Tuesday 30 April 2013

Top 3 Industry Trends for Electronic Components and Equipment Companies

There are two main categories of components and these can be broken down into active components and passive components. An active component will rely on a source of energy and can usually give power to a circuit. This can include amplifying components such as vacuum tubes (valves), tunnel diodes and transistors. The passive components, as the name points to, cannot give or introduce power into the circuit they are attached or connected to. As such, they cannot increase the power of a signal by themselves. Some of the more interesting trends for electronic components have been rising in popularity over the last few years and include: 1. A printed circuit, or printed circuit board (PCB), which is a thin plate on which chips and other electronic components are placed on. A PCB is made of conducting components, inductor contacts, resistors and capacitors. You can find PCB's in computers, which usually have one or two boards, or cards. As more and more people use computers, this is an electronic component that continues to grow in the areas of technology and information. 2. The manufacture of bare printed circuit boards is also a very big industry these days, especially in China, where many of them are produced. Establishments that are based abroad commonly manufacture printed circuit boards as well as specialized electrical components. Bare, also known as rigid or flexible, circuit boards do not have mounted electronic components. As such, companies need to print, plate, screen, or photoprint various paths for electrical currents on separate laminates. 3. Electronic connectors are the last trend that can be seen in both the United States and industries found abroad. These connectors consist of a wide variety such as coaxial, cylindrical, rack and panel, printed circuit and fiber optic. One drawback to the changing technologies is that many connectors become obsolete, making them hard to find for older electronics. However, various online companies and manufacturers specialize in specific connectors and parts and can help you with your search. In today's modern world, it would be impossible to live without any of these electronic components. They are found in almost every PC part and are the fundamental building blocks of electrical and electronic circuits and you will also encounter circuits on motherboards, hard disk logic boards and video cards. Electronic components can also be used and combined with each other and a few of the more well-known components include inductors, resistors, and transformers.
As our technology continues to advance, you are sure to see even more trends for electronic components.

Monday 29 April 2013

Reducing Your Workloads in Your Business With Managed Network Services

Managed network services as offered by tech professionals are utilized to improve the operational system and workloads of a business or company. The third companies or IT service providers are skilled in implementing the newest trends of IT solutions, enhance the functions of IT infrastructure, utilize data replication and recovery, and cutting down of costs and down time scenarios. Business owners value smooth operations with their systems that will only happen when there is a proper management. Networking services are sought after by many companies because of the numerous requisites that every business wanted to comply with their technology infrastructures. Managed network services are involved in monitoring the company's information technology infrastructures, enhancing processes and service maintenance, and rendering the updated solutions for technological problems. In accordance to the company's autonomy, the success of the business operations will rely on their own hands or rather, they will utilize the services offered by third parties. The third parties, commonly known as IT service providers, are tech professionals who have special expertise when it comes to information technology maintenance and solving system problems. The best benefits that you can get from these experts are reduction of down time servers and cutting down of costs. Managed services and networking are defined in different ways when extracted. Managed services are referred to the technological responsibilities as withheld by the companies' administrations. On the other hand, networking is simply defined as the area in which the various types of services become accessible. Managed network services as rendered by many tech professionals became their expertise to provide the technology companies the necessary adjustments to increase the operation's reliability and efficiency. What type of assistance does a managed network service provider offered? Third party companies or the service providers offered services that include infrastructure management, accessible and secured data storage and recovery, down time reduction and cost cutting, and other forms of information technology professional services. Third parties also offer customer care by providing the clients' needs and demands and at the same time implementing the latest tech solutions that are applicable. For example, the third company provides its client data duplications of information as owned by the organization that is readily accessible in an off-site area or when there is down time. This would allow the company to proceed with the operations when the functions of the server system are interrupted. Another example is the recovery system offered by the third company. This is helpful when an unexpected down time occurs during the operations. It allows the client to restore the operations by utilizing the recovery system in a short period of time. Managed network services can also accelerate the application processes and enhancing the administration's functions and efficiency. These are done through increasing the productivity and functions of the networking system, improvising the security system, creating adjustments in relation to the given efficiency reports to increase the production of the company, and intervening solutions that are cost effective and can reduce business workloads.
Author is currently working team member of an IT company ITSolv.com is a premier managed services provider. For world class managed services you can visit ITSolv.

Have a Longer Laptop Battery Life in Just 5 Easy Ways!

How do you keep your laptop battery going for as long as possible? If you've had replaced your laptop battery, then you know that it is not cheap. Here are some basics you should learn about laptop batteries. Most of them are manufactured from lithium ion. The average life of a Li-Ion battery is 300 to 500 discharge-recharge cycles, or 2 to 3 years, whichever comes first. Power level, environmental conditions and charging habits will affect the longevity of the battery. As the battery gets closer to its end of life, the amount of time it will hold a charge will become less and less. Whatever precautions you will take, battery life will eventually wear with time. You should know that you can do something to lessen the impact of the battery degradation and make the life span of your laptop battery a little bit longer. Although your battery will eventually die, proper care can put off the inevitable. Here's how to keep your laptop battery working for as long as possible. • Keep your batteries away from too hot or too cold environments Undue heat kills off a battery slowly but surely. Avoid leaving the laptop under direct sunlight or inside a closed car. Maintain your battery out of utmost heat. Similarly, extreme cold conditions (like a refrigerator) can also kill a battery. Hence, never leave your laptops in places where temperatures are extreme. Of course, the whole health of your laptop can benefit from this, not just your batteries. If you don't plan to use the laptop on batteries for quite some time, ensure that the charge is about 40% then remove the battery and store it in a cool place (room temperature). • Practice proper charging-discharging habits Most people are familiar with Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cad) batteries, and know that it is best to discharge them all the way down before charging them up again because they have charge memory. This is not true for Lithium Ion batteries. Li-Ion batteries do not have that type of memory, so it is not important to let them discharge all the way down before recharging. In fact, most of the time, it is best NOT to let it discharge all the way. Partial discharge reduces stress and prolongs battery life. If possible, avoid frequent full discharges and charge more often between uses. • Exercise the battery Do not leave a charged battery dormant for long periods of time. Too usually, folks would use their laptops while plugged in a power source. While this is fairly safe, batteries that don't get used shall be simply as sickly as batteries which are used incorrectly. Like our bodies, batteries need to be exercised to remain robust and healthy. Moreover, keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures (which is the case when running a laptop on the power grid for extended period) affects the performance of the battery. • Use the right charger The volume of energy that is introduced and expended over each charging cycle will make a difference in the life of a Li-Ion cell. It is best to use the original equipment to charge the battery. Higher output charging units (what we typically call fast chargers) will reduce the life of the battery. • Use Power Management Applications Most laptops come with power management applications with battery maintenance functions. When running on extended AC mode, you can select "long life" option for your battery and it will charge to about 80% capacity only. Before travelling, apply the "full charge" option to bring your battery to 100% capacity. A typical lithium ion battery has an overall average life of 2-3 years. With some care and caution, its mortality can be delayed. These simple ways on laptop battery care could help you in increasing or lengthening the lifespan of your laptop battery.
PC911. Protecting your Technology and Caring for You. We safeguard your IT needs from preventive to corrective measures. Your computer specialist with certified and accredited technicians to serve you.

Sunday 28 April 2013

Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud: What's What?

Public, private and hybrid Cloud are all fairly different. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages, and therefore worth investigating before you invest. Allow me to explain each one in the hope that I can deepen your understanding of the Cloud to ensure that you make the right decision if and when you consider the move. Public Cloud Most of us are already using the Public Cloud if we access our e-mails via Google or Hotmail for example. Services are provided solely over the Internet, making it highly efficient and cost effective. This is usually a good solution for sole traders and freelancers. Advantages of Public Cloud  
  • It is usually low cost
  • You can access IT software over the Internet to save purchasing it yourself or paying for licenses
  • There is minimal, if any set up cost
  • It saves time: Software can be installed quickly and if something goes wrong, it can be fixed very fast
  • It's the quickest and easiest way to 'trial' the Cloud
  Disadvantages of Public Cloud  
  • You don't physically have a server in your office, which some people like to see
  • You don't have quite as much control of your IT
  • It relies on your Internet connection - if you have a weak or unreliable one, you may have trouble accessing your work
  Private Cloud A Private Cloud limits access to the service to a specific group of people for example. Your work is stored in a data center owned by your cloud provider, or can be stored on a server in your office. This is usually a good solution for small and medium businesses, or those who have strict security issues to adhere to. Advantages of Private Cloud  
  • You can still access your work remotely
  • It is more secure than the Public Cloud
  • Because it ran on hardware, you can have more control of your data
  • There is usually more storage on a Private Cloud
  Disadvantages of Private Cloud  
  • It usually costs more money than the Public Cloud
  • Risk of hardware damage whether your server is stored on-site or at a data centre
  Hybrid Cloud The dictionary definition of Hybrid = Something having two kinds of components that produce the same or similar results. How this applies to Cloud Computing is that businesses get use of a Private Cloud with access to the cloud for odd times of high usage. This solution is great for larger businesses who might expect a sudden influx of web traffic or enquiries. Advantages of Hybrid Cloud  
  • Gives you the best of both Clouds
  • Highly scalable
  Disadvantages of Hybrid Cloud  
  • Slightly more complex
  • Often the more expensive option
  I hope this has helped to demystify some of the Cloud terminology. I'm certain we'll see more emerge over the coming months and years.
SpiderGroup is an IT Company based in the Southwest (UK) who specialise in Cloud Computing for small and medium businesses.

