Best Buy was a different store back then. They were one of the few places locally where you could buy a decent computer at a (then) decent price. Their flyer was lined with giant beige boxes from Packard Bell, IBM, Gateway, and Compaq…and I would drool profusely over every one of them. A whole market-line of computer specific furniture was created to house these beasts. Dropping $2000 on a computer also required the purchase of a computer desk, a computer chair, a computer desk lamp, a computer storage unit…people would base house purchases on “is there a room big enough for my computer?”

Times have changed…drastically. At one time, people used to choose a desktop computer because it was more powerful and considerably less expensive than a laptop. The explosion of wireless access has created a demand for portability, and now that laptop computers cover all price-ranges, a stationary desktop computer no longer makes sense. So, the question I’m hearing more and more is “I want to get rid of the boat anchor on my desk and replace it with a laptop. What should I get?” The answer depends on a few factors.

Where Will You Be Using It?

Laptops are like shoes. Different styles have different functions. Since laptops are portable, you have to ask yourself “Where will I be using it?” There are 3 categories:

• I want to travel.
• I may travel, but will mostly use it at home/work.
• This thing is sitting on a desk and isn’t moving.

For Travel: If you plan on being a road-warrior with your new laptop, you’re going to want to look for features that are travel-friendly and support power efficiency. Light-weight models with a long-lasting 6 or 8 cell battery and a 13″-14″ screen will be your main focus. I wouldn’t recommend going below 13″ as you’ll start to run into a problem where you have to scroll around a lot to see content on websites…which quickly becomes annoying. Be sure the screen is visible in bright light, and the keyboard isn’t too cramped for touch-typing. I also like to test how long the laptop takes to come back to life if you close the screen without powering down. Closing the screen prompts the laptop to enter “Sleep mode”, and should be ready to wake up within a few seconds of reopening. Also, the lighter the better. Try keeping the weight under 5lbs. or your arms will hate you at the airport.

Light Travel/Home Use: If you’re looking for something for home that will be a “jack-of-all-trades” laptop for the family, or if you’re in an office but only occasionally travel, a mid-range laptop with a 15″-16″ screen will suit you fine. You’ll still want to go for at least a 6 cell battery for home so you don’t have to worry about dragging a charger with you between the couch and bed. Make sure the speakers sound decent…a lot of manufacturers skimp on the sound and there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to hear that funny YouTube cat video posted on Facebook. Weight is not as much of an issue here as you won’t be lugging it around for long distances often, but you’ll want to stay in the  5-7lb. range to be comfortable.

Yeah, I'm thinking I should have went with the 15" instead.

Desktop Replacement: If you don’t plan on moving your laptop (I hesitate to call this class of computer a laptop, because you would need a lap the size of a coffee table to accommodate one), you’ll want to look at a class of computer called a Desktop Replacement. The concept here is to take everything a desktop computer offers: a large screen, a large keyboard, and nice speakers, and put it in a consolidated package that can be easily moved without having to unplug dozens of cables. Desktop replacement laptops will have screens 17″ or larger. Battery life is not a concern as these big guys aren’t really meant to be moved around much. The larger screens are a hit with the older generations, and if you move furniture around, you don’t have to worry about hiring an IT guy to disconnect and reconnect everything. Just don’t think about travelling with one, as they can weigh in at well over 10lbs. (I recently set one up for a relative that weighed 16lbs!).

What About Power?

In the past, all computer owners used to brag about the parts in their computers the same way muscle car owners brag about their cam shafts and brake pads. Today, with the advent of cloud computing, hardware isn’t as much of a factor anymore. It doesn’t take much power to use the Internet, which is why 10 year old computers running Windows XP are still in use. Therefore, when asked “how powerful of a computer should I get?”, I usually respond with “Just about anything off the shelf is adequate.” Here’s a breakdown of the main parts of your laptop and what to look for:

Processor: The “brain” of your laptop, this determines how fast your software is going to work. Processors outpaced the needs of most software used today some time ago, so unless you’re into something that takes a lot of horsepower (graphic design, movie editing, or gaming for example), anything with an Intel i3 processor or higher will be more than adequate. If you’re one of those that does need a bit more power, look for an i5 or and i7 processor.

