Well, Fuck. My stupid phone is apparently 'broken'. On Thanksgiving

[bordelond]

@Dewey_Finn

@bordelond

Keeping that charge was another matter, however. I only kept the phone about another month for sundry reasons. But it did teach me a lesson about cleaning charging ports. Maybe I got lucky not noticeably damaging the port, I dunno. But it seems apparent to me that some level of risk must be accepted when it comes to applying sufficient force to get a charging port well and truly clear.

I had the battery on an iPhone X replaced and I think it cost “only” $69 at the Apple Store. Googling, battery replacement for some older iPhones is only $49 for some of the older phones. I think both prices are reasonable, for a repair done at an actual Apple Store, rather than some random mall kiosk, where you don’t know how good the repair will be.

If only it were the battery degradation alone.

Funny enough, part of the impetus for a new phone was that my old iPhone 6 couldn’t be upgraded past iOS 12.6 (?) – IIRD, iOS 16.x is current. This meant that many useful apps no longer functioned on my old phone. Furthermore, Discourse is dropping support for iOS 12.x in January 2023 … so I was going to lose this message board. It was time.

[DesertDog]

@RivkahChaya

If the relay clicks, but it won’t turn over, have someone hold the key in position while you whack the starter. If the car then starts, it needs a new starter.

Whack it hard enough and you need a new starter whether you needed one before or not.

[Gatopescado]

@Folly

My otter box…

I don’t know what this is, but it sounds fucking CUTE!

Otters… Water Dachshunds

[BippityBoppityBoo]

Otter Box is a brand of top end phone cases, well known for drop protection. I have one on order to replace the non-otter box one that failed to protect my iPhone screen. Replaced the screen last week. Now handling it very gingerly til that Otter Box Defender case gets to me.

[Gatopescado]

Well, that is nothing like Dachshunds. I might have to rescind my cute approval.

[running_coach]

@Gatopescado

Well, that is nothing like Dachshunds. I might have to rescind my cute approval. -

Will this do?

Or this?

[Gatopescado]

Those boxes of Otters meet with my Approvals.

[Gatopescado]

Way too much cute and useful knowledge and not nearly enough vitriol for a pit thread. I have failed once again.

[Atamasama]

@Gatopescado

Way too much cute and useful knowledge and not nearly enough vitriol for a pit thread.

Let’s argue about whether river otters or sea otters are cuter, and use scatalogical insults in the process.

(Though the correct answer is that sea otters are cuter.)

[susan]

Yeah, fuck those ugly sea otters.

[Folly]

Why I otter… . shakes fist

[Atamasama]

They’re cute but not enough to go that far, no matter how much I’ve had to drink.

[running_coach]

@Atamasama

They’re cute but not enough to go that far, no matter how much I’ve had to drink. -

Not to mention the ocean is cold.

[Gatopescado]

@Folly

Why I otter… . shakes fist

Bang! Zoom!

[wguy123]

@Dewey_Finn

If you carry the phone in your trousers, it accumulates pocket lint over time.

Bingo!

@bordelond

Over the course of several months, I had cleaned out the charging port many times with an unbent paper clip.

I’ve found a small sewing needle works best. That pocket lint really packs in there but the small needle can pull it out easily. I’ve been amazed at the amount that gets packed in there, but once removed, that USB-C seats again like new.

[needscoffee]

@wguy123

I’ve found a small sewing needle works best.

Yeah, I used a sewing needle, a toothpick, a hat pin, a dental pick, and a couple of dental floss brushes, along with isopropyl alcohol. Idk which was best, but the phone hasn’t charged this effortlessly in months!

[wguy123]

It was definitely the sewing needle!

[Dewey_Finn]

I’d think a wooden toothpick or a plastic dental pick would be better since I’d be afraid the metal sewing needle might short out something.

[needscoffee]

@Dewey_Finn

I’d think a wooden toothpick or a plastic dental pick would be better since I’d be afraid the metal sewing needle might short out something

Not a danger with the phone turned off during the cleaning. All the implements seemed to have their own benefits for different areas.

I’m delighted, since I hadn’t been able to charge it in the car for a long time (couldn’t prop the charger “just so” without external forces).

[DesertDog]

@wguy123

It was definitely the sewing needle!

Colonel Mustard in the Conservatory with the Sewing Needle.