Phones & Accessories

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published its findings on research examining the impact of screen time on children and has come up with a result that might surprise some: there's a lack of evidence that suggests that screen time is actually detrimental to your child's health.

The news comes with the recommendation to "let parents be parents", according to Dr Max Davie, Officer for Health Promotion for the RCPCH, suggesting, like many things, that moderation and common sense is more important.

The news will likely be greeted with jubilation from fans of technology, but there's a major caveat: the RCPCH goes on to say that it's important that technology doesn't interfere with other essential areas of a child's development - including social and physical. 

Parents still need to stay in control 

While some are already seeing it as a seal of approval for the digital nanny - dumping your child in front of a tablet rather than actually interacting with your child - the RCPCH points out that technology isn't a replacement for parenting. 

Rather than suggesting a time limit for the use of digital devices, the Royal College is instead suggesting that you use four questions to evaluate your relationship with technology:

1. Is your family's screen time under control?
2. Does screen use interfere with what your family want to do?
3. Does screen use interfere with sleep?
4. Are you able to control snacking during screen time use? 

Here we get to the crux of the matter: if your family doesn't function as a family then you have a problem - and technology use might not be the problem, it might be a symptom. 

Essentially, parents need to be parenting, they need to be aware of what their children are doing with devices and they need to stay in control.

"We suggest that age appropriate boundaries are established, negotiated by parent and child that everyone in the family understands. When these boundaries are not respected, consequences need to be put in place," said Dr Davie. That's parenting 101. 

"It is also important that adults in the family reflect on their own level of screen time in order to have a positive influence on younger members." Parents need to be role models.

High screen time could make you fat

The guidelines of the RCPCH are partly based on a review of research, conducted by Institute of Child Health, University College London, and published in the British Medical Journal, which found links between higher screen time and obesity, poor diet and lower quality of life.

The takeaway here is that screens can distract from healthy routines, like sitting down for a proper meal and that's really what these guideline point to: don't let the tech dictate your family life. 

It's also pointed out that when screen time gets in the way of exercise - you're playing FIFA rather than actual football - then it's starting to interfere with a healthy lifestyle. The RCPCH also finds that unhealthy snacking can be a side effect of screen time, wanting to stay playing rather than sitting down for a proper meal.

Screen time can disrupt your sleep 

One of the strong recommendations is that you don't use digital devices in the hour leading up to bed time, because of the disruption it can have on sleep. While specific device use data might be rare (it's mostly based around TV viewing), there's no lack of research into the importance of quality sleep and the benefits to mental wellbeing and education - and screen time can disrupt that.

The RCPCH points out that there's little evidence to suggest that "night modes" do anything to make using a device use before bedtime any better. While there's evidence that shows that blue light exposure suppresses melatonin production and keeps you awake - and blue light suppression reduces this effect - research doesn't yet say that night modes will help you sleep. 

Instead the recommendation is that there's no screen time in the hour leading up to bedtime.

More research is needed

While all these guidelines sound like common sense - they are - one of the big points made by the RCPCH is that more specific quality research is needed in particular areas relating to screen time use. What there isn't evidence for, at the moment, is that screen time is necessarily bad - and the public perception is rather "toxic" - something not supported by scientific research.

You can find the full recommendations via the link below, which includes the details of the scientific research that's lead to the findings.

As more cell phone towers go up across the country, and more people start using cell phones, more cell phone users are questioning whether or not they need to use a cell phone anti-radiation shield.

Do You Need A Cell Phone Anti-Radiation Shield?

If you search hard enough, you'll be able to locate legitimate scientific studies that indicate there may be a cancer risk from the radio wave radiation that's emitted from your cell phone. On the other hand, you'll be able to find just as many studies that prove there's no danger from the levels of radiation coming from your phone. What do you believe?

Unfortunately, the current state of cell phone radiation research is similar to the early days of tobacco research. It wasn't until 1999 when the U.S. Department of Justice finally filed a racketeering lawsuit against the major tobacco companies for engaging in a "50 year scheme" to counteract any scientific evidence that showed that cigarettes are harmful to a person's health. Is the potential cell phone cancer link the same sort of scenario? Are cell phone companies funding and promoting research that "proves" no link from cell phone radio radiation in an effort to discredit those studies that are uncovering problems?

The Body of Evidence

When you examine the studies that exist on both sides of the debate, it can feel overwhelming. It seems like every year there are new studies that find harmful health effects of cell phone radiation, as well as studies that show no health effects whatsoever. So who do you believe? Should you get a cell phone anti-radiation shield?

Studies that Show Harmful Health Effects

• In February of 2008, a research study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The study, conducted at Tel Aviv University, examined 500 Israelis who had developed salivary gland cancer and compared their level of mobile phone usage to 1,300 healthy adults. The researchers discovered that within the entire group, those who used their cell phone for a few hours a day had 50 percent higher odds of developing a salivary gland tumor.
• A 2004 research study conducted by a research team in Stockholm, Sweden reported in the Epidemiology Journal that using a cell phone for over ten years quadrupled the risk of developing a rare tumor called acoustic neuromas. The World Health Organization (WHO) funded the study.

