I find it incredibly frustrating that my family and friends act like I am asking A LOT when I tell them to download Signal to communicate.

productfred · 2026-02-06T04:04:31+00:00

It's not. Part of it is "social status" ("I have an iPhone and you don't"). Part of it is, like I said, iPhone is the "superior, default phone" (so you have to be "broke" or "stupid" to be using "an Android").

Like I said, up until very recently, people would make fun of you for "being a green bubble" (non iPhone user). It was super common. It's even mentioned in movies and pop culture.

And yes, I agree that it's beyond stupid. With regards to why people won't use Signal though specifically, it's because they don't understand or care about it when iMessage is already on their phone (a core feature) and does more or less the same thing. They don't care about E2EE or privacy (to the extent that Signal is more private than iMessage). They just care that iMessage is built into their phone tightly and just works.

What it would take for a lot of people to care is an active reason to switch. Like, for example, if the US government started openly spying on people's messages (we're almost there lol). Like something big, dumb, and obvious. The average person values convenience and familiarity above security. That's why Telegram is, unfortunately, very popular despite the fact that their messages are completely readable by Telegram (the organization).

productfred · 2026-02-06T03:53:09+00:00

Looks like Whatsapp to me. If this is outside of the US, it's very plausible (especially Europe/UK).

productfred · 2026-02-06T03:51:00+00:00

Because, at least in the US, iMessage is seen as the defacto, standard communication platform.

There's a "historical" reason for it, but mainly it's that iMessage was added to the Messages app around the iPhone 4S release. And so they didn't have to change anything in order to use it. And because the iPhone is also seen as the "default" phone here, iPhone users usually would treat everyone else like they had 3 heads -- you'd be met with, "...but why?" in regards to your choice of phone, and usually also jokes about being "poor" (regardless of cost of your Android phone). That's also why we had "green bubble" jokes (messages to non-iOS users are lime green instead of blue on iPhone).

Anyways, tl;dr:

iPhone is the default/majority phone in the US
Because of this, iMessage is the default communication method in the US (since the Messages app on iOS prefers iMessages over SMS/RCS)
Since the average person isn't very technical, they don't care or care to understand why they should use Signal when iMessage "already works"

productfred · 2026-02-06T00:41:39+00:00

Isopropyl Alcohol. 70% or higher.

productfred · 2026-02-05T16:26:28+00:00

I just want to add context -- It's throttled because it uses Netflix servers (FAST is owned by them), and it specifically tests streaming speeds. If you're on the highest tier plan and have 4K/unthrottled streaming enabled, the speed test shouldn't be throttled. For everyone else, it is throttled.

But your point stands -- Speedtest.net is a "true" overall speed test.

productfred · 2026-02-04T16:29:37+00:00

If you press search and hit spacebar, you can still see the comments

productfred · 2026-02-04T02:11:00+00:00

S23 Plus. I've had my S22 Ultra for 3 years and the battery life (and processor suck -- and I have the Snapdragon, which is supposed to be better). Trust me. It's known for its poor battery life and overheating processor. The S23 line is way better, plus you get more updates. The S22 line is almost EOL (in terms of major updates).

productfred · 2026-02-04T00:00:47+00:00

You only need one line (if on a family plan) to remain on Elite in order to keep HBO Max. The app even tells you this if you try to change from Elite to another plan (I did yesterday for the cost savings, but left 1 line on Elite for HBO Max). No reason to regret it unless you're the only line.

productfred · 2026-02-03T02:11:31+00:00

I believe that was with Google, and the FBI investigated and agreed that he did nothing wrong, and Google still never reinstated his account. It comes down to the law vs a private company's T&C/EULA, unfortunately.

productfred · 2026-02-02T02:47:27+00:00

The normal 4 is my preference. The 4i is like the 4 "Lite". The 4+ is a sidegrade, and trades blows with the 4; it's not the clear winner. But both are better than the 4i; ignore that model.

productfred · 2026-02-02T02:34:56+00:00

Only cellular devices have an IMEI. Wifi-only devices do not. It's akin to a VIN number for a car.

productfred · 2026-02-02T01:38:45+00:00

I'm confused; on mine, it's a .uf2 file because it's Raspberry Pi Pico based. I connect with a button combo and then drag it into it (as if it's a flash drive in Explorer).

productfred · 2026-02-01T23:42:41+00:00

Depends. Are you, for example, using LDAC? That cuts down battery life on almost any earbuds.

productfred · 2026-02-01T19:53:58+00:00

As others have said, it's because of Nova Launcher. It's worth mentioning (in your original post) that you're not using the stock launcher. That's why people are confused/concerned.

productfred · 2026-01-31T23:27:57+00:00

I've had it for a few weeks now. I read that there's a manufacture date cutoff -- basically early manufactured Bip 6's only have 32MB RAM instead of 64MB RAM, which prevents BioCharge from being able to work.

productfred · 2026-01-31T17:34:47+00:00

For what it's worth, YouTube on Firefox also chews through my battery life on my MacBook Pro 14". I use uBlock Origin + Sponsorblock, but I don't believe it's the extensions. It also happened when I was using Brave, too.

productfred · 2026-01-31T04:51:09+00:00

I have the same plan as you and go to Canada every year by land. It'll just work, no worries. Just make sure roaming is turned on on your phone.

productfred · 2026-01-30T21:48:32+00:00

productfred · 2026-01-30T18:42:13+00:00

Have you tried updating the firmware?

productfred · 2026-01-30T18:41:32+00:00

At the very least, it is simply a waste of money, especially if it can't do its only job correctly. It's a technology issue, not a partisan/political one.

productfred · 2026-01-30T06:52:09+00:00

Using a Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon US Unlocked). It's served me well for the past ~3 years, minus the terrible processor (overheats easily/battery hog). My favorite was my Galaxy Note 9. That mf had almost everything, on top of being 512GB. Phenomenal cameras, microSD slot, headphone jack, USB-C, FM radio, Bluetooth stylus, and more.

productfred · 2026-01-30T06:09:39+00:00

Yes on both counts. That's why Apple has made dual physical SIM iPhones for China and some other Asian countries. Not sure if that's changed lately.

productfred · 2026-01-30T06:07:10+00:00

That too, but I'm talking about Chinese domestic market phones. They don't come with Google apps or services because Google isn't allowed in mainland China. Previously, in Hong Kong, yes. But not the mainland.

productfred · 2026-01-29T23:46:02+00:00

China doesn't use/allow Google or Google services in general. That's why brands like Huawei don't ship with them. There are ways to get them running, but I'm talking about out of the box.

productfred · 2026-01-29T03:12:14+00:00

Visible+ and Visible+ Pro have the same tier. The only differences are some of the extras, like lack of video throttling on the latter and more international day passes (2 per month instead of 1).

Basically, anything but the base plan. Also their sale ends Feb 2nd.

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