(I’m not just talking about your tablet, phone and PC, either – I mean the technology that’s all around from smart TVs to the “Internet of Things” to accessing libraries, government services and the NHS)

You could live in a cave… or you could read this…

Technology is amazing, I’m sure you’ll agree.

But it can also be baffling, frustrating and downright infuriating. You’ll probably agree with that, too.

After all, it’s a different world nowadays. Technology is everywhere… whatever you’re doing. You simply can’t avoid it.

Not unless you want to go and live in a cave anyway.

And technology can make life simpler and easier… and most important of all, more enjoyable.

Save time and have more fun – sound good? (sometimes save money too)
Even the bits that aren’t terribly exciting can save you time, so you can get on with things that are more fun. Sometimes they can save you money, too. Always good!

Save time to spend it playing with the kids or grandkids, reading a good book or simply having a chat with a friend.

And some of the bits of technology mean you can simply have more fun – from keeping in touch with friends and family better to having better holidays (and having more fun planning them)… from making finding and reading the books you want easier to watching more entertaining TV programmes.

But instead…
But instead, far too often, technology leaves you frustrated and bewildered… wondering what on earth they’re talking about or what the point is… and why you have to do things in a certain way… because no-one ever seems to explain things properly.

I’m not only talking about PCs, tablets and smartphones, though I mean them as well. What about SmartTVs… or other ways to watch internet TV on your TV set? The different options for music? E-book readers and how are they different from tablets? The latest gadgets like Amazon’s Alexa or Echo or Google Home assistant, that you put in your lounge and talk to? Or the endless gadgets in cars?

And it’s not just the devices themselves… Talking of cars, what about how you can renew car tax online? What about booking GP appointments online or using an app to request a repeat prescription or even check your medical records to make sure they’re right… smart watches, virtual reality and so on… You might have even heard of wifi kettles, toasters and fridges!

It’s bewildering – or at least it was…
It can be bewildering… how on earth do you work out which things might be helpful to you… which might make life more fun, save you time or even save you money?

How do you do that when the way most people talk about these things sounds like they’re speaking in Ancient Greek?

“Survive and Thrive in the Digital Age”

That’s why I’ve written this book: Survive and Thrive in The Digital Age.

Its subtitle is “In a world overrun with technology: Don’t be cast adrift… Take back control… Do more of the things you love ”

For example, here are some of the things covered:

• Right on page 1 I’ll tell you something that would have most “techies” in fits – they’ll be furious if they find out. It’s the bit that starts “But don’t feel like you…”
• I’m often asked “Tim, should I buy a tablet or just a smartphone… or a laptop?” Well, I can’t answer for you, any more than I can tell you whether you should buy a bungalow, a flat or a treehouse. It depends… but I can tell you how to decide. And on page 12, I do. (And if you are in the market for a tablet, page 13 might save you anything up to a couple of hundred pounds.)
• In my opinion, this one thing is what has made the biggest difference to how most people use technology in the last few years. And it’s not the things most people tend to say. Page 16
• The “Tech Giants”, how they’ve changed everyday life and why I DON’T count Facebook. Page 24. This info also helps with another question I get asked: “Tim, should I buy an Apple iPad or a tablet running Android… or even the Fire from Amazon or a Microsoft Windows tablet?”
• Exactly what does it mean when people say a “smart device” anyway? What about the “Internet of Things?” (One of the daftest terms ever, I think) And why did anyone think a “smart-fridge” was a good idea? (It’s not as daft as it sounds, once you know what they actually mean – the first type on page 33, at least). You don’t have to suddenly rush out and get all these things, but at least it’ll make sense now…
• A gaze into my crystal ball – what I see coming in the not-too-distant-future. See if you agree… and if you think it’ll be useful to you. Page 36 onwards…
• “The cloud” another of those things that no-one ever seems to explain properly. Even most techies couldn’t really tell you what it means – not in a simple way, anyway. But page 39 does.

