5 Tech Myths Busted

From phone batteries to private web browsing, tech writer Jade Brennan sorts fact from fiction

The days of dial-up internet are long gone and studies show that the average person now checks their smartphone 150 times a day. in fact, for many, their phone is the first thing they look at when they wake up, and the last before they go to bed. But in a world of ever-changing tech, how do you know what’s fact, and what’s fiction? We tackle the most common myths...

The Myth: YOU SHOULD LET YOUR PHONE’S BATTERY DRAIN COMPLETELY BEFORE CHARGING IT.

This was true when cellphones first came out (remember the brick-sized phones that only needed to be charged once a week?). Batteries were made from nickelcadmium, which needed to be fully discharged to 0% before being charged again. These days, phones have lithiumion batteries which are much lighter in weight, and don’t need to be completely discharged either. What does matter is the cycle count, which is the number of full charges a phone can go through. Charging from 0% counts as a full cycle, while 50% is half a cycle. Most phones are designed to last for around 400 cycles; to make the battery last longer charge it when it’s between 40 to 70% so you get a ‘full charge’ on half a cycle.