The 5 Best Ways to Properly Secure Your Computer

Computer security is a constantly evolving and highly multifaceted game of keeping one step ahead of all possible threats through contingency planning. If you can manage to do this effectively, then you will never have to worry too much about protecting your physical computer or, more importantly, the information that it contains.

Follow the following tips and you'll be far ahead of most people when it comes to effective computer and data protection.

1. Don't Leave Your Machine in the Hands of Strangers

This is probably the single most basic and essential piece of computer security advice, and one that many people completely forget to take advantage of. No matter how well secured through more complex mechanisms your laptop, PC or any other device is, if you freely let somebody you can't completely trust use it unsupervised, you've compromised the machine and invited all sorts of potential intrusions into the computer itself.

Untrustworthy but computer savvy people who are given access to a computer while nobody’s looking can quickly and easily download or install all sorts of malicious programs, ranging from keystroke loggers that send these people reports on everything you've typed on a daily basis (passwords, for example) to spyware and viruses. Bottom line: restrict how you let others use your computer and keep a careful eye on those that are allowed to do so.

2. Install Trusted Antivirus and Anti-Spyware Software

Again, we're still dealing with a fairly basic security procedure that's also crucial to robust computer security. By installing well trusted antivirus software and programs that sniff out spyware and malware, you'll be able to cover, track and destroy the vast majority of malicious programs and protocols that try to weasel their way into your machine through numerous different access points.

AVG Antivirus (free or premium version) and Spybot Search and Destroy are excellent choices for both kinds of security applications respectively.

3. Set Up a Login Barrier and Protect it Well

A machine that has no login prompt protection is like a diary that's been left out in the open; anybody who wants to peek at your private information only needs to open it in order to see. Avoid this simple mistake by at least taking a few minutes to set up login protection through your operating system's internal security options.

If you want an even more powerful (way, way more powerful) layer of login access security, then encrypt your entire hard drive with programs like BitLocker and TrueCrypt so that any time you leave your computer unused or turned off, a long password is needed to decrypt and access its internal information. While OS based login security can easily be bypassed, an encryption based login barrier is basically impenetrable unless someone knows the password to open it up.

4. Encrypt Your Valuable Data

We've just mentioned doing this exact same thing in the above tip on login protection, but it's so important that it deserves its own unique mention. Using free open source programs like TrueCrypt and BitLocker, you can either encrypt your entire hard drive so that it stays untouchable and unreadable unless you type in your decryption key (a specialized long password) or you can set up an internal encrypted file where your most sensitive information is placed and encrypted while leaving the rest of your less important data open to viewing.

The first option is the more secure of the two but both are nearly foolproof methods of keeping your information secure from prying eyes in the event of computer theft or hacking.

We mentioned using open source encryption programs above and this wasn't without a good reason; by using an open source encryption system over a proprietary business designed solution, you're guaranteed to be protected by software whose source code has been thoroughly opened for inspection by any digital security expert who wants to know how secure it really is.

5. Back Up Your Data Regularly

Computer security can only go so far at protection your machine from theft, damage or destructive intrusion. Beyond the margins of security that defensive tactics give, you're still left with a constant possibility of losing your machine or its internal data anyhow. To counteract this thoroughly and minimize the cost of data loss from a machine you weren't able to protect at some point, simply make sure that you back up everything you have on your computer to a remote storage medium.

This could be an automated cloud based synch and backup system or a physical external drive to which you save your data through easily available synching software like Fbackup or Synchback. Either way, by regularly scheduling data backups, at least your valuable personal files will still be safely in your hands even if the worst possible thing happens to your actual computer.

About the author: John Dayton has written for the tech industry for over 15 years and has gained a wealth of knowledge over that time. John also covers LWG's forensic engineers and other computer recovery and security services in his free time.

The 5 Best Video Conferencing Software on the Market

Video conferencing has evolved in recent years. What once required elaborate equipment set ups and expensive service prices can now be accomplished with the common office computer or smartphone and high-speed Internet. The shift from hardware to software-based conferencing solutions have opened up the platform to an increasing number of businesses and organizations. These five video conferencing solutions are the best on the market.

