Electronics

[Nuttmeg]

On 3/20/2015 chickenbutt said:

OtterBox makes awesome cases! I also highly recommend them.

Otterbox makes great cases, but not for the average Tracfone sold on home shopping channels. Your can find cases for most phones on Amazon. I usually look for tech items on YouTube.

[JGalt]

People drop phones in toilets all the time (when they are in a pocket). I once was on the phone while driving, finished the call and set the phone down to my right, right into my glass of water. My eyes were on the road and I was aiming for a slot in the console, but missed. When I'm driving, my concentration is on the driving, so was absent minded about what I was doing with the phone.

[GCR18]

I haven't used square trade, but have only read good things about them. The warranty comes to $7 a year, so if I was on the fence I'd do it.

[ValL]

I've had my phone for over a year and a half.  Lately the text messages have been erratic.  I never know if I've missed one and have had to call people to see if they have gotten mine.  I figured this was normal wear and tear and sent in a request to Square Trade.  After giving them all the information, they decided that this was probably a software issue and they don't cover software.  So, I would definitely say, save your 30 bucks and forget the Square trade coverage.  Either that, or accidently drop the phone in a pond or run over with with a bicycle before you request them to repair it.

[Ainhisg]

Mid- to low-end TF's are considered to be disposable phones.  That's why you don't find high-end cases like Otterbox or Speck for them.  The phones like today's TSV may last a year and a half or they could last 5 years.  I rarely use my phone, and it is treated gently...I'm very easy on one.  That being said, the keyboard went out on my year and a half old Ultimate 2.  I knew I could download the Google keyboard to replace it, so that's what I did, but I felt like the phone was going to probably start having problems.  My husband's U2 lasted about the same amount of time.  

To solve the problem, we both just bought new, updated phones.  Since TF's don't upgrade their OS...what you get is what you get...this is just smart to do anyway for security reasons.  For example, the TSV will always be Lollipop 5.0.  It cannot upgrade to Marshmallow, because it is a TF branded product.  A person doesn't lose any minutes or service time, it is just rolled over, so it's not like a person is wasting money.  I get a new phone every year to a year and a half just for the new OS and because I need to renew my service time.  

Right now, my service doesn't expire until 2019, and I have 3000+ minutes, texts, and data.  lol  New phones have come along that I just "have" to have.  lol

I personally wouldn't buy the warranty.  If you start having problems with your phone or something happens to it, just buy a new bundle.  A year's worth of service and minutes, texts, and data is $100, so buying a new bundled phone is the way to go as no money is wasted.

[JavaQueen]

Waste of money--unless the phone is expensive.

Within two years, the technology is old and service/performance begins to lag. I wouldn't spend money on insurance. Buy as memory and chip that you can afford and then it might last two years or more. It's the updates that render a device obsolete.

If you just use a phone for talk/text, then you can stretch out the life of your phone.  8GB of internal memory isn't much. You might want to consider the purchase of an SD card.

I bought an older, cheaper model and it was good for about 18 months. My carrier kept trying to download the softare the phone couldn't handle, it couldn't pick up the 4g LTE speed and that resulted in feedback, dropped calls and being forced to use wifi. I upgraded the phone to 2 Gig RAM and 16 gig of internal memory and will probably add to extend the life of the phone.

This looks like a good deal for someone needing an inexpensive "disposable" phone.  If that is the case, don't spend on "insurance." If it's a lemon, you will know in days and return with no need for Square Trade.

[hckynut]

The only thing I have ever or will ever buy and extended warranty? Brand new vehicles that I plan to sell myself, and still have a remaining warranty on them. People like buying vehicles still under warranty.

I have bought tens of thousands of $$$$ over many decades, since 1955, of all types of electronics during those times. I have never had even 1 of them fail.

I personally use Tracfone and buy a new smart phone, with minutes/texts and data, every year. Buying a new package every year is cheaper than buying minutes etc.

I DO NOT believe in buying an extended warranty on ANY electronic, I see it as wasted money.

hckynut(john)

[chickenbutt]

I'm not that customer, but I highly recommend Square Trade.  The warranties are very inexpensive for what you get and the company is top notch.

I've been buying Square Trade warranties on everything from TVs to computers, kitchen small appliances, and small items since 2004.  The money I've spent didn't even add up yet to the value of the laptop they fixed for me several years ago which, BTW, still works perfectly.