HoFo Blog

I imagine that most people think of commercial VPN services as a tool used to pirate content—to spoof one's IP address and avoid nasty emails from HBO lawyers, for example. When, on a whim, I got a deal on a two-year subscription to Private Internet Access little did I know that it would end up coming to my rescue in South Asia.

Here's how that went down.

My way home consisted of two flights—one reward flight from Colombo to Hong Kong and then a connecting flight that I paid for (a different ticket) back to Canada. When I tried to check-in online from Sri Lanka for that second flight here's the message I got from Air Canada's website:



It seems that Air Canada will only let you check in online from a country they actually fly to. Normally this would make perfect sense, but for my specific flight plan it simply wouldn't do.



I downloaded the Android app and set it up to spoof an IP address in Canada—you can tell that the app is working by that key icon in the status bar. And just like that... it still didn't work. Then I remembered that I had granted the Android Chrome browser location permissions. So I switched to Firefox, and...



Huzzah! I was able to check in without issue for my Hong Kong-to-Vancouver flight. In retrospect, it might have been Chrome's location address that stymied me, rather than Air Canada itself. But with a mobile VPN I was covered either way. If you're interested in that two-year subscription deal, see the link directly below.

Links: Mobile Syrup Deals, PIA on Google Play

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From The Web:

I went traveling and fell in love with the Google Pixel all over again

Say hello to the Pixel 2 XL (leaks)

Rumor: OnePlus 6 Coming In Early 2018, OP5T Won't Happen

With the Note 8, Samsung No Longer Delivers Embarrassing Real-World Performance [Comparing Note 8, Pixel XL, OnePlus 5]

Samsung Expected to Earn $4B More Making iPhone X Parts Than Galaxy S8 Parts

From The Forums:

How does T-Mobile coverage compare with AT&T MVNOs?

Cheapest plan with unlimited "2G" data?

Merger announcement tonight?

AT&T cell site upgrades

AT&T LTE network issues?

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Just a friendly reminder that Freedom Mobile's Fall Data Event ends today, with two promotional plans that you won't find on any other Canadian carrier:

$40 per month LTE-Ready Plan
Triple the data!
6 GB of full-speed data (2 GB + 4 GB bonus)
Unlimited Canada-wide talk
Unlimited global text, picture and video messaging
World Saver: International calling from 1¢/min to over 200 countries
Call Control (caller ID, missed call alerts, conference calling, call forwarding, call waiting)
Voicemail+

$50 per month LTE-Ready Plan
Save $9/mo (Reg. $59)
8 GB of full-speed data (6 GB + 2 GB bonus)
Unlimited talk to Canada and the U.S.
Unlimited global text, picture and video messaging
World Saver: International calling from 1¢/min to over 200 countries
Away Network (in Canada and the U.S.)
1 GB of full-speed data
2400 minutes of talk to Canada and the U.S.
Unlimited global text
Call Control (caller ID, missed call alerts, conference calling, call forwarding, call waiting)
Voicemail+

Both plans are listed as available in-store for new activations only, but I have two friends who are existing Freedom customers and were able to get the $50 plan with upgrades to new Samsung phones (a Note 8 and S8+).

I spent the afternoon doing speed tests with them and came away surprised and impressed with Freedom's LTE network. In an area of the GTA bounded by Woodbine Avenue, Highway 7, Kennedy and the 401 I saw ping times of less than 20 ms, download speeds of well over 60 Mbps and upload speeds in excess of 20 Mbps—numbers that bested Koodo's LTE network on a OnePlus 5. As for call quality we only managed to get one test in and results were less impressive; the call was made in a crowded supermarket, though, which may have had an adverse effect.

Bringing your current device to Freedom's LTE network is a bit tricky. You'll need a phone that supports Band 66, but there's a bit more to it than that. While the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus seem to work great, OnePlus 5 users are reporting issues with LTE/3G hand-offs. Your safest bet might be to buy your phone direct from Freedom. For the value and quality of data service it seems to be well worth it!

