Helpful Features of Windows Live Essentials

Reprinted from The Costco Connection  APRIL 2011 page17

By Marc Saltzman

CHANCES ARE, YOU’RE a PC user who relies on Windows 7—the best-selling operating system in history—and takes advantage of its intuitive user interface, fast and reliable performance and many built-in features that help you in so many activities. But guess what? This is only half the picture. If you’re using Windows 7, you can take advantage of Windows Live Essentials, a collection of free programs and services that help you take full advantage of the power of your PC. Here’s a look.

Making the most of your photos and video

You probably have hundreds—if not thousands—of digital photos and videos stored on your hard drive. Windows Live Photo Gallery can help you organize, edit, view and share these memories. For example, you can easily “tag” a photo with someone’s name, and Windows Live Photo Gallery will scan the rest of your photos and look for that person’s face. To find all photos of that person, just type in his or her name. You can also edit photos with simple tools, create a slide show or home movie, or quickly upload to sites such as Facebook. A fun and powerful feature, Photo Fuse, lets you replace one part of a photo with a better one—such as a picture of your child smiling nicely instead of looking down—so the family portrait will show everyone looking at the camera at the same time. With Windows Live Movie Maker, you can assemble your videos and photos onto a timeline, add transition effects and captions, music and narration, and then share your masterpiece.

Keeping in touch

Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging tool that lets you type, talk or video-chat with friends, family and co-workers over the Internet. Imagine holding up a newborn to your Web camera so your overseas relatives can see the baby— in high-definition clarity. Teens can do homework together by collaborating on a document, all the while chatting, sharing photos and perhaps playing a game when it’s time for a break. Windows Live Messenger also lets you easily access social networks, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. You can also pick up your e-mail here, as well as review calendar entries and contacts. And you can share whatever is on your desktop with others.

Storing in the cloud

You can protect your important files, such as documents and photos, by uploading them to Windows Live SkyDrive, a password-

protected service that lets you store up to 25 GB of data, free. Storing your files in “the cloud” (online) offers three key benefits: You can access them from virtually any online computer in the world, your files are safe from local risks (such as fire or theft) and you can easily share specific folders with others online.

Logging in remotely

Another tool is Windows Live Mesh, which gives you the ability to log in to your PC remotely to access your

Windows 7 desktop. For example, you could access all of your media, such as music, photos and videos, on another PC while away from home. Or log in to your home PC while on a business trip to grab a PowerPoint presentation you forgot to take along.

You can also synchronize folders between multiple computers. Update a Word document on your laptop, for example, and it’ll automatically synchronize with your desktop PC. Finally, while it’s not part of Windows Live Essentials, I would be remiss not to mention Microsoft Security Essentials, a free suite of Internet security software that can safeguard your PC and help protect your personal identity. You can get details at www.microsoft.com/security_essentials. These are all helpful everyday tools that are part of the Windows 7 environment. They’re worth checking out to see if they meet your computing needs.

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Pay Attention to Details Regarding Your Backup Procedure

Here are some questions to consider, when determining if your backup procedure still works:

• Do  you check the backup log to see if the backup worked?  
• Do you have enough free space on your external hard drive to put the backup file? Most backup procedures do not delete or overwrite the last backup. Therefore, unless you delete old backups, you will not have room for new backups. To check how much free space is left on your external hard drive, right mouse click on the hard drive icon listed in My Computer, and select properties. The pie chart will show you how you are doing on free space.
• When is you backup scheduled? Is your computer on, when  the backup is scheduled to occur? If not,  the next time the backup is attempted is when the schedule indicates. A missed scheduled backup will not happened immediately when you computer is booted.
• Do you use a free service like Drop Box? If there is a red "x" over the Drop Box icon, you are over your 2GB allowance and backups have stopped. You will either need to change what you backup to bring you under the 2GB limit or for pay for extra storage.

Pay attention to the details and your backup will be available when you need it.

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Traveling in Europe with your Computer

Is a trip to Europe in your future? How are you going to stay connected?

