Made the plunge, cell phone.

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Finally moved to modern times. Joining the wife and kid and the cell phone revolution I have been paying for but not participating in for a couple decades. Moved my home phone number to the new cell. Spectrum, which utilizes Verizon. Unlimited data for $45 a month all in less the $20 a month on my VOIP so $25 a month is the real price. The home phone I currently use goes away Monday. I went ahead and got the Samsung S10+ which was a cool grand. I have a steep learning curve ahead of me. They do slow the data after 20G but tout their wi-fi hot spots as being something worth having too. The phone itself can be used as a hot spot for when we are traveling. The saleslady says the hot spots are great and seamless when in use. We will see. There are no contracts so I can leave or change the plan at will. I am actually sort of dreading all that I will need to learn as I am something of a Luddite.
 
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I have cellphones but also home landlines. Voice quality on a cellphone sucks compared to a landline. I can always tell when someone is calling me at home on a cell. It's like their head is in a bucket. It's worse on cell to cell calls. Sometimes you can barely make out what they are saying. Let us know what you think after a month.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
I have cellphones but also home landlines. Voice quality on a cellphone sucks compared to a landline. I can always tell when someone is calling me at home on a cell. It's like their head is in a bucket. It's worse on cell to cell calls. Sometimes you can barely make out what they are saying. Let us know what you think after a month.


Quality of cell service varies by the phone also the carrier. When I call Verizon to Verizon on recent smartphones the quality is superior to a land line but apparently in HD. Sounds like person is in room even on speaker phone .

Do you use a flip phone? They tend to destroy cell to cell conversation as tech is really old. The worst is when someone takes their $100-$200 phone and uses speaker phone.
 
I have a smart cell that I only use as a phone, no way would I pay $1K for something that doesn't do anything as well as my home computer. I also have a landline.
May make you feel hip, but in reality they've got you hooked
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Don't text me & expect a reply, if you want to communicate with me..call me, much more personable.
 
Originally Posted by Pelican
I have a smart cell that I only use as a phone, no way would I pay $1K for something that doesn't do anything as well as my home computer. I also have a landline.
May make you feel hip, but in reality they've got you hooked
smile.gif

Don't text me & expect a reply, if you want to communicate with me..call me, much more personable.


Some of the new androids allow for a desktop mode, allowing you to use the phone as the "tower" while plugging it into a full monitor with a keyboard and mouse. And I'm the opposite... don't call my phone, it's permanently on silent unless I'm expecting a call from someone important.
 
Originally Posted by Imp4
Welcome to the 1990s.

Technically 2019 as that is when the S10+ came out. I just got an S10 for $429 at Costco on black Friday. Samsung always discounts their phones after a few months. That's why apple makes most of the profits in phones even though they don't sell as many because they don't discount much.
 
Never owned a flip phone. Never really talked much so my use took off only when I got a smart phone.

Paid less than $80 for my Moto E4 (without a contract)-- I would be terrified to be hauling around a thousand dollar phone. The E4 has a battery that lasts for days.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Imp4
Welcome to the 1990s.

Technically 2019 as that is when the S10+ came out. I just got an S10 for $429 at Costco on black Friday. Samsung always discounts their phones after a few months. That's why apple makes most of the profits in phones even though they don't sell as many because they don't discount much.


Ummm .. choice of phone systems are a personal choice.
Now owning a iPhone after having Android phones for the last decade (or more) I must prefer Apple's well integrated operating system compared to the free google android system.

The only reason I am commenting though, your numbers are wrong, world wide, Samsung may beat Apple by 10% in sales.
IN the USA Apple beats Samsung by a whopping 40% and even more in other well developed countries.
Keep in mind, Samsung sells budget phones which much of the 3rd world population buys.


https://www.pcmag.com/news/358840/70-8-percent-of-us-phones-sold-by-samsung-apple

Again, just correcting your statement.
 
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Originally Posted by alarmguy
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Imp4
Welcome to the 1990s.

Technically 2019 as that is when the S10+ came out. I just got an S10 for $429 at Costco on black Friday. Samsung always discounts their phones after a few months. That's why apple makes most of the profits in phones even though they don't sell as many because they don't discount much.


