Five tech myths that you can stop believing!

Today's tech gadgets come with a lot of myths and outdated advice and some even have a grain of truth to them. Most people will be surprised by at least one of these so don't be embarrassed if you have been doing some of these things religiously. Even techies have their superstitions.

Most people will be surprised by at least one of these myths.

You should drain the battery in your mobile device all the way before recharging.
While this was true with the old Ni-Cad batteries very few of those still exist today. Most mobile device in use today have Lithium Ion, (Li-ion) batteries and they do not have the “memory” problem like the old Ni-Cad batteries did. You have “x” number of “fill-ups” on your Li-ion battery and that is all. After that it is used up. If you drain the battery half way and then charge it back up two times that counts as one “fill-up”.

Do not leave your device plugged in because it will overcharge the battery.
Not true! Li-ion batteries have controller circuitry built in that controls charging and discharging. This circuitry prevents overcharging. So as they say on TV, “plug it in, plug it in”. My mobile devices are plugged in when they are not in my pocket or in the backpack.

Also Li-ion batteries begin to degrade as soon as they are manufactured whether you use them or not. After a few years what used to power the device for say six hours may only provide four hours of operation. Sorry, but that is just “the facts of life” for Li-ion batteries.

Mac computers can't get viruses.
Yes they can, and do! Apple used to claim that their computers were less susceptible to viruses. They quickly changed their tune in 2012 when tens of thousands of Apple computers were infected by a Trojan. UNIX, Windows, clients, servers and even Android computers can get viruses. Keeping a good antivirus and making sure it is up to date is important for everybody.

Eventually facts outweigh myths!

Private or Incognito browsing keeps you anonymous.
No it just means that the browser won't keep track of your history. The browser won't automatically log you into your accounts or import your bookmarks either. It will keep other people who use that computer from seeing were you have been going on line. It might even help you avoid some of those annoying stupid ads. It will not keep your identity hidden from your ISP or the sites that you visit. Remember that if you are visiting any of those “shady lady” sites or other “dark web” hangouts.

Magnets can erase all the data on your computer.
Technically that is correct. Way back in ancient times you could wipe a floppy disc with a powerful magnet. But to damage the hard drive in a modern computer you are going to need an incredibly powerful magnet with a highly focused magnetic field. A refrigerator magnet just isn't going to do it.

And remember always back it up!

Go back to the top