Home Security — OTC or Company Monitored

Are you thinking about adding a security system to your home or business? Security system can be broken into two main categories. The 1st type is what I call over the counter (OTC). The 2nd is company monitored systems.

OTC systems typically are purchased and installed by the home/business owner (sometimes with the assistance of a handyman), do not connect automatically to a police department for automatic reporting, and cost significantly less. Company monitored systems typically are installed and maintained by a 3rd party and include the ability to notify local emergency services/police.

Two factors play the most impact for determining which is best for you — cost vs. scope of monitoring. If you just want to know who is at your door, if someone is on your property, and/or record activity in a specific location; the OTC type system is probably all you need. If you have very valuable assets on location, a repeated history of burglaries, and/or want the ability to dispatch police/fire automatically, a monitored system is what you require.

Some of the most popular OTC systems are:

  • Ring by Amazon — they are known for their doorbell model, but have an entire line of products that can be integrated to give you full camera and light controls, both exterior and interior. Link: https://a.co/d/0XMkXBp
  • Blink by Amazon — really affordable indoor and outdoor cameras as well as doorbell features. Link: https://a.co/d/epezYZn
  • Vivint — great security features and complete line of products. Link: https://www.vivint.com/products/doorbell-camera

Company Monitor Systems:

  • ADT — probably the most known (both good and bad) for company monitored systems. Link: https://www.adtsecurity.com/
  • American Alarm Systems — this is a local company (Orange County, CA) that can give you that one-on-one service to make a customizable system specific to your residential or commercial needs. Ask for Alissa Beale (ph: 714-863-0333 or email: [email protected]) who can help evaluate your situation and recommend the appropriate equipment or system for your needs. Link: https://www.amalarm.com/
  • Postil Property Management — this is a local company (Orange County, CA) that handles property management including security…especially if your business involves residential rental units. Talk to Mike Postil (ph: 949-213-9980 or email: [email protected]) for some expert assistance. Link: https://ppmser.com

Smart Appliance — Refrigerators

There has been a general shift in home appliances to become “smart”. This is both a great upgrade and a major source of end user frustration.

First — Do you want or even really need a “smart” appliance. As with any device, as it becomes more powerful with more features, you have more opportunities for it to break, wear out, and increase cost. You should always review the new “smart” features and ask yourself if the benefits outweigh the risks. Typically, anything smart will need Wi-Fi access, periodic software updates, and a user (or close friend/family member) who can handle technical issues. As with anything connected to the internet, there are some security risks, so you need to ensure you have appropriate security in place.

Second — Make sure you review the new features. If you don’t want/need them, then don’t add complexity just because everyone else does.

Third — Keep an open mind. Most of the time, your first thought will be, “I don’t need that”. If you really sit down and think about how it would change what you do, and the time involved, that probably is not a true statement. As always, you should be looking at how much you benefit vs. the costs/risks involved.

Here are a few of the new smart refrigerators on the market that can give you an idea of some new smart fridge features available:

  • Model: RF29DB9900QDAA, Samsung 4-Door Flex with AI Family Hub+ and AI. This includes a touch sensitive large screens with some significant organizational and AI features (calendar integration, music and video live-streaming, weather updates, digital photo frames, etc.….) The real smart upgrade is the camera and AI technology on the inside. This feature allows the fridge to track what is added and removed. That’s right, it can tell you when the milk is empty. On your way home from work, you can stop at the grocery store, open your phone, and access the fridge grocery suggestions. It also has an automatically refilling water pitcher. Link: https://a.co/d/gUh9Y4Y
  • Model: CGE29DM5TS5, GE Cafe 4-Door French Smart Fridge. This model has a very simple, clean look from the outside, but all the tech is inside. As part of the GE smart appliances’ series that allows you to connect multiple GE devices together. Lots of customizable features, controls, and alerts available. Link: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cafe-28-7-cu-ft-4-Door-Smart-French-Door-Refrigerator-with-Ice-Maker-Platinum-Glass-ENERGY-STAR/5014668093?irclickid=SpCUDQ3qHxyPWW9zCt24swW6UksRxUzciyOFXo0&irgwc=1&cm_mmc=aff-_-c-_-prd-_-mdv-_-gdy-_-all-_-0-_-3006986-_-0
  • Model: ‎LRMVC2306D, LG Smart Wi-Fi Enabled InstaView™ Door-in-Door® Counter-Depth Refrigerator with Craft Ice™ Maker. This model has a very large screen with some really useful design features combined with Wi-Fi connectivity and significantly upgraded ice maker features. Link: https://a.co/d/6qFiGGr

