Call Your Mom !!

http://www.springwise.com/app-moms-power-lock-kids-phones-screen-calls/

Call your mom !  App that allows parents to remotely shut down their child’s phone until they call home (or mom).  That gets their attention, I would bet. 

Someone joked, and it isn’t funny, that the best way to have a family meeting these days, is to go to the room with the wi-fi modem and unplug it, and in 5 minutes every kid in the house will be in that room to see what happened to the signal.

New Tech News Phones and Phone Payment Systems

The largest Chinese cell phone manufacturer has a new phone out ($215) that runs on Android, and mimics the iPhone 5-s to a very large degree.  Very thin, very well made, fabulous screen definition, and icons that mimic the iPhone.  So say the reviews.  This phone will not be available in the USA for now, of course, but it probably is telling about the future -- which could be price drops on all smart phones.  Smart phones, in total, now outnumber humans on the planet, so I have read. So they are everywhere.  Many people in Africa use them in lieu of bank accounts -- they can exchange money via their smart phone to pay bills, buy things and repay loans.

Chick Fil A just announced they will take smart phone payments (soon ?) at their counter.  I asked how, and they didn't know for sure, but they think a patron will pre-pay $30 or more to Chick Fil A and they will keep the cash (no interest paid on this pre-pay) and then allow the patron to pay using the smart phone at the cash register.  Just how that will take place I am not sure.  But why would a patron do it?  Well, the employee told me that by paying in this manner, Chick Fil A will reward a patron (customer) with one free sandwich with ever 5 purchased, or something like that.  It could also be useful for teenagers, who don't carry much cash, don't have credit cards, and whose parents might pre-load their smart phone with $100 so they can buy food for a month at Chick Fil A --- but not other things a credit card might be used for.  Parents might like that restriction.

I know some health related credit cards are restricted, and you can only pay for certain SKU's at places like Walgreens and Wal-Mart with that card.  Such as over the counter medicine or drugs from the pharmacy.  Chick Fil A is just expanding on that idea and removing the plastic altogether.  Word on the street is that people will give up wallets in the future to pay everything (or most everything) with one device.  That would be, of course, the one device everyone has - a smart phone. Not everyone has a drivers license or a wallet with cash in it.

Shout Out -- Audiable (now an Amazon Company)

First, after a considerable absence I re-joined Amazon's Audible.  As you may know, it has a fabulous APP now for smart phones, and iPod Touch devices.  The experience now is vastly better than when I didn't have those apps, and Amazon was not the owner of the company.  Audible still has an amazing array of audio books, even the Wall Street Journal is available, you choose the articles.  With cell phone use on the highways coming to an end soon, I think being able to listen to New York Times, or Wall Street Journal in your car, on the way to work might become more popular than in the past. 

Last night I downloaded a Bill Bryson book I wanted to read (listen to).  A Walk In The Woods.  I have listened to 3 other of his books, and loved them.  I pay $7 a month for Audible, and gain "credits", I can use to purchase audio books.  This one was $20 to non members, but only 1 credit for me, and I had 3 credits in my credit-bank.  What a nice system.  Whether walking for exercise, or riding distances, or even in town, I enjoy the extra knowledge and enjoyment I receive from this system.

$3 A Month Cell Phone Service ?

A French company, Iliad, has cracked a big market in France with the equivalent of a $3 a month cell phone service.  Competitors are scrambling, many have met the price.   Now they are seeking to buy part or all of T-Mobile in the USA to expand here.  Already T-Mobile is the leading price cutter here, and Verizon has lowered some prices to stay competitive.

Illiad thinks the US cell phone monthly pricing is way too high; I couldn’t agree more.  Illiad would like to cut costs and do away with paper monthly statements and things like that to get the price down.  I am not sure that appeals to me, but certainly my total cell-data package is too pricey for what it must cost Verizon to service my device(s).  And I don’t even get cell signal in every room in my house, only near some windows. 

Average costs of USA cell phones today is $47 a month, compared to about $30 average in France. Sprint is talking with T-Mobile about merger, and is thus not showing much interest in Illiad’s idea to buy a big percentage of the company. “Start small and disrupt something big” is Illiad’s philosophy.  Source  Wall Street Journal