You may be wondering why the batteries in your phone or headphones only last a few years. Well, NPR’s Daniel Estrin has some answers for you. He talks to Geoffrey Fowler, a tech columnist for the Washington Post, about this problem. Read on to find out what you should do about the problem. You’ll be amazed at how many gadgets don’t last more than a few years.

Geoffrey Fowler, tech columnist at The Washington Post

Fowler, a tech columnist at The Washington Post, is one of the most influential and popular journalists in the world. Before becoming a columnist, he served as the Journal’s correspondent in Afghanistan, opening up dozens of letters during the anthrax attacks. He specializes in tech and anthropology, and his first front-page article centered on the evolution of human thumbs and their use in texting culture.

Previously, Fowler worked as a consumer tech columnist at The Wall Street Journal, where he spent 16 years covering consumer technology. But he hasn’t been interested in the tech “game of thrones,” preferring to focus on how these devices affect our lives. Fowler compares his role to that of a relationship counselor, helping those who are struggling with their devices find the balance between technology and their lives.

Battery life

Users want convenient, beautiful, and long-lasting electronics, but the problem is that they can’t know how long the battery will last. The problem is that batteries don’t last forever, and the battery is often the reason why gadgets don’t work well or stop working. Batteries have a built-in death clock, and once they reach 80 percent capacity, they don’t recharge and lose capacity precipitously.

Durability

We can no longer expect our modern devices to last a lifetime. The batteries in our phones, headphones, and other portable devices can only last for a few years at most. Luckily, the FTC has the power to make the companies put warning labels on their products. These labels could list the amount of charge cycles and the cost of a replacement battery. If companies don’t put these warnings on their products, consumers will not know whether they can rely on them for long.