Ting iPhone Beta!

Click here for Ting coupon code

Summary

Pros

• iPhone 4, 4S (along with Android and Windows phones)

Cons

• No iPhone 5, 5S, 5C

Hopefully the die-hard Apple fans can now switch to Ting.

Introduction

I've written plenty about Ting's virtues, and I'll just reiterate that I don't get any freebies or any payment for reviews beyond ad traffic and coupon codes.

YouTube money! EpicMealTime, living the dream of being paid to eat bacon. Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/7492062494/

Ting is a great, relatively new cell phone service provider. After several months of using Ting, and referring it to friends and family, the only negative I've heard was the lack of Apple devices from those who just have to have that type of device. Well, now the wait is over, as Ting has begun quietly allowing people to begin bringing Sprint iPhone 4 and 4S's to Ting.

Discussion

If you don't already know about Ting, I've written some reviews on my experiences on this project:

Ting vs. T-Mobile, $25 credit

Ting Coupon Code and Update: Coverage, Billing, Customer Service

Ting Early Termination Fee Refund

And lest you think I only write positive reviews, see my FreedomPop reviews:

FreedomPop - free internet?

FreedomPop Hub Burst - Free Broadband?

FreedomPop Freedom Phone? Update from San Francisco Bay Area

FreedomPop: it's a trap! Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyku/3082069553/

Conclusion

I'm assuming that people researched Ting before worrying whether this phone or that phone was supported. With that in mind, you can get the latest Galaxy, Galaxy Tab, Windows phone, and now Apple phones as well on Ting (hopefully support for the latest iPhone will come once the Beta concludes).

Epic Winning! Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58638907@N02/5549964876/

Click here for Ting coupon code

Google Chromebook Build, Torture Test, 4-months later

Summary

Pros

• Extremely durable (drops, water spills)
• Still boots fast, works fast
• Battery still holds charge well

Cons

• "Cheap" design
• Holding the Chromebook by the left or right corners next to the touchpad can interfere with moving the mouse, clicking
• Doesn't perform well while loading multiple websites

Durability level of Chromebook Series 3

Introduction

This is a follow-up to the review on the Chromebook Series 3 I wrote back in September of 2013. I've had my Chromebook Series 3 since July of 2013, and wanted to share some of my experiences with this device. And to be clear, I bought this device with my own money, and am not getting paid to review anything beyond aid traffic to this site (though it would be awesome if that was the case).

Don't think I'm not willing to sellout and drive a Google version of the Red Bull car.

Discussion

Well, the Chromebook has held up really well. I don't know if it's because it's so light in weight, or because it's so cheap in price, but this Chromebook has been through more abuse than all of my other electronic devices combined. It's fallen of tables, been sat upon, been thrown onto hardwood flooring, and has come through with only cosmetic damage.

Starting to look as beat-up as Boba Fett's armor. Note that the right corner hinge piece is crooked because it came off completely after one fall, and I just popped it back into place: ugly, but it works.

Despite my unintentional torture test, the Chromebook has just kept chugging along. It's especially great for use while lying down, checking emails or browsing videos. I think it outshines a tablet in that situation, due to the fact that since it is in a laptop form, you can prop it up more easily to view when you're too lazy to sit up.

Conclusion

My Chromebook still boots fast, holds charge well, and does what I want it to do despite all the abuse. Only complaints I have (beyond the "cheap" build which I don't care about given the insanely low price) are few. One is that the touch pad will not work well if you are lifting the Chromebook solely by the left or right corners next to the touch pad. The other is that loading and response becomes slow if you start opening multiple tabs at once (understandable with limited RAM, same problems with tablets).

I think the Chromebook is great; only problem is that I've ended up using it more than my parents, who were the intended recipients...

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanelteemusk/2608975252/

Ting Early Termination Fee Refund

Click here for Ting coupon code

Summary

Pros

• Early Termination Fee (ETF) Relief
• No time limit--Ting is offering this program from this date onwards

Cons

• Only 25% of ETF covered, up to $75 per line

Some of us (I) had to pay T-Mobile several hundred dollars in ETFs a few months ago...

Introduction

I've still been using Ting with no problems. In fact, some of my family members have moved to different states for work, but everything is still great. The only thing I have to complain about now is this new ETF relief program that Ting has instituted, and how I don't qualify for it.

Well, that and the lack of iPhones (but is that really a bad thing?)

