Five Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 7 in 2011
Posted by admin on Apr 18, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, April 2011 Edition
Can we talk? Based on the e-mail I receive every day, I know that a lot of people out there are still using Windows XP. I can understand why; it’s like a comfortable old shoe. Plus, XP is bought and paid for. Windows 7 probably seems stiff and scary in comparison, and it’s not as if Microsoft is handing out free upgrades to the latest version of the OS.
That said, it’s really time to move forward – time to put Windows XP out to pasture. Out with the old, in with the new. If you’re an XP holdout, I hope you’ll trust that I’m not shilling for Microsoft here, but rather nudging you toward better overall computing.
Here are five reasons why I think it’s time you switched over to Windows 7.
Build a Better Business Backup System
Posted by admin on Apr 13, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, April 2011 Edition
Everyone knows that storing records safely in more than once place protects a business, but many companies fail to establish backup systems that will keep them running if disaster strikes.
Unfortunately, it often takes a crisis – such as a natural disaster, a theft, or a system failure – to prompt a business to act. But realizing that you need a new storage strategy can come more gradually. Very small companies may be unprepared for success, relying on backup products that work well for individual c0nsumers but can’t adjust as several months’ or years’ worth of records pile up.
Many small and midsize companies are abandoning tapes or hard-disk consumer systems in favour of appliances that attach to a local network and beyond; others are adopting cloud-based services.
Ged Rid Of Those Unwanted Electronics
Posted by admin on Apr 11, 2011
Spring is approaching, and it’s time to whisk away those dull, dark days of winter and celebrate the new season with a spotless home or office. So, go ahead, open the doors and windows and let the fresh air guide your rhythm, but be mindful that you’re not just cleaning up, you’re freeing up space too. Don’t simply dust over those old or unused items that have been sitting idle in your basement, storage room or garange. Chances are that if you haven’t used them all winter, it’s time for them to go. And let’s face it, that old television of DVD player isn’t going to fix itselft. Use it, or lose it.
Unwanted electronics can take up unnecessary space in your home or office and research shows that four out of fice Ontario households have at least one item they want to get rid of. If you can’t give them away, do the right thing for the environment and recycle them.
Electronics can contain hazardous materials such as batteries, mercury, lead, inks and toners, which must be properly handled and kept from needlessly contaminating landfills in Canada or overseas. Electronics also contain valuable materials, such as copper, aluminum and precious metals that can be recycled and used to manufacture new electronic products.
Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) is the not-for-profit organization responsible for implementing an electronic waste recycling program in Ontario. You can find an OES-approved drop-off location or event near you a www.recycleyourelectronics.ca, along with a full list of acceptable items. You can be confident that these once-treasured gadgets are being safely and responsibly handled, but more importantly you can reclaim all that space in your home or office as well.
This spring you can rid your space of unnecessary clutter, breathe easier and do the world a favour: recycle your electronics.
Six Tips for Banking Online More Securely
Posted by admin on Apr 6, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, March 2011 Edition
No guarantee exists that hackers won’t gain access to your accounts. But following these six precautions will significantly lower the risk.
1 – Install effective security softwarwe and keep it up-to-date.
2 – Be careful of the email. Someone may be phishing. Always go to the bank’s website, and log in… never click a link in an email.
3 – Don’t log on if the page isn’t secure. The URL should begin with https: rather than the more common http:.
4 – Use a strong password, using random strings of numbers and letters. Avoid words or names, and don’t let your browser save the password.
5 – Avoid public networks. Do not visit your online bank, a credit card company, or a retailer from any public WiFi network.
6 – Protect sensitive data using encryption.
Send Your Parents a ‘Care Package’ of PC Videos
Posted by admin on Apr 4, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, March 2011 Edition
It’s tough raising parents these days. Take it from me: My retired mom and dad are brilliant people, but they just can’t get the hang of copying and pasting.
Apparently they’re not the only ones, as evidenced by Google’s unofficial new Teach Parents Tech site (teachparentstech.org). It’s designed expressly for folks who want to help their parents (or anyone for that matter) learn computer basics.
All you do is complete an amusingly tongue-in-cheek form, the bulk of which involves choosing how-to-videos that you want to send to Mom and/or Dad (or other people in your life). The site offers a few dozen choices, with topics ranging from ‘Copy & Paste’ to ‘Make a Blog’ to ‘Attach a File to an Email’.
Once you’ve completed the form, you can preview your “tech support care package” before sending it. Teach Parents Tech is really ingenious. I doff my hat to the “few folks at Google” who came up with the idea.
Why Can’t I Open .DOCX Files?
