PROS

1. Email and Calendar are very intuitive. Email has been in the palm of our hands for years with devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry, and Smartphones. However, the iPad takes mobile email to a whole new level. You can scan through previews of each email and select the one you want to read with ease. Another great feature is that when you add applications such as PDF readers, Pages, Quick Office, or iAnnotate, you have the option to open attachments in any of the installed corresponding programs. The Calendar has multiple views, and appointments are color-coded depending upon the type of calendar. For instance, if you have multiple calendars – Personal & Work. Adding an appointment with attendees is simple. Syncing with Microsoft is a no brainer.

2. The ability to take notes with applications called PenUltimate and iAnnotate. I take notes in different digital notebooks and then email the page after the meeting with follow-up, etc. I also like that with the application, iAnnotate, you can actually sign documents without having to print them out. This is critical for someone who needs to sign a lot of contracts or edit/fill out a lot of PDF documents.

4. Ample Battery Life. I got on a plane leaving San Francisco at 7:30AM and got arrived after a layover to Philadelphia at 7:00PM and still had 20% battery life remaining. I would say I worked on the plane, but I mostly played Card Shark.

5. Landscape Feature. The landscape feature makes reading attachments, books, and websites easier.

6. The App Store. Having the App Store readily accessible makes solving problems convenient.

7. Pay for what you need. You are not locked into a contract – you can buy bandwidth as you need it. For example, if you want to go on vacation and you don’t think you will use a lot of cellular that month, you can just stop it. Bandwidth is purchased in Unlimited or 250MB packages.

CONS

1. Flash is unavailable. I realize that this feature was avoided to increase battery life and performance, but I hate that I need to boot up my laptop to surf certain websites.

2. Pages is OKAY. This application is practical for someone who is just creating a basic document. However, if you are trying to edit a word document, it just simply doesn’t work. The document imports with a totally different look and feel.

3. The External USB Keyboard is not efficient. You have to initiate the keyboard every time you want to use it. The feel of the keyboard and the use of it with applications not specifically created by Apple work, but not consistently.

4. A few design frustrations. The glass screen easily displays fingerprints, and the Apple case is durable, but makes it hard to access the side controls.

CONCLUSION

All in all, the iPad is a great tool, but many day-to-day functions leave a lot to be desired.

Rick Crane, President & CEO, GoBeyond IT

Spyware

In response to the staggering growth of spyware, a small industry specialized in anti-spyware software has emerged. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security practices for computers.

For instance, statistics have shown that nearly 90% of all computers are affected by spyware. To put it in perspective, that is virtually everyone with an Internet connection!

Protect your personal information and stay safe online by following these quick and easy security tips provided by LAVASOFT:

1. Be sure to have anti-spyware, anti-virus, anti-spam and firewall software, and always have Windows auto-update turned on.
2. Only go to websites you trust. Be cautious of free, file-sharing programs, which are often bundled with sneaky spyware.
3. Read all End User License Agreements and Privacy Statements carefully before installing new software.
4. Never click “Agree” or “OK” to close a pop-up window – that can trigger spyware. Only click on the red “x” in the corner or click on Alt + F4 to close the window safely.
5. Update your software regularly to make sure you have all the latest security updates.
6. Use an updated Web Browser to make sure you’re taking advantage of its current safety features. Firefox or Opera are great alternatives that may help lower your risk of malware attacks.
7. Adjust your Browser security settings to Medium or Higher.
8. Do not let other people use your computer.
9. Be wary of e-mail attachments and links in both e-mail and instant messages. Use caution even when the message appears to come from a safe sender, as identity information in messages can easily be spoofed.
10. Secure sensitive online information through file encryption software.
11. Be cautious about giving out your personal information to anyone. Find out why the information is needed, and if it’s absolutely necessary to give out.
12. Shred digital documents that contain personal or financial information before discarding them. This prevents hackers from bypassing information that has not been permanently deleted from your computer.
13. Choose secure passwords with both numbers and letters. Never use birthdays, family or pet names.
14. Never log into your bank or other financial accounts from public computers or from wireless networks where login information can be stolen.
15. Stay alert to the latest scams. Awareness and caution are effective methods to counter fraud.
16. Share security tips you learn with friends and family.

