Computer Support Blog

Every major industry has a merchandising arm designed to attract business.  If you have ever been to a medical conference, you may have gotten nauseated seeing how much money pharmaceutical companies pour into some of the weirdest swag in the world.  So, it ought to be utterly unsurprising that computer companies have similar merchandising arms.  Apple, for example, has an entire line of products from clothes to pocket knives.  Similarly, to commemorate the defeat of a human chess player by the supercomputer Watson, IBM has produced some limited clothing.

The Watson cap is a black baseball cap that features the Watson logo on it!  Clearly IBM wanted Watson to be able to identify who in a crowd was allied with the supercomputer as this hat is made of quality materials.  The cloth of the hat is enzyme washed cotton twill and the adjustable strap on the back of the hat is fabric and features a buckle and grommet design.  IBM made the strap padded for comfort and easy adjustment for different head sizes.  What truly separates the Watson hat from cheap baseball caps is the embroidered Watson symbol on it.  Instead of just silk screening the bright blue and green symbol on the black cap, IBM embroidered the symbol so it will not chip off or fade as easily!

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In this age where the world is continually getting smaller through improved communications networks and less expensive means of transportation, it is not uncommon for multinational corporations, even those based in the United States, to have a very diverse executive portfolio.  Even Intel, the chip manufacturer based in Santa Clara, California, has executives from other countries.  This makes sense, though, as Intel has a habit of hiring from the best and brightest minds around the world.  After graduating from the Technion, Israel’s Institute of Technology, with a degree in Electrical Engineering, David Perlmutter came to work for Intel.  Now, Perlmutter is an Executive Vice President for the company, as well as the General Manager of Intel’s Architecture Group.

As General Manager of the Intel Architecture Group, David Perlmutter is responsible for determining which products Intel will develop.  Because Intel has such a massive research and development branch, the company needs an executive to determine which projects are worth pursuing and which experiments need to be retooled.  The position calls for someone who has the judgment to evaluate the state of technology and the vision to push the envelope of what is possible.  David Perlmutter is just that type of visionary.

Shortly after graduation from the Technion, Perlmutter worked hard on innovating new microprocessor designs.  His engineering talents were impressive and he innovated new designs of branch target buffers and multiprocessing cache coherency protocols which he holds the patents for!  Those developments brought David Perlmutter to the attention of Intel.  Eager for just such an inventor, Intel hired Perlmutter to head their development team.  In that role, Perlmutter designed the Intel i387 and then created the microarchitecture for the Intel Pentium processor!  David Perlmutter led the teams that fundamentally change an entire generation of microchips!

With that type of success in his portfolio, the Board promoted Perlmutter through the ranks of the research and development divisions of Intel.  He had vital roles in Intel’s microprocessor manufacture for mobile phones, allowing Intel to enter the ultra-low power handheld market.  As the natural evolution of his successes, CEO Paul Otellini promoted him once again.  As General Manager of the Intel Architecture Group, Perlmutter is responsible for overseeing all of Intel’s products from data centers to consumer electronics.

Not one to rest on his laurels, David Perlmutter shepherded Intel’s latest breakthrough, Sandy Bridge, to the forefront of Intel’s manufacturing effort.  Sandy Bridge is a microprocessor with a revolutionary new microarchitecture, said to be a leap forward much like the Pentium was.  If Sandy Bridge lives up to its potential, David Perlmutter will prove that his best days are not behind him!

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

Virtually anyone can manipulate statistics in so many different ways that it is sometimes funny what passes for news using statistics.  As the annual Consumer Electronics Show launched in Las Vegas this year, the NPD Group (formerly National Purchase Diary Group) came out with what appeared to be ominous financial statistics for the technology sector.  This was treated as potentially devastating news among many members of the technology press, most of whom were off covering the Consumer Electronics Show.

Is it possible the technology reporters and bloggers did not actually read the NPD report?  Is it possible that the mainstream media that picked up the story did not understand it?  Either way, the tech sector ought not to be reeling from the NPD Group’s assertion that holiday consumer electronics spending dropped six percent during the holiday shopping season in 2011.

This would actually be news . . . if it were true.

The NPD Group’s methodology in determining that consumer electronics sales dropped is a flawed one.  In fact, they use methodology so flawed as to make the results meaningless.  The NPD report states that total consumer technology sales “excluding cell phones, tablets, e-readers, and video games” dropped.  What?!  Why is anyone taking the report seriously when it excludes some of the biggest consumer spending items of the holiday season?!  Every major poll in every single respectable publication put the Amazon Kindle Fire at the top of both “most wanted” and “most purchased” gift lists.  The Apple iPad was also a highly sought-after and delivered gift.

