Trustworthy Computer Technicians
In today’s world computers have become a staple in the home. When this vital part of your daily life is down, who do you turn to? How do you find a trustworthy technician - one who can diagnose and correct the problem for a fair and reasonable fee? What is a fair and reasonable fee?
Best Buy’s Geek Squad, which advertises heavily in the area of technical support, charges $199.99 for virus removal and optimization. They will back up your data for an additional $99.99. For this price, you could be bringing a new computer into your home. Is this a fair and reasonable repair fee? I beg to differ.
Customers often pay a computer repair bill with little or no comprehension of the problem, just to regain normalcy in the home or workplace. We would rather have our computers up and running at any cost, rather than to be without constant contact with our friends via e-mail, the convenience of online news and shopping, or the Power Point presentation needed for work the next day. We’ve all been there.
Because technology is changing at lightning speed, there is a general lack of knowledge in this specific area, and many computer owners fall prey to dishonest technicians. It is important to hire a computer technician you can trust, not only for the best job for your money, but also for the purpose of identity protection. If a deceitful, overcharging technician is working on your computer, who is to say that he would not compromise the personal information that is stored on your PC. You may be losing more than just $300 at this point. As the paying customer, you should have the opportunity to meet with your technician, one on one, to ensure that your computer is in good hands. This personal approach fosters trust and a good solution to your computer problems. And, don’t forget to ask questions! The more knowledgeable you are about your computer, the less likely you are to be taken advantage of. You are entitled to answers.
Nicholas Catanoso
Catanoso Computing
http://www.catanosocomputing.com
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Why Asus Laptop Computers Are Great
Asus laptop computers are great for anyone that is looking to buy a new computer. There are several reasons as to why this is true. The first reason as to why this is true is because it has an enormous hard drive. The fact of the matter is that almost no other laptop computer has a hard drive as large as the one in the Asus Computers. This large hard drive allows you to surf the Internet at blazing fast speeds. Most people do not realize the advantages of having a larger hard drive.
One of the major advantages of having a larger hard drive is that it provides you with tons of space to store your media files. The fact of the matter is that on other laptops you will often run out of space to store your media files. On an Asus laptop computer, you will never run out of space to store your media files. This large hard drive also allows you to upload your media files at blazing fast speeds.
If you like watching videos on the Internet then Asus Laptop computers will be great for you. Asus laptop computers are specifically designed to help people watch movies on the Internet. Their enormous hard drives and blazing fast processor allows people to watch videos at ridiculously fast speeds. Most people do not realize that the best computers on the face of the earth always come from Asus. If you want to purchase a great laptop computer then you should consider purchasing an Asus laptop computer today.
http://www.asuslaptopcomputers.com
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What to Expect From a Computer Repair Shop
Computer Diagnostics
Any computer repair shop or technician worth your time should always perform a diagnostic of your computer regardless of how obvious the problem may seem. If you get someone who wants to start taking parts out and putting new ones in or wants to just wipe out your computer, run the other way fast.
Why so many Questions?
When you first call a computer repair shop, you might feel as though you’re being interrogated for a crime. A bright light shining on your face and a couple of tough guys standing in front of you promising to “get the truth outta ya”.
What’s really happening is the technician is trying to gather as much information as possible to have a better understanding of what might causing your problems. Some are better than others at putting you at ease during this important process. But in the long run it the best way to get an overview of what might be happening.
Here’s a brief list of what you might expect to be asked when calling…
- Do you have a desktop or laptop?
- What brand is your computer and how long have you had it
- What’s the model number? You may find this around the LCD screen on the laptop or on sticker on the bottom. On Desktops this mat be on the front or back of the PC)
- What is the service tag number? This is mostly on Dell computers. Other use s/n or p/n numbers)
- What changed since the last time your PC was working? Any thing added or taken away, updates, different users, storms, power outages, etc)
- What error did your computer display? Write this down if possible. It’s a good resource to find out if others have had the same problem and what was done to correct it.
- How long has your computer been doing this?
- What are you doing when this problem occurs? This is not to say you are doing something wrong, but more of a way to find out if different applications or hardware are causing a problem.
- Does it happen the same time each day or after the same amount of time you been using the PC? Time can play a vital role in diagnostics of computers.
Do I really need a diagnostics?
The short answer is YES. Even if you looking at cracked screen on your laptop it has to be checked out before parts are order for it. An that goes back to some of the questions from above. How did the screen crack? If you dropped it, then you may have other issues that may need to be looked at besides the screen.
Also, getting the correct numbers off your computer are important when ordering replacement parts. Sometimes a computer has to be opened to get the actual part number. And in some cases it may just be a loose connection that can be fixed on the spot which is a BIG money saver.
