Posts Tagged ‘computer’
For more information about the dinner Geek Squad is hosting for long distance couples on February 12th, click here.
Anyone who has been in a long-distance relationship before knows how spending special days alone (birthdays, Christmas, etc) can suck.
This is especially true for that day for lovers everywhere- Valentine’s Day.
As a former member of the long-distance club (my wife is from Toronto, I’m from Minneapolis), I can attest to the incredible strain thousands of miles can put on a relationship. You have to work at it really hard, and be really committed to each other, in order to succeed – and sometimes you have to get really creative in your approach to connecting.
For us, we used Skype, an internet video conferencing platform, to stay connected to each other. Every night we’d chat online, “face to face” — something that really helped us cement our bond and keep it strong despite the distance between us.
As a recently married man, I am very happy the long-distance chapter in our lives is over. So when I heard about our Geek Squad Valentine’s Day contest, I wanted to tell you all about it.
This Valentine’s Day, Geek Squad is doing something special for long-distance lovers: arranging a romantic dinner for two — via Skype.
On February 12, we’ll host dinners for six lucky couples at the BLT Steak restaurant in Los Angeles and BLT Steak restaurant in New York. Romance will be in the air as Geek Squad Agents connect each of the couples via Skype at their dinner tables , enabling them to spend a romantic, candlelit dinner together (virtually, at least). And to sweeten the pot, we are throwing in a free netbook worth $350 plus a $150 Geek Squad gift card to help them stay connected past Valentine’s Day.
We’ve partnered with Sheknows.com and ChipChick.com to pick couples who fit the bill. To enter, one of you needs to be in LA, the other in New York City.
Deadline to enter is February 8th, 2010. Do you and your special someone fit the bill? Head to the sites listed below and make your case for why you are deserving of this special treat!
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.
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.
But there are some important things to bear in mind when you do.
Hardware issues: Switching an OS will not void hardware protections like a manufacturer warranty or Geek Squad Black Tie Protection should you experience hardware failures, but these would not cover driver related issues. Drivers tell your operating system how to handle your hardware, and driver problems could prevent them from working properly. This might keep your notebook’s webcam from working, or limit your printer’s capabilities. You should always make sure you have the updated drivers for any equipment you have.
System requirements: Some operating systems require particular specifications which might vary from what the “native” OS requires: memory, disk space, even processor. For example, Boot Camp will only work on an Intel-based Mac.
Limited Support Options:
While the Geek Squad remains committed to the “any coordinates, any operating system, anytime” philosophy, many hardware and software manufacturer’s may limit support for different OSs. They may release drivers and software but essentially make them “use at your own risk”.
Have a backup plan: As with anything involving a computer, make sure you have a backup plan both for your data and for your OS. If your computer did not come with restore disks make sure you burn them BEFORE you blow out the OS to install Linux, so you have a point to fall back on.
There is a lot to be gained from using an alternate operating system on your computer. Just make sure you are properly prepared for some of the hurdles it may introduce.
The New Year brings with it new things to be excited about, like new friends to meet, new places to visit, new experiences to have, and new goals to reach. For a Geek Squad Agent like me, it also means new technology. And in January, there’s no better place to see that new technology than the International Consumer Electronics Show.
As luck would have it, I’ve been drafted to attend this year’s show. So, as we begin a brand new decade and as I begin packing my bags for Las Vegas, here are some of the technology categories I’m excited about seeing on the conference floor.
eBook Readers
2009 marked the year when eBook readers reached enough critical mass to go mainstream, and this was proven true throughout the holiday season. Barnes and Noble couldn’t ship their new Nook reader quick enough to meet demand, while Amazon reported that eBook sales outpaced printed book sales in December.
However, the race is far from over in 2010, as several companies that announced upcoming entries in this growing eBook market last year are likely to be showing off their new readers at CES. I’m really looking forward to seeing how each of the different brands push the technology in ways to separate themselves from the pack.
As an avid reader, I’m also excited by the possibilities of how eBook readers can impact the current print market, possibly making expensive or hard-to-find books cheap and easily available to everyone. I’m also hopeful that eBooks may be the next evolution of our local newspapers, allowing them to continue without the high cost of ink and paper.
Smartphones
Last year was also the year that smartphones became more than just a convenient way for business people to get their work email. The market practically exploded with new entries and platforms, and it only seems to be accelerating as 2010 begins.
As smartphones become more common for so many different types of users, so too do the apps they run. It’s amazing how often I find myself using my own smartphone as a portable computer, with web browser, high speed Internet, word processor, GPS and gaming software wrapped in a package small enough that I can toss it in my pocket while on the go.
I expect to see not only a large number of upcoming phones at the show, but also a huge growth in the number of accessories that allow you to use those smartphones in new and creative ways: like health sensors to aid in getting the most out of your exercise routine, or car audio interfaces to make use of that built-in wireless Internet connectivity.
3D HDTVs
I have to admit, I’m a little skeptical about this category, if only because it sounds almost too good to be true. 3D television sounds more like a science fiction fantasy along the lines of flying cars and weekend trips to the moon. But while the other two aren’t quite ready yet, we may actually get to see 3D HDTVs in our living rooms in 2010.
I’ve heard some really good reviews from others that have seen examples of the technology, so I’m pretty excited to see how well the current hardware works. It may sound like hyperbole, but 3D could really be as big as the leap from black and white to color TV if it works well.
The Real World of the Living Room
As much as the technology geek inside me can’t wait to see all the amazing engineering on display on the CES show floor, as a Geek Squad Agent who goes into the homes of clients every day to set up the technology they’ve purchased, I’m especially excited about getting a look at products that will actually make it into living rooms this year.
I know that it’s not always the most technologically advanced products that make their way into the homes of consumers, but rather the technology that those consumers connect with in ways that make their lives better. It’s the technology that makes you go “wow” that ends up on your shopping list, and I’m hoping to see what electronics in this year’s show stand out when looking at it through that lens.
I can’t wait to see the future of “wow” at CES 2010.
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