Q. My MacBook Air no longer starts up. During a recent system update the progress bar stopped midway through. I rebooted, only to be greeted with a giant circle with an exclamation point on the screen.
A. Broken tech devices can trigger a wicked explosion of emotional upset. We pour so much effort into our devices. Failures are rare, but they do happen. So do mistakes, like accidentally deleting important information.
When an error like this occurs, the best thing to do is to take a deep breath and remember that you have options. All is not lost, yet.
The No. 1 bit of advice is to make sure your data is backed up. With good data backups, this kind of problem is an inconvenience rather than a catastrophe.
For every reader who has a working computer: If you are not sure of the last time it was backed up, stop reading right now. Backup your data. Seriously, do it right now. I’ll be here when you return.
There is a wide variety of hardware still in use, and the steps needed to fix an error during startup depend on the specific device.
See Wander the Web below for links to troubleshooting checklists.
If there is an Apple Store nearby, make a “Genius Bar” appointment and hope for the best. They will make it clear that any data that is not backed up may be lost, but there are less destructive steps they can take that might just revive your MacBook without any data loss.
Q. Is there a standout feature in the latest round of Apple software updates?
A. This is an easy question for me this year: live translation via iPhone and AirPods.
It works like something out of a science fiction movie. Certain models of AirPods will allow you to have a conversation with someone in a different language, and provide real-time spoken translation in your ear.
If both participants have hardware that supports these features, it looks like science fiction come to life.
Not everyone you meet is likely to have AirPods, so in that case you can use your AirPods to hear a live translation, and your response will be translated into text on your iPhone that you can show the other person to read.
Hardware requirements limit this feature to certain devices; however, if your phone is new enough and you have the correct AirPods, you may already own supported hardware. See a link in Wander the Web before for details.
Q. My phone prompted me to switch to AppleCare One. Is that a good idea?
A. No. The “devil is in the details” is a useful cliche because it’s nearly always true. Tech’s own version of this phrase is the “devil is in the implementation.” It means the same thing.
Regular readers know that I often recommend Apple products. It is for the same reason that mechanics revere Snap-On tools—they are usually the best value in the long run.
However, when it comes to AppleCare One, Apple’s new service intended to save money for users who own multiple devices, the implementation is so poorly executed that I strongly recommend that you avoid this product.
AppleCare One is a trip into upside-down world. It is one of the most customer-hostile products that I have encountered in a long time.
Among its many design flaws, the worst is that the service will send you an email message threatening to discontinue the service because of an “incorrect AppleID.” The message gives you 24 hours to fix it or they drop your coverage.
I know many people who do not check email daily. Even a techie like me will take an email break for things like a vacation or illness. While I understand that Apple needs policies that protect them from disputes, 24 hours is unnecessarily punitive.
I will, of course, write more if things improve enough to change my recommendation. Until then, I strongly suggest avoiding AppleCare One.
Bob has been writing about technology for over three decades. He can be contacted at techtalk@bobdel.com.
Wander the Web
Here are my picks for worthwhile browsing this month:
If your Mac does not turn on
This checklist will walk you through the many different alternatives that can resurrect a seemingly dead Mac. Pay special attention to the link for what happens if the Mac boots partway and stops with an error message.
AirPods Live Language Translation
This link has details on configuring your Apple hardware to provide spoken language translation in real time.
Weekend in New England
Check out this site for a close look at fall colors in New England.
