Remote Computer Service is available by calling us or visiting our website. ? All you need is a working internet connection and access to your computer. Our company will be able to provide remote computer service expertise that we’ve built a 20 year pedigree on. ? Below is a list of services we offer because we have a variety of techs: ?
We are taking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, which recommends regular cleaning. Our staff has increased the frequency and rigor of car, equipment, and office cleaning because of the increased risk. We’re taking extra care to wipe down equipment, vehicles, keyboards, touch screens, and phones. However, remote computer service demand has increased and we have hired more technicians to fill this demand. We are also monitoring all locations and technicians to ensure they are stocked with the appropriate cleaning supplies.
We are also advising staff to wash hands frequently, avoid shaking hands with others, and practice social distancing. This will help them stay healthy as we know people still need service. Friendly waves and smiles are still okay!
So last week, Facebook couldn’t upload pictures. Most of us didn’t know why, but we mustered through it. However, it turns out that isn’t the only snafu that happened. Let’s look at June 2019: Worst Internet Month.
In fact, in June 2019, everything that could go wrong in the IT service and IT support world did go wrong. Let’s start with June 2. A major Google Cloud shutdown took place. Most of the US east coast, the most populated place in the USA, took the brunt. Critical services, like GMail, Nest, Snap and Vimeo, also took a hard hit. Bugs and bad configurations caused this to happen. It only took three hours to fix it. But in today’s world, three hours without such services can seem like an eternity.
Then, on June 24, Cloudfare lost 15% of all it’s global traffic. That’s right. Cloudfare lost 1/7 of everything it had in one day. They blame Verizon for this. They say it was Verizon’s bad wiring that caused the global traffic to go down. Cloudfare wasn’t the only one to go down. Because on this day, they took mega companies like Amazon with them. Apparently, the Internet woes continue into July. Because on July 2, Cloudfare caught another outage. The next day, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram’s photo services all caught shutdown fever. Even on the July 4 holiday, the iCloud went through a three-hour shutdown.
So nobody was and nobody is immune. I titled this blog June 2019: Worst Internet Month. Maybe I should include July as well, because this month is not off to a flying start. Of course, bit IT can turn it around and learn it’s lesson. But on the other hand, and I hate saying this, it could be an omen of even worse things to come. What do you think? Will you think this month be better or worse?
Over the last few years, controversy arise over police body cameras. But how would you like your own body camera? So Google could make it happen. However, how would you use it? Google Clips: Memory maker or big brother tool?
Google Clips is a camera you can wear at any time. In fact, I don’t want to encourage anybody, but you can wear it all the time. Not only that, but you can clip it on objects. I saw one video where a family clipped it to a bag of flour! Think about that. Yes, you can transfer the footage to any computer or smartphone. It uses ‘motion photos’, a tactic Apple Live Photos use.
But it has no audio, at least not yet. It doesn’t have network connection, either. That means it doesn’t just broadcast everything out in the open. They use a computer servicing tactic called machine learning. They use machine learning so Google Clips can focus on what the footage the computer wants. Furthermore, it contains 16GB of storage. It also has a 130-degree field view and can use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. To prevent this camera’s glass from breaking, it has Gorilla Glass 3. It can shoot up to 15 frames per second. Google Clips will cost on average $249. It will come out at a later date.
I saw some ads for this. They spin it as a way to capture precious memories with family and friends. Use it for those holiday moments with family. Or use it for birthday parties or nights out with friends. So you can relive these precious moments for life. Maybe this is why Google made Google Clips. But there is the cynic in me that knows the dark side of IT support and human nature. I fear people will use this camera to capture less heartwarming aspects of humanity: blackmail, corruption, bribery, sexual misbehavior, invasion of privacy. I don’t even want to say it aloud because it might encourage somebody. This is what worries me about Clips. Will it be used for making memories or will it be used for a big brother tool?
There’s no doubt about it. One of the biggest threats to computer technology is the computer virus. It can lead to ID theft, malware, even crimes like sextortion. There seems to be no end in sight. But one government agency vows to fight this epidemic.
