Small businesses rely on the availability of their data to keep running, so data loss is arguably more catastrophic for them than for consumers. In fact, a recent survey found that 48 percent of small businesses had suffered data loss. The top causes of small business’ data loss included hardware/software failure, accidental deletion, computer viruses and theft.

Having said that, losing precious family photos of your children, birthdays, holidays and weddings can be equally as heart-breaking and backing up these precious memories is incredibly important.

Since online backup’s securely store your files away from your premises at off-site server locations, your data will stay intact and available even if your premises suffer a disaster. With more and more emphasis on “cloud computing” it only makes sense that backup services should take advantage of this hot trend in technology.

Nerd Online Backup is a powerful tool that backs up your important business and/or personal data to secure facilities in both Auckland and in Christchurch, meaning that your data will be safely preserved somewhere and easily recoverable in the event of a disaster.

Once setup by a friendly Nerd, backups occur automatically in the background so there is no reliance on someone remembering to do something (one of the biggest reasons backups don’t happen). And with our fantastic on-going support contracts, you can rest assured knowing that whatever happens, your data is safe with Need a Nerd.

Do you have a question about the Nerd Backup service? Send it to us below;

Some of the findings included:

• Mobile users get to the phishing site sooner than PC users;
• Mobile users are three times more likely to submit their username & password to a phishing site than desktop users;
• Eight times as many iPhone users accessed these phishing sites than did users of other platforms.

Why would this be so? Perhaps because PC users are more naturally suspicious of on-line scams as they have been spam victims for years. But smartphone users might think of their devices as being the same as the good old telephone, a trusted tool. But they are not.

As the number of smartphone apps continues to grow, you might want to ensure that any apps that you do download are just that – apps – and not points of entry into your smartphone and, by extension, your personal data. Even retired American four-star Gen. Michael Hayden, (former Director of the National Security Agency and Director of the CIA) is concerned. “In the popular culture,” Hayden is quoted in Wired Magazine, “the availability of 10,000 applications for my smart phone is viewed as an unalloyed good. It is not since each represents a potential vulnerability.”

Yep, each app that you install on your smartphone is a potential vulnerability. It is precisely for that reason you should be making decisions about what you install based upon rational thought processes. Sometimes the reward is not enough to balance the risk. For example, you might choose not to drive 130kph on the Western Motorway because the potential cost (i.e. a speeding ticket) isn’t worth the benefit of arriving home a few minutes sooner.

Take the same approach when installing software on your smartphone. Before you download any apps, take a good look at what you may be risking.

Do you do online banking or shopping with your smartphone? Do you have business or personal contacts? How about access to an email account with private emails? All of the information may be compromised if one single bad app is installed.

After you identify what assets you have and their value, then consider the app you are installing. What is the benefit it promises? Is it worth potentially risking your information for a funny picture or a game you might play a couple of times a year and can probably play online, rather than installing it on your smartphone?

The important thing to keep in mind here is that General Hayden is saying that any application is a potential vulnerability. This means that you should be prudent when installing every single application on your smart phone. Do a serious risk/benefit analysis. Do you use your smart phone for online banking? If the answer is yes, then there is more risk. Do you use your smart phone to compose emails that are private and you do not want shared with anyone other than the intended recipient? If the answer is yes, then there is a significant degree of risk. Do you have business information on your smart phone? If yes, that adds a degree of risk.

Do you know anything about the developer of the app? Reputation is a valid part of the equation, but even reputable developers will make mistakes that can allow a hacker access to your device. We are not saying that you should not install any apps, but do keep in mind that each app is a potential vulnerability and ask yourself if the benefit the app provides is worth the added risk.

It’s a common mistake among smart phone owners to forget about the costs of getting data while roaming. You may download all the latest applications when connected to a wireless connection at a café or at home to avoid the more expensive mobile data network, but are you thinking about your data usage when you are out and about?

AUTO CONNECT CAN COST

Many phone applications, unless you turn them off, connect to the internet at their own discretion, while you are out roaming. For those who travel to the furthest parts of the world, mobile data can become very expensive when using your NZ connection.

