Byte Sized Computing

A Lesson from Steve Jobs and How It Applies To You

April 23, 2019 By bytesized

Steve Jobs once said:

“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them”

Technology can be our best friend and can also be the biggest party pooper of all time. New technology is constantly coming into our lives. Hence, keeping up this change and innovation can be challenging as it comes with no instruction guide or manual.

As the owner of Byte Sized Computing, I provide personal expert IT support for residential as well as the small businesses. I’m a true technology enthusiast and completely aware of the computer industry and carries a full selection of current hardware to provide you on time customized services. I ensures that the client’s need is completely fulfilled with no remaining loopholes by keeping your budget in mind.

Installing a new connection in your house or bringing in different hardware can be risky. Many people are not fully aware of the different technicalities involved in terms of purchasing new computing devices. I am the last stop and the ultimate place for you that will solve all IT related problems. I meet clients and understand their needs fully. This helps us in guiding the customers that which hardware or service is best for them and why.

Understanding that growing a new business can be a challenging task, A busy professional needs the ease of mind, therefore, we at Byte Sized Computing knows that maintaining the optimum IT system at reasonable cost has significance importance to your business. I provide you worry-free, tailored IT services for your business, so that your systems keep on performing well, without any potential disasters.

Help Across A Wide Variety of Systems
Onsite visit
Setting up new devices of connections
Troubleshoot and Solve Issues
Maintenance and Repair
Tailored/Personalized help
Backup and disaster recovery
Managed Support
Training

I have worked with different kinds of IT customers with unique need and has dealt with them on different budgeting levels. I understand client needs and then draft a personalized IT plan along with the required budget for each customer. Through this, the customer gets the best value and can strategically choose their service and products accordingly. Moreover, the on-site visits allow the clients to discuss everything in a friendly, non-intimidating environment. Unlike the repair shops, Dominick Curatola has a strong emphasis on friendly communication, explanation, and training.

Byte Sized Computing Services minimize your expenditure and maximize the performance of your IT equipment. Now keep your business proprietary data safe with remote and automatic backups and never complain about your network again, the right IT service is just a phone call away. You can also reach me through email and twitter as well.

Halloween Is In A Few Days

October 27, 2017 By bytesized

The Goblins and Monsters Are Not the Only Scary Things

Much has changed since you last upgraded, or goodness, installed your WiFi. It’s 2017. Don’t live in the slow lane when it comes to your home, or office wireless internet access, find a good internet provider by using the internet near me option.

Many of the early router manufactures have come, gone, or been rebranded. Many more (good ones) have joined the market. Prices have dropped along the way. The products have improved greatly.

My internet provides access to scores of devices. That includes iPhones, iPads, tablets, latops, AppleTVs, smartTV’s, my home thermostat, and 5 SONOS music players and let’s not forget a desktop iMac too. Certainly busy, but typical too. It’s standard for the people and businesses I serve.

Reasons To Upgrade Your WiFi

Slow. Does the WiFi grind to a halt? Does it standstill sometimes? if it does, it may be time to look at https://www.EATEL.com/residential/internet/ for new options
Unreliable. Does it cause delays? Is it of no help? At the worst possible time?
Dead Zones. Do the corners of your home have dead zones? Does it reach every area you need?
Hard To Manage. Are you able to fix, or diagnose it yourself? On your smartphone?
Security. Does it protect you from the newest threats? Does it update itself to do this like your antivirus program does?

The newest technologies allow for easy solutions to all the above.

Also, remember that I am here to help you. If you have any questions about smartphones, computers, SONOS, and WordPress websites. Please call or send me an email.

Developing Websites Using WordPress

November 19, 2015 By bytesized

Some of you know I have been taking my business into a new direction and as a result I have gotten deep into web development.

The type of web development I choose was ‘wordpress’. It’s a natural fit for small business clients, mom and pop operations, and the small groups I have always supported.

‘WordPress’ makes having a web presence simple . It’s easy to get a professional and custom look without extensive programming. The choice of appearance and features is extensive.

Once the site is up and running Google and Bing will find it easily since WordPress is optimized for search.

WordPress allows me to assign roles to editors and contributors without exposing the site to mishaps in administration, which I control from anywhere I work.

If you, or anyone you know, is looking to redesign your current website, or perhaps have no web presence yet, reach out to my at www.bytesized.com.

A wordpress site solution may be the right thing. Let’s discuss it soon.

Safely Upgrading to MS Windows 10

November 3, 2015 By bytesized

As most Windows users have learned, Microsoft has an inconsistent record when it comes to releasing operating systems.

Many users, including myself, found Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, to be difficult to use. Microsoft made a poor decision to remove the standard “Start” button in the lower left corner of the screen and replaced it with a crazy dual interface, which made users switch between the “tiles” and regular Windows screens.

It was such a pain that most users and companies did not even bother to upgrade from Windows 7 and those who did upgrade, some wound up going back to Windows 7. Many major PC makers like Dell and Lenovo, provided so-called Windows 7 “downgrades” to get people to buy Windows 8 computers.

