Got a desk? Is it a good one? Sam went to OfficeMax to check out some of their goodies to help with proper ergonomics for your desk and what’s on it. Ergonomics 101 Ergonomics? What’s that? Its helping you not hurt and get achy after being at the computer all day! https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-ergonomics/art-20046169 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/standing-workstation/art-20088544 https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-set-up-an-ergonomic-workstation
macOS 11 Big Sur! Ready to upgrade? Don’t! (11/14/20 Part 2)
macOS 11 is out! Its Big Sur! Ready for it? Don’t do it! OS11 – Wait a bit We talk a little about what’s new, but the trick with the latest and greatest is it comes with new problems. And really, that’s ALL new updates for Windows, Android, etc. There’s no harm in waiting for those to get ironed out, right? https://support.apple.com/mac-backup https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/macos-11-0-big-sur-the-ars-technica-review/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/macos-big-sur-launch-appears-to-cause-temporary-slowdown-in-even-non-big-sur-macs/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-office-will-be-about-20-second-slower-initially-on-apple-silicon-rosetta-2/ https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/macos-big-sur.html
Consumers rejoice! Intel loses the crown! (11/7/20 Part 1)
AMD’s new Ryzen 5000 series is out and its finally toppled Intel for performance. Even if you only like and buy Intel, this is great news. Why? Because competition is good. Chip Wars Resume! And right now Intel has no choice but to really buckle down and come up with a response. If you want some deeper reviews, we got them for you right here! https://www.anandtech.com/show/16214/amd-zen-3-ryzen-deep-dive-review-5950x-5900x-5800x-and-5700x-tested https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/hands-on-zen-3-testing-with-amds-ryzen-9-5900x-and-5950x/ https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-ryzen-9-5950x-5900x-zen-3-review Too much to read? Have a video as well!
Its electric! Boogie-woogie-woogie-woo! (11/7/20 Part 2)
Electricity is part of our daily life. Your refrigerator, lights, tv, computers, etc., all depend on it! Electricity! Jonathan had some excitement this past week, and he felt it best to share! Especially since we’re getting into rainy season! https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/customer-service https://computer.howstuffworks.com/question28.htm https://pvl.ehawaii.gov/pvlsearch/ UPS Power Calculators https://www.apc.com/shop/us/en/tools/ups_selector https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/tools/ups-selector/
Hospitals and scumbag hackers. There, we said it. (10/31/20 Part 2)
Scumbag jerky hackers and ransom-ware. We hates them. Hostageware on the rise And yet, they don’t go away! So, what happened this time? https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/10/us-government-warns-of-imminent-ransomware-attacks-against-hospitals/ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hospitals-being-hit-in-coordinated-targeted-ransomware-attack-from-russian-speaking-criminals/ar-BB1auEpi?ocid=uxbndlbing https://www.zdnet.com/article/first-death-reported-following-a-ransomware-attack-on-a-german-hospital/ Also, if you saw the lights in the Maui sky the other night but don’t know what they were? https://mauinow.com/2020/10/25/cluster-of-mysterious-lights-observed-across-maui/
Roll them dice, and I get the dog. Monopoly time! (10/10/20 Part 1)
Its Monopoly time! Google, Amazon, and Apple have been said to have abused their monopolies in their various spheres of influence. Tech Monopolies! Now who says it? The House! So, lets talk about that… https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/10/house-amazon-facebook-apple-google-have-monopoly-power-should-be-split/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/10/microsoft-thumbs-its-nose-at-apple-with-new-app-fairness-policy/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/10/08/app-store-fairness-caf-interoperability-principles/ https://9to5mac.com/2019/03/06/microsoft-store-revenue-share/
Keyboards 101! Don’t cheap out! (9/19/20 Part 1)
People spend tons of time and money for new computer hardware: fast processors, tons of RAM, and big hard-drives, but they don’t often think about the humble keyboard. Well, that’s the topic for today! Keyboards 101! While Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about that, here’s some questions to ask yourself if you’re looking for a new one for yourself: Wired or Wireless? USB keyboards are trusty and reliable, especially if your computer is somewhere that isn’t wireless friendly (like under your desk). However, cables can get pulled, yanked, plugs damaged and more. Wireless keyboards often use Bluetooth (although Logitech has their own special kind). These are nice, but do keep in mind you’ll need to keep batteries around, check them periodically (sometimes they corrode inside the keyboard), and make sure that it will actually work with your setup. Wireless signals can be blocked by thick wood, metal, and other things. Membrane versus Mechanical Membranes are lighter and inexpensive, but as they age the membrane can get stiff or mushy making typing difficult and unpleasant. Mechanical are heavy, providing a very satisfying typing experience. Many professional writers love these! However, they can be loud, plus are usually on the expensive side. Some of the nicer ones can be disassembled for cleaning or replacing mechanical switches. Traditional layout and Ergonomic Traditional keyboards are fine for many people. This is what almost every computer comes with, and what you’d learn how to type on in school. Ergonomic keyboards comes in many shapes, but they are meant to help with …
The Great Computer Drought of 2020! (9/12/20 Part 1)
Are you looking for a new computer? Where are all the PCs? Oh dear, its sort of a tough time for that. Since the start of the pandemic and the advent of everyone doing everything from home? Computers are in short supply! So, what are you options? What’s the hold-up? We talk about that and more! Jonathan’s tips: Check out the big companies like Dell, HP, etc. Sign up for an account before you’re ready to buy! Be willing to go up. Better to over buy a little than to under buy. Check the websites, newsletters, etc. Companies do have refurbished machines! Check around from them. Ask about return policies ahead of time.
Cloud Storage 101! (9/12/20 Part 2)
OneDrive, GoogleDrive, DropBox, iCloud… good grief! What’s all this cloud storage stuff? We talk about that and more this hour! Cloud Storage 101 Read more at https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-cloud-storage-and-file-sharing-services
More Home Schooling Computer Lab! (8/16/20 Part 2)
Continuing on with our home schooling and computers! Distance Learning Peripherals You can find computers, printer/scanners, and more at our friendly local OfficeMax/OfficeDepot! Be sure to tell them that Q&A sent you!