Month: June 2023

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Tips and Guidelines

How to Care for Your Smart Watch Battery and Extend Its Life?

You’ve probably been told to always charge your smartphone and digital devices overnight, but what about your smart watch? Most smart watches use similar lithium-ion batteries, meaning they need to be charged regularly if you want them to stay powered up. In this article, we’ll show you the best way to care for your watch’s battery and extend its life.

What is a Smart Watch Battery?
A smart watch battery is a small, powerful lithium ion battery that powers your watch’s electronic circuitry. It’s important to take good care of your smart watch battery because it will help ensure your watch lasts for years.

What are the Different Types of Smart Watches?
There are many different types of smart watches, but they all have one thing in common- they monitor your activity and keep track of your schedule. Some watches even include features such as music playback, weather updates, and caller identification. You can search for the best smart watches South Africa and enjoy the variety that is available.

How to Charge Your Smart Watch?
One of the most frequent questions we get at our store is how to charge a smart watch. And, honestly, it’s not that hard to do! Here are a few tips:

– If your smartwatch has a charging dock, use that. If not, you can charge it by connecting it to a computer using the included USB cable or by using a compatible power adapter.

– To conserve battery life, turn off your smartwatch when you’re not using it.

– If you’re not going to use your smartwatch for a while and you don’t want to discharge its battery, put it in “suspend mode” by pressing and holding down the button until the watch beeps twice then releasing it.

– If your smartwatch’s battery is low and you need to use it right away, charge it as soon as possible. Smart watches usually take about two hours to charge from 0% to 100%.

How to Extend the Life of a Smart Watch Battery?
Smart watches are a great way to keep track of your schedule and get notifications for important events, but like any electronic device, they need to be properly cared for in order to last as long as possible. Here are some tips on how to care for your smart watch battery and extend its life:

1.Make sure the watch is charged before you use it. A fully charged smart watch battery will last considerably longer than a battery that is only partially charged.
2.Avoid using the watch if it is not being used regularly. If you only use your watch sporadically, the battery will not have time to recharge and will eventually wear out.
3.Avoid leaving the watch in direct sunlight or in humid environments. These conditions can cause the battery to lose power quickly.
4.Avoid opening the case of the watch or removing any batteries if it can be avoided. Doing so can damage the watch and shorten its lifespan.
5.Keep a spare smartwatch battery on hand in case yours starts to lose power. Replacing a worn out battery will help extend the life of your watch.

How to Care for Your Smart Watch Battery?
If you wear a smartwatch, it’s important to take care of the battery. Here are some tips on how to care for your smart watch battery and extend its life:

– Charge your smartwatch battery regularly. A full charge will give you more power when you need it and help to keep the battery healthy. Smart watches typically have a charging cable that connects to a wall outlet.

– Avoid letting your smartwatch sit unused for an extended period of time. Once your battery is low, avoid using the watch until it has fully charged. Use the standby mode if needed.

– Remove your smart watch battery if it won’t be used for an extended period of time. Leaving the battery inactivated will preserve it and prevent it from being damaged by extreme temperatures or other factors.

– Wear your smart watch when you’re not using it to conserve energy. When your wrist is idle, the watch is using energy to stay on and waiting for input.

Conclusion
A smart watch is a great invention, but like any other electronic device it requires regular care and attention in order to keep it working optimally. Here are some tips on how to take care of your smart watch battery and extend its life:

1.Keep your smartwatch charged as much as possible. If you have an interchangeable battery model, make sure to use the supplied charger when you’re not using the watch. If you have a model that uses a single lithium ion battery, charge it every night if you haven’t used it recently.
2.Avoid exposing your smartwatch to extreme temperatures. Keep your smartwatch out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources such as fireplaces or hot cars.
3.Don’t wear your smartwatch constantly while charging; let it rest for at least half an hour after being fully charged before wearing it again so that the battery has time to cool down slightly.
4.Stay organized with your charging cables! Keep them neatly coiled so they don’t get tangled up when not in use, and store them separately from other electronics so they don’t take up extra space on your charging dock or hub.

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Tips and Guidelines

5 ways to squeeze more battery life out of your wireless earbuds

Wireless earbuds are an essential EDC (everyday carry) item for most of us. We use them daily when commuting to work or travelling. They keep us entertained and help block out unwanted distractions. Some even enhance our listening experience by delivering hi-fi, theater-like sound in the smallest design possible. As much as we love them, we also have that one complaint: not enough battery life.

