How to Use Your iPhone More Effectively

On December 28, 2012, in iPhone 4, iPhone 5, News, by Matthew
How to Use Your iPhone More Effectively

Modern phones are harder to operate than ancient phones. As a result, a large number of people (especially senior members of our society) usually have a hard time trying to use their iPhone more effectively. Listed below are tips on how to use your iPhone more effectively.

 

 

 

Tips on How to use Your iPhone More Effectively

Once you’ve bought an iPhone, you will want to learn how to use all the cool features and amenities that come with this device.

Set up the iPhone Properly

Setting the iPhone up properly is a must. After you’ve bought an iPhone, you will need to install iTunes on your desktop computer and/or laptop and create a personal iTunes account. It is also a very good idea to sync your new iPhone to your email account. This will enable you to not just send and receive messages but also manage your calendar and add or delete contacts from the iPhone. Popular email accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo and MSN are all compatible with iPhones.

Web Browsing

Most people who buy an iPhone use it to browse the web. For this reason, it is very important to choose a compatible web browser and install it properly. All iPhone models come with Safari, a free built in web browser, but some people prefer to use other browsers.

Music

Learning how to manage various music options is also very important. A beginner will want to learn how to get songs from CD onto his or her iPhone, make playlists and use the iPhone with an FM car transmitter.

Choosing the Right Apps

Choosing the right apps will significantly increase your iPhone’s effectiveness. The idea is not to choose a large number of apps but to simply pick the ones that you need and are likely to use. There are many great apps to choose from, ranging from gaming apps to cooking apps.

Jailbreaking

Jailbreaking an iPhone is no easy task, although there are some programs that make this job a lot simpler than it would be otherwise. Jailbreaking an iPhone enables a person to get apps that are not available from Apple’s App store. It is completely legal to jailbreak your iPhone but Apple will not help you resolve any problems that may arise as a result of your actions.

If you damage your iPhone while trying to use your iPhone more effectively, you can rely on ifixyouri.com to get it up and running in no time.

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The Quality of the HTC Droid DNA Display

On December 26, 2012, in News, smartphones, by Matthew
htc-droid-dna-smartphone-repair

The first impressions of the HTC Droid DNA are actually very promising. The look of the screen alone can already be classified excellent. However, how does this phone fair from the other smartphones?

We compared the HTC Droid DNA with some of the current heavyweights of the smartphone industry.

 

 

 

HTC Droid DNA vs. the Competition

The first thing to compare with rival smartphones is the screen brightness. The HTC Droid DNA was placed beside four other phones including the iPhone, the Nexus 4, the HTC One X and the Galaxy S III. The results revealed that the iPhone produces the brightest screen among all the smartphones followed closely by the One X. Although the performance of the HTC Droid DNA is quite disappointing, the brightness is still enough to make the screen visible in daylight.

Color Quality and Screen Testing

When it comes to color, the Super LCD 2 of the One X still remains on top along with the iPhone 5. Although the Super LCD 3 of the Droid DNA produces a rather blue hue, it is still a lot better compared to the greenish shade of the Nexus 4. Aside from the pixel density, the Droid DNA provides clear images for users to appreciate, especially in a macro shot.

However, in summary, the Super LCD 3 of the Droid DNA is still inferior to the Super LCD 2 of the HTC One X. Although the former has a slight edge when it comes to the sharpness of the display, this still cannot make up to its poor color calibration and darker screen.

Ranking Smartphones

Although the HTC Droid DNA does not generally have a bad screen, it is still a step backwards compared to the other phones. Here is the ranking of the smartphones according to their display:

  1. HTC One X
  2. Apple iPhone 5
  3. HTC Droid DNA
  4. Google Nexus 4
  5. Samsung Galaxy S III

Note: Although all the aforementioned smartphones have their clear strengths and weaknesses, all are prone to unforeseen accidents such as water damage, cracked screens etc. If your smartphone is in need of repair, the experts at iFixYouri can certainly help.

