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Tech Tips

Safely Dispose Of Old Computers

Protect The Environment & Your Personal Information

With the new year upon us, many of you may have upgraded your old PCs for shiny new ones. So what should you do about that old PC left over?

Whatever you do, don’t just throw it into a dumpster! Not only is it an environmental hazard you could be fined for, but you also don’t want complete strangers getting access to your old files, passwords, financial information, and e-mails.

First, keep your old PC around for a few months until you are absolutely certain that you transferred all of the files and programs you needed to your new PC.

Next, you need to make sure the hard drive is wiped clean of any data you had stored on it — and simply deleting the files is not enough. We recommend you seek professional help in clearing the hard drive from any old PCs you are disposing of.

Finally, you may consider donating your old PCs to a charity such as Youth for Technology (www.youthfortechnology.org) or Computers With Causes (www.computerswithcauses.org). Many of these organizations will clean your hard drive to prevent identity theft, and you can write off the donation on your taxes!

Helpful Microsoft Office Keyboard Shortcuts

These Quick Key Combination Make Office Work Harder For You

Ctrl Z is the magic undo combo. It simply undoes your last action, say, the paragraph you accidentally erased (it works in other applications, too).

Programs vary in the number of times you can undo something, but some will let you Ctrl Z all the way back to the beginning. (And, yes, there is a redo command, just hit Ctrl Y.)

Ctrl B, Ctrl I, or Ctrl U apply bold, italics, or underline to highlighted text, respectively.

Ctrl P prints whatever is in an active window.

Ctrl Backspace erases an entire word at a time, instead of a letter.

Ctrl up or down arrows let you scroll an entire paragraph at a time, instead of one line, and Ctrl Shift up or down arrow will select an entire paragraph.

Ctrl Enter inserts a page break in Word.

Alt Ctrl C inserts the copyright symbol (Alt Ctrl R inserts the registered trademark symbol, and Alt Ctrl T makes the trademark symbol).

In Outlook, you can jump to the section you want: Ctrl 1 switches to the Mail window, Ctrl 2 switches to the Calender, Ctrl 3 to Contacts, Ctrl 4 to Tasks, and Ctrl 5 to Notes.

Ctrl Shift M starts a new message in Outlook. (Use Ctrl Shift C for a new contact.)

In Outlook e-mail, hit Ctrl N to compose a new message, Ctrl R to reply to a message.

In Microsoft Excel, you can select the entire column by pressing CTRL SPACEBAR, and select the entire row with  SHIFT SPACEBAR.

Tech Experts 2007 Holiday Gift Guide

Here’s our high-tech suggestions for the hard to buy for person on your list

It’s that time of year again. The time to spread peace, joy, and good will; the time to soak up the seasonal cheer; and the time to buy cool gadgets and devices for your company, your colleagues, your customers, your loved ones, and maybe even yourself.

These days, there is so much stuff out there that it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the choices. So, in the spirit of the holidays, we’ve looked high and low for the best gifts, gadgets, and goodies.

So, whether you’re looking to make communications smoother, boost personal productivity, make travel easier, deck out the company car, upgrade your workspace, or go green, there’s a gift for you in here somewhere.

Casio USB Label Mouse Printer, $29.95
The Casio USB Label Mouse Printer’s organizational beauty is that you can use it to print out thermal labels — directly from the mouse itself.

Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse, $145
The sleek MX Air from Logitech may sport a hefty price tag, but look at it this way, you don’t need a desk! It’s got a 30-foot range (which makes it great for presentations), and built-in volume controls.

Logitech G9 Laser Mouse, $99
Want to go old-school without getting archaic? The G9 Laser was designed for gamers, which means it’s all about not getting repetitive strain injury (RSI). Even if you’re using it to take over the real world rather than the World of Warcraft, this is still a safe option for maneuvering through your workday.

iRobot Red Vacuuming Robot, $149.99
The iRobot Roomba Red Vacuuming Robot detects dirt, can handle hardwood or carpet, won’t fall down the stairs, and is a breeze to turn on and let loose at the end of the day. It’ll even find its way back to its charger when the office is clean.

iTouchless Stainless Steel Hands-Free Infrared Trash Can, $99
Why use your foot, or your fingers, to toss out the trash. Keep your hands clean, and your office smelling cleaner, with this 13-gallon gadget. It uses infrared technology to automatically open the lid whenever a hand or trash passes within 6 inches.

USB Tape Dispenser Hub, $14.99
Running out of plug-in slots on your laptop or desktop? How about space on your desk for analog stuff that computers still can’t replace — like good old fashioned transparent tape? This gadget solves both those problems by combining a tape dispenser with a four-port USB hub.

WildCharger charging pads, $34.99 – 89.99
The WildCharger charging pad eliminates the need for power cords. Just get the right adaptor for your cell phone or iPod and place it on the pad to get it juiced up and ready to go.