Ummm .. choice of phone systems are a personal choice.
Now owning a iPhone after having Android phones for the last decade (or more) I must prefer Apple's well integrated operating system compared to the free google android system.

The only reason I am commenting though, your numbers are wrong, world wide, Samsung may beat Apple by 10% in sales.
IN the USA Apple beats Samsung by a whopping 40% and even more in other well developed countries.
Keep in mind, Samsung sells budget phones which much of the 3rd world population buys.


https://www.pcmag.com/news/358840/70-8-percent-of-us-phones-sold-by-samsung-apple

Again, just correcting your statement.


Actually re-read my statement. I mentioned Apple sells less phones than Samsung. I never mentioned the US. Just referring to the companies. That means I was referring to worldwide sales. Profits aren't the same as sales.

Basically the top dollar that you pay for an iphone goes to their profits. When you buy a Samsung on sale, it doesn't really help Samsung's profits. Phones are pretty much the same these days, Apples just makes a lot more money from the ones they sell.

Again just correcting your statement.
 
^^ I guess when we talk about product sales its safe to say I and I am sure some others would think it is reasonable to assume USA sales and not the whole world, but whatever and you didnt specify.
I mean, one country alone has a billion more people in it then the USA and the top seller of phones in that country is Huawei but that, like the rest of the world has nothing to do with the USA market and Apple sells a premium product for more affluent people and countries, they dont sell low end products like Samsung or any other cell phone company.
 
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Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Imp4
Welcome to the 1990s.

Technically 2019 as that is when the S10+ came out. I just got an S10 for $429 at Costco on black Friday. Samsung always discounts their phones after a few months. That's why apple makes most of the profits in phones even though they don't sell as many because they don't discount much.


My only exception to your post for others to know, is you did not get an unlocked phone at Costco and you are stuck with your cell phone company. I believe you had to have a contract at a standard high monthly cell rate. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Only pointing this out because at $600 to $700 for a unlocked iPhone XR or even 11 makes the S10 look expensive.
I got the iPhone XR for Christmas (unlocked, think my wife paid 600) of course using it with my no contract family plan on Redpocket where I still pay for 3 lines at $70.27 actual payment.
 
Cellphone holder for your car from proclipusa.com.

Download Waze and use it for commuting.
 
Originally Posted by alarmguy
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Imp4
Welcome to the 1990s.

Technically 2019 as that is when the S10+ came out. I just got an S10 for $429 at Costco on black Friday. Samsung always discounts their phones after a few months. That's why apple makes most of the profits in phones even though they don't sell as many because they don't discount much.


My only exception to your post for others to know, is you did not get an unlocked phone at Costco and you are stuck with your cell phone company. I believe you had to have a contract at a standard high monthly cell rate. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Only pointing this out because at $600 to $700 for a unlocked iPhone XR or even 11 makes the S10 look expensive.
I got the iPhone XR for Christmas (unlocked, think my wife paid 600) of course using it with my no contract family plan on Redpocket where I still pay for 3 lines at $70.27 actual payment.


All Verizon phones are unlocked. There's no monthly contract. It's just a discounted monthly charge. You can switch anytime by paying off the remainder of the contract at any time.

I'm not sure how that makes a $429 Samsung S10 look expensive relative to an iPhone.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by alarmguy
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Imp4
Welcome to the 1990s.

Technically 2019 as that is when the S10+ came out. I just got an S10 for $429 at Costco on black Friday. Samsung always discounts their phones after a few months. That's why apple makes most of the profits in phones even though they don't sell as many because they don't discount much.


My only exception to your post for others to know, is you did not get an unlocked phone at Costco and you are stuck with your cell phone company. I believe you had to have a contract at a standard high monthly cell rate. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Only pointing this out because at $600 to $700 for a unlocked iPhone XR or even 11 makes the S10 look expensive.
I got the iPhone XR for Christmas (unlocked, think my wife paid 600) of course using it with my no contract family plan on Redpocket where I still pay for 3 lines at $70.27 actual payment.


All Verizon phones are unlocked. There's no monthly contract. It's just a discounted monthly charge. You can switch anytime by paying off the remainder of the contract at any time.

I'm not sure how that makes a $429 Samsung S10 look expensive relative to an iPhone.


