Computer Support Blog

Image editing is a task most of us have to do on our computers at one point or another.  We often need to fix our vacation photographs, create a flier for an event, or a myriad of other possibilities.  Unfortunately, most image editors fall into two categories: they’re either simplistic and mostly useless or expensive and overly complex.  This doesn’t have to be the case.  Gus Mueller, founder of Flying Meat Software, has developed an image editor for Mac OS X called Acorn.  Mueller designed Acorn to be accessible for those who want to make their photo editing an easier experience. Read more »

Phishing attacks have become an increasing problem as of late both for everyday computer users and even major publications.  In the last month, there have been widespread phishing attacks aimed at both Apple and Twitter accounts.  These attacks come in the form of e-mails or web pages that seem as if they were from a service the recipient uses.  These e-mails trick recipients into giving over information, which then lets the cybercriminals access their accounts.

The phishing attacks aimed at Apple users mimicked an account verification page from Apple and prompted users to give their e-mail, credit card information, and account password.  This particular attack compromised over one hundred websites, which displayed the page that tricked Apple users into handing over their information.  Without proper Internet security service or software, it would be difficult to detect the attack for most people.  The intent of such attacks is to gain access to people’s Apple accounts.  Criminals will then sell the information or use it to compromise the accounts themselves. Read more »

 The world truly is interconnected by telecommunications technology now.  Even so, there are gaps in the worldwide network and the people who explore those gaps are often the individuals who would benefit most from having reliable technology.  Where smartphones may fail or one might find themselves out of network – on the open sea, in the wilderness, hiking and/or climbing – there are technologies that may allow you to communicate with the rest of the world and the mainstream communications networks.  One of the premiere companies providing such communication channels is DeLorme.  DeLorme has an impressive satellite network that allows its devices, like the Inreach For Smartphones, to operate wherever you are on Earth. Read more »

Given how very many companies now make docking stations for Apple mobile computing devices, it is fascinating to see how they try to differentiate their products from one another.  There is some irony in the fact that some of the most prominent brands to not capitalize on the most impressive aspect of their docking station.  Take, for example, the JBL OnTime Micro.  JBL’s main advertising campaign for the docking station focuses on the fact that is has an alarm clock built into it!  The JBL OnTime Micro is so much more than a glorified alarm clock, though. Read more »

The popularity of Apple’s mobile computing devices has led many manufacturers to create accessories that attempt to make Apple’s products even better.  While Apple’s mobile devices, like the iPad, iPhone, and iPod lines are convenient for travel, they may be less-than-ideal for presenting media in a home environment.  Seeking to augment the usefulness of your iPod or iPhone, Denon now makes a cool iPod/Networking Client Dock With Wi-Fi. Read more »

Even with the rise of the smartphone, the need for specialized personal safety devices persists.  For sure, a smartphone may be very helpful in a medical emergency or when there is a threat against your life.  However, with so many smartphones running sophisticated programs, one must often unlock their smartphone and wait for it to boot to a menu screen from which you select the applications you wish to use.  The time it takes to unlock your smartphone may be the moments – especially in a heart attack or assault situation – you need to actually be able to make an emergency call.  Fortunately, as communications devices have become more sophisticated, so too have the specialized emergency/personal safety devices.  One useful personal safety device is the ZOMM Wireless Leash Plus. Read more »

The name Hallmark Cards is virtually synonymous with greeting cards, much the way people refer to MP3 players as iPods or inline skates as Rollerblades.  To its credit in the rapidly changing world, Hallmark Cards has worked very hard to keep with the times and it has a robust online presence.  The physical greeting card manufacturer effectively competes against many online digital greeting card sites and Hallmark Cards continues to innovate.  Seeing the intense interest in mobile computing among many of its fans, Hallmark Cards has released the Hallmark Go Cards application! Read more »

With so many digital photography services online, it can be very hard for a new, emerging, or revamped service to effectively sell itself to its target demographic.  Digital photographers have a lot of choices these days, but with the rapidly changing nature of the Internet, recently several online photo editors and storage sites have been shut down, while new ones have sprouted up.  Making your online digital photo service seem fresh, new, and vital can be as much a marketing challenge as it is an issue of programming your service the right way.  For Shutterfly, the challenge of marketing the website and its many services falls to Katelyn Watson. Read more »

The results are in for RESCUECOM’s Second Quarter 2012 Computer Reliability Report, which has Samsung taking the gold! Read more »

The smartphone is becomes a more vital piece of technology with each upgrade that manufacturers make.  What was once a basic communication device has transformed into a personal assistant, post office, shopping mall, video camera/camera, art studio and entertainment center!  The power of smartphones is impressive, but for all of their great qualities, each smartphone is limited by the size of its screen.  Smartphone screens are compact and no matter how good the resolution is on your smartphone screen, there are some things – like special effects-driven movies – that lose incredible amounts of detail simply by virtue of the screen size.  While you cannot make your smartphone screen bigger, you can make the images you see there bigger and for those who truly rely upon their smartphones for entertainment and storing business information, the BenQ Joybee GP2 may solve many issues with your small smartphone screen. Read more »