Even Google is vulnerable to losing data.  150,000 email account email gone!

Article Here

Ways to protect yourself

1. Forward your email account to a secondary account just for backups.  Simply setup a forward
2. Use an IMAP client such as Outlook or Thunderbird and backup the local mail files on your computer.  This will keep the messages on your computer as well as the email server
3. Use an online archive.  Not free, but may be worth the $20 or less per month

Just think what would happen today if you lost all of your email, calendars and contacts?

Labels: gmail lose email deleted email archive google

The first ever nation wide broadband (cable, dsl ,etc..) map.

You can search it.

Analyze the data.

Check it out

http://www.broadbandmap.gov/technology

Labels: national broadband map

If you use Facebook, 1 in 13 people do.  Be very careful.  There is yet another phishing scam going around.

At 2010's end, we saw a run of phishing links being sent around via the chat feature. We're seeing a new run at the moment. The following links are sent (from hijacked accounts) through chat messages and posts on the Walls of randomly selected friends:

  •  http://apps.facebook.com/dealscentral[...]/dsuguo[...]/
  •  http://apps.facebook.com/reallytimeto[...]/
  •  http://apps.facebook.com/backseatdriver[...]/
  •  http://apps.facebook.com/fishingfor[...]/

The links look as if they would go to an App, but they instead just take the user to pages that look like the real Facebook log-in page:

The pages are fake.  They are designed to steal your username and password.  Nothing fancy.  Just be aware and stay alert!


Read the view article here

Labels: facebook phishing scam alert

Today, right now! check your backups.  If you are not doing backups, do one now!

Personally back up the following items

1. iPod
2. iPhone / Smartphone
3. Music (iTunes)
4. Pictures
5. Important Documents (school papers, will, legal, scanned papers, etc...)
6. Software you purchased online

Professional back up the following items

1. Exchange Mailboxes, Logs and Database
2. SQL and MySQL databases
3. Employee Files
4. Email
5. Accounting Software Files
6. Web Site Files
7. Server Files

If you feel real ambitious, try restoring a file or files.  And if you really want to sleep good at night, grab a spare server and test how long it will take to get your whole server back up and running the way it is today.  Reward yourself or your team if they can do it by lunch!

Labels: backup everything now

Middle Atlantic Products has put out a new product.  A UPS that you can monitor and control ALL eight outlets individually via IP.

View what device is pulling what amount of power.  You could even hook it up to MRTG to graph the power usage.

Check out their site for more information

Labels: ups middle atlanitc products

"RIM is allegedly prepping the QNX-based operating system running their forthcoming PlayBook tablet to run Android applications, according to a Bloomberg article. As RIM has stated that the QNX platform will run at least some of its upcoming smartphones as well, this could cinch Android's status as the lingua franca of smartphone application environments, especially with BlackBerry's current market leadership and Android's explosive marketshare growth."

Labels: blackberry android apps

A great way to save money on hardware is to buy from the manufacturer's outlet.  You can by refurbished systems at a fraction of the original cost.  Here are links to DELL's, HP's and Apple's online outlet store

DELL

HP

APPLE

Labels: dell hp apple outlet refurbished

We have all fallen victim to losing files, pictures, music, etc...

Why?  Lazy? Cheap?

There are many affordable solutions available now to backup your laptop and desktop.

There is a company Backblaze that offers UNLIMITED backups for only $5 per month per computer.

The software is simple.  You select what you want backed up and how often and it will do it.  The limitation will be your Internet connection's upload speed.

Send important items first.  Test restoring files to get comfortable with the process as well as the reliability of the system.  Their software works on both MAC and PC.

Bottom line, have an online (off-site) backup solution.  $60 / year is worth it for the peace of mind.

Labels: online backup backblaze backups

With the iPhone 4 making it's debut with Verizon wireless tomorrow.  What will be different than the iPhone with At&t wireless?

Several things.  Some better, some not so...

1. Verizon claims dropped calls will not exist.  This is the most common frustration with current iPhone users on At&t's network
2. Price is the same for the device
3. Antenna.  Verizon uses CDMA.  Not compatible with At&t.  You cannot use your At&t phone with Verizon and vice versa.
4. Verizon allows you to use the iPhone as mobile hotspot.  Meaning you can use your iPhone with your laptop or mobile device to browse the Internet
5. The biggest downfall with Verizon will be the fact that you cannot talk on the phone AND use the Internet at the same time.  Voice and data will have to be done separately.

Learn more here

Labels: iphone verizon att

Recycling is great, but Precycle is even better.

Stop your postal junk mail

Plant five trees

Get two energy efficient light bulbs

Get a great reusable bag

In one easy package!


http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/precycle-offer.html?campaign=tv-precycle

Labels: precycle recycle trees

A lot of business owners always want to know what their market thinks about something.  How much they would pay for something, the best way to word their marketing/advertising, what features do they feel are important, etc...

Wouldn't it be great to have a focus group assembled with people that meet your specific requirements?  Want woman, 25-35, with children, etc...

Ask them 10 questions and then get all of the answers to review?

Well now you can and very economically.

A service http://askyourtargetmarket.com/ does just that

AYTM allows you to create online surveys and present them to our built-in consumer panel for rapid responses to your target market research. Define your target market, launch your online survey, have results within hours.

Check them out.  It will save time and money.  No need to wait and see how things will work.  Ask upfront.

Labels: aytm askyourtargetmarket.com focus group market research

As of Feb. 3rd the last net blocks of IPv4 addresses have been allocated.

Read more about the story in the following article

Last blocks of net addresses get handed over by BBC NEWS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12367484


JW
Spiderhost

A great tool for companies trying to better target their customers and prospects is Flowtown.

Flowtown enables you to enter any email address, and the system instantly reports back where and how that address is connected on the social Web.

It allows you to drill down to a granular level to get the insight you are looking for.

“Should we be on Twitter, or Facebook, or Linkedin, or YouTube, or some other places?” Flowtown gives you the answer in seconds.


So, if you want to instantly send an email to only your customers that are on Facebook, inviting them to become fans of your brand there, you can do it in minutes using Flowtown’s existing integration with MailChimp.
The fee for up to 75,000 sent emails per month is just $99.97.

A great aricle on Flowtown can be found here

Flowtown's web site can be found here

Labels: facebook, flowtown, social media, target marketing, twitter

If you have a virus, malware, software challenge or need help with your desktop or laptop there are two virtual options for you.  Instead of traveling to a local computer store or a big box store for support, you can have a trained professional log into your computer remotely to remedy the situation.

The two companies are iYogi and support.com.

iYogi 

This company will remote into your computer remotely to troubleshoot.  You talk to them on the phone while they are in the computer.  They typically pinpoint the challenge in 15 minutes.  They charge $170 per year for unlimited support.  You just can't beat that price.

They are based out of India

Low cost leader

http://www.iyogi.net/

 
Support.com

Support.com asks more questions than iYogi.  There response time was slightly longer than iYogi to talk to the initial rep.  They offer the same service.  Their pricing starts at $199 per year for unlimited support.  They also charge a small setup fee.

They are based out of North America

U.S.A. Based

http://support.com


These are virtual options.  If you need someone to come out to your office or home you may want to use a local computer store or one of the big box stores.  They will be able to put their hands on the computer and replace and/or fix hardware.  But if it is a challenge that can be fixed remotely one of the two options above will definitely work.

Labels: desktop and laptop support iyogi support.com virtual i.t.