Smartphones don’t last forever; research shows the typical smartphone lasts for about two years. Over time, wear, tear, muck and grime takes its toll on your mobile device, causing it to lose functionality. In fact, every square inch of your phone carries about 25,000 germs, making it dirtier than the bottom of your shoe or even your toilet seat.

When your phone and cell phone cables reach the end of their lives, they can pose serious health and safety risks. For instance, damaged and frayed phone charging cables can be a fire hazard. In 2008, electrical failures and malfunctions resulted in approximately 53,600 home fires that caused over 500 deaths.

So, how do you know if your smartphone, phone cables, or USB cables are reaching the end of their lifespans? Keep an eye out for the following warning signs.

Warning Signs That Your Phone or USB Cables are Dying

Warm to the touch: Your phone’s rechargeable battery will inevitably get warmer as it charges; however, it should be able to internalize the heat, keeping it from feeling noticeably hot. If your smartphone does begin to feel hot, it may need a new battery.

Unresponsive buttons: If the external buttons on your smartphone stop working or are severely lagging, you definitely have a problem. This may be a malfunction in the phone itself or in the charging device.

Fraying: Do you see obvious damage to the USB cable? If you notice that the cord is bent or fraying, it is probably time to replace it. Damage is not always visible, though, so try plugging the cable into a USB port on a computer rather than using the wall adapter to determine the source of the problem.

Whether it be your smartphones, bulk USB cables, tablet, USB 3 cables, e-reader, or what-have-you, you need to replace your electronics every now and then. Overused devices and cables can be dangerous if you are not careful.

If you have any questions about the lifespan of a phone or getting bulk USB cables to replace what you have, feel free to share in the comments.

Most members of large families know the benefits that can come with buying in bulk. The phrase “cheaper by the dozen” has even become synonymous with the ease and effectiveness to which certain things can be managed when in larger groups versus individually. This notion is especially true when it comes to things like Cat5e cables bulk and other networking information technology products.

Cost-effectiveness is one of the main reasons people resort to buying things in bulk. At CableWholesale, you’ll find the best quality of products at bulk price options that your wallet will certainly appreciate. Buying bulk is also a great way to prepare yourself for what might lie ahead. You never know when a piece of equipment or device will go haywire, so you’ll need to connect the device of a friend at home or co-worker at the office, or simply buy an entirely new device that needs its own cable.

In that respect, here are just a couple of the most popular cables CableWholesale has to offer at great bulk prices and availability.

Cat5e Cables Bulk: Cat5e cables bulk or otherwise are one of the most commonly used tools to connect devices to the internet. CAT5e cables bulk can be used for networks and multi-line phone systems. With a maximum frequency of 100 MHz and the ability to transmit data up to 10/100/1000Mbps, this is one of the most popular options for Ethernet connectivity.

USB Cables: Cat5e Cables Bulk:Universal Serial Bus, or USB cables are primarily used to connect communication and computer devices to a power supply. Because of their prevalence in networking, it’s a great idea to buy this kind of cables in bulk, especially if you own a business. If you don’t necessarily need an extra one today, chances are that you’re going to need one at some point in the near future and you might as well buy it at the best rate possible.

HDMI High-speed Cables: High-Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI cables are becoming increasingly popular as more and more monitors, computers, and other devices are being made to support this kind of technology. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to spend upwards of $50 on an HDMI cable either. At CableWholesale, you can find great deals on HDMI cables, especially when you buy them in bulk. Unless you’re dealing with an extremely long distance (over 100 feet), the length of the cable doesn’t matter when it comes to the quality of the audio and video with HDMI. They make specifically designed ones for these greater distances, but most of the time you’re not going to need that far of a reach and buying these cables in bulk is a great idea.

Buying cables in bulk is a great way to save not only money but the time it takes to order and wait for them to come. It’s a good idea to have a couple of spares on hand in the event of a malfunction or for new devices, so you can be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

As technology continues to improve and expand, the world is constantly being introduced to new means of production, services, and equipment that make lives easier and more efficient. One way to judge the strength or position of an industry is by looking at the employment statistics. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you’re hiring a lot of new people, business is probably going pretty well.

It might be small, but anytime you buy new pieces of computer equipment like CAT5 cables, one of the three types of standard HDMI cables, bulk fiber optic cables, or Siamese cables, you’re affecting the potential of the industry as a whole. According to the 17th annual CompTIA Cyberstates 2016 report, tech manufacturing seems to be headed in a positive direction after a couple years of relative stagnation.

