Cellphone Miscellanea

AT&T Serious about Prepaid Smartphones

2011-07-17T15:31:00.015-05:00

Prepaid smartphones present a lucrative market, which the cell phone companies have been slow to take notice of. Originally, the CEOs of cell phone companies thought that the only people who would be interested in prepaid service were cell-phone-hating elderly people. However, prepaid service turned out to be popular with all types of cell phone users. Finally, the prepaid market is beginning to get the type of respect it has long merited. It was the iPhone that drastically changed people's perception of smartphones. Pre-iPhone, smartphones were the toys of a rich business people. Post-iPhone, everybody wants a touchscreen smartphone. Even though it was the iPhone that generated all the interest in the first place, the entire smartphone market has benefited from the effect.

The LG Thrive: AT&T's First Official Prepaid Smartphones
AT&T Makes Their Prepaid Plans Smartphone-Friendly
AT&T Improves Their Prepaid Data Packages
Conclusion

The LG Thrive: AT&T's First Official Prepaid Smartphones

With the exception of iPhones and Blackberry devices, smartphones have always worked well on AT&T's prepaid service. I personally use AT&T's prepaid service, and my SIM card has been in a Samsung Blackjack II for several years now. I don't know whether AT&T made it easy to use smart phones on their prepaid plans by design or by oversight, but, regardless of the reason, I've always liked this about AT&T's prepaid service.

However, AT&T never really catered too much to the smartphone market as far as their prepaid service was concerned. But it looks like this is all about to change as recently AT&T began selling the LG Thrive, which they actually package as prepaid smartphones. Even though the LG thrive sells for a fairly affordable price (usually in the neighborhood of between $150 and $180), they didn't skimp on the quality of the phone. It uses the android 2.2 operating system, it's got WiFi, and it sports a capacitive touchscreen just like the iPhone. It's also not a phone that I hear a lot of people having problems with, which is good. The main problem I have encountered is that people's Internet and MMS don't work, but that is because that, by default, the mobile data network is turned off, but it's easy enough to turn it on. Below is a video showing I made to show you how to turn the mobile data network on...

AT&T Makes Their Prepaid Plans Smartphone-Friendly

A problem that had long plagued smartphone users on AT&T's prepaid plans were expensive, unexpected (or unintentional) pay-per-use data charges. Smartphones are data-devouring beasts that could suck the balance right off of a prepaid account in minutes if there were no active data package on the account. Even if you had a data package, your smartphone could use up the data package and then silently switch to sucking your balance off your account once your data package was empty. Many smartphones have applications that access the Internet without your knowing it; so, it's not uncommon for large chunks of the smartphone users prepaid balance to suddenly disappear without them having done anything themselves.

Recently AT&T began addressing this issue. First they tried creating two special smartphone prepaid rate plans. These were identical to the then existing $.10 per minute rate plan and the $2 daily plan except that they would not allow data access at all unless there was an active data package on the account. This was okay, but it created some confusion. I mean, should a person choose the regular $2 daily plan or the smartphone $2 daily plan?

After a month or two, AT&T came up with an even better solution. Their prepaid service now can automatically detect whether your SIM card is in a smartphone or a non-smartphone. If your SIM card is in a smartphone, then you cannot access the Internet unless you have a data package. This does not affect WiFi. WiFi Internet service is not provided by the cell phone company, and, therefore, they cannot affect your ability to access wi-fi. Anyway this is great news because it prevents those expenses, unexpected data charges on prepaid service that smartphone users would sometimes encounter.

The one possible negative about this is that you must have a data package for your smartphone even on the $50 unlimited talk, text, and web plan. This is by design, however, as the $50 plan provides unlimited data access only to non-smartphones.

AT&T Improves Their Prepaid Data Packages

For a long time, AT&T offered only two data packages: (1) a small 1 MB package for $4.99 and (2) a medium-sized 100 MB data package for $19.99. AT&T has improved both the value and range are data packages. They now offer three prepaid data packages: (1) a 10 MB package for $5, (2) a 100 MB package for $15, and (3) a 500 MB package for $25.

You can mix and match the prepaid plans with the data packages however suits you best.

Conclusion: AT&T Is Taking Prepaid Smartphones Seriously

AT&T is diving into this with a great phone, the LG Thrive, smartphone-friendly prepaid rate plans, and a sensible offering of data packages. That's not to say that AT&T is perfect, but it does look like they're a serious contender in the prepaid smartphone arena.

Please note: iPhones, Blackberries, and 4G phones are not able to access the internet on AT&T's prepaid service (which usually means that MMS also won't work).

However, you can put your prepaid SIM into just about any other smartphone AT&T offers; so, for prepaid, I recommend going with the Android, Nokia Symbian, or Windows Mobile smartphones instead (as long as they're not 4G phones like the HTC Inspire or the Motorola Atrix).

AT&T Prepaid Data Packages

2011-07-13T15:32:00.017-05:00

Without any data package, accessing the internet on your AT&T prepaid phone will cost you $0.01 per 5KB, which is rather expensive. It's still cheaper than their old pay-per-use rate of $0.01 per every kilobyte. However, AT&T offers several data packages for its prepaid phones that can help save you money. None of the data packages are available on the $60 per month plan. Each of the three data packages (10MB, 100MB, and the 500MB packages) can be added to any of AT&T's prepaid plans. Below is more information about the data packages for its prepaid service as well as it's new unlimited plan that includes unlimited data for non-smartphones.

iPhones and Blackberries: iPhones can't access the Internet on prepaid. Blackberry devices are hit or miss.

The 10 MB Data Package
The 100 MB Data Package
The 500 MB Data Package
Unlimited Data on the $50 Plan
The 1 MB Data Package (DISCONTINUED)
The 200 MB Data Package (DISCONTINUED)

The 10 MB Data Package

The 10 MB data package costs $5.00 (and replaces the old 1MB package, which cost 4.99). Ten megabytes equals 10,240 KB. At the pay-per-use rate of one cent per 5 kilobytes, that would cost you $20.48. So, the 10 MB data package saves you $15.48 ($20.48 - $5).

The 100 MB Data Package

The 100 MB data package used to cost $19.99, but has been reduced $15.00. One hundred megabytes equals 102,400 kB. At the pay-per-use rate of one cent per 5 kilobytes, that would cost you $204.80. So, the 100 MB data package saves you $189.80 ($204.80 - $15).

The 500 MB Data Package

The 500 MB data package costs $25.00. Five hundred megabytes equals 512,000kB. At the pay-per-use rate of one cent ($0.01) per 5 kilobytes, that would cost you $1024.00. So, the 500 MB data package saves you $999.00 ($1024 - $25).

Unlimited Data on the $50 Plan

Non-smartphones can now enjoy unlimited web access as part of AT&T's new $50 unlimited talk, text, and web prepaid plan. Smartphone users can have unlimited talk and text on the $50 plan, but they will need to purchase one of the above data packages in order to access the web on it.

The 1 MB Data Package (DISCONTINUED)

The 1 MB data package, which was $4.99, has been replaced with the 10MB package.

The 200 MB Data Package (DISCONTINUED)

This data package was available only on AT&T's $75 per month prepaid plan, which includes unlimited talk, unlimited messaging, and 200 MB of data. But this rate plan, and therefore this data package, has been discontinued. (Of course, those on it can stay on it, but they should consider switching to the $50 unlimited talk, text, and web plan. However, that plan, while it allows unlimited web surfing for non-smart phones, doesn't allow smartphones data access at all; so, smartphone users who are on this plan should consider switching to the $50 plan and adding the 500MB data package for $25 dollars (this will still be $75 per month but will get you an extra 300 MB of data for your money.

