Computer Support Blog

 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 »

Virtually every musical artist will tell you that when they created their music, they did not format it in such a way that the ideal presentation would come from a pair of ear buds.  Most musicians create music that resonates in the open air or rattles the wall from the depth of sound it produces.  An entire generation is being raised on digital music players where the priority is portability, not sound quality.  But that generation is not lost yet; many manufactures are producing docking systems that allow you to play music from your portable music devices over a more sophisticated speaker system than the native ones.  For fans of Apple portable music and computing devices, there is the iOnly Bass Docking System. 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 »

Manufacturers of many new devices aim to make them sleek, digital, and surprisingly uniform.  While many consumers, youth especially, eagerly buy up the latest tech, there is a growing consumer movement that makes such purchases less because they love the design and more because it is simply what they are forced to accept.  For many people, the purchase of a new smartphone or tablet computer is made simultaneous to or followed soon after by the purchase of a case or protector.  While the purchase of a protector is obviously about keeping one’s smartphone safe, many people choose their case or protector as a way to differentiate their smartphone from other people’s smartphone.  Accessorizing allows you to express your own personal sense of style.  One of the most eclectic and cool accessories flies very much in the face of manufacturer’s obsession with making technology smaller and button free and that is the POP Phone by Native Union. 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 »

As more states crack down on texting while driving and the usage of smartphones while driving, innovative companies continue to make it easier to enjoy most of the essential functions of your smartphone as a hands free device.  Companies like are ahead of the curve, creating intriguing, fun, and useful hands free devices before the law mandates that drivers must have them.  In states where hands free laws are going into effect, Jabra may have an advantage as users who enjoy their products are readily recommending them to their friends even before the laws change.  One of the most lauded Jabra products with the Jabra Freeway. 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 »