Skype for Android by Skype

I have had Skype in my Android gadgets for a long time, but it is just recently that started to use it for normal phone calls. In a way, Skype for android has more user-friendly interface than the PC version, is very easy to use, very use to add money, and very use to do anything, really.

I went overseas recently and my usual mobile carrier for overseas didn't have roaming. I added a bit of credit in Skype through the app and made my first call using the app. I was surprised at the great quality of the voice call and the ridiculously low money I spent on a 30 minute call. 

Skype for Android has grown on my since then, and now I have it for intercontinental calls over the phone at home. It works great every time. There is a free option in Skype that allows you to associate your home phone number with your Skype account, so when you call somebody from your Skype app, they will see just your home phone number in their screens, which is very convenient and useful for me. Of course proper verification is needed for that. This feature works just in some countries, so check if yours is included in advance.

Skype on the Go is another feature that you can use in the app. It could be great, but it is just an emergency feature for me. The good thing is you can call from your Skype add without the need of having internet but, on the other hand, you need to call an assigned local number to make the call through it. So, it is OK for an emergency, not for my normal calls. This feature works just in some countries, so check if yours is included in advance. 
 
If their fees were cheaper, I would certainly pay for my own Skype number and use the app for phone calls all the time, but I don't think the yearly fears for owning a Skype number are reasonable.

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Lebara (Australia)

When Lebara landed on Australia and I saw their fees I frowned. Funny, because I was with Lebara Au as my main carrier for years both for International and local calls.

Herewith a wrap-up of my experience with Lebara.  

THE GOOD 
> They have the best rates for prepaid mobile in Australia to call landlines, mobiles and 1300 and 1800 numbers, the latter being the hidden trap of most Australian "cheap" carriers for prepaid and post-paid. Most services and utilities companies have one of those two numbers, and one can expend a lot of time on the phone when calling. 
> If you have family and/or friends living overseas and talk with them often, you will love Lebara because they offer ridiculously cheap fees to call landlines overseas (as cheap as a local call within Australia), very cheap fees to call mobiles, and the quality of the connection is fabulous most of the time. The only cheaper rates for calling overseas and having a good quality of sound I've found are Skype's. Last year, I spent  over an hour on the phone in a call from Perth to the a landline in the USA and paid less than 2 bucks! Calls to some European countries are more expensive, but as cheap as a local call within Australia.
> Their prepaid data packs are generous in size and very cheap. They used to be more varied and generous at the beginning, but they are still great.  Of course, they want you to pay for a plan, but they don't push you into it nor make things difficult so you do so. It is really up to you and your needs.
> Their data plans are valid for a month but, unlike other companies, they can be renewed without a problem if you use them before the end of the natural month. 
>  You can recharge and track your phone and data usage online.
> You can configure your Internet settings by going online providing your phone number and phone model, and the company automatically will send you an SMS with an auto-set-up thingie attached that configures  everything for you.  
> They have online chat help, something I always love because phone calls to customer service,  even if free is a waste of time, especially if you are working. 
> You can recharge online easily. If you register your credit card, recharging online, from your phone, is very easy and straightforward without having to introduce any personal info. 
> You can easily set up the auto-recharge.  
> Purporting number from a normal Lebara SIM card to a a nano Lebara Card is done without a fuss in about 1 hour.   
> The quality of sound in International calls is crystal clear and as good as I was ringing from a landline. some return sound is ocassionally found, though. 
> Coverage in Australia has improved a lot, especially in rural areas, and to my surprise I found my phone using the local network in some areas that I visit regularly, when there was no coverage before. 
> Lebara SIM cards are everywhere! In any small shop and even in Woolies and in many Post Offices. I would not bother ordering a SIM  online unless you are in a wheel chair and have mobility problems.  

DOWNSIDES
> Purporting a phone number from another carrier can be a bit lengthy. 
> If you use Internet without a plan, your prepaid credit will leak fast without you browsing much. It happened to me. These days, fortunately, they charge you for KB not of MB, but it is still expensive. You better pay for a data pack. 
> They don't offer the option of choosing from different phone numbers when you join, so you better choose a data pack with a number you like in advance. 
> Lebara uses the Vodafone network, so their Internet service is not the best in the Australian market, yet good enough for 3G and everyday use. Never had any problem with it at all and used it regularly.
> No International roaming whatsoever. 
> Although Lebara is in other countries, you cannot use your Lebara SIM card in any of those countries. 
> Chat help is really slow. I think the operators are attending several people at the same time because it takes then ages to reply. That or their plugging or chat program is outdated.   
>  Customer service can be idiotic and unhelpful at times especially if you present them with a problem or ask them something that isn't in their manual. At times they don't listen to what you are saying, or want to move on to the next customer asap, or they tell you something you know is incorrect to acknowledge that this is the case  only when you say you have the proof of that being incorrect; or they treat you like you are a half-wit. 
> Recharge online was hassle free first, no need to register your credit card, but then was impossible, plenty of problems, a pain in the butt, and last year was easy and possible but you need to have your card registered, something I never like. 

