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Foursquare and the auto check in app, Checkmate……

Mike Thornley — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:32:28 +0000

I managed to get out for a night out this weekend and whilst doing so thought it would be a good opportunity to test out Foursquare’s new offering, the Checkmate app. I had done some reading on the auto checking app prior on the Mashable site and knew at some point, someone would come up with the idea but I was skeptical it would/could work accurately. Not to be too scenical I bought in and thought why not?. It works on the basis of once set, automatically checks the user into a venue without their intervention (actually checks in at 50 metres currently). My first thoughts were it would undoubtedly ping ‘false positives’, or simply, nothing at all. It works using the phones inbuilt GPS. The application works on iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 and eventually will add support for other checkin services.

I started by downloading the app at the AppStore (costing the princely sum of £1.19). It shows you all your current Foursquare checkin destinations (after you sign in with your Foursquare details) and allows you to add the ones you want the app, when on, to check you into automatically. You simply choose, save and switch on (like the image portrays). I chose the ones I knew I’d use for the night and after saving them, set the app running in the background whilst I waited for transport, nowhere near any of my checkins for a true test. In addition you have the same option with Checkmate as you do with Foursquare, the ability to share your destination with your Twitter & Facebook friends, inclusive of shouts (‘status updates’ for both, of the destination).

I’d only just got out of a cab in town to hear a ping and see a notification message – My first check in!. Ok, I wasn’t at the bar but come to mention it I wasn’t even near the door – I was on the street though!. I was a good 50 yards from said destination, so straight away it was a thumbs down. I mean I know it’s impossible to get it 100% accurate but it usually checks in at 50 metres which is some distance, especially if there are a number of your checkins nearby or on the same street. That was a huge catchment area and if it wasn’t maybe it’d have faired better. After all you could be just driving past on a weekday, sat at the lights on the way home from work to get checked it at the local bar. Totally inaccurate!. The good thing is, it will only check you into a venue once, inside 12 hours, so there’s no need to worry about multiple checkins for the same venue, say in the same night. Later in the night, I visited two more of my saved venues and.. well nothing!. I was right after all. After that I lost interest and will now just stick to manual checkins through Foursquare. It’s just better for me plus I’ll have more control over what information I decide to share with people. Battery usage also I found an issue as the app constantly runs in the background as you would expect. This led to some battering of my full battery.

Future Checkin is on the way though which differs by letting you adjust the GPS settings for more accurate or more battery-friendly automatic checkins. Both applications warn that by running location in the background, you risk draining your phone’s battery!.

Just my opinion – doesn’t work for me due to:

A nice concept but sadly no, it falls short of the mark!. Too many false positives and some destinations not checked into at all.
I like my battery too much to waste it on something about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

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Cool iPhone App – Co-Pilot Live 7…. (updated to 8)

Mike Thornley — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:52:08 +0000

Recently I’ve been trying out a few app’s as I’ve said in a previous post for the iPhone. I have also updated my OS to the new ISO4. As I said in that post, some apps impressed me and well others, oustanded me they got the development time!. I know, that’s just my opinion but here it is. The apps I disliked the most were the free ones (nothing decent is free after all) but from what I’ve seen very few free apps tend to be of any use in that category anyway. They seem more… gimmicky!. The ‘download and try and quickly become bored and uninstall types’. Currently I have a mixture of both that I’ve tried and sometimes use.

I have been after a sat nav now for quite some time and after borrowing other peoples and comparing prices on units and was still undecided in buying, thinking they would come down in price gradually and it was just a matter of holding out. One of the most popular models, with good alround reviews seems to be the TomTom1. Most here in the UK are priced around the £100+ mark with additional subscriptions. Although I use one occasionally, I didn’t have the usage to justify buying one myself, so hence my intrepedation.

