Month: February 2014

My ZTE Awe got dumped in a water hole!

Paul

The experience that I know!

I have done this many times with phones just like the HTC Inspire, it was another one that got wet!  You just have to know what to do as soon as it gets wet to prevent any damage!  It isn’t anything new but someone people just do not think about this until it is too late.   As for me, I learned that if you can take the power source out of the phone, it stands a much better chance of surviving then when you do nothing and then the wiring gets fried.

What to do if it does get soaked!

I will be glad to lead you through how I saved my ZTE Awe phone and kept it from getting fried.   How I dried it and how you can do it without using Rice.   

  1. Once your phone gets wet, your first response is to always pull the battery, if you can!   I am sure not everyone thinks about these kinds of things but once you remove electricity from the equation, you stand a much greater chance at saving the electronic device!
  2. After that, you should get as much of the water off the phone as necessary without breaking the phone.  I just flung it around with my hand a few times.   
  3. I also took the back off and left the back uncovered.   This will help the phone dry quicker and easier.   You may see water spots in the screen if you leave the back on.   It has to be able to dry the inside of the phone also.
  4. I used a Hair dryer, If you used this technique remember the phone should not get to hot.   You best bet is to keep it in your hand as you blow air any place on or in the phone you can without causing damage.   If the phone get hot in your hands it is time to let the phone cool off.   This way you will not damage the phone.   BATTERY MUST BE REMOVED before doing this and after this for an hour!
  5. I then would use the hair dryer every day over the next week to help dry the screen off and get those water droplets to go away from the screen.   You can continue to do this as long as you like as long as you do not get the phone extremely hot and you do not have the battery in the phone as you use the hair dryer on the phone!

Now since I got the phone dry I no longer have WIFI or Blue tooth capabilities, and I am seriously thinking about buying a new phone but something that will allow me to make a portable hotspot with laptop and tablet.  The only one that looks to be promising for Virgin Mobile, is the Samsung Galaxy S2 (Amazon Affiliate Link).   Which I might just buy that myself and use that for my internet at home.

I am sure it was the phone getting wet that caused the wifi and blue tooth to be broken, at least it seems to be the problem.   So I want to hear from the community about the Samasung Galaxy S2 and how has it been with Virgin Mobile US?  Let me know by leaving a comment,

Virtual Assistants: The Secret Weapon of Your Business

Paul

Admit it: sometimes you wish you were as intelligent as Tony Stark to have someone like J.A.R.V.I.S. at your side to sort your business’s schedule, plan out appointments and calculate taxes. Well, while we might not have that kind of technology today to wait for us on hand-and-foot, there is such a thing as a virtual assistant, which is the next best thing to living like Iron Man.

Many are convinced that virtual assistants are the future, and the reality is that a good majority of professional relationships are starting off as virtual. Having a full-time, physical assistant can certainly have it perks, but hiring a virtual assistant may be a better option in most cases. Too often do entrepreneurs wait to get the help they need because they assume that hiring a full-time assistant is the only choice they have; however, this is not the case at all.

Cost

There are plenty of perks to using a virtual assistant. While cost-effective, flexible, and with the commitment to learn, a VA can accomplish nearly anything a full-time assistant can while not actually being required to show up at the office. In addition, because virtual assistants and independent contractors do not have to go through the same employment procedures that a full-time employee would, you are only required to pay them for services rendered. So, in a sense, hiring a VA can be much less expensive than a full-timer, as you only need to pay them when you actually need them— no valuable time lost.

You also won’t need to worry yourself about withholding income tax, superannuation, Worker’s Compensation insurance, new computer, or office equipment or timely payroll processing or PAYG statements. And, since your VA won’t be hired as a full-time employee, you will not be responsible for providing them with health benefits or sick and vacation days.

Training & Space

One of the biggest perks of hiring a virtual assistant is that he/she is already skilled enough and is accustomed to an online working environment, therefore, that time saved by eliminating formal training will give your business the opportunity to get the important tasks done more quickly.

While there is a slight chance that you’ll need to communicate what your business is all about, it’s less likely that you’ll need to worry at all about their skills and qualifications.

How much money would you say you spend on each new employee that joins your business? Depending on what their responsibilities are, the average cost of hiring a new employee is usually in the thousands of dollars. Not only do you have to consider their yearly salary; you’ll also need to think about the equipment a new employee will need to fulfill their duties.

On the other hand, with a VA, those expenses go completely out the window. They will (and should) usually have their own reliable computer and internet connection.

Learning How to Delegate

Contrary to popular belief, having an assistant isn’t all about barking orders at someone. It’s more like inviting someone you trust to contribute to your success, and delegating is a crucial art you’ll need to learn if you’re going to hire a virtual assistant.

For many,finding a new employee that fits with the team you already have can take some time, something that you don’t normally have, which is precisely where a VA can help. As a professional, hiring a VA can be a wise investment, as a skilled assistant is something definitely worth paying for.

Dean Olsen, an enthusiastic writer who dedicates his time to researching topics on the progress of communication within technology and its relation to business practices. You can read more of Dean’s work on his blog at GlobalTollFreeNumber.com

Moving Abroad: Do I Need a Smartphone or Tablet?

Paul

The kids are out of the house, and you finally get the chance to move overseas. Maybe for a few months, maybe forever. You’ve already created a packing list, but there’s one item that you’re just not sure you’ll need—your smartphone or tablet. They can be a useful tool when you’re in a new country. But with the wrong service, they could be a useless money pit.