To my surprise, Lebara turned to be a frog turned into prince, which is the reverse of other companies I have been with. Not Telstra, that is for sure, but you are not ripped off on a daily basis either.

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Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo Dual Sim Unlocked GT-19060

This phone was released internationally about 3 years ago, when I purchased it, but the realease was not global. I think Samsung did so on purpose. Because, let me tell you, this is an awesome phone for a trifle of a price and has many of the features of a good  galaxy S3!

Soundly built, tough, durable, the Galaxy Grand Neo DS has a roomy 5in screen, a good image resolution and colours, fluid touch and responsiveness, and it is quite flat and lightweight. Some of the Samsung pre-installed apps are fabulous, like the voice recorder and the memo and calendar. 

This phone is for you if you:
 > If you have a budget and your life doesn't revolve about your phone, but you want to enjoy browsing, have a good bunch of apps and light games. 
> You regularly use 2 SIM cards (one for calls, another for data; one for work another for home; one for your country another for your holidays overseas). I find the dual SIM so useful, and I have experienced so many advantages having this system, that I don't want to go back to a 1 SIM card only phone again.
>You want to switch between SIM cards easily, and be able to receive data or calls when you are using the other one.

MIND
= When you have the two SIM cards installed, the secondary one will only have GSM capability, while the primary will be WCDM/GSM capable.

DOWNSIDES
> Mostly the RAM memory, so you cannot download too many bulky apps or too many apps in general.
> The Camera is just OK, not good quality and terrible in interiors or when there is poor lighting.
> One thing that annoys me is the network range antena, so I loose my connection when I am in the metro or in the basement of a shopping centre, and switching on/off data usage is not that fast. Besides, when I use the flight mode, once I turn it back on, my Internet settings are not working and I have to reset them. It could be my carrier, but this does not happen with my new phone and I use the same carrier.

TIPS
= The lateral window tab can sometimes interfere with the keyboard when you are writing (most annoying!), so you need to reposition the bar manually by pressing it a bit down and sliding your finger up or down to the position you want.
= Vibration or silent mode saves you tons of energy.= If you want to use your phone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot, press the Wi-Fi Hotspot button in the toggle bar and follow the simple instructions written on the screen. Tadah!

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OPPO R7 Plus phone by Oppo

7.5/10 (at times 8/10) I know you like it precise...

I got this phone recently, my first Oppo, and I have a mix of feelings about it. He is a hot guy but he is also a bit dumb at times. There are things that I truly love, but others that are a bit ploff-ish to me. Here it goes, my experience in using my new pal.

HITS
> The  phone looks like an IPhone or the last Samsung with its round edges, golden case and metal build. Glossy. Large. Super-flat. Crafted with love. The good thing it will cost you half the price of most super-duper phones out there. 
> Battery is awesome! and charges fully in less than an hour; 15 minutes of charging will get you a long call. The battery lasts for two days easily especially if you have good energy-saving settings. You won't find the need to to run to the closest power point because it is 6pm and you mob is exhausted after 12 hours.  Example, I had my mobile 100% charged on Mon and the battery was at 12 the next day before bed.  
> Huge 6in screen, bigger is better always! Perfect for people with poor sight or who want to use the phone as a phablet for reading and browsing comfortably.
> Awesome resolution, detail and vibrant colours.
> Very good camera with plenty of shooting settings, and with a selection of lovely filters so you don't need to install any extra app unless you really want.
> Very responsive to touch, and silky feeling when gliding your fingers over.  
> Fast processor, so apps open/close fast, the network tools activate and deactivate in a second, and everything runs smoothly, almost as if you were using your laptop.
> 4G lite capable. If your phone carrier is not capable and a bit 'retarded', Oppos loves it the same.  
> The phone comes with some goodies that one usually gets from the apps store: torch, cleaner program, compass, eye filter, apps-locking system, back up and restore system, clear memory tool, a mini-office pack called Kingston Office, a free theme and wallpaper store, and, of course, the basics from Mr Google.
> The world at your fingers, literally. You can do most things just with your fingers not just touch. Double tap to lock and unlock if you want, use gestures for whatever you want, or use the fingerprint reader to unlock locked apps.
> Very accurate and flexible finger print reader. It doesn't matter if you don't always plant your finger in the same way.  

