Valuable Advice from Jerry Seinfeld

Most people have fallen behind a time or two and said “there just aren’t enough hours in a day.” Making the most of the mere 24 hours doesn’t always come easy to people. Staying focused can be difficult, especially when it comes to long-term goals that don’t demand urgent priority, like filling documents or even exercising for example.  

Brian Isaac, a blogger and software developer, received surprisingly valuable advice about time management from none other than comedy legend, Jerry Seinfeld. The advice that the creator of the hit show, Seinfeld, gave to Isaac can be used in almost every situation for all kinds of working people.

Years ago, when Seinfeld was a new show and Jerry still worked the comedy club circuit, Isaac was aspiring to be a sand-up comedian. One night, Isaac took advantage of his opportunity to ask Seinfeld for advice when he (Seinfeld) was headlining at a club. Isaac sought advice about how to succeed in stand-up comedy and, not surprisingly, Seinfeld replied by saying that Isaac should write new jokes every day. This advice stuck with Isaac because of what Seinfeld said about how the advice should be carried out. Isaac explained:

He (Seinfeld) told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker.

He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day. "After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain."

“Don't break the chain,” he said again for emphasis.

This calendar phenomenon can work for any working person who wants to make the most of their time. Unlike their employees, business owners don’t have the “luxury” of a boss to keep then on target. Often times owners have to force themselves to stay motivated and make sure all their responsibilities are taken care of, particularly when their hard work doesn’t grant immediate benefits. These responsibilities can include making calls, networking, and staying organized; the only way to successfully carry them out is to keep up with them every day.

So, listen to Seinfeld. Find a wall calendar and start putting an X through each day that you complete your obligatory tasks.

Remember: don’t break the chain.

Plan for Disaster: Don't Lose Data

I read a great article the other day that stressed the importance of disaster-recovery planning. The article states an overwhelming percentage of small businesses that don't have response plans in case of backup failure. If that is the case, these businesses are vulnerable to data loss.

No one is immune to the consequences of natural disasters. I have always advocated the importance of off-site backups in addition to the on-site backups that most businesses have. If an incident occurs, like a flood for example, any business that solely relies on on-site backups could lose an enormous amount of data in a single second.

For more information, I highly recommend that you read the article by clicking here. Contact me with any questions.

Mobile Computing for Small Businesses

For some small business owners, spending time in the office is surprisingly becoming more of a luxury. With days spent out on sales calls, networking, running errands, or generally being “out-and-about,” owners often have limited time for staying on top of day-to-day operations.

Luckily, new advances in technology offer helpful methods for staying connected while on-the-go. A few years ago, mobile computing meant lugging a laptop around with you everywhere you went. Today, owners and employees can accomplish an extraordinary amount of tasks using a “thin client” and a cloud model for business computing.

A “thin client” is a device that is used primarily as a display and input device which is connected to a remote (or cloud) server, making storage capacity and processing power less significant. Examples of “thin clients” include netbooks, smart phones, ultra-light laptops, and tablets like the iPad.

Your business’s data and productivity applications, like Microsoft Office and QuickBooks, reside in the cloud. You can think of it like the old mainframe/terminal model, where data lived and heavy-duty processing occurred on the centrally located mainframe and workers interacted with the mainframe through terminals at their desks. In this case, the mainframe is the cloud and the terminals are the “thin clients.”

Now, your “terminal” goes wherever you go, and you can access the “mainframe” from anywhere you have an Internet connection!

The cloud and thin client model provides many advantages to small business owners. Imagine striking up a conversation with a potential new customer at a store and being able to pull up a presentation on ROI using your Smart phone. Or imagine nurses in a medical practice having to ability to access diagnostic documentation and patient records from a lightweight tablet instead of a bulky laptop (not to mention the ability to update the records in real-time).

The best thing about this model is that you don’t need a Fortune 500-sized IT budget to take advantage of this amazing technology.

Why Should you Adopt Digital Signatures?

Many businesses have not adopted the Digital Signature service, even though Digital Signatures have been legally binding since 2000. The main reason businesses have been slow to catch on is because they are unaware of the value the service can offer. Here are 5 of the benefits that implementing digital signatures can add to your business:

• Lower costs – You will not only save on paper, toner and shipping costs, but you will also save on indirect costs, like rekeying of data, and time saved in waiting for documents to return, among others.
• Accelerate business – Because digital signatures are easy, they promote a faster turnaround time on contracts. This means you get paid more quickly as well.
• Improve customer service – Digital Signatures offer a quick and convenient way for customers to sign, which leads to happier customers. Happy customers are more likely to send referrals!
• Track signatures – Digital signature services notify users when documents have been viewed and signed so you always know the status of documents sent for signature.
• Increase efficiency – You won’t waste time printing, copying, faxing or hunting down documents for signatures. Everyone in your office will save time using digital signatures.