Not all the best wireless earbuds come with lengthy playtimes. In fact, the industry standard for battery life on true wireless models is about 5 to 6 hours per charge and 24 hours for the charging case. Talk about small numbers compared to what the best wireless headphones get you, which is anywhere between 25 to 70 hours, depending how you use them.

As frustrating as it is to recharge your buds almost every other day, there are solutions to optimize battery life for longer listening and talk times. Best of all, none of them require carrying around a power cord or portable charger.

Here are 5 simple tips to get more battery life out of your wireless earbuds.

Partially charge your buds
It feels liberating to walk around with fully charged buds. At the same time, you could wind up doing more damage to the battery in the long run by fully charging it every time. Wireless earbuds have a much smaller battery cell than wireless headphones, smartphones, and portable gaming consoles, which would explain their short lifespan.

On top of that, the longer your buds charge, the more heat they’re exposed to. This degrades the battery faster and reduces maximum charge capacity. Anyone with a high-powered Windows laptop or MacBook certainly knows this struggle.

Partial charging is the key. What does that even mean? Simple: power up the buds to about 80 percent, then discharge. Also, monitor the temperature on your charging case because it can often overheat when charging for long periods of time, especially on wireless chargers.

Turn off all high-end features
Active noise cancellation (ANC) sucks up the most power and models with hybrid ANC suck up even more since they utilize multiple microphones and two circuits for feedback and feedforward cancellation. Adjustable noise cancellation affects power too – setting your buds to the highest intensity drops battery levels quickly. Another detail worth knowing is that ANC works harder (20% – 30% more usage) in loud environments, so monitor the noise levels in your vicinity before turning on the feature.

Some of the latest wireless earbuds boast high-bitrate Bluetooth codecs (LDAC, LHDC, aptX Lossless), which enhance wireless audio greatly, but reduce playtimes since more data is being encoded and decoded simultaneously. Most buds run the most advanced codec by default, so if you’re trying to preserve power, you can change this on the backend of your mobile device (Android only). Enter the Settings, tap on System, select Developer options (make sure it is turned on), and choose your preferred option. We suggest switching to a low-bitrate codec like SBC.

Do the same with spatial audio. iPhone users can disable Apple’s 3D audio platform in iOS, while most Android users can toggle the feature in their buds’ companion app, which has several other battery drainers. These include an equalizer, Find My Buds function, Soundscapes mode, and voice activation; the latter means your buds are always listening for the wake word phrase before turning on.

Lower the volume
Blasting music at max volume won’t just deteriorate your hearing, but also your battery. The more audio being output, the more power that’s required to sustain higher volume levels. This applies to most portable audio products and not just wireless earbuds.

Experts believe that setting volume between 50% to 70% will increase your battery’s life span. If you need more convincing, investigate how some wireless earbuds makers rate battery life on their models. Apple indicates on their website that playtimes for the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 are determined based on volume being set to 50% and having ANC on. Some brands will even disclose that high volume affects battery life in a footnote on their model’s product page or spec sheet. That’s all the proof you need.

Sidenote: Doctors at Harvard Medical School state that listening to media at 70 decibels is unlikely to cause any significant damage to the ears.

Utilize mono mode
This is one of the more underrated features found on most wireless earbuds. Mobile users who spend lots of time on the phone likely know about mono mode, which lets you use either bud independently. Doing this will preserve talk/listening time on the secondary bud that isn’t being used. You can also have it recharging in the charging case when disabled.

Mono mode is clutch for when you don’t have access to a power source and need to squeeze every minute out of the battery. Keep in mind that mono mode automatically disables certain features to save battery life, specifically ANC, which is engineered for use with both buds.

Limit pairing to one device
We’re seeing more wireless earbuds support Bluetooth multipoint, a feature that allows users to pair their models with two devices at the same time. It makes switching between audio sources a breeze, but also drains the battery more quickly since it requires more power to maintain dual connectivity.

Here’s the best solution: turn it off when both connected devices aren’t being used. It sounds silly to say, but just remember how often you leave the Bluetooth setting enabled on your iPhone. Then remind yourself of the disappointment that follows when seeing your battery levels drop to 10 percent all because you forgot to turn off Bluetooth.

