Technology Safety Tips for Your Tablet
As technology grows more sophisticated, so is our reliance on everyday gadgets. However, there is also a rise in handheld-device theft and data snooping. Here are a few tips to discourage thieves and mitigate personal-data loss.
Discourage snatch-and-dash theft
When you’re in a public place, never leave your gadget unattended, not even for a minute. Make it a habit to bring it with you anywhere and not leave it in a table in some coffee shop. A thief at a full sprint can easily grab your device and disappear into a crowd in a blink of an eye. Also, avoid using your device when you’re inside a public vehicle. Someone can snatch it right out of your hand and run to the doors as they close.
Secure access with a PIN code
This is a basic device security tip but many people neglect to do this because entering a PIN can be tedious for those who check their device frequently. An efficient PIN pattern can ease this. Another alternative is to selectively activate and deactivate the PIN code.
Exercise caution when using Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi in cafes, hotels, or restaurants may seem harmless, but thieves with data-sniffing software can actually record your online activity. Avoid viewing sensitive information like banking or credit cards on your device when connected to Public Wi-Fi. Use your 3G or 4G connection instead to be more secure.
Purchase with a credit card
When purchasing on your device, it’s best to use a credit card instead of a prepaid retail gift card or billing your cell provider. This can help mitigate losses in case of theft as well as provide more options if there’s a purchase dispute.
Avoid viewing personal data like banking info and Social Security numbers using your handheld device. However, if this becomes necessary, once you're done, it's a good idea to erase your tracks so a theft can't balloon into identity theft as well. Go to your Internet browser's privacy settings and delete the browser's history, cache and cookie data.
Disable the 'remember passwords' feature
Depending on your circumstances or personal preferences, you may choose to disable the “remember passwords” feature on your browser. This is one of the more tedious precaution for technology safety but not having to worry about compromised online accounts will be worth it.
Install tracking and loss-protection apps
A tracking app can quickly show you the whereabouts of your missing gadget, which you can then give to the police. A loss-protection app provides remote options like locking the device and wiping all personal data from its memory.
When you’re carrying around two or more gadgets, sometimes it gets too difficult to manage that you won’t even know at once when one of them gets stolen. To avoid having to bring multiple gadgets with you, you can equip one gadget with the functions of the other. One app that lets you do this is the text to talk app, Tablet Talk. Android tablets can now be equipped with SMS and calling features just like a real smartphone. Text on your tablet by installing Tablet Talk, which allows your tablet to link with your Android smartphone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi so you can send and receive SMS through your tablet. With a texting app for Android tablet, you don’t have to carry around two gadgets all the time.