Tag: Computers & Technology

All smartphones and tablets have a set amount of storage space built into them. For some devices the amount can increase, but even when that is possible, there are limits to how much storage space you can add. The amount of storage space your device has controls how many apps and files you can store on it at once. Whether your device has a small amount of smartphone storage space or you just tend to keep a large quantity of files or apps in your storage, it is important to know how much free space you have left.

Why this Skill is Important

Knowing how much free storage space you have left can help you make the best decisions about using your device. Try to avoid situations where you want to install new apps or save new files, but can’t because you don’t have enough free space to hold everything you need. Those situations can lead to making quick decisions about what files or apps to delete in order to make space. Learning to monitor your storage space can help you avoid those kinds of rushed, possibly regrettable decisions.

How to Tell What Takes Up the Most Smartphone Storage Space

Units specific to computer memory are used to measure the storage space on tablets and smartphones. The most common units you will see in reference to your device’s storage space are Kilobytes, Megabytes, and Gigabytes; usually they are abbreviated to KB, MB, and GB.

• Of these 3 units, a Kilobyte (KB) is the smallest unit.
• Megabytes (MB) are larger than KB and smaller than GB; 1 MB is equal to 1,024 KB.
• Gigabytes (GB) are the largest units out of the 3; 1 GB is equal to 1,024 MB.

When trying to decide what files or apps to remove from your device to regain storage space, remember that something that takes up GBs of space is much larger than something that only takes up KBs or MBs of space.

Android

Check your device to see how storage space use. Start by opening your Settings section. Often you can access Settings by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping an icon shaped like a gear. Usually, you can also find a Settings app with the other app icons on your screen. Storage or Internal Storage is the area you need to view. You may need to check under the Device or General headings to find it. You may also be able to use a search bar to easily locate this area by searching for “storage.”

Most Android devices will show you a “progress bar” style graphic or pie chart that shows you visually how storage space use, broken down into various categories such as Apps, Images or Pictures, Video, Audio, and Downloads, with their corresponding amounts of used storage space. Once you know more about what is taking up your storage space, you can make informed choices about what to delete. Many Android devices will make recommendations about what actions you can take to free up storage space. Depending on your device, you may need to locate the list of all installed apps in Settings in order to uninstall whole apps or clear away some of their data. Remove other things like photos, documents, and audio files by opening whichever app you use to view those types of files.

For more help freeing up space on your Android device, check out this guide from Google.

You may be able to gain some extra space by using a microSD card with your Android device. A microSD card is a small, physical piece of storage. It is inserted into a slot on many Android devices. Devices with a microSD card slot can use microSD cards as portable, removable storage for many types of files such as photos. Many devices can also use microSD cards as internal storage. Be sure to check what options will be compatible with your Android device before purchasing a microSD card!

iPhone

iPhones do not have expandable internal storage. This is one of the major differences between iPhones and Android smartphones.

To learn more about your iPhone’s storage space use, open Settings, then tap General, and finally, tap iPhone Storage. This screen will show you a chart of your total storage space used, broken down by category. If you are near your storage limit, your iPhone will have recommendations for actions you could take to increase your available storage space.

Below the chart, you will see a list of apps showing the total amount of storage each one is using. Tapping on each app in this list will show you the options for managing that app’s storage space. Some apps may have specific, storage-saving recommendations. Apps that can be deleted give you the option to offload the app or delete it. Offloading removes the app from your device’s storage, but keeps any data the app may be storing. This means that if you install the offloaded app again in the future, your phone will still be able to access any personalized information that the app has created. If you are often out of smartphone storage space offload infrequently used apps in order to free up space.

For more help managing your iPhone’s storage, check out this guide from Apple.

Phone and tablet devices connect to the Internet almost anywhere through cellular data or nearby Wi-Fi. What’s the difference between cellular data and Wi-Fi? Mobile phone services provide cellular data through their data plans. You can access the internet anywhere there is a phone signal using cellular data. Wi-Fi connects wirelessly to the internet based on a device’s location. A device can connect to Wi-Fi at home or in public places like libraries, stores, or restaurants.

Why is knowing the differences between Wi-Fi and mobile cellular data important?

Tasks like downloading new apps, sending/receiving email, or making video calls require access to the internet.

Many cellular data plans only give a certain amount of cellular data per month. Additionally, plans may charge extra for exceeding the plan’s cellular data limit.

In contrast, while connected to Wi-Fi you can use the Internet as much as you want without using any of the mobile data included in your plan.

Knowing when to use both kinds of connections and how to switch between them can save money. It is also good to know that options in “Settings” show how much monthly cellular data has been used.