Studies that Show No Effects to Health

• In June of 2008, a Japanese study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, considered how mobile phone radiation levels affected different parts of the brain. After studying the mobile phone use of 322 brain cancer patients and 683 healthy adults, the study concluded that using a mobile phone "regularly" did not increase the risk of brain cancer.
• In 2006, a study from Denmark, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, followed 420,000 cell phone users and compared their records to the Danish Cancer Registry. The study found that there's no increased risk of suffering from cancer by using a cell phone.

With all of these studies, we have to remember that correlation does not imply causation. Are cell phones causing (or not causing) the damage or is it a third factor that has been left unaccounted for?

The Decision to Use a Radiation Shield

Lately, more news has surfaced regarding the potential damaging health effects of extensive cell phone use.

Reasons for Concern

In one disturbing story from 2003

In 2008, the most surprising news article reported that Dr. Ronald Herbermann, the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, advised his 3,000 faculty and staff to keep the cell phone away from the head by using a headset and to keep children from using cell phones except in emergencies. He cites unpublished scientific studies as the source of his concern.

Where to Find a Cell Phone Anti-Radiation Shield

If you are concerned about the possible health effects of radio wave radiation emitted by your cell phone, your options are simple and cheap. This kind of radiation is at its highest levels nearest the antenna. Also, not all cell phones are created equal. Sar Shield offers a useful radiation chart for cell phones that provides an accurate "Sar rating" for every cell phone model. It's important to realize that at these low radiation levels, if you keep the cell phone away from your head and body, you are perfectly safe. However, if you'd rather not use a headset, then there are plenty of resources to obtain a radiation shield for your phone.

• Amazon also offers plenty of products, such as this Anti-Radiation and Battery Salvager
• If you prefer clipping your cell phone to your pants pocket, consider buying some phone-radiation EMF blocking underwear from Swedish underwear maker, Isa Bodywear.

Making Your Decision

A few years ago, the science regarding links between cell phone radiation and various health ailments was a very emergent science. Even today, most scientists disagree about many of the findings. However, the fact that so many new studies are discovering effects that cell phone radiation can have on human biology, it makes sense to play it safe. If there are no negative health effects, then you're only out a few bucks. But if it turns out there really are serious health issues related to cell phone radiation, then by protecting yourself early, you can protect your health and potentially save your life by getting a cell phone anti-radiation shield.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite program wasn't just designed for acquiring correct directions to a particular location. It can also be used to track the location of devices and loved ones when you sign up for the appropriate service.

AccuTracking

 AccuTracking offers a pay-as-you-go service for real-time GPS tracking. There is no contract to sign, and the service works with either GPS tracking devices, like those that may be installed on vehicles, or with a compatible cell phone. You can track the location of your cell phone from a PC or a mobile browser, including a full 30-day history with a trail view. The tracking data can also be downloaded in Microsoft Excel (CSV) or Google Earth (KML) file formats.

Monthly pricing starts from around $6 per unit with a seven-day free trial.

 Carrier-Based Location Tracking

 Some major cellular service providers in the United States offer location-based tracking for their mobile customers. These services typically use a combination of GPS tracking and tracking via cell phone signal based on tower locations.

• AT&T FamilyMap: Geared mostly toward parents who want to keep track of their children, AT&T's service costs around $10 per month to locate up to 10 lines. You can view real-time locations, receive arrival alerts, and track daily location history. Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and feature phone devices are not supported.
• Verizon Family Locator: The equivalent service from Verizon is priced at the same $10 monthly fee to keep track of up to 10 phones. From the family dashboard, you can view everyone's location at a glance, review location history, and receive alerts when your kids arrive at school or leave home.
• Sprint Family Locator: From the Safely family of services, Sprint Family Locator lets you see the location of connected family members at any time, including on both smartphones and feature phones. There is no need to install anything on the

phones you track. The service is priced at around $6 for up to four phones.

 Android Device Manager

 If you have an Android smartphone, like a Samsung Galaxy or a Google Pixel, then you have access to the Android Device Manager for free. This connects to your existing Google account, the same one you would have used to set up your Android phone in the first place.

1. Go to the Find My Device in a web browser on your computer and log into your Google account.
2. Select your Android device from the ones connected to your account near the top-left corner.
3. The website will then attempt to contact your device.
4. If successful, you will be a shown a map with the last known location of your Android phone, as well as its last known battery level and if it is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
5. Also from this page, you can choose to "play sound" even if the phone is set to silent, "lock" the device, or to "erase" all content from it.

