PhoneTalk

Update: Verizon's New Share Everything plans are now available. Interest in making the switch? Here are more plan details.

This month Verizon announced a new type of plan that’s all about sharing the data. The new plans are called “Share Everything Plans” and up to 10 Verizon Wireless devices can be on the plan. That includes tablets, smartphones, Jetpack mobile hotspots, basic phones, and netbooks/notebooks. The idea is simple: Pay a monthly fee for each device on a plan and then an additional fee for the amount of data (1GB, 2GB, etc.) those devices will share a month.

The plans also include unlimited voice minutes, unlimited text, video and picture messaging for all devices on the Share Everything Plan. Plus the Mobile HotSpot feature, which is an additional fee to activate on other plans, is included as well. Just be aware that the data used with the Mobile HotSpot feature will come out of the shared data pool. If this is a feature that will be used a lot, keep that in mind when selecting a data option. Here’s the breakdown of the cost of each device on the plan:

Smartphones - $40
Basic Phone - $30
Jetpacks/USBs/Notebooks/Netbooks - $20
Tablets - $10

Here’s what data will cost:

1GB - $50
2GB - $60
4GB - $70
6GB - $80
8GB - $90
10GB - $100

To get an idea of what the monthly fee looks like, here’s an example:

2 Smartphones ($80) + 1 Tablet ($10) + 2GB of data to be shared ($60) = $150

For $150 (before monthly fees) service includes unlimited text, calls, and picture messaging, with the ability to use the Mobile HotSpot feature, and 2GB of data to be shared among all devices. Is it a great deal? It really depends on how much data you use monthly and that can be found out by looking at the monthly bill. Plus, Verizon includes a data usage meter on its devices that’s worth checking out to see how much data is actually being used by each individual device on the plan. For even more help check out this tool from Verizon.

The plans will be available on June 28th; however, there’s no requirement to switch from a family plan to a Share Everything Plan. There are no additional fees to switch to the new plan and switching also won’t extend an existing contract.

June is Safe Driving Month and there are still a few days left. We’re giving away the next generation of the Motorola Roadster 2 Handsfree In-Car Speakerphone to help drivers keep their hands on the wheel while driving. The universal (works with most Bluetooth phones) accessory lets you stream music and calls through the built-in speakerphone or the car stereo. In addition to many of the features found in the previous version, this model will also work with the new Motorola Car Finder app that automatically marks where the car has been parked and then can provide walking or driving directions to help you return to the car.

In honor of Safe Driving Month we’re giving you a chance to win a Motorola Roadster 2. All you need to enter is follow LetsTalk on Twitter and retweet: Win a MOTOROLA ROADSTER 2 Bluetooth! #MOTOLT

Note: Only one entry per person per day through Twitter. The giveaway has just begun and ends Sunday, June 30th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. So, be sure to spread the word on Twitter.

This month we hosted the Speed Into Summer Sweepstakes where three winners would receive their choice of one of these smartphones: Verizon’s upcoming DROID Incredible 4G LTE, Sprint’s newest HTC EVO 4G LTE, or the HTC One S for T-Mobile. To enter the contest, you had to visit LetsTalk’s Facebook page and fill out the entry form.

The Giveaway is now closed and the winners have been selected. So join us in congratulating the winners: Katie Embry, Chris Callicoat, and Debra Pearlstein.

In March, we found out which Motorola phones will be updated to Android Ice Cream sandwich. Starting today owners of Verizon’s DROID RAZR and the DROID RAZR MAXX should start receiving an over-the-air update that will include Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS and the ability to use the phone when traveling overseas. If you plan on using the former feature abroad just be sure to get an international plan. There will be a few other enhancements as well including some improvements to the voice input technology. To learn more about the upgrade, visit Verizon’s News Center.

Tomorrow, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Pacific Time, I'll be hosting a chat on LetsTalk's Facebook page. I’ll be taking questions about phones, plans, apps, and can even help Facebook fans pick the best phone for them. If there's something you want to know about mobile, but didn't know who to ask stop by and ask me on Facebook at 2:00 PM PST this Friday.

Today at the Windows Phone Summit being held in San Francisco, Microsoft showed off Windows Phone 8. There are quite a few enhancements that users can expect, but existing Windows Phone 7.5 users won’t get is the ability to upgrade their phones to Windows Phone 8. Existing Windows Phone users will, however, get an update to 7.8, which will have the new Windows Phone 8 Start screen -- it’s a bit of a centerpiece of the upcoming Windows Phone 8.

The idea behind the new Start screen is that you can customize it anyway you want, changing tile sizes giving some activities more significance than others (watch the video below to see it in action). Other noteworthy features are the inclusion of Internet Explorer 10 (that’s a full web browser, not a mobile version), the Wallet (manage payments, deals, and cards you might find in a wallet), and Nokia’s mapping software. We should also note that existing Windows Phone apps will work with the Windows Phone 8 platform.

We can expect to see Windows Phone 8 models from Nokia, HTC, Huawei, and Samsung. Some of the hardware features to expect include a multi-core processor (this will make the phone faster and more powerful), a slot for an external microSD storage card, NFC chip (Wallet apps and connecting with other Windows 8 devices), Nokia maps, and a WXGA display (1280 x768) – that’s HD.

