I see mojo you found a solution. I figured i post here for a yo e else needing info.
Im paying $205-212 a month for 2 i phones unlimited data and 700 shared minutes.
I was looking into virgin mogle who i could buy a new i phone cor $280 and for 35 or 45- monthget up to 1200 minutes. T
More then i need for one line so $90 for two non contract plans to replace what i have.
Now att who i have have a new value plan $45 no contract a month i can kerp mu i phones and numbers so $90 a month unlimeted minuted and data. Im sure there other fees over the $90 there always is.
But i think imgoing this way im just wondering if i should wait till june when my contracts up of pay a penalty.
Not trying to high jack this thread Mike but I have a question I think is related.
The guy I work for is not tech savvy. There are no computers in this business but he can see the benefits of being on line. Receiving photos in e-mails for estimates for starters but also to start a web site to advertise the business and to start online fabric sales. They have over 1500 bolts of fabric. Also to update their Facebook page. The decorator does this at home during her free time.
I don't have an I phone and am not familiar with all that it can do but he sees all his kids and friends with one and thinks he can accomplish everything with one. I think he just wants a new toy. I suggested a laptop might be better.
What do you think? Do you do all this from your I phone?
Doing all that your boss wants to do on a smart phone of any brand is like driving across country on a 100 cc motor scooter. It will get you there but the frustration will kill you before one state goes by.
A computer is really needed for all this. A screen you can see and a keyboard of normal size. Storage and software will also be very helpful. Pictures need to be edited, text needs to be written, etc.etc.etc.
Quote from: MinUph on February 01, 2014, 07:39:46 am
Doing all that your boss wants to do on a smart phone of any brand is like driving across country on a 100 cc motor scooter. It will get you there but the frustration will kill you before one state goes by.
A computer is really needed for all this. A screen you can see and a keyboard of normal size. Storage and software will also be very helpful. Pictures need to be edited, text needs to be written, etc.etc.etc.
I agree. Ideally, you would have both an I-phone and a laptop. But if you are only going to start with ONE.......I'd start with the laptop.
I do have a lot of customers now that absolutely don't know how to e-mail a photo of their furniture. But they can text me a pic on their I-phone in a nanosecond.
I even have several that ask me to "Friend" them on Facebook, so they can post a pic of their furniture on their FB page, and I can view it there.
I hate the ones that bring their I-phone into my store, and spend 20 minutes scrolling through 10 zillion photos trying to find the one of their couch. Then just when they finally find it, their phone rings and they have to start over.
Charlotte Fabrics usually offers a 5% discount on orders placed online. Other suppliers have various monthly specials available online only.
I-phone? Laptop? I fought off getting both as long as I could. But they've made my life easier.
Custom reupholstery and repairs or auto interiors and repairs nor marine work I do is facilitated by pictures, with the exception of an email picture.
First, unlike a lot of business, the item to be worked on has to be seen by the shop and be there to follow on with "real work". Before I get flogged with accusations of "lo tech", there is an exception to anything - hence the email picture(s) work very well. I don't benefit from phone pictures as much, probably picture quality and perspective is the issue.
A small shop can get distracted with too much technology. The important thing is get the work done and get paid. Get on with the next job. DEPENDS ON YOUR TYPE OF BUSINESS!
My business is not hidden, it is on a major intersection and has been there a long time. Thousands pass daily, all they have to do is drop by and/or communicate by phone. Many just come by and "drop off" and comment call me when ready.
A hidden business like mine, I would not like, doubt I could make much unless it too has a lot of referrals.
This perspective is unusal to some perhaps, I have master's level tech degree/training and am making this small business work pretty well, by focusing on location and reputation. Visability is another way of putting it.
For example, there are companies with fleets of trucks/cars in my area, they will find doing their repair business more accomodating by working with a neighborhood establishment, not someone miles away.
I can make more money with a shop full of equipment than a purse full of phones.
One best not put it all in a "can", just doesn't work.
Doyle
StraightTalk. $45/month unlimited voice and text 2.5GB data. If your iPhone is on ATT and you are done with your contract, you can use it.
Related maybe indirectly; new law aound here is caught talking and driving = ticket.
Already, phones are being turned off, no contact while driving.
There have been major wrecks to back up the new law. I suppose it will spread to other states.
Doyle
Doyle those laws have been growing for years. It has become normal place to have hands free technology in your car. Bluetooth etc.
Kody best to have bolth od at least a desktop.
