The Austin Cell Phone

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August 16, 2017

A Complete Review Of The iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 is the latest phone from the Apple brand that has taken over. Is it the best iPhone on the market or should you wait for the next one to emerge? Let’s take a look:

Overview

The Apple iPhone 7 has a 4.7-inch 326ppi wide-color-gamut display, 32, 128, or 256 GB storage options, an A10 Fusion chip, and a 12MP camera.

Pros: Excellent camera, water resistance, great performance, sound quality in speakers

Cons: Poor battery life, no headphone jack, expensive, not enough has changed

The Design

iPhones have really always looked like iPhones, so you won’t see much difference in the way they are designed. The same simple design is there: a home button, a screen, and side panel buttons. There are small changes in the placement of some things, which means you’ll have to buy a new case.

As for the color, you have the newest red, then the usual black, space grey, white, rose gold, silver, and gold.

Of course, the biggest change to the design is the lack of a 3.5 mm headphone jack. You can either use the Airpods or you can use the charging port as a headphone jack. Of course, this makes it impossible to charge your phone and listen to music at the same time.

For those not willing to give up their older headphones, you can get an adapter (one is included with the phone) that will turn your charging port into a 3.5 mm option. There are other adapters on the market as well from third party sources.

A somewhat smaller change comes from the home button. You now don’t get the “click” and instead there is a haptic engine that makes it feel like it does.

Screen

The screen is the same as it has been, 4.7 inches without any more pixels and a resolution of 1334x750. It is sharp enough but isn’t the sharpest phone on the market. Nothing looks fake and it is quite rich, which means that you will be able to get more out of it when watching YouTube or Netflix.

When it comes to durability of the glass the iPhone 7 is no better than its predecessors. Luckily, there are plenty of places that can fix that if you ever have the need for it. In Austin, we can replace a cracked iPhone screen in about an hour. And for those not located in Austin, try our mail in iPhone repair service.

Speakers

The iPhone 7 gets extremely loud, which is great for people who like to use their speakers and can’t get around the lack of a headphone jack. There are two speakers now, one at the bottom and one at the earphone slot. You’ll get some separation at times, but it makes for a louder, clearer tone on your phone.

There is still tinny quality about the sound because the iPhone is just too small to really give you that full quality sounds that you need. Don’t put the volume at the top level to avoid some of the worst of it.

Water Resistance

One of the biggest foes of a phone has been water. Now that the Home button has been changed, the phone is now water resistant as well. Now, you can drop your phone into 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes and it should still be okay.

You can now use your phone in the shower without having to worry.

Performance

This is certainly the most powerful iPhone on the market, and the most powerful phone as well. You can do quite a bit on this phone and keep as many apps open as you want. You can play some great games and never really have to worry about it lagging.

For reference, this phone is 30% faster than the iPhone 6S and 12% more powerful than the Galaxy S7.

Camera

Most people who want the new iPhone want it because of the upgraded camera. This has been a major focus on Apple’s publicity. The iPhone 7 has different optic lenses (6 in total) and better editing functionality than any other iPhone.

The front facing camera, for Snapchat addicts, is also much improved.

One major complain is that the phone still has trouble with red coloring. Another complaint is that the flash still isn’t as great as it could be. If you tend to take pictures in darker spaces, you may want to avoid this or get a separate flash mechanism.

Battery Life

One of the main reasons people start looking at new phones it because their batteries are dying. Apple won’t necessarily be an improvement here because it still doesn’t have the power.

Even though the phone has a slightly larger battery than its predecessors, the battery really hasn’t improved at all. In fact, some complain that because of the new apps and iOS 10, it is worse. Turning down the screen brightness, not keeping your phone on at all times, and even turning your phone onto airplane mode can help – but it isn’t something that you should have to do to enjoy your phone. Add that to the fact that the phone doesn’t charge all that quickly either, and you have some serious problems.

For people who rarely make it through the day without charging, you won’t love this aspect of the phone. You’ll have to charge at some point.

