We take our Smartphones with us everywhere, so chances are when you’re ready to snap a quick picture of your kid or four-legged friend doing something especially cute, you’re not going to have your fancy-schmancy camera handy. Yet more often than not, these fast photo-ops end up looking dark or fuzzy and out-of-focus. Here are a few tips for making your Smartphone photos go from blah to beautiful.

Experiment with apps. You can generally take better pictures with your phone if you’re using an app to do it. Photo apps often have settings that may not be offered with the standard camera on your phone. There are tons out there to choose from, so experiment to find one that matches your own personal style. Better yet, download a couple so you have some variety from shot-to-shot. Start with CameraZOOM FX for Android (http://www.androidslide.com/camerazoom) or Camera+ for iPhone and iPad (http://campl.us/) – both are great for beginners while offering cool features.

If you want to make your photos more unique or “interesting,” Hipstamatic (http://hipstamatic.com/), Instagram (http://instagram.com/#) and FxCamera (http://fxcamera.com/) emulate old, cheap cameras with digital effects. Doesn’t sound like a selling feature? The end result is a retro, unique style for your photos and easy-to-use options to modify colors or tweak your photos on the fly.

Camera settings. Once you’ve settled on the app that’s right for you, make sure you perfect the settings before you start shooting. First, make sure the camera’s resolution is set to the highest quality. The last thing you want is to take some really spectacular photos only to discover they’re completely pixilated when blown up on your computer screen. Next, enable the “stable shot” setting on your application. Sometimes it’s hard to hold the camera steady and prevent picture blurring – this setting won’t allow you to snap until your hand is stable. Lastly, allow your phone’s camera to acclimate to the current lighting conditions and then adjust for white balance and exposure within the application. Experiment with different exposure settings to find the vibrant photo you’re looking for.

Lighting. This is good photography 101, but it really can make or break your photo. Make sure your subjects are facing the light source and if the lighting in the room is dim, turn it up before you shoot. Better yet, move your subjects outside if you can – natural lighting makes for a much better photo. Watch the flash, too. Sometimes the flash goes off when you really don’t need it and people’s faces in your photo end up washed-out and pasty-looking. If it’s dark and you’re sure you need the flash, try muting it with a piece of tissue paper or a white sticker. That way, you’ll still get some light from your flash, but it won’t produce as much glare. When trying to capture a photo at night, take advantage of your camera’s night mode (if it has one). It can make the difference between getting the shot you want and a totally-black picture.

Get the cool shot. Try to focus on one subject, rather than the scenery around it. Get up-close and personal when you can – you’ll get a much more detailed photo. Aim to get at least a few pictures on-the-sly (you know your kids never want to “pose” anyway). Your subject’s demeanor will be a lot less stiff and self-conscious. Shy away from using the digital zoom. You can avoid some really lousy (read: blurry) pictures, and frankly that’s what your fancy-schmancy camera with the mega-lens is for. Last but not least, always keep your camera lens clean; you know how dirty cell phones can get.

Back up frequently. It’s so easy to forget to back up the pictures taken on your Smartphone – much more so than even your camera when you’ve been out-and-about shooting. Downloading your pictures directly to your computer is best (rather than emailing from your phone), because it will preserve the highest resolution possible. Then you can run those photos through your computer’s photo editing software for last minute color adjustments. Experiment with black and white rendering too – it’s always better to take your photo in color, and then change it to black and white later. If the image is well-composed, you can do some rather cool things with software to make it even better.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

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• Hipstamatic Announces Oggl, a Community for Creative People to Capture and Curate Their Lives through Photography
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The post Take Better Photos with these Smartphone Photography Tips appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

marketing@callnerds.com

NERDS ON CALL: WWDC 2013

Apple Announces Upcoming Innovations

California, (June, 2013) – On June 10, 2013, Apple held their annual World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA. The event serves as a forum for Apple to announce upcoming product releases and innovations so that developers can begin to create supporting applications and hardware. It has become a reveal party for Apple fans. Here are some of the highlights of what you can expect from your iPhone, iPad or Apple computer in the months to come.

Mobile devices get an OS overhaul. Slated to be released this fall, iOS 7 is a major redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system, updating the look and capabilities of your iPhone (4, 4S or 5), or recent generation iPod touch, iPad or iPad mini. New icons will look more like those found on the Windows phone in terms of color and design. Double clicking the home button will show preview panels of all active applications (that you can quickly scroll through) for easier multitasking, instead of iOS 6’s icon-only list that appears at the bottom of the screen.

AirDrop will allow you to instantly share files, photos, contacts, or anything with an in-app “share” option by listing any fellow iOS 7 users in range and letting you click to share. Updates to the camera include panorama mode and built-in filters for making your images unique and photo organization will be more automated.

The App Store will offer suggestions of apps that are popular in your current geographical area or among your friends, and anyone who has longed for a more masculine automated-assistant will have the option to select a male voice for Siri interactions.

OSX Moves from cats to California. The next generation of Operating System for Mac desktops and laptops, Mac OSX Mavericks, promises more responsive scrolling and web surfing (via an update to the Safari browser) and improved battery life by managing power usage. With its release this fall, multiple displays will be better supported, iBooks will be available on your Mac, and iCloud keychain will encrypt, store and generate passwords to allow you to improve your online security without requiring a super-human memory.

Mac Pro sports a whole new look. At just 9.9 inches tall and 6.6 inches in diameter, the sleek, black cylinder is an unexpected design. It will easily fit on your desk, and Apple promises it will be faster and run cooler than previous generations.

MacBook Air aims to work all day. Previewed MacBook Airs are even thinner and lighter, and a new CPU draws less power, supporting improved battery life – the 11-inch version promises to keep on chugging for nine hours, the 13-inch version up to twelve hours. They should hit shelves any day and prices start at $999.

Google gets kicked to the curb. Apple seemed to be repeatedly suggesting, “Google? Who needs them?” Siri will default its web searches to Bing; iWork for iCloud aims to replace Google Cloud as a web-based document creation, management and collaboration tool; Safari will sport Chrome-like tabs; and Apple’s Maps app will be integrated with Mail, Contacts and Calendar in OSX Maverick.

Pandora is put on notice. iTunes Radio will offer streaming radio, similar to the service available through Pandora or Google Play. ITunes Radio will track what you listen to across platforms (such as on your Mac or through your Apple TV) to personalize suggestions. Create playlists based on music you like and listen for free, provided you are willing to listen to ads. ITunes Match subscribers will get ad-free tunes included with their $24.99 annual subscription.

To see Apple’s announcements yourself, go to for roughly two hours of footage from the conference.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, & Arizona Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.

The post NERDS ON CALL: WWDC 2013 appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

On June 10, 2013, Apple held their annual World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA. The event serves as a forum for Apple to announce upcoming product releases and innovations so that developers can begin to create supporting applications and hardware. It has become a reveal party for Apple fans. Here are some of the highlights of what you can expect from your iPhone, iPad or Apple computer in the months to come.

Mobile devices get an OS overhaul. Slated to be released this fall, iOS 7 is a major redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system, updating the look and capabilities of your iPhone (4, 4S or 5), or recent generation iPod touch, iPad or iPad mini. New icons will look more like those found on the Windows phone in terms of color and design. Double clicking the home button will show preview panels of all active applications (that you can quickly scroll through) for easier multitasking, instead of iOS 6’s icon-only list that appears at the bottom of the screen.

