How to turn your Android device into a laptop

Here are four interesting tips that can help your Android powered device turn into a laptop.

Quite frankly, software keyboards just don't cut it for hardcore productivity. Even the best software keyboards, like SwiftKey, fall far behind even low-quality hardware keyboards in speed and typing comfort. Four major, some exotic and some mundane, keyboard technologies inhabit marketplaces: NFC powered keyboards, OTG (On the Go) keyboards, Bluetooth 3.0 and 4.0 keyboards.

Of these, I prefer using OTG keyboards for their quality and reliability. However, remember that no single keyboard type can fit all individual needs. Each possesses both strengths and weaknesses that the discriminating consumer should keep in mind.

Four keyboard technologies

Of the four keyboard technologies (NFC, Bluetooth and OTG) presented in this article, the most widely used is the Bluetooth 3.0 standard. That's because of inconsistent implementation of OTG and NFC drivers in Android devices. Also, few keyboards work without additional configuration in Android's settings menu.

NFC keyboards

NFC stands for Near Field Communication. NFC keyboards are extraordinarily exotic, some even receive power wirelessly, from the NFC signal. Many phones, particularly iPhones, don't incorporate this technology - even many Android devices don't use it. More modern devices do include it, leading to a wealth of automation software such as NFC Task Launcher and a large variety of potential uses. I use NFC for its location-based features, including sleep-mode and car-mode.

Advantages

Low power: NFC keyboards consume hardly any energy, as they don't broadcast over a great distance, such as Bluetooth.

Upcoming keyboard doesn't use batteries: An upcoming NFC keyboard from One2Touch converts the NFC signal into a power source. Other NFC keyboards require batteries, although require very little power.

Super portable: Most NFC keyboards use smaller batteries and, as demonstrated by the One2Touch keyboards, are foldable. Most of these will either fit in your pocket, or double as a case.

No pairing: There's no pairing process involved in connecting an NFC keyboard. According to One2Touch, simply place the Android device on the keyboard and start typing.

Disadvantages

Requires NFC: If your phone doesn't have NFC, you won't be able to use an NFC keyboard.Short range: NFC signals don't broadcast over a great distance. You have a range of millimeters.

Expensive: The cheapest NFC keyboard, the Android NFC Elecom keyboard, costs more than $50.

App required: Unfortunately, native NFC keyboard support isn't include within the Android software environment. One2Touch keyboards rely on an app to work properly. Although this app is available in the Play Store, not all devices will be compatible with it and not all devices include Play Store support. You can remedy this with forced installations and sideloading. For the uninitiated, sideloading allows you to transfer files to your Android device from a computer.

OTG keyboards

OTG stands for "On the Go", which is an interface standard allowing most USB peripheral devices to connect to Android devices. Not all versions of Android support it - Google added the feature in Android 3.0, Honeycomb. Also, not all device manufacturers include it. For example, the Nexus 4 notoriously lacks OTG support, without modification. However, for those of you lucky enough to possess OTG capability, setting your phone or tablet up requires a few simple steps. Most important is an OTG cable, which can link many, but not all, USB peripherals to your device. Some Android devices require that you enable this feature in Developer Mode. Others enable it right from the get-go.

I should point out that although most USB keyboards can function as OTG devices, not all are suited for it. Your mileage may vary.

OTG cable advantages

Inexpensive: You can use most USB keyboards as OTG keyboards. Some of these are quite inexpensive, while others may cost a bit more. Also, the OTG cable itself costs around $5 or less.

No battery: You will only need the battery of your phone to operate these devices.

Variety: USB keyboards come in all manner of shapes and sizes. Some, such as the Matias travel keyboard, can fold in half.matias keyboard folded

Disadvantages

Requires OTG compatibility: If your device isn't at least Android 3.0 and above, you won't have OTG compatibility. Even many newer Android gadgets aren't OTG compatible. Make sure you do your research before buying.

Compatibility: Because of the wide range of USB keyboards, not all devices will work properly.

Power drain: Some keyboards may drain more than others. For example, if your keyboard features LED back-lighting, it will likely run your Android device's battery down much faster. However, keep in mind that simply enabling USB host mode on your device may have a small, but noticeable, decrease on your battery life as it turns on a 5 volt bus.

