Smart Phone Tips Archives - Page 61 of 65

How to block a number from texting or calling you with iOS 7

Posted on September 21, 2013

Have you ever received calls or texts from someone that you’d rather not hear from? That’s a rhetorical question of course because we all have, and it can get old in a hurry when the annoying calls and/or texts just keep on coming in.

There are a number of ways to block numbers from calling or texting us on our smart phones, but if you have an iPhone running iOS 7 it’s very easy. And best of all, there are no apps to download or a bunch of hoops to jump through.

Here’s how to block a number on iOS 7: [Read more…]

Q&A: How do I display the Battery Life Percentage indicator on IOS 7?

Posted on September 19, 2013

Question from Carl: Hi Rick. I have an iPhone 4 that I upgraded to IOS 7 just as soon as it was released. I think it’s a great upgrade, but I can’t figure out how to display the Battery Life Precentage indicator. Can you tell me how?

Rick’s answer: This issue has perplexed a lot of iPhone users Carl. You’d think something as important as the Battery Life Indicator would be enabled by default, wouldn’t you? Anyway, here’s how to turn it on:

1 – Open the Settings Menu

2 – Tap General

3 – Tap Usage

4 – Tap Battery Percentage

Do you have a tech question of your own for Rick? Click here and send it in!

SMS Wakeup lets you know when you receive a text message on your Android phone

Posted on September 10, 2013

sms-wakeup Have you ever received an important text message but didn’t know it until much later because you didn’t hear the audible alert? Me too, and it’s rather annoying. But there’s an easy way to prevent this from happening in the future.

A nifty free Android app called SMS Wakeup will turn on your phone’s screen momentarily whenever a text message hits your inbox. Whenever the app is active, as long as you keep your phone where you can see it you can rest assured that you won’t miss another important text message that really needs to be answered ASAP.

SMS Wakeup also comes in a paid version ($0.99) that has some extra features, but the small and lightweight free version is all you’re likely to need. You can read more about SMS Wakeup (and download it) from the Google Play Store.

Q&A: Should I add my cell number to the ‘Do Not Call’ list?

Posted on August 30, 2013

Question from Daphne W.: Hi Rick. I have a quick question if you don’t mind.

Every now and then I see a post on Facebook stating that cell phone numbers are going to be released to telemarketers soon and that we should all add our cell numbers to the “Do Not Call” list.

Someone else usually comments back that it’s a hoax and that adding a cell number to the list will get you in trouble with the government. What’s the real deal here? Thanks!

Rick’s answer: Daphne, there is absolutely no truth whatsoever to the frequent posts about cell numbers being released to telemarketers. This hoax has been making the rounds on Facebook for years so “soon” should have been here a long, long time ago. Don’t worry, it isn’t going to happen! [Read more…]

Prevent Android 4.3 from continuously scanning for available Wi-Fi networks

Posted on August 3, 2013

Do you keep the Wi-Fi setting on your smart phone turned off when not in use in order to conserve battery life? If not, you should, because your phone’s Wi-Fi radio is a major battery hog.

If you have a phone running Android 4.3, did you know that it continuously scans for available Wi-Fi networks even when you have Wi-Fi turned off? This isn’t good, and not just because of the battery drain.

Some major retail establishments now track your phone’s Wi-Fi radio to keep tabs on your exact location while you’re inside their stores. And if the private sector finds that capability useful, can you imagine what uses the government might have for it?

There is a way to turn this continuous scanning off, but it’s hidden within the bowels of Android 4.3’s settings menu. Follow these steps to disable it: [Read more…]