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Batteries

How Lithium-ion Batteries Work

Lithium-ion batteries power the lives of millions of people each day. From laptops and cell phones to hybrids and electric cars, this technology is growing in popularity due to its light weight, high energy density, and ability to recharge.

So how does it work?

THE BASICS

A battery is made up of an anode, cathode, separator, electrolyte, and two current collectors (positive and negative). The anode and cathode store the lithium. The electrolyte carries positively charged lithium ions from the anode to the cathode and vice versa through the separator. The movement of the lithium ions creates free electrons in the anode which creates a charge at the positive current collector. The electrical current then flows from the current collector through a device being powered (cell phone, computer, etc.) to the negative current collector. The separator blocks the flow of electrons inside the battery.

CHARGE/DISCHARGE

While the battery is discharging and providing an electric current, the anode releases lithium ions to the cathode, generating a flow of electrons from one side to the other. When plugging in the device, the opposite happens: Lithium ions are released by the cathode and received by the anode.

ENERGY DENSITY VS. POWER DENSITY

The two most common concepts associated with batteries are energy density and power density. Energy density is measured in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and is the amount of energy the battery can store with respect to its mass. Power density is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg) and is the amount of power that can be generated by the battery with respect to its mass. To draw a clearer picture, think of draining a pool. Energy density is similar to the size of the pool, while power density is comparable to draining the pool as quickly as possible.

Advantages of Lithium-ion Battery

Now a days Lithium-ion batteries are popular because they have a number of important advantages over competing technologies:

  • Generally, they are much lighter than other types of rechargeable batteries of the same size. They hold their charge. 
  • They hold their charge. A lithium-ion battery pack loses only about 5 percent of its charge per month.
  • High specific energy and high load capabilities with Power Cells.
  • Long cycle and extend shelf-life; maintenance-free. They can handle hundreds of charge/discharge cycles.
  • High capacity, low internal resistance, good coulombic efficiency.
  • Simple charge algorithm and reasonably short charge times.
  • Low self-discharge (less than half that of NiCd and NiMH).

Limitations of Lithium-ion Battery

  • Requires protection circuit to prevent thermal runaway if stressed
  • Degrades at high temperature and when stored at high voltage
  • No rapid charge possible at freezing temperatures (<0°C, <32°F).
  • Transportation regulations required when shipping in larger quantities.
  • They are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. Heat causes lithium-ion battery packs to degrade much faster than they normally would..
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News

Google might stick a custom Tensor chip in the Pixel Watch 5

Google’s Pixel Watch 5 might get a custom Tensor chip, giving up on Qualcomm as a supplier. This makes sense since Google is also using Tensor chips for its Pixel smartphones, but interestingly the switch will only happen in 2026, so the Pixel Watch 4 will presumably still use a Qualcomm SoC.

That said, the roadmap document that this leak is based on is itself from early 2023, which means a lot could have changed from then and up until now, keep that in mind.

The rumor comes courtesy of Android Authority, which cites leaked documents from Google’s gChips division. According to the leaked plans, the wearable Tensor chip, codenamed NPT, sports a core configuration of an ARM Cortex A78 and two Arm Cortex A55s. These are older CPU cores, but that’s a fairly typical move with wearable processors. Other than that, details are scant and it’s currently unknown which process node technology the planned wearable Tensor chip might have.

Chips aren’t usually as heavy a focus for smartwatches as they are for smartphones. So long as performance is snappy, smartwatch makers tend to focus on ways to prolong battery life without sacrificing smart features. But this is a potentially interesting development given that chip stagnation has historically been a huge obstacle for Android smartwatches.

Both Samsung and Qualcomm use older cores in their smartwatch chips – the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 has Cortex-A53 cores (which launched in 2012), while the Exynos W1000 has one Cortex-A78 and four Cortex-A55, thus being the most similar to Google’s intended design. That makes us think this wearable Tensor might just be a tweaked Samsung chip – in the same way as all of the smartphone Tensor chips so far have been.

