Computer Support Blog

Around the holidays each year for the last five years, there have been two recognizable business trends.  The first trend is that more and more people are purchasing Christmas gifts online.  For 2011, Cyber Monday sales totaled $1.3 billion, making it the strongest online shopping day in history.  The trend toward shopping on the Internet as opposed to going out to crowded brick and mortar stores has been steadily growing since 2005.  Even as online shopping increases, brick and mortar stores have made it harder to return unwanted gifts after Christmas.

The trend against universal returns is an irksome one.  Sam Walton founded Wal-Mart as a customer service-driven retail store.  One of the principles Walton used when establishing Wal-Mart was that “the customer is always right.”  The advertising campaigns used to promote the first Wal-Mart super centers in the late 1980s restated that principle frequently.  At that time, Wal-Mart actively advertised a return policy so generous that they would accept returns, even if the item came from another store.  Now, however, Wal-Mart’s return policy is far less liberal or customer service oriented.  Wal-Mart.com’s return site requires order numbers and shipping information, even for gifts!  Wal-Mart stores accept returns without a receipt, even if the item was purchased online.  However, most returns without a receipt are only valid for store credit or exchange.  The only post-Christmas change to Wal-Mart’s return policy is that the store extends the return date for electronics to increase the amount of time you may return or exchange electronics.

Other major electronics or computer vendors are following that less customer-friendly return policy.  Apple Stores only accept unopened items with their original or gift receipt.  If you get an Apple iPhone as a gift, returning it after the holidays does not necessarily cancel your service commitment.  As a result, returning an iPhone means returning the physical phone and contacting your carrier to cancel service, and, with some contracts, you may not be able to cancel early without fees!

With most major stores requiring a receipt and your gift to be unopened in its original packaging, now it is more important than ever to be careful about dropping gift hints.  If you want a new laptop, smartphone or other computer device this holiday season, be precise when requesting it and be careful not to ask more than one person for the same thing.  The best defense against the miserly return policies of stores is to not have to make a return at all.

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

What do wild conspiracy theories and overheating laptop computers have in common?  Dean Haglund worked on both!  Dean Haglund is an actor and artist who portrayed Langley on The X-Files and its unfortunately too-short-lived spin-off The Lone Gunmen.  As Langley on the two shows, Haglund delighted geeks of all ages with the idea that bizarre theories could be reasonably pitched to otherwise professional people and that you can grow up, but you do not have to cut your hair.

Haglund is less commonly known for inventing the Chill Pak.  Almost a decade ago, Dean Haglund invented the Chill Pak and it remains a cool product (pun intended) to this day.  Like many laptop computer users, Dean Haglund spent a great deal of time on his laptop computer.  As a result, he would notice that his laptop computer’s fan would run excessively and that his computer would become physically hot to touch.  After correctly observing that the warmer his laptop computer became, the slower it ran, Haglund set to work solving the problem.

The Chill Pak was Haglund’s solution to laptop computer overheating and it is a surprisingly elegant one.  The Chill Pak is a patented mat for under your computer.  The Chill Pak comes as a mat filled with gel and when you first receive it, you need to place it in your freezer.  After about twelve hours of freezing, the Chill Pak works like an ice pack for your laptop computer.  Placed underneath your laptop computer, the Chill Pak significantly cools down your laptop computer’s internal components.  The result is that your laptop computer’s fan will not engage, so your laptop runs quieter as well as faster.  The Chill Pak operates for four hours at normal room temperature before the gel fully liquefies and needs to be refrozen.

But what about moisture in the air condensing on the Chill Pak as it heat up?  Dean Haglund thought of that!  The Chill Pak is made of a special fabric designed to absorb and wick away moisture.  As a result, the Chill Pak cools down your computer without getting it wet and necessitating laptop computer repairs!

There are a lot of solutions on the market now for cooling down your laptop computer, which was not true when Haglund invented the Chill Pak.  External laptop fans are noisy and use up a USB port on your laptop computer.  Similar crystal/gel mats do not keep laptop computers as cool for nearly as long as the Chill Pak.

Dean Haglund brought one of the first, most effective, laptop computer cooling devices to market with the Chill Pak.  The fact that it is still a relevant, functional product almost a decade since it was first released makes the Chill Pak very cool.

