Let’s be honest, we live in a world where we rely on our phones all day, and a low battery signal is enough to send us into a flat panic. But if you’re finding that your phone’s battery drains faster than ever or you’re constantly charging it up, maybe it’s time to give it a little upgrade and swap out that old battery for a new one! But how can you tell if you need to replace your phone battery?

First, check your battery’s health. This is easy enough when using an Apple iPhone by going into the phone’s settings and looking for battery and then battery health. This will give some good statistics on your phone battery. Apple’s newer operating systems come equipped with various tools to help you gauge the health of your battery and provide valuable insights on whether or not it requires a replacement in the near future.

For a Samsung Galaxy device, open the settings app, then select device Care, scroll to the bottom and tap diagnostics, and finally tap the battery status option. After a few seconds, the device will indicate whether the battery is in good or bad health and whether it’s operating normally. However, on certain Galaxy devices, the diagnostics option may not be available in the settings menu. In such cases, you can download the Samsung Members app from the Google Play Store or the Galaxy Store, open it, and sign in to your Samsung account if prompted. Next, tap the support button on the opening screen, select view tests, and then choose the battery status option to obtain your device’s battery health report.

Four signs that you might need to replace your phone battery:

1. Your battery is overheating. A little warmth is fine, but if it’s consistently too hot to handle, it could be a sign that your phone battery is on its last legs.
2. You are constantly charging your phone. How often you need to charge your phone depends on your usage, but a fresh battery should last between five to eight hours on a full charge. If you’re charging every two hours, it’s probably time for a battery upgrade.
3. Your phone going rogue and shutting down all by itself. That’s not normal behaviour! If it’s happening out of the blue, without you pressing any buttons, it’s likely due to a struggling phone battery that needs to be replaced.
4. Your phone won’t turn on. There could be other causes, but a worn-out battery is often the culprit. If your phone won’t turn on, it might be time to consider a new battery. But it’s always a good idea to check with a service centre first.

 There are a few things you can do to extend the life of your smartphone battery, such as avoiding extreme temperatures and being mindful of how you charge it. However, once your phone hits the two or three-year mark, battery problems tend to become more frequent.

It’s important to keep an eye out for signs of battery degradation, such as overheating, fast drainage, or unexpected shutdowns. If you’re experiencing these issues, replacing your battery may be the best solution to keep your phone running smoothly.

Talk Tech with the Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six-month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over twenty-two outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs stocks a wide variety of refurbished phones at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve-month warranty and can be purchased at any of our store locations.  

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs. 

 

 

While the average shopper would be forgiven for believing that all USB C Cable brands were made equally, in reality – this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The humble USB (Universal Serial Bus) was originally developed and introduced in 1996, with the aim being to set up a communication method between a computer and peripheral devices by replacing many varieties of serial and parallel ports.

In the olden days, plugging something into your computer – a mouse, a printer, or a hard drive – required a zoo of cables. After the USB was invented, it wasn’t long before floppy disks and CD-R drives soon began to die out, but the power of the technology didn’t stop there.

As the OG of the USB world, USB-A cables are essential for almost every type of computer based ‘add on’, such as keyboards, mice, wireless adapters, and external hard drives. Seen as an upgrade to the standard USB Type A cable, the USB-C cable was soon developed to connect and power many types of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices thanks to the ability to transfer audio, video, and text data.

How To Choose The Right USB C Cable

Despite the fact that a USB C cable has the power to charge and transfer data between a wide range of devices, there are still three key points of difference that shoppers need to note before making a selection: data transfer speed, power and cable length.

Where a USB C cable purchase gets tricky is in the numbers that get attached to the ports. The most common speed that USB C connectors are rated for is 10Gbps, or theoretically, twice as fast as the original USB 3.0. USB C ports that support this peak speed are called “USB 3.2 Gen 1×2”.

The reason paying attention to this matters is because a USB C cable with 3.1 Gen 2 capabilities will take just five seconds to transfer a HD movie at 10 Gbps, whereas an older 2.0 version will take 1.7 minutes at a much lower rate of 480 MBps.

