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.

Join.me When You Need to Share Your Computer Remotely

If you are having a problem with your computer, someone elsewhere can view your screen and remotely control your computer temporarily to fix the problem. JoinMe is a good program to use for this purpose. I have used it to help others fix their computer problems as well as show them how to better use their computer. It is very user friendly, easily installed in under a minute and no account setup is needed. There is both a free and pro version. I personally have not found a need for the pro version which currently costs $149 for an annual membership or $19 if you choose to use it by the month. For either version you can send files between all users. Note that if you are not connected to the internet, you cannot use this or any other program to share your computer with someone remotely or to view someone else’s.  You also have the ability to talk online or have an online chat using Join.me as well.

As mentioned, the whole process of downloading the Join.me program and placing the toolbar on your computer takes under a minute.  When you first go to Join.me you will see a screen that looks similar to the one below. Under “share your screen” click on “basic” and then the orange arrow key.  This will begin your download.  Follow the prompts and the Join.me toolbar will be in the upper middle of your screen. If you need to view someone else’s screen, enter the 9 digit code that the person sharing your screen gives to you and press the green arrow.

By just sharing your screen, you can use Join.me for doing a presentation as well.  It is more than just a program to use if you have a computer problem or to solve someone else’s. I also know of a husband and wife who reviewed travel plans using it when one of them was out of town.  These are just by using the free version.  The pro version offers you such features as presenter swap, meeting scheduler and international conference lines. Whether or not you feel a need to use the pro version is up to you but as you can see, the free version has some good uses.

If you have additional questions about remotely sharing your computer, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com 

My Facebook page http://on.fb.me/MikesCCNY provides information on the current goings on in the technology field. There are tips to better use your computer and smartphone. For timely information, please visit and "Like" my page.




Computer Concierge NY LLC, provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens New York area, Including  Albertson, Bayside, 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.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

Advantages of Microsoft Surface Over Apple’s iPad

Mike Klubok the Owner of Computer Concierge NY LLC trying a Microsoft Surface in Queens NY

Many of you have seen the advertisements for the Microsoft Surface that was recently released. Microsoft has a bit riding on it. This tablet has quite a few advantages over the acclaimed iPad. Note that when comparing the two I am talking about the current basic versions that are both priced at $499.

A big advantage of Surface is that you can use an external Micro SDXC card.  You can purchase a 32 GB one made by Sandisk from Amazon for about $35 based upon my recent checking. There is also a connection for attaching a USB drive as well.  I recently purchased a 16 GB USB drive at Staples for under $10.  For the iPad you need to purchase an adapter that costs at least $19.  There is one for an SD card but when looking at the Apple website I did not see one for an SDXC card.  Because of this, it is easier to upload pictures to it.  I personally have a memory card reader that connects to my computer using the USB drive that I purchased for under $10. I take it with me when I go on vacation to upload pictures that I take to my computer and I could use it to upload to a Surface as well.

I would be more willing to let others share my iPad but they would then have full access to my email, Facebook, LinkedIn accounts, etc.  Microsoft’s Surface allows me to set up separate User Accounts just like my computer does. I could then give someone else access to a Guest account without them having the full access to my personal accounts. forest hills computer repair, forest hills, north shore towers

Microsoft Office 2013 comes with Surface.  This is because of 2 reasons them being 1) Microsoft owns both Surface and Office and 2) Surface with the optional keyboard cover is intended to for creating and consuming data. The iPad is more for consuming data.  That said you can purchase a wireless keyboard for an iPad but it is not a cover as well. The iPad does not come with a spreadsheet, word, presentation or office suite program. north shore towers, forest hills computer, great neck computer, 

Surface comes with a built in kickstand which allows you to view the screen in an upright position. With an iPad you need to stand it up against an object or purchase a cover that has a stand.

If you want to print, Surface is a whole lot easier to do from then from an iPad. It is easy to make a connection that is seamless. Printing from an iPad is a lot more difficult.  forest hills

One final note here.  The basic version of Surface comes with 32 GB storage and the iPad comes with 16 GB. This is deceiving because of the 32 GB, the system software uses ½ of that leaving 16 GB free. The net free storage on an iPad is 14-15 GB. While Surface has an advantage it is not significant.

My next article will list the advantages of the iPad over Microsoft Surface.  Then it is your call if you are deciding which of the two to buy.

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.

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 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.