Overarching Technology No matter which kind of student we?re talking about, there are some technology solutions that are in place for just about any of them. For example, many schools at both a primary and secondary level have computer labs, and you would be hard-pressed to find any college campus today that doesn?t utilize them. In many cases, computers are practically required in order to earn an education of any kind. Mobile devices and tablets are also commonplace in schools as well, but they are more of an emerging technology. Gone are the days where teachers would take away phones during class, as they are an invaluable tool to augment education in the modern classroom. Web applications and other online learning tools are also available for use, but their application varies depending on the type of student. Educational Technology in Universities College students have a lot of opportunities to benefit from technology both in and out of the classroom. For example, many students might find that they would rather have the digital versions of their required textbooks rather than investing in more expensive print copies. Instead of taking notes in a notebook, some might find it easier to type in a Word document or in the cloud. Furthermore, many universities have taken the initiative by implementing fully online degree programs that can be earned remotely. This brings in many new possibilities for how one can earn an education. No longer are students restricted by geographic location. Thanks to educational learning software hosted in a cloud-based environment, students can take classes, purchase textbooks, and access educational resources that are all designed to augment and enhance the student experience. Notice a familiar trend? Technology doesn’t just help businesses. Your organization can leverage technology resources to improve efficiency, productivity, and build greater profitability. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

What is RAM? Simply put, Random Access Memory is a component in your device that allows it to store and retrieve data. Data is accessed randomly rather than sequentially, which allows for a faster loading time compared to other types of data storage such as from a tape or hard drive. RAM needs a constant flow of energy in order to function, however, so the more you have of it, the more powerful a PC you will need. Any data stored in the RAM is lost if the device is powered down. What Does it Do? Essentially, RAM allows your computer to work faster by storing data within it. The first thing that boots up is generally your operating system, which will then be stored in the RAM. Afterwards, any programs opened up will go through the same process. RAM is the component that allows not just your operating system, but any other software in use to be run alongside it. When you run too many programs with not enough RAM, your computer might grow sluggish or programs might crash. This is simply because you have too much software running without enough resources devoted to keeping them running. How Do You Know if you Need More? If your computer is experiencing consistent slowdown when several programs are open, chances are that you need more RAM in your PC. However, you shouldn?t just implement RAM without first identifying whether or not there are other underlying causes of the slowdown. It?s best to reach out to technology professionals before investing in new components for your workstations. Don?t let your business? technology hold it back from being productive. For more information about how your organization can improve your technology so that it becomes a benefit and not a detriment, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.

How Games Can Be Used Just as classrooms devise games to reinforce lessons, the same strategy can be used to help employees engage with and embrace a given task. Research already supports the idea that the happier the worker is, the harder they work. Why not promote that with some entertaining games? Furthermore, a workplace that welcomes some playfulness can present a few other desirable outcomes as well, including an influx of fresh talent, decreased stress levels, boosted motivation, and improved workplace relationships – or in other words, games can make people in an office more enjoyable to be around. As an added bonus, it also promotes the kind of behaviors that will benefit the workplace in its normal operations. These behaviors include the willingness to collaborate and the readiness to create something new. Reflecting on these factors, it makes sense that many companies today find the time employees invest in playing games to be well worth it. Understanding ?Gamification? This integration of games into the workplace is referred to as gamification. Chances are, you?ve experienced it yourself, or would at least recognize a few examples of it in action. For example, was part of your on-the-job training presented as a computer program, with quizzes that needed to be passed in order for you to progress? Have you ever participated in a team-building exercise that involved a group of people tossing a ball back and forth, the person who possessed the ball sharing a little about themselves? These are just a few examples of gamification. By leveraging the innate cravings that the human psyche has, like community, self-validation and improvement, or even your employees? FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), this methodology can improve a team?s productivity and boost morale and satisfaction on an individual level. Some Basic Workplace Games to Start With If you want to try to utilize gamification tactics in your office to reap some of its benefits, you will first need to determine what it is you intend to accomplish through introducing a game element. Do you mean to boost communication among the members of your different departments? Are you trying to encourage them to work more as a team? Or is your goal to simply allow your staff to blow off some steam before it negatively affects their performance? While this may sound like you?re putting too much thought into playtime, it is actually an important consideration. Much like the ?joke? that a game like Monopoly can ruin friendships, you want to be sure that your chosen activity is conducive to accomplishing your goal, and won?t actually have the opposite effect. If you?re trying to inspire a team to work together, maybe playing a game of basketball between departments or sending each department on a scavenger hunt around the office would be a wiser, more effective strategy. Alternatively, if you are looking to inspire some interpersonal competition, maybe a more competitive activity would be a better option. Games That Help Company Culture Here are a few basic games meant to boost spirits and coworker understanding in the office to get you started: Two Truths and a Lie – This simple game is summed up in the title. Each participant writes three facts about themselves on a slip of paper, two of which are true and one […]

