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Easy Ways to Avoid the $1000 Vacation Mobile Phone Bill

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.

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

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.

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3 Annoying Things That Happen to Your Android After Purchase

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.

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Which Communication App is the Most Battery Efficient?

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.

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What is the Battery Memory Effect for Your Device?

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.

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A Cooler Phone Battery is a Healthier Phone Battery

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.

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Can Your Phone Case Prevent it from Charging Properly?

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.

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Learn How to Spot a Weak Smartphone Battery

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:

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

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.

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Smartphone Functions That Use A Lot of Battery Power

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.

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Android Users Need to Remove These Five Apps Now

Sun, 02 Apr 2017 17:00:17 +0000

Some applications on your phone could be significantly hindering your device’s performance. While some applications are infested with malware, others simply just take up too much space or slow down your device. Here are five types of apps that you need to get rid of.

Quickly Locate Battery-Hogging Apps

DFNDR’s App Manager allows you to remove applications that you do not want to keep on your device. It uninstalls any useless applications that you have, in just one screen, with just one click of a button. This instantly frees up space on your device for new photos, videos, and apps. Click here to manage and remove unwanted apps:

RAM-Saving Apps

Installing supposed “RAM-saving apps” is not an efficient way for you to conserve RAM. In fact, it could do just the opposite. The idea of these applications is to kill background applications to preserve RAM. However, upon killing the application’s function, the application just reboots. So this is a useless process, and it can make your phone run slowly. Lastly, because your Android already manages background RAM, it simply isn’t worth your time to install these applications.

Cleaning Applications

Similar to RAM saving apps, cleaning applications kill the functions of running apps in order to optimize phone performance. However, the ability to do this is already intrinsically on your phone. Go to settings > storage > cached data > clear cached data prompt > OK. Easy as pie. Don’t bother installing these useless apps that could be malware-infested.

Anti-virus Applications

If you strictly shop for applications in the Play store, these applications are completely useless. Your phone already has the ability to hunt down and identify viruses and malware when installing an application. However, if you download applications outside of the Play store, then these can actually be useful.

Battery Savers

These simply don’t work. You have to take it upon yourself to save your battery. Monitor your phone’s brightness, manage background applications, and refrain from using it frequently — these three steps are the best you can do to save your battery. Applications in the Play store do not have the capabilities or permissions to aptly improve your battery life.

Pre-Installed Applications

It would be incredibly surprising if you used all of your pre-installed applications. It is worth taking a look at these and seeing which ones you use. For instance, several phones come with pre-installed games that you never touch. These waste storage, so it’s worth taking a look and erasing these to free up space.

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These New Batteries Will Charge Faster Than Lithium-Ion

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 20:00:32 +0000

There are a lot of advantages to using lithium-ion batteries, which is why smartphones, tablets, laptops, and beyond, all use them. Lithium-ion batteries are low maintenance, come in a variety of different versions, hold their charge for a longer period of time than other batteries, and have a lot of power. They have so much power, in fact, that lithium-ion batteries are even being used in electric cars.

However, there are many disadvantages to lithium-ion batteries as well. These batteries cost more than other rechargeable batteries, and they are sensitive to air travel and overcharging. Overcharging can cause a lithium-ion battery to overheat, which damages the battery. In some cases, if the device is charging on a soft surface with no ventilation, this could lead to the device sparking and potentially causing a fire. You can prevent your device from overcharging and overheating by using DFNDR’s Total Charge feature. This feature will monitor your phone’s charging process and alert you when your phone is charged so that you can unplug it. Click here to prevent your phone from overcharging now:

A Glass Battery

The man who invented the lithium-ion battery, John Goodenough, has created a new battery that he claims is safer and can charge faster than a lithium-ion battery. Goodenough’s new battery uses a glass electrode and sodium. It is an all-solid-state battery that is cheaper to produce, noncombustible, and can charge faster than a lithium-ion battery, among many other features. This battery also has three times the energy density of a lithium-ion battery, which means that the battery doesn’t need to be charged as frequently. It can also operate at extreme temperatures, too.

Reportedly, Google is already interested in this new invention. However, it’s unclear as to when this type of battery might be mass-produced, and whether or not it will fully replace lithium-ion batteries. Still, all of its features are promising and in-demand, so it might not be too long before lithium-ion batteries become a thing of the past.

