Coolcomputing Computer Help Q&A - Recent questions and answers

Answered: Is it okay to unlock iPhone 4s that is under a contract?

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:54:42 +0000

Several carriers and service providers such as AT&T would not unlock iPhone 4s, unless you already are finished with your contract. If you really want to unlock your phone, then you may opt to end your contract earlier than what is said in the terms of the contract. For that, you may pay a fee. It would cost 249$ plus the remaining months’ fees. It would really cost a lot to end the contract. Otherwise, you may still opt to unlock the phone, without having to end your contract, as well.

Answered: What months are Australia`s summer vacation?

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:11:24 +0000

November to February. You will enjoy Australia during summer. Australia is a big country and offer many tourist destination. If you’re planning on going you have to decide first what you want to do because that will help you decide where to spend your time in Australia. You should also check online rates of package tours and make comparison with cost of doing it on your own. Mostly you will end up seeing that the package tour is more expensive but then you should also consider the time you will save if you avail it. I availed tour package when I went to Melbourne and daily deals Perth when we spent several days in Perth.

Answered: What is Cala Bona in Mallorca like?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 09:11:00 +0000

Cala Bona Mallorca is a great place to spend your holiday. The place offers the best attractions as well as various activities to help the tourist make the most of their holiday. I suggest to get a tour package when planning a vacation to Cala Bona. A lot of people think that tour packages will cost them more money compare to DIY. DIY is actually great for those travelling solo, backpackers and even for couple who loves adventure. If time is not against you and you are willing to do travel research then it can be good for you. However, it’s a big hassle for those travelling with kids or family.

Answered: Is there any recommendation if I need to know how to unlock iphone 4?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 05:20:38 +0000

Yes, there some type of recommendation if you are concerning how to unlock iPhone 4s. Firstly you have to install software to unlock I phone specific by Apple. Then you have to follow instruction like you can go to the iPhone's general options as well as ready Auto lock to accomplish not. You need to get the iPhone 4 IP address on your own town system. For getting this,, just go to your Settings. Wi-Fi as well as visit the site alongside the network that you're connected too. There are some guidelines that if you follow that guidelines you get your purpose as unlock your iphone 4.

where to buy the good and cheap mouse please?

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:51:25 +0000

Hi,

I want to buy some good and cheap mourse, can someone recommend good online shop please? Thanks

Where is the location of the internal bluetooth/wifi on a Toshiba P770D?

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 03:07:11 +0000

My bluetooth/wifi has apparently disappeared from inside my laptop, I theorize that it had become disconnected and need the probable location to look inside before I start taking it apart.

Phone number to cancel membership from abc mouse

Thu, 31 May 2012 18:35:16 +0000

Answered: Monitor gets display only in windows.

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:13:36 +0000

This sounds to me like a bios setting. Perhaps there is a setting that makes it do a "fast boot" and doesn't leave you much time to go into the BIOS. Try hitting the ESC key or F9 (which are common keys to get into the BIOS) right after the computer is turned on. Now once you get into the BIOS you can then change the boot order of your PC. I would change it so that it it will look for your CD-ROM/DVD drive to boot first. Nowadays it's also common to even set USB devices to boot even before the optical drive.

But it also could be your monitor- perhaps it is taking longer to "warm up" and then display the screen, and by that time Windows is already booting. The only way really to test that is to plug on another monitor and see. You can also try another connection such as DVI (use an adapter to convert to VGA) if your video card has one, and see if it makes a difference.

Answered: Which online store do you recommend to shop for Laptop AC Adapters?

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:24:47 +0000

I'd go with Amazon.com- they have probably the best service around in case you have problem with your AC Adapter. The price is reasonable too with some elgible for 2 day free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=RAM&tag=coolcomputing-20&linkCode=ur2&qid=1329419989&camp=1789&creative=9325&rh=k%3ARAM%2Ci%3Aelectronics#/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=laptop+ac+adapter&sprefix=laptop+ac+%2Celectronics%2C214&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3Alaptop+ac+adapter

Answered: what is the current cost of RAM?

