High Tech Hacks: Stronger phone chargers, easy selfies, and broken keyboard stands

For this week’s ‘High Tech Hacks,’ we’re bringing you ways to make your life a little easier.

The first hack involves fixing frayed phone charging cords. We are all familiar with them, but here’s how you can ensure your charger lasts a little longer.

What you need:

Phone charger Ballpoint pen that clicks

What to do:

Open the ballpoint pen and get the spring out that is inside. Next, use the spring to wrap around the end of the cord. Pro tip: It is easier to start in the middle of the spring and begin working in a spiral motion until both sides are wrapped all the way around the cord.

Once you have the spring around the edge, push the spring as close to the charging port as you can get to ensure no further fraying. This can work for both edges of the charger.

For the second hack, this applies to iPhone users in particular. Did you know your iPhone headphones can also be used to take pictures? We’re talking to you selfie lovers out there. This hack makes it easier to take discrete photos using your headphones.

What you need:

Cell phone Headphones

What to do:

Plug the headphones into your phone (make sure they are the kind with volume control and speaker attached to the side). Open your camera and turn to selfie mode. Next, use the top button of the volume control on the side of the headphones to take pictures. Easy, peasy!

And for the third and final hack, this is for anyone with a broken keyboard, specifically the bottom peg stands to prop the keyboard up. If this is broken on yours, no problem, we have an easy way of fixing it.

What you need:

Broken keyboard Large or Medium size binder clip

What to do:

Turn the keyboard upside down to reveal the empty spaces where the peg stands should go. Take one side of the binder clip and squeeze the metal sides together to unhook one side from the plastic. Next, squeeze the metal together again and hook into the bottom part of the keyboard that’s missing the stand. It should sort of snap into place. Repeat the same steps for the other leg that’s missing. Flip keyboard over and you’re ready to go.

If you have any tech tips you’d like the public to know, send LeighAnne an email at leighanne.coleman@krdo.com.