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In the era of smartphones, wearables, laptops, and electric vehicles, our daily lives are profoundly dependent on battery power, particularly lithium-ion batteries. Despite progress in battery innovation, numerous misconceptions about battery charging continue to circulate. Here are four widespread myths that you should discard:

1. **New batteries must be charged to 100% prior to initial use**: This misconception originated from the era of nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries, which experienced a “memory effect” that could diminish their capacity. However, lithium-ion batteries do not suffer from this problem, so there is no requirement to charge them to 100% before the first use.

2. **Charging your phone to 100% will harm your battery**: While it is accurate that leaving your phone plugged in after it reaches 100% can generate stress due to trickle charging, lithium-ion batteries are not impacted by the memory effect. Features like optimized charging assist in reducing possible damage by completing the last 20% just before you awaken.

3. **You must fully discharge your battery before recharging**: This belief also arises from the memory effect of older Ni-Cd batteries. For lithium-ion batteries, it’s preferable to prevent complete discharges, as each complete cycle from 0% to 100% contributes to the battery’s lifespan. Charging within 20% to 80% can enhance the battery’s longevity.

4. **You need to use the official charger from the manufacturer of your phone**: While utilizing the official charger guarantees compatibility, third-party chargers can be safely used if they align with the device’s power requirements. Confirm that the voltage and fast-charging protocols are compatible to prevent potential harm.

Comprehending these myths can assist you in preserving your device’s battery health and making well-informed choices regarding charging habits.

activate your mobile hotspot on your phone, particularly if you use Android.

laptop you are utilizing without a battery. Since unexpected system shutdowns can result in harm to both your hardware and software, a UPS contains a battery that isn’t abruptly disconnected when power fails. Your computer transitions to this battery during a power interruption without shutting down, allowing it to operate for a limited duration.

A UPS can indeed be beneficial, but is it truly essential to safeguard your PC? For the majority of users, it’s an excellent method to shield against multiple hazards, yet it isn’t an obligatory acquisition. If you reside in an area that seldom experiences power interruptions and typically doesn’t encounter occurrences like brownouts or voltage surges, you can manage perfectly well without a UPS unless you encounter some misfortune with a significant power surge. However, we still advise utilizing a UPS, as the initial investment is far less than replacing your expensive GPU in the unlikely event that power issues actually cause damage.

In addition to providing backup power for a brief duration, certain types of UPS units also offer further advantages. A line-interactive UPS, for instance, has the capability to monitor and regulate the incoming electrical current delivered to your PC. This can protect your hardware from being harmed by “dirty power” situations such as undervoltage or power spikes, even in the absence of a blackout.

knowing the type of USB port you possess. It is hoped that a focused article explaining why many USB-A ports feature color coding and the lack of it in most USB-C ports will assist in embedding this information in your memory.

The brief overview is that USB-A ports are predominantly color-coded to indicate the version of USB they accommodate. One might then infer, particularly given its straightforward, reversible design, that USB-C does not need color coding due to some overarching, standardized features. Regrettably, the contrary is true: USB-C is devoid of color coding because there are an excessive number of variables to conveniently signify with a single hue.

a phone case that is sturdy and phone coverage like AppleCare+ are evident methods to safeguard your device, but it’s crucial to consider options that may be somewhat easy to miss when aiming to reduce phone damage. In particular, it’s essential to recognize the kinds of environments and places where you should never place your phone.

The way and location in which you keep your phone can significantly influence both the functionality and longevity of your device, as well as your personal health. Beyond protection from physical harm caused by moisture and impacts, you should also store and charge your phone in a way that shields it from environmental hazards, and ensure that you aren’t holding the phone too close to your body for extended periods. While discovering areas to avoid for storing your phone, you might also consider exploring other practices and actions you should refrain from, which can enhance your phone’s performance and safety.

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earbuds such as Apple’s AirPods frequently appear in public, as numerous smartphone users depend on these gadgets to enjoy their favorite content and communicate via phone while they are out and about. Some individuals might keep their headphones on all day, even when they’re not listening to music, to the extent that they may forget to remove them when necessary.

