E-Geniuses.com Computer Services Blog

We are offering a new type of service that will allow parents to restrict access to certain websites based on categories. Control is back where it belongs, with the parents. For example, you can allow access to social networking websites such as Myspace and Facebook, but restrict access to video sharing sites such as Youtube and Break; it’s up to you! The service adheres to requirements set by the CIPA Children’s Internet Protection Act which schools and libraries are required to meet.

Businesses can also use this service to restrict the sites that employees can visit, ensuring maximum productivity. We begin by tracking the non-work-related sites that employees visit most. From there, management can decide which sites to allow or disallow. You can even place a company logo and custom message whenever someone visits a website that you have set to disallow. Their is no longer a need to constantly monitor what your employees are doing. Many companies, non-profits, banks, colleges, and government agencies such as, The UPS Store, Salvation Army, First One Financial, Washington State University, Louisa County, Virginia, use the same service we’re offering.

A feature that everyone benefits from is the ability to filter and block websites that are designed to steal a person’s identity. These “phishing” sites imitate the look of many on-line banking and credit card websites. When a user types their account information and password, the information is sent to a complete stranger whose intentions are unknown. The list we use to block these websites is constantly updated as new sites are created.

Did we also mention that browsing the Internet also becomes faster and more reliable? Normally your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is responsible for making sure that when you type www.google.com, it routes you to the correct website. The problem is that sometimes you are routed to a domain name server that is across the country only to connect again to a server a few miles away. This slows down browsing significantly. Upgrading your bandwidth will not solve this. The only solution is to make sure that the data travels the shortest possible path. We can ensure that the server that you connect to is the closest one possible and that you get the most of your Internet browsing experience.

For Monthly Maintenance and Personal Technician clients the cost of setting up this service is $90.30, a 30% discount. For new clients, the charge is $129.

To setup OpenDNS in your home and/or office, or 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.

I predict that 2008 will be the year of the ultraportable
computer. In the last newsletter we featured the Asus EEE
PC, a 2lb., 7″ ultraportable laptop. This month’s feature is the
latest ultraportable from Apple… the Macbook Air. The price
of the Macbook Air is $1799 while the Asus is $349. Here are
some features that justify the price difference.

Apple claims to have made the world’s thinnest
notebook at only .76 inches at its thickest point. It weighs in
at around 3 lbs. and features a 13.3″ screen and a full-sized
backlit keyboard. The oversized touchpad shares most of the
multi-touch functions with the iPhone. With its built-in
battery, Apple claims a battery life of 5 hrs. There is one USB
port, a headphone jack and a micro-DVI slot for connecting
to an external monitor. It has a 1.6-1.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor, 2GB of RAM and an 80Gb hard drive. It also
sports a built-in iSight camera. It also has Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth which comes in handy since it does not have an
ethernet port.
The
Macbook
Air utilizes wireless technology to connect to
other computers when a CD/DVD drive is necessary due to its lack
of a built-in drive.

This would be well suited to anyone seeking a lightweight
yet fully featured laptop. If you are looking for an ultraportable
laptop suited for more casual use to supplement your full-sized
laptop or desktop, I would recommend purchasing an Asus EEE for
$1400 less. You could even use the money you’ve saved on the more
powerful Macbook (not Air) and still have about $300 left over.

For more information regarding this or any other computer related
issue, feel free to contact an E-Geniuses Technician at (877) My-Genius.

www.E-Geniuses.com

You won’t find any geeks, nerds or dorks there, just Geniuses.

Happy Holidays!
Everyone at E-Geniuses hopes that you and your loved ones
have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

ULTRALIGHT, ULTRAPORTABLE, ULTRA-AFFORDABLE
There are many characteristics that stand out about this new notebook from Asus but there are three in particular that create the most waves. The first thing that most people will notice is the form factor, which is much smaller than most laptops. When closed, it weighs 2lbs and is roughly the same size as a small novel. Next is the very unconventional name: “Eee PC”. The name Eee comes from “the three Es”; an abbreviation of their advertising slogan for the device: “Easy to learn, Easy to work Easy to play”. The third aspect that captures most people’s attention? The
price. This ultraportable and full featured laptop is only $399.

This notebook comes equipped with a full suite of preinstalled software that allows you the same capabilities
of your home computer but on-the-go. You can browse the web using FireFox, use Skype with the built-in web cam and microphone, open Word and Excel docs and edit them, view photos, listen to music files, use AOL IM, MSN messenger or just about any other major chat client. Although pre-installed with Linux, it is also capable of running Windows XP. The Asus Eee PC can be found online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and Costco.com.

