Bayside NY and the Internet

Throgs Neck Bridge

This post could be adopted for almost any city, town, area etc. I live in Bayside,NY and most of my customers also live here. I have wanted to do a blog post about Bayside for a while. Let me first say that for any of the products, businesses, etc. that I mention, I have not received any compensation or assurances, hints, discounts, etc of compensation as of July 7, 2011 for mentioning the products, businesses, etc in question by anyone.  Bayside is bordered by Douglaston and Little Neck on the east, Flushing, Fresh Meadows and Whitestone on the west, Long Island Sound on the North and Jamaica on the south.  Bayside includes the neighborhoods of Bay Terrace, Bayside Hills, and Oakland Gardens. forest hills, great neck

When doing a Google search using "Bayside" the band Bayside from Queens is shown on the first page as well as a few Bayside, NY related pages and other terms having Bayside in it. Searching under the term "Bayside NY" yields more related to the area. (Hotels, Bay Terrace Shopping Center, Bayside Historical Society are a few). north shore towers, forest hills, forest hills computer, forest hills computer repair

The local park is Fort Totten which gets a good amount of visitors for the views offered and the historical buildings. Check their website often as tours, fitness walks, canoeing are just a few of the things offered this summer. There will be other offerings in the fall. http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/forttotten/

Fort Totten

Bayside, NY also has many restaurants especially along Bell Blvd which is the main street and where most of the businesses are located. Doing a Google search "Bayside Restaurants" brings up a whole bunch of them mainly from Bayside, NY and also other locales such as Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach, Ca. Change your search to "Bayside NY Restaurants" for a more personalized listing. If you are interested in a particular ethnic cuisine just add that particular ethnic cuisine in your search terms. Note that adding a specific ethnic cuisine will possibly include restaurants outside of Bayside.

Bayside after the 2011 blizzard.

You can find out more about Bayside by using Facebook. Put "Bayside" in the search tab on top of the page and you get items for more than Bayside, NY including the band Bayside.  Putting "Bayside NY" gives you largely co-op and condo buildings at first, then a few local businesses. Bayside Queens goes a little further. You can request to join a group "Bayside Queens" for starters. You can also search based upon the "Bay Terrace" and "Bayside Hills" sections. Keep in mind that there are likely to be others by those same name. There is a Bay Terrace section of Staten Island and related items will also show up when searching "Bay Terrace".

Bayside has a prominent shopping center. The Bay Terrace Shopping Center is located in the Bay Terrace section and contains many well known stores and attracts shoppers from Bayside and the surrounding areas. It is a good place to meet for socializing as well as shopping. They also have a page on Facebook as well.

Another good search are the following Wikipedia sites:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayside,_Queens - Wikipedia article on Bayside.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Terrace,_Queens - Wikipedia article on Bay Terrace section of Bayside.
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Queens_neighborhoods - List of Queens neighborhoods by geographical location.

The Wikipedia entries noted above also provide selected external links that may be of interest. 

Bayside after the 2011 blizzard.

Last but not least by going onto Twitter (you do not need to log in) and putting the terms "Bayside NY" or "Bayside Queens" you may just find something of interest.

Throgs Neck Bridge

In all Bayside, NY is a nice area to live in or visit. See some of the pictures I have taken in the area and included. If you are new to or unfamiliar with the area, you can learn more about it by using the internet and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you live in Bayside, NY enjoy what Bayside has to offer.  If you don't, you will be welcomed with open arms when visiting.

If you have additional questions about storing information on the internet, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com 

My Facebook page provides information on the current goings on in the technology field. There are tips to better use your technology. For timely information, please visit and "Like" my page.

Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside, NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Combining iTunes Accounts

Yes you can combine the contents of iTunes accounts.

I have been getting questions from both married and non-married couples about merging their iTunes accounts. Currently and I do not anticipate this changing, you cannot merge iTunes accounts.  You can however combine the contents of more than one iTunes account which I have done for a few clients and it can be an involved process. What I will discuss here are issues to consider after combining the contents of the respective iTunes accounts into one iTunes account. For discussion purposes let’s assume that you will be using the iTunes account with your iPad. You can determine what in iTunes you wish synced to your device.

For your music, every song should be in at least one playlist. Not everyone including your significant other will like all of the same songs. As such, you will not want to sync all.  You can sync your music by any combination of playlists, artists, genres and albums. Having every song in at least one playlist provides you greater flexibility with these options. 

You also need to determine which apps on the combined iTunes account you want on your iPad. If you want apps on your iPad removed then in the Apps section under your iPad select those Apps you wish removed.

