Smart Phone screen-protectors. Who protects us from them!

Why something so small and apparently simple for many, is so difficult for me. I have stared down barrels of guns, talked to the sharp end of a knife, wielded by some crazy. I handled it. There is one thing that seems to be my nemesis, and causes me to break out in a cold sweat.

“Honey, will you install the screen protector on my new phone?” I get sick to the stomach, my whole body starts to vibrate. I have never, ever, had any luck with a screen protector installation. I take that back, once I managed to get one on a 10.1 inch tablet with just one tiny speck of dust in a corner. 4-5 inch screen? I’m a klutz.

If there is one tiny mote, particle smaller than dust floating around, it will find that damn sticky side of the protector. Then it glares at me every time I see the device. I have tried  dry application types (peel and stick). I have tried wet applications, you know, the ones you spray your fingers with the solution in the tiny bottle,  that always runs out on your second attempt to apply the screen?

The environment needs to be dust free, or as close as possible. I have found myself doing the bathroom shower drill. That is where you turn on the warm/hot water for a while till it gets steamy. Then turn off the water, then wait 5 mins, for the steam to cling to any dust and take it to the floor. So you stand there, trying to not sweat to death, and feel like your in a sauna. Yep, there it is.  A speck of dust, apparently impervious to moisture. I swear, sometimes I think I can hear them coming under the door.

It’s been a long day, I have the screen protector shakes so I’m calling it a night.

Comments always welcome,

Repost: Extremely Dirty Computer. Things we do for friends.

I brought this old post back from May 2013. While I was blowing out my computers this morning and though they are only slightly dusty, something triggered this memory. It was one of those neighbors, who after they learn you work on computers as a hobby ask if you mind taking a look at it. Out of kindness you do a favor.

One of the worst  computers I ever worked on. While we all know that computers will gather dust and none are them are perfect after owned awhile. You expect to maybe have to blow some dust out when you work on one. This is an actual computer that I worked on once in Sept 2009 for someone in the community. I should have refused, but donning gloves, a mask, and doing it outside on top of the garbage can, I managed to clean is some, not totally, but enough that it would again run without totally overheating.

Photo by Ron

There were no bugs in it, but that is probably complimentary of the bugs having better taste, than take up residence in there.

First inspection, with this much dust and dirt you can imagine what the CPU fan/heat-sink looked like under that green air hood. They reported it had a “slight” over heating problem, It’s a wonder the CD player worked. The environment was a house with lots of small dogs, on a very dusty dirt road and vinyl floors.

Photos by Ron

Would you type on this? I suggested they trash it. I used my own keyboard for testing the computer.

Photos by Ron

After taking the unit outside where I had a compressed air supply, I removed the green air tunnel. It is rumored that when I hit it with the high pressure air, that I disappeared for a few moments till I ran from the cloud. Fire Rangers in their fire towers seeing the cloud, probably thought our home had been hit with a small tactical nuke.  I would think that Air Traffic was probably diverted around our area for a short while.

I managed to get most of it out using the air and some large type Q-tips. I didn’t scrub it hard so it was still a tad dusty in places, but I didn’t want to crumble something into dust if that was what still held it together.

All photos by Ron

Comments welcome!