Computer Support Blog

Watch out for Free Wi-Fi

Many people find it hard to go even a few hours without an Internet connection. Shops, restaurants and a variety of other venues are adapting to this need by providing free Wi-Fi. Whether you’re at your favorite coffee shop, shopping at the grocery store, or waiting in an airport lounge, you’ll probably find that you have access to a free Wi-Fi network. If you decide to use it though, you should be aware of the dangers of using a network service without proper Internet security.

It may be tempting to quickly connect to a public network service and log into a social networking site such as facebook or check your bank account, but unless you can trust the network service provider’s Internet security, you should only do casual surfing. If you find yourself using a questionable network, avoid logging into websites and services that require you to type a username and password. Faulty Internet security leaves room for cyber thieves or hackers to infiltrate your network service and steal your private information without your knowledge.

Good Internet security practices can spare you potentially disastrous outcomes like identity theft. So when choosing a public network, always make sure you select a secure connection. If you’re at a Starbucks, for example, ask an employee to verify the name of the network service before connecting. Avoid using unsecured network services because they are easily prone to Internet security breaches.

Keeping your anti-virus software up to date and your computer’s firewall turned on are just two of the basic principles of achieving Internet security and using public networks safely. Besides, having anti-virus software does not guarantee your device’s safety; it’s merely a basic component of Internet security.

Another common Internet security problem occurs when cyber thieves record keystrokes, giving them access to your usernames and passwords. Changing your passwords periodically can help counter this kind of threat, especially if you use a public network regularly.

Even with these precautions, the strength of your Internet security can be hard to gauge, and networks that appear safe can still place your device at risk.  If you do suspect that a virus or malware has breached your Internet security, get professional help immediately.  Some viruses can seriously damage your device if they’re not caught quickly. In fact, because the average user cannot detect malware, it is essential to have a computer or network services specialist look at your system from time to time.

Always try to balance the advantages of using public network services and the potential threats to your Internet security that accompany them. What appears to be a free Wi-Fi service could end up costing you a lot in virus removal costs and privacy breaches.

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

In an interesting blog on September 24, 2011, Sharon Machlis discusses a recent “study,” (Harris Interactive/Rebtel survey).  The study suggests that women “dominate” men at a rate of about 3 to 2 in their use of social networking.  Ms. Machlis takes issue with some of the study’s methodology, and thus its results.  From a purely pedestrian standpoint, the study seems as if it is probably close to accurate.  After all, women are indisputably more communicative than men are in general.

That is not the point here though, because this is the sort of information and data upon which crucial management, networking and marketing decisions are based Ms. Machlis suggests that the ways in which the surveyors worded and asked the questions may have skewed the results somewhat.  Many of us use, say, Facebook, as a business tool, so even though we are on it almost daily, we are not actually doing social networking.  We are using it as just another handy computer service.

A myriad of computer services and social networking options are presented to us daily.  Most of us cannot do business effectively without these services and options.  How we choose which computer services and social networking to use has little to do with gender and much more to do with what we need.  The casual computer user who wants to keep in touch with a friend or loved one probably chooses based on what the friend or loved one is using.

The serious business person who is maintaining contacts, tracking trends, marketing, and just “watching,” certainly has to be more discriminate in his or her choice of “social networking” sites to pay attention to and to use.  As stated above, the “dominance” this study claims for women may not be taking into account the number of women who use those sites mostly for business.  If we could subtract that number from the total, the user ratio might well be much closer to equal.  Of course we’re also going to have to subtract the men who use the social networking sites primarily as business tools, but if Ms. Machlis is correct, the ratio is still going to even up considerably.

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

Cloud computing is a major source of excitement in the world of cyberspace these days.  Microsoft’s “to the cloud” commercials may or may not depict any sort of potential reality, but they have certainly planted the idea firmly in the American consciousness.  Does the cloud mean an end to computer support needs and data recovery issues?  Some can see a digital paradise of hidden hardware and ease of access.  Is this the reality of the situation?  The answer lies somewhere in a combination of factors.

