Prepare your phone
Start by shutting down some of the more battery-intensive features.
Connections
Wi-fi, Bluetooth, GPS and Location Services all drain the battery, so turn them all off.
On an iPhone swipe up and tap the wi-fi and Bluetooth icons so they are off. Go toSettings - Privacy – Location Services and turn the toggle Off.
On an Android phone swipe down and toggle Bluetooth, wi-fi and Location. Or go toSettings - Location and turn the toggle Off.
Screen brightness
Turn the screen brightness down.
On an iPhone swipe up from the bottom and drag the brightness slider left.
On an Android phone swipe down from the top and drag the brightness slider left.
Push email
Push email services send messages straight to your phone without you having to press a ‘sync’ or ‘receive’ button. Each ‘push’ uses battery power so turn it off - if you are on holiday or away for the weekend, do you really need to know about the latest offer from a company you last bought from in 2008?
On an iPhone go to Settings – Mail, Contacts, Calendars – Fetch New Data and tap the slider.
On an Android phone head to Settings – Account Settings and slide Auto Sync toOff.
If you really need to keep abreast of your emails, you can determine how often the phone fetches new data. Opting for fewer updates uses less power.
Apps
Don’t use apps that consume lots of battery power, such as music and video streaming apps like Spotify and YouTube.
Shut down applications you aren’t using.
On an iPhone double click the Home button and flick any unused apps up.
On an Android phone press the Apps button (the static key at the bottom right) and tap the cross on each application or flick them left.
Enable power-saving mode
Many modern smartphones include a power-saving mode, which let you see exactly what features consume power. When activated, the phone will automatically shut down features that use the most power, when the battery gets to a certain level.
The location of power-saving mode varies from phone to phone, so head to theSettings menu and look for Battery or Power options.
Apple doesn’t offer any power-saving options on the iPhone.
Download an app
If you’ve got an Android smartphone, there are plenty of apps that let you monitor your device’s battery performance, so you can see exactly what applications use the most power and shut them down. Battery Saver with widget.
Carry a portable charger
Taking a back-up battery with you is the most effective way to ensure you don’t run out of power. There are dozens on the market designed to give your smartphone a boost.
Before choosing a device, think about how you’ll use it. Are you happy to leave it in a hotel and charge in the evening or do you want something portable you can carry with you at all times, just in case the battery runs down?
Battery capacity is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), so the higher the figure the longer it will charge the smartphone for. Depending on the size of your smartphone battery, a smaller charger may not charge it fully, boosting the battery level to maybe 50%.
The Proporta USB Turbo Charger 7000 Emergency Charger (£25) is a universal device that can charge two gadgets simultaneously. The 7000mAh battery can recharge your smartphone several times. Available from Proporta
The Incipio offGRID Smart Portable Backup Battery (£65) has two ports for charging more than one device. Built-in Bluetooth lets it communicate with your smartphone, displaying battery status information via the free app. Find a misplaced battery by tapping ‘Find me’ and the speaker makes a noise. Choose from 6000mAh and 8000mAh versions. Available from Amazon.
Battery cases
Mophie’s Juice Pack range of protective cases boost the battery with the flip of a switch. The Juice Pack Helium (£60-70) for a 1500mAh iPhone 5/5S can provide 80% more battery, while the 1700mAh Juice Pack Air (£60) doubles the iPhone 4/4S’s talk time. Available from John Lewis.
Incipio’s OffGrid range is similar, providing protection and integrated battery. Theo ffGRID Pro includes a 2000mAh battery and fits the iPhone 5, while the offGRID for Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 3100mAh battery providing 10.5 hours of talk time.Available from Amazon.
Emergency boost
Approximate the size of a credit card the Monster PowerCard (£35) is the perfect size for a wallet. It’s a universal charger and the 1640mAh can boost the battery from flat to around 50%. Available from Amazon.
Small enough to fit on a key ring, the Mophie Power Reserve Lightning (£40) includes a Lightning cable compatible with the iPhone 5/5S. Providing a 60% power boost from the 1350mAh battery. Available from Amazon.
http://home.bt.com/
