Blog
The era of the PC isn’t as over as you might think
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September 7, 2013
You may think the PC era is just about over if you believe everything you read in the tech media. After all, the sales numbers for tablets are soaring. The numbers for PCs aren’t quite as impressive. But ITworld in a recent story made a convincing case versus the naysayers. The PC isn’t dead, ITworld argued. The truth is, it’s doing just fine.Job’s Quote Those anticipating the end ... read more |
Windows 8.1 unlikely to solve the OS’ problems
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August 24, 2013
Don’t like Windows 8? Well, you might not like Windows 8.1 — Microsoft’s effort to tweak the operating system — either. That’s because, as New York Times tech writer David Pogue writes, the new version of Windows 8 doesn’t resolve the biggest weaknesses in the operating system.Start still missing In his preview of Windows 8.1 — Microsoft’s effort to enhance ... read more |
Why Office Mobile isn’t a good investment
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August 21, 2013
Excited that Microsoft has finally created a mobile version of its Office suite for the iPhone? Control your excitement. As Jill Duffy, a tech reviewer for PCMag.com writes, Microsoft’s Office Mobile is probably not worth the money.Subscription required Duffy’s greatest issue with Office Mobile is its cost. To access the app, you will need to take out at least a $99 yearly subscription to Microsoft ... read more |
Avoiding the e-mail crush following a vacation
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August 20, 2013
Everyone needs a vacation. But coming back isn’t always fun, especially not when you’re greeted by an e-mail inbox that is so stuffed it will take days to go through it. Happily, you are able to take steps to make sure that your e-mail inbox is clean and orderly when you get back. You’ll just need a really good friend in the office.Help from your friends Jonathan Feldman, a contributing ... read more |
There’s another alternative for those mourning Google Reader
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August 7, 2013
Google Reader, the favourite news reader of millions, died earlier this year. But Reader fans can rejoice: There’s a replacement for Google Reader available today. And, according to PCMag.com writer Jill Duffy, it’s a very good one.A worthy successor Digg, a community news voting site, seemed like an odd choice to develop its own RSS reader. But the company did just that, debuting Digg Reader ... read more |
A 24-hour charging solution
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August 2, 2013
Charging your smart phones is a pain. You frequently forget to plug them in before you go to sleep. Inevitably, when you forget, you’re left with no your smart phone when you need it most. Fortunately, we have a solution to this, the Duracell Powermat 24-Hour Power System.Portable power The Powermat charges iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones for 24 hours without forcing you to depend upon cords you ... read more |
Why tech-less meetings should be your goal
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August 1, 2013
Tired of your staff checking email in your meetings? Irritated that your workers waste time logging onto Facebook while you’re talking about company strategies? You’re not alone. Laptops, smartphones and tablets are fantastic tools. Even so technology can play havoc with your company meetings.The Solution Because of this Jake Knapp, design partner at Google Ventures, writes in a recent post ... read more |
Protecting your smartphone from disaster
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July 27, 2013
What’s the very first thing that runs through your mind after you’ve dropped your smartphone? Probably not be printable, right? If you’ve purchased a smartphone case which uses the latest in protection technology, your first thoughts after dropping your phone can be clean enough to publish in a family newspaper. That’s because the latest cases designed for smartphones do a significantly better ... read more |
Monitoring your employees: No easy answers
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July 19, 2013
As the owner of a small business, you now have the technology available to find out what Web sites your workers visit while sitting at their desks. You are able to monitor how they use Twitter and Facebook. You can even tap into their smart phones to find out where they physically are throughout the day. But just because you can do this, it doesn’t mean you should.Privacy matters Thomas Claburn, ... read more |
Is your business website missing the essentials?
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July 13, 2013
Do you have the suspicious feeling that your business’ website is turning off your customers? Maybe your site is difficult to find, with a domain address that doesn’t make sense. Maybe your customers can’t immediately tell what your business sells when they log onto the site. Maybe they can’t find your contact info or your list of goods and services. Whatever the reason, your business website ... read more |
Turning off the tech
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July 5, 2013
Our gadgets make life easier. Now you can get the address of that new Caribbean restaurant with your smartphone. You can instantly tell all your friends about your new job through Twitter and Facebook. If you don’t have enough time to watch the news, you can read it en route to work on your tablet. But occasionally our gadgets distract us from the “real” world. And sometimes they decrease our productivity. ... read more |
Gadget freak who loves to cook? There’s a site for you
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July 5, 2013
Do you favor cooking in your own home to eating out? And when you cook, do you turn to the latest gadgets to make whipping up dinner a less difficult task? Then the Web site The Sweethome may just be your new hangout. Found at www.thesweethome.com, the website features an extensive set of reviews for any kitchen gadget you can imagine.The Best-of The site’s most exciting feature? Its best-of lists. ... read more |
Be smart. Back up your Evernote notebooks
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June 30, 2013
Evernote is a great tool for saving important information. Whenever you store notes, videos, photos and other documents in an Evernote notebook, not only is the info saved on your computer, tablet or smart phone, it’s also saved in Evernote’s servers. However, the tech site How-To Geek offers this warning: This isn’t really enough data security. Fortunately, How-To Geek also lets you know how you can ... read more |
Windows restarts don’t have to be automatic
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June 21, 2013
Windows is a living thing: It downloads updates frequently. That’s good, particularly when these updates include important anti-virus protections created to keep your computer safe. There is however an annoying side effect with these updates: Windows wants to restart your computer after every update.No more automatic restarts As Lifehacker says, the restarts are an aggravation. Nobody likes seeing ... read more |
Should your business accept Bitcoin payments?
