What is What Tech To Get?

Welcome to “What Tech To Get”, a still evolving blog / twitter focused on simple, direct answers and advice to technology questions. The purpose is simple. Sometimes, some people don’t want to read review after review, or comb over user comments; they just want a quick answer to their question. Other times, people are willing to do some research, but don’t speak tech, and need answers in plain English. Most of the time, the advice that is out there is written for the high end user, the savvy tech expert, or the cutting edge consumer. That may not be your needs.

This site was born of the most common questions I would get at work, from family members, friends, on Facebook, or even from my wife’s hairdresser: “What _____ (tech) should I buy?” They usually all have a different blank filled in, but the question remained the same. “My son wants me to buy him a netbook. What is a netbook, and what should I get?” “I’m switching to T-Mobile and I need a simple texting phone that just works. What phone should I get?” “I’m moving, and my new house could do Cable, Satellite, or Fiber TV. What service should I get?” Now, there is one central area where I can help answer those questions for people, and they can even read other answers.

Why, oh why do people ask me these questions? I have an extensive technology background, on both the professional and consumer tech sides. I’ve been a leading edge tech lover since I was a kid. I miss my Apple II. I studied the in's and out's of media companies in my teens, just to figure out how to convince my parents why we ‘needed’ cable tv before it was ‘popular enough’. While I have a degree in the Information Technology (pre-tech bubble) from UMBC, I rely more on the fact that I was a test user for a service that became ‘cable internet’ before most people even dialed-up AOL. I currently work as a consulting Network Engineer, where I try to specialize in taking complex technology and making them easier to understand to help customers do what they need to. I’m a gadget guy, who buys a lot less than he used to (bought a house) but tries a lot more now (brave enough to ask). I bought my first HDTV, the biggest one I could fit inside my apartment, when my services offered a total of 9 HD networks, so I know how spoiled I am to have 70+ HD channels now. Yet still, nothing is on to watch. So I turned it off for a while and started this blog.

I hope to help you, the readers, any of three ways. Here on www.whattechtoget.com , on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WhatTechToGet, or via email at whattechtoget(at)gmail.com . Feel free to use any method to ask any consumer technology and media questions, for yourself, or family / friends that may be too shy to ask. The blog will also feature short articles that focus on my thoughts on a particular tech item, gadget, service, or topic. I also will start out by reviewing some of the most recent questions I’ve gotten.
Thanks for visiting. Please provide feedback to help me fine tune this effort, and help keep it fun and worthwhile.