Reasons Why Your Smart TV is Having Trouble Streaming Netflix and How to Fix it

Have you ever wondered why your Smart TV keeps on buffering while you are watching a movie or TV show played from Netflix? Isn’t it annoying sometimes when you’re watching the most thrilling and exciting part of the movie and then all of a sudden it stops streaming? I know how it feels and that is exactly why I’d like to share to you some of the main reasons why you’re having these troubles and some tips on how you can fix the issue.

TV shows or movies played from Netflix, which buffer frequently on your smart TV usually indicate a slow or interrupted Internet connection. These are the 2 most common causes of the buffering issue with Netflix. But of course, there are other things to consider when it comes to this type of issue. But for today, let’s limit it to four reasons only and let’s focus on a network which is set up via wireless since most networks these days are already set up that way.

Let’s say that your network supports streaming and that means that you’re not connecting to a dial up or satellite connection. Otherwise, it would be impossible to stream Netflix movies or even other videos online.

Now, the first thing to consider is your Internet speed. If your network supports streaming, it must meet the minimum streaming requirements from Netflix. Also, let us remember one very important thing when it comes to streaming. Movies or shows playing in high video quality consume more bandwidth than low quality videos or movies. With that being said, I’d like to show to you the Internet speed requirements based on the quality of Netflix videos that you’re trying to watch.

• 0.5 Megabits per second – Required broadband connection speed
• 1.5 Megabits per second – Recommended broadband connection speed
• 3.0 Megabits per second – Recommended for DVD quality
• 5.0 Megabits per second – Recommended HD quality
• 7.0 Megabits per second – Recommended Super HD quality
• 12 Megabits per second – Recommended for 3D quality

If you do not know the Internet speed that you have subscribed for with your Internet service provider (ISP), you have to call and ask them. Then perform a speed test to check if your connection is really getting the speed of what you’re paying for. And if you like, you can upgrade to a higher plan so that you can also enjoy watching higher quality videos from Netflix.

Another possible cause for having trouble streaming Netflix videos would be the stability of your connection. Even if you have good Internet speed, it may drop the connection from time to time. Whenever it drops, it buffers your streaming experience, which can be really annoying.

The best way to check the stability of your connection is to connect your PC directly to the modem, and then observe your Internet connection. If you’ll still be getting the same connection problem, contact your Internet Service Provider and have them troubleshoot your modem’s connection. However, if it’s your router that’s causing the intermittent connection, upgrading the router’s firmware may resolve the issue. Same goes with the driver of the wireless receiver on your smart TV.

Aside from that, another thing to consider is the distance of your smart TV from your router. This is very common in a wireless network. The farther you are, the weaker the signal becomes. This will have a big effect on your streaming experience since streaming requires a stronger connection compared to simply browsing websites on a computer.

To avoid connection issues caused by distance, you have to make sure that your smart TV is in range with your router’s signal. If there is a limitation with the signal because of the type of network environment you have at home, or the type of router that you have, you may want to consider putting the router in a central location at home if possible, or adding a range extender to your network. That will definitely help you with your distance issues in your wireless network.

Lastly, interference in your wireless network may also cause your streaming problems with Netflix. If your other wireless devices, such as cordless phones or microwave ovens, operate on the same band as your smart TV, it may interfere with the wireless signal of your smart TV.

To avoid this, make sure that there are no other wireless devices near your smart TV or your router if possible. Otherwise, move them away from the router, or move the router to a new location to improve its signal strength and avoid getting disrupted if you can. Also, make sure that the router is placed in an open space where it won’t be limited from broadcasting its signal in your network. Elevate your router off the floor as it will give you a better reception.

So there you have it, those are the common reasons why we encounter problems streaming Netflix using a smart TV, and the suggested fixes for them.

_________________________________________________________________________________
By: Mark Savella 
About the author: Mark has been a tech support engineer at SUPPORTrix for more than 5 years now and knows a lot of troubleshooting technique and guide to help people who are having trouble with modern technology.

E-Learning Apps That Will Make Your Tablet Educational for Your Children

Tablets are great for families. Tablets were initially used for reading books and for entertainment. You can watch movies, play games, or use it for social networking. Nowadays, e-Learning app developers are coming up with many more interesting and effective ways of using tablets. E-learning refers to the use of technology in learning and education. Having a tablet at home not only helps you to bond with your children but also you can make learning more fun with them.

