such as one you ordered with say, the Amazon app). The screen shots to the right pretty much sum up what this app does. It’s short and simple… It does the things you expect and nothing fancy.

UPS

The UPS app is similar to the FedEx app. It does the same thing, except for UPS shipments. No surprises here.

QR Droid & Barcode Scanner

Both apps “QR Droid” and “Barcode Scanner” let you scan those 2D barcodes you’re seeing everywhere. They usually represent a URL and it’s extremely convenient to scan them in places like BestBuy on product tags on the shelves or on movie posters or even on web sites on your desktop computer to load up the URL on your phone. Installing QR Droid also gives you the ability to create your OWN QR Codes. For example, you can send a contact from your contacts to it and it’ll display as a QR code on your screen. Someone else can scan your screen with their phone and receive your contact. If you’re on a web page, you can share the web page to the app and it’ll produce a QR Code with the URL encoded in it. You can save it and e-mail it or publish it on your website, or show it on your screen to let someone else scan it. But, since we’re in the “Shopping” apps category here, you can use it to scan 2D QR Codes in stores to get more information on the products and to even compare prices.

Kroger

The Kroger app is a master app for all the stores shown in the screen shot:

Kroger
Baker’s
CityMarket
Dillons
Food4Less
Food4Less Fremont
Foods Co
Fred Meyer
Fry’s
Gerbes
JayC Food Stores
King Suupers
Owen’s
Pay Less Super Markets
QFC Quality Food Centers
Ralphs
Smith’s

Kroger is the parent company for all these grocery stores. This app works with all of them. If you have a customer loyalty card at any of these stores (and if you don’t, WHY NOT?) they all work at all those stores. This app will let you browse coupons and add them to your card. When you check out, if you’ve put any of those products in your cart, when you swipe your card at the register, all those coupons are applied. You can check your fuel points too and see the weekly ads. This is a MUST HAVE app if you shop at any of these grocery stores.

CraigsNotifica

That’s not a typo. That’s actually what it’s called. This is an unofficial Craig’s List app. With it, you can search Craig’s List and receive notifications based on your searches, add items to your favorites and even post ads. There are a million Craig’s List apps. Just find one that you like and use it. This one works perfectly fine.

Google Shopper

Google Shopper integrates with “Barcode Scanner” (reviewed above). Scan any barcode and this app will find multiple sources for that product. This is probably the best way to find the best price on anything. Use this when shopping in any physical store to decide whether or not it’s worth buying that product in your hands now, or somewhere else.

You Chime In

What are some of YOUR favorite apps in this category? Let us know in the comments below.

Conclusion

This completes my list of “Best” shopping apps available to start off 2013. There are, of course, other shopping of apps and this is, by no means, a comprehensive list. Some of these are the apps in this category that I use on a daily basis and install on a new phone or tablet as soon as I get it.

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2012-12-26

Best Android Apps to start off 2013

Check out Android Spaces

Here are my “Best of” Android apps to start off with in 2013.

I’ll list them by category and explain the purpose of each one and why I’m choosing it. Each category will be a separate post because, as you can see of the length of the list, it would be quite long if it were all in one post. Each bulleted category below is a LINK to the article about the apps in that category. The list of categories below will only have hotlinks to articles for which I’ve completed. Keep checking back as I post more articles… one for each category below.

•	Phone/Communication Apps
•	Finance
•	Shopping (Everything here is FREE)
•	Imaging
•	Utilities
•	Audio
•	Games
•	Calculators
•	File Management
•	Security
•	Geo Location
•	Launchers
•	Productivity
•	Social
•	News & Reference
•	Time (Clocks/Alarms/Calendars, etc…)
•	Networking
•	Weather

Phone/Communication Apps

These apps have to do with phone calling features or communicating with IM or Texting or live video communication.

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2012-12-26

Best Android Apps to start off 2013 (Phone/Communication Apps)

Check out Android Spaces

This article is one of a series of articles about the best Android apps available as of the beginning of 2013. Click here for the main article that includes links to this article and links to all the other categories of “The Best Of” apps for beginning 2013. Let’s get started with the Phone/Communication category, which lists the best phone and communication apps available at the ending of 2012 and beginning of 2013.

Google Voice

Google Voice is, by far, one of the most valuable FREE Android apps available. [GARD] There’s a LOT of confusion and misinformation about what this app is. So, let me first explain what it is NOT!

Google voice:

IS NOT a replacement for your phone’s dialer.
IS NOT a VOIP app (It doesn’t let you make calls over the internet, bypassing your carrier’s minutes).
IS NOT JUST an app. It’s also a service available from many devices and software.

So, if it’s not the above, then WHAT is it?

It’s two parts, so let’s list them, then explain them:

It’s a SERVICE provided by Google (not an app).
There’s also an Android app, using the same name, that provides a UI to the Google Voice services.

Note that you MUST first create a Google Voice account. If you already have a GMail account or any other Google account like a Google+ account, just log in to it, then go to http://voice.google.com and activate your voice service, get a new phone# (it’ll walk you through it) and then make at least one phone call from GMAIL via your web browser (that’ll activate the voice chat features you’ll need for greater features I describe further down in this article).

The SERVICE:

Google Voice as a service is a service in the same sense that Google Search is a service or that Google Maps is a service. The mapping technology actually lives on the Google servers, distributed across the planet. They provide multiple UIs to access the mapping service, like the web UI at http://maps.google.com and the iOS Google Maps app and the Android Google Maps app, and Google Earth for Windows (and many other platforms). Google Voice is also a service that’s hosted on Google’s server farms and there are many UIs available for Google Voice too, including the web interface at http://voice.google.com and the Android App available in the Google Play store here.

