Our second take on keep your computer and accounts safe

 

Many of our home users ask us for tips about creating strong passwords, so here are some basic tips to keep you safe.

 

If you keep just two things in mind, use these 2 tips:

Tip #1: Stick to a password length of at least 8 characters—The more characters, the better. This makes it harder to crack. We recommend 10 characters or more.

 

Tip#2: Create a password with adequate complexity—Use at least one character from the following groups, go for a minimum of 4 characters made up of the following.

Lowercase letters Uppercase letters Special characters Numbers  

Just by using these guidelines, you will have stronger passwords than many people.

 

Here is another idea to try—create a phrase that you can remember and use the first letters to create a password you can remember. Let’s say your favorite band is The Rolling Stones and your favorite album by them is...

"VIPRE doesn't hog system resources and doesn't slow down a PC isn't just marketing hyperbole, but is actually true."—ZDNet

 

Selecting an antivirus solution for your company is an important decision. Organizations need to protect their systems while ensuring that the solution is cost-effective and easy to maintain. VIPRE Antivirus Business is a high-performance solution we recommend that delivers fast, memory-efficient endpoint security that doesn’t bloat your system. It has also been built from the ground up after years of research and development, so it has a low impact on system resources.

 

Here are highlights of the features:

Remove incompatible software: Quickly and thoroughly remove your previous AV product to avoid conflicts during installation.

Auto-configure the Windows Firewall:...

Making the move from 2007 to 2010 puts you ahead   Although Microsoft Office 2010 has been on the market for a little while now, not every company has been in a position to migrate. As more time passes, migrating is becoming a necessity. Here is a look at some of the benefits that come with upgrading to Microsoft Office 2010.   Co-authoring—allows multiple people to work on the same document—even at the same time! You can keep tabs on your collaborators who are working on different sections and keep track of the big picture.   Better Communications Tools—One-click communications and document sharing help make meetings (especially those where some members work virtually) unified and time-saving.   Office Web Apps—Allow staffers to use Office almost...

Adding geographical information to your images can pose dangers   Geotagging is the process of adding geographical information to your photographs, videos, websites and SMS messages. It can be helpful because it allows friends and family to know where you were when you shot that terrific sunset photo that you shared on Facebook. Some camera makers also record information such as your shutter speed, flash, etc. as well. Geotagging also helps with organizing and arranging photos. Also, starting this year, all mobile phones in North America will be required to record your location as part of enhanced 911 emergency services. Since most mobile phones also have cameras, they can also store GPS data (geotags) in photos.   However, there is a risk with all of this information being published in cyberspace,...

Provide client and project-centric views of information from multiple sources

 

It’s no secret that CPA firms handle large quantities of electronic and paper documents. The need to process them efficiently as well as retrieve them when required is key for firms to stay competitive. There are best-of-breed solutions for niches (tax, audit), but using a niche product can lead to silos of information and prevent a holistic look at data.

 

The biggest goals of the CPA firms we have spoken with are as follows:

Increasing the ability to be in compliance Reducing the amount of labor involved in storing and handling documents Reducing the storage space required for paper documents Allowing employees to collaborate and work remotely  

Many firms find themselves...

Vipre has one of the most efficient scanning engines with a small scan footprint

 "...a very good standalone anti-malware tool with some interesting bonus tools... overall VIPRE tested out better than most of the competition."—PC Magazine



Vipre is one of our favorite anti-virus tools because it is so streamlined. Not only does it keep your machine clean, it also boasts a simple interface that is intuitive and easy-to-use. With an installation that only takes a few moments as well as extras other anti-virus don’t offer (such as a secure file eraser that writes 1s and 0s over deleted files, a history cleaner that goes far beyond just what's in your Internet-browser cache, and PC Explorer, which looks for and reveals processes and services running that are suspect or known to be malicious),...

An affordable, all-in-one solution

Windows Small Business Server has been designed specifically with small businesses in mind. From allowing users to connect their own computers without the need of an administrator to the Remote Web Access, it has the most current server technology at the service of your business. It is a powerful piece of hardware and features scalability and has easy virtualization capabilities. It monitors the health of your infrastructure automatically, offers improved Outlook Web Access (OWA) and provides a management console where monitoring and managing can take place.

We’re very pleased with not only the ways it works by itself, but also how it allows for secure collaboration online via Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services.

The Key Benefits of Windows Small...

From Operating Systems to Battery Life

 

Although Apple’s iPad hasn’t even been around for two years, it’s success has helped to put tablets on the map. In fact, around 80% of tablets sold are iPads. It sells many more than rivals like Motorola, Samsung, or RIM. 

 

Tablets are smaller than a laptop and bigger than a Smartphone, which makes them a perfect size for when you are on the go. It is a powerful tool that enhances productivity and your online experience for business or personal use.

 

Here are some of the things you can do with a tablet:

Browse the Internet Create and share presentations Video conference with clients Stay connected to corporate email Download books, games and videos Watch movies Share photos ...

One of our clients recently asked what we would recommend for a laptop Christmas present, so here are our two top picks-one for a desktop and one for a laptop. They both provide excellent bang for the buck! We've provided the specs as well.

Dell VOSTRO 260 MT I3-2100 2GB 250GB DVDRW Windows 7 Professional 64BIT 1YR Warranty  $409

Dell Vostro 1540 15.6" LED Notebook - Intel Core i3 i3-370M 2.40 GHz $449

A failing hard drive can cause problems, being aware is your best bet   Most people have a great deal of personal information on their computers and files that either cannot be replicated or would take a great deal of time to create again. By knowing the signs of a hard drive that is going bad, you can take steps to protect your files before a crash.   Turn on your computer. If it is giving you hard drive errors or your computer won’t load the operating system, many times this indicates the hard drive is bad. Use an error-checking tool such as the built-in Windows disk utilities. In addition, Windows itself has a built-in program, Scandisk, that will look for and try to repair your hard drive. Listen for unusual noises. Anything from strange whirling and clicking to metallic or other loud...