How Do I Choose a Strong Password?
March 24, 2009
Every person who uses a computer knows how important security is. One aspect of security that we will be examining today is the infamous password. How do you choose a good password? Having a weak password is one way that can lead to identity theft and/or other personal data information being exposed. Read more
How do I Choose a Smartphone?
February 4, 2009
Let’s face it: just about everyone nowadays has a cell phone, and many of us have work e-mail that we’re expected to check on the fly. What’s the best way to do that? For most people, the answer is a smartphone.
What is a smartphone, you ask? It’s simply a cellular telephone with advanced capabilities that make it more like a tiny personal computer than a telephone. Smartphones typically handle e-mail, calendars, personal notes, and standard cellular phone capabilities. There are several notable giants in the field: Palm (and other Windows Mobile devices), Blackberry, and the recent entrant into the market of cellular technology, the iPhone from Apple. This month, we will focus briefly on some of the work-related aspects where each of these phones may help or hinder you. Read more
How to install and configure Firefox in Windows
February 3, 2009
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Download Firefox by clicking here.
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Proceed through the install. When you are finished, check the “Launch Firefox Now” option.
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You can now import all of your bookmarks and settings from Internet Explorer. Read more
Stocking stuffers for the techie in your life
December 18, 2008
Everyone has somebody in their life who is considered a techie. Be it a loved one, co-worker or friend, there are techies all around us. Being that said person is a techie, most “typical” gifts one thinks of are fairly expensive. From video-games to DVD’s, iPod’s and TVs, electronic gifts can be a little rough on the wallet. So what are some good gift ideas for a techie, without having to spend a fortune?
A safer way to use credit cards online
December 18, 2008
Most of us have purchased things on-line with a credit-card. With all the news of identity theft and credit-card theft lately, it is understandable to be hesitant about making online purchases. This is especially the case when you need to make a payment at a new website that you haven’t developed a trust for. The online payment website PayPal has a little-known and under-used feature that can help reduce the chances of your credit card being used without your authorization.
If you have a PayPal account, you can take advantage of their free “secure card” feature. This is a service where PayPal creates a one-time use, or single-vendor credit card for you. You get a unique credit card that can only be used one-time, or that can only be used at a single vendor (your choice). The credit card is tied to your PayPal account or your bank account to fund the purchases.
Planning for the unexpected: Backup and Survive
November 21, 2008
You know you’re supposed to backup your data. You probably also know it’s not a matter of if your hard drive fails, but a matter of when. You even may be doing your backups daily, which is a great practice, but are you backing up all the data you need to recover fully? The goal here is to waste as little time as possible to get back to exactly where you were before you lost your data.
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How to backup your Outlook data
April 25, 2008
Backups are a hot topic. Especially when problems strike. The worst feeling is having a computer problem and not having a solid backup plan in place to turn to. Increasingly we all rely on e-mail as the center of our business communications. It’s where our task list is, our phone and e-mail contacts as well as all our correspondence. Unfortunately the predominant e-mail program for businesses, Microsoft Outlook, does not make it very easy or obvious how to backup your data.
There’s an easy solution for you if you are not using a Microsoft Exchange Server to manage your e-mail. It’s not included with Outlook, but Microsoft offers a free download to help you backup all your Outlook data from within Outlook. To get started, download the Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders Backup Tool. The link above includes some easy to follow instructions for installing, configuring and using the Backup Tool.
If you have any questions, would like help finding the right backup option for your needs, give us a call. Emerson Technologies can work with you to put together the right backup solution for your business.
When is it time to replace my computer?
February 19, 2008
There isn’t a hard set time frame. However Emerson Technologies recommends a business start thinking about replacing computers in about 3 years from the previous purchase. This is especially necessary for people who use their computer heavily in terms of more powerful applications. As more software is installed in a computer, or present software is updated, these changes typically put more demand on computer hardware resources, causing speed degradation, and in extreme cases, computers may start to hang; causing down time and productivity loss.
How do I maintain my computer?
February 15, 2008
To properly maintain your PC requires dedicated monthly or bi-monthly checkups to verify your software is up to date, and your hardware is functioning properly and efficiently.
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