Links: Freedom Mobile Fall Data Event (1) (2)

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From The Web:

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: The curious case of the time-traveling phone

iPhone 8 Plus reportedly splits open while charging, another claimed to arrive in same state

Freedom Mobile Expected to Sell the iPhone within Six Months

Bell MTS Quietly Increases Home Phone, TV and Internet Rates

Yet Another Survey Finds Majority Support Net Neutrality Rules

From The Forums:

John Legere: 5 Years: Uncarrier from the Inside Out

Verizon Complains to NAD About T-Mobile's Fastest LTE Network Claim

iPhone 8, X, no 4CA on Belus!

Sprint tower looking sloppy

AT&T and Equifax - Should AT&T customers be worried?

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So my grey market LG G6 is already back on its way to Amazon, but before I packed it up I took it with me on an early morning walk through downtown Toronto's Graffiti Alley. As luck would have it I also had with me a OnePlus 5.

The big difference between the two is that the LG's second camera has a fixed focus wide angle lens, while the OnePlus has a telephoto one. For anyone trying to decide which secondary focal length would be more useful, I'm hoping that this quick visual guide will help.



Reference photo of the first subject, taken with the OnePlus 5. Neither LG nor OnePlus seem especially interested in publishing focal length equivalents on their respective spec pages, but other sources cite this primary shooter at the equivalent of 28mm.



The OnePlus 5's telephoto lens, apparently a 36mm equivalent.



And the LG G6's wide angle lens. No focal length is available; LG will only say that it has a 125-degree angle of view.



Our second subject and a new addition to Graffiti Alley, taken with the G6. Focal length is similar to OnePlus, at an equivalent of 29mm.



Back to the 5's telephoto lens, with a really aggressive depth of field software effect—notice how the hair on the right side is out of focus, despite the subject being shot straight on...



And the G6's wide angle lens. No, that Amazon box doesn't belong to me.



Our third and final subject, captured with the primary lens on the OnePlus 5.



OnePlus 5 telephoto lens.



And the wide angle lens on the G6, with bonus photographer cameo!

Though this wasn't meant to be a test of image quality per se, feel free to compare these samples with other graffiti walks I've done with other phones. The photos confirm my personal preference for a second, wide angle lens over a telephoto one. I think the fisheye effect is much more striking than fake software bokeh. What do you think?

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From The Web:

iPhone 8 Scores Top Marks In LTE Speed Tests (Sort Of)

Apple Faces Renewed Pressure to Enable FM Radio Chip in iPhones Amid Strong Hurricane Season

Rogers Now Unlocking Outright Purchased Phones Free, Ahead of CRTC Deadline

Ajit Pai's FCC Declares The Wireless Competition Problem Fixed

It’s time for Congress to fire the FCC chairman

From The Forums:

NEED ADVICE: New to T-mobile. Please suggest a plan for me!

Update APN Settings

Looking for a new phone....

Puretalk compared to Cricket

Is Tracfone Still Selling Impaired Devices?

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Big fan of Amazon Prime over here... The free shipping is fantastic, but what seals the deal for yours truly time and time again is the almost-unbelievably generous return policy on every order. I've sent back memory cards that I've used, cameras that I've taken on trips abroad, even shoes that I've worn outside. And now, it seems, that I'm about to return this LG G6.

Because I'm a Prime Member I honestly didn't put a lot of thought into this purchase—in fact, I bought the phone from my phone while wandering around a mall in Vancouver, a pit stop on the way home from Sri Lanka. I was still considering a smartphone purchase for 2017 and this particular G6 seemed to be compatible with Lineage OS, a good sign that it was a modding-friendly device. I dig the "scared robot" look on the back and, more importantly, prefer the idea of a wide-angle second camera over a telephoto one.

