Business owners are usually most successful when they are moving forward. As such, it's always a good idea to look into the future and see what coming trends your business should be aware of. When it comes to tech you might want to take a look at what hardware trends we expect for the coming year.

Here's our prediction of the top three hardware trends small to medium businesses can expect in the coming year.

Phones and tablets that fly The processing power and capabilities of both smartphones and tablets are advancing at a rapid pace. From the looks of it there should be an octo-core mobile processor (8 cores) introduced along with increasingly powerful quad-core processors. If an 8 core phone surfaces in 2013 it will give many modern computers a run for their money.

Four-core processors will also increase in power. For example: Samsung is rumored to be working with a new processor that could very well see speeds of up to 2Ghz (on par with entry to mid level computers). Sound like overkill for a phone? Perhaps, but put that processor in a tablet and you could see a mobile device that can handle almost anything.

Regardless of if these rumored processors make it into devices or not, small business owners should expect to see a wealth of phones and tablets that are not only affordable, but are powerful enough to either implement as an extension of the modern desktop, or even replace it.

Increasing demands for BYOD People have gone gadget happy. Take a look around the office. How many employees have a smartphone or tablet? Chances are high it's nearly 100%. With the sheer number of devices available at affordable rates you can bet that tech gadgets were a top gift unwrapped on Christmas morning. Come New Year, employees will be itching to bring their brand new devices into the office.

BYOD - Bring Your Own Device - is a growing demand and trend of employees. Who doesn't want to work on the system they are comfortable with? You can expect an increase in the number of requests for employees to bring in their own device. We're not here to discuss the pros and cons, but it may be time to look into developing a BYOD policy and ensuring your systems are secure enough to support this.

NFC NFC - Near Field Communication - isn't a new idea, but it is just now starting to make its way onto phones. Google and Android device manufacturers are leading the way on the mobile front and companies like Square are pushing the mobile wallet.

The goal of NFC technology is to allow your phone to be a wallet, and handle transactions wirelessly without the need for credit/debit cards or cash. Google is pushing NFC, and it's rumored that Apple will integrate it into new versions of their iPhone. If they do this you can bet that there will be a legion of smartphone users suddenly demanding to pay for things on their phone. This could become a major trend of 2013 that all small to medium businesses could capitalize off of.

These are just three trends that we could well see in 2013. Time will tell how these three ideas pan out. What do you think will be the the top tech trends for 2013? Let us know.

When it comes to computers, one of the main components is the operating system (OS). It allows users to communicate with the computer in a way that we can understand. Arguably the most popular OS is Microsoft's Windows. Windows 8 was released last year and brought with it a drastic change to the Windows environment. This change has a bit of a learning curve, for example, finding out how much space your hard drive has, or a file takes up, can be a bit challenging.

Here's three ways you can see how much space programs are taking up in Windows 8. Before you check file sizes however, you should be aware whether these are shown in bytes, KB, MB, GB or TB.

• Bytes are the smallest measurement you will see, and are made up of eight bits (a combination of 8 1s or 0s).
• A KB is a Kilobyte and is around 1,000 bytes (1,024 to be exact).
• A MB - Megabyte - is around 1,000KB.
• A GB - Gigabyte - is around 1,000MB.
• A TB - Terabyte - is around 1,000GB.

3 ways to check file size 1. Easy - If you have an individual file or folder that you would like to know the size of, simply right click on it and select Properties. Under the General tab, look for the box that says Size and Size on Disk. The number beside these fields should be in KB, MB or GB. 2. Slightly less easy - First you need to open your PC Settings - move your mouse to the top-right corner of the screen and select Settings followed by Change PC settings. From there click on General and scroll down until you see Available storage. The number is the amount of space you have left, and pressing on View app sizes will bring up a list of all installed apps and the amount of space they take up. 3. Still easy, but harder than the other two - Open the Control Panel - move your cursor to the bottom left of the screen and search for: Control Panel. Click on Programs followed by Programs and Features. Look at the column labeled Size and a program's size should be listed. If you can't see it try maximizing the window. If you click on a program, you should see more information about it, including its size in the bottom right.

If there is no information about size, search by moving your mouse to the bottom left and entering the file's name. From there you can follow step one above.

Windows 8 has many interesting features, but they will take time to figure out. If you are looking to integrate this OS into your business, or would like to learn more about how to use it, effectively please contact us today.

Think of the everyday usual precautions you take. When you get into a car, you put on your seatbelt; when you leave the house, you lock the door, the list goes on and on. Yet, when it comes to online security, most people are content with a virus scanner, and do little about securing their personal data stored online. Why is this? If a grocery store clerk asks for your home address and phone number, you’d likely ask why they need it. Online however, we usually provide it without a second thought. Instead, we should be proactive taking steps to protect our personal information.

