HP Inkjet Cartridges, Print Heads, Photo Value Packs and LaserJet Supplies price hikes. As of Jan. 1, 2009, HP is increasing the list prices on Inkjet cartridges, print heads, photo value packs and LaserJet supplies by approximately 5% on average. Actual price increases will vary by part number. PCSS will be passing on this increase as well most retailers.
PCSS will increase our hourly rate from $74 to $79 effective January 1, 2009. We increase our rates every 2 years so we maintain this rate until 2011. Thanks again for your support.
Our distributors (those who sell us the PCs & Supplies) quickly changed their freight policy when fuel prices went up. We used to get free freight on orders over $500. Now for one distributor we only get free freight on orders over $1000 and at another only if the order ships out of one warehouse and is over $1000. Since gas prices have plummeted no one has changed their freight policy back. This means PCSS can't order products every day. We have to wait until we get an order over $1000 or our prices will have to be higher to cover the additional freight cost. This is especially true on heavy items like PCs and Printers.
Good news is PC and laptop prices are as low as we have ever seen them. Remember Windows XP goes away in January 2oo9, so if you think you need a new PC order soon if you want XP.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
#143 Technology kills the local store?
In the holiday rush we'd like to ask each of our customers to consider doing much of their holiday shopping with local stores. A dollar spent locally goes around 3 times in the community. A dollar spent at an Internet store supports the Internet stores community not yours.
The new business model for sales may be strictly getting on you PC and ordering, but local stores also provide Internet sales. Take PCSS. You can check out our sales items on line or just email us with your request. We will get it to you before Christmas and make sure you have the right item.
If your local stores go out of business it will effect you eventually. A world of shopping that is nothing but Walmarts and Internet stores is a very scary future. Personal service is still alive and well in your local communities!
Buy Local!
The new business model for sales may be strictly getting on you PC and ordering, but local stores also provide Internet sales. Take PCSS. You can check out our sales items on line or just email us with your request. We will get it to you before Christmas and make sure you have the right item.
If your local stores go out of business it will effect you eventually. A world of shopping that is nothing but Walmarts and Internet stores is a very scary future. Personal service is still alive and well in your local communities!
Buy Local!
Friday, November 21, 2008
#142 - The end of the mouse?
No Mickey Mouse is safe as is the common house mouse (mus musculus). The mouse we are worried about is the PC mouse. Way back in March of last year we did a blog on the humble beginnings of the PC Mouse: #23 Mousing Around. Now we are talking about its demise?
Well technology changes and here are some of the successors to the mouse. Every laptop owner has an alternative to the mouse. The touch pad or the IBM eraser head is standard input devise on most laptops. Tablet PCs also have touch screens or stylus screens to get their input. The latest smart phones have touch screens and the newest Apple Mac laptops have no buttons just the Multi touch Track Pad. The Track Pad like the iPhone lets you pinch, drag or tap the pad to make know your desires to the computer. We've also seen cameras installed in displays the record your motions and translate them to selections on the PC. People have been embedded with chips that let your muscles tell the PC what to do (Sci Fi fans are thrilled, the ACLU not so much). Everyone in the Technology game is trying to get away from the electronic rodent.
Now you may say "Not so Fast" Nick! I love my mouse or my wireless mouse. I even bought one to use with my laptop because I hate the touch pad thingy. We'll that may be the case. However if touch screens become less expensive, I doubt you will still request a mouse when a simple point and tap will do. Virginia Tech has placed PCs with just touch screens as public PCs in the Inn at Virginia Tech. They take some getting used to, but it does seem like a better way to input your needs to the PC.
Now lets not talk about the end of the keyboard quite yet.
Well technology changes and here are some of the successors to the mouse. Every laptop owner has an alternative to the mouse. The touch pad or the IBM eraser head is standard input devise on most laptops. Tablet PCs also have touch screens or stylus screens to get their input. The latest smart phones have touch screens and the newest Apple Mac laptops have no buttons just the Multi touch Track Pad. The Track Pad like the iPhone lets you pinch, drag or tap the pad to make know your desires to the computer. We've also seen cameras installed in displays the record your motions and translate them to selections on the PC. People have been embedded with chips that let your muscles tell the PC what to do (Sci Fi fans are thrilled, the ACLU not so much). Everyone in the Technology game is trying to get away from the electronic rodent.
Now you may say "Not so Fast" Nick! I love my mouse or my wireless mouse. I even bought one to use with my laptop because I hate the touch pad thingy. We'll that may be the case. However if touch screens become less expensive, I doubt you will still request a mouse when a simple point and tap will do. Virginia Tech has placed PCs with just touch screens as public PCs in the Inn at Virginia Tech. They take some getting used to, but it does seem like a better way to input your needs to the PC.
Now lets not talk about the end of the keyboard quite yet.
Friday, November 14, 2008
#141 - Windows 7 - Microsoft's Answer to the Vista disaster
Good news. Microsoft supposedly listened to the avalanche of customer complaints about Windows Vista. A new version called Windows 7 is on the drawing board and supposedly fixes all the Vista glitches. Here is an excellent early preview: Windows 7 Preview.
Bad news is the predicted release date (the earliest we would see it) is for holiday season 2009. Only a year away! Also bad news is that Microsoft is still saying no more XP after January 2009. So Microsoft will have almost a full year of nothing but Vista complaints to wallow through from its customers.
Remember the preview version is just that and Microsoft has been know to carve out any "feature" that doesn't really work before publishing the software(and they've been know to leave in quite a few that don't work right!).
We will continue to sell and recommend XP until the last day it ships in new PCs.
Bad news is the predicted release date (the earliest we would see it) is for holiday season 2009. Only a year away! Also bad news is that Microsoft is still saying no more XP after January 2009. So Microsoft will have almost a full year of nothing but Vista complaints to wallow through from its customers.
Remember the preview version is just that and Microsoft has been know to carve out any "feature" that doesn't really work before publishing the software(and they've been know to leave in quite a few that don't work right!).
We will continue to sell and recommend XP until the last day it ships in new PCs.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
#140 - To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade?
One of the frequent questions I get is whether to upgrade a PC or buy a new one. With new PCs in the $400 range and cheap laptops under $600, it gets tougher to answer this question.
First lets get the Nick rant out of the way - unless it came with your PC NEVER upgrade to Windows Vista. Your PC is probably not ready for Vista - it requires a high power PC with lots of memory (>2GB).
Next memory is always a good and generally inexpensive upgrade. Windows XP has a maximum recognition of 3GB. I haven't seen much benefit of more then 2GB when using XP. Now Vista is a different story. It supposedly can handle 4GB maximum. I've never seen it actually recognize more then 3.5GB. Many PCs only have 2 memory slots so if you are maxed out you need to remove a memory chip to put a new one in.
Hard Drives are a double whammy to upgrade. The drive itself is not very expensive. The time to load Windows and all your programs and files is more expensive. Minimum cost to upgrade is $175. Now a faster hard drive is nice, don't get me wrong. Its just a bit expensive compared to cost of a new PC.
Graphics cards are mainly added for home use (read that kids want to play games). Since PCSS doesn't do much in that area we'll let it alone.
Adding a DVD burner if you don't have one costs less then $50 and is a good upgrade.
The only way we know to upgrade your monitor is to get a new one. Ditto on printers. Did we mention that printer prices are so low that getting a new one is almost always a great idea (HP Color LaserJet for less then $250.00!!!)
First lets get the Nick rant out of the way - unless it came with your PC NEVER upgrade to Windows Vista. Your PC is probably not ready for Vista - it requires a high power PC with lots of memory (>2GB).
Next memory is always a good and generally inexpensive upgrade. Windows XP has a maximum recognition of 3GB. I haven't seen much benefit of more then 2GB when using XP. Now Vista is a different story. It supposedly can handle 4GB maximum. I've never seen it actually recognize more then 3.5GB. Many PCs only have 2 memory slots so if you are maxed out you need to remove a memory chip to put a new one in.
Hard Drives are a double whammy to upgrade. The drive itself is not very expensive. The time to load Windows and all your programs and files is more expensive. Minimum cost to upgrade is $175. Now a faster hard drive is nice, don't get me wrong. Its just a bit expensive compared to cost of a new PC.
Graphics cards are mainly added for home use (read that kids want to play games). Since PCSS doesn't do much in that area we'll let it alone.
Adding a DVD burner if you don't have one costs less then $50 and is a good upgrade.
The only way we know to upgrade your monitor is to get a new one. Ditto on printers. Did we mention that printer prices are so low that getting a new one is almost always a great idea (HP Color LaserJet for less then $250.00!!!)
Monday, October 13, 2008
#139 Customizing Word #2
Here are some other tips on making Word do what you want:
On the Tools menu click on Customize. The Toolbar tab lets you select what toolbars are displayed when Word Opens. The Standard, Formatting and Menu bar are default. If you use another tool bar frequently (like the Drawing tool bar) you can check it in this list and it be displayed when you open Word.
