Need Laptop Repair on the Road?
So – you’re in Timbuktu, busily working on your latest project with your laptop when trouble hits. Your laptop is behaving like it’s about to go up in smoke at any minute. What do you do? You’re thousands of miles away from the nearest Geek Squad and you don’t know how to express what’s happening in the local language let alone even figure out how to find the nearest computer repair.
Never fear, remote computer repair is here. A new division of SupportSoft Inc., Support.com can diagnose and fix many computer issues via the internet. Here’s how it works. If you can still access the internet, call Support.com via telephone (or use Skype to avoid crazy phone fees). You will be given a special url to connect to the internet. The Support.com system will diagnose and repair your problem remotely. Pretty cool, huh! And their prices are very reasonable. Most published services vary from about $20 US to $99 US. In addition, they offer training on MP3 downloads, digital cameras, and system tune ups.
According to Business Week Online the scan used by Support.com for its individual remote customers is the same system they’ve used for their large corporate customers. “Before it sold its PC units to Lenovo, IBM (IBM) deployed SupportSoft tools on its ThinkPad line of notebook PCs sold to corporate customers. Time Warner Cable (TWX) uses SupportSoft tools to help customers of its RoadRunner cable modem service. Other customers include Procter & Gamble (PG), 3M (MMM), Sony (SNE), and Bank of America (BAC). ” (Hesseldahl, Arik, Business Week Online). In other words, rest assured, the technology should be top of the line.
Bad news? If you can’t get onto the internet you may be SOL or trying to explain what’s happening with your PC in a foreign tongue. However, by using Support.com’s system tune up on a regular basis, perhaps you can avoid this unhappy possibility for a longer period of time.
