One of the greatest tech debates of this decade is Apple Vs. Google. For the most part, users are largely separated by mobile opinion - you see near constant debate over which is the better system (iOS or Android). This is funny, considering that many Apple users actually rely on Google apps like Search and Gmail. Google knows this and has been pushing new, previously Android only, services to iPhone and iPad users. The latest service introduced for Apple devices is Google Now. Do you know what it is?

Here's a brief overview of Google Now, and how to install and use it.

Ok, so, what exactly is Google Now? Google Now is best thought of as Google's answer to Apple's Siri. It's an app that functions like a personal assistant and has become a large component of Google's Search for mobile app. The idea of Now is that you can use natural language to search for answers to questions, find recommendations or even perform actions like creating a calendar entry, or writing an email.

Google Now also passively delivers information that it thinks is useful to you. While creepy at first, especially when you see how accurate predictions can be, it is actually a really cool tool. What's interesting about Google Now is that relevant information is displayed below search results in what are called 'cards'. The cards shown will depend on your location, recent searches, calendar and even method of transport.

Probably the best way to explain Google Now is through an example:

Say you have a meeting with a potential supplier at a coffee shop across town tomorrow. You pull up the Google Search app on your iPad, tap the microphone button and ask Google, "What's the coffee shop on 5th Avenue?". Google searches for the coffee shop and comes back with three search results including the shop you are looking for. You then enter the name and address in your Google Calendar, along with the date and time.

The next day, you look at the Google Search app again because you've forgotten the exact address. Just below the Search bar you will see that new cards have popped up. The first is a reminder of the scheduled event, along with the contact information of the person you are meeting. Just below that is a map on how to get to the coffee shop, along with driving directions.

When you get in the car, you notice that traffic seems a little heavier than usual, so you pull up Google Search and the card has been updated with a map showing current traffic along with what Google thinks will be the fastest route, without you having to ask.

This app works surprisingly well, and many users have noted that both search results and the cards are accurate. Where Google Now really shines is when you are traveling. If you go to another country, cards will pop up with the exchange rate, translator, local map with landmarks, time back home and even flight information (assuming the reservation has been sent to your Gmail account).

How to install and use If this app sounds interesting, all you have to do to get it is download Google Search app from the Apple App Store, install it, open it and sign in using your Google account. Cards will start to popup after a couple of days. You can tweak what cards appear by using the search feature, or through the app's settings.

While this is a Google product, it can be useful for your Apple device, especially if you have a Google account. If you would like to learn more about this app or how the iPad can make your business easier, contact us today to see how we can help.

Microsoft Office is one of the most popular and important suites of software used by businesses. The key idea is that the different programs that make up the suite allow for greater productivity. One of them, Word, has some great productivity features that allow users to create professional text documents. One downside is that it can be unwieldy is formatting, especially when you need to break text.

There are numerous types of text breaks you can use in Word:

• Page break - Will insert a break where the cursor is and move the next line of text to the following page. This break is good for formatting reports and other longer documents, especially if you have headings with multiple subheadings; a page break between each main heading will make a report easier to read.
• Column break - If you have a document with more than one column, inserting a column break will move the cursor or text to the next column on the right. If you don't have columns, this will function as a page break.
• Section break - There are four different types of section breaks that can be used when you want to divide a document into different sections. For example, if you have a report where 3 pages need to be in a column, you can insert a section break around these pages and format them separately from the rest of the document.
• Line break - These breaks will move text to the next line. This can be useful if your document has an extra line between paragraphs, or when you are writing a list and need to add another paragraph without a new list point. You can insert a line break by hitting Shift+Return.

How to break your documents If you need to insert a break in your document, we first recommend that you turn on Show/Hide. This can be done by:

1. Clicking on Tools from the menu bar at the top of the window.
2. Selecting Options followed by the View tab in the window that pops up.
3. Ticking All under the Formatting Marks section.
4. Clicking Ok.

This will show all formatting marks on the document, making it easier for you to see what breaks and changes to formatting you have made. You can then insert breaks by:

1. Clicking where you would like to insert the break in the document (The break will be inserted where the blinking cursor is located, so be sure it's in the right spot.)
2. Clicking Insert from the menu bar at the top of the screen followed by Break.
3. Ticking the type of break you want to insert.
4. Clicking Ok.

Breaks are a great way to create documents that not only look more professional but are easier to read. If you are looking to learn more about using Word to its full potential, please contact us today.

