I have tried a few different things to locate and remove this program, all with zero success. “BDA TV Monitor” is not in Start>Programs>Startup. Nor is it in the msconfig utility. However, I did find a emMON.exe file I was not familiar with. After some research, I found “emMON.exe” is the executable file that launches the “BDA TV Monitor” and puts the icon in my system tray.

Acording to the information found under the “Startup” tab of the msconfig utility, this file is launched by the system registry key found at:

HKEY\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

To get rid of it, follow these steps:

1. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE an select the “Task Manager” button.
2. Find the emMON.exe file under the “Processes” tab.
3. With your mouse, right click on the emMON.exe file and select the “END PROCESS TREE” option.
4. Go to START>RUN and type “regedit” to launch the registry utility. (It is important at this point that you understand, changes made in the registry can have a negative effect on the operation of your PC. If you are not comfortable with the posibility of complete system failure, you may want a professional to take it from here! Always be sure to back up the registry before making any changes!)
5. Navigate to: HKEY\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
6. With your mouse, Right Click on the emMON.exe file and select Delete.
7. You will generally get a pop-up message asking you to confirm your choice to delete the file. You have to select the “YES” button here in order to completely stop this file from loading on your PC.
8. Close the Registry Editor by selecting the “X” in the upper right hand corner of the screen
9. Now Reboot your machine
10. After your computer reboots, you can also do a search for the emMON.exe file and delete it. The file is not harmfull to your PC, but it does take up space on your hard drive.

If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, we can help. Contact us using the CONTACT US link in the menu. Make sure to let us know how we can get in touch with you.

At the end of the online questionnaire there are pages I had to print off and sign. They call these signature or verification pages. These pages along with my fingerprints are supposed to be mailed in together. I figured getting fingerprinted would be the easy part because I had been through it before. Fingerprinting is now pretty standard for any teacher, security, financial and government related position. It is also standard for various firearm permits. However, getting the fingerprint cards was a little more difficult than I thought.

I was told by a Personal Security Assistant, working for the US Department of Homeland Security, that all I had to do was call my local Police Department. Well apparently, my local Police Department didn’t get the memo from the US Government, telling them they had to issue the fingerprinting cards with the fingerprints. My local Police Department was more than willing to take my fingerprints for a $10 fee. However, I had to supply the official fingerprinting form. They insisted they were not responsible for supplying the fingerprinting cards. ($10 for the 5 minutes it took to take my fingerprints? All they supplied was the ink and something to clean the ink off my fingers. I think I found a new business!)

Well anyway, I had no idea where to get these specific FBI fingerprint cards. I also figured if the police department didn’t know where to get them, it would probably be difficult for me to get my hands on them as well. I called the Sheriff’s Department, other Police Departments, US Marshal’s Office and others, trying to get this important piece of information.

Finally, I was able to locate all the information I needed on the FBI’s web site. The FBI fingerprinting card is available for download there as well. So, I’m writing this article to help others who run into the same problems I did. The official form you will need is the FBI Standard Fingerprint Form (FD-258). So long as the FBI’s web site doesn’t change the links, you can simply click on one of the links below for this form.

FBI Standard Fingerprint Form (FD-258)

• http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/pdf/fpcardb.pdf
• http://www.fbi.gov/filelink.html?file=/hq/cjisd/pdf/fpcardb.pdf

The FBI Standard Fingerprint Form (FD-258) is available on the FBI site, by going to:

1. http://www.fbi.gov/
2. In the left column, click on “Use Our Resources”
3. Find and click on the “Criminal Background Checks” link.
4. Scroll down until you find the “How to Request a Copy of Record” section.
5. The first Bullet Point under #2 has a link titled “standard fingerprint form (FD-258)“

I suggest you save the FBI Standard Fingerprint Form (FD-258) so you can access it later. If you need to print these forms, I recommend using 110 lb., White, Card Stock.

Hopefully, posting this information will make it easier for others to find what they need as well.

Organizing Icons into Folders:

1. Go to the “Home” screen on your Blackberry by pressing the “RIM/BlackBerry icon” (immediately to the left of your trackball).
2. Press the “RIM/Blackberry icon” to access the menu. (You can also press the “Alt” key and then press the trackball/scroll-wheel, to take you to the same menu.)
3. Choose “Add Folder” from the menu.
4. Typing next to the word “Name” will allow you to give your new folder a name.
5. Clicking “Add” will save the folder and it will now show up on your “Home” screen. Click “Cancel” if you do not want to proceed.
6. Use your trackball to choose the icon you want to move to the new folder. Leave the trackball/scroll-wheel on the icon you want to move.
7. Click on the “RIM/BlackBerry icon” to the left of the trackball/scroll-wheel to access the menu. (Again, you can also press the “Alt” key and then press the trackball/scroll-wheel, to take you to the same menu.)
8. Choose “Move to Folder” from the menu. This will enclose the icon in a small, dark, box and display a list of folders you can move the icon to.
9. Select the folder you wish the icon to be moved to, by clicking it with your trackball/scroll-wheel.
10. Your icon should now be moved to the folder you selected. Click on that folder with your trackball/scroll-wheel to view the folder and verify the icon you wished to be moved, is present.

