Top 5 Ways You'll Damage Your Cellphone

A Mint Canada Consumer Advice Article

 You bring your device everywhere at every hour of the day, so the question isn’t IF, but WHEN your poor phone will experience damage. You may not be able to avoid every problem, but this list of the 5 most common causes of cellphone damage may help stave off the most costly issues.

  1. Whoops!

 No matter how careful you are, your cellphone will almost certainly be dropped multiple times during its lifetime. It’s the single most common cause of cellphone damage, responsible for millions of cracked screens and damaged components every year. Luckily, there are accessories that reduce the risk of your phone tumbling onto the sidewalk.

Carry smarter. Attach your phone to a lanyard or slip your cell into a cellphone holster. For runners and those who exercise with their cellphone, an armband phone holder will keep it safe and snug without interfering with movement.

And do we have to say it? Buy a screen-protector. A good quality screen-protector adds a level of protection that prevents/minimizes damage when the inevitable fumble happens.

  1. Overcharging and undercharging

Draining your cellphone battery to zero used to be a recommended practice. That’s no longer the case. Today’s lithium-ion batteries do best when not drained too empty or charged too fully. Both extremes place stress on the battery, causing it to weaken and shortening its lifespan. Best approach is to charge your phone in shorter bursts, maxing out to about 85% full and not letting it drain below 30%.

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  1. Abusing Your Charge-Port

One of the most vulnerable spots on your phone is the little port into which your cable is plugged. The small internal pins can become bent with too much pressure or the wrong cables. It’s also an exposed area where dirt can accumulate, liquid can infiltrate, and you know your battery is still good. If your phone isn’t charging and you’ve ruled out the battery, or your charger is not connecting properly, the problem may be the charge-port.

Physical damage to the internal components probably requires professional repair, however if the connection problem is caused by water and dirt , you may be able to handle it by yourself.

If water gets into your charge-port, place your phone with the port facing down and let it dry for an hour.

Sometimes it may simply need a cleaning. Cotton swabs are too thick, so try wrapping a small amount of cotton around a toothpick and gently wiping around the sides of the port. Dampen your makeshift swab with rubbing alcohol to remove crustier debris. Short bursts of compressed air may help dislodge deeper gunk, but don’t blow into your charge-port and risk spitting moisture into it.

  1. Cheap cables

No-name cables cost much less and seem to work, so what’s the problem? How about frying your phone’s logic board, to start. Cables not properly regulated for your specific device may be pumping more voltage into your components than they can handle, causing excessive heat and serious damage.

  1. Clicking & Downloading

Seems like every day you’re getting another tax refund or winning another prize. All you have to do is click this link. But even if you’re too savvy to click on links from strangers, the link from your brother is surely fine, right? Except it’s not your brother and you’ve just infected your phone with malware. Bottom line: The majority of links you receive are booby-traps, so unless you’re expecting a specific link from a specific source at a specific time, don’t click.

Installing apps also requires caution. Pirated apps and apps found on generic app stores often include malware and adware. Make sure to download through legitimate app stores.

Mint Canada offers Fully Guaranteed Certified Pre-Owned Phones and Tablets at great prices – click here