TMS Pain Free IT Technology Blog

Hard Drive Prices Rising

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:53:00 GMT

While the massive flooding in Thailand ravaged hundreds of thousands worth of property and infrastructure, it also has had an adverse effect on worldwide hard drive production. Since the majority of the world’s hard drive factories are located in Thailand, hard drives will be in short supply in the coming months.

In the same way the massive earthquake and tsunami damaged Japan's electronics industry, the flood crisis in Thailand is causing concern for companies that require hard drives for production.

The majority of the world's hard drives are produced in factories located in Thailand, where the flood crisis has put a damper on many industries, hard drive producers included.

According to reports, the shortage is already driving hard drive costs up and may just be the beginning of that trend. As companies like Hewlett Packard respond to the situation, the outlook remains unclear. PC sales could be affected well into 2012 and beyond. With flooding still an issue for some producers the shortage could expand.

As of now, there is still no concrete solution in sight for the problem with the supply of hard drives in the world, and while reconstruction efforts in Thailand are ongoing, getting the hard drive industry on its feet will take a while. As for the effects on the computing world as a whole, PC prices will likely rise as pre-flood inventories are sold out and replacement stock is delayed.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

25 Worst Passwords of All Time

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:47:00 GMT

Passwords are an integral part of securing both IT systems and online accounts. In order to keep your system and information safe, it is important to take the time to create strong passwords that hackers and online thieves won't easily figure out.

If you think using 'password' as your password is no big deal, then it's time to rethink.

Security experts have recently compiled a list of the worst passwords users can choose, and 'password' is at the very top of the list. Weak passwords make your information more vulnerable simply because hackers can guess them. It may be easier to pick a password that you don't have to think about, but it's a choice that you may come to regret.

To help you avoid common password choice mistakes that users make, management application provider SplashData has compiled a list of the 25 worst passwords to use:

password
123456
12345678
qwerty
abc123
monkey
1234567
letmein
trustno1
dragon
baseball
111111
iloveyou
master
sunshine
ashley
bailey
passw0rd
shadow
123123
654321
superman
qazwsx
michael
football

Make a smart password choice: Experts advise using a combination of letters and numbers when creating your passwords, and to avoid things that anyone might be able to guess, such as birthdays and anniversary dates. Passwords with eight characters or more are safer and it's best to use different passwords for different accounts and websites. Use a password manager to help you keep track of all of your passwords if you're finding it difficult to remember them all..

No matter how sophisticated your security system is, a weak password gives hackers and online thieves an advantage. Helping all the users in your organization understand the importance of password strength will help you secure the IT systems in your organization.

If you're interested in learning more, please contact us so we can develop a comprehensive and custom security blueprint that meets your specific needs.

Reference: Worst Internet Passwords

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Balancing Freedom and Security

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:04:00 GMT

Security experts are predicting a rise in the use of personal gadgets to access company data – which means that you will have less control over what kind of data goes in and out of your IT system. The best way to rectify this is by having a concrete and comprehensive IT policy that secures your data – without compromising the freedom of your employees to use their mobile devices.

As technology continues to become more affordable and accessible to consumers, it's an inevitable fact that employers will see more and more of their employees using their own personal devices such as laptops and mobile phones to access the company's IT system.

This can be a dangerous thing. Since these devices aren't company owned and regulated, you have limited access and control over how they are used. Employees could download all sorts of malware and viruses on their devices and pass the infection along to your IT system when they access it.

The solution: a comprehensive IT security policy. It's important that you find a compromise between the freedom of the employee to use the device as desired and your need to keep your IT system safe from viruses and other threats to your data's security. Steps such as having employees run mobile device management (MDM) software on their devices is one of many actions you can take to lessen the risk of security breaches. You may also want to implement applications and software that check and screen for malware, both for laptops and mobile devices. And don't forget that while Android seems to have a bigger problem with malicious software, Apple isn't exactly virus-free, either.

