Northwest Technology Blog

Leopard Server Seminar in Bellingham: Wed 9/10

2008-08-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

Leopard Server. Bringing people and
information together in powerful new ways.

If you think it takes a dedicated IT department to deploy and use a server, think again. Leopard Server is designed so you can easily set up and manage servers. So whether you are adding to your IT department or you are a small business owner just getting started with servers, this seminar will be valuable to you. Be the first to see Apple's most advanced Mac OS X Server ever. Learn about the new 8-core Xserve with the latest Intel Xeon processors. Apple is committed to open source technologies and open standards, making it easy to fit Apple products within your existing environment. Versatile, scalable, and surprisingly affordable solutions help you maintain and extend your infrastructure on a limited budget. And making it all work is no sweat, thanks to innovative management tools and Apple's unmatched hardware/software integration.
(Click for Information/Sign Up)

IT Can Have Biggest Impact on Travel: Survey

2008-06-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

By GreenerComputing Staff
June 13, 2008

A new survey on the relationship between IT and green initiatives found IT professionals take environmental concerns more seriously than their companies, but collaboration between IT and other departments is necessary for effective changes.

Of the more than 1,400 IT professionals surveyed by research firm Freeform Dynamics, only eight percent said they have little or no knowledge of IT-related environmental issues.

The majority said they take environmental issues seriously and care about taking action, but few said their organizations take the same issues seriously. For companies with environmental initiatives, the main drivers are regulatory pressure, cost savings and public relations. Sales, genuine concern for the environment and pressure from shareholders and investors were identified as exerting the least pressure on green programs.

The survey identified areas where IT can provide cost and energy savings along with practices that are hindering green IT initiatives. IT can make the biggest impact by reducing commutes and travel by supporting telecommuting, teleconferencing and flexible working, but an effective program needs collaboration among IT, facilities and human relations departments.

Another area in which companies are lacking is with power use. The majority of IT departments are not accountable for their power use and do not have the ability to monitor all the power consumption necessary to truly evaluate where they can make power-saving decisions.

Source URL: http://www.greenercomputing.com/news/2008/06/13/it-can-impact-travel

Office Asus Eee Box Specs

2008-06-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

We are all huge fans of the Eee PC here at Northwest Computer so I was excited to see that Asus has just released the specs for its Eee Box. The Eee Box is a Wii Looking budget desktop computer.

Specs are as follows:
Operating system: Linux System/ Hardware Compatible with Windows XP
CPU: Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz, FSB 533)
Memory: 1 GB / 2 GB DDR2
Hard drive: 80GB / 160GB 5,400 rpm
Chipset: Intel 945GSE + ICH7M
Integrated graphics chip: Intel GMA 950
Networking: 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN, 802.11n WLAN, Bluetooth optional
Media card reader supporting: SD, SDHC, Mini SD, (Micro SD through adapter) ; MMC, MMC plus, MMC4.x, RS MMC, RSMMC4.x (MMC mobile through adapter);MS,MS PRO

With prices starting at $269 this will be one computer to keep your eye on.

OLPC releases first information on XO-2

2008-05-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Last week at OLPC’s Global Country Workshop the look of what will be the follow up to OLPC's highly successful and publicized XO was revealed. The XO-2 will sport dual touch screens and be half the size of the original. The design will provide a right and left page in vertical format, a hinged laptop in horizontal format, and a flat, two-screen continuous surface for use in tablet mode. “Younger children will be able to use simple keyboards to get going, and older children will be able to switch between keyboards customized for applications as well as for multiple languages”.

The best part is that they are claiming that the XO-2 will be released in 2010 for an astonishing $75. Of course OLPC has been known to aim lower than it really can achieve on price so expect to pay a little more.

Apple Announces New iMacs

2008-04-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

Apple has just dropped the news that new iMacs are shipping. Here are the new specs:

20 INCH
2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB
250GB hard drive
ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB

20 INCH
2.66Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB
320GB hard drive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB

24 INCH
2.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB
320GB hard drive
ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB

We should have one of these in the retail store soon so stop by when you get a chance.

We’ve Gone (Almost) Stockless!

2008-04-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

After nearly 20 years of managing an extensive warehouse-based inventory to support our distribution business we are happy to report that we’ve recently completed a carefully planned strategic conversion to a largely stockless system. We’ve been looking at making this change for a number of years and have spent more than six months making the conversion.

Q: How does it work?

A: The “stockless” model works like this: We have negotiated agreements with our key suppliers to ship products directly from their distribution centers to our commercial customers – both locally and across the country. This arrangement includes utilizing air freight to ensure timely deliveries. In fact, we expect to be able to deliver orders faster using the direct ship model then the “old fashioned” way where we ordered products, received them into our local stock and then delivered them to our clients.

