Computer Support Blog

Not every technology company had a great 2011.  For sure, not every CEO can be a Steve Jobs, Gee-Sung Choi, or Steve Ballmer.  For every success in big business, there has to be a company that is losing its market share and usually the person blamed when that happens is the CEO.  2011 was just that kind of year for Stephen Elop.

Stephen Elop is the CEO and President of Nokia.  Just as in politics, where a current President might well be blamed for a problem they did not cause and are not able to solve fast enough, Stephen Elop assumed the mantle of leadership at Nokia when the company was rapidly losing its market dominance in the mobile phone market.  In fact, Elop acknowledged just how bad Nokia’s position in the global smartphone market was in a now-legendary “Burning Platform” memo.  But the Board of Directors of Nokia did not put Elop in charge to simply critique the company’s problems!  Instead, Nokia, which accounts for a sizable portion of Finland’s economy, chose Stephen Elop to save the company.

Stephen Elop came to Nokia fresh from leading Microsoft’s Business Division.  During his tenure at the head of the Business Division, Elop ushered the Microsoft Office 2010 product line to market.  Before working for Microsoft, Elop worked in business executive positions for software companies Macromedia and Juniper Networks.  That Elop was attracted to those companies makes a great deal of sense.  When Stephen Elop was studying at McMaster University, he helped to lay the Ethernet cable that created one of Canada’s first Internet networks!  He graduated from McMaster University in 1986.

With all of that experience behind him, Stephen Elop leaped at the chance to run Nokia.  Despite the criticism of Nokia in his “Burning Platform” memo, Elop has worked hard in his first year as Nokia’s CEO to stop Nokia’s downslide in the international smartphone market.  As one of his first concrete acts, Elop dumped Nokia’s longtime operating system, Symbian.  In his mandate for the company, Symbian was discontinued as the operating system for Nokia smartphones.  Elop quickly partnered Nokia with Microsoft to adopt the Windows Phone 7 as the new operating system.

While it is too early to tell if Elop’s gambit will pay off for Nokia, one thing is clear.  Nokia’s former CEO, Olli–Pekka Kallasvuo, acted paralyzed while Samsung and Apple clobbered Nokia in mobile phone production and Apple and Google (with their Android OS) eroded Nokia’s smartphone OS market share.  Stephen Elop is a man of action and he represents the best chance to save Nokia!

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 you are alive and living in a First World or Second World nation, you probably know what an iPod is.  In our world today, the iPod is a universally-recognized device.  While Apple Computers would prefer its trademarks not be infringed upon, “iPod” is used far more frequently to refer to any portable digital music player.  That sort of meteoric product launch and instantaneous word association does not just happen.  The smashing success of the iPod and the products that have followed it from Apple Computers came from effective marketing.  In fact, you would find it difficult to find a person in the United States today who cannot recall a single Apple advertisement.  That level of cultural penetration from advertising is largely the work of Philip Schiller.

Philip Schiller is the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing for Apple.  When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, Schiller became an integral part of Apple’s executive leadership team.  He ascended to the post of Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing after a strong marketing career with software companies Macromedia and FirePower Systems.

As Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Schiller was responsible for rebranding Apple and his success speaks for itself.  In his tenure, Apple Computers went from being a floundering computer company to the dominant computer manufacturer on the planet.  While Steve Jobs and Tim Cook deserve a lot of credit for pushing the company’s direction into the emerging markets of portable digital music players and handheld computing devices, all of their efforts would have been for naught had it not been for the effective marketing Schiller and his team provided.  As the leader of the marketing department at Apple Computers, Philip Schiller made the first iPods seem indispensible and easy-to-use.  Even more important, through his targeted advertising strategy for the iPod, Schiller made the iPod cool.

As Apple has risen to dominate the portable digital music player market, Schiller’s marketing teams have made the career of many musical artists through their association with Apple’s advertising.  Schiller is an executive who is not content to rest on a single success.  As such, Schiller effectively led the Apple marketing arm through an entire rebranding.  Well in advance of the product releases for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad, Schiller and his marketing department created such hype that each of those product releases became an event.

It is one thing to have a successful product launch, it is entirely another to market so effectively as to create a culture surrounding a company’s entire product line.  That sort of result requires a leader and Philip Schiller is just that type of leader for Apple!

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

There are few computer accessories that show little or no change from when the personal computer became a household item, but arguably the device that has changed the least is the keyboard.  The keyboard is essentially the same layout as a classic typewriter with an extra number pad on it.  While the ergonomic keyboards broke up the solid keyboards and wireless keyboards made your keyboard more portable, those improvements left the basic keyboard remarkably intact.  The leap forward for keyboards that we have been waiting for finally comes with the Cellulon Virtual Laser Keyboard “Magic Cube.”

