Photo of Amanda Ndlangisa

Don’t Let Your Battery Die

It’s always annoying to run out of battery power when you’re not near a charger and a power point. Here are a few tips from ALCATEL ONETOUCH about how you can make these smart moves to help your battery last a little longer so that it doesn’t go flat just when you need it.

Thinkstock
Thinkstock

Lower the brightness of your screen

Lower your screen brightness to 50% or less from your phone settings to get a bit more juice out of your smartphone each day.

Adjust screen timeout

When you use your device, the screen light will usually stay on for some time. Adjust your screen timeout settings in order to make sure your screen timeout kicks in within 15 seconds or less. This will help keep your battery alive for longer.

Turn on battery saving mode

Battery saving mode reduces the smartphone’s performance, limits vibration, and switches off most background data updates. If your smartphone has this feature, you can configure it to kick in when your device reaches a certain percentage. This will help you make the most of your last bit of battery life.

Turn off Bluetooth and NFC connections

Ensure your Bluetooth, GPS and NFC connections are turned off, except when you need to use them.

For AMOLED displays, use a darker wallpaper

There are two types of smartphone displays – LCD and AMOLED. LCD screens use a backlighting system that lights up every pixel on the display, whereas each pixel on an AMOLED display is individually illuminated. If your Android phone uses an AMOLED display, a darker or all-black wallpaper will make your phone more power-efficient because it lights up fewer pixels.

Invest in a Power Bank

If you make heavy use of your smartphone each day, and don’t always have access to a power point, a Power Bank could be a worthwhile investment. It’s lightweight, compact, and connects to your phone via micro USB port. Ideal for travel and long days.

The rise of indigenous language podcasting in South Africa

For decades, South Africa’s formal broadcasting and commercial audio sectors were heavily dominated by English and Afrikaans, leaving millions of indigenous language speakers on the periphery of mainstream media. Also see: Podcast Day: South African podcasts to add to your listening list Today, however, a digital audio revolution is quietly reshaping the nation’s cultural landscape. […]

Read more...

Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala offers free autism screening and developmental support to families

Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala is encouraging parents and caregivers who have concerns about their children’s development to seek professional guidance through a free autism screening initiative at the Owethu Ausome Centre. Also see: 15 years later: Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala reflects on Miss Universe SA journey The initiative, brought to families by the Bokang Montjane Foundation, aims to help […]

Read more...

Video of King Misuzulu smoking during phone call sparks mixed reactions

A video appearing to show Zulu monarch King Misuzulu kaZwelithini smoking during a phone call has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with viewers divided over the footage and the expectations placed on traditional leaders. Also see: King Misuzulu announces plan to apologise to Shembe leadership The clip shows King Misuzulu dressed casually while seemingly […]

Read more...