Additionally, the stockless approach is greener – as oil prices continue to rise we have successfully taken our delivery vehicles off the road, allowing the delivery companies (who are already on the road) to move goods more efficiently from point A to point B. For local deliveries, we have signed an agreement with Red Dog Courier, a Bellingham-based delivery company to facilitate the fast, free local delivery that we’ve always offered, including the “desktop” delivery service that is so important to many customers.

Q: What about emergencies? What if we need something NOW?

A: We are maintaining a “Crisis Management” stock (hence the “almost” stockless description) so that we can respond instantly to failed hard drives, dead RAM, toner cartridges, etc. In most cases emergency parts or supplies can be picked up at our Technology Solutions Center in downtown Bellingham with 10 minutes notice. We also of course maintain stock in the retail store and have a wide variety of parts and supplies on hand there at all times.

Q: Why change?

A: Over the years it has become obvious that the old model of a mid-size locally-based distributor was becoming something of an oxymoron in the world of global distribution and broadband automation. To put it simply; the large suppliers that we partner with have a distribution capability far beyond our own and economies of scale dictate that these large suppliers can offer superior deliverables more economically. Additionally as our business has changed in the last few years the opportunity to concentrate on service considerations and new products is welcome. We’ve experienced phenomenal growth in the network management space (especially remote management) and other professional services and our retail focus has really shifted as we’ve begun to really explore the relatively new partnership with Apple. With these divisions of Northwest Computer doing so well, we wanted to be able to bring more focus to them by discontinuing our warehouse with it’s attendant inventory, resource management requirements and infrastructure challenges.

Q: How does this change affect your customers?

A: Customers who have historically ordered products from us for delivery should see little, if any, change in lead times. In some cases, orders may take an extra day or two to be delivered, in other cases they will arrive more quickly than before. Documentation accompanying deliveries may look different. As always, if there are questions regarding shipments contact us and we will address them.

Q: Are you still recycling toner cartridges and e-waste?

A: Yes! We continue to partner with ReLectronics, a division of ReSources to recycle empty toner cartridges and computer gear. These items should be dropped off at our retail store at 1211 Cornwall. There are fees associated with the recycling of e-Waste. We are also exploring a relationship with Computers for Kidz, a local non-profit that rebuilds used computers and donates them to economically disadvantaged children in Whatcom County.

Receive updates to your e-mail

2008-04-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

Now you can receive daily blog updates straight to your e-mail inbox. Just put your email into the new widget on the right panel and start enjoying technology news from the comfort of your inbox.

New blog from Northwest Computer

2008-04-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a new link on the right hand side of the page. Senior account manager, Dennis Brounstein, has decided to switch his popular monthly e-mail newsletter over to a blog format so that everyone can enjoy it. Make sure to take a minute to check it out: dennisfromnwcomputer.blogspot.com

Recycling That Harms the Environment and People

2008-04-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

Discarded circuit boards in the town of Guiyu, China, where scientists found environmental contamination from crude recycling practices.

By HENRY FOUNTAIN
Published: April 15, 2008

Recycling is supposed to be good for the environment. But if it’s not carried out properly, certain kinds of recycling — notably the dismantling of electronic circuit boards, which contain lead, zinc, copper and other metals — can cause environmental harm.

It can also be dangerous to human health, as a new study of electronics recycling in China shows.

Anna O. W. Leung and Ming H. Wong of Hong Kong Baptist University and colleagues went to the town of Guiyu in southeastern China, home to a cottage industry of family-run recycling workshops. These are typically set up inside homes, where family members melt the tin-lead solder on the boards to remove chips and other components for sale, with only small household fans for ventilation.

The researchers collected surface dust samples in and around these workshops, at local markets and schools and in other nearby residential areas.

As reported in Environmental Science and Technology, they found extremely elevated levels of lead, zinc and other metals in the workshops. Lead levels, for example, were up to 2,400 times commonly accepted optimum levels.

The contamination extended beyond the workshops into adjacent streets. Lead levels were still high, although about one-fifth the levels inside the homes. But even neighborhood schoolyards and markets were affected, suggesting that people spread contaminated dust as they walk around.

The Future of Windows XP

2008-04-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

There have been some interesting moves on the part of Microsoft in the last week or two regarding Windows XP. According to Microsoft, large computer makers will no longer be selling machines with XP after June 30, 2008. Sales of XP will be discontinued after January 31, 2009. I get lots of calls asking if I can still get Windows XP-Professional and as of this point the answer is definitely yes. I am still getting requests for about 80% of my sales with XP. There is still a great deal of fear over Vista. Some people report having conflicts with existing hardware or software but most have not really even tried Vista. Before going any further, Microsoft has said that it will support XP at least through 2014.

