I have quite a few clients now who when they call me and wish to schedule a repair appointment find that I can help them without having to disrupt THEIR schedules by accessing their computer(s) from my computer or IPhone. Many repairs are very immediate and don't require the client to be available. Nice for you; great for me. And, it brings down the cost of a repair! Now isn't THAT nice?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Blogging without a PC
Oh yes, it's possible, as I just found out when I left home and forgot my laptop power cord. The world doesn't end... It just sort of bends!
So, a quick search of the iPhone app store uncovers several choices for adding to your blogsite on the fly. This article is proof it works... Or WILL be proof after I push send.
Wanna know more on this subject? Drop me a line...
So, a quick search of the iPhone app store uncovers several choices for adding to your blogsite on the fly. This article is proof it works... Or WILL be proof after I push send.
Wanna know more on this subject? Drop me a line...
Thursday, August 6, 2009
NetBooks...I forgot NetBooks!
I said I'd recommend a NetBook and I like totally forgot! So sorry. Here it is...
First a disclaimer...NetBooks are NOT for everyone. They have a more cramped keyboard and a small screen that isn't suited to some folks, and those with failing eyesight (read that as 50 years old or over) may find it a handicap. Having said all this...They ARE the HOT THING for folks that just do word processing and internet/e-mail.
PC World Magazine likes the Asus EeePC 1000HE ($399) and I can see why. Beyond its attractive price, though there are lighter NoteBooks, at 3.2 lbs its no problem to lug around. Battery life is over 7 hours on a full charge, which is 'killer' good to airline travelers. Trust me though, you WON'T want to stare at a 10" screen for 7 hours.
NoteBooks aren't known for speed, but this one moves along at a respectable clip. General design is good.
If you MUST have cheap, small, light, with long battery life and l can recommend this unit.
A second choice might be the Acer Aspire One AOD150 ($349). The unit weighs a little less and as only a slightly shorter battery life.
Either of these two units should make a NetBook shopper happy.
First a disclaimer...NetBooks are NOT for everyone. They have a more cramped keyboard and a small screen that isn't suited to some folks, and those with failing eyesight (read that as 50 years old or over) may find it a handicap. Having said all this...They ARE the HOT THING for folks that just do word processing and internet/e-mail.
PC World Magazine likes the Asus EeePC 1000HE ($399) and I can see why. Beyond its attractive price, though there are lighter NoteBooks, at 3.2 lbs its no problem to lug around. Battery life is over 7 hours on a full charge, which is 'killer' good to airline travelers. Trust me though, you WON'T want to stare at a 10" screen for 7 hours.
NoteBooks aren't known for speed, but this one moves along at a respectable clip. General design is good.
If you MUST have cheap, small, light, with long battery life and l can recommend this unit.
A second choice might be the Acer Aspire One AOD150 ($349). The unit weighs a little less and as only a slightly shorter battery life.
Either of these two units should make a NetBook shopper happy.
Latop Recommendaions for the Average Joe (Or Josephine)
Well picking a laptop for 'Joe Average User' is a bit like kissing one's sister....not the most pleasant to contemplate but every now and then, necessary.
What most of us can buy off the retail shelf these days is greatly limited by the virtual (tongue in cheek) collapse of computer retailers like CompUSA and a host of others. I've ALWAYS preferred to specify my computers from the manufacturers any way; customer service as a selling point at Best Buy or Frys is grossly exaggerated.
Priorities here are for keeping the cost down without buying a computer which will be obsolete in 12 months. (NOTE: Software, such as the rather critical Microsoft Office Home/Student was NOT included and would add another 125-150 of cost. No additional warranties were added as they run a lot, but are worth a lot to be honest, if one is forward thinking. So many things can go wrong with a laptop).
So quick to the point, two systems I'd recommend for people I actually LIKE and hope to see again sometime would be:
Dell Latitude E5500 $808
Intel Core duo T7250 Processor (2 GHz, 2M L2 Cache, 800 MHz)
15.4 Inch Screen (I like the smaller 14", but the Average Joe often has failing eyesight!)
Operating System Software: Windows Vista Business SP1 (This was my upgrade preference)
RAM Memory 3 GHz DDR2 2 DIIMS ... Folks this is NO place to scrimp!
250 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive (I like the 7200 RPM better, but $$$ rules it out)
Optical Drive 8X DVD+/-RW This will do anything I can think of
Wireless Card Dell 1510 802.11 a/g/n (Yeah, its an upgrade but its current technology)
Integrated web cam
6 Cell Battery (Again, a 9 Cell would be better, but money, money, money...)
OR you could get and its almost as good...