For any Movies, TV Shows and Podcasts on the combined iTunes account, select the option you wish for each.  You can choose not to sync them, all unplayed, 1 of the most recent unplayed, 5 of the most recent new, all, among other options. 

For Books, you can sync all, some or no books. Make your desired selection.

With photos, you will choose the pictures you wish synced to your iPad by folders. Again you can choose not to sync photos, sync from some or all folders. It is your choice.

As you can see the options are not all or none. You have a large amount of control over what you wish to have synced from the combined account to your iPad. Keep in mind that you also can change these selections later on. You are not locked into them.  

Becoming a couple can become an exciting time.  Successfully blending your iTunes contents can be another part of the experience.

If you have further questions about combining iTunes accounts, I can be contacted at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

Feel free to join the conversation and post comments and questions on my Facebook page at Computer Concierge NY LLC  . There also are tips there to better use your technology.

Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Do You Know Google Search Is More Than A Search Engine?

Most everyone knows the benefits of searching for things on the internet using Google as a search engine. What many do not realize is that Google's search engine is more than just that.

If you need an answer and cannot find a calculator Google does basic calculator functions.  This includes your basic (+, -, *, /) as well as percentages and raising a number to a power.  You can even do an equation such as the one in the example below.

Need to convert currency?  Enter the amount you wish to convert from to the currency you wish to convert to.  If needed, you do not even need to take into account US$.  Say you are going to Canada and need to convert to Canadian Dollars from US$.  Type "Convert" then the amount you wish to convert from to the currency you wish to convert to as shown.

And as long as we are discussing a financial application of Google search, if you wish to find the stock price of your favorite stocks you can do that as well. By typing “stocks: ?” where “?” represents the name of the listed company or its code on the exchange you can obtain an up to the minute stock price of the stock you are interested in.

If you wish to convert from quarts to gallons, going from English measurements to Metric such as miles to kilometers you can do that as well.  Also a great use when converting from Fahrenheit to Celsius when you are away and need to know the temperature in a measurement you are familiar with.

If you type in the following from the Google search bar; “Movie:11361” this will bring up Movie times and locations for the area of zip code 11361 for the current day.  On the left side you have the ability to change days for up to 3 days ahead. So if you are wondering what movie you and your friend or significant other wish to see Google is a great source for that as well.  Further type “Movie: The Amazing Spider-Man 11361” to see where The Amazing Spider-Man is playing in the vicinity of zip code 11361.

More and more of us are ordering merchandise online. Many vendors when they ship the goods to you will email you with a tracking number of your shipment. You can track the shipment using Google. In the search bar enter the package tracking number.  Google determines which carrier has the package and provides you with a link to the carrier status page for the shipment you are expecting where you can see where it is.  I have used this to track letters that I sent requesting a return receipt as well. 

As I mentioned earlier quite a few of us have Google set as our homepage. If you do, these queries can be done right from there. I am not suggesting that you set your homepage to Google.  That is a personal choice.

These are just a few ways that you can use Google search for more than the typical internet search.  If you have additional questions about storing information on the internet, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com

My Facebook page provides information on the current goings on in the technology field. There are tips to better use your technology. For timely information, please visit and "Like" my page.

Computer training and many types of computer repairs can be done remotely. If you or someone you know needs either training to better use your computer or repairs I am now doing it on a remote basis in addition to in person locally.

http://computerconciergeny.com/3/post/2012/10/joinme-how-to-use-to-allow-someone-to-remotely-view-and-control-your-computer.html takes you to a narrative to use Join.me. It is a very user friendly site and it is easy to temporarily allow control of your computer. I also did an online video as well which is on the following link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRSqpYNVQY

Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside, NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Want More Control Over What You See On Facebook?

Change the Sort for your Facebook Newsfeed and see more of what you perhaps wish to see.

Do you sometimes feel that Facebook restricts what posts you see from your friends?  Well that is not really true.  A simple setting will change the sort of what you see. The default is to sort by “Top Stories”.  Most people do not change this setting and see the top stories as determined by Facebook’s algorithm.

I have an iPad and Android phone in addition to my computer and on all I am able to change this setting to “Most Recent” from the default of “Top Stories” on all of them.  By doing this I have more control over what shows on my News Feed. You also may want to check this setting periodically as it may change from time to time.

So the next time you go on Facebook, if you have not already done so, change the setting to “Most Recent”.  Facebook has their idea of what their top stories are and this may conflict with your version.

If you have further questions about a tablet computers or other technology, I can be contacted at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside, NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Advantages of Microsoft Surface Over Apple’s iPad

Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC Owner with an Apple iPad at The Apple Store in New York.

