Why do printers trigger so many problems? How many times have you hit “print” only to see your printer sit mutely, nothing happening? Fortunately, PCMag writer Tony Hoffman recently took a look at the most common printing problems and how to resolve. Follow Hoffman’s tips and you might spend less time cussing out your printer.

No Printing

So, what happens if your printer won’t print? Hoffman advises first that you make sure that your printer is still connected with your computer. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised. It’s also possible that your printer’s driver may have been corrupted and needs to be reinstalled.

Low-Ink Warnings

Printer ink is pricey, and it seems that printers drink the stuff by the barrel. But what if your computer tells you that your printer is low on ink but you can still print? Hoffman says keep printing; warning levels vary greatly in accuracy. You may as well suck as much ink out of your printer as you can.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi printing is convenient, but not if the computer and printer are communicating slowly. This can make your print jobs frustratingly lethargic. Hoffman recommends that you place your printer as close to your router as is possible. Also, make sure that your router is powerful enough to take care of Wi-Fi printing at a high speed.

Does your business need an Xbox One? Will the new gaming console make your office a more productive one? These might seem like odd questions. After all, the Xbox One is for gamers. But as PC World writer Christopher Null states in a recent story, Microsoft is pitching its new video-game console as a business tool in addition to a gaming system.

A Business Tool?

According to Null, Microsoft isn’t joshing when it claims that the Xbox One, which retails for $499, should be “entirely justifiable” as a business expense. In a blog post, Microsoft offers some research that businesses can benefit from buying the console.

Get it for Skype?

Here’s Microsoft’s argument: Businesses can use the Xbox One to hold video conferences through Skype. Plus they could also use the system’s SkyDrive support to keep presentations on the machine.

Too Costly?

Of course, it’s uncertain that these features justify the nearly $500 cost of the Xbox One. That’s a lot of cash for a business to plunk down. Does it add up for your company? Maybe it depends on whether your employees really like their video games.

The special day for fans of the Windows XP operating system comes April 8 of 2014. That’s when Microsoft will no longer offer support for the much-loved operating system. Microsoft, of course, wants users to upgrade to one of the company’s more recent operating systems. But in a recent story, InformationWeek writer Kevin Casey states that business owners are reluctant to change.

Why the love?

Why is this? It’s simple. Business owners and their workers like Windows XP. The operating system is very effective and is largely bug-free. As reported by the InformationWeek story, a stunning total of 37 percent of PCs still run XP.

Not dead yet

By denying service starting in April of 2014, Microsoft hopes to change this. The objective from the company? Get more users buying the company’s newer operating systems, such as Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Your Business

As a business owner, what should you do? If you truly love XP, you might be able to carry on using the system. The only challenge? You won’t receive any support from Microsoft. A good alternative could be to invest in Windows 7. This operating system has won solid reviews, unlike Windows 8. It could be a good option for XP fans.

You’ve likely heard how the PC is dead. Consumers are buying tablets and smartphones, but they are skipping new desktop computers. Well, ITworld is here to inform you that the rumors of the PC’s death have been overblown.

Bad Signs?

Those expecting the end of the PC era point out HP’s decision to leave the business as evidence that the PC is on its deathbed. Others quote Steve Jobs who before his death likened PCs to trucks: We needed trucks when we lived a rural lifestyle. But now that more people live in cities, trucks aren’t as important.

Work

But ITworld doesn’t agree, even with Jobs. First, it points out that the leading vehicle sold in the United States every year is the Ford F150 pickup. That, obviously, is a truck. People purchase trucks because they need to get work done. And that is also why they buy PCs.

The Importance of Work

Tablets are ideal for lots of things. They’re not great, though, for people who need to get real work done. It’s quite difficult typing a report on a tablet. It’s a chore to use tablets to produce spreadsheets or slideshows. But PCs? That’s the sort of work at which these machines excel. And, as ITworld argues, until we don’t need to work anymore we’ll need our PCs.

Tired of returning to work after a vacation to see an inbox packed with messages? It is possible to avoid this. You’ll simply need a willing helper at work and some planning.

Helper

Jonathan Feldman, a contributing editor at InformationWeek, recommends you get a friend where you work that will be willing to read through your e-mails while you’re out. It is a big job, so you’ll probably have to agree to do the same when they are on vacation. Nothing, after all, is free of charge.

Before your trip

Before you go on vacation, inform your most frequent e-mailers that you’re going and that your helper will be managing your e-mail while you’re gone. Feldman emphasizes you’ll want to make sure these senders understand that another person will be reading their messages.

An organized inbox

Next, create e-mail rules so that your messages go straight to your helper when you are gone. Also send the e-mails to a new folder called “vacation.” When you return, your helper should have placed your e-mails into specific categories. And if you require further explanation, you can just find e-mail messages in your “vacation” folder.