Gorilla University: Improve Smartphone Battery Life Hacks, and Battery Safety

Improve Smartphone Battery Life: Tips to Extend the Life of your Phone Battery

Danger Zones for your Phone and Battery

 Back Pocket or the bottom of a book bag:

This is a terrible place to keep your phone and your battery. Sitting on your phone can cause a flex in the device which could damage the screen and internal battery components of your device.

Glove Compartment/Dashboard Mount:

This one should be self-explanatory, but a hot car, or even in some cases a really cold car, is a bad place for a battery. This can cause overheating, which can damage your battery and the internal components of your phone.

Your beach towel:

Wrapping up your smartphone in your beach towel is not an effective way of taking care of your cell phone battery. This not only makes the battery hot but can limit ventilation which makes the battery even hotter. This is a surefire way to damage your battery.

Near metallic objects:

Cell phones and their batteries can touch metal, that is perfectly acceptable, however, constant storage of your phone next to keys or other metallic objects is asking for damage to your device.

Battery Charging Safety

The most overlooked aspect of cell phone battery care is in the charging techniques. Overheating accidents actually happen more often during the charging process. While charging your battery, try to not use the device while it is charging as this can cause uneven charging. Light browsing and general usage should be acceptable, but playing a CPU intensive game while charging is not recommended. There are a wide variety of portable chargers out there so make sure you have the right one.

Battery Charging Tips

Tip 1:

If you are going to be charging your device all night long, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area.

Tip 2:

Make sure you are using a compatible charger. Incompatible chargers are one of the leading causes of malfunction.

Tip 3:

Check your battery regularly for damage or bulging. A damaged battery is a dangerous battery. You should check your battery at least once a month.

Tip 4:

You should charge your cell phone battery when it gets to around 20% instead of 0% if possible. Letting a battery fully discharge all the way to 0% all of the time is not healthy for the Lithium Ion Cells. There are portable battery pack chargers available so that you can charge your phone wherever you are.

Tip 5:

If you encounter any problems with your battery a simple cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol brushed against the battery coils on top can fix most battery problems.

Hacks for Better Phone Battery Life

Location Services

Your phone has a feature called “location services”. This function is used to tell your phone and applications where you are. This is used for GPS and driving directions applications. However, this is also used for location based services for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp, and Tinder (if that’s your thing).

Most people know that, but what you don’t know is that these apps use your location all day long, and that really kills your phone’s battery life. 
Turning this function off when you are not using it will greatly improve your battery life.

Task Killers

Task killers are a great way to make sure an app isn’t running when you don’t want it to. On the Google Play Store, there are hundreds of task killers promising you the world. However, most of those will not really improve your battery life the way you expect them to.

There are two that we really love. Our two favorite task killers are Greenify and Cleanmaster. These apps also work great on Android tablets.

Greenify is an application that can hibernate applications that run in the background. There is at least ten application running in the background of your phone that you don’t know about at any given time and that greatly affects battery life. Some task killers kill apps, just to have them reopen themselves after a while, Greenify prevents this. You can expect at least a 30% increase in battery life with this great app.

Cleanmaster is a very useful app that speeds up your phone by cleaning your cache. Your phone’s cache is used to make apps that you frequently use load faster by keeping their activities saved on your phone. This is a very useful function but after the cache builds up, can slow your phone to a crawl. Clearing this cache regularly can speed up you device up to 60%. We suggest using the Lite Version of CleanMaster due to the fact that the application is smaller in size and also requires less of your phone’s memory to run.

Social Media
Official Applications

You may or not already know this, but the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram official applications are one of the most battery draining applications on your smartphone. They are secretly running on your device at all times. However, there are alternatives to the official social media apps that offer you almost all of the same functionality in a lighter easy to manage package.

Social Media Official App Alternatives

Metal for Facebook and Twitter is one of our favorite applications of all time. This app lets you access both Facebook and Twitter at the same time. It offers all of the functionality of the official apps but none of the battery drain. The layout looks very close to the official apps, and notifications are functional as well. This has made a massive difference in battery life and it isn’t unlikely that my LG G4 with an extended battery installed gets close to 48 hours of battery life with these battery saving strategies.

Social Lite, This is another great application that allows you to access, your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn accounts with no privacy invading permissions or battery draining useless features

Push Notifications

The general public has a love-hate relationship with Push Notifications. What is a Push Notification, you ask? These are those little messages that pop up telling you about a Facebook comment, or that your hearts are filled on Candy Crush, or even when a new email enters your inbox. While some people like to know right away when they have a life refill in a game, or need to check every email the second it hits their inbox. Many of us actually find them annoying. They are a huge culprit of battery drain. Lucky for you, you can actually turn off these annoying notifications individually. In each individual app settings control panel, you will find a “Push Notifications” setting. Just un-check that box and you are done. You can also turn off auto app updates and push notifications in the Play Store and Apple Store in the settings. Doing this can improve your battery life up to 40%.

