How To Revive Seemingly Dead Electronic Gadgets

When you consider how many electronic gadgets go dead each year, and that many consumers just toss the offending devices in the trash, it is enough to make someone like me wince. Not because of the obvious landfill issues either, but because oftentimes those seemingly dead electronic gadgets are far from deceased, they just need a bit of resuscitation!

Take for instance my very own beloved Dell Axim Pocket Pc. It is an early version of the Axim, but I love it like so many of us love our gadgets. It holds my contact list, allows me to play a game of solitaire whenever the mood strikes, and as a freelance writer slash mother, I can jot down an idea or two when the inspiration hits no matter where I happen to be. Whether it's a waiting room, the middle of the aisle at the local grocery store, or a park bench, my Axim is always close by in my purse or bag.

However, about a year back, I turned on my Axim to be greeted by a low battery warning, even though it had just been charged the night before. I did not panic too much, figuring I just needed to replace the backup battery. What followed was the replacement of several backup batteries and the main battery, only to discover, just short of me tossing the Axim in the trash myself from shear frustration, that the connectors for the backup battery just needed tweaking. They had simply settled a bit from use and age. I used a pair of tweezers to bend the ends up very lightly. I discovered this simple fix through a search online of issues affecting older Dell Axim handhelds. I was additionally told me to clean the ends of the connectors too, which I did. I have since gained another year of use and it is still going strong.