PC Repair in Vancouver & Portland

Google fired an opening salvo in their OS ware against Microsoft last week with the beta launch of their Chrome operating system.  There has been much talk of a Google OS for quite some time, and many suspected that their mobile operating system titled Android would be ported to desktop applications.  Instead, Google has turned their Chrome web browser into a full-fledged operating system.

Google makes some grand promises for Chrome.  A 10 second boot-up time, no security updates, no viruses and malware to mention a few.  It all sounds great.  But will Google deliver?  The bottom line is, at this time it’s too early to tell.  Google Chrome operating system isn’t due to be released until the second half of 2010.  But the demo version that we downloaded from gdgt.com was intriguing to say the least. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s getting towards Christmas-time.  Is there a new computer on your wish list?  Maybe someone you love is getting one? Great!  Just be sure to dispose of that old computer in a responsible manner.  Yes, it’s easy to simply toss it in the trash can.  But in doing so, you’re only contributing to the ever-growing amount of electronics in the waste stream.

According to the EPA, approximately 2.5 million tons of consumer electronics – including televisions and computers – are sent to landfills every year.  Only about 18% of all computers are recycled. Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks to wireless routers, setting up a home or small business network is easier than ever.  No running cables, no drilling through walls, just plug in, configure, and go.  However, it’s also easier than ever to hack into someone’s network, thanks to wireless routers.

If, when setting up your router, you didn’t change the administrator name and password, or if you’re still broadcasting your SSID, (or if you don’t understand this is talking about,) then it’s possible someone else might leach onto your network and leverage your broadband connection for their own nefarious means. Read the rest of this entry »

Skip forward 30 seconds!

OK,  I know this isn’t a computer article. And those who don’t have Comcast cable, feel free to read something else. But, for the rest of you… Read the rest of this entry »

Pssst, wanna know a secret?  Wanna know how “power” computer users maximize their time at the computer?  Whenver possible, they don’t use the computer’s mouse.

The process of moving your hand away from the keyboard and onto the mouse, clicking on an item, and then moving back to the keyboard only takes a moment.  But imagine how many times you do that during a typical computing session.  Now imagine how much quicker you can type if you didn’t have to constantly move your hand back and forth to and from the mouse.  Windows has a way to help wean you away from the mouse and keep your fingers on the keyboard. Read the rest of this entry »

Here we go again. Windows is introducing a new operating system. And – according to Microsoft at least – it’s one we can’t live without. Face it, Microsoft would dearly love to have consumer reaction similar to that displayed when they introduced Windows 95. Back then we saw stores staying open all night so people could buy the program at 12:01 in the morning on the day of release. And they did. There were actually people lining up to (gasp!) willingly – eagerly! – upgrade their operating system. Read the rest of this entry »

With all of the resources available to you, you may well ask yourself, “Why do I need a computer expert to maintain my computer?” The short answer is, you don’t. Just like you don’t need a technician to fix your car, repair your furnace, or do any other maintenance or repairs. If you have the knowledge and the time, you can easily repair and maintain your own computer. Read the rest of this entry »

Isn’t email great? You can keep in touch with friends and family. You can quickly and easily send them a message, and even include photos, jokes, programs and viruses. Wait… viruses!??! That’s right, one of the most common ways that computer users get viruses is via email attachments. When you download an attachment you are in essence saying, “I trust the person that sent me this file, and I’m confident it won’t harm me.” The problem is, how do you know where that person got the file? If it’s simply a funny “thing” that they are forwarding you, it might have come from anyone – including a virus or spy-ware producer. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s loads of “free” software out there on the internet. Beware, though. Free doesn’t mean without cost. Yes, you might download that software without shelling out any money, but there may well be a price to pay for installing that free program. Many developers use free software as a way to introduce spyware or adware into your system.

So why should you be concerned if a free program includes spyware? I mean, you get to use the associated program for free, right? Well, wrong. The reality of it is that spyware and adware uses up system resources, is often poorly written and buggy, and will generally degrade your computer experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Insurance. Many people find it a necessary evil. But once you need it, you’ll thank your lucky stars that you have it. Insurance can protect you from a catastrophe. Computer backup software is similar. It’s a bother to find a good backup program. Then you have to install it, and then configure it, schedule backups, and lastly verify that the data is backing up correctly. Yes, it’s a bother, but if your computer crashes or you accidental delete a critical file, you’ll breath a sigh of relief that you have a good, current backup. In this article, we will review some quality free backup programs and then discuss a good backup methodology. Read the rest of this entry »