Email

• Laptop computer: In your home neighborhood there are many businesses you can visit with your laptop to connect to the Internet and access your email for free (Borders, Krystal, McDonald's, etc.) This is not true in Europe. Most businesses will charge you to connect to their Internet connection.
• Smartphone: Verizon requires you to activate a service in order to use your cellphone in Europe. Besides the activation fee, you will need to consider selecting a calling plan to make calls in Europe. Your smartphone, when connected to a WiFi network, will allow you to send and receive email, but without a calling plan, you will not be able to send and receive "text".
• Internet Cafe: Most cafes, for a charge, will allow you to use their computer or your laptop to access the Internet. Unfortunately, before you sit down and use the cafe's computer, consider that you may not be able to access your Internet service provider's webmail because that site has been blocked by the Internet  Cafe. This was the case at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

I found that during my 9 days in Europe (London, Paris, Rome and Florence), that is was quite a chore to find an affordable connection to the Internet to read my email. Surprisingly, I found an oasis in Paris that had access for free using their computers and allowed my smartphone to connect to their WiFi for free. Under the Louvre Museum, is a shopping mall with an Apple Store. I waltzed into the Apple Store and sat down in front of an iMac 24" computer for 45 minutes undisturbed. I am sure that other Apple Stores in Europe would also be a place to seek out for Internet access.

Charging Your Laptop, Digital Camera and Smartphone

Laptop 
Most computer power adapters have a switch that will handle the 220 volts European standard. The U.S. standard is 120 volts. You will need a adapter for the plugged end because different countries have different wall plug standards.

If your laptop computer power adapter does not have a 120/220 volt switch, you will need to purchase a European voltage converter from Radio Shack or Mori Luggage. The European voltage converter plugs into the wall outlet and the power supply for your laptop plugs into the voltage converter. You will still need to invest in a adapter for the plugged end for the voltage converter to plug into the wall outlet with.

Digital Camera
If  your digital camera has a rechargeable battery, the battery charger will need to plug into an European voltage converter.

Smartphone
Normally, you can charge a smartphone using your usb sync cable plugged into a laptop usb port. This did not work. The smartphone indicated the voltage was not right to charge the smartphone. Plugging the smartphone charger in an European voltage converter will be necessary.

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"Cleaning" the Electricity that Powers Your Computer

Electrical storms, ice storms or neighborhood construction can impact the voltage coming out of your electrical outlet. Your computer gear is more likely to fail if the voltage to your gear dips below 120 volts or spikes above 120 volts. Computer gear is likely to fail during quick spikes or dips in voltage.

Using a battery backup/UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) to "clean" the electrical power to your computer gear can make your computer gear last longer. A battery backup/UPS monitors the power coming out the electrical outlet. If the power dips or spikes, the power going into your computer gear is from the battery until the power from the outlet stabilizes. 

If you lose all power to your home or business, the battery supplies power to your computer gear to shut it off in a standard manner. This allows you to shut your computer down after files or photos you have been working on, have been saved.

How big a battery backup/UPS do you need to buy?

• The longer the battery backup/UPS will power your computer gear on battery, the more expensive the battery backup/UPS. Five minutes of running on battery should be enough. If the power to your computer does not stabilizes in five minutes, it will probably take hours to re-establish electrical power to your home or office.
• An 390 Watt/650 Volt Amps battery backup/UPS should be adequate for most home and small business needs. Remember, each computer will need a separate battery backup/UPS.

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The Importance of Removing Dust From Your Computer Case

Does your computer freeze or shutdown unexpectedly?


Most computers have a safety feature that causes them to shutdown if the temperature inside of the computer case reaches a critical level. Sometimes the computer does not shutdown, but freezes.


Two Main Causes of Overheating Are:

• Dust accumulates quickly inside of a computer. If the dust blocks airflow to your computer chip, that chip can overheat.
• The cooling fans of your computer may have failed.

"Dusting" Your Computer

To remove the dust from inside your workstation, your must open the case. Please refer to your owner's manual for information. Owner's manuals are usually available from the vendor's website. To  minimize dust being blown from the computer case into your home, it is recommended that you open the case outside and remove the dust there. Your computer must be unplugged when doing this procedure or you are your computer may suffer damage.


Purchase a "canned" air product such as Dust Off at an office supply or computer store. Spray the compressed air inside the case and blow out all the dust you can see. Make sure to dust all cooling fans and the computer circuit boards. Reassemble the case.


Opening a laptop computer case is difficult and should not be attempted by a non-professional. To remove dust from a laptop computer, shutdown and unplugged it. Again, because of the mess, this procedure is best done outside. Point the "canned" air into the ventilation slots in the case to blow the dust out.


Checking the Cooling Fans on Your Computer

Workstations have at least two cooling fans. With the computer running, see if you can detect airflow where the electrical cord plugs into the back of the workstation. This fan is part of the power supply. There should be another fan that vents the heat inside the case. The case fan is below the power supply fan. A flashlight pointed at the fans will allow you to detect if the fan is moving or not.


If the fan for the power supply is not working, the power supply needs to be replaced. This is a job for a professional computer technician. If the computer is an older one, the failure of the power supply may be the start of an older computer starting to fail. Consider replacing the computer instead of replacing the power supply.

