Computer Support Blog

We already have desktops, notebooks, netbooks, and tablets. It seems that covers all the bases, right? Apparently not. Ultrabooks, the newest line of portable computing devices, are supposedly the “next big thing” in computers.

An ultrabook should to fit easily in the space between laptops and tablets. They have plenty of processing power, but are light, portable, and start immediately just like tablets. They are made to be taken everywhere like a tablet, but they come with the ease of the built-in full-size keyboard of a laptop.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012, almost every computer company had an ultrabook on display. Most of these ultrabooks are less than .8” thick and have screens between 11” and 14”. Ultrabook batteries will to last between 5 and 9 hours depending on how much processing power you use. They have the power of a regular laptop squeezed into a much smaller case. According to InformationWeek, this is accomplished mostly by removing the hard disk drives and replacing them with solid-state disk (SSD) storage, which is much smaller and faster.

The problem with including SSD storage in every ultrabook is that this kind of storage is much more expensive than a standard hard drive. That means that ultrabooks run at much higher prices that laptops or tablets. While most ultrabooks range between $800 and $1,000, you can buy a great laptop for less than $600.

If you already have a notebook, netbook, or tablet and you do not really need an ultrabook, why not consider upgrading? There are a few things you can do to make the computer you already own run better. Any computer repair or computer support specialist, such as those at RESCUECOM, can help you with upgrading your computer. Here are a few things you might look into when thinking about an upgrade:

• Backup files, then remove them from the computer
• Get rid of unnecessary programs
• De-Fragment the hard drive
• Add more memory (RAM)
• Replace the old or add a new hard drive

What you need to do in order to upgrade your computer is based on what kind of computer you already have and what you want it to do. The best way to determine what you might want done is to call a computer support specialist and discuss your needs with him or her. Not everyone can afford to buy a brand-new ultrabook or a new laptop every two years, but there are many affordable solutions that can speed up the computer you already own.

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 iPad dominating the tablet computer market, it is very hard for Apple Computers to claim fiercely individual people as their key demographic any longer.  Such is the price of fame; if you market to the outsiders and your product becomes mainstream, it is virtually impossible to win back the demographic that built or revitalized your company.  As those who value their sense of individuality depart from the Apple brand, they are left to figure out what company’s product will fill the same niche.  The best choice for tablet computers may come from Sony, which is ironic considering how massive a company Sony is.

The Sony Tablet S is the best option for those who want a tablet computer that offers a lot of the computing power and style of an Apple iPad without the expense or issues that accompany the iPad.  Sony Tablet S tablet computers start at the same price as the equivalent iPad, though Sony puts them on sale with greater frequency than Apple discounts the iPad.  The Sony Tablet S is about the same size and weight as an iPad.  The Tablet S features a bright 9.4” (diagonal measurement) touchscreen.

Sony’s Tablet S has a 16 GB storage capacity, though the higher-end Tablet S has 32 GB available storage space.  The Tablet S has an innovative design as it almost appears like a magazine rolled back on itself.  Thus, the thin screen rests on a thin platform.  This design serves two very cool functions.  When the Tablet S is oriented in a landscape orientation for watching movies, surfing the web or composing written works, the rounded, raised top helps reduce neck strain.  When using the touchscreen keyboard in this configuration, the design also reduces finger stress like an ergonomic keyboard would!  When oriented in portrait orientation, the design of the Tablet S makes it very easy to use as an e-reader.  The rounded side is comfortable to the grip, especially when you are holding it that way for long periods of time.

Perhaps the key selling point of the Tablet S is its compatibility with Android smartphones.  As the Android OS has become exceptionally popular, many programmers are using the OS for their new apps.  As an Android-compatible device, the Sony Tablet S has a wide array of apps currently available and many, many more in development.  Because of the stability and popularity of the Android platform, the Tablet S will remain a relevant tablet computer for years to come!

The Tablet S is able to stream movies and music from the Cloud, offering you an incredible selection of available media works.

