5 Great holiday tech gift ideas for under $50

holiday-giftsIf you’re looking for a great tech gift to give this holiday here are 5 ideas for you.

  1. Logitech K480 Bluetooth keyboard | The K480 is designed to toggle between up to three Bluetooth-enabled devices and works with Android, iOS, Windows or anything else bluetooth enabled. A nice built-in tray lets you stand most tablets and phones easily.  At $50 it offers a great value and maximizes productivity for your devices.
  2. The Tylt Energi 2K | This device works as a standard USB charger (with fold-away prongs) and external battery pack providing dual purposes. When plugged into the wall, the Energi 2K charges your device first, then its internal battery. When on the go, it can extend the battery life of your phone by nearly double. A charging cable is not included, but you simply connect your micro USB or Lightning cable and you’re ready to charge your Android, iOS, or Windows phone on the go.
  3. Philips BT2500 | A clean looking portable speaker with a design that looks like an old transistor radio. It has a nice analog volume dial and is very portable delivering an impressive sound for its size.
  4. Google Chromecast | A economical and easy to use video streamer is a great gift for any enthusiastic couch potato. These are small “sticks” you plug into any free HDMI port on a TV. It delivers most of the key streaming services including Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Pandora, YouTube, and many others.  Another great feature is the ability to broadcast “Chromecast” a tab from your browser.  The only caveat is that you need to use your smartphone or tablet as the remote.
  5. Jabra STYLE AE Hands-Free Wireless Headset | This stylish, minimalist wireless headset offers intelligent volume control that changes levels based on your environment. It also works with the “Jabra Assist” app to offer step-by-step GPS directions and a find-my-car function.

We hope everyone has a very happy holiday season!

www.TMDTechnology.com

Here Are 8 Ways to protect yourself from Viruses and Malware

TMD-PC-Icon-smGetting hacked or getting a computer virus is most computer users’ worst nightmare. All devices no matter the Operating System (Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, etc) are susceptible to being hacked or having malicious software put on them. Your computers, smartphones, tablets, and TVs all can be hacked and used to collect information about you that can later be sold or posted online.
1. Using the same password over and over again
This may come as news to you, but whenever there is a breach in a company’s database or information, emails, passwords, names and other confidential information is what usually gets posted online. You can check if your information has been posted online here, just type in your email address and it will tell you if your account is posted online somewhere.

2. Visiting questionable websites
Whether you mean to or not, you may end up at a questionable website. You might click on a pop-up ad or a bad link in an e-mail. Either way these types of websites do NOT have your best intentions in mind. To avoid pop-ups or other questionable blockers, check out services such as Adlock Plus for Google Chrome or Firefox.

3. Failing to update software
One of the easiest ways for hackers to access your computer is by not updating your software. Software makers are always plugging security holes to prevent this from happening, but if you don’t have the latest version, you can be more likely to become a victim.  Hackers are always trying to exploit the know issues since after all they are known.

4. Downloading illegal online content
Sure it is easy to get the latest music, movies, or games online but resist this temptation.  First, it’s illegal. second, it can cause some serious issues. Hackers know lots of people are searching for free content like this online so they put viruses and Trojan viruses into illegal content. It is just waiting for you to download and run it.

5. Unsafe web searching
Make sure you use the real Google, Yahoo or Bing as your search engine rather than another browser. Sometimes a toolbar will change your search engine to theirs so they can make some money from advertisements. Browser redirection can be a real drag.  Search results are typically paid for and likely not what you expected.

6. Clicking unknown links or opening attachments in your e-mail
This one is very essential now-a-days because everyone gets a few hundred e-mail messages a day. Most of them are spam but a few of them look legit because they claim to be from your bank, courier services or some other well-known company. They are just there to get you to click a link then steal your login information.  Never click a link in an email and be cautious when opening attachments (especially zip files)

7. Installing junk software
Free is not always a good option and that old adage you get what you PAY for comes to mind.  Ask yourself does it make sense for someone to spend all that time making a program then just give it away? Nope…Most of the time they expect you to just hit next when installing and also install their partner advertisements and other junk on to your computer.