Saturday 27 April 2013

The Benefits of Outsourcing Desktop Support Services

If you are running an organisation with a sizable workforce, maintaining all the workstations in peak performance conditions at all times can be quite a task for an internal IT support team - assuming that you have one in the first place! Benefits 1. Cost saving on services: This is perhaps the most desirable result that can be achieved by outsourcing desktop support. The ongoing economic recession necessitates lowering of expenditure, while boosting productivity. Most desktop support providers offer their services at reasonable costs, while guaranteeing 24/7 support. This ensures a boost in productivity of your employees, while also making sure that your budget stays within acceptable limits. 2. Additional skilled workforce: As long as your service contract is valid, you can rest assured of getting the best service from your provider. Desktop support providers hire only the most qualified experts for the job. All support personnel are certified professionals, who have years of experience in the field. They not only give support when required, but can also serve as an extension of your existing IT support team. There may be a lot of problems that your in-house team is unable to solve. In that case, your external desktop support group can back them up. 3. Continuous support: You cannot expect your in-house support team to work 24/7. But, your external desktop support team will be there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. So, you are guaranteed to get non stop support, no matter when you need it. All you have to do is make a phone call, and your problems will be attended to. 4. Remote support: An external IT support team will not need to come over to your business facilities in order to solve small problems. When you opt for the service, simply inquire whether they provide remote desktop support. That will ensure that your problems are fixed faster with lowest possible downtime and for significantly lower fees as well. 5. Response time: Your in-house IT support team may not be around all the time. They may be on leave, or call in sick on the very day when you face a critical problem. With your external support team, this is not a problem. If you have a constant support contract, you can be sure of getting excellent service whenever you require. Desktop Support Desktop support can give your business excellent quality service at reasonable prices. Providers can put a highly specialised workforce at your disposal, ensuring that you get nothing but the best service in the industry, whenever you require. Contact one of these providers today to ensure that you make big savings in your expenditure and boost employee productivity at the same time.
Get professional advice on computer IT systems in London UK: IT Support London

Friday 26 April 2013

Your Winning Strategy for Using Social Media for Your Business

Using social media to market your business is a tricky journey. With so many options and so many wrong ways to do it, many business owners spend lots and lots of time (and money) trying to figure out this whole new world of building customer relationships and loyalty. Many times all of the time and energy barely pays off with a splash of difference. It's time to get focused. Here is your winning social media marketing strategy for your business - any business, in fact. First, you need to determine which web sites are right for your business. Some businesses may utilize one or two options, while others may benefit from many more. You don't necessarily need to know a lot about each site, but rather what people use each site for. Users of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linked-In, Youtube and the others spend time at the sites for different reasons. It's vital that you do research on why people use these sites and then if it makes sense to spend time marketing your business there. Then you need to go on a field trip, with the purpose of watching and observing (not yet participating). The good news is that your field trip will cost you no money, but rather an investment of your time. And it can be done from home, in your pajamas. All of your options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Since most business owners and managers have little time during business hours to spend on social media marketing, much can be done at other times. Your field trip will consist of going to the sites that you're considering using for your business and observe how the people engage and communicate with one another. Don't participate just yet, but rather just observe how more veteran users are behaving (posting, tweeting, submitting, updating). Next, and this is a very, very important part of your strategy, is to understand the difference between "push" marketing and "pull" marketing. Once you decide to take your business online, you must treat your customers and potential customers with the highest respect and consideration. Your marketing efforts online will not be successful if you plan to just promote your business or your product in "old-school" marketing ways like couponing, discounts and specials ("push" marketing). You'll get much more positive results if you use social media to build long term relationships with your customers, to build their trust, and to provide them with a unique and cutting edge way of communicating with you ("pull" marketing). Now, you need to learn the facts. Lots of data is available on the habits of social media users. Sure, there are hundreds of millions of users. But when is the best time to communicate with your target customers and how? Are some days better than others to post and tweet? Can you post and tweet too little or too much? Should you use just text or pictures and videos, as well? Getting answers to these questions and more will save you lots of time and energy, and increase your chances of having a successful strategy. Finally, it's time to dive in, but do so smartly. When registering for social media sites, be mindful of the branding of your business. Go to the help section of the sites to find out what's available for businesses (for instance, at Facebook and Google+, there are personal profiles and business profiles, but at Twitter and Linked-In, that's not the case). Make sure your social media "footprint" is in concert with the spirit and integrity of your brand, including your logo, tag line, colors, texture and tone. Be courteous, inviting and accessible. Don't look to sell your product or service to people (the "push"), but rather provide them with tips and information about your product and service (the "pull"). And be ready to interact with people, hopefully responding to questions and requests for information quickly and efficiently.
If you follow this social media marketing strategy, your chances greatly improve of being successful. For more information, visit MaestroSocialMedia.com Coordinating the many social media options for your business can be like conducting an orchestra. Once the different options are working in concert, it can be very effective for your business. I hear a symphony...MaestroSocialMedia.com

Thursday 25 April 2013

Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud: What's What?

Public, private and hybrid Cloud are all fairly different. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages, and therefore worth investigating before you invest. Allow me to explain each one in the hope that I can deepen your understanding of the Cloud to ensure that you make the right decision if and when you consider the move. Public Cloud Most of us are already using the Public Cloud if we access our e-mails via Google or Hotmail for example. Services are provided solely over the Internet, making it highly efficient and cost effective. This is usually a good solution for sole traders and freelancers. Advantages of Public Cloud  
  • It is usually low cost
  • You can access IT software over the Internet to save purchasing it yourself or paying for licenses
  • There is minimal, if any set up cost
  • It saves time: Software can be installed quickly and if something goes wrong, it can be fixed very fast
  • It's the quickest and easiest way to 'trial' the Cloud
  Disadvantages of Public Cloud  
  • You don't physically have a server in your office, which some people like to see
  • You don't have quite as much control of your IT
  • It relies on your Internet connection - if you have a weak or unreliable one, you may have trouble accessing your work
  Private Cloud A Private Cloud limits access to the service to a specific group of people for example. Your work is stored in a data center owned by your cloud provider, or can be stored on a server in your office. This is usually a good solution for small and medium businesses, or those who have strict security issues to adhere to. Advantages of Private Cloud  
  • You can still access your work remotely
  • It is more secure than the Public Cloud
  • Because it ran on hardware, you can have more control of your data
  • There is usually more storage on a Private Cloud
  Disadvantages of Private Cloud  
  • It usually costs more money than the Public Cloud
  • Risk of hardware damage whether your server is stored on-site or at a data centre
  Hybrid Cloud The dictionary definition of Hybrid = Something having two kinds of components that produce the same or similar results. How this applies to Cloud Computing is that businesses get use of a Private Cloud with access to the cloud for odd times of high usage. This solution is great for larger businesses who might expect a sudden influx of web traffic or enquiries. Advantages of Hybrid Cloud  
  • Gives you the best of both Clouds
  • Highly scalable
  Disadvantages of Hybrid Cloud  
  • Slightly more complex
  • Often the more expensive option
  I hope this has helped to demystify some of the Cloud terminology. I'm certain we'll see more emerge over the coming months and years.
SpiderGroup is an IT Company based in the Southwest (UK) who specialise in Cloud Computing for small and medium businesses.
 

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Light Energy - Learn About It!

