Tag: Smart Phone Security

Travelling with Smart Phones

Travelling with Smart PhonesAnyone who has traveled and used their smart phone will already know about this huge issue. I you have already received a bill for the time you used while out of the country then you know it is expensive. If you have not received your most recent bill yet, that covers the time you were out of the country when you used your phone you could be in for a big surprise. Travelling with Smart Phones can keep you connected, but watch your phone charges.

Roaming charges for both voice, text and data are incredibly high for anyone without a roaming plan outside their home country. The charges can be as much as $3.00 a minute or more in some cases just for voice calls. This can add up very quickly even if you are on a 10 minute call and will spend $30 for that call.

Travelling with Smart Phones

Many customers will turn off their data plans while they are traveling just to protect themselves from data charges. Even if you are not checking for email, your smart phone can be checking for up dates, syncing and receiving alerts to the various apps that you have on your phone. All of this data adds up and can amount to a significant charge if you are not careful.

Text messaging is the same. Most smart phones do not let you block the text messaging service. You have to call the carrier to stop the service from sending text messages to your phone. If you open them you will definitely be charged at international rates which can again be very expensive. Check with your carrier to find out just how expensive they are. Some will levy charges just for sending them to you even if you do not open the message.

Buy a Local Phone

Many customers will purchase a local prepaid phone in the country they are traveling in. Although the per minute charges are higher than what they might currently be paying for their service in their home country , the rates for prepaid service are often much lower than roaming rates.

You can do all of the same things you do on your regular phone depending on the phone and the prepaid package you subscribe to. Text , voice, and data are possible, although if you are traveling for a short time, voice and text messaging are probably ok.

WiFi Locations

Free WiFi sites are becoming more and more predominant and these sites are great to sync up and check emails, markets , apps such as Facebook, twitter etc. You can use your existing smart phone in most cases if it allows wi-fi connections. Again do not forget to shut off the data when you leave the wi-fi site to avoid a nasty surprise.
Changing countries

Each time you change countries, you need to pay attention to these issues. Traveling in North America, you only have to worry about Canada, the US and Mexico.  However in Europe you can travel across several countries in several hours, so keeping track of mobile phone plans can be difficult. Again buy a phone that is prepaid and covers the countries you are traveling in. Only buy enough minutes for what you think you will need. You can always top them up if you need more.

We would love to hear about your experiences traveling with your mobile phones and smart phones. Any tips and tricks that you can pass along will be much appreciated. For more details about smart phone security, click here.

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Stolen iPhones and Security

Stolen iPhones and SecurityThis post is about iPhone Security, not the type of security were someone hacks into your iPhone and takes over your phone, although I guess that can happen. Instead this post is about the type of iPhone Security when someone steals your iPhone! Stolen iPhones and Security

A good friend of mine was walking down the street the other day reading her email or sending a text message. She was walking along, not really paying attention to what she was doing and suddenly a guy walked up beside her and grabbed the iPhone out of her hands. Easy to do since she was holding it loosely while pressing the screen as she was preparing to send a message. Lot’s of people do this. You see them every day walking down the sidewalk, through the mall, or even walking into traffic without paying attention to were they are going.

It happened in seconds and the guy started to run off to be joined by a number of friends. Now we discussed ways to limit the amount of financial damage losing your iPhone can do in the previous post, “Smart Phone Security”. Check that post out if you need more information about protecting yourself.

Stolen iPhones and Security – What She Did Next

This was not the smartest thing to do, but she yelled at the guy. She chased him down and demanded her iPhone back. She used a lot of expletives and called him every name in the book. Next thing she knows she is surrounded by his buddies all taunting her as well as him. This situation could have gotten really bad, had she not thought quickly.

She yelled a lot of expletives , saw that was not working. Of course was surrounded by his friends with people walking by on a crowded sidewalk not paying attention.

Then she changed her tack and started yelling at the top of her lungs for help. She yelled that someone had stolen her iPhone and she was being surrounded.  This began to attract the attention of passers by. The gang realized that they were  dealing with a smart chick who was not intimidated by them. Of course anyone who steals like that is a bum and a coward. So as soon as you face them up in this manner they back off.

They handed her iPhone back and took off just as a few men were coming to her rescue. As a result she was very fortunate and lucky. If she had not been on a crowded street she would not have had a chance. It might have turned out much worse if she was surrounded on a quiet residential street!
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Smart Phone Security

Smart Phone SecuritySmart Phone Security, can include were someone hacks into your smart phone and takes over your phone, or someone stealing your phone. This post is about the type of Smart Phone Security when someone steals your phone!

A good friend of mine was walking down the street the other day reading her email or sending a text message. I know you are not supposed to that. There has been all kinds of reports were people have hurt themselves walking into objects and other people. They even walk into the middle of the road and are hit by cars. That is actually another reason for not doing this sort of thing, but this post is focused on Smart Phone Security.

Anyway she was walking along, not really paying attention to what she was doing. Suddenly a guy walked up beside her and grabbed the smart phone out of her hands. Easy to do since she was holding it loosely while pressing the keyboard as she was preparing to send a message.

Apps Are Not Password Protected

She has a lot of apps on her Smart Phone , however they all have auto sign on turned on. Yes, her bank information, her credit cards, Paypal, Skype and much much more. Worse her phone was open and turned on because she was using it. Easy for someone to keep using the phone until the battery wore down, accessing her bank account and other applications that she has on the phone.

We used to be worried about losing our cell phone and someone racking up huge long distance charges. You still need to worry about this, but even more important is the applications we have on these Smart Phones and the damage someone can do to us financially. And I am not even mentioning the wireless transfer of funds when you bump smart phones together!

So How Do we Avoid Smart Phone Security being jeopardized?

There are numerous ways to tighten up security on our phones. As well as avoid the type of situation my friend had over the weekend. Here is a partial list which if you follow will certainly decrease the chance of both having your phone stolen as well as losing money through Smart Phone applications that are open. Here we go:

  • Do not text, email or use apps while walking or driving
  • Keep your Smart Phone locked at all times except when using it
  • Keep a firm grip on your Smart Phone when using it
  • Make sure no one observes you as you enter passwords
  • Make sure you phone auto locks after 15 seconds of no activity
  • Never store passwords on your Smart Phone
  • Always type your passwords into the phone when accessing an app
  • Never write down passwords

If your Smart Phone  is stolen or lost, it still is a big loss. However not as big as you might think if your apps are compromised. Following the above steps will help to limit the loss of your phone.

We will let you know the details of how the situation turned out in our next post. However for readers who do not have the time to come back next week, she did get her phone back in an interesting way.

Wipe Your Smart Phone

Another common method for smart phones offered by some carriers is that you can wipe your phone if it is stolen or lost. This is a good thing. Assuming you will never get your phone back. However by the time you reach your carrier and have the phone wiped the damage will already have been done. Protect yourself by not using your phone when you are not paying attention to were you are going or in large crowded areas.

We appreciate comments on this subject of Smart Phone Security as well as our suggestions to protect yourself. Please leave comments as well with additional suggestions that we can alert our readers to for improving their personal Smart Phone Security.

For more on Smart phones and security issues, click here.

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