The Sony Tablet S allows anyone who already has an Android-powered smartphone to synergize their tablet for a powerful computing and communication’s tool.  For those looking to get away from Apple, Sony and Android present great options, with the Tablet S as the tablet computer cornerstone.

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

It seems that no matter whom you talk to recently, everyone has his or her favorite browser. If you express any other opinion, you may find yourself in a debate over which is the best browser, but how can you know which is the best browser if you do not know about the different choices?

The four most popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari. Internet Explorer, commonly shortened to IE, has the most users with a market share of 52%, according to NetMarketShare. IE is the default browser preloaded onto most computers and many people simply use it out of convenience, however, it is by no means the fastest or sleekest of the choices. IE does not have the internal spell check function that the other three have, and it is the only one that does not support Macs.

Firefox is slower than IE in start-up time, but faster in navigation time and with 22% market share, Firefox is the second-most popular browser available.  One of the downsides of Firefox, however, is that it does not use thumbnail previews to allow users to preview pages by hovering over the tab.

Google Chrome, the newest of the popular browsers, has been rapidly growing in popularity. Chrome’s market share is currently at 19 percent after only three years. The best features of Chrome include its speed, simple design, and the Omnibox, which allows users to search directly in the address bar.

Safari, made by Apple, has the smallest market share of the popular browsers with only 5%. This could be because its main market is Macs. There is a Windows version, but with the other great browsers available, it is possible that PC users have already made their choice. The best things about Safari are its great look and the convenient gallery of most-browsed sites.

The best choices in terms of Internet security are Firefox and Chrome. Firefox has a ‘private mode’ that can be turned on, in order to increase your Internet security, which does not affect how your browser appears. Chrome uses ‘sandboxing,’ which means that each tab runs on its own and therefore better contains any threat to your Internet security. IE has good security, but it is not quite of the innovative quality of Firefox or Chrome. Safari does not have a private mode or anti-phishing capabilities, according to NetMarketShare.

Overall, there is no ‘best browser’ out there. Each one features different benefits, so choose one based on what you want out of your browser. Chrome fades into the background, Firefox is the fastest, IE is the most popular, and Safari has the reliability of Apple. Each one is unique and targeted at different browsing needs, but there is no rule that says you only have to have one. Try them all and keep whatever works for you, or use different browsers for different things – it is all up to 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

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

Everyone does it and no one really thinks about it. You register on a new website and your browser automatically asks if you want to save your password. If the computer belongs to you, you think, “Sure, why not?” and click ok. Unfortunately, there could be some major consequences to that little decision.

If your computer were ever stolen, the thieves would have instant access to all of your sites. They could get into your email, your social networking sites, your online shopping accounts, and any other website for which you have saved the password.

Even if that never happens, saving passwords in your browser does not make them secure passwords. Most browsers have a way to look up all the saved passwords, usually under the ‘tools’ or ‘settings’ menu. Anyone with access to your computer can find this registry of your saved passwords and use them.

Malware can also get into your computer and find these passwords in the same manner. If you have poor Internet security, malware can even steal these passwords undetected. Sometimes even a scan specifically designed to detect malware programs does not find them.

There are a few options available, however, to make certain you have secure passwords. At home, the easiest thing to do is simply write them down and keep them near the computer. Unfortunately, you would then have to re-enter them every time you login to the website.

Another thing to consider is that there are programs that will keep your secure passwords safe. These kinds of programs have a master password that you can set-up, which you must enter once each time you open your browser, that will then unlock all the saved secure passwords. This eliminates the need to constantly re-enter all of your passwords on different sites, but the problem with this is that you cannot ever re-set the master password, even if you forget it.

If you do not want to use either of these options but tend to forget your passwords, you can always keep changing your passwords using the ‘forgot password’ feature on the website. Most websites make this an easy and quick process, and it is another way to make sure you are using secure passwords.

Fortunately, if you ever do run into problems stemming from lost or stolen passwords, you can easily get computer support help from a computer repair company such as RESCUECOM. If you follow the tips above, however, you should have fewer worries about whether or not you have secure passwords.