If you want to know more about eSignatures from eFileCabinet click here.

Take Advantage of Outlook's "Message Recall" Feature

Everyone has experienced a moment when they wish you can un-send a message with a typo, wrong or left out information, or an accidently sent draft.

Microsoft Outlook has a feature called “Message Recall” that is built-in for such mistakes, but not many users are aware of it. If you’ve sent something in error, you can go to your Sent Items folder in the left-hand navigation pane. Open the message you wish to recall, then go to the Action drop menu and select Recall this Message.



You will then be given an option to delete the sent message or replace it with a new message.



The Windows version of Outlook is the only one that contains this feature. Unfortunately, Mac users are out of luck.

However, the Message Recall feature has some limitations.

First, both the sender and the recipient of the message must be using Microsoft Exchange as an email server. It won’t work with Gmail, Yahoo, or any POP3-based email.

Second, the message cannot be recalled is the recipient has already read the message.

Third (and this is very important to keep in mind), the recipient still has the option to read the original message. You can’t magically erase that nasty email you sent to your superior in a fit of frustration because you’re having second thoughts. Your boss’s inbox will contain a message from the Exchange server telling them that a message sent from you has been recalled. Your boss might ignore it, but s/he may read it if s/he so chooses.

Another tip: to avoid accidentally sending an email prematurely, leave the “To:” field blank until you’ve finished writing the message.

ALERT: Beware of Phone Phishing Scams

There have been recent phishing incidences occurring over the phone from an overseas firm by people claiming to be technicians. It is important that you know what to listen for so that these “technicians” don’t take advantage of you. Recent victims have been called at home and told that their computers are spreading viruses throughout their neighborhoods. While some people know not to trust these callers, unfortunately, others have believed their claims and allowed these scammers to remote into their computers. These “technicians” have the capability to do major damage on your computer.

Some callers have succeeded in their phishing attempts by claiming to work for Microsoft. Always keep in mind that Microsoft will never call you unless you ask them to do so and intentionally give them your contact information. Other scammers claim that they represent the town or local government and successfully convince the callers to let them remote into their computers.

What should you do if a “technician” calls with a convincing story about a virus?

1.   Don’t get nervous. If you haven’t noticed any problems on your machine and you have regular virus scans, you don’t have to worry.

2.   Don’t believe them. Know who you can trust. If for some reason their claims make you question a potential virus, don’t give them any information no mater what. Call us with the questions you have.

3.   Hang up. Always hang up and make sure everyone in your house knows to do the same. A lot of people can be gullible when it comes to computer scams, especially if they're not tech savvy.

We've been told stories about numerous attacks and we can’t believe how bad computer scams have become and how bold the scammers are. They recently convinced our client's father to pay over $300 with his credit card and then planted a tracking virus on his machine. Because phone attacks like this are becoming increasingly common, everyone should be aware of the potential damage that these callers are capable of if they're given the opportunity. They use scare tactics to take advantage of people, and if victims aren’t aware that their claims are bogus, they are in serious trouble.

Reminder: Even though phone scams are becoming popular, you MUST remember that email scams are STILL being sent out on a regular basis. Never give out personal information via email. If you do, you can expect to be continuously harassed via email, postal mail, and over the phone. To avoid viruses, always think before you click, and note: Bill Gates is NOT giving away money for forwarding emails, and no one is really giving away free Sony laptops or iPads.

Clean your Computer Regularly to Maximize its Lifespan

Cleaning your computer, monitor, and accessories makes them look nice and helps them last longer. Clogged fans and vents restrain the flow of air that is needed to keep your hardware in its thermal “happy place.” Too much heat can harm hardware components, so it is essential that fans are kept clean. Plus, the harder fans have to work to move air, the more noise they tend to make. Here are some tips to keep your system quiet, clean, and cool.

DO NOT USE A VACUUM CLEANER! Have you ever noticed how static-y the extension hose on your vacuum cleaner gets after you use it? Static electricity and electrical components do not mix. No matter how tempting it may be to vacuum the dust off of a clogged vent, resist! Keep reading for the proper method.

Keep the area around your computer clean. The dust that settles into the carpet or onto the floor around your machine tends to get sucked in by cooling fans. Keep the surface where your computer sits as dust-free as possible. Ideally, don’t keep your machine on the floor at all. Set it up on top of your desk or on another piece of furniture to keep it above any dust bunnies on the ground.

