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    Our Blackberry KEY2 LE Review 

    by
    howard
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    Published on 12-02-2018 01:50 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Devices,
    3. Commentary and Analysis,
    4. Reviews and Hands-on
    Article Preview



    It doesn’t seem that long ago that you’d need a crowbar to pry a Blackberry out of an addicts hands. However, since then, most of us have grown accustomed to on-screen keyboards. Still, for some, there’s no replacement for a physical keyboard. Fortunately, for them Blackberries have managed to stick around and even better, the keyboards are still being refined with each new generation.

    These days BlackBerry OS is long gone so if you want a BlackBerry, it’s going to be running Android. While it says BlackBerry on the phone, it’s actually made by TCL who also makes phones under the Alcatel and Palm brand names.

    If you want the latest, there’s the upper midrange Key 2 and the midrange Key 2 LE which I’m reviewing today.
    ...
    Read More Read More 2 Comments

    Not a Gimmick 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-30-2018 04:00 PM
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    I've been using my OnePlus 6T for less than 24 hours, and the one thing I can say definitively is that its in-display fingerprint scanner is the real deal. It's maybe a titch slower than the rear-mounted equivalent on my OnePlus 5T, but because of the enlarged scanning area on the 6T version I'm actually finding it to be more accurate than my old phone. So accurate, in fact, that I've turned the face-unlock function off altogether.

    In an informal test performed just moments ago I've had a 100% success ratio with both my right and left thumbs (admittedly in ideal conditions). The only issue I'm having with this new setup is that the muscle memory on my index finger keeps reaching around the back of the 6T for the fingerprint reader that isn't there, and smudges the camera flash instead.

    It's still very much a novelty, but I'm so far so impressed with this that I might, in time, be willing to forgive the absence of a headphone jack. At least OnePlus is giving you something unique in return; Apple and Google, what's your excuse? ಠ_ಠ

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    Your Morning Briefing for Friday, November 30th, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-30-2018 06:50 AM
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    2. News



    From The Web:

    OnePlus seeks users for closed beta testing of new OnePlus 6T features

    Moto G7 Play stops by the FCC and reveals all

    90 Percent of Chinese Apps Surveyed ‘Over-Collect Data’

    Gionee on verge of bankruptcy as chairman loses $144m at casino

    How to Game the App Store

    From The Forums:

    Red Pocket Mobile question

    EXCLUSIVE: The spectrum bands carrying the most data, broken down by carrier

    Most Common Spectrum Used for Data by TMobile

    Port Tracfone number to Red Pocket ... but

    BGR article

    ---------

    How To Free Your OnePlus 6T 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-29-2018 04:00 PM
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    2. How-To



    According to DHL my annual phone upgrade has been loaded onto a delivery truck and is bound for my front door. Once it arrives I'll be spending the rest of the afternoon unlocking its bootloader, installing Magisk and transferring over the apps and data from my current phone; here's how that's going to go down...

    Disclaimer: What I'm writing below is only broad strokes; you should definitely watch the video above and check the link at the bottom of this post for more detailed instructions.

    So, even before my new 6T arrives the first thing I'll be doing is making an app backup from my current 5T using Titanium Backup. If you ever want to do the same Titanium's Pro Key is a must-buy; without it you won't be able to batch restore your apps.

    Next I'll be cracking open my new phone and deliberately skipping through the setup process, since unlocking the bootloader will also wipe it clean. I will, however, be enabling developer settings, then toggling the specific options to allow OEM (bootloader) unlocking and ADB debugging over USB. Then the fun starts!

    I've already got the android-tools-adb and android-tools-fastboot packages on my Linux Mint computer, so I'll be launching a terminal window and testing its ADB connection. Once that's confirmed I'll use ADB to reboot into the bootloader and enter my favourite terminal command ever: fastboot oem unlock.

