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Returning a phone to T-Mobile? This simple tip could save you a lot of time!

Matt Adams
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Returning a phone to T-Mobile? This simple tip could save you a lot of time!

Have you recently purchased a device from T-Mobile that you’re looking to return? Well, T-Mobile has some requirements to take the phone back. Most of the requirements are common sense. It must be in good working order without damage, and you have to have the original box and everything inside of it. It has to be in the two week (14 days) return period.

They also ask you to have the original receipt, but I’ve had success without it. The good people there have been able to pull up my order and print another copy of the receipt for me. Not the biggest deal in the world, but if you’re walking into a store with a long line, they may not want to take out the time to perform this special step for you.

If you follow these simple steps, there’s a $50 restocking fee to return the device. If you paid anything out of pocket at the time of purchase, the $50 will be deducted from your refund. If you didn’t pay anything up front, like on a Jump on Demand lease, you’ll owe that $50. Tablets will get hit with a $75 restocking fee instead of the $50 fee on phones, so keep that in mind if you’ve picked up a cellular enabled tablet from T-Mobile.

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Now, here’s where some may run into a problem. If you’re like me and have multiple devices on multiple lines, you HAVE to have the sim card for the line you’re returning a phone on. Here’s an example:

I recently picked up an LG V10 after Josh Noriega’s excellent review of the device. I definitely wanted to play with it for a few weeks and experience listening to HiFi music through Tidal with it. I’m not quite an audiophile, but I do appreciate high quality audio and the dedicated HiFi DAC in the V10 was a major selling point.

I have Jump on Demand set up on my wife’s line since at the time of purchase I was leasing an iPhone on my line. When I went to return the V10 today, in which I met all requirements I talked about above, I was asked for the sim card for the line so they could verify the return.

I’m not going to lie, I was a bit floored. No one has ever mentioned that I would need the sim card for that line. The T-Mobile employee at time of purchase went out of his way to let me know that if I returned the phone, which I had mentioned I might, that I’d need the box, accessories and the receipt. Nowhere on T-Mobile’s own “Return Policy” website does it state this.

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As a logical person, I can understand why this sim card policy isn’t the first thing they tell me when I get ready to leave the store with my phone. It’s going to be a very rare case, but this is listed NOWHERE. T-Mobile is very aware that there of those of us that swap phones a lot which is why they have the Jump on Demand program. Letting us in on this apparently brand new requirement, especially when things are explicitly laid out like they were in my situation, isn’t the craziest of ideas.

CPR Cell Phone Repair: accidents don’t have to mean the end

Josh Noriega
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It unfortunately happens to be that despite us babying our treasured devices, life can still creep up unexpectedly and remind us how futile the effort is. Many of us (including myself) don’t like to use cases. We want the phone’s design to shine and thinness preserved.

But if you’re suddenly caught in the wrong end of this conundrum, what do you do? The answer doesn’t have to be to cough up hundreds to replace the device. It’s possible to send it in for repair and potentially save a good amount of moolah.

One such place that can bring your device back to life is Cell Phone Repair (CPR). Despite the name, CPR vows to take in any gadget you can throw at them (phones, tablets, laptops, game consoles, cameras, etc.).

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The repair cost is up in the air, depending the extent of the damage. CPR offers free estimates. Phone repair services cover a wide varitey of mishaps: cracked screens, broken digitizer, battery replacement, water damage, etc.

There are two options for getting your broken device to a CPR shop – by walk-in or shipping. CPR currently has over 200 locations where it can administer the repair. There is a store locator on the website.

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However, if the closest location is too far, you can ship it over there. Just fill out a form with your information and explanation of the problem. CPR will assess the issue and provide you an estimate upon receiving the device.

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What’s also cool is that if you decide to let go of said phone, CPR can either buy it from you or let you trade it for a refurbished phone from its inventory.