Bluetooth (up to) 3.0 keyboards

I have several Bluetooth 3.0 keyboards, none of which I'm truly satisfied with. That's mainly because of the power drain caused by Bluetooth 3.0 on both the battery inside of the keyboard and the mobile device. Most devices provision for enough endurance to last several days of use. They frequently run out of battery life after a week or more of heavy use.

Advantages

Cost: Bluetooth keyboards are relatively cheap - my aluminum Inland keyboard cost $10 after a rebate. My Motorola cost $12. Both are good quality devices with solid battery life. However, it could be much better.

Portability: Bluetooth keyboards tend to be more portable than USB devices. On the other hand, they weigh a bit more because of their batteries for similar sized devices.

Disadvantages

Battery life: Expect a shortened battery life from your Android device when using a Bluetooth keyboard. Oftentimes, I find my phone running out of juice two or three hours earlier than it would normally, when running Bluetooth.

Weight: The addition of batteries may increase the device's weight and bulk slightly. However, some devices (such as the Inland keyboard pictured below) will be highly portable.inland keyboard

Bluetooth "Smart" 4.0 Keyboards

The newest standard in Bluetooth, 4.0 includes a new feature branded as "low energy". The feature allows greatly reduced wireless power consumption. This means that you won't need to change, or recharge, the battery nearly as often as you would with the older standard. It's often referred to as "Smart" and "Smart Ready", which refers to reverse compatibility. Smart devices work only with the 4.0 standard, whereas Smart Ready devices are fully reverse compatible.

Advantages

Low energy: Because of its low energy requirements, Bluetooth 4.0 keyboards require very small amounts of energy, meaning better on-the-road performance and less recharging. It will also decrease the amount of drain on your Android device by a huge amount. Most reports indicate it's as if Bluetooth weren't turned on at all.

Less bulky: Because of the low energy requirements of Bluetooth 4.0, it can afford to incorporate a smaller battery than Bluetooth 3.0 keyboards and still get a much longer battery life.

Disadvantages

Separate battery: Like Bluetooth 3.0, the 4.0 version includes batteries that must be recharged separately from your Android device.

Bulky: Although these devices use smaller batteries, they still carry around the extra weight.

Hard to find: The 4.0 standard suffers from a serious labeling issue. Searching for Bluetooth 4.0 keyboards will show very few results. However, looking for "Smart" and "Smart Read" will show a much wider selection.

Low adoption: Despite the standard existing for many years, very few Android devices include the 4.0 update. Before purchasing, make sure your phone or tablet supports 4.0.

Conclusion

For those in search of a hardware keyboard for Android, four technology standards inhabit marketplaces. Of these, no single technology dominates the field. If you choose one, make sure it fits your needs. For example, if your device doesn't possess NFC, don't purchase an NFC keyboard. Out of the four dominant keyboard technologies (NFC, Bluetooth 3.0/4.0 and OTG), I prefer OTG for its simplicity and low price. However, I'm really looking forward to NFC keyboards when the price comes down.

5.5-inch iPhone 6

It is the first time that a model of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 has made an appearance.

Alleged physical mockups of two variants of the upcoming iPhone have appeared online. Interestingly, it is the first time that a model of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 has made an appearance. 

Sonny Dickson, who had posted several images of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, prior to their release, has now uploaded pictures of white and gold dummy models of iPhone 6. Dickson has also shared images featuring mockups of the black models of iPhone 6 with 9to5mac.com. 

iPhone 6 is rumoured to be available in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display variants. Going by the images, both models appear to sport a similar design with a thinner profile compared to iPhone 5/5S, rounded edges and different antenna cut-outs, in addition to a non-glass, metal back. Both phone dummies feature a TouchID sensor integrated with the Home button. The phones' design looks similar to phones pictured in recent leaks. Even the power button is placed on the right side, in line with previous leaks.

 

Judging by his past, Dickson has a good record when it comes to iPhone leaks. 

Apple's next-generation iPhone is expected to arrive in fall (September-October). It has been reported several times in the past that Apple will unveil two iPhones this year, one with a 4.7-inch screen and other with 5.5- or 5.7-inch display. 

In February this year, the first set of leaked iPhone images surfaced on the internet. These images showed that the next-generation iPhone will sport a design similar to that of iPad Air and be much thinner than the iPhone 5S. 

Other rumoured features of the next-generation iPhone include health-centred apps, 13MP camera, solar charging, scratch-resistant sapphire screen, better battery and faster Wi-Fi.