Dual-Carbon Batteries

Over the years, many have tried to develop a battery to replace lithium-ion batteries. Power Japan Plus, for example, announced their plans for a dual-carbon battery in 2014. This battery also features a higher energy density and a longer lifespan, in addition to better safety and the ability to charge up to 20 times faster than a lithium-ion battery. The battery is still in development, however.

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Is the Facebook App Draining Your Phone’s Battery?

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 20:00:14 +0000

Sometimes, we don’t realize how much our app usage affects our mobile device’s battery life. This is especially true in the case of social networking apps — the more time you spend on them, the more your life is wasted, both literally and figuratively. Social networking apps tend to kill battery life because they’re connected to the Internet and continuously update themselves. They run in the background of your phone and take up your phone’s memory, so that your phone doesn’t work efficiently.

Beyond smart app usage, knowing when to unplug your phone can also be a helpful service for an optimal battery life. Overcharging mobile devices is an actual problem because it can weaken the phone’s ability to power up and function for extended periods of time. Combined with open apps in the background, your device’s potential for full charging and functionality is lowered by these factors.

Various networks might be using more data and battery life than you think, and Facebook can be a major offender. As one of the leading social networks since its debut in 2004, Facebook’s rise in the mobile community has been both useful and revolutionary. Despite this success, it takes up an enormous amount of data. Luckily, there is a way to combat this popular issue. Keep in mind that Facebook requires a lot of memory to function, so close the app as frequently as possible for the best results.

Use PowerPro to Preserve Your Battery Life
Recognizing which apps are draining your battery life is an important step to conserving your phone’s power and getting the most usage possible of your device. Using PSafe’s PowerPro is an efficient way to execute that conservation, because it informs the user which apps are open and how much energy they require to run in the background. PowerPro will effectively close apps that are not in use, and tell you which ones are open in the background.

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Here Are the Most Useless Apps to Delete Right Now

Fri, 27 Jan 2017 15:00:03 +0000

If your phone is running out of room, you have an often overlooked option when it comes to freeing up space on your Android phone: delete some unnecessary apps. There are some apps that have overstayed their welcome and have got to go. Read on for tips to help you determine which apps you should be deleting. Click here to easily uninstall any applications you no longer wish to have on your device:

DFNDR’s app manager feature will let go through your apps, list them by their name, size, date, or frequency of use. At a glance, you can view which apps are too large and need to be removed from your device. If there’s a large app you frequently use, perhaps you may find an alternative. With one tap, you can uninstall those apps you don’t want. It’s a simple fix for an irritating, though common, problem.

Read More: 3 Ways to Be Safe on Facebook

Now that you realize you don’t need to hang onto every app that you download, you might be wondering what else you can do to streamline the app deletion process.

Apps You Don’t Use

It might sound like a no-brainer, and it probably is, but far too many Android users are toting around way too many apps that they are no longer interested in. Removing these apps can free up space for, well, more apps. But at least this time, they might be apps you actually care about.

Apps That Drain Your Battery

Some apps, like Facebook and Messenger, can be major battery drains because they store a large amount of documents and data within the app. Other apps are a bit more subtle about it. If your phone feels like it’s racing through a fully charged battery, it’s likely that you have an app to blame. Use PowerPRO to quickly identify and remove tasks that consume too much of your phone’s battery. It will let you know which apps to keep and which apps are behind your lack of power.

Android Pre-Installed Bloatware

So, you can’t delete the mess of apps that come pre-installed on your Android smartphone without running the risk of harming your phone or having to root your phone (which voids the warranty), but you can disable them. By doing so, you will prevent these sometimes resource-hogging apps from taking more of your internal memory than you’d like. It might be just the thing you need to speed up your phone so you can get back to being productive.

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The Latest Innovation for Your Android is Here

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 17:00:17 +0000

Overcharging can cause serious damage to your phone, but with DFNDR’s Total Charge feature, you can protect and strengthen your battery. Here’s why: most of us leave our phones plugged in all night while we’re sleeping, which actually harms your battery. Total Charge, however, monitors your battery directly from your lock screen to prevent overcharging.