Discussion

Earlier this year, Ting set aside $100,000 for ETF refunds. The whole pot was depleted in seven minutes: some people got their entire ETF's covered, while others were left out in the cold. Now, after several months, Ting is relaunching a permanent ETF relief program. People switching over to Ting from other carriers can get 25% of their ETF per line--up to $75--refunded.

There are only 3 steps to take:

1. Activate a device with Ting.
2. Port your number to Ting.
3. Send Ting your ETF documents.

If my previous contacts with their customer service is any indication, this will be a fairly painless process (if you call their toll-free number, you'll get in touch with a rep within a few rings). However, if anyone experiences anything different, please share this in the comments section.

Mmmmm, you can practically smell it...

Conclusion

There has been a lot of movement in the mobile phone industry, both on the part of manufacturers and service providers, and I am very excited to see what the future holds for this industry. Besides the new and improved hardware, service providers are falling over themselves trying to out-do each other. Sprint is really playing the exclusive phone angle, AT&T is letting people upgrade their devices every year, and T-Mobile dropped their two-year contracts for all new customers.

Sure, the ETF refund isn't a full one like last time. However, it is still a good deal in my opinion (better than what I got), I don't see a lot of other companies doing anything else like this (yet).

(Duh!)

Click here for Ting coupon code

San Francisco Bay Area: I-580 vs. I-680

Summary

Pros

• Shorter commute time
• Gentler (less?) gradient

Cons

• Longer commute distance

San Francisco: Disneyland for adults! Note: lines have moved from the sidewalks to the highways...

Introduction

Traveling from San Francisco, Marin, or the Richmond/Berkeley Area to San Ramon or Dublin/Pleasanton? This guy does, and the traffic can get absolutely nuts, especially around I-680.

From personal experience, I'll agree SF Bay Area traffic isn't as bad as Los Angeles's. Still isn't fun though.

Discussion

So, what are the options? To quote Sherlock Holmes, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbably, must be the truth." Applying that logic to the simply task of getting from point A to point B, there are a couple options. First, to take the shortest distance possible between the points. Second, to take the path that takes the least amount of time (not necessarily the same as the first option). Third, to leave the driving to someone else so as to work during the travel time (carpool, public transportation).

Now, I would say that most people would go for the first option, and this was what I initially did. In this case, that would mean going through the Caldecott Tunnel and I-680. Unfortunately, these two can quickly turn into bottlenecks, and increase your travel time by 25%-50%. I've found by avoiding the Caldecott Tunnel and traveling south via I-580 will add five miles to the journey, but cut the travel time by up to 30 minutes. I consider travel by I-580 to be the my second option listed in the paragraph above, and is now my primary way of driving from San Francisco to San Ramon.

Finally, I have taken public transportation options, such as BART, more recently, direct buses from San Francisco to San Ramon. It's not a bad way to go, but as there may be a BART strike soon, I'm making sure to drive at least once a week to brush up on my driving skills.

For all it's flaws and dramas, I still use it.

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to get to the deeper East Bay. I actually prefer public transit now, since I can get a lot of work done, but when I drive, I absolutely take the I-580 over the I-680. It's much quicker; for a 13% increase in travel distance, I'm gaining 25% in decreased travel time.

There are six toll bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area. In other words, there's a cover charge just to get in your car and drive most places (but this is a whole other topic I will cover in an upcoming post).

Chromebook vs. iPad

Summary

Pros

• Long battery life
• Physical keyboard
• Very lightweight
• Very low prices

Cons

• Heavy reliance on web (wifi or 3G)

Chromebook Series 3

Introduction

I purchased an iPad for my mom last year, and she has been using that device a lot more than any desktop or laptop in the past. I have to admit, the long battery life and low weight are great features to have when you just want to relax and watch a video or surf the web recreationally. I wanted a device like that for myself, but couldn't justify the $400+ price tag for such a specialized device when for a little more I could get a good laptop for an extra one or two hundred dollars. Thus, I began to look at the $250 Chromebook as a possible casual computing platform.

Rule 34?

Discussion

So, what are Chromebooks? While the same size and form as netbooks, I think of Chrombooks more as tablets with keyboards. They are a basic way to access the internet to read and compose emails, watch videos, and browse the internet. It's super light-weight and doesn't heat up too much--very useful when you want to be lazy and use your devices while laying around in bed--and boots up and shuts down in a few seconds.

