Holidays are the perfect chance for hackers to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers, which means that you need to take extra precaution when doing your holiday shopping. Just a few short years ago, Target suffered a massive data breach around the holiday season that exposed countless users? personal and financial information, putting the exposed people in peril and ruining many a holiday season. We?ll walk you through some tips about how to be careful both in-store and online. Look for Encryption ProtocolBefore you shop for anything online, look for encryption protocol set up on any retail websites or payment portals. By this, we mean that the site has been equipped with HTTPS security protocol, which hides your payment credentials behind a layer of encryption designed to obfuscate your information in the event of a breach. Furthermore, you should only shop via trusted online retailers and not sketchy unheard-of stores for hard-to-find items. Make Purchases with CashOne of the best ways to keep your credit card information safe during the holiday season is to just make purchases with cash. This is a simple preventative method, but it can be somewhat risky to carry a lot of cash in case of theft or loss. It?s all about risk management, so only carry what you need. Use Online WalletsServices like Apple Pay and Android Pay can act as a go-between for the retailer and your bank account, and as long as you only add cash as part of a one-time addition (so that the app doesn?t store your information), you can effectively limit the risk associated with using these services to make payments. Due to the increase in popularity of smartphones over the past several years, most retailers accept some form of payment via smartphone app. Just do a little bit of research beforehand so that you?re not caught off-guard when a retailer doesn?t allow it. With these tips from White Mountain IT Services, you?ll be sure to stay safe during this holiday season.
The New iPhones: 8, 8 Plus, and XWe know what you?re probably thinking. With three major iPhones on the market, how can you know which one meets your specific needs? The iPhone 8 and 8 plus opt for a glass case backing rather than aluminum, which lends itself to more overall bulk and weight (which isn?t necessarily a bad thing, as anyone who has dropped their phone knows). If you?re familiar with the iPhone 6 series of smartphones, you?ll notice a lot is familiar. You still have the Touch ID, which isn?t available on the iPhone X in favor of the more recent implementation of Face ID facial recognition. Basically, the main difference between the iPhone 8/8 Plus and the iPhone X are the display, camera, and the internal specs–however, the iPhone X is much more expensive than its predecessors, whereas the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will likely yield a similar experience at a more affordable cost compared to the iPhone X. Model: iPhone 8Construction: Front/back glass & aluminum frameScreen Size: 4.7-inchDisplay: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 16M Colors, 1,334 x 759 (~326 ppi)SIM: Nano-SIMChipset: Apple A11 BionicCPU-GPU: Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPUOperating System: iOS 11 Memory Internal: 64GB or 246 GB models; 2GB of RAMExpandable: None Cameras Primary: 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, quad-LED flashFront-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jackSensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFeatures: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integrationBattery size-life: 1,821 mAh battery – 66 hoursAvailable Colors: Silver, Space Grey, GoldPrice: $699.99-to-$899.99 Model: iPhone 8 PlusConstruction: Front/back glass & aluminum frameScreen Size: 5.5-inchDisplay: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 16M Colors, 1920×1080 (~401 ppi)SIM: Nano-SIMChipset: A11 BionicCPU-GPU: Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPUOperating System: iOS 11 Memory Internal: 64GB or 246 GB models; 3GB of RAMExpandable: None Cameras Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm and f/2.8, 56mm) phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED flashFront-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jackSensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFeatures: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integrationBattery size-life: 2,691 mAh battery – 81 hoursAvailable Colors: Silver, Space Grey, GoldPrice: $799.99-to-$999.99 Model: Apple iPhone XConstruction: Front/back glass & stainless steel frameScreen Size: 5.8-inchDisplay: Super AMOLED, 16M Colors, 2,436×1,125 ( ~458 ppi)SIM: Nano-SIMChipset: Apple A11 BionicCPU-GPU: Hexa-core 2.39 Ghz (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) – Apple GPUOperating System: iOS 11.1 Memory Internal: 64 and 256 GB models; 3GB RAMExpandable: None Cameras Primary: Dual 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm and f/2.4, 52mm) phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED flashFront-Facing: 7 MP, f/2.2, face detection Audio: Built-in stereo speakers, No 3.5mm headphone jackSensors: FaceID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFeatures: Fast charging, Qi Wireless charging, Siri commands and dictation, iCloud integrationBattery size-life: 2,716 mAh battery – 74 hoursAvailable Colors: Silver, Space GreyPrice: $999.99-to-$1,149.99 Samsung Galaxy s8 and Note 8Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the Samsung Galaxy line of smartphones and the Note line? Hopefully we can give you some tips to pick the one that works best for your needs. Compared to past Galaxy and Note devices, the screen sizes are larger and more technically detailed, which could allow for greater user experience and more enjoyable media consumption. However, the […]