Find My iPhone (iCloud)

 The Find My iPhone feature from Apple works in a very similar manner and comes at no additional cost if you already have an iCloud account. You must first enable this featurethrough the settings menu on your iPhone.

1. From a web browser on your computer, navigate to the Find My iPhone page on iCloud.com. You can also use the Find My iPhone app on a different iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
2. Log in using your Apple ID and password.
3. Select a connected device to view its current location on a map. If you have Family Sharing, any member of the family can locate the missing device for another family member.
4. Like Android Device Manager, you are also afforded additional options like remotely locking or erasing your device.

 Btracking

Geared more toward employers and professional contexts, Btracking requires a paid subscription for every device you would like to track. The service includes access to a cloud-based, real-time mapping platform, a heat map for frequently visited locations, up to six months of routing history, real time alerts delivered by text message or email, and Salesforce CRM integration.

Cell phone tracking costs $15 per month per device for up to 50 devices.

 Device Tracker Plus

 Device Tracker Plus installs onto existing mobile devices to allow you to track the exact location at any time and in real time. This works globally, even where the device does not have cell phone reception. Device Tracker Plus also supports a feature called Virtual Barrier. You can draw a "barrier" around a location and be alerted whenever the tracked cell phone leaves the defined barrier zone.

Monthly pricing starts around $15 to track a single device or about $20 for families who wish to track up to 10 devices.

Legal Considerations and Limitations

 With the noted exceptions of parents tracking their children, law enforcement personnel with a valid court order, and caretakers tracking elderly patients with dementia, it is generally illegal to access someone's computer (and a smartphone is a computer in this context) without their consent. For several of these GPS tracking options, specific software must be installed or enabled on the smartphone before the device can be tracked. The owner of the phone must authorize this feature.

GPS tracking typically requires a relatively good "line of sight" to GPS satellites and thus may work poorly (or not at all) while inside buildings or otherwise obstructed by other physical barriers. The data you receive from tracking solutions may not necessarily be 100 percent accurate and up-to-date.

 To Pay or Not to Pay

 Paid tracking options may be able to provide more accurate and timely results as well as more advanced features. Thus, they may be more desirable for concerned families. If you're simply worried about losing your phone or having it stolen, however, Android Device Manager or Find My iPhone may be perfectly adequate.

t happens even to the most careful of people. In a blink of an eye, your cell phone slips out of your hands and falls crashing down on hard pavement below. Picking up its damaged remains, you may wonder if you can (and should) repair or replace the cracked cell phone screen.

Assessing Cell Phone Screen Damage

The steps that you should take when addressing a damaged phone screen will depend on the severity of the damage. In all cases, take some time to assess just how bad the damage is. Look at your phone under good light and from several angles.

Be Careful With a Damaged Screen

In most cases, even if the screen looks like it is totally shattered, the actual pieces should mostly stay in place. However, it is probably a good idea to err on the side of caution. Avoid holding the cracked glass up to your ear for phone calls, for instance. You may also want to minimize usage in general as to avoid cutting your fingers.

Pinpointing the Damage

When you look down at your cell phone screen and see that it is scratched or even cracked, it's important to recognize exactly what it is that you are seeing. What you normally think of as the "screen" or the "display" typically consists of two main parts: (1) the glass and (2) the digitizer. This is generally true for most touchscreen-enabled devices like smartphones.

The surface you actually touch is the outer pane of glass. Underneath that is the digitizer, which is the layer that recognizes your taps and swipes as input. In some phones, these two components are separate. In other phones, the two components may be fused together.

It is important to make this distinction in the context of cell phone repair. Surface scratches on a separate pane of glass are typically easier and more affordable to fix than damage to the digitizer.

Interim Actions

If you are not going to repair the phone right away, place an inexpensive plastic screen protector on it to hold the pieces in place in the interim. Regardless, it is a good idea to ensure you have backed up the important data on your phone like your photos and messages, just in case.

DIY Cell Phone Repair

You might consider taking the do-it-yourself approach to fixing your cell phone screen, particularly if you do not have a cell phone insurance policy and you are outside the warranty period.

Repairing Minor Damage

If all you see on your phone screen are some minor nicks and scratches, you may be able to hide these blemishes with some simple DIY solutions. For a small scratch, you may try a little toothpaste on a cotton swab. Rub it into the scratch gently and you may be able to hide the damage. A few other options you might consider include vegetable oil, baking soda, or even sandpaper.

Proceed at your own risk and discretion, as it is possible you may even cause more damage.

Replacing a Broken Screen

If you already have the technical skills and experience, particularly if you've worked with small electronics before, you might consider tackling the project of replacing a broken cell phone screen yourself.

There are a number of terrific how-to resources online, including extensive teardown guides from iFixit and several videos on YouTube.

You will need a basic cell phone repair kit as well as the specific parts for replacing the screen on your model cell phone. These can be purchased online from Amazon, eBay, and the iFixit store, among others.