Today we will be listing some of the E-learning apps to make your tablet educational depending on your children's age.

Shape Builder teaches toddlers fine motor skills as it allows them to move shapes that snap into puzzle. Each puzzle has five to ten pieces and once the puzzle is complete, the image will be revealed and a voice will tell you the name of the image. It also helps their creativity and thinking because the app used objects such as food, animals, musical instruments, and letters of the alphabet as their puzzle.

Math Magic really is easy to use. You can make your own choice of colours, a simple interface, and a reward system of stars to encourage and teach kids. The child simply needs to tap on an answer to solve a problem. Whether they get the answer right or not, a voice will express appreciation for choosing a response. Kids will surely love the Math Magic app because it’s fun. Parents will also love it because it helps their child get a good start in Math and provides constructive use of time during car trips or waiting for food or an appointment.

Word Magic is designed to keep pre-schooler and kindergarten kids in mind. It's very ideal for kids between ages 3-6. It's a great app for kids to have fun with words and their spellings and learn them. A picture will be shown and the kids will select the missing letter for the picture. Every time they pick an answer, they will be appreciated with a real voice. It is loaded with fun features. It has a simple design, vibrant colours, attractive, and funny pictures. Word Magic would be a fun learning experience for kids because it has positive reinforcement, surprises, and rewards.

Abby Monkey is good for preschool and kindergarten kids. It features this enthusiastic monkey character guides children through the whole game. After each round, the child will receive a reward to become creative artists and change the design of the train or get stickers to show off on their board. It includes 12 educational games such as number recognition, patterns, shapes, puzzles, counting, sizes, letters, matching, colours, shadows, same and different and things that go together. It's also very easy to use.

We will post more apps next time. Stay tuned.


________________________________________________________________________

By: Yean Marie Bacol

About the Author:  Yean has been a tech support engineer at Supportrix for more than 7 years now. Giving tech tips and troubleshooting assistant to people who are having trouble with technology.

Ways to Keep Your Home Computer Safe from Malware, Spyware, and Other Harmful Software

Nowadays, anti-virus software has gotten smarter for the reason that malwares and spywares have gotten trickier and sneakier as well. Every day, thousands of personal computers and mobile devices experience malware attacks. As a computer user, it is important for us to have the knowledge to safeguard ourselves from the harmful attacks from the World Wide Web to avoid system or hardware failure, loss of important data, and other disastrous results.

There are a couple of ways to keep our home computers as malware-free or spyware-proof as possible.

Image Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• Install a good antivirus software There are a lot of good antivirus software that you can choose from. There’s Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, Norton, AVG, Avast, and Kaspersky to name a few. It helps to research the software first by going through online forums and reviews to make a better choice on which product is best for you. Customer feedback is always a good source of information when scouting for the best software to avail. As the saying goes, the customer is always right.

• Keep the computer's system up to date Software updates for Microsoft and Apple computers are recommended whenever there are new updates released. These software updates are made available to resolve any security problems, to have new software features, to have updated drivers for the hardware components, and to fix any system bugs and issues. But not all software updates are needed to be installed, so it’s also important to check the definition and purpose of each update first.

• Avoid opening unreliable sources that contain downloadable applications, cracked software, and spam e-mail attachments. If something sent or offered to you seems suspicious or too good to be true, it is better not to open or download it, to be on the safe side.

• Optimize or clean up the computer regularly Running virus scans, disk clean up, and tune up tools can keep your personal computer in shape. If you are not computer savvy, you can choose from a vast list of tune up tools whether it’s free or not. To test if a tune up tool is effective and reliable, you can take advantage of the trial version first.

• Create users with limited rights on the computer or enable Parental Control If the computer is being used by more than one family member, the administrator should create user rights and apply parental controls. Parental Control is built-in both in Windows and Mac operating systems. Through this, you can create restrictions on which programs and websites are accessible at specific days and time by your children. As a parent, it is our responsibility to protect the kids from the Internet the best way we can. Parental Control is also included in most antivirus software, in which web filters can be enabled and the activity or usage of the child online can be monitored.

