Things That Will Simplify Your Tech Life

Things That Will Simplify Your Tech Life

1.       Protect Your Passwords

If you are like most people you probably use only one or two passwords across multiple websites for email, banking, shopping and social media.  But, do you realize, just having one or two passwords for every account you’re more vulnerable to hackers getting your information?

If you’re thinking I can’t remember another password, that is understandable.  However, I do want to remind you that in 2014, 500 million Yahoo accounts were compromised, in addition to 1 billion accounts that were hacked in 2013.  And don’t forget about the Equifax breach. If your password that you were using for your Yahoo or Equifax account is the same password for your online banking or any other online account, those accounts are more vulnerable to hackers now, unless you changed all your passwords for every account.

You don’t have to wonder if your other accounts are going to be hacked if you use a Password manager. There are several out there, we use Sticky Password, but there are others such as LastPass or 1Password. A password manager lets you use one master password to unlock a vault of passwords to log into all your internet accounts.

2.    Add two-factor verification on any account when the option is available

Even if you decided not to use a password manager (which we strongly disagree with that decision) You still need an extra layer of protection by enabling two-factor verification on your accounts when the option is available. When you enter your password, you will receive a message (usually a text) with a one-time code that you must enter before logging in.

Taking these two simple steps will help safeguard you from the inevitable hacks.

3.       Maintain Your Devices

For your devices to stay running smoothly you need to perform routine maintenance.

If your devices are running slow, freeing up some storage can make a big difference. Start by deleting any apps that you don’t use anymore. Then back up all your photos to the cloud using services like Google Drive, One drive,  Sync, or if you have an iPhone, try iCloud or if you have and then delete them from your device to free up space.

Be sure to use compressed air to blow dust out of your devices as well, especially computer and laptop fans. Do this every 6 months to help keep your computers run smoothly for many years.

4.    Check Your Router

Routers don’t last forever.  If your router is more than three years old, you probably need to upgrade to today’s smarter wireless standards. There is nothing more annoying than a slow internet connection. Visit our tech advice page for the latest recommendations.

5.       Recycle old technology

If you have any unused technology devices, including power cords laying around why not donate them or sell them for extra cash?

Companies like Amazon and Gazelle offer free trade-in services for selling used electronics. These companies offer quotes on how much money or store credit you can get for your old devices. Once you agree to with the quote, simply ship the devices to them and wait for your check to arrive in the mail.

If you have any unsellable technology devices laying around you can always bring them to Megabite for free recycling or Best Buy.

6.       Be a Smarter Shopper

Web tools like Camel Camel Camel and Keepa make price tracking on Amazon.com easy. On their websites, simply search for an item you are interested in and the site provides you with a price history. You then can create a tracker to alert you via email whenever the price drops.

If you want to save money, consider buying used technology. Amazon.com has a lot of used items for sale.

Before you buy a used item, read about its condition carefully.  Sometimes you can get items that are barely touched, and nothing is wrong with them, the customer that returned the item didn’t like it, or they were restored to good-as-new condition by a refurbishing center.

Until Next Time,

Megabite