8. Not keeping virus or malware scanners or software up-to-date
By not updating your scanners you are basically scanning your computer for viruses that are old. Most scanners now update their virus definitions hourly or at least daily. So it is very important to check in with your scanner at least once a week and make sure all is running smooth. Generally they have a dashboard that will let you know.

www.TMDTechnology.com

Windows XP…Still Lurking? 6 Reasons to Upgrade Now!

xp-retiredIf you’re still using Windows XP on any of your computers, it’s extremely important for you to know – Microsoft stopped releasing security updates and supporting the Operating system on April 8th 2014.

If you haven’t weighed the risk of staying with Windows XP against the benefits of migrating to a newer version of Windows right away – here are 6 reasons you should consider.

  1. Improved security – As a business owner if this reason alone doesn’t give you the push into windows 7 or 8 I’d be surprised.  Cyber criminals and hackers have been looking forward to April 8th as any exploits that become known will be easy for them to take advantage of.  To prevent company or client loss of data and protect your computing environment, newer versions of Windows offer advanced security features that are much more difficult to exploit.  Not upgrading is a huge liability for your business.
  2. Continued vendor support – If they haven’t already, it’s only a matter of time before all hardware and software vendors stop supporting Windows XP and your network.  By moving to a newer version of Windows, you’ll ensure ongoing vendor support is available.
  3. Increased productivity – Because newer versions of Windows are more stable and reliable than Windows XP, you’ll experience faster performance, less downtime, fewer glitches and enhanced mobile capabilities with newer applications.
  4. Improved performance – Windows XP is obsolete with dated coding, takes much, much longer to launch applications, and is much slower going into and coming out of hibernation mode than newer Windows versions.
  5. Better browsing experience – Since Windows XP doesn’t support Microsoft Internet Explorer above version 8, web browsing will become more dangerous and less compatible with many newer sites utilizing new programming.
  6. New features – The latest Windows versions offer simpler interfaces, and a variety of new features that significantly increased security and reliability – all of which translate to much less downtime and much improved productivity.

Call us today so we can offer the most economical path to replacement.

www.TMDTechnology.com

Comcast New Business Wireless Router Gateway Trouble

Are you having trouble setting up your network using Comcasts new wireless gateway device?  We almost always use our own equipment on a customer site whether it’s a Dell sonicwall or Cisco Device but we rarely get through the install without difficulty due to the ISP incorrectly setting up the gateway.  After going through several frustrating installs we finally found at least 1 technician that actually seems to understand something about routing and identified the settings that very few Comcast technicians seem to know.

The installers can’t seem to make these changes so you will need to contact Comcast Business at Phone Number (800) 391-3000 to begin.

First, You need to tell the technician that you want the device in “Virtual Bridge Mode”  if you’re lucky the second technician you speak with might know what this means.  This should also disable DHCP but make sure you mention that as well.  I also disable the wireless functions since I don’t want anyone piggybacking off my service for free.

Once in “Bridge Mode” you may or may not encounter this next symptom.  On more than 1 occasion we find the internet will work with the static IP assigned to your router but no inbound traffic reaches your device.  This poses a real problem if you host any services onsite such as Remote Desktop (RDP) or Access Anywhere.  Here, you will want to ensure they go into the Advanced Tab under port management and Check Off “Disable all rules and allow all inbound traffic through”

GatewaySetup-Screen-1

Next, Tell the Comcast technician to Visit the Firewall Section under IPv4 and Disable the entire firewall.

GatewaySetup-Screen-2

With over a half dozen installs with these new “Business Gateways” not one went without difficulty due to the Comcast equipment being setup incorrectly.  The technicians are quick to point the finger at your equipment onsite but don’t let them fool you!

All setups and business requirements are different so you may have other needs or security concerns that may require other configurations. If you found this helpful please share!