Lenovo (IBM) ThinkPad SL500 $659
Intel Core Duo T6570 Processor (2.1 GHz 800 MHz, @MBL2)
Operating System Software: Windows Vista Home Basic (Used Vista Business on system above)
15.4 Inch Screen (I like the smaller 14", as I said above)
RAM Memory 3 GHz DDR2 2 DIIMS ... Folks, I say again, this is NO place to scrimp!
160 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive (the 250 GB above is probably overkill)
Optical Drive CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Not as good as the Dell system; good enough for most
Wireless Card Intel WIMax/WiFi 5150 802.11 a/g/n (again, upgrade; performance is worth it)
Integrated web cam
6 Cell Battery
So would I go for the cheaper system for a customer? Probably yes. There's nothing in the Dell that would be missed that much in the Lenovo. Maybe I'd add Vista business which would get them closer together in price. But remember, you're STILL gonna be out 150 for MS Office software.
Happy computing!
What most of us can buy off the retail shelf these days is greatly limited by the virtual (tongue in cheek) collapse of computer retailers like CompUSA and a host of others. I've ALWAYS preferred to specify my computers from the manufacturers any way; customer service as a selling point at Best Buy or Frys is grossly exaggerated.
Priorities here are for keeping the cost down without buying a computer which will be obsolete in 12 months. (NOTE: Software, such as the rather critical Microsoft Office Home/Student was NOT included and would add another 125-150 of cost. No additional warranties were added as they run a lot, but are worth a lot to be honest, if one is forward thinking. So many things can go wrong with a laptop).
So quick to the point, two systems I'd recommend for people I actually LIKE and hope to see again sometime would be:
Dell Latitude E5500 $808
Intel Core duo T7250 Processor (2 GHz, 2M L2 Cache, 800 MHz)
15.4 Inch Screen (I like the smaller 14", but the Average Joe often has failing eyesight!)
Operating System Software: Windows Vista Business SP1 (This was my upgrade preference)
RAM Memory 3 GHz DDR2 2 DIIMS ... Folks this is NO place to scrimp!
250 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive (I like the 7200 RPM better, but $$$ rules it out)
Optical Drive 8X DVD+/-RW This will do anything I can think of
Wireless Card Dell 1510 802.11 a/g/n (Yeah, its an upgrade but its current technology)
Integrated web cam
6 Cell Battery (Again, a 9 Cell would be better, but money, money, money...)
OR you could get and its almost as good...
Lenovo (IBM) ThinkPad SL500 $659
Intel Core Duo T6570 Processor (2.1 GHz 800 MHz, @MBL2)
Operating System Software: Windows Vista Home Basic (Used Vista Business on system above)
15.4 Inch Screen (I like the smaller 14", as I said above)
RAM Memory 3 GHz DDR2 2 DIIMS ... Folks, I say again, this is NO place to scrimp!
160 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive (the 250 GB above is probably overkill)
Optical Drive CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Not as good as the Dell system; good enough for most
Wireless Card Intel WIMax/WiFi 5150 802.11 a/g/n (again, upgrade; performance is worth it)
Integrated web cam
6 Cell Battery
So would I go for the cheaper system for a customer? Probably yes. There's nothing in the Dell that would be missed that much in the Lenovo. Maybe I'd add Vista business which would get them closer together in price. But remember, you're STILL gonna be out 150 for MS Office software.
Happy computing!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Tweet! Tweet!
Hey, have I talked about TWITTER? Do I need to? Well, there's a lot of argument about that.
Twitter is, depending on who you talk to:
I LIKE Twitter, not that I use it all that much (YET!). I like what it tries to do; what it DOES do. It's sort of like CHAT on the fly, which is a little redundant I realize, even as I write it.
Twitter has been used to say silly little thoughts off the top of ones head to no one in particular, or to a business associate, or to someone you love, or someone you wish loved you.
But Twitter is rapidly becoming a LOT more. Recently a Russian break-away state used twitter as a means of organizing protest; so did dissidents in Iran who were unhappy with their Government's handing of an election. It was used to announce an impromptu concern by Comedian Dave Chappelle in Portland, OR only HOURS before it took place....Hundreds showed up. Granted, the last point is less important than the first too, but you should know the range.
Additionally, it's being marketed as the NEW MOBILE MARKETPLACE by innovative new businesses looking for ways to link clients to products and services.
Hey, like it or not TWITTER and services not yet dreamed of are part of the digital world we all have happening around us. I LIKE it. May as well; its gonna happen anyway. I'm not letting kids under 18 have ALL the fun to themselves. No way!
Twitter is, depending on who you talk to:
- A complete waste of precious time, making and reading short statements about nothing. Or ...
- An indispensable tool for communicating from computer or cell phone and staying in touch with a rapidly changing world.
I LIKE Twitter, not that I use it all that much (YET!). I like what it tries to do; what it DOES do. It's sort of like CHAT on the fly, which is a little redundant I realize, even as I write it.
