Bluetooth Rant!

March 8th, 2010

This time around I am going to focus on something that is more of a peeve than a knowledge based subject. Lately I’ve been more bothered than usual by those who choose to use cellphones while driving. But before I get knee deep in my rant about this subject let me be clear, I use my cellphone while driving. Always have and always will.. as needed or until the ‘powers that be’ completely ban it. Having said that, there is a right way and a wrong way to use your cellphone while driving.

Texting

First off, Texting. If you are texting while driving, STOP IT! You are not that good a driver and no one on earth needs your text that badly. Plainly put, your words, or rather what are considered words, are not that important. Not to mention if you keep it up you’ll likely do damage that you can’t undo. So get over yourself.

Head and Shoulders

Next, we all know cellphones are smaller than ever and definitely smaller than any old landline phone we used to use. Point being that holding a tiny, thin piece of plastic that weighs only a few ounces between your shoulder and ear while driving is complete idiocy. Turn your head 90 degrees to the side while standing up and try walking straight. Its not exactly second nature and that’s just walking. For those that do that while driving, let me tell you a little secret that the rest of us are thinking when we see you doing that. What a moron! We think that way because you are probably swerving in the lanes, forgot to use a blinker, cut someone out (because you can’t move your head to see traffic), ran a light or stop sign, or some other display of absolute stupidity all while behind the wheel. It’s ridiculous to think that holding the cellphone like that while driving is somehow sensible. Knock it off!

Cool Hand Luke

For those who take the one hand on the wheel and one hand on the phone approach, I must commend you for being less of an imbecile. Disclaimer: I put myself in this category to an extent. This method is better, but is still effective at impairing the ability to drive. You cannot pay attention when you are on the phone like that. Walking and chewing gum at the same time is one thing, but driving a multi-ton vehicle and holding a cellphone to your ear while maintaining a conversation is another. Again, you are not that good a driver! Back to the disclaimer, I ‘one hand it’ from time to time but its only to receive a call I can’t miss and I keep it short. For those of you who think 30 minutes is short, let me correct you, 1-2 minutes is short. I get the information I need and call them back if necessary. That’s just me and I know that not everyone can keep calls so short. Mostly though, I try to take calls without handling the phone at all.

Bluetooth Solution

Which brings us to the reason for this article. A little invention called ‘Bluetooth’. You see, they make these fancy little earpieces which fit snugly onto your ear and simultaneously connect to your cellphone so that you can have a conversation without the need to hold the cellphone, a la ‘hands free’. For those of you who have never heard of bluetooth earpieces, please forgive my sarcasm. For those who have, but are not using them while driving — get a clue because the rest of us are sick of adaptive driving and avoiding accidents because of you.

Bluetooth earpieces are relatively inexpensive, unobtrusive, small and the audio is quite clear. I don’t know of a modern cellphone that can’t pair (sync or connect to) bluetooth earpieces but if anyone knows of one then please enlighten me. There isn’t much more to say about the device itself, your cellphone and earpiece should both come with instructions for pairing the devices. Once they are paired, just turn them on and the bluetooth earpiece is ready to go.

Finding a retailer or merchant that sells bluetooth earpieces is relatively simple as they exist practically everywhere now.  I’ve included some links below for easy reference and comparison. If none of the ones listed appeal to you, I encourage you to locate your nearest electronics store or even Target store and find one that suits your taste.

Retail Links:

Newegg – Newegg.com carries just about everything related to computers and tech devices, including many bluetooth earpieces.  Prices are reasonable.

Amazon – Amazon.com is a well known online retail company and have a valued reputation. They carry many bluetooth earpieces.

I’m Talking to You!

Finally, I’ll remind you all again, you are not that good a driver. For clarification purposes as to who I am directing this article towards, I’m talking to you ‘Minivan Mom’, and to you ‘Mr. Truck too big to be street legal’, and to you ‘Mr. Independent contractor’, and to you ‘Miss Thing’, and to you ‘Mr. Top down convertible reliving his youth’, and to you ‘Mr. Fancy Sports Car’, and to you ‘Mrs. I have more insurance than you’, and to you ‘Miss My parents can buy you’, and to you ‘Mr. Eco-friendly Prius driver’, and to you ‘Mr. Play the music so loud other cars shake’, and to you ‘Miss I can also do makeup while driving and talking’, and to all the others out there who insist on acting like they are the second coming of Danica Patrick or Dale Earnhardt but with more skill because you use a phone.