My recent article showed some of the advantages of the Microsoft Surface over Apple’s iPad. The advantages are not all one sided.  Today I will look at this issue from the other side.  And there certainly are advantages that the iPad has over the Microsoft Surface.

A big advantage right now is that there are many more apps available for the iPad than the Surface.  I expect that this gap will lessen over time but for right now, this is a big advantage that the iPad offers.

If portability is important to you the iPad is thinner and lighter than the Surface as well.  In addition you can use the iPad for a slightly longer time before needing to recharge the battery.

If picture quality is important to you, the Apple iPad has Surface beat hands down.  Surface has a 1MP front and rear camera while the iPad has a 5MP rear camera and a 1.2MP front camera. That said, newer smartphones are likely to have an 8MP rear camera and likely a front camera that is about 1.2MP.

For a display, the iPad is the one to go with.  The retina display is superior and the higher resolution makes it more suitable for reading, watching movies and playing games.

You likely have heard of Siri, the personal assistant that comes with the iPhone. Well it also comes with the iPad.  Nothing like this is currently available with Surface.

While the iPad supports POP (Post office protocol), Surface does not. POP in addition to IMAP are the two most common internet standard protocols used to retrieve email. Microsoft offers workarounds and this is a factor to take into consideration.  Bottom line is that for the iPad connection to POP is a piece of cake.

When I purchased my iPad I did not purchase it new.  Rather I purchased a refurbished one online paying about 25% less than had I bought one new.  I get the same warranty and it went through the usual Apple tests and certifications. I also am very happy with it in this respect. Click on the link to the Apple Store to learn more. Note that the Apple Store does not sell refurbished items which of course includes the iPad.  

In my personal opinion the biggest advantage of the iPad is its ease of use.  This is particularly so if you have an iPhone as they both are similar to use. With Surface you first have to figure out how to navigate the tiles.  The charms bar is at the right of the screen and not readily visible.  I like that with the iPad I simply push the “On” button and proceed to click on the app I wish to use. While I am primarily a PC user, I found the iPad and iPhone both easy to learn as I do other Apple products.

So which is for you? It depends what is important to you.  In a nutshell if you are largely producing rather than consuming data take a long look at Surface. If ease of use and the display is important the iPad may very well be what you are looking for. Apple’s website has a lot more on the iPad if you wish to learn more about it.

If you have further questions about a tablet computers or other technology, I can be contacted at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

Computer Concierge NY LLC  on Facebook provides information on the current goings on in the technology field with tips to better use your technology. For timely information, please visit my page.

Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans

New Orleans just had the Super Bowl but Mardi Gras is just about here and you may be wondering why I am writing about Mardi Gras in a tech blog. Well first off if you want to see what is happening on Bourbon Street check out this webcam. If you want to know more about Mardi Gras including some tradition, history and videos then Mardigrasneworleans.com is the site you want to check. The website also has a schedule of the parade.

The Mardi Gras is also visible on social media. For those on Twitter, follow it all on @NOLAMardiGras.  You can follow the many tweets which also includes parade cams.  #paradecam is the hashtag used. #NOLA and #Mardigras will be popular hashtags on Twitter. For those familiar with the city, I found by going on Twitter that there will be a cam at Fat Henry's Bar on St. Charles Ave in the Uptown section. Check out the festivities by clicking on the link.  Also the St. Charles Streetcar does not run from Downtown during the parades.

Those on Facebook can go to the Mardi Gras page there. Quite a few posts, pictures and at last count about 12,000 people who "Like" this page. By doing a search for "Mardi Gras" you will get an idea of how it is celebrated in other cities.  And if that page doesn't have enough about theMardi Gras there is another one. Mardi Gras is another Facebook page. So there is certainly a Facebook presence here.

Of course there is more to New Orleans than Mardi Gras.  http://www.neworleansonline.com/ has more information on the big event going on there as well as upcoming festivals if you are unable to make it for Mardi Gras. There is also good information on things to do when besides the Mardi Gras. On a personal note , when I was last in New Orleans my wife we made sure to visit  Mardi Gras World. You get to see many of the costumes and floats from the Mardi Gras in the warehouse as well as some of them being made.  You may even get to wear a mask or two. The tour of the warehouse was truly something we both enjoyed.

Youtube has videos of some past Mardi Gras as well as New Orleans related videos that you may enjoy watching.

