Posts by admin_name

By admin on Mar 15, 2013 in Tech Talk | 0 comments

So I did it, I’m officially “password organized”. I admit, I just made up that term but I’m finally on track with all of my passwords, completely organized and it feels great! This may sound like a rather trivial accomplishment but you would not believe how many of us are just all over the place with our passwords! Like most people I started with my passwords on a piece of paper. Oh joy, that’s secure. There they were, written on a sheet of paper next to my desktop (at the time). Now granted this was a number of years back when we really only had a few online passwords. Back then it was easy to keep track. You typically had one username that you stuck with and a standard password or two that you used with maybe some slight variations that were sort of easy to keep in your head. So I had just a handful of these written on my little tattered sheet of paper near my computer and it worked.  Then a few years passed. Facebook came along, then twitter, then google plus, then another email account, and a few more financial institutions, oh and don’t forget pinterest and tumblr and constant contact and passwords for my business and passwords for just personal accounts and passwords for things that I signed up for that I no longer really need but I haven’t gotten around to cancel. Well you get the idea.  I had to do something. The sheet of paper had turned into a lengthy list of cross outs and run on information so I opted to transfer everything to a password protected excel spreadsheet. There I had a number of columns. Web address, login info, password and a column for notes. I had been using this system for a number of years. I’d make copies of the electronic file so just in case it became corrupted I had a backup. I named it something inconspicuous, not “password sheet” of course, something a little more creative. Password protected the document and kept that on my machine. I felt pretty good. I had them organized, the information was there and all in one place. It wasn’t perfect but...

By admin on Mar 15, 2013 in External Hard Drive | 0 comments

Because an external hard drive (EHD) is a separate device from your computer, and is not housed in the protective case of the computer, some attention should be given to make sure that the device is well-taken care of. Here are a few pointers to make sure your device is kept in top-condition. 1. Keep dust and debris away from your external hard drive. You can use a soft clean cloth to remove dust from the surface of the EHD. Also, keep other surrounding surfaces free of dust. Vacuum floors and furniture often, to prevent dust build-up in the surrounding environment. 2. Choose a safe place for your EHD. The best place for an EHD is • Clean and dry • Flat • Stable • Moderate climate Coming in contact with other solid or liquid substances can damage and sometimes completely ruin electronic devices. This is just as true with an external hard drive as it is with any other gadget. So pick a place that is clean and dry, and is not likely to become wet or dirty. Hint: the kitchen table is probably not this place. Keep the device flat, rather than tilted or on its side. Also make sure that it is in a place that it will not be accidentally knocked onto the floor or bumped. To keep it in top shape, the climate for an EHD should not be in the extremes of temperature or humidity. Keep it away from heater or air conditioner vents, and away from humidifiers. 3. Use a surge protector. If your EHD requires its own power source, use a surge protector to prevent damage from power surges. 4. Don’t move your EHD while it is turned on. Moving it around while it is in use can cause damage. 5. Keep it ventilated. You don’t necessarily need to keep a fan blowing on it, but make sure that it has plenty of open space around it for the air to flow freely around it to prevent it from overheating. Keeping it in an enclosed cabinet can cause it to overheat. Also, don’t let it get covered with cloth or plastic or anything else. 6. Keep out of reach of children....

