Author: JDS

As a long time computer support technician, this really gets my blood boiling! I have worked in the computer industry since 1998 and I loathe “PC repair” companies like Best Buy and Staples (just to name a couple).  I consider these to be way over-priced, and not as effective as someone who was not corporately trained.

However, the most egregious SCAM comes from these “PC repair” TV commercials.  Lets just look at one in particular that I see nearly ever day… mycleanpc.com.   Continue reading “MyCleanPC.com SCAM?”

 

The above images were taken of an unsuspecting family inside their home.  How is this possible?

The increasing use and popularity of Webcams and IP cameras also have a drawback if you happen to be the owner of a TRENDnet camera with a security vulnerability.  This vulnerability was announced about a year ago and the company quickly patched the security hole and began a campaign to make owners of TRENDnet products aware of the problem and how to fix it.

So why is this being discussed still, a year later? Continue reading “Is your webcam allowing anyone to watch you?”

 

No Start button?! The biggest change to the Desktop in Windows 8 is that there is no Start button. In previous versions, the Start button was a very common place to go to launch apps, access settings, or search the computer. Although these features are now accessible from the Start screen, many people may find it disorienting to use Windows without the Start button. Continue reading “Where do I “Start”?”

“Our website sucks!”.  Those are the words a client recently used to convey his feelings.  A website for your business has long passed the phase of being a luxury.  Customers both current and prospective expect businesses to have a web presence.  Now, more than ever, customers are not just looking to your website to learn more about you, they are wanting to interact with your business online.  A website is the single most valuable marketing tool yet many business owners give it little or no attention. Continue reading ““Our website sucks!””

With the rush of a new year comes all sorts of activities.  Resolutions, taxes and planning just to name a few.  While most companies are laying out plans to make their businesses more successful in 2013, few business owners are looking at those areas that can destroy their hard earned business in mere minutes.

Continue reading “Happy New Year… or is it?”

What would happen if your server went down today? Apart from the panic and flurry of activity to get things back online, a good number of employees would be twiddling their thumbs and your boss would be wondering how much this is going to cost the company. And wouldn’t it be even more embarrassing if the server crashed because you ran out of disk space or another issue that could have been easily avoided with proper monitoring?

As the saying goes, prevention is far better than cure and a similar situation to the above can be avoided by using a network monitoring service to check on your server status and spot potential issues, before they turn into critical problems. We look at three key benefits of using this solution – to avoid hearing those dreaded words: “server down”. Continue reading “3 Reasons to Monitor Your Server Status”

A website residing at microsofts(dot)us/speedlogin/ wants you to know that your “computer is out of date”, and that you should “update your Windows installation records” due to a high risk situation.

 

As it turns out, updating your Windows installation records is a simple matter of selecting your email provider then handing over your login credentials. Wait, what? Continue reading “Beware – “Update Your Windows Installation Records””

If you haven’t heard yet, the SC Dept. of Revenue was hacked a couple of weeks ago by an international hacker.  This information was just released today to the public, along with some steps every person affected by this should take.

As a gentleman taking part in the press conference pointed out, these types of hacks take place all the time.  Some times they are successful and some times they aren’t.  As with most crimes, many hacker crimes go unreported or are not newsworthy if they are reported.  I would also add that many companies, especially small businesses, have no idea hackers are even trying to break into their systems.

For South Carolina residents who may have been affected by this, Governor Haley recommends ” everyone who has filed a tax return in South Carolina since 1998 to Continue reading “South Carolina Department of Revenue Hacked!”

reposted from www.microsoft.com

Windows RT contains many of the same features as Windows 8, but is a new operating system for thin and light PCs. Some of the features of Windows 8 and Windows RT are:

• Fluid, intuitive, and easy-to-use interface design that you can easily customize.
• Built in apps like Mail, Calendar, Messaging, Photos, and SkyDrive with many more apps available in the Windows Store.
• Internet Explorer 10, for fast, intuitive browsing.
• Touch-enabled so you can interact with Windows in a whole new way.
• Mouse and keyboard–enabled so you can be as productive as you need to be.

Windows RT also includes some different features: Continue reading “What’s the difference between Windows RT and Windows 8?”