Here are some tips…

If you have an iPad Mini (perhaps model number A1454 or A1455) that refuses to charge, there could be a couple of reasons as to why, so you have some options. If you haven’t tried any of these ideas below, give them a whirl before assuming that your device is ready to be sold or thrown out (don’t ever throw it out, though, because you can always sell it/solder it with a third party repair shop).

1.)   Reboot it. This will let you know if there is a software problem. You have to hold down the suspend button which is located at the top of the device, power off, then turn it back on. This might be all you need to do, but if it doesn’t work, move on to step 2.

2.)   If you’ve tried charging the Mini with an electrical outlet upon rebooting it but it still will not charge, it’s time to try plugging it into a computer. If the device reads, “Not Connected” then this is a surefire sign that the cable is working, so you can rule this out as a problem. All you have to do in this instance is purchase a new adapter.

3.)   If none of these work, then try contacting Apple because your problem could actually be a more complex hardware issue.

4.)   Solder the device at a local repair shop!

It is incredibly annoying to have an iPad that won’t charge, so if you are in this boat, try all of the steps listed to see if any are effective. If not, your carrier or Apple is sure to offer a solution, although it might cost you. A third party local repair shop can do the trick, too, and most likely for the lowest price tag.

More Screen Strength is Better!

How much do you know about manufactured sapphire glass? Did you know that this is actually the future of smartphones? Well, potentially. This is what is used in military vehicles. Its strength is indisputable. If used in smartphones and tablets, it would make them more resilient than ever before. Not that you are going to throw, run over or smash your smartphone – but if you do, the goal is that it would still be in great shape. It is recommended that anything that is costly is handled with care – but you know that if you use something every single day, it becomes subjected to sometimes uncontrollable elements, such as water, and it can also be dropped by accident. No one wants to lose their information or have to replace their expensive device. And with sapphire glass, you might not have to.

The Price is Right…Well, Not Just Yet

Sapphire glass does come at a higher price tag than Gorilla glass, but the cost is expected to eventually go down. This would make it a possibility at some point for those who own smartphones, tablets and phablets.

Tell me more about the glass.

It’s actually aluminum oxide and it offers up to 3 times more strength than regular Gorilla glass. It is something that you might soon be hearing much more about.

Look for more information on sapphire glass and smartphones/tablets. You will definitely be impressed with what you find.

Delete Apps You Don’t Use

Time for Some Smart Spring Cleaning!

It’s easy to rack up apps, especially if you have children or babysit for kids who enjoy playing on your smartphone or iPad. It’s easy to get excited about new games that become available. But if you aren’t using them, get rid of them. The reason behind this is pretty simple. Apps take up space and use up data – this isn’t necessarily an issue if you don’t have much on your phone, but eventually, everything adds up and can slow down your device tremendously.

Think of it like cleaning out your closet. If you have clothes taking up space that you never wear, it’s time to get rid of them. When it comes to apps, you might have one from a long time ago on your phone that has access to your data. Maybe you joined a dating site a while back, and just forgot to delete the app. Your significant other probably isn’t going to like this if they ever see it still on your device…so delete it. It’s so easy to do. All you have to do is press down on the app until it starts shaking. You’ll see an “x” appear. Click on it, and it’s deleted! If you have an Android, just go to the menu and “manage apps” to delete the app.

It’s time for some “spring cleaning” for your smartphone and/or tablet. So get to it – free up space and make sure that unwanted programs don’t have access to your personal data. If you aren’t using it, it’s time to say “farewell!”

The S6 Edge is looking absolutely amazing!

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is coming to users with a hefty price tag. Anything that you spend a lot of money on, you obviously want to be top-notch in every possible way. In regards to technology, that generally entails being fast, visually-appealing, convenient and great for multi-tasking. It’s rated as “excellent” but it is being sold for $780. Wow! Luckily, you do have the option to make smaller payments through your carrier – phew!

What’s so great about it?

Design

For one, its glass design and metal offer a new level of superiority to users. The viewing angles are even wider than ever before, offering plenty of room to view beautiful imaging. Everyone wants to be able to see photos and videos with perfect clarity, and now you can.

Battery Life

You have more power with it – well, battery power. There is a battery saving mode and fast charging power that enables it to charge even quicker than other devices. It offers up to 26 hours of talk time – perfect for those who like to chit chat with friends into all hours of the night, and great for those who sometimes forget to throw their phone on the charger after a long day of work with perhaps some sporadic texting, talking and playing games time.

