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The Best Laptop You Shouldn’t Own

For about $200 you’ll soon be able to buy a laptop that comes with a web browser, a word processor, camera, built-in wireless, flash memory, open source operating system, and more.

But this laptop, called the XO, wasn’t made for you, no matter how small your business is. It was “designed for the poorest and most remote children in the world,” by the non-profit group, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).

Its 433Mhz energy-efficient AMD processor is slow. It has no hard drive, CD, or DVD drive.  Your hands are too big for the child-size keyboard. You’d go nuts trying to run a business using this machine and its puny 7.5” screen.

But you can and should consider making a purchase. The XO will be available to buyers in the U.S. for a two-week period, from November 12  – 26.

Under a program called “Give 1 Get 1,” buyers can purchase two laptops for $399. One would be shipped to a child in a developing nation, and the other to the buyer.  If you have the budget, buy them – just have both units shipped overseas, to kids who can really use them.

On the web: www.laptop.org.

“No Virus Wednesdays” A Huge Hit!

More Than 900 Virus And Malware Infections Eradicated Thanks To Tech Experts’ Free In-Shop Scanning Service.

More than 900 virus and malware infections have been eradicated as a result of Monroe-based IT services company Tech Experts’ “No Virus Wednesdays” war on computer viruses, spyware and junk e-mail.

We are incredibly pleased with our results so far!

We’ve had more than a dozen PC users bring in their computers to be examined, and have successfully removed dangerous infections on all of the affected machines.

In July, Tech Experts announced its “No Virus Wednesdays” program, offering computer users basic spyware and virus removal services at no charge each Wednesday in July, August and September.

Since Wednesday tends to be our slowest day of the week, we decided it would be better for our techs to be destroying viruses and spyware instead of sitting around twiddling their thumbs. That’s why we decided to give away this valuable scanning and disinfecting service for FREE on Wednesdays.

It’s clear that PC infections are on the rise, and in many cases, computer users aren’t aware they’ve got a problem.

Several computers we repaired were infected with trojan-horse type malware, which was tracking the users activity on the Internet.

One machine alone had 493 distinct infected files!

Of the computers we have examined, half either did not have anti-virus software installed, or the anti-virus software was disabled or expired.

We’re obviously very concerned about how safe computer users are when they’re on the Internet which is why we’re extending our “No Virus Wednesdays” program through the end of the year.

The Tech Experts “No Virus Wednesdays” program works like this: Users who would like their computers checked and cleaned of spyware call Tech Experts’ special “No Virus Hotline” at 734-243-1500 and set up an appointment to drop off the computer late Tuesday afternoon, or first thing Wednesday morning.

The computer will be evaluated, disinfected, and available for pickup as soon as it is ready, usually late Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.

Computers will be checked for over 1000 types of spyware, thousands of different viruses, as well as Trojans and keyloggers.

Any malicious software that is discovered will be removed, and a complete report provided to the client.

By having users pre-schedule their appointments, the company can plan for this work and provide the service at no charge, while still maintaining its normal weekly workload.

FAIR WARNING: This free service is scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to Wednesday appointments only. Call right now for your appointment!

Survey: Success Tethered To IT Strategy

If you’re not a tech advocate, or realize the value of information technology (IT)  to your small business, it’s very likely your company will not expand as fast as you’d like or expect.

In fact a new survey of entrepreneurial mid-sized businesses, in which respondents shared insight on what moved their business ahead, notes that while recruitment, staff retention and meeting new regs are big business challenges, the top barrier is not understanding the importance of an IT strategy.

The “Business Rearview Mirror” survey ranks “managing IT to the best advantage” as the second key element in entrepreneurial success.

Small and medium sized businesses (SMB) and their tech leaders should integrate IT into the corporate strategy as early as possible. About 18 percent of respondents note that “not integrating technology into business strategy sooner” was the biggest mistake made.

And not only should SMB leaders endorse and support IT, but they should strive to be a techie and learn as much as they can—from what tech is available to what’s being used in the enterprise.

An SMB owner’s technology savvy seems to correlate directly to business success -73 percent of respondents who rate themselves as “total geeks” reported double-digit average annual growth in their businesses over the past five years.

Close to half (48 percent) of “total geeks” reported that their businesses reached the 100-employee milestone with in five years of launch, compared to just one-third of all survey respondents.

Seventy-four percent of respondents were “totally involved” in IT decision making during their companies’ early growth.

However, among the fastest growing firms (those reporting more than 20 percent average annual growth over the past five years) 49 percent reported they had a dedicated IT person or department on the payroll before they reached 100 employees in size, compared to just 24 percent for the entire survey population.

So by now can you guess the biggest business stumble SMBs make when it comes to IT?

The answer: “Not taking advantage of the technology acquired,” despite the fact that a majority ranked major technology applications for having the most significant impact to the bottom line.

That’s why it is so important for small and medium sized companies to have a trusted IT advisor, like Tech Experts.

(Special thanks to Judi Mottl of the Small Business Resource Blog, located at www.smallbizresource.com  for this article. )

Critical Bugs Plague Quickbooks Online Edition

The federal government’s cyberdefense arm has warned users of the popular QuickBooks small-business accounting software that they risk losing data and control of their PCs to hackers.