In 2015, the tech industry employed approximately 6.7 million people with 200,000 being added last year alone. Of those new jobs, about 3,700 came in the tech manufacturing industry, where things like Siamese cables are created. As a whole, the tech manufacturing industry accounts for about 1.14 million people working in the tech industry in the United States.

Measuring and control instruments, semiconductor, electronic components, and computer and peripheral equipment are the four largest sectors of tech manufacturing and they all saw growth in the past year after much of the prior decade has seen a slight decline. The relatively long lifespan of many electronic components, such as CAT5 cables — which can easily last 10 years — could be one of the reasons growth has been hard to come by.

Another great benefit for the consumer when it comes to things like Siamese cables and high-speed HDMI cables is the fact that their length or distance they cover has virtually no effect on the functionality unless it’s spanning a distance of over 100 feet. In that case, you should invest in cables specific for that purpose.

As employment in the tech industry and especially tech manufacturing grows steadily, so too will the opportunities and development in this crucial field.

We love Wi-Fi for its convenience. We can now access the Internet from virtually anywhere. In fact, the city of Tel Aviv has its own Wi-Fi network that can be accessed anytime by anyone from anywhere in the city. It’s as if we carry the Internet wherever we go.

But Wi-Fi has its downsides. Everyone has experienced the agony of watching a web page load bit by bit, line by line, for what seems like an eternity. We have all felt the frustration of losing our connection right as something big is about to happen on our favorite Netflix show. But that’s Wi-Fi; it’s unreliable.

What a lot of web users don’t realize, though, is that you can get a faster, more reliable connection just by plugging in with a standard Cat6 Ethernet cable.

Benefits of Ethernet Cables

1. Speed

The maximum speed of a Wi-Fi connection is 866.7 Mb/s. This is actually pretty fast, but wired Ethernet connections with Cat6 cables can offer up to 10 Gb/s.

2. Latency

Latency is the delay that occurs when signals travel back and forth from your wireless device to your router. Latency is much lower when using an Ethernet cable, and you will get more of a delay on Wi-Fi.

3. Interference

An Ethernet cable connection is extremely reliable. Once you are properly set up, it is unlikely you will experience any issues. Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is susceptible to interference, which leads to signal loss. More can get in the way of a wireless signal such as neighbors’ networks, other wireless devices, even microwave ovens. A wired connection will not have this problem.

4. Security

Wi-Fi is not entirely secure, so it is vulnerable to hacking. Even with the most secure system, someone could find a way to connect to your Wi-Fi network. If you use a wired network, however, a person can only connect by physically plugging their device into your router.

5. Energy-efficient

Connections through Cat6 cables consume less energy than Wi-Fi connections, thus lowering your energy bill and benefiting the environment.

What is a Cat6 Cable? Cat6 is short for Category 6. It is the network cabling that is used as the infrastructure for Ethernet networks. The Cat6 cables provide performance of up to 250 MHz, and can be as long as 100 meters, allowing the user more mobility than shorter cables.

What is the difference between Cat6 and Cat5 cables? The difference is in the maximum frequency. Both cables are used for networks and multi-line phone systems. Cat6 cables have a maximum frequency of 250 MHz whereas Cat5e cables have a frequency of up to only 100 MHz. There is also the Cat6a, a network Ethernet cable that has a maximum frequency of 500 MHz.

Don’t let your temperamental wireless connection give you any more grief. Why stick to Wi-Fi when you could experience the Internet better by just plugging in?

The Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program was conceived as a way to identify cables that have been tested for specific performance levels. This leaves us wondering if any High Speed HDMI cable can pass 4K content?

The answer is this: as long as the cable is truly high-speed HDMI, it will be able to pass 4K content. All high-speed HDMI cables now have the bandwidth needed to carry 4K content. Although many people believe that it’s necessary to pay $50 or more for HDMI cables, this isn’t actually the case. Often, stores are simply taking advantage of the fact that consumers do not know the ins and outs of high-speed HDMI cables.

How Long for HDMI Cables?

How long can your HDMI cable be? In the past, HDMI high-speed cables longer than 15 feet had trouble running signals. Today, cables are more reliable over longer distances than this. There are a few standard HD resolutions (720p, 1080i). HDMI is an uncompressed signal, so the bitrate is the same as the information you’ll see in the final picture (standard definition is 480p).