In addition to speed, different USB C cable types will also have different power levels. While all USB C cables must be able to carry a minimum of 20V 3A, some products also offer a higher electrical load at 20V 5a – meaning that devices will charge faster.

The biggest difference between 3A and 5A cables is 5A cables can generally power laptops and monitors, while 3A cables cannot. If you’re looking for options to transfer photos and music between devices or charge smaller devices like a smartphone, then a 3A cable should be sufficient.

Finally, be sure to consider how long you need your USB C cable to be. As a general rule, the faster the speed of a USB C cable, the shorter it should be due to the electrical characteristics inherent to high speed data transfer. As such, cables are usually available in lengths of one metre, two metres or four metres.

If you can manage to tick off all of these boxes before you make a purchase, the good news is that if you invest in a few high quality USB C cables, they will generally work with anything and everything that supports them, regardless of the device’s year, model or generation.

To avoid making the emergency dash to your nearest service station in the middle of the night when a sub-par USB C cable dies, be sure to do your research on the many products out there. As an example, our SOS USB data cable is purposefully designed for heavy duty charging and data transportation, and the 1.2 metres braided cables with a long rubber sleeve to help stop the plugs from bending too much. To find out more, be sure to check out your nearest SOS Phone Repairs store.

 

Talk Tech Upgrades With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, assistance with a repair, or even finding the right accessories such as a USB C Cable, SOS Phone Repairs have a wide variety of products and services on offer in each of our outlets.

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.

 

With a growing number of people paying attention to their carbon consumption, it makes sense that options for sustainable smartphones are soaring in demand.

While automotive production may be the sector that dominates the headlines for emissions, did you know that the tech industry is responsible for tons of electronic waste, and generates between 2% to 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions?

Sustainability has become a huge factor for many consumers, and a growing number of us are putting our money where our mouths are. While it’s gotten to the point where it’s almost impossible for brands to ignore this shift in sentiment, which brands are responsible for producing sustainable smartphones?

Our Buying Guide For Sustainable Smartphones

In the simplest of definitions, environmental sustainability is classed as meeting our own needs without compromising the planet for future generations to ultimately do the same thing. In a nutshell, the concept is to not inflict any further damage to the earth than what we’ve already managed to do.

When applied to sustainable smartphones, many brands are making a more conscious effort by changing how they produce, ship, and package devices. As most of the emissions that come from smartphones (83%) originate from manufacturing and shipping, producing a sustainable smartphone takes a lot more than using less plastic in the packaging – so what are our top picks, and why?

 

Apple 13 Pro – While Apple still has a long way to go before it can be referred to as an eco-friendly brand, the company is actively working towards hitting its 2030 carbon neutral target. As such, the Apple 13 Pro is made with 99% recycled tungsten (or wolfram), and its other rare earth elements are 98% recycled. According to Apple, the model uses less than half of the energy of its predecessor, the iPhone 12.

 

Motorola Edge – Famous for their flip phone that dominated the 2000s, Motorola has somewhat dropped off the map for consumers who now favour Apple and Samsung products. For shoppers on the hunt for sustainable smartphones, the Motorola Edge is a worthy offering though, as the company has removed mercury or cadmium from the batteries of all phones, and it’s also replaced harmful plastic PVC and BFR, a mix of synthetic chemicals.

 

Samsung Galaxy S22 – As the company’s premier option for sustainable smartphones, 20% of a standard Galaxy S22 model is made from reclaimed fishing nets – one of the biggest sources of ocean plastic pollution. In addition to this unique selling point, there are also recycled post-consumer materials in the speaker, volume, and power keys, while all product packaging is made from 100% recycled paper and plastic materials.

 

Teracube 2E – For consumers who want a standard phone without the bells and whistles found in the more expensive models, the Teracube 2E is a high-concept phone with an admirably long warranty and some serious environmental credibility. Aside from being made from recycled polycarbonate with a biodegradable phone case, it also requires 50% less packaging than the competition. What’s more, is that for every phone sold, Teracube plants a tree.

 

Google Pixel 6+ – Beginning in 2022, Google has stated that all its products will include recyclable materials and is committed to making sustainable smartphones. As such, more recent models like the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro contain at least 45% post-consumer recycled plastic, and the case is also made with 70% recycled plastic. It’s also using recycled aluminium in the housing of the Pixel 6, and the Pro version uses 100% recycled content.