There is no denying that, of all the application suites in the world, Microsoft Office is the most famous and most popular. Regardless of their size, businesses rely on these programs in order to function–so much so, that a working knowledge of Microsoft Office is often a prerequisite for employment. However, despite so many people using these programs on such a regular basis, few understand their full capabilities. Take, for example, Excel, Microsoft?s spreadsheet program. There are plenty of formulas that you can use to enhance your use of your spreadsheet. For starters, let?s review where these formulas should go, and how they should be formatted. Using FormulasMicrosoft has made using formulas in Excel relatively painless. The process that follows identifies the individual pieces of an Excel formula and how a user can create essentially any formula they need. First, to notify Excel that you will be inputting a formula, the first character that you type into the formula bar should be an equals sign (=). Then you need to identify the proper action command that will inform the rest of your formula. The formula tab can be referenced to find the correct action command. Once you?ve done so, identify the letter and number for each cell the action command should apply to inside the parenthesis. Finally, press the Enter key. If your formula is correct, your data will automatically calculate and populate in the spreadsheet. Of course, knowing how to use formulas only comes into play when you have formulas to use. Let?s go over some useful formulas to have up your sleeve as you use Excel. Total to Find a Sum=sum(cell1:cell2)This action will add up all the cells in a given series. Including a colon in the equation tells Excel to include all the cells between the two in its calculation. =sum(a1:a12)If you select two cells in the same column, Excel will automatically include any cells between them. As a result, this equation would give the total of all numbers in rows 1 through 12 of column A. Count Characters in a Cell=len(cell)Entering a specific cell into this formula will give you the total number of all letters, numbers, and other characters that are entered into the cell in question. This comes in handy when trying to complete a task with strict character limits, like creating content for Twitter. You can use this formula to ensure that your posts don?t exceed the 140 character limit Twitter enforces. Calculating Percentages=(cell1/cell2)This function gives you a quick percentage calculation based on your selected cells. Excel also offers a few other useful utilities to make using it easier. Freeze PanesFreezing panes keep columns or headers from moving offscreen as you scroll through your spreadsheet, which comes in handy when working with a larger document. Remove DuplicatesIf you have a row, column, or even a cell that redundantly repeats (and therefore adds confusion to your spreadsheet) this feature makes it easy to eliminate the extra copies. This could be useful when trying to merge mailing lists that have contacts that overlap. Excel is designed to enable the work that can be done in a spreadsheet to be as comprehensive as possible, with shortcuts and functions to help conserve time and your team?s energy. This has just been a brief sample of how Excel […]
Some small businesses rely on their staff to ensure technology maintenance occurs regularly, which isn?t the best way to go. Your employees don?t have the same skills and certifications that a trained IT technician will have. Furthermore, if you don?t have an in-house IT department, chances are your employees simply don?t have anyone to go to if they are having technology troubles, forcing them to figure out the problems for themselves. You didn?t hire these specialists to do their job plus IT maintenance. You hired them to use their skills for the betterment of your organization–and chances are that they are spending more time than necessary on troubleshooting technology troubles. Your business doesn?t have time or resources to waste on managing IT tasks. Instead, let a managed IT provider like White Mountain IT Services handle this responsibility. Here are four benefits that your organization can take advantage of with managed IT. User ProductivityWhen your employees can reach out for assistance with their IT troubles whenever they need it, they are much more productive. Too many employees are concerned over how much cost their company will incur by contacting outside help, and don?t as a result. When