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Tip of the Week: 4 Accessories Every Smartphone Needs

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Smartphones are very convenient technologies, but with a couple of improvements to your device repertoire, you can drastically improve both your user experience and the value of your device. Here are four smartphone accessories that can enhance the way you use your mobile device.

Portable Battery Pack
Sometimes, no matter how much you charge your battery, you might find yourself falling short of the juice required to work while on the go. You aren’t always going to have access to an outlet, and even a quick charge may not be enough to get the job done. In instances like this, a portable battery pack is a huge help. There are battery packs available that are compatible with modern USB technology, so all you have to do is plug in your phone to charge your device. For starters, you can check out this one made by Anker.

A Long USB Cord
Your typical smartphone charging cable is generally only a few feet long, which means it’s easy to come up short when you need a charge. If you regularly find yourself needing the extra length, you can try out this huge USB cord by Anker. It makes a perfect partner for the portable battery pack we brought up. Plus, this cord is built out of some pretty hefty material, which means that you won’t have to worry about your pet chewing it, or severing it unexpectedly when moving a heavy piece of furniture around. With reinforced stress points, the cord can be bent and wrapped up for quite a bit, making it a long-lasting solution to your USB cord woes.

Bluetooth Headset
How often do you find yourself sick and tired of holding a phone to your face while trying to get work done? In cases like this (particularly long meetings with no end in sight), a Bluetooth headset for your smartphone can come in real handy. All you have to do is tether the device to your smartphone, pop it in your ear, and voila–you have a hands-free way of talking on the phone while getting to your work.

Other Bluetooth Technology
Basically, anything that uses Bluetooth technology is great for your smartphone, as it allows you to wirelessly tether devices to it. For example, you could use a wireless keyboard when you need to write a document or email. If you want to listen to music, you could hook up a pair of Bluetooth headphones so as not to bother others who might be in the vicinity.

What are some other great accessories that you can use for your mobile device while out and about? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and subscribe to our blog for more great tips and tricks.

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USB vs Wireless vs Bluetooth: Which is the Best for Tethering?

b2ap3_thumbnail_tether_your_internet_signal_400.jpgUsing your smartphone to tether another device like a laptop to the Internet can come in handy when you need to accomplish a task that can’t be done on your phone (which is becoming increasingly rare these days). Most smartphones present the user with three ways to tether their Internet signal. What are they and which is the best?

Connecting with a WiFi Mobile Hotspot

Advantages
Using your smartphone as a mobile hotspot to broadcast a WiFi signal is the easiest way to connect your WiFi-enabled device to the Internet. Additionally, depending on your phone’s reception, today’s smartphone’s are capable of producing signals that are on par strength-wise with a wireless router. In fact, many smartphones are capable of connecting as many as five devices to the Internet from their mobile hotspot.

Disadvantages
Security is one disadvantage of using your phone to create a mobile hotspot. Your phone’s WiFi signal will be vulnerable to any hacker within range. Be sure to take the same WiFi security measures that you do with your office’s wireless routers. Also, using your phone as a mobile hotspot can quickly drain your battery, so plan your battery usage accordingly and have a charger handy.

Tethering with a USB Cable

Advantages
Battery life isn’t an issue when going with USB. Your phone will receive a charge via your device, so you will only have to worry about the battery of one device instead of two. Additionally, the Internet signal is pushed only through your USB cable, making it a more secure option than a mobile hotspot. Plus, in most cases a wired connection yields a faster signal.

Disadvantages
Having to carry an extra cable around can be a bit of an inconvenience, and so is having to keep your smartphone within arm’s reach. Tethering with USB may also require special software and configurations for each device, so there might be a few more hoops to jump through than using mobile hotspot, but if you’ve got a cable handy and you’re planning to work while sitting in one spot, then it’s probably worth it.

Make an Mobile Internet Connection with Bluetooth

Advantages
Similar to WiFi, you can use your phone’s Bluetooth signal to wirelessly broadcast an Internet signal for your device. Thanks to Bluetooth being specifically designed for mobile needs, it uses less battery power, as well as offers better security thanks to Bluetooth not being as common as WiFi.

Disadvantages
The disadvantage to Bluetooth is that it’s not as easy to configure as WiFi. According to Pocketnow:

It’s a little more involved to set up than WiFi, and a little more involved every time you want to use Bluetooth tethering. If power consumption is a concern, Bluetooth is probably the way to go, if you’re willing to configure it.

So which tethering option is the best? It really depends on your needs.

Do you need help with tethering your mobile devices, or want to securely equip your office with mobile technology like cloud computing? Then call NuTech Services at 810.230.9455.