After seeing the Co-pilot in the App Store I’ll be honest, initially, I was wary. It was an app after all attached to my phone which I couldn’t separate from the phone to use independently, so no one else could say borrow it and of course I’d need a kit for the car. All costs. My thoughts were it was too cheap (just under £20 for version 7). What about updates, cameras and additional maps and other add-on features costs?. How much would they be?. Easy answer, nothing. I downloaded it and have to say, I’m very glad I did!. It’s no different in any way, shape or form than the usual sat nav you can buy. Plus it has some other good features, including, allowing you to connect to your music whilst using the app (shown in the video below), allowing you to connect to Facebook and update your location, much like the Forsquare app does. You can also find places of interest and of course, places in an emergency like a conventional sat nav can but there’s also the option of calling the place (hospital, doctors, garage, restaurant or say places of interest) once you’ve found it in the listings!. After all this it’s a phone primarilyl. I have used the app many times and each time it works well and does exactly what it claims to – it’s even updated itself recently (with traffic cameras updates) and that’s where I thought the issue would be in that there would be undoutedly, an additional fee. There isn’t but there is a new version, improved version 8. Version 7 is fine though. I honestly couldn’t recommened it enough (no they are not paying me). The UK version (all I need) is available on the iPhone, iPad & the Android. For price alone it’s great and functionality is nothing short of what any user would expect from a sat nav with some little extras. Thus far no gripes!. Very cheap, useful and very easy to use for under £20!. What more could you ask for?.

Here’s a demo video of it being used…

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Developers & Designers in Manchester….

Mike Thornley — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:16:53 +0000

After speaking to a few people and trying to establish some networking, I have happened upon a group, through a contact, focussing on design and developement locally in Manchester, named Northern Digitals run through the Meet up site. It’s a monthly meet up group, meeting usually at a pub somewhere in Manchester (where better, eh?.) if they can find one big enough. I missed a few meets due to injury last year and the start of this year but am intending going along soon to see what it’s all about and if it’ll be beneficial to me. I heard there’s some guys from London coming to discuss some cool interface stuff. You can subscribe to the mailing list and have to create a profile with Northern Digitals to get started. Next meeting is, Thursday 3rd June – 6pm onwards.. Once joined you’ll see the venue details and information relating to the meet itself.

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The datamatrix and the iPhone……

Mike Thornley — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:09:57 +0000

Phone QR, Data Matrix and Aztec Code Reader

Having tried out a few free apps in the past couple of weeks on my iphone and liking some, finding some even useful and thinking others just didn’t deserve the developement time, Apple have written a cool app!. The i-nigma barcode scanning application. It is now available free, from Apple’s App Store and iTunes Store (simply search for i-nigma in iTunes). iPhone & Android users can now decode QR, Data Matrix and Aztec Codes from one application with one click. Here is the iTunes store application description:

“Scan a Mobile barcode, Quick Response barcode or Data Matrix barcode by placing the handset’s camera 10 – 15 cm above the barcode. i-nigma will automatically detect and read the code when selected, and instantly present the code’s contents on-screen”.

Create your own personal code that links to your website or maybe has your contact details and you can show it off to your hearts content. I use mine currently on social network sites. You can create a code easily here with an input form, which will allow a data matrix to be generated for you which you can save as a .PNG image file.

Install the app and you‘re one easy click away from information you want – obtainable by just clicking, using the app and the phones camera (automated). The datamatrix you want to read is read within seconds!!. lt’s so easy to use. No typing URLs into your browser, no painful search engines, no cumbersome menus to navigate. Simply no hassle.

Many companies are starting to utilize 2D codes… install the i-nigma and start taking advantage of them today.

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How good is the iPhone in my opinion, really…..?

Mike Thornley — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:24:09 +0000

I’ve just received my upgraded mobile phone and was in the market for a smart phone and after enquiring about the Motorola Droid (Milestone as it’s known in the UK) purely for it’s multi tasking abilities and finding it difficult to get (only available on T-Mobile and some deals are rubbish), I rather reluctantly opted for the ever popular iPhone through 02. I knew I would it was enevitable. It’s Apple’s third phone in the series. I’ve heard recently whilst hunting deals for the iPhone there is an upgraded version on the way, including an upgraded O/S (V4) which will allow multi tasking. Hmm it’ll be interesting to see but sounds very appealing to me. I’m sure I’ll be able to upgrade the O/S on mine when the time comes regardless.I have the 3GS model.

