7 Tips to stay safe when using public Wi-Fi

Here are some great tips on keeping your computer and data safe when using public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Make sure your firewall is activated

A firewall will help protect your laptop by preventing unauthorized users from getting access to your computer through the Internet or a network. The Firewall will act as a block to protect your data which will check all incoming traffic and then either stop the traffic or allow it through.

Make your folders private and encryption

When you use a public Wi-Fi network encryption will more often than not be out of your control. It is important to make sure the folders on your laptop are private, this can make it harder for hackers to access your files. To further secure your files you should consider encrypting them, which requires a password to open or modify them. You can learn how to encrypt a file here

Don't type in credit card numbers or passwords

Try to avoid typing any sensitive information, such as your passwords, credit card number or any other financial information while you use a public wireless network. If you must enter credit card numbers while using a public wireless network make sure there is a locked padlock icon at the bottom right corner of the browser window, and make sure the Web address begins with https: (the "s" stands for secure).

Try to choose more secure connections

Opt for wireless networks that require a network security key or have some other form of security such as a certificate. The traffic sent over these networks is encrypted which will help to protect your computer data. The security features of different networks appear along with the network name as your PC discovers them.

Disable file and printer sharing

File and printer sharing is a feature that enables other computers on a network to access resources on your computer. When you are using your mobile PC in a hotspot, it's best to disable file and printer sharing—when it's enabled, it leaves your computer vulnerable to hackers. Remember, though, to turn this feature back on when you return to the office.

Consider completely removing sensitive data from your notebook PC

If you're working with extremely sensitive data, it might be worth removing it from your laptop altogether. Instead, save it on a corporate network share and access it only when necessary. This way, you have multiple safeguards in place.

Turn off your wireless network when you're not using it

If you're not surfing the Internet or sending e-mail, but still using your computer in an area where there is a public wireless network, disable your wireless connection.

How good are your Business Passwords?

I had a bit of a nightmare over the weekend, I did something to my laptop and lost all my saved passwords - my laptop is my own so it is okay that I have my passwords saved (don’t do this on any PC’s that anyone else has access too!!) Like most people I use a combination of about 4 different passwords in various different connotations. Long story short it took me the best part of 2 hours to remember/ work out my passwords and get myself back into all my accounts – except Amazon that one has me really baffled!

So I thought I would give you all some advice on your getting your business passwords as good as they can be to ensure your business critical data is as safe as it can be.

1. Make sure that your staff are not using dictionary words as passwords as these are easily guessable and there are lots of software programs for hackers to use to scrawl passwords and they all start with dictionary words.
2. Tell your staff that they should not use words that are personal to them – spouses or children’s names, favourite football team, the street they live in are all bad choices and easily guessed by someone with a little knowledge on the end user or access to their Facebook account.
3. Passwords should be 6-8 characters in length the more characters you have the more secure the password will be. Alphanumeric characters are best - enforce a rule on your network that a combination of letters, numbers and symbols must be used or the password is rejected.
4. It is advisable to set up a maximum duration for each user’s password, forcing users to change their password regularly – this can be done monthly, bi monthly or even 6 monthly.
5. Tell staff not to write down their passwords anywhere.
6. Users should be encouraged not to use the same password for multiple programs / systems
7. Staff should never give their password to anyone, even IT personnel – if someone needs access to their system the End user should log in themselves and stay with the person and monitor what they are doing on their user account.

These are all very basic tips and should be common sense – remember to keep your business data safe it is one of the most valuable assets your business has!

What exactly is Foursquare & Do I need it?

I am a modern woman of the 21st century – I like to think of myself as a bit of a hip chick, I like JLS, I know who Alexa Chung is and every six month I dedicate 4 weeks of my life to pouring over the fashion week shows from New York, London, Paris & Milan. But for the life of me I cannot work out Foursquare - I am reliably informed that it is ‘THE’ new social network but despite reading bits and pieces about it I am still none the wiser is it a game? Is it a facebook style social media to connect with friends or is it a twitter approach of the more the merrier? So I thought this week I would make a concerted effort to find out what it is and if I need it.

