Where would we be without the Internet? It has become such an integral part of our everyday lives that today, many businesses would literally be lost without it. Those business leaders – and individuals, too – whose computers have been infected with the DNS Changer virus will lose Internet access after Jul. 9, 2012 if they don’t act fast and fix the problem. You may recall that the FBI, back in November 2011, began warning people about the DNSChanger virus that allowed Estonian-based hackers to gain control of people’s computers and redirect close to 600,000 unsuspecting victims to websites with bogus software or money-making advertisements. Two “symptoms” of the virus include a sluggish Web browser and an inability to update, activate or install security software. You may also recall that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) used government computers to help people with infected computers maintain Internet access. The FBI never intended for this solution to last forever. It was a temporary fix that will expire on Jul. 9. Anyone who hasn’t rid his computer of the DNS Changer virus by then will find himself unable to access the Internet on Jul. 10. In a post on its website, the FBI cautioned, “It is important to note that the replacement servers will not remove the DNSChanger malware — or other viruses it may have facilitated — from infected computers. Users who believe their computers may be infected should contact a computer professional. They can also find additional information in the links on this page , including how to register as a victim of the DNSChanger malware. And the FBI’s Office for Victim Assistance will provide case updates periodically at 877-236-8947.” According to Fox News, federal officials had originally intended to discontinue their temporary fix on March 8, but a federal judge in New York issued a four-month extension to give people more time to get their computers fixed. If you don’t know whether or not your computer has been infected with this virus but would like to find out, you can do so on the FBI’s security partner’s website DCWG.org .  

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Will You Still Have Internet Access After July 9?

Here are some quick tips and cool things you can do on your mobile phone.  Thanks to Paul Moffatt at DCTel in British Columbia for passing this tips around. Emergency calling on any network The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an Emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. How to disable your Mobile phone, if it goes missing. To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06#. A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone is stolen, call your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset. This will completely stop anyone using your cellphone even with a different SIM card. You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either. If everybody did this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones. Free directory search – using a phone number Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don’t have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) CALL-411 or (800) 225-5411 Free directory search – using texting If you need to find an address or phone number of a business just text 46645 (GOOGL). Then put in the criteria you are looking for (Name of Business) (Town). The more details you enter, the more accurate it will be.

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Cools Things You Can Do on Your Mobile Phone

Security tip: When being interviewed on TV, make sure passwords aren’t written behind you Thanks to the Nakey Security Blog It’s just a photo of a man being interviewed on ESPN about baseball. Harmless, right?   Let’s take a closer look. Whoops.

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BIG Security Tip – Must Read

One issue that’s sparked a large amount of debate is whether or not companies should allow their employees to access social media while at work. One thing's for certain, the number of employees who actually use social media on a regular basis is large, and growing. There will come a time when companies that block social media can no longer afford to do so.

There are four distinct advantages to allowing social media:

• Increased productivity. There have been a number of studies that have found that judicious use of social media in the workplace will actually increase productivity. A study conducted by the University of Melbourne found that employees with access to social media are 9% more productive than those without.
• Increased buy-in. Employees like to feel trusted and empowered. If they don’t you can expect to experience higher turnover and lower morale. A good way to gain trust is to allow employees to use social media in the workplace. If an employee feels like they are trusted, they’ll be more likely to stay with the company.
• Recruiting. Small businesses have started to use social media for recruitment, but limit efforts to one account. If you have 10 employees in your organization, each with a social media account with 100 friends, you have the potential to reach 1,000 people. This is achievable if employees are allowed to access social media at work and are encouraged to share posts.
• Identification of business opportunities. Through the use of social media, employees in charge of sales and business development can source new clients and build fruitful relationships.

There are many advantages to allowing access to social networks at the office. If you‘re hesitant to completely open the social media floodgates, try doing so in short periods, like the final three hours of the working day.

No matter what you decide, allowing access to social media is a good practice for your business. If you would like to learn more about social media and how you can leverage it in your business, we are happy to talk with you.