AirDrop will allow you to instantly share files, photos, contacts, or anything with an in-app “share” option by listing any fellow iOS 7 users in range and letting you click to share. Updates to the camera include panorama mode and built-in filters for making your images unique and photo organization will be more automated.

The App Store will offer suggestions of apps that are popular in your current geographical area or among your friends, and anyone who has longed for a more masculine automated-assistant will have the option to select a male voice for Siri interactions.

OSX Moves from cats to California. The next generation of Operating System for Mac desktops and laptops, Mac OSX Mavericks, promises more responsive scrolling and web surfing (via an update to the Safari browser) and improved battery life by managing power usage. With its release this fall, multiple displays will be better supported, iBooks will be available on your Mac, and iCloud keychain will encrypt, store and generate passwords to allow you to improve your online security without requiring a super-human memory.

Mac Pro sports a whole new look. At just 9.9 inches tall and 6.6 inches in diameter, the sleek, black cylinder is an unexpected design. It will easily fit on your desk, and Apple promises it will be faster and run cooler than previous generations.

MacBook Air aims to work all day. Previewed MacBook Airs are even thinner and lighter, and a new CPU draws less power, supporting improved battery life – the 11-inch version promises to keep on chugging for nine hours, the 13-inch version up to twelve hours. They should hit shelves any day and prices start at $999.

Google gets kicked to the curb. Apple seemed to be repeatedly suggesting, “Google? Who needs them?” Siri will default its web searches to Bing; iWork for iCloud aims to replace Google Cloud as a web-based document creation, management and collaboration tool; Safari will sport Chrome-like tabs; and Apple’s Maps app will be integrated with Mail, Contacts and Calendar in OSX Maverick.

Pandora is put on notice. iTunes Radio will offer streaming radio, similar to the service available through Pandora or Google Play. ITunes Radio will track what you listen to across platforms (such as on your Mac or through your Apple TV) to personalize suggestions. Create playlists based on music you like and listen for free, provided you are willing to listen to ads. ITunes Match subscribers will get ad-free tunes included with their $24.99 annual subscription.

To see Apple’s announcements yourself, go to www.apple.com/apple-events/june-2013/ for roughly two hours of footage from the conference.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• 5 takeaways for iOS developers from WWDC 2013
• Handicapping Apple’s WWDC Keynote
• 5 takeaways for iOS developers from WWDC 2013
• Watch WWDC 2013 Streaming Video Live on Mac or Apple TV
• What iOS 7 Looks Like on Your iPad

The post Big Developments for Apple at WWDC 2013 appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

A nasty Trojan virus nicknamed Zeus has been spreading quickly through social media forums like Facebook and via links to fake webpages. Once a system is compromised, the virus lays in wait until the user accesses a banking account or credit card website wherein it captures login and personal data. That information is then transferred to servers controlled by cybercriminals who sell the data or drain the victim’s bank account.

Zeus began circulating the net about six years ago, but has seen resurgence in recent months according to Internet security firm Trend Micro. The New York Times’s Nicole Perlroth (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/malware-that-drains-your-bank-account-thriving-on-facebook/) reports that millions of computers are already infected, most of which are in the United States.

Much of this malware’s recent rapid disbursement is via links posted on Facebook. Culprits set up fake profiles and post links on popular fan pages or hack user accounts to spam links to “Friends.” In many cases, links take the user to a website where they’re prompted to purchase knock-off designer goods. After entering credit card info to complete the purchase, the victim’s credit card number (along with name and address) is sold or used to place fraudulent charges. In other cases, the website link takes the user to an infected page that installs malicious code when accessed by the unsuspecting victim.

The virus is also spread from compromised email accounts: the Trojan accesses an infected user’s contact list and then sends emails with links to malware-infected pages. The sender address is spoofed to appear as though the email was sent by the infected account, so anyone in the infected user’s contact list receives a message that appears to have come from a known source. If you ever receive a suspicious-looking email with a link or attachment, even if you recognize the sender, do not click the link. Instead, contact the sender to confirm that the email was truly sent by them.

Once infected, the Trojan virus runs silently in the background, harvesting users’ private data. In some cases, compromised systems redirect victims to dummy websites made to appear like the user’s bank or credit card account login page so that more valuable personal information (such as social security number, date of birth, address, etc) can be collected.

Many of the fraudulent links used to spread Zeus via Facebook in recent months have ended in .tk (where you’d typically see .com or .org). This domain indicates that the website is hosted via Tokelau, a small territory part of New Zealand which is, according to Jerome Segura of the anti-malware software company Malwabytes, “a hotbed for all sorts of online fraud.” As infected webpages are identified and blocked by browsers and/or antivirus software, cybercriminals simply set up a new web address, so there’s no easy way to eradicate Zeus and its variants from the net.

While Facebook has partnered with web security specialists WebSense and Web Of Trust (WOT) to identify, flag and alert users of potentially fraudulent links, it’s ultimately up to the user to exercise caution when clicking links on Facebook, in emails, or anywhere on the net. Keep in mind that links to Zeus-infected pages are cropping up all over the Web, from comments on articles or blogs to sponsored ads, so users must remain diligent about avoiding weblinks from anywhere but a completely trusted source.

In a blog posted to Trend Micro’s “TrendLabs” (http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/zeuszbot-malware-shapes-up-in-2013/), Jay Yaneza recommends that you bookmark trusted websites so that you don’t inadvertently mis-type an address and end up re-directed to an imposter site. He cautions that users should avoid visiting unknown websites and keep their system’s anti-malware software up to date to reduce the risk of exposure.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• Computer Virus Found on Facebook Steals Bank Details and Money From Accounts When Users Click on Links
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The post Zeus Trojan Steals Bank Account Info via Facebook appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

The numbers are out: McAfee‘s report on viruses in the first quarter of the year shows mobile malware, which exploded last year, is showing no signs of stopping. Smartphones, which just recently outnumbered “dumb phones” worldwide are increasingly becoming the targets of the same sorts of viruses and malware that we’ve worried about on our computers for years. McAfee, a large security firm owned by Intel, reports that 28% of all malicious smartphone software has appeared in the first quarter of 2013. The year previous saw a huge spike in which the rest of the 50,000 programs emerged, although some estimates claim there are up to a million mobile viruses at the time of this writing.

The most common form of mobile viruses is the age-old Trojan Horse virus. This virus pretends to be another sort of software and coaxes the user into installing it. After being installed, it spreads throughout the system and locks down many of the phone functions, essentially turning the phone into a zombie under the control of the hacker. The zombie phone will then send out text messages to infect its next targets. For instance in South Korea, a widely-spread virus poses as a coupon app for a coffee shop and then takes control of the user’s phone.

There are a number of security products for smartphones on the market. One such app is AVG’s Antivirus for Android http://www.avg.com/us-en/antivirus-for-android. It will also help you locate your device in the event that it’s lost or stolen. It’s only available for Android, which is also the only system that runs a high risk of infection. However, some research shows that mobile antivirus programs aren’t nearly as effective as their PC counterparts, due to the way antiviruses access the phone’s system http://www.informationweek.com/security/antivirus/does-mobile-antivirus-software-really-pr/240008673.

The best antivirus for iPhones running iOS is Lookout Mobile Security, which is available for free. While there are fewer viruses on iPhones, Lookout also notifies you of connections to unsecured networks and allows you to track your phone if it’s lost.

