🚴 Have an e-bike? Here’s one thing that ruins the battery: Letting it drain completely before you recharge. Lithium-ion batteries perform best when kept charged between 20% to 80%. Keep your e-bike inside, too, once the temps drop for winter. Anything below 32 degrees is no bueno for your battery life.
Can your phone be rigged to explode?
This past week, a frenzy of small explosions rocked Lebanon, causing thousands of injuries and killing at least 25 people. The cause? Thousands of Apollo AR924 pagers and ICOM walkie-talkies blew up in the hands of members of Hezbollah leaders and their families.
The attacks were coordinated and calculated, and they spooked the world. They left us wondering, “Could my smartphone [or another device] blow up in my pocket, too?”
Old-school tech, weaponized
Although what happened in Lebanon is still under investigation, it appears the devices that blew up were packed with explosives before they reached their intended Hezbollah targets. That makes a lot of sense since messing with devices during the manufacturing process would be easier than trying to manipulate them after they’ve been handed out.
Word on the street is that Israel manufactured these devices through shell companies, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
Original theories about a cyberattack causing the device batteries to overheat and explode have also been ruled out. Looking at the footage of the blasts, they’re inconsistent with battery fires or battery explosions.
Why were they using pagers and walkie-talkies in the first place? Israeli hackers have stepped up their game, and Hezbollah took their digital communications old-school to avoid detection.
One smart smartphone
In a modern smartphone, there’s not much space to pack in explosives. Making room would mean removing enough functionality to tip off the person using it. There’s much more room inside a pager, though. The outdated ICOM walkie-talkies that blew up had plenty of space for explosives, too.
Another reason your phone is safer: Smartphone production lines at companies like Apple and Google run under super-strict security measures. They want to ensure what you get works the way it should — and, of course, protect their valuable trade secrets.
Tampering is possible, sure, but it’d have to be an elaborate scheme to pull off undetected for millions and millions of devices.
Listen: I have a few more details about this in my “Daily Tech Update” podcast.
Top tech myths you need to stop worrying about
Let’s bust some tech myths wide open! I’ve heard them all, and it’s time to set the record straight to keep you ahead of the game.
Myth: 5G causes cancer.
It’s miles ahead: Toyota’s long-awaited solid-state battery is nearing production. It will go 745 miles on a single charge, tackling “range anxiety” once and for all. They’re also lighter and more compact than lithium-ion batteries, which means more legroom and cargo space. Finally.
Bursting into flames: Protect yourself from lithium-ion battery hazards
Powering my cellphone? A lithium-ion battery. E-bike? Lithium-ion. Same goes for my iPad, MacBook, electric toothbrush, portable battery pack. I could go on.
The same goes for your tech. As it starts to warm up, we need to talk about safety. Fires from our little gadgets can get out of control quickly.
The signs you need a new phone, like, now
You know by now your phone’s battery performance degrades the older it gets. That’s just how lithium-ion batteries work, unfortunately. With each charging cycle, they wear down a bit. Eventually, it becomes too big a problem to ignore.
Focus on the positive: Huge deposits of lithium have been found in Arkansas, and it could reshape the world’s energy future. The resource was in short supply, but estimates suggest there could be between 5 million and 19 million tons buried there. That’s enough to meet the projected global demand for lithium car batteries nine times over.
Mission impossible: Scientists invented an ultra-thin battery for smart contact lenses that could support facial recognition and eye tracking one day. Here’s the kicker: You charge them with your tears! They’re powered by a saline solution instead of flammable lithium-ion batteries. Insanely cool.
🛑 Drone danger: Snap is grounding its selfie drones — their lithium-ion batteries can light on fire. If you’ve got one, stop using it, take out the battery and don’t even think about charging it. Then, get a full refund.
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.
Tech myths you need to stop believing: Private browsing, magnets and computers, bars = service
When it comes to tech myths, I’ve heard ‘em all. That’s why I’m here — to help you keep a handle on what’s real and what’s not. For each of the myths below, I’ve got a step you can take to stay safe or a tech rule of thumb to live by.
Is your smartphone battery failing? Check now
You know by now your phone’s battery performance degrades the older your phone gets. That’s just how lithium-ion batteries work, unfortunately. With each charging cycle, they break down a tiny bit. Eventually, it gets too hard to ignore.
10 hospitalized after these items made it onto a flight and caused a fire
Did you know your vape device can spontaneously combust, even when not in use? A vape battery unexpectedly caught fire inside a Spirit Airlines passenger cabin. Could anything have been done to prevent the disaster?
Here’s the story and what you can do to avoid a similar fate.
iPhone exploded while charging overnight - Are you making charging mistakes?
Over the last few years, there have been several instances of people’s phones exploding for no apparent reason. Many victims claim they were using their devices as usual before the ensuing inferno, but that’s often not the entire story.
It's important to check your laptop battery's health - here's how
Batteries aren’t meant to last forever, including the battery that powers your laptop. It might seem like the power source that gives life to your device should be the tech equivalent of an everlasting gobstopper, but as with any other battery, your laptop battery has a life cycle that ends at some point.
Top 5 electric vehicles from the '90s and 2000s you probably forgot about
Electric vehicles are more popular than ever. Americans bought nearly twice as many EVs in the first quarter of 2022 than in the first quarter of 2021. Tap or click here for five of the bestselling EVs in the U.S.
If you’re in the market for an EV, you may have to wait until next year. Many are on backorder or sold out. Fortunately, more manufacturers are planning to put out new models and some are going entirely electric.
FBI warning: How to spot dangerous counterfeit batteries
We’ve long been conditioned to separate recyclables from regular trash and sort plastics, glass, metal and paper. But some items, such as batteries and lighters, don’t belong in your recycle bin or trashcan. Tap or click here for 10 things that are illegal to throw away.
You're killing your smartphone battery faster without realizing it - Make this change
You may have heard a tip about running down your phone to 0% before charging it back to 100%. This supposedly helps your battery “remember” the full range of its charge. While cycling memory may have worked with nickel-cadmium batteries, this isn’t the case with lithium-ion batteries.
6 common tech myths and misbeliefs debunked
We once believed that Macs would never get a virus, closing apps would save battery life, and private mode was really private.
For the record, switching to incognito in your browser probably doesn’t do what you think. Tap or click for six practical reasons to use it, from keeping your search autofill clean to shopping without spoiling the surprise.
Recall alert: Flashlights recalled over burn hazard
A flashlight, first-aid kit and mobile battery pack are just some items that can help you survive any emergency. However, you don’t want any of those items to cause an emergency. While lithium-ion batteries have been blamed for injuries, several flashlights are now the subject of a recall.