The Options tab should have both the following items checked: Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows and Always show full menus. I have never understood why Word does not have these checked as default If you don't have the first checked then all your menus are crammed together and unless you have a wide screen you can't see them all. The minimized menus are confusing (where did all the commands go). Head scratcher by Microsoft on this one. The remaining OTHER items are up to you to customize.
On the Tools menu click on Options and you have lots of tabs to play with. Other then changing the Default File location in the File Location tab we don't change much here. You can change how Word looks with the View Tab. The General Tab lets you change miscellaneous items like changing the background or measurement. The Save Tab allows you to create a backup document every time you save a file. It also sets the time for automatically saving your file. The User Information Tab lets you change your address and user info. The Spelling & Grammar Tab lets you control Spell check and Grammar check functions. We generally don't visit any of the other tabs, but explore at your own risk!
Did you know Word has a Thesaurus built in? Click on Tools then Language and point to Thesaurus (Wow is that complicated). You can also press the Shift and F7 keys. Now type in the word you want choices for and Viola Thesaurus at work.
Word 2003 and above also has speech recognition built in (it really isn't very good). Make sure you have a microphone plugged in then click on Tools and then Speech. Follow the wizard to set it up.
Enjoy your new Word!
On the Tools menu click on Customize. The Toolbar tab lets you select what toolbars are displayed when Word Opens. The Standard, Formatting and Menu bar are default. If you use another tool bar frequently (like the Drawing tool bar) you can check it in this list and it be displayed when you open Word.
The Options tab should have both the following items checked: Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows and Always show full menus. I have never understood why Word does not have these checked as default If you don't have the first checked then all your menus are crammed together and unless you have a wide screen you can't see them all. The minimized menus are confusing (where did all the commands go). Head scratcher by Microsoft on this one. The remaining OTHER items are up to you to customize.
On the Tools menu click on Options and you have lots of tabs to play with. Other then changing the Default File location in the File Location tab we don't change much here. You can change how Word looks with the View Tab. The General Tab lets you change miscellaneous items like changing the background or measurement. The Save Tab allows you to create a backup document every time you save a file. It also sets the time for automatically saving your file. The User Information Tab lets you change your address and user info. The Spelling & Grammar Tab lets you control Spell check and Grammar check functions. We generally don't visit any of the other tabs, but explore at your own risk!
Did you know Word has a Thesaurus built in? Click on Tools then Language and point to Thesaurus (Wow is that complicated). You can also press the Shift and F7 keys. Now type in the word you want choices for and Viola Thesaurus at work.
Word 2003 and above also has speech recognition built in (it really isn't very good). Make sure you have a microphone plugged in then click on Tools and then Speech. Follow the wizard to set it up.
Enjoy your new Word!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
#138 - Customizing Word #1
I thought today we would go through some Word customization tricks. These apply to Word 2002 & 2003. All bets are off in Word 2007 (almost as useful as Vista!).
If you type the same long phrase over and over you can have Word type it in for you. For example I do the minutes for the Highlands Community Bank board. That means typing Highlands Community Bank many times. In word you can set up an AutoCorrect item so that when you type in HCB it will automatically put Highlands Community Bank in all your Word documents. To do this click on Tools then AutoCorrect options. Type in the letters or keys in the REPLACE: box then type in the complete phrase in the WITH: box. Now make sure you haven't made a mistake (you can edit it later) and click on OK. Now when you type in your short cut and then press the space bar your complete phrase will appear in Word.
Would you like to add a command to your Word toolbars? It is fairly easy. For example we use the Envelope command alot. To add this command to the formatting toolbar we follow these steps. Click on Tools and then Customise. Make sure that the Commands tab is selected. Then find the menu item you want to look at in the left Categories: box. For the Envelopes command we go to the Tools in the Categories: box and then scroll down in the Commands: box. We find the Envelopes and Labels item. We now drag that item into the Formatting toolbar at the top of Word and Viola the icon for Envelopes and Labels is now on our toolbar. We can take it off by just dragging it off the toolbar. This works with hundreds of Word Commands.
Would you like Word to open up a different folder then My Documents for your Word files? We have a Word subfolder in My Documents that we keep all our word files and use that when we click on Open or Save/Save As. To set up a different folder click on the Tools menu then Options. Click on the File Locations tab, then click on the word Documents and then Modify. You can navigate your PC for any directory. I know some customer that save all their files on an External Hard Drive and use this system to open a folder on that drive.
More on customizing Word next Blog!
If you type the same long phrase over and over you can have Word type it in for you. For example I do the minutes for the Highlands Community Bank board. That means typing Highlands Community Bank many times. In word you can set up an AutoCorrect item so that when you type in HCB it will automatically put Highlands Community Bank in all your Word documents. To do this click on Tools then AutoCorrect options. Type in the letters or keys in the REPLACE: box then type in the complete phrase in the WITH: box. Now make sure you haven't made a mistake (you can edit it later) and click on OK. Now when you type in your short cut and then press the space bar your complete phrase will appear in Word.
Would you like to add a command to your Word toolbars? It is fairly easy. For example we use the Envelope command alot. To add this command to the formatting toolbar we follow these steps. Click on Tools and then Customise. Make sure that the Commands tab is selected. Then find the menu item you want to look at in the left Categories: box. For the Envelopes command we go to the Tools in the Categories: box and then scroll down in the Commands: box. We find the Envelopes and Labels item. We now drag that item into the Formatting toolbar at the top of Word and Viola the icon for Envelopes and Labels is now on our toolbar. We can take it off by just dragging it off the toolbar. This works with hundreds of Word Commands.
Would you like Word to open up a different folder then My Documents for your Word files? We have a Word subfolder in My Documents that we keep all our word files and use that when we click on Open or Save/Save As. To set up a different folder click on the Tools menu then Options. Click on the File Locations tab, then click on the word Documents and then Modify. You can navigate your PC for any directory. I know some customer that save all their files on an External Hard Drive and use this system to open a folder on that drive.
More on customizing Word next Blog!
Monday, September 22, 2008
#137 - Talking about upgrades
I like to talk PC upgrades, because we get attached to our PCs. Love them or hate them we dislike to throw them out. So here are some suggestions to make your PC better and some of the costs to do it.
The best upgrade you can add to most computer is memory. You can upgrade most PCs with a 1GB chip for $40 or less. This will speed up your PC and lengthen the life of your hard drive.
Another great upgrade is to a bigger screen. A 19" LCD flat screen monitor costs $229. A 22" widescreen LCD monitor costs the same (great for movies!). As my eyes get older the bigger the screen the better!
The best way to back up your data is with an external hard disk drive. All your data can then be safe and easily transported with you. A portable 250GB USB external hard drive costs $99.
Many of our customers like wireless keyboards and mice. We aren't fond of them, but some hate wires more then having to put batteries in their keyboard & mouse. You can get a nice Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse set for $29.00
If you are like Nick and type a lot, the ergonomic keyboards are the best. Good bye carpel tunnel syndrome. We like the Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard for $52.00.
Stop using Microsoft Internet Explorer for your Internet browsing. Firefox is safer and Google Chrome is faster. Firefox Download - Google Chrome Download
Getting a better printer for less is a great upgrade. Color LaserJet printers start at $299. Great color inkjet printers costs around $100.00. These are fast and cost efficient.
Make your PC better with an upgrade!
The best upgrade you can add to most computer is memory. You can upgrade most PCs with a 1GB chip for $40 or less. This will speed up your PC and lengthen the life of your hard drive.
Another great upgrade is to a bigger screen. A 19" LCD flat screen monitor costs $229. A 22" widescreen LCD monitor costs the same (great for movies!). As my eyes get older the bigger the screen the better!
The best way to back up your data is with an external hard disk drive. All your data can then be safe and easily transported with you. A portable 250GB USB external hard drive costs $99.
Many of our customers like wireless keyboards and mice. We aren't fond of them, but some hate wires more then having to put batteries in their keyboard & mouse. You can get a nice Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse set for $29.00
If you are like Nick and type a lot, the ergonomic keyboards are the best. Good bye carpel tunnel syndrome. We like the Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard for $52.00.
Stop using Microsoft Internet Explorer for your Internet browsing. Firefox is safer and Google Chrome is faster. Firefox Download - Google Chrome Download
Getting a better printer for less is a great upgrade. Color LaserJet printers start at $299. Great color inkjet printers costs around $100.00. These are fast and cost efficient.
Make your PC better with an upgrade!
Monday, September 1, 2008
#136 - Why I can't open that file!
Have you ever had an attached file that would not open up? Why can't your PC open all files?
Your PC must have the same program or a viewer program to open any file. How do you know what program will open the program?
You will get a message similar to this:
Generally, you will not know what program will open the file. I usually have to email the sender and ask what program will open the file. Once you find out what program will open the file you decide whether you want to install that particular file. You can also click on the Select the program from a list option and pick a general program like Microsoft Word to open the file. This will work in many cases.
Always ask yourself before you attempt to open an attachment: Do I really need to see this information? Many computer viruses come via attachments so you should treat them with great caution.