_______________________________________________________

Article Written By: Pia Acosta - Tech Support Engineer at Supportrix

What to Do if Windows 8 Menu App is Completely Unresponsive

Hi Windows fanatics! I’m sure this scenario is not new to you, there are actually many reasons why Windows 8 Menu app becomes unresponsive or the computer just gets stuck. Most common reasons are:

• There are a lot of programs running in the background, thus your CPU usage rises as far as 98% to 100%, causing the computer to halt.

• Playing heavy games in the computer causing it to run slow and eventually freezes the computer.

• A driver related issue. Make sure there’s no “Other Devices” listed and no device has any exclamation mark or Red X under Device Manager.  Using the hardware with driver issues can cause computers to freeze.

• An operating System related issue. Outdated OS can make it unresponsive; make sure all latest updates of the OS are installed.

• Heat related issue. Make sure the fan is working fine on the computer, if the computer is too hot, it will affect its performance and eventually locks up.

The above instances are applicable if the computer has completely hanged or all of the Windows Menu apps are affected.

To fix the issue, just go to the Task Manager and check if there are any programs that are not responding, in which case you have to end their task to close them. Then try to check if you can now use the Menu Apps.

However, if the problem persists, try to reboot the computer to refresh it and then try to open the Menu Apps later.

If the computer cannot be rebooted with the usual reboot option, just forced shutdown the computer, then try it again later. To force it to shutdown, all you have to do is to press and hold the computer’s power button until it turns off. Then wait for a half minute before you turn it back on.

Doing the force shutdown will end the computer’s previous tasks, thus, clearing its RAM. It’s also important to configure the computer’s start up items to allow only those significant programs to run in the background during reboot like the Antivirus software used by the computer and the synaptic application if it’s a laptop for the touchpad functionality.

After a successful reboot, you should be able to access and use the computer normally again. But if the problem happens only to one particular app, then you might need to consider the following:

Make sure Windows Firewall is not blocking the app.

By default, Windows Firewall blocks some of the apps of the computer to provide more security. You need to configure the firewall first to allow the app to work.

Make sure your Apps are up to date.

Keeping your apps up to date will ensure that they will work smoothly. Just make sure that Automatic App Updates is turned on in the Windows Store.

Sync your app licenses.

The app might stop working if its license is out of sync with the license installed on the computer.

a.) To sync your app licenses, follow these steps:

b.) On the Start screen, tap or click Store to open the Windows Store.

c.) Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)

d.) Tap or click App updates.

c.) Tap or click Sync licenses.

Reinstall the App.

If your apps are already up to date and the licenses are synced, you can reinstall the app to try to resolve the problem.

To reinstall an app, follow these steps:

a.) On the Start screen, swipe down or right-click the app you want to uninstall, tap or click Uninstall, and then tap or click Uninstall.

b.) Tap or click Store to open the Windows Store.

c.) Swipe down from the top edge of the screen, and then tap Your Apps. (If you're using a mouse, right-click, and then click Your Apps)

d.) Tap or click the app you want to install, and then tap or click Install.

Consult your System Administrator.

If your computer is part of a network like in the office, at school, or business, your system administrator might have turned off the use of certain apps using Group Policy, in which case, contact your system administrator for further assistance.

Make sure your PC is up to date.

Make sure the latest updates are installed on your computer and that your antivirus program isn't preventing the app from running.

Contact the App publisher.

If you’re still experiencing problems with an app, use the support info listed on the app’s description page to contact the app publisher for help.

To view the publisher’s app support info, follow these steps:

On the Start screen, tap or click Store to open the Windows Store.

Search or browse for the app, and then tap or click it.

Scroll to the Details section of the app's description page, and then tap or click the support link for the app under Learn more. The link will open an email message for you to contact support or will take you to a support website.

I hope that this article was able to serve its purpose of making you aware of the possible reasons why a Windows 8 Menu App is unresponsive and what to do to resolve this.

_______________________________________

Written By: Rique Hebia - SUPPORTrix Tech Engineer and blog contributor

Fixes to Common Issues That You May Encounter With MS Office 2010

Fixing Common Microsoft Office Errors

As per Wikipedia, Microsoft Office is defined as an office suite of applications, servers and services for Microsoft Windows and OS X operating systems. It’s a very powerful software that is mostly used in homes and offices. An office component such as Word is widely known for creating any documents that can be written and printed. The Office spread sheet, widely-known as Excel, is one of the most useful tools in the office suite. It features calculation, graphing tools and programming language. The PowerPoint is also another useful component designed for presentations. If these components fail to work or stop working in the middle of a very important task, this could be a huge problem. It would be very necessary to know some of the common issues and fixes for this particular software. Below is a list of some common Microsoft Office problems and their suggested fixes.

