Tip of the Week: How to Delete Your Mobile Files with Dumpster App

Android smartphones are at the top of the mobile market, but they have a flaw which some people don’t even realize is there - the lack of a recycle bin. Anything deleted is unlikely to be recovered, which can be seriously inconvenient for many people. What if you accidentally delete something important? Thankfully, there is a fix to this problem in the form of an app called Dumpster.

Just like the Recycling Bin on your desktop or laptop PC, Dumpster takes any files you might delete and sticks them in an easy-to-access location for your future viewing pleasure (or displeasure - take your pick). Dumpster gives you the ability to keep your deleted files, at full size, tucked away for you to deal with at a later date. You can keep them for as long as you want, or you can, well, delete them, either manually or automatically. It should be noted, however, that you cannot restore files that were deleted prior to the installation of Dumpster, meaning that you must have the app installed in order to do so.

Like most apps that are free, it comes with advertisements, but you can remove these for a modest fee of $2.99.

To set the options for the application, tap Menu and go to Options. You’ll see a variety of options which you can set, including what items go to Dumpster upon deletion: images, audio, documents, and videos. You can also set when Dumpster automatically eliminates your deleted files by adjusting a slide-bar. You can also restore deleted files by choosing Restore from the menu.

For iPhone users who wish to recover deleted files (and do not have backup support), you have to follow a slightly different method, as the iPhone itself doesn’t have a Recycling Bin, and one isn’t available through the app store. Here’s how it’s done:

• Connect your iPhone to your PC using a USB cord.
• Before the device automatically syncs to your computer, hold down Ctrl and Shift. According to eHow.com, you will be unable to retrieve deleted photos or files if this happens.
• Right-click on the iPhone in the Devices heading of iTunes.
• Select Restore from Backup.
• Choose which type of backup you want to be restored to your iPhone. Wait for the process to resolve, and you should have your deleted files back on your phone.

Of course, the best way to protect files on your business’s mobile devices is to adhere to a mobile device management strategy. A cloud-based solution from Computerware allows you to keep your information and files safe.

For more information about mobile device management software or data protection best practices, call us today at (703) 821-8200.