Grandson for Hire - Technology Help

While I do several things in a professional capacity.  On the occasion I've also been asked to help with some of the things that I personally think is an "every day task" but can be challenging for others.  

This is especially true for generations that came before myself and did not have the advantage of growing with the technology.

I've heard about the frustration time and again, and there are instances where I too can become frustrated with what should be straight forward process.

So in many instances I also offer my time as a "grandson-for-hire" as well.  I'll take the time to sit and listen to your questions, concerns and of course your budget.  

Some of the things I'd be more than happy to discuss are:

Setting up and using smartphones: Set up new smartphones, demonstrate basic functions, download apps and discuss if your service provider is charging you too much.

Email setup and usage: Assistance setting up and using email accounts, including sending and receiving messages, organizing emails, and managing contacts.

Social media platforms: How to use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay connected with friends and family.

Video calling: Guidance on setting up and using video calling applications like Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime to communicate with loved ones.

Online safety and security: Information on how to stay safe online, including creating strong passwords, avoiding scams, and protecting their privacy.

Setting up and using home devices: How to use smart TVs, streaming devices, digital assistants like Amazon Echo or Google Home, and other IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

Online shopping: Guidance on how to shop online, compare prices, and make safe transactions.

Basic computer skills: Keeping it to the basics of using a computer, including file management, using word processors, and browsing the internet.

If this and anything similar is something that you are having difficulty navigating feel free to give me a call!

Custom Minecraft Computer

 

It was a birthday request.  "I want to play Minecraft with my cousin."  She didn't want to use a Nintendo switch, or a tablet.  She wanted her very own computer for her birthday.  The real question is how can I do this and stay within a decent budget?

I had a few computer parts laying around.  Motherboard, processor, power supply and memory.  So I started searching.  What made this difficult was the other thing she wanted.  "Can I have a pink computer?"  she asked in the cutest tone.

After searching online I was able to find a pink tower on ebay - $64 bucks.  "What a steal" I thought.  Next I found a keyboard, mouse and mouse pad on amazon, all under $50 in total.  After that I went to Walmart for a monitor - $99 for a 22" FHD, not bad.  

I then thought she needed a responsive hard-drive, so I snagged a good SSD, 500 GB Western Digital on sale for $39.  Since the monitor was black I decided to go two-tone.  

I found some speakers also through Amazon for $15, and special speaker "grill cloth" for $14.  I thought, "this shouldn't be that difficult and will tie it all together!"

Took me a good two hours to carefully take apart, cut fabric, hot glue and re-assemble the speakers.  Was more painful than initially thought but I was happy with the finished product.

  

A further three hours to assemble and test the tower components.  For the Operating System I decided to install Linux Mint since it was compatible with the particular game she wanted and the best part was it was free.  Linux sure has come along way in ease of use and interoperability of other software.

The end product was one happy customer and all under $300.