The Best Tech Tips We Gave in 2019
52 weeks, 52 columns of 911 tech support – minus one or two weeks when I was on vacation and just couldn’t answer your wild and crazy tech questions from afar. While Lifehacker is all about service and performance, I find particular joy in our weekly Tech 911 column of technical advice. That’s not because I’m writing this. Well, not only because I am writing this. Rather, I love the opportunity to speak directly to Lifehacker readers. I love hearing about wacky problems affecting your equipment and services, and trying to fix them makes me feel like I’m on a digital version of Stump the Chumps (for those used to drunken Car Talk).
However, this year I have answered a lot of wild questions. But before we get to reviewing some of my favorites, one final call for 2019: If you’d like me to address your technical question for a future Tech 911 column, email me ! I am looking forward to what to talk about in 2020.
How to block a neighbor’s Wi-Fi?
I live in Silicon Valley, and even then, I have a significant amount of wireless networks bombarding my home. Fortunately, they are all concentrated on one or two wireless channels, which leaves me a little leeway to set up my own wireless network that is not affected. If you live in an apartment building or in a big city, I feel sorry for you. Not only are you exposed to radiation, but you probably run into all sorts of wireless problems from time to time.
This was the most popular 911 tech support post in 2019 and I can see why. And no, you probably shouldn’t buy “Wi-Fi blocking paint” to fix this problem.
How can I search for comments in PDF?
Bueller. Bueller. Is this thing included? Bueller? This was the least popular Tech 911 post in 2019 and surprised me a little. Either I’m the only one who has worked with a lot of PDFs before, or Apple – my previous employer – was a little off the mark with markup. However, PDFs tend to be a headache to use and I was surprised that there isn’t an easier (free) way to search PDF comments.
Answer? When it comes to PDFs, Adobe is hard to resist, but there are at least a few free (or cheaper) solutions you can use if you need to know what’s in the comments on your document.
What if you are unable to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10?
Are people still using Windows 7? I didn’t think it was that much, but judging by the amount of comments received on this question, this is a very controversial topic. Plus, if I got a dime every time someone said, “Just tell them to start Linux,” I could quit my job right now.
Solution? You can run an easy-to-use version of Linux if your system is outdated and you are worried that it might not work with Windows 10. You can also just back up your system, upgrade to Windows 10, see if you like it, and continue. You should still be able to get a free update too.
How do I keep my old desktop PC running?
I really like questions like this because it’s something even I struggle with – at least until I recently updated my computer last month. A full scale upgrade of your desktop or laptop computer can cost a lot of money; it may not be in every budget or technical capability. However, there are many things you can do to squeeze even more performance and longevity out of your old system, and I’ve covered many options in this post. (I also recommend checking out the comments, which are also full of great ideas.)
How do I save important voicemail from my old phone?
I loved this question because I am sure that this is something that a lot of people struggle with – or rather, will struggle – at some point in their lives. If you have an important piece of data, how can you ensure its eternal life? I often think about this when I upload old photos, videos or documents to the cloud, and I’m sure I’ll think about it even more as I get older.
Answer? Saving voicemail from your old phone is tricky, but possible. If I figured anything out after writing all these columns with advice from 911 tech support, it’s that there is always an answer; It may not be an easy decision, but there is always something to be done.
Is it safe to leave my smartphone on the wireless charger?
I am particularly interested in the 911 tech support questions I would ask myself (if I only had an advice column in which they would answer for me). In this case, I was always curious if I didn’t recharge my smartphone for lack of a better way to express this by leaving it on the charger for an extended period of time every day. The whole problem arose from the fact that I had a Google Pixel that basically sat on a charger for 20 hours a day and whose battery eventually swelled and blew off the back of the smartphone. It wasn’t violent, but it was definitely … bulging. I would have noticed much earlier if the body of the smartphone did not hold the convex lid in place.
Either way, you probably shouldn’t be charging your phone all day every day, but a wireless charger won’t ruin your device overnight. At least it shouldn’t.