Slingshot This threat, codenamed Slingshot, targets MikroTik routers and utilizes a multi-layer attack to spy on the PCs connected to the router. By replacing a library file with a malicious alternative that subsequently downloads other pieces of the malware, Slingshot is able to bypass security solutions unscathed. It then launches a two-pronged attack, one leveraging low-level kernel code to give an intruder carte blanche access to a system, the second managing the file system and preserving the malware – allowing it to continue. If this sounds impressive, it is – not only does this attack access additional code from an encrypted virtual file system, it does so without crashing its host. This quality and complexity led the security experts at Kaspersky Lab to conclude that this attack was state-sponsored. Based on reports, this malware can collect just about any data that it wants to from its target, from keystrokes to passwords to screenshots to network traffic. According to MicroTik, their routing firmware has received a patch for this vulnerability, but it is still unknown if routers from other manufacturers are affected. If they have, Slingshot could suddenly become a much larger issue than it already is. Other Router Malware Of course, Slingshot isn?t the only issue that affects router security. The fail-safes and security measures baked into routers have been historically unreliable. This can largely be attributed to manufacturers building numerous products with no comprehensive strategy concerning their security and keeping it up-to-date. However, this doesn?t mean that the user is off the hook, either. It is up to them to actually update the router?s firmware, not something that is necessarily their first, second, or even twenty-third thought. Furthermore, the updating process can often be challenging, as well as time-consuming. Hackers will often change the DNS server setting on a router in order to attack a network. Rather than directing you to the secure website you are trying to navigate to, the altered DNS will instead send you to a phishing site. Since these sites are often convincingly created and designed to fool their targets, you may not realize you are being victimized until it has already happened. In addition to attacks like these, hackers will also often use methods like barraging their targets with ads or infiltrating them via drive-by download. Some attacks leverage cross-site request forgery, where a hacker will develop a rogue piece of JavaScript that will attempt to load a router?s web-admin page to alter the router?s settings. How to Mitigate Damage to You If you suspect that you are the target of a router-based attack, your first step should be to confirm that something is wrong. While there are assorted ways to accomplish this, the most effective is to check if your DNS server has been changed. To check, you?ll need to access your router?s web-based setup page, and from there, the Internet connection screen. If your DNS setting is ?automatic,? you should be okay. However, if it says ?manual,? with custom DNS servers entered, you may have a problem. In order to mitigate damage in the case of compromise, you?ll need to make sure that your router matches the specifications set by the manufacturer. To do this, make sure you: Promptly install firmware updates: Keeping your router?s firmware up-to-date will assist you in keeping […]

Change Your Object Defaults PowerPoint lets you personalize your presentations in such a way that you can create an identity for them. Having such an identity for your brand is actually quite important, as if your presentations look similar or have the same format to them, they become easier to build out on a whim. Reformatting all of your objects is a big pain, so you can make this process much easier by changing the object default settings. One of the best examples of this is changing the default sizes of your text boxes to make sure they match your business? branding. The first thing you need to do is provide an example of what the rest of your text boxes will imitate. Change the formatting of a text box to do this. Once you?ve done it, just right-click on the text box and select Set as Default Text Box. When this is finished, the rest of your text boxes will be added to your presentation with the same formatting as the default box. Finding an Object Let?s say that you?ve been working on your presentation for a while now and it?s starting to become difficult finding specific objects. If your objects are grouped together, this task is even more difficult. There is a way to cycle through all of your objects so that you can find the specific one you?re looking for. To do this, just press the Tab key. This selects the next element in the sequence–even if they have been grouped together. This makes finding specific objects much easier than it would be normally. Implement Templates PowerPoint can also help you save time with the implementation of templates. These can reduce the amount of time it takes to format your presentation. It?s a great way to get your presentations done, especially if on a deadline, while maintaining a pleasing appearance. Unfortunately, unless it?s a custom template, it?s unlikely that a built-in template will fit your company?s branding. It?s also possible that some of your prospects might identify it as a template, making you look a little on the foolish side. An easy way to resolve this is by creating a custom template that matches up nicely with your branding. While this is time-consuming, it is definitely worth it–especially if you plan on using it for the foreseeable future. If this isn?t an option, however, it?s best to stick to a simple template so that you can focus primarily on the content and its quality. After all, it?s not a presentation if you don?t have some ideas in it. Nobody is watching your presentation to critique your presentation design; what they really want is to know what you can offer them. For more tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your software, subscribe to White Mountain IT Services?s blog.