Rearranging or Moving Icons (changing the order):
It is important to remember the top row of the “Home” screen contains the icons in the order they will be displayed at the bottom of your phone’s main screen. (See the image above!)

1. Go to the “Home” screen on your BlackBerry, by pressing the “RIM/BlackBerry icon” (immediately to the left of your trackball).
2. Choose the icon you want to move by using the trackball/scroll-wheel to navigate to it.
3. Click on the “RIM/BlackBerry icon” to access the menu. (You can also press the “Alt” key and then press the trackball/scroll-wheel, to take you to the same menu.)
4. Select the “Move” option. This will enclose the icon in a small, dark, box.
5. Move the trackball/scroll-wheel up, down, left or right to move the selected icon to the desired location.
6. Click the trackball/scroll-wheel once to save the changes, or click on the key to the left of the trackball and choose the “Complete Move” option. Choose “Cancel Move” if you do not want to save the move. This will return the icon to its original position.

If you need help with your BlackBerry Tour, consider Sapphire Solutions. Just use the CONTACT US link in the menu to let us know how we can be of assistance.

With all this in mind, here are some tips to make sure you are safe and secure when making your online purchases:

1. First, and most important – If you are not 100% certain your computer is clean of Ad-ware, Mal-ware, Spy-ware or Viruses, do not make a single transaction on the internet. Ignoring this tip may cost you dearly! It will not do you any good to save all the money you can on the gifts you purchase, if someone else gets your credit card or bank info and robs you blind.
2. When shopping online, only use a payment options offering additional fraud protection. PayPal and Verified by Visa are a couple that come to mind. Some credit cards offer online fraud protection as a service for being a card holder. Other credit cards offer guarantees or extended warantees on the items you purchase. It would be good to have both the online fraud protection and an automatic extended warrantee, but when shopping online, the fraud protection is the Ace of Spades!
3. Only shop from reputable vendors. Start by shopping the websites of companies you know and recognize from the local stores they may have in your town (I.E. Best Buy, JC Penney, K-Mart, Sears, Staples, Wal-Mart and etc.). Then check those prices against well known and trusted online vendors (Apple, Dell, eBay, Geeks.com, Yahoo and others!).
4. Do not buy from any online vendor who requires a bank draft, personal check, money order or money transfers for payment. These forms of payment are much harder to trace in the case you get ripped off. Also, be leary of sites who offer ACH withdrawal from your bank account. What stops them from only taking out the amount of the purchase? They could easily take out more! Then you have to worry about your banks policies and potential overdrafts from spending more than you anticipated. At least with a credit card, you will have some pre-authorized limits or amounts and you have the ability to deny charges if the amount on the statement doesn’t match the amount of your receipt.
5. Make sure to read the privacy statement of any online website before you make a purchase. Some sites may share various information with other vendors.
6. Call the customer service number to see if they will do price matches for online prices. Retailers who offer price matching in their stores, may also offer it online. After all, less money is less money.
7. Look for shipping guarantees. Good online retailers will offer “deliver by” guarantees. This way you know for sure the latest date you could receive your order. Also look for things like next day delivery and same day shipping. These are often more important than free shipping. Often, free shipping means the retailer will ship your order, by the cheapest means necessary, and only when they get around to it. I’ve seen some “free shipping” take almost four weeks to be delivered. That isn’t a bargain for you at all. Find out when and how your order will be shipped before making your purchase. Ask for tracking information as well.
8. BEWARE of re-furbished, re-certified, re-manufactured, generics and knock-offs! There are thousands of scam artists out there just looking for the next person to rip off. Identify the model number and and compare it to what is available on the manufacturer’s web site. Manufacturers will often re-package open, used, damaged or warranty repaired items for sale as a re-furbished, re-certified or re-manufactured product. These products are then offered at a price which is substantially lower than the price of the same item in brand new condition. Remember that once something has broke once, it is more likely to break again. Some manufacturers give other companies the right to make a generic item and sell it for much less. (Sam’s Cola is not Coke or Pepsi!) In other instances, companies illegally reproduce an item and sell it as an equally comparable item. (Rolex vs. Romex or Swiss vs. Swiss Movement THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!) Check the manufacturer you know to be the original producer of the genuine item, and see what options are available.
9. Pay special attention warranties being offered from the retailer. Places like Wal-Mart and Sam’s may offer a product where the model number is only slightly different, but represent it as the same item at a lower price. However, when you open the item you may find it’s warranty to be extremely limited, compared to buying the product from a Staples, Best Buy or direct from the Manufacturer. I’ve seen computers and electronics from Wal-Mart come with 6 month or 90 day warranties, when the manufacturer would actually sell that item with a 1, 2 or 3 year warranted. This is because Wal-Mart negotiates pricing with a manufacturer to attain a specific margin of profit when it is sold.
10. A deal that sounds too good to be true, IS! Don’t fall for promotions offering 25% or 50% back in online purchasing credit! This means you have to go back to that online retailer to spend the amount you saved. Many times you have a minimum purchase amount in order to be able to use the credit. What if you don’t like the quality or service that online retailer provided you with. If you get $50 back in online credit towards another purchase, but you have to spend $250 or more to use it, and the first order was $100, you will have spend $300 instead of just $100. That didn’t save you anything!
11. Don’t fall for any deal that requires you sign up for anything, even if it is free. You may even be offered a significant discount off a purchase to sign up for some free trial on a service, but the company offering the free trial is banking on the idea that with all the holiday hustle, you will forget to cancel. This may end up costing you more than buying the item with no discount!

