Articles and competitions.

Check out some of the latest mobile news, reviews and advice to help you get more out of your smartphone.

  • 545 Topics
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545 Topics

Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

July Community Newsletter Competition T's&C's

Terms and conditions Terms and conditions 1. To enter this promotion, you will have to register to the iD Mobile Community and answer the question on the corresponding topic thread: "July Community Newsletter Competition". 2. No purchase necessary. 3. The closing date for entries is 23.59 (GMT+1) on 12th July 2020. The prizes to be won as follows: 4. 1 x Google Pixel 3A XL phone worth £369. The winner will be contacted to arrange delivery of prize. Winning photograph will be featured in August's newsletter. 5. This promotion is open to all UK residents aged over 18 years (except for employees and their families of the Promoter and their group of companies, agents (including affiliates), suppliers and anyone connected with this promotion). 5. Only 1 entry per person is permitted, duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw. 6. The Promoter may, in its absolute discretion, disqualify any entries which it feels do not comply with these terms and conditions or w

960
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Back To School

It’s that time of year where the kids are getting back into the world of academia. Whether it’s the first day of school, the start of GCSEs or a new journey at university, it can be an exciting and daunting time for both students and parents alike.However, the right tech can help students of all ages adjust to the new academic year and all the hard work that’s needed. Phones, tablets, iPads and laptops may be great sources of entertainment, but they can also make getting creative and staying productive much easier.From tracking classes, staying on top of coursework progress and storing files, to juggling multiple deadlines and keeping focus, there are plenty of apps and software out there that make studying a whole lot more manageable.Here are a few that we think make for a great head start: My Study LifeFree on iOS and Android If your child is starting secondary/high school and they’re feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the different classes, subjects and homework there's a great app

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Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Helping you stay contact free in the ‘New Normal’

Living in this new world brings with it a ‘new normal’ and how we interact with what used to be mundane irrelevant tasks has changed significantly with our new hygiene conscious focus. Reducing the amount of physical contact, we have with others and objects is more important than ever, luckily our smart phones already have a wealth of apps and services that enable us to live as contact free a life as possible.   As we need to leave the house for essentials or start acclimatising ourselves to being back out in public places here’s a reminder of or an introduction to how your device can help you live a more contactless, smart and tech savvy way.   Contactless Payments All iPhones and Android phones (from 2014 onwards) have a contactless payment service already built in, Apple Pay and Google Pay, which lets you pay for goods using your debit or credit card but through your phone! As long as the payment is no more than £45, the limit was increased from £30 on the 1st April 2020, all you

6590
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
iD MobileiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

iD Mobile Trustpilot Review Prize Draw - 13th July 2020: Terms & Conditions

iD Mobile Trustpilot Review Prize Draw: Terms & Conditions   To enter the prize draw you must post a review on the iD Mobile Trustpilot page by 13th July 2020 to be in with a chance to win a 1 x £50 Currys PC World eGift Card. The star rating and review content do not affect the likelihood of winning the prize draw. However, if you contravene Trustpilot’s user guidelines, your review might not be included in the prize draw. Trustpilot’s user guidelines can be found at:https://legal.trustpilot.com/user-guidelines No purchase necessary. All entries received between 06/07/20 and 13/07/20 by 17.00 (GMT*1) will be entered into the prize draw. This prize draw is only open to UK residents (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18 and over, excluding employees of Promoter and their families, their group of companies, agents (including affiliates), suppliers and anyone connected with this promotion. Only 1 entry per person is permitted, duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw.

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iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Smart phone home improvements

With spring now in full swing, one of our favourite pastimes as a nation is to get our DIY and home renovation fix on. Unfortunately, things have been a little difficult to source recently with the current climate preventing a trip to the local DIY or furniture store and online sites restricting the purchase of paints and sofas.   However, being in the modern age, we can still scratch that redecorating itch! The advancements in smart phone tech coupled with features like augmented reality (AR) mean you can use your phone camera and a simple app to style your home in ways you only daydreamt in your head without lifting a finger or spending a single pound!   Let us talk you through some of the best home renovation services all available through your phone’s app store.   Dulux Visualizer FREE - iOS App Store & Google Play Store on Android   We’ve all been guilty of staring at the same 4 walls in our living rooms, kitchens, hallways and bathrooms, wondering how they’d look a differe

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Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
PavD
Superhero
PavDSuperhero
published in Articles and competitions.