As the name implies, the Magic Cube projects a keyboard using lasers to create a keyboard anywhere you might want one.  The Virtual Laser Keyboard is only physical in that it requires a surface to be projected onto; the only physical component to this cool device is the Magic Cube.  The Magic Cube is a laser projector and it is a comparatively small device at that.  At 1.5” wide by 2.95” tall by 1.14” deep, the Magic Box is very easy to transport.  The Magic Cube connects to a PC, laptop computer or any smartphone with a USB port.  Connecting your Magic Cube to a USB port allows you to swap the Virtual Laser Keyboard between any of your computers, tablets or smartphones with which you type.

The Virtual Laser Keyboard is a red laser projection that comes from the Magic Cube to any flat surface nearby.  While the Magic Cubes come in several stylish colors, to date they only project red virtual keyboards.  The projection is a standard QWERTY-style keyboard, so in that way Cellulon maintains the familiarity of the classic keyboard.  The Virtual Laser Keyboard operates easily, with the projected “keys” typing letter on your computer when you break the beam associated with a specific letter.  As a result, you do not need to vigorously press against the surface upon which the Virtual Laser Keyboard is projected.  This makes the Virtual Laser Keyboard ideal for those who have injured hands or overly sensitive fingers.  The Virtual Laser Keyboard is also ideal for travelers who might not have a lot of space before them upon which to project the keyboard.  They may use a smaller surface area for the virtual keyboard, simply by projecting the keyboard with a more narrow focus!

While the standard price of $170 for the Virtual Laser Keyboard may seem steep for personal use, it is a steal for industrial and scientific settings where space is at a premium or industrial elements require you to replace a keyboard frequently.  Because there are no physical keys for the Virtual Laser Keyboard, there are no keys to gum up!

The Virtual Laser Keyboard from the Magic Cube is the next leap forward for both the convenience of a full-sized keyboard and the flexibility of a portable device.

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

Happy Holidays from Rescuecom!

Today, as you spend time with friends, family and loved ones, we urge you to consider the less fortunate.  If you are reading this, you have access to the Internet and one of the most extraordinary technological tools in the world.  Not everyone is so fortunate.  In fact, the poorest Americans live without computer access or even telephones.

You have the power to use your new technology to help out a person in need.  96% of the population of the United States has a mobile phone.  You may have even gotten a new mobile phone or smartphone for the holidays!  While a part of the 4% that does not have a mobile phone includes people who just do not want the technology, a growing portion of the population simply cannot afford a cellular phone.  If you have looked around for a pay phone lately, you know that those who relied upon that traditional phone technology to spread holiday wishes may have disappeared from your area.

That is where you can make a difference this holiday season.  Many poor people have family members in other parts of the country or the world.  You can help connect poor, phoneless, people in your community with their distant loved ones, even if only for a phone call.  Smartphones with Internet access truly do make the world a smaller place and access to social networks through those smartphones may make for some real holiday miracles, even if you are just helping two people connect.

If your community has a large transient, disenfranchised or poor population, odds are there is a place they congregate.  Today is a great day to go there; bring a friend or several friends and your smartphones.  Politely introduce yourself when you arrive and ask the people there if there is anyone you could help them contact.  With your smartphone, you may be able to look up friends, family members or loved ones for the poor people there.  With social networks, you may even be able to connect two poor people without phones through friends in distant areas taking the same initiative!

For the cost of a phone call and the time it takes to help an impoverished person find contact information for another person on the Internet, you can make a real holiday miracle happen.  You have a cool phone that you might well upgrade by this time next year; helping to connect two people, even for a few minutes, can give you a joy that will last much longer.

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 advance of Black Friday, the technical news was abuzz with one story that was interpreted a different way with every article that was written.  Right before Thanksgiving, industry analysts released the sales figures of personal computers in 2011.The news left many in the computer support world scratching their heads in confusion.  The sales reports acknowledge that HP continues to be the leader in PC sales . . . unless you consider tablet computers a PC.

Since then, pundits have written hundreds of articles on the sales projections and the nature of the PC.  In one corner, there is the perception that the tablet computer is a PC.  That perception greatly benefits Apple because with iPad tablet computer sales factored in, Apple would be the number one computer company by sales in the world.  Apple, naturally, wants to cash in on the prestige that comes from overtaking HP and becoming the world leader in the PC market.

HP, who had a disastrous tablet computer release in 2011, remained strong in sales of traditional personal computers.  HP has the element of public perception on its side in the argument.  Consumers bought tablet computers in 2011 largely as a companion for their PC, not a replacement.  Sales numbers have shown a slight decline in traditional PC computer sales over 2011, but many industry analysts attribute that to a PC sell-off in 2010 with the release of the Windows 7.  In other words, many consumers purchased their new PC last year; so many computer users do not need to buy a new computer this year.  Computer support and computer repair businesses seem to support this idea; they remain as busy as ever, solving computer problems on PCs purchased during last year’s sales spike.

