Smart phone data usage ?

So were thinking about moving in to the digital age..... and I have no clue how much Smart phones - iPhone or Android - use as far as data -

IE: does a typical data plan from any cell phone provider cover typical smartphone usage or do you who own them go over a lot?

Curious minds want to know.

I have a 2gb plan from ATT and hardly use any of it due to the fact that I am 98% of the time using wifi... So if you are always around wifi, keep that in mind...

I have the same experience, except when I go on vacations. Those months I can really rake in the data. I typically use 500mb but vacation months I can easilly hit 3-5GB. Lucky me I have my grandfathered Unlimited Data with ATT.

My iPhone is 200mb, I haven't hit it, but I dont do much on my phone. Email, play games, look stuff up when out...

With Ephil on this one, got my phone and hooked it up to wifi before I even put my sim card into it. ie. I turned off data useage except for when in contact with wifi. For the most part, sometimes my googlemaps+gps takes a little data hit. The standard low pack should be fine if you are mindful of being connected when you are doing your research.

Then again my wife is always browsing [checking prices] when we are out shopping and she doesn't seem to have a data problem. I mainly use my android for the emulators, gotta love the xPeria Play.

Cool - did not think about the wifi angle - not switching anytime soon but I know it will happen sooner or later, just wanted a feel for usage and surprise costs - if any.

Duck,

I did a bunch of research on this when AT&T went to their 200Mb and 2GB plans. I was considering dropping from unlimited data. For the most part, neither me or the wife broke 200MB. Once I started using Internet Radio and Netflix on my phone, I was around the 2GB range. That was mostly Internet Radio streaming to and from work only and netflix for the kiddo once in a while.

So..... I started this thread on Nov 11 2011, 01:46 PM - and I STILL haven't changed from my old phone I bought in 2007 (quite possibly 2006) and still plodding along with should I or shouldn't I..


My follow up question, because we're looking in to a tablet also now (10" (7" too small for my bad eyes)) if you had to start new, would you go iPhone 5 (or maybe 4s) and iPad

Or Nexus 10 and a Samsung Galaxy S III? (Android)

Not doing WinBlows anything.

I feel having phone and pad the same/same would be better, I read MOST applications start life as Apple aps and are ported to Android (so far) and most NEW Android apps are first made for phones and then ported to work on a tablet as an after.


To tell the truth, while NOT by any means an Apple fan, I am leaning toward the i World.

Carrier is Verizon if it matters - only phones will be cellular, pad will be wifi only.


What think you?

Seen as how I do my Sony Xperia and my Nexus 7, I think you know which way I would go with your choices... 🙂

The deal is that your real question here is iOS or Andriod... That is a personal preference and only you can really make that choice.

YAh changing my mind also - as Android being more "tweakable" for how I want it to look - feel - act

And the phone(s) I'm looking at DO have expandable memory on board, USER replaceable battery and standard USB connections for the phone.

Learning that, makes the decision a lot easier.

I've been looking at the Nexus 4 which you can buy unlocked directly from Google for $299 and then pair it with any service that you want. Of course the Nexus 5 is anticipated to come out in May......

Either way, I wouldn't get a data plan that includes your tablet however, just use your phone as a wifi hotspot for those times when you aren't at home and need to access the internet.

We have both a Ipad and a Kindle Fire and both have been great. They rarely leave the house however so I don't worry about data access at this point. If I ever upgrade to a smart phone, I'll use the approach that I mentioned above.

I believe the Nexus phone is not a Verizon enabled device - but have not look THAT deep in to it - I believe phonescoop covered it and said AT&T and T-Mobile only.

I can only speak to my experience.

I greatly liked my Palm OS device, I had a Treo and it combined the phone and PDA into one device. It had lots of stutters and other issues. It locked up frequently, but I like the combo idea I use my PDA to rule my life.

I looked into blackberries (pre android time frame) and hated them. While I am not a pro or anti apple, I didn't want the Iphone for several reasons.

Finally my wife got an iPhone. She liked it. I used it more and more for the apps. Finally my phone died. I went reluctantly and got an iPhone. Since then I have upgraded several times (my wife's hand me downs) and even purchased an iPad (which except for the small amount of gaming has killed the need for my desktop).

The OS is smooth and runs well, I have very few complaints. That said, that is around here where there is a decent network and it's not overly urban. When I was in San Francisco and even sometimes in Boston I see the network turn to crap.

My anecdotal experience with Android, some devices REALLY suck and some are decent. I have seen people go from Android to iOS, they seem happy to have switched. I have never seen anyone leave iOS to Android. I like my phone too much to consider it despite hating AT&T.

Biggest issue I have with AT&T is they can't (won't) justify their claims of my data use. They don't itemize and they bill at strange quasi daily blocks. I have spent some time troubleshooting where I left the phone off for days and they billed data. Or days where I never left my house and was billed data despite having a wireless network. There have been many similar complaints about AT&Ts data billing issues. Honestly, at this point it hasn't mattered enough for me to pursue it much.

So Galaxy S IV is out tomorrow - 03/14/13 and the iPhone 5s/6 in June/July time
I was just about to pull the trigger on a iphone 5 and now the new specs are out (leaked)

I imagine they will both be close (or close enough) for me to make a decision 5 or 5s once I see what the Galaxy IV will offer.

Notable items, 13 mega Pixel cameras with much better software control.
128 GB internal storage
(iPhone) Beats music software implemented in to iTunes
Radio receiver (yah Androids have them now)
A7 quad core chip set

"possible" wireless charging and external memory card slot.


While I am starting to really "jones" a smart phone - I can wait another 90 days to see what shakes out.

And Bubba - yes the more reading I do between the two platforms the greater the product quality differences and how each platform start to become apparent to me.

And honestly - I like iTunes, and like the ability to use that interface to manage the phone and later tablet.
I'm not married to Apple like some are to Amazon, but I do have several purchases already in the store

Duck, although I have update my phone yearly, there is often very little between one version and the next. I don't suspect you will ever see an addon memory card in an iPhone. I would have said the iPhone's biggest weakness is the requirement to use iTunes, but if you like iTunes, then, you are good there.

I am, by no means an Apple zealot, but I haven't seen (in my own personal experience) anything better.

That's the rumor mill for iP5s/6 memory slot.
Meh who knows, I am interested in the high MP camera and have done a bit of research on the on board camera of smartphones.

My HOME camera is still 4 mp and is not aging well, my mobile phone is .9 or 1 mp so is useless.

And there are some good sites out there that show/compare smartphone sensors and not having to drag a phone and a camera is also a plus, but then again - the cameras NOW are 10x better that what I already own .... but still, I can wait to see what is released, if not THAT interesting, I'm hoping the price of either also drops like the 4s did when 5 came out.

($200 down to $90)

Apple is reliable that the new phone will be $200 with contract, Old phone will be $50 or $100 cheaper.

Memory slot has been a rumor on every Idevice I can remember, don't hang your hat on that. The existing sensor is REALLY good since the Iphone 4.

I so want to sexting you Super HD pics of mah' junk.
13Mp baby.... 13mpeeeeeeeeee

Duck wrote:I so want to sexting you Super HD pics of mah' junk.
13Mp baby.... 13mpeeeeeeeeee

I have an iPad, you could FaceTime me (Skype to the rest of the world) your junk in live motion. Since my iPad screen is like 9" it could display at 4.5x true size at 13MP!!!