battery – PSafe Blog

Easy Ways to Avoid the $1000 Vacation Mobile Phone Bill

PSafe Newsroom — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 01:00:22 +0000

Whether you’re vacationing abroad or on a cruise ship this summer, you can easily and unknowingly rack up your cell phone bill very quickly. Many fees occur without ever making a call. Apps are constantly running in the background of your phone, using up data and draining your phone’s battery. If you want to use your phone abroad, make sure to get a plan with your carrier before you leave, and take advantage of powerpro to save battery life and reduce your data usage:

If you don’t have an international plan, even turning your phone on once while abroad can rack up roaming fees as calls and texts come in. Roaming is when your phone uses data while you’re outside your carrier’s covered area — such as when traveling internationally. Educate yourself below so you can avoid the $1000 (or more) vacation cell phone bill.

Block Apps’ Data Usage to Stop Background Updates

In addition to using PowerPro, go into your phone’s settings to limit which apps run even when they’re closed. This will save your data and limit roaming fees when traveling abroad.

Get a New Sim Card Before You Leave

With a local or international sim card, you’ll get charged as the locals do. You can purchase these cards online for around $40 plus usage fees. This option means that you’ll have a different phone number when abroad.

Talk to Your Carrier About International Packages

Keep your same phone number by purchasing an international package. Each carrier approaches them differently, but most are reasonably priced when compared to the fees you’d rack up from data roaming. The data is usually slower, but you can speed it up for a fee. Some even let you use your domestic plan’s monthly data, text, and call allowance abroad for a daily or monthly fee. Many carriers even offer specific plans for cruise ships. Always read the fine print to know what your package covers.

Say Hello to Airplane Mode

Turning your phone to airplane mode ensures data roaming and cellular data is off. Go to your phone’s settings or swipe down menu and click on the airplane icon. Once enabled, your data and Wi-Fi will automatically turn off. Easily turn Wi-Fi back on to enjoy Internet access without fear of roaming charges.

Switch to an Alternative Messaging App

If you give up data altogether or are limited, use a messaging app to stay in touch. WhatsApp, Telegram, FB Messenger, and Skype all let you make calls and send photos and texts over Wi-Fi. Let your friends and family know before you travel so that they can download the app of your choice.

Why Does Facebook Use A Lot of Battery When It’s Not Open?

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:05:21 +0000

Ever since it’s conception, Facebook’s official application has enjoyed a long reign as one of the Google Play store’s most popular downloads. But cell phone users who installed the app do tend to notice a negative effect on their phones’ performance levels. Any guesses why? Well, Facebook continues to run in the background — even when the app is closed. This application is notorious for doing frequent notification checks, which can drain a lot of your battery’s juice. Click here to use Memory Booster to close apps like Facebook from running in the background of your phone to free up RAM and speed up your phone:

However, up until recently, many cell phone users couldn’t quantify how much of an impact the Facebook app was having on their device. So, the team at Tech World Zone (TWZ) did some digging. The company wanted to assign numbers to the Facebook app’s battery drain, and the statistics that they released were staggering. When TWZ conducted their independent test on a Huawei Nexus 6P model, they reported that the phone’s battery lasted 20% longer without the Facebook app! If you’d like to protect your cell phone’s battery life, keep reading to find out more.

How to Stop the Facebook App from Draining Your Android

If the Facebook application is constantly overworking your Android and you’re hoping to free up some battery life, you have three things to consider:

Change your Facebook settings. This will limit the app’s power. This option is for Android users who can’t imagine a life without their beloved Facebook app. That being said, taking this approach won’t totally fix the problem, although it will certainly help. What you need to do is go into Facebook’s settings. From there, turn off your notifications, internal refreshing, chat availability, and all syncing functions. Deactivating these features will keep your Facebook app from running so heavily in the background.
Delete the Facebook app entirely. If you don’t spend much time on Facebook, then you should just pull the app’s plug. You can always browse the social network in your Chrome browser. The display isn’t quite as user-friendly, but it gets the job done.
Find another app that supports Facebook. If you browse through the Google Play store, you’ll find a bunch of alternate apps that support Facebook. Some of the most popular include: Facebook Lite, Metal, and Folio. Be sure to read the reviews before downloading.

