Which Anti-Virus do you use to protect your computer and/or server? Multi-Select if you use more than one…
AVG, Avast, ESET, Norton, McAfee, Sophos & Trend Micro were selected because they are the most popular by far. Please forgive me for not listing your favorite and just select “Other”, or feel free to respond to this post and state your A/V of choice.
Many people from investment bankers to video and photo editors have been using multiple monitors on their desktops for years, but the majority of individuals have not realized the value in adding video “real estate” to their desktops.
A typical computer worker will have a 19″ monitor on their desk, and spend a good part of their day flipping between applications. They will open Microsoft Outlook, and read emails, flip back to Excel and work on a spreadsheet, copy some data from that and paste it into an email or start up Microsoft Word and continue this routine of flipping between applications to view the most important one at that moment.
Windows 7 allows you to quickly move two programs to opposite sides of a display to view them simultaneously
Some workstations are lucky enough to be equipped with a larger, say 20 or 22 inch widescreen monitor, and Microsoft Windows 7 which allows you to easily snap one program to one half of the screen and another to the other half, sharing that one monitor to view Word and Excel simultaneously.
While this solution is much better than the constant flipping, it does have a few drawbacks, such as limited display area due to screen size, unless you are one of the very few who are fortunate enough to have a 30″ display, and if you are one of those, you can just close out this site now, because we all hate you. (Of course I am only kidding, really).
A much more elegant solution is to use two monitors, hopefully of the same model and place them side-by-side or use a specialized mount to hold the monitors in the perfect position for you to see them. These mounts have come down in price considerably and are worth looking into, especially if you have MORE than 2 monitors.
Dual monitors can increase your productivity
For those who have not experienced multiple monitors, having two monitors allows you to keep your Outlook open on one, while working in Word or another application on another. You move seamlessly between them, when your mouse gets to the right edge of the left monitor, it moves to the left edge of the right monitor. You can move open windows and applications between these monitors as if they are one large display.
I currently have two 24″ monitors on my desk, and could not work with less than that after maximizing the use of these monsters. If I had a larger desk, I would add another monitor!
Going multi-monitor is a snap. You first need a computer that supports this, or to purchase a dual output video card. Then you need a 2nd monitor and cable. It’s really that easy. Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 supports multiple displays, but Windows 7 does the best job of it. Apple Mac OS X Machines also support multiple monitors.
The Nexlink Business computers we offer come dual monitor ready, so if you have one of these systems, you only need the additional monitor.
If you would like more information on dual or multiple monitors (no need to stop at 2, why not add 6!?), monitor stands, multiple output video cards, or our Nexlink Business computers, please call 864-990-4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com – We offer sales of monitors, computers, video cards and installation in the Greenville / Upstate, SC area.
“What is the difference between Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Business & Office 2010 Professional?” and “What does Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus have that Office 2010 Professional does not?” are common questions that we are asked by potential buyers and those who wish to upgrade. Once we explain the differences, the obvious next question is going to be, “How much does each one cost?”.
In an attempt to make it easier to visualize the differences between versions, I located a chart from a Wiki article and modified it to include the current suggested retail pricing of the various versions.
Microsoft Office 2010 Features and MSRP Matrix
As you can see from the chart, Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus offers every feature available in the Office Suite of programs if you purchase the Volume license. And the Home and Student version provides the basic suite of software, excluding the Outlook mail client. The number one seller is Microsoft Home & Business because it does offer Outlook and it is affordable as well.
Notice the “Product Key Code Price” is much lower than the full retail version. The Product Key Code, or PKC version is the same as the Retail offering for each suite with a lower price due to the lack of media. PKC sales are designed for new PC purchases, which come with the evaluation of Microsoft Office 2010 pre-installed. Instead of buying a full retail version and installing that, you purchase the PKC from your vendor, which is just a package that contains a Product Key. The Product Key is then entered into the demo version to register it as the full product you purchased.
Not only does this save on packaging costs, but less packaging means less junk ends up in the landfill (while not a totally green solution, every little bit helps).
Volume licensing is the king of the green solutions as you do not actually receive any paper or packaging, or even media. You purchase a minimum of five licenses, which are delivered electronically, and you download the media and burn it to your own disk. Volume licensing is ideal for a small office of 5 or more, on up to offices and organizations with 1000s of employees.
Homeland Secure IT offers nationwide sales of Microsoft products as full retail, product key code or volume licensing, 1 user or 1 million users. We also offer complete installation, upgrades and computer / network support / service in the Greenville and Upstate South Carolina area. Please call 864-990-4748 ext 201 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for additional information.
Homeland Secure IT Alert
Homeland Secure IT Alert for Monday, August 02, 2010
Microsoft issues out-of-band security bulletin and patch today August 2, 2009. Out of band means released ahead of the regular scheduled monthly update. The out-of-band patch is designed to address a security flaw in the way shortcuts are displayed.
