Personal Technology Tips in Plain English
Entreprenuer/Small Biz
7 Secrets of a Social Media Maverick for Creating Killer Content on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr
Jun 18th
Today we have a guest post from a social media manager colleague of mine, Tim Cox.
I asked him what are some of the fundamental approaches that he believes separates newbies and mavericks on the various social media platforms. Enjoy his 7 social media management tips!
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On my personal accounts, I hide a lot of Pages on my Facebook Newsfeed.
I even created a video documenting how to hide those annoying Mafia Wars and FarmVille updates on Facebook.
If you visit the actual video landing page on YouTube, you will find that the comments section makes it sound like I just cured malaria.
Getting such rich interactivity isn’t that hard if you have some key insights and intentionality in how you manage your social media presence.
This below, is the actual video example I wrote about above — you can hop over to the YouTube page if you want too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBxXetlR3x4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Being great at posting content just takes a little bit of extra effort. . .
Here are some tips to help you create exiting new content for your next post.
Backup, backup, backup…
Mar 16th
Doing a backup of your files on your computer is as fun as scheduling a dentist appointment for most people. Yet in both cases, we all know that it is something we really can’t ignore for too long. Scott Adamson of www.1110consulting.com shares with us today, two specific applications that do the trick with minimal effort. If only the trip to the dentist was just as easy. . .Enjoy this week’s guest blog post.
What are your memories worth? What is acceptable loss? What kind of investments have you made into your personal computer (financially or just in the time to make it an efficient tool for everyday use)?
These are the questions that are most frequently asked by people AFTER they have lost years of photographs, countless MP3s or irreplaceable documents.
Recently I had to break the news to a friend that the hard drive that I had to force out of a laptop after it fell from a bookshelf did not appear to be recoverable (at least not by my rudimentary toolkit). Date of the last backup of photos, about 2 years ago. Very little else exists anywhere else aside from this drive and that is a very sad state of affairs.
A rather expensive data recovery company could take a couple of weeks and cost several hundred to thousands of dollars to possibly recover the files from a failed drive. What alternatives and options does the average user have to protect against accidents, loss, damage or theft?
By this time, many of you have seen commercials online of on TV for service like Mozy. More and more backup solutions leverage “the cloud” with the fast and convenient Internet speeds most of us enjoy in our homes or offices to backup key files (or all files if you see fit) to an online storage location. Internet-based solutions are generally very cost effective (running about $10 per month for “unlimited” storage) and give many people the peace of mind of having data outside their home in case a laptop goes missing, a computer is damaged or a flood or fire ravages their home. One key issue with this is as fast as your internet connection may be, backing up everything to “the cloud” will take days or weeks to complete and maybe a little less time to recover (if God forbid you do need to recover a vast majority of your files).
Online solutions are very good options but the truth of the matter is, most often, users are going to be looking for the song they deleted from iTunes last week thinking it was on their iPod or overwriting the wrong Word file and needing to just go back to last hour or last night. This is where local backups are simple, quick and truly lifesavers.
Apple has incorporated Time Machine in the last couple of versions of their system (10.5 and 10.6). Just plug in an external hard drive (costing $50-100 depending on total storage capacity from buy.com or amazon) and Time Machine will ask if you would like to use this “new” drive for backups. Click yes, the system sets up the drive and puts together a schedule. The system is now good to go. If you have multiple computers in a home, check out Apple’s Time Capsule that acts as a wireless network router for the home and backup device for any Mac connected to it. Set it and forget it….
With the latest versions of Windows (Microsoft did a very nice job of integrating backup into Windows 7) provides an automated backup can be directed to a second drive in a similar fashion to Apple’s Time Machine. Connect a drive, configure the basic backup settings and let the backup do its thing.
Of course there are many options for buying backup software (some come with the drives you get from Amazon, Best Buy or the Apple store), but nothing that I have seen works as seamlessly and smoothly as the built in solutions from Apple and Microsoft.
