In my many years of helping people with their computers, I’ve noticed a lot of people are still being ineffective with the most basic of input skills. When looked at in a single situation, poor keyboard and mouse skills might only delay people by a few seconds. But inefficient practices repeated hour after hour, day after day, and week after week can add up to hours of wasted time. So allow me to give you one very simple tip to correct a inefficiency I see very often.

When filling in consecutive fields in a computer form – for example a username and password or a street address – instead of using the mouse to click into every single field, simply use the Tab key on the keyboard. In almost every software or web site, the Tab key moves the cursor to the next field allowing you to continue typing without the interruption of using the mouse. Your hands are already on the keyboard. Taking your hand off the keyboard, your eyes off the screen, moving the mouse and clicking, then putting your hands back on the keyboard can use up at least a few seconds. That may not seem like a lot, but again over time it can add up quickly.

A simple follow-up tip is to use the Return or Enter key on your keyboard instead of clicking the “Continue” or “Next” button on forms (similar buttons include “Go”, “Finished”, “Login”, or “Done”). Again, the idea is that with a single keyboard press you can move along instead of taking the few seconds to move the mouse into just the right spot on the screen to click.

If you are currently not using the Tab and Return/Enter key effectively, pay attention and really try to use these tips over the next few days. I bet you’ll be surprised at how much time you’re saving!

If you have other questions about basic computer skills, please contact me and I’ll be happy to help!

Having been in the technology industry for nearly 17 years now, I have seen my share of technology horror stories. Many businesses have suffered through disasters such as:

- Losing data without a backup

- Spending a lot of money on the wrong technology

- A disgruntled employee or web designer takes all of the company’s passwords with them

- A virus cripples their network in the middle of a deadline

- Losing credibility (and business opportunities) because their web site or social media presence was neglected or tampered with

The sad fact is that nearly all of these horror stories could have been avoided had the business taken the time to stay on top of their technology and related business processes. Of course, business owners and professionals are busy people and don’t have the time to conduct detailed reviews of all the technology that affects their business. And the rapid march of advancing technology makes this task more difficult every day.

That is why I am excited to introduce my new Technology Review service for businesses and individual professionals! For one low fee, I will perform a detailed review of:

- all key business technologies, looking at things like PC utilization, network efficiency, data backup processes, virus safeguards, and power protection

- supporting and/or 3rd party technology services, such as communications, mobile and remote data access, printing, e-mail, and security systems.

- core business processes that are affected by technology, covering accounting, payroll, document management, and customer service.

- ALL of a company’s or individual’s on-line accounts including Internet domain, web and e-mail hosting, and social media

- Individual professionals will receive a similar Technology Review, with emphasis given to technologies that target personal organization and communication as well as small group collaboration.

My Technology Review will allow businesses and professionals the opportunity to identify areas they can improve their technology usage and ensure they are keeping pace with their competitors, as well as maintaining control over their valuable on-line assists.

Schedule a Technology Review with Marcel Brown today and avoid writing your own Technology Horror Story!

Thursday April 28, 2011 – Thursday April 28, 2011

7325 Marine Road

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Thursday March 17, 2011 – Thursday March 17, 2011

7325 Marine Road

Map and Directions | Register

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Welcome to the first seminar in the “It’s Time for Your Business to Grow Up” educational series:

It’s Time for Your Social Media to Grow Up

Social media has taken the world by storm in only a few short years. Due to the rapid pace of the changes in social media technology and trends, many business professionals are having a hard time keeping up. In this seminar we will:

• Identify the major mistakes that are costing businesses time, opportunities, and profit
• Explain the repercussions of a poorly planned or executed social media strategy
• Review the major social media platforms on the market: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
• Show how to leverage these platforms successfully to increase your business

Seating is limited. Sign up today!

Business people today are commonly making many mistakes due to outdated or inefficient business concepts and technologies. This is not unexpected – much has changed in the world of business and technology over the last several years. However, most small businesses people have no resource to turn to for information on current business trends or the latest technologies. This new series of seminars will help entrepreneurs in all industries gain the knowledge necessary to better compete in today’s fast-changing business environment.

Register

It’s a long-running joke among tech savvy individuals – you are always expected to help your family with their tech problems, no matter what the occasion. It seems especially common that after Christmas, your family needs the most help because of their new tech gadgets. So this year, Google has come to the rescue with a new web site, Teach Parents Tech. It is a collection of videos designed to help tech novices with common computer questions. So gather around the computer screen this holiday season and teach your parents some tech. Or do them a favor and just buy them an iPad.