Should I buy the iPhone 7?

Everyone has their own choice to make here, but the iPhone 7 is a fantastic phone. It is something that works almost everywhere and many people design specifically for Apple phones. Still, the battery life is something that you need to take into consideration. Other things to look at include storage size, cost, and the lack of a headphone port.

Still, an iPhone is an iPhone, and it says something when you have the latest model.

When having the latest model is not all important to you, buying a used iPhone that is 1 or 2 generations back will get the job done. This can literally save you hundreds for an iPhone that is not much different that the iPhone 7.

July 29, 2017

Wondering If You Can Replace the Glass Screen on an iPad?

In short, yes you can repair your iPad and replace the screen on it. It is a bit of a complicated process that requires you to use some tools and you have to know exactly what you are doing.

It involves taking off the glass that is already there using a heating gun and razors. You have to be careful with both of those tools because they can be tricky to work with and you absolutely must avoid wires and cables.

Makes sure to be careful because the screen can crack and splinter quite a bit, which can and will cut you and could even harm the device. Don’t let any shards go into the iPad itself.

Now Here Comes The Hard Part, Actually Doing It

This is also the point where things might become a little scary. As the broken glass is being pried and stressed in the removal process, there’s a good chance that it will begin to splinter and break.

Take care not to cut the iPad camera cabling when your razor’s in that area. This process can take quite a while, so you want to make sure that you take your time.

Then, you’ll have to make sure the connections are okay and make a swap with some things on this screen to use on your new one. Then, you have to add the new glass. This can be difficult and requires a precise hand to get everything to line up properly.

The LCD and the glass are separate on most models, so that adds another layer to the process.

Cracked iPad Screen Repair In Austin Before & After

Where Can I Get My iPad Screen Replaced?

Sound like far too much work? For most people, it is better to have the iPad screen replaced by professionals. The Austin Cell Phone is the best place to go in Austin for your screen replacement services. Our team will work with you to get your iPad at least looking like new.

If you aren’t close to Austin, you will have to do some research. Take to Google and look over the results for your city. Make sure to look at reviews and check for their warranty. You’ll want to do some digging to find a company that you can trust.

If you need bulk repairs for your iPads, such as a school collection or a business, we do provide bulk repair services and rates. Call us at 512-432-5528 today to get more information about our bulk repairs.

How Much Does it Cost to Replace the Screen on an iPad?

For most models, it will cost around $69-$89 to replace the iPad screen for most models. There are different models of your iPads, including minis and larger ones, so the cost will vary depending on that. Some of the older models may actually cost more, depending on how difficult repairing them is and how much the replacement part costs.

For how much it is to fix your particular model, give The Austin Cell Phone a call and we can give you more information. Also, we recently added the option to mail in your iPhone repair for those not located in Austin. Soon we will adding the option to mail in your iPad repairs, so stay tuned.

At the end of the day, replacing the screen on an iPad is a difficult task to do by yourself if you haven’t done it many times before. It requires quite a bit of work and even some luck that you don’t do anything potentially damaging. Instead, give the experts a call. You can reach us at 512-432-5528.

June 18, 2017

Should you get your phone repaired or just replaced it?

It's something that's bound to happen and we all hate it, having a broken cell phone hurts. We are so reliant on our phones these day's so much that if we don't have it it feels like a part of us is missing. For most people, not having a phone is not even an option. Our phones keep all of our pictures, music, phone number and important information.

When you have a broken phone your life seems on hold. There are actionable steps to take to get you reconnected either by repairing it or replacing it, we cover both options below.

Getting your phone repaired

Getting your cell phone repaired should be the first option you should consider. This option is usually cheaper that a replacement especially if the repair is minor. Today's smartphones are so sophisticated that a tiny crack could render the entire screen unusable.

A cracked screen is the most common cause of damage, next is water damage, and can be repaired quickly by a reputable local repair shop.

Most people plan to trade in their current phone to upgrade to the latest model. This can save you big of the upgrade price however if its cracked or damaged guess what, you can't trade it in.

