You are here: Home / Archives for computing

Great Mobile Computing Tips

May 3, 2011 By Chris Leave a Comment

Article by Erwin Wallace

Mobile Computing

So I travel a fair bit with work. Being a System Administrator for a large number of clients as well as a general IT consultant and operating a general computer, iPhone, iPad, and data recovery service centre with multiple staff means I have to be well connected and at the very least be able to remotely assist when issues occur. Additionally I need to be able to easily contact my staff in our service and support centre and handle documents and other communications easily. Here’s a few tools I use that may assist you also while I am running around Sydney and surrounding areas.

Laptop – Gigabyte Q1105M – 0

Despite a number of reviews who try to knock this netbook I find the screen size so much better than the Acer Aspires 8-10″ screens. The battery life is around 3-5 hours depending on how bright the screen is and that is 3-5 of solid work so the battery easily does me over the course of the day. The speed of the netbook is fine also usually any wait time is to do with the load times from the drive which is the same for most laptops. The only issue I has is the same with a lot of other laptops, Glossy screens. So useless when working outside unless you crank the brightness up which of course soaks up that precious battery life. I know they are meant to be crisper but I would gladly sacrifice this small quality improvement for better usability outdoors.

Drop Box – Free 2GB or .99/month for 50GB

For easily syncing the work I do on the road with the office I use this handy app. It also lets me edit and access files off line which is handy and functions as a backup for critical files and databases. Free version is 2GB but it’s pretty cheap for the upgraded versions. It also notifies me when new versions are updated so while I am working I know what my staff have been working on and also if there is a conflict it saves both versions adding a suffix to one version with the conflict date for later revision.

Telstra Next G USB Ultimate Card on Liberty 1GB – /month as Telstra landline customer

I used to make do with tethering my iPhone to my netbook which is not always convenient and also, being with Three, the speed is at best average. Telstra gave us a pretty good deal which is available to most home line customers, 1GB a month with a free modem on the 24 month plan. So far have been very impressed with speed and get great coverage which was also important for me. I do have an internal 3G modem on the netbook but haven’t managed to get this working yet, but the USB modem works more than well enough. 1GB is also plenty for emailing and updating of files, and again nobody can match Telstra for coverage. A great addition from Telstra with this is no excess usage charges. The account is simply capped at around 64Kb once the limit is reached which I prefer much more than being charged those insanely overpriced excess charges. Also even at the capped speed it’s still fine for surfing and using emails.

iPhone – Three Telecom 0/month unlimited calls, voicemail, text, 4GB data

Despite all the Apple marketing I really don’t care for brands. I care about price, functionality, quality, and how it can help me. The iPhone really does assist me on the road making some tasks so intuitive. When a website enquiry comes through I can simply click on the number and it calls that person straight away. Maybe in 2011 that isn’t so impressive but I am still amazed the amount of phones that lack this feature or at least don’t make it as easy. The various apps are handy too as I also use the Drop Box app, and easily handle my Google Apps email with ease like a proper Exchange server. I actually find it easier to sort emails on my phone than on my netbook as I can sort them as they come in instead of going through a bulging inbox at the end of the day.

Google App – business Edition per user box per year 25GB per user

Being a Microsoft Business Partner we receive software licenses and so wouldn’t be too hard or expensive to setup our own Exchange server. We chose to go with Google Apps business edition and have never looked back. The speed is great easily seeing changes made on my phone appear on my netbook very fast, and also on my netbook not having to worry about changing outgoing mail servers is welcoming. I also like the fact I can easily log in via webmail and see what the reception and office general email boxes are going and see any emails staff haven’t actioned. The best thing I love as well is our entire email system is easily backed up and redundant at all times. Between this and drop box our business is almost full proof data wise from a disaster event. For those who ask what would we do though if Google suddenly disappeared over night? We use Outlook so as well have local OST files which is sort of a local cached backup of all emails as well. One last thing on Gmail, the junk email filtering is the best I have come across including some of the 0+ Exchange server side software packages that are available.