Information technology (IT) has provided us with many things to make our lives more convenient. The quality of our lives would diminish greatly without the convenience of shopping online, sharing documents in Google Docs and other file sharing platforms, connecting with friends and family via Facebook, or watching music videos on our cell phones. But it’s hard to understand what some of them are, how and when to use them, and how they operate in general. Part of the reason so many small-business owners are reluctant to use cloud computing is because they don’t know exactly what the cloud is or how they could use it effectively in their businesses. Quite simply, the cloud is just another way of saying the Internet. The two are one and the same. If you watch movies or television shows on Hulu, you’re taking advantage of what the cloud has to offer. When you buy e-books or music or videos on Amazon, you’re using the public cloud. Once you’ve bought it, you can watch the same video over and over again on your computer or cell phone just by logging in to your Amazon account. That’s cloud storage. If you share or collaborate on documents with your employees in Google Docs, you’re already using the cloud for business. So, that’s the cloud. And the cloud plays a huge role in mobility. The United States, possibly more than any other country on Earth, is populated with people who love instant gratification. Like Veruca Salt in “ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ,” they want everything NOW. Smart phones allow them to – for the most part – have that wish. A smart phone is, in essence, a mini-computer. You no longer have to be trapped at desk or, more important, worry about lugging a laptop around with you all day. The average laptop weighs between five and seven pounds. Tablets weigh about one or two pounds and will easily fit inside a brief case or large hand bag. Smart phones only weigh a few ounces and fit in your pocket. Thanks to Wi-Fi, people can access the Internet with their smart phones and do all the things that they do on their home desktops or laptops while in a park, riding public transportation or sitting in a restaurant waiting to be served. But remember, smart phones are mini-computers. That means you have to protect the information you store on your smart phone the same way you would if it were on your computer, especially if you use your smart phone for business. You have to have security software downloaded to your smart phone to protect it from malware and viruses. You have to password protect it so that if it should get lost or stolen, the information stored on it can’t be easily accessed. Yes, mobility is great, particularly for people like lawyers, real estate agents and sales professionals who travel a lot, but it requires a healthy dose of responsibility from those who truly want to reap the benefits. Unlike the cloud and mobility, big data is much tougher concept to explain. Here’s how  Wikipedia  explains it:  “Big data consists of data sets that grow so large that they become awkward to work with using on-hand database management tools. Difficulties include capture, storage, search, sharing, analytics and visualizing. This trend continues because of the benefits of working with larger and larger data sets allowing analysts to ‘spot business trends, prevent diseases and combat crime.’” According to Gordon Haff of Cnet News, “Endpoint devices like smartphones and sensors create massive amounts of data. Large compute farms bring the processing power needed to make that data useful.” Clear as mud, right? Technology, though wonderful, can boggle the mind of those who don’t have an intimate relationship with it. Just know that even with electronic data, there’s a place for everything, and everything has a place … until we run out of space for it.

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Where is Information Technology Heading?

Collaboration is all around us. We see it on a daily basis in both our personal and professional lives. At work we cooperate with colleagues, managers, suppliers, customers and almost everyone we come in contact with at the office. It’s become so important that if businesses have employees who don’t mesh, their chances of success are almost non-existent.

Here are seven tips on how to improve collaboration within the office environment.

1. Open communication. One of the keys to successful teams is the adoption and encouragement of an open communication culture. With this, teams are better able to grasp what’s going on within the company, and be more efficient contributors and team players.
2. Use the right technology. It seems like there are a million different software and technology options out there. Some of the tools available offer some fantastic features and it’s easy to get sucked in by a flashy component. It’s important that when choosing a tool you pick one that meets your company’s needs and is easy to use.
3. Collaboration tools must play well with others. It’s beneficial to select systems that can be seamlessly integrated with other tools and software used by your employees. If your solutions don’t work together, all parties won’t be able to work together.
4. Employee learning is key. When you find the perfect tool to use, be careful to take time and learn how to effectively use it. Training for the users of the tool is equally important.
5. Work hard, play harder. Teams and departments should step away from their computers and actually have face-to-face meetings at least once a week. These meetings should be a mixture of formal and informal, and offer employees a chance to come together as a team, unwind and share ideas. A team that can interact well will always work together with greater efficiency.
6. Mobilize. The smartphone is here to stay and with each passing year the number of users grows exponentially. It’s beneficial to encourage the use of these devices, and look for mobile solutions that allow users to be a part of the group while out of the office. If you do allow mobile devices, be sure to establish a clear usage policy so employees know how and when they should be using their phones.
7. Don’t just focus on internal collaboration. One of the most common mistakes companies make is that they focus on group participation within the business, but don’t provide adequate support for external interactions. Be sure you integrate tools that provide stakeholders with a way to connect and work with teams within the company.

