As smartphone use grows, so does the amount of data they produce. Whether it’s juggling photos and videos taken during trips, or movies and music to entertain while out, the amount of storage your phone holds is an important factor in how useful it is.
In fact, one of the first recommendations we have for those shopping for a new iPhone is getting the most storage you can afford as most modern smartphones don’t allow internal storage to be expanded easily or at all.
If you’re running out of storage, you can look into options like making use of flash drives with a Lightning port connector (such as the PNY and Leef) connect directly to your iPhone’s data port for access.
And definitely consider protecting your data through the use of cloud services, including Apple’s iCloud but also 3rd party services like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – August 12th, 2014
Looking to upgrade your old smartphone using Best Buy Trade-In, or just handing it down to a friend or family member?
Here are 3 steps you’ll want to take before handing the phone over.
1. Back Up Your Data – You may already have your phone setup to automatically sync to an online service like iCloud or your Google account, but it’s a good idea to go ahead and make a manual backup of all your data from the phone. This can be done using the backup tool from the phone’s maker, such as Apple’s iTunes, Samsung Kies, or the Windows Phone Desktop App.
2. Perform a Factory Reset – This process will wipe the phone, helping to clear out your personal data and any apps you’ve installed, and reset the phone back to its default state.
Android – Before resetting your phone, it’s a good idea to encrypt your data if you haven’t already. To do this, go to Settings, then click Security and select Encrypt phone. Once that is complete, go back to Settings, then select Backup & Reset, then select Factory data reset.
iPhone – For iOS devices, go to Settings, select General, and then Reset. From there, tap Erase All Content and Settings.
Windows Phone – Go to the App list and tap Settings. Select About, then Reset your phone. You’ll then tap Yes to the warnings about data loss (you did back your data up, right?) to start the factory reset process.
3. Change Account Passwords – For extra protection, change important passwords that you may have saved to your smartphone, like your Apple ID or Google account. The factory reset on the phone should remove any saved passwords along with your data, but this extra precaution can help.
You may also want to ensure that your phone is removed from any services, like Find My iPhone via icloud.com or as part of the two-factor authorization in your Google Account if you set it up.
Summertime at the beach or pool might be refreshing for you, but not so great for your smartphone. I spoke to WTAM1100 Newsradio in Cleveland about how to handle the surf and sand with your portable electronics.
Today’s tech topic for WTAM 1100 Newsradio in Cleveland was how to use your smartphone or tablet to help plan and prepare for your Thanksgiving holiday.
One of the more common questions I hear is whether it is okay to leave your laptop plugged in all the time. Battery technology has changed over the years, resulting in some conflicting advice coming from friends and family around how to best charge that laptop, smartphone or tablet.
Most current portable devices have switched over to Lithium-ion batteries for power from older nickel-based battery technologies. One of the outdated tips given around the older NiCad batteries was to always fully discharge and recharge the batteries whenever possible. Partial charges, along with age and overcharging issues, meant shorter lives for NiCad batteries. The newer Lithium-ion battery technology has addressed many of these issues, so the advice around them has changed.
Looking to upgrade your old smartphone using