The first time you see the 2007 Microsoft Office release running on the Windows Vista operating system with the Windows Aero user experience, you’ll notice a difference. And what you see on the surface is just the beginning. Microsoft conducted extensive research to find ways to make it quicker, easier, safer, and more fun to [...]
Virtualization Overview
February 29, 2008Virtualization has proven to be a successful strategy for large corporations in the last year. What we have learned from these large scale projects is now being used to assist medium sized enterprises. This is the first in a series of Virtualization articles exploring the opportunities available to our customers. Introduction Among the leading business [...]
7 Rules for Managing a Mobile Workforce
February 29, 20087 Rules for Managing a Mobile by Joanna L. Krotz reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center It’s 10 a.m. Do you know where your employees are? The ranks of mobile workers are swelling, fueled by the wireless Internet, powerful handheld devices, VPNs (virtual private networks), and WLANs (wireless local area networks). As [...]
10 Things Never to Say on a Business Call
February 29, 200810 Things Never to Say on a Business Call by Joanna L. Krotz reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center It’s the 21st century. Do you know how your employees answer the phone? Good phone manners have always been important, of course. Yet too few companies make any effort to train employees in [...]
Delete These Scams – Now
February 29, 2008By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center How’s this for amazing: A Michigan woman got a request via e-mail from someone billing himself as a Nigerian to help him steal $18 million. All she had to do was set up a bank account in the United States. And she needed to [...]
Office Hours: How Bill Gates Uses Office
January 31, 2008Written by William (Bill) H. Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corporation. Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Office. If you visit my office, you will probably notice right away that I have three large flat screen displays that sit together and are synchronized so they work like a single very wide display. The large display area enables [...]
5 Frequent Tax and Bookkeeping Mistakes
January 31, 2008By Joseph Anthony Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Website The U.S. tax code is so complicated that it’s no surprise many small businesses and individuals make mistakes in their bookkeeping and filing. But don’t count on any mercy from the IRS. Take it from a tax professional. Here are five of the more [...]
Top Eight Computer Myths
January 31, 2008Since most computer problems are resolved either by random or ritualistic action on the part of the user, or by following mysterious instructions from an allegedly knowledgeable support person, it’s hardly surprising that there are lots of pseudo-religious myths about PCs. Between them, these stories can waste a lot of your time and money. Worse [...]
WiFi Connection Anywhere
January 31, 2008The promise of a free wireless Internet connection enticed Lynn Fox into booking a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Madison, Wis. Who could blame her? Fox, a community relations professional from Iowa City, Iowa, relished the thought of no more wires. No more clunky dial-up connections. No more phone bills. When she checked [...]
Stay Fit While You Sit
January 31, 2008Do you sit at your desk for long periods of the day? Have you ever experienced back, neck or shoulder pain after a long day at the office? Perhaps you put on a few pounds after taking a desk job. Research has shown that people who work desk jobs are likely to lose muscle tone, [...]
Treatment for eMail Overload
January 31, 2008By Craig Davis,SLPowers Corporate workers are now spending as much as 40% of their time dealing with email. I personally have come to expect between 100 and 150 emails every business day. From the important, such as a new customer requesting information to the mundane, such as an endless chain of email discussions between colleagues. [...]
How To Determine Time To Change OS
January 31, 2008Here are some things for you to consider before taking the OS upgrade plunge. After much hype, Microsoft’s newest operating system release in almost five years, Vista, became available to business users in November 2006. Vista has flashy features and updated capabilities that can only run on hardware that has enough power and memory to [...]
Why "Elevator Pitches" Help Win Customers
December 31, 2007By David Coursey Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center If I asked everyone who works at your company to tell me about the business, how many different answers do you think I’d hear? I’m willing to bet I’d hear about as many different stories as you have employees. That’s unfortunate because your employees [...]
RSS Feeds in Microsoft Office
December 31, 2007RSS Feeds provide easy, up-to-date information, delivered to you straight from the Internet. Learn the essentials here so that you can find, add, and read the articles or blogs in an RSS Feed right in Microsoft Outlook 2007, as conveniently as you receive and read your e-mail. The Internet contains a lot of information on [...]
Security Quickies “that could save your bacon”
December 31, 2007Choose a password that’s hard to crack When choosing a password, try to make it by writing a sentence that you can easily remember. For example: "Los Angeles Lakers will win the NBA tournament this year". Then pick up the first letters of each word and also add at the beginning or at the end [...]
It’s Your Choice: Your headache or theirs
December 31, 2007Hear that sound? Feel the rumble? There is a geologic shift taking place under the feet of small and medium-sized companies and chances are you don’t know it, yet. The ruckus is managed care. Their promise is to liberate you from the awful side of computer ownership. "Awful? Define that, please." Fair enough. aw•ful [aw-fuhl] [...]
Get Paid to Implement Office 2007!
December 31, 2007Increase productivity by implementing Microsoft Office 2007 and qualify for up to a $150 per license subsidy. From now until January 31, 2008 qualifying open license purchases of Microsoft Office 2007 can result in up to $30,000 of partner subsidy dollars. These subsidy dollars can be spent on any combination of hardware, software or services [...]