So how do you tell if you have a piece of this mobile malware? The warning signs are largely the same as on PCs: applications will start to slow down and strange things will start happening. Make sure you’ve installed an anti-virus first, but if it’s gotten past that, you may be out of luck. Call a phone repair company or use a service like Sugar Sync to back up your personal files from your phone and follow your provider’s instructions to reformat and reinstall your Android phone.

For now, the best way to keep your smartphone free of mobile malware relies on vigilance from you. Make sure not to download any apps that you didn’t go looking for. If it comes to you, it’s probably too good to be true! Make sure to only download from authorized sources. And as always, don’t give your passwords to anyone you don’t trust. If it looks sketchy, it almost certainly is! If you think you may have been the victim of mobile malware, call a smartphone repair company that can salvage your data and restore your phone.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• 99.9% Of New Mobile Malware Targets Android Phones
• 99.9% Of New Mobile Malware Is For Android
• McAfee: Hackers increasingly targeting Android devices
• There Is ‘No Mobile Malware Crisis’

The post Mobile Malware Explodes in 2013 appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

It’s finally the summer and it’s time to spend less time indoors and more time soaking up sun. Whether you have a pool or head to the lake to get your fill of vitamin D, everyone spends more time outdoors in the summer. And most of us will end up bringing at least a few gadgets with us, like our cell phones. But while the beach is a relaxing place for us humans, our phones don’t react to well to sand, water, or heat – common ingredients for summer fun. Fortunately they’re not too hard to protect. We’ve gathered a few ways to summer-proof your devices here.

An essential part of summer is heat, and it’s only getting hotter. Unfortunately your cell phone doesn’t react to heat too well. Overheated phones will shut off, and running your phone for too long at a high temperature will permanently damage its battery. Make sure not to leave your phone in a hot car, and pay attention to how hot it is when you’re using it. If you don’t need to use your phone for a bit and it’s getting hot, just turn it off and let it cool down. Also, charging your phone only at night will keep it cool and save energy.

For physical damage, consider buying a protective case for your phone. For a bit of money (around $100), consider the OtterBox armor series. If you’re a professional device-dropper or if you just spend a lot of time in dangerous situations, this case can protect your phone underwater and can protect it being dropped onto concrete.

If you’re not too worried about water, but you want to protect your laptop or tablet from the bumps and drops of everyday use, the Just Air Cushion https://www.justaircases.com/ provides a lightweight and inexpensive ($30) way to protect your devices from unfortunate falls.

No matter where you’re going this summer, make sure to install tracking software on your phone. With all the beach parties, vacations, and other outings over the summer, there’s a lot of opportunity for your phone to get lost. Prey http://preyproject.com is a free app for your phone that allows you to track your phone if it’s lost. 

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

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The post Waterproof your Phone and Other Gadgets this Summer appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

marketing@callnerds.com

NERDS ON CALL: BEWARE OF ZEUS

Trojan Steals Access to Bank Accounts

California, (June, 2013) – A nasty Trojan virus nicknamed Zeus has been spreading quickly through social media forums like Facebook and via links to fake webpages. Once a system is compromised, the virus lays in wait until the user accesses a banking account or credit card website wherein it captures login and personal data. That information is then transferred to servers controlled by cybercriminals who sell the data or drain the victim’s bank account.

Zeus began circulating the net about six years ago, but has seen resurgence in recent months according to Internet security firm Trend Micro. The New York Times’s Nicole Perlroth reports that millions of computers are already infected, most of which are in the United States.

Much of this malware’s recent rapid disbursement is via links posted on Facebook. Culprits set up fake profiles and post links on popular fan pages or hack user accounts to spam links to “Friends.” In many cases, links take the user to a website where they’re prompted to purchase knock-off designer goods. After entering credit card info to complete the purchase, the victim’s credit card number (along with name and address) is sold or used to place fraudulent charges. In other cases, the website link takes the user to an infected page that installs malicious code when accessed by the unsuspecting victim.

The virus is also spread from compromised email accounts: the Trojan accesses an infected user’s contact list and then sends emails with links to malware-infected pages. The sender address is spoofed to appear as though the email was sent by the infected account, so anyone in the infected user’s contact list receives a message that appears to have come from a known source. If you ever receive a suspicious-looking email with a link or attachment, even if you recognize the sender, do not click the link. Instead, contact the sender to confirm that the email was truly sent by them.

Once infected, the Trojan virus runs silently in the background, harvesting users’ private data. In some cases, compromised systems redirect victims to dummy websites made to appear like the user’s bank or credit card account login page so that more valuable personal information (such as social security number, date of birth, address, etc) can be collected.

Many of the fraudulent links used to spread Zeus via Facebook in recent months have ended in .tk (where you’d typically see .com or .org). This domain indicates that the website is hosted via Tokelau, a small territory part of New Zealand which is, according to Jerome Segura of the anti-malware software company Malwarebytes, “a hotbed for all sorts of online fraud.” As infected webpages are identified and blocked by browsers and/or antivirus software, cybercriminals simply set up a new web address, so there’s no easy way to eradicate Zeus and its variants from the net.

While Facebook has partnered with web security specialists WebSense and Web Of Trust (WOT) to identify, flag and alert users of potentially fraudulent links, it’s ultimately up to the user to exercise caution when clicking links on Facebook, in emails, or anywhere on the net. Keep in mind that links to Zeus-infected pages are cropping up all over the Web, from comments on articles or blogs to sponsored ads, so users must remain diligent about avoiding web links from anywhere but a completely trusted source.

In a blog posted to Trend Micro’s “TrendLabs”, Jay Yaneza recommends that you bookmark trusted websites so that you don’t inadvertently mis-type an address and end up re-directed to an imposter site. He cautions that users should avoid visiting unknown websites and keep their system’s anti-malware software up to date to reduce the risk of exposure.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, & Arizona Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.

The post NERDS ON CALL: BEWARE OF ZEUS appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

Father’s Day, aka “Dad Appreciation Day,” is rapidly approaching and there are some great online resources that can help you to show dad (or help the kiddos show their main man) that he’s one of a kind. Before you pick up another tie or coffee mug, consider easy ways to customize and make it unique. Get inspired with Pinterest and links to simple crafts, or if dad is a technophile we’ll suggest a few of our favorite gift-worthy gadgets.

One of the quickest ways to make a gift distinctive is to use custom labels, referred to as “printables.” Armed with your computer, a decent color printer and some sheets of un-cut labels, you can make your own cards or turn any ho-hum gift into a custom show-stopper.

At first the idea of creating a custom label seems too work-intensive. From having to be creative enough to come up with a cool design, then meticulous enough to get the label sized correctly for the finished product – it makes you want to just head to the store for a gift card instead. Luckily, many friendly bloggers and talented folks have done the work for you and posted their templates online so you need only find a style and message that appeals to you, print and cut at home. Some will be available for purchase but there are loads to be had for free.

DIY crafts abound. The crafty and creative bloggers at “How Does She” (www.howdoesshe.com/26-adorable-fathers-day-ideas/) have compiled a collection of projects for all skill levels, including free printables and links to customized gifts, most often with detailed walkthroughs. Not feeling creative? Some items can be purchased so you look like you made it yourself without busting out the scissors.

