Lisa Kanarek
Technology
Keeping up with technology is about as easy as changing a tire on a moving car. Alan Stribling, Working Naked’s H.O.T. (home office technology) guy, loves to share technological trends that are changing the way we work from home. Learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about technology but didn’t feel comfortable asking your five-year-old to explain.
What’s cloud computing?
Cloud Computing is a way to describe the delivery of “hosted” services over the Internet. It’s called cloud computing because of the cloud symbol that you see in Internet flowcharts and diagrams.
A few examples of cloud computing that you may recognize are web-mail services like Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo mail and other hosted online email programs. Other examples are online storage like iDrive or GDrive where you can store your files on the Internet and access them from anywhere. GoogleApps is a great example of the direction that cloud computing is taking. There are a few advantages to cloud computing:
• You’re able to increase the usable life of your personal computer or notebook since all that will be required to access the “cloud” will be an Internet browser (like Internet Explorer or Safari) and a high-speed Internet connection.
• The real processing of the software will be largely performed on the servers that are “hosting” the applications that are being used.
• Since all you will need is a basic computer to access the Internet, you’ll minimize the need to upgrade your computer.
Here are a couple of links that go into some additional detail about what cloud computing is, where it’s going, and how you can benefit by following this trend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
http://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid201_gci1287881,00.html
What’s Skype?
What’s Skype? Simply put, it’s a free software program that allows you to communicate through your computer with full-duplex audio (just like a normal telephone) and video (if your system supports video). This is done using what’s called VOIP technology (Voice transmission over Internet protocol). It all sounds technical and complicated, but the software is a snap to download and install, and it produces some incredible results.
The main feature of Skype is that you can have both video and audio conversations with other Skype users anywhere in the world…for free! The only catch is that they also have to have a computer with Skype installed and a high speed connection.
Skype makes it easy to videoconference around the world.
How do they do this for free? Simple…they have additional features that cost money, including the ability to purchase an actual telephone number that can be called from any land line or cell-phone—direct to your computer—and you can call any other phone from your computer as well. There are fees for this service that you’ll have to investigate before taking the plunge.
You get the ability to manage that number (voice mail, call forwarding, call waiting, conference calling, etc.) over the Internet and it can be (and is) used as your primary number. The rates for using Skype to call overseas or long distance is usually far less than most other long distance solutions.
If you’re thinking about getting hooked up with Skype, you’ll need a reasonably up-to-date computer, a “webcam”, and a high-speed Internet connection. Unfortunately, Skype won’t work with dial-up connections, and using it with a broadband cellular data card is spotty. It’ll work, but there are definitely some performance trade-offs.
More best free stuff on the Web
Picasa is an online photo album software that is second to none for managing your photographs and video files. It provides a load of features for being able to categorize and organize your photos, as well as do simple editing, resizing, etc. This software is free to use and download and can organize the photos and files on your local computer, as well as automatically create a “website” where you can share your files with others. It takes a little to understand the full functionality of it, but believe me, it’s a pretty powerful and easy to use option for digital shutterbugs everywhere. Don’t miss out on this excellent offering from Google…best of all, it’s FREE!
Virtual storage
There are many different online storage options and several of them have a free component. You may want to search for the one that suits you best and consider paying for some of their more advanced features. The one I’m going to share with you today that’s free is Adrive, a website that offers free storage (for personal use) of up to 50GB! This can be used to store files, pictures, documents, videos…and it is accessible to you from anywhere you have an internet connection.
Most of these offerings have price plans for as low as $5/month. The benefit of these services is a secure storage option for your files, automatic backup, remote access from anywhere, and the ability to share files across the internet.
Some of the downside is that it can sometimes take a while to download your files, especially when working with video or large graphic files. All in all, this is an excellent option if you don’t want to lug around a portable hard drive running the risk of losing all your data by misplacing it somewhere! Here’s a link that reviews several of the top backup and online storage solution websites.
Best free stuff on the Web
There are many sites out there that offer “free” stuff…so what’s the deal? You’ll find application software, picture albums, storage solutions, backup solutions, and anti-virus solutions. I’ve shared info about a few of these in recent posts, but in my next few posts, I’m going to go into a little more detail.
OpenOffice.org is a business productivity software suite that’s similar to the “other” mainstream office suite. It includes a Spreadsheet, Word Processor, Presentation Software, Database Software, and Graphics Software. This software suite is designed to be compatible with the “other” mainstream applications suite with the ability to read and write various document formats that can communicate directly with the industry standard software. The beauty of this software is that it’s entirely FREE! There is no cost or licensing even if you use it on multiple computers in your home or office.