Perhaps the best known bar in New Orleans is Pat O'Briens. They also have a Facebook presence as well.  When a friend of mine prior to his trip to New Orleans put on his Facebook page that he will be at Pat O'Briens that Saturday night, I called him.  Not only did I suggest that he take the post down but Pat O's is also very crowded on Saturday night.  It will be packed during Mardi Gras as well.

New Orleans also is a culinary delight with many fine restaurants each better than the last.    NewOrleansRestaurants.com has a good review of them and other sites have good reviews as well. One of my favorites is Mothers. It is one of the many restaurants with great service and where you will be guaranteed to have a real good meal.

If you're at Mardi Gras enjoy! If you are not then there is the cam I mentioned earlier as well as all on Twitter and Facebook. If you get to go to New Orleans then have a good time. It truly is a fun city as those who have been there can truly say.

Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside, NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Gas Buddy - Your Buddy for Finding the Lowest Gas Price

With summer here many of us are taking trips with our cars. If you are looking for the lowest gas price while on your travels or even locally you may want to think of having the GasBuddy app on your smartphone. GasBuddy is a great app to help you find the lowest price in your area.  If you do not have a smartphone you can go to http://gasbuddy.com and search before you hit the road. The prices are for areas in the US and Canada and the various grades of gas. Prices are obtained from members and you can see when the price was entered as well.  By removing the price data after 72 hours for each station, you are assured the prices are current.  The site is free, has about 5 million users and is advertising supported.

Gas prices can widely vary in an immediate area.  I have used it on my trips and found it to be useful in finding the lowest prices wherever I was. When we were in Maine last summer, prices in a small area varied as much as $0.20 per gallon. The app also gives directions to get to that gas station as well.  Just make sure that a passenger is doing the search for you or you have pulled over to the side of the road if you are doing the search yourself.

So give the site a try and/or add it as an app to your smartphone and start saving. You may decide that you too wish to become a contributing member and help yourself and others find the lowest priced gas in your area.

If you have further questions or wish to know of other apps that may be useful to you, please call me at 917.572.3468.

Do You Think Setting Up Your Computer Is As Easy as Taking It Out of the Box and Following the On Screen Instructions?

My 17 year old son who is somewhat tech savvy got a new laptop computer last month. As such, I did not expect him to ask me for help in setting up his new computer. Even afterwards he had a question since his screensaver was not working properly which I promptly fixed for him.

It got me thinking and realizing how much more there is to setting up a computer than just taking it out of the box, making the necessary connections and following the on screen instructions. I always knew, but with my 17 year old asking for help did not realize how much more it truly is.

Here are just a few things to consider: 

1.     Do you know which programs need to open when you start your computer? Unnecessary programs opening when you start your computer up will slow start time.

2.     Do you have a system recovery disk should you ever need it?

3.     Do you know the correct update setting for your computer to use? Make the wrong selection and you are more likely to get a virus or have another computer problem.

4.     Do you know what to do when your factory installed antivirus program expires? This will occur shortly after you purchase your new computer. The right move will keep your computer virus free and save you money in the long run.

5.     Do you know how to set up your computer to find and open your favorite programs and files quicker?

If you live in Queens or Nassau County, NY call me at 917.572.3468.  Installing computers is just one of the technology services I offer.  I also provide expert computer training in the convenience of your home (seniors a specialty) as well as computer troubleshooting, printer setup, computer repair, computer support,wireless networks, and more.

Computer Concierge NY LLC, provides expert computer services in the Bayside, NY area, Including Queens, Albertson, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellrose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside vicinity.  

Back Up Back Up Back Up

Every year, 43% of computer users lose their music, photos, documents, and more. – PC World 2010.  A March 2012 article in Gigaom noted that 60% of 640 small and medium businesses surveyed have not even budgeted for backups. Only 15% of those surveyed have an automated backup plan in place. These numbers are even worse for consumers where 29% have never backed up their computers per Backblaze.com.  I find this to be very disturbing. In the event of a hard drive failure, these people could lose things such as pictures of loved ones, letters, notes, spreadsheets, memories, etc. that are not stored anywhere else and are at risk.  Businesses not backing up are in danger of losing important information for their business such as financial records, important correspondence, etc.


Backing up is a cheap insurance policy against data loss. It does not take long (backing up data to a DVD takes less than ½ an hour) and to purchase a 10 pack of rewritable DVDs at Staples costs under $18 on their website. To recover data on your hard drive from a data recovery service will run about $500 minimum up to a few thousand. Recovery is not guaranteed however. One service also prices out by emergency service which is 24 hours; priority service which is 3 days; and standard service which is 2 weeks turnaround time. You want 24 hour turnaround and you will pay for that level of service. Many who have a computer for personal use will find using a DVD to back up your files adequate.

