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New Gadget – What Should You Do?

At the end of the year and after the Holiday season, there’s a good chance of there being a new electronic device. Whether it’s a new computer, or a cell phone, MP3 player or even a video game system for the kids there are a few things that you should do.

Register the Product with the Manufacturer
Yes it may seem as if it’s mostly a way to get marketing information from those who purchase or use the product, but it’s also the way for them to be able to contact you in case of a problem. If there is a battery recall, if you remember there was a big one in 2006, or some other reason for a product to be recalled, the manufacturer can use this information to contact you.

Document Model and Serial Numbers
Would you know the serial number of your electronic device in the case of it being stolen? It’s not something that you normally have in your procession, but the serial number and model numbers are needed for the police report. These will also help with reporting a claim to your insurance company.

Contact Your Insurance Company
You may want to contact your insurance company to determine just what kind of coverage you have on electronic devices that are used outside of the house. What’s the deductible? Is the device even covered? What happens if you drop the device and it no longer works? Rarely will any insurance cover for misuse.

Do Back-ups
While you are working on these items, it may also be the time to consider doing a few back-ups. When was the last time the data on your computer backed-up? Do you have contact information that is only on the cell phone? Now is a good time to do these back-ups.

Doing these small tasks at the end of 2007 may make 2008 a whole lot easier.

© 2007 Steven G. Atkinson – All Rights Reserved

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Steven G. Atkinson is the author of the book Technology Tips for Small Business. The book is an informational source for Small Business to better understand the technology they use everyday. More about the book Technology Tips for Small Business can be found at tt4sb.com.

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