If you know the enemy face, consider that half of the battle is already won. Therefore, we suggest you get acquainted with the ten things that can interfere with comfortable walks on the Internet (including, with your smartphone).
1. Spyware: As the name implies, are scripts that are created specifically to spy on you. They collect information about search queries, logins, passwords, credit card data, address books, etc.
2. Viruses: These are script or program codes that are capable of self-replication, and unauthorized transfer from one computer to another.
3. Malware: This is the common name for a variety of computer programs designed specifically to harm your computer, server or network. One of the dangers of malicious programs lies in the fact that they are able to penetrate deep into the files, appearing again, even after their removal.
4. Trojans: Trojans enter your computer disguised as useful or important updates of the program. They are created specifically to cause damage to computers, destroying or altering information on your hard disk.
5. Adware: These programs are created to ensure that no consent to display advertisements on the screen of a smartphone or computer. It can be pop-up windows, automatically downloads sites, etc.
6. Malicious toolbars: They replicate the functionality of known panels (such as Yahoo or Google), but that analyze information stored in the memory of a computer or smartphone.
7. Theft browser: These scripts change the start page of the web browser without any user consent.
8. Cookie: This is a legitimate files that store information about your visits to Web sites and designed to make using them easier and more convenient. However, if a hacker gets access to the cookies, he learns about you very much.
9. Worms: This kind of virus that is able to copy the information for themselves from the PC or smart phone.
10. Common sense: It is the best protection against various kinds of malicious programs. Just avoid questionable sites, do not insert your flash drive in a public computer, do not open email from strangers, etc.
As for smartphones, these relatively new devices are not so heavily exposed to a virus attack. But over time, will appear more and more programs designed to steal information from your iPhone (iPhone), Android (Android) or Blackberry (Blackberry). Therefore, use your common sense and it will save you and your information. Follow above listed 10 things and their prevention method for securing your vital information.
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Microsoft Lync Secret - 1 - There Is an iPhone App
Microsoft Lync launched in 2010 and has made working and collaborating with a computer to a higher level. Allowing individuals from anywhere in the world to communicate with each other in real time, by typing a note, talking into a microphone, or sharing their desktop. Lync is available in two different flavors, hosted on a server that is owned by the organization or by subscribing to Microsoft Lync Online, which is part of the Office 365 suite of products.
One of the secrets that I have uncovered about Microsoft Lync will make staying in touch much easier. It will allow you to go about your day an still be able to respond to messages that come in. And that secret is that Microsoft has a Lync App in the iPhone App store that is free to use. The process is very simple to get connected.
Make sure you have Lync working on your computer. This will ensure that you can login in with your App. Also make sure that you have an iPhone of some sort. Then go to the iPhone app store and search for Microsoft Lync. Once you find the App, you will know as the logo is the same as the one on the computer. Click to install and wait for the application to install on the phone. Once that is complete, set up the app by entering in the login and password that is used on your computer, and then presto, you have Microsoft Lync on your iPhone and can stay in touch where ever you go.
With this added freedom, you will be able to stay in touch with your customers, business associates, and friends while you are on the go. There are some extra features of Microsoft Lync have than other messaging apps do not have. You can set your status from your phone and you can see other contacts status. If you are connected with Exchange, you can se your meetings that are coming up as well.
As a busy consultant, I find it extremely valuable to have this little app on my iPhone that will allow me to be available to my customers and to my business contact. One time I was in line at lunch and one of my most important clients pinged me with Lync. I was able to respond immediately to his problem and fixed before I had to order; the power of being available on Lync. Allowing them to see my status and the ability to change my status on the fly makes this app that need to be downloaded.
There are two ways to get Microsoft Lync, Individuals can get a subscription to Microsoft Office 365 which comes with Microsoft Lync Online. If you work at a place that has Microsoft Lync as their Office Communicator, then you can use your login from your business to use the Lync App. Of course you should make sure that you are able to access the Lync Host before relying on it as a business tool. Get with your IT administrator to make sure that it is available.
Brad R. Holt has greater than a decade of combined experience in Project Management, Business Operations, Customer Deployment Services, and Microsoft SharePoint Excellence PMO Consulting. He earned is MBA in eBusiness from the University of Phoenix. Since then he has been developing and refining a engagement and consulting process that help organizations increase their Project Management knowledge.
Brad, has specialized with Microsoft SharePoint and Project Server and is able to customize these products to fit a variety of needs including Project Demand Management and Document Management. He has also trained many power users to be Subject Matter Experts of SharePoint. http://www.bradrholt.com/
Brad Holt is a Microsoft Office 365 Specialist focusing on Small to medium sized Businesses. Contact me if you have any Offie 365 questions.
Understanding The Importance Of Collecting And Analyzing Business Data
Are you taking advantage of the key data available and using it to benefit your company? The market offers you information on your competition, potential and current customers, trends and much more. By finding this information by analyzing business data and taking advantage of it, you'll find it helps in many ways:
• Retain your customers
• Boost sales across the board
• Generate more business
• Successfully target your potential clientele
You've already got a lot of information about your customers already so why not take advantage of it by using data analysis software?
What Consumer Data Analysis Software Can Do for Your Business-
1. Help Retain Current Customers.
By interacting with your customers on a proactive basis, you'll be able to give them information they see as valuable. Those queues may be that the latest version of a product could solve one of their problems. When sales reps suggest improvements that will help your customer solve problems, they won't see it as selling but as a great boost of customer service.
2. Improve Your Sales.
Your sales representatives are in the perfect position to obtain pertinent information about your current clientele. They are interacting with your clients already and on a regular basis. If you've got all the information entered into your ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management) packages, you'll be able to leverage the information so you'll be able to develop products and services your clients need.
3. More Effective Target Promotions.
Being able to target potential clients that fit your business and products is key. The right consumers are necessary if you want your latest promotion to be successful. You'll be able to track sales and performance because of the data you've already managed to collect already.
This business data reporting includes the length of time it takes to complete a sale on an identified lead. If you target the wrong consumer segment with the correct solution, your sales cycle could be lengthened and significantly decrease your profitability. When you identify the consumer sector that will provide you with revenue faster, you will be able to increase your profitability substantially. Taking advantage of proper analysis of client data, you'll be able to identify which parts of your marketing and sales resources are most effective.
4. Identify Strengths & Weaknesses Even when you have the right tools for capturing your consumer data and then conducting customer data analysis, your sales department may still fall short. They may not be identifying valuable opportunities from the business data reporting you have available. ERP and CRM software has the customer data analysis tools you need to measure each of your sales person's productivity. This can help you identify areas where your sales department may be having problems. You will then be able to 'fine-tune' your process to improve the results of every team member.
With the right tools for analyzing business data and taking advantage of the information it contains, your customer data analysis can be a huge benefit.
When it comes to collecting and analyzing business data, Marlon Escalat knows you have to have good business reporting software. To make the best decisions, businesses turn to the data solutions offered by Windward.
How to Start a Website for Your Painting Business
After running a very successful direct mail campaign I started my own website. What started out slow in the way of response grew over a period of 2 years, to the point where I can envision not doing direct mail in a few years.
First I am not telling you to create the site yourself. But you need to think about what to say. Starting a website for your painting business begins with your web design. What I mean is that you need to think about what it takes to reach the people in your area. You will want to advertise by mentioning the areas local to you that you want to service. After all it won't do you any good getting calls from across the country, so you will want to confine your region. Of course having photos is very good. Then telling what you do in your business is necessary.
After you have started to firm up your thoughts go to the keyword link and research the most popular keywords that are stimulating click through to the keywords in your niche, and use these keywords in your content. You will want a page that you can ask questions, like what their name, address, email is and what is the age of the house? (I want to know if there is know if there is lead paint in the house). I like to ask if the customer ever had experience with a contractor and what kind of experience did they have. What did they want out of the paint job? This page can be set up with an automatic email back to you.
Once you begin to firm up in your mind what you want in your web site then contact http://www.freelancer.com, this is a site where people contact where people can outsource their web design work to a professional web site designer for a fraction of the cost because these designers bid on your site work. https://adwords.google.com: keyword tool
Next, you are probably thinking that this will cost a fortune; fear not, I paid under $100 for a website builder to create my site. And I am currently paying $3.95 per month for a hosting plan. Be prepared for some new experiences, and if you do a good job picking good keywords and content, you will have a good response rate. Once the site is up and running you will see how little effort it takes to have customers call you or email you.
The Importance of a Computerized Business Management System
According to a recent industry survey, nearly 50 percent of outdoor power equipment dealers do not utilize a computerized business management system (BMS). That is not to say that these businesses do not have a computer system of some type, as many have them for Internet access, parts look-up or email. The survey also indicated that the most successful dealers (by dollars and size) all had an "industry-specific" BMS in place at their dealerships.
So does this mean you must have an industry-specific BMS to be successful in the outdoor power equipment industry? Certainly not, but it does seem to indicate a BMS could factor into your success.