EXTRAS
<< A silicone transparent case is included in the box. Gift oh oh moment. Not a flashy case but it does the job and lets your original phone bling to bling! 
<< I got a super-duper Oppo's powerbank for free as they didn't have the selfie stick included in the offer. The powerbank is very stylish, flat and well designed ad has the plugging cord incorporated into the edges, so you don't have to carry any cable when you go out. I am very happy with the switch as I am not into selfies. You can always kiss my rear :O.

MISSES
> ColorOS system is a freak of an OS. ColorOS over Android OS sounds to me like a pony copulating with a race horse. Sorry if the analogy offends you. ColorOS is simpler and easier to operate than pure Android, also less polished and organised, but also has way better graphics and better gesture functionality. Good news, Oppo has realised that customers want something different and are listening and working on a new remix. They are launching an new freaky system that is closer to the original Android but keeping the improvements of ColorOS. Win-Win. The release of the new system for this specific model, is according to Oppo, around beginning of 2016.
>> I bought this phone because it is advertised as having double SIM and SD card. Well, that is incorrect (euphemism for a lie) and a pain in the butt taking into account the price and that this is 2015. The card slot allows two Nano SIM cards or one Nano card and one SD card. That is like so very three years ago in design dudes! My previous phone, which was a low range Samsung, was way smaller than this one, and had two SIM slots plus another for the SD card. Bigger is not always better :)
> No apps drawer. I was in dismay. Where is it, where is it? No 'is it'. The phone has  a widgets drawer and plenty of empty room in the other drawer containing the Oppo Music Player, but you cannot add anything there, because it is locked. Silly. Perhaps it can be done, let's check the manual... This being the case, the apps you download are left on the pages (the last page in your mobile) randomly, so you need to create folders and place them there, or to download a drawer app to get what any Android phone has.   
> The battery cannot be extracted or replaced when the fatal moment arrives. How long is the battery life? Seeeeecreeeetttttt! Check the manual.... No, you have to contact CS for them to tell you what to do or so the tiny booklet says. WTF!  
>  Their charger is not universal, so if you forget yours at home and decide to recharge your Oppo with a normal one you can do it, BUT it will take ages. 

MIND
>>> The phone uses a Nano SIM not the mainstream micro SIM. This means that most probably you will need to change SIM card. Nohworrees  Ring your carrier, mention change of phone and the need of a nano and they'll tell you to buy a nano and, once you have it, they will swap the numbers and keep your credit and plan information. Easy Peasy Missy. You might lose your contacts if you save them there, so take the precaution of backing them up before the swap. It took five minutes to swap my card, and it was operational not even an hour later. So nothing to worry about. Just be aware. 
>>> The SIM tray is opened by introducing a needle-like pin into the tiny hole beside the tray (located on the right edge, top area, of the phone), which ejects it. Where is the pin? Well, you might notice it immediately but I did not as it is inserted totally flat upon opening, looking like a drawn Oppo logo, on the top of the phone flat case. Here it is

>>> Screen shot is easy to take. Don't waste your time and bites downloading any app. Press at the same time the volume and power buttons. The first time you do that you will get an overlay informing you how to select just part of the screen. My screenshot of today: 

 

BLONDY MARY DEESEES UNBEELIFABOL
The tiny printed instructions booklet is worthless. A few multilingual pages with little information, not even a hungry frog will swallow that. The booklet says, go to your phone for further info and check the manual. You go there, and surprise surprise!... nothing. I contacted Customer Service asking for a PDF of the manual: sorry sorry, manual is not available addeesverimowmen. If you want you can get it. Oh really, wonderfool. So you have to go to url so and so, download the manual, install an installer to install the manual and then install the manual. Ha ha ha, no joke; this is a classic WTF! Loving the manual...

*** 

I am always looking for alternatives to Apple and Samsung or any other company that monopolises the market. Oppo is a promising cool young company doing innovative things, offering mid range sexy good phones at decent prices, with a very enthusiastic team of designers (mostly inspired but they have their moments like everybody else) that needs a bit of more common sense and launching phones and OSs when they are ready not months earlier. Oppo already has my money, my love is growing, but I like it hot. 
 
Full Specifications and photos from Oppo's site here.