App Sync

Many people love the ability to sync all of their devices. This allows them to see the same information whether they are using their phone, their tablet or their PC. However, constantly syncing app data all day long can have a huge negative effect on your battery life. Turning off automatic sync on your device will greatly improve battery performance. You can still manually sync your data periodically. Just go into your account settings and tap on your Google, or Apple account and you should see sync options.

Great Tip to Speed up an Aging Android Phone (or Any Android Phone in general)

This is a great way to speed up your aging Android or even your new Android device. It is relatively simple.

Step 1: Enable Developer Options

               *To do this go into your settings–Then go to the “about” section. Go to where it says “build number” and tap it 7 times.

               **This will enable the Developer Tools options

Step 2: Change Animation Scale

            *In the Developer Options panel you will find 3 settings called “Window Animation Scale” “Transition Animation Scale” and “Animator Duration Scale”

               **These three options will have a default setting of 1.0x

               ***Change all of these options to 0.5x

               ****You will notice a huge speed increase when you navigate around your phone in the app drawer, homepages, and in the overall browsing experience.

Thanks for reading, we hope this guide helps both your battery and your smartphone last for years.

Pokemon Go: Battery Saving Guide, Gameplay Tips and Tricks

Pokemon Go: Battery Saving Guide, Gameplay Tips, and Tricks

If you have been anywhere near the internet over the weekend, you have more than likely heard about the Pokemon Go frenzy that has taken the country by storm. It is a new mobile game that allows you to catch little creatures called Pokemon. The game uses the location feature of your smartphone to show you where all of the creatures are. Over the weekend people have traveled all over their neighborhoods, their cities, and their world searching for these elusive Pokemon.

 While the game is great and has created a frenzy not seen in a very long time, its impact on your battery life is immense. It is not unlikely for you to burn through 20% of your battery life in only a few minutes. We decided that we needed to put together a guide to help you get the most out of your battery and keep you catching rare Pikachu all day and night long.

In-App Battery Saving

• The first way to improve the battery drain of your Pokemon Go is actually found in the game settings
• First, click on the Pokeball icon on the middle bottom of the screen.
• Up in the right corner will be a settings icon, tap that.
• In the settings, there is an option to enable battery saving mode. Click this to improve your battery life.
• You can also turn off the vibration function or sound to further improve battery life.

General Phone Saving Tips

• Location services can be a huge battery drain. When you finished each Pokemon Go playing session, you should turn off your location settings. You can do this on most phones by pulling down from the top and tapping the location icon, or you can also turn this off in your settings control panel. There are apps you can download that lets you add a widget and turn this off in one tap.
• Brightness settings can also be a huge drain on battery life. We recommend you keep your brightness settings at around 50-75% for the best results. (Daytime outdoor hunting might still require a bit more brightness.
• Another huge battery drain for smartphones is data connection switches. When your data is on, it is always going in and out of connectivity. Turn off your data when you are not using it to greatly conserve battery life. Doing this will greatly reduce your Pokemon Go battery drain in between play sessions.

*Do not worry your phone calls and text messages will still come through even with your mobile data turned off.

 

Battery Solutions

Power banks and Portable Chargers

We now offer G-Fast Quick Charge Power Banks and other charging accessories that can charge your fast faster than ever. Perfect for recharging for a second Pokemon Go session, or to plug in while you hunt for legendary Pokemon like Lugia, Zapados, or Molteres.

Extended Life Phone Batteries:

An extended battery offers you twice the power of a traditional cell phone battery and can be easily installed. You can find extended batteries for a wide variety of Android smartphones. This will ensure you that you will not miss out on those extra Poke Balls, or hard to find Geo Dude.

LG G3 Extended Life Battery

LG G4 Extended Life Battery

Galaxy S3 Extended Life Battery

Galaxy S4 Extended Life Battery

Galaxy S5 Extended Life Battery

Note 2 Extended Life Battery

Note 3 Extended Life Battery

Note 4 Extended Life Battery

Extra Removable Batteries

Another simple solution for Pokemon Go battery life is carrying a second battery with you to swap out when one battery dies. You can find affordable removable replacement batteries as well as charging kits that allow you to charge a second battery while it is out of your phone. You can find these batteries and charge kits for a variety of Android Smartphones.

