Category Archives: Software

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Where to Repair HP, Dell, Acer, Sony & Toshiba Laptops in Los Angeles?

Laptops are useful tools in our lives, they are light and portable. We use them for work and school as well as entertainment. When shopping for a laptop it’s important to shop for something that has the specs that will benefit you for the purpose you will use the laptop for.

Laptopmag did a survey on which laptop brand is the best and worst for 2013, the laptop brands that they surveyed were the following: Acer, Apple, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba. They used seven categories to critic the general quality of the laptops. The categories were the  ease and navigation of the  touchpad/ keyboard, design and style of laptop, how innovative the laptops are, the ratings of tech support service, quality of the  display and audio, options of utilities and software and value and selection.

The results show Apple ranked number 1 for the past four years in a row and probably should not be in the competition due to the fact that it’s like comparing apples and oranges-pun intended. Lenovo laptops ranked second for the third year in a row and scored high in innovation and customer service. Asus jumped up in ranking from last year’s 5th place to this years 3rd place with top marks in innovation .HP landed in fourth place and Samsung in 5th place. The poor ranking laptop brands were Acer, Dell, Sony and Toshiba In last place. Toshiba scored very badly in innovative category and design category as well as having poor tech support service which made it the worst laptop brand for 2013. Use the findings of this survey as a guide of what qualities to look for in a laptop.

When shopping for a laptop, keep in mind what you will use it for and what features you prefer, that way you can find the right laptop for your purpose. Things to consider are:

  • How portable do you want  your laptop , do you want to take it everywhere you go, if so you should consider  laptops that transform into tablets.
  • If you plan on using your laptop for watching TV shows and streaming movies online, then a large display would be a feature you search for.
  • If you are a gamer, than you should look for a computer with a good quality video card.
  • Do you use photoshop on a regular basis, if so then you want your laptop to have lots of RAM.
  • If you like being wireless, a strong battery life is an important feature

All laptop brands no matter if they are the best or not will break down with regular use and human errors. Laptop repairs can be easy and painless if you shop around. There are many places to chose from to repair your laptops, you have national repair services such as Best Buy, who have techs that don’t know much just follow a manual and then you have small independent repair services that have years of experience like Heroes and Geeks Computer repair in Los Angeles. Both repair shops will get the job done, but the giant company will rob you for repairs and Heroes and Geeks charges fairly with quality service. The best way to avoid repairs is not buying the most expensive laptop but to take good care of it.

Stay tech savvy, my friends.

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How to Care for Your Computer and Tips to Keep Your Computers Running Well

When it comes to housecleaning, the last thing we consider to clean are our useful computers. We usually neglect cleaning our computers, even though we see and use them regularly, this could be due to the fact we don’t know how. At Heroes and Geeks computer repair in Los Angeles, when someone drops off their computer for repair, 9 out of 10 times the computer is in dirty conditions. We’ve seen it all, laptop screens with fingerprint marks, accumulated dust clinging to fans, food particles in between keyboard keys, and scratched and scuffed up computers. Computers are fragile and expensive equipment and we should take better care of them.

To get started on your computer cleaning, you can purchase a computer cleaning kit at any computer goods store or online. The tools you should look for are a pressurized duster, a computer brush, an lcd cleaning spray or wipes, and a microfiber cloth. The pressurized duster is good for blowing away dust from the fan and even your keyboards. The brush will be useful for sweeping away dust and crumbs from the keyboard. Wipe away fingerprint smudges from your monitors with an LCD cleaning spray or wipes. The microfiber cloth will be useful for regular dusting and wiping off your computers LCD and surfaces.

The following are tips to keep in mind to care for your computer and prevent unnecessary damages:

1. To prevent overheating your computer or laptop, use your devices in a well ventilated space. Make sure your computers exhaust fan is not being blocked by anything so the air can flow freely and keep your computers cool. Also, the fan and the insides of a computer can collect a bunch of dust after a period of time, so it’s best to get it cleaned and dusted by a computer repair professional– some offer onsite services. Once or twice yearly, internal cleaning will help keep the computer cool and dust free.

