Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Is it safe to ‘Undervolt’ a PC to make it run cooler?

Posted on April 8, 2024

Question from Cory: I have a laptop with Windows 10 on it and it always runs hot. And it’s been that way since day one.

I’ve researched things I can do to make it run cooler but nothing I’ve tried has really helped.

The fan still runs constantly and the CPU temperature is running higher than it should according to the Core Temp app.

A guy I know who does IT work for our local hospital said I should try “Undervolting” the laptop to make it run cooler. He said it’s safe but I’m a little leery because I’ve heard that overclocking a computer can damage it.

I have several questions about this: [Read more…]

Protect yourself while driving with an inexpensive dash cam

Posted on April 6, 2024

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

As you know, police cruisers have been equipped with dash cams for many years now.

And truth be told, these awesome devices have helped countless officers prove that the actions they took during traffic stops were legal and proper.

But did you know a dash cam could also help protect you if you ever get pulled over for a traffic violation or other offense that you didn’t commit?

[Read more…]

How to make your Tech Support calls as painless as possible

Posted on April 5, 2024

There are few things in life more frustrating than having to place a call to Tech Support. No matter what, it seems like it’s always a hassle!

First, you have to spend a good chunk of your day on hold, then once your call is answered you have to endure a seemingly endless line of questions that have little to do with the problem at hand.

Being prepared can help take the sting out of the process. Here are a few tips for making your next Tech Support call as painless as possible: [Read more…]

Phone-based customer service and tech support is often horrible (by design)

Posted on April 4, 2024

Like most Americans you have probably had the unfortunate experience of having to wait on hold for what seemed like an eternity while customer service reps were “helping other customers”.

Most of us probably agree that calling customer service is about as pleasant as eating broken glass for breakfast, but what most folks don’t know is that it was intentionally designed to be that way.

[Read more…]