I have to switch to iPhone

[RCA]

If you have been doing transfers from your old iPhone to your new over several generations of upgrades, I would suggest doing a reset and completely fresh install on your latest iPhone. Grok agrees. And only install apps that you really used. You will get rid of a lot of garbage that often causes problems or wastes iPhone resources.

Warning: Fresh Install means back up everything first. In particular, Authenticator codes have to be synced or saved somewhere. For Google Authenticator, make sure sync is turned on so that all of your codes (logins) are safely stored in your Google Account. And I would always recommend to consult Grok, ChatGPT, etc, to make sure you have your bases covered before doing the reset.

 

[RCA]

Man.....Grok is RCA's BFF.....

Nowadays, you are foolish not to use AI. Everything can be done better in a fraction of the time.

If you want bragging rights about doing everything yourself, be my guest.

 

[cashcatz]

PSA: https://tidbits.com/2025/10/09/how-to-turn-liquid-glass-into-a-solid-interface

 

[RCA]

When I upgraded from iPhone 14 Pro Max to iPhone 16 Pro Max, I soon found out, that I couldn't tell if the Ring was on silent or not. The red switch on the side disappeared. Finally I figured out, there was a bell at the top of the screen that had a line through it to indicate the Ringer was off. But at least on my phone it was partially dimmed through some option. That's the way it is so many times with these upgrades, the phone software keeps getting more complex and it takes time to learn about the various changes they have made. ... A nuisance.

 

[Digger88]

I've had much better luck on Thumbtack.

Since you wrote this I've been thinking about signing up so I took the leap yesterday and got my first order today. The cool thing about this app is it lets you pull in your Google reviews which it did and with 27 5-star ratings I'm the top man. Don't know if that helps but it looks cool. I offer a $295 desktop or a $595 1 size fits all except divorce so I'm also cheapest. She chose a $295 desktop for a 1 level rambler no basement in MD in a typical subdivision. The highest ranked dude in my area has ~75 hires so it seems to work. I put my budget at $20 per contact which also puts me as the most competitive vendor so that's another thing I'm going to have to monitor. Seems a ton better than Angie's List which was like setting money on fire.

 

[cashcatz]

Since you wrote this I've been thinking about signing up so I took the leap yesterday and got my first order today. The cool thing about this app is it lets you pull in your Google reviews which it did and with 27 5-star ratings I'm the top man. Don't know if that helps but it looks cool. I offer a $295 desktop or a $595 1 size fits all except divorce so I'm also cheapest. She chose a $295 desktop for a 1 level rambler no basement in MD in a typical subdivision. The highest ranked dude in my area has ~75 hires so it seems to work. I put my budget at $20 per contact which also puts me as the most competitive vendor so that's another thing I'm going to have to monitor. Seems a ton better than Angie's List which was like setting money on fire.

Interesting, I plan to put some more work into FindAnAppraiser.com in 2026. Been focused on JobsInAppraisal.com this year and of course Appraisal Inbox.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

 

[RCA]

I don't think it is 'flock mentality' - it is that people are used to doing things a certain way. Going from Apple to Windows 11 or Android is a pain in the butt, even for some pretty smart people. With Apple, you do have an ecosystem that makes everything work kind of the same. I have the same icons and type of layout on my Apple MacOS, iPad, iPhone and laptop (of course). They all sync with each other, and I can easily back-up everything to the iCloud. And it has been that way for a long time.

Now, it so happens my case, I have spent years developing for small to large companies on Unix, Linux, Windows (whatever version) and MacOS. So, I can jump between them. BUT, I have never worked on Android - and every once in a while I try to use a Samsung phone - and find I just don't want to deal with figuring out how to get something done on it.

The dependencies built into the Apple ecosystem, do keep most Apple users tied to it. If you want to go to Android, then that implies you want to migrate do Google Android computers. Who wants that? Although, with all the new Google apps, it is getting more enticing, I suppose. But, however, I don't think Google will ever catch up with the popular Apple apps like Devonthink, Keyboard Maestro and so on. Yet, you have to be reluctant to move away from Microsoft - if you are still working for corporations and other businesses. That just does not leave that much space for Android - although, like MacOS, it is also built on top of the Linux kernel.

 

[RCA]

Interestingly, perhaps, I have just finished transferring my iPhone from Xfinity (dumb**** tech support), to AT&T (for 1 week - not much better) to Verizon (for 3 days - also in the same league) - ... and finally, of course, to the best carrier for tech support = T-Mobile. Using my Senior Discount I get 2 lines for $60/month plus my Apple Watch Ultra 2 for another $10/month for $70/month. Which makes it expensive compared to the others, except now I have a second line for business.

So, yes, I pay more for T-Mobile. But it is owned by the Germans, I even get tech support with a slight German accent. And they don't miss a beat, they are relatively very procedural, and I understand them to the point I am comfortable with them. - So much better than a usually garbled Spanish/Hindu accent out of India, the Phillipines or Mexico or someplace else. (Of course they are supposed to speak English in India and the Phillipines.)

When you deal with a carrier, you are not dealing with one person, but rather a large team and large organization. Always think like that. Judge the team and organzation you are working with as a whole. Are you always getting a strong chain of links or a chain of sometimes weak links. Those weak links, even if they are few and far between, can take up a lot of your time.

If you feel a need to switch carriers because of poor service, don't make the mistake of switching to another carrier that isn't known to have better tech support - because that can turn into a fxxcked up mess.

As for my AT&T Fiber Optic, at 2.5G, - so far that is absolutely Great. Especially running it on 2.5G-10G routers and switches.

NOTE:

"Key Details:​

• Ownership: T-Mobile US is majority-owned (approximately 53% as of the latest available data) by Deutsche Telekom AG, a German telecommunications company based in Bonn, Germany. Deutsche Telekom acquired control through a series of mergers, including the 2013 acquisition of MetroPCS and the 2020 merger with Sprint Corporation.
• Operations: While Deutsche Telekom exerts significant strategic influence as the parent entity, T-Mobile US functions as an independent subsidiary with its own executive leadership, branding, and primary market focus on the United States.
• Distinction: The "T-Mobile" brand originated with Deutsche Telekom in Germany (where it operates as T-Mobile Deutschland), but the U.S. entity is a separate corporate structure incorporated under U.S. law.

In summary, T-Mobile US is an American company with substantial German parent ownership, not a German company itself." (Grok)

BTW, the "T" in "T-Mobile" stands for "Telekom."