Just this week, OpenDNS, an organization with a mission to make the Internet a better place, has released a free service called Family Shield.  Family Shield is a service designed to automatically restrict access to adult websites for all computers on a home network.  It also restricts access for other devices that can access the Internet as well, such as an Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, iPad and smartphones that are connected via wi-fi.  The service is automatically kept up-to-date by OpenDNS.  Family Shield is easy to setup and instantly filters content on all your computers with no software to install or update.

If you have questions about Family Shield or are interested in implementing in your home, please give us a call at 651-454-7729 and we can provide assistance in setting it up, getting it configured, and providing recommendations about how it can help protect you.

The new iPhone 4 is thinner than its most recent predecessor, the iPhone 3GS. It has a greatly improved display as well, even though the iPhone 3GS already had an excellent display. The new iPhone 4 will also be equipped with a 5mp camera (as opposed to a 3mp camera on the iPhone 3GS), which will be capable of HD video recording. Additionally, the iPhone 4 has a camera on the front of the phone. This is used for Apple’s new feature called FaceTime which allows users to have video calls with each other. This is a huge leap forward in cell phone technology, but it only works over a wi-fi network, not over the 3G network. The new iPhone 4 also has wireless-n technology built-in. (See this article we wrote a few months ago on wireless-n networks). Lastly, the battery life has been further improved to last longer.

IOS 4 has over 100 new features. There have been great improvements for multitasking, or running multiple applications simultaneously, without slowing down the performance of the phone. Organization has also been improved. Users are now able to put applications into various folders to organize them. Email has been improved to have a global inbox (as opposed to having multiple separate inboxes), if you want, as well as the ability to open more attachments. It is also more customizable and allows users to have a different home screen wallpaper. For more information visit Apple’s overview.  Current iPhone users may be eligible for an upgrade to iOS 4. If you are a current iPhone user, click here to see if you can upgrade to the new software.

There have been many rumors circulating around about a “4G” iPhone, as well as other carriers getting the iPhone, so let’s clear that up. The iPhone 4 is still going to be over a 3G cellular network; AT&T has made no announcements about a 4G network being implemented. Furthermore, there have been no reports from T-Mobile, Verizon or Sprint about getting the iPhone and it will remain an AT&T exclusive phone for now.

If you are interested in upgrading your iPhone or purchasing an iPhone, Emerson Technologies would be happy to assist you and configure it to work properly in your work environment. Just give us a call at 651-454-7729.

When Microsoft released Office 2007, there were significant changes to how the applications looked.  No longer are there menus such as “File” and “Edit” rather there is a ribbon with icons.  This change was designed to make using more features more intuitive. Many users have resisted upgrading from older versions because it takes time to get used to the new versions.  However this new interface is here to stay.  More and more applications from other vendors are utilizing this format.  Some office applications, such as Outlook 2007, did not implement much of this new interface, but Outlook 2010 has this new look and feel.  The ribbon in Office 2010 is much more customizable, allowing you to move tabs and create your own buttons.

If you are thinking about upgrading to a newer version of Office keep in mind that Office 2010 requires a little more powerful hardware than its predecessors, but it has a number of new features.  If you are currently using Office 2003 or an older version, it is strongly recommended that you upgrade.  Older versions of Office will stop receiving security updates and there are compatibility issues that have started creeping into some newer software causing problems with older versions of Microsoft Office.

Office 2010 allows for simultaneous editing of the same file. Have you ever seen a message popping up saying that the file is “in use” but you can open a “read only” version of it? In Office 2010 more than 1 user can be editing the same file at the same time. It will alert you and let you know who is editing it and what they are changing. This could potentially be very useful for a lot of people to collaborate on a project.  There have also been notable improvements to PowerPoint in terms of the video and photo editing capabilities. You are able to add a whole new amount of transitions and effects to pictures and videos.

The bottom line is if you are using Office 2003 or older you should upgrade.  If you are using Office 2007 then the only reason to upgrade is for the new features Office 2010 has, but there is no pressing need to upgrade.

