Schrock Innovations Computer Company

The October 24, 2009 episode of Compute This is now available online! Click here to listen to the show.

On this program Thor talked about the prototype 2009 Holiday Special computer and made one available to Chris to try out after the show. This week Thor went into more details about what was included in the system:

• 23″ 50000:1 contract ratio monitor
• Quad Core Processor
• 8 GB DDR2 Memory
• 1 TB Rotating Disk Hard Drive
• 128 GB Solid State Hard Drive
• Windows 7 Home Premium

Thor did not take calls during this show, but included a number of questions in the show that had been emailed in throughout the week. Some of the topics covered included:

• What is a Solid State Hard Drive and why are they AWESOME
• Why is the contract ratio on your monitor important?
• If you get an email asking you to change your security settings, should you do it?

Tune into Compute This live every Saturday from 10-11 AM CST on KFOR 1240 or listen online and call in with your question or comment at 489-1240.

The October 17, 2009 episode of Compute This is now available online! Click here to listen to the show. On this program Thor was broadcasting live from Schrock Innovations’ Lincoln Service Center during the official launch of the 2009 Holiday Special computer system. Throughout the show, Thor took calls and broke away to live interviews [...]

The September 26, 2009 episode of Compute This is now available online! Click here to listen to the show.

On this program Thor talked about the prototype 2009 Holiday Special computer and made one available to Chris to try out after the show.

In related news, Thor also announced that Schrock Innovations would be holding a Windows 7 launch party on October 17th at Schrock Innovations on 27th and Pine Lake Road at 10:00. You can try out the 2009 Holiday Special and get a sneak peak at Windows 7 before anyone else in town gets to see it!

The guys also took a number of calls during the show and covered a variety of topis. Some of the questions included:

• What kind of specifications should you look for in a good gaming computer?
• Should I use Norton’s Identity Protection or Internet Explorer’s ID Protection?
• Which is better in a camcorder? Mini-DV, VCD, or Hard Drive Based?

Tune into Compute This live every Saturday from 10-11 AM CST on KFOR 1240 and call in with your question or comment at 489-1240.

Listen to the audio of the September 19, 2009 Compute This radio show.

On this week’s show, Thor wrapped up the the Great XP Escape sale and moved right into phone calls. The phones were a little lighter than usual due the the Nebraska vs. Virginia Tech game, but those who did call did not disappoint!

Here is a little of what was covered on the air:

Action You Need to Take NOW to Protect Your Computer

There is a security vulnerability that impacts Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 that could leave your computer open to attackers.

Thor posted an article on his blog about action listeners can take right now to save themselves from a potential $150 repair bill.

Apple’s Safari Browser is Such a Drain

On the show, Thor listed some of the top browsers on the market in the order of hos efficiently they use power.

If you use a notebook, Safari will use 33% more energy than any other browser on the market. Here they are in order of efficiency:

1. Microsoft IE 8
2. Mozilla Firefox
3. Google Chrome
4. Opera
5. Safari

My Computer Won’t See My DVD Drive Anymore!

Phyllis bought one of our 2008 Modular Computer systems and all of a sudden her DVD drive has disappeared form her Computer.

There are only 2 reasons this typically happens. Thor let her know that either her DVD drive is bad, or the upper and lower filters need to be deleted form the Windows registry.

The procedure is pretty straight forward, but it you are uncomfortable editing the registry, it would be best to leave it to a technician.

I broke one of the pins in my VGA Cable – What Should I Do?

Frank called to ask Thor and Chris what he should do about a broken VGA cable. The VGA cable is used to connect a monitor to a computer, and the plug has 15 pins in the end. One of his pins had broken off, and he wanted to know what he needed to do to repair the problem.

Thor advised him not to attempt to repair the cable. The last thing he needed was to have that broken pin end up lodged in his monitor with no way to get it out. A replacement cable runs about $30.

My Auto-fill Feature Stopped Working!

Mike from Wahoo, NE called into the show today to ask why his auto-fill suddenly stopped working. Mike had the Yahoo Toolbar installed and after setting MSN as his home page it suddenly stopped working.

From what Mike described, it sounds like his Yahoo toolbar was replaced by the Bing toolbar. All Mike had to do was click on view (Alt-V) select toolbars, and check the Yahoo toolbar.

What is Your Opinion About Netbooks?

One of the final callers on the show called to ask Thor his opinion about Netbooks.

Thor explained a little about what a netbook is, and then went on to share his own personal opinions about the models on the market.

Thor uses the HP mini because it has a 92% keyboard (almost a full-sized keyboard). He recommended users steer clear of Sony netbooks because they are super expensive for absolutely no reason.

If you are looking for a lower priced option, the MSI netbooks offer great style for an affordable price.

All netbooks pretty much have the same basic specifications, so its all a mater of taste.

Don’t miss next week’s show!

Compute This airs live every Saturday at 10:00 AM CST on KFOR 1240 in Lincoln, Nebraska. If you are not in the Lincoln area, you can listen live on the KFOR website.

Click Here to listen to the audio of the September 12, 2009 show. This week’s Compute This radio show centered around the release of 10 computers at an unbelievable price of $399 each.

We were able to take advantage of some limited offers, rebates, and other cost saving measures that allowed us to snag some really inexpensive components. We only had 10 units and they went fast! There ARE benefits to listening to the show!

Calls were a little light this week due to an early Husker game, but here are some of the topics we covered:

What Should a Beginning Computer User Look For in a PC?

A caller asked Thor and Chris what kind of features should a person look for in a computer. On the hardware side, Thor recommended nothing less than 2 GB of memory and a dual core processor if you are running Vista (which will probably be the case).