Professional Screen Replacement

If you are uncomfortable with taking your phone apart, which may involve literally prying it apart, cutting through adhesive, and voiding your warranty in the process, it may be best to take it to a professional.

• Local cell phone repair shops are available nationwide. Search for one near you. There are 450 Cell Phone Repair (CPR) store locations throughout the U.S., as well as many independent stores.
• Puls Technologies deploys cell phone repair professionals to customers' homes.
• Best Buy's Geek Squad offers cell phone repair at select locations. Best Buy is an authorized service provider for Apple and Samsung.
• If you crack the screen on your iPhone, consider taking it directly to Apple. iPhone screen replacement costs about $30 if you have AppleCare+ and approximately $130 to $280 if it is out of warranty.
• RockIT Repairs in Virginia offers a mail-in repair service. Check the website for the latest pricing.

Fixing Your Phone vs. Replacing

Depending on the age and the value of your phone, you may or may not decide to repair the screen after it has been seriously damaged. The average American upgrades his or her smartphone every two years, so you may choose to replace your phone rather than fix the screen.

As modern smartphones continue to become more powerful and feature-rich, extending the battery life on these phones becomes an increasingly pressing issue for a growing majority of users. While it is questionable whether closing open apps actually saves battery life, there are several tactics and strategies that you can employ to help your cellphone battery last as long as possible between charges.

Lower the Screen Brightness

The display on your smartphone consumes a lot of battery life and it consumes even more if the screen is brighter. To prolong the battery life on your smartphone, dim the screen brightness as much as is comfortable. It is also helpful to shorten the screen timeout period too. This is the amount of time before the screen turns itself off after a period of inactivity.

Android

1. Open the Settings menu.
2. Select Display.
3. Tap Brightness level.
4. Move the slider as far to the left (dim) as is comfortable.
5. Tap Sleep.
6. Select a shorter period of time before the screen turns itself off.

iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select Display & Brightness.
3. Drag the slider to the left to dim the screen.
4. Go back to the main settings menu.
5. Touch General.
6. Tap Auto-Lock.
7. Select the desired timeout period.
8. Touch General to go back and save.

More Screen Considerations

Disabling the auto-brightness or adaptive brightness feature can also help with battery life, as the automatic setting oftentimes leave the screen brighter than is necessary.

If your smartphone has an AMOLED display, like many Samsung models, opt for a black wallpaper and dark themes too. This is because AMOLED screen technology is such that only illuminated pixels consume power and pure black pixels do not use any power.

Deactivate Features You're Not Using

Your smartphone may be performing a series of actions without your explicit knowledge, including accessing features that you may never use or only rarely use. In certain builds of Android, for instance, manufacturers include a number of 'smart gestures' that can be deactivated in the settings to save battery life.

Similarly, it can be beneficial to turn off the OK Google voice search function. This can be accessed through the Language & input section of the Android settings menu.

If you are not currently using any Bluetooth devices, like headsets and game controllers, it is worthwhile to turn Bluetooth off. There can also be a slight benefit to deactivating the automatic screen rotation feature.

Minimize or Disable Background Activity

Just as you can save battery life by deactivating features you are not using, you can also save a lot of battery life by strategically minimizing or disabling the background activity being performed by the various apps on your smartphone.

Notifications

Many of these will need to be configured on an app-by-app basis and the particulars will vary from app to app. A common example would be to reduce unnecessary app notifications. Retrieving notifications requires a connection to the Internet and the transferring of data, which consumes battery life.

It is understandable to retain notifications for email and messaging apps, but perhaps you can disable notifications from mobile games and social media. These can be accessed through the settings menus in the individual apps.

Widgets

In the case of devices powered by Google Android, reducing the number of active homescreen widgets can also save a lot of battery life. A common example would be a weather widget.

If the widget is updating the weather conditions or forecast every few minutes, even when the phone is inactive, it is consuming battery life unnecessarily. Lengthen the update period or remove the widget altogether. Less active widgets, like a calendar widget, will generally use less battery.

Upgrade to the Newest Software

Keeping the software on your smartphone as up-to-date as possible is highly recommended, not only for patching security issues, but also for optimizing the battery and memory usage. This is true both for the operating system, like Windows Phone, iOS or Android, as well as for the individual apps themselves.

Power Saving Modes

The newest versions of the software may introduce features to help prolong battery life. For example:

• Google Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes with what is called Doze Mode. This minimizes the number of background processes when the phone is detected as being inactive.
• A similar feature was introduced for the iPhone in iOS 9 with Low Power Mode.

Use Wi-Fi Whenever Possible

Weak, inconsistent or unreliable reception on your cellphone can wreak havoc on its battery life as your phone continues to search for a signal. This becomes even more problematic when it is trying to transfer large amounts of data over the Internet.

