Google Chrome

Who isn't blogging about Chrome this week?  Can I just start off by saying WOW!!!  The download, install and setup were so slick, and FAST.  I have an extensive list of bookmarks and the import took seconds.  Again, WOW!!!

There are many other places you can read about the features and what Chrome can and can’t do so I won't bore you with the details.   Let’s rather focus on the real story here.  Like Gmail and Google Apps, this is not just another “me too” app.  The story is not about a new browser.  The real story is about the paradigm shift that’s about to take place.  Chrome has Google’s typical minimalistic feel which is apparent in the distinct lack of hundreds of options to set.  Just download, install and use it.  You’re not going to spend hours figuring out what options to turn on and off like in IE.  It’s very easy and intuitive.  And, over time it will change the way we view web browsing.

I learned with Gmail to just accept the paradigm shift and not to grasp for all the handles and levers that I was used to in traditional email systems.  Chrome will be the same.  Case in point; Chrome handles bookmarks differently.  But that's OK because you're going to use it differently.  It took me a while to even find the bookmarks.  Not because they are hidden.  I just didn't look for them.  I found myself typing the first part of the address and then picking from the list of suggestions from my bookmarks.  Again, so easy and intuitive.

I was watching a movie last night that was made in 1997.  They were using big, clunky cell phones that looked very dated and clumsy.  Well, a lot’s happened in the cell phone industry in 11 years.  It’s NOT going to take 11 years for Chrome to make IE look like those clunky old cell phones.  With Google’s ability to roll out incremental updates every couple of weeks it’s probably going to take less than a year or two.  Actually, IE is already feeling clunky this morning.

Download Chrome from the Google home page:  www.google.com.  The page says it’s BETA but why do I get the impression that this is going to be main stream by the end of the week?

 

Remote access to your office PC

Need a quick, cheap way to get remote connectivity to your office? Take a look at GoToMyPC (www.gotomypc.com).

I recently helped a friend get setup on GoToMyPC. He works remote a couple of days a week and needs access to the network at his small business. He should have been able to use RDP or a VPN connection. Both are built into XP and are free and easy, right? Well, this is the real world. His firewall is old and can’t be configured for a VPN or RDP. Getting a new firewall, a static IP address and setting it all up would taken a few days to a week and may have cost as much as $800 for hardware and labor. Instead we set up GoToMyPC on his office PC. He can connect using his laptop (or any PC) and work as though he is at the office.

GoToMyPC worked flawlessly and he was up and running in less than an hour. There is a 30 day free trial and then it costs $20 per month or $180 per year. It will take 3 to 4 years to equal what he would have spent on the VPN solution.

If you can set up a VPN or RDP, great! If not use a tool like GoToMyPC.

Only 12% of electronics waste recycled

According to this article (http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/recycle-electronics-47122704) only 12% of electronics waste is recycled, and only 21% of consumers recycle their old electronics. Ok, the article is from December and trends might have changed, especially now that a few nationwide retailers are making it easy to recycle e-waste. Here are two programs I have used:

Office Depot: About a year ago they started selling recycling boxes in three sizes for $5, $10 or $15. Fill the box with your electronic waste and return it to the store. Quick and easy. They do ask you to identify boxes with monitors but the price is the same.

Best Buy: Bring your old computer, fax machine, cell phone, computer monitor or TV to a participating store and drop it off, for free. Yes, it really is free and it was very easy. The website says it’s only available during recycling events but I called my local Best Buy and they said “just bring it in anytime”. I walked into the store with an old monitor and a cell phone. The security guy directed me to a cart and apologized that it was not closer to the door (it was about 30 feet away). I dropped it off, returned with another monitor and was done.

1-800-got-junk will also haul away electronic waste as part of their program but they charge an additional $25 per monitor.