1. InterCall

InterCall has been a major player in the video conferencing industry for years. As the world's largest conferencing provider, they power over 75% of Fortune 1000 companies. Their software supports dedicated conferencing equipment as well as computers, smart phones and other devices for maximum compatibility. Various service tiers offer the perfect way to balance the needs of your business and your budget. Beyond web conferencing, InterCall offers a multitude of other services that can propel your business into areas that were otherwise unobtainable. Services like virtual environments and video bridge services put InterCall in a separate category from their competitors.

2. Adobe Connect

When it comes to sheer number of features, it is hard to beat Adobe Connect. It supports most major operating systems and devices and allows everything from simple text-based chat to full-scale meetings with up to 99 attendees. Other features include collaboration, file sharing, conference archiving and more. From personal use to full enterprise deployment, Adobe Connect has something to offer.

3. Skype

As one of the first video calling software offerings on the scene, Skype has seen plenty of growth since its debut. With the ability to enable free video conferences with up to 5 people simultaneously and include both voice and video attendees, Skype is a great choice for small businesses or others looking to harness the power of video conferencing on a budget. Should you need to include someone on a landline or cell phone in your conference; low per-minute rates apply.

4. GoToMeeting

For a mid-sized solution, GoToMeeting is a great choice. Of all the offerings listed, it is certainly the most easy to use. Unfortunately, it also tops out at just 15 attendees unless you upgrade to the corporate edition. Starting a meeting is as simple launching the software and inviting members. Support for email invitations, smart phone apps and web apps make it simple for others to join. Just click the link and you are placed in the conference and on your way.

5. TokBox Video Conference

TokBox is a video conferencing solution with an emphasis on production and engagement. It features a full command center that allows advanced features, such as picture-in-picture, media sharing, transition effects and more. Pre-recorded video questions can also be submitted and seamlessly integrated into the conference for better flow and engagement. Should you need it, all of this can be delegated to a meeting producer that controls everything throughout the conference. The result is a meeting or presentation with a professional appearance and greater participation. The service supports up to 200 attendees per conference for great flexibility. Additional services are available for a small fee and include conference archiving, collaboration tools, dedicated support and API integration.

Whether you are looking to stay in touch with friends or pitching a product to attendees from around the world, video conferencing software has a wide range of uses. Best of all, many software choices support virtually any device you might own. These five solutions offer outstanding flexibility, a range of prices, easy to use designs and are the best available on the market.

About the author: Kyle Olson has written for the tech industry for over 15 years and has provided a wealth of knowledge to many audiences over that time. When he's not writing, you can find him refining his golf skills or working on his forth coming novel.

The History and Current Application of Video Conferencing Solutions

Video conferencing solutions may be thought of as the whole gamut of technological and proceduralprocesses used to facilitate a video conference. A video conference is any conference, meeting or conversation that is facilitated by video and audio technology, and which allows persons not all physically present at the same location to confer with each other.

Video conferencing has been around in various forms since the invention of the television, which was initially demonstrated by sending an image through a solid (coaxial) cable to another room. In its modern form it was used by the Third Reich to communicate between post offices in major German cities.

Clearly the march of audio visual technology has been swift and constant: and the modern video conferencing solution bears little resemblance to the small crackly sets used in the 1930s. Modern video conferencing solutions may use large, high definition plasma or LCD screens and superb audio transmission software to create the impression that participants are actually in the room with their confederates. In the early part of the 21st century, video conferencing rooms were set up in which life size images of conference attendees were displayed on huge monitors arrayed down a boardroom table: the effect given was as though the other half of the room was "inside" a television screen.

Essentially, modern video conferencing solutions rely on a core software technology able to stream audio and video together in real time. The real time element is important in conferencing because delays can result in confusion. One person may answer a question posed by someone in another country while that person is still talking, and the resulting stilted conversation rapidly loses sense and flow.

In order for the visual and audio information to be collected, the system requires cameras and microphones. The camera collects the visual and the microphone collects the audio. A high level design component of the system, then, is its ability to match the video and audio streams properly so that the lips of the person speaking are synchronised with the sounds coming out of his or her mouth.

To play back the transmitted data, the system must also have a screen of some kind. The display device must further be linked to speakers outputting the audio information. The design and placement of speakers in relation to the screen can be important: the human ear is a sensitive device itself, and can identify if a voice is coming from somewhere other than the image that looks as though it is doing the "talking".

