Blog
July 20, 2010
Google is quietly creating its own New World Order. Its size, power and influence are probably larger than you are aware and Google will shape our day to day lives for many years to come.
Google was founded by two PhD candidates at Stanford University in 1998 and over the years has revolutionized the search engine and helped mature and shape the Internet.
In the early days of the Internet, Google transformed slow and unreliable web searches to fast results that users could use with confidence. If what you were looking for was online, Google would find it for you.
So what is so great about Google?
The search engine powerhouse runs more than one million servers in data centers around the world, and processes more than one billion search requests and 20 petabytes (one quadrillion or 1015) of user-generated data every day. Google indexes billions of web pages so users can find information quickly by using keywords and operators such as "+" and "=."
With the majority of its long list of services free to consumers (see the full list here), Google generates billions of dollars per year of profit primarily through AdWords, its pay-per-click advertising program.
Much of Google's growth is due in large part to acquisitions including YouTube - the popular video-sharing website, and Postini - an email and web security and archiving service. Many services we use on a daily basis are owned by Google, most notably:
- Gmail - free webmail service
- Google Earth - a virtual globe, map and geographic information program
- Android - mobile device operating system giving the Apple iPhone a run for its money in the battle for Smartphone supremacy
- Google Docs - a free web-based productivity suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation and data storage service that competes with Microsoft Office
- Google Calendar - a free time-management web application
So what's in the future for Google?
Google is planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. Their goal is to deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today at a competitive price. These ultra high speeds will allow for streaming high definition video and real-time multimedia collaboration.
Google plans to launch an operating system, Google Chrome, in the second half of 2010. Chrome is a very lightweight, efficient operating system designed initially for netbooks, and relies on using web-based applications, which conveniently, Google offers plenty of. Clearly Google is aiming to take market share from Microsoft.
For 10 fun facts you didn't know about Google (including its use of goats for lawn maintenance), click here.
Popularity of eReaders and Tablets on the Rise
June 11, 2010
Recent research from The Boston Consulting Group revealed that of consumers who currently use the Internet and read print books, magazines or newspapers, 40 percent plan to buy either an eReader or tablet within the next three years. If this research is accurate, eReaders and tablets will quickly join the ranks of other mainstream electronics such as TVs, mobile phones and personal computers in our lives.
So what is an eReader?
An eReader, also called an e-book reader or an e-book device, is an electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital books and periodicals and uses E Ink (a type of electronic paper) technology to display content to readers. The main advantages of these devices are portability, readability of their screens in bright sunlight and long battery life. They also make it easy to take notes, save clippings of quotations and highlight passages you want to be able to find again. They're good for the environment too.
If you're in the market for an eReader, there are several factors to consider before making a purchase, such as the features it offers, the amount of content available for the device and how many different types of books it can support, the price over the feature set and the tech support you can expect.
A popular option on the market is the Apple iPad. From $499 to $699, the iPad is a multipurpose tablet computer that includes e-book capabilities. Whereas dedicated eReaders have a single, integrated e-book application, the iPad has several apps available - Apple's iBooks, an Amazon Kindle app, Kobo and one from Barnes & Noble.
But if you're looking for a device dedicated primarily to reading e-books and at a lower price point, consider these recommendations from Consumer Reports.
5" or Smaller screen size: Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS300RC. At $149, the Reader Pocket Edition features an elegant, lightweight design that's easy to slip into a purse or jacket pocket for convenient, on-the-go reading. Its 512MB of onboard memory lets you carry up to 350 of your favorite books at a time and enjoy up to two full weeks of reading on a single battery charge. You can access books at Sony's eBookstore, check out books from public libraries and access more than 500,000 free public domain titles from Google.
6" screen size: Amazon Kindle 2. At $199, the Kindle can wirelessly download content in less than 60 seconds over Amazon's Whispernet data-network. The Kindle hardware device is used without a computer connection, and Amazon Whispernet is accessible without any monthly fee or wireless subscription. The Kindle provides free access to the Internet in the U.S. over cellular networks and its 3G wireless capability allows users to enjoy coverage at home or abroad in more than 100 countries. The device holds up to 1,500 books and can be read for up to one week on a single charge while using wireless. With the experimental Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read newspapers, magazines, blogs and books out loud to you.
