Special | Free Cable with Outdoor Tech Adapt Purchase

*PROBLEM: Unable to send email*

Some people have found that they are unable to send emails after the iOS 7 update. They can still receive emails, but when they try to send emails, it doesn’t work. For some people it’s failing to send with an error message, for others email appears to send, but never arrives in the recipient’s inbox.

This seems to occur intermittently and it can potentially happen on various types of email account. There are a few things you can try.

*Workarounds:*

* Double tap the Home button and swipe the email app up to close it. Then try restarting it again. It may work properly for a while.
* Restart your iPhone by holding down the Home button and the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.
* Enable Airplane Mode and wait 30 seconds then turn it off again and try again.

*Potential solutions:*

* Select the email account that’s giving you problems from *Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars* and tap on the Account section at the top where your email address is listed. Now tap on Outgoing Mail Server listed at the bottom and then tap on the Primary Server at the top of the next page. Make sure your email address is listed under *User Name* and then tap on the Password and re-enter it, even if it’s already filled in.
* You could try deleting the problem email account. Go to *Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars* select your email account and tap the Delete Account option at the bottom of the screen. Now make sure you have all the correct setup details and go to *Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add Account* to add it again.
* Go to *Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings* and set up your Wi-Fi connection again.

*PROBLEM: Can’t make or receive calls*

If you’ve run into problems with making or receiving calls after updating to iOS 7, you are not alone. You might find that people are trying to call you, but your iPhone is not ringing, or perhaps you are unable to make a call.

Some people report calls apparently connecting, but the line seems to be dead and they can’t hear the other person. Assuming you’re not just in a dead spot (try making the call from another location), there are a few things you can try.

*Potential solutions:*

* Go to Settings and toggle Airplane Mode on for five seconds and then turn it off again.
* Make sure that *Do Not Disturb* in Settings is not turned on.
* Go to *Settings > Phone* and make sure Call Forwarding is not turned on.
* Go to *Settings > Phone* and check under Blocked.
* Make sure you have the latest carrier update by going to *Settings > General > About.* If there’s something available then you should be prompted to download it (make sure you’re connected the Wi-Fi and your mobile network).
* Make sure there isn’t another iOS update by going to *Settings > General > Software Update.*
* Try removing the SIM card, make sure it’s clean and replace it carefully.
* Try resetting your network settings via *Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.*
* Go to *Settings > Cellular* and try toggling Enable LTE and/or Enable 3G.
* Contact your carrier and make sure there’s no problem on their end.
* Try “*factory resetting your iPhone.*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1414

*PROBLEM: Rapid battery drain*

Many people are finding iOS 7 is more power hungry than iOS 6 was. You can find some general help by referring to “*Apple’s documentation on how their iPhone batteries work.*”:http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html. There are also a couple of specific fixes worth considering.

*Potential solutions:*

* Disable the parallax effect that gives the home screen that 3D look by going to *Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion.*
* Turn off the background app refresh for at least some of your apps by going to *Settings > General > Background App Refresh.*
* Turn off AirDrop by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and selecting the toggle in the Control Center.
* Go to *Settings > Notification Center* and toggle off any apps that you don’t want to include.

*PROBLEM: Keyboard lag*

This one seems to be a problem for iPhone 4 owners, but it may not be limited to that model. Sufferers have been complaining about lag with iOS 7 in general, but also some serious delays when typing on the virtual keyboard.

*Potential solution:*

* Go to *Settings > iCloud* and turn Documents & Data off.

*PROBLEM: Camera not working*

If you updated to iOS 7 and encountered a problem with your front-facing camera or your main rear-facing camera, you’re not the only one. Some people report that the main camera keeps freezing or refuses to load; they just get a black screen.

Others are complaining that the front-facing camera is excessively blurry. This could be down to an app or it could be a hardware failure. Here’s what to try:

*Workaround:*

* Close the camera app, double tap the Home button and swipe the camera app up to close it completely, then reboot your iPhone and try loading the camera app again. This will work for some, but it doesn’t mean that the issue won’t return.

