July 2018

Our Mission: To build a community of successful minded

entrepreneurs that inspires excellence, encourages

collaboration and expands the capacity of all members to achieve

great things.

This monthly

publication

provided courtesy

of Matt Dariano,

President of

ACR Technology

Solutions.

Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: http://acrtechsolutions.com (856) 727-9363

Ransomware Rears Its Ugly

Head Again Real life stories often hit home the hardest and unfortunately, I have one to

share with you this month. I received a phone call a few weeks ago from a

very nice lady. She was calling us for the first time. She found us through

one of our marketing pieces and guess what... She had RANSOMWARE!

There's a lot of great software out there nowadays that can protect you

from ransomware, but not one of them is 100% effective. So anyway, it

turns out that she is running an older Windows 7 computer but her primary

business application required Windows XP.

So a brief history lesson: When Windows 7 came out, it was a Big Deal.

So many XP users went into shock over this big change. The fact of the

matter is that Windows 7 was the next great product from Microsoft as we

have found out over the past 9 years or so. Anyway, inside Windows 7,

Microsoft was nice enough to include XP mode. This was to help folks

with older programs transition over time from XP to 7.

Back to the ransomware. So this person's computer has this line of

business program running in XP mode and Quickbooks running in

Windows 7. The Antivirus expired a while back, but the computer was

never on the internet. Guess what? Someone plugged it into the internet.

So now you have an old Windows 7 computer, unprotected, not patched,

and on the internet. Put out the welcome mat. Needless to say, this was

one ugly version of ransomware. It encrypted all files and folders including

the XP mode. Our client had a couple Quickbooks backups from a while

back. But just imagine if you had to rebuild your customer database going

back to when you started your business and all of your financial data that

was in Quickbooks. It's a back breaker.

This is not an uncommon thing we see here. We all are very busy. We all

get caught up in day to day activities of running our business or living our

lives. Make sure you pause every once in a while and take a look at your

situation. If you aren’t sure, just call us. We can help you navigate

through all the things you need to do to protect your data and your

business. We can even do a free assessment if you like. Manage your

technology. Be proactive and you will decrease the chance of failure

dramatically. -Matt

““Hide not your Talents, they for use were made. What’s a Sun-Dial in the shade!” - Benjamin Franklin

July 2018 Tech Trends

Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: http://acrtechsolutions.com (856) 727-9363

Google has thoroughly entrenched itself into so many areas of tech users' everyday life with their search and assortment of apps that it can be difficult to find a way to completely separate oneself from their products, according to The Wall Street Journal. For those interested in privacy, avoiding Google should be a top priority as they collect even more data than Facebook who recently came under scrutiny for the same practice. Unfortunately, even without owning a Google-created product such as a Chromebook or Chromecast, many people will have to drastically change the software they use for using the internet, email, media, and productivity to avoid the company's influence.

Starting with the internet, approximately 90 percent of worldwide search is handled by Google while its browser, Chrome, commands about 57 percent usage, according to Statcounter. This dominance means that many businesses will optimize their products and services around Google so that they will not lose out on traffic and users. As a search alternative, Duckduckgo promises never to track or collect user's search data and has a browser extension that stops others from doing so. To access the internet, Mozilla's Firefox enables antitracking by default but likely won't be as compatible with all web applications.

Finding ways to enjoy media will be a mixed bag for those trying to ditch Google as the most prominent online video streamer, YouTube, does not have a solid competitor in the market with the same level of content. To access other streaming services like Hulu, however, the Roku box is an excellent option over the Chromecast although it might not connect with mobile devices as seamlessly. Amazon's AI offering, Alexa, also does a fantastic job through their Echo devices at finding and playing music wirelessly.

Those working at companies that rely heavily on Google's 'G Suite' of productivity apps might not be allowed to disconnect, but if flexibility is an option then Microsoft's original Excel, Word, and Outlook apps are more than capable of handling any work-related tasks. For online connectivity, Dropbox Paper has options for collaboration and real-time editing of a team's collected material.

ACR BUSINESS REFERRAL PROGRAM

Do you know anyone in a business that has 10 or more computers? We would like to offer them a FREE

Network Tune-Up and Health Check valued at over $300! As a thank you, we will send you a $50 Visa Gift Card for each new business client with 10 or more

computers who takes us up on this offer, or, if you are a current unmanaged client, you’ll receive one free hour of

service!