Summary

That’s most of the main tools covered. The best thing is too a lot of these aren’t that expensive and are easily setup. The best thing we have found is cutting out the need to double handle data and also easily roll this into cloud backup for mission critical data. Additionally as all our devices are syncing together there’s also the convenience of replication across the business when changes are made further cutting out data handling requirements and keeping everyone up to date. Essentially making the world your office and not your world the office will pay itself back repeatedly.

About the Author

Liking to write about modern and future personal tech and helping out when things go bad. Great prices onNew Laptops

Related Computer Tips Articles

Filed Under: Computer Tips Tagged With: , , ,

Computing Tips: Backup Your Information With an External Hard Drive

April 29, 2011 By Chris Leave a Comment

Article by Tom Lasky

There are many people who let their computers teeter on the brink of disaster without ever actually bothering to back up any of their work. Every day, their computer gets slower; it begins to randomly shut down and display error messages on a regular basis. And yet they keep on keeping on as if nothing is the matter. Then one day, the worst case scenario happens. The machine crashes, and it will not turn back on. They take it to the shop, only to hear what they feared but hoped would not be true: their Averatec laptop HDD, or hard disk drive, is busted. Not only is their computer dead, but everything that they ever saved on it has been lost.

What can cause an Averatec laptop HDD to fail? There are many reasons, most of which the non-super computer nerds might have a difficult time grasping. Some more basic reasons for failure include improper temperature maintenance or major data errors. While these errors are rare, when they do happen, they can bring down your entire computer. And sometimes, an Averatec laptop HDD will break down without any warning whatsoever. The owner of the computer will look back, wondering what they could have done to prevent it, and the answer will be an unsatisfying, “nothing”.

While there might have been nothing to prevent or lessen the breakdown of the Averatec laptop HDD, there are certainly ways to make the blow less brutal. The main one is by saving your important data to an external removable hard disk drive as you go along. External hard drives can include a USB key or a cable, or sometimes even cellular devices or MP3 players. All you have to do is spend a few dollars on one of these devices, and then you can have peace of mind knowing that whatever happens to your computer, your data will remain safe. And then you will not have to spend an absurd about of money to have the technician at your local computer repair shop run a ridiculously expensive data recovery program on your computer after your Averatec laptop HDD breaks down.

But when your hard drive does break down, you do not have to be concerned about how expensive it is going to be to replace, because there are options beyond simply ordering a new one directly from the manufacturer. You can actually get an Averatec laptop HDD that has been previously used. This is because these days, many individuals and businesses will sell their old computers and other electronics to companies that then turn around and sell them for parts, or simply as used computers. This means that you have access to these gently used hard disk drives at a rate that is significantly reduced from what you would pay to order one new directly from the manufacturer. All you have to do is ask your computer technician if he knows if there are any used HDDs available – some computer repair shops will actually keep them in stock. If not, then you can go to the Internet yourself to find one!

About the Author

Looking to sell your old laptop? http://www.CashforLaptops.com offers the best prices on the Internet for your used equipment.

More Computer Tips Articles

Filed Under: Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Reduce Repetitive Strain Injury Risks with 9 Healthy Computing Tips

April 23, 2011 By Chris Leave a Comment

Article by Michael Madigan

Copyright 2006 Michael Madigan

Computing may seem to be an effortless activity, whether it’s for a job or for fun. But, if you keep doing the same tasks over and over for a long time in the same position, it may cause damage in certain parts of the body – the PC version of the notorious related strain injuries (RSI).

For instance, most people depend on the mouse while working on the computer. Doing this for only a few minutes should not be a problem for most.

However, repeating the samr movements over and over again without a break can expose the small muscles and tendons of the hand to hundreds or even thousands of activations (repetitions).

You may not get enough time between activations for rest and recovery, which can cause localized fatigue, wear and tear, and injury to your body.

Similarly, if you maintain one position continuously, such as viewing a screen for hours without taking a break, it can tire the muscles of the neck and shoulder that support the head.

