Phones & Utilities Archives | Page 9 of 17

Apply basic maintenance to your electronic gadgets to help them last longer

With layoffs and lost job offers due to COVID-19, this period is probably not a good time to spend too much. With that said, while the new phone advertisements may be attractive, it’s better to think twice. There’s no better time than now to save for a rainy day.

I’m personally guilty of having the mindset of changing a new phone or laptop once it shows signs of slowing down. Well, apart from living in a fast-paced society, I’ve only got myself to blame. But you don’t have to be like me. Apply these basic maintenance tips to your smartphones and laptops to help them last longer!

#1: BATTERY INSPECTION

Image Credits: youtube.com

Prior to writing this article, I did a check on my phone’s battery life. The capacity is currently at 82%, which is considered an okay level. We will show you how to check yours in a while.

Just take note batteries that are charged more times than they can endure will become progressively worse over time. Think of it as the concept of wear and tear on clothes or on your car tires. If the battery capacity falls below 60%, it’s about time you change a new one. As in, a new battery.

Smartphones

If you own an Apple product, go to your iPhone or iPad and open the Settings, then tap Battery and select Battery Health. Android users can use third-party apps like AccuBattery to check on your battery’s health.

Laptops

For MacBooks, click on the Apple icon, then About This Mac and then the System Report. Next, click on Power to see the reading on your battery’s health. Windows users can use the app BatteryInfoView to check your battery’s capacity.

#2: SPRING-CLEAN YOUR DATA

Image Credits: lifewire.com

Like your home, your electronic gadgets require some spring-cleaning as well. One of the reasons why your smartphones or laptops are slowing down is because of the storage space it’s taking up.

To lift the weight off your storage, delete old or irrelevant data regularly. If you don’t have the time to do so as often, then set a reminder to clear it as at least once a year. Maybe mid-year’s a good time?

Smartphones

As an iPhone user, I often take advantage of the iPhone Storage tool to see my last used apps and how much space it’s taking up on my device’s storage. If you own an iPhone too, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see yours. For Android users, look out for the tool called Files.

Laptops

Not sure where to start deleting? Open a folder and sort the files based on date. Chances are, you may find documents that you’ve not opened in a long time. For the fickle-minded, investing in an external storage device and transferring your files over to it is a good idea. This will greatly offload the operating system, helping it to run faster and longer.

#3: CLEANING ROUTINE

Image Credits: Business Insider

This time round, we’re really recommending you to clean your devices, physically. We’re not talking about just the surface. Though that’s important too, since your phone is 10 to 20 times dirtier than a toilet seat.

Dirt fragments clogging up your electronic gadgets can lead to overheating. Overheating is a big no-no, as it shortens the lifespan of your devices.

Smartphones

Shine a torch and check the ports. Dust and tiny food scraps may sometimes be stuck in the charging ports. This might slow down the charging process, lengthen the time needed for a full charge, and cause unnecessary overheating.

Laptops

Open up your laptop or desktop to clean the fans. Just like your ceiling fan gets dust stuck onto the blades, your device’s fans also pile up dust and even hair strands over time. A dust-filled fan will run slower and in turn, result in overheating of your laptops. You can get rid of the dust using a small vacuum cleaner.

We hope you’ve found what we shared useful. Know of other valuable tips and tricks? Let us know!

Ways to conserve water at home

Based on the Public Utilities Board (PUB)’s Household Water Consumption Study in 2018 / 2019, showering accounts for the highest water usage at home. Flushing takes up to 17% and the water used in the kitchen at 16%. An average person uses up to 141 litres per day in 2018. To put it into perspective, that’s about 94 bottles of coca-cola (1.5-litre size) per day!

While Singapore has a sustainable supply of water through these years, it’s up to each and every one of us in the community to help conserve it. As such, we’ve researched several ways to conserve water at home. Follow some of these tips if you want to save water or attempt to bring down your monthly water bills.

