Looking to Upgrade to a Smartphone? Or, Are the Kids Asking for a Phone for Christmas? -- The LG G2 Phone Has So Much To Offer and is Worth Checking Out #SprintMom #MC #Sponsored

Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Sprint. I received product samples to facilitate my review.

Are you done with all your holiday shopping?  And, are the gifts all wrapped and ready to put under the tree?  If not, then maybe you will run into my husband and others, who will be making a mad dash through the mall this upcoming weekend, to find last minute gift ideas, or eek...start their holiday shopping.  The stress alone of counting down these final 4 days is enough for me.  I wouldn't be able to handle the crowds, long lines and fighting for parking spaces. 

When it comes to gifts asked for and purchased for your family, what ranked top of everyone's lists?  I was surprised to find my niece and nephew asking for a smartphone. Even my two year old daughter wanted a phone to talk to Nana or Papa on, or would settle for her own tablet.  Back when I was their ages, I wasn't thinking about phones or tech gadgets.  The hot toys for the season, including dolls and video games were top on my list.  But, we are in a new day and age, and if kids are not asking for a smartphone, many parents are thinking about buying them for every member in the family, so that they can all stay connected.  With the recent school shootings and bomb threats, it is no wonder why parents want to provide a smartphone to their children.  I know that for me, I would want to be able to reach out to my kids if god forbid anything ever happened at their school...and vis a versa.  Also, with families on the go, and needing to be in different places at one time, having a smartphone is key to staying in touch, and knowing when to pick a child up from practice or a friend's house, or having to order out if you forget to take something out for dinner or don't have time to prepare anything.  

If you had asked me a few years ago if I liked carrying around a cell phone, I would have told you "No."  I didn't like being tied to the phone, or worse, interrupted when I was trying to spend quality time with family and friends.  But, the car breakdowns and the need to be able to get in touch with and share news or information with others, make carrying a cell phone a necessity.  And, today, I have two phones I carry -- yes, two phones.  One is a pre-paid phone I keep in the car for emergencies, in case my smartphone runs out of battery and I need to make an emergency call.  The other is my main form of communication.  While we still have a house land line, I find myself making and receiving more phone calls on my mobile phone that the house phone.  Do you find the same?

Here are the Specs of the LG G2 for the techies out there:

Operating system

Android 4.2

Battery information

3000 mAh Li-ION

Talk time

Up to 17 Hours battery

Dimensions

4.7" x 2.6" x 0.37"

Display

5.2" Full HD IPS Display (1920X1080 FHD)

Weight

5.04 oz

Processor

2.3GHz Quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon

Memory

2GB RAM/32GB ROM

Bluetooth profiles

A2DP, AVRCP, GAVDP, HFP 1.5, PBAP, HSP, FTP, GOEP, SDAP/SDP, DUN, OPP, SPP, Stereo Streaming, AVDTP, and OBEX

Last month, I shared my thoughts on the new Moto X phone from Sprint, as I had been sent a phone to try out for a few months. If trying out this phone wasn't enough of a perk, last month Sprint sent along their new LG G2 Smartphone to try, as part of my involvement in their Sprint Mom Ambassador program with Mom Central Consulting.  The first week, I let my husband use the phone and asked him what he thought about it.  I have to admit, I had fallen in love with the Moto X and all its features, that I didn't see the need to try out another phone.  But, to assist me in writing this review, I have been using the LG G2 Smartphone for a few now, and have to say that I am loving the bigger screen and many features this new smartphone has to offer.  From the KnockON feature to the Guest Mode (perfect for when you want to let the kids play with your phone in a restricted format) as well as the 13-megapixel Full HD camera, this new smartphone has so much to offer, and will meets the needs of both parents and kids/teens looking to upgrade to a smartphone.  

Just look at some of the popular features owner of the LG G2 smartphone can't stop raving about:

Key features

• 

  Android 4.2

  Android 4.2 takes the speed and simplicity of Jelly Bean to the next level thanks to a completely new camera experience that’s beyond smart, a new form of typing that helps you write messages in a flash, and expandable, actionable notifications that make your lock screen even more useful.  
• 

  SprintSpark™ (Support coming soon, via update)

  This Sprint Spark capable, enhanced LTE device was designed to take full advantage of all three of Sprint's LTE bands to deliver our fastest data speeds ever offered and, improved in-building coverage. Sprint Spark enhanced LTE coverage is available in select markets. 
• 

  Sprint 4G LTE

  Sprint 4G LTE is available in select markets. See sprint.com/4GLTE for more info. 
• 

  3G

  When coverage is available, experience broadband-like download speeds. The average download speeds range from 400 to 700 Kbps with peak rates up to 2 Mbps. All while on the Sprint network. 
• 

