By Marc Saltzman
LOSE WEIGHT. Quit smoking. Work harder.
Donate more. Sure, these are all great New Year’s
resolutions, but you should also consider giving
your tech life a makeover this year. Here’s a list.
Back up your important info. As Joni
Mitchell sang, you don’t know what you’ve got till
it’s gone—so be sure to back up your important
files on a regular basis in case of theft, fire, a nasty
virus or a power surge.
It doesn’t really matter how you back up your
files, as long as you do something and fairly often
(once or twice a month should be ample for most
computer users). Local backup solutions include
inexpensive external hard drives or USB flash
drives (“thumbsticks”), but you can also take
advantage of free online cloud storage, which lets
you access your files securely through a password-protected app or website. Popular services include
OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud and Dropbox.
Use security software. If you’ve read the
headlines lately, you know there have been many
high-profile Internet attacks from malicious types
who want to do harm. Therefore, it’s critical to use
protective software that can safeguard your computer and mobile devices from viruses, spyware,
hackers and phishing attempts, many of which are
trying to steal your personal information.
Some security software may be offered free
online or via your Internet service provider,
but for robust protection you should invest
in a suite of programs that can protect you
on multiple devices and from a variety of
online threats.
Speaking of protection, make sure
you’ve got a smartphone case and a
protective screen for when—not if—
you drop your phone.
Clean up your gear. Get your gad-
gets and gear in shape with a good
cleaning. Use proper cleaning solutions
to wipe down screens, keyboards, mice, remotes
and so on. It’s best to spray a rag instead of apply-
ing directly to your device, in case the liquid does
more harm than good. For desktop computers
with a tower, use a handheld vacuum to clean out
the fan to get rid of dust, pet hair and so on. Dust
around the sides and back of your TV, too, espe-
cially around the cabling.
Delete unused junk. Is your desktop (on a
PC) or home screen (on phones and tablets) littered with so many icons that you can’t see the
photo behind it? Uninstall unused programs and
apps. You can also delete media files, such as songs
and movies, you no longer need.
You should also keep the operating systems on
your phone, tablet and computer up-to-date to
ensure you’re protected from the latest threats. For
Windows and Macs, updates are now automatic,
which is convenient, but you’ll need to install
them manually on Apple and Android smartphones and tablets.
Fight back against spam. Junk email, promising everything from cheap pharmaceuticals to fixing bad credit, can clutter up your inbox. The
good news is you can greatly reduce the amount of
unwanted email. Many email programs let you
bump up the filters to catch more junk. You can
also block specific senders or flag words. And
some security suites comb through your email
and drop suspicious messages into a spam folder.
Also, be selective about giving out your email
address when online. If you want to share it with
trusted companies (such as a retailer), set up a free
secondary Web mail address (like Gmail) to keep
your main inbox dedicated to family and friends.
Future-proof old photos and videos. While
you might not want to spend the time to digitize
your vinyl music collection, consider services that
will convert your old videotapes to DVDs—
especially if you’ve got precious footage of family and
friends. Tape will not last forever, and you could
easily damage aging VHS cassettes and older film
formats by trying to play them back. Once they’re
on disc you can also “rip” them to a computer and
upload them to social media. C
More in archives
On Costco.com, enter “Connection”;
at Online Edition, search
“Tech Connection.”
Gadget health
Have questions about
electronics or computers
you purchased at
Costco? Email them to:
connection@costco.com.
Or mail to:
Q&A with Marc Saltzman
The Costco Connection
P.O. Box 34088
Seattle, WA 98124-1088
or fax to: 425-313-6718.
Please include
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Ask Marc
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Marc Saltzman,
a leading high-tech
reporter, contributes
to more than three
dozen prominent
publications, appears
on radio and TV, and is
the author of 15 books.
He’s on Twitter at
@marc_saltzman
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The Costco Connection
Costco sells a variety of electronics in the
warehouses and on Costco.com in case you
do a tech upgrade in the new year, as well as
security software programs to protect your
PC and phone. Also, Costco offers services to
convert VHS tapes to DVDs through the Costco
Photo Center in your local warehouse or on
Costco.com.
TECHconnection
Easy steps to be tech-wise in 2016