We would all like to think that people are, in general, good! We want to believe we aren’t being ripped off. However, you can easily fall prey to one of these problems, and in the end, you wont have save anything, and may have spent more.

If you want help finding computer or electronic gifts without being ripped off, just reply to this article with your question. I’ll be happy to do what I can to help!

Please support our American manufacturers, and stop the movement of our jobs overseas and across our borders! This is the true fail-proof way to fix our economy!

This list is just a start and not anywhere near complete. We hope to add specifics such as which products and where those products can be purchased.

This page was inspired by Sarah Dice and the facebook group she started. Find her group on Facebook. (While the information provided in this list and the information provided in the Facebook group align, not all the information is the same from each list. Hopefully someday, both lists will be the same!)

• Air-Kwik fire extinguishers
• American Derringer (firearms)
• American Plastic Toys
• Aspen Log Furniture
• Baillie Lumber
• Blackhawk (military, law enforcement, outdoors and corporate security gear)
• Brilliant Products blow dryers
• Brinly lawn equipment
• Buck Knives
• Bunn Coffeemakers
• Bushmaster (firearms)
• Cannondale (some bikes)
• Carhartt (a few products)
• Channellock (pliers and other hand tools)
• Colt Manufacturing (firearms)
• Colt Defense (firearms)
• Cooper B-Line strut (bolted framing)
• Corelle (dishes)
• Craftsman (various hand tools)
• Cub Cadet (most mowers)
• Diamond (strike anywhere matches)
• Diamond Craft cookware
• Diamond Gusset Jeans
• Dixon (various writing utensils I.E. the Renew Series)
• Domestic Fabrics linens
• Earthquake Tillers (by Ardisam, Inc.)
• Estwing Hammers
• Fiestaware (dishes)
• Forest Designs furniture
• Filson (outdoor/hunting clothing)
• GOEX Black Powder
• Goldtoe Socks (some)
• Harden Furniture
• Harley Davidson motorcycles
• Heritage guns (firearms)
• Homer Laughlin China
• Justice furniture
• K’Nex
• King Hickory furniture
• Kirby Vacuums
• Klein Tools (most hand tools)
• Koala Bear Kare products
• Kwik-kut kitchen items
• Les Baer (firearms)
• Leupold (firearm scopes)
• Libman Mops and Brooms
• Lisle Tools (most Lisle tools)
• Limbsaver
• Maglite (flashlights)
• Mansfield Toilets
• Marble King
• Marlin (firearms)
• Milwaukee Sawzalls (not their drills, etc.)
• Nautilus Fly-Fishing poles
• New Balance (Some Shoes)
• Nokona (Baseball/Softball Gloves & Bats)
• O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. (firearms)
• Oreck vacuums
• Pelican (Cases, & Flashlights.)
• Pelican (Boats & Accessories)
• Purity Air Filters
• Pyrex
• Railroad Socks
• Red Wing (some boots and other misc. items)
• Remington (firearms)
• Rubbermaid
• Sharpie
• Shop-Vac (some items/most vacuums)
• Sig Sauer (firearms)
• Silkies Pantyhose
• Simplicity vacuums
• Sioux City Brick
• Spice Rax
• Steelcase (office cabinets & desks)
• Stenograph stenotype machines
• STURM, RUGER & CO., INC (firearms)
• Suncast (some garden hose reels)
• Swanstone sinks
• TerraSack reusable grocery bags
• Thill Bobbers
• U.S. Wings leather flying jackets
• Vaughn-Bassett furniture
• Vaughan Hammers
• Virginia Candle Company (various candles and scented items I.E. Wood Wick)
• Viridian (firearm laser & tactical light )
• Victory motorcycles
• Viking cooking ranges
• Weinbrenner USA (some shoes I.E. Thorogood boots)
• White Creek Tile
• WinCraft sports merchandise
• Wigwam socks
• YKK zippers

