Tag: smartphones

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How To Sanitize Your Devices

But did you clean your phone though? 
This post may contain affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Disclosure

The generally accepted ways to stop the contraction and spread of the Cornoavirus is to practice social distancing (stay away from large crowds), and regularly wash your hands. Simply because the virus spreads by human contact, so quit touching people and stuff.

No problem, right? Surprisingly, the media hasn’t really talked about how our devices (that we literally touch all day every day) could be contributing to the spread of #DatRona.

We already know that our phones are as dirty or even dirtier than a toilet, so it isn’t stretch to say that we need to keep our devices as clean as our hands.

In a Business Insider India article, Suranjeet Chatterjee, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine Department of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi stated “Coronavirus and other germs can live on surfaces like glass, metal or plastics and phones are bacteria-ridden. It is necessary that we sanitize our hands frequently and make sure that our hands are clean all the time.”

‘Nuff said. So here are a few ways to can sanitize your devices to stop the spread of germs…and Coronavirus.

Regularly Sanitize Your Devices

We are so trained to touch our phones as much as we are prone to touching our eyes, mouth, or nose. We already know frequently touching our face is a not helping reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, so that’s why it’s advised to wash your hands all the time.

The same can be said for your devices. As often as you wash your hands, you should be cleaning your phone (at least the screen). The best way to sanitize your devices is by using an alcohol-based sanitizer and a clean cloth to wipe the screen any part of the phone that touches other surfaces.

If you use a spray based sanitizer, lightly spray your phone after spraying your hands. for a more in-depth cleaning, I recommend using the WHOOSH! Screen Cleaner Kit ($15 bucks on Amazon).

Go Hands-Free

Again, the best way to not spread the ‘Rona is to limit contact with people and things. Now is good time to get more acquainted with voice assistants like Siri, to complete simple tasks like sending texts, emails, answering calls, checking your calendar, etc. It is also a good idea to invest in Bluetooth headphones/ear buds if you frequently make/receive phone calls – Don’t be that dork annoying people by using the speakerphone all the time.

A study published in 2018 by Insurance2Go stated that one in 20 smartphone users was found to clean their phones less than every six months…YUCK! Don’t be that person that is OD about cleaning their hands and has stockpiled hand sanitizer, but hasn’t taken the time to clean that nasty-ass phone of yours.

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Mac Heads

DIY iPhone Repair Via iFixit Liberation Week 2014

DIY iPhone Repair Via iFixit Liberation Week 2014 via BrothaTech.com
As a iPhone repair guy and all around hardware geek, iFixit is one of my go-to resources for all my gadget repair needs. They have repair tutorials, an dope repair community, and offer tools and kits to help professionals and DIY-ers alike repair their own electronics.

For the 2nd year in celebration of Independence Day here in America, iFixit wants more people to be liberated from going into a crowded Apple Store to let a “Genius” diagnose your phone. So between July 1-4th amount of time, or until supplies run out, iFixit is giving a way free iPhone Repair Kits that will let any iPhone owner crack open their own iPhone to save some money and feel a sense of freedom from the clutches paying for Apple Care.

Replacing a cracked rear panel, replacing a dead battery, checking loose cables, and even fixing your own screen isn’t as hard as you think, so long as you have the right tools. So check out Liberation Week at iFixit and get your own free iPhone Repair Kit.

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Mac Heads

Apple Knows Consumers Want Larger iPhone 6

Apple Knows Consumers Want Larger iPhone 6 via BrothaTech.com
iPhone 6 Concept by Nikola Cirkovic

That headline probably isn’t a huge surprise. Apple fans may want to pretend that it doesn’t need to chase Android down the “phablet” hole. What they may not know is Apple is and has been well aware of the trend since 2012.

In a presentation uncovered during the Apple-Samsung court wars, Apple displayed two slides that showed the only two areas were it could grow in the smartphone market were if it sold a smartphone that was cheaper than $300, and a smartphone larger than its customary 4-inch screen.

People in the U.S. for the most part have accepted the fact that Apple products are more expensive. All the noise for a cheaper iPhone has come from emerging global markets where Android…and BlackBerry for that matter, have been eating Apple’s lunch.

Additionally, Apple has been in the media claiming why it doesn’t make a larger phone…some weird commercials about thumb placement. That reason has been deemed “unacceptable” by the public, and the growth of 5-inch smartphones and phablets powered by Android, and subsequent shrinking of Apple’s mobile market share over the past two years is the proof.

