Just recently I downloaded and started using the Opera Mobile Web Browser for Android. I have a little bit older android model phone, so Firefox won’t work and I am not fully satisfied with the built in browser.
I have had it less than a day. But my first impressions are it is Great.
It has a better look and feel. More recent technologies. and seems to work better with forms.
It may be because I’m getting over a cold, but I’m feeling really good.
Update: facebook functionality is limited with Opera Mobile. However, for the functionality it does have its much faster. I had to work around to link this post from the facebook page.
Update2 5/25/2012: After working with it for a while I switched to Opera Mini. Got rid of Opera mobile. Have the built in android browser set as the default browser, but primarily use opera mini on android now since it works faster on my 3g phone.
Author: Nathan Steffenson
Categories
My Office, GoToMeeting and Drive Time
I’m going to give you an example of a couple of changes I’ve made to my business model.
Although my prices have lowered slightly and I’ve cut out most the on-site business. I am now able to handle more customers, or do more for my customers, because of savings on drive time.Hhowever I am still backlogged with some of my customers and back end projects for my business.
I have been consistently saving money on fuel since I’ve been using Citrix GoToMeeting in 2010 and now have the combination of having my office for people to meet me at.
My fuel use for my car has been cut significantly. When I was first starting, I was filling up every 2 weeks or more. Last year it was about once a month. This calendar year so far, It has been about every 2 months, so I have filled up twice so far.
This is how much I have spent during this time period during the calendar year to date for the past 6 years.
Time Period spent on fuel gallons of fuel
From 1/1/12 to 5/4/12 $73.34 21.443 (as stated on receipts)
From 1/1/11 to 5/4/11 148.74 40.4 (approximate calculation-fleet farm didn’t have the number of gallons on receipt, but gives .04 per gallon discount, the other gas stations did give a receipt)
From 1/1/10 to 5/4/10 143.66
From 1/1/09 to 5/4/09 142.01
From 1/1/08 to 5/4/08 251.93
From 1/1/07 to 5/4/07 181.38
Note: This includes fuel used both business and personal
Update:
2013 $0 0 gallons
2014 $0 0 gallons
Update 2015: we are temporarily going without an office. permanently without a car. We also use many other means to avoid driving and avoiding people driving to us including other electronic tools such as cloud services including online storage, our website, video rental using web, email, WebEx, GoToAssist. Also use non electronic means such as walking and biking.
The assumed name “Nate’s Computer Services” was registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State in 2007.
Some have made mistakes about my name assuming it was just service and just computer repair. It does offend me when people say my business is the same as the “Geek Squad” or a “break fix” business because it has never been just that. Half of our business is back to being online.
Anyway the slogan for my business is “Nate’s Computer Services strives to make people’s technology experience better.” It has also been shortened for print purposes to “Striving to make your technology experience better.” It was influenced by the 4-H motto: “To make the best better.”
My logo was primarily derived from my personal logo from the Nate in the Nate Zone sign which I made and hung on my door when living south of Onamia about 1994. I added the computer around it since I seen computer monitor ads with photos showing inside the screen.
Another interesting thing “NatES” is the 1st 3 letters of my first name my middle initial is E and my last initial is S.
Shortly after the time I decided the business name, in 2006, I registered natescomputer.com for this web site. I later registered different variations of the name for typos and marketing purposes.
Others include the full business name natescomputerservices.com. Shorter variations include nate.biz and nates.us and nateservice.com .
One other thing to note. If you would take away the word computer from the name or technology from the slogan it would still fit the business. They are just added to be more descriptive. The focus is on services and to make the experience better.
Sometimes, you can trust major free email providers addresses, if they are personal friends. However, receiving business offers, or conducting business with these addresses should be avoided. Major free email providers include, but are not limited to – Yahoo.com, Hotmail.com, Msn.com, Aol.com, and Gmail.com.
You should avoid doing any business with business people with these addresses, and business people shouldn’t use them. They are sometimes OK for a personal account.
Another downfall with these addresses is that the are stolen quite often, especially Yahoo, Hotmail, and MSN.
You should also avoid contacting people who send emails from one address and want you to send it to a different one.
Internet service provider (ISP) addresses are a little more reliable, and own domain addresses are even more reliable. However addresses can be spoofed, and businesses with a domain are not necessarily trustworthy.
You may also want to avoid businesses that only have social media pages and not a regular web site. Especially if you don’t know them and the business doesn’t have an actual location.
As far as offers (email, phone, mail, magazine, newspaper) go, you may want to avoid them entirely. There are legitimate offers of course, that may help you. Be careful.
Update: There may be some people that use free email addresses that are legitimate emailing. However if they are soliciting you, it is still probably best to ignore. There have been complaints to agencies that have been legitimate, using free email addresses, and that is somewhat different than the point I’m trying to make in this post.
Due to safety issues with driving and being in people’s homes we will be phasing out residential service.
Those that have an active service plan can still get in home service until the plan expires.
We will be focusing on online help and services.
We will still offer on-site help at businesses that are non-residential in Brainerd & Baxter.
