Smartphone Savvy

Smartphone Savvy

Are you like me just joining the smartphone craze? Everyone in my household has either an I-phone, Samsung or some sort of Android phone. I must say I find them so sophisticated and functional gadgets, especially if you are using them for business.

 I recently bought an android phone for my father so that he could join the family on WhatsApp group (Big Family). He has been so used to the olden days phone, he is now trying to be smart phone savvy, as they say time waits with nobody technology has taken over. How many times have you been in a meeting or seminar and found people’s heads down fidgeting with their smartphones? Personally in a few of my workshops and seminars I have discovered how distracting this act can be.

 I wonder if professionals are automatically expecting some form of message be it a WhatsApp message, text message, Facebook message or email message. The phone somehow is permanently in their hands or close by waiting for them to respond to it.

 Ultimately, at that time when concentration is most needed they are being unproductive. These phones require some technical knowledge if you really want to get the best of your phone. During the Blackberry craze I acquired the latest Blackberry Z10 and with the Samsung and I-phone craze I also acquired the Samsung S7 and I-phone 6. These phones great in size and look though overnight I had to become smartphone savvy.

 Do not get lost in the intricacies of your phone, as long as you are able to respond to immediate social and business emails, schedule your appointments and maintain communication with your clients you are phone. It is important you separate your social usage of your phone from your business usage, some people have more than one phone for this reason. So long as you can handle the pressure of your phone ride on. 10 Best Steps to Smartphone Savvy Size When buying a smartphone, purchase the size that is convenient for you to both use and carry.

 Ensure that you can operate the keys for the purpose of texting or emailing. Remember it’s all about your eyes from Samsung II to Samsung 7I, and I-phone 3 to I – phone 8 they get even more sophisticated by the day. Buy the one with the features you need and not for fancy, it should meet your immediate need. Ringtone Just like any other phone be careful of the ringtone you use, especially when using for business purposes and even in social settings it can be a nuisance. Consider your personality and choose a ring tone that fits you not someone else. The volume of the ringtone is also one to look out for, don’t let it be overbearing. Be careful not to download a ring tone that others may find blasts in their ears when they call you, this can be quite offensive and annoying. Many have a slight ping as a ringtone for convenience.

 Remember for every message that comes through your phone will notify you, this maybe disturbing at times, keep your phone on silent vibration or low volume when need be. The phone I bought for my father last year is sitting comfortably at home because his first compliment was it was too big therefore too heavy for him to conveniently carry about, I learnt that lesson upfront. 

Your convenience comes first. Thankfully there are multiple varieties to choose from today. Emails Your smartphone sometimes cannot download heavy attachments from your email inbox, and will tell you that your message has been truncated. The same applies when sending an email from your smartphone; it should be short and brief. If you need to send any formal document you should try to send it from your laptop. 

Your smartphone should be used to identify and respond to emails that have come through immediately without having to be on your desk. You make quick responses that need prompt or immediate attention. Ping Me, I Ping You Pinging with Blackberry messenger is a very fast means of communication and is free between BB users sadly that has phased out but interestingly today WhatsApp has taken over both for messages and audio calls. 

Today we now have others like Facetime and Tango available for you to talk to all your contacts easily. It can also cause a lot of distraction if not managed well. Don’t let conversation by smartphone be long; it is usually for social usage. If you do not want to be contacted indicate in your profile status that you are busy. This will avoid anyone being offended by your lack of response.