It wasn't that long ago when video calls were only seen in cartoons and sci-fi. These days, video calls are seen to be a normal part of the various forms of communication at a business's disposal. One of the newer video platforms is integrated into Google Hangouts, Google's integrated chat platform that allows small businesses like yours chat and host video chats with up to 10 participants. Hangouts is still so new that it can be hard to figure out how your business could use it.

Below are four ways you or your business could use the video conferencing capabilities of Google Hangouts.

1. Provide customer support If you have a product or service, you have likely had clients contact you with questions or concerns. When customers are having problems, they normally prefer to talk face-to-face with a real person. The problem is, you may not be where your customers are, or they may not be able to reach you.

Hangouts provides you with an ideal channel where customers can contact you, see your face and discuss problems they may be having.

2. Product demonstrations Have a product that customers have been asking how to use, or would like to know more about? Why not host a Hangout? This is a great platform that allows you and up to 10 customers to interact. You can show them how the product works, how it can help them and answer questions all face-to-face. If a participant would like to learn more, you can then host a one-on-one Hangout.

3. Conduct team meetings There are two useful Hangouts features that could be a boon to productivity. The first is the ability to share your screen with participants and the other is built in compatibility with productivity apps like Google Drive. This allows you and your team to collaborate on a document, spreadsheet or even presentation.

Hosting a Hangout is also great if you or a teammate is away. You can still work together because Hangouts is now Google's main chat app with integration across desktop and mobile devices. As long as you have an Internet connection, and a device with a camera you can join a Hangout. Imagine having someone out in the field with a tablet talking to colleagues who are on their desktops. This will make your team and company more productive.

4. Launch a new product or service Google Hangouts allows you to live stream events on both Google+ and YouTube. This could be useful if you are launching a new product, or service and want to enable people who can't make it to the event to take part. You can even record the event so people can watch it later.

While still relatively new, video conferencing and webinars are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways for small businesses to really connect with their customers regardless of their location. If you are looking to learn more about Google Hangouts and how they could be used in your business, please contact us today.

When it comes to productivity, there are so many apps and programs out there that it can be confusing as to which are best for your business. One of the more useful productivity platforms is Office 365, Microsoft's cloud based version of Office. With numerous features that make it highly useful for businesses of all sizes, there is one that is often underused - Office Web Apps. So Microsoft has recently announced a few updates that could make it more appealing to users.

Here's an overview of Office Web Apps and the two upcoming updates for the platform.

What exactly is Office Web Apps? Office Web Apps (OWA) is a browser based version of Microsoft Office. OWA includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote which users can access through almost any web browser. These apps are available free of charge to everyone with a Microsoft SkyDrive and most Office 365 users.

The beauty of OWA is that it allows users to open, edit, collaborate on, and store the most popular Office documents from a variety of devices. What this means is that as long as a user has a Microsoft Account and is connected to the Internet, they can access Office software without actually having it installed on their computer or device.

If you've used OWA, you know that it's great for opening Office documents, basic editing and creating basic documents. The major downside is, these web based apps are missing a number of more advanced features e.g., Find and Replace in Word. Microsoft has stated that they are committed to introducing more features, and have recently announced two that could make OWA an even more viable solution for businesses.

Real-time collaboration In the current version of OWA collaboration is possible. However a user will need to refresh the browser window to see changes made by another editor. This is hardly ideal, especially if you have more than two people working on the same document.

Microsoft aims to change this by introducing real-time editing. This means that if you and three other colleagues are working on the same document, you will see the changes as they are made; so there's no need to refresh.

This feature is currently being rolled out to PowerPoint users, and should be applied to the other OWA apps sometime in the near future (there has been no specific date set by Microsoft, but it should be by the end of the year).

Editing from Android tablets While OWA may not be the best choice for desktop users, especially since the vast majority already have Office installed on their computers, it's great for mobile users. At this time, only Windows 8 tablet and iPad users have been able to access OWA from their devices. The recently announced update will soon bring this functionality to Android tablets as well.

Microsoft has not set a date as to when Android tablets will be able to access OWA, but it should be before the end of 2013, possibly the end of the summer. They also noted that they are working to speed up the service for tablets, which will foster even more efficient collaboration.

If you are interested in learning more about OWA, Office 365 or any of Microsoft's other programs please contact us today to see how we can help.