If you can’t be bothered to sell or fix your existing phone to sell to a friend, family member or even a stranger, another alternative is to leave it to the professionals to recycle. Many phone repair stores, such as your nearest SOS Phone Repairs, are always on the lookout for devices that need a little bit of love, as they already have a wide customer base looking to purchase second hand items from reputable outlets.

 

Talk Tech Upgrades With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. However, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one.

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the latest software upgrade now available to most users, Apple IOS 16 has been celebrated for its ability to customise how we use our smartphones.

Since its initial release in 2007, the features of the globally celebrated iPhone have certainly come a long way. Regarded as the first of its kind, improvements to the initial model will often include upgrades to screen sizes, waterproofing, and many more accessibility features.

Instead of being forced to shell out on a new model each time Apple releases one, the beauty of this brand is that consumers can often tap into the latest benefits via a simple upgrade to their operating system.

As a result, the iPhone Operating System – otherwise known as iOS – receives regular updates to ensure that Apple remains at the forefront of innovation and that the brand’s legion of loyal fans stay engaged with the products. The latest offering, Apple iOS 16, can arguably be dubbed one of the best.

Five Key Features To Try In Apple iOS 16

According to Apple themselves, iOS 16 enhances the iPhone with all-new personalisation features, deeper intelligence, and more seamless ways to communicate and share. It would seem that the brand’s developers and designers have come to realise the power of personalisation, and have aimed to include features that empower users to tweak their iPhone’s look and feel to a way that best fits in with their lifestyle and personal preferences.

Although it was released back in September, the silly season is a timely reminder that it’s in the best interest of everyone with an iPhone capable of running it to get the update. For those who haven’t done so, Apple iOS 16 offers some impressive new features that tick all the right boxes.

 

Introducing Passkeys – As a new feature, passkeys are end‑to‑end encrypted and sync across Apple devices through the iCloud Keychain password manager. Among the benefits, Apple’s solution to obliterate the password makes it hard for you to become a victim of phishing and keeps your credentials safe from website leaks and potential cyber security breaches.

 

Custom Lock Screens – As one of the most touted new additions to Apple iOS 16, users will be able to change the look of the date and time with expressive type styles and colour choices, and add new widgets such as upcoming calendar events, the weather, battery levels, alarms and time zones, with the ability to switch between designs as well.

 

More Focus Modes – Back in the day, the only real options to eliminate distractions from your iPhone was to either put it on silent, or do not disturb. With Apple iOS 16, upgrades have been given to Focus Mode to allow users to set up individual profiles with separate settings. This way, you can set up different modes for work, sleep or even downtime.

 

Share Your Photo Library – As another newer addition, the existing iCloud system has received a few extra tweaks to make sharing photos and videos easier. Now, users can share a separate iCloud photo library with up to five other people. If you want to keep some items to yourself, use setup tools to contribute specific photos based on start date or people.

 

New Text Features – Are you guilty of sending a text message to the wrong person? With Apple iOS 16, you can edit a message for up to fifteen minutes after sending it, and even unsend a message for up to two minutes after you’ve hit the send button. When you’re on the go, users can now also mark texts as unread if they’re busy and want to return to it later.

To install iOS 16, you’ll need an iPhone 8 or later, which essentially covers any iPhone released from 2017 and beyond. Unfortunately, all iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models can’t upgrade to iOS 16, and nor can the original iPhone SE. With Christmas just around the corner, for those in need of an iPhone upgrade but don’t want to spend a small fortune on a new handset, the team at SOS Phone Repairs offers a solution.

 

Talk Tech Upgrades With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. However, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one.

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.

 

 

 

 

If you’re the type who always has to have the latest games, devices and software, then the new tech coming in 2023 is rumoured to be worth the wait.  

Considering how much of us now rely on the internet to work, play, learn and even socialise, it’s easy to understand why many people get excited about the prospect of new tech. While we won’t be living in a VR friendly Meta wonderland anytime soon, there still are some pretty exciting products on the way to our shores next year. 

