NFC

Hello! Have you got a new smartphone from US Cellular, with NFC (Near Field Communication)? If so it is an amazing technology! Besides sharing photos, videos etc. you can download apps at the Play Store to make your phone do some amazing things!
  One is NFC Task Launcher, and here is a short list of things you can make your phone do.

  Automatically switch between car, home and office profiles using NFC.

Put an NFC tag in your car, home, office and bedroom and automatically change settings, and launch apps by touching a tag.

"I feel like I am living in the future" J Selix, Wall Street Journal

You can do cool things such as:
- Turn on Bluetooth, turn off Wifi and start your favorite music app when you place it in a dock or scan a tag in your car
- Set your ringer to vibrate, dim the display and set an alarm when you scan a tag on your night stand
- Start up Wifi and automatically connect to your home network when you come home (this also works great for guests so they never have to enter your wireless network info manually)

There is no service to sign up for and tags work on *any* device with the app installed. Everyone who scans the tag will have the same actions performed. The list of possible actions is shown below as well as any task you configure with Tasker. Actions can be performed in any order and in any combination. The only limit is what you can come up with!

Some demos can be viewed on the application website

You can create:
- Task Tags
- Switch Tasks - use 1 NFC tag to toggle between two Task tags

Task Tags currently support the configure or execute the following tasks
- Turn Wifi on or off
- Turn Bluetooth on or off
- Make Bluetooth Discoverable
- Turn Airplane mode on or off (root required in 4.2+)
- Launch any installed Application
- Configure a new Wifi connection and connect
- Configure and enable Portable Hotspot
- Turn Auto-sync on or off
- Turn Auto-rotation on or off
- Turn Notificaiton light on or off
- Set Display brightness and auto-brightness
- Launch any Tasker Task (for users of Tasker)
- Chang Ringtone
- Change Notification Tone
- Changing Ringer Mode (Normal/Silent/Vibrate)
- Changing Ringer Volume
- Changing Media Volume
- Changing Alarm Volume
- Changing Notification Volume
- Set vibration
- Set Alarm (both a fixed time and as a timer)
- Check in with Google Latitude, Foursquare, Facebook and Google Places
- Send a tweet on Twitter directly from the tag
- Start / Stop media playback
- Turn GPS on or off (root Required)
- Turn Mobile Data on or off (root required)
- Changing Display Timeout
- Changing Auto-Rotation
- Changing Notification Light

 And here is a short video:

So now that you know what is possible go get some tags and the app and automate your phone!

I also still have a few $50 coupon for switching to US Cellular, so message me if you are interested. 

John USCC Customer Crew Member

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Christmas Blues

  Hi everyone! Hope you are all ready for Christmas! Do you know someone who has the Christmas blues? Send them to the nearest US Cellular store to look at the new Androids that are on sale! Don't have a store near you? Shop online and maybe find what you want at as a "web only" deal!
  Not a US Cellular customer? Message me and I will send you a coupon for $50 off when you sign up or switch!
  Ok I am off to US Cellular to pick up some accessories for stocking stuffers!


  If you have questions about US Cellular or Android in general feel free to message me and I will be happy to answer any question you may have.

  Merry Christmas!

John USCC Customer Crew Member

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CloudOn

Hi everyone! Thanksgiving is over, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are history, so get ready for Christmas by going to your local US Cellular store and pick up a new wireless device or accessories for the techno nerd in your life! After they (or you) get your new Android powered device I suggest you go to the Google Play Store and check out this weeks hot new app (IMHO)!
  The app I am talking about is CloudOn. This amazing new app is currently for tablets only.
  This app will let you work in native Microsoft formats (Excel, Word, and Powerpoint) and then save on the Cloud using your existing Google Drive, Dropbox, and Box accounts. Pretty exciting app and I can hardly wait for the phone version!
  The CloudOn Workspace allows you to:
   Use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint on your tablet to create, review and edit documents.
  Rename, delete and manage documents with your Dropbox, Box or Google Drive accounts
  View virtually any type of file, including: PDF, JPG, PNG, GIF, etc.
  Send files via email directly from the workspace
  Display, edit or create charts, change formatting, spell check, insert comments, etc into any Word, Excel or PowerPoint files
  Track changes while reviewing Word documents
  Use pivot tables and insert formulas in Excel workbooks
  Display and edit transitions in PowerPoint slides and present in full PowerPoint mode (not in PDF)
  Open files directly from your device email accounts as well as Dropbox, Box and Google Drive  Automatically save documents to avoid losing changes 

  If you are not already a US Cellular customer contact me and I will send you a coupon for $50.00 for switching and becoming one of the happiest customers in wireless!
  If you have questions or concerns about switching to US Cellular message me through Google+ or in the comments of this blog. General Android questions welcome also.

  Thanks for reading!
John USCC Customer Crew Member

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Ingress

Hello from Flyover country! Have any of you played the new augmented reality game "Ingress" from our friends at Google? Beware this is a VERY addictive game! I started playing this weekend and even in my small town (pop. about 1500) there are portals to capture!

This is a great interactive game which will get you up and exploring the world in your City! And although it is still in closed beta, download the app and request an invite!