9.7" screen size: Amazon Kindle DX. At $489, the Kindle DX offers a much larger screen size than the Kindle 2 and allows you to switch from portrait to landscape mode by just turning the device. It can access a large library of tens of thousands of e-books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs via Amazon's online store. Similar to the Kindle 2, the DX wirelessly downloads content via its built-in free Whispernet data network-no PC required. The DX also boasts a built-in keyboard for notes, faster processor speeds, and with 4GB of internal memory, it's capable of storing 3,500 electronic books.
We all know books expand horizons. With one device that can hold hundreds of books and give you access to them your fingertips, eReaders take reading to a whole new level.
Facebook has over 400 million active users worldwide, 3 million active pages, and 1.5 million business listings. 50% of its active users log on to Facebook every day. Like it or not, there's no contesting Facebook's popularity. For more surprising statistics, see Facebook's own stats page.
Here are some fast facts and helpful tips to help you get the most out of the social networking powerhouse, and understand its implications on your business.
Careful with those Pics!
Be aware that employers and clients may use Facebook to check up on you before hiring you. If you upload the pics of your trip to the Bahamas with your buddies, make sure they present a decent image. Your online presence and reputation very much matter!
Also be aware that Facebook has drawn criticism for a lax privacy policy with regard to its subscribers. If you use Facebook, make sure you check your privacy settings and adjust them as needed. Check these settings periodically because changes to Facebook may impact what others can see about you.
Become a Fan
You can become a Facebook "fan" of a company or other entity to keep tabs on their activities. To become a Fan, type in the name of the subject or entity you're interested in into the search box. Select the result you're looking for, and click on "Become a Fan". As an example, NetEffect has a company page. Use a Facebook company page to tout your company's successes and keep people thinking about you.
If you doubt the power of these fan pages, have a look at the Facebook page "Betty White to Host SNL". It has over 500,000 fans, and due in part to this page going viral, SNL chose Betty White to host the show last Sat.
Facebook's Foundation
Its stated purpose is to "make the world more open and transparent" in order to "create greater understanding and connection".
To App or not to App
There are more than 500,000 active applications available on Facebook, and more than 250 of these have more than one million active users. This speaks volumes to the fact that specialized applications are quickly finding their way into nearly every aspect of our daily lives.
News Feeds
It's not necessary to see every update your Facebook friends post. Simply click "Hide" next to any newsfeed post, and you'll be offered the option to hide all updates from that person or (if applicable) updates of that particular type.
Additional Resources
For those who really want to dig in to Facebook, there are plenty of resources available.
The Facebook Marketing Bible
facebook week - News and Reviews
And naturally, Facebook itself.
Apple's latest gadget - The iPad
April 14, 2010
On April 3, Apple unveiled its much-anticipated iPad. The gadget that retails from $499 to $699 is a cross between a laptop and a smartphone, but doesn't quite eliminate the need for either one. There was much hype surrounding the iPad since it was announced in January, and that momentum led to more than 300,000 units sold on its first day of sales.
Currently, the iPad is only available in Wi-Fi mode. For those wanting 3G cellular connectivity, you'll have to wait. The more-expensive Wi-Fi + 3G-enabled version won't be available until late April.
This niche product combines basic, but essential, work tools with iWork, an improved browser, e-mail, iPod and photo applications, a well-executed e-Book platform with iBooks, and mixes in thousands of downloadable apps and games. Package it all in an attractive, slim slate with a 9.7-inch touch screen display and the iPad makes sense. A big question surrounding the iPad is what its emergence will mean for the Amazon Kindle and other e-book readers.
With all its bells and whistles, the iPad is by no means flawless. Missing features include a built-in camera for video conferencing, support for multitasking, expandable storage, and Flash support in Safari just to name a few. There are 12 preloaded apps on the iPad: Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Maps, Videos, YouTube, iTunes, AppStore, Safari, Mail, Photos and iPod. The infinite potential of the iPad rests in the hands of third party app developers, and currently there aren't too many iPad-optimized apps. At launch, Apple anticipated more than 1,000 iPad apps in addition to more than 150,000 currently available for the iPhone and iPod touch, almost all of which will run on the iPad - they just won't be optimized for the iPad's screen.
