HoFo Blog

From The Web:

GQ Interviews Apple CEO Tim Cook

The Steve Jobs Archive is releasing a free ebook

T-Mobile will provide free MLB.TV to customers through 2028

Some Telecoms Waiving Data Overages Due to Ice Storm Outages

One small step for LTE: Nokia plans to bring 4G to the moon this year

From The Forums:

how do I know what network a Consumer Cellular phone is on?

Safelink switched to unlimited data for Lifeline ACP customers

Cheapest Plan for Flip Phone

---------
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:

Galaxy S23 series selling way better than S22, S23 Ultra the runaway leader

Galaxy S23 FE reportedly uses only Exynos chips globally, including US

Galaxy SmartTag sequel and Buds 3 coming later this year, Google tracker at I/O

The Samsung Galaxy S10 series has reached its end of life

Rogers Sends First Email to Shaw Customers, Outlines What’s Coming

From The Forums:

Unlock?

Are these T-Mobile pre-paid plan prices staying?

Which T-Mobile MVNOs don't throtte based on priority?

T-Mobile expands fiber service to two Colorado cities

---------
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:

iOS 17 devices: Apple rumored to drop support for these iPhones and iPads

The Google Now Launcher is fully shutting down 10 years later

Motorola ‘Razr+’ foldable to have faster charging than Galaxy Z Flip 4, but a smaller battery

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5's colors tipped

Worldwide Shipments for Foldable Phones Forecast to Reach 48.1 Million Units with a Market Value of $42 Billion in 2027

From The Forums:

Exporting number without cancelling?

Help me get a temporary tethering plan

Can't call ATT phone with Skype

---------
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 April 2023 update rolling out for these Galaxy devices

Samsung Galaxy S23 gets big camera update with several improvements

The 12 Top New Android 14 Features

Pixel April 2023 update is late, marking second delay in a row

Back to business as usual

From The Forums:

TF does not want new customers

VZW Device SIM Unlock...?

---------
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:

'It's really sad for Canada:' Vidéotron finalizes Freedom purchase after government approval

Rogers and Fido Launch AI-Powered Spam Call Detection

Alexa can now make and receive calls through T-Mobile

Pixel 6 March update delayed for Verizon users

Top 10 trending phones of week 13

From The Forums:

Best T-Mobile Prepaid or MVNO for Short-Term Testing?

Sim Swap

Should I leave Tracfone just to get 5G Ultra Wideband?

Mint Mobile $45 a year with Port in , where do I get a number to port in ?

Upgrading MiIFI on Verizon prepaid

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

(April Fool's image courtesy of DALL-E2; should we keep it?)

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, March 27th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, March 28th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, March 29th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, March 30th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, March 31st, 2023

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 37 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Is Tracfone still worth it?

Congrats to Bitzer18 for starting our one hundred and sixty-sixth 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:

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: One of the best mid-range phones gets better

Where to preorder Samsung’s Galaxy A54 phone

Test drive a Galaxy S23 from another phone with Samsung's new Try Galaxy app

Apple illegally fired 6 labor activists, union says

Canada Wants a Standard Charging Port for Electronics, Just Like the EU

From The Forums:

My TF Account missing after failed ST activation

How long does Tracfone take respond to a BBB complaint?

How is Red Pocket now? Should I switch?

Question about Buying a New Phone from tracfone.com

A question for Safelink users who use Tracfone

---------
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 WWDC 2023 kicks off on June 5th

Apple CEO Tim Cook Visits China, Touts ‘Symbiotic’ Relationship

Google Fi makes 5G on iPhone official

Here’s everything new in Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2

Nokia unveils Pure UI, a new user interface design language

From The Forums:

Amazon/Walmart rewards gift cards

---------
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:

Remove these 10 apps that drain the battery of your smartphone

Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo phones can now pull Android app data to a new smartphone

OnePlus 11 Limited Jupiter Rock Edition announced

Huawei Watch Buds review

Lenovo confirms it has shutdown its Legion gaming phone business

From The Forums:

Did Verizon kill off UNLOCK to 611611?

Voice Mail Box Full

Voicemail reset

Post CDMA shutdown...do I need to look for more than supported bands & VoLTE on non official 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:

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

iOS 16.4 Expands iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite to Six More Countries

iOS 16.4 Emoji Changelog

Apple gives executives a sneak peek of its mixed reality headset ahead of launch

Apple Music Classical is now available from the App Store

From The Forums:

Two AT&T SIMs, but one doesn't get 5G.