Hackers and other cyber criminals are an ever present danger on the Internet. This is a fact that we simply can't escape, and what's more, you can be pretty sure that we will see an increase in the number of attacks against sites as the internet continues to expand and be used by more and more people. One of the latest major sites to be hacked is LivingSocial, so if you have an account with this website, you may want to keep reading.

LivingSocial is a daily deals website that focuses on bringing bargains and original deals to users based on their geographical location. In late April, news broke that the website had suffered a massive cyber attack with 50 million accounts being compromised.

From the reports we have seen, the attack targeted accounts world-wide with only account holders in Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines being unaffected. An email sent out by Tim O'Shaughnessy, LivingSocial's CEO shortly after the incident said, "We recently experienced a cyber-attack on our computer systems that resulted in unauthorized access to some customer data from our servers. We are actively working with law enforcement to investigate this issue."

The company assured users that their credit card data had not been compromised, as they are kept in another database. Account passwords were also encrypted, which means they are harder to crack but not impossible.

What should you do? If you have a LivingSocial account, we recommend that you go and change your password immediately. This can be done by:

1. Going to LivingSocial's forgot your password page.
2. Entering the email address you used to sign up for the account with.
3. Pressing Reset Password.
4. Checking your email for an email from LivingSocial and following the instructions in the email.

It is advisable to pick a new password, one that is as different as possible from your old password and, as always, the longer, the better.

Is there anything I can to do protect my company? If you are a business owner who has websites that encourage customers to sign up for updates, accounts, etc. you may be wondering how you can keep your user's information secure from cyber attack. In truth, you can't keep your important information 100% secure, if a hacker is committed enough, they will be able to get the information they need or wreak the havoc they want to. But what you can do is to make it as hard as possible for cybercriminals to get your information. This could be as simple as using multiple databases to store different bits of information, or as complex as using the latest encryption methods and systems.

Each business is unique, and the best way to ensure your valuable data is secure is to work with an IT partner who takes the time to get to know your security needs and develop a solution that is as near to 100% secure as possible.

If you are worried about the security of your systems, contact us today. We may have the perfect solution that will meet your needs and budget.

Computers are complex machines. If you've ever looked inside one you know it's a confusing mess of wires and components. Like all machines, over time they will start to slow down and run slower than before. When this happens it can be troublesome for your productivity, and you may not be able to afford to purchase a new machine. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your machine running smoothly.

Below are four things you can do to keep your PC running smoothly.

1. Shutdown properly If you turn your computer off at the end of the day, or it freezes, it may be tempting to flick the off switch on the power bar, or press the power button until it turns off. This isn't ideal for your computer's health because when a computer is unexpectedly shut down, there could be damage to the operating system.

You may notice that when your computer crashes, it takes longer to reboot. This is because Windows is actually searching for, or trying to repair any damage that may have been done. There is a chance that powering down improperly could cause files to become corrupted which may make the system inoperable.

Therefore, you should follow proper shutdown procedures. If you need to shut down quickly, try pressing Control+Alt+Delete and selecting Shut Down from there.

2. Close unnecessary programs running in the background Some programs are written to be always running in the background. If you look in the bottom right of your screen, you should see programs running beside the clock. In truth, most of these likely don't need to be open. You should be able to right click on the icon and close them. This will save computing resources and make your computer run smoother.

A word of warning: It's best not to shut down the antivirus or security software as this will leave your computer open to attack. Also, don't shut down anything from NVIDIA or AMD as this is your video card software. Closing programs like this could cause your computer to crash.

3. Utilize Add/Remove on a regular basis Chances are high that you have installed a fairly high number of programs on your computer, some of which you may not use anymore. Those you don't use just take up valuable hard drive space, and should be removed on a regular basis. You can do this by:

1. Clicking on Start or the Windows Orb.
2. Selecting Settings followed by Control Panel.
3. Opening Add/Remove Programs.

It may take a few minutes to scan your system for programs, but a window will open with all the programs you have installed. Click on those you don't use anymore and remove them. We strongly recommend that you do not go into different files and delete programs, this could damage your system.

4. Use a malware scanner and antivirus program This may sound like a no-brainer, but it is still worth mentioning that having an antivirus program and malware scanner is a good idea. Many viruses and other malware often hijack system resources causing the computer to run slower, or crash. A regular scan can go a long way in minimizing this, which means your computer will likely run better for longer.

If you are looking for ways to keep your older systems running at their optimal levels, please contact us today to see how we can help you.

