Christmas time is back with us again. The latest devices and gadgets are hitting store shelves just in time to keep up with the rush. Magazines, television, and the web are brimming with advertisements and reviews of the latest tech your money can buy.
Before you rush out to buy the gadgets you’ve been waiting all year for, consider a few important questions before parting with your hard-earned cash.
Does This Technology Do What I need?
First, you must ask what problem you are trying to solve with a new piece of tech. The most important thing to consider is how adopting your new device will improve on what you had before.
In some cases, a sleek new gadget or device for fun is good too.
When you’ve answered this question, you should consider whether there is other tech or competing devices out there that can perform even better.
Should I Become an Early Adopter?
Early adopters are people that anticipate the release of new tech, wait in line on release day, and pride themselves on having the latest gadgets to hit the shelves. If you recognize yourself in this description you are likely to snap up the latest devices the day they are released. This eager anticipation, however, is not always the way to get the best deals or the best gadgets.
Companies often rely on new product hype to give sales an early boost. Waiting for the marketing and hype to subside, even a little, can save you a lot of money.
After initial sales fall, companies often mark down their prices to keep their devices attractive and sales high. When newer, faster, sleeker devices hit the market, companies cut prices to maintain strong sales figures. For the budget smart consumer this is an opportunity for a bargain. A device good enough to buy on launch day is well worth waiting for.
Have I checked The Reviews?
We are fortunate enough to have access to seemingly unlimited amounts of information at our fingertips. Often weeks before a product is released, reviews are available across the web.
One of the best things you can do when considering a new device, particularly a high-cost purchase, is to watch and read a wide variety of product reviews. It pays to be cautious of reviews that are particularly glowing, or too downbeat. Keep an eye out for middle of the road reviews that fairly weigh the pros and cons of each device.
Have I Found the Best Deal?
There are many ways to keep an eye out to make sure you get the best deal on your device. If you can, monitor prices over time to see how they rise and fall to find the best time to purchase.
When purchasing online, many sites include a box to add a coupon code when you are ready to buy. It sometimes pays to jump over to Google and search the website name and ‘coupon’ or ‘voucher’ to find out if there are any good deals on.
A quick search can save you as much as 10, 15, or 20 per cent on some purchases. Sometimes companies send out offers to appeal to groups they want to market to. A companies Facebook page may get different offers or vouchers than its Twitter followers or newsletter for example.
It can pay to search around for offers and vouchers to get money off before you checkout. Five minutes work can save huge amounts of cash.
Purchase in Confidence
If you have asked yourself these questions, done all your research, and found the answers you’re looking for then you may well be ready to buy.
You can do so with the confidence that you’ve done all your homework and you’re getting the best deal and gadget for your money.
Christmas is right around the corner! For gift-giving questions or pricing, give us a call today at (651) 456-8655 or visit our Contact page.
Stay Safe Shopping Online This Holiday Season (11/29/21) – Retail research tells us that over 75% of people are shopping online each month, and, with the holiday season upon us, you’re likely to be one of them. But don’t let the appeal of convenience distract you from the need to stay safe when shopping online.
The number of digital buyers is steadily climbing. In 2020, according to Statista, more than two billion people purchased goods or services online. During the same year, e-retail sales surpassed $4.2 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide.
Retailers are embracing the change in consumer behavior. But, do you know who else is taking advantage? Cybercrooks. Before you buy, consider these strategies to stay safe.
#1 Question that great deal
If a deal looks “too good to be true,” it probably is. You’re not going to get a new Apple laptop for $29.99, or the latest Beats headphones or Xbox gaming console for under $20. Anyone offering you that price is trying to lure you to their site to enter your payment details, so don’t be surprised when your product never arrives!
#2 Review safe seller feedback
While scrolling social media you see adverts for perfect gifts for someone on your list. And it’s so easy to click the link and buy! Still, before purchasing, take the time to research the seller.