If you still are at a loss - just give PCSS a call!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
#135 - Setting up you new PC
I have been setting up a lot of new PCs lately so I thought I might tell you what I have been doing so that you can see if you have these same settings. Note these items are for Windows XP (I'll do the Vista version later {MUCH LATER}).
When I first turn on a new PC you have to set up the Date and decide whether to register with Microsoft and the PC manufacturer. I don't register anything anymore. I really haven't seen the advantage. The only exception is for upgrading the warranty. I definitely register that item. Next is the User decision. I like to leave the built in Administration user alone. So I create a new user (Start, Control Panel, Users) that is also has administrator rights and is in the new owners name.
I then log in the computer as the new user name and start making my changes. I get rid of Bloatware SEE THIS OLD BLOG for info on how and what to do.
Then right click the desktop and click on Properties. In the Display Properties window I click on the Desktop tab and then the Customize Desktop button. I then uncheck the Run Desktop Wizard item. Then I click on the Screen Saver tab and set up the Screen Saver and the Power Options. I then click on the Appearance tab and the Effects button. I click on Use the following method to smooth edges of fonts down arrow and pick ClearType (this makes the fonts look good!).
I then click OK and start on the task bar. I right click the Start button and pick Properties. I click on the Start Menu Tab and Customize button. I click on the Advanced tab and uncheck the Highlight newly install programs box. I click OK , OK to end that change. I right click on the blue task bar and Properties. I uncheck Hide inactive icons box then click on the Apply button.
That ends my initial set up and now I can start installing programs. (Wheesh!) And you thought my job was easy!
When I first turn on a new PC you have to set up the Date and decide whether to register with Microsoft and the PC manufacturer. I don't register anything anymore. I really haven't seen the advantage. The only exception is for upgrading the warranty. I definitely register that item. Next is the User decision. I like to leave the built in Administration user alone. So I create a new user (Start, Control Panel, Users) that is also has administrator rights and is in the new owners name.
I then log in the computer as the new user name and start making my changes. I get rid of Bloatware SEE THIS OLD BLOG for info on how and what to do.
Then right click the desktop and click on Properties. In the Display Properties window I click on the Desktop tab and then the Customize Desktop button. I then uncheck the Run Desktop Wizard item. Then I click on the Screen Saver tab and set up the Screen Saver and the Power Options. I then click on the Appearance tab and the Effects button. I click on Use the following method to smooth edges of fonts down arrow and pick ClearType (this makes the fonts look good!).
I then click OK and start on the task bar. I right click the Start button and pick Properties. I click on the Start Menu Tab and Customize button. I click on the Advanced tab and uncheck the Highlight newly install programs box. I click OK , OK to end that change. I right click on the blue task bar and Properties. I uncheck Hide inactive icons box then click on the Apply button.
That ends my initial set up and now I can start installing programs. (Wheesh!) And you thought my job was easy!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
#134 Wireless Connections
So now you have a wireless notebook computer. How do you find wireless networks and how do you connect to them? Bad news is the answer is it depends on what operating system you have (XP or Vista) and what hardware you have (does it use Windows for connection or its own special program). The question of hardware is the first one to answer. The 3 laptop manufactures that PCSS sells all do things different. HP uses the Windows wireless network connection. Lenovo and Toshiba have their own utilities. If you own Lenovo or Toshiba, I probably showed you how to find wireless networks when you bought the PC.
If you click on View Available Wireless Networks and you will get a list of wireless connections in your area. The list will also tell you if the connections are secure and the SSID (network name). If the connection is listed as secure you will need the pass code (from the owner) to log on that network and get the Internet. IF the connection is unsecured you can just highlight the networks name and click on Connect. IF there are no networks listed then there are no available networks where you are.
I'm going to outline the process of connecting under XP, but I have a link that will take you through the process in either XP or Vista: Wireless Connection with XP or Vista
Under XP you need to watch the task bar near the clock. Look for this icon: 
It may have a red slash or X through it if you are not connected. Right click on this icon and get this menu:
It may have a red slash or X through it if you are not connected. Right click on this icon and get this menu: 
If you click on View Available Wireless Networks and you will get a list of wireless connections in your area. The list will also tell you if the connections are secure and the SSID (network name). If the connection is listed as secure you will need the pass code (from the owner) to log on that network and get the Internet. IF the connection is unsecured you can just highlight the networks name and click on Connect. IF there are no networks listed then there are no available networks where you are.Once you connect the little icon in the task bar will no longer have the red X or slash and when you hover your mouse over the icon it will tell you what network you are connected to and the quality of the connection (Excellent, Good, low, very low).
Note that not all networks share the Internet. Some are there to share files or printers.
Here are two good sites to fine a free connection where you are: JWIRE
Sunday, July 13, 2008
#133 - Wireless 101
So here we are to try and clear up all the confusion about what wireless networking is and isn't. What is has been and what is in the future. So lets dive right in.
How does wireless networking work? A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like two-way radio communication. Here's what happens:
A computer's wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna. A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. It sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection. The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computer's wireless adapter. The radios used for WiFi communication are very similar to the radios used for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can transmit and receive radio waves, and they can convert ones and zeros into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into ones and zeros.
But WiFi radios have a few notable differences from other radios: 1. They transmit at frequencies of 2.4 GHz or 5GHz. This frequency is considerably higher than the frequencies used for cell phones, walkie-talkies and televisions. The higher frequency allows the signal to carry more data. 2.They use 802.11 networking standards, which come in several flavors
The IEEE (Electrical Engineering Professional Society) sets up standards the 802.11 is the standard for wireless networking. The flavors are alphabetical and start with: 802.11a the oldest standard. 802.11a transmits at 5GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per second. It was used by some technical groups, but never got broad use. 802.11b was the first widely used standard. It uses the 2.4GHz frequency (the same as some wireless phones so if you have any 2.4GHz phones you can't have a wireless network) and was fairly inexpensive to make equipment. The most popular standard is the present 802.11g. 802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it's a lot faster -- it can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. The latest is 802.11n. This standard IS NOT FINALIZED yet, but equipment companies are selling what they call "draft n" routers and receivers right now. This standard significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds as high as 140 megabits per second.
Well enough geek talk. Its enough to know that you probably own an 802.11g system and the future is twice as fast with 802.11n. Should you buy 802.11n now? The jury is out on how compatible the "draft n" equipment will be with the finalized standard. PCSS is living just fine with our 802.11g network.
Next post we'll talk about how you actually link up to a wireless network with Windows XP, Vista or proprietary program (see Dell and Lenovo).
How does wireless networking work? A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like two-way radio communication. Here's what happens:
A computer's wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna. A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. It sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection. The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computer's wireless adapter. The radios used for WiFi communication are very similar to the radios used for walkie-talkies, cell phones and other devices. They can transmit and receive radio waves, and they can convert ones and zeros into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into ones and zeros.
But WiFi radios have a few notable differences from other radios: 1. They transmit at frequencies of 2.4 GHz or 5GHz. This frequency is considerably higher than the frequencies used for cell phones, walkie-talkies and televisions. The higher frequency allows the signal to carry more data. 2.They use 802.11 networking standards, which come in several flavors
The IEEE (Electrical Engineering Professional Society) sets up standards the 802.11 is the standard for wireless networking. The flavors are alphabetical and start with: 802.11a the oldest standard. 802.11a transmits at 5GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per second. It was used by some technical groups, but never got broad use. 802.11b was the first widely used standard. It uses the 2.4GHz frequency (the same as some wireless phones so if you have any 2.4GHz phones you can't have a wireless network) and was fairly inexpensive to make equipment. The most popular standard is the present 802.11g. 802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it's a lot faster -- it can handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. The latest is 802.11n. This standard IS NOT FINALIZED yet, but equipment companies are selling what they call "draft n" routers and receivers right now. This standard significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds as high as 140 megabits per second.
Well enough geek talk. Its enough to know that you probably own an 802.11g system and the future is twice as fast with 802.11n. Should you buy 802.11n now? The jury is out on how compatible the "draft n" equipment will be with the finalized standard. PCSS is living just fine with our 802.11g network.
Next post we'll talk about how you actually link up to a wireless network with Windows XP, Vista or proprietary program (see Dell and Lenovo).
Saturday, June 28, 2008
#132 - Laptop Maintenance
A great majority of our customers have laptops as well as desktop computers. Laptops are DIFFERENT and require different maintenance procedures. Many times we see customer who always leave their laptops plugged in. They aren't using them as a true laptop, just a small desktop. The risk in following this use model is the life of the laptop battery. If you leave the laptop plugged in always and don't use the battery then it will die a quick death and that will cost you over $100 to replace.
When you get a new laptop or batter you should fully charge it (6-12 hours) and then fully discharge it. Here is the recommended cycle (from the battery manufacturers):
1. Unplug the laptop and use the laptop until the battery fully drains.
2. while the computer is turned off, plug in the computer and charge it a minimum of 6 hours.
Lithium-based batteries should be given a full discharge/charge cycle once every 30 charge cycles. If the batter is not going to be used for more than a month, it is recommended that it be removed from the laptop and stored in a cool dry clean place. A charged battery will eventually lose its charge if unused.
