Top 3 tips and tricks for your cellphone

You might be one of those where your smartphone or tablet has become just as (or more) important than your computer. You can communicate with others, read the news, play games and even pay bills, all from the palm of your hand. You might even spend much more time on your phone than your computer. So here I share my top three cellphone tips and tricks:

Get a protective case or cover

This is one of the first things I suggest getting, right from day one. Mobile devices are small, slick and easy to drop, so you want to keep it physically protected. I personally like the ruggedness and warranty from the OtterBox brand, but any case or cover is better than none. Keep in mind there are many different device models out there and nearly each requires a specific case or cover, so ensure you get one that’s for your particular model.

Ensure you can remotely locate your phone if lost or stolen

The good old trick to help find lost phones is to call it repeatedly with another phone and hopefully the ringer is turned on so you can locate it. But if it’s on silent mode or not close by, this trick may not help.

If you have a smartphone that runs Android or an Apple iPhone or iPad, you likely have better phone location abilities. Nearly all these devices by default enable the remote location features, but you should double check now before you lose the device. If they are turned on and the device is powered on and connected to the cell service or Wi-Fi, you’re in luck. You can login to your Google or Apple account from another mobile device or a computer and do the following:

■ See device location: You can see the device’s approximate location on a map, so you can see if you’re near it.

■ Play a sound: You can make the device play a sound, even if it is on silent or vibration mode.

■ Secure the device: You can lock the device with a password if it’s not already password-protected, to keep strangers off the device.

■ Erase the device: If it doesn’t look like you’ll get the device back and you want to ensure no one accesses your personal data, you can try to remotely erase or wipe the device.

If you have a device running Android, you’d go to this website from another mobile device or a computer: https://www. google.com/android/find. If you have an iPhone, you’d go to https://www.icloud.com/find/.

You can also utilize the location sharing features of Google or Apple to always share your location with trusted family or friends. That could be for general safety reasons and also used to help you locate your device if it becomes lost or stolen. For those taking care of kids, it’s a great way to track where they are at.

It’s a good idea to ensure you know and verify your Google login or Apple ID and its password now, before you lose the device. If there’s any chance you could forget the login details, write them down in a safe spot or safely save on the computer. I suggest going to the website already mentioned and try to login now and ensure it can remotely locate your device.

Get a phone mount for your car

This is especially useful if using the phone for navigation and driving directions. My favorite mounts are those that suction cup to your windshield, putting your phone in view at eye level for navigation purposes. I also like the magnetic mount option where you attach a small magnet to your phone’s case and it holds your phone on the magnetic mount. These usually provide much easier mounting and unmounting than the mounts that claw grip your phone.

I don’t suggest using the cupholder phone mounts or simply sitting your phone down below eye level. If you must look at your phone while driving, it’s best to have it at eye level so you don’t have to look down.