On a personal note, when I have had to reinstall data from my backup, I was up and running with the essential files and programs within about 4-5 hours. I can be surf the internet in a lot less time. Note that you should have your program disks in a safe place. The cost, not in the hundreds or thousands of dollars but less than $100 which was the cost of my external hard drive.


My question to you then is what scenario would you rather have when your data is lost? Personally I prefer my inexpensive insurance policy so to speak of backing up my data should I ever need it. Several years ago in about a 3 week span, 2 friends of mine lost data on their computer. One was due to a flood in their office and the other was due to a hard drive crash. They did not have backups. Confidential client data and irreplaceable family pictures were lost. Had my friends backed up their computer, any loss would have been minimal. If you think this could never happen to you, think again. As they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Further, I also have copies of backups away from my home. Should the unforeseen happen, I still can get my data. Hopefully that scenario will never happen but if it does, I am prepared.

You can use different media to back up your data. A USB drive (although I do not recommend that you use this method), DVD drive, external hard drive, online backup service. Prices will vary of course. If you are using an online service, some also offer a free version. These versions are not as good as the paid versions. A free service may meet your needs so do keep that in mind. If you choose a paid service, Carbonite offers a plan with unlimited space for as low as $59 per year per computer. For those that need to back up more than 1 computer, they also offer other plans. I have only heard good things about them.

In the end the choice is yours. Before deciding that you will not back up your data, think about what would happen if you don’t and you have a hard drive crash, a virus that destroys your data or some other mishap.

If you have additional questions about backing up your computer(s) please call me at (917) 572-3468. I can determine the backup plan that is best for you. Think of it the same way you think of auto insurance, homeowners insurance or any other type of insurance. You hope you do not have to use it but should you ever have to use it you are glad you have it. I also can back up your files for you so that in the event of a hard drive failure you will have files as of the date of backup.

Good Freeware Review Site

As you probably know there is software that is available at no charge.  There are a few good sites to go to for recommendations notably  http://www.pcworld.com/ and http://www.cnet.com/.  Another not so well known one but very good one is http://www.techsupportalert.com/

Techsupportalert.com reviews and lists free software by category. Their primary function is dedicated to helping you determine the best freeware product for your needs. If you are looking for a free antivirus program there is a category where they rate the best antivirus software.  There are many other categories as well.  The home page is set up in a user friendly format and is easy to navigate.   They have an "Editor's Choice List" for their best picks in every category.  Further they have a category of "Best Free Online Applications and Services." These represent the best online available by category in the cloud.  For those not familiar with the cloud, think of having a personal storage site away from your home.  The cloud is storage on the internet. An example of this would be free online backup services.  This does not take up any space on your hard drive as the backup is in the cloud. There is also a forum where you can post questions or answer other's who have questions.

So the next time you are looking for a freeware program or free online service or application, give Techsupportalert.com a try.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

Online Instruction Manuals

Do you wish you wish you had a manual for the used treadmill you recently purchased?  Are you still looking for the manual for that dishwasher you purchased 8 years ago?  Well you may be in luck.  


There are a few ways that you can get that manual online. For starters you need to know the brand and model number of the product you want a manual for. Further you can save it on your hard drive. An advantage of saving it on your hard drive is that you can download manuals for items you own and save them on your hard drive. You can save on storage space since the manual that came with your purchase can probably be discarded.


Many companies on their website (usually a customer support section) have a way to download the instruction manuals from their website to your hard drive. Two good websites are Manualsonline or Safemanuals. By creating a free account on Manualsonline you can have an online "Virtual Filing Cabinet" where you can store your downloaded manuals from their site. Further you can participate in discussion groups and receive personalized updates. The only downside to this virtual filing cabinet is should you lose internet service you will need till it is restored before being able to access your online virtual filing cabinet. The workaround for this is to also save a copy on your hard drive.


If these fail, you can always do a search on Google. Start by typing in the model number and manual, instruction or instruction manual.  Ex: Omit quotes. I am using a model ABC123 as an example. "ABC123 manual"  "ABC123 instruction" "ABC123 instruction manual".


You may find that manual for that old TV that you were looking for in your home and was unable to locate.


Computer Concierge NY LLC, provides expert computer services in the Bayside, NY area, Including Queens, Albertson, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellrose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside vicinity.  

