Holiday Gift Ideas; New Services Available

Season’s Greetings from your local Nerds! 
Thanks to your support, 2007 has been a busy and exciting year. We’ve added three new Technicians, a Webmaster, a Marketing Representative, and a Dispatcher-for a total of 11 Nerds.

We’ve also expanded the days and hours of service and will be adding even more in 2008. Our mission is to provide you with the finest technical support available, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Please let us know what we can do to serve you better. 925.283.5666 In this issue
2008 Service Rates
Refer a Friend, Get Free Computer Support
Evening, Saturday, Sunday Service Now Available
Phone/Remote Support Service Now Available
Coming Soon-Computer Maintenance, Help Desk, Computer and Network Monitoring Services ·        
Gift Certificates Available ·        
Jan/Feb Training Classes ·        
Holiday Gift Ideas  

2008 Service Rates
Rates for 2008 will be announced soon, please watch your inbox for details.

Refer a Friend, Get Free Computer Support
We really appreciate all the great referrals you’ve given us over the years. As a way of saying “thank you”, if you’re an existing client who refers a new client to us, we’ll give you a gift certificate for free computer support. Please have your friend mention that you referred them when they call. By the way, there’s no limit to how many friends you can refer!

Evening, Saturday, Sunday Service Now Available
In order to better serve you, Nerd4Rent now offers appointments in the Evening, on Saturday, and on Sunday. 

Phone/Remote Support Service Now Available $2.99 per minute
Many times, computer issues or questions can be resolved with a short phone call or remote control session. Have a quick question, which just takes a minute to answer? Give us a call. We’ll let you know whether we think the remote/phone support option is right for the issue. If it is, we can likely provide the service more quickly and maybe even save you some time and money.

Remote control technology allows us to connect to your computer (with your permission, of course), and actually control your keyboard and mouse. It’s just like we’re there in person, but without the need for a full-service appointment.  When the call is complete, we no longer have any access to your computer. By the way, for your protection, all Nerd4Rent staff have passed background, criminal, driving, and drug screens.  

Gift Certificates Available
Looking for the perfect gift?  Give the gift of technical support or training. Nerd4Rent offers gift certificates in any amount. Just think how much aggravation a little technical support can relieve   

Fixed Fee Services Coming Soon We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be offering a number of fixed-fee services soon: Computer Maintenance, InstaNerd™ Help Desk, Computer Health Monitoring for individuals and businesses. Rather than wait until your computer breaks down, it’s better to keep it maintained. You’ll experience fewer problems, faster performance, and save money and time.  

Jan/Feb Training Classes
Sat Jan 12, 2008    9-10:30am    $25      Working with Digital Photos  
Sat Jan 26, 2008   9-10:30am    $25      Introduction to Microsoft Word
Sat Feb 2, 2008    9-10:30am   $25      Internet Searching
Sat Feb 23, 2008    9-10:30am  $25     Introduction to Microsoft Excel
Sat Mar 8, 2008   9-10:30am  $25       Introduction to Microsoft Publisher
Sat Mar 15, 2008 -10:30am  $25     Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint
     
Technology Gift Ideas (as seen in the Lamorinda Weekly Dec 12, 2007) by Edward Zeidan, Nerd4Rent
This has been an exciting year for technology-prices keep dropping, items keep getting smaller, and great new features have been added. Below are some gift ideas and commentary.

Computers
Computers are always a great gift. If you’re considering a desktop computer, the Dell Inspiron 531s is worth a look, with prices starting around $500 including a flat-screen.

For Mac users, the iMac 20 is an excellent computer, and prices start at $1,199, including the screen.

For laptops, consider the Dell Inspiron 1420, which starts at $799.

Apple MacBook laptops start at $1,099. Make sure to get at least 1GB RAM (2GB is better)

Digital Cameras
The days of carrying a bulky, heavy digital camera and separate camcorder are over. Many of the new compact digital cameras take fine pictures and can shoot short video clips. Consider the Canon Powershot SD1000. About $200.

You’ll also need a memory card for storing your pictures and video. 2GB is a good size.

Cell Phones/Personal Digital Assistants
Cell phones have been enhanced with lots of new features, such as music players, games, GPS directions, and organizers. It’s no longer necessary to carry a separate cell phone and personal organizer. 

Apple’s new iPhone is a combination cell phone, iPod music player, Internet browser, and organizer in one very slick, easy to use device. Starting at $399 it’s pricey, but very cutting edge and cool. 

Blackberry phone/organizers are very popular, particularly among business users. Prices start at $199, and many models feature color screens.  For more options, check your phone providers’ store or website for the latest offerings.

Music Players
The reigning king of music players keeps getting better. The new iPod touch looks just like the sleek new iPhone, with its gorgeous screen, music player, Internet browser, and personal organizer. Prices start at $299.

Microsofts’ competing music player-Zune has a huge 80GB hard drive to store thousands of songs and a larger screen. Prices start at $250.

If you’re looking for more basic players, prices start at $79 for the tiny iPod Shuffle, and the Creative Zen Stone starts around $35.

Video Gaming Consoles
For the video game enthusiast in your life, nothing beats the thrill of playing one of the new game consoles. Consoles for the latest systems start at $279.99. The three most popular systems are Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation, and Microsoft Xbox. The Sony Playstation 3 comes with a Blue Ray DVD player, which alone costs several hundred dollars.      

TVs
The latest news in high definition TV is called 1080p. 1080p televisions offer better picture quality than the older standards-1080i or 720p. There are two competing technologies-LCD and Plasma. Get an LCD if you can. They use less energy, run cooler, and are easier to see in brightly lit rooms. 

HD/Blue Ray DVD Player
Want to watch your movies with six times the detail? Check out the latest high-definition DVD players. Just like the days of Betamax and VHS, we have two competing standards shooting it out for dominance. Blue Ray, and HD both offer great picture quality. You’ll need a high-definition TV to play the new DVDs.

By the way, the new high-def DVD players will make your old DVDs look better too. Prices start at less than $200.

GPS
GPS or Global Positioning Systems receivers provide turn-by-turn directions to your destination. For golfers, the Sky Caddy provides great information about the course they’re playing on. You can also get a GPS for the runner or hiker. Prices for GPS units start at around $150.

Backup Devices
Looking for a gift that might save the day? Consider giving a gift of online backup $49.99 per year. We’ve found a shockingly low number of people who actually backup their computers. We like iDrive.com or carbonite.com.

Bluetooth Cell Phone Headset
Talking on your cell phone while driving will require a hands-free device starting July 1, 2008. Many cell phones can use a Bluetooth wireless headset. Prices start at around $50.

HP Printing Mailbox
Do you have a friend or relative who isn’t comfortable using a computer, but wants to receive email and pictures? Consider the HP Printing Mailbox. For $149.99, plus $9.99 a month, anyone can send emails and pictures to this little device, which only requires a standard telephone line. The emails and pictures print out automatically.   Thank you again for your continued support. We wish you and yours safe and Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year.  

Sincerely,  
Edward and Renee Zeidan, Owners
Nerd4Rent, Inc.