A while back I wrote an article for MakeUseOf.com titled 5 Sites To Learn How To Repair Your Own Computer.  In it I complain about the repair prices of the “big box stores.”  Well, as it turns out I found an interesting video depicting some investigative reporting done on the topic of PC repair.  Check it out for yourself:

This kind of stuff happens quite a bit.  For instance, in the article I wrote, I also mentioned someone I knew who had a virus removed and anti-virus software installed for several hundred dollars.  Well, something similar happened to a family member this week.  Let me explain.

It started when the family dog chewed and damaged the cord to a laptop.  The computer continued to work properly with the damaged cord so they just continued using it.  Suddenly there was smoke so they stopped using it and brought it in to Best Buy to see what kind of damage there was.  After plugging the laptop in with the damaged cord and attempting to turn it on with no response, they had a suggested diagnosis.  They said they could have it sent away at the cost of $35 but that it would probably be a waste.  They thought the motherboard was fried and that the cost of repair would add up to more than the cost of a new laptop.

As someone who has worked on and at computers for years, there was a few obvious things they didn’t think to do before jumping to the “time to replace” spiel.  One of those steps was to try using a CORD THAT WASN’T DAMAGED!  Forgive me if I sound haughty when I refer to that as obvious.

In this situation I was able to step in and save my family from impending unnecessary spending, but not everyone has someone close who can help.  Here are a few tips to help you find someone or someplace that you can trust to work on your computer in situations when you can’t fix it yourself.

(1) Ask around

If you are trying to find someone you can trust, ask people you trust for referrals.  The key here is obvious, if you are looking for advice you can trust, ask someone you KNOW you can trust!  Do you know other people with a computer?  These days almost everyone does.  One tip would to not ask someone who does NOT even have a computer; odds are they won’t have good advice about them.  Ask other people you know and trust who they go to and their experiences.  At least that is a good place to start.

(2) Look for reviews

After asking around you’ll hopefully have a few options to choose from.  Once you have that list to work from, you can then look up those references and see what kind of reviews they have.  There are several places online you can go to find business reviews.

One place I go to is Google, more specifically Google Maps.

I just search for the city and state, click the arrow, and click “search nearby.”  OR you can run a search such as: “computer repair loc: CITY, STATE.”  In the balloon you’ll find a link for reviews.

Another good site to search is the Better Business Bareau.

The BBB‘s website not only lists businesses registered with them, but also other businesses.  It lists pertinent information like owner’s name, addresses, phone numbers, possible complaints, etc.  Its worth a shot.

There are also other good sites to find reviews.  Do some research and find out what people are saying.  Get a consensus of the “crowd.”

(3) Ask good questions

There are a few questions you should ask the computer technician before handing over your computer for repair (from About.com – PC Repair):

1. How much do you charge per hour?
2. Can You Tell Me How Many Billable Hours This Might Take to Fix?
3. Do You Have a Minimum Charge?
4. Should I Expect Any Charges Other Than the Hourly Rate? (I’d be specific and also ask if there is a fee for diagnosis)
5. Do You Charge Extra For In-Home/Business Service?
6. Do You Guarantee Your Service?
7. When Might I Be Able to Pick Up My Computer?

On a similar note, you also should be able to explain the issue thoroughly to the technician.  A good thorough explanation of the issue with give you the best odds of getting the issue resolved.  Check out this About.com article titled: How to Describe Your Problem to a Computer Repair Professional.  I also asked a group of computer techies some questions including what kind of things they like people to do BEFORE seeking help.  Check out the interview series.

What tips do you have for someone looking for a good computer repair service?  I’m sure someone can add something to this list!

Who doesn’t love Google Maps? I’ve been using Google Maps for searching for local businesses or addresses, to map out driving instructions, and even looking up people’s phone numbers and have been loving it every step of the way!

Today I want to introduce you to a site I came across and from which I have not yet fully harnessed all of its possibilities. Check out with me Scribble Maps!  The front page does a good job describing what it is it offers:  the ability to use Google Maps to make custom maps… rapidly!

I am planning on trying the custom images/overlay abilities. I’m wondering if this could be a way to create better hiking maps so I am going to attempt to overlay some less-detailed trail maps and add the details that Google Maps offers.

Here is the menu options (you get this box when you click on the “menu” button on the list of buttons at the top left of the page).

And here is the list of buttons:

As you can see, there are quite a few drawing tools to utilize to make the job easier. In the past, I’ve been able to copy sections of Google Maps and paste them into an image editor to do doodling and such, but this site makes the whole process easier.

Check out the site and see what kind of uses you can come up with.  Hey, and if you want to, send me some of your creations so I can see what you’ve done!

This is the coolest (or at least one of the coolest) things!  I just found a page that shows you how to do a reverse phone lookup (if you have someone’s phone number, you can search for the owner) on Google Maps!  I suppose this can sound kind of scary but all the information is listed already, just newer technology and the internet has made it easier to search for the information.

Anyways, if you have a phone number (I find it easier if you also have the city also) you can search for it on maps.google.com and you’ll find the business/individual and their location!  Just make sure you put spaces where dashes would normally be in a phone number (and a comma-space and the city if you have it) and ta-da!

Let me know if you find this particularly useful and if you have other nifty ways you use Google Maps!