Leveraging Technology Mitigates Risks, Controls Costs and Helps Meet Demands of Growing Businesses
December 31, 2007As a small business expands, the need to manage this growth with updated technology should rate high on a company’s list of priorities. Should an organization experience rapid growth in a short period of time and fail to advance its technology to meet these new demands, the business owner may face significant challenges in the [...]
What Should Be Secured?
December 31, 2007Recently at an IT security conference in Chicago and the keynote speaker’s address reminded me that IT people and business owners often have different views on what are your company’s assets and what constitutes adequate security. Dave Stelzl, author of The House & the Cloud, simplified the security model for business by comparing a business’s security [...]
10 Tips for Finding Information on the Internet
November 30, 2007Sometimes looking for quick information on the Web can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. With so many billions of Web pages in cyberspace, finding specific information can be a daunting task. "Often when I use search engines I get so many irrelevant results that I just give up," admits a frustrated [...]
Take Back Your Bandwidth
November 30, 2007For businesses today the Internet has evolved from a being a convenience to have to a business necessity. The Internet delivers business critical applications, e-mail, and telephone conversations, while providing your company’s image to the general public. The Internet is also often accused of being the biggest productivity killer for a lot of businesses. The [...]
Practical Productivity – Seeing Eye to Eye
November 30, 2007I will admit – when I talk with you by phone, you might not have my undivided attention. And I bet I don’t have your complete attention either. At the office, we have all become notorious multi-taskers. When I receive a call from a fellow employee, I may be answering an email or sorting out [...]
Technology Solution Wish List Suggestions 2008
November 30, 2007This time of the year many businesses are working hard to develop their budget or technology “wish list” for the coming year. I have spoken with many businesses over the last couple of months and have compiled a common list of technologies solutions that are being budgeted for 2008. Take a look at the list [...]
Budgeting for 2008
November 30, 2007“IT budgeting can’t be that difficult, right? You just add up the cost of your computers. Simple! Oh wait, we have to factor in the cost of software. So it’s still a piece of cake. Oh yea, what about staff training? And repairs? And tech support? And consulting fees? What happens if my server crashes?? [...]
Good, Bad, or Indifferent: Microsoft Outlook Anywhere
November 30, 2007While most of us can receive and send email from any computer that has an Internet connection via Outlook Web Access (OWA) or through a mobile device (Windows Mobile, Palm, or Blackberry), what I miss is the full functionality and speed of Outlook. With Exchange 2007 and Outlook, you can now have that functionality wherever [...]
The E-Mail You Save Can Be Held Against You
November 30, 2007Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center When it comes to e-mail, I’m a packrat. No, it is not true that I still have the first e-mail I ever received. But I probably have my first e-mail from the year 2000. In fact, I probably have all my e-mails from the year 2000. [...]
Practical Productivity – Being Productive Anywhere!
October 31, 2007Practical Productivity – Being Productive Anywhere! By Jane Cage, COO I’ve always worked beyond normal business hours. Twenty years ago that meant going back to the office after dinner if I needed access to files that were on our network. In those early days, there was no internet, no connection to the office and having [...]
Making Telecommuting Work for your Business
October 31, 2007Making Telecommuting Work for your Business By Monte Enbysk Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Telecommuting has gotten a bad rap. Some say that employees can’t be serious about their careers if they’d rather work from home. Others insist that work groups fall apart if team members aren’t physically in the office. [...]
Illegal Software Can Cause Big Problems
October 31, 2007Illegal Software Can Cause Big Problems Small businesses that grow swiftly or that frequently acquire new hardware sometimes find it hard to stay on top of their software licenses. Unlike most things you buy, software doesn’t necessarily belong to you. When you pay for a program, you become a licensed user — not an owner. [...]
Travel Expense Deduction Strategies
October 31, 2007Travel Expense Deduction Strategies By Joseph Anthony Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center When you hit the road for business trips, you have to know the rules for deducting your hotel and meal expenses. While the rules haven’t changed much lately (proposals to increase the percentage of a meal that can be [...]
You may know the Internal Revenue Code’s Section 179 as the tax loophole that lets some …
October 31, 2007Congress clamped down on the SUV loophole in October 2004, but the rest of Section 179, designed to stimulate business spending with an up-front tax break, remains in force and has even improved with age. Most business property that is useful for a few years is accounted for as depreciating over time. For tax purposes, [...]
Create and Use an E-mail Signature
October 31, 2007Microsoft Tips and Tricks If you’re like many people, e-mail is a regular part of your workday. You send mail to business associates, customers, friends, and family — and you most likely end your message with a different closing depending on the recipient. Over the course of a day, that can add up to a [...]
Seven Rules for Using Laptops in Meetings
September 30, 2007Seven Rules for Using Laptops in Meetings By Jeff Wuorio Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Not long ago, Frances Altman agreed to present a talk to some of her colleagues. Everyone arrived on time. Unfortunately, at least from her point of view, so did their laptop computers. "Several people came in [...]
