Cell phones are no longer just for making calls. That’s old news! But another bit of old news is that these phones used to be sturdy. Remember Nokia 1100?
Today’s smartphone is a snob; it won’t take a beating like the poor old fella of yesteryear. You will need to take good care of these smart beauties.
Here are a few simple tips to keep your smartphone happy:
1. Cover up your phone
Phone screens are becoming bigger by the day, and with that the chances of ruining them with scratches have increased. So as soon as you buy your phone, spend Rs 100-300 on a screen guard. These are thin plastic films that you can stick on the display so that it doesn’t get scratched. These cost as little as 50 bucks in a local market, and can cost Rs 800 if they are branded. But remember, if your phone has a capacitive touchscreen, do not use any old screen guard; buy a specialised guard or touch sensitivity will suffer. You can also get your phone laminated, which will cost barely Rs 100-200 and will protect the whole phone from moisture, dust, and scratches.
2. Be careful while pocketing your phone
Men often clumsily put their phone in their pocket along with keys, coins and many other inhabitants, while women put them in there purse where it shares space with lipsticks, combs and many other things I know of, but the phone doesn’t want to share its space and will end up with a scratched body and screen, broken screen, and worst of all, broken circuits.
The best way to protect your phone is to assign a separate space for it in your pocket or purse. If you travel in a personal vehicle, you can also opt for a phone holster that can be attached to your belt (not a good idea in a crowded bus or train, for it is an open invitation to thieves). These holsters have the dual benefit of protecting your phone while protecting you from harmful radiation. If you travel in public transport, try a phone pouch.
3. Keep it the way you keep medicine
Keep it in a cool and dry place. Do not keep your phone in direct sun light and avoid keeping it on the dash board of your car, for it’s very hot there due to the green house effect. The place near the gear shift is the best place in a car.
Moisture is another thing you need to avoid, so if you are sweating, don’t keep your phone in your jeans’ pocket. If you do accidentally drop your phone in water, remove all the detachable components immediately and let the phone dry (you can use a hair dryer for faster drying, though you shouldn’t overdo it), visit a technician and get the phone cleaned from inside (don’t do it yourself).
4. Dust is another enemy
Dust is another enemy of your cell phone, apart from heat and moisture. While you can’t completely avoid it in India, laminating your phone and keeping it in a pouch will help. Regularly cleaning it by removing the covers and batteries and using a brush (a paint brush is a good idea) will help.
5. Do not overload your phone
Lots of apps and data in your phone will slow it down; very similar to what happens to a PC when you are running a lot of software and keep you hard disc near full. So remember to give it some breathing space by using below 75 per cent of storage space. Removing unnecessary applications just as you do on a PC is also a good idea.
Last but not least, do not attempt to make repairs by your self; technicians are best for this job.