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We are surrounded with technology, can’t live with out it, but many find technology very frustrating. Do you feel this way? Don’t worry you are not alone. I’ll be the first to come out and say it. It drives me nuts and I am a technology expert. In the course of business and pleasure the topic of conversation always seems to touch on technology and the problems it presents.
One of the most common causes is that products come to market too quickly. This has greatly improved over the years, still far from perfect.
I am sure you have read about the surprising drop in customer satisfaction with the new German cars, high technology incorporated into new models have most people very confused, at best, or making too many trips to the service department at worst.
In many ways we only have ourselves to blame. Our expectations; formed by glib technology marketers or our own wishful thinking causes us to expect more from technology than it has to give. We have the expectation that technology should be easy, I agree it should, but usually it is not. We don’t take the time to learn the ins and outs, the useful features and limitations. HP and Microsoft offer free online courses that can help you get educated.
We also put off getting help. You wouldn’t dream of being with out your doctor, lawyer, or accountant, when the need arises, a trusted technology professional should be among your close advisors.
Let me share some tips on how to avoid or remedy technology problems.
Latest, Not The Greatest
The other day I was chatting with a friend, and I see his slick - brand new - Motorola Q cell phone. How do you like it? I ask. "Great," he says "except when the Windows operating system freezes up, oh and last week when the phone crashed and I had to re-install the operating system." Yea, I understand, I reply, that’s why I went with a Blackberry. The Palm Operating System for phone also performs better than Windows. But none of these are without flaw.
One solution here is to be sure to update your operating system to the latest version. If your are with Verizon *228 does the job.
If you are in the market for a new device check out the reviews at www.cnet.com, www.letstalk.com or www.mobilemedia.com.
When it comes to new technology gadgets I wait before buying, let the manufacturer get the bugs out then I’ll take the plunge.
E-Mail Curse
Do you struggle with a flood of e-mail, spam, spam, and more spam? I see this all the time. Even with the "Junk Mail Filters" in Outlook and spam blocking tools offered the major internet providers or Symantec and McAfee, the spam still finds its way through. Or sometimes they work to well and block or lose e-mails you actually want.
At my firm, SWK, we finally licked the spam problem with a system called Choice Mail, available from Digiportal Software. www.digiportal.com. It is what is called a "Permission Based Spam Blocker." It works very well.
Some of us don’t want to go that route and so I suggest other ways to avoid spam is to set up some alternate e-mail accounts to use when signing up for on-line purchases or services. An e-mail address is almost always required, and the tricky little check boxes, "please don’t send me spam" are often ignored even when we remember to check or un-check them.
Change your e-mail address from time to time. Avoid using common names in e-mail address. Don’t "Unsubscribe" to e-mails that are foreign to you, that action is read by the spammer as a sign that you are alive and well. Use a form for contact on your web site, info@yoursite.com is a prime target for spammers.
Mysterious Computer Crash
And then there is the random computer crash. I loved that series of Jokes that circulated a few years ago that started off with, "If GM made cars they way Microsoft makes Windows."
Then gave funny examples like: "Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this."
Granted Microsoft Windows has come a long way since Windows 95, but there are still plenty of inexplicable problems.
Often this type of problem is caused by careless, carefree, surfing of the internet. Try researching your next vacation, come across an intriguing site offering unbeatable air fares. And you are hooked. Unbeknownst to you the web site has installed undesirable software on your computer, programs they call Spyware, because it spies on your web activity, or Adware because it causes ads to pop up on your screen incessantly, or Malware because it has the intent of stealing the password to your on-line bank accounts.
The worst of this types of infections can bring your computer to a crawl. To solve the problem get Spy Sweeper, www.webroot.com or Spyware Doctor http://www.pctools.com. What ever you do, do not download free programs. They are often designed to do the very thing the pretend to correct, infect your computer with malicious programs.
Upgrades That Set You Back
Oh this is a favorite. Get the latest version of Quicken or QuickBooks, and all of a sudden it’s "Who moved my icon?" The interface is new and improved but you can’t find the feature you liked the most.
And with most new versions, especially Microsoft, there are those surprise software bugs, "Free Inside."
My advice to you, wait a few months before installing the latest version of any software. And please make sure it will not conflict with other programs that you rely on.
If you do upgrade watch for updates, bug fixes, they are available on the publisher’s web site; usually there is a link in the help section of your software.
Get Help
Beyond this the best advise I can give you is find a competent technology pro, get recommendations from a friend or business associate.
The investment you make in good professional help can save your hours of frustration and improve your productivity.
Peter Conway is SWK’s Vice President, Marketing & Small Business Services.
He can be reached at (973) 758-6117 or peter.conway@swktech.com.
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