Computer Support Blog

Anyone who has visited a historical site or virtually any tourist destination has seen graffiti.  At many destinations, unsightly graffiti covers most available surface. Often, graffiti is just names and dates from former visitors, but it can be much more than that. Some people even write or carve poems or song lyrics into whatever space they find available. Usually there are several visible layers of the graffiti and more underneath. It can be very tempting to add your own mark to that wall, bench, or tree, but what if there was a better, legal, way to leave a piece of yourself behind? Read more »

Learning a new musical instrument is never easy.  But, following the demise of Guitar Hero, there is – as one might suspect – an app for that!  Now, those who want to learn to play the guitar need only a guitar, an iPad, and Wild Chords to get started on a road to musical proficiency!

Wild Chords is an application, currently exclusively available for the Apple iPad, that helps teach you how to play the guitar.  In order to use Wild Chords, all you need is a guitar and an iPad; you do not need speakers or an amplifier if you are using an electric guitar.  In fact, if you are using an electric guitar, you have to unplug it from other equipment – like an amp – because the distortion from other equipment affects the program.  Even if you have never picked up a guitar before, Ovelin – the app’s publisher – is confident that Wild Chords can teach you.

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One of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions in the United States is to make a commitment to lose weight or improve your health through better management of your diet.  To that end, there are a lot of impressive ways that technology can help you in your fight to lose weight.  Sites like CalorieCount and devices like the DietMate Weight Loss Computer can be real assets if you are trying to lose weight.  But, if you do not want to buy a new computer device or if you eat out a lot, those products may not work well for you.  For you, there is the YumPower app!

YumPower is an application for smartphones from HealthPartners.  The premise of the application is ridiculously simple; when you tell the app your current location and the type of diet you are on, it finds proximate restaurants to you that will meet your dietary needs.  Even more impressive, YumPower not only indicates which restaurants you can eat at, but it informs you of the menu items that meet your dietary needs.  So, for example, YumPower asserts that for those who are on a low calorie diet, Denny’s has nine options for your dining pleasure!

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The process of driving has become more difficult with the proliferation of new technologies and the distractions those technologies represent.  With the rise of the cell phone, drivers suddenly had phone calls to distract them from driving safely.  While the utterly ineffectual laws requiring hands free devices sought to curb that problem, legislators had no idea how fast the smartphone would take over.  With the smartphone beginning to dominate the mobile phone market, drivers have even more to be distracted by.  Ford Motors, however, has come up with a solution, through their SYNC system!

The Synch AppLink is a new function of the Microsoft-powered Synch platform.  Synch is essentially the operating system for the computers aboard cars from Ford Motors.  Just as Windows may run your PC, Synch runs the onboard computer on Ford vehicles.  Synch monitors your Ford’s status and provides you – and your mechanic – with clear alerts when there is a malfunction within the car.  Synch also assists you in adjusting the frills in your car, like adjusting the radio station or volume.

Now, Microsoft has enhanced the Synch system with Synch AppLink.  Synch AppLink acts as a bridge between the Synch system and your smartphone.  Because Windows occupies such a small market share of the smartphone OS market, it was impractical to create a system for Ford that exclusively interfaced with only Windows-driven smartphones.  So, Microsoft created the Synch AppLink.

The Synch AppLink allows you to access compatible applications on your smartphone through the Synch system.  After docking your smartphone with your Ford, you may give Synch voice commands.  By activating the Synch AppLink, you will be able to give voice commands to activate compatible applications on your smartphone.  If, for example, you subscribe to the Internet radio station Pandora through your smartphone, you would be able to command the Synch AppLink to open the Pandora app.  Within seconds, you would be listening to Internet-based radio streaming from your smartphone to your Ford’s speakers all using the Synch AppLink!

The Synch AppLink is adding compatibility to new programs daily.  In addition to music apps like Pandora and Stitcher, the Synch AppLink has some compatibility with Twitter.  While hands free typing may not yet be available through Synch AppLink, you may now check your Twitterfeed through the Synch AppLink!  Even as you drive away from home, you may remain connected to your friends!

With the Synch AppLink, hands free usage of smartphones is becoming easier and that should make everyone on the road happier!

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 users of Windows and its associated applications, the news is not good this morning.

Noted Internet security researcher HD Moore, of Rapid 7, reported Wednesday that 40 different Windows applications have serious security vulnerability.

The vulnerabilities are, according to Moore, similar to one found in Apple’s iTunes for Windows.  Apple has patched the vulnerability in that program. Read more »