AT&T Prepaid Plans

2011-07-13T13:54:00.021-05:00

AT&T has recently revamped their prepaid plans again! They've gotten simpler and more competetive. The $60 plan and the $75 plan have both been replaced by the $50 plan (unlimited talk, text, and web)! Below is the offering of current rate plans...

The new simple prepaid AT&T plan
The $2 per day unlimited talk and text AT&T prepaid plan
The $50 per month unlimited talk, text, and web AT&T prepaid plan

The New Simple AT&T Prepaid Plan

This pre-paid plan is incredibly easy to explain; that's why it's called the simple plan. How does it work? Every call cost you 10¢ per minute. So, let's say you start off with a balance of $0 and then add $15 to your prepaid account using a AT&T prepaid refill card or your debit card or credit card. You now have a balance of $15. Now, let's say that you make one call lasting one minute or less. That call will cost you 10¢, and you will now have a balance of $14.90. Like all of AT&T's prepaid plans, it is a national plan, which means that you are charged the same rate for long-distance and local calls as well as for calls in your home area or calls you make while traveling across the country.

Who is it best for? AT&T's simple prepaid plan is best for people who don't use the phone very much or for people who use their phone more for messaging rather than for calling as you can add one of three different messaging packages to this rate plan. I hardly ever use my phone, and this is the rate plan that I am on.

The old simple rate plan The old AT&T simple prepaid plan cost 25¢ per minute. So, it's definitely worth your while if you're on the old simple rate plan to call in and get switched to the new simple rate plan.

The $2 per Day Unlimited Talk and Text AT&T Prepaid Plan

With this AT&T prepaid plan, the first call or message of the day will initiate a two dollar charge off of your prepaid account balance.

Who is this plan best for? If used every day, this plan costs $60 to $62 per month. So, people who use their phone every day are better off on the $50 plan. In fact, you would need to use the phone 24 days or less per month on average for this plan to make sense. In other words, if you, on average, don't use your phone more than 3 weeks out of the month, then this is a good plan for you.

There's another group of people that this plan is good for, and that's people who either can't or don't want to lay out $50 for their phone service all at once.

What counts as the first call or message of the day? If you call someone, that will count as the first call of the day. If someone calls you, and you answer the call, that will count as the first call of the day. If someone calls you and you do not answer the call, that will NOT count as the first call of the day. However, if that person leaves you a voicemail message and you call voice mail to check that message, your call to voicemail WOULD count as the first call of the day.

If you SEND a text message or a multimedia message to someone, then that would count as the first message of the day. However, if you RECEIVE a text message or a multimedia message from someone, that will NOT count as the first message of the day.

You only get charged the $2 daily fee once per day and only on days that you either make a call, receive a call which you answer, or send a text message or multimedia message. So, if you play your cards right you may not be charged the $2 daily fee every single day.

The fee buys service till midnight, not 24 hrs of service. Okay, technically, it buys service until 11:59:59 PM. Midnight starts the next day. Anyways, once the $2 daily fee has been charged off of your account for the day, all calls and messages are free for the rest of that day. So, if you get charged the $2 daily fee at midnight, then you will enjoy a full 24 hours of unlimited calling and messaging. However, if you get charged the $2 daily fee at 10 PM, then you will enjoy only two hours of unlimited calling and messaging.

How much does it cost per month? On a monthly basis, if you're the sort of person who calls or messages every single day, this plan will end up costing you $60 to $62 per month (depending on whether the month has 30 or 31 days). For people who don't use the phone every single day, then obviously it will cost them even less per month.

Other stuff. You can refill the $2 per day plan with any available refill amount. For example, you can add a $15 refill card, and it will buy you 14 days of unlimited talk and messaging (provided that you don't access the Internet, purchase a ring tone or wallpaper, or have any other charges that reduce your balance).

The $50 per Month Unlimited Talk, Text and Web AT&T Prepaid Plan

This rate plan gives you unlimited calling, messaging (sms and mms) and data usage for $50 per month. This is AT&T's best prepaid plan so far.

Smartphones need a data package on this plan. If you have a smartphone, you cannot access the internet on this plan and must purchase one of the 3 data packages they offer. But, please, note that iPhones and 4G phones will NOT be able to access the internet even with a data package. Blackberries usually cannot, but some can. iPhones, 4G devices, and Blackberries all require special data packages only available to contract customers...they are not available on prepaid.

Some snags. For most people, this rate plan runs quite smoothly, but there are a few things that can cause a snag. The most common problem is any unexpected charges that could cause your balance to fall below $50 when the plan tries to renew itself—like 911 fees, subscription charges, purchases of ring tones, games or graphics, etc.

Low coverage / service outages. This may be the biggest drawback (to any monthly prepaid plan). You've prepaid for your service, but if there is, say, an outage that lasts a week in your area, then you're out roughly $12 to $13 worth of service that you've already paid for.

Also, if you're in a low-coverage area such that you have to drive away from your house to get service, then you may not like this plan as you pay for service every day whether you use it or not.

The $60 per Month Unlimited Talk and Text AT&T Prepaid Plan

This rate plan offered unlimited talk and messaging for $60 per month. It has been discontinued and has been replaced with the $50 unlimited talk, text, and web plan.

The $75 per Month Unlimited Talk and Text + 200 MB AT&T Prepaid Plan (DISCONTINUED!)

This rate plan offered unlimited calling, messaging, and 200 MB of data for $75 per month. It has been discontinued and has been replaced with the $50 unlimited talk, text, and web plan.

When an AT&T Prepaid Data Plan Will NOT Save You Money

2010-12-01T11:58:00.018-06:00

Believe it or not, there are times when purchasing a data package will NOT save you money. But they can also save you quite a lot. Data packages will not save you money when you use so little data during the month that, even at the pay-per-use-rate, it would have cost less than the package itself. For example, let's say that you purchase the 1 MB package for $4.99, but—for the whole 30 days—you use only 104 kB total. Without a package, 104 kB costs only $1.04 (if you are using AT&T's prepaid service). But, since you purchased the package, you spent $4.99. This means that, instead of saving you money, the package costs you $3.95 ($4.99 - $1.04) more than you would have paid had you not purchase the package at all.

When It WILL Save You Money

You don't have to use the entire package in order to save money, however. You only have to use a little bit more data than the amount that would have cost the same as the package at the pay-per-use rate. Sound confusing? It might help to consider some examples. Below, we will look at the three data packages offered by AT&T and find the point at which we start saving money with them—that is, how much data do we have to use before the packages become a better deal than the pay-per-use rate.

The 1 MB package. The 1 MB package costs $4.99. At the pay-per-use rate of one cent per kilobyte, it would take 499 kB in order to match the cost of the package. So, once you exceed 499 kB, you start saving money with the package. Since the 1 MB package gives you 1024 kB in total, it's kind of like getting 525 kB for free (1024-499 = 525).

Without the 1MB package, 1 MB of data would cost $10.24 at the pay-per-use rate. So, if you end up using the entire package, it saves you $5.25 in data charges ($10.24 - $4.99 = $5.25).

The 100 MB package. The 100 MB package costs $19.99. At the pay-per-use rate of one cent per kilobyte, it would take 1999 kB in order to match the cost of the 100 MB package. So, you would have to use more than 1999 kB in order to start start saving money with this package. Since the 100 MB package gives you 102400 kB in total, it's kind of like getting 100,401 kB (about 98 MB) for free.