Hard Drive: This is the main storage area of your laptop…the “bank vault”. As mentioned, cloud computing has changed the needs of computers, and that includes local storage. Since everything is stored on the Internet these days, hard drive space isn’t that critical anymore. A lot  of laptops are coming standard with 320GB hard drives, and that’s more than enough for general needs. If you want some extra performance, consider a model with one of the newer Solid State Drives (SSD’s). These hard drive replacements generally have a smaller capacity (64GB-120GB is common), but they operate several times faster than a standard hard drive. If most of what you do is Internet based, an SSD is a good option.

Memory: This is your laptop’s “work area.” The more memory your laptop has, the more things it can handle at once. 4GB is pretty standard in a new laptop, with some higher end models coming with 8GB. I like having a lot of memory in my laptops…it decreases the chances of something bogging you down. Make sure any model you are considering has at least 4GB installed.

Screen: There are two common types of screens on laptops right now: LCD and LED. LCD is the older technology and uses a fluorescent backlight to brighten up the screen. LED uses (you guessed it) LED’s as a backlight. Of the two, LED’s give better battery life, but don’t always look better. If you’re looking for portability, opt for an LED screen (preferably something with a “matte” coating on it to prevent glare if you’re going to be outside a lot). If portability isn’t a concern, go with whichever screen looks best to your eye. Print should be readable and crisp, not jagged.

Accessory Slots: There should be plenty of slots for accessories on your laptop. At least 3 USB 3.0 slots, and an SD card slot for your digital camera are highly recommended.

Other Goodies: If you can get a laptop with Wireless N included, that’s a plus. Wireless N is the latest wireless standard (replacing Wireless G) and offers better range and stability on wireless connections. A webcam is also not a bad idea, as they’re great for making video calls or taking a quick picture of your surroundings.

Final Thoughts

The drive to portability and the use of wireless connections is making the Internet a more personalized experience for everyone using it. The idea of being able to connect and interact with the world anywhere you go has changed the way we live, and these new devices are the tools we’re using to get the job done. Not everyone is an expert in technology, but knowing the basics will get you through. If you’re thinking about ditching the old desktop dinosaur and going wireless, hopefully this guide points you in the right direction.

The current Calendar changes are cosmetic, so functionality isn’t affected. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s changed:

*	New location for Quick Add Click the down arrow next to the Create button. (Quick Add is available in English only.)

Show/hide calendar sections You can now click the arrow to the left of the mini calendar to collapse or expand it. The My calendars and Other calendars sections work the same way.

*

*	Access general calendar options Click the down arrows to the right of My calendars and Other calendars to access settings, create or add calendars, browse interesting calendars, and more.

Access options for individual calendars Hover over an individual calendar, and click the down arrow that appears to access options specific to that calendar, such as selecting the calendar color.

*

*	Past events are dimmed Events that occurred in the past are now dimmed on your calendar. You can change this behavior on the General tab of Calendar settings.

Events you can’t edit are striped Events for which you don’t have edit access display with striped lines to help you easily distinguish them from your editable events.

*

*	Hover to see event icons Hover over an event to view the associated icons (indicating reminders, private events, and more). The new icon (

Quickly change event colors Click on an event to open its event details, and then click the down arrow to quickly change the color of your event.

*

*	Print and Refresh Click the new Print and Refresh buttons at the top right of your calendar. These buttons now have icon labels instead of text.

  

Google runs a LOT of popular services. Gmail, Google Docs, Picasa, YouTube…all of these have millions (even billions!) of users. The problem is each service requires a separate account. You needed to sign up every time you wanted to use a different service, meaning each service required its own username, password, and set of terms and privacy conditions.

Last week, Google decided to fix this problem by integrating account information over all of their services. Google outlined the changes in a blog post, saying settings and information used on one service can now be used on all other services. Many people, especially businesses using Google Apps, have been wishing for this for years. The benefits being:

• Privacy policies easier to read.
• Sharing data across products makes for a better user experience.
• Services integrate seamlessly , making them more convenient to use.

So, Google’s privacy changes now say “We have this information you gave us, and it’s going to apply it to all of our services.” Users will have a single login for email, the Marketplace, YouTube, Google Music, and any other Google service. Settings and preferences will automatically migrate over as your same account information is used on every service.

