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Pro's for T-Mobile Galaxy S2:
Generally better data speeds
Generally cheaper plan
GSM, so can use internationally
True Android-native infrastructure tethering after root
No Loss of Service (LOS), a problem afflicting Sprint GS2
No Sound Pool bug, a problem that crashes games afflicting all Exynos GS2
NFC
Wifi calling
USB Host (USB on the go)
Noise cancellation microphone
Con's for T-Mobile Galaxy S2:
Generally less coverage around the country (especially on non-roaming prepaid plans)
Screen suffers from blotches on low-brightness
Slightly slower CPU/GPU
Worse front-facing camera
Runs hotter
Less dev support
No notification LED
Capped data that throttles after plan limits
Edit: This thread was originally about me considering switching from a Sprint GS2 to a T-Mobile GS2. I've now done so, but figured since I drew up such a comprehensive list of differences, might as well keep it around for anyone else that might be curious
read thought this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1320942
talltexan said:
read thought this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1320942
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Yup, I saw that, weird and disappointing. That's why I have "slightly worse screen" in my list of cons.
manekineko said:
I
GSM, so can use internationally, but only at EDGE speeds
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that's not correct
it can get 3G/4G at any GSM internationally
that's the beauty of this version of SGS2 Hercules
manekineko said:
No LOS, a problem afflicting Sprint GS2
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What is LOS? Line of Sight? Left over soup?
I just switched over from Sprint as well. Their 3G has been totally pathetic and borderline unusable for the last 6 months. My T-Mobile speeds are 10+ times faster. I don't know what the SERO plan is, but T-Mobile doesn't have free mobile to mobile calling like Sprint. They only give you free calling from T-Mobile to T-Mobile and their nights and weekends are more restrictive than Sprint.
AllGamer said:
that's not correct
it can get 3G/4G at any GSM internationally
that's the beauty of this version of SGS2 Hercules
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Wow, that is big for me. Thanks for the tip, I hadn't heard the Hercules also has the AT&T bands.
Splaktar said:
What is LOS? Line of Sight? Left over soup?
I just switched over from Sprint as well. Their 3G has been totally pathetic and borderline unusable for the last 6 months. My T-Mobile speeds are 10+ times faster. I don't know what the SERO plan is, but T-Mobile doesn't have free mobile to mobile calling like Sprint. They only give you free calling from T-Mobile to T-Mobile and their nights and weekends are more restrictive than Sprint.
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Loss of Service. It's a problem that comes from the fact that Samsung kind of sucks at making CDMA modems. Sometimes the Sprint GS2 will just lose cell service, and it won't come back until you reboot. I haven't gotten bit by it yet, but it's widespread enough that I feel it's just a matter of time.
The Sprint speeds drive me nuts. In the middle of Manhattan, I see download speeds on 3G of as low as 100kbps on Speedtest.
I'd be going to the T-Mobile $30 prepaid 5GB 100 minute plan, so I wouldn't get any nights and weekends or mobile to mobile I think. The plan's a big downgrade from the numbers I had on Sprint, but the speed improvements and lower monthly fee would balance it out for me. Plus, talking is probably the feature I use least on my phone.
manekineko said:
Loss of Service. It's a problem that comes from the fact that Samsung kind of sucks at making CDMA modems. Sometimes the Sprint GS2 will just lose cell service, and it won't come back until you reboot. I haven't gotten bit by it yet, but it's widespread enough that I feel it's just a matter of time.
The Sprint speeds drive me nuts. In the middle of Manhattan, I see download speeds on 3G of as low as 100kbps on Speedtest.
I'd be going to the T-Mobile $30 prepaid 5GB 100 minute plan, so I wouldn't get any nights and weekends or mobile to mobile I think. The plan's a big downgrade from the numbers I had on Sprint, but the speed improvements and lower monthly fee would balance it out for me. Plus, talking is probably the feature I use least on my phone.
