Category: iphone

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Roaming in Belgium, oh and France

Following issues with using data in Portugal a few years ago with excessive data usage on my iPhone, I did wonder if I should follow the  same process I had used in October 2023 when I went to Amsterdam, last year when I went to Europe, and when I went to Helsinki in February.

The process I would use is go into Settings -> Mobile Data and turn off virtually all the apps which could use mobile data.  I would turn off mobile data for virtually all my apps and also specifically iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup. I am pretty sure they were the culprits for my excessive data usage whilst in Portugal. This time (as an experiment) and as I was away only for a short time, I only turned off mobile data for iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup.

This trip I was taking the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels. Obviously the train would have to travel through France before before arriving in Brussels in Belgium. 

After travelling through the tunnel, when I arrived in France, my phone automatically connected to the correct network and I was able to use 5G (and I guess make phone calls, but I didn’t make any calls). As I  crossed the border into Belgium I was switched automatically to a different network in Belgium.

I had no problems with data, texts and calls in Belgium and on my return visit there was another short stint with a French provider before entering the tunnel and rejoining Three when I was back in the UK.

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Now this was quite useful

I was on a recent flight from Helsinki back to London flying on a new Finnair Airbus A321.

As well as the usual table there was this interesting ledge on the back of the seat in front of me which you could use to prop your phone (or I guess a small tablet) to watch a video during the flight.

back of an airline seat

Now I would have never guessed this was there or what its purpose was unless the person sitting on my row started using it with their phone.

You weren’t allowed to use it during take off and landing, but otherwise it was useful to have if you either had a drink, or use the table for something like a laptop. Of course, it also allows you to watch stuff without holding the phone (or if you don’t have a stand for your phone).

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Roaming in France

Following issues with using data in Portugal a few years ago with excessive data usage on my iPhone, I did wonder if I should follow the  same process I had used in October 2023 when I went to Amsterdam, last year when I went to Europe, and when I went to Helsinki in February.

The process I would use is go into Settings -> Mobile Data and turn off virtually all the apps which could use mobile data.  I would turn off mobile data for virtually all my apps and also specifically iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup. I am pretty sure they were the culprits for my excessive data usage whilst in Portugal.

However this time I was heading to Calais and Dunkerque just for the day, though I was expecting to use my phone, I didn’t think I would go overboard on the data (even using iCloud for my photos) and I didn’t think I would exceed the 12Gb Fair Use limit.

When I arrived in France, my phone automatically connected to the correct network and I was able to use 5G (and I guess make phone calls, but I didn’t make any calls).

I did turn off data when I was on the ferry though (as recommended by DFDS) and connected to the Ferry WiFi.

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Roaming in Finland

I was flying off to Finland and would be using my iPhone out there.

Following issues with using data in Portugal a few years ago with excessive data usage on my iPhone, I followed the same process I had used in October 2023 when I went to Amsterdam and last year when I went to Europe.

When I was on the plane at Heathrow, I went into Settings -> Mobile Data and turned off virtually all the apps which could use mobile data. Took me a while as there were a fair few. I turned off mobile data for virtually all my apps and also specifically iCloud Driveand iCloud Backup. I am pretty sure they were the culprits for my excessive data usage whilst in Portugal.

As and when I needed to use apps, I either used the hotel wifi, or switched on mobile data for specific apps.

I didn’t  run out of data this visit, it was a shorter visit, just a few days. All worked fine.

I was also impressed with the mobile data speeds in Finland, which to be honest knowing their history (you know Nokia) wasn’t too surprising.

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Time for a new camera

I have had a DSLR for years, nay decades even. These days I more often then not, default to the iPhone for photography. I do like the iPhone camera, but I do feel it lacks the flexibility that using a dedicated camera has got.

I got my Canon EOS 400D back in 2007, it replaced a Canon EOS 300D which had been stolen. It has served me well taking nearly 15,000 photographs over the years.  I really liked it, but though it was great for outside photography, with low light inside shooting, it did not work very well. It also didn’t do video, which I wanted, and I had had some issues with shooting lots of photos continuously. So after much thought and reading reviews I decided I would replace it with a new camera.

I nearly bought the Canon EOS 2000D which I had seen on sale at John Lewis. However I did my (internet) research and realised that this model was already six years old.

I had seen the new R series of mirrorless cameras from Canon and after getting my hands on one I was tempted, but they seemed out of my budget. However after checking a few sites I found one in my price range and ordered the Canon EOS R100.

This is the entry level R series camera and has a large 24.1 MP APS-C imaging sensor. This is better than the 10MP sensor of the EOS 400D.

I realised I needed a new SD Card for the camera, most of mine were 1GB or 2GB, so I ordered an 128GB SD Card.

Once that arrived (and the weather improved) I went out and shot a few images.

I was pleased with the results, note these images have been downscaled for the blog.

So plenty of other things I want to do with the camera.

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Too hot to handle

I was driving up to Yorkshire in my Funky Cat and my iPhone was being wirelessly charged, and I was connected wireless to the car for CarPlay. I was using CarPlay for Waze navigation and for listening to a podcast.

However after a couple of hours, the iPhone shut itself down as it was overheating. I turned off  the wireless charging and let the phone cool down.

Once it was cooler, it was all okay.

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Roaming across Europe

This summer I travelled to Germany, taking the ferry to France, travelling to just outside Paris for a few days before then setting off through Belgium and Luxembourg to Germany.

