Thoughts on IT

I Like To Move It, Move It

2012-01-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

Here's the last installment of our Windows keyboard shortcuts.

Move windows: One of Windows 7's best features, you can snap a window to the left or right of the screen and fit half of the screen exactly, or quickly maximize the window to full screen. Hit the Windows button and arrows to activate.

WIN+Right Arrow: Resize the window to half of the display and dock it to the right.
WIN+Left Arrow: Resize the window to half of the display and dock it to the left.
WIN+Up Arrow: Maximize the window to full screen.
WIN+Down Arrow: Minimize the window or restore it if it is maximized.
WIN+Shift+Right/Left Arrow: Move the window to an external monitor on the left or right.

Want a musical pick me up? Try these while listening to "I Like To Move It" performed by Reel 2 Real; the song was also featured in the movie Madagascar.

Making Use of Those Functions Keys

2012-01-17T16:00:00.000-05:00

Here's some less common but still very useful keyboarding shortcuts.

Function keys: Press one of these keys at the top of your keyboard to quickly perform an action

F1: Open the Help page or window
F2: Rename an object (e.g., file in Windows Explorer)
F3: Find
F4: Shows the address bar in Windows Explorer
F5: Refreshes the page
F6: Moves to a different panel or screen element in a window or the desktop

Take a screenshot: Useful for pasting an image of your desktop or a certain program and sending to tech support

ALT+Print Screen: Capture a screenshot of a window
CTRL+Print Screen: Capture the entire screen/desktop

Windows 7 User? Checking out the Snipping Tool for nifty screen shots too. You can even mark the screen capture up.

Security Alert! Ads For Fake Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Programs Are Multiplying

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a security alert pop up on your screenwhile browsing the web? Your firstreaction may be to click on it to find out more, fearing your machine may beinfected with a virus. Those that areskeptics may click the “X” in the top right corner to close it and continuewhat you were doing. Doing either one ofthose things could put your machine at risk!

Fake anti-virus andanti-spyware software has become a growing trend worldwide. In fact, some companies have made more than$100 billion from these scams, according to court records. What these programs do is install a virusthat scans your PC to find out what type of antivirus is installed, tells youthat their malware can remove the virus and attempts to sell you a fakeprogram. In other cases it infects thePC immediately. People often fall prey tothese online scammers because these companies use the names of legitimate anti-viruscorporations, unbeknownst to them or the site selling them. One of the latest scams even presents itselfmuch like Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tools (MSRT).

So what should you belooking out for and what should you do if you encounter one of these fakeprograms? There are markeddifferences between a fake program and the real thing. One major difference is the size of the file;the fake program is small with only approximately 400,000 Bytes. Another huge difference is the digitalsignature which can be found under “properties”; the fake program is not signed.

What can you do toprotect yourself? Being careful ofwhere you surf the internet will not always protect you, as many reputablecompanies are unaware that their sites have been compromised. Firstly, make sure to keep your computer’smalware software up to date, including being sure to have a good firewall. Don’t ever open an email attachment ordownload freeware or shareware unless you KNOW it’s from a good source. Lastly, remember the infamous pop up? Do NOT click on it or “X” it out, but closethe browser window instead and call us at 973-298-6908.

More Keyboard Shortcuts to Make IT Easier

2012-01-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

These too have been around the block but are often forgotten

Working with Windows: Windows system shortcuts

CTRL+ALT+Delete: Bring up the Windows Task Manager
ALT+Tab: Show open applications so you can quickly jump to a different one
WIN+D: Show your desktop
WIN+L: Lock your computer
CTRL+Shift+N: Create a new folder
Shift+Delete: Delete an item immediately, without placing it in the recycle bin
ALT+Enter or ALT+Double-click: Go to the properties screen for files or folders

P.S. I know I'm a geek but no, those aren't my pillows!

No Brown M&Ms and the Power of Checklists

2012-01-09T04:30:00.000-05:00

No brown M&M’s! (Photo: Mr. T in DC)

At IT Radix, our clients are our rock-stars. We've developed a variety of checklists to help us deliver computer support services. Why?

Thefollowing is a short excerpt from The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande, also reprinted byTehelka magazine in India. In it, we learn the logic of David Lee Roth’s famousobsession with brown M&M’s:

Listening to the radio, Iheard the story behind rocker David Lee Roth’s notorious insistence that VanHalen’s contracts with concert promoters contain a clause specifying that abowl of M&M’s has to be provided backstage, but with every single browncandy removed, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation tothe band. And at least once, Van Halen followed through, peremptorilycancelling a show in Colorado when Roth found some brown M&M’s in hisdressing room. This turned out to be, however, not another example of theinsane demands of power-mad celebrities but an ingenious ruse.

As Roth explained in hismemoir, Crazy from the Heat, “Van Halen was the first band to take hugeproductions into tertiary, third-level markets.

We’d pull up with nine18-wheeler trucks, full of gear, where the standard was three trucks,max. And there were many, many technical errors — whether it was the girderscouldn’t support the weight, or the flooring would sink in, or the doorsweren’t big enough to move the gear through. The contract rider read like aversion of the Chinese Yellow Pages because there was so much equipment, and somany human beings to make it function.” So just as a little test, buriedsomewhere in the middle of the rider, would be article 126, theno-brown-M&M’s clause. “When I would walk backstage, if I saw a brownM&M in that bowl,” he wrote, “well, we’d line-check the entire production.Guaranteed you’re going to arrive at a technical error… Guaranteed you’d runinto a problem.” These weren’t trifles, the radio story pointed out. Themistakes could be life threatening. In Colorado, the band found the localpromoters had failed to read the weight requirements and the staging would havefallen through the arena.

Who knew that David Lee Roth was so clever and not just hot for teacher?

If you've had an opportunity to review any IT Radix service tickets, you can see just some of the checklists we've developed and are constantly refining to ensure that we treat our clients like David Lee Roth or their favorite rock star. We're always looking to improve these lists and our service -- client feedback is welcome!

A Few Keyboard Shortcuts to Boost Productivity

2012-01-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

These keyboard shortcuts have been in Windows since the beginning; however, they are worth repeating.

Move the cursors: Quickly jump the cursor to the beginning or end of your word, paragraph, or document.

