Does your computer feel slower than it used to be? Does it take longer to start up or for programs to load? If so, chances are your computer has accumulated some “digital dust” and needs a little spring cleaning.

Still making your resolutions for the New Year? Consider adding “Back It Up Once a Week” to your list. That’s the message that the FTC is passing along in a new blog post and video as we begin 2015.

For many, the most important thing on their computer is their data. Whether it’s photos of family events, small business financial records or a music library, your data is usually more valuable than any other files or software on your computer.

As anyone who has worked at a Geek Squad Academy Camp will tell you, it is sometime pretty hard to get the campers to take a break from their projects and focus on something besides Lego robots or game programming for a few minutes.

In the United States, the vast majority of adults drive cars. But most of us don’t really know how they work. Sure, we know to fill it with gas occasionally and how to operate them, but when it comes down to how the engine engages the drivetrain, most of us are at a loss. (That’s why we all have mechanics, right?)

With the explosion of video content on the Web, many of us are using our computers, at least some of the time, to just watch TV.

Video sharing services like YouTube, Web broadcasting sites like Hulu and Netflix, and pay-for-play services like Amazon Prime and iTunes have made our computers a key source of video entertainment in the modern home.

Long distance relationships (LDRs) are not for the faint of heart. The late-night phone calls, frantic searching for low-cost airfares, the random text messages in the middle of the day, the joyous reunions and sad separations can take a lot out of a person. No matter how strong the connection between you and your loved one is, the miles between you can take their toll. Sometimes all you want to do is see his or her face.

So, you’ve done it again. You waited until the eleventh hour to take care of those hard gift decisions. Yeah, you figured something would jump out of some TV or online ad, it would be the perfect thing and your problems would be solved. No such luck.

Like people all over the world, we Agents often find ourselves travelling to get together with our friends and family over the holidays. And, being more tech-dependent than the average citizen, one of our main concerns is what combination of devices and accessories will we be able to take with us. Sure, Agents travelling over-land can error on the side of caution and fill up the backseat with extra batteries and cables. But those of us who need to grab our boarding passes and stand in the airport security line have decisions to make. Considering that we generally think tech belongs in carry on luggage, weight also becomes an issue.

OK, I know. You’re probably saying “not another post from some obsessive-compulsive techie on how a clean computer is a happy computer.” And yet here we are. Why? Because while it’s been said many times before, it’s still just as true. Well tended devices and accessories last longer.

Each time I return from getting my teeth cleaned, I swear it will be different this time: I’ll develop better dental health habits – brush after every meal, floss at least once a day – in order to avoid the uncomfortable gum scraping (and guilt-inducing “tsk-tsk”) from my hygienist.

Becoming technologically dependent is an almost unavoidable hazard of living in the modern world. The PC you are reading this post with is probably the most important (and least appreciated) piece of technology in your life. And, like other significant aspects of our lives (grandparents, dental health, houseplants), we often neglect the care and upkeep those things we will really miss when they’re gone.

According to a recent study, more than 8,000 mobile devices were left behind at just seven of the country’s largest airports in the last year. The most common places mobile devices were left behind? Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints and restrooms.

It’s that time of year again. Time for togetherness and fellowship, Holiday parties and Open Houses, seeing old friends, entertaining relatives and sitting down for large, traditional meals. In today’s world, your guests will bring more than cheese balls and fruit cakes – many will be visiting with their own devices and special technology needs.

In the first article on building your own computerized holiday light show, we discussed the specialized light controller and PC. In this article, we’ll talk about the technological glue that holds those devices together – the software. You will need two software tools (a sequencer and a scheduler) to create your display.

Face the facts: filth is everywhere. We spend a significant amount of time in our ongoing  battle against filthiness.  Shower, scrub, soap (lather, rinse repeat) as we sluice the dirt away from floors, counters, dishes, and windows.  Don’t our electronic devices deserve the same care and attention?

It’s that time of year again – St. Patrick’s Day! You dress up in green, wear a “kiss me I’m Irish” button, and hit the pubs for some fun with friends new and old. It’s a day when, regardless of your ethnic background, everyone is Irish.

2012 brings in a new year of resolutions for many of us. But those shouldn’t be limited to you. Don’t forget to consider your computer too! Today, Geek Squad has some New Year’s resolution tips for your computers.  These maintenance tips will help you start off on the right foot, avoid problems, and help with your PCs performance!

Removing Viruses and Spyware from your Computer: A Geeksquad 2 Minute Miracle

Holidays are no exception. One of my favorite projects is a yearly Halloween graveyard lightshow I put together for my home display. Check out this video I created explaining the basics behind on the spooktacular show!

It has come to Geek Squad’s attention that a Microsoft Windows Update released on August 25, 2009 is inadvertently causing x64 processor based computers with Windows Vista x64 SP1 to crash with a blue screen (BSOD) and the error message “STOP: 0x0000007E”.

This can happen from interference from other devices or your phone / cable company making adjustments to their systems.

Not to panic… most connection issues can be resolved by following a few simple steps.

If you are one of the many who suddenly found their PS2 keyboard and mouse stopped working after downloading from Optional Updates an IdeaCom HID PS/2 Touchscreen driver for Windows XP or Vista, you may think different.