Have you ever been interested in arranging your pictures to music to make a short music video, but haven't had the software, the talent, or the patience? Just the other day, a friend turned me on to this website:

Animoto

With this site, all you have to do is upload your music and your pictures, the website does all the arranging and even times the display of the pictures to match the tempo of the song you selected. This website makes making that wedding video or that montage of your newborn a snap!

Recently, a handful of our technicians have been exploring the power of Windows Media Center Extender, joining their computers and televisions to their home networks via XBOX 360 consoles. We've been really pleased with the power of this product's ability to deliver digital music, images, and recorded video stored on a PC straight to a HDTV in the middle of the family room. Check out some of the details here:

Windows Media Center Extender Website

Feel free to give us a call if you're interested in help getting this set up!

Occasionally we have customers ask us if we offer a service to convert old home movies to DVD or another digital format. In the past, we've had to turn that sort of business away, as we typically don't offer in-home computer services of this type. Today, I happened upon a solid tutorial provided by Microsoft that should be very helpful to customers interested in turning old VHS home movies into a more storable digital format:

Save your Home Movies to DVD

According to the article, you'll need to have Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate in order to make this happen.

Of all the complaints we encounter when interviewing customers that are frustrated with their technology, "this thing just isn't as fast as it it was in the past" is by far the most common conversation topic. Interestingly, I've noticed an influx of new advertisements posing as news articles with titles similar to my own for this post. Many of these advertisements will send the user to a single page advertisement made to look like an article, touting the benefits and ease of use of a single utility, typically some sort of temporary file cleaner or registry optimizer.

Unfortunately, there is no single magic product that will bring your machine back to the speed you remember the day you pulled it out of the box. Although these products have their time and place, none of them will provide the drastic performance improvement that the typical consumer hopes for at the time of software purchase, especially considering that most consumers typically resort to this sort of solution when it's already too late.

The best way to keep that machine acting like it did when you first pulled it out of the box is as follows:

1) Start Fresh: Most computers, if they're over a year old, have been heavily used, or have already been infected with a virus (whether being cleaned or not), will need to be sterilized in order to return to the good ol' days. Scheduling an appointment with a qualified technician in order to make your PC like new will get you off to the right start.
2) Secure Yourself: Install an up to date copy of a proven anti-virus/anti-spyware package. We recommend Kaspersky Anti-Virus for consumers, as it has a great track record and is leaner than most of the more popular packages, leaving more of your computer's resources available for doing what you want, rather than gobbling those resources to scan the machine.
3) Maintain: Schedule regular checkups about every 6 months to make sure that your computer is functioning optimally. Be sure to find a reputable company that charges a reasonable amount for diagnosis. Beware of companies that do not charge an up-front diagnostic fee. Remember, companies are in business to make money. If they don't charge you a diagnostic fee, chances are they're going to find something expensive that needs "fixing" in order to make a profit.
4) Get Educated: The most common reasons for return visits to customers within 6 months of a technician visit involve user actions. Whether it's ignoring the warnings from security software, installing untrustworthy programs, downloading illegal music or something similar, most of the return visits that our technicians go on within 6 months can be avoided by education. Feel free to give us a call or stop in for suggestions for the latest web resources to help you avoid these pitfalls.

With new service packs now publically available for both Windows XP and Windows Vista, I thought I'd deliver an update on our findings:

We're happy to report that we've tested both packs and would strongly recommend their installation as soon as possible, although before applying these patches, please make sure that your PC has a clean bill of health. The overall health of your PC from a virus/spyware perspective as well as the level use the machine has experienced since its last format can greatly affect your success, so please don't hesitate to schedule an appointment with a technician if you're concerned that your machine may not qualify as ready for service pack installation.

Many of our customers, now faced with purchasing a new machine, are concerned about moving to Windows Vista as new computers with Windows XP pre-loaded have become rare. Microsoft has taken steps to alleviate some of this fear on the corporate website, with a full section dedicated to training:

Microsoft's Windows Vista Help Site

This site is full of helpful tips and procedures to help enhance your experience with Windows Vista, so check it out!