Buy a bluetooth earpiece and use it for Pete’s sake!

Conclusion

That’s the end of my rant on this topic. I hope in the end, those of you who read this will realize the point — which is safety on the road. Sarcasm and jokes aside, it really would be a lot more pleasant and safer for drivers if we didn’t have to deal with so many people not paying attention because they are on the phone.

We’re interested to hear what others have to say about driving while on the cellphone.  Let us know your gripes, annoyances or even if you disagree with this rant.

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Prevention, Detection, Cleanup

January 25th, 2010

Questions regarding virus, spyware and other security software repeatedly get raised, especially after an infection is discovered. The questions focus primarily on how the infections happened and how can they can be prevented in the future. There are three parts to protecting your system from infections and each play an important role in maintaining a healthy system.

Computer Repair Technicians are often asked about protection from infections. Clients want recommendations on protection and prevention software that will ensure they are never infected again. Computer Repair Specialists engage in thorough analysis of a system and carefully detail each infection in order to develop a proper cleanup method, but they cannot guarantee the system will remain uninfected indefinitely. One of the most common questions a Computer Repair Specialist is asked after disinfecting a system is, ‘Will this prevent my system from getting infected again?’. If the specialist is worth his salt he will give an educated response with details explaining his answer. The short answer to that question is no. No matter what software or protection is used, they will not prevent your system from becoming infected again.

Prevention is the most important and probably the most misunderstood in this three step process. The only true method of prevention is better habits. Users need to use good judgment and have ’security first’ in mind when using their computers. Better habits can mean a great number of things but two very simple examples are, users need to abstain from downloading files or software from an untrusted source and be mindful of unsolicited emails with attachments. Those examples are becoming common knowledge but there is much more involved when it comes to online security. Today’s users need to familiarize themselves with the latest threats and be aware of potential security flaws in the programs they use. Users may find it a daunting task and may need to initially seek guidance from a professional Computer Specialist. When better online habits are utilized security software becomes a second line of defense rather than the only source of protection.

Detection is the second step and is almost entirely managed by security software. This is where the money spent on security software is often earned. Security software, whether it be virus detection, robust security suite or some other form of protection is first and foremost an infection detector. The infections that run rampant throughout the internet are gathered into databases and security software then checks against those database. Without those database, security software hasn’t a clue what to scan for and therein lies the problem with security software being used as a prevention tool. Most security software programs do a decent job of detecting infections but as with all computer software, there is the human factor. Security software needs to be updated and operate regularly for users to get the most from it. Updates are crucial to maintaining up-to-date database and routine scans are necessary in order to catch infections early. In the end it is still up to the user to ensure updates and scans are performed regularly.

Finally, there is the cleanup step. Cleanup can be very difficult depending on the infection(s). Security software will usually offer a cleanup option which can be useful if the infections are caught early. Certain infections may appear to be cleaned by the software but actually remain on the system, hidden and unseen. Others will multiply themselves or cause additional problems that allow more infections to enter the system. Advanced cleanup of those infections will require a Computer Specialist. Cleanup is the final step but it is also the last resort. With better habits regarding Prevention and early Detection from quality software it’s possible that advanced cleanup will never be an issue.

If you’d like to learn more about GeekITDown ‘Prevention, Detection, Cleanup’ philosophy and how to use it to your advantage, please Contact Us and visit our Virus and Spyware Removal Services page for help removing your current infections.

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Browser Speed War Benefits Us All

December 30th, 2009

Window to the Web

Browsers are probably the most used application on any computer system regardless of operating system and hardware configuration.  They are the visual window to the web and the number one tool for interacting online.

Without drudging up the past and reliving the evolution of the browser we’re going to take a look at a more recent trend in browser development.  Speed.  Microsoft’s Internet Explorer long controlled the browser market as they were the dominant operating system.  Now users have many more choices available, in fact just listing them all would be a paragraph unto itself.  Suffice to say, browsers have become very important to users and their online experience.  Now with so many choices, some are trying to differentiate themselves as ‘the most this’ or ‘the most that’.  The conversation has shifted towards speed with Google leading the way, or are they?

