Everything Computers, LLC

There are some general Windows 7 Folder options that will help you better understand what's going on with your PC's file system. These options are not new, but just a little difficult to find if you're an inexperienced user. Under any open Windows Explorer Window, select the "Organize" Menu, select "Folder and Search Options". Go to the "View" tab, in here you'll be presented with three default options that really hinder your ability to troubleshoot a computer. The first one is "Don't Show hidden files, folders, or drives". These are hidden for a reason but if you accept this and don't go immediately to delete this files when you see them, you'll discover where Windows stores many of the settings and files your programs use. It's best to "Show hidden files, folders and drives" if you are cleaning up a computer or looking to backup settings and other files.

Another option I like to uncheck is "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" This really helps you to be familiar with the files that are supposed to be on a properly working system drive. There are situation where you are dealing with spyware or other programs that require you to be able to see files at this level.

These first two options are probably more of a preference and a minor aid in troubleshooting. The last option you should always have unchecked is "Hide extension for known file types". It is so rediculous to allow Windows to determine what extensions to show and which ones to hide. This promotes a lot of ignorance on the part of the end user. Often times they are unaware that files still have a three letter extension as a result. The only way to learn what types of files are opened by which types of programs is to better understand the creator types that are out there, and then being able to associate those files with a particular program you have on your computer that will open them.

It's kind of the general feel that the traditional size of a desktop pc is wasteful and has been for some time, but many people still think they have to have the full size box. There actually is no good reason the size of the home PC hasn't shrunk since everything else has (laptops, tablets, phones etc.). The advantages with the old style desktop was;

1. The larger 3.5" which traditional drive desktops can fit is cheap and readily available
2. The processor can be upgraded
3. The motherboard can be changed out
4. A full CD/DVD, Blue Ray Player can be installed in a larger case

And below are the points about each;

1. The 2.5" drive has been used in laptops for over 10 years and meets or even exceeds the sizes for traditional 3.5" drives. As a comparison we sell a 1TB 2.5" drive for $99 and a 1TB 3.5" drive is the same price or in some cases more online. A spinning drive is completely on the way out anyway, the moving parts, heat and failure rate is too high. Solid State Drives (SSD's) have been approaching the price/GB and larger sizes of traditional spinning hard drives in the last 2 years and well worth the investment and speed increase.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=1tb+3.5%22+drive&form=SPLBR2&pc=SPLH
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/264632-32-7200rpm

2. The processor is the most oversold specification in a computer. There is no discernible difference from an i3 to an i5 to the end user in general usage. The most common reasons computers are slow is due to a failing or slow spindle speed drive. Or because of software/driver issues, not the processor, so a processor upgrade is nearly never going to help an old slow computer, new processors change socket types so it's very rare to put a "new" processor in an "old" motherboard.

3. A motherboard replacement seldom ever happens. Most computers are replaced before a motherboard or processor is ever upgraded. The renewal cycle on hardware now is so quick (three years or less) the advancements you give up by not moving to a new form factor or hardware type keeps you tied to pouring more money into an older computer, rather than seeing the desktop as a complete computing unit (commodity) of Intel processor, RAM and hard drive which are all consumable items, using up most of their value in that amount of time. So it's only useful to completely replace the computer with a modern version after that time, the labor and cost factor are just not there for component level replacement. (Example, it's $100 for a new hard drive, I don't know about anyone else, but I charge $40 to clone it and install, at $140, you're half way to a new computer if the $100 flat screen and everything else is still good.

4. While this computer does not have a CD/DVD Drive or Blue-Ray, when is the last time you bought software on CD-ROM? All major software vendors supply a downloadable version and if you still have access to a computer any DVD can be copied to a 6GB USB Flash drive which are often given away free now or are less than $15. With the push to cloud based services like DropBox, storing and buying music in iTunes and saving in iCloud and though other online services, such as streaming music from Pandora, Spotify, etc., the need for a CD/DVD drive is nonexistant, Macbook Air's and most vendors have stopped installing them. The computers I setup are cloned and/or reinstalled from a USB Flash Drive, the read time is quicker and they never scratch. If you really need a CD/DVD drive if you price them they are about $79 or less online, the same as it would cost to buy a full internal drive for a tower.

Google: USB CD/DVD Drive

There has also been a shift in how people see their computer, it's more of an entertainment device, so when you download a movie on Netflix, or stream audio, people are more and more placing the computer in the entertainment center and using the wireless mouse and keyboard to control is from a desk or comfortable spot. By just switching the input on your remote, you can change the HDMI input from your Blue Ray player, to the computer since it's native HDMI. Having HDMI out only can be a downside if you're wanting to hookup an older non DVI compliant or VGA screen. It's less than $10 for an adapter, but they are hard to find sometimes;

Google: HDMI to DVI

This computer also comes with a remote and receiver, so if you want to take it out of sleep mode and run a long cable under your house or through a wall back to your tv, you can still change inputs that way as well. 50 foot HDMI cables are relatively cheap now;

Google: 50 Foot HDMI

With most PC users moving toward a mobile platform, the people that want a desktop really only want the experience the Desktop provides, a full keyboard, full size screen and a lot of USB ports. This chassis has 4 USB ports which could be a little low depending upon how many things you want to plug in, 2 are USB 3.0 the new standard, and 2 are USB 2.0 for compatibility. You can get hubs (or port duplicators) now that will expand any port to four. I carry a 4 port hub that I get from Best Buy for $15, Big Lots even carries a decent 4 Port adapter for about $5 now, giving you 7 or more ports total.

