We are proud to announce that we have recently launched a new service designed to make our ability to support you even quicker and simpler than it has been. From the EasyTechCare web site we can now chat live online directly with you and with your permission actually take control of your mouse and guide you through an online repair or support session.
Here’s an overview of how it works. Log into to www.easytechcare.com and then click the button in the top left hand corner that reads “On-line Chat”. Using sophisticated and very secure software you will be connected live with one of our Technicians who, with your permission, is able to check and adjust your settings or even guide you through an online training session.
Things You Should Know:
As usual with EasyTechCare the service is on your terms. Remote control sessions can only occur if you request and allow it. When the session is finished we can never reconnect to you unless you log back on and request another support session. The tool uses 256 bit encryption, which is a higher level of protection than most banks use for ecommerce, so the session is extremely secure.
So, if you have any questions about your computer, our services or need support just click on the button “easyHelp” to begin a session and we’ll be there. And remember, with your membership it’s FREE. Just one more way EasyTechCare is setting the standard for convenient EASY care for its members.
Our New Look
If you haven’t been to our website in a while take a moment to stop by. In addition to the new “online chat and repair” function you will notice many changes and upgrades all designed to make your experience with us better. There’s a new look to our home page, a broader description to the range of services we can offer you and perhaps most important given that the holiday season is upon us, we have the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for you. You can now purchase a GIFT CERTIFICATE for family or friends for EasyTechCare services. Everything from prepaid memberships to affordable denomination certificates that we can customize for you. And better still, as an EasyTechCare member we’ll give you 15% off the face value of the gift certificate so that not only will it be a much appreciated gift, but will also represent great value to both you and the recipient. Just click Gift Certificate to go to our page and the rest will be EASY.
Shopping for a New Computer
Ok, so you’ve talked to your neighbour, your new-age, tech savvy niece and the IT guy at the office and now you’re more confused than ever about how to make the best choice of a computer as a gift for someone near and dear. We thought it might be helpful to share some fundamentals here and as always, should you have any additional questions please feel free to call us or use our new chat feature “easyAsk” to talk with us.
As with so many products today the sheer number of choices can be daunting so let’s start with some of the basics.
Desktop or Laptop (sometimes
called a Notebook):
The first question of course is do you want the benefits of portability? Short of saying yes to this question there is no reason to have a laptop.
With the increasing prevalence of wireless networks in homes, public places and businesses however, you don’t need to be a proverbial “road warrior” to gain the advantages of being able to use your computer anywhere, anytime. The whole notion of working away from your desk has now changed. For example, if you have a wireless network in your house and it’s a beautiful summer day, perhaps you’d like the flexibility of working outside in the garden. Or perhaps you are the consummate multi-tasker and want to watch your favourite television program while paying your bills online or surfing the net. Well then, a laptop might just be the right tool for you. One important thing to remember though is that to get roughly equivalent computing power and functionality you will pay on average a 50% premium over a similarly equipped desktop machine.
Other things to consider when thinking about laptops is that not only are they more expensive to acquire but also tend to be much more expensive to maintain and repair. Many laptop components are “proprietary” which means that if your laptop breaks, you will be required to either have it repaired by the manufacturer or at the very least source the parts, with no alternatives, from the producer.
While the reliability of computers in general has improved over the last few years, laptops still tend to “breakdown” more often than desktops. This is a function of a couple of things. First and foremost, the simple fact that they are portable means they are subjected to more stresses and secondly the miniaturization of many of the internal workings makes them more fragile.
Finally, the laptops main benefit, portability, also becomes its biggest drawback. Theft. Laptops, by virtue of their portability and their absolute value, have become a hot target for thieves and are being stolen at an alarming rate. And when your laptop is stolen you not only lose the machine itself, but also your valuable data as well.
What do I really need?