Without the 100 MB package, 100 MB of data would cost $1024. That figure is so big I believe it needs explanation. How did I arrive at $1024. It's a bit complicated, but here's how I did it. There are 1024 kilobytes in every megabyte. There are 100 MB in the package. So, there are 102,400 kB total in the package (100 x 1024). Each kilobyte costs one cent; 102,400 kB would cost $1024 (102,400 x $0.01).

So, if you end up using the entire package, it saves you $1004.01 ($1024 - $19.99).

The 200 MB package. The 200 MB package basically cost $15.00 (read more about the 200MB data package to see how I figured that). At the pay-per-use rate of one cent per kilobyte, you would have to use 1500 kB in order to match the cost of the 200 MB package. So, you would have to use more than 1500 kB in order to start saving money with this package. Since the 200 MB package gives you turn 204,800 kB in total (1024 x 200 = 204,800), it's like getting 203,300 kB (about 198 MB) for free.

Without the 200 MB package, 200 MB of data would cost $2048. So, if you end up using the entire package, it will save you $2033 in data charges ($2048 - $15).

Summary

To save money with a 1 MB package you need to use 500 kB or more (without exceeding the full 1 MB).

to save money with the 100 MB package, you need to use 2000 kB or more (without exceeding the full 100 MB).

To save money with the 200 MB package, you need to use 1501 kB or more (without exceeding the full 200 MB).

For more general information, you can read my article AT&T prepaid data packages.

How Much Does AT&T Charge to Use the Internet on Their Cell Phones?

2010-12-01T10:58:00.002-06:00

AT&T Charges for Data, Not Time

Understandably, many people believe that they are charged by the amount of time that they are on the Internet. However, AT&T does not charge for the amount of time that you are on the Internet. Instead, AT&T charges for the amount of data that gets transferred to your phone during a single Internet session.

Megabytes for Postpaid, Kilobytes for Prepaid

At the time of this writing, AT&T's postpaid customers are charged $2 per megabyte (MB) of data. AT&T's prepaid customers are charged $0.01 per 5 kilobytes (KBs) of data. One MB equals 1024 KB; so, if a prepaid customer uses one MB of data, it will cost them about $2.05 (1024 / 5 = 204.8, 204.8 x 0.01 = 2.05) -- instead of the $2 that the postpaid customer had to pay.

The Data Is Rounded Up to the Nearest Whole MB or KB

AT&T charges only for whole data units. If you are a postpaid customer, this means that your data usage will always be rounded up to the nearest whole megabyte. If you're a prepaid customer, then your data usage will always be rounded up to the nearest whole kilobyte.

Example 1

You logged onto the Internet, clicked on a few links, and then clicked off. Your whole Internet session used 45.12 kB. That's nowhere near a whole MB, but on postpaid, it will be rounded to the nearest whole MB.

Postpaid

Data usage rounded up to: 1 MB
Data charges: $2

Prepaid

Data usage rounded up to: 46 KB
Data charges: $0.01 x (46 / 5) = $0.09

Example 2

You logged onto the Internet and searched for and watched a YouTube video, which had a filesize of 3.12 MB. Your entire internet session used 3.42 MB. The nearest whole MB is 4 MB. To get the KB for prepaid, we will have to multiply 3.42 x 1024, which equals 3502.08, which, when rounded to the nearest whole KB, equals 3503 KB

Postpaid

Data usage rounded up to: 4 MB
Data charges: $2.00 x 4 = $8.00

Prepaid

Data usage rounded up to: 3503 KB
Data charges: $0.01 x (3503 / 5) = $7.00

Save Money with Data Packages

I'm a prepaid customer, so my experience is with AT&T's prepaid data packages; so, I'm not going to write about their postpaid data packages. However, a lot of the concepts are the same, it's just that the prepaid data packages are simpler and fewer.

This article covers only how pay-per-use data charges work on AT&T. I have another article on AT&T's prepaid data packages.

Download and Install Opera Mini on Your Fake IPhone

2010-08-09T05:34:00.006-05:00

What is Opera Mini?

Opera Mini is a Java application that functions as a web browser for cell phones. It's definitely better than the browser that comes built into any of the fake iphones. In this article, I show you how to download and install it.

What Are Some Advantages to Using Opera Mini?

It allows you to have a richer browsing experience on the Internet with your cellphone. Here are some advantages:

Allows touchscreen phones to use easy "finger-scrolling."
Zoom feature lets you zoom out to view the entire web page or zoom in to view the section you're interested in. (versions 4.2 and up)
All Web requests are pre-processed by Opera's servers, which means your phone uses less data and which makes it possible for your phone to view web pages designed for computers.
But, perhaps the biggest advantage is that with Opera Mini web pages won't automatically display in Chinese on your i9, i68, p168, kao8 or whatever kind of Chinese iPhone clone you have.

Okay. I'm Interested. How Do I Download and Install It?

There are seven basic steps:

Creating and activating a WAP profile,
Setting up Java to use the correct WAP profile,
Connect the phone to the PC via the USB cable,
Navigating to the download page,
Choosing an appropriate version of Opera Mini,
Downloading it, and
Installing it

1. Creating and Activating a WAP Profile

For those of you who have already managed to get the Internet working on your phones by watching my videos or by following my guides here, I've got good news: you get to skip this step!

For those of you who have NOT already done so, this is going to be the most difficult part of the process. If you live in the United States and have AT&T service, then watch this video. If you do not live in the United States or if AT&T is not your cellphone service provider, then follow the STEPS in the video, but use the SETTINGS for your cellphone service provider in your country, which you can get either here or here.

2. Setting up Java to Use the Correct WAP Profile

Once you have created and activated a WAP profile on the phone, you'll need to let your Java applications know to use it. This isn't too difficult, and I have a video showing how to do it.

3. Connect the Phone to the PC Via the USB Cable

If you don't know how to do this already, you can watch this video tutorial. Connecting the phone to the PC via the USB cable will allow you to download the file directly to the phone or its memory card, OR it will allow you to transfer the file to the phone after having downloaded to the computer.

4. Navigating to the Download Page

This is the easiest step. Simply click here.

5. Choosing an Appropriate Version of Opera Mini

You cannot use any of the versions that list a specific operating system out to the right in parenthesis, all of which I have highlighted in red. You may try any of the generic versions (the ones NOT highlighted in red), but I think you will get best results with version 4.2 (which is highlighted in blue only because my mouse was hovering over it at the time).

6. Downloading Opera Mini

After you have selected the version...

Click on the "view download link" button,
Choose the language that you would like Opera Mini to use,
Click on the JAR file link (it is the second one...the one with the red arrow beside it in the graphic below), and
Save the file...you can save it either:
- Directly to the phone or its memory card, or
- To your computer and then transfer it to the phone or its memory card.

7. Installing Opera Mini

This involves four steps:

Using the phone's file browser, navigate to the Opera Mini JAR file that we just downloaded / transferred to the phone,
Tap on the file,
Tap on INSTALL, and
Follow any on-screen instructions.

Use Voice Recognition Software and a PC Writing Tablet to Reduce Repetitive Motion

2010-08-04T00:22:00.044-05:00

I've got my fair share of repetitive motion problems: I've got arthritis in my knuckles; I've had tendinitis in my hands for ages; I've got some symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and I've got some kind of shoulder injury (a torn rotator cuff, I think). It hurts to type or manipulate the mouse. Thing is, my job requires quite a bit of typing and mouse-manipulating. Worse than that, I love to spend time on my computer when I'm at home -- during my free time. And what do I do there? I type and click the mouse, of course. And it hurts!

