SMARTPHONE SPECIAL ...10 things you should avoid doing with your smartphone

10 things you should avoid doing with your smartphone

Smartphones are one of the most abused personal gadgets of this generation. Here are the things you must not do with your handset

Don’t overcharge your smartphone

Stop the practice of charging your smartphone for long hours, as this may lead to overheating. Always remember to unplug once the phone is charged.

Avoid keeping your smartphone in the chest pocket of your shirt

While experts have debated this, doctors advise that people avoid keeping any mobile transmitting device in the chest pocket of the shirt, citing health reasons.

Don’t plug in your earphones and listen to music while charging phone

Recently, several news reports revealed that plugging your earphones to listen to music while your phone is charging may lead to electrocution. In fact, several deaths have been reported this year in accidents related to ‘smartphone electrocution’.

Don’t sleep with your smartphones nearby

Never sleep with your smartphone nearby, especially underneath the pillow. Not only is it risky, but there is medical debate that mobile devices interfere with brain signals, which affects peaceful sleep.

Don’t expose your smartphone to direct sunlight, especially while charging

Avoid charging your smartphone in direct sunlight or other hot places like near a car’s dashboard during the day, especially for long hours. This may make the heating issue worse. The accepted temperature is usually zero to 45-degree centigrade.

Never use cheap adapters to charge your handset

It’s always best to use the charger that comes with your smartphone (manufacturer’s original charger). In case the charger gets lost or starts malfunctioning, always replace it with branded chargers. Fake and unbranded chargers pose one of the biggest risks.

Don’t forget to remove the case while charging

Though not always possible, but it is always better to remove the case while charging your smartphone, as cases restrict heat dissipation while charging.

Don’t download apps from unknown sources

Downloading apps from anywhere other than official app stores is a big no. These apps not only steal your data but can also cause irreparable damage to your smartphone by installing malware or virus. Also, most of these apps are actually spyware and may go beyond tracking your movements.

Never plug earphones or charger to the smartphone when the phone is wet or when you take it out of sweaty pant pockets

This is common sense. Don’t plug anything to a wet phone. Also, sometimes unknowingly, your phone gets moist inside sweaty pant pockets. Be careful of that before you plug it.

Don’t keep your phone unlocked

Smartphones contain personal information and it is always recommended that you secure your smartphone by using either biometric authentication like fingerprint or using a tough password.

— TOI Tech