I missed this report is from late last year. It’s hard to believe but even if it’s not totally accurate it’s still directionally true that data-consumptions (especially if you count in-home internet) is becoming our most expensive “utility.”

Just over one in five (21%) spend more on their mobile service plan each month than they do groceries.

In fact, there are a few other basics that Americans spend less on than they do their mobile service plan. A third (33%) spend less on basic utilities such as water, gas and electric than they do their mobile phone, as well as cable TV (57%) and the Internet (71%).

This last year while in London we’ve done prepaid phones. We have Wi-Fi at home and I have Wi-Fi at work so the amount of data we need is really small. Data plans are cheaper in general here in Europe but even in the US, prepaid plans are better if you can fork out the money up front for your phone. 

The iPhone with a two-year contract on AT&T, for example, costs $200 for the handset and then upward of $90 a month for the plan; over two years, including the cost of the phone, customers pay at least $2,360. With a prepaid plan on Virgin Mobile, which is owned by Sprint, the iPhone costs $650 for the handset, and then $30 a month, including unlimited data (the type of data plan that people are happier with, according to J.D. Power). Over two years, that would cost about $1,370.

The biggest drawback until recently though is that you couldn’t get a decent smartphone under a prepaid plan. 

Finally, until recently, prepaid phone companies haven’t offered handsets that are as compelling as the ones you can get with a contract. Only in the last few months did the iPhone and some big Android phones become available through prepaid phone companies.

For a truly mobile tablet, 7 inch is so much better than 10. If you want to sit in bed and watch videos 10 inch is better but for commuting 7 inch is perfect. Here’s the comment I left on the RWW story:

When we moved to London last year, for a two year assignment, I knew my family and I would be spending a lot of time on trains and planes. I also didn’t want to accumulate a lot of books (my kids are avid readers) and I wanted an all in one music, gaming, camera device that they could read on. When I looked at my (then) 7 year old and the realities of him holding an iPad it would be the equivalent of me holding a large iMac (minus the stand et al). I also wanted a wifi only device. I opted for the 7inch Galaxy Tab WiFi only device. It’s a bit under powered but the size is perfect for my kids to put in their packs and use on trains and planes and at home. 

In fact for my own use on the London underground (especially now that most stations are getting WiFi thanks to the Olympics) the 7inch Tab is so much better than the iPad when it comes to portability. I’m really excited for the new Nexus and now that Apple (reportedly) is getting into the 7inch game, I’m hopeful other major players will also start making serious 7inch devices. 

futurepostsnet:

Future Dated: October 15, 2017

With the 2013 launch of the Facebook phone, Zuck and crew started a trend of social startups and branded phones. While surprisingly, the Facebook phone has gone on to be the dominant version of the much-splintered Android platform, what was even more surprising…

(Source: )

Of all the apps on my phones - Android or Apple - the Facebook app is consistently the worst. It’s slow and painful. Turns out not only does Facebook not know how to make money on mobile, they don’t even know how to make a decent app.

And guess what? One significantly influences the other. If Facebook ever wants to monitize mobile, they  need to figure out how to make a decent app. 

The author suggests using m.facebook.com until the app get’s a major overhaul.