The Nitty Gritty: Purchase a pre-owned unlocked Google 3a for just $150 and use it with your favorite carrier.
On the hunt for a new handset but don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with a flagship model? That’s totally understandable; most people can get by with a phone that’s a generation or two behind. What’s more, you don’t need a device that was ever considered a “flagship” to begin with. Take the Google Pixel 3a, for instance.
One of our favorite phones of the last few years, the Pixel 3a is the Google standard for what a mid-range device should look like and how it should operate. And while it originally launched in 2019, it still has a decent amount of hardware for most people. , Google will continue to support it with timely software updates and patches for another year or two.
The AG Deals Store has a sale on pre-owned versions of the Google Pixel 3a, listing them for just $150 right now. Sold unlocked, it will work with your carrier of choice, and has a 30-day parts and labor warranty.
If you’re the type to only replace your device every few years, this would a great, and affordable way, of buying time until your next purchase.
Pixel 3a Highlights
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 + Android 9. Flip through menus, run home screens, apps & more
LTE unlocked. Choose the network that you want to use
Network access. Browse the net & download videos, music, and movies
12MP camera. Record your favorite memories with good resolutions
Many of you are likely familiar with the so-called “Big Four” wireless service providers of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. A lot of people might assume that this is pretty much all there is when it comes to carrier choice in the US. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Most of the top-tier carriers offer their own prepaid services with different rate plans, phone selection, and support. Let’s take a look at AT&T Prepaid.
About AT&T Prepaid
Once known as GoPhone, AT&T Prepaid operates in the US using the same network as its tier-one brand and, for the most part, provides nearly identical coverage. One key difference is that there is no third party coverage in pockets of states such as Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska.
AT&T Prepaid features include no annual contract, no credit check, and easy activation.
What are AT&T Prepaid rate plans like?
AT&T Prepaid rate plans let subscribers go month-to-month with no long-term agreement or cancellation fees. Moreover, it does not charge for going over your allotted data; you receive “throttled” 2G speeds on data for the remainder of the bill cycle.
The prices shown below are with automatic bill payment, or AutoPay. Rate plans may vary based on limited-time promotions.
$30/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with 5GB of high-speed data
$40/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with 15GB high-speed data
$65/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with unlimited high-speed data
$75/month: Unlimited Talk and Text with unlimited high-speed data
What’s with the two unlimited plans?
You’ll note that there are two plans with “unlimited” data. The $55 option normally costs $65 per month while the $50 one usually runs $75 per month.
It definitely makes more sense to go with the cheaper plan as you get a lot more for your money. The main catch, however, is that it’s for new customers only.
Here’s what’s notably different between the two:
$55 plan: Data may be slowed in times of congestion
$50 plan: Allows for access to 5G network speeds, data may be slowed in times of congestion after 22GB used, includes 10GB mobile hotspot, 100GB cloud storage, and video streams can be up to 1080p
Mobile hotspot/tethering is available to most of the plans as an add-on. There are other features available for the various plan, including unlimited calls and text to Mexico and Canada or usage in Mexico and Canada. Those on the 2GB or 8GB plans who do not use the allotted amount will be able to roll it over to the next month.
Multi-Month Plans
AT&T has three online-only offers for customers who opt to pay in advance. A 3-month plan ($99) gives users 8GB of data per month; a 6-month plan ($180) brings the price down to $30 per month; a 12-month plan ($300) equates to $25 per month.
It includes unlimited talk and text within the US, Mexico & Canada, and unlimited text from the US to 100+ countries. These are limited time offers with no known expiration date.
Are there any other features worth noting?
AT&T Prepaid offers add-ons such as international calling and monthly data plans for tablets and hotspots. Moreover, add-on data can be purchased in the event you hit your plan’s data threshold.
What about family plans?
Customers interested in family plans or multiple lines can do so with discounted pricing. As of today AT&T Prepaid offers a discount on each line, when adding a line of service. Additionally, there’s also a discount for AutoPay, automatic bill payment. It’s possible to mix and match plans based off of individual data needs.