Read the feedback from other buyers on independent sources. It adds only a few moments to check sites such as Trustpilot and Google My Business.
#3 Research the business domain
Think about it: who are you more likely to trust with your sensitive data? Someone who has been in business 10 years or someone who set up shop 10 days ago? Quickly check how long a business website has been around. Enter the URL into the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ lookup tool [https://lookup.icann.org].
#4 Watch out for email scams
Before clicking on any offer links in emails, check the URL. You can hover over the link before actually redirecting there and check the target. Double-check that the address is to the site you’re expecting.
Also, slow down and be sure that the address doesn’t have any typos or atypical endings. You don’t want to confuse www.nike.com with www.n1ke.co and end up a victim of identity theft instead of the proud owner of the latest Air Max.
#5 Check safe payment site security
There are several ways to verify the security of a payment site. These include:
verifying that the site uses an SSL certificate – it will start with “https” instead of “http”;
checking for a physical address and phone number – call the contact number to confirm it is not fake;
reviewing the Terms and Conditions and Return and Privacy policies – any reputable brand has these!
#6 Pay with Online Payments
When you do decide to buy, prefer to pay using PayPal or another online payment tool. You won’t be giving the seller your credit card details. If you can’t take this approach, use a credit card from a credit account rather than debit. You will have more protection this way. You can start a chargeback through your credit card company when the item isn’t as advertised and the seller’s customer service doesn’t help.
Before online shopping, at any time of the year, update your operating system, and keep your anti-virus software current, too.
The New PC Tune-Up – 11/29/21. How exciting! You got a new computer for Christmas. It’s sleek, shiny, and so much faster than what you had before. That’s great, but it doesn’t mean you should leave it untouched. This article shares several steps you might take to secure your data and keep that new device in tip-top shape.
First things first. Before even logging into personal email or other top sites, you’ll want to update the operating system (OS). Yes, most computers come out of the box with Windows, but you can’t know when that item was boxed. There could be important updates that you don’t want to miss.
You’ll also want to install the latest drivers during your tune-up. Different hardware on your computer can need specialized drivers from the manufacturer. Gamers, for instance, may want to ensure they download the latest to boost performance.
While you’re doing all this uploading and upgrading, also look to remove junk that may have come on the computer. It’s no longer as common, but manufacturers can reduce cost to the consumer by pre-installing software.
You might not have any need for the tools that come already installed. Meanwhile, they slow down your computer. Remove the clutter to improve your computer’s processing. Head to your PC’s Control Panel and look to uninstall programs and utilities that you don’t want. Be careful, though. Just because you don’t know what it is doesn’t mean it’s not serving a valuable purpose.
Starting out on a new computer is also a great time to set up the free software. For many of us this includes:
Google Chrome – the internet browser;
Skype – for instant messaging, voice and video calling;
VLC – a multimedia player;
FoxIt Reader – to create, edit, sign, and secure PDFs;
7Zip – used for archiving files.
Involving an IT expert for Your Tune-Up
If you had a great sales experience, you may not want to seek IT help with your new computer. Still, it can prove useful.
Your new computer may also need BIOS updates during your tune-up. Again, the hardware was current when your computer was boxed up but may be lacking the latest by the time it gets to you. A note of caution: this is not an update to do alone. BIOS updates don’t add new features, security patches, or performance improvements, but they may fix a bug with a piece of hardware or add support for your central processing unit (CPU). These updates can be risky if done incorrectly, so work with an IT tech.
Talk also with an IT tech about the best data backup plan for your needs. You’ll be creating important documents, downloading sensitive data, and uploading valued images. Don’t risk their security by failing to back up.
IT support will also suggest the best security tool for you to use to protect against malware. With so many free and fee-based third-party alternatives to Windows Defender, you may want help deciding on the best one.
We’re here to help you get the most out of your new computer. Or, if you’re not sure yet which one to buy, we can consult with you on that, too. Contact us today at (651) 456-8655 or visit our Contact page!
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