The news crew at Wireless and Mobile News would like to wish you the happiest of holidays. We know you may be getting a little stressed if you just bought a smartphone, such as a Samsung Galaxy S, Droid or Android, so we've rounded-up some holiday stress-busters.
Perhaps you received one of Wireless and Mobile News' Top Ten Best Coolest Smartphones, or you may have gotten an entry-level smartphone. No matter what you've got, smartphones are so complicated nowadays that there usually is a learning curve to get up to speed. In fact, we know people with PhDs, M.A.s and all extreme intelligence who have told us that the latest smartphones take time to master.
1. Take Your Time. Learning how to set up and use your smartphone can be overwhelming.
2. Read Quick-Starts, Tips and Guides & Watch Videos. Most smartphones come with a Quick Start Guide to setup your phone. We know you want to get everything working right away, but we suggest that you read the Quick Start Guide. Makers of the smartphone, such as HTC, Samsung, Motorola and LG offer support forums and videos for getting started. Microsoft also has videos for Windows Phone 7 owners. Here our some of our favorite new user tips articles:
- Droid Incredible, HTC EVO 4G New User Tips.
- Android an' Droid Tips Status Icon Symbol Meanings.
- Google Maps Tips for Getting to Parties.
- Top Best Droid Incredible, HTC EVO 4G Tips from HTC's Eric Lin.
- Top Best Droid X and Droid 2 Too Tricks from Verizon.
- Droid Tips 2Day How to Get Photos On/Off Your Droid.
- Top Ten Samsung Galaxy S Tips an' Tricks for Samsung Epic, Captivate, Vibrant & Continuum.
3 .Back Up Data. Before you do anything with data, your contacts
or email, backup it up. With Android-based smartphones, you may also
want to edit your contacts in Google Voice and Gmail because all those
contacts will be imported into your Android, Droid, or Samsung Galaxy S
phone. You will then have to scroll through all those names to find
your "real friends."
4. Breathe and Relax. This could be a
daunting task. If you relax and realize that your ultimate purpose is to
make your life easier, don't pressure yourself, and it should be a
little easier. Keep in mind why you bought the phone in the first place. When you look at your objectives, that will guide your processes.
5. Think Before You Social Sync. HTCSense, MotoBlur (or social
apps on Motorola Droid phones) and Social Hub on Samsung Galaxy S
phones all have ways to bring social media together and sync in some
form. Before you unify all your contacts on your new phone, you
should consider if you want to know what's going on every few minutes with
all your two hundred Facebook friends.
6. Keep Your Old Phone For a While. If you are with a GSM carrier,
such as AT&T and T-Mobile, you can swap the SIM card from your
old phone. If anything goes wrong you need to call tech support.
All the carriers offer phone support.
7. Get a Live Demo. We are fortunate enough to attend many trade shows and wireless events where we are shown, by experts, how the smartphones work. Ten minutes with HTC's Eric Lin brought out the best HTC tips we have ever heard. Ken Muche at Verizon gave us new insight into the Droid X and Droid 2. The public relations support staff at Samsung helped us greatly with the Samsung Galaxy S. When the iPhone came out, we were impressed to see a very busy executive at the Genius Bar who had the Apple Genius show him how to do the exec's job. Go to your carrier's store or call for an appointment to be shown how to use your smartphone. This will save you time in the long run.
8. Save Your Boxes, Invoices & Packaging. The boxes and packaging are often needed for shipping and returns. They also have connectors and wires that you may forget. Keep the packaging in a safe place, just in case.
9. You Always Get a Second/Third Chance. If you can't master your smartphone or don't like it for any reason, most carriers allow for a 30-Day return period, which is often extended over the holiday season (T-Mobile is 14 days except for California). Returns require the original packaging and invoices. You can check out Wireless and Mobile News Review of Reviews to help decide what model your next phone will be.
10. Find Help When You Need It. Wireless and Mobile News is dedicated to helping our readers with news, reviews and articles so that you have the best phone experiences. You are welcome to search our site and send us feedback on our Facebook wall with suggestions. We often prerelease information, such as texting research on Facebook because we like it when you "like" us.
Once again, we wish you the best holidays and a happy new year.