Welcome to the Geek Choice Blog

Our exchange of e-mail is one of the most common uses of the internet, with free e-mail accounts comprising the bulk of resources we utilize when communicating with one another. From Yahoo to Hotmail, there is no shortage of choices with which to stay in touch with friends and family, most of them offering similar features you can employ in the management of your mail.

Relatively new, having initially been available in just a closed beta, Google now offers Gmail to the public. Not unlike those e-mail accounts I’ve already mentioned, Gmail is a free service, yet its functionality extends beyond what’s typically offered by its competitors:

• An initial storage capacity of 8GB, which is considerably larger than what’s available with your standard free e-mail account.
• A conversational-like management of e-mail, which sees correspondence on a single subject ( which can span numerous e-mails ) grouped within a stacked format that saves users the time spent returning to their mailbox and selecting each relevant e-mail.
• Comprehensive spam filtering that is community-driven, where one user’s receipt and acknowledgment of legitimate spam results in the entire Gmail community being notified of any future mailings originating at that source.

These are just a few examples to be found among the many useful features that have helped propel Gmail above more threadbare alternatives. Google is constantly improving upon its interface, making it easier for Gmail users to organize the email they send and receive.  While it’s certainly not perfect, it has been the recipient of numerous technology awards for good reason.

If you need assistance setting up a Gmail account, or you’re unsure of how to take advantage of its features, let us know. That is what Geek Choice is for.

Once a burgeoning niche product, laptops are fast becoming an established alternative for consumers opting for the convenience of portability over  being tied to a desktop. While desktops will continue to be used for tasks that aren’t feasible with the average laptop, the technology of portable computing has progressed to the point that many functions once limited to those desk bound mainstays are now available for people on the move.

When choosing a portable computing solution, a number of considerations come into play, the primary one being the functionality you’re looking for. Many use their laptops for gaming, while others simply want a portable word processor;  one might just want wireless accessibility for their local  hotspot, or they’re looking for something on which to play a DVD while commuting to and from work.

The uses for these portable systems are as varied as the technology housed within them.

Deciding on a laptop can mean the difference between $1,000 and $400, the gulf between the price tags determined by the functionality required by the user.  If you’re solely looking for something with which to browse the internet, you’re not going to require a high-end system that might be tailored for the purpose of editing videos. If you’re an avid PC gamer, you’re going to want your system outfitted with a lot of ram, which is just another variable when assessing the expense you’ll incur.

When shopping for a laptop, ask questions. If you’re still unsure of what kind of portable solution will work for your needs, give Geek Choice a call.

Not a day goes by that we don’t field a call from a frustrated user who’s swamped by pop-ups while browsing the internet, usually because of an easily avoidable error that’s often committed by those who otherwise think they’re responding as they should.

The scenario is normally as such: While browsing the web, a user will happen upon an unfamiliar site, clicking on a link that results in a number of pop-ups appearing. What many people do — including those who’re normally given to exercising caution when  navigating  the web — is close the pop-up as they would your standard window.  More often than not, this results in additional pop-ups.  Oftentimes, after being inundated with by even more pop-ups, the user is forced to restart their computer out of frustration.

The easiest means of addressing any instance of a pop-up of questionable origin can be summed up with three keys found on your keyboard:

CTRL – ALT – DELETE

By simultaneously pressing the keys above, you will bring up the Windows Security window, an invaluable menu of options that affords users an opportunity to select the Task Manager. After selecting Task Manager, you will be met with a window that includes several tabs. When dealing with pop-ups, the two Task Manager tabs that will be of most importance are Applications and Processes. Applications is more straightforward, listing the programs you have running, while Processes shows every “process” — the instructions associated with the programs running — linked to the application in question. What you should concern yourself with are those applications and processes related to your internet browser. Whether it’s Internet Explorer or Firefox, select the application and click on End Task. If the pop-ups remain, click on the Processes tab and click on End Process to close those processes related  to the internet browser you’re using.

This will end your immediate use of the internet browser, effectively removing the pop-ups.  Before doing so, make sure you’ve saved any data you’d like to retain (i.e. if you’re writing an email while the pop-ups appear).

Once this is completed, you can always use your internet browser immediately afterwards, but the pop-ups are almost guaranteed to return. The source of those pop-ups remain, in the form of malware that’s infected your computer.

Removing that malware is our job, and Geek Choice is here to assist you in its removal.

Schedule a visit today.

From creating spreadsheets to playing the latest games, we use our computer for multiple purposes, one of the most common being our navigation of the internet.  With the use of the internet occupying so much of our time, it stands to reason that we’d want to enhance that experience as best we can.

When it comes to internet browsers, there isn’t a more ubiquitous one than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Bundled with Microsoft Windows, the most widely used operating system in the personal computing market, Internet Explorer is the standard by default.  However, in spite of its widespread use, there are alternatives to Internet Explorer that are arguably more popular with the geeks amongst us.

