Preparing a Backup Smartphone for Safety
As ubiquitous as smartphones are in Exeter, and across the world, we tend to forget some of their most useful features. So often we use them for social media and streaming that we overlook their safety implications, and this can be problematic. A broken mobile in an emergency can be a dangerous thing, and it's an experience no person should have to experience.
With that said, we want to explore the benefits of keeping a cheap backup phone in your home for emergencies. You won’t break the bank, and this approach can ensure that whether it’s a natural disaster or an unexpected breakage of your regular phone at work, you’ll still be covered.
What to Look for in a Backup Phone
Smartphones can be expensive, but with a backup phone, you don’t need to be concerned about the elements that significantly drive up costs. A great camera and screen aren't necessary, you don't need 5G, and a fast processor won't be required. As long as it's been released in the last couple of years to ensure modern app support, you're good to go. Expert Reviews even notes that some of these cost under £100.
The Possibilities You Can Expect
The idea of a backup phone is to access necessities like emergency and work contacts, they’re not used as performance machines. This means a cheap device will still have access to emergency lines and infrastructure, and it should be reliable enough to help you accurately report any issues or convey your precise needs.
That said, even humble modern machines are powerful enough to handle a range of entertainment uses too. If you’re a fan of online betting with services like those at Casino Stake, for example, you’ll experience the same streamlined access you have on your current device. You’ll still claim offers for sites like Fortune Jack and Powerbet777 just as easily, you’ll be just as able to browse, and games will run great too.
The same can be said for streaming services for video entertainment and social media, where the experience won’t suffer as long as you're okay with not running at the highest resolutions available. Whether you'd consider not being able to watch the latest YouTube clips an emergency, that's more of a personal question.
Taking Care of a Backup
A phone isn't like a screwdriver set that you can just leave in a drawer and forget about. It's going to require a little work and setup to get you started, and you'll need to perform maintenance going forward.
Once you get the phone, be sure to start it up and run it through a boot cycle. It might let you transfer contacts and apps, which can help you pick up where you left off from when you need it. After this is complete, power it off, place it in a waterproof container, and leave it somewhere easy for you to reach.
"Samsung battery bank / pack" (CC BY 2.0) by Andri Koolme
Over the long term, you'll also want to power it on every month and ensure it's connected to your home network. This will help keep the battery operational and the software updated. It can also be a good idea to keep it with a power bank that you also recharge alongside your phone. As reported over at USB Memory Direct, banks can last six months before draining, but it’s best to be safe.
With all that in mind, you'll be in a better place in case any type of emergency or accident leaves you phoneless. As the saying goes, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. A backup phone is a small investment and one that can help give you peace of mind for years to come.
Main image: "Space Gray Iphone 6 - Credit to https://" (CC BY 2.0) by Semtrio.