Honorable Mentions

Aside from these five, there are two other smartphones that remain to be tested. These are the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Samsung Galaxy Note II. When it comes to brightness and color, the Lumia is classified as excellent. However, it is still a step behind the Droid DNA in terms of the resolution. The Lumia 920 is a lot sharper because of the thicker typeface; however, the size of the pixels is actually comparable. As for the Galaxy Note II, it is, as of the moment, at the bottom of the ranking.

Cool Verizon iPhone 5 Features

On December 25, 2012, in iPhone 5, News, by Matthew

It’s hard to say what tops the list of the coolest features on the Verizon iPhone 5. The fact that it’s the most advanced phone on the market and can be fixed in a timely fashion, or maybe the fact that it’s designed to last, and not break in the first place.

Verizon iPhone 5 Unique Features

  • 4-Inch Retina Display
  • Fastest Wireless
  • A6 Chip
  • 8MP iSight Camera
  • iOS 6
  • Thinnest, Smallest Design Yet

Verizon iPhone 5 Retina Display 

So you’re curious about the 4-Inch Retina Display. Think about it this way: the human eye can process a limited amount of visual data, and the iPhone’s screen has more visual than the eye can see. For decades, technology designers have been producing screens (televisions, computer monitors and cell phones) under the assumption that adding color beyond the human’s perception capability was time wasted. The Retina Display showed the world that this was a wrongly applied understanding.

The human eye can only see a certain amount of color and richness in an image, but the eye has several advantages over a still screen. When the eye shifts focus, it creates rapid 3D sensations, filling in and drawing color based on lighting and movement. Viewed in movement, a screen that lacks rich color saturation becomes duller. Moreover, the brain is responsible for interpreting the images eyes see. The less detail presented to the brain, the more work the brain does to fill in an image.

The Retina Display has packed more pixels into its viewing area than the eye can detect, and the result is a uniform, nearly three-dimensional four-inch screen. Maybe your eye can’t see more than a certain number of pixels per centimeter, but when you look at the Retina Display, you won’t be able to deny its clearer image compared to other cell phones.

Other Features

You won’t be surprised by Verizon’s incredibly fast wireless. They’ve built the best network in the industry, which means that no matter where you go, you’ll have endless streaming possibilities and great use, and not only that, but you won’t have to worry about your battery dying when you’re out and about.

Battery Life

The A6 Chip has the best power efficiency on the market, delivering as much as two times the CPU performance while conserving more battery life than any other phone.

The 8MP iSight camera is so good, many people stop carrying a digital camera, and take shots exclusively with their iPhone. It’s true. You get all of this with iOS 6, the best operating system on the market, in the smallest, thinnest design by Apple to date.

Heed this warning: the design means the device is delicate.  If you accidentally damage your Verizon iPhone 5, there is hope: iFixYouri specializes in iPhone 5 repair.  Fixing your phone is as simple as sending it to the experienced technicians, who will send it back, good as new.

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One of the best features of the iPhone 5 is its Wi-Fi. However, some users have argued that the Wi-Fi is awful. For instance, one complaint is that the Wi-Fi doesn’t maintain a signal for long enough. To address this issue, here is a short guide on how to solve the iPhone 5 Wi-Fi problem.

The Wi-Fi capabilities of the iPhone 5 are very different compared to the Wi-Fi capabilities of the iPhone 4S. The latter is able to get a full Wi-Fi bar signal without difficulty, while the former is already having problems in maintaining even a single bar for a few seconds. This is one of the most common problems presented in the Apple forums. Nevertheless, users find it effective in switching their router from WPA2 to WEP.

WPA Vs. WEP

The WPA and WPA2 are considered as advanced encryption technologies compared to the WEP. However, they experience more problems in syncing with networks produced by older devices. If the phone experiences Wi-Fi problems, this will automatically switch back to WEP. This is where the iPhone 5 is experiencing the problem. Apple designed the new iPhone with WPA since it is more secured compared to the WEP. Nevertheless, people can use the latter temporarily until Apple finds a way to solve the problem. For the meantime, people will have to compromise their phone’s security in order to enjoy staying connected with the Internet.

Switching Routers

Switching the router of the phone is actually very simple. All you need to do is to access the Router gateway, which can be seen through Google. For example, Western Digital routers are accessed by simply encoding the term “wp router” into the URL Bar. On the other hand, most of the Linksys routers are 192.168.1.1.

