Remember the flaw that was announced around the beginning of December 2011, where hackers could possibly cause HP printers to burst into flames?
Well, HP released a fix for that a week or so back… However, they didn’t mention fire issue.
None-the-less, you may wish to consider upgrading.
Should you require assistance applying updates to your devices, servers or computers in the Greenville or Upstate SC area, you can call upon us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com
Merry Christmas from Homeland Secure IT
Christmas is almost upon us!
Hope you have your shopping done by now, and if not, well, it’s not too late to order a notebook, netbook, desktop or tablet computer from Homeland Secure IT!
We offer sales of all major brands of computers and components such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, NexLink, Asus, Samsung and more. Whether it is a business computer or one for your personal uses, we have something for you or the person on your list you have forgotten about not found the perfect gift for!
Orders placed are generally here at our Greenville office the next business day before lunch at no additional charge!!!!
We will be closing on Friday, December 23rd so our staff can spend time with their families, and we will be in the field on a server deployment on Monday, December 26th, however, we *WILL* be available for emergency calls should you need us!
Excuse the sensational title, but it may not be too far from the truth.
There is an article over on ComputerWorld.com that reads, “HP LaserJet Printers vulnerable to attacks, researchers warn“… (opens in a new window).
Our in-house expert, Greg Varner, believes that if an attacker could exploit the device to the point of causing it to brown paper in the fuser, it would not be overly difficult to disable the safety mechanisms discussed in the article that protects this from happening.
Without question this does give us cause to pause and think about these connected devices.
Everybody Panic!
Remember what I said back on Oct 25th about the hard drive shortage? Then I rambled a bit more and went as far as to say, “Don’t Panic“???
I think I misled you. I now upgrade my opinion to, “OKAY, PANIC”.
According to numerous articles citing industry experts and analysts, we’re seeing a total 180 from the “relax, everything is going to be okay” attitude.
One analyst at Piper Jaffray (Gus Richards) believes supplies of hard drives could run dry by the end of November. He stated, “Availability is really going to tighten up. I’m seeing prices quoted anywhere from up 10 to up 60 percent”. Read the entire article over HERE.
Here at Homeland Secure IT, we have been feeling this for many days. Drives that were costing us ~150 dollars are still running as much as 250 dollars. Desktop computers we were quoting at 750 have now gone up as much as 100 dollars to reflect the increase in hard drive costs.
Multiple vendors we work with are entirely out of stock and online retailers are limiting purchases to quantity one, as well as indicating they are out of stock as well.
This week has brought more queries about SSD (Solid State Drives) than we have ever had! Even though we can obtain just about any size or speed SSD you may want, the price is considerably higher than traditional hard drives, even with the inflation taken into consideration.
We received the following notification from HP regarding the flooding situation in Thailand and the subsequent hard drive and component shortage:
Dear HP Channel Partners,
HP is deeply saddened by the recent flooding in Thailand. The extent of the damage is devastating and our hearts go out to each person in Thailand negatively impacted by this tragedy.
In light of this unfortunate turn of events and its potential impact on the technology industry, we would like to provide you with a brief update regarding the situation here at HP.
HP continues to maintain operations in Thailand and is in constant communication with our employees, customers and suppliers to optimize business continuity in this dynamic situation. We have teams in place for each product category and are monitoring the situation closely.
HP has a small percentage of its Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) manufacturing in Thailand and we are mitigating any negative impacts through our business continuity planning. HP Enterprise Servers Storage and Networking (ESSN) and HP Personal Systems Group (PSG) do not have manufacturing facilities in Thailand.
From a component supply situation, Thailand is a major manufacturing source of Hard Disc Drives (HDD) and other sub-components used in HP products.
HP currently is reviewing potential supply constraints in an effort to optimize its manufacturing and meet your business needs.
As we work together through this industry wide constraint, we will implement business continuity plans to seek alternative sources of high quality components or raw materials. HP will notify you of any potential impacts if we are unable to locate other acceptable alternative sources. HP will provide this information through our existing business and planning processes in place with your sales representative.
Thank you for your business. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us directly with any questions.
Yours sincerely,
The HP Channel Leadership Team
Scott Dunsire, vice president, U.S. Channel Sales, IPG
Steve Erdman, vice president, Americas Channel Sales, Software
Tracy Galloway, vice president, Americas Channel Sales, Services
Mike Parrottino, vice president, U.S. Channel Sales, PSG
Frank Rauch, vice president & GM, Americas Channel Sales, ESSN/TS
Matt Smith, director, Marketing, Americas Channel Sales
—
We’ve received notification from just about every manufacturer of systems that we partner with. I spent 30 minutes on the phone with one this morning as they gave me the total run-down on how this hard drive shortage will be affecting us.
The general concensus is: It is going to get worse before it gets better. We have been advised to buy now, not to wait until it actually does get worse.