In-Shop or On-Site?
Generally speaking it’s more convenient to have a computer technician come to your location, but this can usually costs more than bringing your computer to the shop. Most on-site problems require at least two trips if they’re hardware related because parts need to be ordered.
If you problem is software based, it may just take a couple of hours depending on the problem. Software issues can be a little tricky sometimes because so many different things come into play that could be causing your computer problems.
What about the price?
Price, such a simple word, but it seems to make both computer service provider and the customer feel like they’re back in their middle school trying to work up enough nerve to talk to their secret crush.
Afterall, most people don’t know what a fair price is for computer service, so you tend to fall back into retail shopping mode and look for the lowest price. I’m not suggesting you don’t do your homework before committing to computer service, but as you always been told, you get what you pay for.
Most computer repair shops from charge $70-$100 per hour for in-shop service and $100-$300 for on-site work (This varies indifferent areas of the country). This doesn’t include parts. Some charge a flat fee for their service, but in either case make sure you know in advance what you might expect to pay to get your system up and running.
Diagnostic charges vary widely and you should be prepared to pay at least that amount even if you don’t follow through with the repair. Some computer repair shops may even roll the diagnostic fee into your final bill saving more money.
And finally, make sure whoever you decide to use is a certified computer repair professional. The most common is CompTia A+ certification which is sort of a basic credential. Other computer technicians may hold certifications from Microsoft and other certifying agencies. Computer credentials and actual computer repair working experience is your best combination, so take that into account when considering price.
Mark Velasco
Owner - CyberTechs Computer Repair Services Plus
CompTia A+ Certfied Computer Professional
Microsoft Certified Professional
http://www.cybertechscomputers.com
Support@cybertechscomputers.com
Serving the San Antonio, Texas area.
210-670-9747
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How to Standardize Offerings and Optimize Portfolios With Advanced Credit Review Solutions
In the technology boom of recent years, credit review solutions have progressed more slowly than many of the other more “advanced” applications. This boom has given customers exciting new opportunities with unfortunate new pitfalls as these solutions provide organizations with the ability to standardize their product offerings and optimize their loan portfolios.
Why Standardization Is Important
It is common for separate branches of the same financial institution to have varying protocols and procedures, especially in growing companies. These varying protocols can create confusion. This problem has become more evident and difficult to handle due to the steady increase in bank mergers.
Banks can eradicate the current lack of standardization by using an automated credit solution in all bank branches. Using the same tools will standardize the meaning of numbers, which makes credit review a simpler and more efficient process.
Recent Improvements In Statistical Analysis Tools
Today’s boom in technology is most evident in gaming, television, and iPhone apps. Since computers have always performed statistical analysis well, developers have made little progress in this field until recently. Now, there are easy-to-use, standardized software applications that simplify and accelerate the speed of loan portfolio management.
Analysts can now do their jobs faster and more accurately. Computerized credit review solutions allow them to look at organizations holistically before looking at each sector specifically to determine how the parts create and affect the whole. This software allows analysts to serve their organizations quickly. All of these factors contribute to a higher quality portfolio.
Deliver Services Quickly With Credit Review Solutions
Thanks to computerized credit review solutions, analysts are able to deliver information in a day or even less. This is much more efficient than the past when credit reviews took weeks to finish.
Analysts can now work from locations other than in-office so they can complete reviews quickly. Secure connections to remote locations such as home or a client’s office allow for fast-paced and accurate information transmission, which leads to quick results. Everyone involved in the process can access this information instantly with remote database synchronization.
Automated credit review solutions allow faster and higher quality loan portfolios. To compete in today’s market and provide the best service to their clients, financial institutions need to modernize and standardize their procedures.
Karen Phillips is an author for DiCom Software, the leading provider of credit review solutions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Phillips
Find a Reliable Computer With XP
The fear of Vista is keeping many fine folks from purchasing a computer, and for good reason. Vista is new and has more bugs than my first apartment. The new Windows Vista operating system is something I personally am passing on, and here’s why.
The Vista Home Premium OS takes 20 gigs of storage space and a minimum of 1 gig of memory to run it. The system runs slow after a very short period of time. Vista Home Basic still requires 512mb RAM just to run it. Duo-Core processors help the speed some, but not enough to justify owning the sluggish OS.
After personally testing the Vista OS, I’m more than convinced to stick with my XP Pro I currently use. I tested Vista at the office supply store Staples for hours, day after day, for weeks. I’m still wondering how my dinosaur computer outperforms each machine I tested. The machines crawl that have Vista and there are so many printers, other hardware, and software that are not compatible with the new OS.
