PC repair going the way of Appliance repair?

[vdub12]

Behold:
http://mozillalabs.com/conceptseries/2010/09/23/seabird/

You know after watching that video 3 times I noticed something odd.

The phone is obviously running Android (Linux) but the projectors are displaying Windows 7. Do you guys think in the future a phone will have enough nuts to run a VM of Windows on a Linux device or do you think its more likely that the phone will be connecting to a remote desktop? I think the later will be more likely.

So what happens when there remote system goes down. With Internet speeds getting faster and faster I don't find it unlikely that a person would use there home system on there mobile device, hell I do it now. I have Teamviewer and logmein both on my iphone.

I think the cloud is a long shot at this point. I can see the benefit but most home users that I discuses it with are not keen on the idea of there data stored in cyberspace. Connectivity has years before it will even reach a point to where it will be feasible. I personally think many company's are counting there chickens before they hatch. Because of the horrible connectivity in this country I think many of the cloud research that is going on now is going to crash and burn when it finally hits the market and it will make the development slow down out of fear of whether we are ready or not.


BTW I still hella want that phone.

 

[bigcuedaddy]

Adapt or die, that's probably going to be the MO in the near future.

Basing your entire operations on computer REPAIR is asking for trouble. Web apps, cloud data storage, training, networking..... that's what is coming up for the time being (until it changes again in a few years). If your company can be a leader in your community in these changing technologies, you will do well.

Honestly, I started my company with repair as a very secondary operation, something to establish cash flow fairly reliably so I could build on my focus of training and personal/SMB customer technology consulting. They all go hand-in-hand; however as time goes on the repair aspect becomes less critical, and the consulting and problem-solving aspect grows.

Long term, if you're still dependent on replacing PSUs and hard drives, you may want to re-think your strategy.

 

[ATTech]

I think the cloud is a long shot at this point. I can see the benefit but most home users that I discuses it with are not keen on the idea of there data stored in cyberspace.

Do they have a broadband internet connection? If so, it's already in Cyberspace. What makes data any more accessible if it's on IP address 85.69.122.5 rather than 46.85.23.155? If anything, you can argue that your data is more secure because the companies that store the data will be using commercial level encryption and security.

 

[bigcuedaddy]

Whats comical is that these same people who claim they arent comfortable with storing their data in the cloud are the same people who regularly give out all their personal information on Facebook

 

[Farnsworth]

CES 2011: Microsoft shows future Windows running on ARM chip.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...icrosoft_shows_future_windows_running_on.html

 

[ATTech]

Behold:
http://mozillalabs.com/conceptseries/2010/09/23/seabird/

Better yet, a working soon-to-be-released one:
http://www.mobileburn.com/gallery.jsp?Id=12409

 

[bagellad]

These threads always have a lot of assumptions.

- That customers will know how to backup their own data... that is what.. 5%-10% of customers currently ?

- That customers want to spend the time to fix the issue. I have lots of customers who tell me they are ok with computers but they don't have the time to spend hours surfing google looking for the right thing. I get a lot of work from customers AFTER they tried to fix their computer as well.

- That the price drop in computers is substainable - Eventually if the price is low enough, the manufacturers wont be able to offer a years warranty anymore. Frankly most of those warranty's involve waiting a month and having to pay for shipping already. Eventually some sort of expensive disposal fee is going to be attached to all electronics due to e-waste.

It also assumed Resources are going to stay cheap. They wont. China is already cutting production of those rare earth magnets and prices are going up.

-That Viruses wont keep you in business. Is the customer going to be able to transfer their files when their files are infected? Viruses will get around whatever defense system exists, then they need us.

-But customers will have everything on the web bagellad!! Most ISPS charge for bandwidth, most customers wouldnt want to use up their bandwidth qouta organizing their photo albums.

-That people want to set up new computers... Reinstall all their programs, get their shortcuts back right.. get their favorites back.
Oh Wait maybe all the customers will have image software setup and just reimage their computers when they have a problem ? Try to teach a customer how images work, and how they can do it themselves and the only thing you will get is someone ****** at you because they imaged over their new data.

Oh well they might not have that, but they can just use puppy Linux and backup everything..

Yeah.. most customers are going to pop in a puppy Linux cd np right? The same people who never, ever burn their recovery cds ?

I could go on. A computer isn't just a washer or dryer. I havn't seen to many people cry over their washer when I told them their clothes inside were ruined when the washer died.
(well i mean ive never seen that I dont really deal with washer repair, but you know what I mean).

 

[ATTech]

Most ISPS charge for bandwidth, most customers wouldnt want to use up their bandwidth qouta organizing their photo albums.

Not here in the states; the only caps I've seen are for mobile broadband.

 

[gunslinger]

These threads always have a lot of assumptions.

- That customers will know how to backup their own data... that is what.. 5%-10% of customers currently ?

- That customers want to spend the time to fix the issue. I have lots of customers who tell me they are ok with computers but they don't have the time to spend hours surfing google looking for the right thing. I get a lot of work from customers AFTER they tried to fix their computer as well.

- That the price drop in computers is substainable - Eventually if the price is low enough, the manufacturers wont be able to offer a years warranty anymore. Frankly most of those warranty's involve waiting a month and having to pay for shipping already. Eventually some sort of expensive disposal fee is going to be attached to all electronics due to e-waste.