If you are thinking about updating your home and especially areas like the kitchen. Please look at what is available, what you don’t like about your current setup, and what you want. Take that information to someone like me who can help you figure out how smart appliances can be helpful without becoming frustrating.

Apple and Windows Updates

Should I do it or not? Unless you have really old equipment or running unique software/company applications that may or may not be ready for the latest Windows/Apple OS update the general rule of them is update regularly when the updates are fully released (i.e. not beta status) unless you have been specifically instructed by your IT Support to not update.

Currently, the United States is experiencing cyberattacks at a higher than ever rate, and most of these updates are designed to improve security or remove bugs. The time period you are most likely to be hit with a virus or some other form of malware is the time period from when it was released until when your antivirus software has been updated with the solution. Bugs that most likely will impact the average user are the first to be fixed by Microsoft and Apple because of the number of customers negatively impacted. This means by not doing updates, you are only prolonging your exposure and/or difficulties.

If you have really old hardware (i.e., old IPhone) you may want to hold off on some large “cumulative or OS” updates because it could slow your system down. I would still recommend that any security or bug fix update should be done as soon as possible. Remember, when you purchase hardware, you should always get “more processing” power than you currently need. Reason — because of updates, the tasks performed today will require more resources in the future.

Laptops and desktops have good automatic backup settings but keep in mind this does NOT automatically download driver updates that Apple or Microsoft considers optional. In my opinion monitor, mouse, keyboard, audio are not optional. If any of those features are not working seamlessly, you are down. The likelihood you are not using these accessories is very small, so any security flaw is a major concern. You should have a reminder on your calendar to check for optional updates at least 4 times a year, if not monthly. This is a task that typically can be performed in less than 5 minutes but saves you hours of time if something goes wrong and should be done just after completing a backup.

Gamers and high-end users will need to use their best judgment about updates. Microsoft and Apple perform extensive testing before deploying an update, but they cannot account for every piece of hardware or software potential conflict. The more unique the hardware or applications you are using, the more likely for a problem post update.

Headsets for Phone and/or Computer

You should have one or more headsets to use with your cell phone and/or computer.

Let’s start with your cell phone. By the time you pay all the fees involved, California fines start at $150 and increase with each subsequent ticket. Most of the newer vehicles have Bluetooth technology, but I would suggest you NOT use that. Here are some reasons why:

  • Most of us don’t start and stop a conversation at the same time we start or stop driving. Using a headset allows you to continue the business conversation/meeting seamlessly when moving from behind the wheel, leaving your vehicle, and walking into a building, etc….
  • Vehicle Bluetooth normally does not include good noise cancellation features. This means that radio and road noise can be a significant distraction.
  • Vehicle software security is typically significantly behind because most vehicles do not receive updates unless they are in for service at a dealership. Because of how Bluetooth software works, quite often your vehicle will ask for permission or download a copy of your contacts. Depending on your client/contact information, this could be a significant security risk…especially considering California holds companies liable for any client PII information breaches.
  • Newer Bluetooth technologies can handle MULTIPLE devices simultaneously. This means you can have one headset connected to your computer, your work cell phone, and your personal cell phone all at the same time. Vehicle Bluetooth technology almost never has this option.
  • When you are having a client/business conversation, that information should typically not be “shared” with everyone in the vehicle, and especially not with people around your vehicle. I cannot tell you how many times I have listened to VERY private conversations while walking by a vehicle parked in a parking lot. For example, a lawyer should not be sharing your divorce information with everyone at the grocery store parking lot. In this example, the lawyer was unaware that his car audio was easily heard by everyone in a 10′ radius.