Microsoft stated this past week that it will continue to sell Windows XP-Home for lower end systems primarily for use in emerging markets. Machines will need less hardware requirements to run adequately helping to reduce the cost of these computers. This is not going to be a factor for most schools and businesses which require XP-Professional to run on their domains.

Bill Gates also announced last week that Vista's replacement should be available in a year or so. This is referring to 2010 not 2009 like some media has been reporting. Vista's replacement is being called Windows 7. One of the advantages of this version is a less hardware intensive approach. A minimalistic variation of the Windows kernal known as MinWin, is being developed for use in Windows 7. The MinWin development efforts are aimed towards componentizing the Windows kernel and reducing the dependencies with a view to carving out the minimal set of components required to build a self-contained kernel as well as reducing the disk footprint and memory usage according to Mark Russinovich.

Microsoft is suffering from bad publicity over Vista and is still having trouble with it gaining acceptance. 100 million copies of Vista have been sold. Most have been bundled with new machines mostly for the retail market. Most businesses have been happy with Windows XP and have not had the need to upgrade yet. This will change over the next year when Vista is the only product readily available.

Order either Windows XP or Vista machines today. Both operating systems are in stock and ready to ship. Use the configurators on the right side of this page for desktops or notebooks to make your choices. If you prefer to go with Ubuntu or some other OS, please leave a comment on the form.

Apple Product Demo Videos

2008-03-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Thinking about buying an Apple Computer? Why not take a minute to look at these demo videos provided by Apple. Find out exactly why Apple products continue to break sales records.

OSX Leopard

iMac

More videos coming soon!

Windows Vista service pack 1 now available

2008-03-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

The first service pack for Windows Vista has just been released. It doesn't look like there are any huge changes to the real meat of the operating system. The update seems to mainly address some stability issues and a few small performance issues. To read a full review of the upgrade check out the great write up at PCPRO. If you are interested in all the little details here a link to Microsoft's list of notable changes.

Vista users that can't wait to upgrade should open their start menu, click the all programs button then click on windows updates to get to the windows update center. If you don't see the service pack 1 update do all other available updates and try again. If you still don't see it you may have to wait just a little longer. Apparently there are some drivers that are having issues with service pack 1 and Microsoft is holding out on providing the update to computers with those drivers until the problems have been fixed with driver updates. The good news is that Microsoft says they will send the driver updates out through windows updates over the next couple months which will unlock the update for many users. Users desperate to upgrade can find a manual installation on Microsoft's website but i wouldn't recommend it.

New Blue Mountain Computers and Custom Ordering on www.nwcomputer.us

2008-03-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

We have a new section on http://www.nwcomputer.us/ for online ordering! Now you can design a custom Blue Mountain computer and order it from the comfort of your home. We are all really excited about it. Take a minute to play around with the customizer and don't forget to check out the new line of Blue Mountain Computers: online store.

Also keep an eye out for more updates on the ordering section of out web page we have some exciting things in the works.

Information is valuable. Are you protecting yours?

2008-02-29T13:15:00.000-08:00

"Our Age of Anxiety is, in great part, the result of trying to do today's jobs with yesterday's tools."
- Marshall McLuhan

Security. It seems like I can’t have a conversation about technology lately without hearing that word. Everyone is worried about security… and with good reason. In the age of information, few things are more valuable, or sought after than your information. As such there are literally millions of people out there after your information, and millions more making a good living building products to stop them from getting it. Although now it seems as though there are almost as many ways to lose your data, either by accident or otherwise, here’s the good news; you can protect yourself and your data, and it’s not really that difficult. Let’s look at some of the most common threats.

Data loss. In this brave new world of viruses and spyware, hackers and identity theft, believe it or not I see more data lost through outright negligence than anything else. The fact is, having your information stolen is certainly a real concern but having a hard drive crash without a backup is a lot more common. And although having a hard drive go down probably won’t result in your bank account getting cleaned out, it can certainly be extremely damaging. Let me put it this way; pretty much every hard drive out there is spinning at 7,200 RPMs, and at this speed will inevitably fail within a few years out of the factory. I’ve seen some hard drives last upwards of seven years, but I’ve seen many, many more die after fewer than three – more often than not without warning, and without the possibility of data recovery, at least not at a price any non-oil company exec could afford.

The tremendous growth in laptop sales only amplifies this reality – hard drives that are constantly being bumped around invariably die much more quickly – I’ve personally lost probably five hard drives in laptops over the past few years – no kidding. Your hard drive is without question the most likely component in your computer to fail, and someday it will, guaranteed. A recent study by Google showed that approximately one in fourteen hard drives fails per year – not great odds for your hard drive. Knowing this, not having critical data stored on something other than a single hard drive can be seen as nothing short of negligent. Whether backing up to tape, DVD, data cartridge, USB memory stick, even a second hard drive, you must backup somehow. If you’re a business, you must have a comprehensive backup plan and you should get notification confirming your backups are being completed successfully every day. If your IT person or service provider is not giving you written confirmation that your backup is working, you might as well start crossing your fingers.

