Phones, Ipads, Laptops. Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   7/21/2011 3:07 PM

   Hope you all come visit this topic and post....I'm a little worried this is out in the wilderness, but with my tech knowledge, I guess that is appropriate.
   
   We are looking at getting new cellphones now that our son is starting high school, had earned it, and really needs(?) it with band trips and such, (also hoping he is responsible enough too). Our current plan has already expired with AT&T and we are looking at Verizon since the rest of our families are on Verizon and it will save us calling each other. Question is, we are definiatly getting calling minutes (not many) and texting (that will be new for us but that's what the kids do these days), but also thinking about data plans, we not sure on those, it's like how often do I need to surf the net or check my e-mail? But what kind of phones do you all really like?
   
   The other question and with the data plan or not, if one had a choice, would you choose an Ipad or a lap top w/ wi-fi? I have seen that some of you are using the Ipad successfully for work.
   
   My wife did hear of a friend of hers that got an app on her Iphone 4 that makes that Iphone the wi-fi hot spots for all her families Ipods, I wonder if that works for Ipads and lap tops too?
   
   Just wondering what other people have and are doing? Of course the end result will be what is the most we can afford, but I also don't want to be paying for something that I'm not going to use. We might spend a little more and drop are land line as well, since our families will be on the same carrier.
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   7/21/2011 3:07 PM

   I have a Motorola phone with Verizon. It is a smart phone and the only reason I have it is because my daughter wanted one and the second one was free. (Really?) It is more than I need. I like the navigation app, free word app and it is much easier to text on it. My son-in-law is a whiz with it and astounds me with what it will do whenever I see him. My youngest son is a whiz too and even though he makes his living with technology, he escapes to the woods with his guns whenever he can.

   
   
   
   
3. Robert Searle

   

   0 posts
   
   7/22/2011 6:07 AM

   I've got the Iphone 3g with at&t. Now that i've had it for a couple years i can't really imagine life without it! I bought the phone when the Iphone 3gs came out so it was heavily discounted from it's original price. I image you can get and 3gs for less than $100 now with the iphone 4 being out. I use it for just about everything except word processing. E-mail, weather/radar, sports scoring, navigation, news, pictures, calculator, music, calander, you name it. As far as the data plans go, I think if you get a smart phone they mandate that you get a data plan. That may have changed since I got mine. Lastly, you probably have already thought about this but if you decide to drop the land line make sure you have good cellular sercive in your house before you do.
   
   Bob Searle
   Abenakee Club
   Biddeford Pool Maine

   
   
   
   
4. Wally Dowe

   

   0 posts
   
   7/22/2011 10:07 AM

   Suggestion would be to get unlimited texting. Last thing you want is to get dinged for going over your texting minutes.
   
   Wally Dowe
   Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club
   Tucson, AZ

   
   
   
   
5. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   7/22/2011 2:07 PM

   Thanks for the ideas so far, yea we planned to go for the unlimited texting, specially the way kids text nowadays, we have heard of some surprises when the bill got opened.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
6. Porter Robert W

   
   7/26/2011 8:07 PM

   The best suggestion to choose AT&T or Verizon is to choose the one that has the best reception in your area. The main thing I don't like about Verizon is you cannot use the phone and use data(surfing) at the same time. ATT you can do both.
   
   The iPhone 4 has the ability to be a WiFi hotspot without an app. The iPhone 3gs is fairly cheap on ATT. $49.95
   
   If you end up with a smart phone data plans are required. iPad do not have the ability to be a WiFi hotspot.
   
   I use my iPad2 everyday at the course. I have the 3g/WiFi version. I use it for email, web, PDF, budget sheets, forums, managing pictures, irrigation maps(converted to PDF's), videos, blogging, twitter, the list goes on.

   
   
   
   
7. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   10/20/2011 10:10 AM

   Mel,
   
   I will be in the market for new phones in about six months when my contract with T-Mobile expires. T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular, Sprint, and the other major providers all have similar plans and phones, plus or minus. I then checked out WalMart, which just recently began providing cell service. WalMart has much more reasonably priced plans. The WalMart service uses the major carriers towers so cell coverage should not be a problem. I have heard that WalMart requires you to pay for the phone; not positive about this. But it does seem to be worth checking out.