CTRL+Right Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
CTRL+Left Arrow: Move the cursor back to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL+Down Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL+Up Arrow: Move the cursor back to the beginning of the previous paragraph
CTRL+Home: Go to the start of a document
CTRL+End: Go to the end of a document

Give these a try and see how much more efficiently you can type that email! Check back next week for more.

Is your IT future somewhat cloudy?

2011-12-29T20:38:00.000-05:00

Don’t panic. Could bea good thing.

If you’re thinking about cloud computing, that is.

For those who aren’t sure, cloud computing is a general termused to describe computer services that are delivered via the Internet, ratherthan installed in your on-site computer or server.

The cloud can store your data, deliver all kinds of usefulapps, do your number crunching, provide financial information, and perform justabout any service that an on-site computer can execute.

Cloud advantages are many.

Cost can be reduced, for example. Perhaps you make heavy demands on your datasystems on an infrequent basis. Insteadof buying a large machine that sits idle most of the time, you can access thecloud and get all the computing power you need on a pay-for-what-you-use basis. The cloud is scalable.

Location doesn’t matter. You can access the cloud wherever you can get web service.

You are device independent. The cloud is available through your PC, laptop, smart phone, or tablet.

Maintenance becomes easier and upgrades are practicallyautomatic, because someone else has that responsibility.

In many cases, using the cloud permits you to reduce orredeploy your IT personnel.

It’s not magic. Cloudservice is provided by distant data centers connected to the world by highspeed data links. Just as there are anumber of sources for electricity (coal powered, gas fired, nuclear, windturbine), there are a variety of sources for cloud service.

Sound attractive? Well,it is. However, there are significantissues to be considered.

Reliability is one. Large data centers rarely fail, but when they do life can get very“interesting.”

For example, early last August 7, Amazon’s huge data centerin Dublin went off line unexpectedly, cutting off service to thousands acrossEurope. Long story short, service wasnot fully restored until the evening of August 10. Stuff happens.

There are also concerns about the security of your sensitivedata and vulnerability to hacking.

But don’t give up hope. Cloud computing has huge potential advantages. IT Radix can help you figure out if youshould fly up to the cloud. We can guide you in encrypting your data,guarding your keys, ensuring that your provider has expert credentials, andthat your data is adequately protected and backed up.

Our Team Has Grown - Welcome Ashleigh Boissonault

2011-11-01T05:31:00.001-04:00

IT Radix is pleased to announcethat Ashleigh Boissonault has joined our IT support team asour Office and Technical Administrator. Formerly aLegal Secretary for Heymann & Fletcher, Ashleigh brings more than six yearsof experience to the team.

Getting to Know Ashleigh…

Favorite meal: ChickenDivan on a bed of broccoli and rice

Favorite movie: YoungFrankenstein

Whatsuperpower you wish you had and why: Oh, I wish I could fly! I’d never have to sit in traffic ever again.

Personalmotto: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look aroundonce in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller

Experienceand impression of IT Radix thus far: In addition to my fellow ITRadix employees (who are wonderful and have made me feel very welcome!), Ithink what speaks the loudest about this company is the fact that almost everyclient I have spoken with this week has warmly welcomed me aboard, and assuredme that I have chosen an amazing company to work for, with some of the bestco-workers I could ask for. I think such high praise from our clientsreally says a lot about the integrity of IT Radix, and I feel very proud to bepart of the team.

Special skills: Iam a problem solver. I enjoy a good challenge, and I work very well underpressure. I’m a bit obsessive about organization and pay great attentionto detail.

Favoritewebsite(s): Yahoo!, amazon.com, audible.com

Favoritecar: I’m really not a car person, so I don’t have afavorite. I’ve always wanted to own one of the original VW Bugs, though.

Somethingyou’d like to do in your lifetime: I would definitely liketo travel across Europe someday, and perhaps, live in the English countrysidefor a spell.

Favorite pastime: Ican definitely be described as a video game nerd. Computer, console,handheld—you name it, and I will play it! Aside from that, I enjoypainting, photography, and reading any sci-fi or fantasy novel I can get my handson.

Anythingelse that you’d like to share with our clients: Simply that I amexcited to be here, eager to learn, and happy to get to work for you!

Welcome to the team, Ashleigh!

iPad Tip: Make it brighter

2011-09-13T06:08:00.000-04:00

iPad Tip: Want to quickly change the brightness and volume on your iPad without using the button?

Double press the home button. Now, slide to the icons along the bottom to right to open up the control menu. You can use the sliders here to adjust the brightness or sound. You can also use the buttons to quick-mute or to access the iPod app.

Our Team Is Growing - Welcome Pat Brennan

2011-09-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

IT Radix is pleased to announce that Patrick Brennan has joined our team of technicians. Formerly an IT Technician for Innovative Network Designs, Pat brings more than 15 years of IT support experience to the team.

Getting to Know Pat…

Favorite meal: Lasagna

Favorite movie: Rudy and Brian's Song

What superpower you wish you had and why: I wish I had the power to heal people! Can you imagine no one feeling pain anymore and no doctor bills!!!!

Personal motto: There is an answer to every issue…your job is to find it.

Experience and impression of IT Radix thus far: There is a team feeling here.

Special skills: Able to stay calm when just about any issue comes about.

Favorite website(s): Yahoo, NFL, MLB, anything relating to sports

Favorite car: Jag

Something you’d like to do in your lifetime: Play 3^rd base in the Bronx. Craig Nettles was my childhood hero. Growing up in the Bronx, I am a big Yankee fan!!!

Favorite pastime: Being with my three children (ages 10, 14 and 15) and coaching. If I am not at work I am on a field or court with my children. I am usually coaching baseball, softball, football and basketball. Yes, I have also done some soccer and some lacrosse.

Welcome to the team, Pat!

You Provide The Boat, We'll Provide The IT Support

2011-09-01T06:39:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene has certainly impacted business the northeast. On Monday morning, Max one of our IT Radix techs negotiated flooded roads to arrive at a client site to power up their servers on a floating generator. Little did he expect to also be driving a duck-hunting boat to the building with our client.

Gotta love it! Way to go Max!