I don’t really know what part of human psychology it is that tends to ignore things until they’re a problem but in this area a problem can mean the end of your business. Crossing your fingers probably won’t help when you’re trying to figure out just how exactly you’re going to rebuild your client list from scratch, or determine how to get that P&L statement which no longer exists to the bank. To put things in context, an external hard drive runs something like a hundred bucks. A managed backup plan is insurance for your data. How much is your car worth? How much do you pay for insurance? How much is your data worth and how much do you pay for insuring that? Think about it.

Outside Threats, Inside Threats

Not having a comprehensive network and internet security plan is possibly as dangerous, if not more dangerous than not having a backup plan. With literally billions of records compromised each year this is not just someone else’s problem. Failure to recognize virus and spyware threats, the existence and effectiveness of hackers, wireless security, even security breaches from employees can definitely be classified as risky if not downright negligent. Firewalls are built for a reason; there are 12 year old kids out there who can compromise your server before getting through their “fun size” bag of Cheetos. And it’s not just individuals trying to get into your server, there are large, well funded organizations out there that would love to get the info in your databases; here, there, on the other side of the world. The U.S. suffered an estimated $8 billion in costs to consumers alone over the past two years due to information security breaches. Where viruses used to be written by kids looking for some sinister sort of recognition for their achievements, they’re often now the product of a team of programmers looking to fund their cause.

How many of your employees have access to customer records, credit card numbers? These threats don’t always come from a country whose name you can’t pronounce – sometimes they come from the person sitting right next to you. Is your network secure? Can employees get into network folders that might compromise your customers’ privacy? Is your wireless locked down or can the guy parked in the teardrop window van outside log himself onto your network? If you can’t answer these questions you might as well leave your front door unlocked when you close up shop tonight. Do you think it’s more likely someone will walk by, try your door and proceed to clean you out, or that someone on the other side of the world has a computer running a program to scan every security vulnerability your network might have while deciding what color his new BMW is going to be? Considering there are tens of millions of computers online, I’d say the latter may be a better bet.

So what can you do about it? Antivirus, antispyware, firewalls, wireless – “I don’t know how to deal with this stuff, let alone know what most of these things are!” you say. That’s fine, and you probably shouldn’t take too much time to learn – you’ve got better things to worry about, like how much longer 12 miles per gallon is going to work for your budget. But ignoring it isn’t fine. Find an expert and demand satisfaction! Demand a report on security. Is your firewall locked down? Prove it. Are your files safe from that new guy you just hired that always smells like a rock concert? Prove it. Is your antivirus updated? When? If it’s been a week since you got an update, you may want to rethink your strategy – many antivirus companies issue hourly updates – for a reason. If your IT guy can’t show you a legitimate report on the state of your network security, find a new IT guy or find a managed service provider who can. You don’t need to spend a fortune here, but it may cost you one if you don’t deal with it.

You lock your doors at night. You put your money in a safe. You pay your government for your protection. In the information age, information is valuable, very valuable. Lock it up. Keep it safe. Get the information you need to protect the information you possess.

If you’d like more information about protecting your information assets, feel free to call me at 734.3400 X-150 or contact me via e-mail at edonofrio@nwcomputer.us

Mass Consumerism and Chris Jordan

2008-02-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

Our world seems to be continuing down the path of consumerism. It was very interesting to listen to Chris Jordan talk on http://www.inhabitat.com/ about mass consumerism and the fundamental mind shift that needs to occur in order for our culture to get out of the mass consumption/disposal mind set.

Watch the interview here

If you haven't seen Chris Jordan's incredible digital photographs depicting mass consumption head over to http://www.chrisjordan.com/ and prepare to be shocked.

Best Computer-Repair Service 5 Years in a Row

2008-02-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

The readers of the Bellingham Business Journal have named Northwest Computer "Best computer-repair service" in Bellingham for the 5th year in a row!

Congratulations to our hardworking technicians who won’t quit until the job is done right.

Tech trends: easier Web sites, more services

2008-02-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Technology for 2008: Web development to become more user-friendly
Isaac Bonnell

On Friday Jan. 18, more than 100 people crowded into the Squalicum Boathouse to have lunch and to see Mark Anderson. Usually such a Bellingham crowd only amasses for a controversial public meeting or a big name musical act. But Anderson doesn’t do music or local issues.
Rather, Anderson is a renowned futurist. He owns and operates Strategic News Service, a newsletter about technology and investing. His business is the business of tomorrow. And on that sunny day in Zuanich Point Park, he spoke about his predictions for 2008 as they pertain to technology.
The event marked Anderson’s fourth appearance in Bellingham as a guest speaker for the Technology Alliance Group, a local advocacy group that hosted the event. Though much of his presentation focused on the big picture — from climate crisis to the world economy — his predictions for this year touched on things that affect everyday life.
For example, he predicted that cell phones and the Internet will continue to merge into one device. The Web will become so commonplace that people will stop referring to it as the Web. Small personal computers, similar to the iPhone, will catch on. He also predicted that the United States will expand its Internet bandwidth, and streaming television will come with that expansion.
Inspired by Anderson’s predictions, the BBJ asked two local companies what predictions they have for the technology sector this year.

