Tracfone - 2013 in Review

A Look Back at some big Things that Happened with Tracfone in 2013

Happy New Year Everyone!

2014 is here and there is a lot to be excited about. But lets take a quick look back at some of the things that came out in 2013 for Tracfone. It was a very exciting year, and you might have missed some of the big news and phones that showed up.

Plus, many of the things that happened in 2013 may have a big affect on what's in store for 2014 from Tracfone, so here we go!

Beginning of 2013 - LG 840G Gains Popularity

While the LG 840G was actually released in 2012, it saw a huge rise to Tracfone'a most popular cell phone in the first half of 2013. The touchscreen combined with WiFi, Triple Minutes for Life, access to Google Maps and many other nice features made it a great phone to upgrade to for many longtime Tracfone users.

It was a step up from most other basic flip phones and allowed Tracfone customers to get a taste of the potential a smartphone could have. But the LG 840G wasn't quite a smartphone, with no access to popular apps like Apple or Android phones had.

But the phone's success may have helped encourage Tracfone towards what became one of the biggest news stories for Tracfone in 2013.

Two Words: Android Smartphone

Tracfone's Current Smartphones

By far, the biggest news for Tracfone in 2013 was the release of Android Smartphones for use on the Tracfone prepaid wireless network.

Rumors started filtering in around early summer, about the possibility of four Android powered phones coming to Tracfone. Many held their breath to see if this would actually become a reality, because the lack of a Tracfone smartphone had long been one of its disadvantages.

Around mid 2013, the rumors became truth as the Samsung Galaxy Centura and ZTE Valet were the first Android Smartphones to show up in stores on on the Tracfone website for use on their prepaid network.

Not long after this, two more smartphones also showed up, the LG Optimus Dynamic, and the Huawei Glory. While these phones are not the newest smartphones on the market, they are all Android smartphones, offering access to Android apps and features that Tracfone users had never had access to before.

Something of a 'new age' was ushered in with these smartphones, because up until this point, Tracfone was really only seen as a no frills, budget cell phone service provider. But now, they still have the prepaid, wallet-friendly cell phone service but with feature-rich smartphones that leave the consumer with no sacrifices made.

While using a smartphone with Tracfone prepaid service isn't for everyone, and not all Tracfone customers were jumping at the chance to buy one of these new phones, it was a great step forward and a big change for Tracfone in 2013.

A Piece of News that May Have Flown in Under the Radar

One bit of news that came out at the end of 2013 may have one of the biggest impacts on consumers going forward.

Tracfone announced that anyone can now bring their own cell phone to use with Tracfone prepaid service. So instead of being forced to use one of the phones Tracfone sells, you can choose your own, and then sign up for Tracfone service.

There are some limitations at this time. Only CDMA cell phones are being accepted at this time, and no iPhones. You will want to check and make sure you can bring your phone to Tracfone before actually making the switch. You can do that on their website. Visit the link above if you need more information.

2013 has been fun, and we've seen some big things happening. But 2014 may prove to be even more eventful, with the high possibility of more smartphones coming to Tracfone.

What to Expect from TracfoneReviewer in 2014

We are excited for 2014, and we are making plans to provide more information and better resources for you, our valued visitors. We will also be working hard at keeping the Tracfone Promo Codes that everyone loves updated for each month.

What do you want to know more about? Now is your chance, leave a comment with what questions you want to see answered, or what articles you would want to read!

We are going to continue providing reviews of Tracfone cell phones as they come out, and other informative articles that will help you save money, learn more, and get the most out of Tracfone.

We will also try to keep you posted on the latest news and updates from Tracfone as we learn more about many new and exciting possibilities. So stay tuned!

Thanks for visiting, and for making 2013 a great year for TracfoneReviewer blog, stick around, because 2014 will be even better! Happy New Year!

Tracfone Android News - Use Any CDMA Phone at Tracfone

Now You Can Use Any CDMA Android Smartphone with Tracfone Prepaid Service

Tracfone Android News!

We are covering some exciting Tracfone news as it develops:

There were rumors that Tracfone would soon allow users to bring their own Android Smartphones to use on Tracfone prepaid networks, and we recently noticed confirmation of this.

