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Archives for June 2014

GEEKNOTE: Webinars

June 22, 2014 By Rob Marlowe

GEEKNOTE:  I mentioned last week that I have a bunch of webinars coming up.  Three of them were this past Tuesday and I supplemented them on Friday and Saturday with additional training courses.

Several of the courses were interesting, including a series on email archiving.  Archiving is no big deal for most of our clients, but some of them have specific requirements because of the type of business they are in.  I picked up some in-depth information on solutions that allow automatic archiving and indexing of email.  The solutions vary in price, but if you are in a business (eg. securities) where archiving is the law, the solutions are important.

Another webinar introduced a new backup appliance and we’ve now got one on order for one of our client to try out with a 30 day free trial.  If it performs, I’m sure the client will be thrilled.  If not, we will ship it back.

Continuing education is an important part of any job.  In my case, it is how I keep up with the latest solutions in the marketplace.  It isn’t always easy to separate the self serving promotion by some of the vendors from the usable nuggets that may be of value for our clients down the road.

In addition to webinars and live training sessions, I also spend some time working with new gear.  I built out a low cost system last week with a new motherboard and I’ve got a second test system I plan to build out as soon as I get a few more parts.  Whether or not these two new systems will join our product mix will depend on how they perform here in the shop.

Stay cool and drop by the store and say “hello”.

 

Rob Marlowe, Senior Geek

 

 

Filed Under: GEEKNOTES

GEEKNOTE: Quiet Week

June 15, 2014 By Rob Marlowe

GEEKNOTE:  Some weeks are crazy busy with everyone just trying to keep up with the work coming in the door.  Other weeks are like the past one where we all get the chance to catch our breath and learn some new tricks.

I’ve had some new web authoring tools to play with for several weeks now, but finally got the chance to spend some quality time with them.  I have nothing earth shattering to show off yet, but I’m still working on a couple of project / demo sites.

I also had the opportunity to sit through a webinar on a new product that we were thinking about offering to our corporate customers.  I wasn’t impressed, so we won’t pursue it.  I have several more webinars scheduled over the next week or so.  Most of them involve new products that we may find interesting enough to offer our customers.    I’m particularly looking forward to learning more about Intel’s new Haswell processors and the new 9 series chipset.

I took delivery on a couple of new low power motherboards this past week.  These boards are potential replacements for the Atom boards we first got a few years back.  The beauty of these boards is that they don’t require any cooling fans for the CPUs.  One of the boards has a dual core processor and the other has a quad core processor.  If they live up to expectations, they might well be a good foundation for inexpensive custom systems for our customers who use their computers primarily for surfing and email.  My goal is to have both test systems built out by this time next week.

I’m looking at what promises to be a very busy couple of weeks between now and the end of June.    I have three separate webinars and a computer training class  on Tuesday alone!   Look for a report here on any of the really cool stuff you can expect to see in the near future.

Tim and George also spent some quality time last week honing their skills.  This is an example of how we work hard to be the best at what we do and take advantage of what otherwise would be down time.

The summer t-storm cycle has started, so we can expect storms most afternoons.  Make sure your computer is protected from power surges.  We have UPS / battery backup systems in stock.  We also carry the more common power supplies in case you lose one due to a surge.  If your computer won’t turn on, more times than not it is the power supply.  If we’ve got the right one in stock, we can frequently replace it while you wait.

As always, keep us in mind for all your computer needs.

 

Rob Marlowe, Senior Geek.

 

Filed Under: GEEKNOTES

June 2014 Newsletter

June 1, 2014 By Rob Marlowe

The flower for June is the rose so be sure to take time to smell the roses this month. You’ll also want to take time to check out this issue,which is blooming with ideas to help you fully enjoy your summer.