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 iPhone 4S has been the subject of a lot of writing in the blogosphere lately, especially pertaining to the phone’s failing batteries.  Because of all the press the iPhone 4S receives about the defects, sometimes it is hard to overlook all that this smartphone can do.  While there are already rumors abounding that the iPhone 5 is in various stages of development or production, the iPhone 4S has a lot to recommend it.  In fact, there are so many improvements in the iPhone 4S over the iPhone 3 that it is easy to see why the iPhone 4S is one of the hottest gifts for the 2011 Christmas season.  Because so little has changed with the physical appearance of the iPhone 4S, it may not be evident to casual observers just how much has changed with this upgrade to the iPhone.

The back of the iPhone 4S features a camera and here Apple went for professional quality.  Rather than develop a separate Apple digital camera, the iPhone 4S includes an f/2.4 designed to make Apple competitive in the digital camera market.  The 8-megapixel resolution certainly is an improvement over most smartphone cameras!  In addition to the basic camera function, the Apple iPhone 4S includes a video recording ability.  The Apple iPhone 4S features video stabilization and produces 1080p HD movies.  Apple intends for the movie function, like the camera function, to appeal to professionals.  As a result, the iPhone 4S shoots movies at 30 frames per second and is loaded with tools to capture colors with vivid reality.

Inside the iPhone 4S are 2 A5 processors.  Because the iPhone 4S is designed for its computing – from running apps to playing Cloud-based movies seamlessly to accessing other online storage programs – the powerful processing speed of the two A5 chips is a big leap forward for iPhone users.  The two A5 chips service the Retina display screen.  Apple is touting the new Retina display for having a pixel density so tight that the naked eye cannot distinguish individual pixels.

Finally, the Apple iPhone 4S features Siri.  Siri is a digital personal assistant who talks to the user and responds to voice-activated commands.  In addition to talking on your iPhone 4S, you can now talk to your iPhone 4S.  It is almost surprising that with Siri, Apple’s advertising campaign was not “You are never alone with your iPhone 4S!”

Undoubtedly, the Apple iPhone 4S is a neat smartphone and it will remain one of the best smartphones on the market . . . at least until the iPhone 5 comes out.

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

Finding toys for people perpetually attached to their computers and smartphones used to be difficult.  Now, the market is flooded with various computer-programmed toys.  The coolest computer-driven toy for the 2011 holiday season is undoubtedly the Tankbot by Desk Pets.

The Tankbot is a small self-propelled robot designed for desktop play.  The futuristic looking robot features two treads for moving the robot across flat surfaces.  The Tankbots have a universal frame that looks like Desk Pets dropped a sports car on top of an all-terrain tank frame.  Desk Pets makes Tankbots in four different colors, with each color responding to a different frequency control.  You may play with multiple Tankbots without interference provided each Tankbot is a different color.

What makes the Tankbot so cool is that it has three different operating modes.  One mode allows the Tankbot to drive around without colliding into walls or other objects using its onboard sensor array.  The second mode allows the Tankbot to infuse personality with its movements.  In the second mode, the Tankbot does not simply drive in a straight line until it encounters an obstacle.  Instead, the Tankbot may meander, make sudden turns or otherwise drive as if it has a mind of its own.

The real selling point for those who love computers and gadgets, though, comes from use of the third mode.  In the third mode, the Tankbot responds to remote control signals.  What separates the Tankbot from simple remote control vehicles is the fact that your iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android smartphone may be transformed into a remote control!  You may download an app for one of the eleven supported devices and use your smartphone or other device as a remote.  Even more impressive is that the application allows you to program a course for the Tankbot to follow.  Using your smartphone or Apple product, you may set your Tankbot on a series of commands that takes the little vehicle up to fifteen minutes to complete!  The programmable nature of the Tankbot makes the toy an ideal one for inquisitive young people or bored computer fans.

The Tankbot recharges through a USB charger on the robot.  Simply plug the male USB lead into your computer’s female USB port and the Tankbot will recharge.  The Tankbot takes forty minutes to recharge and at full charge, it will run for fifteen minutes.  There are a lot of USB-driven devices on the market this year; the Tankbot is one of the coolest.

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 might seem obvious, but computers perform essential functions aboard the International Space Station and it is no surprise that computer support and computer repair are essential functions of the astronauts and cosmonauts who travel to the station.

The computer system aboard the International Space Station is a blend of technologies from several different countries, mostly the United States and Russia.  Since a computer worm infected the International Space Station in 2008, data on the operating system for the International Space Station has been classified.  Most computer support experts believe that, like the space shuttle, the operating system for the International Space Station is unique, custom written for the space station.

