Comments on: Smartphones: Getting Smarter and Smarter http://practicaltravelgear.com/smartphones-getting-smarter-and-smarter/ Travel gear reviews, gadgets for the road, and travel clothes that pull their weight. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:19:30 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: JohnG http://practicaltravelgear.com/smartphones-getting-smarter-and-smarter/comment-page-1/#comment-283 JohnG Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:50:17 +0000 http://practicaltravelgear.com/?p=1709#comment-283 Right, that's an advantage of GSM phones, being able to change out the SIM cards. AT&T has always given me the unlock codes for my phones. And as Tim mentions in the linked column, Skype is a good solution for international calling in areas with good wi-fi access. Right, that’s an advantage of GSM phones, being able to change out the SIM cards. AT&T has always given me the unlock codes for my phones. And as Tim mentions in the linked column, Skype is a good solution for international calling in areas with good wi-fi access.

]]> By: Tim http://practicaltravelgear.com/smartphones-getting-smarter-and-smarter/comment-page-1/#comment-282 Tim Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:33:40 +0000 http://practicaltravelgear.com/?p=1709#comment-282 It is a major racket the telcos are running for international roaming. A huge profit center that's based on dinging people who don't know better or forcing them to buy a monthly "international plan" just to get a less onerous per-minute price. Here's a piece I wrote on ways to get around <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26763875/" target ="new" rel="nofollow">predatory phone pricing when traveling</a>. I've found though that foreign shops who sell you a SIM card can often unlock your U.S. phone on the spot. It is a major racket the telcos are running for international roaming. A huge profit center that’s based on dinging people who don’t know better or forcing them to buy a monthly “international plan” just to get a less onerous per-minute price. Here’s a piece I wrote on ways to get around predatory phone pricing when traveling. I’ve found though that foreign shops who sell you a SIM card can often unlock your U.S. phone on the spot.

]]> By: Jackson http://practicaltravelgear.com/smartphones-getting-smarter-and-smarter/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Jackson Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:31:18 +0000 http://practicaltravelgear.com/?p=1709#comment-279 of course the issue is more the data plans and the **exorbitant** rates the phone companies charge travelers for roaming and International long distance. Until there's some change there, it doesn't really matter how cool the hardware is ... if you can't USE it. of course the issue is more the data plans and the **exorbitant** rates the phone companies charge travelers for roaming and International long distance.

Until there’s some change there, it doesn’t really matter how cool the hardware is … if you can’t USE it.

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