Do not expose the battery to high heat or freezing temperatures. Do not leave your batter in your car in the summer. The life of a rechargeable battery operating under normal conditions is generally between 500 to 800 cycles.
Getting the most Usage Time with a Battery:
1. Turn off your WiFi if not using it.
2. Don't use your DVD/CD player
3. Disconnect all external devices (USB devices, PC Cards, Printers)
4. Adjust your screen brightness to the lowest acceptable to your eyesight.
5. Don't multitask. Run just one program at a time.
When you get a new laptop or batter you should fully charge it (6-12 hours) and then fully discharge it. Here is the recommended cycle (from the battery manufacturers):
1. Unplug the laptop and use the laptop until the battery fully drains.
2. while the computer is turned off, plug in the computer and charge it a minimum of 6 hours.
Lithium-based batteries should be given a full discharge/charge cycle once every 30 charge cycles. If the batter is not going to be used for more than a month, it is recommended that it be removed from the laptop and stored in a cool dry clean place. A charged battery will eventually lose its charge if unused.
Do not expose the battery to high heat or freezing temperatures. Do not leave your batter in your car in the summer. The life of a rechargeable battery operating under normal conditions is generally between 500 to 800 cycles.
Getting the most Usage Time with a Battery:
1. Turn off your WiFi if not using it.
2. Don't use your DVD/CD player
3. Disconnect all external devices (USB devices, PC Cards, Printers)
4. Adjust your screen brightness to the lowest acceptable to your eyesight.
5. Don't multitask. Run just one program at a time.
Friday, June 6, 2008
#131 - June wanderings
Firstly, I still don't know when XP will go away. One distributor says they will have no more XP PCs come June 30, but Toshiba says the will have XP laptops through at least July. Go figure.
There are lots of great websites to set up tracking any event you would like. You can do a blog here at blogger.com to keep any trip of event up to date. I did it for my Mexico trip and it went over big with friends and family. You can also use a dedicated site like My Trip Journal.com. There you can load information, pictures and receive update notifications and comments.
We've see Wedding Planning sites that let you link family and friends to the important info on your wedding. The Knot.com has lots of help from registry information to setting up the particulars of the wedding for guests to see (location, times, dates, hotels, you name it!).
Pick an event and you can probably use the Internet to help you invite, prepare and inform your guests.
There are lots of great websites to set up tracking any event you would like. You can do a blog here at blogger.com to keep any trip of event up to date. I did it for my Mexico trip and it went over big with friends and family. You can also use a dedicated site like My Trip Journal.com. There you can load information, pictures and receive update notifications and comments.
We've see Wedding Planning sites that let you link family and friends to the important info on your wedding. The Knot.com has lots of help from registry information to setting up the particulars of the wedding for guests to see (location, times, dates, hotels, you name it!).
Pick an event and you can probably use the Internet to help you invite, prepare and inform your guests.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
#130 Protecting your PC
Our good friends at AVG have upgraded their antivirus protection software. Good news is they still have a free version and the new version (8.0) has spyware protection built in. You can download the new version here: AVG 8.0 Free Before you install the upgrade I recommend you uninstall at least the antispyware version of AVG. Go to Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove programs and find the AVG antisypware program in the list. Then click on Remove. Now you can install the new version. Its a fairly large download and not recommended for our dial up customers.
So what other protection do you need? Its good to delete your cookies when you close Internet Explorer. In IE click on the Tools, then Internet Options. Click on the Advanced tab and then scroll through the list till you see Security and under it you'll find this item: Empty Temporary Internet Explorer files folder when browser is Closed. Make sure it is checked then exit out.
We recommend you defrag your hard drive once a year {Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter}. You should do a Disk Clean up once a quarter {Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup}. One warning: DO NOT DO THE COMPRESS YOUR FILES OPTION.
Back up your files at least weekly and daily would be a better idea. If you need help in setting up a backup system let us know (that's how we pay the bills!).
Turn your PC off every night and if you aren't using the Internet at night shut down your Internet modem (a surge strip works great to shut everything down).
Make sure you are updating Windows with some regularity (Start, Control Panel, Automatic Update) and that your Windows Firewall is active {Start, Control Panel, Windows Firewall}.
So what other protection do you need? Its good to delete your cookies when you close Internet Explorer. In IE click on the Tools, then Internet Options. Click on the Advanced tab and then scroll through the list till you see Security and under it you'll find this item: Empty Temporary Internet Explorer files folder when browser is Closed. Make sure it is checked then exit out.
We recommend you defrag your hard drive once a year {Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter}. You should do a Disk Clean up once a quarter {Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup}. One warning: DO NOT DO THE COMPRESS YOUR FILES OPTION.
Back up your files at least weekly and daily would be a better idea. If you need help in setting up a backup system let us know (that's how we pay the bills!).
Turn your PC off every night and if you aren't using the Internet at night shut down your Internet modem (a surge strip works great to shut everything down).
Make sure you are updating Windows with some regularity (Start, Control Panel, Automatic Update) and that your Windows Firewall is active {Start, Control Panel, Windows Firewall}.
Monday, May 19, 2008
#129 - Microsoft the company that keeps on giving
So what has Microsoft done for you in 2008? Well they did delay the forced retirement of Windows XP, at least for a while. Vista has been a big disappointment in sales and XP is actually outselling Vista in the market place. So do they pull the plug on come June 30? Keep tuned here and we will let you know.
Microsoft released Service Pack 1 for Vista with not much fanfare in May. I can see why. I updated the Lenovo laptop I have with Vista on it and notice no difference. Still slow to load and shut down and it can crawl at times. Microsoft removed the Search button on the Start menu for some reason, but you can still use the search box found at the top of every open folder. That might take some time to get used to. Performance is supposedly faster, but not much. Copying files is faster, but still about the same speed as XP. That is the question I ask. Other then security what is better about this operating system? Nothing and that's why its going over like a lead balloon in the market place.
Microsoft has sort of released Windows XP Service Pack 3. Many computers can't upgrade due to a glitch in compatibility with of all things another Microsoft Service - (RMS). No loss there since there seems to be NOTHING worthwhile to most users in this last service pack for XP. It's not faster, safer or even more fun to use. Mostly techno geek stuff that you will never use. So don't worry about upgrading your XP.
Another great month for Microsoft, don't you think?
Microsoft released Service Pack 1 for Vista with not much fanfare in May. I can see why. I updated the Lenovo laptop I have with Vista on it and notice no difference. Still slow to load and shut down and it can crawl at times. Microsoft removed the Search button on the Start menu for some reason, but you can still use the search box found at the top of every open folder. That might take some time to get used to. Performance is supposedly faster, but not much. Copying files is faster, but still about the same speed as XP. That is the question I ask. Other then security what is better about this operating system? Nothing and that's why its going over like a lead balloon in the market place.
Microsoft has sort of released Windows XP Service Pack 3. Many computers can't upgrade due to a glitch in compatibility with of all things another Microsoft Service - (RMS). No loss there since there seems to be NOTHING worthwhile to most users in this last service pack for XP. It's not faster, safer or even more fun to use. Mostly techno geek stuff that you will never use. So don't worry about upgrading your XP.
Another great month for Microsoft, don't you think?
Monday, May 5, 2008
#128 - Saving Energy - Some Truths
Energy and Technology are interwoven together so much so that you can't talk about one without the other. Today lets take a look at some ways to save energy that not only helps your pocket but the planet.
Your mom was right! Every time you leave a room you should turn the lights out. I saw a very entertaining Mythbusters show on the Discovery channel that studied light energy usage. No matter if it was florescent light bulbs or incandescent. Unless you jump right back into the room ( I think 3 seconds was the longest time) you should shut them off to save!
I've advocated for years that PC owners turn their PCs off if they won't be using them for an hour or more. Leaving a PC on 24/7 is NOT being a good steward of our energy resource. If you leave your PC and are planing to come back pick the Stand By mode that essentially shuts your PC down. If you haven't already changed, PLEASE get rid of your old CRT monitor and change to the slim LCD varieties. The energy savings are tremendous.
Great I'm turning my stuff off. I'm saving a lot right? Ah yes, but you might be able to save more if you REALLY turn them off. That means turning them off by cutting off electricity at the source. For PCs and peripherals that means turning off the surge suppressor when you leave for the day. Most modern PC equipment has a "sleep mode" that still draws a small bit of energy. Multiplied by millions of homes the energy used when a piece of equipment is supposedly turned off is great. So if you are going away from home or going to bed, turn off your surge protector to save the most.
Several ways to save energy at home include insulating the house every 10 years. Installing set back thermostats and programming them for your usage. Changing from incandescent to florescent light bulbs. Checking out the energy efficiency stickers and comparing them when buying an appliance. Having your heating/cooling system checked periodically for energy issues. Replacing that air filter in your heating/cooling system regularly. Not many high tech solutions but certainly ones we can implement!
