Performance – PSafe Blog

I Can’t Afford to Upgrade My Phone, What Can I Do?

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 19:44:26 +0000

If you’re hoping to upgrade your phone but dang, your budget is tight, there are still ways to improve your phone’s performance without breaking the bank. With the right app, you can increase your phone’s speed and reduce lag time on a budget. There’s a lot that dfndr performance can do for your device, which we’ll talk about below. But, meanwhile, download it:

Delete Old Files
One of the main ways that devices slow down over time is when you download too many apps, take too many pictures and videos, or save tons of files. There’s an easy way to get rid of old files and clean out your device’s storage capacity — dfndr performance has a handy quick cleaner feature.

The feature helps to remove junk files from your phone, while also cleaning the cache, any temporary files, and other stored data that’s hogging up phone space. By clearing up internal space and on your SD card, your phone will run faster.

Ditch Those Duplicate Photos
We often take multiple pictures of the same object (including ourselves) on a quest for the perfect picture. However, many of us fail to delete those duplicate photos once we’ve posted the image on social media and promptly forget about it. The duplicate photos feature identifies repeated photos on your device and offers you the choice of which ones to delete and which ones to keep. (But remember, the aim is to get rid of pics, so try to keep only 1 copy!)

Use One App at a Time
A common problem that Android users have is there are multiple apps running in the background, which stresses the RAM memory and slows down a device. dfndr performance’s speed boost feature can identify which apps are running at once and close them to speed up your phone. This can also help reduce the amount of lockups and crashes when out and about using your device.

Hate Notifications? We Do Too
We have all dealt with too many notifications popping up on our smartphones. Control which notifications are sent to your “do not disturb” list and have the ability to view and clean junk notifications with one touch with notification cleaner. Activating this will unbog your phone and keep it clutter free. Pretty nifty, right?

With these tips, we hope you’re convinced that a performance app like dfndr is exactly what your budget needs to keep that ol’phone happy.

The Best Apps for Father’s Day

PSafe Newsroom — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 12:00:07 +0000

Father’s Day is on June 17 and it’s the perfect time to give back to your dad with mobile apps that will make his life easier. There’s an app for just about everything these days and the ones we recommend are geared towards appeasing your father’s musical taste, helping him find the perfect brisket recipe, or facilitating his search for the ideal home.

Read more to learn which 5 best apps your dad deserves on Father’s Day.

Get Dad to Download StubHub
One of the most popular apps of the last 5 years has been StubHub, which compares ticket prices from various websites in order to find your dad the best deal. Whatever his musical taste or favorite sport may be, StubHub can be tailored to find tickets for the right event on any given night. The app can be linked to your dad’s Spotify, plus it can connect to various e-payment platforms to ensure every transaction is hassle-free.

Help Dad Find His Dream Home
If your father is on the hunt for some new real estate, Zillow.com will help him find a more comfortable home for the entire family. The home search app has an intuitive and logical user interface to search for the ideal home based on your dad’s price range. It can also help him sell his current home by valuing properties in his neighborhood.

For the BBQ Hero of Your Life
If your dad loves to grill meats, check out hundreds of recipes on the Weber Grills app. Each recipe has step-by-step instructions, a built-in grill timer, and a grocery list feature to keep your father’s grilling days organized.

When Your Dad is Mad About Sports
Perhaps the hottest sports app at the moment is Bleacher Report, which offers timely scores and news in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and just about any sport imaginable. The app can be programmed to fit your dad’s interests so he gets notified of the latest stats for his favorite teams.

Improve Your Dad’s Mobile Performance
The best app for optimizing your dad’s mobile device is dfndr performance, which has a quick cleanup feature that gets rid of old files that could be slowing down his phone. It also has an app manager function to remove unused apps he no longer needs. A memory booster feature can enhance his device’s RAM speed as well. After all, you have to help him make room for all these awesome apps.

Astro: The AI app That Can Help Manage Your Inbox

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 22:00:11 +0000

Cleaning out your phone once in a while is always a good idea, because apps and files can add up quickly. While you’re having Astro clean up your inbox, you may as well clean out your entire phone. Use dfndr performance’s App Manager feature to quickly identify unwanted apps and uninstall them in one screen. Try it right now:

App Manager will free up tons of space on your phone for new photos, videos, and apps — like Astro — so you can enjoy a decluttered phone experience.

The Benefits of Astro
Maybe you’re interested in the idea of using artificial intelligence to clean up your email inbox and free up some space, but you’re afraid that the AI will delete emails you wanted to keep. Don’t worry, Astro is truly intelligent and it is the first email app that comes with a built in chatbot to talk to you. Astro will chat with you, and recommend to you what you should unsubscribe from, what to save, and which contacts you should make VIP. The app asks your permission before deleting things so you will never wake up to a string of important work emails being erased from your inbox.

