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Take Advantage of Specialty Packing Services
The microchips in modern devices are smaller than ever before, allowing smartphones, television screens, and computer monitors to be thinner, lighter, and more portable. Unfortunately, that small size comes with an inherent problem — tiny electronics are more susceptible to electrostatic discharge, or ESD.
Most objects store a small amount of static electricity. Clothing, carpets, and even plastic cups can store static, which can gather over time and discharge when you touch an object that contains similar charges. Unfortunately, this spells trouble for electronics because they contain motherboards covered in crucial electronic circuits.
When static electricity is discharged on an electrical device, the charge can be significant enough to melt transistors or turn semi-conductors into conductors that are always on, interfering with the functionality of the device. The smaller the device, the faster damage can happen.
During moves, electronic devices are especially prone to damage due to ESD events, since devices can be carried across static-charged carpets and loaded into metal moving trucks. For this reason, it is incredibly important to take advantage of specialty electronics packing services.
Modern movers take actions to prevent damage to electronic devices, including using special anti-static wraps for electronics, grounding themselves before handling devices, and carefully disconnecting and reconnecting devices. Some updated electronics moving boxes are even designed with built-in anti-static wraps, making it less likely for an ESD event to occur on the road.
When you talk with your moving company, ask them about the electronics services they offer. Ask if they use special boxes for electronics and how they ensure that disconnected devices are reconnected properly when you arrive at your destination.
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Know Your Wi-Fi Options
If you and your family love technology, you may have a hard time parting ways with many of your devices while you are on the road. Fortunately, with Wi-Fi hotspots available all across the country and the ability to transform your existing devices into portable hotspots, you won’t have to say goodbye to your games, news sources, and work portals when you are on the road.
These days, most restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, and even fast-food chains offer complimentary wireless internet, which means that you can tie in and download music, podcasts, and videos whenever you pull over at a rest stop. You can even download free apps that have indexes of available hotspots across the country, making it simple to connect when you need to.
If you don’t want to spend your traveling days looking for a free place to download your email or update your apps, consider the fact that most smartphones today are capable of acting as their own hotspot.
As long as your phone has service, you may be able to switch on the personal hotspot feature, allowing you to share the signal with other devices in your car. For instance, by switching on your hotspot and adding the connection to your laptop, you might be able to let your kids watch a movie to pass the time.
Before you activate the personal hotspot feature on your phone, talk with your cellular company to ask about additional charges. Some phone plans have the personal hotspot feature available for no charge, while others have an additional premium for opting in for the service.
When you use publicly available wireless connections, keep in mind that your internet session may not be private. Read the fine print when you opt in to the network, and always check pages you visit to make sure they contain the “https” URL prefix instead of the “http” version that indicates that your connection isn’t private and secure.
If you will be on the road for several days and you are concerned about protecting your information, consider installing a VPN, or virtual private network. This additional layer of protection keeps other people on public networks from being able to detect your IP address and internet activity, while simultaneously encrypting any information that comes or goes from your laptop or phone. Although it might seem like an extra step, setting up a VPN can make it much safer to surf while you are on the road.
If you are faced with an upcoming move, don’t take any chances with your experience or the condition of your items. The moving professionals at Wheaton World Wide Moving are completely committed to helping each customer streamline their move by offering free in-home estimates and flexible pricing.
Whether you are moving soon or you are planning a relocation next year, our team can help you to make the entire experience less stressful. To learn more, give our office a call today.