Total Charge is designed to alert you of when to unplug from your power source and how much time it will take to get there. This way, your battery won’t be damaged by overcharging and will actually last longer when you need it most. DFNDR users can activate this new feature from the app’s settings menu or simply by clicking here:

Keep your phone running at its best with Total Charge by DFNDR. Now that Total Charge is available for your Android, you’ll never worry about your phone’s battery again! Rest easy in the hands of DFNDR.

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Here’s How to Return Your Galaxy Note 7

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 21:16:53 +0000

Here’s How to Return Your Galaxy Note 7
By now, you should want to get rid of your Galaxy Note 7 as quickly as possible or run the risk of it exploding. Read on to learn how to return your phone.

Whether you have turned on the news, talked to your friends, or have been on an airplane lately, you know that the Galaxy Note 7 is dangerous. The Samsung phone has been making headlines lately due to its damaged lithium ion batteries overheating to the point of eventually exploding. This problem has cost Samsung an estimated $3 billion in losses through returns and exchanges. However, Galaxy Note 7 owners can’t just head to their local store to give back their cell phone. Instead, Samsung has set up their own recall kit.

Samsung has sent out heat-resistant recall kits to its customers who have purchased a Galaxy Note 7. If you received one of these kits, you know that Samsung is not messing around with its return process. The kit consists of four separate boxes. The box that the phone is supposed to go in is even thermally insulated. Make sure that you wear the provided protective gloves while you are packing up your explosively defective device.

The recall kit even says on its outermost box that it is forbidden to transport the Galaxy Note 7 by aircraft. If you have taken a flight recently, during the instructions to switch your phone to “airplane mode” your flight attendant will have said “turn your Galaxy Note 7 off completely.”

Once you have returned your Galaxy Note 7 and have received your new phone, download PowerPRO by PSafe.

If your Galaxy Note 7 has been affected by this recall, please return it as quickly as possible. Do not take it on an aircraft and do not keep it in your home. Return it to Samsung and treat yourself to a new device!

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What Are the Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 21:48:54 +0000

Last month, Samsung ordered an immediate recall of its Galaxy Note 7, S7, and S7 Edge lines of smartphones after a number of customers reported the phones overheating and catching fire while in use. These instances of exploding phones were due to faulty lithium ion batteries, and the incidents have not gone unnoticed. Airlines now warn passengers against taking these Samsung phones on planes, and the US federal government issued an official statement against buying the phones. Samsung’s problems aren’t unique to the company, however. They’re due to the nature of the lithium ion batteries that power practically all the world’s smartphones.

Lithium has a long history of causing the devices it powers to overheat. In fact, the same process that gives your cellphone its charge is the process that causes Samsung Galaxy Note 7s and “hoverboards” to catch on fire. The reason this happens is that lithium ion batteries contain a high amount of energy in a relatively small space. Lithium ion batteries have an energy density of 160 watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg), which they produce with a positively charged cathode (made from a metal oxide), a negatively charged graphite anode, and a liquid electrolyte (which contains lithium salts) that enables the electrical flow between the nodes. If these nodes are closer than 10 microns in distance away from each other, things get heated, so a permeable polyethylene separator is used to keep the battery from overheating. Of course, when a battery is made more compact, there is far less margin for error.

If the anode and cathode aren’t sufficiently far enough from each other, it short circuits and triggers a process known as thermal runaway — chemicals inside the battery begin heating up and the separator becomes compromised by the heat. By the time temperatures inside the battery reach about 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the electrolyte can ignite or, if exposed to oxygen in the air, literally explode.

Still, this doesn’t mean your phone is a ticking thermal bomb that should be disposed of immediately (unless it’s one of the Samsung models mentioned above). Despite these high profile instances of malfunction, lithium ion batteries are generally safe. Considering there are billions of laptops, cellphones, and computers powered with these batteries, incidents involving defective lithium ion batteries are relatively rare. Still, as our devices become more compact, so too do our batteries, which only compounds the issues of developing safer, less volatile systems for storing power. For now though, just be mindful when using your fire emoji when your phone’s charging.

For more battery solutions, check out PSafe’s PowerPRO battery-saving app — it reduces battery consumption, which means less risk of overheating your battery.