The Google Voice service provides the following features:

A free phone number from any area code in the United States (and many other countries).
- Note that a “phone number” is not a “phone line”. It’s JUST a number!
Free voice mail.
- V-Mail available from a web UI.
- V-Mail forwarded to your e-mail.
- Access via a web browser.
- Access via any real phone.
- Access via the Google Voice app on Android.
SMS Texting (via any of the available UIs (web browser, Android App, iOS app, certain hardware, and many 3rd party apps)).
Telemarketer blocking.
Individual number blocking.
Caller ID.
Make/Receive phone calls via your PC’s browser (in G-Mail).
Conference calling.
3 way calling.
Call hold.
Call forwarding.
Forward incoming calls to any real phone (like your cell, your work phone, your home phone, etc…)
Plus many other features.

The Android App:

The Google Voice Android app is just one of many front ends to the Google Voice Service. The Android app is available here in the Google Play store. Note that the Google Voice service is supported by MORE than just the Google Voice app available from Google. There are many other apps that add significant value to the Google Voice service, two of which I’ll include in this article. Installing the Google Voice app on your Android Device (which does NOT have to be a Phone!!!) will give you the following features: [GARD]

Free, unlimited SMS texting (just like your expensive texting plan, but free).
Google Chat, including video chat.
Make calls from your Android device through your GV number (don’t confuse this with VOIP. This feature will NOT make a call over your internet connection. It just uses your regular cell phone minutes, but it’ll dial your GV # first, then from there, make an outgoing call from your GV# so that the party you’re calling will see your GV# on their caller ID and not your cell phone number (this feature is only available on phones, BTW, not tablets or other Android devices).

The free texting service is reason alone to install this app. Click the link in the prior sentence to read all about it, with full instructions on how to do it. Do that, then cancel your expensive texting plan and have your cell provider BLOCK texting from your phone so you don’t accidentally send text messages using your carrier’s expensive plan.

Groove IP:

Groove IP is an app in the Google Play store. There are 2 versions, the lite, free version available here, and the full featured, paid version available here.

This app is a 3rd party app that uses the Google Voice service (so, you need a free Google Voice account), but provides something fundamentally important on your Android device that the Google Voice app does NOT! [GARD] It let’s you make and receive phone calls directly to and from your Google Voice number over the internet. This is a very very important distinction that so many people have a difficult time understanding. Remember, the Google Voice app does NOT exist to let you make phone calls over the internet, bypassing your phone carrier’s expensive minutes plan. Groove IP DOES!!! Groove IP turns your phone or tablet (any Android device with a speaker, microphone, and internet connection) into a phone that uses ONLY your Google Voice account. If you make or receive a call to or from your Google Voice # with this app, YOUR CELL PHONE PROVIDER IS UNAWARE OF THE CALL AND SEES IT ONLY AS INTERNET USAGE!!!! Why do I keep underlining, bolding, and italicizing these things? Because I have to explain this to people about a dozen times before it sinks in. I don’t know why, because it seems pretty simple, but I think people have a preconceived idea of what the Google Voice app does and just can’t move past that. This app WILL let you make and receive phone calls using ONLY your data connection. It will NOT be recorded as a phone call made with your cell phone provider. It will NOT use up minutes on your minutes plan, as the image above claims.

You start the app, log in with your Google account, and this app gives you its own phone dialer. From here, you can make a call, as long as you have a decent internet connection. It doesn’t matter if it’s a wifi connection or via the cell towers… just as long as it’s an internet connection.

As long as this app is on and logged in (and there’s a setting to make it do that when the phone powers on), if someone calls your Google Voice number, you can answer it with this app and carry on a normal “phone” conversation… and it’s all FREE (meaning it won’t use your plan’s minutes). Of course, if you have a limited data plan, you’ll need to monitor usage, but it’s pretty small in usage. (Sprint and T-Mobile customers still have unlimited data plans available).

Yes, you can STILL use your regular dialer and still make and receive calls using your regular cell phone number.

If you install this on a tablet, your tablet becomes a phone! YES, REALLY!

The difference between the paid version and the free version is the free version limits your use to JUST your wifi connection. So, if you have a tablet that doesn’t have cellular data capabilities, there’s no advantage to buying the paid version. Just install the free version. If you have a tablet with cellular data capabilities, the paid version lets you continue to use your tablet as a phone any where you have coverage. Ditto for your phone. Of course, there are no minutes used when talking on a call made or received with this app.

Talkatone

Talkatone is almost identical to Groove IP, so rather than repeating everything I’ve already said, read the Groove IP review above, then continue here for the few differences.

OK, now that you’ve read the Groove IP section above, let’s continue…

In addition to all the features listed above for Groove IP, this all also provides texting over your Google Voice account and lets you send pictures to other Google chat users. So, this app overlaps in features with the Google Voice app (texting).

[GARD]

This app is also available on iOS.

Mr. Number

Mr. Number (available here in the Google Play store) is invaluable in that it shows you who’s calling, even if they’re caller ID information is blocked. It’s especially useful for avoiding telemarketers (or bill collectors). It gathers information from other Mr. Number users who mark their incoming calls as spam or not, which is sent back up to the Mr. Number servers and if they ever call you, then Mr. Number steps in immediately, before you answer, to tell you. Then, you can just ignore the call, force it to hang up on them, or block them. You’ll never receive a call from them again.

Absolutely Invaluable!

