What hardware and software does the computer savvy elite have that the ordinary person does not and why? Many computer geniuses know what is important when it comes to computer setups. We can’t always afford everything we want, but there are some things that are close to necessary if you want to get the most out of technology. Here’s an overview of some hardware, software and services that will get you started in finding your inner genius with the help of technology, without having to be a technical geek or guru.

You need a computer that can keep up with you. If your computer is too slow and it discourages you from using it, then you need to either upgrade or optimize your system. In many cases, removing unnecessary start-up programs, upgrading ram, and removing viruses can make a big difference without having to swap out your entire computer.

Security is extremely important if you’re doing anything even remotely private such as online banking, writing your next best selling book, or even email. Anytime you type in your password, you should feel confident that no one else will be able to retrieve it. This requires an updated security suite. So many new viruses are made each day, that we would recommend having a computer service company that can change your security software based on current threats. E-Geniuses offers Monthly Maintenance Plans specifically for that reason. We can service clients anywhere in the world as long as they have a high-speed internet connection.

Most people are aware of advantages of a high-speed internet connection. With the prices of DSL nowadays, no one should be paying for a dial-up connection.

Backup, backup and backup! The two types of backups that we always recommend are backups of your software, operating system and priceless data (pictures, movies, music, documents). This requires an extra hard drive or an online backup storage solution. These backups should be automatic. A flash drive is not sufficient for this purpose since it has a limited life span.

The second type of backup is a battery backup also called a UPS. The purpose of a battery backup is to protect your computer from electrical issues caused by fluctuations. This is one of the most common causes of computer hardware failure and can easily be prevented with a UPS.

Of course the proper peripheral devices are important for functionality. Devices that fit into this category are scanners, printers, wireless routers, comfort keyboards and mice, and web cams.

Software is crucial to being able to do what you want to do. Every computer user has specific uses for their computer and it differs from user to user. Computer software programs need to be installed to facilitate those needs. Let your computer service technician know what you want to be able to do, and they should be able to find the right software to get the job done. Many times, the software is available for free.

Every computer user needs to feel comfortable with the software on their computer. They should feel familiar enough so that the computer doesn’t get in the way of what they really intend to do. The computer experience should almost be transparent. Tutoring is recommended for anyone who wants to get the most out of their computer. One-on-one tutoring is going to be more effective than computer classes because you can learn the software specific to what you want to do. E-Geniuses offers One-on-One Tutoring Services for existing clients. Feel free to contact us and see how we can get you on the right track.

The Higher Cost for Laptop Repairs

FAQ: “So how much does it cost to fix my laptop?”

The cost to repair a laptop computer depends on many factors. Laptops are usually more expensive to repair than a desktop computer because parts for desktops are readily available at your local electronics shop. Desktops are also designed to be easily opened so that all of the components can be upgraded, replaced or repaired. Laptops on the other hand are not designed to be easily opened. Sure, most of the major laptop brands such as HP/Compaq, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Sony, Gateway and Dell, to name a few, allow easy access to the memory and the hard drive (the hard drives on certain Apple laptops are extremely difficult to access.) Other than the ram and the disk drive, most of the other components require taking the laptop apart in order to access them.

Opening a laptop can be very risky. The layout and design of laptops vary by manufacturer. A knowledgeable technician should always be careful since many of the wires have very little slack and are difficult to put back on once they come off. If possible, it’s best to have a step-by-step guide specific to the model of laptop that’s being repaired. The small screws used are also easy to lose and hard to keep track of.

Another reason laptops are more costly to fix is because not all laptop parts are readily available. LCD displays for laptops are probably the easiest thing to replace since certain manufacturers actually use the same LCD screens. Other common parts such as keyboards and power jacks can usually be found on eBay. Keep in mind that most things purchased on eBay will take at least 1 week to arrive.