If the case fan has failed, this fan is easier and cheaper to replace than the power supply. If you are handy with a screw driver, you may be able to replace this fan yourself. Remove the fan, noting where the electrical connection was plugged into the motherboard. There are many different fan sizes. Take the fan to a computer store to match the size of the fan. You must replace the fan with an identical sized fan.


Newer laptop computers do not have fans and vent air via convection. Never leave a laptop computer running on top of a bedspread. It is possible for a soft surface such as a bedspread to block the cooling vents causing your computer to over heat.

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Time to Replace G4 Apple Computer?

Your G4 processor Apple computer has served you well but:

• You cannot play movies from the Internet from NetFlix.
• You are unable to read ebooks using the Kindle eBook Reader Application.
• You cannot upgrade your version of Microsoft Office for Mac 2008 to the current version (2011).
• You are unable to upgrade to the newest version of the Apple Operating System (Snow Leopard 10.6).
• You cannot have more than 2 gigabytes of memory (RAM) installed on your system to make it run faster or to support memory intensive applications such as Adobe Photoshop.

Time for a new Apple computer. Apple just announced there new offerings. Here is a link to an article that describes their new computers.
http://www.maclife.com/article/news/right_cue_apple_introduces_new_macbook_pro_models

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Upgrade to New Blackberry OS v6.0?

Verizon finally released v6.0 of the Blackberry Operating System to 

some of their "newer" older Blackberry SmartPhones. 

What do you need to know before your upgrade?

• Make sure your Blackberry is backed up. Use Blackberry Desktop Manager to do this.
• Your cellphone should be sync'ing your contacts, memos and tasks successfully.
• You have a backup of your SD media card. Use Blackberry Desktop Manager or copy the contents of the card to your computer when your Blackberry is connected to your computer. The SD card should be displayed as a  removable media drive in Windows Explorer.
• Document all the applications you have downloaded from the web. This list must be detailed enough for you to re-download these applications. If you used Blackberry App World to download and install your apps, this application will be all you need to re-install your applications.

When you connect your Blackberry to your computer and the Blackberry Desktop Manager starts, the Desktop Manager should detect that a new upgrade is available for your phone. Follow the steps and in approximately 1 and 1/2 hours your Blackberry will be running the newest release of the Blackberry Operating System.

All applications you downloaded from the Internet will need to be re-installed. If you installed them via Blackberry App World, open the application and re-install all the applications listed.

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Ensuring Your Low Cost Computer Will Perform

Computer memory (or RAM) is a key component of ensuring your computer can perform fast. 

One way to lessen the cost of a computer is my limiting how much memory comes with it out of the box and how much memory the computer can be upgraded to later. Make sure the computer you have in mind has the following minimums or can be upgraded later before buying it:

Windows XP- at least 1 megabyte (more is better)
Vista -             2 megabytes (4 megabytes is better)
Windows 7 -   2 megabytes (4 megabytes is better)

To determine how much memory your computer can be upgraded to go to:
www.kingston.com  and enter the vendor and model number into the memory search screen on the right.

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Using Two Monitors to Increase Your Productivity

Investing in another flat screen monitor can increase your productivity:

• You can have more than one window open full sized at the same time because you have double the amount of desktop space to spread things out. This makes previewing a document and editing the document a snap.
• Imagine being able to editor photos by having one monitor displaying the before and the other monitor displaying the after editing result.
• You can multi-task by monitoring your email and surfing the web.

What hardware do you need besides the additional monitor? You need a video card that can send your display to two monitor.

• If you have a laptop, does your laptop have an additional video monitor connection. Consult your users' manual. If it doesn't, you cannot display to more than one monitor.
• If you have a desktop, trace where your current monitor plugs into your computer. Is there an additional connection? Usually, if your video card supports displaying to more than one monitor, there will be the familiar VGA plug and a DVI plug. Most older monitors used a VGA plug. If the second monitor you want to connect has a VGA plug, you can buy a adapter to convert the VGA plug into a DVI allowing you to use both video monitor connections.
• If you only have one VGA connection on your video card, you can buy for $50 another video card that will have both connections on it.

Click on this link for a step by step description of connecting two monitors:  
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/organization/twomonitors.aspx

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Should You Buy an iPad?

Many of my clients that have an iPhone and an iPad are having buyer's remorse.

The major difference between an iPhone and an iPad is the size of the screen and the ability to act as a cellphone and folks who have bought both are finding that this may not be enough to justify having both an iPhone and an iPad.

