Thanks to all of our customers near and far, old and new, who supported MacMedics in 2021. If you just got a new Mac or iPhone for the holidays, here are my top 6 things to keep top of mind for getting going in 2022. -Dana
- If you did not buy AppleCare, 100% buy it now! You have 60 days! If your new Apple hardware was a gift, you most likely don’t have AppleCare. Check for yourself at www.checkcoverage.apple.com. AppleCare is a fantastic insurance and extended warranty product. It is also renewable (this is pretty new) after your Mac’s 3-year term or your iPhone or iPad’s 2-year term expires. You can “buy” AppleCare right on your iPhone if you don’t have it yet. If you have a Mac, iPad, AirPods, or Apple TV and need help purchasing AppleCare, please call us. If you have AppleCare now, make a note of when it expires so that you CAN renew it. How to renew AppleCare+ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210580
- Macs have changed over the years. Now, Macs have their hard drive as part of the logic board. So, unlike most Macs from pre-2017, the hard drive can no longer just be removed and popped into a case or another Mac. If you have a liquid spill and it damages your logicboard (or something just goes wrong), your data might die with it. Start a TimeMachine backup system right now. Don’t know how, then stop by MacMedics, and we’ll sell you a drive and set it up for free, or configure your external drive for TimeMachine (also for free).
- Are you giving away or down-cycling your old Mac, iPad, or iPhone? DO NOT erase the old data until you’ve had time to check the data (including old voice mails on your new device).
- Did you end up with an old iPhone that nobody wants? Turn into a poor man’s LoJack for your teenage driver or a loved one. Buy a pre-paid SIM card for $25 from your carrier and use your iCloud account or create a new one to track the car’s location. If there is an emergency, you’ll have a hot spare iPhone in the car. It’s a $25 insurance policy that can pay off big time if something goes sideways!
- Did you end up with extra iPhone insurance from your carrier that you don’t want or don’t need? Cancel it and jsut buy AppleCare. AppleCare has an “add-on” for loss and theft. Just don’t forget that Apple won’t pay out if your “Find my iPhone” is OFF when your iPhone goes missing. AppleCare is usually cheaper and better than carrier insurance as many carriers still use non-Apple parts when fixing your iPhone. Also, if you have any extended warranty or insurance, please ensure you fully understand the terms and the cost. We often hear from customers that they had wished they had just bought AppleCare.
- iCloud backups for iPhones are our favorite, and all plans can be shared, so buy the bigger plan and share it out with friends and family. Don’t forget to “force” an iPhone backup when traveling. If not on a recognized WiFi network, it might not back up by itself. You don’t want to lose those surfing pictures from Tahiti! If you use iCloud backup for your Mac, don’t forget it ONLY backs up your Desktop and your Documents folder as well as Photos (if you have opted-in for iCloud Photos). Don’t forget the essential data in your Downloads folder! If you want to include that downloaded info in your iCloud backup, consider moving your Downloads inside your Documents folder.