I’d waited a while for a smart phone after having been locked into the usual 18-month contract with a fairly likeable and reliable Ericsson. I eagerly upgraded and now, have a 2-year deal with the new 3GS handset. The new planned launch of the newest handset I have found through research says changes really are expected to be the usual, upgraded processor and O/S as mentioned and undoubtedly, a more expensive contract deal. I pay enough so in my case it was a financial decision not to wait, then simply get this deal anyway later.

Initial impressions are very good. I like the styling, I always have. It’s very typically an Apple product in all areas and I like the smoothness & sleekness of the handset design. Mine is black and the other option was the rather feminine looking white one. Naturally, I declined that. I also have heard iPods/iPhones and I’ll bet the iPad touch screens are known for being easily scratched and fragile with day to day use. To avoid this, I also bought rather rashly some (overpriced from 02) screen protectors and will later invest in a cover too. Also, the phone automatically syncs with your PC/Apple Mac, including email account information, photos and music as soon as you activate and connect it via USB through iTunes. You’ll need to open a account with iTunes.

The free default apps installed are all useful, some moreso than others, some typical and some not so much. I have had a good look at the free ones online at the App Store and installed a few – like you do – the usual novelty of something new and useless to experiment with. I use mostly apps for, Facebook, Twitter, Natwest, and a rather cool car locater for parking in massly populated car parks and a bar code reader (UK version) to name a few. I like the bar code reader especially, as it scans barcodes and then returns product information including sites that stock that product and it also does a price comparison, allowing you to email the results to friends & contacts etc whilst on the move. At the App Store there are a multitude of apps, most decent ones aren’t free but there are a selection covering most categories most people would likely need and find useful and convenient. There’s a mixed bag of useful to terrible. There’s everything from games, to music to social networking and some to assist you with additional phone utilities. Most seem quite reasonabley priced to be honest.

As I am off work with an injury and at home a lot, I have ran the phone off the wireless router – that is an option given to you by default. It rather annoyingly asks you repeatedly via pop up notification until you allow it or, turn the feature off in the settings menu. Naturally, as apposed to the 3G option this method is much quicker when you’re at home. That said however, the 3G connection works well and I have had no problems connecting or accessing pages and content with any real delay or massive changes in speed when not at home. Its connection overall is very good.

The battery has baffled me somewhat and I find that the only immediate negative. It doesn’t last long as expected and novelty aspect says, initially you’ll play with it loads and before you know it it’ll die, right at a crucial moment!. Stands to reason. I charge mine at the end of each day and keep it in sleep mode when not using it as recommended. Also the alarm doesn’t work if the phone is off which I find odd (never known of that before). To work at it’s most efficient, it needs a good initial charge before the first use of the handset – usually it’s 16 hours I believe and unlike most phones, smart phones of this nature employ a sealed battery which is encased in the handset, connected directly to the motherboard as it cuts down on small parts, bulk overall and doesn’t affect the style (its actually attached inside with a strip of double sided tape I discovered after watching a tutorial in the complex task of replacing it). No changing it easily. As a word of caution, don’t do this unconfidently or unnecessarily, as you’ll void any warranty. From what I have read iPhone battery life overall tends to be ok so the need to replace the exitsing one I think would be rare unless maybe it developed an inherent fault.

This is the only Apple product to date that I own and Apple are known for their attention to style with no compomise in price. I like the products Apple sell but I think overall, some competitors offer better value for money despite them not being as sleek or maybe, as popular. I can’t comment on quality but naturally I expect they are durable. I bet my opinion will change in regards to the phone but my financial situation I can’t see doing. Thus far this phone works for me and I will get plenty of useage from it and my contract is at what I would describe as relatively affordable so overall I have spent wisely. Generally I like it but think maybe I’d have liked the Milestone(UK version)/Droid(US version) more. I am still finding my feet with it. I have a good working knowledge of the basics.