3 Annoying Things That Happen to Your Android After Purchase

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 14:30:06 +0000

Nearly 40 percent of users in a recent Android Central poll said they purchased a new Android phone every year or every other year. That’s a lot of new devices, each one with a slightly different mode of operations. For the most part, a new phone can eliminate problems that crop up on older phones. But they can also come with issues of their own. One common, annoying problem that often happens to new smartphones: it’s easy to overload them with apps, which can cause the phone to lag. If you’ve downloaded a lot of apps that you now want to remove, click here to use App Manager to quickly remove unwanted apps:

Perhaps you bought a new device because the old one was too slow. Yet even with your new system, you find that your device is already slowing down. Your new phone may be slowing down for many reasons — this is not solely an issue with older phones. If you bought a new phone so you could load it up with new and complicated apps, you may want to reconsider your behavior, and only download the apps that are essential to you. Nonetheless, continue reading to find out other annoying things that can happen to your new Android phone.

Your Home Screen is Too Cluttered

Your phone comes loaded with widgets that give you the weather, the time, and the news, along with apps that take up every inch of your home screen. The widgets and apps that come with your new phone can make your home screen difficult to navigate. Clear out your home screen by tapping the home screen until it brings up a zoomed-out screen with these apps and widgets on it. Then you can drag the ones you don’t want to the trash. None will be deleted from your device — only from your screen. As the default settings in Android prove, it takes some effort to modify your phone so it looks and operates exactly like you prefer.

Your Phone Lacks Enough Storage Space

You get home with your new device, download a few new apps, and your phone’s storage is already full. That’s because most Android phones are loaded from the get-go with bloatware, or pre-loaded apps that most users won’t want. To get rid of these unwanted apps, navigate to “Settings” and then to “Apps” or “Applications” to force the app to quit. Or, use App Manager to remove the apps from your device. Just make sure you don’t delete any apps that help your phone to operate normally.

Which Communication App is the Most Battery Efficient?

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 16:00:03 +0000

While it’s true that social media apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp can drain a lot of battery, their users are mostly the ones at fault. Now, don’t get all upset! It’s great to text with your friends, send selfies, and share silly GIFs, but these activities do take up a lot of your battery life. The problem with messaging apps is that they run in the background of your phone. Even if you close them when you’re finished using them, these apps never ever stop working. But don’t worry; you can use Memory Booster to close background apps on your device:

Between texting and using Messenger or WhatsApp, neither option is necessarily more battery-efficient. You shouldn’t have to stop using these apps, though. You simply need to be more aware of what’s happening with your Android while you’re using these apps. That’s where Memory Booster comes in. Memory Booster will close all apps running in the background of your phone in order to free up RAM, speed up your device, and improve your battery life. Want to further improve your battery life? Keep reading below to find out what steps to take to help conserve your battery life during an engaging texting conversation.

How to Save Your Android’s Battery While Messaging

Change to Power Saving Mode, or manually dim your screen. Contrary to popular belief, Power Saving Mode isn’t only for when your phone is close to dead. You can enable this handy feature whenever you know you’ll be using your Android for a lengthy stretch of time. Power Saving Mode streamlines your phone’s usability, so the screen is slightly dimmed and any features you don’t need are disabled.
Close unused applications while you text. If you’re leaving apps running in the background while you message friends, that’s a surefire way to drain your battery. These applications continue to eat up energy, even when you’re not actively using them. So, you should close them ASAP with Memory Booster. Things like games, video, social media, and live streaming apps are usually the biggest culprits.

Turn off notifications and disable constant refreshing. As mentioned above, notifications and app-refreshing are a huge battery-sucking problem. For applications like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you probably don’t need to see every single notification. So, why not turn them off? While you’re in “Settings,” you should consider changing your refreshing and notification options. Since these apps are always updating themselves (hundreds of times a day), they’re going through your Android’s battery levels like small hurricanes.