If you are one of those dealers in the 50 percent that lack a BMS, here are some reasons why you should consider adding one to your business and some implementation concerns you should be aware of.
The main purpose of a BMS is to improve productivity at all levels of an organization. Each department within your dealership will gain capabilities from computer technology that will allow them to function more effectively and efficiently. A BMS will streamline business operations, employee workflow and dealership processes. Ultimately, this will provide better management control and positively impact the dealership's bottom line.
BMS help management and employees more easily communicate and collaborate. Users of these systems find they have much easier access to needed information in order to complete work-related tasks. Even technology like email, instant messaging and social networking has enhanced the communication process to provide rapid communication between the dealership, customers and vendors. This business communication technology allows management and employees to develop closer relationships to customers, which results in improved sales.
A BMS facilitates real-time tracking of business transactions. This speeds the process of typically laborious transactions like invoicing, purchasing and inventory control. Essentially, all business activities will see great improvements in time spent and a dramatic decrease in errors. Management is able to get a better handle on business operations, improve employee productivity and define future company strategies.
Now are there any downsides to adding a BMS to your business? In reality, very few considering the gains you will achieve. There are some pitfalls an astute business owner or manager must be aware of. Otherwise, implementing a BMS could prove to be very, very costly.
The purchase price of a BMS has seen a considerable decrease in the last two decades, but you should be aware that the initial price of the BMS is a mere portion of the total overall money a business will invest when they computerize their operations. It is imperative that the business owner and management foresee these costs and plan accordingly.
Installing a BMS puts tremendous demand on the ability of a company to manage its personnel. It tests the capacity of managers and employees to train and accept training. A company should expect to invest considerable time and money into training each person that will be involved in the operation. Without the proper managed training, operation of the BMS might cause work disruptions and could become quite detrimental to productivity and profitability.
As a final note, using a BMS will become a determining factor in your business operations, workplace practices and overall business strategies. Once you automate your dealership's business processes, the business will gain additional reporting, management tools and operational procedures that will help achieve your business goals. The importance of a BMS cannot be overstated and is now well acknowledged as a business necessity.
Importance of a Computerized Business Management System
c-Systems Software, Inc.
10 Internet Meme Themes and the Meme Revolution
From parents to kids, businesses to non-profit organizations, everybody and anybody has joined the meme revolution.
What's a Meme?
An Internet meme, pronounced like "seem," is a shared image that spreads virally across the Internet via social networking sites, blogs, emails, and more. Memes illustrate anything from impressive triumphs to epic failures or they can be parodies that imitate behavior.
A good meme goes viral - your audience (friends, family, peers, colleagues, organizations, and more) broadcasts your work for you by sharing your meme with their friends, family, and so on.
All you have to do is create a memorable meme!
Popular Memes You Can Create Too!
Caption This: One of the most popular memes, these are images captioned by your friends, family, or your audience. Whether it's a dramatic image from a popular movie or an image that sparks your imagination, captions are a fantastic way to increase engagement and have a good laugh!Imitation-Speak: If you see an image and imagine the person (or animal's) response, what would it say? Would he, she, or it have a particular accent?
Entertainment: Television, movies, sports, arts, and more - entertainment is a shared experience and is easily recognized. If you have an experience that conjures a scene or moment, you can create an entertainment themed-meme by taking a scene from a movie and add your own text!
Meme Movements: These types of memes have social zeal that you contribute to with your own personal twist. For example, doing something in an area that isn't traditionally done, taking a picture of it, and sharing it. The "planking" phenomenon is an example of this.
Formatted Memes: Format a meme that can be easily replicated. An example of this is the 6 photo montage featuring photos from "What my friends think I do" to "What I really do..."
Shockingly Bad: Made with the best intentions, from horrendous music videos to family photos, some memes are created and shared because they're "too bad to be true." These are often subjected to all sorts of quips and jabs.
Photoshop: Part of an image is superimposed into a well-known image or the image is altered, like the Mona Lisa as the joker or the Mona Lisa holding a cat.
Motivational: Provide a moving or inspiration picture with your own motivational text. Common motivational themes are goal-oriented and provide an action phrase.
Video Meme: These usually provide a bit more production, but video memes in the form of parody commercials or music videos and fun film shorts are great viral machines! Create a character or a spoof on a product or service.
Mores Memes: This type of meme points out social mores (a society or culture's norms, values, or traditions) and sheds a new light on the mores (either to generate discussion or to educate). It also can become a shared symbolic gesture to a community to show pride or humor.
Once you've made a meme, share it with friends, family, colleagues and more. Increase your memes viral-power by ensuring they are:
Relatable: Understandable and create the desired response.Sharable: Available on social networking sites like Facebook and Pinterest.Build a Response: Liked, shared, and discussed.Creating a meme is as easy as taking a picture and sharing, so why not join in on the meme revolution by creating your own memes? Let your imagination run wild!
Create your own memes to share with friends and family with Meme Something. Download Meme Something from iTunes at http://memesomething.com/, pick an existing photo from your library or take a new one, add text, and then share it with your friends. It's THAT easy!
Romania Offshore Development - Six Reasons Why Romania Is a Special Offshoring Zone
Offshore software development has become a global affair currently. It is about outsourcing a project of any size to a software contractor that is based in a distant country. Romania offshore development is awesome and ideal for any global client. Located in the heart of Eastern Europe, Romania is renowned for her fastest growing Information Technology Industry. It competes with other Eastern Europe countries such as Hungary, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Serbia among others. Being a member of European Union since 2007, Romania's offshore software development industry attracts high-profile clients from Western Europe.
The word about Romania's pro developers has spread everywhere in the world explaining the reason why its offshore market is doing great. While India has attracted numerous global organizations in the past, most of them are currently shifting their focus on Eastern Europe. Needless to mention, Romania's industry is attention grabbing for the reason that its government has already started to show support. Having mentioned above that competition is intense among nations in the Eastern Europe, one may want to know what makes Romania offshore development special. Six reasons are discussed below.
a) Multi-lingual labourforce - Romanian developers speak native English, a language that is universally accepted and used in countless ways. Their competitive edge is their ability to speak other major languages that can be a part of any software program. Their alternative languages include French, Spanish, Swedish, German, Greek, Finnish and Danish among others.
b) Easy cultural assimilation - The fact that Romanians are good English speakers means that they can understand any organization's culture. Romania offshore development is doing great in Europe because the business culture all over Europe is virtually indistinguishable.
c) Many developers - According to statistics released prior to the year 2007, Romania had approximately 45,000 software developers. Furthermore, it had eight thousand graduates choosing to pursue Information Technology studies every year. Also, the country is recognized for its advanced education system that has helped it produce the most talented and intelligent software programmers worldwide.
d) Compatible time zones - Romania offshore development projects work out smoothly because of her flexible time zones. The country's time zone is compatible with several countries' time zones in Europe. The developers are able to work with U.S clients during the day. Some African cities share a similar time zone with Bucharest, the capital city, and others are one to two hours behind. Australia and Asian countries are a few hours ahead. In short, a Romanian offshore programmer can enter into a suitable deal with any worldwide client.
e) Geographical Location - As a result of economic crisis, offshoring trend has been mounting among countries in Eastern Europe. Entrepreneurs in these countries effortlessly choose Romania developers because of their geographical location. Surrounded by fellow European Union countries, Romania's peaceful co-existence with its neighbors is one of the things that attract many clients.
f) High quality results offered economically - Romania is not among the rich countries in Europe. As a result, outsourcing rates are much lower and fairer here than in the UK, U.S and other developed nations.
Nearshore and the Romania offshore development industry is far-fetched with its high-speed broadband internet ranking 4th worldwide. This is where organizations could outsource programming tasks inexpensively in exchange for high quality results. Romanians are highly competent and experienced with various software applications such as Agile, and Silverlight. They can be hired on the internet.
Web Graphic Design Is A Fulfilling Career
People all over the world have experience using web sites for a variety of things. This includes learning more information about different topics or for business use. An expert creates each website that is available on the internet. It takes a lot of technique and skill for a person to gain success in web graphic design. When browsing the internet, a user visits a web page that catches their attention within a few seconds. Competition for internet traffic is very high.
In order to pursue this career, an individual will need to further their education. Many community and technical colleges offer classes that cater to future web designers. In world of design, a person will be able to exercise their creativity on a regular basis. They will also have to have an extensive knowledge of software programs within the industry. Each program applied offers a variety of features. It all depends on what a designer prefers to use. There are many specialties within this large field of internet design; a person needs to perform research to see what interests them.
Editing tools used on a regular basis include cropping, filters and colors. A cropping tool cuts out the edges of a picture. The goal is to cut out unnecessary objects out of the image. There are many variations of cropping tools used by experts. Small cropping devices can help a designer maintain accuracy when cutting out certain items. Filters create special visual effects on an image. A large variety of them are available for a person to use. Some examples include brush strokes, textures and sharpening. Filters have abilities to change the look of a certain piece of work. Much like the cropping tool, filters alter the whole image or just a partial portion. Colors are quite easily changed in a picture. All of these items need to flow to create the perfect website that will catch the interest of users all over the world.
