Play with Google

Hello everyone!

  I Love my U.S. Cellular Samsung Galaxy S II, and I am really having fun with it! But in all actuality, I run it pretty hard too. Working daily offers many opportunities to use this phone, to shave off and save some time here & there from my busy schedule. I still often find myself limited on time, as I'm sure many of you do too. It's always rush rush rush. But Android to the rescue!

  Now as many of you have surely noticed recently, Google is helping us with our cramped & busy schedules. Having work items, mail, apps, music, books, PDF files, movies & TV shows, all getting an ever increasing piece of our mobile attention every day. Now I really hate taking the time to move files between my computer, phone, and tablet. Not to mention my now dust mining laptop. I find myself often times needing to sync, and I hate wires! I am learning to do more moving of files everyday wirelessly. But this learning curve takes additional time too. Which I often find I have little of, even at the end of the day. And we will not even go into all of the technology choice's we can use doing it. DLNA, Kies Air, Bluetooth, file explore's, wired transfer, LAN network, wi-fi, etc.

    Recently Google/Android helped to eliminate much of this hassle with Google Play.  It is now more of a digital entertainment destination. Where you can find, enjoy, and share your favorite music, movies, books, and apps on the web. All from your Android phone or tablet. Google Play is entirely cloud-based, so all your music, movies, books and apps are stored online. Being available to you, just a click away. Now you will never have to worry about losing them, or moving them again. 
    With Google Play, you can now:

• Store up to 20,000 songs for free and buy millions of new tracks
• Download more than 450,000 Android apps and games 
• Browse the world’s largest selection of eBooks
• Rent thousands of your favorite movies, including new releases and HD titles

  The Android Market, Google Music and the Google eBookstore will now be part of Google Play on your Android phone or tablet.  Google had been upgrading the Android Market app to the Google Play Store app, over a period of a couple weeks nation wide. Have you gotten your's yet? Your videos, books and music apps will also be upgraded to Google Play Movies, Google Play Books and Google Play Music apps. The music, movies, books, and apps you’ve purchased will continue to be available to you through Google Play, You just simply log in with your Google account like always.

   To help kick this all off, Google was offering a different album, book, video rental and Android app at a special heavily discounted price each day, for over a week. What special's did you find in there? I got several books, two Album's, 3 single songs, and 2 Apps. It feels pretty good getting special's! One of the Album titles I got, was a collection of top 40 hits. "Now That's What I Call Music 41" Which had a collection of hits from LMFAO, Gym Class Heroes, Coldplay, Adele, Katy Perry, Jessie J, Lady Gaga, and more.

  Here is a quick how-to clip, about getting the Android Market Play Store, on your Samsung Galaxy S II.  

 
   I Love going into the store every week, to find something new & exciting. What gem's have you found lately? In the end, I have to thank Google for continually updating & adding more ways for us to save time, and offering me more Apps to be productive with.

  If you ever have any U.S. Cellular questions, and would like to ask a real U.S. Cellular Customer a question? Please feel free to stop by here and join us. My name is Steve, and I am a proud member of the U.S. Cellular Customer Crew.

GPS usage on my U.S. Cellular Samsung Galaxy S II

Hello everyone,

    It's been two weeks since I was here last. What a fast two weeks it has been also! A new baby Grand daughter has taken some extra time, which I have loved!

   

    Today I am going to talk about GPS usage, on my New & Wonderful Samsung Galaxy S II from U.S. Cellular. This Super Fast dual core phone is their latest offering. It was first available on March 1st, and my local store was able to have it  on hand that day too. They called me as soon as the UPS truck showed up. (because I called in at 9am that day, and the truck hadn't been there yet;) You can find more information about this Great phone here > http://bit.ly/yA5BvH

    ‎  I am use to long hard days, and my phone works hard for me too. I depend on it for so much. So much in fact, it takes a few days of my spare time to get this tool all set up the way it needs to be, to be able to carry it's fair share of the load. I did some testing of several of this phones systems, during the ten days I took to set it up. I had not yet activated it, as I kept using my tried and true U.S. Cellular Samsung Galaxy S Mesmerize (Samsung Galaxy S I)

     I thought I was having some GPS issues during this testing and setting up phase, the week following the launch of this phone. But now I have to at least in part, blame it on the Major Solar flares we had been having. Which had been some of the largest in recorded history that week. 

    Having said that, After getting this tool all set up, I activated it on day ten. I then soon ran my GPS for over three hours one day while traveling. Without 'checking' the 'Use wireless networks' option, or the 'Use sensor aiding' option. Now these options do help in the aiding of the accuracy of this GPS antenna in this handheld. But I feel at least for testing purposes, this would be a bit of a cheat. What if I was out in the middle of a REAL nowhere? I would then have to depend on the GPS as a stand alone aid. I do travel out West fairly often. Western Nebraska, Western Kansas, and much of Colorado.

    I had gotten this Great App earlier for my U.S. Cellular Samsung Mesmerize, and quickly downloaded it to my new SGSII the first chance I had. In the Google Play store (formally the 'Android Market'), you will find it listed as: 'GPS Test' by Chartcross Limited. ( http://bit.ly/zmtvFM ) In the description of this App, it reads: "All your GPS information in one App. Large colorful and easy to read screens. The GPS Test App for Android is a utility that shows GPS information read from your phones internal GPS. This App has several color schemes, which could be used to match other instrumentation, or used along side the App. It has a "Night Mode" color scheme as well."