Here are some headsets perfect for usage with your cell phone and/or computer:

Sometimes, especially if you do many longer meetings via, you may want a more substantial headset that has longer talk time and can block some background noises. Here are some options:

Give me a call and I would be happy to help you pick the right device and how to use it to minimize technical conflicts.

UPS — What Is It and Do I Need One?

UPS stands for Uninterrupted Power Supply. This can be VERY useful for most computer/laptop users. Some benefits are:

  • A UPS includes a very large battery, which means it is a far more powerful surge protector than anything you normally would use as a plugin adapter.
  • If your power fluctuates (i.e., the lights flicker or go out), your equipment experiences a surge of power (normally small) before the flicker/outage. This surge places additional wear and tear even if everything remains functional and will cause early death of your electronics equipment.
  • If you are working from a desktop or server, having a UPS will give you time to shut down your equipment in a controlled manner. This prevents data loss or corruption.
  • If you don’t need internet access, a UPS can keep your work environment fully operational for short periods of time.

I recommend that all laptops, desktops, servers, etc… should be on a UPS. Expensive equipment that are sensitive to power fluctuations (Example: TVs) should be on a very robust power surge or a UPS device. If you live in an area with significant storms and/or unstable power, whole house surge protectors and lighting rods will save you significant many in repairs. In California, rolling brownouts all have a small power surge, even if they are done on purpose. The power surge can damage sensitive equipment like electronics.

How large a UPS should I buy? This depends mostly on 3 considerations:

  • How much money you want to spend?
  • How much power/electricity the equipment you will plug into it will draw/need?
  • How long do you want it to run when power is out?

Here are some currently on the market UPS devices of various strengths:

Give me a call if you require some help figuring out the “right” solution for your situation.

Paste Special—What is It and Why to Use It!

Everybody knows how to copy and paste (or cut and paste, as some of us prefer) — right? Actually, I would say wrong.

When you copy (Ctrl + C or right click, copy) or cut (Ctrl + X or right click, cut) something, it is placed in a virtual clipboard. Keep in mind that this action copies EVERYTHING about what you have selected. Some copy extras that come along…..

  • That extra space before or after the text you really wanted to select.
  • Any formatting involved including font, color, line spacing, etc….
  • Any tone-on-tone programming code that you cannot see but “selected” as part of the text.
  • Any embedded hyperlinks.
  • If copying from a website, various HTML coding.

The extras will cause SIGNIFICANT issues when you paste. If you are pasting into a presentation, word processing document, or spreadsheet; these extras cause major issues that have to be fixed manually most of the time, which can be very time-consuming.

All of these issues are avoided using paste special. When you paste (Ctrl + V, or right click, paste) a little typing clipboard typically shows just after you paste and disappears as soon as you click or select something else. If you instead click on that clipboard icon, you will see your paste special options.

The most useful one is — text only. Using this commend will bring the text you were interested, without the extras, so the formatting of your pasting location will apply. You can also see these options when you right-click and instead of selecting paste, choose one of the specific pasting options.

The 2nd most useful is paste as image. Even if you are bringing “text” sometime, you want it to appear EXACTLY as it does in the source copy location. Pasting as an image will bypass any formatting commands and give you basically a screenshot of the material.

If you are copying from a spreadsheet, various additional options exist because of the calculating features. Sometimes you just want the equation not the result and other times the opposite. Both are options using various paste special features. When inputting equations in a spreadsheet, the “$” means to lock the row or column information of the equation when copying. This prevents spreadsheets from automatically adjusting the equation based on where you are copying it to.

Using these features can save you considerable frustration and time when using the copy/cut/paste features of various applications.

What Type of Computer is Right for You?

