My DigitalZone

Have you struggled to sync music between your cell (LG enV3) and your computer? I have. It was frustrating as music sync software (both Windows Media Player and Yahoo Music Engine) didn’t work. But I’ve found a much easier solution.

Use a memory card reader on your laptop — No need for special software
Yes. It’s just that. If you laptop has a memory card reader, use a memory card adapter that comes with the memory card for you phone, and stick the memory card into the card reader. Your laptop should recognize your card just like any other external drive.

Side Notes

• Battery Life When Used as a Music Player
  I was skeptical about the battery life if I use the phone as a music player. I used it for about 6 hours straight last weekend and it still had 2 bars. I need to do more experiment to be sure, but I can tell you it’s been good so far.
• Sound Quality
  The sound quality is quite good. Even though it doesn’t have some advanced features of a mp3 player, such as equalizer, it has high quality stereo sound.

Related Post
LG enV3 Picture Problem

It’s been about a year since I switched to Samsung Glyde. It’s been a bumpy ride with a few glitches here and there, so I am now ready for my next cell phone. I’ll probably wait until my current 2-year contract with Verizon expires next year. But I want to get started with my research.

Cell Phone Carrier
The first decision I need to make is a cell phone service. Should I switch the carrier or not? I’ve been a happy customer of Verizon Wireless for about 6 years now. I had a Sprint cell phone before and the signal quality was terrible at the time. As I was living in a newly-developed suburb, I had to pay a roaming charge even when calling from home. Ridiculous. So, I switched to Verizon. The signal quality was superb. No more roaming charges for calling from home.

Signal Quality
I don’t travel a lot but when I travel, I could always count on getting good signals with Verizon wherever I go. My friend and I went for a weekend trip about 3 years ago, and we got stranded in the middle of nowhere in Mississippi because of flat tires. As two of her tires blew out because of big fat nails, we needed to call a road-side assistance. It was a middle of nowhere with no big town nearby but we were driving a major interstate highway. Her cell phone couldn’t get the signal but mine did. The only times I couldn’t get signals with Verizon were in the mountains in Oregon where there are even no zip codes assigned to the area.

Consumer Reports Review
The consumer reports website picks Verizon as a stanout choice for most people. According to their user survey, Verizon is:

Widely available, among the leaders in satisfaction and connectivity in every rated city, and the standout in customer support. Its prepaid service is as highly rated as its traditional plans. It also offers Vcast mobile TV, a live-TV service offering cable and broadcast channels.

Other recommendations from Consumer Reports are:

A fine alternative where available
Alltel

Though Alltel service is available to only 26 percent of the U.S. population (vs. 87 percent for Verizon), this provider typically matched Verizon for overall satisfaction and connectivity. It’s also among the least expensive carriers for Web access. Its My Circle plan allows unlimited free calls to as many as 20 designated phone numbers, including wireless and landline on any network.

Worth considering, especially if you frequently travel overseas
T-Mobile

Overall satisfaction is similar to Verizon in most cities, though it doesn’t match Verizon in connectivity or customer service. It’s among the least expensive carriers for Web access and for text and multimedia messages. Its My Faves plan allows unlimited free calls to five designated phone numbers on any network.

So, I think I’ll stick with Verizon. When I talk with my friends, I experience an occasional signal drop with my ATT-using friend but not with Verzion friend. Verizon’s TV commercial, as it may seem silly, is true to the fact that Verizon signals follows you everywhere and they are dependable. As a woman who may need a cell phone in case of emergency, I put dependable signal quality as the most important criteria when choosing a cell phone service.