After the Hurricane Sandy and all the tragedy that happened on the East Coast I decided to search for some information on how we can protect – and I’m thinking here on the small scale – our smartphones, laptops, etc. when there is a short-term loss of the electric power.
As much as we might like to use all possible “bells and whistles” on our smartphones it’s good to remember about few basic rules that might save some battery life:
- screen – make sure to set up the screen to switch off after short period of time (20-30sec)
- bluetooth – turn it off if you don’t use it
- vibrate mode – turn it off if you don’t need it
- Wi-Fi – if you don’t need to use it, it’s better turn it off
- location services – some applications use location services so as long as you want to save some battery life switch it off if you don’t need it
- GPS – make sure to switch it off if you don’t need it
- screen brightness – drop the screen brightness
- notification – back to applications again, this time disable notification for those apps you don’t need so much
The above list made me sad – I just recommended to switch off almost all good stuff on smartphones. We can update all our statues, applications, etc. few times a day and thanks to that save the battery life in case some problems with power outages.
… and one more thing: How to make the smartphone battery last longer? – keep your smartphone in a cooler environment. But if you can’t do that, try simply storing the extra battery in cool/cold place.
What to do after few days of a power outages? The answer might be the solar chargers. Here are few examples:
- XDModo Window solar charger – this tiny charger sticks to the inside of the window so that the PV panel get exposure to the sun. Price: $20-$30
- XTG-SOL 1500 Premium Solar Charger – with a built-in LED reading light. Price (via amazon.com): $27.99
- Lighthouse Lantern by Goal Zero – this device can be charged four different ways including by solar, crank, AC or DC and you can charge your small devices from it. Price (via amazon.com): $45
- Solarbak – solar powered backpack than can charge mobile devices. Price (via amazon.com): $119.95
- Eton FR160B Microlink – self-powered AM/FM/NOAA weather radio + flashlight + solar power + sell phone charger. Price (via amazon.com): $29.98
- Ambient Weather WR-111A – solar hand crank AM/FM/NOAA digital radio + flashlight + cell phone charger. Price (via amazon.com): $39.99
- Eton American Red Cross Clipray ARCCR100R_SNG USB – cell phone charger with hand crank LED flashlight. Price (via amazon.com): $14.99
- Duracell Instant USB Charger – this one you need to recharge through computer’s USB port but still it’s additional source of power when your smartphone battery needs it. Price (via amazon.com): $29.95
You can also find battery manager applications, here is a link to the post by AppsNuke.com: “8 Free Battery Manager Apps for iOS”
What’s your story with tablet/smartphones’ batteries?
the kindness of strangers_Hoboken NJ_image by Sean Eldridge
It’s amazing how attached we get to our devices and when they’re not available how lost we feel. I have a portable jump starter for car batteries that I charged up in front of Sandy hitting so I could recharge my phone and iPad. I also went to Best Buy and bought one of those mini Apple wireless keyboards so I could work on my iPad. Luckily, our power stayed on, but I always have these as backup!
I might have to spring for the Lighthouse lantern though – pretty cool!
richmac thank you Rich for your comment. I agree with you – we take a lot for granted: with all those hi-tech gadgets we don’t think about situations like “Sandy”, etc. When there is a power outage people don’t know what to do or they are not prepared and then what? I was thinking about the portable jump starter (you mentioned about) – and I’m going to get one (just in case). I already tested the Lighhouse device and I like it.
Great tips and reminders….
CarlyAlyssaThorne – Thank you for visiting 🙂
Very useful tips! On emergencies we suddenly realise how dependent we are on our gadgets and screens!
TerezaLitsa I agree with you Tereza. We just don’t think (that often) about ‘what if…’
Great tips, Klaudia, I was nodding my head all the time and you know what: normally I do not follow onme of them!
Late_Bloomers thank you Barbara for your comment. I know that sometimes I have that “why didn’t I do that!?” moment, so now after what happened on the East Coast I decided to make that list of solar chargers (just in case)
Hi Klaudia, great tips and products can be useful when travelling too.
EuniceNyandat Thank you Eunice for your comment. You are right, that those products can be useful when traveling, camping, etc. What I would d first – I would test those products before I go on a trip 🙂
Everything is very nice gadgets.