Before you wrap up a pair of socks or a bottle of dad’s favorite cologne, slap on a quick, free Father’s Day label to give a run-of-the-mill gift a little extra pizzazz. Babble.com provides links to chic, free Father’s Day printables, already created and sized: www.babble.com/home/10-amazing-fathers-day-printables/

Treat your beer or wine aficionado to a truly custom bottle when you upload your own images to personalize a bottle of wine or beer at GrogTag (http://www.grogtag.com). Tags run $20 for 48 labels, and they’re reusable so you can get more bang for your buck. There are video tutorials if you run into trouble, but the process seems pretty simple.

If you still haven’t decided on the perfect gift or gesture of appreciation, Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) offers Father’s Day gift inspiration. While searching for pins labeled “Father’s Day” will return an overwhelming number of results, try searching for boards instead. Scan images (you’ll see the one the pinner has selected for their cover image as well as their most recent four pins right on the search results page) for someone whose tastes are in-line with yours. Check out their board for a quick path to a collection of gifts, crafts, or things to do to show dad you appreciate him.

Finally, it your Nerdy dad is hinting that he wants to increase his collection of gadgets; here are a few favorites that are sure to please:

For the dad who’s always lamenting the lousy WiFi in the far reaches of the house, the Amped 600mW Compact Wi-Fi Range Extender (www.ampedwireless.com/products/rec10.html?gclid=CITtju-Ty7cCFQ1xQgodiBAAJA, $80) plugs into any electrical outlet and boosts the signal from your wireless router. Never dropping off the network in your own home again? Priceless.

For the guy who loves his snazzy home theater but hates fighting with the remotes to go from movie to TV to video game, the Harmony One remote control (www.amazon.com/dp/B005FO43OU, $300) is truly an all-in-one, press one button and it works like a magic remote. Use your computer to customize it to your equipment and from that point you’ll press one button, such as “watch TV” or “play game” and every device is changed to the right channel and input to work. No more struggling to remember that you need to scroll to “surround 7.1” when you want to watch a movie and the docking station will let you save on batteries.

If his computer can never be fast enough, a solid state drive will give him blazing fast start-up and responsiveness. The installation and set up process can be daunting (“Happy Father’s Day! Now spend the weekend reinstalling your operating system”), but he’ll thank you every time he turns on his computer to get some work done. The Samsung 840 series 2.5” SATA III Solid State Drive (www.samsung.com/us/computer/memory-storage/MZ-7TD120BW ) starts at around $100 for 120GB of storage.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• Father’s Day Gift Guide – Part 1
• This is not a post about Father’s Day
• The Swiss Colony Offers Affordable Father’s Day Gifts To Snack On
• Cut Dad Loose on Father’s Day with New WORX Cordless Yard Tools

The post Tech Gifts for Dad on Father’s Day appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

Once your proud graduate has grown up too quickly and has left the podium with her diploma, she’s probably ready to jump into the “real world” of getting a stable job at a big company and starting a career. But we all know that the “real world” has gotten much more complicated than that. One of the biggest complications is navigating the tricky world of social media and its affects on finding a job after college. So many young people spend their teenage years posting content on the internet that can be difficult to manage when they’re going to look for a job.

In January 2012, Microsoft released a study of consumer behavior activity online. Out of more than 5,000 polled, they found that 14% of adults reported negative consequences from their online activities. Out of those 14%, 21% were fired, 16% lost out on a job, and 14% were passed over by a college.

In December 2009, Microsoft reported that 79% of hiring managers reviewed online material and 70% of them supported rejecting candidates based on this online material.

With the majority of employers checking the online reputation of graduates and job seekers, it’s more important than ever to know the message that’s being spread about your online reputation. Your online reputation is easy to check, but difficult to manage. As always prevention is the best protection, but you’ll never know how bad it is until you look. Here’s the steps to taking control of your online reputation:

Google Yourself: 42% of people in the U.S. Google themselves. While it may often be merely a form of amusement, it provides valuable insight into your online reputation. Whether you like it or not, the first page of your Google results often weighs more heavily on your reputation than the first page of your resume. To get the best view, Google yourself using private browsing mode so that your personalized results don’t affect what you see. Then set up a Google Alert for your name so that whenever a new page is published on the web with your name, you’ll be among the first to see it.

Build Your Buzz: If there’s not much about you on the web, or all the results are people with similar names, you’re in luck: all you have to do is build content and they will come. Most people who haven’t marketed themselves will be in this category. But even if there’s been some stuff posted that you don’t want associated with you, the method to improve your results is the same: create content that Google can associate with you. Sign up for LinkedIn, which is a professional networking service that is good for building positive results. It’s free and can tell potential employers about your skills, education, and employment. If you already have a LinkedIn account, simply create as much content on the web that features your name prominently, as well as any keywords you want people to associate with you. Over time these links should rise to the top.

Present Yourself Professionally: Sometimes the most damaging content about you or your recent graduate isn’t content posted by others. Typos, embarrassing photos, and revealing statuses can send warning signals to potential employers. If you don’t believe your friend circle on Facebook is the place to worry about grammar and spelling, make it private. Whenever you post something visible by potential employers, think about how it will come across to them.

The Last Resort: Sometimes you can’t always clean up the content by yourself. Many people have found themselves in this situation, usually maliciously, but sometimes passively slighted by online content. There are services for managing your internet reputation like reputation.com. However, these services are expensive.

Most problems can be solved simply by creating enough content relevant to you. Unless you’ve done something worth plastering all over the web, the content most favorable to you will usually float to the top. Just make sure there isn’t any debris floating around in there.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• How An Online Reputation Can Hurt Your Job Hunt
• Five Ways To Be Proactive With Your Online Reputation
• Five Tips for Online Reputation Management for Local Businesses
• ReputationChanger.com Expanding Reach to 130 Countries

The post Job Hunting after Graduation: Manage your Online Reputation appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

A lot of online services have announced recently that they’re introducing two-step or two-factor verification for their users. It all started when Google implemented the security feature into their Google services, but what exactly is two-step verification?

Two-step verification solves a very old problem with computer security. If a hacker gained access to a user’s password that they were using across multiple accounts, they could string together their hacks by sending password resets to alternate email accounts. Two-step verification solves this in an ingenious way. There are a few ways to implement two-step verification.

The simplest way, like LinkedIn’s two-step verification or Twitter’s two-step verification, is to send a text message to a user’s phone every time that account is signed in from a new device. If the correct code is not entered, the account cannot be accessed from that computer. That way, hackers have to have access to the user’s phone as well to hack their account, which is highly unlikely.

Google and Facebook use a more secure method of two-step verification. If you have a smartphone, Google or Facebook’s two-step verification installs an app on your phone that generates a new access code at timed intervals of around a minute. Instead of getting a text message when a new device accesses the account, the person trying to sign in is prompted to use the current security code, which will not work again for the account. This method of two-step verification is more secure.

Computer repair experts highly recommend enabling two-step verification if you have a phone with texting. It’s much more secure and highly reduces the chances of you getting hacked. We’ve included the links to a number of popular services with two-step verification to help you out:
Google Two-Step Verification
Facebook Two-Step Verification
Dropbox Two-Step Verification
Microsoft Two-Step Verification
Yahoo Two-Step Verification
Twitter Two-Step Verification

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• Evernote Adds Two-Step Verification
• LinkedIn adds two-step verification as services rush to fight off hackers
• Facebook Verification – What Is It, and Why Do We Need It?
• Twitter adds two-step verification to logins for added security

The post Learn About Two-Step Verification and Which Services Use It appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

marketing@callnerds.com

NERDS ON CALL: PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER NOW FROM SUMMER MAYHEM

California, (June, 2013) – Summer is the season for computer mayhem. The kids are home from school, often unsupervised, and boredom does not bode well for your system’s health and welfare. Your endlessly-curious teenager will inevitably find a million add-ons, applications and potentially shifty files to download onto your system while you’re at work. Before chaos ensues, here are some quick tips to protect your computer from having “too much fun” this season.

