Computer Support Blog

Our desire for constant connectivity has given rise to free Wi-Fi networks in hotels, coffee shops, and airports.  At home, many of us take extensive Internet security precautions, yet when it comes to free Wi-Fi, we don’t seem to realize the dangers we open ourselves up to such as malware, viruses, and even identity theft.

So what exactly is the difference in terms of Internet security, between the free Wi-Fi networks and those we use at home or work?  It’s simple – there is no Internet security with Wi-Fi. Read more »

If you’ve ever been the victim of an Internet security attack, you’ve probably heard of the Windows registry.  The registry is a prime target for the producers of malware.  However, most of us have very little understanding of the registry or its connection to Internet security.

The Windows registry is the foundation of your computer.  It is made up of thousands of folders called “keys” containing the basic instructions and information a computer needs to run.  Because it’s so complex, most typical computer users stay clear of it.  Read more »

RESCUECOM’s computer support specialists handle hundreds of calls every week, giving them a sense of what the biggest Internet security threats currently are.

“Right now,” says Stanley Memmelaar a member of RESCUECOM’s sales team, “the AV virus is the number one Internet security problem.” Read more »

After long priding itself on being ahead of the pack, Apple took an odd stance at its press conference today.

It lumped itself in with everyone else.

Claiming that the iPhone 4 antenna issue is an industry wide problem and not an Apple repair issue, company CEO Steve Jobs said that “no one has solved this problem.”

This came after denying that there even was a problem. Read more »

In RESCUECOM’s Annual Computer Reliability Report, Apple ranked as the most reliable company in terms of computer repair and computer support.  In 2010’s first quarter report, Apple slipped to number three, but earned higher reliability scores.

Until the recent issues with the iPhone 4, Apple’s image has been one of reliability, high quality computer support, and quality computer repair.

Apple has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow to discuss the iPhone 4, giving itself a chance to restore that image.  Read more »

Before purchasing a new computer, most consumers do research on the specs of various products, looking to find the one that best suits their needs.  What’s often overlooked is the computer support and computer repair records of the companies behind the machines.  “Consumers need to know that those records may be more important than the computer’s specs,” says RESCUECOM CEO David Milman. Read more »

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 »

Summertime brings unique computer repair problems. Overheating is the obvious computer repair culprit, but RESCUECOM’s computer support specialists caution that power surges and blackouts can also lead to computer repair.

The top heat related threats and how to combat them: Read more »

Your business needs technology, and that technology doesn’t always work.  So how do you choose where to go for your computer repair and business support needs?

Business technology used to be simple: a computer or two, a phone, and maybe a fax machine.

Today’s technology is far more complicated.  Most businesses, even the small ones, rely on multiple pieces of technology, from networked computers, to printers, to servers, and that’s just the hardware.  When you add in software such as different operating systems, office productivity suites, email, scheduling, and payroll programs, many businesses find themselves dependant on technology that isn’t always reliable.

When technology isn’t reliable, you need business support and computer repair that is. Read more »

Recently, Sony recalled over 500,000 Vaio laptops.  The reason behind the recall was a common laptop computer issue: overheating.  In this case though, it went beyond a standard computer repair problem.  The Vaios overheated to the point of melting parts of the computer and becoming a burn risk for users.  With this computer repair issue in the news, RESCUECOM feels now is an excellent time to remind laptop users of the dangers of overheating.

First, it’s valuable to know that a laptop computer that simply feels hot does not necessarily need computer repair.  Modern laptop computers are designed to run with almost as much power and speed as desktop PCs.  However, with considerably less space for cooling systems, sometimes laptop computers can get a bit hot. Read more »