Iomega Ego portable hard drive, $199.45
Back up your files and take them with you with this cool portable external hard drive, the Iomega Ego. It stores up to 250gb and fits nicely into a laptop bag or even a coat pocket.

Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router with Storage Link, $299
A great option for that special someone who wants to be connected and go wireless. The Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router with Storage Link uses two separate frequencies to help boost bandwidth.

Apple iPhone, $399
The iPhone simply is the gadget this year. Wi-Fi Internet access, instant messaging, brilliant color display, e-mail, touch screen, and, of course, all the music you need while you browse the Web or build a proposal on the run.

Nokia N95, $699, Nokia E61i Smartphone, $389
In a year that has brought us more than just a few amazing phone-like devices, the Nokia 95 gives you DVD-quality images, plus a GPS-powered, location-based search function (helpful on business trips and sales calls), a 5-megapixel camera, wireless connectivity to your PC, and so much more. At half the cost, the E61i Smartphone is a worthy alternative.

Free Report: What Every Business Owner Must Know About Protecting and Preserving Their Critical Data!

If You Depend on Your Computer Network to Run Your Business, This is One Report You Don’t Want to Overlook!

This report will outline in plain, non-technical English common mistakes that many small business owners make with their computer network that cost them thousands in lost sales, productivity, and computer repair bills, as well as providing an easy, proven way to reduce or completely eliminate the financial expense and frustration of these oversights.

You’ll Discover:

• The single most expensive mistake most small business owners make when it comes to protecting their company data.

• The universal misconception business owners have about their computer networks, and how it can end up costing between $9,000 and $60,000 in damages.

• 6 Critical security measures every small business should have in place.

• How to greatly reduce – or even completely eliminate – frustrating crashes, slow performance, and other annoying computer problems.

Get Your Free Copy Now by e-mailing info@expertsmi.com.

 

Creating Guest Accounts for Visiting Relatives

The holidays are right upon us and there’s a good chance some of your relatives will want to use your computer while visiting. If you want to give them access but don’t want them viewing your personal files, then you’ll need to set up a guest account. This will give them access to your programs, but not to your personal files. Here’s how…

Click the “Start” button then “Control Panel.” Double-click “User Accounts,” then click the “Guest Account” button. On the next window, click “Turn on the Guest Account.” That’s it! The next time you log on, you’ll be given a choice of your regular accounts or the Guest Account. Just have the in-laws select the Guest Account and your files are safe from their prying eyes.

If they’re really nosy, put a password on your account. Simply go back to the “User Accounts” window and click “Change an Account.” Choose your account, then click “Create a Password.” Enter the password twice, and a hint if you like. Finish by clicking “Create a Password” and repeat the steps for the accounts you want protected.

How To Make Your Business Website Pop!

5 Simple Tips Explain How To Distinguish Your Business Online

Untangling the mystery of the World Wide Web can be a lot like walking into quicksand: The more you get into it, the harder it is to get where you want.

Credit the sheer number of sites that populate the Web, creating clutter that makes it hard for small businesses to distinguish themselves.

Ultimately, it’s the business owners who devote time to their websites that reap the greatest rewards online.

Business websites are a lot like a car: If you don’t put gas in it and get regular oil changes, it won’t perform for you. The same goes for the Web, where sites that aren’t useful or current do little good for their owners.

One way to maximize your Web investment is through a process known as “search engine optimization” or SEO. This combines design elements, text, and keywords to ensure that the site gets the best recognition from the major search engines.

To maximize their SEO strategies, companies should define their niche market, then decide how they want that customer base to find them on the Internet.

Since it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish yourself online, here are five tips to make a splash on the Web:

1: Wow them from the first page. First impressions mean everything on the Web, so your site’s front page must shine in order to be effective.

A company’s front page should forgo bandwidth-heavy graphics and instead feature a bulleted list of services and a simple, readily accessible way to contact the company for an estimate or more information.

Subsequent pages can showcase your portfolio, testimonials from satisfied customers, and links to free e-newsletters.

2: Make it user-friendly. It’s age-old advice, but companies still aren’t adhering. Ease of use equates to both a pleasant visiting experience and marketing effectiveness. Use clear language, useful links, and navigation bars to steer customers in the right direction.

3: Make them eager to return soon. Attracting visitors is important, but persuading them to return is even more important.

Create long-term online customers by incorporating relevant self-assessment tests, surveys, and other tools with related products and services your business provides. This ensures an educational, interactive experience for the client and is a great marketing tool for your company.

Start with a simple biweekly newsletter, a blog, or a chat forum on a topic of interest to your customers.

4: Get back to basics. Browse through a few sites and you’ll quickly discover that accessing basic information can be a challenge.

To make sure your visitors don’t get turned off by poor navigation, broken links, and irrelevant information, be sure to give them a clear explanation of your product or service, making sure to highlight exactly what makes your firm and its offerings unique.

5: Give them the royal treatment. When designing your site, put yourself in your customers’ shoes. What do they want to see or know? What format most suitably presents this information? How can you keep them interested and make the experience fun?