Lastly, as iTunes charges for tracks and there is no real immediate or obvious way of personalisng iPhone ringtones, here is a tutorial enabling you to be able to make your own ringtones using iTunes v8, coverting mp3′s to m4r format. It’s realtively simple.

What are your thoughts on this product?. Anyone who can offer some good suggestions of any good apps, free or otherwise would be very welcome.

The 4G iPhone sneak peek before the Spring launch…

This is the new 4G iPhone leaked photo – some wanna-be civil servant, left the phone in a bar after a night getting mullered!!. Upgraded, well of course and apparently running the new 4 O/S. Looks nice and the design is square as apposed to the conventional rounded iPhone design. Be interesting to see soon, what the critics have to say after launch (speculation is rife amongst the internet community with blogs galore discussing it). I think it looks nice and am sold now with this product!. I just hope the reviews are more favourable than than the ones a few months ago for the iPad launch.

For more information on the new iphone, click here to read more.

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Local install of WordPress 2.9.1…

Mike Thornley — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:34:36 +0000

I have just recently finally managed to host my blog locally, after having some grateful assistance from Wardelldesign.com (experienced blogger). Despite appearing to do the install correctly, there were a couple of things I wasn’t aware of/didn’t think of/ really didn’t know and so, ran into some trouble, despite consulting many a blog & online tutorial. I thought I would create my first local posting highlighting them and hopefully providing some necessary clarity aimed at amateur bloggers.

Basic requirements to run WordPress are:
* Apache or Nginx server
* Latest WordPress download
* PHP 4.3 or greater
* MySQL 4.1.2 or greater
* The mod_rewrite Apache module

After initially, downloading WordPress 2.9.1, unzipping it inside htdocs (file created in XAMPP, setup usually on the C: Drive), the WordPress folder was created, the database was setup and managed by installing the windows version of XAMPP live (this manages the mySql successfully). I still couldn’t get the blog live. All my files ran perfectly locally, through localhost but when I uploaded through FTP to my site nothing happened. My problems were a result of:

It appears, the WordPress pack itself, didn’t install the default theme (check this) which is essential in the first instance. What you do after that in terms of styling is up to you but initially, those files have to be present for the blog to show. I used a template for quickness and just adapted and removed parts I didn’t require through .css – which still needs more tweaking.
Godaddy.com does not run mySql on the localhost like some servers do, the XAMPP runs this and the PHP on the server once set up. You still have to set up a database yourself (remembering to keep your details during setup as you’ll need them later for use in the wp-config.php file) mentioned more clearly next.
Ok, the WordPress pack, when unzipped has a wp-config-sample.php file which is inside the wp-admin folder, this you have to amend with the database details and then save as wp-config.php in that same file (wp-admin inside htdocs). Your file structure should look something like this. Most of the tutorials tell you to name the database, ‘WordPress’ (you may need to ignore that). Your database name is whatever you choose during the setup with Godaddy, so unless you choose and specify ‘wordpress’ in the wp-config.php file, you’ll have to amend that accordingly. If these details are incorrect, the whole blog fails to connect to the database and you’ll receive repeated messages!!. Many of the online WordPress tutorials don’t explain this ~~adequately~~ intricately enough for the inexperienced developer. My details were incorrect (and so was my password but that was a stupid oversight as apposed to ignorance) and having followed the tutorial closely, I was told incorrect information to include in this file. Hence WordPress, as mentioned above couldn’t access my database. You will also most likely need to check to make sure the file has the closing PHP tag, checking the very end of the file for (question mark & closing wickety thingy-me-bob). Without brackets – this would be (?>). Here is the file in .txt format.

Additionally, If you want your blogs URL to be similar to mine, http://mikedeveloper.com/blog you need to upload your files to the root of your server through your FTP client and rename the wordpress file, simply, ‘blog’. This file will contain all the files from the initial unzip of the download in the WordPress folder, simply rename it. Goes without saying finally, always use a strong password for anything is adviseable, including your FTP account & WordPress

I hope this is of some use to ‘someone’ – I was almost there in my attempts but got frustrated and it just shows you how attention to detail has to be maintained.

