Computer Support Blog

Outside Kermit, Texas, there is an experiment in industrial batteries going on now that has the potential to change the computer world.  In fact, if the experiment is successful, it may well reduce the need for a major, common type of computer repair, as well as eliminate many consumers’ fears of failure to their data storage devices.  The Notrees Power Project is testing a new 36-megawatt battery and that should have computer users and manufacturers paying attention.

One of the most common forms of damage to computers comes from power surges.  Inadequate surge protection can lead to expensive computer repair bills.  Because power surges can damage hard drives, sometimes even a computer repair cannot recover data you were storing on the drive.  The threat of power surges has led many businesses and personal computer users to invest in online data storage or redundant data storage off-site.  However, if the off-site data storage and primary computer connect to the same power source, your data remains at risk.  There is little that is more frustrating than costly computer repair bills and the wasted investment in multiple data storage methods when you irrevocably lose your data from an extreme power surge.

Until the Notrees Windpower Project began to experiment with the massive 36-megawatt battery, wind power was notoriously unreliable for generating electricity and led to data storage problems from faulty power delivery.  Power surges and the erratic power supply that frequently comes from the generation of electricity using wind power has acted as a threat to computer users since U.S. power companies began to generate wind power.  The success of the battery would mean that whenever the wind was not generating enough electricity at the Notrees Windpower Project, the battery would discharge its stored electricity to keep the power supply constant.  That consistent energy delivery would eliminate many computer problems for computer users who receive electricity through wind power generation.

While surge protectors have prevented many computer problems and data storage errors, no type of power delivery reliably prevents the need for a computer repair like a clean power supply.  Until the Notrees Windpower Project battery experiment, wind power has not been able to deliver a clean, constant power supply, though the local nature of wind power generation has lessened many of the transmission difficulties other means of generating electricity still suffer.  A constant power supply that does not fluctuate, surge or collapse prevents damage that mandates a computer repair.  Only stable energy can alleviate power-based fears relative to data storage devices and that is the potential of the 36-megawatt battery.

For sure, the technology being developed at the Notrees Windpower Project is still experimental and may not protect the power supply from other environmental factors like solar flares. The promise of clean wind energy is enough to give hope to those who have had data storage failures as a result of power fall-outs.  If the Notrees battery is successful, it may encourage the generation of more wind farms to help consumers get more reliable, affordable, renewable electricity that will not harm their computers.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

The best engineers will tell you that if a device is designed properly, it will be intuitive to use.  That means if when a manufacturer makes a gadget in the most efficient way possible, how to operate it will be self-evident.  TASCAM seems to realize that with their new iM2 Stereo Microphone.

For audiophiles, though, the TASCAM iM2 Stereo Microphone is not only intuitive to use, its purpose it obvious.  The TASCAM iM2 Stereo Microphone is the ideal tool for creating high-quality recordings of live music presentations using your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.  Without actually endorsing bootlegging, TASCAM creates the ideal equipment for recording stereo performances with your Apple mobile device.

Why else would TASCAM devote so much attention to quality and flexibility?  The three inch wide stereo microphone array plugs directly into the docking port on your Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.  From there, you may rotate the microphones up to 180 degrees, which gives you an impressive range for recording sounds with real auditory depth.  The TASCAM iM2 accommodates sounds up to 125 decibels without distortion, so your recording is true and vibrant.

While the hardware of the TASCAM iM2 Stereo Microphone is impressive, the software support it comes with truly sells the product.  The TASCAM iM2 Stereo Microphone includes an app for your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.  The app provides you with graphic representations of the audio levels as you are recording them.  The indicators allow you to make adjustments to the iM2 Stereo Microphone to achieve the optimal location and sound levels for recording, without losing any of the material you wish to record.  Because you have access to second-by-second indicators of volume, channel and recording length, you may make adjustments to preserve the material in ways that you could not before.  In fact, in the hands of a skilled audio recorder, the iM2 may make a recording that fixes the problems often experienced by lousy sound engineers!