We have a policy that we need either a down-payment for the cost of the part or some sort of collateral, most likely the laptop. No computer repair & service shop will want to take the risk of ordering a part that the customer no longer wants. My advice is to find out what the part needs to be replaced, and if it warrants the cost of repair, order it and bring the part and the laptop to the shop. Of course this assumes that you’ve diagnosed properly and purchased a good working replacement. The advantage of having the computer service company diagnose the problem and order the part is that they are responsible for returning the part if the diagnosis is incorrect or if the replacement part doesn’t work.

Some clients do not like the idea of being without their laptop for more than a few days. I’ve had shoppers call me asking if I have a specific part for their laptop. When I tell them that the part needs to be ordered and that it will take about a week, I’ve heard people say, “Ok, I’m going to try to find a place that has the part in stock because I need it today.” Good luck. They might get lucky if a shop has the part from another laptop they have lying around, but most shops don’t keep an inventory of parts for every make and model laptop. There are just too many different parts to make it a good investment for the repair shop.

So now you understand that the higher cost of repair is due to difficulty level of the repair and scarcity of computer parts.

Here are some tips to prevent the higher cost of laptop repairs:

• Get yourself a good laptop case with plenty of padding.
• Be careful when traveling with the laptop. If you don’t have a Toughbook, it probably isn’t that rugged.
• Don’t force shutdown during the “Shutting Down” process. It might prevent your computer from booting next time.
• Be gentle when pulling the power cord from the back of the laptop. The pins can break easily.
• Try not to put the laptop wire anywhere where someone can trip and pull your laptop down with them.
• Put your laptop on a level surface when possible.
• Place your laptop where it is cool and make sure that the vents where the air flows are not blocked. Do not store it in a hot place like a sun baked car.
• Keep food and liquid away from the laptop. If you spill liquid, the first thing you’ll want to do is see if it’s still working. DON’T DO IT!!! Unplug the power and battery immediately. Try to get all of the liquid out by turning the laptop upside down. Try not to shake the hard drive too much. It may damage it. Let it dry for as long as you can wait. Days. Maybe a week if you’re patient. A blow drier will help. Don’t put it on the hottest setting though. Take it to your trusted computer repair company when you can so they can take the residue the liquid may have left behind. Keep your fingers crossed.
• Pets and laptops don’t mix.
• Small children and laptops don’t mix.
• Angry people and laptops don’t mix.
• Drinking parties and laptops don’t mix.

If you have to get your laptop repaired, make sure to follow my advice:

Out with the Old and In with the New

Time to say goodbye to your old security applications that are are hogging up your resources, annoying you with notifications and yet they still don’t guard you from the most recent strain of malware. Lets update your entire security suite!

Old Anti-Malware:

Spybot Search & Destroy, Adaware, and AVG Anti-Spyware

New Anti Malware:

Malwarebytes

Why it’s better:

Malwarebytes can remove malware that the others cannot. On a relatively new computer, Malwarebytes’ targeted quick scans take around 10 minutes instead of 30 with the old programs. The dedicated team at Malwarebytes updates their definitions regularly by constantly scanning the forums and reviewing hijackthis logs looking for new threats.

Summary/Notes:

I know AdAware and Spybot were the best back in the days, but they can’t protect against the latest malware. At first, I felt guilty removing these old programs but I got over the feeling once I saw how much stuff they missed in their scans. Keep in mind that it is a person, not a computer program, that’s creating the malware. A computer program that isn’t updated regularly won’t do you any good against malicious programmers who’s programs are updated regularly. The great thing about the Malwarebytes team is that they respond quickly to threats ensuring that they don’t get a chance to spread to others. For another good malware remover, check out Super Anti-Spyware. You might be surprised what you find with these two programs.

I recommend paying the $25 for the full version with a resident Protection Module which prevents malware from getting in to begin with. If you don’t want to pay for the full version of Malwarebytes, the free version still does an awesome job. One con is that entire program, not just definition updates, need updating more often than other anti-malware software. I am willing to deal with it as long as my PC’s are secure.