Notebook vs. Desktop
In the past, notebook computers didn’t perform as well as their desktop counterparts and were much more expensive. Today, the performance gap between the two is slight and there are many choices and configurations for notebooks to fit any budget or performance demand. If you’ve been struggling between choosing a notebook computer or a desktop computer, here are some things to think about before making your decision.
Performance – A notebook computer can perform as well as a full-size desktop. Even if you demand high performance for CAD work, photo or video editing or desktop publishing, a notebook can perform at or near the level of a desktop computer. Fully featured notebook computers are available for as little as $500.
Portability – You can take a notebook computer almost anywhere. The size of most notebooks ranges from the “ultra-portable” category of around 2 pounds, to the “desktop replacement” category of about 5–6 pounds. Since almost all notebook computers come with wireless networking built-in, you can surf the Internet without a network cable plugged into the back. Also, the higher-end models can operate for over 8 hours (extended battery models) which means you could have your desk or home office in a place where electricity is scarce.
Reasons you may want to consider a desktop computer:
Performance – A notebook computer has some limitations that may make you want to consider a desktop. With high-performance desktop computers that have tons of RAM and the latest state-of-the-art processors running at blazing speeds, you’ll always be able to configure a more powerful desktop computer than a notebook. You may want a desktop to handle heavy use of video or audio editing software (as you might find in a professional studio).
Desktop computers generally have more physical space inside their housings so you can add additional hard drives for storage, or an extra DVD burner to copy DVD’s or CD-ROM’s. Also, it’s easier to configure multiple-monitor support with a desktop computer setup.
Upgradability – Generally it’s easier, simpler and more affordable to upgrade desktop computers than notebook computers. About the only thing you can upgrade (easily) on your notebook would be the RAM.
Security – You should take extra precautions to guard against notebook computer theft. There are many products available to help protect your data in case your computer is stolen. Also, make sure you fully understand how to use wireless networking safely to protect your notebook security when using it in a public location.
With the prices for well-equipped notebooks down below $1,000.00, it makes sense to get a notebook computer over a desktop. Ask yourself “Would I ever like to use my computer anywhere else?” and if the answer is yes, then get a notebook.
Looking forward to backing up
Backing up your data is one of the most important things you can do on your computer. If you’ve ever lost a critical document, or a digital family photo album, you understand the pain, difficulty and cost of trying to recover that data. If you lose data and haven’t backed up, call these guys: Disaster Recovery Group. I’ve used them for clients in the past and they’re the best in the business. Consider this when developing a backup strategy:
A thumb drive is ideal for storing smaller files.
- Figure out the amount of storage you’ll need. For storage hogs—usually digital photos, videos or music—invest in one or more external USB drives with a large capacity to copy/backup your files for storage in a separate location. These devices cost around $125 for 500GB of storage capacity. Buy more than one so you can have a “rotating” backup—one for each day or large project.
- Invest in several “thumb drives”—small USB mass storage devices that will hold between 4 and 16 Gigabytes each—for as little as $15 each. They’re ideal for storing documents, databases, or accounting information, when files sizes are relatively small.
- Back up your data daily which allows you to restore from your most recent backup and go back several days to restore from an older file. This could be a life saver if you had made a critical accounting mistake and needed to roll back to an earlier time.
- Use an “online backup” website to automatically backup your files to a secure Internet location. These sites use 128-bit encryption and you control the password. The best bet is Mozy (and it’s free). This website is easy to navigate and set up with your backups. You can even access and restore your files from any computer that’s connected to the Internet. They offer up to 2 Gigabytes of online backup storage for no charge, no gimmicks!
- When you’re backing up your computer, an important note is to backup only the files and settings that you have created and NOT your programs or operating system. This will only take up unnecessary space and waste a lot of time in your backups.
Sidetracking hackers
I’m going to help you understand the techniques that a hacker might use to learn your password and gain access to your personal information. Among the common methods are:
- Brute force attack—with some email systems and computer networks, the hacker can use a program that will try using every word in the dictionary—one at a time—to gain access to your account. This can be done automatically with a program and alert the hacker when access to an account has been granted. It won’t work against most Internet-based accounts, but it can be successful in hacking into your home or corporate network if proper security measures aren’t in place.
- Educated guess—by knowing a lot about you, a hacker can make educated guesses as to what you might have used for a password, generally using commonly known information about yourself or your family members. It’s best to stay away from these types of passwords all together.
