The realm of communication changed for good with the invention of the cell phone. Almost everyone now owns one of the contemporary range of cell phones known as smartphones and spends a fair amount of money on cell phone plans each month.
There are two types of cell phone plans telecom service providers offer which is mainly contract plans and prepaid plans. If you are having second thoughts about ditching your contract phone plan for a prepaid one but are still not sure, here are some advantages to help you make up your mind.
Flexibility in plans
One of the main benefits of opting for a prepaid service is the freedom to switch between the best-prepaid cell phone plans as and when you want to. You can make these switches within the existing plans a carrier has to offer or even switch to an entirely new carrier if you want. Unlike postpaid plans, here you can make as many changes as you like on the expiry of your plan.
Money, money, money
One can save a considerable amount of money with prepaid mobile phone plans. Unlike contract phone plans, there are no hidden monthly charges or taxes that you need to pay. The hidden charges can be from going over your data limit or speaking for more minutes than the set limit or monthly access fees or activation fees. With a prepaid plan, there is only one-time fee or amount that you pay and nothing more.
Even if you opt for one of the best prepaid mobile phone plans, it can only offer you maximum benefits if you understand your smartphone usage well. If you want to use more than what you have paid for, you will have to pay additionally for it. That is yet another advantage, which it makes the user use data and call minutes responsibly as well as pay for only what he/she uses. Users also won’t have any sort of surprises at the end of the month when they look at the billed amount, unlike the best prepaid mobile phone plans that only require an outright payment before one starts using the services.
Much has been said about monitoring screen time and restricting smartphone usage to the minimum. However, the judicious use of mobile phones is associated with incredible convenience and several benefits. Besides ensuring hassle-free communication, they facilitate essential daily activities, from shopping to entertainment and on-the-go research. Consequently, life without mobiles is impossible to fathom. That said, you must follow a few healthy phone habits to make the best of your gadget.
Set reminders to perform healthy daily habits
You can use your smartphone to remind yourself to perform the essential tasks that are easy to miss on busy workdays. For example, you may set reminders to drink water at fixed intervals, apply sunscreen in the mornings, take breaks from work to walk about and stretch, or have meals on time. Such habits can help you establish a healthy routine and allocate time for personal well-being.
Track screen time
Mobile phones now have software that help you track how much time you spend with your gadgets. You can even track how much time you spend on individual apps. Moreover, apps like Facebook and Instagram have settings that let you lock them automatically after browsing them for a fixed period each day. Such settings prevent phone overuse while ensuring you enjoy the gadget’s benefits and features.
Use fitness apps
Today, there is an influx of fitness apps with built-in features that help you with everything, from calorie counting and meal planning to setting an exercise routine and getting started with different workouts. Such apps help incorporate health and wellness activities into everyday life and prevent potential lifestyle diseases like cholesterol and heart problems.
Use apps for mental health and meditation
The importance of mental health and well-being cannot be emphasized enough. With increasing awareness of the need for good mental health, several apps have emerged to help individuals take a breather from their hectic schedules and follow essential mental practices. For example, several apps have guided meditation audio and mood trackers to help you boost your emotional and mental well-being. Such apps can also ensure better sleep and lower stress levels.
Integrate your smartwatch with your phone
Gone are the days when watches were used only to tell the time. Today, they help people track fitness parameters, such as their average daily number of steps, sleep duration and quality, and heart rate. Such features help you ensure optimal physical fitness and track abnormalities like irregular heartbeat, ensuring a doctor is promptly consulted in such cases.
Capture the little moments
Life is full of precious little moments, which most of us often overlook amid the hustle and bustle of daily life. The market has many smartphones with exceptional camera features and lenses, which you can use to capture these little moments, creating a vibrant album of precious memories. Indulging in nature photography, clicking pictures with family and friends, and capturing the places you visit (even the local ones) are just some ways to utilize the camera feature of your smartphone.
Video call loved ones regularly
Interacting with loved ones over the phone is not restricted to audio calls. FaceTime, Duo, and other apps have facilitated undisturbed video calling, bringing individuals from different corners of the world face-to-face. So, make connecting with family members and friends over video calls a part of your daily routine. Such calls can help you stay in touch with your loved ones far away, ensuring fruitful relationships.
Download brain games
Brain games have been shown to enhance cognitive function and reduce the risk of mental health conditions like dementia. Both Android and iOS users can download and play brain games like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, chess, and checkers. Many websites also offer innovative and fun brain games that broaden your horizons. It helps to use these resources on your phone to challenge yourself and boost your problem-solving capability.