We all are aware of the fact that light is just everywhere. It happens to be one of the vital forces that enable us to see things around. Light can be referred to as an action as we read this text. If we put it technically, we can make it work like Light is just a form of an electromagnetic radiation that the human eye can see. This particular radiation is specifically what allows the human eye to see things around. All such electromagnetic radiations as a matter of fact can be categorized in the wavelength series that can be between 380nm to 740nm. The equivalent frequency range is around 405 THz - 790 THz. Optics happens to be a specialized field of science that has been erupted in regards to the study of light over the last few decades. These studies that have been conducted were able to lead to the foundation of various light traits and properties. Light Energy Sources A comprehensive understanding related to any kind of energy requires an introduction to the sources that particular energy makes use of. When it is classified in broad terms, the sources normally end up in two primary categories that are based upon the sources' origin. The two primary categories in this regard are the natural as well as the artificial sources of energy. Natural Light Energy Sources Sun, as a matter of fact happens to be the primary as well as the biggest source when it comes to light energy. Other than sun, there are various other stars that are useful in contributing to the amount of the sources on the Earth. Artificial Light Energy Sources In general, the artificial sources include all the related phenomena that are useful in producing light as an outcome of human manipulation. For example, matches can be regarded as an artificial source as they tend to involve controlled and predictable chemical reactions. On the other hand, Incandescent electrical lamps along with several other sources concerning incandescent light also fall under the category of artificial energy light source for the same reasons. Electric current is just another commonly used artificial energy light source. Light Energy Uses It can turn out to be extremely useful and beneficial in our daily life. It has been able to be an upshot in quite a few admirable and worthy applications. Human being just cannot even imagine their world without light.
Author is an established writer and expert in the computer and tech niche, currently writing on topics like light energy. Visit to read more information.

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Saudi Hackers Vs Israeli Hackers: Is It Cyberwar?

On January 3, a Saudi hacker group called, "Group-XP" claimed that it had stolen half a million Israeli credit cards. The Bank of Israel claims their exposure is information on only 15,000 credit cards, all of which were immediately blocked. The hacker group's stated purpose was to see Israeli cards fall into disrepute, "like the Nigerian cards." The cracker, "0xOmar" is identified as the individual performing the hack, and says he plans to publish information on an additional 200 cards per day. In response to the Saudi hack release of user credit information, an Israeli hacker going by the name of "OxOmer" ("O" instead of zero, "e" instead of "a"), aka Omer Cohen, has published the information on hundreds of Saudi credit cards. Cohen, a soldier in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), says he published the information as a "deterrent." The card info was apparently used to purchase goods on Saudi websites, thereby ratcheting things up a little by not just releasing information, but stealing funds. Cohen believes his government has not responded quickly nor strongly enough. This "deterrent" language, of course, mirrors the military language of providing overwhelming negative consequences to keep an opponent from acting in the future. The news of the world does indeed talk up electronic hacking and cracking though the use of military terms, but there are those who argue that cyberwar doesn't really exist - at least not yet. I would expect that none of the credit card information released belonged to either of the hackers, but rather to "innocent bystanders." Cohen apologized if any innocent people were hurt by his actions. In this sense, at least, this small conflict mirrors (however weakly) the world's real wars with their "collateral damage." A columnist in the conservative Jerusalem Postsays that the credit cards really belong to users living in the United States, but that in any case, this kind of cyber-fighting is better than fighting by using objects of the material world, such as bullets or missiles. And really, who's to say he doesn't make a very good point? Regarding the debate noted above - does cyberwar really exist? - an article by Jeffrey Carr in Slate online magazine entitled, "What Is Cyberwar?" asserts that "We" don't really know how to define an act of cyberwar. That's "We," the international community, We the U.S. Senate, We the Department of Defense. Currently, NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre, one of NATO's fifteen Centers of Excellence says that cyber aggression rises to the level of an act of cyberwar only if it is done in conjunction with a physical attack AND can be attributed to a specific government AND if it can be shown that the attack caused injury. Otherwise, there is no legal basis on which to use force against an aggressor - that is, counterattack. This opinion dates from 2008, in the absence of other international treaties on the subject. Furthermore, in a 2010 Wired interview the US cyberczar, Howard Schmidt, famously said, "There is no Cyberwar." Only online crime and espionage. By both of these perspectives, the 2009/2010 Stuxnet worm that damaged Iran's nuclear centrifuges and set back that country's uranium enrichment efforts was an act of sabotage, not cyberwar. The 2008 Russian military attack on Georgia that coincided with a seemingly Russian-coordinated cyber attack (for while there may not be an agreed-upon definition of cyberwar, there clearly are cyberattacks) wasn't an act of cyberwar because it couldn't be proved that Russia carried out the cyber portion of the attack, nor could it be shown that the cyber part caused injury. The news has been full of stories about the many attacks and acts of espionage against targets in the USA originating from IP addresses in China. But apparently no one can adequately prove that the Chinese government was the entity that carried out these attacks. So, what does what does describe an actionable act of War By Computer? If millions of dollars, hundreds of companies and governments can't place the cyberfinger on a given government with the resources at their cybercommands, what will it take? Could it be a good thing that no act of war is legally actionable against a cyberattack? Or does a lack of definition or agreement make damaging attacks by state actors more likely? What do you think, dear reader?
Steve Burgess is a freelance technology writer, a practicing computer forensics specialist as the principal of Burgess Forensics, and a contributor to the just released Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases, 5th Edition by Moenssens, et al. Mr. Burgess may be reached at http://www.burgessforensics.com or via email at steve@burgessforensics.com

Monday 22 April 2013

Syncing Your iPhone Apps To Your iPad

If you already own an iPhone, you may have plenty of apps installed on it. If you have also got an iPad with you and if you want to use the same apps that are installed on your iPhone to be available on your iPad, you do not need to install the apps one by one on your iPad. You can sync all your iPhone apps to your iPad through iTunes. Here is what you need to do to synch your iPhone apps to your iPad: 1. To sync the apps, you need to have an active account on iTunes. Since you own an iPhone, you may also have an iTunes account. You can download the latest version of iTunes from the Apple website. If you do not have an account on iTunes, make sure you create one. You need to install iTunes on your computer. 2. Establish a connection between your iPhone and computer by using the USB connecting cable that can with your iPhone. You should do this only after installing iTunes on your computer. When you connect your iPhone to the computer, the iTunes present on your computer will notify you that a connection has been established. 3. On the left panel of iTunes, you can see a section called Devices. Under Devices, you will see the name of your iPhone. Your iPhone's name will appear here only if your computer has detected the iPhone. When you click on the name of your iPhone, you will see syncing options. For syncing, you need to click on the Sync button that can be seen on the right side corner at the bottom of iTunes. It can take some time to complete the syncing process. It depends on the size of the data that has to sync. All the apps and other media contents present on iPhone will be made available on computer through iTunes. When syncing is done, you can disconnect the iPhone from your computer. 4. To sync the apps to your iPad, you need to connect the iPad to your computer by using the USB connecting cable that came with your iPad. iTunes present on your computer will notify you that the connection was successful by listing the name of your iPad under Devices section. You need to click on the name of your iPad and on the topside of your iTunes you need to click on Apps. Here you will see a list of apps that can be synced to your iPad. Deselect the apps that you do not want to sync. Once you have made your selection, you need to click on Apply. All the apps that you selected will be synced on your iPad.
Read review of the best iPad apps now!