Five New Tech Additions Set To Drop Next Year 

In 2023, we can largely expect to see the continuation of innovations and developments in transformative technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), cloud computing, blockchain, and super-fast network protocols like 5G.

Although these might sound like big concepts, the reality is that many of them are already embedded in the devices we use while going about our day to day lives. Instead, we’ll showcase the new tech devices and products expected to hit the market in 2023.

Apple iPhone 15 – While Apple may have only just released the latest iPhone 14, brand fans are already speculating that we could expect the iPhone 15 to arrive in September 2023. A new report says that it could use a new Sony camera sensor to vastly improve exposure control, but could kill physical buttons for solid-state ones with haptic feedback.

The Expansion Of 5G – So far, one of the primary drawbacks of using 5G technology in Australia has been the lack of service and network coverage. However, with more towers going up in 2023, that will soon change – especially once Vodafone switches off 3G by the end of 2023, and Optus and Telstra committing to the same by mid 2024. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 – Current information on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 is based on rumours, which indicates that while the model won’t be a massive change visually, there’ll be some hardware improvements. Potentially, these may include a pixel-packed 200MP main camera, and a 40MP front-facing selfie cam.

Reality Pro VR Headset – Apple is likely to announce its first “Reality Pro” VR headset, which is likely to be the most capable standalone virtual reality headset in the world. While not yet confirmed, this could arrive as early as January 2023, and is said to be packed with features to compete against the likes of Meta Quest Pro.

Google Pixel Tablet – Just as Google Pixel phones have always utilised some of the best features of Android software, one of the most widely anticipated pieces of new tech coming in 2023 is the Google Pixel Tablet. Arguably designed as an attempt to take on the lucrative Apple iPad market, it’s also aiming to integrate with other devices made by the search engine giant. 

Although we live in an increasingly digital age, technology has also brought with it an extra set of distractions on top of whatever happens to pop up during our day to day lives. If you’re looking to improve your selfie game, want to learn more about your smart phone’s camera, or even need some help in choosing the right type of device based on your needs, it’s always worth speaking to the professionals. 

Talk Tech Upgrades With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

Whether its to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. However, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. 

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs. 

If you’re guilty of leaving your silly season shopping to the last minute, the good news is that there’s plenty of tech gifts on offer this Christmas. 

If you get sucked into the Christmas consumerism trap every year, you might want to consider whether piles of presents even makes you, your family, your friends or the environment happy. Instead of waiting until the week before Christmas, one effective way to combat this is to actually have the time to put some thought into the types of presents you opt for. 

As such, the best tech gifts are unique and actually useful. While nobody is expecting you to fork out for the latest iPhone, buying electronics as a Christmas present is one to ensure that the recipient will actually use it – so what are your options?

Our Christmas Tech Gift Guide For 2022

Did you know that new research has indicated that two-thirds of Australians planned to complete their Christmas gift purchases by the end of October, amid fears of supply chain disruption? 

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales often incentivise Christmas shoppers to grab their presents online, the reality is that there are no guarantees that the gifts will make it in time via postal services. In turn, the alternative is to shop local and physically collect the items in person. 

Whatever your preference, people specifically hunting for tech gifts can always benefit from the advice of a professional. As such, we’ve made a quick shopping list of our favourite products on the market just in time for Christmas. 

Magsafe Charger – Most of us already have all the gadgets but what about the accessories? If you’re looking for tech gifts for an iPhone lover but don’t want to break the bank, you can’t go past Apple’s Magsafe wireless charger. The perfectly aligned magnets attach to your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, and provide faster wireless charging up to 15W.

Notpods – Speaking of Apple fans, how many of us love the idea of AirPods but aren’t such big fans of the $300 price tag? As a worthy alternative for a fraction of the price, we’ve tried and tested Notpods and have happily issued our tick of approval. As far as wireless headphones go, quality can vary significantly between products – as does the price. Coming in at just $90, it’s a hefty saving when compared to the originals.

GoPro Hero Mini – For shoppers looking for something special for their significant other, family member or extremely good friend, the freshly launched GoPro Hero 11 is having its moment in the spotlight, but there is another alternative that most people aren’t even aware of. With the same video performance in a smaller, lighter, simpler design, the Hero Mini is significantly more affordable and portable than its bigger counterparts. 