Dust the exterior of your hardware. Use a soft, lint-free cloth. Don’t use a feather duster or liquid cleaning sprays. Fibers from the feathers could end up inside your machine, and liquids should never be near electrical equipment!

Don’t neglect the interiors. Make sure you have a can or two of compressed air, which you can get from your local office supply store. If you have a desktop system, look over the user manual for instructions about how to remove the side panel. Once it’s off, take your computer outside and use the can of compressed air to blast away dust or other gunk from the interior compartment. Occasionally touch the power supply, or other metal parts of the chassis, with your fingers to prevent any buildup of static electricity.

If this is the first time you’ve opened the box, chances are you’ll be shocked by the amount of debris in there. Air cans are perfect for this task because they allow you to clean the interior components without having to touch them. You should do this about every six months. Laptops are trickier to clean, so if you aren’t comfortable opening up the case, take it to a technician for cleaning.

Compressed air is also great for cleaning a keyboard. Invert the keyboard and spray a few bursts of air into the keys at an angle.

Choose the right cleaning product for the right screen. Unfortunately, an all-purpose cleaning product that works on all types of displays and monitors doesn’t exist. CRTs require different needs than flat-panels, and matte screens require different needs than glossy screens. Look at the product manual or the manufacturer’s website for information about which type of cleaner your screen needs.

Don’t forget about your router. Just about all of the tips on this list will benefit your router as well. Don’t overlook your router when you’re cleaning your computer. Your router’s operational lifespan will be maximized if you make sure it remains dust-free and has unobstructed airflow.

Socialcam, Facebook Security… and Justin Bieber?

By now any Facebook user has probably noticed an attention-grabbing headlines about Justin Bieber being stabbed by a fan or Snooki being injured in a car accident. As most people have already guessed, these strategically titled items are ploys to convince you to install a Facebook app that will send the same spam to your contact list.

The major offender seems to be an app called “Socialcam,” which recently earned an admonishment from privacy advocates about its default setting of posting any video you watch through the app to your Facebook page without letting you know first.

Unfortunately, the “auto-post to timeline” phenomenon isn’t limited to Socialcam, however. You may have seen similar items in your friends’ pages from Washington Post Social Reader or the music service called Spotify (both of which are legitimate apps). Luckily, hiding such notifications is easy. Simply hover your mouse over the notification, and a drop-down arrow will appear. Click the arrow and then select “Hide all by (name of app)”

Whether or not you want to install these apps on your Facebook page is, of course, up to you. However, we suggest that you never install them on your company’s Facebook page. Appearing obsessed with teen heartthrobs and the Jersey Shore to your friends and family is one thing, but it’s probably something that should be hidden from your customers.

How do you Delete Installed Facebook Apps?

Facebook users should periodically check their installed apps to make sure they still want all of the apps on their page. How do you delete installed apps that you no longer find useful?

In order to view your installed apps, click on the drop-down arrow in the upper right  corner of your profile.

Choose “Account Settings,” then select “Apps” from the menu on the left-hand side. Your screen will then look like this:



Here you can either edit the settings of an app or delete it entirely!

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft and Fraud!

I recently delivered a seminar about the dangers of identity theft and fraud. During my research, I learned that identity theft is the #1 crime reported to the FTC. I wanted to share the information that I presented with readers because I believe it is an extremely important topic. It is imperative that you become knowledgeable about the ways in which you can protect your personal information.

You can avoid becoming a victim of fraud and identity theft.

What is Identity Theft?

• It occurs when someone steals your personal information – e.g., credit card or Social Security number – and uses it fraudulently
• It can cost you time and money
• It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name

Identity Theft Facts

• It is the #1 crime reported to the FTC.
• Over 11 million people became victims of identity fraud in 2009.
• The number of identity fraud incidents increased by 12 % over 2008.
• New York State is one of the Top 10 locations for Identity Theft. 
• Small business owners suffered identity fraud at 1.5 times the rate of other adults.
• Identity theft is frequently the result of the simplest ways to steal information, not from complex computer hacking or Internet fraud.
• It is essential to keep up with the laws that apply to your business
• Example: Select Physical Therapy in Levelland, TX was fined $990,000 by the Texas Attorney General for throwing old files in a dumpster
• There was NO confirmed Identity Theft as a result.
• The records were found by Dumpster-Divers
• California vs. Greenwood, 1988: “There is no common law expectation of privacy for discarded materials”

Fraud Facts

• Your bank will never email of call you for your account number.
• Don’t wire money to people you don’t know.
• Be cautious of work-at-home job offers.
• Check out the company with the Better Business Bureau.
• There are no legitimate jobs that involve reshipping items or financial instruments for your home.
• Foreign lotteries are illegal in the US. You can’t win no matter what they say.
• Check your monthly blank statements for charges you don’t recognize.
• Bill Gates is not giving away money if you forward emails
• The spice King, Tobacco Heiress and all the other people who want to share their fortune with you are hackers and scam artists. DON’T BE FOOLED by these scams, and DO NOT reply to the emails of any scammer or spammer.
• Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit bureaus once a year from annualcreditreport.com.

