Latest news with #cellphone
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Air travelers should never put this precious item in security bins when going through TSA: ‘Stolen on a regular basis'
Getting robbed of this precious cargo will have you flying off the handles. For most people, there's no acute agony quite like the pain and panic of losing one's cell phone, especially at the airport. But a travel expert warns that digital devices are at high risk of being swiped by ne'er-do-wells when the gadgets are placed in the bins at security checkpoints. 'The thing I'm absolutely never doing when I'm going through TSA — I am not putting my phone directly into one of the containers,' swore Tiffany, an on-the-go pro, from Pittsburg, in a beware bulletin. 'It's always going in a zipped pocket in my bag.' The brunette's not being paranoid, she's being proactive. Tiffany explained to her over 297,000 TikTok viewers that she once innocently plopped her phone into a TSA receptacle, and was immediately reprimanded for making the grave mistake. 'The TSA agent looked at me and was like, 'You don't like your phone?' And I looked at him like he was a little crazy and I said, 'Yes,'' she recounted. 'He said, 'This is the fastest way to get it stolen.'' 'The number one thing they see stolen on a regular basis is phones,' Tiffany emphasized, 'and it's because they are left out and available — the lines can back up, you're not paying attention until you realize and it's too late.' It's a useful forewarning for frequent flyers. An Air France flight from Paris to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, was recently forced to make a U-turn after a passenger lost their phone. There are a lucky few who do retrieve their lost or stolen electronics from TSA. In fact, the authorities claim that close to 100,000 lost items are recovered each year, per the TSA website. 'Passengers are encouraged to place their contact information on the outside of their electronics, such as laptops, in case the item is left behind. TSA will make every effort to reunite passengers with their belongings,' the officials say. 'Unclaimed electronics will have its memory removed and destroyed (e.g. laptop hard drive) or be destroyed completely (e.g. items with non-removable memory) to protect personal data after the 30-day holding period,' the noted. And who wants all that drama? Hoping to help folks avoid the chaos, Tiffany doubled down on her word-to-the-wise. 'Always make sure your valuables are zipped up [inside] your bag when they go through the scanners,' she urged.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Trump Org Announces ‘Trump Mobile' Cell Phone Service—Latest Bid To Cash In On Presidency
The Trump Organization announced Monday its latest venture – a cell phone service and smartphone line– with clear branding tied to President Donald Trump, the latest example of blurred lines between Trump's Oval Office position and his family's private business dealings. The service said its monthly plan will start at $47.45 per month, a nod to Trump's standing as the ... More 45th and 47th U.S. president. Trump's eldest sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump unveiled the 'Trump Mobile' entity, which will have a monthly talk, text and data plan and its own phone. Called the '47 plan,' the monthly mobile service will start at $47.45 before taxes and fees, a reference to Trump being the U.S.' 45th and 47th president, according to the Trump Mobile website. The company said its signature 'T1 Phone' will start at $499, and the website's mockup of the device 'coming soon' shows an etched American flag on the back of the phone. The 'Trump Mobile' phone will run on Google's Android operating system and will be built in the U.S., according to Eric Trump. The 'Trump Mobile' announcement comes less than a month after the president threatened to slap 25% tariffs on iPhone maker Apple and other smartphone giants for not producing their phones domestically. Donald Trump maintains 'significant control' over the Trump Organization, according to a recent U.K. filing. Since Trump won a second presidential term in November, much of the Trump family's business dealings with hazy boundaries between the public and private sectors have been in the cryptocurrency space, including launching a $TRUMP memecoin which netted top investors in the inherently worthless token a dinner with the president at his Virginia golf club. The Trump Organization has also announced several massive overseas deals in recent months, including a $1.5 billion golf club in Vietnam. Trump is worth $5.3 billion, according to our latest estimates. A majority of his wealth comes from his controlling stake in the public Trump Media & Technology Group, which trades under the ticker $DJT, the president's initials. Originally the parent company of Trump's Truth Social social media site, Trump Media has since expanded heavily into crypto, saying last month it raised $2.5 billion to purchase bitcoin, the world's most valuable crypto token. Shares of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all declined Monday morning despite a broader rally. Trump Media stock rose 2%.
