A Cautionary Tale …

This week's column is a cautionary tale of problems and mishaps that could easily happen to your smart phone (or tablet), and some advice on prevention. 

Earlier this week one of my neighbors knocked on my door to ask if I might be able to help with her smart phone, an older model iPhone 4. She had no idea how it happened, but when she turned the phone on, she was presented with a screen requiring a four-digit numeric passcode — without the code the phone remained locked and unusable. She arrived at my door after futile visits to both a Verizon store, where the phone had been purchased, and to a local Radio Shack. Both stores provided no help in resolving her dilemma. My only clue as to how this passcode lock might have occurred was that another neighbor had recently updated her iPhone operating system. I recalled that built into the newest iPhone/iPad operating system, iOS 7, is a feature that requires entering a four-digit passcode when it is first set up. The passcode can be disabled, but only after it has been entered for the first time. When asked, the neighbor did not remember entering a passcode of any kind during the install.

The only way to access the phone would be to connect it to a computer running Apple's iTunes software and preform a reset, which would wipe all data from its memory, including photographs, and return it to factory default. By connecting to iTunes you can also backup an iPhone (or iPad), and a backup can later be used to restore the device after a reset. Unfortunately in this case, the iPhone had never been backed up. 

Apple also provides all users free access to its iCloud remote storage, and when an iPhone is first set up, the user creates a unique Apple ID and password (not to be confused with the passcode). iCloud can be accessed from any computer, and photos taken with the iPhone are automatically uploaded to the iCloud. However, as my neighbor did not remember her user ID or password, and none of the possible combinations we tired worked, her photos were not retrievable on iCloud.

While we were sitting at a table on my concrete patio, I proceeded to perform an Internet search for possible answers to this dilemma. The phone was on the table between us. I reached to pick up the phone and it slipped out of my hand, landing glass first on the concrete. I wasn't initially concerned, as I have dropped my iPhone numerous times, even on concrete, and it has always been unscathed. Not this time; the front screen of the phone was covered with a series of hairline cracks. The phone was functioning, still locked, and now it was also in need of cosmetic repair. 

My neighbor finally decided that a visit to the Apple Store Genius Bar was her best option. After spending over an hour with one of the Apple technicians, she came home with her phone reset, the passcode inactivated, and an Apple ID and password for future use. She has also promised that she will backup the phone to iTunes on a regular basis. 

And my advice?

Whatever model of smart phone or tablet you use, make sure you back it up on a regular basis, because you never know what can happen. As soon as you bring it home, connect it to your computer for the first backup. 

Make sure you know your phone's user ID and password, and be sure to keep a copy in a safe location. And if the phone has a passcode (even if it is deactivated), write it down in case you need to use it sometime in the future.

As for preventing accidental breakage, when you buy a case for your mobile device, choose one with a bumper around the edges. The case on my neighbors phone did not have edge bumpers, and offered no protection in a fall. While there is no guarantee that a different case would have prevented the screen from cracking, it certainly would have provided better protection. 

In next week's column look for a review of backup procedures and advice on what can be done if you experience a cracked screen or any other accidental damage to your mobile devices. Visit onmouseclick.blogspot.com for the online version of OnMouseClick

note: while Password and Passcode have similar dictionary definitions, the word passcode is most often used when the code is solely numeric.

Going, going, gone …

We arrived home from Hawaii Thursday night, and I have to say I miss the Hawaiian weather. Perfect every day; even in the winter rainy season, the temperatures are comfortable, the rain is gentle, and the sun shines part of the day. As I said, perfect. 

Being away from home for so long made me more aware of the inherent battery drain problems on my iPhone smart phone. We used my phone as a GPS as we traveled around the island of Oahu, and earlier this week when we spent four days in San Diego, and the inevitable battery drain made me think about ways to mitigate the problem. 

No matter which type of smart phone you use, optimizing battery usage is something everyone needs. While the steps I am outlining in today's column are intended for the iPhone, they are applicable to the iPad, and most of them can also be used to optimize a Droid phone battery.

 Turn off Push Mail – When push mail is enabled, the phone is constantly checking for new mail, which is a major battery drain. To change the setting on the iPhone go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Scroll down to Fetch New Data and turn it off, then set the schedule for each individual email account to Manual. Finally scroll to the very bottom and set Fetch to Manually. With these settings the phone will only check for new email when the Mail app is opened. If you are using a Droid phone, you will have selected how often check for mail when you set up your email account. The longer the interval, the less drain on the battery.

 Limit the use of Location Services – Many apps need location services turned on in order to work, and in some cases when the service is turned on, the app is constantly accessing the web, even when the app is sleeping. To avoid possible over usage, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scroll through your apps. Only leave Location Services on for the apps that you use all the time. For other apps you can turn the services on and off as needed. When you finish, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select System Services. You can comfortably turn off Diagnostic and Usage, Location Based Ads, Popular Near Me, and, if you don't travel out of the Eastern Time Zone, Setting Time Zone. Finally scroll to the very bottom and turn Frequent Locations off and Status Bar Icon on.

Diagnostics & Usage – the iPhone is preset to constantly send a steam of diagnostic information to Apple. To turn it off, and conserve battery use, go to Settings > General >About > Diagnostics & Usage and select Don't Send. 

