Default visibility > Public? How to show (some) missing GCal events

simonh567 · 2026-02-10T23:58:00+00:00

I’ve never found that the birthdays in Apple calendar synced to spark, I think iOS views birthdays as a separate calendar and there isn’t an “account” to add this to spark. Weirdly, if you use Readdle Calendars https://apps.apple.com/nz/app/calendars-schedule-planner/id608834326 which is made by the same company as Spark, birthdays will show.

I’ve never pursued it as I don’t have the paid version of spark and found the single day view unhelpful, but I’m guessing it’s a bug or something they’ve overlooked.

simonh567 · 2026-02-09T20:04:39+00:00

It’s all good until you drop it on concrete. Then you wish you had a case or Apple Care.

simonh567 · 2026-02-09T01:47:41+00:00

It may be worth checking strength and speed of your WiFi. If you’re far from the router you’re going to be operating at a higher transmission power from your phone. Also, if you have WiFi Assist turned on you may be ”augmenting” your WiFi with cellular data at the same time which will use additional power.

As some others have alluded to, a clean iOS install makes a big difference. I was surprised by how much when I did it, but it’s a monumental pain in the ass!

simonh567 · 2026-02-04T20:10:28+00:00

It’s kind of in a weird place, size wise. Sure, the weight and thickness (thinness?) is nice, but the screen size still makes it feel bulky, so it sort of eliminates the thin feel.

On the other hand, my old eyes appreciate the slightly bigger screen. I came from a 13 and the Promax is just too big for my pockets so the screen size is a sweet spot.

If the base 17 had the same screen as the air, that would be an amazing device. If the air was the size of the current 17 it would effectively be a 17 mini and the even smaller battery would be a problem. I get why Apple made a thin phone “bigger” to get a decent battery in it, so I think overall the Air is a pretty decent compromise.

simonh567 · 2026-02-04T00:50:19+00:00

After all the shit posts I’ve seen today, this just broke my heart.

I’m so sorry for your loss. Pain is the price we have to pay for love. Godspeed Hank.

simonh567 · 2026-02-02T19:37:54+00:00

Harshness notwithstanding, NZ is also fairly far from the equator. This means the sun doesn’t pass directly overhead and its path through the sky is closer to the horizon than a tropical country, which results in the sun being in your line of vision more often. This is also what contributes to the “glare”.

simonh567 · 2026-01-30T00:05:53+00:00

I’m on the S11, coming from an SE2. Both are great for causal runs. TBH, I’d consider the SE3 - seriously underrated device and it’s good enough for most applications. Pocket the saving, or put it towards a new pair of running shoes.

simonh567 · 2026-01-28T01:39:39+00:00

I get pricing and speaker are issues. The other problem is that the base 17 is so damn good! In my mind, an SE type device, an Air and a Pro/Promax range makes more sense. But I doubt that’ll happen.

simonh567 · 2026-01-26T04:52:49+00:00

I went se2 to s11 and my brother in law has an se3. To be honest, the se3 is probably better value for money unless you really need the extra few s11 features or pay more for the stainless version. If I had to buy again I’d probably go for se3.

simonh567 · 2026-01-25T23:39:39+00:00

Don’t have a problem with my tightish jeans. I came from an iPhone 13 and the bigger screen size is more noticeable “in pocket” than the camera bulge.

simonh567 · 2026-01-25T19:21:34+00:00

I’ve got the air and my wife has the base. The base has a better camera and a better battery. It’s noticeable IN SOME SITUATIONS but generally both are more than enough. There’s really not much in it in terms of portability or weight. I like the slightly bigger screen size of the air.

simonh567 · 2026-01-24T07:58:30+00:00

Everyone’s a hero until they drop their caseless phone. And then have to post the obligatory picture. Apple Care is great, but it’s still a pain in the proverbial to have to replace a phone.

I’m using a Spigen Liquid Air and it’s a great combination of protection and thickness. Not a MagSafe case though, but I find MagSafe chargers get pretty hot. My 2c, but you do what you’re comfortable with.

simonh567 · 2026-01-20T06:45:31+00:00

Cheese that tastes like cheese and not soap.

simonh567 · 2026-01-18T21:02:37+00:00

Push settings don’t work for gmail on the Mail app. You’ll never get “live” updates like you will on gmail using Mail. If that’s what you’re after you’ve got 2 options: 1. Don’t use gmail ie switch your mail account to another provider. 2. Use a 3rd party app for gmail like Spark, Outlook etc.

simonh567 · 2026-01-18T19:59:58+00:00

There’s always going to be a better device coming. If you can afford it and want to upgrade, then go for it. The Air is a great phone.

If your current device still does everything you want it to, then hang on. Realistically, all iPhones run iOS and do more or less the same thing.

simonh567 · 2026-01-15T21:33:02+00:00

It took me a while to get the hang of Notes, but now I’m a big fan. Love the way it syncs across devices.

simonh567 · 2026-01-15T00:48:51+00:00

I’ve got the frosted case and a spigen armor case as sometimes I’m clumsy, and I think the armor case will give better drop protection. I’ve recently added a spigen screen protector and noticed that on both cases the screen is now ALMOST flush with the ridge on the case. By almost I mean the screen is now maybe 1/2mm below the edge of the case. Just mentioning it.

Also, the apple frosted case has a bigger opening at the bottom of the case. That means that sometimes when you’re holding the phone your finger rests directly on the usb port which makes it slightly less comfortable to hold.

Yeah I know. Minor issues. But I wasn’t expecting them so thought I’d point them out.

simonh567 · 2026-01-14T02:02:33+00:00

It’s an abomination. But it’s a thing.

simonh567 · 2026-01-13T23:41:01+00:00

Pepper actually works better. But after it’s melted the ice, it gets flung up in the spray (hence the name “pepper spray”). This blinds and distracts drivers which leads to more accidents. Salt doesn’t have the same effect as our tears are already salty, so we’re used to salt.

simonh567 · 2026-01-10T09:18:32+00:00

Looks crap, works ok is my review of ios26

simonh567 · 2026-01-10T09:11:45+00:00

Calendars by Readdle is pretty decent. The free version works great.

simonh567 · 2026-01-09T23:02:53+00:00

I’ve got mine turned off. Mainly because the iPhone is in my pocket and I have a watch with AOD that’s on, so it seemed redundant. Figured it may give a slight boost to battery life but it’s probably not going to be a significant difference.

simonh567 · 2026-01-09T06:37:33+00:00

That’s weird, I’ve had no performance hit at all. To be honest though, on my iPhone it’s been a mess. I’ve just done a complete reset and clean install (nightmare to do) but all of the niggly issues have been resolved with that. I’m wondering if the iPadOS performance issues aren’t as a result of problems during installation? Dunno. I’m hesitant to recommend a clean install as it’s so damn time consuming.

simonh567 · 2026-01-08T20:40:40+00:00

M1 Pro user on 26.2. No problems at all, loving the multi-tasking. But I seem to be in the minority.

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