For consumers planning on running their HDMI cables behind walls and ceilings, it makes sense to pay for a better HDMI cable. Length doesn’t affect either video or audio signals — length only makes a difference in going long distances. HDMI cables 100 feet or longer for example, should be specifically designed for that distance.

What About Cat5?

You may have heard of something called category 5 cables or “Cat5e cables” for short. This is a twisted type of cable, and it’s used to carry signals for telephone, video and Ethernet. If you purchase Cat5e cables made of high quality materials, they should easily last you at least five to 10 years, if not longer. Can you use Cat5 cables for HDMI? Although people sometimes use Cat5e as an extension for HDMI cable, your best bet for longevity is to buy the correct cables the first time around. You would likely need two Cat5e cables to handle the entire HDMI signal requirement.

USB cables are one of the most popular and standard cables in the technology and networking world. In fact, approximately three billion USB ports are shipped each year on average, making them by far the most successful type of peripheral connection. Most people understand the basics of what a USB cable is used for, but many don’t realize there are actually different versions to choose from. The most recent update to the series is the 3.0 USB.

USB 3.0 cables offer a variety of uses and improvements over the older standards. For starters, the 3.0 USB cable can handle larger amounts of data at faster rates. This is because these newer cables have higher signaling rates of 5Gbps (625MB/sec), asynchronous instead of polled traffic flow, dual-simplex simultaneous bi-directional data flow for SuperSpeed instead of half-duplex unidirectional data flow, and better power management overall.

The internal specification upgrades don’t end there, though. The USB 3.0 unit load has been increased to 150 mA and a configured device can draw up to six unit loads, which adds up to 900 mA. This results in an efficiency increase of about 80% when compared to USB 2.0 and leads to faster recharging or powering of more than four devices from a single hub. In addition, 3.0 cables are actually more environmentally friendly. The minimum device operating voltage was dropped from 4.4 V to 4 V,
which saves energy.

To put these numbers into perspective, 3.0 USB cables can transfer a 10 GB file from your computer to an external drive in approximately 25 seconds. This same process would take a 2.0 USB cable more than five minutes.

Another great aspect of USB 3.0 is that they can be used with USB 2.0 products as well. They are backwards compatible with USB 2.0, so whether you get a new USB 3.0 device or a new computer that supports USB 3.0, your old device will be able to communicate with the new interface. Some of the devices that will benefit the most from USB 3.0 include HD webcams, Blu-Ray drives, or some external hard drives. These devices are already outspeed USB 2.0 naturally so the faster cable will only help them work more efficiently and productively.

Annoying Facebook friends got you down? We all have a few, and there are several reasons that they are annoying. What can you do about them though? Unfriending someone on social media can make for a lot of weirdness in real life. The dilemma of “unfriending” a friend online has been around since the inception of social media. Luckily, Facebook has come up with a good solution you may have not heard of. Unfollowing! This nifty feature will still allow you to be “friends” with the person, without having to see their posts. This is the perfect fix for all different types of annoying Facebook friends. We came up with a few examples of different types of culprits that the unfollow button works great for!

New Mom

If your Facebook feed is constantly clogged with pictures of babies, chances are that one of your friends had a kid. Don’t get us wrong, the kid is totally cute, and we are happy for our friend. But unless that is our own kid, no one needs to see that many pictures. Same goes for other moms who post too many pictures of their kids in general. Like everything, moderation is key!

The Holy Roller

This person has been saved by the Lord, and wants to let their entire social media network know all about it. Now that they are born-again, they feel the need to push their new found religious ideals on you. While anything is Ok in moderation, if it starts to bother you, unfollow.

The Political Grandstander

This type of Facebook friend is the ultimate offender. They love to ruffle feathers and post nothing but political memes, political statistics and the usual political trash talk. Unfortunately this person’s posts are usually snarky and self-righteous. Because politics are a hot button issue with a lot of people, this type of Facebook friend gets unfollowed a lot.

The Obsessive Selfie-Taker

This friend can be embarrassing. This person does not understand social norms, and usually has an inflated sense of self. They are usually unattractive and/or don’t do their make-up or hair well. But they have an inflated ego that makes them think that everyone is interested in seeing their daily “selfies.” The most annoying thing about this person is that sometimes people take pity and pump up their ego. Comments like “you’re so pretty” or “gorgeous!” that show up right under the photo. While these commenters are trying to be nice, really they are only encouraging this annoying behavior.