Fortunately with Windows 10, Microsoft brought back the “Start” button and made the user interface similar to Windows 7 and XP.

I like Windows 10. If you are comfortable using Windows 7 and Windows XP, you will have no problems with Windows 10. Along with cosmetic changes, and a new browser called Edge, which replaces Internet Explorer, Windows 10 has improved security features and a built-in anti-virus program which is why I can recommend upgrading to Windows 10, especially for those users still using Windows 8.

(Note: If you are still using Windows XP, for security reasons I highly recommend that you get a new computer with Windows 10.)

The other good news is the Windows 10 upgrade is free for those who own computers running Windows 7 or Windows 8. In fact, if your computer is eligible for the free upgrade, you have probably seen the start-up messages asking you to upgrade to Windows 10. Hoping to build up its user base, Microsoft is providing a free upgrade to Windows 10 for owners of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 until July 29, 2016.

But before you go ahead and start the download, you need to have a plan. It is good idea to back-up all your important data. You might want to do this even if you have an automated back-up system because this way you will know that you have the data and it will be faster to replace.

The easiest way to make a back-up of your important files is use a USB thumb drive, which can be purchased at Staples and other office supply stores. Be sure to buy one large enough to accommodate your music and photo collections as well as your documents. You are probably safe with a 32GB or 64GB thumb drive.

Most Windows users keep their important data in the My Documents folder, which is also the place for music files, like iTunes, and videos. If you keep your data in another folder, you want to make a copy of that too. Just plugin your thumb drive and then drag and drop your files from the computer to the drive.

Once you have backed up your important data, you can safely take advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade.

The easiest way to install Windows 10 is by clicking on the Windows flag icon in the lower right corner and following the steps. This will upgrade your current operating system to Windows 10. This is big download – 6.07GB so make sure you are using a fast connection.

Although Microsoft says that you can work on your computer while the upgrade is occurring in the background, I suggest that you do not do any work while the upgrade is taking place.

If you are using an older PC, like pre-2011, give extra time. There might be times when the install seems to have stalled, please give it time. Nearly all Windows 10 upgrades are successful, but If nothing happens within 10 minutes, you should check your Internet connection to make sure you are connected.

If there are continued problems, you could contact Microsoft or call me. But DO NOT turn off your computer if it stalls during the upgrade, this could cause more damage.

Once you have finished the upgrade, you can start enjoying the improved security of Windows 10.

If you have questions or run into problems, please feel free to contact me.

If you would like to read more, Microsoft has published a list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the Windows 10 upgrade. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/upgrade-to-windows-10-faq

All This Talk About ‘Passwords’ Is Driving Me Nuts – I’m Happy to be Nuts :)

September 17, 2015 By bytesized

The New York Times ran the following article about the theft of more than a billion, yes, billion with a “B”, sets of internet credentials. Those would be username/password combinations like you use daily to access sensitive information everywhere. Sadly, the article says “There is worry among some in the security community that keep personal information out of the hands of thieves is increasingly a losing battle”. Read the original NYTimes.com article below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/technology/russian-gang-said-to-amass-more-than-a-billion-stolen-internet-credentials.html?ref=technology

With this in mind, please take a moment and think about what I have written below.

Most every day I get engaged in conversations that go much like this:

You: Should I change my password?
Me: Yes.

You: But I will never remember the new password. Plus all the rules are complex, and I’ve also learned that I should have a different password for every site.
Me: Yes, I’ll show you how and it will be simple and it only takes three minutes to learn and only takes three steps to complete.

Here’s a way to have a strong, secure and unique password for each site.

Let’s assume you want a new password for Yahoo.com.

First, pick a ‘typical’ password you can always remember. As an example, let’s use ‘baseball’. this doubleword will serve as the base of our password. This stays the same for every site.
Next, let’s use ‘123’ for the beginning and ‘$$$’ for the ending. This also stays the same for every site
Last, we’ll insert ‘YAHOO’ within ‘baseball’ (using all capital letters). This changes based on site.

Therefore,

The YAHOO password has now become, 123baseYAHOOball$$$
For GMAIL, this same scheme has become, 123baseGMAILball$$$
And for AMAZON, this same scheme has become, 123baseAMAZONball$$$

Trust me these unique passwords are quite secure. They contain numerals, capital letters, special characters and are very long. Also importantly they are easy for you to remember and reconstruct. You can check the strength at sites like https://howsecureismypassword.net/

You’ve heard enough about why you need to change your passwords, but, if you If you need additional reading material, take a look at this NBCNews article http://nbcnews.to/1o3XAv8 It outlines the prevalent attitude behind not changing passwords along with the fact that 18% of internet users have been hacked online.

As an aside, next time we speak, ask me about my Starbucks card hacking story, it’s actually amusing.

OK, time for some coffee now.