ttecht newsletter€¦ · sometimes, digital clutter is even worse than the piles of papers we let...
TRANSCRIPT
March 2014
Sometimes, digital clutter is even worse than the piles of papers we let stack up on our desks. To keep your devices clean and running smoothly, trying adopting these quick strategies.
Control Your Email If you find yourself registered for a mountain of e-newsletters you barely have time open, let alone read, try unsubscribing from the emails you NEVER get to. Have a “sometimes” list and a “never” list. Unsubscribe from the “never” list.
Clean Your Virtual Desktop A cluttered screen doesn’t just signify digital chaos, it also slows down your computer’s performance. Here’s what can help:
• Pick a fun wallpaper — If you have a really beautiful picture or wall-paper on display, it helps remind you that you want to keep it clean.
• Don’t save unnecessary items to the desktop — Take an extra second as you work to save items to the proper folder; it’s really worth it!. Some computers have built-in desktop organizer tools you can use, so take a few minutes to check out your machines options.
• Back up your files — Whether you rely on the cloud (like Dropbox) or an external hard drive to clear your important files off your desktop, take advantage of auto-backups available on most. If you opt for USB thumb drives, make sure to label each with a sticker so you can identify it with just a glance.
Contain the CordsWe love Cable IDs for labeling the ends of cords, and Wire Snake Cable Organizers for keeping the cable bundles tightly wound together. Alternatively, try a wireless your keyboard and mouse, to clear cords (almost) completely!
Don’t Forget Your Smartphone That little mini super computer glued to your eyes all day likely needs a clean-up, too. Many people are good at deleting unused apps and offloading photos to the cloud, but you can also speed up your phone by deleting old texts. If people have sent you tons of photos or videos, they’ll slow you down a lot! Remove photos and videos you’ve taken too. Delete those you won’t ever need, and send the rest to the cloud or a backup external hard drive.
April 2014
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NewsletterDon’t Forget to Spring Clean your Computer, Too!
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What to do when your Inbox is FULL of Important Messages you don’t want to Delete...
There’s no doubt about it: e-mail has become the single most important communication tool for businesses. But messages pile up quick, taking up storage space that can be expensive to back up. And since deleting everything isn’t always an option when certain threads contain important info about projects, contracts and client communications, the smartest option it to archive your inbox.
Archiving is simply a process of removing old (but important) e-mails from your “active” inbox and folders to a compressed, encrypted backup, freeing up space in your inbox and preserving your e-mails should you need to dig them up at some point in the future. Should you archive?
Compliance Regulation: Obviously some businesses, such as medical offices and financial institutions, are affected by this more than others. However, all records pertaining to a company’s activities are subject to compliance regulation, including employ-ee records and communications, e-mail threads discussing con-tracts or other negotiations and financial documentation. It’s inevitable that you will have e-mail messages touching one or more of these areas that you are required by law to keep for a period of time.
Litigation Support: Almost every company operating will, at some point, be implicated in a lawsuit. When that happens, the
the case in a “timely manner,” no matter how far back the communications took place. If a good e-mail archiving solution wasn’t used, it could cost MORE to conduct the discovery than the cost of the case itself.
Storage Management: If you don’t want to be forced to delete current e-mails to make room for new messages, then archiving is a smart option. Of course, NOT all archiving solutions are created equal! Make sure you consult us on which one would work best for your company before making any decisions.
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Windows XP’s Open Invitation to Hackers
3241 State Route 118St. Henry, OH 45883
Clean Computer=
Maximum Performance
With Spring in the air, now is a good time to do an annual clean up of the computers, servers and electronic equipment in your office, both inside and out. Failure to thoroughly clean your computer at least once or twice a year will result in decreased performance and possibly even system failures. Here’s why:
Now that we’re at the height of spring cleaning season, you might want to take a closer look at what’s living on your keyboard. A series of studies called "Germs in the Workplace," found that the following four office surfaces had the most bacteria (in this order):
· Phones · Desks · Computer Keyboard · Computer Mouse
Obviously these are items you touch all day, every day. Germs and dirt from your hands and mouth get trans-ferred easily on to these items, and vice-versa, making them breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.
To lessen your chances of picking up colds and flu, we recommend cleaning your mouse and keyboard daily with disinfecting wipes. It’s also smart to clean these items before a new person uses them.
The death of Windows XP is just days away, and experts say businesses that don't upgrade are basically sending an open invitation to cybercrimi-nals.
On April 8, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, or "patches," for its Windows XP operating system. This means computers running on XP - and even machines like ATMs - will be unprotected against viruses and cyber attacks.
What does this mean for those businesses on April 9? Not a lot - at first. XP will keep working, and businesses that rely on it will keep functioning. But the risks will com-pound over time.
Sergio Galindo of GFI Software explains it like this, "It's like expired milk, if you drink it one day after it expires, you're OK. But after a month, the risk is exponentially greater."
Microsoft's own research has even shown that Windows XP, released in 2001, is five times more susceptible to viruses and cyberattacks than Win-dows 8, its newest operating system.
Migrating to the new platform requires firms to invest in new software and hardware. Upgrades could be very expensive, depending on the size of the firm and the age of the machines. However, on average, small businesses spend more than $400 on repairs for PCs that are four years or older.
On that note, running old technology is costly, and it hampers productivity. However, you can get a new PC that's running Windows 8 for about the same price. - Kavilanz, Parija. “Windows XP’s Open Invitation to Hackers”. CNN Money. CNN. 26 March 2014. Web. 27 March 2014.
Is Your Computer Keyboard Making You Sick?
Dust clogs the computer’s cooling system causing it to heat up, damaging sensitive electronic equipment. Dust can also cause fan noise and (believe it or not) slow performance!Crumbs and dirt in your keyboard can cause keys to stick and crunchy sounds when typing. Plus, it’s just gross and unhealthy; do you know there are more germs on your computer keyboard than the average public toilet?Dust, fingerprints and dirt build-up will make your computer monitor dim and fuzzy.
But the physical “dirt” is only the beginning...Delete temporary files and unused programs taking up space and slowing things down.
Defrag your hard drive (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter).
Get rid of clutter on your desktop by removing shortcuts and files you don’t need.
Make sure you have the latest security patches and updates installed and config-ured properly.
Check your backups and conduct an emer-gency “restore” of the data. Remember, the best time to check your backups is when you DON’T desperately need to recover your data!
Breathe New Life& Energy into
Your Computerthis Spring
Throughout the House Spring Cleaning ChecklistWipe down Walls and CeilingsVacuum and Shampoo RugsDust Books and ShelvesClean Upholstered FurnishingsClean up your Computer on the Inside and OutPolish Metal Doors and Window HardwareDust your Home ThoroughlyClean Window Treatments
Phone: 419.678.4600Web: www.tomtechtoday.com
Reseal Grout LinesDust Books and ShelvesWax Wooden FurnitureEnsure Fire SafetyWash Window ScreensWax Non-Wood Floors