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May 20th, 2010
Millions of people use computers the world over every day. Millions of e-mails are sent each day. People use their computers for holding their music files, photographs and sometimes large volumes of other information. With all this electronic information, it becomes important to be able to find files or e-mails quickly. Using tags, or labels, can help you achieve this efficiently.
All e-mail clients have options available for sorting and finding messages. You may be able to use keywords in the subject or other parts of the message to direct your e-mail client to put the message in a particular folder. In Microsoft Outlook, for example, you can create physical folders and set up rules to have all your messages automatically organized for you. Microsoft Outlook also has ‘Search Folders’ which are virtual folders. The messages appear to be in a folder, but a physical folder does not exist. Using a Search Folder, you can not only file your e-mail messages according to a keyword in the subject, you can also use different search criteria to retrieve them, such as the name of the person who sent it. E-mail messages can also be sent to more than one virtual folder.
The free web-based inbox.com, as well as popular e-mail programs like Microsoft Outlook, allow the user to use labels and colors to organize mail. You can create as many labels as you like and associate colors with them. Multiple labels can be assigned to messages. Once you have created a label you can find all messages that have that label simply by clicking on the label in the Email labels box.
Messages are not the only items that you want to be able to organize and find quickly. Finding the files that you want on your computer can also be a chore as the number of directories and folders increases. Google Desktop can make searching your computer as easy as doing a search on the web. With Google Desktop you can do a full text search of your e-mail, music, photographs, files, chats, web pages and more. You don’t have to manually organize your bookmarks, e-mails or files. Once you install Google Desktop, it automatically indexes the e-mail, files and web history stored on your computer. Depending on how much data you have this can take a long time, but the indexing is only done once and it only runs when your computer has been idle for more than 30 seconds. This ensures it does not have an impact on anything that you might be doing. Once the index has been created, it is updated every time you receive a new e-mail, browse a new web page, or update a file. You can then use the search box to find items such as files and the search will return the most relevant items. You can also restrict the search to certain types of items, such as files only.
Almost all file systems keep metadata on files. The metadata may be held in directory entries, specialized structures such as inodes or the name of the file. Metadata may be timestamps or bit modes or it can be more specialized information. With more complicated metadata it becomes possible to search for files using the contents of the metadata. Examples of such facilities are the UNIX find utility, Apple Mac’s Spotlight, and Instant Search in Windows Vista which allows you to tag your files by creating custom properties. Tags in the metadata can help you to quickly search whole libraries of documents.
Internet browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer allow you to create bookmarks which you can organize in folders, thus making it easier to find your favorite sites. Some browsers also use tags to organize the bookmarks. For example, Firefox allows you to quickly find your favorite sites by entering the bookmark name, tag or page in the location bar. The more you use the tags the more Firefox will be able to adapt to your preferences. Firefox has an extension called Bookmark Tags. When you create a bookmark, rather than file it in a folder, you give it a tag and Bookmark Tags then files it for you. When you want to find the bookmark, you use the tag rather than looking through folders and subfolders.
If you have a lot of icons on your desktop, you can use the icon name as a tag to quickly find an icon. For example, if you want to find an icon called ‘test,’ click on any icon and press ’t.’ Pressing ‘t’ multiple times will find all the icons beginning with ‘t.’
Now is the time to get organized and remember to put that entry into the subject line of your e-mail. Such a small step can make your life much easier if a problem arises and you need to find that relevant e-mail quickly.
Tags: bookmark organization, email organization, file organization, file organizing, filing, importance of using tags, meta, meta data, metadata, organizing bookmarks, organizing files, sorting, tagging, tags
Posted in Computer Maintenance, Organization | No Comments »
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May 6th, 2010
The issue of climate change is frequently in the news. People are being encouraged to save resources by either changing the way they do things or by recycling. Organizations are also being encouraged to improve the way they work in order to save resources.
All organizations have traditionally kept a lot of paper records due to legal and regulatory requirements. A wide range of records need to be held by companies, ranging from employment records to transactional records. All this paper has to be kept, some for a prescribed number of years. However, there is growing evidence that organizations are moving to a paperless office. The advantages are – huge savings due to a reduction in storage requirements, easier retrieval of information, and reduced costs in locating relevant records.