Pause for a minute and ask yourself if your business is prepared for a disaster. Chances are you have some plan for a large scale disaster like hurricanes, earthquakes and fire, but what about other disasters like hackers or human error? The truth is, many businesses with a disaster recovery plan often forget to ensure they cover all potential disasters.

Here are five tips to help ensure that your business is fully ready for the next disaster.

1. Backup everything While it can be tempting to only backup the most important data and programs, it can be a chore to identify what is deemed to be important. Who knows, a file that is non-essential today may become essential in the future. If it is lost due to a disaster, this could prove to be a problem.

It would be a good idea to look for a backup solution that covers all data and programs. But, having a full backup solution isn't enough, you also need to ensure that recovery is easy and can be implemented quickly.

2. Look into tiered recovery Establishing a tiered recovery method means identifying the value and importance of existing systems and utilizing a recovery method that meets needs. It would be a good idea to identify mission critical systems and adopt a recovery method that can have these systems up and running as quickly as possible. From there you can tier different systems and match a recovery method. For example, archived files are likely not needed right away, so they can be recovered at a later date, using a slower recovery method.

3. Keep copies of all keys and licenses With the amount of software and programs businesses use on a daily basis growing, it would be a good idea to keep copies of the activation keys (the string of digits and letters you enter to activate the full version of software) and purchased licenses.

While many of these are now distributed electronically through email, there are still software developers that distribute keys by mail or with the physical install CDs. If you lose the codes in a fire, you will be out of luck and have to purchase the software again. This is an extra charge you likely don't want.

4. Pick the right recovery locations The best recovery plans offer numerous backup solutions which are hosted in different locations. A good provider knows this and will utilize data storage centers as far apart as possible. If you choose to backup your own data, it would not be a good idea to keep the backups in the office.

Similarly, if you are preparing for a big disaster, you likely have physical locations that you can move to if your main business location is damaged or destroyed. Optimal plans will have more than one location identified, and have them as far apart as possible. This will minimize the chances of losing full operations and increase your business's ability to bounce back quicker.

5. Match your recovery plan to your business There are so many different backup and recovery options that it can be tough to pick one. The best course of action is to look at your systems and how they work. If you operate strictly offline, a cloud based backup solution likely isn't your best bet. Or, if you operate fully in the cloud, a physical tape or hard disk backup may not be optimal.

If you are looking to beef up, or establish a disaster recovery plan, try working with an IT partner like us, who can help you find the optimal solution that can meet your needs and budget.

The operating system (OS) is what allows users to interact with their computers, without it, we would have a hard time getting anything done. One of the major operating systems is Apple's OS X. The main way OS X users interact with their computer is through the Finder. While it is user friendly, there are numerous ways you can make it even better.

What is the Finder? The Finder is what allows you to see and access everything on your Mac. This is how you access, edit, delete and modify all of your files, folders, applications and drives. You can get to the finder by clicking anywhere on the desktop, or opening any folder. To tell if you are looking at it, look at the top-left of the screen it should say Finder beside the Apple icon. Here are four tips on how to improve OS X's Finder.

1. Show item information If you enable this option, the number of files, or 'items' in a folder will be displayed under the folder's name. For documents and some files, the size will be shown and for pictures, the dimensions, which makes this feature useful if you use graphics on a regular basis. You can enable this function by:

1. Right clicking on any empty space on the desktop.
2. Selecting Show View Options from the pop-up box.
3. Ticking Show item info.

2. Display the Status Bar The Status Bar should be displayed at the bottom of any Finder window. It shows useful information like how many items (files, folders and applications) are in the folder you have open and how much space you have left on the hard drive. If you don't see this bar, you can turn it on by clicking on View from the navigation bar at the top of the screen and selecting Show Status Bar. This can be done from any Finder window, including the desktop.

3. Display the Path Bar A Path specifies the location of a folder or file. For example, if you have a file in the Utilities folder, which is located in Applications, the path would be: Finder - Applications - Utilities. The Path Bar sits just above the Status bar, at the bottom of every Finder window, and is a good way to know exactly where your files are located. You can also double-click on any folder in the Path Bar to be taken to it instantly. You can enable this bar by:

1. Opening any Finder window and clicking on View from the navigation bar at the top of your screen.
2. Selecting Show Path Bar. It should pop-up instantly.

