Tech Thursday: Where Do I Find Answers About Technology?

Technology Thursday is a weekly linky dedicated to all things technology related. Share reviews of websites or apps you've tried, tech tips that make your {teaching or personal} life easier, and helpful tutorials. Our hope is that this linky provides a place for teachers to share and learn new ways to use technology and engage students!
Be a rule follower!
Rule #1: You must include the image above and a link to our linky somewhere in your blog post.
Rule #2: Follow the Rule of Three...visit the two blogs who link up before you and the one immediately after you and leave some love on their pages!
Rule #3: This linky is not intended for product promotion. You may include products you've created in your posts, but they should not be the sole focus of the post. {Exception...freebies...because everybody loves a good freebie!}

If you are like me, you have questions about technology almost daily.  My questions seem to range from trying something new to fixing glitches to researching buying new devices.  If you are my daddy and mom, you call me and ask me what to do.  That doesn't work so well when it is me that has the question.  So what do I do when a tech question plagues my computer harried brain?  Here are some of the places I go to for help.

Friends and Neighbors

Don't discount asking for help from those that are a little more tech savvy than you.  Even someone who struggles with technology might have had the same problem and have already found a solution.  

My kids love to think that I don't know anything about computers and that I still live in the age of the dinosaurs.  They love to "help" me with my new phones and tablets.  But in all seriousness, there are some things that they are just better at than me.  I am not above asking for help and neither should you be.  No shame here!

Google (or other web searching engines)

My mom is finally getting the hang of this.  She calls with a question and my first response is, "Did you Google it?"  I have answered so many questions and solved many glitches this way!  Seriously! Go to your favorite search engine and type in your problem or question.  For example, if you are at your mom's house visiting and she lives in the backwoods rural Missouri, you might want to type in a search like this, "how do I boost my wifi signal at home".  Tons of websites with information come up. 

The more specific and deliberate you are in your search, the more helpful the sites will be.  A lot of times I will get a computer error, and then I will Google the exact wording for the error.  This will usually lead me to a computer forum where other people who have received the same message as me have posted and then someone in the "know-how" has already supplied the answer.  It's like magic my friends.

Here is the link to a site about refining your Google searches.

Kim Komando

Kim Komando is one of my favorite people, websites, and radio personalities for technology.  She has great tips, downloads, videos, news....the list goes on and on.  This is the first place I go to when I am looking at new software, new devices, or general advice on tech stuff.  She has a free newsletter with loads of tips.  Make sure to check out her website at http://www.komando.com/.

So now you know the 3 places that I usually find the answers to all of my tech questions.  Most of my questions are answered by one of these 3.  Very rarely do I have to go to computer store for help.  Computer stores are my very last line of defense.

Hope these help!  Don't forget to add you tech tip below!

An InLinkz Link-up