We’ve all become paranoid over privacy changes due to other services such as Facebook getting a reputation for mishandling information, but I actually see this change as a positive thing. Other large companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and others have done this for years. For instance, with Microsoft, I have a single account I use to log into their Support areas, Software Development areas, and even their XBox and Zune music service.  Google is shaping itself in the same way, but the fact they came together in a piecemeal fashion (many parts of Google were acquired through purchases rather than internal development), integration proved to be more difficult.

Note that TOAST.net’s privacy policies regarding customer information have not changed.

For Google’s updated privacy policy (effective March 1st, 2012), click here.

For TOAST.net’s Terms and Conditions, click here.

1. Open Wi-Fi

Most smartphones allow you to use Wi-Fi connections to supplement your 3G or 4G connection. While connecting to Wi-Fi at home is perfectly safe, using public Wi-Fi can introduce some dangers. People can use software to intercept traffic from your phone, exposing any information you are entering or viewing. When using a public wireless connection, you may want to be careful of using apps or websites that require you to enter a password. Avoid looking at bank for financial information as well. When you use public wireless, you never know who’s watching. If you need to do something secure, switch to your phone’s 3G or 4G connection.

2. App Safety

The Android Market and the iTunes App Store have more apps available than you can shake a cyber-stick at, but not all of them are gems. Malware does make it out there. Like a virus on a PC, a malware app can steal data, disable or modify functions, and cause a lot of other nasty problems. The good news is Google and Apple do a fairly decent job of filtering out dangerous software (they even have the ability to “recall” applications, ripping them off of your phone automatically if they’re proven to be malicious). Read reviews and do some research to make sure you’re not installing a steaming bowl of virus on your phone.

Newer version of Android allow you to set a "pattern" as a password.

3. Password Protection

If you lose your phone, anyone may be able to pick it up and view your contacts, calendar, email, not to mention do all sorts of embarrassing stuff with your Facebook profile. Most people are using the simple “finger swipe” lock screen. Secure your phone using a password or any of the other security options your phone offers. To lock your phone:

• Android users can open “Settings” and select “Security” to get locking options.
• iPhone users can open the “Settings” app, then under “General” select “Passcode Lock”.
• Blackberry users can open “Options”, then “Security Options”, and change the Password field to “Enabled”.

4. Be Careful About Side-Loading

Some software isn’t available in the app stores. You may find cases where websites actually host apps themselves and want you to download them directly rather than go through the normal channels. The problem with doing this is there is no third party saying “This app is safe to use”.  Be careful about installing software from non-official sources.

5. Watch your GPS

GPS integration into services is a double-edged sword. Sure, it’s cool to have Foursquare or Facebook say “You’re at this location at this time,” but telling people where you are is also telling people where you aren’t. Thieves can easily use social platforms and information from GPS-based apps to plan burglaries. A tip I like to give to people: Share all you want, but do so AFTER the fact. “Just got back from the movies” is a lot safer than “I’m currently at the movies.” Keep GPS tracking in social apps turned off.

6. Keep Up To Date

All those apps you have installed can also have vulnerabilities…a word hackers love. Phones are constantly being poked and prodded looking for a loophole to gain profitable information. If possible, set your applications to update automatically so you receive patches to these security holes as soon as they’re available.

7. Tracking Services

If you ABSOLUTELY can not function without your smartphone, you may want to consider a tracking application so it can be recovered should you ever lose your baby. Applications such as Where’s My Android and Find My iPhone can help you locate your lost device, and even feature GPS functionality to zero in on its exact location.

Final Thoughts

I’m often asked “What about antivirus software for my phone?” It sounds logical, but I’m torn on the subject. I’ve tested various products from McAfee, F-Secure, and a few others, and was left underwhelmed. These products really bog down the phone and seem to block a good number of the legitimate things I want to do. On top of that, the reports I’m seeing say they’re not very reliable for blocking mobile viruses. This all points to an immature product. At this stage, I’m recommending to follow the above seven tips and you’ll be safe. I think mobile antivirus needs some time to grow up to be worth it, so I’ll revisit the subject in a few months.

