Hewlett Packard packs a punch

Had to share this recent Hewlett-Packard experience from a wonderful client of ours:

I paid extra for the 2 yr in home tech warranty [on a less-than-year-old HP desktop PC]. They refuse to send an in home tech unless I let guy in India with script walk me through a dis-assembly and diagnostic.  Appearantly the "in home techs" can't diagnose--- only come with a spare part and insert. Worthless warranty. I gave up arguing after 3 hours on phone.

I bought another cheap desktop tower and am sending this broken one in by mail for and overhaul......

Awesome plumber

OK, so not exactly computer-related, but LA has a superstar plumber and his name is Robert Jaramillo. Between Robert and his uncle Russell (it's a family business started by Robert's late father twenty-plus years ago) they can fix anything at a totally reasonable price. Bobby's Plumbing comes highly recommended.

iPhone and data security

Recently, a client wrote asking the following:

Can someone access my iPhone's address book data through Bluetooth?  For example, if I have a sensitive ID number listed in a contact, can someone steal it off the phone?

Our reply:

You'd have to jailbreak and hack your own iPhone first to allow it to use BlueTooth technology for data transferring. It's defaulted by Apple to explicitly use BT for devices only (headsets, printers, keyboards). 

However, your data is susceptible to relatively easy theft when using public WiFi (cafes, libraries, etc). The big online banking apps, websites, Gmail and the like use secure protocols (you can tell by the https:// as opposed to http://) to prevent this.

If you keep sensitive information in your iPhone's Address Book, you should at least passcode lock your iPhone and enable Mobile Me's (free) Find My iPhone service, so you can remotely send messages, GPS locate, or brick (lock and/or erase it) in the event of loss/theft.

What to do when your email password has been compromised

This is such a wonderful resource, not only do I wish I wrote it, I wish I'd read it 5 years ago.

I've considered all space... and literature

Exciting programming and events at the Griffith Observatory, including the monthly lecture series "All Space Considered." 


Google's ngram viewer allows you to enter terms and compare their prevalence in all printed material scanned by Google (over 4 million books dating back to 1600AD).

iMac: overheating display issues, symptoms, & a band-aid

The white iMacs (3+ years old, out of warranty) are starting to have overheating issues, symptoms include strange display issues- shapes, color-shifts, "smudges" and "tears" in the screen may flash or remain present. There is a utility that will help, and we are monitoring for any recalls or warranty exceptions issued by Apple. Please give us a call if you need help for this!

How to block spam text messages on your mobile phone

Great how-to article from the NY Times, works like a charm on Verizon iPhone!