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10 things you shouldn’t be doing with your device

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The worst thing to do is to tap your screen vigorously and aggressively. (Image Source: Androidapp.com)

We have all experienced it… One day your device works perfectly and the next you encounter issue upon issue. Maybe your smartphone’s touchscreen won’t respond to your delicate touch… or your PlayStation 4 won’t recognise the disk of a game that you constantly play. These things happen; however, we tend to get frustrated and on the rare occasion throw a device across the room.

This happens often and we generally regret abusing technology once all is said and done. Tech failing can be an irritant; however, further damaging or altering your device may result in the warranty being voided or result in further damage, which will essentially cost you a pretty penny as you will have to replace the device out of your own pocket.


Here is a brief guide on what you shouldn’t be doing with your device when it fails, or during general use.

1. Opening it
If a device is still under warranty never open it up in order to see what the issue is. Even if you are trained technician, you are better off sending the device back to where you purchased it from. Chances are they will swop it out for a new or refurbished unit.

2. Taking it to a side of the road repair shop
Chances are it has crossed your mind to take a quick stroll down the road to your local repair shop. However, while these shops are genuinely pretty decent, you may just lose your warranty. As stated above, always take your device back to where you purchased it from.

3. Pressing too hard on the screen
Every second smartphone either comes out as a full touchscreen device or as a device with both touch and manual input keys. While most phones work flawlessly when it comes to touch, unfortunately there are a few occasions where your device may not react to your golden touch. The best thing to do is to wipe your screen down as well as reset your device.

The worst thing to do is to tap and swipe vigorously and aggressively… because, chances are you may end up cracking or damaging the screen on your device.

4. Throwing, kicking or smashing a device
Whether it is a mobile phone, tablet device, gaming console or even a set-top box chances are you can recover the data that is stored on the internal storage device. These device are extremely sensitive and a hard enough knock may just potentially damage the storage device and other key components, which will ultimately result in the owner losing photographs, videos and other treasured data.

5. Taking it to the shower room
Most repair centres may charge you for water damage caused to a device. Whilst liquid is essentially a killer when it comes to electronic devices, steam can be too. Like a mass majority of the population, we all listen to music while showering; however, we tend to forget that steam created whilst showering is essentially water vapour. This vapour can often work its way into your devices and start causing irreparable damage.

If you are however insistent on listening to music whilst showering, there are ways to prevent your device from failing. You can either cover it with a towel, or even store it in the pocket of the pants you intend to wear. This will prevent the device from coming into contact with any form of liquid or vapour.

6. Charging it incorrectly
Over time the battery on your device tends to become weaker, this is natural as they were not entirely designed to last forever. While some owners get great life out there devices, others do not. This is due to the fact that we are so connected to our mobile devices that we tend to constantly have them on charge. In order to get the most out of your device it is generally beneficial to let your device’s battery deplete fully before charging it up once again.

When a battery fails it is best not to fiddle around with it. Additionally, you may try figure out ways to bring the battery to working capacity once again. While there are ways to do this, you are better off purchasing a new battery. Temporary fixes may cause the battery to explode as well as cause damage to the device itself.

7. Using unofficial software
You have had your device for quite a while; however, a friend mentions they can organise you free applications or games. A few months down the line your device’s software crashes and you are left with what is essentially a rather pricey, yet attractive, brick. Most applications are free today, but there are a few that need to be paid for. There is no reason to risk damaging your device by installing unofficial software on it in order to download apps for free. There are quite honestly thousands of apps on each app store that can be installed on a device at no charge.

8. Using unofficial hardware
These days you may find yourself paying a high price just to replace the power supply or different components for an electrical device. Chances are you may even settle for a cheaper generic version of the power supply or components that you need. While saving money is always a priority, unfortunately some devices don’t play well with unofficial products.

Devices are extremely sensitive and require the exact amount of power needed in order to function properly. Push too much power into a device and it may end up overloading it and the device will fail… push too little power into a device and it may end up malfunctioning as well. While official hardware can be pricey, you are better off using original products rather than risking damaging your device further.

9. Customising hardware
We all want unique looking devices; however, there is a slight risk. While customising your smartphone or console may not void your warranty the process of customising said item could. Always be sure to seal your device up before doing anything to it. A drop of paint could cause an electrical failure, which would technically be considered as water damage.

10. Alternative use
Consoles are made to play games just like smartphones are made to make calls. Granted these devices feature an array of software and hardware in order to do other things, but these are covered by your warranty. Alternative use would be using the device for something other than its intended purpose. For instance, using a device to hold a door open, or essentially using it to transmit illegal data.

Each device has been made to function in a specific way. Using it to perform anything other than what it is intended to do may result in your warranty being voided, or in extreme cases, criminal charges.

As an added extra, there is a major difference between waterproof and water resistant devices. Water resistant means it can resist different forms of liquid for a short period of time. Water proof means the device can withstand large amounts of water for longer periods of time. Always be sure to check that your device is either water proof or water resistant before showcasing this feature to your friends of work colleagues.

Darryl Linington

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