September 5, 2007 by AC.

There are a lot of social networking sites online.  Myspace and Facebook being two of the most popular.  In the last year tons of social sites have popped up online - many with a specific focus or target audience.  I get the concepts of Myspace and Facebook and like using both.  It helps me keep in touch with friends and relatives and is very interactive.  Adding photos, blogs and posting comments to pages is fun.  Reconnecting with old friends is a blast.  Having another means to communicate is useful.

One site I do not understand is Twitter.  This is not to say the site is not appealing to its users - I seem to see more and more people talking about Twitter online.  I am also seeing lots of sites that link to and from Twitter and help you update or send your content to other sites, phones, etc.

But I still don’t get the appeal.  Twitter is a very focused social network site.  Like Myspace and Facebook it is free and you can build up a group of “friends” both people you know and those you meet online.  Where it differs, and it does differ greatly is that users post quick blurbs about what they are doing at any given moment.  I guess the best way to sum it up is that  Twitter is a mini-blog of sorts where you post a quick one or two sentence blurb about something you are doing like washing the dishes or fixing a PC.  Your friends list are “followers” - people who follow your “Tweets” (Twitter entries) and people you follow.  You can also mark favorite entries.

I still don’t get it.  Aside from the voyeuristic thrill of seeing what your friends may be doing at any given moment (great for stalkers too) what exactly makes Twitter so useful and appealing?  I am curious to hear comments from people (pro and con) about their thoughts on Twitter. 

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September 5, 2007 by AC.

Looking for links to computer/tech resources or sites to help you do things yourself?  Take a look at the links page on the ACE Computer Blog and also over at ACE Computer Services.  Looking for something not listed here or have a suggestion on links we should provide - feel free to comment with any link requests or suggestions.

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September 5, 2007 by AC.

A little while back I wrote a blog about upgrading an existing PC or buying a new one.  The dilemma still comes up frequently with customers so I thought it may be wise to update that blog and repost it here.

I get a lot of questions from potential customers about motherboard and/or processor replacements, especially on older machines, and I always  bring up the question of whether it is worth fixing/upgrading an old computer or getting a new machine.  With new PC & laptop prices starting under $500 the argument for a new machine can be made easily.

From experience I think you can get five good years on average out of a PC or laptop.  That is not to say you cannot get more, or that you may get less, but five is a good average.  Before the five year mark I would be willing to spend more to fix a machine, but nothing beyond reason.  A new PC purchase is always an option and you should go with a 3-year warranty at the least from any vendor.  Near or beyond the five year mark I would spend very little to repair or upgrade a machine.

Some examples - I have never been a fan of motherboard replacements and see little value given the high cost usually involved.  That is not to say I have not replaced a motherboard or two.  Generally it has been within the warranty period and the parts came at no cost.  Paying for this replacement is very expensive.  Unless you find a cheap and reliable used part on eBay or something similar I would advise against this fix/upgrade.

Ditto a processor replacement or upgrade.  It is also expensive and only gives you a modest bump in performance given that your other parts inside the computer may be a few years old.

Some items worth fixing or upgrading?  One easy one are fans, which are prone to problems but relatively cheap.  Hard drives are worth replacing because costs are low and upgrading or adding a new internal hard drive is always a solid option if you need more storage space.  Hard drives are also prone to damage and failure late in life of a PC, so having a backup hard drive or external hard drive is a must for older machines.  Adding RAM is helpful, especially near the 3rd & 4th year of a machines life.  You can get a little extra performance out of some additional RAM and costs are modest.  Certainly keyboards and attached devices are worth replacing if they go bad and this includes a laptop keyboard which can usually be replaced for under $150.

If total costs creep up near $500 you need to consider the new machine.  The benefit of a new system, with a faster processor, more RAM and fresh hard drive are too good to pass up for an aging system.

I’ve been getting a lot of laptop repair requests that fall into this consideration as well.  The same rules apply with a laptop - motherboards and processors are expensive fixes.  Another item not worth fixing for an aging machine - the display.  I get a bunch of calls about replacing a cracked or damaged laptop display.  Nearly every one of these quotes runs $300 to $400 with much of the cost being the part involved.  Save yourself the money and either get a new laptop or hook an external monitor up to your laptop to keep using that system.

Just like the desktop there are plenty of things to update, repair or upgrade on a laptop.  RAM is an easy addition.  A new hard drive is a worthy investment if size is an issue or the original dies on you.  Battery replacements and AC adapters are easy to come by, although some batteries can be pricey.  I have also repaired and replaced optical drives but I do advise customers to consider an external unit if the internal unit fails.  Yes, it limits some of the portability of the laptop but it is a smart investment for an aging machine as you can take that external drive to a new laptop or desktop when you finally retire your older system.

Thanks for reading!

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September 5, 2007 by AC.

Why So Many Want to Create Facebook Applications - It does seem like the bandwagon everyone is jumping on right now.

NBC says goodbye to Apple, hello to Amazon - I would have stuck with Apple here, Amazon just does not cut it.

Google Mobile gets gadgets - Not as robust as a desktop or laptop experience, but very useful on a handheld.

China hosts almost half of all malware sites - Dog Food, Toys, Fish and now this….bad year for China.

The Music Man- I love Rick Rubin, I mean he kick started Def Jam and the Beastie Boys but the iPod obsolete? Bro, you are waaaaaayyy off.

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