roaming

It's time to vote on Facebook policy, expect changes in Motorola, and give thanks in five words:

Within the coming days, expect the chance to vote on Facebook's privacy policy. Facebook recently made an amendment stating that if it announces a policy change and 7,000 users write comments on that announcement post, then Facebook has to put it up to a world-wide vote. Activists from the website our-policy.org encouraged people to post comments on a recent change, and it worked: more than 47,000 comments poured in, so its expected Facebook will open the change to … Read more

Verizon Wireless wants to be sure its customers pack one of its phones when they travel abroad this summer.

The carrier confirmed today that four of its Android-powered smartphones will soon get a software update that will allow them to operate on GSM networks -- the dominant global wireless technology and the standard in Europe. Verizon said GSM roaming would be activated on the Droid Razr, Droid Razr Maxx, Droid 4, and HTC Rezound.

"Customers will see a notification on their device when the software update is available for their device," the carrier said in a statement. "… Read more

NEW ORLEANS--Clearwire, often seen in the industry as the odd duck of the wireless providers, may actually be on the unlikely path to offering a globally compatible device.

At least that's what CEO Erik Prusch believes. With major carriers in China, India, and Europe supporting the same spectrum band and variant of LTE, it's possible that a phone running on Clearwire can hop on to international networks with little fuss.

The advent of LTE was supposed to bring a universal standard to carriers. But the wide variety of technology standards and different spectrums has left the carriers as … Read more

Verizon has launched a new Global Data Package for those traveling overseas.

The company announced today that its new Global Data Package will deliver 100MB of data per month to customers for $25. The special rate is available only to those customers who have a domestic data package, and it allows them to access e-mail, surf the Web, and engage in other data-heavy tasks.

Before travelers sign up for the service, however, they should beware that it's available in 120 destinations around the world, including Mexico, Canada, and all of Europe. When traveling to Asia and Africa, however, compatibility … Read more

It's true that today iPad owners, along with other 4G LTE smartphone and tablet owners in the U.S., won't be able to roam onto international 4G LTE networks while traveling. But will that change in the future?

When Apple introduced its third-generation iPad last week, it took the wraps off the first Apple device to get 4G LTE, giving the tablet super-fast wireless access on both AT&T and Verizon Wireless, even when Wi-Fi isn't available. But for iPad users taking their devices overseas, 4G LTE access won't be available. For some, this tiny … Read more

Heading to Europe and wondering how you can avoid coming home to a wireless bill as big as your mortgage payment?

In this edition of Ask Maggie I offer some advice about using a smartphone abroad to a reader traveling to Spain next week for the Mobile World Congress trade show. Getting a local SIM card to pop into an unlocked GSM phone is likely the cheapest option. But if used carefully, subscribers don't have to sacrifice their kids' college funds to pay for a U.S. wireless plan with international roaming. Ask Maggie shows you how. Also in … Read more

Voters chat with Obama on Google+ Hangouts, Apple surpasses Hewlett-Packard in PC shipments (if you count iPads, that is), and almost everyone would take your call while on the toilet.

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

T-Mobile users will get domestic data roaming limits on their cell phone plans on April 5, according to TmoNews. Currently, there are no limits on domestic roaming.

A document written by T-Mobile and available on TmoNews says that the mobile carrier is making roaming changes in order to "continue providing competitive pricing options in the industry."

TmoNews writes that T-Mobile will be letting customers know of these adjustments in the beginning of February.

The limits will be staggered: the 2GB plan will be limited to 50MB of data, the 5GB plan will get 100MB, and the 10GB plan … Read more

You might think the 200 marked runs at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort in British Columbia would be enough for most skiers.

But just before Christmas, my two teenage boys, a friend and his two teenage sons, and I scoped out a largely untouched stash of snow in an area called Flute Bowl. No chairlifts scaled that part of the mountain, so we hit the slopes early, made our way over to Flute Bowl, kicked off our skis, and hiked 45 minutes to the top.

It was a cloudless day, and on the ridge, we were rewarded with spectacular views of the Coast Mountain range. Then we got to ski the wide open bowl, and the remains of powder that had fallen a few days earlier, all to ourselves. It was one of those moments worth capturing.

So we did. The boys, my buddy, and I fastened two helmet cams--the GoPro HD Hero 2 Outdoor Edition and the Contour Roam--on our lids and tested them to figure out which one we liked best.… Read more