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THE new
computer’s acting up, you can’t figure out why, a Web
search for clues hasn’t yielded anything and rebooting
the machine didn’t help—so it’s time to call the
tech-support line.
Before
you do that, take a minute to write down two things. One
is the machine’s serial number—you’ll probably be asked
for it more than once—which may be hidden on a sticker
on the back or underside of the machine. Another is the
exact text of any error message you see, so the
tech-support rep doesn’t have to figure what particular
scenario you might have encountered.
When you
do call, use a cordless phone with a speakerphone option
if possible; you may still get put on hold, but at least
you can do other things around the house in the
meantime.
****
IF
you’ve ever wondered how a nearby store’s prices compare
to what you might find online, you don’t have to run
back to your home or office to find out. Two of the
Web’s better price-finding search engines provide mobile
versions of themselves that should work on any
Internet-connected cell phone. To use the wireless
edition of PriceGrabber, my overall favorite, go to
atpgw.com on your phone. To look up a price using
Google’s Product, Search, visit google.com/products/wml
on your phone. Amazon also provides a mobile edition at
m.amazon.com that can serve as a handy price-checking
tool—but please resist the temptation to buy something
from Amazon in somebody else’s store.
****
WHEN
you’re looking for something at a web site, you may want
to type out exactly what you’re hoping to find. But many
sites’ search tools go astray when they try to process a
lengthy search query. Instead of displaying only the one
page that includes the exact phrase you typed, they will
offer up every page with at least one of the words you
just entered. To avoid that, keep a search query as
short as possible—and limit it to the most unusual word
or words.
For
example, if you’re trying to figure out a “runtime
error” message Windows has coughed up about a file named
“cidaemon.exe,” only search for that filename at
Microsoft’s tech-support site; if you’re looking for
info about an Afghan restaurant in Boston at a
restaurant-review site, just search for “Afghan.” (Rob
Pegoraro, The Washington Post) |