Is YOUR wireless network secure

At my house my PC can detect 6 wireless networks. Two of them are not secured and I can attach and use their internet connection. One of them even has a shared folder and a shared printer. The shared folder is empty but I could have some fun with the printer. Two out of six is not a big enough sample to be statistically significant but it’s consistent with what a hacker found when he did some “research” at a hacker convention in Las Vegas. He sent a network sniffer 150 feet into the air on a balloon. He was able to scan networks in a 7 ½ mile radius. He detected thousands of wireless networks and 1/3 of them were not secured. ONE THIRD!!! The thing is; it’s so easy to secure a wireless network. Maybe I should send a polite message to my neighbor’s printer saying that I will setup their wireless security for free.

The hacker’s story is interesting and entertaining: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/081008-covert-operation-floats-network-sniffing.html?hpg1=bn

Live Mesh – more than online backup

I have been looking for an online backup service for my laptop. I use my laptop all the time and I often work remotely. For convenience I keep a lot of files and documents locally on my laptop. I know, I know….. I can fire up the VPN and access the documents on the network folder where they will be backed up anyway with the rest of our systems, but the convenience factor rules.

I already had a Windows Live account so it seemed natural for me to look at Live Mesh (http://www.mesh.com/). It’s free for up to 5gb of storage. The install was a bit confusing. It took a few minutes and at one point there was no visible activity going on, other than disk activity. The install window closed without giving a status and it reverted back to the original screen. I tried to install again and it told me the install was in progress. After waiting it out for a couple more minutes a window popped up and said it was done. It didn’t appear to be working right so I deleted and re-installed. The second time was just as confusing with the long delay but it seemed to work fine, eventually. Since then I have been very happy with Mesh.

Mesh is being positioned for online document storage, synchronization and sharing. However, it’s a GREAT backup tool. You simply right click on a folder and select “Add folder to your Live Mesh”. It takes a while to do the first sync but after that it will sync documents to your Live Mesh when you make a change on the PC. You can also access the files from any PC by logging onto your Mesh account over the web. The files are displayed similar to in an Explore window on the PC. Changes you make on the web are synced back to your workstation, but making the changes is a bit klutzy; open the file locally, make changes, “save as”, and then upload it back to Mesh. Otherwise, your changes are just saved in an updated version of your document in the temp internet folders on the PC.

Mesh will also give you remote access to your PC but I did not look at that option.

Mesh Likes:
- Free
- Easy to use
- More than just a backup tool – online access to your files
- Remote access to your PC

Mesh dislikes:
- Confusing install
- Limited storage space with no option to pay for more
- Don’t know what future pricing might be

Cell phone for laptop internet connection

Ever used your cell phone to get an internet connection for your laptop? A few weeks ago my son wanted me to take him and his buddy to the tennis court. I had a ton of work to do but didn't want to say no.

I knew I could get an internet connection through my cell phone. I had done it before when I had a Windows phone. It's not a bundled option with my Palm Treo 755P (yes, it's Palm OS and I love it). It took me a few minutes to find PdaNet (http://www.junefabrics.com/palmnet/). The download, install and setup was quick and simple. It took me 12 seconds to fire it up and get an internet connection. Yup! I clocked it with a stopwatch.... it really is 12 seconds.

I am on Sprint's high speed EVDO network and was getting download speeds that consistently felt like it was just a bit slower than the DSL in my house. Spent the next 90 minutes catching up on work, outside, enjoying the early evening, while my son and his buddy chased tennis balls around the court. Of course, being outside, the glare on my screen was just about impossible - but that's another story for another day.

PdaNet likes:
- Easy to install
- Very quick to fire up an internet connection
- $34; worth every penny

PdaNet dislikes:
- Can't talk and be online at the same time. Shuts down the internet connection to make a call. Gives an alert on an incoming call so you can answer or let it roll to vmail.

Notes:
- I had tested PdaNet on a Treo 650P that didn't use the high speed network. It still worked very well. The connection speed was bearable for simple browsing, webmail, etc., but no good for video clips or anything with hi-res, flash etc.

Spell Checking in Your Web Browser

If you are anything like me, the little red squiggly lines in Microsoft Word and other programs have saved you from embarrassment. (For instance, that was not how I would have spelled "embarrassment"). As more and more real "work" is being done online, more of what you do is happening inside your web browser.

Did you know that both Firefox and Internet Explorer can also check your spelling when you type?