As one might expect, the overall selection pales in comparison to the standard AT&T brand and skews toward affordability instead of power. For those looking to save money there are also a handful devices which are certified restored.
A few phones have promotions which might add credit to your account or save money when paired with a particular rate plan.
Can I bring my own phone to AT&T Prepaid?
You can often use your current phone on AT&T Prepaid, especially if it was previously paired with the standard AT&T service. Contact your current service provider to see if you can unlock your phone for usage on AT&T.
We’re also seeing a growing trend of unlocked phones with support for AT&T and its Prepaid bands sold direct to consumer. Examples include models from Samsung, Motorola, Blu, Nokia, and Alcatel.
If you’ve never received a spam message from Google Drive, then count yourself lucky. Over the past couple of years, I’ve received so many that I eventually just disabled notifications from the app entirely. While that’s not exactly a fix, it certainly freed me from all the spam messages I had been receiving.
Now, Google is announcing that it is working on a proper fix for all of this Drive spam. In a post on its Google Cloud Blog, it revealed that user blocking is coming to Drive.
Drive’s sharing capabilities fuel productivity and collaboration, but bad actors can abuse tools that are meant to facilitate helpful sharing. That’s why it’s important to have the necessary security controls in place to fend off these sharing threats. Today, we’re announcing user blocking in Drive to do just that.
When you block a user, it will accomplish three different actions at once. First, it will block the user from sharing any content with you in the future. Second, it will remove all existing files and folders shared by the user. Thirdly, it will remove the other person’s access to your content.
While blocking each individual user who spams you sounds incredibly tedious, it’s a lot better than the previous option we had, which was to report the spam message.
From the looks of it, the block option appears to be present in the “shared with me” section of the Google Drive web interface. Perhaps it will also be present in the notification, but who knows? Personally, I know I’d rather block it immediately from the notification rather than on the web.
Google says this feature will roll out over the next few months. However, this announcement came from the Workspace section of its blog. Meaning, it’ll most likely roll out to business users first, and hopefully to the rest of us later on.
Google Photos won’t be storing your images for free much longer, but Google is still working on new ways to keep people interested in using the app.
One of these ways is with Memories, which gives you a way to look back at your photos from years past. Google realized that most photos we take never get viewed, data shows that most of the four trillion photos stored in Google Photos are never viewed again.
Improved Memories
While Memories is nothing new in the Google Photos app, it’s about to get smarter. Later this summer, Memories will be able to resurface images based on more than just themes, it will also begin to highlight photos that share the same shapes or colors.
When testing this out, Google’s engineers made some funny discoveries, such as one who always goes traveling using an orange backpack. He found Google Photos created an album full of photos from his journeys with his trusty backpack, helping him relive the memories of his trips.
Along with this, Memories will also begin to show moments from holidays including Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Hanukkah later this year. While Memories categories such as Best of Month Memories and Trip highlights have already begun to roll out.
More Control
Google Photos is not only ramping up what types of Memories you see, but it is also giving you better control over them. Since the launch of Memories, Google has heard feedback from users about how some photos can bring back painful feelings. For example, photos of lost loved ones or of your ex. Specifically, Google has heard the voices of the transgender community and how certain photos can be harmful.
That’s why Google has been working with GLAAD and listening to its users to make it easier to find the controls to hide photos of certain people or time periods. More granular controls are coming to Memories as well.
starting today, you’ll be able to rename a Trip highlight, or remove it completely. And coming soon, you’ll be able to remove a single photo from a Memory, remove Best of Month Memories and rename or remove Memories based on the moments you celebrate.
Cinematic Moments
Google is also looking at ways to help you enjoy your favorite snaps with improvements to Cinematic photos, a feature that rolled out last December and turns static images into 3D versions.
