Mobile Phones

Mark wants to know if Apple's Pro AirPods are worth the $250 price tag. Leo says that what makes them so expensive is that they are active noise-canceling headphones. But Leo prefers in-ear monitors because they are passive canceling, better audio, and more comfortable to wear. Leo also says that Apple didn't design them to replace the batteries, so when the batteries die, he can only throw them away. That's wasteful. Look at Amazon's EchoBuds. They are just as good and only $129. Leo says they are just as good for 1/2 the price.

Dale has an iPhone 6s Plus and the battery isn't keeping a charge like it's used to. He's also noticing that his screen feels like it's starting to bulge. Leo says that Dale needs to take it into Apple because the battery is starting to swell and that's a hazard. And Apple may replace it for free. They'll at least replace the battery for $99. If he can't go to an apple store, an authorized Apple repair store will suffice. Or he can try and do it by mail.

Hector is having an issue with emojis in voice to text on his iPhone. How can he stop it from happening? Leo suspects that your computer is caching it and accessing it again and again. Go into your settings, general, keyboards, text replacement. Look in there. It may be adding it. Also, look in iCloud and Google contacts to see if it's been placed there.  It should eventually go away. 

Ed heard that all cellphone companies use the same towers. Does it really matter what cellphone company you go with? Leo says it isn't always the case that companies share towers, though it's not uncommon that they share the same pole.  But each company has its own. So the notion is right, and it's wrong. Each company has it's own transceivers and antennas. If looking to save money, go with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). They buy cell services from the big five and sell it for less.