Placeholder Content Image

Why ‘turning it off and on again’ actually works

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having problems with our phones, tablets, and other tech is an almost-universal experience, but one simple technique can fix almost every single one.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Popularised by the British show </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The IT Crowd</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, turning a device on and off again can fix a range of problems </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/have-you-tried-turning-it-off-and-on-again-the-easiest-fix-for-tech-issues/news-story/5759759b1b1b9926527da81457a826a2" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">according to experts</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Restarting a device works because it wipes the current state of the software and restarts the system, meaning that any code that is stuck or misbehaving will be dumped too.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition, scheduling regular reboots can even prevent issues from popping up in the first place.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For phones and tablets, particularly Android and Apple devices, running non-stop can lead to issues such as slow performance, and connectivity issues. So if your issue is specific, such as a certain app or page not loading, restarting the phone should be your first step.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, that doesn’t mean you should be constantly restarting your devices, with experts recommending doing it about once every week or so for the best effect.</span></p> <p><strong>How to restart Android devices</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The easiest method of restarting your device involves holding down the power button and pressing the ‘Restart’ option when it appears on your screen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If this doesn’t happen, you can just hold down the power button for 30 seconds to turn the device off, and start it again normally.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some phones also offer an option to schedule automatic reboots, even letting you choose the day and time. To do this on a Samsung Galaxy for instance, go to settings and search for auto-restart at set times, or go to settings, then battery and device care, tap the three dots and select automation.</span></p> <p><strong>How to restart iPhones and iPads</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Restarting an Apple device can be done by holding down the power button and one of the volume buttons until a slider appears which says ‘Power off’. Once you press the power button, you can push it again to restart the device.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Otherwise, you can try a force restart if the slider doesn’t appear.</span></p> <p><strong>Desktops and laptops</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though most modern computers prompt you when a restart is needed - such as after installing new software - it is recommended that computers have a full backup and restart at least once a year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To keep things running smoothly, it’s best to turn your computer off each night and switch it on when you need it again.</span></p> <p><strong>How to restart Windows PCs</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Windows PC can be restarted by clicking the start menu, clicking on power, and choosing the restart option. It’s recommended that Windows devices are restarted about once a week.</span></p> <p><strong>How to restart Mac computers</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unlike Windows, Apple recommends that you only restart your device when you encounter a problem.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To restart, click the Apple icon in the top left corner and then select restart.</span></p> <p><strong>What about Smart TVs?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly to Apple, Smart TV manufacturers recommend restarting only when a problem arises, such as apps refusing to load or if the interface is slow.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The easiest way to restart a Smart TV is to turn it off, unplug it and wait for 30 seconds before plugging it back in and turning it on again.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Technology

Placeholder Content Image

When is it better to restart vs. shut down your computer?