Twitter has been used to say silly little thoughts off the top of ones head to no one in particular, or to a business associate, or to someone you love, or someone you wish loved you.
But Twitter is rapidly becoming a LOT more. Recently a Russian break-away state used twitter as a means of organizing protest; so did dissidents in Iran who were unhappy with their Government's handing of an election. It was used to announce an impromptu concern by Comedian Dave Chappelle in Portland, OR only HOURS before it took place....Hundreds showed up. Granted, the last point is less important than the first too, but you should know the range.
Additionally, it's being marketed as the NEW MOBILE MARKETPLACE by innovative new businesses looking for ways to link clients to products and services.
Hey, like it or not TWITTER and services not yet dreamed of are part of the digital world we all have happening around us. I LIKE it. May as well; its gonna happen anyway. I'm not letting kids under 18 have ALL the fun to themselves. No way!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Going, Going.....
Well, next Tuesday (5-19) I offer my periodic class on using using CraigsList to find and/or list things to Buy/Sell on the internet. This class is intended for those very new to CraigsList and many of my past students have never seen it in action.
CraigsList is actually a handy on-line bulletin board connecting buyers & sellers, usually in a local market, such as our Greater Portland/Vancouver Metro area. There are definite advantages in dealing with neighbors as customers and the fun of either adding to or cleaning out a closet is fun and for many a nice source of extra spending cash.
The following week I'm teaching at Oasis Center again on Using FaceBook...Social networking. This classes is a basic introduction intended for folks with Internet access and who don't yet have a FaceBook account. FaceBook is a site on the net intended to connect people, friends, family..to share thoughts, ideas and pictures. It's a site drawing an enormous ammount of press lately, as people flock to new and better means of connecting when miles and miles separate us.
If either of these might be something of interest click on this link for the Oasis Site and see if space is available.
CraigsList is actually a handy on-line bulletin board connecting buyers & sellers, usually in a local market, such as our Greater Portland/Vancouver Metro area. There are definite advantages in dealing with neighbors as customers and the fun of either adding to or cleaning out a closet is fun and for many a nice source of extra spending cash.
The following week I'm teaching at Oasis Center again on Using FaceBook...Social networking. This classes is a basic introduction intended for folks with Internet access and who don't yet have a FaceBook account. FaceBook is a site on the net intended to connect people, friends, family..to share thoughts, ideas and pictures. It's a site drawing an enormous ammount of press lately, as people flock to new and better means of connecting when miles and miles separate us.
If either of these might be something of interest click on this link for the Oasis Site and see if space is available.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Big Brother is Watching!...and it's a GOOD thing.
Some of my clients have started asking me for regular visits to their machines via remote access to see just what their problems are...I'm more than happy to oblige. Making an 'ONLINE Service Call' has the impact of being fast, short and inexpensive, with no drive time...just wham bam thankyou Mame (or Mister).
Using a free software device and a high speed internet access I can log into your machine via a secure connection and you can SHOW me what's plaguing you while I watch from the my office. If I'm not tied up with another call it has the benefit of making the call immediate, fast and cheap. And you won't have to talk to China or India, not that there's anything wrong with it.
If you're interested in getting set up for this service give we a call and we'lld determine if its appropriate for you.
Using a free software device and a high speed internet access I can log into your machine via a secure connection and you can SHOW me what's plaguing you while I watch from the my office. If I'm not tied up with another call it has the benefit of making the call immediate, fast and cheap. And you won't have to talk to China or India, not that there's anything wrong with it.
If you're interested in getting set up for this service give we a call and we'lld determine if its appropriate for you.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Software EXPIRATION Date
Are you aware much of today's software comes with an 'expiration date'? Certainly all that crapware (as it's lovingly refered to in the trade) that came with your computer does.
Trial versions of Norton Anti Virus, Office 2007, etc. are all provided as 'teasers' to encourage you to buy. You use it for a month-or-six and you're hooked. Up pops an invitation to buy the full blown version at a 'nominal cost'; nominal cost....that's a good one....YOU'LL be the judge of that!
Well, constant reader, there ARE alternatives. In virus protection I've been signing my clients up for AVAST! It's a great program that takes up not much space and automatically updates it's virus definitions and database continually. Oh, there may be a better free virus protection out there; we could have that debate. But this one will save you 50$ and a lotta grief.
As for Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Access, etc....), that one is a little tougher. It's a marvelous collection of programs 80-90% of all PC owners use everyday. But there ARE options, and they don't have to be too freaky for you. Open Office makes a free suite of software that has almost ALL of what Microsoft offers, AND you can set it up to read and save files in Microsoft formats so that your friends and business associates can open and alter your files even if they don't use Open Office. So if you can't afford $150+ for the Microsoft Office product then Open Office is the way to go. And the learning curve is virtually FLAT.
