In the midst of one of the coldest and most grueling winters the U.S. has experienced in years, millions of Americans are growing impatient for the arrival of spring. As subzero temperatures spread across the country, the cold weather and snow has become a hazard not only to humans, but to their technology. How cold is too cold for your gadgets?
Most adults own some form of mobile technology including cell phones, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Many of us tend to leave our gadgets outside in the car for long periods of time, bringing the temperature of our devices down substantially. We leave our iPods and mp3 players in the car so as not to plug and unplug after every car ride. Similarly, we leave our laptops in the car while we're making pit stops on the way to important meetings. Tablets get chilled in the car as we work in our warm offices. Sometimes it's just more convenient to leave our technology in the car instead of transporting it everywhere we go. However, this isn't the best treatment for our treasured gadgets.
Cold Symptoms
The truth is, long exposure to brutally cold weather negatively affects technology. In general, technology actually runs better in cooler temperatures than it does in warmer temperatures, but the chill of a few hours outside in the middle of winter will yield some harmful effects. For instance, most gadgets' batteries will drain exponentially quicker in the cold, ultimately draining them completely, rendering your technology useless until its next charge.
Another effect of leaving your technology in the cold is damage done to screens and monitors. You may experience minor issues at first, but if you keep exposing your technology to the cold weather, you run the risk of your screens dying out completely.
If you have ever left your gadgets out in the car and quickly brought them inside to warm up, you may have noticed a layer of accumulated condensation. This is definitely not good for your device, as the condensation buildup negatively affects the internal components of your technology, causing it harm in the long run.
Cold Treatments
The solution is extremely simple. If you want your gadgets to last, bring them inside with you. As a general rule, if your technology is going to be exposed to temperatures below freezing, bring it inside with you where you go. Exposure to temperatures lower than that will slowly and surely negatively affect the functionality of your technology. Throw that smartphone in your pocket, and invest in a bag for your tablet and laptop to easily store and carry with you.
If you do happen to forget about your technology and leave it in the car overnight in sub-zero weather, do not try to use it right away. Bring your gadget inside and let it gradually warm up before you give it a charge and use it. This will help guard against the lasting harm done by condensation and other factors from the cold.
If you think your technology may be damaged from long exposure to cold weather, Managed Net can help. We'll give your gadgets some hot chocolate and let them sit by the fire. Or, we can fix them, if you want us to. Be sure to give us a call at (714) 587-2777 to hear about solutions for any of your IT needs, and make sure not to abandon your technology to the doom of a freezing death.