If you have any questions about upgrading or are unsure if you should, or if you have any additional questions about Office 2010 please give us a call at 651-454-7729 and we would be happy to help.

Computers are an investment. When purchasing a computer people often look only at the original sticker price as the full cost. However, the total cost of computer ownership includes original hardware, original software, hardware and software upgrades, maintenance and labor.

There comes a point when it is no longer economical to put money into a computer to fix it. In general that is 3 to 4 years. Now, of course there will be exceptions and this is just a guideline that has been developed from years of experience working with computers.

The question remains, what happens to computers that are around 3 years old? Why do they need to be replaced? There are many reasons for this. First, after 3 years the likelihood of hardware failures is much greater, and the warranties for the hardware are often expired. Also, it is very likely that a lot of software will have been installed on the computer and as newer software comes out, it usually requires more powerful hardware to run it. This means that in order to run the latest software properly, you need to update the hardware. Newer computers lead to less frustration and more productivity saving your company in the long run.

We find that many businesses, especially non-profit organizations, opt not to purchase a new computer because of apprehension about up front costs. However over a three to four year period, the cost of not upgrading easily outweighs the initial investment not to mention the difference in productivity. These costs do not factor in frustration by the user. These inefficiencies play a role and should not be discounted when deciding whether or not to purchase a new computer.

Here is the bottom line: replacement of a computer should strongly be considered after three years of usage.

These products are used around the country to protect computers in server rooms, drugs in pharmacies, expensive medical equipment, document storage rooms and more.

Here is a sample situation in which Invetex’s products could be very useful. Suppose it is a Friday night after everyone has left for the weekend and the air conditioning unit goes out in your building and/or server room and nobody will be in the office until Monday morning. Depending on the setup, the heat could rise to levels that could damage your server and any other of the sensitive electronic equipment in the room. This means that when you get there on Monday morning, there could be a lot of serious problems.  There are also going to be potential costs of replacement hardware and the time it is going to take to reconfigure everything, which could be hours or even days. If you had the proper monitoring equipment in place, then Friday night once the temperature started to rise an alert would have been sent out and action could be taken immediately- preventing any huge complications Monday morning so everyone can return to work and not even know there was a problem over the weekend.

For more information, send us an email or call us at 651-454-7729 and we can assist you in getting these products purchased and set up for you so that you can have peace of mind knowing that the correct precautionary measures have been taken.

The applications of a Pogoplug are limitless. If you have a very large music collection and like to listen to it on your phone, but you don’t have enough space, then a Pogoplug can be very beneficial. All of the data is stored on a hard drive, and the Pogoplug allows you to access it from your phone! You can watch movies on your phone (though the quality is not the highest because it has to stream all of the data). You can even setup certain folders you want to be shared with others. This means you can have all of your photos online and share them with friends and family very easily.

The Pogoplug currently costs $129. This does not include the cost of any external drives that you will need to store your files. It may seem like an expensive device but the functionality that it provides as well as the ease of use make it very valuable. If you are interested in learning more about the Pogoplug please see the following articles, or send an email to help@emersontech.net and we will assist you the best we can.

For more information see the following articles:

“Pogoplug second generation debuts, coming this holiday with enhanced web interface” – Endgadget

“Pogoplug: A Simple Way to Share Data in Your Personal Cloud”
(older version of the Pogoplug, but same idea)

“What Is Pogoplug” – Pogoplug.com

One of the first things you will notice about Windows 7 is the changes to the look and feel.  There are many newer themes which make the computer look and feel more modern.  A nice feature of Windows 7 is the desktop slideshow. This feature allows a user have their background automatically change to a different picture at a given time interval. Although Windows XP and Windows Vista have been able to do this with the use of third party programs, it is built in to Window 7 which is a nice addition. The Windows 7 taskbar is also very different. It has a unique feature called preview. This allows a user to move the mouse over an icon and a preview of it will pop up. This can be useful to keep organized with different programs. Here is an image of the Windows 7 taskbar including the preview feature.  The taskbar also groups all icons for a given application together.  For example, if you have three different Microsoft Word documents up, they will all be grouped into one Microsoft Word icon, and you will first click on that and then choose which document you want to access.  This helps the taskbar to stay cleaner and more organized.

