I've already done a post about some popular old wive's tales, so I thought I would go over some of the most popular myths about technology that are completely untrue. Modern technology like laptops and smartphones are a common part of our daily lives, so we're bound to have handfuls of misconceptions flying around. I'm writing this post primarily because too many people seem to be misinformed about certain technology "facts". I can't stand watching people do completely unnecessary things, so let's put some of that to rest.
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5. Macs are immune to viruses
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Let's start with a classic. When comparing Macs to PC's, Mac users will often cite an Apple computer's immunity to viruses as one of its strong points. Now, is this true? Apple sure thought it was, until they found out that is wasn't. Apple used to boast that Macs don't get viruses, but they eventually changed that to "It's built to be safe". This was mainly because of the "Flashback" trojan that affected nearly 600,000 Macs. Clearly, Macs are plenty susceptible to viruses, and this has been true even before the Flashback trojan.
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4. Expensive HDMI cables are better
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You've probably gone to a store, like Best Buy for example, and seen brand-name HDMI cables selling for nearly $80 a piece. Must be worth it, right? No, kill yourself. This is one of the biggest scams in the history of anything. If you've ever bought an HDMI cable for more than $2, consider yourself an epic-scale moron. The $1.50 HDMI cables on Amazon are the exact same quality as the $80 ones at Best Buy. They trick you with fancy words like "gold-copper coated", but this is all nonsense. The cheapest cables have been compared to the most expensive numerous times, and the results have always shown that the difference is negligible. Remember this the next time you're about to waste ridiculous amounts of money.
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3. Keeping your laptop on your lap will kill sperm
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This ones pretty silly, but people will occasionally tell you that keeping a hot laptop on your lap will make you sterile. Makes sense right? I mean, it's so close to your central situation. There has even been research done about this particular myth, with some rather inconclusive results. Current knowledge will tell us that this myth is unsubstantiated and currently undetermined. Researchers found that the main worry, which is the radio frequency coming from a laptop's Wi-Fi, has no effect on sperm whatsoever. Until they find more solid evidence, consider this myth a non-factor in your life.
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2. Fully drain your battery to make it last longer
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This is one of the many battery myths out there. The myth goes that every battery has a certain number of "cycles", so the proper way to keep it in good condition is to drain the battery all the way down before recharging. While this technique has its roots in truth, it simply isn't true anymore. This technique was meant for older batteries like nickel-cadmium batteries. At this point in time, almost every modern device has a lithium-ion battery, which has been around for so long that I'll bet many of you have never even used a device with any other type of battery.
Lithium-ion batteries can be used and charged whenever you feel like, and its been noted that fully draining your battery can actually put a strain on it. This means that it's actually bad for its overall performance.
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1. Keeping your device plugged in overnight will kill its battery
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And finally, here's the reason I made this post. I constantly deal with people who warn me about overcharging my laptop or phone. It's especially frustrating for me because I know that overcharging is not a thing anymore, and nobody wants to believe that.
The truth behind this myth is the exact same as the previous myth: it used to be true for older batteries but it's irrelevant now. Lithium-ion batteries are designed to cut off any additional charge once it's fully charged. "Overcharging" does not exist, and it hasn't been a worry for years. Please help stop the misinformation and keep your laptop plugged in whenever you feel like. I've been doing this for years and my devices have lasted just as long as they should.
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