- Trojan Virus installed keystroke logger—This is one that is easy to defend against using a viable anti-virus software program that is current and up-to-date (see previous article). If you suspect that you’re a victim of this virus or that someone has been able to install a “keylogger” program to your computer, ask a professional to scan detect and remove the program. Then change all your passwords immediately after the virus has been removed from your computer.
- Things to avoid:
- Don’t use the ‘remember password feature’ on your computer or internet browser.
- Don’t enter a password on any website that does not have SSL enabled on their website. Look for the “HTTPS://” in front of the web address. If there’s not an ‘S’ after the HTTP, then it’s not secure.
- Don’t use those “password valet” programs that store all your account information and passwords. If something happens to your machine (laptop stolen, irrecoverable hardware failure, etc…) you may lose access to your passwords altogether, or you may have just provided a hacker or thief with easy access to all your Internet-based accounts.
- Don’t answer truthfully to the “security questions” that most websites use for retrieving your password in the event you lose it. If you do, then it’s pretty easy for a hacker to guess his way into getting your password. Either make up your own question as many websites allow you to do, or come up with a set of answers to the commonly asked questions that are completely unrelated to the actual question (i.e. Q: what is your mother’s maiden name? A:Chicken Cordon Bleu).
- Don’t use the same password for everything, if you do and that password is discovered, then a potential hacker could wreak havoc on your financial and personal life that would be hard to recover from.There are many articles that talk about passwords and Internet security. Here are a few great links that might be of interest:
Let’s talk passwords
You may have at least 5 different websites or Internet accounts that require you to enter a password including:
1. Your network logon
2. Your Internet banking account
3. A credit card company (or two)
4. Your Internet-based email account
5. Your eBay or PayPal account
You probably use a password that’s close to you—your dog’s name, your grandkid’s name, or your first phone number—that’s easy to remember. It’s natural to use a password that you won’t forget, but could a hacker gain access to that password through some simple and logical approaches?
Anything connected to you personally is an easy password for someone to “guess” if they’ve targeted you as a victim. To defend yourself, you should use some basic techniques to prevent anyone from easily guessing your password (including through google search, face book or even your trash).
- A password—use at least 8 characters—should contain a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and a unique character or two (i.e. %, $, #, ^, &).
- Don’t base your password on a commonly known or easily accessible attribute about yourself or your personality. DO use a randomly generated password, or base your password on something that is ONLY known to you.
- Use a common word but use an alternate spelling (including special characters or numbers substituted for letters – use “&” for the letter “X”, or “$” for the letter “S” for instance) to make common spellings hard to guess.
- Change your password(s) on a regular basis. About every 90 days is prudent. Some Internet banking or credit-card online accounts will prompt you to change your password periodically.
Fighting viruses
Anti-virus software is an unfortunate necessity in today’s world that you shouldn’t be without. There are a number of different packages out there and most are pretty decent at catching and curing the bugs that can wreak havoc on your systems. Here’s a great review site with in-depth reviews of the top 10.
You might think that the only two out there are McAfee and Norton, but there are literally dozens to choose from. When you’re selecting the one that’s right for you, try not to get caught up in a lot of bells and whistles and extra unnecessary features. Anti-virus software is a program that runs constantly in the background of your operating system. The more features, bells and whistles that it has, the more possible it is that it will interfere with your operating system’s performance.Here are some things to remember when setting up the antivirus software on your computer:
- Anti-virus software licenses are usually good for 1 year at a time— think of it as a subscription rather than “buying” the software.
- If you don’t have an “always on” internet connection (like Cable or DSL), then you might want to make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date with the latest virus definitions. This is a process that your software should do on a daily basis by connecting to the Internet.
- Be sure that your anti-virus software is configured to run a full scan periodically to be sure there are no contaminated files on your computer.
Keeping Your Computer Safe
H.O.T. tip: Download this FREE, fully functional anti-virus software program. This is not an internet-based “scan only” of your system, but a full-blown anti-virus software that will do a very good job of protecting your system. The catch? It’s a light version of the company’s fully featured product offering and they naturally hope that you’ll upgrade to the full enchilada.
Getting H.O.T. for less than $1,000
It’s possible to set up and configure a functional, up-to-date technology package for your home office for less than $1,000. Start by analyzing the basic technology components that make up most home offices: computer, fax machine. printer, scanner, telephone, telephone service, Internet service, productivity software, surge suppression/battery backup, and useful accessories.