employees don?t hesitate to get the IT help they need, however, they can focus on their work. Furthermore, since your technology is maintained in a more effective way, your workstations will simply run better, which leads to improved user productivity. Fewer IT ExpensesManaged IT means that your business? technology is going to be maintained regularly, which can go a long way in decreasing your IT expenses in the long run. For one, you?ll be at a reduced risk of hardware failure, which can make a world of difference in your budget. After all, replacing expensive equipment like workstations or servers in the event of a failure is a capital expense that no organization wants. Higher IT Staff ProductivityLet?s say that you have an in-house IT department. Chances are that they don?t have time to address all of the responsibilities they have been given. They likely only have time to devote to helping your employees with their technology problems, or implementing new solutions designed to enhance productivity. By working with a managed IT provider, you can supplement your IT staff so that they can get the most work done in the limited amount of time they are available. Greater Return on InvestmentThe break-fix model to IT maintenance is a problem for many organizations because it accrues major long-term costs. Add in a couple of hardware failures and the downtime they cause and you have a major issue at hand. Managed IT resolves these issues for a small monthly fee, rather than a major up-front expense that cripples your budget. Therefore, you pay less for more, offering a greater return on investment. Does your business? budget need some relief? You?re not alone–plenty of small businesses need the flexibility that managed IT can provide. White Mountain IT Services can help your organization succeed by improving the way you manage your technology. To learn more, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800.
It should come as no surprise that the practice of business continuity planning is one that every business needs to undergo. This planning serves as essentially your only insurance against some form of data disaster or another. Consider your own business for a moment–could it survive a fire, a critical failure in part of your infrastructure, or theft? With a business continuity plan, there?s a chance it just might. First Things First:In order to create a business continuity plan, you need to first have prepared a compiled list of the impact each department will feel in a worst-case scenario. What would you do if you lost access to your key vendors, your critical IT, your location, or your personnel and staff resources? How long would you take to recover if you lost each of these resources? Once you have established these variables within a reasonable range of success, it is time to develop a thorough business continuity plan. This plan needs to cover four considerations: employee safety, essential business functions, company assets, and communication throughout the event. This will help to ensure that every crucial part of your business is accessible in case of a disaster of some sort. The Four Considerations Communications: This serves a dual purpose. First, you need to be able to confirm that the team made it through whatever disaster took place safely. Second, if your business needs to enact its business continuity plan, there first needs to be an ability to reach out within the ranks of the business. Your strategy should include some means for your team to reconnect and reconvene, with meeting spots decided upon beforehand. Employee Safety: If it weren?t for the need of communication to confirm that your employees were okay, this would top this list. Not only do you no longer have a driving force behind your business if something were to happen to your workforce, more importantly, you will be morally (and most likely, financially) responsible for any harm that comes to them if they were working in unsafe conditions. Ensuring the safety of your employees is more than just a good business decision, it is a moral obligation. Company Assets: Once you have confirmed that your workforce is okay, it is time to evaluate what was able to be recovered from the remnants of your office. This is the main reason that we encourage all businesses to maintain a copy of their digital information in an offsite location that is safe from whatever disaster damaged your original data. Business Functions: Once you have ensured that your workforce is safe and sound and you have established a connection to your backup, your best chance of survival is to resume operations as best you can, given the circumstances. While it is unlikely that you will be able to immediately return to full function, you will be able to prove that you are still working to serve the needs of your clients until you can. With any luck, you will never need to use these strategies. Stress TestingOnce your plan is put together, test it out for effectiveness among your team. After all, a business continuity strategy that fails to enable the business to continue isn?t a strategy worth having. If some part doesn?t serve the way it needs to, go […]