Do you want an IT support company that will go above and beyond? Call us today at 973-298-6908. We'll help you plan ahead and be there to support you as needed through minor or major disasters. Duck hunting boat not included.

3 Simple Things To Do Before Hurricane Irene Hits

2011-08-27T16:25:00.001-04:00

"Be prepared” is the boy scout motto. However, Hurricane Irene is upon us and perhaps you’re not as ready as you’d like. Here are 3 simple things you can do today to prepare your computer network for the upcoming storm.

Verify your Backups are Working Properly
If you’re a managed service client, IT Radix does this for you on a regular basis. But if you haven’t tested your backup lately; today is a good day to identify potential issues while there is still some time for us to address them, albeit limited time. If you’d like help with the backup test process, please call our office at 973-298-6908.

Verify all internal systems are prepped
Take a moment to verify that all of your computer systems (which may include machines outside of the server room, i.e. desktop computers) are plugged into a fully operational UPS (uninterruptable power supply). We are advising clients to leave servers powered on and let the UPS do its job of properly shutting down the servers in the event of a power failure. Why? There is the possibility that the power to your office will remain on, but the staff will be unable to return to the office on Monday. If this occurs, your staff could work remotely via VPN.

Don’t Panic
This is probably the most obvious step, but also the most difficult. When a storm approaches the media loves to hype the potential damage and focus on showing the cone of destruction (the projected path of storms). We encourage you to establish a communication plan for your staff and families so that information can be distributed efficiently and effectively. For updates on all the storms and tracking their movements we recommend following the National Hurricane Center.

If you have any questions on what needs to be done, please don’t hesitate to contact us by calling at 973-298-6908 or emailing at service at it-radix.com.

Technology and its impact on nature

2011-05-17T17:36:00.000-04:00

As I was browsing this weekend, I stumbled across two different but related articles about bees. The first was a study that was recently published about the effect of cell phones on bees. The study finds that cell phones create noise that fatally confuses honeybees. This combined with a variety of other factors may be causing bees populations throughout the world to drop dramatically which has a corresponding negative impact on our food supply.

Subsequent to reading this article, I stumbled on a TED Talks video that has some beautiful footage of not only bees, but other pollinators of our world. The photographer's opening remarks drive home an important concept: Wthout bees, there may be no "we's"--a scary thought indeed.

While I'll admit that I'm unlikely to give up my cell phone, I will commit to trying to reduce my personal usage especially while driving because I've always believed that many small steps combined can and will result in significant change. I invite you to join me in reducing your cell phone usage--instead talk to your kids, spouse or significant other, listen (and sing?) to your favorite music in car, admire the spring scenery as you drive, and perhaps together, we'll save our local honeybees from cell-phone induced confusion.

A personal inspiration to me

2011-03-27T21:29:00.000-04:00

Earlier today, I attended a celebration of the life of Evelyn Ortner--an amazing woman who came to be a friend in a roundabout way because of technology. The story of how we became friends is a little silly but I'd like to share it nonetheless. When I graduated college and first moved to New Jersey, I was very green about financial planning, more specifically budgeting for day-to-day expenses. I had a computer and a printer and a big college loan to pay off. So, I decided to post my name at the local colleges and universities to type term papers to make some extra money. I only had one response and it was Mr. Robert Ortner, who was in the process of writing a book and he needed someone to type it up for his editors. The book was mostly done but I leaped at the job and in the process got to know Bob. The book was Voodoo Deficits and honestly, well above my head. But that didn't stop me from typing up the chapters as requested. Bob learned that I knew something about computers and asked me if I would help him with importing some financial data into Excel and create some simple formulas and trend lines. Together we developed a simple cheat for using Excel.

As we worked together, Bob said he wanted me to meet his wife, Evelyn, who turned out to be what can only be described as a “force.” Evelyn was a very smart woman in her own right, at one point serving as a speech writer and adviser for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Reagan administration. While she was no longer involved directly in politics, she was indirectly--her passion was domestic violence and an advocacy group she had founded called the Unity Group and she drew me in. The next thing I knew, I was helping the Unity Group with its membership database and newsletter, helping to organize fund raising events, volunteering to sort clothing at the Unity Thrift Shop and eventually, helping out in a variety of ways in the shelter. In 2003, the Evelyn Jacob Ortner Center was founded at the University of Pennsylvania to help educate graduate students not only in classical social work but to integrate the issues facing domestic violence across multiple displaces including law enforcement, public policy, health care and more.

Evelyn was renowned for her passionate belief in helping others and her willingness to do what was required to get things done. She was able to motivate others to believe and work towards a common cause, sometimes through the sheer strength of her will and determination. As I reflect on how she influenced my life, I can only smile and be grateful for knowing her. I admired her and will miss her greatly. Rest in peace, Evelyn, and know that your spirit carries on in not only me but everyone's life that you touched. You can read more about Evelyn’s life here and here.

2011-02-06T19:30:00.003-05:00

Accounting software exists in some form for every business. One of the most common accounting solutions that we see in our small-to-medium sized clients is QuickBooks. Since we support both Mac and Windows computer systems, we were delighted to see Intuit finally release a new version of QuickBooks for Mac last year.

QuickBooks 2011 for Mac has made finances even easier for small business owners by incorporating a new multi-user access solution! Business owners are now able to delegate individual accounting tasks to various employees within the company. Following are the highlights of what’s new and improved:

WHAT’S NEW…

Multi-User Solutions - Multiple users have simultaneous access to QuickBooks files (permissions can be set to control access to sensitive data).

Mileage Tracking - Easily track job-related mileage to claim the tax write-offs you’ve earned.

Little Square (online magazine) - See how other Mac users are managing their accounting and get advice-driven content on how to best use QuickBooks.

Export Reports to Excel and Numbers - Now you can easily use your favorite spreadsheet program.

…AND IMPROVED

Layout Designer - Look more professional with new templates and enhanced layout tools.

Report Tools - Customize the reports you use most with familiar Mac-like tools.

Interested in learning more about the new and improved QuickBooks and how to best implement in your Mac environment? Call IT Radix and we’ll help you get started!

Need IT in a PDF format?