How does Identity Theft Happen?

• Identity thieves may: 
• Go through your trash or “dumpster dive”
• Steal your wallet or purse
• Steal your mail or submit a change of address form for your mail
• Use “phishing” or fake emails addresses to get you to provide personal information, or use other ‘con’ techniques to trick you
• Steal personnel records from their employers
• Use virus or spyware to steal passwords and/or account numbers
• ‘Hack’ your computer or network

click below for more details and helpful information

Make Sure You're Prepared for Major Storms!

Listen to Storm Warnings and Take Precautions


I have seen too many people data and equipment due to a lack of preparation... so I am once again reminding everyone to be proactive. The storms that occurred this past week resulted in some people losing power supplies or hard drives. In most of these recent cases, the person had not taken the proper precautions and did not have a UPS protecting their computer. To recap some basic points:

PREPARE YOUR TECHNOLOGY:

Be sure you have a full backup of all your important data (preferably both on and off-site).

If you have a UPS battery (Uninterruptible Power Supplies with surge protection) be sure the unit is connected and the auto shutdown software is installed and working.

If you do not have a UPS battery on each device, we recommend shutting down your PC's and servers if you expect, or are prone to power outages. A sudden loss of power will damage computer equipment. At the very least be sure you have surge protectors if you do not have UPS units.

We advise you to unplug your PC if you do not have a proper UPS or surge protector.

If you’re in a flood prone area, make sure to keep all your computers and hardware off the floors.

PREPARE YOUR HOME & OFFICE:

 

 

Enable remote access if you will need to access data from home (and if you have the aforementioned UPS units in place).

Take in or secure all outdoor property (furniture, gas grills, sheds, outside storage tanks).

Ensure proper working condition for emergency equipment, such as flashlights and battery powered radio and first aid kits.

Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.

Stock up on non-perishable foods, first aid supplies, and drinking water.

Make a plan for you and your family pets if you need to evacuate.

Have an out of state friend as a family contact, so that all your family members have a single point of contact.

Check your battery backups on sump pumps, alarm systems, etc.

Move all contents to higher floors if it looks like flooding is imminent (especially items of high or unusual value and vital records).

**If you have a server and multiple PC's, please contact Armando and discuss if this is the best way to prepare for your site**

Office number: (516) 208-4161

After the Storm (general procedures)

·         Use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles or open flames indoors.

·         When cutting up fallen trees, use caution, especially if you use a chain saw. Serious injuries can occur with these powerful machines, they may snap or break.

·         Assess damage to home and contents. Photograph all damage.

·         Make temporary repairs to protect the building and contents.

·         Remove and discard all porous organic materials that have become visibly wet or contaminated.

·         When using a generator, be sure that the main circuit breaker is off and locked out prior to starting the generator.

Save Time with Keyboard Shortcuts!

Most computer users know that simple keyboard shortcuts are faster than having to constantly point-and-click for every task you want completed.
If you have Windows and your keyboard has a Microsoft Windows Logo Key (pictured below), try to learn and practice these handy shortcuts to increase your speed and efficiency.

• Windows Logo:  Start menu
• Windows Logo+BREAK:  System Properties dialog box
• Windows Logo+D:  Desktop (all pages will minimize)
• Windows Logo+M:  Minimize (all pages will minimize)
• Windows Logo+SHIFT+M: Restore the minimized windows
• Windows Logo+E:  My Computer
• Windows Logo+F:  Search for a file or a folder
• CTRL+Windows Logo+F:  Search for computers
• Windows Logo+F1:  Windows Help
• Windows Logo+L:  Lock keyboard
• Windows Logo+R:  Run dialog box
• Windows Logo+U:  Utility Manager

Now let's focus on shortcuts to allow you to navigate quickly through the file tree in Windows Explorer (pictured below).



When you select items in the left-hand pane, NUM LOCK combinations will allow you to show and hide folders without having to use your mouse!