Sunday 21 April 2013

How Can a Healthcare Professional Use Social Media to Grow Their Business

Social Media: Opportunities and Dangers With social media, healthcare providers have many tools at their disposal to help build their businesses. Social network sites can be a powerful tool in the hands of persons who know how to leverage it to its full potential. When social media is misunderstood or misapplied, it can turn into a time sink where many hours that could have been spent more productively in other ways to build your business. Since social media is easily misunderstood, it will help to clarify some of those areas. One of the things that makes it confusing is that social media uses terms that people often assume they understand, like 'networking', yet in the realm of social media, it has very different meanings. Social Media and Meetings With 128 million people using the internet in the US, the way of reaching people and being relevant to their needs has changed. This means that the way of doing business has changed as well. The public now consults their phone for the best buys on products and services. They are also using their phones to purchase items. The changes in the way business is conducted also impacts healthcare. Social Media offers many tools that you as a healthcare professional can use to build your business. With the use of social (interactive) media, the nature of business building has changed. Social network sites provide an interactive way of dealing with potential clients. In previous generations, the relationship between a healthcare provider and potential clients was limited to one way interactions dominated by the healthcare professional. Today, the patients talk back to you using Facebook, email, twitter or some other service, asking questions and want you as a healthcare professional to be responsive. If you provide good service, they can tell others, if your service is lacking, your reputation suffers much faster when they use social media. In previous generations, any kind of marketing consisted of ads telling about the services provided and contact information. If the healthcare professional had social skills, they may even engage in networking as a way to develop their business. In previous generations, networking consisted of joining local business promotion groups in the local community. A healthcare professional typically joined the Chamber of Commerce, local professional group of their specialization, a business group like the lions or rotary or if they are really adventurous, toastmasters. With social media, the groups that an aspiring healthcare professional joins have changed. Sure, there are still some of the old groups used in previous generations, which can be used. Social media provides more options. There are physician only sites like Sermo.com, which are a social media site devoted to only physicians. In other healthcare areas, professional groups like the American Psychological Association and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy have developed their media presence. This allows the old professional groups to have a new place to meet on the internet. In addition to those groups, there are groups on social media sites, themselves. LinkedIn has many professional groups on its site, as does Facebook. These groups vary by specialty. There are groups on oncology, depression, healthcare professional support, etc. Such groups often provide forums where you can discuss issues of concern to yourself as the healthcare provider. I recall a recent lively discussion on the existence on Sexual Addictions on LinkedIn, where healthcare professionals addressed the issue from many different perspectives. These provide a place to find out the latest information and to stay in touch with colleagues. These groups provide a forum where healthcare professional meet and connect with others sharing similar interests. This is a new application of old style social networking. The networking that occurred at monthly or annual meetings is now available on a daily basis. Meetings and relationship continue remaining an important essential for a healthcare professional to develop in building their business. The New Networking and New Challenges Social media is changing the application of the term 'networking' in new ways. With social media, the healthcare professional is faced with the new dimension when you have to deal with interactive media. In previous generations, building a practice involved the use of static media. With social media, the relationship between the healthcare provider and client becomes interactive. It is no longer one way with the healthcare provider telling the public that they are the expert and the patient has to accept that. Now the public talks back to you, wanting evidence of your expertise, caring and empathy. In the past, you could get away with just 'being the healthcare professional'. In the age of social media, they want to know something about Dr. Jane, or Jack the therapist. With the new application of 'networking' including the interaction with the client, healthcare professionals are in new game. The clients now ask questions and interact with them in an environment where the healthcare provider is not the one in control. The healthcare professional and the potential clients now share control. Potential clients now ask questions and engage in social interactions that did not exist ten years ago. With social media, the potential client is empowered.They know more and want more than they did ten years ago. With social media, today's patients often self-diagnose before seeing the healthcare professional. In one study 81% of respondents indicated that they expect to find help on the internet, including medical help. This means that the public is going to the internet, and its social media for their healthcare help including self-diagnosis. In one recent study 47% of those seeking medical information also made self-diagnoses. This practice is becoming so prevalent, there is a tendency to refer to Dr. Google. One of the big challenges related to this information is is that the public is not always verifying the veracity of information they obtain. Not only are the public going to the internet looking for help, they are often diagnosing themselves with the information they have access to. Dr. Bryan Varabedian said "Information is the new third party in the exam room". (Dr. Varabedian maintains a blog addressing the convergence of social media and medicine.) Healthcare providers building their business now have to deal with patients having and using more information.Some of the information is good, while some is not from proven sources. Another challenge is when patients have the right information but are using it in an unorthodox manner. With patients knowing more, they have begun to self-diagnose their presenting issues or problems.The whole idea of patients daring to self-diagnose is seen as threatening by some healthcare professionals. In Texas, a physician's group has sued the Chiropractors, podiatrists and family therapists because they dared to diagnose clients. This is a far cry from Pennsylvania, where all 277 of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) sent out e-mails, offering digital house calls. In that state, some patients receive a diagnosis without seeing a doctor (or any healthcare professional) in person or even speaking to one on the phone. It remains to be seen how those healthcare professionals will respond to patients diagnosing themselves. Today's social media savvy patients also present with more information and ask more informed questions than previous generations. Healthcare professionals now have to be prepared to deal with this challenge of patients having a knowledgeable voice in their healthcare decisions. The patients of today do not always go along with healthcare choices, just based on your word. They may also compare your information with what they find on the internet. This means the healthcare professional needs to provide good information and be on top of the latest trends and developments in their field. The input of patients in healthcare decisions has great potential in improving the quality of healthcare. By using social media, the patients are not only making informed choices, they are speaking out. With patients having a voice, the healthcare providers who listen to their voices and respond will be seen as the expert. This means that healthcare will have to become more responsive to patients overall if they want their business to thrive. Potential patients also want to know about their healthcare providers. When patients are often limited as to who the patient can see, when the patients do have some choice, they often have questions and want to interact with the provider. Social media provides a way for them to "get to know" their healthcare provider. Providers that learn how to use social media in dealing with patients will be ahead of their competition. Those providers will also need to develop written "social media policies" in dealing with those patients. Healthcare providers using social media will need to be clear concerning the boundaries between themselves and clients, specifying what information they will share about themselves and their accessibility. In using the new social media, the public is now going to Facebook or Google to find help before they go to the yellow pages. This means that healthcare providers who do not have a social media presence will be passed over. They will not even by considered by potential patients that are seeking out healthcare. The Importance of Social Media When millions of people are using social networks, those healthcare providers who choose not to be a part of it by exercising 'social media abstinence' are missing out on the changing way that people interact. Healthcare professionals who choose to avoid social sites altogether are crippling themselves. The public now use them extensively. Whether in the use of their computers or phones, or both, it is a reality. Social media has changed the way people interact in the marketplace. Dr. Ross Speck, who researched social networks back in the 1970's saw the changes coming. He stated, "If the psychotherapist is to maintain a healing relationship with human beings in this predicament [social change]-if he is to be of value in relieving distress-he has to innovate". Although Dr. Speck's comments were directed at psychotherapists, it has application to any healthcare professional in practice today. It is becoming important for healthcare providers to know how to use social media, or hire someone for them who does. Dr. Ken Cohn MD, has observed the importance of the new media and medical practice. He often addresses this subject. He sees the time for healthcare providers to act on social media is now, "...because physician leaders over the next 2 years will influence patterns of care delivery for the next 25 years". Social media is also a way for an aspiring healthcare professional to compete with much larger competition, whether it be from other people in healthcare, publishing or speaking. Using social media removes the size advantage that some exploit in providing healthcare. Dr. Ken Cohn who has pioneered collaborative work between physicians, hospitals and patients has used the new media to present the message of his work to others. In promoting his book, "I see social media as a great equalizer." He has seen social media improve the quality of care for hospitals. He has also seen how he, with his book could compete with larger publishers using social media. Social media also allows the little person just starting out to make a name for themselves. A highly responsive healthcare professional can establish a name for themselves with the public rather than always having to be dependent on the power brokers of established practices. Social sites are is changing healthcare, including how healthcare providers build their practice. It changes how clients find them, interact with them, and services are delivered. It also changes the way that healthcare providers will find potential patients. Knowing how to use and master social media is critical for any healthcare professional wanting to build their business in today's social media saturated culture. Social Media Tools Once you as a healthcare provider has a social media policy, you need to use the tools available. Below are some of the social media tools and ways they can be used by a healthcare professional in building their business. Facebook: Facebook is the largest social community. With increasing frequency, people search Facebook for their needs. You can have business page to establish awareness of your business. Given the size of Facebook, it is critical that the healthcare provider have a page in order to remain relevant. LinkedIn: This social site allows healthcare professionals to network with other professionals. 80% of small business owners in one 2011 survey report using LinkedIn. Having a profile will let others know that you are in business and lead to important business leads. Building a business often involves joint ventures. LinkedIn is a way to find potential partners for joint ventures. Twitter: This site provides a platform to keep people informed of "what is going on". The public often likes to know about what is new. Keeping them informed as to events and new items coming out. In the US, 13% of the population online use twitter. Digg: This news site can be used to develop a following for healthcare providers. Google: Although not often seen as a social media, it has many functions that involve social interactions. This is where people look for services. Having a good google ranking can make a difference in your business visibility. Once a healthcare provider has visibility, they will need to use social media in interacting with their potential clients. The healthcare provider can use these tools for announcements, patient education, answering frequently asked questions, dealing with common healthcare issues, and healthcare topics that would be of interest to them. Summary of how to use social media To sum up how a healthcare professional can use social sites to build their business the following steps can be taken: 1. Network with other professionals and people in the local community. 2. Provide good patient information. Become a resource. For example, if you are a chiropractor, you could write a series of articles, blog posts, etc. on exercise, health eating, how to lift heavy loads, etc. With each article, it would enhance your expertise in the eyes of potential clients. 3. Have a written social media policy, then use social media to promote your business. 4. Interact on social sites regarding questions and concerns. Be willing to answer questions and make yourself accessible on such sites. You can use them to post interesting articles, videos, etc. 5. Know how to use social sites to their full potential. Social media has many opportunities. You can set up a blogtalk radio show, have regular episodes on your own YouTube channel, have book club on LibraryThing. You are limited only by your own imagination in reaching out to clients and provide good quality patient care. 6. Let the community know that you are accessible on social sites. Include your twitter address, or Facebook logo on your advertising.
Jeff Murrah, LPC, LMFT has spent decades learning how to market mental healthcare on the internet. You can benefit from his experience at http://www.TherapistOnTheWeb.com