For recording interviews, conversations or mundane dialogue, users do not need a stereo microphone.  Those who love the depth of sound that comes from a stereo music performance, those who want to be able to listen to that performance with its entire nuance, need sophisticated equipment.  The TASCAM iM2 Stereo Microphone is exactly the right equipment for those recording music they want to play back with the proper stereo sound as the artists intended.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

When you are in the market for a new computer monitor, you should consider one that is Energy Star compliant.

The Energy Star rating is a certification defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Department Of Energy, not computer support services, computer repair shops or computer manufacturers.  As it becomes more chic to be environment-conscious, computer manufacturers are chasing the Energy Star rating, just as consumers look for the rating when purchasing a new monitor.

What does the Energy Star rating on computer displays actually mean, though?  At this point, most computer monitors are plug-and-play, so there is no additional computer support required to install or run an Energy Star compliant monitor.  In order to get the Energy Star certification, a display must only use one Watt while off and two Watts while in a sleep mode.  The power consumption guide for Energy Star certification varies with the size of the monitor display, but in order to get the certification, a monitor must use about 20% less power than the non-compliant monitors.

What many consumers are unaware of when they purchase an Energy Star compliant monitor is that some require the computer to be set to make use of the energy-saving benefits of the display.  You may avoid a call for computer support simply by checking that the display’s Energy Star benefits are activated.  With a properly configured monitor, the display will conform to Energy Star qualifications with no need for ongoing computer support or maintenance.

The need for computer repair or monitor repair is much less likely when consumers purchase and properly use an Energy Star certified monitor.  By running the display with the Energy Star configuration active, the monitor runs cooler and last longer, especially when the monitor is turned off.

In addition to lowering computer repair bills and avoiding computer support calls for monitor-related problems, using an Energy Star compliant monitor properly lowers the electric bill.  Consumers who use multiple computers with Energy Star compliant monitors will likely see a noticeable drop in electric bills, as 20% off one of the larger power draws adds up!

Shopping for monitors with the Energy Star certification benefits the environment, saves you money on monitor power usage, prevents embarrassing computer support calls and costly computer repair bills, making it a smart investment for all computer users.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Software companies are beginning to market some of the best video slot machine games from casinos for home use.  While online video slot games can lead to grave concerns over Internet security, home computer software for video slot machine players offers the thrill of video slot machines without the threats, hassles or gambling debts.  The coolest video slot machine game on the market is IGT’s Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania.

Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania is a collection of 20 IGT video slot machine games released for PC and Mac by Masquepublishing Software.  Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania includes Cats, Stinkin’ Rich, Betti The Yetti, Carnival Of Mystery, Da Vinci’s Diamonds and other games that are instantly recognizable to anyone who has been to a modern casino.  There are also more obscure games like Price Check and Frog Princess that may not have been part of IGT’s staple line-up.

The interface for Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania is instantly cool.  Before going to any machines, you enter the virtual casino where you can see banks of the video slot machines.  It is a cute gimmick and it is enough to get anyone who likes video slot machines into the mood to play.  Masquepublishing also includes ambient noise from the virtual casino to make the experience more vivid (that may be turned off without losing the sound effects from the game you want to play if that is not your thing).  When you pick out the game you want to play, you click on the video slot machine and your screen becomes the cabinet for the game.

Like most of Masquepublishing’s IGT video slot machine games, Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania allows you to take your virtual winnings with you from machine to machine.  As a result, you may feel like you are winning more and more in your virtual casino.  The software may be set for ideal odds which allows you to build up your bank fast and experience bonus games more frequently.  With ideal odds, you win more often.  The software may alternatively be set for the casino odds, which could be a great object lesson for young children enchanted by the idea of gambling that you want to disenchant!

What is extraordinary about Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania is that it includes games that have bonus games much more sophisticated than the standard IGT releases.  Instead of just free spins, games like Betty The Yetti include bonus games that tell a story and build upon themselves.  On Betti The Yetti’s bonus game, players watch their multipliers and “adventure bonus” increase as Betty walks around her park!  Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania also includes Da Vinci’s Diamonds, a cascading reel video slot machine that is an exciting mechanic not available on any of the other IGT games released so far.

Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania installs easily from CD-ROM without the need for any additional computer support.  Gambling can be costly, stinky (all that smoke!), and involve travel: Masquepublishing and IGT make it fun and risk-free with Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

As the worldwide economic instability continues and nations look to protect jobs for their own citizens, Americans who buy with the motto “Buy Made In The U.S.A. Only” are facing an impossible task when it comes to computers.  While there are thousands of United States-based businesses for computer support and computer repair, finding a computer with all of the components made in the U.S.A. is virtually impossible.  Long before the technology sector began to outsource computer support and computer repair jobs, U.S. computer companies exported jobs in computer manufacturing to countries with more lax environmental, safety and worker’s rights standards.

Unfortunately for “Made In The U.S.A.” purists, the Christmas 2011 season has no computer offerings that are entirely the result of United States manufacturing.  For sure, there are a number of computer support and computer repair organizations in the United States, like Rescuecom, touting  a workforce as 100% U.S. Based.  However, even the computer support companies that assemble new computers make their computers using components made outside of the United States.  It is a similar thing for computer repair companies; it is possible to get a real, live American to answer your call, but if hardware is required to fix your computer, there is no way to guarantee every part will be from a U.S. manufacturer.

Is computer support from the United States the most consumers should expect?  Realistically, yes.  While phone-based computer support may solve many problems, physical computer repair is sometimes necessary.  Physical computer repair for hardware issues will always be less expensive the more local it is; the odds of outsourcing computer repair jobs to other counties and forcing users to mail their systems to another country is ridiculously low.  But computer support positions seem to be one of the last bastions of quality American service whereby consumers may contact a highly-trained, highly-educated and comparatively local professional to receive aid.

What would it cost to make a computer entirely manufactured with parts made in the U.S.A.?  There is no hard data on that, largely because U.S. businesses do not synthesize most of the components needed to manufacture a computer and they have not for years.  But with the lingering computer manufacturing jobs in the United States having an average hourly wage of $21.03 (in 2008), conservative estimates would put the manufacture of an all-U.S. computer over the $1000 range for even the most basic models.

While consumers seem willing to protect their investment through customer support services and computer repair companies that require serious financial commitments, the American consumer seems unwilling to spend as much on the initial expense of a computer.  Who can blame consumers for not wanting to spend more on computers created with a model of planned obsolescence?  The best consumers can do is understand that the global economy is now very interconnected and that the best investment in America might well be supporting U.S.-based computer support and computer repair companies like Rescuecom.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Days ago, an expedition from the International Union for Conservation of Nature began in the Indian Ocean.  While the human explorers have the drive and interest to spend the months on the ocean that this mission demands, it is the KIEL 6000 ROV that will be doing most of the work.  Made by Schilling Robotics, the KIEL 6000 is a Remotely Operated Vehicle designed for use in depths down to 6000 meters below sea level.

With its 6000 meter depth rating, the KIEL 6000 may explore depths where the water pressure would crush a human being.  Operated from the ship, the KIEL 6000 has a sophisticated computer network that allows it to respond to multiple commands simultaneously.  Far from being a glorified remote-controlled submarine, the KIEL 6000 may follow a preprogrammed flight plan or be controlled from human operators.  Those human operators control more than just simple navigation.  The KIEL 6000 has banks of video cameras and two mechanical arms for taking samples.

The mechanical arms are a real feat of engineering design and computer programming.  The mechanical arms on the KIEL 6000 are highly dexterous and have collected specimens like rare squid and other marine life found only on the depths of the ocean floor.  The mechanical arms manipulate collecting nets and then move the nets into a bio box.  The bio boxes loaded on the KIEL 6000 store tiny marine samples and manipulating the mechanical arms to get the samples from the water to the net to the bio box requires an incredible amount of skill and training.  Even with that training, sometimes the samples themselves resist, as a 20cm lobster recently fled one of the 30cm deep bio boxes before the box closed!

The level of computer control needed to make the KIEL 6000 a viable remote vehicle is substantial.  The KIEL 6000 must be able to react quickly to unforeseen events.  The computer system aboard the KIEL 6000 is designed to react with near-instantaneous precision so the rare images of the ocean depths are not lost and so life forms previously undiscovered may be captured and catalogued by researchers.