For more information regarding this or any other
computer related issue, feel free to contact an E-Geniuses
Technician at (877) My-Genius

To better serve our customers, E-Geniuses is pleased to introduce a new and innovative service called “E-Geniuses Live”. Through this new service, you will be able to see your Technician through a live video stream as he works on your computer issues. It’s free and easy, log on today to try it.

Technicians will be streaming live video Monday through Friday’s from the hours of 12 PM to 4 PM to answer all of your computer questions. Simply log onto E-Geniuses.
com/live or visit E-Geniuses.com and click the “TV”
icon. Click “Play” to see the live video feed. To ask questions, click and hold the “live” button to talk to
the on-call technician. If you don’t have a microphone setup, you can also type your questions in the convenient
chat box located below the video. Otherwise, call (877) My-Genius (694-364 to speak with the Technician. We are providing this service free of charge

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.

There are a multitude of computer habits that people have inherited that makes their usage less efficient. Here are three common mistakes that E-Geniuses can help you solve in order to increase your productivity.

1. Sending large photo attachments through email.

• Often times we like to share our photos with others through email yet these attachments are usually too large and result in frustration for both the sender and recipient.
• One suggestion is to utilize a program that will automatically resize and optimize these photos for you to make it easier to send to others. Two programs that we suggest are Picasa and Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
• Please note that when these photos are resized and optimized, they are not of print quality, only on-screen viewing.

2. Installing too many programs that startup with the computer.

• Although you may have many programs installed on your computer, they don’t all have to run when you start your computer, especially if you don’t use them every time you use your computer.

3. Having too many icons, programs and files on the desktop.

• The desktop of your computer is meant to be a temporary
work area. Once you are done using those particular documents, the files should be moved away into a folder off of the desktop. This will not only clean up your desktop, but also help you find things faster later.
• A clean virtual desktop on your computer is similar to that of the daily work area you use. The neater and more organized it is, the more productive you will be.

The ease and familiarity of email started when AOL made it easier for casual users to browse the web and send/receive emails. Who isn’t familiar with the sound-byte, “You’ve Got Mail”? As of 2007, AOL has lost over 60% of their market-share. Google has earned the majority of market-share due to their immensely popular search engine. A recent interview with E-Geniuses technicians confirmed that Google’s Gmail is also revolutionizing web-based email. Previous non-computer users are using email as their main form of communication. We can and should no longer rely on one service provider for all of our email solutions. Many of us have two or more email addresses; one for personal use and another for business. Watch and listen to the expert opinions of our E-Geniuses Technicians in our first video podcast found here. If you are interested in having us create an efficient email setup for you, just give us a call at (877) 694-3648. For $129 this service includes:

• Creating and customizing a web-based Gmail account for you
• Migrating your previous emails/contacts (if possible)
• Consolidating your email from other service providers (if possible)
• Set up of a local email client that will allow you to receive your emails on
your computer instead of accessing it on the web (emails will be stored on
your computer). This is more efficient and faster than web-based email
(and with no advertisements).
• One-on-one tutorial about using your new client.

All Monthly Maintenance Clients will receive this service at a discounted price of $99. This service is already bundled with Personal Technician Plans.

As a supplemental service to your Monthly Maintenance or Personal Technician Plan, E-Geniuses is now offering telephone and remote support with an exclusive discount only available to clients on monthly plans. This service covers anything unrelated to virus and spyware removal/prevention or software updates because this is already included in your Monthly Maintenance and Personal Technician Plans. Pricing for Phone and Remote Support is $30 per half hour with a half hour minimum. Non-Monthly Maintenance Clients receive this service at $50 per half hour with a half hour minimum. For Personal Technician clients that exceed their monthly hour allocation, the cost is $25 per half hour.

In the event that your computer crashes, ensure that your important data is saved securely. In addition to saving your files, backups will enable you to restore your computer system to its previous state. This service costs $378 which includes a 100 GB+ external hard drive, imaging software, and onsite service. For more information on this and any other services we provide, visit our website at E-Geniuses.com

If you are looking into purchasing the new Microsoft Operating System, Vista, or a new computer that is equipped with it, here are a few reasons to delay that purchase. Seen to be the most important reason to wait to upgrade are compatibility issues between Vista and the programs that you currently run on a daily basis. Many companies were not ready for Vista’s release and have not been able to update their drivers and programs to be completely compatible. This will result in either slow performance or not being able to use that program completely. Another reason is the large costs accompanying Vista. The prices range from $99 for Vista Basic to $399 for Vista Ultimate. Although inexpensive, Vista Basic ($99) is not equipped with the features that would warrant the switch. To get the full experience and the most compatibility,Vista requires a new computer already bundled with the new Operating System or a high-end computer with the latest hardware. Vista adds new benefits and, in the long run, will make computing easier, faster and a lot more enjoyable. In spite of this, Vista does not solve any existing problem. Windows XP, an industry-wide supported system, is solid, well-understood and highly functional. Microsoft acknowledges this and has even committed to 7 more years of XP support. With that said, Vista has its good points. It has revolutionized the Windows interface and has incorporated many new helpful features but, if you do not have a pressing need for a new computer, waiting until Vista is more widely supported is recommended. Regardless of what Operating System you have, E-Geniuses will make sure that it is stable, safe and secure.