Before investing in backup software, I would work with what you have from the manufacturer. Next step, seek out some help in getting it set-up once so that you’re good to go….backup!
Scott Adamson is a technology professional having spent most of his professional life in the NYC area supporting everyone from individuals to larger organizations. His goal as a consultant and technologist is to be the helpdesk you always wanted…Connect with Scott at www.1110consulting.com
Internet Faxing 101
Feb 15th
In this demanding world that we reside in today, any successful business person will be able to tell you as to how important communication is for a business to function properly.
While email seems to dominate on a daily basis, sending and receiving faxes is still an option most need to have access to. Instead of investing in dedicated fax lines and machines, the smart thing to do is get a service that allows you to fax via the internet to/from your email.
There are many companies offering these internet faxing services and in case you’re not familiar with them, this is how the entire system operates:
- Such a method of faxing uses the same idea as a conventional faxing but instead of using bulky and troublesome fax machines; it uses the internet telephone lines as an interface which means you don’t need a physical telephone line anymore. Internet fax services usually assign a personal fax number to each person who signs up with a company. When a person signs up for an internet faxing service, they are assigned a fax number which they use to send or receive faxes. It is an incredibly inexpensive and convenient way of sending and receiving messages with the highlighted point being that all that is required to access it is an internet connection.
- Anyone can send a fax to your personal fax number. The fax gets “scanned” and delivered as a pdf or other graphical format like .tif of .png so you can easily print it out on any computer.
- If you want to send a fax, you can either use the service’s website to upload documents and send, or simply email your document as an attachment to a personalized email account. The telephone number indicated in the email subject or body is used to send the fax over the service’s own outbound lines. You’ll usually get a confirmation email about status and delivery success.
- Most of the companies offer free trial periods and money back guarantees. There are no sorts of hardware or software involved in the entire process and sending faxes to multiple recipients has never been so easy! A varying range of trial periods are offered with the usual being of 30 days, except fax87 which has a 15 day trial period and MetroFax which offers none at all.
More information regarding internet faxing in general, it is interesting to read the history of faxes.
So if you want to ditch your local fax line from Verizon or Bell South, what do you do next? Whether you are an individual or a business, human nature dictates that you find the best deal that is offered in the market.
Some of the leading companies are: Fax87, efax, Myfax, Ring central, Metrofax, Rapidfax, and Trustfax. While of these companies provide the same services, there are some points you might want to be aware of while making your final decision.
While Fax87, Myfax, Rapidfax and Trust fax has a monthly charge within the range between $4–$10, other companies like efax, Ringcentral and Metrofax are more expensive with charges ranging from $12 to $24. However all the companies provide an annual discount with the exception of Rapidfax and the process of setting up comes absolutely free. The incoming\outgoing limits are also different for the different companies with the maximum being 1000 free incoming/outgoing pages offered by Fax87.
Fax87 also offers the luxury of saving your documents for an unlimited period of time contrary to the policies of other companies. With Fax87 it is also possible to have unlimited people using the same fax number, thus a feature ideal for office purposes and more details about this company can be found at the online fax company site. For the transmission of excess documents, an extra amount is charged, called overage which also varies form company to company. Local toll fees; however are applicable for all transmissions regardless of the company.
QUESTION: Are fax lines completely outdated / outmoded? Or are they still something you need access to for business purposes?
Internet Faxing Services: The best option for communication.
In this demanding world that we reside in today, any successful business man will be able to tell you as to how important communication is for a business to function properly. Modern technology now offers the facility of receiving faxes via the internet from your email. There are many companies offering these internet faxing services and this is how the entire system operates: Such a method of faxing uses the same idea as a conventional faxing but instead of using bulky and troublesome fax machines; it uses the internet as an interface. Internet fax services usually assign a fax number to each person who signs up with a company. When a person signs up for an internet faxing service, they are assigned a fax number which they use to send or receive faxes. It is an incredibly inexpensive and convenient way of sending and receiving messages with the highlighted point being that all that is required to access it is an internet connection. Most of the companies offer free trial periods and money back guarantees. There are no sorts of hardware or software involved in the entire process and sending faxes to multiple recipients has never been so easy! More information regarding internet faxing can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fax
Sounds like great bargain doesn’t it?
