Monthly Archives: April 2016

So, I Did Have To Get A New Phone, And It’s Great!

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Well, in my earlier post, “Smartphone Not Acting Right? Don’t Ditch It Yet!”, I explained how a problem with your phone doesn’t always mean it has to be ditched and replaced, and how it seemed that was the case with mine.

Well, it turns that my phone’s problem did persist even after a factory reset, so I ultimately needed a new phone. But, it isn’t all bad. The new phone I got? One of those new I-Phones or Samsung Galaxies for $500-$700 ? No!

I got a Motorola Moto-e 2nd generation 2015. And I’m really satisfied with it.

Photos of my Motorola Moto-e 2nd generation 2015 phone. 4/30/2016

Photos of my Motorola Moto-e 2nd generation 2015 phone. 4/30/2016

And I did well for the pricing, again, too! I paid $89 at the Verizon store instead of the $119-$149 shown on the web.

And I kept my current “Paygo” plan as well with no price increase ($45 monthly for unlimited talk, text, and now, 3GB of data!)

The phone itself? It is bigger than my LG Optimus Zone 2 was, and so I did need to get a new case for it, and also a new way of carrying it on me, and no local stores carried anything for this phone. One thing I’ve learned with both my smart phones is, stores mainly carry cases for the high-end level (Read: More Expensive) I-Phones and Samsung Galaxy phones as well as a few other high end phones of a few other brands. Your best bet for a phone case is to go online and get one from Amazon, Ebay, or any other online store, as they will have a much wider selection. There are also other good sources of accessories such as Mobile Mob. I found a case for my old phone on Amazon and Amazon is where I found my current case, which came with a clip on holder which works really well, so I don’t have to try to fit the phone in my pocket or try to find a camera or other type of carrying case or pouch that the phone will fit in.

Fortunately, this phone is still a good deal smaller than the large Samsung and I-Phones so is still easier for me to carry, and yet is large enough for me to see things on the screen more clearly than on my previous phone.

This phone also has the latest edition of Android, which is called “Lollipop”. It has 1 GB of RAM, twice what my old phone had, and 2,390 units of battery storage, about 40% more than my previous phone, so this phone has a much better standby battery life and loads pages and installs apps much faster than my old phone did.

It also comes with the full suite of Google apps, some of which I’m finding to be very useful.

Google Search Bar with Voice Activation. Photos of my Motorola Moto-e 2nd generation 2015 phone. 4/30/2016

Google Search Bar with Voice Activation. Photos of my Motorola Moto-e 2nd generation 2015 phone. 4/30/2016

The Google Search bar pictured here, is voice activated and will do searches and also activate the Google Maps gps function just by voice alone. All I have to do to get it to listen is to say, “Ok Google”, just as it says. It will say that it is listening. Then, as an example, I can say, “Take me to 123 Somestreet”, and it will turn on the GPS feature and take me there, and it will recognize places that Garmin won’t. My old phone had this, too, but I hadn’t yet tried to use it.

Next, it also has a better camera and both front and back facing lenses so I can take selfies if I wish or make video calls.

So far, this phone has worked really well and I’m getting used to how it works, as it does do some things differently, and makes different sounds, than my previous phone, which was an LG.

But all in all, I am really enjoying this phone and still learning more about what it can do.

So, even if you do have to ditch your current cell phone, it can lead to a better phone and without a great cost besides!

Happy phoning!

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More Than Meets The Eye

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You walk into a McDonald’s, order a burger and fries and get it quickly, or you go into a hardware store, find the part you need, and buy it and leave. It all seems so simple, right?

Many people think the business has these items or services and rakes in the money and that it’s easy and simple. But, in reality, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes of just about any business you patronize, no matter how small.

I’ve certainly come to see this with my job at a radiator shop. It’s not just repairing and selling radiators. Parts have to be kept on hand, which means having them warehoused on site, stock has to be kept up, which means ordering new items from time to time. Add to this, moving items from stores that are overstocked to stores that need more of any item. In addition, there is a need for parts of radiators that need to be ordered and kept track of. Then, the shop also needs to have other services related to the repair of radiators and related items, so the shop does business with other service vendors as well.

Then, there are peripheral items which are just as important, such as items needed for the repair and upkeep of the tools and machines and vehicles that the shop uses. These can range from gloves and goggles for the welders, new blades for various saws and cutting equipment, lubricants and paints, and delivery of chemicals, fuels, and supplies needed daily. This also includes that item virtually all businesses use, paper.

Now, if you go to an eating place, you’ll likely see the cooking staff working, especially if it is a fast food place. But even here, you don’t see everything, especially the management of supplies and services provided by outside vendors, many of which are as important as the food they serve you.

When we are the customer, it’s easy to forget that all those other businesses and the clerks and employees you deal with, have as much complication as you do, and that there’s a lot more to a business than just the facade or sign.

So, next time you are feeling frustrated as a customer, even though the employee you’re dealing with is honestly trying to help you, the company honestly cannot make delivery any sooner, or the mechanic can’t see you today, try not to take it out on them. They’ll thank you for it. Happy shopping!

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site.

And thanks for reading!  🙂