If you’re considering a vacation rental, don’t miss our tips on how to avoid online scammers and end up with a great place to stay. Continuing in the vacation mode, we also share a website designed to spot the best airfare deals. Of course, you don’t have to travel to savor the joys of summer. Check out the resources for sprucing up your backyard, making a clever Father’s Day card, and whipping up yummy picnic food. To add smiles to your day, watch the amazing videos of dancers young and old — they’re sure to spin their way into your heart.

Keep moving through this June issue to learn why tech support tells you to unplug your devices for a certain number of seconds and how easy it is to bookmark your favorite sites. We think you’ll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable tool for enhancing your Internet experience.

Here’s what’s inside our June 2014 Newsletter:

RIP-OFF ALERT – BEWARE OF VACATION RENTAL SCAMS

NEWS FROM THE SHOP

GO PINTEREST-ING! – COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS

THIS MONTH’S FAQ – WHY DO I NEED TO LEAVE MY DEVICE UNPLUGGED FOR 15-30 SECONDS?

SITES OF THE MONTH – GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT IN JUNE

TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

SHORT TUTORIAL – HOW TO BOOKMARK A WEBSITE

The Gulfcoast Networking Team

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RIP-OFF ALERT – BEWARE OF VACATION RENTAL SCAMS

Renting a private home — instead of staying at a hotel — is becoming an increasingly popular vacation option thanks to the convenience of web portals. While sophisticated channels like Airbnb and HomeAway try to protect renters (by providing secure payment, user comments, and star ratings), even they are not immune from scammers.

Vacation rental rip-offs come in many forms. One is the hijacked ad,where scammers hijack a real rental listing by changing the email address or other contact information and then put the modified ad on another site. Other rip-off artists create listings for places that aren’t for rent or don’t exist and try to lure you in with fabulous photos, low rent, and great amenities. The goal is to get your money, in the form of a security deposit or application fee, before you find out you’ve been deceived.

Here are some ways to avoid vacation rental scams:

1. Obtain full contact information for the person you are dealing with (including name, address, phone number, and email) and verify that information by using Google search. Be wary if they never answer the phone when you call and always have to call you back; many scammers use message services.

2. Ask to see the property live via technology like FaceTime or Skype. At the very least, use Google Earth and Google’s Street View feature to confirm that the property you’re renting actually exists at the address advertised.

3. Read the comments. The feedback from previous renters that appears on sites like Airbnb is invaluable. In some cases, you’re even allowed to pose questions to other users.

4. Beware of group think. If you’re vacationing with several other people,everybody tends to figure that somebody else is paying attention to the details and making sure the group isn’t getting ripped off. Make sure someone is thoroughly investigating that six-bedroom place you all want to rent.

5. Never wire money. Wiring money is the same as sending cash; once you send it, you have no way to get it back. Use a credit card instead since Visa, MasterCard, and American Express will allow you to recover money you lose to fraud. The bottom line is this: When renting a vacation home, you need to do your homework.

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NEWS FROM THE SHOP

We are pleased to welcome George Morgan as our newest geek.   George has been helping Tim with some of our larger corporate projects and he has helped me with in-shop work as well, allowing me to concentrate on some of the more time consuming projects that I’ve taken on.  The additional hands are allowing us to be more responsive to our corporate customers and turn around in-shop repairs faster than before.

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GO PINTEREST-ING! – COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS

Berry Delicious Greek Yogurt Smoothie Pops
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775850917986/

Make A “Shirt & Tie”Card Tailored For Dad
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775851177070/

Description Pin 3
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775851177096/

You haven’t started pinning on Pinterest yet and you want to get started? To sign up, go here:
https://pinterest.com/join/signup/

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THIS MONTH’S FAQ – WHY DO I NEED TO LEAVE MY DEVICE UNPLUGGED FOR 15-30 SECONDS?

Question: It seems like every time I call tech support with a problem,the first thing they advise is to unplug my computer or modem and leave it unplugged for 15-30 seconds. Why is that delay needed?