Globe and Mail
10-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
SmartLess comedians launch U.S. cellphone service with Canadian backers
The trio of actors behind the popular SmartLess podcast have launched a U.S. discount cellphone service promoted through their irreverent comic personas and backed by Canadian executives and investors. On Tuesday, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Toronto-born Will Arnett lifted the curtain on SmartLess Mobile, a service premised on cutting cellphone bills by helping subscribers avoid paying for data they don't need. SmartLess Mobile's marketing campaign will use the trio's humorous exchanges to show cellphone users can save money by dropping expensive data plans. 'If you own your phone, spend most of your day on Wi-Fi, and are on an unlimited data plan, moving to a SmartLess Mobile plan could literally cut your monthly bill in half,' Mr. Hayes, a comedian and star of the sitcom Will & Grace, said in a press release. He said: 'Honestly, if your phone bill knew how often you're on Wi-Fi, it would be embarrassed.' Canadian telecoms quietly raise cellphone plan prices and fees after years of better mobile deals All three actors are equity investors in the wireless company. Mr. Bateman, whose credits include Arrested Development and Ozark, said: 'Our SmartLess podcast now reaches millions of listeners each month, almost all of whom listen on their phones. Extending the SmartLess brand into mobile is a logical next step.' The trio are following a script written by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, co-founder and brand ambassador at discount cellphone service Mint Mobile. Launched in 2016, Mint Mobile sold to T-Mobile in 2023 for US$1.3-billion. The chief executive officer at Smartless Wireless is Paul McAleese, former president of Calgary-based Shaw Communications Inc. and head of its Freedom Mobile wireless service, which is now owned by Quebecor Inc. SmartLess Mobile's chief brand officer is his wife Jeni McAleese, a telecom veteran. SmartLess Mobile's lead investor is Thomvest Asset Management, a fund manager owned by Toronto-based billionaire Peter Thomson. Mr. Thomson's family owns The Globe and Mail through holding company Woodbridge Co. Ltd. SmartLess Mobile is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator or MVNO running on the T-Mobile US Inc. network. Piggybacking on one of the largest U.S. wireless providers allows the founders to launch their service with minimal network costs. Telecom giants taking action to address the debt elephant in the room In the telecom industry, SmartLess Mobile is referred to as a flanker brand, marketed to cost-conscious customers. As part of the launch on Tuesday, Arrested Development star Mr. Arnett said: 'We're pretty sure that Big Wireless isn't going to let you know that your phone isn't using their network 90 per cent of the time. So, we'll say it: If you're using less, you should be spending less.' SmartLess Mobile has no plans to launch in Canadian markets, Mr. McAleese said in an interview. The major Canadian telecom companies run flanker brands such as BCE Inc.'s Virgin Plus, Koodo Mobile at Telus Corp. and Rogers Communications Inc.'s Fido service. U.S. telecom regulations allow most wireless subscribers to switch providers, while keeping their phone number, by simply scanning a QR code. SmartLess Mobile said its sign-up process only takes a few minutes. The SmartLess podcast launched in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. The show draws millions of listeners each week to a conversation between the three actors and a guest. Episodes that drew large audiences include sessions with Will Ferrell, Wayne Gretzky, George Clooney and Mr. Reynolds. What business leaders can learn from Earth's most rizz-tastic human, Ryan Reynolds In 2021, the founders signed a broadcast deal with Inc. valued at up to US$80-million. Last year, The New York Times said SmartLess 'remains one of the rare cultural tent poles that were born during the pandemic era and have continued to thrive.' In January, the SmartLess founders signed a three-year contract with satellite radio network SiriusXM worth an estimated US$100-million. The mobile phone venture is their first foray outside show business. Numerous celebrities have profited from co-founding companies with industry operators, then lending their names to marketing campaigns. This month, model Hailey Bieber sold her cosmetics brand Rhode to e.l.f. Beauty for US$1-billion in cash and stock. In 2014, Apple Inc. paid US$3-billion to buy music platform Beats Electronics, launched by rapper Dr. Dre and music executive Jimmy Iovine.