Without the sophisticated computer support system that allows the KIEL 6000 to react quickly over 6000 meters below sea level, the KIEL 6000 would be just another remotely operated vehicle.  As it is, though, the KIEL 6000 remains the cutting edge tool for undersea exploration and our best chance at understanding a vast portion of our world.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Breaking news about Apple!  The Domain Name Wire is reporting that control of seven domain names that use brand product names in the URL were given to Apple today.  Individuals and companies purchased sites like iphonecam4s.com and iphonesex4s.com prior to the release of the iPhone 4S and had been bringing visitors to racy sites.  Apple, presumably, objected to this because they do not want any URL with their product name associated with sex.  What Apple is hoping those paying attention to this story will not notice, though, is the history.

Apple has usually paid to get back the domain names associated with its products.  Yes, back in 2007, Michael Kovatch sold iPhone.com to Apple reportedly for a million dollars.  Similarly, a Swedish company that held the domain name iCloud.com sold the domain name for $4.5 million dollars to Apple in 2011.  The Swedish company that owned the iCloud.com domain is a computer support company that utilizes Cloud-based technology.  What both domain names had in common was that the purchase of the domain name radically predated the invention by Apple that necessitated Apple’s interest in the domain name.

One need not be an Apple genius to see the potential here.  If you can guess the next big Apple product’s name, you stand to make millions of dollar for a minimal investment.  The cost of a domain name registration for one year is approximately $12.  If you accurately guess the next big Apple product name, you may have a real cash cow in your portfolio!

The World Intellectual Property Organization mediates disputes over domain names, which is how Apple received control of the domain names today.  However, by purchasing a domain name and putting up your own content in advance of Apple creating a product with the same name, you actually have more of a right to it!  After all, Apple does not have the intellectual mandate on putting “i” before other popular words. To strengthen your claim to the domain name you buy, you should establish a website there that illustrates a legitimate business function, like online storage or sales of a product that you tie to your domain name.  Then you have to wait for Apple to be as creative as you are!

So, will the next big leap be the imac3 (imac3.com is still an available domain name)?  Clearly, Apple does not want to have to pay more for these domains than they have to – which is probably why iPhone7G.com is not available – but they can only cover so many bases before their efforts seem ridiculous or unprofitable.  And for the cost of $12/year, the potential gain is less of a risk than playing the lottery for those who are creatively inclined.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

If modern history continues to head in the direction Firefly predicted, we should all start learning Chinese.  Fortunately, there are some very cool programs that help teach Chinese and other programs that provide computer support to reinforce what you learn!  There are almost as many different ways to learn Mandarin Chinese on the computer as there are teaching styles.  Some of the best software for learning Mandarin Chinese follows:

Active Chinese may well be the most comprehensive computer-based tool for learning Mandarin Chinese.  With clear delineations for different education levels from Kindergarten through fourth-year college levels, Active Chinese takes a multimedia approach to teaching Mandarin Chinese.  Through pictures, movies and audio clips, Active Chinese provides a comprehensive approach to learning different levels of Mandarin and provides the tools to reinforce and test the lessons.

Learning styles differ and CCHAR Chinese Character Software is for those who learn best through writing and reading, as opposed to hearing and speaking.  CCHAR’s program teaches users the finer points of Chinese calligraphy and how to recognize the characters in written Mandarin.

Most people who want to learn Mandarin want to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese.  The L-CEPS Free Chinese Lessons software online has a very direct word with phonetic translation interface that teaches users key phrases.  While this might teach users a very limited set of Mandarin Chinese lines, it does reinforce them well and provides a very clear progression of lessons to make the process fun.

For those on the go, there is the HNHSoft English-Chinese Talking Dictionary for smartphones.  Less of a learning tool and more of a support mechanism, this dictionary may be installed into your smartphone including the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch.  This dictionary offers fast translations of English words into Chinese and features an interface that clearly illustrates how to pronounce each word.  Even if you learn Chinese with one of the other programs, the HNHSoft app can be a real lifesaver for travelers to fall back on.

