Staying connected to loved ones, researching destinations, and completing online work assignments will all be a big part of making a new routine once we sell our house and start travelling full time in an RV. We've switched mobile phone providers, upgraded our phones, bought our first tablet, and found a way to get data while we're on the road.
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| From left, an LG Stylo 2 mobile phone, a Verizon Jetpack mobile hotspot, and an RCA Viking Pro |
Switching providers
We had been with Sprint so long, our account was grandfathered into the unlimited data plan. That was a good reason to stay with Sprint, but my research led me to switch to Verizon.
While Sprint has always provided us with great connectivity in the city, once we'd go camping or travel between towns, we'd lose reception or have to roam. Verizon not only has better coverage across the country, but the technology used in Verizon cell phone towers is superior. I heard it's like comparing FM (Verizon) to AM (Sprint) -- when listening to the radio, an AM signal will cut out when you pass under a bridge or behind large buildings. That doesn't happen as easily with FM signals.
The big downside is that we'll have to pay for all the data we use. But what's the point of having unlimited data if I can't get a signal?
While Sprint has always provided us with great connectivity in the city, once we'd go camping or travel between towns, we'd lose reception or have to roam. Verizon not only has better coverage across the country, but the technology used in Verizon cell phone towers is superior. I heard it's like comparing FM (Verizon) to AM (Sprint) -- when listening to the radio, an AM signal will cut out when you pass under a bridge or behind large buildings. That doesn't happen as easily with FM signals.
The big downside is that we'll have to pay for all the data we use. But what's the point of having unlimited data if I can't get a signal?
Mobile phone 'upgrade'
With Sprint, we each had Samsung Galaxy S5 phones, which we liked. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of leasing our phones and had to return them when we cut ties.
I've never been an early adopter of technology, only getting a mobile phone in 2005. Before that, I carried a pocket full of quarters and rented a voice mail box. While I am wowed by some of the latest phones available from Verizon, I'm not going to break the bank.
I chose the LG Stylo 2 (retail $249, or $5 monthly) because it's among the least expensive phones currenty available, has a large, vibrant screen, and has decent processing power. It also includes a stylus, which some people like, but I've never used one and I'm not sure it'll be a feature I use. The big downside is its weak camera, which also lacks many of the settings I've come to expect. For example, it only captures images at the highest resolution. There's no way to pick a smaller size, which would be handy for uploading images to blog posts and on social media since I'm now paying for all the data I use. I'm looking for a photo app to resize photos.
That's why I've decided to usually turn off my mobile data. Before we hit the road, I'm doing my best to only connect when I'm on WiFi so I can make the data I pay for last. It's a tough habit to form after years of unlimited data. We've started with Verizon's "Medium" plan, which is 2GB of data shared between any connected device. We'll likely upgrade to the "Large" plan, which offers 4 GB.
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| Samsung Galaxy S5 |
I've never been an early adopter of technology, only getting a mobile phone in 2005. Before that, I carried a pocket full of quarters and rented a voice mail box. While I am wowed by some of the latest phones available from Verizon, I'm not going to break the bank.
I chose the LG Stylo 2 (retail $249, or $5 monthly) because it's among the least expensive phones currenty available, has a large, vibrant screen, and has decent processing power. It also includes a stylus, which some people like, but I've never used one and I'm not sure it'll be a feature I use. The big downside is its weak camera, which also lacks many of the settings I've come to expect. For example, it only captures images at the highest resolution. There's no way to pick a smaller size, which would be handy for uploading images to blog posts and on social media since I'm now paying for all the data I use. I'm looking for a photo app to resize photos.
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| LG Stylo 2 |
That's why I've decided to usually turn off my mobile data. Before we hit the road, I'm doing my best to only connect when I'm on WiFi so I can make the data I pay for last. It's a tough habit to form after years of unlimited data. We've started with Verizon's "Medium" plan, which is 2GB of data shared between any connected device. We'll likely upgrade to the "Large" plan, which offers 4 GB.
Denise wasn't pleased with her Stylo 2, so we returned it and she bought a Samsung Galaxy S5 instead ($109, used on e-Bay).
Replacing laptop with tablet
I'm planning to replace it with an RCA Pro Viking Pro ($98), an Android-based tablet with a 10-inch screen and includes a keyboard. After reading a few consumer comments and a review of the Viking Pro on Tablet PC Comparison, I decided to give it a try by writing this blog post.
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| RCA Viking Pro |
Price was a big factor, as was screen size, and the included keyboard. It's got a decent processor and plenty of memory, but it slows down with too many apps open. The front- and rear-facing cameras also received low marks.
First impressions: the screen is fantastic, app response is fast, and there is a minimum of bloatware. While the keyboard feels durable, it's quite cramped. The lower, right-hand corner has been especially problematic. The space normally taken up by the "Shift" key is split into 3 keys: a ".com," the "up" arrow key, and a tiny "Shift" key. It's maddening to accidentally hit one of the other keys each time I try to capitalize a letter, but I'm slowly getting used to it.
I'm not positive I'll give up the laptop, but a tablet should fit into our trip well.
Data on the road
Verizon's version is called a Jetpack (normally $99, on sale for $49) and runs on the 4G LTE network. I can connect up to 10 devices to it and even check how much data I've used. The device can also pull data from the slower 3G network, which can be more common in certain areas.
All of this technology is new to me, so I plan to write a follow-up post to summrize my experience. For now, I'm pleased with what I've picked, mostly because it fits my tight budget.
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