Employees have a right to use their personal devices as they see fit, but not at the expense of important company information stored in your IT system. Running a tight ship in terms of security is an effective way to protect your business interests and your sensitive company data. If you are interested in knowing more about developing a concrete and effective IT security policy for personal device use as well as general system access, please don't hesitate to give us a call so we can sit down with you and discuss a custom security blueprint that's just right for you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Bumb Performance in Windows 7 by trimming startup programs

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:22:00 GMT

Does you windows 7 Computer run Slow? well you can increase the amount of RAM/ Memory you are using, Windows 7 32 bit needs a minimum of 1Gig and the 64 bit version needs a minimum of 2Gb. Learn how to increase your speeds even if you cant upgrade your memory. Learn several methods for investigating startup programs and eliminating some of them to improve performance. Read More

5 Benefits of Managed Services

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:47:00 GMT

With IT's ever-changing and ever evolving demands, it's important that businesses, especially those with fewer resources, be able to keep themselves up to date – and there's no better, more efficient, and more cost-effective solution than Managed Services.

Many large businesses prefer the use of Managed Services to meet their IT needs, but many smaller organizations continue to be skeptical of this solution. Here are five reasons that will make you think twice about dismissing Managed Services:

Managed Services help control costs. In any kind of business, it's important to be as cost-effective as possible. Especially in IT, where unbridled or poorly managed systems cost way more that they're worth, it's essential to have a system that works with your budget but doesn't compromise on quality. Managed Services is the most feasible and practical way to accomplish that, especially in the long term.

Managed Services help you deal with increasingly complex IT solutions. With both hardware and software components of IT systems constantly evolving, businesses with limited resources may very well find themselves left behind after a while. But with Managed Services, you are able to enjoy the advantages of the latest IT solutions at a fraction of the cost – enabling you to provide the best possible service to your clients.

Managed Services give you a better, more dependable IT infrastructure. Especially for smaller businesses, it can be tedious to maintain an in-house IT arm; and you run the risk of stretching resources too thinly, which can compromise the quality and output of your IT department. Managed Services allow you to have a stable and dependable IT arm that's dedicated to meeting your specific needs in a cost-effective manner.

Managed Services offer more comprehensive and complete IT solutions. More often than not, small and undermanned IT departments are more of a burden to the organization they belong to – errors are more likely to occur, response and problem solving is a slow process, and staff members are probably overworked and underpaid, making them both unhappy and less productive. Managed Services, on the other hand, are completely the opposite, allowing you to utilize efficient and comprehensive solutions that are tailor-made to fit your specific requirements.

Managed Services help you maintain compliance. With the marketplace becoming more and more competitive, meeting different regulatory compliances has become a fundamental need. From Sarbanes-Oxley to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), smaller companies can often find themselves lost. It's Managed Services that helps these companies not only fully understand the requirements of these regulations, but also comply with them.

If you want to know more about how Managed Services can directly benefit your day to day operations, please do not hesitate to give us a call – we'd be happy to sit down and discuss a custom solution that works for you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

1st look at Windows 8 - What do you think

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:08:00 GMT

Here is the first look at Windows 8. please share your thoughts inthe comment section below!

If you want to see what Jason Hiner of Tech Republic had to say you can check out his article here

Conduct better online searches with these tips

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:58:00 GMT

Sometimes it may seem impossible to find what you’re looking for when you’re performing an online search. One keyword may result in thousands of irrelevant results. These simple strategies will help you perform better searches and get more relevant results.

Keep it simple

When you’re performing online searches it is typically best to use as few words and phrases as possible, while still communicating what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a bookstore in your area, simply type in “bookstore” and add the name of your town or your zip code. This should give you accurate results that will likely be quite relevant.

Learn about Boolean

Boolean searches are something many of us know about, whether we know it or not. Basically, Boolean searches revolve around using the terms “and,” “not” and “or” in your searches. It lets you include or exclude several words and phrases from your search results.

You can also have the same effect by using simple pluses and minuses in your searches. If you would like to include a term in your search simply put a “ ” right before it in the search box. If you want to ensure that a certain term does not pop up in your results, place a “-“ before that word or phrase.

Be precise

When you’re performing a search, it’s best to be as exact as possible. If you know just what you’re looking for, use exact phrases instead of just keywords. When you use general phrases, they can often be misinterpreted by the search engine and leave you with results you don’t need.

Quotation marks are generally the international search engine symbol to search for an exact phrase. If you are looking for something specific, using quotation marks can help ensure that your results are more relevant.

These three tips can greatly affect the accuracy of your search results. You’ll spend less time sifting through website descriptions and pages of results, and more time getting the information you need.