If you know of other companies or manufacturers making products in the USA, we would like to hear from you! Our list is by no means, a complete list. We hope this will be an ongoing project, aided by the responses of the online public. Please provide as much information as you can, including company name, company web site, which specific items and how you verified the items were Made in the USA!

… and somewhere, a poor, unsuspecting soul is about to buy Windows 7. (Echoing NO, No, no!)

Windows Vista (32 Bit & 64 Bit) is among the most garbage Operating Systems yet, from Microsoft (well other than Windows ME). However, we are talking about Microsoft, so there is still room for things to get worst.

… but is it as bad as some people think? You tell me! At the time this blog article was published, Google shows 117,000,000 results on a simple search for “Problems with Windows 7” (click the previous link to see what the results are up to now). I have listed links below, I thought may be of importance to our readers!

• Do you have an iPhone? – Apple Discussions – iPhone 3GS Sync problems
• Do you have a BlackBery? – BlackBerry Forums – OS, Firmware, Installation & Sync issues
• CNET posts – Students find problems with Windows 7 upgrade
• Annoyances.org lists issues here.
• IT World talks about XP Hold Outs
• GHacks.net discusses Endless Reboot Vista To Windows 7 Upgrade Problems
• Microsoft TechNet – users touting no video
• TechSupportForum.com – CPU issues
• WinMatrix.com – XBox 360 Extender Feature SLOW
• SevenForums.com – Backup/Restore issues – and has multiple Windows 7 issues listed in addition to this one!
• TomsHardware.com – Screen Resolution, Graphics, SLI & Installation Issues
• Windows7Forums.com – Drivers
• Intel Communities – SATA Hard Drive issues
• TechRepublic.com – SATA & External USB Hard Drive issues
• Google – Google’s Picasa having issues
• DriverHeaven.net – more driver issues

Windows 7 has only been out a few days. What do you think of the reviews so far?

Of course, Microsoft will tell you that the issues Windows 7 has, is not their fault. Microsoft passes all the blame on to each and every third party application developer and hardware manufacturer. However, I think it is high time Microsoft is held accountable by the public. A lot of people felt this way when Windows Vista was launched.

IT World Published “… just 21 percent of Windows users currently run Vista, according to Web metrics company Net Applications. Most Windows users (65 percent) still run XP; they like it and they are wary of the compatibility issues that have plagued Vista.” It’s no wonder so few people actually upgraded their XP machines to Vista. We didn’t upgrade because we don’t trust Microsoft. Any reasonable person would be hesitant about to throwing away $100 – $300 for a new Operating System from Microsoft, especially if it doesn’t function at least as well as the “older” Windows XP we are already using (Well, the XP you are using. I’m using a MAC).

I think Apple’s new commercial hit the nail on the head. “I feel like we’ve all heard this before!” See the “Broken Promises” commercial.

If you are sick of being let down by Microsoft, maybe you should see Apple’s “PC News” commercial.

I’m sure, like with any new software, Windows 7 will have it’s own growing pains. Windows XP is on SP3 (Service Pack 3), and probably close to SP4. So, my recommendation is to stay with XP (specifically XP Pro) until Windows 7 is releases SP2. Maybe by then it will be worth trying. However, as of right now, my answer to the question “Smash Hit or Trash it” is definitely TRASH IT. Maybe I’ll change my mind as Windows 7 goes through a couple cycles of Service Packs, but I wouldn’t hold my breath!

What do you do if you need a computer, and just cannot make the switch to Apple’s Macintosh? We can still get Brand New, Brand Name, Windows XP Desktops and Laptops with full manufacturer’s warranties. We can also get Brand Name Desktops and Laptops which have been refurbished, but cost much less than buying a Brand New machine! Contact us using the CONTACT US link in the menu. Make sure to let us know how we can get in touch with you.

To protect yourself, family, friends and your business from this scam, you need to understand how the 9-0-# scam works and how it applies to you.