Web sites will be easier to build
Patrice Valentine, who owns Net Solutions North America, said she expects 2008 to be the year that businesses take Web development into their own hands.
“It’s becoming cheaper and cheaper,” she said. “It used to be that we didn’t do a Web site for less that $12,000. Now you need less than $1,000 and it can be done in a week or two.”
Not only is launching a Web site cheaper, but it is also easier to do nowadays. Rather than hiring out a Web developer to run a company Web site, many companies are already taking the initiative to run their Web site in-house, Valentine said.
“The biggest complaint I hear in this industry is that their Web developer disappeared and is holding their Web site hostage,” Valentine said. “The other complaint is that they don’t know how to use [the software].”
Designing a Web site doesn’t have to be scary, Valentine said. An increasing amount of Web development software is starting to mimic programs that users are already familiar with, such as Microsoft Office. In turn, people are less scared to learn the programs and venture out on their own.
“Anyone can call themselves a Web developer,” Valentine said. “Plus, I think consumers are getting a little smarter about Web design.”
Net Solutions, which is headquartered in Bellingham, offers several Web development products aimed at getting people familiar with the creation and upkeep of Web sites. The logic behind such products is that the more people within a business who know how to operate the program, the less likely the Web site is to suffer if the one person who runs the site is not there. Plus, the site will be a more organic product if more staff are involved in its creation and upkeep.
“We give people control of their Web site,” Valentine said, “which isn’t always good. Some people can make some really ugly Web sites.”
Aesthetics aside, Valentine said many businesses these days are looking beyond designing a pretty Web site and more toward entering the world of e-commerce. Purchasing goods and services off of the Internet is no longer a neat alternative to normal shopping; it’s becoming commonplace.
In an age where digital documents often outnumber physical documents in the workplace, incorporating e-commerce will also make work more efficient, Valentine said. For example, Net Solutions is currently working with a local candy distributor to add e-commerce to their Web site.
“Even though they do mostly wholesale, they’re trying to train their wholesale clients to go online and order,” she said. “It streamlines their orders.”
Though 2008 may be the year in which more people venture into the realm of Web design and e-commerce on their own, Valentine said there is still a market for custom Web developers.
“More and more people are looking for that one person or one company who can solve all of their problems,” she said.

Remote computer repair will catch on
Northwest Computer is one such company that is looking to solve all of your computer problems. And thanks to the spread of high-speed Internet and advances in networking software, company vice president Ethan D’Ononfrio said he predicts this year to be the year people change the way they think about the computer service industry.
But in order to know where the industry is going, it’s important to know where it’s been. D’Ononfrio calls the old model of computer support the “break-fix” model. It’s related to the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“It’s like not changing your oil [in your car],” he said. “After five years of not changing your oil, you’re going to really wish you had changed your oil.”
The new model D’Onofrio expects to catch on is called managed services and it operates much like preventative maintenance or the insurance industry. For a flat monthly rate, the staff at Northwest Computer will remotely monitor your computer to make sure that you have the most up-to-date security patches and will also be on hand to address any problems, if (and when) they occur.
This overrides the old model, where businesses often had to hire out for a technician once problems have already occurred. That technician would then have to drive to their office and spend several hours diagnosing and fixing the problem. All of that can now be done from within one location.
“We can even go so far as to put a little icon in where an end user can submit a trouble ticket,” D’Onofrio said. “They click the little icon saying ‘I can’t access my e-mail’ and it comes into our ticket counter. We basically become their IT staff. We’ve got a whole team of engineers waiting to solve these problems.”
For D’Onofrio, switching to a managed services model does more than speed up the process of tech support. It also saves the company gas money by keeping more staff in the office and off of the roads.
“I get to sign the reimbursement checks for people driving around the county all week,” he said. “It’s just not cost effective anymore.”
With fuel prices consistently rising and the retail market for technology changing due to Internet sales, D’Onofrio said the whole company is shifting toward the computer service industry.
“Two years ago it was maybe 10 percent of our business and a year from now I expect that it will be 75 percent of our business,” he said.
No matter what shifts occur in the technology sector this year — be it in Web development or repair services — you can almost be sure that the trends will shift again. Such is the manner of technology.

