How to Protect Your Phone From Winter’s Wrath

Winter’s chill is in the air, but you’ve most likely already thought about winterizing your home and car much earlier. But have you considered your phone?
Smartphones—those little gems of technology that keep us connected to the rest of the world—are clearly an integral part of our daily lives and can be expensive to replace. To that end, protecting it from extreme weather and damage from winter activities should be of paramount importance.
The following advice should give you some ideas about what you can do to keep your device in prime condition during the long winter months:
•    Be aware of drastic temperature changes. Taking your phone from a very cold area to a warm one can cause condensation to form, making the device appear foggy.
•    Anticipate sloppy conditions. Mother Nature is fickle, which means that winter can mean snow, slush, rain and ice. According to TNS Global, a market research firm, nearly 100 million smartphones in the U.S. have been destroyed by liquids. It would follow, then, that for people who can’t predict every weather change, a waterproof smartphone like the Hydro ELITE by Kyocera (www.kyocerasmartphones.com) would be beneficial. The Hydro ELITE is a 4G LTE Android smartphone and offers protection from blowing rain and immersion in up to one meter (3.28 ft.) of water for as long as 30 minutes.

•    Download free weather apps and give them a glance each day before leaving the house. In addition to knowing what to wear to work or on a walk, you’ll know what kind of precautions you need to take for your phone while listening to music, taking a call or stepping up on that curb heading into the office.
•    Seal up your phone. Special water-resistant cases will help your phone be ready for unexpected weather changes. However, with some phones, a waterproof case isn’t required. The Kyocera Hydro ELITE, for example, is not only designed to keep water out, but also optimized to get sound in with its Smart Sonic Receiver technology. This ceramic actuator replaces the phone’s mic and speakers and transmits sounds as vibrations, making the phone audible even in the noisiest of conditions and through ear muffs or helmets. Currently, the phone is free from Verizon Wireless with a two-year contract. For those who would rather ski than sit by the fire, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM has similar options and is “drop and shock proof” and therefore designed to take a beating.
•    Do keep a full battery. It may seem redundant to underscore keeping a phone fully charged, but exposure to cold weather can drain a device quickly. In that case, you may want to consider carrying a portable battery charger to ensure that your phone is ready when you are.
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