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Creative Intelligence @ Your Service |
Site Map +1 214 234 9283 | Send Email |
Here's a round-up of several tech tidbits that impact most customers. First, most AT&T/SBC customers get free Wi-Fi at McDonald's now and at Starbucks starting in the Spring. Next, an advisory to consider future repair costs when purchasing equipment today. Finally, the status of Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Vista Service Pack 1.
As usual, refer to the contact information and call or email with any questions.
Our customers have three sources for high-speed land-line Internet service: telephone network, AT&T or Verizon; television cable, Charter or Time-Warner; or satellite dish, DirecTV or Dish Network. In addition, some customers have access to these sources via a reseller: for example, Earthlink resells both telephone network and satellite dish Internet service.
Customers who travel may also purchase a wireless Internet service. There are two types: wireless Ethernet, or Wi-Fi, which allows access within 100 meters of a "hot spot" connection; and wireless telephone data, which allows data access anywhere one can get a cell phone signal. So people with mobile businesses needs often spend $20 to $50 extra per month to access the Internet while traveling.
In January, AT&T (the former SBC) announced that all but its lowest tier high speed Internet subscribers would receive free Basic Wi-Fi access, available at McDonald's nationwide. AT&T DSL customers who pay at least $19.99 per month now get this service. Those subscribing to DSL at $14.99 per month can purchase Wi-Fi access for $4.99 a month.
In February, AT&T announced an agreement this service would be offered under the same terms at Starbucks locations nationwide starting in Spring 2008. The Wi-Fi provider for Starbucks was T-Mobile, and that service incurred a per-use or monthly subscription charge.
What this means is AT&T customers will soon get free Wi-Fi at 27,000 Basic locations nationwide. Perhaps mobile professionals can stop paying for a secondary wireless Internet service. It may also encourage customers using another source for land-line Internet to switch to AT&T if possible.
Here are items of note:
To use the free AT&T Wi-Fi service, one must login with their PRIMARY AT&T/SBC email address and password. If we installed the AT&T or SBC DSL service, we can provide that information. If another party installed the service, get this information from that party or from AT&T support.
Wi-Fi hardware is required. Most laptops purchased since 2004 have this built-in, but a few do not.
Several handheld (or pocket) computers have Wi-Fi built in. These include Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch, some HP pocket computers, and the Palm T|X. All three companies offer pocket Wi-Fi devices starting at $300 exclusive of rebates or sales.
Resources:
In our December buyer's guide, we gave several recommendations for the purchase of IT equipment. Our recommendations are based on obtaining the lowest life cycle total cost. This includes supply costs. For example, we recommend color laser printers over color ink jet printers for anyone spending $100 or more a year on the cost of ink.
A less obvious factor of total cost is the cost of repair parts. We see an awful lot of broken computers. We prefer some brands over others quite simply because of the availability and cost of repair parts.
When purchasing a computer, future repair and supply costs must be factored in. For example, consider the cost of purchasing a replacement laptop DVD drive. For a Dell computer, this is around $75. For an HP, this is around $250. If one is comparing a Dell with an HP that are otherwise equivalent, this factor implies the life cycle cost of the Dell will be lower.
Something else to consider is ordering spare parts at the time of initial equipment purchase. Laptop batteries tend to fail after two to three years of use, so these are frequently replaced. However Dell, for example, sells second batteries and replacement power supplies for about two-thirds off when purchased with a new laptop rather then as a repair parts order.
Should one purchase an extended warranty? That depends. For a desktop computer, we say no. But some customers have been well served by a comprehensive warranty that includes accidental damage protection. For a laptop, an extended warranty may result in a lower life cycle cost if it covers replacement batteries. And for an Apple computer, the extended warranty includes telephone technical support for the warranty term.
For more information on extended warranties, read this announcement from Consumer Reports.
As mentioned in a December, Microsoft is planning to ship Service Pack (SP) 3 for XP and SP1 for Vista. However the actual ship date is not published. On February 21, Microsoft released a second test version of SP3. Microsoft has not published a "gold" version yet, nor does it have a release date for such a version.
Based on what we've read and Microsoft's historical behavior, we expect these updates to be available no earlier then June. We will advise all customers when these updates become available.
In the mean time, Windows XP SP2 will be offered at retail until June 30, 2008 and we recommend all customers requiring Windows purchase only this operating system. We do not and will not recommend Vista. After XP is no longer available, we encourage customers to seek alternative operating systems such as Apple's OS X or Novell's Suse Linux.
Just contact us with any comments, concerns, or questions about items contained in this document. Or IT issues in general. Or call us at the telephone number below.
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