*Potential solutions:*

* Go to *Settings > General > Restrictions* and make sure “Allow: Camera” is on.
* If an app is causing the problem then removing it might fix your camera. Remove third-party apps one by one, reboot the iPhone, and test the camera. It’s a good idea to start with anything that obviously uses the camera.
* Take it into an Apple Store and show them the problem. If you’re still under warranty then you should get a replacement without any hassle.

Grace and I got the vegetable garden in this last weekend, so the rainy weather this week won’t hurt, but we are hoping for some sun anyway! I may head over to Laconia for the motorcycle rally this weekend or next. It is a beautiful ride, and the people/motorcycle-watching is great once we get there. We are lucky it is a day trip for us!

I hope you have an awesome weekend and Happy Father’s Day to all the pops out there!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,
_Don, Kali & Stephanie_

I wanted to first start by saying thank you to those who responded to my first article; I always enjoy hearing from our customers. Please continue to let us know how you use your iPhone in the car.

Now, on to more iPhone-compatible solutions in the car. Today, I want to cover the AUX/Cassette/Adaptor/FM Transmitters. As I said last time, AUX doesn’t allow for hands-free, but this doesn’t mean it’s not a great option for music enthusiasts. I also may have found a trick that works to adapt your AUX-enabled car with Bluetooth. And finally, those FM Transmitters, with which most of us have had a love-hate relationship.

The AUX, easily one of the greatest and most versatile features car companies have utilized during the digital music era, doesn’t require you have an Apple, Android, Windows or whatever device but rather a female 1/8-inch hole. Even one of those awesome portable CD players you have would work. The easiest way to know if your car has AUX is if it has a button on your radio. Then, it’s just a matter of finding where they hide the actual port (could be in the glove box, center console etc.). We sell some great AUX cables in a variety of lengths (1ft, 3ft, and 6ft), from “*StarTech,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=startech+3.5mm+Stereo which all have a slim input to accommodate your case. But alas, you can’t speak through an AUX input…or can you?

In comes the “*Outdoor Tech Adapt.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=Outdoor+Tech+Adapt Scott (part of our awesome IT department) and I tested this one out. We simply plugged the Adapt into the AUX port in my car. The Adapt is a Bluetooth headphone adapter allowing for play/pause, volume up/down, and back/next functions, as well as a mic for calls. Spotify came through right away and sounded great — I even placed a call and sure enough, they said they could hear me. Holding the play/pause, answer/hang up button activated Siri, allowing me to text hands-free as well.

For those of you with AUX ports and no Bluetooth, you must check out the Outdoor Tech Adapt. We also carry two great AUX stands: Griffin’s Tune Flex and Belkin’s TuneBase AUX Hands-Free. I’m partial to the Belkin model, as it has lightning charger built-in and creates a great stand for the iPhone 5/5s/5c.

Now, briefly a look at the “*Griffin Direct Deck.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/83761/griffin-directdeck-handsfree-cassette-adaptor-for-ipod-iphone-ipad Yes, this is actually a cassette adapter. Great for classic cars that still have a cassette deck and are keeping the stock look or for the pickup that it’s just not worth upgrading the stereo in. Either way, this is a great piece of technology. Simply slide the DirectDeck in, and plug the 1/8th jack into your phone. In doing so, you’ll notice the great feature of the direct deck is it has a mic built-in to the 1/8th inch connection. This allows you to take calls while using the cassette adapter. That’s right, you’re pumping jams from a streaming service like Pandora through a cassette player and placing and receiving calls. And they thought the cassette was dead!

I still remember the first FM transmitter we produced and I used — the CarTune. It was a great product with a simple design plugged into the power port and connected to my iPod via 30-pin connector. It was nice if you lived here in rural Vermont where we have a number of open FM stations to choose from. However, this was a little tougher on my first trip to Boston. I look back and realized it was more dangerous than helpful as I kept changing the CarTune FM dial to find a station that would work.

