Tech Tip Summary

127tech posts Daily Tech Tips each day via Twitter & Facebook. The tips arrive at 9:00 AM. They are 140 characters or less with a focus on how you can remove one small stress related to your computer.

Would you like to receive these daily via email? Would you prefer them posted in the blog? How do you want to see them?

If you have a question that needs answers, email us and we'll include it as soon as we can figure out how to help you!

2/15/09 - Even we need a day off. Google Picasa - The easy way to find, edit, and share your photos http://tr.im/eukm

2/14/09 - Happy St. Valentine's Day! Send your sweetie a Conversation Heart on her PC or mobile phone - http://tr.im/e29z

2/13/09 - Once again, it's Backup Friday. We'll keep doing this until all of your data is safe. Protect Your Digital Life

2/12/09 - You can skip typing the www & .com when internet surfing if you type CTRL ENTER after you type the site name. Nice shortcut!

2/11/09 - Passwords need to be remembered but difficult to guess. Pick something easy, like a pattern on the keyboard like zxccft6678

2/10/09 - Why use Comcast/Verizon as your email? When you cancel, you lose the account! GMail, Yahoo, etc might be better choices

Top Ten Ways to Protect Your Digital Life

I am sure that you have heard the story of two hunters in the woods that accidentally stumble upon a bear. As the bear turns to them, the first hunter dahses away in the opposite direction. The second hunter is confused, and doens't think that they can outrun the bear. However, he also concedes that his fellow hunter may know something that he does not. He starts running and tries to catch up to the first hunter, and yells out, "Do you think we can outrun the bear? ” With a wink, the hunter replies, “I don’t have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you.”

That's the basic fact with digital security. If someone really wants to get into your data, they just need time and advanced technology. Your job is to make sure that casual hackers find it too difficult to play with your data. Here are my "Top Ten" tips for you:

1. Password protect your computer. This is easily the most overlooked "1st Step" in securing your computer.
• XP Users - Click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts. Click "Change An Account" and choose your User Name. You will see the password settings there. Make your password strong. "Password" is the most common password out there and is the first thing any hacker will try. You can be creative here. If your name is Steve, you can choose stevespcpassword
• Vista Users - Click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts & Family Safety. You will see the password settings there. Make your password strong. "Password" is the most common password out there and is the first thing any hacker will try. You can be creative here. If your name is Steve, you can choose stevespcpassword
2. Protect Your Network #1 - Change the default password & network name in your local router. Every hacker and most PC technicians know all of the default passwords/network name combinations for every major router on the market. It takes about 10 seconds to hack that if you haven't changed the default settings.
3. Protect Your Network #2 - Add wireless encryption to your network. Each manufacturer has a different interface, but it's easy to see from your laptop if your connection is encrypted. In this picture, there is a padlock next to my wireless network name, which means that I am protected. Use WPA, which is a good security level for homes and small businesses.
4. Firewall – Even the Windows Firewall is better than nothing. Most network routers also have a Firewall built into them. Some Firewalls play better than others, and the list is constantly changing.
5. AntiVirus – You need to run basic AntiVirus protection. If you can’t afford to pay $50 for the software, you can try AVG Free or AVAST.
6. Anti-Spyware – Viruses aren’t the only bad things looking to get into your PC. Spyware is the fastest growing threat to your PC. Try Malwarebytes'Anti-Malware or SpySweeper.
7. Windows Updates – Turn on Windows Updates to keep your PC up-to-date with the latest patches. Windows updates will download the latest security updates to protect against malware and other potentially unwanted software; Updates that improve reliability and performance; Upgrades to Windows features and Drivers from Microsoft partners.
8. Basic Laptop Lock – All of these security steps won’t really help if your laptop gets stolen. Do you know how many unattended laptops I see in Starbucks every day? Check out these Kensington locks.
9. Backup, Backup, Backup – Do I really need to tell you why it is important to backup your data? Check out Carbonite or iBackup for good solutions. The best backup solutions do the work for you automatically.
10. Encrypt Your Hard Drive - This is a more advanced solution, but in today's world I highly recommend it. Do you have sensitive employee or client information on your computer? If so, you must encrypt it. You don't want to be responsible for letting that data excape into untrusting hands. TrueCrypt is a great solution as it balances tough secrutiy and an easy-to-use interface. http://www.truecrypt.org/
11. BONUS - Stop using Internet Explorer. Switch to a more secure browser, like Firefox, Google Chrome, or Opera. You can still keep Internet Explorer on your PC in case you have a special need to use it.
    