Android Authority
06-06-2025
- Android Authority
I was a T-Mobile customer for 10 years. Here are 5 things I learned after switching to Visible
Joe Maring / Android Authority In early May, I began the process of switching myself (and my partner and family members) away from T-Mobile. After being T-Mobile subscribers for 10 years and being fed up with price hikes and worsening service, we decided we'd had enough and were ready to move on. I chronicled that experience in an article I wrote last month, explaining why I left T-Mobile and all of the things that pushed me over the edge to finally switch. But at the time, I wasn't sure what carrier I'd be switching to. Following a lot of Googling and research, I ultimately chose Visible as my new cell phone service provider. The pricing was right, the plans had everything my family and I needed, and I'd heard nothing but good things from friends and colleagues. It's been about a month since I made the switch, and it's been a pretty eye-opening experience. After being a T-Mobile customer for so long, here are a few things I've learned after my first month with Visible. When was the last time you changed cell phone carriers? 0 votes I just did recently NaN % A few months ago NaN % 1-3 years NaN % 5+ years NaN % 10+ years NaN % Other (let us know in the comments) NaN % Porting numbers was (mostly) a piece of cake Joe Maring / Android Authority Prior to my Visible switch, the last time I subjected myself to the cell phone number transfer process was a decade ago — and I don't have fond memories of how it went. As such, I was pretty apprehensive about how things would go transferring six lines away from T-Mobile. Amazingly, it all went as smoothly as I could have asked for. When you're setting up your Visible account and indicate you want to transfer a phone number, all you have to do is enter the phone number you want to move, your current carrier's account number, and a transfer/port-out PIN from your carrier. Once that's entered, Visible submits the transfer request, alerts you when your number transfer is approved, and then prompts you to complete activation. All told, the entire number transfer process took all of 10-15 minutes for every number I ported to Visible — all except for one. I accidentally entered an old port-out PIN when transferring my partner's number, which strangely locked their Visible account for the rest of the night. However, we were able to get their number ported the following day without issue, so it all worked out fine in the end. My cell service hasn't gotten any worse Joe Maring / Android Authority Switching from one of the nation's largest carriers to a much smaller MVNO, my primary concern was that my cell service was going to take a hit. It's well known that many MVNOs are deprioritized during heavy network congestion, and going from T-Mobile to Visible (a Verizon MVNO), I was worried my service wouldn't be as fast or reliable as I'm used to. Thankfully, that worry has been for nought. After a month with Visible, I've not noticed any degradation in service quality compared to what I had with T-Mobile, nor have my parents or my partner. I've been pleasantly surprised with how well Visible has performed so far. If anything, my service has actually been a bit better. In the laundry room and gym at my apartment complex, which were virtually dead zones for T-Mobile, I've had no issues getting a strong signal with Visible. Your mileage will obviously vary depending on where you live and your local Verizon coverage, but I've been pleasantly surprised with how well Visible has performed so far. Not having family accounts isn't a big deal Compared to T-Mobile, one of the most significant differences about Visible (other than it using Verizon towers) is that it doesn't support family plans. That means everyone is in charge of their own account and bill, and after being on the same account with my partner, parents, and grandmother for so many years, I wasn't sure how this would go. Once again, it's been a smoother transition than I anticipated. Visible's autopay system means no one has to worry about accidentally missing a bill, and unlike T-Mobile, I can set up autopay for my partner and myself with a credit card — no need to link our bank account. And should any of us ever leave Visible for something else, everyone having their own account (and, therefore, their own port-out PIN) will make things easier, too. I made the mistake of transferring my phone number first to Visible, and as the primary account holder for our old T-Mobile account, that resulted in a headache-inducing evening of working with T-Mobile's (very bad) customer support to make my partner the new primary account holder so we could continue transferring other numbers. I'm really glad that won't be an issue with Visible if/when we ever switch to something else. Visible's Android app is much easier to use Joe Maring / Android Authority Ever since T-Mobile launched its T-Life app in 2023, trying to access and manage my T-Mobile account from an Android phone has been a nightmare. The app is slow, unresponsive, and unbelievably buggy. While Visible's