Tag gadget lover

This guest article is by Dominic of domstechblog. Modern smartphones are quite the technological marvels, aren't they? With those luscious displays, joyful flicking and swiping action, and more apps than you can acknowledge, you cannot help but be a little amazed every time you interact with your Android. Except when it's out of juice, in which case it amounts to nothing but a highly refined brick of plastic and aluminum. So, what does one do when all magic seems to fade out and an Android phone refuses to turn on, no matter how many times you hit the POWER button, or how intensely you cross your fingers, swear and curse at the little gadget? Well, before sending your phone away for tech support - here are a few tricks that may just help save the day. You would be surprised with how many Android phones are sent away for repairs even though they are not actually damaged in any way. These devices can be stubborn on occasion and once every other full moon, they'll just refuse to switch on. If that happens to you (or someone you know), here are some things to do before calling out for help. Force Android to Restart (Power Button + Volume Down) The simplest and most efficient trick of all, when it comes to resuscitating dead Android phones: simultaneously press the Power Button and Volume Down for about 10 seconds, and then release both at once. This procedure works will all Android devices (phones and tablets); it will force reboot your phone, and possibly snap it out of the black screen of death. If it doesn't seem to work the first time around, it's worth a few extra tries as you may not have got the timing right. No point in pressing those buttons furiously, either: you want to just press both at once, gently hold still for 10 seconds, and then release both at once. If your phone has a cover getting in the way, it's advisable to remove it first to get a better tactile feel for the buttons. Remove Battery, SD card and Try Again If you're tried the force reboot trick above and it's not working after a few attempts, the next thing you should try is to pull the battery and the SD card off your phone. Wait for a few minutes before putting the phone back together (minus SD card, since if it's damaged it can keep your phone from booting up) and take the opportunity to wipe clean the battery connectors to ensure proper energy flow. Try turning on the phone normally, and if it still doesn't work, try force resetting your phone again, as written in the steps above. Note: even though removing or exchanging the battery is a straight-forward process, in some cases it may void the warranty of your phone. However, it you do it carefully and leave no marks (especially when popping out the battery), manufacturers will be none the wiser about this "tampering". Recharge via Wall Socket When Android phones refuse to switch on, a common scenario involves lack of juice. You may think that your phone is dead or damaged when in fact it's simply run out of power. This happens most often to people who favor charging via USB cable, and the explanation is simple: USB ports just don't avail as much electricity as a wall socket does. Depending on your computer, the USB cable may barely pass enough juice to the phone to keep it on and charging at once. So you may assume your Android is charging up, when in fact it's gradually depleting its battery reserves. The point being - whenever possible, try to recharge your phone via Wall Socket, ideally with the plug that was provided with it. If your phone won't turn on at all, try charging it this way for several hours, and it may just resuscitate. Important hint: When you connect your Android to the electrical socket, pay attention to the notification lights on the phone. If they flash briefly and then fade to black it's a good sign; it the notification lights either stay on or don’t give any signal, then you may be dealing with a damaged battery or phone. Author Bio: This is a post by Dominic Acito, the founder of domstechblog.com. He brings a background as a software engineer and gadget lover to ITRush.

Things to Try When Your Android Won’t Turn On