Ah, summer. The warmth, the beaches and…the blazing sun. Great for a day out with a picnic, but not so much when it comes to using your smart phone or tablet. The obvious thing to do is to find a spot of shade, but that isn’t always convenient, especially if you’re trying to take pictures of your family splashing around in the pool or read an e-book while working on your tan. So here are some tips that might help you make the most of your device in the sun.
Increase your device’s brightness
The brighter your screen is, the easier it will be for you to see its display in bright sunlight. Android and iOs devices have an easy access setting to do so. Swipe down (Android) or up (iOs) to display the brightness bar, and swipe it all the way to the right for maximum brightness. Keep in mind however that the brighter the setting, the more battery power it will drain. Too bright a screen for prolonged periods of time can also cause eye strain. For these reasons, I don’t recommend using maximum brightness all the time – you should decrease your device’s brightness to a more subdued level when you get out of the sun. Some devices also have an auto-brightness option, which will automatically adjust the brightness of the screen based on ambient light.
Reverse screen color
If you’re trying to read a book, you might find it easier to read white text on a black background when in the sun. Many devices offer that option under ‘Settings – Accessibility – Color Inversion’. From the ‘Accessibility’ menu, you might find other useful options like color correction and high contrast text, which you can play with until you’re happy with the display.
Get an anti-glare cover
You can get an anti-glare cover to fit most devices, and the good news is they are usually inexpensive. Some work better than others, and you might have to look around a bit to find the right size for your device, but they are rather worth the time and effort if you spend a lot of time outside in the sun while using your mobile phone or tablet.
I hope these tips will be useful for all of you who enjoy being outdoors in the sun and use their mobile devices at the same time. I know I do!