*****Ingress is a closed-beta right now. Request an invite at http://www.ingress.com*****

Ingress transforms the real world into the landscape for a global game of mystery, intrigue, and competition.

Our future is at stake. And you must choose a side.

A mysterious energy has been unearthed by a team of scientists in Europe. The origin and purpose of this force is unknown, but some researchers believe it is influencing the way we think. We must control it or it will control us.

“The Enlightened” seek to embrace the power that this energy may bestow upon us.

“The Resistance” struggle to defend, and protect what’s left of our humanity.

Install Ingress and transform your world.

The World is the Game
Move through the real world using your Android device and the Ingress app to discover and tap sources of this mysterious energy. Acquire objects to aid in your quest, deploy tech to capture territory, and ally with other players to advance the cause of the Enlightened or the Resistance.

Strategy
The struggle is being played out globally. Track the progress of players around the world, plan your next steps, and communicate with others using an Intelligence map.

What is the Niantic Project?
Is this just a game? An Investigation Board (http://www.nianticproject.com) filled with cryptic clues and secret codes awaits. The story evolves everyday. Powerful secrets and game tech are there to be unlocked.

Form Alliances
The struggle to save the planet spans the entire world. Groups of people acting together can be more effective than individuals acting alone. Cooperation across neighborhoods, cities, and countries will be needed to achieve the ultimate victory.

You can find a review of the game here.

So go to your nearest US Cellular store, pick up your favorite Android phone, download Ingress, and start your Resistance!

Message me through Google+ or the comments section if you want to switch to US Cellular and I will send you a $50 discount! Also feel free to message me with any questions you may have about US Cellular or Android in general.

John USCC Customer Crew Member

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More browsers

Hello again! Have you gotten a new Android powered smartphone from US Cellular? Do you have questions about your new phone or service from US Cellular? Come to the US Cellular Customer Crew for answers!
  On to this weeks topic, browsers for devices running Android 4.0 ICS or above.

  First let me mention a cool browser I found in the Google play store called The Floating Browser. It is a classic free floating web browser software, with the basic web features, the powerful floating feature that allows you to use window concept as the browser; you can zoom in and drag windows; at the same time, it will also monitor your clipboard for quick information search, and using a notification to call a floating browser to use at any time.

Features:
1. Wide range support of Android platform from Android 1.5 ~ Android 4.0.3, the screen will be supported from 240x320 to 1920x1080.
2. Floating window, allowing users to change the size and location; it can support up to two ~ ten independent windows at same.(Professional Edition)
3. Tab pages, Each window has its own tab group.
4. Integrated system bookmarks.
5. Independent history feature. (Professional Edition)
6. Web page screenshot. (Professional Edition)
7. Quick search, start with the clipboard monitoring function.
8. No Advertising

  I hope you enjoy this browser on your US Cellular Android device! 

  If you have questions about switching to US Cellular, or Android in general feel free to Circle me in Google+ and shoot me a message! 

                              John USCC Customer Crew Member

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Floating Notes

  Hello again everyone! Are you enjoying your Android smartphones from US Cellular? If not let me know if I can help with information or advice when you switch!
  I want to talk about a realitive new app called Floating notes. I am just going to give you a quick run down on the features of both the free version, and the paid version and you decide.
  In the free version you can expect to find the following features and if it is enough for you great!
  Make a note, no matter what app you have open. Floating Notes stays on top!

Floating Notes is a note application that allows you to view and edit notes in windows. Windows hover over any other application. This is true multi-tasking! Browse the web, watch a video ... while taking a note with Floating Notes FREE!

Features:
- Windowed. True multitasking!
- Take, save and open notes
- send / rename / delete notes
- Minimize / Maximize windows
- Resize windows

Now in the pro version you can expect to find even more features and functions

Features:
- Up to four windows open at once!
- widget to open a new note quickly!
- persistent notification to open a new note
- Take, save and open notes
- set the windows transparency
- rename / delete / combine notes
- Share notes to other apps! Floating Notes works with many apps you have installed (Dropbox, SMS, Mail...)
- set notes as new calendar entry
- Open each .txt file with Floating Notes (*)
- Minimize / Maximize windows
- Resize windows (supports "pinch to resize")

(*) You need a filemanager. Download one from Google Play. Look in the file manager for a file and open it with Floating Notes.!

Let me know what you think of this app and this blog in general in the comments section

If you need help in switching to US Cellular service, help with Android in general, or have an idea or suggestion for this blog feel free to comment or contact me through Google+. 

John USCC Customer Crew Member

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Smartphones

  I have had a smartphone since the days of Windows Mobile 5, and honestly can't see my life without one! I would really like to get some folks to get a smartphone, like maybe my parents? Ha not likely! Maybe some of the friends from high school who are stuck with a dumb flip phone? Maybe some hope there. I went to a reunion this summer and I was pleasantly surprised to see so many of them using some sort of smartphone! One in particular is my best friend from high school. If I could get him to use a smartphone from US Cellular we could share photos, message each other and generally keep in touch better. I will keep working on him and I will get him converted!
  Any ideas to help me in converting him?

John USCC Customer Crew Member

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