Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), technology that lets you make and receive phone calls over the Internet, may have started out as a novelty, but it’s quickly becoming mainstream – and many small businesses are finding that it can save them a lot of cash.

Benefits

1. Features. VoIP has the same features as conventional phone service: multiple lines, conference calling, and voice mail, to name just a few.
2. Cost. VoIP costs much less than conventional phone service, and most VoIP services charge a flat monthly fee, so bills are predictable.
3. Simplicity. Calls are routed through the same network you use for e-mail and Internet access, so one system serves all functions.
4. Mobility. You won’t need separate office and cell phone numbers: You can receive calls on your laptop or so-called “IP” phone while traveling, essentially taking your entire business phone system with you wherever you go.

Some things to consider

• Audio quality still isn’t perfect, but you can make VoIP calls with regular phones or IP phones with little difference in quality.
• Depending on the number of employees you have and how many are on the phone at once, you might need higher bandwidth (such as a T1 line) to handle VoIP.
• You may want to keep a conventional phone line—primarily as a backup, but also to ensure that you’re listed in the local phone book.

More information

VoIP is integrated with your existing IT system, so contact us today for details about how you can get started enjoying its benefits.

3 Reasons 2 Screens are Better than 1

Increasing your employees’ online workspace by expanding it across two or more monitors can significantly improve productivity with minimal cost investment.

In the past, multiple monitors have been the domain of programmers. Visit Google headquarters, for example, and you’ll see awe-inspiring configurations of screens: two, four, even six monitors, stacked side-by-side or one on top of the other. However, multiple monitors can also benefit just about any type of office worker.

Increased Multitasking

According to a number of studies by specialists in human-computer interaction, the bigger your employees’ screen space, the more work they can see and therefore the more work they can do. For example, employees can keep their email and chat screens open on one monitor while working on a Word or Excel document on the other. They no longer have to spend time switching between one or the other, and can respond to each more quickly.

Higher Productivity

In a study commissioned by the electronics company NEC and conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, office workers were asked to perform several basic tasks using various monitor configurations. The workers using two 20-inch monitors were 44% more productive than the workers using a single 18-inch monitor.

Minimal Cost

Multiple monitors may not have been feasible in the past due to cost, but the price of LCD panels fell by almost a third in 2008, and the trend is likely to continue through much of 2009, according to market research firm iSuppli.

Ready to enable your employees to get more done in less time? To upgrade to two monitors, in addition to the extra monitor you’ll need two video cards or an upgraded card with two outputs. Read more here, then contact us to help make it happen.

It’s All in the ‘How’

Have you ever wondered how to fix a leaking pipe or a broken light? Or how to check your car’s coolant or radiator fluid? How about maintaining a lawn, or tying a Windsor, or cooking a tasty meal for you or your kids in less than 30 minutes?

The answers to these questions and more can be found in self-help sites such as eHow and WikiHow. These sites are databases of how-to articles presented in a clear, concise, and simple manner that anyone can easily understand.

Unlike other guides that drown you (albeit unintentionally) in so much technical jargon that you end up completely lost, these sites make it a point to keep things uncomplicated – it’s all about helping you get something done right, and done fast. You can always learn the mechanics of why or how it works after you’ve gotten it done. Here, results are the primary consideration.

Both websites offer a variety of subjects to browse through. If you’re looking for a specific topic, simply enter the inquiry in the search box. Certain topics even have video tutorials and/or illustrated guides that make the learning process even easier. However, if you don’t have anything particular in mind, then you can browse through topics that are classified by category. Navigation is intuitive and user-friendly.

Another good thing about these websites is that the information is absolutely free – you don’t even have to register an account to gain access to them. And with WikiHow, if you feel like sharing a bit of your own knowledge, you can contribute your own how-to articles and become part of the WikiHow community. eHow also accepts entries that, depending on how you play your cards, can even help you earn a bit of extra money (there’s an eHow article to help you get started).

So the next time you find yourself in a spot with anything from a stubborn stain to treating a bee sting, try visiting these sites since they just might have the simple and straightforward solution you’re looking for.

Are you avoiding instant messaging (IM) for fear that it will distract your employees and cut productivity? In fact, the opposite may be true.

What is IM?

IM is software that allows you to communicate in real time with other people who have the same software. It’s like email, but instantaneous.

IM was originally considered a way to stay in touch with friends and family, but lately it’s taken off in the workplace. That’s because IM offers a fast, convenient way for employees to interact with colleagues or clients in real time. In fact, many cutting-edge employers now encourage their employees to use IM instead of phone calls or e-mails.

Benefits include:

• Increased productivity: Workers can remain at their workstations instead of walking across the office or picking up the phone to obtain information, and the need for time-consuming meetings is reduced.
• Real-time communication with vendors and customers.
• Connection of traveling employees through mobile devices.