Security Suite (Best Anti-Virus Programs) - Watch the top videos of the week here

Old Anti-Virus Suite:

McAfee, Norton, AVG Anti-Virus (without Threat-Fire)

New Anti-Virus Suite (With 0-Day Protection Against Viruses):

Threat-Fire

Why it’s better:

Threat-Fire is actually meant to supplement your current anti-virus program. Threat-Fire can detect brand new viruses and rootkits by detecting suspicious program behaviors rather than needing to know the every virus type and variant. It is called 0-Day protection because it can detect malicious programs on the spot instead of having to wait for the files to be analyzed by the people who create your anti-virus. Anti-virus programs are usually designed to react to specific viruses. Threat-Fire offers a more pro-active solution as opposed to a re-active one.

Summary/Notes:

I could not recommend McAfee or Norton because they just slow your system down so much. I also make sure to disable AOL or Yahoo’s “Protection” software that usually get bundled with your high-speed Internet. These are all well known resource hogs. Of course protecting your system is important, but you shouldn’t have to take a huge performance hit. No wonder Macs are so popular right now. No well-known viruses means there’s no need for anti-virus programs wasting your CPU cycles, memory and disk space.

My favorite free anti-virus is Avast. My favorite (non-freeware) anti-virus is NOD32 by Eset. A lot of people recommend Kaspersky but I found it had too many options and was too intrusive for many clients. AVG Free also seems to be popular, but I’ve noticed that sometimes it times-out when trying to download the definitions and so your computer is more vulnerable until it can download the latest definitions. Either one will get the job done, but much more effective when you combine them with Threat-Fire. From my experience, the combination of Threat-Fire and AVG or Avast is relatively light on resources. Threat-Fire and Norton seem to conflict on certain systems. I have not yet tested Threat-Fire with McAfee. Post in the comments if you have. I’ve also seen a lot of the new rogue anti-virus programs and fake anti-spyware programs get by Norton, McAfee, AVG and Avast. Threat-Fire seems to help a lot. Malwarebytes running with it’s Protection Module seems to work the best. Most systems seem to run pretty well using the combination of Avast, Threat-Fire, and Malwarebytes Protection Module.

One con is that Threat-Fire may detect a few false positives since it is detecting suspicious behavior. It doesn’t seem too intrusive in my experience with it.

Old Firewall:

Zonealarm or Windows Built-in Firewall

New Firewall:

Comodo Firewall

Why it’s better:

It’s user interface is friendlier and is less intrusive to your workflow. It also has a learning mode that can figure out which programs and services need to be allowed access without the user having to click allow a billion times before the system is usable again. Make sure your computer is clean first or else you will just be setting your system to allow access to malicious programs.

Summary/Notes:

For most general users, a combination of Windows’ built-in firewall and a hardware SPI/NAT firewall with uPNP disabled is sufficient. Many people would rather be less secure rather than have pop-ups asking them for permission every time a program wants to access the Internet. It’s a sacrifice a lot of users are willing to take. If you are not willing to sacrifice one ounce of security, then definitely check out Comodo. It will give you that extra layer of protection with minimal interruptions. Keep in mind that there is still, like any good firewall, a slight learning curve. Most users will have no problem.

Conclusion:

The best security is being proactive by being careful which links you click on and making sure that your computer is up-to-date. Still, extra layers of protection can safeguard your computer just in case something unexpected happens.

I would like to hear back from you with your experiences with these programs. What programs have you found to be exceptionally effective?

Make sure to stay up-to-date with the latest in computers and technology by subscribing to the E-Geniuses Insider RSS Feed .

Have you ever felt that your “desktop” space on your computer was too small? Have you ever wanted a larger monitor but did not want to pay the high costs for one large LCD monitor and the hassle of getting rid of your old monitor? A dual monitor setup may be the solution to your problem. Imagine doubling your computer workspace and having the freedom to keep multiple windows maximized and in view. These are just a few benefits of a dual monitor setup.

Many software developers and others in the Technology industry have known the positive effects that a dual monitor setup provides. Now, the lower price points of LCD monitors and better operating system support has allowed consumers to easily add an extra monitor (or two!) to their existing computer setup.