Whether you are an individual or a business, human nature dictates that you find the best deal that is offered in the market.
Some of the leading companies are: Fax87, efax, Myfax, Ring central, Metrofax, Rapidfax, and Trustfax. While of these companies provide the same services, there are some points you might want to be aware of while making your final decision.
While Fax87, Myfax, Rapidfax and Trust fax has a monthly charge within the range of $10, other companies like efax, Ringcentral and Metrofax are more expensive with charges ranging from $12 to $24. However all the companies provide an annual discount with the exception of Rapidfax and the process of setting up comes absolutely free.
A varying range of trial periods are offered with the usual being of 30 days, except fax87 which has a 15 day trial period and MetroFax which offers none at all. The incoming\outgoing limits are also different for the different companies with the maximum being 1
Internet Faxing Services: The best option for communication.
In this demanding world that we reside in today, any successful business man will be able to tell you as to how important communication is for a business to function properly. Modern technology now offers the facility of receiving faxes via the internet from your email. There are many companies offering these internet faxing services and this is how the entire system operates: Such a method of faxing uses the same idea as a conventional faxing but instead of using bulky and troublesome fax machines; it uses the internet as an interface. Internet fax services usually assign a fax number to each person who signs up with a company. When a person signs up for an internet faxing service, they are assigned a fax number which they use to send or receive faxes. It is an incredibly inexpensive and convenient way of sending and receiving messages with the highlighted point being that all that is required to access it is an internet connection. Most of the companies offer free trial periods and money back guarantees. There are no sorts of hardware or software involved in the entire process and sending faxes to multiple recipients has never been so easy! More information regarding internet faxing can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fax
Sounds like great bargain doesn’t it?
Whether you are an individual or a business, human nature dictates that you find the best deal that is offered in the market.
Some of the leading companies are: Fax87, efax, Myfax, Ring central, Metrofax, Rapidfax, and Trustfax. While of these companies provide the same services, there are some points you might want to be aware of while making your final decision.
While Fax87, Myfax, Rapidfax and Trust fax has a monthly charge within the range of $10, other companies like efax, Ringcentral and Metrofax are more expensive with charges ranging from $12 to $24. However all the companies provide an annual discount with the exception of Rapidfax and the process of setting up comes absolutely free.
A varying range of trial periods are offered with the usual being of 30 days, except fax87 which has a 15 day trial period and MetroFax which offers none at all. The incoming\outgoing limits are also different for the different companies with the maximum being 1000 offered by fax87. Fax87 also offers the luxury of saving your documents for an unlimited period of time contrary to the policies of other companies. With Fax87 it is also possible to have unlimited people using the same fax number, thus a feature ideal for office purposes and more details about this company can be found at http://www.fax87.com/. For the transmission of excess documents, an extra amount is charged, called overage which also varies form company to company. Local toll fees; however are applicable for all transmissions regardless of the company.
So, what are you waiting for? Compare the rates and decide which one of them is the best opportunity for you!
000 offered by fax87. Fax87 also offers the luxury of saving your documents for an unlimited period of time contrary to the policies of other companies. With Fax87 it is also possible to have unlimited people using the same fax number, thus a feature ideal for office purposes and more details about this company can be found at http://www.fax87.com/. For the transmission of excess documents, an extra amount is charged, called overage which also varies form company to company. Local toll fees; however are applicable for all transmissions regardless of the company.
So, what are you waiting for? Compare the rates and decide which one of them is the best opportunity for you!
15 Sites That Help You To Share or Transfer Large Files Over The Internet
Oct 11th
These days, collaboration is a buzz word that is becoming a reality.
Along with collaboration is a nifty term called “file sharing” – it used to be something that sounds easier than it really is.
It used to be you had to put it on a flash drive or burn a CD or DVD to move large files back and forth.