I would blost without my i phone i use ot to take email or text messages from customer on the jobsite. Take phote and will email or text them to a customer who may be gone away in the sumer take credit card payment in persone or over the phone when the customer is out of state. And i keep a running log of all my jobs like notes on a pegboard. Whn a job is done i get rid of it a the list comes up whats next and when i get a new job i note the date project and cost and deposite giving
Oh yes and all the phone nuber are stored in the call contacts.
I have a cell phone that makes and receives phone calls. Texting is becoming so popular that I may need to add this to my phone.
I occasionally have customers who want to send pics to my cell phone and I tell them to email them to me. I wouldn't be able to see the details on my phone anyway.
I have my email at home so I can only check it in the evening and morning before I go to work. This works fine for me. If someone needs a quote ASAP I can give them a quote based on what they describe to me over the phone.
Did you hear about the new I-Camera that's coming out next Fall? It takes pictures without you being interrupted by phone calls. ;D
gene
Quote from: gene on February 02, 2014, 06:57:04 am
Did you hear about the new I-Camera that's coming out next Fall? It takes pictures without you being interrupted by phone calls. ;D
gene
I forgot all about all my musuc is on my I phone I dint even use my 2 I pods anymore, plus I found a cool app in windows 8 on my laptop to record youtube vidis I find many quality music recording I add to my I tunes,
Quotenew law aound here is caught talking and driving = ticket.
New law in Canada---we call it distracted driving and it is because of talking/texting while driving but can include any behaviour that takes your focus off the road like reading the paper ( yes I actual saw a guy do that),putting on your make-up etc...$275 fine and 2 demerits on your license so you'll pay a little more for your license next year as well.
Ya, here in North Dakota it is law here, too. But I found out you are exempt if you are a State or Government worker. I think if you are going to enforce a law, everyone should abide!
Gale.
QuoteI think if you are going to enforce a law, everyone should abide!
Congress is exempt from minimum wage laws. Congress is exempt from affirmative action laws. Congress is exempt from Obama Care laws. etc. etc. etc. etc.
Back in my traveling sales days, I would often leave the hotel early in the morning and read the Wall Street Journal whilst driving down the expressway. I stopped only because I began reading a new paper called the USA Today. I eventually stopped reading the USA Today because I realized what an idiot I was to be reading the paper while driving.
And "no", Darren, I have never put on my makeup while driving. That would be really dangerous! ;D
I read an article that said the part of your brain that engages while you drive is different than the part of the brain you use to text. So, when you are texting while driving the part of your brain that you use to drive is 'disengaged'. The article thinks this may be why so many accidents occur from texting while driving.
gene
My wife and I share one cell phone, we pre purchase minutes. I dont want nothing to due with contracts. Our phone is only used for emergency's, we keep it with us when traveling or away from the house so family can get in touch with us during an emergency. Other than that I dont want nothing to due with them, I watched a utube video where three cell phones were placed around some pop corn, the phones were called so they all range at the same time and the pop corn popped!
I utilize all three Phone, IPad and laptop.
I am an old fart like a few others on here and despised technology. I fought texting tooth and nail despite my kids pleas but then I started getting texts from my granddaughter and the game changed. Something about grandkids that can make you move heaven and earth for them.
To be honest I now prefer texting over talking on the phone unless it is a detailed conversation I need to have. Then I ring the person. I consider myself very blessed because I have a wife who is younger then I am ( 9 years ) and who has a job that requires she stays on top of all the new stuff. No way will I tell you I was tech savy enough to figure everything out. She got me up to speed on my phone, laptop and my Ipad.
This is the breakdown in as far as usage:
Phone - Phone calls and text messages and when away from home it is our hotspot for internet connection. For those who do not know what a hotspot is - it basically takes your phone and turns it into a WIFI internet source allowing you to connect your laptop or Ipad to the internet.
IPAD - used for when out of the shop and at rallys and RV events. I use this to process and complete transactions via Paypal/credit card transactions. Also will use this as a mini laptop from time to time while sitting out on the veranda having my coffee. It can also connect to the internet through Wifi and can go with me to the shop or around the house.
Laptop - Is our main storage device as well as our invoice generator when we bill from the shop versus the road. It is my design center for marketing materials and pretty much is my mainstay for all internet activity.
Incidentally, we have a very fast internet connection and pair this with a wifi router. This allows us to connect with our laptops and Ipads anywhere on our property. I also might add we have two printers and both are wifi. I will never own a printer again that has to be cabled to a laptop. I can place one printer in the shop and another in the office. Works awesome.