Caveat emptor, they used to say in Rome, or “Let the buyer beware”. No telecommunications company will refund charges due to ignorance or a “she’ll be right” attitude.

APP AWARE

So what apps might be running on your phone? Smartphones running Google’s Android operating system require the user to sign in with a Google account when they first set the phone up. The account will automatically “push” email to the phone as it arrives on the Gmail server, and update any other information in the user’s Google account, as it is updated. That means photographs in Picasa albums created on a PC, for example, will be automatically synchronised to the smart phone unless it is deactivated by the user.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 does much the same with Windows Live Hotmail accounts and photographs saved to the Hotmail account’s SkyDrive but not with other email accounts set up on the phone hand set. For those the user has to do a manual send and receive every time they want to check their inbox or send an email composed on the phone.

If you own an Apple iPhone you don’t have to worry about pre-installed applications accessing the internet without being asked, but once you start downloading applications it is wise to familiarise yourself with their every setting and ensure any automatic connection feature is switched off.

 READ THE SMALL PRINT

It’s always a good idea to read the small print when installing apps, as they are required to warns you whether a constant internet connection is required.

If there’s no mention of it consider the application’s purpose. If, for example, it gives you a live weather forecast on your home screen there’s no way it can do that without connecting your phone to the internet.

Other common applications around stocks, shares and currency deliver live information direct to the phone will be using data for the same reason.

If it all sounds like too much guess work for, you consider installing applications which keep a close eye on data usage. The Android platform offers ‘3G Watchdog’, the iPhone ‘Quota’ and Windows Phone 7 ‘Net Monitor’ to help you stay on top of things.

Finally, all smartphones include the ability to disable “Roaming Data” AKA mobile data usage when away from your home network. Consult your phones manual for instructions on activating this useful feature.

Almost all modern cell phones include wireless connectivity, as do tablet computers such Apple’s iPad or the cheaper Android equivalents

You will also find it included in netbooks and notebook personal computers.

Some desktop computers even come with a Wi-Fi network card pre-installed, removing the need for a cable connecting the PC to the broadband modem.

WHERE TO PUT IT

The ideal place to have a Wi-Fi router is the most central location in your home or office, provided you can still connect it to a telephone jack in the wall. Be sure to install an ASDL Line Filter on each telephone jack which has a device connected to it. Most internet service providers include such filters with their modems and routers. If not you’ll find one in your local electronics retailer. When the router is plugged into the phone line and powered on, use your wireless device to check signal strength.

Network Stumbler, available for free download at www.netstumbler.com, reports every detail about all Wi-Fi networks in range of your computer. It will include your router and any of your neighbour’s routers which could be interfering and slowing down your wireless broadband connection. The Network Stumbler report includes details on the channel number the router is broadcasting on, the network or Service Set ID (SSID) name, signal strength and encryption method. If a router next door is broadcasting on the same channel as your router, expect interference, especially if your neighbour’s router is broadcasting its signal louder than yours. The SSID (the name that appears on the wireless network) also needs to be different for each wireless network.

Make sure to change yours, but don’t include personal information. Consider something you will recognise, such as a pets name or the name of your favourite sports team.

The encryption method is also important. WPA2 will deliver the most secure browsing experience.

Make sure to use a strong password or “encryption key”, preferably at least 8 characters long with a mixture of letters and numbers. A long nonsense English phrase also works very well, such as “correcthorsebatterystaple”.

YOU MUST LEARN CONTROL

You control the wireless channel, SSID (network name), encryption level and password via the routers website or “web interface”. Refer to your router’s manual for instructions on how to access this website, where to go and what settings to tweak. You can find the manual on the manufacturer’s website in the support section if you don’t have a copy. If the signal strength is low at the extremities of your building and you want a Wi-Fi connection there, you can boost the strength and distance with a larger aerial or by purchasing a Wi-Fi booster device from your local computer store.

When it comes to the broadband service delivered by your internet service provider (or ISP) you wouldn’t know when you weren’t getting what was promised, unless you were a Nerd like us.

Fortunately for you there are some free tools online which you can use to measure your service.