Document scanning, internet and intranet sites, and electronic storage can all make the retrieval of information far cheaper and easier than paper records. Although there are certain documents such as VAT records or court documents that companies need to hold as paper copies for legal reasons, companies can still significantly reduce their reliance on paper records. Introducing a document management system can provide huge benefits to a business. A document management system refers to a range of systems designed to manage electronic files and paper that includes tools for converting paper records into electronic files. Some of the benefits of such systems are:
- Cost – The main benefit of a paperless office is a reduction in cost. It can take up to five minutes to retrieve and replace a paper document. If an employee accesses 10 files each day, that represents 216 hours per year. If the employee is being paid $20 per hour, the cost is $4320 per year just for walking around fetching files. If the employee were able to access the documents from a desk, costs would be cut immediately.
- Space – converting rooms into areas for storing paper files is an expensive use of office space. Storing documents electronically could help to free up the space to be used more productively.
- Security – documents held electronically are more secure and there is also better disaster recovery protection. Document management systems are the best way for a company to ensure that it complies with strict record keeping and security rules.
- Environment – reducing the amount of paper that a company uses improves its green credentials. The average office worker will use up to 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. The USA alone uses 30 percent of the world’s paper. You may think that paper is cheap, but the costs of using paper can be up to 13 to 31 times the initial cost of the paper itself. Citigroup, which is a large financial services company, has estimated that if each of its employees saved just one sheet of paper per week, the company would save $700,000 each year.
Document scanners, such as the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500, convert paper documents into electronic files at the touch of a button. The scanner is easy to use and the automatic features ensure that the final scans will look their best. All of this can be achieved without any operator intervention. Documents can be scanned at 20 pages per minute even with resolutions as high as 200 or 300 dpi grayscale or color. Intelligent paper feed detection helps prevent misfeeds. With the interactive interface, users can bypass intentional double-feeds. The software provides users with a menu so they can choose to load documents into editing software such as Microsoft Excel or Word. Password protection and digital ids can be added to protect personal and confidential data. Users can embed keywords and searchable content and distribute to e-mail or SharePoint. Documents can be quickly and easily converted into PDF’s as well, which offers a low file size, high resolution, and searchable text all in one.
Contact Oval Solutions today to learn more about how your office can go paperless. Call us at (517) 902-7851.
To purchase a great document scanner, click here:
Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 PA03586-B005 Sheet-Fed Duplex Scanner
Tags: environment, file organization, file security, green, green office, office organization, office space, organizing files, paper less, paperless, save money, searchable files, secure files
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April 20th, 2010
The internet is now used by millions of people worldwide; many on a daily basis. Many people do their banking and shopping online and gamers can play games online with other people from anywhere in the world. However, all this online activity has inevitably attracted the attention of criminals. It is possible to buy credit card details and even someone’s full identity details online. This may sound depressing, but there are steps that you can take to safeguard your personal information.
The passwords that you use to protect your accounts are important. You should never use personal information such as your date of birth or the maiden name of your mother. Passwords should consist of a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and if allowed, non-alphabetic characters. Change your passwords regularly, ideally around once a month. If you have several accounts do not use the same password for each account.
Phishing is a word to describe the technique used by a criminal who attempts to acquire others’ personal information such as passwords, usernames and credit card details, by sending what looks like a legitimate electronic communication, usually an e-mail or an instant message. Often these will direct the unsuspecting user to a fake website where they will be asked to enter their details. Always remember that no legitimate organization such as a bank will ever ask you for your details by sending you an e-mail. If you receive such an e-mail and you think it may be authentic, check first with the company that the e-mail purports to come from that it is genuine. Never click on links in e-mails unless you are sure they are genuine, go directly to the organization’s website in your browser. If you do click through on a link check the URL carefully. If the site isn’t genuine you will find that part of it is misspelled or it uses a different domain name. If you have any suspicions at all, close the link immediately. The best way to do this is via Task Manager (on Windows) as some malicious software has been written to download itself when the close-window button is clicked. When entering your personal information, any website should be using a secure HTTP connection, you will know this is the case if the URL starts with https rather than http. You may also see a padlock down in the right-hand corner of the screen, but check carefully that it is in the right place as some fraudulent sites create dummy padlocks to fool the user.
Viruses are also a common problem. Your computer can be infected by viruses from either e-mails or infected websites. E-mail viruses are generally in the form of attachments to e-mails and when the user clicks on the attachment the virus downloads itself on to the computer. To prevent this happening never open attachments from sources that you don’t know. Delete them immediately. Bear in mind that someone you know may unknowingly send you an attachment that is infected, so even if you know the source don’t open the attachment unless you know what it is.