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If your paying $79.99 for sprint tmobile has the same plan for $79.99 with contract 2 gig cab though. if you want 5 gig cap its $89.99. 10 gig cap is $99.99
All those plans have unlimted minutes and texting.
Killbynature said:
If your paying $79.99 for sprint tmobile has the same plan for $79.99 with contract 2 gig cab though. if you want 5 gig cap its $89.99. 10 gig cap is $99.99
All those plans have unlimted minutes and texting.
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I pay 49 for unlimited talk/text and 2 gigs data. Not sure about 79.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
my wife works for tmobile and ill tell you that if you live in a good area then tmobile is definitely worth it and is the best bargain out there , if you travel alot then i dont recommend them,all depends on your lifestyle, most major cities get pretty good tmobile service
mikeyinid said:
I pay 49 for unlimited talk/text and 2 gigs data. Not sure about 79.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
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Classic or Value if you don't get subsidize it is much cheaper.
For me:
1. Sprint Galaxy S II phones do suffer from loss of signal. I have noticed this on both Sprint Galaxy S II phone I have. Very very annoying.
2. T-Mobile's version suffers from poor display.
3. T-Mobile's version suffers from poor front facing camera.
Maybe all of these problems can be fixed with a software update. And Samsung will take the time to make this happen. There are no assurances however.
For its part, Sprint has acknowledged the loss of signal problem and has promised a fix. T-Mobile has not yet acknowledged problems with their unit.
Walmart piggybacks off Tmobil.towers
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
I dunno what everyone is talking about with the front camera, it's the same resolution as sprint's.
kabuk1 said:
I dunno what everyone is talking about with the front camera, it's the same resolution as sprint's.
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You might have missed this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1326314
Yes, I definitely missed that post. Damn :/
Hopefully it's just a software issue.
Killbynature said:
Classic or Value if you don't get subsidize it is much cheaper.
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Click to collapse
I'm on a value plan. 99 a month for 2 lines. And I'm in an excellent coverage area. But, 2 gigs is definitely not enough. I blew through half of that on Friday listening to Google music beta
First time I missed sprint since I switched a few months back.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Has anyone tried USB on the go to plug in a USB stick on the T-Mobile GS2?
They disabled it on the Sprint version for some reason, and am wondering if this is another pro I could add to the list.
Another question that I thought of.
Has anyone experienced lots of random crashing to home screen while playing games? Both the Sprint and international Galaxy S2 suffer from a bug in their sound system that causes certain games to crash all the time. If the T-Mobile one doesn't do that, it'd be a huge advantage.
Former sprint to tmo customer.
as a former sprint customer recently switched over to T Mobile in the NorCal area...
SWITCH TO TMOBILE.
holy ****. i ing hate sprint. i got the evo 3d from them, and right out of the box the first unit was bunk. started power cycling directly AFTER i set everything up and linked my contacts. The 3vo being my first android phone, i didn't know that a randomly restarting phone meant LEMONLEMONLEMON so i hung onto it for a couple days, hoping the issue would fix itself or something.
Called IN ADVANCE when the phone first began having issues to talk to the guy who sold me the phone. Brought it in a week after, after trying everything someone rational would, i.e. battery pull, factory reset, etc. and when i brought the device in i was told by the associate, (yes this is a quote) that he couldn't exchange it but that he could do a "hard hard reset" for me, (after i explained to him it had already been reset every way possible) and send me on my way.
Bear in mind sprint store is 35 minutes away in the next town over, and so this is now taken 2 hours of driving, and still no fully functional phone.
i get home, set everything up again, and boom. Literally as i drag the last icon into place it starts power cycling again.
i call corporate at this point to see if i can ensure an actual replacement on my next trip. i get a vague "probably-ish." sorta answer from them.
when i arrive the next day, there's an associate who was obviously told to expect me as he becomes instantly friendly when i tell him my name and he reads some memo on his screen. I give him my phone, and he hands me the power cord and charger, winking at me and goes "this is for your wasted time. keep it, as a thirty dollar value"
now, like all of you, i'm aware a usb cord and adapter is not worth 30 dollars. However, i was appreciative of the gesture, and i know that sprint really will try to charge you 30 bucks for one of those cords.