Trying to figure out if you need a tablet, desktop — tower, desktop — mini, laptop, etc…?

First is to ask yourself how you are going to use it?

  • Does it need to be mobile?
  • How much processing power does it require?
  • How much graphic processing power does it require?
  • How long do I plan on using it?
  • Do I want Apple or non-Apple environment?

Some of these are very black and white questions. Some of these will depend on the price you pay for the feature, OR what features are mutually exclusive. This is where someone like me (or a geeky friend) is really helpful.

Mobility normally equals less ability to update and more cost? Normally, a big old desktop tower design will be the least expensive for the most performance.

If you are looking at a tablet, the most significant feature to consider is the operating system. Something that uses Android or iPhone OS will draw significantly less power and therefore can be mobile without hookup for some time. The trade-off is processing power. A Nook or Kindle for example is great at reading books and can do some limited internet surfing BUT the brain power is just not enough to edit pictures, handle most word processing programs, or even some websites. Tablets running a full computing operating system (i.e., Apple or Microsoft) typically can handle most computing tasks that are not for high-end users, but instead of power usage measured in a day or more….they typically are out of juice within a few hours or less.

Laptops normally cannot be updated inexpensively with more RAM memory as they age. I recommend clients always max out the RAM a particular laptop motherboard can handle at the time of purchase. Desktops are much more upgradable for both RAM memory, hard drive, or graphic processing. The one exception to this is mini-PCs. These are great options for the average low-end user (i.e., retiree that just wants to stay in touch with family and friends).

At this point, the real question is how do you use it? If you like to have 10 or more things open at the same time, you need to be very careful about getting a machine that will be too slow as it ages. With how software is updated, you will need more processing power to perform the same tasks as the device ages. If the device has an “integrated” graphics card, this means it “robs” processing power from the main computer processor in order to handle/work with graphics. A dedicated graphics card will keep the laptop or desktop from slowing down when working with pictures or gaming BUT increases the power demand greatly.

Computer specs and pricing will change constantly, so if you get a quote, and it is more than 2 weeks old, you will need to have it updated.

Don’t try to do this one on your own. This is where talking to a geek and making sure he/she understands how you are going to use the device can really help you pick the “right” computer/laptop/tablet for you!

Printers — Which One is Right For You?

There are many features you need to consider when looking at a printer. Start by answering the following questions?

  • Do I need/want color, or will black and white fit my needs?
  • How often do I print — some almost every day or go 2 or 3 weeks printing almost nothing and then use it?
  • How much do I print (i.e., # of pages per month)?
  • Do I require scanner and/or fax features?
  • Do I require duplexing (i.e., printing on both sides)?
  • What is the largest size of paper I need to print?
  • How long do I keep/plan to use the device?
  • Where am I putting it — next to the computer it is going to support OR some distance away?
  • Does the printer need to support multiple users/devices?
  • What am I printing — photos, documents, secured information that due to industry requirements cannot be wireless or cloud based printing service?

Once you have answered those questions, selecting a printer should be easy!

Let’s take paper size. Most printers cannot print more than letter or legal width paper. If you need something bigger, you will need a device with wide format features. HP has a nice multifunction device (MFD) that can handle up to 11×17 paper (https://a.co/d/3YWR5hA).

If you require fax and scanning features, then you need to consider only MFD hardware. Multiple options exist. Remember that these machines will be larger than a printer only device because of the scanning glass.

Duplexing — read the printer specs carefully! Some printers will say they can duplex but require you to take the 1st side printing paper out and put it back in flipped over for printing the 2nd side. This is very annoying….especially if you are printing multiple copies.

If you are printing something that cannot go through a network or cloud service, then make sure your printer is connected via a USB cable and check the settings to ensure the manufacture doesn’t upload a copy to their cloud to enable other features.

If you plan on keeping the device at least 3 years, stick to a major brand. There are some excellent printers in off-market brands, but the issue will be getting ink/toner at a reasonable cost as the device gets older. Talking about ink/toner supplies. Nothing wrong with off-brand consumables, BUT not all of them are created equal. Some will significantly decrease the quality of your prints….(especially if you are not a heavy user), therefore it takes a while to finish off an ink/toner consumable, will experience leaks that damage the printer.