LG G3 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

LG G4 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

Galaxy S4 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

Galaxy S5 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

Note 2 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

Note 3 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

Note 4 Battery Charging Kit Two Pack

Pokemon Go Gameplay Tips

• You can actually choose Pikachu as your starter just run away from the first choices, and after the fourth time the game tries to follow you, Pikachu will be available.
• Nothing tracks especially your steps while you are away from the app except your consumables so you will have to enter the app each time.
• Eggs are a good way to get Pokemon, utilize them the best way that you can.
• Tossing Poke Balls is important too. Try to toss from the bottom of the screen to the top. The green circle that shows up on the Pokemon shows how difficult the capture is going to be.
• Use incense and lures to really get the Pokemon out of hiding.
• Lastly, you might be doing a bit of walking so wear comfortable shoes, and a comfortable outfit to make sure that if you can’t catch them all, you can catch a good majority of them.

Gorilla Tech Smackdown: Wireless V.S Wired Charging

Gorilla Gadget’s Tech Smackdown:

Wireless Charging Vs. Traditional Wired Charging

Wireless charging has really become popular over the last year. There is a lot to love about Qi wireless charging, but USB charging has a bit of a head start when it comes to charging prowess. In the first ever Gorilla Gadget’s Tech Smackdown, these two charging types are the first two combatants to hit our ring.

We are going to base this Smackdown on the three most important factors, convenience, charging speeds, and the “cool” factor.

Will Qi Wireless layeth’ the smacketh down on wired charging, or will the experienced veteran get the pin?

Tale of the Tape

USB/Wired Charging

Basic Requirements: 

-Compatible charging cables

-A wall charger, power bank, or another charger

Stats

Charging speed range: 1A-3.4A

Quick Charge 3.0: Yes

Types of charging cables:

Micro USB

Lightning

USB 3.0.

Type C

Other phone exclusive cables

Available for all devices: Yes

Can you use device while charging: Yes

Qi Wireless Charging

Basic Requirements: 

-Wireless compatible phone, or wireless charging adapter or charging case

-A Qi Wireless phone charging pad or power bank

Stats

Charging speed range: 3W-3000W

Quick Charge 3.0: no

Types of charging: 

Inductive (close range used in Qi Charging)

Resonance (Mid-Range, still not widely available)

RF (Long range, still being tested)

Available for all devices: No

Can you use device while charging? 

No (you can on some charging stands but it’s not easy)

 

 

Smackdown Round 1: Charging Convenience

Let’s start with wired charging.

Wired Charging

Pros:

• Easy to find accessories: Micro USB has become pretty universal on a lot of Android devices and it’s easy to find affordable cables and chargers pretty much anywhere
• Not only is it easy to find wired accessories, there are also a wide variety of different types including power banks, wall chargers, charging stands, car chargers, and even wireless speakers that can charge your phone
• Ease of use and familiarity: Chances are you have been charging with your USB of Lightning cable now for as long as you’ve owned a cell phone. There is something to say about being familiar with the technology. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Cons:

1. Having to carry around different cables for different phones
2. Always having to seek out the nearest wall outlet at an airport, at home with your family, or at work
3. Frayed or damage charging ports, or cables

Qi Wireless Charging

Pros:

1. Super easy to use, just plop it on the charger and it starts charging.
2. No tangled-up wires, or searching for the right cable for the right device
3. Cleaner charging: You can be charging your phone without long cables hanging out of your pocket, while on your commute, or on your desk or kitchen counter.
4. No frayed wires, worn out or damage charging ports

Cons:

1. Not widely available, more and more new phones are getting the technology but the majority of devices do not support Qi Wireless Charging.
2. Even the adapters and wireless charging case available to give you this charging capability are sometimes hard to install, or to find.
3. Finding compatible chargers is more difficult to do, especially in public places like libraries, airports, and coffee shops.

Round 1 Results: While both of these charging types have their advantages, and disadvantages they each have aspects that cancel each other out. So, we are going to call this round a tie.

Winner: Draw

Round 2: Charging Speed 

Wired Charging

Pros: 

1. USB charging speeds have drastically increases in the last year or so. Original cell phone chargers would only charge at 1A=1000mAh or less, but now there are chargers that can charge at 3.4=3400mAh or higher. These new fast chargers can charge in minutes what use to take hours.
2. Smart Charging Chips: The newest chargers and smartphones, have internal chips that safely control the voltage that flows through your phone to prevent overheating, overcharging, and damage to your battery for smartphone.
3. With the newest Quick Charge technology, you can power up your phone in the take it takes to commute to work. Not bad, in our opinion.

Cons:

1. Since Quick Charge technology is still relatively new, we will have to see what long term effects fast charging can have on your smartphone or cell phone battery.
2. A lot of mobile devices do not support quick charge, so these faster charging speeds only apply to a select few.

