The Secret is Out: Apple Uses This Tool to Clean iMac Screens

There’s a tool called Vinyl Buddy that is used to clean vinyl records. But it can also be used to clean your Mac’s screen. Mac Geek Gab listener Everett says this is what Apple uses to clean iMac screens by getting the dust off the inside of the screen when reassembling them after repair. And others have confirmed. Instead of using a microfiber cloth, try this tool. It’s a small roller that attracts dust and other small debris. Once it’s full of dust, you just rinse it under running water and use it again. I’m guessing it’s an electrostatic effect because the roller doesn’t have any sort of adhesive on it. You could also try it on your iPhone or iPad, although it might not remove fingerprints. And of course, like the name suggests, it can pick up dust from in between the grooves of vinyl records. We found the tool on Amazon for US$14.99.

TMO Background Mode Interview with Freelance Tech Journalist Rob Pegoraro

Rob Pegoraro is a freelance technical journalist who writes about interesting problems and possibilities in consumer technology. Previously, he was a technical columnist for the Washington Post from 1999 to 2011. Lately he has written for Yahoo Finance, USA Today and The Wirecutter. Rob graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1993 with a degree in international relations without taking a single course in journalism or computer science. But along the way he discovered his real talent: learning new things about computer tech and then explaining it to readers. Rob told me how his time with the Washington Post was both rewarding but also prepared him for a better family life as a freelancer. We chatted about Google I/O 2018, the Android platform, his writings about the FTC, the GDPR, 8KTV, and his recent DIY update of his 2009 iMac.