If you get an e-mail from UPS, stay away from the virus-infected link.  The duped UPS e-mail tries to trick you into thinking that your package could not be delivered due to an incorrect address.  You are supposed to then click the provided link to resolve this matter.

Do not click the link!  It will automatically infect your computer with a virus.  Currently, all anti-virus software should be able to remove this UPS virus with the latest virus updates.  However, for some serious cases, you’ll need manually remove infected registry entries.  In more serious cases, the virus could cripple your Norton anti-virus software.  Then, you’ll need to take your computer to the virus removal experts at New York Computer Help.

There is a simple laptop battery tip that can make your battery last a long time.  Have you heard of laptop batteries dieing fast?  That’s because they act a lot like cell phones.  A cell phone battery disipates over time.  The longer you have your cell phone, the less your battery will charge.  Just like a phone, your laptop will also lose its charge.  But, here’s the breakthrough - you can do something about it! 

Every time you plug your laptop’s AC adapter plug in the wall, the battery will slowly start to release its charge.  If your battery is already at full capacity, or 100%, it has nowhere to go but down if your AC adapter is connected.  So, if your battery was once 4 hours, it will soon be 3 hours 50 minutes and less if your battery and AC adapter are both connected. 

The simple solution here is to remove your laptop battery while your AC adapter is in the wall.  This will prevent any discharge of the battery while your laptop is charging.  There is typically a simple release button on the bottom of your laptop that will pop out your battery.  This is the key to allowing your battery to enjoy a long-lasting life.  And then you won’t have to have laptop computer repair specialist buy you another battery.

Lately, Dell has lost its market share due to other computers, i.e. HP and Gateway, coming out with the same specs at cheaper costs.  Dell doesn’t want to lose on its quality, so it decided to gain by building up its technical services.  Dell first tried to resolve the issue of long waits on the phone during a service call.  When a Dell user calls Dell for technical support, it is typical to be routed to 3-4 different people prior to resolving the inquiry.  Dell has resolved this issue by providing Pro Support for IT and Pro Support for End Users.  This allows either an IT technician or regular user to be routed to the correct rep during the first call.  Those who currently have Gold Support will automatically receive this support.  Others may pay an upgrade fee for this quick support.

Dell is now also providing a storage service.  Instead of purchasing a backup hard drive or tape storage for servers, you may purchase Dell’s SAN (Storage Area Network) which provides storage space via iSCSI - a method through ethernet and TCP/IP or in other words over the Internet.  This comes in handy if you have terabytes of storage.  However, your Internet should be running on a fiber connection for fast speeds.

Overall, Dell is turning to faster service and more offerings to compete with others for the PC industry.  It is a smart move since it will further increase its service quality and separate it from the rest.

Linked In, the new social network, is growing fast and furious.  The 300-person company showcases its entrepreneurial motif, allowing friends and colleagues to network on its site.  It is free for general use and charges a nominal fee for building an extensive network of folks.

Be on the look-out for Facebook, NY Times, or perhaps Google buying Linked In.  For now, Dan Nye, the Chief Executive, is content with growing steadily.  They have finally seen a profit this year and expect revenues to hit $100 million by next year.  A public offering may be around the corner, and this might be a good bet.

What separates Linked In?  Besides its business focus, it will soon allow programmers to have an open source way to build upon its platform.  Linked In will have the final say on if the development is going to make it for everyone to see, but it is a smart move.  This is the trend, as Apple is showing with its 3G iPhone - to open up its source to allow third-party programmers to expand and improve upon its code.  It’s basically like having free help from brainy programmers to improve your site’s look.  And without having to pay for the tech support!

There are many ways to share pictures with friends and family.  You can share via Kodak, Picasa, or by e-mail.  However, how do you share videos?  Are you stumped?  Don’t worry, we were stumped before we found the magical website called Motionbox. 