Many see the cloud as an opportunity to reduce overhead, material costs and make computer support and data recovery easier with the reduction of the physical clutter of personal computer networks.  The simplicity of data backup with the cloud also allows businesses to feel protected against hardware failures and problems during data recovery.  While all of these improvements are possible by moving data processes to the cloud, potential pitfalls do exist.  If removing local infrastructure for cloud services is your chosen course, be sure to consult a computer support expert and learn about potential problems before they happen.

Data transported to the cloud is essentially out of your control.  Uploading and removing information is possible, but someone else owns the data centers housing the information.  Computer support issues are still possible as servers may be configured incorrectly.  Hackers targeting the center storing your data may steal or corrupt files.  The hardware storing data still exists; it just exists elsewhere.  Problems related to hardware still arise, causing unforeseen failures, data recovery disasters, and the potential loss of essential information.  Data recovery may or may not be possible depending on the problem.

Internet security is a major issue for many businesses as they contemplate a move to the cloud.  Outside ownership means that computer support may be out of your control once a cloud service is chosen.  You are casting your lot with the service provider’s computer support personnel.  The importance of the information stored in the cloud dictates the level of risk.  The more essential your data recovery needs are, the more concerned you should be.  Depending on the nature of the data stored, theft or loss could lead to legal repercussions.  Consulting trusted computer support experts about the positives, risks, and options before reaching a decision is more than a good idea.

In a computerized world, the risk of hardware failure and the need for data recovery by skilled computer support will never completely disappear.  Machines fail no matter where they are.  Human beings make errors and cybercriminals are not stopping their activities.  If moving processes and data to the cloud is the right option for you or your business, be sure you are prepared.  Preparing for the unknown with the help of local computer support can help make problems, such as data recovery, less of a worry for you and your clients.

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

People like to enjoy life and talk about it, but no one wants everyone knowing every detail. Social networks provide the chance for people to share lives with friends all over the world, and with people who are complete strangers. Online social network users do not have to give up privacy to the entire internet.

Read more »

A new smartphone will thrill game system customers. Sony Ericsson launched Xperia Play recently, which acts both as a smartphone and as a game playing device. Gamers only need one device to play and talk while away from home.

Xperia Play runs the latest in Android technology, Gingerbread, giving customers the best technology to play games on small devices. Games and other applications perform well using a 1 gigahertz processor and an extra game processor. Images in the games are easy to see, and the colors are bright. The games also respond to control commands better than on most phones.

The most interesting part of the phone is how it physically adapts to allow gaming. The bottom half of the phone slides out for playing games and looks like a PlayStation control. Direction pads, control buttons, and pads in place of thumb sticks let gamers play as if at home. This game controller bottom makes the device bulky compared to other smartphones, but gives gamers a good hold while playing. The need for few devices excuses the larger size, as does the user’s hands not blocking the game view.

Six games come packaged on the phone already. Game titles include PlayStation favorites like Sims, Madden NFL 11 and Crash Bandicoot. The Xperia play does not offer PlayStation games exclusively. Different producers offer 60 titles for the Xperia. Sony Ericsson plans to increase the number to 150 game titles by the end of the year.

The process of getting new games on the phone will take time and some effort. Each game on Xperia Play must configure to fit into the processors used on the phone, so games cannot be transferred from other portable devices. Sony Ericsson assures game developers that existing mobile games can add the necessary support programming for the control pad easily.

Xperia Play also remembers to function as a phone. The actual telephone feature on the Xperia Play is a touchscreen system which behaves like most other Android smartphones. Sony Ericsson offers seven hours worth of talk time, or five hours worth of play time, before the battery needs recharging. Familiar applications like Twitter or Facebook links are still available for gamers who want to share scores.

Verizon Wireless started selling Xperia Play the last week of May for $199.99. Customers who like PlayStation and similar games will enjoy using the Xperia to continue the fun while away from the home game system. Sony Ericsson has added great gaming ability onto the networking capacity of the smartphone.

