cable Archives - Komando.com

5 ways you’re ruining your expensive phone, laptop, tablet and TV

Our devices are significant investments. You need to treat your tech well to get your money’s worth. Regular maintenance is one way to stay ahead of the game. Tap or click for six checkups to avoid a hefty repair bill.

Based on calls to my show, emails and questions posted on my website’s tech support forum, here are five common mistakes that could cost you.

1. You’re charging too much

Do you keep your phone plugged in all the time? Apple says that when your iPhone “remain(s) at full charge for prolonged periods of time, battery health can be affected.”

Android phone manufacturers, including Samsung, say the same. “Do not leave your phone connected to the charger for long periods of time or overnight.” Huawei says, “Keeping your battery level as close to the middle (30% to 70%) as possible can effectively prolong the battery life.”

The official word is to keep your phone charged — but not fully charged. Get in the habit of unplugging your tech after it is fully charged.

More tech smarts: Tap or click for tricks to keep your phone battery in tip-top shape.

2. You wait too long to charge your laptop

Laptop batteries have a finite number of charge-discharge cycles. If you frequently let your battery entirely run out of juice, it affects the charge-discharge cycle and diminishes its intended lifespan.

Your laptop battery can also lose efficiency in another way. Let’s say you regularly charge your laptop from 30% to 50%, or about 20% each time. Well, do that five times and you’ll have completed one battery cycle because you’ve charged your laptop 100% in total.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your battery charged to at least 40% most of the time. Tap or click here to check your laptop’s battery health.

3. You go with the cheapest option

Continue reading →

Streaming costs are higher than ever - Take steps to save now

I think we’re all wondering the same thing. Am I really saving any money since I ditched cable for streaming? And about those commercials … they’ve come to streaming, too.

Just this week, Disney+ and Hulu said that come October, prices will increase. Ad-free Disney+ is going from $11 to $14 — ad-free Hulu from $14 to $18. You could pay less to watch some ads, but … they’re annoying.

Continue reading →

Solutions for hiding ugly cables and more

You see ‘em and you want ‘em gone. Your wish has come true!

Cover that wall outlet with this smooth, flat panel, which comes with an attached extension cord. Just plug and go for 23% off.
This handy box organizes unsightly wires. Put your extension cord inside and voila! It’s 17% off right now.
Clamp this cable tray to the bottom of your desk, and say goodbye to crawling underneath to plug in and unplug your cords. Plus, it’s 20% off!
Get rid of that unsightly grease stain you’ve been staring at on the floor. This industrial cleaner wipes out heavy dirt, grease, food and other stains on lots of different surfaces, and it’s 49% off.
Stop staring at the TV (cords). This wall cord hider is on sale for $9.99 and conceals all those wires to your wall.

Cleanup time: Look around. Do you see USB or other charging cables starting to fray? Toss them. You’re just asking for trouble — specifically, a fire. The Apple Lightning cable and Amazon Basics USB-C cable are both solid options.

Watch free movies on YouTube (legally)

00:00

–:–

Remember when ditching the cable saved you money? Here’s how to stream top hits for free.

📺 Like cable … but different: Comcast’s new Xfinity StreamSaver bundle gets you Netflix, Apple TV+ and Peacock Premium for $15 a month. Before you get too excited, it’s the basic versions of Netflix and Peacock — in other words, lots of ads. But if you’re already on the basic plans, it’s a $10 monthly savings.

How many minutes of ads are shown per hour of traditional TV? Is it … A.) 8 minutes, B.) 10 minutes, C.) 12 minutes or D.) 14 minutes?

→

Money-saving secret your cable and internet provider doesn't want you to know

When you’re driving, spotty cell coverage is a drag. Music, GPS, and calls just won’t go through. Here’s a quick guide to boosting your service no matter where the road takes you.

What about a travel pro tip if you prefer to fly to your destination? You can see which flights include the most legroom with the right tools. I tell all my tall friends about this trick. Tap or click here for the secret — it’s No. 5 on the list.

