Computer Support Blog

In an age of seamless global connectivity thanks to increasingly powerful network services, it seems that the last remaining communication obstacle is language. Aside from the actual costs, travel across the globe in a day is no longer a problem, while high quality, instant, audio-visual communication is quickly becoming a matter of clicking a button on a tablet or smartphone. Language, on the other hand, still limits how we communicate. Tourists and travelers often face a hard time communicating with others if the two do not speak a common language. Of course, there is always the good old pocket dictionary, but anyone who has ever tried to rely on that while on vacation knows that it’s hardly any help. Free online translation tools also have limited usage. They require a computing device, an Internet connection, and the ability to enter and read a language that you don’t speak!

Fortunately, if you don’t speak a word of French and are planning a trip to see the Mona Lisa, or if you regularly need simultaneous interpretation in a work setting, Jibbigo can make your life easier. Jibbigo is a speech-to-speech translation app that works on Android and iOS operated devices. To use the application, you simply record what you need to translate while pressing a record button. Jibbigo then says it back in the target language. The application is currently available in nine language pairs. Jibbigo can translate between English and Arabic (Iraqi dialect), Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Tagalog. It can also translate between German and Spanish.

Jibbigo uses advanced Speech Recognition Technology and has a vocabulary of over 40,000 words. The apps’ website states that it uses statistical machine translation and natural voice output using SVOX speech synthesis technology.

Perhaps the most intriguing feature of Jibbigo is that it works offline without an Internet connection. It is self-contained and does not rely on cloud computing or other services that require a connection. This is especially useful for tourists who do not have access to Internet tech support or who do not want to get billed with massive roaming charges.

The app is founded on advanced scientific research in language at Mobile Technologies. Jibbigo and Mobile Technologies, in turn, continually collaborate with InterACT, the International Center for Advanced Communication Technologies at Carnegie Mellon University and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.

The New York Times has praised the app as one of the most advanced on the market, and it has been featured in travel guides. The app is quite inexpensive, costing under $5 for most languages. For a few bucks, it might even be fun to just buy the app and test it out at home.

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 the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G, the Xperia Play is already obsolete.  The Xperia Play is not actually passé, but because gamers tend to be on the cutting edge of new technologies and are one of the groups of people most likely to upgrade products with even small improvements, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G will make a lot of gamers upgrade.  Given that the MSRP of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G is $50 less than the Xperia Play, Sony is clearly trying to make the upgrade worthwhile.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G uses the same shell as the earlier model, so it is 4.7” tall by 2.4” wide by .6” deep, when closed.  The “when closed” notation is important as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G slides open to present a control pad for playing video games.  As a mobile phone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G works much the way the Xperia Play did, though it has additional software in the form of an Adobe player and connects through the AT&T network in addition to Verizon.  As well as having Playstation certification, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G can be synchronized using Google Sync, which was not available on the earlier model.

The real selling points for gamers, though, come in the data transfer abilities of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G.  When using the 4G network, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G has Category 8 High Speed Downlink Packet Access.  This allows players to play multiplayer online games from the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G at the same fast speeds they get at home or in an arcade.

Given that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G came on the market about six months after the Xperia Play, it is not surprising that the embedded camera does not feature any new hardware.  Still, Sony did not forget the camera aspect of the mobile phone as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G supports four video formats its predecessor did not.  As well, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G comes with a new game preloaded, so users will be paying less to get more.

The big change with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G, though, is the ability to connect to the 3G and 4G networks of both Verizon and AT&T and that makes quite a difference for multiplayer online gamers.  While the screen on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G may be smaller than one’s home HDTV, the small gaming device still receives all of the same data.  That means speed and bandwidth are essential and that makes the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G a worthwhile upgrade.

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

For several months, the Occupy Wall Street Movement has been going on in New York City.  The protest, currently physically clogging up New York City’s Zuccotti Park, seeks to bring attention to how the 1% of the wealthiest people control the fates of the remaining 99% of the population.  There is a strange disconnect in the literature provided by Occupy Wall Street through their website and the physical protest; it is unclear how the protesters hope to bring change to economic inequality through randomly clogging up a park near the Wall Street financial buildings.

