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Tech News from FlexITechs
| Aug. 11, 2014
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CELEBRATING OUR
10TH ANNIVERARY!
FlexITechs is now in its 10th year of serving Sussex County residents and businesses!
After two years as the computer services arm of our sister company, Sussex County Online, FlexITechs was formed to better define the computer services offered by owner Eric Magill.
We thank all of our customers who have made it possible for us reach our 10th anniversary! |
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10% Off Online Backup Services!
Dear (Contact First Name),
Thank you for your continued interest in FlexITechs. If you'd prefer not to receive our occasional email newsletters, use the "Unsubscribe" link above.
Also, be sure to:
Sincerely, Eric Magill, FlexITechs |
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Online Banking Pros and Cons
One of most frequent questions I'm asked is about online banking. Should you or shouldn't you?
My answer: "It depends on your comfort level with online security."
The disadvantages of online banking and online financial transactions in general are well-known from years of publicity about Identity Theft, fraudulent funds transfers and stolen credit cards.
If hackers gain access to your user name and password, they can do serious damage to your bank account and your credit rating.
But what about the advantages?
Tracking fraudulent activity:
The main reason I use online banking is to track my account balances on a daily basis and check for fraud or theft or mistakes. By checking my statements and transactions daily, I can resolve any discrepancies while there is still a chance the funds can be recovered. A recent example is the Google Play Store double-charging me for a game update for my son.
Real-time balances:
Another advantage of online banking is the ability to see in nearly real-time what my current balance is. I can see what checks and debits have cleared and know instantly how much I have in my account. I haven't used a checkbook for years. I can do this from anywhere I have Internet access (but never check your online bank account through a wireless network that has not been secured -- i.e., does not require a password).
Historical transactions:
This is a huge advantage for online banking. As opposed to digging through a pile of old bank statements, I can perform a forms-based search and target the transaction(s) I'm looking for. This has come in handy during tax season when I need to call up a revenue or expense item that I forgot to post in Quickbooks on that crazy busy day the previous spring. Similarly, if you run a business, you can import your banking data into software like Quickbooks and Quicken from your online account.
Online Transfers:
I can transfer money between my bank accounts to cover a potential overdraft, as opposed to running to the bank to make a quick deposit. I don't allow transfers to external bank accounts, however, to try to thwart a cyber criminal's ability to wire a transfer to themselves. I also don't use the bank's online bill pay service to pay my bills, just because of past negative experiences with erroneous automated payments.
Convenience:
Online banking is also more convenient. With the credit union I use, I can use its mobile app to snap a picture of the front and back of an endorsed check, send the pictures to the CU, and within two hours the funds are available. The convenience of not having to drive to the bank, especially during the summer months around here, can't be underestimated, either. No traffic jams. I can also make transfers and deposits after hours.
Caveats:
- Of course, of the utmost importance is ensuring that your online banking account is secure, and by secure I don't mean with must any password. "Pass1234" is not a secure password. Follow the rules for complex passwords -- at least 8 characters in length (the more the better), no real words that can be found in the dictionary, at least one capital letter, and at least one symbol.
- Also, if you receive an email that looks like an official email from your bank, be wary of clicking any links or file attachments within the email unless you were expecting the email. If you weren't expecting it, contact your bank to see if the bank actually sent it or not. Often, hackers will send an email designed to look like it came from your bank but the links will go to the hacker's site, where they can collect your login information for your banking account.
Some links to further secure your online banking experience:
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Flies in the Ointment
I've seen and heard of the damage animals cause to computers over the years. I've seen a cat "break" a keyboard by jumping on it and getting the keys stuck. I've heard about snakes and mice getting inside computer towers and short-circuiting the motherboard.
But this was a new one for me after 10 years in the computer repair and IT Consulting business -- apparently, flies (and other insects) wreak havoc on touch screens.
I was recently at a client who, among other things, couldn't control his cursor. It was driving him crazy. He swore flies were clicking and dragging and selecting things on his screen.
I was skeptical, to say the least, but an hour after my arrival, as I cleaned out the many viruses on the client's machine, the first fly landed. And started to click, and select, and drag. Seriously. I saw it with my own eyes. No ghosts. Just a fly.
While researching how to disable the touch screen functionality or reduce the sensitivity of the touch screen, I learned this is a common problem and that it's been going on for awhile, seeing posts all the way back to 2005.
So, if you have a touch screen computer and you see your cursor jumping all over the place or your computer acting like a ghost is at the keyboard, you may have flies or other insects on the screen. This is not a joke.
Here's a Youtube video of a fly clicking and selecting items on the screen -- looks just like what I saw on my client's screen.
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BizTech Talk -- Are you LinkedIn?
For Business to Business marketing, no social media can match LinkedIn, not even Facebook.
While Facebook offers great value in marketing to consumers, only LinkedIn is designed specifically for B-to-B marketing.
If you're not already on LinkedIn, sign up for a free account and try it out. If you are, following are some tips you may not be aware of:
- "Max out" the space LinkedIn gives you in your profile for headlines, descriptions, job history, etc. Keep typing until LinkedIn won't let you type anymore. And be sure to liberally sprinkle in keywords that someone looking for your type of business would use in a search on LinkedIn or Google.
- Consider setting up a LinkedIn Group, particularly if you are an expert in your field. Groups allow you to communicate repeatedly with potential customers. Here, you can sell yourself to prospects without selling. Just volunteer your expertise on topical questions.
- When you add your web site to your profile, don't choose one of the Categories that LinkedIn provides by default. Choose "Other" instead. By choosing "Other" instead of "Company Website" or "Blog", you can customize the title of your web site to more closely match what you offer. In my case, instead of "Company Website", I've titled my web site "Delaware IT Consultants".
- Fill out every section of your Profile that applies to you. You never know when someone with a common interest will become a good customer just because they saw that you had the same interest in a cause or hobby on LinkedIn.
- Upload documents such as case studies, white papers and reports that you have developed, or videos you have produced. All of these help establish your expertise in your industry.
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We thank you for your business the past 10 years and hope we can continue to fulfill your technology needs in the future. If you have any questions about current technology issues, feel free to contact us at 537-4198.
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Sincerely,
Eric Magill
FlexITechs
Microsoft Small Business Specialist |
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10% Off Online Backup Services!
Now through Aug. 31, 2014, you can receive 10% off our automated online backup services to protect your critical business data or priceless personal photos or pricy music and movies from natural disasters, fires, theft and accidents. Includes monitoring to make sure the backups are working (many other backup services fail without warning).
| Offer Expires:
Aug. 31, 2014
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