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SMARTPHONES ARE POWERFUL devices, so much so that they require a lot of power to run daily.
This means that our phones usually last only a day before we need to reach for the charger – or they need to be plugged in multiple times if we’re a heavy user.
Smartphone companies have developed new ways to help prolong battery life, but if you’re feeling like that’s not enough, there are other measures you can take. Tech issues can be stressful, and that’s why we’re focusing on them for the week.
If you’ve incorporated some of the advice from previous Live a Better Life pieces over the last two weeks, you’re already off to a good start.
Both iOS and Android have sections in settings dedicated to battery resources. Here you will be able to see which apps are taking up the most resources and in some cases, the amount of time you’ve spent using them in the background.
This is a good way to figure out which apps are using the most resources, so you can then reduce usage or remove them entirely. On both iOS and Android, you can check this by going into Settings > Battery. This is also useful if you want a breakdown of time spent on an app.
The screen is the biggest drain on your battery life. While auto-brightness may sound like a good idea, it usually ends up making the screen brighter than it needs to be which means more battery power is used.
Going into Settings > Display and turn off Auto-Brightness/Adaptive Brightness. If it’s on, your phone will adjust the brightness even if you change it manually.
Also, if you have a phone with an AMOLED screen, using a dark or black background can help. The reason for this is AMOLED screens only light up coloured pixels and not black pixels.
Some apps like Gmail, Outlook, or Facebook do a lot of work in the background, mostly as a way to keep your accounts in sync when you’re out of it. For the most part, this is unnecessary, so if you can, disable them entirely or uninstall the app if it isn’t needed.
On iPhone, there’s a section which lets you turn off background app refresh (Settings > General > Background App Refresh). On Android, there isn’t a similar setting but you can go into Settings > App > Specific App and hit Force Quit. This will stop the app from running until you launch it again.
The same thing applies for location. While most apps now only activate it when you’re using them, some might have processes working in the background. Check to see which ones are doing that and disable them if you don’t need them.
Developers don’t just update their apps to add new features, they also do it to help improve battery efficiency and memory optimisation. Keep them updated and if there are any apps you haven’t used in a while, you’re better off deleting them entirely as they could also be using up resources.
On Android, you can go a step into Settings > Battery > Menu (three dots at the top right of the screen) > Battery Optimisation. It’s good to check this with all your apps so you’re getting the most out of them.
Both iPhone and Android devices now let you wake up your phone and see your notifications just by lifting your phone. While this is handy, the constant waking isn’t good for your battery.
On a related note, if you’re regularly checking your phone for the time, it’s better to just have a regular watch instead. Not only is it quicker, but the constant waking and sleeping of your screen isn’t good for your phone’s battery life.
You can also reduce the number of notifications that appear on your phone, something that is good for both your battery and attention span.
Widgets can be incredibly handy to have, but since they run in the background and refresh, they use up resources. In short, remove the ones you don’t need.
Battery saver mode – which turns off unessential features to help prolong battery life – usually activates around the 20% mark – but there’s nothing to say you can’t use it when you’re at a higher percentage.
If you know you won’t be able to charge your phone for a while, it can give you a lot of breathing space – so don’t forget to use it.
The vibrate function is very useful for when you receive calls in silent, but do you really need it for messages or notifications? The likely answer is you won’t. For phone calls or texts, it’s allowed, but it’s unnecessary for every other app.
Despite its name, Airplane mode isn’t just useful when you’re up in the air: it stops your phone from trying to connect to a cellular network whenever it can. This can be a particular drain if you’re in an area with low or no reception. If you’re in such an area, you’re better off activating Airplane mode entirely until you do need to make a phone call.
Remember that you can still connect to WiFi while in Airplane mode, though you will have to activate it as it doesn’t happen automatically.
If all else fails and the above doesn’t help, you could invest in an external battery pack. These usually charge your phone remotely and are handy when you’re on the move.
The two things you need to find out are how big of a battery you have – you can look up the specs for your particular model online – by referring to mAh (milliampere hours).
Once you know that, you’ll know how much your battery pack will charge. For example, a 3,000 mAh battery pack will completely charge an iPhone 7 (1,960 mAh) but would just about fill a Samsung S8 (3,000 mAh).
Also, keep amperage (A) in mind as the higher the number, the faster it will charge. This is important if you’re using your phone while charging it as a low amperage would only mean it’d slow down the drain rather than recharge it.
Did these tips help? Have you any of your own? Let us know in the comments.
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When you see them side-by-side you can better understand the wisdom of Benedict stepping down. His successor is far fresher and more energetic looking.
Very true, how are these popes supposed to make huge decisions within the church in their latter years. Good decision by Benedict.