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If you’re worried about the quality of the service to your precious device, you shouldn’t be. CPR vows that it’s expertly skilled in the field and it offers a lifetime warranty with all repairs. Also, recognizing that leaving behind your device is agonizing, CPR makes the repair process quick (many repairs are done same day).

Check out more details about CPR via the link below. It’s good to know what options we have when that dire situation befalls our devices.

CPR Cell Phone Repair website

Project Fi now offers device insurance

Justin Marden
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Google's Project FiUsers who purchased a Nexus 5X or 6P on Google’s Project Fi have sadly been unable to take advantage of the Nexus Protect program, Google’s insurance for Nexus devices. Google looks to change that this week by offering Project Fi users an insurance option directly from the carrier. The new insurance would be different from Nexus Protect, which is a one-time fee added on to a device purchase.

The Project Fi insurance will come in the form of a monthly charge of $5, which covers manufacturer defects as well as user-inflicted damage to the device. A possible downside to this plan versus Nexus Protect is that users will have to pay a deductible fee if they file a claim for anything other than a manufacturer issue. That fee will be $69 for the Nexus 5X and $99 for the Nexus 6P.

Interestingly, the new insurance program would cost more than Nexus Protect for the 5X and 6P. A quick look at the numbers shows that over two years, it would cost roughly $120 for insurance on one of these devices, but the Nexus Protect program offers coverage for the Nexus 5X and 6P for $69 and $89, respectively.It is worth noting that the Project Fi insurance only applies to devices bought through Project Fi, so users can still buy a Nexus directly from Google and enroll in Nexus Protect.

Source Phandroid

ZTE partners with Fleksy for future smartphones

Justin Marden
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FleksyIf you’re a fan of Fleksy and/or the phone manufacturer ZTE, this might be of some interest to you. ZTE and Fleksy have announced a partnership that will have Fleksy pre-installed on future ZTE Android devices. The press announcement touted Fleksy’s new built-in theme builder, which “gives users the ability to customize their keyboard with photos, colors, and effects.”

Customers who purchase a ZTE phone in the future will see Fleksy preloaded, although it isn’t clear if an alternative keyboard such as the stock Google Keyboard will be preloaded as well. There is no word on an exact date for this change, or a list of ZTE devices that will get the Fleksy treatment, but we expect more announcements from the two companies as they implement the partnership.

Source AndroidCentral

19 new MasterCard and Visa issuers added to Samsung Pay

Justin Marden
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samsung-pay_watermarkIf you have a Samsung device and you want to try out Samsung Pay, you may be one of the many users left out in the cold. Samsung Pay supports a limited number of debit and credit cards from specific banks, but it looks like that’s about to change. Samsung announced this week that 19 new Visa and MasterCard issuers have been added to the service, news that is sure to satisfy customers who have been patiently waiting for their bank to be eligible. Here’s the full list of new compatible issuers:

  • PNC Bank
  • KeyBank
  • TCF Bank
  • Central Florida Educators Federal Credit Union
  • Financial Center Federal Credit Union
  • Greater Kinston Federal Credit Union
  • Keypoint Credit Union
  • Numerica Credit Union
  • Utah Community Credit Union
  • Amegy Bank National Association
  • California Bank and Trust
  • Pentagon Federal Credit Union
  • Achieva Credit Union
  • Associated Bank
  • Bayport Credit Union
  • Bethpage Federal Credit Union
  • Cambridge Savings Bank
  • USC Credit Union
  • Navy Federal Credit Union

If your bank or credit union made the list, congratulations! You should be able to open up the Samsung Pay app on your device and save your card for future use! Chase, Citi, and Bank of America were among the list of previously supported financial institutions, but it’s good to see Samsung expanding the reach of the service to more users.

If your bank is still not supported, it may be added in the coming months as Samsung continues to expand the number of institutions that work with Samsung Pay.

Source Samsung

T-Mobile slashes $100 off top Samsung phones and gives one year free of Netflix

AndroidGuys
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This holiday season, T-Mobile is playing Santa of sorts. As part of the Un-carrier Unwrapped promotion, T-Mobile offering a $100 discount off Samsung’s premium Galaxy devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Edge+ and Note 5. If that was not good enough for you, the wireless carrier is also throwing in a full year’s Netflix subscription for free.

