I frequently hear and read alarming stories about victims of up-selling techs at big chain store repair services. This one has a happy ending.

All of the news about Google this week has been Google Sites and Google Health. A new feature added to Google Docs has me excited. They now have an option to have a spreadsheet filled via an online form. If you need to conduct a simple survey or plan a potluck dinner or any task where you need multiple user input this is a great tool. You can see an example here.

A form is very easy to setup…

• Create a new Google spreadsheet in Google Docs
• Enter form questions along row A
• Save your spreadsheet
• Click the “share” tab on the right hand side
• Click the radio button for Live Form
• You are now able to enter a list of email recipients as well arrange and edit your questions.
• The interface even allows you to create multiple choice questions, etc.

Your spreadsheet will now fill with data provided by your recipients. Google will also send you an email alerting you as forms are filled.

The reality of this device is not quite as nice as you might image from the title, but the Jerk Stopper could save you a lot of money and trouble. The Jerk Stopper is a simple solution for a problem that should not even exist.

The goal of the Jerk Stopper is to limit the damage to power plugs in notebook computers. I have seen many notebook computers with power plug damage due to someone tripping over a power cord and ripping the outlet from the computer. Most of the time the damage is extensive because manufacturers generally directly solder the plug to the computer main board.

The installation of device is simple. You thread the power cable through the U-shaped groove and snap the two pieces together. You then install the device into an available USB or RJ-45 jack. The premise is that the RJ-45 or USB jack are much stronger than the power inlet. The cost for this device is low at just $9.95.

It is not right that it should not be necessary to purchase an extra device to protect your notebook computer. Some manufacturers have taken the step to create right-angle power plugs which offers a big more protection than straight-in connectors. More needs to be done by notebook computer builders to provide better connectors and strain-relief designs. Until they do it there is the Jerk Stopper.

By the way, one manufacturer has created a solution with mixed review. Some Apple notebook computers have a magnetic connector that simply pops away when the cord is tugged. There are complaints that the cord falls off of the computer, but it is better than the alternative.

A couple of weeks ago we posted an article about extra maintenance for notebook computers. Someone dropped me a line and pointed out the importance of using a surge protector with your notebook computer. I think that because they are battery powered, we forget about the very important surge protection while they are plugged into an outlet. This goes for not only using but also charging our notebooks.

Fortunately there are numerous options. I you search for “notebook surge” on Amazon.com you will find up to three pages of entries. The average price runs from $10 to $20. Be sure to choose a model that offers insurance in the same way that you choose a surge protector for any other electronic appliance.

Another good tip is to go ahead and unplug your notebook during lightening storms. Most notebook batteries should last longer than a typical thunderstorm.

There could be soon even more reasons for road warriors to celebrate. Road warriors in white collar jobs have been liberated by notebook computers, cell phones, GPS, and mobile Internet access.

Many of these tools do not translate well for blue collar service workers. Blue collar service workers have been in need for industry specific tools that they can use in a harsh environment. Ford is changing that in their upcoming F-series trucks…

Hat tip to Winding Road.

Someone at Microsoft or their advertising agency has a good sense of humor.
Stay At Home Server

Coincidently, I am swapping out my dead Windows 2003 home server. I am going to try a recycled Gateway computer with some add-ons and Ubuntu Linux. My Father has provided some insight into loading Ubuntu without the graphical interface. I will update as the project moves forward this week.

It is not a surprise or a secret that notebook computers are becoming ever more present in today’s small business and home environments. The advent of wireless networking and the increased speed and capability of notebook computers have revolutionised this space. It many instances notebook computers are replacing traditional desktop computers. Until recently notebook computers were relegated to secondary status to the owner’s desktop computer. There are some additional caveats to keep a notebook computer secure and running well versus the maintenance performed on desktop computers.

As computers have increased in speed and therefore heat generation, dust has been a constant enemy of the desktop computer. This problem is even more pronounced with notebook computers. I believe this is the case because of the smaller size of cooling passages and fans as well the various environments that a notebook computers sees on a day-to-day basis. I lately have received complaints from users that their notebook computer just shuts down without explanation. This is a self-defense mechanism used by notebook computers when they overheat. (I wish my late ’85 Mustang would have had this handy feature. RIP) A quick shot of canned duster and clean up with a powerful vacuum cleaner has gotten these notebooks back to a trouble-free existence.

