Technology is supposed to make our lives easier and for the most part it does. But there are those times when technology seems to do more harm than good and it can stress you out. Obviously, I don't experience many tech issues, but I know many of you do. There are many situations that can leave you frustrated with your tech. Internet is spotty when you're trying to stream your favorite show or movie. You go to reach for your favorite device and it will not turn on making you wonder if you'll ever get those documents and photos you forgot to backup. I'm sure everyone's had to deal with a tech device that starts running slow and don't forget those pesky viruses that can pop up without warning. If you tech stresses you out, here are some tips that will make technology less stressful for you.
1. Get the Right Technology. Sometimes the easiest way to deal with stressful situations is to avoid them. With technology, that involves getting the right type of technology for you. I'm always preaching about getting computers from Dell or Apple. Why? They may be a little more expensive than other brands, but they last for a long time and experience fewer issues. When getting a desktop or laptop computer, always get a computer with an i5 or i7 processor with a minimum of 8 Gigabytes of RAM and a 1 Terabyte hard drive. Make that hard drive a solid state hard drive if you can for increased speed. It's better to get more computer than what you need. This will allow you to grow into it which will last for a long time.
The same thing for a smartphone or tablet, don't get the cheapest thing. Samsung and Apple offer the best products and their models will give you more storage on your phone. Apple devices don't allow you to upgrade storage. Samsung phones do via a sim card, but it's a pain in the butt to remember what information is stored on your phone's storage and your sim card storage. Also, a large amount of storage on your smartphone and tablet means you're not having to constantly swap and delete information off your phone.
Your Internet services play a big part in your technology experience, so you need to make sure you're getting the best speed possible. You can check your current speed using Speedtest.net. Your desired speed is anything over 20 MBps. Anything slower than that can cause you undue stress as you try to do research on the web or stream video.
2. If You Run into Trouble, Breathe, and Use Basic Troubleshooting Steps. You never know when a technology issue will pop up, but they always seem to when you need it most. If it happens to you, the first thing you want to do is breath. No tech issue with worth raising your blood pressure. After you've calmed down, it never hurts to do the old standby of turning your malfunctioning device on and off again. This doesn't just work with computers. You can use this process with any tech device such as your smartphone, tablet, printer, router and any other tech device that has an on/off switch. Our gadgets are complex devices, and sometimes the internal processes get screwed up. Turning them on and off works because doing so gives your device a fresh start. If doing the basics doesn't work, call in a tech expert like myself or my team. In this digital age, many of you feel that you should know the ins and outs of all aspects of computers and tech devices. It's impossible unless you work o them all of the time. Technology is constantly updating and even hard for the experts like myself to keep up. It's the equivalent of knowing how to replace the engine in your car. So don't feel like a dummy if you have to call in for tech support.
3. Make Sure Your Backing Up Your Stuff. Losing all of your data is the worst case situation for anyone who uses tech devices. Your storage devices can fail at anytime. Also, you can lose your device or worse, have it stolen. Whatever gadgets you use, if you have data stored on it, you need to have a backup of that device. Never think data loss won't happen to you. There are tons of backup solutions available, but the best option is backup that is done automatically. Microsoft has File History and Apple computers have Time Machine, backup software built into the operating system that allows you to get an external hard drive for data backup. Plug the drive in your computer, and it will start backing up. Cloud backup services like Carbonite, Backblaze, and iCloud offer the best protection because they offer multiple copies of your files unlike Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive.
4. Let An Expert Help You. As I stated earlier, you shouldn't be ashamed of calling for help. In this ever-changing world of technology, it's never a bad idea to have a tech expert (It doesn't have to be yours truly) to check out your technology for your home and business and make sure you have the right stuff. When choosing an expert, make you work with one who doesn't have any ties to manufacturers who focus on selling you equipment they want you to buy vs someone who will help you find the right equipment to use in your home or business.
If you follow these basic steps, it should help eliminate most tech issues that you may encounter.
What do you do to make using technology less stressful? Drop me a line and let me know.
If you have any questions about your technology and your devices, please feel free to contact us at Integral. Our friendly tech experts at Integral are always standing by to answer your questions and help make your technology useful and fun. Reach out to us a www.integralcomputerconsutants.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
I'm the Chief Technology Expert at Integral. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter and watch great tech tip videos on my YouTube channel. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I want to make technology fun and exciting for you. I can be reached by email at burton@integralcomputerconsultants.com