Tips to Brace Your Wireless Communications Cell Phones and Smartphones for the Cold
Wireless phones or PDAs can be life savers in winter. Verizon Wireless
offered the following tips to prepare wireless phones to work best when
it's cold outside:
- Charge phones or PDAs frequently. Cold temperatures can run down the phone's
battery charge more quickly. Use a car charger to keep the phone's
charge if you get stranded or stuck in traffic on icy or snowy roads. - Handle
your handset with care. The display screen can become brittle when exposed to cold temperatures for long periods of time. - Keep
your phone in a warm place; avoid leaving it in an outside pocket or backpack or in the car overnight. Prolonged exposure to the cold may affect the phone's display screen. When outside in the cold weather, carry your phone in an inside jacket pocket, keeping it close to your body for warmth. - Check your phone's signal strength in a non-emergency situation to know where the signal is strong and where it's not.
- Maintain
a list of emergency phone numbers -- police, fire and rescue agencies; power companies; insurance providers; family, friends and co-workers; etc. -- and program them into your phone. Add highway department and school numbers to check for local road and school closings and "no tow"orders. - You can be prepared before heading outside by checking weather, traffic and news reports available on most wireless phones.
Meanwhile The Balitmore Sun asked readers to post pics of their pets in the snow. Last night was definitely a three-dog-night.
