Crying over spilled milk

by Liz Hyde | March 10, 2010 | General | 0 Comments

We see spillages a lot here at Farpoint. In fact, you'll be surprised at how many. On average we would see around 5 laptops and some times as many as 6 iPods a month. Doesn't sound like too many, but convert that to money and you would be looking at £6000 worth of damage. Not to mention in some cases lost data and many tears to add to the mix. We've even see the occasional iMac which has fallen victim to rogue water fights in the summer months.

These Apple products are fitted with moisture sensors, when these are set off the warranty of the product is voided and the fault is marked up to "accidental damage". We can repair the machines out of warranty in some cases if they are salvageable but this isn't always the case. iPods are cheaper to just replace altogether.

But all this heartache is avoidable with some simple measures:

1. Always back up your data

We can't stress how important it is to back up your data to a completely separate device such as an external hard drive, your Apple Time Capsule or to an online data storage site. Having your files in two places makes it much more likely to be able to restore it to your repaired/new machine. Not to mention it makes sense. Like they say, "never keep all your eggs in one basket."

2. Check your Home Insurance is up-to-date.

We check our jewellery is covered but what about our digital photographs, our downloaded music, films, TV programmes, not to mention the expensive computer itself. It's simple to add to your existing policy and will save you a lot of trouble further down the line. Especially as our Apple Certified Technicians can provide you with a quote to pass on to your Insurers to cover. Think of it as your own special extended cover, covering bad luck.

3. Be wary of drinks around your workspace.

We've all been there. A cup of coffee at 8am, the kids' beaker of Orange Juice, a glass of wine at a small gathering left on the desk when changing your music playlist. Eventually it is going to happen. Just making some simple rules for the kids' when sitting at the desk or table. Elevating your laptop or desktop when having parties, keeping iPods in a separate pocket from the packed lunch and Juice bottle in school bags, just small measures can help reduce the risk.

But be sure, you won't be the first and you certainly won't be the last if it happens to you. Just be safe in the knowledge that Farpoint's Service Centre will always be here when you need us most and you don't even need an appointment!