Tag Archives: Sprint Ambassador

Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport For Sprint, For The Active Parent’s Life

August 29, 2014Brand Ambassador, Smartphones, Technology#SprintMom, Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport, smartphone, Sprint Ambassador, Sprint MomAlicia

Samsung Galaxy S 5
Carrier: Sprint
Camera: 16-megapixel
Processor: 2.5GHz quad-core
Display: 5.1-inches

I hesitated to put this in writing but here goes.. my 40th birthday is in October. I didn’t think that turning 40 was going to be a big deal – until a few weeks ago when I realized my birthday was just a couple of months away and I am turning 40! Before I explain how this milestone makes me feel, you should know that I am not a fan of resolutions. I never make them. I consider myself to be a realist and I don’t believe in making resolutions because I don’t feel like they’re realistic and I don’t commit to something I don’t intend on following through with 100% and I know better than to commit to working out everyday or losing 30 pounds in two months. Not going to happen.

That being said, I’m beginning to think that turning 40 could spark some life changes. I won’t go into detail on what those changes would be because I will be the first to admit that I am SCARED of being held accountable for something I say I’m going to do and not following through with it. I’ll just say that the Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport and a new pair of sneakers may be playing a part in those changes. Well actually, they already are.

The Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport is possibly the best Galaxy yet with refinements including a more-responsive 16-megapixel camera with simplified access to controls and filters, a battery built to survive long hikes, power outages, or nights in the baby’s room, and a brilliant display that allows for great visibility even in the sun.

I have been using the Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport for a few weeks and I am very impressed with the unique built-in health features/apps that Sprint is excited to be able to share with its customers through collaboration with Samsung Telecommunications and health and fitness market leaders Under Armour and MapMyFitness as well as its incredible camera.

As a Sprint Ambassador, I was given the opportunity to test the Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport. Designed with fitness in mind, the Galaxy S 5 combines a rugged but classy exterior, long battery life, an awesome 5.1-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, physical buttons, and native fitness apps to support your health and fitness goals.

Apps and Features for the Health & Fitness Minded

The Galaxy S 5 Sport combines Samsung’s S Health app, Under Armor’s MapMyFitness and Sprint’s new Fit Live service to promote good health. An Activity Zone app also offers quick access to features like a compass and stopwatch. Sprint includes a 12-month subscription to MapMyFitness MVP and six months of free Spotify Premium.

MapMyFitness comes in handy for cycling. Using the app, my son could see how many calories he burned during a ride. The S 5’s ‘S Health’ app has a heart rate monitor and stress monitor. The stress monitor has been great for giving my kids a visual representation, besides my bright red nose, when they are stressing me out. Through the app, I can show the kids when my heart rate is elevated and then they know it’s time to chill out. Having a visual of the difference between mom when she’s not stressed and mom when she is stressed has definitely had an impact.

Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport Design

The Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport is 5.7 inches x 2.9 inches, weighs 5.6 ounces and sports an impressive 5.1-inch Full HD Super AMOLED® display. I’m a shorty so I have small hands and can comfortably use the Galaxy S 5 Sport with one hand. There is actually a One-handed operation setting in the Settings app that allows me to toggle the function on and off easily. If you’re prone to dropping phones, you’ll love the textured, rubberized body of the Galaxy S 5 Sport. The physical navigation buttons, multi-tasking, home, and back, make switching between apps and browsing the internet so much easier than on some mobile devices. I had to invest in a pair of smartphone gloves a couple of years ago, in order to use my old device while wearing gloves in the winter but the Galaxy S 5’s physical navigation buttons do away with the need for gloves. IP67 water and dust resistant, the S 5 Sport lets paparazzi-like parents (that’s you and I) take photos of our kids while at the beach, pool, or lake, without having to worry about the occasional splash or drop into the water.

Speaking of photos… Paparazzi-parents need lots of storage space on their smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport comes with 16GB internal memory and has a MicroSD card slot that supports up to 128GB. I’ll never have to worry about running out of space while shooting video at my son’s lacrosse game or my daughter’s ballet recital again! A lot of people don’t take advantage of the SD card slot on smartphones but they should! You can buy an SD card almost anywhere and just slide it in the slot and wahlah, your phone has tons of space!

