Tech News Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Why you need a ‘Whole House’ surge suppressor

Posted on March 12, 2026

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If your home is like most others these days it probably has surge suppressors plugged into the outlets that are powering a sensitive electronic device.

And some homes have one plugged into every outlet.

These portable surge suppressors are fine for protecting your computer equipment, flat panel TVs and other devices from moderate power surges.

However, if your incoming power line gets struck by lightning or a strong power surge you will likely be replacing many of those items the very next day. [Read more…]

Rick’s Daily Pick: BELTTT 1000Watt 12V DC to 120V AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Posted on March 12, 2026

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

My “Pick” for today is this super-handy BELTTT 1000Watt 12V DC to 120V AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter.

Connect this little gem to your car battery, a stand-alone LifePo4 battery or any other high capacity 12 volt battery and you’ll be able to run your 120V appliances (up to 1,000 watts) just as if you had plugged them into one of your home’s AC electrical outlets.

Click here to check out the BELTTT 1000Watt 12V DC to 120V AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter at Amazon.

Did you miss (or want to revisit) one of my earlier picks? You might find it right here.

How to prevent ‘Porch Pirates’ from stealing your packages

Posted on March 4, 2026

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Are you familiar with the term “Porch Pirates”? You really need to be if you shop online.

Porch pirates are thieves who walk, bike or drive through residential neighborhoods checking all the front porches for packages that have been delivered but not yet retrieved by their recipients.

If they happen to spot a package sitting on someone’s porch they’ll sneak over and grab it, then hurry away from the scene as quickly as possible.

Believe it or not, porch piracy is a big deal in today’s world. [Read more…]

Monthly Tech Giveaway – March 2026

Posted on February 28, 2026

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March’s winner will receive a fantastic Samsung 27” Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor.

Whether you’re a gamer looking to up your gaming experience or a regular user who is just looking for a great monitor to replace the one you have now, this is a fantastic option.

All subscribers to the Standard edition of my Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter have an equal chance to win.

Premium subscribers have two chances to win (their email addresses are added to the “pot” twice).

Not a subscriber? Just enter your email address in the sign-up form on this page.

Once subscribed you’ll be eligible to win each month’s drawing – starting with this month. Better yet, opt for a Premium subscription for double the chance to win!

The drawing for this month’s prize will be held on March 31 and the winner will be notified by email. The winner will be selected at random.

Good luck!

FYI: You don’t have to pay sales tax on gift cards

Posted on February 16, 2026

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Gift cards are very popular as birthday, anniversary, and holiday gifts, and for good reason…

They virtually guarantee that your money will end up buying something the recipient will like.

If you plan to buy gift cards to give away as gifts (or even to purchase something for yourself), make sure the cashier doesn’t try to charge you sales tax on the purchase of the card. [Read more…]