The hard drive industry is still feeling the effects of catastrophic flooding that occurred last July in Thailand and unfortunately, it’s not looking to get better anytime soon. Manufacturers have predicted that supplies will not reach normal capacity until at least the third quarter 2012.

Another negative ripple effect of the the hard drive shortage is the rising cost of PC’s. Computer manufacturers aren’t able to secure enough hard drives for new computers and Intel has noted that they have had a decrease in CPU orders as a direct result.

If you’re absolutely in need of a new hard drive, it may be best to pick one up now if you’re able to find one. Retailers such as Best Buy and Fry’s Electronics are not sure when they’ll be able to restock or at what price. Prices for hard drives have risen greatly, some more than 100%. For example, the cost of a 1 TB prior to the shortage was $50, now it is selling for $140.

The photo above was taken at the local Fry’s Electronics in Burbank, California about a week ago and it illustrates the lack of hard drive inventory that retailers are facing. Has the hard drive shortage affected you?

Using the web’s best group video chat technology, Google+ Hangouts, you’re now able to attend cooking classes from the comfort of your own kitchen while using your own tools and appliances. ChefHangout.com connects chefs with their students, regardless of their location. Simply find a class that interests you, sign up for a small fee, gather your ingredients and you’re good to go!

Just like your local cooking classes, ChefHangout.com is affordable. Most classes fall between the $10-20 range, depending on who the instructor is and the topic of the class. After you sign up, you’ll be sent an ingredient list for your class and notes about any prep equipment you may need.  Class sizes are small, up to 10 people per class. A small class size guarantees personalized learning from your chef and assistance if needed. The benefit of working in your own kitchen allows you to use your own tools and appliances that you’re already comfortable with.

The classes offered vary from basic knife skills, kids cooking, baking, cocktails, party dishes, healthy meals, and culture specific classes. If you’re interested in learning more or taking a few classes, visit ChefHangout.com. If you’d like to get started with Google+ Hangouts but aren’t quite sure how, let us know and we’ll get you setup! Feel free to call the office at (877) 694-3648 or send us email here at our contact form.

eGeniuses is very excited to see companies taking advantage of new technology to further their reach. Google+ Hangouts is currently the best group video chat and it’s interesting to see the different ways it’s being used. Have you seen any interesting uses for Google+ Hangouts?

The recent rollout of Gmail’s new design is another new feature that keeps it at the top spot of best email provider on the web. If you’re still using an AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo email account, this may be the perfect time to move over to Gmail. Chances are, you already have a Google account that you use with other Google services that you can utilize as your Gmail account as well!

One of Gmail’s best features is their world renowned spam protection which keeps your inbox full of only the messages you want to see. Their spam protection runs circles around the competition. Also, you can keep your mail organized and categorized just how you like with unlimited filters and tags. Gmail also ensures that you don’t have to worry about storage, they offer a large amount that increases by the minute!

The Gmail interface is one of the easiest to use and it also integrates useful features that can be turned on and off in your inbox. Some of these features are free text and video chat and free phone calls. In addition to these features, Gmail provides top notch security to protect your account. They use bank-level security to keep your account, email and personal information safe.

Having a Gmail account also makes mobile email easy. If you have an Android, iPhone or other smartphone, Gmail integrates easily so that you can take your mail on the go.

The switchover to Gmail is quick, easy and convenient due to Gmail’s import features. Gmail can easily move over your old email, your contacts and import your email for the next 30 days from your old account while you’re making the transition.

To start the quick and easy process of switching to Gmail, click here to start. Or, if you’d like our help in switching your accounts over to Gmail, give us a shout at (877) 694-3648 to speak with one of our technicians.

Getting a new tablet opens up a world of portable entertainment and technology. You’ll be able to receive email, read periodicals, play games, browse the web, stream and watch videos. There are also tons of specialty uses that the latest tablets are capable of so it’s really up to you and what you want to do with your new gadget.

New apps are being created and released daily and they continue to expand the capabilities of your device. For instance, did you know that you can accept credit card payments to your bank account with an iPad or Android tablet using the Square app and Square card reader? Love Scrabble? There’s a similar app, Words With Friends, that allows you to play friends, family and even strangers worldwide. Manage your blog, your bank account, your recipes, your social networks and more!

With the increase in popularity of tablets recently, we’re introducing a new service: New iPad and Android Tablet Setup.

