Mobile Phone Thread

[Raoul Duke]

I see eglobal central have the series 5 for under 400 euro which would probably be a better way to go if I were getting one.

What has the 6 over the 5?

O2-level tracking, always-on elevation tracking monitoring, better battery + brightness, faster charging are the main things.

I ordered the 6 in silver aluminium with the Milanese loop earlier. Get £60 trade in from my Series 2 as well

[Giggles]

6 really seems the only option then, weighing it all up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

S20 (normal version) or Pixel 5?

I can get them for the same monthly price.

[Giggles]

I’d go pixel all day for camera but the Samsung would be the better overall phone.

[Giggles]

Will probably get a Pixel 5 myself once this iPhone announcement confirms lightning.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'll go for the S20 then, cheers.

Any point in going for the S20+ for an extra £4 a month?

I see the battery is bigger but then so is the screen so I'd imagine they sort of cancel each other out.

[Giggles]

The battery life on the plus models always tends to be quite a bit better. The bigger battery more than makes up for the screen.
I’d prefer the size of the regular one personally.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Picked up the S20 yesterday and I like it a lot. However, I had to put Nova on it.

The Samsung daily thing is horrendous (and I use the Google feed a lot) and the default app drawer/sorting is a mess.

[Giggles]

Lawnchair 2 is another good one.

You should be able to use the Google Feed and alphabetically arrange the apps on OneUI 2.5 though.

[Giggles]

I deliberated too much on a Pixel 5 order and now the fuckers are all gone.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lawnchair 2 is another good one.

You should be able to use the Google Feed and alphabetically arrange the apps on OneUI 2.5 though.

The apps yes (But I like a drawer as opposed to loads of pages after sliding down) and you can't put the Google feed on the left most home page, only their Samsung daily which can be turned off. You can use Google feed only by hitting the Google button.

[Baz]

I was hoping I’d come away from this evenings Apple event with enthusiasm and excitement to spend lots of money on a new phone. Instead I’m watching YouTube videos trying to convince myself an 11 Pro is big enough. :moop:

Will probably get a 12 Pro but I cannot stress how much I hate that awful square shape.

[Giggles]

Hate the new design and anything but the 12 Pro Max is probably a waste of time going to from an 11. The dearest one does look impressive though.

Think I’ll get a pixel 5.

[Baz]

I'm on a 7 with a deadass battery.

I'd already ordered my 5G sim card so will probably get a 12 Pro and hopefully not hate my life everytime I hold it. Pro Max is too big for my girly hands.

[Waffdon]

I’m due my upgrade so I’ll just get whatever the most expensive iPhone is. 5g? :drool:

[Giggles]

Do you even have a 5G network worth talking about?

[Waffdon]

I have no idea. I see a new iPhone I instantly upgrade.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Isn't 5G only really worth it if you're in a big city?

There just aren't enough places right now to make it worthwhile.

They tried to sell me a 5G version but there's no coverage at all in my town.

[Raoul Duke]

There are two versions of 5G:


5G connectivity is a headline addition to the new iPhones. 5G has been hyped up by the carriers as the next big thing in smartphones. The quick primer is that there are two kinds of 5G: a potentially very fast "mmWave" network (Verizon calls this "Ultra Wideband") that is short-range, has poor signal characteristics and is hard to roll out, and a "sub-6GHz" 5G, which is closer to an iterative step of 4G, with better signal characteristics and a better shot of a world-wide rollout but with less of a revolutionary speed increase.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/apple-announces-iphone-12-now-with-5g/

There's also the secret third version which is used by Bill Gates to activate the Soros-funded Antifa microchips, but we're not meant to post about that until after the revolution

I'll pick up the 12 Pro or possibly the Pro Max. I much prefer the squarer design to the current one - It's much more grippy and feels nicer to hold. Shame they couldn't include the thin fingertip reader from the iPad in the power button in this one as it'd make wearing masks and accessing your phone much easier.

[Mike]

Got an 11 so shall stick to my three years between phones. Being in the 14! :cool2:

[Giggles]

I’m after ordering a blue Pro :uhoh:

[Waffdon]

I’m about to do the same. 256gb version. Though I’m getting the same plan but £16 a month cheaper for the iPhone 12, is there that much of a difference other than the camera?

[Giggles]

Very little.

[Waffdon]

Couldn’t order the iPhone 12 online or over the phone so just bought the Pro as already in my basket. Sexy blue colour

[Giggles]

Same as mine, except I went for 128GB. 64GB would do me if they made one.

[phonics]

Is there a way to tell the iPhone not to accept headphone inputs. I think mine are broken and it’s just constantly trying to open Siri and playing/pausing stuff.

[Baz]

Not phones but iPads

Apple iPad Pro 11" 128GB WiFi [2nd Generation] - Space Grey £769
Apple iPad Air 10.9" 256GB WiFi [4th Generation] - Space Grey £729

Which is better? And by better, I guess I mean a combination of value and loading speeds.

[Giggles]

You’d imagine the newer device would always be better but I don’t really know the range at all. Not even sure what generation my ipad is.

EDIT: Or is the 2nd Pro and 4th Air the latest of each?

[Baz]

Yeah

[Raoul Duke]

Not phones but iPads

Apple iPad Pro 11" 128GB WiFi [2nd Generation] - Space Grey £769
Apple iPad Air 10.9" 256GB WiFi [4th Generation] - Space Grey £729

Which is better? And by better, I guess I mean a combination of value and loading speeds.

Which year are they from?

If they're both the newest versions: https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=10137&idPhone2=10444

[Giggles]

Looking up Pro’s there’s 4 generations. The first two have the big bezels and the fingerprint scanner and the latter two look the same only the 4th has the square multi camera setup instead of just the one. There doesn’t seem to be an 11 inch 2nd gen so maybe you mean 3rd?


The Air seems to have 4 generations also; the 1, the 2, the 2019, and the 2020.

[Giggles]

If it is the 2nd gen iPad Pro (10.5) then there’s no comparison. Get the new Air.

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=10444&idPhone2=8716

[Baz]

Oh I don’t know. Only looked quickly at AO.com

https://ao.com/product/my232ba-apple-ipad-pro-tablet-space-grey-75020-252.aspx

https://ao.com/product/myft2ba-apple-ipad-air-tablet-space-grey-80212-252.aspx

Will investigate further later.

Cheers for the links.

[Giggles]

That’s the newest (4th gen) Pro. Class price, go for that.

Mine, which I now know is a 3rd gen 12.9, was over a grand.

[Baz]

Which year are they from?