Just a quick link!

2008-02-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a get list of the best 100 Mac applications. Anyone thinking of switching should check it out!
Top 100 Mac Apps

New "Current Deals" Section on www.nwcomputer.us

2008-02-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

Notice the new button on http://www.nwcomputer.us/? We have just added a regularly updated deals section. Now when you get curious in the middle of the night about what kinds of sale we are having you dont have to deal with the nightmares and cold sweats while you wait until morning to find out.

Check it out from the link on the home page or go directly to it here: Deals

The Importance of Technicians

2008-01-17T13:15:00.000-08:00

The Unsung Heroes of This Computer Dependent Generation

When I started here at Northwest Computer almost two years ago, when I was a young man of Twenty-two instead of the grizzled old man of twenty-four I've become, if you'd have asked me if I fancied myself tech savvy I'd have smiled and said yes. I'd have been wrong. It took about four days of working here to prove that to me. I've gotten better over time, learned where tech came from and where it's heading. Some of this I've learned from retail associates, some of it from customers who were more avid than I. No one though, has taught me more about tech and the computer industry than the gentleman who work behind the scenes and take very little glory. I'm talking now about the technicians.

That's right. Those guys and gals. The ones who mutter under their breath as they look at dirty computers. The folks who look at you sideways when you tell them about your machine and how it games pretty well. The people who can talk endlessly about cas latency and hard drive spin or seek time. These are the people who can teach you the lessons that'll keep you relevant in a business that changes quicker than you can blink. They'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about computers and then some stuff you never, ever cared about. And nine times of ten, they'll do it with a smile because it's what they love to do.

If you've ever known anyone who loved what they do, be it fixing cars or making cabinets you know they love to talk about it. Sure they might curse at their respective adored hobby or career under their breath but if you get them going they get wistful and excited all at once. Technicians are just like that. So do me, them and yourself a favor. AsK them how they're doing. Ask them what they're doing and most importantly, sing their praises whenever you're given the opportunity.

Apple... gasping for Air?

2008-01-16T13:26:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, Apple introduced a new notebook to their Macbook line yesterday at Macworld. Named, 'Macbook Air', this sleek new product is less then meets the eye.

At first sight, the words that came to my mind were: amazing, sleek, sexy... and I want one.
So I rushed over to Apple.com to get the full scoop. Once I arrived, and saw the truth, the lust ended.

What is the truth you maybe ask?
Well Apple has been on a hot streak the last few years and pretty much every product release (except for the Apple TV- I will have to get into that on another post) has been a knock out of the park. The Macbook Air... is a swing and a miss.

The beautifully slim exterior hides... well not much. What you see is what you get, and with a notebook this small you don't see much. Unlike the feature rich Macbook and Macbook Pro, the Air lacks many of the features that are needed for everyday computing. And at the price of $1799, most would need it to full fill all of their computing needs.
Housed in a stunning aluminum chassis (like the Macbook Pro) the Macbook Air weights only 3 pounds (2 pounds lighter then the Macbook) and has a beautiful 13.3 inch LED lit LCD.
Like the Macbook Pro, the keyboard lights up when in a dark room, and like the new iPhone you can use gestures on the touch pad. A nice touch (pun intended). Sounds like a good starting point, but it is actually the finish.

So what is it missing?
Well first, to save space, there is no CD/DVD drive. Yes they offer an external drive, but if you EVER want to use a CD or DVD on the road you have to carry it with you (which adds more weight and takes up more space then just carrying a Macbook with you).
The second thing it lacks is ports. There is a little drop down on the side that holds the Macbook Air's ports. Once down it gives you a slim selection, one head phone, a mini DVI (which needs dongles to use external monitors... which equals more to carry) and one USB port. Yes your heard me ONE USB PORT. Given the lack of ports only having one USB port is a very bad thing. What if you need to plug into your works Ethernet? Well there is none on the Macbook Air, but Apple does sell a USB one. Ok so you have it plugged into your network, but I you want to listen to a CD while working? Well hopefully you brought your you USB hub (and its external power adapter).
The follies don't end there. If you don't have any head phones you can still listen to your music on the Macbook Airs one speaker. That was not a joke, it only has a mono speaker built in, and since Macs are known for their entertainment uses, this is a head scratcher. Also there is no firewire port (apples own technology) for high speed devices (like DV Cams).On top of all this the battery is not removable (unlike every notebook ever made) which means you would have to pay someone to replace it when it goes bad.