In addition to the advice above, please check out the list below for specific software programs that we currently recommend to our clients:

Malwarebytes has developed a variety of tools that can identify and remove malicious software from your computer. You can download a free version or the full version, which unlocks more enhanced features.

UnHack Me is specifically designed to detect and remove Rootkits. A rootkit is a program that installs a “backdoor” on a computer or network, giving a hacker full control. It hides files, registry keys, and network connections from your eyes. This program is free, but is usually for more advanced users.

Lavasoft Ad -Aware combats the most complex forms of malware, protecting you from viruses, spyware, trojans, rootkits, keyloggers, password stealers, and much more. Minimal strain on system resources and advanced real-time detection technology.  A free version is available along with Business, Pro and Plus.

AVG is an anti-virus software that keeps you safe from harmful sites, provides protection against viruses and spyware, and has automatic updates to ensure consistency and efficiency.  There are both free and upgraded versions.

Spy Sweeper provides the most comprehensive anti-spyware solution available – continuous monitoring, advanced detection, automatic defense updates, and free customer support.  Starts at $39.95/year for up to three computers.

Please keep in mind that these programs need to be updated regularly, and not all of them are needed simultaneously. Only one is sufficient depending upon your needs, and some programs can identify more malware than others. We do recommend, however, that if you were to get an “infection” on your computer, that you should run a combination of these programs to ensure all viruses are found and removed.

Surf safely. Secure your network.

What is the other half?  Testing. Testing does two things for your recovery strategy: it identifies weaknesses, and it alerts you to misconceptions about your overall strategy. Weakness in a plan is just that, weakness.  It is common to see people try to gloss over or even hide deficiencies that appear during testing.  Don’t be afraid of the results and don’t avoid them.  Fix them. Finding hidden problems is the point of carrying out exercises and scenarios.  It is so much easier to find solutions to issues in a non-production environment than it is to do it when you are in a real situation.

Misconception is another concept that can be lost in testing.  What I mean by misconception, is you might think that you have an air tight plan.  You know all of your dependencies and have accounted for every possible problem.  Don’t be so sure.  I have carried out testing on a system and had it go smoothly with little issue.  Then the next time I conduct the same test, it fails because one of the dependencies has changed and no one thought to update the plan.

If you have not previously worked in a Disaster Recovery capacity, creating plans and testing scenarios may seem like a difficult task.  It can be.  I will not try and tell you it is not.  Much of the information that is available is not easy to find, and many times what you find is only a portion of an entire concept.  Having no clear starting point and some (but not all) of the information you need, can lead to endless frustration.

One way to make sure that all of your time, effort, and money are not wasted is to employ the help of an outside resource, like a consultant or vendor.  Assistance with planning and testing from an outside company has many advantages: They are 100% focused on your needs and goals.  This means that you will need minimal internal resources to assist. They have gained invaluable experience from working in multiple environments.  Many times an experienced IT services company can provide solutions and offer insights that you would never have thought of yourself. Everything that they offer equals times savings, which can add up to cost savings over time.

Vendors are in the business of supplying solutions. If you purchase a backup or recovery solution from a third party, they will often offer additional services that fall right in line with planning and testing those solutions.  Some vendors will even work with existing recovery plans and integrate their product solution right into it for you.  It is in a solution provider’s best interest to have complementary services like this.

Photo Credit: Network 24

Matthew Shallue, Disaster Recovery Specialist and Systems Administrator, Financial Industry.

You can find more of Matthew’s work on his blog, Disaster Admin.