The 3.5mm stereo headset jack is standard so you can continue to use your favorite earbuds or headphones. I’ve been using a wireless Bluetooth headset to listen to music and audiobooks on my Galaxy S 5 Sport.

Color options are Electric Blue and Cherry Red. I am not a huge fan of bright colors but the Electric Blue has grown on me. The default keyboard has numbers at the top so I don’t have to click a shift-type button before entering numbers, great for my crazy passwords that are made up of capital letters, numbers and symbols. No more going back and forth between letter, number, and symbol screens.

Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport Camera

Taking photos of the kids, flowers, and the puppy has never been so fun! The Galaxy S 5 Sport’s camera is a winner. The controls are responsive and images are sharp, clear, and natural looking. The camera shutter is very fast so I can take even more photos of the kids!

Shooting photos of the kids in dim light or bright sunlight on a smartphone can be cumbersome but the HDR (high dynamic range) mode spiffs up photos in these situations without any extra work on the user’s part. Taking a photo in HDR mode on the Galaxy S 5 Sport doesn’t cause a lag like some smartphones. The Galaxy S 5 Sport takes less than a fraction of a second to snap a great quality photo but if you’re not sure you want to use the storage space on your phone for HDR photos, it shows you a preview of what a photo will look like in HDR mode before you shoot.

The “gear” icon on the top left of the viewfinder opens a 27-button menu of image-quality settings, while the Mode button takes you to a half-dozen effects with the ability to download even more including ‘Animated Photo’ and ‘Sound & Shot’.

The camera mode I had the most fun with, although not always consistent in result, is Shot and More. This mode takes a series of photos a few seconds apart. You can do several things in this mode. My favorite Shot & More mode is ‘panning shot’ which is what I used to take the photograph above. Other Shoot & More apps include Best Face, Eraser (erases the photo bombing stranger in the background), and Best Photo (chooses the best photo in a series).

The Galaxy S 5’s ‘Studio’ app gives users access to a a complete photo and video editing suite.

Samsung Galaxy S 5 Specs and Features

Android™ 4.4.2, KitKat
2.5GHz quad-core processor (Qualcomm® Snapdragon® MSM8974AB chipset)
3G/4G LTE mobile hotspot capability supporting up to 10 Wi-Fi® enabled devices simultaneously
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth BT 4.0
Built-in Google Mobile™ wireless services including Google Search™, Gmail™ and Google Maps™
HD Voice, virtually eliminates background noise and sound quality is dramatically enhanced on a call between two Sprint HD Voice-enabled devices on upgraded areas of the Sprint network.
Multi Window allows users to seamlessly toggle between applications without closing a window or opening a new page
NFC (near field communication) allowing the device to read information from everyday objects, such as stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips, or for use as a mobile wallet to make secure purchases.
Sprint Spark, a unique combination of advanced network capabilities built for data delivering peak wireless speeds of 60Mbps today on capable devices.

Below is a demonstration of the Galaxy S 5’s Multi Window funtion

How has the Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport Helped Me?

Since having the Samsung Galaxy S 5, I have literally spent 60% more time exercising than before. I really calculated it. I was walking once in the morning or evening but now I do both and a little speedier than before because I can listen to music that is super energizing and new to me via Spotify. Sure, I have thousands of songs in my personal music library but it’s different when you hear songs that you haven’t heard before or from way back.. they get the adrenaline pumping! Between Spotify and the fitness apps, I’ve been way more motivated to go for a walk or ride our stationary bike. I, like you, am a busy parent and have a difficult time taking time for myself even when it comes to doing something for my health. The Samsung Galaxy S 5, being an all-in-one device in that it gives me access to thousands of songs, a heart rate monitor, pedometer, and even a sleep tracker makes it easy for me to pick up just this one device and know I’m covered on many different levels. Not to mention the amazing camera… as if I was going to take a selfie while exercising. That’ll be the day. 🙂

Tracking my steps using MapMyFitness and listening to energetic tunes from Spotify get me going on my fitness journey from getting dressed to taking that last sweaty step.