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The Fastest Mobile Chargers for iPhone and Android

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 11:52:18 +0000

Imagine: it’s Friday evening. You just got back from work and one of your friends texts you to join them on a night on the town in an hour. It’s exactly what you need after a busy day, and after about twenty minutes, you’re dressed, fresh, and ready to go. There’s just one problem: your phone is at 20% battery — there’s no way that’ll last the evening.

Millions of Americans experience this feeling of helplessness daily, realizing that they cannot continue through their day without their essential pocket-sized computer juiced and ready. While some may argue that we’re too dependent on our devices, that’s precisely why having a fully-charged phone is such a big deal — whether it’s for something minor like having music to listen to at the gym, or for more important things like calling your parents or your spouse, there are few times during your day when you don’t rely on your mobile device.

This is where mobile chargers come in handy. Having a fun-sized AC outlet in your purse or pocket means you can go longer without having to stay stationary and bound to a USB cord. Of course, most people don’t want to be bound by a USB plug at all, even when moving. Mobile chargers can get tangled by moving arms, get caught on objects and passersby, and aren’t exactly the most fashionable accessory to have on your person. If this is something that matters to you, we recommend a mobile charger that requires the least time possible to get you off the cord and on to whatever your day has in store.

Regardless of whether you’re Team Apple or Team Android, some chargers work great for both. The Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 is one such charger, which sports a 10,000 mAh battery and USB ports for two. The drawback? It can only charge one smartphone quickly at a time. Still, what makes this device worthwhile is it’s price tag — at only $30, it’s an effective, ergonomic solution for the amount of power it packs. If that’s not enough juice for you, there’s the iBattz Mojo Battstation Optimus Charger. This behemoth of a battery holds 20,400mAh of charge and can power two phones at once. Though it carries an $80 price tag and requires up to 16 hours to fully charge, there’s no battery on the market at that price point that lasts longer or charges smartphones faster.

The Fastest Android Chargers
For those of you relying solely on Google’s OS, there are quite a few charger models that are ideal if you’re under time constraints. The Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 can charge some devices up to 80% in approximately 35 minutes, but phones with a 9V/2A charger will experience the best results from this brand and model. Still, the Quick Charge is quite efficient with its charge consumption, and is all but guaranteed to remain cool while your phone is connected. Additionally, for those of you who are mindful of the environment, there’s the EasyAcc Solar Power Bank. While this is most effective for daytime use, the Solar Power Bank can charge two Androids at once, and can charge up to 350mA on sunny days. Though it’s (relatively) slower than the other models mentioned, it’s a device you don’t want to sleep on.

Though a good power pack goes a long way, so too does a great battery-conserving app. Fortunately, PSafe has an app that does exactly that; give the PowerPRO app a try, and never worry about a low-battery night out again.

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Ways You’re Reducing the Lifespan of Your Phone’s Battery

Mon, 24 Oct 2016 21:03:06 +0000

No matter who you are or what you do, you need an Android battery you can count on. Some days it seems like it drains so fast. Are you breaking the following battery don’ts? Here are 5 ways you could be reducing your battery’s lifespan.

Range of Temperatures
If you throw your smartphone on the passenger seat while using Bluetooth and a streaming music service, is your phone stuck in the sun the whole time? If so, you may cause your phone to overheat, not only shutting down your phone (and your direction app), but potentially damaging your phone’s battery in the process. A cold environment won’t help your battery last either. Your phone’s charge will decrease while you are in the cold. Yes, it is temporary, but frequent cold won’t do it any favors.

Bad or Poor Signals
When you are in an area with a spotty signal, your phone is probably working really hard to find you a better connection. Switch to airplane mode to prevent a drain on your battery. Just remember to turn it on again when you get back to civilization.

Notifications Galore
Do you allow every app you’ve ever downloaded to send you notifications? If so, you may want to rethink that decision. Every time an app has something to tell you, there’s a good chance you will want to check it out. Doing so won’t do your Android’s battery any favors. Sort through your list of app notifications and only allow the apps you actually need.

Android Battery Drain
Now that you know what not to do, you can keep your phone better charged and ready for anything. Just make sure to install PowerPRO by PSafe so you know where you stand when it comes to your cell’s battery life.

