Forget the rice: If your phone gets wet, turn it off immediately to prevent a short circuit. Remove the cover, wipe down the phone, and then let it air dry in a cool place. Keep it upright with the ports facing downward to let any remaining water drain. The hardest part? Waiting at least 24 hours to turn it back on.
Don’t want to drop $1K on a new phone? Do this instead
It was a little anticlimactic when I went from the iPhone 14 Pro Max to the 15 Pro Max. Side-by-side, they look an awful lot like the same phone. The one thing that stood out was how shiny and clean the 15 looked.
You don’t have to shell out a lot of money — jump into the settings and use a little elbow grease to make your current phone sparkle.
Wipe it out
No kidding, one IT genius at Komando HQ wipes his phone once a year. It seems like a pain (and it is a bit), but it can keep yours running fast and smooth. Think about it — there’s so much less junk piled up if you clear it all out regularly.
Be sure to back your phone up first, then a factory reset makes it easy to on-board all your important info.
On iPhone:
- Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
- Select Erase All Content and Settings.
On Samsung:
- Open Settings > General management.
- Swipe to and tap Reset, then Factory data reset > Reset.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm, then tap Delete all.
On Google Pixel:
- Open Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
- To erase all data from your phone’s internal storage, tap Erase all data.
Your texts are an inbox, too
Steps to cleaning smart TVs the right way
It’s nuts how cheap you can get a smart TV these days. Let me rephrase: It’s nuts how much of our data we’re willing to hand over for a cheap TV.
Alas, you still want yours to last. That means you need to do a lot more than dust the screen now and then.
The big mistake you’re making cleaning your TV
Once the TV is on and you’re watching your favorite show, you have something else to contend with: All that tracking. Yes, your TV will likely keep tabs on you and share that data. Tap or click here for the steps you can take to stop the privacy invasion.
Too many cables and cords? Use this simple trick to tell them apart
People are constantly upgrading to the latest and greatest tech. Whether you have a new smartwatch or tablet, plenty of pro tips will help you become an expert.
I love helping Komando readers get the most out of their tech. Whether it’s helpful hints and special tricks or just helping you find the right tools, I’ve got you covered! Tap or click to browse my recent columns and tech tips.
Running out of outlets? This $9.99 multi-plug outlet extender can turn two outlets into five, plus it gives you four USB ports. It’s also a 1680-joule surge protector! Get it for 50% off right now. I bought two because that’s such a great deal.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Review: This dock turns your iPad into a desktop computer - sort of
As new tablets continue adding features commonly found on traditional computers, you might wonder if you even need that laptop anymore. That depends.
When it comes to portability and overall convenience, you can get by with a tablet — especially since many also let you connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. For power users who prefer a desktop computer over a laptop anyway, then there’s probably not a tablet that’s going to cut it.
5 common VPN issues and how to fix them
VPNs, or virtual private networks, are typically set and forget services that don’t require a lot of troubleshooting. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean there aren’t problems with VPNs you might have to address from time to time.
Shopping guide: Should you buy a laptop or a desktop?
There are tons of different computer options on the market. Open any retail website and you’ll find a slew of different computers to pick from, making it hard to narrow down the choices.
But it’s not just memory options and processors that you have to narrow down. If you want to upgrade your computer, you’ll also have to choose between a laptop or a tower computer. Buying a new laptop? Don’t make these 7 common mistakes.
Tech tip: The best ways to back up your Mac
It might feel like we all have our heads in the cloud when it comes to backing up and sharing data. Mac users store their files in iCloud or Dropbox or through other cloud backup services. But there’s still a need for actual physical backup drives, and you will want one that’s a good match for your Mac.
Only charge your MacBook on this side
If you’ve been using MacBooks for a while, one of the biggest changes you’ve probably noticed is the move from a standard charger to USB-C. Apple has been leaning in this direction for a while, and several new products like the latest iPad Pro and AirPods feature USB-C charging by default.
10 things on sale you need to get yourself after the holidays
Consumers spent a whopping $9.4 billion on Cyber Monday alone last month. Retailers were pushing their best deals, and shoppers took advantage — shelling out 20% more cash than the year before.
Last year’s record-breaking holiday shopping season is long gone, but there are still great deals to be found. In fact, we compile great sales and exclusive discounts year-round. Check out the Komando.com Deals page for the hottest tech and digital deals, including gadgets, gizmos, online courses and more.
4 tips to secure your printer so it can't be hijacked
Since practically every device in our home is connected to the internet, it’s easy to look past security concerns with things like your refrigerator or your printer. But recently, a report has shown that leaving your printer unsecured can leave you vulnerable.