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June 21, 2013
Bitcoins have generated big press lately. And why not? They’re a virtual means for people and businesses to pay one another on the Internet. As Entrepreneur Magazine explains in a newly released story, these virtual coins are traded between people online with no trace being remaining. These virtual coins also don’t pass through any banks or financial institutions. And this raises the big question: Should ... read more |
Never lose power with these external battery packs
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June 16, 2013
What’s more annoying than watching your smartphone or laptop slowly but steadily run out of power as you travel? Thankfully, you don’t have to endure this. That’s because external battery packs let you plug virtually any tablet, smartphone or laptop computer into them. The battery packs power your dying devices. But which external battery pack to pick? The Lifehacker Web site asked its readers to rank ... read more |
Forget the bad press; Windows still the best OS
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June 7, 2013
Quick: Name the most effective desktop operating system currently available. Did you say Windows 8? If not, PC World writer Brad Chacos would like to debate you. He recently wrote that Windows 8, despite its well-publicized problems, ranks as the best desktop OS today. This goes against the trend, obviously, with a long line of critics slamming Windows 8 frequently in the tech press. Is Chacos right? Is Windows 8 unfairly ... read more |
What is your business’ cybersecurity plan?
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June 5, 2013
Here’s a statistic that should frighten the owners of small businesses. According to a recent story by Entrepreneur Magazine – the magazine cited data from tech security company Symantec – companies with one to 250 employees were the victim of 30 percent of all cyber crimes in 2012. What makes this statistic important? It provides proof that small businesses who don’t create a cybersecurity plan ... read more |
Is the MacBook Pro really the best Windows laptop?
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June 5, 2013
Want to get the laptop that best runs Windows software? Then you might have to invest in a 13-inch MacBook Pro. At least that’s the advice from PC services company Soluto, which recently ranked Windows laptops. Yes, it is strange that the best-performing Windows laptop is in fact made by Microsoft’s big rival, Apple.The Report Tech Web site CNET recently documented on Soluto’s findings. ... read more |
Are Microsoft’s new logos too simplistic?
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May 30, 2013
What does Microsoft have to do to avoid criticism? The company introduced the Windows 8 operating system as a way to appeal to fans of both traditional keyboard-and-mouse-based computing and those that preferred touch-screen technology. So what happened? So far, the experiment has blown up in Microsoft’s face, with a lot of critics pointing to the failure of Windows 8 as one rationale why PC sales are so sluggish. ... read more |
Living Social password breach should change your bad online habits
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May 25, 2013
Do you use one password to log into a couple of Web sites? Do some of these sites contain important personal and financial details about you? If so, then you’re placing yourself in serious danger. Not convinced? Then check out tech Web site ars technica’s recent story on a password breach at daily deal Web site LivingSocial.com.A LivingSocial.com breach According to the story, LivingSocial.com ... read more |
Guilty of these bad tech habits?
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May 25, 2013
No one is perfect. Everyone has bad habits. Some people smoke. Some eat in our cars. A few write e-mail messages in all capital letters. Here’s the good news, though. In regards to technology, it’s not too difficult to recognize our bad habits and break them. PCWorld magazine recently ran a list of the most common bad tech habits. Take a look at these tech mistakes. Do you suffer from some of these bad tech ... read more |
Hackers love the iPhone
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May 16, 2013
Do you rely on your iPhone to keep in touch with friends, surf the Internet, update your Facebook page and watch movies? Then you ought to be wary of cyber crimes. Business Insider recently delivered the alarming news that Apple iPhones are the most often hacked mobile devices. And most surprising? iPhones are the most frequent victims of hackers by a large margin.The most hacked Business Insider reports ... read more |
Think all LCD monitors are the same? Think again
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May 11, 2013
It’s time to get a new LCD computer monitor. Your first notion is to go down to the local electronics or department store to buy the biggest monitor you can find at the most reasonable price. That seems like a good idea. But there’s in fact more to buying a computer monitor than price and size. Manufacturers provide a number of monitor types. And not all types are ideal for you. The lesson here? Don’t ... read more |
How much protection does your phone’s passcode really provide?