One instance is TSA checkpoints, where some headphone users may neglect to take off their devices while getting ready for the security check and passing through the checkpoint, though this is not the correct protocol. Instead of keeping the headphones on while navigating the TSA checkpoint, users ought to place them in the bin along with their other items for inspection. The lone exception involves individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, who might continue using their hearing aids while moving through the checkpoint. However, even in such cases, extra screening might be required.

The TSA permits travelers to carry headphones onto planes, whether in carry-on luggage or checked bags. Most individuals will likely wish to use the headphones during the flight, so they should have them available, either on their person or in their carry-on. Although TSA guidelines affirm a traveler’s right to bring these devices, the decision on whether the device can pass through the checkpoint rests with the TSA officer. The guidelines do not specify if users must place their headphones in the bin while passing through security, but TSA agents may direct them to do so. If a user is permitted to go through the checkpoint wearing headphones, the metallic parts within the device may trigger an alarm, potentially resulting in extra screening.

removed the USB drive without properly ejecting it, the data might become corrupted or potentially lost forever since it was still in memory cache. By safely removing it, the operating system performed some maintenance tasks, like clearing the cache to finish any outstanding write operations before disconnecting the device. 

However, this has turned into a misconception as Windows users are not required to do so any longer. With the introduction of Windows 10 version 1809 in November 2018, Microsoft incorporated a function known as “Quick removal” and set it as the default external storage removal policy. Windows no longer utilizes memory to cache disk write operations, generally allowing external drives to be removed at any moment without adhering to the safe ejection procedure. Nonetheless, “Quick removal” does not entirely eradicate the necessity for safe removal. There are certain situations in which it is still essential to use it.

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Health and fitness wearables are currently enjoying a revival, exemplified by devices such as the Oura Ring and smartwatches. Specifically, the Oura is a stylish, lightweight smart ring that can monitor a variety of health metrics, including sleep, heart rate, and temperature. With its vast array of advanced functions, it can sometimes be difficult to understand what each of the different indicators signifies — including a red light.

A red light on a health monitoring device might be concerning, but there’s no need for alarm: If you have the Oura Ring 4, one of our top picks for smart rings, and it shows a red light, it simply indicates that it’s actively analyzing your blood oxygen levels (SpO2) while you sleep. The sensor monitors fluctuations in these levels, which can be crucial indicators of your overall health. Ideally, most individuals should have a blood oxygen saturation level between 95% and 100%; readings significantly below this range may suggest a possible concern. Note that this functionality isn’t available on Gen2 or older versions of the Oura Ring.

How the Oura Ring measures blood oxygen levels

While you sleep, the Oura Ring emits pulses of red and infrared light through its LEDs into your finger. Blood that is rich in oxygen reflects more red light than infrared light; conversely, lower blood oxygen levels lead to more infrared light being reflected. The ring captures this information and presents it in the Oura app. You can locate it on the Sleep screen, but make sure that your Oura Ring’s sleep tracking feature is functioning properly first.

You can view your Average Blood Oxygen score, representing the percentage of oxygen in your blood over a three-hour sleep period, along with a graph depicting your Breathing Regularity. This shows any fluctuations in blood oxygen levels over time and is distinct from respiratory rate, which is measured in breaths per minute.

Typically, the red LEDs will not activate during daytime, though they may light up whenever the ring detects sleep. If you’re in a relaxed state with low heart rate, BPM, and little movement, the Oura ring could interpret this as you having fallen asleep and start measuring your SpO2.

How to enable Oura’s blood oxygen sensing functions

To track Breathing Regularity and Average Blood Oxygen, you must manually enable these features before the Oura ring will commence measuring while you sleep. To do this, access the hamburger menu in the Oura App and select Blood Oxygen Sensing, then press the button to toggle it on. For activation, your ring needs to be connected to the app via Bluetooth. The next time you sleep for over three hours, your scores should appear on the app’s Sleep screen.

Breathing Regularity is displayed in the app as a color-coded timeline, with an optimal rating indicating no significant fluctuations. A good rating appears as dark blue vertical lines, while a fair rating is seen in light blue. Frequent fluctuations in your blood oxygen levels, represented by white lines, could indicate a problem with your breathing or oxygen levels, so be sure to pay special attention in those instances. There are also tips available for enhancing your breathing regularity, which can be accessed by tapping the information icon.