The mobile computing revolution has been fueled by the mass production of lightweight tablets. The most prominent leader was Apple with their iPad, Google created Android tablets, phones and now a new generation of Chrome notebooks has gained traction in the market. The Barnes and Nobles Nook with it's own OS and primarily a reader has become a player in this space, while the Amazon Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD have morphed into yet another independently developed variant. What's often missing in these devices is a standard operating system across platforms, and that precisely the disadvantage and challenge they pose to business. Google Android has a good running start with great hardware compatibility. However, tablets are a personal device designed with end user ease of use in mind, which makes the proprietary operating systems they're running naturally part of that entire user experience and less about compatibility with a wide range of software, certainly Windows compatibility is not even a consideration. Windows 8 and earlier Windows based tablets are a good direction particularly for business applications, and have been around for over a decade. It's not until recent years that lightweight physical enclosures/screens and even lighter weight operating systems built around touch screen and ease of use have propelled the tablet into mainstream usage. Below are some basic Windows Based tablets that are well suited for business use, one is a Windows 8 Version, and the other is still Windows 7 which is becoming more scarce, if that's preferred.

This article discusses how and why you want to select a good website domain, and we also dive into understanding the different hosting options that are out there. This article is part of a two part series that summarizes Everything Computers, LLC's involvement with Pittsburg State University Art Students and their class website project: TenStoriesPSU.

Selecting a good website domain name should be something you take your time with and commit to. When selecting a name you should really think about how it is a reflection of yourself and maybe what you do. You want to try to think about how easily the name can be both printed and spoken with ease. You want it to be as short as possible, without too many dashes or other odd letters. Also a good domain is easy to pronounce clearly and understand if said over the phone. If you're unmarried, think about if your name would change, how that could impact how people find you online. Often the best sites are those that include words from our everyday life that are either odd combinations, or intentional misspellings to be memorable, which is a common, current trend.

Right now, the best promotion going on for registering a domain is through 1and1. You'll hear a lot about Godaddy, and others, but many of the other sites charge a lot more to compensate for their overhead and marketing. This link below to the 1and1 signup page will help get the exact package I"m referring to at the promotional rate, simply enter the name you want in the box and click "go":

1&1 Instant Domain

Owning the domain name is only part of what you need to have a fully functional website. Having enough space and a physical place online to store the files is the other big part of the project. There is a range of options and I suggest you contact us to work with you or you may investigate the following hosting options:

1&1 Server XL 6

1&1 MyWebsite Premium

1&1 Advanced eShop + Business

Transporter: A New Way to Share, Access and Protect Files

Transporter is an online but off-cloud storage device for sharing, accessing and protecting unlimited amounts of files without using the cloud.

This new file sharing product aims to capture the individual and small business market. A device like this has been needed for some time. Most people are fed up with additional cloud storage fees and outages attributed to Dropbox and only online storage. There comes a point where you want to actually "own" your own storage and not "rent" it. The Development team that launched this product came from the makers of the Drobo, which is a great product, but still just a bunch of disks (JBOD). Services bundled with drives like the Western Digital MyBook Live have begun to capitalize on the need for onsite, local storage.

Share, access and protect all your files from anywhere with Transporter. Designed to offer a private, no-fee alternative to cloud storage, Transporter is an online but off-cloud storage device for sharing, accessing and protecting unlimited amounts of files without using the cloud. As a device you own and control, it is completely private and there are no monthly fees or subscriptions. Simply add a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive of your choice to start storing and sharing your files right away.





Whether you're working with videos, pictures, documents or spreadsheets, Transporter can store and transfer your files to other Transporters, authorized computers or mobile devices. All files stored on your Transporter, regardless of size or type, are available anywhere in the world from any computer or mobile device with Internet access. Changes to files are automatically synced between all shared devices making Transporter a perfect solution for collaborating with co-workers.

Because files stored on Transporter are only transferred between Transporter devices and authorized computers, your files are never stored in the cloud and remain completely private at all times. File transferred between Transporter devices are always encrypted during transit, so you can rest assured that personal documents are only being stored and viewed by people you have authorized.

A full copy of shared files is kept on each Transporter and changes to any files are automatically synced between shared devices to ensure everyone has the most recent copy and eliminate the need for manual, offsite backups. Should access to your primary Transporter ever be interrupted, you can continue to access your files off any shared Transporter.

No Recurring Fees
Most online and cloud storage providers charge monthly fees that increase as you need more access or storage. Transporter is a device you own and control, so you will never have to pay monthly fees or subscriptions to store and access your data.

Simple Setup
Transporter is incredibly simple to set up. Just add a compatible 2.5-inch SATA hard drive of your choice, connect Transporter to your network, and set up your free Transporter account using your favorite browser. To transfer files, simply send an invitation to the people with whom you want to share, and that’s it.

Where can you buy this product? Just see below for the most competitive pricing. Not a techie? You can order a File Transporter pre-configured from us today and get it setup in the same day it arrives, we are an authorized reseller for File Transporter and Drobo products.

Drive Specifications:
The Transporter is a Serial ATA (SATA II) device, so Transporter works with most recently manufactured 2.5" SATA hard drives, commonly known as mobile, laptop, or notebook drives.

More specifically:
SATA II, SATA-300, SATA 3Gb/s (Rev 2.0 SATA) SATA III, SATA-600, SATA 6Gb/s (Rev 3.0 SATA, backwards compatible) Minimum disk capacity: 160GB Drive thickness: 7mm, 9.5mm, 12.5mm, and 15mm

This makes Transporter one of the few consumer electronic devices that can physically accommodate 2TB 2.5" mobile hard drives.

In the Box:
Power supply (1.4m) Ethernet cable (1m) Quick Start Guide Product Info Guide

There are three models available; 0TB (or without hard drives), 1TB & 2TB

OR

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