Well, it’s been forever and a day since I’ve done a newsletter. Funny how time seems to just keep right on moving along non-stop. As you can see, I’ve decided to publish my newsletters as part of my tech blog now. It just makes it much easier than typing up the newsletter in the forum and publishing across multiple formats. Once I’ve got it in my blog, it’s here – so let’s get started.
Don’t worry. There is plenty of free information in this one as usual, and it’s full of Google stuff.
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Google’s 411 Service www.google.com/goog411/
1-800-466-4411
1-800-GOOG-411
If you are a cell phone user or even landline user, it can be an expensive hassle to call information and get a phone number. Google to the rescue again. Guess what? Yeah, it’s free.
Just dial it from any phone and follow the voice prompts. It can’t be any easier.
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Google SMS
Another great way to get mobile help from Google is to send an SMS (text) message to Google. Simply send a text to 46645 (GOOGL) and get a reply. For instance, if I send a text that reads “movies 71112” then Google replies with the movie listings in my area. You can also text something like “pizza bossier city, la” and get all the pizza listings.
For a full list of features go here: http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/mobile/sms/
Google Docs and Spreadsheets
http://www.google.com/google-d-s/tour1.html
Want an easy way to create and collaborate on word processing and spreadsheets? Google launched their “docs and spreadsheets” some time back. While you can’t do advanced word processing or Excel macros, I think you will find that for most users there is plenty of power.
You can have multiple people editing a document in real time. This is very powerful stuff for small businesses and organizations!
Support is provided for DOC, XLS, ODT, ODS, RTF, CSV, PPT, etc. You can import and export as well as have full support for PDF’s.
Routers on Cable Connections
It is incredible that I still encounter about 70% of home users with a cable connection and no router. That is way too dangerous and accounts for a large part of my business. However, I do believe in safety first so I constantly urge all my clients, friends, and family – If you are on a cable connection, get a router!
Safety and security is a layered process just like your home. There is no one simple thing can solve every security problem, right? The first layer of security in your computer network should be your NAT (network address translation) router. Otherwise you are bare naked and bent over to the world. The DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and CERT have provided a basic list of home network recommendations.
Most computer security threats today are not really designed to crash your computer. Also rare are attacks to “steal your identity.” Most intruders are looking to turn your computer into a “zombie” in order to launch attacks at websites or other computers or networks. Even more common is the fact that most zombies are now created to help send spam out in the background.
Unfortunately, we can’t stop spam and thus the intruders until we take the economics out of the equation. I’m not sure of the current numbers, but worldwide spam accounts for billions of dollars in revenue for the spammers and advertisers. So what can you do?
- Use alternative browsers to Internet Explorer such as Firefox, Safari, and others.
- Follow basic safety such as making sure you absolutely trust an email before opening an attachment or clicking a link.
- Use Google’s GMail which has a very robust spam filtering system, SSL connections, and online virus scanning.
- Use AVG (free edition for home users) and let it auto-update.
- Use TrueCrypt for encrypted file containers.
- If your computer slows down (software speed, etc), contact me immediately so we can asses what may be wrong.
- DONT use Norton or McAfee products – you will have a false sense of security.
- If you have a wireless network make sure WPA security is used.
Computer scientist fights threat of ‘botnets’
http://www.news.wisc.edu/14380
CERT® Coordination Center
Before You Connect a New Computer to the Internet
http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/before_you_plug_in.html
Is It Time to Ditch IE?
Feds say switching browsers is one way to deal with security threats.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,117550-page,1/article.html
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That’s it for this edition of the newsletter!
As usual, watch your RSS reader for updates to my tech blog for more information and future newsletters. Don’t forget to check out my online tutorials as well.