Qi Wireless Charging

Pros:

1. This technology is quickly improving: Some of the earliest Qi Wireless Chargers only charge at 0.5A or less. But in the last year or so they have drastically improved, getting closer and closer to standard wired charging. (Not anywhere near Quick Charge USB however)
2. Bet on the future: Some experts think this technology will be standard across all devices in the future. This means the best and brightest are working to improve wireless charging speeds every day.

Cons:

1. Still nowhere near the charging speeds of Quick Charge USB.
2. Due to the nature of this type of charging, heat is a factor. That is why speeds have to remain so low
3. You’d have to be sitting at a Starbucks a very long time, to get the same charge you would with a USB charger.

Round 2 Results: While both of these charging types have seen their charging, speeds increase dramatically in the last year or two, wireless charging just can’t compete with Quick Charge USB.

Winner: Wired Charging

Round 3: The “Cool” Factor

Wired Charging

Charging your smartphone in under an hour can be pretty cool depending on who you ask. Not everybody is a technology nerd like we are. In fact, many would argue that simply plugging a cable into your phone is not the most exciting and coolest thing out there.

Most of us have been charging our phones with a cable for decades now. Old news.

For the “cool factor” we are basing our battle on if you pull a random not tech savvy person off the street and show them your phone charger, would they think it was “cool” or interesting. No matter how much we tried, the majority of people just didn’t get too excited about wired charging.

Qi Wireless Charging

We found that the opposite was true in terms of wireless charging. There’s something futuristic and some might say “cool about wireless charging. The people we showed this technology to were immediately interested and wanted to know more about it. One of the most common questions were does my phone already have it, and how can I get wireless charging.

Nobody seemed to care about how it works, how fast it works, or how easy it is, they just had to have it.

Round 3 Results: While we think both charging types are pretty “cool” there was a clear winner in this round.

Winner: Wireless Charging

Match Results

Nobody likes a tie, but after looking at both of these charging types, it’s really hard to pick a winner. It really comes down to the individual user. If you have to have the coolest new tech, then wireless charging is perfect. If you could care less about cool and just want something functional than USB charging is for you.

It’s not about which one is better, but which one is right for you. The both offer a great phone charging experience. It’s kind of like Apple vs. Android they both offer a great experience it just depends on what type of smartphone user you are, and how you embrace technology.

What is G Fast Quick Charge?

G-Fast Quick Charge Guide?

Once you’ve used G-Fast Quick Charging you will never go back to your original charger again. But what exactly is Quick Charge and what does it really mean for the average user?

We put together this guide to help you learn more about G-Fast Quick Charge, find out if your device supports Quick Charge, how to maximize the charging speeds, charging techniques, and more.

Let’s start with the Quick Charge basics:

Here are the charging speeds of several different types of chargers:

Standard Phone Charger

Charges at 1A or 1000mAh (Used for older iPhone and Android Devices

Tablet Charger

Most tablets charge at a 2.0A or 2000mAh Rate

1st Generation Quick Charge

The first generation of Quick Charge charges at 2.4A or 2400mAh as you can see this is twice as fast as a standard charger.

G-Fast Quick Charge

Our newest charging technology. Charges at 3.0A or 3000mAh.

“I’ve Never See Charging Speeds so High”

-Vegeta describing Quick Charge speeds

Adaptive G-Fast Quick Charge

3000mAh is a lot of battery charging power to be moving through your smartphone. Not only that, but not every smartphone is G-Fast Quick Charge compatible.

That is where Adaptive Quick Charging technology can help. All of our G-Fast Quick Charge Chargers feature a special chip that will adjust the charging voltage to quickly and safely charge the device as fast as possible, even if it is not Quick Charge compatible. For Quick Charge phones when your battery is closer to 0 it will charge super-fast and slow down charging speeds as your device reaches 100%.

This protects against overcharging, overheating, and promotes overall battery health.

Taking Advantage of G-Fast Quick Charge

G-Fast and other Quick Charge technologies are best used when your battery is close to dying. It will charge the fastest from 0%-50% after that the device charging speeds will get slower to safely and efficiently charge your device. This also protects your device from potential damage and will increase the lifespan of your battery.

It is not unlikely that you can charge from 0-50% in as little as 30 minutes. Charging from 80 to 100% will not charge as fast but still way faster than a regular charger.

What Phones Support G-Fast Quick Charge

Nexus, LG G4, LG G5, LG G6, LG V10, LG V20, Droid Turbo, Droid Maxx, Moto X, HTC One, HTC A9, Xperia X2, Xperia X3, Asus Zenfone, HTC 10, Note 4, Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Plus, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S7/Edge, Galaxy S8 (+), select Xiaomi phones and more. Check your device manual for compatibility.