Task	iPhone	iPad
Read books	√	√
Cellphone	√	X
Email	√	√
Browse Internet	√	√ (larger display)
Add Additional Storage Capacity	X	X
USB Port	X	X
Connect to Internet via WiFi	√	√
Print	√	√

If you have an iPhone, you might consider deferring your purchase of an iPad-like device until major players such as Samsung and Blackberry unveil their offerings. It is possible that non-Apple iPad-like devices may have additional features that will make it worthwhile to purchase a different vendor's product.

Here is a an link reviewing non-Apple iPad-like devices:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/gallery-non-apple-tablets/all/1

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Bad News for Blackberry Users and Syncing to Entourage

If you install Microsoft Office for Mac 2011, your ability to sync with Entourage using Pocket Mac will break.

Here is an email send to me from Pocket Mac:

     First of all, I wanted to let you know we're hard at work on our update for Microsoft Office 2011. 

     On December 15, we'll be shipping free MS Office updates for PocketMac for BlackBerry. Again, this update will be completely free and available to all PocketMac for BlackBerry customers. That's the good news. Now for the not-so-good news...

      ...Microsoft has decided, for reasons not completely clear to me, to limit what Outlook 2011 syncs. This means with the latest release, they're allowing only contacts to sync. This means for the foreseeable future:

      (*) no calendar sync

      (*) no tasks sync and

      (*) no notes sync. 

      For more on their decision, you can check out this MS Office for Mac blog post. The post specifically says, "...you’ll find sync support for your contacts through Sync Services. We do understand that Calendar sync is important and are working on it now." Not the best news, I know. With that in mind, though, here's what I'd recommend:

      1) Hold off on upgrading until Microsoft launches calendar synching or full synching capabilities.

      2) Download our update on December 15 with the knowledge that it will only sync your contacts. 

     Know this though: whenever Microsoft releases their updates and allows the synching of more items, we'll support them. We will provide a contacts plugin for Outlook 2011 initially, and, if/when Outlook supports calendar, etc. sync, we will provide free updates for that data, too. 

     And of course, we still have rock-solid support for Entourage 2008 included in the current version of PocketMac for BlackBerry. 

Thank you,

Tim Goggin

VP

PocketMac

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Does Your Blackberry Freeze Sometimes?

Here are a couple of things you can try to fix the problem:

•  Did you lock your keyboard by pressing the lock button? When you press the lock button again, does the screen remain blank? Try pressing the escape key (it looks like a u-turn) to force the display to re-appear. Then try pressing the lock button again.
• Do you see an error message about an uncaught trap? In the body of the message may be a cryptic reference to the program that caused the problem. In my case it was the Blackberry Messenger Application. I deleted the application, the uncaught trap message went away, and my Blackberry stopped freezing. Re-loading Blackberry Messenger should fix the problem.
• When you move from one application to another do you "exit" the application or use the escape key to move to the next application? If you do not select "exit" from the drop down menu, that application is still running in the background when you switch to the next application. Applications that are running in the background are using memory. If you use too much memory, your Blackberry freezes. Practice "exiting" an application when you are done with it.
• When all else fails, your cellphone may need to be rebooted. Remove the battery and re-insert the battery. If re-booting the cellphone is becoming a daily occurrence, the next fix is wiping out your cellphone's operating system and re-installing it along with all the applications, themes, music and pictures you added since you bought the cellphone. Before attempting this, you must make a current backup of your cellphone by using the Blackberry Desktop Application. This can be a complex, time consuming process. I would suggest having an IT Professional do this for you.

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Carbonite - Friend or Foe?

Is installing Carbonite the best backup and recovery strategy for your computer?

What do you want to back up?

• Pictures
• Documents
• Emails
• Address Book
• Memos
• Tasks
• Calendar

For the first two items on the list, pictures and documents, Carbonite does a pretty good job.

For the rest of the items on the list, however, their integration with Outlook can present a problem. If you are like me, Outlook is always up and running. Unless Outlook is shut down, Carbonite cannot back up the rest of the types of files on the list because Outlook is using them and has them "locked".

To ensure Carbonite or an other backup program you use is able to access all your Outlook stuff, you need to export the contents of Outlook to a .PST file and that .PST file needs to be in a place where Carbonite will back it up. Since different versions of Outlook will go about the process of exporting a .PST file differently, I suggest a Google search of "Outlook export .PST" and follow the directions.

Another problem with Carbonite shows up during file recovery. Let's say your computer needed to be re-loaded because of a hard drive failure or a virus attack. Where will Carbonite load your backup files? The short answer is all over your desktop. You are expected to cut and paste the individual files to their proper locations. If you don't know what you are doing, this is a very time-consuming and tedious process. It is not recommended for the faint-hearted.