Do You Need Managed Services?
September 30, 2007Do You Need Managed Services? Four questions for you to answer Are managed services a better choice than the way you are doing things now? Like everything else in your office, the answer will depend on how you want to measure it. Your first step is to answer these four questions. Do your employees [...]
Did The Wall Street Journal sabotage businesses by publishing tips on how to circumvent IT?
September 30, 2007Did The Wall Street Journal sabotage businesses by publishing tips on how to circumvent IT? In the Monday, July 30 edition of The Wall Street Journal, there was a special section on technology that led with the article "Ten Things Your IT Department Won’t Tell You" by Vauhini Vara. If you haven’t read the article, [...]
Seeing Double – Practical Productivity
September 30, 2007Seeing Double – Practical Productivity Do you have the luxury of doing only one task at a time? If you’re like me, I would guess the answer is probably “No”. I find myself answering email, working on a spreadsheet, looking at an accounting issue and searching for info on the internet all at the same [...]
8 E-mail Mistakes That Make You Look Bad
September 30, 20078 E-mail Mistakes That Make You Look Bad By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center I get an awful lot of e-mail. Sometimes, people are looking for help with their computers. Some of it is fan mail. Other folks are mad about something I said or wrote. Add to this the [...]
Sometimes You Need A Pro
August 31, 2007Sometimes You Need A Pro Buying and installing a new server So, you’re going to run to your favorite PC store and slap in a new server? Unless you are a certified IT person, allow us to politely offer this piece of advice: "No slapping without a professional, please." In past issues of eMazzanti’s Technologies [...]
Are you Doomed if your Office Computer Tech Quits?
August 31, 2007Are you Doomed if your Office Computer Tech Quits? By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center It’s the nightmare that most small businesses aren’t prepared to face: What would happen if you suddenly lost your office computer expert? Would you be in big trouble? The answer usually is "Yes!" But [...]
A Perfect Virus for Imperfect Users
August 31, 2007A Perfect Virus for Imperfect Users Getting back to the basics Here’s a little special something to brighten your day. That nice virus protection software you own isn’t worth diddly squat – at least when it comes the new ecard attack that is currently sidestepping even the once adequate defenses of companies who are doing [...]
Are You IT Strategic? – Part II
August 31, 2007Are You IT Strategic? – Part II Last month we looked at questions to be asked when looking into new or updated technologies for your business. These questions focused on building a long term IT strategy rather than taking care of the "now." Keep in mind the question to be asked: What is the strategy [...]
What Should Be Secured?
August 31, 2007What Should Be Secured? I recently attended an IT security conference in Chicago and the keynote speaker’s address reminded me that IT people and business owners often have different views on what are your company’s assets and what constitutes adequate security. Dave Stelzl, author of The House & the Cloud, simplified the security model for [...]
Exchange 2007 — What you need to know
July 31, 2007Exchange 2007 — What you need to know Many of today’s small to mid-sized businesses operate in a Microsoft Exchange environment. Most of these businesses have invested in Exchange and Exchange-compatible systems over the years, and now they are both loyal to and dependent upon Exchange for email. Now that Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 has [...]
Clean the Hard Drive Before Dumping Your PC
March 31, 2007Clean the Hard Drive Before Dumping Your PC By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center If you’re getting rid of your old computer, or even if you aren’t just yet, there are some things you should know about it. Chances are great there’s sensitive data on it. If you’re like [...]
Up to speed with Outlook 2007
March 31, 2007Microsoft Office Up to speed with Outlook 2007 Take a look at Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, and see how much easier it is to do the things you’ve always done. Learn how the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar put the commands you need right at your fingertips. You’ll see that it’s quick and easy to [...]
Microsoft Office 2007
March 31, 2007Microsoft Office Get an introduction to the new look in familiar programs of the 2007 Microsoft Office system. Then try out the changes with a hands-on test drive. See how Microsoft Office has changed, and why. Use the Ribbon to do what you’re used to doing. See what the new file formats mean to you. When [...]
Virtual Meetings Cut Travel Costs
March 31, 2007Virtual Meetings Cut Travel Costs By Monte Enbysk Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center at http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness The travel industry has taken its hits in recent years, and I hate to add to it. But in good times or bad, your business needs to scrutinize its travel budget to find ways to cut [...]
Up to Speed with Word
March 31, 2007Microsoft Office Up to Speed with Word 2007 When you open Microsoft Office Word 2007 for the first time, you’ll notice that it looks very different. That’s because it’s been redesigned to make your work easier, faster, and more efficient. How does it do that? For starters, it introduces a new feature, the Ribbon, which [...]
Preparing for Vista
March 31, 2007Preparing for Vista Learn how you can enjoy the benefits of the new Windows Vista operating system without compromising your business’ security. After many years in development, Microsoftďż˝s new operating system, Windows Vista, became available to businesses with volume license agreements on November 30. The home version of Vista will be available on January 30, [...]
Is Your Business Disaster-Ready?