As an Apple fan that has added a 5-inch Android and Windows Phone device to my daily lineup, I hope that Apple has its ear to the ground to what the public wants, and is paying attention to its own research.

Tech blogs and consumers have been begging Apple to go larger and cheaper for years. Maybe the new smartphone cycle of fall 2014 (read: iPhone 6) will be the year Apple finally buckles to the pressure?

What do you think? Will Apple make larger and cheaper devices this year?

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Mac Heads

Switching Back To iOS From Android – It Just Works

Switching Back To iOS From Android - It Just Works via BrothaTech

Not sure if I just got bored and wanted to look at something new for a change, or I truly am a fanboy, but I’ve temporarily (or permanently) switched back to my iPhone 5 as my daily driver. I’ve been using my Samsung Galaxy S4 for quite some time and I must say the larger screen size was my main reason for getting one, and it came in handy numerous times on the potty when I had idle time to browse the web, watch a video, or draft an email.

Additionally, I use Google services all day long, so having that “Google juice” baked into my smartphone is an added bonus

Side note: I’m still trying to figure out a full-proof way to use my Google Apps email aliases in Apple Mail for iOS 7. 

So after a while rocking Android, I’ve switched back to iOS.  While my fat thumbs (Lawd, please force Apple to let us use SwiftKey) and bad eyes have to get used to a smaller screen again, going back to Apple has been a pretty pleasant experience.

The first obvious thing I noticed is that getting media (music, movies, podcasts, etc.) on my iPhone was simple because I use iTunes to download and mange my media. I use a doubleTwist to get iTunes content on my Android, but some content (old DRM stuff) just won’t carry over. Plugging up my iPhone and watching the magic happen is simply a better experience.

Another observation was that it appeared that my Android was getting more an more stuttery (word?) and not as smooth when doing basic tasks like detecting when I wanted to type and pulling up the virtual keyboard, switching between apps, and taking pictures. My GS4 had to literally “think about it” for a while before completing the task.

iOS on the other hand, is still a smooth and seamless experience. Now one could attribute my Android issues to the fact that by the time the manufacturer and the carrier are done with Android, the user experience is lessened. But like I said, as time went on, the stuttering got worse…And until any of you Android enthusiasts scoffing at my analysis (or PR folk looking for influential brands…’cause I’d like to consider myself influential in this tech game) want to send me a Google Nexus 5 to truly experience Android, you will have to make due with my iOS vs. Android experience.

Yeah, my phone is tiny, and I will have to figure out some workarounds to continue dependence on using Google services on an iPhone, but I will say my overall opinion of an iPhone is that with all of its developer and ecosystem restrictions…It just works.

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Mac Heads

3 Reasons To Rock With Windows Phone

20130127-075342.jpg

For the past week, I’ve been using the HTC 8X, powered by Verizon Wireless with Microsoft’s Windows Phone guts. I’ll be honest, I’m deeply invested in Apple’s and Google’s ecosystems, so switching to Windows Phone permanently would be tough…not impossible, but tough.

On the flip side, there are some people who are not as tied to one particular ecosystem or another. For those [lucky] people. I think All platforms (even the upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices) are fair game. Since I’ll be rocking the 8X for the time being, here are 3 reasons why you should consider Windows Phone.

1. Smooth Operator

Believe it or not, there are some people who don’t own smartphones…Crazy right? For those people looking to adopt the smartphone lifestyle, jumping into Windows Phone is easy. Why? Because there aren’t a ton of apps to overwhelm a new user. After users setup their email, contacts, and calendars…and connect their social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn) that’s pretty much all you need to be productive and stay connected.

The Windows Phone “Me” and “People” Hubs do a good job of keeping users updated on what’s going on in their lives in addition to the lives of family, friends, contacts and colleagues without immediately downloading one app after another. The Live tiles also make it simple to get a “glance” at updates without flipping through a bunch of app screens or widgets to get what you need.

Since I mentioned ecosystems, Windows Phone plays really well with Microsoft Office Suite. Since all the people on planet earth have either a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file somewhere in their possession, accessing those documents (via SkyDrive) doesn’t require any magic tricks, unlike other platforms. Sure, all you have to do is download an app for iOS or Android, but with Windows Phone, you can even skip that step.