These are only a few examples of items that a web designer will need to know how to run. By learning these items, person experiences even more freedom to promote their certain flair or style in an artistic way. It is a very rewarding feeling to work in a career that a person is very passionate about. They are able to enjoy the process of creating a design or website for their clients. A rewarding occupation creates a happy lifestyle.
Facts About LAN Cables and Connectors
LAN(s) or Local Area Networks are the small-sized sets of connections to which various users of home and office computers primarily connect. LAN networks facilitate the sharing of printers, drives and files at the same time regulating interchange to and from the internet.
Despite the fact that "Wi-Fi" connections are becoming so prevalent, the utilization of LAN cables is still applied specifically for large size networks with combined wireless and wired networks. This type of network system has a very significant part in the general operation of large networks. Thus, before you build up a large networking system, you have to know and understand how to manage a cable network well.
It is required to set up a speedy LAN network to sustain the current and future needs of your network services and applications. By tradition, UTP or Unshielded Twisted Pair structured cabling system provides fast and reliable connections using the high-speed technology - the Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet (GE). For the potential development of your wired network, the GE for backbone LAN wiring is suggested. Using GE or even faster Ethernet together with the optical fiber backbone is mandatory in diffusing fast inter LANs.
In order to have a high performance and unfailing wire connection, a perfectly designed system for cabling is necessary. There are sets of standards and requirements in setting up a system for computer network. LAN cables commonly utilized in the network are classified into Coaxial LAN Cable, Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) and Unshielded Twisted Pair ("UTP") Cables. On the other hand, the coaxial type is no longer employed in the current time because of the era of fast Ethernet where the UTP cables are the most in demand.
Furthermore, users of networks may be linking with one of the many classes of LAN connectors based on the type and age of device. No matter what kind of connector is being used, LAN connectors perform a similar function that is transmitting data between the connected network and computer. Sending data by means of the LAN connector, the computer can share and exchange information with the other computer units. They can also get data on devices situated all over the world, as long it has an access to the internet. The connector uses protocol depending on the network type to which the device is linked. However, majority of the up to date connectors break up data into packets or small segments. Also, they designate an IP or Internet Protocol address matching the destination of the packet and send it out over the linked up system cable.
Regardless of the type of LAN connector, be it wired or wireless type, coaxial or Ethernet, they are the major crossing point of the internet, local network connections and computer equipment. Computers are still the main channel to access the Internet and the foremost means for operating and designing Internet services, and these connectors play an important part in the advances of computer technology.
Many users enjoy the application of LAN cables and connectors because they are the principal link between a computer device and local area networks as well as the internet. Users can exchange and share information, music, movies and files with users either on local or any connected equipment around the globe. Nonetheless, aside from the benefits and importance of LAN, using the system also involves risk. The user may produce the chances of electronic infringement; also any computer networked may encounter hacking threats from the other users.
Are you looking for more information regarding LAN cables? Visit http://netcablesplus.com/ today!
Is Your Computer Data Secure?
One of my Mantra's is Security, Security, Security!
Recent events have re-enforced the need to return to this very important subject related to IT and computer systems. There is no-one I know who does not have some form of security on his or her property. It does not matter whether they live in a 6-figure sum house or in rented accommodation. Measures may range from a single lock to a very sophisticated alarm and surveillance systems, but the point is they all have some form of security.
The same should be true of our computer systems. It does not matter if your system is connected with National Security or stands alone in your house, if it contains data that is sensitive to you, you should take steps to protect it.
In this article I will go through some of the steps that you can put into action to make sure that life for the would-be thief is made difficult.
Physical Steps
When it comes to the world of IT security, it is easy to overlook the obvious. When I was at school one of the 'catch you out' questions went like this:
"If red houses are made out of red bricks and yellow houses are made out of yellow bricks, what are green houses made of?"
The logical answer is of course green bricks but the correct answer is glass. The question is posed in such a way as to lead you down a certain way of thinking. When it comes to IT, for some reason we think of complex ways to set up security when some simple practical measures may be all thats needed.
Lock It Away
If you have a notebook make sure that you lock it away when not in use or away from your desk overnight. Although this may be inconvenient for desktops it is still an option. I know of at least one large bank that puts all its desktop pc's into a strong room at night. It may be tedious but very effective.
Bolt It Down
If your computer is a server then shutting it down and putting it away may not be an option. Then consider bolting it down. You can buy security cages that bolt to the floor and would take far too long for the opportune thief to cut through and steal.
Many proper servers come with a lockable front panel, which prevent the computer from being opened, and/or the drives removed. Why not make use of this simple deterrent?
Monitor Sensitive Systems
If you are a business, then for relatively little money it is easy to set up surveillance. All that you need is a security camera (costs start lower than 200 pounds) connected to a basic computer. These systems not only record events but can also send images to offsite computers or even send alerts to your mobile phone. You can log into the camera from remote sites using the Internet; this is particularly useful if the alarm system goes off and you want to check your premises immediately.
Other Options
Password Protect
You would be amazed at how many systems and sensitive documents have no password security. There are at least 4 important things about using passwords.
A strong password has the following characteristics:
Mixture of upper/lower case letters
Includes numbers
Includes characters like @&%
At least 8 characters in length.
If your passwords do not contain the above, then your system may have the security equivalent of a rusty bolt with some of the screws loose!
Do not use one password for everything
Some Servers can be set to force regular password changes every month or whatever time scale you choose. The system can also force that a password cannot be re-used within so many cycles.
Never use sensitive passwords on an unknown systemThis is a no question policy of sound advice. Break it at your peril. You have been warned. To do so is like leaving a full set of labelled keys in a public place. There are a number of software products readily available on the market that keep a logging history of all keys pressed on a keyboard. Some even detect mouse click selections. If you have to use a password (maybe in a life or death situation) on an unknown system change your password as soon as you can from a known secure system.
Yes, I know many of you will have read that twice and wonder if I have lost the plot.The advice from any bank or agency is never write down your password anywhere. Actually I agree. You should never write down your password in a form anyone can recognise. But with so many passwords we need to remember, is it any wonder that people use the same password over and over again? What I do, is write down my password in an encrypted way that I can understand but no-one else would have any idea what the numbers mean. Most, if not all credit cards work with a 4-digit pin number. What you can do is write them down in the wrong order and add 1 or 2 more numbers in the same place each time or always add the same number more to the original numbers. Also, I never write down my passwords or PIN numbers alongside the source, e.g. I do not write down the name of the bank with number next to it. I devised a system for naming the bank account and the password. If someone found my list they would never know the significance of the information and more likely than not discard it.
Good Practices
Firewall
One problem uniquely associated with IT theft is that the thief does not have to break into your property to gain access to your system or sensitive data. Thanks to the Internet the thief can be on the other side of the world, sitting drinking coffee while he is stealing from you.
All businesses should have a good firewall, full stop! Good routers come with built in firewalls of various quality. From behind these fire-walled routers, a would be thief gets no reply when he/she tries to 'ping' your IP address to find out if there is a computer at the other end. Don't worry about the technical terms, Firewalls simply make your computer invisible to the outside world.
Prohibit/prevent use of file transfer and chat programmes
If you are a business your router or third-party software can prohibit access to file transfer programmes commonly used to download music or chat programmes. These programmes can act as gateways through your firewall security.
Security Software
If you are a home or business user you should consider using one of the many third-party software commonly known as Internet Security Packages. I suggest one that marks websites that are safe to search.
Protecting Mobile Devices
Many businesses have personnel who use mobile devices that contain up to date data usually like emails, dairy and reminder events. Most of these devices synchronise with the main server in the office. These devices are easily prone to theft. What many users may not know is that they can be remotely wiped of any sensitive data no matter where the devise is in the world.
Backups
In protecting your property it is common to insure against fire, theft and accidental damage. No talk about security would be complete without mentioning backups, the equivalent of accidental damage. Here, I would just like to mention one method of backup that I am being asked about more and more these days - off site backup.
A lot of third-party groups are now offering offsite backups. Options are available for the home and business user. There are certainly some good points in favour of this option, but there are limitations that I would like to draw your attention to:
Should not be considered as the total answer
It is uncommon that one solution fits all needs. For example, what happens if your broadband connection goes down?
Costs money
Naturally, as a service that is being offered there is a cost involved. Vendors of these services charge on the basis of how much data is stored offsite. The costs range widely. As a believer in 'you get what you pay for' you need to investigate each offer carefully.
Data Transfer rates and amounts
You have to take into account how much data you need to back up. Remember that offsite backup times will depend on how fast your broadband connection is (if you do not have broadband this option is a non starter). Most systems work on the basis of the first backup moves all the files - which can take days - then only does incremental backups thereafter.
If your service provider contract limits the amount of data you can transfer you need to make sure you do not run into the problem of excess charges.