Many companies do download information to users’ computers when they enter their website. These are called ‘cookies’ and are used to record information about which pages you view and can be used to personalize your user experience. Some are merely irritating as they create pop-up advertisements, but some have a more sinister purpose. Some links can download viruses that either record personal information, through for example key-logging software, or may take over your computer as in net bots. Others can cause damage to your computer by deleting files. To prevent infection from websites try to only access sites that you know are safe. However, as infection can occur as a result of downloading legitimate software, you do need another line of defense. You should keep your computer up-to-date with the latest security patches and anti-virus tools and stay informed about the latest security threats.
You should also set up a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your PC. Anti-spyware software will help you identify and delete spyware on your computer. This software works by comparing the code of programs and files to known spyware definitions. It is therefore essential that you download the latest database of definitions from the anti-spyware company’s website. If you use a wireless connection always change the default password on your router. A surprising number of people fail to do this and so potentially others can use their network.
If you suspect that your credit card details or your identity have been stolen then it is important to act quickly. Reclaiming your identity is a lengthy business and involves a number of steps. You will need to request a credit report from one of the credit reporting agencies such as Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. Ask them to set up a fraud alert on your report. Contact your bank and/or credit-card company and cancel your credit cards. Also close your checking accounts and open new ones. Close any accounts that have been opened in your name. File a report with the police. You may also need to contact the Social Security Administration; the Department of Motor Vehicles, service providers such as telephone companies, the Post Office and the Internal Revenue Service. You can also contact Scan which is a national database for tracking bad checks. Chex Systems can supply you with a consumer report which lists any checking accounts that have been opened in your name.
To purchase a great security program, click the image below:
 
Tags: computer security, cookies, credit card safety online, how to stay safe on the Internet, how to stay safe online, internet security, password guidelines, passwords, phishing, safe browsing, safe internet, security, staying safe on the internet, virus prevention, web security
Posted in Online Security | No Comments »
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April 5th, 2010
A newsletter is a short and compact publication used to disseminate information about an area of particular information to a specific audience. An e-newsletter is exactly the same as a printed newsletter except that it is done online. Growing your business by increasing revenue and referrals from your existing customers is extremely cost effective. Newsletters are a way of maintaining business relationships, a valuable asset to any business. E-newsletters provide a number of benefits including:
Cost – E-newsletters are much cheaper to produce than their printed counterparts. According to Wilcox and Cameron, an e-newsletter costs as little as five cents while a printed newsletter will cost at least 50 cents. A newsletter production company recently estimated that e-newsletters cost 90% less than traditional newsletters.
Timing – Publishing and distributing an e-newsletter is fast compared to sending out a printed version. Time is money as the old saying goes. An e-newsletter is not only a good way of keeping your target audience up-to-date with your activities, but also a way of saving money. In addition, an e-newsletter can quickly identify any problems with undeliverable items to your customers and make them feel that you are doing everything you can to resolve the problem.
Image – An e-newsletter can be much more than plain text. It can contain diagrams, pictures and even moving graphics. It has been proven that graphics and pictures evoke interest and improve the ability of your audience to recall information or advertising. An e-newsletter can leverage your marketing efforts and provide an opportunity for your clients to interact with you.
In recent years spam email has become more of a problem for users. According to Symantec, 90 percent of all email is now spam. If you want your e-newsletter to survive, it must be informative, timely and convenient. Most readers will simply scan email to quickly check whether it is relevant to them or not, so your e-newsletter must be concise and clear. If you get it right, your e-newsletter will be a big asset. Studies have shown that many users prefer to receive e-newsletters rather than regular mail because dealing with an e-newsletter is easier and much more convenient. Contact Oval Solutions at (517) 902-7851 to get an e-newsletter set up for your company today.
Tags: e-mail, e-mail marketing, e-newsletter, e-newsletter marketing, electronic mail, email, email marketing, enewsletter, enewsletter marketing, Internet Marketing, online marketing
Posted in Internet Marketing | No Comments »
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September 13th, 2009
Your website is quite likely your customers’ first impression of your business. Websites, much like houses and hairdos, need to be updated. You really don’t want to be the last person with the mullet, or the “framed” coding and comic font, do you? Depending on the business you are in, you may want to update your website every few years or even every few weeks. If your site is looking a bit frumpy, it may be time for a bit of sprucing up, or a whole new make-over.
