Another good "tech guy"

I make it pretty clear my disdain for some tech service, such as Geek S@uad and the like. The reasons are simple, you cannot trust them. Send me an Email for an extended answer on why. I like to point out the good guys and that is what this post is about. If you do not choose me to help, here is another tech guy of good reputation, http://vinniescomputerrepair.com/. I recently came across him in a business transaction and thought he would be another person out there you could rely on to be honest and charge you a fair price. Check out his site if you have a moment!

So much for the Verizon increase in speed

It's only matched by the increase in price.  Check this out, FiOS subscribers who want to take advantage of the service's top tier speed -- 300Mbps for downloads/65Mbps for uploads -- will have to pony up $204.99 a month, with a two-year agreement, according to a report appearing in The Verge.

For speed demons, the boost to 300Mbps will be a boon, as it will match the top speed of many dual-band routers. The speed increase is less exciting for owners of single-band routers, which typically only use the 2.4GHz band topping out at 150Mbps.

Verizon's new service will be rolled out on June 17, the report notes. The current top speed for FiOS is 150Mbps for downloads/35Mbps for uploads. That top tier will be increased to 300/65. Below that will be a 150/65 tier ($94.99, with two-year agreement), as well as 75/35 ($84.99) and 50/25 ($74.99).

Subscribers who don't want to sign two-year deals can obtain a higher speed service for an additional $5 a month.  

Two current lower speed tiers will also be offered under the new scheme: 15/5 ($64.99, with two-year agreement) and 3/1 ($54.99). The 15/5 rate is a $10 increase over what's currently charged for that service level. The 3/1 plan is currently offered only to Verizon DSL customers who upgrade to Verizon broadband, and it's expected that will continue under the new pricing regime.

In addition, if you don't use Verizon for your phone service, you'll pay an additional $5 a month "surcharge" when you upgrade to one of the faster tiers.

But wait! There's more. If you want to take advantage of the highest tiers -- 150/65 and 300/65 -- you may need an equipment upgrade that'll cost you $100 and require a two to four hour service call. That fee is waived, however, if you're a new customer, sign a two-year agreement, or are already using a 150Mbps tier.

What turned into a joyous announcement suddenly has me depressed....

Microsoft Surface announced..

Microsoft really pulled a rabbit out of the hat, so to speak.  They out Appled, Apple, at least with one feature.  Today, Microsoft announced a new tablet based on the soon to be released Windows 8 Operating System.  It is called Surface.  Kind of a silly name, but no more silly than iPad I guess.  The initial specs are intriguing, but since we do not know how Windows 8 will play out on a tablet, we have to wait and see.  The one great feature is the built in keyboard on the cover that Microsoft came up with.  I imagine somewhere in Cupertino, somebody at Apple is getting fired for missing that creative trick.  Again, we will have to wait and see how the device stacks up.  Pricing to come, so are the reviews.

One of the best free Virus Removal Tools available

In my never-ending quest to get everybody educated on how to take care of your computer, (and in turn, call me less) here is another great tool for you to use before you call.  From Sophos.com, they offer a free Virus removal tool.  Even if you already have antivirus installed on your computer you can install their tool to identify and clean up infections your antivirus might have missed. 

The least upgradable computer is..........

The new Macbook Pro with Retina Display, at least according to the guys at iFixit.com.  iFixit is a website where they buy the latest and greatest of whatever is out there, disassemble it and examine all the parts, how much they are, how to repair/upgrade the parts, etc.  The new Macbook Pro with Retina Display got a 1 out of 10, basically unupgradable.  For more read here.

The circle is complete, a Macbook Pro

Today was a unique day.  Purchased a Macbook Pro today, the event was eclipsed by my 4 year old accidentally ripping down the 10 foot fake Macbook Pro display out of the Apple store window.  It would be funny if it were not my kid, but everybody had a laugh and I got my Macbook.  Note:  If you buy an Apple computer now under the back to school program.  You do not just get a $100 App store gift card, they also take $100 off of the price of the computer.  Pretty cool.  For some reason, that $100 off is not mentioned in the promotion.  Way to go Apple!