Monday, November 26, 2007

Work online on Office Documents with Instacoll

You have a desktop or laptop PC, with a connection to the Internet. You still use earlier versions of Microsoft’s Office tools such as the word processor Word, the presentation tool Powerpoint and the spread sheet Excel. You have not upgraded to the latest — 2007 — versions of MS Office. May be you could no longer afford to do so.

Thirty Indian engineers based in Bangalore have created a suite of online productivity tools that enables such users to enjoy the look, feel and much of the functionality of the newest edition of the three main Microsoft Office tools by downloading for free, a 5-megabyte chunk of software. What’s more, they can work on their files, from any machine anywhere by accessing them from a 100 megabyte storage space that is provided to them on the Web; they can switch seamlessly from desktop to Web and back; they can share their files from chosen friends or colleagues; they can collaborate on a single document, deciding who can share what, and exchanging comments live through text pop-pops… all this on any platform, Windows, Linux, Unix or whatever.

The application is called Live Documents. It was unveiled a few days ago to a lot of global interest and critical scrutiny. It is the work of the Bangalore-based InstaColl, a wholly Indian Internet-driven company whose Chairman and inspiration is Sabeer Bhatia, the man who co-developed Hotmail, the world’s first Web-based e-mail service, which he subsequently sold to Microsoft.

While the ability to use Live Documents is free for individual users (You can apply for an invitation to join at www.live-documents.com but due to the huge number of requests in the last few days, the company is having to beef up its infrastructure and it might take 3-4 weeks to receive your authorisation.)

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Windows Vista Memory Issues or Problems

It’s been said that you need a “super computer” to run Vista and now that some new information has come to light, that may not be too far from the truth.

As it turns out, “Windows for Supercomputers” aka Windows HPC (High Performance Computer) Server 2008 requires less memory to run than Vista does. Granted, super computers are usually not general computing platforms but are designed to do one specific task and be fast at it. That may not be much of an excuse for the issue at hand but it needed to be pointed out.

All versions of Vista require a minimum of 1GB of memory except for the Home Basic version which can run on as little as 512MB, but won’t necessarily be fast on said amount of memory.

Windows HPC server 2008 can run on 512MB of memory but it is designed for cluster computing and Vista is designed for Home and Office use but still requires 1GB of memory but runs best on 1.5GB to 3GB (32-bit versions) or 4GB and beyond (64-bit versions).

However, Microsoft noted that Windows HPC server runs best with more memory, just like Vista does and unlike Vista, HPC server supports up to 64GB of memory and more processors.

A spokesperson for the company explained to PC World, “The minimum hardware requirements for Windows HPC Server 2008 are similar to the hardware requirements for the x64-based version of the Windows Server 2008 Standard operating system.”

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Remote PC Repair - Unleashed - Go for it!

Consumers and SOHO users seeking a remote PC repair service can easily find a bevy of choices by plugging the term "remote PC repair" into any Internet search engine. Be aware, though, that not all remote PC repair Web sites operate the same way. They charge a wide range of prices, and all do not offer the same service solutions and guarantees of satisfaction.

After the initial warranty period has expired on a desktop or laptop computer, consumers, SOHO (small office/home office) users and SMBs (small- and medium-sized businesses) may find themselves stranded when computer woes strike. Without costly warranty extension plans or an IT department, there is little to do but pay up.

An alternative to costly local repair shops and third-party service contracts is getting technical help from a growing number of online and phone-based repair services. Remote PC repair centers -- Internet-based tech support Web sites -- are fast becoming an oasis for computer users and small companies that lack IT departments.

Part 1 of this two-part series on remote PC repair considers no-warranty options. This installment compares a few remote repair possibilities.

OS Matters
"Remote PC support service is beneficial for small businesses with fewer than 10 computers. This is the marketing niche -- consumers and the work-at-hope population," David Gerhart, CIO of My Computer Works, told TechNewsWorld.

Like much of the computing market involving consumers and SOHO workers, remote PC repair services mostly cater to the installed base of users of a particular computing platform. The realities of the marketplace, therefore, provide Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows users the lion's share of service and support.

Few remote support centers exist for Mac and Linux operating systems beyond the traditional user discussion forums and dedicated developer communities. Some centers have limited support for Mac issues, and even fewer sites offer meaningful help for Linux users. Finding remote PC repair help for Linux problems is especially challenging because of the wide range of free and paid distributions.

"Usually, if you are running Linux, you better have a contact handy to help you out if there are issues," Matthew Dworkin, a Geek Squad technician at a Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) store, told TechNewsWorld.

Changing Roles
However, it is possible for consumers and SOHO users -- even adherents to Mac and Linux platforms -- to find help without outsourcing tech support to long-term IT providers. The same type of system adjusting that IT staffs provide through a master console connected to a network can now be applied to individual users of any platform.

"Service technicians across the world have the same powers and abilities that users sitting in front of the desktop themselves have. So now, as long as you can connect to the system itself, you can perform the same troubleshooting on a Windows machine -- if you have appropriate administrative access -- that previously was only available remotely to Linux users," Dworkin said.

Still, there are limits to a remote operator's ability to hop onto a computer and fix Linux or Mac problems in the same way one can with Windows -- mostly because both of those non-Windows platforms are so customizable, he explained.

No Shortage
Consumers and SOHO users seeking a remote PC repair service can easily find a bevy of choices by plugging the term "remote PC repair" into any Internet search engine. One such search revealed more than 10 pages of hits.

Be aware, though, that not all remote PC repair Web sites operate the same way. They charge a wide range of prices, and all do not offer the same service solutions and guarantees of satisfaction. However, these online service centers for ailing computers generally deliver what they promise, assured Gerhart.

Here are three companies that offer remote PC repair service -- each one employs a different approach. These are a representative microcosm of the types of Web sites waiting to fix your ailing PCs.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Your Tech Support Executive Just A Call Away!

Imagine yourself working on an extremely important project and then bothered by a technical default in your computer. The moment can be highly frustrating. However, you can now get tech support online, through do-it-yourself programs. This not only saves your time but money as well, which is why more and more companies running operations on small and large scale prefer to beef up their electronic support offerings.

Of all computer savys, small business owners and computer enthusiasts working from home or using PCs for fun are benefitted most from Online computer support services. The best part of using live tech support is that the owner controls the actions taken on his/her system.

Calling any technical support executive at your premises can make you spend loads of dollars unnecessarily. Contrary to this, online tech support services offer a comprehensive package of efficient solutions at incredible prices. Companies offering such kind of tech-help generally have different yearly packages that are budgets-friendly too. Such an array of options is largely available for small business PC support.

Availing online computer support has proven to be cost efficient for small-scale operations. With significant advances have been done in recent years, technology assisted programs have tended to be associated with huge success. Small scale businesses based in the US, UK, and Canada are largely leveraging the online PC support services to transform their business for consistent results as their computer complexities increase.

Small businesses understand the necessity and headaches of the advanced technology. A desire for smooth functioning encourages a need for them to get their mundane Computer Repair and tech support issues handled in a user friendly manner.

Companies providing tech support offers high-touch customer experience which allows you to sit back and watch your problem getting resolved within an hour. Small businesses can avail the benefits of the online tech support for PC repair to ensure smooth functioning of operating systems in order to perform their individual roles and responsibilities in the most effective manner.
Source: http://www.tech-support-news.com