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Cell Phone Terms, Smartphones

Cell Phone Terms Explained

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This weekend we were in search of a new mobile plan and, probably, a new phone. In our search, we realized that there is a whole set of terms which our readers might find confusing. We’ve written about cell phones twice before, Of Apps and Android and Buying a New Cell Phone but this time we wanted to get into some of the relatively obscure terms that you might not know the meaning of. Let’s get going.

Sim Card – Basically the key that turns a device into a phone. We just purchased a Nexus 4 from Google and without a sim card, it is simply a computer, not a phone. Once we put a sim card into it, we had a computer that was a phone. Each mobile company has its own sims that allow a phone to use its network. These sims may come with a phone or, if you bring your own unlocked device, they may be purchased separately. Which brings us to:

Unlocked Phone – When a company sells a phone to a customer, that phone is usually ‘locked’ to the company that sells it. You cannot use this kind of phone on another network. If you unlock a phone, you remove this restriction. The Nexus 4 we purchased was unlocked, meaning that we could choose any provider, only  needing a sim card from whoever we were going to use. These days, companies sell phones and/or sims. Some companies, such as the one we chose to use, minimize their selection of devices which allows them to offer excellent rates on their services. Other companies make most of their money from the devices they sell.

Sim Card Sizes – You’ll most likely run into two sizes of sims although there are about five types. Older phones use a full-size sim while the newer phones, the smart ones, use a mini-sim. Here is a photo which shows you the size difference:

Photo of Micro and Full-Size Sim
The micro is on the bottom, the holder at the top is the same size as a full-size sim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only one sim can be used for any one phone number. If you had previously been using a phone that used a full-size sim, and you subsequently buy a device that uses a mini sim, you have to either use a different phone number on the new one, or port your number over to the new sim. As soon as you do this, your old full-size sim can’t be used until you get a new number for it. You can, however, use any sim that fits in any other phone, as long as they are from the same company or they are unlocked.

Porting a Number – Each sim comes with a phone number attached to it. The sim has an access code that is locked to a phone number. Your supplier can change that number if they want, using the sim’s access code. Let’s say you have had the same phone number for years, it could be a cell number or your landline number, it usually doesn’t matter. When you port that number, you transfer it to a new sim. The process is free but it has some restrictions. The number you are porting must be in use, whether by your current provider or some other company, as long as it’s a current, active number. Whoever is doing the porting needs the phone number you want to use, the access code of the sim you want to port the number over to, your account details with your current provider (password or login code), etc. Once you provide this information, the process can be completed quickly. The details of this are usually found in the FAQ section of your provider’s support site.

Unlocking a Phone – In order to remove the restrictions on a phone, it must be unlocked. This requires a code that you can sometimes get from your service provider or from one of the many companies on the Internet. We say sometimes because not all companies offer this service. The unlock code for each phone is linked to its IMEI number. Once you get the unlock code, you perform several steps, nothing too complicated, to unlock the device. After that, you can use that phone with any company, not just the one you bought it from.

IMEI Number – This is a unique number that identifies a mobile phone. Where is it? You can usually find it under the battery, printed on a white ticket. Alternatively, it’s often written on the box that the device comes in. If you are considering unlocking your phone, make sure you find the IMEI number first. Here is where it is located:

Photo of IMEI Location
Take the back off your device, take out the battery and the IMEI number is there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip: On a phone such as our new Nexus 4, there is no battery compartment. It is a sealed unit. The IMEI number is printed on a sticker on the back of the phone as well as on the box it came in. The first thing we did was to scan the back of the device, since that sticker can be scuffed through use and the IMEI number might become hard or impossible to read.

Jailbreak – This is vaguely similar to unlocking a phone. Depending on the OS (operating system), each mobile device has restrictions on what it can and can’t do. When you jailbreak a phone, you remove those restrictions. We want to remove the limits on one of our Samsung phones and have tried several times to jailbreak it, with no success. Once we are able to do it, the phone will become more usable. Look at jailbreaking this way. Say you drive a car and its top speed has been limited to 100 KM an hour (roughly 60 mph). If you were to jailbreak this car, you would be able to go any speed, at least as fast as the car could go, not the speed it was limited to. Needless to say, jailbreaking will void any warranty that is left on your phone. There are many sites and videos that explain how to do this, depending on which phone you have.

Data – This refers to anything that is sent over your phone that is not voice or text (SMS). Some phones, usually the older ones, cannot access the Internet. A smart phone, is just that. It can surf the net, accept and make phone calls, send text messages and use things that are called apps. Apps are many and varied, everything from Instagram to WeChat to Netflix. If you are outside the range of your WiFi signal, and you use the Internet, then you are using data.