Android app isn't perfect, it's been significantly better than T-Mobile's. Account settings are easier to find, bill/payment information is easily accessible, and it's not overloaded with heaps of unnecessary fluff — something T-Life is notorious for. Although the Visible app isn't the prettiest to look at (or the fastest), I appreciate how much better organized everything is compared to T-Life. If I want to switch my plan or access features like Global Passes or HD video streaming, they're just a couple of taps away. T-Life, by comparison, likes to hide almost everything under a mountain of convoluted menus. I'm very happy not to be dealing with that any longer. Don't be afraid of changing carriers Joe Maring / Android Authority This last point isn't specific to Visible itself, but rather a more general point I learned throughout the carrier switching process. Especially when you've been with one cell carrier for multiple years, the idea of switching to something else is daunting. You're familiar with the carrier you currently have, you don't want to go through the headache of transferring numbers, you're worried about what another provider's coverage will be like — the list goes on and on. Switching carriers is far simpler today than it's ever been. I'd been unhappy with T-Mobile for about a year before I decided to leave, and I stayed with the company largely out of familiarity and convenience. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of changing carriers, and even though I wasn't thrilled with T-Mobile, I toughed it out anyway. If you find yourself in a similar position, whether with T-Mobile or another company, my advice is to go for it. Switching carriers isn't the most entertaining thing to do, but it's also far simpler today than it's ever been, especially now that eSIMs are more widely adopted and easier to use. Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority I was hesitant about leaving T-Mobile after 10 years, but I'm happy I finally did — and I wish I'd done it sooner. You don't owe your current carrier any loyalty, so if you're unhappy with your monthly bill, service, or something else, go ahead and leave. You'll be glad you did. Visible - Plans starting at $25 a month for a limited time! Visible - Plans starting at $25 a month for a limited time! Aiming to simplify and reduce the costs of mobile connectivity, Visible by Verizon is a simplified carrier that offers limited plans, no hidden fees, and connectivity to the Verizon network. See price at Visible Save $5.00
Russia Today
03-06-2025
- General
- Russia Today
Trump still uses personal phone
US President Donald Trump continues to rely on his personal cellphone, despite repeated warnings from aides and security experts about foreign surveillance risks, The Atlantic reported on Monday. The phone remains Trump's main link to the outside world, connecting him with friends, family, lawmakers, corporate leaders, celebrities, world leaders, and journalists, sources close to the president told the outlet. He also often answers calls from unknown numbers, reportedly viewing them as opportunities for spontaneous conversations, they claim. 'He likes to call people. He likes to be called,' one adviser reportedly said. Another noted that 'probably a ton' of people have Trump's personal number, while a third estimated the figure at 'well over 100.' President Trump at Mar-a-Lago on the phone working. An absolute machine 🔥 Trump reportedly uses multiple devices, with at least one dedicated to social media. Several sources claim Trump often leaves lengthy voicemails and inquires if recipients have shared his messages with relatives and friends. They also claim Trump distrusts White House landlines, fearing eavesdropping by what he sees as the 'deep state.' 'His perspective was, 'I can't trust anyone on the White House staff, so I have to use my cellphone,'' a former adviser told the outlet. Security officials have long warned Trump that personal phones are vulnerable to hacking and wiretapping. In late 2024, the FBI claimed Chinese hackers had breached US telecom networks, allowing them to eavesdrop on calls involving Trump and other political figures. Despite the concerns, the president reportedly dismissed the warnings. 'He'd just reject it and say, 'It's not true,'' a former adviser said. 'He'd say, 'My phone is the best on the market.'' Advisers eventually gave up trying to limit his phone use, the sources claimed, although one said the devices had been upgraded with additional security features. The White House declined to confirm those details. 'We will not discuss or disclose security measures regarding the President, especially to The Atlantic,' Communications Director Steven Cheung told the outlet in an emailed statement. The White House recently had issues with the magazine after an Atlantic editor gained access to an internal chat involving senior Trump officials discussing a strike against the Houthi militants and then writing a story about it. Cheung defended Trump's approach, saying his use of a personal phone makes him 'the most transparent and accessible President in American history.'
