Facebook Introduces Updates To Make Promoting Your Company Page Easier

Facebook is one of the leading social networking tools and they have now made it easier for companies to manage their business pages on the network. They have introduced a new Page Manager, which helps administrators better personalize their pages. Within this interface, options usually only present on the profile page are now accessible, such as changing the main picture.

As shown in the screenshot above, a new Marketing tab is also present that can help companies promote themselves. While opportunities to advertise on Facebook were always present, now you can receive badges and boxes that can be posted on your website. Furthermore, through the new Mobile tab, users can update their page through e-mail or SMS.

To read the complete article, visit Switched.

How To Know When You Need A Server

If you are a small business and wondering if your technology setup needs an upgrade, CMIT is here to help you decide if you are in need of a server.

Many of the indications that you need a server have to do with sharing. If your employees want to share files or calendars, a server can help make this easier. A server can also help employees who want to work remotely, so that data isn’t only stored in one place. Furthermore, if workers are only using their own hard drive, they can’t use an in-house server as a form of backup. A final issue that may arise from not having a server is that if an employee leaves and had been using their personal computer, all of that data is no longer accessible to the company.

If your business relies heavily on data, a server can be a safe investment to help your business run smoother. It may seem like a daunting commitment but CMIT can help you with both the purchasing and installation process. If you have questions about whether you should buy a server, contact CMIT of South Nassau at (516)208-4161 and we can help you decide!

If your small business needs an entire technology upgrade, enter our Tech Makeover Contest! CMIT has partnered with Dell and Microsoft to award one small company with a $75,000 IT makeover! This includes:

• Dell laptops/desktops, server, and peripherals
  
• Microsoft 7 Operating System and Office 2010 Suite
  
• One free year of CMIT desktop maintenance, security and backup services

Just tell us your IT horror story by clicking below! Deadline for entry is November 12th.

Firefox Extension Can Lead To Account Hacking

A new Firefox extension, called Firesheep, essentially allows for users to view the online accounts of everyone else in that network. This only occurs on a relatively insecure wireless network, such as those in cafés and college dorms. The accounts that can be retrieved seem endless, with websites ranging from shopping to social media to e-mail. This list includes, but isn’t limited to, Amazon, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Wordpress.


The extension works by showing a list of all users with open accounts that are nearby. With a quick click, you can easily log in to a site as someone else. This screenshot above (via TechCrunch) demonstrates how the various accounts are captured and can easily go from site to site. Certain sites, such as Facebook, are constantly under pressure to keep information secure. If your account has been logged into from Firesheep, there is no alert to tell you this. Therefore, the hacker can access messages, chats, and more without you knowing.

Since the announcement of this hacking ability, Firesheep has been increasing in downloads. While Firesheep can only be used on Firefox, it can steal information from any browser. The best way to ensure your safety is to make sure the wireless network is secure before sending or receiving personal information.

Click here to read the full article.

Google Wrongfully Collects Private Data

It was recently revealed that Google’s security has been threatened, as e-mails, passwords, and URLs were wrongfully collected through a technical error. This occurred in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and parts of Europe and Asia.

In order for information to be collected, it had to be coincidentally sent through an unencrypted network. The error was first noticed due to their Street View service, which is responsible for gathering records for Google Maps. Instead of merely obtaining the needed data, secure information sent through the same time period was also collected. Google has apologized for the faulty collection and is trying to delete it quickly. However, they haven’t yet received permission from all authorities that the data can be erased, as investigations are going on.

To read the full article, visit CNN.

Microsoft Introduces Office 365

Microsoft will release Office 365, which is the cloud version of their usual Microsoft Office. It includes Office Web Apps, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Lync Online. The program’s price will vary with the size of the business, which depends on what add-ons are included. For businesses with under 25 employees, Office 365 will cost $6 per user per month. If the company size increases, Microsoft offers extras on a subscription for $24 per user per month. Additional features can range from e-mail to Office Professional Plus.

Office 365 is the latest appendage to Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Standard Suite. It is based on the latest cloud-computing technology that Microsoft has been working on developing in recent years. This will include the usual Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but also Internet features such as e-mail, instant messaging, and videoconferencing. It will work on a variety of browsers and mobile devices, including the iPhone and BlackBerry. All of these features will be very useful to businesses regardless of their size.

To read the complete article, visit Computer World.

How to Create Placeholder Text in Microsoft Word

Often in Word we need placeholder text for something we are writing. This sample text serves as a filler so that when previewing the document, text will be there to have it look complete. In order to distinguish it from other writing, you might make the placeholder bold or change its color. However, the generators in Word appear like another language and will not pass through spell check, so it will be difficult for it to be part of your final document.

