Category: How Tech Works | Page 3

Explainers on how certain gadgets, features, or scientific concepts work in the context of everyday tech.

How Tech Works

[OneZero] Unraveling the Secret Supply Chain Behind an AmazonBasics Battery

October 30, 2019

by Kevin Purdy

How Tech Works

How Apple’s Newest Watch Achieves an Always-On Display (Probably)

While announcing the Apple Watch Series 5, Apple did a very Apple thing: they touted a new feature, hinted at some of the technology behind it, and left some of…

September 18, 2019

by Kevin Purdy

How Tech Works

How the Plumbing in Your House Works

The water flowing out of your faucets comes from somewhere, and the water going down the drain must have some destination. The journey that water takes through your house is…

July 24, 2019

by Craig Lloyd - iFixit

How Tech Works

How Refrigerators Work

Refrigerators crap out all the time—one of our most-popular forum posts is about a refrigerator not working properly, if that tells you anything. Here’s how a refrigerator works, so you’ll…

July 15, 2019

by Craig Lloyd - iFixit

Tech News

Your Phone Is Not Waterproof, No Matter What The Maker Says

Samsung is being sued by an Australian watchdog group because, the consumer advocates claim, the phone maker is trying to have it both ways. Samsung advertisements and social media posts…

July 9, 2019

by Kevin Purdy

How Tech Works

What All Those Dashboard Lights on Your Car Actually Mean

Ever notice your car’s instrument cluster lighting up like a Christmas tree when you start it up? All those lights and symbols tell you what your car is up to…

June 18, 2019

by Craig Lloyd - iFixit

How Tech Works

Rice Is for Dinner, Not Repair

This post was originally published June 2019; it was updated in August 2024. Rice can transform an economy, save a boring meal, and stop winter drafts. One thing it absolutely, positively…

June 17, 2019

by Kevin Purdy

How Tech Works

How Humidifiers Work

If you’re suffering through dry weather, a humidifier can quench your arid home by adding some moisture into the air. Here’s how these devices work. There are several different types…

June 13, 2019

by Craig Lloyd - iFixit

How Tech Works

Does Dark Mode Really Save Battery on Your Phone?

At WWDC today, iOS 13 was shown with a system-wide “Dark Mode.” About one month earlier, at Google I/O, Android version Q showed off its own Dark Mode. This shift…

June 3, 2019

by Kevin Purdy

How Tech Works

Smartphone Data Has a Larger Carbon Footprint Than You Might Think

This blog post was originally published in March 2019 and updated in May 2024. As the experts on the insides of devices, we talk a lot about how repair and…

March 22, 2019

by Dorothea Kessler