Free Programs for Every Business
Posted by admin on Jul 22, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, July 2012 Edition
To keep your business costs low and your efficiency high, start with software. Instead of buying commercial programs for your business, why not use a capable free or open-source alternative? Here are five incredible – and free – utilities designed specially for business operations.
Microsoft Security Essentials – Perfect f/or smaller shops, it can run on up to 10 PCs for free.
OpenProj – An alternative to Microsoft Project – which costs a thousand bucks – it offers Gantt charts, network diagrams, WBS and RBS charts, earned value costing, and project management features.
OrangeHRM – A complete human resource management program for small and medium businesses, includes modules for personnel information management, leave management, time and attendance, benefits and so on.
Soluto – This ingenious free utility makes PCs boot faster, and keeps installed software up-to-date.
Spiceworks – Regardless of how many PCs your company maintains, it needs a comprehensive approach to network monitoring. Spiceworks provides network management and monitoring, a user help desk, equipment inventory, and lots more.
Update on Free Antivirus Programs
Posted by admin on Jun 28, 2012
If you are an average home user, there is no reason you should have to pay for your antivirus software. If you are a business, or do a lot of web surfing, then I urge you to purchase good protection. The following are some great options for FREE virus protection…
AVG Antivirus Free Edition 2012
Avast Free Antivirus 7
Avira Free Antivirus 2012
Microsoft Security Essentials 2.1
All four of these programs do a decent job of protecting your computer from nasties. Just make sure you keep your security software updated and run regular scans. Of course, nothing beats good old common sense – don’t open anything or click on any link that you are not sure of.
Watch Out for Malicious Web Apps
Posted by admin on Jun 22, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, May 2012 Edition
Web Apps are great. The’re available for use virtually anyway, anytime, from practically any device that has a Web browser. Web apps are also easy to update and maintain: The developer tweaks the app on the Web server, and everyone who uses it has access to the latest version. But Web apps can contain more than you bargained for, and in some instances they may actually be malicious. You need to be aware of the risks that Web apps can pose, and know how to protect yourself.
A Web app is essentially a full-fledged application that runs within your Web browser. Just as easily as a Web app can track your reminders or play a game, it can infect your PC. While they allow increased functionality within the browser, users should be aware of how deeply into your system they may be able to reach. Some malware attacks try to entice you to click a link in an email message, which them connects to a malicious Web app that infects your PC with malware.
The best protection from malicious Web apps is also one of the most difficult safeguards to implement. Rule number one is simple… If you have any doubt, don’t click. Given that an ill-advised click is almost inevitable, your next line of defense is to keep your security software up-to-date. Malicious Web apps can exploit vulnerabilities Windows and other software as well, so you should make sure your operating system and all your software are updated.
Manage Downloads Better the jDownloader
Posted by admin on Jun 19, 2012
Do you download a lot? Does your Internet connection randomly disconnect when you are downloading, making you start all over? You need jDownloader. It is a simple Java-based app that works with Windows, Mac and even Linux. It can be used in the same variety of ways as any other general-purpose download manager, and it supports dozens of file hosts such as RapidShare. It can monitor the clipboard and parse any URL that you copy into it to see whether it contains files that could be downloaded. Feed it a YouTube link, and you can download the video. It is one of the best download managers around today, ant a price that cannot be beat… FREE!
Windows 8 Upgrade Offer
Posted by admin on Jun 19, 2012
Microsoft has announced that end users who purchase a qualifying new Windows 7 PC from June 2, 2012 through January 31, 2013 will receive a promotional offer for a downloadable copy of Windows 8 when available. This “Windows Upgrade Offer” will be fulfilled by Microsoft directly to the end user. Because of this, we at ICS cannot get involved in the process, but can provide the information that you will need. The offer must be redeemed prior to February 28, 2013.
The first step is to purchase a qualifying PC running Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate from, June 2, 2012 to January 31, 2013.
Visit www.windowsupgradeoffer.com to register for the upgrade.
Download your copy of Windows 8 when it is available.
Which Browser Should You Use?
Posted by admin on Apr 10, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, April 2012 Edition
Not all Web browsers are created equal. Some are faster, some are more versatile, others are especially secure. We tested six leading browsers to learn where each one excels… and fails.
Everyone needs a Web browser, but with so many different ones available, deciding which one is best for you can be hard. Are you looking for something blazing fast? Or is strong security your top priority? Or do you need lots and lots of add-ons? Here is how the browsers stack up.
1st Place – Google Chrome – 4 1/2 stars
Chrome wins our top spot thanks to its ease of use, numerous extensions and add-ons, and superb performance. It may not be perfect for everyone, but Chrome is a well-rounded browser that should meet most people’s needs. It lets you close slow or frozen pages without restarting the browser, and its sandbox design helps prevent malware infections.
2nd Place – Mozilla Firefox – 4 stars
The new design has removed the bulky toolbar and replaced it with a row of tabs, and the bookmark bar is hidden by default. It’s biggest advantage over its rivals is its vast library of add-ons, which you can use to customize your browsing and make it more useful. Be careful, however, as too many add-ons can slow the software down.
3rd Place – Facebook RockMelt – 4 stars
This browser if built on Googles Chromium browser framework, so it looks and acts a lot like Chrome. It is designed to appeal to social media fanatics, making communicating with Facebook friends easier. Pages load quite quickly, but extensions and add-ons are relatively scarce.
