Computer News: Shipments Down, Lenovo Up

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

As an ISP, we know our customers need computers to take advantage of the Internet access we offer. So we keep an eye on the computer industry, and know many of our customers do to. After all, a good computer can help you have a good Internet experience.

Just yesterday the research firm Gartner released a preliminary report about the PC industry for the third quarter of 2012.

The report showed worldwide PC shipments down over 8% compared with one year ago. In the U.S., shipments were down even more, with a decline of almost 14%. Analysts think that the coming release of Windows 8 contributed to the decline since many consumers may be waiting to buy computers after the release.

The other headline news for the computer industry was that long-time PC sales leader HP looks like it will be edged out of that position for the first time since 2006. The new #1 is projected to be Lenovo with 15.7% of the worldwide PC market compared to 15.5% for HP. Dell, Acer, and ASUS round out the top 5 for worldwide sales.

In the U.S., HP remained #1 and Lenovo was 4th in shipments. Here’s the U.S. top 5 with links to deals on laptops for each brand on myEarthLink:

1. HP
2. Dell
3. Apple
4. Lenovo
5. Acer

If you’re not yet ready to buy a new computer, remember you can still optimize your old PC for greater speed and performance.

New Products from Apple & Microsoft In the News

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

The two iconic companies that have long represented the personal computer industry to most consumers – Microsoft and Apple – have been making big news in the past couple of weeks, with major computer and mobile product announcements and updates. Lets take a look at what’s new and what it means for you.

Apple – New Laptops, OS X, iOS

New Mac Products Unveiled

On June 11, Apple announced updates across its line of laptops. Updates to the base Macbook Pro and Macbook Air were considered good but relatively minor. Most notably, they all got bumped up to the new third-generation Intel “Ivy Bridge” Core processors, which deliver improvements in computer speed, battery life, and graphics performance. The biggest news, however, was the introduction of the very expensive (but some say worth every penny ) Macbook Pro with Retina Display. The laptop is considerably thinner and lighter than other Macbooks (not called Air), but the headline new feature is the high-resolution 2,880×1,800 pixel “retina” display found on the latest iPads.

Read CNET’s reviews of the new Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, and Macbook Pro with Retina Display.

If you’re looking to purchase an Apple computer, prices have already gone down for the previous generation. Here’s a CNET article on how to get the best deal on a previous-generation Macbook.

Deals on the next-gen computers may take a while to materialize.

Apple also announced the July release of its next OS X operating system, called Mountain Lion (continuing Apple’s big-cat naming convention). The new OS is supposed to be more intuitive, operating more like an iPhone. It will also have much better social network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) integration, increased iCloud online storage integration (allowing you to seamlessly sync information from computer to phone or tablet), enhanced type-as-you-talk dictation capabilities, and other new features and enhancements. The new OS X will be available for download at $19.99 (or free if you buy a Mac between now and the July release).

Details were also confirmed about Apple’s fall release of iOS 6 for iPhones and iPads. The new mobile OS will boast many improvements to Siri (including iPad support and integration in some cars), greater Facebook integration, a totally new 3-D maps app with turn-by-turn navigation, FaceTime calls over cell networks (not just Wi-Fi), game and photo enhancements, and more. Read all about the coming new iOS 6 here.

Microsoft – New Tablet/Laptop, New Mobile OS

New Microsoft Surface tablet

This Monday, Microsoft did something it had never done before: it showcased a Microsoft branded computer, a versatile tablet called the Surface. On the surface, the Surface may look a bit like the market leader, the iPad. It is similar in size and weight. But a couple of things make the Surface stand out: it has a built-in stand and a cover that converts into a keyboard. The two features – plus the fact that it will run full productivity tools like Microsoft Office – position the Surface more as a laptop replacement than other tablets. The new Microsoft product is expected to launch along with the new Windows 8 operating system later in the year. Read a review of the Surface by the Wall Street Journal.

And just yesterday, Microsoft a new version of its Windows Phone OS for mobile devices: Windows Phone 8. The new mobile phone OS is expected to give Microsoft a better chance to compete against rivals Android and Apple in the red-hot mobile device marketplace. The new OS is expected to be both more robust and intuitive to use, with attractive features like Live Tiles, which automatically update various kinds of information based on user customization. Another headline feature is a new mobile wallet app that will let users pay for things with their phones and also track and use coupons, loyalty cards, and other shopping information.

While these next-gen phones are getting good initial reviews, they do present one big problem: the current Windows 7 phones will not be able to be upgraded to Windows 8 when it comes out. So if you think you might want a Windows phone, you should probably wait until later in the year when Windows Phone 8 comes out.