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:21:01 +0000

Price of RAM really dropped the past year, but seems to have gone up a bit. Newegg or Amazon would be good places to check for the latest RAM prices.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=RAM&tag=coolcomputing-20&linkCode=ur2&qid=1329419989&camp=1789&creative=9325&rh=k%3ARAM%2Ci%3Aelectronics

Answered: How do I post a vendor review on CoolComputing?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:22:45 +0000

To write a review you would first search for the vendor/merchant, then click on the link that says "write a review" (highlighted in yellow) which will take you to the bottom of the page to write a review.

what is the best registry cleaner to speed up the computer?

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:43:12 +0000

Answered: Move to Cloud Computing How?

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:55:42 +0000

Cloud Computing applies to many different applications. For instance Google Docs stores you files in a "cloud" and so does a service such as Amazon MP3. There are also Cloud-based web hosting servers out there as well which aims to help with minimizing downtime. It all depends on what application you are looking for.

Answered: How to Speed Up Windows Media Center Streaming to Xbox Extender?

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:35:37 +0000

You might want to look into MOCA adapters IF you have coax connections in your office and living room. Quite a few homes have such a configuration, and MOCA adapters will enable you to reliably watch recorded HD shows via an extender of your Windows Media Center. I know because I've tried it and it works great. I actually bought Actiontec MI424WR Verizon FiOS routers as cheap alternatives to pure MOCA adapters which can cost upwards of $150 to $200 for a kit of 2. You can find used MI424WR routers on eBay for between $25 to $35 shipped. One word of advice if you go that route- be sure to go for REVISION C or later. Revision A looks like a giant brick/shoe box and doesn't work well. Revision C and later are more glossy black and have curved corners. Good luck!

Answered: Ooma Change Time Zone

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:01:27 +0000

You have to contact Ooma Customer Service to do this. They told me it was some sort of bug in the server but is now fixed as of today, 9-22-2011. Here is their reply to me:

---

Thank you for contacting Ooma Customer Care.
Please be advised that we have released an update to the new voicemail server that should fix the problem you were having with your timezone. As you have requested, the timezone for your number has been changed to CST.

Please reboot so that your device will be updated with the new timezone. Just unplug the power from the back of the device, and wait five (5) minutes before plugging it back in.

Answered: will iyogi go in your computer and mess it up if you do not reup?

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:14:35 +0000

YES- definitely. J/K. Are you serious? I doubt a computer support company is going to risk its reputation by doing that. Besides access to your computer should not be allowed without your permission. But if you have more info on your experience with the service please do share.

Answered: Hard Drive disappears from Windows

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:25:33 +0000

I'm answering my own question because I found out the problem. This happened again and I shut off the computer to take a look. Everything looked connected and not loose, though when I turned the computer back on I heard this LOUD whirring, grinding sound. Found out that it was from a fan, and the power supply from the fan was connected to the same power extension that my WD Cavier Black is also connected to. I disconnected the fan from the extension and haven't had any problem.

So if your OS stops seeing your hard drive and the hard drive has 100% health, it may well be a power issue- check what else is connected to the same power connector that branches to connect the power of your drive. Disconnect those other devices or move them to another power rail from the power supply and see if your drive stops disappearing. If so then the culprit may have been one of those devices such as a fan in my case (literally and figuratively).

Answered: How do I get a discount on Vonage as an Existing Customer?

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:57:10 +0000

You can get a nice 1 year discount on your Vonage bill pretty easily actually. Just call customer service and tell them you want to cancel, and the retention department will try to keep you on board by offering you a $12/month plan that is similar to your $25 plan. It will last for a year but then all you have to do is call back before the year is up and do the same thing. I had done it for two years before swtiching to Ooma.

You can also complain to Vonage about your Caller ID problem while you're with the retention person and they will offer you access to "advanced tech support". Hopefully you can get that fixed and get a big saving on your monthly as well.

Answered: Porting a number between VOIP providers- how long does it take?

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:30:43 +0000

I actually switched to Ooma from Vonage about a month ago and signed up for Ooma Premier 1 year which came with a freebie that I used to get a free number port from my old number. After filling out the form on a Thursday night it was completed six days later on Wednesday. They had orginally said it would be about 2 to 3 weeks.

I double and triple checked the info I provided in the number porting application because I heard any mistake could mean a long delay. I also uploaded a PDF copy of my latest Vonage bill.

So if you decide on Ooma it could take just a week or less!

Answered: What is the best web browser?