Categories
Outsourcing vs. Offshoring
Outsourcing: Outsourcing simply means having another company do work that is not done in house. For example a lawyer may outsource web site development to a web developer. This can be done in the same country, same state, or even same town.
Of course, when the media refers to outsourcing all that is mentioned is the out of country outsourcing , also called off-shoring.
I provide outsourcing to small businesses and once in a while large businesses through a contract or employment with another company, providing IT and web development services in the same state (both in the United States of America).
My business also uses some online outsourcing/partnering with businesses are based in the United States. Some of the companies have international operations.
Most companies do some outsourcing, since not everything can be done on their own.
This is just to clarify that there is a broader definition of the word outsourcing.
Although computer repair is not the primary focus of my business, I still get many calls in for it.
One problem that occurs frequently on computer notebooks that are not later Macintosh is that the power chord and power jack on the computer quit fitting together. Often times it is from misuse such as dropping or pulling the power chord too fast or shoving it in to hard. Sometimes it is not an easy fix. With Macintosh however it uses the Mag-safe connector which uses a magnet to latch on the power chord so it can easily separate if pulled and it stays in place if not pulled, so the problem rarely occurs.
I think it is a great advantage that doesn’t always get mentioned when people think about Apple Macintosh vs another notebook computer. Many times people just think of the software or the appearance of the hardware.
Another advantage for keeping stable is the metal enclosure along with the built in battery on most Macintosh now.
This also keeps the computer more stable when the computer is being moved around.
Even though it is more stable on Macintosh, with any computer, I strongly recommend avoiding dropping it. Keep it on a stable surface. Keep it away from young children and pets. Keep it out of dust including smoke. Supervise children when with computers.
Categories
New Videos Jan 5 2011
Boundary Waters Video
North Star Helicopter Video
Boston Video:
Categories
Cleaning Computer / Monitor
Sometimes computers and monitors need to be cleaned.
Always have equipment off when cleaning. Unplug if opening computer case.
For TVs and monitors, window cleaner or cleaners containing alcohol or ammonia CANNOT be used because it can remove the protective coding that protects your eyes. They can also damage the inner electronics if it seeps in.
It is best to use a microfiber cloth and a non-alcohol cleaner made for screens. Try using just the microfiber cloth first and if that doesn’t work spray some of the cleaner on the cloth.
For cleaning the computer surfaces (plastic or medal- not the actual electronic boards) I use some antistatic alcohol-free cleaning wipes. Sometimes cotton tips can be used to clean places hard get at.
For getting out dust several different methods can be used or a combination of them.
First Prevention: Keep your computer away from pets, out of dusty areas, do not smoke by the computer. Have the computer as high above the floor as possible.
Second Air duster can: Advatages: blows most of the dust away, portable
Disadvantages: Can be messy, can be expensive buying the cans a lot, breathing in is dangerous.
Third Vacuum: Advantages: cleans neater, less fumes, reusable
Disadvantages: not compact( unless you have a special mini vacuum), noisy, may not get rid of as much dust sometimes, may cause extra static if not used correctly.
Fourth Air compressor: Blows out all the dust, reusable
Disadvantages: peices may get blown into circuit boards, may be noisy, messy, may cause more dust to get in air making breathing dangerous
Back in 2008 & 2009 I sold 3 computers to get the one computer I have now.
The computer I use both at home and my business. It is mostly used for business, but some personal use as well. It’s a notebook (Apple Macbook pro 17 inch)
I have an external 24″ monitor (Apple LED Display) I use along with the built in display at home. I use a 19″ widescreen display at my business (Asus LED). both have built in audio. The 24″ display also has a charger, usb hub, microphone, and camera built in. So I use the charger that came with the computer at my business. I also have an external optical mouse both places because I am sometimes more comfortable with that than the track pad.
For TV if I really want to watch it, I hook up a USB tv tuner(Elgato Eye TV Hybrid).
Even though I have one main computer, I do have other computing devices. I have an iPod Touch which can browse the web, take photo/video, and run apps among other things. I also have an Android phone which can besides doing phone calls, browse the web, run apps, gps, take photo/video and more. I also use either my computer, phone or iPod instead of a watch.
I also have an stand alone gps navigation system, and fm radios in the car, home. And 3 dedicated cameras that can do both video and still – besides the other devices that have cameras.
For viewing photos – It can be done with my computer and monitor, my iPod, on the camera itself, with another person’s TV connected with a cable to my camera, my printer has a viewing screen, or on my phone. I also have a key chain photo viewer which I rarely use since my phone can perform that function better. So a digital photo frame is not necessary for me.
I use external hard drive for video storage and local backup.
In addition I use outsourced providers for doing online backup and web hosting.
So maybe I have one computer, maybe more depending how its counted.
2015 Update: I took a couple of computers of my customers hands, just in case they wouldn’t dispose of them properly since they no longer wanted the computers. I will be keeping one of them (iMac) and I also have a laptop now a macbook air. So I’ll have 2 PC(Macintosh computers) and plus a smartphone(my iPhone which is now also my iPod). I no longer have the iPod, dedicated gps, android phone, mouse, keychain photo viewer, car. Only 1 combination fm/radio/weather radio.