What isn’t known is what process technology this new Tensor chip will use, but it could be 3nm. Another unknown is the modem that will be used.We’ll have to see how things shake out, hopefully this is a sign that it can keep it going.

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News

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Leak New Model

Samsung recently launched theSamsung GalaxyZ Fold Special Edition, exclusively in South Korea. And now, the company is gearing up to expand its foldable lineup as the reports that say that Samsung is working on two models by codenames “Q7” and “Q7M”. These recent leaks hint that company is developing two variants of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7.

Galaxy Club claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is likely to be released next summer, has been codenamed “Q7”, while the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has been given the working title of “B7”. But there is a codename for one more unknown device: “Q7M”.

Galaxy Club doesn’t have any more details about the mysterious device, but the name suggests that it is a variant of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung has repeatedly demoed different foldable concepts at tradeshows over the years, recently showing off rollable displays, slide-out screens and laptops that double as giant tablets.

In an interview with TM Roh, Samsung’s head of mobile hinted to CNBC that the company is working on new foldable shapes. “At the time when the hardware completeness and software and content integrity, the ecosystem comes to full maturity, we’ll be forced to introduce very satisfying and very almost perfect foldable new form factors in new product categories” Roh said.

Rumors suggest that Samsung has developed a tri-fold smartphone (a device that can be folded twice) to compete with Huawei’s Mate XT. According to ZDNet Korea, the device has been developed and it is ready to be mass-produced, but the company hasn’t made a decision on whether it will be released.

The Q7M codename may represent Samsung’s first tri-fold phone, but the recent release of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE seems a more likely explanation. Samsung has released an updated version of the Fold 6 with an improved 200MP camera, a bigger screen, 16GB of RAM and a lighter, slimmer design. This “special edition” phone is only available in China and South Korea.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE release in select markets could be a test run for the long-rumored Ultra Fold variant. Galaxy Fold fans have long called for a bigger screen and a camera that competes with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The QM7 could be the device that gives fans what they want, while introducing a new product into Samsung’s line-up without taking a big gamble on a tri-folding phone.

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Guide

Should You Charge Your Phone Overnight?

There are a lot of questions about mobile phone batteries. Should you leave your phone plugged in overnight? Is it bad for the phone? Is it even safe?

In fact, how much should you charge your phone? When’s the right time to plug in? Should you let it run down to zero every time? Should you charge it up to 100%? How do you get the longest life out of the battery inside a phone? Does it even matter, if you’re going to keep the handset around for just a couple of years and then upgrade?

Longer update pledges mean that battery health is a big deal for modern smartphones, and manufacturers are starting to take note. We already have features like Adaptive Charging, but Android 15 is expected to introduce an optional 80% charging limit in a bid to prolong battery lifespans. This will match a similar feature that Apple already debuted with the iPhone 15.

But doesn’t that number, 80%, seem rather arbitrary? Is there really any point in capping yourself at less than full capacity?

We present to you the myths and truths of iPhone or Android phone charging, in particular regarding whether you should plug you phone in overnight.

Charging My iPhone Overnight Overloads the Battery: False!

One thing all the experts agree on is that most devices are smart enough these days to avoid overloading themselves. Extra protective chips inside make sure that can’t happen in a tablet, a phone, or even alaptop. Once the internal lithium-ion battery hits 100% of its capacity, charging stops.

With older phones, if you leave you phone plugged in overnight, it is going to use a bit of energy by constantly trickling new juice to the battery every time it falls to 99%. That is;eating into your phone’s lifespan .Newer phones and OSes compensate for this; since iOS 13, Apple has shipped phones withOptimized Battery Charging ;turned on, so iPhones will usually not charge past 80% when connected to a charger for an extended period (like, say, overnight). With the latest iPhone 15, you can specifically tell the phone in settings to never go above 80% charge; if it’s on a charger, it won’t even try to recharge until it goes at least to 75%.