The text generators in Word are very simple to use. The first works in Word 2007 or 2010 and is called the ‘lorem generator’ feature. In order to implement it, type in this text and hit enter: =lorem()

It will then produce this text:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Maecenas porttitor congue massa. Fusce posuere, magna sed pulvinar ultricies, purus lectus malesuada libero, sit amet commodo magna eros quis urna.
Nunc viverra imperdiet enim. Fusce est. Vivamus a tellus.
Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Proin pharetra nonummy pede. Mauris et orci.

The other text generator embedded in Word is: =rand()
The text looks similar to the one above for Word 2007 and 2010, but for 2003 or earlier you will see paragraphs consisting of “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

Have You Entered Our Technology Makeover Contest Yet?

Do you have an IT horror story to tell? CMIT wants to hear it!

Sharing your story with us can award your small business with a $75,000 makeover! CMIT Solutions has teamed up with Dell and Microsoft to provide the winning company with:

• Dell computers, server, and peripherals
• Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System
• Microsoft Office 2010 Software
• CMIT Solutions desktop maintenance, security, and backup services

This contest is open until November 12! Just click the link below to share your story and enter to win!

www.cmitsolutions.com/techmakeover

AT&T to Market iPad to Businesses

On October 28, businesses will now have the opportunity to purchase the iPad directly from AT&T. While information on the pricing plans is not yet available, there will be a discounted wireless data plan. However, it is expected to resemble the discounts given to businesses that purchase the BlackBerry or iPhone for their workers. The president of AT&T’s Advanced Enterprise Mobility Solutions group has said that the size and the volume of business with a company are factors in determining the pricing.

Besides Apple’s iPad, AT&T will also be selling Samsung’s tablet, the Galaxy Tab. Again, further details have not been released, but the plans are only available to customers whose company pays for their wireless bills. On the same day AT&T will begin this, Verizon will begin selling iPads in their stores. These iPads will include "Mi-Fi" parts that can provide wireless connections for up to five Wi-Fi users.

To read the complete article, visit:

The Wall Street Journal

Dangers Inside USB Drives

Stuxnet, a "groundbreaking" piece of malware. One of the most sophisticated malware attacks ever to hit the computer world. It was discovered in June and has spread to millions of machines around the world.

How does this relate to USB drives you ask yourself?

Stuxnet was the first digital worm to infiltrate into USB drives infecting the drive itself and every computer it is plugged into. They have been referred to being "misquitoes of the digital world -- small, portable, and everywhere." This form of malware targeted Windows based PCs "that managed large-scale industrial-control systems in manufacturing and utility firms." When it was first publicly seen in June, there was a "zero-day" vulneribility in Windows and was spread through Flash drives everywhere. A zero-day vulneribility literally means, the day on which a computer security vulnerability is exploited before security experts can address it.
According to Symantec researchers, by July 60% of all infected PCs were located in Iran which was clearly the hardest hit of all. In August, Microsoft issued an emergency update to patch the bug.

Over time we have all learned the dangers of clicking on e-mails from strangers and to be cautious of how important it is to keep your passwords secure. USB drives have now become another danger to be warned about. Being that they are portable drives and are so small and easy to get around, it is easier for types of Malware like this to be transferred. Think twice about who's or what flash drive you are plugging into your computer. It is human nature to find a flash drive and want to plug it into a computer to find out what information is on it.

We ask you to be cautious, not to trade USB sticks with anyone, dont pick up any USB sticks off the street or any unknown USBs lying around and plug them into your machine. Lets try to win the battle against the dangers of USB drives.

Read more on Computer World and on Slate.

Important Tips When Establishing Search Engine Marketing

Often it is difficult for small business owners to market their companies online. It can be expensive to purchase high-traffic keywords and inexpensives ones don't produce desired results. This process of establishing search engine marketing can be overwhelming, so here are some tips on how to avoid common mistakes.

1. Be mindful of geography. Areas out of reach (such as Canada, Alaska and Hawaii) are often immediately included, when it isn’t likely the business could service these areas.
2. Opt out of advertising on websites that are partnered with search engines. These often receive less traffic and are also less promising.
3. Setting your campaign to broad match will allow your ads to correspond with unrelated searches. Setting it to exact match will be more effective when starting out, and then with time, it can be appropriately configured for broad match.
4. Directing all traffic to the home page of your website is also not the most effective means. If searchers are looking for something specific and aren’t led to the correct page immediately, they may not continue to find what they are looking for.
5. Usually iPhone searches are not promising for many businesses. The companies that profit from it are generally retailers and service providers.

To read even more tips on what mistakes to avoid, read this article from 360 Partners. CMIT is also hosting a webinar on search engine marketing. It will be held on Thursday, October 28 at 1pm Eastern Time. Click here to register.