With rumor of the public release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 scheduled for mid-March, many of our customers have been asking about this release, and whether now is the time they've been waiting for to purchase that new machine.

As a Microsoft Gold Certifed Partner, Vision Computer Solutions has had access to early beta releases of SP1, and will have access to the final code in the coming weeks leading up to the public release. We'll be sure to keep you updated about our findings.

For those of you that already have Vista, before applying this patch, we'd ALWAYS suggest scheduling a visit from a qualified technician to make sure that your PC is ready for this patch, as spyware and viruses (amongst other challenges) can affect your success in applying any software patch.

For over a year now, in the residential market, we've been recommending Kaspersky Anti-Virus over Norton products. We find that Kaspersky's software works just as well (if not better) and is much less of a burden on your computer from a performance perspective.

When your current anti-virus software warns you that it's time to renew, give us a call so we can recommend the best possible internet security products for your needs!

Recently, Pete Marsack, Vision's Director of Technolgy and I were interviewed as part of Robert Kachadourian's Technology series on public access cable. We should have the tape in coming weeks and plan on placing a link on our website. We covered the following topics in our interview:

Protecting your Kids from the Internet
Home Computer Repair
Michigan IT Services for Startups
Information Security

I happened upon this new Google offering today and wanted to make sure I spread the word. Google is now providing a free alternative to your 411 information service:

Google 411

This number works just like any other 411 call you're used to conducting, but it's free. Additionally, you can have the numbers you request sent to you via text message and send maps to you Internet enabled phone.

What I like about this is, you don't even necessarily need to know exactly what you're looking for, merely give Google the category of the business. I tested this from the office, input 48167 and Computer Repair, and Vision was the second company on the list!

As anyone with a child inbetween the ages of 14 and 30 knows by now, Halo 3 was released for the XBOX 360 yesterday. One of the most popular components of this game deals with online play, and in order to conduct online play, one has to connect the XBOX 360 to the Internet through a router.

Our residential technicians frequently install 3Com Wireless Routers as part of their recommendations to maximize the use of wireless networks. Depending on the date that we installed that router for your home, your router may be in need of a software update in order to work properly with XBOX Live. The appropriate files needed may be found at 3Com's Website.

Router firmware upgrades can sometimes be tricky, and if conducted improperly, may cause your router to malfunction. Vision Residential Service personnel are available to aid you with this software upgrade. Feel free to call anytime to schedule an appointment!

I thought I'd list out some of our most commonly discussed Self Help Tips, hopefully these will help you out in the future:

1) Reboot Your Machine: Over half of the support issues that Vision receives calls on can be solved by rebooting the computer.

2) Update Your Software: Software Updates don’t just solve security problems, they can oftentimes also improve performance and fix software bugs. Make sure to regularly visit the websites of your favorite software vendors to make sure that you have the latest patches for the software you use most often. For Windows and Office, be sure to check Windows Update and Office Update.

3) Keep Your Equipment Clean: Dirt and dust buildup on your computer’s fans can reduce your computer’s ability to keep cool, resulting in hardware failures. Be sure to clean these areas out with compressed air on a regular basis to help avoid costly repairs.

4) Check Your Connections: If you’ve suddenly lost the use of your keyboard, the monitor stopped working, or you can't see your iPod in iTunes, double check all of your connections. The best way to do this is shut the machine down, unplug each of your devices, and reconnect each cable to make sure you have a solid connection.

5) Backup Your Data: Have a solid plan for regular backup of critical data. Depending on how irreplaceable your pictures or other sentimental data are, consultation with a qualified technician may be needed to make sure you have a sufficient plan to safeguard these items from not only viruses, but household disasters such as fires and floods.

Hope these were helpful, and feel free to contact me with any questions!

