Free 500mb data with FreedomPop

I've been on the T-Mobile no-contract prepaid plan for eight years now. $100 for 1000 minutes/year just cannot be beat. I purchased the original $100, then just topped off $50 every year after. The unused minutes rollover and never expires as long as I top up before the year is up. With the availability of a land line and wi-fi all day at my desk, I only average about 40 minutes a month, using it mainly on the road and on weekends. I'm sure I've saved into the thousands compared to a monthly plan.

Two things I miss most about my prepaid plan are:

1. Cannot buy $199 iPhone 5. I have to either buy a $649 unlocked version, or buy a used iPhone 4/4S for around $200
2. No data plan. Hotspots are available at many places like McDonalds, Starbucks, library, City of Milpitas, JCPenney, but not when I need it: in my car, at the park, in a restaurant, etc. 

To address the first problem, I have reliable germ-free friends that always sell me their used iPhones when they upgrade. They always want the best, and I'll gladly settle for second best. Thanks to them, I've owned every previous generation of the iPhone.

To address problem number two, I ordered the FreedomPop Photon Hotspot.

For the last two weeks, I've been using the Photon for my daily commute and weekends. It supports up to eight devices on it—enough for both our iPhones, iPad and Macbook. And being in San Jose, the speeds are incredibly fast on Clearwire's 4G Wimax. So far, I've been quite pleased. I reply to email quicker, text message, and use maps for traffic and navigation.

Note: In other places, like along I-880 traveling through Hayward, speeds will drop 50-75%. Also, each speed test eats up 10mb of data, so use sparingly.

500mb for FREE!

With the purchase of the Photon hotspot, you get 500mb for free every month. No strings. The cost of the Photon is $99 + $6.99 shipping and takes two weeks to arrive. They call the $99 a "deposit" because you can return it within a year and get your money back (you pay shipping). What they are hoping is that you will enjoy the service so much, you will just keep the Photon, forfeiting your deposit after a year.

The free 500mb should last about a month if you do moderate levels of email, Facebook and photo uploads. 500mb averages to about 16mb/day. Below is my usage on Friday sitting in a doctor's waiting room, and Saturday at a restaurant. 1mb for checking email, 2-6mb for Facebook updates and light surfing, and 17mb for taking pictures which I set to automatically upload to my photo stream. As demonstrated, it is about 16mb per day, and good enough for me.

If you go over your 500mb, you will be charged 2¢ per mb. Fortunately upon sign up, you are given an extra 1gb to cover any overages. This is a nice perk to relieve any anxiety you might have incurring any surprise charges. If you avoid Netflix, YouTube and other streaming sites, 500mb should be enough.

Earn More Data

You can also pay $10 for 1gb/month, or complete offers to earn additional data. But the easiest way is to just link your friends. If you sign up and find me in your address book, we both get an extra 50mb/month. Additionally, you'll get another 50mb for every friend you connect with, up to 1gb. Unlike Facebook, on FreedomPop there ain't no shame being a friend collector. This is how they try to lock you up after a year. Let's say, upon the 12th month, you have 10 friend getting you an extra 500mb/month free. You won't want to cancel the plan just to get your $99 back. It's better to just stay on for free.

So hurry up and get your FreedomPop Photon, because I just can't wait to be your friend! Yep, you and I can be buddies in the 50/50 club! Please consider it. I even penned a poem to encourage you:

All through the city I walk it alone

searching for wi-fi I can't call my own.

Discovering the Photon is such a cool treat

Too bad for me it's not all-you-can-eat.

 Now searching again for friends to connect

to build up my data, that's all I expect.

 We link up online, rewarded with fifty

Can life be this good, while being so thrifty?

Checking in everywhere, and replying to mail
Post pics from a meal, before it gets stale.
 Maps for directions, news of weather and crime
How'd we live without data for such a long time?

You long for the day to thank me face to face

But now with my hotspot, I'm never in one place.

You think of me often, but please don't lose sight

'Cause I only needed you for fifty megabytes.

-WFP

External links/reviews:

http://www.freedompop.com/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/2013/02/23/freedompop-hands-on-and-unplugged-at-home/

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410839,00.asp

http://www.biblemoneymatters.com/freedompop-review-free-4g-wireless-internet-access-can-help-you-save-on-your-cell-phone-bill/

I'm a blogger and a poet, betchu didn't know it

We hosted dinner recently. It was taco night – a crowd favorite. During dinner I spilled some beans (har har) to the unsuspecting audience. And being the classy guy that I am :) I delivered it in poetry form. Today as a treat to all my readers, I'll share it with you.

Greetings to you all, gathered here today
A few choice friends, mahjong is what we play
I'm so blessed, surrounded by people we love
A strong familiar scent I sense floating above.

I have some good news, of great magnitude
Please cover your mouths, so you don't spit out your food
As we're jammed at the table, kids eating off the floor
I often wondered if we could fit just one more.

So let me say without any further ado
We're excited that there will be somebody new
Someone that'll cry, but also sing and play
We expect this someone Martin Luther King Day.

Yes January's the month that this baby is due
So what will it be, will it be pink or will it be blue?
A girl would be nice and a boy can't be wrong
But one thing for sure, it won't be a Fong.

If you still need a clue, it's Mary and Ted
There had to be a reason why they finally got wed
Their love is perfect, a match made in heaven
This is their first child, on the way to seven.

Mary and Ted, my heartfelt congrats to you
We've so longed for you to walk in our shoes
Being a parent, you can't help but smile
I trust your child will exceed 50 percentile.

So as you dress your tacos with green and white goop
Come January you'll be faced with sticky black poop
So eat up today, while you're still without a child
Because come next year, you'll be filming Babies Gone Wild.