When Chromebooks first came out, they had no desktop, and immediately launched into the Chrome browser and did everything from that (whether normal web-surfing, or via Google Apps). They've since included a desktop that is mainly only there for aesthetic purposes, but worth mentioning as an example of how Google responds to comments, and how quickly and often they update the Chrome OS: they are currently on v29+ as of 9/17/2013!

But with the pluses come the minuses; you need to either log-in with your Google account (same one you use for Gmail, YouTube, GoogleVoice, etc.). There is a guest mode, but obviously none of your bookmarks or history will be available for you to use. With all the recent concerns about privacy on the internet, this is something to note.

Forget Ceiling Cat...

Conclusion

I've been using a Chromebook for several weeks now, and like it a lot. The battery life is great, so I can bring it with me to check personal emails when I'm out and about. In the end, while I don't think that it is fully capable of living up to claim's that it can be your one and only computer, it's a great supplementary device to have compared to a tablet.

Not the most powerful gaming platform, but you can have a little fun with it. Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kjarrett/8316200130/lightbox/

Chevron Gas vs Others', Worth It?

Summary

Pros

• Better gas mileage
• Beneficial additives such as Techron
• Generally nicer fuel stations (less lines, cleaner, car maintenance items such as window cleaners, towels, ExtraMile, etc.)

Cons

• More expensive

Sweet, sweet lifeblood of cars.

Introduction

I was raised to seek out the cheapest gas stations, but with gas ~ $4/gal, savings of even ten or twenty cents become negligible on a percentage basis. For that reason, I began looking for the best value rather than the cheapest price when it comes to gas.

Yikes!

Discussion

Chevron's advertising strategy has long been a one of asking drivers' to "care for their car" by filling up at a Chevron, and by pointing out the benefits of using their fuel. This is a smart move; like Apple products, Chevron is not aiming to be the cheapest option for consumers, but does want to present itself as the best option when all things are considered.

Who doesn't love their cars?

I myself was pretty skeptical of Chevron's claims, but because I started working at a location in Walnut Creek with a convenient and fairly cheap Chevron nearby, I decided to try it out to get some of my own empirical data to make a more informed decision.

From a gas mileage perspective, I have definitely noticed a consistent increase of 2-3 mpg for several weeks after switching to Chevron. I cannot speak on the affects of additives such as Techron, but I have definitely noticed that Chevron gas stations generally have shorter lines, are nicer overall then those of their competitors.

So, does it make sense to stick with Chevron? Crunching through an representative example of my experience:

With other gas:
$3.80/gallon * 1/(28 miles/gallon) = $0.1357/mile

With Chevron gas:
$4.00/gallon * 1/(30 miles/gallon) = $0.1333/mile

Here, a $0.20 increase in price ($0.20/$3.80 = 5%) is outweighed by a 2 mpg increase in fuel efficiency (2 mpg/28 mpg = 7.14%). Your results will probably vary from mine, so I encourage you to try switching and calculating whether or not Chevron gas is worth it for you.

The numbers don't lie (I just miscalculate them from time to time).

Conclusion

I have gone over to the dark side, and am now using Chevron gas on a consistent basis. I encourage people to give it a try, and see if their experiences are as beneficial as mine were.

On a related note, this type of positing is representative of what people see in, and turn to, ChartNine for: a new (and seemingly contradictory) way of looking at things, backed by cold, hard, facts. If you have ideas on what we should analyze next, please let me know via comments or private messages.

Time to join the Dark Side...

FreedomPop Freedom Phone? Update from San Francisco Bay Area

Summary

Pros

• Works as advertised
• FreedomPop now has access to both Sprint and Clearwire networks

Cons

• Many extra fees
• Limited options for devices
• Apparent contrast between advertised philosophy and actual practices
• Company still does not seem to be at same level as competitors

O RLY?

Introduction

I have been using FreedomPop for three months now, and while there are both good and bad things about the devices and company, my overall impression is a negative one. This is true for both the Freedom Hub Burst (home internet) and Freedom Sleeve Rocket (for the 4th Gen iPod). I am therefore skeptical regarding FreedomPop's upcoming offering of a Freedom Phone, and will go over my reasons below.

Free 500 MB, 200 min, and unlimted texts per month; too good to be true?

Discussion

I had really high hopes for FreedomPop. And I will admit, they seem to follow the letter--if not the spirit--of their claims. However, I am generally disappointed with the company and devices.

