

One of the most common issues for any smartphone user involves the device’s battery. We already covered how you can keep the battery lasting longer, but let’s go into another issue: charging it.
Whether it’s based off their own experiences or through research, most smartphone users know how to properly charge their phones but the same problems still exist. From overheating batteries to phones refusing to power on, a lot of these issues come off as battery-related in the long run.
So, how can we charge our phones the right way? Well, here are some things you can do that can address your battery charging issues.
Use the charger that comes with your phone
Every phone comes with its own charger and accessories. If you’ve been a user of the same line of Android smartphones or iPhones, these things are no different to you. The natural thing to do is to simply reuse the same charger across multiple devices. But, there is a reason why that charger was bundled with that phone.
Companies provide you with a charger that best fits the electrical capacity needed to charge your phone, and you should seriously consider using them. Ideally, both the power brick and the charging cable were designed specifically for your smartphone. Using another phone charger or a generic one could pose dangers to the battery, and to the phone in the long run. Also, take note if your phone uses fast charging so you have a reason to use the charger that came in the box.
Don’t do a 100 to 0 all the time
You’ve come across people who have told you to discharge your phone completely, especially if it’s a new one. These same people have also told you that doing so is actually good for your phone’s battery. The truth, however, is that your battery will eventually discharge faster, even if they will charge faster or at the same rate. Battery University, a website run by battery company Cadex, calls this process “deep discharge.”
It’s better to keep your battery’s charge level at a workable percentage before even thinking of plugging in the charger. If you subject your phone’s battery to a deep discharge, there is a higher chance that you will gradually reduce its lifespan. It’s also recommended that the workable percentage shouldn’t be too low (experts say below 30 percent) as it has the same effect.
Don’t keep your phone charging until 100
There are people who also tell you to charge your phone until you hit the 100 percent mark. Sure, it means that you have proof that your battery is full — and who wouldn’t want that? What you probably don’t know is that doing this adds stress to the battery, which damages it in the long run.
As much as possible, charge your batteries up to a safe percentage. While it would be good to go all the way to 100, working with 80 to 90 percent would already be fine. If you want to maximize your battery life, you can always look up ways to save your battery.
It’s not advisable to charge overnight
Charging your phone overnight is a common practice. At the end of the day, you would want to treat your phone the way you treat yourself: getting enough charge for the activities that lie ahead. So, the logical thing to do is to plug in the phone charger and let it reach 100 percent overnight.
But as mentioned earlier, going all the way to 100 might not be a good idea. Even if your battery reaches its full capacity, a lot of “trickle charges” come into play while your charger is still plugged in overnight. These trickle charges keep your phone at 100 percent as it fills in for the charges that your phone naturally loses. When that happens, you’re just adding more stress to the battery.
Charge when you can, little by little
Instead of charging it overnight, charging it periodically would be the way to go. Plug the charger as often as you would want to within the day, up to a workable percentage for you. It’s also good to keep your phone charged for short bursts of time to keep your device up and running the whole day. While it seems impractical, doing this does not have any harmful effects to your phone’s battery.


It hasn’t been a while ever since we did a Samsung Galaxy S21 series hands-on video.
While most people want the taller and more premium S21+ and S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 still looks and feels good despite the less fancy polycarbonate back. Other than the smaller display and battery, you still have the speedy Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) processors and great set of cameras.
But why should you specifically buy the Galaxy S21? Find out more in our review video here.

Huawei may be barred from using Google Mobile Services, but it is far from giving up. The Chinese brand has pivoted to natively developed options and continues to work on its flagship P and Mate series. Going by the usual trend, the Huawei P50 series is expected to launch soon, and we already hear a lot of chatter about it.
According to @RODENT950 on Twitter, Huawei P50 Pro will have a 6.78-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Another user on Weibo claims that the regular version of Huawei P50 will be using a 90Hz refresh rate screen, while the top-end option may come with a 120Hz panel.
Under the P50 Pro and P50 Pro+ hood will be the Kirin 9000 or Kirin 9000E chipset. Designed on a 5nm process, these are Huawei’s best-in-class and offer massive performance improvements. Furthermore, the phone will support 66W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging.
Most importantly, the cameras are expected to get a major upgrade. The “space zoom” technology could go one step further by incorporating 200x digital zoom. Keep in mind, the recently launched Galaxy S21 Ultra has 100x digital zoom. So, Huawei’s offering makes a lot of difference, at least on paper. The P50 Pro+ will continue the race, as the phone will likely offer a massive 200x zoom from a derived 20x optical zoom setup.
While many reports said Huawei could ship the P50 series with Harmony OS, recent inputs suggest the brand shall continue with Android-based EMUI 11. In other aspects, the Huawei P50 series will come with 4 surround speakers and an upgraded vibration motor for haptics.
The phone is expected to launch in the coming months. The P50 series will consist of multiple options, and the details mentioned above are based on leaks, speculations, and unverifiable information. The end product could differ vastly.
Deals
Smart postpaid plans for the Galaxy S21 series
Exclusive pre-order items worth PhP 20,000 are also up for grabs

