ask maggie

Verizon Wireless has built a loyal following by having a rock-solid network. But the carrier is not known for having the widest selection of cool devices.

Getting Apple's iPhone a couple of years ago helped ease the frustration. But Verizon's slow adoption of one of the season's hottest smartphones has some subscribers scratching their heads.

In this Ask Maggie edition, I offer my insights on choosing a Verizon smartphone. I also explain to another reader the best option for making sure you are never left out of a Google Android software update.

Apple has given the operating system for its iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches a new look with the introduction of iOS 7. But is the software alone enough to satisfy eager Apple fans who are constantly looking to upgrade to the next generation of iPhone?

In this edition of Ask Maggie I take a look at some of the new features available in the software. And I explain how the iOS 7 could make older iPhones feel like new. Ultimately, I offer my opinion on whether users should upgrade to the next version of iPhone hardware or just upgrade the … Read more

If you thought airlines and hotels were sneaky and stingy about the fees they impose on their customers, just take a close look at your next wireless bill.

What you'll find in addition to the taxes and fees the government requires you pay on top of your cell phone bill are charges that your wireless operator has also tacked onto the bottom of the bill. All four of the major U.S. operators now add some sort of "below the line" charge to their customers' phone bills.

These fees are not considered part of the service fee … Read more

Google is turning the popular Samsung Galaxy S4 into its latest Nexus phone, running the "pure" Android experience.

But at $650 per device, some users question how much that pure Google experience is really worth.

On Wednesday, Google announced that a version of the hot, new Galaxy S4 would be added to its lineup of Nexus devices. Google has worked with device makers over the past few years to sell its own Nexus-branded devices that don't include any extra software other than the Android operating system.

These "pure" Google devices are sold by Google and … Read more

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is sure to be one of the hottest selling smartphones of the season. And it's great news for consumers that it's available on all four major wireless operators. But unfortunately, every operator isn't selling all versions of the phone.

That's right, even though Samsung announced three versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4, with three different amounts of internal storage, some carriers are offering only one option. Is 16GB of on-device storage enough? In this edition of Ask Maggie, I offer some advice to a reader deciding if she should buy the only … Read more

Aside from monopolistic cable providers that force their customers to buy expensive bundles of TV channels they might never watch, wireless operators may be the only other businesses I know of that often force their customers to buy expensive services they don't really want.

In this edition of Ask Maggie, I answer two questions from readers who highlight this point. In the first question, a reader asks if he can avoid hefty international roaming fees by getting his brand-new Samsung Galaxy S4 phone unlocked so that he can use a foreign carrier's wireless service while he is abroad … Read more

There is no question that Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones are giving Apple's iPhone a run for its money. In fact, some loyal iPhone fans, disappointed with the incremental updates in the iPhone 5, already are looking for something new.

Smartphone aficionados agree that when it comes to innovation, Samsung has surpassed Apple. The Samsung Galaxy S4 in particular is a real standout in the smartphone market. Its bigger screen, higher resolution camera, and lots of bells and whistles are likely to attract a lot of consumers who are fed up waiting for Apple to reset the standard … Read more

For most consumers in the U.S., price is not a factor when buying a new smartphone, since most devices with a two-year commitment cost roughly the same. But when you are in the market for an unlocked smartphone, the dynamic drastically changes.

High-end devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, are still attractive to just about any consumer. The features are top-of-the-line, and the devices are sleek. But what many consumers don't realize is that a cutting-edge smartphone does not actually cost $200 or $250. In fact, if consumers were to pay the full … Read more

The lines may not be as long as they typically are for the launch of a new iPhone, but T-Mobile customers and those looking to jump ship to the maverick wireless carrier are excited that the iPhone is finally coming to T-Mobile.

The company began selling the iPhone 5 in retail stores and online today. The carrier is selling the device at a discount compared to Apple and its other carrier rivals. The full price of the device from T-Mobile is $580, compared to the full price of $650 from Apple and other carriers. T-Mobile is also letting people finance … Read more