Answer: The reason for this delay is that most devices contain capacitors, which are little batteries that function like energy buckets.They fill up when you put a current through them and discharge otherwise. Capacitors will hold a charge for at least 10 seconds after the power is off, so you have to wait longer than that for your device’s Random Access Memory (RAM) to be fully inactive. To be on the safe side, tech support often advises users to wait 15-30 seconds to make sure the capacitors discharge completely. This is important because while there’s a charge,your device’s RAM is still active and whatever problem you’re trying to fix won’t be wiped out. If you plug your device back in right away, the problem just returns. So when it comes to troubleshooting, patience is a virtue!

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SITES OF THE MONTH – GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT IN JUNE

Blockbuster Or Bomb?
http://www.rottentomatoes.com
Summer is the blockbuster movie season and you’ll have plenty of choices at the movie theater. Before you turn over your hard-earned money for tickets, however, check and see what reviewers and audiences are saying at this site. It will help you pick better flicks.

Support During A Health Crisis
http://www.caringbridge.org
CaringBridge is a site that supports private pages dedicated to those in a health crisis. Instead of flooding Facebook with sensitive information,you can create a CaringBridge page and invite family and friends to visit. While there, they can get patient updates and share good wishes.

Find Best Airfare Bargains
http://www.airfarewatchdog.com
By using this site, you can take a vacation from the hard work of trying to find the best airfare deals. Just enter where you want to go, and its”Dealhounds” will watch for the lowest prices on flights to that city and alert you of them. It’s a doggone easy way to find a travel bargain.

Plan The Perfect Picnic
http://www.mrfood.com/Editors-Picks/Perfect-Picnic-Menu-53-Make-Ahead-Picnic-Recipes
International Picnic Day is June 18. To get ready for the celebration,check out these recipes. You’ll find all kinds of delicious foods to goin your picnic basket or cooler including Crisp Cucumber Salad, BLT Burritos, Iced Green Tea, and Lime Margarita Bars.

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TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

http://www.eNewsletterHome.com/_eNewsletter/2014/1406_VIDEO_A.htm
Still Kicking At Age 79, Simon Cowell is humbled after rejecting a 79-year-old ballroom dancer right before she gives the performance of a lifetime. You’ll be as shocked as the audience was on Britain’s Got Talent.

http://www.eNewsletterHome.com/_eNewsletter/2014/1406_VIDEO_B.htm
Oh Baby! Can They Dance! Check out this delightful commercial for Evian water. In it, people on a city sidewalk are surprised to see themselves as dancing babies in the reflection of a store window. Too cute!

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SHORT TUTORIAL – HOW TO BOOKMARK A WEBSITE

Bookmarks are links to websites that make it easy to get back to your favorite places on a regular basis. By using bookmarks, you don’t have tokeep entering in the complete URL each time you want to visit. Here’s how to bookmark a website you’re viewing:

Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Simply press Ctrl + D on your keyboard. The page you’re on will be added to your browser’s bookmark folder automatically. This works in every major browser except Safari for Mac. The shortcut in Safari is Command +D.

Clicking the Star Icon
If you’d rather not use keyboard shortcuts, there’s an alternative. Every major browser uses a star to represent bookmarks. It might show up in the address bar, or somewhere to the left or right of the address bar.

In Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, clicking the star automatically adds the bookmark to your bookmarks folder. Clicking the star again lets you edit the bookmark name and choose its location in your bookmarks or delete it.

For Internet Explorer, clicking on the star icon opens the bookmarks menu. Then you click the “Add to favorites” button.

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We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It’s our way of keeping you posted on the happenings at our shop.

Thanks for your business!

Best regards,

Rob Marlowe, Senior Geek
Gulfcoast Networking, Inc.
6335 Grand Blvd
New Port Richey, FL 34652
727-232-1558

(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)

©2014 Gulfcoast Networking, Inc.

Portions ©2014 Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc., used under license.

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Rob Marlowe

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Hours: M-F 9-5
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Phone: 727-847-2424

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