Here’s three things you can do to help secure your personal data shared online.

1. Realize your online actions are risky
Read any tech related blog, or even syndicated news articles and it’s not hard to see that identity theft and cybercrime in general is not only serious, but on the rise. Let’s face it, our online actions are risky. As with any plan, the first step is realizing that there is a problem that needs to be fixed. The first step is to educate yourself about online security, what steps you should take, and what exactly it is.

For example, here’s a great article written in the middle of February about how different age groups react to Facebook changes, and if they take steps to minimize who can view their personal data. It’s kind of interesting to see that the younger generations take more steps to secure their profiles than their parents, yet you still see people with reputation damaging pictures that can be viewed by anyone.

2. Take matters into your own hands
Many people already know their personal information online is at risk, but there are further things you should do to minimize any dangers:

1. Don’t rely on websites to keep you secure - Websites like Facebook are companies. They exist to make money. How do they do it? Often by selling information you have given them access to. That’s not saying site owners don’t look out for their customers’ best interests – many do. What you need to do though is look at all the sites you have accounts with and ensure your information is secure to the level you are happy with.
2. Provide the least amount of information possible - Think about the last time you joined a social network, or mailing list. You likely were asked to provide your name, address, birthday, etc. Did you know that you don’t have to provide all the information requested? Most sites only require your name and birthday, the rest is optional – usually used to provide better service or targeted ads. Many sites will put an asterisk beside required information to let you know that you have to supply this.
3. Think twice before signing up – It’s a good idea when signing up for a new account to think twice. Do you really need this account? Or can you get by without it?
4. Use separate email accounts and passwords - Setting up different email accounts is a good idea. One should be for personal use, so the address is given only to people you know. Another could be for all of your online accounts, with a final one strictly for password recovery. It would be best to make the addresses as different as possible. Beyond that you should have separate passwords for each account and every service. This will limit hackers from being able to gain access to multiple accounts.
5. Secure your browsing – Almost every website that asks users to sign up for accounts offers a secure version of the site. Enter https://www. before the site address, e.g., https://www.facebook.com. https is a secure communications protocol that ensures one is communicating directly with the website – you’re actually looking at Facebook, not a phishing site designed to steal passwords.

3. Encourage others to think
It’s not enough to just take action yourself. Encouraging colleagues, friends and family to also take steps to protect their online information and identities, is worthwhile. There are many great ways to help spread the word about safety, including the National Cyber Security website, which has information on Internet related security. Check it out, and share it!

If you would like to learn about how we can help you keep your information and data safe online, please contact us today for a comprehensive solution!

The dream of many an office worker is to have the option to work from home, either full time or a couple of days each week at least. For many, this is an opportunity to be closer to family and avoid what might be a long commute to work. Many companies have been happy to oblige, especially those in tech that have seen boosts to employee productivity, and benefits from increased flexibility. One major tech company looks on remote working less favorably though.

In late February, an internal memo from Yahoo was leaked. The memo contained a statement indicating that all remote and telecommuting employees will lose their jobs if they continue to work from home after June 2013.

To many in the tech industry, and indeed others who work successfully with remote employees, this might seem like a giant step backwards. There has been a fair amount of backlash on this decision from news outlets, tech experts and employees alike, especially since working from home has proven to increase productivity among certain employees.

According to the memo, “To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices.” The two key points here are ‘collaboration’ and ‘communication’. If these are both executed successfully, you have generally productive employees and increased profits.

On the other hand, technology is at a point where employees can log in to their work systems from anywhere. Combine this with video conferencing and cloud solutions such as Google Drive and Microsoft Office 365, which allow real-time collaboration, face-time in an office could be seen as somewhat of a redundant idea. If remote working is executed efficiently, you might save money, see productivity increase more than it might in a physically present team, and profits potentially rise too.

It’s certainly an interesting debate. Does physical face-time or telecommuting equal greater productivity? What we can say, is that it depends on the company and the industry to a large extent. Obviously, restaurants couldn’t operate using remote employees. But, if your business can support it, this may be a viable way to boost productivity, keep employees happy and cut expensive overhead costs such as rents for office premises.

We’d like to hear that you think. Would you rather work from home, or do you benefit from the structure and face-to-face dealings in an office? Where and when are you most productive?

We’d love to get your feedback. Let us know what your opinion is.

One of the defining characteristics of a business owner is the often overwhelming feeling that they must do everything themselves. Some entrepreneurs are not great at delegating within their company, let alone to specialists outside. This can cause problems, especially when you realize that you aren’t an expert, and could use a little help. For many business owners this realization comes about when they tackle their IT systems and ensuing problems. One solution could be to outsource IT.