Whether you are a student, home user, or a business owner, a dual monitor setup benefits every type of computer user. For students, they will be able to have their word processor maximized and open on one monitor to write a paper while having a web browser open with research topics open on the other. This allows the student to save time and become more efficient by eliminating the need to switch between windows and possibly lose track of where they were in either document. This scenario holds true for other users as well, keeping email clients, web browsers, and other frequently used applications open AND visible at the same time, allowing you to quickly switch between them.

A dual monitor setup is available if you work on a laptop or desktop. An additional monitor can be added to anyone’s current setup. A 19- or 20-inch flat-screen LCD monitor is available for less than $200 at your local electronics store.

Call E-Geniuses today to setup an appointment to maximize your computer efficiency and install a dual monitor setup. For more information regarding this or any other computer related issue, feel free to contact an E-Geniuses Technician at (877) My-Genius or email info@e-geniuses.com.

New Malware Notice

Fake Rogue Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware in Action

Lately we’ve been seeing a lot of people being infected by rogue (fake) antivirus and anti-spyware programs. The virus is stored on a website, perhaps even a trusted website, that’s been hacked. A window that looks like an authentic Windows warning message appears saying that the computer is infected. The purpose of the fake warning message is to scare the user into clicking “Yes” to every window that pops up claiming to fix the “virus problem.” Clicking “Yes” actually downloads the virus. Do not download the file. If you already have, delete it immediately.

Above: Picture of a Rogue Virus acting as an Antivirus Warning Message.

If you see a similar warning message to the one above, close the browser completely. If you have a Monthly Maintenance Plan with E-Geniuses, you should call to have a technician scan your computer for infections. We will then examine the suspect website and have it reported if necessary.

The are many variants of the same malware. Some common names are Power Antivirus 2009, Antivir64, Internet Antivirus, PowerAntiSpy, AntivirusDoc, XP or Vista Antivirus 2008, and Antispyware XP 2008.

If you’ve been infected, we have found a few programs that work well. One of the programs is called Malwarebytes. It’s free to download. For more security, we recommend that you purchase the full version for around $25. The full version of Malwarebytes can monitor and prevent rogue programs from being installed. Installation and configuration is available at no cost to Monthly Maintenance and Personal Technician clients.

We will keep you posted in our newsletter, The E-Geniuses Insider, and our blog so you’ll know which programs work best for the most current infections. As you know, the people programming these viruses change them to circumvent preventive measures. Just make sure that you have an E-Genius on your side to stay a step ahead of them. If you have anymore questions about Virus and Spyware Removal, visit www.E-Geniuses.com.

This is a short writeup about certain hardware upgrades and how they benefit you. Many users do not understand the difference between memory and hard drive space. They don’t know what a faster CPU will do for them; they think the higher the MHz the better (which is true to a certain extent). What mix of memory, hard drive space, processing power, and graphics processing power will suit your needs best. Let’s find out.

Memory is added to the computer, look like computer chips, and are called RAM, Random Access Memory. The more memory installed on the computer, the more concurrent tasks your computer can run simultaneously without slowing down too much. In order to future-proof this article, I will not state specific amounts of RAM, but it is safe to say that this is one of the most cost-effective ways to make the computer respond faster. If your computer is fast when you first start it up, but slows down after you start opening up programs, you probably need more ram. I will explain why more memory/RAM will make the computer snappier, it has to do with the next section on hard drives.

Hard drive “space” or “disk space” is often confused with memory. It can be confusing because they are both measured in terms of bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes etc. The difference is that hard drives are made of disks that spin (think record player, cd player,) at an extremely fast rate. Although they can access data quickly, they are slow in comparison to the access speed of RAM which have no moving parts. When a computer does not have enough RAM, the computer resort to using the hard drive as “virtual RAM”. This slows down the computer because it is no longer using RAM, but instead the mechanical hard drive. This may even cause the computer to lock up. Hard drives are made for permanent storage, not temporary storage. If you plan on storing lots of music, movies, pictures and documents, you want to get more hard drive storage space.