Apps for Easter

Looking for fun things to do at home with your family this Easter? Why not get creative with some Easter apps? You won’t need to go on an Easter app hunt – we’ve picked out the best ones for you. Just sit back, crack open a chocolate bunny and check out our guide. Greeting cards Easter greetings cards are a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, and they’re fun to make too. With the Happy Easter Greeting Cards app for iOS (£1.70 on App Store) you can create your own cards and send them via Facebook, WhatsApp, email and more. Personalise your messages and choose from a range of stickers, photos and emojis. If you have an Android phone, try the Happy Easter app instead. It’s a simple tool that lets you design and send your own greetings. Get it for free on Google Play. Easter egg painting  Painting and decorating eggs is good fun, especially for kids, but it can get messy. Why not use virtual eggs instead? With the Easter Egg Painter app for iOS (free, with in-app purcha

4180
PavD
Superhero
4 years ago
PavD
Superhero
PavDSuperhero
published in Articles and competitions.

Our top tips on WFH

For many of us, this is the first time we’ve ever worked from home. It’s not always an easy transition to make. After all, your office is literally designed for productivity while your home is geared towards comfort. That means it’s more important than ever to figure out how to keep on top of your workload, maintain a healthy work-life balance and nurture your business relationships So, here are some tips that will make it easier to stay productive at home and keep up to date with your work: Set some ground rules The first and most important thing to do is set a schedule for each day. Make sure you stick to it and have clear guidelines for when to work and when to be doing other things. If you have kids and they’re studying at home, get them involved and make a schedule that works for everyone in your house.  That way, you can all keep on achieving. Make sure your household all know about each other’s meetings, lessons, assignments and workloads. That way, you won’t be disturbed when

12140
PavD
Superhero
4 years ago
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
iD MobileiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

April Community Newsletter Competition T&C's

To enter this promotion, you will have to register to the iD Mobile Community and answer the question on the corresponding topic thread: "April Community Newsletter Competition". No purchase necessary.                                                                                                                   The closing date for entries is 23.59 (GMT+1) on 12th April 2020. The prizes to be won as follows:                                                                               One prize will awarded; SAMSUNG Harman/Kardon HW-Q60R 5.1 Wireless Sound Bar         This promotion is open to all UK residents aged over 18 years (except for employees and their families of the Promoter and their group of companies, agents (including affiliates), suppliers and anyone connected with this promotion). Only 1 entry per person is permitted, duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw   The Promoter may, in its absolute discretion, disqualify any entries which it feels do not comply

13560
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
4 years ago
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
iD MobileiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Pay Monthly Tablet plans

Pay Monthly Tablet plans are now available to purchase directly from the Carphone Warehouse, online and in-Store. The plans allow you to get a great value tablet and iD Mobile Data Only SIM for a set monthly cost. At the moment, the plans are only available through the Carphone Warehouse. However, you still get the perks of being an iD Mobile customer, such as the iD Mobile App, Data Rollover, Bill Capping and Inclusive Roaming. If you've already purchased a Pay Monthly Tablet plan, or you're considering it, we've got a few FAQs that may answer any questions you have below:  How Do I Register My Pay Monthly Tablet plan on the iD Mobile App or My Account Online? Once you've downloaded the iD Mobile App or visited My Account online, registering your account on your tablet is easy. Here's what you'll need and how to register:  1.Open the iD Mobile App or My Account online 2.Select the 'Register' tab. 3.Enter personal details –Your iD Mobile number – This can be found on the Carphone Wareh

22870
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Maintaining your wellbeing during lockdown

Mental health awareness week may have already passed, but that doesn’t mean the spotlight on your wellbeing should be ignored. Now more than ever, in these difficult times, our state of mind needs more attention.   We’ve pulled together some helpful tips and advice which you may find of use. Some of these have appeared in some previous articles we’ve published and include the link to read more should you find them helpful.   Avoid social comparison (taken from https://community.idmobile.co.uk/blog-posts-and-competitions-45/7-tips-for-your-digital-wellbeing-30842) We all love scrolling through our social media feeds, but the downside is that it’s easy to feel like you’re in competition with others. Remember, what you see online isn’t an accurate portrayal of reality – so if anyone’s images make you feel insecure, try and ignore them. Better still, unfollow or block that person.   How to keep connected with friends and loved ones The best way to stay in touch with family and f

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Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Streaming content from your phone to your TV

That big HD or 4K screen in your living room is the perfect way to view the photos and videos you have saved on your smartphone or tablet. Now that most TVs have built-in Wi-Fi, it's simpler than ever to connect your mobile devices. In this guide we'll explain how to quickly and easily get your mobile device and TV talking to one another so you can start making more use of that big screen in your home   Google Chromecast – Android and iOS Google has created a very affordable way of getting things from your device to your big screen with something they call a ‘Chromecast Dongle’. It’s a little device that plugs into a HDMI port on your TV and connects to your WiFi so your phone can ‘cast’ to it. 'Casting' is a general term that means sending content from one device to another, in this case from your mobile device to your TV. It's easy to spot when you can cast something because you'll see a specific icon.  You'll usually see the icon on video apps such as YouTube and Netflix. If y

17460
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

How to manage your Cloud

The traditional methods of storing data such as hard drives and USB sticks or memory cards have been around for many years. While they have their advantages there are also a number of pain points, what happens if the hard drive breaks or the little USB stick gets lost? The rise of the smartphone over the last decade has also brought with it a more innovative method to store your precious photos, videos and documents – The Cloud.   So, what is ‘The Cloud’? In the simplest of terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data like your photos and videos, over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive. The cloud is just a metaphor for the Internet.   There are a number of free cloud storage options available these days, here we highlight some of our favourites.   Google Drive Android – Built In or Google Play Store (free) iOS - Apple app store (free) Google Drive, for Android users is the best known cloud storage service as it is built directly into your device. Th

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Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
iD MobileiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Great apps for making video calls on your iPhone

The best way to stay in touch with family and friends right now is through a video call. There are lots of video calling apps to choose from, so we’ve put together a list of some great apps for you to try-out if you haven’t done so already! As always, when using apps for things like video calls, always ensure you are staying on top of your data usage through the iD Mobile App or through My Account on the iD Mobile website. Or by connecting your device to WiFi, ensuring the Wi-Fi symbol is displayed in your notification bar.   FaceTime What is it? FaceTime is Apple’s own video calling service for users of its iPhones, iPads and Mac computers and is really simple, fun and intuitive to use. It comes pre-installed on all Apple devices so there’s no need to wait for it to download. Key Features High quality video calling Easy to use Can support group calls with upto 32 people Add a effects with Apple’s Animoji feature and put text or filters on the screen Where can I find it? The FaceTime a

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iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
4 years ago
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
iD MobileiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Great apps for making video calls on your Android

The best way to stay in touch with family and friends right now is through a video call. There are lots of video calling apps to choose from, so we’ve put together a list of some great apps for you to try out if you haven’t done so already! As always, when using apps for things like video calls, always ensure you are staying on top of your data usage through the iD Mobile App or through My Account on the iD Mobile website. Or by connecting your device to WiFi, ensuring the Wi-Fi symbol is displayed in your notification bar.   Google Duo What is it? Duo is Google's answer to Apple's FaceTime, and it makes one-to-one calling between Android phones, and from Android to iPhone, very simple with its intuitive app. If you are an android user, you probably already have this great app already pre-installed on your device!   Key features Highest quality video-calling app Easy to use Might already be installed Knock Knock feature lets you see your friends before you answer Where can I find it? P

19700
iD Mobile
iD Mobile Employee
4 years ago
KieranC
iD Mobile Employee
KieranCiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

iD Mobile Trustpilot Review Prize Draw - 28th August 2020: Terms & Conditions

iD Mobile Trustpilot Review Prize Draw: Terms & Conditions To enter the prize draw you must post a review on the iD Mobile Trustpilot page by 28th August 2020 to be in with a chance to win a 1 x £50 Currys PC World eGift Card. The star rating and review content do not affect the likelihood of winning the prize draw. However, if you contravene Trustpilot’s user guidelines, your review might not be included in the prize draw. Trustpilot’s user guidelines can be found at: https://legal.trustpilot.com/user-guidelines No purchase necessary. All entries received between 11/08/20 and 28/08/20 by 17.00 (GMT*1) will be entered into the prize draw. This prize draw is only open to UK residents (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18 and over, excluding employees of Promoter and their families, their group of companies, agents (including affiliates), suppliers and anyone connected with this promotion. Only 1 entry per person is permitted, duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw. The e

