Have you recently purchased a new computer or upgraded your existing computer to Window 8 and find yourself missing the traditional Start menu? Here is a solution to get your Start menu back for less than 5 bucks.

Stardock Start8
www.stardock.com
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With a tropical storm approaching the Gulf of Mexico, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some battery saving tips for your mobile devices. As we are busy making preparations for a potential Florida Panhandle landfall, be sure to add plans for your mobile devices as well. I have included some basic tips below that I hope you will find useful.

• Use text messaging whenever possible. Text messaging typically uses less power than regular voice calls. Cell towers are also often overwhelmed with voice calls during disasters like hurricanes, so using text messaging is a more reliable option altogether.

• Turn off features like GPS and WiFi. While these features are helpful during normal circumstances, they can drain your battery during a power outage. Chances are if you don't have power, you won't have WiFi, so having your phone constantly looking for hotspots will drain your battery quicker. After conditions return to normal, remember to turn WiFi back on.

• The next step may seem obvious, but is often forgotten. Make sure you fully charge the battery before the storm. Also, use your car charger after the storm to re-charge during any power outage. Car charges typically draw very little amperage so you shouldn't have to worry about drawing down your vehicles battery if not used for a few days.


Stay safe and if you plan on evacuating don't forget important data on your computer(s). While the storage media can be replaced, the data cannot. Now would be a great opportunity to backup your data to the cloud or make some other arrangements before it is too late.

When setting up answers to common security questions like, "mother's maiden name," purposely provide the wrong answer. Why you might ask? Well if you think about it, this information isn't hard to figure out these days. If you provide an answer that is fictitious, it could be very hard to figure out. Lets say that your mother's maiden name is "smith," then add "er" to the end of the name, spelling "smither." It would be pretty hard for an attacker to figure out this answer. Also, whenever possible, use two factor authentication. Two factor authentication is exactly like it sounds, it provides you with a second layer of authentication before allowing access to a particular account. Passwords are something you know and two factor authentication adds something you have, like a cell phone or access key. Many companies like banks, allow two factor authentication free of charge. Paypal and eBay offer a card that can purchased for a one time fee or you can use your cell phone instead. Security is a slight inconvenience but it's certainly worth it.

Google (Gmail) click below for more information 
http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=180744

Paypal click below for more information 
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin?cmd=xpt/Marketing_CommandDriven/securitycenter/PayPalSecurityKey-outside&bn_r=o

Yahoo click below for more information 
https://edit.yahoo.com/commchannel/sec_chal_manage

Know someone in need of computer repair? We have a great opportunity for you to save on your next service, refer a friend and receive a 10% referral credit! Contact us for more information.

Do you get tired of remembering passwords for your online accounts? I have a great solution to help you store all of those passwords in the cloud securely. Through a free application, Lastpass, you can store passwords, save addresses, and even save credit card information. I have been using Lastpass for a few years now and can tell you that it has been a big help in my password retention. The best part about Lastpass is that it's free. For more information check them out at https://lastpass.com/f?222126.

We are pleased to announce that we can now offer our clients online backup service from Carbonite. As an authorized reseller, we can offer our clients affordable rates paired with local support. Contact us for more information

Do you currently store your media files in the cloud? If so, are you paying a yearly or even a monthly storage fee? Why pay someone to host you own media when you can "roll your own cloud." There are several free media server applications available, but by far the easiest to configure is Tonido. Tonido is a plug and play application that you install on your home computer. After the application is installed, you select which folders contain the media you would like to share and that's it. Simply install the iphone or android app on your phone and within minutes you are rolling your own cloud. 

Check out Tonido's website for more information:

www.tonido.com

Can you remember your first computer? I can remember my first computer, it was very similar to the one shown above. As technology continues to change, I like to reflect back and remember how things used to be. My first computer had a very small hard drive, in fact, it could not store a single photo captured by many modern digital cameras. Not only do modern computers have more computing power than their predecessors, they are widely affordable. According to the 2010 US census, 68% of United States households had at least one personal computer, up 26% from the 1998 census. It is truly amazing to see how technology has grown throughout the last twenty years. If we have progressed to the point we are currently at, one has to wonder what the next twenty years of technology expansion will bring. Does your current computer look like this one? If so, it might be time for an upgrade!