BlackBerry India to launch budget smartphone Z3

BlackBerry Z3 is likely to be priced below Rs 12,000 to take head on the likes of Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Microsoft Devices and Micromax.

 As part of its efforts to regain lost ground, Canadian handset maker BlackBerry is set to launch its latest smartphone, Z3, in India next week. This smartphone is likely to be priced below Rs 12,000 to take head on the likes of Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Microsoft Devices and Micromax. 

Launched in Indonesia earlier this year, the full touchscreen device was priced at IDR 2,199,000 ($190 or Rs 11,500) and is the most affordable device powered by the latest BlackBerry 10 operating system. 

According to the invite sent by the firm, BlackBerry will unveil the "next generation BlackBerry 10 devices" on June 25. 

Over the last few weeks, handset makers have launched a slew of devices, priced below Rs 12,000 (sub-$200) to tap the booming smartphone market in India. 

According to International Data Corporation, smartphone sales in India grew almost three-fold to over 44 million in 2013, buoyed by affordable devices made by local firms like Micromax and Karbonn. 

In the first quarter of 2014, 17.59 million smartphones were shipped in India compared with 6.14 million in the same period of 2013. Samsung was the market leader (35% share) in Q1, followed by Micromax (15%), Karbonn (10%), Lava (6%) and Nokia (4%). 

This would be an important launch for the ailing smartphone maker that has been facing stiff competition globally from Apple and Samsung. It was has undertaken a series of measurements including sale of real estate and outsourcing its manufacturing contract to Foxconn. 

Z3 is the first phone manufactured by Foxconn. During its Indonesia Z3 launch, BlackBerry had said it would gradually introduce the Z3 in six other countries including the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Malaysia. 

Popular especially among the youth for its Curve range of devices and messaging app BBM, India was a strong market for the Waterloo-based firm. It had a 12.1% share of the smartphone market during January-June 2012 period. 

However, the firm saw its share fall as devices powered by Google's Android OS and Apple iPhones gained strong traction in the market and despite launching its BlackBerry 10 OS, it has so far failed to regain foothold in the market. 

While analysts suggest that pricing could be a major issue, Z3 — with its features and affordable pricing — could play a crucial role in reviving the fortune of the firm, they added. 

The Z3 features 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB internal storage (expandable upto 32GB) and 5MP rear camera.

How to upgrade your smartphone to Android 4.0

I have read that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Nexus has Android 4.0. What are the changes in it compared to Android 2.3? Can I upgrade my Galaxy S II to Android 4.0? 



Android 4.0, also called Ice Cream Sandwich, brings in a complete overhaul of the interface. Instead of hardware buttons, it now has virtual Android buttons for menu, back and home. 

Other new features include unlock using face recognition, improved camera, built-in photo editor, Android Beam NFC (near field communications ), a new tabbed web browser and a new gallery layout. 

It also brings in improvements to copy/ paste, keyboard, widgets, launcher, video recording, voice recognition, search and voicemail . Samsung has announced that the Galaxy SII will be updated to Android 4.0, though no confirmed dates have been announced as to when the update will be available. 

Is there a way through which I can import my email messages from Yahoo and other mail accounts to my Gmail account? 



To import email messages from any other mail service into Gmail, sign in and go to 'Mail Settings'. Here, select the 'Accounts and Import' tab and you will see an option for 'Import mail and Contacts'. Click on it and a new window will open up asking you to enter an email account. Enter the email address from which you want to import the data and click on next. 

On the page that opens up, enter the password to your mail account for authentication. Once your password is approved, Gmail will give you options to import mails, import contacts and add a specific label to all imported mails from the other account. Next click on import to start the process. 

It can take upto 2 days for all your mails and contacts to be transferred to your gmail account depending upon the number of email messages stored. 

To check the progress, go to Settings > Accounts and Import and under the 'Import mail and Contacts' header you will see the number of added emails. Under each email address, it will show you a status: Importing or Imported. 

How to create customized version of Android

You can use Xposed Framework to customize your Android phone from top to bottom, all without flashing a new ROM

Traditionally, if you want to really customize your Android experience, you have to root your phone and flash a new ROM -- essentially a whole new version of Android -- that has the features you want.

If you don't want to go that far, or you only want to tweak specific parts of Android, you have another option: It's called the Xposed Framework, and you can use it to customize your phone from top to bottom, all without flashing a new ROM. 