For example, while they claim to want to revolutionize the mobile internet space, they seem to be using a lot of tactics to nickle and dime users. There are a lot of extra fees associated with FreedomPop that I don't like. Usage alerts for $2.99/month? Speed Plus for $3.99/month? They even had a monthly maintenance fee of $0.99/month if you did not use at least 5MB per month that they only recently removed.

On a related note, mobile devices are refundable for up to a year, but home internet devices are only refundable in the first 30 days. I feel that there is so much advertisement regarding a year-long return policy and FreedomPop's own rebel image, that it's so easy to not check the fine print as you would with 'big bad corporations.'

Also, I have used both FreedomPop's home and mobile internet devices, and while they were OK, they weren't spectacular, and I would hesitate to even call them good. There was just so many problems, with connectivity issues, overheating, short battery life, etc., that I ended up returning what devices I could, and canceling my account

Doesn't seem to be lot of difference from a UI perspective. FreedomPop had a great idea to essentially turn an iPod into an iPhone that unfortunately didn't work for me.

Conclusion

Based on the FreedomPop coverage map, and the fact that I live in a world-class city next to Silicon Valley, I suspect that problems I experienced with FreedomPop products were not strictly due to network or connectivity issues. The company's stated philosophy also seems to clash with many of their practices, and as stated

In the end, I can neither recommend FreedomPop as a company nor as a service provider, and if you get the Freedom Phone, my advice is to be sure to save the packaging in case you need to return it.

I'm a big fan of new ideas and technology, but FreedomPop doesn't seem to be at the level of other similar companies at this time. Stick with traditional home internet offerings, or look into options such as Virgin Mobile, Republic Wireless, or Ting. 

Ting Coupon Code and Update: Coverage, Billing, Customer Service

Click here for coupon code

Summary

Pros

• Fantastic, live customer service via phone and email
• Very accurate and thorough billing reports

Cons

• Sprint network
• Limited number of phones

iPhone on the way!

Introduction

I have been using Ting for four months now in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, and am ridiculously happy with the company and service thus far.

Ting! No problems with coverage in San Francisco...

...or Los Angeles!

Discussion

Ting's coverage is the same as Sprint, so if you can get Sprint coverage, you are covered with Ting. Billing is straightforward; Ting has simplified things even more, so instead of estimating your usage and getting billed more or getting a refund depending on the month, Ting now just bills everyone at the end of the month based on usage.

The billing aspect is one of the few things I have to complain about--Ting offers a "live" billing view via it's dashboard, which is more of an estimate. Final bills are completely accurate, but just wait for a few days after the end of your billing cycle, and don't worry too much about what is listed on the dashboard. If there is a problem, definitely call to let them know, and they will take care of it right away.

Customer support is awesome: Ting's call center is open M-F from 8 am - 8 pm EST, is based in Canada (so I was able to get my questions answered on 4th of July). Ting prides itself on answering calls with a live person within a few rings, and I have experienced this personally many times. This is in contrast to other similar companies, that only offer support via email, e.g. Republic Wireless or FreedomPop.

The final thing I will mention is that Ting still only carries a limited number of phones, and these phones are of the Sprint variety. This is that is actually important to note, since Sprint disables the SIM slot on many world phones (essentially forcing you to use their service when traveling abroad). This is not true of the iPhone due to Apple's own restrictions on how carriers could modify their devices, but otherwise if you travel abroad, you may be better off getting a cheap phone with a SIM card slot to use.

I personally don't care about the iPhone, but if it's something you want, be aware Ting doesn't carry it yet.

Conclusion

I keep blathering on about how great Ting is, but it is truly a great company. It is refreshing to find a company that is so responsive to their customers, and goes above and beyond what they say they will do. They have fun giveaways and events frequently posted on their blog and Facebook, and I would recommend checking them out for yourselves.

Seems too good to be true, but, from my experience, Ting has gone above and beyond to make my experience with them as great as possible.

Click here for coupon code

Using Virgin Mobile Mobile Broadband in San Francisco

Summary

Pros

• "Unlimited" 4G data usage
• No contract
• Cheap, easy-to-use devices

Cons

• Limited 3G data usage
• Sprint coverage
• Two options for mobile broadband: USB stick, or mobile hotspot

FYI, Virgin America and Virgin Mobile are part of the same company (Virgin Group Ltd.)