If you’d like more advice on performing better online searches, check out this article.

Keep your employees inspired with these 4 ideas

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:40:00 GMT

Inspiring employees can sometimes be hard to do when you’re running a small business. Funds are often limited and there is not a lot of time to spare. Keeping your employees inspired, however, is vital to the success of your business.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to inspire employees that don’t include huge bonuses. A little creativity can go a long way in terms of showing employee appreciation. Here are a few great, simple ideas:

1. Ask for input

It means a whole lot to most employees to know that their thoughts and opinions are taken into account. By asking for input and implementing the best suggestions, you are showing them that you value their opinions and that they play a substantial role in the company.

2. Change it up

Sometimes boredom comes up when employees fall into a rut. By mixing up their projects and responsibilities, and allowing them to showcase their skills, you are likely to spark a little inspiration that wasn’t there before.

3. Focus on a great company culture

People who love their jobs often do because they feel their company is distinct from others. Companies that offer unique or fun perks often lure great employees and tend to keep their employees happy longer. Things like a game room in the office, where employees can go relieve a little frustration when need be, can go a long way in employee motivation.

4. Recognize people for a job well done

Working hard on something often feels like it was pointless if you are not recognized for doing it well. That’s why it is so important to show some sort of recognition for your employees to keep them working just as hard.

Although “employee of the month” programs may seem clichéd, they are in fact a great motivator. People enjoy being recognized for doing a good job and these programs are an easy, affordable way to do that.

Each of these techniques is a great way to motivate employees without breaking the bank. It is easy to lose motivation when there are no incentives to do well. Employing one of these options is a simple technique for avoiding employee burnout and keeping inspiration high.

For more examples of inexpensive employee motivators, check out this article.

Smartpens can help cause you to be more efficient – here’s how

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:32:00 GMT

Smartpens are a new office craze with ever-expanding possibilities. The capabilities of smartpens have grown a lot since the technology first came about, and they’re still increasing.

What the majority of smartpens do is capture the notes that you are writing down and convert them into a digital format. Additional possible capabilities, however, vary by brand and model.

IOGEAR Mobile Digital Scribe

This smartpen was the first on the scene. For that reason, it doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles that you may find in a newer model.

It does, however, do plenty of interesting things that make it a fantastic business tool. The Mobile Digital Scribe captures and stores all of your notes for later review. It doesn’t require you to write on a certain surface – a simple piece of paper will do. Also, if you link the smartpen to your computer, it can display your notes on the screen as you write them.

Logitech IO2 Digital Pen

The Logitech smartpen has a number of the basic functions that you may find in the Mobile Digital Scribe. It transcribes your notes and can save them in a range of different file types.

After you save them, you can search the files for words and phrases in order to help you scan notes more easily. You can search by date, file type and file name. Unlike the Mobile Digital Scribe, you cannot use any surface to record your notes with this smartpen – you must use Post-It notes or Franklin Covey’s iScribe software.

Livescribe Echo

The Livescribe Echo has far more functions than its counterparts. It not only transcribes your written notes into a PDF, it also records any audio and enables you to save that in a variety of different formats.

The Livescribe Echo now has a feature called Pencast, which plays back your audio and synchronizes it with the notes you took. You can play these Pencasts with your iPad, iPhone or iPod making the files super easy to share. This is great for anyone who wants to share the details of a meeting with their coworkers but doesn’t have the time to tell them about it or transcribe the entire thing.

Smartpens are a cool technology that is sure to keep becoming more popular in the office setting. They make it easier to become a more efficient worker with little effort.

If you’d like to take a look at a review of the Livescribe Echo, check out this Inc. article

Security tools for on-the-go protection

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:59:00 GMT

Sometimes it can be tricky to keep your belongings safe while you are on the go. The good news is, there are many tools that make it easier. Things like notebook locks and personal safes are incredibly handy and portable enough that you can take them with you wherever you go. These are some of the coolest devices that can help protect your things.

Laptop privacy screens

Privacy can be a major concern if you do a lot of work in public. Often, if your typeface is big enough for you to see it, it’s probably big enough for someone else to see it too. That’s what these privacy screens are for.

Anybody who is viewing your screen from an angle will have a dimmed, obstructed view that makes it hard for him or her to actually view any important information. You no longer have to hide screens or minimize them whenever you sense someone peeking.

Handheld paper shredder

Shredding documents is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to data security. Unfortunately, traditional paper shredders aren’t very portable, so it’s not so easy to do when you’re on the go. Handheld shredders make it easy to keep up with this simple security measure even when you’re not at home or in the office.

Mandylion Password Manager

Secure passwords are hard to come up with. Even when you do this, that password should only be used for one account so you have to do it yet again next time.

The Mandylion Password Manager creates solid, unique passwords for you and will manage up to 50 accounts. It boasts “military-grade password protection” that you can take with you anywhere.

Anyone who works outside of the office every once in awhile knows how tricky it can be to really secure your belongings as well as information. These tools, and others like them, make the security much easier to attain.

If you’d like to check out even more gadgets that can help you stay secure, check out this Mashable article.

3 tips for keeping your email inbox in order

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:30:00 GMT

Email is both a great convenience and a huge stressor for many of us. Our inboxes overwhelm us with messages, yet most of them are necessary. Fortunately, there are many techniques out there that can help make your inbox easier to handle. Here are a few of them:

Set up folders
Setting up folders or labels in your email client is an easy way to manage your inbox. Typically, you can set filters to categorize your emails automatically so that emails from certain addresses will go into a separate folder.

This makes it easier to figure out which emails need to be addressed immediately and which ones can be put off. Fortunately, most email clients and services make creating folders, labels or tags easy to do.

Enable conversation view
Enabling conversation (or “threaded”) view in your email client reduces the number of visible emails in your inbox. Emails that are related to one conversation will all be found under one “email” instead of taking up several spots in your inbox.

With conversation view, when you deal with one email in a conversation, you are taking care of them all – a straightforward solution to a cluttered inbox.

If it will take less than 5 minutes to address, deal with it right away
Many emails take lots of time and energy to really deal with. For those emails that don’t require much time, it is typically best to deal with it right away. Putting it off will only make it seem bigger than it is and create more stress than is necessary. As you address these emails right away more often they will become easier to deal with.

These are just a few easy techniques that can help make your inbox more manageable. There are many more tricks that are just as easy and can make a big difference in your everyday email habits.

For more tips on email management check out this Business Insider article.

Flash storage – what precisely is it?

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 05:17:00 GMT

Flash storage is something that is commonplace in many of our everyday lives, whether we are aware of it or not. Plenty of the gadgets we use on a daily basis, such as smartphones, and laptops, have flash storage built in.

What exactly is flash storage?

Flash storage is ideal for storing data and transporting it from one computer to another. Flash memory is a solid state storage device, meaning it is electronic, not mechanical like a data CD.

Other major features of flash storage include:

A non-volatile storage chip, meaning it doesn’t need a constant flow of power to maintain the information stored in the chip
There are no moving parts
Allows for easy electronic storage
Data can be easily erased and the device can be reprogrammed
Allows for quick access to data
Extreme durability, especially when coming in the form of a memory card

All of these features add to the convenience of flash storage and help make it a very popular option. It is especially great for mobile gadgets because of its durability. Most MP3 players and smartphones equipped with flash storage can be used as external hard drives if they can be plugged into a computer.

If you’re interested in learning more about flash storage, check out this article from HowStuffWorks.

How do search engines come up with their results?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:44:00 GMT

For most of us, online search engines are the first place we turn when we’re searching for information. We trust them to give us the most relevant results, but those results are not always consistent.

The reason for the inconsistency is the frequent evolution of the search algorithms employed by each search engine. Each search engine uses a unique algorithm that takes certain factors into account. So, how do Google and Bing’s algorithms compare?

Google

Google’s search algorithm has undergone a lot of changes in recent weeks. The biggest and most recent change to the algorithm is the suppression of results from what Google refers to as content farms.

Content farms are essentially websites that post copious amounts of information and articles that often aim to attract ad revenue and, in Google’s eyes, do not generate any valuable information. This includes sites like ezinearticles.com and associatedcontent.com.

Google is hoping that by tweaking its algorithm it will produce more relevant results of higher quality. The algorithm uses more human-like understanding to search the Web. Google is also searching the most recent Twitter activity to come up with real-time results.

