John M Blog

The beginning of a New Year!

Posted on 01/05/2013 by Admin

Well we all survived all the doom and gloom and of course and the end of the Earth as we know it. For many of us it means the new beginning or change in our life style such as losing weight or getting a better job. Hopefully this year will be your year to achieve that new goal or change you are seeking in your life.

So as we go forward what do you think will be the major Technical innovation this coming year? Do you think that Cloud services will be more of the innovation leader for many businesses? Or do you believe that other major innovations such as Windows 8 will become the leading software system for many computer systems or will Google with its new Chrome OS and cloud services become more or a threat to existing Windows based systems. Let hear where you think we are heading in 2013 for tech or other major changes.

Other possible tech hardware might later this year which is the release of the new Xbox system or PS3 system and maybe even the Wii might surprise be a surprise since all these gaming systems are now near or over 5 years old since released.

Of course there could be other major innovations this year that aren’t tech related. If you think that those new innovation’s will be coming out this year let’s hear what they might be and why you think they will be the next big innovation or other major changes.

There might be no really clear answer and things might just stay the same with some minor innovations to the existing to existing hardware.

What to do if your Christmas electronics don’t work?

Posted on 12/29/2012 by Admin

Well Christmas is over and hopefully everyone had a good holiday this season and you got the toys you requested from Santa. But if you got that great new tablet PC or other electronic device and that did not work error for you Christmas day does it automatically mean you need to return for another one not necessary.

Before you go through the steps of returning your device make sure to read through the directions / manual. In some case you might find a quick solution to the issue on why the device is not working properly. In most cases devices with rechargeable battery require a fully charge usually overnight will do the trick so one thing I recommend before you starting using your new electronics device is let it charge overnight. Of course if the for some reason the device does not charge at all then automatically I would return it to the store or online vendor for a replacement.

Another thing to check is does the device even have a battery or there something blocking the battery like an insulated piece of paper / plastic. In some new electronics these days they insert a piece of insulated paper / plastic that is exposed and to be taken off prior to charging or powering up the device. I have seen where this material when it is pulled off that pieces can be ripped off and left behind that continue to block the battery contacts. The easy way to correct this is to pull off the battery cover in some cases you might have to remove a screw and in other cases you may not have any access to the battery if that’s the case again I would return it to the vendor.

If your device gives you an error code then in the directions or manual it should tell you what that error indicates. In some case you might be able to correct by simply following the instructions but if it gets too involved or you have replace the battery. In some cases you might actually need to buy the battery separately the same can go for memory cards although most devices come with these items already installed it should be indicated on the box or in the manual what you get with your new electronics.

Some quick notes about returning your electronic devices in most cases there is no charge except for possible shipping cost for online vendors. In most cases vendors will do exchanges and refunds with no extra charges however there are some vendors that charge a restocking fee if you request a full refund instead of a replacement for the faulty device so check with the retailer you deal with prior to requesting full refunds. Another note is not to wait too long to make your return in some cases you have a limited amount of time to return the item in most cases it is 15 to 30 days but can vary depending on the retailer.

The last note is that some vendors will require that they troubleshoot the device with you prior to having it returned. Also make sure you put everything back into the package some vendors will not except returns that are missing items.

Best tech for the holiday gifts

Posted on 12/04/2012 by Admin

If you don’t realize it yet there are now less than 20 days before Christmas and if you’re still out shopping for someone and want to buy one of the new Tech items available this year you have lots of options. The one thing I did this year was to make a list and put gift ideas next to each person name and of course I based the gift around what that person wanted, could use or needed.

So here are some quick Tech gifts that could help you in your search. One of the newest tech devices that you can buy right now are the new Windows 8 based tablets, laptops along with cell phones. Although Windows 8 was released a little over a month ago it does offer some very nice features and improvement over other Windows operating systems plus you can transfer over your data from your other Windows based system for easy access. So you don’t have to worry about converting any data since your using a compatible Operating system if you’re using Windows. The new Microsoft clicks along with other systems are using Windows 8 and very nice gift ideas.

Another option is the Google chrome systems which offer affordable laptops setup with Google Chrome OS and many Google feature products. There are currently 2 laptops available a Samsung plus Acer model. The new Google Chrome OS platform is the newest one to hit the market and is based around Cloud base services that Google offers. The laptops are 12” based display but there is a larger model available for extra cost. So if you have someone on your list that uses Google for more than a search engine and emails than this could be a great gift. The base price for the 12” laptops start at $199 Acer and $250 Samsung. I will write more about the new Google chrome OS in this blog.

A cellphone could be another nice option since you can find many nice choices from the new IPhone 5 to the same Samsung Galaxy. The only thing about buying a cell phone is that you have to be aware of which carrier the person is currently using and any contract that they might be involved in since many cell phone deals require a contract of some time to get that deal. Now if this is for your kids then it might be best to have them on the same plan as you but you might want to check the rates not only for calling but for Texting some vendor’s offers different deals for making calls vs. using text and you might find better deals then the plan you’re currently using.

Of course there is the standard gaming systems like Xbox, PlayStation and Wii are available with many different deals however all these systems have been out now for over 4 years and I know that newer versions of these gaming system will be coming out in the next year or two which depends on the manufactures release date but I know these systems are currently in development which is one of the reason why I am not recommending the purchase of the existing gaming systems unless you are replacing a gaming box that is broken or buying one that is loaded with games for the first time but just remember most likely you will be replacing it within the next few years but until then you can enjoy the play time from it. Of course if the person you know has one you can just buy them some new games if you know what they like to play in terms of games. Most new games run around $60.00 dollars and older ones will vary depending on popularity and how long the game has been on the market.

So take the time and make a list it might just help you this holiday season and make it easier to give a Tech gift to those family members on your list that you’re still shopping for even though time is running out.