Our bus setup is identical to our home setup. Wifi and printers.
Chris
Mike:
If your only interested in local calls and will not be traveling then the cheapest and most complete service you can get that has good coverage in your area will suffice.
Because I hit the road for my Dr. Throg's medicine show I have to have a phone with good reception throughout the country.
Tower and coverage/signal strength ratings look like this:
1.) Verizon - # 1 for amount of area covered as well as 4g network signal strength.
2.) AT&T / Sprint - Good coverage and 4g signal strength
3.) Metro PCS and T-Mobile have merged - Decent coverage with some signals being lost in remote areas.
4.) All the others with spotty reception and signal strength and deep dark holes in some areas.
I was in your shoes and didn't travel and did all business locally I would go with
the cheapest carrier I could find with unlimited talk/data plans. Hope this helps.
Chris
The next bit of technology you need to think about is backup and storage
I have started using Sky Drive as it has more features than Icloud or Drop Box
I am finding it very good as i can access files from anywhere
I don't put banking or sensitive information up there but being able to access from any computer when away from home or when at home accessing files from any computer is a bonus
Being microsoft i have to trust their security but i think it is ok and have been told this by several computer geeks one of whom is in computer security
Allan
Quote from: mike802 on February 03, 2014, 07:57:04 am
My wife and I share one cell phone
you cant call her when you get separated at home depot lol,, ya ive done it
chris when I came to florida in my winni on vacation I had a cheap nokia phone with verison nation wide no roaming , and I could tether my laptop wth a usb cable and access the web.
Quote from: Mike on February 03, 2014, 06:13:38 pm
Quote from: mike802 on February 03, 2014, 07:57:04 am
My wife and I share one cell phone
you cant call her when you get separated at home depot lol,, ya ive done it
We do this all the time. My wife is always getting lost in the stores.
Quoteyou cant call her when you get separated at home depot lol,, ya ive done it
That's true, but we are both young enough to remember where we parked LOL. Maybe we are a Little odd but we are the kind of couple that don't separate, well bathroom trips obviously, but we usually wait outside for one another.
Today's Cell Phone have many benefits thats a given, but I just cant outweigh the health hazards. I like my brain tumor free thank you.
my brains already f*&k#d up
Quotemy brains already f*&k#d up
:) Was that the eighties, spray glues, or the stroke? LOL.
I believe all three Darren......:) I myself spent to much time in the 70's. :)
Chris
id like to do the 70s again :)
Me too Mike, It was treat.
Hey Mike, Im using metropcs and get unlimited data talk and text for $40 a month. I was paying $10 more for a blackberry but havent replaced it yet after getting 3 wet in one month. Next smartphone Im getting is the Kyocera Hydro. Metropcs finally started carrying them. their a little more expensive but being waterproof is huge in my world. theyre $169
I paying nor around $215 a month 2 phones unlimited data and a lot of minutes with roller with att mojo I belive was paying about the same with a different carrier.
im going to switch to a new plan for 45 unlimiter everything once my contract is up soon
I see tons of responses here so I will make mine short. I got rid of all my cell phones!!! I have a computer and a land line. that is all I need. There is no reason anyone needs to get a hold of me every minute of the day. We all ran our businesses for years without this annoying piece of technology. I find I get more work out now. I do however have customers that text me their photo's right to my email and it works great. I check a couple times a day. A cell phone is a gadget nothing more, have fun
Chris
On Island Upholstery
Well - I had to make a NEW RULE that there are no cell phones at the table. I got tired of our family time being interupted. Prince Charming is a district manager so his phone is nearly glued to his head - if we are having a conversation & he answers it while we're talking??? I just walk away....Dang things are more like a leash then a convenience.
Sam
Sam:
I wished more people would do that. Since I was a baby dinner time was family time and there were to be no interruptions. If our phone rang my Dad would say " leave it, they will call back ".
My wife and I have the same rule when we go out to dinner. That is OUR date and we shut our phones off and concentrate on our conversations, etc.
Good for you Sam. :)
Chris
yesterday I was in a vet room with my dog waiting to be but to sleep while the tech had to do paperwork, that just prolonged my grief but that's another story,
so im holding my dog for the last time and my cell rings
Been there more times than I like to remember Mike. Best wishes buddy.
Had a friend whos cellphone ring the tune "I wish I were in Dixie" as our mutual friends casket was being lowered into the grave.