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Tips and Guidelines

Enhancing Laptop Performance: Debunking the Overheating Myth of Battery Replacement

In the fast-paced digital age, our laptops have become indispensable tools for work, entertainment, and communication. However, prolonged usage often leads to the dreaded problem of overheating. With concerns about laptop performance and longevity, users frequently wonder if replacing the battery could help alleviate this issue. In this article, we will delve into the relationship between laptop batteries and overheating to provide a clear understanding of whether buying a new battery can indeed reduce overheating.

Understanding the Laptop Battery’s Role:

Laptop batteries serve as the primary power source when disconnected from a direct power outlet. Their main function is to provide a stable and uninterrupted power supply to ensure seamless performance. While batteries generate heat during operation, they are not the primary cause of laptop overheating.

The Influence of Battery Replacement on Overheating:

While purchasing a new battery for your laptop might be a wise investment for improved battery life, it is unlikely to directly impact overheating issues. Overheating primarily stems from factors unrelated to the battery’s performance. Replacing the battery alone will not address the root causes of overheating.

Conclusion:

While a new battery can offer extended usage time and improved power management, it is not a direct solution for laptop overheating. To combat overheating effectively, it is crucial to focus on addressing factors such as dust accumulation, cooling system limitations, and resource-intensive usage. Regular maintenance, optimal usage conditions, and implementing cooling solutions like pads can significantly mitigate overheating and improve the overall performance and longevity of your laptop.

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Smart Watch

Apple watchOS 9.2 Update Released, Brings Improved Battery Life On Apple Watch Ultra

Apple has released a bunch of updates today to all its devices, including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, media streaming devices, and computers. Alongside iOS 16.2 for iPhones and iPadOS 16.2 for iPads, the company also released the watchOS 9.2 update for Apple Watches. The new update brings improved battery life for some Apple Watches in certain conditions, improvements to automatic workout detection, and the ability for family members to control HomePod and other smart home devices, and more.

Let us check out all watchOS 9.2 features that are coming to Apple Watches.

Apple watchOS 9.2 Update: New Features
With the watchOS 9.2 update, Apple Watches can automatically start Outdoor Run workout when you arrive on a known running track and offer additional track-specific metrics. You can compete against your previous workout records in Outdoor Cycle, Outdoor Run, and Outdoor Wheelchair using the Race Route feature. The update also brings the improved Kickboxing workout algorithm for more accurate tracking metrics.

Apple Watches running watchOS 9.2 can display environmental noise levels using the Noise app while wearing AirPods Pro (1st Gen) and AirPods Max when ANC is turned on. The Family Setup feature lets members in the family to control HomePods and other smart home devices using the Home app. They can also unlock compatible smart door locks using the Wallet app.

The new software also brings improved accessibility features, including the support for visualise when Siren is in use on the Apple Watch Ultra and improved response time and accuracy of hand gesture controls for Assistive Touch and Quick Actions.

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen), Apple Watch Series 8, and the Apple Watch Ultra also gets improved crash detection performance. There were a few bugs that caused interruptions in the Mindfulness app during sessions and caused incorrect time to be displayed just after dismissing an alarm. Those bugs have been fixed with the watchOS 9.2 update. The update also improves battery life during multiworkouts on the Apple Watch Ultra in power saving mode.

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Tips and Guidelines

How to Properly Charge a Phone Battery

Can you damage a phone’s battery by charging it too often, or for too long? We round up the best battery care tips to keep your smartphone battery healthy for as long as possible.

Why is it that your phone’s battery seems to get worse over time? At first it might have power to spare as you snuggle into bed at the end of the day, but as time goes on you find your battery is just half-full by lunchtime.

Phone batteries, like all batteries, do degrade over time, which means they are increasingly incapable of holding the same amount of power. While they should have a lifespan of between three and five years, or between 500 and 1,000 charging cycles, a three-year-old phone battery is never going to keep going as long as a brand-new battery.

When should I charge my phone?
The golden rule is to keep your battery topped up somewhere between 30% and 90% most of the time. Top it up when it drops below 50%, but unplug it before it hits 100%. For this reason, you might want to reconsider leaving it plugged in overnight.

Pushing in the last charge from 80-100% causes a lithium-ion battery to age faster.