Typical Symptoms of RSI include:

- Discomfort or stiffness in the hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows.

- Coldness, tingling feelings or numbness in the fingers and hands.

- Weakness or clumsiness in the hands.

- Wanting to frequently massage your hands, wrists, and arms

- Pains in the upper back, shoulders, or neck shoulders and upper back

You can greatly reduce the risks and pains from RSI by following these tips:

1) Work in a NEUTRAL BODY POSITIONING (“A comfortable working posture with a natural alignment of all your joints from head to toes”).

- Make sure that your hands, wrists, and forearms are inline, straight, and almost parallel to the floor.

- Ensure your head and torso are in-line, with head slightly bent forward, facing towards the front, and balanced.

- Ensure that your shoulders are at ease with upper arms lying normally at the sides of your body.

- Ensure that your elbows are close to your body and bent between about 90 and 110 degrees.

- Your feet should be either supported by a footrest or they should be resting on the floor.

- While leaning back or sitting in a vertical position, make sure that your back is supported fully, particularly in the lumbosacral (lower back) area.

- Your seat should be well padded, so that your hips and thighs are well supported.

- your knees and hips should be at almost the same height, with your feet slightly forward.

2). Try to vary your tasks and work areas so that you get enough time for your muscles and joints to recover.

3). Arrange your workstation in such a way that you can easily change your working postures according to your convenience.

4). Have adjustable furniture for the work area that allows you to shift to different seated positions whenever you want to. This helps different muscle groups give you support, while others rest.

5). Your worktop should be spacious enough to let you use the mouse with either hand alternately. Thus the tendons and muscles of the free hand get enough relaxation.

6). Reduce your dependence on the mouse and use more shortcut keys. For example, you can use <Ctrl>+S to save, <Ctrl>+P to print etc., where <Ctrl> is the ‘Control’ key. Certain jobs do require more dependence on the mouse. Users in such professions should definitely learn to use more shortcut keys.

7). Jobs that usually involve repeated tasks (or maintaining one position) can lead to muscular strain. Escape this by taking several short breaks or relaxed pauses, and stand, stretch, and move around during these breaks. This increases blood circulation and gives enough time for your muscles to relax.

8). Try to mix computer tasks and non-computer tasks alternately whenever possible. This encourages the movement of different parts of the body by varying the muscle groups in action.

9). Exercise gently at your computer, with stretches, turns, and flexes.

Fight the risks from RSI, and you’ll be in an excellent position to continue healthy computing today and into the future!

About the Author

Mick Madigan lives in the UK, has a continual interest in healthy computing, and has recently published a unique detailed guide on the ways computing can harm you – and how you can avoid them – athttp://www.m1mart.co.ukA stress- busting audio/text exercise ebook, plus futher articles on staying fitter at your PC, can also be downloaded without obligation from this site.

Related Computer Tips Articles

Filed Under: Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Six Green Computing Tips for a Sustainable Home Office

April 21, 2011 By Chris Leave a Comment

Article by Ara Pekel

The idea of green computing turns some people off because they think it is hard to do. There are many notions that some people have about green computing, like throwing away their old computers and replacing them with newer and more energy-efficient models.

When you think of green computing in such terms, then it does sound difficult to do. It is actually very easy and very simple, and you can start with your very own home office. Here are six simple tips that you can follow to make your home office a sustainable, eco-friendly one.

1. Optimize your computer. When you optimize your computer, you clean the clutter out of the system and make the system more compact so your computer can run faster, thus saving you energy. Software necessary for optimizing your computer can be downloaded for free.

2. Turn your computer off. Do you let your computer go idle or leave it on when you sleep? Turn it off and unplug it. Your computer will consume less power and generate less heat this way.

3. Download energy efficiency software. Awareness plays a big role in the success of your efforts towards green computing. You can be more aware of just how much energy you consume and save by downloading software that can track it for you.