Photos

The camera is great and will allow users to snap photos that come out beautifully, even if the lighting isn’t all that great. How? Auto HDR. You won’t find a screen that is more vibrant than this one.

You can pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge if you want to get it before everyone else. The expected delivery date is early April if you order now. In a nutshell, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge has some stellar features – it seems to be well-worth the price tag.

Having trouble with snail speed performance? Maybe your update is why.

It’s a given that when software updates become available for your smartphone, you want to use them. Sometimes the updates can seriously slow down your device, though, and this has proven problematic for customers time and time again.

Some customers reported that their iPhone 4 would take around 30 seconds just to unlock after they downloaded the iOS 7 update. This is unacceptable for a lot of people who rely on their device for quick communication. There were many reports that it would take 20 to 30 seconds for the iPhone to read that an iMessage was simply being typed. This completely goes against the fast communication that Apple is supposed to provide.

Anything less than fast, top-notch service can have a truly negative impact on smartphone and tablet users, affecting their ability to get work done quickly, to do research for class, and numerous other tasks. The fact that software updates can slow down smartphones is nothing new, but it is something that you should keep in mind. You shouldn’t have to reboot your phone on a daily basis after downloading something that is supposed to make it better.

Is it just age?

It can be difficult to know if it is just slowing down because the device is aging, or if the “snail speed” is a direct effect of downloading new software. However, a quick online search reveals that many people have had problems after downloading new updates, such as iOS 7, and iOS 4 (at the time of its release). We will have to wait and see what users have to say after downloading newer updates, such as iOS 8. Hopefully, Apple will address concerns about quick performance with future software modifications.

The Motorola Nexus 6 just hit the market – if you don’t have it quite yet, it is certainly something to look forward to, especially if you love technology.

What’s so great about it?

The Nexus 6 has an awesome QHD resolution, gorilla glass, battery talk time of up to 24 hours, internet usage time of up to 8 plus hours and other cool features. The RAM is 3GB and it boasts dual front facing speakers. Wow! This smartphone phablet is absolutely perfect for watching movies and videos thanks to its 6 inch Quad HD display. It is well-rounded and offers plenty of room for multitasking. Do you enjoy playing games on your phone? Watching YouTube clips? Listening to music? This is perfect for all of that and so much more. Bold colors and beautiful textures for imaging will make this an even more desirable device, especially with the new Android 5.0 Lollipop system. Turbo charging allows the device to charge faster than ever before. You can use it for even longer thanks to its extended battery life, as mentioned. There’s really just not much room for error with the new Nexus 6, even for those with the most discerning taste.

If you haven’t yet placed your order, consider doing so if you are interested in taking advantage of its amazing, advanced features. Since it was just recently released, there aren’t a ton of reviews from customers yet online, but they are sure to start coming up quickly. Do some research before you buy because there are tons of options on the market right now, but certainly take a good look at the Motorola Nexus 6 if you enjoy multitasking, staying up to date, chatting for extended periods of time and using your phablet for watching movies and videos.

The iPhone 6 Plus is the biggest smartphone to be released by Apple, with a 5.5 inch display and awesome features. Some might call it a phablet because its size makes it somewhat of a cross between a smartphone and, you guessed it, a tablet. Its retina HD display might be the first thing that people notice about it upon picking it up, but there is a lot to love. Have a look!

A8 Chip

This chip makes for faster processing, which makes for happy customers. It’s energy efficient, too.

M8 Motion Coprocessor

Anyone who is health-conscious and into fitness will appreciate this one. You are able to track distance and speed with ease. Forget having to pay for a “Fit Bit.” Just use your smartphone!

Touch ID

No longer do you have to enter a passcode to get into your device. You don’t have to panic that someone can guess your passcode if you lose your device, either. All you have to do is use your fingerprint to unlock it. You can add any of your trusted friends or family member’s fingerprints so that they can access it too, if ever necessary. Wow!

8 Megapixel Camera

You really can’t beat not having to own a camera anymore. Sure, the iPhone 6 Plus comes with a bit of a hefty price tag, but you don’t have to buy a GPS, and you don’t have to buy a camera. This one is absolutely great, providing “photog’s” with great quality images.

The iPhone 6 Plus gets two thumbs up right here. Be sure to check it out for its spectacular features.

Anyone that has used their iPad much knows how quickly the battery seems to die. It never fails that the second you’re at the best part of the book, or are busying killing monsters in your favorite app that the battery dies. Rest assured there are several steps and actions you can take to help prolong your iPad’s battery life so that you can use your tablet longer.

