The Benefits of Having A Digital Calendar

A digital calendar has many advantages over a paper calendar.

If you still use a paper calendar instead of a digital calendar you are missing out.  There are quite a few ways that having a digital calendar especially in today’s world where more and more people have smartphones is better than a paper calendar.

For me perhaps the biggest one is being able to share my calendar with my wife and vice-versa. She can see my schedule at a glance and I can see hers. If I need to schedule something I can look at my wife’s calendar to see if there is a conflict. I don’t have to tell someone that I need to check if my wife planned something since I can already see her schedule.  I also allow my son who lives with us to see whether or not I have an appointment without him seeing the details of it.

I also can refer to past events quickly wherever I am. Most people do not keep paper calendars for years unless they have to for business reasons and/or tax purposes. They may have to search to remember where they put their paper calendar. Further if a paper calendar is lost then what?  I may miss a scheduled appointment or have to call and reconfirm an appointment that I wasn’t sure of. With a digital calendar I can go to a computer, smartphone, etc. With a digital calendar you can go back years unless you erase an event after it occurs. I do not recommend that you do this and I do not erase events after they occur. A digital calendar hardly takes up space on a smartphone, iPad, etc. and you can access it offline as well. This is great for when travelling.  If I am in a foreign country, I do not have to worry about incurring roaming charges for accessing it. I also do not have to worry about being somewhere without internet access. While I do not have events that go back that far, my Google Calendar allows me to go back to 1980 to see dates on my digital calendar. A paper calendar does not give me anywhere near this flexibility.

If I have an event that occurs the same time on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis I only need to enter it once and provide the recurring information. It is automatically added for the recurring dates. If I need to reschedule or cancel a date, I can do it for just that date. The recurring pattern is maintained for the other dates. Talk about a timesaver.  Further if I need to change of cancel an appointment on a paper calendar a pencil can erase it but what if you only have a pen? Cross it out and if changed reenter it. It can get sloppy either way.  With a digital calendar you can delete or move it as needed. You also have a limited amount of space to write information on a paper calendar.  On my Google Calendar I have never gotten to the limit but I know there is a much higher limit.  I can add website links if need be. I also can attach a file that I need the same way I can attach a file to an email message.

With a digital calendar, I can change my view whenever I need to.  My default is daily but I can instantly change to a weekly, monthly or custom view. If I have a “week at a glance” or “month at a glance” calendar I am stuck with that view. 

Now this is not a generational thing.  My sons who are 19 & 21 both use a paper calendar. My wife and I use our digital calendar which is Google Calendar.

Yes there are advantages to using a paper calendar. Should there be a syncing problem between devices you could forget an appointment or if there is a power failure you could have issues accessing it but the advantages of a digital calendar greatly outweigh the disadvantages.

So do you use a paper calendar or a digital calendar?  If you currently use a paper calendar will you at least consider trying a digital calendar such as Google Calendar?

If you want to know more about how you can digitalize your calendar I am available for that and to help you better use your technology.  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 computer, smartphone,  iPad and other technology you may have or are thinking of buying.

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.

Is It Time To Ditch Your Landline Phone?

While recently looking into changing my cell plan I noticed that unlimited talk time for domestic minutes is becoming more prevalent and at a reasonable price.  It had me wondering about ditching my landline.

For those who are thinking the same thing you need to answer a few questions. 

What are the current costs of your landline? What does it include?  I have friends who have a plan that includes cable, internet and phone service. If they were to give up the phone service part they would actually pay more. So they are keeping this plan and use the land line for faxing and as an emergency phone. Does an elderly person live with you or are you elderly? You may want to keep that landline phone regardless of the savings. My personal landline costs $10 monthly with unlimited calls anywhere in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Check with your landline carrier. They may offer you an incentive to stay with them if you are inclined to keep it. If you are not using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) – you still have phone service in the event you lose your electricity. That said, some VOIP may have a backup in the event you lose power.  However after Hurricane Sandy I heard that some affected by it lost backup power. I am sure landline phones without VOIP lost service during Hurricane Sandy as well.

Do you fax?  I presently do a limited amount of faxing using my all in one printer.  Depending on how much faxing you do it may be beneficial to find an alternate way to send faxes. Your smartphone can also be used to send faxes.

Do you make international calls and if so how much?  Would you be better served by getting an international plan for your cell phone?  Can you use a video application like Skype or Facetime to make your international calls? If you are using one of these applications you can talk anytime, no matter where either of you are for free.

Because of the low rate I am paying and my occasional faxes I am keeping my landline for now.  The day will come where my landline will join that rotary dial phone I had in my first apartment.

