Last week I was lucky enough, honored, excited beyond words to host a T-Mobile Holiday Shopping Event in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Living in Utah I am very aware of the amazing social media community that surrounds me.  When I put the invite out to all the social media ROCKSTARS in my area… they didn’t disappoint.  The event drew in about 30 men and women that were ready to have fun… Play with amazing Android powered phones and tablets… Tweet to their hearts content… Get tips and tricks for their holiday shopping.  And play games with some of my favorite new T-Mobile elves (aka employees at the store).  Plus see Brandie again… Who really should just move back to Utah.

There are so many pictures of the event I am having a hard time picking a few.  So instead I will bombard the post with delightful collages of all my social media BFFs enjoying the evening.

 As you can see from just a few of the photos the event was a BLAST. All that fun made us work up an appetite.  Thankfully I brought enough food to feed a small army… Including custom T-Mobile cupcakes! (Thanks Brian for hauling it all in for me.)

Some of the favorite moments at the event were playing games.  I really have to give a HUGE shout out to the employees at the South Towne Center T-Mobile store.  Who would have thought learning and playing games about holiday shopping tips could be fun?  But honestly, it was really enjoyable and I learned a thing or two.  Which is surprising since I thought I knew EVERYTHING.

Don’t worry!  I will share some of the T-Mobile holiday shopping tips and tricks with you.  I am nice like that.  Plus, I want to be an elf when I grow up.  Sharing puts me right on the path to chief elfdom.  But before that I have to give a huge congrats to the winners of the 5 Android phones that were prizes at the event… I felt pretty elfy drawing those names.

Tips for buying and giving a mobile device

A smartphone or tablet is a gift with a personal touch that can help people stay connected long after the holiday season. Shopping for one doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated.  Selecting the right device is simply a matter of knowing how to decipher the person’s mobile style, asking the right questions and talking to the experts.  T-Mobile has a variety of devices this holiday season.  There is really something for everyone!  Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks from the experts at T-Mobile:

Key questions to review with your sales associate:

• What does my rate plan cover?
• What kind of speeds/data am I getting?
• What is the exchange/return policy?
• How much will my monthly payments/charges be?
• What are roaming charges?
• What are your warranty/insurance policies?

Tips to keep in mind when buying a device for yourself or as a gift:

• Switching to a new phone doesn’t mean you will lose all the information on your old phone.  T-Mobile retail associates can use a device to seamlessly move your information from one phone to another.
• If you make calls to people outside of the country consider a pre-paid plan to control your costs.  T-Mobile offers a variety of pre-paid international plans.
• Do you need to figure out what data plan is best for you?  T-Mobile offers a data calculator so you can figure out the best plan for you.  http://www.t-mobile.com/Tools/MBCalculator.aspx
• Smartphones have come far in the last few years.  They have so many advanced features and often serve multiple purposes.  T-Mobile has smartphones with advanced cameras that can be an alternative to standard point and shoot cameras.  They also work as mobile hotspots (my personal fave), music players, and GPS navigators.  Consider what features you would use the most when making your decision.

Probably my favorite part about T-Mobile is all of the great family options.  Being a parent to teenagers can be stressful.  Picking out a phone for my kids can be even MORE stressful.  Thankfully T-Mobile has tips and tricks for that too:

Giving a child their first cell phone, especially a smartphone, can be a big decision as a parent.  T-Mobile offers safety and control applications that empowers families to keep each other safe and responsible by encouraging behaviors that benefit the whole family.  Plus, allows parents the flexibility to maintain control on their own terms.

• DriveSmart Plus-Distracted driving is dangerous, especially with new drivers.  DriveSmart manages distractions by silencing incoming notifications, sending callers to voicemail and auto responding to text messages.  There is automatic driving detection and parents parental control options.  (including notification of cell phone use while driving)
• FamilyWhere-Perfect if you have ever wondered where your kids are.  It allows parents to track the location of any phone on their plan.  You can set reminders to check where your kids are and see activity up to 7 days back.

I could just go on and on and on about what I learned.  But instead I want to know what are some of your favorite tips or advice you like to give when buying tech gadgets?

***I was compensated by T-Mobile for participation in this campaign.