Now, going a step further, Google Photos will begin using multiple photos of the same scene–and some machine learning magic–to create frames in between the images piecing it together into a short video called Cinematic moments.
This is perfect, because I’m sure if you’re anything like me, you capture multiple images of the same thing every time, just to make sure you get a good one. Google will now be able to use all of these images to create something one of a kind for you and your family.
Locked Folders
A way to hide personal and private images has been something Google Photos has needed for a long time. Well, now it’s finally coming. The new feature was announced yesterday at Google I/O 2021 and unfortunately, it will roll out to Pixel smartphones first. However, Google did say that Locked Folder will “arrive on more Android devices throughout the year.”
When it does finally reach your device, you’ll have a special Locked Folder within Google Photos that hides images and videos behind a passcode. After being added to the Locked Folder, it will no longer show up in your library or any other apps on your device. Making sure your private photos stay private.
Pixel users will also be able to save photos and videos directly to the Locked Folder directly from the camera app. Something we probably won’t see on other Android devices since they don’t use the Google Camera app.
Google I/O 2021 kicked off with a ton of information and announcements, and among these was some new information about Android Auto and Android Automotive OS.
For starters, Android Auto is now available in more than 100 million cars, supported by nearly every major manufacturer with Porsche being the latest. Even better, brands such as GM, Ford, Honda, and more will support Android Auto wireless. No more having to lug a cord around like some caveman when you want to use Android Auto in your car.
Of course, you’re still going to have to pair your phone up to your car, and that in itself can be more of a pain than using a cord. Thankfully, car manufacturer’s like BMW and Ford are both working on adding Fast Pair to its vehicles. Much like with headphones, Fast Pair will make it quick and relatively painless to connect your phone to your car with a prompt that walks you through the process.
Now that you have an easy way to get Android Auto on your car with Fast Pairing, what could make it even better? How about unlocking or starting your car up with your phone using a digital car key? That’s what Google is working on for Android 12 using Ultra-Wideband technology that will allow you to get into your car and start it up without even touching it. There will also be a version that uses NFC for cars that support it that will require you to tap the phone to the door handle, not quite as cool, but I’ll take it.
That’s not all though, using this technology you’ll also be able to securely share your digital car key with friends and family if they need to use your car.
Don’t get too excited just yet though. Currently, Google says it’s working with car manufacturers to make this a reality, but the only one it mentions by name is BMW. Plus, so far, it looks like digital car keys will only become available later this year on select Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones.
Furthermore, Android Automotive OS, the standalone car infotainment system, has been making more strides in getting itself into some new cars. The latest are the Polestar 2, Volvo XC40 Recharge, and the Volvo XC60. Additionally, by the end of 2021, it will be available in “more than 10 car models from Volvo, General Motors and Renault.”
Google also showed off Android Auto projecting onto the display of a BMW iX and running Android Automotive OS on the all-electric GMC Hummer EV.
It’s long been rumored that Samsung’s next Galaxy Watch 4 would make the switch to Wear OS after seven years of running its own in-house Tizen OS. In fact, the latest rumors pointed to the Galaxy Watch 4 using a Tizen skin over Wear OS.
Now, we know there’s much more to it than that. Today, at Google I/O 2021, Google announced that it has been working in partnership with Samsung to bring the best of Wear OS and Tizen together for the biggest upgrade to the platform yet, promising faster performance and longer battery life.
Google is now promising faster animations, a smoother user interface, and apps launching up to 30% faster on the latest chipsets.
While to improve battery life they had to dig deep and optimize the lower layers of the operating system utilizing low-power hardware cores to optimize continuous heart rate and sleep monitoring. All of which should spell battery life savings allowing you to make it through a full day and overnight with juice to spare.
As for the Galaxy Watch 4 running a custom Tizen skin, it does appear Google is opening up the platform to custom UIs for the first time saying, “This isn’t just for Google and Samsung. All device makers will be able to add a customized user experience on top of the platform, and developers will be able to use the Android tools they already know and love to build for one platform and ecosystem.”
