2009 December | Bay Geeks Computer Repair Services

December 14, 2009

What kind of computer should I get?

Filed under: Computer Advice, General — Alden @ 12:58 pm

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The average life expectancy of a desktop is 3-5 years and a laptop is 2-3. Like cars or anything else in this day and age, the manufacturers are engineering obsolescence aka planned obsolescence. It doesn’t make sense for a car manufacturer to make a car that lasts for 10-20 years when they can sell 2-5 cars or more in that same time. The same thing carries over to the computer world.

If your computers are within those ranges or beyond (2-3 yrs for laptops or 3-5 yrs for desktops)… my advice is to get a new computer rather than fixing it up. We can certainly still optimize and upgrade the older computers… but the new computers and software are being developed in such a way that the older computers won’t hold their own against the new software that requires more powerful machines than ever. The truth is you probably won’t be happy with an older computer that tries to run today’s software that was written for more powerful machines.

This advice sounds counter-intuitive to me, being in an industry that profits from fixing computers… it doesn’t do me any good to advise you to buy new - but here I am! The reality is that we’ve built a solid business upon taking care of the folks who take care of us… our clients. I believe that there will be enough genuine issues out there to keep us busy that we’d rather provide real, honest advice to you… our clients. This advice is the same advice I’ve provided to my immediate/extended family and friends and the advice I take personally when looking for a new computer.

So… What kind of computer should I buy?

As for brands… it doesn’t really matter what name is painted on the side of a box as long as the components (hardware) used inside are of a good quality and the specifications meet your needs. We probably see less Toshiba, Sony, Lenovo laptops than the other brands… but that could be more of a function of market penetration/share than a function of quality.

Apple/Macs still have their own issues and are generally three times the price of a Windows PC. They do have viruses and have had issues with multi-tasking (running multiple windows - excel, email, surfing while listening to music/watching movies, downloading etc… all at the same time).

Acer is the second largest computer manufacturer in the world (huge in China). HP is # one and Dell is # three. They are generally not including the restore disks anymore, so be sure you create one as soon as you get the computer (before you add software or make any changes).

As for working on computers, Dells have always been great and are a personal favorite. You can get a great quality Dell pretty much anywhere these days. Dell makes High Quality, Low Quality and Mediocre… I’d personally stay away from the low and high end computers and go with a medium priced computer with the right specifications for my needs. I’d shoot for $500-$700 for a computer’s price point.

As for the components… I’d research what kind of processor, ram, hard drive, power supply, motherboard and video cards are going into the machines and search for reviews on the specific types. Any common components will have proponents and opposition online… so be sure to consider the source and read with a grain of salt in mind.

The newer computers come with dual and quad core processors. This means there are effectively multiple processors to split up the work load which results in significant performance gains. Once you try a dual/quad core… you’ll never go back to a single core if you can help it.

Speaking of Processors, you’ll now have a choice between a 32 bit processor and a 64 bit processor. Be sure your operating system will match the processor (Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit etc…).

32 bit processors cannot use more than 3 GB of ram. If you get a 32 bit computer with 4 or more) GB of ram, you’ll only be able to use 3 GB (effectively wasting a GB of ram)!

Most folks will do fine with 3 GB of ram, but more is usually better. Once you get to 6 GB, it doesn’t make much more sense to go beyond that for the average home/business user unless you’re doing some really resource intensive work (like video editing).

The basic requirements I’d look for in a home or business computer would be similar and as follows:

64 bit Operating System
64 bit Multi-Core Processor (dual/quad)
>3GB of Ram (more is better to a point 4-6 GB is plenty)
>160-250 GB of Hard Drive Space (more is often better for storing photos/movies etc…)

Now that’s not going to work for everyone… but I’d say that this would be great for anyone who:

Surfs the net
Shops online
Banks online
Edits Photos
Saves Photos
Creates Word/Excel/Office Documents
Checks Emails
Downloads Music

What about Gaming or Watching Movies Online?

If you’re into Gaming or Watching Movies Online… I’d say the only other major requirement I’d look at (outside of specific gaming requirements) is a Graphic (Video) Card that’s compatible with the games desired to be played. Some video/graphic cards require a Video card with 512 MB of Ram built right in. This helps lighten the load on your processor and other ram and creates a better experience for gaming. This can help if the games or movies are spotty, pause often then speed up or just get plain choppy. There are several other reasons this stuff can happen but they’re outside of the scope of this article so please call for help if that’s bothering you!

Be sure that any specialty software you require is going to work and double check your licensing requirements to be sure you’re remaining compliant and legal at all times.