Computer –You don’t need the “latest and greatest” system to avoid technological obsolescence because today’s basic systems function longer than before. That means even a low priced model will have plenty of horsepower to serve the needs of even a heavy computer user. To give you an example, I’ve selected a Dell Vostro 220 unit that comes complete with a 19” LCD monitor, keyboard, mouse, and DVD Burner for only $399.00.
Fax/printer/scanner – When you select a printer, you need to determine what type of printing or work you will be doing most of the time. Let’s assume we need a multi-function machine capable of faxing, printing and scanning and that we’ll be producing mostly text and documents (we won’t need color). That means we can purchase a laser-based, multi-function device that will drastically reduce the cost per page over time. I’ve allowed in the budget, $179.99 for the Brother DCP-7040 at BestBuy for a printer.
Telephone –Decide if you want multiple lines or a single line with call waiting for your office. Regardless, you should pick a model with an excellent quality speakerphone. I’m not including wireless in this equation but you can add a wireless headset to most models as a future upgrade. Don’t go for the bells and whistles of a combo, all-in-one digital answering machine. Instead, select a basic model with an excellent speakerphone. I recommend the ATT model ATT983, available for less than $40.00.
Telephone service – This can be a very costly and difficult decision. (Look back at my post about MagicJack, the Internet phone solution that can save you a bundle.) It will be compatible with this setup and offer you a tremendous amount of features for a very low cost of $20 per YEAR. The device is $39.95.
Internet service –In a home office, you need technology and the Internet to conduct business. Don’t skimp on a high-quality broadband connection. The three main options you’ll likely find are: Cable, DSL (from phone company) or a High-Speed Broadband card from a local cellular provider such as Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T. These cards are especially useful if you’re in a rural area. They’ll be compatible with your Internet based phone solution recommended above. Since this is a recurring monthly cost item, in my estimate I’ll account for only the first month of service ($59.95).
Budget so far: $720 spent, $280 remaining.
Productivity software –Most home offices need accounting, word processing, basic spreadsheet design, and some graphics or presentation work software. There’s a great, FREE alternative to expensive software out there called OpenOffice. It’s comparable to the Microsoft Office Suite of products and provides a good quality solution for word processing, spreadsheets, data management, and basic graphics and presentations. The files can be saved in an open format, exchanged with users of the other popular software package, and you can open and read their documents as well. (Watch for a review of this software soon.) Next is an accounting package and hands down, I recommend Quickbooks Pro. It can handle even the most challenging accounting practices and makes it simple for a non-accountant to take care of their books. Total software cost: $99.00.
Surge suppression/battery backup –Buy a battery backup device (often overlooked in a home office) that will also provide surge suppression. It needs to provide enough power in an emergency to properly shut-down your system and preserve your data. A 750VA (measurement of the capacity of the battery) system will be sufficient and available through BestBuy for $99.99.
Useful accessories –With the remaining $80, I’d go for a descent set of speakers for the computer (not included above) for $19.99, a decent mouse pad for $4.99, and a web cam (great for calling the grandkids or family!) for $29.99.
As you can see, it’s possible to configure a highly functional and up-to-date system for less than $1,000. If my math is correct, we still have enough left over for lunch!
More safe surfing
Here are some more common sense tips for staying safe while using free public access to the Internet:
- Always be cautious of what you enter into your Internet browser and be observant of the https:// (padlock) when using email or commerce websites.
- Be sure your personal firewall is on and active for your wireless connection (see links below for more details).
- Be sure you have an up-to-date antivirus software package installed and running to prevent attacks from known viruses or trojans.
- Watch for people looking over your shoulder who might be watching you enter passwords or usernames for sensitive websites. This can be just as dangerous as a hacker.
- If you have any reason to believe that a password has been compromised, change it immediately (making sure you are secure when doing so). All online email and commerce websites with accounts have provisions to make this easy.
- Use complex passwords that incorporate at least 8 alphanumeric characters with a mixture of capitalization and special characters. For example, instead of ‘password’ try “Pa$$w0rD”. A password should be something that you can remember but others find hard to guess.
- Change your passwords periodically on websites with sensitive information, i.e. personal email accounts, banking websites, ebay or paypal, etc.
Stay safe, be smart and surf with confidence
These days, many locations including airports, coffee shops, libraries, and even some municipalities offer free public access to the Internet. The danger with these “open” networks is the lack of knowledge by many people about how they work. I’ll provide you with a basic understanding of how the wireless networks work, and the tools that you can use to protect yourself so that you can take advantage of them and remain safe.Any public Wi-Fi hotspot that allows users to freely connect and surf the web do not use any type of security or encryption methods for the transfer of data between your machine and the Internet. This is by their very nature and design. How do you know if you’re on an unsecured network? If you can connect and surf the web in a public location without the need to enter a password or “encryption key”, then you can be sure you are in an unsecured environment.
