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In technology terms, a life cycle is the efficient lifespan of a device.  When a life cycle is completed, it doesn’t mean that the device doesn’t work, it just means that on average, the device will cost more to maintain than to replace.  For desktop computers, this is typically about 5 years.  For a laptop …

You know that you should probably call us and order a new system, but you’re trying to stretch every penny right now.  We understand.  Here are 6 ways to make your aging Windows computer less terrible. 6. Clean up your startup queue. Programmers have large egos and expect that you will want their software running …

Google Apps – Branded E-Mail, Shareable RSS Calendars, Collaborative Document Editing, Easy Web Forms, and much more.  I finally gave in and just made this the page that opens with my browser, because I probably go there 30 times a day.  (Disclaimer: we resell Google Apps.) Evernote – Whether you’re using a smartphone, a web …

A router is an amazing device, often combining a radio transceiver, a wireless access point, a data encryption service, a router, a web server for administration, a basic firewall, a DNS server, a DHCP server, a 4 port switch, and a gateway into a tiny box powered by primitive hardware that costs a few cents …

How many times a day do you type a password?  Whether it’s an ATM transaction, your e-mail, your Facebook account, or your laptop, the answer is probably dozens of times a day, hundreds of times a week.  In our line of work, we might actually have thousands of logins in a one week time span. …

Twitter has risen to second place among social networks with monthly growth estimated at over 1,000 percent.  According to Wikipedia, there are an estimated 6 million people using it on a regular basis, and that number grows every day.  We aren’t sure when Twitter crossed the line from geek toy to mainstream tool, but we …

Last week, at least three people asked me to recommend a good laptop for under $400.  My response? “At that price, they’re all pretty much junk.  Just buy the junk you like the best.” In all seriousness, there are some computers being sold today that are downright disposable.  I was recently tempted to buy a …

There is a battle being fought for the personal computer market.  Kylie and Justin have been competing for the hearts and minds of ordinary Americans who want to get things done and interact with the world in a meaningful way. The good news is that anyone can build a Windows computer, in fact you can …

The word “cryptography” may evoke images of Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind, trying to find Russian spies lurking in the classified ads, or perhaps you think of little Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story who diligently decrypted Little Orphan Annie’s impassioned plea to “drink more Ovaltine”. In today’s information systems, cryptography plays a role …

Hello up there.  It’s me, that key you never use.  I’ve got great placement between Ctrl and Alt, but you never press me.  I may look like a crooked flag, or a foursquare court drawn by someone Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but I’m about to change your life.  Truth is, your left hand has …