4. Use a laptop. If you have a laptop, make it a point to use it more often than your desktop. On the average, desktop computers use about 150 watts of power every time they are used. Compare that to the mere 25 watts that laptops consume.

5. Recycle your paper. Home offices consume paper just as much as regular offices do. Are you in the habit of throwing away sheets of paper that you have already used? If the other side is still blank, you can still reuse it as scratch paper. Or you can let your paper pile up and then take it to your local recycling center.

6. Go paperless. Do you really, really need to get that document printed? Printouts are clunky. If it is not necessary for you to make printouts of that document, then do not do it. Just convert it to a PDF file or burn it on a CD or send the document through email.

Property of RecoverMyPc Inc.For more information please visit http://www.recovermypc.com

About the Author

RecoverMyPc will give you the Secure Data Recovery that you need. Use our free Online Picture Recovery Tool, Free Software, Software Coupons, and Great Articles to read.RecoverMyPc Inc.www.recovermypc.com

Find More Computer Tips Articles

Filed Under: Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

Computer tips for trouble free computing

April 15, 2011 By Chris Leave a Comment

Article by Bill

Computer tips for trouble free computing

Many computer users take for granted that their Desktop or Laptop PC will continue serving them day in and day out without fail. People rely on their computers more and more as a form of communication both with freinds and family and as a link to the outside world, via the internet. There’s an underlying attitude amongst some more casual users, which can be deemed a disregard for the machine itself. Most want it to ‘just work’ or ‘do what it’s supposed to’. If you compare the use of a computer with that of a car, there are some quite stark similarities. Both need regular non-professional simple maintenance to keep them running smoothly. With a car it’s things like checking the water, oil, tyres and lights regularly and with a computer it’s things such as regular backup of important files, cleaning of temporary files and defragmentation of the hard disk.

So how do everyday folk take care of these tasks without too much fuss?

1. The option which I recommend more than any other these days is a very handy disk cleanup tool called Ccleaner. This utility makes it easy to clean the temporary files from your hard disk at the click of a button. If used regularly, it takes literally seconds to complete and is best used just before turning your computer off after each session.2. For backup solutions, you can’t beat a good backup utility but for the easiest route, a large capacity pen drive and literally dragging and dropping the files onto the drive is the best by far. External usb hard drives are also a good bet if you have a large collection of photos, music or videos. 3. Your computer hard disk can quickly become fragmented, with files scattered randomly accross the disk. Whist there is an in-built tool for correctig this in the Windows operating system, I’d recommend downloading and installing ‘Auslogic disk defrag’ which is a free program and is quick and easy to use.4. The last tip is probably the most important…. Check the integrity of websites which you visit. A good tool for checking websites is the ‘Netcraft Toolbar’ which can be downloaded from netcraft.com. It integrates into Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers and is quite light on resources. It is still best to be dilligent with sites you’re unfamiliar with and it’s best to stick to sites from trusted companies especially when purchasing.

I’ve tried not to be too technical or in-depth as this is aimed at people who really don’t want the hassle of messing about too much or trying too hard to grasp new concepts. The truth is, most experienced computer users know these things and many ignore them… sometimes at their peril, resulting in the need for computer repair experts.

If you find yourself in a disaster situation, call an expert straight away. The longer you leave it, the more chance of irreperable damage to the system or files… Safe computing.

About the Author

Written by Bill from ‘A Star Universal computers’ http://www.astar-universal.co.uk/computers.html. You can contact Bil lat enquiries@astar-universal.co.uk.

A Star Universal Computers, Azellwood House, A2 London road, Teynham, near Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 9PS TEL 0845 438 3358

About the Author

Bill from ‘A Star Universal computers’ is the technical consultant and a Company Partner.

A Star Universal offer tutorials for beginners or nervous computer users at your Home or at your place of work.

Contact Bill at enquiries@astar-universal.co.uk View the company website at http://www.astar-universal.co.uk/computers.html

More Computer Tips Articles

Filed Under: Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , ,