Once again, we have a virus infected computer…and the lucky winner is John The Gardener!

John is a long time customer and Wing Chun brother.

more to come from my Mac…    this message posted from my iPhone.

The reason I posted about John is that he is typical of some of the clients I don’t see often.  He has safe habits on the computer (like staying off bad sites.)  But he puts off scanning for Viruses and Spyware, and doesn’t check for regular backups of his data.

Fortunately for him, I had recently paid him a visit to talk about his website.  On this visit I performed a full backup of his system with Symantec Ghost.  I also ran a full scan with a product he insists works for him, Mcafee Security Suite 2009.  I suspect that since he is not diligent about keeping his system clean, the scan may have caused an activation of a nasty virus.   (Either that or he went to a site he didn’t want to admit about.)  Anyways,  the system became really unstable so he called me and I was able to restore his HP Media Center PC  back to factory condition.

These days, many of the top PC manufacturers (Dell, HP, Toshiba, Sony) install software into Windows PCs that allows users to either create restore CDs/DVDs or restore from a hidden partition on their system. (This saves them and the PC owners money because they don’t have to manufacture and distribute the actual CDs/DVDs.  Most people put off or just fail to create the CDs (as did John.)  So, John was lucky because he had both options on his HP.  Since he did not create the CDs, I was able to start the restore of his system to factory condition by booting the system and just pressing one key on the keyboard.  It’s nice when this works and it did, thanks HP!

And, because we had a full backup with Ghost I was able to restore all his Word and Excel documents as well as his custom application for gardeners.  John is still very much like many of you who are running small businesses and yet still struggle with todays business technology.  My advice to you is to partner up with an company or individual who dedicates themself to this.  Not some geek who does this as a part timer, or your brother, or cousin, or the kid next door… ok, ok, so the kid next door might be quite crafty!  But, in the long run if we’re talking business, then let’s just make sure the kid next door has your best interests in mind.  Does the kid worry about backups?  Does the kid understand or at least want to know about your business to serve you better?  Is the kid gonna be around when the stuff hits the fan and your business cannot run because the computer is down?

My point is, partner up with someone you trust, first of all.  Second, make sure they have a genuine interest in your needs.  That’s it.  Even if the kid doesn’t have the answer right away, if this person has an interest in helping you, in many cases this may be enough to help you get to the next step.  Sometimes the next step has to be calling a professional.  Remember, you have to pay to play in this small business world.

John is up and running again, and he promises to run the scans on his Windows PC more often.  I’ll be checking up on his backups more regularly.  The moral of this story is if you depend on your computer for anything serious, have a backup plan and a backup person in mind.  And as John says, “Don’t kill your IT Guy!”

By the way, I showed John how he could get a free version of the PC Tools Spyware Doctor from the Google Pack.

I always thought that for the most part it did not matter what brand of USB Flash Drive you purchased. Especially since I actually left one in my pants’ pocket and ran it through the washer and dryer, and it still worked!!

Ok, up until recently I was just dealing with 1GB and 2GB Flash drives. But then when I tried to use a 32GB Flash Drive from Kingston, things didn’t go so well. I happened to be working on a bootable flash drive for various hacking activities, when I realized this drive did not allow me to repartition it properly on Mac OSX, Windows, or even with a Linux Utility called GParted.

This lead me to believe that maybe not all flash drives are created equal, so if your data is really important then spend the extra money and get the best flash drive you can afford. I also confirmed this theory by trying the same tests with other drives which did not display this behavior.

Some of my favorite flash drive manufacturers are Lexar, Patriot, Corsair, Sony, and Sandisk. Middle of the pack would be flash drives from Kinsgton, and PNY. And, at the bottom of the list are Centon, the Disney Hannah Montana USB Flash Drive, and any other freebie drive that doesn’t have a manufacturer’s label on it.

More reviews on Imation Flash Drives, PQI Flash Drives, and the new series of HP USB Flash Drives after the break.

This post is from my iPhone. The WordPress client for iPhone seems convenient. Let’s see if it gets some serious use.

WordPress is an open-source blogging software project.  Many of the best blogs on the Internet are hosted on WordPress.

WordPress Dashboard

Welcome to my new WordPress Blog.  After a 3 months of trying to find the right host I have a new place to host a more sophisticated blog.

Host:  register.com

Blogging Software:  WordPress

I am so glad I made the switch to WordPress.  After trying Blogger.com, and what Apple has in iWeb and even Rapidweaver I decided to take the plunge with WordPress and see what all the hype is about.  The main thing I immediately liked about WordPress is the fact that I can edit previous posts.  It seems just about everything is customizable through a dashboard.