The Final Step

Once done, you can now go to the Wireless and Security options to select the WEP encryption instead of the WPA. You will then be required to enter your password for you to finish your router switch. Hopefully, all of your router issues will be solved immediately. This is one of the things that can be done to fix the iPhone 5 Wi-Fi problem.

If Wi-Fi problems are the least of your worries and you have experienced more significant issues such as water damage, a cracked screen or other instances that may require iPhone5 repair, you should consider going to a professional. iFixYouri is an expert in all smartphone, laptop, tablet and desktop repairs.

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Scuffgate: iPhone 5 Damage Right Out of the Box

On November 27, 2012, in iPhone Repair, by Matthew

Reports of minor cosmetic damage on some shipped iPhone 5 models were acknowledged by Apple.  When the iPhone 5 was released, the company received several complaints about scratches and dents alongside the edges right out of the box.

Phil Schiller, the senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple Inc., responded to a customer’s email who had complained that he received his black and slate iPhone 5 with some scratches, scuffs and marks throughout the band around the device. The customer further sought clarification from Phil Schiller whether Apple had plans to resolve these issues with the smartphone.

Schiller answered that it is common with any aluminum product to chip or scratch with usage, exposing its natural silver color.  Still, when a new product is shipped, those natural scratches should usually only appear after the user handles it.

“Scuffgate” Coined to Describe Common iPhone 5 Issue

The majority of the iPhone 5 damage issues were observed with the black version, whereas the white and silver model received no such reports. It is believed that one reason behind the problem could be the popularity of the black version of the device.

Potential customers can see images of scratches and dents on the device online.  The issue was common enough to have a coined phrase for the phenomenon:  Scuffgate.

Advantages of the iPhone 5

The new smartphone comes with slimmer design at 7.6 mm thick and a taller 4-inch display. It also comes with a two-tone design along with a metal backing. It is made from aluminum and glass, and is believed to be 20 percent lighter compared to the Iphone 4S.  The design choices have created a more sleek phone, but one that is apparently more prone to physical damage.

iPhone 5 Damage Repair – Seek Professional Help

There are a variety of issues that an iPhone 5 can suffer from, but fortunately repairs can help save the device from a landfill.  If your iPhone 5 has experienced any damage, don’t panic: iFixYouri specializes in iPhone 5 repair.

 

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iPhone 5 video

The process of choosing a new high-end smartphone to buy may seem exciting at first, but things can get confusing once you start focusing on the technical aspects of the product. Two important features for many smartphone users is the ability to take good photos and videos.  Let’s compare image and video quality of three very good smartphones: Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One X and iPhone 5.

Battle of the Smartphones: Round 1 – Picture Quality

If the overall picture quality is considered as the benchmark, HTC One X is the best option because it tends to over-sharpen the image thereby minimizing degradation. Yet, iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 cannot be called poor in this aspect.

If you want a phone that reproduces colors perfectly, then you ought to choose iPhone 5 because it does justice to snaps with natural and warm colors. The One X seems to overdo this aspect by bringing a yellowish hue into the images.

Exposure wise, the One X lags behind the other two because it tends towards under exposure. iPhone 5 scores the highest as far as dynamic range is concerned.

Smartphones will get used indoors very often. Hence, this is an important parameter. iPhone 5 scores high again and produces very good images irrespective of the quality of lighting. SGS3′s flash does a good job of taking good snaps even in poor lighting but does not match iPhone’s performance.

Round 2 – Video Quality

What about video? It is Apple all the way. Want HD videos with crisp details, perfectly natural colors and super smooth recording all the way? Choose iPhone 5. The iPhone camera seems to get great quality, well encoded video. The S3 fails in suppressing wind noise. One X just does not make the cut here. Details are vague and the capture rate is plain slow.

And the Winner is…

When you analyze the quality of images and video, there is no doubt that iPhone 5 comes out on top in a close race. It is easy to use and pretty fast too. Other two options are impressive and definitely score over similar products in the market. However, it cannot be denied that they fall behind when one compares with iPhone 5.