The Galaxy S21 series can’t come soon enough to the Philippines. Smart is now offering pre-orders for both the Galaxy S21+ and S21 5G on its Signature plans. Plus, first-time and renewing subscribers may get exclusive items for every pre-order until January 24.
Subscribers may opt for the regular Signature plans or the upgraded Signature 5G plans. As the name suggests, the Signature 5G plans take advantage of Smart’s 5G network which is now available in Metro Manila and select areas of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
For this comparison, we’ll be looking into both regular Signature and Signature 5G plans.
Galaxy S21+
There is only one variant available for the Galaxy S21+ — the 8GB/256GB model. It comes in two colors: silver and violet.
Signature 4G plans | Signature 5G plans | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plan S | Plan M | Plan L | Plan XL | Plan L | Plan XL | |||||
One-time cashout | PhP 37,800 | PhP 34,200 | PhP 30,600 | PhP 9,900 | PhP 23,300 | PhP 7,200 | PhP 30,600 | PhP 9,900 | PhP 23,300 | PhP 3,299 |
Data Allocation | 5GB | 10GB | 15GB | 30GB | 30GB | 60GB | ||||
Text Allocation | Unlimited to all networks | |||||||||
Call Allocation | Unlimited to all networks | |||||||||
Additional Perks | 50 mins. call to PLDT | 100 mins. call to PLDT | 150 mins. call to PLDT | 300 mins. call to PLDT | 150 mins. call to PLDT | 300 mins. call to PLDT | ||||
Plan Cost | PhP 999 | PhP 1,499 | PhP 1,999 | PhP 2,899 | PhP 2,999 | PhP 3,699 | PhP 3,199 | PhP 2,299 | PhP 3,299 | PhP 3,999 |
Total One-time Cost | PhP 38,799 | PhP 35,699 | PhP 32,599 | PhP 12,799 | PhP 26,299 | PhP 10,899 | PhP 33,799 | PhP 12,199 | PhP 26,599 | PhP 7,298 |
Galaxy S21 5G
Unlike the Galaxy S21+, the Galaxy S21 5G will come in an 8GB/256GB and an 8GB/512GB model. Both silver and black are available for the 256GB model while black is the only option for the 512GB.
256GB
Signature 4G plans | Signature 5G plans | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plan S | Plan M | Plan L | Plan XL | Plan L | Plan XL | |||||
One-time cashout | PhP 49,800 | PhP 46,200 | PhP 42,600 | PhP 15,020 | PhP 35,300 | PhP 12,300 | PhP 42,600 | PhP 15,020 | PhP 35,300 | PhP 12,300 |
Data Allocation | 5GB | 10GB | 15GB | 30GB | 30GB | 60GB | ||||
Text Allocation | Unlimited to all networks | |||||||||
Call Allocation | Unlimited to all networks | |||||||||
Additional Perks | 50 mins. call to PLDT | 100 mins. call to PLDT | 150 mins. call to PLDT | 300 mins. call to PLDT | 150 mins. call to PLDT | 300 mins. call to PLDT | ||||
Plan Cost | PhP 999 | PhP 1,499 | PhP 1,999 | PhP 3,199 | PhP 2,999 | PhP 3,999 | PhP 2,299 | PhP 3,499 | PhP 3,299 | PhP 4,299 |
Total One-time Cost | PhP 50,799 | PhP 47,699 | PhP 44,599 | PhP 18,219 | PhP 38,299 | PhP 16,299 | PhP 44,899 | PhP 18,519 | PhP 38,599 | PhP 16,599 |
512GB
Signature 4G plans | Signature 5G plans | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plan S | Plan M | Plan L | Plan XL | Plan L | Plan XL | |||||
One-time cashout | PhP 57,000 | PhP 53,400 | PhP 49,800 | PhP 15,310 | PhP 42,500 | PhP 14,890 | PhP 49,800 | PhP 15,310 | PhP 42,500 | PhP 14,890 |
Data Allocation | 5GB | 10GB | 15GB | 30GB | 30GB | 60GB | ||||
Text Allocation | Unlimited to all networks | |||||||||
Call Allocation | Unlimited to all networks | |||||||||
Additional Perks | 50 mins. call to PLDT | 100 mins. call to PLDT | 150 mins. call to PLDT | 300 mins. call to PLDT | 150 mins. call to PLDT | 300 mins. call to PLDT | ||||
Plan Cost | PhP 999 | PhP 1,499 | PhP 1,999 | PhP 3,499 | PhP 2,999 | PhP 4,199 | PhP 2,299 | PhP 3,799 | PhP 3,299 | PhP 4,499 |
Total One-time Cost | PhP 57,999 | PhP 54,899 | PhP 51,799 | PhP 18,809 | PhP 45,499 | PhP 19,089 | PhP 52,099 | PhP 19,109 | PhP 45,799 | PhP 19,389 |
Exclusive items worth PhP 20,000
Pre-order exclusive worth PhP 20,000 will include a pair of Galaxy Buds Pro (for the S21 Ultra) or Galaxy Buds Live (for the Galaxy S21+), Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy SmartTag, and a 25W wall charger. These exclusive items are only available for pre-orders until January 24.
First-time and renewing subscribers may visit Smart’s website for more details on the plans and pricing for the Galaxy S21 series.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S21 pricing and availability in the Philippines
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