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Hawaii Drivers License on Your iPhone

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So it seems that Hawaii residents will soon have a way to add digital versions of their Hawaii Drivers License or State ID to their iPhone wallet. When needed, instead of busting out your physical ID, you can bust out your iPhone, unlock it, pull up your Apple Wallet, and then tap your phone to verify your identity, credentials, and age.

I just want to know if I can now buy alcohol at Target self checkout without having to wait for a clerk to verify my old age. While I’m waiting, I stare into the high quality cameras at checkout, holding my license next to my face, hoping, just hoping there’s a person on the other side of the camera who can approve my purchase. Even if the camera isn’t good enough to pick out my birthdate on my license, the camera definitely highlights my wrinkles and bags under my eyes as I get older.

More details about this program at:

Mobile Driver License

AT&T Chat to the Rescue!

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In these COVID times when left is right, down is up, now is later, and face-to-face means online, who knew text chatting with a total stranger on a computer would provide better results than talking to real people in real life? That’s what happened with AT&T support chat who managed to make things right with my new iPhone.

Amazingly, this interaction initiated online as well on Twitter after I complained.

In Twitter Direct Messages, I was directed to contact AT&T support via chat. So I did, and that started my road to resolution. The avatar known as Jason listened to my complaints and managed to do what I had been asking various AT&T personnel in-store – trade in an old iPhone 7, change my plan to unlimited, and get this new 5G-ready iPhone 12 Pro connected.

As I learned, in order for this promotion to work, you needed an unlimited data plan already. But I pointed out to Jason that my phone ordered in November only arrived in January so why should I pay for a 5G plan when I did not have a 5G device, the new iPhone? But since I was within the 14-day return period, he said he could essentially start this promotion transaction again, making sure of the right sequence of steps. I also asked Jason about the conflicting answers of discounts, and he explained how the starter unlimited data plans did not qualify for discounts but other plans did qualify.

Thanks to this invisible voice, my questions and concerns about “upgrading” to a new iPhone were being answered and taken care of. Now, I don’t understand why this could not have happened at any of the local AT&T locations I visited. It almost seemed like these locations could only do tasks from a set script or menu. Anything off script was met with (polite) declines.

So my plan has been changed to unlimited with 5G, the iPhone 12 Pro is activated and connected, and I’m waiting for the trade-in box to mail in the iPhone 7. Thanks for chatting, AT&T!

AT&T Lies Part 1

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“The promotion is no longer available.”

It’s right there on your website.

A view of the promo
Another view of the promo
Found another listing for the promotion

Here are some screenshots of the terms.

Maybe Hawaii is a “select location” where this promotion does NOT apply (any more).

iPhone Battery Replacement Update

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Update 1/5/2018: Battery changed out after making a return “appointment.” Servicing took about 90 minutes. Store is full of customers wanting to check out their iPhone battery condition. iPhone 6 feels noticeably faster with the battery replacement.

Update 1/4/2018: Battery has arrived in store and need to schedule an appointment when to bring the phone in. I also got an email stating stop by anything (within 7 days), but it’s better to call back and actually set a time for the repair (1 to 2 hours).

After hearing that Apple updated its iPhone battery replacement program to begin immediately rather than late January, I made an appointment for Sunday, December 31, 2017. Unfortunately, the Kahala Apple Store Genius Bar had already exhausted its supply of in-house batteries on Saturday.

The Genius did run through a hardware diagnostic as a formality but didn’t find anything wrong with the iPhone 6 or its battery. He did say that we could change the battery for $30 regardless of the battery condition. We now have to wait about three to five days for a battery shipment then return to the Apple Store when notified.

From that point, it’s a one-hour service to swap out the battery. Not bad for $30.

And while you’re at the Apple Store, don’t look at different bands for the Apple Watch. Otherwise you might give in and get something like this deceiptively multi-colored “black” Sport Loop. Although described as black, the band has iridescent qualities showing off red, blue, green, and even more colors. It’s super nice and actually very comfortable!

Dozy iOS 11?

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Anyone else experience a “very sleepy” iPhone after installing iOS 11? I’ve encountered at least three times that my iPhone 7 doesn’t want to wake up right away. It’s usually after I put my phone to sleep then try to wake it immediately. The screen stays black. I know the iPhone is still on since the home button still provides haptic feedback (the “button” doesn’t do anything when the iPhone is off).

After a long delay, the iPhone wakes up but in the meantime, the dozy iPhone feels like it’s not working.

iPhone 6s Cases Already for Sale

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Ahead of the formal announcment of the latest iPhones, the rumored iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, protective cases are already available for sale. Spigen is advertising their pre-release selection on Amazon and at a reduced price. I don’t get how this is happening, but hey, Spigen is based out of Irvine, CA so all is good, right?

Of the current offerings, I’m leaning towards the Neo Hybrid EX with the clear back and colored bumper. Since we’re looking at the rose gold iPhone, the case needs to be transparent to showcase that color. My hesitation is that the bumper color won’t match the actual iPhone tone this early in production. But prices are nearly 50% off, so a $17 investment isn’t too damaging to protect a $700+ iPhone.

Wait, what? No free shipping on Amazon and not eligible for Prime?!? Add $5 for standard shipping with arrival in October? Pass for now…

But wait, Spigen has a store on eBay as well. Prices are comparable or even better than Amazon, and shipping is free (but still delayed until early October).

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