Your mom was right! Every time you leave a room you should turn the lights out. I saw a very entertaining Mythbusters show on the Discovery channel that studied light energy usage. No matter if it was florescent light bulbs or incandescent. Unless you jump right back into the room ( I think 3 seconds was the longest time) you should shut them off to save!
I've advocated for years that PC owners turn their PCs off if they won't be using them for an hour or more. Leaving a PC on 24/7 is NOT being a good steward of our energy resource. If you leave your PC and are planing to come back pick the Stand By mode that essentially shuts your PC down. If you haven't already changed, PLEASE get rid of your old CRT monitor and change to the slim LCD varieties. The energy savings are tremendous.
Great I'm turning my stuff off. I'm saving a lot right? Ah yes, but you might be able to save more if you REALLY turn them off. That means turning them off by cutting off electricity at the source. For PCs and peripherals that means turning off the surge suppressor when you leave for the day. Most modern PC equipment has a "sleep mode" that still draws a small bit of energy. Multiplied by millions of homes the energy used when a piece of equipment is supposedly turned off is great. So if you are going away from home or going to bed, turn off your surge protector to save the most.
Several ways to save energy at home include insulating the house every 10 years. Installing set back thermostats and programming them for your usage. Changing from incandescent to florescent light bulbs. Checking out the energy efficiency stickers and comparing them when buying an appliance. Having your heating/cooling system checked periodically for energy issues. Replacing that air filter in your heating/cooling system regularly. Not many high tech solutions but certainly ones we can implement!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
#127- Green is the hot color
After a week of Earth Day I sat back and thought a little about how conscious I am and my customers are of environmental concerns. How many recycle? How many buy recycled materials? How many have switched to CFL light bulbs? Have any started to use cloth bags for shopping?
I don't see many hybrid vehicles in the Alleghany Highlands. Honda and Ford sell them here (no Toyota). We do have a regional recycling of Paper, Cardboard, Plastic and maybe Glass. I sit on the board of the organization that recycles in the area (Jackson River Enterprises), but I'm not sure why the maybe. I would guess there isn't strong demand for recycled glass material. If its profitable to recycle JRE will do it aggressively. Ah the profit motive. The problem with recycling is that the state hasn't pushed the equation enough to make it profitable. In a capitalistic society its profits that drive decisions.
Our wonderful Virginia legislature has denied adding a deposit on glass bottles for 10 years in a row. A simple law that would get a big litter problem off our streets and create jobs. Many other states have a similar law so its not like its experimental legislation. San Fransisco has banned the sale of plastic water bottles. Maybe a deposit on them would help solve the problem. Stores charging for plastic bags would push people to use reusable cloth bags. Cost is a great motivator.
As a card carrying tree hugger, I urge all my customers to do more in their lives to conserve the resources that we have. What has this got to do with Technology? We'll see in my blogs during May!
I don't see many hybrid vehicles in the Alleghany Highlands. Honda and Ford sell them here (no Toyota). We do have a regional recycling of Paper, Cardboard, Plastic and maybe Glass. I sit on the board of the organization that recycles in the area (Jackson River Enterprises), but I'm not sure why the maybe. I would guess there isn't strong demand for recycled glass material. If its profitable to recycle JRE will do it aggressively. Ah the profit motive. The problem with recycling is that the state hasn't pushed the equation enough to make it profitable. In a capitalistic society its profits that drive decisions.
Our wonderful Virginia legislature has denied adding a deposit on glass bottles for 10 years in a row. A simple law that would get a big litter problem off our streets and create jobs. Many other states have a similar law so its not like its experimental legislation. San Fransisco has banned the sale of plastic water bottles. Maybe a deposit on them would help solve the problem. Stores charging for plastic bags would push people to use reusable cloth bags. Cost is a great motivator.
As a card carrying tree hugger, I urge all my customers to do more in their lives to conserve the resources that we have. What has this got to do with Technology? We'll see in my blogs during May!
Monday, April 21, 2008
#126 - How should one Email?
I'm not talking about Email etiquette. I'm talking about what Email service should I be using? How hard is it to change? Why should I change?
As I have mentioned before, I use AOL for my email and until this year I have been very pleased. AOL updated their version to 9.1 and took some of the flexibility out of AOL email. I still think the service has some nice features (groups, good SPAM protection, the ability to say what email is saved on your PC and what isn't), but with the changes I'll remain neutral as to recommending it to our customers. If you have it and like it stay with it!
The services I don't recommend are those that use Outlook or Outlook express. They automatically download ALL your email to your computer. The good, the bad and the very ugly. Why would you want to download SPAM and Spyware email? You don't but if you use a email service (ntelos, tds, verizon, comcast) that you use the Outlook programs then you indeed do download all that stuff.
Services I like are Gmail and Yahoo mail. These are free email services that keep the emails on their site and let you leave them there forever. I use Gmail and it does a nice job of keeping SPAM out, but it does get a bit cumbersome organizing all those saved messages. You don't have to load a program on you PC like you do with AOL, so that's a plus.
So what should you do? Well if you aren't swamped with SPAM and haven't got a virus from you email then keep on using what you are used to. If you are getting a bit fed up then take a look at Gmail, Yahoo mail or even AOL free.
As I have mentioned before, I use AOL for my email and until this year I have been very pleased. AOL updated their version to 9.1 and took some of the flexibility out of AOL email. I still think the service has some nice features (groups, good SPAM protection, the ability to say what email is saved on your PC and what isn't), but with the changes I'll remain neutral as to recommending it to our customers. If you have it and like it stay with it!
The services I don't recommend are those that use Outlook or Outlook express. They automatically download ALL your email to your computer. The good, the bad and the very ugly. Why would you want to download SPAM and Spyware email? You don't but if you use a email service (ntelos, tds, verizon, comcast) that you use the Outlook programs then you indeed do download all that stuff.
Services I like are Gmail and Yahoo mail. These are free email services that keep the emails on their site and let you leave them there forever. I use Gmail and it does a nice job of keeping SPAM out, but it does get a bit cumbersome organizing all those saved messages. You don't have to load a program on you PC like you do with AOL, so that's a plus.
So what should you do? Well if you aren't swamped with SPAM and haven't got a virus from you email then keep on using what you are used to. If you are getting a bit fed up then take a look at Gmail, Yahoo mail or even AOL free.
Monday, April 14, 2008
#125 Charging for the Internet
One of the true mysteries of hoteldom is why the least expensive hotels (La Quinta, Holiday Inn Express, Marriott Courtyard) provide free Internet service and the most expensive hotels (Crowne Plaza, Sheraton, Hilton) charge for it. I guess the answer is because they can. Think about how much money they make on that service. The normal charge is $10 per day per room. I don't know about you, but for a dedicated line I pay around $30 a MONTH. What's more amazing is that you know it doesn't cost the hotel $30 a month for Internet service per room. Actually the cost is more like $5 per month per room. So it is like printing money. What can we do about it? Unless forced to stay in an Internet Charging Hotel, I don't. If I do have to stay in one of those nasty charging hotels I always complain about it on the satisfaction survey. Still when you are printing money you usually don't care what the rabble have to say. Remember how they used to charge out the roof for long distance and local calls? Cell phones ended that. Satellite wireless may eventually end this rip off someday.
Monday, March 31, 2008
#124 - Wireless Security
My wireless connection at home isn't secure. I share it with a neighbor when they are in town. My other nearby neighbors don't use wireless, but that may change. If I see a car parked in my front yard with a guy hunched over I'll know whats going on. Security of your data should be important to us. What can happen if someone gets on your network? They can see all your files. That means steal the files, change the file and ultimates crash your computer if they wish. Even if you don't care about your files, you should care about your PC. (PCSS visits are welcome but can be costly!)
Securing your wireless network isn't the easiest thing to do. There are two parts of the security. #1 is to secure your wireless router. If you haven't changed its default password a hacker can easily get to the router and change ALL your settings including security. Even sneakier is for them to just pick up your security settings, thus opening up your supposedly secure network without you knowing. To secure the router you have to go to the routers built in management console. This differs per router, but you should have gotten documentation from the router manufacturer on how to do this (you can generally get that info from the manufacturers web page). Then you need to go to the security or setup section of the console and set a password. Make it a strong password with numbers,letters and symbols. Write it down so you won't forget it! After setting the password the router will reboot and you'll have to enter the new password to get into the console.
While you are in the router you should go to the Wireless security section and make sure security is turned on. The best security choice is WPA. Any security is better then none, but WPA is stronger and less likely to be hacked then the old WEP standard. I've seen WEP hacked in under 10 minutes with the right equipment. When you set up the security you'll be asked to give a passcode or you will be given a security number. Write these down, because your wireless devices will now need the code to get on your network. You'll also have to give the code/number to anyone you want to use your wireless network.
If you have questions or need help, we are here to oblige!