So you've decided to purchase a new laptop for your student headed off to college. Here are some things to consider when sifting through all of the Sunday circular ads from various PC providers; please note that these suggestions are for Microsoft Windows Vista based machines:

1) Memory is King -- In order to run properly, look for a machine that has 2GB of RAM. Windows Vista will run on less, but if you’re buying new, you’ll be happier with that new machine if you pull it out of the box with the right amount of memory.

2) Video Matters – It used to be true that a computer that’s used for word processing and internet surfing didn’t need much meat in the video department. Windows Vista’s Aero interface has changed that. Look for a video card that has 256MB of video memory and you’ll be happier.

3) Protect Your Data -- Make sure that in addition to the laptop, you purchase your student some form of data backup device. There are varying strategies with regard to data backup, so if you need some guidance, feel free to get in touch with me.

4) Protect Yourself from Accidents – From the stories relayed to me by my residential technicians, I can confidently say that students and laptops don’t mix. We’ve seen laptops that have had coffee poured into them, dropped from 3rd story windows, stepped on and run over by cars. Computer companies have responded to these threats with enhanced warranty offers that include accidental damage. Laptop parts are frequently significantly more expensive than desktop computer parts, so out of warranty damage can add up fast between those parts and the accompanying labor to replace them.

5) Maintain Your Investment – Unfortunately, the pitfalls associated with college computing generally tax a machine over the school year. Be sure to establish a relationship with a reputable computer repair company to repair the software damage caused by viruses, spyware, and even through normal use if not maintained. Oftentimes, these companies can return those machines to the speed that they were at when the machine was first pulled out of the box. Computer "slowdowns" we've come to expect these days are nearly always the result of software damage, so there’s no need to throw that laptop in the garbage.

It’s still true with laptops that “you get what you pay for”, so please consider these suggestions when buying a new machine. Although following the above will rarely land you with the least expensive laptop in the store or online, following these guidelines will help you purchase a computer that should last considerably longer than one pulled out of the bargain bin.

-- Kevin.

With “Back to School” season in full swing, I thought it would be a good time to highlight some of the suggestions Vision technicians offer when asked about protecting kids from the Internet. One area that has become increasingly popular involves protecting children from themselves on the Internet.

Since in most households, the children know more about general computing than their parents, we’ve devised two strategies, backed by software, that work well to return control of the computer to parents and provide information about the browsing habits of children.

Strategy One: Proactive Blocking

This strategy uses software to block access to websites that contain adult/offensive material before children can gain access to them. With the aid of packages such as NetNanny, children are provided with a login to gain access to the Internet, and based on the permissions granted by parents, may surf the Internet without restriction until they reach a website that NetNanny has pre-screened and flagged as offensive.

Strategy Two: Monitoring by Stealth

This strategy involves the use of software that hides on the computer, monitoring its use. Software packages in this category will typically log instant messenger traffic, websites visited by children, and some will log keystrokes as well.

In homes we’ve visited, we’ve found that parents certainly have a strategy they prefer between the above two, but we haven’t seen a trend of preference between these strategies. Either route you choose, Vision is here to help you by providing services tailored to your choice and making sure your children are protected so that they can use the Internet without fear.

For additional information, please see the following links on this subject:

Microsoft’s Student Security Tips
Netsmartz Safety Tips

-- Kevin.

In order to continue to fulfill our promise of world class service to our customers, I've decided to hire an additional technician to allow Vision to react quickly to customer emergencies and address increased demand. We're looking for Michigan's best (non-nerdy) technicians.

Please feel free to apply to our Experienced Network Professional post on Monster.com at the following link:

Experienced Network Professional @ Monster.com

Alternately, please feel free to contact us with any questions.

-- Kevin.

With our new website launched, this blog will be the place to get the latest information on Vision's offerings, technology advice, and news around the Internet that we feel will be valuable to our customers.

Some of our upcoming topics include:

Changes to our residential service
Back to school computing for the '07-'08 school year
Is it time to move to Windows Vista?
Internet Safety

Check back in coming weeks for these topics and more!

-- Kevin.