Where can you get it?

While there are many free IM services available such as AOL, Yahoo!, Skype, and MSN, many companies now offer solutions specifically designed for business. We can work with you to determine the best solution for your specific needs

How to get started:

1. Select a single provider.
2. Expand services as needed. While basic IM may be adequate for some small businesses, others may benefit from expanded offerings, such as text conferencing, pop-up messaging, and email integration.
3. Make sure your information is protected from external threats such as hackers and viruses.
4. Create a usage policy to avoid internal misuse.
5. Ensure that all employees know the rules and have installed the software on their systems.

To be effective, your IM application should be carefully integrated with your existing IT system and workflow. Give us a call today and we’ll help you through these steps to implement a secure and productive IM solution.

These days there’s a lot of buzz about “going green” – helping preserve the environment, conserving energy, and looking for sustainable ways to grow the economy. The IT industry is doing its part as well, with “green computing,” which is basically computing by more efficient and sustainable means. You can get on board with some of the suggestions below:

1. Save on energy, save on costs:A lot of today’s computing devices feature power management features and energy saving modes, thanks largely to US government efforts to develop energy-efficiency standards called Energy Star. This is a voluntary labeling program adopted by many vendors to clearly identify and promote their efforts in bringing down energy costs for customers as well as to showcase their own use of eco-friendly production processes and materials. When you purchase Energy Star products and make full use of their features, you not only help the environment but also save significantly on your energy bills.
2. Reuse and Recycle:Consider retiring old equipment and replacing it with more energy-efficient models. Reuse what you can (such as RAM modules, cables, controller cards, and drives), and find a reputable recycler to help you dispose of remaining parts safely.
3. Consolidate what you have:Be eco-smart about your purchases. Advances in technology such as machine virtualization now allow you to consolidate computing resources on fewer machines, such as all-in-one printers, saving not only upfront capital costs but also recurring operating expenses such as maintenance, space, power, and cooling. Over time this means less equipment goes into landfills, better utilization of resources, and more money freed up to apply where it counts – to growing your business.
4. Do more with less:Instead of travelling, consider teleconferencing. Instead of hiring full time, onsite employees consider telecommuting arrangements. Not only do you reduce your carbon footprint by reducing transportation impact but also save a considerable amount of time and money as well.
5. Outsource IT:For non-core elements of your operations, consider outsourcing, which leverages economies of scale by sharing resources among several customers without losing efficiency or effectiveness. For example, instead of hosting your own website, outsource it to a hosting service provider instead.

We have lots of ideas for going green at your office and saving energy costs along the way. Give us a call and we’ll be glad to share them with you.

Microsoft is shipping second service pack for Windows Vista Service. I have loaded up this bad boy – so has our Tech Team Leader Bill Slater – and both of us found an easy install and noted performance improvement after applying the SP. Not “Wow!” performance increase, but definitely noticeable, with somewhat faster boot and shutdown times.

So consider the Windows Vista SP2 to be “recommended”. You should be seeing it in your Windows Update service soon.

Find out about MS Windows Vista SP2 PC World here, and a download link here.

Last May 14th, reports indicated that hackers had launched a phising attack on Facebook‘s 200 million users, successfully stealing passwords from some. The hackers set up websites designed to look like the Facebook home page. Victims were directed to log back in to the site, but were routed to the fake site instead, unwittingly giving away their passwords. Facebook has deleted all references to the fake domains, which included www.151.im, www.121.im and www.123.im. This is the latest in a string of campaigns launched by hackers to steal personal information from users and to spread spam. Facebook’s large user base makes them an attractive target for many cybercriminials. Users are urged to seek help from authorities or trusted IT consultants if they believe their accounts were compromised, or to avoid similar scams.Related articles:

• Facebook users targeted by hackers in successful phishing attack
• Gadgetwise: More Facebook Phishing Trouble Today
• Hackers launch phishing attack on Facebook users

IT – the Information Technology industry – likes the Hubble Telescope: Lots of cool technology there, lots of old technology that IT has kept running, and the ever-present IT relationship to astronomy.

With a relationship to “Givernment IT”, eWeek has an excellent slide show of Hubble images ofrom over the years. Find it here.

Enjoy!

Mike Elgan, a writer for ComputerWorld (among others), makes an interesting case about “digitizing everything”. By this he doesn’t necessarily mean just documents; he means everything. 

Matt Roush, who runs the Great Lakes IT Report for WWJ radio in the Detroit area, does a yearly spring “Tech Tour”. He stopped in Traverse City on Friday May 8th, and he reports about his visit here.

He has some wonderful comments about our great area and some terrific local tech companies.

The Great Lakes IT Report home page is here. It is a great source of tech news for Michigan, and I highly recommend it.