Archive for the ‘News and Events’ Category
Below you’ll find a very handy excuse note. Use it to free up a day to take in the action on the pitch. Simply fill in the fields as directed and send to your boss. Enjoy.
Firmware, if you have not encountered the term before, generally refers to the programs and files used internally in many devices to control that device’s functions. Think of firmware as something similar to the operating system (such as Microsoft Windows) that a PC uses.
Some devices, such as game consoles, MP3 players and Blu-ray players were designed so that their firmware could be updated in order to resolve hardware issues or use new features added to content after the hardware’s manufacture.
There are a few different ways to update the firmware on most Blu-ray players. One method is to visit the manufacturer’s website for your particular model player and download the updated firmware via a home PC. From there, you will use that PC’s CD or DVD burner to write the firmware to a blank disc. Inserting that disc into the Blu-ray player allows the device to read in the new files and update itself appropriately.
If your Blu-ray player is setup to access the Internet, such as through your home’s wireless network, you can download the firmware update directly using the internal tools in the player’s setup menu. This method is the easier of the two, and in some cases, can be configured to automatically happen when new firmwares are released.
Making sure that your Blu-ray player has the latest firmware prior to Avatar’s release on April 22nd will help avoid any playback problems on the day of release. If you have a Blu-ray player that does not have the capability to connect to the Internet, you can bring the device into your local Best Buy. Geek Squad Agents can get your device up to date and ready to go with our in-store firmware update service.
If you have a network-capable player, but don’t have it hooked up to the Internet, we have on-site networking services to add that device to your existing home network, or setup a new one to allow your Blu-ray player and other devices to share access to all the Internet has to offer.
If you have questions, contact your local Geek Squad for answers.
The idea of living room convergence, where multiple technologies come together in the comfort of one room, used to be an often mentioned dream of technology innovators who wanted to accomplish the tasks performed by TVs, VCRs, computers, telephones and more via a single box that could live on a shelf in your house.
The use of the term died out at CES over the years, but recently we’ve begun to see the dream become reality. Last year saw the rise of Netflix streaming movies coming via the Internet to XBox 360s, PS3 and Internet-enabled Blu-ray players. This year, it arrives in the form of HDTVs with built-in app stores that can run games, get weather updates or stream movies directly from multiple network sources.
One of the apps that I saw that I think will make a huge change over time was the Skype app on a few Panasonic and LG HDTVs shown at CES. The technology that allows video conferencing using a webcam and Internet connection isn’t new, but the ease at which it can be performed with an app built into the TV will make adoption and use explode. Could Skype-enabled HDTVs kill home telephone lines more so than mobile phones have?
Another example of convergence is the ease at which Blue Label 2.0 laptops from Toshiba, Dell and Sony can connect wirelessly to an HDTV using Intel’s new Wireless Display technology. A Netgear HDMI wireless receiver connects to the HDMI port on your TV, and setup consists of a clicks on the laptop. Computing from the couch will be easier than ever.
So what’s the future of convergence? Well, check out the video predictions of the Geek Squad Chief Inspector for our guess. Hint: It may involve bionic eyes.
When Best Buy created the original Blue Label line of laptops with our partners in the computer industry, the goal was to create a family of laptops from a range of manufacturers that all had features our customers told us were the most important to them at the time.
Power
These laptops come ready to go for both work and play, with their new Intel i5 processors that were designed to provide plenty of performance in a small package, while still keeping in mind the energy needs of a portable PC. These machines are ready to multi-task, with their 4GB of system memory, and have plenty of space with their 500GB hard drive to keep all the music, movies, photos and programs you need for life on the go.
Protection
Best Buy won’t leave you hanging when you leave the door with your new Blue Label laptop, as each comes with a 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty to help keep that hardware working. Your software is also protected from malicious software with twelve months of installed antivirus protection included. Even setup is a breeze, with thirty days of support from the professional Agents at Geek Squad also included.
Connectivity
Probably the most striking thing about the new Blue Label laptop family is the inclusion of Intel’s Wireless Display technology. What this does is allow you to cut the cables, and easily stream the display output from your laptop to an HDMI-capable TV using a wireless receiver supplied by Netgear.