#1: REMEMBER W-A-T-E-R

As advised by PUB, they have come up with water-saving tips using the mnemonic W-A-T-E-R. Here’s a quick look:

WASH clothes on full load. This means if you have to pile up laundry, here’s the reason to justify your procrastination. However, a full load does not mean overloading. Make sure they are about 3/4 filled so your clothes can swish-swash freely and be cleaned properly.
ALWAYS use half-flush when possible. As we’ve mentioned earlier, flushing takes up to 17% of our total water usage. If you can’t reduce the times you visit the loo, then at least utilize the half-flush for liquid waste.
TURN off the shower when soaping. If you have to take your own sweet time to soap and make sure you’re squeaky clean, turn off the tap while doing it.
ENSURE tap is off when brushing teeth. Similar to the previous point, do not let water run unnecessarily if possible. If you have to, use a mug to contain the water you need to rinse your mouth.
RINSE vegetables in a container. Again, this is similar to the concept of running water needlessly and mindlessly. In fact, you might get rid of sand and pesticides better by soaking in a container than washing it under running water.

#2: LOOK OUT FOR LEAKS

Wander why your sinks are never dry? Or the bathroom floors are always wet even after hours of not using it? It might be a leak somewhere so do a check to see where the source is and repair it.

I’m personally guilty of leaving water leaks untouched simply because the damage doesn’t seem big enough at that particular moment. But that one drop of water will become a bottle of water, eventually, litres and gallons wasted over time. So please don’t underestimate that small leak thinking that it’s insignificant. Every little drop adds up!

#3: REQUEST FOR A WATER-SAVING KIT

Image Credits: PUB

How about gifting yourself a free gift? Those without water-efficient faucets at home, you may request for a water-saving kit via PUB’s website. The set will come with three- or four-hole metal rings that you can attach to your tap or showerhead to regulate water flow. By using the kit, you can save up to 5% of your monthly water usage.

#4: REUSING WATER

There are different ways to reuse water. If you own freshwater aquariums, do not discard the water when cleaning and refilling. Use the ‘dirty water’ to water your plants instead. If you’re able to collect rainwater, you can also use that for your gardening needs too.

When showering, leave an empty bucket or two beneath your shower head and use the collected water to flush toilets or wash floors. You can also gather the water discarded from laundry to do the same. If you have any other innovative ideas of reusing water, do share it with us!

#5: BUY WATER-EFFICIENT PRODUCTS

We’re not asking you to shop online or head to the retail stores right away to buy yourself water efficiency labelling scheme (WELS) products. But the next time when your washing machine breaks down and you need a replacement, consider purchasing WELS rated products.

The water you save today means savings for tomorrow.

Singtel GOMO Is Giving You 30GB Extra Data For Only $10 So You Can Go Online More Often During This CB Period

Go Online More Often at home during this Circuit Breaker period

During this Circuit Breaker period, everyone’s connected online to work, study, workout, while staying at home. A strong and reliable internet connection is important, and with so many devices logged onto your WiFi bandwidth, it’s time to consider getting a big data, no contract, SIM only plan to further supplement your usage. That’ll also mean no more fretting if you realise you forgot to turn on WiFi on your mobile phone while binging on the latest Netflix series!

Don’t get caught without Internet again. Meet GOMO by Singtel – one of the most affordable, value for money and no-contract SIM only plans in the market today. You can choose from 2 options – 20GB for $20, or their all new, limited time only, 50GB for $30 ‘Close the Circuit’ Pop-Up Plan!

What’s more, GOMO is giving their users unlimited data-free WhatsApp messaging for this Circuit Breaker period, till 7 Jul 2020. That means data for all the text, images, videos and voice messages you send on WhatsApp will be automatically waived during this period!

Here are more reasons why it is often considered the #1 SIM Only plan in the market:

What is GOMO by Singtel?

ID 171378783 © Roman Kosolapov | Dreamstime.com

GOMO by Singtel is an all-digital, no-contract, SIM only plan. Their base plan consists of 20GB, 200 SMS and 200 mins, free incoming calls & caller ID for $20. Being on Singtel’s 4G also means you stream on Singapore’s fastest and widest network – giving you the best bang for your buck with big data and fast, reliable, internet connection.