Following issues with using data in Portugal last summer with excessive data usage on my iPhone, I followed the same process I had used last October when I went to Amsterdam.

So before we boarded the ferry at Newhaven, I went into Settings -> Mobile Data and turned off virtually all the apps which could use mobile data. Took me a while as there were a fair few. I turned off mobile data for virtually all my apps and also specifically iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup. I am pretty sure they were the culprits for my excessive data usage whilst in Portugal.

As and when I needed to use apps, I either used the campsite wifi, or switched on mobile data for specific apps.

Arriving in France I was able to roam without any issues, of course as I travelled across Europe I switched networks, first in Belgium, then in Luxembourg and finally in Germany. In the end I used four different country networks. Each time I switched over without issue as I crossed the border.

In Portugal I reached 80% of my 12GB limit within the first twenty four hours. I did wonder if I would reach the fair usage limit on this holiday. As it happens I did six days into the trip, with two days left. It was relatively easy to purchase a 1-day Data Passport for £6 for the two remaining days of our holiday rather than pay silly prices for data on a pay as you go basis.

Though difficult to tell, I think the main data culprits were Waze and Amazon Music, which were used extensively as we drove across the continent.

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Roaming in Amsterdam

I was off to Amsterdam for a few days for a conference at the RAI conference centre.

Following some issues with roaming in Spain in 2022 I have been a little concerned about travelling abroad and if I would have connectivity issues. After Spain though, I had travelled to Ireland and Germany and both times everything just worked. However the last time I went abroad, in the summer to Portugal, I had a few issues when roaming with excessive data usage on my iPhone.

I have a Three contract with unlimited calls, unlimited texts, and unlimited data. As this is a pre-October 2021 contract I am able to use all those allowances when roaming, but there is a 12GB fair use limit. On all my previous visits abroad, before Portugal, I have never come close to reaching that limit.

In Portugal I reached 80% of my 12GB limit within the first twenty four hours. Back then, I turned off mobile data and then I went into Settings -> Mobile Data and turned off all the apps which could use mobile data. There were a lot of apps.

So when I flew to Amsterdam last week, whilst I was on the plane went into Settings -> Mobile Data and turned off virtually all the apps which could use mobile data. Took me a while as there were a fair few. I turned off mobile data for virtually all my apps and also specifically iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup. I am pretty sure they were the culprits for my excessive data usage whilst in Spain.

I then reset the mobile data usage statistics. So when I came back to the UK I could check how much data I had used.

Schiphol Airport had free WiFi, so I could use that in the airport whilst I had a ninety minute wait to get through passport control.

Now I was lucky that the hotel and conference venue had good WiFi, and even Schiphol Airport’s WiFi was good. So there was less reliance on using my mobile data. 

When I was walking around Amsterdam away from the hotel and the conference venue, I did turn on mobile data for specific apps that I wanted to use, finance and travel apps for example.

After arriving back in the UK I checked the mobile data usage statistics I had used whilst roaming in the Netherlands from Tuesday to Friday.

It was 1.4GB and 1.4GB is a lot less than the 12GB fair use allowance I have.  So was pleased with that. I never felt I was limited in how I used mobile data abroad, as when I did need to use an app, I just turned on mobile data for it. I was lucky in having decent WiFi, so that did make a difference.

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Problems with roaming in Portugal

Following some issues with roaming in Spain in 2022 I have been a little concerned about travelling abroad and if I would have connectivity issues. After Spain though, I had travelled to Ireland and Germany and both times everything just worked.

When I arrived at Faro Airport, my phone connected without issue to the MEO network and I was connected.

However what I wasn’t expecting was that twenty four hours later I would get a text from Three that I had used 80%of my data allowance of 12GB.

I have a Three contract with unlimited calls, unlimited texts, and unlimited data. As this is a pre-October 2021 contract I am able to use all those allowances when roaming, but there is a 12GB fair use limit. On all my previous visits abroad, I have never come close to reaching that limit.

So I was somewhat surprised to find that I had used it nearly all up within a day.

I am not sure why, but my suspicion was that iCloud Photos was the culprit, or iCloud Backup.

So first I turned off mobile data and then I went into Settings -> Mobile Data and turned off all the apps which could use mobile data. There were a lot. 

Of course with unlimited data back in the UK, I never need to worry about apps using data.

Alas the hotel doesn’t have free Wi-Fi (well it does in reception) but in the rooms there is a charged for service.

Once in the plane (and in flight mode) I enabled mobile data for all my apps so when I landed back in the UK I would be back where I was when I left.

Towards the end of the week I felt more confident in using mobile data. In the end I never used all the 12GB allowance, but it did make me think about how I will be using a phone if and when I go abroad again.

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iCloud Photos Folders

Elizabeth Line train

It took a while to sync my iMac Photos library to iCloud. Initially I was concerned that the folders on my iMac weren’t syncing to iCloud, but after the iMac had finished uploading all the photographs in the library, the folders were then created on iCloud. Though my smart albums weren’t synced.

While the iMac was uploading photographs, it wasn’t initially downloading the photographs I had been taking with my iPhone, which was also using iCloud Photos. However, as with the folders, once it had finished uploading, iCloud Photos downloaded the new photographs to the iMac.

Overall I am pleased with moving to iCloud Photos, it does what I want.