This service includes:

• Set up your email and social networks on your new tablet
• Customize the interface to your specifications (dock and widgets)
• How-to install and remove apps
• A 30 minute, one-on-one session with an E-Geniuses Technician to answer any of your questions and help you get started in using your tablet

We’re offering the iPad and Android Tablet Setup at $99 for a limited time. This service is also available as a gift! Give us a call and we’ll set you up with a gift certificate.

Stop by the office or give us a call at (877) 694-3648 to setup an appointment today with one of our Technicians to get your new tablet all setup.

Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, the two biggest players in e-readers have released two new full color tablets: the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet. Although not direct competitors to the Apple iPad or other full featured Android tablets, they offer plenty of extras that make them more than just simple e-readers. Both have an email client and web browser built-in while also sharing similar hardware features such as a 7 inch touchscreen with a 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution, 1GHz dual core processor, built in WiFi, stereo audio jack (3.5mm), speakers and a micro USB port. Both tablets have impressive battery lives lasting more than 7.5 hours from a single charge.

Hardware

As far as hardware goes, the NOOK Tablet has a slight advantage with a bigger amount of storage, 16GB versus the 8GB on the Kindle Fire, 1GB of RAM on the NOOK Tablet while the Kindle Fire has 512MB. To offset the limited storage on the Kindle Fire, Amazon includes 5GB of Cloud Storage which lets you store any of your content on their servers. The NOOK also trumps the Fire with its micro SD slot for memory expansion, a microphone and an improved VividView display that has enhanced contrast, decreased glare and a larger viewing angle.

App Store

Both the Kindle Fire and NOOK Tablet are hooked into their own proprietary app store as apposed to the typical Android Market that houses all of Google’s Android apps. Don’t fret though, many popular apps such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, Angry Birds and Pandora Internet Radio are readily available on both platforms and new apps are being added often. Despite not having full access to all of the apps in the Android Market, both tablets have ample content and multimedia offerings as far as books, magazines and other publications. Additionally, the Kindle Fire has a dedicated music and video store that adds plenty of entertainment options. The NOOK relies more on its apps for video and music content.

Special Features

The NOOK has a few special features aimed at making it a child friendly gadget such as parental controls that allow you to disable the web browser. It has a vast selection of children’s books that include picture and interactive books (narration, animation and activity). There is even a neat ‘Read and Record’ feature that allows you (or a loved one) to record your voice reading a book for your child to listen to over and over again.

If you have an Amazon Prime membership ($79 annually), the Kindle Fire adds special content features such as the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library which allows you to borrow one e-book a month for free and Unlimited Instant Videos which lets you stream popular TV shows and movies on your tablet.

If you have a local Barnes & Noble bookstore nearby, you’ll be greeted with a few extra perks when you bring your NOOK Tablet to the store. Free lifetime support from the associates at Barnes & Noble, free WiFi in-store and the ability to read an entire NOOK Book free for up to one hour per day. You’ll also be notified of special coupons and offers on books and at the cafe on your NOOK Tablet that you can redeem while you’re there.

e-Readers with Extra

As mentioned prior, these two tablets are not in direct competition with the iPad. Although they all overlap in the e-book, music and video consumption area, these two tablets are not built to create content or to be used outside the current realm in which they were designed. The main purpose of the Kindle Fire is to deliver Amazon content to you in the most efficient manner, which it does flawlessly. The Kindle Fire and NOOK Tablet fill the role of a lower cost e-reader with additional multimedia functionality.

When it comes down to choosing one over the other, it really depends on the content you prefer. If your primary focus is to have an e-reader tablet that allows you to also watch and purchase video on the fly and most of your the Kindle Fire is for you. If you’re more comfortable getting your content from apps or have the need for the child friendly features, the NOOK Tablet may be more up your alley.

Both tablets are available for sale now. The Kindle Fire is $199 online at Amazon.com and the NOOK Tablet is $249 for sale at Barnes & Noble store’s or online at BarnesandNoble.com.

“I finally cracked it” said Steve Jobs to Walter Isaacson, the author of his biography. What was Steve referring to when he claimed to have “cracked it”? I think I have an idea – and it’s not a television set. He was certainly referring to the fight for the living-room. Apple products have found their way to get into people’s pockets with the iPod and iPhone, the desktop with the Mac, coffee shops with their MacBook line, people’s laps with the iPad, that only leaves the bathroom, kitchen and of course – the living room.

The living room is the obvious place for Apple to venture into. They already have a dog in the fight for the living room with the Apple TV, but it hasn’t been a hit. Google’s attempts haven’t been hits either. Steve once claimed that the AppleTV was a “hobby” because there was no market for it. That’s also what he said about smart-phones and tablets before he dominated the market with the iPhone and iPad. Maybe he was testing the waters with the Apple TV, before releasing a more polished version with a more traditional Apple name, the iTV.