Motionbox allows you to upload videos and then easily share them by e-mailing a link.  You get up to 30 minutes of video free.  You may upload multiple videos that add up to 30 minutes.  If you need more space, you can pay $29.99/year for unlimited video storage.  This is definitely a great deal especially since the video quality is very clear. 

How does it work?  Whether you have  videocamcorder or camera that takes videos, all you have to do is save your video to your computer.  Go to Motionbox, set up your account, and browse for your video.  Then, share your video by e-mailing a link that the site provides you.  That’s it!  Simple, cheap, and keeps your buddies in the loop.  And you don’t need a computer service provider to set it up for you.

If you have a computer issue, it is okay to search on the internet for answers and resolutions.  But, if you feel uncomfortable, you should surely take your laptop or desktop to a computer professional.  We have seen users take their computers to levels that are unsafe, such as opening up their laptops and shorting the motherboard or trying to remove a virus and mistakenly removing some operating system files.

The next time you have a computer issue, just make sure you’re comfortable with your actions.  Otherwise, seek professional computer help before you possibly damage your computer.

If you were planning to get an iPhone, you might have to wait for the next shipment.  Many folks in Manhattan were upset after waiting 5 hours and finding out there are no longer iPhones left.  You have a better chance getting an iPhone at the ATT store rather than the Apple store.  That is your best bet - go to the ATT store for your iPhone.

Well, if you’re not willing to wait for the new iPhone, you can always opt to get the Blackberry.  The Blackberry is know for its easy e-mailing, great keyboard, and quick Internet access.  And the technical support on it is usually at a minimum.

It’s easy to lose sight over all of the important to-do items.  Keeping post-its notes one your monitor or your desk should be a thing of the past.  Having applications, such as Outlook, are good ways to list your to-do items.  But, what if you need something that stands out - not like a pop-up or spyware, but more like a pop-up reminder.

3M, the maker of the famous post-it, now has created the online post-it.  You may download the electronic post-it for free.  It is designed like the paper post-it as it may be located anywhere on your monitor screen.  And you don’t have to worry about cluttering your desk with bright yellow stickies.  Now, the power of the yellow sticky is right on your computer.  Pretty cool!

The new 3G iPhone is out as the long lines indicated this past Friday.  So, those who didn’t buy the phone want to know is it worth getting. 

Here’s our take on it:

The good:  Finally, the Internet is faster!  No longer do you have to worry about connecting to your local WiFi network when it’s in range.  You can go anywhere and put your iPhone on regular Internet EDGE mode for surfing the web.  Navigating to different web pages is obviously faster than the old iPhone.

GPS navigation is even more user-intuitive.  GPS is pretty much the same as before, but easier to work with and more effective.

The bad:  The battery life is horrible.  Before, the old iPhone had 8 hours of talk time.  This means that if you talked for 5 hours and played music for 2 and surfed the Internet for 30 minutes, your phone was about to die.  Also, there is no way to replace the depleted battery for a secondary one - Apple would prefer to keep its product sleek and air-tight versus allowing users to be more functional and remove the short-lived battery.

So, the new 3G iPhone has improved the battery life, right?  Nope.  Apple has actually done nothing with the battery life which means that talk time is more towards only 4 hours if surfing on the Internet.  The 3G Internet and phone connection access takes twice as much power from the battery; thus, causing the battery life to be cut in half.

We don’t think it’s worth it unless you have a battery charger close at hand whether at work, home, or elsewhere.

When you buy a new computer, you should pay close attention to the LCD screen options.  You may usually see the following  2 options:

1. VGA or DVI
2. Regular or Ultra-sharp resolution

In terms of VGA or DVI, the DVI provides better video output since it is digital format.  VGA is the old video format.  And obviously ultra-sharp is better than the regular resolution.  Ultra-sharp means you’ll have more pixels which relays better resolution and a sharp picture.

It is smart to buy the best screen possible for your desktop or laptop.  This will allow your eyes not to strain and your good posture will surely follow.