Mr. Number is NOT the only app/service that provides this capability, but it’s one of the most popular. Popularity is important with this kind of app because its database of spammers is crowd sourced. The bigger the crowd, the more extensive their database of spammers, bill collectors, and survey takers.

This app is also available on iOS. That’s important because it increases the pool of people contributing to the data.

Call Master

Call Master (available here in the Google Play store) is similar to Mr. Number, but much more powerful. It requires a rooted phone. It can dig in underneath your native phone and do some extra powerful stuff that a regular app just can’t do without root access. This is definitely an app for power users, but it is very very powerful.

From its description in the Google Play store:

Advantages:

★ Your phone never rings
★ Your screen never turns on
★ Private call and SMS inbox with log sweeper
★ Reject unknown, withheld and private numbers
★ Password protection
★ Route message content to other numbers
★ Clear frequent call lists

Features:

★ Block MMS before download
★ Filter SMS by content
★ Text variable creation, routing and replies
★ Global regex and wildcard filters
★ Custom notification icons
★ Vibration and LED feedback
★ Backup encryption and password protection
★ Powerful logging and sorting system
★ Number testing
★ Independent contact library for total privacy
★ Profile scheduling
★ Light and dark themes

YP Mobile

YP Mobile (available here in the Google Play store) provides your basic yellow pages phone book, plus the familiar stuff you find in other “local services” apps for finding restaurants, gas prices, etc…

[GARD]

Not much more to say about it. This app is no more or less special than others of its type, but I’m including it as one in that type of category. Others are Yahoo!, Yelp, and Where. Personally, I find Google Maps a superior tool for finding local businesses and their phone numbers as it shows a map of your results, so you can see, visually, immediately, what’s close by, then just tap whichever one you want on the map to get the details and phone numbers.

You Chime In

What are some of YOUR favorite apps in this category? Let us know in the comments below.

Conclusion

This completes my list of “Best” phone-specific apps available to start off 2013. There are, of course, other communication types of apps and this is, by no means, a comprehensive list. These are the apps in this category that I use on a daily basis and install on a new phone or tablet as soon as I get it.

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2012-07-23

Shovelware on your phone

Check out Android Spaces

Do you use the pre-installed software that came on your phone? I don’t mean the popular stuff like Google Maps and such… I mean the proprietary stuff… the stuff from your Carrier like T-Mobile or Verizon? Or the stuff from your handset maker like Samsung or HTC? For example:

Getting started with S Memo

Not to pick on Samsung or their reportedly “good” app “S-Memo”… That’s one of many examples. Usually proprietary software sucks or costs money to use or sux AND costs money to use. But, sometimes, some of it is quite nice. That’s purportedly the case with Samsung’s S-Memo, but I’m not here to promote that software.

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In fact, regardless of how nice it might be, I’m choosing to not even bother with it. And, there’s an important reason why:

It’s not available on other phones and never will be!

One of the draws of the Android platform is that it’s hardware agnostic. That means, I can run Android on a plethora of devices from an almost countless number of hardware providers and software written for Android will wok on the vast majority of them. Why would I want to get mired down in an app that I cannot take with me when I decide to switch to another phone? That would be like buying a Dell computer with a proprietary spreadsheet app that’s not compatible with Excel or LibreOffice. Then, if I want to buy say, an HP computer, I can’t use the Dell spreadsheet app or the spreadsheets I created with it. What’s the point? Specifically, what’s the point for ME? I can see the point for Samsung… If I start using it, it locks me into their hardware. But that doesn’t help me or you.

So, regardless of how awesome it may be, I’m just simply not going to use it. There are PLENTY of other note taking apps out there like ColorNote, OneNote, EverNote that are NOT tied to one maker’s hardware

What about you? Do you use any of the proprietary software that came with your phone? If so, what do you use and what are your plans for making the switch to another phone at some point in your future that doesn’t provide it?

2012-06-20

HighOnAndroid.com Galaxy S3 Giveaway!

HighOnAndroid.com Galaxy S3 Giveaway!.

Check out Android Spaces

2012-06-06

New to Android? Here’s what you need!

Starting in a new computing environment can be confusing and stressful for many reasons. I’ll provide you the knowledge base, the apps, and the community resources you’ll need to have a good experience on your new Android device.

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(Image Credits: https://www.aimagin.com/products/training/android-beginner-workshop-reviews.html)

Android is more than just an OS (Operating System) or “a phone”. It’s an ecosystem made up of the OS, the phones, as well as tablets, TVs, computers on a stick, notebooks, wrist watches, health monitors, appliances, a platform, a community, a mindset, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. So, with your new Android device, you’ve moved into a whole lot more than just your new phone (and I’m making a wild assumption that your new device happens to be a phone as it could have been any of the items listed above, or even something else).

There’s a LOT I could talk about here, but since this is focused on just what you need to get started, I’ll try to hold myself back. I’ll also restrict this discussion to just phones and tablets.

What’s Not unique about Android?

Let’s begin with what you’re familiar with. You’ve probably used a smartphone or a tablet by now. If not, you’ve certainly used a Windows, Linux, or Mac based PC before. Android is somewhat similar to those in that it provides you with a GUI (graphic user interface), usually on a mobile device. That user interface is optimized for touch input. You have the familiar things you’d expect in any GUI such as buttons, lists, check boxes, etc… Being optimized for mobile devices, it also has video keyboard support, and of course, support for touch screens.

Since it is an OS, you also get app stores and apps which can take advantage of the capabilities of your mobile device. Most mobile devices have many (if not all) of the following hardware capabilities:

Touch screens
Speakers
Microphones
Cameras (both snapshot and video recording)
Wireless network capability
Mobile service radios (cellular network capable)
GPS
Compass
Physical keyboards (with real buttons)
Expansion slots for more memory
data/power ports
NFC (Near Field Communication) chips
Thermometers
Barometers
Bluetooth communication

among other features.