After a little wait i'm told the technician got my phone in front of him, and it power cycled in his face. so they replaced it. (finally)
as i'm checking out, back with the original associate who i got the dude phone from 2 weeks before, he's being SUPER surly. Won't look me in the eyes or answer any of the questions i have with more than a grunt or mumble. As he's switching out the new phone with the old, he takes the new charger cable and tosses it in the old box and slides it away from me.
i interrupt him and say "hey, the guy i checked in with said i could keep that."
not even bothering to look up, he shrugs, PULLS IT OUT OF MY HAND, tosses it into the box and closes it and says "nope."
i'm a bit taken aback at this point. incredulously i say, "i was told i would be given that for my wasted time. i was already told that i could have that."
to which he says, still not looking up "htc policy we return em."
at this pont, i'm just ing done dealing with this dude. So i just ask him where the other associate is, so i can work it out with him instead, to which he replies "he went to lunch."
"well...when will he be back"
"dunno."
at that point i walked out. I called about the issue and was given a run around.
anyways. thats ONE of my stories with sprint, in the ing 3 months i was with them. i have MANY MANY more. and their corporate branch is just as bad as the stores, i've been told so many contradicting things by sprint associates on the phone that i have literally found myself saying to them in barely hidden anger "HOW CAN ONE OF YOU TELL ME ONE THING AND THEN THE NEXT GUY AFTER THE TRANSFER SAYS THE OPPOSITE?! are you people even working for the same company?!"
anyways, i've had t-mobile since the release of the galaxy s2, and called in several times to change my features and they have been nothing but friendly informative and helpful. I've heard a bunch of **** talked about how the Tmo version of the GS2 is inferior to the others, but i have faith in the good people on these forums to correct most of those inferiorities which i believe are mostly software issues arising from the Tmo version having a different processor than the other versions.
so yeah sorry for the ungodly long post, but i am another sprint customer recently gone to tmobile and just wanted to share a little bit of my experience. here's a short list of ADDITIONAL pros, and the cons.
PROS.
1. WAY faster data, at least in my area. Went from CRAWLING 3g, and no 4g to being able to torrent via my tether when my cable went out. Achieving 9mbps according to speedtest app, never tested on sprint, but it was browsing speeds, AT BEST. took youtube videos AGES to load. Tmo 4g is about half the speed of my home wifi connection, which is impressive.
2. PRO/CON: better service in populated areas, but service does cut out earlier whenever you drive out into middle of nowhere parts. Also, much more continuity between service and data connection. With sprint, lots of service. Mobile data cuts out LOTS. Tmo data pretty much works until you have no service whatsoever, or at least close to that point.
CONS.
1. QUALCOMM processor instead of the one samsung meant for this device. LOTS of info about what this means as far as detrimental effects on device performance ALL OVER this particular forum.
2. Screen Issues...also, look in this forum.
3. No truly unlimited data plan (best you can get is 5 gb then down to EDGE speeds...which suck.)
My phones actual ability to maintain a signal and make data connections is just ****ing abysmal. Sigh, actually what had happened recently was I was using Codename 1.4 /w a hybrid radio and my connection was decent. At home I never get any bars of 3G but my data connection at least worked. I was in class yesterday and then my phone ran out of battery, I rebooted it to check the calendar but I didn't have time before it insta-died on boot, and then my phone softbricked. I had to re-flash(forgot to do a CWM backup)a ROM and now my connection is just back to being as ****ty as it was before I had decent luck. My phone just has these bouts where it can't send SMS at all even and my phone can't hold onto 3G(in a very good metropolitan area, mind you). I start using the data connection and then my data drops on 3G or LTE. It's just ridiculous. No hybrid radio i've tried has helped.