We’ll keep you updated!
HP ProBook 4530s Notebook
Last week we had to cut the cord and let our baby girl go off to college… That was more difficult than I care to relate to you in a blog post!
One of the items on our task list was to secure a quality notebook that she could probably use for the four years she is in school.
Being obsessive-compulsive, I started comparing every notebook that was available to me that fit the specs I had determined (Keep in mind that Homeland Secure IT offers HP, Dell, Toshiba, Acer, Lenovo, Nexlink and more for sale). This was an overwhelming job!
Once I had narrowed it down to a handful of machines, with the proper specs and within the target price range, one notebook stood out.
It was the HP ProBook 4530s, and more specifically the XU015UT#ABA, based around the Intel Core i3, with 4 GB of RAM, 320GB HDD, DVD-Writer w/LightScribe, 802.11n wi-fi, gigabit network, Intel 3000 graphics, Bluetooth 3.0, built-in webcam & mic, Microsoft Windows Home Premium, memory card reader, even a biometric fingerprint reader, and more.
There’s lots of expansion available besides the card reader and connectivity, through the 4 USB ports (1 is USB 3.0), VGA and HDMI video outputs and an ExpressCard/34 port.
With its 15.6″ LED display, it is easy on the eyes, and uses a minimal amount of power. It is also fairly light for such a big notebook at 5.5lbs. The finish is “pretty” and the build is sturdy.
The outstanding 6+ hour battery life was what sealed the deal. And I tested it several times over after we got it to see just what the battery life was, and as advertised, it was on the nose, and better when using battery saving technologies like letting the screen darken when on battery.
This model is available at Staples currently for $579.oo, and amazingly enough, Homeland Secure IT can match their price, which is surprising since they buy in large quantities.
It comes with Microsoft Office Starter 2010, so all you need to purchase is a product key card (PKC) to enable the full versions of Microsoft Office, available at a minimal additional cost.
Whether you get the HP 4530s from us, or someone else, I don’t believe you can go wrong. Check one out!
For more information about notebook computers in the Greenville / Upstate SC area, either for yourself or your business, please call 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com
Here’s a question for you all…
Why is the apparent rate of hardware failure higher with Apple Mac products than with Microsoft Windows based products?
Homeland Secure IT’s typical client is a Windows based small or medium business, and a little less than 5% of those businesses and individuals have Apple Mac products that we support as well. A larger number have iPads and iPhones, but I won’t touch on those in this blog, I’ll focus on the Apple Mac desktops and notebooks.
So far this year, we have seen a higher rate of component failure in Mac products than we have in all the hundreds of PCs and Servers we support that are from various manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, NexLink, etc.
We have had a slew of Macs with total hard drive failures. Western Digital (WD) seems to comprise the majority of those drives as I recall. Not just one model in particular, but notebooks and desktops.
We also have had Mac power supply and video card issues.
All these problems totally cripple the computer in all but a few cases, and labor is much more intensive on many of these products than they are on a typical Windows based PC.
For instance, you should try removing the power supply from a big G5 Mac. This is not a 15 minute procedure like it is on those Windows based computers. And have you priced one of these power supplies? We can get some outstanding power supplies for a typical PC for less than 60 dollars. Not the case with the Apple power supply at all.
A hard drive replacement in an HP desktop is physically accomplished in 10 minutes, and to reload Windows 7, patch it all up with updates, apply all support software like Adobe and Java products will take another 30-40 minutes.
On an Apple iMac 20″ with the black plastic back, you have to pull the front screen cover off with appropriate suction cups, take the LCD panel out, transfer mounting components and temp sensors to the new drive, load the OS and updates… We’re talking about nearly twice as long, and those who rush this job or attempt it at home end up scratching the screen covers, breaking LCD panels or damaging cables that go to them.
But I digress… Let’s get back to the original question. Why are Apple Mac products failing at a higher rate than inexpensive Windows based PCs? If only 5% of our business is comprised of Apple products, why are those 5% of machines exceeding the failure rate of the less expensive Windows alternative machines?
Scouring the forums and blogs results in finding people with the same experiences…
This has me curious enough to track it carefully going forward, so maybe I will post a follow-up, but until then, I would love to hear your input.
If you happen to be in the Greenville or Upstate SC area and require Apple Mac service, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com. We are less expensive than many alternatives and provide fast and reliable service!
The new look of Nexlink computers
Check out the new look for Nexlink’s computers! Same great case, with a more modern face plate…
Those of us here at Homeland Secure IT have worked with computers from every major computer manufacturer you’ve heard of, and we are partners with many great providers of computers and servers, such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, etc… However, for business computers, we tend to recommend the Nexlink line of computers.
Why wouldn’t we go with a mainstream solution for every client? After all, HP has a reputation as a quality business computer supplier, wouldn’t it be a great investment for any business?