“Today we’re putting the final bow on a fantastic month of gifts to all wireless customers. Starting this weekend, we’re giving you $100 off the top on Samsung’s hottest phones, plus a year of Netflix. Period. Happy Holidays Everyone!”

– John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile

There is just one catch – the deal is only valid for T-Mobile’s equipment installment plan, which means you can’t avail the offer on the purchase of unlocked Galaxy devices. But if you don’t mind staying bound to one service provider, it is indeed a sweet deal.

To make the most of this offer, you must make a purchase between December 18th and December 23rd. While the $100 discount may not be available after December 23rd, customers still get up to a free year of Netflix though December 31st.

Source: T-Mobile

 

Micromax announces YU Yutopia with a Snapdragon 810 SoC, 4GB RAM and CyanogenMod OS

AndroidGuys
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Micromax has added a new device to its popular YU portfolio, and this time the Indian smartphone maker has decided to make it large with Yutopia. The mid-ranger is packed with premium features including an aluminum unibody, a 5.2-inch QHD display and a Snapdragon 810 processor with 4GB of RAM.

Earlier, the company’s YU handsets had created quite a stir in India due to their lucrative pricing and great hardware. The Yureka and Yuphoria also gained popularity because they ran CyanogenMod OS after Micromax signed an exclusivity contract with the custom ROM maker in India.

In comparison to YU’s past devices, the specifications and pricing of the Yutopia make it obvious that Micromax is now targeting India’s mid-range market. Priced at INR 24,999 ($375), the handset features a 5.2-inch QHD LCD screen, which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

On the hardware front, it is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of DDR4 RAM and comes with a 21-megapixel Sony IMX230 primary shooter with optical image stabilization (OIS) and phase detection autofocus. It also sports an 8-megapixel selfie camera and even its back camera can be used to take self portraits thanks to its fingerprint sensor. It houses a 3,000 mAh non-removable battery and supports fast charging supported by Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0.

The device runs Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12.1, with the Marshmallow update just around the corner. The device is now available for pre-ordering on Amazon India, and it will go on sale from December 26 onward.

Source: Amazon India

POP! CARDBOARD 2.5 review: a superb Google Cardboard variant

Josh Noriega
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Virtual reality (VR) has taken the mobile market by storm as soon as Google introduced a ingenious way to achieve it – by simply strapping a phone to our faces. While that sounds like an odd thing to say, it works! A viewer with lenses and a phone mount doesn’t need to be an expensive accessory, and it was with this realization that Google Cardboard was born.

Since then, accessory manufacturers also wanted a piece of the action. One finely-made Google Cardboard variant is by a German company called Mr. Cardboard. It’s latest revision of the product is called POP! CARDBOARD 2.5.

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Let’s check out Mr. Cardboard’s take on Google’s viewer and if this is the Cardboard design you should be using to get away from it all.

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Setup and Design

I loved how easy it was to get the POP! Cardboard up and running. I have to say that when I received the review unit (unopened it just looks like a thick envelope), I didn’t look forward to assembling it. I don’t like having to set something up to use it. But that’s how Google’s Cardboard project works.

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To my satisfaction, the product guides you perfectly through each step (and there aren’t even a lot of steps). When you open the envelope, you see instructions on the back panel and the flattened product on the other.

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All it take is two unfolds and you begin to see what the Cardboard looks like.

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There’s a clearly marked perforated line on where to detach the device from the packaging. Once you do, it’s pretty self-explanatory on what do from here. Simply expand the flattened box and the viewer takes shape.

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The panel that holds the lenses just folds down into place. There are two inserts on the panel that go into corresponding slits on the box, so that it doesn’t come apart unwillingly.

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On the other end, you see where the phone is to be placed. There’s a flap that encloses the phone, secured by Velcro.