Introduction

If you're looking for no contract phone choices, companies like Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile (and increasingly Ting!) are well-known choices. However, I Virgin Mobile's offer of "unlimited" 4G mobile broadband had me considering if this could be a viable option for my internet requirements both at home and on the move.

A big drawback of most mobile broadband solutions is that there is a limit on how much data you can use each month (vs. unlimited home internet that is available in the San Francisco Bay Area). For Virgin Mobile, you can choose to pay for a variety of options depending on your usage, (200 MB, 2 GB, or 5 GB per month of 3G). However, a nice feature is that you can get unlimited 4G connectivity, with the caveat that usage over 10 GB per month will be throttled.

Virgin Mobile coverage map for San Francisco. 3G/4G WiMAX in blue, 3G alone in orange.

Discussion

After checking to ensure that I lived in a 4G area, I ordered a U600 (a USB mobile hotspot), which came quickly in two days with free shipping. Set-up and activation were easy, and the device has two lights: one for 3G, one for 4G, so you know what network you're connected to.

A USB mobile hotspot, similar to what Virgin Mobile offers.

A big issue right away was that I was not able to connect to the 4G network. After a call to Virgin Mobile, I discovered two things. First, though I knew Virgin Mobile used the Sprint network, cell phones connect to the 4G LTE network, mobile broadband devices connect to the 4G WiMAX network. Secondly, I lived in an area with Fair 4G WiMAX coverage, not Best 4G WiMAX coverage (light blue vs. dark blue). Thus, I was unable to get 4G coverage indoors (and therefore was unable to easily take advantage of Virgin Mobile's unlimited 4G offer.

Note that for 4G data, there is two categories: "Best" and "Fair." If you live in a "Fair" area, you will only get 4G data outside your home/building :(

Everything else worked great--I was able to track my usage through my Virgin Mobile account, the data usage seemed to be in order, and speeds were good. While all the basics worked fine, I ultimately returned the device because I was not able to get unlimted 4G.

Conclusion

If you live in an area with "Best" 4G WiMAX, I recommend looking into Virgin Mobile Mobile Broadband as a supplement (and potential replacement) for your home and mobile internet.

Virgin Mobile didn't work for me where I'm living, but I think it's a great service. I'd also like to acknowledge the work that CEO Richard Branson is doing. Though he's a billionaire, he's no means the richest man around, yet he's developed Virgin Mobile, Virgin America, and a ton of other companies and businesses. Compared to a lot of other wealthy individuals, he seems to be driven to create something of value in the world for the public. I admit I admire the man, and hope he keeps doing what he's doing.

Virgin Mobile CEO, Sir Richard Branson, out on the water.

"Sir" Branson again.

Credit card authorized user - Accumulate reward points and cash back faster!

Summary

Pros

• No need to open multiple/redundant lines of credit
• All users can build credit history/score
• Spending by different users can be used to accumulate points/cash back on a single account

Cons

• Primary account holder is liable for all charges
• Can negatively impact all users' credit history/score
• Moral hazard; authorized users are not ultimately responsible for charges

Plastic > Paper for spender ROI

Introduction

The reason I began looking into adding authorized users on my credit card account was because Costco only accepts American Express credit cards, yet doesn't allow non-members to pay for purchases. Thus, even if I'm standing next to my mom at the checkout, they won't allow me to pay for our purchases (and thus get the reward points/cash). Since my mom doesn't have an American Express card, she instead has to pay by debit card (limited rewards, if any), or cash.

Where there's a will, there's a way, and I found out that it is possible to add authorized users to my credit card accounts. Each user will get their own card with their name on it, and will not necessarily have to impact their own credit score by applying/carrying for too many credit cards since only I will be responsible for the balance.

Costco only accept American Express, PIN-based debit cards, Costco cards, cash, checks, and EBT cards, and only members may pay for items. This policy is what prompted my research into authorized users.

Discussion

Credit cards have allowed primary account holders to add authorized users for quite some time. In theory it sounds like a great idea: you can allow the people you trust to help you earn rewards, and the credit card companies get more revenue from all this spending.

Before adding an authorized user, I cannot stress enough how important it is that you trust this person. At worst, be prepared to cover all bills he or she might run up on your account.

Other reasons to add an authorized user to your account is to help them (re)build their credit—if FICO will also track this account under the authorized user if they provide their social security number when you add them to your credit card account. And, for younger users, it may be a good way to give them access to emergency funds.