These have come a long way, and most recently Belkin released the new Lightning “*TuneBase Hands-Free FM*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/85620/belkin-tunebase-hands-free-aux-for-iphone-5 with ClearCast. This FM Transmitter goes above and beyond my old CarTune. It has a sturdy stand which docks your iPhone with Lightning connector allowing it to charge and accommodates for either portrait or landscape view if you’re using Maps, which I found to be very useful. The base, which plugs into the car charging port, has the FM tuner function built-in, so that you can use ClearCast and find the best FM station to broadcast over. Unlike other FM transmitters, this one allows for easy hands-free calling. A large button at the bottom of the phone lets you answer and hang up calls and activate Siri. Check it out.

As always, I hope this information was helpful and continue to encourage you to “*reach out*”:mailto:will@smalldog.com to me with your solutions for hands-free iPhone connectivity.

_Dear Friends,_

I am heading up to Burlington this afternoon for our customer appreciation event this evening. A former Small Dog employee, Jen Mayer, once gave me a book called “Customer satisfaction is Worthless, Customer loyalty is Priceless” by Jeffrey Gitomer. While the book itself was so-so, the message was spot on. We have always prided ourselves on striving to make “customers for life” because it was clear to me that the profit we may make from a single sale to a single customer pales in comparison to the life-cycle value of a loyal customer who not only comes back, but tells his or her friends and family about the experience.

We measure NPS (Net Promoter Score), a widely accepted measurement of customer satisfaction, but in line with the title of the book, satisfaction alone is not enough especially in these days of easy access to anything on the web. A satisfied customer may still shop elsewhere for a slightly better price; a loyal customer loves you and comes back for you.

At Small Dog Electronics, we want to give you as many reasons as possible to become a loyal customer. Our motto, “Always by your Side,” is more than a catch-phase — it dominates our training for employees and our approach to business. We report on our NPS to employees every week and whenever we see even the slightest dip in those numbers, I can hear employees discussing how to get the numbers back up. We are sustained by you, our loyal customers, and we cannot thank you enough for your support and loyalty!

This week’s Kibbles & Bytes exclusive is music-oriented and a low-cost, high versatility music system. This bundle takes the Silver 2GB Apple iPod shuffle, combines it with Urbanears Pumpkin Platten over-the-ear headphones and a set of White Chill Pill portable speakers.

Normally $140, this special is only $119.99 — this week only!

“*Grab this deal here!*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001467

Trying to find an iPad case can be pretty overwhelming at times. Which one do I get? does it cover the screen? Is it bulletproof? Can I drop kick it? There are just all sorts of questions that can run through someone’s mind when thinking about protecting their brand new device.

I, for one, am not really that concerned with dropping my device. Maybe I’m in the minority (or a little crazy). Either way, knowing that the iPad mini weighs less than a pound, can you really blame me for not wanting to stuff this small device into a big, bulky, plastic case? I mean, wasn’t that the reason that Apple released a Smart Cover in the first place? Because they didn’t want to hide a stylish device inside a bulky case? Of course, with the release of the Apple Smart Case, that may be a moot point.

After some searching, I found the Twelve South SurfacePad. At first, I thought was just a case for the iPhone, but it turns out there’s a brand new iPad mini version. It protects the front and back of the iPad, it’s light, it’s thin, and it’s very simple to use.

There are no gimmicks, no folding, and no bulky rubber and plastic to mess with. If you want to stand your iPad up to watch a movie, no problem. There’s a magnet built right into the cover, so the iPad will just stand up. If you want a better angle to type that email, there’s a little flap on the underside of the cover that pulls right out and you can rest your iPad on it (it looks more elegant than I just described, I promise).

The only downside, is that you have to stick the cover onto the back of your device (I can hear the collective gasps). However, there’s no need to fear. No residue will be left behind, once your SurfacePad is removed. If your device was clean when you applied the case, it’ll be clean when you remove it.

If you’re looking for a simple case that just works as advertised, then the SurfacePad by Twelve South for iPad is for you. Currently, we have it available for the iPad mini for $69.99. It’s available in Red, Black, and White. We also have the SurfacePad available for the iPhone 5/5s and the iPhone 4/4s as well, for $34.99.

“*See all of them here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=surfacepad and scroll down for an exclusive Kibbles & Bytes special this week!