Oops! 404: Things To Consider Before Buying New Gadgets
Today, a home isn’t complete without a plethora of gadgets which go together seamlessly. It’s called creating a smart home, and you can find out more about the process with this Life According to Jamie post.
Before you begin, it’s important to understand how your gadgets will impact your life. Will they add value? Will they make life difficult? Will you suffer the buffer? It’s hard to tell until you’ve installed them in your home, which is problematic. However, there are a few things to factor in before signing on the dotted line.
Here’s what to keep in mind.
The Wifi Speed
Everything will connect to the internet via the wifi router, so it needs to be able to cope with the demands. Suppliers that only provide a slow upload and download speeds will dictate whether a new piece of technology is worth the money. Most people don’t want to wait up to one minute to listen to eight of their favorite songs. Check out the speeds with your supplier and then make a decision. If they aren’t quick enough, Suddenlink might be a good choice. As well as providing 1 GB of wifi, they will help to buy you out of your current deal too.
Security
Once the entire house is connected, it makes it easier for hackers to break down your firewalls. All they need is a backdoor, such as an unprotected wifi router, and they can access your sensitive data. Therefore, every piece needs to secure to protect your information. As well as researching the product, it’s essential to take matters into your hands. For example, always change the default settings so that passwords are stronger and harder to hack. Plus, download the latest updates and make sure to patch them in. They are crucial as they contain methods to fill in loopholes and fix glitches.
Warranties And Guarantees
Although they are advertised as brand new, gadgets are technological items that play on a constant loop. As a result, it only takes one dodgy piece of wiring for the product to start to break. And, it won’t work again unless you have an engineering degree and are willing to pay for parts. With this in mind, it’s always smart to pay for an extended warranty in case there is an issue in the first two to three years. At least then you can fix it free of charge. Apple has AppleCare which gives users one year’s free warranty on a range of products.
A Virtual Private Network
Even when you think you’re secure from hackers, it doesn’t mean someone or something isn’t watching. Everyone from Google to Facebook and Amazon and any website you land on tracks your cookies and uses the info to tailor results. While this sounds good from a consumerist standpoint, it isn’t a great privacy feature. A VPN reroutes an IP address so that it’s impossible to track, covering your movements. However, some gadgets don’t work in conjunction with one so it’s wise to research it first if you value your privacy.
Hopefully, these tips will make creating a smart home a little bit simpler.
lifeaccordingtojamie
Welcome to my blog! I'm a teacher during the day and lifestyle blogger by night. I love pop culture, entertainment/TV/movies/music, food, beauty, travel & fashion! www.twitter.com/jamwong www.instagram.com/lifeaccordingtojamie
