By Richard Churchill – First Published June 2011

Sadly scams targeted at your computer have become all to common. We have become accustomed to attempts to steal credit card or bank details. However the number of computers we are seeing in our workshop with fake security software is almost reaching epidemic proportions. This month and next I have created a pair of articles on the subject of computer scams. I hope that having read these articles you will be able to avoid these scams or have the confidence to put the phone down (more on that later). (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published May 2011

Online shopping is one of the great conveniences of modern life, you can find almost anything, anywhere in the world and have it shipped to your door. However shopping online can be a worrying and confusing experience, if you are not confident that the website you are going to buy from is real, secure and well regarded. (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published April 2011

The coming of the internet has given us much greater access to information, it is now possible to find out almost anything about anything of the slightest significance. Anyone can put information on the internet and there is no editorial control. How in that case do you know the information you are reading is accurate? (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published March 2011

I have noticed that fewer and fewer people are using the big printed directories. The Internet is slowly taking over as the primary way to find the trades people. Using the internet gives you a very wide choice, you can check reputation of the company you have chosen and often find out in great detail what they do before you pick up the phone, or email them.
(more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published February 2011

The modern use of digital photography has led to a change in the way we relate to photographs. While it is possible to get high quality prints off our digital photos, either from our own printers or from numerous high street shops that are replacing their film developing equipment with digital photo printers, most of the time our pictures just remain trapped on our computers looked at whenever we remember they are there. (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published January 2011

The technical innovation of the last 10 years has been the group of technologies known as “social media”. At the turn of the century the idea of keeping up with what your friends are doing week by week via the internet was barely considered, now it is is possible (if you want) to keep up with your friends activities on a minute by minute basis. (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published December 2010

It’s December that means pretty much whatever religion you follow, or even if you don’t follow a religion, there’s a festival to celebrate. This generally involves cards, presents and good wishes. This is now the age of the computer so what is the ‘tech savie’ way to spread goodwill? This month I will point you in a few directions that will give you an easier or more interesting time. (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published November 2010

I don’t know about your but I’m fascinated by aerial photographs and maps, I love looking at where thing are, and how they relate. You can follow old road ways or marvel at the beauty and elegance of the design of the gardens of a stately home.

(more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published October 2010

Email has been around for decades, but in recently years the number of ways of communicating have been multiplying. You can now send instant messages,hold debates on forums, phone friends over the internet, hold video conferences, find out what old friends are doing with social networking. There is a lot of noise out there but how much of it is actually useful? (more…)

By Richard Churchill – First Published August/September 2010

If you think about international calls, I’ll bet you think of long numbers and high bills. If you have relatives that live abroad, it is a real pain, especially if you also have to think about time differences.

While it has been possible to talk to someone over the internet for at least 10 years, until recently it wasn’t easy. Slow connections meant call quality was poor, even getting a connection seemed to require a degree in computing, certainly not for the general user. What we want is a service that is easy to use, tells us when our friends and relatives are available, it would even be nice if we could see the person we are talking to. (more…)