What is fascinating is how every sector of the media is trying to make a statement about Occupy Wall Street.  On November 15, the Wall Street Journal posted a video online in which three reporter/commentators discussed a spike in Twitter activity the night before.  Twitter has been an invaluable tool used by members of Occupy Wall Street to communicate with one another through their smartphones.  The story focused on how Twitter traffic quintupled from about 100,000 tweets with Occupy Wall Street hash tags to 500,000.  This occurred when police came into the park in the middle of the night to clean.

The attention social networking media gets through stories like this is enough to make legitimate journalists and private citizens blanch.  A quick Google search of November 15 and Occupy Wall Street leads readers to surprisingly little information.  Legitimate news sites note that an eviction happened and that authorities allowed protesters back into the park by morning.  In a protest that has had moments when the major news outlets have covered police violence and significant crowd actions, a spike in Twitter traffic pertaining to Occupy Wall Street seems like a non-story.

The Wall Street Journal tacitly admits as much in the podcast when Zachary Seward notes that much of the traffic that contributed to the Twitter spike did not come from people actually in Zuccotti Park.  This is a textbook definition of hearsay and is more an illustration of how fast small events can be blown out of proportion.  When the Wall Street Journal treated what was essentially a high-tech game of “Telephone” as a legitimate news story, Edward R. Murrow rolled over in his grave.

Twitter could be a great asset to the media or to Occupy Wall Street, but the way people who are not involved in stories use Twitter to relay messages as if they were present sets a dangerous standard that journalists today, at the very least at the Wall Street Journal, seem content to follow.  The non-story from the Wall Street Journal calls to mind a brilliant parody done by The Onion News Network about assumed casualties from a train wreck.  At least viewers for The Onion know to expect humor as opposed to serious stories; we expect better from The Wall Street Journal.

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 a market that has quickly become a trendsetter for what is cool, the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth headset stands out.  A few years ago, simply having a mobile phone was considered cutting edge.  The evolution of the trend had a meteoric curve: phones had to have cool ringtones, wallpaper, skins, then play movies, take pictures and connect to the Internet.  With the transition to hands free devices for mobile phones, the curve was even steeper.  The innovation of Bluetooth technology made hand’s free headsets with a cord or cable passé.  Since then, every major company has been racing to keep their Bluetooth products cool and for this season, the must-have is the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth.

The Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth comes in four colors, though each one measures an unobtrusive 2” long by .9” high by .6” thick.  The rectangular Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth is visually appealing and with the colored panel below the black mesh of the casing, it is not garish.  Like most Bluetooth headsets, the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth comes with a removable hook for use with the ear hook for stability or with the standard earbud loop for comfort.

Using the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth is simple, as it features easy-to-use controls and is compatible with all of the latest products, like the iPhone 4.  The Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth has minimal physical controls: a power slider switch, talk button and micro-USB charging jack.  Instead, the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth relies upon the apps one has on their smartphone or Bluetooth-enabled computer to control the volume or other functions.  This can be very appealing as a discrete glance to a smartphone can be much cooler than grabbing one’s ear to control every little thing.

Every Bluetooth headset has a gimmick and the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth has one that is far cooler than most.  The Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth has pioneered a motion technology they call Motion X.  Using an accelerometer, the Motion X technology allows one to shake their head to answer the phone and perform some additional basic functions.  This is a clever idea that makes this Bluetooth headset a true hands free device.

With its five and a half hour functioning time, the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth can perform for a very full night on the town and because it is at the forefront of the market, it is designed to work with minimal or no smartphone or Apple iPhone support.  That keeps the Aliph Jawbone Era Bluetooth, and those who use it, at the cutting edge of what is cool.

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 great contribution of social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter is connectivity, social connectivity, that is. Although Internet users everywhere used a variety of network services to connect, social networking sites would have us believe that we simply were not fulfilling our social potential. Many of its 800 million view Facebook  as a fundamental social networking tool. According to HighTalk, a third of all people with access to a network service are on Facebook. In many ways, teens and young users are growing up believing that Facebook is the ultimate social network service, but is Facebook actually helping us become more socially connected?

When it comes to connecting with old, lost friends and relatives, social network services are a simple and fast resource. In a matter of minutes, you can look through a friend’s friend list, locate a common friend, search his or her friend list, and voila, high school sweetheart found. In fact, for many people, websites that offer social network services are a great way to combine business and pleasure.