Here is another scenario where Carbonite fails. You have a windows based laptop that you have been backing up with Carbonite. You decide to replace the windows computer with an Apple laptop. When you try to restore to your new Apple laptop, you find out that you cannot restore from windows to your Apple laptop. You must find a windows computer that you can restore to and then copy the restored files to the Apple laptop via an external hard drive or cd's that you created.. 

Given these three areas of concern, I would not recommend Carbonite. There are better solutions out there that can backup your system safely if they are used properly. I would suggest engaging an IT professional to design, implement and test a back up and recovery strategy for you. The small cost you pay will be worth it when you have peace of mind knowing your important files are backed up and can be recovered, with a minimum of effort.

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Is Your TV Connected to the Internet? How to Stream Movies from Netflix

Instead of renting movies from a store, the world seems to have gone to downloading and playing movies over the Internet; the major player in this market is Netflix. What equipment is necessary to download and play movies from Netflix?

If you only want to watch movies on your laptop or desktop, all you need is a high speed Internet connection.

If you prefer to watch movies on your TV, you must enable your TV-Internet connection. Here are three ways to do this:

• If your television has a built-in network interface card, connecting a cable (Cat5e) from your DSL/Cable Modem or router is a matter of finding a cable long enough to reach the television from the DSL/Cable Modem or router.

• If your television supports WiFi, you will need to plug an approved WiFi Adapter into the television's USB port. See your televisions owner's manual for more details.
• If your television cannot connect to the Internet via a built-in network interface card or a WiFi Adapter, buying a DVD Player that has the ability to connect to the Internet will allow your television to stream movies from the Internet once the DVD Player is connected to your television. (Note: WiFi enabled Blu Ray Players do not include a WiFi adapter. They must be purchased separately. So far, the only approved adapters are the ones sold by the Blu Ray Player manufacturer. If you need your Blu Ray Player to be connected via WiFi, plan on spending an additional $70-$80 for a manufacturer specific WiFi adapter.)

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Can I Really Make My PC Run Faster, Like it Says on the TV Commercial?

Can downloading a program from the Internet make a slow computer run like new?

Here is what happens when you download and install the software for free: 

• A scan uncovers hundreds, if not thousands of problems.
• To fix the problems, you must get your credit card out and click the link in order to purchase the debugging software.
• After purchasing the software and running another scan, all your problems are fixed.

When running the software on a brand new computer, I would expect few, if any problem. A scan uncovered hundreds of problems. Running software packages I recommend and trust, no errors were uncovered.

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The Droid - Better Than an iPhone?

With three months' experience using a Droid 2, what have we learned?

The Droid platform is for users who like to browse the Internet. The  phone has the same iPhone feature of changing from portrait to landscape display by rotating the phone. With the lack of a  method of syncing your calendar, contacts, memos and tasks with Outlook, the phone is not suited as well for business users. 

Here is a list of specific issues regarding the Droid phone:

            The Droid platform is very iPhone like, but lacks the maturity of the iPhone. We would describe the phone as having been developed by a group of smart engineers who didn't get together and talk. 

             Are you an Outlook user? There is not a straight forward way of synchronizing your calendar, contacts, tasks, and memo with Outlook and the Droid. Synchronizing data is through your Gmail account. Unfortunately, the free program that used to sync Outlook with Gmail does not work with non Outlook Exchange Server email accounts. Most businesses that use Outlook, deploy Outlook using Microsoft Exchange Server. If your email account is not a business account, there is no straightforward way of syncing Outlook and your phone.

            The Droid phone does not have built-in task or memo software. 

            Do you want a particular ring tone to ring for different people like your wife or boss so that hearing the ring tone tells you who the call is from? This is a great feature if it works consistently. There is a problem with the current Android Operating System software for the Droid where the phone sometimes plays a different ring tone than the one specified by you. The current solution is to reboot (pull the battery out and put it back in) your phone occasionally.

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Which Cellphone Should You Buy?

There basically are two types of cellphones:
Smartphones and standard cellphones

• Smartphones can access the Internet and can send and receive email.
• Standard cellphones can initiate and receive phone calls and send and receive text messages.

If you don't care about email or browsing the Internet, a standard cellphone is right for you.

If, however, you need a Smartphone, be aware that there are two basic Smartphone types:

• Smartphones that browse the Internet well (iPhone, Droid).
• Smartphones that send and receive email well and synchronize your email extremely well with Outlook (Blackberry).
• iPhones and Droids can send and receive email, but do not integrate as well with Outlook as a Blackberry does. A Blackberry can browse the internet, but not as well as an iPhone or Droid. 