If they're both the newest versions: https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=10137&idPhone2=10444Both the latests models, yeah. All that tells me is there's hardly anything between them. :help:

Leaning towards the Pro.

[Raoul Duke]

Both the latests models, yeah. All that tells me is there's hardly anything between them. :help:

Leaning towards the Pro.

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com

As per the above, the Air looks the newer machine with the updated CPU. Depends on whether there's anything you actually have a preference over:

- Price
- FaceID over TouchID
- Stylus support
- Fast charging/reverse charging

They're still going to be great machines and supported for a while, so it's much of a muchness really.

[phonics]

Is there a way to tell the iPhone not to accept headphone inputs. I think mine are broken and it’s just constantly trying to open Siri and playing/pausing stuff.

Did a deep dive search on this and the best answer I could find was someone telling me to go to the genius bar and buy a new pair of headphones.

[Baz]

The case arrived for my [unbought] iPhone 12 Pro today. Hmmm.

I’m using a 7 and thought it would be a lot bigger, and obviously the screen fills the whole handset, but I dunno. Glad I held off actually ordering a phone cos now I’m considering getting a Pro Max.

I just figure I hardly ever go out anymore so sitting in my sofa scrolling Reddit or playing NFL Clash, I might as well go big. Only danger is I feel like you can never go back once you’re used to 6.7”. At least, I’m guessing that’s why my wife’s still with me.

[Baz]

Does anyone wanna buy this new Samsung S21 Ultra 5G in the top spec, unlocked in black (RRP £1329) for £1000?

You’d get it tomorrow too, on release day.

[Giggles]

How many days after release day do the cops land at the door?

[Baz]

How many days after release day do the cops land at the door?None.

It’s an unwanted contract upgrade, but was worth getting for the bundled headphones.

Oh, you also get a Smart Tag with it, whatever that is.

And you can pay when you receive it.

[Baz]

iOS (And iPadOS) 14.5 came out last night and the biggest change is now any app that shares data it harvests from you with a third party needs to ask your permission first. This will appear as a popup the first time a compliant app is launched. I don't believe all apps are compliant as yet but Apple are going to be enforcing this.

The popup lets you choose between "Ask not to track" and "Allow" but in the system privacy settings there's a default option that can essentially give you a blanket "Ask not to track" for every app without needing the popup. Personally I'd advise setting the default option. Any app that needs to sell your data to be profitable shouldn't be an app in my opinion

Here's an article about it:

https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/27/what-does-ask-app-not-to-track-mean/

[Raoul Duke]

Also: unlock your phone whilst wearing a mask if you're also wearing an Apple Watch :cool:

[CJay]

Honestly didn’t think Baz would care about that kind of thing. Facebook’s crying about it all has been hilarious.

[Baz]

T’was a copy and paste.

[Mike]

Also: unlock your phone whilst wearing a mask if you're also wearing an Apple Watch :cool:

Legit the best change they’ve made.

[Raoul Duke]

Legit the best change they’ve made.

Shame it wasn't a few months back, but yeah super useful when out shopping etc.

[Boydy]

THe battery on my old Google Pixel 2 which I had given to my dad seems to be fucked. He can leave it on charge all day and it'll only charge about halfway.

So looking for something new for him. He doesn't need many bells and whistles, just something cheap with decent battery life and he doesn't want a huge screen. By cheap I mean about £10 a month on contract or around £100 to just buy the handset. Any decent ideas? Any "best budget phones" google searches seem to give me ones with monster screens.

[igor_balis]

THe battery on my old Google Pixel 2 which I had given to my dad seems to be fucked. He can leave it on charge all day and it'll only charge about halfway.

So looking for something new for him. He doesn't need many bells and whistles, just something cheap with decent battery life and he doesn't want a huge screen. By cheap I mean about £10 a month on contract or around £100 to just buy the handset. Any decent ideas? Any "best budget phones" google searches seem to give me ones with monster screens.

Moto g or is screen too big?

[Boydy]

Just looked them up and the cheapest one, the moto g 10, has a 6.5" screen. Probably too big. THe Pixel 2 has a 5" screen, I think and he doesn't want anything much bigger than that. It seems like no one really makes smaller phones any more.

[Don]

I had this issue with mine (there'll be posts on here no doubt). My Samsung A20e has been faultless, having got used to the 5.8" dimension. Google is saying £150 is current RRP.

[Mike]

I’ve switched networks from giffgaff (who use o2 and have rubbish signal in work) to Smarty (who use three, and seem to get a better signal where I need it) no complaints yet. I’m on the 8GB for £7 plan.

At a risk of being a bit of a Baz, I got a referral link that gets whoever uses it a free month or something, https://i.smarty.co.uk/VNQGjhp

[Boydy]

I had this issue with mine (there'll be posts on here no doubt). My Samsung A20e has been faultless, having got used to the 5.8" dimension. Google is saying £150 is current RRP.

Got him one of those in the end. I set it up for him at the weekend. Seems a decent little phone for the price. It's the same size as the Pixel 2 he had as well despite the bigger screen size because the Pixel 2 had pretty large bezels.

[Don]

Ya, it's a solid build too going off mine, I've just got one of those basic clear condoms with no screen protection for it and not a single mark yet.

[Baz]

Speaking of referrals…

I’ve used Airtime Rewards (https://airtimerewards.app.link/friend) for a while and had a few £5 discounts knocked off my [O2 sim only] phone bill most months since, mostly just from shopping at Morrisons.

Basically you download an app, link your debit/credit cards and then when you make a purchase with them from a shop that’s listed (there’s a lot) you get a percentage of it added to you Airtime account. Then when your pot reaches £5 you can redeem it off your next phone bill (or gift it to another Airtime user, apparently, but that starts at £10.)

There doesn’t seem to be an exact list (sneaky) of which phone networks are subscribed to the service but they claim that 10 are, including O2, EE, BT, giffgaff, Tesco and Three but Google suggests it’s worth trying to see if your phone contract is linked.

If you use my referral code of 8NVGJCQ8 when you join Airtime Rewards you’ll get £1 credit into your new account and another £2 if you make a valid purchase within 7 days of registering. I also get the same reward, so thank you very much! (Or if you join tomorrow or later it’s 50p + £1 after a purchase, so act fast!)

You need to download the app and use the code 8NVGJCQ8 when signing up (or after you have signed in, under the ‘More > Promo Code’ section, enter the code and hit Submit)

[Lofty]

Wife wants a new phone, currently paying £25 SIM only with an old Galaxy S8. She only uses it for messaging, facebook, instagram etc. She does smash the data though so really need unlimited or at least a decent amount (more than 50gb) a month. Ideal price point would be around £30 a month. Seen the S20 FE ones but a lot of reviews are mixed, are the A series as shit as they appear? I could lumber her with one and bag a free Switch but would feel guilty if it is terrible. Basically needs a good battery and loads of data.