With a team that interacts effectively you’ll see happier employees and higher profits: a win-win situation. If you have any questions regarding collaboration tools, or other ways to increase business value please don’t hesitate to contact us.

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Windows 8 lately, mainly because it’s shaping up to be a real contender for Apple’s iPad. Yes, the iPad 3 is already out and Windows 8 is still in its testing phase, but some who have tried it – and who know a thing or two about computers – have given the kind of positive feedback that makes people at least curious if not 100% sold on Microsoft’s new offering. On April 24, 2012, at the Windows developer event in Tokyo, Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky announced that the Release Preview of Windows 8 is scheduled for “early June.” As you may recall, Microsoft released its consumer preview version of Windows 8 back in February 2012. Windows 8 Server has now been officially named Windows Server 2012, whose release preview is also scheduled for “early June.” Based on Windows 7’s schedule, Mary-Jo Foley of ZDNet.com predicts that Windows 8 release to manufacturing (RTM) date will be sometime in late July or August and that the final product release will occur in October. Whenever Microsoft decides to release the final version of Windows 8, you can bet there will be people out there who are eager to give it try. The ability to use it with standard desktop and laptop computers is a pretty strong selling point.  

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Windows 8 Release Preview Scheduled for Early June

Why You Should Upgrade Windows 7 The introduction of first the developer and then the customer previews of Windows 8 have caused some people to forget all about Windows 7. We must remember that wide release of Windows 8 remains months away, and many small-business owners are just starting to upgrade their companies’ computers to the Windows 7 operating system. In 2009, after Window 7’s wide release, Scott Steinberg, in his post for Entrepreneur.com , listed 10 reasons why small-business owners should upgrade to Windows 7. Some of those reasons still make sense today. Steinberg’s first reason is one that should appeal to everyone who still uses the Windows Vista operating system. Vista used a lot of memory and processing speed to power its graphical user interface. Windows 7 demands so little that even computers with only 1GHz of power and 1GB of memory can support it. This is important for the smallest of small-business owners who can’t afford to buy new computers. The upgrade version of Windows 7 Professional sells for $199.99 and the full version sells for $299.99. According to Microsoft , if your computers have Windows XP, you’re eligible for the upgrade version. You are advised to transfer all files to an external hard drive before installing Windows 7. Once the new operating system has been installed, you can transfer all data from the external hard drive back onto your computer. Windows 7 is easier to navigate. One feature that I particularly like is the Aero Snap that will condense a window’s size if you move it to the extreme right or left of your screen. This is wonderful for people who want to look at two documents or a document and a Web page simultaneously. A feature that I sometimes use inadvertently is the Aero Peek feature that turns all windows transparent so I can look at my desktop. But it’s just as easy to use a short cut like pressing the Windows key and the letter D at the same time to simply reduce every window at once. If I hit them again, all my open windows reappear as quickly as they vanished. You have fewer hardware and software compatibility issues with Windows 7 because it works well with most hardware and software without your having to download and install additional drivers, a task that sucks time and zaps productivity like few others. Believe it or not, you don’t have to wait for Windows 8 to use physical gestures to navigate your operating system or pull up documents. If you own a touch-screen compatible computer, then you’re set. Finally, Windows 7 performs better than Vista, according to Steinberg. It has a larger business software library and makes your work and Internet experiences more enjoyable. The hullabaloo that surrounds the debut of new technology like Windows 8 resembles the excitement that accompanies the announcement of a fashion designer’s new collection at New York Fashion Week. In each case, everyone conveniently forgets what they already have, conveniently and affordably, available to them. Never fear small-business owners with small budgets. Windows 7 is still here.

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Should you upgrade to Windows 7

Macs running OS X are often touted as the most secure machines. While OS X is definitely more secure than other operating systems, it may not be as secure as owners think. A new trojan that takes advantage of a security flaw in OS X has been discovered, and it’s a doozy. This has the potential to be a security nightmare.

