Best tips for using your smartphone

When jetting off on holiday our smartphones and tablets are top of the list of things to pack, but there’s a lot to consider when taking this type of technology on your travels. So, with the holiday season looming, we thought it only right to bring you this handy guide.
Not only will it ensure you get the most out of your mobile while you’re away, but it’ll also show you how to avoid any of those dreaded data costs.

Back everything up

In case your belongings get lost or damaged while you’re away from home, it’s always a good idea to keep your content backed up. Whether it’s pictures, messages or contacts,

cloud storage systems like Dropbox and Google Drive are on hand to keep your mobile life safe, secure and within easy reach, even when you don’t have your phone on you.

Switch off Data Roaming

This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but it’s surprising how many people forget to switch off their Data Roaming, amidst all the excitement of going on holiday. Data Roaming is when you use another mobile network to access the internet on your phone. The company that owns that network will then bill your provider, who in turn bills you. By switching this off your phone will automatically stop your device from connecting to the web and running up a big bill.
Data costs have dropped a great deal over the last few years, but remember you will be charged much more when travelling outside of the EU.

Turn on Wi-Fi

Should you need to access the internet or your emails, switch on Wi-Fi and connect to one of the hotspots in the area where you’re staying. Whether it’s in your hotel, a local café or restaurant, they’re everywhere these days, so make the most of them.

If the Wi-Fi you’re connected to is not password protected we advise that you don’t use things like your banking app. Because the hotspot is open it’s even easier for hackers to intercept your confidential information.

Disable push notifications/ auto-syncing

If your smartphone alerts you as soon as you have new mail or a Facebook request this is using up data and will need to be switched off when abroad to avoid extra charges.
You can do this on iOS by heading into the Settings menu > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data or simply switch off Mobile Data to restrict all data, including push notifications, to Wi-Fi only.
Android users should go to Settings > Accounts > Sync and turn off Auto Sync.

Download before you go

Whether it’s books, apps, music or films you want to get on your phone, make sure you download them at home before you jet off. Downloading files abroad and trying to stream things like videos consumes large amounts of data. Also, any files that aren’t fully downloaded will be ‘stored’ and resume as soon as they find an internet connection at your destination – so keep your eye on this.

Know your surroundings

You’ll no doubt want to venture away from the hotel at some point during your holiday, and your smartphone is there to ensure you don’t get lost. If you don’t already have it, download Google Maps and save your routes offline.

Do this at home before you go, if you can, alternatively hook up to a local Wi-Fi connection and download them while you’re away.

To save journey’s offline type in where you want to go, then once it’s been found clear the search bar and enter ‘OK maps’. It’s as easy as that.

Keep your phone protected

If you own a waterproof smartphone you’ll no doubt be eager to put it through its paces on holiday. But, while the Sony Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2, Galaxy S4 Active and Galaxy S5 boast the durability factor, they’re only protected in fresh water. So, make sure you don’t get dunking them in the sea or local swimming pool.

Happy holidays…

Whether you choose to follow one or all of these steps you’ll soon find that little changes to your smartphone can go a very long way. Staying connected while you’re all those miles away doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg after all.