The prices on the high end phones continue to rise and every little bit helps when it comes time to upgrade and this is especially true when you get an iPhone screen repair. When you plan to get your iPhone repaired make sure that you deal with a reputable repair shop that has good reviews. Otherwise you may end up with an iPhone that is in worse condition than it was before.

We are located in Austin Texas and we specialize in repairing iPhone's. We also do iPad repairs, Samsung Galaxy repairs and almost all types of cell phone repairs too. And, if you are not located in Austin, try our mail in iPhone repair service where you can mail in your iPhone, get it repaired and get it back fast,

Getting a Replacement

A different option is to replace the phone with a new or used one. You can walk into your carrier store, spend up to $800 and get yourself a brand new phone. If you had payments on your old phone you will have to still pay that off too. If this is what you decide to do, you should really look into electronic recycling to make sure your old phone isn't sitting in your house. It's bad for the environment, so you should really visit https://www.premiersurplus.com/ to see if they could recycle your old phone.

Simple, right?

Most people are not going to have the extra cash laying around to buy a new phone. Especially when the cost of a new phone can be as much as a car payment.

This is when you should consider buying a used phone. There are a bunch of good used phones ready to activate on your service that were left over from a previous upgrade. There are things you have to keep in mind when shopping for a used cell phone. You will want to make sure that the phone is compatible with your service and that there is nothing wrong with it. Buy a used phone on a classified site often means as is with no warranties.

There are business built around the sale of used cell phone and they should be your first choice. They often have been fully tested, clean, inspected and comes with a warranty.

Here at The Austin Cell Phone we do just that. Each phone we sell is hand tested, cleaned, inspected and verified clear to activate on your service. We also include the battery, wall charger and a 30 day warranty on all phones sold.

Buy A Used Cell Phone

Check out our online eCommerce site at Best Used Cell Phones. We have all of our inventory listed there. They are available for pick up at our brick and mortar store in Austin.

Or, just go without a phone

Who needs to have a phone with them all of the time anyway? Sure, you wont be able to receive text messages, remember your parents phone number and you would have to log onto a computer to reply to emails. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Challenge yourself to see how long you can last without your phone, you may just enjoy it. Get over your nomophobia and if you can get past the anxiety of felling like your not in the loop of things you may just start the trend we need as a society. Maybe that statement is a bit of an overreach but I can remember the days where there wasn't a cell phone in ever ones hand.

When the time comes to get reconnected with the world, whether you want to or not, visit us for either a repair or replacement. We will get you back on your feet the same day. You can also do baby steps by starting out with a flip phone first.

May 25, 2017

3 Proven Methods & Reliable Places That Unlock Cell Phones

There many reasons why you would want to unlock your cell phone. Up until a couple of years ago, it was one of the main things people did to get the newest iPhone on their service. However, Apple has now started offering their phones on more networks. Now, folks are unlocking their phones to broaden their network choice or they plan on using it overseas. So, where are the places that unlock cell phones? Continue reading to find out.

Your Network Carrier Is The Place To Start

Most network providers have the ability to unlock cell phones that are lock to their network. For example, AT&T can only unlock a phone that is meant for AT&T and no other company.

However, They make it extremely difficult and sometimes charge fees. In general the phone you wish to unlock will have to be out of contract, fully paid for and must not be reported lost or stolen.

Every carrier is different however you should expect to get the run around and have to jump through several hoops to get them to unlock it for you. The trade off is if you can get them to unlock your phone it is usually done for free and you can save versus the other method I am about to suggest.

The Other Places That Unlock Cell Phones

The ability to unlock your phone is not limited to your network provider. There are plenty of providers out there that will do it for a fee. Some are good and some are bad. You have to be careful with online sites because some will take your money and never complete the unlock, give you a bad unlock code, bad instructions & bad support.

Here at The Austin Cell Phone we offer our own cell phone unlocking service for almost all smartphones. You can walk into our brink and mortar store in Austin Texas to get it unlocked or you can give us a call and speak to a live person.

