How Hot is Too Hot? Safe Computer Temperatures

May 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
fried-egg

Overheating greatly reduces the life of electronics. To protect your computer from overheating the manufacturer will add safeguards that will shutdown the system if it reaches a critical temperature. Prevent unintended shutdowns by running at safe computer temperatures. A maximum safe operating range is often 60-70 degrees Celsius (140-158 degrees Fahrenheit) depending upon the components.  You can purchase higher-temperature tolerant devices which are often called hardened or military-grade, but they cost more. To keep computers at safe temperatures, the case design will have cooling systems. These cooling systems usually consist of a series of fans strategically placed but may also include liquid circulation systems. Removing the cover or side panels can disrupt the desired airflow and actually increase the temperature of critical components.  Dust build-up can also impede … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IT Tips and Trends

Inside / Outside

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Blue Door

Guest Blog by Robert Minskoff For many years I spent my sales career on the outside. Walking through doors, meeting with customers and prospective customers and doing all the things that come with that type of position. Over the last couple of years I have transitioned almost completely into an inside salesman. The goal of the position is still the same. Acquire new clients and customers and keep existing clients and customers happy and satisfied. While on the outside, one would walk into a business find out some information and pre-qualify them based on the information one did or did not gather. Leave a card or some other type of sales material behind. Unfortunately, the expensive POS literature probably ended up in file 13. Then follow up accordingly. Before I get inundated with emails about how much of a waste of time this sort of activity is, let me say that some of my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Strategies

The Internet is the Wild, Wild West…

May 2, 2013 By 1 Comment
The Internet is the Wild, Wild West ….

… and there ain’t no Sheriff in town! Just like the western frontier the Internet is a place where opportunity abounds, but it is not without danger.  If you understand risk, manage uncertainly and protect yourself from diabolical people, the Internet is a magical place. When online, a good rule to follow is “when in doubt – don’t.” Two main problems with the Internet are that 1) there are more scammers than can be counted and 2) it is hard, sometimes impossible, to determine authenticity. In the Wild, Wild West if some cowboy came riding up to you, you’d better be a quicker shot or have a trusted friend covering your back.  You could never take any chances because there were all kinds of hoodlums out there, alone or in gangs, that were trying to separate you from your property.  And if you had established your homestead (website, email address), you’d have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Internet Security Tagged With:

Recycling and Donating Electronics

April 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Recycling and donating electronics

Even if you have a consumption reducing program, your company will have electronics that are at the end of their useful life.  Moving is a time when companies purge the old and electronics are no exception.  Designing a new office is a great time to modernize and check the usefulness of computers and peripherals.  Monitors, printers and battery backups are a few of the devices that you should examine closely.  Upgrading monitors and printers can give you a real return-on-investment and too often our battery backups are overlooked or neglected. LAN System has a free recycling program.  You can drop off your equipment at our office or we will make arrangements for pickup during your normal on-site support.   If you know of a school or charity that accepts donated electronics, we can prepare your equipment for donation.  There is a charge for this service as we will clean up … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IT Tips and Trends, Tech Notes Tagged With: ,
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