Did you get any cool new tech for Christmas? I didn’t… But, one family member got a new Kindle Fire. I had the opportunity to play with it a bit and do the set-up. But this isn’t a review.
It is a two part post.
Part I… I’d love to hear what sort of cool tech you got, and what you think of it so far.
Part II… Let’s talk about getting to know that new tech so that it does more for you than just provide entertainment or hold down piles of paper on the desk.
Part I is easy… Post up here or over on our FaceBook Page and we can talk about your cool toys productivity enhancement tools.
Part II is a little more complicated. But, if we break it down a little more, we can make it manageable.
First, don’t go nuts. I know a lot of folks that want to get every new device that comes down the pike. It just isn’t feasible. Aside from the fact that it is terribly expensive, you’d end up being too scattered. By the time you approach comfort with a device, there are three more to get. In the end, you have only succeeded in making the store in which you buy your technology quite happy. Don’t be too reluctant to get new technology, but don’t be too eager, either. Instead, see if you have a valid business use, and then don’t move on to the next thing until the current thing is getting the attention it deserves.
Next, spend a little time with the User’s Guide. Most of the devices out there are easy enough for us to power up and start playing with in just a few minutes. It’s entirely too easy to just dive in and forget that there is probably a LOT of hidden potential waiting to be unlocked. A great example is that my 7 year old figured out that he could zoom on my tablet by double tapping. I missed that while speeding through the User Guide. If I took my own advice, I would have known that…
Third, Google is your friend. It is hard to find an even semi-popular piece of technology that doesn’t have a bunch of user generated tips and tricks published somewhere. Some of the tutorials and videos out there are almost as good as taking a class. There are some serious nerds (using that term with loads of respect) that are VERY good at figuring out how to squeak the last bit of utility from a device. And they love to share.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Maybe it is your tech-savvy friend, maybe your teenager or even a class. Reaching out for help can be a really good option. Instead of wasting 40 unpaid hours trying to figure out a piece of technology or letting a $500 device sit unused, spending $50 on a class might be WAY more efficient.
So… whad’ja get?
Related articles
- 12 Tech Days of Christmas (brighthand.com)
- Open Thread: Show Us Your Favorite Tech Gifts! (mashable.com)
- Amazon’s Kindle Fire Fits in with Other Mobile Tech – Quick Take (biztechmagazine.com)
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