On these same topics, there are quite a lot of reasons why adding authorized users to your credit cards can be a bad idea. While everyone's credit can be built up by responsible credit card usage, one person's mistake can lower everyone's credit. Similarly, mixing money with friends and family can be a disaster waiting to happen when relationships change, or may even be the trigger itself to those changes. My advice is to put a limit on the amount your authorized users can spend (ask your credit card comapny to do this)

Conclusion

There's a lot of pros and cons with adding authorized users to your credit card account. Think long and hard to see if the rewards outweigh the risk.

As much as I dislike not giving a clear recommendation, this is a situation that really will depend on each individual situation.

FreedomPop Hub Burst - Free Broadband?

FreedomPop Hub Burst

Summary

Pros

• ~$100 for the router, 1 GB free data per month
• Potential to earn more free data by completing referrals
• No contract; month-to-month billing

Cons

• FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network
• Seem to be using up data very quickly
• Must purchase FreedomPop devices for service

The FreedomPop homepage.

Introduction

Below are some of my general experiences with FreedomPop. More detailed reviews will be published in upcoming articles.

Wild FreedomPop Appeared!

Discussion

FreedomPop is a MVNO that operates on the Clearwire network (plans to expand to the Sprint network are set for sometime in 2013). It offers users either home or mobile internet; FreedomPop requires separate accounts with separate credit cards are required for each device in order to monitor usage for each device.

Home Internet, I choose you!

Mobile users can get 500 MB/month free, while home users get 1 GB/month free. Extra data is billed on a per megabit basis, with prices varying depending on the type of service and plan you end up getting.

I applaud the idea behind FreedomPop, but I definitely think that there is room for improvement. Trying to connect to the Clearwire network is extremely frustrating; I need to stand next to the window or outdoors to even get a weak signal. Also, I appear to be using data at an alarming rate: at this pace, the total will definitely be more than what the free amount is. I will do a side-by-side comparison, visiting the same websites on my mobile phone first on Ting, then on FreedomPop, to get some good comparative data.

Conclusion

FreedomPop definitely has an interesting idea in offering internet as a freemium service. I think it works great as a way to supplement my work phone—more details to follow in future articles—but because FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network, and my experiments seem to indicate rapid data usage, I can't recommend it at this time. I'll continue to measure my data usage and post an update when it becomes available.

My data usage on FreedomPop. Good thing I received my router late in the month: after only a three days of light usage (a few minutes of website browsing and emailing each day, no streaming videos or music), I've used up 147 MB. At this rate, I'd reach the 1GB limit on free data in 20.4 days.

FreedomPop - free internet?

Summary

Pros

• Free/relatively cheap data
• Potential to earn more free data by completing referrals
• No contract; month-to-month billing

Cons

• FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network
• Seem to be using up data very quickly
• Must purchase FreedomPop devices for service

The FreedomPop homepage.

Introduction

Below are some of my general experiences with FreedomPop. More detailed reviews will be published in upcoming articles.

Wild FreedomPop Appeared!

Discussion

FreedomPop is a MVNO that operates on the Clearwire network (plans to expand to the Sprint network are set for sometime in 2013). It offers users either home or mobile internet; FreedomPop requires separate accounts with separate credit cards are required for each device in order to monitor usage for each device.

Home Internet, I choose you!

Mobile users can get 500 MB/month free, while home users get 1 GB/month free. Extra data is billed on a per megabit basis, with prices varying depending on the type of service and plan you end up getting.

I applaud the idea behind FreedomPop, but I definitely think that there is room for improvement. Trying to connect to the Clearwire network is extremely frustrating; I need to stand next to the window or outdoors to even get a weak signal. Also, I appear to be using data at an alarming rate: at this pace, the total will definitely be more than what the free amount is. I will do a side-by-side comparison, visiting the same websites on my mobile phone first on Ting, then on FreedomPop, to get some good comparative data.

Conclusion

FreedomPop definitely has an interesting idea in offering internet as a freemium service. I think it works great as a way to supplement my work phone—more details to follow in future articles—but because FreedomPop currently uses the Clearwire network, and my experiments seem to indicate rapid data usage, I can't recommend it at this time. I'll continue to measure my data usage and post an update when it becomes available.

My data usage on FreedomPop. Good thing I received my router late in the month: after only a three days of light usage (a few minutes of website browsing and emailing each day, no streaming videos or music), I've used up 147 MB. At this rate, I'd reach the 1GB limit on free data in 20.4 days.

Notes