Tracfone states on their website that you can now bring your own phone when switching to Tracfone.

Yes, this means you don't have to use one of Tracfone's cell phones to use their prepaid service! While Tracfone recently released four Android Smartphones for use on their prepaid network, these phones are a few years behind modern smartphones. But now you can pick the latest and greatest smartphone, and still use it with Tracfone.

Unfortunately you can't bring any phone, but you can bring any CDMA Android Smartphone, which gives you some pretty advanced options, like the Samsung Galaxy S3. Tracfone does mention that Apple and Blackberry phones won't work.

UPDATE: More information has become available, and we have made a page dedicated to information about the Tracfone BYOP program. Visit the page to learn about the phone requirements and see a list of phones that will work.

The iPhone 4 and 4S will work with Tracfone BYOP, but unfortunately no 4G LTE compatible phones will work at this time. (so the Samsung Galaxy S3 mentioned above can't be used yet).

For all the latest information and details, visit the Tracfone BYOP page.

How You Can Use Your Existing Smartphone with Tracfone

Here is a quick guide for how you can pick a cell phone and use it with Tracfone prepaid service.

If you already own an Android Smartphone, and want to check if it will work with Tracfone, start by checking if it is a CDMA cell phone. If you use Verizon service, then it is CDMA. You can also check by looking for a SIM card (sometimes under the battery). If the phone has no SIM card space, it is CDMA. (learn more about the Difference between CDMA and GSM here)

Screenshot about using any Android Smartphone with Tracfone

Next, you will want to go over to Tracfone and check that your phone will work, and that you will have service in your area, by entering your ZIP code and phone's serial number.

From there you can simply follow the steps as Tracfone will have you purchase an access code, transfer your number (you get to keep it), and buy airtime.

What This Means for Tracfone Customers

This is exciting news for Tracfone customers and non-customers alike, because it means that you will have access to a much wider range of cell phones to use with Tracfone prepaid service. Do you like the features of an Android Smartphone, but don't want to pay the high costs for a contract service? Now you have some options.

This also means that Tracfone is moving towards allowing more and more different cell phones for use on their prepaid service.

You can still purchase their existing Android Smartphone offerings, the Huawei Glory, ZTE Valet, Samsung Galaxy Centura, and LG Optimus Dynamic. These phones come at a relatively low price compared with other smartphones on the market. But if you want the best Android Smartphone to use with Tracfone, now you can do that!

We will keep this updated as more information becomes available, and details are clarified. Please be sure to leave a comment with any questions or thoughts.

You can also take a look at our Holiday Tracfone Gift Guide or check out our most popular page, the Tracfone Promo Codes.

Don't forget to share this with friends and family who might want to know about this exciting Tracfone news!

Tracfone Christmas Gift Ideas

Christmas Gift Giving Ideas with Tracfone

With Christmas and the holidays fast approaching, it can sometimes be very challenging to figure out gifts to get friends and family. Well we are here to help! This is our 2013 Christmas(or for any occasion) Gift Ideas Guide.

Tracfone Gift Guide for Christmas by TracfoneReviewer

This guide will help give you ideas and share some of the newest and best cell phones and accessories available from Tracfone. Use this guide to get a heads-up on some of the newer stuff available from Tracfone.

For those who might not know, Tracfone is a low cost, prepaid cell phone company that offers phones for $100 or less, and prepaid minutes in varying amounts.

In this guide, we will cover the latest and greatest Tracfone cell phones, cell phone accessories, and prepaid minute cards to give you a jump on what to buy others (or yourself...) for Christmas.

So let's get to it!

Cell Phone Christmas Gift Ideas from Tracfone

These phones are some of the best and newest available from Tracfone. All use Android OS, making them powerful, functional, and full of great features including tons of apps from Google Play.

A Tracfone cell phone can be a great gift for young teens, or anyone who doesn't have a cell phone and either wouldn't use the phone too often, or needs to learn not to talk and text all day!

These Android powered prepaid phones are each around $100 (some even less) and come with everything you need to activate them right away. You can even use an existing number if you want.

