HoFo Blog

From The Web:

The Apple Watch Ultra is finally here

Apple’s new AirPods Pro can cancel twice as much noise

Bose interrupts AirPods Pro 2 announcement with new QuietComfort II earbuds

I took my blood pressure with a smartwatch and I want to do it again

Top 10 trending phones of week 36

From The Forums:

My 12K points disappeared today -- If you have points in Pending, take screenshots every day!

Does this look normal for Unlimited Plan?

Just ordered an iPhone 14 pro - how am I going to get service?

Add-a-Line Rules copy-pasted from TF's promo email

What to know about finding a reliable/good speed hotspot or mobile internet plan?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

It's time for a new thread of the week, our way of recognizing forum members for promoting valuable discussion here.

Every weekday yours truly posts a morning briefing, including the most popular forum threads—that is, the posts with the most replies—for the previous 24 hour period. For reference, here are the briefings for the past seven days:

Your Morning Briefing for Monday, September 5th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, September 6th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, September 7th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, September 8th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, September 9th, 2022

Remember that the Monday briefing includes forum posts from the prior Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so all weekend posts are similarly eligible.

In each briefing, forum posts are ranked by the number of replies (from highest to lowest). That's subject to change, of course, so I did a quick recount of replies for all forum posts in the briefings above. With 21 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Grandfathered Nationwide plan with UDP feature and eSIM

Congrats to Jedis for starting our one hundred and fortieth thread of the week! As a small token of our appreciation, please enjoy a monthlong Premium Membership on us. Benefits include ad-free browsing, increased private message count, access to a subscriber-only forum, extra attachment space, a referral/affiliate signature link, the ability to post referrals, and a custom avatar and user title!

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

All Apple iPhone 14 models come with 6GB RAM

Google puts 1GB RAM phones out of their misery with new GMS requirements

Rogers, Telus, Bell Sign Network Safety Plan in Wake of July Outage

Tim Cook would rather sell you an iPhone than add RCS to iMessage

The Dream of In-Display Fingerprint Scanners Is Dead

From The Forums:

Galaxy s22 ultra AVHD update breaks wifi calling?

Transferred from branded Verizon TF SIM > BYOP AT&T SIM successfully

Help me understand device whitelisting in the 4G VoLTE era (Verizon vs ATT vs T-Mo)

iPhone 14 Pro & Watch: Help me pick service

Any eSims with international roaming?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Apple’s iPhone 14 event: the 9 biggest announcements

Everything Apple didn’t announce at its iPhone 14 event

Here are all US carrier promotions for the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro in Canada Still Have SIM Trays, Unlike the USA

The iPhone 14 marks the first nail in the coffin for physical SIM cards

From The Forums:

TracFone claims I have no talk/text left on unlimited plan?

Grandfathered Nationwide plan with UDP feature and eSIM

Verizon to offer new Apple One Plan

Cricket hotspot dilemma & Chromebooks

Bluetooth spp dongle???

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

iPhone 14 & Plus
6.1 or 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR display with notch
A15 Bionic chip
12 MP main & ultrawide rear cameras
12 MP selfie cam
128 / 256 / 512 GB storage
iOS 16
Colours: Midnight, Purple, Starlight, (PRODUCT)RED, Blue
iPhone 14 available from 09-16, starts at $799 USD / $1,099 CAD
iPhone 14 Plus available from 10-07, starts at $899 USD / $1,249 CAD
Pre-order from 09-09 @ 08:00 Eastern



iPhone 14 Pro & Pro Max
6.1 or 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR display with dynamic island (??)
A16 Bionic chip
48 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide & telephoto rear cameras
12 MP selfie cam
128 / 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB storage
iOS 16
Colours: Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
Starts at $999 or $1,099 USD / $1,399 or $1,549 CAD
Available from 09-16 / pre-order from 09-09 @ 08:00 Eastern

Sources: Apple USA (1) (2) / Apple Canada (1) (2)

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Apple iPhone 14 Launch Event (September 2022): What to Expect, How to Watch

Once-Rumored iPhone 14 Features We Aren't Expecting Anymore

Brazil says Apple can’t keep selling iPhones that don’t come with a charger

Apple Watch Pro leaks in CAD-based renders

Google announces October 6th event to launch the Pixel Watch, Pixel 7, and new Nest devices

From The Forums:

Why is TN not eligible for 3 month Network Pass?

update Droid Mini OS to Lollipop

T-Mobile Tuesday - QDOBA

Beware of TracFone customer service acting like they don't have a clue what they are doing

Still sucks to have a Canadian cell phone plan (vs the rest of the world)!