While mobile devices greatly increase your productivity and communication, there’s a lot of “gotchas” to be aware of. Just like using any Internet device, it’s good to know the pitfalls before you encounter them. This information isn’t meant to scare you but make you better informed. Watch yourself out there and you should be fine.

Related Articles: 5 Tips for Safe Computing, Twelve Easy Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy, Password Security – You Need to Care

The biggest buzz-word of the show seems to be “Ultrabook.”

What is an Ultrabook? Well, tablets have taken off because their super-thin form factor and instant-on abilities makes them a perfect way to get on the Internet instantly. The iPad and the Kindle Fire sold millions over the holiday season for this reason, but they do have limitations. Tablets are notoriously cumbersome for typing, touch screens have accuracy problems, and slow processors can mean weak performance. Ultrabooks address this by taking a high-end laptop, squashing it down to tablet thickness, adding some nice features like an aluminum case and an extra long-life battery, and you have something that makes both laptop and tablet owners turn their heads. Large desktop workstations are quickly going the way of the 8-Track Tapes and Console TV’s because people are demanding uninhibited portability.

Vizio's 14" Ultrabook. Look for similar products from Lenovo, HP, Acer, and Toshiba.

Portability, and more importantly, mobility is key. Cloud services are being introduced left and right, and there is a need for more convenient ways to access them. The idea of cloud services is using the Internet as a gigantic hard drive, where all of your tools, files, and applications installed. All that’s required is some kind of screen to view them. Gone are the days of having to go to a specific room, sitting at a specific desk, and using a specific computer to read your email or create a document. Cloud applications work exactly the same on any device, being a Smartphone, tablet, or 8 year-old desktop PC. This new-found freedom opens a lot of interesting options for today’s workforce.

TOAST.net foresaw this mobile revolution, which is why so many of our services are integrated with cloud services. Google Apps, Managed Antivirus, Online Backup, and other services are designed to be used when you need them, not when your computer is handy. There’s a sense of accomplishment when you’re able to edit sales figures from your phone while sitting in a car waiting to pick up your son or daughter from school. There’s a sense of security knowing you can get to your important documents from your home laptop because your office PC is on the fritz. Most important, there’s a sense of empowerment knowing you are fully in control of your information rather than your computer.

CES 2012′s underlying theme this year may be mobility, but the underlying theme is something more basic that people have wanted since the dawn of the Information Age: control.

Wireless: It’s Out, and It’s Awesome!

We spent most of December 2011 rolling out our new Wireless Internet to pilot users, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive: people are LOVING this product. We’re getting the most feedback from travelers and “snow-birds” — being able to use the Internet in any location and not having to worry about constantly switching service providers is turning out to be a big plus for them. TOAST.net’s Wireless is a bit different than other providers as it comes bundled with our Web Accelerator software. This software, unique to TOAST.net, increases website browsing speeds and decreases data usage via advanced compression technology.

I’m pleased to announce that Wireless is now officially available to all! Visit http://www.toast.net/services/wireless/ for details on pricing and service plans.

Build a New Website EASY!

Web Presence Builder is our new tool that allows anyone create a sharp and professional website in minutes. It’s amazing how much website construction has progressed. Ten years ago, you needed a degree in Computer Science to put something on the web. Now, you just log into a tool like Web Presence Builder, drag and drop some content in place, and the world can see your creation instantly. A lot of small business owners are flocking to this because it gives them exactly what they need: a presence on the Internet that can be updated and maintained in-house. Consumers use the web more than any other method to find products and services they need, so at bare minimum a website with your business hours, location, contact info, and a description of services is essential. After that, you can spice things up with coupon offers, online scheduling, and photo galleries. All of this can new be achieved in less than an hour with Web Presence Builder. I put together a quick video overview showing off its great features and ease of use:

Web Presence Builder is included with all of our new Web Hosting plans. If you have any questions about creating a website, let me know. I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

Resolution For 2012: Internet Security

TOAST.net wants to focus on Internet Security for Small Business this month. We’re receiving more and more calls from offices where people want to know if their computer can be fixed after they’ve received a nasty malware infection. Cleaning an infection after-the-fact is tricky and often requires specialized tools and services. Prevention is the key. Antivirus software is designed to block viruses from coming in, not as something you install to an already infected computer. Sadly, virus protection isn’t something most people think about until it becomes a problem. The 2 most common phrases I hear are:

1. “I just got the computer a few months ago, and it came with Antivirus software.”
2.  ”I get Antivirus software from my Internet Service.”

