You can create a keyboard shortcut for your favorite websites using Internet Explorer. Read more http://www.computerhope.com/tips/tip1.htm
5 Business Uses for a Digital Frame
Inc.com posted five business uses for your digital frame, including using it as a presentation tool at tradeshows or as an ice breaker before a meeting. Read more http://www.inc.com/tech-blog/5-business-uses-for-a-digital-frame.html?partner=newsletter_Goods
Working Toward a Paperless Office
A paperless office is one of the simplest ways a company can minimize clutter and mess, and also help contribute to making business operations more green and environment friendly. Having a paperless office essentially means drastically decreasing the use and consumption of paper in the office. Of course there will always be a need to use paper for some things, but reducing the paper you consume can save you a lot of money and at the same time help the environment. There are many ways to go about doing this. One is to invest in equipment and technologies to make paper use more efficient for when you do need to use it – for example, printers that allow you to print on both sides or scale down images. Here are some other actions you can take: Digitize your hardcopy files so that you have soft copies as well as reliable backups. Assess which paper records you can recycle (or shred then recycle) – this also reduces your document storage space. Release online memos instructing people to avoid or eliminate unnecessary printouts (such as printer test pages). Send web links through email or IM instead of printing a webpage to share. Distribute presentations on flash drives instead of printing them for your audience, or use websites such as SlideShare.com that allow you to share online. When you use less paper, you save on paper and printer ink costs. Minimizing the paper you store also saves you valuable office space. In fact, one company saved $30 million in lease costs when they went paperless. Of course, we can’t really completely eliminate our use of paper. But even small changes can go a long way toward a paperless office and healthier environment – and lower operating costs. Resources: http://156.98.19.245/workplace/index.html http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/technology/communications/6-tips-for-a-paperless-office.aspx#tipsforapaperlessoffice http://www.ismckenzie.com/eight-ways-to-eliminate-paper-and-clutter-in-your-office/
Hackers Employing Sophisticated Techniques to Trick Users
Hackers are employing increasingly sophisticated techniques to scam users into downloading malicious software. For instance, today’s hackers and malware authors have begun using so-called “doorway pages” – web pages optimized to rank highly in results for common search engine queries. These pages often feature trending or hot topics to show up favorably in search results, and may contain content that has been copied from other websites. Some even employ sophisticated technology techniques to customize the page based on each individual visitor’s location, browser, and operating system – and may include a referring page to entice users further into the scam. Internet users should be aware of these techniques, and think twice before following search results links. Fortunately there are equally sophisticated tools and techniques designed to block malicious search results. Contact us to find out how you can combat this particularly devious threat. Related articles: Cyber-criminals pounce on McAfee crash story (v3.co.uk) The Importance Of Using Proper SEO Techniques (ronmedlin.com)
Personal IT in the Workplace: Bad for Your Business?
Consider this: according to research by technology analyst group Gartner , beyond 2010 end users, not the IT department, will be responsible for 50 percent of business IT procurement decisions—ultimately bringing and running their own systems on company networks. Meanwhile, according to management consultants Accenture , around one-third of today’s new generation of workers (a group they call “millenials”) not only want to use the computer of their choice at work, but also want control of the applications they use too. What’s driving this trend? Many have been calling it the “consumerization” of IT with the wide availability of cheap and powerful mobile devices and online services. Although there have been some case studies of companies successfully enjoying benefits from letting employees bring their own personal technology to the work place , there are very real dangers that you should be aware before adopting or allowing this practice in your business: Exposing your network to malware or security vulnerabilities and breaches because of unprotected devices Leakage of confidential or proprietary information Lower economies of scale in procurement Higher maintenance and support costs because of non-standardized configurations Worried about this trend? Need to define a policy for your staff when it comes to bringing their personal equipment to the office? Contact us and see how we can help. Related links: The rise of affordable consumer technology causes problems for businesses (sc magazine) Gartner releases business predictions for 2010 (global services media) Citrix tells their employees to bring their own laptops to work (usa today)
How Proactive Updates and Patching Help you Stay on Top of the Game
Viruses and other forms of malware can wreak untold havoc in your computer systems, which causes productivity loss and problems that affect the service you deliver to your customers. This is why subscribing to a service that maintains and prevents the spread of viruses in your system and network can go a long way in ensuring that your IT-based operations continue smoothly and efficiently. However, viruses account for only a fraction of the problems your computer system can suffer. With many businesses such as yours relying greatly on the capabilities of their IT systems, it stands to reason that all steps must be taken to ensure that it is properly maintained and functions as effectively as possible. One very efficient way to do this that’s getting much attention these days is Managed Services. This is an affordable and cost-effective means of making sure that your IT continues to function at optimum levels at all times. Here’s how it works: Companies routinely experience IT-related problems that they have difficulty solving. Managed Services provides 24
Get Enterprise-Level IT for Less with Managed Services
If you’re like most small or medium-sized businesses, you’ve become increasingly dependent on IT—and you want your IT to provide the functionality and security that large enterprises enjoy. But cost is an issue. The expense required to design, deploy, and maintain such an environment is often too great for small and medium-sized organizations. Today, however, you don’t have to choose between the best IT and the most cost-effective option—because with Managed Services, they’re often the same. Managed Services is an IT model that provides IT management and security remotely. Using the latest technology, we proactively monitor and manage your network, identity potential problems, and fix them before they put your business in a standstill. The benefits are twofold: Better IT: With Managed Services, you can gain the functionality and security that was previously only available to large organizations. Lower cost: And, you can do it cost effectively. Due to economies of scale, Managed Services allows you to build an infrastructure that provides critical IT services to employees and customers without creating or supporting these services internally. Talk to us today to find out how our Managed Services can help improve your IT and save you money.
Why You Can’t Survive without a Disaster Recovery Plan
It’s simple: Businesses that suffer data losses usually fail as a result. That’s according to a study by the Department for Trade and Industry, which found that 70 percent of small businesses suffering a major data loss are out of business within 18 months. What this means is most small businesses have failed to protect themselves from a plethora of problems. According to Ontrack, data loss is the result of human error 44% of the time, hardware or system malfunction 32% of the time, software malfunction 14% of the time, computer virus 7% of the time, and site disaster 3% of the time. And data loss is bad, because your data is your business. To illustrate, consider the impact if you lost access to your IT systems, including: Customer databases Supplier details Financial documents, from invoices to tax records Product catalogues Marketing materials Letters and emails Document templates Staff records You already have insurance to protect your business assets, and the same principle applies to your data. Regardless of where your data is, it needs to be protected—and protected continuously—from every possible threat. The good news: a solid disaster recovery plan, including a good backup solution, will allow you to get back to business within minutes or hours in most cases. So protect your data, and secure your business. Ask us how.
Business on the Go with Tablet Devices
Anticipation for Apple’s iPad, the company’s entry into the nascent “tablet PC” market, has been building especially since it hits retail stores this April. While early adopters such as Apple fans, tech mavens, and fashionistas are widely expected to become the first customers for the device, it seems that business users are not that far behind.
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