Generally, you can't beat doing a full backup and storing the tapes offsite yourself. I view this as a good option for small but very important files as a tool in the weapons' arsenal.
If you would like help or advice on any of the issues raised in this article please visit my website at http://www.b-d-p.co.uk
For more information or help from Steve R Bryan please visit his website at http://www.bryansdataprogramming.com/ where you can find information about products, services and download Bryan's Data Programming's free monthly newsletter packed full of up to date news, information and advice about the world of computing.
POS or Point of Sales System in Business
The term POS is an acronym that stands for point of sale system. The term however can mean many different things when it comes to the functionality of the software. Some people may call a cash register a POS system while are the same time a software solution that manages stock, promotions, marketing and more may also be called a point of sale system. The question that remains for us to consider is what point of sale software will meet our requirements.
Let's start with the simple cash register which in its more advanced stage may be a rom based system which means the user has access to more buttons whose function may be set using a separate computer and some configuration software supplied by the vendor. There are 2 main advantages of the cash register and that is simplicity of use and cost. A cash register basically records sales and gives you a very basic ability to associate sales with departments. In terms of cost they can come in at around $800 to $2500. However in terms of limitations you get no stock control facilities and your sales reports are generally very basic with total sales for different departments such as drinks, fish and chips etc. Also with the cost of computers continuing to dramatically come down the cost difference between a cash register and a computer including touch screen is diminishing every day.
Let's turn out attention now to POS software. Here you also get a lot of variance in the functions provided. Some software based systems may not offer stock control but almost all will give you more on demand detailed sales reporting from the category/department level down to the level of the individual product. This data is very critical to aid the business owner in analysing performance and making better decisions.
Different POS systems have different focuses. Some systems will focus on the restaurant sector with touch screen functionality, table management and kitchen order management. Other POS systems will be more parts/product orientated and offer varying levels of stock control functionality. This can vary from simple stock control as in receiving and selling and stocktake through to more advanced systems that support warehouse management. Then there are systems that go even further and offer integrated online store, marketing tools, loyalty programs, email promotion tools and more.
So what do you need in your POS? You need to look at what you need now and what you need to grow your business. The right POS software is not only about price, it is very much about what is going to help you grow. You might save several thousand dollars on a POS system compared to another system, but the other system would have provided functionality that boosted sales through online store integration, marketing and better management tools that would have made you an extra 20 or 50,000 or more each year. So the $2,000 you saved may be costing you $50,000 in cost savings and sales.
So what you need to do is completed a business case and think about this from a wholistic basis. Choosing a POS (point of sale) can be an incredible catalyst for growth, so invest the time so you can make the best choice.
PBSAPOS -your Australian specialist in POS and Point of Sale Software, quality low cost hardware including TouchScreen and Touch screen products.
7 Reasons Why Your Website Needs a Refresher!
Technology, programming, and website standards are constantly changing and progressing. Whereas a site that was designed five years ago may still work, you might be very surprised to learn that, the same programming and design is actually keeping potential customers from buying your products or services.
If your website was created or designed within the last 3-5 years, your business owes to have a fresh design -- a face-lift as we can say. If its been more than five years since your company website was originally designed or even redesigned, you are way overdue.
Refresh these elements of your site:
A website needs to keep customers coming back to you instead of making them leave out of frustration. Listed are our 7 reasons you should update your major source of on-line presence.
1. Update Content, it's the ultimate king:
Remember, content is king and to engage with your visitors you need to offer them essential information that they can rely on.
2. Refresh the imagery, colors and style
Review your use of imagery on the site. Could you use a few new photographs or maybe add a couple of galleries? What about changing the color or styling within the site.
3. Give the audience an innovative reason to visit your site?
Why should visitors come to your website? Your visitors interests and browsing behavior will inform and direct how you go about creating these changes.
4. Explore diverse target audience
You need to understand everything about your visitors from their background, education, job, motivations, interests, hobbies and personal life. Put the time in because it can yield some fascinating insights and tangible benefits.
5. Provide gripping content
True understanding of your audience will help you to provide content they can share, from on-line tools to insightful articles that will get tagged, forwarded, bookmarked, liked and tweeted around the web, spreading the name of your business.
6. Identify areas for improvement
Regularly browse through your entire website with an impartial eye. Try to see it through the eyes of a new visitor and see what you find slow, frustrating or simply clunky.
7. Build into a brand
The desire to do something different or new shouldn't mean wiping the slate clean. Refreshing your website should be looked at as an opportunity to reinvigorate your brand, to put the energy and momentum back into it.
A website needs constant work progress. Little enhancements on regular basis are essential to keep everything up to date and save money on a possible major re-build project.
Tips for Choosing the Right Cloud Provider
In life, it's easy to get caught up quickly in the excitement of a new material possession, such as a new car or gadget. Yet how many times have you thought you found the perfect item only to see something better a week or maybe even a month later? This kind of "consumer regret" happens all of the time, especially in a consumer-driven society that's ever changing.
A friend of mine recently experienced consumer regret with an Apple product. They went shopping for an iPhone last August and failed miserably with the purchase. Had my friend waited a few months, they could have had the new iPhone 4s for the same price they paid for the iPhone 4. At first they blamed the salesperson for their lack of information, but then finally came to their senses and realized that they should be upset with themselves for not asking or better researching their purchase. Had they done some research before they went shopping, they could have waited and had the newest version for the same price. That's not the end of the story; when they saw the iPhone 4 on sale for less than $100 dollars around Christmas, they felt very embarrassed about their purchase.
Okay, I'll admit it. This story is not about a friend - it was actually about me. The lesson I learned from all of this: do your research first! The same goes for choosing a cloud provider.
When choosing a cloud provider, take your time and become familiar with more than one provider. It's sort of like dating. Very rarely does someone marry the first person they go out with, and so should it be when choosing a cloud provider. If you are choosing a data center close to your business, then schedule a tour of the facility. I would recommend touring at least three centers if possible. Meet the staff members and see where your data and equipment will be stored. Take note of the security measures each facility offers. After all, not all data centers are created equal, and they all do not offer the same services.
Also realize that unlike marriage, choosing a data center is not a lifelong commitment. Should you need to change providers in the future due to a price hike, or anything else, this will be more easily obtainable if you choose to use an application programming interface (API's) that is common across a variety of providers.
Additionally, it is absolutely important that you not only take the time to figure out what your current needs are, but also take into consideration what your future needs are going to be. Since data growth is inevitable, try and map out how much storage space you are going to need in the future. Once you have a good idea of your needs, then you can take that research and go shopping for a cloud provider.
When it comes to choosing a cloud provider, doing your research first will save you a lot of heartache and "consumer regret" in the future. Unlike my iPhone fiasco, do your research first. Don't jump the gun and sign up with a cloud provider before touring their facility if all possible. Make sure that you choose an API that is compatible across several providers just in case you need to change to a different provider in the future. Lastly, have a clear understanding of your present data storage needs, and map out your future storage needs. These helpful tips should come in handy when moving your data to the every growing cloud.
Sarah Pollock works as a Marketing Writing Coordinator for Global Communications Group, Inc. (GCG). We offer independent and unbiased data center consulting and data center facility tours to ensure that you find the right data center facility. Are you searching for the best data center service provider to support your business hosting and networking needs? At GCG, we represent all of the major data center service providers in the US and abroad. Data center solutions include colocation hosting, dedicated server hosting and networking services. Learn more about data center locations by visiting our brand new website: http://www.datacentermapping.com/
What Are the Benefits of Using Dell Dedicated Servers for Your Business?
If you want your business or corporation to be highly productive, you have to form an organised, stable and secure network that consists of workstations and dedicated servers. Dedicated servers are required if you want to create an intranet that hundreds of computers will access. When it comes to file sharing and communication, a good dedicated server will give you the stability and performance that your business needs. If you are still looking for a reliable dedicated server, you should choose Dell for the following reasons.
Dell are a top brand for computers and laptops these days yet arguably they haven't really been so successful in the tablet and smartphone industry. This is why Dell has made the decision to follow the path of IBM and focus more on the enterprise sector. Dell remains committed in serving consumers but their new focus is good news for emerging companies that are looking for good server solutions.
With this shift, Dell can focus on enhancing their PowerEdge line-up of servers. As of 2012, Dell introduced the 12th generation of PowerEdge tower, rack and blade servers. There are dozens of models to choose from, which is always good for businesses because they can choose the right specs for their networking requirements at a reasonable price. The price of each configuration is listed on the Dell website so you can always move on to another model for comparison purposes and see what the cheaper dedicated servers are missing.
The Dell website has a PowerEdge section where you can choose the type of server you want. Then you can choose your segment so you will be pointed to the right configuration. Their newest servers are equipped with the latest 32nm E5 Xeon Processors. You are able to choose the number of processors and cores per processor depending on the role of your server. You can also choose from a variety of operating systems including Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit including Hyper-V, Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and even VMware vSphere. With such futureproof specifications, these Dell dedicated servers should be ready to handle future operating systems like Windows 8 Server.
