Corporate Computer

It’s Star Wars Day, May the 4th be with you

CCL_TECH — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:23:55 +0000

OK, All of you geeks out there whether you are an IT sysadmin or a computer tech be proud to show the world that you are a geek. This only comes around one day a year so show your geek side…And May the 4th be with you, always.

To celebrate the occasion Amazon is having a sale on many of the Star Wars movies and box sets such as:
Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]

Other Amazon Star Wars BlueRay and DVD specials

Or you can check out ThinkGeek Star Wars specials.

Amazon Warehouse Deals Kindle Fire for $139

CCL_TECH — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:27:27 +0000

Today only or until they run out you can get an Amazon Kindle Fire Android tablet refurbished unit for $139, that is $30 less than normal and $60 less than a new unit. The refurbished units still have a 1 year warranty just like the new ones. This is a nice 7″ Android tablet and at this price it would may a great school study tool or graduation gift.

The Kindle features:
Dual-Core processor
8GB memory
7″ Multi-Touch display
Up to 8 hours of battery life
Weights less than a pound

Full product details can be found here: Amazon Kindle Fire $139

Update 3/28 2PM: Amazon has sold out of this item…

Google Drive is here, 5gb online store for free

News_desk — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:40:23 +0000

The long awaited Google Drive cloud storage is now available, it went live today. For the past few weeks the rumors have been going around about what the service will have to offer, well now the rumors can be put to bed. Google Drive has 5gb of cloud storage for free and you can get up to 1tb of storage with paid accounts. Up to 99.95% up time is being stated by Google which is pretty good too. The Google Drive storage is actually an extension of the Google Docs application and files stored in Docs do not take up the storage of Drive but will be accessible. One interesting feature of Drive is that docs uploaded will be scanned with OCR to allow document searching. The Google Drive storage can be accessed through any web browser, Windows OS, OS X and on Android. The iOS app will be available in the near future.

Here is google’s introduction to Drive video.

If you need an extra 5gb of cloud storage ( and who doesn’t?) then head over to drive.google.com and sign up for you account.

Link to the Google product introduction: http://googleblog.blogspot.com

Asus Transformer Prime GPS fix, add a free external dongle

News_desk — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:15:44 +0000

If you have a Asus Transformer Prime then you should be familiar with the GPS issues this unit has, Asus has been fighting this problem since the units came out. The problem is caused by the solid aluminum body of the unit that is blocking or limiting the GPS signal from getting to the GPS receiver chip inside the unit. This has been such a problem that Asus even took the GPS information off the Transformer Prime web page and so now they do not even show the unit has the capability. Well if you have a Transformer Prime unit and would still like to have the GPS capabilities restored help may be available. Asus has released a free “dongle” that connects to the docking port of the unit that should restore the functionality to the tablet. To get the dongle you will need to be registered with Asus https://vip.asus.com/login.aspx Once you register your tablet you will have the option to get the free dongle for the unit. Connecting the dongle is easy, it just attached to the tablet where the docking connector is and locks in place. Keep in mind that with the dongle installed the keyboard or charging cables with not connect to the port. This solution is better than nothing and should give you back the GPS access but at a cost of having to swap devices when you need to charge or type with the keyboard.

Let us know what you think of this solution by leaving a comment below.

Apple iTunes version 10.6.1 now available

News_desk — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:01:02 +0000

iTunes Logo: Apple Inc.

Apple release iTunes version 10.6.1 to correct several issues with the software. The software updates are for both MAC and PC based systems. The updates should correct issues where iTunes stops responding while syncing iPod non and iPod shuffle devices. Also addressed is issues in iTunes affecting video playback and syncing pof photos to IOS devices. The last issues resolved pertain to browsing and ordering TV episodes in your iTunes library on Apple TV devices.

The update files are 126MB for OS X and 72MB for windows devices and is available from Apple at the following link: http://support/appple.com/kb/DL1426

Be sure to grab the update to prevent issues with your iTunes account.

