smart phones Archives - Page 3 of 7

How to use your smartphone as a portable document scanner

Posted on December 10, 2022

Important: After I published a link to this post in my newsletter I found out that CamScanner is now downloading a trial version of the app instead of the free version by default.

This is very misleading and I can no longer recommend it in good conscience.

If you’re still interested in the app, you can read more about the various plans right here.

This is a sad development because it really is a fantastic app. But I just can’t recommend something that misleads its potential users.

I apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused. [Read more…]

Turn your old unused smartphone into a free ‘landline’ with Viber

Posted on July 2, 2019

viber If you’re like most people these days, you probably have a perfectly good smart phone sitting in a drawer collecting dust after falling victim to the endless cell phone upgrade cycle.

That unused phone has some pretty sophisticated electronics inside it, so why not put it to good use?

You can turn your “old” smart phone into a landline replacement by installing a wonderful free app called Viber.

And regardless of which brand and model of phone you have, there is probably a version of Viber to run on it! [Read more…]

Remotely control when and how your children can use their mobile phones

Posted on March 28, 2019

Do you wish you could control when your children can use their mobile phones and which apps they can use at what times, even when you aren’t with them?

Well, thanks to a great app called DinnertTime Plus, you can. Simpy install the app on both your child’s phone and your own phone, then link the two phones via a text message. [Read more…]

Why you probably should skip your carrier’s insurance on your smart phone

Posted on February 7, 2017

Are you paying a monthly fee to your cell carrier to cover repairs to your phone should something happen to it? If you are, you’re probably paying way too much for what could amount to very little coverage.

Depending on the carrier and phone, you could be paying upwards of $15 per month for a plan that has a whopping $200 deductible!

In my opinion, carrier insurance (AKA an extended warranty) is rarely a good deal, even when it does actually “pay off”. Which brings me to my next point… [Read more…]

Samsung is going to ‘brick’ all remaining Galaxy Note 7 phones on December 19

Posted on December 14, 2016

As I mentioned in this post, Samsung has stopped making their ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 smart phones and issued a recall for all of the units that have already been sold.

According to the company, about 93% of all the Galaxy Note 7 devices that were sold have already been returned under the recall, and now Samsung is planning to use a special form of “tough-love” to spur the return of the remaining phones.

To that end, Samsung will be releasing an update on December 19 that will prevent the Galaxy Note 7’s battery from being recharged and cut off all access to cellular and Internet connections. In short, the phones will be effectively “bricked” on that date. [Read more…]