Or if the file was big, but not huge, you could simply attach it to an email and click SEND. But these days, files can grow beyond the 20 MB limit quite easily. And if we’re talking about media files, the 20MB limit is a joke.
But these days, it’s much easier to transfer files back and forth.
Here’s a quick hit list of file sharing services that let you send large files to someone else (or yourself!) over the Internet: Read the rest of this entry »
DEAL ALERT: Free Custom URL Registration + Email Account
May 26th
You know you should get a custom website address and email account.
Stop letting Gmail and Yahoo!Mail take over your identity.
It’s time you buy your own URL and then start using that for your email correspondence . . . For $0.00!
The world’s largest webhost, 1and1 Internet is giving away free URL registrations (worth about $8-10) for the first year. And included in their URL service is free 2GB email accounts.
Even if you “buy” a new domain for $0.00 and then transfer after the waiting period to your own webhost, this is a great promotion to take them up on: 
http://bit.ly/freeurlregistration
How To Transfer Big Files To Co-workers, Friends, Family Via Email
May 15th
These days, sending big files to other people via email (or even yourself!) is becoming more and more common.
Any video file, or those huge 12-15 megapixel photos of the kids’ soccer game, etc sometimes exceed the email attachment limits of your email provider.
Most of the popular web-mail email services like Gmail, Yahoo!Mail, and AOL all have file size limits of 25 MB or so for attachments. This means that you may have to send multiple emails, each with the various files you want to send, or you may even be prevented from sending the file at all if it is a large file. Video files typically encounter problems when trying to send through email.
So what can you do besides invoking snail mail? or waiting to hand over a CD or DVD the next time you see the other person?
There are free services online that let you upload files, and then simply send a download link that are live for a limited period of time – many times just a week or less, giving the recipient enough time to retrieve the file before the file become unavailable. Although there are services which let you transfer files via peer-to-peer, so that you don’t have to upload and leave your file in the hands of someone else, most people will want to use web-based services which temporarily hold onto your file until the recipient grabs it at their own convenience.
One of the services I’ve recently been using has an upper limit of 1 GB of file size, deletes the file after 5 days, allows up to 20 downloads of the file and is free. . . Read the rest of this entry »
How To Schedule Meetings Without Pulling Your Hair
Apr 1st
“Let’s do lunch sometime…”
“Do you want to grab some coffee soon?”
“When can we get together?”
This happens all the time. And of course, it never happens…for the majority of people you hear this from.
Here’s a neat little web app that’s good at what it does. It is simple and straight-forward. Introducing. . . Doodle.
A cute little, easy-to-remember name too!
Basically, you go to www.Doodle.com and set-up a mini “poll” where you can enter the topic, location, and then as many options as you want – with a label for the day & time. It auto-generates a neat little web-form that your friend or associate can respond to with their best options available.
What I love about Doodle.com is:
- It allows you to ask the receiver about a *more than one* potential meeting times
- It allows the receiver to input *preferences* for each time proposed that’s very easy to do. No more strings of back-up options explained in long, lengthy, sometimes confusing emails (I can do Tuesday from 1-2p and then again from 3-3:30p but if that’s doesn’t work, Wed and Thurs from 10:30-11:30, and Wed only at 4pm-5pm. . .yada yada yada)
- It’s easy and free.
You can probably see how practical this is for setting up your next meeting, group/committee session time, etc. No more hair-pulling stress going back and forth and back and forth between the team members. Hope you can find some good use for Doodle.
Try it, you’ll like it!
Here’s some more reasons why you’ll like it!
- There’s an iPhone app
- You can use doodle from within Facebook, iGoogle, and other places
- Words with Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar, iCal, Lotus Notes, Y!Calendar and more.
QUESTION: What group or meeting do you think this service could help out with in the next month?
I love tech, gadgets and the web. Hope you pick-up a useful tip or two here today that helps you use technology to your advantage! Better yet, why not share your own expertise in a comment on a post today to help the other readers that land here for answers!