Summer is time for that well-deserved vacation. To get ready for your trip, make sure to get your tech life in order alongside other tasks like packing and making sure you’ve got passports and tickets. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Our homes are filled with electronic devices — video game consoles, air fryers, Wi-Fi routers — all plugged in, many drawing standby power. Also known as phantom or vampire power, this can account for up to 10% of your household electric bill and 1% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Should you unplug them when away? Lifu Tan, a research associate at the University of Cambridge’s department of biochemistry, says: “A single device on standby may only draw a small phantom load, but many chargers, screens, speakers, adapters and small appliances left plugged in across a home can create unnecessary background consumption. Before going away, I would unplug anything that does not need to perform a useful function, while leaving essential appliances such as fridges, freezers, security systems and monitoring devices running.”
For a Wi-Fi router, the decision is not black and white. Many homes have connected devices like smart thermostats and doorbells, so keep your router plugged in if you don’t want to lose access. But will you save money? Maybe not that much. According to testing by British consumer group Which?, the cost of leaving many devices on standby is relatively low. “The savings from unplugging most modern gadgets are often smaller than people expect,” said Natalie Hitchins, head of the group’s home products and services team. “The bigger long-term gains tend to come from choosing energy-efficient products in the first place and using built-in energy-saving settings.”
Domestic air travel got a little bit easier after Apple unveiled a new “Digital ID” system for iPhone users to add their U.S. passport information to Apple Wallet, which can be scanned at airport readers. Digital IDs are accepted at more than 250 U.S. airports, but cannot be used for international travel.
Heading to a foreign destination? Check if your phone carrier has an international roaming package. Otherwise, get an international travel eSIM for your smartphone. Many newer iPhones and Android devices support adding a second eSIM, making it easy to add one from dozens of eSIM providers offering bargain roaming deals.
Don’t neglect device security and privacy when traveling. If you’re waiting at an airport departure lounge and can’t get mobile phone reception, it could be tempting to use a free public Wi-Fi signal. Be cautious and adjust app settings to limit data usage.