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

Students know about the cost and weight of text books. Across campuses upperclassmen share tricks for avoiding college bookstore prices and bursting backpacks. A new iPad application has a simple and easy new solution for students.

Inkling has contracted with Apple to create an application for putting textbooks on the iPad. Focused on making college life a little easier and cheaper, the Inkling application publishes interactive versions of textbooks. The biggest features include music attachments, note taking and sharing capabilities, and social networking.

Inkling’s application does four crucial things for the college student:

·         Saves money –Hundreds of dollars get spent on textbooks every year. Instead of hunting through used book stores or posting requests to buy books off last semester’s students, textbooks can cost next to nothing without wasting time. Save even more money buying one chapter at a time and avoid paying for unnecessary chapters.

·         Relieves carrying load– Textbooks are usually huge, heavy items that some students have trouble carrying around. Any student can carry an iPad in one hand with nearly no effort. Personal notes from lectures or reading can be entered onto the page, decreasing the need for pens, notebooks, and Post- its. Students no longer need a heavy bag of supplies to be prepared for class.

·         Saves paper. – Inkling is attractive to environmentally concerned students. Many textbooks cannot be recycled, so reducing print production also saves a natural resource. The paperless approach also decreases chances of paper cuts.

·         Provides instant discussion groups– Linked with Facebook, students can share ideas and questions about the text without waiting for a specified time and place. The discussion lasts without class time restraints. Students and professors can enter notes into the application while reading, and even scan over notes from other readers for different ideas. Terms central to the chapter can be touched for definitions and better understanding.

Inklings created a design which also translates to the print world. Text appears clearly on the screen, including page numbers found on print copies of the same book. Students can follow professor’s directions to parts of the text, or reference the text in an essay.

Currently, the Inkling application includes 25 textbooks. Many more textbooks are in production, and Inkling has deals with textbook publishers like McGraw-Hill and Pearson to start creating more. Students still can enjoy some financial and physical relief with the titles currently available. 

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

Facebook users may have been victimized by yet another scam.

Internet security firm Sophos has release information on another ‘clickjacking’ scam that hackers recently used to defraud Facebook users out of $5 a week.

While that may not sound like a very big scam, multiply $5 by even a fraction of Facebook’s 500 million users, and the totals add up quickly. Read more »

Facebook, the world’s number one social networking site, will hold a news event tomorrow at its corporate headquarters, to announce its new location-based service.

While Facebook has confirmed little, it has been rumored that the social networking site might be partnering with Foursquare, which Facebook attempted to buy earlier this year. Read more »

A new scam has begun spreading virally through Facebook, based on the often requested ‘dislike’ button.

Facebook, which allows users to ‘like’ posts, pages, and other content, has yet to create or approve a ‘dislike’ button.

Now a new scam spreading throughout the site tricks users into installing a rogue application which claims to be a dislike button.

Instead, the application uses each user’s account to virally spread itself, much like the “hot” and “funny” video scams which have plagued the social networking site in recent months.

Those attacks were designed to steal information from users, including their login credentials.

Protect yourself from this scam by avoiding any links, even from friends, that claim to provide a dislike button.  If you’ve already been victimized, deactivate the application, delete all posts referencing it from your wall, and eliminate it from your ‘likes’ and ‘interests’ in your profile.

As with the previous scams of this sort, changing your Facebook password is also recommended.

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

Protecting your family’s Internet security is a major concern.  RESCUECOM offers some summertime tips for protecting against online dangers and computer repair.

Summer vacation means more time spent online, and more chances for kids to fall victim to scams or predators, jeopardizing your Internet security.

Imagine your child on Facebook, staring at a video link from a “friend”.  Which do you think wins out – your child’s concerns about Internet security, or curiosity over seeing the “hot” new video?

Online scammers thrive on that curiosity.  That Facebook video link might hide a damaging virus.  Every click your child makes risks your Internet security.

So what can you do? Read more »