If you haven’t yet figured it out, it has become increasingly difficult to keep up with changes in information technology.
Even if you are a seasoned information technology professional, it is still not easy to keep up with the constant changes that take place in the information technology world on a daily basis and to figure out how those changes can be applied to your company, organization or home, for that matter.
The method, in technology, is very clear as it keeps us always moving to get the next great, just released device and software. Not to mention all the new applications that we can purchase, along with the new device, as seen with smartphones.
It is mind-boggling just how fast the technology changes and the overwhelming amount of information that exists relative to the technology.
So, with the speed of change and the awesome amount of information available, what is a company, organization and private citizen to do?
I talk with business people and private citizens every day about their technology and they all have the same issues and are asking the same question: “How do I know what the best technology is for my business or personal needs, because there is so much and I just don’t understand or have time to try and figure it out?”
My answer is always the same and very clear. It is that there are very simple ways and strategies that we all can utilize to both stay ahead of the technology and understand it as well, hopefully taking away our anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed.
Let’s face it, the innovations in information technology seem to come out on a daily basis. You get latest smartphone, laptop, PC, GPS unit, iPod and, before you get it home and out of the box, someone is on your television or radio touting the arrival of the next big device that is now on the market and, of course, it’s the next generation of the device you just brought, leaving you with that sinking feeling of, “Man, did I just waste my money; should I take it back?; Ahh!”
So, first take a deep breath, relax and get ready to gain a whole new perspective on this issue that will ease your stress and restore a state of tranquility when it comes to technology and you.
The first step in erasing technology stress is to accept that the technology is always going to move faster than you and I.
When you understand this and accept this, you will be taking the first step to separating yourself from the technology rat race.
Next, it is important to form a network of people that you can associate with and who are hunter-gatherers of technology and tend to be the proverbial geeks of the world.
I have found that groups of these folks are very helpful, as they enjoy investing time in looking at new technology and figuring out how it applies to everyday use and to various circumstances and disciplines.
I belong to several groups and the people are incredible, as they provide me with a constant source of concrete information that they have researched and developed on any information technology device or program currently on the market or that is some to be released onto the market.
We all work for organizations that have IT needs and, depending upon the size of your company, there is probably an IT person either internally or under contract from the outside.
Either way, whoever the IT person or persons are, they can be another good resource that you can use to help advise you on the issue of the technology, or programs that you are interested in using and need to know if they are right for your needs, both now and in the future.
There are several other means that you can use to gain the upper hand on the changing world of information technology and we will look at them next week.
Andino Ward is vice president of marketing and operations of Bardissi Enterprises in Hatfield. Bardissi Enterprises welcomes your questions or comments. Questions you would like answered or topics you would like discussed should be sent to Andino R. Ward at award@bardissi.net. You can also visit www.bardissi.net, or call (215) 853-2266.
Archives of the Tech Talk column found in The Reporter and at TheReporterOnline.com each week, taking on all topics related to Internet technology, communications, computer software, hardware operating systems and security. Created by the staff of Bardissi Enterprises in Hatfield PA.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tips for a great laptop
The laptop is an incredible piece of technology, because of its ability to be used on the fly, wherever you are.
Although laptops are incredible, it should be understood that there are some disadvantages and they are mostly relative to the hardware side of the device.
One of the major issues is the inability to upgrade components in a laptop.
An example of this is the display screen on a laptop. Once the screen goes bad, the laptop is pretty much done.
Of course, you may be able to find a replacement display, if the laptop model is still available, which in most cases it will not be as a result of the age of the device and the fact that the manufacturer has moved on to producing new models.
The way to protect yourself, in the aforementioned situation of a bad display screen, is to ensure that you have the best warranty available on the laptop and be diligent in checking the warranty out before you purchase the device.
We’ll look at the warranty issue later.
Battery life is another big issue that you need to be aware of when purchasing a laptop from the big box stores or online, and it is a safe bet that any laptop you purchase will have a battery life of less than three hours and this information may not be listed in any of the materials relative to the laptop.
While researching laptops either in the store or online, you may see advertisements that indicate their laptop batteries have 10 hours of continuous power. Of course this sounds incredible and you will immediately think that you’re getting the battery to end all batteries.
Well, take a step back, because what you’re being led to believe is a gross exaggeration as it is widely known that there is no concrete, or bona fide standard in the industry for testing the life of batteries for laptops.
So, the rule of thumb, when dealing with battery life and your laptop purchase, should be to assume that you will realistically get about 75 percent of the battery life indicated and if you are going to be upping the ante by watching movies, downloading and playing music or anything else that will tax the processor, then you will probably cut the claimed battery life in half.
Depending upon your laptop use, you can get batteries with greater usage time. Be prepared to pay a hefty price, which is why I suggest you never leave home without your trusty power cord, as you can always find a plug to tap into. Or there are new solar-powered batteries that keep a nice charge as a result of normal and constant light energy feeding them from the environment.