Wi-Fi

Generally, an icon at the top of the screen indicates whether your device’s Wi-Fi is turned on or off. The image on the right is a commonly used Wi-Fi symbol.

Open Settings to adjust your device’s Wi-Fi connections. From the list of potential options, choose which Wi-Fi network to connect to. You will need to enter a password to connect to a locked Wi-Fi network. You do not need to enter a password to enter an unlocked Wi-Fi network.

Manually connect to Wi-Fi networks the first time you use them. Later, if you are near a Wi-Fi network you have used in the past, your device may automatically connect to it.

Use Wi-Fi rather than mobile cellular data for tasks like downloading apps and streaming video/audio. Doing this will help you use less of your mobile cellular data each month.

Mobile Cellular Data

Access mobile cellular data controls from “Settings.” Turn cellular data on and off by flipping a switch button between these two choices.

Your device will be unable to connect to the internet if you are not connected to Wi-Fi and your cellular data is off. Turn mobile cellular data back on to use the internet when you are out of range of Wi-Fi.

Mobile cellular data can be used to create a “hotspot” that other devices, such as laptops, can use to connect to the internet. Access this option from “Settings.” Some mobile cellular data providers charge more for this option. Remember that using your mobile cellular data as a hotspot access point for other devices counts toward your monthly cellular data usage!

Android

On an Android device, adjust Wi-Fi and mobile cellular data controls from “Settings.” Different brands of Android devices organize these controls in different ways. You may see options for Wi-Fi or cellular data right away once you open “Settings,” but if not, look under a category like “Network and Internet” or “Connections.”

To quickly adjust Wi-Fi controls, swipe down from the top of the screen.

For more help and tips, check out these support topics from Google.

Apple

Adjust Wi-Fi and mobile cellular data controls from “Settings.” Tap Wi-Fi or Cellular to make changes to either option.

To quickly adjust Wi-Fi controls on an iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Adjust your Wi-Fi controls on an iPad by swiping down from the top-right edge of the screen.

For more help with Wi-Fi, check out these instructions from Apple.

For more help with mobile cellular data, check out these instructions from Apple.

Want to learn more? See our listing of online classes to level up your tech and mobile skills.

CompTIA’s Cyberstates Report shows that tech employment in Indianapolis is growing. Many of those jobs require some coding skills or technical skill training. There are a wealth of resources available to help you learn to code or start to transition into a tech career. So many that it can often feel overwhelming to know where to start! Here are some of our favorite library resources, free online resources, and community organizations that can help you take a first step into developing new coding and tech skills. Join The Library’s coding and tech focused community page on Meetup.com.

What is coding?

Coding or, computer programming, is communicating with computers by creating a set of instructions for the computer to follow. Code can be used in many different ways: making websites and smartphone apps, analyzing information or data for businesses, building software for computers, to control robots, or even automating simple, repetitive tasks on a computer such as filling in forms or sending email reminders. Technology shapes the world around us. Learning to code can help you control that technology and create new uses for it.

Why should you learn to code?

If you are exploring new career options, want a new creative hobby, or just want to understand how the technology around you works – you should consider learning to code! Learning to code will help you be a more informed computer user and provide you with interesting options for solving tech-based problems. If you enjoy creating, then coding opens new digital creativity pathways for art, music, and more. For those seeking a new career, coding and tech skills can lead to high-demand career paths with good income potential – both in the tech industry and in other industries that require workers to operate in a tech-rich workplace.

Programs

Computers have become so prevalent that typing on a keyboard efficiently and accurately has become an essential life skill. Children use computer keyboards in school to do research, type answers, take tests, and create projects. Adults do the same at work writing reports, inputting data, and creating projects. Good keyboarding skills means having all ten fingers and zero eyes on the keyboard. If you would like to improve your keyboarding skills The Library can help!

Online Keyboarding Skills Practice

Library staff recommend these practice tools and games to help improve your skills:

• Online Practice: Learn touch typing on Keybr – Touch typing is typing without having to look at the keys. Learning this technique can dramatically improve your typing speed and accuracy.
• Online Practice: Typing Game Zone
• Online Practice: Typing Alien in Space
• Online Practice: Typing Club
• Online Practice: Free Typing Lessons for Kids and Adults
• Online Practice: Typing.com

Use Our Computer Labs to Practice Your Skills

If you have difficulty finding time on a keyboard at home, finding uninterrupted practice time at home, or are tutoring or working with someone who needs keyboarding time, keep in mind that all of our locations have computer labs you can use to improve your skills. To get a “turn” on a computer you will need your IndyPL Library card. If you do not have a library card you can use one of our computers by picking up a guest pass at the desk. Or, ask a staff member about how to get a card of your own. We love to help people get a Library card!

Upcoming Library Programs