Yourcomputerfriends's Weblog

We’ve moved the blog!

yourcomputerfriends — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:07:46 +0000

We have added the blog to our website. Please visit www.yourcomputerfriends.com for all our information in one place.

HP DV SERIES & DELL MAC CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT! Deadline 3/14/11!!!

yourcomputerfriends — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:32:43 +0000

If you have an HP DV series laptop affected by overheating – the courts have RULED IN YOUR FAVOR.

Models affected include HP DV2000, DV6000, DV9000 other models include Dell and Macbooks all have NVIDIA video cards that overheated.

Symptoms are no wireless, no video and no power. We have seen HUNDREDS of these affected machines. Please share this information with friends who may have HP laptops that stopped working and are about 2 years old.

Full court details are available here: http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/pdfs/NVF_NOT.pdf

Symptoms: http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/pdfs/IdentifiedSymptomsList.pdf

List of models: http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/affectedmodels.html

Claim form: https://roscomps3.securesites.net/www.nvidiasettlement.com/claimform.php

DEADLINE TO FILE IS MARCH 14, 2011 – DO NOT DELAY YOUR FILING!

Before sending your laptop for replacement – be sure to back up your data – it will not be returned to you! If you can not get a backup because your machine will not turn on, we can do it for you. Please call us. 910-799-8585

December 2010 Newsletter

yourcomputerfriends — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 04:01:59 +0000

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/-Holiday-issue—cool-websites-included-.html?soid=1101553934448&aid=feB6QQzJnn8.

How to get rid of viruses

yourcomputerfriends — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:26:29 +0000

How to get rid of viruses -

Anti-Virus programs are designed to keep viruses from getting into your computer and to ‘kill’ the ones they can. They do not repair the damage that has been done by them and no anti-virus program kills all viruses. The good guys are always a step behind the bad guys.

Think of it this way, pest control keeps the termites out of a structure, once they get in – they do damage. Now you have to kill the bugs and repair the damage. Unless you are a professional, it is unlikely you can repair the damage done to your computer by viruses without doing a ‘re-load or ‘restore’ of your computer.

Either a reload or a factory restore will completely wipe away your data, programs, pictures, music and other files. A reload, or factory restore puts your computer back to it’s original functional and virus free condition, minus all the data and programs you put on it. No movies, pictures, printer, camera program, settings etc. will remain. If you have nothing on your computer worth saving – go for it. It’s quick and dirty.

If however you want to save your data – a professional virus removal is necessary. Virus removal is about saving the data or programs that are on your computer. If you don’t have your $300.00 MS Office software, you want to do virus removal, not a reload. Cleaning around your data and programs involves running 8 – 12 programs. After each program is run the technician repairs damage done at that level. At the end we make sure all your settings are working correctly. Internet hijacked, music/voices, black screen, no icons, popups of nudes, pop-ups for ‘buy this rip-off solution that fixes what you got on your screen.’ – we’ve seen it all! (If your computer is talking to you, DON’T listen! If your computer is suggesting you buy things, don’t listen!)

Cleaning up after viruses requires a certain amount of skill with operating systems and the programs that run on your computer. We don’t recommend hours and hours of trial and error which just create frustration and have the potential for more damage and data loss.

When considering a repair shop, remember bad technicians suggest a reload for every situation they are not skilled at fixing. Most viruses can be removed safely by a professional who is experienced with every type of virus infection.

No matter what Anti-Virus program you have, you can still get the darn viruses. (see post previous post) But a good ‘paid for’ program makes a HUGE difference and is ultimately required for virus removal.

Viruses and Trojans and hacked mail accounts – Oh My!

yourcomputerfriends — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 23:29:50 +0000

We’ve seen an unually high amount of infections this month. Here are some tips for keeping your computer free of virsues:

Keeping your system clean of viruses

. Keep your antivirus (AV) software up to date and renew it at the end of its term. AV Software renews every 1, 2 or 3 years. Your AV product will tell you if it’s expiring – be sure to renew as this gives you the best possible protection. Scan your system weekly for viruses or any time you feel at risk. NO ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAM IS 100% EFFECTIVE AGAINST VIRUSES. The only way to guarantee you don’t get viruses, is to stay off the internet. Therefore, along with a good (paid for program – not a free one) AV Program you should follow the following safe internet practices.

. Make sure your machine is up to date with all recommended Microsoft Updates. Microsoft regularly puts out enhancements that help keep hackers off your system. Check for updates at www.microsoft.com. Click Security and Updates, then updates. Allow Microsoft to check your machine for updates and install them at least once a month.