February 28, 2007Is Your Business Disaster-Ready? By Jeff Wuorio Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business CenterHurricanes, earthquakes and other natural events are disasters in every sense of the word. Lives are lost, property decimated and entire communities disrupted. For your small business, these events can be just as devastating. But there’s a great deal you [...]
4 Ways to Protect Your Network
February 28, 2007Ways to Protect Your Network Data By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center You have auto and homeowner?s insurance. But what about your computer data? The precautions needed to protect against disaster are like an insurance policy. You may not necessary ever need it but when you do, you?re sure glad [...]
Flat-panel Monitors: 5 Things to Know
December 31, 2006Flat-panel Monitors: 5 Things to Know by Kim Komando reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center It’s hard not to admire the sleekness of flat-panel displays. They are a perfect example of form melding with function to create a superior product. Is it time for you to trade in your trusty cathode-ray tube [...]
How to Get Repeat Customers: 7 Steps
December 31, 2006How to Get Repeat Customers: 7 Steps By Jeff Wuorio – Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center “Don’t be a stranger now.” You’ve surely heard that expression, a most hospitable one. But for small business owners, a returning customer is essential to survival. For the entrepreneur, it’s important to understand how to [...]
Why your small business needs an intranet
December 31, 2006Why your small business needs an intranet by Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center One thing I like about running a small company is the ability to act quickly. Decisions are not bogged down by layers of management. In fact, most moves are made with the interested parties meeting [...]
Let Me Connect You
December 31, 2006Let Me Connect You Jane Cage, COO, HTS Not too long ago, the phrase ‘Let me connect you’ would have only come from a telephone operator. Today, it’s just as likely to come to my inbox as I receive emails from colleagues, business partners, friends and relatives who want to connect to me through one of [...]
Common PC Problems
December 31, 20064 Common PC Problems You Can Fix Yourself By Kim Komando Microsoft Small Business Center Computer problems may seem immensely complicated at first glance. But some are relatively easy to fix. That doesn’t mean they will be cheap if someone else does the job. Replacing a hard drive is probably a minimum $250-$300 job at [...]
Practical Productivity – The Power of “Presence”
December 31, 2006Practical Productivity – The Power of “Presence” Where is he? Is he at his desk? Is he on the phone? Is he even at the office today? Can he answer one quick question? Have you ever asked any of the above about a fellow employee? These kinds of questions can become real productivity blockers [...]
The Elephant Name Sharepoint
December 31, 2006The Elephant Named Sharepoint Many of us have heard the fable about the blind men and the elephant. When the men were asked to describe what an elephant looked like the descriptions ranged from a snake to a tree to a fan depending on whether the blind man had touched the trunk, the leg or [...]
Manage your Contacts, Join an IM Conversation
December 31, 2006Manage your Contacts, Join an IM Conversation Are you new to Communicator 2007? In this demo, you will learn how to log on, add contacts and set their access level, start an instant messaging (IM) conversation, and escalate that IM session to a voice call. How to do it (Text Version) Managing your contacts and [...]
IP Cameras
January 31, 2006IP Cameras There are many reasons that you may decide that a surveillance camera is a good investment for your business or organization. A camera can be your eyes in difficult to see places like back hallways and entrances. A camera can provide video documentation of comings and goings for places like construction sites, server [...]
SECURITY BEST PRACTICE – MANAGE YOUR DESKTOPS FROM YOUR SERVER
December 31, 2005SECURITY BEST PRACTICE – MANAGE YOUR DESKTOPS FROM YOUR SERVER Just when you think you’ve followed all the rules to safeguard your business assets against viruses and hackers and burglars, along comes an employee with a "better" idea. Only it’s not, and it could unravel all of the smart security moves you have implemented so [...]
Computer Disposal—A Problem We Can’t Toss Away
December 31, 2005Computer Disposal—A Problem We Can’t Toss Away As computers become more powerful and less costly, many families and businesses have added and replaced machines—good for the industry, but not necessarily good for the environment. The problem is that some ingredients that go into the making of computer components—lead, for example—aren’t environment-friendly. The disposal of [...]
Rid Your Business of Software Piracy: 7 Tips
December 31, 2005Rid Your Business of Software Piracy: 7 Tips by Monte Enbysk reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Pirates still roam freely in the ocean of software out there, but if your business is among the pirates, it could end up costing you literally and figuratively. You may very well be a smart, [...]
How To Fire a Family Member
December 31, 2005How To Fire a Family Member by Jeff Wuorio – reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Business consultant: "Sir, the problem with your business is your son — he’s incompetent and destructive. You gotta fire him right away." Business owner: "I know it. Just one problem. I have to sleep with his [...]
Steer Clear of Spyware
December 31, 2005Steer Clear of Spyware Spyware programs track and monitor Internet browser usage, secretly collecting your information to use for commercial purposes. If there is spyware on your computer, what you are doing and where you are going on the Internet is being transmitted to remote servers of third parties so they can display targeted advertisements [...]
How to Protect Wireless Remote Connections
December 31, 2005How to Protect Wireless Remote Connections Any employee that is working remotely via wireless connection should not only employ the security solutions and procedures outlined in this month’s theme article, "Create a Secure Remote Working Environment," but they should also take measures to secure the wireless connection itself. Here are some things remote employees should [...]
