charging Archives

Savings on lock

📦 Special deliveries to give you a little more peace of mind.

This package delivery box (30% off) keeps porch pirates at bay. (I know you laughed).
Safely open up your haul with this six-pack of $10 box cutters.
This travel-size doorstop (25% off) is perfect for apartments.
Slide this bathroom organizer under your sink to tidy that chaos.
Baby (and pet) locks ($8.49) for cabinets are 15% off right now.

🔌 Need more outlets? This wall changer (35% off) gives you six, plus two USB charging ports and a night-light. Yay, no fiddling around in the dark!

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“Do I have to charge you again?” Apple Watches have notoriously short battery life, but this can make a big difference. Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On. Disable the setting so your screen isn’t hogging your battery life all day long.

Your DNA could soon be up for sale

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You spit in a tube, and now 23andMe is thinking of selling your data after a massive hack tanked their value. So much for learning your ancestry. Meanwhile, Gen Z is going #desperate on LinkedIn, and Mazda’s charging $10 just to use remote start.

🌆 I’m surprised they’re not charging for it: Roku’s iconic animated screensaver is getting a glow-up. Since its last update six years ago, Roku City has been stuck at 720p resolution. Now it’s in full 1080p HD with Easter eggs like a train station and interactive billboards for Roku’s own stuff.

$10 for remote start

That’s what Mazda is charging for its connected features. They used to be free, and there was even an open-source (free) workaround. Yep, Mazda had that taken down. They’re not the only car company charging for previously free stuff.

👍 Finds you’ll use time and time again

12-pack of streak-free cleaning cloths ($7): No home ever has too many microfiber cloths, just sayin’.
Cable organizer bag (over 50% off): Tangled charging cables are the worst! A compact organizer keeps everything tidy.
LED desk lamp with USB port ($16): Brighten up your workspace with a stylish lamp. This one has adjustable brightness levels and a USB port for charging. Sweet.
Herb scissors with 5 blades ($10): Perfect for snipping parsley, basil, cilantro, mint — you name it.
Self-adhesive cable clips ($8): Another easy way to keep your cord mess in check.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🤠 A Texa-llent idea: Remember the winter storm that left millions of Texans without power? The state is now requiring all crypto miners, big or small, to register. Any unregistered mining outfit that consumes over 75 megawatts (that would be like charging 1,500 Teslas at once) is looking at fines ranging up to $25,000 per day. That’s one big mine!

Urgent fire risk recall: For Belkin BoostCharge Pro fast wireless chargers. The iPhone and Apple Watch power pack launched in May 2023. Look for model number BPD005 on the back of your charging pad, and if you have one, stop using it immediately and fill out the refund form.

❌ Big win: The FTC just finalized its click-to-cancel rule, making it easier to cancel subscriptions. If you signed up for an app or service, you won’t need to call a live agent or dig through complicated account settings to cancel. Businesses now have to clearly disclose their subscription terms and get your OK before charging you, too. Not so fast — this won’t happen until July 2025.

🛡️ Microsoft offers built-in ransomware protection for Windows PCs: The catch? You must use OneDrive to back up your data. Keep in mind it’s not 100% foolproof, either. If you want to try it, open the Windows Security app > Virus & threat protection > Manage ransomware protection, and turn on Controlled folder access. It’s free for now, but I’ll bet they’ll start charging for this soon.

Keychains that double as ...

I love it when things are functional. For this list, I put together a few keychain goodies I’ve bought that fall into this category!

A universal charging cable, complete with USB, USB-C, micro-USB and Apple Lightning adapters.
An emergency Advil stash for under $9.
A seatbelt slicer and safety hammer for escaping a wrecked car.
An eyeglass repair kit (51% off).
An Apple AirTag holder (26% off). Ta-da! Now you won’t lose ‘em.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

⚡ Power play: Ford is partnering with utility company Southern California Edison to pay EV owners for sending power back to the grid. Drivers can earn $1 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Sweet deal, considering fast-charging costs about $0.50 per kWh. The catch: You’ll need V2G (vehicle-to-grid) tech that costs anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000.

The future is hybrid

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Volvo just dropped its all-electric plan, joining other carmakers moving away from EVs. With limited charging stations and a focus on hybrids, the push for electric cars is losing steam.

✏️ Whiteout: Those white Apple charging cords get so dirty. Here’s a secret for removing the black streaks: Use a pencil eraser. Yep, it’ll buff them right off. Oh, and I finally hung up all my pencil drawings, but I’m afraid it makes my house look kinda sketchy.

3 ways to charge your phone faster

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Did you forget to power up your phone overnight? Here are some quick tips to help speed up your charging time so you can get back to full battery.

Stop mining my business: An Airbnb host got a nasty shock when guests used her house to mine $100,000 in crypto, sticking her with a $1,500 electricity bill. External security cameras caught them hauling out 10 computers and charging their EV. She got them to pay up, but now she’s got a strict “no crypto mining” rule. It’s a new world.

🤦🏼‍♀️ Can’t make this up: A Tesla Model S caught fire after a tourist plugged it directly into an illegal power line in Mexico. There are plenty of EV charging stations around Tijuana, but they wanted to save some cash. This dope ended up burning down someone’s house, too.

🔋 More battery in a hurry: You must leave in 15 minutes and your phone battery is hovering around 3%. Plug it in, switch it into Airplane mode and give it as much time as possible. Shutting off extra processes means your phone can focus on charging.

Water + electricity = Bad: Tesla is warning about a “charging hack” going around on social media. Folks are wrapping damp towels around Supercharger handles, claiming it increases the charging rate. It doesn’t. You’ll just interfere with the system’s temperature monitors.

Affordable tech upgrades

⚗️ It’s the little things that can make a big difference.

It’s a keychain, bottle opener and charging cable in one. Neat! It’s only $8 right now.
So sweet: A retractable car charger that can power two phones at once.
Following a special diet? This is a measuring cup and food scale in one. Super cool and, yep, on sale.
Calling all nerds! This USB fan plugs into your computer and looks retro in a fun, techy way.
This adorable bird tap light is great next to the bed or anywhere you want a cordless option. Click the coupon for 15% off!

Btw, this emoji — ⚗️ — is an alembic. I had to look it up. Merriam-Webster says an alembic is “something that refines or transmutes as if by distillation. Examples: In the alembic of the child’s mind, the ratty old blanket became a magnificent cape.”

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.