The truth about this scam is, it only effects a small group of telephone systems and it is mostly businesses which are vulnerable to this scam. This scam does not generally affect residential or cell phone customers, though it may still be possible as a residential customer to become a target of this scam. For the most part, only businesses, hospitals, government agencies, and other organizations using PBX (Private Branch Exchanges) telephone systems, rather than Centrex lines to handle their calls are the target of this scam.

On some PBX telephone systems, pressing ‘9′ activates a signal to obtain an outside line (thus the reason the number ‘9′ is part of the sequence you dial). If you have ever worked for any size of company, you have probably come in contact with this feature. If this same PBX telephone system lacks restrictions on outgoing calls, all telephone numbers associated with your system are a potential target!

At this time, the telephone environment outlined in the last paragraph, is the only one AT&T, About.com, the FCC and Snopes have verified where this scam is a threat!

Dialing 9-0-# could transfer a call to an outside operator (‘0′ for Operator – thus the reason the number ‘0′ is a part of the dialing sequence) and give the scam artist the ability to call anywhere in the world, while charging the call to your business’ phone bill. PLEASE REMEMBER, this scam requires participation on your end of the telephone. This scam only works if the scam artist can trick you into initiating the 9-0-# sequence.

If your company’s telephone system doesn’t require you to dial ‘9′ for an outside line the 9-0-# scam does not affect you. Also, if your company’s telephone system prevents or blocks all long distance calls once you have accessed an outside line, the 9-0-# scam will not apply to you.

NO CAUSE FOR PANIC – unless you have to dial ‘9′ for an outside line at you home, the 9-0-# scam will not affect your residential telephone service. There are very few residential environments with this ability, though a large apartment complex or large group of condominiums may have one phone system for all units. In this instance, each unit would still have their own telephone number, but may be required to dial ‘9′ to get an outside line. If this residential situation applies to you, then you could also be a target of this scam!

PLEASE BE AWARE – The 9-0-# scam could have a few different variations. Newer PBX telephone systems my not require you to specifically dial ‘9′ for an outside line. You may need to dial ‘9-0′ or ‘0-9′ for an outside line. Your phone system may not use the number ‘9′ as the code for an outside line. Some PBX telephone systems allow the user to choose the outside line code, and in some systems it could be any series of randomly selected numbers (I.E. 880, 721, 799 or etc.)!

You have to be aware of the situation and what you are being asked over the phone to do. If your phone system uses 9-1-9 for an outside line, then dialing 9-0-# wont activate this scam (however, in this instance, dialing 9-1-9-0-# may still allow the scam to work)!

As long as there is an easy dollar to be made, there will be people trying to rip others off. This has changed for the good in recent years due to stricter telemarketing laws, harsher penalties and enforcement of the National Do Not Call Registry by the FCC and/or FTC. This has all come together to help reduce the number of calls and protect us from those after the quick buck.

Always be suspicious of a telephone call where you are asked to do initiate something on your end. Why would you be asked to do anything with your phone system? Your company will have a telephone technician who is responsible for making modifications or running tests on your phone system. Always defer telephone calls asking to test anything to this person!

If you think you may have been a victim of this telephone scam, call your telephone technician and the administrator of the telephone account. Make sure your telephone company is aware of your suspicion, and always file a report with the police if your were in fact the target of this scam.

If you have a question about this scam or about your phone system Sapphire Solutions can help! Just respond to this post with your question or concern.

If you want to inquire about a new system, changing settings on your existing system or general telecommunications consulting, we can be reached by using the CONTACT US link in the menu to let us know how we can be of assistance.

Just recently, I had to get Dell’s Support Department on the phone. Not too long ago, one of our clients, in the medical industry, purchased five identical Dell Workstations (towers) for their facility. These were not the most expensive, state of the art machines available to them at the time. However they were no where near the low end of Dell’s product line either. This client even purchased Dells “High-End” extended warranty on them, when promised US-based support and next business day service.

Well, needless to say, we had to jump through all kinds of hoops with the technician assigned to our case. We basically had to babysit the problem machine and the support tech. We had to run Dell’s built in diagnostics, which took hours. We had to swap RAM and hard drives from another of the five machines to check on the functionality of the RAM and the hard drive. All of this to be told the same thing I told the Dell technician when I first contacted them. THE HARD DRIVE on this 6 month old machine WAS DEFECTIVE!

A couple days after the original support request, we get the replacement hard drive. Doesn’t sound to me like the “NEXT BUSINESS DAY” option we paid for. When you are dealing with a medical facility of any sort, a computer being off-line or down, is way more than a minor inconvenience, which is what this Dell Tech made it out to be.