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The Best Battery Packs to Use on the Move

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 18:18:09 +0000

If you’re a habitual user of your cell phone, you may have to charge your phone multiple times a day. Having a dead cell phone in an unknown area can lead to dangerous situations. Luckily, there are battery packs that can keep your phone juiced up while you’re on the go. Here are a few that you should consider:

Flux Portable Charger
At only $30, this portable charger is extremely pocket friendly. It’s only 7.8mm thick, with 108 x 62.8mm dimensions. It only takes about 3 to 4 hours to fully charge this device. Additionally, the device contains enough power to recharge your phone once, and maybe even twice if you’re efficient. There is a button on the side that you can push to see the battery power of the portable charger. However, one of the glaring cons is that this device takes over 2 hours to completely charge the battery of the Samsung Galaxy S7.

RAVPower Portable External Battery Charger
While this charger contains more USBs than the Flux Charger, it is much bulkier. While it is certainly possible to take on the go, it could burden your pocket. Despite its bulky size, it offers a very efficient charge. This charger also contains three output ports, so you can charge multiple devices at the same time. Your laptop and tablet can also be charged by the powerful charger. At $60, it isn’t as economical as the Flux.

ZeroLemon ToughJuice Rugged Portable Charger
If you’re going on a hike in the middle of nowhere and you need a powerful device to charge all of your electronic devices, then look no further. With a 30,000 mAh capacity, this charger can keep your devices going for days. The Galaxy S6 can be charged up to seven times on this device. Although the ZeroLemon weighs 14.1oz, you can’t expect a device of such high power to be light. It can also take up to 24 hours to fully charge this product. At $75, this device should only be sought by those who absolutely need their electronics on the road when they’re off the grid.

Braven BRV-BANK Rugged Portable Battery
If you need a portable battery that can survive being mauled by a bear in the wilderness, then this charger is right up your alley. It is water resistant and successfully met the military drop test. This means it can withstand hard falls with ease. It costs $100, but it’s well worth the price considering its durability and 6,000 mAh battery.

To ensure that your phone runs for as long as possible before you break out your portable chargers, download PSafe’s PowerPro.

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The Top Reasons Your Phone’s Battery Drains So Quickly

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 22:28:51 +0000

It seems like you haven’t been doing that much on your smartphone, but then there it is again: the low battery notification. With so many awesome apps and browsing capabilities, it often doesn’t seem like very long before your Android’s battery is empty. But do you really know what’s sucking the life from your phone? Here, we’ll tell you four of the biggest drains on your phone’s battery life.

1. Your apps.

Even if apps look disabled, they’re still draining your battery sitting pretty there on your home screen. To see which apps are the biggest culprits, simply turn to PSafe PowerPro. The free app will quickly identify which programs consume too much of your battery. If you can live without any of the battery-sucking apps, uninstall them.

2. Your old battery.

If you’ve had your Android phone for several years and you’ve worked it to the bone, your battery might be dying. A good rule of thumb is that if your battery has lasted over 1,000 charges, you might need to search for a replacement. If your battery is replaceable, you can buy a new one. If you have a non-removable type, it might be time to invest in a new phone.

3. Your Wi-Fi scanning.

Wi-Fi takes up a lot of your phone’s battery life. You might think that your phone isn’t checking for new networks, but on Android, your phone might search for networks even if Wi-Fi is disabled. To solve this problem, click onto Wi-Fi Settings and then Advanced. Here you can uncheck the option for Wi-Fi scanning. When you do want to use Wi-Fi, you will have to connect manually, but you’ll save lots of battery life in the interim.

4. Your Google syncs.

When you add Gmail to your phone, Google starts syncing everything: your Google Play purchases, your Google Keep, and your Google Photos. To change this, go to your settings where you can find your Accounts. There, you should find your email address. Tap your account name to access your sync settings. There you can uncheck items you don’t want to sync, including your photos.
One of the best ways to extend the battery life of your phone is by downloading PSafe PowerPro. The free software saves your battery life by removing tasks that take up too much battery, and pinpoints the biggest battery drains on your phone so you can disable them. It also lets you customize your settings to work, home, and travel so apps you don’t use stop running for the time being.

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