Six Ways I Protect My Phone

A smart phone.

A cell phone.

A mobile.

An iPhone.

A phone.

A lifeline.

Whatever it is you’d like to call it, these devices have become an absolutely integral part of our lives. It’s amazing how fast it’s all happened, really. When did the iPhone come out? 2007? It’s amazing that in the decade since it’s release, the world has been completely caught up in cell phone hysteria. From the very young to the very old and just about everyone in between, people are calling, surfing, texting, FaceTiming, and playing 1000s of different types of games. You get your news, entertainment, banking, and so much more. Just about every facet of life now seems to have an app and a mobile phone component.

For Vera and I, it tends to be even more important. For us, it’s truly integral to our daily lives. We need immediate access to emails, texts, news, and social media. We literally have to be on almost 24/7 to stat in touch and to keep out businesses chugging along. It’s this virtual world that makes our actual world that much more fruitful. We can see out kids more often and travel more. We can be untethered to a desk and an office. We have more freedom in some ways and less in others. Overall, though, I don’t think I would have it any other way. The “old’ life I had at my desk job seems like another life, another time. I’m a digital guy in an increasingly digital world. And I’m cool with all of that.

With all that being said, I think you can see that my iPhone 7 Plus is an integral part of my life. What does one need to do with anything so important? Well, you have to protect it, right? We all know too well what it’s like to lose or damage you phone. It can cause panic and hysteria. To help mitigate any meltdowns, I do a few things to ensure that my phone stays safe and, um, “healthy.”

Six Ways To Protect Your Phone From Disaster

• First, I make sure I perform very regular back-ups. I’m not 100% sold on the iCloud back-up, but I do a direct back-up to iTunes on my laptop almost every night. I also back-up certain data on the cloud just to be safe.
• Second, I began to put some important documents up in the cloud. Yes, I know there are some security issues to worry about, but the chances of having an issue in a secure cloud environment are probably almost the same as not having it in the cloud. But at least it’s stored remotely in a secure environment, right?
• Third, I have Find My iPhone turned on and active on every device I have. My phone, iPad, and MacBook, along with everyone in the family. This is great for a number of reasons. You can literally see exactly where the device is at all times, you can ping it to chime if you’ve lost it (seems like every day for the kids), and you can wipe the phone clean if you really think it’s been stolen or lost for good.
• Fourth, I use Touch ID whenever possible, but also have a number of pins and passwords to get onto just about every app I have. Sure, it takes a few extra seconds, but it’s well worth the trouble.
• Fifth, I always keep my phone in my left pocket and everything else (especially keys) in other pockets. I know where it is and I know that nothing with scratch or damage it. I’ve also been tracking my steps on the Health app, so it’s good to have it there at all times! I also always put my phone next to my bed to charge at night so I know where it is and I know I won’t run out of battery on most days.
• Finally, I Guard My Gear using an OtterBox Commuter Phone Case I picked up at Best Buy. This case is the absolute best case I’ve come across, and I’ve checked out many.

I turned to the OtterBox Commuter Phone Case for a number of important reasons. First, see above. I realized how important the phone is to me. I also realized that Otterbox makes the best cases really built to take a beating. When I recently started to get much more active and in shape, this was key. The case is perfect for active use, be it indoors or outdoors. Let’s face it, phones drop, especially if you take one out of your pocket to answer a call when jogging. Yes, I know from experience (I can’t be the only one, right?). This is a case that can take being dropped and come out of it like a champ. Whether you are hiking, biking, running, playing sports, or rock climbing, this bad baby absorbs shock from drops and tumbles while rocking a scratch-resistant shell. Dude…take a look at this Certified Drop Protection:

OTTERBOX CERTIFIED DROP+ PROTECTION

What do 24+ tests and 238+ hours of testing mean to you? They mean your OtterBox case is ready to dive into your day without a second thought — just like you are. OtterBox Certified Drop+ Protection means drops, bumps and fumbles are just the beginning. It means your device is protected from the barrage of wear & tear you subject it to everyday.

• #1 most trusted brand in cell phone case protection*
• 24+ tests and 238+ hours of testing
• Day in, day out — your device is protected.

Between the hard case and the soft shell, the case is designed for a streamlined fit, this 2-layer iPhone 7 Plus case hugs every corner without excess bulk. It’s a home-run and it comes in awesome colors adn styles, too. The Commuter Case is a rugged case that is also slim and agile, ready to rock when and how you need it to! If you value your phone as much as I do, then I think this is the case for you.

Check out more by clicking on my video here:

Get More Information

To find out more about how you can Guard Your Gear with the help of Best Buy, check out:

• BestBuy.com
• Twitter.com/BestBuy
• Facebook.com/bestbuy
• Pinterest.com/BestBuy
• Plus.Google.com/+BestBuy
• Search #GaurdyourGear
• Otterbox.com
• Twitter.com/otterbox
• Facebook.com/otterbox
• Instagram.com/otterbox
• Pinterest.com/otterbox
• Plus.google.com/+otterbox/posts

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. 

*Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service: Cell Phone Device Protection/Units Sold 9/2014 – 8/2015.