Regardless of the model you choose to buy, keep in mind one important fact: the device is delicate.  If anything happens to your new smartphone, you can save your tears: iFixYouri specializes in repairs for all 3 models!

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Perhaps you’re buying a new iPhone.  Or perhaps your iPhone just stopped working.  Or perhaps you were just trying to access your favorite app, and the device wouldn’t open it, again, and when you try open Safari to see what the problem is, the browser just won’t load, you just can’t take it anymore

So you decide to destroy your iPhone.

The rash solution is to throw it against a wall in frustration.  Or drop it from your 15th storey apartment.  Or smash it with a hammer.  But there are as many ways to wreak havoc on your iPhone as there are reasons for doing it.  Let’s explore some methods, so you can decide how you’ll end the life of your (once) prized possession!

Quick Household Methods to Destroy Your iPhone

When you just need to get the job done.

iPhone vs. Truck

iPhone vs. Blender

iPhone vs. Boiling Water

iPhone vs. Drill

Creative Methods to Render Your iPhone Irreparable

Imaginative solutions to destroy an imaginative device.

iPhone vs. Giant Magnifying Glass

iPhone vs. Microwave Robot

Hi Tech Punishiment for an iPhone Behaving Badly

When you’ve got toys that are more powerful than the iPhone itself, why not use them against the little weeny device?

iPhone vs. Extreme Heat

iPhone vs. Lasers

Don’t Try This At Home… Unless You’re Mad

Safety first.  New phone second.

iPhone vs. Hand Gun

iPhone vs. Angle Grinder

Who Doesn’t Love a Montage?

It Takes a Lickin’…

Testing the durability of a consumer product with entertaining methods isn’t a new phenomenon. Timex, the titan of watch manufacturers, popularized the slogan “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”.  Check out some of the vintage ads where they tested their claims.

While the iPhone does, at times, have the ability to continue functioning after it has been drilled or dropped in water, it is a pretty sensitive electronic device that can fail when it is simply knocked off of a coffee table, or dropped into a toilet.

Unless the phone has been obliterated, most of the common damage sustained by an iPhone can be repaired.  What could be more convenient than sending your damaged device from anywhere in the States to the professional repair team at iFixYouri, who specialize in iPhone repair, and getting your baby shipped back to your hands like new?

Besides, it’s more fun to destroy a working iPhone…

 

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Warranty Options for the iPhone 5

On November 6, 2012, in iPhone 5, iPhone Repair, by Matthew

For those with a warranty on their iPhone 5 that doesn’t have extensive coverage, or a warranty that has expired, or no warranty at all, getting repairs from iFixYouri will help the smartphone owner save high repair costs, or save the device from joining a pile of e-waste.

In addition to the benefits of reduced repair costs, a good warranty can offer piece of mind.    Therefore, it is important to get the best warranty and protection plan for an iPhone 5 that provides coverage for repairs, breakage, and also replacement if it is stolen or lost. Here are a few of the best plans available today.

AppleCare+

This plan costs $99 for two years, and coverage includes support and hardware issues. The plan is quite popular and available from retailers and directly from Apple as well. The recently updated version of the plan includes two damage claims due to accidents. This means your phone will be replaced if it is broken due to any reason for a fee of $49.

The AppleCare+ plan can be purchased within 30 days of purchase of the iPhone 5. However, when you do not purchase the plan along with a new phone, it will require inspection and an appointment at the Genius Bar.  This plan does not cover theft or loss; hence, it is not a comprehensive protection plan.

SquareTrade

The plans from SquareTrade are similar to Apple’s extended warranty plans for the iPhone 5. This plan costs $99 for two years, and $129 for three years. If you sell your iPhone 5 in that period, you can transfer the plan to the new user. The plan includes four replacements or repairs, and there is a same-day service option. Coverage is for any kind of damage, and claims require a deductible of $50. You can also pay for repairs out of pocket at the Apple Store and have it reimbursed; however, the plan does not cover theft or loss.

Protect your Bubble

This plan costs $143.99 for a one-time annual fee, and $7.99 per month if you prefer monthly payments. Apart from repairs and replacement, it also covers theft and loss; however, there is $100 deductible.