Anti-virus/ anti-malware software is an absolute must. Make sure the software is current by configuring it to automatically update itself when new versions are released. Set it up to scan your system routinely. You may want to have it run more frequently during the summer months. For Windows users, I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download). It’s free, easy to use and install, and helps protect your computer against viruses, spyware and other malicious software. It supports Windows 7, Vista and XP.

While Mac users are less likely to encounter viruses or malware, it’s still a good idea to have some protection. Avast Free Antivirus for Mac (http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-75451160.html?tag=dropDownForm;productListing;pop) provides anti-virus shields on your filing system, email and the Internet by scanning the pages you attempt to navigate to. It supports Safari, Firefox and Chrome browsers.

Create separate user accounts for each member of the family. Aesthetically, it allows everyone to have a sense of individuality with customized backgrounds, desktop icons and folders. It also gives kids some privacy by keeping prying siblings out of each other’s “business.” From a practical standpoint, if the administrator account is the default user account on the machine, spyware and malicious software can potentially get administrative rights over your computer. When you visit a website that is infected, you may be prompted to “allow” a program to run. Clicking “yes” can allow malicious software to run rampant. Separate user accounts may help keep it contained.

Every operating system is slightly different, but here’s a link for creating separate accounts for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Mac OS X: http://support.hubris.net/knowledge_base/018.html. Make sure Mom and Dad are able to access the accounts of everyone in the household. Peruse the restrictions options to limit the ability of users so they can’t install or remove programs.

 Use parental control software. Programs like NetNanny (www.netnanny.com) can help you keep control of your system. You can use them to set time limits on Internet usage and control the video games your kids are able to play. You can establish permission restrictions so they can’t download and play potentially dangerous programs. Parental control programs also monitor many sorts of social contacts to protect your kids from dangerous individuals and monitor who they’re interacting with. If you want to be in the loop when you’re away from home, enter your email or text info so that it can send you notifications of which sites were blocked from your kids and why.

Windows users also have access to Family Safety. If it’s not already installed on your computer it can be easily downloaded from Microsoft’s website (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows7/protecting-your-kids-with-family-safety#section_1). Once you’ve set up user profiles for every member of your family, tailor their allowed computer activities and Internet access to their individual needs. Control categories of websites they can view, put time restrictions on computer usage, specify the times of day they’re able to use the computer and receive activity reports detailing what they’re up to while you’re away. The Family Safety Website allows you to manage settings from anywhere and the changes apply to every computer you’ve set the Family Safety Filter on. Best of all, it’s free.

Finally, don’t discount the importance of talking to your kids about your expectations. Automated monitoring can only go so far. Let them know you don’t want them downloading anything to the computer without your permission and/or supervision. Talk to them about where they should and shouldn’t be surfing on the web. Set limits regarding screen time that includes all devices they have access to. This way, you can hopefully avoid any nasty surprises.

Worst case scenario: add your favorite computer repair professional to speed dial and pre-book your September tune-up before all the other desperate parents clog up the schedule.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, & Arizona Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.

The post NERDS ON CALL: PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER NOW appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

When it comes to searching the net, Google is the far and away market leader.  In the U.S., Google captures an average of 67% of monthly queries with the runner-up, Microsoft’s Bing, accounting for just about 17%.  Microsoft wants to change the public’s searching habits with their “Bing It On” campaign wherein users are asked to perform a blind, side-by-side comparison of the two search engines and vote on which they prefer.  Can Bing take-on heavyweight Google?

I started off by taking the “Bing It On” challenge at www.bingiton.com.  You’re prompted to perform five searches.  Results are presented side-by-side with ads stripped and the pages looked remarkably similar.  The first time Bing was favored 3-1 with one “draw,” the second time I ended up with a straight tie with Bing winning two, Google winning two, and one draw. This surprised me.  I found that while in many cases results were nearly identical, Bing’s results were somewhat more pertinent and from sources that I found more reliable.

I then performed the same searches using my favorite browser (Chrome) with Bing in one tab and Google in another.

Typing www.google.com into my address bar resulted in a plain white page with the search bar.  Going to www.bing.com produced full-screen, colorful beach play scene with the search bar prominently placed near the top.  At the bottom of the page is a scrollable bar of images related to “Popular Now” news and interest stories.

Bing was a more colorful search home page, which I found more appealing.  Google is designed to be completely customizable so that you choose your own background, appearance and interest tabs.  However, I’m a lazy surfer and in all my years of using Google have never taken the time to change its default appearance.

Google and Bing both softly pre-fill with frequently searched suggestions while you type your inquiry; however I liked that Google also provided sample search results as I filled in details.  This allowed me to start with a relatively generic search, “best family vacations” and use the suggested search options and actively updating results to modify my search.  I ended up with “best deals all inclusive family vacations” based on Google suggestions and results returned before I even finished submitting my query.  Bing doesn’t return results until you submit, so I found that I had to search and go back, search and go back, a few times until I was able to narrow down the results to the information I was interested in.  This resulted in Google returning more relevant results more quickly as it helped me figure out what I was really looking for.

This may explain Google’s higher “click-through” rate.  According to Slingshot SEO, the first result that appears on Google’s search engine results page is clicked (to see the resultant page) approximately 18% of the time vs. Bing’s approximately 10%.  This indicates that Google results are more often pertinent to what the user is looking for. Both search engines include ads, with “featured” results (paid listings) in a highlighted box at the top of the search results page.  However, Google’s right portion of the screen is dedicated to a list of additional ads while Bing returned only one ad on the right followed by a list of related searches.  I liked Bing’s related search options for quickly surfing for additional info.  I also find that a large amount of “sponsored results” can be visually confusing when looking for accurate results.

The amount of ads on Google is indicative of the popularity of their search engine and resultant appeal to advertisers.  If Microsoft is successful in gaining converts with their campaign it may result in an increase in sponsored results.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• Across From Google I/O, Microsoft Runs The “Bing It On” Challenge
• Bing Challenges “Google Authorship” via Klout Expert?
• Funny Letter to BING search engine
• Google Adds Nutrition Info For Over 1,000 Fruits, Vegetables, Meats And Meals To Its Search Results
• Hands-on: Bing for iPhone

The post Bing vs Google: The Challenge appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

Summer is the season for computer mayhem.  The kids are home from school, often unsupervised, and boredom does not bode well for you system’s health and welfare.  Your endlessly-curious teenager will inevitably find a million add-ons, applications and potentially shifty files to download onto your system while you’re at work.  Before chaos ensues, here are some quick tips to protect your computer from having “too much fun” this season.

Anti-virus/ anti-malware software is an absolute must.  Make sure the software is current by configuring it to automatically update itself when new versions are released.  Set it up to scan your system routinely.  You may want to have it run more frequently during the summer months.  For Windows users, I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download).  It’s free, easy to use and install, and helps protect your computer against viruses, spyware and other malicious software.  It supports Windows 7, Vista and XP.