• NUM LOCK + ASTERISK (*): Shows all the subfolders within the selected folder
• NUM LOCK + PLUS SIGN (+):  Shows content of the selected folder
• NUM LOCK + MINUS SIGN (-):  Collapses selected folder
• LEFT ARROW – Collapses current selection folder (if expanded), or selects the parent folder
• RIGHT ARROW – Shows the current selection (if collapsed), or selects the first subfolder

The next 2 shortcuts work for both panes.

• END:  Highlights the last file in the browser
• HOME:  Highlights the first file in the browser

Another quick trick for finding a certain folder or file in a window is to type the first letter of the subfolder or file you want to find (best results when the files are sorted alphabetically). For example, if you wish to find a folder called “Quicktime,” you would press “Q” to go to the first folder that starts with “Q” in the right-hand pane. If the folder you wish to find is one of many with the same first letter, keep pressing the letter until your desired folder is selected.

find out how to make your own keyboard shortcuts for your programs by clicking below!

Ensure Safety While Using Public Wi-Fi with Virtual Private Networking (VPN)

Now, more than ever, people are taking advantage of the availability of public Wi-Fi hotspots. A frightening truth, that some Wi-Fi users are not aware of, is that almost everything you do while on a public network can be seen my snoopers. When we say alomost everything is visible, we include webpages viewed over an unencrypted connection, plain text emails that are sent, and sometimes even password information. Websites that use secure connections, however, are much more difficult for snoopers to view. To be sure the connection is secure, look for "https" in your web address bar, instead of "http." Facebook, Gmail, Yahoo!, Microsoft Live, and some others, all use a secure method to ensure your login information remains private.

What if you want to access a work computer or server remotely? This is why Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is essential. VPN creates a secure “tunnel” which connects your laptop to your business' private network. All information that passes through this "tunnel" is encrypted (captured data would appear to snoopers as gibberish!).

VPN treats your portable devices like they are physical nodes on your company’s in-house network, even though they're in a different location. This grants access to files on the server, company databases, and sometimes even printers. Remote desktop capabilities may be included in your VPN service; these allow you to run applications on your work computer as if you were physically at your work station. Additionally, VPN technology is user-friendly and provides a high level of security. It’s a "Must Have" if you have ever or plan to access your company’s network remotely in any location--even from home.

Cool and Useful Technology

What is in your home and business?

Since I use and rely on technology for my livelihood, I often try to keep things simple for myself, my family, and my clients. However, in this article I am breaking away from sound technology advice and focusing on the cool side of technology.

Keep in mind that being in the technology business does not preclude me from being surprised and amazed by advancements that are popping up on a regular basis. For example: imagine my surprise the first time I saw my family dancing while playing a video game in front of the TV without a joystick or controller! For someone who learned on the Atari system, this was a more impressive advancement than going from Pong to Missile Command! Speaking to my phone and getting intelligent answers in return is also pretty amazing. (Watching other people argue with their iPhones is sometimes hilarious!)

So here is a short list of the coolest things I have found for both business and personal use in the last couple of years:

· DVR: (Digital Video Recorder) I really can’t imagine watching TV without being able to pause, rewind, and record a show or a game – without a VHS tape. It has really spoiled me. (It does make it a little too easy to get a snack without missing anything – good for the game, not for the diet…)

· Slingbox: a device that will broadcast your TV signal to a secure account that is viewable via any PC or tablet connected to the Internet. I use it all the time, especially when I am out of town so I can keep up with the local teams back home.

· MIFI: a credit card sized device that allows Internet access for up to 5 devices at once. It works great anywhere that you can get a cell phone signal.

· iPad: amazing little device with a ton of uses. One of which I discovered when I committed to an airport pickup without realizing that I would miss a NY Giants Monday night game… I had to think fast, so I went home early to be sure the Slingbox was working. I then purchased the Slingbox app from the itunes store and I charged the MIFI. Before I left I connected the MIFI for Internet access, and used the slingbox app to connect to my DirecTV DVR. It all worked great and I watched the game in the airport parking lot, and listened to it while I drove there and back. The person I picked up was impressed, and they were able to watch the game on the way home. (The Giants lost to the Saints that night, but the season ended well, as you know!!)

· iPhone 4s: what’s all the fuss? Well it is pretty amazing. Siri, the speech enabled application, is not a toy; it reads me emails and articles aloud, it can send text messages and emails without me tpying on the phone, and in general, it responds well to verbal requests. Another positive about Siri is that she is very polite and never speaks back to me. There are a ton of other apps that make the device a useful phone, mp3 player, and mini laptop with high speed access to email and the Internet. It also has a high def video camera and an 8 mega pixel camera.