Enter Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software and Wacom's Bamboo PC writing tablet. They're great individually, but together they make a terrific team.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Voice Recognition Software

Dragon NaturallySpeaking can do my typing for me -- loads of typing. It makes a great alternative to the keyboard and anytime I'm not typing that's helping to reduce further injury due to repetitive motion. (I still type, so it can't STOP repetitive motion injury...not for me, at least.)

Now, it takes a while to get used to working with Naturally Speaking, and, frankly, it takes Naturally Speaking a while to get used to working with you. But, once you get used to each other, your fingers really appreciate not having to do all that typing.

ADVANTAGES

It saves wear and tear on your knuckles and fingers and wrists
It never misspells a word
It types much faster than you could with your fingers
If you get the premium version, you can create macros that type commonly-written items by saying one or two words (you can make it type entire paragraphs by saying a certain "code" word -- if you wish)

DISADVANTAGES

It takes a while to get used to thinking about what you're going to type while speaking instead of typing (this was quite difficult for me...and sometimes still is. I just find it so much easier to think about what I'm writing when I'm typing rather than when I'm speaking.)
You have to be in a really quiet place...preferably in a room whose door you can close.
While it never misspells anything, it can correctly spell a load of nonsense that's not remotely related to what you said (but that actually sounds a lot like what you said).
Worse...it can almost type what you said...leaving out a "the" or typing "you" instead of "you've"...you have to proofread everything it types.
Speaking clearly and loudly enough for the software to understand you can become quite tiring after a little while.
If you have arthritis in your jaw or TMJ, it simply moves the problem from your knuckles to your jaw. I'm pretty certain I have TMJ -- and possibly arthritis -- in my jaw, and, after a good little while of using NaturallySpeaking I can end up with sore jaw joints.

The disadvantages are probably making it sound a lot worse than it is. All in all, NaturallySpeaking really is a great alternative to typing and, therefore, a great relief to my knuckles at home. I wish I could use it on my job, too, where I also do a lot of typing, but that's just not gonna happen anytime soon.

HOME VS. PREMIUM

Most people are going to be interested in the home and premium versions. Typically, there is about $100 difference between the premium and the home versions. And, back when I first started with NaturallySpeaking (version 8), I opted for the preferred version (that would be called the "premium" version now). However, when I ended up needing to install voice recognition software on another computer (version 10 was available by that time), I decided to go for the standard version (now called the "home" version), which turned out to be all I needed, and I use it for typing articles like this, for typing e-mails, and even for coding in HTML and C# (a programming language).

The premium version does have some extra features that some people might find beneficial, though. For one thing, it allows you to connect a digital voice recorder so you can transcribe recordings, which could be quite useful for a secretary, for example. So, just for that, I think many businesses would benefit from using the premium version. It can also read back text, which I guess could be useful for some people under certain circumstances.

PROFESSIONAL, MEDICAL, AND LEGAL VERSIONS

Nuance, the company that makes the NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software, also offers professional, legal, and medical versions. I think that the legal and medical versions offer specialized vocabularies, which I'm sure are quite useful in those industries. I really don't know what benefits one gets from the professional version over the preferred version. What I do know is that the professional version is typically twice as much as the preferred version (that is, around $400). Also, the legal version is more expensive yet, and the medical version is typically over $1000. I'm guessing that the medical version's extensive vocabularies justify the cost. If I were a person considering purchasing NaturallySpeaking for the first time, and I thought that I might need the legal or medical professional versions, I would probably consider purchasing the preferred version first, just to see if perhaps it could fit my needs and also to see if voice recognition software is going to work in my office environment. I would also definitely read reviews of other people who have purchased and used the specialized versions before I shelled out $400-$1200 for the software.

MOUSE MANIPULATION WITH NATURALLYSPEAKING

You can also use NaturallySpeaking to manipulate the mouse with your voice: to move the pointer around on the screen, click on buttons, or whatever. It's actually quite handy for dealing with pop-up dialogs (you can say "click okay" or "click cancel," for example), but, generally mouse manipulation voice recognition software is still a rather clumsy and frustrating experience. It would, I suppose, be a welcome thing for someone who could not manipulate the mouse otherwise for whatever reason, but for me it's frustrating.

But that's where Wacom's Bamboo pc writing tablet comes into play.

Wacom's Bamboo PC Writing Tablet

Wacom's Bamboo tablet is a PC writing tablet that basically works as an alternative to the mouse. It lets you move the mouse pointer, it lets you click on buttons, or do anything else that a mouse can do. PC writing tablets are probably more well-known for being used by graphic artists who use art software like Adobe Photoshop because it allows the computer to sense the amount of pressure and because it is more like working with a pencil or pen or brush. However, for me, pc writing tablets, along with being more comfortable to the hand, make a great alternative for the mouse.

ADVANTAGES

Giving a pen a quick tap on a PC writing tablet is much easier on my arthritic knuckles than clicking a mouse button
It is easier to use certain functions of drawing programs like Corel draw or Adobe Photoshop (I do use such programs)

DISADVANTAGES

Keeping my hands gripped around the pen and around the tablet for a long period of time aggravates my arthritis in a different way (for me, the act of gripping something for a long while flares up my arthritis)
Moving the pen around, after a prolonged period of time, causes my shoulder injury to flare up.

What I end up doing is alternating between using the mouse and using the Wacom PC writing tablet -- when I get sore using the mouse, I switch to the tablet. When I get sore using the tablet, I switch to the mouse, but I more frequently use the tablet.

I would love to be able to use a PC writing tablet at work. It appears that one of the goals of the people who wrote the various systems I work with at work was to maximize mouse clicks! Seriously!

For my own good, I should probably spend as little of my free time on the computer as possible, but since, right now, my passions drive me to my computer (coding, studying languages, making YouTube tutorial videos, writing articles like these)...using NaturallySpeaking and the Wacom Bamboo PC writing tablet together allows me to spend more time than I could otherwise doing the meaningless things I love to do on my computer.

Troubleshooting "GPRS Not Subscribed" on Fake IPhones

2009-11-02T08:02:00.012-06:00

This is a troubleshooting guide to help people who are getting the error "GPRS not subscribed" on their fake iPhones -- like the sciphone, the hiphone, the i9, the i68, or whatever. This is such a troublesome error and one that can have many causes so I've decided to dedicate an entire page to this particular error for this particular phone.

Below are various causes of this problem along with the related solutions.

The Phone Does Not Have a Correct GPRS Data Account and/or WAP Profile

You will need to create a GPRS data account and a WAP profile specific to your carrier and to your country. I have video guides on how to create these profiles for both AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States. You can follow either of these guides to assist you in creating the GPRS data account and WAP profile and simply plug-in the correct settings for your particular carrier in your particular country. I have actually compiled a list of the settings for various countries and various carriers.

The Wrong WAP Profile Is Activated

The phone uses only the currently active WAP profile. Even if you have properly created a WAP profile for your carrier in your country, you may not have activated it. You must tap on the profile and then tap "activate profile." After doing this, the profile will have a checkmark to the left of it.

One or More of the Settings in the WAP Profile Are Wrong

Doublecheck the settings of the WAP profile. Pay special attention to the Data Account, Connection Type, Proxy Address, and Proxy Port.

One or More of the Settings in the GPRS Data Account Are Wrong

Doublecheck the settings of the GPRS Data Account. Pay special attention to the APN -- it must be typed in correctly.

You Created the WAP Profile on the Wrong SIM Card

This problem will only affect dual-SIM phones. Select Services > WAP > Settings > Select SIM, and then tap on the SIM that does NOT have a checkmark to the left of it. If, after doing this, you still cannot access the Internet, then you should probably switch back to the other SIM card or set the phone to "always ask."