8 Tips for Launching a Company Intranet
December 31, 20058 Tips for Launching a Company Intranet By Jeff Wuorio Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Many small-business owners get it when it comes to the influence and reach of the Internet. But what they may not fully appreciate is how that medium can be used exclusively within their own business. Planning [...]
What a Company Needs to Think about to Become Compliant
December 31, 2005What a Company Needs to Think about to Become Compliant Federal Statutes The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act: Requiring every business who accesses or uses a customer’s personal financial information to issue a privacy statement that notifies its customers “in clear and conspicuous language” on an annual basis how that information is collected and used and to comply [...]
Success comes in cans!
December 31, 2005Success comes in cans! Used with permission of Joel H. Weldon & Associates, Inc. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com Some said, “It can’t be done!” But “Success comes in CANS, not in cannots!” The first successful cast iron plow invented in the United States in 1797 was rejected by New Jersey farmers under the theory that cast iron poisoned [...]
Top 3 PC Problems You Can Fix Yourself
December 31, 2005Top 3 PC Problems You Can Fix Yourself reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center As we all know, computers are not perfect devices, and they sometimes malfunction. And when they do, this can create frustration, wasted time, and unneeded expense – especially for those of us whose computers are as vital to [...]
Security For Ordinary PC Users
December 31, 2005Security For Ordinary PC Users Wendy Tate and Farida Ali of Dynamic Computer Corporation Most security articles are written for network administrators charged with the security and availability of corporate networks. As computers have become a pervasive tool in the office, however, they have begun to be an indispensable one at home as well. Around [...]
Productivity Calling
December 31, 2005Productivity Calling VoIP Can Dial In Rewards for Your Growing Business Your company’s IP network already enables your employees to use the internet, e-mail and web resources on the job. But did you know the very same technology can help your company save money — by transmitting phone calls through voice data in packets using [...]
How To Keep Spam at Bay
December 31, 2005How To Keep Spam at Bay Gone are the days when your inbox contained only emails that were of relevance to you and your business. According to a study by the Federal Trade Commission, 77% of email recipients spend approximately 10 minutes per day dealing with spam. What does that mean in terms of lost [...]
Clean Up and Clean Out Your PC
December 31, 2005Clean Up and Clean Out Your PC Spring is a great time of year to reorganize the office and lighten your load. This should include taking some time to clear out unused applications and Internet clutter that has been building up inside your PC, as well as cleaning the dust and debris that has settled [...]
What Does Your Desk Say About You?
December 31, 2005What Does Your Desk Say About You? reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center If you are sitting at your desk now, take a look around and ask yourself: "What is this desk saying about me?" For example, what messages does a three-day-old apple core send to your co-workers, or the photo of [...]
Top Printing Tips to Save Money
December 31, 2005Top Printing Tips to Save Money reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center It’s a common sight in many offices: wastebaskets filled to the brim with paper. Look next to any desk or printer, and you’re likely to find a stack of misprints, extra copies and other discarded paper waste. So here are [...]
Where Laptops Have Been
December 31, 2005Do You Know Where Those Laptops Have Been? The rise of mobile devices and public wireless web access has increased workers’ productivity exponentially. But there’s a dark side to the trend: the increased security risks that come with linking to unprotected public networks. Dirty Deeds The chain of events that leads to a security breach [...]
How to Establish a Privacy Policy
December 31, 2005How to Establish a Privacy Policy Imagine that your business has a make-or-break presentation scheduled today with a prospective client. But after arriving at work this morning, you discovered that key files needed for the meeting are corrupt. The culprit: a virus-infected email message that one of your employees forwarded from the Web last night [...]
Is VoIP Right for Your Business?
December 31, 2005Is VoIP Right for Your Business? More and more businesses tired of racking up high telecommunications bills are turning to the Internet for their phone service. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services enable businesses to conduct calls across the same network to access the Internet and get email – and at a fraction of the [...]
Gain Business Insight with Office 2007
December 31, 2005Gain Business Insight with Office 2007 The world of a typical employee has changed dramatically in recent years. We often hear terms like "empowered" to describe employees, and while that term may be overused and cliché, it is a fact that modern companies expect more from every individual employee. Long gone are the days of [...]
Taking the Pain out of Server Recovery
December 31, 2005Taking the Pain out of Server Recovery Introduction "Complete hardware failure" are three words no IT administrator ever wants to hear. That is because a complete hardware failure is one of the most common reasons for a server to go down — and to most admins, recovering a server is one of the most time-consuming [...]
Website Goals
December 31, 2005Setting Goals for Your Web Site So your business doesn’t have a Web site? Brace yourself for raised eyebrows and blank stares. Today, it seems like everybody has a Web site, whether it’s a small or a large business, an individual or an organization. Without a Web site, your business is missing out on a [...]