My question is this: what kind of recourse do I have for getting out of my contract /w Verizon as a new customer if I ***** and moan about how this phone barely functions on their network in my area? I haven't even paid my first bill, but I know that I am past the 14 day return/cancellation period. Has anyone ever been in my situation? In the worst case I'll just have to sell the phone and early terminate I suppose.
Thanks.
you could probably flash stock android ICS on that phone, then sell it, and use the money you receive from selling the phone to pay for your Early Termination Fee
Like the guy above me said, try to reflash a stock ROM. Sometimes this half-boot-ups can **** things badly up.
Gesendet von meinem Galaxy Nexus mit Tapatalk
Stop using custom ROMS and kernels. Go back to stock and see how things work.
Are other people who use your carrier having similar issues n your area? If you live in a cellular "dead zone", I don't think there's much you can do about it.
Actually, my best friend who got me to buy the nexus(I don't mean he persuaded me or anything, he let me play /w his and I was hooked)said that after I unlocked the bootloader, installed cwm, and installed the AOSP 4.0.4 leak that his signal/reception was worse. I don't use a custom kernel, well I mean I don't flash kernels that is. I tend to leave whatever kernel comes /w a rom. If I go back to stock should I relock the bootloader too?
There is definitely something wrong with the Verizon Galaxy nexus antenna. I along with many other have had horrible antenna problems. I had phone since day 1 and finally gave up on it yesterday and sold it.
Samsung like other manufacturers have duds. Those of us who had the original galaxy S phones now Samsung had a hardware GPS defect. No matter how many times you switch it out it's not going to solve your problem.
1. Where did you get your phone? Verizon corp? Amazon? Wirefly? Be careful if you terminate within 6 months at wirefily/amazon cause u might get charged $250 extra in addition to the $350 Verizon etf. That's why amazon sold you the phone for $99 for new customers.
If you got it from Verizon. They may cut u some slack and take phone back and u just pay for partial pro rates fees etc restocking.
I liked the phone myself. ICS is def a huge step forward. Screen amazing. But a phone needs to function as a phone first.
Had huge issue with iPhone 4 last year also. Not antenna gate like media stated. But the iPhone 4 (gsm) had a well known sensor defect that apple "fixed with a software released". We all know that's bogus. Manufacturers never want to admit a hardware defect/poor design. They would just rather deal with individual cases and hope the problem goes away or until the next design is released and people forget about it. My iPhone 4S has no sensor issue at all (I can actually move my head around when on a call and the screen doesn't auto turn on and hang out/call ex girlfriends etc like the iPhone 4.
I suspect Samsung is well aware of this antenna issue in the CDMA model. I am sure the next version of this phone will be fixed. Just like the Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant with tmobole had gps defect and Samsung Galaxy S 4G had no gps defect.
I got it from amazon unfortunately. So yeah I am aware of the 250 extra addon. I will call them tomorrow and talk to them about waiving that.
Dajinn said:
I got it from amazon unfortunately. So yeah I am aware of the 250 extra addon. I will call them tomorrow and talk to them about waiving that.
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Going to be tough for them to waive it unless you also offer to send the phone back to them.
Not sure how it's going to play out but good luck.
I sold my Gnex yesterday. I would have just used the proceeds from sale (sold it for $380...Verizon Gnex resell values are dropping unforurtanely). Anyways I would have just paid the ETF but I got a grandfathered unlimited LTE data so just using the LTE sim in my new iPad and that works great.
I'll see what the Samsung S3 has to offer.
I know how you feel. I am on my 6th GNex, and since last week it has been dropping calls every time I use it, unless it is a very short call. It may last for a few minutes, or for 30 to 40 minutes, but it will drop the call. The phone was okay when I got it about a month ago, very weak data connections, but worked for voice calls, dropping a few now and then. I am almost to the point of reactivating my OG Droid and just using the GNex is a PDA. I do not want to break my contract because I am grandfathered in on an very sweet Alltel plan. I know I will never buy another Samsung phone.
