Category Archives for "Reviews"

Exede Satellite Review

Exede Satellite Review: What you need to know before buying..

Exede reviews: Before doing ANYTHING, I encourage you to watch the video below on how Exede satellite internet works.





exede-reviewIf you are looking at getting signed up for Exede satellite internet, you need to do your homework first.. Before writing this article, I did a Google search for “Exede internet review” to see what others were saying.  Like you probably have, I read tons of reviews about this product – both good reviews and not so good reviews. The bad reviews I read were unfortunate because many of the issues came from people who ordered it not fully understanding the product before signing up. My goal is to educate you on the good and bad about Exede satellite internet service – just as I would want if I were in the market to buy.



Before getting into my Exede satellite review; let’s take a look at one of the worst “reviews” that I found online – one that goes as far as making fun of the company. Out of respect for the people who wrote the review, I have omitted the customer name.

Review from online: “Ha! I just clicked to see if it was vailable in my area. The message I got was “due to the large volume of requests for this service, we have suspended all new service installations at this time. ???????”

This is actually a really REALLY good thing! Think about it for a moment from a technical point-of-view. Exede wants their customers to get the speed that they are paying for – and more importantly customers deserve to get the speeds they are paying for. Exede spent an estimated 400 million dollars on the new satellite they launched in 2011. That specific satellite can only hold a specific amount of customers at any given time. If they oversell that satellite, EVERYONE on it gets slower than advertised speeds – that would be very bad! I believe it speaks a lot as far as Exede’s values by not overselling their product. I believe they are planning on launching a new satellite to support more customers once this one fills up.

The TOP 4 questions you need answered before signing up

Exede Satellite Review

Exede Satellite Review

It’s good knowing that Exede won’t oversell their product just to make more money – and that they have the customer in mind; but there are a few other questions you should probably have answers on before ordering Exede internet service. I’m going to do my best to answer the top questions people ask us before signing up:

  • Will my internet go out when it rains or snows?
  • Does the dish have to be mounted on my roof?
  • Are there any hidden fees that I should know about
  • Does Exede satellite internet actually work?

One of your primary concerns about signing up for Exede satellite internet will probably be, “Will my internet go out because of weather?“. You know you can trust our word, and the answer is.. sometimes. Thinking back over the 20+ customers we have signed up for Exede over the past two years, nearly all of them had good experiences in bad weather.

There will always be an exception; but the problem isn’t normally because of the weather. The most common cause of service loss is when the dish has been shifted – may that be because of heavy winds or snow sitting on the dish. In these cases, the dish would need to be re-aligned by a certified technician to continue getting good service and speeds.

We understand that you may not want to have a dish mounted on your roof – and that’s understandable. Although the best location for the certified installer to set up the dish is on the roof, you may ask them to install it on a pole in the yard instead. We don’t typically suggest doing so because the dish needs a good line of sight to the sky and having it mounted higher is always better – but you do have that option. Going with that question, there may be additional fees that go along with mounting on a pole instead because of the extra hardware required.

The most important question that should be asked before signing up for any company ( including Exede ) is, “Are there any hidden fees with Exede internet service?“. Let’s face it, none of us like getting “hidden fees” with any service we order. We want to pay the price that was quoted. I’m happy to say that what you are quoted when signing up is what you will pay for the duration of your commitment. The most popular plan we sign people up on is what they refer to as the “CLASSIC 10” plan. It allows for 10Gb of monthly data allowance – unlimited during 12 midnight to 5 AM – and runs $49.99 / month. We are upfront that you rent the equipment for an additional $9.99 per month ( you do have the option to buy the equipment outright if you want ). There will be an installation fee but we are happy to say Exede continually offers discounts on installation – all you need to do is call us at any given time and we will give you the current promotion!

Finally, what you should be asking is.. does Exede work? It does! We have been in the computer and technology business for 15 years and satellite internet in the past was just.. bad. Living in Shelbyville, IN we have many rural customers that live in the country.  We had never been satisfied with satellite internet such as Hughesnet and the previous Wildblue service before now. We wouldn’t suggest either to our customers.. that was until we saw Exede/Wildblue’s new satellite internet that launched in 2011. Exede launching that new satellite changed everything! Now when our customers, just like you, ask what rural internet service they should get – we say Exede. It’s a great product and great service!

 

Which is better processor: AMD VS INTEL

One of the most common debates today regarding computer builders like us, “Which is better, AMD or Intel?” The answer is both. This article is going to explain why we suggest AMD over Intel and have built hundreds of great computers using AMD as the CPU ( central processing unit ).