Here are a few more photographs I took with my Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport

The Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport has a suggested retail price of $649.99 without a contract. With Sprint Easy Pay, well-qualified buyers can purchase Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport with $0 down (plus tax) and 24 monthly payments of $27.09. Visit Sprint for more information.

In The Box

Samsung Galaxy S 5 Sport
Standard Lithium Ion Battery
Headset
AC Adapter
USB Cable
Get Started Guide
Important Information Booklet
Wireless Recycling Envelope

Save Money With The Sprint Family Share Pack

Sprint introduces new shared data plans that offer double the high-speed data at the same or lower price as compared to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. For a Family up to 10 lines, get 20GB of Shared Data and Unlimited Talk & Text for only $100 a month. It really doesn’t matter if your family is 3, 5, or 10 people, you will get at least 20GB of shared data and your monthly charge will be $100.

The HTC One M8 harman/kardon for Sprint: Amazing Photographs & Incredible Sound!

May 15, 2014Brand Ambassador, Gadgets, Smartphones, Technology#SprintMom, Harman/Kardon, HTC One M8, mom central, Sprint AmbassadorAlicia

Perhaps the most exciting new Android smartphone on the market right now is the HTC One M8. It is truly something special and is available through all the major wireless carriers in the United States. However, the recently released Sprint edition, the HTC One M8 harman/kardon, offers users an even better overall experience. It delivers even better audio quality than the regular version making it not just a great smartphone but an awesome media device.

If you have kids, you know what I mean when I suggest that your smartphone is a media device. You know how your smartphone transforms into a gaming console with the switch from adult to child’s hands? Or a karaoke machine, a DJ, a mini movie theatre, and in our case, a bedtime story reader when I’m sick and can’t read to my daughter at night.**

HTC One M8 Size & Sound

The HTC One M8 harman/kardon is slightly taller than last year’s version and slightly larger at 71 millimeters wide. The screen is a full five inches with an HD display resolution of 1980 by 1080 pixels. Battery life is good with the 2600 mAh battery and should get most parents through a busy day. Of course, you have access to plenty of apps courtesy of Google Play whether you are looking for entertainment, finance, games, social networking and so much more. The Harman/Kardon Sprint HTC One M8 includes a special technology called Clari-Fi. It makes all types of digital music compressed to fit on your phone have a more natural sound when you are listening to music through headphones. This is what makes it unique to the general version of the smartphone that are available worldwide. The sound quality is amazing. I’m not kidding when I tell you this; I was laying in my daughter’s bed a few nights ago and we were watching and listening to one of the SAG Foundation stories being read by James Earl Jones. There was a point during the 7 minute video that I looked around my daughter’s room because I heard music coming from the left side of me and swore an iPod or her radio came on and I was going to have to get up to turn it off. In reality, it was the music from the story we were watching, transcending into a space I didn’t think sound from a phone could go. It was as if she had surround sound speakers in her room. It was really wild actually.

I can’t even compare the sound quality of the HTC One M8 harman/kardon and the iPhone 5s. The sound quality is that different. Like I said earlier, it’s like you’re holding a mini movie theatre in your hands or you’re at a live concert without the parking hassle and crowd. The sound is really that good. So, if you listen to music while you’re working, exercising, cleaning, cooking, putting the kids to bed (Enya is great for bedtime!), or enjoying a romantic dinner with your significant other, the HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon will immerse you in the music like never before. Really. I’m not exaggerating. Go to your Sprint store and check it out for yourself!

Take Professional Looking Photos With UltraPixels

If you are a busy mom or dad you will find that the HTC One M8 harman/kardon is the ultimate smartphone for you. It is made with a gorgeous all metal build that is highly durable and will be able to withstand a good deal of punishment, even when your kids get their hands on it. Like the original HTC One from last year, the camera of the M8 is 4 megapixels, or rather UltraPixels as HTC has dubbed them. The UltraPixels are meant to capture as much light as possible in your shots when you are in low-light situations.

One of my favorite ways to test a camera is by taking macro or close-up shots. Here are a few photographs I took with the HTC One M8 harman/kardon.