Take a good hard look at your website, and ask yourself some of these questions:
Is Your Style Outdated?
Look at your website with the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time. If there isn’t consistency, it could confuse and lose the customer. Are there multiple fonts, colors, and sizes? Do you have outdated clip art or flashing animation? How about outdated colors, or separate frames coding? If you have a distracting background, such as tie-dye, plaid, or certain repeating patterns, you are guilty. Think about what colors and fonts you admire on other sites. Much like your business, you want to present a unified, clean, modern appearance to your customers.
Is Your Technology Outdated?
Technology changes quickly, and if you want it to work for you, you have to stay on top of it. There are many different ways to view websites now with five major browsers, wider monitors, and phones that people are increasingly using to surf the web. Do you know how your site looks on all of them? Is your website compatible with the main browsers? Make sure all of your links are working and current, including internal links. Has a usability study ever been conducted on your site? Track visitor activity on your website to determine what is being viewed, and which areas are of the most interest. This knowledge can help you in modifying your services and product areas to those with the most interest, and lead to increased sales. You may want to consider adding a shopping cart, forms, a place for requests, customer log-ins, or even online appointment setting to further assist your customers.
Is There A Reason To Come Back?
Is there a reason for your customers to revisit your site? Generate some interest to get repeat visits, as well as new traffic. This can be fun and creative, or informative. Think about adding specials, coupons, sales, or new arrivals. Post statistics related to your business, how-tos, recent work and projects you have completed, before and after pictures, a portfolio, or customer stories. Allow a place for customers to give their feedback, which in turn, will help you better your business. Writing a humorous or informational blog, a monthly newsletter, or a calendar with upcoming dates will bring those customers back for more!
How Does Your Site Rank?
How does your site rate in search engines? This is an important part of how your customers find you today. Make sure that your great website is being seen! Are your keywords up to date? Does your text contain an appropriate ratio of important keywords? Update your written content frequently to increase your ratings. Be careful not to flood your keywords, because this will do more harm than good. Most customers will not browse past the first few results pages when they do a search. Ask us how to help your company be on that first page!
Is Your Site Difficult to Navigate?
When people come to your site, is it user friendly? Your layout should not only be pleasing to the eye, but easy to use. Can customers find what they are looking for easily? Do customers ever complain that it’s difficult to find certain things on your site? Make sure the text is the right size and in good contrast to the background. If your background is a picture, it can be difficult to read text over this. Not only should customers be able to find the information, they should be naturally led to other interesting parts of your site as well. Make sure your links and buttons are prominent and all your information is easy to find.
Does It Represent Your Company Today?
When you first built your website, it was a big step. Has your company grown or changed since then? Have you changed your logo, or colors? Maybe you specialized, or have become known in the community for excelling in an area. If you have won awards, reached goals, or received some great press, make sure to share that great news! Sharing your successes demonstrates that your business is doing well, and builds confidence with your potential clients.
Does It Help Your Business Grow?
In the beginning, websites were designed more like a yellow page ad or brochure. Today, a website is not only a customer’s first introduction to your business, it is the best source of information about your business. It’s one of the most important ways to serve your customers. Are there questions that customers frequently ask you? Answer them on your site to further free up your staff’s valuable time. Do you need to think about business overseas? Websites are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Open your business up to local, interstate and international business markets. We can assist you with translation services. Reach specialized markets, and different demographics. With 1.6 billion Internet users in the world, there are certainly more people out there that need your product or service.
If you feel that it’s time for an entire new website, start gathering information on how you would like your website to represent you. Make a list of things you would want your website to have now, and have added on in the future. If it is time for a new site or just a few minor lifts, focus on what will make the biggest impact and generate new business with both current and new customers. Make sure you are representing your company at its best, and keeping up with the ever increasing opportunities!
For personal one-on-one assistance with website design, development, and planning, contact Oval Solutions today at (517) 902-7851 for a free quote and some free, fresh ideas!
Tags: business growth, capture new clients, capture new customers, difficult navigation, help business grow, how does your site rank, out-dated, out-dated websites, outdated, outdated websites, remodel, revamp, search engine optimization, style, touch-up, touch-up websites, touchup, touchup websites, website creation, website design, website development, website ranking, website rankings, website redesign, website remodel, website revamp
Posted in Website Related | No Comments »
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August 3rd, 2009
A website is one of the most affordable ways to communicate with the public; whether you want to use it as a marketing tool or simply to provide information. However, a poorly designed website will limit its impact, so it is a good investment to get the best web website built that you can afford.