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I would’ve liked for the orientation of the Velcro patch to go vertically instead of horizontally. It’s easy to overshoot it when closing the lid. Rather, you need to visually make sure that the two patches line up. No biggie.

Usability

My current phone is the LG V10. It’s not a small phone by any means, so I was interested on how well it would fit onto the POP! Interestingly, the length of the phone extends past the dimensions of the Cardboard.

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At first impression, one suspect a failure. But Mr. Cardboard actually states that the POP! Cardboard 2.5 supports very large phones like the Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. So what gives?

Turns out that it doesn’t really matter. The viewer functionality still works. Actually, the phone’s extension gives you more to grip onto.

However, do notice that the back cutout (meant to allow the phone’s camera to be utilized for augmented reality) slightly cuts into my phone’s camera. This is a tough one, because you have to try to guess a cutout that would work for all phones. Fortunately, all it takes is a little shift to unblock the camera. The phone’s mounting is undisturbed by movement of the phone.

The POP! Cardboard 2.5 doesn’t have a strap, so it can only be used with support by your hands. I suspect this is due to the device’s support for large phones. The weight of phablets can compromise the experience. Also, there’s a risk with the phone falling out, since it doesn’t get fully encapsulated. Using your hands makes sure your device stays safe.

As soon as you’re ready to go, simply download a VR-supported app. Google has a list of apps and games here. There’s a Cardboard-specific QR code you scan on the side of the box for checking “Works with Google Cardboard” compatibility.

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Where you place your face on the viewer has mindful foam padding. It’s very comfy and the experience is as it should be. There’s no issue whatsoever viewing the screen through the lenses. The functionality works as it should. On the bottom, there’s a small cutout to allow you to interact with the phone without removing it.

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Final Thoughts

It was a joy to test out Mr. Cardboard’s solution for Google Cardboard. The POP! Cardboard 2.5 is extremely easy to get up and running. I loved how simple and refined the product is.

It’s a bummer that there isn’t some way to attach the viewer to your head for a hands-free experience. But I do appreciate that you can use it with large phones.

The POP! Cardboard 2.5 is made in Germany, but fortunately it’s available on Amazon for U.S. customers (and is actually packaged with a head strap). At $19 (at the time of this writing), it’s not the cheapest Cardboard out there, but you know you’ll be getting one that is well-made.

Product page

Get this look: CandyCons – Icon Pack

Jack McNenny
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0

From the young developer Vukasin Andelkovic comes a quality Material Design inspired icon pack full of designs that should cover most of your app collection. I’ve been using this icon pack for a couple weeks now and haven’t thought about switching to anything else. Despite how young the app is, it provides a very large number of icons with the promise of many more. People change their icons because their bored of the current look and want something new. With CandyCons, you aren’t stuck with one look for one icon, this pack provides many different options for a single icon.

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Why we love this look

Like I mentioned above, I love how I’m not stuck with one color or look for something like the Chrome app or my messaging app. Chrome alone has eleven different looks in this icon pack. Hangouts has ten different colors to choose from. Your stock messaging app? There’s twenty two colors for that. The fact that I can have most of the apps on my homepage stay in a uniform color is a really cool feature, and makes my phone all the more appealing.

CandyCons’s app interface is also a pleasure to use, and sticks with the fresh look of Material Design. From the icons section, you can see all the included icons in one column and the new icons from the latest update in the next. The latest update gave the users free Christmas icons to place on their homescreens, which I found to be very thoughtful. The app also includes a wallpapers section including only Google Earth images similar to the ones included in stock Android 6.0. Hit the link below for the free download from Google Play

CandyCons – Icon Pack

 

UB+ Eupho modular speakers review

Benton Trerise
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These days, “modular” devices are all the rage. Starting with Phonebloks, the idea that you can take a device and modify it to your liking seems to appeal the tech world at large. UB+ has taken this idea and applied it to its Eupho speakers, allowing you to have as little or as much added onto your speaker as you’d like. I had the opportunity to try these out, and I think it’s an interesting idea, though with some confusing aspects. Read on below.