Firefox already has this feature built in. Simply select Tools / Options / Advanced and be sure to select "Check My Spelling as I Type".

For Internet Explorer, you need to download IE7Pro. http://www.ie7Pro.com Besides checking your spelling on the fly, IE7Pro also improves upon the ad blocking built in to Internet Explorer, let's you better manage your tabs and far too many features to list here.

A lot of work has shifted to the web. That's no excuse for bad spellling...

What IS a Managed Service Provider?

TECHIES is a Managed Service Provider (MSP). So are about two dozen other companies in the Twin Cities. We are all in the business of managing computers and networks for our clients. Typically this means we will not only set up your computers and network but also monitor them for problems, help you with issues that come up and provide additional services (like spam filtering) so that you can focus on running your business.

It makes sense, really. Most businesses don’t have employees taking turns washing the windows, cutting the grass or taking out the trash. It’s not that you couldn’t. But by paying a company to do those sorts of things, you ultimately save money.

1. There’s no need to buy extra equipment – things like vacuums and lawn mowers and squeegees.
2. When your office hits the busy season, you don’t have to worry about trash piling up. You keep doing what you do best and the other stuff “just happens”.
3. You don’t to worry about keeping someone on staff who knows how to maintain that equipment.
   

Ultimately, a lawn service (cleaning service, etc.) can get the job done in much less time for less than it would cost you to do it yourself.

Managed Service Providers are really the same sort of thing – but for your computers. Face it: even if you know about computers, you don’t want to spend your day messing around with the problems that come up. (And with computers, problems always come up!) By hiring a company that does only that, you can keep everyone focused on doing what they do well. Even if you have a lawn at home, you get that it would be a waste of your time to cut the grass at work.

The REAL advantage for your business here is that downtime with computers is expensive.

When your customers aren’t getting your emails or you can’t get the credit card machine to process, you are losing money. You know how quickly that starts to add up. They name of the game is keeping things running. To do that well, you need someone who knows what they are doing to focus on your network and computers. You could hire a full-time person. But at a certain size, that doesn’t make sense. Bigger businesses have gardeners on staff. A small business has a service that comes to take care of those things for them.

What size should my company be to think about hiring a MSP?
It depends. Different MSPs will give you different answers. The short answer that most people can agree on is: one or two employees and you are probably too small to justify the cost. Fifty or 100 employees and you’re going to start asking yourself why you don’t hire your own people full time. Somewhere in the middle, though, and it costs you money to NOT have a MSP.

Is a Managed Service Provider the same as a computer repair shop?
No. Computer repair shops fix computers after they break. Often on their own schedule. Managed Service Providers try to maintain your systems to keep things running smoothly. They are usually monitoring your network and blocking your spam. They will often have a help desk who can solve problems right away rather than making you wait for an appointment (or making you unplug your computer, put it in the car, bring it to the store, drop it off, wait, and put it all back together again.) Most importantly, most managed service providers will allow you to pay a regularly monthly fee for service so you can budget for them.

Wi-Fi tweaks for speed freaks

You love your wireless connection. Admit it. We all do. Still -- you can't help but notice that it isn't quite as fast as your had imagined it could be. There have got to be things you can do to speed it up, right?

Right.

Computer World has a great article called How to Get the Most Out of Your Home or Small Business Wireless Network that you should check out. It contains six simple, practical tips including things like router location, increasing the signal and even a troubleshooting checklist.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9112462

Background Checks Made Easy

Here at 333TECH.com, we do a lot of hiring. And even more interviewing. It is important we find the right match -- people who are understand and enjoy technology but still have social skills and are able to translate that technology into English and make is easy to understand for our clients...

Once we find the right candidate, we want to make sure that everything is in order. Part of the hiring process is performing a background check. There are a number of online services that make this much, much easier than it used to be.

333TECH.com uses a service called SentryLink. SentryLink is fast (responses come back in less than a minute), comprehensive (it accesses state and county databases nationwide) and easy to use.

www.SentryLink.com


They also have a fascinating blog which makes for a good read. Check it out some time: http://www.sentrylink.com/blog

Seven tips to protect your identity

It pays to be careful. That was the title of an earlier blog entry. The same holds true when dealing with protecting your identity online. On Friday, Yahoo Finance posted a list from ConsumerReports.org of seven tips for protecting your identity. There's some common sense ones in there -- such as "Don't assume a Mac shields you from all risks" as well as some that don't get repeated often enough: ("Don't click on popup ads that say your PC is insecure.")