When considering the design of your website, focus on ease of use. Many people today are familiar with the Internet, but your website should still be intuitive. This aspect is especially important for people who may want to purchase something from your website. They want to be able to find what they are looking for quickly, and they want the ordering process to be simple. Make it difficult, and they may well take their business elsewhere. Zona Research estimates that around $25 billion of potential profit is lost every year due to poor website usability.
Studies have shown that if users have to follow more than three hyperlinks, they start to lose interest. If you have a large site, adding search functionality may be a well-received feature. Your webpage should also load quickly; if it takes over ten seconds then users become impatient. This means keeping pictures and graphics to a minimum and ensuring that they are small and compact. If you do need large pictures, then put them at the bottom so that visitors can read the text while the pictures are loading. Ensure that your website is compatible with as many browsers as possible. The two major Internet browsers are FireFox and Internet Explorer. Here at Oval Solutions, every website we build is compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Chrome. The most common screen resolution is 1024 x 728. Using a different screen resolution could mean that part of your website is not visible to the user. You also need to be aware that some technologies can mean that search engines will not be able to view your website. For example, links embedded in some Javascript code may not be crawled by search engines.
Colors are also important because on the Internet you are communicating with users visually. Companies that have official colors should use the same ones on their website for consistency. For text, you should choose colors that are easy on the eye. Colors can also have cultural and emotional significance. A web designer will be able to help you decide on a suitable color scheme.
Good web content is vital. All words and visuals should be of good quality. You want to communicate the right messages and ideas to your visitors so that you attract your target market to your website. Having good, up-to-date information on your website also gives a good impression and visitors will feel more confident if they think that you know about your market or industry. For example, a bike store that is able to give expert advice on various aspects of cycling will inspire confidence in buyers.
You will be able to tell how well your website is fulfilling its function by how users interact with it. Do they read the text and watch any videos, or do they simply take one look and then leave? Do visitors to your website ask for information, click on links, or make a purchase? All of these questions can be answered by the free analytics package included in every website we build. Contact us today for free information at (517) 902-7851.
Tags: effective website, important website features, Internet websites, things to think about when building a website, web creation, web design, Website, website creation, website design, website usability, what makes an effective website
Posted in Website Related | 3 Comments »
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July 22nd, 2009
Hosted Exchange Email System
Electronic mail, or e-mail, is at the heart of all the communication systems of today’s businesses. Surveys have shown that internet and e-mail services are considered by many small businesses to be more vital to their company than the telephone. Over 72 percent said that losing their website or mail application would cause serious damage to their business and an immediate financial loss. Eighty percent said that when choosing an Internet provider, their most important consideration was a guaranteed service and the provider’s response time in dealing with faults.
Business people want to be able to send e-mails from their desks or when they are on the move, allowing them to stay in touch with customers and colleagues. This means that it is very important to any business that its e-mail system is secure, robust and accessible. Implementing, managing, and supporting communication and messaging tools requires experience. For some businesses, this can represent a big strain on internal resources. Outsourcing the messaging solution can provide a number of benefits:
• Reduction in administration including licensing
• Internal IT resources can be concentrated on core business
• Capital is freed up, reducing risk for a small monthly fee
• Security expertise, the latest virus protection and spam filtering
• Enhanced backup and restore capabilities
• 24/7 support all year round
• Scalable and flexible solution, you pay for what you need
• Professional e-mail service with no hassles
• Large network with built-in redundancy
• Economy of scale gained from tapping into large infrastructure of provider
Hosted Exchange Email is a way for businesses to have all the messaging functionality that they need without the problems of the day-to-day administration. The system uses Microsoft Managed Exchange 2007 as the mail server, and customers typically use Microsoft Outlook as their email client. The system is not just about sending and receiving. E-mail users are also able to share contacts, folders and calendars. Microsoft Outlook is available for browser, mobile, and desktop access, meaning that staff can keep in touch no matter where they are. The inbox stays synchronized as the users always connect to the same exchange server.