Clearly, Facebook  and other social networking sites offer us some form of connectivity—they allow us to be in each others’ lives much more prominently (often excessively). The real issue, though, is the kind of connectivity that Facebook enables, not its strength. In other words, do social network services actually enhance our social interactions and connections or do they merely create a delusional, alternate world in which we all roam with complete disregard for our privacy and Internet security, taking pride in the fact that we have 500 + friends?

Even in real life social settings, almost everyone is constantly checking Facebook via smartphones and other devices. If the purpose of social network services is to enhance our social connections, why do we still log-in when we are in perfectly healthy social settings?

Still, if you are convinced of the unparalleled rewards of social network services, consider the threats that these network services pose to users’ Internet security. Using social network services comes at a cost to Internet security. A previous blog discusses how vulnerable users’ Internet security can become when social network services are granted permission to share users’ data. Some people might try to defend social network services like Facebook  by claiming that users have the option to limit apps, hence protect their Internet security. However, the choice to block all third party apps is similar to the choice not to use a cell phone! Sure, no one is forcing you to allow Facebook apps access to your information, but without such apps, Facebook becomes boring and limited.

On the surface, sure, Facebook is making us more connected, but in reality, it is isolating us, increasing our addiction to life on the web, and constantly threatening our Internet security. Perhaps it’s not that great after all…

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

Smartphones, just like ordinary computers, need regular tech support and are certainly not immune to needing smartphone computer repairs. It’s not uncommon to delay getting smartphone computer repairs because we can’t part with our devices for more than a few hours. Still, when a smartphone remain without the right kind of tech support for long, smartphone computer repair may become inevitable.

To delay the need for expensive remedial tech support or smartphone computer repair, try to keep these tips in mind.

1)   Leave the heavy stuff for the pros—if the back cover of your smartphone is scratched, you probably don’t need any kind of serious smartphone computer repair. Simply buy a new cover and replace the damaged one. When the damage is more severe than a scratched cover, though, you’re better off not messing with your device and getting professional smartphone computer support. Internal hardware failure, especially, is not something you even want to try to fix. Trying to provide your own smartphone computer repair can end up costing you more than a professional smartphone computer repair service.

2)   Keep it healthy on the inside—when your device gets clunky with apps or folders, consider taking it to an expert to get the right kind of tech support. Most smartphones have auto update functions for their software but if you notice your smartphone not doing this, you should get expert tech support from a tech support provider with a proven track record of providing excellent computer and smartphone tech support like Rescuecom.

3)   Keep it healthy on the outside—when you accidentally hit your hand against the desk and it bruises, you usually don’t panic too much. In a few days, it’ll heal itself. Sadly, smartphones don’t have regenerative cells. When the case gets scratched, it’ll stay scratched. The same goes for the screen: it will need professional smartphone computer repair. Be gentle when using your phone. Buy a protective shell to reduce the risk of damage from an external physical force. Accidents happen, so make sure you ensure your phone against those nasty drops by using a sturdy cover.

Smartphone computer repair can be pricey. A small problem with the screen might require extensive smartphone computer repair to replace the entire outside shell, for example. And as always, prevention is the best cure. Regular tech support and graceful handling can delay the need for smartphone computer repair.

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 way the smartphone market is heading, those things that once allowed us to make phone calls and send text messages (what where they called again?) will quickly be forgotten. In their place (oh, that’s right, phones) the standard communication device will be the smartphone. Smartphones are becoming more like computers and less like phones. Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android, the two systems currently dominating the market, already work like mini computers. Given this slow but inevitable shift in the functionality of phones, it is important to remember that they are becoming more susceptible to Internet security issues and may encounter problems that require virus removal.

As browsing capabilities on smartphones become more sophisticated, users are able to access more websites, many of which pose a risk to a smartphone’s Internet security. Downloading email attachments, for example, carries Internet security risks. Internet security is also threatened by using unsafe networks. The biggest threat to Internet security, though, is mobile apps. According to an article in The Telegraph, malicious software attacks on smartphones are on the rise.

Cyber criminals are rushing to write new virus software that can breach smartphones’ Internet security and record private and sensitive user data such as bank account information or login passwords. Such increasing threats require users to employ the necessary measures to ensure their phones’ Internet security.

