There is no doubt that the smart phones on the market today are a far cry from the cell phones of yesterday. Just a few years ago, cell phones were used primarily to make and receive phone calls, but these modern smart phones can do so much more, from surfing the web and sending emails to connecting with office computers and downloading sophisticated business documents.

Even though those smart phones are powerful, there is a price to be paid for all that power. If you just got your first smart phone, you may be surprised at just how fast the battery gets depleted. You may have gotten used to charging your old cell phone only once every couple of days, but chances are that will not work with your new smart phone. The power demands of these phones mean that typical talk time is only about 6 to 8 hours, making it more important than ever to preserve the battery as best you can.

It is a good idea to charge your smart phone battery before it has become 50 percent depleted. Charging the battery when it still has power remaining will help to lengthen the life of the battery and prevent unexpected interruptions in your service. Investing in a portable charger or your car is a great way to keep your phone charged up and ready to go.

You may also want to keep a spare charger at the office for even greater availability. Getting in the habit of throwing your smart phone on the charger when you arrive in the morning will help keep your phone charged and ready – so you can take those after-hours calls whenever the boss has a question or needs some extra help.

Keeping an extra battery on hand is another great way to make your phone more useful. An extra battery can really come in handy, especially if you are traveling and may not have ready access to an electrical outlet. Purchasing an extended life battery for your smart phone also allows you to watch movies and videos. Video applications use a lot of power, but an extended life battery can ensure that you do not miss the end of the movie due to lack of power.

Placing your smart phone on standby when it is not in use is another way to preserve battery life and protect your investment. Your smart phone can use a lot of power even when you are not talking. Placing the phone on standby will serve to lengthen the life of the battery and still leave your phone available when you need it.

A smart phone provides many advantages over a traditional cell phone, but there are some things to remember as you make the transition. Taking the steps needed to preserve and extend the life of your battery will let you make the most of your great new phone.

Sam Jones, the author, has spent lots of time trying to find the best smartphone available to him.