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Ouch – my broken ankle & the assistance of the Northwest air ambulance…

Mike Thornley — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:37:59 +0000

Having broken my ankle in 2 places (Tibular & Fibular) in a parachute jump at the weekend, I now find myself at home, in pain and plastered for upto 6 weeks and already I am utterly bored!. Daytime tv drivel is all too much for me now already, only days after my accident. Only decent telly has been Coach trip, repeating series 1 on Sky 3 @ 1.30pm weekday afternoons!. That’s entertaining!.

I am not adjusting well but am getting about hobbling. My family and girlfriend have been great in helping me also!. Many thanks to them!!.

I had planned a quiet yet socialable Christmas, which now has been hampered and should I now decide to venture out anywhere, my crutches will not be too far away!. Not the best look for the holiday season down the local but a necessity all the same!. I will depend on them for 6 weeks if all goes well. Like it or lump it!. That’s of course, should the hospital’s Fracture Clinic decide the break is healing nicely and that the pot will suffice, without the need to operate and pin the breaks. I have a half cast now which if they are happy with the healing process this week will become a full cast.

One thing I was very appreciative of naturally and thought much about after, was the NHS staff but ultimately, my thoughts were with the unsung heroes of the Air Ambulance. Without them, getting me off the drop zone (field in the middle of nowhere much like most are) would have been near impossible. I was sat in a puddle, not far from where I bounced, all cold, muddy and wet. After all in my mind I was planning to jump and then have a brief and brew in the comfort of the cafe. Uneven terrain made getting a vehicle to me virtually impossible and thankfully people at the drop zone had indirect, radio contact with the air ambulance in the event there were injured jumpers. Naturally, it’s a precaution – no suprise there – accidents do happen in extreme sports. 8 of us jumped from that lift and thankfully, only myself was injured. I am so grateful to the air ambulance and if possible, in future, will support them in raising money as I believe they often struggle with funding, yet provide a vital service. I had always had an awareness and praise for the great work they do, like all NHS staff but never truly appreciated how vital their service was until I needed it myself. Often the case I imagine. They did and do a great job!. Ok, I had just a broken ankle, very painful but certainly not life threatening and I could have been transported to hospital if need be by alternate means (4 X 4 possibly) but they improved my waiting time, comfort and and were there straight away (I was very cold having sat in said icy puddle.) Had I needed to be cut from a vehicle with serious injuries in the middle of nowhere and had time been vital as is the usually the case, with the service surely, most people stand a fighting chance, when otherwise they may not be so lucky. Pause for thought….

Many thanks to the Air Ambulance!. You are stars!.

29/12/2009 Update:
Having been back to the hospital, they have recast my ankle into a full cast and recommended I partially weight bear as much as possible to aide the healing of the break. Something I am not looking forward to – thought of something else snapping has me anxious. I am hoping at the end of January to be out of plaster and running around. Not driving or just pottering is very frustrating. Suprising the every day things we take for granted.

27/1/2010 Update:
Out of my cast, although still on crutches and now off to Physio but it’s very slow!.

23/2/2010 Update:
I’ve had 3 sessions of Physio to date but it’s very slow progress. I was expecting to be walking by now – since the average recovery time is 12 weeks, from injury. The experts agree!. As a precaution I was x-rayed again earlier this week (after a G.P visit for yet another sicknote) just to make sure all was well with the bone healing and it appears it is/has. I should have been x-rayed again once the cast was removed after the 6 1/2 week period (back in Jan) but due to an oversight that was missed (NHS for you!!). Also, appears I have issues with weight bearing to the weak side and my body is over compensating. I have difficulty in moving the weight mostly to the left (to my Physio’s frustration), having been in a cast and on crutches for so long – It’s a very strange feeling. I now have just one crutch to hobble about on when really I should have none!!!. That in itself is causing some problems with my shoulder, due to the extended length of time I’ve been on cructhes. The pain and discomfort around the ankle is continuing, sometimes it’s agony, moreso in the mornings when things are that extra bit stiff and harder to get moving. Usually after half an hour or so exercising the ankle is willing to move. On a positive note, I have the vast majority of movement in the ankle back in all directions now. I am hoping in the next few weeks to be making yet more progress and finally walking. I am just glad I am getting sick pay from my employer. They do after all, employ you through the good times and bad and guess what this is.. hmmm bad.