4. Always show file extensions File extensions are a three letter code at the end of every file that denote what that file is. For example, a file with .jpeg or .gif is an image, while .mov is a video. Enabling file extensions makes it simple for you to identify the file type, which means no opening a file and waiting for them to load to see what exactly it is.

You can enable file extensions by:

1. Clicking on any blank space on your desktop to ensure you are on the Finder.
2. Clicking on Finder in the top-left of your screen.
3. Selecting Preferences from the drop down menu.
4. Clicking on Advanced from the menu window that opens and ticking Show all filename extensions.

If you use OS X in your office and are looking to learn more about the features and apps, please contact us today. We would be happy to sit down with you.

It's safe to say that Google is one of the most well known Internet companies out there. When many of us look for something on the Internet, we don't 'search for it', we 'Google it'. Google Search is the most popular search engine, and one of the reasons for this is that it's constantly evolving into something better and more efficient. Google recently introduced a small change to the search results page that business owners should know about.

This change, while not a major overhaul, did move some features around, making the overall results look cleaner.

With any search results that show a website, you will notice the site name in blue (clicking on it will take you to the website). Below the main result, you can see the URL (website address) in green. Beside the green URL there is now a downward facing green arrow. If you press this you should get a drop-down with up to three options:

• Cached - Clicking on this will show a snapshot of the page from a previous date - the link is from when Google last visited the page. According to Google, the cache is a backup of the page in case the current page is not available. While not generally important to many viewers, Google actually uses websites in their cache to determine if your site is relevant to various search terms.

<li><strong>Similar -</strong> Will search for sites similar to that result. This is a great way to find similar content to what is shown on that specific page.</li>

<li><strong>Share -</strong> Allows you to quickly share the site on your Google+ page. This means that you don't have to open your Google+ page to share content, just press Share and a pop-up window will open where you can add a comment and pick which friends/circles to share it with. This option is great for all Google+ users, as it makes sharing quicker and easier.</li>

While certainly not the biggest change Google has made to the search results page, this could prove to be helpful, especially if you share content, or need to find similar content on a regular basis. If you would like to learn more about how Google fits into your business, please contact us today.

Among the biggest technological trends of this past year are devices that are always connected to the Internet. Thanks to their convenience, these 'always on' devices look set to increase in popularity. The downside to this is that your accounts could be at risk of increased security threats. In an effort to curb this, tech giants have been introducing two-step verification. Microsoft is the most recent company to announce this, so it's early days and you may be wondering what exactly it is.

Below is an overview of the two-step verification system Microsoft has recently implemented.

What is it? If you use any of Microsoft's products, you likely have a Microsoft Account. This account is what you use to access SkyDrive, Outlook, Skype, Office or even the Xbox. The whole idea of this is that you have one account for all of Microsoft's products and services.

While this is great (you only have to remember one username and password), it can be a security issue. If a hacker gets into your account, they could have access to all of your personal information. Microsoft realizes this and has recently introduced two-step verification, a new Microsoft Account feature that beefs up your account's security.

Two-step verification is a feature that will ask you additional questions when you try to log in to your Microsoft Account. For example, you may be asked to enter a PIN or phrase that is sent to your phone. If you have used your credit card at the Microsoft Store, or on an Xbox in the past year, you have likely seen this feature in action. Now, Microsoft has extended it to your account.

This new feature is not mandatory for your Microsoft Account, so you have to sign up for it. But It is a good idea to consider enabling this function on your account, especially if you have sensitive information stored online. While this won't make your account 100% hack proof, it will drastically cut down the chance of a hacker gaining access.

How to set up two-step verification Microsoft has made it really easy to enable this security measure. You can do so by:

1. Going to https://account.live.com/proofs/Manage and logging into your Microsoft Account.
2. Selecting your phone number and Text from the drop down menu and pressing Next on the window that opens to receive a text message with a code. If you don't see this option, you should be taken directly to they account management screen
3. Entering the code you get on your mobile device and pressing Submit.
4. Clicking on Security Info under Overview.
5. Selecting Set up two-step verification followed by Next.
6. Picking from how you would like to receive verification codes (Authenticator app, Phone, or another email account). We recommend the app, which you can download onto your mobile device.
7. Following the instructions on the screen and entering the code that is sent your the option you selected above, and pressing Next.

Your account should now have two-step verification. The next time you log in, you will be asked to verify the login using the option your selected. For example, if you selected a text message, you will receive a text on your phone with a code.

If you would like to learn more about your Microsoft Account and security measures you can take to, please contact us today.