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We Have Moved!

We’re now conveniently located near the corner of Whitcomb and Westnedge behind the Burger King. We are the upper suite in the rear of the building. If you need driving directions, please don’t hesitate to call!

Geek Easy Computers
435 Whitcomb St. UL 201
Kalamazoo, MI 49001
(269)548-TECH (8324)

operating system

Laptop Vs Chromebook

The quarantine has many folks “rediscovering” their laptops and also bringing the school provided devices their children are using into focus. We are finding that many of these people don’t know the difference between a laptop and a Chromebook. In this post we’ll cover some of the main differences.

Chromebook or Laptop? Step-By-Step Decision Guide


Chromebooks may look like fully featured laptops, but instead of Windows or MacOS, they are running a browser-based operating system called Chrome OS which is built on Linux. Chrome OS is a minimal system that is a wholly different experience from Windows or MacOS.

Initially Chromebooks were very limited in scope and had to be constantly connected to the Internet. Chrome OS has greatly matured since then, but there are still limitations to its functionality. Chrome OS started out essentially as Chrome web browser and not much else. It has since grown to encompass more but is still primarily web based.

Chromebooks are not natively compatible with either Windows or MacOS applications. Meaning that you won’t be able to install and run your favorite applications on a Chromebook. Alternatively, the number of web (browser) based applications is constantly expanding so chances are, your favorite apps may have a web based version! If you are looking to play games, a Chromebook is not a good choice, unless they are browser based games. Most current models can also run Android apps.

Chromebooks typically don’t offer very much in power or storage as their primary function is to access the web. The following is a decent combination for general usage:

  • Intel Celeron, Core m- or Core i-series processor
  • 4GB of memory or more
  • 32GB of storage
  • Full HD (1,920×1,080-pixel) display

As far as storage, a combination of cloud storage, USB drives or SD cards are recommended.

Lastly, Chromebooks tend to be consumer-grade items, meaning that they are not really designed to be repaired if damaged. They are meant to be replaced. This also means they are generally not upgradeable. Note that many times storage and memory are soldered onto the motherboard. Due to this, while we are available to support your Chromebooks, Geek Easy Computers is limited in what we can repair with them. 

All of this is not to say that it isn’t worth owning a Chromebook. They are growing in popularity for their low price and ease of use, especially in the education sector. As long as you are willing to accept the limitations of Chrome OS, a Chromebook could be the perfect media consumption device for you or your child!


Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek!
Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.

Holiday Safety For Your Computer!

‘Tis the season for online shopping and travel! With excitement and distractions aplenty, it’s easy to get caught unawares by an online scam or hacker. It is also a time for increased sharing on social media. That increased information sharing also makes us more vulnerable to online threats and expensive identity thefts. Below are steps you can take to ensure your personal information stays safe and secure. 

ONLINE

– Limit Your Personal Information Online: Review the security settings of your online profiles and limit access to people not on your friends list (or them too!). The more specific information you share publicly, the easier it is for you to be compromised. .

– Use Strong Passwords and Change Them: Many sites now force you to use strong passwords and that’s a good thing. Use different passwords for each of your online accounts and set up two-step verification, when possible. You should also CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS every three months. If you’re comfortable with it, password manager software like LastPass, Dashlane, RoboForm, etc. can help you set very complex secure passwords without having to remember or write them all down somewhere. 

– Keep Your Operating System Up to Date: Computer operating systems are periodically updated to stay in tune with technology requirements and to fix security holes. Be sure to install the updates to ensure your computer has the latest protection. Make sure your browser is also updated for similar reasons.

– Be Careful What You Download: Opening attachments in email is one of the top 3 (if not #1) way computers get infected with malware or otherwise compromised. Never open an email attachment from someone you don’t know and be suspicious of unexpected forwarded attachments from people you do know. They may have unwittingly sent you an infection!!.

– Use Secure URLs: Check to be sure websites are security enabled when performing an online transaction. Look for web addresses that start with “https://” which means the site takes extra measures to help secure your information. Stick to well-known, thoroughly vetted sites. Don’t pick the holiday season as the time to “try out” that new online shopping site that popped up in a Facebook ad!

– Turn Off Your Computer: Probably the simplest solution. When you are not using the computer, turn it off.  It can’t get hacked if it’s not on.

– Trust Your Instinct: If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

TRAVEL

The Bag – you definitely want a cushioned protective bag. With the new thinner, sleeker laptops and tablets, it’s tempting to buy an equally sexy case. Unfortunately, those cases tend to be focused on fashion, not protection. Also, a flashy case or bag is like a bullseye for thieves. Don’t advertise that you have a laptop or device! Tamper resistant zippers or checkpoint friendly bags are a good idea if you are flying.