Since Dell is so committed to the enterprise now, Dell dedicated server owners should have better access to support when problems arise. Dell features global support and aims to reduce the level of IT complexity through their dedicated Dell Services team. Dell has an extensive support site where you can engage in live chat conversations with members of the support team or contact Dell experts through email or phone.
With Intel developing new chips, Dell will definitely be one of the first to feature new PowerEdge models that feature more powerful and efficient hardware to make businesses even more productive. On top of that, some of the biggest corporations and enterprises use Dell dedicated servers for reliable operation.
Vincent Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For information about Dell Solutions, he recommends Prodec Networks.
Intro to Network Port Scanning and Advanced Techniques: How Snort's Stealth TCP Port Scanning Works
SecurityWeek Network reported "The simple truth is that the only way to be sure that we actually analyze all network malware-related traffic is to perform a full inspection of all traffic on all ports." One of the primary tools used by malicious attackers to assess your network weaknesses is the port scan. By running a port scan an attacker can find out what "doors" into your network are open. Once they know that information they can begin to research what sorts of vulnerabilities or exploits that might open up to a network. It is vital that organizations restrict and control the traffic that is allowed into the network. One of the important attacks that Snort NIDS detects is port scanning.
An Introduction to Port Scanning
According to Tony Bradley, a network security expert at About.com who wrote "Port Knocking: The Secret Knock Can Open Your System," port scanning is similar to a thief going through your neighborhood and checking every door and window on each house to see which are open and which are locked. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) are two of the protocols that make up the TCP/IP protocol suite which is used universally to communicate on the Internet. Each of these has ports 0 through 65535 available, so essentially there are more than 65,000 doors to lock.
The first 1024 TCP ports are called the Well-Known Ports and are associated with standard services such as FTP, HTTP, SMTP, or DNS. Some of the addresses over 1023 also have commonly associated services, but the majority of these ports are not associated with any service and are available for a program or application to use to communicate.
TCP scanning is the most common type of scanning which uses the operating system's network functions. The attacker sends a SYN packet to the victim and in case the port is open then an ACK packet is sent back to the attacker by the victim thus notifying that the port is open. This process is termed as 3-way handshaking.
UDP Scanning is a connectionless protocol. This means that there is no notification sent back to the attacker whether the packet has been received or dropped by the victim's network. If a UDP packet is sent to a port that is not open, the system will respond with an ICMP port unreachable message. Most UDP port scanners use this scanning method and use the absence of a response to infer that a port is open.
What is Stealth TCP Port Scanning?
If the port scan is being done with malicious intent, the intruder would generally prefer to go undetected. Network security applications such as Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) can be configured to alert administrators if they detect connection requests across a broad range of ports from a single host. To get around this the intruder can do the port scan in strobe or stealth mode. Strobing limits the ports to a smaller target set rather than blanket scanning all 65536 ports. Stealth scanning uses techniques such as slowing the scan. By scanning the ports over a much longer period of time you reduce the chance that the target will trigger an alert."
Network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) monitors packets on the network wire and attempts to discover an intruder by matching the attack pattern to a database of known attack patterns. A typical example is looking for a large number of TCP connection requests (SYN) to many different ports on a target machine, thus discovering if someone is attempting a TCP port scan. A network intrusion detection system sniffs network traffic by promiscuously watching all network traffic."
Snort is an open source network intrusion detection system, capable of performing real-time traffic analysis and packet logging on IP networks. It can perform protocol analysis, content searching/matching, and can be used to detect a variety of attacks and probes, such as buffer overflows, stealth port scans, CGI attacks, SMB probes, OS fingerprinting attempts, and much more.
Tactical FLEX, Inc. is a privately owned software development firm based in Seattle, specializing in information security research, engineering, technology design, and production. With the technological development of Aanval® SIEM and IDS Solutions, Tactical FLEX, Inc. has become a global provider of information security vulnerability and risk management software solutions that protect businesses and organizations. The firm also provides IT consulting and professional services. Currently there are over 6,000 organizations worldwide in more than 100 countries that rely upon Aanval as part of their security infrastructure. These organizations include government security, defense organizations, weapons manufacturers, technology corporations, global financial organizations, space explorations, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and many others. For more information on Tactical FLEX, Inc. and Aanval, please visit http://www.aanval.com/.
Media Relations Contact:
Jennifer L. Manguino
Tactical FLEX, Inc
Telephone: 800-921-2584 Ext. 2151
Email: jmanguino@tacticalflex.com
Embracing Mobile 3D Laser Scanning
"Technology is advancing so quickly that it's slowly replacing the surveyor." These concerns have been voiced over and over as LiDAR scanning becomes more accessible. The most recent advance in scanning is terrestrial mobile LiDAR scanning (TMLS). This technology collects survey-grade data at highway speeds and at traditional survey costs, and in the transportation discipline it is a safer means of data collection while reducing risk for the entire project. But it has surveyors questioning the longevity of their profession. What is seen as a threat because of efficiency must be embraced in order for surveying to survive. Land surveyors are increasingly missing out on surveying work because they are not advancing in current measurement technologies. Understanding and appropriately responding to non-traditional ways will significantly contribute to the success of the surveying profession and to the clients you serve.
Changing a Mindset
Historically, improvements in the surveying profession include the use of real-time kinematics (RTK) and global positioning systems (GPS) replacing field crew members. The robotic total station was another scientific invention to aid survey professionals that resulted in slimming down crews. So did the calculator for field trig values and computers for CAD drawings, but eventually they too were accepted and are widely used today. The profession adjusted.
Now mobile 3D laser scanning is creating a new apprehension from an over-restricted view of the profession, although TMLS does not have to be viewed as another replacement. The future of the surveying profession is still viable if the technology is used as "another tool in the toolbox." Hans Hess, former CEO of Leica Geosystems, one of the major producers and suppliers of both survey field equipment and static laser scanners, says that he encounters this attitude. "Sometimes I hear our customers say, 'Well, the surveying profession is dying and there is no future for us.' The need for geo-information is tremendous, and growing; geo-information has to be more up to date, more 3D, more accessible over the internet, and so on. There are not many industries that offer so many exciting prospects."
Understanding the Technology
Technology is constantly changing, and so must the surveyor's tools. The end product is only as good as the original field data gathered. TMLS systems measure hundreds of thousands of points a second while traveling at highway speeds. The data gathered are complete 3D images of the space being measured. What used to take months now takes only a few hours in the field. The surveyor or CAD technician can extract the needed features of this data in the office at the desktop. Because the surveyor is trained in spatial recognition, virtually walking the site becomes a benefit to the data extraction process. This technique allows the surveyor to extract data in more areas than he would have performing traditional shots every 25 feet.
Accompanying video documentation and digital images allows for a better QA/QC process through a recorded visual reference. This allows the surveyor to return to the site at the desktop instead of revisiting the field to make additional observations. Combined, this creates a collection of better original survey data for surveyors with added benefits.
Benefits of TMLS Surveyors must approach this proven technology as a way to solve problems in the field. Many organizations have developed key standards for safety, efficiency, and accuracy, and mobile 3D laser scanning addresses those standards in the following ways.
Safety: Survey-grade road surface documentation at highway speeds improves safety and efficiency for both the traveling public and the surveyor in the following ways. It:
• eliminates road/lane closures,
• reduces traffic disruption,
• finishes the project more quickly than traditional methods,
• is a safer method of data collection, and
• keeps the surveyor out of the red zone.
Efficiency: Because in-house surveyors supply control and check shots through traditional methods, efficiency is increased,and those benefits can be passed through to the client through:
• acceleration of the design project schedule through faster field data collection,
• deliverables created through in-house technicians,
• data available for extraction, when needed, how needed, where needed, and
• control of the data remaining in-house.
Accuracy: TMLS is a proven technology. Evaluations performed at a Caltrans test area specifically designed to evaluate mobile laser scanning systems resulted in an RMS error of 0.022'. The route chosen was to allow companies advanced in mobile laser scanning technology an independent evaluation against CalTrans total station collected points.
Implementing TMLS
Many surveyors have mastered only one way of performing surveying operations, and they need to expand their horizons by learning multiple software packages for field-to-finish and office computations. There are a variety of new services a traditional surveyor can add to the profession to expand business through TMLS. Surveyors who acquired scanners originally to complete traditional surveys and inspections are carving their own niche in the industry through accident reconstruction surveys. Companies that have been doing forensic work for years have found that laser scanning enables them to complete investigations faster and more thoroughly, and mere access to scanner data is keeping them ahead of the competition when bidding for new jobs.
In the past, the airborne industry has documented the majority of overhead line surveys. With mobile 3D laser scanning, wires down to 3mm in diameter can be accurately located and their heights measured. The data allows for calculations of sway and sag of overhead power lines. The cost to the client between airborne and mobile surveying is a drastic reduction. What the "fly-by" replaced in speed from traditional methods, the "drive-by" added benefits in cost. TMLS technology, like the StreetMapper system out of the United Kingdom, can easily be adapted within less than an hour to vessels providing high-resolution coastal land surveys of upland features, including dunes, beach cusps, scarps, and vegetation. The 3D laser scanning resolution far exceeds that which can be obtained through traditional surveying methods. This allows for surveys of unprecedented detail.