4th Place – Internet Explorer – 3 1/2 stars
IE has long lagged behind other browsers in features and ease of use. But the latest version offers a few functions that are at least as good as what the competition offers. Especially noteworthy are some great new privacy features, the ability to scan downloads and built-in cross-site script protection.
5th Place – Opera – 3 Stars
For internet users who prize speed above everything else, Opera should be the browser of choice. The interface looks like a polished version of Internet Explorer 9. It is not HTLM5 friendly, and there are fewer security options and add-ons than other browsers offer.
6th Place – Safari – 3 Stars
It is an adequate and fairly intuitive browser, but you can do better, especially if you use a Windows machine. It did not score well on any of the speed tests, and though its security has always been top-notch, organizing Safari can be troublesome. It plods through pages built with HTML5 and JavaScript.
Why Desktop Software is so Vital
Posted by admin on Mar 9, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, March 2012 Edition
Online apps make sense for a lot of people these days, but sometimes desktop software is essential. Here are five advantages of such apps.
Security – Even a seemingly stable company may fold, or change its privacy standards. For important documents, family photos, and business presentations, you may want to use desktop software to ensure that the preservation and confidentiality of that content don’t depend on an outside company’s good behaviour.
Guaranteed Connection – If your Internet connection goes down, or if you can’t pick up a wireless signal on the road, you need on-board software to stay productive. Conveniently, many tools offer a sync button so your online database can catch up with your offline database when you reconnect.
Speed – Web services are sometimes agonizingly slow. Though offline programs may feel sluggish, too, you can take steps to speed them up. Online, you’re powerless.
Built-in Utilities – Web services can’t keep your system up and running the way local file management and cleanup utilities can.
Raw Power – Web-based photo editors are improving, but editing video from a browser is still next to impossible. The better way is to use the resources of your own PC.
Easeus Todo Backup Free
Posted by admin on Mar 6, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, March 2012 Edition
Already the most competent free backup program, Easeus Todo Backup moved beyond file backup and partition imaging in version 3.0. It schedules and performs incremental and differential backups, images your system partition from within Windows, and doesn’t split files unless you want it to. It integrates well with Windows. Double-click any Todo backup file, and the file will open as if it were a folder, for easy browsing and recovery of files and folders individually via Windows Explorer. The program has a full integrated restore function, too.
Todo Backup Free doesn’t do plain file backup – simply copying files to a backup location – and its file selection dialog box doesn’t allow you to drill down into folders in the right pane or expand them for easier viewing. As a result, selecting files is more difficult than it should be. Still, it will be a rare user who requires more features than Easeus provides.
Windows 8 Upgrades Will Be Online
Posted by admin on Feb 28, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, February 2012 Edition
Microsoft wants to make upgrading to Windows 8 from older Windows versions easier and faster via online delivery, with no product key entry for at least one installation method, and a process that involves 82% fewer screen clicks.
Installing a new version of Windows has already been a pain; and even when the steps involved are easy to perform, the process can still take as long as 4 hours. Microsoft hopes to improve its upgrade process so as to persuade the more than 450 million users of Windows 7 with PCs capable of running Windows 7 to upgrade – not to mention the many users with modern computers running Vista or XP who may finally be willing to try and new Microsoft operating system.
To make it easier for upgraders to get started, Microsoft will favour selling downloads of Windows 8 instead of having users buy a physical disc at a local retailer. This is similar to the way Apple handled the release of it OS X Lion. If you prefer, you can still purchase a Windows 8 DVD. They have not revealed if there will be a price difference. Microsoft claims to have reduced the total number of screen clicks required for a Windows 8 updgrade to 11… but whether this will actually result in a faster upgrade process remains to be seen.
Add Tabs to Your Office Applications
Posted by admin on Feb 24, 2012
Taken from PCWorld Magazine, February 2012 Edition
If you’ve lamented the lack of tabs in Microsoft Office, lament no more. Now you can enjoy the one feature Microsoft seems determined to keep out. Tabs let you keep multiple documents, pages, or the like readily accessible within the same window. But Microsoft hasn’t done much with tabs. Sure, Internet Explorer got the feature in version 7, by what about Word or Excel?
The smart and effective OutlookTabs (outlooktabs.com) plug-in lets you open Outlook folders in tabs – and not just email folders, but also calendars. Once installed, it adds a New Tab option below the Ribbon, as well as to context menus. You can reorder tabs by dragging and dropping them, and use keyboard shortcuts to cycle through them. It requires Windows XP or later, and supports Outlook 2007 and 2010. It costs $25 for one license, but a free trial is available.
Want some tab love for Word, Excel and PowerPoint too? Office Tabs (office-tabs.com) is free, and it’s awesome. With Office Tabs you can manage multiple documents in the same window, just as nature intended. In fact, this surprisingly versatile add-on gives you plenty of control over managing tabs, determining their colour and font style, and so on. You can apply different settings across the three programs, and even disable Office Tabs for one or two of them. Other than that, your newly “tabbed” Office works just as the Office you know and love. It works with Office 2003, 2007 and 2010, and supports the 32- and 64-bit versions of each. If you’re an Office user, I can’t recommend it highly enough. (Are you listening Microsoft?)