These distinctions will change over time as each cellphone manufacturer tries to make its Smartphone the best for all types of users.

Once you have selected a Smartphone type (Internet or email), the next choice is between a virtual keyboard and a traditional keyboard. 

•  Most Smartphones have either a virtual keyboard that is displayed on the screen that you tap with your fingertips or a miniaturized keyboard which is similar in layout to your laptop desktop keyboard. Which keyboard is best for you depends on how well you can type on a specific Smartphone with a specific keyboard type. It is important to spend some time in your cellphone provider's store to try out the "feel" of a particular keyboard before your pick a specific Smartphone.
• Some Smartphones have both types of keyboards integrated into the phone. Droids and Blackberrys are two that have traditional keyboards that slide out of the phone, but also have integrated virtual keyboard that work from the screen. You may find that some applications on the Smartphone work better with a virtual keyboard, while others are easier with a keypad; getting a Smartphone that has both can make sense.

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Check out my @constantcontact newsletter

Check out my @constantcontact newsletter

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How Long Does an USB Flash Drive Last?

From the AJC Aug. 1, 2010 The Help Desk

I do not trust a flash drive with any important data. Some flash drives claim they can survive up to 10,000 accesses; others - usually cheaper - can only handle 1,000 accesses. As far as a lifespan in years, I've seen 10 mentioned quite often. But keep in mind that is (1) pretty much a guess and (2) an average. So some lasted longer and others died sooner. My advise for storing critical data is to create several back-up modes, including online storage. If you do use a flash drive, store it in a cool place with low humidity.

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New post on blog reviewing Blackberry Bold 9650
http://ping.fm/Ntio6

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New post to blog on T Mobile cellular network and how they lied to me
http://ping.fm/OlCEv

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New post to blog on iPhone v4 upgrade failure
http://ping.fm/QxJTE

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New post to blog on using Clear
http://ping.fm/KojTC

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Clear Hot Spot Test - Replacement for Your High Speed Internet Provider?

A client got fed up enough to try Clear in order to get rid of a failing AT&T High Speed Internet Access connection. High Tech House Calls installed the Clear Modem.

The exsiting Linksys Wireless Router connected seamlessly to Clear Modem device. No programming was needed to make the Linksys Wireless Router work with the Clear Modem.

The Modem was very picky about placement. The people at Clear had pointed out where the closest broadcast tower was from the clients' house. A "stand" of books were stacked one on top of another so that the Modem was sitting in front of a window on the top floor of the house facing the broadcast tower. Other locations in the house resulting in a signal that would not allow a laptop to connect to the internet.

The client was also given a hand held Mobile Spot that never connected to the broadcast tower.

Both devices (Mobile Spot and Modem) were given to the client on a 14 day trial. So far, so good. Maybe Clear is your solution to dumping Comcast or AT&T High Speed Internet Access. 

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iPhone v4.0 Upgrade Failures

High Tech House Calls has seen quite a lot of v4.0 upgrade failures on iPhones. Here are some facts on the upgrade process:

•  The process is a lengthy one and can take as long as 6 hours.
• It is NOT an unattended process. You must answer questions during the upgrade. Therefore, starting the process before going to bed and expecting it to be complete when you wake up is not going to happen.
• How do you tell if the upgrade was successful? Go to Settings, then General and then About. If the version displayed is not 4.0, the upgrade did not succeed.

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Blackberry Bold 9650 - Good Enough Not To Switch to iPhone?

For approximately the last two years, High Tech House Calls has been using a Blackberry Curve smartphone. We wanted an iPhone, but our hatred of AT&T precluded that choice.

The Curve's access to the internet was minimal. You could read a phone number of the heading of a match found by Google, but actually reading webpages was out of the questions.

With our switch to Verizon, we purchased new cellphones. Enter, the Blackberry Bold.  The Bold can actually display readable webpages. The cellphone does not have the ability to display a larger sized page via landscape mode like the iPhone, but this cellphone is usable as a way to surf the web.

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T-Mobile Lied to Me

We have been a very loyal T-Mobile cellphone customer for at least 10 years. None of our three lab locations (Virginia Highlands, Buckhead or Smyrna) have had a cell signal strong enough to send and receive cell phone calls.

T-Mobile indicated that since my plan had roaming included, I was always connected to the strongest signal regardless of who the carrier was. The conclusion was, it was bad luck that all my lab locations had poor cell coverage from all the cellular providers.