Ember Mug – Designed for at home or the office, the Ember Mug and its companion app on your iPhone or Apple Watch allows you to set your precise drinking temperature for hot beverages, track caffeine consumption, save presets for your favourite drinks, customise the LED colour and more. Ember also maintains your chosen temperature for approximately 1.5 hours, so your hot beverage stays perfect from the first sip to the last drop.

Fitbit Sense 2 – If you’re after a device that offers basic smartwatch functionality but tracks activity accurately, offers excellent sleep tracking and has a range of health features like superb stress tracking, the Fitbit Sense 2 is fantastic and in a world of its own. As one of the few tech gifts designed to get you moving and live a healthier lifestyle, Sense 2 is considered to be one of the most advanced smart watches on the market today. 

The thing about tech gifts is that they need to be working at their best in order to make the most of them. What’s more is that the nature of the item can make them tricky to operate for those unfamiliar with their basic functionality. For advice on choosing the right product or even finding them in the first place, it’s always a good idea to pop into your nearest SOS Phone Repairs store. 

Talk Christmas Tech Gifts With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone or recycling your old one might just be easier and cheaper than you think. For those in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. 

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.

Once your favourite communication device hits the blink, most of us don’t give it much after thought. In reality, phone recycling is a must for the environment. 

Did you know that there are roughly twenty-three million unused mobile phones hiding in draws, cupboards and office cabinets all over Australia? Of those, over five million are broken or no longer working, with most of their owners understandably believing that they can be of no further use. 

In reality, this isn’t actually the case. Mobile phones are made up of plastics and metals that aren’t biodegradable, but they can still be reused as a means to create something new, without the need for cultivating new materials. If you’re guilty of hanging onto an old device, getting familiar with why phone recycling matters might just motivate you to do something with it. 

Three Easy Options For Phone Recycling 

When mobile phones are thrown away in standard bins and sent to landfill, we miss an opportunity to reuse valuable materials. Recycling these materials prevents ‘virgin’ or new resources from being extracted from the ground, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

In fact, recycling 50,000 mobiles has been proven to save close to one hundred tonnes of mineral resources, and twenty tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering our atmosphere. If saving the planet isn’t motivation enough, examples of how these materials are redistributed include the following. 

Glass – Phone recycling breathes new life into the glass used for touch screens, as it is melted, crushed and used to produce other products that need similar amounts of glass. In some cases, it’s even used for jewellery or as a replacement material when repairing or constructing roads. 

Aluminium – As a highly durable metal, aluminium is 100% recyclable and can be recycled regularly without degrading its inherent value – that is, if it’s not thrown away. Phone recycling enables the aluminium to be melted down and remade into new phones and other items.

Precious Metals – A small amount of valuable metals like gold, silver, palladium, platinum and copper can be extracted from a mobile phone as they are usually found on its circuit board. In addition, lithium batteries are processed to recover valuable materials like steel and nickel. 

Plastic – Plastic sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins. While it’s also one of the most unsustainable materials to produce, recycled plastic from phone recycling can be used to create new products without coal or fossil fuels. 

What’s more is that phone recycling is actually easier than you might think. Although it’s not an option that most people would even consider on their own, fixing an old phone up and selling it is the very epitome of recycling – you’re reusing something old, instead of sourcing a new alternative. 

If you can’t be bothered to sell or fix your phone to sell to a friend, family member or even a stranger, another alternative is to leave it to the professionals. Many phone repair stores, such as your nearest SOS Phone Repairs, are always on the lookout for devices that need a little bit of love as they already have a wide customer base looking to purchase second hand items from reputable outlets. 

In the event that the phone has reached the absolute end of it’s lifespan and there’s no way to resuscitate it, throwing your old phone in the bin is still not the answer. In fact, a growing number of telecommunications stores like Optus, Telstra and individually owned phone stores will often have bins for customers to place their old devices in, before the bin gets sent off for professional phone recycling. Either way, the phone will live to see another day.

Explore Phone Recycling Methods With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone or recycling your old one might just be easier and cheaper than you think. For those in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. 