TRY SPEEDTEST

We at Need A Nerd like http://www.speedtest.net/ because it’s quick and easy to use. Before you type speedtest.net in your browser’s address bar, make sure that no other devices like smartphones, tablets or laptops are connected to your home network. These devices will skew the results.

Just visit the website and choose the closest server to your location on the world map. Speedtest will measure your download and upload speeds. Download is how fast you get data and upload is how fast you send it. Downloading is typically much faster than uploading.

Remember that the internet is like any traffic system, working slower when busy, so try the test at different times of the day to see how your ISP is performing. Try picking different server locations as well to get a true picture. The connection to your ISP will be much faster than a connection to a different ISP.

NET INDEX

Depending on your location, on a full speed plan you would hope to see download speeds of 8 – 20Mbps and upload speeds of 0.50Mbps or more. Check out http://www.netindex.com/ for a comparison of locations and providers within New Zealand.

If you’re getting much less than you’re paying for, reboot your modem and check all your cables and line filters for dust or breaks. You can unplug everything and plug it back in after tidying up, just be sure to get the plugs back the same way.

CONTACT YOUR ISP

If you still think you’re not getting what you pay for, contact your ISP. They can conduct tests on your phone line and local phone exchange that may highlight problems.

Remember that your ISP cannot guarantee the speeds you will receive, even on a full speed plan, as factors such as your distance from the local exchange, internal wiring, cabling and hardware all contribute to the speed you receive.

VOIPTEST

If you are interested in switching to a provider that offers internet phone calls also known as VoIP or “Voice over Internet Protocol”, check out http://www.voiptest.org/.

Their handy test page can check your line speeds and give you a heads up if you are likely to have issues using VoIP, Skype or other voice and data services like gaming or watching YouTube videos.

So if you suspect things aren’t quite right with your broadband connection and haven’t had any luck with the techie tips above, give your favourite techie company a call.

FUNCTION KEYS

If you need to rename a file forget double clicking on it and risking opening it by accident. Instead click it once and press F2 and type your new file name.

Want to change text from lower to upper case? Click on the word and press Shift + F3. The first press will take the first letter of the word up to upper case. The second press will change the entire word to upper case. The third press will change the case back to lower.

Get to your web browser’s address bar in a hurry. Press F6 to get to the address bar in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and type the internet address you’d like to browse too.

THE WINDOWS KEY

The Windows key, in the bottom left of the keyboard, is often ignored. Pressing it on its own will open the Quick Launch list usually started by clicking the Windows Orb in the bottom left of the Windows 7 and Windows Vista screen and the Start button in the bottom left of the Windows XP screen.

Pressing the Windows button with other keys can also save time.

Windows + E will open the Windows Explorer window at the Computer or My Computer folder.

Windows + F together will open a search window from where you can search for files and folders which are hiding on your personal computer system.

Want to nip out for lunch, but don’t want to shut down your computer? Press the Windows + L simultaneously to lock your computer; you’ll need to put your user name and password in when you come back to the machine. If you haven’t already set your user account up with a password, do so.

Lots of windows open, making it hard to see what you’re working on? Press the Windows + M to minimise every open window and take you back to the Desktop. Pressing the Shift + Windows + M afterwards will restore your computer to how it was.

Want to run a program using the command line? You don’t need to delve deep into Windows inner workings to find it. Pressing the Windows and R keys simultaneously will bring the command line up.

The function keys are designed to give the keyboard special features. Pressing the Windows and F1 key will conjure up the Help window in whatever program you are running and also in Windows.

The Windows + Tab, pressed simultaneously, can help you switch between windows in which you are working. Great when you need to copy text from an email, for example, into fields within a web page. Internet banking just got a whole lot easier.

Sure you want to delete some files that you don’t want hanging around in the Recycle Bin on your PC? Hold Shift before you press Delete and the files will be permanently deleted. Be certain what you’re deleting.

Everything from the machine’s motherboard to its processor, RAM, optical driver and Wi-Fi hardware is packed into such a tidy package. Unfortunately the computer can get very hot and be in danger of overheating. Modern notebooks and netbooks contain cooling fans and a specially designed to reduce heat to prevent electrical meltdowns, but it doesn’t hurt to give your hardware bit of a hand.

