If you’re the kind of person who shies away from tech devices because you’re afraid you’ll break something or accidentally delete something important in an unlucky finger swipe or mouse click, I sympathize. But part of the problem might be scaremongers making you believe things that simply aren’t true.
Magnets are murderous for electronics.
These days, as mobile devices rely on flash memory and many of us use flat-screen LCD or LED monitors, interference from magnets is largely a non-issue. In order to scramble the data on a traditional hard drive, you’d need a large, industrial-strength magnet — something bigger than what you likely have in your home. It’s not impossible, but a wayward fridge magnet isn’t going to ruin your iPad or laptop if they come in contact with each other.
I dropped my point-and-shoot camera in a tub full of water. I’m a gadget murderer, right?
If you act quickly, you might be able to save the victim. Dry off the device as much as you can, make sure not to turn it on and stick it in a sealed baggie with a cup of dry rice for at least 24 hours. You can also try desiccant packets (the little moisture-absorbing packets that come with shoe boxes and other products). There are also commercial products available that do the same thing. It wouldn’t hurt to keep one around if you’re prone to killing gadgets this way.
Shopping online over a Wi-Fi network is bad and will ruin my life when my neighbors, who happen to be credit card number thieves, steal my identity.
At home, it’s always good to secure your Wi-Fi network with a strong password so that others don’t freeload on your connection or access devices in your home. It’s unlikely shopping online on a secure network at home will result in trouble, but if you’re in a coffee shop or other space with open Wi-Fi, you may want to delay typing in your credit card number or at least make sure you’re using a secure connection (indicated by the “s” in “https:” at the beginning of an address). Even better, use an encrypted private network connection (or “VPN”) if possible. In this case, it’s probably best to be a little paranoid.
Keeping a laptop plugged in 24/7 will cut down its battery life.
There’s a lot of debate on this, but with most modern laptops, the old rules about draining laptop batteries and recharging them regularly no longer apply. Still, most computer companies recommend that you drain the battery and recharge it at least once in a while. Plus, keeping it plugged in when the machine is fully charged, especially when you’re not using it, is a waste of energy. A recent story in Wired suggests that keeping a laptop charged about 40 percent to 80 percent on average can extend the life of a battery, but that won’t be practical for everybody and it can vary depending on battery type and device.
Omar L. Gallaga, Austin American-Statesman