*As an added bonus, we will show you how to block someone from seeing future tagged posts, without having to “unfriend” them. Everyone has that one person who is just a little too interested in your Facebook life. Whether it be your mom or a nosy co-worker, sometimes it’s necessary to block posts from certain people. The ability to hide future tagged posts used to be fairly easy on Facebook. It’s now still possible, but just slightly more difficult. We’ve outlined the how-to below.

Click on the top right of any page that you are on and select “settings.”

Click “Timeline and Tagging” in the column.

Look for the link to “who can see what others post on your timeline.” Then click edit.

When it asks which audience you would like to select, pick custom.

You will then be prompted to add a name of the person you would like to block from seeing tagged posts.

After you take these steps, your feed will be easier to navigate and a lot less aggravating!

Whether you’re in the market for a new computer, or you’d like to hook a digital device up to your TV, you may be unsure of which ports on your monitor may come in handy. Two types of cables you’ll see designed for today’s high-resolution TVs and displays are HDMI and DVI cables. What are these cables, and how do the ports they connect to work? Here’s what you need to know about these two different yet very similar formats:

HDMI

HDMI cables have become one of the industry standards for connecting to televisions, Blu-ray players, computers, and various other electronic devices. Overall, there are more than 1,600 of the world’s largest consumer electronics, PC, and mobile device manufacturers that regularly incorporate HDMI connectivity into their products for consumer ease and quality.

HDMI cables and ports are one of the simplest to connect and network — about as easy as plugging in USB devices. Since HDMI cords don’t feature any pins, you never have to worry about them getting bent or broken. Instead, you simply plug and play with a number of digital devices.

One of the best features of HDMI cables is their ability to stream both digital and audio through one line. In addition to their 1920×1200 HD video and 8-channel audio capabilities, HDMI cables support HDCP
encryption for the newest HD content. Additionally, HDMI can pass video resolutions from 480i up to 4K. It’s important to note, though, that each manufacturer determines the specific parameters for what is to be transferred via HDMI in their components. Basically, a good HDMI cable is all you’ll ever really need to connect a computer or video device to a monitor or TV. That’s why it’s considered one of the standard digital cables available today.

DVI

Digital Visual Interface, or DVI, cables are also popular for use with things like desktop computers and LCD monitors. With up to 24 pins and support for analog as well as digital video, these cables are similar to VGA connectors.

With DVI cables you can stream up to 1920×1200 HD video, or up the ante even more with dual-link DVI connectors. That will allow support for up to 2560×1600 pixels. The exact number of pins a cable has will affect the resolution capabilities. Be aware that some DVI cables have fewer pins, which means they’ll only work on lower resolution devices.

Which One Should You Choose?

It turns out that the quality of cable used to transmit signals in the digital format makes virtually no difference when it comes to HDMI and DVI. Ultimately, the type of cable you buy will largely depend on the type of device you own.

With summer quickly approaching, we are starting feel some wanderlust. Are you feeling it too? With air travel prices at record lows, this summer is all about picking a destination and getting out of Dodge! To prepare, we compiled a list of apps that are designed to make your next trip a little easier. Check them out!

HopperIf you are looking to get the best airfare rates possible, then download the Hopper app! This app allows you to pick a destination, what dates you are looking to fly and at what times. Hopper will then predict when pricing will be lowest, and will keep an eye on airfare changes so that you don’t have to. Once prices hit rock bottom, the app will send you a notification so you can purchase your flight. Just as easy as that.

TripItThis popular travel app is designed for the frequent traveler who needs to keep multiple trips organized. Just forward your confirmation emails directly to TripIt, and they do the rest for you. From the information that you provide, they will come up with a master itinerary so you can see all of your trip’s details in one place.

The basic app is free, but if you want to upgrade to the $4.09 a month subscription, then you get some added extras. The app will also alert you of any changes, including flight delays or cancellations. You can even check to see if there is a better seat available on your flight.

On top of all that, if you are wanting to make your friends and family jealous of your cool vacation plans, just use TripIt to blast your trip on Facebook and other social media sites. They will post all of the details for you, including your departure and return times. You can also choose to share with your travel mates, or anyone who is dropping you off or picking you up from the airport. Pretty convenient!