However, unlike the original HTC One, the One M8 has dual rear-facing cameras. The purpose of this is to offer more depth in your photos, which is great when you are chasing your kids around to snap the best possible pictures. There is also a feature called UFocus that allows you to capture a photo and then go back to it to edit it when you are ready. Blurring the background will make your images look even better as it more effectively emphasizes the object or person of your focus.

As a parent, I enjoy the Zoe feature, which is the ability to capture video clips that are three seconds long and made up of 20 still shots. The HTC One M8 captures this each time you snap a photo. Later, you can choose individual frames that you would like to use to make up a quick video for memorizing those special moments.

Keep Up With Your Social Media With BlinkFeed!

One of the biggest features of the phone is BlinkFeed. This appeared on last year’s HTC One and offers a refreshing look to your home screen that stands out in comparison to other Android smartphones. You can choose among news and social network feeds you want to appear on your home screen so that you do not have to go digging for it. It is a great way to keep up with current events and with family and friends with whom you are connected on Facebook or Twitter.

Is It Easy To Transition From Other Phone and/or OS?

Overall, the HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon has definitely replaced my iPhone. I have been anxious for a larger iPhone to be released and while it looks like that may happen sometime, I am very happy with the HTC One M8, even being the Apple girl I am. HTC makes the transition from an iPhone, or any phone for that matter, to an HTC easy with the HTC Sync Manager. I had my iTunes music on the HTC One M8 in no time and to top it off, I get to listen to the music from the phone OR from the amazing Harman Kardon Onyx Studio which connects to my HTC One M8 via Bluetooth and produces the most amazingly full and crisp sound. The Harman Kardon Onyz Studio is a definite addition to our vacations this summer as we love to listen to music wherever we are and it is so portable, there’s no reason not to bring it along.

Sprint Sound Sessions / Spotify 20 Million Songs = Super Fun Summer Road Trips!

As a part of Sprint’s new Sprint Sound Sessions, Sprint is giving customers access to Spotify’s catalogue of more than 20 million songs. I listen to music while I work, exercise, clean, and in the car. I have music on 80% of my waking hours. Sometimes even while I shower and definitely when my daughter bathes. Talk about belting out a song in the shower!

Spotify on the HTC One M8 allows users to play music on demand, create playlists, discover new music, share tracks with their friends, listen to songs offline, and listen to music without ads across multiple devices. Access to Spotify allows you to listen to millions of songs on the go. It has been really nice to be able to listen to songs I didn’t already have in my music library, from my HTC One M8 via Spotify. Think about how much easier your upcoming summer road trips will be with a service like Spotify on your phone. Sprint is offering Sprint Framily Members Spotify for FREE for 6 months with the purchase of a HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon, for a limited time. When is a better time to take advantage of a deal like that than right before summer road trips?

I hope this review helps you, especially if you’re wondering if the boost in sound quality and the transition from another smartphone operating system is easy or not. It is!

Stay tuned (sign up for my daily rss/email updates in the box at the top of the right column) for more reviews of devices offered through Sprint as I enjoy being a #SprintMom Sprint Ambassador during which I will test various Sprint devices and service options over the course of the year.

Enjoy!

Alicia

If you haven’t checked out SAG Foundation’s storybook website, bookmark it today and next time you lose your voice and can’t read bedtime stories to your kids, go to the website and choose from one of the many books for your child’s bedtime story. Actors including Annette Bening, Elijah Wood, and Betty White, read wonderful stories in a video so kids get that sense of being read to and get to see and experience the book as if it were in their hands. The HTC One M8 harman/kardon sound really helps the books come to life!

I Am A Sprint Ambassador! Let’s Celebrate With A HTC One max Giveaway!

April 22, 2014Brand Ambassador, Gadgets, Giveaways, Technology#SprintMom, giveaway, HTC, smartphone, Sprint, Sprint AmbassadorAlicia

If you are a regular reader of The Mommy Insider (and my gadget blog) you know how much I LOVE gadgets and technology. I can’t get enough of the geniusness that is smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, and ereaders. Many people point out that kids spend too much time on smartphones, tablets or watching tv but I know that it is a parent’s job to stay on top of how much time our kids spend on these devices and that they can be very beneficial to our children when used and monitored properly! That being said, I am thrilled to announce that I am a Sprint Ambassador! During that time I am going to share my experiences testing various Sprint devices and service options with you.