The Best Thing to Do

Don’t worry about this too much. Plug the phone in or place it on the wireless charger when you go to sleep. If you wake up in the night, unplug it or move it to prevent constant trickle-charging. You could also plug your phone into asmart plug;that’s on a schedule to turn off.And make sure that the Optimized Battery Charging option is turned on.

Potential Problems With Charging Phones Overnight

Trickle charges can generate some heat. Many experts recommend taking a phone out of the case to charge it overnight. But that’s not always feasible with a complicated protective case.

Battery health has two major arch nemesis: heat and voltage. The former can mostly be controlled by keeping your phone off a hot dashboard, not charging it under your pillow, and using slower charging when you don’t need a quick top-up. Voltage wear, however, can’t be controlled so easily by the user; voltage stress is simply a result of charging a battery.

At the very least, do not stack anything—books or other devices, for instance—on top of a charging device. And for the love of Jobs, do not put your phone under your pillow. Do any of the above, and you can expect the phone to get hot—not necessarily hot enough for spontaneous combustion but enough to damage the battery.

If you’re afraid of fire, some recommend leaving the charging device on a dish or saucer while it’s plugged in or placing it on something metal that is more likely to dissipate heat, the way a heatsink does on the chips inside a PC. That’s not much of an option if you use a wireless charging pad, so don’t sweat it.

I Should Freeze My Phone to Prevent Battery Problems: False!

Lithium-ion batteries hate two things: extreme cold and extreme heat. Repeatedly charging a phone in sub-freezing temps can create a permanent plating of metallic lithium on the battery anode, according to BatteryUniversity. You can’t fix that problem; it’s simply going to kill the battery faster.

Your phone battery is not alone in hating heat; all the internal components of a phone feel the same. Your phone is a computer, and computers and hot air are mortal enemies going back decades. Leave your black-screened phone sitting in the sun as you laze by the pool, but don’t be surprised when it throws a warning that it needs to cool off. Instead, give it some shade. In the summer, keep it off the car dashboard.

Apple specifically says charging iPhones in an environment that’s hotter than 95 degrees F (35 degrees C) does permanent damage to the battery. Expect the same with any modern phone.

The Best Thing(s) Never to Do

Don’t charge a phone when it’s too cold or hot. And don’t put your phone in the freezer.

My Battery Should Always Drop to Zero Power Before I Charge It: False!

Running a phone until it’s dead—a full discharge—is not the way to go with modern lithium-ion batteries. Try not to let it get close to 0%. That wears out a lithium-ion battery faster than normal. Partial discharge is the way to go.

Batteries are on borrowed time from the get-go. The insides are in a constant state of decay that can’t be helped. Over time, the materials inside are simply going to hold less and less power. If you’ve got an older iPhone still in use and wonder why it’s only got a charge for a few hours compared to the almost full day (or two) you got when it was new, that’s why. Capacity diminishes over time.

Drain a phone battery to zero only when you want to recalibrate the internal sensor that displays your phone’s battery level. Success here is hardly guaranteed—in fact, many people don’t think it works at all—but it’s recommended by some, especially with a phone that goes down to 10% (or even 20% or 30%), then abruptly dies.

Note that even when you do use the phone all the way to auto-shutdown, that may not mean the battery is actually at 0%. Leave the phone alone for a few hours, if you want to try recalibrating. Then give it a reset for good measure.

The Best Thing to Do:

Plug the phone in before it asks you to enter a low-power mode; iOS will ask you to turn that on when you hit 20% power. Plug the phone in when it’s between 30% and 40%. If you can’t turn on the Optimized Battery Charging, pull the plug at 80% to 90%; going to full 100% when using a high-voltage charger can put some strain on the battery.

Keep the phone’s battery charged between 30% and 80% to increase its lifespan. Eighty always seems to be the magic number when it comes to lithium-ion batteries.