We hope this list helps make your holiday shopping a little easier and hope you all enjoy this season as much as we do!

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Is it game over for Microsoft on consumer front?

Filed under: microsoft — admin @ 9:19 am

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With Microsoft’s Windows Mobile unit having run in slow motion for the past several years, it doesn’t surprise me that there are calls for the company to get out of the phone business.

The more interesting question raised in this New York Times blog, to me, is whether Microsoft flat out just doesn’t get the consumer.

That, to me, is a much broader issue for Microsoft, given the fact that more and more parts of computing–even enterprise software–are taking their lead from consumer trends–think Facebook, Gmail and Twitter.

Microsoft certainly has its challenges on this front, and no business illustrates those challenges more clearly than the phone business, where Microsoft has squandered an early position in smartphones and now faces a massive task to catch up to Apple, Research In Motion, and even upstart Google, which has not been at the game nearly as long.

Luckily for Redmond, I don’t think it is that they don’t get the consumer at all. Products like Surface and Windows 7 and Zune HD show that Microsoft is thinking about the consumer experience and does have some sense of what appeals to the average user.

So it’s not that Microsoft totally doesn’t get the consumer. Rather, I would argue, the consumer it understands best is the nerd, as opposed to the mainstream user. That’s why, from my way of thinking, its products tend to start as niche products for gearheads and work their way toward the average consumer.

And Microsoft’s nerd focus isn’t always a bad thing, particularly in the enterprise where it is nerds who tend to be making the decision. Windows has fared pretty well against the Mac, although the PC’s lower cost also has a hand in that.

What’s happened on the mobile side, though, shows that the focus of power is shifting. It’s only a matter of time before similar trends more deeply affect the corporate desktop, whether it is e-mail, collaboration, or social networking.

The consumer business also represents a huge opportunity on its own for Microsoft. When it comes to connected entertainment, for example, Microsoft has what should be a big advantage. Because of its size and breadth, Microsoft’s software powers multiple living room devices (Xbox, Windows Media Center, and Mediaroom digital TV) as well as devices that delver media onto phones, cars, and other portable devices.

And of course, a huge part of the battle has moved off of the PC or any single device and onto the Internet. That explains Microsoft’s huge investment in Bing, but also its other online moves, including offering Office via the browser, and projects like Live Mesh that aim to bring together our myriad gadgets.

There is still a huge win to be had for the first company to allow people access to their media seamlessly in all these places. The best experience right now, I would argue, is taking one’s iPod or iPhone with them into all of these different locations. That’s a good experience, but not as good as being able to buy content once and have it automatically show up, on-demand in all of these places.

The company has shown glimmers of hope in some areas, though clearly there is more change that needs to happen. Its new retail stores, though similar to Apple, show Microsoft knowing how to highlight its coolest side. There are more products coming out with memorable names like Silverlight and fewer with mouthfuls like Windows XP 64-bit Edition for 64-bit Extended Systems.

There are pockets of understanding, particularly in the entertainment unit, which is developing things like the eminently cool Project Natal. But, then, as The New York Times blog points out, there is the Windows Mobile unit where it seems the phone has been ringing for years and Microsoft has yet to answer the call.

What’s your take. Is it game over? Or does Microsoft have enough quarters in its pockets to learn how to play the table after all?

One analyst says it is time for Microsoft to get out of the phone business, saying it is just not in the company’s DNA. Is that true for the company’s larger consumer effort?

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Apple delays iMac orders as reports of display issues rise

Filed under: General, apple — admin @ 9:16 am

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Apple has reportedly delayed shipments of its 27-inch iMac model to resellers as reports of screen flickering issues have grown.

Apple authorized resellers have reported delays in shipments of new 27-inch iMac models due to reports of display problems. Reports of flickering screens and yellow-tinged displays have become more common around the Internet, so much so that a Web site has been created to catalog reports of issues from users.

According to the Apple iMac (Fall 2009) Issues blog, out of 678 respondents, nearly half have had problems with flickering displays. The author does note that the numbers are part of an “unscientific survey” and should not be considered representative of all iMacs sold.

The blog also reports that Apple resellers have been told of delays of 2 weeks, allegedly in order to give Apple time to replace the graphics cards on the 27-inch iMacs. The iMac model in question comes in either dual-core or quad-core formats and contain the AMD ATI Radeon HD 4670 or 4850 model graphics cards.

Computerworld reported that multiple U.S. resellers report delays of anywhere from five days to two months.

AppleInsider noted in late November that users were reporting issues with the 27-inch model, with some receiving dead computers and others receiving models with cracked displays. Issues of stuttering when playing flash content were also common and were fixed for some by an update in early November.

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