Here are the four Android Tracfone Christmas gift ideas:

ZTE Valet

ZTE Valet - With great features like Android 4.1, WiFi, and Triple Minutes for Life, this is one of the top Android phones from Tracfone. Some users report low signal strength on the WiFi, and you can read our complete review of the ZTE Valet to learn more. It does come with a free 4 GB Micro SD card. The Valet can be found in many stores and online, but we found it on Amazon at $15 off!

Huawei Glory - Running Android 4.0, the Glory has many of the same great features as the Valet, and even has an FM Radio! Check out our review of the Huawei Glory for complete features and specs. It can be found on the Tracfone website, or from many other major retailers.

Samsung Galaxy Centura - A great phone from a well known brand, the Centura also runs Android 4.0, and has WiFi, Triple Minutes and much more. Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Centura for all the details, including how to check your balance from the phone. The Samsung Galaxy Centura is available in many stores and websites, but you can get it on Amazon for $30 off!

LG Optimus Dynamic - Last but not least, this phone resembles the LG 840G in some ways, but comes with many more features, most notably Android 2.3. Get our review of the LG Optimus Dynamic for more information. The Dynamic is available in many places online and in store. We even found it on Amazon for just $60! (prices are current at time of posting, but may change!)

All four of these phones will make a great gift. But if you're looking for something that just does the basics like calling and texting, you might be interested in the LG 840G or the Alcatel 382G.

Cell Phone Accessory Gift Ideas

With cell phones, it is always nice to have plenty of accessories, whether that consists of car chargers, touchscreen covers or sturdy cases, below are some of the best options for your Tracfone device.

Tracfone Covers - A cover for your cell phone is one of the best ways to protect it form scratches, and even from dropping it. Covers come in many different colors, costs and levels of protection. Be sure to get the right cover for phone, as they come in all kinds of different sizes.

One easy way to find covers for your cell phone is to head over to Amazon and then search for the name of your phone, followed by 'cover' or 'case'. There should be plenty of options to choose from.

Charger and Accessories - Sometimes it's nice to have a car charger, or other accessories that make your phone more convenient to use. Some cell phone bundles come with extra accessories, but you can also find lots of options on ebay or Amazon.

Tracfone Prepaid Refill Cards

A 1 year/400 minute card

Let's not forget about the prepaid minutes! If you know someone who uses Tracfone, one of the best gifts you might be able to get them is a prepaid refill card that will give them extra minutes for talking and texting.

Tracfone refill cards come in sizes ranging from 60 minutes for $20 to 450 minutes at $80.

One of the best deals is to get the 1 year/400 minutes card which gives the user 1 full year of service with 400 minutes.

You can find Tracfone prepaid minutes in most stores and online.

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We hope this gives you some new holiday gift ideas to help find something for your friends and family!

Definitely go check out our Tracfone Promo Codes if you don't already know about that!

You might also be interested in learning about the Difference between GSM and CDMA Tracfone devices (and which is right for you).

Thanks for visiting, and leave a comment with your top gift ideas, or any questions you might have!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tracfone Promo Codes for December 2013

New Tracfone Promo Codes December 2013

Listed below are some fresh new codes that are valid through the end of December 2013! 

Tracfone Codes for December 2013

Tracfone is a wireless cell phone company that offers budget friendly prepaid cell phones. To get minutes on your Tracfone you must use prepaid minute refill cards. Whenever you add a refill card, you can also use a promo code to get free additional bonus minutes!

To use these codes simply enter them after entering the pin for the refill minutes card, on your phone, online or over the phone.

Unlike some other sites, here at TracfoneReviewer we provide Tracfone promo codes free for you, with nothing you need to click or sign up for!

We want to make adding promo codes as easy as possible, so this post just contains one or two codes for each minute card. If you want to see all our codes, just visit our main Tracfone Promo Code page.

Unfortunately, these codes don't work on the new Android Smartphones Tracfone has recently rolled out. But these phones are pretty great, so you might be interested in reading our new reviews of each phone - the Samsung Galaxy Centura, the LG Optimus Dynamic, the Huawei Glory, and the ZTE Valet.

Now, let's get to the codes!

Tracfone Promo Codes - December 2013

These codes should all work through the end of December 2013, and are organized by the minute card value.