By admin on Mar 13, 2013 in Java | 0 comments

Java has certainly received its share of fanfare over the past few months. When we speak of Java, we are not talking about your morning cup of coffee. Java is a common protocol on almost every Windows computer and is an essential element for many websites and games. A security flaw in the software could allow a hacker to infect your system and under the right circumstances, gain control of a machine. The key phrase here is “under the right circumstances”. Like most security holes, and they are a dime a dozen, all the ingredients must come together to get all the bad effects. Oracle, the company that produces Java, was at first slow in getting the required updates out there to fix the flaw but as of late, the updates have been rolling in and if you use the default security settings, you will have good protection from an unwanted bug. Although Java has been given a primary focus as of late, security flaws also exist in Adobe Reader, Flash and other software as well. I believe that many times when we get infected it is due to our own actions when we go to risky or unknown sites, especially those related to shopping or games. Often times this will happen when we are looking for software to protect our very own machines! Many antivirus sites are actually fake but can look a lot like the real thing. Care must be taken when searching for antivirus software to be sure you are on an official site. The new Java update includes a feature that allows us to run or not run an application. When you are on a known good site, if you put a tic next to the box that says “not to ask about this page again”, your computer will remember the option and not bug you every time you open that page. If you are on a free game site or an unknown shopping site, it is probably best to click the NO button to not allow Java to run. By careful surfing and maintaining a good antivirus program, I have been able to remain virus free for the last 8 years. That is with using Java...

By admin on Mar 12, 2013 in Tablets | 2 comments

I say no way. Ok so I’m hitting you up front with my opinion. Count to ten and take a deep breath before you respond. Let’s think about this a little more. While it’s true, it would be wonderful never to have to lug another heavy notebook through the airport. My favorite part is taking it out of its case, and putting it through the imaging detector, always wondering if my data will be there on the other side. Ironically, the very component that makes notebooks cumbersome is the one thing that we’re drawn to. A larger screen size. Now it’s true, I would be truly lost without my tablet. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been able to show clients images that I’ve created, found the closest coffee shop when it’s freezing out on the streets of New York, or been able to share precious videos with family and friends. I’ve also given valuable data and feedback on tablet kiosks. Just recently while leaving a medical appointment I had opportunity chance to share my experience on a tablet as I left the facility. From customer surveys, to valuable data collection in the field for scientists, as well as payment acceptance for the small business owner. Tablets have become an invaluable tool! However, is this enough for this device to pull ahead and replace the notebook? I’m still not sold. In addition to physical limitations there are huge software issues. Not that the tablet doesn’t function well, very rarely does my tablet “crash”. It’s just that the software I need is just not available. There are a handful of applications that are necessary for me to run my business and they’re just not made for the tablet. I’ve heard this from a number of other individuals as well. This seems to be the one point that keeps some people from purchasing a tablet altogether. The software is just not there yet. Sure, there are zillions apps for this and that, but are they the ones that we use day in and day out to fit our business needs?  Unfortunately the answer is a resounding no. There are some physical limitations as well. When you are typing on...

By admin on Mar 11, 2013 in Windows 8 | 2 comments

Windows 8 has proven to be a challenge for Microsoft to get people to think of it as the best operating system on the planet. Although the majority of new computers offer it as the main operating system, many consumers are doing whatever it takes to place Windows 7 on those brand new laptops.   Windows 8 has been referred to by some as the new Vista. Vista was the operating system that replaced XP and was short lived because of the large amount of bugs that it contained. Windows 7 was rushed to completion to offset Vista and it remains a very stable and great Operating System. With the stability and user friendliness of Windows 7, it is no wonder that everybody still craves it. Windows XP and Windows 7 remain the 2 best operating systems that Microsoft has ever created. XP still has a strong foothold on the operating system market as millions of people still use it, including myself.   The other day I was looking over some forums and customer reviews for some major brand computers and laptops. I saw a lot of great reviews for the machines but many, many posts simply stated that they hated Windows 8. In the coming months I would like to see more computer manufacturers offering “downgrade disks” so consumers can install Windows 7 if they so choose. Manufacturers are not going to be able to sell their products if they do not offer what the customer wants. The choice to use Windows 8 or 7 should be implemented as a norm. If I walk into a store and all I see is Windows 8, I turn around and leave.   Windows 8 was originally designed as an operating system to use with a touch screen phone or tablet. It was then thought that instead of creating two operating systems; why not combine it into one. That is why the famous “start menu” is missing from Windows 8. This is quite possibly one of the biggest complaints of the users. There are numerous add ons you can get to replicate it but they are nothing like what you find if you use Windows 7 or even XP for that...