So obviously it is missing alot of features to keep the size and weight down, but how does it stack up again its brothers the Macbook and Macbook Pro?
Well it has a slower processor (even the $3000 dollar model is still slower then the $1099 Macbook.). And in the standard model it uses the same hard drive as the iPod (not a product known for running entire computers off of its drive) which is a measly 4200 RPM PATA ( which stands for "20 year old technology") drive. They do have an option to add a next gen 64 GB Solid State Drive (they are fast, low power drain, and no moving parts!) but that will add and extra $1000 dollars to the cost of the system. The ram in not upgradeable so you will always be stuck with 2 GB (though that is going to be good for most people), and the battery life (as claimed by Apple) is lower then the Macbook.
Things are not looking good for the Macbook Air.

You may be thinking to yourself, isn't Northwest Computer an Apple Dealer now?
Yes, we PROUDLY are. And as a tech here I recommend both the Macbook and Macbook Pro without reservation. They are a great example of design, function and beauty.
The Macbook Air on the other hand fails to live up to the rest of the Apple product line. Not every product from a company (even the seemingly infallible Apple) can be great.

So what is my recommendation?
Unless portability is what you need (and you are willing to sacrifice a lot to get it) I would suggest buying either a Macbook or Macbook Pro. The Macbook is less expensive, faster and has more features (and is only 2 pounds heavier- weight lifting is good for your health anyways). The Macbook Pro eats applications for breakfast, has more features then a swiss army knife and is the nicest notebook I have ever put my hands on. Both are great choices for your next computer.

So is Apple gasping for Air?
Not at all. They are at the top of the game right now. Their line up of products dominate the industry in style, function, durability and ease of use. And with the latest version of OS X fullfilling all of user needs there is a lot of reason to "switch". But the Macbook Air is the one Apple product that just doesn't compute.

Asus Eee PC - lots of fun in a little package

2008-01-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

The marketing and development push for new smaller form factor PC's such as the UMPC standard has been going Strong for almost 2 years now. There is no question in my mind that there is a place in the market for these small form factor computers that are even more compact than the laptops many of us carry around now. The two big things that are currently holding back the miniature PC from main stream are battery life and cost. Asus realized that most people can't afford one of the beautiful touch screen UMPC's that many manufactures and building and selling for around the same price as a full laptop and developed the Eee PC, a small laptop with a 7 in screen, solid state memory which allows it to get tossed around a bit and a price that anyone can afford, best of all it still looks pretty sexy . Starting at around $400 the Eee PC comes with linux pre-installed and the only down side is a somewhat average battery life of around 3 to 3.5 hours.

Check out there website to find out more

Growth Management - When to Call an Expert

2008-01-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few.”

- Shunryu Suzuki

Over the past 17 years I’ve seen a lot of change within my company as well as within other companies in Whatcom County. I’ve seen businesses grow and thrive, I’ve seen businesses shrink and die. I’ve seen the opposite too – grow and die, shrink and thrive! Right here at Northwest Computer I’ve seen just about everything, from business ideas we’ve had that have propelled us to where we are today to business ideas that lasted only a few months before fizzling out. Every business is bound to make some smart decisions as well as some not-so-well-thought-out ones – we’ve had our share of both, and we’ve learned many lessons along the way. This is the topic of this month’s article – growth management in the world of technology. Looking back I can see now why, with the extreme complexity of technology, many companies miss the mark by so much when it comes to technology’s role in growth management. But it doesn’t have to be that way – there is a better path.

Managing Change

The Trusted Advisor. This may be the single most important role to fill when it comes to managing your company’s technology needs as it grows and changes. The trusted advisor is absolutely critical in managing any even moderately complicated technology environment. By the time you have five computers in your business, simply adding more when you need them quite possibly doesn’t make sense. This is when you need a trusted advisor. Do I buy a PC or a notebook? Why? Do I need a network? What about data security? What if a computer crashes? How much productivity do I lose by not having an adequate PC? How much do I gain by deploying a notebook? I could ask a hundred, nay – a thousand more questions like this and suddenly it becomes very clear that the average Joe Businessman is not even close to qualified to answer most of them. In fact, the average Joe Businessman doesn’t generally even know what questions to ask, let alone the answers to them. The solution to this problem is the trusted advisor. But be careful here – this is where I’ve seen people make some extremely foolish choices. This is often where Joe B. calls in his cousin Ed Fixitall – the guy who built his own computer last year, reads the online tech forums, and is now a self-proclaimed computer expert. Even if Ed was a computer expert, that’s not enough. What is needed here is a business technology applications expert. Someone who really has a much broader understanding of what technology is appropriate for your type of business. Someone who knows what the full capabilities of technology specifically suited to your needs are. And as importantly; the risks and shortcomings. This probably isn’t Ed. This is a trusted advisor. And trust is earned, not bestowed. To be a trusted advisor, one must have the underlying knowledge and intention to earn that trust. And one must deliver over and over again, without fail. This is the trusted advisor.

