Computer Support Blog

If you missed the latest GOP debate when it aired live on television, don’t worry because these days you can stream just about anything that appears on television, even news, to your computer, smartphone or tablet. Taking full advantage of such streaming options is often as easy as upgrading a media player and having a fast Internet network service. If you’re interested in following politics, keep in mind these tips to avoid the pitfalls of being an online political fanatic.

News websites tend to break down lengthy news events, such as an hour-long political debate, into a series of three or four minute clips. When watching these clips via your smartphone, you might hear a candidate say something dumb or offensive that is often taken out of context. So remember, context is king.

Keep in mind that news websites love sound bites because they work very well with our increasingly short attention spans. In this busy world, we’re always in a hurry to get the latest news while at the same time trying to balance doing a variety of other online tasks. So whenever you hear a strange or shocking “sound bite” try to look for background information. Newsprint is especially good at providing this because it doesn’t have to follow the same limiting structure as news video footage.

Use a variety of online resources to get a well-rounded idea of candidates’ viewpoints, ideologies, activities, and records. Try to read news commentary about a political event such as a debate from one site and get the raw footage of the actual debate from another.

Finally, there are hundreds of thousands of apps for iOS and Android for every imaginable purpose, and politics is no exception. Based on your specific interest, you can find apps to follow your favorite—or least-liked—candidates or poll read numbers political documents, link to news outlets, track international political spheres, and much more. Many apps are free and can add a little bit of fun to what can often be a stressful area.

The abundance of media through which we can interact with the political sphere and remain involved and informed is a two-pronged sword. It’s easy to read small bits and pieces of news or listen to decontextualized sound bites. Instead of letting technology limit what we hear to three minutes or less, we should take full advantage of resources to stay in touch with the bigger picture.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

The Nielsen Company, the company whose ratings determine which television shows will continue being produced, gathers a wide range of data outside the entertainment industry.  One of the growing markets where Nielsen statistics have become increasingly more relevant is the technology sector.  Nielsen ratings for electronics, computer services and consumer trends in the technology sector help steer the technology markets.  Just as television studios change the course of their programming based on the trends Nielsen television ratings indicate, manufacturers of consumer electronics put a lot of stock in Nielsen ratings for determining their corporate direction.

The Nielsen Company has released its 2011 Third Quarter analysis of operating systems for smartphones.  As consumer spending rises in anticipation of the Christmas holiday, this information may be particularly valuable to shoppers.

The statistics collected by the Nielsen Company indicate that the third quarter was very good for smartphones running the Android Operating System.  Android-driven smartphones account for 42.8% of the smartphone market share.  The next most popular, by sales, operating system was Apple’s iPhone Operating System at 28.3% of the market share.  The only other substantial (over 10% market share) smartphone OS was RIM Blackberry’s Operating System with 17.8% of the market share for the third quarter.  Four different operating systems split the bottom 11.2% of the smartphone operating system market!

What does this mean for consumers?  Consumers spending money on smartphones for the Christmas 2011 holiday may want to consider an option other than a phone driven by Windows Mobile, Palm/HP Web OS, Symbian OS or Windows Phone 7 OS.  Those four operating systems may not have anything wrong with their functionality, design or support mechanisms.  Because they occupy the bottom of the market share, though, those manufacturers are most likely to re-evaluate their operating systems.  Smartphone consumers want stability and products that work. If the manufacturers decide to scrap their OS to reprioritize their focus on areas in which they may be more successful, consumers must change their OS.  Failure to change an operating system on your smartphone may leave you with a smartphone that cannot access the network where you have a smartphone plan.

Conversely, Android, Apple and RIM have a lot to be grateful for going into the fourth quarter.  Their platforms dominate the smartphone industry and Android especially has every reason to feel secure.  With over 42% of the smartphone market using Android-based smartphones, consumers have added incentive to purchase smartphones that run on the Android OS.  By dominating so much of the smartphone market, Android implicitly promises the stability consumers demand.

Smartphone technology changes almost every quarter, so selecting a phone with a stable and successful operating system ensures your smartphone will continue to change with the times.  Keep that in mind when buying this season!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Smartphones, just like ordinary computers, need regular tech support and are certainly not immune to needing smartphone computer repairs. It’s not uncommon to delay getting smartphone computer repairs because we can’t part with our devices for more than a few hours. Still, when a smartphone remain without the right kind of tech support for long, smartphone computer repair may become inevitable.

To delay the need for expensive remedial tech support or smartphone computer repair, try to keep these tips in mind.

1)   Leave the heavy stuff for the pros—if the back cover of your smartphone is scratched, you probably don’t need any kind of serious smartphone computer repair. Simply buy a new cover and replace the damaged one. When the damage is more severe than a scratched cover, though, you’re better off not messing with your device and getting professional smartphone computer support. Internal hardware failure, especially, is not something you even want to try to fix. Trying to provide your own smartphone computer repair can end up costing you more than a professional smartphone computer repair service.

2)   Keep it healthy on the inside—when your device gets clunky with apps or folders, consider taking it to an expert to get the right kind of tech support. Most smartphones have auto update functions for their software but if you notice your smartphone not doing this, you should get expert tech support from a tech support provider with a proven track record of providing excellent computer and smartphone tech support like Rescuecom.

3)   Keep it healthy on the outside—when you accidentally hit your hand against the desk and it bruises, you usually don’t panic too much. In a few days, it’ll heal itself. Sadly, smartphones don’t have regenerative cells. When the case gets scratched, it’ll stay scratched. The same goes for the screen: it will need professional smartphone computer repair. Be gentle when using your phone. Buy a protective shell to reduce the risk of damage from an external physical force. Accidents happen, so make sure you ensure your phone against those nasty drops by using a sturdy cover.

Smartphone computer repair can be pricey. A small problem with the screen might require extensive smartphone computer repair to replace the entire outside shell, for example. And as always, prevention is the best cure. Regular tech support and graceful handling can delay the need for smartphone computer repair.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Research in Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry line of products, has announced the impending release of a tablet style device known as the PlayBook.

The PlayBook will feature a 7 inch touchscreen, front and rear facing HD cameras, and will run on a new OS developed around QNX’s Neutrino software.

While RIM has yet to announce a firm release date or price point for the PlayBook, the announcement of the device’s specs was major news.  Unlike the recently released BlackBerry Torch, which featured a touchscreen but still ran the BlackBerry OS, the PlayBook is being viewed as a major step for RIM. Read more »