Practice Proper IT Asset Management During IATAM Awareness Month
Despite their convenience, electronics eventually all reach the end of their useful life cycle, some quicker than others, depending on the level of care they receive. Electronic devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones can last years if managed properly or be short-lived from years of neglect. Fortunately, there are several ways to ensure your devices last as long as intended.
Updates – Keeping devices updated regularly helps improve the device performance and resolve many performance issues, including bugs or glitches in previous versions.
Cleanliness – Electronics can start to malfunction when they overheat, and overheating can often result from clogged vents and ports on the device. Laptops specifically are manufactured with vents to help the device breathe and circulate air to function properly. If the vents become clogged with dust, hair, or other objects, it can cause the vents to become blocked and the device to overheat and eventually malfunction.
Storage – Storage plays an important role in the well-being of electronics. Improper storage can cause devices to overheat or become damaged and lead to battery damage, leading to a chemical fire. It is best to store electronics in flat, open areas such as shelves or tables where no vents or ports are covered and not stacked on top of one another where heat can build.
Severe Temperatures – Avoid extreme temperatures like freezing weather or triple-digit heat. Leaving electronics in the car is extremely harmful to the device and can cause battery swelling or a battery fire in extreme heat.
Battery Health – It may be convenient to charge devices before the batteries are fully drained, but doing so has negative consequences. Research has revealed that extremely high and low charge states strain the battery, and it is best to minimize the time the battery is at 100 percent or 0 percent. Partial charges can help restore the battery while also improving the condition of the battery itself. Lithium-ion batteries cannot be charged below 32ºF (0ºC) without causing damage. Though the device will appear to charge as normal, this causes metallic lithium plating to occur on the battery anode, and the battery will become more apt to fail in the future.
Reuse or Donate – If users wish to upgrade their electronics, consider donating retired devices or passing them to a family member or friend for reuse. This maximizes the life cycle of the device and helps prevent it from ending up in landfills.
HOBI International is an R2v3, RIOS, WBE, and ISO-14001 certified IT asset management and disposition enterprise with more than 30 years of industry experience. HOBI focuses on maximizing economic return and device value and mitigating environmental liability via electronics recycling.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.
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