The CPU, is the central processing unit. When computers say “Intel Inside” or AMD, it’s referring to the maker of the CPU. It is no longer true that the higher the Megahertz/Gigahertz the better because some processors are more effective even when it has a lower clock speed. Multiple core CPU’s actually have a few processors on the same chip. The question is which one is right for you? Typically, you will need a more powerful processor when you are using your computer for intensive applications such as video editing, music editing, photo editing and gaming. If you plan on just using your computer for basic computing, then you don’t need the extra power. Just keep in mind that what might be the top of the line now might be the budget line in a few years and what might be budget line now might be obsolete then. I think it is a good idea to invest in a higher end computer now if you plan on keeping it for a few years. I can only recommend the lower end computers to those with really tight budgets.

As far as graphics cards, it used to be true that you only needed a powerful card if you were gaming. Now operating systems are requiring more graphics processing power to process the system’s transparent windows and motion effects. Also, if you’re interested in playing HD content, you will need a better graphics card. Again, if you’re a hardcore gamer, you will want to get the best video card you can afford; for basic computing, just get what operating system requires.

What You Will Need

Both of these tutorials require that you have Picasa installed on your PC and a Gmail account. If you do not yet have an account with Gmail or have Picasa installed, you can get them here:

Get a Free Gmail Account

Download Picasa for Free

Transferring Pictures from Your Digital Camera to Picasa

1. Plug in USB Cable from your camera to your computer.
2. Turn on the camera
3. When Windows detects the camera, a window will come up saying “camera connected, Select the program to launch for this application.” Choose Picasa 2 and click OK.
4. Wait for Picasa to open. You will notice pictures starting to appear on the screen. Wait for the transfer to finish. From here you can choose which pictures you would like to transfer, but for now, choose Import All to transfer all of the pictures.
5. You will be asked to “enter a folder name for these photos.” Write something descriptive so that you can refer back to the set of pictures in the future.
6. Near the bottom of the screen, you will see “After copying, do this with my camera or card.” Make sure that Safe delete is selected. This tells the camera to only delete files from the camera after they are transferred to the computer. Then click Finish.
7. You will be asked to Confirm Remove, to confirm the deletion of the pictures from your camera after they are transferred. Click Yes.
8. All of the pictures have now been transferred to your computer via Picasa.

How to Email Photos Via Picasa and Gmail

1. If Picasa is not yet open, go ahead and run the program.
2. Find the group of pictures you want to send photos from.
3. Hold Control (CTRL) and click once on each picture you want to include in the email. You will notice the selected pictures will have a blue border around it. IF YOU RELEASE (CTRL) AND CLICK ON A PICTURE, IT WILL DESELECT ALL OF THE OTHER PICTURES!
4. After you’ve chosen all of the pictures you want to send, release the (CTRL) and click on the button on the bottom of the window to Email.
5. Choose Gmail.
6. Type in your Username and Password, then click Sign In.
7. Now type the email addresses of the people you would like to send the pictures to. You can do this by starting to type their name. If you’ve sent or received email to them before or they are in your addressbook, Gmail will automatically give you a list of email addresees.
8. After you are finished adding the addressees, type a subject and some written text like you would with a regular email.
9. Click Send.
10. That’s it. You’ve sent pictures via email.

Hard Drive Data Recovery


E-Geniuses Data Recovery - How to Recover Data from a Hard Drive

Here are the 3 basic types of hard drive “crashes” and how to recover data in these scenarios.:

1) File structure is incorrect (usually caused by improper shutdown or disconnecting the drive while it is being written to. Usual fix involves running a scandisk or chkdsk. Scan can take a few hours at most depending on the settings.

2) Unreadable data caused by bits being de-magnetized. Can be resolved by running programs which “re-magnetize” the bits. This is common on laptops that get jarred or dropped mildly. Bad sectors that aren’t physically damaged can be recovered. Software used: HDD Regenerator or SpinRite. Scans can take days.