Outsourcing IT is a bit different than the usual outsourcing you get in factories, or support services. Instead of going overseas, you can partner with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) in your local area. MSPs provide comprehensive IT management services which usually cover everything tech related.

Working with an MSP often has a direct impact on your bottom line, and can help make your company even more successful than it already is, or at least increase profits to get you there. However, there are many more reasons companies outsource. Below are our Top Five:

5 reasons why you should outsource IT

1. Increased control of operational costs - Most MSPs group their services together into monthly plans, meaning you have one cost associated with the IT department. Overhead expenses such as staffing, overtime hours, and operational costs, as well as software licenses, etc., are all included in a flat monthly fee. This makes it easier for you to control IT related costs, while also saving money.
2. Take focus away from IT, refocus on business functions - Technology is great and a necessity of running most modern businesses but it does break and become either worn out or outdated. Seemingly endless tech issues can take your focus away from key business functions. MSPs take care of all this, allowing you to re-focus your efforts and energies into running your business.
3. Access to better resources – The best and newest tech is often pricey; well beyond the budget of a vast majority of small and medium sized businesses. This is further compounded by the fact that you likely can’t afford to hire the new employees needed to to run these systems either. MSPs can provide the latest tech along with the experience to support it, allowing you to get more for less.
4. IT functions are beyond current abilities – If you are like most small to medium companies, you have a few staff who are designated as computer experts, even though that may not be their main role or responsibility. Or it could be the case that you and your colleagues simply lack the knowledge and experience required to run increasingly complex technical systems. The employees at MSPs eat, sleep and breathe tech, and can provide enterprise level IT support and knowledge.
5. Reduced risk from IT failure - Technical systems are built to be robust. However, they aren’t perfect and will eventually fail. This could mean lengthy downtime, increased costs and lost data. Managed Service Providers reduce this risk by actively monitoring your systems and offering back-up services which will reduce productivity loss and lost business.

3 things you can expect from an MSP
There are a wide variety of MSPs, serving many industries, but there are three things you should expect from any MSP.

1. Flexibility - IT companies have access to a wide variety of vendors, tech and resources. This means they should be able to develop scalable solutions that meet your companies needs as you grow.
2. Product experts - The main business objective of an MSP is to provide IT services.To do this they need employees who know their stuff. To get the best, most hire staff with specific qualifications and certifications and experience with the systems offered.
3. Long-run cost savings - In the short-term it is entirely plausible that internal staff are cheaper than a monthly MSP. Factor in the cost of purchasing technology, maintaining it, plus the cost of recovery, and the cost of retaining an internal IT team will skyrocket. Most companies you outsource to offer a flat rate monthly fee, and will be able to maintain your systems longer. This means lower replacement costs and increased uptime, which in the long run make outsourcing a viable, cost-efficient option.

If you are tired of IT problems and cost overruns, contact us today to see what we can do for you.

Facebook, beloved by many, is an ever-changing and evolving entity. One of the latest updates is the introduction of Graph Search, which makes it easier for users to find each other based on their likes, photos, comments, etc. Before this new feature is turned on, it would be beneficial to you to perform a profile audit.

There are three main parts to this audit, which will ensure that your personal profile is ready for Graph Search. Bear in mind that this is for your personal account, not your business Facebook Page. This audit is ideal if you would like a more professional looking profile.

Step 1. Check who can search for you
The whole idea of Facebook is to be social, however you may not want to be found by every man and his dog on this platform. You can check who can search for your profile by:

1. Clicking the Lock icon in the top-right hand side of the screen.
2. Selecting Who can contact me?
3. Looking at Who can send me friend requests? By default it is set to Everyone, but you can change this by pressing the downward facing blue arrow.
4. Looking at Whose messages do I want filtered into my inbox?

Step 2. Check your Activity Log
The Activity Log is essentially a journal for Facebook. It covers everything you have done on Facebook, and provides you with a quick way to edit your profile. You can access it by:

1. Clicking on the Lock icon in the top-right hand side of the screen.
2. Selecting Who can see my stuff?
3. Click on Use Activity Log.

Depending on how active you are on Facebook, it could take a bit of time to look through your activities. If you see something you don’t like, or would like to change, press the pencil at the right-hand side of the activity. This will allow you to edit the post, remove it from your timeline or delete it. Note, that if you remove it from your timeline, the information won’t be deleted.