TrivagoThis handy app will not only help you find a hotel in the area that you want to stay in, but it will help you find the cheapest rate possible. This is awesome if you are planning a trip in advance, or if you decide last minute that you need a room for the night. They will allow you to compare information that is pulled from over 200 hotel booking sites, so you can make an educated choice on which one will give you the most bang for your buck. With Trivago you can bypass having to check the usuals such as Expedia and Hotels.com, because they have already pulled that information for you. This app will save you some time, and most likely some money too.

City MapperThis GPS app is great for anyone who needs real-time navigation and who wants an alternative to both Google and Apple maps. City Mapper is great for those who are traveling in unknown territory, and trying to get around a city using public transportation. The app will alert you in real-time to any foreseeable delays, including when transit the busiest.. The app now features ride sharing information as well, with times for both cabs and Uber. If you use your bicycle, City Mapper will track mileage, and even the amount of calories burned. This is app will be your pocket-sized travel agent.

Google TranslateThis app is an honorable mention for those of you who will be traveling to another country where English is not the main language. Google’s translate app is invaluable when it comes to getting around strange lands without the help of a tour guide. Now you will be able to decipher street signs, food labels, warning signs and directions; all available right at your fingertips. Chinese is the newest language that has been added to the 28 existing language that the app already features. The best part of Google Translate is the “World Lens” feature that allows you to translate words using your smartphone camera. Just point and shoot words on a sign, and the translation will pop up on your screen. Doesn’t get much easier than that! Available for both iOS and Android.

Units Plus ConverterWhen you are planning your trip to foreign lands, you will need to know what the money conversion will be. This handy little app is here to help you do just that. It is updated every 15 minutes, so you can rely on real time conversions, and 155 world currencies are covered. This app takes the guesswork out of trying to decipher how much goods and services will cost you with your American dollar. If you are confused about what the tipping policy is in the country that you are visiting, this app will do the work for you. The best thing about this app is that it converts more than money. It will convert weather from Fahrenheit to Celsius, kilos to pounds etc. With one less thing on your mind you can focus on enjoying your trip.

So you’ve decided to invest in a new surge protector to protect your devices and information saved within. A wise decision indeed, but you may ask yourself what the difference is between the many options
available on the market.

For starters, surge protectors offer protection in amounts known as joules. Joules are essentially reservoirs of protection that increase the amount/size of hits your products will be able to withstand. For example, a surge protector with 1,000 joules means it can take ten 100 joule hits, one 1,000 joule hit, or any combination in between.

Many surge protectors will carry a manufacturer’s warranty on not only the device itself, but also the equipment you have connected to it. Belkin offers one model that features a $300,000 Connected Equipment
Warranty that says: “If your electronic equipment is damaged by a surge, spike, or lightning strike while properly connected to this power strip, we will repair or replace it, up to $300,000.”

While looking for surge protectors that offer the most joule protection is generally the best idea, it’s important to be wary of products that claim to “condition” the power from your wall. The fact of the matter is electronic devices already do this on their own. Virtually every device that’s made today will take the incoming wall current (110v in the US), filter it for noise, and convert it into whatever that particular device needs. Unless you’re using a really cheap device, or you live in an area with bizarrely inadequate power, a power conditioner isn’t something you need your surge protector to do.

When it comes to number of outlets on your surge protector it’s almost always a good idea to play it safe and go with more than what you currently need. In today’s day and age, there’s a much better chance
you’re going to add another device that needs wall power before you get rid of something you’re currently using. Therefore, if you only need four outlets today, it’s best to opt for the six outlet surge protector.

Some surge protectors even sport 12 ports, well spaced so you can use them all. Buying the right number of ports will make sure you don’t have to daisy chain surge protectors, which can be an incredibly dangerous practice.

Many surge protectors now even come with USB connections, so you can charge your mobile devices. While these can be incredibly convenient, it’s important to know how much power you’ll be getting out of them.
These connections are usually either one or two amps. One amp is adequate for cell phone charging, but most tablets need 2 amps for fast charging.

Make sure that any surge protector you buy is certified by Underwriter’s Laboratories, and at least meets their UL 1449 standards (required for the label “transient voltage surge suppressor,”). This will ensure that the product you buy is a legitimate device to protect your valuable equipment.

Two last things to be aware of an check before making a purchase are absorption rating and clamping voltage. Absorption rating has to do with joules and is literally how much energy the device can absorb before it fails. The higher the number, the better. Clamping voltage, on the other hand, is the amount of voltage that will trigger the surge protector into action. Around 400 V or less is usually a good standard to look for. Keep in mind, lower numbers are better when it comes to this feature.