It also assumed Resources are going to stay cheap. They wont. China is already cutting production of those rare earth magnets and prices are going up.

-That Viruses wont keep you in business. Is the customer going to be able to transfer their files when their files are infected? Viruses will get around whatever defense system exists, then they need us.

-But customers will have everything on the web bagellad!! Most ISPS charge for bandwidth, most customers wouldnt want to use up their bandwidth qouta organizing their photo albums.

-That people want to set up new computers... Reinstall all their programs, get their shortcuts back right.. get their favorites back.
Oh Wait maybe all the customers will have image software setup and just reimage their computers when they have a problem ? Try to teach a customer how images work, and how they can do it themselves and the only thing you will get is someone ****** at you because they imaged over their new data.

Oh well they might not have that, but they can just use puppy Linux and backup everything..

Yeah.. most customers are going to pop in a puppy Linux cd np right? The same people who never, ever burn their recovery cds ?

I could go on. A computer isn't just a washer or dryer. I havn't seen to many people cry over their washer when I told them their clothes inside were ruined when the washer died.
(well i mean ive never seen that I dont really deal with washer repair, but you know what I mean).

Lets take some of these things one by one.

- That customers will know how to backup their own data... that is what.. 5%-10% of customers currently

I have many customers that do that now. I'd say a few years ago it was maybe 10-20% now around 50-60% and climbing. As external hard drives and cloud storage get cheaper and easier and everyone seems to know someone who gives them free PC advice this # will only grow.

- That customers want to spend the time to fix the issue. I have lots of customers who tell me they are ok with computers but they don't have the time to spend hours surfing google looking for the right thing. I get a lot of work from customers AFTER they tried to fix their computer as well.

Some, in fact I'd say most already do try to fix the issues to save money. Most of the time when I'm called to a residence they have already tried to fix the problem and failed. Sometimes they get it right.

Eventually some sort of expensive disposal fee is going to be attached to all electronics due to e-waste.

Id say this is assuming a lot.

-That Viruses wont keep you in business. Is the customer going to be able to transfer their files when their files are infected? Viruses will get around whatever defense system exists, then they need us.

As more people find out about the Mac I get less and less called about viruses. In fact I have made the remark many times that if all of my customers suddenly made the switch I'd have to get another job.

-But customers will have everything on the web bagellad!! Most ISPS charge for bandwidth, most customers wouldnt want to use up their bandwidth qouta organizing their photo albums.

bandwidth will be cheaper as they fight for your business. 5 years ago the pitiful 10meg connection I have would have costs hundreds per month and was only for businesses. Now its nothing to see a res have a 25-30meg connection speed.

-That people want to set up new computers... Reinstall all their programs, get their shortcuts back right.. get their favorites back.
Oh Wait maybe all the customers will have image software setup and just reimage their computers when they have a problem ? Try to teach a customer how images work, and how they can do it themselves and the only thing you will get is someone ****** at you because they imaged over their new data.

Have you ever seen how time machine on the Mac works? You plug in a HDD and it just works. Starts backing up your data and is so dirt simple your granny could do it. I think this is the direction Windows will go in time also.

Not here in the states; the only caps I've seen are for mobile broadband.

Same here. I don't know anyone who has a bandwidth cap.

 

[bagellad]

Macs:

How do the mac service companies stay in business if they are infallible ? They break. Once theres enough people using mac the virus people will move to mac, you can use flash player etc. on mac so viruses are possible they just have to be creative.

Bandwidth: Comcast has a bandwidth limit, a quick google search reveals that. The point is, its a start. When people start to download all their shows the cable companies will raise their rates on bandwidth to make up the difference. Obviously I know more about the canadian market. Where some ISPs offer less then 20gb a month on their light package.

Customers: Who knows what they are doing. We live in different areas and i know your customers seem to be low income for the most part. There will always be a portion of people who dont want to do things. Being a Young healthy guy its hard for me to imagine paying someone to do my lawn cutting or snow shoveling but there are many successful businesses that do that.

These are just possible reasons to why the business will survive. Just like there are possible reasons the business will collapse.

 

[vdub12]

I could go on. A computer isn't just a washer or dryer. I havn't seen to many people cry over their washer when I told them their clothes inside were ruined when the washer died.
(well i mean ive never seen that I dont really deal with washer repair, but you know what I mean).

Well Said

Not here in the states; the only caps I've seen are for mobile broadband.

All satellite systems have caps.

 

[dbdawn]

Not here in the states; the only caps I've seen are for mobile broadband.

Most people here have either dialup, satellite (which have caps). Cable has a 50GB cap and broadband has not cap but it is so slow.

 

[PCmechanic]

I get a little threatened when I see easier, cheaper technology coming out but then I see how the average Joe responds to it and breathe a sigh of relief.

Whenever they make something more idiot-proof, people just become bigger idiots lol

 

[maclaptech]

Nowadays, that's about $250 / $350 for the box without peripherals for a half-decent PC and you get W7 as well! How much 10yrs ago for a decent PC? LOL.

$50 to $90 an hour repair costs (and I'm not talking commercial, but bread and butter home PC repairs)? Who are we kidding? As far as the future is concerned, nobody but ourselves.

The days of cheap PC are numbered. China is a super power and growing fast. As more and more Chinese workers demand better wages and energy prices increase, factories no longer can afford spewing out cheap parts. This will drive cost up for everything. It is only matter of time.