The fact that you won't find a single port, USB, or otherwise, tells you that this product is not meant to be a full-blown computer, or the substitute for one. Apple expects you to use e-mail and syncing to shuttle files and documents between the iPad and your computer. This is sure to be a deal breaker for plenty of potential buyers.
A big bummer is the lack of support for Flash video in the built-in Safari browser. Sites with Flash animation won't fully load, and Flash-based online video content won't play - so don't think about getting cozy with the iPad to watch your favorite TV shows on Hulu.
One of the biggest criticisms leveled at the iPad - that it can't run third-party apps in the background - will be fixed later this year. The iPad's major operating system (OS) revision will arrive this fall.
Bottom line: The Apple iPad will be a driving force changing the tablet landscape. It is an affordable tablet, but won't completely replace your laptop. As with any new product, there are kinks that need to be worked out, and if you're considering the iPad, you should look at these other less-publicized alternatives as well:
HP Slate
JooJoo
ICD Gemini
Notion Ink Adam
Many of our clients want to know if they need to encrypt their email messages and, if so, how to do it. Much of the sudden interest in email encryption is due to the recent adoption of regulations regarding consumer privacy and the protection of consumer data. The intent of these regulations is to place some of the responsibility on businesses for the growing and incredibly serious problem of identity theft.
If your business handles data your employees or customers would want to be kept private, or information that could be used in identity theft, you bear some responsibility for its safekeeping. Your responsibility continues even when transmitting this information from one computer to another, and that's where email encryption comes in.
Since email goes over the public Internet, it's possible for it to be intercepted and the information used for the purpose of identity theft. If you're sending social security numbers, account numbers, credit card numbers, health insurance information, etc., via email, it must be encrypted so only the intended recipient can read it. (Personally, I recommend against sending this type of information via email if you can avoid it.)
Email can be encrypted by using a dedicated appliance or special software that is installed at both the sender and the recipient computers. Hardware appliances are expensive and complicated to maintain, and encryption software has the disadvantage of having to be installed on the computer of every recipient.
Most small businesses opt to use a secure email service such as those offered by providers such as Microsoft and Postini. With these services, when the email contains confidential data, the sender puts a keyword (that you specify ahead of time) in the subject line such as "SECURE" or "CONFIDENTIAL". All outbound email is automatically encrypted and relayed through the provider. The computers at the provider recognize the keyword and email a link to the message recipient. The link takes the recipient to a secure web page, where they log in with a username and password that you provide so they can read the message.
The cost for secure email services are approximately $50 per year per user.
NetEffect Moves to a New Location
December 17, 2009
We moved our office over the Thanksgiving weekend, and we’re very happy with the new space. The address is 5575 S. Durango Drive Suite 107; it’s at the intersection of Durango and Russell.
It’s a convenient location and the layout is perfect for our needs. It’s a nice step up for us. Please stop by and say “hello”. The photo below is of our ribbon cutting ceremony with the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce on December 17.
High Speed Internet Takes Flight
September 24, 2009
I flew to the east coast last month, and for four and a half hours, I was completely cut off from my beloved Internet. The Internet is where I work, read the news, listen to music, watch movies, and get answers to random questions about the weather or anything else on my mind. My serious Internet withdrawals got me wondering when I could expect to have high-speed Internet while in flight.
Fortunately, in-flight Internet is available now on some commercial planes and is in the process of being installed on many more. The number of commercial planes with in-flight Internet is expected to reach 800 by the end of 2009.
In-flight Internet will work using standard Wi-Fi on board the plane, and then connect all passengers and crew to the Internet via satellite or by air-to-ground radio communication. You'll be able to connect your laptop or PDA to the Internet at speeds nearly comparable to what you're accustomed to on the ground.
The two primary in-flight Internet providers vying for market share are Gogo and Row 44. Annual revenue from in-flight Internet is projected to reach $1 billion by 2012.
The technology has been available for some time, but its adoption has faced many obstacles including poor economic conditions coupled with the cost of the equipment, difficulty getting regulatory approval for external antennas, and the weight of the equipment adding to fuel costs.
At this point it's difficult to determine if a flight you're considering will have in-flight Internet. The cost for in-flight Internet is about $6 to $13 depending on the duration of the flight.