Because of its de facto popularity, a result of being packaged with Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer has seen only incremental advances in how it functions. This lack of innovation has paved the way for competitors to release alternative choices which offer greater functionality and more reliable security for users browsing the internet.

Of those choices, my favorite is Mozilla’s Firefox.

Free and thoroughly customizable, Firefox is fast becoming the choice to which users are migrating from Microsoft’s problematic browser, its superior functionality immediately apparent:

• Firefox includes helpful features that augment the browsing experience, such  as spell checking and saving sessions for those who accidentally quit the browser.
• hundreds of plug-ins afford users a staggering level of customization for their browsing experience.
• Though Internet Explorer now has tabbed browsing , which allows multiple pages to be opened within a single browser, Firefox’ tabbed browsing is faster and easier to manage.
• With the advent of malware, those bugs that creep along the porous byways of the internet highway, your computer remains at risk whenever you use the internet. When it comes to security, Firefox is unmatched, with seamless updates that keep you protected from vulnerabilities that leave Internet Explorer users subject to spyware and viruses.

While your internet browser of choice is a personal preference, there’s no denying that Firefox adds a bit more to the experience than Internet Explorer. Yes, Microsoft’s offering has certainly taken steps in the right direction, but much of its improvements were available in the first version of Firefox.

The functionality of Firefox may prove daunting to new users, but Geek Choice is always available to show them how to get the best out of its use.

Slow performance is the toll incurred by every computer, no matter how cutting edge it was when purchased.  While the technology housed within the computer remains static, the industry behind that technology moves forward,  always introducing new advances in how we compute.

The frustration we feel when confronted by slow performance is understandable, when considering its impact on our use. From diminished productivity in the office to its interruption of our home use, sluggish performance is a common problem that can be attributed to a number of causes, one of the most prevalent being a fragmented hard drive.

Fragmentation occurs when the data on your hard drive is no longer sequentially ordered. As an example, looking at the first five letters of the alphabet, we  have:

A  B  C  D  E

As time progresses, with the addition of new information and the deletion of old data, that sequence becomes disordered. If left unaddressed, it eventually reads as:

A  E  C  D B

The allocation of data on your hard drive has been rendered a chaotic mess, making it all the more difficult for your system to efficiently retrieve data when necessary. Returning to the alphabet theme, imagine having to recite the words in the alphabet exactly as we’ve all been taught, only in a fragmented sequence:

A Q C D T Y G M I V K L H N O P B R S E U J W X F Z

Reading it off from that sequence above, your recitation of the alphabet certainly isn’t as smooth as you remember, is it?

That’s exactly what your hard drive is doing when suffering from fragmentation. Without a sequential allotment of your data, it takes longer to access information, resulting in the slow performance many witness when using their computers.

Defragmentation is the answer to this problem. As its name suggests, defragmentation reverses the state of fragmentation, sequentially ordering your data for faster retrieval.  Defragmentation can be performed by any number of tools, all readily available on the internet. While you can always use the defragmentation tool that comes with your Windows operating system, I prefer Defraggler.

Created by the same company that gave us CCleaner, Defraggler is an easy to use tool that performs all of your defragmenting needs. To ensure optimal performance of the computer, we advise you to perform defragmentation once a month.

Should you have any additional questions about this process, simply ask.

Over in the Geek Choice office,  one of the more common problems clients ask us to assist them with are phony solicitations for anti-malware programs. When browsing the internet, users encounter bogus virus and spyware alerts that prompt them to input personal information:

• Credit card #
• Checking Account #
• Social security #
• Address and telephone #

Understandably, many of them are concerned about surrendering such sensitive information, worried that it’ll be used for purposes other than facilitating the purchase of software that will protect their system against malware.

Well, they’re right.

Our clients will  happen upon a website that spawns a number of pop-ups alerting them to the presence of viruses and spyware,  ending with a solicitation for the purchase of  non-existent anti-malware software. In response to these pop-ups, users usually attempt to close the windows, resulting in the emergence of even more pop-ups.

One of the more notorious nuisances of this sort is Antivirus 2009. Masked as a legitimate program that removes viruses, this annoyance infects the client’s system with spyware, inundating them with pop-ups that insist that they purchase an “upgraded” version of software that doesn’t exist.

Similar bugs go by the name of:

• Winantispyware
• Antispyware Pro XP
• Antivirus Lab 2009

If you’re ever met with one of these pop-ups, do NOT click on anything – do NOT close the window, click on ‘No,’ or type in a single field. If you’re taken to another website, do NOT click on any of the links.

Instead, Press CTRL-ALT-DELETE, which will bring up your task manager. When reviewing the list of processes, you will notice one that is linked to your internet browser. Highlight that process and click on ‘End task,’ a button located at the bottom of your task manager window. This will close your internet browser, including any pop-ups it has spawned.