2011-01-30T17:29:00.004-05:00

Portable Document Format or PDF files have become the preferred document interchange standard for all users regardless of the file type. Late last year, Adobe launched CreatePDF, a cloud-based application that allows you to make PDF files online fast. It requires that you upload a file or multiple files and with a single click you can create a PDF. The service is $99.99/year. You can read more about it here.

Want to do more with your PDF file(s), then you can purchase a copy of Adobe Standard for $275 and you'd have the full Adobe Acrobat Standard product that includes features such as PDF commenting, converting from PDF back to Word or Excel or scanning to PDF.

Just need to print the occasional file to PDF format? Give some of the shareware or freeware programs such as CutePDF a try.

Implementing a document management system? Ask if Adobe Acrobat is included. Many of today's solutions have bundled Adobe Acrobat software or an equivalent into the overall document management product.

Not sure what to select? Give IT Radix a call, we'll be happy to review your requirements and recommend a solution that fits your needs.

Adding an Extra Hour to Your Day

2011-01-20T18:59:00.001-05:00

Don’t we all wish there were more hours in our day? Don’t you find that there’s never enough time to get everything done? Do you ever look back at the end of the day and wonder what in the world you’ve accomplished that day?

If any of the above scenarios ring true to you, you’re not alone! However, there are some small, time-saving technologies you can use to automate or speed up what you get done to save an hour (or MORE) to your day. Here are some of our favorites:

Use an aggressive SPAM filter—Over 80% of the emails being sent daily are SPAM. You’re probably receiving dozens of these each day cluttering up your in-basket and easily adding up to 5-10 minutes per day in time wasted sorting through and deleting from the emails that you do want. We recommend an external SPAM filtering service, because it has been proven to trap malicious, virus-laden emails that can threaten entire networks, as well as individual users. Plus, eliminating SPAM temptations from your staff’s email will not only cut down on wasted time, but will also drastically reduce your chances of getting viruses and spyware on your computer or network.

Replace Old PCs—While it’s difficult to estimate how much total time is wasted waiting on an old, sluggish computer to start up and process tasks...it does add up! If your old PC takes 10 seconds longer to process a task, and a typical user averages 100-150 tasks a day...that’s 16-25 minutes of wasted time each day. Add the crashes and other problems old PCs cause and you’re closer to 30-35 minutes a day per employee!

Maintain Your Network— Diligent updating, patching and optimizing your server and workstations is key! You’d be surprised how much slower even a new machine will start to run if not maintained properly.

Manage Your Documents — Scanning and storing paper documents so they can be searched and located in seconds rather than minutes or hours is a HUGE time saver. Plus, it’s a greener solution, improves document security, enables users to access critical documents remotely and prevents important papers from loss or damage.

Implement Business Collaboration Software — How much time is wasted in your office because people are duplicating efforts because they can’t find the information and documents they need? This may be difficult to calculate, but we can conservatively assume that at least 30 minutes a day or more can be wasted due to disorganization. That’s why we recommend growing companies implement some type of collabo ration software that will help organize projects and information, keeping everyone on the same page.

Want to implement any of these technologies in your office? Call IT Radix today—we can partner with you to streamline your operations!

Did you know that…you can prevent identity theft by preventing SPAM?

2011-01-13T13:48:00.001-05:00

SPAM is more than just a nuisance—something that clogs up your inbox and wastes your precious time. SPAM is also a tool used on a daily basis to steal your identity. Learn how to prevent SPAM, and you will learn how to prevent identity theft. Every year there are an estimated 40 trillion SPAM emails delivered. While some of these trillions of emails are just mere annoyances, SPAM used by identity thieves are loaded with malware that can take over your computer, capture your information and steal your identity.

Preventing identity theft isn't impossible…it just takes effort and staying informed. Follow these 5 tips to help avoid SPAM and prevent identity theft:

Tip #1
Don’t open any email if you don’t recognize the sender
Resist the urge…click “delete” to purge

Tip #2
Don’t click on the links in SPAM email messages
You never know what’s lurking at the other end.

Tip #3
Disguise your email address on your website
Never put your address in plain text on your site. Spiders that crawl sites scrape email addresses and send you SPAM. Trick the spiders by changing your email address. For example, instead of: jane.smith@gmail.com , type: Jane Smith At Gmail Dot Com

Tip #4
Don’t pass SPAM emails along
You know those emails you get that tell you to forward them along to the “10 most important people in your life”? This is one way spammers harvest email addresses.

Tip #5
Use a “junk” email address every time you join a group or register for something on the Internet
You can get an unlimited number of free email addresses from Gmail or Yahoo, and it saves you from having your “real” email address scraped by spiders.

Learning how to prevent identity theft is an ongoing process...preventing SPAM can help!

Does your email need an attitude adjustment?

2010-11-29T06:05:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I have certainly sent an email or two that was not interpreted the way I intended. Invariably, it means that someone took offense to something you typed quite innocently.

If this has happened to you, then you might want to check out ToneCheck, a new plug-in for Microsoft Outlook. ToneCheck reviews your messages before they are sent to make sure that it will not be interpreted as harsh, angry or offensive. ToneCheck is currently a beta version and therefore, free to download.

Once installed, ToneCheck automatically reviews each message before sending it on. If the message exceeds your tone tolerance, a box appears that allows you to review your message. Clicking on the Tone Check shows you the sentences in your message that may be problems and gives you the option of ignoring or modifying them. If you modify them, the sentence is re-evaluated allowing you to try several variations to help ensure your writing that won't make your reader angry or sad. You can also request that a message be reviewed prior to finishing it. The version of Outlook your are running will affect where you will see the Run ToneCheck icon. Reivew the ToneCheck FAQ page (scroll to the very bottom) for more information.

ToneCheck does send your message to their server for evaluation, although it is sent encrypted. (Note: That for most of us, our actual email messages are not sent encrypted; so the transmission to ToneCheck is much more secure than your email itself will be!)

If you don't use Outlook, you are out of luck for now. Plans are underway to support other email clients in the future.

I'm thankful for IT

2010-11-22T14:26:00.001-05:00

I have a gratitude journal that I keep by my bedside that I reach for on nights when I’ve had a hard day. Sometimes I add to the list, sometimes I simply review old entries as it reminds of all the good things in my life.

