Sun, sea and sand are things that for many of us are some of the ingredients for a perfect holiday. However, the beach is not always the best place for your smart phone. Water and/or excess heat can cause technical issues and even cause a smartphone to stop working completely. Furthermore, those holidaying abroad should be aware that mobile phone operators apply roaming charges to those using their phones outside the European Economic Area. In the following article VRT News provides some top tips to ensure that that your smartphone remains in tiptop condition and that you don’t get fleeced by excessive roaming charges.
Never leave your smartphone lying in the sun
The batteries inside smartphones are sensitive to extreme temperatures. Don’t leave your smartphone lying in the sun and never leave your phone behind inside a warm car.
If the battery becomes overheated this can result in your phone switching off even though the battery is still sufficiently charged. Try and avoid charging your smartphone if it feels warm. Wait until it has cooled off a bit.
Don't leave apps running in the background
Another reason why smartphone batteries need charging more often than would normally be the case is that some apps and notifications systems continue running in the background despite you not actually using them. This serves to drain your battery.
So, it is best not to give apps permission to keep running in the background unless you think that this is really necessary. You can adjust this on an app-by-app basis in your phone's settings. Also uninstall apps that you do not use and turn off the location function of the apps that you do use as this will help save energy
Use a power bank
The batteries of smartphones that are being used a lot run out more quickly. When travelling or at a music festival you don't always have somewhere close at hand to charge the battery of your phone. This is where a power bank comes into its own. A power bank is a spare battery that you can charge in advance before leaving home.
By using your normal charging cable, you can then use the power bank to charge your smartphone's battery. Depending on the capacity of your power bank, you might even be able to recharge your smartphone several times.
There are power banks on the market that can be recharged by using solar energy. However, be careful not to leave your power bank in the blazing sun for too long. The organisers of some music festivals provide charging points for smartphones.
Water and sand
Smartphones don’t respond well to contact with water or sand. Even if they are supposedly “water resistant", most smartphones are not completely waterproof. Furthermore, salt in seawater can cause additional damage.
The same goes for sand. It is best to keep your smartphone away from the beach as much as possible. Not only do grains of sand scour your arms and legs, but they can also damage the electronics inside a smartphone. You can use a water- and sand-resistant pouch or case to temporarily store your device if you go onto the beach.
Beware of roaming charges outside the EEA
If you use a smartphone or other device that has a SIM card outside your home country you are “roaming”. Depending on which country you are in roaming can cost a pretty penny. Roaming is free in the 30 countries that make up the European Economic Area (the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).Switzerland, Monaco and Andorra are not in the EEA and as a result roaming is not free there.
Since Brexit the UK has no longer been part of the European Economic Area. Nevertheless, some providers still offer free roaming to those visiting, the UK and/or the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.