Identity Theft - It's Scarier Than You Think
August 5, 2009
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the world. It's easy to perform, difficult to catch criminals who engage in it, and penalties are relatively lax. What you don't know about identity theft will surprise you.
This new crime is so lucrative that organized crime and terrorist organizations have jumped on board. Once data is stolen, it's sold on the identity theft market via various Internet sites. Medical insurance information can be sold for $50, social security numbers for $100, and credit cards with a PIN for $500. Criminals profit by selling hundreds or thousands at a time.
Fifty percent of confidential data loss is due to employees losing or stealing data.
As a result of the increasing problem of identity theft, Congress has enacted new legislation, and it's highly likely one or more of these new rules apply to your company. Of note:
- If you bill for a product or service, you meet the definition of a "creditor."
- Employers have a responsibility to secure the data of employees, clients and vendors.
- The liability for identity theft follows the data; if you share confidential data with a payroll company (for example), you're liable if that company has a data breach.
- If an employer loses any employee health information, they're subject to penalties under HIPAA and the HIPAA Security Rule.
- Fines for noncompliance are severe (up to $1M) and executives may be subject to jail time.
With medical identity theft, if someone is lacking medical insurance and needs expensive medical treatment, they can purchase stolen medical insurance information (along with stolen identification) and receive treatment as if they were that person. Imagine receiving a collections call from a hospital asking for payment for an expensive surgery you never had.
An added danger with medical identity theft involves the thief's blood type, drug allergies, and diseases being added to the victim's record. If the victim is treated based on this medical misinformation, it can result in serious bodily harm or death.
Victims of identity theft usually look to the organization responsible for the data breach to be "made whole", and this can result in class action lawsuits. The cost to the average business of a data breach is $6.3M.
The good news is you can protect your business by following some straightforward steps. The sites below have a lot of useful information about preventing identity theft and complying with the law.
www.idtinfo.com
www.julieryan.biz
Information technology plays a very important role in protecting your company from identity theft. Make sure you adhere to information technology best practices and industry standards. Work with your IT provider to make sure your network is secure to minimize the risks of identity theft.
WiMAX comes to Las Vegas
July 9, 2009
Las Vegas is only one of three cities in the U.S. that now has WiMAX, the other two being Atlanta and Portland. WiMAX is a technical standard that allows for wireless coverage over a very large area. Think of WiMAX as similar to the wireless you use to access the Internet in your home or coffee shop... except it covers the entire Las Vegas valley. With WiMAX, you'll be able to connect your laptop (or any other device) wirelessly to the Internet anywhere in the city.
This type of wireless coverage has been available for some time with air cards sold by cell phone carriers, but WiMAX download speeds are much faster. The maximum download speed with my Verizon air card is about 1.5Mbps. WiMAX offers download speeds up to 6Mbps. That's four times faster!
With WiMAX, you can connect a single device (like a laptop) to the Internet using a USB device, or connect an entire network to the Internet with a WiMAX modem.
Clear is the company responsible for bringing WiMAX to Las Vegas. They plan on delivering WiMAX to 80 cities by the end of 2010. WiMAX connectivity costs as little as $20 per month, and is $40 per month and up for higher speeds. My Verizon card with a much slower download speed costs $60 per month.
The disadvantage of WiMAX is the upload speed is significantly slower than the download speed. Clear is marketing their service to mobile and residential users, so business users may find customer service lacking. And if you're a mobile user, you can only use WiMAX in Las Vegas, Atlanta and Portland. This summer Clear says they'll release new equipment that will overcome this limitation by falling back to the cell phone carrier network when you're outside of the WiMAX area.
Eventually, the whole country (and world) will be enveloped in a wireless bubble. No matter what happens with Clear or WiMAX, there's no doubt WiMAX will raise our expectations with regard to high speed Internet access. Watch for Clear's massive advertising campaign that launches this month.
The Importance of Network Security
June 3, 2009
In his speech last Friday, President Obama spoke about the need to secure our country's computer networks. Illustrating the importance of the issue with a personal example, he cited his recent experience with a data security breach during the general election:
"Hackers gained access to emails and a range of campaign files, from policy position papers to travel plans."