Use the phone to manage your finances
Managing multiple bank accounts and tracking your transactions can be a hassle. The good news is that mobile phone users can now integrate their bank accounts using banking apps for easy monitoring. These apps can also help you carry out various financial activities, including payment transfers, credit-card bill payments, increasing card limits, activating card features, and electricity and phone bill payments. Online payment apps also offer gift vouchers, cashback, and several other perks, motivating you to continue using these apps.
Use note-taking apps effectively
Note-taking apps can prove helpful in carrying out several everyday tasks, such as preparing grocery and to-do lists and maintaining a diary. Specialized note-taking apps also have advanced features like adding pictures and videos to your notes, fostering creativity. Compare different note-taking apps and download the one you like. Nowadays, most phones come with a built-in note-taking app, so ensure you try that before downloading another option.
Besides incorporating these healthy phone habits into your routine, avoiding certain practices, such as using the phone just before sleeping and not using the “dark” mode while viewing the phone at night, is vital. While giving up such habits can be challenging in the initial phase, it proves incredibly beneficial in the long run.
The new iPhone is up for grabs! Apple has steered away from big displays to make the phones ergonomic. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max have a screen size of 6.1”, 5.8”, and 6.5”, respectively. The iPhone 11 has Liquid Retina HD display, while the Pro and Pro Max variants are equipped with Super Retina XDR display that has 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and up to 800 nits max brightness in HDR. However, it seems that Apple retained the iPhone XR’s display specifications in the iPhone 11 to cut manufacturing costs.
The new phones look strikingly similar to 2018’s iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR — notch and all. The phones’ colors and finishes look and feel more refined and a lot less like fingerprint magnets when compared with last year’s phones. When compared on the basis of the price, features, and specifications, the new iPhone 11 is supposedly a replacement to the iPhone XR. The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone Pro Max phones get a new matte finish and steel case that look and feel dense.
Camera
Several social media leaks and pre-press releases speculated iPhone 11’s camera specifications and appearance. Apple put all those rumors to rest by introducing dual camera system in iPhone 11 and the much-hyped triple camera system in Pro and Pro Max. While the iPhone 11 has 12MP Ultra-Wide and Wide camera lenses, Pro and Pro Max have an extra telephoto lens to provide that extra depth to your pictures.
All three phones have a 12MP front camera with advanced bokeh and depth control. With up to 5X digital zoom, iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max cameras come with six effects, including the night mode, that lets you click the best photos in the dimmest environments. The front camera lets the Face ID perform a 3D scan, letting you unlock your phone even from a tilted angle. The cameras also have ‘slo-mo’ video recording, as the front cameras allow 1080p slow-motion video recording at 120fps. Apart from this, you can also click 8MP still Photos while recording 4K videos.
Technical specifications
The iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max are fitted with the brand-new A13 Bionic processor and third generation neural engine, which the company is calling as the most powerful processor yet. The A13 Bionic can do 1 trillion operations per second with help of 8.5 billion transistors. This is 1.6 billion more than its predecessor — the A12 Bionic chipset. The highly efficient A13 Bionic when combined with lithium-ion battery ensures that iPhone 11 will run an hour longer than iPhone XR and Pro and Pro Max will run four hours extra. The iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max allows up to 20 hours and up to 80 hours of video and audio playback on a single charge. Apple is finally providing the 18W adapter, which claims to charge the phone up to 50% in half an hour. However, it comes in the box only with Pro and Pro Max variants. You also get an upgraded iOS 13 with iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max. Apple claims that the OS is packed with powerful and security-rich features designed to protect your privacy.
The phones have a dual sim slot, which support nano-SIM and eSIM. The new iPhones support wireless charging and even work with Qi-Chargers. However, Apple has decided to hold back the reverse charging. All the phones are IP68 rated. Apple’s official website lists that the iPhone 11 can function underwater in 2 meters of depth for 30 minutes, whereas Pro and Pro Max are waterproof at a maximum depth of 4 meters for 30 minutes.
Pricing and availability
While the iPhone 11 is available in black, green, yellow, purple, product red, and white, you can buy Pro and Pro Max in green, gold, silver, and gray. The iPhone 11 comes with three storage options: 64, 128, and 256GB, whereas the Pro and Pro Max are available in 64, 256, and 512GB storage capacities. You can buy iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon network carriers. The 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB iPhone 11 is available for $699, which makes it one of the most affordable iPhones yet. Apart from this you can also trade in your old iPhone or buy an unlocked iPhone 11 for $399, $449, or $549. The 64, 256, and 512GB iPhone pro is available for $999, $1149, and $1349 respectively. The 11 Pro Max phone is available for $1099, $1249, and $1499 for the same storage options. You can also buy the unlocked version of Pro and Pro Max for $999 and $1499, respectively. Apple’s latest iPhones will be available for pre-order on September 13, and they will be available in stores from September 20 onwards.