While Mac users are less likely to encounter viruses or malware, it’s still a good idea to have some protection.  Avast Free Antivirus for Mac (http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-75451160.html?tag=dropDownForm;productListing;pop) provides anti-virus shields on your filing system, email and the Internet by scanning the pages you attempt to navigate to.  It supports Safari, Firefox and Chrome browsers.

Create separate user accounts for each member of the family.  Aesthetically, it allows everyone to have a sense of individuality with customized backgrounds, desktop icons and folders.  It also gives kids some privacy by keeping prying siblings out of each other’s “business.”  From a practical standpoint, if the administrator account is the default user account on the machine, spyware and malicious software can potentially get administrative rights over your computer.  When you visit a website that is infected, you may be prompted to “allow” a program to run.  Clicking “yes” can allow malicious software to run rampant.  Separate user accounts may help keep it contained.

Every operating system is slightly different, but here’s a link for creating separate accounts for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Mac OS X: http://support.hubris.net/knowledge_base/018.html.  Make sure Mom and Dad are able to access the accounts of everyone in the household.  Peruse the restrictions options to limit the ability of users so they can’t install or remove programs.

Use parental control software.  Programs like NetNanny (www.netnanny.com) can help you keep control of your system.  You can use them to set time limits on Internet usage and control the video games your kids are able to play.  You can establish permission restrictions so they can’t download and play potentially dangerous programs.  Parental control programs also monitor many sorts of social contacts to protect your kids from dangerous individuals and monitor who they’re interacting with.  If you want to be in the loop when you’re away from home, enter your email or text info so that it can send you notifications of which sites were blocked from your kids and why.

Windows users also have access to Family Safety.  If it’s not already installed on your computer it can be easily downloaded from Microsoft’s website (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows7/protecting-your-kids-with-family-safety#section_1).  Once you’ve set up user profiles for every member of your family, tailor their allowed computer activities and Internet access to their individual needs.  Control categories of websites they can view, put time restrictions on computer usage, specify the times of day they’re able to use the computer and receive activity reports detailing what they’re up to while you’re away.  The Family Safety Website allows you to manage settings from anywhere and the changes apply to every computer you’ve set the Family Safety Filter on.  Best of all, it’s free.

Finally, don’t discount the importance of talking to your kids about your expectations.  Automated monitoring can only go so far.  Let them know you don’t want them downloading anything to the computer without your permission and/or supervision.  Talk to them about where they should and shouldn’t be surfing on the web.  Set limits regarding screen time that includes all devices they have access to.  This way, you can hopefully avoid any nasty surprises.

Worst case scenario: add your favorite computer repair professional to speed dial and pre-book your September tune-up before all the other desperate parents clog up the schedule.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• Help Protect Your Children with Windows Live Family Safety Filter
• Internet Safety for Kids: How to prevent cyber bullying and predators | Babble
• 3 Most Common Mistakes: The Internet. How to keep kids safe online. On Babble.com. | Babble
• We the Geeks: Talk asteroid flyby with Bill Nye, White House – CBS News

The post Summer Computer Protection for and from the Kids appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

If you’ve used Windows 8 yet, chances are you have your fair share of frustrations with the operating system. Perhaps it’s the lack of the start button, the way that snapping works, or otherwise it’s just too confusing. In a welcome move, the maker of the operating system, the software giant Microsoft announced that it would be fixing a number of these problems in an update to Windows 8 that will be available on June 26. It will certainly be a welcome upgrade at Nerds On Call Computer Repair. Complaints about some of its more frustrating features have become commonplace among our Nerds. So what exactly does this promising update provide?

Return of the Start Menu: So far Microsoft has announced a few key features for Windows 8.1, promising more to come. The first and most exciting announcement is the return of the start menu. It will appear on the taskbar as a windows logo in the same position that the lower-left icon now occupies. According to Microsoft, this change comes because “we also recognize there are many non-touch devices in use today – especially in the commercial setting. As such we’ve focused on a number of improvements to ensure easier navigation for people using a mouse and keyboard.”

Search for Everything: Another new feature that Microsoft is including in the Windows 8.1 update is an improved search experience. The new version will integrate much more with Bing and will provide contextual information from the web based on your search. The previous, Windows 8, version of this feature only allowed searches for local files, settings, or apps. The new search bar promises to be more powerful. According to Microsoft, “It is the modern version of the command line!” Those who have been using the command line for years welcome an upgrade, like those of us at Nerds On Call Computer Repair. Complaints about the limited functionality of the search bar seem to have been fixed, although time will tell how users adapt to Bing’s search engine. The move could gain Microsoft ground in their battle against Google’s search superiority.

Make it Yours: Windows 8.1 will also be including more personalization options, including the ability to choose your own background for the start screen – including animated backgrounds. Windows 8.1 also provides the option to keep your start screen and desktop background the same, “creating a greater sense of unity and familiarity.” The lock screen can now also be used as a slideshow so that Windows 8.1 running on a tablet device can serve as a picture frame.

Control Everything: Among the tech types like us at Nerds On Call Computer Repair, complaints have been high about the way that the control panel is set up in Windows 8. Windows 8.1 promises to “give[] you access to all your settings on your device without having to go to the Control Panel on the desktop. You can do things like change your display resolution, set your power options, see the make and model of your PC, change the product key, let you run Windows Update, and even join a domain – all from PC Settings.”

There are a number of other minor updates to Windows 8.1 apps like SkyDrive, Internet Explorer, and the Windows Store and more changes are promised. This Windows 8 update looks to be a step in the right direction for Microsoft. If they keep this up, Nerds On Call complaints about Windows 8 will surely decrease. The release date of June 26 can’t come soon enough!

Quotes from: http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/30/continuing-the-windows-8-vision-with-windows-8-1.aspx

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Related articles

• Windows 8: Start button returns with new 8.1 update
• Start button officially back in Windows 8.1
• Microsoft outs the new features in Windows 8.1: Here’s what you need to know
• Windows 8.1 features confirmed: Start button (not menu), boot to desktop, and more

The post Nerds On Call: Complaints about Windows 8 lead Microsoft to Deploy Fixes appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

You spent a lot of money on your that big TV and surround sound, so you should just be able to plug it and watch, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

There are a lot of different factors that affect your home theater looks and sounds. Getting a home theater that provides an experience comparable to the movie theater requires some tweaking, but it can be done. You can have a home theater setup that is the envy of all your friends if you take the time to learn how to optimize each individual component of your system.

HDTV

Your new TV isn’t set up to look great right out of the box. It seems counterintuitive, but you will have to calibrate the picture to work best in your home. Calibrating your TV for the best quality picture is somewhat difficult, which is why Lifehacker.com and other tech websites suggest that you purchase a DVD calibration tool. But the effort is worth it, as the picture quality will be even better than what you saw in the store.

You should also optimize your TV for both daytime and nighttime viewing to compensate for different light levels. And when it comes to gaming, you should have plenty of exterior light to ease the strain on your eyes. In other words, you need to have optimized settings for your games, as well settings for both natural and artificial exterior light.

Surround Sound

A great picture is only half of the equation. To get a true theater experience, you also need optimized surround sound so you can clearly hear all those awesome background effects you’re missing with a regular stereo. The first step is to position your speakers correctly. Dolby offers an easy-to-use home theater setup guide on its website. Answer a few questions about your setup, and the site shows you a map of where your speakers should be placed. After positioning them correctly, you will want to calibrate the speakers, adjust the bass, and adjust the speaker volume.