Saying that consumer electronic spending is down without including tablets, e-readers and video games, is like saying that cars are being pulled over less by police . . . when red and black cars are excluded.  Given that red and black cars comprise the greatest number of cars on the road in the United States, any statistic correlating cars and car color is worthless without including them.  So, too, is a statistic about holiday spending on consumer electronics that omits the most popular consumer electronics of the holiday season!

Why did the NPD release such a worthless statistic?  To be fair, the data is virtually impossible to come by.  Amazon is notoriously tight-lipped about how many of its e-readers have sold, and, with the Kindle Fire, they have been characteristically opaque.  Apple is also less eager to release its sales figures on tablet computers, though it is widely predicted that when you consider tablets a personal computers, Apple is now the largest PC manufacturer on Earth.

Regardless of what the NPD wants consumers to think, ten days in the 2011 holiday shopping season saw billion dollar sales, which is more than any other holiday season ever before.  To think that consumer electronics like tablets, e-readers and video games did not contribute tremendously to that is naïve.

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 results are in for RESCUECOM’s first Computer Reliability Report of 2011, Lenovo claims the top spot!

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Jun. 6, 2011 — RESCUECOM’s Computer Reliability Report reveals the top five manufacturers with the best overall computer reliability.

“There have been some interesting changes over the last 3 months. We are in a time of rapid technical change and consumers more than ever need to have up-to-date unbiased guidance.” stated David Milman CEO of RESCUECOM.

The Computer Reliability Report gives an unbiased summary of the most reliable personal computer manufacturers. The top five brands with the best overall reliability in Q1 2011 are:

1. IBM/Lenovo (254)
2. Asus (242)
3. Toshiba (164)
4. Apple (149)
5. HP/Compaq (122)

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The results are in for RESCUECOM’s 2010 first quarter Computer Reliability Report, IBM/Lenovo claims the top spot, Apple drops to third!

RESCUECOM’s Computer Reliability Report starts out on a high note in 2010, with all five leading manufacturers putting up superior reliability scores to last year’s averages.  Apple, last year’s overall leader, improved its reliability score, but that still wasn’t good enough to maintain the top spot in the first quarter of 2010; instead Apple dropped to third place.  IBM/Lenovo decidedly took first place improving their score over 200 points from their average last year.  Not to be forgotten, Asus also posted significant gains and took second place.  Rounding out the top five were Toshiba and HP/Compaq, respectively.  As 2010 progresses it will be interesting to see which manufacturers can maintain their gains and which ones may fall due to increased need for computer repair. Read more »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RESCUECOM’s 2009 Second Quarter Top 5 Computer Reliability Report
ASUS, followed by APPLE and IBM/LENOVO, lock in the top three spots

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Aug. 18, 2009 — The ASUS brand of personal computers is still holding its own, ranking highest in the latest RESCUECOM Computer Reliability Report. For the second time in a row, results have shown ASUS to be the newest leader in reliable personal computers. RESCUECOM’s 2009 second-quarter assessment ranked ASUS in the number-one slot, followed by APPLE and IBM/LENOVO, which locked in the number two and three spots, respectively. Top ranking brands would likely require less computer repair than those that rank on the bottom. Read more »

RESCUECOM offers its top 5 cost-cutting tips to keep computers running smoothly and help consumers avoid unnecessary PC expenses

SYRACUSE, N.Y., May 13, 2009 – Without proper PC maintenance, computers’ performance slows down and may even grind to a complete stop. And in these tough economic times, buying a new computer to restore efficiency or trying to rescue data from a dead machine can be painfully expensive.

Proper and regular computer maintenance can save you time, money and stress, according to Josh Kaplan, president of RESCUECOM, the nation’s premier information technology services company. Whether users opt for RESCUECOM products and services or find their own resources, desktops and laptops can be kept running fast and efficiently through the following five strategies. Read more »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASUS, with new track record for success, and veteran leader IBM/LENOVO take top positions

SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 24, 2009 – Results are in from the latest RESCUECOM Computer Reliability Report, which recently increased the frequency of releasing its data from an annual to quarterly basis. An unbiased analysis that compares computer vendors’ market share with consumer service calls from RESCUECOM’s 1-800-RESCUE-PC call center, the report revealed a new leader in reliable personal computers. At the close of 2008, Apple had secured the lead with the fewest number of service calls. However, Apple slipped into second place while ASUS made a surprise leap into the top spot, with IBM/LENOVO sharing the lead. Read more »

Report Helps Consumers Make Informed Choices When Purchasing a Computer This Holiday Season

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Dec. 15, 2008 — RESCUECOM the nation’s premier information technology services company, today announced the results of its third annual RESCUECOM Computer Reliability Report, an unbiased analysis that compares computer vendors’ market share with consumer service call data from RESCUECOM’s 1-800-RESCUE-PC call center. Results of the report – based on a sample of more than 36,000 service calls to RESCUECOM – provide computer users with unique insight about the likelihood that they will require support beyond what is provided by the computer maker’s warranty. Read more »