Computer Support Blog

Smartphones, just like ordinary computers, need regular tech support and are certainly not immune to needing smartphone computer repairs. It’s not uncommon to delay getting smartphone computer repairs because we can’t part with our devices for more than a few hours. Still, when a smartphone remain without the right kind of tech support for long, smartphone computer repair may become inevitable.

To delay the need for expensive remedial tech support or smartphone computer repair, try to keep these tips in mind.

1)   Leave the heavy stuff for the pros—if the back cover of your smartphone is scratched, you probably don’t need any kind of serious smartphone computer repair. Simply buy a new cover and replace the damaged one. When the damage is more severe than a scratched cover, though, you’re better off not messing with your device and getting professional smartphone computer support. Internal hardware failure, especially, is not something you even want to try to fix. Trying to provide your own smartphone computer repair can end up costing you more than a professional smartphone computer repair service.

2)   Keep it healthy on the inside—when your device gets clunky with apps or folders, consider taking it to an expert to get the right kind of tech support. Most smartphones have auto update functions for their software but if you notice your smartphone not doing this, you should get expert tech support from a tech support provider with a proven track record of providing excellent computer and smartphone tech support like Rescuecom.

3)   Keep it healthy on the outside—when you accidentally hit your hand against the desk and it bruises, you usually don’t panic too much. In a few days, it’ll heal itself. Sadly, smartphones don’t have regenerative cells. When the case gets scratched, it’ll stay scratched. The same goes for the screen: it will need professional smartphone computer repair. Be gentle when using your phone. Buy a protective shell to reduce the risk of damage from an external physical force. Accidents happen, so make sure you ensure your phone against those nasty drops by using a sturdy cover.

Smartphone computer repair can be pricey. A small problem with the screen might require extensive smartphone computer repair to replace the entire outside shell, for example. And as always, prevention is the best cure. Regular tech support and graceful handling can delay the need for smartphone computer repair.

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

Apple’s iPhone computer support personnel gave a press release on November 2, 2011 about customer complaints concerning their iPhone 4S.  Specifically, customers complained that the battery of the iPhone 4S was draining too quickly. Apple’s iPhone computer support staff said in the statement that the problems are the result of bugs in the iOS5 operating system.  This could mean trouble for Apple’s holiday sales, since other phone network service providers are standing by to pick up any slack.

The iPhone 4S hit shelves last month, and shortly after that, complaints began to come in to iPhone computer support hotlines.  Some customers reported that the iPhone 4S was drawing power even while in stand-by mode, and would go from a full charge to empty in as little as four hours.  Others stated that using the phone network service for as little as ten to fifteen minutes resulted in a ten percent loss in battery life.

The statement released by Apple’s iPhone computer support staff acknowledged the problem while avoiding any mention of a specific cause.  What the statement made clear is that the problems with the phone network service stem from a software issue, and that iPhone computer support personnel expect to release an update in a few weeks.

Here are a few things you can do to extend your battery life until iPhone computer support publishes the fix:

1) Turn down the brightness of your screen.   Less light emitted means less power drawn, which leads to a longer-lived battery.

2) Turn your wireless connections off when you’re not using them.  Many phone network services have features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or 3G wireless connections, which run in the background of the phone and increase power drain.  Turning these phone network services off when you don’t need them will help extend the life of your battery.

3) Be aware of the locator feature.  The iPhone 4S phone network service is constantly pinging GPS and cell-towers to find the phone’s location.  This allows the phone network service to do things like give you a local weather update, or find restaurants in your area.  While this feature enables the phone network service to do some neat things, the constant pinging is a real drain on your battery.  Some users concerned with their battery life have taken to turning this feature off unless they need it for something specific.

Though following each of these steps will result in slightly increased battery life, they are not a solution to the problem.  For a real solution, we’ll just have to wait until iPhone computer support releases their update in a few weeks.

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

Apple’s iPhone 4S has found its voice with Siri, the new digital assistant that comes integrated into the phone’s OS. The feature allows users to interact with their iPhones as if they were talking to a personal assistant, albeit one who has limited functionality. Siri lets users control functions using their voice; users can send messages, check and make changes to their calendars and even search for nearby restaurants.

Siri is different from other voice-operated systems or features because, according to Apple, it not only understands what people say, but also what they mean. It understands the contexts of requests and can keep track of the conversation. For example, when a user says “reply,” Siri automatically understands which message the user is referring to based on context.  Apple calls Siri proactive, meaning that it will keep asking its user questions until it actually understands what he or she wants to know.

