Must Have iPad App: Air Display

I am in love with a new (new to me!) iPad app!  Air Display allows you to add an additional screen to your desktop (PC or Mac) and at $9.99 is far less expensive than a new monitor (available in the iTunes store). Anyone who knows me also knows I love screen real estate.  I have an extra monitor on my desktop, my phone system is digital and on my laptop, and now, with Air Display, I can drag windows from my desktop right onto my iPad (I use it for my website visitor monitoring, webcam window so far I’m sure I’ll find more!) and be even more productive! For me it’s a no-brainer, this is one of the best investments I’ve ever made. Speaking on investments, I was reading the 17 trading books and got some great ideas on how I can invest and make money. So now, I’m using my iPad even more as an extension to my office. When I’m away from the office, I log in using Logmein.com’s Ignition, and at the desk, I easily incorporate a third screen. Now that I have it, I wonder why I never invested in a third screen before! 🙂 Thank you Ed Kaplan for the heads up! (One thing to note, it would be efficient to use a power supply with it since it is always ‘on’ and doesn’t allow the iPad to sleep.) WP_20130823_007 WP_20130823_006 WP_20130823_002 Make it a great day! Kathy McCabe]]>

Disaster Preparedness

NOT be one of those that never reopen. Plan your recovery before its needed. To see the supplies that Ready.gov recommends please visit http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit and look at the various kits with supplies needed. Common sense tells us, that businesses should keep copies of their most important files offsite. Personally, I use several methods personally, I use an external drive that is a complete copy and I can grab it and run if need be as well as online methods.  There are numerous online backup options that are very good. . Carbonite, Backupmyinfo.com, and others as well as Box.com, DropBox.com and similar to drop in files you’ll need if working away from home.  Also, I backup onto DVDs and store these in fireproof safes, and the really urgent information is easily grabbed as I’m running out the door.  I use Nero BackItUp 12  for my backups to the external drive and to DVD. Be prepared. Your equipment should be insured. Don’t use a rider on your homeowner’s policy, you should have business insurance that covers your equipment. All of it. Make an inventory of all the software you have, whether its installed or not, list your peripherals List your books. If you have a radio in your office, list that! List EVERYTHING! Take pictures of your equipment, store your receipts with your inventory, OFF SITE (or in digital format offsite). My Office inventory is electronic, and is stored offsite, AND backed up regularly. Keep your inventory up to date. When you prepare your inventory, don’t forget about your various logins and account access codes and passwords. I have a book of key codes, kept in my fireproof safe. For my more sensitive logins, those are encrypted on a flash drive in the safe. Keep this list as up to date as possible. During severe weather, surges often cripple your equipment, which is why it is vital your equipment be protected with high quality surge protection, and if you lose power suddenly, having an uninteruptable power supply (UPS) can give you the time you need to save what you’re working on and shut your equipment down (or get out and start the generator).  High quality UPS systems also include surge protection. Include your PHONES on the surge protection. Often, your telephone is one piece of equipment that is forgotten about when it comes to equipment protection. I use a cloud based telephone which I can access from anywhere, and easily forward calls to my cell from the office. Visit Ready.gov for more information about disaster preparedness for your home and your business. Become familiar with what you need to do, and what needs to be on hand. Stay alert to the news, and be prepared. Sending my thoughts and prayers to all effected by the destructive weather this season. Kathy McCabe]]>

Planned Obsolescence

Planned Obsolescence. We all know what it is. It’s that lovely time when a new model or operating system comes out and suddenly all your really big dollar software is not ‘supported’ by the new operating system. Such is the case with Quickbooks. I had Quickbooks Pro 2011 that worked wonderfully well, was a dream to work with… But as soon as it was installed in my gorgeous new Windows 8 computer (thank you Michael!!) it suddenly doesn’t work so wonderfully. Turns out, it is not supported on Windows 8, and there are not plans to support it. Gee… Thanks. But hey. you can get the brand spanking new Quickbooks Pro 2012 for this many hundreds of dollars! (can you see me rolling my eyes?) So, you’re faced with a choice, do you take that same wonderful QBPro 2011 and move it to the clunky old laptop with a supported OS? Or, do you bite the bullet and shell out for the latest and greatest? I would bet you could guess which option I chose (especially since new computer has 23 inches of lovely viewable space and the old laptop has 14. Grrrr….. Ok, ranting done for the day. Kathy McCabe]]>

My Journey with Windows 8

I was fortunate enough to be gifted by Michael with a top of the line Dell ‘One’ 2323 Touchscreen 23″ all in one computer. I absolutely love it, and it is by far the nicest computer I’ve ever owned. Windows 8 is not entirely different than what we’re used to with other versions of Windows operating systems. The major difference is in the start menu. What I’ve realized is the new start menu is just a different – more interactive, and more “powered” up – version of the older start menus. Personally I really love it. I know there are many who don’t but its so…. geeky LOL which suits me perfectly. (Anyone who knows me also knows how much of a geek-ette I can be.) What I love the most is that I can stream my social media (Facebook and twitter for now) in the side panel while I’m working in the main panel. I love being on the start screen and seeing everything auto updating. Very cool. The lock screen is also different, than what used to be. It now allows for a picture, and shows one of two active Windows 8 Apps that will update while on the lock screen. Weather or Calendar. (Being a weather junkie, I’m sure you can guess which one I chose.) You can also personalize the lock screen and use one of your own. I have not tried the picture password yet, but I also think that would be neat too. I saw the videos explaining that and showing examples so I know its a feature I’ll implement but haven’t had a chance to set it up yet. 20121111-185253.jpg I also like using the ‘charms’ to the right of the screen. A quick swipe from the right will bring them up, from there you can pick the start screen, settings and more. What I quickly realized is that if you choose settings from anything other than the desktop, you’ll get settings that are relevant to the screen you’re in. We got the new computer the day before hurricane Sandy was due to hit. I have to say that thankfully, by time the power went out, it was already late for us and we just went to bed and tried to sleep. But since then, I’ve been blessed to be able to help several temporary clients with their office services while they were waiting for power, phones, internet or waiting to find temporary office space. As a result, I’ve been pretty busy and haven’t had the luxury of really playing with and getting to know the new computer. I still have my phone system on my old Windows XP laptop, and haven’t had the chance to try it on the new system. Will have to do an update once I’ve tried that out. I will have to replace that old laptop at some point but for now, it will do. Between the laptop, the TV Michael gave me for Christmas last year, the new computer and the second monitor, then the iPad also on the desk… I think that when someone coined the phrase “Screen Real Estate” he wasn’t referring to that! Nope… I’m NOT posting a picture of that – until I’ve put the mountain of CDs and DVDs away from reloading my software. 🙂 Right now I’m on the iPad writing this with my leg propped up like a good girl. And remotely controlling the new computer upstairs. I’ve discovered it doesn’t really like the 20121111-185312.jpgnew start menu, but, still controls the desktop and second screen with no problems. The screen shots in this article were taken logged into the desktop from the iPad. I love technology… 😉 Kathy McCabe    ]]>