If you are going to stay in a single location for a period of time, like at home or at work, then connecting to the local Wi-Fi network for your Internet access is generally more efficient in terms of battery consumption. This assumes that the Wi-Fi network (and signal) is consistent, strong and reliable.

You should also clear out saved Wi-Fi networks you no longer use. This way, your phone isn't constantly searching for networks to which you are unlikely to connect again.

Change Your Location Settings

The way that your phone determines your physical location - and how frequently it does this - can also have an impact on battery life.

Android

With Android devices, three location setting options are available. To change your phone's setting:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll to the Personal section and select Location.
3. Tap on Mode.
4. Select the location mode.
   1. High accuracy: Uses all available resources to determine location
   1. Battery saving: Uses Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular networks
   1. Device only: Uses GPS only

As its name indicates, 'battery saving' mode consumes the least amount of power. Alternately, you can disable location detection entirely if it is not needed. In the Location settings, you can also define which apps have access to your location.

iOS

The iPhone does not have the option to select how the device determines your location, but you can turn Location Services on or off. You can also control which apps have access to the Location Services data.

1. Open the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to Privacy.
3. Tap Location Services.

Disable Vibration

There are certainly times when you should be turning your phone to silent mode. However, vibration alerts tend to use more power than ringtones and audible alerts. It can be beneficial to disable vibration and to use low-volume alerts and ringtones instead.

Disable Haptic Feedback

Disabling haptic feedback - the vibration function for tactile feedback - can help to save battery life on Android smartphones. Haptic feedback is oftentimes used during typing or interacting with the phone.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to the Device section.
3. Select Sound & notification.
4. Tap Other sounds.
5. Toggle 'Vibrate on touch.'

The iPhone currently does not have haptic feedback with its keyboard and it cannot be configured separately from 3D Touch on supporting models.

Carry a Backup Power Bank

By utilizing the strategies and tips described above, you can conceivably save a fair amount of battery life on your cellphone. Even so, it can be very helpful to carry around a small USB power bank to provide your phone with a quick charge on the go. These battery packs are very affordable and compact, ensuring that your phone stays topped up and available for use no matter where you are.

Each generation of the Apple iPhonebrought something new to the table and the biggest innovation with the iPhone 4S in 2011 was the introduction of the Siri voice assistant. Since then, Siri has continually been updated to add more features.

What Can Apple Siri Do?

Siri is fully integrated into the iPhone from version iOS 5 onward. It can also be used with an Apple Watch, all editions of the iPad from 3 on, any iPad mini and versions of the iPod touch from 5th generation on. It can do many of the things you would do on your iPhone without having to type, open any specific app, or go through any menus. With Siri, just begin speaking. Siri then interprets your voice input and responds accordingly.

Practical Uses of Siri

Some of the most useful Siri functions include the following:

• Make a phone call: You can ask Siri to dial a number for you by the name of the person in your contact list. You can also ask it to initiate a FaceTime video call.
• Look up information: Siri can look up nearly anything available on the Internet, including movie listings, store phone numbers, and the local weather.
• Create calendar events: Give Siri a basic command to create a new calendar entry. You can also ask Siri to play reminders for you, set timers and alarms.
• Play music: Siri integrates with Apple Music so rather than searching for a song, you can tell Siri what to play and she will respond.
• Get directions: You could ask, "How do I drive from here to Madison Square Gardens in New York?" Siri would then direct you to the Maps app and provide the suitable driving directions.
• Send a message: Siri works with both iMessage and email. Simply dictate your message using speech-to-text.
• Make reservations: Siri integrates with OpenTable, so it's possible to say something like, "Siri, reserve a table for two at The Western Crab Bake at 6 p.m. tomorrow."
• Get recommendations: Siri can understand natural language and infer information you need. If you tell Siri, "I feel like watching an action movie tonight," it can look up movie showtimes and you can buy tickets. Ask for local restaurants and relevant information from the Internet will be relayed.
• Open an app: Siri will open any app on your iPhone by request.
• Manage your smart home: Siri can integrate with HomeKit-enabled accessories to turn on lights, change the temperature and work your security system.
• Send a payment: Using the Apple Pay app, Siri can send money to anyone in your contact list.

What Languages Does Siri Speak?

Siri can be set to work with 21 languages with localization for 36 different countries. You can also use it to translate phrases from English to other languages.

Compared to Other Digital Assistants

The most popular digital assistants currently are Apple's Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Questions and Answers

One review of these three assistants asked them a series of 20 questions on various subjects. Though Siri's ability to find information is good, it gave the least reliable answers compared to Alexa and Google. Google came out on top in a similar review asking over 4,000 questions while Siri performed the worst.

Music Services

All three assistants work best if you to subscribe to their specific services: Apple Music for Siri, Amazon Music for Alexa and Google Play Music for Google Assistant. Both Alexa and Google can be used to play home speakers from several companies, but Siri only works with the Apple HomePod. Google connected speakers can also recognize different voices while Siri and Alexa cannot. The updated Siri from 2017 can function as a DJ playing music based on general requests.

