Dear LPG, 

I want to discuss the pandemic for a moment. It was over five years ago now, although it sometimes seems like yesterday.  I live alone and recall feeling incredibly lonely. Even the television stopped being a welcome distraction.  All the repeats and depressing news about the numbers of ill and dying people made it so much less of the ‘escape and entertainment box’ that it had always been to me before all that happened. The fear of even opening the front door, once Lockdown was declared, became a reality, and I suspect that I am not the only one who experienced all those feelings at the time. 

But there was one positive thing that I thank the pandemic for, because I also remember that loneliness and pure boredom were the things that reminded me to take a look at something I had received as a Christmas present from my children a couple of months before it all started. The present was a smartphone, and I was one of those people who had decided that a mobile phone was something I definitely did not need. However, all the extra time and lack of distractions compelled me to take another look at the matter. 

I quickly discovered something called WhatsApp, which allows you to see people while you are talking to them, and you can even send them pictures and videos. I don’t have that many WhatsApp friends, but as soon as you have a few, their messages and images start to arrive as well. It was something I really valued when I could not go anywhere.  

It was not long before I learned to find things on the internet, and by the time we were allowed out again, I had really learned the secrets of the camera. Being able to point and shoot so many pictures and videos with the dates on brought another aspect of my diary to life.

However, recently, my phone has been displaying messages that have surprised me. Apparently, my internal storage is full. I ignored them at first, but my granddaughter explained a lesson that I would like to share, in case any other readers have encountered a similar situation.

Even though a picture takes a few seconds to capture and is something that you only see on the screen, with no actual paper involved, pictures still take up quite a lot of space on your phone. There are the pictures that you take, but also all the pictures that arrive with the messages you receive. If you want to keep taking and getting them, sooner or later, you will have to have a digital sorting-out session.

My granddaughter did it for me, and having watched, I still don’t feel equipped to do it myself, but I have learned that laptops, PCs, tablets, and mobile phones have only so much storage space.

The one thing I did learn is that pictures and videos are most likely to take up the most space, with ‘apps’ that you no longer use helping to alleviate this problem. So, the answer is to make some room. My granddaughter tells me that my phone was suffering because there was too much going on, and she mentioned that there are essentially two options to address this: retrieve some of the data from the phone or create more storage space for it.

Even though I have since watched numerous videos and internet instructions on what needs to be done, the one thing I have learned is that a lot can go wrong unless you really know what you are doing. I hope that anyone who has seen the message on their phone has an internet-savvy 'go-to‘ friend or relative who can handle all the technical aspects for them. One more thing to consider is that, while all our other digital devices usually have significantly more storage space, they can all fill up and may require similar consideration. 

My main message is this. If you see any message on your phone that mentions ‘Full internal Storage,’ you need to take action, or else the day will come when your device becomes significantly slower or stops performing as usual. 

HG, Forest Hill

HG shares what she has found, but stresses that you should ensure you know what you are doing before getting started on any of these suggestions – she emphasises the importance of seeking help.

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