Needless to say, I was more than aggravated about the situation, and the pyramid scheme you get on the phone from the Dell representatives is complete garbage. Don’t you just love when you get parked on hold for 20 minutes and you get the “I will transfer you to a supervisor, but let me see if I can help first” routine? Yeah, me too! First you get a supervisor, who is probably just the Dell rep sitting next to them. Then you get another supervisor. Then you get a department supervisor. Then you get a department manager, and so on! They all promise to be able to help, but are actually just wasting your time. So, you will never actually speak to anyone with any kind of weight with the company and each time you are transferred you get to sit on hold again! This is all done on purpose, in an attempt to get you to hang up.

I refuse to play the game, and decided I wanted to express my dislike of Dell’s Support Practices to someone who actually has a little authority at Dell. I decided maybe a Dell Executive would care a little more about the situation. So I started searching for a way to contact the executives at Dell. I found this article, posted quite a while back, but thought that maybe some of the people still held their positions. I also listed the email addresses below!

• Michael Dell – Chairman and CEO – email to: michael_dell@dell.com
• Donald Carty – Vice Chairman and CFO – email to: donald_carty@dell.com (bounces)
• Ronald Garriques – President, Global Consumer Group – email to: ronald_garriques@dell.com
• Michael Cannon – President, Global Operations – email to: michael_cannon@dell.com
• Mark Jarvis – Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer – email to: mark_jarvis@dell.com (bounces)
• Lawrence Tu – Senior VP, General Counsel – email to: lawrence_tu@dell.com
• Susan Sheskey – Senior VP, Chief Information Officer – email to: susan_sheskey@dell.com
• Andrew Esparza – Senior VP Human Resources – email to: andrew_esparza@dell.com
• Paul Bell – Senior VP and President, Americas – email to: paul_bell@dell.com
• Stephen Felice – Senior VP and President, Asia – email to: stephen_felice@dell.com
• David Marmonti – Senior VP, President, Europe, Middle East and Africa – email to: david_marmonti@dell.com
• Brad Anderson – Senior VP, Business Product Group – email to: brad_anderson@dell.com
• Jeffrey Clarke – Senior VP, Business Product Group – email to: jeffrey_clarke@dell.com
• Martin Garvin – Senior VP, Worldwide Procurement – email to: martin_garvin@dell.com
• Alex Gruzen – Senior VP, Dell Product Group – email to: alex_gruzen@dell.com
• Joan Hooper – Vice President, Finance, Chief Accounting Officer – email to: joan_hooper@dell.com
• Alan Lafley – Board of Directors – email to: alan_g_lafley@dell.com (bounces)
• William Gray – Board of Directors – email to: william_gray@dell.com
• Judy Lewent – Board of Directors – email to: judy_lewent@dell.com (bounces)

I typed out an email and addressed it to the support rep, the sales rep (from whom we purchased the machines), the sales rep’s manager and several of those listed from the executive board list above. Maybe my email will get some attention and cause Dell to do something about their questionable product quality, even worse service and terrible support, but I doubt it. Though, maybe a flood of emails from hundreds or thousands of people will make a difference.

I re-posted the email addresses in the list above, so that if you or someone you know also has issues with dell’s questionable product quality, even worse service and terrible support, you can also send emails to those listed!

If I had it to do all over again, I would really re-think the value of any sort of extended warranty or service contract, especially from Dell!

If you have found a more accurate and updated list of Dell Executives, their positions and email addresses, or if you have a Dell product and need real support, contact us using the CONTACT US link in the menu. Make sure to let us know how we can be of assistance.

Also,

I had the Verizon Wireless XV6800 (Built by HTC). Initially I wanted the XV6800 because of the built in WiFi, and the ability to remotely log into Windows Systems with the Terminal Services, Remote Desktop Connection. I was able to utilize the XV6800 to it’s full ability, when it worked.

I constantly had issues with the Signal Strength of my Cellular service. I could be sitting right beside my wife and have no service while she had good service on her phone (Both on Verizon, both with Digital Only Phones). The WiFi had issues connecting to Access Points with any type of security and the web browser constantly tried to convert the display of the page based on Microsoft’s Idea of CSS.

The “slide-out” keyboard was a great feature, I thought. It turned out to be garbage. Keys stuck all the time, and I keep my phone in pristine condition. Sometimes I would press a key and it worked, other times, not so much. Sometimes when I pressed a key, I got 2-4 of the same letter or number, and sometimes i would have to press the key 2-4 times to get one letter or number.

AT&T’s Cellular service has always been shaky at best. I’m told it is better now, but I had such a problem with their service when the company was known as Cingular. Their customer service was one of the worst out there. Their towers were obviously only a foot tall, because their signal was terrible, and my calls were dropped all the time. AT&T has something Verizon doesn’t though – Apple’s iPhone!