2. Avoid eating and drinking next to your computer. Food particles can get trapped underneath your keyboards keys and can block a key from functioning. A small paint brush can be used to sweep in between your keys to remove dust and food particles from your keyboard. Liquids and electronics don’t mix, if liquid comes into contact with your computer, you can damage the motherboard, short circuit the electrical wiring, and it can cause permanent damage to some computer parts. If you must have a drink next to your computer, put your beverage in a container that can be sealed and also place your beverage a few feet away from your computer. Prevention is key to avoid food and liquid damage to your computer.

3. Keep dust and dirt away by regularly wiping down all surfaces of your computer with a microfiber towel. Remove finger print marks from your LCD monitors by using a computer cleaning spray and a towel. Combat germs and bacteria from spreading by using disinfectant wipes on your keyboard, mouse and even your cell phones and also by washing your hands before touching your computer.

4. Don’t yank on the power cord when unplugging from the power supply that can damage the plug by bending the prongs. Pull from the plugs base and not the cord. Protect your power cord from stepping or rolling on it, have the cord behind the desk and away from walking space or chairs

5. Protect your computers from scratches and stains by being careful and being aware of your surroundings. Don’t leave sharp and heavy objects near or on your computers. Prevent stains by washing your hands before using your computer as well as avoiding eating near your computer.

Follow the above mentioned tips to keep your computers running well and looking brand new. Regular upkeep of your computer will prevent unnecessary computer repairs. Prevention is the best method of combating computer damage.

Stay tech savvy, my friends.

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How to Find Affordable Computer Repair Services in Los Angeles?

Computer repairs are thought to be an expensive service, but that is not the case. It all depends on the type of damage and how much the parts cost to replace, and which company you choose to deal with. There are cheap repair shops like mom and pop and then you have your pricey national stores like Best Buy. They both fix your computer problem, but the cost is very different, most of the time you’re paying for is labor cost. The truth is if you shop around and ask for a quote from different repair shops you will get varying costs, from costly to inexpensive. Fixing your PC by a skilled technician can be less expensive if you shop around.

There are a few ways to find affordable computer repair services. First, is by online research, and second, you can ask around and seek referrals.

If your budget is tight, the best thing to do is ask your friends, family, and coworkers if they know of a computer tech. Someone will know someone who knows someone that knows how to repair computers. This is a small world we live in and it is high possibility for you to have 6 degrees of separation to a computer tech. This in turn can result in a discount for the services you seek. You can also ask your peers if they know of cheap computer repairs, this way you can compare prices and ensure you are charged fairly.

When searching for computer repairs, first search in your locality, if you are searching in google, you would search, “computer repair in Los Angeles”. If you want the repair to be convenient, you should search for a service shop near your home or business. The next thing to consider is search for a computer repair that has many different services available. Since most of the time you won’t know what the computer problem is, you want a repair shop that is knowledgeable in many aspects of repairs from hardware to software problems, this way you can also bundle up different repairs which can then result in an affordable package deal.

When searching online, you can also view social networking sites for different computer repair shops and compare prices and reviews from previous customers. The smaller the computer company business is, usually the cost is more affordable. The big computer business such ad Best Buy and Staples usually have higher pricing, due to the fact they have higher labor costs and overhead. So if you want to save some money go with the small shops.

Some Computer Repair services offer monthly maintenance plans that can be necessary if you have a business to run and you are constantly using your PC. These monthly maintenance plans include remote and onsite computer repair, which is beneficial for busy businesses. The average home user usually won’t need a maintenance plan unless there are lots of PCs in the household. Monthly maintenance plans is more beneficial for businesses both small and large.

If you want to find an affordable computer repair in Los Angeles call around for pricing. Ask your friends and family for a referral, someone is bound to know a computer tech and this will save you some money and your computer problems will be less miserable.

Stay tech savvy, my friends.