There are a few places to purchase a system with XP, while most stores are sold out. You can order one from Dell, but I’d think twice. My friend that’s a technician for Staples says Dell and Emachines are worked on more than any other machine he gets. And most memory for a Dell is not found at stores, but from Dell only. This allows Dell to charge what they want to for the proprietary ram. Rent to own stores still carry XP systems, but you don’t know what you get from a place like that because chances are you’re getting a returned machine with other people’s garbage left on it. I found several new machines with XP on them and some that have XP Media Center.
LinksforWriters.com has a Staples affiliate link that has computers with XP on them and at a very good price. The memory to upgrade these machines is easily purchased at many office supply and computer stores including Staples. Technical Support and Protection Plans are available for the machines at a fraction of the price of the machine, which can give you piece of mind if a problem does arise. There’s no restocking fee for a returned item, unlike NewEgg.com and others.
Stick with a proven and reliable operating system that has fewer issues for now. In a few years, maybe I might consider Vista if Microsoft can get they’re act together. Until then, I’ll use XP.
AJ Dowell is the owner of several business’s and publishes a free newsletter available from his website at http://linksforwriters.com Writer Resources such as office supplies, novel software, writing classes, web hosting, contests, and more are available at Links for Writers.
Never confuse motion with action-Ernest Hemingway
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The First Step to a Successful Computer Project Put Fashion in the Back Seat
To survive, your company needs a step-change improvement in its efficiency and productivity. Top management has decided upgrading the computer system is the ticket to that improvement–the company will scrimp elsewhere to fund it–and you are in charge of making it happen. The big boss says to bring in the latest and greatest.
Where should you start? By looking up reviews and ratings to find out which hardware and software are the best?
Sure, if you want an expensive failure. Maybe it will run, but it’s likely to make everybody’s lives miserable for years upon years instead of making the business run smoother.
Start by looking at the business. Determine what it needs to do–look hard, not just once over. Then look for the computer system best suited to helping accomplish it.
A Simple Example
Many years ago, when DOS was new and CP/M was popular, my mother’s master’s thesis required retyping a zillion times. My father decided to buy one of those new-fangled desktop computers so she could write her dissertation with a word processor. So far, so good.
But my parents thought they could take a short cut. During our next visit, they told me about this plan, then said, “So, which computer should we buy?”
I refused to name any. I told them to visit computer stores and “test drive” word processing programs. At the time, the programs worked very differently. Some used key combinations to embed formatting commands. Others used special syntax to distinguish formatting from text. My mother is a touch typist and had unusual word processing needs, so those differences would matter. When they found the program she liked best, then they should ask what machines could run it and buy one of those. My parents were… let’s just say they were not happy with me.
I wouldn’t budge, so they went to computer stores in the big city.
My mother’s specialty is medieval British literature. Modern English does not have some of the alphabetic characters the language used to have. The missing characters are represented now by striking one modern letter and overstriking at a half-width offset with another modern letter. Back then, none of the word processing programs could do that. WordPerfect could be modified appropriately. Only two combinations of computer and printer were available that could run it.
They bought one and it did exactly what my mother needed.
Even Big Companies Can Do It Wrong
I have seen Fortune 500 companies make mistakes a lot like the one my parents escaped. The most common are:
- Putting in a computer system to simply do everything the same way it was done before, with the new computer system involved wherever possible.
- Getting a computer system that a sales agent says will do everything they need, but that does not really fit, and then forcing the business to fit computer system.
Either mistake is costly. The first costs money to put in the new computer system, but misses the opportunity to make workflow more effective. It happens too easily because people who understand the flow of work in a business rarely understand what a computer could and could not handle. My mother did not realize overstriking with an offset of half a width might be almost impossible for word processors when it was easy on her typewriter.
The second mistake is worse. After costing money to buy the new system, the business has to distort its procedures to suit the convenience of a software vendor (typically at the expense of effectiveness). Productivity can actually decline!
Doing It Right for Your Business
You will not make these mistakes and others similar to them if you begin by getting a clear understanding of not just how your business is doing everything now, but what it really needs to do. Like my parents, you need to understand that thoroughly, not just at a surface level. Small details like the characters that are no longer part of English can be important.
Walk through what shop floor operators do to make your product, or what forklift drivers to do to load your trucks, or what agents do to start a new insurance policy for a customer–whatever your business does. Find the bottlenecks. Walk through revised versions of your business procedures until the new workflow is the way you want it and you know exactly what you want a computer system to do in that workflow.