With all the video content available through your computer in this broadband-enabled world, it’s a very compelling feature. Imagine easily sending that video out to your big screen TV across the room with just the press of a button, while your laptop is within arm’s reach from the couch.
Exclusively at Best Buy
The Blue Label family of laptops will be available exclusively through Best Buy starting January 17th, but if you’re in Las Vegas for the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, you can catch a sneak peek now.
With 2010, we see netbooks take a few different paths toward maintaining their dominance of the portable computing market.
More Portable
Battery life is always a concern for those users that are always on the go, and netbook manufacturers are looking to help out with devices built from the ground up to use as little power as possible and wring out as much as 11 to 14 hours of run time from a single charge. Less time connected to a wall outlet means less time stuck in one place.
The other portability development we’re seeing is even thinner netbooks, designed to be slim enough that keeping one with you at all times becomes a serious possibility.
More Performance
For some netbook users, it’s entirely acceptable to sacrifice some portability and battery life in exchange for more powerful, on-the-go, netbook performance. More powerful processors, with multiple cores, are being combined with improved video cards to make it possible to play hi-definition videos with fewer issues, or even take in some (still light) 3D gaming.
While not every netbook user needs a more powerful netbook, these beefed up devices will help make more processor-orientated tasks, such as quick edits of SD video, something of a possibility for when you absolutely need to get them done on the go.
More Choice
The wealth of different options becoming available will really help the product category become more mature, and help bring about more choices to fit the specific needs that potential buyers need for their highly portable digital life.
As a Geek Squad Agent who helps clients set up their new technology in-home, I’m struck by two equally important factors that seem to create those successes: “engineering” and “emotional response.”
Engineering
While a product doesn’t have to be perfect to be a success, it does need to work well enough to accomplish the task it was purchased to perform. Of course, even tasks that may seem simple at first glance can require amazing amounts of engineering and design work before the product is considered for shipping.
Consider some of the new digital photo frames that can display photos sent to them via an email address unique to that individual frame. They have to be able to connect to a wide variety of home networks and internet broadband services. They have to be able to accept a number of image file formats, along with other unknown combinations, such as image quality and hidden file data. And the frame has to do this with a user interface simple enough to be operated by owners with wildly varying technical skill levels.
If a product isn’t produced with enough engineering care, it’s not going to function well enough for that customer checking it out in their local Best Buy to purchase it. Of course, that product is only “half-bought” at that point, because there’s the other factor to consider.
Emotional Response
Once someone has answered the question, “How would I use this product?” their next question is often, “Why would I use this product?” To use the example of that networked digital photo frame, one emotional response could come from the potential happiness they could create by giving the frame to their parents so they can remotely upload new photos of the grandchildren easily.
It’s that picture in that client’s head of how they will feel if they own a product, how it will impact their lives on an emotional level, that can quickly turn a potential purchase into an actual purchase. We are often, after all, creatures of emotion.
There’s been a lot of very positive talk recently about Best Buy’s @Twelpforce since its launch three months ago, but it’s not the only way to reach out for Geek Squad assistance.
Geek Squad is available 24 hours a day via phone at 1-800 GEEK SQUAD (1-800-433-5778). Our Mission Control Agents can help you schedule on-site appointments with our field Agents, or direct you to our other remote service options.
If you have broadband Internet access and can connect to the Internet, we can assist you with your remote support needs via our Virtual Agents at the GeekSquad.com.
If you’re looking to talk to a live Agent in person, you can use our store locator to find the nearest Geek Squad Precinct, often located in your neighborhood Best Buy.
Of course, if you have Twitter, you can always reach us through @GeekSquad or @Twelpforce .
It has come to Geek Squad’s attention that a Microsoft Windows Update released on August 25, 2009 is inadvertently causing x64 processor based computers with Windows Vista x64 SP1 to crash with a blue screen (BSOD) and the error message “STOP: 0×0000007E”.
This update, update id: KB973879, was pushed to install on computers via Windows Update. The update has been temporarily removed from Microsoft’s Web site and Windows Update.
Computers with Service Pack 2 installed prior to August 25, 2009 are not affected by this issue.
If you have a computer that is affected by this issue, please use the following directions to resolve it:
FROM NORMAL MODE OR SAFE MODE:
If this does not resolve the issue visit your local Best Buy or call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778).
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