If the iTV became a reality, what would it have? Siri? iCloud? Yes and yes. It would probably use your iPhone or iPad as the main input device in addition to their existing remote. Will Apple create a television set? I doubt it, but it’s not impossible.

Steve Jobs’ specialty was making complex devices usable. He also makes things beautiful and purposeful. I don’t doubt that he would love to redesign the television set, but I think he would have much rather revolutionize the way people watch TV rather than the television set itself. If redesigning the TV set was necessary to move people’s thinking towards his, then Steve would have done that.

I really think that Steve Jobs was attempting to revolutionize the TV interface – specifically the IPTV, digitally converged TV experience. Regular TV works well. Cable TV works. People don’t complain about how difficult it is to use their TV remotes or navigating TV channels. They complain about the programming. They complain that there’s nothing good on.

But there’s a ton of “good stuff” on. Relevant programming is all over the Internet. It is on YouTube, on Hulu, on Netflix and million other places online. There’s also good programming on cable too.

So, the problem is with the TV interface for the new generation of programming. For TV 2.0.

Let’s look at what traditional TV, TV 1.0 does right:

• It appeals to the mainstream
• It’s always on. New programming is constantly being developed.
• It kind of learns what the masses like. Networks get feedback using Nielsen ratings.
• It’s automatic. It continues to play.
• You can kind of vote by changing the channel or continuing to watch
• It’s simple to use.

Here’s what TV 1.0 gets wrong:

• It appeals to the mainstream, but not the individual
• It doesn’t allow direct user feedback
• It doesn’t allow for immediate crowd-sourcing for recommendations
• It doesn’t allow for interactivity
• The content availability is determined by conglomerates, not by individuals
• No user-submitted content
• If you miss something, you have to wait for it to play again or hope that you recorded it on your DVR.

Now, let’s take a look at what TV 2.0 gets right:

• It appeals to niche markets and individuals
• It learns based on individual preferences
• There’s a ton of content – user-submitted included
• You can give instant feedback using chat-rooms and comments
• Viewers are the content providers
• Crowd-sourcing can be used for recommendations
• Interactivity is possible
• You can watch what you want, when you want.

What TV 2.0 gets wrong:

• It’s not automatic. You have to choose what you want to watch. TV 1.0 plays and you choose from what’s on.
• It’s not always on. TV 2.0 doesn’t show anything until you choose something. That requires you to make a decision. People want to tune out, not think about seed programming.
• It’s not as easy to use. You have to use a keyboard to type. You may have to manipulate a mouse cursor on the screen.
• The content is not curated. Some of the content is low quality.

I think what Steve Jobs figured out, was a way to make TV 2.0 usable for average users. He figured out a way to eliminate it’s weaknesses. He figured out how to make it play relevant content automatically. The content would be a mix of Internet content and traditional cable programming. It would learn what you want to watch based on previous input from the viewer. It would have a recommendation engine based on what you’ve watched previously and what your friends are watching, loving and recommending. It would be dead simple to use.

We will have to wait and see what Apple has in store for our living rooms. Steve Jobs created things that he would have wanted to use. His standards were extremely high, so anyone who would have wanted something similar would be amazed at what Steve had in mind. He had the ability to make those things a reality for himself and everyone else. His selfishness benefited us all because we got to use the products he desired for himself. Instead of asking what would Steve Jobs do, the first question should be, what would Steve Jobs want?

Check out the new look and added functionality:

Compare it with the “Old” look:

The new YouTube Leanback Update allows adds a few new functions. YouTube Leanback was designed people who wanted to watch YouTube videos on their big screen tv. Browsing YouTube.com on a regular computer is fine, but on a home theater pc (HTPC) it’s a bit cumbersome. Leanback makes things easier by making the font and buttons larger. Google has also added type-to-search so that you can just type what you’re looking for, anytime, without the need to find a proper search bar. They’ve also made auto-play the default to give the user the feeling of continuous content a la broadcast television.

This update makes browsing different categories easier by putting it right on the main page. You can also access the video notes, social functions, and related videos by pressing the down arrow on your input device.

You can check out the new YouTube Leanback on your computer as well: http://www.youtube.com/leanback

Let us know what you think about YouTube Leanback’s new skin.

