This post is brought to you by Protect Your Bubble.
It’s no secret that for many geek households the console has come center stage. No longer do these amazing machines do just one thing–play games–they’re now where we go to watch movies and television, work out, connect with our families, and even let the Internet know what we’re up to. The line between home computer and home console is quickly blurring.
My first console was an Atari 2600. Soon followed by the original Nintendo. And while it was certainly used by my parents, it was most definitely something that my sister and I had lordship over.
But now there’s a problem. My son loves playing Minecraft just as much as my husband likes playing the Witcher games–and just as much as my husband loves Assassin’s Creed. And my toddler daughter soon wants her say when it comes to Blue’s Clues and Signing Time. More people means more of a risk when it comes to what our new Xbox One can handle. And that’s just the beginning!
Game consoles like our Xbox one are so much more immersive than they used to be. The Kinect component–and many other similar movement based controls–means there’s a whole lot more fidgeting going around. We learned once with the Wii and our unfortunate dog that flailing around playing a game can mean some serious damage. And not just for the people involved, but with the consoles and components, too.
Thankfully there’s a few things that you can do to try and mitigate the risk with your consoles.
Keep the console up and away from little hands. That might mean mounting it higher or, potentially, even purchasing some special furniture to manage it. The last thing you want it little sticky fingers or chewing pets getting to your system. This doesn’t have to be expensive.
Make sure all cords and extraneous parts are tidied well. We’ve had great success using cord clamps that stick on the back of our buffet table (which we use to put the television and our various console systems).
Think ventilation. Don’t put the console in a closed environment where it can overheat. Heat is terrible for the inner workings of any computer hardware, and we’ve personally lost two Xboxes to the red ring of death due to this problem.
Get a surge protector. Along with those organized cords, make sure you’ve got everything plugged in well and grounded. Otherwise that investment might go up in smoke.
Get insurance for your console. Yes, this exists. Protect Your Bubble offers a wide array of Home Gadget coverage, but what’s most pertinent to many of you is their console coverage. It starts as little as $1.99/month, and you have the choice for paying all at once or in installments. That’s cheaper than one game a year, and it includes things like in-home repair, replacement, and coverage for things like mechanical breakdown, surge protection, and a no lemon policy. Plus a $0 deductible means if you have to be a little more lax with letting your kids get their sillies out, you won’t be shelling out later. They’ve got you covered in ways the other folks might not.
To check out everything that Protect Your Bubble offers, check out their website.
This post is brought to you by Protect Your Bubble.