The best value of an iPhone 5 warranty seems to be plans from AppleCare+ and SquareTrade; however, if you need theft and loss coverage, Protect your Bubble is a good option. Remember that the third option is to not get a warranty at all — iPhone 5 repairs are often much cheaper if you get them yourself!

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Safely Handling your iPhone 5

On October 28, 2012, in iPhone Repair, by Matthew

Does the new iPhone 5 from Apple get damaged by merely handling it? Well, no one is quite clear about this, and we will only know for sure when people have used this phone for at least two years.

The issue potentially lies in the phone’s case made of anodized aluminum. The main advantage is quite obviously the lightweight; however, when the anodizing wears off, it can cause issues of a cosmetic nature.

iPhone 5 Aluminum Case

In aluminum, you will not find the same rusting process as in iron. When iron rusts, the oxidized layer that forms on top falls off, and the rusting process starts for the layer underneath, and so on. In aluminum the oxidized layer does not fall off, which prevents the layer underneath from being oxidized. The fact is aluminum does rust, but the “rusting” stops with the initial layer.

The process of anodizing deliberately increases the oxidized layer, by about twenty to forty factors. This provides underlying layers much better protection from rust. However, my suspicion is that the iPhone 5 has been anodized to make the dying process easy, so that any color can be given to the phone. If aluminum is not anodized, you will be left with the natural aluminum color. Dying is only possible when the surface of aluminum is anodized.

It is however important to note that anodized layer can wear off in environments that are highly alkaline or acidic. According to industry experts, ph values in range of five and nine do not have much effect. However, going beyond this range, the wear will start, but nobody is sure how much.

Safely Handling the iPhone 5

The point to note is you get a ph range of 4.5 to 5.5 in human sweat. This being the case, the dyed layer of your iPhone 5 has a chance of wearing off when you handle your phone.

There are different common items that have anodized aluminum on them from laptops to frying pans. However, experts feel that none of them would be handled like a phone, and constantly exposed to human sweat. Therefore, the iPhone 5 will experience wear due to sweat, but the extent of wear is not yet clear.

After handling your iPhone 5 for a while, if you are aware that the exterior is getting worn out, you may be in need of repairs to ensure that the electronics are protected.  In this situation, don’t hesitate to contact professionals like iFixYouri who can determine how to fix any iPhone issue you face.

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Has the iPhone 5 Changed Our Lives?

On October 13, 2012, in Apple, iPhone 5, iPhone Repair, by Matthew

Regarded by many smartphone enthusiasts as being the most anticipated handheld device in the past 2 years, the iPhone 5 has certainly not disappointed (neither in performance nor projected sales). But, apart from the new sleeker design, increased screen length, LTE, lighter frame… What does the public actually think of the newest addition to the Apple family? Well one thing is certain, it is true what they say about opinions and like elbows we all have them.

 

Although the iPhone 5′s glowing reviews are warranted, I feel this reviewer makes an excellent point of the consumer being required to pay $29.99 for an adapter to integrate this phone with older Apple devices. It would have been nice to see that included with the iPhone 5, considering that the added adapter would’ve cost Apple pennies on a phone that retails for $699.

 

Now besides the adapter issue (which let’s face it, isn’t really a huge factor), Apple’s introduction of Apple Maps and the move away from Google Maps threw many users for a loop (some perhaps literally if they were trying to follow Apple’s map). As this reviewer had explained – Apple has acknowledged its error, which in and of itself is always a good thing, and is going to fix the challenge. Apple Maps features a 3D overview of a city’s geography; however, it doesn’t actually give the user the capability of getting directions to their destinations. Which (although cool), for obvious reasons is a bit of a problem considering that this is the sole purpose of any map.

 

I think it’s safe to say that the overall consensus regarding the iPhone 5 is that all that have purchased theirs are pleased with its performance. Considering that for a device with such a broad and fanatic following, it is pretty amazing that its negative reviews are so sparse and seldom found. Short of any unforeseen issues such as the dropping, drowning or other physical damage that one may do to their iPhone 5, it is pretty safe to say that Apple has not lost any fans with its latest installment.