Home Entertainment

Google Assistant and Alexa work with many third-party systems, as well as control actual TVs with Amazon Fire and Google Chromecast devices. Siri can handle playing media via AirPlay, but it cannot control a device such as turning it on.

Communication Skills

Siri generally fares better in terms of communication, because it allows you to make calls and send text messages, as well as emails. You can call or text anyone with another Alexa device as well as call anyone in your contacts. You cannot make international or emergency calls with Google Assistant and Alexa, nor can you send emails like you can with Siri.

Third Party Support

Siri integrates with a much smaller number of third-party services compared to Alexa and Google, which can be linked to thousands of third-party apps.

Choose Your Ecosystem

Your choice of digital assistant should be based on the products you use the most. If you use Google software and services heavily, you will gravitate toward Google Assistant. The same is true with Amazon and Alexa, which integrates better with third party services. If you are a diehard Apple user, Siri may be a better option.

Making Life More Convenient

At the end of the day, Siri on iPhone doesn't do anything that you couldn't do without Siri. The key selling point is that it's meant to make life simpler and more convenient.

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As they have become ubiquitous in just about every aspect of everyday life, it is interesting to consider how cell phones have helped businesses grow. Remember that mobile phones have only become mainstream devices in the last couple of decades; in this very short amount of time, they have had a tremendous impact on society at large.

Five Ways Cell Phones Have Helped Businesses Grow

When cell phones first emerged on the scene, they were relatively expensive to purchase and even more expensive to maintain. The monthly plans were quite costly, considering the relatively few number of minutes that users were able to get for that amount of money. These days, however, mobile phones offer much more than just voice calls. In addition to impacting the lives of everyday people, it is interesting to consider how cell phones have helped businesses grow in the last ten or twenty years.

Out of Office Communication

Before there were mobile phones, workers who left the office would effectively not be able to communicate with the office unless they found a pay phone or borrowed the telephone at a neighboring business. Even then, the office would not be able to reach the employee unless he or she had a pager or some other similar device. This is terribly inconvenient.

However, with the rising adoption of company cell phones, employees can stay in touch with the office no matter where they happen to be. They could be at a business meeting across town or at a conference across the country; they're still reachable. This makes it infinitely more useful for the office, as quick questions can be quickly answered at will. It also means that customers can be more easily reached (and they can more easily reach the specific employee), helping to accelerate the growth of any given business.

Mobile Professionals on the Go

Perhaps even more profound is the impact that cell phones have had on professionals who are always on the go. From TV repair technicians to shuttle bus operators, mobile phones have allowed them to be accessible to whoever needs to contact them. If you have an appointment with a plumber and then you suddenly realize you wont' be home later in the day, you can call him and tell him to come back another day. This is even bigger for professionals like real estate agents.

Social Media Promotions

More recently, society has seen a greater adoption of smartphones, as well as the rising popularity of social media. When you look at how cell phones have helped businesses grow, you can consider social networks like Foursquare. People are advertising where they are (for free), helping to promote the businesses that they are visiting. These "check-ins" add to the brand presence and brand awareness, helping businesses reach an increasingly large customer base.

Spawning Tangential Businesses

Just as how the automotive industry helped to grow businesses related to car repair, car rental, and gasoline, the same kind of phenomenon happened with mobile phones. As more cell phones filtered into the market, a greater need emerged for cell phone cases, cell phone headsets, cell phone charms, and other cell phone accessories. Related businesses like cell phone unlocking services, cell phone repair, cell phone rental, and so forth also grew tremendously.

Smartphone Applications

The rise of smartphones has also given rise to smartphone applications. These have huge potential for growing businesses as well. Consider the UrbanSpoon app as an example. If someone is out and about, looking for an interesting place to have dinner, he can take out his iPhone, launch the UrbanSpoon app, and find a nearby restaurant. This restaurant may not have otherwise attracted this particular customer had he not had access to such a mobile application.

Looking Toward the Future

Success in business is heavily related to taking advantage of opportunities. Mobile phones may not be directly related to the business of running a financial institution, but you can be sure that cell phones have impacted that industry. Looking to the future, many other innovations could lead to even greater growth and an even stronger economy.

Tracing a mobile phone location can give you peace of mind, especially if you have teenagers, or anyone else you'd like to be able to keep tabs on! You don't need a GPS-enabled phone if you have a cell phone tracking program through your service provider. That makes tracking anyone on your family plan easy. However, if you're worried about being tracked by a mere acquaintance, your ex, or a stranger who came across your phone number, you're protected.

