Want to buy a device? Here's some advice

So the good about technology, I’ve been very critical about it and you know rightly so.  We still see Schools being fed total lies in regards to how fantastic mobile tech and everything can be.  I witness this so I’ve been a very heavy critic – even though if #EduTech vanished I’d be out of the job.

Let’s get to the good stuff.

If I was to buy a device just for the internet and research – What should I buy?

This is an easy one, Android Tablet:

What I would recommend is a 7 inch screen tablet with Android because of its low cost solution.  You won’t need a heavy amount of space.

The pros?

·         Cheaper low cost solution

·         Does the basics

·         7 inch screen will run most websites

·         A ton of Apps are free, use the likes of Google Drive allowing to sync the device locally to the cloud

A lot of people will say but what about the iPad? Unless you use the iCloud to save all your photos, iTunes for music (plus a few other Apple specific Apps) it will be silly to buy this just for the sake of it.  The iPad costs around double the price of an Android tablet.

The iCloud is an account where you create it and save a lot of stuff using that one single account – Likewise Android do the same thing using their own Google Apps.

If you don’t have an iCloud/iTunes account or you don’t want to buy a ton of music from iTunes – you will be wasting your money buying an iPad.

I’d like to browse the internet, make a few professional documents but not often – What should I buy?

Another easy one – A netbook:

·         Cheaper low cost solution

·         Does the basics

·         7 inch screen will run any website

·         Windows still has some usefull Apps from the store or from websites like Ninite.com you can download other free bits and pieces.

·         Still have access to Google Drive/Apps if you want it

·         Open Office is similar to Microsoft office, it’s free and you can do a lot more when compared to Google Docs.

If I want a device for productivity at home – What should I buy?

This one really depends if you want it to be portable – If it needs to stay home so you can work professionally or even games

A windows PC

·         Device can suit you in size, colour, make and model

·         Does much more than the basics

·         Screen size is up to you

·         Likewise for all the free apps/software etc

Now this option adds the £££ but is generally the best one for productivity.  If you break your keyboard, you can replace it for a few £ likewise for the mouse.  If you damage the screen or it fails again it’s a relative low cost to replace it (unless you go for an All In One machine).

I’m an movie professional, I don’t like fuss, I don’t play games or care for anything other than to make movies - I just want out the box to work?

This one again is if you want portable or not but I would recommend an Apple iMac or MacBook Pro.

The good thing about Apple is they do limit what you can do with their devices if you don’t know what you are doing.  They are also simple for out the box and work but there are huge downsides.

·         One of the best out of the box devices for home

·         Very powerful because they do not do low spec/cheap equipment

·         Good reliability and updates tend to not cause as many problems

·         Great for professionals in the “arts” industry because it usually comes with the software needed to make powerful movies/pictures

So really, the above is all about what YOU plan on doing with the device.  I would never be (sorry Apple lovers) the type of person who will tell you go get a Mac because it’s great for some one that wants to just use basic word and internet.  Yes sorry to say I’ve met people that have been told this kind of thing.  Would you buy a £50,000 car just to do School runs or drive 20 miles to work? No.  You would buy an expensive car to show it off, live the life of luxury but if you’re not well off or rich you would simply buy what you need.

So a few FAQs that I’ve dealt with over the years:

Shall I pay for virus protection?

No, No and a No – www.ninite.com and install Windows Essentials, Malware Bytes and Spybot.  Although you won’t get 100% protection, you wouldn’t even if you paid for it.

Trial software is it always worth it?

If buying a PC from PC World – No.  It slows down your equipment especially Windows PCs/Laptops because the software you don’t need or want.  It’s also why I’m not a great fan from buying from certain companies.  They tend to stick a ton of software that slows down your machine.

What shall I get for a Windows laptop/PC?  It all means garbage to me.

Simple ask for a device that has no trial software, no extra “crap” installed just the basics.  The “spec” you want is Intel i3, SSD drive (these are NOT expensive), 4GB ram and a DVD Drive.  You don’t need all the fancy stuff people try and flog you.  An SSD Drive is what stores your data and you don’t need any more than a minimal amount 120GB.  When they try and sell you 1TB drives – wow you will never need that.  Instead of buying a high capacity PC/laptop you will just do the next question > USB drives/sticks.

Shall I buy a USB stick or two what about a drive?

Yes, these are what you use to store all your photos etc.  If using a USB stick I would always recommend keeping a copy on a second for anything important.  A drive is usually safe if you never touch it or move it.

Do Apple devices get virus’s, I hear they don’t?

Oh yes they do but because not everywhere has a Mac in their offices, banks, doctors or sitting plugged in to a Nuclear reactor what’s the point ?  If you create a virus that impacts a Mac who are you going to hurt?  They do exist though.

What if my machine is slowing down?

This can mean quite a few things:

·         Maybe it needs to be restored > refresh (wipe clean so make sure you backup all your photos, music etc on to a USB stick)

·         Too many programs running in the background when you turn it on – A great way to test how much is running (please see next question)

·         The data drive is getting old – this is why SSDs are better, the only sata/IDEs are like a car engine it loses horse power over time

Can I speed my machine up or at least see how much is running?

Yes, reboot your machine and wait for it to load up (logon if you need to) click on the little windows icon and run type in MSCONFIG press enter if you don’t have run you can try press and hold CTRL and then press R.  Type in MSCONFIG and press enter.

You will get a box called System configuration and click on “STARTUP”.  This will show a list of everything software/program wise running when you logon.  If this list is pages and pages long – that’s why it’s going slow.

Usually you may be able to look through this list and untick the majority but this may cause you problems.  Look through and untick things you know what they are but not interested in them.  If you feel you’ve turned something off you shouldn’t have, you can revisit this MSCONFIG and tick things back on.