Maybe it’s better to recharge in the morning instead, at the breakfast table or on your office desk. That way, it is easier to keep an eye on the battery percentage during charging.

Should I charge my phone battery to 100%?
No, or at least not every time you charge it. Some people recommend that you do a full zero to 100% battery recharge (a “charge cycle”) once a month—as this re-calibrates the battery, which is a bit like restarting your computer.

But others disregard this as a myth for current lithium-ion batteries in phones.

To keep your long-term battery life in good health, frequent, small charges are better than full recharging.

The deeper you discharge a lithium battery, the more stress is inflicted on the battery. So, topping up frequently extends battery life.

Should I charge my phone overnight?
As a rule, it’s best to avoid, despite the convenience of waking up with a full battery in the morning. Each full charge counts as a ‘cycle’, and your phone is only built to last for a set number.

If you charge overnight, you are guaranteed to miss when the phone exceeds the magic 80% mark that is best for extended long-term life.

While most modern smartphones have built-in sensors to shut off charging when they hit 100%, if still turned on they will lose a small amount of battery while idle.

What you may get is a “trickle charge” as the charger attempts to keep the phone at 100% as your phone naturally loses on its own charge during the night. This means that your phone is constantly bouncing between a full charge and a little bit below that full charge – 99% to 100% and back again during a longer-than-required charge. It can also heat the phone up, which is also bad for the battery.

Will fast-charging damage my phone?
The majority of modern smartphones support some form of fast-charging. However, this often requires you to purchase an additional accessory. The industry standard is Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, which delivers 18W of power.

However, many phone makers have their own fast charge standard, many of which can deliver even faster speeds by adjusting power management code to request a higher voltage charge is sent. Samsung is now even selling a 45W charger!

While fast-charging itself will not harm your phone’s battery, which is built to support it, the heat generated will potentially affect its lifespan. So it’s on you to balance the advantages of faster charging with the convenience of quickly topping up your phone before you dash out the door.

In the same way that phone batteries don’t like extreme heat, they also don’t like the cold. So it goes without saying that you should avoid leaving your phone in a hot car, on the beach, next to the oven, out in the snow. Typically, batteries perform at their optimum somewhere between 20 and 30°C, but short periods outside of this should be fine.

Can I use any phone charger?
Where possible use the charger that came with your phone, as it is sure to have the correct rating. Or make sure that a third-party charger is approved by your phone’s manufacturer.

That said, your phone should draw only the power that it needs from a USB charger.

A smart charger will turn off when the phone battery reaches a certain percentage of charge, rather than constantly starting charging again when the charged battery falls down to 99% (“trickle charging”).

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Smartphone

Huawei mobile phone sales soared by 41% without 5G – how is this possible?

In the first quarter of this year, the sales of many Chinese mobile phone brands declined. However, Huawei’s mobile phone sales have bucked the trend and soared by 41%. This makes the company the only mobile phone brand with positive growth besides Apple. A few days ago, market research agency Counterpoint released its latest survey data. This data is for the market trend in the first quarter of 2023. In the first quarter of 2023, China’s mobile phone sales fell by 5% year-on-year, the lowest sales figure in the first quarter since 2014.

Amongst the brands in the top 10, Huawei’s performance seems to be more interesting. The brand’s sales volume rose by 41% year-on-year. Although Huawei Mate 50 series, P60 series and the newly launched Huawei nova 10 series do not support 5G, they are still welcomed by the market. Data show that Huawei’s market share in the first quarter has risen to 9.2%. The company is second only to Apple, OPPO, Vivo, Honor and Xiaomi.

Huawei says it cant launch 5G phones
On March 31, at the press conference of Huawei’s 2022 annual report, regarding when 5G mobile phones will return, Xu Zhijun, Huawei’s rotating chairman, said that the mobile phone business is most affected by sanctions.

The US Department of Commerce only licenses 4G chips, and we can only make 4G phones. Huawei mobile phones have improved in terms of camera, folding screen, etc. The brand’s recent sales data reveals many people are still willing to use 4G mobile phones. To buy a Huawei 5G mobile phone, you have to wait for permission from the US Department of Commerce.

While there is a huge theoretical difference between 4G and 5G networks, this difference in many cases is not so obvious practically. If you have a 5G phone with poor optimization, its network speed could be slower than a 4G device.