Bing

Bing came onto the scene calling itself the “decision engine.” It was a play on the idea that most search engines give you results that you aren’t looking for, while Microsoft's Bing knows what you’re looking for and finds it.

Although Google has started to integrate more real-time results, Bing is a step ahead. Bing highlights listings that your friends have “liked” or shared on Facebook as well as gives the latest posts on the topic.

Searching using two different search engines can garner quite different results but, in most cases, the results will always be what that site deems relevant to you personally.

For more information on the latest changes to Google’s algorithm, check out this New York Times article.

The DEMO conference is here – the big trends in technology to look out for

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:50:00 GMT

The DEMO Spring conference is the “launchpad for emerging technology” and it is full of fantastic ideas. Social media is the primary theme of this week’s show, with three sessions entitled “Demofocus on social on media technologies.” These are some of the best ideas, social or otherwise that have emerged thus far:

Websense’s Defensio for Facebook

Defensio for Facebook helps companies that use the social network protect their information. It prevents unwanted content, spam and spyware. Since spam-riddled Pages and discussion threads are very unattractive to customers and prospects, it is best to keep your Page free of clutter.

Users are able to set preferences to prevent people from posting links to certain sites on your Page. You are also allowed to moderate posts on your Page’s wall.

Nimble

Nimble integrates with your email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts and allows you to see all your connections in one place. It lets you connect your contacts, calendars and communications in a single location. It allows you to monitor all of your interactions with people across multiple platforms.

The goal of Nimble is to make it less complicated for companies to engage their audience. Although it is already very useful, it will become even more so once it is integrated with more social networks.

mSignia’s Dynamic Device Identity

mSignia works on Android devices to make accessing cloud services much easier. It brings an extra level of security to mobile devices while simultaneously eliminating the need to enter passwords every time you log in to a cloud service.

If you stop using that device, there’s no need to worry. mSignia eliminates all of the credentials associated with your accounts so that your information can no longer be accessed from that device.

All of these products, along with many others being presented at DEMO are sure to make business processes faster and simpler

The top ideas emerging from TED 2011

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:44:00 GMT

The TED Conference, taking place this week, unites people from the worlds of technology, entertainment and design. TED lets people from these three fields display their knowledge and ideas, and provides them with only 18 minutes to do so.

The conference, happening this week, is full of great presenters and ideas. These are just a few of them.

Ford Motor Company

Population growth is an issue that Ford is starting to prepare for. Based on projections, the number of cars on the road will go from 800 million to 2-3 billion in the next 40 years. Ford thinks it has a plan to deal with the issue.

Ford predicts that cars in the future will “talk to each other.” Ford’s SYNC technology is the first version of the connected car technology and it is already used in 3 million vehicles. SYNC performs many functions. Among them: 911 Assist, real-time traffic updates, and Vehicle Health Reports.

Ford sees the future iterations being even more robust, with cars being able to re-route you based on real-time traffic information being transmitted from other cars.

Bluefin Labs

Bluefin Labs co-founder Deb Roy’s presentation was centered on the round-the-clock surveillance of his house during his son’s first 90,000 hours. The company created machine-learning systems that traced and analyzed his son’s learning process.

Bluefin Labs hopes to expand this technology to study things such as how audiences react to television advertisements and other forms of media. Using this technology, they are already looking at Twitter, Facebook and blog posts to help big ad agencies understand how their television advertisements resonate with online audiences.

The technology, if used properly, could potentially help all sorts of businesses to better understand their impact on their audiences and build better relationships.

These companies are just two of the many who presented great ideas this year. If you’d like to check out some of the other stars of TED 2011, check out this Inc. article.

Spam levels are quickly declining

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:57:00 GMT

Spam in the form of email has seen a drastic decline in the last few months. One report shows a fall from 200 billion spam messages being sent each day in August to only 50 billion per day in December. It’s hard to say precisely why this has happened, but there are a few ideas.

Inactive botnets

Botnets are networks of infected computers that are responsible for most of the world’s spam. Three of the major botnets that were accountable for much of the global spam saw a huge decrease in activity at the end of 2010.

Generally, when botnets stop producing spam it is due to a temporary disruption in the network, but at least one of the three major botnets still seems to be intact. It could be that the people running the networks are just deciding to stop spamming, for whatever reason.