3) Hardware failure. Sometimes the disk/platter gets scratched, the arm stops working (head crash), or the on-board chip gets fried. All of these repairs require a specialty recovery service. Anytime the hard drive needs to be opened, a clean room (dust-free room) is required. Time to recover data depends on the company. Turn around times is a few weeks.

Did you know that people make money with their personal blogs? Blogs can be personal online journals, sources for news and entertainment, or as many businesses have found out, a marketing tool. If you’re serious about blogging for an audience, you don’t have to be Shakespeare, but you do have to have something relevant to say.

Unlike Wikipedia, blogs can focus on people’s opinions and perspectives. Blogs can be more conversational and subjective, rather than 100% fact-based, allowing writers and readers to share their perspectives.
Blogging spectrum

The ability to share ideas and to actively collaborate allows people to come to reasonable conclusions when hard facts are unavailable or sometimes unattainable. Sharing ideas with others around the world has never been so easy. A good blog engages the reader and encourages them to think and respond with their own ideas.

Blogging Tip #1: Write about things you know about and enjoy. Blogs are easy to start. WordPress is one of the best online publishing systems for blogging. It is free to sign up for an account and publishing articles is as easy as sending email. Initial setup takes less than 10 minutes. There are paid versions of WordPress that are useful for marketing, but we will talk about that in an upcoming issue.

Blogging Tip #2: You can monetize your blog! The secret is having a large enough audience and the only way to do that is to have good content. Monetizing a blog can be done in many ways. Paid advertisements can earn you money when they’re clicked. You could sell products or services, become known as an expert in your “field” and thus influencing people to purchase from affiliates, directing traffic to your main website which sells products or services just to name a few. We will go into the details of each method in our future newsletters.

To sum it up: if you create a blog that people find useful and fun, have an audience, write about topics related to your product or service, have a good product or service, then your blog can be monetized.

I would like to read your blog. After you create your blog and write your first post, send us a link to your blog. I will make sure to read it and comment on it. For more information regarding this or any other computer related issue, feel free to contact an E-Geniuses Technician at (877) My-Genius.

Have you ever emailed a document to someone only to find out that they cannot open it? This usually occurs when the recipient doesn’t have the program necessary to open it. Documents created in Microsoft Word and Excel requires that the recipient have Microsoft Office to open the document; this also applies if you’ve created it using Microsoft Works, Word Perfect and other document creation software. There are many different file formats and it is not likely that everyone will have all of the programs necessary to view any given document. Microsoft Office is not the standard format. The agreed upon standard for documents is the Portable Document Format (PDF). PDF’s can be opened by any computer that has Adobe Reader installed. It comes with most computers and is available for free on Adobe’s Website. PDF is the standard because it can be viewed on all computers, text is easily resizable and the document looks consistent on all computers. Here’s the catch: Adobe gives the program to be able to read PDF’s for free, but it charges about $300 for Adobe Acrobat which is the program needed to create the PDF files.

We’ve been called "computer geniuses" hence the name E-Geniuses, and now we’ll have to live up to that title. We don’t expect you to pay $300 to show a document the way it was intended. We have found a program that will allow you to create PDF’s for free. It’s an easy to use program called
CutePDF. To create a PDF, choose the option to “print” in the program you want to create the PDF from. Instead of choosing your printer, you will choose ‘CutePDF Writer’. You will be asked to save the PDF somewhere, I usually save to the desktop, but you can save anywhere. That’s it! You’ve created a PDF. Just attach that to your email and you will never have to take the blame for someone not being able to open your email attachments. If they cannot open it, it’s because they need to install Adobe Acrobat. If you would like to refer them to us, we would be glad to offer them the same high level of service that we offer you.

If you would like an E-Geniuses Technician to setup CutePDF on your computer along with instructions on how to use it, simply respond to this letting us know that you want us to install it. The installation is $20. You can pat yourself on the back for saving yourself $280.