Adobe Flash player and Adobe Air security updates released

News_desk — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:23:51 +0000

Adobe release another update to Flash player to close to address critical vulnerabilities are being actively exploited. This update follows behind the last emergency update from 3/6. The patch addresses the issues from the following security bulletins – CVE-2012-0772 and CVE-2012-0773. This update is marked critical because of the active threat which could allow someone to take control or the compromised system.

The following versions of Adobe Flash and Adobe AIR are affected:
Adobe Flash Player 11.1.102.63 and earlier versions for Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Solaris operating systems
Adobe Flash Player 11.1.111.7 and earlier versions for Android 3.x and 2.x
Adobe AIR 3.1.0.4880 and earlier for Windows, Mac and Android operating systems.
Adobe Flash Player 11.1.115.7 for Android 4.x is not affected

If you are running a version of Adobe Flash then you need to get the update as soon as possible to avoid any security issues. You can verify the version of Flash that you are running by going to the Flash web page at http://www.adobe.com/products/flash/about/
Here are links to get the latest versions of Flash based on operating system.

Software	Updated version	Availability
Flash Player 11.1.102.63 and earlier	11.2.202.228	Flash Player Download Center
Flash Player 11.1.111.7 and earlier for Android 3.x and 2.x	11.1.111.8	Android Marketplace (browse to on an Android device)
Flash Player 11.1.102.63 and earlier for Chrome users	11.1.102.63	Google Chrome Releases
Adobe Air 3.1.0.4880	3.2.0.2070	Air Download Center
Adobe Air 3.1.0.4880 for Android	3.2.0.2080	Android Market Browse to the market on the device

The flash plug-in is browser dependent so if you run multiply web browsers then you will need to update each one to the latest Flash version.

Additional information about this issue can be found in the security bulletin release from Adobe systems here: https://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb12-07.html

Replacing a display in a HP DV6700 series laptop

CCL_TECH — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:30:34 +0000

Laptops are still several hundred dollars so if your screen gets damaged what do you do? In most cases you can replace the display for less than $100. In the video here we will show you how to replace the LCD display in a HP DV6700 series laptop. The steps will basically be the same for any laptop from any manufacturer. The first thing you need to do is get a replacement screen. You can do a search on Google or Ebay for your model to check the price and get ordering information. To complete the display swap you will need a set of precision screwdrivers such as this set: 32 piece precision driver set

Most laptops from HP, Dell, Toshiba etc use Phillips screws to hold the case together but they use several different sizes in different locations so a full set is better than just one small driver bit. Below is a video that show how to dis-assembly the screen and replace the display on the HP DV6700 series laptop. Be careful with the small screws so you don’t loose any, we use a magnetic parts bowl to hold them while we work on laptops in our shop.

Does the New iPad have heat buildup issues?

CCL_TECH — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:58:00 +0000

The new iPad has been getting good reviews but some users are having major heat problems with the units. The past 2 versions of the iPad have had heat problems too but the latest seems to have move of an issue with some users stating that they can’t even hold the iPad after 30 minutes of use. From what users are posting on Apple’s discussion forums the problem exists on all versions of the new iPad- WI-FI and Verizon and AT&T LTE.

From the information we have received the heat issues may come from the backlight controllers. Reports are stating the overheated area is in the lower left hand corner when you hold the iPad in portrait mode. With the retina display quadrupling the number of pixels on the screen the back lights need to be brighter to give the same light output since the pixels are 1/4 the size. Most users are reporting the extreme heat problems when they turn the brightness up above 75%. This may not be a problem when you use the iPad indoors but if you take it outside or use it in a brightly lit area then you need to turn up the brightness to overcome the ambient light.

The heat problem is also compounded if you are using the cellular radio (LTE or GSM) because of the heat generated by the radio. When charging and syncing the iPads do get warmer than under normal use too. The operating temperature is listed as 32 degrees to 95 degrees F (0 degrees to 35 degrees C) according to the specs on the unit. 95 degrees on the upper end sounds like it may be a problem in some places. Our offices are located in Louisiana and it gets HOT here, outside temps reach over 100 degrees so using the Ipad outside may be limited. So much for reading a book at the beach!

