Beware of Black Friday Bewitchment

Don't get "bewitched" by the lure of Black Friday deals too good to be true!

If we could give you one bit of advice as we go into the holiday season, it would be to keep your wits about you when it comes to technology sales. Especially where Black Friday is concerned. Oh, and don’t be in a hurry to adopt the “latest and greatest.” Unfortunately, consumers become the beta testers for new technology (at their own expense), and when things go awry, the results can be time-sucking tech support headaches with device manufacturers. Better to wait, we like to say.
 
Here’s a great New York Times article about why waiting is the best approach when it comes to new gadgetry. Here at ADL, our goal is to provide level-headed advice to help you get the most joy and productivity out of your technology. Often, this means helping clients make decisions about which tech to use that is going to work reliably, and has been tested by many others before you to ensure it is as easy to use as possible with a lower chance of frustration. Generally, we take a cautious view on recommending a product that has just leaped onto the market with little use in the real world.
 
Of course, if you’ve already gone out and purchased the latest in interesting gadgets, we are happy to support you in that journey! Just watch out for Black Friday, because that’s often a time when the computer industry takes its worst functioning, least reliable products, and discounts them to bargain basement prices to get rid of excess inventory. If a Black Friday deal looks too good to be true, it may be!
 
Be particularly wary of:

• Any computer that features a regular Hard Disk Drive, and not an SSD drive. SSD is so much faster and more reliable than traditional hard drives, that any new computer should be using SSD.

• Smart Watches! They are still in their infancy, but people are curious and starting to buy them. If you are considering one, ensure it does what you are hoping it will do and is well-reviewed. Better yet, especially for Android Wear watches, you may want to wait for the “next big thing” instead of getting a watch that is slow and bulky now. 

If you are purchasing a laptop, consider the quality of the trackpad and keyboard. To make the price point right for Black Friday, some manufacturers will promise impressive performance but skimp on quality of the keyboard or trackpad. 
 
The bottom line: Don’t be in a hurry to own “the coming thing.” Chances are good it will get you both coming and going!

Need help with new (or even old) tech gear? Click here to make an appointment with Jensen.

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ADL Tech Tip: Content at your fingertips

Here’s a great tip for “cord cutters.” Roku Channel provides a rotating selection of live news and other entertainment. You don’t even need a Roku player to try it out. Click this link from your computer to find out what's on the Roku Channel.