Rapid data acquisition through TMLS enables the generation of 3D city models to be used for homeland security issues and evacuation planning. Colorization of models are added benefits to planning boards and marketing city attractions and expansion. City modeling is rapidly becoming a significant catalyst for data acquisition through technologies such as Google Earth and MapQuest.
Rail construction tasks require reliable survey data. Due to highly increasing traffic load, combined with the age structure of the rail network, responsible administrations are forced to put the main emphasis of maintenance activities into projects to ensure quality, safety, and sufficient traffic capacity. The negative influences of maintenance tasks have to be kept as small as possible. This is even more important for the necessary substantial engineering/survey work that is needed in advance to capture basic data for construction planning and preparation. TMLS mounted on a hyrailer minimizes the survey effort to capture the required data along existing railways.
Only a comparatively short driving time is needed for data collection, while the traffic flow is not significantly affected. This approach reduces both costs and safety risks.Three-dimensional airport surveys captured by TMLS empower engineers and land surveying crews with scan data of runway surfaces, building footprints, measure distance, sign identification, and locations as well as survey terminals, taxiways,and aprons, all without disruption to air traffic.
Automated permitting for truck routing for bridge heights and clearances by traditional survey methods is costly, time consuming, and presents difficult in managing the changing data due to continued highway construction resurfacing projects. Obtaining survey-grade accuracy for bridge heights and clearances at traffic speeds is the most efficient way to measure various structures and roadway features. Accuracies of better than 1/2" have been obtained for vertical clearances of roadway structures. It is critically important in oversize route planning. Horizontal clearance measurements must also be maintained. Collecting this data in a traditional manner can be dangerous or can cause congestion with work crews subject to serious traffic hazards. Work must be performed during available traffic breaks, which can introduce errors. From a system-wide perspective, clearance information in many cases is incomplete, inaccurate, and difficult to maintain and to access.
Highway surveys with mobile 3D laser scanning are used for maintenance and asset management of road surface and street configurations by identifying concrete spalling and pitting. Construction monitoring can also be obtained for forensic identification of rebar placement before a pour. This data allows for complete surface contour capabilities of road crowning and rutting measurements.
Mark Coon, LS, a geospatial manager at Erdman Anthony, says, "We currently use Terrestrial LiDAR on highway and bridge surveys for the NYSDOT, and it's obvious that mobile lidar will be the technology of choice sooner or later."
These are just some of the ways the surveying profession can enhance their services using TMLS as another tool in their toolbox. Surveyors who understand and accurately position themselves to respond to these technology advancements will stay ahead of the concerns of an otherwise seemingly dying breed.
Three Ways To Increase Productivity With Collaborative Communication
Companies can use collaborative communication to allow a wide variety of people to easily contribute quickly and more important, equally on a project. Hierarchical communication, on the other hand, can lead to inefficiencies by limiting information flow to a few rigid channels and inhibiting access to useful ideas and information.
More Ideas = Better Ideas-
One of the cardinal rules of brainstorming is that hearing more ideas ultimately leads to hearing better ideas. Enterprise collaboration provides a similar benefit. When everyone can easily contribute ideas that are gathered and processed in a streamlined manner, it provides a bigger pool of expertise and creativity to work from. Efficient collaboration allows your company to draw from the best its people have to offer.
To ensure that collaboration is helpful instead of confusing, define clear and consistent ways of processing the information and ideas collaborators share. Let those with relevant expertise help rate the value of the ideas that are contributed. Another way to keep things moving is to set a cut-off point for ideas and to start implementation of the usable ideas. Clear boundaries at the brainstorming stage of a project actually provide the freedom to generate ideas with the confidence that they will be responsibly used and evaluated.
Help Across Disciplines-
Another way that collaboration improves productivity is by breaking down the "silo" mentality that can compartmentalize different departments or disciplines. When enterprise collaboration is available and efficient, it allows people to draw on the expertise of co-workers who are not directly related to their tasks or divisions. Being able to connect this way, using direct communications such as e-mails as well as comments and conversations on an open communications platform is extremely helpful. Providing useful feedback in other contexts can provide employees with a sense of satisfaction and big-picture engagement, while the ideas and information they share can increase overall productivity by providing more efficient access to the information needed to do an excellent job.
Distributed Effort-
Collaborative communication also makes it easier to efficiently distribute labor. It increases transparency regarding a project's goals, stages and sub-tasks, as well as keeping it easier to see who is responsible for which portions of the project. Management as well as team members can get real-time status updates so everyone knows what's going on. Effective communication platforms also make it easier for people to ask for favors, re-assign tasks or work together to accomplish their goals. Up-to-date information on which dependencies are resolved minimizes the time lag between one task's completion and the start of the next.
One of the most important aspects of business productivity is collaborative communication and real time feedback. Dell Garraputo uses Social Sites and other enterprise collaboration software from Newsgator to make this possible.
Cell Phone Locker Storage
In the last ten years personal mobile phone ownership has increased dramatically around the world. Known as cell phones, mobile phones or smartphones, these communication devices have become the preferred means of communication in virtually every country. In the United States, for example, school age children typically own their own cell phone phones which they use for routine calling, texting and internet surfing. What is true of children is also true for adults in all walks of life. The growing disappearance of pay phones is paralleled by the growing use of cell phones by all members of modern society.
While smartphones, increase our communication capabilities, they also present security concerns in certain environments. Every cell phone today comes equipped with a camera. Picture taking in certain circumstances can be a violation of personal privacy. That is why most locker rooms in recreational facilities have posted policies regarding the proper versus illicit usage of cell phones. Patrons are sometimes requested to refrain from bringing cell phones or similar devices into the locker room. A cell phone locker is a mini locker with individual lockable compartments might be mounted on the wall to provide a handy place to store the cell phone outside of the locker room.
Security lockers are also used in controlled security areas where no one is permitted to carry any device that can take pictures or record sound. Such restrictive use of such phones is common in military facilities and high security work environments. Signs may be posted indicating a mobile phone forbidden zone, and special secure storage lockers may be provided to allow personnel to safely secure their devices. What is true of smartphones applies equally to digital cameras, both of which present security challenges in top security environments.
An effective mini locker will have properly sized, secure, lockable compartments to house all standard cellular phones. Depending on the security level of a given site, special consideration will be given to the type of locks utilized. To provide the highest level of lock security, the lockers should be equipped with locks that meet acceptable standards of pick resistance and drill resistance. The cell phone locker itself should be constructed in a manner that provides adequate pry resistance to unwanted penetration.
While mini lockers provide a convenience for personnel and patrons, they are an essential tool of management that assumes the burden and responsibility of maintaining acceptable security protocols. Therefore, these lockers must provide management with the ability to access any locked compartment by means of a master key, or more globally by means of a master door which provides immediate access and control of all individual locker doors at once.
Although the use of secure lockers stems from a security imperative, consideration should also be given to architectural and aesthetic concerns. Voluntary usage of cell phone lockers is encouraged and enhanced by attractive lockers that are ergonomically installed. Such lockers may be surface mounted on the wall no higher than eye level to allow users to conveniently deposit articles, lock door, and ultimately unlock and retrieve. If the lockers are shallow, perhaps eight inches or less in depth (approximately 200 mm.), then they may be surface mounted on the wall. Otherwise they can be recessed into the wall providing a flush appearance with respect to the wall.
Pat Traniello has forty years of experience in industrial engineering in the metal forming industry, http://www.precisionlocker.com/
Techniques on Building a Good Website
A good business will always find ways to maximize its company's assets. It does not mean that a business must have a maximum manpower though. Some areas need to function without any manpower, like the website for example. In this case, a good technique, and following the guides in web designing will be the key.
There are ways on how to implement better guidelines in web designing. While sticking with the guidelines, it will perfectly work if techniques are associated well. Harmony must be the way in this process. The first guide is regarding the web designer. Corporations have their IT department to take care of this. A board will assign an IT head and the IT head will facilitate the maintenance and upgrade of the web. This is a good option, as the IT people will be governed with company's rules and guidelines. For small and medium sized businesses, they will most likely hire a firm to do their web as they consider this as a one-time deal. This option could save money though.
Make sure that the web design will be governed with guidelines that you laid down to your web designer. The result will be subject for some editing before the web is publicly published.
Match of identity. Your web design must guide you for a matched identity of your image. There must be a purpose why you made a website. You may want it locally, or maybe international, advertising or even online store. The design must be balance giving it an image of your company's purpose. In this way it will be more interesting to stay on your web and harmony will be accounted.
Information on the web is another guide lines to be observed. Before publishing something on the website, make sure that the information is reliable, so when the customer inquires about the insight, you have something as a reference of proof. This may take some time and needs some effort but it is worth it. Information will guide and build a company's trust.