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May 8, 2013
Hackers are becoming increasingly clever when it comes to gaining access to the data stored on smart phones. And hackers are accomplishing this even when consumers protect their phones with lock-screen passcodes. As a recent story on the Lifehacker technology Web site says, passcodes never have been a completely foolproof way to secure your smart phone. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to better defend your ... read more |
Tackle these IT projects to grow your business this year
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May 5, 2013
You want your small business to grow in 2013. You have dreams of reaching new revenue records and increasing your staff. You would perhaps love to add new locations. So how will you achieve this growth? You might consider looking at IT. Tackling the right tech projects can make your small business more efficient and provide your employees with the tools they need to snag more clients and sell more . The following are ... read more |
Don’t strain your eyes while at work
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May 5, 2013
How long do you spend staring at computer screens at work? You most likely don’t wish to know. But your eyes are undoubtedly suffering from it. The everon blog recently covered the important issue of eyestrain. According to the story, workers who spend too much time looking into screens can suffer watery, dry or blurry eyes. They might also suffer from headaches, an inability to focus and an increased sensitivity ... read more |
You can easily share your screen with iOS
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May 3, 2013
Tablets come with a number of advantages: They’re incredibly portable. Their screens are sharp. And they allow us to send and receive e-mail messages, scan the Web and watch movies whether we’re sitting on a train or huddled in our favorite public library. Yet they’re not perfect. For one thing, sharing your screen with a tablet is a hassle, right? Maybe not. Miguel Leiva-Gomez, a writer for the smallbiz ... read more |
You can protect your privacy
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April 27, 2013
Do you have nightmares of your tablet computer falling into the hands of cyber thieves? Perhaps you agonize that a hacker will get into your online bank account. These fears are warranted. It’s increasingly difficult for all of us to protect our privacy in today’s Internet age. The good news? There are some very simple actions you can take to make it much less likely that your personal information could be ... read more |
Why did Google Reader have to die?
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April 24, 2013
Are you lamenting the announced death of Google Reader? If that’s the case, you’re not alone. Google recently announced that it is shutting down its RSS reader on July 1. The reason behind Google’s decision seems sensible: Reader was losing users. It was not an expanding service. Nonetheless, the death of Reader presents some interesting questions, both for consumers and Google. The main one? What’s ... read more |
Stop hackers with two-factor authentication
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April 19, 2013
Passwords aren’t good enough anymore. That’s been proven often by hackers, who crack passwords to get into the internal Web sites, computers, devices and online bank accounts of small companies across the country. Fortunately, Biztech Magazine has advice: Business owners can take steps to prevent the security holes of passwords. They can guard their Web sites and devices with two-factor authentication. Such ... read more |
Spending big on tech this year? You’ll qualify for a big tax break
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April 13, 2013
Can your business thrive if you’re using outdated technology? Probably not. You need current technology these days to engage with your clients and customers, assess sales trends and more efficiently handle everything from accounting to payroll. Thankfully, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 includes a hefty tax break for small businesses that invest in new technology. Here’s a brief look from BizTech ... read more |
Small steps the best ones to stem a cyber attack
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April 13, 2013
Here’s what attracts cyber attackers: easy targets. This means that you can leave your small business open to a cyber attack if you don’t secure your company’s Wi-Fi systems with passwords or if you trust in passwords that are absurdly simple to guess. In a recent story detailing steps that small business owners can take to secure themselves from cybercrimes, Entrepreneur Magazine suggests that you ... read more |
Why is Evernote growing so quickly?
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March 30, 2013
Can a cult develop around an organization app? In the case of Evernote, the five-year-old note-taking and organization application that’s growing with remarkable speed, the answer is an absolute “yes.” Evernote has drawn a growing base of devoted fans, fans willing to spread the word about this application for free, fans that would never think of using any other note-taking software, according to a ... read more |
Making the switch from iPhone to Android
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March 30, 2013
The iPhone continues to be the dominant smartphone in the industry. That does not mean, though, that everyone loves it. In fact, Android smartphones are siphoning several users from the world of iPhones. Andy Ihnatko is but one such user. And he’s a significant user. He’s a tech writer, so he knows what makes for a superior smartphone. So his swap means something. Happily, he’s written all about it ... read more |
Turn off Java to protect your computer
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March 25, 2013
Want to protect your computer from hackers? Slate writer Will Oremus has some straightforward advice: Disable Java. The problem? Hackers have had an easy time of late finding holes in Java’s browser plug-in. Just last year, you’ll remember, the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about Java’s security issues. This February, another Java weakness left what Oremus says is hundreds of millions ... read more |
Email manners matter
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March 22, 2013
Email can become overwhelming. It clogs up our inboxes and slows us down. Sometimes, we pound out responses as quickly as possible to clear out our inboxes, giving little consideration to whatever we are writing. This is unfortunate. There is a certain etiquette we really should follow when sending e-mails. When we forget to mind our social manners, we could end up insulting or confounding the recipients of our e-mail ... read more |