What’s Unique about Android?

There are many things unique to Android, but seeing as this is a beginner’s guide, of sorts, I’m just pointing out some of the highlights.

Android separates itself from the others in that it is an open system. This word “open” has multiple meanings. In one sense, it means that the source code to the OS is available for any programmer that wants it to make changes to the underlying capabilities. It also means that anyone is free to make modifications to it and sell their own hardware running the Android OS. But, what does that mean for YOU? After all, most people are NOT programmers nor hardware manufacturers and have no desire to be. So how does that help YOU?

Since Android is free for anyone to use, there is a plethora of Android devices on the market. You’re not limited to just ONE or a small handful of models to choose from. What ever form factor you want, there’s one (or probably many) available that fits your needs running Android. If you must have a physical keyboard, then there are many many Android phones and tablets with physical keyboards, as one of many examples. There are devices with large screens, with small screens, with hi-res screens, with low res screens, with sturdy, expensive hardware, with cheap hardware, with hi end devices, with low end devices, and everything in-between, expensive devices, and budget devices. Whatever your cost budget or your hardware needs, there’s a device for that.

It also means you’re not limited to getting your hardware from just ONE company. You’re not limited to just one or a small handful of cellular providers. Android devices are available everywhere.

Another notable feature is that you’re not locked into a single app store. You can install apps from where ever you like. Apps also register their capabilities with the OS. In other words, Facebook, Google+, and Twitter, when installed, announce to the OS that they are capable of sharing content. So, whenever you use an app that’s capable of sharing content, like a browser sharing a link, or a photo app sharing a photo, when you tap the “share” icon in whatever app you’re using, ALL the apps you have installed that are capable of sharing content will appear to let you choose which app or service you want to use to share that content. The great part about that, aside from the obvious, is that apps don’t have to be written specifically to “know” about all these services. They only have to be written to tell Android they have content to share and to hand it over to Android. Android then passes it along to the app or service that the user chose from the list and that chosen app or service takes it from there. Neither the original app that created the content, nor the app that received and published it need to know anything about each other. That’s all handled by the Android OS. This makes capabilities of apps sharable between apps without any app needing to know anything about any other app. Say, for example, you install some obscure photo editing app, then 3 years later, some new social network shows up and provides an Android app. Your 3 year old photo editing app, that you may not have even updated, can easily share to the new social network that didn’t even exist 3 years ago when you installed the photo editing app.

What can I do with an Android device?

You can do pretty much the same things you can do with most other, modern, mobile devices. You can make and receive calls (if your device is a _phone_ of course, or is internet enabled and has a microphone and speakers), browse the web, download apps, calendar, contacts, games, finances, social networking, GPS, etc… etc…

What do I need RIGHT NOW?

Security:

As with any computer system, the first thing you need to do is to secure it. In spite of popular belief, Android is NOT less secure than iOS. In fact, if you use it right, it’s MORE SECURE THAN iOS! These are the security issues you’ll encounter on a mobile device (ANY mobile device, regardless of who makes it or what OS it’s running):

Hardware loss or theft.

Exposing your private data like contacts, phone log, browsing history, social networking posts and friends, E-Mail, credit cards, bank accounts, web site logins, home address, work place, children’s names and ages and schools, etc… Anything you access on the internet via your phone and any data you enter into your phone, including where you are now (GPS) and exactly where you were at any given point in time.

Malware.

Install Lookout Mobile Security right now.

It will help with all of these issues. Another good one (but doesn’t check for viruses) is Cerberus anti theft.

Cerberus is also great for keeping track of your kids’ where-abouts. One of my children recently when on their first out of town, over night, field trip. I was able to check in to see where they were at an given time. I could even see them driving down the road on a map. It’s a great peace of mind.

Communication:

There are multiple ways to communicate with people with a mobile device:

Phone call

Text/SMS

IM

Social Networks like Google+, Twitter, Facebook, etc…

I highly recommend installing Google Voice (NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! Despite it’s name, it’s NOT to reduce your cell phone minutes!!!! It’s for everything BUT THAT!)

It never fails! Every time I mention Google Voice to someone, they always respond with, “Well, I’ve got unlimited minutes, so it’s pointless.” Jeesh! It’s NOT FOR THAT! It’s a poorly named service because “voice” is NOT what it provides.

Google Voice provides the following features:

Instant Messaging (Google Chat)

Instant Messaging with voice.

Instant Messaging with video.

FREE TEXTING!!!! (Again): I must constantly battle the next response I always get, “But I have unlimited texting”. Most likely you’re paying extra for that service. I recommend dropping that and asking your cell provider to block all texting (so you don’t get charged for spam messages). Then, you can continue using texting COMPLETELY FOR FREE!!!!!! See this article:

Google Voice: Free, unlimited texting on your cell/mobile phone!

DON’T install the Facebook app!

Facebook is notorious for continuously, without end, violating your privacy on multiple levels. I personally recommend staying away from Facebook altogether, but if you just can’t pull yourself away, at least access it from your mobile via your web browser ONLY… NOT via the mobile app. Just do NOT install it. The app itself has been found to violate your privacy. You DON’T want it on your phone!