  Wi-Fi

  With Wi-Fi turned on, you can connect just like you do on your laptop, your phone will automatically search for available networks and you may even save extra bars on your battery. 
• 

  Entertainment

  A gamer's, audiophile’s or video lover's dream sidekick. The brilliant display and super speeds make for an epic entertainment experience. 
• 

  GPS Navigation

  With GPS access, you can instantly find everything you need around town or across the country — the best gas prices, the hottest restaurants, favorite destinations — and locate family members anytime. 
• 

  Messaging (Email & text)

  Text or email on the fly with touchscreen keyboard. 
• 

  Apps & social networking

  With a host of apps from Google Play™ and easy access to your social network, you're always in the loop. 
• 

  Web

  The built-in Web access provides real time access to check sports scores, news, weather, stocks and market indexes, as well as to shop online. 
• 

  Mobile Hotspot

  Incorporated mobile hotspot functionality, allowing up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices to share the 4G LTE experience. Easily share the connection with a laptop, camera, music and video players or any other Wi-Fi enabled device. 

Click here to learn more about the LG G2 from Sprint, including other key features of this smartphone -- www.sprint.com/lgg2.

My husband kept asking me when he would get the phone back to use, as once he got to experience the LG G2 smartphone, his other cell phone did not compare and felt so outdated.  I keep telling him I need more time to try out the different phone features.  Shhh, I just don't want to give it back. :-)  Just look at the amazing pictures I was able to capture of our girls, as well as up close shots of recipes I recently shared on my website ---

Now, my old phone nor our $400 digital camera could not capture pictures like this.  In one of the photos I took, I was able to see the steam rising from the hot soup I had just poured into a bowl.  If you love taking photos with your smartphone and sharing with family and friends through your social media pages or via email, then you will love the 13-megapixel Full HD camera this smartphone has to offer. 

In addition to sharing information with you about the new LG G2 smartphone from Sprint, I also wanted to share some surprising results from a survey done by Sprint.  

"Sprint recently conducted a mobile security survey revealing smartphone consumers’ mobile behaviors, habits and concerns about privacy. This is what they found:

Quick Facts

• Only 44 percent of people set a PIN or passcode on their mobile phone
• 63 percent of people surveyed check their smartphone at least once an hour (9 percent check every five minutes), and 33 percent of people would fear the contents of their mobile phone being projected on a big screen
• 63 percent of people would be upset if they left home without their smartphone.
• When people are without their devices, 29 percent miss texting, 26 percent calling.
• 97 percent of mobile phone owners report checking their phones occasionally while in the presence of family and friends.
• 15 percent of those surveyed say they’ve caught someone in the act of snooping, 38 percent -  spouse ; 24 percent -  friend , 18 percent - child, 11 percent - co-worker, 14 percent other
• 19 percent (nearly 1 in 5) mobile phone owners admit to looking in someone else's phone without their permission1
• 26 percent of people are not aware of the risks of clicking on unfamiliar links while browsing on mobile.
• 18 percent store password information on their phones.
• People are most concerned about someone seeing the following information without their permission on their mobile phone:
  • Personally identifiable information (42 percent)
  • Bank and financial information (33 percent)
  • Contacts information (29 percent)
  • Text messages (23 percent)

To view the survey results, click here: http://bit.ly/17XxvtO."

I was surprised to find that only 18% of people store their password information on their phone, as I would have thought it was higher.  If it wasn't for the few recent occasions where my password and credit card information from online purchases were stolen, I would still be storing my password and personal information on my phone, tablet and computer.  

Out of all the survey statistics shared, I have to say the one that I was not surprised about was this -- "97 percent of mobile phone owners report checking their phones occasionally while in the presence of family and friends." I am guilty of doing this.  Are you?  There is something about having a mobile phone or all this technology and Internet accessibility that makes us go crazy if we are not checking in from time to time -- or more frequently.  While we should cherish time spent with family, our fingers are always itching to tap the phone and scroll through email messages, see what others are doing through their Facebook posts, etc.  It is just habit, and one that comes with this new age of tech gadgets and social media.  While I will be making a concerted effort in 2014 to limit the time I am online when with family, I know it will be hard for me to not glance down and check messages, photos, etc. when my phone alerts me of new messages, etc.  Will you be making a new year's resolution to reduce your cell phone usage, especially when with family and friends?  If so, I would love for you to keep me posted on your progress, as this will help me stay on the path to limited in my phone usage.

Visit the Sprint Online store to learn more about the LG G2 smartphone and plans available --  www.sprint.com/lgg2.

Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Sprint. I received product samples to facilitate my review.