Regardless of what the future holds, anyone who wants to learn Chinese will find the software to learn Mandarin Chinese less expensive and less intimidating than private lessons or classes.  With computers, smartphones and these programs, learning Mandarin Chinese can be cool and fun!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

It has been almost eight years since bovine spongiform encephalopathy, more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, was an international story.  While dramatic agricultural reforms in the meat industry played a large role in keeping Mad Cow Disease from spreading, computer support via computerized models continue to play a key role in monitoring and preventing a Mad Cow outbreak.  Computer models that calculate far more accurately than a single person could are now protecting humans.

According to “Mad Cow And Computer Models: The U.S. Response To BSE,” the sheer number of variables needed to calculate the vectors of a Mad Cow Disease outbreak are staggering.  Despite the seemingly daunting task of correlating all of the necessary data through computer support techniques, the USDA now has a model to predict and calculate the vectors of a Mad Cow Disease outbreak.

One of the significant challenges in predicting and tracing the outbreak of a prion disease like Mad Cow Disease is that the disease is only evident through an autopsy of an infected cow.  Once an infected cow is found, the race begins to trace back all of the relevant factors in that cow’s life.  Those factors include: the food source that each infected cow was fed from, every location where the cow lived, every cow in the herd with the infected cow each time the infected cow was sold and the location of the infected cow’s parents and offspring, if any exist.

To get this data, the USDA must have access to complicated databases of shipping records, sales records and inventory controls for both cattle and the cattle’s food supply.  While the USDA must be vigilant for these models to work, the most common challenge to the model is human error, missing data, or computer support failures.  However, with the database working ideally, the USDA hopes to have a rapid response plan in place to prevent both an outbreak that would endanger the United States and a series of sweeping mass cattle executions that would effectively end the beef industry.

The USDA’s database, if properly maintained, will allow ranchers to target specific cattle when authorities find an infected cow.  Based on feed source, herd and sales records, the USDA would inform every rancher who had a potentially exposed cow in their herds.  In other words, the database provides the possibility that the infected cow’s food source could be traced back and then predicted for all cows in the database.  Then, ranchers would be notified of which of their cows were likely infected with Mad Cow Disease and they could be killed before ever entering the human food chain.  And, if potentially infected cows already entered the human consumption market, the USDA could issue a more precise recall.

The computer models for Mad Cow Disease rely upon vigilance, precision and updates over a long period of time, but they offer the greatest potential for humans to survive an outbreak.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

With all of the changing technologies and new products, having computer support is no laughing matter.  When you need computer repairs, you want a company that provides efficient, professional service that addresses all your computer repair and computer support needs.  Even so, there is a rich amount of humor found in customer service calls to computer support technicians.  Communications problems frequently hamper computer repair over the phone or through online computer support. The inability of the technician to see and directly interact with the equipment they are repairing also creates issues.  The communications issues between computer support personnel and customers are the subject of a number of websites on the Internet.   Here are some of the best:

Computer Stupidities: Calls From Hell – This site features excruciating computer support calls from customers who take every word literally or do not understand the purpose of the disc for the game they just bought!  The computer support technicians attempt to aid customers with support issues and computer repairs with frequently hilarious results.  This site has some of the most in-depth humorous dialogues between computer support workers and actual customers.

Tales From The Techs – For more random computer support calls, technicians upload their humorous stories here.  Less technical than many of the computer repair humor sites, this features stories from the customer support technicians themselves and is worth a few good grins.

Funny Support Calls – Tech Support Jokes – This is a great site for quick jokes, as opposed to in-depth humorous stories between customers and computer support technicians.  These jokes from the perspective of computer repair technicians and computer support professionals are quick zingers that will make you smile and are work-safe.

The Joy Of Tech – For the visually-inclined, this is a tech-themed Internet comic strip that features daily geek humor.  While not limited to computer support jokes, this comic strip is intended for those who see the humor in computer repair and the oddities of computer design.  Anyone who understands the frustration of the computer support technicians on the other humor sites is likely to be computer-literate enough to get a real kick out of this comic strip.

Computer support and computer repair should be done by technicians who are patient, kind and professional.  While there is humor in the foibles of over-the-phone and online computer support calls, be sure to get your service with a company that respects your business and your dignity.  Rescuecom hires their computer support professionals and computer repair technicians with that in mind; our sense of humor is just an added part of the service!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com