Also, when you access the Facebook website, be sure to put “s” after the “http” in the browser’s address bar. In other words, your browser should be at https://www.facebook.com with an “s” in there after the “http”. Otherwise, you’re on an UNENCRYPTED PAGE where you’ll be entering your login name and password in clear text, broadcast over the internet, and possibly in the clear over the wireless network at Starbucks or the library or your school or anywhere else (one of the many problems with Facebook security and privacy). This is NOT an Android issue, it’s a Facebook issue!

Now, back to Google Voice. I did say that the purpose of the Google Voice app has NOTHING to do with making free phone calls from your mobile phone. And I stand by that. But, there ARE other apps available that WILL give you free phone calls (and they do it using your Google Voice account). They do this by using VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). In other words, they communicate over your cell provider’s DATA network as opposed to its VOICE network. You get charged from your allowed minutes if you use their VOICE network, but NOT if you use their DATA network. Be careful though, because it DOES use bytes on your data plan, so if you have a LIMITED data plan, you’ll want to keep track of your data usage… but digitized voice over data is a pretty low bandwidth usage.

Again, if you tell me you get unlimited minutes again, I’m going to slap you silly! You might be one of the few that doesn’t have to pay extra for unlimited voice. But, if you’re in the majority, you’re paying EXTRA for unlimited voice. With the right apps installed, you can drop the cost of your monthly bill down considerably by getting their lowest minutes plan and blocking text messaging. I’ve already covered free texting above. Now, here’s how you get free minutes for phone calls too: Free Cell Minutes. As an example, I have 5 phones on my plan and 4 of them have unlimited data. We have the lowest possible plan we can get as far as minutes go (750/mo. shared with 5 people). My Total bill each month? $144. And because of how we’re using Google Voice appropriately, we end up having unlimited voice, text, and data on 4 of the 5 lines. (The 5th line is for my aunt who simply wants a plain old phone). Most people I know can barely keep ONE phone below $144/mo. As you can see, using this right saves you TONS of money. If you’re wondering… I use T-Mobile.

That’s about all you Need right now, but there’s plenty more you’ll likely want and I’ll cover some of those on an ongoing basis, so keep checking back and follow me on Google+.

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2012-04-14

Understanding the Android App Store: ArsTechnica.com doesn’t understand it nor risk vs freedom

In this story on ArsTechnica.com, I find it funny, annoying, and pointless that people point out that there are some malware apps in the Google Android app store. The Google app store (now called “Google Play”) is nothing more than a consolidated place for apps that would otherwise be available on the creator’s on web sites. But, unlike the web, Google can and does take down apps that are proven to be malicious. Just like on Windows, it’s the user’s responsibility to not download junk from sources they don’t trust and to use common sense. It’s the difference between freedom on an open system vs. a closed system. With freedom, there are risks. With a walled garden, there are fewer risks (not zero), but much less freedom. Each has its own merits and no one can be blamed for which they choose. I personally choose freedom. I’m a big boy and I’m educated and can manage my own risks. But that’s just me.

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Take this quote from the ArsTechnica.com story:

“The apps, which were reported here by McAfee researcher Carlos Castillo, masqueraded as video players offering trailers of Android games and anime content. In the background and without warning, they also obtained the phone number and a unique identifier of the infected device and sent the information in clear text to a remote server under the control of the software developers”

Whenever you install an Android app, you’re given a list of the phone’s data and features the app is requesting access to from the OS. So, I call bull sh!t on “and without warning”. If you’re downloading a video player and the app store says it asks for access to your contacts, you simply refuse to let the app be installed. I have refused the installation of several apps based on this simple logic — apps whose function has nothing to do with what it’s requesting access to. Simple. BTW, the “unique identifier” is normal for all apps that have ads to support them. Not much different than a web site getting your IP address or a Windows/Mac/Linux desktop app that sends your MAC address and/or other hardware IDs, but unlike Windows/Mac/Linux desktop apps, Android apps can’t be installed without you being told, point blank and openly, what they’re requesting access to from the OS.

Pointing out that there are malicious Android apps is no more relevant than pointing out there are malicious Windows apps or malicious Mac apps or malicious Linux desktop apps. Yep. We know that. That’s the price of freedom — risk. And, for people that “don’t know any better”… I call BS on that too since the app store shows you what any Android app you’re about to install is requesting access to. It’s usually a very small list and takes only seconds to see and decide. I have no pity for morons that blindly click “Allow” and neither should you. If you’re intelligent enough to read and install an app, you’re smart enough to decide if a video player should have access to your contacts. Hint: The answer is “NO!”

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2012-03-30

Understanding what Android actually IS

Android is not a 1 to 1 comparison to any other mobile OS. Android is something that unifies many mobile devices that used to be different.

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In reality, all those mobile handsets, tablets, and “phablets” are still different from each other, but now they share a significant amount in common. They now share so much in common that people now mistake them as interchangeable like Windows desktop PCs pretty much are.

Folks need to remember that they’re still devices created by the same phone makers that still want their phones to stand out and be unique… like they were before Android. The fact that these phones now have a similar UI and more than zero compatibility now is a huge improvement over the state of the market just a few short years ago when there was NO compatibility. But, this compatibility should really be thought of more as a side effect than as an intent. Sure, the handset makers know there’ll be some compatibility with their competitors simply because they’re starting with the same base code and yes they even sell on that fact, but you should understand that it is really more of a side effect of the fact that they’re starting with the same base code.

Each mobile handset maker still has their OWN OS, despite the fact they all call their OS “Android”. In reality, HTC had “HTC Android”, which is different from say, “Droid Android”, which is different from the “Amazon Kindle Fire Android”.

“Android” simply means that they started their custom OS from a public base of an OS that others also started theirs with, so there are bound to be some similarities, and there are, of course.