[Giggles]

My sister recently upgraded from an A50 to an A52 and it seems very good. The former was excellent also.

[Waffdon]

Got the new iPhone which is nice and all but it’s broken my Google Chrome (unless there’s a weird coincidence). I can’t seem to play any videos through it (YouTube is fine) as it’s just a black screen but audio fully works.

Also, typing is horrendous on Chrome, I wouldn’t advise to do it if you suffered from epilepsy. Is this Apple forcing me to move to Safari?

[Raoul Duke]

Safari is miles better than Chrome

[Waffdon]

I’m just lazy because all my passwords, card details etc are saved

[Giggles]

Safari is miles better than Chrome

Not until it's available on Windows it isn't for me anyway.

[Lofty]

Wife got a new phone Thursday night from Tesco, PAC sent. Her number still hasnt migrated, is there a potential issue with samsung chat like I have heard with iMessage on iPhones?

[Giggles]

Is it broken these days or am I missing something as to how I’d share a ticket in my Apple wallet with someone?

[Magic]

Got a new Samsung A32 5G from work after smashing my TCL to fuck. Decent handset and I can very 5G despite no vaxx.

[Mike]

Got the iPhone 13 Pro Max today. It’s pretty big but already getting used to it. The screen is wonderful and the camera is great.

[Giggles]

Is there any way to make incoming WhatsApp calls time out after a certain length of time? I have a couple of nuisance customers that persist in calling via it when I have told them numerous times not to, and one of them called me at 9:11 this morning and it's still dialling.

[Giggles]

Or better yet, can you disable the call feature altogether?

[CJay]

Or better yet, can you disable the call feature altogether?

I reckon your only option is to block them as contacts.

[Giggles]

I think it’s come to that now.

[Raoul Duke]

Is there any way to make incoming WhatsApp calls time out after a certain length of time? I have a couple of nuisance customers that persist in calling via it when I have told them numerous times not to, and one of them called me at 9:11 this morning and it's still dialling.

You can "mute" a caller by clicking the (i) on the missed call notification (on iOS)

[John Arne]

Is there any way to make incoming WhatsApp calls time out after a certain length of time? I have a couple of nuisance customers that persist in calling via it when I have told them numerous times not to, and one of them called me at 9:11 this morning and it's still dialling.

In notifications in the setting, you can set WhatsApp to vibrate only, or complete silence - however pretty sure it applies to all calls and messages - don't think you can pick and choose contacts.

[Lofty]

Upgraded from a Note 10+ to a S21 Ultra, lovely stuff.

[phonics]

I need a UK number, whats the best type of deals now if I don't want a phone just the SIM?

[Baz]

I need a UK number, whats the best type of deals now if I don't want a phone just the SIM?


I’ve switched networks from giffgaff (who use o2 and have rubbish signal in work) to Smarty (who use three, and seem to get a better signal where I need it) no complaints yet. I’m on the 8GB for £7 plan.

At a risk of being a bit of a Baz, I got a referral link that gets whoever uses it a free month or something, https://i.smarty.co.uk/VNQGjhpThis.

[Dquincy]

End of an era. Today is is last day that the Blackberry phones will work.

Light candle Giggles

[Giggles]

All of them or just the old blackberry OS ones?

[Dquincy]

Presumed it meant all of them, but on 2nd reading it relates to the blackberry OS ones.

Piss on the candle.

[Giggles]

Presumed it meant all of them, but on 2nd reading it relates to the blackberry OS ones.

Piss on the candle.

Might maybe mean the end of the BBM stuff, if that's even still a thing since the switch to Android.

[Don]

Someone fucking help me resolve the data storage issues that have made me age unnecessarily over the past few years. What's the fucking solution beside deleting things regularly? I made do on my 5GB Onedrive storage for years but enough is enough, I paid something like a £2 month for 100GB last week but it hasn't restarted syncing so I'm pissed. And now mum's phone is at breaking point for same reasons and she'll probs get a new one soon but I need to solve this issue before that one ends the same way.

[Raoul Duke]

Turn off WhatsApp auto downloading everything and/or just buy a device with more space

[Don]

You can't toggle that whatsapp setting to be conversation specific, right? Maybe it's cause I'm a hoarder but I can't believe there's no better solution. These OneDrive/Google Photo/Dropbox services are so disjointed for basic users.

[Raoul Duke]

You can't toggle that whatsapp setting to be conversation specific, right?

You can, it looks like: Tap the conversation name > Save to Camera Roll > switch Default to something else

[Giggles]

You can, it looks like: Tap the conversation name > Save to Camera Roll > switch Default to something else

That’s handy, didn’t know that. Be handy for keeping the couple of filth merchants out of the gallery.

[CJay]

Why would you want any conversations to automatically save photos to your photo library? :cab:

[igor_balis]

I dunno, it was a pleasant surprise seeing some excellent grot from the Norwich covid tinder goldrush in my gallery, less so the billions of fucking lame motivational pictures from the cocaine addiction support group.

[randomlegend]

Bought a Poco F3 from amazon, the flashlight/flash doesn't work and Amazon are out of stock so I've got to send it to Xiaomi for repair :)

[Manc]

Fleshlight*

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Phwoar.

[randomlegend]

I think the fleshlight is one of the features you miss out on by not going for the flagship models.

[Don]

Finally my A20E took a fall and cracked its screen. 2 years it lasted but if I hadn't been lazy and replaced its broken cover it would have gone for at least another 2 ffs.

Dismayed to find that once again industry standard has added yet another inch to phones. I'll swallow the 6.6" for my new A22 like your mum but give me my 4.8" back ffs.

£179 from John Lewis.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It must be so hard having baby hands.

[Giggles]

Anyone done the iOS 16 beta yet? Is it a shit show or usable on a main phone at this stage?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I can upgrade my phone (Galaxy S20) in a few weeks but I'm not sure what to upgrade to.

I've heard the S22 line has had problems with the Exynos chip, the Pixel 6 line has a lot of broken features and whilst the Oppo Find X5 Pro has gotten a lot of praise I don't know too much about the brand.

[Guybrush]

Oppo are another offshoot of BBK, similar to Oneplus and Vivo. I've had the Find X2 Pro for a while now and can't really fault it. Actually sold one and used an S20 Ultra and then a Pixel 6 Pro for a while but ended up getting another X2 Pro. Hardware-wise it's great, just don't expect Google updates as quickly as other brands.