What is the Battery Memory Effect for Your Device?

PSafe Newsroom — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 14:00:08 +0000

Luckily, cell phone batteries made of lithium-ion do not suffer the battery memory effect that is commonplace among rechargeable nickel batteries. However, phone batteries have their own charging particularities: they don’t function as well if you charge them too much or let their battery power drop to zero. While lithium-ion batteries function the longest if they’re regularly charged from around 40% to 80%, it can seem like a chore to keep track of these very specific charges. That’s where the Total Charge feature can help. Keep your phone’s battery working effectively for longer by running Total Charge:

Total Charge notifies you when it’s time to disconnect your phone from the charger and alerts you about overcharging. Additionally, its Charger Monitor Screen lets you know how long it will take for your phone to reach its peak charge.

Problems with overcharging or underusing rechargeable batteries is nothing new. Back when we used rechargeable batteries made of nickel, we noticed the battery memory effect, or a battery’s diminishing charge capacity if it was recharged after being only partially discharged. The battery could only “remember” the diminished capacity, hence the name of the phenomenon. This was certainly an issue, but while this doesn’t happen to lithium-ion batteries, there are still a few steps you can take — in addition to using Total Charge — that will keep your phone’s batteries in their best shape.

Recharge Your Battery From Zero to 100% Only Once Per Month

If you’re regularly letting your phone battery die and then recharging it to 100%, stop this practice right away. Experts suggest only letting your phone complete a full charge once per month to recalibrate the battery.

Use The Charger That Came With Your Phone

Never use a replacement charger that isn’t designed for your phone. These cheap alternatives can significantly harm the battery — they have even been known to catch fire. If you lose your original charger, it’s best to replace it with a charger designed specifically for your device.

Don’t Use “Fast Charging” Feature On Your Phone

Many Android devices are equipped with a feature that makes the phone charge more quickly. Use this feature sparingly or not at all. Fast charge features send power at a higher voltage, causing the battery to heat up more quickly.

While rechargeable phone batteries are no longer affected by the battery memory effect, make sure to adopt the above charging methods that can keep your battery working more effectively for longer.

A Cooler Phone Battery is a Healthier Phone Battery

PSafe Newsroom — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 16:00:05 +0000

Your smartphone functions more efficiently when it is at an optimal temperature. A temperature that is too warm will affect how your phone performs, in addition to damaging your phone’s battery. So, how do you get a cooler, healthier battery? The first step to a cooler phone battery is to use the Total Charge feature, which will help prevent your phone from overheating. Click here to use Total Charge:

The Total Charge feature will monitor your phone’s charging process in order to prevent your phone from overcharging. Overcharging occurs whenever your phone continues to charge after your battery has reached 100%. Overcharging can lead to your phone overheating, which can quickly damage your phone’s battery and shorten its lifespan. Using Total Charge is one of the easiest ways to prevent battery damage and keep your battery cool.

Why Do Smartphones Overheat?

Most smartphones use lithium-ion batteries, which are more sensitive to internal and external temperatures. A warm smartphone is not something to be worried about — the issue is when the smartphone has become too warm or hot to touch, as these temperatures affect how the phone is functioning. Because lithium-ion batteries are so sensitive, they can quickly be damaged due to overheating. This can result in a shorter lifespan for your battery — meaning that you need to replace your phone or battery sooner than desirable — and poor phone performance. In an extreme case, overheating can lead to your battery exploding.

There are a lot of reasons smartphones overheat. They may overheat due to: a video playing, using Bluetooth for too long, too many apps running at once, the battery being bad or faulty by default, your smartphone being overcharged, or using a demanding app or program, among other reasons. Newer smartphones with virtual reality capabilities, for example, are prone to overheating due to the demands of VR technology.