There is no excess or pay-per-use charges to this plan. There are also no SIM or registration fees, and you enjoy FREE same day delivery right to your doorstep. And if you missed it above, there’s data-free WhatsApp messaging till 7 Jul 2020.

If 20GB is not enough, GOMO has just launched a new, limited time only ‘Close the Circuit’ Pop-up Plan giving 50GB for only $30, to cater to bigger data needs. How this works is simple, enter in promo code BINGE50 when you check out. What’s more, this plan is forever – you’d get to enjoy 50GB as long as you are on GOMO!

Hurry, snap up this flash sale by 31 May!

Tap On Singapore’s #1 Network

Ever felt frustrated with your network connection and found yourself scolding your phone as you’re waiting to load your webpage or stream the next IG story? Even with 100GB or unlimited data, your experience will still be subpar, if your network connection is not fast enough.

This is where the mobile operator comes into play, an important factor that may be easily overlooked. Here’s GOMO’s edge over the rest – on top of offering big, affordable data, they are also backed by Singtel 4G, Singapore’s fastest & widest network. Based on Tutela February 2020 Annual report & IMDA 2019 4G Outdoor Mobile Service Coverage Measurement Results, Singtel is ranked:

#1 in Consistency
#1 in Download speed
#1 for Widest Coverage for 19 consecutive quarters

(See more at www.singtel.com/4G)

This should be an important factor in your consideration set of a mobile plan.

Rewards with the GOMO Pass

Exclusive only to GOMO users, access GOMO Pass from the GOMO App to enjoy over 40 curated hyperlocal deals and rewards across the region (Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines).

During this Circuit Breaker, they have curated online deals for Food, Entertainment and Shopping to keep you entertained while you stay home.

Key rewards include:

Food Panda – Get $7 OFF all orders (coming soon)
Zalora – 22% OFF for all new & existing customers
Shopee – 10% OFF for new customers
Dash – 5% cashback on your first transaction of the month when you pay with Singtel Dash at Sheng Shiong/Fairprice/ Cheers/Lazada
SPH – Free access to digital magazines for 3 months
Singtel CAST – Free preview on 30 channels for 3 months

More deals can be found on gomo.sg/promotions

And when we all can travel again after this is all over… Get Out with GOMO!

Because GOMO has the best roaming plans in town! And we’re not kidding.

Opt for GOMO’s Roam Like A Local plan where you will get 100GB of roaming data from just $5 in Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. That’s like getting data at the rates of the local prepaid cards, without the hassle of airport queues and changing out your SIM card.

If you’re travelling to multiple destinations instead, you get greater value for money by opting for the Roam More Destinations plan which costs $10 for 1GB across 10 countries for 30 days. Perfect for island hopping!

Psst, just for you Money Digest readers. We’re giving you an exclusive deal – sign up with promo code GET30 and get 50GB* for $20! That’s FREE 30GB. *Valid for first 35 days. Only for new signs ups or when you switch to GOMO from another telco. Hurry, promo ends 31 May.

Dealing With Smartphone Problems

We now live a very fast-paced life where everyone is constantly on the move. From the moment we wake up and leave our beds, we are up and running about trying to make it through different responsibilities and chores until the end of the day till we are finally back home. A lot of us happen to enjoy this fast pace and it can make for a great life. Of course, we need a device that complements our active and fast lifestyle, hence why smartphones are now considered to be a constant companion for us.

Smartphones contain everything that we need to stay connected to the world and get things done. We can use the internet on it, call, message, and connect with other people, use social media, play games, read, check our emails, and do many other things. We have become so heavily reliant on the smartphones that we end up having to check our phones after every few minutes, even when we have not gotten any notification. This dependence on our devices has been considered as alarming by many experts.