Yesterday, Steve Jobs passed away. I spent all day yesterday watching his keynote presentations:

• when he first introduced the Apple II in 1984
• when he spoke with employees at his new company NeXT after being kicked out of Apple
• when he introduced the first iPod
• the iMac
• the iBook
• the iPhone
• and the iPad

I know most people would look at his life in amazement at what he was able to build. They would say he was a visionary and great businessman. Of course, he was all of the above. But, I think that Steve’s greatest contribution to the world was his ability to communicate his ideas to others, his ability to sell his ideas. He showed us by example, he made things easy to understand, and he made it fun. Most of all, he believed in his product.  He showed us that ideas can be made into a reality. We all bought in to his vision because we wanted to be with him as he made history.

Steve Jobs created the innovative products he created because it was the best way he knew how to communicate his ideas to us. He knew that if he didn’t build it, we wouldn’t understand it. Instead of just telling us what technology could do, he showed us. Just watch the keynote of him introducing the iPhone to the world. Listen to the crowd when he shows what pinch-to-zoom is.  Watch him trying to hold back his smile during that part of the keynote; he knew he had us.

Fast forward to 33:00 to watch the introduction of “the Pinch.”

Steve Jobs knew about design. He was once quoted saying that design is about how things work, not just how they look. Look at the simplicity and elegance in all of his designs.

They say that one of the hardest things to do is to make things simple (just look how long this post is.) Steve was all about making things simple. Not to be mistaken with incapable because most of the devices he’s created are capable of doing very complex things, he just designed them to be easy to use. He was like my college professor, Dr. Yang, who made calculus approachable. After every Steve Jobs keynote presentation, I felt like I had learned so much, and therefore compelled to return the favor by buying the product.

Simple design, 1 button on the front

People always say that you should work hard, play hard. I’ve heard many stories about how Steve Jobs acted like a tyrant during the creation of the Apple II. What I understand is that his expectations for his employees were beyond reasonable, and for some, higher than they believed they were capable of. I think it was because Steve’s expectations for himself were so unbelievably high. He worked hard and expected everyone in his company to work just as hard. The flip side to that coin is that Steve also played hard. His playtime was on the stage, when he finally got to present what he and his team had been working so hard on. Every time I would watch Steve Jobs present, it was such a joy to watch because I knew he was loving every minute of it. Watching him “pitch” was so much fun. I would take time out of my day to watch a live blog on Engadget, since they wouldn’t allow people to film. When I think back, I enjoyed looking at the pictures of the new products, but even more so, the look of pride on Steve’s face as he presented the latest Apple creation with that huge screen behind him.

Steve Jobs proud to show off the Macbook Air

Steve made great products. He wouldn’t sell a product he didn’t think was great because he couldn’t believe in it. But once he believed in his product 100%, he could sell the crap out of it. He would make whatever he was showing off look like the best thing since sliced bread because it actually was. He was a great salesman with a great product – a killer combination.

So as I sit here saddened by the loss of Steve Jobs, I have to be thankful for all the lessons he taught me in business, technology, design, and salesmanship. If Og Mandino’s book The Greatest Salesman reminded me of a single person, it would be Steve Jobs. Thank you Steve for all that you have done for me and for others. You will be insanely missed.

“Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” -Og Mandino

Was Steve Jobs the greatest salesman in the world ? Leave your comments below.

This correlates to the maintenance plans we provide to any of our clients. Everyone looks for their own trusted mechanic; someone that does not overcharge and gives honest service. We here at E-Geniuses take pride in knowing that through purchasing our PC Preventive Maintenance Plans, you have entrusted us as your mechanic. In turn, we will provide you with the best service possible to help keep your computer safe, well-maintained, and running efficiently. Computers have become such an important part of our day-to-day lives; we have to take care of them. We realize how complicated and time consuming maintaining a computer can be. Providing this service to our clients enables us to have that responsibility and give our clients piece of mind, knowing that we are keeping this computer from harm.

There are many advantages to having a scheduled maintenance on your computer. Our maintenance plans ensure your computer to be virus free, keep your data safe, and save you time and money. We have spent a good amount of time finding the right combination of anti-virus programs, anti-malware, and one click backups to ensure that your computer is ready for any issues that can arise. Computer updates are also very important and is also included in any maintenance plan you purchase from us. We only install necessary updates that are needed to help your computer run better. Our technicians set up a backup system to ensure your data is not lost just in case any hardware problems cause your computer to malfunction.

Most every part of your computer requires occasional attention. Using our services will guarantee that your computer has been given the proper attention it needs to be able to run as well as it should. E-Geniuses will also keep you up to date with your tech needs because we constantly do research on the best programs needed to help keep your computer safe. The payoff will be a healthy, reliable, and safe computer.

Also listen to our podcast about PC Preventive Maintenance Podcast.