Alert: Woolworths Customer Satisfaction Survey!

I just noticed a Woolworths customer satisfaction survey email pop into my inbox. Please note this scam designed to obtain your credit card information.

What concerns me about scams aimed at loyalty reward programs is that many people on these programs aren’t as computer savvy and can easily be tricked.

If you know people on loyalty reward programs such as Woolworths rewards let them know about potential scams and to take care.

Kelvin Eldridge
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support.
Supporting residents and businesses in Templestowe, Doncaster,

Eltham and the surrounding area.

Free WiFi at Melbourne airport

Waiting at Melbourne airport for a plane can be a very unexciting time. Personally I've always felt the airport should provide free wireless Internet access for travellers.

In the past I've never found free WiFi at the airport so today I was surprised to find free WiFi. Clients wanting to know where I found free Internet access are welcome to contact me.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Computer repair Doncaster - Having a problem with your computer?

Are you looking for a local person to assist you with your computer related problem? If you require assistance call Kelvin Eldridge on 0415 910 703 for a computer repair in Doncaster. Kelvin is local (based in Templestowe) and does not charge residents and  businesses in Doncaster a call-out fee or charges for travel. Kelvin also offers a money back guarantee to ensure customers are satisfied.

Kelvin has over thirty years of experience solving computer related problems and helping individuals and businesses with their computer systems.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Watch out for energy retailers offering large discounts

A friend approached me the other day promoting electricity from their network marketing group. They offered 3% discount plus another 12% for paying on time. A total of 15%. Sounds pretty good. I’d just noticed an offer for 14% discount from an energy retailer. Even my current energy retailer when I called is now prepared to offer 12% off electricity and 10% off gas, but only if I sign up on a long term contract. All seemingly great discounts.

The bottom line however is you can offer a great discount if your energy charges and service to property charge are higher to start with. What you need to do is to compare what you are actually paying against each offer and keep in mind many of the offers will be better than you are currently paying. Most people by habit don’t negotiate better rates with their current provider so almost any offer will be better than what they are currently paying.

The big charge often missed for many is the daily charge to the property. This can easily be $200-$400 a year and can be reduced by up to a third by shopping around. So make sure you compare your electricity usage plus the charge to your property.

For the daily charge to the property just check your current bill and multiply by 365 for the days in a year. Make sure you include GST. Then for your usage you need to check out if you are paying one rate or two. I use the Energy Cost Calculator to quickly determine the cost over a year. My usage this latest bill was around 7.5kWh per day. So in the calculator I’d enter 7,500 for the watts, enter the rate in cents including GST and 1 for the number of hours. The 7,500 is because 7.5kW the kW is kilowatt and thus we need to multiple be 1,000 to get the number of watts. The one is because it is 7.5kWh per day. We could devide 7500 by 24 to get the  figure for one hour and then enter that number and 24 hours for the time, but it is easier to just assume all the energy was used in one hour for the day. This simplifies the calculation. The Energy Cost Calculator will then show you your daily cost and a yearly figure.

If the energy retailer is offering a discount then discount their rate and use that rate in the Energy Cost Calculator. Also note that some retailers offer the discount only on usage and not on the service fee to the property.

Repeat this process for each energy retailer and then compare the total amounts you’d pay against your actual bill.

I did this same exercise recently and will soon change from Red Energy to a different provider. The saving will be around $175 a year. Our usage is quite low compared to many so for others the saving would be much greater. I haven’t changed yet, but when I compared the offer I found to the offer from my friend’s network marketing group, if I used his group I’d be about $80 worse off. (He does know about the retailer I found.) Be careful of those selling energy services and also friends promoting network marketing schemes. Energy retailers just want your business. Sadly friends in network marketing groups seem to just want their commission (or to sign you up) and if they do know of a better deal, will often neglect to mention it. Make sure you do the calculation yourself.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support.
Providing support in Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

MyAnswers: Does the PayPal Here credit card scanner work with the Apple iPhone 3GS?

