Preparing for an Android Update

With the Android 2.2 update just around the corner for Virgin Mobile USA customers, I thought I would cover a few essentials to make the transition as smooth as possible.  Many of us have heard the horror stories of updates gone bad, phone numbers lost, text messages gone, apps missing, but did you know there are steps you can take to prevent them?  .  Taking a second to prepare could save you hours on the phone with tech support.

1. Let Google store your contacts.

Many people are used to storing contacts on their phone, but allowing Google to store them for you will not only make an update easier but a complete phone change as well.

2. Backup your phone with software.  

Apps like "My Back Up Pro" and "Titanium Backup" will backup user data to prevent loosing everything.  Lookout Mobile Security combines data backup with antivirus protection for overall security.

3. Manually backup you contacts.

Never hurts to be too careful.  So doing a manual backup of your contacts should be your last line of defense.  Contacts can be exported to your SD card for later retrieval.

4. Power up 

When the update arrives, make sure the phone is plugged in.  Doing so will prevent the battery from draining before the update is finished.  Failure in the middle of an update could have disastrous effects.