Here are 5 common issues you might come across and easy ways to fix them:

• Battery Draining Fast
  There’s nothing more annoying than having your phone battery die when you least expect it – on a train with tickets securely located in your digital wallet, about to make a purchase using your phone or in the middle of an important meeting – you need your phone to stay charged for as long as possible. First steps would be to adjust your phone settings such as reducing screen brightness and deleting unused apps to help reduce the strain on the battery. Sometimes the battery itself needs replacing, this might be a simple procedure depending on the make and model but in some cases a professional tech specialist will be your best.

 

• Cracked Screen
  Most of us will have experienced the pain of a cracked phone screen. Not only does it look rubbish it can also affect how well the phone runs, so it’s important to get the screen replaced as soon as possible. Replacement screens can be found online and with the right tools you can have your phone looking good as new in no time. We would recommend using a professional techy for this job unless you are confident in your skills and knowledge of replacing a phone screen!

 

• Soggy Smartphone
  We won’t judge if you dropped your phone in the toilet (well maybe a little bit), bath or sink but your phone will definitely not like having a dip!  If you’re lucky your phone might just need a good dry out – turn it off, take it out of its case if it has one, remove the sim and memory cards (and battery if possible) and put it in a sealed container with silica gel packets if you have some. With a bit of patience your phone may just survive. Resist the urge to use heat to dry out the phone as this can damage the delicate components in your phone. Similarly using compressed air to blow the water out could make things worse by pushing water further inside the device! Again, it's never the wrong choice to get in touch with a professional to help you out.

 

• Software Glitches
  If your phone is being annoying – freezing when in app or crashing then the first thing to do is try restarting it. Often this does the trick and everything is right in the world once more. If a restart doesn’t fix it then you might need to check it’s running the latest version of software, sometimes an update fixes bugs and glitches. Still no joy? A factory reset might do the trick. Back everything up first (factory reset erases everything on your phone) and hopefully your phone will be back to it’s spritely self again. If you’re still having problems then seek professional advice – they will be able to run diagnostic tests to get to the root of the problem.

 

• App Crashes
  If an app is unresponsive you can try force closing it and then reopen it. If that doesn’t help check if there are any updates available and make sure you are running the latest version of the app.

The important thing is to act quickly and seek professional help if you feel out of your depth – solving any issues straight away will help minimise any damage and help your phone last longer.

Having problems with your smartphone and need an IT professional to take a look? Get in touch and File Genie will get your phone running smoothly as soon as possible.
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It is a good idea to take precautions to protect our valuable items such as using the inbuilt security on our phones and computers or using strong locking and immobilising devices on bikes, cars and caravans. But did you know there are national registers that allow you to input your valuables to their databases and apply security tags to allow them to be returned to you if they are recovered?

Immobilise is the world’s largest free register that can be used by the public and businesses. You simply register your valuables and/or company assets and the ownership details can then be viewed by the police on the national property database – NMPR. Immobilise is the only ownership registration service supported by all UK police forces, the Greater London Authority, and the mobile phone industry.

How Immobilise works:

• The Immobilise Property Register is part of the Recipero Crime Reduction Ecosystem – Learn more about Recipero here: Recipero
• Police are able to track and trace owners of stolen or lost items by utilising the data help on Immobilise/NMPR.
• You can purchase additional security devices from Immobilise to help track and protect your belongings from would-be thieves. These include security marking kit, bike RFID tagging device, asset labels and window decals.
• You can register most items on Immobilise – you are not limited to items with serial numbers as you can give detailed descriptions and add photos of the items in question (eg jewellery) – marking the items with UV pen or asset label will give you a uniques identifier for something that otherwise wouldn’t be able to be registered.
• Reporting lost or stolen items is quick and easy and  simply by logging into your account.
• Immobilise is linked with CheckMend – a database which allows traders to check if goods they are purchasing are stolen.
• You can even download property details for a police report or to give to your insurer, simplifying the claims process.

Theft and loss will always happen but taking steps to protect your valuables through Immobilise can help deter thieves and increase the likelihood of your belongings finding their way back to you should they be recovered. As with any security you want to make your valuables as difficult and unattractive to steal as possible – using a database to register your items adds that extra layer of protection.

But an increase in online shopping means we’re at more risk of falling for scams and the National Cyber Security Centre is warning shoppers to be extra vigilant as fraudsters employ artificial intelligence (AI) to dupe victims. ​

This month we’ve put together a helpful list of dos and don’ts to help you stay safe when shopping online during the festive season.

Make Sure Your Device is Secure
However you shop online – whether on your smartphone, tablet or PC, always make sure your device is up to date with the latest operating system. This will ensure you are protected against any security or privacy weaknesses. If you haven’t already, then install a reputable antivirus software and remember to check for updates regularly.

Be Careful Where you Shop
Generally, you’re safer when shopping on sites for well-known big brands – they should have robust security systems to help prevent data breaches. This doesn’t mean you should avoid small businesses, but you do need to take a bit more care- check the authenticity of website links by searching the web address manually (don’t click on links you’ve been sent from 3rd parties). Google has a handy URL checker to help you verify the safety of a link- simply copy and paste the link into the checker. Look at reviews and feedback from trusted sources such as consumer websites like Which? and Trustpilot.

Use a Credit Card to Pay for Goods
Paying with a credit card gives you extra protection if things go wrong. Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act you are covered by credit card protection if you use your credit card for purchases for single items costing over £100 and under £30000.

Debit card transactions are not covered under Section 75, but they do protect purchases under £100 via chargeback. Do not agree to pay for goods by bank transfer.

When you are completing a purchase online always check the site is secure in the browser address bar. Although this doesn’t actually protect your purchase it does ensure you are using a secure connection, vital when you are inputting sensitive data online!

Be Vigilant
Scammers and fraudsters will be upping their game as we head towards December so expect an increase in spammy emails, questionable texts about missed deliveries and dodgy ads on social media. Last year Which? reported that 1 in 6 were targeted by scam ads.

When Things Go Wrong 
If you order a product or service and things aren’t quite right, then in the first instance you should try to resolve it with the retailer. If you need to take things further then check out this useful guide from the Citizens Advice Bureau. It has all the information you need when trying to claim refunds when you pay by PayPal or card.

If you accidentally click a dodgy link then don’t panic – run your antivirus software to do a thorough check of your device and contact a professional IT technician for further advice.