That’s not all…

• Do you remember Tuesday the 2nd November 1982? I do – and page 64 explains why… but my two little boys just can’t understand it.
• There are umpteen different TV options on the internet… iPlayer, catchup, streaming, Now TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video… and that’s not all. What does it all mean and what are they all for… and which ones might be best for you? The start of chapter 7 makes it all clear.
• Studying online – not just for people doing an expensive formal course. Even the Open University run short free courses now, and they’re not the only ones. More details start on page 102, including courses in all sorts of topics that you can do just for fun.
• Got a spare half hour and want to watch something interesting and thought-provoking? Have a look at the website on page 108.
• The app I use every day (and the man who put his head in a particle accelerator)
  page 112
• Techie things that help you use the NHS (and help the NHS save time, too – very useful for them) Page 129 onwards
• Me as a rabbit. (Claire sneakily added this to the book when I wasn’t looking but I have to admit it explains something well) Page 209.

That’s not all of course – from the technology in cars (Jess’s car emails her, would you believe… more on that in the book) to holidays to shopping… but I can’t list it all here.

But don’t be put off by how much there is – part of the point of the book is that it lets you work out what you’re actually interested in and which bits you can safely ignore. (For now, anyway, you can always come back to the book later on if you decide they are for you at some point in the future)

It’s not for “digital natives” – the people who find it all easy and obvious.

In a way, it’s like a life-belt for modern life. The guidebook to getting by in this world filled with technology… and not only getting by, but making the most of it. After all, generations before didn’t have all this technology – it’d be a shame not to make the most of it – or at least of the bits that might actually be worth it for you.

How much does it cost?
Well, there are parts in the book that could save you money – the information in one chapter has saved me hundreds of pounds!

I’m not going to ask hundreds of pounds, though, you’ll be glad to know. It’s just £14.99. (Plus P&P of £2.99 no matter how many books you order.)

So for less that the price of a decent pub meal for two (come to think of it, in some pubs, for one, if you have a pudding too) you can make all the technology out there less confusing, less baffling and simpler to use. Give yourself peace of mind about things you don’t want to use, knowing they really aren’t for you. And make life easier and more fun with the things you decide are for you – taking away any confusion.

Pretty good value, I think. Oh, not to mention the fact that if you follow the advice in chapters 9, 10 and 12 you may well save more than the cost of the book anyway… quite likely a lot more.

All the same, you might not be quite certain, so…

Don’t pay a penny now…
You can order the book now without paying anything. We’ll post it out to you. Once you’ve got it, check you’re happy with it. If so, great, then you can pay. If not, simply send it back and pay us nothing.

I’m pretty confident you’ll want to keep it – why wouldn’t you want the help this gives you? But this way you can feel confident in ordering – if the book isn’t up to scratch, it’s my problem, not yours. And that’s the way it should be.

One more thing I should say… in fact two more things
First of all, the book isn’t in stock yet – it went to print last week. But if you order your copy now we’ll send it to you the moment it arrives in stock, hot off the press. That way you don’t run the risk of it slipping your mind.

In stock now!

Also discover: How to Stay Safe and Sound Online
The other thing I should mention is that we’re also publishing another book at the same time: it’s a fully updated second edition of a book we did a few years ago, all about how to keep yourself safe on the internet from all the viruses, scams, tricks, malware and so on that could attack you (in some cases they could already have attacked you without you even realising).

You don’t have to have it at the same time as Survive and Thrive in The Digital Age but if you do you still only pay one lot of P&P, so it can save you a little bit to order them together. This “Staying Safe” book is only £12.97, as it’s a bit shorter than the Digital Age book (and if you read it and follow even a little bit of the advice, it could save you from a very stressful time indeed.)

Best act now – today
Best put your free-trial order in now, while you think of it. Just do it online here (no need to put credit card info in as you don’t have to pay until you’ve decided you’re happy with the books).

Or call us on 01229 777606 and ask Emma, Stella, Jade or Michelle (or one of the rest of us if the phones are especially busy) for a copy of Survive and Thrive in The Digital Age (or just ask for the new “digital age” book if you can’t remember the name!). Or if you prefer you can email [email protected] with your name and address saying you’d like a copy of it.

We’ll get your copy in the post to you straight away and you can start finding technology, of all kinds, easier, simpler and less confusing.

Yours

Tim Wakeling

PS
If you’re a whizz with all kinds of technology, then this isn’t the book for you. But if you aren’t… if you sometimes find all the gadgets, features and various bits of technology that are all around nowadays a bit bewildering, then this just might be what you need.

PPS
I’ve referred to it as a “lifebelt” for modern life… or a guidebook for living in the modern world, surrounded by technology… and it might be just what you need. If you think it might help you, you might as well have a look (there’s a free trial so there’s no risk).

Why not pop your order in now?