Computer Support Blog

The ability to read and type are two essential skills one must have in order to use computers and the Internet.  While there are many adult literacy programs both on the Internet and in many communities, there are fewer volunteer services that teach adults to type.  As a result, many adults have to learn on their own.  Some of the most popular software in the marketplace is typing software, but a lot of typing software is tailored to teaching young children and teenagers to type.  For adults who want to learn to type on their computer, one of the most enduring and popular programs in the marketplace is Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Platinum. Read more »

Learning to speak a foreign language can be especially difficult for adults.  After all, adults have years, decades, of word associations to overcome when learning a foreign language.  With many other languages having different word orders and verb tenses that are not used in English, adult learners are not only tasked with learning a new language, but with thinking an entirely new way.  Fortunately, not every language is as difficult as learning Chinese and there are some great programs for those who want to rise to the challenge of learning a foreign language.  For learning German, there is arguably no better resource than Fluenz German 1+2+3. Read more »

If you own a Saturn automobile, you know just how terrible it can be when a company goes belly up without ever releasing their proprietary information to the general public or others within their industry.  Those who still drive their beloved Saturn cars are discovering that as problems arise, especially with the Saturn’s onboard computer, they are completely at the mercy of GM.  General Motors, which owned Saturn, may very well charge more than your local mechanic, but your local mechanic cannot access a Saturn’s onboard computer.  The reason for that is simple: before Saturn went bust, the company held very tightly to its trade secrets and the Saturn onboard computer program remained a protected property.  GM, as the parent company of Saturn, retained the coding and now uses it to compel the remaining Saturn owners to use their service centers.  Hewlett-Packard is taking the exact opposite approach with their webOS.  By making webOS into an open source program, anyone with computer programming ability will be able to acquire, alter and write applications for webOS.

HP had a pretty bad 2011 on the tablet computer front.  After having their tablet computer, the Touchpad, crushed by the sales numbers of the Apple iPad 2, the Kindle Fire arrived to metaphorically bulldoze a small mountain of dirt into the grave.  Hewlett-Packard gave the tablet computer market the old college try and the company lost obscene amounts of money in the process.  HP liquidated the last of the Touchpads for $100 and $149 when the Touchpads bore a $500 and $600 MSRP earlier in the year.  HP had a bad year on the tablet computer front.

So, HP announced they were no longer competing for that market.  In washing their hands of the tablet computer market, HP could have divorced itself from the customers who had invested in their product and moved on to their next big project.  Instead, HP executives announced that webOS, the operating system that runs the Touchpad tablet computer, would be released as open source software.

By making webOS open source, computer programmers may write applications of their own for their Touchpads.  They can use webOS to run other hardware, like smartphones, digital cameras or gaming devices.  If you become annoyed with how your electronic device is operating, you could write an app in webOS to reprogram it!

In addition to being consumer-friendly, making webOS into open source software, HP is giving a psychological pat on the back to its programmers.  Because the enthusiasm exists for webOS, in spite of poor Touchpad sales, HP is essentially telling its programmers and researchers, “You had a good product; it just didn’t sell.”  That kind of encouragement is remarkably cool from a multibillion dollar company.

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

Computer users have made the World Wide Web into an outlet for humor since the formation of the Internet.  Because humor is so subjective, sites that simply distribute mainstream humor, like syndicated comic strips or humorous anecdotes, tend not to draw the attention needed to become a true Internet phenomenon.  As the Internet meme phenomenon grows, one site stands out as a funny, edgy humorous site.  That site is Memebase.

Memebase is a free to use, free to view website that offers anyone with a sense of humor the chance to express it using Internet memes.  For those unfamiliar with the phenomenon, Internet memes are an offshoot of lolcats that use pictures of more than just cats.  Internet memes use pictures that have been culled from pop culture and you use to make single-panel jokes or multi-panel strips.  Memebase has collections of Internet memes that combine classic pop culture images with drawn images that have become as well-recognized in the Internet meme community.  Those drawings are often crude and focus on basic facial expressions that meme designers may reuse with different statements for almost infinite comic potential.

Memebase has a very easy-to-use interface.  The home page is a list of the current featured memes and the site has the organization of a standard blog.  Instead of blog articles, scrolling down transports you through various current memes.