· Remote access. If you are not able to access your home and work PC remotely, you are missing out on a very useful tool. In some cases the basic functionality is free, but the more advanced functionality requires a subscription. All CMIT managed clients should know that remote access to your work/managed PC is included at no extra charge.

· Apple TV: a small device that hooks up to your TV, connects to your Wi-Fi, and allows access to internet, movies, and applications through the TV; it makes a standard TV web enabled for $99! And, most impressively, it allows you to broadcast your iPhone, iPad, and apple laptop screens on your TV. Now when we have some pictures or videos from an event we can show the family without everyone crowding around a PC or laptop screen.

Another cool and very useful product that is not used daily in most homes or businesses is my new CMIT impressions device. It is a 55inch high definition television, a web conferencing tool with amazing sound and video clarity, a fully functional windows 7 tablet PC with touch screen capabilities, Microsoft Office 2010, white boarding, and much more. Since it is all integrated into one device it is very easy to set up. I have one in my conference room and plan to install one in my family room in the near future.

These are just a few of the new devices that I use, install, and support in my business and personal life.

Can you guess what this is?

Here is a hint:

This picture was taken in 1956.

answer?

Identity Theft Seminar!

Our computers are great assets, but they can also be a source of danger.

Attend this event and learn how to protect your identity and the information that you are safeguarding for your clients and employees.

CPA's will be earn two CPE credits, all others will learn a lot!

 

Join Us!



Tuesday, June 19, 2012

8AM- 10AM

Registration 7:45 AM

Ducks Stadium/ Bethpage Ballpark

3 Courthouse Drive

Central Islip, NY

Speakers:

Sandra G. Johnson, CPA EA CFE of Sandra G. Johnson CPA

Armando D'Accordo, President of CMIT Solutions of South Nassau

Christine Ippolito, Professional HR Expert of Compass Workforce Solutions

Steve Innerfield of Quality Shredding

Seminar Cost Includes Breakfast:

$20/pp on or before June 15th

$30/pp after Friday, June 15th

(Raffle Prizes Available!!)

Remit Payment to:

Check payable to Educational Foundation of NS/NCCPAP

                        

                         NCCPAP

          22 Jericho Turnpike-ste 110

                 Mineola, NY 11501

                       (888) 488-5400

                                     OR

               REGISTER ONLINE at

               WWW.NCCPAP.ORG

Your LinkedIn account could be compromised.

Many users of the business-networking website, LinkedIn, were included in a list of 6.5 million stolen passwords that was released yesterday on a Russian website.

LinkedIn took the opprotunity to confirm the publication on their blog yesterday afternoon.

While your password might not have been on the list, CMIT Solutions highly recommends that you change your LinkedIn password... Now! Changing your password as soon as possible will help to avoid compromising your account.

Additionally, if you like to use the same password for more than one of your accounts, we recommend you change those passwords as well.

From CNN.com:

"[LinkedIn] did not offer any information about how the passwords were stolen or the extent of the damage, but it said it is 'continuing to investigate' the matter."

CMIT Solutions Launches 'CMIT Impression: Visual Collaboration Made Easy' for Small Businesses

Use of Mondopad, MeetMe Video Conferencing, Any-to-Any Platform Will Revolutionize Small Business Communication
As seen on Yahoo Finance

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire -12/13/11)- CMIT Solutions, a leading managed service IT provider for small businesses, has unveiled a new package that will transform the way small businesses communicate and operate.

CMIT Impression combines enterprise-class collaboration -- including video conferencing, whiteboarding and interactive presentations -- with a 55-inch, touch-optimized tablet and a conferencing bridge that transcends operating systems. The bridge allows users to see each other, talk, share documents and view presentations using any video platform from anywhere in the world.

CMIT Solutions calls it "Visual Collaboration Made Easy," and it represents a massive step forward for easy-to-use technology available to small businesses. Traditionally, small business owners have been slow to adopt video conferencing because of the inconsistent quality of consumer-grade systems and the prohibitive price of enterprise-level offerings, causing them to rely on the traditional conference call.

Small business owners and employees are traveling less and relying more on telecommuting, driving the need for a superior version of video conferencing: visual collaboration. CMIT Solutions is leading the market's adoption of a higher-quality visual collaboration tool previously out of reach for most small businesses.

CMIT Impression solves the problem through a pair of technology partners: California-based Vidtel, whose cloud-based, high-definition MeetMe video conferencing system provides up to 12 users on a conferencing "bridge"; and Oregon-based InFocus, whose 55-inch Mondopad giant tablet has a touch screen, digital whiteboarding and high-quality audio and is powered by an integrated Windows 7 Pro PC. CMIT Solutions has worked closely with InFocus in recent months in preparation for the company's general Mondopad launch, demonstrating CMIT Solutions' growing influence in the industry.

