CNN
Congratulations to all who received new tablets or smartphones over the holidays! You will want to open the box immediately and get started playing. Before you download Dots or do anything distracting, these are some tips to help you make the most out of your new device.
Avoid heartbreak with security measures.
Your shiny new gadget is amazing, and you already treasure it. It might be difficult to imagine a bad day when your new gadget is stolen or left in an airplane seat pocket. There are steps you can take to minimize the damage.
Turn on the screen lock setting. This will ask for a passcode, password, fingerprint, or face recognition every time you turn the phone on. If someone steals or finds your device, this is the best defense against them accessing your financial and personal information. This will make it harder for them to wipe your device and erase any data you haven’t backed up. Although it may seem like an inconvenience initially, you will soon forget that you are doing it.
Next, you will need to download and activate lost-device locations features. This allows you to track the location of your phone or tablet if it is stolen or lost. Apple products come with Find my iPhone by default. However, you will need to connect your device and iCloud account. Android devices can access the Android Device Manager.
Create a backup plan.
You will need to back up your smartphone or tablet whether you use it for communication, reading books and movies, or creating original content such as drawings or work documents.
You can use the default backup tools such as iCloud, iTunes, or Android Backup & Reset. You can also use third-party apps like Carbon, Titanium Backup, and Dropbox. Use individual apps that sync your creations to the cloud whenever possible.
Get a case
The new gadget’s screen and body look so beautiful and are so clean and unworn. It may seem odd to cover your gadget’s glory with a cheap plastic case.
What’s worse? It’s living with a damaged and scratched device that costs hundreds of dollars. This happens all too often. Look around your local coffee shop to see how many people are working on cracked screens, dragging their calloused or bleeding fingers across fractured glass.
Consider buying a case if you are clumsy, have children, or are susceptible to the forces of gravity.
Save money
When you quickly exceed your data limit and rack up roaming fees, the first bill for a mobile device can be quite shocking. To prevent your mobile device from exceeding its data limit or roaming charges, make sure you have a mobile data warning/limit set. This option can be found under Settings ->Wireless & Networks ->Data Usage on Android devices.
You can track how much data your Apple device is using by going to Settings -> Cellular->System Services (at the bottom of the page). This group data usage is according to the type of service, such as Mapping Services or Exchange Accounts. You can also revoke the ability to use cellular data if you find out which app is using the most data.
Third-party apps can be installed to monitor your data usage. Some of these apps break down your data into individual apps. You should make sure that you are connected to a wireless network when streaming video and music.
Download messaging and calling apps that work over WiFi, such as Skype, What’s App, and Viber, if you are concerned about texting and calling charges.
Remove the junk
Many devices, fresh out of the box, are set up to favor certain apps or creators. This is particularly true for Android and Windows smartphones sold by third-party carriers. These phones like to preinstall all kinds of bloatware.
Delete any unwanted or promotional apps immediately. You can disable the app in settings if you are unable to delete it from Android. Apple devices are more cautious with preinstalled applications, but you cannot uninstall a core set of iOS apps. You can save them in a folder if you don’t really want them.
You can also make cosmetic changes, such as changing your wallpaper or organizing your apps, so you don’t have the hassle of rearranging them later. Are you prone to motion sickness? Turn off the parallax setting in iOS 7.
Download starter apps
Some default apps may not be the best for you, even though they are not bad. Apple’s Maps app is a great alternative to the buggy original, but it’s not as good as Google Maps. (Google has a lot of essential apps for iOS 7. You can test out a variety of weather, calendar, and note-taking options before you settle for the defaults.
The most exciting part about a new gadget is finding and downloading new apps. You should start with the basics like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Facebook. You can also download the apps for any news outlets you like, as well as your favorite news aggregation apps. Evernote helps you stay organized. If you’re part of a couple, then download Avocado. It’s an easy way to keep track of to-dos and private messaging.
Download the mobile apps (Netflix. Pandora. Amazon Instant. Hulu. Spotify) if you subscribe to any streaming video or music services. You can download Hatch if you have already begun to anthropomorphize your iPhone or iPad.
These are some apps that can be used by travelers for weathering severe storms and for staying fit.
If you are a parent
Although you may initially swear that your children won’t be allowed to use your smartphone or tablet, it takes just one toddler to ruin that dream. To prevent unwanted app purchases, work emails, or cryptic Facebook posts, make sure your parental controls are set up before the kids get to play with your device.
To record a video
Your device should be horizontal. Vertically shot movies must be stopped.
To replace an old tablet or phone
Make sure to clean your device before you give it away.