If you look at it that way and adjust your expectations to that actual reality, it’s harder to get upset. If you’re looking for an iPhone “exactness across all models” experience, you’re going to be sorely disappointed because it is NOT that, nor is it supposed to be. That could change at some point in the future, but that also would change what Android actually is… which is a base OS that others branch from to form their own without having to start from scratch to save heap-big money. As a side effect, we get a lot of compatibility between devices.

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2011-08-19

Free Voice calls from your cell phone

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If you’re tired of outrageous fees for minutes on your cell phone, read on, I can tell you how to get you on your carrier’s cheapest plan and get unlimited minutes. Read on…

Let me clarify: After this, you’ll STILL have to pay a monthly fee to your cell phone provider. This article instructs you how to make calls without using up your plans’ minutes! Everyone clear on that? Good. Now, let’s get started!

What you’ll need:

Option 1:

A cell phone with the minimum plan that supports a “friends and family” or “faves” plan that let’s you add 1 or more phone numbers as always free calls to or from that (or those) number(s).
A free Google Voice account with a free telephone number.

Option 2 (doesn’t require friends and family plan):

An Android cell phone.
Minimum minute plan form any carrier.
Data plan (unlimited data if you talk a lot).
Groove IP app from the Android Market ($4.99).
A free Google Voice account with a free telephone number.

How?

Instructions if you don’t have an Android or an iPhone (skip ahead to the “Android or iPhone” instructions if you have an Android phone):

Regular cell phone (NOT an Android and NOT an iPhone) (least preferable, but this still works):

Call your cell phone service provider (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc…) and ask them if they have a “friends and family” type service (different carriers call it different things. Verizon calls it “friends and family”, T-Mobile calls it “My Faves”, and others may have different names and not all of them have it). This service lets you set up one or more telephone numbers as always free calls. This is so you can add your Mom or whomever you call most and those calls (either incoming or outgoing) will never use up your bank of allowed minutes.
1. If you cell provider doesn’t offer this, stop now because this won’t work for you, unless you upgrade to an Android phone, then you can skip to the “Android Only Phone” instructions below.
2. If your provider DOES offer this, you’ll need to add your Google Voice number to the plan (continue reading these steps for instructions on acquiring a free Google Voice number).
Go to http://voice.google.com and either log into it with your existing Google account (if you have a GMail account, you have one) or create a new one.
You’ll be prompted for a new phone number. Follow the instructions and pick a phone number in the area code you prefer and pick a number you like. If you have family in a different area code than your cell phone currently is, maybe choose a number in THEIR area code so they can call you free of charge to THEM.
You will be prompted to have calls to that number forwarded to your cell phone. Go ahead and enter your cell phone number.
1. When prompted if you want to use Google Voice to replace your carrier’s voice-mail, I recommend to do this, but it’s not necessary for this free calls tutorial.
Now, configure GV (Google Voice) to show YOUR Google Voice # instead of the incoming caller’s caller ID (this makes all incoming calls FREE via your “Friends and Family plan”)
1. Click on the gears icon menu in the upper right of the web page (not your Browser’s wrench menu, which on Chrome, is just above the GV gears menu) and choose “Voice settings”.
2. Click the “Calls” tab, then select “Display my Google Voice number” by “Caller ID (incoming)”, then check the global spam filter, then click “Save changes”:
  2. The other settings can be set to anything you like.
Set you PIN (Personal Identification Number):
1. Click on the “Voicemail & Text” tab.
2. By the “Voicemail PIN” label, enter your PIN in both fields.
3. Click “Save changes”
Now, call your cell phone provider (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc…) and add your new Google Voice number to your “Friends and Family” plan (or the equivalent plan with your carrier). Note that you MAY have to upgrade to a more expensive plan to get this if you’re on T-Mobile’s cheapest plan. This will NOT be worth it if you never go over your minutes. If you’d LIKE to have more minutes and not worry about it, then upgrading might be a good option. You’ll have to weigh it yourself.
1. I recommend you do NOT tell them that this is your Google voice number. If they ask for a name to be associate with the number, just say “Home” or make something up. That name is just for your reference later so you know who that number’s for. Just don’t say “Google Voice”!
Tell everyone you’ve changed your cell phone #. Give them your new Google Voice #.
When you make outgoing calls:
1. Call your Google Voice # (this is necessary so that your carrier sees this outgoing call as one going to one of your “Friends and Family” numbers, making it a FREE CALL.
2. When you hear the v-mail greeting, dial *.
3. Enter your PIN (the one you created in step 6 above).
  1. Next, if you have new voicemail messages, you’ll have to either listen to them or hit 7 on each to mark as “read” (you can listen to them later via your phone or with your web browser).
4. Enter 2 to place a call, then follow the instructions.

This, obviously, adds extra steps and time to making outgoing calls, BUT THEY’RE FREE! For incoming calls, you lose the caller ID information because it’ll always show your Google Voice #, BUT THEY’RE FREE!

Android or iPhone

If you have an Android or iPhone, this next set of instructions works better than the instructions above for non smartphones. There’s an even better option for Android only phones. For that, skip ahead to the “Android Only” section.

