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It’s Snow Problem, Ma’am

Like millions of other Americans who have braved the extreme winter weather so far this season, I have come to appreciate doing a bit of preparation before heading out to brave the elements in my Geekmobile. A collapsible snow shovel, de-icer, scraper and portable battery charger fill my backseat, all so I can see the look of amazement on a client’s face when I make it to their appointment to fix their unruly technology.

Of course, there’s some winter preparation you can do on your own to protect your technology from winter’s adverse effects. One of the biggest issues I see on the road involves brief power outages as wind and snow hit power lines. If you have ever encountered this when the weather is bad, consider purchasing an 

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS, sometimes called a battery back-up) to protect your computer and home theater devices.

The winds may also affect your Internet broadband speeds.  If your Internet service seems slower than normal, first try running a Broadband Speed Test to confirm. Then use that information to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

And probably the easiest tip: keep your portable electronics out of the elements and in a room temperature environment as much as possible. Don’t leave your iPod or laptop in your cold car overnight. And when you do go out in the cold with your electronics, make sure you keep them safe and dry. If you do happen to drop your cell phone in the snow, Agents Matt Dworkin and Carmen Perez have some video tips on rescuing that snow-covered device.