Posted by admin on Mar 30, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, March 2011 Edition
With the introduction of Office 2007, Microsoft abandoned the age-old .doc format in favour of the newer .docx format. If you’re still using Word 2003 or an earlier version of the program (and many people are), you won’t be able to open .docx files without a little assistance. Likewise, the venerable .xls spreadsheet format gave way to .xlsx and PowerPoint .ppt files became .pptx files. Anyone using Office 2007 or 2010 is generating these kinds of files, which older versions of the Office applications can’t read.
What you need is the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats, available at find.pcworld.com/71116. (Not there’s a name that leaves no room for confusion).
Designed for use with Office 2000, XP and 2003, the downloadable add-on allows you to open, edit and save the newer file formats, seamlessly converting the files on the fly and in the background. Just make sure that your copy of Office is equipped with all of the latest updates from Microsoft before you install the Compatibility Pack.
Master Your E-Mail (Before it Masters You)
Posted by admin on Mar 28, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, March 2011 Edition
I field hundreds of incoming e-mail messages each day. Processing them – from opening the inbox to deciding which items to act on, which to file for reference, which to delete, and which to mark as spam – takes more than just time and energy. It takes planning. Here are some useful basic tactics to add to your e-mail strategy so you can tame your inbox and work more productively.
Rules to Put Digital Disasters in Perspective
Posted by admin on Mar 23, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, March 2011 Edition
Most of us love a good mystery, as long as we eventually find out who dunnit or, in the case of high-tech, how it’s done. Ultimately, we’re looking for a resolution – something that ties up the loose ends so that we don’t have to waste time noodling over the unknown.
Some mysteries, though, have no neat answer. Although verified by personal experience, these enigmas can’t be explained by physics, psychology, or even logic. When faced with such digital brain-twisters, we can toss them off with a shrug – or better yet, we can codify these conundrums into a set of rules, along the lines of Murphy’s Law.
Here, Nine Regrettable Rules of High-Tech Happenstance. Read ’em and weep.
Network-Attached Storage for Any Business
Posted by admin on Mar 21, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, February 2011 Edition
Network-attached storage can make your business easier to run and more efficient in multiple ways. Let’s look at some scenarios for NAS use in businesses of various sizes.
A small-office or home-office setup consisting of a few PCs, a multifunction printer or two, and perhaps a wireless, peer-to-peer network is far from optimal for sharing a accessing files. Data is scattered, and accessing it from outside of the local network requires a VPN or remote control. A NAS box puts important data in one accessible, easy-to-backup location. You can back up anything you’re working on off-site by logging in and uploading the files to the NAS box. Most NAS boxes have on-board backup utilities and USB ports for attaching drives.
If you collaborate with coworkers far away, a NAS box’s easy wide-area connectivity can consolidate and centralize your efforts. Like any other administered network-storage resource, your NAS will allow users to access only the contents you approve. To handle collaborative work arrangements, simply create folder for each project, give each person access to folders as needed, and give yourself access to all of the folders. A NAS box is self-sufficient, redundant, and task-specific. But some programs insist that their database reside on a local PC, and others require you to install a traffic-cop program for multiple users. For these programs, you need a NAS box that uses Windows Home Server.
When buying NAS hardware, focus on redundancy, capacity and speed. Don’t buy a single-drive NAS box: You’ll need at least a two-drive box for mirroroing one drive on the other so you won’t lose access when one drive fails. For help, ask the professionals at ICS Computers.
Online Office Apps
Posted by admin on Mar 17, 2011
Taken from PC World Magazine, February 2011 Edition
Over the past few years, Web-based office suites have grown from humble roots to become tools that nearly match the flexibility and features of full-blown desktop apps. Google has led the way in this burgeoning category with its popular Docs family of programs, though rival Zoho offers a broader, easier-to-use, and more sophisticated suite. But while most online suites have slightly kludgy interfaces that come with their share of quirks, Microsoft’s introduction of Web Apps with Office 2010 offers the familiar, refined interface you already know, directly integrating a desktop suite that outstrips all online competitors.
Most people rely so heavily on their word processors and spreadsheets that it’s difficult to depend on a solely cloud-based system. Microsoft’s version of a cloud offering – Office Web Apps (free at find.pcworld.com/71083) – provides the best of both worlds. Combined with Office, the apps allow you to work in a robust desktop suite as well as to store, access and edit your documents online.
If you’re a Gmail user and your needs are modest, Google Docs (free at docs.google.com) is a highly serviceable secondary choice. It suffers from quirky formatting and compatibility issues with Microsoft Office files, but its integration with Gmail makes it worth a try.