Guidelines must be updated depending on season. Seasonal changes may cause ups and downs on the business. Get prepared and use effective approach to aim for betterment and improvement. Application is hard to follow at most time but it only needs discipline and a role model. Then the rest of the team will just do the implementation if they can see that the owner themselves are regulated with the company's rules and guidelines thus making it more effective and every aspect of the team will be dominated with their own rules and action.
Innovative technology is another big guide line to follow in web designing. An innovative mind and application will result in an advancement of company's growth and expansion. Don't limit your ability to expand and conquer the industry. It is a risk to take at first but it is a potential to reach the peak of success.
Sylvia Grimes lives on the East Coast and is a part time Internet Marketer and Real Estate Investor.
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Panasonic Lumix FS30 Review Reveals the Performance of the Lumix FS30
Our Panasonic Lumix FS30 review has the summary and details pertaining to the Panasonic. As a matter of fact, this review was made in order for you to have a guide and knowledge how amazing this camera is. Well, the Lumix features the 14.1 mega pixel CCD sensor and a powerful and flexible 8x optical zoom lens that offers a focal length of 28mm - 224mm in a 35mm film equivalent. Besides, this camera also boasts the Panasonic's latest Intelligent Auto mode, making it the fast and sharp point and shoot camera.
To add to the previous Panasonic, the Panasonic 30 is also packed with the Quick AF mode for even faster and easier shooting. Now, why the Lumix is a very flexible compact camera? Well, this camera is an adaptable one since it is also packed with a High Sensitivity mode and the Extra Optical Zoom features. Besides, this camera also captures a High-Definition Video at 720p and at 30fps.
Of course, the build and design of the Panasonic Lumix FS30 are also detailed in review. At your first glance to this camera, you can really say that has a solid and durable exterior casing. Furthermore, though this camera offers a boxy shape, it still does help its potential users with regards to making the camera to hold easily due to the reason that it does not come with any handgrip. Aside from that, its controls that are definitely well placed are one of the features that increases its overall performance. You can also see the lens along with the built-in flash that dominates the front area of this camera. And it is one thing that makes the Lumix FS30 a truly simple and plain. However, the features that also maintain this camera into a sophisticated yet simple one can be found at the rear area; that is the 2.7 inches LCD screen and the controls that are well placed.
Then, our Panasonic Lumix FS30 review reveals how the Panasonic Lumix FS30 produces a high-quality image. The Lumix FS30 is also one of those compact cameras that are capable of producing photos of acceptably quality. Well, this is because of its AF mode that does an excellent job when it comes to spitting out the photos with a fine, detailed color, and sharpness. Comparing this camera to other digital compact cameras in the same price range really tells you that the Lumix FS30 is better with regards to the sharpness of its images.
More importantly, the best thing about the Lumix FS30 is that the photos captured in either maximum wide angle or portrait mode also keeps an excellent quality. In terms of the noise, it is not actually an issue to this camera. Its photos only soften at ISO 400 and then remain at ISO 800 for small web prints. Lastly, the macro mode in the Lumix FS30 also performs excellently, allowing the user to capture photos closely.
Hi Im David, I love having a latest gadgets for my own entertainment. Especially when I am on a tour, I always bring my Panasonic Lumix FS30 review and digital camera review to capture a beautiful places that I saw on my tour.
The Dangers of Being a Technologically Reliant Society
A few months ago the global BlackBerry network outage let millions of North America BlackBerry users without service for three days, causing massive frustrations to people who rely on these smart phones for business and personal communications.
Most recently Google mail service, Gmail, was unavailable for approximately one hour affecting according to Google "less than 2 percent" of Gmail's user base, which translates to about 5.25 million impacted users.
Living in a world where technology is omnipresent we are getting used to tightly-couple our personal and professional lives to technology and gadgets like smart phones, tablets, GPS, WiFi, e-mail, and many other things that in one way or another contain small components of technology.
If you were among the unfortunate users impacted by any of the outages mentioned above you can attest that life goes on even when smart phones or e-mail service were down. Perhaps those outages helped to reduce your anxiety to keep checking your messages every two minutes and to start using fix phones and meeting with colleagues that had not seen in a long time even you may be working in the same floor. Reality is, those events did not impact your personal and/or professional life because maybe your counterparts were on the same boat or they had to wait until the technology glitch was fixed.
Companies across the United States of America are commanding or trying out "a day without e-mail" on Friday and/or weekends. As the proposal was welcome by some employees other obviously expressed irate responses via e-mail.
The main purpose of the proposal was to encourage more face-to-face and phone contact with customers and colleagues as well as give their employees a break of the increasing e-mail traffic. E-mail has been used as a medium to avoid confronting problems, create an endless e-mail chains that through the "hot potato" instead of taking action and it may contain abrupt and poorly phrased messages that instead of helping to find a solution would magnify the conflict.
As the "a day without e-mail" policy progresses gradually, in some companies employees had changed their habits and start meeting with their colleagues on Fridays having face-to-face discussions and realizing that business functions are not about e-mailing cold messages but human interaction.
For some intensive users of technology has become their "right arm" which is diminishing their ability to master interpersonal skills and increasing the dependency of technology in our daily activities.
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being high, how much do you depend on technology on your daily activities?
How would you survive to "a day without e-mail" policy?
Conrado Morlan has more than 20 years of experience managing programs and projects in the Americas, Europe and Asia and has led multigenerational and multicultural project teams. Mr. Morlan was one of the first people to attain the PMI PgMP credential in Latin America and the first Mexican recipient of the PMI Distinguished Contribution Award in 2011. Mr. Morlan is a frequent guest speaker at Project Management congresses in America and Latin America, is an avid volunteer with PMI chapters in America, Mexico, Costa Rica and Spain, and is a contributor for PMI Community Post and a blogger at http://thesmartpms.posterous.com/.
E-Publishing: An Emerging Trend
Computer data converted from one file type to another is known as document conversion or data conversion. It is the conversion of documents into digitized text. There are many data conversion services on the market that support a wide number of text, database, spreadsheet and graphics formats. With document conversion, documents can be automatically converted into PDF format, which reduces the potential risk of meta-data access and also assists to secure documents against any accidental or intentional changes by the recipient.
Online publishing or e-publishing means the creation and displaying of information on the Internet. This information can be in the form of plain text, pictures, movies or sound. As e-Publishing is an emerging trend, globally the focus is on delivering high value digital contents with robust search facility, for which there are data management services that provide the following solutions:
• Creating high value digital contents that are fully indexed & cross-referenced, searchable using their own search software.
• Data conversion to PDF, HTML, XML (including Meta-data creation).
• Providing search facility for all your journals /e contents with a single window search using our customizable search software, which will be DOI enabled & Open URL compliant.
• Linking facility & web-based search capabilities to search on various fields like journals, articles, TOC, keyword, Publisher, year etc.
• Ensuring secured authentication & access.
• Provides publishers with a comprehensive end-to-end conversion along with complete web-based search software.
• Indexing by Google and other search engines making content easily searchable.
By E-publishing, we mean the pre-press services of the publishing industry. Once the content for the publishing is ready, we convert that to printable PDF through various methods and phases such as Keyboarding, Scanning, Conversion of Document to XML or other digital / web formats, Graphic Designing, Typesetting, Proof Reading and Quality Checking.
Typesetting is the process of putting text into the right style and size of type and the desired arrangement on the page in preparation for printing. Typesetting was once the realm of skilled typesetters but today is handled by the designer, using desktop publishing software to set type. Typesetting is also known as text setting, type layout, text layout or text composition.
Typesetting includes:
• choosing specific typefaces and specifying font sizes and leading
• using typographical punctuation marks
• applying bold, italics, and other character formatting as needed
• arranging text in columns and formatting typographical visual signposts such as headlines, decks, and pull-quotes
Proofreading is reading a copy or proof for purposes of error detection and correction. It is a method to check misspelled words, typographical mistakes, and omitted words or word endings. Such errors can be difficult to spot in your own work because you may read what you intended to write, not what is actually on the page. You may either try proofreading out loud, articulating each word as it is actually written or may get in touch with data management services available in the market to do the work for you.
Be it data conversion, e-publishing or typesetting, data management services at BosoniTech provide them all.
Protect Your PC With 20 Tips for Debugging and Crash Solutions
• Installing the right and efficient Anti Virus protection shield software.
• Always keep yourself informed about the latest technology i.e. applications which could prevent your PC from getting infected by virus and Trojan errors.
• Your laptop and PC will always keep periodically updating Windows; hence when the 'install updates' box opens, never cancel the update option.
• Ensure that your service browsers are original software oriented and not pirated.
• Regular 'Disk Clean' up with respect to C drive is very important; hence make sure that your space, storage and all programs installed in that drive are safeguarded from a crash.
• Avoid downloads, uploads and software installments which are not protected, licensed and may have a virus attached in them.