Apple claims that with fast charging, iPhone batteries can increase 50% in only 30 minutes. That requires a USB-C power adapter, which on older phones in turn means using a special USB-C-to-Lightning cable or a higher-voltage charger such as the one from an iPad or even a MacBook.

Don’t fast-charge your phone if it doesn’t support it. That’s just another thing that’ll strain the battery. But it’s hard to find a phone these days that doesn’t support fast charging. 

But,if you plan to swap out your phone every year or two, charge it any way you want for as often as you want, and don’t worry about diminished capacity. But if you want to stretch out your phone’s useful life, pay attention to best practices for lithium-ion batteries, as described above. Or you could just get a new battery installed every couple of years, which is much cheaper than a brand-new phone. Then hold out for 2028!

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News

Apple prepares to unveil new M4-powered Mac Mini with compact design

When the Mac Mini was first introduced in early 2005, it was pitched as a compact “stripped-down” desktop — and the most affordable Mac in Apple’s lineup. Steve Jobs referred to it as a “BYODKM” system: you’d bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse, and the Mini would provide a dependable computing experience with all the benefits of macOS.

The Mac Mini has carried on ever since. There have been periods where the Mini has been sidelined and ignored by Apple for long stretches of time. But the debut of Apple Silicon gave it a new lease on life. Even if the overall design didn’t change much in the transition from Intel to Apple’s in-house chips, the Mini’s potential soared.

But now, that design is about to change. And if the rumors prove accurate, it’s going to be a radical makeover. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that the M4-powered Mac Mini will shrink in size so significantly that its footprint will resemble that of an Apple TV. The new Mac Mini will be anything but a stripped-down Mac.

Instead, it’ll likely be the most visually impressive example yet of what Apple is capable of in this new era, where the incredible efficiency of its chips allows for all sorts of hardware designs that were technically unfeasible a handful of years ago. 

Gurman has said that the 2024 Mac Mini — at least the M4 Pro variant — will include a total of five USB-C ports, with two on the front of the machine.It’ll still have an HDMI port for those of you who’ve integrated Apple’s smallest Mac into your home theater setups. USB-A is said to be a goner, but… it’s time.

Within the Mac family, the Mini still holds an important spot. The iMac is the visual stunner; the MacBook Pro delivers tremendous power on the go; and the Mac Pro and Mac Studio are both geared at professionals and creatives. But the Mini remains the line’s unassuming overperformer at a compelling price for anyone who wants a Mac that “just works.”

No matter its size, the Mini’s BYODKM remains one of its best attributes. Apple might not be planning a 27-inch iMac, but we’re about to have an astonishingly compact desktop that can be paired with any screen you want. And the software outlook is also excellent: the revamped Mini arrives shortly after macOS Sequoia, which added useful features like iPhone mirroring and (long overdue) window tiling.

As of now, the Studio easily wins out in CPU and GPU performance, and it has other bonuses, like an SD card slot and faster ethernet. I’d expect those advantages to remain true whenever the M4 model arrives.

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News

Google Could Bring Quick Settings Tile Categories to your Android 16

Google released Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 some days ago. It’s not uncommon for QPR betas to contain information about a forthcoming Android release, as Google likes to start working on its software releases pretty early. Similarly, we learned recently that Android 16 could introduce a significantly redesigned Quick Settings panel, which, per recent reporting, could also pick up categories to discover tiles more easily. A follow-up report has revealed that this upcoming Quick Settings revamp could have another big feature addition on the cards — resizable tiles.

To be clear, Quick Settings tiles aren’t resizable by default in the most recent Android 15 QPR1 Beta 3 release, so don’t bother trying to resize them on your Pixel. However, if you enable the in-development Quick Settings panel in Beta 3, then they are resizable. All you have to do to resize them is to tap on any tile while in the editor view and then drag the dot left or right to shrink or expand it. Tiles can be either 1×1 or 2×1 in size, allowing you to fit as little as 8 or as many as 16 tiles in a single page. You can resize any tile, even ones provided by third-party apps, though obviously not every tile will have a useful description when it’s expanded.

