HoFo Blog

From The Web:

Apple iPhone 13 shortages to continue until February

Apple Supplier TSMC Responds to US Request for Supply Chain Information

Google says unreliable Pixel 6 fingerprint unlock is a feature, not a bug

These are the only Pixel 6 screen protectors Google recommends

Linux Smartphone News Roundup: New postmarketOS, Manjaro, Nemo, and Sailfish OS builds, Phosh 0.14, and more

From The Forums:

ATT BYOP triple minutes

Need suggestions on handset (ATT 3G phase out)

Sprint Sim into GSM phone

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Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
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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, November 1st, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, November 4th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, November 5th, 2021

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:

Scary message from Tracfone (no, not Halloween-related!)

Congrats to sillyette for starting our one-hundredth 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!

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

The worst gadgets we’ve ever touched

WhatsApp Rolls Out Multi-Device Support to All Users on iOS and Android

Edward Rogers Wins Case Against Family, Takes Control of Rogers Communications

Top 10 trending phones of week 44

Nokia 7650 (2001)

From The Forums:

Tracfone thinks my working number is inactive

Simple Mobile Moto e5 XT1920DL Questions

Is roaming still a thing, or will it be again, in the future? My idea…

New Visible Customer

MVNO for 2G/3G

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

The secrets of the first real smartphone, with Dieter Bohn

‘Sideloading is a cyber criminal’s best friend,’ according to Apple’s software chief

Google outlines plans for first alternative in-app payments in South Korea

The latest T-Mobile perk is a free year of Paramount+

Koodo, Fido, Virgin bring back $50/10GB offer and new ‘Starter’ plans

From The Forums:

New Phone / Transfer Question

Best prepaid unlimited?

Train travel and cellular data

What happened to Red Pocket? Maybe it's my perception.

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

Counterpoint: Samsung remains on top in Europe for Q3 2021, but the lead is shrinking

Counterpoint: Apple is the undisputed leader in the United States

Tensor is Google's most important launch of 2021, not the Pixel 6

Fairphone 4 review: A sustainable phone you might actually want

Nokia G50 review: affordable but awfully average

From The Forums:

Diabetic Android App for Glucose reading?

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

Google Tensor’s 2nd-gen update is in the works, likely for Pixel 7

How to get Magic Eraser on any Pixel with Android 12

Annual Phone Depreciation Report

Apple sacrifices new iPads to boost iPhone 13 production

Is my phone listening to me? We ask the expert

From The Forums:

Scary message from Tracfone (no, not Halloween-related!)

Sonim XP3 and VoLTE

Simple Mobile ZTE Z836BL that froze but won't die

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

Google will fix Pixel 6 Pro ‘display residual light’ flickering issue with December update

Bell says time now displaying correctly on smartphones after glitch

Ryan Reynolds releases billboard and website calling for Mint Mobile in Canada

Apple is bringing car crash detection to the iPhone, says the Wall Street Journal

Lightning vs USB-C: Why Apple's fight over ports is a losing battle

From The Forums:

Will 4G service not show on an unactivated Tracfone?

Chromebook Bundle (with TW) in TracFone Store

Text Message Recipients Can't View My Sent Images

How is the mobile app, for US Mobile?

Prepaid coverage vs AT&T

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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, October 25th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, October 26th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, October 27th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, October 28th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, October 29th, 2021

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

TracFone/Verizon no wifi calling?

Congrats to MsBren for starting our ninety-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!

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

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro review: finally, more than just good cameras

Some early Pixel 6 buyers report screen issues: weird flickering, green tint, a second punch hole

7 new hidden Pixel treasures to find in Android 12

Top 10 trending phones of week 42

Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 (2011)

From The Forums:

Couldn't Unlock AT&T LG Neon Plus 2

mobile hotspot with RJ45 network connection?

Newest Carrier Update! E-Sim on Galaxy Note 20 Ultra!

Boycott ATT

Associate IMEI with BYOD TF/AT&T Sim

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Andrew Currie has been blogging about mobile phones since 2001, smartphones (depending on how you define them) since 2002 and smartwatches since 2014.
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Some breaking news of interest from Android Police this morning:

AP also notes that speeds are subject to traffic management at any time.