These two phrases may be accurate, but they’re missing a “, but…” at the end of the statement. New computers usually do come with some type of Antivirus software, but it is usually a trial version. This means the software will be fully functional and receive daily updates for 60 days or so, and then you have to purchase it. If you don’t fork over the cash, the software will no longer receive updates and will only protect you against old infections. As for service providers, they do often supply Antivirus protection, but only for email. Email gets scanned before it reaches your inbox, so the chances of receiving an infected email or reduced, but there is no way a service provider can protect you against malicious websites. These two “gotchas” give a false sense of security and put your data at risk.

Home users should make sure they have a current subscription to their Antivirus software. If it’s not current, you’re probably seeing pop-up balloons giving subscription warnings. TOAST.net recommends Microsoft Security Essentials (available for free on our Software Page) for home use. It works very well, and it’s friendly for people on slow connections (especially dial-up users).

Business users have another problem — there are usually multiple PC’s to keep track of. It’s difficult and time-consuming to make sure everyone has the latest update and everything is functioning correctly in an office environment. For this situation, TOAST.net has designed Managed Antivirus. This subscription based security service allows you to pay a low fee every month and TOAST.net keeps an eye on your protection. We’ll make sure everyone has software installed, is receiving updates, and daily report is sent to let you know how everyone is doing. Starting at just $3/month, it’s also less expensive than most “off the shelf” software and gives more comprehensive coverage. We want all businesses to have the best protection available, so hit me up for a free 30 day trial and see everything Managed Antivirus has to offer. No obligation, I just want you to see what it can do!

Business Fiber

Video conferencing, streaming, file sharing, VPN’s…they’re all a part of today’s business environment, and they all demand the fastest Internet connection possible. TOAST.net’s Metro Ethernet provides a fiber optic based connection allowing your office to reach speeds up to 100 Mbps! Many businesses think they are limited to slow upload speeds from DSL or cable connections — not so!  Put your business in the fast-lane with Metro Ethernet. Get a hold of one of our account specialists to see if your area qualifies.

I’m here to tell you that in 99% of cases — this is completely untrue.

A frustrating experience with technology usually comes from 3 sources:

• Inappropriate use
• Improper configuration
• Trying to adapt outdated products to do modern tasks

The top product people seem to have issues with is email, so today I’m going to focus on making email-life easier. Follow these simple tips to keep your blood pressure down and your messages sending.

Downsize Your Message Flow

Receiving so much junk mail you can’t find the messages you actually want to see? Spam filtering is essential for  mailboxes, otherwise email would be a useless form of communication. Many have accepted the fact that opening your email means you have to download 70 messages you don’t want and 2 that you do want.

After all, spam is normal, right?

Absolutely not! It is actually illegal for a business to send you email without your consent. The way they get around this is through mailing lists: if you sign up for a contest, fill out a rebate form, give your email address to a store during checkout, or even shop online, there may be a stipulation in the transaction saying “I agree to let a list of vendors contact me.” The next thing you know your inbox is full of “20%-off Sales” and “One-Time-Only Events”. Once a month, I like to go through my inbox and unsubscribe to these messages. Email that comes from a legitimate mailing list will always have an unsubscribe link on the bottom of the message. Sometimes the unsubscribe request takes a few days to go through, so be patient. It makes a big difference in cutting down inbox volume.

Illegitimate messages are of the “buy pharmaceuticals” or “send me money and you’ll get a lot more in return” variety. You won’t find unsubscribe links of the bottom of these messages, and it’s important that you don’t reply to them. If your email provider is for some reason not able to filter these messages out, you’ll want to use the spam blocking tools available to you in your email application. TOAST.net email users have tools in webmail that allow you to mark messages as spam on the server level. This allows the system to learn the patterns of new undesired messages and filter them in the future.