One of the most helpful battery savers can be to turn off the Wi-Fi and cellular data settings when they’re not in use. As your iPad continues searching for networks it slowly drains the battery. This can be helpful for those that use their iPads for work and reading where you do not need to be connected to the internet constantly. One of the fastest ways to turn this off is to switch on airplane mode. This mode will automatically cancel and turn off all internet connectivity.

Another hidden feature that most don’t pay any attention to is the automatic data updates. These can include email notifications and RSS feeds from your favorite blogs or twitter. If you don’t need to know every time you receive an email it can be a better option to just check your email on your own or change the option to only update once an hour or less. The same can be helpful for push notifications from sites such as Facebook.

If you still find that you could use more battery life you can ton down the brightness of your screen. The brighter the screen is set the more battery power the device will use. In some cases the brightest setting can be hard on your eyes as well so you might find that you actually prefer the lower setting.

Some users like using location services but when they’re not in use it can be beneficial to turn them off. They can always be turned back on when you need to use a map to find a location. It is doubtful that you are constantly using this setting so turning it off will save a lot of battery life over time.

Like most electronics, the iPad is sensitive to extreme temperatures. It’s common for a lot of people to keep their iPad’s handy in their cars but this can be damaging to the battery life and the device itself. Try and keep the tablet out of the sun and cold and you’ll find that your battery life will improve immediately.

It is important to implement important security features when you own a smartphone or tablet. If you don’t, anyone can ultimately gain access to it. Say you are at a restaurant and you leave your LG G3 behind. Or perhaps you leave it at a party. Maybe you even leave it at the food court while shopping in the mall. Anyone can pick it up, and you likely have visited important web sites or have apps on your phone connected to your bank account and other vital information that shouldn’t be seen by anyone else. You might even have your address stored in whatever GPS system you utilize, which would then give someone access to your personal address. It is always a good idea to just put a public location that is close to your house as your address in your smartphone, taking into consideration that someone else might be able to one day access it. But something important that users are able to take advantage of is knock code security, which allows you to enter a touch screen code to get into your LG G3. A person who does not know the code cannot get into it. There are more than 80,000 possible code combinations, making it virtually impossible for someone who doesn’t know you to get into your device.

Something else that is cool about the LG G3 is that it provides you with smart notice – reminding you to call back friends if you miss a call. This can be looked at as a security feature in a way, because if a family member calls you and wants a call back at a certain time, but you forget, this device will remind you to make the call. Not bad.

LG G3 has taken important steps towards better security, and you can benefit from these popular features. If you want to know more, ask your carrier about the LG G3 – you are sure to be amazed with the technological advancements that are available. A Google search will reveal a lot of cool information, too!

When you buy a new smart device, such as a phone or an iPad, you hear plenty about how to handle it. You are told usually right off the bat by your carrier that it would be beneficial (and practically mandatory) to purchase some sort of protective cover. You’re told that this could be related to a person riding a bike with a helmet, and that this protective cover could essentially save your device if it is dropped or even thrown. You’re pushed to buy this coverage and that coverage, told to rest it on a flat surface, etc. What you aren’t told is what not to do. Sure, some things are a given, but why not make a comprehensive list detailing the things that one should never do when they own an iPad, whether they have the iPad with Retina Display or iPad Air? Have a look at this important compilation of thoughts:

1.)   Don’t rest a drink anywhere near your iPad. It’s easy to come home from work and kick back on the couch. Maybe you want to check your e-mails in comfort, so you grab some tea and plop down, iPad in your lap. You can probably see where this is going. Your phone rings so you go to grab it, knocking over your drink and spilling it all over your iPad. And now, you are stuck with liquid damage. Avoid this! Don’t drink while using your iPad.

2.)   Don’t add it to the pile if your hands are already full. Laziness is a severe problem that we all want to imagine doesn’t exist. Whether you want to write it off as fatigue, exhaustion or just plain sluggishness, you are urged to avoid carrying your iPad with a bunch of other items. Don’t grab your luggage, shopping bags and iPad all at the same time. Something can wait. You can and probably will drop it if you try to do too much at once.

3.)   Don’t throw the iPad. We all get mad at technology sometimes. If you’re at work, you might want to slam your laptop shut because it is running slow. If you’re on the phone with someone unreasonable, you might want to toss it into the street. Maybe your iPad is running a bit slow, or it’s just one of those days – don’t do it! Don’t throw it.

Avoid having to spend more money than you need to by learning how not to handle an iPad. You’ll be glad you did, and richer for it!