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Tips and Guidelines

iPhone 15: All the Major Rumors on Apple’s Next iPhone

Will the iPhone 15 get a wireless charging upgrade? A look at the rumored new feature and other reports we’ve heard so far.

Even with the announcement of Apple’s new augmented reality headset, anticipation (and rumors) haven’t dampened for the fall release of Apple’s next iPhone, presumably called the iPhone 15. Those rumors, plus last year’s EU ruling mandating USB-C charging on phones sold within Europe, might mean a number of departures from Apple’s traditional design. Will the iPhone 15 have a USB-C port? Will Apple increase iPhone prices in 2023? Will it even be called the “iPhone 15”? No one outside of Apple knows for sure, but these reports will certainly feed our curiosity until Apple throws the next iPhone event (probably in September). Here are some of the biggest and most credible rumors we’ve seen so far, to paint a picture of what we may see from the iPhone 15.

iPhone 15: Wireless charging upgrade
According to a May report by ChargerLab, a power specialist website with a steady track record, all iPhone 15 models will support 15W wireless charging using the Qi2 open standard. If this turns out to be true, it’ll mean the iPhone 15 could open up a whole new world of wireless charging devices that can replenish the device at its full speed. Apple had previously limited open wireless charging standards to 7.5W, leaving the full 15W charge speed for Apple MagSafe licensed accessories.

iPhone 15 camera: Periscope-style telephoto lens arrives
Noted Apple observer Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with TF International Securities, forecasts that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will receive a periscope-style telephoto lens. This sort of telephoto lens allows for higher optical zoom levels, with Kuo forecasting a 6x optical zoom could arrive in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The optical zoom on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to 3x, which lags rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom. This rumor was recently bolstered by well-known leak source and Twitter user Unknownz21, who stated that the Pro Max model will come with the special lens.

iPhone 15 design: Hello USB-C, goodbye Lightning
This one has been in the rumor mill for years now, but in 2023 the switch from a Lightning Port to a USB-C port could finally happen. That’s possibly due to pressure from the European Union, which has been pushing for a common charging standard for years. In 2022, the bloc managed to pass legislation requiring Apple to equip its iPhones with USB-C ports by 2024 if it wants to sell them in the EU.

The question is whether Apple will switch all iPhone models to USB-C or just those sold in the EU. Apple already modifies iPhone models regionally, as it has done with the iPhone 14: The US version has an electronic SIM, while other variants retain the SIM slot. However, there are good reasons to move all iPhones to USB-C moving forward, according to Avi Greengart, analyst at Techsponential.

“There are larger ecosystem, security, and accessory considerations with the power/data connector, so I think it is more likely that Apple moves all iPhones [globally] to USB-C in the iPhone 16 timeframe to comply with European regulations,” he told CNET in an email.

iPhone 15 design: Dynamic Island expands to all models
Apple is likely to continue selling four iPhone models with the iPhone 15 lineup. Rumors point to a generally similar design across the board, except that the iPhone 14 Pro’s shape-shifting cutout, known as Dynamic Island, is set to make its way across all models.

That rumor comes from display analyst Ross Young, who also said in a September tweet that he’s not expecting base iPhone 15 models to have a higher refresh rate like Apple’s Pro iPhones because the supply chain can’t support it.

iPhone 15: Launch and release timeline
Apple holds its annual iPhone event in September almost every year, so we’d expect the timeline to remain the same for the iPhone 15. New iPhones typically get released shortly thereafter, usually the Friday of the following week. Sometimes Apple will stagger release dates for specific models, especially when introducing a new design or size. So it’s possible that the iPhone 15 lineup will have more than one release date.

Here’s what we know:

•Apple tends to hold its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Apple’s iPhone 14 event was held on Wednesday Sept. 7, while its iPhone 13 event was held on Tuesday, Sept. 14.
•iPhone release dates are typically a week and a half after Apple’s announcements.
•In general, new iPhones are released on a Friday, around the third week of September. For the iPhone 13, preorders began Sept. 17 and the phones went on sale Sept. 24.

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Tips and Guidelines

How to Improve Your Camera Battery Life

Sooner or later, every photographer runs into their camera’s dreaded low battery warning. The eighth law of photography states that the charge left on your battery decreases as the scene in front of you grows more interesting. But never fear – that’s where the tips in this article come in.