Getting started: What the Xposed Framework is, and what you'll need The Xposed Framework is a series of modules that allow you to control different aspects of your Android phone, all the way down to the system level. Instead of just installing apps to get features you want, or flashing a ROM, Xposed's modules give you the power to customize your phone -- and the apps you have installed-in a bunch of small ways. You can make ROM-style changes (like changing the font size and style, customizing the lock screen or launcher, modifying system text, and so on) without actually having to install a whole new ROM to get them. 

Imagine it: You can run stock Android, and then craft the perfect OS for you using the Xposed Framework and its modules. That way you get all of the great parts of your favorite ROM without the bloat or other rolled-in apps you don't want. Ready? Here's what you'll need: 

The latest version of the Xposed Framework A rooted Android phone running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or later (although there is an experimental build for Gingerbread) That's all, you'll need. Of course, you'll also need some Xposed modules once you have the framework installed, but we'll get to those a little later. 

How to Install the Xposed Framework and Modules Before you do anything, make sure to back up your phone first. If everything blows up, you'll have a backup you can revert to before you try again (or walk away like nothing happened). If you're already rooted (and you'll need to be to install the Xposed Framework), we still think Titanium Backup is your best choice for a backup utility. 

After you're backed up, head over to the Xposed Framework thread at the XDA Developer Forums. The latest version of the Xposed Installer is always posted there, and since Xposed isn't available at Google Play, you'll need to sideload it. You can visit on your phone directly, or download the APK (application file) and add to Dropbox or another storage service that you can access on your phone. 
* Open the Xposed Installer APK on your phone, and install it.
* Launch the Xposed Installer, then tap "Framework."
* Tap "Install/Update."
* After the actual framework is installed, reboot your device.
When it comes back up, the framework will be active, and you're ready to go! Keep the Xposed installer around -- you'll need it to install modules you'll download later, and you can always use it to update the Xposed Framework if there's a new version. You can always re-download it later if you lose it, but it's good to keep on your phone. 

Xposed modules come in the form of APKs, so installing them works the same way as regular apps. Some modules are actually available on Google Play, so you won't need to sideload them, but you should be ready to sideload the ones you're interested in. To install a module: 

* Download and launch its APK file on your phone (or install it directly from the Play Store).
* Open the Xposed Installer and tap "Modules."
* Check the checkbox next to each module you'd like to enable (you can enable more than one at once, so if you download a bunch, you can turn them all on at the same time).
* Reboot your device. When it comes back up, the modules will be active.
* As long as your device fits the criteria, installing the framework and adding modules is a quick and simple process, and you get a ton of customization out of it for your time and effort. Of course, your phone will need to be rooted, but of all the steps involved, that's probably the most difficult part. 

Seven useful Xposed modules to try Once you have the Xposed Framework installed, it's time to give a few modules a try. Like we mentioned, the Xposed Framework is a foundation upon which modules can build. Modules can give you an incredible degree of control over your device. The official Xposed module repository is a good place to start looking, as is this thread at XDA forums full of great modules developed by the community. 

Remember, modules are like apps: They're individually supported (or not so) by the developer who wrote them, so you should make sure the developer is accessible if you have problems, especially if it's a module you know you'll come to rely on every day. Here are a few of our favorites you can install to get started: 

Wanam Xposed tweaks your phone's visuals
Wanam Xposed is a module that offers a ton of visual tweaks and feature updates. For example, Wanam gives you the ability to record calls, changes your volume buttons into music playback controls (even in apps that don't normally support it), adds reboot options like recovery and hotboot to the power menu, the option to enable or disable volume increasing ringtones, and more. 

If it's visual controls you want, Wanam Xposed comes with a full color wheel to change the colors of system text across all apps or status bar text. You can also tweak text size across the system. For example, you can make the battery display larger so you can actually see it, or change the size and font of the lock screen clock to suit you.

You can also enable the camera on calls, push Hangouts calls to cellular if you're on Wi-Fi, and more. It's a great starter module, if only because it has a massive number of hacks and tweaks you can play with. If you have a Samsung phone, you can use it to get faster PIN unlock on your device, thanks to this tutorial at WonderHowTo. 

XHaloFloatingWindow brings Paranoid Android's Halo to any phone One of the cool things about the Paranoid Android ROM is its Halo pop-up, floating launcher that you can use to jump across apps, to open contacts, or open settings, no matter what app you're in. XHaloFloatingWindow brings that functionality to any device, as long as you have the Xposed Framework installed. You won't get the whole experience, but you can use it for notifications, shortcuts, and any other apps you have installed that work well with Paranoid Android's Halo. 