[John Arne]

I bought a Pixel 6 and it's been the only phone that I haven't actually liked.

Previously had no issues with an iPhone, Xiaomi and OnePlus - decided to get a Pixel 6 and there are just too many small bugs. Finger print scanner is turd, no face unlock, it can get a little laggy and it gets very hot when used for more than 20 minutes. Great camera, though.

[Offshore Toon]

I've just got the 6. There's a small Chrome bug but so far everything seems fine.

[Spikey M]

I'm due an upgrade next month. What's good these days? I'm getting bored of Samsungs.

Are iPhones still exclusively for twats?

[John Arne]

I attempted to go back to iPhone after switching to Android... it didn't go well. Once you go Android, I feel you have to stay - going back to iPhone and finding everything was locked down or impossible to change/customize was infuriating.

Apparently it's getting better with widgets and stuff. Not sure what it is like right now.

[Waffdon]

People who use Android over Apple are definitely some edgy warlords.

[Giggles]

I’m a few years back on iOS now and anyone that can get an iPhone and doesn’t get an iPhone is probably wrong. You do need to have no real interest in phones but the market is that stagnant now that I can’t see how anyone does, so just get the one that does 90% of things better.

[Spikey M]

People who use Android over Apple are definitely some edgy warlords.

I've only ever known it be the other way around.

[Boydy]

Both are fine, it's probably just easiest to stick to the OS you're used to.

[Baz]

If anyones after a ridiculously cheap SIM card get this lebara one for 1p a month for 6 months. 12gb data. £6.90 after that but I’ll use it as a burner for gambling and then cancel it before it gets that much. Use this link first to get a discount cookie (my referral obviously): http://aklam.io/geNDxj and then this link to sign up with the cheaper price: https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/en/msm/exclusive-monthly-plan-690/p/441209?utm_source=impactradius&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=121977&utm_content=ONLINE_TRACKING_LINK&utm_clickid=VKOSGAwQSxyJUdE0RFzYkRCrUkDyrW2Fm2mqQ0 0&utm_iradid=360019&utm_clickref=&default=page&irgwc=1 Click the Buy Now button and you’ll see the promotion applied. Really good price.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

If you're still scrabbling around for referral pennies maybe it's time to increase the bot's settings.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ive just dropped my Huewai Mate 20 lite and the screen is smashed. Ive had it for four years now. No problems. Replace the screen or buy another phone under £100?

[SincereTheRebel]

Its 2002 again and im looking at a Nokia

[Gray Fox]

My iPhone 12 pro contract is up come black Friday. From a look about, cameras seem to have taken a step forwards since my last buy, even though all seem quite similar.

Currently eyeing up a Pixel 7/Pro. It released today in most places and seems to be well reviewed. Seems like it has the best combo of camera and software going. It also seems to come in a little cheaper than your Apples or Samsungs too. Especially the stock 7 seems to be cracking value.

Has anyone either ordered one, or used the Pixel 6/Pro?

[Manc]

I too have been eyeing up a Pixel 7. Wouldnt be a world away from my Samsung, but still a significant upgrade.

[wullie]

I got the 6 a few months ago, really happy with it so far. The only thing I wasn't keen on is the stock Android apps tray setup so went with a different launcher but otherwise I'd consider it a step up from the S20+ I had the year before.

[Gray Fox]

I've noticed they're doing a launch promo for now too. If you buy the 7 now(seems to run until Sunday night), you can claim a pair of Pixel Buds Pro for what they say is free. Whereas if you buy the Pro, you get the Pixel Watch instead.

Maybe worth considering as since my last phone buy we seem to have moved fully away from chargers and headphones in the box.

I suppose the gamble is do I go for that offer now, or assume it might surface again come black Friday/Christmas?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I imagine the phone will be discounted with no freebie attached.

If you want one of the freebies buy now, if you want a saving on the phone itself wait.

[Andrew]

Contract is close to ending s21 ultra, always had a android is it worth giving the iPhone a try out what's the iPhone lime these days

[Gray Fox]

Same deal as when you bought your S21 Ultra really.

I'd say if you want the best hardware full stop, the 14 pro/max is what you'll want. If you customise your Samsung with launchers etc then you might want to stick it out with Android.

Apple have only just allowed people to add widgets onto their lock screen for example. Whereas on Android you'll be able to set it up pretty much as you want.

If you're not one to customise at all, then likely now you wont notice all too much difference. If you can get down to a store with a display unit, you'll see what I mean.

[Ben]

I'm still rocking an iPhone 7. Will be coming up six years I've had that shortly, and finally I've been missed off the latest iOS. Thought I might get another year out of it but they fucked off two generations with iOS 16.

[Giggles]

I’m about ready to go back to Android at this stage, though it’ll be June before I’m due a phone.

[Andrew]

Revanced on Android is awesome for YouTube, no adverts even skips segments of the videos you watch if they start self promoting or try and advertise anything.

Hadn't used the normal YouTube for years because of Vanced so when that got discontinued seeing the ad infested shit hole YouTube had become was a shock to the system.

That's the only app really that would be missed if I went from Android to Apple.

Just had a quick browse through Amazon and eBay to see if I could pick up a cheapish recent iPhone just to mess around with before I jump into it for for the next 2 years and the iPhone doesn't seem to lose any value compared to me selling on my Ultra s21 I'd be lucking to get 300 quid for it.

[Manc]

Has anyone dealt with IDmobile? Their pay monthly plans seem significantly cheaper than the usual faces.

[Ben]

It's owned by Curry's/PC World and is ran through Three, so it depends on Three coverage in your area I'd guess.

[wullie]

I had to switch to Smarty as Three are the only network that cover my area properly now, on whoever Sky mobile use I'd have to go outside to get any reception like it was the forties or something.

[Don]

Doesn't Wifi-Calling fix those issues? I've been meaning to find a new SIM-only contract (currently paying £19 and £11 for 2 separate 12GB contracts with BT) but slightly put off from the unknown if the coverage and speed aren't as good.

Edit: Three are doing 100GB for £12, Vodafone and O2 20GB for £8 and then a load of Lebara, ID, Smarty, Talkmobile and GiffGaff for cheaper.

[Boydy]

Why have you got two sims?

[Don]

One's for my fans.

Mother. Fucking whore must have turned off her Wifi prior to going on a youtube rabbit hole as she's rinsed her 12GB in 4 days :happycry:

[wullie]

Wifi calling should have seen me right but that seemed to be shit on Sky as well for some reason, now it all works like a charm despite the fact I now don't particularly need it.

[Magic]

I bought a Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro for £129 in a flash sale and it's pretty epic, especially the battery and camera.