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[df-subtitle]Design[/df-subtitle]

When you first look at a UB+ Eupho, it looks like your typical portable Bluetooth speaker – cylindrical, with the speaker coming out of the top. However, there are any number of accessories that you can get from UB+ to morph and change how your speaker works. For example, you can buy the UB+ Eupho Stereo to turn two portable speakers into a single double speaker stereo.

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However, the Stereo and another accessory called the Brave have not been released yet, but are slated to come out early in 2016. For now, you can get an expansion case, which acts not only as a protective case but also as a sound enhancer (more on that later). The case is two parts, one part that’s mostly clear, the other part matching the color of the speaker. You can also get an adapter that allows you to connect multiple Eupho speakers together via aux cable. UB+ calls this the BuddyStereo system. Basically, connecting two or more Eupho speakers (or other speakers, even) through an aux cable via the BuddyStereo port. This way, if you connect to a speaker either through a cable or Bluetooth with your phone, you control both speaker’s sound.

Anyways, on the top you have the power button along with Bluetooth control, and then the volume up and down buttons. The speaker grill has a very unique-looking design  on it that makes the Eupho stand out. On the side you have your analog in port, the micro-USB port for charging and as a digital input. Then you have the BuddyStereo input.

[df-subtitle]Function[/df-subtitle]

Alright, so we have a modular speaker with the capability to connect to other speakers to make one sound-system: how does it work?

In short, the BuddyStereo system on the UB+ Eupho works well. You simply plug one Eupho into the other, and you’re set. I’d say the only part that was confusing was figuring out which speaker you connected your phone to.

Once you figured that out, though, it worked like a breeze. Whether your phone is connected via cable or Bluetooth, control was seamless. Even controlling the volume on the master speaker would in turn control the other speaker.

Otherwise, the Eupho works as any other portable speaker does. Bluetooth setup is fairly seamless, everything is pretty clearly labeled on the speaker itself.

Battery life is great – I actually haven’t charged the speakers since I’ve received them, and have used them for a good 8 hours a least. I was going to try to wear the speakers out to give a better number, but that has proven difficult.

[df-subtitle]Sound Quality[/df-subtitle]

When it comes to portable speakers, one of the biggest complaints  is in regards to the sound being thin. Usually, the music sounds more like it’s trying to escape instead of being willfully delivered. Many try to fix this by tweaking the sound, but at the end of the day, that speaker with the diameter of a thumb just isn’t going to sound as good as bigger, multiple speakers.

UB+’s (UB+’? UB+s? Your guess is as good as mine) fixes this problem by combing multiple speakers together, using a system similar to surround sound systems for your home. Those speakers aren’t particularly big, but with more of them, you get more full sound. With this method, UB+ achieves great sound considering the size of the speakers.

However, something that is odd is the use of the expansion case I mentioned earlier. UB+ encourages use of these cases, as they claim the sound is more complete. While I admit there is certainly a difference with the expansion case, and arguably a better one, it is curious to me that it takes this expansion case to achieve the sound. Without the expansion case, you are still left with a very thin-sounding output, even with the addition of other speakers. It’s not until you add the expansion case that it sounds better. I’m not sure why the sound achieved with the expansion case wasn’t just designed into the normal speaker to begin with. I imagine not building the case onto the speaker makes modifying the speaker easier. Still, make you wonder.

Overall, the speakers sound great, and allow for a more complete sound with the use of the BuddySystem that other portable speakers cannot achieve.

[df-subtitle]Conclusion[/df-subtitle]

UB+ seeks to be different in a very saturated market of portable speakers, and I think they do it well. Building the capability to make a portable speaker more than just a slightly bigger speaker than your phone is quite the task. Yet, UB+ has implemented this well, and if they can create more accessories to modify the speakers, having a handful of the UB+ Eupho could complete your home sound system.

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