HoFo Blog

From The Web:

Windows 11’s Intel-powered Android apps will run on AMD and Arm processors, too

A very brief history of every Google messaging app

Cyber Attacks Involving Huawei Devices in Canada Spiked after Meng Wanzhou Arrest

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE launch postponed for October

The Galaxy Z Fold3 will give foldable fans a whole new way to trash their screens

From The Forums:

Tracfone Moto E5 specs

Unlocking a Tracfone

Red Pocket CDMA Voicemail Setup

Cell antennas on power structures?

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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 best phone 2021

Kuo: 2022 iPhone SE Will Be the 'Cheapest 5G iPhone Ever'

Nokia G20 is a $199 smartphone that will receive security updates until at least 2024

Rogers Doesn’t Allow Tablets to Access its 5G Network Yet

We regret to inform you that T-Mobile is selling a 5G-branded gin

From The Forums:

4 more months before my iPhone is eligible for unlocking. What if AppleCare is replacing the phone?

How long will I be able to use the original iPhone SE?

Alternatives to Google Voice's Call/Text Forwarding

Yes. It’s now a spirit!

No Data on new phone, data works on old 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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From The Web:

iPhone 13 rumors: As Apple's fall event gets closer, the secrets keep spilling

Tim Cook called Nancy Pelosi to warn her against disrupting the iPhone with impending antitrust bills

You can now try Brave’s privacy-focused Google Search alternative

Mobile Flagship Phone Cameras 2021 H1 Review: Megapixels & Telephotos

Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22+ to have 50MP main cam, proper telephoto lens

From The Forums:

Can't make a call. "Not connected to network."

Google Voice will stop forwarding text messages ... and Red Pocket port-in limitations do not help.

Can a visible sim be used in an ipad after activating it in an iphone?

Red Pocket 1 yr 8GB on sale for $220

Straight Talk iPhone on Page Plus - Unique questions!

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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:

Pixel Buds A-Series review: Google’s cheaper but good earbuds

Google just ran out of last year's Pixel Buds

Google app repeatedly crashing after latest update on Android; here’s how to fix

Apple has reportedly ended production of the iPhone 12 Mini

Doogee unveils S97 Pro, a rugged phone with 8,500 mAh battery and Samsung 48MP main camera

From The Forums:

Verizon Digital Secure

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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, June 14th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, June 15th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, June 16th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, June 17th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, June 18th, 2021

Remember that the Monday briefing includes forum posts from the prior 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 45 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Can iPhone 12 use CDMA?

Congrats to vanko987 for starting our eighty-first 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:

These are the best Prime Day 2021 phone deals

Leaked memo confirms OnePlus will become an Oppo sub-brand

The rise and fall of Oxygen OS

Top 10 trending phones of week 24

Flashback: flip phones are dead, long live the flip phone

From The Forums:

Nationwide Cellular Coverage - Your Definition

Will canceling 2 lines, allow me to get phone deals in a month ?

5G data speeds seem to be deteriorating while LTE gets better.

New phones plan only for Tracfone?

Cheapest Cash and Carry, 1 year, minimal use, 2FA

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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:

Amazon delists RavPower, TaoTronics, and Vava as its crackdown on fake reviews continues

Sonos Roam review: Out of the study, onto the beach

Ikea and Sonos announce picture frame speaker, coming July 15th for $199

How Republicans and Democrats are gearing up to fight tech monopolies

Google backs Linux project to make Android, Chrome OS harder to hack

From The Forums:

Use Straight Talk Phone With TracFone Service?

Do the G5 and the G7 Fit have 4G? Or just 4g LTE?

Unlimited 55+ Magenta not eligible for the EBB?

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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:

Upgrading Old Smartwatches to New Wear OS May Be Impossible

Facebook plans first smartwatch for next summer with two cameras, heart rate monitor

The OnePlus Watch has got nothing on its cheaper and better fitness band

The $149 Smartphone That Could Bring The Linux Mobile Ecosystem to Life

JingPad Linux Tablet Crowdfunding Campaign is Now Live

From The Forums:

Will Verizon eventually use majority of their mm wave?

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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:

Realme GT comes to global markets as the cheapest Snapdragon 888 phone

OnePlus Nord N200 5G is official: Snapdragon 480 5G and a 90 Hz display for $240

OnePlus brings another Nord phone to Canada

Google Messages end-to-end encryption is now out of beta

GSMArena.com turns 21, happy birthday to us!

From The Forums:

Any downside to this type SIM swap?

I have texted trying to fix my apn but need help

What's the current state of $50 Service Days add on?

some contacts not receiving texts

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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:

Several Chinese smartphone makers are already testing the Snapdragon 888 successor

Government's critical 3500MHz spectrum auction set to begin on June 15

AT&T graciously offers free device downgrades for customers affected by 3G shutdown

Verizon wants you vaccinated, so here’s $180 AirPods Pro and other accessory discounts

House lawmakers introduce five bipartisan bills to unwind tech monopolies

From The Forums:

Is the IMEI # the account #?

