CompuClever Blog

Introducing Windows 10

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Microsoft is coming out with a new operating system.  There is a lot of “love” going out for this release.  That is to say… much of the feedback is that users love the features.  And the icing on the cake, like Apple OS X and mobile operating systems, Windows 10 upgrade is free.  As many of our readers know… free sometimes comes at a cost.  We will examine the fine print and give our recommendations.

So let’s begin.  We won’t go into all the details of the offer but we will highlight the most important ones.  We encourage you to go to this page to find out more if your questions are still left unanswered.

What is it?

As Microsoft states:

“Windows 10 is yet another radical change from previous versions, and it’s a huge Microsoft effort to recover after the critics on Windows 8. The new operating system brings a brand new user interface, a new Start menu, Cortana, Continuum, and some other features. This makes the operating system new again, but more familiar to customers upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8. Also, Microsoft is making its new operating system a single piece of software that with little modification can easily run across devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, and game console.”
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Restore Browser Speed

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In our latest series of articles we have examined Internet slowdown.  We’ve introduced very good information about the various causes of slow connectivity and the PC conditions we face.  Maybe you know firsthand or secondhand what it is like to be overtaken by something on your PC that cripples the overall functionality.  In extreme cases it means a trip to a PC repair shop and having the computer wiped and re-installed.  It’s very similar to the effects of a computer virus with only one exception – you may have installed it yourself rather than being attacked.  This condition is happening frequently among beginner PC users and it is this group of PC users that are being targeted.  We’re going to help you restore the previous condition of your web browser and provide some recommendations on how to prevent similar occurrences.

Add-ons

Picking up software add-ons means modifications get made to your web browser such as extra toolbars and popup windows.  Many of these items simply want to stake their territory maybe for the purpose of directing you to certain websites so you can make some purchase.

More: To get a better idea of what these items look like and what they do, see our article called: Foistware – Messing Up Your PC Experience.
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Bogged Down

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With our previous article we looked at slowdowns with respect to Internet traffic.  The cause could be due to Internet conditions outside our control or due to poor PC performance.  We looked at ways you could be causing congestion such as too many devices connected to your Internet service or that your overall PC performance is below its potential.  Now we can continue with this theme by examining something that can be hidden but very much a part of our Internet connectivity congestion.  A major factor in Internet slow down that can result in your PC being bogged down is: software running in the background which can also bring about web browser overload.  Your PC is a great at multitasking.  Despite this, there are instances when it can suffer the consequences of being bogged down.

The Hidden Factor

A very common PC experience is having too many applications requiring online access at the same time and applications that are picked up unknowingly that we can be considered unwanted.  This first category competes with resources and the second can be malicious or can run in the background without your knowledge.  Many software programs require taking up a portion of your Internet bandwidth to achieve their functionality.  Continue reading...

Improve Internet Speed

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With demanding schedules is it any wonder we become easily frustrated when we are held up in traffic?  Whether it is out on the road or on the Internet, we want uninhibited passage.  In our previous article we began to introduce you to Internet speed tests by reviewing four popular testing tools that are available.  The caveat is that each of these is different and results vary.  So… how do we equip ourselves to: a) determine if the fault is at our end and b) if not, to better be able to present some real data to our Internet provider?  First we are going to offer more information on the speed tests in case you have given up hope on them. The key to using them is: create a history!  Next, we are going to examine and better understand how slowdowns and bottlenecks occur and what the impacts are.  By doing this you can better assess if the issue is within your home and network or outside and due to poor conditions.  Finally, if the issue is due to your PC, we will show you a very easy method of improving your Internet speed.

What did we learn from our previous article and our investigation with the multitude of speed tests that are available?  Continue reading...

Test Your Internet Speed

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Currently, one popular speed test site performs more than 5 million speed tests each day.  This speaks to the need of attempting to verify if our Internet is slow or suffers from periods of poor connectivity.  Stopping and waiting for a video or show to buffer in the middle of viewing or being cut off during an online chat session – these are sources of frustration.  This is especially true given the fact that we paid for a service and full expect that it should deliver.  When you signed up for a service you may have heard the boastful claims for fast download and upload speeds.  But, do those numbers hold up to everyday use?  And why do we face slowdowns?  Many service providers are looking at changing the monthly subscription model to a usage model.  What leeway do they have around charging more for priority services; and, what about government regulations in this area?  We’ll look into these concerns and we’ll show how all speed tests are not created equal.  We also have a list of phrases, terminology, and speed measurements to help with some of this subject matter.  We’ll start with some recent news.

In the News: Fair and Equal

At the end of February of this year, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to have the same rules applied to broadband as what is governed by the telephone service.  Continue reading...