Got a tech to-do list heading into 2022? Get help with your smart home setup, Wi-Fi, more

With the new year just a few days away, it’s a great time for a fresh start. For me, that means tackling a few nagging annoyances that I don’t want to see on my to-do list for another day, let alone another year, especially when the fixes take a whole lot less time than all my worrying does.

I start with a major backup of my entire digital life. That includes photos, videos, documents and contacts. I already do regular cloud and hard drive back-ups, but this is the way to clean up, clear out and head into 2022 with a clear mind.

From Zoom fatigue to a more simple step toward a smarter home, here’s a look at a some quick and easy fixes to common issues that there’s really no reason to put off any longer.

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Easy start to a smarter home

If you want to keep an eye on your house, but not spend much time or money to do it, grab a Wyze Cam V3 ($35.98) or two ($70.96). This is the inexpensive do-it-all, indoor/outdoor smart security camera with color night vision, intelligent motion detection, voice control, a built-in siren and local video storage – including a MicroSD card slot for 24/7 continuous recording – that doesn’t leave the device or your control. You can have it up and running in about five minutes with step-by-step instructions in the Wyze app (iOS and Android). It really is a drop-dead simple way to start your smart home.

► Home security system guide: What to know about ADT, SimpliSafe, more

Supercharge your home office cell connection

For those of us heading into another year working from home or anywhere other than an office really, a cell-signal amplifier is a great investment. I recently reviewed SureCall’s Fusion4Home (currently on sale for $288 on Amazon) because we’re about to move from a city to a more rural area and the last time I was there, I could get a strong cell signal from one little patch of driveway about 200 feet from the house.

What I like about this particular amplifier is that it covers up to 5,000 square feet and works with any brand of cellphone, smartphone or even hotspot device, regardless of the phone carrier. I can’t wait to put it in the new house, get blazing 5G speeds from every nook and cranny and hopefully never have to stand outside in the rain to make a call again!

Amp up sluggish or spotty Wi-Fi

My entire professional life depends on strong Wi-Fi in my home and I’ve tried a bevy of new routers and Wi-Fi mesh-extenders in the past. But none have worked as well as the three-piece Netgear Orbi Quad-Band Mesh Wi-iFi 6E System (RBKE963). It runs $1499 – a splurge option promising to future-proof Wi-Fi tech by delivering “unprecedented speed, capability and capacity” for the next generation of Wi-Fi 6E devices. (Gadgets will continue to evolve to faster speeds with lower latency issues, which is what the whole ‘6E’ designation means.)

I only have a few devices that use Wi-Fi 6E – Samsung’s Galaxy S21 and Z Fold 3 mobile phones as well as a Lenovo Thinkpad T14 laptop – so it’s hard to really see a big difference yet. But so far in my reviews though, the souped-up 6GHz Wi-Fi band deals with interference and congestion well. This model also increases security and has simple set-and-forget parental controls that even the sneakiest little hackers can’t workaround.

While spendy, it very well could become the standard flagship device of the impending Wi-Fi 6E era.

► What the latest tech says about 2021: And what it may tell us about 2022

Alternate to Zoom for large crowds

If the thought of one more Zoom call makes your skin crawl these days, there are few alternatives worth looking into. I’ve been using Wonder, which is a free new browser-based 2D virtual space where as many as 500 people can meet and network online. What’s different about it from other video conferencing apps is that it’s built around the idea of a shared space with more than a screens-worth grid of people attending.

For an example, think of it like FaceTime, but for several hundred people attending a big conference such as the Consumer Electronics Show. You start on a screen with avatars representing actual people present on the call. From a birds-eye view of the entire event, you can see specific locations such as an area for the keynote address, specific-company booth tours or break-out sessions with small groups of people. Just like at a real, in-person conference, you can move between groups to meet others and experience the event together. The overall experience offers more freedom to move around, even virtually and the ability to initiate conversations with others is more engaging for sure.

Financial fixes

More than 92 million Americans are likely to make financial New Year’s resolutions for 2022, according to a new survey by WalletHub. That’s a whopping 32 million more people worried about money compared to last year. If you’re one of those resolving to buckle down, better manage your moola and tighten the ole’ purse strings, it’s hard to beat a tech tool like Quicken (annual plans starts at $35.99).

I’m a visual person and I really like how easy it is to see a consolidated view of all my accounts, track and pay my bills and know exactly where every penny goes. I also appreciate that it lets me create a custom budget tailored to my lifestyle and priorities, like a special family vacation.

On the #adulting front, Quicken helps you plan and save for other big milestones too, like your child’s college, 401(k)s, IRAs, brokerage accounts and more. It also gives you a comprehensive view of your investments, so you can review your portfolio, monitor performance and see market comparisons. I’ve tried a lot of finance apps and this one, even though it costs a bit of money upfront, pays for itself in spades.

#Adulting tasks

A few other big tasks of note on my #adulting to-do list include updating my will and boosting my life insurance. These are the last things I want to think about and I'm not alone. According to Statista.com, 48% of Americans didn't have life insurance in 2021. They feel it’s too expensive and invasive. Enter another high-tech fix.

It’s called Ethos and I first read about it last summer when it picked up $100 million in funding for a valuation of $2.7 billion. I remember it for a few reasons: 1) That’s a huge valuation for a start-up in this space. 2) You can apply for it 100% online without medical exams. 3) it uses more than 300,000 data points to determine your eligibility for life insurance policies and if you qualify, you get offered a term or whole life package starting at $8/month.

The mobile-first approach and online application that takes minutes instead of weeks is a big game changer and it currently scores an A+ by the BBB. The other aspects I like are that you can tailor your policy to fit your budgets and your needs and get the policy that’s best suited for you. All of this together makes it all feel less like a grudge-to-do and more like something smart to check off your list – for life.

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech columnist. Email her at jj@techish.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JenniferJolly. The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Year's resolutions: Got a tech to-do list for 2022? Let us help.