Office Start up problem

One cause of this problem is a missing MS Office component. This mostly happens if an important file is corrupted by a virus or is accidentally deleted, or it could be a Windows registry issue. The best possible solution is to use the repair option of Microsoft Office. You may need the original MS Office installation disk to start and complete the repair. Just insert the installation disk, enter setup, select repair, and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Missing Office component or feature

Encountering a problem like this requires again the installation disk for repair. The installer has the complete record of all Office components. If by accident some files are deleted or any registry entry is corrupted, the installer can automatically reinstall the missing component. In Excel for instance, upon starting it you may experience problems for any of the following reasons: corrupted shortcut to Excel program, conflict with another program, incorrect version of a core Microsoft office file, corrupted registry keys, and other problems when opening Excel files. Here are the possible remedies for this:

·         Click Start, go to search, and then click for Files and folders. Type “excel.exe”, then click search now. Once the file is found, double-click it to start Microsoft Excel. If it starts, then the problem is a corrupted shortcut.

·         Start Excel in safe mode

·         Insert installation disk and start the add/remove feature

Office cannot open a file

Office has several versions, some of which face compatibility issues, especially when opening and saving files. Files that were saved in a particular MS Office version will likely cause an error when tried to open in another version. Only a few knows about this, which makes it one of the common issues encountered. However, this can be fixed by downloading the MS Office File compatibility pack or use a software for file conversion. This problem is usually encountered when using Microsoft Office 2007. Files saved in MS Office 2007 should be saved using a file extension that is recognizable by previous versions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Article Written By: Carmencita Rubia - A tech support engineer at SUPPORTrix

Delete Temporary Files and Applications to Help Your Computer Run Faster and More Efficiently

This is a simple guide on how to delete temporary and unnecessary files in order to boost computer speed.

After you have used your computer for an extended period of time, you will have accumulated lots of unnecessary files and other “junk” and this can slow your computer down.

Open your web browser. It can be Google Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explore. It doesn’t matter if you’re connected to the internet or not. Go to Tools > Internet Options. Click on ‘Clear History’ and select ‘Yes’ on the dialog box. You can also delete all off-line content. You can also click on ‘Delete Cookies’ and ‘Yes’ on the dialog box. Don’t forget to click ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ before you exit.

You can go to ‘My Computer’ and open your hard drive or Drive C. Look for the ‘Temp’ and other folders named $WINDOWS and delete them.

You can right click on ‘Recycle Bin’ and then on ‘Empty Recycle Bin’ in the menu and then click ‘Yes’ on the dialog box.

You can also remove files and programs that you have not used for some time by using the hard disk cleaning tool that comes with Windows.

§  Open My Computer.

§  Right click on the drive you want to clean.

§  Go down to the bottom of the menu and click ‘Properties.’

§  A window will appear. On the lower right corner of the pie chart that tells how much free space is left on that disk you should see a button that says ‘Disk Cleanup.’

§  Click it. A small window will appear that says ‘Disk Cleanup.’

§  When the progress bar is full, and this may take 5-10 minutes, another window should appear.

§  Select and click an object. A description of what it is appears on the bottom half of the screen.

§  If you want to delete it, click its check box. When you’re done click OK.

§  A window will appear that checks to see if you want to perform the actions you selected. Click ‘Yes.’

§  A window should appear telling you how much it has deleted so far.

This doesn’t need to be done every day. You can do these once a month, or when your PC seems to be running slowly.

How to Turn Off Automatic Restart in Windows Update

Windows Update is essential to our PC system -- it is commonly described as a service provided by Microsoft, which provides updates for the Microsoft Windows operating system and including Internet Explorer. Microsoft Update would be the expanded version of the service. The service would be normally provided over an Internet connection. Actively, updates are carried over in the automatic mode, thus automatic reboot of the computer would be the most annoying “feature” in Microsoft operating system. This would be the main focus of the article, a common problem that most of us have encountered, imagine just stepping away from the computer for a little while, and when you come back all your windows and work are gone. PC rebooted after doing an update without your permission, it can be very frustrating.

