Before you buy the tech you’re considering, make sure it’s not fake. Some tech products are commonly counterfeited, leading to a waste of money and frustration – but some are more fake than others.
Phone Chargers
Fake third-party phone chargers are a form of counterfeit tech I’ve had quite a bit of experience with. In the early days of iPhone buying, I’ve lost count of how many fake chargers I’ve used. This was partly due to a lack of due diligence, but I was also a poor student and thought it would be wise to buy the cheapest option.
Whenever I bought these chargers, they broke within a few months. And if that didn’t happen, you can guarantee they’ll stop working.
The simple rule here is that “too good to be true” exists for a reason. If you’re buying a charger, make sure your phone manufacturer has certified it. This is also an important consideration before switching to a wireless charger.
Headphones
Imagine this: I’m on vacation in 2015 and I see a pair of very “well-priced” headphones from Beats by Dre. I don’t have another pair, so naturally, I buy them. Within a few days, I was using the hotel gym and I heard some crackling. Weird, but whatever.
After being home for about a month, the headphones stopped working. Here’s a useful lesson: don’t buy fake headphones (okay, don’t buy fake accessories).
A very low price is a sure sign of fake headphones, and so is misspelling. Different colors and non-existent manuals are other red flags to look out for.
Power banks
You need to be careful when buying power banks; I’ve had several negative experiences because I didn’t do my research. For example, I once had a power bank that wouldn’t let my phone work unless it was connected to it. Whenever I disconnected my phone, the battery would last less than an hour—even when it was 100% charged—which was extremely annoying.
There’s nothing wrong with buying a third-party power bank, but you should also keep in mind that some are more legitimate than others. Again, making sure the device is certified by your phone manufacturer is the most important thing to think about. You might think you’re getting a good deal by buying something that’s cheaper, but that may not be the case because of the long-term damage it can cause.
USB and External Hard Drives
Cloud storage is a great option for many people, but it’s a good idea to keep a copy of certain files and folders. For example, I like to store important documents in a spare location in case something goes wrong. However, given the sensitive nature of what you store on an external drive, you should choose something that will last a long time.
All hard drives do indeed wear out, but some are infinitely better than others. Spending a lot on one may seem like a waste of money, but trust me—I’ve been on both sides of the coin, and your life will be much better if you choose something durable.
I recommend using the LaCie external hard drive, and you can also check out many other durable and portable chargers.
Charging Station
Due to my negative experience with many third-party chargers and power banks, I did a lot of research before buying a 3-in-1 charging station. I recommend doing the same because you’ll find many fake versions if you search online.
The same logic applies when looking for a phone charger or power bank. You need to make sure your charging station is approved to work with your device. Since I use an iPhone and Apple Watch, I tried to make sure my charging station was compatible. Apple makes it easy to buy from the store, but you don’t have to. Start by looking at the best charging stations for multiple devices.