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) brings top tech security experts to fight viruses. The event is called Cyber Grand Challenges (CGC). This event will test auto programs that look for computer vulnerabilities. Then, can they create and fix the vulnerability before the virus strikes? Can they do so without human help? A lot is riding on this. If this CGC is successful, this could mean no more cyber attacks on our devices. Yes, I know there are people and companies that fix viruses. We at Computer Geeks do so all the time. Yes, there are security software firms like Avast who prevent viruses and malware. But according to DARPA program manager Mike Walker, it can take over 300 days to find a security flaw. Hackers can do much damage in that time span. Operating systems run on millions of code lines. All it takes is one mistake in one code line to attack a computer or device. Even with these anti-virus programs and computer repair services, as great as they are, can’t totally protect you from flaws they don’t even know about.
I’m glad DARPA is on the case. We can’t go through a week without reading about a major hack attack. And it’s not just people in labs and basements either. Governments are hacking each other. I’ve read reports of Russian and/or Chinese hackers attacking our political ?conventions. We’re all in the war against computer viruses. All of us. So I’m not jealous at all of this CGC program. In fact, I hope it goes well. Wouldn’t it be great to live in a world without viruses, malware or the crime they bring?
Listen, we all like to party. Heck, yesterday was May the 4th and we here at Computer Geeks went nuts. But today is Cinco De Mayo, a day littered with Corona’s and many many drunk encounters. So we’ve decided to hand out some advice to those of you really looking to go nuts today. Your electronics are EXPENSIVE, and one day of partying shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg. So before you decide to pop open that first cerveza, and smoosh your little lime wedge to the bottom, take our advice: Hide your electronics! Here are a list of potential drunk disasters that await those who do not heed our advice…
1. Beer Spill on your $1800 MacBook
I wish I could tell you that this is not common, but it is all too common. People drink near their laptops, people drink near their VERY EXPENSIVE laptops. All it takes is a spill of 1oz of beer on the keyboard of a MAC and your computer is toast. If you find yourself in this situation (because you didn’t listen) you will need to do a few things to save it.
1. Flip it upside-down
2. Power it off immediately
3. Wait 48 hours to let it dry
4. Call a professional to clean it out (800) 433-5435
2. Cell Phone Disaster
There are few things that drunk people do really well, but one of them is dropping their phone. Whether it is in the toilet or on the pavement, you’re in trouble. iPhone 6 plus broken screen is $450 to fix, and if you drop it in the toilet the phone replacement will be double that. Don’t use your phone in the bathroom, and don’t play with it outside, it is your best bet to keep that expensive little toy in your pocket safe. If you wreck your phone, check out our repair page
3. Go Party at someone else’s house
I mean it, you don’t need to host this gathering. Host Thanksgiving dinner, or Christmas, but for God’s sake, don’t host a party for a day full of drinking Corona’s. You know that 60 inch TV you love so much? It only takes 1 moron to crash into it, to ruin it FOREVER. Your tablets that are lying around become frisbees, or just unfortunate objects people sit on and crush. Go destroy a friend’s house, and take away the risk.
So go out, have fun, drink a few cervezas for us, but keep your electronics at home where they are safe. And if you do happen to have an accident, give us a call or send us a message and we will come to the rescue!
Computer users have been on the hunt for the most secure and stable apps and operating systems out there, and the shocking truth about which Apps and Operating Systems are actually the most stable may surprise you.
As far as operating systems go, sorry all you MAC lovers, the award for the most vulnerabilities no longer goes to Microsoft, but to Apple Mac OS X, followed by Apple iOS and then Linux kernel. The numbers to date show Mac OS X had 147 vulnerabilities - 64 being rated as high severity. Numbers also show there were 127 in iOS - 32 of those rated as high. And lastly, Linux kernel had 119 security vulnerabilities - 24 being rated as high severity.
As far as Apps go, Microsoft cannot gloat too much about being the most secure, as Internet Explorer had nearly twice as many flaws as the second most flawed app on the list ? which was Chrome. This comes as a shocking truth, as many people have viewed Chrome as the most stable and secure App. Internet explorer had 242 security flaws - 220 of those being high severity. Chrome had 124 total bugs with 86 of those rated as high.
So, as you can see users need to be aware, and choose carefully when installing Apps and Operating Systems on their computers. There are always going to be bugs out there, because nothing out there will ever be ?perfect?, but if you run into some trouble with your computer, know Computer Geeks is always there to help. Some good news is that that the percentage of vulnerabilities rated as ?high severity? dropped to 24% in 2014. So at least there is some hope going forward!