As I’m preparing for Thanksgiving, it struck me that I should add technology to my list and here are my reasons why:

IT has opened my world to so many places and people. Just as television brought events from across the world into our homes, computers and the Internet have opened even more opportunities to learn and share from others. Granted you need to take the source of the information with a grain of salt, but it’s absolutely incredible the amount of information that is available at our fingertips. I enjoy stumbling upon new things on a daily basis that I would have never known existed without the Internet. What have you stumble upon recently that was quite simply, cool?
IT allows me to be more “earth-friendly”. I save paper and ink by emailing or reviewing things online instead of printing everything. I save gas by working from home or participating in virtual conferences. I’m still looking for a good solar powered charger…..
IT keeps me in touch with my friends and family who are all over the world. When we were in Russia for Alex’s adoption, I was able to easily spread the good news by a few simple keystrokes on my cell phone using instant messaging. Now, sometimes I think “being connected” has gone a bit too far. But if my 89 year old grandmother can email me a joke so that we can share laugh, then being connected using technology is a good thing in my book.
IT saves me time and money. I use technology to keep me organized (think calendar, to do lists, contact lists, etc.). Using the Internet, I can search and compare products and services without lots of phone calls or unnecessary driving around. Added bonus, I can order just about anything and have it shipped to my door!
IT gives me a way out. Nothing ends an unproductive conversation as effectively as a weak call signal or one you replicate by repeatedly flicking the mute button on your mobile phone and saying frantically, “I can’t hear you.”

All technology aside, what am I really grateful for? Those of you that trust us to make all the computers and gadgets work the way they are supposed to!

Email Management - Automate IT!

2010-11-13T06:18:00.006-05:00

I don't know about you but keeping up with my email is a daunting task. On an average day, I receive somewhere between 200-400 emails. Sifting through the noise to pinpoint the important messages can be a real challenge. I've always been on a quest to effectively manage my email and am fortunate to have two clients who I feel are shining examples of effective email management. One of them introduced me to a product called Auto-mate, which is an Outlook add-in by a company called Pergenex.

While I could much the same thing using Outlook's built-in Rules feature, I quickly exceeded the number of rules I was permitted to create within Outlook. Some ideas as to how to use rules to improve your efficiency.
- File email after it has been read.
- File email after it has been sent.
- File email messages after you reply to or forward them.
- Forward newsletters that you'd like to share with staff members.
- Organize your messages by day, week, month and year.
- Organize your messages by company or client name.
- Automatically mark messages with colored flags.
- Automatically assign messages to categories. (My favorite - I have color coded my Categories to be consistent with my overall filing system, e.g. yellow = clients, blue = internal, etc.)

There are lots of features built-in to Outlook not be mention all the Outlook add-ins out there to make your email experience more efficient and effective. Have something you wish Outlook could do? Ask us -- I bet there is a solution out there.

Have a tip you'd like to share? Post it here!

Becoming part of The IT Nation

2010-11-08T05:45:00.003-05:00

I just returned from a combination business trip and vacation. And while I might prefer to reflect on my vacation; today I thought I'd share with you what I learned from my business trip.

I went to Orlando, Florida to participate in a ConnectWise Partner Summit. First you may be wondering, What is ConnectWise? If you're a client, you've experienced a small portion of ConnectWise--our service tickets. But it is much more to us than just service management--it's helps us manage all our relationships with clients, prospects, suspects, vendors and business partners. It allows us to operate more efficiently, measure and track our results, and helps us implement process improvements. I learned a lot at the summit and over the next few months our clients will be seeing some changes that we feel will allow us to deliver even better service and use client feedback to drive that process.

Some of the other benefits included getting meet and talk with our competitors, yes competitors--some from our own backyard to others across the country, to see how they are helping their clients, what solutions they are offering, and evaluate if we should consider integrating some of the lessons learned into our IT service delivery.

Finally, I got to hear from industry experts their thoughts about trends in technology such as cloud computing, technology-as-a-service and much more. Perhaps you're wondering how these impact your business or quite simply what are they. I'll do my best with the help of the rest of the IT Radix team to educate our clients and potential clients on these topics and more. Got something on your mind, email me or post a comment here. I'd love to know what you're interested in.

Until my next post, i wanted to give a big thanks to my clients and especially the IT Radix team for letting me take time out to think about our business and more importantly, rest, relax, and spend some time with my family.

Visualize IT - Hollywood Squares on steroids

2010-10-10T19:35:00.002-04:00

IT Radix continues to stay in the forefront of technology, testing the waters and paving the way for our small-business clients. Our most recent endeavor was testing out a new web conferencing product by SetFocus called The GRID. As the trend towards telecommuting and virtual offices increases, IT Radix as well as many of our clients is faced with the challenge of building a team environment and keeping our remote employees connected. IT Radix had the opportunity to test The GRID during a recent staff meeting. Envision a high tech version of the game show, Hollywood Squares! The opportunity for a personal, face-to-face gathering to share ideas was much more productive than our typical teleconference. Since The GRID utilizes the internet, each team member was able to participate from a convenient location—whether from their office computer, home office or neighborhood Starbucks. The GRID proved to be a convenient, productive and easy alternative to the time and high cost of business travel in today’s economy. Would your business like to give web conferencing a try? Call IT Radix today and we’ll help you get started!

Stop Wasting Time on IT

2010-08-08T16:04:00.004-04:00

I’m always on the lookout for ways to make things more efficient – be it technology or just around the home. Last Friday I working on a client’s PC and they had over 10 unnecessary programs auto-launching when their computers were starting….no wonder they were complaining that the computer was running slow!

It’s a good idea to periodically review the programs that automatically start when your computer. I’ll bet there are some programs that you are completely unaware of – for example, many vendors are adding automatic software update tools to your computer without necessarily informing you that they are doing so. If you happen to purchase a new computer, it will quite often come pre-loaded with “trial-ware” that you may not need. In both instances, the programs can be running processes in background that delay the start of your computer.

I compared the start time of my client’s PC with all the unnecessary programs running and then without. The machine took approximately 3 minutes less time to start. Imagine – if you restarted your computer once a day for a year, you would be wasting up to 12 hours a year just watching your machine start.