. Searching for anything free will bring up virus sites. Examples Free Ring Tones, Free Music, Free Videos, Free Games, Free Gambling, Free Game codes (cracks) etc.

. Be extra cautious on High Risk Sites – Adult material, prescription drug sales, gambling sites and peer to peer sharing portals (music and video downloads from other computers – ‘free’ downloads) are all high risk sites.

. Do not click links in e-mails you are not expecting; even if they are from people you know. Viruses can send e-mails from other infected machines or sites.

. Change your passwords frequently and do not use the same password for all applications. If your email is hacked, you don’t want the password to be the same as your bank account!

. Call us quickly if you think you have a virus. More damage is done by delayed removal or by downloading more viruses. One Virus will allow others, including viruses that look like AV removal tools, or repair tools into your computer. Before you pay money for a Trojan Virus – please call us!

3816 Oleander Drive

Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 799-8585

www.YourComputerFriends.com

PC & CRT Recycle Event scheduled

yourcomputerfriends — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:13:51 +0000

Due to the success of our premier Electronics Recycling Event, Your Computer Friends, in conjunction with CATTS Recycling, is proud to announce our second Electronics Recycling Event! We were able to fill up the entire PackRAT container with electronics that were dropped off by our store last September. Our next week-long program will be held from Jan. 17-22. Feel free to stop by the store any day during that week and we will accept almost every type of electronic device that you would like to dispose of. Unfortunately we will not be able to take in Television sets now or in the near future due to a lack of recycling capabilities in our area.

Only monitors will be charged for disposal ($9). This is due for the need to send them off to a center where they properly break the unit down, remove the hazardous gases and chemicals, and recycle the remaining material. If you would like your hard drive destroyed to protect any personal information we will be more than happy to have that taken care of for $20.

If you are still thinking about just throwing your old electronics in the dumpster consider the following. In 2007, 372.7 million electronic units were disposed of and only 68.5 million of those were recycled. That is less than 20%! Recycling captures reusable resources within the machine, reduces the amount of trash being placed in landfills and in turn eliminates the chance that dangerous chemicals will contaminate your community. From an economical perspective, recycling creates more jobs than just throwing the units away!

Help yourself, your community, and your planet by bringing your old electronics by during the week of January 17^th – 22^nd. We are also accepting Cell Phones for Soldiers everyday!

http://www.computertakeback.com/Tools/Facts_and_Figures.pdf

www.yourcomputerfriends.com

What WikiLeaks can teach us about our own security.

yourcomputerfriends — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:48:58 +0000

Your Computer Friends found an intersting article about PC security you might enjoy.

As the most recent WikiLeaks data dump continues to dominate headlines, one of the most striking aspects of the whole affair is how a low-level government operative was able to get their hands on so much sensitive data.

Apparently, the federal government isn’t alone in being lax with data security. While the potential consequences are far less serious, small and medium-sized businesses are often guilty some questionable computing practices.

Many SMBs are using thumb drives and DVD-Rs to back-up critical business data and piggybacking off insecure WiFi networks, according to a study conducted by Lenovo and Harris Interactive.

In total, 25% of respondents said they or somebody they know have used insecure WiFi networks to conduct important business, including 17% of executives.

As work increasingly becomes mobile and distributed, more and more employees of SMBs are downloading critical data to USB thumb drives and DVD-Rs. According to the study, 50% of small business workers admitted to using such methods to back up data, rather than utilizing external hard drives or cloud-based solutions.

In a less troubling, but still interesting finding, the survey concluded that 70% of small businesses have not yet adopted VoIP for making day-to-day business phone calls. Apparently the lower cost of using VoIP hasn’t yet made it a mainstream option for cash-strapped small businesses.

The study was based on a sample of 722 adults who either owned or worked for a small business.

Source: http://www.readwriteweb.com/biz/2010/12/smbs-engage-in-insecure-comput.php

AOL and Yahoo to merge?

yourcomputerfriends — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:19:50 +0000

Your computer friends thought you might be interested in this article.

In the entertainment press they love to speculate over whether Brad and Angelina will finally get hitched. In the tech world, it’s the decidedly unsexier AOL and Yahoo.

There’s been a long parade of rumors suggesting that AOL may be looking to either ditch its not-dead-yet dial-up access business or merge with fellow attempting-a-turnaround tech conglomerate Yahoo; now, a report from Reuters on Monday suggests it’s attempting to do both. According to Reuters, AOL is exploring “a complicated series of transactions” in which it would sell off its access business to a prospective buyer and then merge its advertising and content arms with Yahoo.