So when it comes to growing your business it becomes of paramount importance to find a trusted advisor. Think about it this way; if you decided you wanted to build a football stadium you wouldn’t just go start buying a bunch of metal and turf – that would be insane. You would seek out the most knowledgeable people in the stadium-building business and consult them before you ever bought the first load of cement. You would find a trusted advisor. There would be a ton of consulting, engineering, planning, etc. before you just dove in. The same can (and should) be said for any even moderately complex computer system. This is especially true when you’re in a growth phase. Take that stadium for example; what if you knew that in 3 years you were going to need to accommodate a football, baseball and basketball team. You certainly wouldn’t build the stadium without taking that into account from the get go. Similarly, you wouldn’t build a network of ten computers as if you were only ever going to have ten computers if you expected to be doubling in size over the next two years – you’d want to plan in advance to accommodate that growth. And for those who think otherwise, good luck… simply adding another ten PCs down the road may make sense…it may also be a huge financial blunder…but without consulting an expert this may not be revealed until it’s too late.

Choosing a Path

It’s amazing to me that in this day and age people tend to be so hesitant to consult experts in the computer technology field. People go to mechanics every day to have their cars fixed. People call electricians when they want a building wired. People see a doctor when they feel sick. Why then is computing treated any differently? You wouldn’t ask your bowling partner why you had sharp pains in your abdomen – at least not unless he or she was a physician. Don’t get me wrong, every day I see plenty of well thought out, well planned deployments of hugely complicated networks. In fact, it seems that the more complicated the network, the more outside help is sought, despite perhaps having internal resources to assist in deployment and growth management. Whereas the less complicated networks, although perhaps simpler, tend to be installed with no technical know-how at all, and with no future planning in mind whatsoever. And the irony is that in these smaller scale deployments the cost of doing it right is usually quite trivial – certainly when compared to the cost of fixing it after the fact.

Growth is a difficult thing. There are so many facets to growing a business that often technology tends to be seen as a necessary evil, or at best a tool for survival. But it’s the really forward thinking companies who prosper, and the forward thinking companies don’t see technology in that way at all. They recognize that technology is perhaps the single most powerful business tool to employ in the service of growing a business and gaining competitive advantage. These are the companies who know when to call an expert, when to turn their dreams into goals, their goals into plans, and their plans into reality. To do this in a world of ever changing technology they know that they need to consult someone who is immersed in the business technology on a daily basis, not their cousin Ed Fixitall. So get serious, make technology do what you want it to do. Make technology work for you. Make technology your leg up on the competition. Make technology a facilitator of growth, not a hindrance. Talk to an expert and save yourself some real headache and perhaps a ton of money. Go out and grow your business with confidence, not fear.

Want to learn more about how managed services work? Find out about it on our website or contact me (734-3400 x150 or edonofrio@nwcomputer.us) and I’ll send you information that will help you determine whether this revolutionary technology makes sense for your business.

Fear and Loathing @ CES

2008-01-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

Well, after being here a few days in Vegas, the CES events have finally officially started. Tech movers and shakers from over 140 countries have gathered here to check out all the latest and greatest of what their industry has to offer, and rub shoulders with new connections and talents.

On saturday we went to the pre-show, where you could get a small glimpse of what new tech would be showcased, all the while dodging and weaving around technophiles and really tall mimes (yes, mimes), attempting to not get food or beer spilled on all the fancy toys on display....except for the InvisibleShield guys, who were asking you to so they could show off their product.

Some of the highlights were a new protocal layer created by a Japanese coalition (which includes the communications goliath DoCoMo) for cross connecting devices, regardless of their transmission source (IR, Bluetooth, ethernet, etc.), a netgear device for using your house's latent electrical wiring to act as a network connection @ 200Mb/s, and a USB security device meant to replace your A/V, firewall, and spam/malware detectors. Oh, and just for you Adam, I found this:

And it must have been good luck because, later on, the first slot machine I tried gave me 200 bucks after 3 tries!

On Sunday, the big pre-CES event was the Bill Gates Keynote at The Venecian. The line was stupid-long, even when we arrived pretty early, but laptops have a way of passing the time, so it wasn't so bad. When we were finally let in, about two hours later, another hour of waiting was to ensue, before the main event. The keynote itself was interesting, although it did seem more of a Microsoft sales pitch then anything else; new advances in connectivity between Microsoft products and services (Zune, XBox360, Vista, Live!, etc.), a look at retail uses for Microsoft Surface, and a small peek into Microsoft's labs where they are working on some Augmented Reality software for your cell phone. They also showed a cool little skit portraying Bill Gates last day at Microsoft (he's been there since he was 17!) and ended with an appearance by Slash from Guns n' Roses.

Now, it's Monday afternoon and we just got our press lunch, and now its off to the Intel keynote before hitting one of several gianormace trade show site floors (it will take us days to see it all!). I'll post again with cool tech pics when I have a moment and an internet connection.