<p><strong>Keep calm and shut down</strong></p> <p><span>There are some who believe there’s nothing that can’t be fixed on your computer by shutting it down and starting over. </span></p> <p><span>That may be a stretch, but truly, the shutdown option has always been seen as a cure-all for technical difficulties. </span></p> <p><span>Is it really that simple, though? And can a restart create the same system magic?</span></p> <p><strong>The case for shutting down</strong></p> <p><span>Anh Trinh is the managing editor at Geek with Laptop, a site that helps readers gain knowledge around all kinds of tech subjects. </span></p> <p><span>She explains that shutting down a computer is a way to power down all processes of the machine. </span></p> <p><span>“It’s very similar to a restart but with the exception that your computer won’t turn back on again until someone powers it up,” she explains. </span></p> <p><span>“This is especially useful if you plan to leave your computer for a while.”</span></p> <p><strong>Shut down isn't what it used to be</strong></p> <p>People with newer computers may experience a different kind of shutdown these days, according to ProPrivacy digital privacy expert Ray Walsh.</p> <p>“Although many people assume that a shutdown is a more comprehensive way to ensure that all processes are killed, the reality is that since Windows 8, this is a fallacy,” he says.</p> <p>“In older versions of Windows, both ‘shut down’ and ‘restart’ did exactly the same thing in terms of shutting down processes. However, since Windows 8, a new feature called Fast Startup has altered this considerably.”</p> <p>How has that changed things, exactly? “Shutting down a Windows computer actually creates a deep hibernation file that the PC later leverages to allow for Fast Startup. A restart, on the other hand, completely kills all processes, clears the RAM, and clears the processor cache,” he explains.</p> <p>“This is why a restart is the preferred method when completing a new install or uninstall and why a computer restarts during Windows Operating System updates.”</p> <p>And just so we’re clear, forcible shutdowns are a different story entirely.</p> <p><strong>What about Macs?</strong></p> <p><span>“A Mac is a Unix environment in which everything is cleared during both ‘shut down’ and ‘restart,’” Walsh explains. </span></p> <p><span>“This makes both ‘shut down’ and ‘restart’ identical in that all processes, cache and memory will be cleared, giving the machine a complete refresh.” </span></p> <p><span>In other words, there’s no real difference between a shut down or a restart for Mac users. This means most of the information that follows applies to PC users only unless otherwise stated.</span></p> <p><strong>Which situations call for a restart vs. a shutdown?</strong></p> <p>“When you’re installing new software or hardware, you’re going to need to restart your computer. This will shut off all processes so that the Kernal can be reestablished with the new software or hardware in consideration,” says Shayne Sherman, CEO of TechLoris.</p> <p>For those who aren’t aware, the Kernal is a part of the operating system that manages memory and CPU time.</p> <p>“This is also what you want to use when you’re having problems with your computer, since this will kill all processes and restart them.”</p> <p>And yes, this is different for Macs, according to Walsh. “Due to the fact that a Mac always clears everything during a reboot, Mac users will always clear their machine when they restart or shut down,” he adds.</p> <p><strong>How often should users be performing a restart?</strong></p> <p><span>“Most IT experts recommend doing a restart at least once every two to three days to permit Windows to clean up open files, get rid of temp files, and update itself,” Walsh says. </span></p> <p><span>“This ensures that deleted files and other assets are removed from a PC’s cache and aren’t left hanging around, potentially causing security or privacy issues.”</span></p> <p><strong>How often should users be performing a system shutdown?</strong></p> <p><span>“Shutting down a computer is a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to leave a PC unattended,” Walsh explains. </span></p> <p><span>“Leaving a PC in sleep mode results in some power usage by the RAM and from the storage of open files and programs.”</span></p> <p><strong>Which option is better for battery life?</strong></p> <p><span>“A shut down is a deep hibernation that ensures that your computer is not wasting energy,” Walsh says.</span></p> <p><span> “A restart only momentarily turns the machine off to stop all processes, clear the RAM, and clear the processor cache. Thus, a shut down is better for power consumption and better for prolonging the life of the battery.”</span></p> <p><strong>Which option is better for security?</strong></p> <p><span>This is one area where the answer is the same for both PCs and Macs. “Shutting down a Windows PC or Mac is considered better for security because it means that the machine is completely offline for the period of time that it is off,” Walsh says. </span></p> <p><span>“This removes the potential for that machine to be hacked and stops it from communicating with a command and control server if it has already been infected with an exploit.”</span></p> <p><strong>What about cold temperatures?</strong></p> <p>Believe it or not, temperature should be one of your considerations when deciding whether to shut down or restart.</p> <p>“The cold can be extremely damaging to batteries, which is why it is unwise to switch off a battery-operated device when it is extremely cold,” Walsh explains.</p> <p>“It is better to keep a laptop running rather than switch it off in a cold car.”</p> <p>But that’s not the only reason to avoid a shut down in cold temperatures. “In extremely cold temperatures, it can potentially be unwise to turn off a computer abruptly, particularly if you have been performing intensive CPU/GPU tasks that have made the computer heat up considerably,” Walsh says.</p> <p>“This is because going from hot to cold quickly may adversely affect the PC’s microelectronic components due to thermal contraction.”</p> <p>If you have no choice but to shut down, Walsh advises waiting a little while after the intense processes have ended; that will allow the internal components to slowly cool down first.</p> <p>“However, generally speaking, computers like the cold and will perform better in the cold, where they will not heat up as much performing intensive processes,” he adds.</p> <p><strong>How about hot temperatures?</strong></p> <p><span>“The biggest danger for computers is extreme heat,” Walsh says. </span></p> <p><span>“Anytime that a computer is exposed to extremely hot conditions, it is best to power it down and leave it switched off. Even a relatively hot office can potentially be highly damaging to a computer’s components if the computer is overheating. This will substantially reduce the life span of the computer and is much more of a concern than the cold.”</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/when-is-it-better-to-restart-vs-shut-down-your-computer?pages=1">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Technology

Placeholder Content Image

First COVID cruise death since restart of cruising scene

<p>Carnival cruises has marked their first death since the cruise scene kicked back up, after a 77-year-old woman died from contracting COVID-19.</p> <p>The woman departed on the Carnival Vista with her family on July 31, to sail to Belize, and soon tested positive for the novel virus after experiencing respiratory complications.</p> <p>27 people tested positive over two weeks in late July and early August – the highest number of cases since cruises begun sailing again.</p> <p>The New York Times reported she was a great-grandmother from Oklahoma.</p> <p>The woman was admitted to a hospital in Belize and was put on a ventilator before being evacuated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and undergoing treatment.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843412/g.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3be7c24f240b449da71e788aa5c08365" /></p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p> <p>The outbreak aboard the ship was discovered on the fourth day of an eight-day cruise.</p> <p>Twenty-six of those who tested positive were all crew members except for one passenger.</p> <p>The Texas Governor, Greg Abbott previously signed a law banning businesses from requiring proof of vaccination, however more than 96 per cent of passengers and all but one crew member on the Carnival Vista were fully vaccinated.</p> <p>Authorities are unsure if the woman who has since passed was fully vaccinated or not.</p> <p>“We are very sorry to hear about the death of a guest who sailed on Carnival Vista,” Carnival said in a statement.</p> <p>“Regrettably, there is a fair amount of disinformation about the circumstances of this matter.</p> <p>“The guest almost certainly did not contract COVID on our ship, and she was assisted with expert medical care on board and was ultimately evacuated from Belize after we provided a resource to her family. We have continued to provide support to her family and are not going to add to their sadness by commenting further.”</p> <p>Carnival has updated its vaccination policy that states a majority of guests will be required to be vaccinated.</p> <p>They must also present negative results of a COVID-19 test taken within three days before boarding a ship.</p> <p>Carnival has also states all passengers are required to wear a mask while indoors from August 7.</p> <p>“We have always required vaccinations. From our restart in July, 95+% guests have been vaccinated. We meet the definition of a vaccinated cruise,” a Carnival spokesperson said.</p> <p>“And we added the testing requirement on July 28. (August) 28 is when new guidelines for the Bahamas go into effect.”</p>

Cruising