Give your hardware a hand

The holes on a portable computers case have been put there for a reason – to allow cool air in, hot air out and prevent your notebook or netbook from overheating. It’s easy to forget this and accidentally cover up the ventilation areas with a blanket or clothing. This can cause serious hardware issues, especially if the notebook is used like this for an extended period of time.

One low tech solution is to place your notebook or netbook on a raised surface. A book or board placed to left the rear of the device off the surface below will allow air to flow in and out, keeping a more suitable temperature inside.

You can also obtain a cooling pad from a computer retailer. These devices are usually fitted with a couple of cooling fans which augment those built into the computer. They derive their power from the computer’s USB port when the computer is switched on.

Another option is a mounting station where your notebook or netbook can sit, held in place by the stand safely off the table or desk.

PERIPHERAL PLEASURE

While you are looking at ways of extending the computers life, buy yourself a full sized desktop keyboard for when you are working at your desk. You don’t have to take it on the road with you. A simple mouse can be a lot easier to use than the notebook touchpad as well. You can smaller ones for your computer bag, or normal sized ones, and as with keyboards you have wireless or wired options.

You could also pickup an LCD screen for use at home or in the office. A bigger screen can be better on the eyes, and is especially good for distance work. Check your computer for a VGA, DVI or HDMI port and make sure you get a screen that is compatible. You can find out about these ports at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_connectors.

OPTIONAL OPTICAL

Another option for the netbook owner is an optical drive. Consider a DVD or Blu-ray drive without burning. DVD writers will read and record to CDs and DVDs while Blu-ray writers will also read and record high definition video and have much large capacity for data.

A must for any computer owner is an external hard drive to back your precious data. With Windows 7 Backup and Restore Centre you really should invest in one to protect your precious information.

Others, treated correctly, can outlast the portable computer they came with.

If you learn to think “battery” and look after your computer’s power house you’ll get more out of them.

KEEP COOL

The first and easiest rule to remember is to keep the notebook or netbook as cool as you can. None of the computer’s internal components copes with heat well so blocking any ventilation ducts while using your notebook or netbook on a duvet or couch are bound to cause you headaches. Batteries can overheat in such conditions leaving causing the battery life to shorten considerably.

TWEAK SETTINGS

Extend your battery’s life by tweaking your notebook or netbook to use less power in the first place.

Dimming your computer’s display screen will help as will turning off hardware such as wireless, Bluetooth, card readers and optical drives when not in use. Unplug adaptors and USB devices when not using them to save more power.

Simple word processing and web browsing don’t use much power, but high end computing like digital photograph and video editing do. Avoiding doing these tasks on your notebook or netbook when on battery will help prolong your battery life.

USE PRE-INSTALLED SOFTWARE

If your notebook includes software from the manufacturer to manage its battery power, use that software to increase the battery life by changing the settings to the most power saving mode.

If this software isn’t included, Windows includes its own power management options under Control Panel > Power Management. From there you can set the computer to a more power saving mode and also customise the display brightness as well as control when the notebook will sleep or shutdown when power is low. Most of the advanced settings relate to saving power when the notebook is not being used however.

REMOVE RATHER THAN REPLACE

If you’re primarily working from a single location for weeks at a time and have access to mains power, take the battery out of your notebook or netbook all together. When you are plugged into the mains, with the battery plugged in, your computer is constantly drawing from the battery and then topping it up. Such an activity will very slowly shorten its life. Make sure that no dust or dirt will enter the compartment where the battery was housed.

The simplest thing you can do to conserve battery power is to turn the computer off when you have finished using it. Clicking “Shut down”, rather than closing the lid will ensure it is off and not in some low power mode.

The most important thing is that you have the right amount of power when you need it so that you can enjoy your portable computing experience. If you are a mobile warrior, consider buying a spare travel battery which has increased storage power (and weight) to keep you going longer.

Windows 7, the latest flavour of Microsoft’s operating system, comes with “Windows Easy Transfer” which lets you copy files and settings from one computer to another.

You can use it to transfer User Accounts, Documents, E-mail, Internet Favorites, Music, Pictures, Videos and no information is deleted from your old computer.