If you have further questions about whether or not to ditch your landline, how to keep it and pay less or other technology problems you may have I can be contacted 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 with 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.

Why Chatting Online With Customer Support Or A Sales Person Can Be Beneficial To You

Ok I know many of you will be turned off by the title of this but before you decide not to read further, hang on. Want to save time?  Want to maybe save money?  Want a written record of your conversation?  Chatting online is for you.

We are all familiar of calling and having to wait for a sales person or customer service representative (rep) to come on the line because there are other callers ahead of you. The wait is a lot less when chatting online.  Yes I know that it is quicker to talk then to type especially on a smartphone since the keyboard is not large.  I have gotten through to customer service a lot quicker every time when an online chat is available. The time saved in not waiting for a customer service rep to come on the line can more than offset your slow typing.  The customer service reps are trained to be patient.  The companies would rather you use their online chat feature since less customer service reps are needed.  A customer service rep can handle more than one chat at a time.

I’ll lump saving money and a written record in the same group.  Long story short, I was not sure if my phone service covered me on my recent trip to Puerto Rico.  I went to the Verizon store near me and they told me that only texting was covered. I did some work for a client before my trip and we were talking about Verizon.  He mentioned without me saying anything that with Verizon there is not charge for using the phone in Puerto Rico. The next day I went to the Verizon website and did an online chat with a customer service rep. The customer service rep told me that under my plan calls, internet usage and text messages were included while I was in Puerto Rico. Not only did I save a copy of the chat but I was also emailed one by the rep I spoke with. I did not get charged for using my phone while in Puerto Rico but if I did, I had the written record of my chat and would have used it to contest the additional charges. I know yes I know that the calls may be recorded for quality assurance but I am not aware that they ever are required to share it with you.

So the next time you have an customer with a product you own or are thinking of purchasing something online and need help, don’t call but rather if the company has a chat feature give it a try. The savings time wise and moneywise as well as a written record may get you too to convert.

If you have further questions about combining better using your technology, 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 computer, smartphone,  iPad and other technology you may have or are thinking of buying.

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.

So Why Do You Not Back Up Your Files?

So who out there after reading my recent article about backing up http://goo.gl/c2Gl0 still doesn’t back up their data files? I emphasize it in discussions with clients, friends and colleagues yet many people still do not back up their data files or if they do it is not often enough. Their excuses range from: I have no important files; I'll get to it; I can get my files; I don't want to spend the money. The big reason to back up your data is this: In the event of a hard drive failure for whatever reason, you have a backup copy of your data. Important documents, sentimental pictures of children, grandchildren and other loved ones will not be lost in the event your hard drive fails. If you are one of those who still do not back up your files, this is a must read.

Let's address each of these excuses one by one:

-- I have a good friend of mine who never backed up his files. His excuse was that he had no important files. Recently he had an issue where he thought his hard drive had crashed. Suddenly he had important files (including pictures from a recent trip) on his hard drive that he needed to have. Fortunately the issue was not with his hard drive but rather another issue. His data was saved.

-- "I'll get to it" is another excuse I have heard a few times. This is a variation of, “I don’t have the time.” Hopefully when you get to it will be before your hard drive fails. If you have a hard drive failure it is too late. If you are a heavy computer user, you should back up your data once a day. I know someone who had their tax return on their hard drive.  He was going eventually do a backup. Unfortunately, the hard drive crashed and he lost his tax return and the worksheets he used to prepare it.

-- "I don't want to spend money on it" – To paraphrase John Wooden, “If you don’t want to spend the money to back up your data, how about spending a whole lot more to get back the data should you have a hard drive failure?” That is if the data can be recovered. I checked with a national chain. If they can do the job in house the cost would be between $100 - $160 with it being ready in 2-4 days. If it needs to be sent to a data retrieval service the cost can run as high as a few thousand dollars. It will not be ready in 2-4 days but 2-3 weeks. How long can you wait for your data? Your costs to backup your data may even be FREE. Backing up will greatly lessen the anxiety of a hard drive failure.

-- "I can get my files" - A hard drive failure can occur without any previous warning. How will you get your data? See above paragraph for how long it would take and the cost.

The bottom line is you must have a backup in the event your hard drive fails. In the event of a failure you will be glad you had that backup. What would be the cost to you of losing a resume, pictures of children and grandchildren, tax returns saved on your computer with worksheets, schedules, etc? Backing up will save you money, time and aggravation. If you know someone who does not back up their computer, please for their sake make sure they read this.

What is the best way to do a backup? It depends on a few factors such as how much data is on your computer.

If you have additional questions about backing up your files, 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.