When I upgraded to Windows 7 64 bit, I was really impressed with the start up speed and after 1 year, I still am. Of course, I have added some programs that inevitably end up in the auto-launch and have slowed down slightly my start up time but I’m happy to no longer be waiting 3 minutes for my machine to start.

Think this is a Windows only problem? Don’t be fooled Macs have the same issues too. That’s why it’s a good idea to perform regular maintenance to ensure you machine, be it Windows or Mac, is running at its best.

Social Media - Managing and Avoiding the Pitfalls

2010-07-26T06:06:00.005-04:00

Last week I attended a seminar about social media in the workplace. In particular, they discussed social media on two fronts – the first was tools to manage and monitor your social media activities and the second was to discuss the potential legal pitfalls of social media in the workplace.

As the rise in social media has occurred, here at IT Radix, we’ve been asked to assist our clients in limiting the use of social media at the workplace. For example, we’ve had to block employee access to sites such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and more. Blocking access to these sites is typically done via the corporate firewall but often, it’s not a one-size fits all type of solution. One of our clients is actively using social media to promote their business but this responsibility is limited to select individuals within the company. We’ve had to work together to come up with a technical solution that allows users to appropriately use social media at work.

While this does limit the use of social media at a company, it does not fully address the pitfalls of social media. IT Radix strongly encourages our clients to work with us, their attorneys and their HR department on their policies regarding social media and any technical solutions put in place to enforce them.

I found these posts on the Internet very pertinent when it comes to getting the big picture of some the legal pitfalls of social media.

Legal Pitfalls of Online Social Media

Legal Pitfalls to Avoid In Social Media

How is your company managing its social media usage and presence? Need help managing its use in the workplace, contact us today.

Help Your Computer Batteries Live a Longer and Happier Life

2010-07-18T21:40:00.005-04:00

Heading off for your summer vacation or simply on the road for most the day? As someone who spends a decent amount of time on the go, I’m always on a quest to make the batteries in my electronic devices – be it my cell phone, my netbook or my laptop –last as long as possible.

Given that my laptop is turning two in August, I decided to do some research on how to extend my battery life not only for my short trips but also the overall lifespan of the battery. Experts say there are plenty of easy things you can do to prolong the life of electronic batteries. And to my surprise, they also dispelled some common myths or misconceptions that I had.

Here’s some general advice:

1. Avoid extreme heat – this is number one for a reason. It’s the most important thing you can do to protect your battery. A hot car (like mine in the summer) is not a good place for your electronics. Absolutely, gotta leave it in the car? The coolest place is under seat, not the dashboard, trunk or glove compartment. Apple even recommends you remove your device, such as an iPod, iPhone or iPad from any extra case if it gets hot while you charge it (not exactly convenient for some of us, but a good idea).

2. Take precautions in cold weather – When summer is over, don’t assume you’re good to go. Take the time to bring your battery up to room temperature before turning it on when it’s been exposed to very cold temperatures. In my case, this would apply more to my camera when I’m outside enjoying Vermont’s winter wonderland but if you’ve taken your smartphone up Mt. Everest, be sure to warm it up before you try to use it.

3. There’s no need to totally discharge your battery to make it last longer. I learned this was true of older batteries, but not today’s lithium-based models. It’s also no longer necessary to charge your battery for an extra long time for the first charge. Great news for those of us who want to take our new tech gadget on the go immediately!

4. Leave your battery in your laptop. Some websites recommend taking your battery out of your computer when you’re using it a desktop computer so that your battery doesn’t get worn out. As someone who does this frequently, I was happy to learn this was no longer necessary. In fact, Dell suggests that this is not such a good idea because you’re more likely to damage the battery when you take it in and out. Why is it no longer necessary? There is a microprocessor inside the battery manages the charging process automatically. What does this mean? The battery will stop charging on its own when it’s fully charged.

5. Looking for ways to extend the life of your battery between charges? Change your settings—turn off anything you don’t use – for example, the WiFi settings your smartphone or the Bluetooth feature on your laptop; switch your cell phone off when you’re in low coverage areas; keep your software which includes power management software up to date. Want more? Check out these tips from Apple, Dell and Nokia.

By following these simple tips, you can extend the lifespan of your battery—saving you money (no need to buy new batteries) and protect the environment by reducing another source of electronic waste. We recycled over 3 tons this past spring of our clients' electronics.

Want to be even more “green”?

Unplug your cell phone from the charger when the battery is fully charged. Why? It saves energy. Don’t forget to unplug the charger from the wall or put it on a power strip with an easy on/off switch. While you’re at it, consider putting all your electronics that require charging on power strips that can be easily powered off to conserve energy when not in use. The chargers themselves draw a small trickle of electricity even when nothing is plugged into the charger. I was amazed at how much our energy usage went up over a 1 year period with basically no changes other than additional portable electronics in our home.

So, if you see me driving to Vermont on the NY State Thruway some weekend, you can be sure, my batteries are fully charged and my laptop and cell are ready to go!

Have a great tip that you’d like to share? Speak up, I’d love to hear from you.

Taking IT on the Road

2010-07-11T12:06:00.000-04:00

Our recent newsletter talks about taking our technology on the road – we offered a few suggestions on what to take as well how to be safe, but wait, there’s more….here’s more tips to ensure your PC or Mac is ready for its summer road trip.
• Remember, there is no such thing as privacy when you’re on a Public network. When you connect the free WiFi at Starbucks, your hotel or other public network, you’re on their network. All other computers connected to that network are technically “close” to you and there’s no protection from them except your own software firewall. Take a moment to ensure it’s on. If you have data on your hard that you’ve made accessible to your “home” network, it’s accessible to all the users of the hotel network too while you’re connected to it.
• Don’t forget to turn it off. Even if you’ve closed the lid on your laptop, your computer is still vulnerable. Wireless connectivity devices such as Bluetooth, can provide a backdoor to your data. If you’re doe with your computer, turn it off.
• Lock it up. Over 600,000 laptops are stolen every year, many from hotels and cars. A simple laptop lock can be used to deter theft.
• Slim down for the summer. Consider a computer tune-up to ensure your computer is running optimally. A tune-up typically includes a hard drive defrag and malware/spyware removal. Removing any unused programs can also improve overall performance and start-up times.
• Stay cool with AC (power that is, not air conditioning). One of your best friends on the road is a car adapter which can keep you powered up for long-stretches of time. I particularly like the iGo line because it’s flexibility to charge multiple devices. If you forget to take it, conserve your battery by avoiding power hungry applications like watching DVDs or playing heavy graphics games. Many laptops also have power adjustments which will slow your laptop down but at the same time, conserve your precious battery life.
If you’re on the road and need help, don’t hesitate to call us….with our remote support capabilities, it’s amazing what we can do with your assistance and the Internet.
Remember, when it comes to protecting your PC, the best defense is a good offense. In addition to taking some simple precautions while you’re on the road, feel free to call us and have your computer serviced before you leave to ensure an enjoyable and stress free vacation.