Anti-spam campaigns

Spammers like to see profit as the primary result of their efforts. When their profits start to decline, their motivation seems to disappear.

Anti-spam campaigns can really restrict the profitability of spammer networks. Recently, there has been a huge rise in anti-spam campaigns around the world, which has seriously disrupted these networks and caused many of them to close.

Other outlets

It could very well be that spam seems to be declining but is really just becoming more prevalent in outlets aside from email. Twitter and Facebook are becoming increasingly common media for spam distribution.

These are all logical theories behind the decline of email spam. However, nobody can be certain as to what specifically is causing it. For more information on the topic, check out this BBC News article.

How dangerous is unplugging a USB device without ejecting it?

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:29:00 GMT

Imagine you’ve plugged your thumb drive into your computer to upload a video of your child’s first steps. The file was downloaded successfully, so you unplug it without thinking. In an instant, you corrupted all the data on the drive including the video. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to transpire if you take the proper steps to removing a USB device.

Most people will tell you to never unplug your device prior to ejecting it, even though most of us have done that without any consequences. There are risks, however.

One of two things may happen if you remove the device before ejecting it:

1.Nothing. Your data will remain unchanged and you will cause no harm to the USB device or to the computer

2.The device can become corrupted, along with all its contents. This is sometimes reparable, but can be extremely frustrating nonetheless

Although many people can just unplug their devices without causing any harm, it is still best to eject it first to avoid the inconvenience of lost data that is always a possible consequence.

For a guide to quickly and easily ejecting your devices check out this article.

How to find the ideal desk height

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:49:00 GMT

If you’re in the market for a new desk, there is one critical factor you should consider before buying: desk height. Many people overlook this but keeping it in mind may be the key to your everyday comfort.

Ergonomically correct office furniture can ward off chronic strain. Not to mention, the additional comfort can help make you more productive.

In order to make sure a desk is the ideal height for you, you should:

Sit down in the position you’d be in while using the desk
Rest your arms at your sides
Bend your elbow at a 90 degree angle keeping your upper arms in line with your torso

If the desk is a good height for you, your hands should rest comfortable on its surface. For minor adjustments, look into using an adjustable chair or a desk with a pullout keyboard drawer.

Selecting the right desk is an easy way to help eliminate discomfort and potentially serious back problems, which should make the effort you put into finding a desk well worth it.

For additional information relating to ideal desk height, check out this Lifehacker article

Good techniques that help preserve your smartphone battery

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:02:00 GMT

For many of us, our smartphone is our key connection to the outside world. So, when that smartphone is out of commission because of a dead battery or something worse, we can feel totally lost. Fortunately, there are a number of easy tricks that may help preserve your phone’s battery life for both the short and long-term.

Disable 3G or 4G

Enabling3G or 4G capabilities lets your phone regularly “talk” to the Internet and drains the battery. So, when you don’t need the speed of 3G or 4G, turn it off to prolong battery life.

Adjust the brightness of your screen

A bright screen can quickly drain your battery. For the most part, you probably don’t need it to be very bright. So try dimming it to conserve a ton of battery power.

Disable push notifications

Push capabilities for email and other applications cause your phone to regularly send out signals in an attempt to retrieve information and updates. Disabling this will take a big weight off of your battery.

Know when to charge your battery

Find out what type of battery your phone uses. Lithium ion batteries can be charged anytime without affecting the long-term battery life. Nickel-based batteries, however, lose their power over time if you charge them too frequently, so make sure they’re completely drained first.

These are a few basic tips that can greatly improve battery life and keep you from having to live without your phone. For more tips and tricks, check out this Business Insider article.

Cloud computing: what it really means

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:25:00 GMT

Cloud computing is an expression that perplexes most people. It appears to be a basic enough idea, but different sources provide different definitions, leaving many of us confused as to what it truly is.

What it is:

Cloud computing generally includes Hardware as a Service (HaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Within those capabilities, companies can offer flexible and scalable options for a number of services, including:

Hardware
Software
Anti-spam
Storage servers

Most providers agree that cloud computing always offers three things:

On-demand services with monthly or set pricing.
Flexibility to scale services as necessary.
The consumer simply needs a computer and Internet access to use the service or program.

Although the term can confuse people, cloud computing always uses the power of the Internet to provide products and services to consumers. Check out this InfoWorld article for additional information on the basics of cloud computing.