Astro is designed to make your life easier. It has Astrobot Voice and Alexa. This makes it easy to read your emails aloud using Alexa on the Amazon Echo or your phone. This is a great benefit of Astro because you can now hear important emails when you’re on-the-go or driving. It’s also supported by Gmail and Office 365, so no matter what email provider you use, Astro is there to help you and clean up your inbox.

Where You Can Download Astro
You can download Astro from the Google Play store. In addition to downloading it from this store, you can also add Astro to Slack because it has full Slack integration. This means that you can add Slack search and Slack email so that you can manage your email from your Slack app. Another place you can use Astro is on the Amazon Echo, also known as Alexa. This way you can give commands to Alexa, and Astro will go in and complete those commands in your email inbox.

Overall, if you want a cleaner inbox, why stop there? Clean up the rest of your phone with App Manager to make space on your phone for new applications and pictures. A phone free of clutter is a more efficient phone.

Does Facebook Messenger Slow Your Phone Down?

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 13:00:31 +0000

If you have the Facebook app, you’ve likely also downloaded Messenger. In fact, it’s almost impossible to even access your Facebook messages without downloading the additional messenger app, unless you resort to only looking at them on your computer. When it comes to easily getting in contact with people, there’s one mobile app that reigns supreme — even more so than your standard SMS text messaging program — and that’s Facebook Messenger. But Messenger can quickly bloat with files. Cut down those videos or photos by using dfndr security’s facebook messenger cleaner to free up space now:

This dfndr security feature will remove all of the GIFs, photos, and audio files that have built up over time, causing your Messenger app to swell and slow down your phone. By removing these files, you’ll experience better performance on your phone and on the app itself.

As long as you have a reliable Wi-Fi connection, Messenger is probably the quickest and easiest way to get in touch with another person digitally — and the most fun, considering all of it’s new features. All-in-all, Messenger is not a bad app to have, but it’s also well-known for taking up a lot of your phone’s memory. Since it’s one of the larger apps you can download, can — and will — it slow down your phone’s performance?

Picture this: you have an emergency situation and the signal in the area you’re in isn’t great. However, if you have access to Wi-Fi or can, at the very least, turn the Wi-Fi off and still access the Internet, Facebook Messenger is your best option for reaching an important contact. Unfortunately, the very thing that can help you reach the help you need is also slowing your phone down to a crawl.

Sure, that may be an extreme situation, but it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s important to know how a big file app like Facebook Messenger can affect your phone’s abilities. It is very possible that, due to the large size of the Facebook Messenger app, it can slow down your phone, especially while sending messages in-app. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need to delete your Facebook Messenger.

Here Are the Smart New Additions to Google’s Gboard

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:00:32 +0000

As far as keyboard apps go, Google’s Gboard can hold its own against the rest of them. It is one of the highest-rated keyboard apps available from the Play store, and for good reason — it has plenty of exciting built-in features like Google Search, Glide typing, voice typing, emoji search, and Google Translate.

As technology for smartphones has increased in many areas, Google has added new features to their Gboard, which is making everyone excited about the new accessibility they have when using it. With many of these new features being top of the line and made for usability, they continue to add new features that will make life a bit simpler — and more fun! Continue reading to learn more about some of the latest features to come to the Gboard messaging app.

YouTube
YouTube provides users with the ability to choose video clips and send them to those that they’re messaging. These are beneficial for multiple reasons, but they make searching for that funny video to share a breeze.

Google Maps
Want to share your location with those on the other end of the phone? This new Gboard feature allows you to do so. Instead of having to ask them where they are, they can turn their location sharing services on and you will always know.

Phrase Suggestions
As with many messaging apps, phrase suggestions are common. You now only have to type out a short bit of what you want to say and Google will give you phrase suggestions. If they match what you want, you can click on them and send the message without having to type it all out.

Drawing Capabilities
Want to doodle with your friends? This new feature allows users to doodle and then send their friends messages. Draw an emoji and you will send them one from the emoji keyboard. Some like to draw with their fingers, others enjoy using a stylus for this new, cool feature.

Google Gboard is a great way to get more usability out of the messaging that you love. If you want to make your texts more personal, this is the best app for the job. Android users now can enjoy multiple additions that make messaging more user-friendly, exciting, and fun. If you’re looking for a new keyboard app for your Android, don’t hesitate to give Gboard a go.