If you mention “OS X” and “virus” in the same sentence, you’ll get some weird looks from Mac users. Traditionally viruses and trojans on OS X were near non-existent, but there’s a Mac specific trojan, codenamed Flashback, that has affected more than 600,000 computers. This is big news as it shows that machines running OS X may not be as secure as first thought.

Many Mac owners are unsure of what exactly the Flashback trojan is, what it does and how to ensure they’re not infected. We’re here to help clarify the situation.

What is a Trojan and What Does Flashback Do? In general terms, a trojan is a piece of malicious software that infects a computer and gives control of part, or the whole computer to hackers. The Flashback trojan takes advantage of an OS X Java vulnerability and infects computers by tricking them into downloading a fake Java update.

When the program is installed, Flashback will download and install the main trojan code without the need for permission from the administrator. From there it proceeds to hijack your browser, redirect search queries to websites developed by hackers, and then take advantage of pay-per-click advertising.

Why Should I be Worried? While this version hijacks your browser, there are far more sinister things it could do. As this trojan acts as a downloader, there’s nothing stopping the developers from updating the malware to steal passwords, banking information and other confidential information.

How do I Ensure My Mac is Clean? Apple has released an update for machines running OS X 10.6 and later. The first step you should take is to update your computer to patch the vulnerability. To update your Mac:

1. Press the Apple logo, located in the top right hand of your screen.
2. Select Software Update...
3. Press Install and Restart.

While the patch will prevent Flashback from working, it won’t delete the program if you’ve been infected. The Internet security company F-Secure has developed a script that scans your computer and removes Flashback if found. Once you have downloaded the script, open and run it. The script will search your computer and place the infected files in an encrypted ZIP folder labeled Flashback_quarantine.zip.

Flashback has infected a higher number of Macs than any other trojan to date and goes to show that Macs also have security flaws. This also serves as a reminder that you should have a virus scanner and security program running on your Mac. If you have any questions regarding the security of your Mac or other devices, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help keep your machines secure.

With the multitude of devices at our disposal we have become a society of interconnectedness, and have seen once clear divisions of work and personal life blend into one. This has created an international society of workers who are experts at balancing a number of tasks, while never really being able to focus on one task. There are just too many factors pulling our attention in multiple directions.

It’s time to reclaim our focus at work and here are seven tips to help you do so.

1. Practice productivity wind-sprints. While at work, we’re normally doing work while browsing Facebook or chatting. This can be harmful for productivity and shifts your focus from important work related activities. Interval training is a great way to increase your focus. Get a timer, set it for ten minutes, and focus solely on your work. When the timer goes off take a two minute break.
2. Defensive scheduling. Our days are filled with commitments and we struggle to keep up with our projects or find time to work uninterrupted. Schedule a meeting with yourself at a convenient time. Treat this meeting like a real meeting, no interruptions. This is your time to focus on important tasks or projects.
3. Socialize with your tablet. Separate work from social activities with a tablet. We’re often just hitting our stride with work when BING, we get a chat message. What do we do? Immediately reply to the message. When we do that we lose our focus and struggle to regain it. Why not use use your tablet for all social activities and work computer strictly for work? Combined with tip one, this could really help you focus.
4. Realize your unconscious focus. The vast majority of managers often aren’t sure what the top issue in their mind is. It comes with multitasking, we’re always making less important ideas critical, and this takes our focus off the most important issues. To realign your focus take some time, let your mind wander, and make note of the ideas you keep returning to. These are your most critical issues.
5. Focus on most important tasks first. When you get into the office in the morning switch off your phone and email alerts. Focus on your most important priorities, this will give you time to get your most important work out of the way, before you shift your focus onto other less important projects.
6. Disconnect. Many of us don’t take time to give our brains a rest, we’re always thinking and possibly worrying about work. It’s beneficial to your mental and physical health if you take time each day to disconnect from the office. Temporarily sever all ties with the office and focus on something you enjoy doing. Remember, this is your time don’t think of work, focus on the activity.
7. Can’t focus? Consider if what you’re doing is right for you. If you find that you really can’t focus, even with the previous techniques, it might be time to consider that what you’re doing is actually something you don’t care about or enjoy. If this is true for you, then it’s time to start looking for a change.

With these tips you should see an increase in your focus and productivity. If you would like to know more about how to improve your productivity please contact us, we can help.