• Regularly delete cookies, browsing history, your saved cache data such that unwanted software downloads are removed from the PC.
• The hardware devices you use should have original software installments; maintain regular updates.
• In case of a sudden hardware failure, check if its software is an original and make sure your USB ports are not defected.
• Be conscious about the differences between Virus, Adware, and Spyware hence you must make yourselves vary about what a virus is and how to deal with it etc.
• Always purchase software, try not downloading them from the internet or trying a trial version of their systems.
• Be aware when you open/ check your emails since some of them come under 'Spam' mail and may contain undetected malfunctions.
• Make changes in your email and text settings since viruses in that form cannot enter Windows.
• Avoid using peer to peer file sharing programs which consist of software like Limewire, Mopheus, Bearshare etc.
• Don't load any data from the internet based websites; most of which contain viruses attached in their texts and links.
• Always maintain a firewall protection shield on your computers for example use a firewall like Zone Alarm.
• Prevent installing more than one virus removal program on your Windows.
• Always ensure that you have a backup criterion installed within the PC incase it crashes.
• Make sure the settings of your systems like Microsoft are changed with respect to saving your lost files in case the windows hang.
• Never unplug devices abruptly; make use of safety removal software which is normally installed on your PC system.
Always make sure that the above mentioned precautions are taken into serious consideration and that you apply them to maintain your operating system. The internet is a galore of codes and cookies which can breach your firewalls and hence destroy its efficiency therefore a periodic maintenance is always advised by your technicians.
We help you to solve your PC problems online. For Computer Repair Services, visit livepcexpert.com or call us +1 800 208 0798 to get Online Technical Support instantly.
How You Can Sell Electronics
Are you in need of some extra money? You've probably got a ready source of cash in your home, and don't even realize it. It's true. Thousands of people accidentally get rid of or throw away things that they could be using to earn some extra income- their used and unwanted electronics. If you have any old cell phones, BlackBerrys, laptops, or other electronics in your home, you have a way to make yourself some money. It's surprisingly easy to sell electronics, and it can help you get some quick cash.
Not everyone thinks that selling their used electronics is for them. Most people don't bother to sell electronics for one of three reasons:
- Their electronics are broken, and they don't think anyone will want them.
- They think trying to sell electronics would be too much work.
- They don't think they'll get enough money to make selling their devices worthwhile.
The thing about broken electronics is that, no matter how broken they are, they probably still have some functioning parts. It's true that the average person on the street probably wouldn't jump at the chance to buy a broken laptop or worn-out cell phone, but a used electronics dealer would. This is because a dealer can repair your electronics, or use them for parts to repair other devices. So, if you choose to sell electronics to a used electronics dealer, you'll still be able to get a decent price, even if they don't work. If you tried to sell used electronics yourself, you'd have to go to the trouble of fixing them, first. If you couldn't fix them yourself, you'd have to pay a repairman before you could get a buyer to even look at them. Why spend money on replacement parts and repairs when you can sell your electronics as-is to a used electronics dealer?
If you think that trying to sell electronics would be too much effort, don't worry. It's extremely easy to find a dealer that wants what you have to sell, no matter whether it's a cell phone, a BlackBerry, or a laptop. Even if you don't have an electronics dealer near you, you can always go online to get an offer on your devices. Used electronics websites can give you a price quote for your items, and a free mailer that you can use to send them in. As long as your electronics match the description you gave to obtain your price quote, you'll get paid what you were quoted. You don't actually have to worry about finding a buyer or paying for shipping yourself- just get your quote, mail in your devices, and collect your money. There's no easier way for you to sell electronics.
If you're concerned about how much money there is to be made by selling your electronics, you'll be pleasantly surprised to hear that selling them through a used electronics dealer can still get you a good price. A lot of people are hesitant to try, because they think that selling anything through a middleman automatically limits how much money they can make. In most cases, this would be true. When it comes to electronics, people tend to forget one thing- they aren't going to make anywhere near what they paid for their devices, no matter how they try to sell them. If you go through a newspaper ad or auction site, you'll be lucky to find someone who's even interested in your stuff. If you try to sell your devices through a yard sale, swap meet, or thrift store, you'll almost never find someone who's willing to pay what you're asking. Selling your goods to a used electronics dealer means getting a fair price for your devices- no matter what kind of condition they're in- and getting your money up front.
Don't let your used and broken electronics go to waste by letting them sit around your home and get even more beaten up, or worse- throwing them away. If you're like most people, you're probably sitting on a small fortune's worth of unwanted electronic devices right now. Sell your junk to a used electronics dealer, and walk away with cash.
Do you want to sell electronics or just throw or neglect your used devices? Make a choice and visit http://www.cashforsmartphones.com/
Tips to Effectively Prepare for IT Certifications
IT certifications are a relatively fast and inexpensive way to add industry-recognized credentials to your resume. They don't convey the same weight as a four-year university degree, but neither do they take four years of your time (plus college expenses). Likewise they don't substitute for years of industry job experience. However, they can help get you into an IT position, and again... obtaining a certification doesn't take years.
IT certifications are available from dozens of different companies in hundreds of tracks. Which one is right for you isn't something that an article on certification can assist with. However, once you have made the decision of what to pursue, you have to decide on the best method for gaining sufficient knowledge to pass the test. Most industry certifications will have books and other study materials created by third parties available. When you are looking for a study method, the problem is generally less a matter of finding one, than it is selecting one or two from the multitude of available options. As a general rule, the somewhat tired saying "Faster-Better-Cheaper, Pick any Two" holds true with certification study methods. The most effective methods tend to be time-consuming or expensive, and the least effective tend to be faster, cheaper, or both.
The definitions of 'fast' and 'cheap' vary depending on the test and on the perception of individual candidates. I've taken numerous tests from multiple vendors. As a rule of thumb, I think that six to eight weeks is a reasonable average study time for tests. Any study method that allows you to shorten that timeframe is 'faster'. In determining whether the cost of study materials is reasonable, I tend to measure their price against the cost to take the test. After all -- if you fail the test, then you won't appreciate having saved a few dollars by skimping on what you purchased to study for it. Exam costs vary widely, but a significant number are in the vicinity of $200. Spending between a quarter to a half of the exam cost on materials is what I consider reasonable. Of the three, 'Better' is the by far the hardest to rate. Not everyone learns the same way, so a method that is effective for one person may not work well at all with another. You need to be aware of how you absorb information most effectively and then pick a study method that fits your style of learning. Learning styles are often broken out into categories, the below three are commonly used:
Visual Learner: People who are visual learners respond well to information displayed visually. This might include pictures, graphs, interactive software, or Powerpoint presentations.Verbal Learner: Verbal Learners absorb information through written or spoken words. They may learn subjects well through reading material or through listening to someone else present the material in a classroom setting.
Physical Learner: Physical learners prefer to learn by physically performing the skill being taught. Alternately, they may just need to perform a physical activity, like taking notes, in order to effectively absorb new information.
Most study methods can work for more than one learning style. For example, an instructor-led course might have written and spoken information for the verbal learner; on-screen bullet-points, images and demos for the visual learner; and in-class exercises for the physical learner. When deciding on a method of study, you have to determine if the means by which the information is being presented has elements that will work for you.
Once you have decided on a study method and obtained the materials you'll use, you should create a study plan. Following a plan will help keep you on track and reduce the feeling that you aren't making progress. I've studied for many certification tests, and every time, there are a couple of things that always happen. First, in the middle of my study program, I get bored and consider cutting short the time I had allowed for studying. Then on the day I take the test, after a couple of questions pop up where I'm not sure of the answer, I wish I had studied for a few more days. You should always keep in mind that the real goal is to learn the material, not to pass a test. Focusing too much on the test tends to produce a 'good enough' mentality. You'll tend to stop when you feel that you know 'enough to pass'. If the goal you have set is learning the material, you're liable to get more out of the process and be more likely to pass the test.
Always try to find more that one source of material to study from. My personal preference is to have one dedicated certification book, one software package such as a self-test or a computer based training course, and a third source such as a study guide. If I can't find those, a third-party book that covers the material being tested without being specifically targeted towards the test is useful. The documentation for the product the exam targets is also always a good option.
Don't rush into scheduling the test. Make a study plan that includes a timeline and stick to it. There's seldom a time crunch on obtaining a certification. Normally I'll read through all of my sources at least twice. For certification books, I'll generally read through carefully one time, and then rapidly scan through the book a second time. Often on the second run I'll catch something I missed on the first read. I really like study guides that contain information in a very condensed format. They tend to be short enough that I can read through them several times to reinforce the material.
Whatever certification you pursue and whatever method you use to study for it, bear in mind that the valuable part of IT certifications is not the little logo that you can download and put on your business card. It's also not the line that you can add to your resume or the certificate that will get locked in a drawer somewhere. The value of a certification is the knowledge that it represents. If you spend time, money, and personal effort obtaining a certification without learning the knowledge it represents, what you have in the end is just an empty container.
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