2/4/2010 Update:
I walked today for the first time since last December when I had my parachuting accident and it’s a great feeling!!. I can’t walk far, carry anything properly nor walk for too long but Physio will improve that as will continued walking which I intend to do a lot of now. I am happy and know too well, how a broken ankle is a timely recovery – most people don’t realse that or how much function the ankle has in a persons overall mobility. I have had 4 months from work sick so far and HATED IT!!. There is certainly no rushing the recovery and I have lost a large part of the year being injured, not to mention missing events I wanted to attend desperately. All improved now though and the future looks much brighter. I’ll spend another 4 weeks in Physio getting right before finally, returning to work somewhat back to normal hopefully. This has been a painful and educational experience for me. One I hope I never repeat.

13/4/2010 Update:
I had a set back 2 weeks later involving a pull at the back of my ankle and went back onto crutches but now am walking again, slowly and not too far for fear of a reoccurence. I’m hoping to be back to normal in around 6 weeks. Fingers crossed.

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Parachute jump done…

Mike Thornley — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:49:04 +0000

Having gathered all monies in finally, I raised just over £400 for my charity jump!. Not bad but had hoped for better. Thanks to everyone that sponsored me and for those that didn’t, be ashamed!!. I don’t ask for much. Don’t be as ashamed though, as the few that said they’d pay and didn’t. Let’s hope, they never need my help.
I completed my charity Solo RAPS Static Line Parachute jump in Lancaster at the Black Knights parachute centre on the 12th September in aid of Pancreatic cancer. Please, despite the fact I have already jumped, still Sponsor me. The sponsorship page will remain open for upto 8 weeks I am told. Any amount is appreciated, the more generous the better. Remember it is for a good cause!!.

Here are some pictures and video from the day, which was superb and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so I’m intending to jump again in the next few weeks!.

Many thanks for your support!.

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Please sponsor me – Solo static line parachute jump for Pancreatic cancer

Mike Thornley — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:20:46 +0000

I’m seeking generous people for a sponsorship event!. I do have printed sponsorship forms, although I’m using those for people I know well and see often. This is simply additional sponsorship, which I hope gets some interest online and will go straight to the charity I have chosen without a need by me to pester for cash.

I have decided to do a RAMS Solo Static Line parachute jump in aid of Pancreatic Cancer. The jump is booked for the weekend of the 19th September 2009 and will take place in Lancaster. I will undergo all training Saturday and jump the same day, or the following day weather permitting. If for any reason I can’t jump, it’ll be rescheduled but will go ahead for sure. I am determined.

There are some example videos online, like this one which should give you an idea of what the event involves.

It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and is in aid of a very worthy cause, so give all you can, especially as this is a SOLO jump and not one of those tandem thingy-me-bobs where qualified guys do all the work for you!. I will do it all on leaving that tiny plane some 3,500ft above Lancaster!.

Please sponsor me if you can, any amount is greatly appreciated!.If you want anymore details, e-mail me

Many thanks for your support!.

Mike

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Dell computers and my DELL 530 Inspiron…

Mike Thornley — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:40:11 +0000

I purchased a Dell Inspiron from Dell in 2007. Unknown to me at the time, the system had an analogue monitor ( I was not informed of this nor did the spec list highlight it), yet also installed was a very high spec graphics card which I had asked for during the initial enquiry and build. I also paid for and got a monitor upgrade from a 19″ to a 22″ Basically, I would never get the benefit of the card as you can’t pass a digital signal through analogue!. Dell certainly thought they could delude me and included a very ‘high spec’ £2 adaptor in order to try!!!. They failed. I had no knowledge of any of this until I had the system inspected by a technician.