Windows 7 also added some new “flashy” features, but they do have  a purpose.  For example, there is a feature known as “Aero Snap”. You may have seen this commercial demonstrating the snap feature. Essentially it allows for two programs to be set up side by side so that you can multi-task better.  Another window management feature of Windows 7 is called “Aero Shake”. This feature allows a you to minimize all windows except the one you want by simply clicking on it and “shaking it” it from side to side for a second.  Click here for a video demonstration.

Another improvement of Windows 7 is the Action Center.  The Action Center is a one stop place where you can get a quick look at your computer and how it is performing. The Action Center will alert users about updates, firewalls, problems, and many other potential issues with your computer. It will serve as a reminder to keep your computer updated, backed up, and also makes sure you have proper anti virus software installed.   It also integrates with the notification area to alert you if any action is needed on your computer.

So far we have noted the aesthetic changes of Windows 7 because that is what many people care about – how the system looks. But one of the most important aspects is also how the system performs.  Windows 7 boots up faster than Windows Vista and Windows XP. It also has improved battery life features for laptops. Behind the scenes, Windows 7 has many improvements for the way hardware runs to take advantage of multi core processors as well as solid state hard drives.

Overall, Windows 7 has taken many steps in the right direction. While no Windows operating system has ever been perfect, Windows 7 looks and performs better than its predecessors.

When wireless started becoming popular in many households, most people purchased a wireless b or wireless g router, which are backwards compatible with each other. It has only been recently (in the last 2 years or so) that wireless-n routers have been released and started to make their presence known. Wireless-n routers have some improvements over the older versions, but are they worth the additional cost?

Wireless-n routers transmit data at faster speeds than wireless g or b routers. However, the speed at which you browse the Internet is also limited by your Internet connection. Since your Internet connection is going to be a lot slower than the high speeds that data can be transmitted through your wireless router, if you are trying to speed up the use of your Internet, it really doesn’t matter that wireless-n routers can transmit data faster because you are still going to only browse websites at a maximum speed of your Internet connection. All types of wireless routers are still limited by Internet connection speed. If you are moving files around your local network, then wireless-n will not be limited by the speed of your Internet connection. For example, if you have a media center setup at home then a wireless-n network would be very useful for moving large videos around. Also, wireless-n routers can transmit up to 220 feet vs. 120 feet of wireless b or g routers. So if you need to have a wireless connection in a large home or even a small office, then a wireless-n router is advantageous.

Having said that, there is one issue with wireless-n routers to keep in mind: they require n-capable adapters to work at their top speed. This means if you have a laptop that doesn’t come with a built in n-capable wireless adapter, you can still connect to a wireless-n router but you won’t be able to get the full benefits of it. In order to use the benefits of a wireless-n router you have to upgrade the hardware in your laptops, computers, video game systems and portable devices as well. This can be an expensive process if you have multiple wireless devices that need upgrading. Having said that, you do not have to upgrade everything at the same time. As devices get old and are replaced, you will probably be replacing them with a device that supports the newer, faster technology right out of the box.

The bottom line is that for most people, wireless-n routers are not very cost effective unless you are in need of a new wireless device already. If you don’t have n-capable devices in your computers (which most people don’t), the benefit of wireless-n is not worth the cost of replacing all your older wireless devices. Additionally, even though wireless-n routers can transmit at faster speeds it won’t speed up most people’s Internet usage because the speed that matters is limited by your Internet connection. Unless you have a need to transmit wireless data over longer distances, or are moving large files between local computers, don’t worry about upgrading to a wireless-n device until your current equipment is up for replacement. In other words, don’t go out and buy a wireless-n router just for the sake of upgrading, rather wait until you have devices that support it and are in need of an upgrade, then buy a wireless-n router. If you don’t have a wireless router at all and are going to buy one, then it would be wise to purchase a wireless-n router.