Alternatives to a Google-Filled Universe

Undergraduates in America will be able to take coursework with a focus on artificial intelligence for the first time through a new computer science program at Carnegie Mellon, according to Engadget. The dean of the college, Andrew Moore, says specialists in the field have never been in higher demand or shorter supply, and this degree will help bridge that gap.

Carnegie Mellon is already very familiar with how to run a successful campaign in this field as its AI graduate program was recently ranked number one in the country. Students will be able to apply after their first year in the college and will likely face stiff competition over the one hundred spot limit.

First Undergraduate Degree in AI Offered at Carnegie Melon

July 2018

Smartphone technology has begun to catch up with the power of modern-day PCs, and in

many cases, they can be used as a substitute given the right accessories and set up,

according to The Wall Street Journal. This 'one device to rule them all' idea isn't new but

some of the first examples of companies integrating smartphones with desktop

functionality, such as Motorola's Lapdock in 2011, suffered from the hardware's lack of

power and software flexibility. Flash forward to 2018, however, and the latest iPhones

come equipped with processors that rival their MacBook counterparts, and many popular

applications have been ported over to the mobile operating systems.

Using a smartphone as a desktop computer at home or in the office will require

purchasing an external keyboard and, depending on the circumstances, maybe a larger

screen or TV as well. Many relatively inexpensive options exist today, and Apple has

Logitech's Keys-To-Go bundled with an iPhone stand for $70 in their store. Using a

television will require either an HDMI-to-lightning or HDMI-to-USB cable for iPhone

and Android users, respectively, to connect directly for a mirrored image of the phone. For

wireless viewing, Apple TV or a Chromecast is available with a bit more setup required to

get started.

Once connected to a bigger screen and keyboard, a smartphone won't be drastically

different from a home PC for basic computing tasks. Productivity applications like Word

and Excel will work natively, albeit with slightly less robust options for power users.

Taking notes, checking in on social media, and responding to email can all be easily

handled as well. In the future, an option for using a mouse will be highly beneficial, and

hardware builders will likely continue to develop more integrated and seamless solutions

for using the phones.

Tech Trends

Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: http://acrtechsolutions.com (856) 727-9363

Client Spotlight:

Strive Physical

Therapy

Strive Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation is a

privately owned company whose mission is to provide the highest

level of care through clinical excellence and superior customer

service. Their objective is to improve the quality of life of every client and community

group they have the opportunity to serve.

Their physical therapists tailor a

plan of care that is specific to their client’s needs while putting it into practice with one on one

care.

Strive has locations in multiple counties across the State of New

Jersey, including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden,

Cumberland, Gloucester, and Mercer counties.

Thanks for being a great client!

How to Use a Smartphone as a PC

Tech Trends July 2018

Be Careful Accepting Friend Requests

A good rule of thumb: Don't accept friend requests unless you know the person.

That doesn't work all of the time, of course. One way you can sort out evil requests from good ones, is to look at the requester's Facebook page. Are the photos snapshots or are they professional shots? Real people don't post photos purchased from a stock photo site.

Photo situations: If you don't personally know someone with a yacht, don't accept a friend request from someone who has one. Look for photo situations similar to your own. If you are unsure, message the friends you have in common with the requester to see if they really know them.

A Movement for Eliminating Phones from the Workplace

The average person interacts with their smartphone over two thousand times per day, and many in the business world have decided that their use has become a drain on productivity and have taken steps to ban them, according to The Wall Street Journal. Even without touching the devices, research from the University of Texas and California have shown that their mere presence can lower cognitive performance.

Managers and executives have tried different ways to limit their use in the workplace and have done everything from forcing a person to stand if their phone went off to designating specific areas in the office where phones are allowed. Some teams have chosen to make a game of it to compete for bragging rights over who can use their phones the least. Results so far have been mixed and haven't always lasted long, but there is a movement for limiting smartphones in the workplace.

Most Workers Would Trade Pay for Extra Time Off

As many as 58% of workers say that they would give up a percentage of their pay in exchange for more time off during the year, according to USA Today. American companies have a reputation for being stingy with adding vacation time to their compensation packages, and the average employee gets just ten paid days each year. What's more, this time often includes sick time which leads to a perverse incentive for them to come into work ill to avoid losing pay. In addition to less time off, about 40% of the workforce clocks more than 50 hours each week and 20 percent rack up over 60 hours. Recently, there has been compelling research showing that employee burnout is a real phenomenon that can

lead to decreased productivity over time meaning that adding more vacation time could, paradoxically, improve performance for some businesses.

Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: http://acrtechsolutions.com (856) 727-9363