I am a bit of a gadget geek.  I have a new iPhone, Apple TV, a Kindle, four Tivos, two Hughes Net satellite systems, several XM radios, a wireless computer card, a Crestron system, a really nifty Garmin GPS device, and I even own a pair of military-issue night vision goggles (of all my possessions this is perhaps the most essential). My list of needless but absolutely necessary technologies goes on and on.

Accordingly, I spend a lot of time in a state of utter frustration when one or more of my technologies doesn’t work.  I unfortunately have intimate relationships with the help lines at Dell, Apple, Verizon, Hughes, Quicken, and many other companies that offer helpful geeks-by-phone with Indian accents.

After spending many hours on the phone receiving detailed instructions from these mostly nice folks that usually don’t fix the problem, I have discovered the first and most essential step to take when your electronic item isn’t functioning properly.  The secret….

Unplug it for thirty seconds – then plug it back in.

Satellite system down?  Unplug the modem and the router – then plug it back in.

DVR not working?  Unplug it and plug it back in.

It works with almost any device.  Try it and save yourself a lot of trouble and phone time.