What's a Droid Phone?

In the strictest sense, a droid phone is any mobile phone that uses the Android mobile operating system. To the public, there may be some confusion because Verizon Wireless™ owns a phone called the Droid. The open source platform unique to the Android system makes droid phones different from other smartphones, in that users have greater ability to customize their handsets using a variety of internal and Web-based technologies.

The development of the Android platform was spurred on in large part by Google. Google purchased Android Inc. in 2005. Two years later, Google helped form the Open Handset Alliance, a collection of more than sixty leading companies in the mobile phone industry that helped develop and launch the Android platform for public use. Companies among the alliance included Google, Motorola, T-Mobile and HTC.

The first phone to use the Android software, the HTC Dream, debuted in late 2008. The first phone to legally use the droid brand name, the Motorola Droid, launched in late 2009.

Android technology developed out of the Linux kernel open software. Since the early 1990s, Linux specialized in open source operating systems that any developer could add on to, develop and mutate.

This open-ended approach has allowed Linux products to be easily modified to new technologies as well as to a user's personal preferences. Android was launched by the Open Handset Alliance as a means to bring such technology to the mobile phone. This makes the droid phone a unique alternative to other smartphones, such as the iPhone.

Whereas many smartphone interfaces have limited capacity for customization, the interface on an Android phone is left up to the user's imagination and technological savvy. On many smartphones, for example, only one application can be run at a time. On a droid phone, however, a user can not only launch multiple applications, but instruct them to interact with one another.

As a working example, someone could have all of their e-mail and social network accounts stream into one convenient box on his or her Android phone such as a HTC Hero, making it possible to read messages from all accounts at the same time.

What does an iPhone Do?

The iPhone name has been used for a number of products, but is best known as the smartphone line released in 2007 by Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc. Apple’s iPhone popularized the use of touchscreens as a primary interface for a mobile phone.

Beyond the aspects standard in most smartphones such as Internet connectivity and messaging, the iPhone’s features can be divided into three main groups: hardware, media, and applications.

The iPhone’s hardware has been one of its biggest draws. Based around touchscreen technology, the iPhone does not have a keypad, instead, a virtual keyboard and keypad are displayed on the touchscreen when required. The removal of the physical keypad lets the iPhone’s screen be much larger than that of similar-sized mobile phones.

An accelerometer allows the iPhone to react and change its screen display depending on if it is being viewed horizontally or vertically. The phone also has an internal flash drive to store data. Other hardware features include a digital camera, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, speaker, Wi-Fi™ connectivity, Bluetooth®, and, in later models, A-GPS.

Besides just being a mobile phone, the iPhone is also a fully-functioning media player. Songs can be transferred to its internal memory from most home computers as well as the iTunes store, allowing entire music collections to be portable. Photographs and documents can be viewed on the device’s large color screen, as can full-motion video.

Applications are technically how the iPhone works as a media player and web browser; the term, however, is also a general one that describes the downloadable programs the iPhone can run. The applications are extremely varied.

There are applications which allow the iPhone to act like an ocarina, show the phone’s location on a map via A-GPS, randomly choose local restaurants for the user, play games, or just display interesting images. Applications are developed both by Apple Inc. and third-parties.

The iPhone is usually sold “locked," that is, only able to use the cellular phone service of a specified provider. In the United States of America, for instance, that provider is AT&T. Some countries do not allow locked cell phones to be sold, so unlocked versions of the iPhone are available legally in those areas. As well, hackers have been able to unlock the iPhone with limited success for use on unauthorized networks.

Refurbished Cell Phones vs. New...Does It Matter?

Is it a good idea to buy a refurbished cell phone? It all depends. A refurbished cell phone is one that has been returned to the factory from a cell phone company and rebuilt, usually to new specifications. Sometimes, a favorite model will no longer be manufactured new, but a customer can get a refurbished one.

A refurbished mobile phone should, in all respects, work exactly as a new phone. This is probably more likely to be the case when the refurbished mobile phone does not have many complex features, such as a camera, personal digital assistant and Bluetooth® capabilities.

Cell phone customers routinely upgrade their mobile phones every couple of years or so, and the old ones have to go somewhere. Some are discarded, if they are no longer compatible with the cellular system, but many are sent back to the factory to be refurbished. This is also the case for phones that malfunction.

Whether buying a refurbished mobile phone is a good idea depends greatly on the manufacturer. Reputable makers usually produce a good product, but this may not be the case with "off" brands. A consumer should also always ask his or her cellular service provider if they have many refurbished phones returned for malfunction.

Sometimes, the manufacturer will provide a warranty of some description, but the consumer should insist on one from the service provider.

The question of getting a refurbished mobile phone may be crucial for someone who needs a phone at a moment's notice and cannot afford to risk having a refurbished cell phone malfunction. On the flip side of that coin are elderly customers who have a good phone that they like.

Many elderly customers don't want to have to learn how to use their phones all over again, and if a refurbished mobile phone in their preferred model is available, they may want one.

Price is another consideration. No customer should be asked to pay top dollar for a refurbished cell phone. This is not fair. Even if a phone has many features, if it is refurbished, the customer should not have to pay what she would for a new phone. However, cellular service providers are aware of this, and they often offer a refurbished mobile phone as one of the free models for upgrade or for signing a service contract.