TIP: Keep a can of duster handy and blow out the cooling ducts every three months. You can locate the cooling ducts by looking for fan(s) and small grills on your notebook. Be sure to only do this when the notebook is cool. The introduction of cold air on hot components can potentially cause problems. Another tip is to not shake the duster or hold it in any position but upright. The cold blast that results from tipping the can is very destructive to plastic, your skin, and other components. For your own protection is also recommended to wear eye protection.

The other frequent problem for notebook computers is hard drive damage. In addition to extreme heat which is bad for hard drive motors you have the other element of danger for hard drives – movement. The hard drive is made of a stack of platters much like old time records. The read/write heads hover just over these platters reading and writing data as they spin away at up to 10,000 RPM. That is faster than the engine in a NASCAR car at Daytona. If you jar the notebook computer while the hard drive is running the heads can be sent skidding into the surface of the platters. This leads to bad sectors. This leads us to two tips.

TIP: Avoid moving the notebook computer while it is running. The safest practice is to close the lid and allowing the notebook to enter sleep or hibernation mode. Wait a few moments for everything to save and then shutdown. You can then move your computer without consequence. I know that this can be time consuming, but not nearly as time consuming as reinstalling your operating system or recovering lost data.

TIP: Perform routine hard drive maintenance every three months. I long ago gave up on using Windows Check Disk for any kind of maintenance or recovery. Sadly this once useful program just throws away questionable sectors of data. I recommend using Gibson Research SpinRite. This is one of the most thorough pieces of software that I have ever found for recovering and maintaining computer hard drives. It is expensive, but well worth the $89 investment. You simply download the software, create a CD-ROM copy, and then run it on the computer overnight. Since I have begun using this program I have not lost one single hard drive.

This only deals with the mechanical care and maintenance of a notebook computer. All of the other tips for maintaining a desktop computer apply here as well. You should also be cautious of the increased security risk of using a notebook computer. We will release a post soon that addresses the specific security needs when you use a notebook computer.

There is very little reason to pay for virus protection for your home computer. Some of the options include AVG Free and Blink and possibly a free suite from your Internet Service Provider.

My ISP, RoadRunner, is now offering a free Internet security suite from Computer Associates. I do not have personal experience with CA security software, but they do make good backup solutions that I have used extensively.

There you go. You have no excuse for not installing a good anti-virus protection if you are using a Windows computer. If you do not have RoadRunner check with your ISP to see if they do offer a free package.

Why would an ISP do this? Two reasons. The first is a little more to talk about in the marketing message. The second and most important reason is that Internet Service Providers have a financial interest in keeping your computer clear of malware and trojan horses. If any computer on the network that is pushing out SPAM or other unwanted traffic, they are footing the bill for the bandwidth. It is low-cost insurance to protect customers than it is to purchase more bandwidth and to increase their network capacity.

I have seen the handwriting on the wall for the past year that this could be the year of the home server. At least many companies hope that it will be the year of the home server. Companies such as Microsoft have developed software and computer vendors such as HP have developed platforms. There are also many new Network Area Storage servers popping up from Galaxy, Netgear, Western Digital, HP, and Maxtor. I think that this trend is in sync with the wave of small computers coming along as well.

A home server and home NAS (Network Area Storage) server are nearly interchangeable terms. Unlike business, these devices will mainly just serve-up files. Business servers frequently serve files, but they may also handle email, web pages, and database hosting.

So do you need a home server? Over the years I have had a few different home servers that mainly served music and video files. I have used everything from Novell Suse Linux to Microsoft Windows Server 2003. At the moment we are between home servers, and the kids do complain about it missing. Even my Dad wanted to know why he could not find our NAS on the network at Christmas. You probably do not know that you need one until you have had one that is no longer available.

Another announcement that will propel this phenomenon is that HP will now offer network and Internet access on all of their high definition television sets as standard. This means you will be able to stream video and audio from your home server. Those that purchase another brand of television or already have a new television set you will be able to purchase a small add-on box from HP that works with nearly any type of television.

Fortunately and also unfortunately like all things tech – there are a wide range of choices in home servers. They run from $129 for plug-and-go boxes from Galaxy to the $745 HP MediaSmart. Like everything else. You get what you pay for in convenience and abilities.

Beware of service pack 3 for Microsoft Office 2003. Microsoft programmers have decided that documents created in competitor’s software and older versions of their own can be a risk. If you install this update it does not allow you to open older documents that might be tucked away on your hard drive or in your business.

Fortunately Microsoft has seen the possible problems with this stance and they have created a fix as well as issued an apology. You can read more via John Dvorak’s blog.