It’s a dilemma: you want to save energy, but you need to use your PC every day. You can turn off your computer when it’s not in use, but a plugged-in PC or electrical appliance, even when switched off, still consumes standby power. If this is the case, how exactly can you save energy? Here […]

Powering your IT equipment costs money, but how much will you actually spend? If you have no idea, you’re in for a treat. Here are four questions you need to ask yourself before considering virtualization.  Studies have shown that over 70% of IT budgets go to “keeping the lights on.” If that sounds like a […]

If you have an older Mac, it probably has a hard disk drive (HDD) for storing your data. Newer models, however, have a solid state drive (SSD), which has become the standard in data storage in recent years. You can enjoy the advantages of SSDs by upgrading your Mac with one today. They’re faster SSDs […]

Every home or office has a computer. In one year, a typical desktop that’s on 24/7 releases carbon dioxide that’s equal to driving 820 miles in an average car. To save energy, you don’t need drastic changes; you can start with making small adjustments that will ultimately accumulate to significant savings. 1. Disconnect your external […]

Buying a computer for a small business seems like a simple task. You work from a budget, go to a store, buy the computer, and assemble the components. This would be true for small businesses from decades past, but times have dramatically changed. To keep up, small businesses must make smart decisions when it comes […]

“To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.” – Farmer’s Almanac “Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded when you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers and nobody thinks of complaining.” – Jef Raskin “Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.” – Rick Cook, The Wizardry Compiled “To err is human – and to blame it on a computer is even more so.” – Robert Orben “If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would cost $100, get a million miles to the gallon and explode once a year, killing everyone inside.” – Robert X. Cringely “Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and perhaps weigh 1.5 tons” – Popular Mechanics Magazine, 1949

(Something You’ll RUSH To Do Once You Read This Survey That Reveals Just How Dirty Your Keyboard Is!) Since there’s a holiday or month for just about every cause imaginable, it should come as no surprise that cleaning your PC now has its own official month, awarded by none other than “The Vinegar Institute.” But before you dismiss this one, consider this little factoid: ABC news reported that a study in England revealed that the average office keyboard had bacteria and germ levels up to five times higher than those commonly found on a toilet seat. The study, headed up by Dr. James Francis, a British microbiologist, took culture samples from 33 office keyboards in London, and compared these samples to swabs taken from toilet seats in the same office buildings, containing nasty germs such as e-coli and staph bacteria. Kinda gives new meaning to the term, “computer virus!” So how do you not only disinfect your keyboard but also get those annoying smudges and fingerprints off your monitor? Here are a few tips: Turn off the monitor. It’s not required, but it makes smudges and smears easier to see. Use a compressed air to get rid of light dust buildup in your keyboard and screen. Never use a dish rag or paper towel to clean your monitor since they can scratch the screen; and you never want to use water on your keyboard! Don’t use products with ethyl alcohol or ammonia based products to clean your monitor. Products like Windex can yellow flat-screen or laptop monitors. Instead, use a cleaning product designed for monitors and use a lint-free cloth designed for the job. Note: Each monitor manufacturer has its own special instructions for cleaning so make sure you read what those are before attempting to clean up anything. Lightly moisten your cloth with rubbing alcohol or cleaning solution to wipe off your mouse or keyboard areas. Never apply the liquid directly to the screen, keyboard or other electronic parts. A Q-tip dipped in alcohol will quickly clean your keyboard. Just make sure you don’t drip the liquid down between the keys. Free Gift: Refer a potential new client to us during the month of January and get a FREE computer cleaning kit!