Resizing individual Quick Settings tiles will require users to navigate to the editor view via the pencil icon in the bottom right of the panel. From here, just long-press the tile you want to shrink/expand and adjust the size accordingly. 

Rahman warns that since the ability to resize the Quick Settings tiles is still in its infancy, there’s no certainty it will debut with Android 16 next year, as Google may decide to scrap it from the final release. However, the updated Quick Settings panel will probably make the cut, given the amount of work that has gone into it so far.

There’s been plenty of reporting on Android 16 already, including news that Google may release it by the second quarter of 2025.

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Guide

When should you replace your smartphone battery?

If your cell phone can barely make it to lunchtime without a recharge, you may be tempted to buy a new one. But consider springing for a new battery instead.As long as the phone is in good shape—no cracked screen, for instance—replacing the battery can make the device work like brand-new.

Most smartphones come with non-removable batteries, so replacing one has gotten a lot more time-consuming and, in some cases, more expensive. It’s not something you should do on your own unless you have experience repairing phones, as you could make the problem worse. It can be a day-long project where you must disassemble your phone — in newer models, you even have to detach the screen from all of its sensors and wires. Now begs the question, when do you need to replace a phone battery?

How long does an Android phone battery last?

Much like the battery in your car, your Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phone battery will degrade over time. Typically, your phone battery is good for 2 to 3 years, or even longer if you take good care of your device.

Signs your phone battery needs to be replaced

If you’re worried your phone’s battery is damaged or not working at its best, we’ve got you covered. Here are the signs to look out for.

Your phone is slow to respond

Does your phone respond more slowly than it used to? Do apps take longer to launch? If your phone is sluggish—even when it’s mostly or fully charged—you may need a new battery.

Your battery doesn’t hold a charge

If your phone won’t charge to 100%, drains quickly after you’ve charged it, or shuts down unexpectedly on a full charge, it’s probably time to replace the battery.

Likewise, if you have to charge your Android more than once a day or if it only works when it’s plugged in, it’s may be time for a new battery.

Your phone heats up while charging

Are you wondering how to tell if your phone battery is damaged? Check to see whether your phone gets hot while it’s charging. You can also take a look at your phone screen or case to see whether it’s warped: If it is, you may have a swollen battery, which could be dangerous. The safest option is to take your device to a tech repair pro and replace it right away.

How to check your Android phone battery health

Most Android phone models have a battery usage setting where you can check battery health.
Go toSettings > Batteryto check your current battery level.
From there the steps vary by device, but look for an option like Battery Usage to get more information, like which apps are using the most power.

If you’ve tried these steps and still need a little help,get the best batteries for your business and professional needs here atBatteryone.co. Get in touch with us today for all your battery needs. 

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News

Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 forecasted to lag behind Apple and Qualcomm

Now that the most important specifications of the Google Tensor G5 and Tensor G6 have been leaked, Google’s internal performance forecasts reveal how the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro will perform in comparison to rivals from Apple, MediaTek and Qualcomm.

Earlier this week, a source revealed documents,that next year’s Tensor G5 and 2026’s Tensor G6 would be dropping a nanometer and be the first completely designed internally by Google. The new TSMC-built 3nm chips should be both faster and more efficient than the 4nm Samsung-manufactured ones in the Pixel 9 series. This finally helps Google’s chip catch up a little to the Apple A18 processor and Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Google apparently expects that the Tensor G5 of the Pixel 10 series and the Tensor G6 of the Pixel 11 series will not be able to keep up with the flagship chips from MediaTek, Qualcomm and Apple at the time of launch, at least as far as performance in Geekbench is concerned. The exact figures should be viewed as very rough guidelines at best, as it is simply too early for benchmark results from prototypes.

