Every few months, it happens again. Big box store, big red “SALE” sign, “price match” offers, for laptops priced under $500. And every time, people ask the same question: “Is this a good deal?” Short answer – no. Long answer – still no, but with more disappointment.

We frequently turn down repair requests. Why? Modern laptops aren’t “unrepairable” because they’re advanced. They’re unrepairable because they’re thin, glued, and disposable. Add parts availability and quality, labour costs, taxes, and fast depreciation, and even small repairs stop making sense…

Scams aren’t getting more sophisticated because scammers are smarter. They’re getting more effective because life is noisier. People are busy, distracted, overloaded with notifications, and trained to react quickly instead of thinking things through. Scammers exploit that gap. They don’t need advanced hacking skills. They just need to push the right emotional buttons at the right moment.

Every January, people promise themselves big things. New diets. New routines. New lives, apparently starting on a random Monday. Most of those collapse by mid‑January, usually somewhere between a forgotten gym card and a half‑eaten salad.

Last week we talked about buying tech the smart way. Start with why, not what. Buy to solve a problem, not to satisfy a spec sheet or a salesperson. Boxing Day is where that thinking really pays off.

Buying tech for Christmas looks fun on the surface. Bright sales banners, big promises on the box, model numbers that sound impressive, and sales staff trained to upsell you into something you did not plan to buy.

Last time, we talked about why changing your email address is overdue for anyone still relying on Bigpond, Optusnet, iiNet or other ISP-issued inboxes. In this follow-up, we’re looking at the part that worries people most: keeping your existing messages, folders, and years of history.

If you’ve been dragging around an ancient Bigpond, Optusnet, iiNet, or other ISP-issued email address, consider this your intervention. Those accounts were fine back when dial-up tones were socially acceptable, but in 2025 your email should not depend on the health of your internet provider.