Who Am I?

I am a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, an MCP, an MCSA and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE). I am also A+ and Network+ certified. I have been working in "IT" for about 15 years now. There is never a dull moment and there is always more to learn.

Web Site: http://www.riguy.com [points to new Azure-based site]
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MOST POPULAR POSTS (opens below)

January 29, 2013

Free Microsoft Technical Support

Microsoft is offering a Free Answer Desk. In other words, they will offer free support to you for your Windows PC or laptop. They will assist with software install/uninstall, diagnostics, spyware removal etc. Very cool!

"Answer Desk is here to help you

Come in to find out about the range of services we offer including:
  • Performance Tune-up
  • Extended Diagnostics
  • Software Install/Uninstall
  • Hardware Install
  • Virus and Spyware Removal"
Here is their link:

MS Answer Desk

January 16, 2013

Lumia 920 Windows 8 Phone Supplies

Interesting read regarding the apprehension Nokia had about Windows 8 phone sales.

"We’ve all heard the reports that Nokia’s Lumia 920 is selling out amongst retailers, although to be fair some have questioned if this might be due to a lack of supply rather than actual excitement of the product. However at the rate the Lumia 920 is topping AT&T’s charts on Amazon, it’s safe to say that there is a certain amount of excitement surrounding the Windows Phone 8 handset, but at the same time it seems that the skeptics might have been right about the short supply. In a conference call with leading investors and analysts, Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop admitted that sales of the device would have been a lot faster had there not been any supply-side issues.

While some of the supply issues were legitimate, Elop admits that they decided to introduce the Lumia 920 in a very deliberate and thoughtful manner. Apparently they were worried that the phone might not be met well which would then leave them with a surplus of units that were unsold ..."

UberGizmo Article

January 10, 2013

Tablet Sales Are Hot

Tablet sales are red hot, according to this Memphis Business article. It appears there will be no stopping this trend. Many people mistakenly believed that smart phones were the wave of the future, but let's face reality: one cannot get real work done off a smart phone. Send, receive email from a smart phone? Yes. Maybe look at a PDF or JPEG? Yes. Install some apps for low level of productivity? Yes. But the human eyes are not meant to stare at such small spaces for extended periods of time. So, yes PCs and Mac boxes will go away. Laptops will be around for a little longer but eventually most workers of the world will use a hybrid laptop/tablet to get work done. They will be durable, have lots of hardware resources (RAM, drives) and be touch screen based.

"At the D8 conference in 2010, Steve Jobs boldly predicted that tablet computers soon would surpass notebook computers in total sales.
Just three years later, his prediction is about to be realized.
According to the NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report, tablet shipments are expected to reach 240 million units this year, well beyond the 207 million notebooks that are expected to ship.
It’s a radical change in the computing market. In 2012, one company, Apple Inc., thoroughly dominated the tablet category in a way that no single entity ever has in the laptop market."

Here is the reference

January 4, 2013

Dell Windows 8 Inspiron at Best Buy

I kid you not, I just got this Windows 8 Dell Inspiron 15 at Best Buy for $299 ($335 with tax) in San Francisco. I bought it as a gift. It is not online at that price, unfortunately - at least I have not found it. I was actually looking for something else, but really, when do you come across a strong laptop with the newest and latest Windows operating system for $299? It was in a semi large box, and believe it or not, included a USB mouse, 1 year of Trend Micro anti virus and an 8 Gigabyte USB flash drive. Huh? For $299?

It is listed at $479 at the Best Buyweb site, which is a decent deal as well. But it may be worth a visit to your nearby Best Buy to see if you can snag this decent laptop for $299.

Note: I do not work at Best Buy - I am simply mentioning a GREAT deal as I see it.

Best Buy Web Ad for this Inspiron