One of the real distinctions of Memebase over many, similar sites, is the on-site meme builder.  Clicking on the Meme Builder tab on the front page of Memebase, you get the ability to create memes almost instantly.  Memebase includes over sixty premade photograph memes, most of which are unique to the site.  Some, like a stock image of Bill O’Reilly or Fry from Futurama are a little more universally-recognizable.  By clicking on the “Caption Now” button, you may make a brand new, humorous meme in seconds.  After that, another button allows you to share your meme with the Memebase community.

The humor on Memebase is almost-constantly rotating, so there is always material that is new and funny.  Because humor differs so much from person to person and culture to culture, it helps to know that the Internet meme phenomenon is not for everyone.  The humor on the site can be very edgy, though the visual component of the site is always safe for work.  For example, on the front page of Memebase, there was a simple meme of an anagram followed by a photograph of a face with a shocked expression.  While some might find the visual representation of how “Mother In Law” is an anagram for “Woman Hitler” hilarious, others might appear just as shocked as the reaction picture attached to the first panel.  That is the nature of humor, though, and Memebase accepts humor of all kinds.

For adults looking for a laugh or looking to put a humorous idea into print using already-created images, Memebase is an invaluable resource.  At the forefront of the Internet meme phenomenon, Memebase remains 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

With the holidays behind us and the new year nicely underway, many of us are looking for a way to take off the holiday pounds.  Technology exists to aid you in weight loss.  There are specialized computer devices that help you count calories as well as smartphone applications designed to help you plan your diet and exercise regimen.  Arguably the best is Calorie Count.

Calorie Count is a comprehensive website that helps you to lose weight in a healthy fashion.  The site functions as an informative tool, an online journal and a social network.  The three primary functions of the site come together for the user to provide a powerful weight loss tool that offers you the best chance for a healthier lifestyle.  Calorie Count helps users lose weight by keeping you focused on your specific weight loss goals while rewarding your accomplishments.

The informative nature of Calorie Count is unparalleled on the Internet.  Calorie Count offers you over 231,000 foods with their entire nutritional breakdown so you may see the exact impact of every food you eat.  The truly valuable aspect of Calorie Count’s extensive database of nutritional information is that it allows you to log and chart each day along every possible vector.  In simpler terms, the Calorie Count tool allows you research every meal, drink and snack you want to put into your body and the program provides you with custom graphs exactly what you are consuming.  If you need to eat more protein, for example, you can tweak your meals until you find the right balanced food that will provide you with the protein you are lacking without pushing you above the recommended daily allowance of other nutritional elements.  Because users are able to add information, this database is constantly expanding!

The nutritional breakdown tool is a powerful one, but it works best when synergized with Calorie Count’s online journal.  When you create a Calorie Count account, you have the option to start an online journal.  Take that opportunity!  You can keep your journal private, but Calorie Count’s online journal is a day by day, meal by meal record of your journey to weight loss.  After you enter all of your medical data, Calorie Count uses your journal to calculate not only all you take in, but how many calories you burn through every activity you perform throughout the day.  Using the journal function, Calorie Count provides you with recommendations on how best to exercise for your body type and health concerns!

Finally, at least for the space we have here, there is a social network function to Calorie Count.  Calorie Count connects you with other people who are trying to lose weight, so you may provide support, ask questions and share your triumphs for positive reinforcement.  Even better, nutritional experts are available on the site to help you meet your goals.

Losing weight is never easy; Calorie Count is a powerful weight loss tool that requires diligence, but provides all you need to lose weight!

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 a lot of charities that deal with helping those who have the greatest need get technology like computers.  Of course, the very existence of such charities implies that the problem persists, but as the holidays wane and you look forward to your tax refund, perhaps you are thinking of the less fortunate.  One of the charities that are working hard to make a difference is the World Computer Exchange.

The World Computer Exchange is a charity that seeks to deliver computers to impoverished countries.  Their Computers for Girls initiative is one of the charity’s biggest endeavors.  Computers for Girls is, as its name implies, an effort to provide girls in other countries with computers.  In addition to providing computers, Computers for Girls works with girls and young women in foreign countries to teach them how to use the computers.  Computers for Girls has recently teamed with the Peace Corps to help provide the education component of their mission.  So, while the World Computer Exchange has only been operating since 2000, the Peace Corps is hardly a fly-by-night organization!