The forecast makes sense in view of the leaked specs, as the Google Tensor G5 is said to be equipped with an ARM Cortex-X4 super core, just like the Tensor G4, meaning that single-thread performance will hardly increase. However, since the new chip has five instead of just three performance cores, which are more modern Cortex-A725 instead of Cortex-A720, it is hardly surprising that the multi-thread performance is expected to increase by around 30%.

The Tensor G6 will ultimately do away with efficiency cores altogether and instead combine a new ARM Cortex-X930 super core with six Cortex-A730 performance cores, which should lead to around 15% higher single-thread performance and around 11% stronger multi-core performance compared to the Tensor G5. If this forecast is anywhere near accurate, customers can look forward to a considerable performance upgrade with the Pixel 10, even if Google cannot catch up with the competition.

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Guide

How to Revive Your Old Computer

Getting the latest and greatest computers doesn’t always make sense today. Unless you’re heavily into software engineering, 4K video editing, or gaming, a 4-5-year-old computers is usually powerful enough to be your daily driver.

Often, people abandon failing computers that could otherwise be revived with a little extra investment in replaceable parts. Old computers, especially when given strategic upgrades, can be effective for low-intensity activities such as web browsing, word processing, presentations, email, etc. A backup machine can also be handy if your primary computer fails. Refurbished or revived computers may also be highly beneficial for families with older or younger members that need a system for email or schoolwork.

 Cleaning Your Old Computer

A good place to start when reviving an older computer is to simply clean it up. Build-up of dust and grime can impede the smooth operation of internal components, such as fans or heatsinks. If you decide to clean your system, you should first turn it off and unplug it. Clean the case, external components, and peripherals with a microfiber cloth, using 70% isopropyl alcohol to 30% distilled water in a spray bottle.

Start cleaning your old keyboard by turning it upside down and shaking out any debris that has accumulated, before proceeding with the alcohol spray. Avoid using a regular cleaning cloth on any exposed components, or anything that might be near one, no matter how dusty, as static can cause irreparable damage to electronic components and if a fiber from the cloth were to snag a component, it could tear it off rendering the system unusable. Use compressed air to clean the interior of your computer’s case, especially PC or laptop fans. Make sure to keep the can upright while cleaning so that you don’t blast the system with refrigerant liquid. While this liquid might not ruin the system, you’ll want to wait for any liquid that came out to evaporate from the system components. Even newly installed components can struggle to perform at their best when their fans are clogged and failing to keep them cool. After you’ve thoroughly cleaned your system and you’ve let any errant liquid spray evaporate, you can plug it back in and attempt to power on. You should also boot it and test that all the existing components are still in working order: fans, memory, storage, motherboard, and peripherals such as speakers, USB ports, optical drives etc.

How to upgrade your computer

Moving parts in any computer are failure prone. Fans and hard disk drives (HDDs) are often the first to fail.Batteries(such as in laptops) are another hazard, as they can chemically or physically break down with age.

Replacing an entire motherboard can be prohibitively complex and pricey, akin to buying a whole new PC as it will probably need all new components. Processors typically aren’t the bottlenecks for basic computing needs and, depending on the age of your PC, it may also not be practical to change the processor for a more contemporary one, as motherboard chipsets are only compatible with certain CPUs generations, which may no longer be available. However, RAM is an easy, relatively inexpensive, and proven upgrade that will boost an old PC or laptop’s performance. Legacy RAM technology tends to remain available longer than components like processors.

Reformatting or replacing storage

As hard drives are often the first component to fail in older computers, the inclination to replace your system’s HDD with an SSD can be a smart option for those seeking to improve an old computer’s performance. However, if you have essential files you would like to preserve, back them up and/or migrate them over to a USB drive or external drive before you reformat or replace the storage.