MoDaCo toolkit unlocks location-restricted apps
The MoDaCo Toolkit comes is another all-in-one tweaking toolkit that has a ton of options and tweaks you can play with, but it's also designed with some special tweaks in mind for the HTC One, your favourite Android phone. Once installed, MoDaCo can do things like force Amazon MP3 to behave like it's in the United States (which will get you around pesky location restrictions), disable Google Play app disabling based on location, allow you to rotate your phone in all directions (even if your device doesn't like being upside down), lets you hide the battery status meter when you don't want to see it, and more. 

If you have an HTC One, you'll also get the option to make your status bar transparent, enable ADB with a secure lock screen, wake your device with the volume keys, add a Blinkfeed icon in the launcher so you can get to it even if you're using a third-party launcher, hide Kid Mode when you long-press the power button, and more. 

Flashify makes backups a snap
Once installed, Flashify can make boot and recovery images without having to boot into recovery first. Just fire up the app, take your snapshot, and you're done. You can also flash ZIP files from inside the app, which is useful if you've gotten your hands on something like a ZIP of Google Now, for example, and want to install it without hassle. Flashify also supports backups and recovery to and from Dropbox.

Flashify is free, but you're limited to three flashes per day in the free version. If you want to unlock as many as you like, you'll need to pony up a few bucks via in-app payment. There's also a thread at XDA Developers full of information if you'd like to learn more about it. 

XPrivacy gives you complete control over app permissions XPrivacy gives you control over all of the permissions each app on your phone asks for. We've explained why Android apps ask for the permissions they want, but XPrivacy gives you granular control. Once installed, you can view all of your apps and their permissions individually, or filter them based on permissions required. From there, you can approve or deny permissions, or feed an app fake data.

If an app wants location, XPrivacy will give it purposefully incorrect location data. If an app wants access to your contacts list, XPrivacy will step in and give it an empty list. 

Of course, if the app needs location to give you the weather, or wants your contact list so it can schedule appointments with your friends, it's not a great idea, but XPrivacy does give you the option, and it can be useful for apps that want location data for what seems to be no reason, or just forces you to hand over contact details just to log in.

There's an XPrivacy Installer at Google Play if you don't want to sideload it from the XDA thread (since the app itself has been removed from Google Play). If you really like XPrivacy, you can drop $4 on the pro version, which includes crowd-sourced restrictions you can tell XPrivacy to implement for you automatically. That means if you install an app on the list, XPrivacy will automatically protect your data without stopping the app from working. 

Tweakbox optimizes your status bar Tweakbox is a collection of hacks and customization options that let you customize the status bar indicator, change the status bar background colour and appearance, and includes a few other goodies like vibrating when there's a call waiting, a setting to make your ringtone slowly increase in volume as it rings, and more.

Tweakbox works best on Samsung devices, and if you have one of the phones the developer has optimized it for, you can even do things like call recording. Check the forum thread for more details, and keep in mind that the dev has stopped actively maintaining Tweakbox, so while some of its customizations are useful, if they don't work for you, they aren't going to. 

XBlast tools gives your phone a personal touch
XBlast is a collection of personalization tools that largely let you control the way you interact with your phone, and how it looks and operates. If you want your phone to say "Good morning, Mr Bond" every time you unlock it, this is the module for you.

You can customize the clock size and text, add flavour text to the lock screen or the status bar, add your own fonts for other apps to use, make the notifications bar transparent (or at least translucent), customize specific contacts with colors and fonts so you can pick them out easily, change all of the colors for battery, Wi-Fi, and mobile data signal in the status bar, and more.

Most of XBlast's features are visual, so if you want to enter your tricked out homescreen in to be one of our featured home screens, this can help you do it. 

Again, these modules are just a few you should check out if you're getting started. If you have a specific device and want modules designed to enhance your type of phone, the XDA collection thread will give you some options to get started. With a little time and some experimentation, you'll have your Android phone looking and working just the way you want, without ever flashing a ROM. Plus, since all of these tweaks are easy to turn on and off, if you get tired of them, you don't have to flash a ROM to get rid of them-just deactivate the module in question and go about your business. 