The combination allows small business owners, colleagues and clients to easily talk, share documents and take part in interactive presentations without being in the same location. CMIT Impression offers everything an enterprise-class video conferencing system does, at a competitive price and across any popular video-chat application. CMIT Impression includes collaboration features such as a shared whiteboard, annotation and document sharing, which allows multiple parties to share documents through an intuitive, user-friendly interface.

For more information about CMIT Solutions, visit www.cmitsolutions.com.

CMIT Introduces Automatic Patch Management

CMIT Solutions Introduces Automatic Patch Management for Adobe, Java,

 iTunes and Firefox on Business Computers

All kinds of viruses and malware can destroy business computer systems by latching onto programs like Adobe PDF, Flash files and Javascript.  These are programs that businesses use day in and day out.  Even those of you who religiously install security updates or "patches" for major software programs and operating systems, these patches usually ignore prompts from Adobe and Oracle.

Users don't recognize the problems or may even think they are just updates when in reality they have viruses attached.

CMIT Solutions is a leading provider of managed IT services for small businesses and is separating itself from its rivals by including patch coverage for Adobe and Java in its CMIT Marathon package.  The service automatically tests and installs software and operating system security updates on business computers without owners or employees having to do it themselves.  

To find out more about this topic please read the full press release on Yahoo's News website

CMIT Introduces Automatic Patch Management

Add Movies to your Powerpoint Presentations!

Sometimes sitting through a powerpoint presentation can be painful. Nobody wants to look at a presentation that’s packed to the gills with extraneous whooshing sounds, animated stick figures, and garishly colored charts. However, PowerPoint offers one capability you might want to take advantage of: video.

For example, let's say you’re doing a presentation for a prospective client. You will have your slides about the services you offer, and you might want to include a collection of video testimonials from satisfied customers.

Here are the simple steps on how to actually do it:


1. Make the video and save it in a commonly used video format such as AVI, MPEG, or WMV. This will ensure that the presentation will successfully play, regardless of what kind of computer you’re using.

2. Save the video in the same folder as your presentation. In the presentation, go to the slide where you want the video to play. If you’re in PowerPoint 2003, go to the Insert menu, select Movies and Sounds, select From File, and choose the movie you want.

Using PowerPoint 2007, you have two options: If the slide layout includes a content placeholder, click the Insert Movie button in the placeholder, or you can click the Movie button in the Media Clips group, which is located on the Insert tab (pictured below):

 

The 2010 version of PowerPoint changes the name of the button from “Movie” to “Video,” but essentially works the same. 



3. Whether you’re using the 2003, 2007, or the 2010 version, you’ll be prompted to specify whether you want the video to play automatically or only when you’ve manually clicked it. 



And it is as simple as that!

One important thing to remember: unlike pictures or drawings, videos are not actually embedded in presentations. They’re linked files. The presentation has to know where to “look” when you ask it to play the video, and if you move the video after you set up the link in the presentation, PowerPoint won’t know where to find the original video. Just make sure the video is stored in a logical place before you link it. The most logical place, of course, is in the same folder as the presentation itself – thus Step #2 above. Keeping all relevant files in the same place also makes for easy copying if you need to save the presentation to a CD or USB drive.

CMIT @ the 7th Annual NY Business Expo

The 7th Annual NY Business Expo - Only the largest trade show for small & mid-sized businesses! There will be unlimited networking opportunities being that there are over 10,000 attendees and plenty of business seminars.

Date: May 2-3, 2012

@ the Javits Center in New York City

CMIT Solutions booth number is 418. There will be raffles with a chance to win some great prizes!

Come down to see us and stay up to date with the best business practices for your company. We will show you how to keep your data safe from disasters and keep your business at it's highest level of efficiency.

CMIT owner Tim Davis will be speaking at the event! The topic of the seminar is ““Cracking The Gen Y Code: Selling & Marketing to a Generation That Refuses to be Sold To.”

“Technology allows us to communicate better, but you still need communication skills to make the technology meaningful.” – Tim Davis

Don't wait for Data Disasters to Happen - Prevent It!

Our country has been experiencing recent extreme weather events which reminds us that catastrophic data loss is one of the most detrimental events that can happen to a small or medium sized business(SMB). There have been Tornadoes in Texas and the Midwest that have destroyed people's years of hard work. Don't let that be you!

