So why do our batteries run down so quickly on our smartphones and what is using our battery life. Well both iOS and Android can show the apps that are using up your battery. On iOS open the Settings app and tap on “Battery.” You’ll see a list of apps which will show in order of how much battery they’ve consumed either the last 24 hours and over the last week. There’s also a clock icon to the right that will tell you exactly how long each app has been running on screen and in the background. When you go to the bottom of this screen, you’ll see the total usage time since the last full charge and the time that the phone was in standby. Android users should open the Settings app from the app drawer and open the “Battery” option. This tells you the apps that have consumed… Read More
Continue ReadingGoogle Home Is Now Here – And Its Great
Google Home, the voice-activated speaker which powered by the Google Assistant is out now . Google Home is available from Harvey Norman , Telstra and some major retailers at a cost of $199 With a simple “Ok Google”, Google Home will respond with answers to your questions , let you turn up the music that you can get it to play from Google Music , Spotify or YouTube. With Google Home you can keep up with your calendar , use it to manage your everyday tasks , play and pause the radio ( you just say Ok Google play – FIVEaa Adelaide or even turn on or adjust your compatible smart lights if you have them. Sound quality and voice recognition is excellent. A full list of functions of the Google Home can be found here : Google Home Google Home works seamlessly with your internet connection. You will need… Read More
Continue ReadingYou Cannot Call Google
If you have an issue with Gmail or your other free Google services and need help , you cannot ring them. Google support is through a dedicated page – Google Support – and it does not include a support number. However if you do a search for Google support you will see some ” businesses ” that claim to be from Google. Calling numbers like the ones below can lead you to being charged exorbitant amounts of money after they log into your computer ( do not allow this !)
Continue ReadingHell Has Frozen Over – I Have Moved To The Samsung S8 Plus
I have now been using my new smartphone the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus for a week now and it is time to pass an opinion. I have used an iPhone 7 Plus since its release but over the last few years I would get the Samsung Galaxy smartphones – test them – then pass it on and go back to my iPhone. This time around though I have kept using the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and have no intention of giving it up. Here is why: It is a gorgeous device – surely the best designed visually appealing smartphone they have made The screen is superb – really superb , with the wrap around screen – and it goes to the edge of the device Battery life is excellent – I can use the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus all day – not charge it – then get up the next… Read More
Continue ReadingWays To Stay Secure When Using Android
Lets look at ways to keep your Android phone / device secure Lock your phone – create a pin or use the fingerprint reader Practise using the Android Device Manager to locate your phone Make sure the “ unknown sources “ is disabled in your Android settings as this will not allow you to install from “ third party sites “ that maybe shady Keep your phone updated , both apps from the Google Play Store and system updates Turn on Google Chromes Safe browsing feature in Chrome on your Android device and don’t use the other browsers – To check if you’re already using it, just head over to the Settings -> Privacy menu in Chrome on Android.
Continue ReadingUpdate Your Android Apps – It Just Helps
If you have an Android smartphone when was the last time you went to the Google Play Store on your smartphone and checked for updates to the apps. It appears that many people do not and that can and does lead to issues. So how do you do this and can you turn on automatic updates – its not a bad idea . Open the Google Play Store app on your smartphone. Tap the Menu button and then tap on “My apps & games”. The Apps with an update available are indicated by the term “Updates“. To update individual apps, select the particular app, which you want to update and then tap Update Or Tap Update All to update all apps. Note: While updating apps, some apps require new permissions, and you may see a notification asking you to accept the new permissions because app developers would have changed the… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Samsung Battery Commitment
Nice to see Samsung advertise their commitment to battery safety. We need viable , well made technology products from all companies because when we have this we all win and I look forward to the Samsung Galaxy S8 release later this year.
Continue ReadingIn The Online World Your ID Is Important
Whether you have an Apple account for your Mac , iPad , iPhone or a Windows device or a Google account your ID to log in is important and something you should know , remember and manage when necessary. All of these require: An email address A password In some cases a recovery email address A mobile phone number for 2 factor authentication – you really should do this they will not spam you If you decide for a reason to change your email address which is linked to any of the accounts above , you need to make the change to your IDs before you make the change to your regular email address as if things go wrong you may lose access to that account or have to jump through some hoops to get back in. Learn how to logon to these accounts and check your details. Android users… Read More
Continue ReadingI Just Bought An Android Smartphone Do I Need An Antivirus?
A question I am asked all the time is , I have just bought an Android smartphone do I need an antivirus , and my answer is generally , no. The Android operating system is safe as long as you follow the basic rules of : Only getting apps from the Google Play Store – this is the default now Keep the operating system up to date – don’t ignore those updates when they pop up on the screen Stay away from the ” too good to be true ” websites – free movies , music etc If you still feel that this is too hard then install Lookout which does a good job and does not take over your device. Stay clear of the Windows based antivirus solutions.
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