Microsoft Exchange with Microsoft Outlook allows the user to:
• Access calendar management and scheduling tools
• Share personal lists and track project progress
• Keep contact information and personal address book
• Share files, assign permissions, get team feedback. Also provides 1GB folder space
• View attachments
• Use discussion views to group e-mail conversation threads
If customers do not use Microsoft Outlook, they can use MacMail, Entourage, or any IMAIL or POP desktop client. Mobile users can send or receive e-mail via any POP or IMAIL connection. They can synchronize their mailbox with Blackberry, iPhone or Windows Mobile devices. Outlook Web Access allows the user to receive mail notifications, calendar reminders, use public folders and global address lists via Internet Explorer 6. OWA light can be used with Firefox, Safari or older versions of Internet Explorer.
A managed exchange service offers peace of mind to customers who are assured that their e-mail system is always secure and backed up. Along with high reliability and performance comes exceptional support.
Companies can choose between two different levels of service – managed and dedicated. With a managed service, customers retain control over the administration of users’ messaging, but the responsibility for the administration of the system is taken over by another company. This solution suits companies that have limited IT resources. The Managed Exchange option features full integration with Microsoft Outlook for e-mail and collaboration. Nightly data backups, rapid recovery of lost data and a high-availability infrastructure provide a robust messaging solution.
The dedicated option is more suitable for larger companies. It provides the scalability and power of a dedicated server. The company’s own IT administrators retain full control over the messaging application and the user services. They are able to configure mailbox, attachment sizes and distribution lists. Data backup and storage size remain under the control of the in-house IT department. The Dedicated Exchange option provides the highest levels of collaboration, configurability and mobile service support.
Tags: Availability, BES, BIS, blackberry enterprise server, communication, communications, e-mail, e-mail services, electronic mail, email, email services, Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, hosted e-mail, Hosted Exchange, mail, Microsoft, Outlook web access, OWA, scaleable e-mail
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June 30th, 2009
Today’s smartphones are very sophisticated and can do most of the things that a PC can do. Web browsing, instant messaging, email, spreadsheets, video editing, photo editing, word processing, and multimedia playback are common functions found on all smartphones. Smartphones allow you to take your ‘PC’ with you and access its functions anywhere.
Palm Pre from Sprint – has a completely new interface called the Palm WebOS. This touch screen interface has synchronization options that allow the user to seamlessly switch between personal e-mail, corporate mail, e-mail on Google and social networking sites such as Facebook. The phone has EV-DO Rev. A for browsing Sprint’s high-speed 3G network as well as support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. It has 8GB of internal storage and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Not only is the screen touch-sensitive, the sides of the phone also respond to touch and gesture. A single home button exists beneath the screen. The screen itself is rich, vibrant and clear. The keyboard has been less well received with many feeling that the space between the keys is too small. The phone has considerable processing power in the form of Texas Instrument’s new OMAP3 chipset. Most buyers rave about the OS, as the hardware is less of a selling point.
Blackberry Curve 8900 from Verizon – the Blackberry Curve is one of the best selling phones This newest model is a sleek modern update of the popular smartphone. The compact and attractive handset is smart and small enough to fit into a pocket. Its screen is bright and large and the QWERTY keypad is easy to use. Like other Blackberrys, it performs well when it comes to email. It has a music player that handles various formats including MP3 and AAC and a video player. Videos look good on its screen, which despite being small, gives a good clear picture. The camera is slightly less impressive. The camera can take both still shots and videos, but the flash is not particularly powerful. Sharing or downloading is possible via Wi-Fi, EDGE or GPRS, but there is no 3G. It has built-in GPS, but the lack of 3G means that the experience is not as smooth as it should be. It has exceptional battery life, lasting for more than 2 days in regular use. However, call quality has been described by many users as barely satisfactory.
Shadow 2009 from T-Mobile – is an upgrade of the original Shadow. It provides the rich features of Windows Mobile 6.1, but is less complex than other multimedia devices. It supports Wi-Fi, GSM and UMA to use T-Mobile’s Unlimited HotSpot Calling service. It has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and spinnable d-pad. It has a 2 megapixel camera and a 2.6 inch display which is bright and clear. The right edge of the phone has a camera button for activating the camera application, and a dedicated messaging key that goes straight to email and SMS. The contents management system on the Shadow is exceptional, allowing users to store any information about their contacts. Data can be stored and synchronized with Microsoft Outlook. Battery life is good with long operating times both in active use and in standby. It has the mobile version of Windows Media Player and has good support for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as messenger services. Support for games and the internet browser are not very good.