Below, I’ll explain the most important things you can do to improve your camera’s battery life and never miss the shot.

1.Cut Down on the LCD
The biggest battery drain in a camera is the LCD – both the rear screen and the electronic viewfinder. This is the big reason why DSLRs almost always have longer battery life specifications than mirrorless cameras – the optical viewfinder lets you skip LCDs altogether.

However, if you use your DSLR in live view, you’ll notice that its battery life slides dramatically. Side by side against a mirrorless camera, there’s actually a good chance it will die first. LCDs just take a lot of power to run.

What does this imply? Quite simply, you should always do what you can to cut down on LCD usage when your battery is running low.

For DSLR users, that means switching to the optical viewfinder. For mirrorless photographers, it means turning off the camera frequently, or setting it so the viewfinder only activates when you hold it to your eye.

And regardless of the camera you use, drastically cut down on the amount of time you spend reviewing photos. Chimping has its place, but not while your battery warning is blinking red.

2.Optimize Your Battery Saver Settings
Most cameras have menu options designed to improve battery life and maximize your shooting time. For example, the “metering timeout” setting lets you select how long you want the camera to wait during inactivity before shutting off its metering system.

Beyond that, a number of cameras today have an “Eco mode” that minimizes power consumption from the camera’s LCD. On the Canon EOS R, for example, Eco mode dims and then turns off the LCD when not in use, improving your battery life significantly – from 370 to 540 shots per charge, according to Canon’s official specifications.

It’s also important to note that mirrorless cameras are generally more efficient using the rear LCD than the electronic viewfinder. In terms of the EOS R again, Canon only rates 350 shots using the EVF, with no Eco mode to improve it. On the Sony side of things, the new A7R IV is rated for 530 shots via the viewfinder and 670 via the rear LCD.

If none of that applies to you, one option at your disposal is always to lower the brightness of your rear LCD. It might make photography a bit trickier in bright conditions, but the payoff is getting the shot rather than missing it completely due to a dead battery.

3.Keep Your Batteries Warm
In cold environments, camera batteries die far faster than at room temperature. The same is true to a lesser extent in very warm conditions.

Often, the best solution here is to remove the battery from your camera when not in use and keep it in an inside pocket of your clothing. At the very least, it’s a good idea to do this with the extra batteries that you’re not using at the moment.

Using this technique, I’ve sometimes managed to revive batteries that my camera said were dead and capture an extra series of shots. But it’s better to keep your battery warm as a preventative measure rather than a post-empty fix.

In short, if you’re not actively using a battery in cold environments, keep it in a warm pocket. The innermost possible layer of your clothing is ideal.

Conclusion
A dead battery is one of the more annoying experiences a photographer can have, and it can be downright devastating if that’s the only thing standing between you and a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

With enough planning and preparation, you’ll rarely be in a situation where battery life management tips like the ones above are necessary. But everything doesn’t go right 100% of the time, and chances are good you’ll run into low-power danger eventually.

When that happens, the good news is that there are things you can do. DSLR users should shoot through the optical viewfinder; mirrorless users should (with most cameras) shoot with the rear LCD. You can avoid using camera settings like WiFi, IBIS, popup flash, and image review. You can turn down your LCD brightness and keep extra batteries warm if you’re shooting in the cold.

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Tips and Guidelines

Your phone won’t charge? Try these fixes

Don’t freak out just yet! Let’s see if we can get your battery charging again.

It has been a long and busy day. You get home with a nearly dead smartphone battery and finally plug it in, only to find out the thing isn’t charging anymore! It’s normal to freak out for a bit, but don’t lose hope just yet. Here are some quick solutions you can try when you’re having issues with your phone not charging.

Check out the Ampere app
Ampere is an excellent app for checking if your phone is charging and how much it’s charging. It essentially identifies how much current is being drawn in from your device when it charges. Because of this, the app is great for seeing if your phone is charging at all and for seeing which charging method is the best.

Give it a go and see the status of your phone battery while plugged in. If the number in the app shows up green, the device is charging, but if it’s a negative orange number, your device is using power.

Is your cable in good condition?
A phone not charging could be due to many reasons, but the cable is one of the first things to check. Especially if it’s an accessory you’ve had for a long time, possibly since the phone was purchased. Our cables go through plenty of torture. They go with you to many places, not to mention we can often step or trip on them, they often get tangled up, we throw them in bags carelessly, and so on.