While I was writing this, I realized that this is the 4th year I’ve done a Holiday Tech Toy article! It is interesting how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Certain items from my first Holiday Tech Toys article are still good gifts (in fact some keep appearing on the list). Others that have appeared through the years have been replaced by new models, and those new models are now good gifts. So please review my previous Holiday Tech Toy articles (2007, 2008, 2009) for some good ideas from the past, then read my new list below!

Jawbone Icon

I consider the Jawbone to be one of the best Bluetooth headsets on the market. Their latest Jawbone, the Icon, has a lot of

new features that add to an already impressive device. For example, on supported phones like the iPhone, the battery levelof the Jawbone will display on screen, so that you never need to guess just how much battery charge your headset has left. If someone you know has a Bluetooth headset on their gift list, you will likely not go wrong with the Jawbone Icon.

AR.Drone

Unlike most of my Tech Toys, this item is actually a toy! However, it can be played with by kids of all ages. The detailed description of the AR.Drone can be read elsewhere on the web, but let’s just describe this as a remotely piloted flying quad-helicopter with a video camera “eye”. Controlled using the motion sensitive capabilities of an iPhone or iPod Touch, the pilot can actually see what the AR.Drone sees! Jimmy Fallon actually had one on his show over the summer, so I expect that this item will actually be on quite a few wish lists this year.

Wireless Hotspots

As we all have become increasingly dependent on technology, we find ourselves needing access to the Internet while we are away from home. While we can often find free Wi-Fi hotspots, it is not always convenient to depend on someone elseto provide us with connectivity, especially now that unsecured hotspots can be risky to use. Many people have used USB cellular data devices, but the drawback being that only one laptop at a time could use the connection. Fortunately, many cellular providers are now offering “mobile hotspots”, which are basically devices that connect to a cellular provider’s data network and then rebroadcast that connection via Wi-Fi. Laptops or other mobile devices such as iPads or iPod Touches can then all share that connection without any sort of installation or complicated configurations.

iPad

Does this item really need any introduction? The iPad will likely be one of the biggest selling devices of this holiday season. If you need a quick primer on the iPad, read my previous article from this year. The iPad is proving especially popular as gifts for teenage or younger children, for senior citizens, and anyone who wants a simple computer for reading web pages, reading eBooks, viewing photos or video, and reading and writing e-mail.

MacBook Air

MacBooks always make my Holiday Tech Toys articles because they are just so

darnpopular! But this year, Apple has introduced the next generation MacBook Air, and so far it has been flying off the shelves. With an even thinner design, solid state storage, and a lower starting price, Apple seems to have hit the sweet spot on ultra-light laptops. If you know someone that needs a laptop (as opposed to an iPad), make sure to check out the new MacBook Air.

iMac

A recent Facebook post from one of my friends asked why the iMac is so sexy. I don’t know about you, but computers are not generally referred to as sexy! But for someone on your gift list, an iMac with a 21.5″ or 27″ screen, quad-core processor, wireless keyboard and mouse, and lack of messy cables just might get their blood running! So don’t settle for some bottom of the barrel PC when you can get the sexiest computer on the planet!

Canon PowerShot SD 1400 IS

It’s tough to recommend digital cameras. So when I wrote a Tech Toy article about the Canon PowerShot SD 780 IS earlier this year, I thought I made a good recommendation. Unfortunately, that model was soon phased out by Canon. Fortunately, it was replaced by a new model with slightly better specs, the PowerShot SD 1400 IS. If you’re looking for a model that doesn’t need 720p HD video recording capability, the SD 1300 can save you some money, but for about $179 street price, I’d go ahead and splurge for the SD 1400.

HDTV

As a highly-respected (and admired?) technology expert, it is sort of embarrassing that I don’t yet own an HDTV. It’s not that I don’t want one, it’s just that my highly picky nature has made me put off the purchase, waiting for prices to come down and technology to mature. However, the itch to upgrade is setting in, so I’ve been shopping around for an HDTV. I’ve been impressed with what is available this year and feel that the timing is great if you are in the same boat I am. So read my recent HDTV article and go shopping!

AppleTV

Apple is on a roll this year! Another example of a product that is flying off the shelves is the new generation of the AppleTV. Now witha sub-$100 price and the ability to stream Netflix movies, it seems Apple has finally got the right combination of features and price-point to make the AppleTV a mass market success. If you do buy an HDTV this year, add an AppleTV as well!

iPhone & iPod Touch

These items have been on my list every single year. It really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyonejust how popular these devices are. However, with the flood of new smartphone competitors this year, I just want to reiterate that if someone on your list specifically wants an iPhone or an iPod Touch, a competitive product just won’t do. This is actually good advice for any technology product. Please try to be sure exactly what your recipient wants before you spend money on a purchase, especially if a restocking fee applies.

