Smartphone data abroad.

Mekka wrote:A useful app is Onavo. It shrinks (don't ask me how) the amount of data you use whilst browsing. Within the app it will give you a rundown on how much data is has saved, quite surprising as I haven't noticed anything missing form the browsing experience since I've had it. It is now available for Android as well. www.Onavo.com

Onavo would be very useful while abroad - you will definitely save on data usage and hence on massive bills when you get home.

However - I used Onavo for a while in the UK - and it turns out that Onavo's gateways are not in the UK (I think they are in Ireland), and therefore sometimes you will find that certain content is not available. For example, BBC iPlayer - it sees your phone as being outside of the UK, and refuses to let you watch anything. I'm sure there are other examples of websites etc which have location-specific content.

I have stopped using it now, as I never seem to reach my data usage allowance anyway, so there is no need to have the inconvenience of not being able to see certain UK-only content. But I might re-visit it again before going away next month...

Oh, and btw i just installed an app to allow FaceTime over 3G so i can FaceTime my family from the top of the mountains. My gran is 85 and loves the Alps although she has never been there.....shes going to love it..... Wibble

Snapzzz wrote:Oh, and btw i just installed an app to allow FaceTime over 3G so i can FaceTime my family from the top of the mountains. My gran is 85 and loves the Alps although she has never been there.....shes going to love it..... Wibble

Whats the app called?

Snapzzz wrote:

billip1 wrote:To change the mood a little (to quote Squeeze), I personally find that one of the joys of being on holiday is that I can switch off my mobile and forget it for the week. But then I'm very old-fashioned.

To a certain extent i agree with you. I certainly leave my work mobile at home.
But my phone is much more than a phone.
I use it heavily for other things such as Facebook (not just being nosey) for sharing my holiday with my family back home. I used to have to ring my grandparents everyday (they worry) but now i post online or email a pic.
In ADH i used the livecam360 app to check the webcams at altitude to see where to go to escape the mist. That is awesome.
I also use the maps to follow my progress on transfers.

And of course writing my diary of shame on J2Ski......expect volume 2 shortly! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I have to have my iPhone with me on holiday as I run my own business and cannot afford to miss a call or email. Normally I fanny about finding wifi bars, but having this knowledge will now allow me to be able to use roaming for email, facebook, and live webcams without worrying about silly prices.
I thought I was reasonably up to date with my iPhone 4 but it seems I am still learning.

Tony_H wrote:

Snapzzz wrote:Oh, and btw i just installed an app to allow FaceTime over 3G so i can FaceTime my family from the top of the mountains. My gran is 85 and loves the Alps although she has never been there.....shes going to love it..... Wibble

Whats the app called?

It's called 3G unrestrictor.
It fools all apps into thinking they are on wifi when they are in fact on 3G.
It's available on the cydia store, you have to jailbreak your phone.

Snapzzz wrote:

Tony_H wrote:

Snapzzz wrote:Oh, and btw i just installed an app to allow FaceTime over 3G so i can FaceTime my family from the top of the mountains. My gran is 85 and loves the Alps although she has never been there.....shes going to love it..... Wibble

Whats the app called?

It's called 3G unrestrictor.
It fools all apps into thinking they are on wifi when they are in fact on 3G.
It's available on the cydia store, you have to jailbreak your phone.

Now youve lost me.

Tony_H wrote:Now youve lost me.

As you probably know Apple like to keep a tight grip on their set up and therefore only allow what they deem to be acceptable Apps on 'their' app store and 'their' devices. Which is why you will often hear Android fanboys screaming on about how they can do this and do that where we cannot.
I can see the argument from both sides. Apple like to keep control as it makes for a reliable 'just works' system and they reap all the rewards of that.
Android on the other hand please their users with the 'do what you want with it' attitude but that comes at a price.
Because Androids marketplace/app store allows anyone to write their own apps and post them up for download they have seen an increase in mobile virus's and malware which is not good.

But aside from that there have been perfectly good apps refused by Apple for other reasons. EG: Amazons Kindle app was recently pulled from the app store as it offered users a link to download its books directly from Amazon. "whats wrong with that?" you may ask.....Well Apple insist that all sales go through their systems......and that gives them 30%.....crafty.

So Apple can be a bully boy....but thats just business.

Jailbreaking, is the process of removing the limitations imposed by Apple. It allows users to gain root access to the operating system, allowing users to download additional applications, extensions, and themes that are unavailable through the official Apple App Store. A jailbroken iPhone can still use the App Store, iTunes, and other normal functions, such as making telephone calls.
It all sounds really geeky but it isn't. You just run an app on your computer and it does it all for you. You then have another app store called 'Cydia' where you can buy and install apps that do many wonderful things.

Its important to note that it does no permanent changes to your phone....it is not chipping or modding the way people hack xboxes or wii's. Any problems and you just restore with iTunes and you are back to how you were.


The main reason i use it.

MyWi - This app allows me to tether my iPad to it and use the iPhones data connection to give internet access to my iPad. This is great because i am on an unlimited tariff...i love it when camping.

3G unrestrictor - allows all apps that normally only work on wifi to operate on 3g.

Crikey.
Thanks