The following MyAnswers solution 2239 is now available:

Does the PayPal Here credit card scanner work with the Apple iPhone 3GS?

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Microsoft Office 2013 lucky for some, but unlucky for many

Microsoft Office 2013 is just around the corner, but this time it comes with a bit of surprise for many.

First if you have Windows XP you won’t be able to install Office 2013. If what I’ve read is correct and you have Windows Vista, you won’t be able to install Office 2013 either. That’s over 50% of Microsoft’s current users.

If you do run an older computer and want to install Office 2013, you’ll need to fork out for an upgrade of the operating system to Windows 8. If you wait until after January 31^st 2013 you’ll end up paying full price for the upgrade. Consider upgrading between October 26^th and January 31^st, or at least purchasing the upgrade during this time for later installation.

But wait, there’s a catch

If your Windows XP computer was built before 2005 there’s a good chance your Pentium 4 computer won’t be able to install Windows 8. By my estimates that will be a problem for perhaps up to 70-100 million Windows XP users.

Microsoft won’t win any friends by neglecting its current users, but of course the retailers will love the sales it generates. I suspect we’ll see a considerable number of disenchanted Microsoft users reconsidering their loyalty and a spike in sales of Apple computers. Microsoft will only have themselves to blame.

 

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support and live

In Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham or the surrounding area.

Duty free limits for tobacca/cigarettes reduces from 1st September 2012

Whilst I’m not a smoker, one of the benefits of travelling overseas for smokers is the bargain priced duty free cigarettes when you return.

As from the 1^st of September 2012, the duty free limit/allowance for those aged 18 years or over is being reduced from 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars or tobacco, to 50 cigarettes or 50 grams of cigars or tobacco products.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

 

Free electricity device by embertec disappointing consumers

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I've noticed a couple of people who recently had installed a free power saving device. Shortly after they removed it. Had they paid for the unit with their own money they would have asked for a refund.

But it was free, so what does it matter.

The problem is the government is wasting our money because we all end paying for these devices which cost us much more in taxes than if we bought it ourselves.

People's greed is wasting our taxes. A free item which saves power is too good to pass up. The government should provide a refund line so people can return these devices and get our taxes back.

Next time you look at your ever increasing electricity bill you'll realise that free device has cost you much more than you expected. Grants for insulation, grants for solar installations and grants for these power saving devices come at a price and the price is our increasing electricity bills.

If people only took the time to review devices and paid for them out of their own money, they'd have a device which works.

Who else has one of these devices they got for free and have since removed? Let others know of your experience.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Halls for Hire to cost more in Manningham

I recently read an article indicating Manningham council will make hiring security mandatory when hiring a hall.

Manningham Council chief executive Lydia Wilson said the council had liaised with Doncaster police to change the policies of its Party Safe program to make hiring security mandatory on council-owned property.

If you’re considering hiring a council owned hall for your next event you should enquire about, or at least make an allowance for hiring security.

When I checked the Manningham site for the halls they hire I noticed it didn’t cover the community owned facilities where functions are regularly held and young people attend.

It is a pity there are gate crashers in the area and my own experience verifies young people turning up to a party uninvited.

When looking at hiring a council owned hall compared to having a function at commercial premises make sure you take into account costs such as security as council owned halls. Commercial premises I’ve checked out make no mention of security and often already have security in place.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support.
Providing support in Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and surrounding areas.

Alert: Islam exposed, Islam the religion of terror

I received a couple of emails sent to different emails addresses with the subject “Islam exposed, Islam the religion of terror”. The emails are spam sent to market a book on Amazon. Amazon has no obvious link on their site to report spam marketing their products. I consider that to be very poor on the part of Amazon.

Should you receive spam marketing products I highly recommend you delete them. By responding you are only encouraging unethical businesses practices making it harder for legitimate businesses, others and ultimately yourself.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

 

MyAnswers: Windows XP loops from start-up list to Windows XP screen. Error c0000218.

