Have you turned it off and on again?

Hello

Today, I wanted to remind you of a bit of standard techy advice that I keep trying to ram into the head of my ten-year-old son. I’m hoping that at some point it’ll stick and he’ll actually try this before yelling across the house for me. Not holding my breath.

Anyway – if your technology, any technology, is misbehaving, there’s a very short list of things to try before you start panicking. A lot of the time, one of these three things will fix it…

• Just give it a minute. There might not be anything really wrong – your gadget might just be busy with something. Leave it alone while you put the kettle on, it might be fine when you get back.
• Check your internet connection. Most gadgets need to be connected to the internet these days, and they tend to get cranky if they can’t find the signal (even if you don’t think you’re trying to do anything online).
• Restart. If in doubt, turn it all the way off and back on again or in the case of a PC or laptop choose “Restart” from the power menu (that’s surprisingly important, actually). You’ll be amazed at how often that fixes the problem.

Do you ever find your computer frustrating?
I always used to think Windows 10 was the best version of Windows ever made.  But, I tell you what – Windows 11 is giving it a run for its money.

But even so, if no-one shows you how to use it, you won’t get the most out of it.

There might be bits you struggle with… anything from a mild annoyance to feeling like you want to chuck the thing out of the window!  Or you might simply not know all the things it could do for you. Things you’d love to use it for, if only you knew you could… and knew how.

Which is where our Windows courses come in: 

• Windows 11 Made Simple for those of you who are new to computers or have already made the switch to Windows 11.  
• Or Windows 10 Made Simple, if you’ve had your computer for a while and want to learn how to get the most out of Windows 10.

Each course takes you by the hand and leads you through getting to grips with your computer.  You’ll see short videos where we explain what we’re going to show you – to make sure you know what the point of it is first (that makes understanding it so much easier).  Then there are simple written explanations – and videos showing you on the screen exactly what to do and where to click.  All explained in plain English, with no confusing jargon. 

And remember that we also have a course for iPads and Android tablets (Tablets Made Simple) and one for Smartphones (Smartphones Made Simple) – both fully updated and open to new members.

Why not take a look at the information now.  These courses could be just what you need to take away your frustration and really get the most from your gadgets.

Yours

Julie Wakeling

PS Remember that if you’ve already signed up to one of our courses in the past, you don’t need to join again.  Just log in to your account on the course website and you’ll get the updated version of the course automatically.
Not sure which version of Windows you have?  You can click on this link and it will tell you!