Insurance – Make sure your insurance policy covers theft and loss of personal items, and the amount of coverage will be enough to buy you a new laptop. A good travel rewards credit card may cover travel protection. Check the terms of your card issuer.

WiFi – When traveling, using public WiFi is very tempting and sometimes unavoidable. Using public WiFi networks can lead to security breaches. Especially when using hotel or airport WiFi. Make sure your computer or device is protected by antivirus software, and that the software is updated and current. Avoid shopping online or logging on to your online banking website on a public WiFi network. Consider investing in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service from a reputable security company. These services protect your connection by encrypting all the data you send and receive online through the security company’s servers.

Backup Your Data – You should be doing this regularly anyway, but definitely do it before you travel with your laptop or device. The data stored in your laptop can be more valuable than the computer to you. Protect yourself from losing your data by backing it up on an external hard drive or in the cloud.

The crew at Geek Easy Computers wants you to be able to enjoy the holidays with your friends and families, and not have to worry about your technology! We are here to make your technology easier! Let us know if you have any questions or concerns!  Happy Holidays!


Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek!
Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.

Q&A : User Questions, Tech Answers Halloween Edition

It’s almost Halloween! In the spirit of the holiday, specifically zombies, in this post we cover some of the most recurring (back from the dead) questions we’ve run into so far this year!


Q:  I see a lot of these online “PC Optimizers” advertised on tv.  Do they really work?

A:  Well… like anything advertised on tv, there are good ones, and there are bad ones.  Unfortunately in this case, even the “good” ones barely do anything beneficial for your computer.  You’d be better off taking your computer to an actual local computer professional, where you’ll get the service & support you need.  On the flip side, the “bad” ones are REALLY bad. They can load your computer with malware, give someone access to your computer, and upload personal information!  Not to mention, that by then they also have your credit card information! Not a good situation at all. Geek Easy Computers recommendation is to PASS on online “PC Optimizers”.

Q:  I keep getting weird emails with links/attachments.  Should I click/open them?

A:  No! Never open an attachment or click on a link in an email unless you are 1000% sure you know and trust the source of the email.  Doing so otherwise could potentially expose your computer to anything from viruses to identity theft to hijacking of your machine! Never open or click on them.  Ever.

Q: My computer is running super slow. How do I speed it up?

A: There are a lot of factors that could cause your computer to slow down. But usually, most computers performance can be noticeably improved by one or both of the following solutions: 

The simplest and usually the one that gets the most visible results is a RAM upgrade. RAM doesn’t actually “speed up” your computer. What it does is let your computer do more things at once, so things get done faster. The other most common solution is getting your computer a tune-up.

Q. How much will it cost to fix a broken laptop screen?

A. That depends on several factors. Notably the brand and model of the laptop, pricing and availability of parts, and how much labor is required for the repair. Computers that look similar but are different brands could have totally different repair costs. Even different models within the same brand! Also affecting the price is whether it’s just the LCD or if it’s part of a “sandwich” construction where everything is glued together forming the top of the laptop. This is why we try not to give “estimates” regarding screen repair over the phone. We need to see exactly what we are working with, and get current part pricing. If it’s a model we’ve repaired a lot, we can usually give a rough estimate range before seeing the laptop.

Q. When I get infected by a virus or malware, can’t I just download antivirus/antimalware software to remove it?

A. Short answer – no. Not effectively. Antivirus and antimalware software are designed to prevent infection from occurring. As such, they are not as effective in working after the fact to remove the malicious invaders. If you install the software after you’re already infected, the files that the software looks at have already been altered, so the software may not recognize that. Some malware can even prevent the antimalware software from working or even installing! Light infections or annoying advertising programs can often be removed this way, but a real infection will probably stick around.

Q. Do you fix phones\tablets?

A. No. We do not repair or service phones, tablets, or any other mobile devices. Although today’s smartphones & tablets are much more powerful than before, and can do many of the tasks that a computer does, they are not computers. The service & repair of those devices takes a different skill set that we’ve chosen to leave to those who specialize in it.

The crew at Geek Easy Computers is always available to answer your computer questions and help you with any technology issues.  We want to make your technology easy!


Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek!
Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.

Q & A: User Questions, Tech Answers! March 2019

Welcome to the first installment of the 2019 edition of our “User Questions – Tech Answers”. In our ongoing mission to help make your technology easier, we like to provide you with tools and knowledge to make your computer interaction more “user friendly.” This edition will showcase some of the most popular questions asked us, and also include some new things that we haven’t covered yet.