High Tech House Calls changed to Verizon for all our cellphone needs. We have "3 bar" signal strength throughout the lab. The test for signal strength used similar model Blackberry models that should have eliminated differences a cellphones antenna.

Is it time for you to switch to a better cellphone network? www.verizon.com

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Buy a Mac for College, Get an Free iPod Touch

Time for a new computer for your school kid?

Choose your Mac.

If you’re a college student or a faculty or staff member at any grade level and you buy a new Mac with Apple education pricing from May 25 through September 7, 2010, you can get a free 8GB iPod touch.* No wonder they call these the best years of your life.

Click here for more information: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/campaigns/back_to_school

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Saving Money With Groupons

What is a Groupon?

Each day, Groupon features an unbeatable deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in your city. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, Groupon get discounts you won't find anywhere else. We call it "collective buying power!"

 

How It Works

1. Each day Groupon features something cool to do at an unbeatable price.
2. You only get it if enough people join that day… so invite your friends!
3. Check back the next day for another awesome Groupon!

FAQS

Do I have to sign up a group of people I know to get the deal?

Nope - our millions of members make up a big enough group. You'll probably want to invite people anyway, though — Groupons are fun to use with friends, grandparents, and men who wear monocles.

 

I like today's deal - how do I get it?

Just click "BUY" before the offer ends at midnight. If the minimum number of people sign up, we'll charge your card and send you a link to print your Groupon. If not enough people join, no one gets it (and you won't be charged), so invite your friends to make sure you get the deal!

 

What happens if the Groupon doesn't reach its required minimum number of purchasers?

If not enough people sign up, then the deal is canceled, and you won't be charged. Better luck next time! So if you really want the Groupon, be sure to either beg or threaten your friends.

 

Do I need to use my Groupon the same day I buy it?

No. Many Groupons have an expiration date, but you never have to use them on the date of purchase.

 

I bought a Groupon - how do I use it?

Once you're charged, you'll receive an email with a link to sign in and print your Groupon. The Groupon has redemption instructions and a map right on it!

 

Can I buy a Groupon as a gift for someone else?

Yes. We communicate with all the businesses that we work with that Groupons can be gifted, and unless the Fine Print specifically states otherwise, gift away! To have us send them the gift, select the gift option at checkout.

 

Wait, my name is on the Groupon. Are you sure I can use this as a gift?

Yes!

 

If I don't use the full value of the Groupon in one visit, can I use the remainder later?

No. Unless otherwise stated you do not receive store credit or cash back for whatever you don't use. Bring a friend - share a little!

 

Can I combine my Groupon with other offers or specials?

No... not unless the Groupon specifically states otherwise.

 

Am I billed as soon as I join a Groupon?

No - you are only charged if the Groupon reaches the required minimum.

 

Is Groupon safe?

Extremely. Your credit card number is transmitted by SSL directly to a secure electronic vault. At no time is your credit card information stored on our servers.

 

Can I return a Groupon?

Read this, and then if you want, give us a call: (877) 788-7858.

 

What happens if my Groupon expires?

All is not lost! Once a Groupon reaches its expiration date, it loses its promotional value, but you can still redeem it at the price you paid for the length of time stated by gift certificate laws in your state.

 

What if the business for my Groupon closes down?

If anything happens that makes it impossible for you to redeem your Groupon, we'll make sure you get your money back.

 

 How can I get my business on Groupon?

Check out GrouponWorks for more information.

 

Why do you only feature one deal a day? I want more Groupons!

When you're looking for stuff to do, choice can be overwhelming. We focus on one great thing each day and offer it at an unbeatable price to make things simple for you. Hang out with Groupon for a week, and you'll find something that's impossible to refuse.

 

Where did you get the name "Groupon?"

Groupon is a city in Switzerland where Goodyear tires are sold at heavily discounted rates.

 

Who are you guys?

Groupon evolved out of The Point, a platform for organizing not only group discounts, but all forms of collective action. You can learn more about Groupon, and learn more about The Point.

 

Where is Groupon based?

Groupon is headquartered in Chicago. We also have employees in cities across the U.S.

Click here to sign up:  
http://www.groupon.com/r/uu661017

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New post to blog on saving money on printing
http://ping.fm/rLU5p

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Pay Less to Print

Before you buy a new printer, figure the cost per page.  
By Jeff Bertolucci from Kiplinger's Personal Finance 07/2010

Manufacturers of inkjet printers have long used the razor-and-blades business model: The machines often cost $100 or less, but the ink cartridges can add up to two or three times that much in just one year. Now, however, increased competition and consumer outrage are writing a new chapter.