The need for computer education and computer hardware for girls is very real.  The gender gap is even more severe in nations like Pakistan, the Philippines and Panama.  Liberia, which is still recovering from its last civil war, has made women’s rights issues a very low priority on its national agenda.  So, the need for an organization like the World Computer Exchange is unfortunately very real.  The Computers for Girls initiative provides real educational opportunities to girls in thirteen of the most impoverished or oppressive counties on Earth.

The World Computer Exchange is a very reputable charity and meets most of the Better Business Bureau’s qualifications to be an accredited charity.  In fact, with 86% of every donation being used to provide the services and materials of the charity, the World Computer Exchange has a more efficient operation than the March Of Dimes (75%) or the Make-A-Wish Foundation (also 75%).  It is worth noting that the element the WCE failed to meet to get its accreditation actually helps the charity run more efficiently.  The WCE’s Board Of Directors is required to meet multiple times a year to get accredited.  Because the WCE is an international effort, their Board meetings include members who have a virtual presence at each meeting.  Using computers and telecommunications devices, those board members participate in the meetings without being physically present; the BBB does not consider that acceptable.  In some ways, it is reassuring to see a charity where the leaders are so dedicated to their cause that they will not make an international trip and abandon that cause!

The Computers for Girls initiative is putting real computers in front of girls who might otherwise receive no formal education or training.  Supporting the World Computer Exchange’s Computers for Girls program is worthwhile.

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!

For the last few weeks, we have been presenting you with cool gadgets, awesome websites and neat products.  The holidays are a great time to give and get all manner of technological wonders.  Today, we would like to share a special Holiday Cool Product Of The Day: it’s you!

You, your time and your simple presence can make the day better for those around you or even a stranger.  Today, take some time to be with your family.  It does not matter what religion, race, creed or color you are; your friends and family deserve the gift that is you.  And you deserve to get the gift of loved ones!  So today, why not put down the smartphones, disconnect from the Internet and sit face to face with the ones you love and let them know how important they are to you?

For those Santas who need last minute technical advice, computer support and computer repair, we at Rescuecom are here 24 hours.  We are happy to serve you and check back tomorrow for our next great gadget.  But today, the best product we can recommend is you!

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 has many challenges to it, both technological and commercial.  While Facebook should better monitor the applications it allows to run on its platform, some of the issues with Facebook are internal and systemic.  One of the most significant problems with Facebook is that it has an annoying persistence.  Have you ever noticed how Facebook continues to recommend the same people to you?  Have you ever noticed that the Facebook recommendation for friends just keep coming back?  What is it that Facebook doesn’t get when you click the little “X” next to their recommendation to simply not friend the people they recommend?!

The Facebook system works on the principle that there are very few degrees of separation between people.  As a result, when you add someone as a friend on Facebook, the Facebook program suggests friends of your friend be added as your friend.  From pretty much the moment you friend anyone new, you will begin to see on your sidebar, people that Facebook recommends you add as a friend.  A great way to test this is to add someone you do not know well at all as a Facebook friend.  After you add an acquaintance watch how Facebook suggests all sorts of people you don’t know from your new “friend’s” friend list.

Who cares?  Why is this an issue?  Unlike friend requests that you can deny and they go away, Facebook insists you consider their recommendation.  If you have ever gone to the complete list of people Facebook recommends you “friend” and painstakingly gone through the list to clear the (often) hundreds of people Facebook wants you to friend, you will discover your time was completely wasted.  Go back there now and you will see!  You can go through your entire list, remove everyone that Facebook recommends and the next time you log in, their recommendations will be back.

Facebook: “No means no!”  When you inform Facebook by clicking on the “no” button – indicating you do not want to add their suggestion to your friend list – Facebook ought to listen.  The Facebook program not only wants to connect people, it is persistent in a troubling way.

Facebook needs to simply be programmed to respect our wishes and stop making the same mistake.  Whether you have one of your ex’s friends and do not want the whole barrage of their other associates or have left a real social situation where you only want to retain a relationship with one person from that group through Facebook, there are millions of situations where you might want one person as a friend, but not everyone with whom they are associated.

Forget the Timeline, forget the “dislike” button, all you really need is a Facebook that listens and provides a way to permanently stop suggesting a person once you have indicated you do not want the Facebook-suggested individual as a friend.

