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Slow Computer, AppleTV Expained, and Family Memories Online
By Bob DeLaurentis
Q. My computer slows down the longer I use it. A
restart will make it better for an hour, but I fear this
prob-lem will get worse.
A. Computers slow down for many reasons.
When a computer slows down, it generally means a
resource is constrained.
The most serious constraint is a nearly full disk
drive. Every drive needs local storage to grow, and
a too-full drive can cause slowing just as you de-
scribe. A good rule of thumb for drives is to avoid
using the last 20 per-cent of free space.
the drive is not full, the next sus-pect is random
access memory. RAM fills up for different reasons.
Perhaps there are too many open programs. These
programs generally appear in the Windows Task
List (or the Dock on a Mac), and they include items
that were opened up automatically along with pro-
grams you launched yourself. Not everything ap-
pears in the
Task List. Viruses, for example, are good at hid-
ing themselves.
From here the guessing starts. A bad file on the
disk can sometimes cause slowing, as can network
traffic - espe-cially things like uploads. ·
Over time, computers collect digital bits and bobs
that clog the plumbing, making it necessary to rein-
stall the operating system from scratch. These trou-
bleshooting steps are- best per-formed by an ex-
pert.
One last suggestion, which will seem a bit like it is
corning out of left field. And this applies to owners
with older computer hardware facing a repair cost
approaching $300 or more: consider switching to an
iPad. That can be a better investment for long term
happiness.
Watching A Charlie Brown Christmas has
been a holiday tradition since my childhood, and
this year it can only be viewed on AppleTV+. Does
this mean I have to buy an AppleTV?
A. Not necessarily. The name AppleTV applies to
three different things: a hardware device that at-
taches to your TV, an app that delivers a vari-ety of
streaming channels, and a streaming service that
delivers movies and television shows.
The subscription streaming service is called Ap-
pleTV Plus, usually writ-ten as AppleTV+.
Confused yet? I know I am. Think of it this way, Ap-
ple TV+ is a service that is available on many differ-
ent devices, including AppleTV. But the AppleTV
app can also be found on some smart TVs, stream-
January 2021 12
ing sticks like Amazon Fire, and very soon, game
consoles. There is a very good chance you already
own a device capable of view-ing AppleTV+. There
is even a web viewer at tv.apple.com.
The streaming TV revolution is picking up speed. I
expect a flood of new movies previously scheduled
for theatrical release will arrive via streaming ser-
vices this winter. It has already happened with mov-
ies like Mulan and Greyhound.
The only bright spot behind the fact that A Charlie
Brown Christmas has disappeared behind a pay-tv
channel is that streaming services are easier than
ever to access. Sadly, that will leave some potential
viewers out in the cold. Nevertheless, streaming is
the future of TV.
Q. How can I save family memories online and
share them with specific people I know? I want
something more than a shared photo album.
A. Check out a service called Memories.net. The
company has been around for 7 years, which is up-
per middle-aged by technology standards.
The service provides tools to family members to
create a d1grtal vers1on or a family archive, com-
plete with video, text, and photographs, all orga-
nized in chronological order. There are addi-tional
features, including the ability to deliver messages to
someone at a future date and a generous free tier to
determine if the service is right for you.
There are two key aspects of this business that
appeal to me.
The first, memories.net is a business that charges
a fee. Too often ideas like this pop up online and
fizzle out because the builders focused on build-ing
an audience instead of building a business.
And second, there is an reasonable escape hatch
the business does go away. Users should be able
to down-load and preserve their creations. Neither
the fee nor the download guar-antee long-term suc-
cess, but this is a service that I would recommend to
my family.