Now, our smartphones are manmade at the end of the day, so it is not designed to last forever. The entire point of a smartphone is to buy the latest model and to use it for a year or two until we end up upgrading to a newer model. Of course, our smartphone is not exempt from developing problems, and if anything, issues with smartphones can end up costing a lot of money if you do not act fast enough. This is why we are going to talk about some common problems that smartphone users tend to face with their phones, and you can then decide whether or not you want to opt for a repair or a replacement entirely. You can always look up phone repair Singapore to get a list of shops that you can go to in case you do find yourself in need of professional repair services.

Battery Life

Batteries are considered to be a controversial subject amongst smartphone users because we all understand that our phone batteries will eventually become problematic. Each battery has a charge cycle limit, and once the limit of the number of full charge cycles has been passed, then your average battery life slowly starts decreasing. So, you might find yourself having to charge your phone twice or thrice a day at first, but then you will start noticing that your battery runs out even more quickly. This is a problem for any phone user.

You can always try to help save battery and optimize your battery usage yourself at first, and if that does not work, then the problem lies in your battery. If a battery replacement is possible, we suggest opting for one provided your phone does not have other serious problems as well. However, if your battery cannot be replaced and/or your phone has other serious issues as well, then you should get the phone replaced entirely.

Processing Speed

Smartphones are designed to respond quickly. So, they are supposed to recognize a command immediately and then respond in a similar fashion. Issues with your phone’s processing speed can manifest in several different ways including:

Taking time to switch between applications.
Taking time to recognize the letters or numbers you might be typing on the screen.
Hanging or glitching when you are using your phone.
Overall slow response time and lags.

This issue with the processing speed could be a result of several things including malware, software issues, and hardware issues. If you are having trouble identifying what might be causing these problems, it is recommended that you take your phone to the repair store and have the expert examine it and let you know what might be causing the problem.

Screen Problems

The touch screen is part of what made smartphones popular in the first place. So, if you are experiencing issues with your touch screen, then you might be dealing with a possibly serious problem. Many different problems are related to your phone’s touch screen and these can include:

Your touch screen not responding properly after serious fall damage, or for no reason.
Reduced visibility on your screen because of cracks that might have been caused by fall damage.
Slow response time because your touch screen is not able to recognize your touch or understand the commands that you might be entering in it.
Lags while you are inputting touch commands.

These issues can be caused by many things including manufacturer’s faults, fall damage, processing issues, and general touch sensitivity issues. If you are not sure as to what might be causing the problem, you can have the problem examined by a professional and have them let you know, and if possible, fix the problem.

TPG launches 50GB for $10 mobile plan in Singapore

TPG Telecom, Singapore’s fourth telco, is launching its first commercial mobile plan for the Singapore market.

The TPG “50GB for $10” plan is available from today at just $10 per month for its no-contract SIM Only plan. By offering this plan, TPG is lowering the barriers of entry by setting a new entry point for users. The TPG Prepaid Plan offering the same simplicity will be launched at a later date.

The service includes:

50GB Data
300 Local Call minutes
30 Local SMS
1GB Data Roaming in selected countries (effective 1 May 2020)
Mobile Number Portability is available
Number Selection will be available effective 1 May 2020

Registration and collection
Customers can register for the TPG 50GB SIM Only plan on TPG’s website here: https://www.tpgmobile.sg/. Upon successful registration, they can immediately visit any of TPG’s designated collection centres to collect their SIM card.

The TPG network supports specific VoLTE devices for high-definition mobile voice calling. To support customers who are using non-VoLTE compatible handsets, TPG has created an easyto-use TPG 4G Voice app to allow customers to make and receive calls, which can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store.

Get $250 Cash via PayNow when you apply for the new Citi Cash Back+ Card from 11 – 31 Mar 20

#1: BATTERY INSPECTION

#2: SPRING-CLEAN YOUR DATA

#3: CLEANING ROUTINE

Go Online More Often at home during this Circuit Breaker period

What is GOMO by Singtel?

Tap On Singapore’s #1 Network

Rewards with the GOMO Pass

And when we all can travel again after this is all over… Get Out with GOMO!

Battery Life

Processing Speed

Screen Problems

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