That's the real beauty of the Xposed Framework. It's relatively low risk, and remarkably high reward when it comes to personalizing your device, and you can always back out of your changes if you don't like what you see or find something that works better.

Tips to restore your iPhone from iTunes

By now, most iPhone users take for granted that the contents of their iPhone is backed up wirelessly to their iCloud account, and they can restore that content if need be back on their iPhone or to an upgraded iPhone model (see this article about restoring from iCloud). But it is still useful to know how to restore your iPhone from iTunes. 

Ideally you can backup all your iPhone's data to your iCloud account, including the apps and app data, Camera Roll photos, purchased music and other media, messages, wallpaper and so on. But if you haven't noticed yet, your free iCloud account is limited to 5GB of space for all your iOS devices. If you start running out of space, you will either need to disable some data that is being synced to your iCloud account or you will need to purchase more space. Quite frankly, I don't think more space on iCloud is worth the extra fee. 

I try to keep my data also backed up via iTunes to my computer so that it can be restored from there if need be. Here's what you need to know to do that. 

Update latest iOS and iTunes versions 

Since you're going to make a backup to your computer, make sure all your devices are updated to their latest versions of the software. This should alleviate any problems when it comes to syncing data between your devices and restoring content to your device if you ever need to. On your iPhone, check Settings > General > Software Update to see if you need to update to the latest iOS. And on your computer, check select iTunes > Check for Updates in the menu bar. 

Note: iTunes does not support restoring a backup from a new version of iOS to a device using an older previous version of iOS, so update everything. 

How back up to iCloud 

Backing up your iPhone's data to iTunes is a pretty straightforward process. When you connect your iPhone to an electrical outlet, it should by default automatically sync with iTunes on your computer if both devices share the same Wi-Fi network. That will keep all your iPhone data in sync between both devices. If this backup has not occurred or you want to check it, open the Settings app on your iPhone and select General > iCloud and then select iCloud Backup. 

How to back up to iTunes 

You can check the last time you backed up your iPhone to your computer via iTunes by clicking on iTunes > Preferences > Devices. 

To manually back up your iPhone to your computer, connect your iPhone to your computer via USB cable. When you open up iTunes 11 in the Library view, your iPhone should be listed under the Devices button near the top-right of the menu. If the device is not listed, try restarting iTunes. 

You can also communicate with your iPhone and backup or sync via Wi-Fi, but you will need to connect your device via USB cable to do this first. To enable Wi-Fi sync and backup, check Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi in the Options area of the Summary tab. When iTunes detects your phone in future, it will show up here and you will have access to the same functions as if you were using a wired connection. 

Under the Summary section you will see information about your iPhone and the buttons for backing it up. Typically your backups will be done to iCloud, but if you want to back up to your computer instead, select "This computer" under where it says Backups. Notice also you can enable an encrypted iPhone backup. This is recommended particularly if you're backing up data to your laptop or a shared Mac. 

Note: Selecting Automatically Back Up to "This computer" will disable automatic iCloud backups, and favour your local computer instead. 

Next, click the Back Up Now button and let it do its thing. This backup will store all your iPhone's data, including Camera Roll photos, voice memos, wallpapers, password info stored on your iPhone's keychain, application settings, notes, paired bluetooth devices, and in-app third-party purchases to your computer's hard drive. Be sure to keep all your most important iPhone data (contact information, email messages, calendar dates and so on) synced to your iCloud account. This manual backup does not back up your Mail messages. See this Apple support page for a list of all the information that is and is not backed up. 

For good measure you should also manually transfer content you downloaded from the iTunes Store on your iPhone, just in case it was not automatically transferred to your computer. To do this, select View > Show Sidebar and then right-click (or Control-click) the device under Devices and select Transfer Purchases. 

Restoring iPhone from iTunes backup 

To restore data back to your iPhone's USB, connect your device to your computer. Open iTunes and select the menu bar, View > Show Sidebar or select it under Devices in the Library menu. If you're running iTunes 10.7 or earlier, right-click (or Control-click) the device in the sidebar and select Restore from Backup. 

If your iPhone has iOS 7 installed you will need to turn off the Find My iPhone feature. Open Settings > iCloud > Find My iPhone. In order to turn it off, you will need your Apple ID. 

If for some reason you just need to restore your contacts, calendars, notes and so on, but not the entire system, click on the Restore Backup... button under Backups. Typically this data is stored on your iCloud account. 