What is Foursquare?

Basically it is a location based social network/game. It allows you to tell you friends where you are and in return you can see where your friends are and possibly meet for a cocktail!

How does it work?

The whole game is based around what is known as "checking-in". You check-in with foursquare from bars, restaurants, hotels, cafes, clubs and any other kind of nightspot, add a little message about where you are and what you're doing - all very brief.

You’re friends will then get a message to let them know where you are and the idea is that they can then join you if they fancy or just be pleased that you're not at home watching Eastenders on a Friday night.

From the other side of things, if you're on your own stuck at home and bored you can see where your mates are and pop along and join them at a bar. All pretty simple.

The other two things you can do are create a to-do-list of places you've always wanted to go and add to a Top 12 list of your recommendations for other people.

The Game?

So it is also a game - you get points for checking-in. The idea is that it encourages you to use it, which then gets the system up and running and propagates the idea.

Find a new place in your neighbourhood? +5 points. Making multiple stops in a night? +2 points. Dragging friends along with you? +1. And as you start checking-in to more interesting places with different people, you'll start unlocking badges - this is where the real addiction lies. There are badges for discovering new places and for travelling to faraway places, spending too much time singing karaoke or hitting the gym consistently.

Foursquare points aren't good for anything other than bragging rights with friends and on the online leader board on the site with the top users which can get very competitive. Also, if you check-in from the same place more regularly than anyone else you might find yourself crowned Mayor of that place! - An honour that your friends may try to wrestle from you grasp, that's part of the fun.

Can anyone use it?

Yes and no. The game is city specific so there are different networks for a number of different locations. If there doesn't happen to be one in your location then it's not going to be too much fun for you. You'll also need a mobile phone to check-in from or better still, there's an app for Android, iPhone and Blackberry.

So it is really clever and sounds like great fun for people in the late teens or early 20’s in Uni with tons of friends but for people 30+ with kids and spouses it is unlikely that this is a going to catch on. I know that if I want to see my friends I tend to have to make plans to do so I can’t just drop everything because one of my friends is in a bar I like – Plus I kind of enjoy watching Eastenders on a Friday night!

What to Look for When Buying a Laptop

When checking out new laptops online I found a great little buying guide on the HP website that I thought I would share with you all - some fantastic tips!

1. Portable form factor

Ultraportables excel for frequent fliers who need just the essentials while on the road. Screen sizes are small - usually 10 or 12 inches - and their keyboards are petite. Beware though to make these machines so small, features such as internal optical drives, large and fast hard drives, and extra ports are frequently not included.

Mainstream laptops are like budget desktops: They're good for general tasks but won't win any contests for their performance or features. Though they don't qualify as thin or light, they still offer some portability. With 14-inch or larger screens, a standard selection of ports, and big keyboards, they're suitable for everyday use.

If you want desktop power, you need a desktop replacement. With screen sizes of 15 to 17 inches, travel weights as heavy as six kilos, and average battery life of less than three hours, these behemoths are not for people on the go. They can accommodate a wide range of performance parts, however, and are just right for power users of all kinds.

2. The processor and you

When it comes to processors, go with the fastest you can afford, regardless of the notebook's form factor. You have a lot of options, so here are the basics.

Intel's Pentium M CPU line offers speed while enabling great battery life. These chips, combined with Intel's wireless LAN electronics and either the 915 Express or 855 chipset, make up Intel's Centrino mobile technology. The biggest downside is price -- Pentium Ms are still costly.

AMD's mobile processors are more affordable than Intel's, but they generally lag behind Intel's on our MobileMark tests. AMD's Turion 64 processors may change that, however. AMD says the chips will offer optimisations for high performance, wireless capability, and long battery life.

3. Screen sizes

Wide-screen notebooks, which have an aspect ratio of 16:9, offer larger, sharper, and all-around better images than their 4:3 standard-screen cousins. They're great for allowing you to have two documents or Web pages open side-by-side. A spacious 17-inch wide-screen laptop is a nice luxury if you're not planning on traveling with it.

