Computerware Blog

Most computer errors are no big deal, just hit the undo button, keep calm, and carry on. However, there is one mistake that is sure to panic even veteran PC users, and that is closing an important document without saving it. We've all done it, it is not a good feeling; we will show how to recover it.

Velocity Micro dared to ask the question, "How small can we make a fully operational and powerful desktop PC?" The result is the Edge Mini. Small enough to fit inside the pocket of your jacket, the Edge Mini is a square that is 4 inches on each side, and 1.6 inches thick. Velocity Micro is billing the Edge Mini as, "The world's smallest desktop."

"There are only 2 types of computers in the world: Those that waste your precious time and those that waste your precious time faster"-Jerry Seinfeld. Believe it or not, Mr. Seinfeld is a bit of a time management expert; he has devised a time-saving productivity method that is simple, effective, and does not require a time-wasting computer.

According to a 2011 survey by Ponemon Research, 90% of U.S. businesses reported that their company's computers had been breached over the course of one year. Of these companies, 77% reported that they were breached multiple times within the same year. The only way to avoid this risk is to be very intentional with your company's network security.

In 2012, Facebook hit one billion active users. Facebook is the undisputed king of social media, but this does not mean that their subjects are happy. In a January 2013 study, online news site 24/7 Wall St. found Facebook to be one of America's top ten most hated companies. This study factors in customer and employee satisfaction, as well as stock performance.

It can be unsettling to know that there is a detailed profile about yourself floating around the internet. Your online profile can be shockingly thorough and is constantly being exchanged by internet data collecting companies for various purposes. If you are uncomfortable with this scenario, then let us recommend an app called DeleteMe that will cover your internet tracks.

People go on vacation to get away from tasks like checking e-mail. You may be able to unplug and unwind, but this is not an option for your inbox. The best practice to keep in contact while you are away is to use an auto responder. This is a helpful tool that will automatically reply to every e-mail with a message like, "On vacation, will return on Monday."

Writing in Microsoft Word, it will be within a few sentences before you encounter the squigglies. The squiggles are the colorful lines that show up below the words and sentences of your text. Everybody knows of these lines because they are almost impossible to ignore.

While it's convenient to have your web browser store passwords, you need to keep in mind that anyone who accesses your computer can retrieve your saved passwords. This risk is very real if you share workstations or laptops with others. We will show you how to adjust the settings on each of your web browsers in order to keep your passwords safe.

You would think that governments would be the one organization in the world that would be immune to computer viruses because they have sensitive information on every citizen as well as military secrets. Yet a new type of malware called Red October that targets governments was recently discovered after slipping by the tightest security systems in the world.

Is your computer taking longer to boot up then you remember it taking back when it was new? One reason may be due to unneeded applications opening up automatically every time you power on your PC. These extra apps can also slow down the overall performance of your PC. We will show you how to disable these speed bumps.

There are several practices that you can do in order to keep your PC safe from computer viruses. Not visiting shady websites and keeping your antivirus program up-to-date are proven best practices; although, sometimes these practices are not enough. Sometimes hackers will find vulnerabilities in a trusted application and take advantage of them, this happened recently to Java.

A well-used PC may not run as fast as it used to. There are dozens of procedures you can try that will speed up a slow computer. Some procedures, like tinkering with the hardware or reinstalling your OS, can be intrusive and a lot of work. Before trying something drastic, you may first want to try these three simple actions to boost PC performance.

The Internet is a fast-changing, practically organic entity, and you can think of your web browser as the window to the Internet. These days, most people use one of the three most popular browsers; Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Internet Explorer. The later of which comes installed on every PC.

A help desk that offers 24/7 remote support is a service that is easy to take for granted, primarily because most of the calls received are related to computer issues, and when PCs are properly maintained, issues are minimized. When computer problems do crop up, the help desk will be there for you and prove its value in your hour of greatest need.

Here are four of the most valuable features of Computerware's 24/7 remote help desk.

24/7, More than a Number
Our technicians are literally standing by around the clock, prepared to take your call. If it is the weekend and you are burning the midnight oil on a project, and your PC goes kaput, then you do not have to panic because you know that you have a team ready, willing, and capable to resolve your issue right then and there. We get these late night calls regularly and find it quite gratifying to play the role of hero by talking people through their late night IT crises.

Remote Support
There is a huge difference between a hotline that gives advice and a remote support service. When calling a help hotline you will have someone walk you through what to do, which can prove difficult if you are already frustrated due to a malfunctioning computer. With remote support, we have the ability to control your PC from our end, run diagnostics, and troubleshoot problems with best practices. This will leave you with the luxury of sitting back and relaxing while we do the heavy lifting.

Skilled Technicians
We have experienced level I & II technicians that are battle-tested and have likely dealt with your issue before. You might be at the end of your wits trying to fix your PC, but if you call one of our techs for help, then they will remotely take care of your issue from their end with a few clicks and restore both your PC and your sanity. In fact, our technicians are so good that 90% of non-break fix issues are resolved by the end of the call.

Friendly Technicians
It is also important to point out that our help desk technicians are based in America. We are intentional about this because we understand the value of communication. We understand that problems are resolved quicker and customer experience is improved if needs can be communicated on the first attempt. We also understand the value of talking with a real person. In fact, 90% of calls are answered by a flesh and blood human being within 180 seconds, this makes for a much more pleasant experience than having to navigate an endless maze of automated menus.

Making ourselves available 24/7 to take care of technology issues is just one example of how Computerware goes out of our way to provide you with outstanding customer service. To find out more about 24/7 remote help desk support service, call us at (703) 821-8200. We will take the time to learn about the unique needs of your business and set you up with a single, low-cost flat-rate per-user plan that won't change no matter how much you call for help.

In today's digital office, it seems odd that fax machines still have a home; yet there they sit, collecting dust and still churning out the occasional fax. One would assume that e-mail would have dethroned the fax machine a long time ago, and while e-mail is popular, fax machines still hold a place in the modern office.

In 2012, the popularity of smartphones skyrocketed to a 46% ownership rate for American adults according to Pew Research. In 2013, worldwide sales of smartphones and tablets are projected to hit a record 1.2 billion. Both of these figures would increase if other mobile devices like laptops and notebooks were also taken into account. This growing trend is great news for retailers, and even better news for thieves who specialize in ripping off unattended mobile devices. Unfortunately, this crime rate is also increasing; more than 2 million laptops are swiped every year according to laptop security company LoJack.

If you are enjoying the newly redesigned Windows 8, then you are going to love the new Microsoft Office 365. Scheduled for release during Q1 of 2013, your favorite Office applications have been overhauled with cloud computing services, touch screen capabilities, and much more. We will highlight a few of these new features by looking at Outlook 2013.

You are bound to make mistakes when using your computer, many of these mistakes are no big deal, just hit the undo button. Not every task has an undo button, for example, there are no take backs if you hit Reply All to an e-mail that contains sensitive information, and the aftermath from such a slip up can be costly.

Exercise is at the top of most people's New Year's Eve resolution list, but for many tech heads, number two on the list may be spending less time on the internet. To help you achieve this internetless goal, there is an app called Freedom that will help you to control your internet browsing time so that you can be more productive.