1000
KieranC
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

May Community Newsletter Competition T's&C's

Terms and conditions 1. To enter this promotion, you will have to register to the iD Mobile Community and answer the question on the corresponding topic thread: "May Community Newsletter Competition". 2. No purchase necessary. 3. The closing date for entries is 23.59 (GMT+1) on 10th May 2020. The prizes to be won as follows: One of two £50 Currys PC world vouchers. 4. This promotion is open to all UK residents aged over 18 years (except for employees and their families of the Promoter and their group of companies, agents (including affiliates), suppliers and anyone connected with this promotion). 5. Only 1 entry per person is permitted, duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw. 6. The Promoter may, in its absolute discretion, disqualify any entries which it feels do not comply with these terms and conditions or where any form of bad faith is suspected. 7. The entry must be submitted personally by the entrant. Entries by third parties, collective entries or multiple entri

1110
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
EmiliD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

How To Keep Your Phone's Software and Apps Up To Date

Having the latest version of the operating system and apps you use is pretty important. Here’s why, and how to make sure you’re always one step ahead.Whether you’re watching a YouTube clip on your smartphone or browsing the web, update notifications can be an annoying distraction. All too often, it’s easy to swipe them away and forget about them. However, keeping your software and apps up to date is essential. It’s also quick, simple, and can avoid issues later on.For starters, the latest app updates come with security updates too. Many of the apps you use store your personal info, and hackers can take advantage of outdated app design to steal your data. The best way to prevent that is with a quick update.Updates also solve bug fixes. If you’ve ever tried to load an app and found it repeatedly crashing when you tap a certain button, the chances are it’s already been fixed in a newer version. So, it’s always worth checking.As for your operating system, updates are there to improve your

14190
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
EmiliD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Best Fitness Apps For Indoor and Outdoor Workouts

Looking for ways to keep fit without heading to the gym? Our pick of the best fitness apps will help you hit your goals anywhere…If there’s one thing that lockdown (and Joe Wicks) has proved, it’s that you don’t need your usual workout-spot to keep hitting your targets. Sometimes, all you need is a bit of space motivation, and a handy app to keep you on track. Here are a few that we love: FitplanFree 7-day trial. Available on iOS and AndroidMissing your gym partner or personal trainer but not ready to go back just yet? Fitplan may have the answer. Combining one-to-one personal training with goal-focused workouts, you can hit your targets with the help of professional trainers and athletes.There’s a huge choice of workouts available, from sessions designed to build strength, to weight-loss focused exercise. Just pick the exercise plan that best suits your motivation and get tracking! Fitplan works on a subscription basis, so you pay for your ideal fitness program at a fraction of the co

18000
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

June Community Newsletter Competition T's&C's

Terms and conditions 1. To enter this promotion, you will have to register to the iD Mobile Community and answer the question on the corresponding topic thread: "June Community Newsletter Competition". 2. No purchase necessary. 3. The closing date for entries is 23.59 (GMT+1) on 7th June 2020. The prizes to be won as follows: One of two £50 Currys PC world vouchers. 4. This promotion is open to all UK residents aged over 18 years (except for employees and their families of the Promoter and their group of companies, agents (including affiliates), suppliers and anyone connected with this promotion). 5. Only 1 entry per person is permitted, duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw. 6. The Promoter may, in its absolute discretion, disqualify any entries which it feels do not comply with these terms and conditions or where any form of bad faith is suspected. 7. The entry must be submitted personally by the entrant. Entries by third parties, collective entries

1110
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
EmiliD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Build Your Own Smart Home

Build your smart home with this top techWith everyone spending more time at home, there’s never been a better moment to make your living space work better for you.From your security to your central heating, the right smart tech puts everything that makes your house your home in the palm of your hand. You can even get your smart tech to team up with ‘routines’. For example, if you’ve got a smart front door lock and smart lights, you can automatically lock the door and shut off the lights just by saying ‘goodnight’ to your smart speaker. Amazing.Here’s some of the best tech you can add to make your home smarter: 1. Smart lights Smart lights can be programmed to turn on to make your house seem occupied when you’re out or away on holiday. Some lights use your phone’s location to switch on lights to welcome you home. Look out for smart lights you can sync with movies and music from your smartphone and colour changing bulbs that can create different moods.Philips Hue is one of the most popul

