Month: August 2009

Windows PC needing a Boost?

sick pcComputer Repair, yeah we do that. 

  • Sometimes a simple RAM upgrade is all it takes.  We only use Micron memory from Crucial.  Why-always compatible and guaranteed for life!  How much is enough?  That depends on you and your pc use.  We can make sure you have enough based on your needs and computer.
  • Is it slooooowww?  We can speed it up for you.  Optimization of your software environment is a common solution for a slow pc.  Do you really need 50 start up programs?  Probably not.
  • Bad hardware slowing you down? Sometimes a drive will slowly fail.  Memory sticks will also slowly fail and cause errors.  We have the know how and diagnostic tools to figure it out for you. 
  • Virus, spyware, trojan horse, root kit?  Oh yeah, a brand new pc will go slow with an infection.  Again we have the know how, experience, and tools to figure it out and fix it.

Computer repair, data recovery, small business IT, yeah we have been doing this for 10 years now in the Tucson, Arizona area.  If you need fast, affordable, and reliable computer repair we got you covered!

Email Services -Which should I use?

 

This blog post is in response to helping a customer of mine decide what type of email she wanted.

emailEmail is an essential business tool.  Which service is right for you?  Free or paid?  Muffy@gmail.com or j.doe@mybusiness.com? Web mail or domain email?  Which mail client should I use?  Do I really need an email client?  Help I am so confused!

Email comes in many forms both paid and free. 

Option 1: Use the email address(es) your ISP (Internet Service Provider) gives you.  JohnDoe@cox.net

Option 2: Use a free email address from google.com or yahoo.com.  johndoe@gmail.com johndoe@yahoo.com

Option 3: Use a paid email service with your own domain name. john@johndoe.com

Option 4: Your cellular service gives you an email address.  johndoe@att.net

Mail client software or webmail?

Mail client software is a program for checking email.  Outlook express (included in windows xp), Outlook (part of Microsoft Office), Windows Mail (included in Windows Vista and Windows 7),  Mail in OS X, many other minor players as well.

Webmail is simply logging in to a website to check your mail.  No client software needed.  Gmail.com is the most popular.

Which is best for you?  It depends.  Webmail is generally free, can be checked from any internet connected pc, you don’t have to back up because it is stored on a remote mail server somewhere.  Quick and Simple.  Generally, most people who are heavy email users prefer to use a mail client because it is more configurable and feature rich.  In the case of Outlook is tightly integrated to the office suite.  Mail is stored locally and is available even with no internet connection available.  Is that email important?  If so you need to be backing it up. 

Free or Paid? Again it depends on your needs.  Running a business and want to use your own domain name, that cost a little money.  You get what you pay for.  Some of the hosted email services provide really nice spam filtering, large inboxes, and the ability to send large attachments.  Paying for a service entitles you to some amount of customer service and a better quality service.  Lots of people are perfectly happy to use a free webmail service such as yahoo or gmail addresses with no problems.  Just remember you shouldn’t have any expectation of customer service or server uptime with the free accounts.

Email is a complicated topic depending on your individual or business needs.  At Computer Guy Consulting we have a lot of experience setting up various types of email for a variety of clients.  If you need small business IT support to figure this whole email thing out please feel free to contact us.  We’ll be happy to consult with you about the best email solution for your business.