Library on the Go

When moving abroad, you don’t want to take your entire house with you. Heavy things like books can be difficult to haul around. The upside of taking a smartphone or a tablet on your trip is that either device can function as a traveling library while taking up just a small corner of your suitcase. Download your favorite guidebooks to the reader on your phone and virtually fold down your favorite pages. Use an app like Word Lens to translate signs and menus. Read reviews of area restaurants and entertainment with Trip Advisor or another travel app. You’ll feel at home in no time.

You can even use your smartphone to help you learn the language faster. With the free Google Translate app, you can speak up to 50 words into your phone, and the app will translate them for you. All of a sudden, asking directions, booking a train ticket, or getting to know the friendly couple at the edge of the bar just got easier!

Escape Roaming Fees

The downside to taking your smartphone or tablet abroad is the potential of roaming fees. According to travel writer Rick Steves, roaming charges in Europe can be high, but if you have an unlocked phone, you can replace your SIM card with a card made in that country to make calls at a more affordable rate.

Depending on your provider, you can avoid roaming charges altogether. T-Mobile, for example, recently announced a change to their roaming policy. The company, which also offers a wide selection of travel accessories—everything from Bluetooth headsets to Muse mini speakers—has lifted roaming charges in 100 countries. According to CNET, T-Mobile customers can text and access data without paying roaming fees. The company simplified its calling charges as well by setting them at a consistent 20 cents per minute.

Go Unplugged

Moving abroad should be an exciting experience. For some, this means enjoying a new environment with all the comforts of home, while for others, it means going unplugged. If you prefer the latter, consider leaving your electronics at home and get fully immersed into your travel adventure. Contact loved ones from local phones, or send them letters and emails from Internet cafes. However, if you do choose to go unplugged, it means that you will need to bring paper versions of all of your travel guides and translator tools.

If you don’t have access to free roaming, make sure that you download the data you are going to need while roaming. That way, you can pull up your map or itinerary without paying roaming fees.

Paige Hornell — Teacher, International Traveler, Margherita Pizza Connoisseur

5 Ways to protect yourself on Kik Messenger!

Paul

Understanding the Kik Messenger!

The Kik Messenger is just a little app that allows people to chat without the need to share you phone number.   It has several things that help make people want to use Kik, and I am going to share some of them with you and hope that it helps you protect yourself from scammers.  With any messaging app, you will always have bots and scammers who only purpose in life is to steal your money or your identity.   It seems that I found a few that times when I wondered how they figure out my username.   it really wasn’t hard to find me on Kik, I seem to keep Something the same and you could find me to if your really wanted to.  

  • Don’t give out your Phone Number — It seems it is the easiest thing to do but if you give out your phone number to a complete stranger, you are just asking for trouble from people who are going to stalk you or harass you.  
  • Don’t give out specifics — until you really start to be friends it is something that should be in your head at all times.   Don’t tell them your personal stuff like where you actually work, or the exact model of your car.   If you have to answer them, just generalize it to the point that it would make it really hard for them to find you after that.   I wouldn’t say Lie to them but don’t speak the whole truth, until you are sure they are trustworthy.
  • Quick Repliers — If you find yourself getting almost instant replies from the sender, you can bet that it isn’t truely a person because even I can’t type that fast.   It does not mean people who reply with yes or no answer are bots because most people are quick with those.  if it is long text in under a minute, you can bet it is a bot!
  • Don’t share Pictures or Videos —  If you don’t want your friends to see the picture or video, you really shouldn’t share it to some unknown bot or person on the messenger app.   You really do not know who or What they will do with that stuff.   It could cause your embarrassment in the future.
  • Don’t click links — Unsolicited links are just going to probably get your infected and thus you shouldn’t click on any links or go to sites that that the person says unless you know about that site personally.   Just be careful what you do online and you are far better off!

If you use these tips, you are better off than before.   Just remember that you do not really know the person unless you meet them in person.   HOpe this helps!

Several online retailers have weak password security!

Paul

Retailers makes it easy for hackers!

Dashlane releases their top 100 online Retailers and “The Illusion of Personal Data Security in E-Commerce” this makes it easier for the hackers to know the common passwords for sites.   Some of the retailers that are mentioned are:
  • Cafepress (affiliate link) — Although I have been a huge supporter for those really cool shirts and other personable merchandise.   They only require a 3 character password.  If your using a 3 character password, then you are just yelling to the hackers come get my credit card information and personal information!
  • Scholastic Inc — This one seem likes they allow this for kids, I just hope they don’t give out all that valuable information.   They two also only require a 3 character password for an account!
  • 1-800-flowers (1800flowers.com) — Only requrie a 1 character password, which means that you could use Q for your password and you’d be all set for someone to take your credit card information really quickly.

Those are only the few that I found that were really interesting.   I am calling out these retailers to make changes to their password lengths.  You can see the complete list of the 100 retailers with passwords length and various other data.   This link is thanks to Steve Gibson to see all the important stuff!

Password Length

I’ve talked about Lastpass in the past so I will not talk about it anymore.  I do recommend people use the maximum length you can have on sites that are really important to you.   This will prevent hackers from guessing real simple passwords.   Although you should have Higher, Lower, Numbers, and Special characters in your password to make password guessing even harder.  It is up to you to prevent your account from getting hacked or taken over.   No one can help you but yourself!