Many surround sound systems have built in calibration, or you can try Eminent Tech’s multimedia speaker test on. You will want to check out audioholics.com’s article on bass management basics, too. And finally, the same video calibration DVD (mentioned earlier) can be used to adjust each speaker’s volume for optimal sound, as well.

A/V Receiver

An A/V receiver is the control hub for your surround sound speakers, Blu-ray Disc™ player, cable box, game consoles, and more. If you have lot of components, an A/V receiver is essential. Most modern receivers typically have Ethernet and several HDMI hookups and can integrate your iPhone and other Bluetooth devices.

Cable / Satellite

To really get the most out of your home theater, you will want to have access to the best content — pay-per-view events, live sports, DVR, and movies on demand, all in high-quality HD. Satellite TV typically has a wider selection of channels and more channels in HD, according to www.Cable-TV.com. Whatever service you choose, be sure you have the best quality connection, up to date hardware and are using HDMI outputs from the cable box to the television.

Dave is a writer and photojournalist living in Wyoming.

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• Sony Bravia 1000 Watt 5.1 Channel Surround Sound DVD Home Theater System With DVD Upscaling To Near HD Picture Quality Via HDMI, BRAVIA Sync Controls Compatible Devices With One Remote, Digital Cinema Audio Calibration For Quick Speaker Set-Up, Easy Set-u

The post Get the Best Home Theater Setup appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

There’s a new type of war being waged in the metropolitan areas of the digital world.  Just like the “war on terror,” this war is also composed of highly unpredictable attacks by an unseen and unknown enemy. These attacks are called “cyber attacks,” and they’re carried out not just by the traditional “bad guy,” but by anyone ambitious enough to learn how to get started in cyber crime.

Cyber attacks can be carried out in one of a few ways. The first is a DDOS attack. DDOS stands for Dynamic Denial-Of-Service. A DDOS attack is not an attack meant to damage the affected system, but to slow it down by increasing the strain put on the computer. It’s the digital equivalent of causing a scene to distract a store’s security while the perpetrator can scope out vulnerable areas for later entrance.

There have been a rash of DDOS attacks on American banks http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/fbi-briefs-bank-executives-on-ddos-attac/240154858 but they appear to have ceased for the time being. This could mean that a more vicious cyber attack could be in the works – one like the recent $45 million ATM heist http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/13/4326336/cyber-caper-behind-the-scenes-of-the-45-million-atm-heist in which cyber thieves made off with a record amount of cash through careful coordination between hackers and criminals in the physical world.

In addition to these private cyber attacks, countries may be starting to wage even colder wars in the world of cyberspace. There have been recent allegations that China and Russia have been stealing weapons and tech from the United States through cyber attacks, although this may just be the ritual stoking of the fire following even more news about cyber warfare from the Pentagon.
The Pentagon this week launched “Plan X,” which is a five-year cyber warfare research project. The goal of Plan X is to create technology that allows the military to fight cyber attacks in cyberspace under the command of generals and other non-technically-competent military personnel. The “Plan X app” is reported to be a large touch-screen table that commanders can interact with to send virtual warriors into cyber warfare. According to DARPA‘s website http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/I2O/Programs/Plan_X.aspx “Cyberspace is now recognized as a critical domain of operations by the U.S. military and its protection is a national security issue.”

So where does this leave the rest of us who aren’t multi-national banks, governments, huge businesses, or hackers? For the most part not much has changed – the threat is just growing stronger. That means it’s more important than ever to install and update your anti-virus software. If you don’t have one, download Microsoft Security Essentials. Hackers are able to pull off such large-scale attacks because they use computers infected with their viruses. If you don’t give them a foothold, there’s one less computer they can leverage for their nefarious purposes.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

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No one likes getting complaints, but it’s what you do about them that matters. What we want to do is be totally honest.

Here at Nerds On Call Computer Repair we take our complaints and reviews very seriously. Every review or complaint about Nerds On Call Computer Repair is written by a real person who actually received service from us. We take pride in our positive reviews, but we don’t shrug off our negative reviews and complaints, either. In fact, we try and turn them into positive reviews and deleted complaints. If you want to take a look at how we handle complaints about Nerds On Call Computer Repair, you can look at our track record on a few review sites: Facebook Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews, Google Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews, Yahoo Local Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews, Yelp Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews

The Nerds On Call Complaints Process:

We regularly Google for “Nerds On Call Computer Repair Complaints” and “Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews” to check for disgruntled customers who haven’t voiced their complaints with us in person.

Then we take that person’s opinion seriously and contact them regarding their complaint or negative review of Nerds On Call Computer Repair.

We find that this way of doing business leads to fewer complaints over all and a greater connection with our customers. After all, we like to see you all as friends. And if a friend has a complaint about you, wouldn’t you want it to be addressed as quickly as possible? If you have any questions about the way that Nerds On Call Computer Repair handles complaints and reviews, send us an email from our contact page.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, & Arizona Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.

The post Nerds On Call Computer Repair Complaints and Reviews appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

Hey there. I’m Andrea Eldridge, Owner and Founder of Nerds On Call Computer Repair.

If you type “Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews” into Google right now, you’ll probably find a smattering of links from all over the place. Some are legitimate reviews, some are old complaints, a lot aren’t even relevant and quite a few just lead to some spammy site. This is mostly because here at Nerds On Call Computer Repair, our reviews usually come in a form that Google can’t get to: personal letters. So we’ve posted here a number of the Nerds On Call Computer Repair reviews we’ve received in our mailbox over the years. We think our customers’ reviews of Nerds On Call Computer Repair speak for themselves. Click on a letter to see a larger version. We’ve also gathered up all the Nerds On Call reviews online and put links to them here so you can go see what other people are saying about us: Facebook Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews, Google Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews, Yahoo Local Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews, Yelp Nerds On Call Computer Repair Reviews

Click here to send me an email with your review or comment. I’ll look over each of them personally.

Nerds On Call Computer Repair Review – Peter

Dear General Manager: This letter is intended to express our appreciation for the service Peter gave us on August 6, 2012. Peter was professional and courteous and he fixed our computer problem with ease. He explained why we had the problems and how we could avoid them in the future. He was thorough and conscientious and we felt completely at ease having in our home. Just saying ‘thank you’ to him did not seem adequate because he was so clearly above and beyond what we expected, hence this letter. I hope your company appreciates him because he truly is an asset to you.

Nerds On Call Computer Repair Review – Seth

To manager/owner This thank you is in regards to a service call that was done on January 17, 2011 by Seth. I want to let you know what a great employee you have. Seth explained every thing he was doing waited for hours because of our slow computer and was friendly and very capable of what he was doing. In the future I will highly recommend your company and especially Seth to my family and friends. I believe Seth should get a good size raise and extra praise.

Nerds On Call Computer Repair Review – Russell

To Whom it May Concern: This is my 1st experience with Nerds on Call and I am very impressed with Russell – he has been to my house twice for long periods of time and I felt he was very professional, kind + went the extra mile

Nerds On Call Computer Repair Review – Kiel

Dear Kiel, Yesterday you helped me sort out a few things on my Apple computer, and you helped me in a very friendly and professional manner. Thank you so much for your expertise, your kindness, AND your patience!! A Happy Customer – forever!