For what its worth I had a Verizon g next since December and the phone had amazing signal reception and always was on 4g. Never dropped a call and all texts sent perfectly well. The phone got really hot last weekend and wouldn't turn on. After being deemed shot, I got a new gnex. I've been on this phone for 2 days and I've dropped 5 calls and had at least 20 texts fail to send. I look at the signal bars and half the time they're completely empty. If this phone was my first experience I'd be pissed beyond belief. Maybe try and swap it for a new one. I'm sure as hell going to. I know what the phone is capable of and I'm nowhere near that with this one.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Just curious.
Enough that if you keep that up you'll get the boot.
063_XOBX said:
Enough that if you keep that up you'll get the boot.
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I'm counting on it.
They just bumped my price by $40 a month, and before that they charged me a $36 activation fee when I didn't even buy a phone. My monthly rate is now higher than if I was on Verizon, and the whole reason I was with Sprint is because they were cheap. I'm sick of making two hour calls to them EVERY SINGLE MONTH when they make these screwups.
That, and a more appropriate name for the company would be Crawl.
I'm amazed you could even manage to use that much. I average 3gb simply because when I can use wifi I do just to get better speeds whether I'm paying for data or not.
063_XOBX said:
I'm amazed you could even manage to use that much. I average 3gb simply because when I can use wifi I do just to get better speeds whether I'm paying for data or not.
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Normally my phone is always on wifi because the signal is crap no matter where I go. The battery drains so fast because the signal is so bad that the radio has to amp the gain just to talk to the tower. I'm in the 6th most populated city in the US, but we have no 4g and the 3g is slower than 2g. Every other carrier has 4g here, even the prepaid ones. Sprint used to be good, but as of the last four years they are just horrible. It's no wonder they are hemorrhaging customers.
I'm a light data user, but figured that since my phone ends up roaming anyways, I'll see how they like it when I download a bunch of 1gb test files every night, even though it is only at 30kb/sec.
Rakeesh_j said:
I'm a light data user, but figured that since my phone ends up roaming anyways, I'll see how they like it when I download a bunch of 1gb test files every night, even though it is only at 30kb/sec.
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Maybe they knew you were downloading test gigs and screwing with them which is why they bumped it up.
Sprint just got bought over so in 6 months we are going to see some better service changes but right now sprint is like for the customer company.
Sprint was the only one keeping unlimited 4g(until T-Mobile saw that people want that and did it too) because they know that big red and blue's 2 GB isn't good enough for a month.
Think of sprint as a buffet. For a small fee you can have all you can eat.
BUT! If you are stuffing trash bag after trash bag full of food and putting it in your car to take home.. They are going to kick you out or make you pay more.
Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
robogoflow said:
Maybe they knew you were downloading test gigs and screwing with them which is why they bumped it up.
Sprint just got bought over so in 6 months we are going to see some better service changes but right now sprint is like for the customer company.
Sprint was the only one keeping unlimited 4g(until T-Mobile saw that people want that and did it too) because they know that big red and blue's 2 GB isn't good enough for a month.
Think of sprint as a buffet. For a small fee you can have all you can eat.
BUT! If you are stuffing trash bag after trash bag full of food and putting it in your car to take home.. They are going to kick you out or make you pay more.
Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
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I'm planning on moving to t-mobile. Much MUCH better data rates as well as costing about a third less.
Hello, I have a bit of a dilemma. My Sprint Gnex has been overheating more and more recently, to the point where the 3G/4G radio shuts down until the phone cools off (about half an hour), and GPS locks are taking longer and longer as well, sometimes I don't get a lock at all.