According to the Underwriting Guide for Insurers, only 6 percent of mid-size companies the suffer catastrophic data loss ever fully recover. Yes, it is true. Only 6 percent. 43% never reopen and 51% close within two years of the disaster. Unfortunately, data loss is a relatively common occurrence. Hard drives die and even automated backups sometimes fail to archive every single file correctly. Data loss becomes catastrophic when a sizable or vital set of data becomes unrecoverable. When one considers the degree to which most SMBs rely on electronic data for their operations, one quickly understands how devastating consequences often arise in the wake of a disaster. A business might lost not only its customer database, but also sales records, payroll information, inventory numbers, and financials. That last item can damage far more than merely the health of a business.

Imagine hoe the IRS might respond if you've lost all documentation for several years of business tax returns. Preventing data loss requires a two-pronged approach. First you need to have an effective and automated backup system. Manual backups just won't cut it unfortunately because someone will forget to do it. Even if you remember, you still risk losing any data generated between then and the last time you performed the backup. Its best to have a data-mirroring setup, which updates automatically and in real-time. The second prong, one that a shocking number of business owners overlook, is having a reliable, effective and tested disaster recovery (DR) plan in place. Merely having a backup copy of your data won't do you much good if no one knows how to restore it to the server. An effective DR plan should include written procedures for restoring data that minimize the risk of corrupting the system any further.

The key to preventing data catastophies lies in having these measures in place before disaster strikes. Even the most reliable back up system won't help you if you wait until after the fact to install it.

Just remember: Don't wait for the disaster to happen...set up a back up plan before it strikes.

How to Stay Secure in a Bring-Your-Own-Device World

Today we have professionals in every line of business who use their own personal devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets for work.

This phenomenon believe it or not, is called Bring Your Own Device or BYOD.

As one might imagine, having devices that are owned and maintained by employees connecting to your network raises all kinds of security concerns. These devices go home with the employees af the end of every day so security is definitely at risk. What if an employee loses his or her tablet, which has confidential files on it? What if a laptop is stolen? Would a thief have direct connection to your corporate server?

For an extreme example, read about how a USB drive brought down a nations government by clicking here.

BYOD offers many benefits to business owners, not the least of which is the money saved through employees purchasing their own devices. Additionally, employees often feel more productive when using devices with which they're well acquainted. The portability of such devices also brings with it the advantages of mobile computing. Combined with cloud computing technology and virtual private networking, BYOD has the potential to allow employees to work anywhere, anytime, so long as they have an internet connection.

Just as businesses need an "acceptable use" policy that lays out the do's and dont's of using computers owned by the company, businesses need a well-developed policy for BYOD (more than just requiring that devices are password-protected).

For an in-depth review of what your company's BYOD policy should contain, contact CMIT Solutions. We'll help you implement a policy that will keep you and your employees productive and secure.

A Single Piece of Hardware that Boosts Your Computers Speed

If your laptop or desktop computer is running a bit slow in the speed department (assuming it has nothing to do with malware or insufficient system memory), you may want to consider swapping out the original hard drive with a new type of disk -- a solid-state hard drive. Solid-state drives (SSD's) differ from their conventional hard disk drive (HDD) counterparts in that they have no moving parts.

Instead of spinning platters that are read by a mechanical arm in an HDD, SSDs use memory chips like the ones found in an iPhone, iPad, or stick of RAM (random access memory -the memory modules in your computer). The lack of

moving parts offer several advantages, including faster read/write times, less heat output, lower power consumption (generally), and better longevity.

The faster read/write times contribute to significantly faster responsiveness of both your operating system and your software applications.

However there are some drawbacks to this piece of hardware. First off, SSDs are not yet available in capacities as large conventional HDDs (3

terabytes and up). The current maximum for widely available SSDs is 512 gigabyte than conventional drives. Even 256GB SSDs cost north of $300.

While the lower capacity might seem like a heavy price to pay for increased speed, several mitigating factors exist. First, if your computer has room for two or more drives, installing your operating system and software apps on an SSD and keeping your data on a conventional, large capacity HDD gives you the best of both worlds. Your programs gain a speed boost from the SSD, but you still have plenty of storage for a large media collection on the second drive.

Secondly, with much of computing moving to the cloud model, your computer needs less storage space for data and media libraries. Your applications (such as Word, iTunes, or Windows Media Player) reside on your local machine, while yo

ur libraries are stored in the cloud, accessible from anywhere you have an internet connection.

However, before you rush out and buy an SSD, you'll need to ensure that your motherboard supports it. If you're unsure, contact CMIT Solutions, and we'll figure it out for you.

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Incidentally, do you know what this is.

We'll give you a hint: this picture was taken in 1956. For the answer, visit the CMIT Blog.