Help Prevent Identity Theft
December 31, 2005Help Prevent Identity Theft from Phishing Scams What to do if you’ve responded to a phishing scam You can do your best to prevent having your identity stolen by a phishing scam, but no method or system can guarantee total safety and security. If you suspect that you’ve already responded to a phishing scam with [...]
Protect Your Business from Instant Messaging Threats
December 31, 2005Protect Your Business from Instant Messaging Threats Learn about Instant Messaging (IM) threats and what you can do to protect your working environment. Instant messaging (IM) programs facilitate real-time, text-based communication between two or more users who are using the same messaging program. Though IM first gained popularity as a social interaction tool, it has [...]
Already Using VoIP? Give Productivity a Boost by Going Wireless
December 31, 2005Already Using VoIP? Give Productivity a Boost by Going Wireless If you’re serious about lowering business expenses and increasing efficiency, you may already be among the growing number of SMBs using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to offset telecommunications expenses. But did you know that by blending VoIP technology with your existing wireless LAN, you [...]
Selecting a Backup Solution for Your Critical Information
December 31, 2005Selecting a Backup Solution for Your Critical Information A recent study conducted by Insight Express showed that 30% of IT managers estimated that their companies lose at least $10,000 in revenue and productivity after a server failure. For 85% of the respondents, recovering from a server failure takes two or more hours. The same survey, [...]
Web 2.0 World
December 31, 2005It’s a Web 2.0 World Just a few years ago, the Internet was primarily used for one-way interaction. Anyone with Internet access could go online and get information, products, or services they needed. Fast forward to 2007, and many Web users are now enjoying activities such as tagging, blogging, and podcasting. This more collaborative, two-way [...]
Prepare for the Unexpected
December 31, 2005Prepare for the Unexpected Having an incident response plan can mean the difference between recovering quickly and losing your business entirely. Learn about some key areas to focus on when developing your incident response plan. Your business most likely relies on IT for a variety of tasks, including the storage of business documents, customer information, [...]
Installing Server Software
December 31, 2005Installing Server Software Watch Where You Step What’s not to love? All you need do is buy your company one of those nice boxes of software that promises to help you make more money and, then, plop it on the server . It’s just like installing software on your home machine, right? Actually, no. If [...]
8 Ways to Help Maintain Your Computer and Devices at Work
December 31, 20058 Ways to Help Maintain Your Computer and Devices at Work You most likely couldn’t do your job without your computer and mobile devices. Everyday you use them to work on files, connect with people, and access resources. Keeping them running smoothly is important to working effectively. So how do you start? At work your [...]
Business value of Social Media part 1: Online Networking
December 31, 2005Business value of Social Media part 1: online networking reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center If you could connect to the world’s business professionals, in the time it takes to check your email, wouldn’t you? Welcome to the world of online networking, where valuable business connections are made every day on social [...]
Vulnerability Management
December 31, 2005Vulnerability Management Are You Prepared for Hack Attacks? We’ve all heard the alarming stories about security breaches at data brokers, financial organizations and high-profile retail corporations, proving that even big companies with big IT budgets aren’t immune to data pilfering. These incidents raise an unsettling question: If thieves can victimize large, resource-rich organizations, wouldn’t hacking [...]
Where do you keep your "Junk"?
December 31, 2005Practical Productivity Where do you keep your "Junk"? By Jane Cage, HTS COO I have one – and I bet you do as well. When I look in mine I see some instruction guides, a box of tic-tacs, a golf ball, a pad of personal checks, loose change, some paper clips and a bottle of [...]
How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Mind
December 31, 2005How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Mind reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Finding a good work-life balance is difficult in many professions, but the business field is one that is particularly associated with long hours, unusual schedules, and a general inability to leave work at the office. The volatile [...]
7 Things to Expect from Your IT Partner
December 31, 20057 Things to Expect from Your IT Partner By Jeff Wuorio Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Your information-technology partner business should be just that — a partner in every sense of the word. On the surface, that may sound a little warm and fuzzy, and possibly a bit optimistic. Some IT [...]
Business value of Social Media part 2: Blogging
December 31, 2005Business value of Social Media part 2: blogging reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center No doubt, you’ve heard the term web log, better known as blog, but you may not know how blogging can actually benefit your business. By definition, a blog is a website that hosts entries—or posts—of commentary, descriptions of [...]
5 Tips and Tricks for Using Word for Business
December 31, 2005By Kim Komando Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Most people don’t use every feature built-in with their software applications. We tend to pinpoint those we find helpful and call it a day. Here are five features within Microsoft Word, the word-processing software in Microsoft Office, that I use in my business [...]
PowerPoint Terms Demystified
December 31, 2005PowerPoint Terms Demystified by Annik Stahl. Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center Joke all you want (and many do, even me), PowerPoint is the most widely used presentation software in the world; perhaps in the entire universe (although I can’t say that for sure because I’m not one of those "aliens beamed me [...]
How to Control Spam
December 31, 2005How To Control Spam Introduction As the volume of spam escalates and spammers continue to become more technologically savvy, keeping spam out of inboxes is a growing challenge. Small and mid-sized businesses are relying on email more than ever, but many are unequipped to deal with spam. IT administrators at many SMBs are dealing with [...]