Follow instructions 1-8 above, but forget about step #9 above. Since you’ve got an Android or iPhone (and I think this works for Blackberries too), do this:

For Android, download GVMyNumber. For iPhone, download this app.
1. Why not use the official Google Voice app for Android? Because it may not call the same number every time, making calls OUTSIDE of your FREE friends and family list! This is probably a problem on iPhone too. There may be an iPhone app like GVMyNumber that always calls your OWN Google Voice number. If anyone knows of one, please leave comments at the bottom for our iPhone users.
For GVMyNumber:
1. Start the app and tap “Settings”.
2. Tap “Google Voice Number” and enter your Google Voice Number, then “OK”.
3. Tap “Google Voice PIN” and enter your PIN that you create in step 6 above, then “OK”.
4. Now, when you place a call, you’ll be prompted if you want to use GVMyNumber or not. If you’re calling during prime time and to a number not on your friends and family list AND not to a number that fits your carriers free numbers, let the app take over. The call will take a little longer to go through because it’s going to call your GV number, enter your PIN, go through the menu and such to make your call, BUT IT’S FREE!

Android Only

If you have an Android phone, this may be the preferred method. Note, however, that you can use THIS method as well as the method above in the “Android and iPhone” section. I recommend installing GVMyVoice regardless.

What’s different about THIS set of instructions? All the sections above make and receive calls via your cell providers voice calls. Your cell provider is aware of the phone calls (maybe not the final destination). They appear to your cell provider as a call to or from your GV phone number and they DO use your plans minutes UNLESS you have your GV # on your “Friends and Family” plan. Your cell provider will log the call(s) and probably show them to you on your bill as minutes accumulated on your free calls.

THIS set of instructions doesn’t use your cell providers voice service AT ALL. As far as your cell provider is concerned, with THIS set of instructions, you never place or receive call. This is because you’re using your DATA PLAN instead. These are VOIP (Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol)) calls. In other words, it’s as if you’re using voice chat from one PC to another over the internet. You’re not using the phone systems at all. It’s all internet traffic as far as your cell provider is concerned.

Here’s now:

Go to http://voice.google.com and either log into it with your existing Google account (if you have a GMail account, you have one) or create a new one.
You’ll be prompted for a new phone number. Follow the instructions and pick a phone number in the area code you prefer and pick a number you like. If you have family in a different area code than your cell phone currently is, maybe choose a number in THEIR area code so they can call you free of charge to THEM.
You will be prompted to have calls to that number forwarded to your cell phone. DON’T DO THIS!
Open the gears menu in the upper-right and choose “Voice Settings”
Click on the “Phones” tab, then uncheck everything except “Google chat”. Make sure “Google chat” is checked.
Install the app Groove IP from the Android Market. This app is not free, but for a one time fee of $4.99, it’s well worth it for unlimited free calls to and from your cell for life!
Open the app, open the menu, and choose “Settings”.
Tap on “User name” and enter your Google Voice account name that you use to log into your Google Voice account, then “OK”.
Tap “Password” and enter your Google Voice account password that you use to log into your Google Voice account, then “OK”.
Check ON “Allow 3G/4G calling”. Read the notes on that option and decide if you really want this. Almost certainly you DO!
“Accept calls on answer”: I recommend leaving this UNCHECKED so you can screen your incoming calls.
Tap “Built in dialer preference”. I recommend choosing “Ask every call”. When you place a call using your phones standard dialer, Groove IP will intercept and ask if you want to use Groove IP for the call or let the call go through as a regular cell phone call that your carrier will handle. If the call you’re making would be a free call through your carrier (nights and weekends or someone on your friends and family list, or with some carriers, calls to any mobile, or calls to other mobile users with the same carrier), you’ll want the call to be handled by your carrier. It is more reliable and usually slightly better quality.
Tap on “Call Filtering”.
1. Tap “Exclusion Numbers”. You’ll set up a list of number that should never use Groove IP for calls… Any phone number that’s always free, you should just call it normally without using Groove IP, especially other cell phones on your account (your spouses, your kids, on your same plan are almost always free calls). In addition, if you REALLY want your other numbers on your plan excluded from Groove IP because even though it may be free for you to call them with Groove IP, it’s probably NOT free for them to RECEIVE them, because they’ll be receiving a call from your Google Voice #, NOT YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER!, so your provider will NOT consider it a free call ON THEIR END!
  1. Enter all the phone numbers that are always free from your regular cell phone. Separate each phone number with a comma. Make sure you enter the area codes on all of them too. Tap “OK” when done.
Go back to the Groove IP main menu and scroll down to the bottom and tap “Miscellaneous”.
1. Check ON “Autostart” so that this app starts when you power on your phone.

That’s it. Feel free to peruse the other options on Groove IP and fix to your likings.

Now, when you place calls, you can either use your phone’s standard dialer or open the Groove IP app and dial from there. If you use the Groove IP dialer, you won’t be prompted if you want to use your cell provider for the call. All calls will go over the internet as VOIP calls, except for those numbers in your exclusion list.

Incoming calls (as long as the person calling you dialed your Google Voice number and NOT your cell phone number) will trigger Groove IP to ring your phone. You’ll answer the call with the Groove IP app (which will already be up, front, and center when an incoming Google voice call arrives).

Note that if someone calls your REAL cell phone number, your cell phone will ring normally and when you answer, it’s a NORMAL call that consumes minutes per your contract plan. Incoming calls will NOT be free unless they’re to your Google Voice number.

Be sure to tell everyone (except those whose incoming calls are free anyway, like your spouse and kids on the same plan) that you’ve changed your cell phone number. Give them your new Google Voice number.

Congrats! You’re done! And all of your incoming and outgoing cell phone calls should be ABSOLUTELY FREE! with the obvious exception of people calling your cell phone number instead of your Google Voice number. You can easily just let those go to voicemail, then call them back with Groove IP and give them your new number so they’ll stop calling your old one that costs you money.