      I used it on my phone again today, in a dash mounted fashion. Keeping a close eye on it, during most of my travels. 99% of the time I was in view of 12 satellite's. Getting a lock on between 7 - 10 most of the time, averaging 9 locks during this entire round trip. My average signal strength was 39% of a 99% scale, but also saw some Highs of 46%. I also saw a drop in signal strength, if I held the phone with my full hand. Though it it was only a few %. The pinpoint of accuracy in feet, ran on an average of 16'. While staying in a 12' - 18' range on average, while traveling East or West (seeing a worst of 24'). Then showing me a 6' - 9' average accuracy while traveling North and South (Maybe this difference has something to do with my 'A' pillar mounting?) 

    The MPH feature was within 1 MPH the entire trip too, that was nice. As I said earlier, I also had a GPS concern. Since USCC has a nice return/exchange policy, I wanted to make sure of this final question I had about this phone, concerning the GPS feature. Before making an exchange. Everything else checked out quickly & beautifully! Better in fact, than even I expected. It's all good now I see, and I am very happy with today's, and the past few days of GPS performance.

   A few others I have spoken too, have expressed some concern about their GPS working correctly as well. It may be necessary I tell them, from within this 'GPS Test' App to go to menu > Settings >  then Clear  - AGPS, then hit the > Update AGPS This is giving it a fresh start. Those who may have had issues, soon had it taken care of, and were well on their way to turn by turn navigation goodness! 

          Thanks for stopping by and reading my Blog. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to send me a message anytime in Facebook. I'm always around, and always Happy to Help.

We also have a Fantastic "Ask the Crew" Customer Crew question page here (http://bit.ly/ws8vun) We would Love to see you stop by!  : - )

        Steve Kluver / Chicken Droid - And a Happy member of the U.S. Cellular Customer Crew®  - 3.18.2012


    How is U.S. Cellular changing wireless for you?

Hello Friends!

  Today I want to talk a little about my local Cellular provider, U.S. Cellular.

This week they announced the upcoming launch of their 4G/LTE network! I am very excited about that : - ) Up to 10X faster speeds means a lot to a tech junkie like me.

    They have partnered with King Street Wireless, and next month (March) It is expected to all begin. This new launch will cover up to 25% of U.S. Cellular's current customer base. As this roll out begins, the first device to hit the airwaves will be the Awesome Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G/LTE Tablet. I have had the wi-fi only version of this, for several months now. Let me tell you, this is a fantastic Tablet! The Best in fact.

    As I mentioned earlier, I am a tech junkie. I have owned several tablets in the past year and a half. Trying all the manufactures out. I may have lost track by now? and I should have kept a better account. But I have owned between 9 - 11 tablets in all. I use them for awhile, then resell on eBay. If they just don't fit my bill. Some have also been given as family gifts, or sold to friends. So I kind of 'Rent' them if you will? Not costing me much to try them out at all. A few of these tablet's I still keep here.

    These new 4G/LTE speeds will allow us customers to quickly begin watching a movie or video in seconds. We will also enjoy smoother streaming, with little to no buffering. Video chatting with family, friends, and business colleagues will be seamless.

    U.S. Cellular has also announced their first 4G/LTE phone they will be offering up. A tried and true Samsung Galaxy S Aviator, with an AMOLED screen. Then I feel much more excitement will build, as customers new to using a front facing camera, with 4G speeds will soon find out. Many will be quick to video chat with family and friends. Who will you be video chatting with first?

   Though some of the spec's are yet to be announced. This is what I'm expecting to see:

This Smartphone will feature a 8MP camera, with Led flash for quality video recording. The Samsung Galaxy S Aviator sports a 4.3-inch AMLOED display with 800 x 480 pixels screen resolution. The Samsung Galaxy S Aviator supports HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, GPS data connectivity.

Samsung Galaxy S Aviator Features and Specification:

Dimensions: 130 x 68.0 x 11.6 mm 
Android OS:
Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread
OS Processor: 1 GHz Hummingbird CPU.
Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Digital compass
Display: 4.3-inch Super AMLOED
Full Touchscreen display800 x 480 pixels screen resolution
8 MP Camera with LED Flash (expected)
High Quality video recording @ 1080P
Multi-Format Music Player FM Radio Built-in Speakers
Internal Memory: 828MB
On board + RAM & ROM up to 32GB external memory support
HDMI, Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth, GPS, WAP data connectivity
Apps: Samsung Apps,
Social Networking,
Google Apps Email & Instant messaging (Talk)
Battery: 1500 Li-Ion Standard Talk time: 6 hours
Standby: 200 hours
Weight: 145g

    Another exciting benefit of having a 4G/LTE mobile data system. Will be the ability for those with the New upcoming Samsung Galaxy S Aviator, to simultaneously talk, and access the internet all at the same time. You can be talking to a friend about the nights plans on your phone, while checking for restaurant reviews at the same time. How cool is that!

    This expected March roll out of U.S. Cellular's 4G/LTE. Will include select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas, and Oklahoma. Included in these states,  will be some of U.S. cellular's leading markets. Like Milwaukee, Madison, and Racine WI. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Davenport IA. Portland, and Bangor ME, and Greenville NC. U.S. Cellular will be the first wireless carrier to offer 4G/LTE in several of these markets. Which is very exciting for the customer's in those area's!

    This upcoming 4G/LTE network, will build upon the 3G services U.S. Cellular customer's like me, have grown to use & Love. Having the Highest call quality, and network satisfaction of any national carrier will continue through this phase I'm sure.

   If your not on the U.S. Cellular network yet, you may want to take a look? Next week I'll talk about all of the advantages of being truly a customer, and not just another account number. With U.S. Cellular's Belief Plan, one and done contracts, and many other benefit's they as a carrier have to offer. So stay tuned friends. The next chapter is about to begin!

http://bit.ly/AkFQ0i  See you here, at U.S. Cellular.com


    Steve Kluver / U. S. Cellular Customer Crew® Member

    (and a very happy one at that:)