I think you will notice much more productivity in my blogging.  Stay tuned.

They’re finally catching on.  People are finaly taking a liking to these new portable reading devices.

Like the one from Amazon called Kindle, or the Kindle Reader.

Kindle Reader

Sony eBook Reader

Sony also has their own competing portable ebook Reader.

At this point in time it seems Amazon has the leg up on Sony since their eBook reader has a built in Wireless (with subscription) that allows users to download books just about anywhere without needing additional Wi-Fi or needing to connect it to your computer.

Ok, its official.  I think the Apple iPhone is the best Cell Phone currently in the United States Market.

iPhone Keyboard

I meet with clients almost on a daily basis to consult them on syncing important components of their information technology (IT.)  Such as contacts, calendar, e-mail, etc…

So, I get to use the latest Blackberry, and iPhone, and Treo, and Windows Mobile Smartphone.  I feel privileged. I also get to see all the problems they each have.  And, they all have problems.  But it is still a battle to see who has the best phone.

Treo vs iPhone

Treo vs Blackberry

Take the iPhone.  I have clients who do not have the best hearing anymore and they complain (as do I,) that the iPhone is not loud enough.

Now the Blackberry 8830, that phone is loud.  Nice and clear… And a lot of users really love that scroll ball.

Blackberry 8830

Blackberry Pearl

The Treo users, ahh, they love their little keyboards.  And some still cannot ween themselves from the Palm OS…die hard Palm Treo users are just as stubborn as Blackberry users.

Treo Specs

Now, the iPhone users… these are a different breed.  Affluent, Artsy, Apple Fan-People, trend-setters.  These people are either willing to push the limits of technology (because they can afford it,) or are just materialistic and have to have the latest gadget.

Most people do not even realize why these cell phones are so important, or why they are so powerful.  The Apple iPhone and Gphone from Tmobile and Google was just announced.  So now, we have another serious contender.  The Gphone runs a version of the Linux operating System developed by Google code named “Android.”

http://www.android.com/  Google’s Android Project

http://www.t-mobileg1.com/  T-Mobile’s Website for the G1

The iPhone runs a flavor of the Unix operating system developed by Apple Computers.  These are two of the most powerful operating systems for computers in existence.  This means you have power like never before, in the cell phone in your pocket.

Technology does not always work the way it is supposed to. Take it from me, I’ve been out in the field servicing Apple Mac, Microsoft Windows PCs, audio/video, gadgets, home entertainment, telephone, VOIP, cable, satellite, etc…

I have seen just about all of these technologies fail, and also have noted that manufacturer’s claims about equipment is sometimes without thorough testing. Even with thorough testing some of the technology we deal with these days is still considered cutting edge or some times as they say in my field “bleeding edge.”

Just look at how Fortune 500 companies deal with PCs that are overwhelmed with viruses and spyware, they wipe them out clean and start from scratch. There are certain technologies that are just not stable or mature enough to be thoroughly reliable.

I meet with many clients that have a belief that computers should just work and work and work like the toaster oven. Eventually, one day it just breaks and you buy a new one. But they are frustrated because they spend a considerable amount of time and money to try and make it work like the salesman or the box said it would. And guess what, it doesn’t always work the way it is supposed to. That is why you have technicians (who are sometimes like doctors.)

A doctor or technician diagnoses problems and determines if there is a faulty condition. It’s not like you are dealing with a toaster. It’s more like you are dealing with your plumbing and you need a plumber. By this time you are in over your head. Unless you have the experience and inclination to fix this yourself you need a professional.

My advice to clients is a reminder that you have to “pay to play.” This means that if you want to use this new bleeding edge technology be prepared to pay for the support costs. In this day and age it is almost inevitable. If you use this stuff you will need this or that and maybe some tech support.

If you are on a budget, then keep it simple. Or don’t buy into it at all. Believe me, you will be spending more than what you saw on the label.

Good luck. And remember, sometimes it is best to just keep it simple.

iPhone Blacklist

Finally, some really usefully iPhone Applications!

With the introduction of the “Blacklist” application for hacked iPhones, we now have a killer app (err, for some of us.)

iPhone Screen with iBlacklist

From the screenshots of iBlacklist,

you can see that we have nifty little application that can be used for personal or business needs.

iBlacklist Screen

Let’s say you have an annoying caller and you do not want to change your phone number but you wish to avoid calls from this nuisance.

If you add the to the Blacklist of Contacts in iBlacklist it will give you options to have that caller’s call receive Voicemail, a Busy Signal, or No Action.   this is great as it can put an instant stop to these calls.

iBlacklist Screen options