So don't let these EXPIRED warnings force you to get your wallet out. Check out these two tips. And if you don't like 'em, money back guarantee (just kidding....I don't recall you spending anything yet).
Trial versions of Norton Anti Virus, Office 2007, etc. are all provided as 'teasers' to encourage you to buy. You use it for a month-or-six and you're hooked. Up pops an invitation to buy the full blown version at a 'nominal cost'; nominal cost....that's a good one....YOU'LL be the judge of that!
Well, constant reader, there ARE alternatives. In virus protection I've been signing my clients up for AVAST! It's a great program that takes up not much space and automatically updates it's virus definitions and database continually. Oh, there may be a better free virus protection out there; we could have that debate. But this one will save you 50$ and a lotta grief.
As for Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Access, etc....), that one is a little tougher. It's a marvelous collection of programs 80-90% of all PC owners use everyday. But there ARE options, and they don't have to be too freaky for you. Open Office makes a free suite of software that has almost ALL of what Microsoft offers, AND you can set it up to read and save files in Microsoft formats so that your friends and business associates can open and alter your files even if they don't use Open Office. So if you can't afford $150+ for the Microsoft Office product then Open Office is the way to go. And the learning curve is virtually FLAT.
So don't let these EXPIRED warnings force you to get your wallet out. Check out these two tips. And if you don't like 'em, money back guarantee (just kidding....I don't recall you spending anything yet).
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Attention IPhone Users
Are you and IPhone or IPod user? Have you come across the dreaded error: 5002? Let me ease your pain. The first place to check, assuming you have an account with the Apple ITunes Store online, is that your account info is up-to-date. If your credit card is on file with Apple and your account is within a month of it's expiration date that's enough to prevent you from being able to add applications or update them on your IPod, IPhone or ITouch. You'll get an Error: 5002 when you try, till you correct the problem.
If you don't have one of these devices then 'never mind'. This post isn't for you.
If you don't have one of these devices then 'never mind'. This post isn't for you.
Friday, January 16, 2009
'...and the Winner is.....'
What's the #1 complaint on computer users' minds/hearts/souls when they are finally pushed to call for help? The results are in and the winner is....wait for it...
"My computer is so *@#$-ing SLOW!" Sometimes the complaint is followed by 'all of a sudden' or 'I've been living with it for AGES and I'm about ready to throw it off the deck'.
There are a host of reasons for why a computer might 'suddenly' move like a fly on fly paper and here are a just a few, in order of common offense (most of this having a WINDOWS slant):
Wait, wait....I forgot number 5. Your computer is just too OLD. Yep, if it's over eight and you want it to do something more than prop a door open then you are likely to need ALL of the above to keep it going. But some of us would like to keep one more thing out of the landfill and wanna keep the ole machine goin' for a while longer. I repeat: Call us.
"My computer is so *@#$-ing SLOW!" Sometimes the complaint is followed by 'all of a sudden' or 'I've been living with it for AGES and I'm about ready to throw it off the deck'.
There are a host of reasons for why a computer might 'suddenly' move like a fly on fly paper and here are a just a few, in order of common offense (most of this having a WINDOWS slant):
- Too little RAM memory. Yes folks, I know the salesman told you when you bought it that this would be PLENTY good for your purposes. The cold hard truth? ==>>Salesman LIE. There is no such thing as TOO MUCH RAM. It you have any spare change when buying a computer spend it on more RAM. Trust me...you'll be sooooo much happier.
- Registry issues need 'curing'. What's a Registry, you might ask? It's a rather important file that Microsoft Windows (all versions) use to tell it who, what and where things are on your computer and what to do with them; and it entirely on it's own over time developes ways about it self that just aren't right.
- Virus problems. You thought this one was gonna be 1st, right? Wrong. While still a common problem the other two issues are a bigger head ache for most computers. Didn't renew or replace the FREE trial virus protection when it expired? Shame on you. And there are PLENTY of great free virus protection software programs available.
- Spyware issues. Oh yeah, when we get done celebrating the fact that the internet is FREE and UN-regulated we deal with the reality that any website, most in fact, can place small items ON OUR computers that make our machines slow from a run to a stroll to a crawl. Tracking cookies are a big problem because they're like little BEACONS using up your bandwidth (sorry....for the...geek-speak) to tell some commercial entity little things about you and your internet visits that marketing companies pay to know. Sucks, but such is the price of freedom. And spyware protection is NOT the same as virus protect...well, sometimes it is, but 98% of the time it's NOT. You need BOTH. Hey, it's a jungle out there.
Wait, wait....I forgot number 5. Your computer is just too OLD. Yep, if it's over eight and you want it to do something more than prop a door open then you are likely to need ALL of the above to keep it going. But some of us would like to keep one more thing out of the landfill and wanna keep the ole machine goin' for a while longer. I repeat: Call us.
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