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In this edition of EagleTech's Newsletter you will find a variety of helpful tips and services for improving your computing experience.


EagleTech Computer Service Newsletter

Computing Insights for December 2013

Greetings from EagleTech Computer Service!

Here we are at the end of the year already...can you believe it???

Here are some topics we will be covering in this edition :

- CryptoLocker Virus...new Updated Information
- A New Remote Repair Approach
- Help with your Christmas computer gifts...
- Windows 8.1 Update follow-up thoughts


As you approach the Christmas Holiday and then New Years I hope you and your families will have some great times together.  These are excellent holidays...full of meaning!

Thanks for being the great clients each of you are...!!!
 

Tom Sparks

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CryptoLocker Virus...New Updated Information :

 
In my recent newsletters I have described this new horrendous virus named "CryptoLocker." So far none of my clients have encountered it...yeah for that!  

As I mentioned before I now have a special utility I can add to your computer that will block your computer from ever getting it. I can install this utility remotely to any of your computers that are connected to the Internet.  Because the creators of this terrible virus are continually changing its programming code this utility must be updated from time to time. While the utility itself is free you will need to decide how you want to handle regular updating. Here are some options:

1. I can train you to go to the developer's website and update the program yourself.  This of course would be the 100% free approach, after I've completed training you.
2. I can connect to you remotely on a monthly basis and update it for you in about 15 minutes. The fee for this would be $9.
3.The developer of the software will provide continual updates for a one time fee of $25.

As you can imagine...the criminals who disseminate this virus never give it a rest, and as a result they are changing it to accomplish their income generating goals.  Here is an article I highly recommend you read and heed.  It will provide you with the newest insights and information on how to avoid this virus:

New CryptoLocker Insights

It is most important for you to note the primary methods through which you can get this virus.  The article states: Some are distributing it through email spam while others are using landing pages that for example, host fake music track files. "Landing Pages" are the section of a website accessed by clicking a hyperlink to another web page, typically the website's home page. In online marketing a landing page, sometimes known as a "lead capture page" or a "lander", is a single web page that appears in response to clicking on a search engine optimized search result or an online advertisement. The landing page will usually display directed sales copy that is a logical extension of the advertisement, search result or link. Landing pages are often linked to from social media, email campaigns or search engine marketing campaigns in order to enhance the effectiveness of the advertisements. The general goal of a landing page is to convert site visitors into sales or leads. By analyzing activity generated by the linked URL, marketers can use click-through rates and conversion rate to determine the success of an advertisement.

Sooo, boiled down...this is telling us that if you click on an Ad link from anywhere on the Internet it just might instantly download a virus on to your computer if the link is a virus link instead of what it claims to be. This is where Sandboxie particularly shines, because if you were surfing the Internet and decided to click on one of these Ad links and it turned out to be a virus all you have to do is close Sandboxie and every remnant of that virus is instantly removed from your computer. Then restart your computer and nothing of that virus would remain.
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New Remote Service Approach:
 
As you've noticed, if we've used the remote service approach for any of your computer repair needs..., I've experimented with several approaches (Ammyy, Teamviewer, ShowMeYourPC, ScreenConnect, etc.) but I have now purchased a product that consistently gets the highest reviews and has a very easy connection setup approach.  It is GoToAssist.  It is a fairly expensive software for my business but because it provides such an excellent remote connecting interface I decided to go with it for at least a year and I anticipate it will become a permanent tool for me to assist you with.

I'm more and more recommending to my clients that we utilize this approach, as it can provide you with fast, easy, effective support from my office to your computer.  All you need to do is visit
www.fastsupport.com and call me for a remote key and the setup is a snap.

It can represent a repair savings to you because if I make an onsite visit to your home I really have to charge for a full hour even if I don't stay for an hour just because of the cost of gas and wear and tear on my service vehicle, but with the remote repair approach I will be working with a "Half Hour" approach, so that if we only need a half hour to repair your computer remotely then the cost will be one half my normal hourly fee.  If we need more than a half hour but less a full hour we'll need to jump to the one hour fee.  This should be a great cost savings to everyone because many repairs can be accomplished inside a half hour.  In this way, if you are stuck with a small issue you don't have to be frustrated with setting an appointment for a day or so ahead...I can take care of it quickly for you remotely.

Payment can be made in one of two ways, either via your Credit Card, or I can send you an email bill to pay by check...whichever ways works best for you.

I'm going to try keeping my travel Samsung Galaxy Note Tablet with me at all times, so if you call with a quick need I may well be able to connect with you right from my office or car and resolve that issue for you very quickly.

I hope you will strongly consider this approach because I do think it will benefit all of us.
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Did you get a new Computer from Santa???

 
If you received or purchased for yourself a new computer for Christmas I'd be happy to come out and set it up, optimize it, transfer all your valued data from your previous computer to your new computer and install all the programs and configurations that you like the most.  Here are my initial recommendations: If it comes with a trial version of an Antivirus Software I suggest we talk about whether it will be the best approach for you or another approach might serve you better.  If the store attempts to sell you on an extended warranty that might be worth considering but most Consumer Advocates don't recommend them as a good value.  I can probably fix any fixable issues cheaper than the cost of an extended warranty and it is pretty rare that a new computer will completely fail after the manufacturer's initial warranty and within an extended warranty period.
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Windows 8.1 is available:
 
If you have a new computer with Windows 8 on it Microsoft has just come out with a new upgrade called 8.1.  It is available at the following website:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/buy?ocid=WIN81GA_SEM_GGL_BRAND_OS_CORE&semid=1&WT.Search=1 

The update is free but I'm now recommending you consider holding off on it for another few months.  In a few occasions I've noticed that some printers don't yet interface well with Windows 8.1 so I'm sure Microsoft and the printer manufacturers will solve this soon. Waiting a bit might be a good idea.  It's your call of course...
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From my wife and I at EagleTech Computer Service we'd like to wish you a -

 
 
Best of success to you in all your computing.
 
I’m here to assist you when you need it.  As just a reminder... my onsite residential fee is $35 per hour and for the commercial setting it is $45 per hour. Once again...for any clients you send my way, who use my services for an hour or more, I'd be happy to credit you with $9 of free computer service at your next call.  Do let me know if you send folks my way and I'll keep notes on that as a credit for my next visit to you, and don't feel embarrassed to remind me you would like that credit when I visit.
 
 
Thanks so much!
 
Your Computer Technician
Tom Sparks
503-577-4201

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EagleTech Computer Service
27335 SE Samuels Rd.
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