Securing your wireless network isn't the easiest thing to do. There are two parts of the security. #1 is to secure your wireless router. If you haven't changed its default password a hacker can easily get to the router and change ALL your settings including security. Even sneakier is for them to just pick up your security settings, thus opening up your supposedly secure network without you knowing. To secure the router you have to go to the routers built in management console. This differs per router, but you should have gotten documentation from the router manufacturer on how to do this (you can generally get that info from the manufacturers web page). Then you need to go to the security or setup section of the console and set a password. Make it a strong password with numbers,letters and symbols. Write it down so you won't forget it! After setting the password the router will reboot and you'll have to enter the new password to get into the console.
While you are in the router you should go to the Wireless security section and make sure security is turned on. The best security choice is WPA. Any security is better then none, but WPA is stronger and less likely to be hacked then the old WEP standard. I've seen WEP hacked in under 10 minutes with the right equipment. When you set up the security you'll be asked to give a passcode or you will be given a security number. Write these down, because your wireless devices will now need the code to get on your network. You'll also have to give the code/number to anyone you want to use your wireless network.
If you have questions or need help, we are here to oblige!
Monday, March 24, 2008
#123 - Monday Reflections on reliability
Its a cool Monday after Easter in the Alleghany Highlands. My computer, printer and monitor started up without incident. Now that may not seem like a huge Woohoo moment but computer reliability is very important to the world.
Back in the early days of hard drives, keeping them running over a year was a big accomplishment. Just last week a customers hard drive crashed after 5 years of pretty heavy use. The drive sent out warning noises and even some funky error messages before passing on. The customer wanted to know why the hard drive ceased to function. The expectation has changed from I know its going to crash to Why do they crash?
Hard Drives are the key to all PCs. They are disks of metal spinning very fast (7500rpm in a desktop) with a magnetic head positioned millimeters from that spinning disk. Several mechanical and electrical components that can (and will) fail. The tolerances are very fine, the machining of the components exacting and fit and finish precise. Mean time before failure is 4-5 years of continuous operation. Modern marvels if you ask me, but still the main reason PCs crash.
Now if a desktop hard drive is amazing think about the laptop hard drive. One third the size with teeny tiny components. They get bumped all the time, put in strange positions and subject to extremes in temperature seasonally. Mean time before failure is approximately the same in portable hard drives. Now that is amazing. Actually a laptop hard drive is fairly easy to replace and if you get a new one they usually are faster speeding up the whole laptop.
Back in the early days of hard drives, keeping them running over a year was a big accomplishment. Just last week a customers hard drive crashed after 5 years of pretty heavy use. The drive sent out warning noises and even some funky error messages before passing on. The customer wanted to know why the hard drive ceased to function. The expectation has changed from I know its going to crash to Why do they crash?
Hard Drives are the key to all PCs. They are disks of metal spinning very fast (7500rpm in a desktop) with a magnetic head positioned millimeters from that spinning disk. Several mechanical and electrical components that can (and will) fail. The tolerances are very fine, the machining of the components exacting and fit and finish precise. Mean time before failure is 4-5 years of continuous operation. Modern marvels if you ask me, but still the main reason PCs crash.
Now if a desktop hard drive is amazing think about the laptop hard drive. One third the size with teeny tiny components. They get bumped all the time, put in strange positions and subject to extremes in temperature seasonally. Mean time before failure is approximately the same in portable hard drives. Now that is amazing. Actually a laptop hard drive is fairly easy to replace and if you get a new one they usually are faster speeding up the whole laptop.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
#122 - Working on the web
The latest rage on the web is office applications there. Not only do you save your files on the web, but your word processor, spreadsheet and calendar are run on the web and not on your PC. Benefits of being online include never losing your data (they keep it an back it up). Being able to access your data anywhere there is an Internet connection. Not having to worry about software upgrades (done on the web!). You also can use a MAC, PC or Linux machine to run literally all these applications.
There are literally thousands of applications now on line. The Google apps that we discussed in a previous blog: Blog #84 were some of the first and still are the best, but there are many more apps now online. You can convert to a PDF file, Edit Photos, do translations and of course play games. Here is a site with a listing of many of the applications: Web Application List Site
So how good are these applications and should you use them? We've tried many of the Google apps and though they are workable, we'll stick with Word, Excel and Outlook. The online Office wannabes are OK for sharing files with others but you'll be searching for features as soon as you try them. Life is really to short to have to learn more word processing commands. It took me 10 years to forget all the WordPerfect function commands I learned in the 80s!
Some of the applications are real good, like the Yahoo Babel Fish translation tool and the photo sharing sites (Snapfish & Shutterfly are our favorites). If you think you would like to try some go to the Web Application site above or the Google program site here Google World.
I do all my blogging online using google Blogspot. I type it up on line and then save it there. Its a wonderful example of a web based program that is intuitive. Now if Microsoft starts to move their applications to the web I may follow. They would have to run at least as fast as what I have now. I would like to have something different then Outlook. I really liked the Lotus Organizer program I used for 15 years. I hated to move to Outlook but the latest Palm software won't sync with Organizer, sigh...
Let us know if you like any of the online applications!
There are literally thousands of applications now on line. The Google apps that we discussed in a previous blog: Blog #84 were some of the first and still are the best, but there are many more apps now online. You can convert to a PDF file, Edit Photos, do translations and of course play games. Here is a site with a listing of many of the applications: Web Application List Site
So how good are these applications and should you use them? We've tried many of the Google apps and though they are workable, we'll stick with Word, Excel and Outlook. The online Office wannabes are OK for sharing files with others but you'll be searching for features as soon as you try them. Life is really to short to have to learn more word processing commands. It took me 10 years to forget all the WordPerfect function commands I learned in the 80s!
Some of the applications are real good, like the Yahoo Babel Fish translation tool and the photo sharing sites (Snapfish & Shutterfly are our favorites). If you think you would like to try some go to the Web Application site above or the Google program site here Google World.
I do all my blogging online using google Blogspot. I type it up on line and then save it there. Its a wonderful example of a web based program that is intuitive. Now if Microsoft starts to move their applications to the web I may follow. They would have to run at least as fast as what I have now. I would like to have something different then Outlook. I really liked the Lotus Organizer program I used for 15 years. I hated to move to Outlook but the latest Palm software won't sync with Organizer, sigh...
Let us know if you like any of the online applications!
Monday, March 3, 2008
#121 - Technology in Mexico
I just got back from 8 days in Mexico. Click here for a link to the visit blog. Here are some thoughts on technology there.
I had wireless Internet at both hotels we stayed at. It was free in the smaller town of Actopan, but it was a secure site so the desk clerk had to give us the pass code. In Mexico City, the wireless was pay as you go, but you could use a US provider such as Boingo ($10 US per day or $21 for the month). Speed seemed similar to US wireless sites, with busy times when they were slower and times (6AM) when they seemed very fast.
Cell phones were everywhere and people on our trip that got International access had the same "can you here me know" issues in the country. Two of the guys from Charlotte on the trip had Blackberry units and could get the Internet and email if they had telephone service.
I saw lots of old PCs and CRTs in the country areas. None of the people we were helping had PCs or cell phones (and you wouldn't think they could afford any with earnings of less then $5 per day). All of the staff people from Habitat had cell phones, though when I asked only a few had PCs. They had access to PCs in their office. Laptops seemed more rare though we saw several in our restaurant in the town of Actopan. There were many Internet cafes near middle and high schools. The cafes all had old PCs and CRT monitors. I believe they all had broadband Internet (I didn't see any dial up connections). We even saw painted adds for Internet cafes on very old lean to type buildings.
Not many laser printers were around, just inexpensive inkjet printers. The printed receipt I recieved from both the Actopan(small town) and Mexico city hotels were from inkjet printers and could barely be read (using the ink to the last drop).
I didn't see alot of computer stores, though that may be more what sections of town that I was in. I did go to an open market in Actopan and saw several people selling old Palm PDA units and lots of AC adapters (the blocks you plug into the wall) for all kinds of items. They were just on a folding table and obviously very used.
With the lack of PCs around, you would think Mexico would be an ideal place to export the old PCs, printers and monitors. I'm not sure that is happening, but I constantly get questions from customers on what to do with their old PCs.
I had wireless Internet at both hotels we stayed at. It was free in the smaller town of Actopan, but it was a secure site so the desk clerk had to give us the pass code. In Mexico City, the wireless was pay as you go, but you could use a US provider such as Boingo ($10 US per day or $21 for the month). Speed seemed similar to US wireless sites, with busy times when they were slower and times (6AM) when they seemed very fast.
Cell phones were everywhere and people on our trip that got International access had the same "can you here me know" issues in the country. Two of the guys from Charlotte on the trip had Blackberry units and could get the Internet and email if they had telephone service.
I saw lots of old PCs and CRTs in the country areas. None of the people we were helping had PCs or cell phones (and you wouldn't think they could afford any with earnings of less then $5 per day). All of the staff people from Habitat had cell phones, though when I asked only a few had PCs. They had access to PCs in their office. Laptops seemed more rare though we saw several in our restaurant in the town of Actopan. There were many Internet cafes near middle and high schools. The cafes all had old PCs and CRT monitors. I believe they all had broadband Internet (I didn't see any dial up connections). We even saw painted adds for Internet cafes on very old lean to type buildings.
