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August 2, 2024.Technology has done me in!

 


A story today of what happens when technology has gone awry. I am totally tethered to my Google Pixel 7 communicator and now I am in a pickle. 


Given the health situation of the XYL the Pixel 7 is more than watching Tik Tok videos. It is a critical and necessary piece of equipment. My Pixel 7 has made no less than five 911 calls and has logged many hours of telemedicine with her primary care provider. It also is my link to the Board and Care facility when I am personally not there. Given all of the hacking and scam stuff it is needed as a part of two step verification for many services.

The Pixel 7 was a Christmas present from my offspring who knew how critical the communications part of my life had become and better than the $95 phone I bought on eBay. 

All worked well although most of the features were like the 3000 menus on an ICOM 7300. There were many things I do not like about the Pixel 7 like the keypads are incompatible with FFS (Fat Finger Syndrome). But the voice recognition and type the message does help. I realize now that my voice must sound like I grew up in the south as some words appear like I grew up in Alabama. 

But for the Basic stuff like making and receiving calls it was OK. Text messaging worked, as well as email. I do have You Tube TV on it so I can watch the politics in play.

Then several days ago a malady appeared. It does not receive phone calls. It doesn't even go to voice mail. You can call out and all other features appear to work OK. So, the 1st step is to restart the communicator as I always have the unit on and charged given its criticality. That did not fix the issue. Fortunately, my kids text me when I do not directly answer the communicator.

Some would do the happy dance as getting calls may be a problem issue on the other end. Receiving calls however is critical for me. 

Next was an Internet search and suddenly 2 + 2 = 4. There are a lot of things that will prevent you from receiving calls on a Pixel 7 -- like Airplane Mode -- it was off. Then there is battery saver and call forwarding -- both off. Clearing the cache was another -- did nothing.

But the best was the posting from a Pixel 7 user citing the very same problem where a recent update caused the problem. My phone was updated less than a week ago -- automatically and I couldn't stop it. So today a trip to T Mobile.

TYGNYB nor the Pixel 7.

73's
Pete N6QW

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