Q. Why don’t you guys fix smartphones or tablets? Aren’t they all computers?

A. Short answer, no. Back when Geek Easy Computers first came into existence, it was decided that we would focus on what we did best – small business IT services and computer repair. As we have grown and evolved, we have added a multitude of other services, but all relating to our core of computer service and repair. While smartphones and tablets can perform many of the same functions as an actual computer, the technology behind them is actually fairly different from computer technology. As such, it takes a different set of specialized skills to service them effectively. We strive to be the best at what we do. So we devote our valuable time and resources to perfecting those skills, as opposed to branching out to other types of devices. We want to be your expert computer repair choice, not your mediocre fix-it-all place.

Q. Why don’t you give estimates over the phone?

A. Phone estimates are usually wrong or incredibly vague. We can’t provide any accurate cost estimates without knowing what is specifically wrong with your computer and what parts and services it needs. Your description of what is happening (or not happening) lets us know what the symptoms are, but to determine the cause of those symptoms, we would need to perform a physical diagnostic examination of the unit. Once we have determined the cause of the issue, we provide you with repair options. The only accurate phone estimate is that our repairs start with the $50 deposit minimum and could end up being more expensive than replacing the system depending on what all is wrong.

Q. Why don’t you buy used computers or parts? Don’t you sell used computers?

A. As a company policy we do not purchase used computers or parts from individuals. There are several reasons for this, but first and foremost we don’t want to create a market for stolen computers or encourage computer theft in any way. Chances are what you can find at pawn shops or often via Craigslist are being sold because they were stolen.

It is also difficult to guarantee the performance of used items. We specialize in the sale of refurbished desktop & laptop computers. The difference is the computers we sell are business class computers that were previously leased by other businesses. Once off lease, they were purchased by a professional refurbishing company who then refurbishes the computers and puts them through rigorous testing. We only purchase grade “A” models from the company, put them through our own testing, then offer them to our customers.

Q. Do I really need to run updates?

A. Short answer, yes. Software updates offer many benefits which include patching security holes that have been discovered in the software. Updates can also add new features to your devices and remove outdated ones. Cybercriminals love security flaws, also known as software vulnerabilities, which are weaknesses found in programs that a virus author or hacker could exploit to gain access to some part of your device. By the time a software company has the chance to patch and test a fix to a vulnerable program, the weakness is already well known in the security community which also includes people looking to gain access to your computer resources for malicious purposes. It’s best to run security updates as quickly as you can and replace any device that is no longer receiving security updates.

We are always available to help make your technology easier. Geek Easy Computers is your place for news on the latest & greatest, and your place to get answers to your questions!

Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.

Have You Turned It Off & On Again?

You’re working on that report that’s due in class tomorrow when suddenly – up pops a blue screen with an error message on it. Or you’re trying to finish up that spreadsheet with the numbers your boss needs for his meeting in the morning, when the computer just freezes up! Or you’re in the middle of a firefight in Fortnite when the computer screen goes black. Or you’re checking out a web site and pop-ups start appearing on your screen! What do you do now? Don’t panic…

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Back Up Your Mac! (Time Machine)

Backing up your data regularly is the easiest way to protect your data from loss. Backing up your data on a MacBook, iMac, or MacBook Pro is even easier as it is built into the operating system. In this post, we will tell you how to do that!

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Linux – Demystified!

So you’ve heard about this software called Linux, but you don’t know what it is? In this article we hope to take the mystery out of Linux and show why it’s a relevant alternative!

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Jan/Feb/March Newsletter

Well it has been an eventful first quarter of 2018, has it not? The latest newsletter edition has travel tips, resolutions, and helpful tidbits!

Have you signed up for our monthly newsletter?  It’s got great information, packed with helpful tech tips, relevant news, and money saving promotions!

Here’s the PDF version of this month’s issue:
ge_newsletter042018

If you like what you see, you can sign up for it here:
I Want The GE Newsletter!

Are Smartphones & Tablets computers? Not Quite.

Smartphones and tablets have gotten more powerful and capable over the last 5 years. Many people rely on them as their primary device to access the Internet or to consume media (stream video, listen to music). But are they really ready to replace a computer? In this article we’ll clarify the differences between computers & mobile devices, and hopefully answer any questions.


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What Computer Do I Need – 2018?

When it comes time for the purchase of a computer, many people are at a loss as to what they actually need versus what some salesperson is trying to sell them. We want to make that process easier for you, so we will break down some of the basics in this post. For the purposes of this post, we will be focusing on Intel-based, Windows PCs.