If your old computer is not running Windows 7, but an earlier version of the operating system like Vista or XP, you can download Windows Easy Transfer from Microsoft (http://bit.ly/KG0HK). If you need to download it you’ll need to make sure you get the right version for your operating system which could be 32 bit or 64 bit.

Transfer via cable or hard drive

When you launch Windows Easy Transfer on your old PC you’ll be asked whether you’d like to transfer via an “Easy Transfer cable” which you can buy online, an external hard drive from any retail shop or a network connection such as your broadband router. The easiest and quickest way is via an external hard drive.

When you have selected you’ll be given two options: “This is my new computer” and “This is my old computer”. Select the second option and let the utility search your hard disk drive for files and displays them in the window. If you want to transfer everything Windows Easy Transfer has found over to your new machine click Next, otherwise click Customize to edit the folder list. Further customization is possible by clicking on the Advanced tab.

When you are ready to transfer your files the utility calculates the total size in the bottom right hand corner of the window so that you can be sure you have enough room on your external hard disk drive (if that’s the option you’ve chosen).

Click Next and you’ll be prompted to “Save your files and settings for transfer” and you are given the option of creating a password which will stop others from secretly copying your files when your back is turned.

The length of time it will take to save the file will depend on the amount of data on your computer. You might need to leave the computer on overnight if you have a lot of data.

Now unplug the external hard disk drive from your old computer and plug it into the new one. Find the transfer file and double click on it, initialising the second stage of the transfer operation.

If you’ve password protected the file you’ll need to enter it now. Again, for large files you might want to set this process in motion overnight.

You’ll be asked “What do you want to install?” If you click on “Choose the programs you want to install” you’ll be given a list of applications which must have been on your old computer. You can do a screen print and use the list to hunt out the installation CDs you have hidden away in that shoebox of computer goodies somewhere. Now might be the time to throw out any disks you no longer need.

The fact that Sir Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital did much, if not all, of the special effects legwork on the epic, which came from the mind of the same man who brought us Titanic, filled our chests with pride. New Zealand was, once again, on the world’s film map and, for some, it was better than the days when Sir Peter and The Lord of the Rings were making international headlines with Oscar win after Oscar win. After all, no film had done 3D in the same way as Avatar did and the kiwi’s Number 8 Wire mentality was at least partially to credit.

Despite all the hype around Avatar, it was recently reported sales of (very expensive) 3D televisions in New Zealand have been miniscule. For one they are expensive, compared to the high definition rigs now available, but mostly it’s because there’s very few movies out there filmed in 3D for our viewing pleasure.

James Cameron is just starting to write two Avatar sequels, so it will be a while before any more 3D movies arrive from him, and George Lucas’ crew will release Star Wars in 3D next year.

So, if you want to watch a 3D movie in the meantime you will have to create one yourself.

Turn your PC into a 3D theatre

Sonic Solutions, whose Roxio brand makes software designed to create and edit digital photographs, movies and music, has added 3D functionality into its Creator 2011 software.

Users can create their projects, just like any other, and convert them to 3D at the click of a mouse.

Unlike Avatar, no expensive 3D digital cameras are needed for this conversion. Every piece of digital media is fair game, when it comes to 3D conversion. Whether it’s a slideshow of photographs set to your favourite song, which you intend to burn to DVD as a movie, your own digital (or analogue) footage of last Christmas’s family get together or digital version of those old VHS tapes of your favourite television series.

Burn 3D movies to DVD or Blu-ray

The finished product can be burned to DVD or even Blu-ray if you have a Blu-ray writer, but a pair of the old fashioned red and green 3D glasses – often framed in cardboard – is necessary to view the finished product.

You can pick 3D glasses up on Trade Me for a couple of bucks a pop, so why not consider ordering a dozen and inviting your mates around for a 3D fest?

Before converting your end project to 3D it’s advised to save it as a standard version and the make modifications to that for your 3D version. That way you can share it with friends and family who don’t have a pair of 3D glasses as well.

You don’t need the latest and flashest computer monitor, or television screen, to view the movies either. Whatever you have should do the job.