Are Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat Killing Your Battery?

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 13:00:33 +0000

If you find that your phone’s battery is constantly dying on you, then you may want to look into your phone’s battery usage by app. Are Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat responsible for your dead battery?

Whether or not they’re the reason, the best way to keep your battery from dying is to take advantage of dfndr’s powerpro. powerpro will make your phone battery last longer by allowing you to see which of your phone’s applications are using the most energy. It can then close the apps that are draining your battery, and offer suggestions for improving your phone’s battery life.

Instagram
You may be wondering how Instagram can be draining your battery even when you’re not using it that often. Many people are not aware that, even though they aren’t looking at Instagram, it is still running in the background. The only way to be sure that Instagram isn’t running in the background is to fully close the app instead of just exiting it. Another aspect of Instagram that could be draining your battery is the location feature. If you have given Instagram permission to your location, then Instagram will be constantly searching for your location even when you’re not using the app. The best way to get rid of this is by going to the Instagram permissions and turning off location.

Facebook
One reason Facebook is draining so much battery is because the app is constantly updating with new information behind the scenes. In order to stop Facebook from draining your battery, you need to turn off the “background app refresh” permission. This “background app refresh” is the reason that every app, particularly social media and news apps, are constantly updating with new information. By turning this off, this will save you battery. App developers like to have frequent updates, so apps like Facebook could be secretly updating all day and draining your battery life.

Snapchat
A great way to reduce how much battery Snapchat is using is by turning Snapchat on “Travel Mode” in the app’s settings. By turning it to travel mode, Snapchat will run less in the background and save you battery. Another thing that really drains your battery is using the snapchat camera all day. The camera uses a ton of battery life and can really drain your phone battery if you have it open for long periods of time throughout the day.

Why Does Your Phone Notify You When It’s Fully Charged

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 00:00:17 +0000

Sometimes when your smartphone is charging, you can walk away from it if the outlet isn’t nearby, or forget about it as you get busy with other things. Forgetting about it can easily overcharge your battery. First, keep your phone nearby to monitor the charging process. Second, consider activating the total charge feature to notify you that your phone is fully charged enough and should be unplugged:

While the total charge feature is a smart solution, you may be wondering why it’s important that your phone alerts you when the battery is charged, read on for the primary reasons.

It Has Stopped Charging
Many people may not know that your phone will stop charging once it reaches full battery. Once your battery is fully charged on your smartphone, the charging circuit will disconnect. This means that the charging circuit will not reconnect until the battery level on your phone has dropped to 95% or lower. This happens to prevent phones from charging once they’re at full battery. Your phone will issue a notification that it has reached full charging so that you know that your phone will no longer be charging.

However, with some phones, there isn’t a risk of leaving your phone on the charger once it’s reached full battery. The phone will simply stop charging until the battery lifes begins to dip down and then once it’s low enough, it will begin charging again.

So You Know When It’s Done
This one is the most obvious, but your phone notifies you so that you know when to unplug it. If your phone didn’t notify you when it reaches full battery, you might not know when to unplug it and use your phone. It simply makes things much easier. You can also use Total Charge to monitor your phone’s charging process and alert you when it’s done:

It Could Overheat
Some people have noticed that their phone tends to get hot while it’s on the charger. In order to prevent your processor from running overtime and heating up, you may want to take your phone off the charger. This is why your phone notifies you when your battery is fully charged. It’s difficult to tell if your phone’s battery or your charger is the reason your phone is overheating so if you notice your phone gets hot when charging, unplug it and take it to get looked at by a professional.

These Are the Best Online Messaging Apps

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 13:00:30 +0000

With more complicated messaging apps come apps that take up more phone storage. Some of the most exciting features on these apps are those that demand good phone performance, so keeping your phone at optimal performance is crucial. If you’re a fan of Messenger, you’ll want to take advantage of the facebook messenger cleaner feature that will clear GIFs, audio files, photos, and more that take up a lot of space. Click here to get more free space on your phone:

SMS messages — or what many might think of as old-fashioned texting — might be the most tried and true way to send messages to friends, but as smartphone technology continues to advance, SMS is starting to seem more and more like a relic of the past. From stickers, to chat filters, to augmented reality, innovative messaging apps have been making big advances.

Messenger
One of the oldest apps on the market, Messenger has made the wise choice of quickly adapting to new trends in messaging apps. Some of its earliest innovations, like sending chat stickers, quickly became the norm across many apps, and new features like chat colors and nicknames allow a personalized touch for every conversation. Messenger has also made some bigger leaps over the past year by adding augmented reality filters to its video-calling, photography modes, and message reacts. These newest add-ons make it not only a good option, but one of the most comprehensive messaging apps on the market.

