Kajeet Giveaway - Use it for Good
Monday, September 21, 2009
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Kajeet is a pre-paid cell phone service created primarily for kids.
If you would have mentioned the possibility of Amber having a cell phone at her disposal, even a year ago, I would have thought it pretty funny.
We don't have a contracted cell phone plan, and only I have a pre-paid plan from a different service. My cell phone is only used in case of emergencies and we have never thought much about having a second one.
Now that Amber is a teenager though, and doing things on her own, the idea of her carrying a cell phone does not seem as ludicrous.
How Kajeet Works: Kajeet works in one of two ways;
1) You can either fill your wallet (that's the name they give to your account) and 32¢ per day is taken out to keep the phone active and then each call is 10¢ per minute or each text is 10¢ (incoming or outgoing).
2) You can subscribe to any number of available service plans for a monthly charge.
There are actually two "wallets" associated with each account. A Parent one and A Child one.
The parent can decide how much money the child can use for things such as ringtones, wallpapers, games etc., or calls to friends, and when the money's gone, well the kid is out of luck.
The $$ within the Parent Wallet will still cover the monthly fee or calls to important numbers like Mom or Dad, so the phone can still be used for emergencies and such.
Parents can also use the control panel online to block picture messaging and numbers that can't be called or have calls received from, as well as limit the time of day the phone can be used.
Our Take:
I'm giving this review as someone who will be giving this to my daughter as an emergency or quick access tool NOT as a way to build her social network, so keep that in mind as you read this.
The Cost: If you use the cheapest plan Kajeet offers at $4.99 per month for 10 minutes and a month of service, that is really the cheapest way you'll get a cell phone for emergency purposes without a contract. Plop some extra cash in the wallet for extra minutes just in case you go over the 10 allotted to you and you're covered. This way is cheaper than the plan I currently use.
Be prepared to use some of the minutes or money you put on to set the phone up. In order to configure your voicemail box you have to "call" your phone. At minimum you're looking at 4 minutes to do this.
There is a good assortment of ringtones on the phone already. Not fancy ones, but for a phone not getting used frequently plenty to choose from. Songs and other kinds can be purchased through the phone's on board "Navigator" and roughly cost around $2.50.
The Online Configurator: This is the web based application where you can decide which numbers to allow and block, whether Mom and Dad or Child is paying for particular services and check the balance in your account. This is ingenious. My current plan does not have an online portal, and I so wish they did.
I did not switch any money between the wallets personally since I had no need to. However, I did go in and block picture messaging, and that was ever so simple to do.
My one and only complaint is you can not block texts. You can block certain numbers so you can't send or receive them from that particular one, but not texts as a whole. I wished you could block them separately, because at 10¢ a pop, when someone sends you one your phone accepts it. Period. We had one from a wrong number. The text was not meant for us. Since we're using it as an emergency phone I don't like that. I can choose to not answer the phone if it rings, but the text will come through regardless.
The Navigator: I went through this quickly just to try it out. I think it has a bit of a learning curve, but once a kid knows what they're looking for it could be beneficial. Both my husband and I had a bit of trouble finding what we were looking for, but no surprise the teens can figure it out pretty quick! This is where the extra ringtones, wallpapers, games, and other extras (some free too!) are located.
Overall: I really like Kajeet. We've already used it for "good". I dropped Amber off at the orthodontist the other day and headed off to run some errands instead of sitting in the waiting room for an hour. When she was done she called me to pick her up. I could learn to like this ☺.
The service is good where we're located (and we don't live in a huge metropolitan area), and the price of the plans is competitive and in some cases blows away the competition.
We're planning on keeping it. We already picked up a refill card at Best Buy to keep the service going after this review is complete. So even though there was a feature I didn't care for, it won me over enough to continue using it.
Kajeet is giving one of my readers the chance to receive a phone for their family that also includes $5.00 of airtime.
For extra entries after the above is done, you can (please leave a new comment for each one you are eligible for):
1) Follow Kajeet on Facebook
2) Subscribe to Kajeet's RSS Feed by email
3) Follow Myself and Kajeet on twitter and tweet this giveaway (this can be done daily!)
4) Subscribe to my feed via reader or email
5) Follow my blog publicly
6) Add my button to your blog
7) Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to it
This giveaway will end on October 4, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and is open to U.S. Residents ages 18+. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **About Reviews statement at the bottom of this page and my Privacy/Rules declaration and agree to them.
* I received a phone from Kajeet and $25 in airtime, so that I could formulate my opinions about their products and services and write this review.
Tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4341299413
tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4368419489
tweet for today
http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4396647365
I like that the phone will always allow calls from parents and calls to 911.
email subscriber
tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4420796527
karenmed409 at comcast dot net
wow, great contest
tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4444222624
karenmed409 at comcast dot net
I love that parents can control it from online! Perfect!