What Do You Want To Do?

This is the first question that you should ask yourself. Determining what you are going to be using your computer for will help you establish a baseline for the specifications of new computer.

 

  • Are you mainly going to be doing things like reading email, visiting websites (news, social media, Internet searching) with maybe the occasional document created?

 

  • Are you going to be editing large or hi-res photos or video? Creating complex presentations or accessing large databases?

 

  • Are you going to be playing resource-intensive games or watching a lot of streaming video?

 

  • Is this going to be a work computer with heavy daily use?

 

These are the types of questions you should answer before you start looking at computers. If you need help figuring it out, the experts at Geek Easy Computers are always available to assist you. Whether a home or business computer, we can help you narrow down what will fulfill your needs.

What’s Next?

Certain activities will dictate a more obvious requirement of computer specifications, such as high-end gaming, video/music editing, or a heavy usage workstation. For the purposes of this section, we are looking at a general usage home/office computer.

RAM

For general purposes (and most operating systems), the de facto standard is 4GB minimum. In typical cases this amount of RAM is sufficient to handle most mundane tasks such as word processing, simple spreadsheets, viewing photos, streaming video, and playing more basic games. For better multitasking and snappier response, 8GB is recommended, but more RAM is always better. Especially with newer operating systems like Windows 10 and Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra.

Storage (Hard Drive)

When it comes to storage, it’s always better to have more than you need. If in doubt, go bigger. Currently for standard HDDs (conventional drives) the popular size is 1TB (1000 GB). If you opt for an SSD (solid state drive) 250GB – 500GB as your primary drive, then a 1TB HDD is a good pairing for storage. See our previous article on SSDs & HDDs.

Graphics

For everyday productivity tasks, the integrated graphics processor found on many logic boards is typically adequate. However if you want to get into more graphically demanding pursuits such as high-end photo editing, video production, or gaming, you are going to need to upgrade to a dedicated video card (GPU). GPUs can range from less than $100 to several hundred dollars depending on what type of performance you desire. Check back for an upcoming article on GPUs.

Processor

This is the core of your computer. The choice you make here will affect the overall performance and capabilities of your computer. For the purposes of this post we will focus on Intel processors as they are arguably the business and gaming standard.

 

Intel’s current processors are the basic Pentium series and the 8th generation Intel Core series of CPUs – Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 and the new “Extreme” Core i9s.

 

  • Pentium – This is Intel’s very basic line of processors. They are generally for light computer use. The 7th generation Pentium processors were like Core i3s with lower clock speeds.
  • Core i3 – This is the everyday level of the series. This CPU is more than adequate for tasks like surfing the web, listening to music, word processing, etc. The newest i3 processors can even handle light or casual gaming. This is the business entry-level of processor.
  • Core i5 – This is the minimum standard for those doing more advanced tasks such as complicated, multi-page documents, photo editing, music production and playing graphically demanding games. An i5 is our recommended processor speed for average business systems.
  • Core i7 – This is the high-end of this series. This CPU is the choice of any serious gamer or enthusiast. It should also be the choice of any professional photographer, videographer, musical producer, or any business using high end data driven software. It is also a great choice for the home user as it lengthens the amount of time before the demands of software outstrip the capabilities of your computer.
  • Core i9 – This is Intel’s new bleeding-edge series that has replaced the “enthusiast” tier of Core i7s. These would be used for extreme gaming, mega-tasking, very high-end content creation. This series has Intel’s first 18-core processor.

 

 

 

Recommended Starting Configurations

Budget:
CPU: Intel Pentium

RAM: 4GB RAM

Hard Drive: 500GB hard drive

 

Everyday:
CPU: Intel Core i3

RAM: 4GB RAM

Hard Drive: 1TB hard drive

 

General Business or Gaming:

CPU: Intel Core i5

RAM: 8GB RAM

Hard Drive: 250GB SSD and\or 1TB hard drive

 

Demanding Business, High-End Gaming, Power Users

CPU: Intel Core i7

RAM: 16GB RAM

Hard Drive: 500GB SSD with optional 1-4TB storage drive

 

The above information covers the basics of choosing a new computer. Hopefully it gives you more insight on what your family or business needs in new hardware. Like all things, computer needs like storage and RAM can vary, but these are a general guideline for picking out a new PC based on how you plan to use it. If you have further questions, feel free to give us a call, email, or use the form on this website to contact us! We are always available to help make your technology easier!

 

Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek!

Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.

 

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