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Lake County Area Computer Enthusiast
March 2016 Members Helping Members Volume 32-11
Back To Basics not as easy as it seems since manu-
facturers hide buttons and make them
Getting Devices to Work the same color as everything else.
(Why do they do that? Are they
Together ashamed that they have an “on” but-
ton??)
By Jim Cerny, Columnist, Sarasota TUG, FL 3. Follow the instructions for setting up
November 2015 issue, Sarasota Technology your device. If you have to enter some
Monitor kind of ID (login, or account number)
www.thestug.org / jimcerny123 (at) gmail.com and a password, WRITE IT DOWN
and don’t lose it. It is always immense-
Every year I hear that the wonders of technology ly more difficult to help someone who
are going to make our lives easier and easier. has lost their ID or password.
Do they mean less confusing? I don’t think so! 4. Use the internet to find out more and
We have smart phones, tablets, touchscreens, ask/enter very specific questions. Use
laptops, desktops, printers, high-tech television, Google or YouTube. Enter something
all kinds of internet services, cable boxes, up- like: “How do I read my Gmail on my
grades, new software, and computers in our cars iPhone?”, or: “How do I get my HP Of-
almost ready to take the wheel. The problem is fice Jet Pro 8600 to work with my
getting all these devices, all made by many dif- Toshiba Laptop with Windows 7?” Be
ferent manufacturers, to work together! They as specific as you can with the make,
said it would be easy to get phone calls in my software version, model number, etc.
car, get free internet TV programs on my TV, get 5. Try to get a book at the library to help
my email on my phone and tablet, and watch any you. Ask the librarian for help.
video on any device. (Well, maybe watching a 6. Ask the manufacturer or the place
football game on my car computer would not be where you purchased your device.
such a good idea while I am driving). Thus we Call them first and ask if they can help
can spend many hours trying to get one device (some may never want to talk to you
to communicate with another. again after they have your money).
Take the approach that you spent a
Maybe some day you can just turn on your new good deal of money to buy the device
device for the first time and it will somehow know and if you cannot use it as it was ad-
all your other devices and quickly set them up to vertised you will return it for a refund.
work together. But will I see it in my lifetime? I 7. Find someone who has the same de-
don’t think so. Well, what do we do now? What vice as you and ask them how they
steps can you take to make things easier? I use it.
hope the following tips may help. 8. If all the above fails, you may have to
take your device(s) in to a professional
1. Read the instructions for your device. If it – a computer help/repair place or have
did not come with an instruction book, one of their techs come to your loca-
look it up on the internet. tion. Try to explain the problem on the
2. Find all the buttons, indicator lights, and phone first and ask how much such a
all other hardware things you can press, fix would cost. If they do come to your
click, switch, or plug things into. This is home, make sure you TEST ALL your
(Continued on page 6)
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