The phone arrived in Toronto shortly after I did. It was only then I started paying attention to its specific model number: H870DS, a phone intended for sale in Hong Kong. This revelation brought with it some good news:

This specific phone supports dual SIMs;
There's 64 GB of storage, an extra 32 GB over North American models;
It'll work in Asia (obviously), but there's also Band 7 LTE for my carrier here.

... And unfortunately, a few deal-breakers as well:

There's no option for an app drawer on LG's Hong Kong ROM;
I can't actually unlock the bootloader, let alone install Lineage OS.

I took some photos with it earlier this week, but there's not much more I can do with the phone beyond that; no unlockable bootloader, no deal. Kind of a shame, really, as there's a lot to like about the G6.

Has anyone else played the grey market smartphone lottery on Amazon? Feel free to share your experience below...

Link: LG G6 Dual SIM on Amazon Canada

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From The Web:

Verizon discontinues the Wear24 smartwatch after just 4 months

A solar-powered smartwatch seems like a good idea — if it works

Fitbit's Ionic smartwatch and Flyer headset launch on October 1; SDK available today

What working on Pebble taught me about building hardware

A Microsoft Xbox branded smartwatch was in the works and these pics prove it

From The Forums:

Cricket requiring me to get a new SIM by Nov 10th??

T-Mobile acquires remaining interest of iWireless

Cheapest SIM/Plan only for unlocking my Cricket phone?

T-Mobile Describes Cell Siting Barriers, Urges FCC Relief

Wonder if T-Mobile will use HPUE tech like Sprint does on 2.5 Ghz?

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Forgive the sass, but when iVerge is critical of an Apple product there must be something seriously wrong with it. And that appears to be the case with the LTE edition of the Apple Watch Series 3.

The issues stem entirely from that garish red dot on the LTE's version of the digital crown—or rather, the technology that comes with it. If you didn't know, the red dot is basically a status symbol telling the world that your watch has a cellular radio. What a time to be alive... Anyway, Lauren Goode ran extensive tests on two LTE-enabled units; both fell well short of Apple's claims.

Here's what happened with the first watch:

So Apple sent her another one. Here's how that went:

Apparently the watch has a preference for WiFi networks over LTE signals, probably because using LTE drains the battery much quicker than you'd expect. Apple's promises for untethered battery life are based on 30-minute workouts, so if you head out for a two-hour run you may be surprised to find that you have to charge your watch soon after you get back.

Keep in mind also that these headaches come at an extra cost; $399 USD vs. $329 for a non-LTE watch plus $10 extra per month from your carrier for cellular connectivity on your wrist. And at launch, this particular Apple Watch doesn't even support music streaming through the network, which you'd kind of expect for a no-compromises fitness product.

It definitely seems like the non-LTE Apple Watch is the better buy. As an added bonus, it doesn't come with the stupid red dot...

Source: The Verge

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WARNING: Some NSFW language—which you can totally handle, 'cause you're cool like that...

From The Web:

More Details Leak on Sprint, T-Mobile Merger

Apple releases iOS 11.0.1 software update for iPhone and iPad

iPhone X Canadian carrier 2-year pricing revealed

Apple: iPhones Are Too 'Complex' to Let You Fix Them

Samsung's Emoji Adventures

From The Forums:

Is AT&T doing much to expand network?

Possibly switching to the GoUnlimited - few questions

WOW, out of credits.

Cheapest SIM/Plan only for unlocking my Cricket phone?

Should I switch to T-Mobile One from original Simple Choice/JUMP, or is it a trap?

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Having issues with text message notifications? You're not alone.

The good news is that there's nothing wrong with your phone; the bad news is that something is definitely up with Google's SMS app. Android Police reported on the issue yesterday, specifically that the app may, at some point, stop showing notifications for new messages. The bug is affecting enough users that there are two separate posts about it on r/Android—the older one indicating issues with the app going as far back as July.

For a critical messaging app that seeks to be the Android equivalent to Apple's iMessage, this isn't good.

