Travelling can be a lot of fun. Breaking your phone during the vacation of your life? Not so much. When preparing for your next trip, packing the perfect phone case to keep your little electronic assistant safe from harm should be a priority. To help you decide which one fits your lifestyle, we prepared a list of the top six factors to consider when selecting a case that can withstand the elements—anytime, anywhere.  

1. Water Protection

  One of the standard protective measures you need for your phone is against water. Finding an entirely waterproof case can be challenging, so your best bet is to aim for water resistance, as it offers well-rounded protection against the elements. This should be your priority if you’ll spend a lot of time around beaches, pools, and other bodies of water, but it’s also necessary against rain and snow. If you need protection against complete water immersion, you should consider cases with an official IP rating that certifies them as such.  

2. Shock Absorption and Impact Resistance

  Another standard measure is a combination of shock absorption and impact resistance, which means protecting your device against falls, hits, and other accidental impacts that it might receive. The goal is to keep your screen from cracking and your internal components from detaching or breaking. The best materials to ensure this are silicone and TPU, which are resistant yet flexible enough to spread the shock and reduce its impact. Other measures you can check for are reinforced corners, layered designs, and cushioned insides. For extreme travellers and outdoor experts, military-grade cases can combine these technologies for ultimate protection.  

3. Dust Protection

  Sand, dirt, and dust can be deadly for your devices without you noticing, creating long-term damage with just a little bit of exposure. There are varying degrees of dust protection available on the market, with the aforementioned IP rating certifying the credibility of the cases that provide the highest levels of security. The main thing to look for is the inclusion of dust plugs, as they will seal your ports, speakers, and microphones to keep dust from getting inside the phone. Likewise, some cases offer a sealed design that isolates the phone from the environment.  

4. Scratch Protection

  Few things are more intensely annoying than a big scratch on your phone screen. And travelling involves moving your phone alongside many things that could cause long-term damage. You should invest in a screen protector made of tempered glass or plastic film to ensure your phone remains scratch-free. Full-coverage cases or flip covers can also add extra protection to the screen, and those with raised bezels around the screen can keep the screen from touching any surface. If you want the case itself to be scratch-free, opt for materials like carbon fibre or aluminium.  

5. Comfort and Weight

  While protecting your phone is a priority, you shouldn’t neglect comfort. After all, you’ll be holding your device quite often, so you must ensure your grip is secure and comfortable. What should you focus on? Non-slip surfaces with texture or even a PopSocket for a safer grip. You should also consider weight. The safest cases—those with military-grade protection against countless types of damage—tend to be the heaviest. In contrast, lightweight cases can offer a degree of security that is perhaps not all-encompassing. As such, you should consider that when choosing.  

6. Style

  While it may not be essential to ensure the safety of your phone during a trip, there is no use buying something you don’t like, right? Pick a phone case with a design, colour, and style that fits you and makes you happy—after all, you’ll be using it a lot. Luckily, highly protective cases nowadays don’t have to be boring-looking. They come in all shapes and sizes, so you should be able to find something that speaks to your aesthetics without sacrificing practicality.   Now it’s easier than ever to travel in safety and style—why don’t you give it a go?

  As summertime arrives, the scorching sun starts to heat everything around you. But while you may or may not enjoy the extra warmth, one thing is certain—your tech hates it. It’s well known that high temperatures and humidity are the number one enemy of your tech devices, and continuous exposure to either can reduce their efficiency and lifespan by quite a lot. Luckily, you can take steps to protect your smartphone, laptop, tablet, and other devices, even when the weather is against you.  

How Do Heat and Humidity Affect Your Devices?

  When technology overheats, excess temperatures strain the components that make your device function. All the internal parts configuring your device's CPUs, GPUs, and batteries are made of delicate materials that work by conducting heat. When you add heat that exceeds the temperatures they’re built to handle, you push them to the edge. This means that, within a few days, you could see the damage they’d typically get in months. Conversely, humidity can cause moisture buildup within those same electronic components. Humidity is water, and mixing water with electricity is dangerous by itself. It can also corrode the materials, induce short circuits, and cause other general damage.   In general, if you’re not careful, summertime could mean that your tech will:

1. Perform poorly, with recurrent lag and decreased efficiency
2. Face unexpected and recurrent shutdowns that can translate into long-term damage.
3. Reduce their lifespan, meaning you will have to pay for repairs or replacements.

 

Your Phone Overheated—What to Do?

  If the summer weather has already wreaked havoc on your beloved tech, worry not—there are simple steps to reduce the impact and prevent long-term damage.  

Put your device in airplane mode or turn it off

Doing so as the first step will disable your device’s communication and non-essential features, giving it a well-deserved break, reducing its energy consumption, and keeping it from overheating any further. If your phone has sustained significant damage or the humidity is too strong, consider shutting it off entirely.  

Expose your device to the open-air

Don’t keep your phone trapped against a mattress, cushioned seat, towel, or any other surface that can absorb heat. Likewise, remove any case that may help keep the heat or humidity trapped within.  

Let your device cool in an open area

Expose your air to the open air and let it cool naturally, as allowing for natural airflow can help reduce heat and eliminate humidity. However, do your best to avoid fans or artificial sources of airflow if your device has been exposed to intense moisture, as it can push the water deeper inside.  

Use silica gel if needed

If your device got wet or exposed to significant humidity and you fear it might be damp, place it inside a sealed bag alongside silica gel, as it will absorb the moisture.  

How To Protect Your Devices from the Heat and Humidity

  While the previous techniques will save you in a pinch, the best you can do is take preventive measures to ensure you won’t fall victim to the perils of a hot summer.  

Check for updates regularly

Your devices’ regular updates fix bugs and optimise their performance, reducing strain on the software and preventing excessive heat generation. Delaying or postponing these updates will contribute to overheating.  

Always allow airflow

Avoid placing your devices on surfaces that restrict airflow and trap heat. That means avoiding mattresses, couches, seats, or towels. On the other hand, flat and cool surfaces will always be your best friends  

Keep your devices clean

Regular maintenance of your devices will go a long way. Dust and debris can accumulate, reduce airflow, and slowly heat your device. Pay special attention to ports and vents.  

Buy equipment to help you out

Keeping silica packs at hand or purchasing a desk fan can help support airflow, reduce humidity, and keep your devices in tip-top condition. Summer will be a breeze as long as you remember that heat and humidity are the enemies of a healthy device.