Every printer normally states how many pages it is designed to print per month. Do NOT exceed this recommendation. Regular usage above the design will cause the printer to have an “early death”.

If a printer is not going to be located within 5–10 feet of the computer/laptop it is supporting, you will need something with an internal network card. This allows you to connect the printer via your Wi-Fi network AND allows multiple users/devices to use the hardware.

The big question for most people is laser or liquid ink? Typically, lasers cost more for the initial device and when purchasing the toner, BUT the cost per print is typically less expensive. Lasers will normally print much faster. If you typically have a month or 2 with no printing, I recommend the laser because quite of few of the liquid ink printers will clog if they are not used regularly.

Some options:

Give me a call if you need some help figuring out the “right” printer for you!

Which “Mouse” is Right for You?

There are more types of mice available to use than can possibly be used, but let me cover the ones you are most likely to use and why.

CDW has a great website covering the different mouse device types. Link: The 11 Different Types of Computer Mouse | CDW.

Some basic considerations that you should consider:

  • Your usage. The smaller the mouse, the more discomfort you will experience over time….especially when working long uninterrupted hours with repetitive motions.
  • Workspace configuration. If you don’t have much space or are “traveling” for your work, think about a trackball. This type of device doesn’t have to move when using the mouse.
  • Type of connection. The most secure form of connection is wired. Depending on your industry, your work may REQUIRE a wired connection. Bluetooth technology is pretty secure, especially considering it has a very short range, therefore a “hacker” would need to be within feet of you. It also uses very little power compared to other wireless technologies. Wi-Fi connectivity has a much longer range and good for someone who picks up their device and moves away from their computer/laptop. This has only a basic level of encryption (i.e., not the same as your Wi-Fi home/business network) and therefore may be ok for a mouse but probably should not be using something like a keyboard.
  • Optical vs. Mechanical. Laser mice/trackball typically have better sensitivity and control, which makes theme easier to use. Mechanical devices are not recommended if you have a lot of dust/hair/fur in your work environment.
  • Presentation controller. Make sure that if you present, you have a device to control the presentation without needing to go back to your laptop/desktop to control your slides.
  • Features. Some mice have a scroll wheel, which is very useful for scrolling through websites and other content. 2nd feature to consider is programmable buttons — if you do repeatable activities like opening a specific web, performing a specific macro in Excel, etc… — then programmable buttons are a must.

Here are some devices/brands as examples of the various features above:

The more expensive the mouse the more I would consider sticking to major brands, but for basic input devices save some money.

Bluetooth General Information

The most common question I get about Bluetooth technology is, “Is it safe to use next to the human body (i.e., headphones) for long periods of time”?

Yes. Bluetooth technology is nonionizing electromagnetic radiation (EMR). Here is a good article that lays out the medical information in easy to understand “non-doctor” format!

The next most common question is, “Is it safe data transfer”?

Yes. Bluetooth range is limited to 5–15 feet. The first layer of protect is this range. If you were going to “hack” the signal, you would need to be very physically close. Current Bluetooth technology uses encryption. Each generation of Bluetooth technology is able to use a greater form of encryption.

Why use it?

Multiple reasons…..

  • The limited range makes it difficult to hack.
  • The type of EMR involved is safe around humans. In fact, it is very hard for it to penetrate below the skin layer.
  • It is not transmitting openly and has its own form of encryption security.
  • Due to the frequencies involved in Bluetooth technology, it uses very little power compared to other forms of wireless technologies. This makes it a good source for things like keyboard, headphones, etc… connectivity. Bluetooth can transmit small files but not really a good choice, therefore most applications involving files are not setup to use it.
  • Newer Bluetooth devices can now connect simultaneously to multiple devices (i.e., one headphone connect to 2 cell phones and a computer).