[Gray Fox]

I imagine the phone will be discounted with no freebie attached.

If you want one of the freebies buy now, if you want a saving on the phone itself wait.

Hoping this turns out to be wrong. While not really a deal breaker to not get the watch/buds. A £200 thing for a phone I want any way, for free, wouldn't have been a bad thing at all.
I double checked with Virgin today and my contract isn't up until mid-November officially so I'd still have to pay a fee to get out of it. Unfortunately I can't afford to do that until after the offer expires. So I'll be missing out.

Might not be all a bad thing. The Virgin Mobile signal in town here has gone terrible since their merger with O2.

Given where we've gone economically, I can't really justify going up on my phone bill (£44 p/m now). So I think Apple is off the cards this time around. You can get an S22 for £34 with all of the data you need and the standard Pixel 7 for £31. For just the entry level iPhone 14, you're looking at £48 p/m+.

[Baz]

O2 linking with Virgin Media and giving you double data has been a fantastic revelation.

Combine it with using Airtime rewards…

Download Airtime Rewards for free with my code 8NVGJCQ8 and save money off your phone bill every time you shop with brands like Boots, Greggs, Wilko, Argos and loads more: https://airtimerewards.app.link/friend

…and I’ve had 40GB a month for free for over a year. :drool:

[Gray Fox]

I'm now in position to buy out my last month at any time. The bill comes out before next payday so it makes no difference should I do it now or then.

After hearing reviews on the Pixel Watch I'm glad I didn't rush into it for that. Sounds like it needs that 2nd generation to iron out the kinks.

I still think I'm set on the Pixel 7 Pro or S22+. The Apples that actually have the new features this time are up at £60p/m+. My range is at £40 and under, so it's a Pixel or S22+ for me.
I prefer the bigger models for the larger battery, even if my tiny hands protest.

[Gray Fox]

I've had the Pixel 7 Pro since Tuesday. So review time.

The thing is big. I've never gone above a 6.1" display before but this feels like a big change(6.7" now). Very much a struggle to use this one handed while on the move. However the screen is lovely. It did come without QHD enabled by default but it was an easy change.

Some niggles that I'm having from being a long time Apple user: On Apple devices you could swipe from the left to essentially use as a back button. If you had not gone back, swiping from the right did nothing, so in a sideways scrolling situation you could swipe right to left from the edge of the screen no bother. On the Pixel, if you try that, it still attempts to move you forwards again. If you haven't swiped back yet, instead it'll just take you back to the top of the page you were on.

The face scanner is camera only. No infra-red. What this means is that while you can use your face to unlock your phone, it is not considered biometrically secure enough to use for paying by card. So if you've come to pay for something and unlocked your phone by face, the payment will decline. You'll have to lock your phone again and then unlock it with your fingerprint instead.

Scroll speed seems inconsistent. It seems to change dependant on which app you're in. A small flick of the thumb could sent you flying down a page, or it can be a little draggy where it doesn't quite go as far as you wanted.

Things that I like:

Battery is amazing so far. Even with QHD turned on, I left late morning yesterday around 90%. After a day of reasonable use and then leaving it overnight, I got to about 10:30 this morning before it dipped below 30%
I've come from a 2,815 mAh phone to this(5000 mAh) and it does feel like a big jump. They've also got rapid charging on it assuming you have the right plug for it. 50% charge in 30 mins. Considering that 50% could do you a day by itself, it's great just in case you've woken up having forgot to charge the night before. You'll get enough charge while you get ready in the morning.

Camera experience is stunning. The one on the front is decent enough for what it is. Not special in any way, but that's very different with the rest. By now you know what characteristic each of the big smartphones brings. Samsung is big MP but ultra saturated to make colours pop. Apple a little more washed out at times but much more natural colouring.
The Pixel is about in the middle of the two, with essentially having quite contrasty imagery. Clarity is also great on it. However the software is where it comes right into it's own.
For any photo in your Google Photo library, you can "unblur" an image too. It doesnt need to have been taken by the phone either, it'll still have a crack at it. Great for those times you only got one quick snap of something that you can't repeat.
The magic eraser is what is says, magic. I was at a kids Halloween party yesterday, so took a few snaps of my little shitbags, but other peoples kids had snuck into frame. Don't want them in for obvious reasons and because other peoples kids are cunts. Quick circle of them and they're gone.

Last thing is the value. Assuming the minimum upfront payment and over 2 years, the 7 Pro can be got for £37p/m(£9 up front). It's directly competing with the Samsung S22 Ultra, which you'd have to pay £48p/m to get and the iPhone 14 Pro/Max and even for just the Pro you're paying £59p/m(with £19 up front). Genuinely could not recommend anyone spend the extra to get one of the other two.

[Giggles]

Is the fingerprint as poor as they say (in comparison to a physical button one)? I really don’t understand why more of them haven’t put it in the power button by now.

[Gray Fox]

It's okay. Not as god as one in the physical button as yet.

[wullie]

I've got the 6 and the fingerprint unlock was meant to be a issue but it just works fine, not had any bother at all. The main issue was that I was used to the face unlock on the Galaxy so for a few weeks I was instinctively holding the phone up to my face as absolutely nothing happened (also the back and menu buttons at the bottom are reversed which I'm still not used to)

[Ben]

Help a brother out lads. I've obviously put my phone number in the wrong type of porn website and now I'm getting bombarded by calls from Cardiff and Edinburgh. Obviously I block them on an ad hoc basis but are there any good apps (iOS) that will screen the bastards in advance?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:D

[Giggles]

Block calls that are not in your phone book?

(Though I feel I’ve missed something here).

[Ben]

I don’t want to go scorched earth like that. I get a lot of genuine calls from people not in my phone book (I’m captain of my cricket club for instance, so a lot of league related calls).

[Lofty]

Is there a right type of porn website to put your phone number in?

[Giggles]

Is it even real? The posts seem off - I had just assumed it was an in-joke from another thread and he was mimicking another poster.

[SincereTheRebel]

What are they trying to sell you?

[Lofty]

You never know, a fella I thought of as quite technologically savvy once sent some money to some random Spaniard on the internet to find his wife's misplaced phone, getting his bank account frozen under fraud protection. Her phone was by the breadbin in their kitchen :D

[Boydy]

What's good these days? My phone's battery life isn't so great any more (I've had it three years now so not bad going) so might get a new one in the new year. Don't need top of the range, something mid-range will be fine. Will probably go contract again but don't want to pay much beyond £30 a month.