The Internet is Not Provisioned on Your Account

Call your cellphone service provider to make sure that the Internet is properly provisioned and active on your account.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to leave comments or questions if anything seems unclear or if this page helps you solve your problem.

WAP / MMS Settings for iPhone Clones for Various Carriers / Countries

2009-10-28T10:07:00.034-05:00

This is a collection of wap / mms settings for various cellphone carriers in various countries. I have formatted the settings so that they will be easy to input into most any of the fake iPhones: the sciphone, the hiphone, the i9, the i9+, the i68, the i68+, the mini i68, and whatever.

These settings may or may not work as I don't live in all these countries and cannot personally test them.

For most, the WAP and MMS profile will reference the same GPRS data account. These will have a single table that lists the GPRS data account, the WAP profile, and the MMS profile. For some, the WAP and MMS profiles require separate data accounts. These will have separate tables for the WAP and MMS settings.

If I don't have your carrier/country listed here, you can try to get the setting from this website.

Please fill free to leave any comments, questions, or requests regarding WAP for MMS settings here. For example, if you find errors, if you know the correct settings, or if you would like to see settings for a country or carrier that I don't have posted here.

Ireland

Meteor WAP
Meteor MMS
Vodafone WAP
Vodafone MMS

Netherlands

United Kingdom

O2 (contract)
O2 (pay-as-you-go)
Orange WAP (contract)
Orange WAP (pay-as-you-go)
Orange MMS
T-Mobile

Vodafone (contract)

Vodafone (pay-as-you-go)

United States

AT&T
T-Mobile

Australia / Optus
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS GPRS
APN	wap.optus.net.au
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS WAP
Homepage	http://networker.optus.net.au/wap/index.wml
Data account	OPTUS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	202.139.083.152
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Australia / Telstra (WAP)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	TELSTRA WAP GPRS
APN	telstra.wap
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	TELSTRA WAP
Homepage	http://wap.telstra.com/wap
Data account	TELSTRA WAP GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.001.001.181
Proxy port	80
Username
Password

Australia / Telstra (MMS)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	TELSTRA MMS GPRS
APN	telstra.mms
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	METEOR MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.telstra.com:8002
Data account	TELSTRA MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.001.001.180
Proxy port	80
Username
Password

Ireland / Meteor (WAP)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	METEOR GPRS
APN	wap.mymeteor.ie
Username	my
Password	wap
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	METEOR WAP
Homepage	http://wap.mymeteor.ie
Data account	METEOR GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.085.085.085
Proxy port	8080
Username	my
Password	wap

Ireland / Meteor (MMS)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	METEOR MMS GPRS
APN	mms.mymeteor.ie
Username	my
Password	mms
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	METEOR MMS
Homepage	http://mms.mymeteor.ie
Data account	METEOR MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.085.085.085
Proxy port	8799
Username	my
Password	mms

Ireland / Vodafone (WAP)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	VODAFONE GPRS
APN	live.vodafone.com
Username	dublin
Password	dublin
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	VODAFONE WAP
Homepage	http://live.vodafone.com
Data account	VODAFONE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.024.059.100
Proxy port	80
Username	dublin
Password	dublin

Ireland / Vodafone (MMS)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	VODAFONE MMS GPRS
APN	mms.vodafone.net
Username	dublin
Password	dublin
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	VODAFONE MMS
Homepage	http://www.vodafone.ie/mms
Data account	VODAFONE MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.024.059.200
Proxy port	80
Username	dublin
Password	dublin

Netherlands / KPN
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	KPN GPRS
APN	portalmmm.nl
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	KPN WAP
Homepage	http://mobileportal/
Data account	KPN GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.010.100.020
Proxy port	5080
Username
Password
MMS Profile
Profile Name	KPN MMS
Homepage	http://mp.mobiel.kpn/mmsc
Data account	KPN GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.010.100.020
Proxy port	5080
Username
Password

United Kingdom / O2 (contract)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	O2 GPRS
APN	wap.o2.co.uk
Username	o2wap
Password	password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	O2 WAP
Homepage	http://wap.o2.co.uk/
Data account	O2 GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	193.113.200.195
Proxy port	8080
Username	o2wap
Password	password
MMS Profile
Profile Name	O2 MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
Data account	O2 GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	193.113.200.195
Proxy port	8080 (or 9201) if one doesn't work, try the other.
Username	o2wap
Password	password

United Kingdom / O2 (pay-as-you-go)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	O2 GPRS
APN	payandgo.o2.co.uk
Username	payandgo
Password	password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	O2 WAP
Homepage	http://wap.o2.co.uk/
Data account	O2 GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	193.113.200.195
Proxy port	8080
Username	payandgo
Password	password
MMS Profile
Profile Name	O2 MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
Data account	O2 GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	193.113.200.195
Proxy port	8080 (or 9201) if one doesn't work, try the other.
Username	payandgo
Password	password

United Kingdom / Orange WAP (Contract)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	ORANGE GPRS
APN	orangewap
Username	Orange
Password	Multimedia
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	ORANGE WAP
Homepage	http://orange.multimedia/
Data account	ORANGE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	192.168.071.035
Proxy port	9201 (or 8080)
Username	Orange
Password	Multimedia

United Kingdom / Orange WAP (Pay-As-You-Go)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	ORANGE GPRS
APN	paygwap
Username	Orange
Password	Multimedia
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	ORANGE WAP
Homepage	http://orange.multimedia/
Data account	ORANGE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	192.168.071.035
Proxy port	9201 (or 8080)
Username	Orange
Password	Multimedia

United Kingdom / Orange MMS
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	ORANGE MMS GPRS
APN	orangemms
Username	Orange
Password	Multimedia
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	ORANGE MMS
Homepage	http://mms.orange.co.uk/
Data account	ORANGE MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	192.168.224.010
Proxy port	9201 (or 8080)
Username	Orange
Password	Multimedia

United Kingdom / T-Mobile
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	TMOBILE GPRS
APN	general.t-mobile.uk
Username	user
Password	wap
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	TMOBILE WAP
Homepage	http://wap.t-mobile.co.uk/
Data account	TMOBILE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	149.254.001.010
Proxy port	9201
Username	user
Password	wap
MMS Profile
Profile Name	TMOBILE MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.t-mobile.co.uk:8002/
Data account	TMOBILE GPRS
Connection Type	WAP
Proxy address	149.254. 211.010
Security	off
Username	user
Password	one2one

United Kingdom / Vodafone
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	VODAFONE GPRS
APN	wap.vodafone.co.uk
Username	wap
Password	wap
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	VODAFONE WAP
Homepage	http://live.vodafone.com
Data account	VODAFONE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	212.183.137.012
Proxy port	8799
Username	wap
Password	wap
MMS Profile
Profile Name	VODAFONE MMS
Homepage	http://mms.vodafone.co.uk/servlets/mms/
Data account	VODAFONE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	212.183.137.012
Proxy port	9201
Username	wap
Password	wap

United Kingdom / Vodafone
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	VODAFONE GPRS
APN	pp.vodafone.co.uk
Username	wap
Password	wap
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	VODAFONE WAP
Homepage	http://live.vodafone.com
Data account	VODAFONE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	212.183.137.012
Proxy port	8799
Username	wap
Password	wap
MMS Profile
Profile Name	VODAFONE MMS
Homepage	http://mms.vodafone.co.uk/servlets/mms/
Data account	VODAFONE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	212.183.137.012
Proxy port	9201
Username	wap
Password	wap

United States / AT&T
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	ATT GPRS
APN	wap.cingular
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	ATT WAP
Homepage	http://device.home
Data account	ATT GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	066.209.011.032
Proxy port	80
Username
Password
MMS Profile
Profile Name	ATT MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.cingular.com
Data account	ATT GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	066.209.011.032
Proxy port	80
Username
Password

United States / T-Mobile
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	TMOBILE GPRS
APN	wap.voicestream.com
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	TMOBILE WAP
Homepage	http://wap.myvoicestream.com
Data account	TMOBILE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	010.001.001.254
Proxy port	8080
Username
Password
MMS Profile
Profile Name	TMOBILE MMS
Homepage	http://216.155.174.84/servlets/MMS
Data account	TMOBILE GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	216.155.165.050
Proxy port	8080
Username
Password

Can't Access the Internet or MMS with a Blackberry Phone on AT&T's Prepaid Service

2009-10-21T07:05:00.011-05:00

I wrote this article believing there was no solution to this problem. However, a person in the comments has recommended installing the Opera mini browser as a solution. If you already own a Blackberry, this is definitely worth a shot. You would have to download the broswer's installer file to a computer and then transfer it to your phone and install it. If it works, this would fix only the internet, not MMS.