Saturday 20 April 2013

3 Good Reasons Not To Ban P2P File Sharing In Your Business

Any business owner who has experienced having their network crippled by having unwanted intruders brought on by Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing will want to ban their its use from their network. It's only natural to protect your resources from any and all threats that hamper productivity and cost money. But what if protecting your resources means that you are ignoring some key benefits to your business? P2P file sharing has some great business advantages:
    • Get information farther quicker - The idea behind peer-to-peer file sharing is sharing information. With the right infrastructure in place, businesses can interact with partners and vendors around the world regardless of time differences. Imagine working late needing specs for a presentation and realizing that the Rome office had an older version while the Cadiz office had the latest changes. Despite the time difference between each of these locations, having access to these files whenever you need them contributes to increased productivity and a healthy bottom line.
    • More demands equal more capacity - Any server that experiences more demand is prone to bottlenecking, which means that higher demands for information mean slower network. With P2P file sharing, the more demand on the system, the more peers are present the higher the total system capacity. The original content distributor does not have to worry about adding more memory or getting a bigger server because there is more demand
  • Reduce the risk of network crash - Network crashes are paralyzing to say the least. The worst part is when the network crash is fixed, the paralysis changes to frustration as the network slowly crawls. With P2P file sharing the whole network doesn't crash just because one computer crashes. If one peer on the network malfunctions, there are other peers from which you can get information. P2P file sharing systems have built in redundancy which makes them more reliable in the event of a crash.
  In order for these advantages to be felt, businesses need to have proper controls in place
    • How will file sharing will be used by your business? - Finding out how P2P is relevant to your business is key. Working with outside vendors, remote contractors these are some of the factors to consider.
    • Set up and test the P2P's system integrity - Once you realize the value of P2P file sharing for your business, setting it up is just one part of the equation. Testing the integrity of the system and making sure it is fully compliant with information security standards is essential.
    • Establish procedures and guidelines about what types of file sharing is permitted - Now that you have the system in place, what are the rules? Having easy to understand, enforceable procedures and guidelines brings everything together.
  • Train all employees, vendors, contractors - Whether they are in-house and outsourced all who need access to your company's information need to be trained thoroughly on how to use this new system.
 
D. Dixon is a Microsoft, CompTIA, PMI certified professional. After starting her career as a Technical Manager/Systems Engineer in the Education sector, she became a sales specialist and then discovered her love for Microsoft Excel as a Strategic Marketing Analyst for a major retailer. After being downsized, she discovered that the knowledge she accumulated could be useful to other. After leaving the US in 2011, she pursued her goal of being an entrepreneur and discovered blogging. She currently writes for a variety of subjects on her 1!SingularSensation Information Blog including technical posts such as, What Is A Firewall? & Viruses, Worms & Trojans
 

Friday 19 April 2013

What Can We Do With a Computer?

Workstations and laptops play a very essential and almost indispensable role in our lives. PCs are used extensively globally and in all kinds of environments. We use computers in companies, factories, homes and government offices. Students use computers at schools for teaching and for keeping student files. Clinics use PCs to store patient records and to deliver health care. Along with these types of workstations, there are also several special computers intended for specific jobs. We find these computers inside other devices such as TVs, sound systems, ATMs and many other electronic devices. We can even found them embedded in devices such as washing machines and refrigerators. Where are workstations found within your environment? PCs are used for various reasons and in several different places. They have different dimensions and processing power, but all PCs have a few features in common: 1. The physical modules, internal and external, that make up a PC, 2. The operating system. This is a group of computer programs that control the hardware of a computer. An OS manages the hardware resources such as the memory and the hard disk. Windows 7 for example is Microsoft's latest operating system, 3. The applications. Every computer has programs that perform specific functions using the installed hardware. An example of application software is a word processor or a computer game. Software programs can be divided into two broad categories: Business-Industry Applications: These are designed for use by a particular business or industry. For instance, warehouse management software, training tools and legal software. General Use Applications: These are used by various organizations and home users for several purposes. These software programs can usually be used by any user or business. General use applications include software packages like Microsoft office 2010 suite. Microsoft office includes several different applications such as Word, Excel, Access, Visio and others. Very popular are the graphics editing and multimedia authoring applications. These software programs permit users to change and improve photos or create rich media presentations that contain voice, video and graphics. Some applications are network capable, and some other applications can work only locally. Local software: This is a local software program, like a word processor, that is installed on the local hard disk of the computer. The software runs only on that computer. Network software: This is a network application that is designed to work over a network, like for example the Internet. Network software has two modules, one that runs on the local PC and one that runs on a remote PC. Microsoft Outlook is an example of a network application. Almost all the computers have both local and network applications installed.
Manolis Skoras is a Cisco, Microsoft and HP Certified Trainer and systems-network engineer. Recently he created a site about IT Certifications to help his students and people around the world to better understand the material they will be tested on, thus having greater success rates. Check Certify4Sure today!

Technology, Networking and Security in 2012

The computer: the gadget that changed our view of the world around us, the information which we are surrounded by, and the way we experience events, either directly or directly. The amount of information available on the internet is larger than any library in the world, and we can get all this information through a few simple clicks. The amount of different programs is also more than impressive, and today it is no longer a question of how to obtain an application, but which applications do we want from all those we have to choose from. In the twenty-first century, we are entering a period in which data is transmitted wirelessly. Technology, like the rest of the IT industry, is developing rapidly and has come up with new standards and adopted more modern methods that enable greater wireless speeds and ranges while costing much less. In the not too distant future, we can expect a lot more wireless systems in every location, connecting the home, office, and even large factories. Wireless network technologies represent a new form of network communication will be even more advanced in the future. These networks of the future will outpace today's wired network systems both in terms of speed and security. As the new networks are constantly being upgraded, the equipment becomes more sophisticated. The software and security systems are also progressing, although the threat to security still persists everywhere around us. The Internet is a medium that allows anyone to go from appearing to be an ordinary web surfer to a hacker in just a few moments. These hackers can jeopardize very important information and even destroy someone's life. The prices of laptops with wireless cards are now very affordable and are constantly falling; hence, it is very easy to find wireless networks. Of course, this means it's also easy for attackers to find a way to get into the system and steal someone else's Internet traffic, or, more importantly, data. Various studies related to the security of wireless systems has shown that almost fifty percent of users are on unprotected networks, which confirms the fact that users are not aware or educated of the dangers of wireless networks. Another concern is the fact that many small businesses are be completely unprotected, which malicious users can very well use to their advantage, and the owners of these systems are not even aware that the customer information and confidential documents can leave the company through this unlocked door. However, even using a system of protection for your computer is not hundred percent secure, but using a system with an incredibly strong encryption system may significantly slow down the network, a trade-off many businesses and users won't or can't make. We can only hope that future standards will bring faster and more secure systems in which users will be able to rely on the system's protection and really use wireless networks without worry. Safety is important, and the only right decision for your computer is to secure your network. Wireless networking has become part of our lives, but again, we must be careful about what and with whom we share our information.
Need more information on network security? Then visit Firewall.cx, a globally recognized site covering networking topics, protocol analysis, Cisco routing, switching, security and VoIP technologies.