Google Pixel 7 seems to fit these parameters but I read the battery life on it isn't great. Anyone got one? I did like my old Pixel 2 when I had it. That clean Android experience is nice.

[Gray Fox]

I've the Pixel 7 Pro and love it.

Camera package on it is the best I've used. The software, in particular the Unblur and Magic Eraser features can pretty much save/perfect any photo. Battery life is grand for me, although I can't say that would be the same on the non-pro model.

I personally don't think there is a better deal out there than the Pixel 7, if you're happy to not have the best everything.

Standard 7 has 8gb of RAM over 12gb on the Pro, will be locked to 1080p and is smaller(it's still 6.3"). You also don't get the extra telephoto lens on the standard but most people will never use that anyway.

The value is in the price anyway. It's cheaper than the Samsung S22 by a couple of £ per month and has a much bigger battery. It's a full £15 per month cheaper than you can get even the entry level iPhone 14 for, as well. If you start talking the Apples with the new features too it's pretty much double the cost, per month.

From a quick look you can currently get the Pixel 7 for £30 a month on O2, Vodafone or Three with zero upfront and 100gb+ of data. There's also an offer on to claim a free Fitbit Versa 4 if you do take the plunge in December.

[AyDee]

I got the Pixel 6a when it came out this summer and no regrets so far. Depending on price I'd probably go for one of the Pixel 7 iteration if they improve the battery, signal or have faster charging - but the 6a is a perfectly good phone itself.

[Gray Fox]

Assuming you have a capable charger for it, they've made the choice that this current Pixel generation(includes watch and buds) all gains 50% charge in 30 minutes.

There's already been a few times when I've woke up in a morning having forgot to charge it the night before and stuck it on while getting ready. Always end up leaving over 50% which is plenty to see through an average day. And if needs be Google has put in its extreme power saving mode, which helps too.

[Boydy]

All the best deals seem to be on Three these days and I really don't want to be on Three again. Had it before and their customer service is shite and they're always pestering you with "exclusive offers" on more phones for family members or some shit.

[niko_cee]

My wife has a new Sky mobile sim for her phone as they [supposedly] work equally well between the UK and Channel Islands [ie you can use contract minutes/data in both locations without it being treated as roaming]. When you put the sim in it configures the MMS and GPRS stuff automatically, but the phone doesn't seem to be able to receive calls. You can make calls from it, but when you try to phone it it is as if it is turned off. Any ideas?

[Ben]

Has she ported her old number? If she put it in her phone after Friday 5pm then it won’t kick in until tomorrow.

[niko_cee]

No, it was a new number. Had it for a week or so. There seems to be some sort of anomaly when trying to use it from the Channels Islands, although no one seems to know what it is as apparently it should work [even if it were considered roaming you would think it would still actually work].

[Baz]

Post her number and I’ll test it.

[niko_cee]

Yep, picture messages are working. :thbup:

[Giggles]

Yep, picture messages are working. :thbup:

Hopefully the pinch and zoom is good.

[niko_cee]

:D

Contract cancelled now anyway. Next stop ID mobile I think, at some point.

[Manc]

Is iD Mobile legitimate?

[niko_cee]

Few of the in laws have them and they seem to be quite good.

[Boydy]

It runs on Three's network so if you get decent signal with them it should be grand.

[Mike]

Yeah, I’m on Smarty; which uses Three and they’re sound. Got a referral link too I think if anyone’s interested? </Baz>

[Baz]

My burner phone for gambling and Turkish banking is on Smarty (three) and gets better signal than my main phone on o2 :moop:

[Boydy]

Turkish banking? Why?

[Baz]

Turkish banking? Why?

Everything is cheaper in Turkey.

Being able to pay for Netflix, Telegram, Discord, Twitter etc in TRY saves a lot of money.

[Ben]

Why would you be paying for the latter three?

[Baz]

Why pay for anything?

[Giggles]

I’m finally at upgrade time (seems a bit early but I won’t argue) and I’m very tempted to change from iOS even though I know I shouldn’t.

[Ben]

Why pay for anything?

But they’re free anyway aren’t they?

[niko_cee]

Presumably Turkey hasn't heard of CRS / FACTA. Perhaps it's because everyone is (somewhat by necessity) mad for it here but I can't imagine what an unimaginable nightmare it would be to get a foreign bank account now.

[Danny]

Everything is cheaper in Turkey.

Being able to pay for Netflix, Telegram, Discord, Twitter etc in TRY saves a lot of money.

I am subscribed to YouTube premium in Argentina for the same reason :cool:

[Mike]

Yeah, I’m Argentina for YouTube too, Turkey for Netflix though thanks to Baz.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

India for YouTube for me.

[Baz]

But YouTube is free!

[Shindig]

He wants those Bollywood adverts.

[niko_cee]

Anyone got any recommendations as to a decent place to sell an old phone to [not music magpie]? Reviews of most places seem mixed.

[Lofty]

Anyone ever tried a warranty claim with samsung? Charging my S21 Ultra is a pain in the arse now, regularly struggling with it even when WFH so would be useless if I had to go anywhere (as happened last weekend). I see they think headphone port stuff can be out of warranty and chargeable, but as far as I am concerned it's a charger issue and with another 18 months left to run on my contract I can't be dealing with this every day.

[Gray Fox]

Does it still charge wirelessly?

I get it doesn't exactly solve the issue of the dodgy charging port, but it may end up being a cheaper solution. Assuming they will charge you for repairs.

[Lofty]

It does but it is painfully slow. Wired I would get a full charge in 40 minutes. Now it's the best part of 4 hours.

[Giggles]

Android Auto is so fucking bad.

[Spikey M]

Wireless charging is great at a pub or a restaurant so you can just put your phone down and get some benefit out of it, but I can't see the point of it anywhere else.

[-james-]

https://www.dealmonday.co.uk/samsung-galaxy-s23-5g-smartphone-dual-sims-8256gb-phantom-black-1

Is this some kind of scam? It's a grand odd most places.

[Clunge]

Anyone else with O2? And are they as fucking shite for you as they are for me? Fuck all good signal anywhere.

[Gray Fox]

https://www.dealmonday.co.uk/samsung-galaxy-s23-5g-smartphone-dual-sims-8256gb-phantom-black-1

Is this some kind of scam? It's a grand odd most places.

Trustpilot seems to show mostly positive experiences. Saw someone on Reddit say they ordered that exact phone and it was all fine. It's likely Grey Market stuff, so if you do take the plunge I'd make sure it was on a credit card, or see how covered you are via PayPal.


Anyone else with O2? And are they as fucking shite for you as they are for me? Fuck all good signal anywhere.

I ended up switching away from O2 for this reason.