Additionally, beginning users often underestimate the value of support. At work, many PC users have a help desk they can call if something goes wrong. At home, users have fewer options. That is why we invented the Schrock Desk, an online support system much like what you normally have at work where a technician can bail you out when you get in over your head.

Should I Buy a Laptop or a Desktop?

Many people buying new systems find themselves asking if they should stick with a desktop system or should they make the move to a notebook computer. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to each.

Desktop computers are typically more upgradable than notebooks. Because of their upgradability, desktop systems tend to last longer than their notebook counterparts. Additionally, when something breaks or fails, desktops are usually less expensive to repair than notebooks.

Notebooks on the other hand, are less upgradeable but they are portable. If you need to take your computer with you, or just like to work wherever you are in your house, a notebook is the way to go. Notebooks are more expensive feature for feature than desktops, so you are trading upgradablility for portability.

Music Sounds Funny When I burn my Music

Another caller asked Thor and Chris why his music sounds one way on his computer and another way on his friend’s computer when it is burnt to CD. The guys worked through a process of elimination with the caller to help him narrow down the treble-robbing culprit that was making his music sound different after being burnt to disc.

Don’t miss next week’s show!

Compute This airs live every Saturday at 10:00 AM CST on KFOR 1240 in Lincoln, Nebraska. If you are not in the Lincoln area, you can listen live on the KFOR website.

All About Vista

This week our show focused heavily on the the latest Vista service pack update. The update was originally scheduled to be released June 30, however Microsoft has been pushing for it now. If the install is popping up on your computer, you need to install it ASAP. We recommend you bring your computer to Schrock Innovations for our $39.99 installation special. This way you can be assured the update has been installed correctly.

In the News

The latest virus hitting the internet is called Gumblar. This virus attacks websites you trust and infects your computer. An interesting fact is that 37% of the websites you trust actually infect your computer. The Gumblar virus is no exception. The best way to prevent this from happening to you is to stay up-to-date on your security software. As always, we recommend Norton 360.

The Key to Key Words

Have you ever searched for song lyrics or “free” stuff on the ‘net. The majority of us have and the likely hood of you getting a virus is great. Our suggestion, call your radio station and ask for the lyrics to the song and simply stop searching for free things.

There are, however, key word searches you can type in without worrying about getting a virus. These are phrases such as things about the economic crisis and health questions. Search away about the economy and that agonizing pain in the neck-you’re safe.

Computers 101

After much discussion about the Vista Service Pack, we moved to the phones where we had several computer questions.

.dll extensions
Mike had an issue with his Windows XP machine. When he went to boot his computer he received a message that he needed to run a .dll file. A .dll extension means that there was probably malware on his computer that was taken off by his security software, but the extension was still on the computer. To solve this problem we recommended that Mike go his start, run menu and then type in msconfig. Then he needed to uncheck the box in the Microsoft utilities window for the .dll extension and it won’t show up anymore.

Vista Service Pack and the Internet
Sharon had a question about the service pack update. Since Sharon said she never gets on the internet, the updates will not be pushed on her. However, we recommended that she updates her computer with the latest vista because it will speed up her file transfer times and also keep her battery life running longer. Keep in mind this is true for both laptops and desktop computers.

Virus Protection, Protection you should have
Ellen’s computer boots up and tells her that she needs to download an update. However, when she goes to click cancel on the update, it does not let her. This is because it is not a genuine Microsoft, meaning she has been infected with Malware. We suggested that Ellen has a maintenance checkup to get rid of her viruses and registry keys. This a $59.99 special at Schrock Innovations.

Tune In

Tune in next week for Compute This radio show, Saturday, June 7 at 10am on KFOR 1240 am. We will answer your computer questions, draw a winner for the 25 dollar gift card to Schrock Innovations and get you up-to-date on the latest computer news.

A Reminder

If you have Vista and need your computer updated with the latest service pack, stop into Schrock Innovations and get the $39.99 special. If you questions you can also give us a call at 423-9595 and we will be happy to answer your Vista questions!

The first part of the show was a top ten list of technology fails of the decade. Here they are: 1. Microsoft Vista 2. Gateway 3. HD DVD 4. Vonage 5. YouTube 6. Sirius XM 7. Microsoft Zune 8. Palm 9. Iridium 10. Segway (from times.com) FBI experiences a virus In other news, the FBI [...]

May 16th Radio Show. On Compute This, the term “whaling” was discussed. No, this is not another word for fishing; it is a word that describes online attacks for account information.

This is the Compute This show from May 9, 2009. Click here to play the MP3 audio. If you would prefer to save the audio to your computer to play later (better for slower connections) simply right click on the link and save the file to your desktop.

With storm season in our midst, we took the opportunity in ths show to address some common surge protector myths. In this episode we answer questions like:

• Do surge protectors heal?
• How can you tell if your surge protector is damaged?
• How often should you replace surge protector?
• Will a surge protector work on a non-grounded outlet?
• Are battery backups better than regular surge strips?

We also launched a one-week special on Schrock’s audible alert surge protectors. These units audibly beep when they are work out so you know they need to be replaced. Normall these units are $49.99, but this week only they are on sale for only $29.99.

The sale ends on May 16th at 8:00 PM, or while supplies last.

This was a recorded show, so there were no live callers.

This is the Compute This show from May 2, 2009. Click here to play the MP3 audio. If you would prefer to save the audio to your computer to play later (better for slower connections) simply right click on the link and save the file to your desktop.

This show marked the conclusion of the 2009 Ultimate Upgrade Sale. We spent a pretty good amount of time explaining:

• Why you should not wait for Windows 7
• How Schrock’s extended warranties work
• What happens to the data on your old hard drive
• Exactly how Schrock migrates your data to your new PC

This was a pre-recorded show, so there were no live callers.