Benedict is so frail :(
I was thinking the same thing Siobhan :(
Funny how Jesus never lived in a palace
Historic. May this be the start of something new. God bless em in their work.
Lovely to see but poor Benedict looks so frail.. :(
I totally agree Deidre and hope he breathes a breath of fresh air over the Catholic church .
I would dearly love to see Women taking more of a role and priests allowed to marry.
I really wish him every success and God speed.
Mike. Agreed. Its been a great first ten days. He looks like a man with energy and purpose who lives the Gospel.
My greatest wish would be that the youth would return to the Church. Hopefully he can inspire them
I would dearly love to see people (myself included) getting back to the church we love and need.
I had been so disillousioned but please God we get back to what our faith is about,peace,understanding and tolerance and a love of our faith.
I was happy to hear the Pope talking about creating a bond with Muslims and other faiths.
I am quite excited about this and I hope he makes the difference.
Amazing bit of history right there
a real genuine meeting….
Helicopter to lunch, as you do.
A deuce of Popes no one ever said before.
The craic was 90 between the two of them!
Live and let live. Born and raised RC but have not practiced for many tears. Still, I see Francis as a man who may yet reinvigorate the church.
Lets not forget all the good being done by the church too. And by church I mean the ordinary people within it.
John. That comment has made my day. I am a practising RC and very happy.
I am sad that so many have stopped attending church. And we have a generation that associates Catholicism only with child abuse. I am delighted with Pope Francis so far. Onwards and upwards i hope.
@ John.
Same here but I would like to think I will see change in the church and people like ourselves coming back.
The church has a long way to go but lets hope & pray .
I agree Mike.
I am delighted that so many Catholics have turned away from the RCC By doing this they are showing solidarity with the countless multitudes who have suffered at the hands of clerics internationally . Less and less people are being fooled by the hypocrisy , more and more are becoming enlightened and free . Thanks to technology , science and communication . I feel proud to belong to a group of a billion non believers on the planet. We must at all costs protect our youth from indoctrinaion by helping them to think critically for themselves and question everything. Replace religous myth and endoctrination with science fact. Dispel the false concept that a belief in god is a prequisite to being a good person.
Marvel Popes Assemble.
Religion is a fake man made. Look into it you will be shocked. All religions have the same characteristics virgin mother, the son, all have 12 people around them and all involve resurrection etc, how is that even possible.
I’m truly shocked.
61 thumbs down expected really, studied history, go back to Egyptian times look at what they worshiped look at the similarities it has to the way religion was created, look at how religions are so similar and all stem from what the Egyptians worshiped. They worshiped the sun with its halo of rays( thorns ) around it, the 12 stages of the sun( all religion has 12 people around the son) and much more, too long to explain and many people don’t want to believe it. But that’s their right, this was just research I did and the conclusion I came to.
I wouldn’t bother adelle, some people are so brain washed they will believe any non sense.
Adelle. I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that religion is man made fiction. That probably explains half your red thumbs!
Adele
Quit while you’re behind!
Discovered this a few years ago as well, when my mum and I were chatting about the church I told her about, blew her mind completely.
For men of the poor they sure do like to fly by helicopter.
He says he would love to see a poor church for poor people, send him over the last fianna fail government, they will fix that for him pronto
Did Benedict borrow his jacket from Bianca Jackson?
They are breaking history,good to see them together
Didn’t realise Woody Allen was directing the next Star Wars movie with Benedict starring as Palpatine….
They look like boyfriends
we’re all going to heaven…weyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
History in the making amazing
Good call benedict.
They probably talked about how God made the speed of light 670 million MPH and how if that light left earth 100 years ago it would be around 20% across our own galaxy and that there are 400 billion galaxies and it was all made for humans who are in the creators likeness.
Oh yeah and how God doesn’t like gays.
I’m seeing double…4 popes!!!
Me Papa et u Papa
Im sure it was an exciting experience for both of them. Talking about communion and white hats, and other such epic topics.
It was far from a palace that Jesus was raised .
Francis seemed a bit in awe of Benedict as if he still considers him the boss.
The men in white
is Benedict wearing one of those padded pauls boutique jackets? long way from the Hugo boss he wore in his Nazi days …………. at least they have their support of a fascist regime in common ….. something to talk about i suppose
Castel Gandolfo! And where was Gandolf? He’d fit in lovely with the 2 boys. They may ask him to shave for the occasion, though!
guaranteed Brent Pope is feeling a little left out…
Does the old pope get to keep wearing his white hat even or should he wear a different one as I though white was just for the pope ? Anyone know ?
popes wear many hat’s, mostly what suits them at the moment
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