[Baz]

Anyone else with O2? And are they as fucking shite for you as they are for me? Fuck all good signal anywhere.

The absolute worst. Their link with Virgin Media has got me staying with them like a mug.

When I go into the office I don't get any signal at all and our data analyst is boasting about 5G on Vodafone.

[Clunge]

Ergh. Thanks. Fucked it then – switched earlier this year as I wanted to keep free roaming. Not worth the other end of the stick though.

[Boydy]

Move to NI, it's about the only network with decent signal in most places here. Or it used to be anyway. On plusnet mobile these days which I believe piggybacks on EE and it's a bit shit.

[Clunge]

Locked in until November 2024 unless I pay full term to cancel early. Anyone know any ways round this?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Anyone else with O2? And are they as fucking shite for you as they are for me? Fuck all good signal anywhere.
I was with O2 years ago and had the same. Switched to EE.

[Lofty]

Got a S23 Ultra, the last couple of days for some reason the font on the mobile version of this site has gone weird. Every other site is fine, just this. Any other mobile users notice it?

[mo]

I'm long overdue an upgrade and was considering the Galaxy Flip 5, but I can't work out if I've just been indoctrinated by adverts or if I actually think it's cool. Sky have an offer where you get the Watch 6 free with it, which is quite tempting.

I've been an iPhone user for years though so not sure how I'd handle the switch away. Plus, getting the iPhone 14 is cheaper every month. Just a bit less exciting.

[Giggles]

Get the 14 and wait for Apple to do a flip phone next time round. You'll hate using a Samsung/Android.

[Lofty]

Don't get a flip phone that actually bends the screen, my mrs got the Z4 and the screen is borderline fucked after 18 months due to that design decision.

[SvN]

I've got a ZFold 4 and regret it. It's so thick, and I hardly ever actually open the screen. I'm going to trade in/sell it at some point.

[Manc]

I'm lining up the S22 for when my S8 packs in.

[Mike]

I'm long overdue an upgrade and was considering the Galaxy Flip 5, but I can't work out if I've just been indoctrinated by adverts or if I actually think it's cool. Sky have an offer where you get the Watch 6 free with it, which is quite tempting.

I've been an iPhone user for years though so not sure how I'd handle the switch away. Plus, getting the iPhone 14 is cheaper every month. Just a bit less exciting.

The 15 is out next month, so rye 14 should get a price drop. If you can wait.

[phonics]

My screen is absolutely fucked so I need them to announce the 15 ASAP.

[-james-]

I got the S23 base model a few weeks ago and it's pretty mint. Did some extensive research and I'm fairly confident it's the best play at the moment (instead of the plus and ultra models).

[Ben]

Was that just a price thing? Bigger screens but not much else?

[-james-]

Was that just a price thing? Bigger screens but not much else?

The more expensive models are just too unwieldy. I don't know why you'd want a phone that big, you shouldn't need to perform hand gymnastics to reach the opposite side of the screen.

Maybe if you're doing loads of gaming on it (also presumably the only time you'd ever notice the better technical specs), but for any non-weirdos I think the S23 is perfect.

The ultra apparently has an insane camera but I'm pretty happy with the one on mine.

[Giggles]

The pen was the main reason I went for the Ultra, though I don't have much issue using it one handed day to day.

[Lofty]

I've got an S23 ultra, the camera is amazing, and I also don't have baby hands so win win.

[Giggles]

My camera does this annoying thing where it looks good for the first second after opening it, then it switches to one of the other sensors straight away and the picture is never as good from it.

[Baz]

Anyone getting the new iPhone?

Someone at work has that flippy Samsung phone and has needed it repairing 3 times in 8 months.

[Raoul Duke]

I've got the 14 Pro so not going to upgrade yet. Think I'll wait until the "dynamic island" goes away, which is probably the next iteration.

Those folding phones are absolute shite.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Spigen cases > *.

I've had them on my last few phones (all Android) and I've never switch to anything else.

[Ben]

iPhone 7 Plus still going strong here. :cool:

[phonics]

Am just waiting for them to announce it so I can get the 14 for cheaper.

[Gray Fox]

My sister got one of the foldy Samsung ones and she says to steer well clear. It's great that our tech allows us to do it now, but it's just a gimmick for now.

We've well and truly hit the era now of the current smartphone having plateaued. Thery're all going to be basically the same device in hand but with differing OS. I just wish one of the companies would offer a thicker phone with a mega battery in it.

[Giggles]

I'm thinking of ordering a 15 Pro myself as I don't think I can stick this Samsung much longer.

[Gray Fox]

Google are back having officially announced the Pixel 8/pro and the Pixel watch 2.

They're doing the same deal they put on last year with the 7 range, in that if you order your Pixel 8 you get a free pair of Pixel Buds with it. If you order the 8 Pro, you get a free Pixel Watch 2 with it.

I'm currently in a well timed upgrade period with o2 so I can get on this if I want to. No idea what is actually "new" about it, beyond slightly faster and slightly better camera.
It's coming up to a year since I got the 7 Pro and my main complaint was the battery life went in the toilet. Luckily it charges rapidly.

I was hoping to see some of the Galaxy S24 by now as I don't think I can pay for going back to Apple any time soon.

[Boydy]

Wasn't your job on a knife-edge recently? Maybe calm the spending down a bit, pal.

[Manc]

Has anyone pulled the trigger on a Google Pixel? I was messing around with an 8 yesterday and the processing speed was immense. V tempted to get involved.

[Gray Fox]

Managed to use my upgrade on it, to go the 8 pro. The new Tensor chip in it does make it feel nice and snappy, not that I was noticing slowdown on my 7 pro, but it is a hair quicker.
Battery life seems much improved. About this time of day on my 7 pro(normal use) I was looking at being in battery saving mode. I will note when I first got it the battery life on that one was great too, but after a few months that did change a little. It also got quite hot doing tasks.

On the 8 pro I'm still on 41% now. If you've got a 30w charger the thing charges damn fast too. Seems to still get warm doing things, but not nearly as bad.

The joy of this phone is if you take lots of pictures. The software in it, both taking, but especially what you can do post-photo in the editor, is outstanding. You can almost do anything you want with a photo after you've done it.
The Pixels are also the smartest smartphone in the room. If it notices for example you've booked a hotel room, it'll auto save you a reminder in your calendar without you having to do anything. Probably a crap example, but the first one that came to mind.

[AyDee]

+1 for Google Pixel. Pretty unbeatable value tbh.

[Waffdon]

Anyone else with EE having dogshit mobile data the last day or so? Claiming to be 5g with multiple bars but browsing has been dreadful.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I had it last night.