On top of everything else, by having one unified platform going forward, app developers won’t have to split focus. Instead, they can focus directly on a single platform making it easier to develop and maintain apps. Google says you can expect more tiles on the way from apps such as Calm, Sleep Cycle, and Flo.
Additionally, redesigned and improved versions of Google Maps and Google Assistant are in the works for Wear OS. Then there’s the long-awaited YouTube Music app coming later this year with the ability to download songs to your watch for subscribers, along with Google Pay snagging a UI refresh and support for 26 new countries.
And have you forgotten about Google’s Fitbit acquisition? Because it appears they are finally doing something with it, promising the best of Fitbit with features like health tracking throughout the day and on-wrist goal celebrations.
Last but not least, Google has also been working on some usability enhancements mentioning a new way to swap between apps on the watch. This will come in the form of a double-press of the button on the side of the watch, which will take you back to the last app you were using. For example, if you’re tracking your run with an app, you’ll be able to double-press on the button to swap over to your music app to change tracks before doing the same action again to return to the app tracking your run. It’s a small thing, but also a huge improvement.
All in all, it appears the biggest thing to happen to Wear OS is on the horizon, and it couldn’t come soon enough. Google has neglected the platform for years now and it has been in dire need of a refresh. As a huge wearables fan myself, I couldn’t be more excited about all these changes.
Panasonic may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of Android tablets, but it just released one named the Toughbook S1. You may remember the Toughbook brand from years past when Panasonic used to produce a line of rugged laptops.
Now, Panasonic has taken that same know-how and has created an ultra-tough 7-inch Android tablet that works with a stylus, fingers, or gloves for enterprise use. It features a Qualcomm SDM660 chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 13MP rear camera, and runs Android 10 out of the box.
There is also LTE and GPS availability to make sure you stay connected no matter where your job takes you and NFC built-in as well. For workers in warehouses, manufacturing, and more–an optional barcode scanner that works in landscape or portrait orientations is available along with an additional USB-A port add-on.
On top of that, the Panasonic Toughbook S1 is built to MIL-STD-810H standards, able to withstand drops of up to 5 feet on concrete and it’s IP65/67 water and dust resistant. Plus, it is also rated to work in temperatures as low as -4°F and in heat up to 122°F.
Additionally, it includes a 5580mAh warm swap battery. This means, besides having good battery life, you’ll also be able to swap out the battery during long shifts or in the field instead of having to wait for it to charge back up.
Essentially, the Panasonic Toughbook S1 is made to take a lick and keep on ticking, and operate in some of the most extreme conditions. That’s why it doesn’t come cheap, the Toughbook S1 starts at $2,499 and it’s available for purchase now.
Verizon is the largest wireless network providers in the US, serving nearly 120 million subscribers. While most readers are familiar with the tier-one player, it also offers its own prepaid service, too.
Here, we gather up a handful of the best phones you can purchase at Verizon Prepaid today. This isn’t a list of the best overall with the top-notch performance. Rather, our list aims to speak to specific users.
Already one of our favorite phones of the year, the Pixel 4a tick all the right boxes and is priced to move, too. It’s everything you need in a modern phone with none of the expensive extras.
Here, you get a 5.8-inch display, plenty of memory (6GB) and storage (128GB), and a generous fast charging battery. Powered by the latest and greatest version of Android, you’ll have hard time finding a better camera experience.
It might not be the newest kid on the block, but we don’t think you’d even notice. Phones don’t come much more big or beautiful — or practical.
Key features here include a 6.3-inch FHD+ display, an excellent multi-camera array, and all-day 3500mAh battery. Then there’s the digital style S Pen and all of the great functions that come with it.
If you’re starting out with a smartphone for the first time, you have no idea as to what you truly need. Why drop hundreds of dollars on something only to find out it’s more than you want or use?