If you press the Lock icon you can change who can see the post/activity on your timeline too. It would be a good idea to look through your whole timeline and ensure that any unprofessional comments, links, likes, etc. are either deleted or removed from your timeline. It wouldn’t be a good idea to make your profile completely private however, so ensure some posts – maybe ones related to your business, hobbies, interests, etc. – are still visible.

Step 3. Check who can see future posts
Facebook has included an option that allows you to set who can see future posts on your timeline. This will lessen the need for a future account audit. You can set this by:

1. Clicking on the Lock icon in the top-right hand side of the screen.
2. Selecting Who can see my stuff?
3. Pressing the downward facing blue arrow under Who can see my future posts? and setting it to the desired level of security.

In order to ensure your profile is optimized for Graph Search, carrying out this audit would be a great idea. As we stated above, you don’t have to make everything private, after all, this is a social network. Just make sure that anything that is unbecoming of the professional you are is removed or hidden from prying eyes. If you would like a little help ensuring both you and your business are ready for the next big Facebook feature, contact us today.

Microsoft Word has been an important business tool for many years and will likely continue to be so for many more to come. There are numerous features that are used on a regular basis that, while they should make things easier, can actually create more work. One such feature is copy and paste. However, Word has some interesting copy and paste functions that can truly make your job more efficient.

Here’s an overview of Word’s copy and paste feature.

Simple copy and paste
As you likely know already, you can copy by selecting/highlighting text, or pictures and either right-clicking and selecting copy; pressing Ctrl + C (Command + C on Mac) or selecting File followed by Copy.

You can paste by either right-clicking and selecting paste; pressing Ctrl + V (Command + V on Mac) or selecting File followed by Paste. When you copy and paste, the highlighted text or image will be placed where you have placed the cursor.

While simple copying and pasting works fine for most situations, there are times when you are copying from one word document to another and need something else. Many documents have different text and layout formats which can make copying a bit inefficient, as you will likely have to change some of the text or image settings. Word has four built-in features that can make this easier.

These settings can be found by first highlighting what you would like to copy. You should see a clipboard above the highlighted text when you hover your mouse over it. Pressing the down-facing black arrow will open the different copy functions.

• Keep Source Formatting – Pressing this will keep the formatting of the text/document you copied from. This is the default option.
• Merge Formatting - This will keep the text’s format, without changing the format of the document you paste into. E.g., if the text you copied is a different font and size, it will be posted into the new document at the same format, but the next word typed will retain the previous format.
• Use Destination Style - This will change the text you copied to the same format as the document you copy into.
• Keep Text Only - This will copy only the text. All graphics, tables, charts and formatting will be discarded. When you paste into the new document, the text will be changed to that document’s formatting.

This feature can help make it easier to copy and paste from one document to another. Office has many features that can assist in improving your productivity, or make your job easier. If you are interested in learning more Office tips and tricks, please contact us today.

Imagine you are in the airport waiting for a flight when you look down only to discover that your laptop is missing. This isn't a great thought, especially since many of us have important files and programs that we can't afford to lose. The problem is, if your device has gone missing, the chances of you recovering it are slim. The good news is that there is a possible solution that lets you track your device.

Prey is an Open Source - free - program that you can install on your computer or mobile device and track it when it's missing, or been stolen.

How it works First you have to download the software - from here - onto your computer (Windows, Mac or Linux are supported), and sign up for an account. You have a couple of options here: You can either sign up for an account with Prey and access a control panel through the website, or install it as a standalone which is recommended for advanced users as it requires some server configuration.

If you chose to go with the Web option you sign up for an account and install the software then register your main device along with extra ones like an Android, or your iOS device. Once you have downloaded Prey and linked them together, you are ready.

For mobiles, you can send these a text (from the Web Control Panel) which will initiate the established options you have pre-set for when your phone goes missing.

How Prey finds your device's location depends on the device. For laptops, it can turn-on your Wi-Fi connection and try to connect to the nearest access points. It can take the IP address of each Wi-Fi access point and from there get an approximate location - in some areas as close as 200 feet. On your phone, it turns on the GPS (if available) and tries to connect to Wi-Fi networks in range. These two combined can generate a fairly accurate location.

All this tracking information is sent to your inbox in the form of a report, which can be tailored to meet your needs.

What makes this program different from other similar ones is that it can be installed across multiple platforms and managed from one account. It's also free, which makes it even more attractive. There is also a Pro version which allows you to track more devices, for a monthly fee (USD$5 for 3 devices up to USD$399 a month for 500 devices).

Prey is just one of the many device tracking programs, and installing one may be a good idea, to give you a greater chance of retrieval if your phone or computer is lost or stolen. Do you use one already? If so, which one? If you would like to learn more about Prey and the other device tracking programs please let us know, we may have a great solution for you.