Unfortunately, sometimes even the best Internet security precautions fail, causing smartphones to require virus removal efforts. Virus removal for smartphones is relatively new territory, which is why users shouldn’t gamble with their devices and risk losing valuable data and money because of amateurish virus removal. Smartphone users should seek out professionals in virus removal, like Rescuecom who have a long history of providing Internet security services, as well as virus removal services for a variety of computers and computer-based devices.

The transformation of the phone into the smartphone marks an exciting and important time in the development of technology. It signals the marriage of complex technology and basic tools. But while we drool over the potential that these devices bring with them, we should remember that as computers, they require more advanced tech support to stay healthy. They also require us to pay more attention to Internet security and to get the right kind of virus removal if that ever becomes necessary.

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

A recent article on Yahoo.com named seven gadgets that will die out by the end of the decade. Among the seven gadgets are the stand-alone GPS and the low-end digital camera. According to the article, smartphones will take over both products’ functionality before long. We’ve already begun to see the demise of the stand-alone GPS as smartphone users turn more frequently to the navigation features readily available on their devices. As for cameras, well, the Apple’s iPhone 4S sports an 8 megapixel camera, as does Nokia’s new Lumia 800, which is more than what most people need for casual photography!

With the ubiquity and increasing sophistication of wireless network services, smartphones are able to do what previously took a specialized device to do, like give driving directions. Because wireless network service providers are constantly competing for customers, we’re seeing navigation systems rise to standard feature status along with faster speed networking.

Wireless network services have become such a regular component of modern technology that they have lost their appeal as a hot topic. Inter-device network services are on their way to becoming standard, too. Soon we will forget what it is like to use a wired network service that connects a camera to a computer device, which in turn often depends on a wired network service to connect to a printer.

With wireless network services becoming the standard form of network services, the centrality of smartphones will become fundamental to communication and entertainment. Smartphones are on their way to becoming one of the primary mediums for linking users to a plethora of options ranging from tech support to entertainment, from information to communication.

Of course, as smartphones morph into their new eclectic roles, they will also become more susceptible to breakdowns and may require more frequent tech support. Right now, users require a relatively low level of tech support for their separate products. For example, users may need simple tech support in handling a poor satellite signal on a GPS device. When several devices are incorporated into one, though, users might find themselves in need of more frequent tech support.

Still, the fact that increasingly sophisticated devices are likely to require more tech support should not deter anyone from endorsing them. After all, getting tech support for smartphones and modern electronics is becoming easier by the day thanks to almost instant tech support availability. With a wireless network service, for example, users can get remote tech support in minutes.

Wireless network services are becoming incredibly powerful, and with their help, smartphones are almost certainly going to become the main technological vessel for housing GPS devices and low-end digital cameras.

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

Everywhere you look these days there are people doing all sorts of cool things with their smartphones.  In fact, the one thing you see them doing least is actually talking on them.  They are availing themselves of the crazy number and types of apps available to them right there in the palm of their hand.  How many of those users do you suppose are worried about who has access to their personal information?  Not just the information they are exchanging with a friend at that moment, but ALL of the information their smartphone (aka Mobile Computer Device) to which their network service is connecting them?

Of course most business users are well aware of the risks associated with using mobile devices and have acted appropriately with their network services to assure that they are adequately protected.  The everyday user may not even know enough to worry about this.  Everyone who uses a smartphone requires a connection to a network service.  There are a number of ways that providers accomplish this connection to a network service, not all of which represent secure computer service.  Then there are all those apps users download, some of which are extremely cool.  Are those apps from a secure network service?  Is any information you share while using those apps protected by secure computer services?

As we all know, providers of apps and services often do not have the consumers’ best interests at heart, in fact, many prefer that we not use secure computer services.  The truth is that a virus or thief has victimized pretty much anyone who has been using a computer in any form for any length of time.  A network service who intends to stay in business over the long run will probably be a secure computer service, but a look into their records and comments from users is still a good idea.  Still, the user should not become so paranoid about suspicious providers and network services that they stop using their smartphones entirely.

Awareness is the key here.  If you are in doubt about the integrity of a particular app, do not download it until you can check it out through a reputable network service.  If you are not sure what kind of personal information your provider is sharing with whom, contact them directly and ask.  It is best to use secure computer service, especially as the use of mobile devices increases at such a rapid pace.

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