TMD Technology Services, Inc

 

 

 

How to set up email on an Android phone or tablet

PhoneDroidYou can connect to your Office 365 or other Exchange-based email on an Android phone or tablet. When you set up an Exchange account on your Android, you’ll be able to access and synchronize your email, calendar, and contacts. If you only want to use email, you can set up POP or IMAP email on an Android. If you have a different device, see Phone and tablet setup reference. If you’re having trouble connecting your device after following these steps, see What else to I need to know? at the end of this article.

NOTE If you have an Office 365 email account see Use Office 365 on your Android Phone for detailed information about how to use Office 365 on your phone or tablet.

Set up Microsoft Exchange email on an Android

  1. From the Applications menu, select Email. This application may be named Mail on some versions of Android.
  2. Type your full email address, for example tony@contoso.com, and your password, and then select Next.
  3. Select Exchange account. This option may be named Exchange ActiveSync on some versions of Android.
  4. Enter the following account information and select Next.
  • Domain\Username Type your full email address in this box. If Domain and Username are separate text boxes in your version of Android, leave the Domain box empty and type your full email address in the Username box.

NOTE On some versions of Android, you must use the domain\username format. For example, if your email address is tony@contoso.com, type contoso.com\tony@contoso.com. Your username is your full email address.

  • Password Use the password that you use to access your web Office 365 account.
  • Exchange Server Use the address of your Exchange server. If you’re connecting to your Office 365 email, use outlook.office365.com for your server name. If you are not using Office 365, see Find your ActiveSync server name later in this article.
  1. As soon as your phone verifies the server settings, the Account Options screen displays. The options available depend on the version of Android on your device. The options may include the following:
  • Email checking frequency The default value is Automatic (push). When you select this option, email messages will be sent to your phone as they arrive. We recommend only selecting this option if you have an unlimited data plan.
  • Amount to synchronize This is the amount of mail you want to keep on your mobile phone. You can choose from several length options, including One day, Three days, and One week.
  • Notify me when email arrives If you select this option, your mobile phone will notify you when you receive a new email message.
    Sync contacts from this account If you select this option, your contacts will be synchronized between your phone and your account.
  • Select Next and then type a name for this account and the name you want displayed when you send e-mail to others. Select Done to complete the email setup and start using your account.

NOTE You may need to wait ten-to-fifteen minutes after you set up your account before you can send or receive e-mail.

Find your Exchange ActiveSync server name

If your email program isn’t able to automatically find your Exchange ActiveSync server name, you may need to look it up.

If you’re connecting to your Office 365 email, use outlook.office365.com as your Exchange ActiveSync server name.

If you’re connecting to an Exchange mailbox, but aren’t using Office 365, or if you aren’t sure if you’re using Office 365, follow these steps to look up your Exchange ActiveSync server name.

  1. Sign in to your account using Outlook Web App.
  2. If you’re connecting to an Exchange mailbox, but aren’t using Office 365, your Exchange ActiveSync server name is contained in address bar in your browser when you are signed in to Outlook Web app – -but without the leading https:// and without the trailing /owa. For example, if the address you use to access Outlook Web App is https://mail.contoso.com/owa, your Exchange ActiveSync server name is mail.contoso.com.
  3. If you’re unable to connect to your mailbox using the information earlier in this section, you can try the server name value that displays in Outlook Web App options.
    In Outlook Web App, from the toolbar, click Settings Gear Icon > Options > Account > My account > Settings for POP and IMAP access.

NOTE Although you’re not setting up a POP3 or IMAP account, you’ll use the POP server name to determine your Exchange ActiveSync server name.

  1. Under POP setting, look at the value for Server name.
  • If the Server name value is outlook.office365.com, your account is an Office 365 account, and you can use outlook.office365.com as your Exchange ActiveSync server name.
  • If the Server name value is not outlook.office365.com, you can try using the server name listed on your options page. For example, if the server name is mail.contoso.com, try using mail.contoso.com as your Exchange server name.

That Should Do it!  Email should begin to flow.  You may be prompted to use a password on your phone if your administrator has put those policies in place.

Call TMD Technology Services for additional Computer and Phone Support.

Headquartered in Delray Beach, FL.