The 7 Deadly Signs Of Server Aging
December 31, 2005The 7 Deadly Signs Of Server Aging Your server is a ticking time bomb. Although it may never actually blow up, sooner or later it will become obsolete and that is a potentially explosive liability for any business. The truth is that the older hardware is, the more likely that a failure and loss of [...]
Get up to $1,000 cash back on an HP printer
December 31, 2005Get up to $1,000 cash back on an HP printer reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Are your current printing solutions just not cutting it anymore? As your business grows, so does the list of requirements for your printing solutions. The new HP Trade-in & Save Program makes it easy and affordable [...]
Unified Communications: Right for Your Business?
December 31, 2005Unified communications: Right for your business? by Heather Clancy reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center While most of us welcome the opportunity to stay in touch virtually anytime from anywhere, keeping up with phone calls, voicemail, e-mail and instant messaging can distract even the most disciplined person from more important concerns. Enter [...]
Pocket Rocket
December 31, 2005Pocket Rocket Say "hello" to the Smartphone You see them everywhere you go: businesspeople with their heads down and as focused as a five year old ripping into their first package on Christmas morning. Somehow, they traverse busy hallways and squeeze into crowded elevators without collision, while grabbing their email, heave a contract cross country [...]
7 Ways to Get Customers’ E-mail Addresses
December 31, 20057 Ways to Get Customers’ E-mail Addresses (legitimately) By Monte Enbysk Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center If you’re like most small-business owners, you need a generous supply of potential customers’ names and e-mail addresses to effectively market your offerings online. The good news is you don’t have to deceive or spam [...]
Forget Luck
December 31, 2005Forget Luck Used with permission of Joel H. Weldon & Associates, Inc. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com “Good luck,” said the manager to the salesperson leaving for an important sales call. “Wish me luck,” said the student to his mother as he left for school to take an important test. “Boy, were we lucky,” said the lawyer to his [...]
Cool Computer Tools to Make Your Life a Little Easier
December 31, 2005Cool Computer Tools to Make Your Life a Little Easier reprinted with permission from Applied Tech, Madison, WI Here’s a cool computer tool we’d like you to know about because it can save you time and money: PDF995 is simple to use FREE software that converts documents to PDF (Portable Document File) format. What is [...]
Secure Online Transactions
December 31, 2005Secure Online Transactions Have you been thinking about setting up shop online? Taking your goods and services to the Internet will increase your business potential in many ways. However, e-commerce requires a commitment to securing transactional details, including credit card information from customers. As e-commerce has grown, so have security threats. Identity theft, data security [...]
Of mice and keyboards: the case for wireless peripherals
December 31, 2005Of mice and keyboards: the case for wireless peripherals by Christopher Elliott reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center ‘Fess up. It took awhile for many of you to really believe how much more productive you could be with wireless networking, didn’t it? I’m here now to make a case for how wireless [...]
A New Take on Endpoint Security
December 31, 2005A New Take on Endpoint Security Small and mid-sized businesses are becoming keenly aware of the increasing need to protect their endpoints from exposure. Endpoint devices include servers, laptops, and desktops, and these devices are vital to a business’ operations. While threats are becoming more sophisticated and targeting endpoint devices, end users are demanding increased [...]
New PC ENERGY STAR® Requirements Drive Savings
December 31, 2005New PC ENERGY STAR® Requirements Drive Savings reprinted with permission from HP What does it mean to have an ENERGY STAR® rated business desktop? Did you know that PCs make up for 40% of a company’s average utility bill? Since PCs consume so much power, the EPA has set up guidelines that are updated from [...]
Jet Pilots Don’t Use Rear View Mirrors
December 31, 2005Jet Pilots Don’t Use Rear View Mirrors Because the world is changing rapidly, you need to look ahead, not back Used with permission of Joel H. Weldon & Associates, Inc. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com Commercial jets cruise at about 600 miles per hour, which is the equivalent of ten miles per minute, or three-and-a-third city blocks per second. [...]
How to Secure Your Handheld Device
December 31, 2005How to Secure Your Handheld Device Losing your PDA or smartphone can pose a security risk, but the evolution of viruses, Trojans, and worms means that your handheld devices can be subject to insidious online threats as well. Below are a few guidelines on how to secure handheld devices in your small business: Establish a [...]
No Fear Everyday Network Security Protects VoIP Networks, Too
December 31, 2005No Fear Everyday Network Security Protects VoIP Networks, Too If your company is implementing voice over IP (VoIP) technology, it’s making huge strides toward lower telecommunications costs. However, you may be concerned about security risks that crop up when your voice and data networks converge. If hackers break into your VoIP network, they now can [...]
Getting a Handle on E-Mail Storage
December 31, 2005Getting a Handle on E-Mail Storage E-mail has become so ingrained in the way your company does business that you probably can’t imagine working without it. However, for all its convenience, e-mail can also be a problem. As the daily barrage of messages passes back and forth, in-boxes get clogged, and before you know it, [...]