Nerds On Call Computer Repair Review – Andrew & Zed

Sir: SUPERB SERVICE Compliments to NERDS for the exellent and efficient service provided yesterday and on two previous calls by: Andrew, who installed Outlook to set up and retrieve my email. He expertly installed my new HP 8500 wireless Printer and connected my wife’s laptopt to it. His epertise and efficiency is the best I have experienced. Last week: Zed expertly installed Canon Printer at my sister’s and updated her programs and PC performance. She was very happy. I am very happy with both the redding ^and service staffs.

Nerds On Call Computer Repair Review – Shawna

Dear Shawna, It sure was a wonderful surprise to receive the beautiful NERDS candy arrangement, your “Nerdapalooza”. What a great idea.! I have it on display on my table. Love it. Thank you very much and thank you for the $20.00 dollars gift certificate too, I am sure I will use it sooner or later, ha ha. I must say it has been a pleasure doing business with your Corporation and I will continue to recommend you to my friends. Please accept my most sincere “gracias” and againa appreciation to all of you. Jason, Kurt, Tim, Nick, Dylan, Russel, and Stacy. These are a few of the names of people who have been of help to me. I am sure I am missing others, but pelase extend my thanks to everyone in Redding as well as in Oregon and include the ladies that answer the telephone. Ok? They are great and always so nice, helpful and sweet. It has always been rewarding and a pleasure doing business with you all. Sometimes I wish my computer acts up so I can give you all a call. HA HA HA

About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, & Arizona Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

The post Nerds On Call Reviews appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

marketing@callnerds.com

NERDS ON CALL: XBOX ONE ANNOUNCEMENT CAUSES CONFUSION

California, (May, 2013) – On May 21, 2013, Microsoft revealed details of their highly anticipated new game console, the Xbox One, scheduled to be available for sale near the end of the year.  The first major hardware overhaul for the Xbox in over seven years, gamers have been eagerly awaiting details since rumors of the new console began to circulate last year.  Yet in the end, it’s what Microsoft isn’t saying that has many gamers up in arms.

With its new console, Microsoft aims to give users a more complete media experience.  It communicates with cable and satellite, allowing users to watch live TV on their Xbox.  At first this seemed a little strange – you use your gaming console to play games, right?  Actually, Xbox 360 users currently stream movies (through apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime) and TV (through apps like Hulu and HBO Go), they just can’t access content stored on their DVR or see live TV without navigating out of the Xbox console and to their cable or satellite menus.  The Xbox One eliminates this, allowing users to access TV and even watch their favorite shows waiting for a game to load or to be matched in a multiplayer game.

The Xbox One will ship with a Kinect sensor and the voice and motion control features were heavily touted in Microsoft’s live press demos.  The idea is that with its integration with your home theater, you can control your entertainment experience without a remote and without ever leaving the Xbox One interface.  Simply speak to turn on and navigate to games, Internet, TV, etc.  Facial recognition will automatically load your saved content so you can pick up where you left off.

However, there were some finer details that Microsoft has been less clear about.  They announced that game play will be tied to your online profile.  When you buy a game and load it in your Xbox, the game will be installed on your device and you’ll register with your Xbox Live profile, making the disk no longer necessary for game play.  If you take your disk to a friend’s house, you can install the content on his/her Xbox and log in with your Xbox Live profile to play.  How about when you’re done with the game and want to hand the disk off to your buddy?  No dice.  Your friend will be prompted to pay “a fee” (the amount remains undisclosed) to register and play, even if the game is loaded on their console.

Microsoft’s Larry Hryb has since clarified that they do plan to allow gamers to “trade in and resell games at retail,” presumably through partnerships with large second hand game distributors such as GameStop (and its affiliates).  Yet concerns linger for gamers who rent titles through services such as Gamefly or Blockbuster, or those who prefer to sell or trade games directly between friends and family.

Many are upset by rumors that the console will require near constant access to the Internet to enable gameplay.  While Microsoft has yet to clearly confirm or deny, one can assume that playing a game – even one you’ve installed on your hard drive – may require online authentication of your Xbox Live profile to play.  This will make gaming more challenging for users without stable broadband Internet.

Hot on Microsoft’s heels, Sony held a press conference on May 20^th to announce sparse details of its anticipated new console, the PS4.  While showing only the controller, they have not disclosed any information about the hardware or what it will be capable of.  Perhaps Sony will use the controversy stirred up by Xbox One to fine tune the details of its own device.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 15 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, & Arizona Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit www.callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.

The post NERDS ON CALL: XBOX ONE ANNOUNCEMENT CAUSES CONFUSION appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.

by Andrea Eldridge

On May 21, 2013, Microsoft revealed details of their highly anticipated new game console, the Xbox One, scheduled to be available for sale near the end of the year.  The first major hardware overhaul for the Xbox in over seven years, gamers have been eagerly awaiting details since rumors of the new console began to circulate last year.  Yet in the end, it’s what Microsoft isn’t saying that has many gamers up in arms.

With its new console, Microsoft aims to give users a more complete media experience.  It communicates with cable and satellite, allowing users to watch live TV on their Xbox.  At first this seemed a little strange – you use your gaming console to play games, right?  Actually, Xbox 360 users currently stream movies (though apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime) and TV (thorough apps like Hulu and HBO Go), they just can’t access content stored on their DVR or see live TV without navigating out of the Xbox console and to their cable or satellite menus.  The Xbox One eliminates this, allowing users to access TV and even watch their favorite shows waiting for a game to load or to be matched in a multiplayer game.

The Xbox One will ship with a Kinect sensor and the voice and motion control features were heavily touted in Microsoft’s live press demos.  The idea is that with its integration with your home theater, you can control your entertainment experience without a remote and without ever leaving the Xbox One interface.  Simply speak to turn on and navigate to games, Internet, TV, etc.  Facial recognition will automatically load your saved content so you can pick up where you left off.

However, there were some finer details that Microsoft has been less clear about.  They announced that game play will be tied to your online profile.  When you buy a game and load it in your Xbox, the game will be installed on your device and you’ll register with your Xbox Live profile, making the disk no longer necessary for game play.  If you take your disk to a friend’s house, you can install the content on his/her Xbox and log in with your Xbox Live profile to play.  How about when you’re done with the game and want to hand the disk off to your buddy?  No dice.  Your friend will be prompted to pay “a fee” (the amount remains undisclosed) to register and play, even if the game is loaded on their console.

Microsoft’s Larry Hryb has since clarified that they do plan to allow gamers to “trade in and resell games at retail,” presumably through partnerships with large second hand game distributors such as GameStop (and its affiliates).  Yet concerns linger for gamers who rent titles through services such as Gamefly or Blockbuster, or those who prefer to sell or trade games directly between friends and family.

Many are upset by rumors that the console will require near constant access to the Internet to enable gameplay.  While Microsoft has yet to clearly confirm or deny, one can assume that playing a game – even one you’ve installed on your hard drive – may require online authentication of your Xbox Live profile to play.  This will make gaming more challenging for users without stable broadband Internet.

Hot on Microsoft’s heels, Sony held a press conference on May 20^th to announce sparse details of its anticipated new console, the PS4.  While showing only the controller, they have not disclosed any information about the hardware or what it will be capable of.  Perhaps Sony will use the controversy stirred up by Xbox One to fine tune the details of its own device.

About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call, a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World. Andrea is available for Q & A’s, expert tech quotes and will appear on your show, call today! See Andrea in action at www.callnerds.com/andrea.

The post Xbox One Controversy Has Begun appeared first on Computer Repair | Nerds On Call.