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.
January 6, 2012
January 2, 2012
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.
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.
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.
December 23, 2011
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.
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.
December 14, 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 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.
November 30, 2011
ICE - In Case of Emergency on Your Cellphone
While this blog is a posting of computer related items, cell phones are in fact a computer and this is a potential life saving issue. I am doing this post that indirectly relates .
In case of emergency (ICE) is a program that enables 1st responders to identify victims and contact next of kin in case of an emergency. Hence the acronym ICE. All cellphones should have one or more ICE listings should the unfortunate happen.
That said, cellphones and particularly smart phones have password protection mechanism where your phone, ICE and all other information cannot be accessed without keying a password or drawing a pattern to unlock all of this. What I am trying to get at here is if your phone is password protected, ICE is not able to be accessed. Please have an alternate form of identification that lists an emergency contact(s). Don't feel a false sense of security having ICE on your phone where there is password protection enabled.
In case of emergency (ICE) is a program that enables 1st responders to identify victims and contact next of kin in case of an emergency. Hence the acronym ICE. All cellphones should have one or more ICE listings should the unfortunate happen.
That said, cellphones and particularly smart phones have password protection mechanism where your phone, ICE and all other information cannot be accessed without keying a password or drawing a pattern to unlock all of this. What I am trying to get at here is if your phone is password protected, ICE is not able to be accessed. Please have an alternate form of identification that lists an emergency contact(s). Don't feel a false sense of security having ICE on your phone where there is password protection enabled.
November 18, 2011
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.
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.
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