660
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
EmiliD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Capture Those Perfect Autumn Snaps

Capture the perfect autumn scene with these top phone camera apps and tipsAutumn is upon us, and that means long country walks, hearty meals and colourful scenery all around. It might be getting a little cooler, but there’s nothing like a wander through nature to cure those post-summer blues.Whether it’s the natural light shining through tree branches, or multicoloured leaves laying on the ground, who could blame you for stopping to capture it all on your phone camera? Don’t just go for the default settings and hope for the best, though. When it comes to shooting nature on your smartphone, the chances are it’s got some neat tricks to nail photos and videos.Here are a few things you can do to get that instantly Instragamable photo: The Rule of ThirdsIf you’re new to photography, there’s a foundational rule that’s helpful for keeping every scenic photo interesting, and that’s the Rule of Thirds. In your phone’s camera app, you should be able to place a grid over your display in the setti

6250
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Streaming Content Outdoors

With the weather getting consistently hotter, the days already longer (read about that here) and our restrictions easing even more the options for leaving the house are widening.   A lot of us have been so used to being on Wi-Fi during lockdown we’ve not been taking full advantage of our mobile data plans, we thought we’d remind you about some of the great apps and services available to stream content! Whether you are on a long car journey, in a field or enjoying the sun from the garden there’s something for everyone!   Just a reminder; you can always stay on top of your data allowances through the iD Mobile App so you don’t run out of data, you can also change your price plan to give you more allowances should you need to and even add data bundles! If you haven’t done already download the iD Mobile app to your device and head here to find out more.   Sports!             With most sporting leagues being postponed earlier in the year there is a lot of catching up to do now mos

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Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
Richard.CiD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

Virtual Summer Events

What’s usually an extremely busy time for festivals, parades and other events is upon us but owing to the current climate most if not all of the events we would have been looking forward to have been cancelled. While it may feel like life has given us lemons, the entertainment industry is making them into lemonade by hosting a whole manner of ‘virtual’ events to make us still get those festival vibes.   We may not be able to go to Glastonbury, take part in a Pride march or visit Comic Con but through the wonder of the internet we can still go visit a local park, meet up with our social bubbles and stream the events through our devices!   Just a reminder; you can always stay on top of your data allowances through the iD Mobile App so you don’t run out of data, you can also change your price plan to give you more allowances should you need to and even add data bundles! If you haven’t done already download the iD Mobile app to your device and head here to find out more.            

2190
Richard.C
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
EmiliD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

The Best Augmented Reality Apps To Try

Augmented Reality brings new ideas and experiences to familiar surroundings with the help of your phone’s camera and clever tech. Here are a few of the apps that do it best…We love apps that use augmented reality (AR) here at iD. What started with us scouring the great outdoors searching for Pokémon, has become a super-practical tool with an astounding range of useful applications. From strategy games that make your living room the arena, to design programs that help visualise projects, developers are creating apps that use our phone cameras in ways we couldn’t imagine only a few years ago. Here’s our pick of some of the best apps that feature AR: IKEA PlaceFree on Android and iOSHave you got a plethora of cushions lining your sofa hiding years’ worth of food and pet stains? Is your dining room table looking a little tired? Or maybe you’re looking to convert that spare room into a new home office. The IKEA Place app lets you browse their massive selection of furniture, choose the area

4180
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
Emil
iD Mobile Employee
EmiliD Mobile Employee
published in Articles and competitions.

How Tech Is Transforming The Fashion Industry

Technology affects our lives in ways we rarely consider. Improvements to tech in the past 30 years haven’t just changed the way we interact, work, and play, they’ve transformed how we think, and create.There are plenty of industries that are innovative with tech, but one of the main industries leading the charge is fashion. With Fashion Week just around the corner in London, Paris, Milan and New York, there’s no better time to celebrate the contribution that technology is making, from the design stage all the way through to your wardrobe.In recent times, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has helped to train stylists, creatives and colleagues across a whole host of fashion houses and retailers. Designers can now easily reach out to one another across any social channel and collaborate on projects. And our phones can actually help us decide what to wear.It’s made creativity more accessible, too. Anyone can draw up designs, engage with fellow creatives, set up shop online and gain exposure for

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Emil
iD Mobile Employee
3 years ago
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