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs. 

It’s not you, but it’s not me either. It’s Netflix.

Is the line we recommend passing on to your loved ones, as you tell them they may finally have to pay for their own Netflix accounts and stop mooching off of yours.

It’s been a good run at least.

Netflix have announced that as of early 2023, they will be tracking IP addresses, locations, device ID’s and account activity to determine accounts that are password sharing, and will start charging fees ‘per member’ based on location.

Although the fee for this hasn’t been confirmed by Netflix, there are suggestions it will be one quarter of the monthly fee per location. Which means if you’re anything like most families, and have 4 people sharing one account (a moment of appreciation to these self-sacrificing family members), then you could be paying almost double per month. If you’re the one that’s been footing the bill the last few years, it may be time to for them to hear the tough conversation that it’s time you part ways, and they get their own accounts.

Apparently Netflix will be assisting users in this transition to separate accounts by transferring their profiles (including recommendations, your list and previously watched) to a new account, but it seems like a lot of admin if you ask us.

It’s unclear exactly how this location based fee will work either, especially for our traveller family members out there that frequently flaunt around Australia and the world. Supposedly they’ll be monitoring log in locations to allocate a ‘home’ for the account, and if another household streams for more than 2 weeks they’ll be notifying the user and adding the fee. This doesn’t bode well for our van goers or frequent house changers, but we’ll see.

They’ve also mentioned bringing in exceptions for travelling, but rumour has it you can only visit a given place once a year so we’re uncertain how that will actually work either. Let’s be honest, downloading Netflix episodes for long travel journeys is half the reason to have a subscription.

It seems to us that we may still have a little time up our sleeves while they sort out the finer details.

Image source: boredpanda.com

In other Netflix news they will also be bringing out a new base subscription at $7USD per month, coming to Australia from November 3rd. It’s a budget that should allow for these new changes, but will have users watching 4-5 minutes of ads per hour, and won’t allow them to download anything to watch offline. We’re not sure we’re up for that subscription but it’s nice to know they’re creating base memberships.

It seems all good things really must come to an end.

For now, I guess it’s time to put the popcorn in the microwave and binge out on as much free Netflix as you can while you still have the time.

Talk Tech With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs stocks a wide variety of refurbished phones at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve month warranty, and can be purchased at any of our sixteen store locations.  

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs. 

As technology continues to advance it shouldn’t surprise us that robot food delivery is upon us.

According to The Verge, Uber has paired with Nuro’s self-driving vehicles for a 10 year partnership to bring us autonomous (which is really just a fancy way of saying robot) food delivery. By the end of this year, we could see these deliveries hitting the streets of Texas and California, cruising at a top speed of 70kms (45m) per hour with their grocery-filled driver-less cars.

Hello new-age technology.

A little about Uber:

Starting in 2009 when two friends found themselves stuck on a snowy evening in Paris unable to find a taxi, thinking ‘What if you could request a ride simply by tapping on your phone?’, this transportation company has quickly taken over the world.

Now operating in over 80 countries and 10,000 cities, its bookings generated over $23 billion in the third quarter of 2021.

Snow, Paris, and a multi-billion dollar idea? We wish we were the ones cold on that night in 2009!

A little on Nuro:

Founded in 2016 and now valued at $8.6 billion, this robotics company is designed for making peoples lives easier and save time, by delivering them items they need straight to their door (only without drivers). Nuro is one of only 3 companies to receive permits for automated cars in California, and is all about it’s green thumb. Reducing carbon footprints with its fully electric fleet, they also use ‘100% renewable electricity from wind farms in Texas‘ to power their fleet, and even have an environmentally conscious supply chain.

We are all about the sounds of this development, green thinking meets innovation. That’s what we love.

So what will this partnership mean?

Well, as we mentioned it’s a 10 year deal to bring automated driver food delivery that is starting in California and Texas, but we have no doubt it will be growing rapidly due to the individual successes of both companies. Uber will be using Nuro’s Gen2 fleet, which are half as wide as a compact sedan and shorter than usual cars. They can also carry up to 225kgs (approximately 24 grocery bags) and will be delivering from restaurants, supermarkets and other essential goods stores.