   
   
   
   
8. Kinney Brian

   
   10/20/2011 11:10 AM

   I have this with At and T
   2- I phones with media package, one with international calling discount (wife is a realtor)
   2- "normal cell phones"
   unlimited texting
   unlimited cell minutes (any mobile to mobile)
   1400 minutes (mobile to land line) with rollover
   insurance on 3
   all for the low low price of $225 or so a month.....gotta shop around, i think its kinda high!
   most of the time with major carriers, you get the phones free.....and every two years with AT and T i get a new one.
   
   dont know anything about i pads or laptops, i am old school
   
   bk

   
   
   
   
9. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   10/20/2011 3:10 PM

   I never did reply to my earlier post. We did go ahead and stay with AT&T. Got the unlimited texting plan but I think we might of bumped our talk minutes down to the next level or kept it the same, when looking at our usage we were never coming close. We can call friends and family on other networks and use our minutes, plus we get the roll overs. We chose semi-smart phones with limited internet access on mine and my wife's phone, and non on our son's phone, yet he can still send things to his face book page and respond to post from friends and to his wall? Insurance on mine and the boy's phone. I think we are just about $110 per month for all 3 phones, which was a big jump on our bill, it was the nickel and dime stuff of insurance and the access we did add.
   
   They have come in handy with our son now a freshman and traveling with the band.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
10. Miller Jacob D

    
    5/26/2012 12:05 PM

    When I get a new phone this time around with my two year upgrade I will be getting the Casio Commando(Or whichever one replaces it soon). Its a phone that was developed by the military and is carried by Verizon. It is waterproof, shockproof, and sealed from dust and other particles that we find a lot of in our line of work. I would definitively go for unlimited texting, however many minutes you think you will use (keep in mind if its a business phone you may be on the phone with techs and vendors a lot... also remember that after a certain time at night and on weekends, the calls are free), and as much data as you can get.
    
    I use my HTC Android phone in conjunction with my iPad2 on the course. The phone is for snapping photos,taking calls, and firing off text messages. The iPad2 is used for GIS mapping, Toro NSN Connect changes to the irrigation system, and note taking. Between the two of them I don't have to spend any time on the computer at the office anymore. It takes a bit of getting used to for those of you who don't have tech know how, but as a 26 yr old 1st assistant, it saves me more time then any other tool in my cart. I would estimate that I save, on average, around 2-2.5 hours a day on emails, notes, and irrigation adjustments.
    
    Jake Miller
    1st Asst. Supt.
    Victory Ranch Club

    
    
    
    
11. Porter Robert W

    
    6/2/2012 7:06 AM

    Jake,
    
    Are you using any type of mount for the iPad? I just installed a mount from RamMounts this week. So, far liking it. I also have the Otterbox Defender on my iPad3.

    
    
    
    
12. Miller Jacob D

    
    7/1/2012 6:07 AM

    I tried a mount at my last course but didnt spend enough so it broke with the rough ride of my E-Gator. No suspension on the back axles of those things! I ended up just using the defender cover and laying it on the passenger seat. I would imagine a person with good fabrication skills could make a better mount then you can buy.

    
    
    
    
13. Porter Robert W

    
    7/1/2012 8:07 PM

    Jake,
    
    Otterbox makes something called the Latch Series. Its main item is a piece with elastic bands in the corners for the iPad. It also has a hand hold on the back of it. However, I also use it strapped to my steering wheel on the cart.

    
    
    
    
14. James Smith

    

    113 posts
    
    8/4/2012 7:08 AM

    Robert Porter said: Jake,
    
    Otterbox makes something called the Latch Series. Its main item is a piece with elastic bands in the corners for the iPad. It also has a hand hold on the back of it. However, I also use it strapped to my steering wheel on the cart.

    
    I have one of these and love it! Personally I prefer using my I-pad3 over my laptop. I alsdo have the I-Phone 4 version but my contract expired earlier this year and I am going to wait for the IPhone 5 to come out.