According to two advisories published by the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), the ActiveX control that enables Intuit Inc.’s QuickBooks

Online Edition contains flaws that attackers can exploit simply by getting users to view an HTML e-mail message or visit a malicious website.

Of the two bugs discovered and reported by US-CERT, the one spelled out here is the most dangerous. Not only could attackers seed a vulnerable Windows PC with malware, US-CERT, but “an attacker can also retrieve files from a victim’s PC.”

Copenhagen-based vulnerability tracker Secunia ApS ranked the vulnerabilities “highly critical,” its second-most serious threat rating.

QuickBooks Online Edition is a Web-based subset of the traditional on-disk software, and it uses a subscription pricing model that starts at $19.95 per month.

According to US-CERT, Version 9, and possibly those prior to that, contain the ActiveX vulnerabilities. US-CERT recommended that users update to Version 10 as soon as possible or, failing that, set the so-called “kill bit” to disable the control.

Doing that, however, means that users won’t be able to access QuickBooks Online through Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, the only browser supported by the service.

Intuit’s support site showed no mention of the bugs today. Ironically, one of the documents in the Online Edition’s support database, entitled “What is the ActiveX control for, and is it safe?” answers: “The short answer is yes, our control is safe.”

ActiveX vulnerabilities in non-Microsoft products are nothing new, of course. Just over a month ago, for example, a critical ActiveX flaw was spotted in Yahoo Widgets, a development platform that runs small, Web-based, gadget-like applications on Windows desktops.

Time Awasting? It Could Be Worse Than You Know

The ‘work’ day is supposed to be about 8.5 hours, with either a half or a full hour for lunch. That’s the expectation. With any small business every hour of that day is key to business.

So what would you do if you discovered your small staff or employees were whittling away at least an hour or two hours doing something other than work?

One to two hours a day equals five to 10 hours a week–with a small staff that could translate to a full week of workable hours down the drain.

Yet that’s what’s happening in business today. According to a recent InformationWeek article, workers are still spending too much time on other things such as:

Using the Internet for personal reasons, socializing with co-workers, conducting personal business and running errands on company time.

Software now exists which can monitor employee usage of the Internet, and report on activity such as browsing personal sites, downloading inappropriate content, and using email or instant messenger services for personal use.

Check Out Our New Online Client Portal

You may have noticed recently that our field work order format has changed. This is because we recently implented a new Professional Services Automation software system to manage our work flow and service contract processes more efficiently.

This new system also offers enhanced communication features, keeping you informed when work orders are opened, ticket statuses change, or orders are closed.

You can also initiate service requests through a special client portal, which also gives you access to historical ticket information, recent invoices, and the ability to update open tickets.

Five Steps To Integrating Your Small Business’ Computer Systems

Your small business is growing fast. Your technology needs are changing just as rapidly. But starting over with a totally new system isn’t an option – who can afford the downtime? Sometimes it can feel like needing to change a tire, but not being able to afford to stop your car.

A better solution is to replace components you’ve outgrown – such as software or a lower-end printer – and add them to the existing computer system.

Tech Experts relies on a methodical approach to integrating new technology for our clients – a five-step process that any small business can follow when adding PCs or software:

1: Identify the problem 
When your business sees its customer satisfaction, efficiency and employee satisfaction levels plummeting, you know it is time to make a change.

But even if your company isn’t experiencing bottlenecks, there may still be opportunities to improve overall efficiency.

We suggest companies start by looking at whatever they do repeatedly for customers. Then, seek out technology that can help the business do that work faster or better. Remember, inefficiency is expensive!

2: Determine What You Need
Once you’ve zeroed in on things needing improvement, the next step is finding the best technology for the situation. In most cases, small business owners shouldn’t be making such choices themselves, but many still try to “cobble it together.”

Whether you hire our firm, or another technology expert, we strongly advocate hiring an tech consultant to recommend equipment and a plan for the future.

We also advise sticking with name-brand hardware and software to avoid most major problems. Ninety percent of a small business’s needs can be handled by off-the-shelf products, many of which are already seamlessly integrated. Basically, this means that they’ll “play nice with other equipment.”

3: Develop a plan 
After selecting (us) as your computer experts, the next step is creating a plan for getting from where you are to where you need to be tech-wise. A timeline, equipment list and critical steps should be part of that plan, including how employees will be brought into the loop.

One of the key things business owners overlook is their personnel. While many employees may be ahead of the curve in their familiarity with different technologies, don’t assume everyone is. Some may actually be tech-averse. Don’t jump too far ahead with the technology. Take incremental steps and everyone can use the new features and benefit from them, rather than being frustrated.

4: Install the Equipment
Likewise, the fewer systems the better. Sixty percent of enterprise software sits on a shelf unused. Only invest in computers and software that will improve your company’s performance. Don’t implement technology for technology’s sake – do it to make more money.

Training should also be a part of your roll-out plan, as well as access to consultants for post support and maintenance.

5: Keep It Maintained 
Contracting with a professional computer company like Tech Experts and keeping software and hardware up-to-date will assure that your technology and your business run smoothly – and continue to grow together.
Give us a call today at (734) 457-5000, or send us an email at: sales@expertsmi.com.

