KEY POINTS:
If you're very lucky or have wealthy relatives, chances are you'll get some cool new electronics tomorrow.
The first thing you'll want to do is get it out of the box and turn it on, but be careful. Try to keep the packaging your gadget came in intact.
Just as the three-pack of underpants your mum has bought you may not fit perfectly, the TV, computer or digital camera you've just received might not be suitable either, so keep all the plastic bags, polystyrene mouldings and cable ties. Don't tear the box. It makes it hard to give the goods back.
Most electronics stores have an exchange policy where you can return the product and use the value of it on something else, or get your money back. The post-Christmas sales period is a great time to browse for electronics, as the returns bin will be full of gadgets people brought back because they didn't know how to use them. Aside from the crinkled, pawed packaging, they're likely to be as good as new.
With any new gadget, plug it in and let it charge, preferably overnight, but for a good few hours, anyway. New devices benefit from an initial decent charge. While it's charging, fill in the warranty card or register online.
Some say a gadget isn't worth owning if you need to read the manual to operate it. Ignore that. Make sure you read the manual, at least the installation section. This should give enough guidance to stop you frying your new device before Boxing Day.
If you're lucky enough to receive a computer, you'll probably want to spend part of the afternoon booting it up and checking out what it can do. Setting up computers is pretty easy. They generally come with the software, including Windows XP, pre-installed. Many computers come with a big wall chart that steps you through the set-up process.
Remember that you'll want your computer to work with all your peripherals - printer, wireless router, mobile phone, music player and digital camera. When the euphoria wears off, go and find all those discs that hold the software to make your various gadgets compatible with your new computer. Always load the supplied software driver before you plug a device into your computer, as connecting USB cables can lead to glitches in the installation process. If you botch your new computer set-up, revert to that useful feature of Windows that lets you undo all the digital chaos you've created: System Restore. It takes you back to just before the point where you did something wrong.
It pays to have all your passwords for internet and email accounts handy, so you can get on to the web as quickly as possible. If someone has given you broadband internet for Christmas, it won't necessarily work on Christmas Day. A technician has to modify your line at the local exchange first, and as there's usually a backlog of orders this time of year, it could take a few days.
If someone has put a wireless broadband router under the tree for you, they've done well. Going wireless lets you access the internet wherever you are in the house. But setting up wireless gear can be fiddly. Read the instructions carefully and make sure you set security controls as soon as you plug in the broadband cable. Christmas is a time for giving, but you don't want your neighbours surfing on your internet connection.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