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karenmed409 at comcast dot net
daily tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4501449846
I am so in awe of all the features of this phone.
I think that the gps tracking system is a great idea with the way kids misplace things. I would also think, if heaven forbid,someone was to take your child this would be a quick way for the police to locate them.
Became a fan on face book!
Following both on Twitter
http://twitter.com/angelasbits/status/4509826809
signed up for feed via reader
Following your blog
I like the GPS because I like knowing my child is where he says he is.
lwoods297@centurytel.net
I love the GPS phone locator! wow! Neat feature!
I follow your blog!
tweet! http://twitter.com/mannabsn/status/4515879859
Thank you for the giveaway. My favorite feature is being able to limit who your child can call and the fact that there are no contracts. This sounds like a perfect emergency phone for my 12 year old son.
tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4529781182
The GPS is my favorite feature of kajeet!
bigppa35 (at) yahoo DOT com
GPS
tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4555951227
following Kajeet on Facebook.
karenmed409 at comcast dot net
would love the gps feature
GPS is awesome but thye're cool phones and great features the kids wan tlike texting.
My little sister would be thrilled!
saddleoneup <@att.net>
I this aspect best:
keep your
kids safe
Accept the calls and texts you want and block the ones you don't with ContactManager.
leaving a lucky tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4581613421
karenmed409 at comcast dot net
The GPS device does come in handy especially if you don't have a GPS for the car
cookster77@aol.com
I am a facebook fan
I am a follower on twitter
http://twitter.com/cooks1978
I think the feature I like the best is the GPS locater. Safety is always on my mind and having this phone would provide a means to track activity while still being affordable.
I am subscribed to the Three Different Directions email list.
I am a follower of the Three Different Directions blog.
I like the GPS feature.
I'm following your blog!
GPS of course.
electricisland(at)gmail.com
Subscribed to Kajeet's RSS Feed by email
I'm subscribed!
Following your blog. electricisland[at]gmail.com
Tweet* http://twitter.com/angelasbits/status/4596667672
I have your button on my blog.
http://angelasbits.blogspot.com/
I posted on my blog and linked back!
http://angelasbits.blogspot.com/2009/10/kajeet-cell-phone-giveaway-from-three.html
I like that parents can always call! That is a great feature!
Thanks!
hawkgirl_16{at}hotmail{dot}com
I follow your blog! mom2anutball
hawkgirl_16{at}hotmail{dot}com
I subscribe!
hawkgirl_16{at}hotmail{dot}com
tweet http://twitter.com/karenmed409/status/4605620444
karenmed409 at comcast dot net
Love the GPS feature!
Thanks
Sarah
believedreamcourage (at) gmail.com
I love the fact that we as parents can control the phone. My daughter doesn't need a phone but as you mention in your review, there are instances where I need to pick up my other kids from sports and my daughter is at the pool or the orthodontist and she could just call me when she's done. I love the fact you can control who she can ring. Thanks for this fantastic giveaway!
ann dot guns at mac dot com
I'm a subscriber.
ann dot guns at mac dot com
I'm a follower.
ann dot guns at mac dot com
I like that nyou can call 911.
john ferris
guapo1317@live.com
i love that you can get help finding your kid's phone anytime with GPS Phone Locator.
kajeet fan on facebook kathylpease
http://twitter.com/klp1965/status/4613929039
following your blog as klp1965
kathy pease
I love how there is a GPS system built in to find the kid's phone. So handy! trixpixel(at)gmail.com
I subscribe to the Kajeet's RSS Feed by email
I sub via email. trixpixel(at)gmail.com
I follow. trixpixel(at)gmail.com
my fav feature is the gps phone locator!
kajeet facebook fan
rich hicks
subsribe to kajeets rss feed via google reader
follow both of you on twitter and tweeted
http://twitter.com/Ardy22/status/4617066249
subscribe to your feed via google reader
follow your blog
ardy22
I think the time manager application would be the most useful feature to limit when calls can be made
following your blog
added kajeet rss feed to my yahoo.
subscribe to your rss feed
I love the GPS locate phone feature
following your blog as brdgcombs
email subscriber- brdgcombs(at)aol(dot)com
I love how there is no contracts to sign and no activation fees.
I'm a subscriber via email
I'm a follower
I like their unlimited texting capabilities. Seems like a reasonable price for that for a stand-alone cell phone, as those things go.
I fanned Kajeet Inc on Facebook.
My favorite feature is no contracts, you pay for what you use. garrettsambo@aol.com
Parental controls :)
I like that the parent controls the account.
donna444444@yahoo.com
I subscribed to kajeet's feed.
donna444444@yahoo.com
subscriber
donna444444@yahoo.com
follower
donna444444@yahoo.com
Button on my blog.
donna444444@yahoo.com
I heart that parents can control it from online!