Home Tech – Gadgets and Grain

I recently has solar panels installed on my home to offset the rising costs of electricity – especially in the summertime when the air conditioning bill is through the roof. In doing my own research solar, I realized this is a complex topics, and because of all the marketing out there, I thought it would be helpful to make a video about my experience. Buying (or leasing) a solar power system is basically like getting an energy-producing, money-saving appliance for your home. And just like any big investment for your house, you’ve got to be prepared to do the right kind of research in order to make sure you’re comfortable with your buying decision. After all, solar panels have a lifespan of about 25 years, so you only have one shot to get this right.

Continue reading ➞ The Decision To Go Solar: What You Need To Know And Expect

I’ve been a loyal iPhone owner since the release of the very first one in 2007. I’m currently on the iPhone 6, and when Apple announced the iPhone 7 back in September 2016, I wasn’t super-compelled to upgrade. My 2-year old iPhone 6 still takes great pictures & video, feels snappy, and arguably stands toe-to-toe with the iPhone 7 from a technology standpoint. The only issue I have with my iPhone 6 is its poor battery performance that has gotten worse and worse over the last several months. This is not an issue with the iPhone 6 per se, but rather a reality of charging and draining the phone’s lithium-ion battery over the years. It has reached the point where my phone can’t even make it through until lunchtime without needing to be charged – and I charge my phone every night!

So what is one to do?

The obvious answer is to replace my iPhone’s battery, but Apple doesn’t make it easy for consumers to change out the batteries on their own iPhones. Luckily, the good folks at iFixit sell replacement batteries and kits to help you crack open your iPhone. With very little technical knowledge on the inter-workings of mobile and zero experience working on electronics, I decided buy iFixit’s $40 iPhone 6 battery replacement kit. I’m not going to give you the detailed step-by-step instructions on how to replace your iPhone’s battery, but rather show you how easy it can be with some courage and iFixit’s easy-to-use kit.

So does this work?

Continue reading ➞ How to Replace the Battery on Your iPhone (with the help of iFixit)