Why would unactivated byop verizon sim show better signal than active verizon prepaid sim?

Tracfone Select Plans / Devices 20% off at eBay exp 6/30/2021

Question about Trade In for Apple GC

Will active Verizon prepaid acct prevent byop Verizon sim activation?

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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, June 7th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, June 8th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, June 9th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, June 10th, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, June 11th, 2021

Remember that the Monday briefing includes forum posts from the prior 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 46 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Does Tracfone include other brands?

Congrats to daftordeft for starting our eightieth 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.
---------

From The Web:

Top 10 trending phones of week 23

New COVID-19 outbreaks in Asia could exacerbate the global chip shortage

COVID Alert app helped identify at least 572 cases in April and May

10 things Apple should have changed in iOS 15, but didn't

EXCLUSIVE: First Look at Newly Redesigned iPad mini 6

From The Forums:

Can iPhone 12 use CDMA?

Phone able to connect to voice using LTE but not when falling back to 3g/1x

Motorola Moto E 2020 (and Moto g series) hidden notification LED! Interesting.

Leaving Tracfone

Troubleshooting my cricket sim in an unlocked ATT netgear nighthawk

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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 best features of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS that Apple didn’t announce onstage

Google announces its own version of App Tracking Transparency

Huawei is fixing Android with HarmonyOS

Redmi Watch review: Hold on for the Mi Band 6 and save some cash

The Moto G Stylus 5G Is Like a Budget Galaxy Note

From The Forums:

Audible tone on outgoing calls

ordering online from cricket

Auction 110( 3.45-3.55 GHz ) to begin Oct 5th

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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:

Huawei HarmonyOS 2 Reaches 10 Million Users

Biden revokes Trump bans on TikTok and WeChat

Android 12's second public beta is here

16 new phones and tablets get Lineage 18.1 ROMs

iOS 4 has been lovingly recreated as an iPhone app

From The Forums:

WiFi 2.4 ghz VS 5 ghz issue

General Purpose Home Internet

Postpaid without a year contract or cheap?

Scam Shield blocking legit calls

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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:

Fossil says new Wear OS won’t come to current watches, launching ‘premium’ Gen 6 this fall

​Xiaomi ships 3 million Mi Band 6 trackers

watchOS 8 Compatible Devices: Here are Apple Watches that Support the New OS

Sonos Radio HD Launches in Canada, Pricing at $7.99/month

I finally 'get' Huawei's HarmonyOS - but it's definitely not for everyone

From The Forums:

Why do people use Tracfone? Seems really expensive

Factory Unlocked OnePlus Nord N10 5G

Looking for feedback on Shaw Mobile and the @shaw.ca domain

Prepaid Compare Tool Now Includes eSIM and 5G

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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 previews iOS 15 at WWDC 2021

iPadOS 15 Compatible Devices: All the iPads that Support Apple's New OS

Apple Working on iPad Pro with Wireless Charging, New iPad Mini

Apple isn’t just a walled garden, it’s a carrier

FaceTime is getting Android support, but there's a catch

From The Forums:

Switching from iPhone to Android

Text messaging from iPhone to Android (Switched phones)

Apple Removes Last Restrictions on iPhone Cellular Data Usage

Boost to Start Collecting Taxes and Charging Fees!

What is the cheapest phone compatible with T-Mobile (to be used as GPS)?

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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, May 31st, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Tuesday, June 1st, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Wednesday, June 2nd, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Thursday, June 3rd, 2021
Your Morning Briefing for Friday, June 4th, 2021

Remember that the Monday briefing includes forum posts from the prior 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 46 replies as of this posting the most popular thread started last week is:

Verizon Is Finally Giving Away iPhones to Win Over 5G Customers

Congrats to shortyd999 for starting our seventy-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:

Apple WWDC 2021: iOS 15, new MacBook Pros, and what else to expect

8 features I'd love to see Apple announce at WWDC 2021

Top 10 trending phones of week 22

Two years ago, Ottawa aimed to lower the high price of wireless and internet. Not any more

Will Huawei’s Harmony operating system end the global duopoly of Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS?

From The Forums:

Does Tracfone include other brands?

Legacy Sprint, Cellular watch, and TNX SIM

Buying A Smartphone Directly From Total Wireless

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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:

Galaxy A22 5G goes official as cheapest 5G Samsung phone to date

Pixel Buds A-Series Review: ‘Hey Google’ and the best features without deal-breaking flaws

Apple is updating AirTags to make them less creepy

TekSavvy, VMedia call for removal of CRTC chairperson Ian Scott

Check your carrier's real-world 5G coverage with this new feature on Opensignal's apps

From The Forums:

Can't find "Chat" on the Tracfone account page in either Firefox or Edge.

5g on all prepaid plans

Companies offering unlimited talk text data for a reasonable price?

Samsung Galaxy FOLD 2 - no esim support?

Prepaid SIM cards

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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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