So last week, my laptop went from “having issues” to “psychotic breakdown”. As any tech geek can understand, sending in your laptop for repairs is the last thing you want to do. You’re without it for weeks, you’re probably going to lose all your data, and there’s no guarantee people aren’t going to be snooping through all your files in the process. So I ventured out into the city in search of two things:
- A reputable, affordable laptop repair service.
- A hard drive enclosure (so I could back up my data and transfer it to a loaner computer from my roommate).
The first search was a total bust. There are some computer repair places around town, but none of them looked like the kind I’d want to trust. I don’t think any of them had a Yelp rating above 3.5 stars and a price below $99. With the second search, I learned:
- There are a lot of Radio Shacks around Boston. Like, one within walking distance of every T stop from Downtown to Davis.
- None of them have 2.5″ SATA hard drive enclosures.
Amazon had the hard drive enclosure I needed for $10. Sometimes ordering things online is just a better option. Organizations like Somerville & Cambridge Local First are doing a great job of rallying support for local businesses. And as much as I love Amazon, I’d rather pay a little more at any of the dozen bookstores in Harvard Square just to support them, and keep a bookstore I can browse in business.
But I wonder what other kinds of things just can’t be found in Boston? And what might be found here, but just isn’t worth it to get locally?