The public perception for tablet computers remains that they are primarily for entertainment and personal use, not serious computing.  Tablet computers may have valuable business applications, like inventory control and presenting customers with product information, but they remain more expensive than most businesses want to invest for the technology.  As well, the tablet computer has not reached its full business potential because manufacturers have not developed the apps that meet the needs of many businesses.  As a result, consumers continue to use their PCs for serious work – business, education, and research – and their tablet computers for entertainment, like watching movies or reading digital books.

The argument over whether to include tablet computers or not is a moot point in many ways.  To many computer users, the debate just seems like big business trying to cook the books in their company’s favor.

Ironically, Apple needs the status of being the #1 computer manufacturer less than HP does.  For over a decade, Apple has built its advertising campaign around being original, buying Apple products in defiance of the Big Companies.  After years as the outsider, could Apple effectively rebrand with “Conformity is cool?”  Even Apple could not sell that.

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 iPhone 4S has been the subject of a lot of writing in the blogosphere lately, especially pertaining to the phone’s failing batteries.  Because of all the press the iPhone 4S receives about the defects, sometimes it is hard to overlook all that this smartphone can do.  While there are already rumors abounding that the iPhone 5 is in various stages of development or production, the iPhone 4S has a lot to recommend it.  In fact, there are so many improvements in the iPhone 4S over the iPhone 3 that it is easy to see why the iPhone 4S is one of the hottest gifts for the 2011 Christmas season.  Because so little has changed with the physical appearance of the iPhone 4S, it may not be evident to casual observers just how much has changed with this upgrade to the iPhone.

The back of the iPhone 4S features a camera and here Apple went for professional quality.  Rather than develop a separate Apple digital camera, the iPhone 4S includes an f/2.4 designed to make Apple competitive in the digital camera market.  The 8-megapixel resolution certainly is an improvement over most smartphone cameras!  In addition to the basic camera function, the Apple iPhone 4S includes a video recording ability.  The Apple iPhone 4S features video stabilization and produces 1080p HD movies.  Apple intends for the movie function, like the camera function, to appeal to professionals.  As a result, the iPhone 4S shoots movies at 30 frames per second and is loaded with tools to capture colors with vivid reality.

Inside the iPhone 4S are 2 A5 processors.  Because the iPhone 4S is designed for its computing – from running apps to playing Cloud-based movies seamlessly to accessing other online storage programs – the powerful processing speed of the two A5 chips is a big leap forward for iPhone users.  The two A5 chips service the Retina display screen.  Apple is touting the new Retina display for having a pixel density so tight that the naked eye cannot distinguish individual pixels.

Finally, the Apple iPhone 4S features Siri.  Siri is a digital personal assistant who talks to the user and responds to voice-activated commands.  In addition to talking on your iPhone 4S, you can now talk to your iPhone 4S.  It is almost surprising that with Siri, Apple’s advertising campaign was not “You are never alone with your iPhone 4S!”

Undoubtedly, the Apple iPhone 4S is a neat smartphone and it will remain one of the best smartphones on the market . . . at least until the iPhone 5 comes out.

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

Finding toys for people perpetually attached to their computers and smartphones used to be difficult.  Now, the market is flooded with various computer-programmed toys.  The coolest computer-driven toy for the 2011 holiday season is undoubtedly the Tankbot by Desk Pets.

The Tankbot is a small self-propelled robot designed for desktop play.  The futuristic looking robot features two treads for moving the robot across flat surfaces.  The Tankbots have a universal frame that looks like Desk Pets dropped a sports car on top of an all-terrain tank frame.  Desk Pets makes Tankbots in four different colors, with each color responding to a different frequency control.  You may play with multiple Tankbots without interference provided each Tankbot is a different color.

What makes the Tankbot so cool is that it has three different operating modes.  One mode allows the Tankbot to drive around without colliding into walls or other objects using its onboard sensor array.  The second mode allows the Tankbot to infuse personality with its movements.  In the second mode, the Tankbot does not simply drive in a straight line until it encounters an obstacle.  Instead, the Tankbot may meander, make sudden turns or otherwise drive as if it has a mind of its own.

The real selling point for those who love computers and gadgets, though, comes from use of the third mode.  In the third mode, the Tankbot responds to remote control signals.  What separates the Tankbot from simple remote control vehicles is the fact that your iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android smartphone may be transformed into a remote control!  You may download an app for one of the eleven supported devices and use your smartphone or other device as a remote.  Even more impressive is that the application allows you to program a course for the Tankbot to follow.  Using your smartphone or Apple product, you may set your Tankbot on a series of commands that takes the little vehicle up to fifteen minutes to complete!  The programmable nature of the Tankbot makes the toy an ideal one for inquisitive young people or bored computer fans.