If you run your own mail server, spam is a difficult problem to handle. I’ve even heard some IT people give up and say “eh…spam happens…deal with it.” This attitude of acceptance not only makes the IT person’s job more difficult, it causes productivity loss and can even be dangerous. It only takes one person to respond to a fake “Your password needs to be changed” message to expose your network to hackers. The easy solution to this is a mail protection service. Mail protection puts another layer in front of your mail server to cleanse your mail before it hits the mail server.  The idea is essentially the same as the guy with the clipboard that lets people in at nightclubs: if an email wanting to get in looks shady, it’s not allowed in.

Email Clients

I like to prepare for the future instead of trying to relive the past. Email clients fall in this category. Fewer and fewer people are actually installing software on their computers. High speed Internet and web applications are doing away with the need for local software. I know there are still people out there where we’ll have to pry Outlook from their cold, dead hands, but the very thing they love so much is also causing a lot of problems.

Ever have an error message saying “mail server can not be found?” How about “This program as performed an illegal operation.” Did you ever lose your email because of a damaged .PST file? Having trouble installing service packs? Information not syncing correctly?

…these problems plague all Outlook users, and they have nothing to do with your email system directly. It’s why I push people to use web mail as much as possible. Using a web interface gives you a pure email experience — you’re working directly on the mail server so nothing has to synchronize, you see the same information from any computer, and often you have more tools and options available. On top of this, it just works. There’s no mail server settings to set up, no software to install, and no updates to worry about. If you insist on using an email client, it’s like you’re saying “I like to make things more complicated.” TOAST.net features some of the most advanced web mail systems available; if you’re using our email, head over to the  Start page and give it a try.

Doing It The Wrong Way

Attachments are a hairy issue. Everyone loves sharing pictures, and everyone knows how to use email, so logically people try to email pictures to others. The problem with that is today’s cameras are a little too good to do this. Ten years ago, a 1 megapixel digital camera would make a 100K photo, so emailing them was not really an issue. Today’s 10+ megapixel cameras take high-resolution pictures that be as much as 5-10MB each! TOAST.net’s mail systems usually allow around 20MB attachments, but many others are limited to 2MB.

It’s not a good idea to send something that large anyway. Sending large attachments is considered rude in the Internet world…especially if the recipient has a slow Internet connection (it ranks right behind typing IN ALL CAPS). Upload the file to a 3rd party service and you’ll make all parties involved much happier. Photo sharing sites like Picassa, video sites like YouTube, or file sharing sites like Dropbox allow you to put your files on the Internet, then send a link to the files. This way you can email anything you like without worrying about size limits, and the recipient can decide when it’s convenient to download it.

So, normal is NOT supposed to be frustrating. If something about email is driving you crazy, there’s probably a reason for it. Hopefully these tips will save some hair follicles from being ripped out.

I’d be interested to know what drives you crazy about your email? Drop me a line and I’ll see if I can get you set straight.

Everyone can not be an expert at everything. People specialize and excel in certain areas, then use specialists in other areas to support their endeavors. This is why you don’t see many lawyer-doctor-physicist-programmers out there. However, when people are setting up a small business, they are often shoved into this situation. Accountants have to decide on what type of computer to use. Mechanics have to decide what email system they’re going to implement. Plumbers have to decide how to build a website. They do some research on the products they need, then usually settle on whichever product vendor spent the most on advertising.

Businesses rely on efficiency, especially small businesses. Making a wrong or inappropriate choice in the beginning can set the business down a slippery and expensive slope. I like to teach by example, so here’s an example of a typical scenario I see constantly:

Dave runs an engineering firm and has 13 employees. He needs an email solution, so he looks online and sees a lot of people are talking about Microsoft Exchange. He decides to use Exchange for his email platform. Dave hires a consultant, purchases a server, backup equipment, a dedicated high-speed Internet connection for the server, a domain name, and Outlook licenses for everyone in the office. After spending several thousand dollars on the initial setup, Dave is also required to maintain the mail backup system, install his own security updates, pay a service tech $100/hr every other month to fix a server problem, and tends to lose email every time his Internet connection goes down.

The above scenario is very common, and a shining example of non-transparent technology. The setup Dave went for is more suited for a 500 person office, not 13. All of the references found during the initial research of Exchange were mainly technical support questions…people in his same situation asking for help. There is no redundancy built-in, so Dave has to worry about backing up the server and keeping everything running constantly.

Doesn’t leave much time for his actual job, does it?

The more back-end support your technology has, the better the user experience.