The voice control functionality works extremely well with text messages. Users can ask Siri to read incoming texts and to respond by typing what they dictate. Likewise, Siri is programmed to work smoothly with the iPhone’s calendar application. Siri can check for appointments, make new ones, and remind its users when tasks or meetings are scheduled. This feature, coupled with Siri’s understanding of colloquialisms, makes it easy to say things like, “Make sure I remember to pay my credit card bill after work.”

Siri also keeps track of its user’s geographic location, so to get directions, users don’t need to load a map and enter the final destination; instead a user only needs to say, “Where’s the nearest gas station?” If Siri isn’t quite sure what’s being asked, it may ask its user more questions for clarification.

The voice recognition technology works fairly well when it comes to recognizing mumbles and whispers, according to Mark Milian who reviews the feature for CNN.

Siri currently works with several of the iPhone’s integrated apps like music player, calendar, text messaging, and Yelp; but it has some limitations. Siri can’t work with outside apps and will not be able to do so until third party apps can be tied to it. The feature can’t access the iPhone’s camera, nor can it take email or memo diction.

Siri talks to users in a female voice (except in France and the U.K. where it has a male voice) and doesn’t have a heavy computer-software accent, so it seems rather friendly. Thanks to the ongoing advances in anthropomorphic voice technology, Siri adapts its tone to suit its sentence’s intended meaning, and doesn’t sound completely like a robot reading strung together words.

Overall, Siri isn’t perfect yet; it has quite a few limitations and will require strong tech support to improve. Besides, many people may not feel comfortable talking to their phones in public. Still, Siri’s future is promising; it can only get better as it gets tied to third-party apps and as its voice recognition and tonality become more advanced.

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

A recent article on Yahoo.com named seven gadgets that will die out by the end of the decade. Among the seven gadgets are the stand-alone GPS and the low-end digital camera. According to the article, smartphones will take over both products’ functionality before long. We’ve already begun to see the demise of the stand-alone GPS as smartphone users turn more frequently to the navigation features readily available on their devices. As for cameras, well, the Apple’s iPhone 4S sports an 8 megapixel camera, as does Nokia’s new Lumia 800, which is more than what most people need for casual photography!

With the ubiquity and increasing sophistication of wireless network services, smartphones are able to do what previously took a specialized device to do, like give driving directions. Because wireless network service providers are constantly competing for customers, we’re seeing navigation systems rise to standard feature status along with faster speed networking.

Wireless network services have become such a regular component of modern technology that they have lost their appeal as a hot topic. Inter-device network services are on their way to becoming standard, too. Soon we will forget what it is like to use a wired network service that connects a camera to a computer device, which in turn often depends on a wired network service to connect to a printer.

With wireless network services becoming the standard form of network services, the centrality of smartphones will become fundamental to communication and entertainment. Smartphones are on their way to becoming one of the primary mediums for linking users to a plethora of options ranging from tech support to entertainment, from information to communication.

Of course, as smartphones morph into their new eclectic roles, they will also become more susceptible to breakdowns and may require more frequent tech support. Right now, users require a relatively low level of tech support for their separate products. For example, users may need simple tech support in handling a poor satellite signal on a GPS device. When several devices are incorporated into one, though, users might find themselves in need of more frequent tech support.

Still, the fact that increasingly sophisticated devices are likely to require more tech support should not deter anyone from endorsing them. After all, getting tech support for smartphones and modern electronics is becoming easier by the day thanks to almost instant tech support availability. With a wireless network service, for example, users can get remote tech support in minutes.

Wireless network services are becoming incredibly powerful, and with their help, smartphones are almost certainly going to become the main technological vessel for housing GPS devices and low-end digital cameras.

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 digital video making and viewing community came together a little more, recently.  Apple lifted the ban on Adobe Flash Player appearing in iPhone or iPad, ending online compatibility issues.

Last year, Apple refused to work with Flash, the most popular additional program for creating and viewing multi-media websites. The media creation and viewing program’s use restricted costumers to certain devices. Adobe blocked access to Flash from Apple devices. Apple’s continually expanding mobile devices struggled to view images and videos supported by the additional program.

Read more »

Cool Product: Attractions Application for iPhone and GPS

Vacation is more exciting and much easier when travelers do not dread planning the trip. Now, a helpful guide in finding the best destinations can come along. Fun attractions across the country now appear on Apple iPhones and GPS. RoadsideAmerica.com, known for suggesting oddities and attractions, has connected with Apple and Garmin to offer travelers mobile information on 6,000 or more national attractions and oddities.