The video conferencing system is tied together by a computer which is essentially any processing unit capable of taking the disparate signals, decoding them from their streamed packets and running them through the required outputs. The same processing unit must simultaneously be sending its own coded data packets to the other part of the video conferencing solution.

This is a concept inherent in all video conferencing solutions that there be a minimum of two units in different locations.

About Author:
Mary is a freelance systems analyst. He is currently writing a thesis on the design of video conferencing solutions.

New iPhone App YouTube Releases

The retro, rounded TV icon was one of the first to grace the iPhone's screen when the device was released in 2007. Now, for the first time, new iPhones will no longer include the YouTube app by default. But YouTube has already whipped up a replacement.

On Tuesday, YouTube released its own app for the iPhone. The release comes just one month after Apple publicly confirmed it would no longer include the popular video-site's app on the upcoming version of its mobile operating system, iOS 6.

Being a pre-installed, native app on iPhones and iPads has given YouTube instant access to a fast-growing segment of users -- YouTube gets 1 billion mobile views each day across all platforms, and mobile now makes up 25% of all YouTube views.

But the deal with Apple has not been without its drawbacks. Because the app was built by Apple and baked into the iOS mobile operating system, YouTube had limited control over what it could change and control in the app. Perhaps most importantly, it couldn't show videos with ads because Apple didn't allow it.

This new app gives control back to YouTube, but at a cost. To avoid hemorrhaging iPhone users who upgrade to iOS 6, or who buy a new phone with the new operating system pre-installed, the company must convince iPhone owners to stick with YouTube either by downloading the new app or visiting the mobile version of YouTube.com.

Here's what you'll find on the new YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch:

• Tens of thousands more videos;
• A new YouTube channel guide which you can swipe from the left edge of the screen;
• New search tools that give suggestions while you type, and let you sort through videos or channels;
• Users can now flip through related videos, comments and info while watching a video;
• And you also share a video via Google+, Facebook, Twitter, email or text.

By Heather Kelly, CNN

How Can You Manage Success?

In business it's very easy to judge success, profit. Or should that be profit by comparison to your nearest rivals? Actually, success isn't as easy to determine as you might first assume. Often, you might think you're a successful business, when you could be so much better. How can you tell success, and how do you manage success effectively?

What do we mean by success management?

Success management is about managing the elements of your business that make it a success. This could be the performance of a specific team of professionals. Let's say you operate a call centre, well success will be determined by the performance of call centre professionals, as well as other factors.

So, the key to success in a call centre is ensuring the consistent high performance of call centre operatives. There are various tools at your disposal to ensure this performance, and to iron out any flaws in their performance to enhance how they deal with the public.

You can use call centre software to do this. For example, you can employ call recording software which records the detail of correspondence made over the telephone. This information can be used to great effect to identify failings in your workforce, and ways in which telephone protocol can be enhanced.

In the final analysis, success can be defined by the performance of people, which can be improved in all sorts of different ways including the implementation of software.

Bio: This guest blog post is written by Webmaster of magneticnorth.co.uk, offering Call centre software and call recording software services!

By Paul Evans

How to get a recruitment software developed for your company

Nowadays, the recruitment is not done manually. The process either is structured over the computers or is done by the many different head hunters that companies now hire so that the cost of recruitment is saved. They only have to pay the head hunters the required fee and they can then get eh best of all short listed candidates for the process of selection. Nowadays, the recruitment done by the head hunters is even digitized and automatic. Gone are the days when every CV was manually received. People from the recruitment team read every CV and then short listed candidates for the selection process.

Nowadays, the head hunters even use the recruitment software. The recruitment software is only a onetime cost and many times the same for the revenues. The recruitment software can be made by the help of any software house. You can tell the company what you require and the company will develop recruitment software for you. The recruitment software is then tested and then implemented. The proper cycle of the recruitment software is to be maintained while it is being tested and implemented.

First, the cycle should start by developing the algorithm for the recruitment software. This is then matched with the needs of the company for whom the software company s developing the recruitment software. Then it is sent to be approved by the client. If the client approves it, then the development cycle starts. It is just like the appraisal system in which the employee is involved every step of the way in good organizations while his appraisal is being carried out.