The following MyAnswers solution 2235 is now available:

After the computer was inadvertently turned off at the switch, Windows XP now displays a start-up list of options in text. No matter what is selected the Windows XP splash screen will display and then it loops back to the start-up list.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

ATO Tax Calculator to calculate income tax for 2012-2013

I find in discussions a lot of people would like to know the tax on their income. It is not possible for me to provide tax related advice as you need to be a qualified tax professional to provide tax related advice. As a computer consultant however I’m able to use the information provided by the tax office on their web site and create a calculator others can use.

As well as a calculator for the 2012-2013 tax year, I’ve also written a calculator for the 2011-2012 tax year which recently ended. A link is provided to the prior year on the Tax Calculator.

Tax Calculator 2012-2013 ... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problems.
No problem too small.

MyAnswers: Dropbox (Drop Box) folder appeared in Gallery on Android tablet.

The following MyAnswers solution 2233 is now available:

Dropbox (Drop Box) album appeared in Gallery on Android tablet which I can't delete. I've never installed Dropbox on the tablet. Where did the album come from?

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: Outlook 2003 has a message "unknown error" and has stopped working.

The following MyAnswers solution 2232 is now available:

Outlook 2003 is not working. There is a message "unknown error". I haven't received emails for a number of days.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: Adobe Flash Player Update Service 11.3.r300 has encountered a problem

The following MyAnswers solution 2231 is now available:

In Windows XP I get the message Adobe Flash Player Update Service 11.3.r300 has encountered a problem and needs to close.

Click here to obtain the solution.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Alert: Westpac Share your best savings tip & you could win $1000!

I noticed an email this morning and felt it was a very clever but insidious scam likely to trick Westpac users. Should you receive such an email you should delete it immediately.

The Enter Now link takes you to a domain with a cz country code (Czechoslovakia) which obviously means this email is a scam.

I highly recommend that people not register their email address with their financial institutions. That way all emails from scammers targeted at users of financial institutions are known to be a scamming attempt.

The link in the email takes you to a page which is set up to look like the Westpac home page, where you can enter your customer ID and password. Don’t be tricked. This is a scam.

Kelvin Eldridge

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Shark Tank Seafood Templestowe Menu

Welcome to George and his team at Shark Tank Seafood of Templestowe. You can find Shark Tank Seafood on the Templestowe page www.JustLocal.com.au/3106. Click on the Shark Tank Seafood logo to display their menu.

Menus of local takeaway businesses are very handy but the menus I have are either out of date or I can’t find them when I want to. By having the menus online it is much easier when I want takeaway for family or friends. I can look up the menus, phone in the order and by the time I pick the order up it is ready. If the business is busy they’ll let me know an approximate time the order will be ready and that can save a lot of time.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer support and
live in Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham or the surrounding area.

 

Alert: DHL Express Tracking Notification ID 1WWY5218N40839

This morning I’m receiving quite a number of DHL Express Tracking Notifications which I suspect are malware. A check with the anti-virus program doesn’t reveal it is malware, but it is an executable file inside a zip file, typical of malware. Often new malware is not detected by anti-virus programs as updates to malware programs can take up to 48 hours after new malware is found.

One client I attended once had infected their computer with serious malware which was extremely difficult to remove. They had used a parcel service and when they received the fake email from what they thought was the parcel service, opened the email without thinking.

Don’t be tempted to open links from emails you receive. If you’ve used a parcel service you will more than likely have a link in the original confirmation email or a reference you can enter on the web site. Go to the web site and enter the reference.

If you receive a DHL Express Tracking notification, or in fact any notification, treat it will extreme care.

 

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you’ve infected your computer, require assistance
and live in the Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham or surrounding area in Melbourne, Australia.

Buzz Insurance to close

I received an email from Buzz Insurance letting its customers know it will no longer take on new insurance policies. I often receive scams and let users know about the scams, but in this case this is legitimate. A pity because their policy was great value.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

 

MyAnswers: Windows 8 Release Preview "Your PC's CPU isn't compatible with Windows 8".

The following MyAnswers solution 2230 is now available:

Windows 8 upgrade for possibly tens of millions of Windows XP users may be a waste of money.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)