4. Memory memiors

Having enough memory is vital to system performance, and lots of RAM lets you run more applications simultaneously. Sufficient RAM is also necessary for graphics work, image editing, and video editing, and crucial for 3D gaming. This is especially true in notebooks, because notebook graphics processors frequently have little or no memory of their own and share the main system RAM.

5. Typing and mousing

As notebooks shrink in size, so do their keyboards. If possible, try some simple typing exercises before you buy. Pay particular attention to the spacebar, Shift, Ctrl, and Backspace/Delete keys. Be sure all are in a good location for your hand size and typing style.

Computing today relies a lot on mousing. With a notebook, all you get is a touch pad or pointing stick. Test the notebook's input device for comfort and responsiveness. Some touch pads include extra features, such as a dedicated area for scrolling.

6. Vying for video RAM

If you're not planning on doing much graphics work or playing 3D games, shared memory should be fine. But if you have a choice, aim for a graphics chipset that shares at least 64MB of system memory.

7. A slot for all reasons

Like a PCI slot in a desktop, a PC Card (or PCMCIA) slot in a notebook provides expansion opportunities. Additional USB and FireWire ports, wired and wireless modems, and wireless LAN radios are all available in PC Card form. PC Cards and slots come in three sizes: Type I, II, and III. Type I cards are normally used for memory, Type II for input/output devices, and Type III for mass storage and firewalls.

8. Get connected

Ports, especially USB and FireWire, are necessities, but on notebooks they're usually in short supply. At a minimum, look for two USB ports, and if you have any legacy devices, such as parallel printers, look for those ports, too. If you'd like to use a digital camcorder or iPod with your notebook, make sure the notebook has a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port. Connecting a monitor will require a VGA port. And if you want to output video to a television, find a notebook with an S-Video out.

9. Go wireless

Integrated wireless networking (Wi-Fi) has become an indispensable feature. Most notebooks ship with a choice of 802.11b or 802.11b/g. Capable of data throughput of 11Mbps, 802.11b is fine for ordinary use. Public hotspots typically use 802.11b or 802.11g.

10. Power on the go

Lithium-ion batteries have all but replaced nickel-cadmiums because they're lighter, have a higher energy density, and don't suffer from recharge-inhibiting memory effect.

Also look out for battery capacity (measured in milliamp hours, or mAh), and the number of cells. Typical batteries have a mAh rating between 2,000mAh and 6,000mAh; higher is better. Cells are the actual compartments where power is produced and can range from four to 12; the more the better.

App of the Week - Tiger Woods PGA TOUR

I thought for today’s app of the week I would go for the brilliant Tiger Woods PGA TOUR BY EA SPORTS – now as a woman I must admit that I am not a big Tiger Woods fan after all the revelations last year but my goodness the boy can swing a club (granted not too well recently). Also, I thought with my favourite sporting event coming up – the Ryder Cup, this is a great wee app to get us all in the mood. – FORE!!!

MULTIPLAYER IS HERE!

Play a round of golf or two with a buddy using local WiFi & Bluetooth Multiplayer.

TAKE ON GOLF’S FINEST

Play as or against Tiger Woods or a great line-up of other pro golfers like Annika Sorenstam, Vijay Singh, Natalie Gulbis & Retief Goosen!

CHOOSE YOUR GREEN

Golf over 120 holes across 7 of the most famous courses in the world including Pebble Beach & St. Andrews.

THE REAL DEAL

Hear the crack of the club and the roar of the crowd as each fairway comes to life with realistic sounds, 3D graphics, and dynamic camera angles.

CONTROL YOUR GAME

Master the exclusive Swing Meter and get visual feedback on your moves. Manipulate the direction of your ball spin & watch it soar through the air!

FAMILIAR VOICES

Real-time commentary by former pro-golfer Sam Torrance and The Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghman.

TIGER IS 3.0 READY

Hit the green in style. Listen to & control music from your iTunes® Library while you shoot a hole-in-one!