Stay backed up 

iPhone is a powerful device for storing some of your most important information, so ensuring that your data is backing up on a regular basis is extremely important. Manually backing up your device provides extra security when you need to troubleshoot your problems with your device by restoring it from the most recent backup.

How to find your lost Windows Phone

Somehow you lost your Windows Phone. It might have been stolen, or it could be down the back of a chair in your local pub. How will you get it back? Hopefully, you enabled the native Find My Phone setting before you were separated from your phone. If you did, you can now use the web-based service to retrieve it. 

Impact of a lost Windows Phone 

It might be the opinion of some that a lost Windows Phone device isn't all that big a deal. After all, they're not exactly iPhones or Samsung Galaxys, are they? 

Well, that's not really an argument. Regardless of the operating system, Windows Phone 8 handsets have a high specification, especially those produced by Nokia. While the operating system isn't so bloated that it has a need for anything above a quad core CPU at present, there are other aspects to consider, such as high definition displays, storage space and battery life. 

When it comes to Nokia devices, then there is also the added element of the camera, which is supported by a Carl Zeiss lens and superb image processing software and the selection of impressive camera apps. Phones such as the Nokia Lumia 920, 925, 1020 and higher have remarkable cameras as good as - if not better than - those on other devices. 

Your lost Windows Phone might contain your personal data. It might have a collection of recently-snapped photos, vital emails and documents and apps that are a lifeline to your work. Losing a Windows Phone can be as devastating as losing a phone running any other productive operating system - with cloud applications installed, it could be as risky as losing a desktop computer. 

Enabling the Find My Phone service 

While you won't find any third party tracking apps like Prey for Windows Phone, Microsoft offers the Find My Phone service for Windows Phone owners. The service is the same for Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8 devices, and requires that you enable the options in Settings > Find My Phone. The service uses triangulation technology to locate it, so you don't need to worry about having mobile Internet activated - as long as the phone isn't in airplane mode, everything should work fine. 

Finding a lost or stolen Windows Phone device 

With the Find My Phone option enabled (see above), you can launch the retrieval process whenever you lost sight of your device.muo-wp8-findmyphone-loginThe first thing you should do is log into www.windowsphone.com and select Find My Phone via the drop-down menu.muo-wp8-findmyphone-mapYou will then see a map, and the approximate location of your phone will be displayed. Various factors affect the precision of this feature; for instance, if the phone was stolen, it might still be in transit, which makes it tricky to find until it stops moving. 

Once you know where your phone is geographically, there are three things that you can do to retrieve or disable it. 

Ring your phone 

If your phone is somewhere close by, the sensible approach would be to ring it. Of course, on the off chance that you don't have another phone to hand, or cannot guarantee you will find it before the phone rings out, Find My Phone offers a useful Ring feature, which sends an instruction to your Windows Phone to play a special ringtone reserved for this purpose. 

You shouldn't have much trouble tracking down the handset with this feature, as long as it's within hearing distance. This alert also plays at full volume, overriding vibrate mode or low volume settings. 

Remotely lock your phone 

Of course, the situation may be more desperate; it could be that your phone is in the hands of someone you do not trust, or has been left in a position where it can easily be found.muo-wp8-findmyphone-lockThe Lock option allows you to display a custom message on your phone's screen and set a new 4-digit PIN that will be required to unlock the device. You will also have the option to ring the phone when it is locked, so that it attracts attention. 

Given that the majority of people are honest, there is a good chance that the device will be spotted, the message read and your Windows Phone will be returned. We can think of seven reasons why someone might return your lost phone, so don't be disheartened - your phone may well come back. 

Erase your Windows Phone 

The final option is, of course, the most devastating. In order to protect your data (including access to more information via your phone's SkyDrive app), you should use the Erase tool to remotely reset your phone. This reverts the handset to factory settings, and will result in the Find My Phone service being unable to track it.muo-wp8-findmyphone-eraseNaturally, this is only for desperate situations, and for you to use the erase option you must check the box labelled I'm sure! Please erase my phone now before proceeding with the Erase button. 

Tackle thieves with this native Windows Phone app! 

The Windows Phone tracking app is simple to use, enabling you to quickly find, trace and if necessary, erase your device should it be lost or stolen. If you've prepared your device correctly and perhaps sent a polite screen message, someone might find and return it. After all, it's not that hard to return a lost phone. 

For the best results with this service, however, you should put yourself in a position of never having to use it.