Then, and only then, it is time to look at the hardware and software available, because at last you know what you want it to do. You are no longer an easy mark for a polished sales pitch. Instead, you will look at what the available systems can do with an eye toward how well that suits the ideal new workflow. You might find, as my parents did, that you have a choice between the latest and greatest, or something older with a solid track record that can do the same job at half the cost. Also like my parents, you might find that nothing on the market is a perfect match, but something you can buy “off the shelf” can be readily tailored to fit well enough without the need for entirely custom software.
Be driven by what your company really needs, not by the latest fashion, and your project can be a great success!
About the author: Bonnie D. Huval has been a consultant since 1992, helping companies make more money with their automation and transaction systems. Successful projects include cutting time to ship product from two days to two hours, and cutting downtime for product introduction by 40%. To get such consulting help for your firm, go to http://www.seneschal.biz Her USA and UK business interests also include real estate, property management and a restaurant. Go to http://www.makesureyougetpaid.com for her materials to help small businesses be more successful. Copyright 2009. This article may be reprinted only in its entirety, with full attribution.
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A Free Registry Error Scan Thats Quickly Helping Many People With Unique Computer Problems
A free registry error scan is the ultimate multi-disciplinary tool in discovering the cause of and the solution to your uncommon computer problems.
Struggling to find a guide on the internet on how to approach your particular problem? Friends and family unable to help you? Faced with paying extortionate fees for a technician to take a look at your PC? We may just have the solution that you have been looking for.
The free registry error scan takes your Windows registry, the source of the majority of computer problems and errors, and gives it a thorough scan, weeding out all invalid and redundant entries and removing them from your computer.
Now, your computer problem may lie within your registry and it may not. But performing a registry scan is entirely FREE, so what do you have to lose?
It is certainly worth a try in order to eliminate the registry from your list of potential causes, and if it saves you a few hundred dollars on computer technician fees then that’s great! You really do have nothing to lose.
The root cause of most errors lie in the registry, where it has become flooded with debris and invalid links from previously uninstalled software that has not been removed properly by the add/remove programs feature on your PC. Giving your registry a thorough clean-up can help to rectify this situation, ensuring that ALL bits of previously uninstalled software are removed FULLY from your PC.
With registry scans taking just 2 minutes to complete, it can make the problems on your computer that were once perceived to be rather severe seem rather easy to rectify.
To allow yourself to determine whether or not a thorough registry clean-up is worthwhile, perform a no obligation, FREE registry error scan today by clicking the link below:
http://www.registry2aid.com/Free-Registry-Scan.html. You really do have nothing to lose. Don’t put up with computer problems. Eliminate them. Give your registry a scan today at http://www.registry2aid.com
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DVD Duplicators Protect Your Movies
DVDs are perhaps the finest invention from the 20th century for movie lovers everywhere. When they first came out, everyone was thinking the same thing; these things were so cool; unfortunately, there were very expensive as well and add to that the fact that they were and are delicate too. The delicate nature of the DVD did not stop people from purchasing them in the millions and once computers could play DVDs people began storing their precious memories on DVDs as well. The problem then became what to do when they were all scratched up. The solution, as you all know, was DVD Duplicators.
Pretty much any computer that you purchase today comes with a DVD writeable drive. This allows you to duplicate any DVD that you want with the understanding that you are not to use DVD Duplicators copy movies for resell. Unfortunately, for those of you who have children, newer DVDs come with a copyright protection on them that prevents you from being able to copy the full contents of the DVD, which means that you will have to purchase the movie again if your children happen to leave it out for the dog to use as a chew toy.
You can continue, however, to use DVD Duplicators to copy DVDs of your children’s birthday parties, the birth of a child, wedding anniversary, milestone adult birthdays and so much more. The beauty of being able to duplicate your DVDs at home is that you have the means by which to make DVDs for your entire family, either to use as gifts, or simply to give them away just because. This option also means that you can keep your precious memories safe for years to come, probably long enough to pass them on to your children’s, children’s, children.
DVD duplication is used for a myriad of reasons, not just personal, and if you want to do something more professional, you can also purchase DVD Duplicators that can duplicate more than one DVD at a time. However, for home use, your DVD RW drive is enough to provide you with the power you need to duplicate videos, slide shows, and more and all for a lot less than going to the movies.
Tony Hilton is writing on behalf of Prolok.com a web site specializing in DVD Duplicators
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Your Small Business Can Save Money With DVD Duplicators
In this day and age, you are probably very familiar with the term ‘burning’ when it comes to CDs and DVDs. The process of duplicating CDs and DVDs has become the standard in homes everywhere. People download music off of the Internet and burn it onto a CD. They purchase a new movie and they burn a copy onto a DVD so that if something happens to the original, they still have a backup copy. However, DVD Duplicators are not just for the home, there are many kinds of small businesses that benefit from the process of DVD duplication.