Priced about as cheap as it gets, the TCL SIGNA is your way of dipping your toes into the pool without risk of buyer’s guilt. It runs Android 10 when plenty of more expensive phones do not, and has a decent smattering of hardware.
When you’re looking for a big-screen experience with a digital stylus you don’t have to default to that other more well-known handset. Indeed, the LG Stylo 6 is just as good for most people’s needs and it’s less than half of the price.
For your money you get a large 6.8-inch display, an octa-core processor with decent storage and memory, and a battery that goes well beyond a day. Toss in the triple camera array and Android 10 and you’ve got one heck of a device — and money in your pocket.
There is never a shortage of selection when it comes to buying a phone. Regardless of need or budget, there’s always something to consider. If you’re in the market to upgrade to one of the latest phones, or make a switch to a different brand, you might be wondering what to do with your old one.
An important factor in your decision might be how much you can get for your current device. It’s a lot easier to drop a ton of cash on a new flagship if you know your old handset is still worth a few hundred bucks, right?
The difference between a quick and painless sale and a long, drawn out process could come down to a few simple details. In this guide, we’ll give you tips on how to maximize what you can get for your device.
Prepare your device
Before you even consider listing your device, there are a couple of steps you need to take. These will protect yourself and ensure that your buyer is getting the best device possible.
Although super simple, these steps can make a large difference for both you and your buyer.
Backup your data
Whether it’s pictures, text messages, call logs, downloads, and documents, nobody wants to lose their data.
Recent versions of Android allow users to easily backup and restore data automatically, but I still prefer some third-party applications that let me be more actively involved in the backup and restoration process. If I’m doing it, I know it got done.
The first app I suggest is SMS Backup and Restore. It’s not the prettiest, but it does allow you to backup and restore all of your SMS conversations and call logs. It also gives you the option to include MMS messages and emojis or special characters.
Additionally, if you only care about a few specific conversations, it will allow you to select the conversations you want to keep instead of every single one.
I love that it can upload the backup to Google Drive or Dropbox so I can log in on my new device, download the file and restore my conversations with the app.
I have Google Photos setup to automatically backup my pictures and videos on my phone, but I also make sure to open it up and watch it sync one more time before I move over to a new device.
Once you wipe your device, there is no chance to get those pictures back if you haven’t backed them up, so better safe than sorry.
My last step to back up my data is to open up Solid Explorer and just look around at the file system and folders in my device. I don’t often make widgets with Zooper Widget Pro but I have been known to once in a while so when I do, grabbing those files is important.
Also, a quick glance at my downloads folder will remind me if there’s anything important that I need to move over to my new device. An upload to Google Drive later and I’m almost ready to wipe my device.
SIM unlock the device
If you’ve purchased your device from a carrier, unlocking your device can bring you a higher price when you sell it used. You have a couple options for SIM unlocking and both are very easy.
First off, if your phone is paid off and has been on your account for a few months, your carrier should permanently SIM unlock your device for you. To do this on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T, give customer support a call and request an unlock code. T-Mobile has an app that’s pre-installed on your device that will automate the process.
If you aren’t able to obtain an unlock code from your carrier, you can purchase one from a third-party site. Be careful here as not all of these outlets are reputable or operate within the regulations set by local lawmakers.
I suggest checking out what the price difference between locked and unlocked devices are on Swappa before you pull the trigger.
Factory Reset
Now that you’ve pulled all your data off the device and you’ve SIM unlocked it, it’s time to factory reset the device.
In almost all devices, you can find the factory reset in the Settings application near the bottom of the list. Some phones will include an application solely designed to let you factory reset your device.
Factory resetting your device is incredibly important for your sale. You don’t want to send your device off with your data still on it to some random person. Additionally, they won’t be able to wipe that device without the password to your Google account.
I suggest that you factory reset your device and run it through the setup process without entering any email addresses or personal information. If you do this, you know that the phone successfully wiped your information, and that there are no locks on the device.