What is not a mystery is that the computers aboard the International Space Station have required quite a bit of computer support from personnel on Earth and computer repair from the astronauts and cosmonauts visiting and living on the station.  The International Space Station was assembled from at least sixteen modules from at least six countries over the course of a decade.  As a result, the International Space Station received computer support with every mission to connect the conflicting systems.  Networking the computers has been one of the top priorities each time a mission brought a new computer system to the space station.

With the computer network growing with each mission, astronauts and cosmonauts have brought laptop computers with them on the latest missions to provide computer support.  The astronauts and cosmonauts use the laptops to upgrade the outdated aspects of the station’s network.  Each new mission to the space station involves computer repair and adjustment.  Because the laptops are more modern, they often provide computer support to the newer modules and experiments brought up to the station.

For example, experiments like taking images of the oceans require computer support from the upgraded systems.  On August 12, 2011, the Naval Research Laboratory utilized an experimental payload designed to take images of oceanic topography to create a truer map of the Earth below the oceans.  The computer support system was integral to acquiring and processing the images from the advanced sensor array.  The sensor from the experiment could map the bottom of the ocean.  Because of the power of the sensor, computers are aiding in the exploration of the planet.  In a way, computers are protecting human life from environmental conditions where manned exploration is too hazardous.

While details on the exact programming of the computers aboard the International Space Station remains closely guarded, one thing is clear: like terrestrial computers, the computers aboard the International Space Station require frequent computer repairs and computer support from trained professionals.

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

Don’t Suffer from the Crash: Store Data Online

Crashing computers and multiple devices create difficulties in getting documents on demand. Entire papers can be lost, or the wanted photograph is on another device.  Online data storage offers a solution to the issue. Customers can arrange for a digital file cabinet for data files and avoid lengthy processes to recover or carry wanted items.

More customers use storage websites as more people grow more mobile. The number of available websites to store information also increases with the demand. Some options include: Carbonite.com, Dropbox, and MobileMe. Remember for expert and personal computer support, RESCUECOM offers a Remote Backup solution to protect all files against human or system errors through the device’s Internet connection. RESCUECOM’s trained technicians install the Remote Backup and will help retrieve lost information24 hours a day.

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Personal technology goes far beyond just a home computer. So, Microsoft designed an operating system modified to perform on many different personal devices. Windows 8, due to release next year, adapts to each product that runs it.

Rescuecom has five things customers need to know about the upcoming operating system.

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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.

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A new smartphone will thrill game system customers. Sony Ericsson launched Xperia Play recently, which acts both as a smartphone and as a game playing device. Gamers only need one device to play and talk while away from home.

Xperia Play runs the latest in Android technology, Gingerbread, giving customers the best technology to play games on small devices. Games and other applications perform well using a 1 gigahertz processor and an extra game processor. Images in the games are easy to see, and the colors are bright. The games also respond to control commands better than on most phones.

The most interesting part of the phone is how it physically adapts to allow gaming. The bottom half of the phone slides out for playing games and looks like a PlayStation control. Direction pads, control buttons, and pads in place of thumb sticks let gamers play as if at home. This game controller bottom makes the device bulky compared to other smartphones, but gives gamers a good hold while playing. The need for few devices excuses the larger size, as does the user’s hands not blocking the game view.

Six games come packaged on the phone already. Game titles include PlayStation favorites like Sims, Madden NFL 11 and Crash Bandicoot. The Xperia play does not offer PlayStation games exclusively. Different producers offer 60 titles for the Xperia. Sony Ericsson plans to increase the number to 150 game titles by the end of the year.

The process of getting new games on the phone will take time and some effort. Each game on Xperia Play must configure to fit into the processors used on the phone, so games cannot be transferred from other portable devices. Sony Ericsson assures game developers that existing mobile games can add the necessary support programming for the control pad easily.

Xperia Play also remembers to function as a phone. The actual telephone feature on the Xperia Play is a touchscreen system which behaves like most other Android smartphones. Sony Ericsson offers seven hours worth of talk time, or five hours worth of play time, before the battery needs recharging. Familiar applications like Twitter or Facebook links are still available for gamers who want to share scores.

Verizon Wireless started selling Xperia Play the last week of May for $199.99. Customers who like PlayStation and similar games will enjoy using the Xperia to continue the fun while away from the home game system. Sony Ericsson has added great gaming ability onto the networking capacity of the smartphone.

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