Thinking about buying a Blackberry phone? Do you use AT&T's prepaid cellphone service? Then, read this first...

Click here to check out our article on the LG Thrive, AT&T's prepaid Android smartphone.

If you already own a Blackberry phone and are using AT&T's prepaid service, chances are you cannot access the Internet or send and receive multimedia messages. In fact, you probably don't even have an icon for Internet Explorer or MediaNet to click on to even try to access the Internet. If you've called AT&T's prepaid customer service, and even if you got transferred to their technical support, chances are you were told that Blackberry devices are not compatible with prepaid service. This DOES appear to be AT&T's official stance. In fact, to be clear, I am NOT going to show you how to work around this issue...because I don't know how. That's not to say there isn't some Blackberry guru out there who can help you work around this, but I'm certainly not that guy. I'm just going to tell you why I think this happens (and hopefully prevent people who have AT&T's prepaid service from making an expensive mistake).

Even though you can't access the Internet or send and receive MMS, you can still make and receive phone calls and send and receive regular text messages, but since one of the main reasons to own a Blackberry is to use its data features, this can be very frustrating.

Now, I really don't know why it doesn't work. But, I'm going to offer a hypothesis here. So, let's consider a few things...

There Is a Special Data Plan for Blackberry Phones

When you have a postpaid (or contract) rate plan with AT&T, you can purchase a Blackberry data plan. All other PDAs would get the Smartphone Personal data plan. Neither of these plans are available for prepaid, but most PDAs can access the internet on prepaid. But the fact that there is a special data package for Blackberries may indicate that Blackberry phones are not using AT&T as their Internet Service Provider (ISP).

A Different Gateway: Another Clue

If we look at the Internet tutorial page for the Blackberry Bold, we will see that the phone is using a gateway IP of 206.51.26.192. All other AT&T phones appear to use a gateway IP of 066.209.011.032 or 066.209.011.061.

This fact would further support the idea that Blackberry phones are not using AT&T for their ISP.

BIS, Blackberry Internet Service

Turns out there is something called BIS, which stands for Blackberry Internet service. If Blackberry devices are somehow using Blackberry as their Internet service provider (ISP), then customers who buy the Blackberry data plan are probably buying access to the Blackberry ISP. Since the Blackberry data plan is not available for prepaid, then prepaid customers are not able to buy access to BIS. Therefore, prepaid customers with Blackberry devices are unable to access the Internet (which would also prevent MMS capabilities). Again, I'm not saying that this IS the case; I'm just saying that this MIGHT be the case.

But Some Blackberries CAN Access the Internet on Prepaid!

Some Blackberry devices do seem able to access the Internet on prepaid service. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that these are devices that once were active on a postpaid rate plan that had a Blackberry data plan. Again, I'm just postulating here, but I bet that the phone's IMEI number, which is kind of like a serial number, has been logged into a database somewhere on Blackberry's servers as an IMEI that is allowed to use Blackberry as an ISP. So, even though the phone is now on a prepaid account, Blackberry's servers still view the phone as "authorized" to access the Internet through its service. If this is the case, one may expect that periodically Blackberry would purge their database of old IMEIs and such a phone may not always be able to access the Internet.

Therefore, if you are thinking of buying a Blackberry and maybe to be on the safe side, you put your prepaid SIM card in it to make sure you can access the Internet, just because it works now doesn't mean it would always work. And, remember that AT&T does not appear to support data access on Blackberry phones using prepaid service. So, if it works when you buy it but stops later, you're out of luck.

But Some Work on Prepaid Right Out of the Box

It's true. I have seen some Blackberry model -- I can't remember which one, but I think it was the Curve -- that was able to access the Internet through prepaid right out of the box. I'm not sure if they're always able to access the Internet or if that's just a temporary state that the phones are in right after purchase. Again, since AT&T's official stance appears to be a Blackberry devices are not compatible with prepaid, it is best not to purchase a Blackberry device at all if you intend on using it on AT&T's prepaid service...unless AT&T changes their official stance on this issue, even if only with respect to certain models.

In Summary

So, if you have a Blackberry phone and you're using AT&T's prepaid service and if you're not able to access the Internet...I hate it for you. If you're an AT&T prepaid customer whose thinking about buying a Blackberry phone, I hope I've convinced you not to. There are plenty of other PDAs that CAN access the internet on AT&T's prepaid service (my Samsung Blackjack II, for example). But, AT&T's prepaid internet has always been a little wonky, so whatever model you're considering -- even if it's not a Blackberry, you should always research it to make sure it can access the internet on AT&T's prepaid service.

Why You Should NOT Buy a Fake iPhone

2009-10-19T09:07:00.014-05:00

If you're thinking about buying one of those fake iPhones -- like the sciphone, the hiphone, the i9, the i68, or whatever -- I'm glad you found this page first. I hope to convince you NOT to buy one. Why? Well, to put it in a nutshell: there's no warranty, no support, problems with returns, problems with frequencies, low-quality construction, and a poorly designed user interface. Still not convinced? Read on!

No Warranty

The phone that I bought had no indication whatsoever of any warranty. Nothing on the packaging or on any documentation contained in the packaging listed a phone number or address by which to contact the manufacturer. Furthermore, to my knowledge, the Chinese factories that produce these fake iPhones do not have any service or repair centers located in the United States.

So, should you receive a device with manufacturing defects, who will you call and where will you send the phone for repairs?

No Support

If you call up AT&T or T-Mobile's customer service, and start asking questions about your fake iPhone, they probably won't be able to help because they have information only on the phones that they distribute. This can be very frustrating, and you end up having to try to find support somewhere out on the Internet -- usually through random forums and blogs like this one. (By the way, Howard Forums and the forums at Mobiledia are good places to get support beyond the customer service offered by your manufacturer and cell phone service provider.)

Possible Problems with Customs

If you are not careful, you may end up purchasing one of these phones directly from China. If you do that, technically you are importing the phone into the United States. There are a lot of rules and regulations involved with importing products into the United States. But, since you don't realize you're importing something, you will not have familiarized yourself with these rules and regulations. If, for some reason, the phone doesn't make it through customs, you can certainly end up with some unexpected headaches. It's unlikely of course, but still very possible. So, if you do buy one of these fake iPhones, please make sure that it is already located in the United States at the time of purchase.

The Wrong Frequencies for Your Country

There are four main radio frequencies used by GSM cell phones. Generally, any particular country will use two of those frequencies. For instance, the United States uses the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands. Now, in the United States, some areas use the 850 MHz band, and some areas use the 1900 MHz band. So, a phone that is to be used in the United States needs to use both frequencies.

