iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, or feature phones.
Mobile Phones
Where can I buy a safe Lithium battery for my smartphone?
Episode 1562
Ernest fromLeo says Anker, Aukey, and Belkin are the best places to buy third party lithium-ion batteries for devices. Stick with reputable manufacturers. Otherwise, users risk having an explosive event.
What Smartphone Should I buy?
Episode 1562
Gloria fromGloria is getting her first smartphone and she's shopping at Walmart for it. Leo says she has to decide what service she's going to use. Walmart will try and get her to do their service called Straight Talk, which is pay-as-you-go and can work with various carriers. Next, she'll want to think about how much data she needs. 2GB when first starting out is fine and Leo would also recommend getting an iPhone. It's her first smartphone, and it's just plain easier to use.
Is there a wireless charger that lets me plug in my headphones while it's charging my phone?
Episode 1562
Joseph fromJoseph wants to get a new Google Pixel 3 and a wireless charger. Leo says the Pixel 3 is great, but it doesn't do rapid charging unless one buys Google's own wireless charger, which is expensive. Leo uses the TYLT Vu wireless charger. It's an easy charger and it has dual coils so it charges either upright or sideways. That way users can plug in headphones and listen to music while it's charging. Of course, Joseph can also get some Bluetooth headphones and be untethered.
Folding Phones Are All the Rage Now
Episode 1562
Leo says that folding phones are going to be the buzz word at this year's Mobile World Congress. Even Energizer, the battery company, is announcing one as part of their 26 model line of new phones. They are also going to do a phone with an 18000mAh battery, four times the battery life of the Note 9.
Leo also says sales of mobile phones have plateaued, and that means the "silly season" is about to start, where phone companies start adding "fins" and other silly features to lure customers back to buy.
Is there a smartphone with more than 16GB of storage for under $500?
Episode 1561
Mark fromMark would like a smartphone that has more than 16GB without paying over $1000. What can he get? Leo says the iPhone SE has been brought back from Apple and it will run the latest version of iOS and you can get storage up to 128GB for $299. That's a steal. The Motorola Moto G5 Plus offers 32GB for under $230. Mark is a AT&T customer, and there are plenty of options there.
How can I get more data while on the road?
Episode 1560
Tracey fromTracey's husband has retired and they've bought a travel trailer to see the sights. But they quickly surpass their data caps on their mobile devices and is looking for an alternative. Leo says that you can buy a larger data plan. It really comes down to how much data you need from month to month. Part of Tracey's problem is she has three kids who are also on the plan. So they blow through 22 GB is days. Using a satellite dish is possible, but you have to aim it every time you stop, the gear is expensive, and the caps are small and slow. But Exceed by Wild Blue is the best.
The Giz Wiz ... Flexing
Episode 1560
The Royole Flexpai is billed as the world’s first commercial foldable smartphone, it's a combination of mobile phone and tablet. This is Royole's 2nd generation, ultrathin, fully flexible display that can get used either folded or unfolded. Now you have the portability of a smartphone plus the 7.8” screen size of a high-definition tablet. Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform -- Water OS (Based on Android 9.0) - Aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9 and 18:9. When folded, you have three screens available; front, back and edge.
Folding Phones are the New Thing
Episode 1560
Thanks to new technology that has brought about curved and bendable screens, foldable phones are going to be the thing this year. Samsung is believed to be announcing a foldable phone in February.
How can I back up my text messages from an old phone?
Episode 1558
Jeanine fromJeanine wants to know how to retrieve text messages from an old phone. Leo says that there are several ways to do it. Sometimes they are stored up in the cloud with the carrier. She can ask the technician at the phone store to transfer all the data over. There are also apps that will enable her to do it, including Android apps like SMS Backup and Restore. She can put it on the old phone and it will back up all the messages to the cloud.
How can I get the data off my iPhone?
Episode 1558
Penny fromPenny has been using Webroot and wants to know if she should renew it or not. Leo says not to renew it. She should just uninstall it and rely on Windows Defender. It's free, and Microsoft updates it regularly. She may, however, need to download a stand alone removal tool from Webroot, which will smartly remove all the junk that her antivirus leaves behind.