    At this point a bit of backtracking is required before I move on. I'll reboot into Oxygen OS proper, set up the phone with my Google credentials and then re-enable developer settings, OEM unlocking (why not?) and ADB debugging over USB. Now back to the fun stuff!

    I'll reboot back into the bootloader and use my desktop computer to boot the phone into TWRP. Then I'll use the adb-sideload terminal command to flash a zip file of this same recovery onto the phone. From the phone to reboot from my temporary recovery into the permanent, just-flashed one, and from there I'll sideload my zip of Magisk.

    Almost done... I just need to boot back into the OS, check "allow unknown sources" and use Android's native installer to install the Magisk Manager apk. Then I can download Titanium Backup from the Play Store (plus the Pro Key) transfer my old Titanium Backups to the new phone and then—with root—restore all apps and the data associated with them.

    For more detailed instructions, and to grab the necessary images and zips, check the link immediately below. Rest assured, I'll be doing the same.

    Link: XDA

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    4 Comments

    Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, November 29th, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-29-2018 06:50 AM
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    From The Web:

    Samsung releases second Android Pie beta for the Galaxy S9

    All the Incoming Foldable Phones for 2019

    Comment: Google makes a strong case for no one to ever buy a Pixel at launch again

    Canada’s Wireless Test Alert Freaked People Out Again; Opt Out Not Possible

    T-Mobile launches its own banking service, MONEY, so you can just give your carrier all of it

    From The Forums:

    Trying to activate New ATT Prepaid on Red Pocket Issues

    Just Ported Ib

    RedPocket? How is their service? Any deals available?

    T-Mobile should keep Sprint 5G Hub after the merger

    T-Mobile Money

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    Reminder: Wireless Alert System Being Tested Across Canada Today 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-28-2018 10:55 AM
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    2. Carriers



    In case you haven't heard, Alert Ready is doing another system test this afternoon, at 1:55pm local time. It doesn't appear to be a synchronized test across the country—for example, mobile users in both British Columbia and Ontario will each receive test alerts at this same time. Quebeckers will receive their test an hour later, for some reason. Here's the blurb from the source:

    November 28, 2018 Public Awareness Test

    On November 28th at 1:55 PM local time (2:55 PM local time in Quebec), a test of the Alert Ready system will be conducted. The test will be distributed on TV, radio and compatible wireless devices. Please note, not all mobile devices will receive the test message. For general device compatibility, you can refer to the Alert Ready website here.
    It looks like only carrier-branded phones (and not even all of them) are compatible with the Alert Ready system. I'll be very interested to see if my unlocked OnePlus device will also get the alert.

    Source: Alert Ready, Canada's New Emergency Alert System

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    3 Comments

    Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, November 28th, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-28-2018 07:00 AM
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    2. News



    From The Web:

    2018 11″ iPad Pro Review: Can This Computer–Replace My Computer?

    Chrome OS will get virtual desktop (workspace) support... eventually

    Google will reportedly open Project Fi to iPhone, Samsung, and OnePlus this week

    OnePlus looks set to release limited McLaren OnePlus 6T

    These Hugely Popular Android Apps Have Been Committing Ad Fraud Behind Users’ Backs

    From The Forums:

    Simple Mobile Moto e5 findings

    Tracfone Wireless-Free Shipping ??

    LG K20 (ATT) work with Tracfone (when unlocked)?

    iPhone 6s won't start - either black screen or white with apple logo

    CCTS Releases 2017-2018 Annual Report

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    Secret Government Documents Reveal The Obvious 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-27-2018 03:40 PM
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    2. Carriers



    So there's this site called The Logic which, near as I can tell, seems like a Canadian version of paywalled tech news site The Information. They claim to have gotten their hands on a classified government report; from the first few lines of their story it doesn't seem like there's anything there that we didn't already know: Canada's wireless market could benefit from some foreign competition.

    iPhone in Canada has read the full piece, and there's maybe a bit more to it than that (but not much). For example, the classified report states that since T-Mobile entered the U.S. market the average cost of wireless plans declined by 50 percent. Then there's Mexico, where prices dropped 75 percent after AT&T was allowed to do business there.

