Smartphone Apps of the Month—December

Now that it’s the holiday season, I’ve been depending on two apps that make entertaining easier and more fun for me and my family. One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was actually to spend more time with loved ones, so I’m proud to say I managed to accomplish this and more. The one to hit the gym three times a week….well, that was a greater challenge. But there’s always 2016 for that.

The two apps I’m sharing with you this month are highly rated largely because they enable you to spend less time at the store or in the kitchen. And, instead savoring the scents of nutmeg and cinnamon in the air.

Bring! Shopping list— for Android & iPhone

Bring_Shopping_List_Large_Icon-450x450I’ve recently discovered a free app called “Bring!” that’s wonderful for holiday shopping and meal planning because it lets me create and share shopping lists in a flash. For unique lists, too, like those for my theme parties and special event planning! It’s my no frills shopping list app and provides only the features I most need, so I rarely have to rely on paper lists anymore….or trying to find my pen.

Bring! is tailored to your home’s specific and current needs. Once household members using your account download the app on their phones or other devices (such as a tablet), they can easily refer to Bring! to see which products are missing and must be replenished.

As they finish off the cereal, a member can update the list on their device. And, whoever typically shops for that item will be alerted through their device with a notification to buy cereal, saving time, effort and money. Any changes made to the list are instantly synced to everyone you assign to your Bring! account, too.

If ever you don’t have an internet connection, no problem because you can still access your list without a signal. One time, I was visiting a family member in the country and was relieved to pull up my supply list to use.

Since I’m always pulling my phone in and out of my pocket while shopping, I also value Bring!’s simple pocket-lock feature, so I don’t inadvertently erase something. I’ll never run out of milk or forget to order home office supplies again! Basically, Bring! lets me take on more.

Yummly— for Android & iPhone

YummlyWith a name like “Yummly” how could it not be good? Add some Yummly to your life with this easy-to-use, free app that helps you meal-plan, so ‘What’s for dinner’ will vanish from your vocabulary.

Thanks to Yummly, my family practically licks their plates clean. It helps me discover recipes of deliciousness by directing me to the world’s top recipe sites and blogs. Then, it lets me narrow down a search by cuisine, nutrition requirements (e.g.: calories, carbs, fat or cholesterol), cook time, technique, etc. Whether I need quick or healthy, Italian or Mexican, gluten-free or paleo, Yummly delivers all the options and more.

Sharing any recipes found using Yummly is easy, too. More than ever, your friends and family will appreciate your suggestions for meal ideas. You simply collect, save and organize favorite recipes into a digital recipe box. Then, add a full recipe with one click to your shopping list, and the app automatically categorizes the shopping list. Yummly’s so smart that it even tells me which aisle in the grocery store to find the items.

You know how much I love variety? No problem there. Every week thousands of new recipes are added to Yummly for me to try and maybe even love.

Looks like my kitchen timer just went off, so it’s time for me to get cookin’! Hungry holiday guests can’t wait.

 

35 Thoughts on "Smartphone Apps of the Month—December"

  1. Diane Reynolds says

    I have held on for 30 min. twice trying to reach customer service to assist me with a problem i’m having with my phone. I’ve had service with Consum. Cell. for about three years i was very happy, not so much any more .

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re very sorry for the frustration, Diane. I was able to take a look at your account, and I see that Genevieve, our account advisor, was able to help you with the data problem. If we can help you with anything else at this time, please feel free to give us a call at 888-345-5509. Thank you for posting, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

    • Tammy says

      I also cannot reach customer service. I have been trying for three days, they won’t answer or call back. I went to sears, where I bought the phone, for help and they called the same number that I called and I waited for half an hour on hold at Sears.I have new service and can call people but not receive calls and text does not work at all.

      • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

        We apologize for any inconvenience, Tammy. I was able to take a look at your account, and I see that Jesus, our customer account advisor, was able to help you troubleshoot this issue and provided some next steps to take. If we can help you with anything else at this time, we’re happy to assist you at 888-345-5509. Thank you for posting!