The mystery that is 4g

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:47:00 GMT

4G networks appear to be all any mobile carrier can talk about nowadays. The problem is, with so many carriers claiming to have the biggest or fastest network, the 4G landscape can get pretty confusing. As it turns out, 4G isn’t as clear-cut as it may seem.

While all of the key wireless providers, such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, have just recently unveiled smartphones with a “4G” network connection, it seems the definition of 4G varies from network to network. Let’s discuss the numerous definitions of “4G”.

HSPA

Both AT&T and T-Mobile have been employing HSPA for their 3G networks and HSPA is fundamentally the same network with increased capacity. T-Mobile is already offering the improved technology in more major metropolitan areas than their HSPA competitor.

LTE

This is the technology that is currently being adopted by Verizon. The LTE network is based on Global System for Media (GSM) technology, rather than Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), which Verizon has always utilized. LTE has a higher capacity and features download speeds of 5-12 Mbps, the equivalent of a typical home broadband connection.

In Verizon’s case, the LTE network is completely separate from the network that Verizon’s current users are on, lowering the chances of overcrowding.

Wi-Max

Wi-Max is also GSM-based, and it was initially considered to be the major contender for a 4G standard. Unfortunately, Wi-Max is not as fast as Verizon’s LTE network, but it is faster than AT&T and T-Mobile’s HSPA .

Unlike the other mobile carriers, Sprint’s version of a 4G network has been around for many months, meaning that their users were able to utilize this technology long before users of other networks.

As you can see, there is no standard definition of a “4G” network. Luckily for us, the options are improving and the coverage is growing. Pretty soon, every carrier will have an enhanced network to choose from.

For more information on 4G networks and what they really mean, check out this Popular Science article.

6 tips for creating more effective PowerPoint presentations

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:57:00 GMT

PowerPoint presentations are something that we’ve all had to work with at one point or another. But interestingly, many people will confess that they still don’t know how to create a presentation using PowerPoint that is both informative and engaging.

Most professional presenters that use PowerPoint are in agreement that the most critical thing to remember when creating a presentation is not to overwhelm your audience. Slides flooded with facts often confuse and bore, not engage, your audience. And even worse, text heavy slides are usually read by the audience, and in the process, the speaker is ignored.

With this in mind, consider implementing these simple tips in your next PowerPoint to help improve the strength of your presentation:

If your presentation centers on a narrative, use only a small number of slides that contain powerful supporting images, text and statistics. Use the slides to make a point, not steal the show.
If you are presenting how-to’s or other instructional information, try creating simple slides that use a small number of words to make your point, and don’t be afraid to use a lot of slides.
If you are presenting structured information, use bullet points, not sentences or paragraphs to help your viewers’ eyes scan through the slide and catch each point.
Leave the Clip Art, animations or fancy slide transitions behind – what you are saying should be the focus, not the dancing bear on slide 15.
Focus on branding your business through your presentation so you can increase awareness of your company through the whole speech.
Rehearse with your slides to make sure your presentation flows well. Getting lost in your presentation’s slide can detract from the information you are sharing.

By following these tips, you may be on your way to more effective presentations for your business.

For more information on how to best utilize PowerPoint for presentations, check out this Inc. article.

Windows XP gets the Axe from Microsoft

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:28:00 GMT

On October 22 2010 Microsoft ceased sales for windows XP as it has ened it's Lifecycle. However Microsoft will continue support unitl April 2014 on service pack 3 or greater.

If you are like most windows XP users you have been using the product for a long time - with good reason, XP has been one of windows most stable operating systems in teh windows line - it now may be the time to finally migrate to the new Windows 7.

I personally have been using Windows & for several months now - I have found it to be as reliable or better than XP, It search functions are massivly improved and there are several other features that have really made teh windows 7 experince an enjoyable one.

Microsoft recently ceased sales of teh popular Operating System (OS) - the last day to purchase was on October 22, 2010. Microsoft is now dedicating the majority of its resources to its latest OS, Windows 7. While XP will continue support until April 2014, thats les than 4 years from now, and Microsoft is recommending users switch to windows 7.