The list is straight to the point and applies to both small businesses and individuals.

Link to Yahoo Finance Article.

Couldn't put my finger on it...

Using stock images is a great way for your small business to give a web page or print piece a certain look or feel without needing to hire a professional photographer. Sites such as Shutterstock or iStockphoto allow you to purchase individual photos or subscriptions to download a certain number of pictures each day. When recently redesigning our website, we made use of both.

BUT.

You have to be careful. The image that we incorporated into the banner at the top of our web page had something "wrong" about it. We couldn't quite put our finger on it.




Until someone pointed it out.
There were too many fingers.
Both male and female.
Unsettling.



It was fixed easily enough and the new image does the job just fine. But again -- it pays to pay attention.

Company Blogs Get ANOTHER Stamp of Approval

Company blogs are gaining more widespread acceptance as a way to get the word out about company-specific information.

Just last week, in a speech by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, it was recommended that companies be allowed to use their own blogs to make public disclosure about certain types of information. Previously, the SEC had required companies to use press-releases and third party firms.

http://www.sec.gov/news/speech/2008/spch073008km.htm

We here at 333TECH work at a small company that supports the computers and networks for other small companies. We don't really have a lot to say about investing or regulations.

But seeing the acceptance of blogs as ways to get the word out about the company? Maybe this Internet thing will catch on after all...!

Are your batteries lying to you?

Dan's Data (http://www.dansdata.com/gz084.htm) has a fascinating article about how battery indicators and wifi/cellular signal strength meters don't tell you precisely what you think that they are telling you. The post is a little geeky but it brings up an interesting point: What DO two bars of signal strength really mean?

Additional Link: (Slashdot article with additional thoughts on the subject and your chance to chime in: Slashdot Article)

Cuil?

Some former employees of Internet giant Google launched a competing web search product this week. Titled Cuil (pronounced: "cool") the web site sports a different interface. Word is still out about if this will last.

Cuil

Pointui - Amazing new interface for Windows Mobile

If you don't mind running Beta software on your phone, there is an amazing new product for Windows Mobile phones: Pointui.

Pointui replaces the main menu (and many submenus) for your WM5 or WM6 phone. I downloaded and installed the file and have spent part of my day sliding through the menus and I am very, very impressed by what they have done here. The menus are clean. The icons easy to read. And rather than use your stylus, you slide through the menus with your finger. (iPhone readers can be heard snickering.)

You can check it out at the Pointui website. (There is also a forum where people are adding pages and pages of feature requests.)

Once again -- this is Beta software so your results may vary.

I'll stop writing about it if you stop using it!

A few people have suggested that we might have a little too much Mac information here at 333TECH. And just for the record -- the overwhelming majority of our clients run a Windows OS. But. There's no doubt that MacOS is gaining, both among consumers and in business.

In case you needed a reminder, Fortune Magazine has an article above Mac's growing market share. The survey counts not the number of computers sold (misleading, at times) but rather the operating system people are using when they browse the web. Among the findings:

• 7.3% of web visitors are using a Mac.
• .12% are using an iPhone

Office for Mac 2008

Gizmodo offers up a sneak peek at Office for Mac 2008. It should be available starting January 15th. It comes with new features including compatibility with Office 2007 (!) and My Day, a standalone daily planner. Perhaps most significantly -- the latest Mac version of Office sticks with the standard menus and doesn't have the "improved" ribbon that Microsoft forced upon the rest of us with Office 2007.

Office 2003 Patch Disables Old File Formats

Slashdot.org reported today about Microsoft's latest security patch to Office 2003. It has the unfortunate side effect of disabling support for older file formats including 1-2-3, Word, Excel and Corel. If you, like many small businesses, still have some older files that you need to access from time to time, this could cause you a lot of headaches. The workaround can be found here. OUCH.