Google Chrome Sets the Bar High

Google’s offering has become a beacon for competing browsers.  The Google Chrome browser has been designed to be fast in all aspects of browsing.  Google has identified the most important factor to users surfing the net.  Speed.  Users want information faster and they want online applications and in-browser games to run faster.  The demand for quick access and fast browsing has propelled Chrome as a major competitor in the browser race.

Chrome has been tested by various random speed tests and third party benchmark testing.  While some are more thorough or detailed than others, the overall results show Chrome to be a leader in browser speed.  As a result, Chrome has forced the hand of other browser developers to put more emphasis and focus towards browser speed.  Even if speed is not the most important factor for you while online, the positive effects from browser development towards faster browsing will improve your overall experience.  Browsers like Safari and Opera have already started making speed one of the most important factors in current and future development to remain competitive.

google chrome browser

Google Chrome, one of the fastest loading web browsers.

The Competition

Opera development has rolled out a pre-alpha release of their web browser which shows incredible speed increase in javascript.  If Opera is able to maintain the speed increase shown in the pre-alpha version, users could see a very impressive alternative to Google’s Chrome.  At very least Opera will be a close second in speed to Chrome unless additional enhancements to the other browsers are added , Firefox included.

Opera Image

The Opera web browser.

As mentioned, without some more attention to speed from the Mozilla team, Firefox is likely to slip in market share as users become more informed about alternate browsers and seek faster and faster browsing experience.  That’s not to say Firefox isn’t making improvements to speed, in fact the 3.6 beta 1 shows some real progress in speed when opening multiple tabs.  Additionally, memory consumption has been a real focal point and 3.6 beta 1 shows impressive results.  While not directly speed related, memory consumption on older or slower machines is very important.  It stands to reason that browsing speed will increase as memory usage decreases.  While those improvements will benefit the user, there is still much to be done to make up ground on Chrome.

firefox image

Firefox is one of the most popular web browsers.

For those wondering about Internet Explorer advancements, there really isn’t much to say.  IE is slower than all the browsers mentioned in this article but at the same time Microsoft does not make robust announcements about upcoming advancements in their browser technology.  Does that mean they are not working on creating a faster browser?  No, but it does mean we likely won’t know until they release an update.  IE is still playing catchup in some areas and so we will have to wait and see if they have shifted focus to point towards speed and faster browsing.

Internet Explorer Image

Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser.

Conclusion

Bottom line is, whether you are a fan of Google or are scared to the bone, the Chrome browser has elevated the development of browsers with regards to speed.  In the end, it doesn’t matter who wins the award for fastest browser, what does matter is that all browsers will be competing for the title.  When all browsers are pushing the limits of browser speed, we all win.  Their competitive nature will benefit all users.  We will search faster, gather information quicker and better utilize time online.

If there is one prediction to make, it’s that browsers are sure to change over the next decade and likely become a far more integral part of our current desktop experience.

While it would be nearly impossible to cover all browsers, those listed in this article are regarded as top tier in terms of popularity and so we chose to focus our efforts towards them.

Which browser do you think will excel in the area of speed?  How do you think browsers will evolve over the next decade?  Your opinions are welcome, so let us know!

Thanks to our readers and visitors for the past year.  Please let us know what you would like to see in the year to come and what topics we can further explore for you.  We’ll do our best to improve as we move forward.  From all of us at GeekITDown, Happy New Year!

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How Vulnerable Am I If My Laptop Is Stolen?

December 14th, 2009

Most people enjoy the freedom afforded by using a laptop or portable electronic device. The technology today allows for work away from the office and leisure away from home. With laptops becoming more of a replacement to desktops it stands to reason that more personal information is stored on those laptops. Without detailing the specifics of laptop security, lets look at what could happen if your laptop is stolen or possibly lost and retrieved by someone nefarious.