    • Keith says

      I’ve noticed hold times are getting worse as well… I guess they are growing…maybe too fast…

      • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

        We apologize for any hold times that are longer than usual. Our team continues to grow, but it does take some time to train our new team members. We’re actively working to make more advisers available to you so that we can help you in a timely manner. Thank you for being patient, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us. We hope you have a wonderful day!

  2. Jeff Lee says

    HOpe you will provide mOre minutes…..other companies provides
    400 minutes compared to your 250 for the same price. thank you

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We appreciate the feedback, Jeff. Many of our customers really see the savings add up when they adjust their plans. Without contracts, they can change their plan at any time, and as often as they like. That way, they never pay for more minutes than they need. Thank you for reaching out to us today!

  3. Robert Bostick says

    When will CC have the capacity for live streaming golf, NFL, NBA events? It’s really a bummer to see all these other providers but not CC in the list for these streaming (live) events.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for the question, Robert! You can stream certain events through an app or online, but we caution you to do so sparingly. This uses large amounts of data from your plan, and you’ll need a 4G LTE capable phone for best results. We’re happy to answer any questions you might have about using your data if you give us a call at 888-345-5509. Thank you again for posting today!

  4. lonnie says

    Opened online account- wanted to change data plan. Only option visible was to increase it. Actually wanted to eliminate it. Tell me how. Thank you.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      I can help you with that, Lonnie! When you are in the My Account section, scroll down and find your phone. Select the menu in the upper right corner (the three lines), then select “Manage Messaging/Data”. Then all you need to do is uncheck the box next to “Data (Web)” and then select the “Save Changes” button. You can always check the box to add it back as an option. Thank you for posting today!

  5. Terrence O'Hagan says

    I’m trying to find some WiFi service that doesn’t require a contract. My needs are simple as I don’t have a TV, nor do I play games or text. I use my computer only for grown up things and travel a lot, so I don’t wish to be locked in. Any suggestions to help me?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Great news, Terrence! We just introduced a new product that might be a good fit for you. Our new ZTE Mobile HotSpot allows you to have high-speed internet for your laptop or tablet when you’re on the go. You can read more about it here on our blog here! If we can help you with anything else at this time, please feel free to give us a call at 888-345-5509. Thank you for taking the time to comment today!

  6. Donna Radlowski says

    Hi. Recently mine and my husband:s messaging is not receiving group messages. Has there been an update that messes up messenger? We missed s couple of very important messages due to the snafu. Donna

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re sorry to hear that, Donna. There hasn’t been an update that should be causing this issue, but I took a look at your account and re-synched your phones. Please turn them off and then back on again so that they can reconnect to the towers. If the issue continues, please give us a call at 888-345-5509 and we will be happy to troubleshoot this further. Thank you for letting us know, and we hope you have a great day!

  7. Steve Baughman says

    I recently upgraded my phone and no longer need the Huawai Y336-A1 Smartphone. Does Consumer Cellular have a phone buyback program or do I need to use e-bay or buyback vending machines?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Good question, Steve! We don’t have a buyback program, but there are many options available, including those you’ve listed. Just be sure to do a full factory reset of your phone before selling it or giving it away so that your personal information is safe. If you like, we can help you with that at 888-345-5509. Thank you for posting!

  8. JOHN MCGILVARY III says

    I have a smartphone with service thru Net10. I want to change the phone number and service to Consumer Cellular. Would I have to use my current phone number for both phones if I added it on as a line to my current plan for the $10.00 charge. Is customer service closed after a certain hour?.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for asking, John. I’m happy to help you! If you want to transfer your current phone number over to our service, we’re happy to help you do so. If you want to add the phone number from your Net10 account, it would be an additional $10 per month and both phones would share minutes, texts and data. I took a look at your account, and it looks like we have a new SIM card on the way to you now so that you can try it out. As for our customer service team’s availability, they can assist you starting at 5am PST. If we can answer any other questions you may have please let us know at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you taking the time to post!

