Whether you’re the kind of guy who expertly navigates between his tablet, Apple Watch and computer throughout the day, or the kind of gal who simply manages everything from her smartphone, technology is a significant part of your life. And when you put your money toward buying new devices or upgrading ones you already own, you want that investment to be worthwhile. For some reason, though, many people forget that maintenance is an important part of caring for technology. The good news is this doesn’t mean you need to add daily tasks to your routine or spend a ton of additional money; it simply means being aware of what should be prioritized. Here’s a quick guide to show you how to do this.
Back-Ups Aren’t a Cherry on Top
Your hard drive will fail at some point. So are you regularly conducting back-ups? Even if you have a new computer, you are sadly not invincible when it comes to mishaps. The best time to choose a back-up system is when you first purchase a device. While the options out there can be overwhelming, two clear standout solutions are currently available: CrashPlan and SOS Online.
CrashPlan offers free back-up to an external drive or Internet-connected computer or a subscription to its cloud-based destination. Boasting unlimited storage and heightened security, it’s an easy way to keep all of your important files under lock and key. SOS Online is a similar solution, in that it also allows infinite storage and advanced security. Depending on your price range and needs, either system will serve you well and give you peace of mind.
Don’t Fall Prey to Slipping Health
Most people would take themselves to the doctor if their physical health deteriorated, but some forget to be diligent about the health of their operating systems. This is an easy fix, and it starts with making sure your device is equipped with an up-to-date antivirus software. There are myriad solutions available, but one of the best for both PC and Apple fans is Avira. Various packages are offered by this brand, but the overall promise is a protection from malware, protection of your email and network, safe browsing and Web protection. You’ll be leagues ahead of your device’s health if you put software like this in place early on.
Tweak Your Settings
Relook at your current settings. Even the most technologically savvy among us often forget that settings can impact how efficiently a device runs and how long it lasts. If you have a ThinkPad, for instance, changes in your settings can go a long way in keeping it in working order for years to come. By setting custom charge thresholds, you’ll keep the ThinkPad cool and help increase the device’s maximum lifespan.
If you eat, sleep and breathe by your devices, it’s time you gave a little extra attention to their care. Remember to perform regular back-ups and use a service that will handle this for you, so you don’t even have to think about it. Get on board with a trusted, comprehensive antivirus software to prevent internal demise too. And take a good, hard look at the settings of each of your devices to see what options you might have that could extend their lifecycles. You may not be able to prevent or control every thing that might happen to the tech you rely upon, but you can do a lot to help preserve and bolster it.
The opinions expressed in this post belong to the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Information Security Buzz.