Thursday 18 April 2013

How Can a Healthcare Professional Use Social Media to Grow Their Business

Social Media: Opportunities and Dangers With social media, healthcare providers have many tools at their disposal to help build their businesses. Social network sites can be a powerful tool in the hands of persons who know how to leverage it to its full potential. When social media is misunderstood or misapplied, it can turn into a time sink where many hours that could have been spent more productively in other ways to build your business. Since social media is easily misunderstood, it will help to clarify some of those areas. One of the things that makes it confusing is that social media uses terms that people often assume they understand, like 'networking', yet in the realm of social media, it has very different meanings. Social Media and Meetings With 128 million people using the internet in the US, the way of reaching people and being relevant to their needs has changed. This means that the way of doing business has changed as well. The public now consults their phone for the best buys on products and services. They are also using their phones to purchase items. The changes in the way business is conducted also impacts healthcare. Social Media offers many tools that you as a healthcare professional can use to build your business. With the use of social (interactive) media, the nature of business building has changed. Social network sites provide an interactive way of dealing with potential clients. In previous generations, the relationship between a healthcare provider and potential clients was limited to one way interactions dominated by the healthcare professional. Today, the patients talk back to you using Facebook, email, twitter or some other service, asking questions and want you as a healthcare professional to be responsive. If you provide good service, they can tell others, if your service is lacking, your reputation suffers much faster when they use social media. In previous generations, any kind of marketing consisted of ads telling about the services provided and contact information. If the healthcare professional had social skills, they may even engage in networking as a way to develop their business. In previous generations, networking consisted of joining local business promotion groups in the local community. A healthcare professional typically joined the Chamber of Commerce, local professional group of their specialization, a business group like the lions or rotary or if they are really adventurous, toastmasters. With social media, the groups that an aspiring healthcare professional joins have changed. Sure, there are still some of the old groups used in previous generations, which can be used. Social media provides more options. There are physician only sites like Sermo.com, which are a social media site devoted to only physicians. In other healthcare areas, professional groups like the American Psychological Association and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy have developed their media presence. This allows the old professional groups to have a new place to meet on the internet. In addition to those groups, there are groups on social media sites, themselves. LinkedIn has many professional groups on its site, as does Facebook. These groups vary by specialty. There are groups on oncology, depression, healthcare professional support, etc. Such groups often provide forums where you can discuss issues of concern to yourself as the healthcare provider. I recall a recent lively discussion on the existence on Sexual Addictions on LinkedIn, where healthcare professionals addressed the issue from many different perspectives. These provide a place to find out the latest information and to stay in touch with colleagues. These groups provide a forum where healthcare professional meet and connect with others sharing similar interests. This is a new application of old style social networking. The networking that occurred at monthly or annual meetings is now available on a daily basis. Meetings and relationship continue remaining an important essential for a healthcare professional to develop in building their business. The New Networking and New Challenges Social media is changing the application of the term 'networking' in new ways. With social media, the healthcare professional is faced with the new dimension when you have to deal with interactive media. In previous generations, building a practice involved the use of static media. With social media, the relationship between the healthcare provider and client becomes interactive. It is no longer one way with the healthcare provider telling the public that they are the expert and the patient has to accept that. Now the public talks back to you, wanting evidence of your expertise, caring and empathy. In the past, you could get away with just 'being the healthcare professional'. In the age of social media, they want to know something about Dr. Jane, or Jack the therapist. With the new application of 'networking' including the interaction with the client, healthcare professionals are in new game. The clients now ask questions and interact with them in an environment where the healthcare provider is not the one in control. The healthcare professional and the potential clients now share control. Potential clients now ask questions and engage in social interactions that did not exist ten years ago. With social media, the potential client is empowered.They know more and want more than they did ten years ago. With social media, today's patients often self-diagnose before seeing the healthcare professional. In one study 81% of respondents indicated that they expect to find help on the internet, including medical help. This means that the public is going to the internet, and its social media for their healthcare help including self-diagnosis. In one recent study 47% of those seeking medical information also made self-diagnoses. This practice is becoming so prevalent, there is a tendency to refer to Dr. Google. One of the big challenges related to this information is is that the public is not always verifying the veracity of information they obtain. Not only are the public going to the internet looking for help, they are often diagnosing themselves with the information they have access to. Dr. Bryan Varabedian said "Information is the new third party in the exam room". (Dr. Varabedian maintains a blog addressing the convergence of social media and medicine.) Healthcare providers building their business now have to deal with patients having and using more information.Some of the information is good, while some is not from proven sources. Another challenge is when patients have the right information but are using it in an unorthodox manner. With patients knowing more, they have begun to self-diagnose their presenting issues or problems.The whole idea of patients daring to self-diagnose is seen as threatening by some healthcare professionals. In Texas, a physician's group has sued the Chiropractors, podiatrists and family therapists because they dared to diagnose clients. This is a far cry from Pennsylvania, where all 277 of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) sent out e-mails, offering digital house calls. In that state, some patients receive a diagnosis without seeing a doctor (or any healthcare professional) in person or even speaking to one on the phone. It remains to be seen how those healthcare professionals will respond to patients diagnosing themselves. Today's social media savvy patients also present with more information and ask more informed questions than previous generations. Healthcare professionals now have to be prepared to deal with this challenge of patients having a knowledgeable voice in their healthcare decisions. The patients of today do not always go along with healthcare choices, just based on your word. They may also compare your information with what they find on the internet. This means the healthcare professional needs to provide good information and be on top of the latest trends and developments in their field. The input of patients in healthcare decisions has great potential in improving the quality of healthcare. By using social media, the patients are not only making informed choices, they are speaking out. With patients having a voice, the healthcare providers who listen to their voices and respond will be seen as the expert. This means that healthcare will have to become more responsive to patients overall if they want their business to thrive. Potential patients also want to know about their healthcare providers. When patients are often limited as to who the patient can see, when the patients do have some choice, they often have questions and want to interact with the provider. Social media provides a way for them to "get to know" their healthcare provider. Providers that learn how to use social media in dealing with patients will be ahead of their competition. Those providers will also need to develop written "social media policies" in dealing with those patients. Healthcare providers using social media will need to be clear concerning the boundaries between themselves and clients, specifying what information they will share about themselves and their accessibility. In using the new social media, the public is now going to Facebook or Google to find help before they go to the yellow pages. This means that healthcare providers who do not have a social media presence will be passed over. They will not even by considered by potential patients that are seeking out healthcare. The Importance of Social Media When millions of people are using social networks, those healthcare providers who choose not to be a part of it by exercising 'social media abstinence' are missing out on the changing way that people interact. Healthcare professionals who choose to avoid social sites altogether are crippling themselves. The public now use them extensively. Whether in the use of their computers or phones, or both, it is a reality. Social media has changed the way people interact in the marketplace. Dr. Ross Speck, who researched social networks back in the 1970's saw the changes coming. He stated, "If the psychotherapist is to maintain a healing relationship with human beings in this predicament [social change]-if he is to be of value in relieving distress-he has to innovate". Although Dr. Speck's comments were directed at psychotherapists, it has application to any healthcare professional in practice today. It is becoming important for healthcare providers to know how to use social media, or hire someone for them who does. Dr. Ken Cohn MD, has observed the importance of the new media and medical practice. He often addresses this subject. He sees the time for healthcare providers to act on social media is now, "...because physician leaders over the next 2 years will influence patterns of care delivery for the next 25 years". Social media is also a way for an aspiring healthcare professional to compete with much larger competition, whether it be from other people in healthcare, publishing or speaking. Using social media removes the size advantage that some exploit in providing healthcare. Dr. Ken Cohn who has pioneered collaborative work between physicians, hospitals and patients has used the new media to present the message of his work to others. In promoting his book, "I see social media as a great equalizer." He has seen social media improve the quality of care for hospitals. He has also seen how he, with his book could compete with larger publishers using social media. Social media also allows the little person just starting out to make a name for themselves. A highly responsive healthcare professional can establish a name for themselves with the public rather than always having to be dependent on the power brokers of established practices. Social sites are is changing healthcare, including how healthcare providers build their practice. It changes how clients find them, interact with them, and services are delivered. It also changes the way that healthcare providers will find potential patients. Knowing how to use and master social media is critical for any healthcare professional wanting to build their business in today's social media saturated culture. Social Media Tools Once you as a healthcare provider has a social media policy, you need to use the tools available. Below are some of the social media tools and ways they can be used by a healthcare professional in building their business. Facebook: Facebook is the largest social community. With increasing frequency, people search Facebook for their needs. You can have business page to establish awareness of your business. Given the size of Facebook, it is critical that the healthcare provider have a page in order to remain relevant. LinkedIn: This social site allows healthcare professionals to network with other professionals. 80% of small business owners in one 2011 survey report using LinkedIn. Having a profile will let others know that you are in business and lead to important business leads. Building a business often involves joint ventures. LinkedIn is a way to find potential partners for joint ventures. Twitter: This site provides a platform to keep people informed of "what is going on". The public often likes to know about what is new. Keeping them informed as to events and new items coming out. In the US, 13% of the population online use twitter. Digg: This news site can be used to develop a following for healthcare providers. Google: Although not often seen as a social media, it has many functions that involve social interactions. This is where people look for services. Having a good google ranking can make a difference in your business visibility. Once a healthcare provider has visibility, they will need to use social media in interacting with their potential clients. The healthcare provider can use these tools for announcements, patient education, answering frequently asked questions, dealing with common healthcare issues, and healthcare topics that would be of interest to them. Summary of how to use social media To sum up how a healthcare professional can use social sites to build their business the following steps can be taken: 1. Network with other professionals and people in the local community. 2. Provide good patient information. Become a resource. For example, if you are a chiropractor, you could write a series of articles, blog posts, etc. on exercise, health eating, how to lift heavy loads, etc. With each article, it would enhance your expertise in the eyes of potential clients. 3. Have a written social media policy, then use social media to promote your business. 4. Interact on social sites regarding questions and concerns. Be willing to answer questions and make yourself accessible on such sites. You can use them to post interesting articles, videos, etc. 5. Know how to use social sites to their full potential. Social media has many opportunities. You can set up a blogtalk radio show, have regular episodes on your own YouTube channel, have book club on LibraryThing. You are limited only by your own imagination in reaching out to clients and provide good quality patient care. 6. Let the community know that you are accessible on social sites. Include your twitter address, or Facebook logo on your advertising.
Jeff Murrah, LPC, LMFT has spent decades learning how to market mental healthcare on the internet. You can benefit from his experience at http://www.TherapistOnTheWeb.com