GroupMe
Despite lacking the bells and whistles of some of its competitors, GroupMe has something some competitors do not — the ability to add non-smartphone users to a group chat. This makes it an outstanding option for Android users who want to start a group chat with older family members or co-workers who have yet to get a smart phone. Furthermore, since it is intended to be used almost exclusively as a group chat app, it is easy for users to keep track of all group chats in one organized place. This added convenience helps reduce the overwhelming feeling of too many notifications from hyperactive group chats.

Snapchat
Primarily known as a photo-sharing app, Snapchat has evolved to compete with other messaging apps. With unique stickers and a Bitmoji tie-in to its chatting interface, Snapchat adds a fun and inviting twist to messaging. Like photos sent over the app, messages will disappear, too. While this makes it less viable as a platform for long-term conversations, it makes it a good option for quick check-ins and reactions to life events people post.

Does It Matter If You Leave Your Phone to Charge Overnight?

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 23:00:23 +0000

How much thought do you give to charging your phone? Probably not that much, especially if your phone is brand-new and still working rather efficiently. But if you wear out your phone during the day, only to leave it plugged in to charge all night while you’re asleep, then you’re actually shortening the lifespan of your beloved new smartphone. It’s time to pay more attention to your charging process so that you can get the most out of your new phone — and keep it working like new for years. Click here to use Total Charge to monitor your phone’s charging process:

Total Charge shows you which stage of the charging process your phone is in and how long it’ll take to charge your phone. It’ll then alert you whenever it’s done charging, so that you don’t have to worry about damaging your phone. This is important because leaving your phone plugged in after it’s reached 100% can lead to overcharging, which can cause your phone to overheat. It can also cause battery damage, which will shorten your phone’s overall lifespan and how well it works.

The Main Issue with Charging Your Phone Overnight
If your phone seems to be fine whenever you charge it overnight, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is fine. The real issue with leaving your phone plugged in is that doing so can affect your battery’s health. It can reduce the lifespan and quality of your battery — a disappointing reality if you just dropped a lot of money on a new phone. While you may not see the effects of this decision immediately, you’ll start to see it over time. Then you’ll be stuck with a phone that doesn’t hold a charge or continuously freezes when you have a year left on your phone contract.

Is Your Phone Prone to Overheating?
Overcharging used to be a major issue for cell phones, but as technology has improved, it has become less of a problem. However, that doesn’t mean you should leave your phone plugged in for long periods of time, especially if your phone is older or if you’re using an off-brand or cheap phone charger. Pay attention to how your phone responds to charging (with the assistance of Total Charge). If it gets hot after reaching 100%, then you know you need to immediately unplug your phone after it’s done charging to avoid immediate battery damage.

An overheating phone — whether caused by overcharging or a poor-quality charger — could also spark or start a fire. Additionally, you should steer clear of “fast chargers,” which can cause your phone to rapidly overheat, which will further damage your phone’s battery life.

Doubleswitch: The Newest Social Media Hacking Tactic

PSafe Newsroom — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 23:00:44 +0000

With the advancements in tech, security, and innovation, hackers are finding new ways to not only compromise credit cards or computers, but also social network accounts and apps. That’s why it’s important to ensure that all of your social media accounts are protected, because they are likely holding sensitive information. Use the social guardian feature to lock your social media accounts with an extra password right now:

The Newest Social Media Hacking Tactic
It was only a matter of time before hackers were able to find newer and more clever ways to take over and steal people’s social media accounts. In this, one of the newest social media hacking tactics is known as double-switching. This is simply when a hacker infiltrates a social media account, alters the user’s name, password, email, and any other pertinent information, preventing the account holder from ever accessing that account again.

Knowing that thousands of companies and important public figures utilize social media accounts, hackers have targeted social media accounts in efforts to spread fake news or their personal agenda. The most popular case of public double-switching has been reported in Venezuela where numerous journalists, human rights activists, and many others lost their social media accounts and could not recover them.

Protect Your Social Media Accounts
Reading this information could cause a stir or worry for anyone on social media networks. It’s important though to make sure that you are constantly updating your password, choosing alternatives that are difficult and near impossible for a hacker to uncover. On top of this, if a social media network, or even an app like WhatsApp, is holding personal information and offers for multiple-authentication methods, it is smart to enroll in these options. By doing so, double-switching is ineffective and counterproductive.

So, the lesson is: use the right protective tools to optimize your privacy and peace of mind while using social apps. There is no greater feeling in the world than knowing that your private information is safe away from the hands of hackers.