Google has yet to even acknowledge the bug, let alone provide a fix for it. For now the best remedy is to switch to another texting app. I'm currently using Pulse, but have enjoyed using Textra previously; the latter seems to be the app of choice for the r/Android crowd.

Are you having notification issues with Android Messages? Let us know...

Sources: Android Police, reddit (1) (2)

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From The Web:

iPhone X Is Everything Wrong With Tim Cook's Apple

Dear Apple, The iPhone X and Face ID are Orwellian and Creepy

iPhone 8 Is World's Fastest Phone (It's Not Even Close)

Happy Anniversary: Nine years of Android love

Why Mobile Linux Fails

From The Forums:

Moto E4

How do you maximize the life cycle of your phone's battery?

Verizon cutoffs mark an uncertain future for rural customers

$1 sprint plans

Carrier aggregate

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Having won the war on smartphone bezels (kinda) the world's biggest phone maker is ready to move on to the next big thing: the bendable display. According to The Indian Express, the first consumer device with this technology has already been certified in South Korea; it's to be called the Galaxy X and will presumably be some sort of anniversary device for the brand.

Never mind that the original Galaxy was released in 2009, or that battery life is probably going to be terrible for that paper-thin display in the photo directly above. I think the idea is actually to make something that the user can fold and unfold like a newspaper, as demonstrated in this concept video:



Perhaps the battery will be spread out over the entire back of the sheet? No idea, really... We'll have to wait and see what Samsung is able to deliver next year. Best not to expect a headphone jack in this one, I think.

Source: Indian Express

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From The Web:

It’s iPhone 8 launch day, so where are all the lines?

Apple's iPhone 8 sees muted launch in Asia

Face ID can protect iPhone X from thieves, but not the law

Canadians should worry about U.S. border device searches, says privacy commissioner

WeChat confirms that it makes all private user data available to the Chinese government

From The Forums:

iPhones 8 and X Appear to Support Verizon's Gigabit LTE

Will AT&T Match T-mobile's 55+ Plan?

ATT MNVOs That Allow Tethering

Apple iPhone 8 & iPhone X (10) Launching Sept 29th & Nov 3rd at Cricket Wireless

Any value of Grandfather UDP 49.99?

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Way back in December of 2013 I bought a Google-branded inductive charger for my Nexus 4. The technology immediately won me over; there was no fast-charging technology to speak of at the time, and thus no drawbacks to dropping my phone on a charging mat beside my desktop computer. Having my phone always juiced up and ready to go was pretty great.

Around this time IKEA started selling a floor lamp with an inductive charging pad built-in, and at least one coffee shop near me had wireless charging embedded in its counters. As even the mighty Samsung got behind the nascent Qi charging standard, a future with less wires looked increasingly possible. People were even talking about inductive bowls that you could dump all of your electronics in to charge as you walked through the threshold of your home.

And then fast charging happened. Wireless charging never really went away, of course, but for me it became harder and harder to justify a slow wireless charge over a wired one that could get my phone battery to 100% in about an hour.

Cut to the present day, where the new iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X all support the Qi inductive charging standard. Again, inductive charging never went away, but with Apple supporting it I'd expect to see a lot more inductive chargers in coffee shops across North America. And soon.

The new iPhones also support fast charging, but only through additional accessories—namely, a USB-C to Lightning cable and separate 29 watt brick. I honestly think that wireless charging is going to end up being the bigger deal, whether you're an iPhone user or not. I'd even go so far as to predict that next year will see a renewed interest in Qi-compatible Android phones.

In the meantime, here's a question for iOS enthusiasts: which are you more excited about, wireless charging or fast wired charging?