Introducing our Minister of Detail

2010-07-02T10:40:00.008-04:00

What amazes me most about the Internet is the wealth of information available at your tips. I use the Internet, email newsletters, and all the new forms of social networking to keep up with industry trends, world news, friends from days gone by, and more.

I recently stumbled across www.ted.com , a small nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading” and over time has expanded it’s scope to include annual conferences, a community program, an annual TED Prize, and the award-winning TEDTalks video site. The organization believes in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world and posts video presentations on a range of topics organized by theme by some of the most inspired thinkers of our time.

As I was perusing the site, this video in particular caught my eye because I believe it is the small stuff that makes a difference in a client’s experience with a company. At IT Radix, it’s our goal to make sure that every client has a “Wow! experience”. As a result, I’ve decided to follow Rory Sutherland’s recommendation and have appointed Marybeth Smith, our Minister of Details. Marybeth’s attention to detail, especially behind the scenes, is making tremendous difference in the service that IT Radix delivers. Not familiar with Marybeth? You can read more about her here. Have a comment on our services, good or bad, I’d love to hear about.

Facing IT, Facebook that is

2009-11-28T09:13:00.002-05:00

I spent a few hours this morning creating IT Radix's company Fan page on Facebook. At the moment it's pretty basic but we plan to add information over time.

The first thing I struggled with was how whether I should attempt to maintain a separate personal Facebook account from a company Facebook account. My initial inclination is to keep them separate especially since I may enlist some colleagues to help maintain the Facebook page. However, I also don't wish to maintain two Facebook sites. I don't mind sharing my personal life with business associates; however, I'm not sure they'd be terribly interested in some of the posts that my friends are putting on my personal Facebook page. So, where and how do you draw the line?

Sound off with your opinion….

Traveling with IT

2009-06-21T09:08:00.001-04:00

I've been away for some time but with good reason! In February, my husband and I adopted our son from Russia. Traveling to Russia on three different occasions gave me a chance to experience first hand technology usage in other countries albeit only for brief occasions.

It's funny how times have changed in the airports. I can remember travelling several years ago with my laptop and searching around the airport for a place to plug in and charge my laptop. Now, there are charging stations readily available in most major airports.

The second noticeable aspect is the availability of Wi-Fi throughout the airports. Most have services that you can purchase for a few minutes, hours , days or even monthly subscriptions. These were definitely more cost effective than using your cell phone provider's data plan. The international rates were outrageous -- by my calculations, it would have cost me $1000+ for just a few hours of usage over several days.

In St. Petersburg, the hotel we stayed had free Wi-Fi which was wonderful. But in the small town where we spent the bulk of our time, no such luck. Our hotel had a shared computer with Internet that we paid by the minute for usage. Alternatively, we could walk down to a more sophisticated but less convenient hotel that offered one of the services I referenced earlier.

On our final trip, I finally broke down at purchased one of the NetBooks I discussed in an earlier blog post. No I didn't get the Vivienne Tam HP NetBook even though I secretly wanted to. I ended up selecting a Lenovo for a few reasons (1) it received excellent reviews based on the Internet research I did, (2) it was easily upgradeable, (3) it was made by a reputable manufacturer and therefore, had decent warranty options and (4) finally, I got a great deal at Circuit City because of their impending demise.

Overall, I was quite pleased with the netbook. I still use it although not as heavily as my primary laptop. It does fit nicely on my kitchen counter and is useful for web browsing while cooking breakfast, lunch or dinner. I wish it were a little faster, some of my applications didn't display too well on the small screen and initially, it was difficult getting used to the small keyboard. But for the size and especially the weight, I really like it. If you want something that is easily portable and has more capabilities than a smart phone, give the netbooks a closer look.

While these may seem like random ramblings, my point is that technology has influenced every facet of our lives, especially travel. If you're traveling in the near future and think you're going to require Internet access or some sort of computer, it pays to check out the multitude of options readily available today. I'd love to hear from you about technology products or solutions that you've found to make your travels easier or more enjoyable.

Move IT

2008-12-06T16:10:00.002-05:00

They saying marriage, death, and moving are some of the most stressful events in a person's life. I think the same holds true in business. The terms may be a bit different but the situations are no less stressful.

I thought I'd chat a little bit this time about moving -- more specifically, moving office locations and the technology implications that go along with an office move. This is no trivial task no matter what type of business you have. Through the years, I've seen my share of office relocation horror stories as well as success stories. It goes without saying, those that planned their office relocation well were the successful ones.

But first, a horror story….a large corporation (who will remain nameless to protect the innocent) had a small branch office NJ that was moving within the same building. They assigned the local office manager to coordinate their move. Ok, it's the same building -- not a huge move but a move, nonetheless. They gave this woman one month to move, a moving budget and that was it. The telephone and computer systems were managed by the corporate office. So, she focused on the traditional aspects of an office move, designing the office layout, furniture placement, hiring a moving company and the like. And they moved.

Surprise, surprise, when they got to their new location, they had no phones, no fax, no access to their file server and no access to the Internet. Unfortunately, this woman's knowledge of technology was extremely limited. This woman had assumed that because the new location had the appropriate jacks in the new office that simply plugging in the cables would make everything work. Her IT department back at the corporate headquarters had given her no guidance or support in this area.