 Close Out Apps – It is good practice, every couple of days for both iOS and Android devices, to close out apps that are not being used to avoid having them run in the background. In iOS 7, double tap the home button and swipe up on the running apps that appear. On Droid devices you may need to use an app that kills running apps – follow the link at the bottom of column for more information. 

 Shut Down the Phone Once-a-Week – A smart phone, or tablet, is a small computer, and when you turn it off and back on, several processes will reset and run more efficiently. For the iPhone, hold the button on the top of the iPhone for a few seconds, then slide the Power Off slider. To turn the phone back on, press and hold the same button. On a Android phone, use the power button to turn the phone on and off. 

 Turn Off Auto-Brightness – when Auto-Brightness turned on, the phone is using sensors to constantly evaluate the surrounding ambient light, which in turn uses battery power. On the iPhone, go to Settings > Wallpapers & Brightness and turn off Auto-Brightness. When you need to manually change the brightness settings, swipe-up the Command Center from the bottom of the screen (iOS 7 only) and make the necessary adjustments. On an Android phone, go to Menu > Settings >Sound and Display. Scroll down to Brightness and turn off Auto-Brightness. 

If you would like to read more about optimizing your smart phone battery usage, read www.payetteforward.com/why-does-my-iphone-battery-die-so-fast-heres-the-real-fix (iPhone) or www.payetteforward.com/why-does-my-android-battery-die-so-fast-heres-the-real-fix (Android). Until next week, visit onmouseclick.blogspot.com for the online version of OnMouseClick.

A deal to consider …

Ever wish you had better photography editing tools available on your computer? Do you feel envious when you see what can be done with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, but you have been put off by the cost? Photoshop and Lightroom provide more features than the average digital photography enthusiast will ever need, but for the few who want more, Adobe has now made having the software a whole lot easier. 

I have been using Photoshop since the mid-1980's, and Lightroom since it was released in 2006. Without either of them, my work as a digital photographer would be very arduous and less enjoyable. Most people know that Photoshop is the ultimate photo editing tool. With it you can work magic on any photograph, even creating realistic looking images that never were. Lightroom was designed for photographers, with tools for sorting, cataloging, and editing. Together, these two pieces of software give a photographer every tool they could possible need to create the ultimate digital darkroom. As I write this week's column we are nearing the end of our Hawaii visit, and by the time the TR Times is published, we will be back in Florida. Since I have been traveling with only my iPad, I am anxious to transfer the trip photos to my computer and begin working on them. 

In the past, the list price for Photoshop was over $600, with Lightroom costing another $200, not to mention the additional 18-month software upgrades costing more than $200. Beginning last spring, Adobe transitioned all of its products to a subscription only format, and after a rather bumpy start, the company designed a very attractive subscription package just for photographers. For a monthly subscription fee of $9.99 a month, with a one-year commitment, subscribers get the most recent versions of both Photoshop and Lightroom, with incremental updates available for download as soon as they are released. 

Originally available only to registered owners of previous version of Photoshop, now until March 31, anyone can take advantage of this offer. For more information on the Adobe software and the subscription program, visit creative.adobe.com/plans/offer/photoshop+lightroom. 

Another application that might be of interest to photographers who use either an iPhone and iPad is SnapPen. Available only for iOS devices, this exceedingly simple program allows you to write and/or draw directly on a photo. While there are other apps that perform the same function, SnapPen is exceedingly easy to use, and writing with a finger or stylus feels as if you are writing with a pen, a feature lacking in most writing apps. 

This is an example of a photo captioned with SnapPen.

Until next week, back on the mainland, Aloha.

Storage for the iPad …

Our visit to Hawaii has been perfect. Our granddaughters are so much fun, and have an abundance of energy. We've been spending every minute we can with them, and yesterday was the first chance I had to use the Kingston Wi-Drive (pronounced wee-drive) I wrote about in the January 24 OnMouseClick.

The drive provides portable, wireless storage for mobile devices, and is the perfect solution for an avid photographer, like me, traveling with only a tablet computer. It provides additional storage, allowing the user to free up space on mobile devices.  The Wi-Drive come in 32 and 64 gigabyte capacities, works with iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and the Kindle Fire, and creates its own wireless network. When accessed through an app installed on the mobile device, a pathway is created for photos, videos and music to transfer from the mobile device to the Wi-Drive, and from the drive to the mobile device. 

The actual wireless transfer of several hundred photos from my iPad to my 64GB Wi-Drive took only a few minutes. Before making the transfer, I looked through the photos on the iPad and deleted the ones that were not worth saving. Once the transfer was completed, I was able to go back to the iPad and delete the majority of the images to free up storage space, keeping only the photos I want as part of my iPad photo album. Once we get back to Florida I will be able to use a USB cable to transfer the photos directly to my computer for sorting and editing. 

The Wi-Drive drive is small and compact, and has a rechargeable battery that is good for up to four hours of continuous use. Included is a mini-USB to USB cable and an AC wall adapter. The drive can be charged by connecting it to a computer with the USB cable, or by plugging the cable into the AC adapter. 

Last summer I read a review of the Wi-Drive, and while I found it intriguing, I was put off by the $144.95 list price. However, I was able to purchase the 64GB drive from Amazon for a $84.99, with the 32GB model priced at $78.65. 

Aloha.