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Content Ideas for Real Estate Websites

Content has been termed as the most important method as well as element of getting organic traffic to your real estate website or blog. But there is one question that is shot off immediately after this suggestion. What to write about that would signify as 'captivating content' for a real estate website. The ideas on the same are discussed below. We are going to list several content creation ideas to draw traffic to your realty website. Choose the one which you think is the most feasible for you as well as your team. 1. Write about the markets. In fact do a weekly market update by interpreting data from your MLS and other observations you might have made from the general buyer mood. You can take a 5 minute video of the same too, and deliver an update about how the real estate market is behaving locally. 2. Write or post daily transaction report - You can do this on a weekly basis if you are too busy to do this every day. The task is simple enough; all you have to do is cut and paste the reported transactions from your MLS. This is a great way of getting long tail organic traffic on to your site. When you post, make sure to keep the title keyword friendly. 3. Support local businesses - This one is like you scratch my back and I will scratch yours. You can write about the local cafes/restaurants/shops in the area. This will also attract buyers as they would want to know what sort of lifestyle is available in the neighborhood. You can do a restaurant review every week, talk about your dish and even put up a picture of the dish/restaurant. You can give people a video of the shopping areas, or of other businesses that offer interesting services/products. In return you can ask the other business patrons to refer you to buyers that come across. Nothing works as well on a local level as word of mouth. 5. Write on less competitive keywords that provide important information to buyers. This means that if you write about nanny services in the area, or provide detailed information on local dog parks, people looking for them would reach them quickly. A non-competitive keyword can be quite beneficial some times 6. Do a sort of photo quiz for people. Pictures can be really appealing for most visitors. You can click a picture of you anywhere in the neighborhood and ask people to identify the place. This can come handy for your mailing list promotion too. Remember to offer an e-mail signup for newer visitors to receive your latest pictures. 7. Give a weekly neighborhood news update - Distribute the areas among your team, and have them work as news reporters for a while. Tell them to get some exciting local news. Publish it and see the traffic go up. Nothing makes a neighborhood more interesting than gossip. If you get good traffic, be sure that many first time visitors will come back for more news. Apart from these content ideas, you can go in for the human touch by interviewing prominent residents of the area. Sometimes, their names can work for you as keywords. Your interview must be about their history in the town and what they like about it. Some of these ideas and more are followed by the best realtor web sites too. Try it and see the difference.
The writer is associated with Intagent, the leading creators of realty website with great design and utility.

Tuesday 16 April 2013

Top 6 Cloud Computing Security Topics

As cloud computing grows, and even more businesses contemplate moving their operations in to the cloud, one of the greatest concerns that is raised many times is security. Is the cloud really secure? The fact is that storing your information in your cloud is really just like, or even more, secure than keeping your information in traditional infrastructure. Like traditional infrastructure, however, as a good customer in addition to a professional you need to take into account a long list of security checkpoints. These checkpoints represent possible cracks in your own cloud infrastructure security, and you'll just want to shore these up to keep your information as secure as it can be. Your Staff Unfortunately, the leading threats to both cloud hosting and traditional security will often be the ones right under your nose. Hire staff who're trustworthy and depend on your own instincts. Don't be reluctant to evaluate your employees for proper usage of internet resources. Create pro-security polices, train your employees on these polices, and enforce them. Passwords Your employees must protect their passwords. Put together your IT system making sure that regular password changes are normal and encourage strong, complex passwords. Weak passwords provide straightforward accessibility for individuals that want to get hold of your confidential information. Firewalls Establish strong software and hardware firewalls to maintain your information secure and out of the hands of people which do not have business with it. This might require blocking popular websites from employee use. Don't be reluctant to do this. Surfing the Internet really should not be a choice during the clock. Data Backup Cloud hosting enables all your data to be backed up. If you want to leave some data off the cloud, however, it's going to be vital that you keep a tightly secured system for backup. Off-site backup is usually the safest option within this scenario. Software Patches No matter what which operating-system that you are running, every software package used in your corporation ought to be kept up-to-date by installing patches as they're released from your software provider. Software that is not properly patched will not likely protect against the most up-to-date virus and is practically a door for individuals that aspire to access your confidential information. Access Control Cloud hosting is often a fabulous way of storing data, but it is useless if care is not used to protect outlets and control access. Mobile devices allow it to become simple to work from practically any location, but when they're left unsecured, they provide for easy access to anybody who comes to take them. If you choose to allow staff to gain access to the cloud using their personal devices, create policies surrounding these devices. Require password access and train employees to respect security protocols. Closing You may want to review Wikipedia's section on cloud computing security. They have a wealth of information and resources for your education. I wrote this article after reading the "Top 4 policies in Cloud Computing Security You Must Know" found at the Cloud Computing SEC blog. It's a great article but overall I thought they forgot about traditional security risks like the ones above.
Cloud computing security was listed as one of the top 7 Cloud Computing Must Haves by Cloud Provider USA. The Cloud certainly is the future. Security is one of the best cloud computing service must haves. Security risks occur whether your data is stored on your cloud or on your server in your back room. Properly training employees and carefully choosing who may have admission to your data along with the cloud should go some distance toward keeping cloud computing secure and a great choice for your organisation.

Monday 15 April 2013

The 4 Most Important Reasons for Using a Covert Hidden Camera

Whether it's called a nanny cam, a spy camera, or a covert hidden camera, these cameras have developed into being a very strong tool for businesses, parents, and concerned spouses. Technology has come a long way in allowing those who have a "need-to-know" to efficiently and effectively find out what's going on when they are not around. So what are the four most important reasons for using a covert hidden camera? Reason Number One Is Child Protection. There is no mother that really wants to leave her baby, or toddler, in the care of someone else while they go off to work. Unfortunately, this is the situation that many mothers find themselves in. Not knowing how your child is being treated while you are not there is very stressful. Having a covert hidden camera allows you to see exactly what's going on, and can give you real peace of mind. Hopefully, nothing bad will ever be found, but if it is determined that someone is doing something that hurts your baby or child, then action can be taken to protect them. The Second Reason Is Protection of the Disabled. A reality in today's world is that many people face needing to take care of parents, or grandparents, who are elderly or disabled. Finding good caretakers can be very difficult. Depending on the circumstance, a these discreet cameras may be one of the most important tools that you can have in caring for that loved-one. It is a miserable feeling to find out that your family member has been abused. That feeling is made worse if there is no evidence to hold an abusive caregiver accountable. Having a covert hidden camera in this situation could allow the police to prosecute an abusive caregiver and keep them from hurting your loved-one or anyone else. As a minimum, it would allow you to fire the person. Another excellent use for a covert hidden camera is in business. Whether your business is a restaurant, a store, a hotel, or any other type of business, if you have employees, then having cameras such as these could potentially save you thousands of dollars. As the owner, or manager, of a business you can only be at one place at one time. A covert hidden camera will allow you to see who is actually working and who is goofing off. It will also allow you to see if your employees are stealing products, cash, or just being wasteful. The cost of a covert hidden camera could easily be made up for with just one employee or customer being caught. The last topic that we are going to touch on is spousal infidelity. Half of all marriages end in divorce. Many of those divorces are a direct result of a spouse being unfaithful. In the past, if someone suspected their spouse of infidelity their options were very limited. They could either confront their spouse, or hire a private investigator. Confronting the spouse generally does not work out very well. Hiring a private investigator can be quite costly. By having a covert camera, a concerned spouse can know the truth. Hopefully, there is no problem and worries are put to rest. However, if a spouse has been unfaithful, having video evidence can go a long way towards a beneficial settlement. Well, these are four most important reasons for having a covert hidden camera. We hope that after reading this article, you can see some of the ways in which these kinds of cameras can bring assurance that your loved ones are safe and that you are not being lied to, scammed, or ripped off. There is virtually no other way to get the conclusive results that you can get without using a covert hidden camera.
To learn more about covert hidden cameras, visit us at http://www.hiddencameraplus.com, and if you are specifically interested in wireless hidden cameras, go to http://www.hiddencameraplus.com/page/446945580.

