GEEK FREE
By Joe Callison
6 October, 2018
October is an exciting month in the world of computer technology. Whether you are in the Apple, Microsoft, or Google camp, all sorts of new products arrive at this time of year, just before the holiday shopping frenzy begins.
Apple users should already have updated their existing eligible phones (5S and later) and iPads. The benefits and new features are explained at:
https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-12/
If you are wanting a newer iPhone, but the $1000 or more prices for the latest models are a concern, then consider getting the iPhone 7, or even a refurbished iPhone 7 which is still an excellent phone for a lower price.
The latest macOS version known as Mojave has been released and details on upgrading and eligible devices can be found at:
https://support.apple.com/macos/mojave
This month Microsoft began rolling out automatic feature updates for Windows 10 (Version 1809). Some people who installed the updates beginning on October 2 without waiting for it to be automatically downloaded to their computers have experienced serious issues such as loss of all user files (documents, music, photos, etc.) or problems with Intel audio and video drivers that caused the updates to fail and were unable to restore the previous Windows version. As a result, Microsoft has paused the rollout temporarily. It is strongly recommended to back up your user files and wait for the automatic feature updates to appear on your computer, which could be days, weeks, or even months depending on your specific computer hardware. Remember that you can’t put off the installation of the updates forever (18 months is the limit) if you want to keep getting important security updates. Information on new Windows 10 features can be found at:
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-october-2018-changelog
Many new computers with Intel 8th generation processors are available for purchase now. These new processors are slightly faster in performance than the 7th generation processors, but considerably more power efficient, which means that laptops and notebooks can either be made lighter and thinner and run the same amount of time on battery as the previous generation, or can run incredibly longer if made using the same size battery as the previous generation. For desktop computers, where power usage is not as much of a concern for most people, units with 7th-generation processors should be available at discounted prices. If combined with a Solid State Drive (SSD), these can perform especially well in comparison with the 8th-generation processors.
For anyone contemplating purchase of the new 2018 MacBook Pro or iMac Pro, be aware that most repairs and upgrades must be performed by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider or the repaired computer will cease to function. This is especially a concern for people who like to keep their computers for several years, as Apple has not been known to support older products very well in the past and people have often turned to unlicensed independent repair shops for support of their older Apple products, which they no longer will be able to do. This position by Apple will likely be contested by the “right to repair” movement.