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Apple’s ‘Pro’ Products Will Steal Show at iPhone 14 Launch Event

iPhone 14 Pro case shows massive camera lenses compared to the iPhone 13 Pro

Google’s Pixel 7 Pro gets a very quick unboxing as the launch approaches

Samsung discloses July security breach that exposed customer personal info

Here are the 10 indie Android games you'll want to pick up this weekend

From The Forums:

Purchase data only at a cost of less than $10 per 1gb?

Best plan for variable 1-5GB usage?

$60 Annual Unlimited Talk & Text Plan?

What is 5Ge anyway?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Android Police's Best of IFA 2022 awards

Five years of security updates and easy repairs for all phones, propose EU lawmakers

USB4 v2.0 will bring 80Gbps speeds and more confusion

Motorola Edge (2022) review: a passing grade

Top 10 trending phones of week 35

From The Forums:

Something odd with AT&T's network

Almost time for New Phone?

Which Prepaid limited talk & text plan?

Wow! The Bluetooth Forum! This has got to be fun!

R765 help

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

It's time for a new thread of the week, our way of recognizing forum members for promoting valuable discussion here.

Every weekday yours truly posts a morning briefing, including the most popular forum threads—that is, the posts with the most replies—for the previous 24 hour period. For reference, here are the briefings for the past seven days:

Your Morning Briefing for Monday, August 29th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, August 30th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, August 31st, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, September 1st, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, September 2nd, 2022

Remember that the Monday briefing includes forum posts from the prior Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so all weekend posts are similarly eligible.

In each briefing, forum posts are ranked by the number of replies (from highest to lowest). That's subject to change, of course, so I did a quick recount of replies for all forum posts in the briefings above. With 35 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Ebay, HSN and QVC bundles don't get TracFone Rewards

Congrats once again to medontknow for starting our one hundred and thirty-ninth thread of the week! As a small token of our appreciation, please enjoy a monthlong Premium Membership on us. Benefits include ad-free browsing, increased private message count, access to a subscriber-only forum, extra attachment space, a referral/affiliate signature link, the ability to post referrals, and a custom avatar and user title!

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Google shifts production of Pixels to Vietnam, production of 2023 foldable may stay in China

Samsung Galaxy A23 5G debuts in the US

Samsung starts dunking on the iPhone 14 a week early

The T-Mobile / Sprint merger hasn’t created jobs — it’s cut thousands

IFA 2022: all the news from Berlin’s big tech show

From The Forums:

Spin the Wheel is back

why does it take days to add purchased minutes

can I use a simple mobile cell phone on straight talk (verizon)

The results are in: T-Mobile dominates FCC's 2.5GHz auction

T-Mobile giving away 3 months of unlimited data in iPhone 14 switcher campaign

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

The iPhone turns 15: a visual history of every model to date

iOS 12.5.6 Download Released for Older iPhones and iPads

Samsung Display to provide over 80% of all screens for iPhone 14 series

Meet my Android screen of shame, where the ugly app icons live

T-Mobile will let you try its network free for three months

From The Forums:

Finally, a U.S. carrier – T-Mobile – touts the power of eSIM

New Phone

Moto G7 power, family link, and forgotten passcode

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Pixel 7 series and Pixel 7a may bring ‘higher quality’ Bluetooth LE Audio support

Some Pixel 6 users are reporting increased idle battery drain on Android 13

Bigme inkNote Color review (10.3 inch Android tablet with E Ink color display and pen support)

Montblanc Summit 3 review: a watch for nobody

Cox is getting into the mobile industry — again

From The Forums:

Ebay, HSN and QVC bundles don't get TracFone Rewards

Warning About New Verizon Sim Transfer

Moto G Stylus 2021 vs Moto E 2020 battery life

reset passcode, old LG 306G 3G phone

For $40, Get an Unlocked Moto, Two Unlocked Flip Phones, & Phone Service for a Year

