General Tips for Phone Accessories.

Bluetooth Devices

1. Keep headset within 8 to 10 feet of phone to get optimum clarity.
2. Solid objects such as walls between headset and phone should be avoided.
3. Keep the phone and the headset on the same side of your body.
4. If you set the headset as authorized, it will keep connecting to your phone.
5. In Bluetooth settings, set the phone's visibility to hidden to avoid any attempts of Bluejacking.
6. Wireless Bluetooth speakers can be used while driving or in a room to listen to music or for voice conversations.
7. Polycom's Voice station VS500 enables Bluetooth phones to be paired and function in the same way as a headset.
8. Bluetooth speakerphones are an ideal option for those who do not wan to use a headset. They can be used in the car too.
9. A Bluetooth car kit is goodif you spend lots of time driving. The kit will automatically mute the stereo if you accept the call.
10. Many newer phones feature Bluetooth wireless printing.


Wired Hand free kits

1. Make sure that the connecting jack of the handsfree is secure.
2. While disconnecting the hands free kit, do not pull hard on the wire but on the jack.
3. You can connect speakers to your phone by using hands free kits with 3.5mm jacks ( AD 46 for Nokia, HPM 82 for SE ).
4. The hands free kit acts as the FM antenna for your phone, so always keep the cable out of your pocket.
5. The microphone picks up ambient sounds, so keep the microphone as close to your mouth as possible by clasping it.


Memory Cards

1. Different phones support different types of memory cards (miniSD, microSD, Memory Stick Duo etc). Check the manual to find out which card your phone uses.
2. Most phones only accept memory cards up to 2GB. Some, like the the Nokia N95 and the HTC Touch support 4GB cards.
3. Always buy memory cards of known brands such as Kingston, Transcend, Nokia, Sony and SanDisk.
4. When buying a memory card, check the seal and hologram.
5. Use a USB card reader to transfer data to and from between computer and memory card.


Other Accessories

1. You can buy a Bluetooth GPS adapter and turn your mobile phone into a full fledged GPS easily (see pg 94).
2. Sony Ericsson's Bluetooth watch allows you to keep a tab on incoming calls and messages (review on pg 65).
3. FM music transmitters can transmit music from your phone to a car stereo or home theatre system wirelessly.
4. You can buy a full-size, foldable Bluetooth keyboard for your phone from www.spin.co.in.
5. Extend battery life using extenders from APC and Just Mobile. Just connect via USB for extra power on the go.



Protecting your phone's LCD

1. Put on a screen protector as soon as you buy a new phone. To find and order one for your phone, check http://scratchgard.in/
2. Do not keep your phone in pocket/purse along with any other metallic objects like keys, pins etc.
3. If you have a touchscreen device, use only the stylus and not your fingers or a pen. This will avoid permanent damage.
4. In case you get a scratch on your display screen, you can get Kensington's scratch remover kit. It uses a specially formulated solutions to remove scratches, scuffs and fingerprints and restore the acrylic display as well.
5. To clean your phone's display screen, it is advisable to use a damp microfiber cloth.