Absolutely! HP does make a quality system, however, one of the things you are paying for when you purchase that new HP system is the name. HP has worked hard to create a presence in the business market and that has cost a fortune.
Other vendors, such as Nexlink, can offer comparable desktops, servers and notebooks, without the marketing and sales expenses attached to them, allowing you the best computer for your dollar!
Furthermore, the Nexlink products are some of the highest quality we have ever worked with. They use trusted components, such as Intel motherboards and Intel processors, nothing less than the best. The support from Nexlink is outstanding, and all the business systems we sell have a 3 year warranty with next day shipping should something be needed!
Should your business be considering new computers, servers or notebooks in the Greenville / Upstate, SC area, give us a call at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com and let’s discuss if Nexlink is right for you!
If you are in the market for a new business computer, where do you go in the Greenville / Upstate area?
Do you go to a “big box store”? A warehouse? An office supply?
You should be aware that the “business computer” you purchase from some dealers may actually be a computer designed for home use, and not actually a business environment.
Here are a few differences between a home computer and a business computer:
- Home computers generally are designed for faster graphics (aka games) and not processes, such as multi-tasking with business applications, where you have QuickBooks, Microsoft Office and other business applications open simultaneously.
- Home computers are likely to have small power supplies, or power supplies that claim higher wattage output, when in reality, that is maximum power output, not average power output.
- Home computers may have inferior cooling systems, such as fans with bushings instead of ball bearings, possibly causing damage to the computer itself if failure should occur.
- Home computers do not have the hard drives designed for long duty cycles (being left on long periods of time), and tend to fail much quicker than their business spec counterparts.
- Home computers generally have Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium loaded by default and cannot join a corporate domain without an upgrade to Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate.
- Home computers have cases and motherboards that may not lend themselves to expansion (IE, adding drives, or additional cards).
- Home computers in most cases do not have long warranties (Our business class computers are sold with a 3 year warranty!).
- Support for your home computer is rarely easy to obtain. You may have to call a call center, stay on hold, then speak to someone who may not speak your language as their own primary language. Returns and replacement parts are hard to obtain sometimes. Our business computers are supported by *US* as well as the manufacturer who is reachable, speaks English, and will ship parts next business day at no additional charge.
Before you purchase your next business computer in Greenville / Upstate SC, consider comparing specifications with a computer designed from the ground up for use in a business! Will it cost more? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Call us at 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information. We are partners with the best computer manufacturers in the world: Seneca Data / Nexlink, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, and more! Not only are we a computer dealer, we also service / repair business computers.
Kablooieeee
A common question that computer sales, repair, service and support people hear is, “How long will this computer last me?”
The most common answer is, “It depends…”
Just what does it depend on? The quality of the product is of the highest importance, but even a very reliable device can have a shortened life if not maintained properly and it is very dependent upon the environment it is subjected to.
For instance, a typical business desktop workstation could have a lifespan of 3-5 years in a “typical” office environment. But take the temperature of the room it is in up a few degrees, or expose that same computer to dirt in the air, which coats internal parts and affects how well heat is dispersed and you could have a machine that lives half as long. Power issues are another killer of desktop computers. Failure to use a surge suppressor or UPS could allow harmful voltage spikes and sags to damage components.
This is exactly why you hear “It depends” so frequently. No two locations are the same, and even offices in the same building are different.
Let’s look at what MTBF means exactly. MTBF is the common abbreviation for “Mean Time Between Failures” and is indicative of how reliable a product is. The higher the MTBF, the more reliable the device is.
MTBF is measured in hours, such as the hard drive from a two year old Apple Mac Book that is on my desk… Its MTBF is rated at 300,000 hours, which should be, what? 34 years? WOW! That’s amazing! In reality that MTBF is a theoretical number, meaning that if all goes well, the drive should live a long happy life. Well all did not go well, the drive is dead in a tiny fraction of the MTBF.
One thing to keep in mind is that business class computers almost always contain components which have a higher MTBF than their consumer counterparts. Business class computers also have 3 year warranties available, and sometimes longer, because the manufacturer understands that they used the best parts that were available for the money. Give a business class computer consideration if you are looking to replace an important workstation or notebook in the future.
One thing I can say is, regardless, be sure to backup your systems! Use either a physical backup like a USB drive, flash drive, or even better, something like our Servosity Online Backup Solution (free trial!) to protect your data. Going by MTBF is like saying that you will live 78 years because everyone in your family did. Don’t count on it.
So how long will that computer last you? It depends….
If you need assistance in selecting a new computer or repair of an existing one for your Greenville or Upstate business, please call upon us as we offer a wide selection of Seneca Data / Nexlink, HP, Dell, Toshiba, Samsung, Acer, Lenova and more! 864.990.4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com