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

Marketing used to be a far more limited industry before the Internet.  With the rise of viral videos, the release of a movie trailer on the Internet can become a phenomenon in and of itself.  Viral marketing campaigns on the Internet have been known to make obscure movies with little potential appeal into cultural phenomena.  No one seems to understand the role of changing technologies in promoting films than Sue Kroll.

Sue Kroll is the President of Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures.  She has held the role since January 2008, when the position was created for her.  Prior to 2008, Sue Kroll served as Warner Bros. President of the International Marketing Division, a post she assumed in 2000.  The change in title is hardly just a semantic one; Kroll’s successes at promoting Warner Bros. films internationally led to the breakdown in barriers between the domestic and international divisions at Warner Bros!  By combining the domestic and international divisions into a worldwide marketing team, Kroll has rebranded Warner Bros. movies throughout the world.  That new, consistent, message has resonated with moviegoers around the world as her efforts made international phenomena out of the Harry Potter film saga, The Matrix sequels and the Oceans franchise!

Kroll rose through the ranks at Warner Bros. after working for Viacom and Turner Broadcasting.  While working for Turner Broadcasting, she was responsible for bringing TNT and the Cartoon Network to Europe.  One need only consider EuroDisney to know that not every American idea takes root overseas, but with Kroll’s guidance and market savvy, she literally built the Turner Broadcasting network in Europe!

At Warner Bros, Susan Kroll has refined her position and strengthened Warner Bros. position by being responsive to new technologies.  A key part of Susan Kroll’s international strategy to promote films is to respond to the market and adapt.  For example, when the first trailer for Green Lantern did not spark the enthusiasm and viral status on the Internet that Warner Bros. hoped, Kroll altered the marketing approach.  She waited until all of the special effects for Green Lantern were completed and released the new trailers a comparatively short time before the film was theatrically released.  By promoting the special effects right before the movie came out, Kroll created a type of “impulse item” demand for the movie that made it enough of a success at the box-office for Warner Bros. to consider building the film into a franchise.

Susan Kroll is one of the most powerful women in media today and she retains her authority in the marketplace, in part, by using the fantastic technological tools now available to her!

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

Most people do not even realize that using a computer mouse too often or for too long can cause injuries to the wrist or hand. These types of injuries are called Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) and can be very painful. The wrong position of the hand when using a computer mouse can cause an RSI, and the injured person might not be able to use his or her hand for quite some time.

There are many different types of mice to help prevent these injuries. They range from those that look like a normal mouse turned on its side to those that resemble joysticks. Each one has an ergonomic design to support your hand and wrist in a manner that will help prevent RSIs.

Many of these oddly shaped ergonomic mice are for use with either the right or the left hand exclusively and are not interchangeable. Before purchasing an ergonomic mouse, it is important to realize that only some of these mice can switch back and forth between right-handed and left-handed and to purchase accordingly.

One new design that attempts to save your wrist from an RSI, and to be easy to use, is the AirMouse. AirMouse is wireless, is worn on the hand, and it only has to be recharged about once a week.

AirMouse is an optical mouse but mostly uses its position relative to the ligaments in your hand to move. This mouse can work more precisely, faster, and with less effort than other mice because you wear it as if it is a glove. It should save your hand and wrist from the damaging effects of an RSI because you can hold it in a comfortable, healthy position as well as change positions frequently.

For anyone who works on a computer all day long, these ergonomically designed mice would be a great investment in order to save you from injuries down the road. But if you cannot afford an expensive new mouse, then here are a few tips from SeatingErgonomics that you can use to help keep your wrist healthier:

• Make sure your hand and wrist are straight when using your mouse. Do not hold the mouse at an angle in any direction.
• Keep the mouse close to your keyboard and to your body so that you are not reaching for it.
• Hold the mouse loosely and comfortably.
• Move the mouse with your entire arm, not just your wrist.
• Do not hold your index finger up when not clicking.

If you have any doubts about what kind of mouse would work best for you, it is always a great idea to get help. The computer experts at RESCUECOM would be glad to help you with any computer upgrade or computer repair questions you have.

