I guess I'm just too relaxed and unparanoid. Maybe that's one reason that I love it hear. In case nobody has noticed, there is a multitude of products and websites that glean info from you every time you log in, Yahoo being one of the biggest. Lately there has been a rash of new groups and blogs that target info on your computer, flixter, friendster, and grouply come to mind. In short, spywear is everywhere. Software that comes with many new products is also loaded with spyware.

Nor do I believe everything I read on the internet. People are people wherever you go, and some are credible and others not. It doesn't matter if you sold solid gold at P2 per kilo, somebody would set up a blog and complain about the weight. Look at all the negative reports on Smartbro. As someone who was in the consumer equipment repair industry for many years, I realize that most customer complaints are directly related to the consumers ignorance or inability to read the owners manual in order to know how the product is supposed to operate. I wish I had a peso for every time I asked an upset customer, "Have you read the owners manual?", then showed them in the manual that the answer to their problem was right there is the directions all along.

I normally reformat my hard drive every year anyway.

Larry, rockin peacefully in Valencia

 

We are looking for any and all info concerning mobile service and texting options... we will be callling/emailing/texting primarily to the U.S. once we are in the Philippines. What are your major companies?

We both have AT&T phones currently - can we just swap out SIM cards once we are in PI?

Rick & Sue

 

Larry,

Life in the PI is very laid back. I can't wait till my time to retire comes. Right now can't afford yet.

*************

Rick&Sue

You have to make sure that your phone is "unlocked" before you leave the US otherwise it will not accept any other SIM card. AT&T will do that for free. You can also email AT&T and explain what you want to do and they can send you the code and the instruction on how to unlock your phone by yourself. The instruction is a no brainer really.

If you have a "pay as you go" phone they may charge you $20.00 or $30.00 to have it unlocked.

Jeff

 

Make sure the phone is the right frequency. Most phones can be unlocked in the RP for P200.

Larry

 

Thanks to both of you, Jeff and Larry

We have learned so much valuable information from this wonderful Forum.

Rick & Sue

 

My AT&T Motorola has worked around the world without doing a thing to it but of course the rate is not cheap either. Asawa ko will bring in $10-15 nokia's, change the SIM and activate for about 1000p and buy pay as you go cards. Texting to the states seems to be a pretty steep 50p a text but if you shop around you may find better deals.

 

Asawal ko adds that rates will be cheaper to have your friends/relatives in the US call you than vice/versa.

 

UGH, due to unpreparedness on my latest trip out, I paid 17,000+PHP for text messages to the PI when I got back. Meanwhile, my school crew was paying 15PHP per message back to me at least for their first few messages. They got themselves set up on the lesser bills within two days from my first text msgs to them. Since there was a flood then... the rest is said being unsaid.

 

Wall Street Journal article about Magic Jack.

Here is a recent review from The Wall Street Journal.

For txt or SMS Magic Jack won't help you. For voice calls it does work. The quality of your call is directly related to your internet connection.