Many computer users know how easy it is to walk out of their house and connect up with several open WiFi hotspots almost anywhere they go from Starbucks to hotels and from Barnes and Nobles to some downtown areas including Downtown Raleigh.  The one thing that most people forget is that these are open networks allowing us to connect at convenience, but not protecting us and our sensitive data that may be on the laptop that we are using at the hotspot.

Of course, we recommend anyone who is out using their computer at hotspots use at the very least an active security suite that includes a strong antivirus program.  If you have questions about which ones are best a computer consultant can answer that for you.

Here is a great article showing the risks of using public WiFi hotspots (using Starbucks as an example.)

Microsoft has released a download called Microsoft Outlook Social Connector which will work with Facebook. This will allow you to access all your friends and information streams through your Outlook. This will also allow you to see the latest streams in the bottom of your email.

Overall they are trying to make this as integrated with your Outlook as possible. If you are interesting in trying it you can download it through Microsoft. Once installed it will work with Outlook versions 2003, 2007 & 2010.

Add to that a connector for LinkedIn and you are starting to have a powerful tool that many business owners are already using. You can download the LinkedIn connector.

If you have any questions when installing this or want to know more about plug ins, don’t hesitate to contact a computer technician.

Smart phones are all the rage for business owners and now with so many Operating Systems (OS) there are many different choices. It can be overwhelming on a good day. Should a business owner go with Blackberry, or an Android phone, or even a Windows Mobile, or an IPhone? Also what about when one of these OS upgrade to the next version, what happens to the phone?

You will find a link to a great article about tips on how to buy a smart phone. As with anything else, if you aren’t sure if it’ll work with your current technology, feel free to ask your computer technician.

**Please note that SeTech Support does not endorse any particular model of Smart Phone. We will make recommendations based on a customers need but we do not have alliances with any particular carrier or type of phone.

Don’t forget that the first month in August is always tax free weekend at your retail stores. This includes most computers and other electronic equipment. The idea is to help lower the cost for things that are necessary for back to school. Please check out the link from the NC Department of Revenue for more information about what is included in tax free weekend and what does not qualify. This may be a way to find good deals on laptops, desktops, and other computer equipment. Just remember most stores know it is tax free weekend so they may only have small quantities available in store and if you need to special order, tax free may not apply.

Good luck and happy hunting.

In our last post we talked about ways to buy used equipment that still has warranties etc. However, there are still good deals to be had if you want to use Craigslist, Ebay, or a local reseller. Some things to keep in mind if you choose to go this route are:

1) Plan out how the computer will be used beforehand and don’t be afraid to ask. As of this writing (July 2010), a good used 2-3 year old Windows laptop will average around $400.00 or less and a desktop will be cheaper. If you find a particular computer you like, see what a similar one is going for on Ebay to get an idea of the “street price.”

2) For Craigslist and Ebay, check the computer’s service tag (Dell) or serial number before you buy. Go to the manufacturer’s website and check for history on the computer. If you’re using Ebay, make sure the seller has a good rating (at least 99%) and go through their feedback. How easily do they handle returns, are previous customers satisfied, etc.

3) If you find one you’re interested in, look at the case on the computer. If the plastics or metal look discolored or scratched, or you have broken hinges, move on. Any external damage could mean more damage on the inside.

4) Lastly, has the drive been formatted and a fresh copy of Windows or OS X been installed and does the seller have a copy for you? From a business perspective, it’s better to start with a clean install and load only the software you have a licensed copy and need on the computer. Having a lot of extra software installed you don’t need and which may not be properly licensed or installed can cause problems later when you don’t have time for them.

If you have any doubts or concerns, contact a reputable computer consultant and they can help you walk through the process of purchasing used computer equipment or even checking out a computer you might be thinking about purchasing prior to buying it.

One thing on everyone’s mind today is saving money and one of the largest expenses for small businesses is their technology costs. As a technology company, we see the current costs and understand how quickly equipment can depreciate and become obsolete.

Buying used or refurbished is a great way to go but as a small business owner this can also be a problem. First, what has the laptop or desktop has been through? Second, is the price reasonable for a used computer? Lastly, can you be sure that this equipment isn’t stolen?

The easiest way to save money buying used or refurbished is by going to the manufacturer’s website and looking at their online outlet. Lenovo, Apple, Dell and most other vendors will have an online site for off lease, opened box, or refurbished equipment. The big advantage here is you get a computer from the manufacturer with a full warranty and clean system.

In another blog post we will be following up with the best practices to follow when purchasing a used laptop, desktop, etc. from either Craigslist or Ebay.

Office 2010 Initial Reviews

This week we got our copy of Microsoft’s Office 2010 and we upgraded a field laptop Friday night. This laptop runs Windows 7 Professional and was running Office 2007 Service Pack 2. The installation itself was very straightforward but it did take over 30 minutes total as components like the Outlook Connector were upgraded.

Initial impressions of the new look is that it looks more like Office 2003 with the Office 2007 toolbars. The biggest obvious change is that the 2007’s Office Button is gone. In its place is the File tab which will be more familiar to long-time Office users but combines some of the features of the Office Button.

The biggest change in the user controls that most people will notice is Outlook 2010 toolbar. Many of the features have been moved andwe’re sure that’s going to throw a lot of users.

We continue to make notes over the next several weeks and will have further reviews for you in a few weeks. If you have any questions, call or email us (info@setms.com) and we’ll be happy to help.

Now that summer thunderstorms are here, make sure you plug your computer, router, printers, and other equipment into a surge protector or even better, a battery backup. These are great because they keep a power surge from zapping your equipment during a power flicker and provide a few minutes of battery power so you can safely turn off your computer. They are a little more expensive than a power strip but a lot less expensive than replacing your computer’s power supply or motherboard.

Apple has had the Ipad out for a couple of months now and we are seeing a new trend in consumer electronics. So far it’s the only thing out there that has Apps and touch capability as well as portability. However, Google realized the power of the Android platform and how fast the Android phones are giving Apple IPhone a run for their money.

As the market demand for portable larger format tablets heat up we are seeing a new push to get other models to compete with the Ipad. In response Dell is getting ready to release a model of Tablet to allow use of the Android platform and still have something that is application ready. Say hello to the Dell Streak Tablet. Also there is a new type of competitor which is a hybrid of a tablet and a laptop. As this gets more popular you may find that more companies will come up with a hybrid but for now here is a look at the Lenovo Ideapad U1.

Microsoft is realizing that it has to be competitive with the way Google has been taking over with all these new offerings from web mail to shared file upload sites etc. Microsoft realizes that eventually something was going to have to give and so they will be offering applications in Office 2010 that can be accessed from any computer. Please note of course Microsoft will be keeping most of the better features in their paid version of Office 2010 but still having something being offered “in the cloud” could be beneficial to users who already use and love Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.

Please check out the article/ blog post at Local Tech Wire that shared this information with us.