First it helps to understand that natively laptops are insecure, meaning that laptops don’t have special security features to make them more secure than desktops. That means anyone can access the files on the system as easily as you can. The security or lack thereof comes mainly from the operating system(s) installed on the laptops. Laptops themselves are just hardware components assembled together which the operating system then uses to run software programs.

Whether for business or personal use, its likely that over time personal or sensitive information will be stored on the laptop. Personal financing, email details, retail receipts and login information are common. If any of those are used regularly than you should consider the kind of information a thief can acquire through your laptop. Even if your banking and other financial information is password protected through a secure website the potential for data theft exists. If your bank offers paperless statements and you’ve decided to enroll, then likely your monthly statements are downloaded and filed away in a folder where you can effortlessly retrieve them when necessary. Those bank statements have all your information on them and are only a couple clicks away. Feeling secure knowing online receipts from your favorite retailer display only partial credit card numbers is good, but what about your login information for that retailer. If it is stored on the laptop a thief can use it to login and begin purchasing or simply copy your saved credit card information with that retailer. The point is most personal information is insecure by nature. Its not that we want to have insecure information its that current system configurations don’t allow for automatic protection of personal data. If protection is needed it is handled manually.

Encryption is the best solution for protecting personal information on your laptop. Encryption used to be a word only used by those with high level security jobs or a buzz word to promote media and entertainment. These days, it is more popular with the online community and those in the tech industry. Its now possible to secure all personal information, limit specific applications and even lock down the entire system. Additionally, multiple layers of protection can be implemented to secure data even further. Take our example of monthly bank statements, with encryption you can password protect the statements so they are secure. That’s a simple example of protecting your data through encryption but it illustrates the difference a small bit of protection can make. There are a variety of ways to protect data and further procedures to add additional layers of protection.

For more encryption details view our Computer Security and Privacy Services page.

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How Important Are Backups?

December 5th, 2009

Have you ever lost a document, image or other important data from your system? If not, then you are one of the lucky ones. Every second that goes by moves your system closer to a collapse or breakdown of some sort. While the age of your system plays a part in degradation its not the only factor. Proper maintenance and care can help prevent system failure but even then, machines will inevitably have a hardware component malfunction. Most components are readily replaced and relatively inexpensive. It can be reassuring to know your system almost certainly can be repaired if a breakdown occurs. There is however one piece of hardware that continues to cause the most problems when a failure materializes. A system’s hard drive is regularly read and written to, the data stored on it increases and decreases at a moments notice. It is the piece of hardware where all personal information and data is stored. When a system’s hard drive fails, crashes, becomes corrupted or other disaster falls upon it, the consequences surpass other hardware components. While the consequences are extreme, the measures to safeguard in case of such a scenario are probably the simplest.

Hard drives exist because systems need a place to store all the data that users generate. From documents and images to bookmarks and email, backups provide an easy, simple solution to have copies of all your data. A backup contains whatever the user decides but usually contains irreplaceable information such as photographs, term papers, financial records, etc. Once the user designates what is to be backed up it becomes a matter of execution. There are several solutions but ideally the information should be stored on a device that is separate from the internal hard drive on the system.

If a catastrophic failure occurs the user can simply restore their data from the backup device after the system’s hard drive is replaced or repaired. Backup solutions offer not only a safety net for information they can provide a solid piece of mind for the user.

If you have questions about Data Backup Services, please Contact Us. Please view GeekITDown Data Backup Services for information on our Backup Service options.

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Is it really worth it to buy extra warranty coverage on my new computer?

November 25th, 2009

In most cases the answer is No. Typically, manufacturers will include a 1 year limited warranty with the purchase and some will go a step further and include some sort of remote assistance package. While it might seem smart to protect your new system by purchasing additional years of coverage, the end result is usually wasted money. In order to add another year to your warranty it could run between $50 – $100, for 3 years it’s close to $150.

The way technology advances, your system is likely to be out of date in 1 or 2 years so extending a warranty beyond that is somewhat pointless. If you plan to have your system around for a long time (more than 2 years) before replacing it again, use the extra cash you could put towards the additional warranty coverage and instead put the extra cash towards hardware upgrades at time of purchase. Putting that extra $150 towards a better processor, external storage or additional RAM can go a long way.

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