  9. maggie says

    I’ve enjoyed CC for several years now and used many of their previous phones available. I was very disappointed that Samsung phones are no longer an option. I have been unsatisfied with the Motorola. I know the options are to purchase an “unlocked” phone, etc. But I just wanted to express my dismay and hope the CC will reconsider stocking them again.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re sorry that the Motorola phones haven’t been satisfactory for you, Maggie. We do have the SIM card option to use with most unlocked GSM phones as you stated, but understand that might not be your preference. We do our best to add new devices throughout the year, so if we should have Samsung options available once more we’ll be sure to let you know. Thank you for the feedback, and if we can assist you with anything, please feel free to call us at 888-345-5509. Thank you for posting, and have a wonderful day!

  10. Donald says

    I have wi fi at home and I am having trouble retrieving APPS. I can’t even get CC to look at my account. It keeps saying retry. I have been using a lot of data that I don’t understand why because I don’t have a e-mail account and I don’t search the web.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re sorry to hear that, Donald. It certainly sounds frustrating! First, please try turning your phone off, then back on again. That will allow your phone to reconnect to the towers. You may also try going to the Google Play store to see if the apps you’re trying to access have any updates available. If so, be sure to download them when you’re connected to Wi-Fi so you don’t use data from your plan. If you’re seeing some unexpected data usage, it may be due to app updates that are happening automatically. You can always go to your Settings, then to Data Usage. From there, you can even turn data off by sliding the On/Off button to the left. If these app issues continue, please give us a call at 888-345-5509 and we’ll be happy to troubleshoot further. Thank you for letting us know, and we hope you have a great day!

  11. persist says

    HI. What are the sales and customer service hours of operation? 24-7 or M-F, 8 AM to 8 PM EST? Don’t see them on your web page.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for asking! We’re available to help from 5:00am to 9:00pm PST Monday through Friday, and 6:00am to 8:00pm PST on weekends at 888-345-5509. Thanks again for posting!

  12. ken Otto says

    I have a Motorola MotoG smartphone. I am trying to download the Twitter app so I can get on Periscope live. I am not having success doing so. Help!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, Ken. I took a look at your account, and I see that Dasya, your account advisor, was able to help you with this already. Thank you for giving us a call, and we’re so glad we were able to assist you. We hope you have a great day!

  13. Jo Ann says

    I’m a very active user of text and data. Does your company plan on increasing the data plans GBs inbthe near future? If not what do you suggest because I know I will exceed my monthly usage.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We appreciate you asking, Jo Ann. At this time, our largest data plan is 4GB and we don’t have any increases planned at this time. While we do our best to accommodate our customers, our service may not be the best fit for those with high data needs. Many people who have switched to our service have realized that while using Wi-Fi, they really don’t need as much data as they thought. We’re happy to talk to you about your current usage and see if we can recommend a plan to fit your lifestyle. Just give us a call at 888-345-5509 and we will be happy to assist you. Thank you again for posting, and we hope to talk with you soon!

  14. Susan katz says

    I have Moto G 3rd gen. I want to use it in Europe, Hungary. How do I?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’ll do our best to help you with that, Susan. First, we’ll need to make sure it is unlocked for you. Your phone may work with an international SIM card, but we can’t guarantee it will work without you trying it first. A great alternative is to use Google Hangouts when you are travelling internationally. As long as you have access to Wi-Fi, you can exchange messages and even have video chats. Please give us a call at 888-345-5509 and we can assist you with any questions you may have. Thank you for commenting, and we hope you have a wonderful trip!

  15. Richard Domke says

    I, too, seem to constantly push the bounds of my plan’s data usage. I need an app that will track and log every time I’m incurring charges for data. I try to limit my usage to Wi-Fi transmission but it appears that something is causing my phone to go into a higher billable setting. How can I get a handle on what’s going on so I can eliminate these excessive data billing alerts?

  16. nelson says

    it is best to call at no peak times/ early morn or late hours.i have been with cc since 2009

    • Dominic at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Nelson, thanks for the question. We do typically seem to be rather busy first thing in the morning. Another option however, is to email us at [email protected]. Please let us know if you need any additional assistance. Thank you.