It’s 10 a.m. and your computer just crashed again. The helpful neighbor kid is in school and Mailbag has not yet responded to your question from weeks ago. What are you going to do?
Help is out there. You just need to know where to go. Offline and online sources may be the key to your technology breakdown. You can always submit or resubmit a tech stumper to Mailbag by visiting this web page: dpo.st/mailbag. Or go shopping! These places are ready to help, some for free, others for a fee.
Microsoft stores — Consumers can bring troubled PCs and other devices to the Answer Desk at the Microsoft store (second floor near Macy’s at the Park Meadows Mall) and get some free help. The store’s tech staff can help with virus removal, PC tune-ups no matter the brand and answering technical questions. Advanced services, like hardware upgrades or data migration, cost around $49. More details at dpo.st/microsoftstores
Micro Center— The lone Denver store, at 8000 E. Quincy Ave., accepts walk-in customers who have computer problems. General tech support services are free, like setting up an Outlook account or linking an iPod to a computer. Others, like computer repair services, start at $30.
But if you bring in a computer that is under warranty, Micro Center is an authorized service provider for most brands, including Apple. It will fix eligible computers and devices for free. The stores also host free weekend clinics on topics like Windows 8, Mac OS, smartphones and other technologies. More details at microcenter.com/site/stores/instore-clinics.aspx.
Geek Squad — Located in Best Buy stores, this fee-based service helps you inside the store or at your house. The company also provides a monthly support service for $9.99 (plus a $99.99 set-up fee) that will be at your beck and call 24/7 for up to three devices. Online, Geek Squad offers support 24 hours a day, plus tips and tools, including the free Webroot SecureAnywhere virus and spyware scanner, which can be found at geeksquad.com/do-it-yourself.
Libraries — There’s a lot happening at your local library these days. From 3-D printing labs to multimedia studios, libraries are no longer a place just to check out a book. Many offer free tech classes — Anythink Wright Farms in Thornton has a regular “Tech Help Drop-In” every week (check anythinklibraries.org/events). Arapahoe Library District and others now offering free access to Lynda.com, a online-tutorial video site to learn more just about anything. Check with your library for details.
Send questions to tchuang@denverpost.com
Hey Mailbag readers: If you missed a column, they’re now in one convenient place online: dpo.st/mailbag. Bookmark it and visit the page often!
Got hacked? Tell us your scary security story or problem. We are exploring the world of computer, Internet and mobile security and looking for reader stories about unexpected alerts, password issues or other troubling tech tales. Whether you fixed it, figured out what happened or are still struggling, we’d like to hear what happened and will in turn try to find more solutions.
E-mail Tamara Chuang at tchuang@denverpost.com and please put “Security Tales” in the subject head.