This is the technician’s report after inspecting my machine…

Dell computers,

Looking at Mike’s desktop pc I noticed it has a DVI graphics adapter but only a standard VGA monitor even though Mike bought it under a designer offer.
From a computer engineer’s perspective I believe that Dell sold the wrong display solution here as he should have received a DVI monitor to match his powerful DVI graphics card, by using the latter with the supplied VGA monitor there is a performance and quality downgrade.
I believe it’s misleading to sell such a package to a customer and claim it is a designer package especially when everyone knows that DVI quality is much superior compared to VGA so a DVI monitor would be more suitable for Mike.

Tarik Ouhtit

Atlas computer repair
www.Atlascomputerrepair.co.uk
Contact@atlascomputerrepair.co.uk
07950 733 872

A few months ago, my system developed a fault. Computers during bootup, check diagnostics to ensure all onboard hardware is working and if it isn’t, you know about it then. Mine simply wouldn’t boot up so being out of warranty I had to employ a technician who I had to obviously pay. On his inspection of the machine he couldn’t find anything obvious to blame but later did say, he believed the keyboard could be of fault as mine wouldn’t work and after taking it away it worked with his own. He said that I should purchase another just to be sure. Suffice to say, I never did after it booted up ok after and still today I use that same keyboard with no issues. He did find though on inspecting the inside of the tower, the graphics card was very high spec yet my monitor was analogue and naturally questioned this. When I went to Dell with this for an explanation with the technicians report, they said they were not prepared to discuss or even look at it as the system was 2 years old and why had I left it two years to complain?. The easy answer is, myself like most people are not a ComTia A+ technician and therefore have no interest/knowledge of what lies within the tower. I have no interested in a computers inner workings other than if the system can perform the task I ask it to. Mine wasn’t, hence the investigation by someone I had to pay. The findings I found I believed contravened the Sale Of Goods Act in that I had not got what I asked for. I should have been advised to buy a digital monitor and had I not been prepared to do that, I should have been told the graphics card would be an expensive paper weight. The point was I was never given the option yet I was charged for the graphics card regardless!.

Now, I am experiencing problems again with this computer and the system will not boot. I have checked diagnostics, the BIOS settings etc and all appears fine. I am convinced the problem is software related. Dell are now saying my system’s software warranty is out of date, yet the hardware warranty is good for 12 months more. I simply asked for a rescue disk as i am having trouble getting windows to boot and stupidly, didn’t make a rescue disk image for such occasions. Lesson learnt.

Overall, I’m disgusted the general view in the IT world amongst professionals is that Dell simply wash their hands of you once you’ve transacted with them. They take the money and run. I know a lot of companies do this. I just expected more from such a company with a globally respected name. Afraid not. I have told Dell of my concerns and what I think they should do to rectify the problem especially as problems occured prior to my warranty expiring and they seek it appropriate to fob me off or charge for technical support.

My advice, HP, Advent, Sony and of course Apple Mac will get my undivided attention next time when I upgrade and I am convinced I will be treated far more fairly. My purpose soley by blogging this subject is to raise awareness. All good companies I expect at one time or another have their share of disgruntled customers. I’ll be the first to admit that. In my case I just want what I am owed and what is infact right and fair.

To Dell I find the whole incident poor and would rate them very negatively, naturally. Look around when buying a PC, look online and at testimonials and ratings – they are there for a good reason!

**Success with no help from dell….**

As most systems today don’t ship with a Vista disk and only sometimes with a recovery one, I managed to find a link to a rescue disk posted on a blog for both 32-bit & 64-bit versions of Vista. You just download the file, save it on the desktop and then burn it as an image to a CD/DVD using Nero or whatever you have and then, boot from it on start up. You may possibly have to adjust your settings (if the system won’t boot at all like mine wouldn’t). As the machine starts, press F2 or F12 as I recall, to access the ‘boot from option’. Once you’ve done this and the system is restored, simply reset your settings to boot from the hard drive

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