[Don]

Having lost my phone, I've looked to restore an old one but can't seem to login to my google account without a password as the only other method it offers to login is through prompts or call/texts to my lost phone/number. What the fuck can I do here?

[Lofty]

Just smashed my phone screen, S23 Ultra. Are third party repair shops worth it or should I stick to samsung repair?

[Giggles]

Just smashed my phone screen, S23 Ultra. Are third party repair shops worth it or should I stick to samsung repair?

I've done mine too, but haven't bit the bullet on repair yet. Was half thinking of giving it a go myself if I can source a screen.

[Waffdon]

Smashing and losing your phone. I’m starting to feel v young.

[Don]

Some gammon cunt found it on the street and handed it in to my local Sainsbury's. Must have dropped put my pocket. Great start to the Saturday.

[Ben]

Here's one:

Phone previously with Vodafone, ported to O2 years ago. Turns out calls from other Vodafone numbers do not come through and instead go immediately to an inaccessible Vodafone automated voicemail. All other calls come through or go to the O2 voicemail if ignored.

What's going on here? Vodafone and O2 predictably useless in offering solutions.

[Giggles]

I don't think I'll fix this fucking thing at all, the €300 or so would go well towards getting myself back on an iPhone. Mad to think Samsung's are still a shambles after all these years, especially at 4 figure prices.

[Mike]

My wife got a iphone 15 yesterday and it hasn't half given me and my 13Pro Max some new phone envy! Hope next years iphones impress.

[Lofty]

I seem to be doing alright with my smashed screen but not sure if the black spot is spreading or not :eyemouth:

[Ben]

Still rocking the iPhone 7 Plus. :cool:

It's becoming a pain in the arse now mind, the storage capacity is so bad that I have to constantly offload apps or delete WhatsApp media. But I've just found some new alloys for the car and that is higher up the priority list.

[Boydy]

I was checking when I got my phone (Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite) the other day to see how long I've had it now - end of February 2020. It still does everything I need but might need to see the charger before bedtime if it's had a lot of use during the day. I'll probably replace it when it needs charged before night-time every day but should hit the four year mark okay which is pretty decent value out of a phone.

[SvN]

The battery and charging port went on my S10 at the 3 year mark, which is why I ended up with my current monstrosity. I recently had to get a file from it, and using it felt so much nicer than my current phone.

[Boydy]

What have you got now?

[SvN]

A Samsung Galaxy ZFold4

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You're a mong for buying a fold.

[Magic]

You're a mong for buying a fold.

Why? He's the perfect example of someone who would have a fold.

[Baz]

A girl with a small bag?

[Lofty]

My mrs has a fold it the screen is pretty knackered where it folds now.

[Giggles]

Anyone know a way (on Android) to make Whatsapp call notifications fuck off forever? I keep turning the notification off and it keeps ending up back on.

[Magic]

Devastated to announce I dropped my Xiaomi Note 10 Pro and cracked the rear camera bezel bit. It's been such a fucking awesome phone for the price (£127 12 months ago).

[Manc]

My network (EE) has seemingly gone off a cliff in recent weeks. I'm told O2 is the one. Talk to me.

[Magic]

My network (EE) has seemingly gone off a cliff in recent weeks. I'm told O2 is the one. Talk to me.

Worst of the three serious networks, hands down.

[Dan]

Still rocking the iPhone 7 Plus. :cool:

It's becoming a pain in the arse now mind, the storage capacity is so bad that I have to constantly offload apps or delete WhatsApp media. But I've just found some new alloys for the car and that is higher up the priority list.

Mine has now got to the point where apps can’t update anymore, so I think it might be time to move on :(

I’ve never had a problem with EE other than 5mins either side of Winchester train station when I’m passing through. Apparently there’s absolutely no signal there.

[Manc]

Worst of the three serious networks, hands down.

:facepalm:

[Magic]

Unless you are situated next to an O2 mast and never leave the area, of course.

[Clunge]

O2 is fucking dire. Counting down to my contract being up.

[Clunge]

My partner moved onto Talkmobile (budget Vodafone) and it’s been ace though, dirt cheap as well. My dad’s on it too and has had great signal too compared with O2.

[Ben]

Mine has now got to the point where apps can’t update anymore, so I think it might be time to move on :(

I’ve never had a problem with EE other than 5mins either side of Winchester train station when I’m passing through. Apparently there’s absolutely no signal there.

I'm stuck on iOS 15 but not had an issue with apps yet. I know it's coming though.

[Mike]

My network (EE) has seemingly gone off a cliff in recent weeks. I'm told O2 is the one. Talk to me.
My wife has 02 they’re awful. Just rubbish.
I’m with Smarty, who run on the Three network I believe. I pay £8 a month for 32GB of Data, it was a Black Friday deal. But the normal deals are good.
Never had problems with the speeds or coverage.

[Ben]

I got on the MSE special deal with Lebara. 12GB data for £1 per month (for 6 months, then £6 per month after that), one month contract. Seems great so far, been about 4 or 5 months on it now. They run on Vodafone.

[Manc]

I've just ran the the Ofcom mobile/broadband availability checker and EE is the only network which came back as limited. Smh.

[Dan]

I'm stuck on iOS 15 but not had an issue with apps yet. I know it's coming though.

Yeah, 15.8.2 is as far as I can go, I think. I’ve only had two apps shut me out so far, but I feel like it’ll be curtains by the end of the year, if not before.

[Waffdon]

Anyone else noticed mobile data being utterly tragic the past week?

5G, full bars and barely working at times

[Manc]

Aliens. Has to be.

[Magic]

5G

There's your problem right there.

[Magic]

Replaced my Xiaomi Note 10 Pro after 2 years with a Xiaomi Note 13 Pro 5G. Picked it up for £189 from Argos.

To be honest I could have kept the 10 for longer but it was starting to struggle with bloat apps, specifically Chrome. And the camera isn't great compared to new phones. Excited to get it.

[Lofty]

I am in the market for a new phone, I dropped my S23 Ultra and smashed the screen at Christmas, I had been soldiering on with it but the top of the screen had stopped working recently and it was becoming unusable. Contract not up til May 26 :D

Using wife's old Z Flip 3 which is alright but the battery is absolutely wank.

[Manc]

S23 arriving today. What cases are people using? I've been told Spigen is the one.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've gone Spigen for my last 4 or 5 phones.

Wouldn't go with anything else, they're amazing.

[Ben]

I had to buy a new case for mine after cracking it. Cost me £9, so it's officially worth more than my phone, as Asda offered me £7 for mine on that trade-in machine.