If you choose not to upgrade or expand your computer’s storage options, it’s a good idea to free up around 20GB of storage space, to facilitate the smooth running of the system. You should also get rid of unwanted apps that might appear during startup but are unnecessary for general system use. These startup apps can significantly slow down your machine, especially if it is old and lacking capable hardware. Any apps that are never or infrequently used can be safely deleted from the system. It is always a good idea to empty the Recycle Bin (or Trash) when you have finished deleting unwanted files.

Reinstall Your Operating System

For security and efficiency, it is wise to update your old computer’s operating system as a stage in its revival. Download patches for Windows and macOS from the Microsoft and Apple websites. macOS upgrades are free, while updating to Windows 10 or 11 from 8 usually costs $139. However, the OS can still be used without paying, it will just have fewer features available.

Systems already running Windows 10 are easy to contemporize, so long as there are no major hardware problems. The best way to update a mothballed computer is to reinstall Windows entirely, which will mean the new installation will be entirely up to date on security and application updates. Microsoft has a guide on how to do this on its website. If you opt not to reinstall your OS, you will need to update your drivers. There is driver update software that can auto scan and update your drivers, which may run into fewer problems than manual attempts to bridge the gap.

Microsoft has a PC Health Check app that can identify if your revived PC is able to run Windows 11. Computers sold after 2017 should have the necessary hardware. Other computers might still have Windows 8 or even 7, both of which are no longer supported by Microsoft and therefore not secure against malware that newer versions of Windows are protected against.

Mac users can easily reinstall macOS by holding Command + R during bootup to enter recovery mode. Here, the newest version of macOS compatible with your Mac will install, including security patches.

If the computer is for a student, installing ChromeOS might be a good option. Chromebooks are commonly used in schools and the ChromeOS Flex has advantages over Windows and macOS for older computers. It’s more intuitive for students who are primarily Chromebook users.

Final thought

This covers the basics.Even with these upgrades a system might struggle with high-intensity tasks such as video and image editing, gaming, and CAD design.But we hope we’ve saved you a few money by letting you keep your old PC around a bit longer. 

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News

7 years of Android updates might become the new norm thanks to Google’s LGRF plan

There has been a quiet shift in the last couple of years with Android devices as new phone updates have been extended. For years, it was risky to keep an Android phone longer than two or three years because it wasn’t guaranteed that it would continue to receive operating system and security updates beyond that.But Google and Samsung are changing that.

Mountain View-based Google was first to officially extend support for its flagships in 2023, announcing that the Pixel 8 series will have seven years of guaranteed Android OS and security updates until October 2030. What was surprising was that Google extended the same support to its mid-range Pixel 8a as well, marking a major change in our expectations of the tech giant.

Samsung followed suit by announcing seven years of OS and security updates for the S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra, with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 gaining the same support.

These changes are part of a long-gestating program created by Google in 2020 called “Google Requirements Freeze” (GRF). That program enables chip makers, like Qualcomm, to support multiple operating system versions on a single SoC, which means that manufacturers do not need to update software for at least three versions of Android.

What is different about LGRF?

LGRF essentially allows the same chipset vendor-side software to be repurposed for seven Android version updates, up from three. This means that a device that launches with Android 15 can potentially receive updates up to Android 22 (if the naming scheme remains consistent) without requiring significant software commitments from the chip vendor’s side.

Under the program, for the first three years, the vendor’s software will remain frozen, though OEMs will need to update the Linux kernel after three years in order to receive Google’s certification, ensuring timely security patches. Qualcomm’s recently-announced Snapdragon 8 Elite is the first chipset under LRGF.

While the program does have obvious benefits, like longer lifespans for a larger subset of devices, it has drawbacks and limitations too. For example, one limitation in place is that OEMs can not ship a device with an Android version that is four updates ahead of its chip’s original vendor software. For example, Snapdragon 8 Elite’s vendor software, designed for Android 15, can not be directly used on a device that is launching with Android 19. This is to prevent manufacturers from shipping devices that would only benefit from three OS updates.