This is where I was introduced the situation. I had to educate the office manager about what’s involved in making the phones, fax, computers and Internet work. We moved all their computer and phone equipment back to the original location for temporary use while the needed cables, equipment and services provided by the telephone company and Internet Service Provider (ISP) where ordered and configured in the new location. Needless to say, this company learned a hard less about what's involved in moving a company.

Contrast this with different company in NJ who had approximately 10 computers to move, two servers and of course, the usual telephone, fax and Internet services. They informed me approximately 4 months prior to their planned move and we were able to test and reuse some of the cabling in the new company. In addition, they took advantage of the move to purchase a new, more sosphicated telephone system that better met their needs. We ordered the telephone, fax and Internet services for the new location and they were installed and fully tested 1 week prior to their actual move date. This company moved out of their old office at 5:00pm on a Thursday night and their phones, file server and 3 critical PCs were up and running at 9:00am. Once the all the furniture was in place, it was a simple matter of unpacking the computers, plugging in the appropriate cables and everyone was in business.

Having moved dozens of companies throughout my IT career, including my own company twice; I have learned the importance of planning an office move. To this end, I have developed an Office Move Checklist for Technology that I share with my clients and that I'm happy to share with you. If you'd like to receive a copy of this list checklist, just let me know, it's free.

The 80/20 Principle of Data Backup

2008-11-22T13:49:00.003-05:00

I've been listening to an audio titled "The 80/20 Principle" by Richard Koch. The program primarily discusses how to successfully apply the 80/20 principle to your life, work and more. As I've been listening, it occurs to me that the 80/20 is readily apparent in the world of technology. For example, it's estimated that :

Users only use 20% of the software functionality. It may be that the users truly don't need the functionality but I'd guess that this low use of functionality is due to the result of lack of awareness of the capabilities, the lack of training on the software or both.
80% of the time, only 20% of the computing power of a PC is actually used.
20% of data storage on servers is active; the remaining 80% is static, older data that could easily be archived or removed without significantly impacting the business.

And I could go on. I'd like to focus on the last item in particular, as an IT consultant I am constantly evaluating the backup needs of our clients. As indicated above, we estimate at least 80% of their data is not actively in use. As a result, a lot of time, energy, and IT resources are spent protecting and backing data that has low value to the business. This becomes a huge problem when you scale the business and the data it creates up to a large corporate level. Over the past 10 years, the need for file management software has become a requirement for large corporations and is slowly becoming a pressing need for SMBs. Unfortunately, I've yet to come across a solution that scales nicely to SMB environments and budgets.

I'm confident that an affordable file management solution will become available to SMBs but in the interim, if you are an SMB, you don't need to wait patiently. By employing some simple file management techniques, companies can effectively manage their data storage and growth and at the same time, manage their data backup needs. For example, creating a file structure that incorporates some type of date stamp will allow older data to be more readily be archived. Annually, the oldest data can be migrated to an archive directory, still available for reference but unable to be changed. At that point, a couple of backups of the archived data may be created and retained. The regular daily backup process can then be adjusted to omit this static data. By making this simple change, your data backup process becomes more efficient.

Want more ideas? Ask me! Have an idea of your own, please share it with me! I'm always looking for ways to do things better or learn new things.

2008-10-21T06:32:00.002-04:00

Ok, I've never been known as a "fashionista"; however, this caught my eye. Take a close look at her clutch….Do you see it? Just in case you missed it, I'm pointing out the HP logo. Yup, that pretty little clutch is actually an HP laptop.

HP and fashion designer Vivienne Tam teamed up to design this eye catching laptop that goes perfectly with her ensemble. Am I going to run out a buy one of these laptops? Probably not. But, I think it's an interesting commentary on how technology is infiltrating our day-to-day environment. Do I currently need to carry a laptop with me everywhere? No, but my smart phone is a pretty close approximation to a laptop.

I use my smart phone to browse the web, keep track of all my personal and work contacts, maintain my work and personal schedule, view and edit work documents, play Texas Hold'em when I've got some down time, read email, take pictures of things I'm considering purchasing to show my husband or friends, listen to audio books or music, and much more. Oh yeah, I also use it to make phone calls. I'm not a gadget gal, unless it's practical or useful. And a smart phone is definitely that.

Currently, I'm using an iPhone but it's just the latest iteration of my smart phone of choice starting with a Palm Treo 650 four years ago, then moving to an AT&T 8525 Windows Mobile phone and now the iPhone. I've been known to say, "Without my iPhone, I feel naked"; which is why it seems only natural to me that fashion designers and hardware manufacturers are working together to design technology that is not only functional but visually appealing as well. What do you think? Has HP gone to far? What's your prediction for the next combination of technology meets fashion?

Here's a close-up of this beauty

Read more about it in the Business Week article.
Source (Photos: Stuart Ramson)

Welcome to my Blog and Thoughts on IT

2008-10-10T08:09:00.000-04:00

The "IT" stands for Information Technology. Corny, I know, but I've always loved those silly birthday cards with corny one-liners so I thought the title was apropos.

I've been in the IT field for over 20 years (scary) and when I first heard about Blogs, I wondered about their value, who would read them, and why anyone would feel the need to post their personal thoughts on anything so publicly on the World Wide Web. Well, after reading other Blogs and getting feedback from clients and colleagues, I decided to give it a try.

First, let me commend Blogger.com for its ease of use. One of the most common issues I see in providing IT and computer support is users, especially in business, struggling to use technology to accomplish some task or goal. I feel not enough time is taken to educate the users on how to use the tools that have put before them. What usually happens is that a person is given a PC with Outlook, Word, maybe be Excel and some other business related application installed. And then that person is told, "well get started." They teach Word, Excel and PowerPoint in the schools now. This was not an option back in my school days. I'd be interested to know, how many business people over the age of 30 have had any formal training on using their computer or even something as basic as Microsoft Word. Anyone want to share their training or lack-of-training experiences with me?

I was fortunate to be working for a large corporation when I was first introduced to Microsoft Word and as a result, I had at least a day (I can no longer remember how long the actual class was) of formal Word training. Let me tell you, I still use what I learned about Word to this day.

My company, IT Radix, focuses on helping SMB's get the most out of their IT investment and training is a key component to ensure that ROI. I invite you to check out some of the free and not-so-free training options we recommend on our website.