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Ever since people have relied on desktops, smartphones, tablets, and laptops, there has been a huge misunderstanding about hard disk drives and how they work, and how they can be repaired when they fail. It's my experience that when people encounter problems with their tech devices, the last option is to seek help from a professional. Many of you will seek out a computer-savvy friend or a tech hobbyist which puts you at risk of getting poor advice or gives you misguided inf

If you're a Mac owner like me (yes, as I'm a tech guru who owns several Mac products) you know they are very reliable computers. It's few and far between that you have to worry about issues with your Mac, but when you do, like most computer issues it always happens at the worse time. If you know how to fix common issues that can occur with your Macintosh computer and Mac OS, you can save yourself some headaches and get back on the road to being productive. At Integral, we've

If you're spending 8 to 10 hours a day in front of the screens of your computers and smart devices, you could be experiencing an overload of something called "blue light" If you're exposed to too much of this light, it can cause things like disrupting your sleep patterns, retinal cell damage, and digital eyestrain. What's worse, is that younger eyes are more at risk. Your tech devices play a big role in your life, so it's unrealistic to give the advice that you stop using t

I'm sure you've seen it many times. You're sitting with a co-worker or a family member and notice they have a piece of tape or a sticky note covering their laptop camera. You might not even have to look that far, as you have probably covered your own laptop camera for fear that cybercriminals may be able to peer through your laptop and gather secrets about you. Is this practice necessary? Cybercrime has picked up over the last year and you should take all precautions. Che

Tax-Free Weekend is the 2nd most wonderful time of the year, especially if you live in an area that offers it. You probably didn't know this, but it's a good time to purchase new technology for your home. If you're in one of the participating 16 states, you can take advantage of no sales tax on new tech at places like Walmart, Target, as well as online retail shows such as Amazon. If you're looking to purchase new gadgets for that student in your life or yourself, it's always

Back to school will almost be back to normal this school year. It doesn't matter if your kids are taking classes in person or virtually, it can be tough for parents to stay organized and help kids keep track of assignments. Students often have a difficult time with their class load. Thankfully technology can help parents and students alike stay on top of things this school year. Here are some useful apps that will help keep your family on track this school year. Acellus Acad

If you took the plunge and got your 'Fauci Ouchie' your vaccination card is the official record that you were fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, that vaccination card is a flimsy piece of paper that won't last long in a purse, let alone a sweaty wallet in a back pocket. It's bigger than a driver's license and most credit cards, which means it won't last long in your purse or wallet. Current smartphones allow you to keep limited medical information on them, so why not keep your

If you're reading this blog, you probably bank online. It's so darned convenient to be able to sit on a computer or pull out your smartphone to check your balance, transfer funds, and deposit checks. While online banking has made life easier for you to stay on top of your finances, it also makes it easier for thieves to see what's going on with your money and even help themselves to your hard-earned cash. Banks do their job to make sure your accounts are safe, but you need

I love vacations, but one of the things that makes me nervous is our home is unoccupied. I do all of the usual things you're supposed to do to make your home look occupied such as making sure mail and packages are collected, keep the lawn trimmed, and making sure lights are on timers. Anything could happen while you’re away. Thanks to our digital world, there are now a plethora of devices and gadgets available to help protect your home from burglars while you're enjoying a mu

Vacations are an exciting, happy time for you to get away and tune out the everyday worries of your day-to-day work and home routine. Before you head out for a day trip, stateside vacation, or international vacation you need to take some steps to prevent your personal information from being stolen. There are things you need to be cautious with such as, who you book your vacation with, how you use your tech devices, and what you share on your social media accounts. If you're

Summer is here and with it, comes summer day trips and extended vacations. If you're like me, your gadgets are a part of your everyday life which means if you travel, you're bound to take devices like, smartphones, laptops, digital cameras, tablets, and e-readers with you. I'm sure one of your worse nightmares is if something happened to your devices while you're traveling and it should be of concern. Every year, thousands of devices are stolen, lost, or damaged while peo

Ever wondered why your utility bill is so high? Even if you make a habit of turning off lights when you leave a room, you will probably be shocked at the number of things that are draining energy in your home or office. Did you know that up to 50% of your tech devices are using power even when they are turned off? Your gadgets you love are actually "energy vampires" that use electricity even when you think they are powered off. With the summer months approaching, I'm sure you

I'm sure one of the most frustrating things you experience with your tech devices is the inability to delete or clean up those old online accounts. Just think about how many of those sites have your information. If you're like me, there's a ton of websites and services you haven't used in years or barely use. You can't just delete an app off of your computer or smart device to delete an account. Also, the more online accounts you have, the more you're at risk of hackers ge

I’m sure you have read about the ransomware attacks that occurred against the Colonial Pipeline that caused them to shut down production. This attack was the reason behind people hoarding gasoline a situation that looked similar to last year's toilet paper panic at the beginning of the pandemic. Ransomware attacks have been on the rise for years now and it is not showing any signs of slowing down and everyone is a target. If you want to keep your personal or business devices

A couple of weeks ago, I shared some tips to help Macintosh users set their computers back to factory defaults. Just to make sure my fellow Windows users don't feel left out, I will share the same tips with you. If you're getting rid of an old computer, it's important to completely wipe your data from it. A factory reset will return it to its 'out of the box' state, with your files, programs, and profile setup all removed. Check out my quick and easy tips to help you reset

The Covid-19 pandemic has created chaos in the production of many products we use in our day-to-day life including semiconductors. How does this affect you? Well, semiconductors are one of the important components in the electronics you use at home and work. Smartphones, computers, cars, and tablets are just a few of the items that rely on computer semiconductors and chips. Production slowed down some tech items, reducing supply. During the pandemic, demand suddenly incre

For many of you, your lives now depend on the longevity and health of your tech devices, especially your smartphones, tablets, and laptops. When you experience problems, it's a cause for panic because these devices are just supposed to work, right? You probably didn't know this, but your devices are designed to give you warning signs when they are in the process of failing. You don't have to be a tech expert to see these signs and it's helpful to recognize them to prevent d

It's common knowledge that big tech companies like Facebook, Google, or Twitter are tracking you through the apps you're using on your smartphones and tablets to target you with ads. When these companies know your personal habits such as where you live, where you shop, and what you do for entertainment, it helps them personalize ads that are directly targeted to you. Fortunately, companies like Android and Apple are stepping up to the plate to help keep your information and

With Spring in full swing, you're probably in decluttering mode and ready to sell or get rid of your older Apple products. If I were to guess, you're holding on to those old devices because you don't want your personal information on them to fall into the wrong hands. Performing a factory reset is something you need to do before you sell or give any device. This process will wipe out the hard drive and delete all of your files and other areas where your Mac products store

If you're like me, your smartphone plays a huge part in your life. Not only does it help you stay connected to family and loved ones, but it's a great tool that allows you to stay connected to your financial accounts, email, and most importantly games. The average smartphone costs start at about $800 and the repair of most smartphones can range between $300-$400, which makes it a huge out-of-pocket expense when it breaks. Rather than risking a large expense if something goes