As I said, all modern technology is complicated, but it also has two facets: usability and support. These two sides need to be weighed. If you put a lot of weight on the support side, you’ll have much more usability on the usability side. If you put less weight on support, you’ll have less usability. This is why the concept of managed services has been taking off with small business owners as of late.

Having a service provider manage your systems gives the best of both worlds: All the back-end support is handled automatically on a low-cost subscription model, while maintaining a high usability level for workers. Email, virus protection, backups, and even workstation upkeep are all be handled automatically, giving you a “virtual IT department”. This gives your business tools the same transparency as your car radio — you just turn it on and it works. No hardware to support, no expensive service calls, and since you can turn services on and off as needed, no money is wasted to keep extra capacity on-hand.

I’ll now retell Dave’s saga using a managed service model and see how it turns out:

Dave runs an engineering firm and has 13 employees. He needs an email solution, so he looks online and sees a lot of people are talking about Google Apps for Business. He decides to use Google Apps as his email platform. Dave calls a Managed Service Provider, and purchases 13 Google Apps accounts at $48/per user/year. The provider registers a domain for Dave, and hosts a website for him for $9.95/month. The technical work is finished on the Provider’s end in a couple of days, and all the employees have to do is log into the service. If additional features are needed, such as monitored anti-virus or file backups, services can be added instantly. No hardware to install, no technician visits needed.

You can see the difference. Dave and his employees are now able to use the tools they need without having to worry about the technical end of things…they just work.

Transparency is the key to technology. If you aren’t “aware” its there, then it’s doing it’s job properly. If you have to constantly babysit, adjust, or maintain your technology, it probably isn’t the right solution.

I’m curious to hear what types of systems everyone is using and what they think of them. Comment away!

Game Systems:

The XBox 360, Playstation 3, and the Wii are all going to show up under people’s trees this year, and they all require a high-speed Internet connection to work properly. Fortunately the Wireless modem that TOAST.net includes with our DSL connections is already configured to work with these consoles out of the box — simply enter the wireless password into the console’s network settings and you’re off.

There is a catch however…wireless connections may work well, but are not actually the best for gaming. Ask a gamer about the most important thing when playing something like Modern Warfare or Call of Duty, and you’ll hear “ping time.” Ping time is a measure of latency, or how long an action takes to register on the Internet and get a response. The lower your ping time, the faster a game will register your trigger pull, giving you an advantage over players with higher ping times. By nature, a wireless connection is a bit “lossy”. It may randomly drop pieces of information due to natural interference (similar to the way a radio station in your car may fade in and out from time to time). For the best performance on a game console, plug them directly into one of the Ethernet jacks in the back of the modem. This will reduce lag, decrease your ping, and help the kids rack up more kills during the holidays (wow, that would sound really bad out of context).

Smartphones

I just read that 33% of cellphone users world-wide are now using smartphones…and why not? How cool is it being able to get any piece of information that pops into your head instantly? The problem is the data plan. Cell phone data plans are based on usage…meaning the more 3G or 4G data you consume, the more expensive your plan is. You can actually save some money on your cell bill by optimizing your phone to use available WiFi connections. Smartphones are aptly named…they’re smart! Since free WiFi is available nearly everywhere these days, all you have to do is tell your phone to connect to any available wireless network once, and in the future anytime you are within range of that network it will automatically switch off your carrier’s 3G or 4G connection and use WiFi. I’m an incredibly heavy smartphone user, but WiFi is available in my office, in the mall, in most restaurants, and in many other public places. Therefore I only average around 500MB of usage per month. If I didn’t use WiFi, I would be around 4GB per month. That’s quite a savings. Turn on your phone’s WiFi and connect to public networks whenever you can! Once you get a nice collection going, you can evaluate your data plan and save some cash.

Blu-ray Players and TV Apps

One of the best things about Blu-ray players and newer “Connected” flat screen TV’s are the online features. If you connect your Blu-ray player to your Internet connection, you gain access to automatic updates that may improve performance and add features. Many players and TV’s are coming with Netflix, Amazon Video, and other apps that allow you to stream movies and TV shows. Some even let you play games and connect to social networks. You can usually connect these devices with wireless or Ethernet, but the speed of your connection is going to determine your limits. High definition video (video that takes advantage of 720p or higher video) requires a minimum of a 3.0Mb connection. Any less than that and your movies may start skipping and buffering. If you want to go with 1080p video (Apps like Vudu and Blockbuster offer these choices), you’ll need a 6.0Mb connection. You can check with TOAST.net if you’re having problems watching movies on these devices. We usually have higher speeds available for an extra $10/month.

