Tablets and smartphones are powerful little
machines, but when they malfunctioning, all that productivity and entertainment
comes to a halt. But don’t fret; in most cases you can recover your devices
with little effort. Simply follow these basic troubleshooting tips to get your
shiny slab of glass back in working order.
Tablets
and smartphones are powerful little machines, but when they malfunctioning, all
that productivity and entertainment comes to a halt.
The tablet is frozen
Your tablet or smartphone might freeze or
hang for a variety of reasons, from a faulty app to a dearth of available
memory. Before you can determine what caused the problem, however, you need to
regain control of it. If you’re using an iOS-based device, then the first thing
you should do is press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Slide
To Power Off slider, then swipe it to shut it down. If that fails, press the
Sleep/Wake button and the Home button simultaneously until you see the screen
go dark and display an Apple logo.
If
you’re using an iOS-based device, then the first thing you should do is press
and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Slide To Power Off slider,
then swipe it to shut it down.
For most Android-based smartphones and
tablets, a normal shut down procedure involves pressing and holding the power
button and then tapping the shutdown option that pops up onscreen. If you don’t
see a shutdown option, you can force the operation by continuing to press and
hold the power button until the unit shuts down or restarts.
Some Android tablets, including the
Motorola Xoom, require a slightly different procedure. To perform a soft reset
on a Xoom, press the power button and the Volume Up key simultaneously until
the unit shuts off. Consult your manual for the proper procedures.
One or more apps have disappeared
Apps are the smartphone and tablet’s best
assets, but if you’re ever unable to find one of your favorites, it might be
because your device recently installed an operating system update that is
incompatible with the app version you had previously installed. But don’t
worry, simply return to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (or other Android
app source) and reinstall the missing app.
Prevention
The best way to avoid problems with your
mobile device is to perform some regular maintenance on it. Start by always
keeping your tablet and smartphone charged, which ensures it has enough juice
to install updates when necessary. Keep at least 30MB or more of the internal
memory free at all times. If you get a low memory warning, that’s a good
indication that you need to start deleting some apps or backing up photos and
videos to your PC.
The
best way to avoid problems with your mobile device is to perform some regular
maintenance on it.
Fix-it checklist
It’s helpful to have a few things on hand
when your tablet won’t start. Here’s a short checklist that’ll help you solve
the problem.
·
USB charging cable
·
Power adapter
·
Active Wi-Fi connection
·
Tablet or smartphone owner’s manual
·
Dry non-abrasive screen-cleaning cloth
·
Spare SD card or microSD card for compatible
devices