Reputable manufacturers -- like Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung -- are careful to market phones manufactured for the United States in the United States. Likewise, they market phones manufactured for other countries only in those countries. However, the Chinese manufacturers of these fake iPhone are not so careful. So, people in the United States frequently end up with phones that will work only in Europe.

As you can imagine, receiving a phone that cannot be used in your country can be quite an upsetting experience.

Beware the Tri-band Phone

There is a such thing as a world phone, or quad-band phone, which uses all four frequencies. Quad-band phones will work anywhere in the world. For some reason -- and I'm not sure why -- cellphone manufacturers also make tri-band phones. Tri-band phones typically will work fine in one country and will work in some places in other countries. Well, these Chinese manufacturers also made a tri-band version of the fake iPhones. But, don't think just because it's a tri-band phone that it will work fine. You must make sure that the phone uses both of the frequencies used in your country.

Problems with Returns

Reputable retailers -- like AT&T, T-Mobile, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Radio Shak -- usually have some sort of return policy that will allow them to work with you should you change your mind, receive a defective handset, or have some other strange problem. (However, before buying a phone -- no matter where -- you should inquire about the return policy of that particular retailer. Certain retailers do not accept returns on electronic devices.)

However, these fake iPhones (also known as iClones) are sold through nontraditional distribution channels -- like eBay or "factory direct" websites. Such dealers may or may not offer you a return policy. And, frequently, the return policies that are offered are barely realistic: for instance, giving you only seven days to return the phone to them.

Typical Cellphone Interface

It's a good thing that I bought this phone mainly to determine how to set up the Internet on it. Because the phone is touted as an iPhone clone and because it pretty much copies the entire main menu of the iPhone, I thought that the fake iPhone would have a very advanced, PDA-like interface. It is touchscreen, but its interface is more like a standard cellphone -- like the Motorola RAZR or similar. So, someone who's in the market for true PDA-type device should consider other phones -- like a Blackberry or Palm. (Note: do NOT get a Blackberry if you are on AT&T prepaid service...the internet will probably not work.)

Somewhat Chintzy

I bought my i9 couple of years ago off of eBay for about $150. The construction of the phone is somewhat chintzy, in my opinion. The stylus is hollow and I easily broke it (I now use another cheap stylus that came with a horrid cheap fake iPod I bought off eBay). The battery cover fits okay unless I have a battery in the phone. I can still put the battery cover on, but it just doesn't fit quite right. Also, when inserting the charger into the charging port, it feels like something might bend or break inside the phone if I don't insert the charger just right.

I have a Motorola c168i, which I paid $19.99 for. It's a very plain little phone, but it exhibits high-quality construction. So, when compared to my little $19.99 c168i, I just felt that these fake iPhones are overpriced considering the chintziness of construction. I mean...they're okay, but the $19.99 c168i is better.

Difficult to Get Getting Replacement Parts

I've had my phone for about 2 years. The batteries that came with it are both dead. I would like to get a replacement battery, but search as I may, I seem unable to get a battery for the original i9. I can get batteries for the i9+, but all the websites say specifically that the i9+ battery is NOT for the original i9. After only 2 years? Phones purchased from reputable manufacturers will have replacement parts available for several years after the phone goes out of production.

I have found a good place for buying replacement parts for several models: www.24hrsdeals.com (I buy from them on ebay, not their website, but whatever.)

What You Should Do

If you are in the market for a phone, then I highly recommend that you purchase a phone made by a reputable manufacturer -- like Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, etc. Furthermore, I recommend that you purchase a phone that is made for your cell phone service provider. For instance, if AT&T is your cellphone service provider, then buy a phone made for AT&T. If T-Mobile is your cellphone service provider, then buy a phone made for T-Mobile. That way, you can be certain that the phone will work on their network. Also, you can turn to your cellphone service provider for device support should you need it.

Several of the major phone companies now offer reasonably-priced, high quality prepaid android phones. Consider getting one of those if you don't mind being a prepaid customer.

This is especially easy if you're with AT&T. It doesn't matter if you are a contract or prepaid customer. Just take your existing SIM card and put it in the LG Thrive, a prepaid Android GoPhone from AT&T. For prepaid customers, doing so will have no effect whatsoever on their account. It will only mean that they've got a nice, new affordable Android phone. However, beware that non-prepaid customers may automatically have a smartphone data package added to their account.

Do You Still Want to Buy One of These Fake iPhones?

If you absolutely must buy one of these fake iPhones, then make absolutely sure that the phone you buy uses the two frequencies used in your country. Make sure that the phone is already located in the United States or your country (to avoid being involved in importing). Do everything in your power to make sure that you are dealing with an honest dealer that offers some sort of return policy. And, be prepared to be content with a phone that LOOKS like an iPhone, but will never BE an iPhone.

T-Mobile Internet Settings for the i9, i68, Sciphone, Hiphone and Other iClones

2009-09-24T15:23:00.021-05:00

Need to see this tutorial for AT&T?

Need the settings for countries outside the USA?

Everything is in Chinese? Download and install Opera Mini!

If you purchased one of these iPhone clones (lately coming out in plus and mini versions, like the i9+, the i68+, and the mini i68), then you've probably been frustrated if you've ever tried to access the internet. In this tutorial, I show you how to set up the Internet on your iPhone clone for T-Mobile

Haven't Bought a Fake iPhone Yet? ... Then Don't

Before we get started, let me say that I am not recommending that anyone buy an iPhone clone. They are a lot of trouble because you will get no support at all (except for random articles on the internet like this one). Also, the factories that produce these phones are located in China and do not provide an 800 number to contact them, and they do not have any repair facilities in the United States (so far as I can tell). Therefore, I recommend you buy phones from reputable manufacturers like Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, or Apple -- preferably, buy a phone through your service provider (e.g., T-Mobile).

But if you already have one of these fake iPhones, then I hope this tutorial helps you get your internet working.

Beware of Unexpected Internet Charges

Oh, and one more thing. If you don't know what you're doing, you can end up with a cell phone bill that is several hundred dollars more than you expected. In general, you should be okay as long you don't spend too much time on the Internet, don't watch any videos, look at a lot of pictures, or download more than one or two games games. Still, you shouldn't do much on the Internet unless you're familiar with how it will charge you. You should call your carrier for more information about this.

Okay, Let's Get Started...

Well, to set up the Internet on your i68 or sciphone or whatever, you'll have to do two things: (1) create a GPRS data account, and (2) create and activate a WAP profile.

Create a GPRS Data Account for T-Mobile
Create And Activate a WAP Profile for T-Mobile

And that should be all there is to it. If you live in the United States and if T-Mobile is your cellular service provider, then you should be able to access the Internet now. However, if you have any problems, please check out the troubleshooting section below.

Troubleshooting

When I try to connect to the Internet, I get the error message "GPRS Not Subscribed."

SOLUTION: Click here.
When I click on WAP, I get an empty screen or the error message "Please Wait" for few seconds and nothing else.

SOLUTION: Make sure that you have a SIM card in the phone.

Well, I hope that this tutorial helped somebody out there. Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

AT&T Internet Set up for the Sciphone, Hiphone, i9, CECT i68

2009-09-24T14:38:00.024-05:00

Do you need to see this tutorial for T-Mobile?

Everything is in Chinese? Download and install Opera Mini!

If you purchased one of the iPhone clones (lately coming in plus and mini versions like the i9+ or the i68 mini), then you've probably been frustrated if you've ever tried to set up the Internet on that phone. In this tutorial, I show you how to set up the Internet on your iPhone clone for AT&T cellphone service.