Get a peak at the new Start screen in the Mircosoft video below.

Looking for a starter Android smartphone? Consider the T-Mobile Prism. It’s running Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS and is available in red or charcoal gray. You can get it with the T-Mobile Classic Unlimited Bundle that includes talk, text and 2GB of data for surfing the web. If you don’t want to use the data you can connect to a nearby WiFi network. Check out the smartphone in the unboxing video below.

Dads do so much for us and often help us find solutions to our problems. Why not return the favor this Father's Day with one of these accessories for his phone? Whether your Dad loves to listen to music, spends tons of time in the great outdoors, or just loves gadgets we’ve got him covered. One of these accessories will help him get the most out of his cell phone.

Give Dad more juice

With cell phones performing more and more functions these days it’s not surprising that some have a problem staying charged all day. Is your Dad’s cell phone always running out of power at the most inopportune times? Consider getting him the Energizer Portable Charger. This pocket-friendly charger can be used with any cell phone that has a mini-USB or micro-USB (that’s what’s on most smartphones) port.

A phone case that’s as rugged as Dad

Are you more likely to find your Dad outdoors hiking, rafting, or biking? Help him keep his cell phone protected with the Grace Digital Audio Eco Extreme Rugged Case. Just about any smartphone (even iPhones and iPods) will fit comfortably in the case. Plus if the phone has a 3.5mm headset jack (most phones do) they can even listen to their favorite playlist through the case’s speaker. Since this rugged case is also waterproof it will standup to just about any outdoor activity your dad loves.

Glasses for Dads who love gadgets

There are tons of Bluetooth headsets available, but how many of them are also a pair of sunglasses? That’s the idea behind the Qi-Wear Stereo Bluetooth Sunglasses. Equipped with a built-in Bluetooth headset and dual microphones for ambient noise cancellation, these sunglasses let Dad take calls on his cell phone and listen to music when he wears them. Plus they have an Ultra-Dura anti-scratch coating that will help keep the lenses from getting scratched. These sunglasses will do more than just keep the sun out of your Dad’s eyes.

Give Dad the gift of music

Does your Dad love to use his cell phone as an MP3 player? If so, help him set his music free with the QuikCell Sphere Portable Wireless Speaker. This compact speaker plugs right into the 3.5mm headset jack on his phone so he can hear the music on his phone wherever he wants. So whether he’s in the office or in a hotel traveling for business he’ll be able to listen to the music on his phone without a headset.

This mount will help keep Dad’s hands on the wheel and not on the phone (Read more)

Looking for a rugged phone that’s pocket friendly? Check out Sprint’s Kyocera DuraXT. The flip phone meets the Military Standard 810G so it can withstand shock, humidity, dust, rain, and more. It also sports a 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and a 2.5mm headset jack (this isn’t the standard 3.5mm found in music players. It also works with Sprint Direct Connect so the cell phone can be used like a walkie-talkie to make push-to-talk contact with other Direct Connect users.

There's a lot to like about the HTC One S for T-Mobile. It offers a speedy user experience running Android 4.0 thanks to its 1.5Ghz dual-core processor. The big appeal to this phone are the new HTC Sense and the camera features. HTC Sense makes it easier than ever to customize the smartphone and the camera's shutter speed is impressive. Plus it now has the ability to add depth of field to a photo and snap a picture while recording an HD video. To learn more about the HTC One S watch the expert review video below.

LetsTalk's latest sweepstakes will award three lucky winners one of the newest HTC Android smartphones to hit the market. Winners will have a choice of selecting Verizon’s upcoming DROID Incredible 4G LTE, Sprint’s newest HTC EVO 4G LTE, or the HTC One S for T-Mobile. All you have to do to enter the sweepstakes is visit LetsTalk’s Facebook page and click this link to enter. While you’re there, don’t forget to “Like” the company’s Facebook page. We should note that you only need to enter once to win and selecting/deselecting "Like" on Facebook will not increase your chances of winning.

The sweepstakes lasts through June 22, 2012. Becoming a fan of LetsTalk’s Facebook page will help keep you informed about the latest cell phone news, let you know when the most popular phones are available, and more. So, be sure to spread the word.

This week owners of the Motorola Xoom will start receiving the update to Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. The update will feature apps management, an improved photo editor, and speech-to-text technology.

Wondering when or if you’re Verizon Android device will be getting the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update? Check out Verizon’s list of products scheduled to get the upgrade.

Last month in London, Samsung unveiled the latest model in its Galaxy line of products. Today, word is out on when we can expect to see it in the states and which service providers will be offering it. All the major carriers will be offering the latest Android 4.0 smartphone. That includes T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T. Not all carriers are mentioning an availability date, but Sprint and T-Mobile say it will be available later this month.

The Galaxy S III will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of internal RAM, and work on 4G networks so it should offer a speedy user experience. The phone will be a bit large with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display covered with Gorilla Glass 2.0 that will help protect the phone from the elements and accidents that can happen in everyday use. As expected, the phone will sport a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that can record 1080p HD video. It will include quite a few photo features such as Burst Shot for capturing three images in a row with no shutter lag time. The phone will be available in White or Blue with either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory, and it can accept a microSD card for more storage space.