2. One-Stop Shop

Windows Phone has taken a page from Apple’s playbook and is building Windows Phone Store to be the ONE PLACE to download apps, music, movies, and other content. Unlike Apple, Windows Phone isn’t a walled-garden if you want to sync content from other platforms (like iTunes) on your Windows Phone device. If have have a Windows laptop/desktop and/or Live account, syncing content is a no-brainer. Even you have a Mac (like moi), simply connect your phone to your computer and use the Windows Phone Connector desktop app and choose what content to want on your device (DRM free stuff of course).

With Android, you can get content from anywhere in addition to Google Play, which could cause confusion, and possible issues with crappy apps that were not downloaded directly from Google Play – And there have been issues with Android malware. As a new or inexperienced smartphone user, Windows Phone is a good choice if you want to just play it safe, but still have options.

3. New Hotness

Windows Phone devices are new and distinct. Whenever I whip out my…smartphone, curious folks always want to know what kind of phone it is and how I like it. Everyone knows what an Apple device looks like…because everybody has one. If your phone is as big as your head, folks assume you have an Android. With Windows Phone, you are guaranteed to stand out from the crowd. Don’t front, we all want to have that “you ain’t up on this” attitude when it comes to tech and gadgets. Rocking a Windows Phone device will definitely give you that new hotness swag (are people still saying swag?).

Sure Windows Phone isn’t as name-worthy as iPhone or Android, and you won’t have access to more apps than you’ll ever download, but there are some unique advantages to choosing Microsoft’s mobile platform.

I want to know, would you choose Windows Phone or are you rolling with what you got?

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Mac Heads

No Cheaper iPhone In Apple’s Future

Cheap iPhone
image credit: http://modmyi.com

Don’t act surprised – According to Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing released a statement that pretty much kills any dreams of an “entry-level” iPhone:

From Gizmodo,

“Despite the popularity of cheap smartphones, this will never be the future of Apple’s products. In fact, although Apple’s market share of smartphones is just about 20%, we own the 75% of the profit.”

So there you have it – If you want an iPhone, you will have to spend top-dollar just for the carrier subsidized version, let alone full price just to keep your unlimited data contract.

…Now back to your regularly scheduled programming of Samsung rapidly climbing the market share scale

Categories
Mac Heads

How I Went A Day Without My iPhone

No iPhone Tweet

I’m one of those people who wouldn’t flinch if I left my wallet at home, but would whip the car around and go back home if I left my iPhone sitting on the kitchen table. Now, I thought it was because of my iPhone 4S AKA, “The Precious”, but now I’m having second thoughts since receiving the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE (they have to do something with that name) from the Verizon Wireless Ambassadors Program.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m also a mobile app reviewer for PCMag’s AppScout blog, so I get a ton of mobile apps to test/review…and keep. Since a large majority of these apps are for iOS devices, I assumed the lack of apps would prevent me from truly testing out the HTC ‘D.I.4.L.’ So I couldn’t just leave my iPhone on the charger and throw the DI4L in my pocket and go about my business. I had to do some serious research and really examine what I needed and what I didn’t need before I took on this momentous challenge.

Calls & SMS

I had to make sure I could stay in contact with my “peeps”. The #VZWA Program not only provides a phone but free VZW phone/data service with all the bells and whistles. So, the first thing I did was forward calls to the number that came with the phone. Since I’m already a VZW customer, completing this task was pretty simple.

I also use Google Voice for “bidness” calls, so changing what phone my GV number rings to was even simpler than setting up call forwarding. I just downloaded the app on my DI4L, logged in to my account online and changed the number from my mobile number to the DI4L number – done!

The ONLY thing I’m missing is text messaging. What would be idea is if I could send text messages from the VZWA-provided number and the recipient’s caller ID displays my main mobile number on an incoming text. Thay way, I don’t have to give out yet another contact number. Since very few people txt me, I will have to force them to adopt an app like Voxer to send/receive text messages…and them some.

I may decide to port my main mobile number over to Google Voice and easily receive calls and text messages from one number, no matter what phone I use, but that process is a little more involved, so it will have to wait until the [rhymes with iPhone 5] comes out.

Email

I’m a Googler as far as software/services are concerned, so synching my email (personal, business & family) accounts was easy since I was now syncing with an Android phone. I just set up the Gmail/Google Apps account sync and Boom! My email, calendars, contacts and taks were up and running.