Services for Tracing a Mobile Phone Location

There are a few ways to use mobile phones to trace the locations of those you want to "watch." You can opt for a family plan, which is good if you have teenagers or a spouse you'd like to keep tabs on. Not only that, but if you're a business owner and have traveling employees, this type of service will be helpful for keeping track of where they - and critical shipments - are.

Another option is a social networking solution where users broadcast their locations to their friends. This gives the seeker less control because it's easy for the cell phone user to turn off the service that allows them to be found.

Family Plans

• AT&T has a plan called FamilyMap that allows users to locate any other cell phones on their family plan using a PC or their own mobile phone. You won't be able to do it discreetly, however, because the other cell phone user will receive texts alerting them to the fact that they are being watched. You can track the location via an online map (real time) or receive texts of your own with location updates. The price varies based on how many phones are on the plan and uses GPS technology to locate the cell phones.
• Sprint has a similar plan called Sprint Family Locator. There is a free 15-day trial period and an accompanying Android app to help you locate your kids from your phone.
• Verizon also has a Family Locator program where the app must be downloaded onto every phone you want to locate. There is an Android app to receive arrival and departure updates for each family member, as well as to create scheduled location updates.

Social Networking

Take things up a notch from social networking methods like Facebook and Twitter. Allow your friends to find you by locating your cell phone. You're in control of your security settings with these, so you can hide from everyone or be detectable by only a few friends.

• Google Latitude: With this service, you can share your location with whomever you wish. When you don't want to be found, simply turn off Google Latitude. You will also be able to see your friends' locations either on your phone or your computer.
• Foursquare: This is another social networking service based on location, but users have to actively "check in" to each venue that they visit. This information is then shared with friends at the discretion of the user.

Smartphone Apps

All kinds of apps are available to smartphones these days and GPS tracking is no exception.

• GPS Tracker by InstaMapper is available for the Apple iPhone and Google Android. It is a free real-time GPS tracking service, including the ability to record tracks for later analysis. Up to 100,000 positions can be recorded for each device and a map of your current location can be embedded on nearly any webpage.
• GPS Tracking Pro is an Android app offered by Family Safety Production. The free app lets you track family or friends in real-time using GPS technology. It is also available for iPhone or for a standalone GPS locator device.

Turning Your Phone into a GPS Device

You can do even more than trace a mobile phone location. When you turn your phone into a GPS device using tools like those from AccuTracking, you can:

• Find out where your phone is
• Find out which direction it is headed
• Get a text message alert when the driver goes over the speed limit or leaves a designated area

If your cell phone and service provider are compatible with the service, you have to load software onto your mobile phone first. You can then trace where your phone is on an online map. The phone will have to be in the network area; if it is outside, it will not show up on your online map.

Privacy and Security

Does the idea of tracing a mobile phone location make you nervous because you're afraid someone who means you harm may be able to track you down? Take comfort in this: if someone isn't already on your cell phone plan, it should be next to impossible for them to acquire the information they need to trace your mobile phone location and find you - unless you choose to allow them into a social network that you use to share your location.

Legal Protection

According to I.C.U. Tracer Services, it has been "illegal to sell, transfer, or possess confidential phone records" since President Bush signed off on the H.R. 4709 The Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006 on January 12, 2007.

If you’re like me and you’re busy raising kids in a mobile world, the increasing popularity of mobile technology and the Internet often make it difficult to manage Internet safety for kids.

You may be asking yourself, “At what age should I introduce my children to this technology?”

It’s also important to plan how you’ll bring technology into your child’s life.

As a parent of a 13- and 10-year-old, I am constantly questioning how much is too much gaming, social media, and online access for my kids.

Following are some best practices on how you should discuss and monitor Internet safety for kids with your children.

The 3 major Internet safety precautions you should implement are:

1. Help your child understand the risks.
2. Limit their online exposure.
3. Be aware of the Internet resources your child accesses.

 #1 – Understand The Risks

Explain to your children that there are websites and apps out there that are meant to cause harm.

If you aren’t Internet-savvy, you should read up on Internet safety for kids before allowing your child access.

You’ll either want to train your child to stay away from dangerous sites and apps, or enable some form of parental control on your device for safety. If you’re anything like me, you’ll do both.

#2 – Limit Online Exposure

I knew that something was amiss when my 13-year old turned away when he was texting — he didn’t want me to see who or what he was texting. Addressing this with him and explaining that having the device is a privilege and not to be used secretly has made all the difference.

Too much exposure to the Internet and mobile technology can cause a child to become addicted to the charm of mobile games and instant gratification.

When this happens, your child may not:

• Leave the house enough to get physical activity.
• Enjoy or want to participate in family activities.
• Perform well in school.

I don’t allow my kids to bring their devices to the dinner table, to a restaurant, or to any family activity. This has helped to enhance our time together.

Of course, this means I don’t use my mobile device during these times either.

Your young child’s online risks are quite different than your teenage child. Here are 5 signs that your teenage child may be in danger online.