With all the rumors out there, I was determined to hold out on replacing my XV6800 until Verizon offered the iPhone. However, the iPhone with Verizon just didn’t happen fast enough. So, I decided on the BlackBerry Tour, (9630 Smartphone from Verizon Wireless) (Yes, the one with the camera!).

I spent quit a bit of time researching my next phone. I chose the BlackBerry Tour for all it’s features and abilities, and because it would work with the Macintosh computer systems. Or, so I was told!

When I got the phone, it was perfect. Everything was exactly as I read from Verizon and BlackBerry’s sites. Well, almost everything was as I read. Syncing the BlackBerry Tour with my Mac was quite a pain.

Of course the Macintosh software doesn’t come in the box with the Tour, so I had to download it from here. I also read, there was a driver update program, which I found on the same page. After downloading both pieces of software, I performed the installation exactly as the directions said. I had to reboot the computer after each software was finished installing.

When everything was supposed to be ready, I plugged in my Tour with the supplied USB cable. Nothing Happened. BlackBerry’s PocketMac software didn’t even recognize my phone. When I tried to run the “SYNC” command, I would get the “(error 1) Skipping” message, and the sync attempt would fail.

Being an internet Connoisseur, I Googled the problem. I found nothing for the BlackBerry Tour. The Tour is way too new to have issues, I guess. I did find an article here, for the BlackBerry 8330. Though this forum wasn’t about my phone, firmware, or software version. I did find it a usefull place to start. After reading it, I was able to come up with my own work-a-round, shown below:

1. Install Pocket Mac Software – Don’t reboot when it tells you to! Instead just leave the software open and move to next step.
2. Install Driver Update Software – When it asks you to reboot, click the “CLOSE” option.
3. Select the “REBOOT” option from the PocketMac Software installation screen.
4. When the machine reboots, see if your BlackBerry Tour will connect and sync. If it does, you’re done! If it doesn’t, move on to the next step.
5. Always connect your BlackBerry Tour with the supplied USB Cable or a replacement provided to you by BlackBerry. Not all USB cables are made the same! Some utilize different contacts for different things, like charging the batter.
6. Make sure you are not using a USB Hub, unless it has it’s own power cord. – Plug in directly to the USB connections on the computer, when available. This also includes any USB ports on the Macintosh Monitors which may be available. There may not be enough power available in the USB port, at the monitor.
7. When possible, use a USB port from a 3rd Party Card. The built in USB Ports on the Macintosh (G – Series) often don’t have enough power either.
8. Reboot you computer and see if your BlackBerry Tour will connect and sync. If it does, you’re done! If it doesn’t, move on to the next step.
9. Disable the Password Lock on your BlackBerry Tour. The Password causes a pairing issue sometimes with the PocketMac software.
10. See if your BlackBerry Tour will connect and sync. If it does, you’re done! If it doesn’t, move on to the next step.
11. Browse to the folder ComputerName/System/Library/Extensions/.
12. In the “Extensions” folder, you will see a significant list of .kext files. Scroll through the list until you find two files identified as “BlackBerry” files. There should only be two of them (“BlackBerry.kext” and “BlackBerryUSBDev.kext”)
13. Delete both files from your Macintosh. You will need the Apple Administrator account password to do this.
14. After you have deleted both files from your Macintosh, empty your trash!
15. Install the driver software again. Once the driver installation has completed, select the option to “Restart” your Macintosh.
16. When your Macintosh reboots, connect your BlackBerry Tour with the supplied USB Cable. Then open the “PocketMac for BlackBerry” software. The PocketMac Sync Manager should now find the BlackBerry Tour.

I went through all of this and my Tour will now sync just fine. I even duplicated the process to make sure it works.

Now I just have to find a way to sync the BlackBerry Tour with Firefox and Thunderbird!

If you need help with your BlackBerry, Sapphire Solutions can help! Just use the CONTACT US link in the menu to let us know how we can be of assistance.

With all the discussion about the T1 many people may be confused about what all a T1 circuit has to offer. In this post, I’m going to attempt to make all the T-talk a little more clear. To do this, I’m going to start with a little history.

According to Wikipedia the T-carrier, (used in telecommunications – sometimes abbreviated as T-CXR), is the generic designator for any of several digitally multiplexed telecommunications carrier systems. These systems were originally developed by Bell Labs and are used in North America, Japan and Korea.

You may be more familiar with the basic unit of the T-carrier system. It is known as the DS0 and has a transmission rate of 64 kbit/s. The DS0 is commonly used for a single voice circuit, like a home phone. A 64 kbit/s DSO is commonly referred to as a channel.