Let me ask you this; what is better when it comes to trucks – Chevy or Ford? Depending on your personal experiences you will more than likely favor one over the other. It’s the same with computer components such as the processor ( CPU ). Let me say that from my personal experiences that both CPU manufacturers make a good product. They both produce lower end CPU and higher end ones. I would normally suggest staying away from an AMD Sempron or Intel Celeron CPU as they are the lower quality ones built cheap to sell cheap – using them beyond basic word processing or web browsing just isn’t that great. I would strongly suggest going with an AMD Athlon or Phenom CPU or the Intel i3, i5, i7 class.

FUN FACT: In 1982 AMD signed a contract with Intel to be licensed to manufacture their 8086 & 8088 processors. In 1986 Intel canceled the contract. By 1991 AMD had released their own CPU and have been going strong ever since. Had Intel never created that contract in 1982 – AMD might not have been around today.

What do my personal and business laptop run? One is running an Intel i5 CPU and other is running an older Intel Quad core CPU. Both work fine – but in both cases I just happened upon a deal I couldn’t turn down. Whenever I build a computer though, I typically use an AMD processor. Here’s why:

Everywhere you look regarding computer advertising, what do you typically see? I’ll tell you what you see.. “Powered by Intel” or “Intel Inside” – that’s not a mistake. Intel spends out WAY more cash on advertising. AMD on the other hand does very very little advertising. Both manufacturers make a great product. Since AMD doesn’t do a lot of advertising, their product is typically very competitive in pricing. It’s for this reason that when we custom build a computer for a customer that we use AMD since it provides a better “bang for the buck”. Did you know that both the new PlayStation 4 and XBOX ONE use AMD for their main processor? If AMD is good enough for next generation gaming – it’s good enough for your personal or business computer needs.

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My visit to Midwest Computer Solutions new shop in Shelbyville, Indiana

Written by: Vinny Polston; IT manager of Mach1 PC, LLC.

Being in the computer repair business in Shelbyville for over 15 years now, we ( Mach1 PC ) have seen many computer stores come and go.  As early as the days of THEINNET that closed shop when they merged into Lightbound – that was then bought out by iQuest.. now that’s a long story that’s for another time.. Many Shelbyville residents will also remember NetTek Microcenter, Shelby Virtual Solutions, & ShelbyNet. Anyways, I had the pleasure of visiting with Tom Ganus of Midwest Computer Solutions new shop here in Shelbyville. Midwest Computers is based out of Columbus Indiana.

MidWest Computer Solutions

Midwest Computer Solutions

I walked into their office in Shelbyville, which is conveniently located in the same spot that NetTek Microcenter used to be. Upon initially walking in I was greeted by a young fellow at the front counter and shook his hand saying, “I’m Vinny from Mach1 PC here in Shelbyville – and that I just wanted to introduce myself”. Immediately another gentleman came from what I believe to be their repair room, whom enthusiastically introduced himself to me; that man was Tom Ganus, president of Midwest Computer Solutions.

We spoke for what seemed to be maybe 10 minutes and I can honestly say that Tom is a super-nice guy! We had a chance to talk about the Lord for a while as well! They have a nice selection of computer hardware and accessories and a great looking store-front. I left after talking for a while, glad to have met another believer and businessman who runs his business on Christian values like we do.

A little about Midwest Computer Solutions, Inc:

Midwest Computers originally opened shop in Columbus, Indiana – now with locations in Columbus, Shelbyville, and Seymour. Like I stated previously they are a Christian company and proud of their faith – that is absolutely my favorite thing about their company! Tom & Peggy Ganus are the owners and proudly feature the bible verse, Psalm 27:4 on their business cards and website.

What better way to finish this review of Midwest Computer Solutions with the Bible verse from their business card.

Psalm 27:4: “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. ”

Many people might wonder why I would write about another computer repair company in Shelbyville.. The reason is that Shelbyville is definitely large enough for more than 1 computer store to serve its needs. I can proudly say that I have sent some people out their way that were looking for parts that we didn’t have in stock at the moment. Mach1 PC has been in business for 15 years now proudly serving Shelbyville and central Indiana with great IT and computer support. I would love to have your business and serve you for your computer needs. If you don’t use us I would recommend Midwest Computer Solutions any day of the week.

Have you visited Midwest Computers in Shelbyville? We would love to hear your thoughts below!