electronics Archives

5 ways you’re ruining your expensive phone, laptop, tablet and TV

Our devices are significant investments. You need to treat your tech well to get your money’s worth. Regular maintenance is one way to stay ahead of the game. Tap or click for six checkups to avoid a hefty repair bill.

Based on calls to my show, emails and questions posted on my website’s tech support forum, here are five common mistakes that could cost you.

1. You’re charging too much

Do you keep your phone plugged in all the time? Apple says that when your iPhone “remain(s) at full charge for prolonged periods of time, battery health can be affected.”

Android phone manufacturers, including Samsung, say the same. “Do not leave your phone connected to the charger for long periods of time or overnight.” Huawei says, “Keeping your battery level as close to the middle (30% to 70%) as possible can effectively prolong the battery life.”

The official word is to keep your phone charged — but not fully charged. Get in the habit of unplugging your tech after it is fully charged.

More tech smarts: Tap or click for tricks to keep your phone battery in tip-top shape.

2. You wait too long to charge your laptop

Laptop batteries have a finite number of charge-discharge cycles. If you frequently let your battery entirely run out of juice, it affects the charge-discharge cycle and diminishes its intended lifespan.

Your laptop battery can also lose efficiency in another way. Let’s say you regularly charge your laptop from 30% to 50%, or about 20% each time. Well, do that five times and you’ll have completed one battery cycle because you’ve charged your laptop 100% in total.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your battery charged to at least 40% most of the time. Tap or click here to check your laptop’s battery health.

3. You go with the cheapest option

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How to wrangle all your cords and cables

It’s surprisingly easy to ruin your expensive devices’ screens and internal workings. Here’s my cheat sheet for cleaning electronics. (Hint: Put down the paper towels!)

Don’t forget the TV remote, the hidden germ carrier everyone touches.

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I’d buy them all again

Laundry detergent sheets are light and don’t leave a sticky mess, unlike liquid detergent.
So handy — a cup holder you can put anywhere.
Teeth a little dingy? I use this toothpaste to whiten mine.
Shave the fuzzies off your couch, favorite sweater and blankets.
Stickers to dim the glow on your electronics. If one doesn’t cut it, stack two. The pack is only $1.49!

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

Only you can prevent garbage fires: Batteries, especially lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium types, should be taken to a hazardous waste collection center, not tossed in the trash. Search online for your city or town’s name plus the term “electronics disposal.” Or use this handy site.

CES is no longer relevant

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Is the next best thing really at the Consumer Electronics Show? I’ll tell you why it’s more fluff than not.

📺 This is wild: A funny Reddit post shows a Costco customer trying to return a TV they bought back in 2002. The thing is it might be within the guidelines. Costco didn’t add a 90-day limit to its electronics return policy until 2007. Before that, you could return indefinitely. Did it work? Yup!

The surge protector was invented in 1970. What was its official name back then? Was it … A.) Zap Trap, B.) Power Devourer, C.) Watt Wad or D.) Shock Block?

Find the answer here! →

$14.2 billion

Total Amazon Prime Day 2024 sales across both days. This year’s sales beat those in 2023 by 11% … and almost beat the national GDP of the Bahamas. Top product categories? Electronics and back-to-school gear. That’s a lot of erasers.

Are Amazon extended warranties worth it, or a scam?

While warranties can last a few years, recalls can occur anytime. Some defects are harmless and only affect functionality, but others can be dangerous.

When you buy a TV, blender or smartphone on Amazon, you’ll see a message asking you to purchase an extended warranty. Sure, you can, but should you?

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Don’t make these 5 big mistakes when buying electronics on Amazon

Shopping on Amazon can be a great way to save money on otherwise expensive tech. Tap or click here for quick and easy ways to save money when filling your cart. Just avoid the most common mistakes people make when buying electronics on Amazon.

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You threw away the paper manual: No prob! This site has over 8 million manuals for everything from electronics to appliances. Score.

Death march: Starting with some 2023 models and those released in March 2024, Samsung TVs get seven years of free updates to keep them safe from hackers. No specifics on which models yet, but it’s likely to cover those with AI features. PSA: Before you buy any used electronics, know the EOL (end-of-life) date. More about that here.

💸 Old electronics lying around? Costco’s revamped trade-in program lets you swap them for a store gift card, no membership needed. The trade-in values aren’t small potatoes, either; you can get up to $1,080 for an old laptop! Go to this portal for a quote. If you’re cool with their offer, the shipping’s free and you’ll have your money in under three weeks. PSA: Amazon has a trade-in program, too, so compare both to see which gives you the better price.

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

You threw away the paper manual: No prob! This site has over 8 million manuals for everything from electronics to appliances. Score.

Secret customer service numbers: Head to this site to find the correct number to call. They list everything from airlines to theme parks to electronics. Let me tell you, you need to bookmark that website right now. Here are 15 more handy sites I’ve rounded up.

In 2004, an escaped convict nicknamed the “Rooftop Robber,” or simply “Roofman,” hid for six months in which shuttered tech superstore: A.) CompUSA, B.) RadioShack, C.) Circuit City or D.) Fry’s Electronics?

Find the answer here →

Rising car thefts: With just a smartphone app or a $25 Bluetooth signal finder, clever criminals can scan your car for valuable tech. The signals from turned-on devices tell them which vehicles will deliver the biggest paydays. Keep your electronics with you, folks — or at least turn them off.

Your TV is full of dust: Grab a can of compressed air. Never shake the container and never stick the nozzle inside your TV ports. Hold the nozzle about an inch away and spray at an angle. If you don’t like the waste, try a rechargeable electronics duster.

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

The surge protector — that appliance-saving power strip — was invented in 1970. What was its official name back then? Was it … A.) Zap Trap, B.) Power Devourer, C.) Watt Wad or D.) Shock Block?

Find the answer here →

By wasting hard-earned money on extended warranties for electronics. Most devices and TVs will break within the first 90 days if there’s a problem. Otherwise, they’ll probably fail after around five years. Now you know!