Most of our computers, modems, routers and countless other gadgets are connected through surge protectors in our home. They are essential in protecting our computers and other electronics from power spikes or surges.
Surge protectors provide the most basic protection. If a power slump or dip (brownout) or blackout occurs, you will need an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to protect your data. A UPS includes a battery that keeps components running for a brief time (approximately 30 minutes) in case the electrical power goes out. This protects from momentary
power flickers and allows you to save your data and shut
down the computer properly in the case of a power outage.
Every computer or electronic device is susceptible to power spikes and other power hazards. A sudden shutdown or
power surge can damage not only the PCs power supply but can also kill hard drives, corrupt data, and cause hidden problems that might not immediately present themselves.
E-Geniuses will purchase an Uninterruptible Power Supply for your home or business system for $100. For a limited time, Cost of installation for Monthly Maintenance Clients is only $49.50 plus $30 for the Initial Travel and Diagnosis.

Once in a while you may hear the term Digital Convergence. In simple terms, this is the merging of two devices, the computer and the TV. This could also refer to the merging of two distribution models; the mainstream media, specifically TV, and the Internet. If you’re paying attention, you will notice that many networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX and others are beginning to stream their shows on their website. The main difference between traditional mainstream media and the web is that people can communicate and exchange ideas with one another whereas television broadcast is a one way communication. The TV is meant to deliver content from the source to the masses. The viewer cannot respond back nor can they discuss their opinions with others in real time like they can on the Internet. Producers of TV shows rely on focus groups to let them know what the people want to see, but they are not always effective in accurately depicting reality nor delivering the facts.

What effect will the ability for “viewers” to communicate with one another have on people’s opinions of TV programming? The fact that the viewer can offer their opinions and receive feedback from other viewers means that they play a much larger role in determining what the networks choose to air. When the audience in sitcoms do not respond to the punchlines, a laugh-track replaces the silence. This will not be as easily accomplished on the Internet since the “audience” will demand to be heard; they know others are listening. The Internet and the people using it can make more informed decisions when others post their opinions, insights and thought processes. A thumbs up or thumbs down response may be sufficient for some, but others prefer a comment to go along with the vote.

Another thing to consider is whether the content that the mainstream media has to offer is actually “better” than the user submitted content available online. They may find that users submitting content to YouTube are now their competition. They are on the same playing field. When I say better, I mean better in the sense that people find it more entertaining and are willing to spend their time and attention on. It is going to be difficult for an individual to make a better production that a major studio, but it is not impossible. Already, there are music artists who are recording their own records and doing the distribution themselves. Take note of how many Tower Records are closing down and you’ll understand the effects of this phenomenon.

It is much easier for the individual to be in touch with his audience. He can change much faster than the large corporations. If the media conglomerates want to compete with the individual, they are going to have to find a way to be more in touch with their audience and be able to respond accordingly. The alternative is to do what they do best, make large, high quality productions, and leave the other genres and “narrow casting” to the individuals.

What do you think?

If you’ve worked on computers for a while, you will recognize these mistakes that a lot of computers make. If you have a friend or family member that is making these sorts of mistakes, please refer them to us. We will be glad to help them out. They’ll appreciate it, you’ll appreciate it, and so will the rest of us.

Get the best of both worlds by combining the best web-based email, Gmail in our opinion, and a desktop client such as Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird. We recommend Outlook for those who are interested in integrating their emails, contacts and calendar. Outlook, not to be confused with Outlook Express the application that comes with Windows and is an email only software, is available by purchasing a Microsoft Office Suite. Mozilla Thunderbird, the makers of Firefox, provide a free software solution as an alternative to Outlook. There are also add-ons that allow calendar functions for Thunderbird that are also free of charge.

Contact one of our E-Geniuses technicians if you are interested in having one of us setup your email to work as efficiently and effectively as you do.

Watch this video to hear our reviews of different email alternatives.

This blog was created so that clients and potential clients can see what is going on with E-Geniuses. We will post new updates and changes to our offered services.

This is also the perfect place to keep yourself up to date with changes in technology, I.T., networking, security and anything else computer related.

You can always visit the Official E-Geniuses Website at www.E-Geniuses.com