Ask the Phone Expert

May 2012 Article

We understand that your Smartphone is your connection to the world. It is always at your fingertips and you can’t live without it! And we know those Smartphones aren’t cheap! You have invested money, signed contracts and want to keep it in tip top shape. The Phone Experts offers several ways to protect your investment and keep you connected!

Device Protection Plan

TELUS has teamed up with Asurion, a trusted leader in technology protection, to give you piece of mind. The Device Protection Plan is a monthly subscription you pay on your TELUS Mobility bill and it covers loss, theft, and physical and liquid damage and extends the manufacturer’s warranty beyond its normal 12 months. When your device is damaged, you just call or go online and Asurion will ship you a replacement device the next business day. There is only a service replacement fee for the transaction. The Device Protection Plan is $7/month on its own and is now available in a Device Protection Plan Bundle for only $8/month that includes Voicemail 25 as well. Unfortunately, this product is not available for iPhones.

AppleCare+

AppleCare+ is a newly improved product from Apple to protect your new iPhone and provides you service and support from the people who know iPhone best! For a cost of $99 when you purchase your new iPhone, AppleCare+ extends the manufacturer’s warranty from one year to two years, extends the expert telephone technical support from 90 days to two years, and covers two incidents of accidental damage, each subject to a $49 service fee. It’s an easy, manufacturer direct product to keep your iPhone in prime condition.

Accessories

While it’s great to get insurance for your device, the best way to protect it is with a case and screen protector! Any device that isn’t properly physically protected is subject to cracks, scratches, nicks, dents and other damages. To give your device it’s best fighting chance against your everyday life, be sure to get a protective case, like the amazingly tough Otterboxes or the stylish and lightweight skins and faceplates. All touchscreen phones are recommended to have a screen protector applied to keep dust, grease and everything else away from the sensitive screen.

Lifetime Accessory Protection Plan

The Phone Experts is the exclusive supplier of the Lifetime Accessory Protection Plan. For only 10% of the accessory price, you can extend the manufacturer’s warranty for life. The Phone Experts will replace the product, provide a comparable product or refund the Protection Plan price. This plan is available on all accessories, with the exception of batteries and screen protectors.

To keep your device and accessories protected, visit a Phone Experts location today. Bower Place, Parkland Mall, Gaetz Ave and Taylor Drive. Or call 403-343-1122.

 

 

April 2012 Article

Have you been noticing those weird square designs around lately? Not sure what they are? They are Quick Response Codes, shortened to QR Codes. They’re a type of matrix barcode that can contain a variety of information from plain text, a link to a website, contact information, to a Google Maps location.  These codes can be scanned by a Smartphone with a QR Reader application and the information is downloaded instantly. Invented by a Toyota subsidiary in 1994 to help track vehicles during the manufacturing process, they have shifted to the mainstream thanks to the capability for their complex content to be decoded at high speed. In Japan, QR Codes have been printed on train tickets since 2009!

Why do I want to scan QR Codes?

You can see QR Codes everywhere! From restaurants promoting new dishes, to car brochures with links to mileage calculators, companies are using QR Codes in a variety of ways to connect with their customers and bring them more information faster.

How do I scan them?

By downloading a QR Scanner onto your Smartphone, you can scan any code! Your phone will automatically open the right application based on the identifiers that are embedded in the code. It’s just that easy!

What QR Scanner should I get?

We’ve done the research and have found top QR Scanners for the different Operating Systems available. For iPhones, QR Reader for iPhone is highly recommended and well-reviewed. For Android devices, QR Droid is the top QR application in the Android Market. BlackBerry’s QR Codes Scanner Pro – Free has top reviews and QR Code Reader is great for Windows phones. These applications are all free and easy to use!

The Phone Experts are using QR Codes!

For April and May, we’re having our Scan & Save Event! Scan the QR Code beside this article to save on accessories and to learn more! Come in-store and we’ll help you download a scanner onto your Smartphone and help you save. Visit The Phone Experts, Bower Place, Parkland Mall, Gaetz Ave or Taylor Drive, or call 403-343-1122 for more information. Happy Scanning!

 

 

March 2012 Article

The Best of both worlds! The New Samsung Galaxy Note combines the great features of an Android Smartphone with the power and usability of a tablet. Using the Android 2.3 Gingerbread Operating System and TouchWiz®, the Samsung Galaxy Note is making the future of communication the present. So how is the Galaxy Note different from other Smartphones and Tablets?

5.3” HD AMOLED Screen

The Galaxy Note’s distinct size makes it deal to use as a tablet but allows it to be more portable and handheld like a Smartphone. The phenomenal display provides superb graphics and color while the 5.3” size lets you scroll less and enjoy more vibrant entertainment. Plus, with its expandable memory, you can keep all your files, videos and music together.

Multiple Input Options

Samsung’s unique SWYPE™ keyboard allows for lightning fast typing without lifting your finger and the new S Pen lets you draw and write in your own handwriting and it will be recognized and sent as a normal text! What is the S Pen? It’s a smart stylus that makes it easy to take notes in a meeting, sketch a caricature, and perform complex cropping of a photo. Plus, it slides neatly into the back of the phone for easy access and storage.

Powerful Performance

With a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, the Galaxy Note gives you the power to be productive on the go. Combine it with TELUS’ new super-fast LTE Network, and you’ll be downloading work and play faster than you ever thought possible!

Ideal for Professionals

The Galaxy Note has full-featured support for Exchange ActiveSync©, encryption, remote management, VPN, contact and calendar syncing, and Polaris™ Office keep you on top of your work anytime, anywhere. Plus with the Android OS, The Galaxy Note is still fun, personalizable and user-friendly.

With all the great benefits of a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note is still a Smartphone, with all the great, easy to use calling and texting features Samsung and Android are known for.

For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Note, visit The Phone Experts, your Authorized TELUS Dealer. Bower Place, Parkland Mall, Gaetz Ave and Taylor Drive, or call 403-343-1122.

 

February 2012 Article

Let the confusion end and the learning begin! Welcome to the TELUS Learning Centre at the Phone Experts! My name is Marc and I’m the Client Trainer at the Phone Experts in Red Deer. We’re offering an exclusive TELUS service where we help you get the most out of your Smartphone. Whether it’s brand new and you’re clueless or you’re a longtime client who wants to maximize your Smartphone’s usefulness, I’m here to help. All you need to do is call or come into one of our stores and make an appointment with me. Best of all, it’s free!

Did you just get the new Samsung Galaxy S II X and need help setting it up and learning its great features? We can book a one-on-one training session where I can answer any questions you have and show you great stuff your phone can do that you hadn’t even thought of! Do all your employees have BlackBerries and want to make the most of them? We can set up a group training session after hours to go through everything top to bottom so they can be more efficient and accessible.

This is a new service being offered exclusively through TELUS for all clients, whether your Smartphone is new or old. We want you to be able to use your device to its full potential and not be overwhelmed by the ever evolving world of Smartphones. No question is too big or too small.

We have group seminars where others often ask questions you hadn’t even thought of or you can book a flexible one-on-one session that fits into your schedule. We’re here to help on your terms.

The Phone Experts locations are your one stop shops for TELUS Mobility. We can help you choose the best phone for you, teach you how to use it, get you all the accessories you need, and make any feature or rate plan changes you need in the future. We are, after all, The Phone Experts!

Come in to one of our stores today to ask about this great service. We’re located in Bower Mall, Parkland Mall, 6838 50 (Gaetz) Ave & 114, 5301 43 (Taylor) St.

Hope to meet you soon!