Provided is a weekly snapshot of the recent technology, electronic waste, and mobile related news that HOBI’s blog reported on during the week 6/25-6/29.
The Doctor on Your Wrist: How Smartwatches are Saving Lives
Aside from being convenient and fashionable, wearable technology is also extremely helpful – and maybe even lifesaving! Wearables like smartwatches can provide wearers with important health information such as: heart rate, workout habits, sleep cycles, and more. However, despite the spike in “my-smartwatch-saved-my-life” stories we’ve been seeing lately, smartwatch makers like Apple and Fitbit have yet to seek FDA approval for their devices. The companies cite the need to quickly release products without the hindrance of a slow regulatory process.
Before You Toss Your Old Phone, Here’s 8 Ways to Repurpose It
More than likely, you have a few old electronic devices stashed away somewhere in your house, just taking up space and gathering dust. But they don’t have to! If you’ve upgraded your mobile phone but have still hung on to your old, but still functional, smartphone, there are plenty of ways that you can still put it to use. Provided are eight innovative ways that you can take your own e-waste and find new ways to integrate them into your daily life. With these options, there is no need to keep hanging on to electronics that only get in the way.
New Material will Triple Storage Capacity of Lithium-Ion Batteries
One of the worst things that can ruin any day, is picking up your smartphone only to find out that you have little to no battery power left – if any at all. But you just charged it didn’t you? Now, you have to pull out your charger or power bank to kickstart your phone back into gear. With technology having become a nearly inescapable, daily fixture in our lives, will we ever see lithium-ion batteries that will keep up with our perpetual tech usage? There may not be a definite answer just yet, but scientists are working towards manufacturing a battery that could hold up to three times the storage capacity of the batteries we have on the market right now.
Recycling Fallout Remains Uncertain as Tariff Battle Continues
By now you’ve probably heard various talks of a ‘trade war’ between the U.S. and China. Both the U.S. and Chinese governments have doubled down in an escalating trade dispute, with the U.S. threatening to impose tariffs on up to $153 billion of imports for China. Consumers are often the ultimate losers from trade wars. Decades of globalization means retailers sell goods from all over the world, so higher tariffs on imports could push up the cost of goods.