The local weather report said “blizzard by week’s end.” As the week progressed, folks were even calling this the “Storm of the Century,” and “Snowmagedeon.” After much consideration, I sent a company-wide e-mail Thursday night, informing them that Friday would be a snow day. You see, a “snow day” for us means that all phones are forwarded, all systems are available via online desktops, and it is business as usual. Our teams can collaborate via Instant Messenger, and we can share files and computer screens using tools like Skype and GoToMeeting, etc. Short of meeting with clients face-to-face, we are still able to conduct face-to-face meetings via webcams and GoToMeeting. I even conducted my first Skype to Skype video interview for a potential Project Manager. I am happy to report she has been hired.

Now, what does it take to create a successful “snow day?” Well, besides 27 inches of snow, you must examine all areas of the operation to determine what job functions simply can’t be done without being present in the office. Additionally, consider what functions can’t be done without utility services to your office. You may ask, “Why start from what can’t be done?” Well, most folks take care of the obvious elements, but forget things like phone forwarding, remote access, client notifications, and alternative methods for simply getting business done.

This snow day has caused us to review our current plan for what we call “work from home,” and determine what worked and what didn’t. I highly recommend, while it is still fresh in everyone’s mind, to have a meeting with key personnel to discuss the impact of the storm on both the business and your employees. Did your employees feel connected? Connected with a purpose? Did they feel out of touch? Or, did they fall right in line?

An idea that resulted from our recent snow day was the ability to train our professional staff online, while working from home. Think about it. Everyone who is in production, accounting, or finance, needs to refine or update their skills every so often. What better time to do this then on a snow day. Another idea was the thought of creating a list of items to do on a snow day. This is a list compiled of things that would be ideal to finish, but are not necessarily high priority. For example, we are currently testing an Online Forms Tool. I spent last Friday working with the service provider in California to set this up. This is something that probably wouldn’t have gotten done without a snow day.

So I ask, how productive was your company’s snow day?

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Rick Crane, President & CEO, GoBeyond IT

Upon further review, you need to dig deeper to see why their process works so well.  Let’s take a look. Jimmy Johns is a Culture and a way of doing business. Jimmy Johns success lies in the preparation to take care of the customer through proper planning and staffing. When you enter the store you are greeted immediately.  The cashier asks to take your order. Next to the cashier is the “breadman” who listens to the customer and begins to prepare the bread by cutting and garnishing the sandwich. He/She passes the sandwich to their teammate who puts the required meat on the sandwich, and then passes it to a third teammate who wraps it up for the customer. Meanwhile, the “breadman” is listening for the next order. This is all performed in sixty seconds or less.

How is it performed consistently? Two breads, seven meats, one cheese, and freshly prepared tuna.  No soups, no salads, no toasting of the bread, no hot foods. If you want cross selling, you can get chips, pickles, cookies, fountain sodas and bottled water.  That’s it! Jimmy Johns will not even offer you a bag or napkins for one sandwich.  They want you to go around to the end to get it yourself (but you would never notice that unless someone pointed it out for you).  Most people walk out the door with the sandwich in hand, no bag or napkins – paper product savings adds up! The process is so seamless that you don’t care about napkins or a bag. Your meal is delivered to you fast and it tastes great.

Why does this model work so well? SIMPLICITY! They are not spending millions of dollars trying to develop the next great bottled fruit spritzer with extra virgin pomegranate juices to try and capture 1/10th of 1% of market share.  They take the approach from Field of Dreams: “If you build it, he will come.”

Now, you might be asking yourself -”how does this relate to my business model?”  Have you spent so much time trying to invent, market and sell the next latest and greatest thing to come along, or are you focusing on your core competencies that establish and still run you business profitability today?  Are you lean and mean so that as the economy turns, you are poised for growth?

Our company is like the Jimmy Johns of the world in that we provide a simplistic approach to your technology. We focus on one thing and one thing only – we make sure your IT works, and works well.  We don’t do websites, we don’t do SEO, we don’t sell software! But, we will take care of your IT so you don’t have to. We deliver it fast, seamless, and I promise your meals will taste better as a result if IT!

Mike Gillett, Account Executive, GoBeyond IT