    So how could Canada facilitate international players setting up shop here? Well, the USMCA already calls for the elimination of of anti-competitive practices by telcos in member countries. Failing that, our government could always revise Canada's Telecommunications Act.

    You can read more details at the second link below. To read the full story, however, you'll have to sign up for a subscription plan with The Logic. Be sure to copy and paste the full text here if you do.

    Source: The Logic via iPhone in Canada

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    4 Comments

    Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-27-2018 06:50 AM
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    From The Web:

    I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

    Supreme Court Weighs Whether Apple’s App Store Is a Monopoly

    B.C. Introduces Ride-Hailing Legislation, Paving Way for Uber/Lyft in Late 2019

    Freedom Mobile iPad Sales May Launch Soon, Claims Tipster

    That Weird Dual-Screen Nubia X Is Even Cooler Than We Thought

    From The Forums:

    Difference in fees Verizon PostPaid vs. Prepaid

    Will unlocked Tmobile or locked tmobile get software updates on Metro Pcs network?

    Do Boost Phones still roam on Verizon?

    Any word on T-Mobile TV / Layer 3 availability?

    Virgin has esims

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    Fido In-Store BYOD Deal: 10GB for $65/month (for 12 months) 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-26-2018 04:00 PM
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    $7.50 CAD seems to be the best per-gigabyte going rate for Big Three LTE data in Ontario—that is unless you happen upon a Fido store with a notice like this.

    Someone posted the photo above to Red Flag Deals, taken at the Markville Mall Fido kiosk, where new signups can get their Rogers-flavoured data for only $6.50/month.

    With a catch, of course.

    The catch is a $10 bill credit that's only good for 12 months; after that you'll be paying the same $75/month as you would on Koodo or Virgin. The good news is that your 10GBs won't be chopped down to 5 after 24 months like it would had you chose Koodo.

    And to be clear, Fido's 12-month $10/month bill credit applies to 4 and 6GB BYOD plans as well.

    Source: RFD via iPhone in Canada

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    3 Comments

    Your Morning Briefing for Monday, November 26th, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-26-2018 07:00 AM
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    2. News



    From The Web:

    Our top five new smartphones

    2018 Cyber Monday and Black Friday deals roundup [Updated continuously]

    Here are Amazon’s Cyber Monday 2018 Canada Deals: Live Blog [LIST]

    Fitbit Cyber Monday sale ends today: Big savings still on

    The Best Cyber Monday Tips

    From The Forums:

    FreeUp's free plan with GoogleVoice for texts - how to make it work?

    Moto G6 $99, Moto X4 $149, LG G7 ThinQ $349, LG V35 Thin Q $499 with activation

    Had AT&T Unlimited on a Hotspot on a Business Plan looking for solutions to regain it

    Cheap, decent spec chinese phones?

    iPhone XS Max with iOS 12.1, eSIM & Bell

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    Your Morning Briefing for Friday, November 23rd, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-23-2018 06:55 AM
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    2. News



    From The Web:

    How not to buy a phone on Black Friday - three simple rules to smarter phone purchases

    Hacking Amazon’s Fire tablets (Black Friday 2018 edition)

    2018 Black Friday Canadian Deals Round-up: Best Tech Deals and More

    SyrupCast Podcast Ep. 185: The human cost of Black Friday

    This Is the Best Amazon Black Friday Deal, Ever

    From The Forums:

    Mint mobile 3 month/ 5 gig plan..$20

    Does Tm charge,yet, for sim card changes?

    Getting unlock codes from eBay

    Using Unlocked Galaxy S8 for Tracfone over Verizon Network

    Relying on prepaid for work?