I know that this list is tough for a non-techie. However, it is absolutely necessary to follow these steps in order to Protect Your Digital Life. Seek out your personal geek and schedule an appointment with them. They'll love you for it!

Twitter Follower Moasic

For those of you who Twitter, this is a fun image to create.  Special thanks to @DougMeacham for the tip! 

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Forwarding Email Hoaxes

I receive an email about once a week from a very close relative (ok, my mom) that hasn’t originated from her.  The contents of the email are varied, but generally deal with warnings, possible money making opportunities, and other similar topics.  

I almost always reply that the email that she forwarded was a hoax.  How can she think that Bill Gates will send her $1000, that there is a Nigerian Prince waiting to bestow a cool $10 million, or that there is a cancer-stricken child that will be saved, if everyone forwards the email to all of their friends?

I reply that she is gravely mistaken.  I always include a link or ten to genuine web articles that reference these hoaxes.  

I also caution her that she could actually be forwarding dangerous links and harming her friends' computers.  

Is this a generational thing?  Boomer 6446 (link to blog post) discusses this more in-depth than I have the patience for.  I lost it after the last email warning me about my Swiffer WetJet and how it would cause my dog’s liver to fail. 

Daily Tech Tips

127tech posts Daily Tech Tips each day via Twitter & Facebook. The tips will arrive at 9:00 AM. They are 140 characters or less with a focus on how you can remove one small stress related to your computer.

Would you like to receive these daily via email? Would you prefer them posted in the blog? How do you want to see them?

If you have a question that needs answers, email us and we'll include it as soon as we can figure out how to help you!

Here are the last 10 Daily Tech Tips:

2/9/09 - Busy? Check out Remember the Milk, a great To Do list. Works with Google, iPhone, BlackBerry & More http://tr.im/e2an

2/8/09 - No Daily Tech Tip. Even we need a day off. Check out these Google Tips until we're back tomorrow. http://tr.im/e282

2/7/09 - If the inside of your PC looks like this pic, you really need to buy some canned air :) http://tr.im/e1yt

2/6/09 - It's Backup Friday! Have you seen the pattern? Backup your data today! Carbonite, iBackup, there are many to choose from.

2/5/09 - Don't download every application under the sun. Do you really need weatherbug? Look outside let your PC do real work.

2/4/09 - Want to send a text msg from your PC via email? All carriers allow that. Verizon's formula is phonenumber@vtext.com.

2/3/09 - Firefox is a great browser. Don't be afraid to experiment. You can always go back to Microsoft http://tr.im/e205

2/2/09 - Need to jazz up your photos or scrapbooks? Try BeFunky, a free webservice that cartoonizes your pictures. http://tr.im/e2hg

2/1/09 - Move between tabs in Internet Explorer, Firefox & Chrome by using CTRL-Tab. Special Thanks to Karen H for asking!

1/31/09 - Control your email and reduce your stress. It is just a tool, after all. GTD email with this free article http://tr.im/d3ql

Pandora and PC Fun

Everyone loves to hate their PC. It's a simple fact. Most of us hope to get through the day with minimal complications or rebooting.

However, there is a lot of fun that can be had with PCs, and a lot of it is free. Take Pandora, for example. It's free internet radio in which you compose your own radio stations. Pandora has a simple mission, to play only music you'll love.

Step one - www.pandora.com

Step two - Create an account (you will save your radio stations this way)
Step three - Create a Station by typing in a song or an artist
Step four - Listen and Enjoy!

You can tailor your music with additional artists and by using the "Thumbs Up" "Thumbs Down" grading.

If you have an iPhone or Windows Mobile Phone, you can listen to Pandora on the go!

Google Business Apps Interview

I was interviewed a few weeks ago regarding Google Business Apps. I feel that they are a very viable alternative to Microsoft Office, and have some great functionality for small or mobile businesses.

Here's my quote:
"Google Apps’ collaborative capabilities allow multiple employees in different locations to simultaneously view data, a key requirement for 127tech, a tech support company with three full-time employees and 30 contractors. “We share a good portion of our data with outside partners, clients and others, and Docs allows us to do that,” said Garth Callaghan, the company’s owner. “We all have portable data devices, so we can access data using our mobile connections.”

He touts Apps’ “great integration” with the iPhone and its “phenomenal” calendaring features. “For me to be able to find out at a glance where all of my technicians are and what their schedules are, that’s really valuable,” he said."

Copyright © 2009 NarrowCast Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

The article was published in IT Business Edge.

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