Continue reading →

10 Roku app tricks to get the most out of your streaming services

When it comes to streaming services, you’re spoiled for choice: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Hulu, Apple TV, and Disney+ are just some of the more popular ones.

Do you mostly watch network TV shows? Are you a big sports fan? If you answered yes to those questions, you might want to consider switching back to cable. It could even end up costing you less in the long run. Tap or click here for our report.

Continue reading →

Organization on sale!

You already have cumin. Organize your spices with a slip-proof stand that’s easy to clean.
Brooms, rakes and shovels, oh, my! Keep them tidy with a tool tower rack, now 24% off.
Stop buying cream of mushroom soup! You have 11 cans already. See ‘em all with a stackable can rack that’s 28% off.
Manage cords and cables on your desk and even in your car with these cable clips. A 16-pack is under $7 right now.
Keep your cleansers, soaps, sponges or whatever organized under the sink with heavy-duty metal shelves, now 20% off!

⏸️ Cheapskate pro tip: You can pause your internet and/or cable package if you’re going to be out of town for a while. So much better than paying full price. Get steps for your provider here. Bonus: You don’t need to turn in your cable boxes.

💸 Cable confessions: The FCC is cracking down on cable and satellite companies. Say goodbye to hidden fees in your bill — now, they must tell you the total cost upfront. Goodbye forever, “broadcast subscription” and “regional sports assessments” fine print. Check your cable bill for any refunds.

Why you can no longer cut the cable to save money

00:00

–:–

Streaming services are upping their prices big time — it’s all adding up. Here’s the real cost of ditching the cord.

How to get a hotel room cheaper than the best price online

Here’s my spending philosophy: If you can get something cheaper, it’s worth a little effort. Of course, I like tools that do the hard work for me. Tap or click for an online shopping helper to find discounts that work.

Continue reading →

Money tip: 5 bills you should never put on autopay

It’s not always possible to buy something you need (or want) outright. If the price is high, you can pay in installments, which may or may not involve a down payment. This payment plan is typical for large purchases like houses and cars.

Continue reading →

America's plan to ban TikTok, Ring Doorbell's nasty legal loophole & save $ on your internet bill

00:00

–:–

Plus, AI chatbots are here to take over the workforce. Here’s my take on why it’s not such a great idea. Why spend taxpayer dollars on cable when there’s Starlink satellites already here? I also have the reason why the world still uses floppy disks, how to cool down your laptop when it overheats (pro tip: not in the freezer), the clever way to see who gets your email and surveys that can make you a ton of cash.

Tax dollars wasted on broadband services

00:00

–:–

Why waste taxpayer dollars on cable when satellite’s available? Here’s my take on why it’s time to switch, in 60 seconds.

Free stuff you get with your cable subscription

Here at Komando HQ, we’ve written a lot of guides about cutting the cord. Here’s a five-step plan you can follow to ditch cable and start streaming. But sticking to cable has its upsides.

In fact, some cable packages include free streaming subscriptions, which means you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, it can be time-consuming to research all the cable TV perks out there.

Continue reading →

Tidy your tech: Best cable organization and cord management options

Everyone seems to own laptops, smartphones, desktop computers, Internet of Things devices and so much more. It’s great to be connected, but what isn’t great is all those tangled cords.

Thankfully, there are tons of organizing tools to choose from. Whether you want to hide those cables swinging from your TV or move the wires out of your way on your computer desk, we’ve got the right organizers for you.

Continue reading →

$1M LinkedIn romance scam, NASA mission, scam texts

00:00

–:–

NASA’s Earth-saving mission, the FTC’s plan to crack down on scam texts, and how to watch sports without cable. Plus, Allie and Matt talk with friend of the show and cybersecurity expert Ricoh Danielson about a wild LinkedIn scam that ended with a high-stakes negotiation.