Everyday we rely on our cell carrier such as Sprint to get us information we need when we’re on the go.

Our cell carrier gives us, including our kids, access to educational information that you and I would have had to search a 10 pound hard-back encyclopedia for when we were kids, even when we’re at ball practice at a field in the middle of nowhere.
Our cell carrier gives our kids access to educational games during long summer vacation road trips.
Our cell carrier helps us find the closest rest area when we’re on an unfamiliar highway and the kids really need to “go” using map apps.
Our cell carrier lets parents send a photo of our child’s band performance, during the performance, to family hundreds of miles away without wi-fi.
Our cell carrier lets us text our teen when we’re running late and need him to put dinner in the oven.

Kids and parents lead busy lives. Our cell carrier provides us with data when wi-fi isn’t available such as when we’re on the road, at a ball game, or at our child’s school. Cell carriers such as Sprint give us or our child access to the dictionary when our child needs to study vocabulary in the parking lot of her brother’s ball game, or when you’re at a store and you want to compare the price of a TV to the same one at an online store. These are just a couple of times we count on the data our cell carrier provides.

While cell carriers give us access to important data services, there has still been the issue of having the ability to call family and friends without breaking the bank. Something that I and many consumers have had with cell carriers in the past has been that while customers can put their family on a family-plan, the carrier doesn’t extend family to those who the customer might call every day such as their mother, brother, friend, or co-worker. The Sprint Framily Plan has changed the family-plan game.

What does Framily mean?

Framily =

Friends. Family Members. Co-Workers. Soccer Team Coach. You get it.

With the Sprint Framily plan, you and up to 10 friends, family members, and even coworkers and parents from the soccer team can be a part of a Framily group with unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data each, while on the Sprint network. Did you know that 1GB could get you 52 hours on Facebook, 11 TV episodes, over 40,000 email views, 12 hours of Skype, or over 100 hours of web surfing? Nice, right? If 1GB of data isn’t enough for you, you can always upgrade to 3GB or unlimited data while on a Sprint Framily plan.

Each of the members on the Framily plan receives a separate bill with no annual service contracts or early termination fees, all for as little as $25 a month per line when you have 7 – 10 members in the Framily group.

There are several people that I talk to regularly who are not in my immediate family and would be a great fit for a Sprint Framily plan such as my sister, my dad, and a few of my closest friends.

You might be saying to yourself.. but my friends aren’t with Sprint.

Under contract with another carrier? No worries!

You love saving money and having the latest gadgets, right? You’re in luck because for a limited time, new Sprint customers can bring their current cell number to Sprint and sign up for a Sprint Framily plan, receive up to $300 in credit for their current phone AND a Visa Prepaid Card worth up to $350 to cover those switching fees. This exclusive offer is available at Sprint stores and online at Sprint.com now through May 8th 2014.

To kick-off my #SprintMom Brand Ambassadorship, Sprint is giving an HTC one Max to one of my readers!

About The HTC One max Smartphone:

The HTC One max smartphone offers users a massive screen with a 5.9-inch display and amped speakers for watching videos or viewing pictures on the go. The feature-rich camera offers users the ability to take photos with a fun, artistic flair, and gives users news recommendations based on likes on social media, for breaking news that matters most to them.

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 processor
Massive 5.9 inch display
Amped speakers for watching videos
Feature-rich camera offers users the ability to take photos with a fun, artistic flair.
Camera also gives users news recommendations based on likes on social media, for breaking news that matters most to them.
HTC BlinkFeed™: Create your own automatic updating home screen.
Up to 40% faster battery charging.
Backside sensor panel unlocks the phone with the swipe of a finger.

Giveaway Terms:

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents ages 18 and older. Giveaway closes on May 4th at 10am EST. The winner has 24 hrs to respond via email. Due to time sensitivity, if winner does not respond within allotted time, another random winner may be chosen. The Mommy Insider is not responsible for the shipping and/or fulfillment of the prize. Learn more about the HTC One max here.

Let’s get on with it!

You are not required to leave a comment to enter this contest, but it will get you 10 extra entries.

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