If you want more of the “High-Tech” info on how the T-carrier system came to be, I encourage you to use the “Wikipedia” link I provided above.

A T1 circuit has 24 of these 64 kbit/s channels. This provides a total of 1,536 kbit/s (or 1.544 Mbit/s – pronounced as Megabits. You’ll have to trust me on the math, or else you’ll have to look up the numerical conversion found here and here to see how I came up with 1.544 Mbit/s!)

A T1 will generally come in to a location in the same area designated for Telco terminations. This space would be where all the telephone lines come in from the telephone company.

Most T1 circuits will be terminated in a Network Interface Device (NID). A NID is simply a device serving as the demarcation point between the carrier’s local loop and the customer’s premises wiring.(Shown Below!)

NIDs may also be called a Network Interface Unit (NIU) or telephone network box. Some T1 Circuits will first be punched down on a 66 Block.

A smartjack is a type of NID, with capabilities beyond simple electrical connection (I.E. diagnostics). (Shown below with a 66 Block)

Smartjacks are typically used for more complicated types of telecommunications service, such as the T1 circuits we are discussing. A smartjack may provide signal conversion. It may buffer and/or regenerate the signal, similar to what a repeater does.

A Smartjack will also typically provide basic diagnostic capabilities, such as a loopback. A loopback is where a signal from the telco is transmitted back to the telco through the smartjack. This provides the telco with the ability to test the line from the central office, without the need to have test equipment on site. In some cases, the telco may be able to remotely activate loopback. (When looped back, the customer equipment is disconnected from the line.)

Other smartjack diagnostic capabilities include an alarm indication signal, to report trouble at one end of the line, to the far end. This helps the telco know if trouble is present in the line, the smartjack, or customer equipment. Lights may also indicate the configuration, status, and any alarms. Such smartjacks are generally powered from the telephone line, rather than relying on premises electrical power, although this is not a universal rule.

Some smartjacks require manual manipulation for the telco to test the lines. These types of smartjacks generally don’t have lights or indicators of any kind.

There are several different T1 options to accommodate your business needs. A FULL T1 is perfect for small and medium sized businesses needing internet access for 20 to 50 users. A T1 connection is a 24-channel circuit providing an internet connection straight from the providers backbone. A FRACTIONAL T1 is a portion of a 24-channel circuit providing a connection straight from the providers backbone. A smaller portion can help a business save money. An INTEGRATED T1 (or channelized T1) can provide internet access and a series of voice lines for your company.

If you subscribe to a Full or Fractional T1 and only use Data services, there will be a T1 modem connected directly to the NID, NIU or Smartjack.

If you subscribe to an Integrated T1 (could be full or fractional) to supply Data and Voice services, and if your T1 is digital, you’ll probably use a piece of equipment called a CSU (Channel Service Unit) or DSU (Data Service Unit”)… (shown below)

… to connect to the DTE (Data Terminal Equipment), such as a modem or router. A CSU/DSU is normally much less expensive than a channel bank.

If your Integrated T1 circuit is not digital, a piece of equipment called a channel bank will be connected to the NID, NIU or Smartjack. A channel bank changes normal analog voice signals into digital data and multiplexes the conversations to flow together to the other end, where the data bits are then decoded and conversations are separated though a similar piece of equipment. All this complex processing happens lightning-fast, and phone calls sound just fine.

The CSU/DSU or the Channel Bank, will separate the Voice portion of your T service from the Data portion. Such equipment will usually provide a connection to any number of different phone systems, usually via a RJ21 Amphenol connector/cable, to a 66 block.

The Data portion of a T1 circuit will always connect to a DTE of some sort. Various manufacturers such as Adtran, Cisco, and others make modems and routers for this specific purpose. The DTE will provide the uplink to your internal network, thus giving your business the always on, high-speed, internet connection it needs.

Some special Data Terminal Equipment can be connected directly to an Integrated T1 from the NID, NIU or Smartjack and still provide Voice services. An Adtran Total Access 908e (shown below) for example, provides a connection to your telephone system via the built in RJ21 Amphenol Connector, while also providing the data uplink to your network.

At this point, you should have a grasp on how the T1 circuit works, what services it provides and what equipment is used. T1 have re-entered IT conversations because of major deployments of VoIP service, which leads directly to the VoIP topic I will be writing about very soon!

Until then, you can read more about building a network with the equipment we discussed in this post, by clicking here.

If you need help deciding which T1 service you should use or have questions about other Data/Voice issues, Sapphire Solutions can help! Just use the CONTACT US link in the menu to let us know how we can be of assistance.