Your customer can easily factory reset and go through the setup process once the phone arrives for them.
Spruce up your device
Ew
Aesthetics are important. No one wants to buy a gross phone, so make sure you clean the outside before you take your pictures.
Grab a Microfiber cloth and wipe off the display and rear of the device and make sure you take the time to clean out things like the earpiece and any gaps in the body.
Additionally, a tempered glass screen protector might help get you more for your device, but if it’s cracked or chipped at the edges, take it off so people can see that beautiful, scratch-free display.
Take great pictures
Pictures are one of the most important parts of selling your device. A good set of pictures will do all the selling for you.
Be sure your pictures are well lit and taken so that potential buyers can see any and all scratches on the screen, back of the body, or any physical wear.
Put yourself in the shoes of your potential buyers — what would you want to see? If you’re spending money on something, you want to know every square inch of that device, so try to show it to buyers.
It’s important to also gather all the accessories for a family shot. These can include any cases, cables, wall adapters, boxes, screen protectors, or anything else you’re planning to package with the phone.
Conclusion
I’m a technology addict so I go through plenty of devices. These steps have never steered me wrong and I hope they help you out a little too. The thing I try to remember at all times is to be honest about the device.
You’re trying to get the most money you can for your device, but if it arrives and the buyer isn’t happy, you’re going to have a headache on your hand.
If you have any more suggestions of apps to help back up data before selling a device, tips for selling or shipping your device, please post down in the comments section!
I’m sure you’re no stranger to Google Maps, the app has become synonymous with getting around these days. Whether you’re planning a trip to visit your friends and family, looking for a new restaurant, or simply on your way to work–you’re most likely using Google Maps. And there’s a good reason for that, it just keeps adding more useful features.
Today, at Google I/O 2021, five new features for Google Maps were revealed to make getting around even easier, starting with safer routes.
Safer Routes
Did you know that hard braking leads to more accidents? According to research out of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, driving routes that include more areas with hard deceleration can lead to more car wrecks.
This is why Google Maps will soon be able to detect routes with the least likelihood of hard-braking using machine learning–and if the ETA is the same or has a minimal difference–it will suggest those directions automatically. So, not only will you arrive on time, but you’ll also arrive safely.
Live View Enhancements
Live View with Augmented Reality is one of the coolest features Google Maps has, and it’s about to get even better. By accessing Live View directly from the map, you’ll be able to see details about the shops and restaurants around you, such as how busy they are or recent reviews with photos.
Live View is also getting new helpful street signs while you’re navigating on the road to ensure you always know where you are, especially at complex intersections. It will also be able to tell you where you are in relation to places such as a hotel when you’re traveling. No more getting lost while on vacation, yay!
Detailed Street Maps
Google launched detailed street maps last August in London, New York, and San Francisco to give a better understanding of your surroundings. With the use of Google’s AI and detailed maps, it can help you navigate by showing where sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian islands are while also showing the road to scale.
Now, Google plans to expand detailed street maps to 50 more cities by the end of the year, including Berlin, São Paulo, Seattle, and Singapore.
Live Busyness
During the pandemic, the live busyness feature on Google Maps has really taken off. It has helped people avoid crowded areas and each day over 80 million people check live busyness information. Now, Google is expanding it so that you can check the “busyness” of entire areas. Using this information, you should be able to avoid traffic jams and crowds or see where the hottest places are around the city and go check them out.
Tailored Maps
Staring at a map and seeing the sheer number of locations and pins can be overwhelming, to say the least. So what if your map was smarter and was able to surface relevant places to you when you checked it? That’s what Google plans to do by tailoring Google Maps to you.
For example, say you open Google Maps first thing in the morning, then it would highlight places like coffee shops nearby. However, check it in the evening, and it’ll help surface some restaurants in your area, or viewing it on the weekend might reveal tourist attractions.
Expect to see all these features rolling out globally on Android and iOS in the coming months.