 ***

 WAYS TO SAVE TONS OF BATTERY LIFE IN YOUR OPPO
After many months of constant use of my Oppo, I have found that, since switching on and off some features works fast and wonderfully, you better keep off some features that will suck your battery. 
+ Switch off the GPS unless necessary. Most of the  time is not.
+ Switch off the Wi-Fi unless you are going to use it or using it.
+ Switch off the Data connection unless you are going to use it. If you keep it on while idle, it will suck up part of your battery. Using data all day long is one of the highest suckers of energy.
+ Switch off the screen auto-rotation functionality. Some apps (books and some games) automatically rotate the screen even if you have that option switched off. This doesn't happen often.
+ Unless really necessary, switch off all the sounds: new sms sound, new email sound, typing sounds, calendar sounds, most notifications sounds.
+ Unless really necessary, keep your mobile on vibration or silent. I do that during working hours and in the evenings and night, so I am not interrupted. But when I am not, the phone consumes way more energy, just because that option is on.
+ Activate the power saving function.
+ Bear in mind that high brightness of the screen and keeping the screen on for a long time consumes a huge amount of energy.  

***

TROUBLESHOOTING
I keep my phone on all the time, as if it was a land line. At times, after many days without switching off, the phone does funny things, like I start to have problems with the Internet connection, or some functions or apps seems to behave oddly, or the battery seems not to recharge normally. Solution: Restart your phone or switch it off for 1-2 minutes and switch on again. I have found that this a great magic wand that solves everything!   

*** 

UPDATE MARCH 2016
After a few months of constant use, I have to say that this phone ticks all the boxes that I wanted a medium-range phone to tick. The downsides I mentioned above are still there, I got used to the lack of drawer and how the phone organises files, but now I am familiar with that and is no longer an issue. The overall performance of the phone and the life of the battery are great, the phone is great for light gaming, and the the inbuilt connectivity is great. I constantly switch between WI-FI and prepaid data, use flight mode on and off, and everything works timely and smoothly. The more I use my Oppo the more a I love it and the more I want this company to do better. It would be great if they made a new version that allowed a double SIM card plus a memory card. I love the KingsoftOffice pack, which works greatly for every-day use, and costs you nothing. I don't like the in-built weather app as I like other weather apps better. The in-built mail app, which worked greatly until last week, began doing funny things and I realised that it can't be upgraded or reset; there must be a way to do it, but there is no manual of instructions. However, there are many mail apps on Google Store and that is never going to be a problem. 

I still think that extractable batteries are way better for consumers than in-built ones. It is just better for company to have it the other way around. Extractable batteries are way better for consumers, gadget companies know that and don't want that. Especially with Oppo, you don't want your in-built battery to fail, not even before the life of the battery comes to an end, because this is a 'small' company with a still small infrastructure and reduced customer service. How long does this battery lasts? We don't know because they don't want to tell us, not eve approximately. I have the same problem with my Google tablet. I prefer extractable rechargeable batteries. They could have sophisticated long-life powerful extractable ones if they wanted, Oppo or any other company, but they don't.

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Phone House Mesones (Granada, Spain)

    Calle Mesones, 1
   18001 Granada
   Spain
   Phone: +34 958 190 162
   Website
   Hours
      Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00
      Selected Sundays

Phone House is a Spanish franchise chain (part of an International Company) that sells mobiles, mobile accessories and mobile internet and has also a repairs service. They usually have seasonal catalogues and the variety of mobile phones, mobile brands, mobile carriers and mobile and-or Internet plans, and pricing are unmatchable in Spain.

So, what makes this shop different from the others?  Many things!

+ Location location. This branch is located at the beginning of Calle Mesones, five steps away from Puerta Real and five minutes from anywhere in the city centre.
+ The staff really knows their stuff. They are not just selling or repeating like lorikeets. They can advise you properly on anything you need according to your own needs. I received unbiased advice from one of the guys. I was most impressed, and I got what I needed at the price I needed.
+ The staff will give the attention and time you need, no matter is five minutes or twenty, so you get your problem solved or your phone purchased and ready to use.
+ The staff would help you dealing with little faults in your phone, if you purchased it from them, and help you with settings and things like that, or safety measures not to get your super-duper smart phone stolen!
+ There is an in-house mobile technician at this branch, which works full time a few days a week, so he will be able to sort out many of the issues you have with your phone, for free, unless you need a spare part and your phone has run out the warranty.
+ The staff were always friendly and lovely to me!

The not so good things:
= Waiting 20 minutes or 10 in a cue is never acceptable, especially because they could easy install another desk and have an extra staff member to attend to the public.  Also, why not having cueing by numbers or waiting stools?
= Their selection of mobile accessories is poor, pricey and a bit boring! 

TIP 
Best time to visit at Spanish lunch time. Everybody is eating, cues are minimal, and service way faster.

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