I will admit, the native email, contacts, calendar apps currently for iOS is pretty whack, so I use third party apps for email (Sparrow) and contacts (Smartr Contacts) and just deal with going native for the calendar. Native Google/Gmail on an Android is a better experience in my opinion (Yes, even as an Apple fan I can be unbiased), so I found that my productivity has been bumped up a notch. I will have to reassess when iOS 6 drops.

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE by VerizonApps

As you can see, just by switching to the DI4L for this test, I’ve already consolidated some of the apps I need to use on a daily basis. But what about all the “essential” apps that are sitting on The Precious? Well, there are some apps that I also use on a daily basis that I needed to download for this test to work.

Social Media:

Twitter – MUST

Facebook – MUST

Google Plus – I guess

Instagram – The ONE app that would stop me dead in my tracks from trying this test using a Windows Phone (and I want to so bad because I have a Samsung Focus fully charged and collecting dust).

Productivity:

Evernote – My de-facto notes…and just about everything else app

Dropbox – Where I keep all my business files and other cross-device docs in the Cloud

Shoeboxed – Where I save/manage/export all my receipts for expense reporting

TripIt – My automagic travel itinerary

Scan – Barcode scanner and QR Code manager

Adobe Reader X – Viewing PDF’s in emails, on websites, and from other apps

SwiftKey – My mobile keyboard of choice – If Apple wasn’t so “particular” with their iDevice “experience” I would beg SwiftKey to release an iPhone app

In other words, the fifty-eleven thousand apps currently on my iPhone are nice and definitely an advantage to any other mobile platform on the market, but not a requirement for me to get through the day.

The two features Android has over iOS right now is stupid-fast LTE speeds, which saved my arse more than once when I had to use the mobile hotspot feature when the WiFi sucked in the location where I was trying to get work done; and built-in voice Navigation. I have “window suction” Navi in my car, but it’s nothing like firing up Google Maps Navigation and speaking the address and instantly getting turn-by-turn directions, versus reaching over my dashboard tapping in the address on my traditional navigation.

Outro
I want my iPhone, but I don’t need my iPhone. What I need is a capable smartphone. The HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE (with Google/Android guts) from Verizon Wireless more than met my needs, with a little extra to spare. On my first day without my iPhone, I was invited to an NFL Madden 13 back to school event at the Microsoft Store in Atlanta, and I was able to do all the things a blogger does at an event with no problem.

The one thing I was concerned about (and rightfully so) was how speedy 4G LTE speeds will pwn your typical smartphone battery. So I made sure to bring my Duracell Powermat backup battery with me. Other than that, I was okay without my iPhone for a day.

I may just rock this look for a while…until I get my hands on the iPhone 5 (or New iPhone) next month to see how a larger screen, Verizon 4G LTE speeds, and new iOS 6 features feel for a REAL comparison.

What…You thought I was a true convert?

Disclosure:

“I am participating in the Verizon Wireless Ambassador program and have been provided with a wireless device and three months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.”

Categories
Mac Heads Tips and Tricks

Ask a Brotha: iPhone 4S Or Wait For iPhone 5?

iPhone 5 Concept
iPhone 5 Concept Drawing Courtesy of Uptown Magazine

Every once in a while, I get tech questions via social media networks and other channels. So I decided to start a new area on my blog where I answer some of those questions in order to help a larger audience who my have the same questions. So don’t go getting all up in your feelings if you ask me a public question and it shows up here – Consider your question as inspiration for a blog post…You’re welcome.

This one comes via Twitter:

“Bro Terrance is it worth waiting for i-phone 5…..In fall maybe? or just go with 4S”

Continue reading “Ask a Brotha: iPhone 4S Or Wait For iPhone 5?”
Categories
Mac Heads

My iPhone 4s Butt-Lift

Brushed Aluminum iPhone 4s back
I need cosmetic surgery to stay relevant

My smartphone AKA:

  • The Precious
  • i Four Easy

…is by far my most favorite gadget. There isn’t anything I can’t do with this bad boy. But I will admit, after a while, I get tired of looking at it. I was a little upset when Apple didn’t release a new design for the iPhone 4s, so I tried several cases, skins, etc. to spruce it up a little.

My latest attempt as giving my iPhone 4s a little flare is replacing the glass back with an brushed aluminum back. Peep the video after the break

Continue reading “My iPhone 4s Butt-Lift”