Not many laser printers were around, just inexpensive inkjet printers. The printed receipt I recieved from both the Actopan(small town) and Mexico city hotels were from inkjet printers and could barely be read (using the ink to the last drop).
I didn't see alot of computer stores, though that may be more what sections of town that I was in. I did go to an open market in Actopan and saw several people selling old Palm PDA units and lots of AC adapters (the blocks you plug into the wall) for all kinds of items. They were just on a folding table and obviously very used.
With the lack of PCs around, you would think Mexico would be an ideal place to export the old PCs, printers and monitors. I'm not sure that is happening, but I constantly get questions from customers on what to do with their old PCs.
Monday, February 18, 2008
#119 - Technology on the road.
I'm getting ready to go to Mexico to participate in a Habitat for Humanity "Build 40 homes in 40 days" Lenten house build. I have most everything packed and am checking it twice. I'm taking my digital camera (of course to document EVERYTHING!) and an extra 1GB SD memory card (in case the first acts up). I'm taking my small laptop (the Lenovo Vista bomb). It just weighs less and and takes up less space. We'll be downloading our pictures at night and then burning DVDs or CDs at trips end. I'll have my Palm Pilot for playing music on the plane and contacts and calendar. I've decided not to take my cell phone since it won't work in Mexico and I don't need another thing to keep track of. I would lose my head if not attached.
Along with the above items I'm taking a USB ry card reader (my Lenovo will only take SD or MMC cards), extra battery and charger for my Canon digital camera, a small optical travel mouse and cables to handle most situations (Ethernet & Telephone). Of course we need the Lenovo battery charger.
Low tech items include a flashlight, water bottle, sunglasses, book and umbrella. I use my Ogio Backpack that has plenty of rum for my laptop, and all the other technology stuff. It has my Spanish/English dictionary and my airplane socks (experience travellers know what those are). I love all this fits in a backpack that can easily be stowed in the overhead compartment leaving my feet uncrushed.
I'll let you know when I get back (March 2) what the state of Mexican Technology in the boonies is like!
Along with the above items I'm taking a USB ry card reader (my Lenovo will only take SD or MMC cards), extra battery and charger for my Canon digital camera, a small optical travel mouse and cables to handle most situations (Ethernet & Telephone). Of course we need the Lenovo battery charger.
Low tech items include a flashlight, water bottle, sunglasses, book and umbrella. I use my Ogio Backpack that has plenty of rum for my laptop, and all the other technology stuff. It has my Spanish/English dictionary and my airplane socks (experience travellers know what those are). I love all this fits in a backpack that can easily be stowed in the overhead compartment leaving my feet uncrushed.
I'll let you know when I get back (March 2) what the state of Mexican Technology in the boonies is like!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
#118 - Cleaning up your new PC - death to Bloatware
So you just paid big bucks (hey in this day they are all big bucks!) for your brand spanking new PC. Its now yours to work with and enjoy over the next 3-4 years. But wait! As soon as you turn it on you notice some programs, make that lots of programs, that you don't know what they are and what they are doing on your PC. Well there is the trial ware - trial versions of software that expire in 30 or 60 days out. Antivirus and Office products make up this batch. Then there is the software that is the limited version of the software. Utilities like PC Doctor and Diskeeper make up this group. Lastly there are programs you have no idea what they do or why they are on your PC. This Mac ad really gets the point: http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/getamac/apple-getamac-fat_480x376.mov
This addition of software you didn't specifically ask for has been going on for years. Lately it has got way out of control. All the programs install resident versions for updates, checking out your Internet browsing and generally tying up your memory. Loverly! The first thing I do on a new PC is to get rid of as many of these extras as I can. I also get rid of every trial program that I can find. If you want to try something you'll just download it from the web. I use a program called PCDecrapifier (no kidding that's what it is called) that makes the cleanup a bit easier. Download it here: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download
Here are some of the worst actors:
MS Office 60 day trial
Symantec Internet Security
McAfee Antivirus
WordPerfect Office
PC Doctor
Network Magic
Any toolbar but GoogleTool bar
Any desktop search engine
All photo programs
I hear that Dell gets $20 per PC to put them on. I wonder if they would charge $20 more per PC to leave them off?
This addition of software you didn't specifically ask for has been going on for years. Lately it has got way out of control. All the programs install resident versions for updates, checking out your Internet browsing and generally tying up your memory. Loverly! The first thing I do on a new PC is to get rid of as many of these extras as I can. I also get rid of every trial program that I can find. If you want to try something you'll just download it from the web. I use a program called PCDecrapifier (no kidding that's what it is called) that makes the cleanup a bit easier. Download it here: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download
Here are some of the worst actors:
MS Office 60 day trial
Symantec Internet Security
McAfee Antivirus
WordPerfect Office
PC Doctor
Network Magic
Any toolbar but GoogleTool bar
Any desktop search engine
All photo programs
I hear that Dell gets $20 per PC to put them on. I wonder if they would charge $20 more per PC to leave them off?
Monday, February 4, 2008
#117 - Wireless future
Technology definitely has taken a wireless route. We remember how excited we were when we first put in our home wireless router. Amazingly we still have that router (its a Linksys) though we have put big antennas on it and hacked the software for more range. We can now find out the latest on global warming from the comfort of our patio. There are plenty of new items on the wireless front that warrants a look from the "Technology Blog"!
Printers now come with wireless technology. You can set a printer up anywhere in the house or office and share it with everyone on your network. Wireless printers cost just a bit more so if you have a wireless network and need to replace your printer this might be a good upgrade.
The more expensive digital cameras have wireless built in so that you can send your pictures to your PC at a push of a button. We've seen some close up and really DO NOT like this technology. First it comes at a pretty high premium and the set up to get the pictures in the right place with the right names is not that good. I'd wait on this bit of high tech wizardry.
Next is wireless charging. With this technology you would be able to put your pocket devices (cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, even a laptop) on a special pad and it would charge them. The most promising of this breed uses inductive charging. Essentially the pad matches the resonance of your battery in close proximity (on the pad) and charging begins. No more plugging in those combersome power bricks everywhere. This great technology may be out by year end.
The last wireless technology is one I've thought of, but didn't know how to implement. How would you like to place your new 52" LCD/Plasma TV anywhere in the house and not worry about that cable/satellite wire? Wireless High-Definition Interface (WHDI) uses a transmitter to send 1080p high def video signal from a DVD player, game console or setup box up to 100 feet wirelessly. Its been shown at recent electronic trade shows so it should be at Best Buy soon.
Printers now come with wireless technology. You can set a printer up anywhere in the house or office and share it with everyone on your network. Wireless printers cost just a bit more so if you have a wireless network and need to replace your printer this might be a good upgrade.
The more expensive digital cameras have wireless built in so that you can send your pictures to your PC at a push of a button. We've seen some close up and really DO NOT like this technology. First it comes at a pretty high premium and the set up to get the pictures in the right place with the right names is not that good. I'd wait on this bit of high tech wizardry.
Next is wireless charging. With this technology you would be able to put your pocket devices (cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, even a laptop) on a special pad and it would charge them. The most promising of this breed uses inductive charging. Essentially the pad matches the resonance of your battery in close proximity (on the pad) and charging begins. No more plugging in those combersome power bricks everywhere. This great technology may be out by year end.
The last wireless technology is one I've thought of, but didn't know how to implement. How would you like to place your new 52" LCD/Plasma TV anywhere in the house and not worry about that cable/satellite wire? Wireless High-Definition Interface (WHDI) uses a transmitter to send 1080p high def video signal from a DVD player, game console or setup box up to 100 feet wirelessly. Its been shown at recent electronic trade shows so it should be at Best Buy soon.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
#116 - PC Ergonomics
Last week we talked about PC environments. This week we'll discuss where and how you should set up your PC.
First and foremost, the PC's location depends on the type of PC you have. Most recent desktop PCs have the mini tower format. These fit almost anywhere - and that could be a problem. I don't like putting PCs on the floor. It makes it easy for bugs to crawl in and dust bunnies congregate there. You can knock it over and/or hit it with vacuums. Any spill or leak ends up with water on the floor. So if you can (and my customers are sharp cookies) please keep your PCs off the floor. We have our desktop PC on our work desk. It makes for convenient access to the DVD burner, the memory card reader and USB ports (all located in the front of the PC)!
Next place your monitor DIRECTLY in front of your face. I like the top half of the screen even with my eyes, but many like the middle of the screen even with your eyes. Don't look up to the screen. That is a neck ache or headache waiting to happen. Having a chair that can change heights is a great benefit for easing where your eyes and hands are located. Make sure you aren't too close to the monitor (minimum 15 inches from your nose).
Speaking about hands, keeping them level from your body- not upward or downward - facing is key to avoiding arm fatigue. Having arms on your chair can also help. I use one of the ergonomic keyboard with separated key sections and wrist rests. It really makes a difference. A gel wrist rest for you mouse is also nice for web surfing.