So far, I tried 4 of the top-rated 4.2.1 ROMs, with and without low-voltage kernels, 5 of the top-rated 4.1.2 ROMs, also with and without low-voltage kernels, and of course, factory stock from Google. The issues are easily reproducible whether I'm standing on the street under a Sprint tower, or at home at the edge of reception. I also tried all the root-required GPS and 3G/4G hacks, with negligible results. Time for a new phone!
My question is this: Should I...
A) Go through Asurion and get a refurbished phone; cross fingers that it's not worse than what I already have ($100 one-time)
B) Buy a used Gnex on Amazon in so-called excellent condition ($125 one-time)
C) Activate my perfectly good trusty flip-phone and my old WiMax hotspot ($50 a month)
D) Sell my girlfriend into slavery and upgrade to a Galaxy Note II ($550 one-time)
E) Burn all my electronics and go live in the wild as a hermit (Free)
Flash stock, lock bootloader and take it to sprint. C what they tell u about it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
pr0xyw0rm said:
Flash stock, lock bootloader and take it to sprint. C what they tell u about it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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Yup, gonna head over there tomorrow. Should I play dumb or talk smart to the rep?
I dropped my Sprint service and started using a T-Mobile hotspot and Talkatone's VOIP app. So far it has been working very well for me. I get ~6MB down everywhere I go and it only costs $35 every 60 days or 3.5GB, whichever comes first. The battery life of the hotspot isn't great, but the Toro+ with all the radios disabled lasts forever!
jeremerw said:
I dropped my Sprint service and started using a T-Mobile hotspot and Talkatone's VOIP app. So far it has been working very well for me. I get ~6MB down everywhere I go and it only costs $35 every 60 days or 3.5GB, whichever comes first. The battery life of the hotspot isn't great, but the Toro+ with all the radios disabled lasts forever!
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Wow, great idea! My phone lasts 2-3 days on a single charge if I only use WiFi.
Just got the text of doom from Verizon. See attached.
Did you upgrade your phone?
Sent from my SM-N930V using Tapatalk
Bellmont said:
Did you upgrade your phone?
Sent from my SM-N930V using Tapatalk
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In early October, when they had reset the upgrade. I got a Moto Z Force at Best Buy, but they had messed it all up. They sent me an email to return my Note 4, then apparently realized I had that one paid off. About a month ago, they refunded the payments I had made toward the Note 7.
I would guess that Samsung is leaning on the providers to get the Note 7 back or they'll charge the carrier, so the carrier would (of course) pass the charges on to the users.. I have a friend who still has the original Note 7 and he still hasn't had a return box show up at his door. I had one mysteriously show up a couple weeks ago, but have ignored it.
I'd be tempted to pay (the Note 7 is so smooth and I still use it in airplane mode for games & videos) the full retail price they're suggesting to keep it. I only fast charged it once and it never got hot. I use a wireless charging pad, otherwise.
dennistaylor said:
In early October, when they had reset the upgrade. I got a Moto Z Force at Best Buy, but they had messed it all up. They sent me an email to return my Note 4, then apparently realized I had that one paid off. About a month ago, they refunded the payments I had made toward the Note 7.
I would guess that Samsung is leaning on the providers to get the Note 7 back or they'll charge the carrier, so the carrier would (of course) pass the charges on to the users.. I have a friend who still has the original Note 7 and he still hasn't had a return box show up at his door. I had one mysteriously show up a couple weeks ago, but have ignored it.
I'd be tempted to pay (the Note 7 is so smooth and I still use it in airplane mode for games & videos) the full retail price they're suggesting to keep it. I only fast charged it once and it never got hot. I use a wireless charging pad, otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You used the upgrade so they want the phone back and the excuse that it doesn't get hot doesn't matter. The problem with the battery is spontaneous and by the time you feel the heat it will most likely be too late. I don't mean to sound like it's going to explode any second hurry put it in a bunker but just the excuse of it never gets hot is not a valid one for this issue.
I never got this text and I never used my upgrade.
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