Protecting Your Privacy…While You’re Traveling

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

We recently posted 5 privacy tips to help you prepare to travel safely. As we promised, here are 5 more tips to help you protect your privacy while you’re away from home with all your tech gadgets. So you can enjoy your trip and minimize the risks of theft or identity theft.

1. Watch What You Post to Social Media: Just as we warned you about broadcasting your absence before you leave home, you also have to be careful while you are away. Posting vacation photos in real time and talking up the great vacation you’re on right now is fun…but it means the bad guys could know your home is vacant.

2. Look for Secure Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi Internet access is your friend when you’re on the road, but unsecured Wi-Fi at coffee shops or hotels can be your enemy. Wi-Fi hotspots are more secure if they are password protected; if the one you just hopped on didn’t require a password, then virtually anybody could be on it with you. And no matter what kind of Wi-Fi network you are on, don’t sign in to any online accounts or enter credit card or other financial information unless you see that the URL of the website you are using begins with https. The added s means secure. With https the information you enter will be encrypted for your safety.

3. Use Extra Caution with Public Computers: If you are using a public computer (i.e., not your laptop in public) that other people will use, make sure the sign in screen for any online account you access isn’t set to save your username and password. And be extra careful to sign out of any account you use (don’t just close the browser window). You should also see if your web browser has a Private Browsing mode you can activate, so it won’t store your auto-fill information and other users who follow you can’t see your browser history. Most new browsers do have this privacy option (click through the browser menus to find it; it’s in different places on different browsers).

4. Look Out For Your Laptop: Staying in a hotel? Store your laptop in the room safe or main hotel safe if there is one. Or use a lock that can attach to the lock port found on most newer laptops to secure your laptop to the desk. Whether you have a lock or not, you should also lock your laptop’s screen when you are not using it. On Windows computers you can press the Windows key and the L key.

5. Check Your Financial Accounts: If you have your laptop, iPad or another device you can use securely, you may want to regularly sign in to check your credit card and bank account activity while you’re away. Look for any charges or changes that look suspicious (e.g., money going out of your bank account or purchases back home during the time you’ve been away).

Have a good safe time on your next trip!

Protecting Your Privacy…Before You Travel

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

Going somewhere?

Whenever you do travel, chances are you’ll be taking some technology with you to make life away from home easier and to help you stay connected. But both traveling and technology have risks associated with them, including privacy risks.

In this post, we’ll discuss some of the most common privacy risks and ways you can help protect yourself before you leave. Then you can read our part-2 post with tips to protect your privacy while you’re traveling.

Tech Tips to Prepare You to Travel Safely

1. Watch What You Say on Social Media: It’s vacation time! So you may be tempted to blast out to all your friends and followers that you’re heading out of town… but think again. Unless you have a restricted network that includes only close friends and family, posting an “I’m out of the country for 2 weeks” message on Facebook and Twitter can be an open invitation for someone to try to break into your empty home.

2. Decide What’s Truly Essential: If you don’t really need to bring a laptop, don’t. Not only do you risk losing these important items on the road, but the sensitive personal information they contain is more vulnerable out in public. And if you are travelling internationally, it is possible you may encounter border crossings where your computer is actually searched.

3. Password-Protect or Encrypt All Devices with Personal Information: As noted above, information on your devices is at more risk when you are on the road. So plan ahead. Before you go, make sure the devices themselves are password-protected, with more than the easiest-to-guess passwords. You may also want to encrypt folders or drives on your laptop that have particularly sensitive information, such as medical or financial documents.

4. Back Up Your Data: It’s smart to back up your computer all the time, but travelling should give you extra incentive. Losing your laptop and having to replace it is bad enough. Losing all your data and not being able to replace it can be catastrophic. You can back up your laptop to an external hard drive at home, or use a convenient online service such as EarthLink Online Backup to back up multiple devices and have remote access to all your files.

5. Set up Tracking on Your Devices: Should your phone, tablet, or laptop unfortunately disappear, you’ll be more secure if you have previously installed security software to track it down and wipe sensitive information remotely if necessary. iPhone, iPad, and Mac users should make sure they have the free Find My iPhone app installed and set up. There’s a link to setup instructions from the login screen of the app on iPhone and iPad. On your Mac, go to System Preferences, click iCloud, then click the Find My Mac checkbox and confirm you want to track your Mac. Android users have several free options including Norton Mobile Security with the Norton Anti-Theft Plug-In and Webroot SecureAnywhere Mobile. For PC laptop tracking, Prey is a free, open-source option. Lojack for Laptops theft recovery software offers subscriptions starting at $30/year (as of 2/15/12).

Be smart about your privacy. And bon voyage!