Staying Connected

Cloning...It's Not Just for Sheep Anymore.

Have you ever downloaded a program from the Internet and found out that it is an .ISO file rather than an .EXE or .ZIP?  Maybe you’ve tried to install software from a server because the disk wasn’t available but again found that you couldn’t do anything with an .ISO file.  The reason is that your operating system requires an .ISO file to be loaded from a disk drive like your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.

Here are your options.  If you are running any Windows OS prior to Windows 7, then you must acquire .ISO burning software.  You cannot simply copy the file to a disk; it will not work.  You must acquire and use .ISO burning software.  That is inefficient and wastes a disk when you don’t need to. if you are running Windows 7, you can use the built-in software to burn the .ISO image to a disk, then install the application from the disk.  That is a little better, but still takes time that is unnecessary and uses a disk when you don’t need to.  The best option is to mount a virtual drive.

An easy way to do that is to use Virtual Clone Drive produced by Slysoft.  Virtual Clone Drive is free to download and use.  What it does is creates a virtual drive that the .ISO file can be mounted to, then installed from.  This prevents you from having to burn the .ISO file to a disk before installing.  This is very convenient for any time, and it is a life saver when you do not have a disk with you to burn to.

Your iPhone sync appointments with Exchange have the wrong time?

Here is a quick tip for iPhone users that our Help desk recently came across: If your iPhone is being synced with an Exchange server, and your calendar appointments don't match up to the correct time, check the timezone support under Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calenders and make sure they are configured for the correct timezone.

Looks like the issue is corrected in the latest version of the iPhone (3.0), but if you have an older device (and not upgrading) this may prevent you from pulling your hair out (or missing that important haircut appointment!)

IE 9 Plans on Using Hardware Acceleration

It is widely apparent that the web browsing experience is becoming more and more visual. Graphics-intensive websites and online applications are the norm. This generally creates a richer experience for the user, but it can also create slow-downs. So what Microsoft has decided to do is incorporate Direct2D technology that will allow Internet Explorer 9 to utilize the user’s graphics card instead of the CPU to do the processing.  This will speed up load times and render video faster.

Currently, IE 9 is still in development and has not yet made it to Beta.  But those in the know are looking forward to its release.

To Tether or Not To Tether...What's the Question?

Guest blog by Fran Camardella.
To Tether or Not To Tether…what’s the question?.

I am an Apple Fanboy. I admit it. I am seduced by that sexy brushed aluminum and clean white polymer that the company employs to outfit almost all its products. I am a superficial product of these technological times—I like my gear to almost look even better than it works. All apologies in advance…blame pop culture, not me.

But I have a bit of a bone to pick with Apple. The monolithic company chose not to side with consumers and geeks like myself when they rolled out their iPhone 3.1 Software Update, and I took it quite personal. In our stead, Apple seemingly crumbled under the backstage pressure from its main iPhone carrier in AT&T. At least, that’s what myself and almost every other outraged iPhone user with a techy-side to them thinks when we realized that we could no longer tether our Macbook (or PC laptop) to our iPhone to enjoy Internet access no matter where we were. Outrage! And here we were, being good best-practicing users, keeping our gadgets up-to-date and secure, only for this (albeit ‘hacked’) feature ripped out right from our cozy iPhone sitting so happily docked to our desktop.

Some time ago, long before 3.1 dropped the freedom-killing hammer on our iPhones, a rather savvy Aussie named ‘Ben M’ (http://help.benm.at/help.php) released a simple Carrier File Config file that allowed the tethering feature to be installed on the iPhone. In seconds, this “feature” simply turned your iPhone into a network adapter, extending your ALREADY PAID FOR Data Plan from AT&T to your laptop via Bluetooth or USB connection. And thus lies my question:

If I am already paying for an unlimited Data Plan from AT&T, which is mandatory with every iPhone plan with the carrier…why is tethering any more detrimental to their business plan?

I do not have a reasonable answer to my own question.
Quite honestly, I only see benefits to this feature for AT&T:

1. It will create a scenario where people will actually increase their usage of data over the AT&T network, thus INCREASING their need for AT&T’s service in GENERAL! Hence, retention goes up, and attrition goes way down…

2. It lessens the need for people to shell out money to AT&T’s main competitors like T-Mobile, Verizon, and like, when they reach hotspots owned by those competitors. Just think—Starbucks surfing’ using AT&T and not T-Mobile…

3. It’s a perfect opportunity to begin repair of AT&T’s public image with the country. Just think, allowing tethering for free would undoubtedly retain AT&T’s client base from fleeing to Verizon a WHOLE LOT MORE than making us pay for it…right?

