CapitalMac
There isn’t a person alive today who hasn’t lived out this scenario: you go to make a phone call and your cell phone won’t turn on. Or you’re closing in on a deadline for a major project, and your laptop won’t boot up.
If you’ve got a pulse and a heartbeat this has probably happened to you at some point or other, and likely with one of the ubiquitous Apple products: the iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.
Williamsburg residents, fear not because last year Capitol Mac, a full-service Apple retailer and specialist store, opened its doors in New Town. According to Nick Orozco, service manager and consultant, and Judi Scott, sales and marketing manager, the most important thing an Apple product owner can do is learn how to care for their devices, so they can ward off technological emergencies.
Here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your Apple devices:
Shut it down:
Orozco said one of the most important ways to protect a MacBook is to shut it down while you’re on the go. “Our number one repair is for laptops that are not booting up because the hard drive has failed,” he said.
That happens when components in the hard drive are jostled and bounced around when the laptop is in sleep mode. All those bumps and bangs make it very easy for the hard drive to break, Orozco said.
“It used to be a big deal to shut down a laptop,” he said, adding that newer MacBooks take 15 to 20 seconds to boot up. “Now things are so fast it really doesn’t make a difference. There’s really no excuse for not shutting it down.”
Update, update, update:
Another benefit to shutting down your device is rebooting it. That’s because it allows for file system checks and the installation of software and security updates. And that holds true for MacBooks as well as iPhones and iPads. When an i-device is rebooted, Orozco said, it will check software upgrades just like a computer.
The catch with updates, particularly on i-devices, is that you have to install them. Who hasn’t repeatedly clicked the install later prompt a hundred times for that ios 9.2 update? As a general rule, try not to wait more than a day to install an update, Orozco said.
“Most everyone has some time to run an update before they go to bed,” he said.
Scott added that when you run an update on your iPhone or iPad, it’s better to do it “hardwired” through a USB connection from your computer instead of wifi. That ensures the update is properly installed, she said.
Back it up:
Whether it’s a laptop or an i-device, backing up your data is critical. Data recovery on a laptop can be “very expensive,” Orozco said.
Having an external hard drive is “worthwhile,” he said, because it can save you time and money.
Backing up your data on iPhones and iPads is even more critical, Orozco said, because if you don’t “95 percent of the time we’re not going to be able to retrieve it.”
The easiest way to back up data for i-devices is through iCloud. Apple provides up to 5 gigs of space free. And the cost is minimal if you need more gigs, Orozco said.
Battery maintenance:
Never leave a laptop plugged in all the time. It prevents the battery from accessing lower cells, which can get stale over time if they’re not used, Orozco said. That can shorten the battery life.
It’s also important to let your iPhone or iPad power down to 5 to 10 percent once a week, and then charge the device up to 100 percent. That helps refresh the battery.
“It’s best to try to use the device up to 95 percent or so,” Orozco said, “to keep the battery compounds fresh and active.”
Know your Apple ID and password:
Apple can make it a little challenging to change your password. That’s a good thing in terms of security, but a bad thing when you’re trying to run an update and you need to put in your password to get that done.
Scott said Apple users should always stash their ID and password in a safe place that they can get to quickly when you need it.
“Apple makes it very difficult to reset your password,” she said. “It becomes a real hassle.”
Make it your own:
For those who aren’t technologically savvy, there are easy ways to personalize your laptop or i-device. Scott said just select system preferences to change your wallpaper, app icons and other features.
“People can really customize it so it becomes their own comfortable device,” she said.
Test your broad band:
Is your MacBook running slow? It might not be the laptop. It might be your broad band. Scott recommends testing your Internet speed using an online program, before taking your laptop for repairs.
“Broadband is the first place to start if your computer is slowing down,” she said.
