computers | The Apheus Blog

18Oct

By Bob BarcusNo Comments

Computers, Tech News, Tech Talk

Music and the Mac

The latest Apple event was clearly focused on two things - music and the Mac. In fact, that's exactly what Apple's Tim Cook said right from the get-go. It was also quite nostalgic to hear a traditional Mac startup sound mixed in at the beginning. Audio Stuff Apple has created a new Apple Music subscription called Voice Plan for $4.99/month. This will be the cheapest plan available to access Apple's music library.New colors for the Home Pod Mini in yellow, orange, and blue, priced at $99. All of the colors look fantastic.The third generation of AirPods is being released with spatial audio for $179. Lots of new features in these AirPods. MacBook Pro Apple is calling the new MacBook Pro a "beast of a machine" with an impressive set of specs and features. MacBook Pro has th...

Computer Supply Chain Problems in a Pandemic World

24Jun

By Bob BarcusNo Comments

Computers

Computer Supply Chain Problems in a Pandemic World

Back in January, I began noticing a problem. I was trying to order computers from my regular suppliers and I noticed that there were none available. According to the inventory system, they would be back in stock in a week or so, so I didn't think it was a big deal. Then the arrival date got pushed back to mid-January, then the end of January. By the end of January, they had pushed back the arrival dates into February. By the end of February, I still couldn't order the computers I needed. My customers were getting frustrated and so was I. They kept pushing the dates back further and further. Of course, by March, most everyone had already heard about the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe. But the problem for Apheus began back in January. There were rumors circulating in the ...

3Jun

By Bob BarcusNo Comments

Computers, Tech Talk

Troubleshooting a Computer Problem Isn’t Always Successful

Tech Talk show notes for Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Listen live Tuesday mornings on WTCA FM 106.1 and AM 1050 in Plymouth, Indiana. One of the sad truths about computer repair is that we can't fix every problem. Sometimes we fail to even identify the problem. It can be frustrating for the end user, but can be even more frustrating for the IT guy. We're not infallible and we are quite human. Most experienced computer gurus have a set of tools and procedures that we utilize to troubleshoot a computer hardware problem. Some arsenals are quite extravagant, while others (like myself) utilize a pretty basic set of tools. The procedures we use for diagnosing a problem change depending upon the situation (or at least they should). I'm going to highlight a few of the common things ...

11May

By Bob BarcusNo Comments

Computers

Are you still using a computer running Windows 7? It may be time to upgrade.

Back on January 14, 2020, Windows 7 reached its end of life. However, those of us who work in the IT field still see plenty of older computers in our day-to-day work. Many businesses have been reluctant to upgrade or switch to Windows 10. Frankly, I understand the concern. Hardware and software can be a huge investment, especially for SMBs who are budget-crunched. But it may be worth the investment to avoid potential pitfalls down the road. Eventually, Windows 7 will not be a viable operating system. But why? End of life for a product basically means that your operating system will no longer receive updates from Microsoft. You won't receive any technical support from Microsoft. But most importantly, your computer won't receive security updates, patches, and fixes necessary to k...