Cell Phone Tips

Cell Phone Charging

Always charge your cell phone indoors (or in your car). Never Outside. You might get the shock of your life.

It is best to let the battery completely discharge periodically / occasionally before recharging. It helps extend the battery life. It takes up to three complete discharge and charge cycles for a new battery to achieve it's full performance. We also do not recommend leaving them on chargers for unnecessary extended periods of times. Read up on recommendations of rechargeable batteries if you want other opinions on different types of batteries. Read your owners manual for specifics about charging your cell phone.

Unplug your charger after you are done charging your cell phone. Saves a little bit of electricity.

Do not talk on cell phones while recharging. Although the chances are next to nothing that a battery will explode, it can and has happened.

Cold Dangers for Electronics

Do not store your cell phone in a cold environment (40 deg or below). When it warms back up, moisture can form inside and damage the electronics inside.

Antenna power drain

Do not touch the cell phone antenna, this causes power drain on the phone. Some antenna's are located on the back (integrated antenna).

Voice Privacy

It is virtually impossible to "target" your cell phone conversations (minus the government agencies). But,  "random" conversations can be heard over cell phones and on scanners. If your network offers voice privacy option, you can turn it on in your Network Services settings. Click here for more information about cell phone privacy.

Cool Cell Phone Tricks

Click here to read about ten cool tricks you can do with your cell phone.

Snoopware

A type of malicious software that targets a cell phone. So far, snoopware has been mainly confined to Asian and European countries but is on the rise in the USA. This type of "virus" is primarily used to swipe provider account data in order to steal air time. Other uses are on the increase including personal data theft. Snoopware can even remotely turn on a microphone or camera.

Cleaning

Keep your cell phone clean with a soft dry cloth. Do not use cleaners. Q- tip swabs come in handy if you need to clean around the keys. As an absolute last resort use rubbing alcohol for cleaning plastic and electronics parts. It is relatively simple to take a cell phone apart and clean out the inside with cotton swabs and alcohol, especially the keypad after liquids have been spilled into the phone. Completely remove the battery before cleaning. Give it a good blast of canned air after cleaning with alcohol. Do so at your own risk.

Cell Phone Safety

Flying - Switch cell phones off in planes. It could interfere with aircraft equipment. Whether that is true or not, I sure would not want to find out at 30,000 feet.

Using a cell phone in hospitals - Please, turn your cell phones off in hospitals. It is a fact that cell phones interfere with unshielded medical devices. So, do the right thing and turn them off in areas designated as such in medical treatment facilities.

Cell phone fire danger - Turn the cell phone off while putting gas in your car. A major oil company has issued warnings to business's about this potential danger. Some say this is an " urban legend". It was stated that static electricity caused the fires, not cell phones. Urban legend or not, just a safety recommendation. From the Naval Safety Center "NOTE: The General Services Administration (GSA) has also listed drivers responsibilities on its web page. Included is the following statement: "DO NOT use your cellular telephone when at a gas station. Cellular phone use at gas stations or anywhere fuel is stored is hazardous. The switches and high-powered batteries in the phone can generate sparks that can set-off explosions. In one incident, a driver suffered burns and his car was severely damaged when gasoline fumes ignited an explosion while he was talking on his mobile phone near a gas pump. All electronic devices in gas stations are protected with explosive containment devices, while cell phones are not."

Nokia cell phone fire danger warnings - In the front of a Nokia cell phone owners manual "FOR YOUR SAFETY -Switch off while refueling". Bottom Line - It seems to us that the chances of an explosion occurring by either method are remote but not impossible. Just a safety tip. Unless you are dialing 911, the call can wait.

Cell phone batteries - Any type of battery can explode if damaged. Recent national news reported that a young teenage girl was seriously injured when a cell phone exploded in her pocket. That is probably only a one in a million chance of that happening, just a safety tip. If any apparent damage has happened to the battery (i.e.- dropped the phone and cracked the battery) get a new battery.

Latest cell phone tragedy - A Japanese man was killed when a cell phone exploded in his ear. Yes it can happen.

Boats and cell phones - Do use cell phones below decks on boats. Fire danger. Read your owners manual. It's in there. Possibility of explosive vapors buildup.

Hearing Aids - Cell phones can cause a buzzing or whining noise in a hearing aid. Some cellular phones have been developed to reduce this interference. Chose a cell phone with a M3/M4 rating or a T3/T4 rating.

Pacemakers - Keep cell phones at least 6 inches away from pacemakers. Do not carry in breast pocket. Hold to ear opposite the pacemaker.

Disclaimer - We do not and will not accept any type of responsibility for any tips, information or recommendations given on this website.