Ummm ... let me explain :eek:) you pay a higher monthly cell phone fee in return for the Samsung S10 at a cost of $429.00.
Not only that but you are stuck in a contract for that charge, unless as you say, you pay it off ahead of time.

I doubt very much you can sell that phone to use on the Sprint network or sell it to another person until you finish or "pay off" your contract.
But whatever, Im just explaining the S10 is not $429. it is the initial cost for the S10, then you get locked into a contract for the remaining cost whether it is a higher monthly cell phone usage cost or payment plan, unless you pay off the contract.
 
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Originally Posted by alarmguy

Ummm ... let me explain :eek:) you pay a higher monthly cell phone fee in return for the Samsung S10 at a cost of $429.00.
Not only that but you are stuck in a contract for that charge, unless as you say, you pay it off ahead of time.

I doubt very much you can sell that phone to use on the Sprint network or sell it to another person until you finish or "pay off" your contract.
But whatever, Im just explaining the S10 is not $429. it is the initial cost for the S10, then you get locked into a contract for the remaining cost whether it is a higher monthly cell phone usage cost or payment plan, unless you pay off the contract.


It's actually not any contract, just a discounted price that's spread over 2 years. So I haven't even paid $429 at all yet. Same with any other phone out there, you normally have the pay the full amount, they just allow you to spread it out over 2 years if you want.

The S10 will work on any carrier, it's not just limited to Verizon. I'm just waiting for Xfinity Mobile to run a good promo and they're just $12/gig a month and I'll switch over.
 
I use a flip phone and have not changed my carrier since 1992, though they've been bought and sold several times over the years. I've noticed people get ridiculously addicted to smartphones and I'm not interested in going down that road. I don't need to be "connected" 24/7 and leave my cell phone off most of the time. (Heck, people will probably be signing up for implants when they become available.)
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by alarmguy

Ummm ... let me explain :eek:) you pay a higher monthly cell phone fee in return for the Samsung S10 at a cost of $429.00.
Not only that but you are stuck in a contract for that charge, unless as you say, you pay it off ahead of time.

I doubt very much you can sell that phone to use on the Sprint network or sell it to another person until you finish or "pay off" your contract.
But whatever, Im just explaining the S10 is not $429. it is the initial cost for the S10, then you get locked into a contract for the remaining cost whether it is a higher monthly cell phone usage cost or payment plan, unless you pay off the contract.


It's actually not any contract, just a discounted price that's spread over 2 years. So I haven't even paid $429 at all yet. Same with any other phone out there, you normally have the pay the full amount, they just allow you to spread it out over 2 years if you want.

The S10 will work on any carrier, it's not just limited to Verizon. I'm just waiting for Xfinity Mobile to run a good promo and they're just $12/gig a month and I'll switch over.


Im not debating you or questioning you, I just feel you are being vague. Your said a price of a product without the specifics of the actual purchase and is very common for some reason with cell phones.
I looked at the Cosco price quickly from when you got it, which was a holiday price. I saw in that ad, I thought, about specified service with a carrier Verizon.
At any rate, what you are posting, is not common ... but your not mentioning the specifics of the holiday deal.

So what is it you pay, honestly?
Your monthly cost for the cell phone service in actual payment?

I have a brand new iPhone XR. Cost my wife $600 minus $50 back in credits at Apple store, I can use any carrier in the country and on Christmas simply opened the iPhone box, took the Sim out of my current Huawei phone and slipped it into the iPhone, my current carrier is Redpocket of which I chose their ATT plan and cost including tax is $30 a month, plus I have 2 other lines on the plan for a total monthly payment of $70 a month.
I can switch to any carrier I want any time of the year, as many times as I want, I have no obligation to anyone.

Background - I have used cell phones for the last 25 years.
The last nine 9 years I actually had two cell phones, a work provided iPhone plus my personal phone, never cared for iPhones until they peaked my interest when the new XRs came out in late 2018
Now, 2020 I have completly moved into the Apple world, home desk top and iPhone, tired of the google invasion of privacy, tired of the Windows system.

Loving the move, love electronics, computers etc... moving into Apple made everything interesting all over again, love it, its seamless and without a thought, I can view files on my phone or my desktop, photos on my phone within seconds also appear on my desktop. (just explaining myself and not debating) *L*

Hope this makes sense, on my first coffee for the day and off to work soon.
 
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