How to Keep Your Battery Cool

Use Total Charge to avoid overcharging your device.
Don’t leave your phone plugged in overnight.
Don’t play games or watch videos for long periods of time.
Don’t leave your phone in a hot car or in direct sunlight.
Avoid quick chargers that can cause your device to overheat.
Give your phone a break from time to time, and use your laptop or another device for certain online tasks.
Don’t charge your phone on a soft surface.
Although a leather phone case may look cool, it may also cause your phone to retain heat.

Can Your Phone Case Prevent it from Charging Properly?

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 14:00:04 +0000

Some smartphone users buy phone cases for practical purposes, such as to protect phones from water damage or drops, while others buy cases for aesthetic reasons. Beyond that, users may not put a lot of thought into how their phone case affects their smartphone. However, the design and material of the case can play a huge role in the phone’s performance — it can actually affect how well the phone charges. Click here to use Total Charge to see how your phone is charging:

Total Charge will help you to monitor your phone’s charging process, so you can quickly see how your phone is doing. If your phone is not charging properly — or if it keeps disconnecting, perhaps due to your phone case —you’ll be able to tell through the charger monitor screen, which shows each stage of the charging process. This feature will also alert you when your phone is done charging, so that you can prevent your phone from overcharging, which will damage your phone’s battery.

How the Material of Your Phone Case Comes Into Play

The material of a phone case can affect how well a phone charges or functions. Certain materials, such as leather or plastic, can cause the phone to retain heat. This worsens if your phone is charging or if you’re asking your phone to perform too many functions at once. If you think your phone isn’t charging correctly due to your phone case causing it to overheat, try removing your phone case to see if that helps to remedy the issue.

The Design of Your Phone Case Can Affect Your Phone

Many phone cases that are designed to be waterproof or drop-proof, especially if they are cheaply made, can interfere with how your phone charges. If a case is poorly designed or too bulky, it may cause the charger to frequently disconnect. This will of course affect how your phone charges because it is continuously being unplugged.

Find a Better Phone Case

Phone cases aren’t as important as they used to be for protecting a device. If you must have a particular case on your phone — and if it isn’t causing your device to overheat when unplugged — then simply remove the case whenever it’s charging. This will help to keep your battery cool, which will preserve its life and allow it to charge more efficiently. In addition to using Total Charge, look for a phone case that will help keep your phone cool, such as one with a more open design.

Learn How to Spot a Weak Smartphone Battery

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 07 May 2017 14:00:47 +0000

There are a few tell-tale signs of a weak smartphone battery. However, you should first check to see whether or not your battery appears weaker than it is simply because all of your apps are draining your battery. Use PowerPro feature to identify tasks that are consuming too much of your phone’s battery, to see if this helps to improve its battery life:

PowerPro will help you to manage your apps and remove any tasks that are draining your phone’s battery. It will also offer you suggestions on how you can make your device’s battery last longer. Still, if better managing your apps doesn’t help to significantly improve your phone’s battery life, then your phone may have a weak battery. The following are some of the biggest signs of a bad battery.

Signs of a Bad Phone Battery

Your phone won’t turn on. If you recently had your phone in your pocket or a bag that got soaked from a rainstorm, or if you dropped your phone in a toilet, then you may have killed your phone’s battery.
Your new phone dies quickly. If you just purchased a new smartphone, your phone’s battery should not be dying quickly (unless you’re using it constantly to watch videos, play games, and et cetera). You should be able to go for some time without charging your device, since the battery is new. If it’s dying after a few hours, then you likely bought a phone with a bad battery.
Your phone’s battery is no longer smooth. If you’re having issues with your phone’s battery, try removing the battery (if removable) to examine the surface. If the surface is not smooth — i.e. if it has a “bulge” — then your battery has gone bad.
Your phone isn’t charging correctly. If your phone is not charging properly, if it loses its charge quickly after charging, or if it only works when connected to a power source, then you have a weak phone battery.
Your phone is hot when it charges. If your phone gets hot when you’re charging it — and it hasn’t yet reached 100% — then your battery is starting to die.