As for compatibility issues, Microsoft assures that most programs that work with XP also work on Windows 7. "Windows 7 is designed to be compatible with the most popular hardware and software products you use everyday. Thousands of these will work fine" reads an FAQ entry on their website. There is also the windows 7 Compatibility center, where you can check programs to ensure they will work on the new Microsoft OS.

If you are contiplating switching to Windows 7 or just have questions, please do not hesitate to call us. We will be happy to answer any questions and or customize a plan for your business's smooth transition to Microsoft's Window 7 OS.

Laptop computer Video Card Settlement

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:47:00 GMT

Video Card Manufacture Nvidia has reached a settlement on video cards in Dell, HP & Apple Laptop & notbook computers most people efected by this shoudl have recieved an email with the subject line "Court-ordered Notice about the NVIDIA chip in your Computer" if you did not you can get more infor at http://www.nvidiasettlement.com TMS will be contacting all of its computer support customers in assiting them with the settlement. The courts are expected to approve the settlement on December 20 2010, if yo have not registeed with the site by that time you will not be eligible for a replacement video card. Please also not that not all Apple, Dell or HP laptop computers are elligible.

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Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Data Backup: Getting Data Distater Prevetion Started

Data Backup: Getting Data Distater Prevetion Started

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:16:00 GMT

Since small businesses joined large conglomerates in relegating their mission critical processes to data infrastructures, IT companies are always faced with the dangers that come with a network-based working environment. And that’s on a daily basis.

Disasters in the data center or in the physical server room are not unheard of, turning the IT support leg of any company into tireless workhorses which could have been prevented had there been proper data security policies or sturdy data backup and recovery solutions in place. And this is where IT consultants and their expertise are pulling in the muscle, by leveraging on data disaster plans that will definitely secure the continuous flow of productivity in the office.

As the risks grow exponentially, developing a remote offsite data backup plan has become crucial and a necessary investment. It will prevent downtimes, the loss of vital data and revenues and, eventually, potential damage to the overall business.

Assessing Your Needs

When creating a data disaster prevention plan, there are several factors the IT support department should consider and most of them depend on your business’ needs and overall data infrastructure. These include your nature of business and the risks and potential benefits you will have to face once a backup solution is in place, among others.

There are some companies that only use small-scale backup solutions like the use of external hard disk drives on USB hookups or maybe even decent PC-based backup applications and server storage; and these are enough for them. Others, on the other hand, require larger solutions that include third party data software suites and even remote data data center mirroring. Service oriented companies and businesses dealing with eCommerce fall bluntly in this category.

Remote Backups

Investing in data backup solutions are one of the best contingency plans your business can get on board with. In the data center, the word “redundancy” is one word that often gets bounced around and it should be part of your data disaster plan’s prevention checklists.

This means that while your gigabytes (or most likely, terabytes) of data are stored and backed up locally, it’s important to have another copy mirrored remotely on a data center on a different location. This is one backup solution many large entities, especially IT companies and Web services, are utilizing to ensure their data’s constant availability. You can also use IT outsourcing services for your data to be safely backed up in a disaster-proof data center with an accompanying backup solution that can be accessed locally. This will save you from the potential headache should you encounter some unfortunate data loss later on.

Backup Frequency

An important question to ask when setting up your data disaster plan in place is “how often should I backup?” As a general rule, backups are usually performed during weekends as they usually take up several hours to an afternoon or even an entire day to accomplish depending on the size of your library of data and your network connection’s speed. A day’s worth of backup time would ideally be the extent for IT companies running a 24/7 operation, on the other hand. The succeeding data backups will most probably take far lesser time to complete.

As a side note, while a backup is in the works, many IT service teams take the opportunity to do hardware refreshes and perform routine diagnostics. And it is recommended that you do to make sure there really is no downtime even from the technical aspect.

Data backup and recovery is crucial element in any given business to ensure both the productivity and the security of a company’s data infrastructure. Contact TMS to learn more about it to help you find the perfect solution for your company. Just call us at 800-519-1872 our IT experts are always at the ready to help you with your IT consulting needs.

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Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 PDT

A womens best friend a Super Computer?

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Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Timing business upgrades to Microsoft Windows 7

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Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 PDT

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Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Are you experiencing password fatigue? Replace your passwords with your face!

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Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

If 308 million password possibilities can be attempted in under 3 minutes, is your password keeping you safe?

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Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Say Goodby To Nortel