Want to hear a horror story? You’ve just bought a new iPhone 7. Its glass chassis feels so smooth in your hand, and the screen is impossibly bright. Yeah – there might be no headphone slot, but wow! This thing is gorgeous. The cost? Oh – it was pricey, almost seven-hundred dollars. The screen is so sheer and shin-
Oh. You’ve dropped it. The screen shatters upon impact and sends a thousand colours in every direction – the images are distorted, and the trench-like cracks run like veins across the surface of the phone. You pick it up in utter shame and act like Oliver Twist.
“Please sir, can I have some more?”
You’re told no – a screen repair is going to cost you. It turns out that new phone cost you more than list price on day one. Oh dear! Time for some repairs…
Now, gadgets and phones. We are completely encircled by them. Every single pocket is going to be bursting at the seams with gadgets. From iPads to Nexus tablets and PlayStation VR – there’s a lot of technology flying around right now.
When you’re out and about, it’s likely you’ve got at least one piece of tech on your person. A phone in your pocket. It might be paired up with the laptop in your bag or even a wearable like the Apple Watch. At every moment of the day, tech is around us. Now, flashback to the story at the beginning – that tech costs a lot of money and we need to be careful with them and protect them. We’ll be wasting a lot of money if we don’t.
Your tech is going to require the Internet to operate unless it’s twenty years old. This means it’s attached to the world wide web and is just as vulnerable as your computer in this regard. Would you browse the web without anti-virus? (If the answer IS yes – don’t do that) If it is available to your device, grab anti-virus applications for your portable tech. It’s often overlooked on gadgets because we, for some reason, assume they are safe to use on the web. If your phone is not protected, it’s vulnerable, and your data could be swiped by a sneaky thief.
A good way to care for your device is to look after the battery. Allow it to run down every so often to keep it in shape. Batteries that are topped up from 30% or so, will lose health quicker. Also, it’s a good idea to carry a charger with you, so you’re never left wanting.
Also – buy a case and screen protector before you have the gadget. It will save you from the worst drops and of course, save you from burning a big, fat hole in your pocket. A good screen protector might seem pricey, but it’s a lot less than a new phone – is it not?
