6 ways you're wasting money on tech (and some handy freebies)
Amazing new technology comes out all the time. It’s always better, smaller, faster or smarter. But is it worth the money?
If you believe all the ads and hype, life would be difficult without the newest “fill in the blank.” Tech companies make a killing on accessories, too. Buy a new phone and you need a case. Your tablet wouldn’t be the same without a keyboard and cover. Might as well get another battery charger while you’re at it. And it seems like Amazon wants to upsell you a warranty on anything you put in your cart.
Well, most of us don’t have a lot of extra money right now, so it’s important to know what’s legit and worth and the money. Let’s start with the not-so-exciting but important topic because all tech needs them — cables.
1. Is it time for new cables?
Phone charging cables
It never fails — your phone will always run out of power at exactly the wrong time. And if your phone charger is on the fritz, even worse.
When it’s time to buy a new charging cord, remember: They are not all created equal. The cheapest cords have been known to cause gadgets to overheat and are potential fire hazards, but you also don’t want to shell out more money than necessary. Tap or click here to learn more about the dangers of generic phone chargers.
You can get reliable charging cables for under $15. There are just a couple of things you need to remember when picking them out.
If you have an Apple gadget, look for MFi cables. That stands for Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod and means the charger is certified by Apple. This is important because MFi-certified cables are built with a chip inside that regulates the amount of current being delivered to the battery.
The cheaper cables don’t regulate the current, which is why overheating and fires are hazards. With MFi cables, you don’t have to worry about your safety.
For Android, you want to make sure any charger you use is compliant with USB-C specifications. Cables that are in compliance prevent the device from drawing too much power from a computer’s USB port when charging, which could cause damage.
Here are a couple of good replacement options from Amazon that are reliable and affordable:
How to freeze your credit for free - and why you should
Good credit equals financial freedom. It allows you to purchase assets like a car or home. What does a poor credit rating get you? A borrowed vehicle and a sleeping area in mom and dad’s basement.
One way to avoid bad credit is to be financially responsible and watch your credit reports. When you review your reports, pay attention to late payments, accounts in collections and defaults on loans that can wreak havoc on your credit score. Other detrimental entries include bankruptcy or a data breach.
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5 essential steps to protect yourself from hackers and online criminals
Only you can safeguard your own device. You have plenty of tools at your disposal, but unless you use them, you will lose this battle. To help you protect yourself from viruses, phishing, malware, and ransomware, here are five tactics that will bolster your defenses and keep the invaders at bay.
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Use this one trick to protect yourself as data breaches hit all-time high
Every week seems to bring news of corporate data breaches that are putting millions of Americans’ information in peril. The year isn’t even over, but 2019 is shaping up to be the worst in terms of data breaches. We’ll look at how 2019 is measuring up to 2018 and what have been the most egregious hacks so far.
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Urgent! Update to iOS 12.2 now – It has 50-plus critical security patches
If you’re an Apple fan, it’s an exciting time. Earlier this week, the company held another reveal event. But this time, it didn’t focus on all of its new shiny gadgets.
Instead, we learned about a bunch of new services. AppleTV+, Apple News, Apple Arcade, and there’s even a new Apple credit card in the works.
How to make money selling your photos online
There are many amazing views in the world that make for spectacular photos. Whether you’re on vacation and capturing a beautiful sunset or just out on a local hiking trail, the opportunity to take some great pictures is out there.
Apps known to track you and steal your data
Have you ever had an app ask you to access your phone’s location? Of course you have, we all have. How about those apps that want access to your smartphone camera and contact list?
If you think about why they do this, it might creep you out. In this Komando on Demand podcast, you’ll learn the dirty secrets that some app developers don’t want you to know.
Find nearly anyone online
Do you want to connect with old friends? Perhaps a long-lost classmate from your childhood or a former neighbor or co-worker who moved on years ago.
Whatever the reason you wish to track down an old acquaintance, searching on Google or Facebook might not always bring up the best results you want. But I found a cool website that could be a better way for you to find people online.