---------
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:

Messaging is no longer Android’s mess, it’s an iPhone problem: Talking RCS with Hiroshi Lockheimer

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

This woman left her AirPods on a plane. She tracked them to an airport worker’s home

Gordon Moore, Intel co-founder and creator of Moore’s Law, has died

Top 10 trending phones of week 12

From The Forums:

Is Tracfone still worth it?

Windows 11 versus Prepaid website

Satellite Connectivity In Cell Phones

---------
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, March 20th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, March 21st, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, March 23rd, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, March 24th, 2023

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 31 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Inactive Phones

Congrats to Senkoboy for starting our one hundred and sixty-fifth 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:

Banning TikTok Is Unconstitutional, Ludicrous, and a National Embarrassment

TikTok CEO fails to convince Congress that the app is not a “weapon” for China

The DEA Quietly Turned Apple’s AirTag Into A Surveillance Tool

A first look at using iMessage from a PC with Microsoft’s Phone Link app

Bill Gates Calls ChatGPT the Biggest Tech Advance of His Time

From The Forums:

TCL Flip 2 Modding Info

How to move line from one account to another

Visible forcing me to buy a new phone

Wi-Fi Calling?

USB Tethering still available after Visible network upgrade?

---------
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:

A Eulogy for Dark Sky, a Data Visualization Masterpiece

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Here's what users do with old iPhones vs old Android devices

Galaxy M54 quietly launches in selected regions w/ 108MP camera, 6,000mAh battery, more

Samsung’s photo “remaster” knows what this baby pic is missing: teeth

From The Forums:

Can I combine a line if I no longer have the phone?

Transfer existing physical SIM service to eSIM

Any value to old double minutes sim?

$10 loyalty discount ?

New MyVerizon tool to report network problems coming…

---------
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 Watch will now show you the time even when the battery is dead

Apple menstrual health study shows importance of femtech features

Garmin Forerunner 265S review: the Goldilocks of running watches

Samsung launches its own Exynos-branded ultra-wideband chip to compete with Apple

Public Mobile offering $40/mo 15GB plan for a limited time

From The Forums:

Google finds security flaws with Wifi calling

is there a way to send and receive SMS internationally?

---------
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:

Oppo’s Find X6 Pro is the latest smartphone to get a massive 1-inch camera sensor

Microsoft’s new Xbox mobile gaming store may launch in 2024

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Google rolls out March 2023 update to Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, 6a

New T-Mobile Dining Rewards program entices you to save your appetite for Tuesdays

From The Forums:

2 Bars but no Data?

Default line on Tracfone account?

Moto G Stylus startup screen?

Reward Point Equivalents

Spin the Wheel

---------
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 introduces modular camera accessories for the Galaxy S23 series

iPhone 15 Pro rumored to ditch stainless steel for titanium: What we know

Apple Music boosts streaming music revenue to record $13.3 billion in 2022; vinyl outpaces CDs for first since 1987

Sony WF-1000XM5 design leaked

Top 10 trending phones of week 11

From The Forums:

Inactive Phones

Verizon Motorola Moto Z4 (XT1980-4) on T-Mobile - How do I get VoLTE to work?

Problem with attaching pictures

My Experience of VZW 5g

SYNC Moto G Pure to another Moto G Pure as backup 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, March 13th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, March 14th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, March 15th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, March 16th, 2023
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, March 17th, 2023

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 15 replies each as of this posting the most popular threads started last week are:

Locked Out of Web Account - Tracfone Support No Help
Transfer from S5 to A53. Possible to keep triple minutes?

Congrats to Betulo and 54321ZERO for starting our one hundred and sixty-fourth threads 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: Turn off VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling due to severe Exynos modem vulnerabilities on Pixel 6, more

Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 debuts, coming to devices this month

Canadians Still Pay Some of the Highest Prices for Wireless and Internet in the World, Shows Fed Report

Moto Razr 2023 leaked live photo reveals new hinge design

Google Pixel Fold spotted out and about in New York

From The Forums:

Transfer from S5 to A53. Possible to keep triple minutes?

Question about iPhone use in Canada, Europe and Asia

Best verizon plan for living part-year in Mexico?

Is there a good AT&T plan for living in Mexico half the year?

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