Nokia E71x from AT&T – AT&T is one of the most popular carriers in the USA. Their 2009 lineup of smartphones includes the Nokia E71x, a powerful device with an attractive shell. Although its interface could do with some improvements, it is outstanding at e-mail, call handling and web browsing. There have been some visual improvements, but it still lags behind other smartphones with repetitive menus and confusing shortcuts. Messaging is very good, with an impressive array of options. Scheduling and productivity are also good with plenty of options, if a little unpolished. The Nokia mini-map web browser is very good and may be the best web browser on any mobile device. Pages load quickly and look sharp and accurate on the screen. Scrolling is also very fast. The media player is good with many advanced playback options. However, organization is poor and it isn’t exactly pretty, whilst the camera is decidedly mediocre.
Tags: blackberry, e71x, nokia, palm pre, pda, shadow 2009, smart phones, smartphones, sprint, t-mobile, tmobile, verizon
Posted in Consumer Product Reviews | 3 Comments »
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June 21st, 2009
Almost daily, I see computers with an incredible amount of dust and debris in them. Depending on the environment in which your computer is located, it should be cleaned out once every 6 – 12 months on average. This pertains much more to desktops than it does to laptops, however, I have seen the fan vents on laptops become so clogged with dust that they overheat in a matter of minutes and shut down. On desktops, simply unplug your computer, take it outside, remove the side from the computer (panel removal procedure different on every model), use a can of compressed air to blow all of the dust out, and replace side cover. Sometimes you may also need to remove the front panel, as the intake vent can be quite clogged in that location. You may not be able to see it without removing the front cover.
Be careful with the compressed air so that you do not spray any liquid into the computer or on the components. You can prevent that from happening by holding the can upright when using. If you see a liquid or mist coming out of the can while spraying, stop immediately, as you may damage your computer if you continue.
Households with animals and children need to perform this clean up more often. In businesses where the computer sits in a relatively dirty area (garages, workshops, industrial areas, etc), you may need to do this more often. Cleaning the debris out of your computer on a regular basis will increase the life span of your computer and keep it running at optimal performance.
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CPU Fan Clogged With Dust
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A Disaster Waiting To Happen
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Front Intake Vent Clogged With Dust
Tags: dust, front intake vent, maintenance, over heating, proper computer cleaning
Posted in Computer Maintenance | No Comments »
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June 4th, 2009
There are many reasons why any business should have a website which include:
Convenience – these days access to the Internet and familiarity with its use is commonplace. Every day over 20 million people search the Internet to find products, compare prices and find information. Using the Internet to find information or to shop is faster and easier than ever before.
Exposure – you can advertise your business in the local phone book or newspaper, but the Internet can give you access to a much wider audience. You will no longer be tied to a geographic location, but be able to offer your services or products nationwide or even internationally. The National Retail Association forecasts that in 2009 the value of retail sales over the Internet will reach $204 billion dollars, whilst the rest of the retail industry is expecting slow growth. This represents a 17 percent increase on the previous year. America has 220,000,000 Internet users and in 2008 global spending over the Internet was $6.8 trillion, 15 percent of the global GDP.
Information – you can provide much more information via a website than you can in a phone book or even a brochure. TV/radio advertisements are limited by the amount of time that you can afford to purchase, but with a website there are no time restrictions.
Cost – a website is an inexpensive and effective form of advertising. Customers can browse through the information on your website at their own pace. In 2008 $65 billion was spent globally on Internet advertising. Printing and posting fliers, brochures, newsletters and other mail costs money. Internet advertising is more cost effective as it is a better way of reaching your target market. A website is a one-time cost other than the nominal hosting fee.
Branding – a well-designed website will become an extension of your brand. It becomes part of the experience of doing business with you and a good professional online image will set you apart from the competition.
Availability – your website can be available 24 hours a day, so if customers want to search for information or place an order outside of normal shopping hours, they can. You will always be open for business.
Time – a well-designed website will provide customers with information about your company, services or products, meaning that you don’t have to spend so much time answering questions on the phone.
Measurable results – with a website you are able to track the number of visitors to your site and also record how they found out about your company. The number of inquiries and the number of sales can be recorded. The ratio of inquiries to visitors is known as the conversion rate and you can use this information to improve the ratio and increase your sales.
Testing new ideas – a website is one of the quickest ways of publishing new ideas. Trying out new content can be done within a matter of minutes and at no cost. This allows you to try out new advertising material before committing to a costly print campaign.
Tags: Availability, Branding, Convenience, Cost, Exposure, Measurable results, Reason, Reason for website, Reasons, Testing new ideas, Time, Website
Posted in Website Related | 5 Comments »
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