Our process is different, we check to make sure that the phone you want to unlock is compatible to be unlocked. Not all phones can be unlocked. Then we get the information we need, request payment and take it from there.

Every phone is different depending on the make and carrier it is locked to. This means that the price and time frame will also be different. It is important to understand this because for most phones, unlock it is not an instant process.

What makes us different is that we will explain the whole process to you from start to finish. When the unlock is complete we will either walk you through the process over the phone or complete it in the store.

The best part is if the unlock fails you get a full refund.

Additionally, we have phones that are already unlocked that you can buy if your phone is not eligible to be unlocked, fails or if you just need another phone. Check out our eCommerce site Best Used Cell Phones for phones we have for sale, including unlocked phones.

Unlock Your Phone Using Software

The third and final option is to use a hacking software to unlock your phone. We do not recommend this but it is an option available to you. You should only consider this if all other options fail.

Why should you not consider this as your first option? Unlocking your phone with software involves hacking into it or gaining root access to the phone. This often causes problems with the software and can even brick your phone.

If you are not familiar with the term "Bricking Your Phone" it means that it becomes an expensive paper weight.

Also, unlocking your phone with software often erases all of the information on the phone and voids out your warranty so proceed at your own risk. This is a service we do not offer with the exception of Sprint Samsung phones since that is the only way to unlock those phones at this time.

Go With What Works Best For You

So these are the 3 main ways and places that unlock phones. We suggest going with the method that works best for you. If you are still confused and need a little guidance leave us a comment or give us a call. We are always happy to help and answer questions.

May 9, 2017

The Reasons Why You Should Buy A Pre Owned Verizon Phone

You may come across a problem and need a replacement phone. If you don’t want to learn how to work a phone that wasn't your last you have options. With Verizon wireless, there are tons of options when it comes to buying a pre owned for Verizon.

They keep making it so that it seems that you need to get the latest phone and upgrade. Why? Your old phone worked fine before it broke. One alternative is to buy your old model phone or one just like it that is a pre owned phone from Verizon.

This enables you to keep the cell phone you love, save some cash, and still have a phone that will work with your Verizon plan that your familiar with.

​Where Can you get a Pre Owned phone for Verizon?

​The internet. More specially from our brick and mortar store in Austin called The Austin Cell Phone. If you are not in Austin you can log onto our eCommerce site @ Best Used Cell Phones.

There are also other sites like ours and you can also find used Verizon phones on eBay. You want to make sure that the phone you buy is clear to activate on your account. Sometimes it refereed as having a clean ESN.  All of our phones have been verified clean & clear to activate on any Verizon account.

​We are an excellent option because we have a lot of pre owned Verizon phones. We have phone that are hard to find and are not sold in stores anymore. Probably the one you are looking for.

​Here are a few things to consider when looking for a pre owned Verizon phone. All of these are standard when it comes to what we sell and should be for all other pre owned phones.

  • The ESN is clean & clear to activate
  • The phone has been fully tested to work
  • The phone comes with a battery and home wall charger
  • A warranty is included in case it doesn't work out

Pre Owned Verizon Phones Still Work

​A common misconception is that these phones are too old to activate. This is true for some of the very old phones which run of the 2G network. Phones that run off of the 3G network can still activate and work just fine without any issues.

Its easy to come to that conclusion when you walk into the Verizon store and see nothing but shiny smart phones that come with expensive data plans. The newer smartphones are now leased or purchased through a payment plan. If you do the math you are paying full price and can be expensive.

Also, when people hear the words "Pre Owned Verizon Phones" they tend to think about old flip phones, this is not the case. There are plenty of used smartphones ready to activate on your Verizon account that doesn't require a contract, payment plan or lease option.  This is great for the person who just lost or broke their shiny new Galaxy or iPhone but can't go back to a flip.

Whether you buy from us or not, understand that you have options. I invite you to comment below or give us a call if you have any questions or want to know more about getting a pre owned Verizon phone.

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