Haven't Bought One Yet? ... Then Don't!

Before I begin, let me say that even though I have created a tutorial showing how to set up the internet on iClones, I am not recommending that anyone buy one of these iPhone look-alikes. Actually, I recommend you buy phones only from reputable manufacturers like Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, or Apple. In another article here, I provide several reasons why you should not buy a fake iPhone.

If you're already an AT&T customer, consider getting the LG Thrive, which is marketed as a prepaid Android smartphone. But, whether you are a prepaid customer or not, you can put your AT&T SIM card in it. Beware that non-prepaid customers will automatically have a smartphone data package added to their account if you ever access the internet with it.

But if you already have one of these fake iPhones, then I hope this tutorial helps you get your internet working.

Beware Unexpected Internet Charges!

Oh, and one more thing. If you don't know what you're doing, you can end up with a phone bill that is several hundred dollars more than you expected. In general, you should be okay as long you don't spend too much time on the Internet, don't watch any videos, look at a lot of pictures, or download more than one or two games games. Still, you shouldn't do much on the Internet unless you're familiar with how it will charge you. You should call your carrier for information about this.

Let's Get Started...

Well, we'll have to do two things: (1) create a GPRS data account, and (2) create and activate a WAP profile.

Create a GPRS Data Account for AT&T
Create And Activate a WAP Profile for AT&T

And that should be all there is to it. If you live in the United States and if AT&T is your cellphone provider, then you should be able to access the Internet now. However, if you have any problems, please check out the troubleshooting section below.

Troubleshooting

When I try to connect to the Internet, I get the error message "GPRS Not Subscribed."
SOLUTION: Click here.
When I click on WAP, I get an empty screen or the error message "Please Wait" for few seconds and nothing else.
SOLUTION: Make sure that you have a SIM card in the phone.

Well, I hope that this tutorial helped somebody out there. Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

You CAN Purchase and Manage Answer Tones With Your Motorola c168i on AT&T

2009-09-23T23:33:00.010-05:00

Would you rather watch the video?

If you have the Motorola c168i and if you use AT&T as your cell phone service provider, then you've probably encountered a strange error whenever you've tried to purchase or manage answer tones. Well, I'm going to show you how to get around this problem. The error probably looked like something below:

HTTP loader info
HTTP Error - Not Found.http://wap-xl.cingularextras.com/answertones

This is a page not found error. It's telling us that the page at http://wap-xl.cingularextras.com/answertones does not exist. The good news is that this is not a problem with the phone. You still can manage or purchase answer tones with your Motorola c168i, and that's exactly what I'm going to show you how to do in this tutorial.

This error is the result of some sort of coding problem on the medianet server. MediaNet appears to recognize the different model phones that access it, and it creates customized pages depending on the model phone. For whatever reason, whenever a Motorola c168i accesses MediaNet, it produces a bad link to the answertones page. Once the correct link is entered into the Motorola c168i, the phone is able to navigate to the correct answertones page where you will be able to manage and purchase answer tones.

Well, let's get to the answer tones page.

Pull up the main menu and click on Media Net
Click on Go To URL
Enter in the correct URL:
http://wap.answertones.wireless.att.com/AT/WML/index.jsp
(You must type it exactly as you see it. Make sure that the slashes lean in the correct direction. Where I have typed a lowercase letter, you must type a lowercase letter. Where I have typed an uppercase letter, you must type and uppercase letter. There can be no spaces in the URL.)
Press the silver center button.
You should now be at the Answer Tones page.
Click Options, then click Add Bookmark.
Press the silver center button to save the URL in your web shortcuts.
Purchase or manage answer tones as needed.

From now on, whenever you need to purchase or manage answer tones, you'll be able to access the answer tones page through your phone's web shortcuts feature. Below are the instructions for this.

Pull up the main menu and click on Media Net.
Click on Web Shortcuts.
Click on Answer Tones.

I hope this tutorial has been helpful. Please fill free to leave comments or questions.

Australia -- Optus (contract) WAP and MMS settings

2008-09-30T22:56:00.000-05:00

NOTE about Optus: Optus, unlike most carriers, requires a separate APN for the MMS settings. Therefore, I had to create a separate table for Optus's MMS settings.

Australia / Optus WAP (contract)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS WAP GPRS
APN	wap.optus.net.au
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS WAP
Homepage	http://networker.optus.net.au/wap/index.wml
Data account	OPTUS WAP GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	202.139.083.152
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Australia / Optus MMS (contract)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS MMS GPRS
APN	mms
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.optus.com.au:8002/
Data account	OPTUS MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	061.088.190.010
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Australia -- Optus (contract) WAP / MMS Settings for Fake iPhones

2008-09-30T00:27:00.002-05:00

Australia / Optus WAP (contract)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS WAP GPRS
APN	wap.optus.net.au
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS WAP
Homepage	http://networker.optus.net.au/wap/index.wml
Data account	OPTUS WAP GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	202.139.083.152
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Australia / Optus MMS (contract)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS MMS GPRS
APN	mms
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.optus.com.au:8002/
Data account	OPTUS MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	061.088.190.010
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Australia -- Optus (pay-as-you-go) WAP / MMS Settings for Fake iPhones

2008-09-30T00:24:00.000-05:00

Australia / Optus WAP (pay-as-you-go)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS WAP GPRS
APN	prepaidyesoptus
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
WAP Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS WAP
Homepage	http://networker.optus.net.au/wap/index.wml
Data account	OPTUS WAP GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	202.139.083.152
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Australia / Optus MMS (pay-as-you-go)
GPRS Data Account
Account Name	OPTUS MMS GPRS
APN	mms
Username
Password
Auth. Type	Normal
MMS Profile
Profile Name	OPTUS MMS
Homepage	http://mmsc.telstra.com:8002
Data account	OPTUS MMS GPRS
Connection Type	HTTP
Proxy address	061.088.190.010
Proxy port	8070
Username
Password

Contact Me

2008-09-23T07:27:00.001-05:00

You can email me at: cellphone_miscellanea@yahoo.com

Just know that I might be somewhat slow to respond. I get a lot of e-mails, I make videos, I've got a regular job...you get the picture.

My Privacy Policy

2008-09-23T03:16:00.001-05:00

Because I Serve Google Ads I Must Have a Privacy Policy

Unless you're using ad blocking software, I'm sure you've noticed the big ads I have on my webpages. Currently, those are Google ads. And Google requires that I have a privacy policy because I use their ad service AdSense.

What Google Wants You to Know

First of all, Google wants you to know that I am using Google, a third-party (not you and not me), for my ad service. If I later used other ad services by other companies, I would need to let you know about that as well.

Second, Google wants me to tell you that Google (and their partners) uses the DoubleClick DART cookie to determine what ads to serve you.

Third, Google wants you to know that you can opt out of the DoubleClick DART cookie by visiting Google's own privacy policy page.

Privacy Policy

2008-09-23T03:08:00.001-05:00

To the best of my knowledge, there are two things I do that could affect your privacy:

I utilize a site statistics tool that tracks who visits this blog. It records your operating system, what browser you are using, how big your monitor is, what city and country you are located in, your IP address, and maybe even more stuff...I can't remember what all else. It's called StatCounter, and you can learn more about it here. I use the tool to track what countries my blog's visitors are from and how many people are viewing my blog...it's what displays the counter on this blog.
I am an Amazon associate and I frequently display Amazon.com (or Endless.com, but that's not too likely) ads or links to specific product pages at these websites. I do this to (possibly) earn commissions should you buy something after clicking on one of my links or ads. Amazon.com uses cookies to track various information and you can learn more about that here.