The types of risk are twofold and include “Snoopers” and “Hackers”:
•Snoopers may be monitoring this type of clear text traffic in hopes of gathering information. Usually they’re not seeking to gather sensitive data, but if the opportunity presents itself, they may take advantage. Snoopers are relatively easy to defend against. While you can’t be sure to conceal every Google search you enter, you can be safe when using online email programs like Hotmail or Gmail, or commerce based websites like Amazon or eBay. Most of these commercial sites, including banking sites or other account-based websites, use SSL technology to encrypt your data when communicating with their network. To be sure that you are on a secure website, look for the ’s’ at the end of the “Http://” in the address bar (https://). This will also be accompanied by a small “padlock” icon in the title bar indicating that you are in a secure website. Be careful not to enter a username or password on ANY screen that does not show this https:// along with the padlock.
•Hackers may see your machine on the network and try to access data and other personal information stored on your computer. A Hacker is a more insidious intrusion into your computer, but it is equally easy to defend against. However, it does require a little more knowledge and understanding of your computer’s operating system. You must install a personal Firewall. Windows Vista, for instance, comes with a built-in personal firewall that will prevent these external intrusions as long as it is active. You can learn more about this at Microsoft’s website. At the bottom of this article are some links to other website articles talking about public wireless safety.
Here are some links below to additional information about safe surfing in the public Wi-Fi world:
Microsoft Security
OUT-LAW.COM
Wireless.gump.org
Telephone Magic
MagicJack may be the best little invention in years. This small USB device (between $39-$69, depending on where you buy it) plugs directly into your computer and becomes a normal telephone jack that can be used anywhere you have an Internet connection and a computer. MagicJack includes a phone number (multiple area codes are available) with Caller ID, Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, and more. All local and long-distance calls are completely free of charge and your monthly phone bill is virtually eliminated. The cost for maintaining your number is currently only $19.95 per year, not per month.
Pros:
Cons:
place and receive calls
more than one computer
phone service. Be sure you have a good machine that’s tuned up!
Verdict:
Hands down, this is one of the best technology values available today. If you need to get up and running fast with a new phone number, but you don’t want to spend the $50-$100 per month for conventional phone service, then this will work perfectly for you. And it will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year.
Picking a printer
Making the decision between an inkjet printer and a laser printer is as simple as calculating the cost per page for how much you print. On average, a monochrome Laser Printer will cost about 10 times less per page than an inkjet printer. In many cases, the cost of a laser printer is higher than an inkjet printer, but depending on your usage, it can end up being much less expensive in the long run. Let’s say that you print around 10 pages a day, about 250 days a year, for a total of 2,500 pages. At a cost per page of about $.09 for an inkjet printer, you would spend about $225 or more in ink for the year. At that rate, you might go through 1 toner cartridge per year at a cost of around $45 (for a low-yield toner cartridge). You can see how quickly the cost of inkjets can add up.
Color laser printers are more expensive, yet the same cost savings per page applies to them when compared to inkjet color printing. However the higher quality inkjet photo printers will produce superior results when generating photographs.
There are a lot of printer choices out there so:
•Go with a name brand.
•Go with a store that has a good return policy in case you realize
your decision wasn’t right the first time (COSTCO is my favorite!).
•Consult with an expert and don’t rely on the advice of the 17 year
old “geek” behind the counter at the local electronics store.
Other things to consider when purchasing a printer or multi-function device for your home office:
•How often and how much do you print?
•Do you need the ability to fax and copy as well?
•Do you need the ability to print in color?
•Do you need the ability to scan documents? Do they need to be in
color?
•What type of color do you print most…business graphics or
photographs?
•How much space do you have in your home office for your printer?
Unleashing your printer
Many new printers, including some of the all-In-one models that are either inkjet or laser, come in a wireless offering that will work with the wireless router you may already have in your home.
PROS:
•Ultra convenient…printer doesn’t have to connect your workstation or laptop.
•Everyone in the house can have easy access to the printer
•Can be located anywhere you have power. (I keep mine in a closet
since I don’t print that much. It keeps the clutter down.)
•Relatively easy to set up, if you follow instructions well!
•Inexpensive and doesn’t cost much more than the normal printer
without wireless
CONS:
•Some models are harder to set up than others
•Not available on EVERY model printer (see Wireless Print Servers
from LINKSYS for a solution to this)