Over the past year, both Lexmark and Hewlett-Packard have run ad campaigns touting low ink prices, notes Andrew Lippman, a printer analyst with Lyra Research. And Eastman Kodak's latest turnaround strategy is based on cheaper cartridges for its printer line.

For example, Lexmark now sells a $5 black ink cartridge, the 105XL, which prints an estimated 500 pages. That's 75 pages more than Kodak's $10 10B black cartridge, which itself is considered a value compared with similar cartridges that cost $13 to $20.

Grab your calculator. The best way to get your money's worth is to figure out what it will cost to print per page, says PCWorld magazine senior editor Melissa Riofrio. Start with a printer model you like. Then go online to find out how much you'll pay for cartridges and how many pages each cartridge will print. (Manufacturers and reputable online vendors, such as Amazon, often list page yields along with the cartridge's technical specs.)

Now divide the cost of the cartridge by the page yield. For example, the HP Photosmart C4780 uses the HP60 black ink cartridge, which costs $15 and yields 200 pages. Cost per page: 7.5 cents. By comparison, the Kodak ESP 3250 uses Kodak 1-B cartridges, which has a 425-page yield. Cost per page: 2.4 cents.

More may not be less. But high-capacity cartridges may not be for everyone. "If you don't [print very much, a high-yield cartridge that sits for months and dries up isn't necessarily a good thing," says Riofrio.

You'll need to run the numbers for color ink cartridges, too. Printers that use a single tricolor cartridge-which has cyan, magenta and yellow ink tanks in one unit-cost more in the long run. That's because once one tank runs out, you have to replace the entire cartridge, which typically costs $30 to $40.

Once you've compared printing costs per page, you still have to decide whether the most economical printer has the features you want. And you should compare print quality with that of pricier models. Visit a local retailer and put the printers through their paces.

One good choice for affordable home printing is the Canon Pixma iP4700 ($100). This inkjet model produces sharp, clear photos and documents , and it can print on both sides of the page (another money saver). Its inks are reasonably priced: the five tanks-black, cyan, yellow,magenta and photo black (for pictures)-are priced from $13 to $15 each.

Blog Editor Note:  High Tech House Calls uses a Canon Pixma iP3000. We love the printer so much, we have replaced the print head to continue using it. We highly recommend the Pixma series of inkjet printers.

We also use Cartridge World to save on money for cartridges. Cartridge World cartridges are high quality and we have never ruined expensive tri-fold brochure page when using a cartridge from Cartridge World. (http://www.cartridgeworld.com/usa/usa428/) This is not the case with cartridges from Office Depot.

KipTip

How to Skimp on Printer Ink
If you'd rather keep your current inkjet printer, there are ways to conserve-many of which also work with laser printer to save toner.

Print in draft mode.
Nearly every printer has the option to print in draft, economy or save mode.

Stick to black and white.
Switch to grayscale only if you don't need to see documents in color. To eliminate ink-draining Web color graphics, download Printee for IE (www.irido.com), an application that lets Windows users remove images before printing a page on Internet Explorer.

Think before you print.
Train yourself to read on-screen. To save online articles to your PC, use a free app, such as PDSFCreator (http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator), to convert Web pages to Adobe Acrobat files.

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One of my favorite charities makes the news...
http://ping.fm/cTZUT

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New blog post on version of Microsoft Office to buy.
Home and Student vs. full featured.
http://ping.fm/8jI8p

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New post on the importance of sync'ing your iPhone.
http://ping.fm/ZD0Wt

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The Importance of Sync'ing Your iPhone

Bad things happen if you do not sync your iPhone with your computer.

When Apple discovers a problem on your iPhone's operating system or a new feature is created, a new release of the iPhone software is released.

That new release is installed on your iPhone via iTunes. When you connect your iPhone to a computer, iTunes starts up and checks to see if your software is up to date. If not, it advises you of a newer release of software that is available for download and upgrade to your iPhone.

Here are some thing to consider when upgrading the software on your iPhone:

• Stay up to date. It can be more problematic to upgrade from an older release of software to the current release. Periodic sync'ing with iTunes will ensure that you have the most current release of software loaded on your iPhone.
• Make sure your iPhone is backed up. Most upgrades will erase your iPhone data (calendar, contacts, applications, etc.), before the upgrade occurs. The upgrade process should backup and restore all your data but we have seen this process fail. Your backup will be your safety net if the restoration fails from the upgrade process.

Need help sync'ing your iPhone with iTunes, here is an article from Apple on the process http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1386.

If you have any further problems, please feel free to contact High Tech House Calls at 404.229.0839 or carlthorne@hthcatlanta.com.

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