A: I was asked many variations of this question as we neared the holiday season. Basically, most people want to know if they should buy a dedicated eReader (such as a Kindle, Nook, or Kobo) or a multi-purpose device. The answer to this question depends on a few factors, which can be difficult to answer if you are purchasing the device as a gift. However, I’ll do my best to help you out below.

The first thing to be clear is that there are several eReaders on the market now. The Kindle is the most commonly known name and it purchases books from Amazon. The Nook is the eReader from Barnes & Noble and the Kobo is Borders’ device. There are also some eReaders from Sony, called simply, “Reader”. There are also a scattering of lesser-known eReaders. And of course, the iPad is an eReader as well.

What most people first notice is that many eReaders are now less than $200, while the iPad starts at $499 (although many eReaders were more than $200 at the time the iPad was launched). Certainly, if budget does not allow the purchase of an iPad, then another eReader must suffice. But if an iPad is within your budget, then the question is whether or not the extra cost of the iPad will provide added utility. If, in fact, all you (or your gift recipient) will do is read books, then the iPad is probably not the choice for you. The exception would be if the screen on the iPad is better for your eyes. But if you would make use of the other features of the iPad, then the money you would spend on another eReader would be best put towards an iPad.

A similar question I’ve received is if books purchased on the Kindle can be read on the iPad. The answer is yes, as Amazon makes a Kindle app for the iPad (as well as iPhone and iPod Touch). So if you know someone that has an older Kindle and they now want an iPad, they will be able to re-download all their purchased Kindle books for free on their iPad. All the other eReaders also have apps for the iPad and they all use the same ePub format that the iPad uses natively.

Some people have noted that the Kindle is easier to read in bright sunlight. This is true. The iPad’s screen is more reflective and can be hard to see in bright sunlight. However, unless you plan to do a lot of reading in bright sunlight, this shouldn’t be such a big deal. Also, anti-glare films can be purchased for the iPad to help minimize this problem.

The bottom line is that the iPad is more than an eReader. If you will use the iPad for more than just reading, then it is likely a good value, even if it is more expensive than the other eReaders.

Don’t be afraid to contact me if you have further questions on this or any other technology question. It is better to ask a question before spending money on a tech gift!

One of the most talked about new features introduced with the latest iOS update is the ability for the respective devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) to print. This feature, called AirPrint, seems to work well in my testing, but there are some requirements to be aware of.

By specification, AirPrint requires the use of AirPrint-compatible printers. At the time of this writing, only a handful of HP brand printers are listed as AirPrint-compatible. Several other HP printers will receive updates by the end of the year to make them AirPrint-compatible. However, the other major printer manufacturers have not officially announced AirPrint support, although the expectation is that they will. The reality is that until more printers are AirPrint-compatible, not a lot of users will be able to print from their iOS devices – at least not without help. Fortunately, there is a way to circumvent the AirPrint-compatible requirement.

Through the use of a host computer (either a Macintosh or Windows PC), many more printers can be made to work with iOS devices. I won’t go into the details of how to set this all up, but at least know that there is software available that easily makes your Mac or PC an AirPrint host. I list an example of such software for each platform at the end of this article.

So if you need to print from an iOS device and you don’t have an AirPrint-Compatible printer, don’t give up until you’ve tried sharing your printer from a host computer. If you need help with this setup, please contact me and I can schedule a visit to your home or office.

AirPrint Activator for Mac

AirPrint Activator for Windows

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to shrink down really small and ride in a remote controlled car? Don’t lie – you know you have. Well, lucky for you I found a video of an iPhone strapped into an RC car. As the video states, “watch stunt hilarity ensue”.

This is another example of an idea that I had a while back. So obviously I think it is a great product! But seriously, I think this is an example of the beginning of a new class of products. It solves a couple of problems in a very innovative way.

The idea is very simple: a stationary exercise bike that generates electricity. For fitness centers, the amount of electricity produced could help significantly offset their power bill. They key to the visiCycle is that it does not require any additional equipment or rewiring for the building they will be used in.

Now imagine as this technology improves and more electricity can be generated – and not just from stationary bikes, but from other exercise equipment as well. Pretty soon fitness centers may become power plants! They would be profiting from the electricity they produce so they could lower or perhaps even eliminate membership fees. Perhaps they could even pay their members! If people could get paid to exercise, that would certainly help encourage fitness. So this product may be the forerunner to those that solve two big social problems – energy and obesity.

Read more about the visCycle at Resource Fitness’s website. If you have seen any interesting new technology devices, please let me know!