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    The Real Deal: Fido & Virgin Mobile’s PERMANENT 10GB Plans 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-22-2018 03:45 PM
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    2. Carriers

    Don't be fooled by Koodo, like I was yesterday... If you want the best available deal on Big Three BYOD data your current best options (outside of Québec) are Fido and Virgin Mobile. Each of them are matching Koodo's 10GB data bucket for $75/month, with one important difference: after 24 months you'll still have 10GB per month!

    Some screenshots from the carriers' plan pages (set to Ontario) for proof:



    Plan details from Fido... I'm still fuzzy on their concept of "hourly data"; the important thing is that it's not part of your 10 GB.



    And details from Virgin Mobile... I actually just upgraded my own service; I was already paying $70/month for 8GB (and 500 minutes), so an extra 2GB for $5—plus unlimited calls—seemed like a no-brainer.

    I honestly don't know why Koodo doesn't make their promotional plans permanent; maybe they're still losing revenue from all you clever people still enjoying their out-of-market plans.

    Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, November 22nd, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-22-2018 07:15 AM
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    2. News



    From The Web:

    The Wear OS H update brings Android Pie to smartwatches

    LG patents point to five new hybrid and smart watches

    Loblaws cranks up self-checkout with app that scans items while you shop

    Amazon reportedly wants gas stations and restaurants to start using Amazon Pay

    Apple Emoji Turns 10

    From The Forums:

    ATT refuses retail sale?

    Ebay 15% off using Ebay app until 8pm Eastern tonight Wednesday Nov 21

    Does Verizon (postpaid) have a plan for us?

    Porting into Red Pocket CDMA (Verizon)

    T-Mobile Changed the Global Plus One to Global 15GB

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    Koodo's Not Entirely Terrible 10 GB BYOD Plan 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-21-2018 02:20 PM
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    If Fido and Virgin match this latest Koodo initiative—and there's no reason to think that they won't—we may have a new, slightly more affordable option for 10 GB data buckets from The Big Three. Last December's holiday miracle gave us 10 GB for $60; now it seems that Koodo is offering the same amount for $75. The details:

    $75 per month + applicable monthly tab charge
    • 10 GB of Shock-Free™ data
    • Unlimited Canada-wide anytime minutes
    • Unlimited messaging (text & picture)
    • Call Display, Voicemail, Call Waiting, Conference Calling and Unlimited Canada-wide Family Calling
    • Additional data $10/100 MB
    • $35 connection fee (including SIM card) applies when purchased in store
    • $0 connection fee (including SIM card) when you order online!
    • Receive 5 GB of bonus data every month – over 24 months that represents 120 GB of bonus data. *

    * Get the $75 No Tab, Tab Small or Tab Medium plan and receive a 5 GB bonus data every month – over 24 months that represents 120 GB of bonus data.

    That bit about the 120 GB of bonus data is, of course, a direct jab at Freedom. But in Koodo's case it also applies to small and medium tab plans—which, somewhat unexpectedly, are currently showing the same 10 GB / $75 per month rate.

    Source: iPhone in Canada

    UPDATE: According to Mobile Syrup this ends up being a 5 GB / $75 plan after 24 months—which makes zero sense, as the lower $60 per month plan would ultimately give you 1 GB more per month.

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    17 Comments

    Our LG G7 ThinQ Review 

    by
    howard
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    Published on 11-21-2018 12:34 PM
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    2. Devices,
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    Article Preview



    LG has always had an interesting place in the Android marketplace. I get this feeling like they’re always trying to offer a slightly different take on the Android flagship. The G3 had rear mounted volume and power buttons and higher resolution display while the G4 retained a removable battery. The G5 also had this feature but also allowed you to expand it with attachable accessories like a larger speaker. It also included a second, super-wide angle camera. The G6 was more about bringing it in line with other flagship phones with a more premium feel.

