Apple

Jerry is looking to get a new computer and wants to know if the new Mac Mini is good for occasional video editing and sound recording. Rich says that the Mac Mini was thought dead, but the new version has had a bump in specs. Pretty much any computer will work for editing basic video for the internet. But 4K video is going to require more power. For $800, the basic Mac Mini really isn't up to the task. Rich recommends maxing out the RAM and hard drive if the budget allows. But remember, that the Mac Mini also requires one to buy a monitor. keyboard, and mouse.

Richard has an old computer running Windows XP. He'd like to boost the memory and hard drive. Leo says that most PCs are upgradable with off-the-shelf components, even the most proprietary brands. Go to Crucial.com or Kingston.com and use their memory picker. Input the model and they'll indicate exactly what is needed. Just remember though, running XP is dangerous to use online. Microsoft doesn't support XP anymore with security patches, and so it's just a target for hackers and exploits. 

Bill is having issues with losing the internet on his iPhone X. Leo says that this is a known issue with the iPhone X, and he thinks it may be a manufacturing issue. He recommends bringing it into the Apple Store. Since he loses connectivity on his network, and it comes back after he reboots the router, that leads him to believe that the router is losing the iPhone's IP address. He can set a static IP address on the phone in the settings, but he'll have to go into the router settings to reserve the IP address. A new router could solve this issue, but don't spend money unless necessary.

Robert is wondering if he needs to get an Antivirus for his smartphone. Leo says it would be unnecessary since the phones' Operating Systems are already quite secure thanks to Apple and Google's efforts. An Android device, for example, will scan apps downloaded from the Play Store (which is the best a 3rd-party app can do anyway).

LeAnn has an older Mac laptop that she wants to upgrade. Leo says the best thing to make your old Mac faster is to get an SSD drive. Adding more RAM will boost it as well. Should she downgrade to OS X Sierra? Leo says that High Sierra is actually faster, so there's no need to downgrade. But make sure to back up the existing hard drive before changing out.

Dan has a 2011 iMac and wants to know if he should upgrade to an iMac Pro. Leo says that the 5K iMac is still a great computer, but he doesn't know if he would spend the money to get the Pro version. One thought is to go with the new Mac mini and get a big monitor for it. June will be WWDC, and Apple frequently announces new iMacs in June, or in the fall. So if he can wait a few months, he can find out. If he can't wait, then Leo suggests looking at the Mac mini.