After that the, code is developed and run over the software in which it is made. The outlook is tested by the client and it has to be changed if the client does not like it. After that, the software is taken for test run in the company fro which it is made. The recruitment software is run and ambiguities are found out. The software company will then finalize it and then implement it in the company for which it made the recruitment software for.

The recruitment software is made for any company while the company has to hire people on different jobs. The recruitment software is fed with the requirements that the company needs to be fulfilled by the job candidates. The recruitment software matches up the requirements with the details of all the CV's it receives through the email it is being dedicated with by the company for which it is working. The recruitment software then matches all the needs and requirements and then start to shortlist the CV's that may be helpful for the company people to call.

You can find many online companies that work and produce many types of software. You can always look online, find many software companies, find information on their services, and with matching your need, hire one of them, which is reliable and affordable for you to make up a tailored to the company's needs recruitment software.

Resource Box:
Hi! My name is Muhammad Azam and I am an avid blogger and a professional writer. I have experience in writing articles for PR media and reviews on recruitment software.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook, starts at $999

If you were speedy enough to grab those spilled docs for Dell's new ultra machine, we've got great news -- you won't have to wait much longer to put 'em to good use. Just as promised, the Round Rock, Texas crew's taken the locks off the virtual shelves in which its slim XPS 13 sits. Weighing in at just under three pounds, this mighty 13.3-inch Ultrabook will set you back $999 for the entry level model, which packs Intel's Core i5-2467M CPU and HD 3000 graphics, along with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. If you do, however, decide to take the pricier ($1,499), better-specced road, you'll be walking out with a Core i7-2637M processor as well as a 256GB Solid State Drive. Regardless of which route you end up taking, be sure to check out our hands-on before you add it to your cart.
By Edgar Alvarez

SOURCE: Dell

Medical apps are a wonderful thing but those drug ads may sway doctors' choices

From the NYTimes:

Epocrates drug reference app has won over 50% of U.S. doctors. But like so much else on the Web, “free” comes with a price: doctors must wade through marketing messages on Epocrates that try to sway their choices of which drugs to prescribe.

The marketing messages are difficult to ignore. For example, a psychiatrist who recently opened Epocrates on his iPhone said that before he could look up any drugs, he had to click past “DocAlert” messages on hypertension, bipolar disorder and migraines.

Epocrates says drug makers get $3 in increased sales from every dollar spent on DocAlerts.

One in five doctors will not see drug sales representatives at work, and Epocrates sees DocAlerts as a way to get a sales pitch in front of doctors.

Pharmaceutical companies provide at 70% of Epocrates’s revenue, which totaled $104 million last year. According to the former CEO: “It is a unique market. You have a drug industry that spends $14 billion a year to influence people who prescribe drugs. There are only 600,000 people who are allowed to prescribe drugs, so there is $14 billion spent against 600,000 people ($23,333 per U.S. physician). If you have a channel to reach these physicians, it is a gold mine.”

I use the online version of Epocrates. It is free and has a useful integration with a clinical evidence reference database provided by BMJ which works similarly to UpToDate. There are no DocAlerts that you need to click through to access the website.

References:

The Epocrates App Provides Drug Information, and Drug Ads. NYTimes.
"Cocaine for toothache" and other ads that would never be allowed now http://goo.gl/eeYX3 - Cocaine was sold over the counter in the U.S. until 1914.

Comments from Google Plus:

Darin Swonger - Palm or now HP and Epocrates parted ways and is now not supported with my Palm Pre, therefore, I have been using Medscape Reference and have found it to be adequate in most areas and better in others.

Ellen Richter - Gee, I use it every day & I've I never had a problem with the app due to ads getting in the way. I dont even recall seeing any ads! Do you think its because I'm not a doctor? It asks for your profession at registration, so I specified that I am a nurse. For once, could that be a benefit!!? :)

Nancy Onyett, FNP-C - It is the confidence to look past the drug ads, just like immunity to drug reps that hound me on a daily basis. I only practice from EBM and guidelines then I am protected. New drugs to the market are always a worry, they have been trialed and FDA approved, they are more costly to patients and the outcome is still muddy until they have been around awhile. I personally like to use the older drugs that have been around with subsequent studies proving their efficacy.