Southern Nevada Computer Solutions

Quickbooks 2009 R9 Patch

PC Guru — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:15:23 +0000

If you’re running Windows 7 and Quickbooks 2009, do not install the R9 patch if it asks you to do so. It will break the PDF converter. This means that will no longer be able to sent invoices, statements, or reports in email. Also, there is some sort of issue with Sales Tax reporting in it as well. If you’re on Windows XP, everything appears to be O.K. Not sure about Vista, though.

The Motorolla Droid Really Does?

PC Guru — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:15:22 +0000

The newest member of the Android family is Verizon’s new Motorolla Droid. As far as the Google line goes, this is now the biggest and baddest kid on the block with it’s HUGE screen, dual-processors, and sleek looks. At first, I was a little sceptical about this phone, but I’m a long-time Windows Mobile user, too… so I’m used to being let down and having to mod my equipment to get it to work (sort of). However, after running this phone through the gauntlet the last week or so, I am actually amazed at how good this device is. The Droid really does! But the real question is how it compares to Apple’s I-Phone. Whether you like Apple or not, you have to admit that the I-Phone is a great product.

I’ve played with both devices quite a bit, so here’s a quick run-down of what I think. Ready? Here we go:

Android’s screen is better/bigger/clearer while Apple’s multi-touch works better. (Adv. Android). Android’s battery life, while very respectable, is quite bit shorter than Apples.. However, it is removable. (Adv. Push). Android’s Calender app is better than that of Apple and also has better support for meeting invitations. Can also be wirelessly synced with with Outlook for no subscription fee. (Adv. Android). Android’s app marketplace has tons of downloads in it, many of which are free, while Apple has every app you could ever think of. (Adv. Apple). Android’s interface is all customizable with widgets, backgrounds, app shortcuts, etc., while Apple’s is more simple and user friendly (Adv. Push). Android is on Verizon’s network. Apple uses AT&T (Adv. Android). Android has a slide-out QWERTY keboard, while Apple uses a virtual-touch screen layout (Adv. Android). Android’s music and media players…. can play stuff, while Apple’s are as nice as that of their I-Pod line (Adv. Apple). Android has a better camera (5M) with a decent flash, while Apple’s is a little lower rated. I didn’t think either device took pictures nice enough to replace a real camera, though (Adv. Push).

Anyway, you can kind of see where this is going. Although I have the Android better in most categories, I felt that most of them could really go either way. It just sort of depends on what is important to you. Apple still makes a better multimedia device, I think, but overall, I believe that the rest of industry (Google anyway) has finally caught up.

One More Reason Why iHate Apple

PC Guru — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:34:55 +0000

Oh, Please. Say it ain’t so, Apple! According a report that I saw on Fox News last week, Apple has apparently started refusing warranty service on computers owned by smokers. They claim that the tar in the cigarette smoke will get into the hard disk and ruin it. In all my years in the business, I can’t think of a single time that I could single that out as the cause of a failure, except for the one time that someone accidently lit their tower on fire with a torch lighter, but that’s a story for another time. So what’s going to be next? Voided warranties on pet owners due to dander? How about people that don’t keep their house cold enough? The list just goes on and on. Do us a favor, cover your equipment and quit making excuses.

Clearly Unclear?

PC Guru — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:56:06 +0000

If you live in the Las Vegas area, you’ve definitely seen Clear.com’s advertising. It’s EVERYWHERE. The first local Wi-Max provider has spared no expense on it’s advertising, and I for one have been very excited to see the technology finally go from vaporware to reality. If you’re unclear what it is, it is broadband speed internet (3Mbps and up speed) everywhere in the valley via wireless connection (Think cell-phone service on steroids). However, while the tech. seems solid, I have run into a pretty large snag. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get their reps to answer simple questions about Clear’s service. I’ve gone through 7 of them now, and none have been able to tell me, above other things, how large an email attachment their SMTP server can handle… unbelievable… This type of thing makes me worry about recommending them to my clients. In any case, I’ll try again and report back.

T-Minus One Month and Counting

PC Guru — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:55:32 +0000

A month from today, Microsoft’s newest best thing (Windows 7) will hit the streets and attempt to do what Windows Vista was supposed to do. Early signs look great, but as you may know if you can remember the last few Microsoft roll-outs, we will see. Here are a few things to check on before you try to upgrade from your current O.S.

1. Check the manufacturer websites for all of your devices for Windows 7 drivers (printers, scanners, cameras, etc). Older hardware might not be supported. If so, you’re S.O.L.

2. Make sure your computer’s specifications (RAM, Processor, Hard drive space, video card) are better than what Microsoft considers it’s “Recommeded System Requirements”.

3. Back up your data. If you are upgrading from Vista, you may be able to just upgrade over the top of your existing install. If you’re on XP or older, you probably won’t be able to. In any case, back up your important files just in case. Better safe than sorry.

4. Make sure all of the software you use is Windows 7 compatible. If you were running them all on Vista, you should be ok. If you were running them on XP, you might want to check just to be sure.

If you follow these 4 steps, you should be able to get through your upgrade without too much hastle. You should still schedule yourself a free day to do it just in case, though.

Is Windows 7 for Me?

PC Guru — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:32:07 +0000

Windows 7 is scheduled for release on October 22nd, 2009, but the real question is, “Should I upgrade?” We’ve been testing Microsoft’s new baby in house here for about 4 months now, put it through several stress and compatibility tests, and have come up with several of our own opinions. We won’t bother giving you a full review about it, though. Read on the find out what we think.

The new “Home Groups” networking feature works great and is easy to set up if your computers are all running Windows 7… but if not, sharing files can become a serious headache. Stability is key. Even the latest Beta versions of Windows 7 were nice and solid. Much more so than other operating systems in the past. Then again, it should be, since 7 is built upon Vista’s core. On the performance end, Windows 7 seems to be zippier and start-ups/shut-downs are much quicker. Like Vista, the GUI will benefit from a fast video card, so those people with gaming computers will have a better experience navigating through the O.S. User Access Control (UAC) is customizable in Windows 7. So if you don’t like Windows asking you for permission for every little thing.. all the time… every day, than you’ll be happier here. It’s still not perfect, but at least it’s tolerable. There are some other really cool features in the new O.S. like movable desktop widgets, a decent backup scheduler, automatic defragging (Vista had this too), and some other neat stuff. As far as looks go, Vista users may be a little disappointed by the interface. It looks more like a service pack update than a whole new O.S. Why so many versions again? There should only be two, in our opinion.. A business version and a home version.. And why even bother with 32-bit support? All of the CPUs being sold anymore are 64-bit chips. The jump has to be made some time, and it might as well be now. Actually, it should have done with Vista. Microsoft has always been a little slow to drop legacy features, but the Windows 7 roll-out is a perfect time for this change.

So, should you upgrade? If you’re still running XP, keep in mind that when Windows 7 hits the streets, then you will be 2 operating systems behind the curve. At some point, Microsoft will have to stop supporting it, and you’ll cease to get security updates. That could be really bad. If you’re running Vista, it could be a different story, however. Is 7 better? In a word, Yes. But since Vista has come out, service packs and updates have fixed a lot of the issues the consumers had with it. Hardware is much faster than it was 2 years ago as well. In addition, the new O.S. doesn’t look all that different than Vista. What do we think? If you’re still running XP, Windows 7 will be a nice upgrade if your computer sports decent hardware. If you’re running Vista though, the cost might not be worth it for you unless you get some sort of rebate for a discounted upgrade. If you’re planning on buying a new PC sometime before Windows 7 comes out, make sure it includes a free upgrade voucher for 7.