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MYTH: Turning down your phone’s brightness helps save battery life.

FACT: While you might think that turning your phone’s brightness down will save you some extra battery life, think again. The best option is actually turning on Auto Brightness. Auto Brightness adjusts your phone’s display to the different light conditions that you experience throughout the day. For instance, rather than turning your brightness all the way down when walking into a well-lit room, auto brightness will adjust to the best lighting display. This gradual process also saves battery life rather than destroying it.

MYTH: Mac computers are safe from viruses and malware attacks.

FACT: Many believe that Windows computers are constantly vulnerable to viruses and malware attacks while Macs remain invincible. However, the truth is that Macs are vulnerable as well. In 2007, a security researcher even took home a $10,000 prize for hijacking a Mac by discovering a vulnerability in Apple Quicktime and setting up a web page to expose it in less than 10 hours. It’s true that Mac users are less likely to encounter viruses than Windows users, but in the rare event that they do, they can be pretty vicious. In fact, Macs faced a dangerous malware problem in January of this year. Called Fruitfly, this virus allowed the hacker to have access to victim’s computer files, screens and even the webcam. The virus gave hackers full access and control over the machines, leaving those affected both unsuspecting at first and unable to stop it.

MYTH: Browsing in Incognito Mode keeps you anonymous.

FACT: Even though it seems like you’re anonymous, Incognito Mode just means that your browser is not keeping track of your history. It won’t import your bookmarks or automatically log into your accounts; however, it doesn’t keep your information hidden from the sites that you visit. Therefore, people who use your computer might not be able to see what websites you were using, but your ISP and anyone who has access to it will.

MYTH: Leaving your phone plugged in destroys the battery.

FACT: It’s a common misconception that leaving your phone plugged in the charger after it’s fully charged will destroy your battery overtime. However, all smartphones nowadays have lithium-ion batteries. These batteries stop your phone from charging once it hits its full capacity, making sure that they don’t overcharge themselves.

MYTH: Extreme weather conditions won’t affect your phone.

FACT: Extreme heat and cold can cause a phone to lose battery power and not perform as well as it would in regular weather conditions. While smartphones are programmed to work in most weather conditions, issues such as direct sunlight have the capability to affect the phone’s performance. There are certain programs that require “a lot of movement within the phone’s chip architecture.” This movement creates heat and when combined with the heat from outside, can result in rare, but extreme occurrences, such as a screen cracking or a battery exploding. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, smartphones are programmed with response systems that will stop the phone from working when it reaches certain levels of heat. So the next time the temperature warning screen pops up on your iPhone, just let it sit for a little. It’s trying not to overheat!