If you are looking at buying a wireless-n router or need assistance setting one one, Emerson Technologies would be happy to help. Just call our office at 651-454-7729 or send an email to help@emersontech.net and we will assist you.

An Android based phone means that it is running a Linux operating system called Android. You may be familiar with different Windows operating systems, such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and different Mac operating systems, such as Max OS X – Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, etc. Well, Android is simply an operating system for phones.

The company which originally designed the Android operating system was acquired by Google in 2005. Google had them design the fist Android-based phone, the G1. From there more and more Android phones began to be created. Android is similar to the iPhone in that there is a market where thousands of applications can be downloaded. Any of the newer Android phones have full support for exchange email for businesses, Google calendar, Gmail, and email account synchronization. Additionally, Android phones can connect to Wi-Fi networks, have bluetooth connectivity and also have built in GPS technologies.

One of the most important aspects of the Android operating system is that it is an open platform that you can install any application that you want. This is different from the iPhone due to the fact that every single application has to be approved by Apple before it can be placed on the Apple App Store. With an Android-based phone, software developers are free to offer their applications on their own, without being required to get it approved by another company prior to it being made available.

Android phones offer many more features than traditional Smartphones such as and Blackberry and Windows Mobile phones, and are still easy to set up for synchronization in the business world. They function similarly to the iPhone. Lately, the iPhone and Android-based phones have been referred to in a new category of their own. They are referred to as “Super Smartphones”.  Examples of some Android based phones include G1, HTC Hero, HTC Legend, HTC myTouch, Motorola Droid, Motorola Cliq, and the Nexus One. If you are considering buying a new phone, Emerson Technologies supports and recommends Android phones. One thing to consider if you are used to working with Windows Mobile is that Microsoft has a new version of their Windows Mobile OS called “Windows Phone 7 Series” coming out at the end of this year.  If you are partial to Windows Mobile for any reason you might want to wait for a bit for our discussion of the huge changes coming to the Windows Phone field. We will have an article on Windows Phone 7 Series coming soon.

Here is another way to look at it. Driving an expensive car is nice and can come with a lot of cool features, but at its core it is still a car with a main purpose of transportation. Compare the expensive car to a more basic car without air-conditioning, power windows, heated seats, premium sound system, sun roof or leather seats; it still serves the same main purpose – transportation. The expensive car is going to cost more initially and is going to cost more to maintain. Now think of paid anti-virus as a more expensive car. It is going to have a lot of features, many of which are very useful and worth the money. There are still however other features that you may not need. Some might think all of these features might slow down their systems. It is true that some free anti-virus programs perform faster than some paid anti-virus programs, but this is not always the case. For more in-depth technical information on performance tests, take a look at AV Comparatives, an independent anti-virus review website.

In general, most home users will be fine with free anti-virus software assuming the following: your computer is kept up to date with Windows Updates and the program is setup to scan properly. However, if you don’t want to risk anything or if you are worried about a free program and aren’t sure what you need, you can purchase a full featured anti-virus program. They aren’t too expensive and often have versions that are licensed for use on up to 3 computers, so you can install them on your home computer and laptop.

By the way, it is NOT good to have more than 1 anti-virus application installed on your computer. They will conflict with each other and significantly slow down your computer. This can often lead to the anti-virus programs detecting each other and trying to remove each other (due to the nature of how an anti-virus program is designed). However, this is not to be confused with having an anti-virus program and also a secondary program that you use regularly to run additional scans periodically.

Currently, Emerson Technologies recommends that home-users install Microsoft Security Essentials for those looking for a free anti virus program and either Trend Micro AntiVirus and AntiSpyware or Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 for paid anti-virus application.