GCF Learn Free

For those wanting to learn a new subject or brush up on a new one, GCFLearnFree.org is a good site to start.  With courses on subjects like computer software (particularly Microsoft Office), everyday life, money, and career this is a good place to go to for free courses. You can study at your own pace and there are accompanying videos that aid in your grasping the subject and greatly support the content taught. You also can register for courses given online that are graded by instructors. These instructors also will also provide help and feedback as well. You can finish these courses in a few days or up to 4 weeks. Upon completion for these you are awarded a certificate of completion.  You are not awarded a certificate for completing the self paced courses. There are also some good GCF videos on YouTube as well.  See link:  http://www.youtube.com/user/gcflearnfree

Some of these courses are very basic like "Cash Back".  Others like the ones for the various editions of Microsoft Office Excel and Microsoft Office Access are more involved.  By creating an account you are able to see what courses you have taken or are in the process of taking.  Courses that are more involved have various sections and a challenge at the end of each section. What I like about the Microsoft Office courses are that they are not only offered for the current version but for several previous versions. It is not necessary to be using the current version to get instruction that is meaningful for you. For those who are beginners with regards to computers, their Computer Basics course is useful and informative.  Most of their courses are computer related. Their Facebook page notes that  they provide "innovative online learning opportunities to anyone who wants to improve their technology, literacy, and math skills."

You may wonder how are they able to do this for free. GCFLearnFree.org is supported by the Goodwill Community Foundation. GCFLearnFree.org serves to support the educational mission of the Goodwill Community Foundation which is "to create and provide education, employment, and life enrichment opportunities for people who desire to improve the quality of their lives" as per the GCFLearnFree.org site. It certainly is a good site to go to for your lifelong education.


Computer Concierge NY LLC, provides expert computer services in the Bayside, NY area, Including Queens, Albertson, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellrose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside vicinity.  

Google Search Tips to Search More Effectively

Google is the #1 search engine going. Almost 75% of internet volume of searches as noted in http://www.hitwise.com/us/datacenter/main/dashboard-10133.html for the 4 weeks ended May 29 are made through Google. That said, this blog are ways to make your internet searching easier using Google. The underline phases are the verbatim ways to enter the search terms in Google:

• Crossing delancey – the words crossing and delancey

• “Crossing delancey” – the exact phrase Crossing delancey

• Crossing –delancey - the word crossing but NOT the word delancey

• define:crossing/definition:crossing – definitions of the word crossing. Both define: and definition: are acceptable when searching in Google for definitions.

• phonebook: Joseph Torre NY – phone listings of all those named Joseph Torre in New York.

• stocks:pfe – find Pfizer’s current stock price.

• movie: the blind side 11360 – show show times in or near zip code 11360 for the blind side

• weather:11360 – weather and forecast for zip code 11360

• Site:cnn.com obama – search cnn.com for all information on obama. This can be done for all websites. “Site: “ only searches on the website or domain indicated in the search parameter.

• Crossing#or#delancey – the words crossing or delancey

• Crossing#and#delancey – the words crossing and delancey – this is another way to search for the words crossing and delancey. Using “#and#” in your search is great for searching where you are more than one phrase, term, etc. For example “Tom Seaver”#and#”world series”. Google will search for where the terms “Tom Seaver” and “world series” occur. It is not case sensitive.

Did you know you can do arithmetic calculations using the Google search bar?

Using + - / * keys, you can do basic adding, subtraction, division or multiplication functions. In the search bar put in “2*3+5” and your search will return the correct value of 11.

You can also use Google to convert units in measurements. For example typing “3 tbsp to cup” and hitting the enter key gives a result of 0.1875 cups.

Google is a very good search engine and by following some of the suggestions noted can speed up what you truly are searching for.



Computer Concierge NY LLC, provides expert computer services in the Bayside, NY area, Including Queens, Albertson, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellrose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park,  Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park,  New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside vicinity.  

You Probably are Overpaying to Keep Your Computer Secure

Some of you over the holidays received computers as gifts. If you received a PC as opposed to a MAC you probably got a trial version of a program to secure your computer against viruses, spyware, etc.  Once this trial period is up (usually after 30 days), you need to pay to renew this program. The cost of this can be as much as $80 per year. 


If your computer is for personal use or you use it for a very small business, you do not need to pay for internet security. There is free security software that you can use instead. Some of it is good.  Some not as good.  Assuming that you keep your computer for 5 years, you are paying $400 to protect it that you can avoid spending.  Save $$$.  I use security software from a highly respected company. It is legal and not a pirated copy. Computer Concierge NY LLC can install this on your computer too. Given an $80 per year charge for security software once the trial period ends, my cost to you to install it will pay for itself in less then a year. If you expect to keep your computer 5 years, our cost to install will pay for itself several times over the life of your computer. Did I mention, the software is absolutely free?