Software affected includes Windows operating system, various versions, and is rated critical. Microsoft encourages users to take action
This security update is rated Critical for all supported editions of Microsoft Windows listed here and obtained from Microsoft
Operating System
Windows XP Service Pack 3
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2
Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems and Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2*
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems and Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2*
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2
Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems
Windows 7 for x64-based Systems
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems*
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems
Recommendation from Microsoft: Customers who have not enabled automatic updating need to check for updates and install this update manually.
If we can be of assistance with this or any other security or computer issue, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-990-4748 or email info@homelandsecureit.com
Homeland Secure IT Alert - Contact Info
badadadadadadadadadadadaadadad (Simulated drum roll)…
Hal Westmoreland from AccessAbility Services Inc, of Simponsonville, SC was the lucky winner of the wireless network security / surveillance camera giveaway for July! Congratulations to Hal!
Incidentally the first name drawn was Pamela Hoyt, my wife, which somehow didn’t seem fair, so we drew again.
I would like to thank everyone for playing our little game, those who are signed up will be automatically entered into our next contest… Watch for details coming soon!
Tanya Thompson / @thompsontanya commented about a device on Twitter this morning that caught my eye… It is the Withings / @Withings Wi-Fi connected scale, which uses network connectivity to log and track your weight loss (or gain) among other things.
You can view your trends with a web interface, and access the data with your iPhone. I believe something like this really could encourage you to lose some weight. Recently there have been news stories which cite studies about weight loss and the results indicate that those who use internet weight tracking actually do lose more weight and manage to maintain that loss better than those who do not.
The thing that bothers me is that it will Tweet out your weight once a week to Twitter. All I could think was exactly what it would be tweeting when I stepped on it… Something like, “HELP ME! This fat guy is smushing me!” is probably what it would have to say about me! Still, it is an interesting gadget and I would love to have it. Who knows, maybe I will order one. Follow me on Twitter to see what this thing has to say!
A few posts ago I talked about the number of portable tablet computers / pads that are coming on the market. Yesterday I took Scott’s Android pad to a Greenville meeting spot (Halfway to Habana) where we gather on Thursdays for fun and fellowship – nobody seemed too impressed with the device due to the speed, or lack there of.
While discussing the inexpensive Chinese import (called the iPed) with its 8″ display, wi-fi, etc, Phil Yanov / @thinkhammer brought up the Augen Android pad being offered exclusively by K-Mart. I had not heard of it, but I promptly Googled it to find that the Augen is far superior to the iPed in that it is faster and more responsive and that it is has the Android 2.1 OS loaded on it from the factory. Also, it doesn’t hurt that it is being offered by a reputable franchise (K-Mart) that would allow you to return it should you be disappointed with the performance.
I have checked K-Mart stores around the Upstate and none of them show the device is in inventory, but you can get a rain check to help you be the first on your block to sport one. Will it be serious competition for the Apple iPad? I don’t think so, not yet. However, the Android pad devices are maturing and as they do so, the sales from all vendors combined are going to (eventually) cut into the Apple market share. (Still waiting on the Palm and Windows Mobile tablets to make their showing)
Here is a first look at the Augen from a new user’s point of view:
If you have one of these devices, I would like to hear from you, so please shoot me an email or respond here! Have a great weekend!
The other day, I wrote about Nexlink SP series business notebooks and that generated some interest in their products among our clients and friends. Today we happen to have both a Nexlink SP 4000 and a Toshiba Tecra A11-S3511 in stock before they are delivered to their new owners, so I thought we would give a rough comparison of the two.
We have an even playing field with these two products… Both are designed for business use and feature the following specs in common:
Nexlink SP 4000 Business Notebook
Intel i3-350M 2.26G Processor
2GB DDR3 1066 SODIMM RAM
15.6″ widescreen LCD display w/built-in camera
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Docking connectors, VGA port, 10 key numeric pad, media card reader, express card, DVD-RW, audio in/out, Gigabit NIC, Wireless & Bluetooth, security lock slot
The differences between the two are:
Toshiba has a finger print reader, serial port, mini display port, eSATA, modem, 3 USB ports and only 250GB HD
Nexlink has 4 USB ports & 320GB HD
Aesthetics: In comparing the two visually, they both feature a matte finish on most of the areas you touch, though the mouse buttons on the Toshiba are chromed plastic and show fingerprints badly. The rest of the surfaces are similar between the models. The layout is similar, except many of the connections, including power are on the back of the Toshiba unit. The Nexlink’s backside is devoid of connections.
