For most, Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer fun as well as a day to honor those who served. The long weekend often entices Americans to get out on the highway and travel, fire up the grill or cool off in a sparkling swimming pool. This weekend also reminds many to take a few safety precautions to make sure that this first long summer weekend turns out to be the best ever. Keeping your mobile devices safe during fun summer activities is equally as important, so we put together a few tips to keep your digital items safe as well:
• Holiday travel usually means at least one forgotten item left behind. Before you accidentally leave your device in a hotel, rest stop, camp ground or community pool, install SecureIT Mobile so you can locate your device, lock it or wipe it to keep your personal data safe.
• Don’t let your mobile devices get overheated. Mobile devices have temperature limits just like humans. The temperature threshold for most Android phones and iPhones is around 100°F and in summer temperatures it can reach that very quickly.
• Keep electronic devices away from the pool, river, lake, etc. to avoid water damage. Though there are many resources to help you fix your phone after it’s gotten wet, your best defense is to keep it away from the water.
• Don’t text and drive! It’s tempting to read and/or answer that text while you are driving, but studies show that texting while driving actually lowers your ability to drive more than drinking and driving. Use a hands-free device to make calls or send text messages via voice recognition software.
• Install a locator app so you can find your way if you get lost hiking. SecureIT Mobile includes GPS location services that can be used by your family or authorities to find you if you are lost; however, having a GPS app that will give you turn-by-turn directions to get back on track is helpful as well.
• Limit location sharing on social media. Generally, it’s wise to only allow GPS related applications to track where you are because many thieves scan Facebook for people on vacation and to plan home break-ins.
• God forbid, you would have your mobile device lost, stolen or irreparably damaged, and your information is lost forever. Use encrypted backup software like FileHopper to back up your personal information and files.
No matter how you celebrate Memorial Day Weekend 2013, be sure to have fun and stay safe. No one wants to deal with the panic of losing or damaging a mobile device when they are on vacation. With SecureIT and FileHopper, we’ll take the headache out of those situations and get you back to enjoying the sweet summer fun!
