Our phones can recognize our faces. Digital watches can detect that we’ve been in an accident. We can put on a virtual reality headset and feel as if we’re swimming with dolphins. With all this technological innovation, why are home printers still so frustrating? This article explains why and how to make the most of the situation.
Hewlett-Packard released its home DeskJet inkjet printer in 1988. These printers spray liquid ink onto the page through printheads. Home laserjet printers followed shortly after. They use lasers to create static electricity to attract and melt toner onto the paper.
And here we are, thirty-five years later, with pretty much the same printer technology. Although now, you might also consider a multifunction (all-in-one) printer. These print documents and can often also scan, copy, fax, and email documents.
But we’re still saddled with clogged inkjets and leaking ink cartridges, plus paper jams, or a printer that can’t recognize the paper that you’ve now taken in and out of the tray 16 times in a row. Why?
Manufacturer priorities for printers
Printer manufacturers often lose money selling you the printer. Printer technology is quite complicated, but you’re getting the device for the price of parts. That’s because the manufacturer banks on making their money back on the sale of the ink.
Because they’re looking to make money off ink sales, printer users now endure:
ink cartridges that run out quickly – yes, they’re putting less ink in their cartridges these days;
printers designed not to work as well if you use off-brand cartridges;
having to perform printer maintenance that uses up more ink.
Even if you do invest in top-quality, on-brand ink, you could still encounter problems. Connectivity issues or error messages when you change paper are common.
That’s because the internal workings of the printer can be outsourced to the lowest bidder. Printer longevity is not the goal, so there’s less incentive to develop robust networking components or print drivers.
Plus, printing is hard
It’s not all down to printer manufacturer choices. Printing is a complicated process. Many moving parts need fine-tuning to apply the right pressure and position the ink. Plus, people could be using glossy photo paper one minute and recycled paper the next. At the same time, humidity or air that is too dry can also impact the paper and how the printer can move it around.
So, what can you do? Prefer a laser printer, which uses dry powder, if you’re going to print mostly in black and white. You’ll pay more upfront, but you’re no longer hostage to the ink-cartridge dilemma. If you need to do color prints, you might find it’s cheaper to actually go to your local print shop or big-box store.
If your Wi-Fi connectivity conks out, connect the USB cable that shipped with the printer. It may not be as pretty, but it will get the job done.
Want to save hours of your life troubleshooting your printer woes? We can help. Contact our experts today at (651) 456-8655 or visit our Contact page to send us a message.
We also carry a full line of remanufactured ink cartridges and can save you some money on ink & toner refills!
News of data breaches is all too common. This company apologizes for six million accounts breached. That company acknowledges hackers accessed 35,000 users’ personal identifiable information. But the question that probably matters most: Is your data breached, too?
The company should contact you if your information is in a data leak, but you can’t rely on that. You can also find out if your phone number or email address has been leaked by visiting https://haveibeenpwned.com/.
HaveIBeenPwned has uploaded various breaches and consolidated the information to make searching easy. Enter your address and get a list of breaches that compromised that email. You’ll get a summary paragraph as well as a description of data compromised in each breach.
It is not uplifting reading!
Next, the question is what to do about your breached information.
Steps to Better Security
First, change your passwords for those breached accounts. If you use that same password to access other accounts, change those passwords, as well, even if they are not listed as leaked.
Always avoid reusing passwords. Yes, it can be a hassle to remember many different access credentials, but you risk exposing many accounts if you keep reusing one email address and password combo over and again.
Make using unique passwords for all accounts easier by using a password manager. A manager can store your many passwords in one place and generate strong ones to use. You can often download an app to your mobile device, which gives you the convenience of filling in your credentials when you’re on the go, too.
The next step is to use two-factor authentication (2FA).
Understanding 2FA
This adds a layer of difficulty for hackers trying to access your accounts. Even if they had your username and password, they would need a second way to verify your identity.
Using 2FA requires you to provide one of the following before you can gain access:
something you know (e.g. the answer to a secret question);
something you have (e.g. your smartphone);
something you are (e.g. your fingerprint).
A bad actor would need to have not only your leaked credentials but also your other “something.”
A common approach to FA is an SMS text message or voice-based authentication. You enter your credentials, then the site follows up with a text or phone call providing a separate code you must then enter. This is not the best method, however. Scammers can hack the SIM card associated with your device, and then use your number to make and receive calls and texts.
Software tokens for 2FA are a safer solution. You’ll download and install an application on your phone (e.g. Google Authenticator, Authy or Okta Verify). It can generate a unique verification code that is valid only for 30-60 seconds.
Want to learn more about password management and soft-token 2FA. We’re here to help. Contact us today at (651) 456-8655 or send us a message from our Contact page.
Gaming on Laptop Dust: Life and Performance- 1/24/2023
Let’s be real: most gamers rely on performance and higher usage frequency to achieve success and move on to the next level. These are two factors to take into consideration when discussing why a computer, specifically a laptop, should be periodically cleaned. And I’m not talking about PUPs, bloatware, viruses, or other software stuff. I’m talking about hardware and dust and debris accumulation. And you can “game” the accumulation of dust at some point!