The Tankbot recharges through a USB charger on the robot.  Simply plug the male USB lead into your computer’s female USB port and the Tankbot will recharge.  The Tankbot takes forty minutes to recharge and at full charge, it will run for fifteen minutes.  There are a lot of USB-driven devices on the market this year; the Tankbot is one of the coolest.

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

If you missed the latest GOP debate when it aired live on television, don’t worry because these days you can stream just about anything that appears on television, even news, to your computer, smartphone or tablet. Taking full advantage of such streaming options is often as easy as upgrading a media player and having a fast Internet network service. If you’re interested in following politics, keep in mind these tips to avoid the pitfalls of being an online political fanatic.

News websites tend to break down lengthy news events, such as an hour-long political debate, into a series of three or four minute clips. When watching these clips via your smartphone, you might hear a candidate say something dumb or offensive that is often taken out of context. So remember, context is king.

Keep in mind that news websites love sound bites because they work very well with our increasingly short attention spans. In this busy world, we’re always in a hurry to get the latest news while at the same time trying to balance doing a variety of other online tasks. So whenever you hear a strange or shocking “sound bite” try to look for background information. Newsprint is especially good at providing this because it doesn’t have to follow the same limiting structure as news video footage.

Use a variety of online resources to get a well-rounded idea of candidates’ viewpoints, ideologies, activities, and records. Try to read news commentary about a political event such as a debate from one site and get the raw footage of the actual debate from another.

Finally, there are hundreds of thousands of apps for iOS and Android for every imaginable purpose, and politics is no exception. Based on your specific interest, you can find apps to follow your favorite—or least-liked—candidates or poll read numbers political documents, link to news outlets, track international political spheres, and much more. Many apps are free and can add a little bit of fun to what can often be a stressful area.

The abundance of media through which we can interact with the political sphere and remain involved and informed is a two-pronged sword. It’s easy to read small bits and pieces of news or listen to decontextualized sound bites. Instead of letting technology limit what we hear to three minutes or less, we should take full advantage of resources to stay in touch with the bigger picture.

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 Nielsen Company, the company whose ratings determine which television shows will continue being produced, gathers a wide range of data outside the entertainment industry.  One of the growing markets where Nielsen statistics have become increasingly more relevant is the technology sector.  Nielsen ratings for electronics, computer services and consumer trends in the technology sector help steer the technology markets.  Just as television studios change the course of their programming based on the trends Nielsen television ratings indicate, manufacturers of consumer electronics put a lot of stock in Nielsen ratings for determining their corporate direction.

The Nielsen Company has released its 2011 Third Quarter analysis of operating systems for smartphones.  As consumer spending rises in anticipation of the Christmas holiday, this information may be particularly valuable to shoppers.

The statistics collected by the Nielsen Company indicate that the third quarter was very good for smartphones running the Android Operating System.  Android-driven smartphones account for 42.8% of the smartphone market share.  The next most popular, by sales, operating system was Apple’s iPhone Operating System at 28.3% of the market share.  The only other substantial (over 10% market share) smartphone OS was RIM Blackberry’s Operating System with 17.8% of the market share for the third quarter.  Four different operating systems split the bottom 11.2% of the smartphone operating system market!

What does this mean for consumers?  Consumers spending money on smartphones for the Christmas 2011 holiday may want to consider an option other than a phone driven by Windows Mobile, Palm/HP Web OS, Symbian OS or Windows Phone 7 OS.  Those four operating systems may not have anything wrong with their functionality, design or support mechanisms.  Because they occupy the bottom of the market share, though, those manufacturers are most likely to re-evaluate their operating systems.  Smartphone consumers want stability and products that work. If the manufacturers decide to scrap their OS to reprioritize their focus on areas in which they may be more successful, consumers must change their OS.  Failure to change an operating system on your smartphone may leave you with a smartphone that cannot access the network where you have a smartphone plan.

Conversely, Android, Apple and RIM have a lot to be grateful for going into the fourth quarter.  Their platforms dominate the smartphone industry and Android especially has every reason to feel secure.  With over 42% of the smartphone market using Android-based smartphones, consumers have added incentive to purchase smartphones that run on the Android OS.  By dominating so much of the smartphone market, Android implicitly promises the stability consumers demand.

Smartphone technology changes almost every quarter, so selecting a phone with a stable and successful operating system ensures your smartphone will continue to change with the times.  Keep that in mind when buying this season!

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