Bill Cuttino - Cloud Architect / Network Engineer

What's on TV tonight?

2012-01-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

Over the past several weeks, I thought about all the nostalgic and new TV specials that were available to watch this year. In the old days it was common to use VHS tapes to capture these special memories but today there are many more options. One option that I particularly enjoy is called Windows Media Center. This program is included in many versions of Windows 7 and with a TV tuner card attached to a computer; it is as simple as selecting the program to record and then viewing it later.

There are many stores that sell USB TV tuner cards that will record in high definition (HD) and some people even watch the free HD channels that are broadcast through the air which are captured by an external antenna. However the TV stations are received, the programs can be saved to your computer and viewed on a laptop, through an Xbox 360 game console or directly on your main TV. By using the Media Center interface it is also possible to listen to music, watch internet television and view your own pictures in a musical montage.

There are so many other options available to view and record TV shows but Windows Media Center sometimes gets overlooked. That is why it is worth checking out on a new Windows 7 PC.

The Cloud and IMAP

2011-11-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

In the early days of email, it was normal to check your email on one device which was usually a home computer. Today, many people have two or more devices that handle email. With multiple devices, it is imperative that the email on every device be setup with IMAP. IMAP will keep all email in sync so that all inbox, sent items and deleted items will be the same throughout all devices. There are still certain email providers which do not offer IMAP so in that case it is best to forward email from those providers to a provider that offers IMAP.

In addition, there are also many new cloud services that offer the additional option to sync contacts, calendars, internet favorites, documents, photos and music. These services allow for everything that was once local to be hosted away from a central computer where everything becomes available everywhere on every computing device.

There is an App for That

2011-08-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

Apps (short for applications) have sprung up all over electronic gadgets. From pads to phones to web browsers to tv and blue-ray players they are everywhere. Many new computer operating systems have an app store. Having an app store is one way to install programs without physical media and are useful in locating websites that are interactive.

There will continue to be computers but the goal of the tech industry is to setup cloud based servers where apps can control the program from any device anywhere in the world.

For a way to see apps in action use chrome instead of your normal web browser and locate several apps from the Google app store (https://chrome.google.com/webstore)
then see how using a web browser is as simple as clicking on apps instead of web browsing or program searching.

Applications installation in a snap

2011-07-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

When upgrading or purchasing a new computer or operating system, one of the most difficult steps is to install all the custom applications. Now there is a web site called http://ninite.com/ which allows each application to be checked off and then the latest version of the application will be installed all at one time. This is a quick and easy way to start the installation of applications without trying to find the exact download location of each file.

Remote Access and Troubleshooting

2011-06-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

In today's society of being virtually anywhere, there is a program that helps to keep us connected to where important information is stored. That product is called Logmein which can be found at http://www.logmein.com

This product can be used for remote troubleshooting or remote access to any file even using tablets and phones. It is useful to help other friends and family members "see" what is going on without being there in person.

Email Address That Never Changes

2011-04-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

So often, I hear of friends and colleges who are forced into moving their email address due to a change in their internet service provider or who are not happy with the security of their internet/email provider. I would suggest to them to create a domain for around $50.00/yr so that they have full control over their email.

This does not mean that they have to create a website for themselves but rather have a secure place for them to store their emails and files for life. Some of the best providers of a domain are Hostgator and NTT/Verio.

If paying for your email is not practical there are other services such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo who offer free email without a cost.

Windows Programs to Protect your Computer

2011-03-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

One of the most frequently asked questions is what Windows software is best to use on a new computer. It is important to have antivirus/antispyware, malware protection and a cleaner. Below are the recommended links.

Microsoft Security Essentials for home and small business
Download

MalwareBytes
Download

CCleaner
Download

The Hidden Program - Malicious Removal Tool

2010-06-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

In terms of security, Microsoft offers the free antivirus and anti spyware program called Microsoft Security Essentials to all Windows users. In addition to this program there is another hidden program called the Malicious Software Removal Tool which can be accessed from any Windows computer by typing mrt in the run command. This tool updates each month through the Windows update services. Each month this tool runs very briefly but it is helpful to run the Malicious Software Removal Tool manually each month as well.

SkyDrive

2010-05-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

There is a service that Microsoft has provided to all computer users that allows you to have 25 GB of free storage that can be used to backup and store documents, pictures, music, etc. It also integrates with the new Office 2010 by creating a network drive that can be used to store documents online. Check it out at http://skydrive.live.com.

Microsoft Office 2010

2010-04-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

In the coming weeks, Microsoft will be releasing Offfice 2010 which means that if you have bought Office 2007 any time from March 5th, 2010 until Office 2010 come out, you are eligible for a free upgrade. It does not matter which version of Office 2007 you have purchased, there will be a free compatible upgrade to Office 2010. So if you are still using older versions of Office, now would be a great time to purchase Office 2007 and receive the free upgrade.

Google Internet Trial

2010-02-27T19:45:00.000-08:00

There is news of a limited fiber network that will be coming out to a select few areas of the United States that will bring about up to 1GBps internet speeds. Google is the company providing this service and the official site is located at: http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi. Currently the fastest internet in most areas is 50MBps but this service can be unreliable. The reason that the T1 connection has been so widely used at 1.5 MBps is because a T1 circuit does not fluxuate like cable internet.

Windows 7 release dates

2009-06-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

From this point forward, several computer manufactures such as HP and Sony are offering a free upgrade to Windows 7 when you purchase a new Windows XP/Vista computer from July 26th to the release date of October 22nd 2009.

Windows 7 is expected to ship in several flavors and if you choose to upgrade to a higher version all that needs to be done is to enter the license number and the additional features will be downloaded and installed automatically. It will be exciting to see the way that Windows 7 will integrate with Windows server 2008 R2.

Windows XP to Windows7 Migration

2009-04-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

The newest Windows operating system is coming out soon so in order to be prepared for the upgrade there has been a video produced that walks a user through the conversion process which uses the user state migration tool.

Some others have said that unless you have Windows Vista, it is best to backup all your data and do a clean Windows 7 install. It would be great to hear any feedback on your upgrade process.

Check out the video at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd671583.aspx

Live Mesh

2009-03-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

Everyone is always on the go. When you are on the go the last thing you need is to forget a contact or document or phone number. This can all be solved by using a service called Live Mesh from Microsoft. This free 5 GB of storage allows you to upload phone numbers from your cell phone, upload email contacts and access documents on your computer from any Internet connected device. It works with Mac computers, iPhone, cell phones, PC computers.

Check it out at https://www.mesh.com/Welcome/default.aspx

News and updates

2009-02-20T13:22:00.000-08:00

Today I am starting up this blog to update you on computer news from around the world and to discover new software that will be useful for your home or small business. I invite you to check back every week and to contribute to the discussion.