The real problem comes into play when Windows gets tired of reminding us and says that the computer is going to reboot in 5 minutes, and the only way you can prevent the inevitable is to temporarily disable WindowsUpdate.

These are some temporary methods in Windows XP, Win Vista/7. It will be temporary since Windows will enable it again after reboot.

Windows XP:

Start > run and enter: net stop “automatic updates” or sc stop wuauserv.

PsSuspend can also be used and the command is pssuspend wuauclt.

Windows Vista/7:

Press the Start button, search for cmd. Right click and select Run as administrator. Enter command net stop “windows update” or use the PsSuspend command.

Manual Registry Hack would be one of the permanent fix for our problem. We start by opening regedit.exe through the Start menu search box or the Run dialog, navigating down to the following key, creating new keys if they don't exist:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

Create a new 32-bit DWORD value named NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers, then give it a value of 1 to prevent automatic reboot while users are logged on. Delete the value to put things back the way they were. You can also download and double-click on the registry key to add the key automatically.

For users of Professional, Ultimate, and other upper-tier versions of Windows, you can adjust a few things in your group policy settings or system registry.

Windows XP:

Start > Run > enter gpedit.misc. Navigate to the Local Computer Policy > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update. Double-click “No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installation,” then select Enable.

Windows Vista/7:

Start > search for gpedit.msc > Navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Components > Windows Update and enable “No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations”

Other permanent methods are by installing third party software such as Shutdown Guard, FARR(Find and Run Robot, and Auto reboot Remover Utility for XP.

Article Written By: Michael Antonio Garcia - Tech Support Engineer at Supportrix

Best Laptops Under $300

Tech-experts say that we are now living in the post-PC era…is that really happening? For the last five years, we’ve seen dramatic growth in the tablet & mobile phones industry. It seems like everyone is using more handheld devices compared to laptops. But don't go assuming that the days of the laptop are already numbered. While some can settle with a tablet, there are some drawbacks for the tablet-only lifestyle that some users can’t stand. Despite the advances such as faster processors and high-definition displays, tablets are often not suitable for heavy users. If you need to do serious work, need powerful processing, or need compatibility with an accessory or storage device, there's no good alternative to the laptop. However, like all things in life, everything good comes with a price. One won’t have to worry though since there are currently plenty of options for those of you who are seeking budget-friendly portable computers.

With a budget not exceeding $300, we will feature two of the outstanding models in the land of portable computing. And just because it’s cheaper compared to those high-end laptops doesn’t mean that it’s low quality. Both devices offer pretty similar features yet the real choice entirely depends which suits your needs.

If you’re looking for a Windows 8-based laptop, a touch screen is highly recommended such as the ASUS VivoBook X200CA-DB01T. It weighs around 2.6 lbs with an average battery life of five hours. It has a regular hard drive capacity of 500GB along with a free ASUS WebStorage cloud-based service. Although this laptop is really small, it does support USB 3.0 for fast data transfer from any storage device. This 11.6-inch laptop retails at $293 only.

ASUS VivoBook X200CA-DB01T Quick Overview

Processor	1.5 GHz Intel Celeron 1007U
RAM	2 GB DDR3
Memory Speed	1333 MHz
Wireless Type	802.11b/g/n

Another notable laptop is the Acer C710-2055 11.6-Inch Chromebook. This Chrome OS-based computer has a similar HD screen resolution of 1366 X 768 pixels as that of the ASUS VivoBook. The unique operating system is specifically designed for Web-based tasks. Instead of dealing with applications, Chromebooks run Web-based apps. This means files are stored in the cloud instead of the machine since they don’t come with large-capacity drives. If you are used to Windows-based software, no need to worry since there are still apps that can be used to open and edit them. Since this is basically a Google product, all their services are built-in such as Google Search, Hangouts, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, and YouTube.

Acer C710-2055 Quick Overview

Processor	1.1 GHz Celeron 847
Hard Drive	320 GB SATA
Graphics Coprocessor	Intel HD Graphics
Graphics Card Ram Size	128 MB
Wireless Type	802.11b/g/n
Number of USB 2.0 Ports	3
Average Battery Life	6 hours
Item Weight	3 pounds

With twice the RAM (4GB) and an impressive battery life, this Chromebook is a good choice when you’re just a regular computer user who needs simple, virus-free, and a budget of $299.

