service

Google is said to be planning a tool to let users receive bills via and email, then pay with a single click of a button - all without leaving their inbox. While it will be promoted as a service to benefit users, it could be part of a wider business ... move for Google. Leaked screenshots reveal the service is codenamed Pony Express, though it's unknown if that will be the real name if and when it launches. The current plan is to start the service in the final quarter of 2015. The plan isn't so much to replace existing electronic billing. Instead, Google is targeting companies which print ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Paul H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently upgraded my Internet connection speed through my Internet Service Provider, and I now have 60MB broadband service. As I expected, I have really fast downloads and web pages load lightening ... fast. However, some websites are considerably slower than I would expect, even slower than before the upgrade. Any ideas why that might be? " My Response: There are many reasons why some pages don't load as fast as others, even if you upgraded your broadband. The most important point to understand is that even though you have a fast ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Tim G. writes: " Dear Dennis, Sometimes when I try and play a YouTube video, the sound doesn't work. If I try and 'Play Test Sound' on my sound device via Control Panel -> Sound, Windows says 'Windows failed to play test tone'. ... The only way I know how to fix the sound is to reboot the computer, but that means I need to reload my browser and tabs every time. Do you know how I can fix my sound without rebooting? " My Response: This problem happens to me too every once in a while, and I have a sneaking suspicion it might be related to Adobe ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Nurse Lynda' writes: " Dear Dennis, Thanks so much for fixing my computer [over the Internet] - it's amazing to see you work ... you sure know your stuff! ... [I have a question]: I have recommended your 'Remote Desktop Support' ... services to my friends on Facebook, but they don't understand how [you can fix my computer over the Internet]? Specifically, they are asking what is the meaning of 'Remote' Desktop Support? I've tried to explain, but they just don't understand it. Do you have a page explaining this? " My response: ... (view more)

Comcast has been embarrassed yet again by a recording of a call to its customer service team. This time, a representative was caught trying to charge a Comcast customer for repairs , despite the company already promising the work would be done free ... of charge. Last month, Comcast came under fire when another customer repeatedly tried to cancel his Comcast service over the telephone. During the recording, which reportedly lasted eighteen minutes, the customer service representative repeatedly badgered the customer and demanded to know why he wanted to cancel his service. The audio recording was ... (view more)

A new report reveals the states with the fastest and slowest Internet speeds -- and the results are quite surprising. According to information technology and communications firm Broadview Networks, the fastest Internet service in the United States ... can be found in Virginia, which boasts an average speed of 13.7 megabits per second (Mbps), or approximately 1625 kilobytes per second. In fact, the eastern seaboard is home to many states with fast Internet: Delaware and Massachusetts tied for second (13.1 Mbps), followed by Rhode Island (12.9 Mbps) and Washington, DC (12.8 Mbps). Of course, there ... (view more)

President Obama is expected to sign a bill in the coming weeks to make it legal to unlock cellphones. That may give users more choice about the cellphone network they use to get service, though there will still be technical restrictions. Most new ... cellphones are sold in a 'locked' state, meaning that they can only run on a particular cellphone network carrier. Usually that's because the network sells the handset at a reduced cost, hoping to make money back from associated monthly service fees and call charges. Unlocking a cellphone effectively modifies the phone's software, and thus allows ... (view more)

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg says that a basic Internet service should be free of charge to everyone. He likened it to phone services where calling 911 (used for emergencies) carries no cost. Zuckerberg discussed the topic in a Wall Street Journal ... article in which he promoted Internet.org, a project trying to expand Internet access around the world . The group is made up of Facebook, browser maker Opera, and several leading tech hardware and communication firms. (Source: internet.org ) The group's aim is for everyone in the world to have Internet access, something that only one-third of ... (view more)

Google has named 34 cities where it hopes to offer its super-fast broadband service. Google Fiber customers can get speeds as high as 50 times more than that which is currently offered by most cable providers. Typical Broadband Versus Google Fiber ... Typical Internet broadband over an ordinary copper phone line means speeds of a few megabits per second. For services over the same fiber-optic cables as cable TV companies, speeds of 10 to 20 megabits per second are more common. For a numbers comparison, a 10 megabit connection is equal to 1280 kilobytes per second. That said, Google Fiber offers ... (view more)