Software Testing Tricky but Vital Part of Process

When evaluating or developing software, putting it through its paces under real-world conditions is a critical yet often overlooked step. Many times, testing plans are developed and implemented but do not take into account the size or technical savvy of the intended user community. More »

Expansion to the Mainland Isn't Always Bad

As the local technology industry moves forward, several kamaaina organizations have opened offices outside of Hawaii. These events are almost always greeted with a chorus of groans from the usual suspects. Feelings of ungratefulness and abandonment abound, especially when the company in question has taken advantage of local benefits such as tax breaks. More »

Data Center Must Be Cool and Secure

As a proponent of the technology age, I admit to throwing buzzwords around with the best (or worst) of us. Like my use of pidgin, however, I usually try to speak the language that's most appropriate to my audience. There are times when I slip, and use a term that I think is universal, but is not. This happened recently when I recommended to a colleague that she consider housing her computer systems in a data center. I went on and on extolling the pros and cons of doing so, until she interrupted me with "What the heck is a data center, anyway?"
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It Isn’t Paranoia If Everyone Really Is Out To Get You

unlike viruses, the definition of spyware is a little ambiguous. More »

How to Buy Software

A reader of this column recently inquired about software costs and the myriad of options available. If you're just buying software for your personal use, the options are quite simple. Go to the local big-box retailer, find what you're looking for, and buy it off the shelf. Or you could buy it off the Internet, but unless you will be downloading it you will pay shipping costs. Those of you lucky enough to still be in school can usually buy the same piece of software at a significant discount. For college students and faculty, this can usually be accomplished at the campus bookstore.
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What Is That In Your Pocket?

In our last segment, we talked about converged mobile devices that combine phone, e-mail, Web access, access to the corporate network, and personal productivity applications. Such devices have come a long way and in many cases, are functional enough to replace laptop computers in certain situations. This time around, we'll take a more detailed look at the leading products available today.
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Getting the Most Out of a Technology Conference

When you want to learn tips, techniques, and/or fundamentals of a software program you have several avenues to explore. You can take an extended studies class at a local college or university, attend a class at a private training institution, or travel to a location (most often on the mainland) to attend a conference, trade show, or expo.
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Column Intro

After relocating to my new home on Oahu from the mainland, I spent a month walking around Waikiki, touring part of the island, getting familiar with the locale, and getting wet on the Windward side. But now, vacation is over for me and it's time to get to work.
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Better Patching Strategies

In this ever changing world of technology, software updates, or "patches" are required on a regular basis. Whether it is spyware, viruses, security breaches or simply new versions of applications, there are a number of reasons to apply patches. PCs that are not up to date are susceptible to a myriad of problems which usually results in inefficient computing.
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Are All PCs Created Equally?

Anyone who does anything remotely related to information technology is always faced with the following question. "Hey [insert one of: Uncle, Aunty, Cousin, Brother, Sister, Neighbor, Random Stranger], what kind of computer should I buy?"
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Only Way to Really Trash Data is to Destroy the Hard Drive

There are many reasons for wanting to delete data off of your computer's hard drive. But sometimes, you haven't really gotten rid of it. More »

An Early Christmas

For a change I'm attempting to get an early start this year on my Christmas shopping. The earlier you do it, the better the selection and you might get what you really wanted instead of settling on what is still in stock at the last minute. So here are some of my suggestions for the techie inclined on your Christmas list. More »

On the First Day of Christmas, My True-Geek Gave to Me

Hard to believe, but as of the 1st of this month (November) u have 54 days to get hoppin' and get your true-geek something they will love/cherish/adore/do flips over/... whatever. So, as I have in the past I have scoured the 'net and here is my wish list for the first 6 days... tune in on the 1st of December for 7-12... that should take care of the conservative shoppers who want their gifts ready to go well ahead of THE day and the last minute shoppers who always wait to see if the price goes down on Christmas Eve!! More »

Always Use Protection

Rated 5.0 Stars

Backing up information on your computer is more important than ever. We get a fair share of customers who come in with tears in their eyes asking if we can recover their data from a broken hard drive or corrupted drive. We can do surface level scanning to retrieve old data but once a hard drive is physical broken or massively corrupted, there isn't much to do More »