Display: Set to the same resolution, I can tell no difference when viewing the same screens and graphics. The speed of refresh is great on both models. One difference is that the Nexlink may offer better privacy when viewed from the side. Those working with sensitive material may still wish to use a privacy filter.
Toshiba Tecra A11-S3511 Business Notebook
Keyboard & Touch Pad: Both units have excellent keyboards though slightly different in style, however the touch pad on the Nexlink is more to my liking, the surface area is larger and is a little rougher, making it easier for me to manipulate. Your mileage may vary here. All of us in the office like the Nexlink’s feel better and it seems to be more responsive.
Performance: Considering these are units going out to clients, we did not want to load them down with benchmarking tools. We did use them to browse, check resources and to run the Windows Experience Index. Not surprisingly due to the similar configuration, they both had a 3.6 rating, with the Toshiba coming in 0.1 faster on disk access and the Nexlink 0.2 higher on gaming graphics. Otherwise, they performed identically. It should be noted that the Toshiba comes pre-loaded with their suite of software and applications to support the notebook and that from the factory it was using 1.02GB of RAM, while the Nexlink was using 600MB.
Overall Experience: Either of these notebooks would make a great system. They weigh about the same, have about the same dimensions, have similar battery life, and have a rugged build to withstand the everyday wear and tear a portable computer user would inflict. In addition to being a great portable computer, they also connect to an (optional) docking station that allows the use of a large LCD, external speakers, printers, full size keyboard and mouse all by dropping the computer into the docking bay. Who could ask for more?
The bottom line probably comes down to money for most potential owners of these notebooks. If that is the case, then I recommend you consider the Nexlink SP Series as your first choice. You get similar performance and features and can save a little money!
Homeland Secure IT is proud to partner with the US based manufacturer and offer the entire line of Seneca Data’s Nexlink notebooks, computers and servers. Please call 864-990-4748 ext 201 or email info@homelandsecureit.com for more information. We provide installation, migration and support in Greenville / Upstate SC and national sales.
Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security is Anti-Virus you can depend on!
I am asked why Homeland Secure IT loves Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security and Office Scan products so much. The default answer is, “Because it is the best!”, and then I proceed to explain how we feel it protects our clients better than other anti-virus / anti-malware suites, and how it consumes less resources and many other factors, however, I could stop with just the security. After all, what good is anti-virus if it doesn’t do the job it is intended for?
Our belief that Trend Micro is the best is backed up by many totally satisfied clients who use it and rely upon it daily, and many independent studies which have been performed on various Anti-Virus brands.
One that sticks out is a benchmarking test performed by AV-Test.org that covered five Enterprise endpoint solutions, including Symantec, McAfee, Microsoft, Sophos and Trend Micro. The Trend Micro test included two products, Worry-Free Business Security designed for small business and OfficeScan designed for large Enterprise accounts.
AV-Test.org tested zero-day attacks actually occurring in the wild by sourcing malicious URLs which have malware associated with them. The testing occurred simultaneously across all vendor’s platforms to ensure no biases during the test runs. Products were configured to block or detect the threats at multiple levels, thereby giving each vendor maximum ability to protect against these threats.
In these test, Trend Micro emerged as teh overall winner. Trend Micro also demonstrated a decided advantage in blocking these threats at their source, the URL. With an overall score at blocking zero-day threats of 89.5 and 89.0 percent, the Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security and OfficeScan solutions respectively stand distinctly apart from other products whose averages ranged from just 52.5 to 77.5 percent.
Source: AV-Test.org | Note: Results are based on the T+60 minute results
And in the time to protect category, Trend Micro ranked #1 too.
Source: AV-Test.org | NOTE: Time-to-protect improvement is the percentage of threats missed at T=0min that are subsequently prevented at T=60min. For example, with Trend Micro OfficeScan: At T=0min, 161 threats were prevented while 39 threats were missed. Of the 39 threats missed at T=0min, 17 were prevented at T=60min (17 of 39 equals 43.6%).
Trend Micro has outperformed the competition in a number of recent tests (See NSS Labs) due to the Smart Protection Network™ infrastructure that powers OfficeScan and Worry-Free Business solutions. This unique cloud-client architecture that uses Smart feedback to source new potential threats, patent-pending correlation that analyzes multiple threat vectors (web, email, file) in real-time allows Trend Micro to react faster than other vendors against new threats. Our multi-layered approach to security gives us a decided advantage over the competition in combating today’s sophisticated threats as well as the volume of new threats.
For more information or to receive a copy of the report, please call us at 864-990-4748 ext 201 or email info@homelandsecureit.com – We sell Trend Micro products nationally and offer installation and upgrade services to Greenville and the Upstate of SC. We also provide complete virus removal and cleanup service!
In case you ever wondered – here’s how that copier works in your office… I’m taking our’s apart tomorrow to make sure this is factual…. =)