Sunday 14 April 2013

You Can Be Seen But Not Heard - A Surveillance Legal Issue

These premises are under video surveillance. Convenience stores post this no nonsense warning at their front doors. Banks who display a height chart at their exit door are indirectly issuing the same warning. This conversation may be recorded for training purposes. Most if not all companies and utilities issue this warning before connecting a customer to a representative. Surveillance is a given these days. We tend to view the camera warnings as intended to warn the "bad guys", while the recording notice is for "the rest of us." However some people protest that recording any conversation is unconstitutional and violates our rights as stated in the Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. This provision was ratified by Congress and added to the U.S. Constitution on December 15, 1791. Over the years, its scope has been the target of arguments and interpretations in courts high and low all the way to The Supreme Court. But two hundred and ten years later the events of one day, September 11, 2001 blunted resistance to surveillance literally over night.Go into any airport, parking garage, parking lot, building lobby, elevator, store, hospital, park, you name it, you're being filmed. It's impossible to venture out in 2012 without your presence being documented on someone's surveillance tape. Washington DC, among other locales, is in the midst of creating a city wide surveillance system, consolidating and integrating more than 5,000 cameras already deployed independently by multiple district entities. When completed nearly 5.6 million people will be monitored daily. The post-9/11 era has provided fertile ground for the development of more sophisticated, more affordable systems. Sales of IP video surveillance systems are on the rise. IMS Research reports that 2010 sales grew by 10% over the previous year, with the network video surveillance market growing almost three times as fast as the total surveillance market. Yet let us not forget that while this shift in our sensitivity has been cultural, it has not been legal. One question needs to be asked. In our heightened vigilance against terrorism and crime, are we undermining privacy rights? Are we out and out breaking the law? While the attitude toward video recording falls into the category of laissez faire, the same cannot be said of audio recording. Systems integrators need to stop and think about this as well. Audio recordings fall under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. The ECPA, an amendment to Title lll of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (the Wiretap Act) extends restrictions on wiretaps beyond phone calls to include electronic data transmissions. As written, it protects wire, oral, and electronic communications as they are being made, are in transit, or when they are stored on computers. It applies to email, telephone conversations, and data stored electronically. So how does this apply in daily life? As mentioned before, in most municipalities, if you leave your house you're going to end up on a video recording somewhere, and that's that. But any conversation you may be having is still considered private. For the most part, business owners are okay if they display camera warning signs but the same is not true when it comes to audio recording. They can videotape all they want, but they are on thin ice when it comes to audio recording. Federal law permits very few exceptions to the rule. This brings up the question of that taping warning you hear while on hold awaiting customer service. What of it? State laws cover the recordings of telephone conversations and this is where it becomes complicated. Each state has its own particular wording but it boils down to the need for one party or two party consent.  
  • One party consent requires the recording party to inform the other party that she is being recorded.
  • Two party consent goes one step further and requires the recorded party to give consent.
  Thirty eight states and the District of Columbia are one party states while twelve states, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington require both parties to consent. Under ether law if a person stays on the line it is implied consent. To further complicate a complicated issue, audio is not a problem if it is not being recorded. Let's take the situation where a video camera with audio capability is used to monitor entrance to a locked facility. In this scenario an intercom with a call button is located at an electronically locked door. Both the button and the intercom are connected to an IP camera. When the button is pushed a signal on a dedicated computer sounds and the video from the entrance camera is displayed on its monitor. The security guard has a conversation with the visitor, and after verifying his right to enter, pushes a release button that unlocks the door. In most cases the audio is not recorded. Some software has the capacity to tie all this together, display the video, record it on tap, as well as allow the person at the computer to record the conversation should he so choose. However the issue is so complex that many manufacturers are loath to even offer audio recording capability. End-users are wise to remember that if they record audio there is the possibility that they may face legal issues and integrators should keep in mind they may be implicated as well. Seeking legal advice before hand might be a wise precaution.
Virginia Fair is a content marketer and blogger at Kintronics, Inc, a designer of IP camera surveillance systems Kintronics engineers solutions tailor made to fit each clients's security needs. Visit http://www.kintronics.com/neteye/neteye.html for more information.

Saturday 13 April 2013

Benefits Of Using Opthalmic Software

It is important to have opthalmic software in the ophthalmic business. However, before you purchase one make sure you are aware of its advantages and benefits. It is seen that with the technology advancement there have been a number of tools and equipments grown with time. The mass has been evidence to several software and gadgets that any human mind could have thought of. In this modern era of technological advancement gadgets like smart phones, computers, digital cameras and many such types of equipment have created a long lasting impression on humans. No wonder, eyecare software also needs a special mention in the list. If you are looking to make your business more profitable and reach a wide number of people present all across the globe then look for the provider that would provide all the equipments and tools required for a booming eyecare practice. Such companies would also offer you fully featured and user-friendly ophthalmic software practice management. You will be happy to find their electronic medical record system to be powerful and unique. The most interesting part is they work hard and efficiently to meet your everyday needs and requirements. All their hard work helps in creating an ideal software technology solution for the ophthalmic business. As mentioned earlier that before buying the ophthalmic software it is essential to learn about its benefits. To study it in details read below: · Simple procedure: As soon as the eye patient has finished showing the ophthalmologist, the attendant can directly add the patient details in the system. By making the right use of the software, the optometric staff can place an order for a pair of eyeware or contact lenses for the patient as approved by the specialists. This system would also help them to take payments directly from the patients. When everything can be done under one single platform then why not make use of such functional software for your business. · Technicality: Install the software at your eye care center and enjoy its benefits and facilities. Before setting up, make sure you are updated with the optician program or else it would be difficult to carry out with the functioning. The powerful tools that makes the software all the more operational includes e-mail integration, e-prescribing, doctor NPI lookup, QuickBooks integration contact lens ordering, barcode labels printing, scanning, credit card processing, and so on. Such integration of mechanism into one box eliminates the necessity of double data-entry. · Affordability: When bought from a genuine service provider, the software is not only quality proven but comes at an affordable rate. You need not require breaking your bank account in order to set up the software at your ophthalmic business. If you are having a start up eye care business, you can install it in your system instead of spending lump sum amount on it. · Quality checkers - The accuracy checkers inside the ophthalmic software would help you collect the right data. In fact this would help you eliminate errors, significantly reduce dismissal of bad data from insurance companies and labs By now you must be aware of the benefits of the software. So, get started today!
The ophthalmic software has a number of advantages that can make your eye care business run successfully. Please visit http://myvisionexpress.com and get to learn about the optician program as well.
 

Friday 12 April 2013

Your Winning Strategy for Using Social Media for Your Business

Using social media to market your business is a tricky journey. With so many options and so many wrong ways to do it, many business owners spend lots and lots of time (and money) trying to figure out this whole new world of building customer relationships and loyalty. Many times all of the time and energy barely pays off with a splash of difference. It's time to get focused. Here is your winning social media marketing strategy for your business - any business, in fact. First, you need to determine which web sites are right for your business. Some businesses may utilize one or two options, while others may benefit from many more. You don't necessarily need to know a lot about each site, but rather what people use each site for. Users of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linked-In, Youtube and the others spend time at the sites for different reasons. It's vital that you do research on why people use these sites and then if it makes sense to spend time marketing your business there. Then you need to go on a field trip, with the purpose of watching and observing (not yet participating). The good news is that your field trip will cost you no money, but rather an investment of your time. And it can be done from home, in your pajamas. All of your options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Since most business owners and managers have little time during business hours to spend on social media marketing, much can be done at other times. Your field trip will consist of going to the sites that you're considering using for your business and observe how the people engage and communicate with one another. Don't participate just yet, but rather just observe how more veteran users are behaving (posting, tweeting, submitting, updating). Next, and this is a very, very important part of your strategy, is to understand the difference between "push" marketing and "pull" marketing. Once you decide to take your business online, you must treat your customers and potential customers with the highest respect and consideration. Your marketing efforts online will not be successful if you plan to just promote your business or your product in "old-school" marketing ways like couponing, discounts and specials ("push" marketing). You'll get much more positive results if you use social media to build long term relationships with your customers, to build their trust, and to provide them with a unique and cutting edge way of communicating with you ("pull" marketing). Now, you need to learn the facts. Lots of data is available on the habits of social media users. Sure, there are hundreds of millions of users. But when is the best time to communicate with your target customers and how? Are some days better than others to post and tweet? Can you post and tweet too little or too much? Should you use just text or pictures and videos, as well? Getting answers to these questions and more will save you lots of time and energy, and increase your chances of having a successful strategy. Finally, it's time to dive in, but do so smartly. When registering for social media sites, be mindful of the branding of your business. Go to the help section of the sites to find out what's available for businesses (for instance, at Facebook and Google+, there are personal profiles and business profiles, but at Twitter and Linked-In, that's not the case). Make sure your social media "footprint" is in concert with the spirit and integrity of your brand, including your logo, tag line, colors, texture and tone. Be courteous, inviting and accessible. Don't look to sell your product or service to people (the "push"), but rather provide them with tips and information about your product and service (the "pull"). And be ready to interact with people, hopefully responding to questions and requests for information quickly and efficiently.
If you follow this social media marketing strategy, your chances greatly improve of being successful. For more information, visit MaestroSocialMedia.com Coordinating the many social media options for your business can be like conducting an orchestra. Once the different options are working in concert, it can be very effective for your business. I hear a symphony...MaestroSocialMedia.com
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