By: Vanessa Barros - Tech Support Engineer at Supportrix

Essential Free Software that We Should Know

Image Source: freedigitalphotos.net

Our computers were originally bundled with built-in programs that are readily available to use. These include the security, multimedia, image editor, PC maintenance, and so forth. But those embedded programs and features have basic functions only. There are a variety of free and useful software now that we can download to enhance and help your day to day life activities. Below is a short list of the most essential free software you can't afford to miss on your Windows XP to Windows 8 and Macintosh operating systems.

Antivirus and Antimalware Protection

Regardless of how you use your computer on a daily basis, keeping your computer healthy should be your first line of defense. Although our computers have built-in firewalls, it has been a campaign to protect our computers by running antivirus and keeping the system up to date. No single tool can detect everything. An anti-malware program alone cannot protect your computer from viruses and vice versa. So as a solution, experts recommended to install one security tool (Microsoft Security Essential, AVAST, or AVG) that can protect your computer from threats while surfing the Web, installing applications, and opening files and attachments on your mail. Then install anti-malware (malware bytes) to remove potentially unwanted software and any other infections found to make sure nothing has been overlooked. But on top of this, we should also maintain a good browsing habit and good downloading hygiene.

Password Management

One of the reasons why accounts are easily hacked because people use simple passwords such as their child's name, their last name, short phrases, or sequential numbers so they can easily remember it. Many users also need to remember different passwords for their email, bank accounts, eBay log in, and so on. Typing them out in every account can be annoying. Aside from that, hackers may use dictionary attacks and brute force attacks. But there are tools that can help make the password more convenient and hacker proof.  Aside from the security benefits that you can get in using this software, it also helps you organize your account information. Here’s some recommended software that would make your computer more hacker proof:

1. Keepass (compatible with Windows/Mac/Linux/Mobile Free)

2. RoboForm (the basic version is free)

3. LastPass (also compatible with Windows/Mac/Linux/Mobile Free)

Tune-ups and Maintenance

PC tune up utility is a great way of improving your computer’s performance without upgrading the hardware. This should be part of your overall PC maintenance strategy.  These utilities have the capability of cleaning up temporary files and removing incorrect registry entries, as well as personal information.  But we need to keep in mind that by running these programs it can make changes to system files. So before we start with any tune programs, it is recommended to create a restore point and have a recent backup of your critical data. This is to allow the user to revert their computer back to its original state if anything should happen. Here are some of the tested programs that you can use and most of them have the same features -- CCleaner, 360 Amigo, and Glary. Some options are grayed out and you can only use them if you upgrade to the paid version, but the free offering is still good utility in its own right.

If you haven’t optimized your computer for several years, you should see a real improvement in speed and responsiveness after running the program. However, it will become less noticeable if you run it regularly. But it’s still a good idea to run them subsequently.

Multimedia

Image editor, paint program, and picture organizer:

Undeniably, Photoshop is still the best photo editing software. You don’t need a formal training or be a professional to get a great free solution for editing and organizing your images on your computer. Most of the programs that are capable of doing all these cost hundreds of dollars -- but the best part? All of the programs below are completely free. If you are looking for the best photo editor, it depends on what you're looking for. The programs listed below are all safe and fantastic.

1. PhotoScape - Is a photo manager and editor.  This lets you create slideshows, edit photos in batches, combine photos in one image, or split photo into a few pieces and capture screenshots.

2. GIMP – Hailed as the best alternative to Photoshop. It's more professional, it has brushes, and fine detailing tools. Like Photoshop, it lets you create a logo or banner. This is useful to someone who does a lot of graphic art.

3. Picasa – This software falls under manipulation/editing category, and not image creation. Whether you are fixing a red eye, cropping a photo, straightening it or something else, Picasa is for you.  The best part about it is that once you’ve edited your photos, you can upload it quickly.

4. Paint.net – It has more advanced tools, effects, and plugins compared to Microsoft Paint. MS Paint is good for basic and quick photo editing while Paint.net has more features and is more like Photoshop.

Audio and Video

For playing video, VLC is the best player for Windows operating system. It's a small video player that is simple, fast, and reliable and can play most multimedia files as well as DVD, CD, and VCD.