60 Minute Card - you can get 20 bonus minutes by using code 43243

120 Minute Card - get 30 minutes for free by using code 59450

200 Minute Card - grab 40 bonus minutes with code 12066 or 23798

450 Minute Card - you can get 70 extra minutes free by using code 72505

1 Year/400 Minute Card - rake in 250 bonus minutes for free with code 66393 or 35025

There you go! Hope you enjoy using these codes during the month of December! We will update when January rolls around and new codes show up.

Remember that you can see these codes and many more on our main Promo Codes page.

Looking for gift ideas? Why not give someone a cell phone, or even upgrade their cell phone to a smartphone! View all our Cell Phone Reviews to learn more about some great options from Tracfone, or view our Full Tracfone Gift Guide with lots of ideas!

Leave your comments below with any questions you might have, and also be sure to report on these codes, to ensure they are working for everyone.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Huawei Glory Review - Android Tracfone

Review of the New Android Powered Huawei Glory from Tracfone

This Review by TracfoneReviewer will cover the Features, Specs, Buying information, Overall Opinion and more for the Huawei Glory - an Android Smartphone from Tracfone.

Front and Back of the Huawei Glory
(click to zoom)

The Huawei Glory is a smartphone offered by Tracfone for use on their prepaid wireless network. It runs on Android operating system and delivers modern smartphone features at a budget friendly, no-contract price.

The Huawei Glory is the last phone of several new Android smartphones recently released by Tracfone. The Glory is the last of several that we have reviewed here, and you can read our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Centura, ZTE Valet and LG Optimus Dynamic to learn more about what each of these phones offers, and which you might want to buy if you are considering these phones. You might also want to check out the LG Optimus Dynamic II, which is currently our recommendation for the best phone from Tracfone.

We hope to deliver a side by side comparison of all four android smartphones in the near future to help guide you to the best phone for your needs.

Now, let's get to the Huawei Glory review

Review of the Huawei Glory - From Tracfone

Just like the other smartphones from Tracfone, the Huawei Glory runs on Android OS and uses CDMA towers, meaning it will run off of the Verizon 3G Network. The Glory is a candy bar style touchscreen phone that has many similarities in size and look to the other smartphones from Tracfone.

While the Huawei Glory is offered by several different cell phone service providers, only the phones marked as 'Tracfone' will work with Tracfone prepaid service. As far as we know, you can't switch between different SIM cards.

Let's get to the full features, specs and dimensions list..

Huawei Glory - Features and Specs
The Glory comes with some great features for a prepaid phone:

Huawei Glory - Using Google Maps

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• 3G Speeds
• WiFi Connectivity
• 3.2 Mega Pixel Camera and Video Recorder
• Bluetooth
• MP3 Player
• GPS
• Gravity and Tilt Sensor
• Access to 700,000 apps
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Alarm Clock
• Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voicemail
• Text and Picture Messaging
• FM Radio
• Supports up to a 32GB Micro SD card
• Hands Free Speaker

Huawei Glory Dimensions and Technical Specs

• 1 Ghz Processor
• 3.5" Touchscreen
• Size: 4.6" x 2.4" x 0.5'
• Battery: 14 Days Standby, 5 Hours Talk Time
• Weight: 4.5 ounces

A great feature list, with a nice 1 Ghz processor, GPS, and even FM Radio! This phone is a good upgrade from older non-smartphone cell phones offered by Tracfone. But it is important to now that it is an older model when compared with smartphones available from the major service providers.

But before we get into all the details, let's look at just our likes and dislikes for the Huawei Glory.

Huawei Glory Review - Likes and Dislikes

Likes for the Huawei Glory

There is a lot to like about the Glory, including the basic features like Triple Minutes for Life, 3.2 MP Camera, GPS, WiFi and 3G speeds.

Huawei Glory - FM Radio

With Triple Minutes for Life, you will automatically get any minutes you add to the phone tripled. So if you add a 60 minute card, you will get 180 total minutes.

The 3.2 MP Camera is decent, and better than almost all other Tracfone devices. It will work for situations when you just want to capture the moment. But for those sunset scenes, you should have a real camera.

WiFi is a great feature that most new Tracfone mobile phones are coming with these days. It allows you to connect to wireless networks (the internet) and browse the web without using your data/minutes. The WiFi on the Glory has been reported as being very good, much better than that of the ZTE Valet which has received some negative reviews for that.

The GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) feature makes it possible to use apps like Google Maps to get driving directions and figure out where you are if you get lost. Speaking of apps....

One of the biggest features (and the main reason most people will want these new Tracfone Smartphones) is Android 4.0, and access to over 700,000 apps on Google Play. While Android 4.0 is not the newest (The latest is 4.4 at this time) it is a relatively new version, better than the version 2.3 that the LG Optimus Dynamic comes with.

Last (but not least) the Huawei Glory comes with an FM Radio for listening to your favorite stations. None of the other smartphones from Tracfone offer this feature, and it is a nice benefit if you enjoy the radio.

Dislikes for the Huawei Glory
There are a few things that we want to mention that we didn't like.

The Huawei Glory doesn't come with a Micro SD card. While this isn't really a problem, the ZTE Valet and LG Optimus Dynamic both come with a 4 GB Micro SD Card (and they are all the same price).

The way prepaid minutes work on the new Android Smartphones is different, with minute cards now being split up into three pools or buckets - Data/Calling/Texting. This means that if you buy a 60 minute prepaid card, you will get it tripled to 180 calling minutes/ 180 mb data/ 180 texts.

While this new setup does benefit most people, and is a pretty good deal, for those who just text a lot, you will run out of texts much faster.

Two other dislikes we have for the Huawei is that Promo Codes won't work on any of the Android phones, and we are getting conflicting reports about where or not you can use the Family Value Plan, which is a great deal for all the families out there. We hope that Tracfone might change both of these policies, and we will try to keep you posted on this.

That about covers our likes and dislikes, now here is a quick tip for checking the airtime display on the Glory.

Update - A number of customers have brought up a wide variety of problems with the Glory, ranging from unreliability to possible defects and certain phones. If you get a phone with problems, we recommend trying to return it to where you got it, or contact Tracfone about it and they may send a new phone.

How to Check You Airtime Display on the Huawei Glory

On the Glory, as well as the other Tracfone Smartphones, you may not find the airtime balance you are accustomed to seeing on your home screen. Here is how to check your airtime balance if you don't have it on the home screen:

Download the Official Tracfone App from Google Play to check your airtime balance and even add airtime to the phone.

You can also log on to your Tracfone account and submit a balance request, OR simply set up a bookmark in your browser (on your computer or phone) to go to "https://www.tracfone.com/direct/CheckBalance?input_phone=1234567890" (replace 1234567890 with your phone number). You'll get a free text message on your phone with your balances. The service end date is not in the text message. It's only shown on the browser screen.

Overall Review for the Huawei Glory from Tracfone

This phone is a fantastic upgrade from older Tracfone devices. The app market opens up a world of opportunities and features that will keep you busy for days if you let it.

We found this phone to be one of the better options between the four new Android Smartphones, and we like that it has a 1 Ghz processor with Android 4.0. The battery life also seems to be very good, easily lasting through a day with moderate use.

This phone compares most similarly with the ZTE Valet, with each using Android 4.0 or better, and each containing a 1 Ghz processor. The Valet does come with a Micro SD card, and they both are the same price ($99), although the ZTE Valet has been on sale on Amazon for around $75.

It really comes down to a matter of personal preference, and which features are important to you. If you like the FM Radio, go with the Glory, if you want the newer Android version, the Valet is your choice.

The Huawei Glory can be found at the Tracfone website, and many other online retailers. It can also be found in stores like Wal-Mart.

You can also find a wide variety of Covers and Cases for the Huawei Glory on Amazon.

Overall, the Huawei Glory is not the newest smartphone, but it is a good smartphone, especially for use with Tracfone Prepaid service. It is one of the best choices between the other four smartphones offered by Tracfone. You can view our reviews for the other smartphones, as well as other phones offered by Tracfone, on our Cell Phone Reviews page.

For additional resources on the Huawei Glory, view this Tutorial that will help you learn more about how to use this phone.

You might enjoy reading our recent post, GSM vs. CDMA to learn more about which network is best for you.

Leave your questions, thoughts and reviews below in the comments! Also be sure to share this with others who might find it useful.