Don’t forget to enter our Tech Makeover Contest! If you have an IT horror story to tell, your small business could win a $75,000 makeover courtesy of Dell, Microsoft, and CMIT Solutions! Click here to enter!

Be Careful What Information You Disclose On Facebook

Statistics have shown that many people do not protect their Facebook page by aptly using the security and privacy settings. Besides these limitations, it is essential to exclude things that you want withheld from employers and colleagues. For instance, inappropriate pictures should be omitted.

Not only is it crucial to keep your Facebook account secure, there is certain information that should not be mentioned on the popular social network. A popular example is to not post when you are going away on vacation, which leaves an open opportunity for burglars. This is especially true if your page can be viewed by anyone on Facebook.

Personal information that may be appealing to identity thieves should also remain unlisted. This includes your date of birth, as well as the birthdates for your children. Furthermore, it seems relatively clear that your address, for instance, shouldn’t be posted. Other bits of information that should be left out are your mother’s maiden name, or the name of your first pet. These are very often the security questions on a variety of websites.

Would you want everyone to see your phone number, potential password clues, or incriminating photos? The general rule is to only list information that you wouldn’t mind the general public seeing. Keep this in mind when creating or editing your Facebook profile.

To learn more, read this article from Yahoo! Finance.

CMIT Solutions at NY XPO for Business

We are proud to be a part of the largest business networking event in the northeast once again this year! As a friend of CMIT Solutions, we are excited to forward you this opportunity to pre-register for the 5th Annual NY Xpo for Business and receive free admission on our behalf (regular on-site registration fee is $10). There are over 400 exhibits and many educational seminars at the event. We hope to see you there as our guest and please stop by to see us in booth #315.

Please note: Pre Registration will not only save you the $10 fee; it will save you a lot of time waiting in line!

General Show Information: http://www.eventmanagement.org/newyork/hours.php

P.S. Be sure to stop by our booth for information, raffle prizes and a chance to win a $100 Best Buy Gift Card. Also remember to tell your friends and colleagues about our $75,000 makeover campaign. If they have a horror story, they could win big! http://www.cmitsolutions.com/techmakeover

Facebook CEO Announces New Features

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday several new features that the popular social network will be unveiling. The first is called Download Your Information, which lets each Facebook user download anything they have ever done on the site, including photos and wall posts. A second tool keeps track of your application usage and makes it simple to delete them. The final feature however is very exciting to Facebook users. Each user will have the ability to create groups—for instance, colleagues or family. If you upload a video of your family vacation, you can set it so only your relatives see it---and not anyone else. This increases the level of control you have over who sees your profile and information. In addition to this, group chats will be available, supplementing the one-on-one instant messaging that already exists.

The only hesitation that comes with this new Group feature, is that it exists similarly to being tagged in a photo. If someone invites you to a group, you are automatically a member until you opt-out. Thus you can become a member of a group under your own control, but also because someone else has invited you to. Many are saying that Group invitations should be established like a friend request—where you have the option to approve it before you are a member.

To read more about these features, visit Computer World.

President Armando D'Accordo To Speak At Two Events This Thursday

CMIT of South Nassau President Armando D'Accordo will be speaking at two events in New York City this Thursday, October 7, 2010.

Armando will first be presenting the CMIT Solutions concept at a FranNet NYC hosted event on Thursday morning. Several companies will help inform future entrepreneurs about their path to success. The event will be located at the Affinia Manhattan Hotel, 371 7th Avenue in Mid-Town. For more information on this event, visit http://events.linkedin.com/Meet-Franchisor-Workshop/pub/404856.

Armando will also be speaking at the next FENG New York meeting on Thursday evening. The topic is “Alternative Career Options—The Franchising Industry”. The main topic of discussion is about making the transition from corporate life to business ownership.

Both events are sure to be informative to those pursuing a career as a future franchise owner.

Organizing Your Data Using Windows 7 Libraries

One of the useful features of Windows 7 is the inclusion of libraries, which are an organized way to sort all your data. The four default libraries that are included with your computer are Documents, Pictures, Music, and Video. Libraries appear to work like folders, and still you can create sub-folders within them. However, the difference here is that within a particular library, you can store information from your desktop, for instance, without it leaving the desktop. Now you only need to search in your library for a certain file. The same could be done with an external hard drive or flash drive. The “Include in Library” feature permits users to place all their data in one location, despite where else you have it stored.

Once created, the files in a library can then be arranged by day, month, tags, and more. This sorting ability makes it simpler to locate the data you are looking for. To read more about using libraries, visit the Home Office Blog and this blog post from MakeUseOf.