How Do I Get Free Cell Phone Service?

You as a customer + 5 customers unlimited plan= FREE CELL PHONE SERVICE

or You + 3 unlimited customers as a representative = FREE CELL PHONE SERVICE + EXTRA INCOME

The Long Term Advantages of Prepaid Cell Phone Plans

No commitment means no subsidy
Since the nature of prepaid cellular service revolves around no contracts, it makes sense that companies do no subsidize the cell phones.. Much of the time, this means you're paying full retail price for a phone, which can now get up into the $300 and $400 range for the top models.

The companies' logic is that they don't want to give out a subsidy only to have you break away from their service in three months.  Since there's no way to penalize a prepaid user -- since they never agreed to a contract -- there's no way to get back a monthly premium for an expensve cell phone.

The best offer in this regard comes from companies who sell discounted new cell phones or refurbished models. The cost of the unlimited talk, text and data from the postpaid plans is quite significant.

Take a close look at the numbers. Lightyear offers unlimited talk, text and data for $59.99 per month which equals $1119.88 for one year. Even with the cost of their most expensive Smartphone which is $414.99 the savings is still $245.01 for a year compared to ATT and $305.01 compared to Verizon.  The difference with Sprint is not as significant $14.93 and Verizon's data service is limited to 2G.

But this is with the assumption that Lightyear's most expensive phone is purchased. Their phones range in price between $39.99 -$414.99. The savings can be extreemely significant.

There is more however...free service? 

The Huge Draw of Postpaid Plans:The Price of Phones

Q:Free or cheaper phones, but what is the real cost?
A: A huge draw for postpaid cellular service is that most providers give away phones when you sign a new cell phone contract. There are certain models made available for these promotions, and they bring in the subscribers. Even if a new customer wants a different phone, a subsidy is applied to that purchase. That is, the service provider picks up some of the tab for your new phone. Thus the reason for credit checks.

Beyond the attractive marketing opportunities this presents, there's an overarching reason why carriers subsidize new cell phone purchases. Simply, in postpaid service, you're tied down to a contract, the norm being two years in length.

Q: So how, exactly, does this work?
A: Here's the idea behind subsidizing phones. For whatever reason, cell phones are rather expensive. This might be because of high mark-ups somewhere along the production line, or it might be that the phones actually cost that much to produce.

In any event, it's tough to get people to drop serious money on a cell phone. Not only do you have to pay for service on top of it, but they're especially fragile.

Think of your TV service. It's a similar situation in that you have to buy a TV, and then buy the cable service. However, TVs are less volatile than cell phones. They stay in one plays, rather than being trucked around in your pocket or purse. Because cell phones are mobile, they're far more apt to break. So this either means paying more for insurance, or paying for another phone down the road. Neither is very attractive -- especially considering how we've made cell phones an essential instrument in our daily lives.

Somewhere along the line, cell phone companies figured out that the best way to entice customers was to offer a discount on phones. But if they're taking a hit in that department, they have to make up for it somewhere else. Hence, the two-year contract.


Over the two-year term, the company figures to make back its investment in the subscriber's phone. This is also why they employ early termination fees. When you cancel before your contract is up, you're repaying the company for the subsidy they provided you.

But do you want to be locked into a plan just because the phone appears to be free or cheaper?

Is it really cheaper to be part of a postpaid plan, especially if the service is not the best? In the big picture postpaid plans are significantly more expensive and cell phones are a necessity in today's world.

What to do?

2 Types of Plans: Postpaid vs Prepaid Cell Phones

Most wireless service is sold on month-to-month or one-, two- or three-year contracts, with a monthly fixed cost that includes a set amount of useage or unlimited plans. Before signing a contract, you must go through the carrier's credit check. Every month you get a bill based on the cellphone plan you choose and any extras you used that month (e.g. minutes used above your plan, text messages, etc. etc. and so on).

If you decide to cancel service, it will cost you! Most providers have an early termination penalty. This can range from a flat fee to a charge per month remaining on your contract. This gives you a limited window of opportunity to cancel service without any penalty if you find out that a provider just doesn't meet your needs.

There is an alternative plan that allows you to change the number of minutes and other provisions: Prepaid Cell Phone Plan.

You won't be under contract and you don't have to pay a monthly package fee for having the service. You can buy the airtime as you need it (with some exceptions). And you do not have to pay a deposit for service.

Prepaid is also a way of learning about your usage patterns before committing to a long-term

monthly billing wireless contract.

Advantages of prepaid cell phones:

• No contract to sign, no long-term commitment
• No monthly monthly bill to worry about.
• Better cost control. You know exactly how much you will spend.
• No hidden fees.
• No credit checks needed. Perfect for the credit challenged, since monthly billed plans require credit approval.
• Great if your usage varies from month to month.
• No security deposits. Some monthly plans may require a deposit.
• Topping up your account is easy and you can do it in many ways, at any time, by going on-line, by phone, bank machine or with a prepaid card.   

Prepaid cell phones are ideal for:

• People who don't want to be locked into a year-long contract
• First-time cellular buyers who don't know how many monthly minutes they should sign up for.
• People who don't want to go over their budget
• People with damaged or no credit history
• Occasional users
• People who want to buy their children a phone for emergency use
• Travelers