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:30:03 +0000

IE 9 is certainly a very good browser. It loads very quickly and has nice privacy and security features. I use it plus Firefox 6 (my main browser) and Google Chrome. Firefox has a huge selection of addons/plugins that really sets it apart. My favorite Firefox feature has to be the Awesome Bar. It's really accurate in predicting which page I went to go to, much more so than Chrome. I just type a few letters and bam it selects the correct URL and I hit the ENTER key and there I go.

Chrome is very fast and I like how it takes advantage of multiple CPUs better. You do have to keep in mind that data you enter in the Chrome URL bar and search box are information collected by Google. Also it will monitor your internet usage such has how long you spend on a website, etc. You can find out more here:

http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/privacy.html

For me, there isn't really a best browser- if Firefox is able to reach Chrome speeds and mange system memory better I'd pick it hands down as the best.

Answered: How to Make Windows 7 Laptop Boot Faster?

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:14:51 +0000

I think the best thing to do is to upgrade the hard drive to a SSD (solid-state drive). Nowadays you can easily get a 60 gig for about $100 and it should cut that 2 minute boot time to around 30 seconds. Not to mention all other programs will now load faster too. You didn't mention the specs of the Acer notebook but I presume since it's running Windows 7 it shouldn't be more than 2 years old. So you should have no problem upgrading to a SSD.

As for which SSD to get- the Sandforce SSDs are some of the best ones and there are new ones powered by the Sandforce 2200 series controller. Either one would work great.

And another thing- when you do upgrade the SSD you should definitely re-install Windows 7 so that the OS detects and fully optimizes itself for the SSD. You will have the old hard drive as backup and to restore any documents that should already be backed up.

Answered: When is Windows 8 Coming Out?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:32:30 +0000

Right now Windows 8 release date rumor seems to be in August of 2012 since the beta version is supposed to be out maybe around October of this year. So yeah you probably want to stick with Windows 7 for now unless you are willing to wait a year.

As for Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit- it depends on how much RAM you are going to be running and how much backwards compatibility you are looking for in terms of drivers. Personally I've encounter a fair amount of hardware that do not have Win7 X64 drivers but do have ones for 32 bit Win7 available. With a system of 4 gigs of RAM or more you would need Windows 64 bit to be able to see all of it.

Since you seem to be looking for a lower price PC with probably 2 gigs of RAM, Windows 7 32 bit is probably a solid choice.

Answered: Where can I get Microsoft Office for the cheapest price?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:54:02 +0000

Personally I have stopped using Microsoft Office because there are Office-like software out there for free that work just fine for me. Right now I'm using OpenOffice 3.3 and use mainly Calc (its equivalent of Microsoft Excel). For email instead of Outlook I use Mozilla Thunderbird with the Lightning plugin for calendar/appointments.

I did try out Libre Office 3.4.1 which is a spin-off of OpenOffice. Apparently the original developers didn't like the direction Oracle was going with OpenOffice and decided to create a new office suite based upon Open Office . Unfortunately LibreOffice, specifically its spreadsheet program, kept crashing on me so I had to uninstall it. Maybe I will try it again in the future.

Anyways if you are insisting staying with Microsoft Office you can probably get the 2007 Version on eBay for like $50 depending on if you need Outlook.

Answered: Cheap PC with decent graphics for less than $200?

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:45:37 +0000

$200 certainly is a tight budget to get a PC that will play Starcraft 2 at decent frame rates. You probably have two choice in the Intel Atom with NVIDIA Ion and the new AMD E-350 APU platform. The latter has a decisive advantage in frame rates in SC2:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-e-350-atom-d525-nvidia-ion-2,2905-4.html

Right now you can buy a motherboard with the E-350 built-in for about $100 about Newegg.com. Plug in 2 gigs of RAM for $22, a DVD burner for $25, a 750 gig HDD for $50, and a cheapy case for $40 and there you have it. Of course I'm not adding the cost of Windows. All you actually need is Windows XP, so you might be able to find a legit copy on ebay for about $30 or less.

So the total will be a bit more than $200 (more like $250). You might be able to, however, buy a refurb PC for cheaper that is already put together and has the OS already installed.

Answered: Upgrade from Verizon FiOS 15/5?

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:23 +0000

I personally have tried and got turned down. Verizon pretty much told me that I would lose my $10 a month discount on my FiOS bundle. I just went ahead and did it anyways ha ha. I think the extra speed especially uploading was acceptable to me for the price increase.