Inspect your charging cable thoroughly and see if there are any evident signs of damage. Any rips, bends, cuts, or general damage will be a good reason cables malfunction. Also, try to charge another device with it and see if it works. If it does, the issue might be the device. You can also try using another cable to see if it will charge your smartphone battery.

How about the adapter?
Of course, the wall charger is just as important as the cable. Go ahead and put it through the paces. Inspect it for any damage. Cracks or bent outlets are obvious red flags. Likewise, try using it with other devices and switching it with another brick to see if this is the problem.

Check your charging port
If your cable and charger work with other devices, it’s time to start looking at your phone. A common culprit is the charging port. For starters, go ahead and check if there is any dirt or debris in the port. Something as simple as a dirty port will mess up your charging. You can try cleaning the charging port with a brush or compressed air.

If you need some recommendations, any compressed air disposable can should work. If you often need compressed air, it might be a good idea to invest in an electric compressed air machine. There are many on Amazon, but I’ve personally used the XPOWER A-2S and have no complaints so far.

Have you noticed the port feeling loose lately? Ports can get worn out with excessive usage. You could also find signs of corrosion in there. Sadly, there isn’t much you can do about this, other than replacing the phone or trying to have the port replaced.

Test a wireless charger
Given that your phone supports wireless charging, and you have a wireless charger, this is an easy way to test if the problem is related to the phone’s port or accessories. Just try to charge your phone with a wireless charger. This could also be a temporary solution to keep your phone working until you figure out the problem and get it fixed. You might have a bigger battery-related issue if your phone isn’t charging.

Try a different power source
Plug something else into the same outlet you’re trying to charge your phone with and see if it works. Sometimes outlets go bad, or a section of your home might have electric problems. Additionally, some power sources can be weak. If you find issues with your outlet, try other outlets in the house.

Those trying to charge using a USB port in a computer or power strip might not be getting the juice the smartphone needs to charge correctly. Move to a regular outlet and see if this gets rid of your charging woes.

Turn your phone off or restart
his is a magical fix for all things tech, and it works most of the time. Sometimes a simple restart will get all your phone’s gears in place and have it working correctly. Turning off your phone completely might also help your smartphone battery charge better. Any heavy usage or background processes can affect charging performance. Turning your phone off will leave all resources clear so your device can focus solely on charging. Simultaneously press the Power and Volume Up buttons, then tap on Restart. Alternatively, you can select Power off and manually turn the phone back on.

Can you replace the battery?
Smartphones with a removable battery are rare these days, but if you still have one of these gems, you could try a few fixes. For starters, trying something like removing the battery and putting it back in place might get everything working again. Aside from that, you could try getting a brand-new battery and replacing the old one.

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Tips and Guidelines

How to Make Laptop Chargers Last

The charger is one of the most vital components of a laptop because without it, the laptop becomes unusable in a matter of hours. Because a typical laptop charger is also subject to much abuse from being connected, removed and transported, it can also sometimes be the first component to fail. Care properly for your laptop’s charger to make it last.

1.Avoid letting the charger’s cable rub against surfaces such as table edges, which over time can wear away the rubber shield on the outside of the cable and cause the internal wires to fray. If the shield does wear away, computer publication PCWorld recommends repairing the cable with silicone sealant. Never use your laptop charger if the wires are exposed.

2.Place the transformer component of the charger — the “brick” — in a location where air can reach it. In extended use, a laptop charger can become quite hot. Placing the transformer under a blanket or other item that prevents airflow can cause the charger to overheat, causing internal damage. If you see the message similar to “Plugged in, not charging” when you hover the mouse over the battery icon in the system tray, the charger may have overheated. Unplug it, and allow plenty of time for it to cool before using it again.

3.Carry your laptop charger in a bag when transporting it. This prevents the possibility of dropping the charger against a hard surface, which can damage it. If you place the charger on a table, use a fabric hook-and-loop surface to prevent the charger from hitting the floor.

4.Wrap the charger loosely when storing it to avoid a crimped wire.

5.Check for a product recall if you feel that your laptop charger generates too much heat or you experience another problem that you are unable to resolve. During the 2000s, Compaq, Dell and Targus have all announced recalls of laptop chargers.