    So what is LG’s take on the 2018 flagship? Let’s check out the G7 ThinQ. ...
    Read More Read More 4 Comments

    Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, November 21st, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-21-2018 07:00 AM
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    From The Web:

    The rise of OnePlus

    Moto G7 and Moto G7 Plus press renders show waterdrop notch design again

    Wareable Tech Awards 2018 shortlists: This year's nominations revealed

    Fossil Sport Smartwatch review: new watch, same old tricks

    Crowdfunded Gameband watch cancelled (no tiny screen Atari games for you)

    From The Forums:

    Red Pocket voice/text problems

    AT&T vs Verizon indoor building receptions?

    Joined Verizon Wireless

    Samsung Galaxy A6

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    Definitely Maybe: a VERY Early Look at Samsung's Galaxy S10 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-20-2018 04:20 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Devices,
    3. Rumors



    Tom's Guide has assembled some interesting details about Samsung's 2019 flagship, not the least of which is this render from Dutch tech blog Let's Go Digital. Can't see the selfie cam? Check the top-left corner; it's under the display glass!

    There will apparently be at least three variants of the device:

    SM-G975x - 6.44 inch display, ultrasonic fingerprint reader
    SM-G973x - 5.8 inch display, ultrasonic fingerprint reader
    SM-G970x - 5.8 inch display, fingerprint reader embedded in power button

    US-bound versions of the device are expected to ship with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8150 processor, while international versions will likely be powered by the Exynos 9820. Available colours at launch will be black, green, white and yellow, with additional colours and gradients to follow. Nothing yet about the audio jack, unfortunately.

    Be sure to check the links below for additional details.

    Source: Let's Go Digital, Tom's Guide

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    Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, November 20th, 2018 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-20-2018 07:10 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. News



    From The Web:

    Deal: Get $100 off the OnePlus 6 or Extra Chargers with the OnePlus 6T

    OnePlus 6T and the battle for affordable flagships

    Stock Android 9 Pie vs. OxygenOS Pie comparison: Which is better?

    The November OTA is finally rolling out to the first-gen Pixel and Pixel XL

    Spotify Song Skip Rates Tell Us A Lot About Our Attention Span

    From The Forums:

    Sprint IPhone 8 Plus VOLTE active with iOS 12.1.1 beta 3

    Cheapest T-Mobile Paygo that doesn't expire

    Can someone on Safelink Wireless with AT&T confirm some settings for me

    T-Mobile deploys LTE in USVI

    LGL41C Battery Discharging & Screen Response Slow

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    Latest OnePlus 6 Beta Includes International Data Roaming Service 

    by
    acurrie
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    Published on 11-19-2018 04:25 PM
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    2. Devices



    First, the bad news: what I'm about to describe is currently only available for the OnePlus 6, and furthermore, only users of that device who are enrolled in the open beta program.

    Now, the good news: Open Beta 7 for the OP 6 includes a new feature called OnePlus Roaming. From the official announcement:

    OnePlus Roaming lets you surf the internet without a local SIM card. It's like a virtual sim (only data, no calls); it should work globally in most of the countries/regions, and it will list out the plans available for the country/region you are in so that you can purchase a suitable plan and access the Internet without a SIM.

    Where can I find OnePlus Roaming?
    Settings -> Wi-Fi & Internet -> OnePlus Roaming
    How to use OnePlus Roaming?
    Step 1: Purchase Package
    Select the package you want and click to buy, then finish the payment.
    Step 2: Enable Package
    After arriving at the destination, choose the purchased plan from the ordered list and enable it.
    This infrequent world traveller is especially excited—no, make that ecstatic—after seeing some screenshots posted by Android Police. As someone who's had the good fortune of visiting Japan a fair bit I can say with confidence that I've never seen such affordable rates for data there, let alone a daily rate for unlimited use.

    Hopefully they make this service permanent, and bring it to their other devices as well!

    Source: OnePlus Forums via Android Police

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    2 Comments

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