Ahh…but alas my geeky friends, this is a clear-cut case of corporate greed at its worst. AT&T’s network is clearly robust enough to handle the bump in traffic it would incur if tethering was released countrywide. They must fear the tempting thought of users being able to surf the net via their network from the much more pleasurable experience of a laptop rather than the subsidized iPhones they pawn off for Apple. So, my plea is:

Hey AT&T…I already PAY for your DATA plan—so why do you care HOW I use it?

This is a simple matter of endpoint control, and for shame on Apple for allowing it to happen. I recall their veiled threats to release an iPhone for Verizon, and perhaps they need to shake up AT&T a bit to loosen some of the belts (and wallets) on the board. Yet this move is nowhere in sight for as much as I can see, and let us not forget that tethering via other smart phones on other networks like Sprint is, and has been, possible. So what’s the bully-act about?

And in summary I say with a sigh that my fandom of Apple will still live on, and my contract to AT&T will be renewed in January for another 2 years. This might make me just another hypocritical voice in the void screaming for change but never really in position to make the move myself, admittedly. You see, the iPhone simply does it better than the rest. It’s speedier, silkier, sexier, sleeker than any Smartphone I’ve ever tried, and well, I am just too lazy to switch to another carrier due to a technological grudge I may be carrying against The Man. And AT&T will soon charge me to tether, and I will pay it. And it’s the price I pay for freedom. The Freedom to sit in a Starbucks drinking my $5-latte only to update my Facebook page because I JUST HAVE TO AT THAT MOMENT, ok?! Or, to have the ability to reach into my knapsack and type up a begrudged letter like this one in a remote park, and to upload it to this server, when typing on my virtual iPhone keyboard will never do…

It’s these Freedoms I will pay for. And Apple and AT&T know it. So, who’s the sucker now…? Me…

…until that wiley Aussie releases the next hack, that is.

Is It Windy Where You Are?

Amazing that it's November 9th and we have been watching news about a hurricane since last week... especially for those of us in Florida we are keeping an eye on this one.

Forecasts show it all over the place, and even though it's not a major hurricane (right now it's good for clearing the dead leaves out of the trees), it's good to dust off the disaster recovery plans and make sure you are ready to go no matter what happens. Even though the threat looks minimal, keep an eye on the news and use this time to have a review.

Not sure what to do? Try our our Self Assessment form (paying attention to the backups section!) or our Business Continuity Planning & Backup & Disaster Recovery services if you are not confident in what your plan is currently.

What I'd like to really know is are you ready regardless? Did you take the time this year to develop a plan if you did not have one, or review what you already had to make sure it was relevant? Post your comments below!

Use Microsoft Streets and Trips for Your Business

Let’s say you make deliveries or you have a sales team that does onsite visits.  Microsoft Streets and Trips can help you create efficiency in those routes.  If you have to make multiple stops, you can enter in all the addresses on the side, then click “Optimize stops”.  Streets and Trips will then calculate the most efficient route for you.  This is a great way to reduce the amount of time and gas that it takes to complete the stops. 

Each route will show the addresses in order of the most efficient path, the driving directions including turns and mileage, and a map with the route highlighted.  There are plenty of options in Streets and Trips including an automated calculator that will determine how much fuel will be used based on the MPG that you enter in.  You can also enter in the current cost of gas and it will determine fuel cost as well.

Click image to enlarge

 You can make preferences on route selection based on quickest or shortest.  In other words, taking the interstate might be 1.5 miles longer, but because you are driving at 65mph, you get to your destination 10 minutes earlier.  You just click which one is more important to you and it will optimize accordingly.  You can also base your preferences on road type.  So if you are towing a large trailer and you want to avoid high speed roads altogether, you can set that preference as well.

With a single click, you can download updates to the map that will reflect current road construction updates.  You can also click to show nearby places, then select the categories of nearby places that you want to see on the map.  Categories include gas stations, ATM’s, restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, paid parking lots, and more.

And of course once you are done with your planning, you can either print everything out or send all the information to your cell phone or to a GPS device.  If this is a route that you run regularly, or if you just want to keep track of your trips, you can name and save the route so you can open it up later.  You can get everything that is described in here for $39.95.  There are other versions that cost more and do more.  You can check out all the options at Microsoft’s Streets and Trips webpage.