Smart Phone Plan?

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Bribie G

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I've put this in The Pub section as it will definitely be brewing-related usage.

Being a pensioner etc I'm due to be stimulated in grand fashion between now and July - I've been looking at smart phones for a while and decided to get a Galaxy Note which is a little tablet in its own right and far better for my eyes than a smaller Galaxy or an EvilPhone etc.

galaxy_note.jpg

Now you guys with such devices, if you use it for lightish browsing (say on the train or email or on the toilet or out in the car and need some info quickly etc) but still doing your heavier browsing on the home computer, what sort of Gigabyte limit would you be looking at? Wouldn't want to pay an extra 20 a month for something I'm not going to use.

Also do these phones have an option to pick up your own WiFi or do you have to browse exclusively through the carrier?
Any good brewing Android Apps out there that you have tried?
 
I have a 1GB data limit monthly and use it for 'light browsing', checking email etc. and never get anywhere even remotely near to the limit. Normally down around 1/10th of that. YMMV.
Especially depending on what media your 'on the toilet' usage involves ;)

WiFi is a definite 'Yes' - the phone picks up your WiFi at home provided you introduce the two of them.

No comment on Android, I have an evilPhone with miniature screen. I use it to view this site, to monitor my BCS (web-based) control panel sometimes but leave the brewing apps on the computer.
 
All have Wi-Fi, so would depend on how often you will be at home and how often away and using 3G. I get away with 250mb/mth, but I do most of my browsing/internet related non-porn activities at home. If you were using it daily away from home, look at 1gb or maybe even more. Depends on what you want to spend too. Just make sure whatever phone option you go for, to turn off automatic updates etc so you're not wasting bandwidth when you're not on Wi-Fi.

Cheers
 
I've put this in The Pub section as it will definitely be brewing-related usage.

Being a pensioner etc I'm due to be stimulated in grand fashion between now and July - I've been looking at smart phones for a while and decided to get a Galaxy Note which is a little tablet in its own right and far better for my eyes than a smaller Galaxy or an EvilPhone etc.

View attachment 53720

Now you guys with such devices, if you use it for lightish browsing (say on the train or email or on the toilet or out in the car and need some info quickly etc) but still doing your heavier browsing on the home computer, what sort of Gigabyte limit would you be looking at? Wouldn't want to pay an extra 20 a month for something I'm not going to use.

Also do these phones have an option to pick up your own WiFi or do you have to browse exclusively through the carrier?
Any good brewing Android Apps out there that you have tried?


just checked my last few bills, and my usage is similar to what you have suggested and am using approx 50 megabytes per month
 
All have Wi-Fi, so would depend on how often you will be at home and how often away and using 3G. I get away with 250mb/mth, but I do most of my browsing/internet related non-porn activities at home. If you were using it daily away from home, look at 1gb or maybe even more. Depends on what you want to spend too. Just make sure whatever phone option you go for, to turn off automatic updates etc so you're not wasting bandwidth when you're not on Wi-Fi.

Cheers

So what your saying is you do your porn activities on 3G? :D

My wife is on a 2GB plan, and she virtually lives on her Galaxy. She can't spend 5 minutes without facebook, and she plays a lot of crossword/scrabble games, and don't ask me what else. It does connect to the home network when in range, and any updates are done from there. Depends on the network provider but the jump to more data may be $5 or $10 a month.


QldKev
 
When you first get your phone and are playing with all its features and apps etc you might think 1 Gb isnt enough. But after a few months 1gb will be plenty. Thats all you should need if your also using wifi at home.
Good choice on the Galaxy note good for you older gents..Ive got an Iphone, but Im only 42.. :D
 
Apps for android sucks atm. ibrewmaster is due out soon which looks to be the most promising app so far. There is bjcp guidelines and a few other calculators available. Ratebeer and Beerspec are good as you can scan the barcode while at the bottleshop and get some reviews.
 
Wow that's impressive - I expect most of the stuff you do online is using "lite" programs that don't chew up as many Mb as desktop versions. I'm pleased about the WiFi as I'll be using the device in in the brewery as well so I won't have to keep ducking round to the computer room to get info or go online for something.

Also I'm a shocking paper - record keeper and would like to store and access all my brewing records online. :):p

Are android apps generally free (I guess some) or do you have to buy them from an app-type store? Does Beersmith for example have an app version?

Yup time for a new extra hobby I guess - stop the brain shrivelling :p :p
 
Never been over 1gig, always browse ahb on phone. 29 bucks with optus.
 
WiFi is awesome, and the phone will connect automatically once you set up the password. I generally do most of my browsing on my phone around the home, but do have automatic updates turned on for most things (time/weather/email etc) so there is some usage out and about. I don't use facebook or twitter. I have a 1GB plan and would be lucky to use 50MB in a month. Generally it's less than that, so in essence, it's always less than 5% of my allowable limit.

Start with a low plan, and monitor things over the first month or three. Check regularly what you've used, as going over the limit is ridiculously expensive. But having said that, I'd guess that your usage (if you connect to Wifi around the house) would be below 100MB, depending on your browsing habits. Just be conscious of streaming anything or downloading large files/applications when you're outside wireless range and you should be ok. Save that stuff for home.
 
try a HTC sensation my wife and daughter have them,their about same size as a galaxy,also what you need to look into which telco you are going to connect to.find out who your friend's and family are connected,some telco's offer free call's to those on the same network
 
For the people saying the iphone is a small screen, try using a sony erricson xperia mini...it's my only interweb connection away from work and is a pain in the ass to use with my fat broken fingers. Trying to search on AHB using it is about impossible...i bought it not really thinking about the mini part...stupid brain.
 
I have 2GB of data included in my plan, and would be shocked if i got anywhere near 100MB of use per month. Modern mobile data is small and efficient. The phones for the most part, automaticaly do the big stuff when connected to a wifi network anyway.
 
But can it display porkspin? B)

If you like the apps on the child slave labor phone, nothing else compares. However there are a series of phone that can browse wifi without a data plan. (at here in the states that is)

http://www.plazor.com/howto/how-to-activat...hout-data-plan/

I would imagine there is something similarly available

Also you can just get a cheap phone and surf on an iPod Touch anywhere there is wifi. Most of the iPhone apps work on the touch except gps functions
 
Also before choosing a carrier check what sort of coverage they have in the area you live. Google mobile phone tower coverage)
Generally Three/Vodafone have crap coverage with Optus better and Telstra usually the best but you might find where you are Telstras nearest 3G tower is further away.

My wife went with Three and after 6 months broke her contract due to poor coverage and switched to Telstra. And from what Ive heard three arent that much better now they are merging with Vodafone.
 
all carriers apart from telstra use the optus network, same with home phones. But some carriers on the home phones can use telstra lines it will cost you more a month though. So I dont think it matters what you use unless you go with telstra.

as for apps I did have a brewzor but didnt use it much and have not put it back on my phone since I reset it.

have a look HERE! thats a few but just searching homebrew but sure there is loads more
 
Just don't watch videos online Bribie such as Youtube etc... That is what will chew through your data.... Also it would depend on what you do with your email... if you are downloading them straight to your phone you may chew through alot if you get emailed large files but if you are using a webbased email system you only need to download what you want.

Normal browsing won't chew much... its the add ons like video that will kill you.

Camo
 
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