Because there are so many batteries and new solar batteries on the market, I am not going to try and give you the details as it would take too long. All you need to do is conduct a Google search on batteries with true extended power and solar batteries, both for laptops, and you will see a host of solutions to choose from.
When looking at buying your next or first laptop, don’t be fooled by the attempted plot to get you to buy all kinds of accessories with your laptop.
It is a very common sales tactic that is deployed to make you spend more money than you should.
The tactic is more commonly referred to as bundling and I am sure you are familiar with it as it is very popular in the realm of information technology.
Without going into great detail, just remember that the stores will try to sell extras like USB cables, printers and external hard drives. Your best bet is to go online and I assure you that you will find the same item for at least 30 to 60 percent less.
We are now at the final consideration — the warranty.
A laptop, when purchased, will normally come with a manufacturer’s warranty of one year, which is great, but my experience is that a vast majority of laptop owners we provide service and support to normally seem to have problems after the first year, when the warranty is up.
This is why we always suggest that an extended warranty be purchased directly from the manufacturer, as it will probably cost less than it would getting it from the store.
The extended warranty should be a two-year one, as this will give you the protection that will go along with the life of your system.
Also purchase the accidental damage warranty, which is, in my opinion, very necessary when owning a laptop.
Andino Ward is vice president of marketing and operations of Bardissi Enterprises in Hatfield. Bardissi Enterprises welcomes your questions or comments. Questions you would like answered or topics you would like discussed should be sent to Andino R. Ward at award@bardissi.net. You can also visit www.bardissi.net, or call (215) 853-2266.
Although laptops are incredible, it should be understood that there are some disadvantages and they are mostly relative to the hardware side of the device.
One of the major issues is the inability to upgrade components in a laptop.
An example of this is the display screen on a laptop. Once the screen goes bad, the laptop is pretty much done.
Of course, you may be able to find a replacement display, if the laptop model is still available, which in most cases it will not be as a result of the age of the device and the fact that the manufacturer has moved on to producing new models.
The way to protect yourself, in the aforementioned situation of a bad display screen, is to ensure that you have the best warranty available on the laptop and be diligent in checking the warranty out before you purchase the device.
We’ll look at the warranty issue later.
Battery life is another big issue that you need to be aware of when purchasing a laptop from the big box stores or online, and it is a safe bet that any laptop you purchase will have a battery life of less than three hours and this information may not be listed in any of the materials relative to the laptop.
While researching laptops either in the store or online, you may see advertisements that indicate their laptop batteries have 10 hours of continuous power. Of course this sounds incredible and you will immediately think that you’re getting the battery to end all batteries.
Well, take a step back, because what you’re being led to believe is a gross exaggeration as it is widely known that there is no concrete, or bona fide standard in the industry for testing the life of batteries for laptops.
So, the rule of thumb, when dealing with battery life and your laptop purchase, should be to assume that you will realistically get about 75 percent of the battery life indicated and if you are going to be upping the ante by watching movies, downloading and playing music or anything else that will tax the processor, then you will probably cut the claimed battery life in half.
Depending upon your laptop use, you can get batteries with greater usage time. Be prepared to pay a hefty price, which is why I suggest you never leave home without your trusty power cord, as you can always find a plug to tap into. Or there are new solar-powered batteries that keep a nice charge as a result of normal and constant light energy feeding them from the environment.
Because there are so many batteries and new solar batteries on the market, I am not going to try and give you the details as it would take too long. All you need to do is conduct a Google search on batteries with true extended power and solar batteries, both for laptops, and you will see a host of solutions to choose from.
When looking at buying your next or first laptop, don’t be fooled by the attempted plot to get you to buy all kinds of accessories with your laptop.
It is a very common sales tactic that is deployed to make you spend more money than you should.
The tactic is more commonly referred to as bundling and I am sure you are familiar with it as it is very popular in the realm of information technology.
Without going into great detail, just remember that the stores will try to sell extras like USB cables, printers and external hard drives. Your best bet is to go online and I assure you that you will find the same item for at least 30 to 60 percent less.
We are now at the final consideration — the warranty.
A laptop, when purchased, will normally come with a manufacturer’s warranty of one year, which is great, but my experience is that a vast majority of laptop owners we provide service and support to normally seem to have problems after the first year, when the warranty is up.
This is why we always suggest that an extended warranty be purchased directly from the manufacturer, as it will probably cost less than it would getting it from the store.
The extended warranty should be a two-year one, as this will give you the protection that will go along with the life of your system.
Also purchase the accidental damage warranty, which is, in my opinion, very necessary when owning a laptop.
Andino Ward is vice president of marketing and operations of Bardissi Enterprises in Hatfield. Bardissi Enterprises welcomes your questions or comments. Questions you would like answered or topics you would like discussed should be sent to Andino R. Ward at award@bardissi.net. You can also visit www.bardissi.net, or call (215) 853-2266.
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