Have a new computer and unsure how to set it up? There is more to setting up a computer than taking it out of the box and following the online instructions. Our costs for a basic computer set up can save you as much as $300 over the life of your computer assuming you are keeping it for 5 years. The set up includes the same free security software used on my computer. The $300 savings more than doubles the costs to set up your computer.

One other thing. A major consumer electronics retailer that sells and services computers will not tell you of this free software. If they install your computer, their costs to you will be higher than what we charge. They will not install this free software for you. They will likely try to sell you what you do not need. They have done it to friends and customers of mine. They tried to do it to me.

I can be reached at 917.572.3468 and I look forward to saving you money.

Buying a New Computer

Sooner or later you will find yourself in the market for a new computer. It could be a replacement for an existing computer, your first computer purchase (not likely if you are reading this), or an additional computer.

When that time comes you need to keep a few things in mind. The first is probably what will you be using your computer for? Will you use it for word processing, surfing the net, photos, etc? While you need to realize your use may change as your computer usage evolves, you should not purchase much more of a computer than what you will need. Don’t purchase a computer that is suited for games when you will only be doing surfing and word processing.

You should get the most recent operating system provided it has been around long enough to work the bugs out. Usually the operating system should be out a few months.

Consider your space requirements and where you will primarily be using it. If you live in a small apartment, will you have space for a desktop? Would a large laptop (11” and up screen) that is considered a desktop replacement be more suitable? If you have a desktop, you likely will not be moving it around much if at all as it involves a tower. Also keep in mind if you are purchasing a laptop, a bigger one tends to be less expensive.

With that in mind, if you are purchasing a laptop you need to know again how you will use it. If you will be travelling with it often, you should consider a smaller one. You also need to realize that the keyboard is not a standard keyboard that you would find with a desktop. You can buy an external mouse and keyboard to use with your computer but this will take up space in your computer bag which you should get if you are buying a laptop. If you are getting either an external mouse or keyboard, get the mouse. It is more value added to a laptop than the keyboard as far as speed is concerned.

Also note that more and more laptops these days come with a cam for videoconferencing.

You also have 3 other aspects to consider. Note that the minimums given are as of now and will change as technology changes. Random access memory (RAM), processing speed, and hard drive size. RAM is the most important. It is the memory used when your computer is on. Once your computer is turned off, this memory is no more. It is sometimes referred to temporary memory. The more RAM, the faster your computer operates and this is the most important of the 3 components. It is where the operating system all opened programs, and current data used are stored. Your minimum RAM should be 2GB and if money is not an issue, a minimum of 4GB. You also need to consider your hard drive size. Think of this as the drawer space for keeping clothes. It is your permanent memory as opposed to RAM memory. You should have a minimum of 160 GB of hard drive storage. If you will be storing, pictures, video, audio streams, you will need more depending on how much you plan to store. Processing speed is the speed of your computer. You do not need to get the fastest processing speed available. You should get 2nd or 3rd fastest. You will not notice the difference and you will appreciate the savings.

The next issue is MAC vs PC. There is a greater availability of software for a PC than a MAC but this gap is a lot less than it used to be. There are other factors to consider however. See below:

MAC Advantages
1. Not as Prone to Viruses.
2. Less Issues of Breakdown – also quicker to start up and shut down.
3. Excellent training. A lot is free.
4. Better maintenance and customer service.
5. Easier to use. However Windows 7 operating system has greatly narrowed this gap. It is competitive with MAC’s Snow Leopard Operating System.

PC Advantages
1. Owned by 90% of people and businesses.
2. More varieties (HP, Dell, etc).
3. Less expensive especially laptops.
4. More for businesses especially since more availability of software as noted.

Last but not least if you are buying a desktop, think about the screen size of your monitor. Again space considerations come into play.

By doing a little research into your needs and space availability you will be able to get a computer that works best for you.

Check that Connection

There are times when that appliance, home entertainment unit, or computer does not start and panic will start to set in. It is basic but sometimes the issue can be resolved by simply checking to see that the appliance is connected to an outlet or if the outlet is controlled by a light switch checking to see that the switch is in the on position.
So the next time that appliance fails to start, don’t panic. Check to see that it is plugged in. If that light switch is turned on, plug something else into the outlet. You may be surprised at how much time you saved by not panicking where the issue is not the appliance but rather the connection and a whole lot of troubleshooting is not necessary and you’re able to go as you normally would in no time.