Also, as with gaming consoles, high-definition video may work better with Ethernet rather than wireless due to the lossy nature of wireless connections. If you have a fast connection and you’re still having problems with skipping or buffering, try switching to Ethernet.

Laptops/Tablets

Laptops and tablets have officially replaced the desktop computer as the preferred way to use the Internet. They’re portable, they don’t confine you to a desk, and they have wireless connectivity built-in. However, your new-found mobility may reveal some “dead-spots” around your home or office. These areas may see a drop or complete loss of wireless signal, creating frustrating no-man’s-land areas.

A typical wireless router will realistically give about 300 ft. of coverage area, but different materials can block or interfere with WiFi. If you have walls made from plaster lath or cider block, wireless hates you. If your wireless modem is shoved under a hand made Amish oak armoire, you’re not going to have much better luck. To maximize the wireless signal for your laptop:

• Height = Range: Get your wireless modem as high as you can. This helps avoid signal-blocking obstacles and may allow a signal to leak into those dead spots.
• Be proud of your modem- don’t hide it: Storing your wireless modem under desks, in drawers, under books, etc. will affect its wireless range.
• Keep the antenna away from wires: Electrical interference from electrical cables can distort your wireless signal. Keep the antenna several inches away from cables.

Use these tips and enjoy your gifts!

Where’s My Wireless?

TOAST.net announced 3G wireless as “Coming soon” last month, and unfortunately it’s been a little past “soon” at this point. We’re ironing out some items on the technical side so we can ensure our wireless connections will be the high quality and trouble-free product that you’ve come to expect from TOAST.net. Our customer service is currently beta testing a few wireless connections with select customers, and we expect to roll out the product within the coming weeks (and we’re not kidding this time!). Prices for 3G Wireless service are expected to start around $25, and dial-up users rejoice! We checked and most of you are covered in our service area! Stay tuned for further updates.

Email Sub-Accounts

TOAST.net residential customers are able to create extra “vanity’ email addresses, and this week we retired one of them. “@cubfanbudman.com” email accounts have officially gone to that big domain cloud in the sky. Maybe rightfully so…I’m not even sure what a “cubfanbudman” is supposed to be. You can still choose from over two dozen more-sensical email addresses to use for family, friends, spare accounts…anything you wish! If you have college football fans in the house, maybe using an @michiganwolverine.com or ohiostate1.com address will spark some rivalry. Maybe you’re a NASCAR lover, and Dale Earnhardt would certainly take notice if you sent an email  from an @jr-88.com address. These email accounts are fun, functional, and free to all residential users! Log into My Account, set some up, and have a blast.

Thank You for Your Response – Small Business Saturday

American Express© once again sponsored Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26th, and they reported it was the most successful year ever! TOAST.net participated with a great Website special, and because of the response we’ve decided to keep it going. There is no excuse for a small business not to have a website: the web is the #1 way people find out about businesses they want to deal with. If your business doesn’t have a website, prepare to lose a customer to the competitor that does. We’re helping correct that by offering a 5 page, professionally designed website and free domain registration for $250. We’ll even wrap it up and put a bow on it if you wish! For details on this great offer, check out our Small Business Saturday page.

Get Those Smartphones and Tablets Setup for TOAST.net

All of TOAST.net’s email systems can be setup for use on your iPad, iPhone, tablet, Android phone, Blackberry…you name it. In most cases, you can also sync your contacts, and calendars, and Start Page. Our Email Setup Wizard is going through an upgrade and now supports mobile device setup — configuring your device to receive email and appointments has never been easier! Enter your email address, select your phone, and receive specific instructions for your particular email address (residential and business…they’re both covered). We’re going to be adding more upgrades in the next week or so. Give the Email Setup Wizard a try and let us know what you think: Email Setup Wizard (beta)

That’s it for this month. Have a great holiday season!