RoadsideAmerica.com for iPhone users can get 6,700 places by choosing one of six geographic regions for $2.99, or the entire United States for $5.99 a year. Application users can plan trips around personal interests by browsing through favorite categories like music, technology, atomic, big, or 70 others. Travelers interested in the newest attractions can find “research” locations that do not appear online yet. Users can be the first visitors to the newest attractions.

Travelers can submit tips about the best parts of each attraction for future application users through the iPhone. Users can share pictures of attraction visits to the application, too.

Other fun features for the new application include

·         Been There!– The feature lets travelers mark visited sites and keep track of every trip and location.

·         Call attractions– One touch to a phone number lets the user call the attraction ahead with questions or to make reservations.

·         Save directions– Travelers can save directions to attractions to use again if the wireless connection is lost. Even if the phone is not working, visitors can have fun.

·         Editor ratings– Travelers can see what other users think about each location, and get help deciding about visiting.

·         Current information – Users can continually get updated information about hours, prices, and new places to visit.

RoadsideAmerica.com for GPS offers access to 6,000 roadside locations across the United States. Travelers can access directions to locations, attraction hours, available phone numbers for locations, and pictures of the attractions.  

Like on the iPhone, travelers can arrange a personalized journey with the lists based on each person’s favorite things to go see. Lists of interesting locations include statues, natural wonders, museums and architecture.

Garmin GPS devices and some TomTom devices accept the application from RoadsideAmerica.com. Every roadside location in the United States can appear on a GPS device for $19.99. Once the application is added to the GPS device, users can find any oddity or attraction in the country.

Both RoadsideAmerica.com for iPhone and RoadsideAmerica.com for GPS let travelers find great places to visit. The applications let users take a road trip without having to plan ahead. Fun can be found anywhere and now no one has to stop to find it.

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

Speculation and rumors are flying among techno enthusiasts about the much-anticipated, but highly speculative, release of an iPhone 5 from Apple.  A Chinese supplier of iPhone parts has reportedly leaked just enough information to spark the imagination of anyone following the developing news.

The speculation includes details about the design of Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone.  It has been said that the general look of the iPhone will be similar to the iPhone 4 except for two major differences – screen size and material.  Most sources seem to agree that the new iPhone will have a larger display screen, going with an edge-to-edge screen design.  A 4-inch display would compete well against Android device’s larger displays, yet no official source has pinpointed an exact screen size.

It has also been rumored that Apple will move away from the glass back, opting rather for something similar to the metal back of the first generation iPhone.  The glass back, reportedly, posed a problem for some iPhone 4 users due to scratching of the glass surface.  Reports from China sources have backed up the larger screen and metal back theories, so these design details seem to be likely.

Some less commonly held rumor speculations relate to the antenna for the new phone design.  The iPhone 4 reportedly had antenna problems, so whether the same wrap-around antenna design will be used or not is yet to be seen.

Certainly, the timing of the launch of the new iPhone product has been hotly debated.  Keeping in step with the rhythm Apple has established for its new iPhone releases, many have expected the new model to appear in late June or early July of this year.  Yet evidence is unclear whether or not this will happen.  Apple officially announced the annual Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC) will be held June 6-10 in San Francisco.  While there is no official confirmation that the iPhone 5, if that indeed will be the title given by Apple to the new device, will surface at this conference, Apple is known for keeping product unveilings secretive.

We’re also keeping tabs on rumors that indicate Apple’s iPhone 5 will include a dual-core A5 processor as well as enhanced voice control and iOS5.  A multi-core design would improve both battery life and performance.

Other possible features to ponder: Will the new iPhone be offered in white?  Will the iPhone 5 feature Near Field Communication (NFC)?  Will users be able to “wave and pay”?  It looks like we all will just have to wait upon Apple and see.  What do you think?  Login with your thoughts by joining the discussion on our Facebook or Twitter site.  We’d love to talk to you about it! 

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

Microsoft has chosen to re-renter the smartphone marketplace with a new OS – Windows Phone 7.  A highly anticipated and much debated entry into the mobile OS arena, WP7 is one of Microsoft’s most important releases in years.  To help you understand WP7 and decide whether it’s right for you, Rescuecom’s computer support and computer repair specialists share the five things you need to know about Windows Phone 7. Read more »

As long swirling rumors of a Verizon iPhone heat back up, Apple announced today that it has finally reached a partnership agreement with a carrier other than AT&T.

Staring later this month, Verizon retail stores will sell the Apple iPad.

The iPad will be both the first Apple product and the first tablet sold through Verizon stores when it hits shelves on October 28^th.  While this announcement is certain to add some fire to the iPhone rumors, the Apple-Verizon iPad partnership already seems like a victory for both sides. 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 »