To record, edit and change audio, Audacity is your friend. It can also be used for processing all types of audio, including podcast by adding effects such as normalization, fading in and out, and trimming.

Documents and Text

For documents and text, Microsoft is the most popular program, though costly, in the market today. There are many free alternatives to Microsoft Office that you can quickly and easily start using today. Most of these applications will work with Windows, Mac, and Linux.  Consider this list next time, when you are looking to purchase MS Office.

Apache and Libre Office almost have the same functions. They offer tools for word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, database management, and spreadsheet. Using these tools, you can still read the Microsoft format, as well as save a file as Microsoft Word Document. The WORD and Database tools are similar to MS office Word and Excel, but the presentation is different from PowerPoint. Both tools can be installed on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Google Docs – It is a web based suite developed by Google and it’s now integrated with the Google Drive. This web-based service will allow the users to create and edit documents online in real time. This tool also offers word processing documents, drawings, presentation, and spreadsheet and can also read Microsoft Office documents. It can work on all operating systems since its we-based.

NeoOffice – Has the same features with Apache and Libre Office but it's designed to work with Mac OS only.  The software has grammar and spell checker features and can also read Microsoft formats.

Backup solutions

Losing all your computer data can be catastrophic. If you damage your laptop, you could potentially lose all the important documents. But worry no more because backup solution can be our life saver. Backing up your files in the cloud allows you to access your original files even if you lost your laptop.

Backup solution is simply defined as storage located remotely, which you can access it online anytime, anywhere using a laptop or mobile phones as long as you have an Internet connection. The best thing about backup solution is its flexibility and accessibility that allows you to share and edit your files. You can update your files from one computer and you'll see the changes on the other computer. Some of the notable free cloud storage/backup solutions are Mozy and Dropbox. Both cloud storages have free and paid versions. For the free version, it has limited capacity of 2 GB only and when you sign up for the paid one, you can upgrade the capacity up to 125 GB.

There you have it! We have showcased some of the essential software that you can't afford to miss on your computer. All these products have been tested already and although they are free ones, they are efficient as the paid version. These are software that are worth installing without spending a dime.

Written by: Jezza Mae M. Cruz - Supportrix Tech Engineer

The Risk of Keeping Windows XP Beyond the End of Service Date

There are quite a number of operating systems in use today. Some use the Linux system, a portion uses Mac systems, and the vast majority uses Windows as their system of choice. Of the entire Windows version available, Windows XP was unrivalled. It was the operating system widely perceived as the best of it all. It was user-friendly and convenient when installing any program; this is because many programs and software were developed with XP as its platform. In fact, because it was so user-friendly that many are still going to use it even after its end of service date. If you don’t scrutinize the previous statement, you might think that it's not such a bad idea keeping this operating system for your computer. After all, if it ain’t broke, why fix it, right? This is the catch though, if it’s broke - no one’s going to bother helping you with it. No one…The end of service encompasses cease of support and development for Windows XP and all its programs and features. No more security updates onwards, and because of this, Microsoft cannot and will not address any vulnerability on your computer that might come henceforth. This is a cause of concern as hackers will eventually find ways to wreak havoc on your system and will leave you helpless with the situation. And when you do call Microsoft for tech support, you might get the most condescendingly polite tree-word-reply --”Told you so.”

Also, since Windows XP will be phased out, software developers will not use XP as their platform in creating a program or software. Imagine not being able to install the latest version of Call of Duty merely because of stubbornness. If one really doesn’t like the idea of migrating to the latest Windows version, the price is really this steep. And how about certain drivers of the devices installed on the computer? If the device installed goes haywire, where will you get the drivers to fix them considering that the manufacturer will not develop and provide the latest drivers for the device? Generic drivers might be available but it’s not guaranteed to work.

At the end of the day, many felt “iffy” with the decision of Microsoft. Some even felt “screwed” with what they have done, but it would be more ludicrous to not follow suit. Migrating to another operating system would cost, would take time, and would take much work; but it is something that needs to be done. Conventional wisdom would entail all to follow and turn the other cheek while those having the idiosyncrasy to defy would soon find out the bad choice they have made - after they are in a hole of a computer-related and operating system issue they have brought upon themselves.

Written and contributed by: Cherielyn Banac - Supportrix Tech Support Engineer