Keyboards should have adjustment legs so that you angle them toward your body. Many have two levels of adjustment for your convenience. There are also comfort mice available. I haven't found one I'm thrilled about but many of my customers like the Logitech Revolution series of contour mice.
First and foremost, the PC's location depends on the type of PC you have. Most recent desktop PCs have the mini tower format. These fit almost anywhere - and that could be a problem. I don't like putting PCs on the floor. It makes it easy for bugs to crawl in and dust bunnies congregate there. You can knock it over and/or hit it with vacuums. Any spill or leak ends up with water on the floor. So if you can (and my customers are sharp cookies) please keep your PCs off the floor. We have our desktop PC on our work desk. It makes for convenient access to the DVD burner, the memory card reader and USB ports (all located in the front of the PC)!
Next place your monitor DIRECTLY in front of your face. I like the top half of the screen even with my eyes, but many like the middle of the screen even with your eyes. Don't look up to the screen. That is a neck ache or headache waiting to happen. Having a chair that can change heights is a great benefit for easing where your eyes and hands are located. Make sure you aren't too close to the monitor (minimum 15 inches from your nose).
Speaking about hands, keeping them level from your body- not upward or downward - facing is key to avoiding arm fatigue. Having arms on your chair can also help. I use one of the ergonomic keyboard with separated key sections and wrist rests. It really makes a difference. A gel wrist rest for you mouse is also nice for web surfing.
Keyboards should have adjustment legs so that you angle them toward your body. Many have two levels of adjustment for your convenience. There are also comfort mice available. I haven't found one I'm thrilled about but many of my customers like the Logitech Revolution series of contour mice.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
#115 - Cold enough for you?
Boy its cold out. 7 degrees in Covington right now -20 something at Lambeau Field in Green Bay for the big game. I was thinking about temperatures and computers and thought I'd update you on where you should be operating your technology equipment.
PCs like to be operated at temperatures people like. 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperatures are perfect for most PCs. Go above 75 degrees and if you stay there long enough you'll start to have PC problems. Your PC needs cool air to be pulled into your PC to help cool its internal components (the most important is the Central Processing Unit [CPU - the Pentium whatever]). Go below 60 degrees and your risk bringing in air that is cool and it will heat up rapidly possibly causing condensation (water vapor). Note that water and electronics are NOT a good mix. In fact starting up a PC (one that isn't ruggedized) near freezing temperatures is almost as fatal as trying to operate one at 90 deg. If you transport a PC in cool temperatures or store one there, you need to let it heat up GRADUALLY before turning the PC on.
Next temperatures to be aware of are the temperatures that your PC keeps track of internally. We use the free utility, Speedfan, to tell us internal info. You can download it here: http://www.download.com/SpeedFan/3000-2094_4-10067444.html?tag=lst-1
Maximum temperature of CPUs and other internal components is around 50 degrees C (122 degrees F). If your internal temps are much higher (above 70 dec. C) then the odds are good you are heading for a shutdown. There are several solutions as simple as cleaning up dust bunnies, cooling the room or getting a new internal cooling fan.
Printers and Monitors like the same moderate temperatures as PCs. DO NOT try to operate a Printer below 40 degrees F. Lots of bad things can happen!
If you have questions about your PC's temperatures give us a call or email.
PCs like to be operated at temperatures people like. 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperatures are perfect for most PCs. Go above 75 degrees and if you stay there long enough you'll start to have PC problems. Your PC needs cool air to be pulled into your PC to help cool its internal components (the most important is the Central Processing Unit [CPU - the Pentium whatever]). Go below 60 degrees and your risk bringing in air that is cool and it will heat up rapidly possibly causing condensation (water vapor). Note that water and electronics are NOT a good mix. In fact starting up a PC (one that isn't ruggedized) near freezing temperatures is almost as fatal as trying to operate one at 90 deg. If you transport a PC in cool temperatures or store one there, you need to let it heat up GRADUALLY before turning the PC on.
Next temperatures to be aware of are the temperatures that your PC keeps track of internally. We use the free utility, Speedfan, to tell us internal info. You can download it here: http://www.download.com/SpeedFan/3000-2094_4-10067444.html?tag=lst-1
Maximum temperature of CPUs and other internal components is around 50 degrees C (122 degrees F). If your internal temps are much higher (above 70 dec. C) then the odds are good you are heading for a shutdown. There are several solutions as simple as cleaning up dust bunnies, cooling the room or getting a new internal cooling fan.
Printers and Monitors like the same moderate temperatures as PCs. DO NOT try to operate a Printer below 40 degrees F. Lots of bad things can happen!
If you have questions about your PC's temperatures give us a call or email.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
#114 - Moving up, Moving on - Best way to transfer files.
With many customers moving on to new PCs, we struggle with the best way to move our data AND programs to the new PC.
Let's look at moving data issue first. Where you store your data is the main issue here. Hopefully you have organized your files in your My Documents folder. If you have done this then its not to bad to move the My Documents folder to your USB flash drive or an external hard drive. If you look at your My Computer you should see your flash drive or external hard drive as your E: or some other drive letter. Now double click on C:, double click on Documents and Settings, double click on your user name (might be Owner or Administrator), then click once My Documents. You can now click on the copy this folder item in the File and Folders task left side panel. It will prompt you for the copy location and you can find your E: (or whatever letter ) and click on it.
The problem in moving files happens when not all your files are in My Documents. You may be storing your Quicken or Quickbooks files someplace else. If you aren't sure where the files are stored, go into that program and do a Backup to the My Documents folder and you'll be covered.
Moving Programs to a new PC usually requires taking the original CD and installing it on the new PC. You then have to restore the data from your My Documents. YOU CANNOT JUST COPY THE FOLDER of the program to the new PC. You can't do this because most programs install their files in MANY locations on your PC, not just the Program File folder. There may be some other setting files you might need to restore, so you might have to contact the program manufacturer.
Let's look at moving data issue first. Where you store your data is the main issue here. Hopefully you have organized your files in your My Documents folder. If you have done this then its not to bad to move the My Documents folder to your USB flash drive or an external hard drive. If you look at your My Computer you should see your flash drive or external hard drive as your E: or some other drive letter. Now double click on C:, double click on Documents and Settings, double click on your user name (might be Owner or Administrator), then click once My Documents. You can now click on the copy this folder item in the File and Folders task left side panel. It will prompt you for the copy location and you can find your E: (or whatever letter ) and click on it.
The problem in moving files happens when not all your files are in My Documents. You may be storing your Quicken or Quickbooks files someplace else. If you aren't sure where the files are stored, go into that program and do a Backup to the My Documents folder and you'll be covered.
Moving Programs to a new PC usually requires taking the original CD and installing it on the new PC. You then have to restore the data from your My Documents. YOU CANNOT JUST COPY THE FOLDER of the program to the new PC. You can't do this because most programs install their files in MANY locations on your PC, not just the Program File folder. There may be some other setting files you might need to restore, so you might have to contact the program manufacturer.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
#113 - Keeping stuff up to date and running
Happy New Year friends!
The new year is starting out with snow showers and windy nip in the air. If you are ready for 2008 here are some suggestions to keep you up and running.
If you use the free AVG antivirus and antispyware that we install on PCSS PCs, you need to make sure they are getting updated. Its automatic with the antivirus, but not with the spyware. Its also a good idea to actually run the scans manualy once a month. Double click on the AVG antivirus, then click on Test Center, then Scan Computer. On the Antispyware, double click on its icon, Scanner, Fast System Scan. Make sure you apply the actions to delete the spyware. If this all too much for you consider buying the McAfee Security product from PCSS. For $39 you get automatic everything.
Year end is a good time to organize your files. Create new 2008 folders for your Word, Excel, Quicken or Quickbooks files. Don't know how? Please give us a call and PCSS can help. Backup your files to a CD or DVD. This will protect you from a major problem going forward. Clean up very old files on your PC. We have some 2001 files that need to be backed up and then deleted off our Hard Drive. When you are in My Documents click on View, then Details. Then click on the Modified tab and your files will be in chronological order. You can then backup and delete.
See you soon!
The new year is starting out with snow showers and windy nip in the air. If you are ready for 2008 here are some suggestions to keep you up and running.
If you use the free AVG antivirus and antispyware that we install on PCSS PCs, you need to make sure they are getting updated. Its automatic with the antivirus, but not with the spyware. Its also a good idea to actually run the scans manualy once a month. Double click on the AVG antivirus, then click on Test Center, then Scan Computer. On the Antispyware, double click on its icon, Scanner, Fast System Scan. Make sure you apply the actions to delete the spyware. If this all too much for you consider buying the McAfee Security product from PCSS. For $39 you get automatic everything.
Year end is a good time to organize your files. Create new 2008 folders for your Word, Excel, Quicken or Quickbooks files. Don't know how? Please give us a call and PCSS can help. Backup your files to a CD or DVD. This will protect you from a major problem going forward. Clean up very old files on your PC. We have some 2001 files that need to be backed up and then deleted off our Hard Drive. When you are in My Documents click on View, then Details. Then click on the Modified tab and your files will be in chronological order. You can then backup and delete.
See you soon!
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