Links: IKEA, The Verge, Wikipedia

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From The Web:

You WILL pay a grand for the iPhone X

We are the ones making the iPhone and Pixel more expensive

Google buys part of HTC’s phone business for $1.1 billion

WhatsApp reportedly refused to build a backdoor for the UK government

Why Canadian cell phone bills are among the most expensive on the planet

From The Forums:

Shaw registers ‘Shaw Mobile,’ ‘Shaw Mobility,’ and ‘Shaw Wireless’ trademarks

Switching from Tracfone ZTE Cymbal-T to Tracfone Sunset

Fast speed test but very slow when watching youtube video and browsing.

I can't port my number out of Piranha Mobile

VoWifi Threshold

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Yup, Samsung is everywhere...

For anyone who will ever visit Sri Lanka (and you totally should) here's a quick guide to getting mobile service there. Although carriers in both Canada and USA offer "roam like home" packages—where you access your plan's data bucket anywhere in the world for an additional daily fee—it's often cheaper to get a local SIM when you arrive. Case in point: for the equivalent of about $9 USD each my girlfriend and I were able to get 4GB of data (plus an extra 5 GB of "overnight" data) that lasted through the entirety of our 10 days on the island.



This special tourist package is available through Sri Lanka's number one mobile carrier, Dialog. Getting set up was easy but not an experience that I would call pleasant. There's a Dialog shop right in the Arrivals Hall of Bandaranaike International Airport that's open 24 hours—perfect for us as our inbound flight from Hong Kong didn't land until close to midnight. They only accept cash but fortunately for us there was a currency exchange in the same Arrivals Hall that was also open.

After taking our money the Dialog rep robotically set up the SIM on one of our phones and then left it there on the counter without telling me it was ready; he didn't even bother with the second phone. I eventually got the hint and set up the second SIM myself, using the settings from the first one. In so doing I noticed that the home SIM on my first phone—a dual-SIM OnePlus 3—was disabled for absolutely no reason. Thanks, jerk...



I did speed tests all over the island (when I remembered to) and not once did I ever see a 4G signal while I was there. That in itself wasn't a problem, but the sometimes spotty coverage took a huge hit on our phone batteries, as they desperately hunted for a signal to lock on to. To keep my phone juiced up for the next photo opp I got into the habit of keeping it in airplane mode until I actually needed data for something.

In other words, Sri Lanka might not be the best holiday destination for the obsessed Instagrammer or YouTube Livestreamer but it's definitely worth visiting for its Cultural triangle, friendly people and amazing food!

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From The Web:

The 8 biggest stories from Apple’s iPhone X event

Apple’s take on the ‘bezel-less’ UI is unintuitive, and Android is far better suited for it

The new Pixels will have the same problem as the current ones - they're just Android phones

Why you shouldn’t unlock your phone with your face

Turning Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in iOS 11's Control Center Doesn’t Actually Turn Off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth

From The Forums:

CDMA to GSM?

Switching From GUDP

Band 12 Extended Range

Apple Upgrade Program vs T-Mobile Upgrade Program - Which is Better?

So what actually happens when you unlock a (Verizon) Tracfone?

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October 4th will apparently be the date for the official unveiling of Google's second-generation Pixels, but thanks to Droid Life we've got an early look at colour options for both models—and their price tags, too!

Pixel 2

The Pixel 2 will be available with either 64 or 128 GB of storage, and will retail for $649 and $749 USD respectively. Google will offer financing plans for each—either $27.04 or $31.21 USD per month over 24 months.

Colours are as follows:



"Kinda Blue"



"Just Black"



"Clearly White"

Pixel 2 XL

Also sold with either 64 or 128 GB of storage, the larger Pixel 2 XL will set you back either $849 or $949 USD. Financing options are $35.38 and $39.54 USD per month for 24 months. There will be just two colour options for this one:



Black



White

I myself am not a Pixel guy; you can blame Google's entirely unnecessary vendor partition for that. But with timely software updates and what's likely to be one of the better Android cameras it's easy to see the Pixel's appeal.

Anyone here planning a Pixel 2 purchase?

Source: Droid Life (1) (2)

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