Source: Android Police

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

Apple sales miss expectations, Tim Cook says supply issues cost company $6 billion

iPhone SE 3 Rumored to Feature iPhone XR Design With Touch ID and Be Apple's Last LCD Smartphone

Google Assistant Should Be Ashamed of Its Smart Home Routines

AirTag Owners Bemoan Inability to Let Others Track Their Items Via Family Sharing

Apple’s $25 Polishing Cloth Gets iFixit Teardown Treatment

From The Forums:

Samsung Galaxy a32 5g IMS registration status

Cannot log in to Page Plus account

New $40 month with 8GB and Hotspot -- Help please

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

Sony Xperia Pro-I is a camera first, 5G phone second

Sony’s $1,799 Xperia PRO-I has the specs to match its price tag

Spotify dethrones Apple as the king of podcasts

Apple’s system to tell on creepy apps just arrived in beta

Bell retains its fastest mobile network title, says PCMag

From The Forums:

No more alacarte refills on TF ?

ULL Cards

Unlock and port GV# to Verizon?

Tmobile data breach

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

Google Pixel 6 vs. Pixel 5: Should you upgrade?

AirPods 3 Review: Compared to AirPods 2 vs AirPods Pro

Big Three offer less for more with new $80/20GB base plans

It’s official: Vidéotron wants to expand into Western Canada

AT&T 5G Plus expansion plan highlights how much its mid-band coverage trails T-Mobile

From The Forums:

Tracfone AT&T APN

Weak 3g Signal After I Moved...

Year of calling, currently using pageplus

redeeming rewards: can I specify which number?

Uninterrupted service on a landline

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

Google Pixel 6 review: A new leaf

Pixel 6 Pro Review: The flagship Google needs right now is the one buyers deserve

Pixel 6 doesn’t have mm-wave 5G unless you buy it from these carriers

Magisk adds Android 12 support, drops MagiskHide

Apple releases iOS 15.1 with SharePlay and more iPhone 13 Pro camera options

From The Forums:

TracFone/Verizon no wifi calling?

Net10 3G phone replacement options

Sprint CDMA network shutdown - will iPhones need a new SIM? Also, a rant.

US Mobile referral?

Red Pocket online payment verification woes

---------
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, October 18th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, October 19th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, October 20th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, October 21st, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, October 22nd, 2021

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

Help a senior citizen switch phones

Congrats to RobEll49 for starting our ninety-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:

Bose’s new SoundLink Flex speaker has a rugged design and ‘astonishing’ sound

‘Moto Watch 100’ is the next Motorola-branded wearable, Wear OS not confirmed

Xiaomi Pad 5 review: An iPad Air for the Android masses

Top 10 trending phones of week 42

'Whoa whoa': iPod's inventor looks back on Apple's 'really big risks'

From The Forums:

New TF plans on ebay for email delivery

Tracfone VA 1yr / 200 mins - still around?

PDF billing statements

Anyone here still using a flip phone/dumbphone? Did you enjoy them or not?

Rectangular plate on the back of the Pixel XL - what is it for?

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

App Annie: Consumers in 5 countries spend more than 5 hours a day in apps

Spec showdown: Google’s new Pixel 6 vs. Samsung, Apple, and more

Real Tone on Pixel 6 tries to make smartphone photography finally not suck for people of color

Apple’s $25 Polishing Cloth Sold Out Beyond Christmas in Canada

Nokia 5510 (2001)

From The Forums:

Help! From TracFone LG306G to Journey? VoLTE

ATT Q3 2021 Results

$1,000 to switch to T-Mobile!!

Roaming in Greece

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

The Pixel 6 Pro may be Google's first flagship it actually believes in

The best smartwatches to buy for the Pixel 6 since Google still hasn’t made its own

Samsung unveils Galaxy Z Flip3 and Watch4 series Bespoke Edition

Ookla Q3 report names Telus Canada’s fastest mobile operator

Man Throws Eggs Inside Telus Dealer Store Over 5G, Employees Left Scrambling

From The Forums:

HD, lte, volte

Like pulling teeth just to get 1,000 texts!

Moto E4 w/Tello SIM won't answer calls, works fine w/Tmobile SIM

Android Silencing/muting notifications when screen on

Multi Line One Device

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

Google Tensor explained: Why the Pixel 6 has a custom chip, specs, and what it does

Here are all the US carrier promotions for the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Google’s Pixel Pro 6 is already sold out in Canada and people aren’t happy

Android 12 gets a surprise release today alongside the Pixel 6 debut

Pixel Pass bundles a Pixel 6, premium Google services, and insurance coverage at a discount

From The Forums:

Does anybody know when C Band is going to be deployed by Verizon Wireless?

S9+ (sm-G965) lost wifi calling freeup, cricket, after update

Just installed Android 12 on my BYOP Pixel 3a, now no data

Polycom Obi200 Sale

How load an app from Google Play Store

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