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

Tax season is officially upon us!  Sure, you could procrastinate and wait until April 15 to get your taxes in at the last minute or you could make a change this year for the better!  Maybe you are waiting a few weeks to earn enough money to pay a tax service to prepare and file your taxes for you.  Whatever your excuse for not filing your taxes the same day you get your last W-2 in the mail, you are out of excuses!  For those who make less than $58,000 in adjusted gross income, the IRS now has a surprisingly cool product that makes procrastination seem utterly passé.  The program is called Free File and it is part of the federal government’s attempt to make paying taxes easier and more hip.

Free File allows you to use your computer to pay your taxes and it boasts the fastest speed for a return for any free service, which makes sense as the program is directly through the IRS!  Free File may get you your tax refund within ten days when you select direct deposit as your refund option.  Fear not!  If you use the Free File software and determine you actually owe the federal government money, you still have until April 15 to pay your taxes!

Off your computer, you need your W-2, 1099 and other tax forms ready and organized.  It helps if you have your prior year’s tax return as well.  On your prior year’s tax return, you will be able to see what your adjusted gross income was.  If you have not gotten a significant raise or taken on more jobs, your adjusted gross income is likely to be in the ballpark for this year.  If your adjusted gross income is less than $58,000, you may use the Internal Revenue Service’s Free File.

If you qualify for the income threshold, you must establish an account for Free File directly through the IRS website.  While the usual concerns about Internet security persist, Free File is more secure than most tax filing systems as the IRS is cutting out the middleman.  Because you are transmitting your data directly to the IRS, there are fewer opportunities for data thieves to access your personal financial information.

More than just a means for filling out tax forms, Free File brings the power of reputable tax calculation software to bear.  The IRS teamed with twenty tax computing companies to offer tax calculation software free to citizens using Free File.  As a result, you no longer have to pay to use software that helps you calculate your tax debt and refund.  Free File calculates your taxes and files your taxes, ensuring accuracy, speed and efficiency.

It is a weird system of government that expects citizens to pay taxes but then makes paying taxes such a complicated process that only a paid professional would understand it.  The IRS makes the process simple again with powerful, free software through Free File.

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 influx of new technologies for computers has not made everything better.  If you owned your PC for many years, it is entirely probable that you have an old mouse or keyboard that you like.  Perhaps it is an ergonomic keyboard that you are very comfortable with.  Maybe you have a customized computer mouse that matches both your grip and your sense of style.  Many of the older computer peripherals like mice and keyboards connected to the computer through specialized PS/2 ports.  Many PCs and laptop computers today are manufactured without that special port.  As more computers adapt the USB interface format exclusively, those who have favorite older peripherals are compelled to upgrade their accessories in addition to their systems.

Fortunately, StarTech is here to help consumers who have the computer accessories they were happy with and do not want to change!  StarTech manufactures a PS/2 mouse to USB adapter.  They also have an adapter that transforms any PS/2 keyboard into a USB-compatible device.  These are very simple devices, but both are very cool.

The StarTech PS/2 Mouse to USB Adapter is a white plastic and metal device around 1 ½” in length.  It is a solid adapter that features a female PS/2 Mouse port and a male USB connector.  To use the adapter, simply plug the male end of your favorite older computer mouse into the female end of the adapter.  The adapter and mouse will now plug into any female USB port.  Through this adapter, you will be able to use any older mouse on any plug-and-play capable computer or computer device.

In an identical fashion, StarTech’s PS/2 Keyboard to USB Adapter allows you to continue using your favorite older keyboard on your newer systems.  Color coded purple like the standardized PS/2 keyboard jack, StarTech’s PS/2 Keyboard to USB Adapter features a female PS/2 port and a male USB jack.  Simply plugging the USB jack of the adapter into any USB-compatible device allows you to then plug your favorite keyboard into the jack and continue using it.  In this way, you may use your already-purchased ergonomic keyboard or keyboard with sentimental value on your new, faster computer.

Just because technology is changing, you should not have to give up the devices you already own and love.  StarTech’s PS/2 Mouse and PS/2 Keyboard adapters allow you to use the peripherals you enjoy with the benefits of your new computer device!

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