Dear Geek,

I’m all about saving the environment, and make sure I turn off my electronics (t.v., computer, etc.) when they’re not in use.  However, I recently heard about something called “phantom power”.  What is it and what does it mean for me?

Signed,

Phantom-Plagued 

Dear Phantom,

In spite of it’s name, phantom power is not the newest superhero power.  Phantom power refers to the power that electronics (t.v., computer, etc.) use when turned off, but still plugged in.  Most power adapters continuously draw power, even when there is no device connected.  So, even when your mobile phone is not connected to the power adapter, the adapter is still drawing power.

To reduce phantom power waste, most new energy-saving surge protectors come with a few “always-on” outlets for devices that require uninterrupted power (clocks, phones, DVRs), but also allow you to cut power to connected devices that don’t need the power (t.v.s, mobile phones, etc).  Invest in one of these surge protectors, and you can save up to 15% of your total household power usage!

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

Dear Geek,

For my job, I occasionally have to take pictures as well as video of my work site.   For the video, my company provides digital camcorders.  The work-supplied digital camera can take videos, and is easier to carry and stash in a pocket.  Do I really need to use the camcorders?

Tarantino in The Making

Dear Tarantino Wanna-Be,

If you are videoing your friends at the beach or at a concert, your digital camera does the job.  However, if video is required for your job, I would suggest you use the work-supplied camcorders.  Digital cameras, while convenient, are not meant for high quality video.

If the company is supplying both camcorders and digital cameras, their goal is to receive high quality pictures as well as high quality video.  Digital camcorders are just better equipped for high quality video.  Even if the supplied camera is capable of 1080p video resolution, you’ll still get better depth and sharpness with the camcorder.  Also, the camcorder allows more video-specific controls (white balance, longer zoom range, longer video time), as well as better microphones.

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

Dear Geek,

Our old printer finally bit it, and we need a new home printer.  We usually just print print documents and photos.  My wife wants a new all-in-one printer, but I’m not sure it’s worth the extra cost.  What do you think?

Printer-ed Out

Dear Printer-ed,

An all-in-one (AIO) printer has a lot to offer over a traditional printer.  An AIO can copy old documents or photos, scan documents to your PC or fax pages to businesses.  These options, although you may not use them all the time, are invaluable when you do need them.  These features only add a small amount to the overall cost of the printer.  If price is an issue, AIO printers can come with almost anything you can think of, so just pick the few option that you use occasionally, and don’t turn into Tim Taylor when shopping.

As an added bonus, most new inkjet AIO printers produce lab-quality photo prints, and most models allow you to print a variety of paper sizes and types (for greeting cards, invitations, business cards, etc).  You can also store digital copies of your cards etc on your PC and make duplicates, because you can scan and directly copy material, you can store digital copies of your cards etc on your PC and make duplicates.

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

Dear Geek,

I travel a lot for work.  Although laptops are great, they are sometimes cumbersome.  Is a tablet or smartphone a reliable option, instead of a laptop, for business travel?

Signed,

Size Does Matter

Dear Size Matters,

For working outside the office, a smartphone has replaced the laptop for business travelers.  With advancements in screen size, mobile broadband, and processing power, smartphones and tablet allow business travelers to get work done outside the office, nearly as efficiently as they can in the office.  Nearly.

If your job just requires you to work on the internet and have email access, a mobile device is a great option.  However, if your job requires the use of complex software (ie. graphic designers, videographers, managerial software), may find that using the programs on mobile devices may cost more time waiting for the device to process the data than the smaller device is worth.

When considering a work surface outside work, a key consideration is mobile applications.  Will the applications available allow you to work efficiently enough to get your job done, and do they respond as quickly on a smartphone or tablet as on a laptop?

If precise data entry is important, and must be done while traveling, you could invest in a portable keyboard.  Some Bluetooth keyboards are available with a variety of options, including full-size USB ports, and enhanced battery life.

In most cases, it comes down to preference, but also the type of work you need to get done.

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

Dear Geek,

We have a strict AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) for computer/internet usage at our company, yet our computers still are regularly infected by malware and/or viruses.  Are we missing something?

Signed,

Prescription Please

Dear Prescription,

Congratulations of having an AUP in place, and enforcing it!  It’s amazing how many businesses don’t think they need one.  However, unless they’re operating in the dark ages, every business has at least one computer that they rely on for their day-to-day business.  If they have even one employee that thinks they’ll “just quickly check my email” or log onto a supposedly “safe” website during their break, their computer could be infected!  This could cost the business thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of dollars, in lost business. Or worse if their data is hacked.

According to internet security company Sophos, more than 30,000 websites are infected daily.  10% of these are infected with an exploit kit, and 2/3 of them were hijacked by the Blackhole kit itself.  80% of the infected websites are legitimate websites, hacked or injected by cyber-criminals with code to host malware.  85% of all malware, including viruses, worms, spyware, adware and Trojans, come from the internet, with drive-by downloads marked as the top web threat.

With the mass consumerism of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in which everyone has at least one access point outside of their work desktop computer.  Because of this easy access to sensitive corporate information from home computers, smartphones, and tablets, this has become one of the newer causes of data vulnerability.

Mark Harris, VP of Sophos Labs, Sophos states, “As cybercriminals expand their focus, organizations are challenged to keep their security capabilities from backsliding as they adopt new technologies.  And as we continue to access information in different ways, from different devices in different locations, security tools must be able to “protect everywhere” – from desktops to mobile and smart devices and the cloud.  But more importantly and oft-disregarded, cybercriminals will continue to stalk the easiest prey – security basics like patching and password management will remain a significant challenge.”

Sophos states that the one topic that seems to cause the most problems, no matter what:  “Security basics like patching and password management will remain a significant challenge to IT security.  Keeping your devices healthy by identifying missing patches in areas commonly targeted by the bad guys will help significantly.”

Long story short:  Make sure your passwords are difficult to figure out, are changed frequently, and that your patches, virus/malware definitions are up-to-date.

Technology by Design offers Monthly Managed Services which includes Patch Management, Virus Removal and Cleaning, Spyware Monitoring and Removal, Virus Definition Upates, Malware Definition Updates, and more.  Call us at 204-800-3167 for more information!

On A Related Note:  If you’re running Windows XP and/or Office 2003 – their manufacturers will no longer support them after April 8, 2014.  Which means there will be no more security updates, tech support, or patches released after this date.  If you would like information regarding updating Windows XP or Office 2003, please call us at 204-800-3167.  We can assess your situation, and recommend the solution that works best for you.

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!