Tip: Data usage can be very expensive, specially when you go over your limit. Each mobile device is different but some of them will allow you to set limits on your usage. That way, if you get close to your monthly limit, you phone will either warn you or stop using data by itself. This is one thing that you should make sure you clarify with your provider. Also, learn as much as you can about your phone. The more you know, the less likely you are to get a huge bill in the mail.

That’s it for today. If you have questions on this or any other topic, let us know. Make a comment, ask a question or suggest something. Use the form below or ‘like’ us on Facebook. Here is the link: Computers Made Simple on Facebook 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Cell Phone Specs

Buying a New Cell Phone – What the specs mean

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Frankly, we’re more comfortable with laptops and desktop computers but we’re trying desperately to catch up with the rest of the world in the use of cell phones for things other than conversation. We’ve had a basic Samsung Q for a year now and we wish we’d known more about cell phone specs when we bought it. Here’s our take on what to look for when you’re in the market for a new mobile phone.

1. Here’s the LG Optimus:

Photo of Cell Phone Specs 1
This is a decent phone, in our opinion.

Why is this a decent phone? Well, check the battery size, the OS (Android 4.1), the large internal memory, the ability to add an external flash card, the screen size and the excellent camera specs. The display resolution isn’t quite as good as the next phone but everything else seems pretty good.

2. Here’s the Nexus 4:

Photo of Cell Phone Specs 2
This is a better deal.

The Nexus 4, our latest purchase, has excellent specs. The display resolution, the screen size, the huge internal memory, the OS (Android 4.2 with the possibility of a free upgrade to 4.3), and an excellent camera add up to make this one of the best phones out there. There is no external memory slot but the 16 gigs of internal memory should be fine for most of us. We’d like to see a larger battery, too.

3. Next up is the Huawei Ascend W1:

Photo of Cell Phone Specs 3
Windows Phone 8? Um, we don’t think so.

When you’re in the store, everything gets confusing, right? We almost bought this one last year but we’re glad we didn’t. Let’s see why. Yes, it has 4 gigs of internal memory and the ability to add external memory, plus it has two cameras, one facing away to take pics with and the other facing you so you can use the video chat feature that some apps have. Battery life and screen resolution aren’t great, however. What’s the big drawback here? It’s the OS (operating system). This phone uses the Windows 8 OS, something that we would never recommend. If you want access to the full bank of apps out there, stick to an Android or iOS (Apple) phone. Microsoft is playing catchup and they will never be on the same footing as the other two systems. Unless you are tied to the Windows platform  for your work, run away when you are offered a phone like this.

4. Here’s the phone we bought last year, unfortunately:

Photo of Cell Phone Specs 4
This is an oldie but not a goodie, although the GPS is very good.

The only good thing about this phone is the keypad that slides out from the back of the phone. The battery sucks, the screen resolution is terrible and, while it allows you to add external memory, the internal memory is ghastly. It also uses a very old, at least in cell phone terms, Android system. It’s small but thick and relatively heavy. Unless you really need a keypad, ignore this phone completely. We love the GPS but wish we’d bought something else last year.

Cell Phone Tips: Just about every phone you see these days has good, if not excellent, internal memory. Don’t settle for less than 4 gigabytes of internal memory. Why? Because some apps, Facebook for instance, cannot be placed on the external memory card. Since the Android OS and the Window’s OS have healthy (read large) basic storage requirements, there is not much room left for apps that can’t be stored on the external card. Android sets up a slew of Google apps long before you add any of your own. We might even recommend 8 gigs, now that we think of it. You must leave room for storage of photos, music, video and apps. Make sure there is enough storage space right off the bat, before you add the external memory card.

Stick to Android or iOS. Don’t go for Windows or Blackberry unless you are tied to those systems through your work. Android and iOS have an overwhelming supply of free and very interesting apps in their stores. Don’t restrict yourself to anything else.

Price is always important. When we look at a phone, we look at the unlocked price and only buy from a known and trusted vendor. We NEVER get locked into a contract, there’s no need to do that these days. Stick to the pay-before setups that abound, at least up here in Canada. If you get into the pay-after deals, you will often be shocked at how large your monthly bill is. Mobile companies will always find a way to trick you. Don’t let them. We pay $30.00 a month for unlimited national texting, unlimited local calls and unlimited data (although they throttle you after you use 5 gigs a month). On top of that we buy our phones. The Nexus 4 cost us $249 (16 gig model) and we can choose any mobile supplier we want.

For basic emergency use, you don’t need a smart phone like the ones listed here. In Canada, we can get a phone for emergency use that will only set us back $25.00 a year, phone included. Any money we add to the phone lasts for a year. Not only is this cheap, the supplier (SpeakOut from 7/11) has one of the largest ‘local calling’ areas we’ve ever seen. We can call a city that’s over 80 miles away for free, as in it’s not long distance.

Tips and suggestions are welcome. If you’ve got a tip on a good phone or mobile device, let us know.

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