Xmarks for Saving and Syncing Bookmarks

Due to the recent acquisition of by LastPass, Xmarks will continue on.  It is a great tool for backing up your favorites/bookmarks as well as for syncing them across browsers and other computers. You can sync your bookmarks currently among Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari browsers.  


You need to decide which computer and browser is where you will make initial changes to your bookmarks. Usually this will be the browser that you use most often on your main computer.  From here, you can sync across your other browsers and any other computers you have.  Xmarks allows you to merge bookmarks on Xmarks server with your browser, keep bookmarks on your browser discarding those on the server (main bookmark), keep the bookmarks on the server while discarding those on your browser.  You also can integrate passwords (not recommended), and open tabs as well as enabling automatic synchronization. This is a great timesaver that eliminates the need to do this manually. A feature of Xmarks is also that you can be away from your computers but can retrieve that necessary site that you wish to access but cannot remember the name by accessing the website and logging into it. I found the instructions easy to follow and the program is user friendly.


A paid version of Xmarks ($12 annually) allows you to sync between your smartphone and track and backup all changes to your bookmarks. My personal opinion is that this is not needed.  


While there are ways to save your bookmarks on your computer and sync using your saved bookmarks on your computer, Xmarks is a free way to do this saving time and aggravation.


I also want to extend my best wishes to those celebrating a very Merry Christmas and to all a very Happy and prosperous 2011.

A Good Product Review Site for Tech Products and More

Want to know if you should purchase that camera you have in mind?  Need a good place for downloads? Or just want a good place for Tech News.  Then CNET is a good site for you to go to and explore.

The top of their webpage offers 4 selections in addition to a search bar and a "Home" icon.  They are "Reviews" "News" "Downloads" and "Videos".

For "Reviews", all sorts of tech products from computers, cameras to mp3 players are reviewed here.  You can see how the product you are interested in compares to similar products. Many have a video review by one of CNET's experts.  It is the largest part of the site generating per Wikipedia over 4,300 product and software reviews annually.  Most of the traffic generated to the site is for its reviews.

The "News" section has headlines and more details of Tech related news.  The information can be very useful for your own technology.  It includes articles about tech related business, wireless, green tech, blogs among other subjects.

"Downloads" consists of about 500,000 software titles for download  with both freeware and non freeware titles.  You can download based upon operating system, type of software and price.  There is probably some good software for your computer here and it certainly is worthwhile checking out.

The "Video" section includes product videos and how to instructional videos.  As a visual person, I have gotten some good tips here.

One of the other features of this site is the ability to compare prices for a product you may be thinking of buying.

All in all this is a good site for tech information particularly the reviews and downloads.  There are discussion forums for asking questions and exchanging information as well. Like most forum sections you need to set up an account. Why not check it out and if it meets your needs include it as one of  your bookmarks/favorites.

The Wiki Family

The Wiki site describes Wiki as follows, "A wiki is a database of pages which visitors can edit live." While many people associate Wiki with Wikipedia, there is more to the Wiki family.  To name a few, there are Wikianswers (post a question you would like answered), Wikitravel (a travel guide), Wikihow (a how to site), and Wikibooks (textbooks).    


Wiki is open editing which means anyone can add and edit information freely. There is a staff that checks these for accuracy. Where there is no support for an entry it is noted. Nonetheless the Wiki sites are a good source of free information from the trivial to the important. For those who remember the "Dallas" television series of the 80s did you know that Patrick Duffy's nephew is former Cy Young award winner Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants? It's out there on Wikipedia along with other trivial facts.   


Wikipedia also was likely the final nail in the coffin for all those encyclopedias that took up much bookcase space.  Yes they still sell those encyclopedias just like they still sell vinyl records,cameras that use film and accounting ledger paper but they have been replaced for the most part by improvements in technology. 


In closing, a lot of good and useful information can be accessed by going to the Wiki sites.  From learning how to fit in while in London to planning your London visit a lot of good information is available just by logging in.

Take College Courses Online for Free

On the web there are many good sites for learning to put it mildly. 

But did you know you can take college courses online for free? For some of these you can listen online to prerecorded lectures/discussions. http://www.ocwconsortium.org/ has a listing of courses online.  MIT has courses there as well on  http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm . Another good site is http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/whats-on.html. The latter has mainly courses on audio. Among other colleges having open courseware are Tufts, Notre Dame and Yale a pretty good selection to say the least.  Just do a google search for "opencourseware".  Best of all they are free! A lot also have downloadable handouts as well. You also can search on youtube.com for lectures and courses.  Type the name of the college or university followed by lectures or courses and see the selection available. 

A good way to continue your lifelong learning with no admissions application, tuition, fees or other costs.