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Google Pixel 6a drops to $369.99, knocking $79 off its retail price

Here’s how Google plans to price the Pixel Watch and launch with Pixel 7

The best prepaid phone plans that will save you hundreds each year

T-Mobile Magenta Max subscribers will now get free Apple TV Plus

WhatsApp’s super app ambitions are starting to come true in India

From The Forums:

Wifi Calling not working on Verizon network, SE2 global version

Tracfone and BBB

Tracfone / Ebay invalid refill link

Can you use just any unlocked phone with Tracfone? And how does the transfer process work?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Top 10 trending phones of week 34

Motorola Edge 30 Neo color options leak

iPhone 14 Pro Purple and Blue Colors Appear on Dummy Models

Samsung is already testing the third-generation Tensor chip, set to debut on the Pixel 8

Google opens the door for Android apps that work across all kinds of devices

From The Forums:

looking for a lousy (cheap) bridge/harvest phone

Widespread service outages?

Walmart Free Freedompop Taxes per State

Verizon Glitch or G power or Coyote glitch

Need inexpensive ATT 4G compatible phone

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

It's time for a new thread of the week, our way of recognizing forum members for promoting valuable discussion here.

Every weekday yours truly posts a morning briefing, including the most popular forum threads—that is, the posts with the most replies—for the previous 24 hour period. For reference, here are the briefings for the past seven days:

Your Morning Briefing for Monday, August 22nd, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, August 24th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, August 25th, 2022
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, August 26th, 2022

Remember that the Monday briefing includes forum posts from the prior Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so all weekend posts are similarly eligible.

In each briefing, forum posts are ranked by the number of replies (from highest to lowest). That's subject to change, of course, so I did a quick recount of replies for all forum posts in the briefings above. With 156 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

TracFone TCL Flip 2 w/ 1year $19.99 on eBay

Congrats to cellular-dude for starting our one hundred and thirty-eighth thread of the week! As a small token of our appreciation, please enjoy a monthlong Premium Membership on us. Benefits include ad-free browsing, increased private message count, access to a subscriber-only forum, extra attachment space, a referral/affiliate signature link, the ability to post referrals, and a custom avatar and user title!

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

T-Mobile and SpaceX Starlink say your 5G phone will connect to satellites next year

Samsung’s sending out updates to 500 million+ old phones

A decade later, Samsung deserves to be the "face of Android"

Data privacy bill would give you more control over info collected about you

How India runs on WhatsApp

From The Forums:

My Pixel 3 is being replaced (return 1st then receive later). How to proceed with Verizon BYOP SIM?

Phone unlocked?

Tracfone transition to Verizon SIM's

nokia still makes phones?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Review: The Best Android Watch, For Now

​Fitbit launches Versa 4, Sense 2 and Inspire 3 wearables

New Fitbit device hits FCC with NFC payments, possibly Charge 6

Starlink and 5G joining forces? SpaceX and T-Mobile holding Starbase event Thursday

What to expect from Apple’s iPhone 14 event

From The Forums:

1 year time-only 365 day/$50 add on still available?

Moto G Power 2022 TF. My take

SpaceX & T-Mobile plan to announce plans to increase connectivity

Referral rewards: if you suddenly stop getting points, is there hope of getting them again?

What Cell Phone companies can I port into GV from?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Pixel continues North American growth in Q2, Galaxy S22 Ultra was most popular Android phone

The Pixel Watch has only one job: don’t suck

Fitbit’s smartwatch event tomorrow will bring back buttons

A BlackBerry movie is happening, charting the rise and fall of the phone manufacturer

Ubuntu Touch now available for the Fairphone 4

From The Forums:

Moto G Pure unexplained shutdown

Anyone get their Pixel 4 to work with Mint? And if not, is a new sim likely to help?

Throttle speed after?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------

From The Web:

Mobile Photography Week 2022: Android Police's celebration of smartphone cameras

Google's newly released Pixel Buds Pro are already on sale for $175

Here’s every app that supports Material You’s themed icons on Android 13

This site exposes the creepy things in-app browsers from TikTok and Instagram might track

TikTok Says, No, It Isn't Stealing Your Passwords

From The Forums:

After Truphone dumped ATT any other ATT glovebox options?

---------
Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
---------