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Computer virus Removal Los Angeles- Beware of the FBI Money -Pak Ransomware Virus- FBI Virus

Today at the Heroes and Geeks office, we had several customers who had their laptops hacked and infected with a scary virus. One of our customers even called the police because she was scared by the malicious software that used her webcam to take a flash photo of her. The virus poses as the official FBI web page, takes a flash photo of you with your webcam and freezes your computer until you pay the ransom money to unlock your frozen computer.

The FBI Money -Pak Ransomware also referred to the FBI virus is an evil scam and please don’t fall for it. It is a very convincing virus that looks official with the FBI seal and claims that you owe money to the FBI due to illegal downloading of copyrighted materials from various websites.  It can be a shocking and frightening experience if you are not aware of this virus.  It’s important to tell friends and family of this terrible virus so they can stay calm and handle it and not fall victim to the scam. This FBI virus and other similar ransomware virus’ regarding the FBI have been around since 2012. The FBI has stated that they don’t send unsolicited emails to the public and to not click on the FBI embedded link so you won’t contract the malicious software.

Features of the FBI Virus include:

  • Freezing your computer system and not allowing the user to access their desktop or internet.
  • A pop up of a fake FBI page that threatens jail time if fine is not paid
  • Display of an alert message demanding you owe the FBI money for illegal downloads
  • A flash photo taken of you with your webcam

Like many other viruses the FBI virus is being spread by websites that have been hacked, through emails as well as social media links.  Having current anti-virus software installed on your computer is a good way to protect yourself from such viruses and malware. It’s also important to continually update your antivirus software throughout the period you have it installed on your computer. Antivirus softwares have updates to be one step ahead of the hackers.

Heroes and Geeks provides great computer virus removal in Los Angeles. We handle all types of malicious software just like the FBI Virus.  We are available 24/7 so whatever time of day you get a computer virus we can help you remove it and save your computer. Protect yourself from cyber scams and let us help you install antivirus so you will save yourself from a virus headache.

Stay tech savvy, my friends.

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How to Prevent and Remove Computer Virus and Malware

What is a Computer Virus and Malware?

At one point in time if you’ve ever used a computer you have encountered a computer virus or malware of some sort. Just like a human virus copies itself and spreads, a computer virus or malware is a harmful software that spreads by duplicating itself and attaching to other programs and computers. What many people don’t know is that there are several different types of infections that are categorized under malware, which stands for malicious software. These varying computer viruses and malware softwares are created by virus authors who are in the same category as an arsonist or a vandal, they don’t really have a goal for creating the harmful software other than practicing their programming skills and being a menace.

A few Types of Viruses and Malware:

Trojan Horse– is a malicious software that hides in disguise as a real program.

Spyware– spys on your internet activity and changes your computer configuration and it installs on your computer without your knowledge.

Rogue security software– this is a tricky malware that has the user interact. This software has the user think they have an infection and then prompts them to buy and download antivirus. It can cause certain programs on your computer from opening.

Worm– Worms cause unstable computer and network problems. They are a computer code spread through email attachments and don’t require user interaction to spread..

Symptoms of an infection:

Some signs that indicate you have a computer virus or malware include:

  • Very Slow Computer
  • Constant display of pop- up ads windows
  • Random PC Reboots
  • Displaying unknown Error pop-up windows

 

How to remove a computer virus:

In order to remove a computer virus you will need to have the most up to date anti-virus software installed on your computer. There are several kinds of anti-virus software available, some are free and some are commercial anti-virus programs which have a short free trial period that allows you to scan and clean your computer. A few of these antivirus programs include; ESET Nod32, AVG, Norton, Bitdefender, and Microsoft Security Essentials. For extra security measures you can install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, and SuperAntispyware. These programs are excellent for scanning your computer and finding the latest malicious software that the most common anti-virus programs miss.

How to prevent computer viruses:

Prevention is the best protection against computer virus and malware. First and foremost have the latest Antivirus program installed on your computer. Secondly, be cautious on the web, only download programs from trustworthy websites, be cautious of popular sites that allow free music and movie file-sharing programs, and when reading emails, keep your contact list current and only open messages from people you know. Also, turn on Firewall, and keep your computer up to date. Follow these preventions and your computer will be infectious free.

Stay tech savvy, my friends.