Are you using a smartphone — be it an iPhone, Android device, Windows Phone or BlackBerry ? The more these pocket-sized computers can do, the more pressure it can
put on the battery. Do you rely on your phone for work
or play? Do you get frustrated with your battery life?
If you're finding your smartphone is draining your battery too easily leaving you stranded when you need it, consider these tips to squeeze more battery
life between charges.
Turning down the
brightness of your smartphone screen will help preserve battery life.
Look in the Options or Settings menu. You'll get used to the dimmer
screen after a short while. On a related note, also set your screen to
turn off after a minute or so of inactivity.
- TURN OFF RADIOS YOU DON'T USE
Unless
you need them, turn off as many of your phone's wireless radios as you
can. That includes GPS, Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi. Or, in a pinch, turn
off all radios, including cellular connectivity, by selecting the
"airplane mode." (Tip: Your phone will charge up much faster when in
airplane mode, too.)
- TURN OFF PUSH NOTIFICATIONS IF NECESSARY
If you
can, turn off "push" services or reduce the frequency in which you ask
your smartphone to receive new information, such as incoming e-mail
messages. The phone needs to "ping" a server to send you the updated
data each time. Instead, choose to pull down messages when you need to.
Android users can see an organized breakdown of what's consuming your
phone's battery in the Settings area.
If
you'd like to access online content, use Wi-Fi instead of cellular
connectivity when possible. This will require you to join a wireless
network at home or the office, or when you're in a public hot spot, such
as a café, hotel lobby or airport lounge. Wi-Fi has been proven to be
less taxing on your battery than using cellular (3G/4G) service.
Always
lock your smartphone when you aren't using it. You'll still be able to
receive calls and texts, but you aren't accidentally turning on the
phone when it's in your pocket or purse (because you hit a button or the
screen). After all, there's nothing more embarrassing than calling
someone by accident — especially when it's 2 a.m.
The
battery will drain faster if you're using the phone for tasks that are
more demanding on the system's resources, such as watching video or
playing multiplayer games, than less taxing tasks, such as typing notes
or reading an electronic book. Multitasking — listening to music while
surfing the Web, for example — can also contribute to faster battery
drain. On a related note, some apps drain your battery more than others
(such as ones with many online advertisements). "Live" widgets and
wallpaper will drain the battery, too.
- MAKE SURE THE APP IS CLOSED
Be
sure to properly close an app when you're not using it, as it still
might be running in the background and, thus, using up power (and
possibly data). With iPhones, for example, double-tap the Home button
and swipe up to close open apps. Similarly, press and hold the home
button on an Android device and swipe to the right to close open apps.
If
you can help it, don't keep your phone in hot or cold temperatures,
like leaving it on your car's dashboard on a sweltering summer day or
frigid winter night. Both scenarios could prematurely drain your
battery. Ideally, smartphones work best from, say, 32 degrees to 95
degrees Fahrenheit.
Be sure you download
the latest software updates (sometimes referred to as "firmware") as
smartphone engineers are always trying out new ways to improve power
management. This can be performed when the smartphone is attached to a
computer via USB cable or over a Wi-Fi connection.
Many
phones have fitted battery packs to extend battery life — doubling it,
in most cases — and they often serve as added protection if banged
around. Or you can carry around portable lithium-ion battery boosts that
plug into your smartphone via USB cable, if needed (the higher the mAh
number, the more times it can charge up your device).
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