PATREONItems tagged with google fi
Have you ever wanted to get a Pixel device but found they were just a bit too expensive? Google Fi is now offering a phone subscription program that allows you to get your hands on a Pixel 4a for only $9 monthly. Over two years, you get to pay off the Pixel 4a and keep it when you are done, then upgrade to the next Pixel device offered for subscription. Phones have been increasing in price over the past few years. It is not out of the realm of possibility to spend $1000 on a phone these days but Google Fi is offering perhaps a more sensible way to pay for a decent device. At $9 a month over two years, Google is offering a Pixel 4a for just $216. If you want to make sure your device is protected,...
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Up until now, Google Fi customers who wanted to use a Samsung phone with the service had to purchase an unlocked model elsewhere. And that is certainly still an option. However, Google has now expanded the range of compatible Google Fi phones it sells to customers, to include half a dozen 5G Samsung Galaxy handsets. They include the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G as shown above, along with the Galaxy Note 20 5G, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy Note S20+ 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, and Galaxy A71 5G. In addition, Google added a couple of its own phones to the mix, specifically the recently announced Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. And of course you can still use any unlocked phone that is compatible with T-Mobile's 5G network,...
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Some Google Fi users are facing a strange problem where long texts sent using the service in English are being received in Chinese. The issue has been reported by multiple Fi users and seems unrelated to the phone or cellular carrier the texts are received on. One of the first reports of the issue surfaced about 18 hours ago, as of this writing. The user reported that a long text sent from a Google Pixel 3 on Fi, to a Samsung device on Verizon was received on the Verizon device in Chinese. Another user on the same account, with a different Pixel 3 on the Fi service, sent another long text to the same Verizon user, and it also came through in Chinese. Trying to sort the problem, the user eventually...
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One of the things that has made setting up new smartphones easier and more convenient for users has been the advent of the eSIM that does away with the need for the tiny (and easily) carrier nanoSIM card. Apple was one of the early adopters of this technology, and all of its modern smartphones use that feature. Some iPhone users who wanted to take advantage eSIMs with Google Fi were unable to do so because Google didn't support the tech on the newer crop of iPhone models, but that has now changed. Google Fi has announced that iPhone subscribers will now be able to use eSIM tech on the following compatible iPhone models: iPhone XR iPhone XS iPhone XS Max iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11...
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The spread of COVID-19 has created a unique and challenging situation around the globe. Outside of the obvious health concerns, the Coronavirus pandemic is putting a financial strain on people, as businesses close down or suspend operations. In an effort to help, Google has made a couple of temporary changes to its Google Fi MVNO phone service, including relaxed data limits. There are two Google Fi service tiers, those being Flexible and Unlimited. Under normal circumstances, the Flexible tier allots 15 gigabytes (GB) of full-speed data for subscribers, after which the service is throttled down to 256 kilobits per second (Kbps). The Unlimited tier bumps things up to 22GB of full-speed access....
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The Google Fi MVNO service has been around for a few years now, and it aims to give customers a reasonably-priced alternative to traditional carriers like AT&T and Verizon while offering a few of its own perks. While Google Fi is technically supported on a broad range of Android and iOS devices, Google has reserved the complete Google Fi experience to Pixel devices and what it calls "Designed for Fi" smartphones (like those from Motorola). Today, Google announced that all smartphones that are supported on Google Fi will receive a number of features previously reserved for a select few. Now, all Google Fi devices, including the iPhone, support spam call warnings...
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Let's face it, not everyone needs to purchase a nearly $1,000 flagship smartphone to make phone calls, send texts, and surf the internet. In fact, many of us could probably get by with a phone that costs a lot less, which is where Google's Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL come into play. Both the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL were introduced earlier this year priced at $399 and $479 respectively, making them roughly $400 less than their Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL counterparts at the time. Now, Google Fi has restarted a popular promotion that it ran a few weeks ago on the smartphone pair. For a limited time, you can get the Pixel 3a for $299 with activation, which is $100 off its regular price....
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Google went official with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones yesterday at its hardware event (you can read our coverage here). There are multiple preorder offers out there for those wanting to buy a Pixel 4 smartphone, including direct from Google and via Amazon. Starting off with Google's perks, anyone who preorders a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL via Google Fi will get a $100 Fi service credit (valid through October 26th). The Pixel 4 starts at $799 on Fi, and for those approved, the smartphone can be financed for $33.30 per month. There are some caveats to the $100 service credit deal, however. The Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL do have to be activated with Fi within 30 days of shipment. That means...
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The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are still excellent flagship Android 9 Pie smartphones even though they first launched nearly a year ago (read the HotHardware review here). In addition to offering good all-around performance, the onboard rear camera is arguably the best available in the smartphone world. For those that are looking to score a hot deal on either the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL, signing up for Google Fi service will allow you get a device for a whopping $300 off. That means that the 64GB versions of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will cost you just $499 and $599 respectively instead of $799 and $899. For those keeping score, that's even lower pricing than Amazon Prime...
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One of the only ways to get a really good deal on a smartphone these days is to switch carriers. If you are ready to switch to a new carrier and want to give Google Fi a try, Google has a smoking-good deal going on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL today only. The deal will save you 50% off the purchase price. The half-off discount is good on Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL smartphones that are purchased April 22, 2019, between 12:00 AM PT and 11:59 PM PT. One bit of good news for those who are already using Google Fi is that current customers can get the discount as well. Typically smartphone discounts this significant are only for new customers. Buyers are required to activate the smartphone within 30 days...
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Google continues to make its comparatively low-cost Google Fi wireless service a more intriguing option. It already has the advantage of friendly billing versus what the four major wireless carriers in the US charge, those being AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Now on the usability side, Google Fi is enabling RCS messaging by default on eligible phones. RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging is a communications protocol with more bells and whistles than regular SMS text messaging. Similar to iMessages that is used on iOS devices, RCS offers things like read receipts, video calls, encryption, and more. "With RCS in Messages, you can do and share more when you message friends, family...
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In case you have not heard, Project Fi is now called Google Fi, and with the rebranding comes support for a bunch of additional devices, including several iPhone handsets and most newer Android phones. Google is obviously eager for more people to make the switch. To encourage that very thing, Google is offering a free month of Google Fi service to kick the tires. There is a bit of fine print, of course. For one, the free month is only valid for new Google Fi customers who sign up before December 17, based on Pacific Time (the offer expires at 11:59 pm PST on December 16). "To qualify for the service credit, activation must be for full service (i.e., activation does not apply to a data-only SIM)....
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After its big surprise was spoiled yesterday by a website leak, Google has announced that Project Fi is indeed making a big expansion. In fact, its name is also changing: the MVNO service will now be known as Google Fi. As we reported yesterday, Google Fi will now support a larger group of Android smartphones along with most newer iPhones. Google says that Google Fi will support "popular Android phones" including devices from Samsung, Motorola and OnePlus. iPhone support is currently listed as being in beta (you can grab the Google Fi iOS app here). When it comes to Android support, you should know that most Android smartphones will work as long as they are running Android 7.0 and have...
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We’ve heard quite a bit about Google’s plans to become a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) over the past few months. The project, which is operating under the codename Nova, will “[push] the boundary of what's next” according to Sundar Pichai, Google’s SVP of Android, Chrome, and Google Apps. When we last discussed Google’s wireless service, it was reported that it would initially be limited to the Nexus 6 smartphone. Launching a Google-based wireless service in a limited fashion with a device that features hardware and software custom tailored by Google makes sense for a company that is just looking to get its feet wet in the wireless market. Today we’re learning more about Google’s wireless...
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