Caution!:

Since these are INTERNET based calls, the quality can be crappy sometimes. In those cases, you can either wait until you’re in a wireless LAN spot, a 3G or better spot, or if it’s important that you make the call right then, just make a regular call and use up your minutes. You should have an ample supply of minutes every month with your carrier’s cheapest plan though since the vast majority of your calls will be over the internet.

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Good Luck!

2010-07-25

Google Voice: Free, unlimited calling on your cell/mobile phone!

Google Voice

If you use more minutes per month than the minimum plan your cell provider offers, meaning you’re paying more than the minimum, here’s a way to use the same minutes, but pay less.

If you don’t have one already, signup for a new Google Voice account (it’s free) at http://google.com/voice. (I’m not going to provide a full tutorial on Google voice in this article).
In the upper right, choose “Settings”, then “Voice Settings”.
On the “Phones” tab, create a new phone number (you’ll do this only once and you’ll have to pay $10 to change it later, if you choose to, so pick wisely!).
Add your mobile number. Be sure to verify your mobile number (wherever you use it, use the full area code or the verification will fail!).
Edit the mobile number.

Disclaimer about the word “Free”:

When I say calls are “free”, I mean, you’ll still pay your monthly fees to your cell provider, but you can downgrade to their smallest minutes plan and none of your calls will be used against your minutes. Although, with Verizon, on their smallest minute plan, they don’t allow you to add “Friends and Family” numbers to it (read below), so you’ll have to determine how many total minutes you use and if it’s more than Verizon’s minimum of 550 or so minutes, then you’ll need the next package up so you CAN have a “Friends and Family” deal.

Now, the next steps are different depending on whether or not your cell phone platform has a native Google Voice app for it. If you have an Android or Blackberry phone, you’re in luck. If not, skip this section and go to “For Non-Android and Non-Blackberry phones”.

Free calls for Android and Blackberry:

Download and install the Google Voice app for your Android or Blackberry phone using the marketplace for your respective handset.
Configure your Google Voice app on your phone by telling it your mobile # and your Google Voice #, your Google voice login, etc…
Choose whether or not you want all outbound calls to use Google Voice all the time, to ask you each time, or to never use Google Voice (don’t choose “never”!). Then go to Google Voice settings on your phone and set your preferences for outbound calling. I recommend “ask every time”.
Test an outbound call now. You’re probably sitting next to your home or office phone right now. Call it from your mobile. BE SURE to enter the area code or the Google Voice app will NOT intervene and it WILL go out normally (not using Google Voice). Your home or office phone should ring and should be showing your new Google Voice # in caller ID. If so, continue on…
Contact your cell phone provider and add your Google Voice # to your Friends and Family plan.
Give out your Google Voice # to all your contacts and tell them to stop calling your old cell #.
If you have an Android app, download the app “GVMyNumber”. This will force outbound calls to call your own Google Voice # first, and have it place the outbound call on your behalf. From your cell provider’s point of view, you’re calling your Google Voice # (which they only see as some other phone number that you call a lot).
If you’re OK with losing caller ID for incoming calls in place of FREE incoming calls, then using the GV web site (http://google.com/voice):
1. Click on Settings in the upper right hand corner, then “Voice Settings”.
2. Click on the “Calls” tab.
3. In “Caller ID (in)”, change it to “Display my Google Voice number”.

Set 8 causes all incoming calls to appear to be from your Google Voice #, so since it’s on your Friends and Family plan, it’s free! All inbound calls will be free!

For Non-Android and Non-Blackberry phones:

If you don’t have an Android or a Blackberry phone, there’s no official, native app for your phone from Google. Browse the web though, you might get lucky and find one made from an independent developer. If you have an iPhone, your SOL because Apple has such a closed system, they’ll never allow such an app. Google did write one, but Apple refuses to let it into the iPhone app store. For iPhone and all other phones that have no native app, here’s how to make all your calls free:

Contact your cell phone provider and add your Google Voice # to your Friends and Family plan.
Give out your Google Voice # to all your contacts and tell them to stop calling your old cell #.
For outbound calls, call your own Google Voice #. Follow the “Google Voice” voice menus to make an outbound call. You’ll do this step for every outbound call.
For incoming calls, if you’re OK with losing caller ID for incoming calls in place of FREE incoming calls, then (you’ll do this just once) using the GV web site (http://google.com/voice):
1. Click on Settings in the upper right hand corner, then “Voice Settings”.
2. Click on the “Calls” tab.
3. In “Caller ID (in)”, change it to “Display my Google Voice number”.

Conclusion:

Now everyone will be calling your Google Voice # and your phone will be receiving the calls with your own Google Voice # in the Caller ID, causing your cell provider to count that call in your “Friends and Family” plan. For your outgoing calls, as long as you call your own Google Voice # to place the call for you, those will also be included in your free “Friends and Family” plans. Now, no calls will use up your minutes.

Not only that, but you’ll get all the other cool features of Google Voice like:

Call screening (optionally, make people state their name before the phone rings to you, then you decide whether or not to answer or send them to v-mail).
V-Mail screening (You can listen, live, to people leaving you voice mail and cut in to answer… just like your old answering machine from the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Free SMS Texing!
Listen to your voice mail from any browser.
Text messages copied to your e-mail.
Reply to text messages from e-mail.
View your text messages in a browser.
Send text messages from a browser.
Automatic transcribing of v-mail.
Transcribed voice-mail e-mailed to you.
Record your phone calls.
Ring multiple phones simultaneously.
Ring multiple phones, one at a time, until someone answers.
Create groups of contacts and give each group a customized v-mail greeting.
Plenty more.