5 Essential Keys to Successful IT Projects
December 31, 20055 Essential Keys to Successful IT Projects reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Despite being a hot topic in business for many years, the truth is that project management still isn’t well understood among many businesses. And the success rate of projects appears to be lower than ever. According to The Standish [...]
Social networking: Is your identity at risk?
December 31, 2005Social networking: Is your identity at risk? reprinted with permission from HP The total number of users on the social networking site Facebook has now soared above the 200 million mark. Just to put that into perspective: if Facebook were a country, it would be the fifth largest on Earth, after China, India, the U.S. [...]
Why Laptop Design Matters
December 31, 2005Why Laptop Design Matters reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center In these difficult financial times, you need to make sure your technology purchases and partners are reliable and solid over the long haul. HP is the world leader in PC technology and our notebook PC portfolio is already well-known for its reliability [...]
Taking the Risk Out of Managing Your Network
December 31, 2005Taking the Risk Out of Managing Your Network Ever heard a small-business owner say "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it"? This simple old saying depicts the mentality of thousands of SMBs when it comes to preventing security breaches and assessing vulnerabilities within their networks. If the servers are running, e-mails are accessible and customers [...]
The Importance of Disk-Based Backup
December 31, 2005The Importance of Disk-Based Backup Learn about the importance of disk-based backup and how you can protect your business’ information. Chances are, a majority of your small business’ vital information is maintained in an electronic format; stored, delivered, and managed entirely by information technologies. Because so much of this data is mission critical to a [...]
Desktop or Workstation – Which do you need?
December 31, 2005Desktop or Workstation – Which do you need? reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Workstations are more accessible and more flexible than ever, but do you need that kind of power? How exactly do workstations differ from traditional desktops? Who uses workstations, and what benefits do they offer? Who uses workstations? Workstations [...]
The 2009 Recovery Plan: What It Means For Your Business
December 31, 2005The 2009 Recovery Plan: What It Means For Your Business reprinted with permission from HP When the going gets tough, the tough have a smart game plan. And with over 2 million jobs lost in 2008, the situation is definitely getting tough. Fortunately, the US has relieved our 26 million small businesses—those which gross $15 [...]
The Threat Within
December 31, 2005The Threat Within Is Your Company Safe from Itself? Did you know the greatest information security threat facing your organization may be sitting in your office right now? This threat has the ability to bypass the physical and logical controls you’ve put in place to protect the perimeter of your network and has already obtained [...]
Protecting Your Exchange Server
December 31, 2005Protecting Your Exchange Server Today, email has become a mission critical application for business. According to IDC, No online application is more widely used than email. Even the smallest companies have embraced this technology as a critical communication tool. Businesses count on having 24×7 email access to communicate with employees, customers and partners, so they [...]
You Say "Mice," I Say "Mouses"
December 31, 2005You Say "Mice," I Say "Mouses" If you have three computers, do you have three "mice" or three "mouses"? The answer will likely depend on your personal preference. When the term "mouse" was coined for the "small mobile manual device that controls movement of the cursor and selection of functions on a computer display" (Merriam-Webster), [...]
Computer Threats: What to Focus on First
December 31, 2005Computer Threats: What to Focus on First Prioritize your security efforts Yes, spam is a problem. Screening and deleting junk e-mail wastes your time and your employees’ time. And if a junk e-mail attachment is opened, it may unleash a virus. But if your company predominantly focuses on battling spammers, you may be ignoring much [...]
How Strong Are Your Passwords?
December 31, 2005How Strong Are Your Passwords? by Mike Gonsalves, StrategicFusion Most people don’t realize that computer security starts with them. An easy way to hold off trouble is to use strong passwords that you change every so often. What is a strong Password? It is a password that is easily remembered by you, contains uppercase letters, [...]
How to Boost your Creativity at Work
December 31, 2005How to Boost your Creativity at Work reprinted with permission from HP Small Business Center When you think of “creativity”, you might immediately think of artists, musicians or designers. But the fact is that creativity is a useful tool in all sorts of occupations, from accounting to engineering to teaching. Creativity is the fuel for [...]
Strengthen Your Website
December 31, 2005Strengthen Your Website with Security and Service Web consumers have different requirements, motivations, and concerns than those of bricks and mortar shoppers. The news is flooded with stories of credit card fraud, identity theft, spoofing, hacking, and other forms of tampering and theft of information derived from online sales transactions, making many consumers wary of [...]
Protecting Your Back at Work
December 31, 2005Protecting Your Back At Work Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the United States. The cause is often poor posture and body mechanics in the workplace. A supervised program of back protection and exercise may be the key to alleviating and even preventing such problems. Correct posture and body mechanics [...]
Ten Tips to Faster Backups Ten Tips to Faster Backups
August 1, 2005There isn’t a wizard behind a curtain that will help speed your backups, but there is a formula for successfully cutting backup and recovery time. By following 10 simple tips, backup managers can heal many of their storage headaches. Bottlenecks to successful backups appear throughout the storage landscape. Source disks, small files, the backup server, [...]
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