While the pop-ups are momentarily done away with, simply terminating your internet browser will not completely solve the problem, as the source of the issue remains. If left unaddressed, the spyware will continue to see that you’re harassed by pop-ups each time you use the internet

This is one of many problems we regularly aid our clients with. If you’d like Geek Choice to clean your computer of these pests, give us call.

As we all know, social networking is all the craze, with everyone from our children to the family dog posting updates on their social networking site of choice — the most popular ones being Myspace and Facebook. These sites allow you to stay in touch with family, catch up with old friends you’ve lost contact with, and introduce bits of your life for public consumption.

While these sites are tremendously beneficial for the aforementioned uses, particularly when it comes to remaining in touch with your close circle of friends, they also leave many unsuspecting users vulnerable to the prying eyes of unwelcome visitors. It’s always advisable to be vigilant when using the internet, and your use of these social networking sites should be no different.

Be very careful with the information you post on your site, making sure not to reveal anything that you wouldn’t want a stranger to know. Everything that you post becomes public, down to the most sensitive detail you decide to divulge.

If you don’t want the neighbor down the street knowing what time you arrive home from work, don’t post it.

If you’re not sure your employer will take kindly to you taking a sick day to go to the beach, you might want to refrain from revealing that bit of information on your Facebook wall.

If you think your parents might experience discomfort when reading about your latest tattoo, you might want to make your Myspace page private  (in the event they’re not on your friends list).

These are powerful networking tools that afford their users the ability to connect with a myriad number of people, for multiple reasons, from business to the recreational. If you have any questions about their use, feel free to ask.

Old Computers

One of the most frequently asked questions in this field is:  should I pay to have this fixed or just get a new computer?  This isn’t as tough to figure out as it sounds.  Some people have an emotional attachment to their computers that makes it a bit more difficult than it has to be, but usually it’s pretty simple.  So, let’s go over how to make the decision to repair or replace.

When I am looking at a computer  my first goal is to decide whether or not it is worth fixing based on several different factors.  Once I’ve settled on an answer for myself I will call a customer back and explain what I believe to be the best solution to them, whether it is going forward on repairing their old machine or advising them that a new system would likely be a better investment.  I do this because it is not my job to charge you as much as I can, it is my job to provide you with the best possible service I can.  Sometimes this means you need to purchase a new computer, sometimes it means we should be repairing your current one.

The factors I use to evaluate whether you would be better served with a new machine or with repairs to your old one are cost, complexity of the repairs, and the age of the computer.  Complex problems — such as an extensive virus infection that hasnt been repaired in months requiring the entire system to be wiped, reinstalled from scratch, the data replaced, and the installation of more effective anti-virus solutions — can be very expensive because of the time involved in fixing them. Simple problems — like installing new RAM, resetting passwords, or optimizing a very slow computer — are quick and therefore relatively inexpensive. The age of the computer must also be taken into consideration because of the constantly changing standards in the field. A machine that was top of the line six months ago will only be somewhat impressive at the present, and in four years time companies will not even be designing programs to run on computers that slow.

The end result looks something like this: if it will cost you more than a new computer to fix the computer then you should to buy a new computer and have someone transfer your data for you.  If it will cost nearly as much as new computer to get it fixed and it is older than 2 years, then you definitely should be looking at new computers.  If it will cost about half as much as a new computer and its newer than 4 years, fix it, older than 4 years then its really up to you.  I would personally think about putting that money into a new computer and having someone transfer the data and secure it for me.  If the computer is newer than 4 years and not to hard to fix, then of course get it fixed.

There are two more things that we have to consider before making a final decision though:  software and data.  If you are planning on getting a new computer, when you try and figure out the cost you have to remember how much time it will take to get all of your software installed and configured, and also how much data you have to move.  These things can drive up the price on you, possibly making it a better option to fix your current computer.  The other software related factor is:  Do you have your original install discs and the serials/keys to install with?  If you need Microsoft Office on your computer, and it’s on the old one but you don’t have the discs anymore then you’re looking at $150-$400 depending on what version you need.  So always remember to factor in the costs of software that you might not have anymore and data transfer time.  If you have many gigs of music, movies and other large files then data transfer could take hours.

So in the end you have to figure out costs.  If the cost of a repair is going to be more or close to the cost of a new computer plus extra work (data transfer, software install, security,)  then you want to replace it with a new computer.  If it is going to be significantly less than a new computers cost then it should be repaired.  One thing you should always do when having a tech work on your computer is ask him up front to diagnose the situation and tell you as quick as he can whether you should be getting a new computer or having him fix this one.

Welcome to the new GeekChoiceBlog.com, the blog for Geek Choice, the best on-site computer repair company around.  In business since 1996 and  headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts we are a nationwide computer service company specializing in:  Computer Setup, Spyware Removal, Virus Removal, Data Backup and Recovery, Wireless Networking, Network Setup, Computer Repair, Firewalls, and much more.

We hope to provide you with the latest news and updates that you need to keep up to date with the world of computers and the internet.