Obama went on to say his experience was "a powerful reminder" and noted that hackers make millions of attempts every day to crack computer networks. He announced his intent to appoint a cybersecurity czar to protect the nation from catastrophic disruptions as a result of computer attacks.
Obama appeared to be knowledgeable by using terms such as "spyware and malware and spoofing and phishing and botnets," but the actions his administration will take remains to be seen. Computer security is a large, complex issue, and success will require substantial, comprehensive and well-coordinated action.
To see an excerpt from Obama's speech, click here. To read his full speech, click here.
NetEffect provides Security Audits to its clients, where we examine seven critical components:
1. We list your technology assets and potential threats. Before you can protect yourself, you need to understand what computer data and equipment is important to you and how they can be compromised.
2. We assess data backups and ensure they are regularly taken offsite. We discuss your needs and determine if your backup solution fully satisfies your business needs.
3. We audit security permissions on your server to ensure only the users who need access to sensitive data have it. This also includes assessing password policies to make sure passwords are being changed on a regular basis and are sufficiently complex.
4. We assess your virus protection on PCs, servers and at the gateway device between your network and the Internet.
5. We assess physical access to your computer systems. If someone can gain physical access to your computers, they can easily get your data.
6. We assess your firewall to ensure your office has sufficient protection from the dangers that lurk on the Internet.
7. We educate your users. No matter how well-designed your network and security policies are, your users can unwittingly allow a very dangerous security breach in a myriad of ways. User awareness is one of the most powerful ways to prevent security problems and data loss. Anecdotally, We recently tested a client's security by calling and asking a random user for their password (without specifically identifying ourselves) and they gave it to us without making us verify that we were their IT firm!
To see an excerpt from Obama's speech, click here. To read his full speech, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_V6ho0lZwY
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Securing-Our-Nations-Cyber-Infrastructure/
Computer Support Las Vegas: Windows 7
May 13, 2009
Computer users REJOICE, for Windows 7 has arrived! Windows 7 has been in Beta release since January of this year, and promises to be a rousing success. It's received very positive reviews, and appears to be what Windows Vista should have been... an appreciable improvement over its predecessors.
It's been nearly eight years since Windows XP was released, and Windows Vista has only been with us for two years. Vista has been widely rejected by businesses due to it not being much more than cosmetic improvements to XP along with its extraordinary hardware requirements.
Windows 7 Beta is running on several of our company laptops without issue. In fact, it performs much better than Windows Vista and has some fantastic new features. My three favorite features are:
- Performance!!! Windows 7 is fast even on modest hardware, and is very stable.
- Usability. Windows 7 is easy to use and simply makes sense. The desktop and task bar, for example, have been redesigned to allow for very easy and intuitive use.
- XP Mode. Windows 7 comes with a fully licensed copy of Windows XP that you can run within Windows 7. This allows you to easily access applications that will only run on XP.
Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 is available for download now from Microsoft, and if no major bugs or problems are identified, Windows 7 will be officially released in January of 2010, though it will likely be released sometime this year. We think Windows 7 will be a big hit. To access video previews of Windows 7, click here.
Las Vegas Computer Repair: The Conficker Worm
April 3, 2009
The Conficker worm has garnered a lot of media attention recently. This virus is notable because it's so widespread and because its goal and intention was unknown for quite some time. But truthfully, there are always a large number of computer security risks on the Internet. There are over one million viruses on the Internet, and new ones are created every week. There are a handful of things you can do to protect yourself from viruses including keeping your antivirus software up to date, running weekly virus scans, and applying Windows updates regularly. Also, do not open attachments and links unless you're expecting them and they're from a trusted source. If you do think your PC has been infected by a virus, immediately shut your computer off so you don't infect other computers on your network, and so that the virus doesn't have a chance to damage files on your PC.
To verify you haven't been infected by the Conficker worm, click on the link below.
The site displays images from three sites that Conficker is known to block.
Managed Services Simply Makes Sense
February 1, 2009
We recently began offering managed services to our clients, and it's been going wonderfully. The level of visibility we have in to our client IT systems is simply fantastic, and the quick response we're able to deliver is very gratifying. Rather than trying to intersect with problems while they're happening, our remote management software tells us exactly where to look. Employing these new software tools is in effect practicing what we preach. By employing the right technology for the task, we're a much more efficient service provider.