Thank you!

Tech Experts Ranked Among The Top Five Percent Of Microsoft Solution Providers In U.S.

The results are in! Thank you to all of our valued clients who took the time to complete our third-quarter Microsoft Customer Satisfaction Survey.

We had a record number of clients participate this quarter, and we’re pleased to announce that Tech Experts achieved a Net Satisfaction Index (NSAT) score of 195 out of a possible 200. This places us within the top five percent of Microsoft partners in the United States.

The NSAT score is how Microsoft and Tech Experts measure customer satisfaction based on  weighted responses to survey questions.

Microsoft has introduced a third-party worldwide system that allows solutions partners to survey their clients using industry-proven methodology to track customer satisfaction.

Only Microsoft Certified and Gold Certified Partners are invited to participate in the survey, which is conducted quarterly by Palo Alto, California based TNS Prognostics.

If you have questions about the Customer Satisfaction Survey, or would be willing to participate in the fourth quarter survey, please call our office at (734) 457-5000, or send an email to info@expertsmi.com. Thank you again to all of our clients who participated! Watch for our next survey announcement, next quarter.

Lock Your Most Used Programs On The Windows Start Menu

The left panel of the Start menu consists of a divided list of programs that Windows XP thinks you’ll find handy: The pinned items list above the separator line, and the frequently used programs, displayed below the line.

By default, Windows XP places links to your Internet browser and e-mail in the pinned items list and will place as many as 30 shortcuts to the programs that you’ve recently used in the most frequently used programs list.

In order to really take advantage of the Start menu as a launching area for all the programs you use most often, you can configure the entire left panel as a pinned items list. Here’s how:

  1. Right-click the Start button and select the Properties command to display the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.
  2. Click the Customize button adjacent to the Start Menu radio button to display the Customize Start Menu dialog box.
  3. In the Programs panel, use the Spin button to set the Number Of Programs On The Start Menu setting to 0. Click the Clear List button.
  4. In the Show On Start Menu panel, you can clear the Internet check box because the Internet Explorer icon already appears in the Quick Launch menu by default, and maybe even the e-mail check box, depending on how you launch your e-mail application.
  5. Click OK twice—once to close the Customize Start Menu dialog box and once to close the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog boxes.
  6. Click the Start button and access the All Programs submenu.
  7. Locate and right-click on a shortcut to a program you use most often and select the Pin To Start Menu command.

You can pin up to 30 of your most-used programs to the Start menu, depending on your screen resolution setting. With your favorite programs on the pinned items list, you can really take advantage of the Start menu.

Please, Back Up Your Data!

All too often, we see clients who rarely, if ever, back up their critical data. And in all the years we’ve been repairing computers, we’ve never seen one break at a convenenient time. More often than not, your hard drive will fail at precisely the time you can least-afford to lose your data.

If all you use your computer for is occasional email or web browsing, a hard drive failure may not be too critical. But we’ll often go into a new client’s office and find their critical files aren’t being backed up, either locally on workstations, or on their server.

Even worse are those network installs we’ve encountered that don’t even include backup devices.

A recent issue of PC Magazine had an article on the nuts and bolts of data backup. It contained a lot of the same concepts that we’ve been preaching for eons and the highlights are worth repeating here.

  • Identify what you absolutely can’t afford to lose – photographs, financial information, address book, downloaded music, etc. – and ensure that they get backed up regularly.
  • For local computer and workstations, backup to compact disks if at all possible. They’re cheap, fast, safe and easy. If you have more data than will fit on a CD, go to DVD (which holds about 6 times more than a CD).  • If your files won’t fit on a DVD… think about a more professional backup system such as a REV drive from Iomega. If you have that much data, it is worth the investment in a professional backup solution to protect it.
  • Determine your optimal backup schedule by asking yourself how much data would be a hardship to reproduce if it were lost. Those who can’t afford to lose even one day’s work should back up every day. If recreating a week’s worth is no problem, then a weekly backup may do the trick. Either way, take the time to do the backup – recreating the data will take you much longer!
  • Store one copy of your data off-site. If your home or office burns down, backup disks that are sitting next to the computer won’t help you much.
  • Collect the installation CDs for all of your programs and store them together. Make copies of those disks that are critical to your business and keep them off-site.
  • Don’t be too quick to trash or overwrite older backups. If you encounter file troubles (data corruption or virus infection, for example), the most recent backup of that file may have the same problem.
  • Multiple solutions, such as daily back-ups on CD or DVD and weekly backups on a REV drive or tape system, give you more effective recovery and better protection.
  • Most consumer programs won’t copy files that are in use. Be sure to close all files before you run a backup. This is particularly important to note on server-based systems: You must invest in an open-file backup option for your backup system.
  • Check backups often to make sure they’re current (open the disk and verify the date of a recently used file). All too often, we hear horror stories from people who were convinced that they were backing up properly, only to find that nothing was actually being written to the disk or tape.

Backing up your important files can be painless. The same cannot be said of losing them. Give us a call and we’ll show how to make it quick and easy.