Here’s an example case
Last week I had a client come in with a high-end ASUS ROG gaming laptop. He complained about higher than normal operating temperatures, especially under higher than normal GPU loads. In my process of diagnosis, I opened up his laptop and noticed both the CPU and GPU fans were caked with dust, and the GPU fan was not spinning. My conclusion was that rather than clean the fans and heatsinks, the best plan of action, being that the GPU fan was bad, was to replace both the GPU and CPU fans. Most fans have a lifecycle, and it’s my belief that if a laptop has two fans, it’s always best to replace them both at the same time. They are rather inexpensive. This saves you the cost and effort of replacing the other fan shortly down the road. The client agreed, and we proceeded with the quotation for the work to be performed. In terms of fan replacement, traditional productivity laptops are fairly straightforward. However, higher-end gaming laptops are a bit more difficult and involved. There are multiple theories we can come up with as to why the GPU fan failed, but two theories come to mind in this case. 1.) The fan simply reached the end of its lifecycle. 2.) The buildup of dust and debris caused excessive heat and resistance on the fan. I’m more apt to think #2 was the case here based on the overall age of the laptop.
Not every case is the same
Now, I’m not saying that every case will require fan replacement. In most cases, you’ll only need thorough dust removal within the chassis. Taking a can of compressed air and blowing it through the laptop vents is absolutely the wrong approach. This just moves the dust around the inside of your computer, which blankets the motherboard. It can also cause dust to wad up in the fan’s spin zone, causing an obstruction. Doing the job the right way involves opening up the laptop chassis and disassembling down to the motherboard level, removing the fan(s), cleaning the fan(s), removing the heatsink, cleaning the fins on the heatsink, and removing and reapplying thermal grease to the GPU and CPU. We then reassemble the laptop and run it through a benchmark test to monitor temperature levels.
If you are experiencing excessive operating temperatures or fan noise and are unsure of the inner-workings of your computer, feel free to contact the professionals at Twin Cities PC Repair at (651) 456-8655 or send us a message from our Contact page.
Now we could sell our clients a typical, heavily commercialized, residential computer security product, but why settle for less? Here at Twin Cities PC Repair, we have tested several computer security products and have arrived to the conclusion that most are riddled with bells and whistles you simply don’t need. What does this mean? It means that the products slam your system performance by heavily utilizing system resources such as memory, CPU and hard drive.
What are we offering?
A simplified, yet powerful, product known as Emsisoft Business Security! Emsisoft’s ideal is a malware-protected world, a place where home and business computer security is engineered to perfection. Emsisoft produces innovative anti-malware solutions that are efficient, powerful, unobtrusive, and minimalistic. Emsisoft’s software effectively detects new threats before your computer is compromised. All of their products do their job perfectly; keeping your digital world safe. Emsisoft Business Security leaves your computer’s power where it belongs: with you.
Let’s Discuss Key Features…
FINDING AND REMOVING MALWARE
Dual-engine virus and malware detection – Emsisoft (A) and Bitdefender (B) engines work together to detect all types of malicious software, including viruses, ransomware,
trojans, bots, keyloggers, spyware and more. Signatures for double-detections are avoided for memory use and speed optimization.
Super fast system scans (1-2 min) – Scan your device quickly and thoroughly using our efficient dual-engine scanner. Scan time varies depending on which scan type you
select.
PUP/Potentially Unwanted Programs detection – Alerts you of potentially unwanted programs (adware, browser toolbars, system optimizers, etc.) that can affect your device’s
performance.
Advanced infection cleaning – Smart operation processes ensure the safety and stability of the computer during system cleaning. Checks 70+ autorun/loading
points including hidden ones used by rootkits and restores default values if they have been overwritten by malware.
There’s More! – Click HERE to download a full feature list in PDF format.
PREVENTING NEW INFECTIONS
Multi-layered real-time protection – We use diverse technologies and multiple layers of security to maximize our solutions’ protection capabilities.
Web Protection – Blocks access to known dangerous websites using a frequently updated block list. Web Protection is host-based and works across all
programs, even if the transferred web data is encrypted.
Anti-phishing – Blocks access to known fraudulent websites that try to steal online banking passwords or identity details.
Browser security – Browser extension/addon for Chrome, Firefox and Edge that blocks access to dangerous websites on a URL level. Uses a privacyconscious design that doesn t track your browsing history or break your SSL encryption chain.
There’s More! – Click HERE to download a full feature list in PDF format.
CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT
Management Console – Centralized security management has never been easier. As part of our daily client endpoint monitoring duties (Included in your subscription), we monitor the protection status of your devices and we’ll reach out to you immediately if we notice any areas of concern. This also includes system performance monitoring such as, memory performance, hard drive performance and any Windows generated errors. Your security and privacy are of utmost importance! We do not have the ability to monitor your file system or any personal information on your device(s).
Windows & Third-Party Patching – Also, included in your monthly subscription, we review and deploy Windows and third-party software patches to your device(s). We test & review all patches before deployment, ensuring your have a healthy and up-to-date system!
There’s More! – Click HERE to download a full feature list in PDF format.
If you’d like to subscribe, request additional information, or are looking for a free consultation of your PC’s current security status, please call our security professionals at (651) 456-8655 or send us an email by visiting our Contact page! Only $9.99/mo/device. No contract. Cancel anytime.
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Here’s an example case
vents is absolutely the wrong approach. This just moves the dust around the inside of your computer, which blankets the motherboard. It can also cause dust to wad up in the fan’s spin zone, causing an obstruction. Doing the job the right way involves opening up the laptop chassis and disassembling down to the motherboard level, removing the fan(s), cleaning the fan(s), removing the heatsink, cleaning the fins on the heatsink, and removing and reapplying thermal grease to the GPU and CPU. We then reassemble the laptop and run it through a benchmark test to monitor temperature levels.
your devices and we’ll reach out to you immediately if we notice any areas of concern. This also includes system performance monitoring such as, memory performance, hard drive performance and any Windows generated errors. Your security and privacy are of utmost importance! We do not have the ability to monitor your file system or any personal information on your device(s).
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