DVD Duplicators can be purchased in several sizes; however, they are all smaller, designed for smaller jobs, not for movie companies (which would use a DVD replication process, which is geared for producing millions of copies of a movie). These duplicators can come with your computer, like your standard DVD burner or you can purchase individual duplication machines that have the appearance of a computer tower but are designed only to duplicate DVDs. These machines vary in size from two duplication slots to 11 duplication slots. They also vary in price from the mid one hundred dollars to the high seven hundreds.
If you are in the business of copying DVDs for people who do not have the equipment or the knowhow to do it themselves, then these kinds of DVD Duplicators will be ideal. They are great for making quick copies of wedding videos, babies’ births, birthday parties, etc. They are not limited to that however. If you, for example, make training videos for companies, then, again, this kind of duplicator is going to work wonderfully for you.
You are not limited to duplicating DVDs either; you can also get duo units that will duplicate CDs as well as DVDs making your business more versatile in the process. This opens the door for your to duplicate CDs for local bands who only need a hundred or so copies of their CD at a time. You are providing them with an affordable option and making money in the process. DVD Duplicators are versatile equipment that will allow you to expand.
This is because you can purchase a tower with empty slots and add to it as business grows. However, don’t allow things to get out of hand, duplicators are not made to handle hundreds of thousands of DVDs like a replicator is, and you can burn them out before their time from overuse if you don’t take care to use them as the manufacture suggests. If you get to the point where you are using them that much, then it is time to upgrade to some high-end replication machines.
Tony Hilton has been writing on behalf of Polok.com and their wide range of DVD Duplicators.
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James Bonds Secret Lair The Worlds Coolest Data Center
Data centers have never been exciting places. That is, until now. Its official, the coolest data center in the world is the Pionen, located in 100 feet below the bedrock in Stockholm, Sweden. Originally built as a nuclear bunker used during wartimes, it’s now the home of a space-age, Bond-worthy data center.
Instead of focusing on hardware and servers, the designers of this ultra high-tech data center decided to focus on humans, making it a hip and fun place to work. The center features greenhouses, waterfalls, German submarine engines, simulated daylight and it can withstand a direct hit from a hydrogen bomb.
Design Straight Out of the Movies
The location of the facility was the inspiration for the unique design. Building a data center in an old nuclear bunker demands something out of the ordinary and a boring design wouldn’t do. To find inspiration for the center, the designers turned to science fiction movies like Logan’s Run, Silent Running and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Additionally, the James Bond movies were a huge inspiration for the design. The designer even wanted to get a white cat, but realized that would be going a bit too far.
Word of Mouth Marketing
One of the hidden benefits for such an intriguing and interesting design is the word of mouth marketing it automatically produces. The space-age design, waterfalls, greenhouses, artificial sunlight and smoke machines make the data center stand out. Since collocation is one of the services they offer, customers frequently visit the facility. When something is this unique customers are sure to share what they saw with their friends and business associates. Something like that can’t be ignored. Other companies will want to check it out and see what’s so special about the center and voila, they have another customer.
Space-Age Features
But it’s not just design and no substance. In fact the data center is just as high-tech as it is aesthetically pleasing.
? Located in a nuclear bunker- the data center is located at the site of an original nuclear bunker from the Cold War. It has also kept the original name: Pionen White Mountains
? Bomb Proof- located 100ft underground and in an original bomb shelter, no hydrogen bomb is going to destroy these servers. It was built to be secure and protect soldiers in case of an attack. No longer needed for these purposes, it now protects servers… even from a nuclear attack.
? Triple Redundancy Internet- Losing internet connection is not a concern in this facility. Even though it’s located deep within the mountains, there are both fiber and copper wires running into the facility through the mountains from three different directions.
? Cooling- The facility uses Baltimore Aircoil fans to cool the facility to the effect of 1.5 megawatts. This is enough cooling to cool several hundred servers.
? Houses Sweden’s largest ISP- this center is home to the NOC for all of Bahnhof’s operations. This is the largest ISP in Sweden, with five locations- of which, Pionen is the biggest. Additionally the data center is a colocation facility so you can put your servers there if you want.
This data center is by far the world’s coolest data center and deserves its title. It’s tough competition for anyone to outdo Pionen, but if anyone is up to the challenge, the world could use more cool data centers.
Saleh Tousi is the CEO of SmarttNet, a Vancouver IT company offering comprehensive business Internet services including Canada Collocation since 1995.
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