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

Whether your Facebook account is a few months old or whether it will be celebrating its seventh birthday soon, chances are that you have accumulated quite a bit of data the website’s servers. Unless you regularly weed your pictures, tags, wall posts, comments, and “likes” to remove old—and often embarrassing—data, then all this data is lingering in Facebook cyber space.

Maybe you just don’t like the feeling of having so much Internet activity documented and scattered on dozens, maybe hundreds, of pages, photos and links, or maybe you’re worried about a stalker, regardless, there are plenty of reasons to want to purge your public online activities off Facebook . The problem is, it’s virtually impossible to do it all manually. There’s no way you can remember every post you’ve made or every photo you’ve liked. Even if you did, going through and removing them all would take endless hours. It might also cause you more distress than you need as you see old and embarrassing photos and posts. Fortunately, if you’re looking to clean up your Facebook account before an important job interview, for example, a new Android app called “Exfoliate” can do the job for you. The app can delete old Facebook  posts, comments and “likes,” putting your mind at ease.

Currently, the app only works via an Android phone. Once you install it, you connect it to your Facebook  profile and select what exactly you want deleted. For example, you can specify that all your Facebook  wall posts older than two years be deleted, or you can have the app delete all comments older than 3 months. The latest “Exfoliate” also supports photo deletion.

The apps creators warn that it does use up a lot of the phone’s battery and can clog up the user’s network service. Still, it’s faster to run the app on a Wi-Fi connection. Most people will want to run it over night, as it does take quite a while to go through a few years of old posts.

One thing that the app doesn’t do is remove others’ photo tags of you. That unfortunately, you’ll have to do manually. Recent Facebook  upgrades, though, are making it easier to remove unwanted tags. You can now even ask friends to take down pictures that you appear in if they’re not particularly flattering.

Sadly, another limitation of the app is that despite removing data from public visibility, all your Facebook  activity, your posts, your pictures, your comments, are stored by Facebook ’s servers. The issue has gotten recent media attention as more people start to freak out—rightly so—about how much Facebook  really knows about them.

“Exfoliate” is highly rated on the Android Market app store, and for the amount of work it does, $2.99 is an incredible price. For the opportunity to clean your Facebook activity off yours and your friends’ walls with such ease, it might even be worth buying an Android phone just for the app!

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

PRESIDENT DAVID,
I HOPE THIS ADDRESS IS CORRECT SO YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE.
IT WAS A FLUKE THAT I WAS GIVEN YOUR 800 NUMBER WHEN I CALLED BEST-BY FOR A GEEK. AFTER SEVERAL LAYERS OF PHONE CALLS I FOUND YOUR FIRM. PRAISE THE LORD.

I WANT TO COMMEND YOUR STAFF FOR THE EXCELLENT SERVICE I RECEIVED ON MAY 27TH & 30TH FROM STANLEY. JOSHUA AND ESPECIALLY ROY H. OF FLORIDA.
I WAS HESITANT ABOUT GIVING MY VISA CARD NUMBER TO STANLEY A TOTAL STRANGER, BUT I WAS DESPERATE. I THOUGHT MY SYMANTEC ANTI VIRUS WAS TAKING GOOD CARE OF ME. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I WORKED WITH ROY H. THAT I LEARNED THAT THIS VIRUS CRAP NEVER GOES AWAY UNTIL I HAVE YOUR TEAM
ERASE IT. I DELETE COOKIES EVERY DAY.

ROY IS A REAL ASSET TO YOUR TEAM. I WATCHED HIM ON MY SCREEN AS HE TOOK REMOTE CONTROL OF MY COMPUTER.  NOT ONCE WAS HE EVER STUMPED OR WAS THERE A DELAY WHILE OTHER TECH’S WOULD SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT.

DAVID, THANKS TO ROY I HAVE LEARNED THAT JUST LIKE AN AUTO YOU HAVE TO HAVE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE. MY PC WAS LOCKING UP TRYING TO ACCESS THE INTERNET. I NOW HAVE MUCH FASTER SPEED. IT’S TOO BAD THESE HACKERS HAVE TO RUIN SUCH WONDERFUL INTERNET ACCESS.

I WILL NOT HESTATE TO RECOMMEND RESCUECOM.
THANK YOU RESCUE TEAM.
DWANE W.
OVERLAND PARK, KS