Several technical mishaps and occurrences over the last few days have made me realise how much we both rely on technology and how much we take it for granted.
First there was the iMac meltdown. I shan’t bore you with the gory details but after much reading and deliberation I concluded that the answer was a complete Restore of the OS. Supposedly straightforward using Time Machine if slightly time consuming. I accordingly set things going and settled down on my iPad to read and surf the internet. Some time elapsed but eventually everything was apparently running OK and life returned to normal – apart from the OS insisting it was a new machine.
Except it didn’t.
I use my computer most days and being a fairly observant type I subconsciously note the various icons scattered around the screen. It wasn’t long before I spotted that my external cloud backup icon was missing. On further inspection I found that the application was missing from the Applications folder too. Fast forward several hours, much scouring of support forums and an exchange of emails and an answer dimly emerges – the external cloud back-up service was upgraded recently and somewhere between this update (which may have been corrupted), the restore and the machine deciding it was a new device things just didn’t play nicely as they usually do.
I reinstalled the cloud back up software – it insisted that my external drives were new drives and didn’t recognise them – I won’t bore you but suffice to say three days later I’m still getting the 2.5TB of files backed up – again!
Then, Saturday morning I dropped my shiny, new (10-day old) iPhone. From less than two feet onto a paving slab but it fell corner first. Replacement screen of course but then we found the Home button wasn’t working properly. The Home button on the iPhone 7 is unlike the Home button on other iOS devices. Instead of moving inward when you press it, the Home button detects the presence and pressure of your finger using its Taptic Engine (sure they make words up). The fingerprint recognition works but the pressure sensitive elements of the Taptic Engine clearly doesn’t as it doesn’t respond to any other stimulus. I won’t be paying the £300+ Apple want to repair/replace it either.
You don’t need all the gory details, and thanks for sticking with me (assuming you have) whilst I get to the point. You see, on dropping the iPhone off for repair the chap said – we are really busy, can you come back in 90 minutes? Of course I could. I will go and have a coffee somewhere, read, surf the net or whatever, I can fill 90 minutes easily.
Except.
With no phone I had no watch. With no phone I had no way of texting/messaging family to tell them I would be a while. With no phone I couldn’t read my Kindle, surf the net, check my emails. You are probably starting to get my drift. Fortunately being old-fashioned I have a library ticket so I went to the central library, borrowed a book and went to a coffee shop to pass the time. Inspiration struck too. Remember I always carry the X100T in my pocket? It has a date/time facility which displays briefly when I turn it on. I could tell the time!
It’s really made me realise how much I not only use things such as my phone or tablet but how much I rely on them too! It’s a sobering thought that temporarily I felt cut off from friends and family, bereft of entertainment and totally at a loss. Thank goodness for old technology and coffee shops!
Dave's Place 