The rumor is already being discounted by some in the tech press; AllThingsD’s Kara Swisher tweeted that the Reuters report was “a figment of bankers’ imagination.” Indeed, both a breakup and a Yahoo merger have been speculated for so long that the likelihood of both happening seems particularly out in left field.

Over two years ago, a report surfaced that EarthLink was interested in purchasing AOL’s access business as part of an aggregation of formerly powerful dial-up providers. Access still is a big revenue generator for AOL, but it continues to wane, and CEO Tim Armstrong has touted AOL’s future as a media company rather than an ISP since assuming the office in early 2009. Less than a year into Armstrong’s tenure, AOL was spun off from parent company Time Warner, marking a final death to the disastrous merger of the two in 2001.

As for the Yahoo rumors, Reuters suggested Monday that Yahoo “could support AOL’s display ad business, giving AOL the confidence to shed the dial up division.” Yahoo itself has been struggling to regain lost ground, and talk of an AOL merger has been going on for nearly three years now–dating back to talk of an AOL deal as an alternative to the ultimately failed acquisition of Yahoo by Microsoft–with nothing more concrete.
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20024678-36.html

New Technology – Tablets

yourcomputerfriends — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:47:07 +0000

This holiday season, there’s a plethora of exciting tech gifts. One of the most popular is the Tablet Computer, similar to a laptop except that it utilizes a touch screen display rather than the standard monitor and keyboard. Thus, a Tablet is much smaller and lighter in weight than the traditional laptop.

As with most computer purchases, there are two main categories: Mac and PC/Windows. The choices include the Apple Ipad on the one hand, and several PC/Windows models and brands on the other, with the Samsung Galaxy being described here.

There are several factors to consider when deciding which Tablet to buy, including personal preference, size, weight, Internet carrier, cameras, keyboards, and battery life.

A primary consideration is which category, Mac or PC, you are more comfortable using. Many people are still comfortable operating a PC, but some have already made the switch to Macs. Macs are different from PC’s, but they are very user-friendly, so we suggest you “test-drive” each before deciding.

As for size and weight: the Ipad is bigger (9.56” X 7.47”) and heavier (about one and a half pounds), but it has a larger screen. The Galaxy is smaller (7.48” X 4.74”) and lighter (just under 1 lb.), which makes it a little easier to carry around.

Tablets are able to surf the Internet on any available Wi-Fi network or on the 3G/4G network of your phone company. Check with your cell phone provider for any specials offered with the purchase of a Tablet, but remember you will be locked into a multi-year contract. If you just want to use the Tablet at home, though, your cell phone is not involved as long as you have wireless Internet.

If you want a camera on your Tablet, then the Ipad is not an option because it does not come with one. Galaxy actually has two cameras, one on the backside and one on the front, which could be used for video conferencing.

Since the keyboard is digital, located on the touch screen, it would be best to try several Tablets to determine which has the feel and response you prefer. Galaxy offers the new Swype keyboard which the user just slides finger across and which has actually had great reviews. The Ipad offers a standard digital keyboard, with the advantage of familiarity to most people.

Yet another consideration is battery life. The Ipad boasts an impressive 10 hours, while the Galaxy offers seven hours of heavy use.

Each Tablet on the market today has its benefits and drawbacks. The best way to decide is to go and try several prior to purchasing. If you have any further questions, feel free to call a Computer Friend at 799-8585. Happy Holidays!!

By Justin of Your Computer Friends

Is online shopping safe?

yourcomputerfriends — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:38:07 +0000

We get this question a lot, is it safe to shop online?

It is much safer to shop online than most people realize. Under federal law, and your credit card agreement, your liability for an unauthorized charge is limited to $50. When using a credit card online, look for an unbroken key or padlock (a graphical icon usually located in the bottom corner of the web page), which is an indication the website has very strong security technology such as SSL. Banks and credit card companies already have safeguards in place to protect your money and limit your exposure. In fact, if your own online shopping habits change, do not be surprised if your credit card company calls to identify you and your recent purchases.

Online Shoppers tend to have more issues with unknown fees, delivery, quality, and service of a product. Be sure to look carefully at any vendor you purchase from and know what their policies are if your item doesn’t meet your expectations. A good way for beginners to start is to shop online with a company you know and one that has a store in your town. Often returns can be made at the store, but do check.

Even though it is very safe to shop online; I hope you will consider SHOPPING LOCALLY!

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