 #3 – Monitor Which Sites Are Accessed

Finally, you’ll want to keep track of which websites your child visits and what applications they use regularly. Some parental control apps and programs will help you keep an eye on your child’s Internet activities.

At the same time that I witnessed my son hiding his texts, I realized he was deleting certain texts from his phone. Sitting down and discussing this with him was only one part of the process.

Then I quickly found that there are websites and apps that allow parents to monitor all texts, even those that have been deleted. TeenSafe and PhoneSheriff are 2 highly rated monitoring programs worth looking into.

Whether it’s in the form of a computer, a tablet, or a cell phone, the Internet can be a dangerous place for children.

Just like you would with any potential danger, you need to educate and monitor your children while they’re exposed to it.

Smartphone security should always be on the top of your mind. And if you think you’re information is safe because you keep your smartphone close to you — then you don’t fully understand cellphone security.

If you’re like me, you probably use your smartphone for a bunch of other activities besides just as a phone. That’s why you need to think of it as a small computer that is also susceptible to malware attacks.

Yep, just like your desktop computer or laptop, your smartphone is also vulnerable to hacking and malware.

Since we all keep personal data on our phones these days, they’re a great target for Internet thieves. Cyber criminals love targeting smartphones!

Therefore, you should do everything possible to protect your phone.

Here are 7 ways to make sure you have a secure smartphone at all times

#1 – Only Download Legitimate Apps That Have A Good Track Record

Be sure to only use legitimate app stores such as Google, iTunes, Samsung, or Amazon. These huge marketplaces are regularly monitored for dangerous apps.

You should still watch out for suspicious apps that might briefly appear (even on these sites) — because it can sometimes be a short time before an fraudulent app gets noticed.

Always check the permissions and read the reviews before you download an unfamiliar app.

Similarly, don’t download pirated apps — because hackers can attach malicious code to what looks like a normal program. Then, when you install the app, you’ll be installing the malware at the same time.

#2 – Download Phone Updates & App Updates Right Away

To be honest, I’m terrible about downloading the iPhone updates I get. It never seems like a good time, I put it off, and eventually I get around to it!

Don’t be like me… always keep your phone and your apps up-to-date. Here’s why:

• Phone manufacturers frequently release updates that will improve your phone’s functionality and overall security.
• App developers release updates that will add new features, fix bugs, and improve app security.

#3 – Be Cautious When Using Public WiFi

Don’t share private information over a public WiFi connection. Unsecured networks are easily hacked.

I’ve shared laptop security tips before. Many of those same tips — including being mindful of unsecured WiFi hotspots — apply to smartphone security as well.

Ideally, you should use a private Internet connection (also known as a Virtual Private Network or “VPN”) instead of an unsecured public WiFi network.

#4 – Use A Strong Password On Your Phone

Passwords can protect your smartphone from unauthorized access.

Remember, once somebody gains physical access to your device, it’s easy for them to install malware and see your private data.

#5 – Install An Antivirus App On Your Smartphone

Just like desktop computers, phones are also prone to malware and need to be protected. Smartphone security includes using antivirus phone security apps.

Here are the best antivirus apps for smartphones:

• Antivirus apps for iPhone users
• Antivirus apps for Android users

Install an antivirus app, and then set it to regularly scan your phone to keep it free of viruses.

#6 – Turn OFF Bluetooth When You’re Not Using It

I bet you didn’t know this (I didn’t either) — although they’re not as common as other types of hacks, Bluetooth attacks can happen!

The main methods of using Bluetooth to hack a device are: scanning, pairing, and gathering info without detection.

Here are the ways hackers use Bluetooth to put your cellphone security at risk:

• Bluejacking – sends an unsolicited message to an unsuspecting smartphone user.
• Bluesnarfing –allows access to a user’s personal info in the smartphone. If the hacker sends corruption code, your phone will be shut down completely.
• Bluebugging – an older method of undetected access that most modern phones are protected against.

You should turn your Bluetooth OFF whenever you’re not using it.

It’s important to be aware of the pitfalls of leaving your Bluetooth switched ON when it’s not in use. Hackers remotely access phones (provided they are within range) and use them to make calls, access data, listen in on conversations, and browse the Internet.

#7 – Back Up The Data On Your Phone

Discovering that your phone has been lost or stolen is bad.

Trust me — I was attending a conference recently in Chicago and left my phone in the bathroom stall. I left it for no more than 30 minutes and it was G O N E. (Thank God for iCloud, or I would’ve lost everything!)

It’s especially painful if you find that items have been compromised like: Documents, Contacts, Messages, or Appointments.

In order to enhance your smartphone security, you need to backup your data frequently. There are a number of ways to go about it.

Cellphone security is so very important since we keep a lot of sensitive data on our phones — including banking information, personal details, and even compromising images. You need to take steps to ensure that hackers can’t gain access to your smartphone.