How to Improve Your Phone’s Battery

If your phone has a bad battery, whether from the start or else due to damage, then you’ll need to replace it. No matter what you decide to do, you should make an effort to preserve your new phone battery. Click here to use DFNDr’s Total Charge feature to monitor your phone’s charging process so that you can prevent damage to your battery:

Do Yourself a Favor: Turn off Your Cell from Time to Time

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 05 May 2017 17:00:40 +0000

Many of us make this mistake: we leave our phones on all day to use them and then all night to charge them. But did you know that never turning off your phone can damage the battery? Leaving your phone plugged in all night can further damage your phone’s battery, because it can lead to overcharging, which can cause your device to overheat. Use Total Charge feature to monitor your phone’s charging process so you can protect your battery:

Total Charge gives you information about your phone’s battery as it charges. It figures out how long it takes your phone to charge, and then tells you exactly when to disconnect your phone to prevent overcharging. Overcharging and overheating can quickly damage your phone’s battery and shorten its lifespan. That’s why it’s important to make sure that your battery remains in good health.

Why Do You need to Turn Off Your Phone?

Experts suggest that turning your phone off can help preserve your battery for longer. But don’t bother turning off your phone if it will only be off for a short period of time. The battery-boosting benefits of powering off only take effect if you power off for a few hours or more. If you have your phone plugged into a wall outlet when it is off, you also won’t get any of the benefits.

However, if you’re out of network range or if you are planning on going to sleep without charging your phone, go ahead and turn off the phone. When off, your phone won’t lose power. This will really help to extend your battery’s life. Remember, the average Android only has 300 to 500 full charges before it starts to malfunction — or die altogether — so if you can eliminate needing to re-charge by powering your phone off, why not do it?

What Are Some of the Side Benefits of Powering Off?

Turning off your phone doesn’t just benefit the battery. You’ll also gain focus for work. For example, experts say that the human mind isn’t adept at multitasking — that belief was a pesky myth. You may think that your mind likes the stimulation of switching between many activities — like constantly checking that phone — but really, that click-around behavior isn’t helping you be efficient. To be more productive, power off for a while.

Smartphone Functions That Use A Lot of Battery Power

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:00:22 +0000

Does your phone’s battery life suck? If you’re always struggling with a short battery life, use PSafe’s PowerPro to pinpoint the apps that are draining your phone’s battery. PowerPro gives you suggestions to make your battery last longer, as well as suggestions on how to manage your apps that take up too much power. Click here to improve your phone’s battery life:

Still, there are other ways that you can improve your smartphone’s battery life. There are several functions and tasks on your smartphone that can take up so much of your battery’s limited supply. Sometimes, the biggest battery power stealers aren’t always the most obvious. The following will discuss five of the worst — and most surprising — energy drainers.

Apps

Even if you never use them, apps can be a significant drain on your battery power. So, it makes sense to get rid of the apps that you rarely — or never — use. Use App Manager to quickly uninstall any apps that you no longer want on your device. This will save you from going through all of the apps on your device to locate the ones you no longer want. Click here to quickly remove unwanted apps:

Widgets

Weather, news, and social media widgets on your home screen are there to give you real-time updates. But did you know that these are also battery drainers? This is because they’re often vibrantly-colored and always syncing. If you don’t need a widget, you should press and drag it to the trashcan icon.

Signal Search

If you’re in a low-signal or a no-signal area, your phone doesn’t know what’s going on. If you let your phone function normally there, it will keep looking for a signal over and over again. To prevent your phone from draining its battery, flip it to Airplane Mode instead.

Over- and Under-Charging

Your phone’s battery functions the best if you keep it between 40% and 80% battery. Don’t let the phone’s charge drop below 40% — if you let the battery drop low and then recharge again to full, you’ll shorten the battery’s life overall. Additionally, don’t let your phone keep charging when it’s already full.

Vibrating

Vibrate mode is one of the worst settings for your battery life. Either turn your phone completely to silent or turn on the ringers. To change, head to “Settings” and “Sound,” and then uncheck “Vibrate for Calls.” If you navigate to “Language and keyboard,” you can also uncheck “Vibration feedback,” which is the vibration that happens when you type — another major battery drainer.