The iPads are designed to use the aluminum shell as the heat sink so putting a full case such as the Otterbox cases may seem like a good idea because you don’t feel the heat but it also traps the heat inside the unit and may further cause the units to overheat and not cool down. This heat buildup can’t be good for the Li-Po battery, overheating makes them die quick.

We will keep an eye on this issue and update this post if there is any updated news. If you want to check the Apple discussion forums related to this issue they can be found here: Apple Ipad overheating?

Do you have an iPad? How is the temperature? Leave us your comment below.

Update 3/19 1:30pm: Some users are having some good results when they fully charge the battery, then fully discharge it and the let is charge up normally. The charging circuit may need to calibrate itself to the battery so that it does not push to much current into the unit.

Update 3/20 10:15pm: Consumer Reports found that the New iPad reaches temperatures up to 116 degrees which is at least 13 degfrees hotter than the iPad 2.

Repairing a LG L227WTg-pf 22″ monitor – No power

CCL_TECH — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 03:51:36 +0000

In this repair guide we will show you how to repair a LG L227WTG-pf 22″ LCD monitor with power supply issues. This model uses the Lien Chang Aip-0165 power supply board. If you have a unit that has no power, a wavy display, is slow to show a picture or just has a blinking power light and no picture then this repair guide should help you get it back going again.

To complete the repair you will need the following tools:
Phillips screwdriver
Soldering iron
Lead free solder
Desolder wick
and then the capacitors that need to be replaced.
Qty 3 1000uf 25v capacitors
Qty 2 680uf 25v capacitors
Qty 1 220uf 25v capacitor
Qty 1 33uf 50v capacitor
Be sure to use good quality low ESR, high ripple current, high temp capacitors or you can damage the power supply board. More information on getting the correct capacitors can be found on our capacitor page.

We sell a repair kit with all of the proper value and size capacitors for $12.00 if you don’t want to worry about getting the correct parts.

Here is a picture of the power supply board with the capacitors that need to be replaced circled in yellow:

Here are videos showing how to disassemble and repair the monitor.
Part 1: Dis-assembly

Part 2: Board repair

Part 3: Re-assembly and testing

This is not guaranteed to solve all problems but in most cases this is the issue with this model.

If you don’t want to do the repair yourself, use the service request link. Most monitor repairs run $35-40 plus return shipping.

Be sure to check out our forums section where you can ask questions about this repair or find information about other topics.

Post a comment below to let us know how your repair went!

Interesting new product – AOC e1649Fwu USB 16″ LED monitor

CCL_TECH — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:27:35 +0000

We found this to be very interesting so we wanted to let our readers know about it. AOC has the e1649Fwu 16″ LED backlit monitor available for sale. The unit is fully USB powered and driven, no power adapter needed just a USB cable connection to the PC or laptop for signal and power. This may be just the thing to add a second monitor to your laptop when you are on the go and is PC and MAC compatible.

The monitor has the capability to will work in either landscape or portrait mode and will auto switch if the drivers are loaded. At about the same size as a small laptop to should be easy to carry in your laptop bag too. We have a review unit on the way, within the next few days we will update this post with our hands on information and a review video. Right now Newegg has the units on sale for $95 so if you are interested check out out here:
AOC e1649Fwu Black 16″ (15.6″ viewable) 16ms Widescreen LCD Monitor

Here are the Technical Specifications:
Viewable Image Size: 15.6″ (16:9)
Brightness (typical): 200 cd/m2
Response Time: 5ms
Contrast Ratio: 500:1
Optimum Resolution: 1366 x 768 @ 60Hz
Colors Supported: >16 Million
Digital Input: USB
ENERGY STAR Compliant: Yes
EPEAT Rated: Yes
Dimensions: 14.8 x 9.3 x 1.4″ (376 x 236 x 35.5mm)
Weight: 2.3 lbs (1.06 kgs)

What do you think of this product? Let us know by posting a comment below.