Now that you’ve made your choice between a desktop and a laptop the balance of the decisions are the same either way. There are 2 core criteria to establish for yourself before embarking on your search;
1. Set yourself a budget
2. Determine your minimum requirements
BUDGET:
Setting your budget is a bit of a “Catch 22” because until you define your requirements it’s hard to know what it will cost. Yet at the same time, asking a salesperson at the store may not be that helpful as their interest (in many cases) is to up-sell you and you may end up going home with more computer than you really need. So, decide what you’re willing to spend and then see if it’s consistent with the requirements you define in the next step.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
The key to this step is deciding what it is you want to do with your computer. Are you a basic user and just want to write letters, surf the net and exchange emails? Do you want to store pictures, add them to your letters? Do you want to track your family budget, do your taxes perhaps or be able to work on work related financial documents from home? Do you want to store and listen to music or perhaps make this the repository for your family photos? Do you want to “network” this computer with others in your house or share files and printers? Each of these decisions will impact both the power and sophistication of the machine you ultimately decide to purchase. At this stage it’s also important to understand the difference between “operating system” and hardware your computer will be based on and the “software” that you will need to purchase separately to accomplish some of these tasks.
Some Basics:
Central Processing Unit (CPU):
The core of your machine (laptop or desktop) is the Central Processing Unit (CPU). Here you will find one of a number of names that may be used in different brands. The most common are Intel/Pentium/Celeron, AMD or similar brands. Each have different performance characteristics and are directly related to the processing speed of the computer. In the laptop category “Centrino” (by Intel or the equivalent from other manufacturers) denotes that it has wireless communications capabilities as well as power saving and graphics utilities built right into the machine. In general terms the more powerful the CPU the faster your computer will be able to perform a variety of tasks.
Random Access Memory (RAM):
This is the computer’s primary work and temporary storage location and again the amount of RAM is critical to the speed and efficiency of your machine. Most computers today have newer technology call DDRAM (Dynamic Random Access) or SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access) each of which in turn allows more tasks to be performed simultaneously and at higher speeds. Today’s axiom is that you can never have enough RAM however it’s a little like buying a high powered car but driving only on city streets. In other words, do you really need that much horsepower? That said, our recommendation is a minimum of 256MB of RAM and 512 MB is preferred.
Your Hard Drive:
Following on the automotive metaphor this is your trunk. The bigger your hard drive the more storage space you will have. If you intend to use your computer to store and play music, videos and photos then a larger hard drive would be advisable. Hard drive capacity is measured today in Gigabytes (GB). It’s important to know though that the base storage of most off the shelf computers today is more than adequate for most of your needs. For example, a 4 GB hard drive can store more than 1000 songs and a 40 GB drive can hold as many as several hundred thousand normal resolution photographs and a virtually limitless supply of music.
Memory Slots & Access Ports:
Today many brands of computers take account of the fact that consumers are increasingly turning to digital cameras and other devices and then moving the “data” (pictures, music, video) onto their main computer for storage. To make this more convenient you will now often find the slots or connectors on the front of the machine as opposed to the rear. This makes access much more convenient.
CD & DVD:
These devices are what are known as Read Only Memory (ROM) players. This however can be a bit misleading today as in most cases you can also record or save information to them. Information in this case being defined as data, pictures or videos. Almost all mid range computers have CD recording (ability to save) capabilities but play only DVD capability. Higher-end products will allow you to save to both formats. One of the advantages to having the ability to save to CD’s or DVD’s is that it’s an effective way to back-up your data and protect it from loss or damage should something happen to your computer.
Monitors:
The main criteria for selecting a monitor are physical size and resolution (the ability to render more detail). If you work with graphics or enjoy graphics-intensive games, you will need a monitor with higher resolution (look for a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 75 Hz at 1,024 x 768 resolution). First, determine how big a monitor will fit on your desk. If desk space is limited, consider buying an LCD flat panel monitor. Compare features such as antiglare coating, digital controls, built-in microphone, built-in speakers or speaker mounts, USB ports and ease of adjustment. You should compare warranties and ultimately make your final decision based on display clarity in the size you want, for the price you’re willing to pay. In the final analysis the display quality of most monitors matches the price. However, if you can't see a difference between two monitors, buy the one that costs less!
Once you’ve figured all this out and know what you want to spend, should your preferred system come in under budget then the first thing we would recommend upgrading is your RAM. Many of the more sophisticated programs need lots of RAM and this will help keep you running at the optimal speed.
As always, as an EasyTechCare member, we are here to help. So, if you have any additional questions, want us to help you go and shop for your computer or want us to get it for you just call or chat with us online. Just click on our new “easyAsk” button on the website and we’ll be glad to help.
For more Tips and Help, call EasyTechCare at 416-987-EASY (3279) 