Do You Make These Mistakes When Sending E-Mail?

In this day and age, it is amazing how many businesses and professionals still violate basic e-mail etiquette rules. Almost everyone uses e-mail to communicate with their clients and friends yet very few give any thought to the importance of those communications.

If you want to make sure you are not offending your clients and friends when sending e-mail, here are 6 basic rules to live by:

1. Never send e-mails to people who have not requested to receive them. This is also known as spamming and federal laws are getting much tougher in the rules and penalties for sending unwanted e-mail messages. Many businesses make the mistake of thinking that they are free and clear to send e-mail promotions to their clients, even if the client has not specifically requested to get those promotions. When in doubt, it’s always smarter to err on the side of caution and NOT include them in your broadcast; doing so could cause you to lose favor with your clients, or worse yet, lose their business altogether.

2. Don’t attach files unless you’ve gotten permission to from the recipient. With the looming threat of viruses, it’s considered bad net-etiquette to send file attachments.

3. DO NOT USE ALL CAPS. Using all caps in an e-mail is the online equivalent of screaming at the top of your lungs. Unless that is what you intended to do, make sure you use lowercase letters.

4. When sending to a large list of people, use the BCC (blind carbon copy) feature. Otherwise, you are exposing every recipient’s e-mail address to everyone else on the list. Since most people like to keep their personal e-mail addresses private, exposing your entire list will cause you to lose quite a few brownie points.

Here’s another point to consider: I wish I had a nickel for every sales person that sent out a broadcast e-mail to all their clients and prospects and accidentally copied everyone on the list. This is an EASY way for your competition to get their hands on one of your most precious assets.

5. Never send information you wouldn’t want the entire world to know about. E-mails can quickly spread around the Internet. Never send confidential information, off-color jokes, political opinions, pictures, or gossip that you wouldn’t want made public. This goes double if you are using a business e-mail address. And if you are a business owner, you want to make sure your employees know that it is against company policy to send this type of information through your company e-mail. Even a well-meaning joke can land you in a lot of hot water if taken the wrong way. Always take a minute to think before you hit the “send” button.

6. Avoid fancy formatting, background graphics, and other “cute” pictures and fonts. What looks great on your monitor may be impossible to read on someone else’s; it also may annoy the reader who has to weed through the fluff to find the content.

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. )

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!

5 Simple Ways To Avoid Getting An Avalanche Of Spam

As you probably already know from firsthand experience, once you’re on a spammer’s list, it’s next to impossible to get off. And changing your e-mail address can be a major inconvenience especially if you rely on it to stay in touch with important business and personal contacts.

To reduce the chances of your e-mail address getting spammed, here are 5 simple preventive measures you can take that will go a long way in keeping not-so-delicious spam out of your in-box.

Use a disposable e-mail address
If you buy products online or occasionally subscribe to websites that interest you, chances are you’re going to get spammed.

To avoid your main e-mail address from ending up on their broadcast list, set up a free Internet e-mail address with Hotmail or Juno and use it when buying or opting in to online newsletters. You can also use a throwaway e-mail address when making purchases or subscribing to newsletters.

Pay attention to check boxes that automatically opt you in
Whenever you subscribe to a website or make a purchase online, be very watchful of small, pre-checked boxes that say, “Yes! I want to receive offers from third party companies.”

If you do not un-check the box to opt-out, your e-mail address can (and will) be sold to every online advertiser.  To avoid this from happening, simply take a closer look at every online form you fill out.

Don’t use your main e-mail address on your website or forums
Spammers have special programs that can glean e-mail addresses from websites without your permission. If you are posting to a web forum or newsgroup, use your disposable e-mail address instead of your main e-mail address.

If you want to post an e-mail address on your home page, use “info@” and have all replies forwarded to a folder in your in-box that won’t interfere with your main address.

Create throwaway e-mail accounts
If you own a web domain, all mail going to an address at your domain is probably set up to come directly to you by default.  For example, an e-mail addressed to anything@yourdomain will be delivered to your in-box.

This is a great way to fight spam without missing out on important e-mails you want to get. The next time you sign up for a newsletter, use the title of the website in your e-mail address. For example, if the website is titled “successsecrets.com,” enter “successsecrets@yourdomain.com” as your e-mail address. If you get spammed, look at what address the spam was sent to.

If successsecrets shows up as the original recipient, you know the source since that e-mail address was unique to that web site. Now you can easily stop the spam by making any e-mail sent to that address bounce back to the sender.

Don’t open, reply to or try to opt-out of obvious spam e-mails
Opening, replying to, or even clicking a bogus opt-out link in an obvious spam e-mail signals that your e-mail address is active, and more spam will follow.

The only time it is safe to click on the opt-out link or reply to the e-mail is when the message was sent from a company you know or do business with (for example, a company that you purchase from or a newsletter you subscribed to).