The real question is, how long until automated delivery will be hitting the suburbs of Australia?

According to the Daily Telegraph earlier this year, we were supposed to see these cars cruising around this year, but we’re yet to witness it ourselves or find any concrete evidence to back this up.

We imagine we can’t be far behind the 8-ball on this one though!

Talk Tech With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs stocks a wide variety of refurbished phones at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve month warranty, and can be purchased at any of our sixteen store locations.  

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs. 

You may have been following our Green Friday’s segment on our socials, and noticed we’ve been looking into how big companies and new technologies are making advancements for a greener future. If you haven’t, check it out! There’s some really interesting and exciting concepts arising.

Let’s take a look at how these pioneers in the tech industry are committing to carbon-neutral products, circular economy, clean energy for communities, and energy efficiency.

We were actually impressed with what we researched, and are grateful big companies such as Apple and Samsung are supporting recycling and making an effort to preserve the earth.

CARBON-NEUTRAL PRODUCTS

If there’s anyone that should be able to achieve this, it’s these two – right?

Apple: their corporate operations have been carbon neutral since 2020, but their plan is for all products to be carbon neutral by 2030. Through Restore Fund, they’re aiming to remove at least 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

We like the sound of that.

Samsung: in 2022 Samsung committed to planting 2 million trees and reforesting 200 hectares of land in Madagascar to offset their carbon footprint. They then gifted some of these trees to 211,000 customers, who can track the graph and impact their trees are having on the local ecosystems.

Clever marketing that benefits the planet? Yep, nice one Samsung. Can we have one?

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

This is where all commerce should be heading, recycling the old to create the new. Let’s see what their plans are:

Apple: they plan to responsibly source and recover materials, so that all their products are made with renewable resources or recycled materials. How great is that? All iPad models in their current line-up, including the new iPad Air, use 100% recycled aluminium in their enclosures.

Their single use plastic in their packaging is also down 75% since 2015.

Samsung: Similar to Apple, they’re striving for that circular economy of recycled materials. For us, it’s in the figures they share: they’re reused over 276,000 tonnes of recycled plastic in their products since 2009, and are on track to double this by 2030.

Both companies are also dedicated to improving durability so their devices last longer, keeping them out of landfill that way, too.

CLEAN ENERGY FOR COMMUNITIES

Renewable energy is a vital key for a sustainable future. Drawing from the earths natural resources to power our homes and fuel our cars, rather than digging it from the ground. Let’s take a look at where they’re at with this topic:

Apple: have solar projects in 7, second and third world countries, to help provide cost-effetive energy to communities facing energy challenges. Recently, they also brought renewable energy to over 3,500 South African households that previously lacked access.

For the people. Nice one, Apple.

Samsung: the information we could find here was for their production line, which we’re about. Their goal was for all sites in USA and China to use 100% renewable energy by 2020, but they beat that by a year. In 2019, they eliminated fossil fuel generated energy and replaced it with renewable energy from solar and wind.

We’ll admit it, we’re impressed.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Apple: power adapters use the largest amounts of certain materials, including plastic, copper, tin and zinc. By removing them from iPhone 12 packaging, Apple estimate they avoided mining over 550,000 tonnes of copper, tin and zinc ore.

It also avoids more than 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 500,000 cars from the road a year.

We’re sorry we thought we were losing out with that one, Apple.

Samsung: to reduce energy demand of electronics, they’ve committed to making their products more durable and energy efficient. Samsung’s energy efficient products reduce the average household’s greenhouse gas emissions by 5,500 pounds and their energy costs by 30%.

In this way, they’ve also helped avoid over 301 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions since 2009. Woah.

 

We know we’ve just given you a lot of statistics, but we wanted to portray that it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to technology and the draws on our planet.

We’re not saying there’s no need for further advancements, however, we are impressed. Hopefully big companies like Apple and Samsung continue making these commitments, and it has a ripple effect. Inspiring change throughout the industry.

Talk Tech With The Professionals

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones. 

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs stocks a wide variety of refurbished phones at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve month warranty, and can be purchased at any of our sixteen store locations.  

If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.