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_ "Sharing Your Vacation With Friends & Family In Real Time"

Due to the growing number of free blog, photo-sharing, and social networking websites, such as Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, YouTube, and Where are You Now? (WAYN), loved ones do not have to wait to hear about your trip.


Choosing a Social Network or Photo-sharing Site

There are multiple websites that allow users to share photos or to publish a more in-depth blog, including the following:

• Flickr
  - Online photo management and sharing application
  - You can control permissions
• Picasa
  - Software download that helps you organize, edit, and share your photos
  - You can control permissions
• Traveljournals.net
  - Online travel journal, allows you to share pictures and stories
• Facebook & Twitter
  - Keep up with friends and upload photos

Once you choose the site you would like to use, you'll have to create a user account for that site before you can begin sharing your vacation.

What Technology to Pack

Before leaving for your adventure, be sure to bring the following items:

• A digital camera or camera phone
• A computer (either your own laptop, or a computer located in a hotel, library, cyber café, cruise ship—the options are increasing, daily)
• A media card reader, if your laptop doesn't have one
• For travel outside of North America, a power adapter for recharging your mobile phone or laptop

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"3 Ways to Improve Working on a Virtual Team"

Working on a virtual team can be a challenge. Here are some suggestions to help with virtual team management and to help your team work more effectively.

Use Instant Messaging for Unscheduled Meetings

Use instant messaging to get quick answers or opinions from your teammates. IM programs are free. At a glance, you can check your coworkers' status to see whether they're available to chat online. The following are different ways to use IM.

- Use a webcam to connect visually.
- Use multi-person chat to conduct a spontaneous online meeting.
- IM your teammates' cell phones when they're away from their computers.

1. Use a Virtual Conference Room
   
   Web-based conferencing, or web conferencing, makes it possible to brainstorm, create a slide presentation, have a staff meeting, or conduct training sessions with a group of people—even if they are thousands of miles apart.
   
   The following is needed to begin:
   
   Using either Lync or Live Meeting requires coordination with your IT department to create a subscription account or to install a server.
   
   
2. Share Meeting Information
   
   When organizing meetings, the simplest way to keep your team members on the same page is to create a web-based, shared calendar that everyone can edit. Then you'll know that everyone is looking at exactly the same schedule and can see any changes instantly. You can create a shared calendar in a variety of programs, including Windows Live Hotmail and Outlook.
   
   The following is needed to begin:
   
   In Windows 7, the calendar is part of Hotmail. Sign up for a free Hotmail account by getting a Windows Live ID.

_
As more people begin using laptops, the number of laptop thefts are increasing.

If your laptop computer is stolen, or if someone gains access to your files, your company, personal and financial data can be exposed.


See the following tips on how to stay protected.

1. Don't use computer bags.
   Computer bags only make it more obvious that you're carrying a laptop. The use of padded briefcases or suitcases is recommended.
2. Use passwords that are strong, and not kept in the computer bag.
   Strong passwords make it more difficult to break into your computer deterring individuals from trying to access your files.
3. Encrypt data.
   With the Windows Operating System, you can choose to encrypt files and folders. Which causes individuals to not be able to read data and see your information.
4. Keep an eye on your laptop.
   Don't lose sight of your bag, such as when going through airport security.
5. Buy a laptop security device.
   If you need to leave your laptop in a room or at your desk, use a laptop security cable to securely attach it to a heavy chair, table, or desk. The cable makes it more difficult for someone to take your laptop. There are also programs and devices that will report the location of a stolen laptop.
6. Do not leave your laptop in a hotel room.
   If you must leave your laptop in the hotel room, place the do not disturb sign on the door.
7. Put your name and contact info on the laptop.
   In addition to putting your name on the laptop, it is also recommended that you include a, "Reward with no questions asked if returned." tag line as well. Both of these increase the chance of your laptop being returned, no matter what the circumstance.

_When your RAM is unable to store all of your work easily, your computer slows down and becomes more difficult to run. One of the solutions is to expand the space—or install more RAM.

Before purchasing anything, it is necessary to know how much memory is currently in your computer and what type of memory to buy.

How to Find Out How Much RAM Your Computer Has

There are two different ways to find out how much RAM your computer has including the following:

1. You can open the System Information dialog box to see the installed physical memory
2. You can go to Control Panel

To open System Information perform the following steps:

1. click Start, click All Programs
2. click Accessories
3. click System Tools
4. click System Information
5. In the left pane, select System Summary. The Installed Physical Memory (RAM) entry in the list tells you how much RAM your computer has.

_The Installed Physical Memory (RAM) entry in the System Information list tells you how much RAM your computer has.

How to Find Out How Much RAM is Needed

The operating system determines the amount of RAM that's needed. Systems running Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP, should have the minimum recommended amount, however more may be better. If the PC is solely used for surfing the Internet and writing letters, it may only require the minimum amount of RAM required to run the version of Windows you have installed on your computer. In order to allow for the best performance possible —consider increasing the RAM on your computer to at least 2 gigabytes (GB). 4 GB is ideal.

How to Figure Out What Type of RAM is Needed

Contact the manufacturer or use an online memory advisor, such as those from Crucial Technology or Kingston Technology. These memory advisors use information that you enter about your computer model and do a memory check for your specific PC that tells you which products work with your system.

Installing the New RAM

It is recommended that you consult a professional if you have not installed RAM before. We offer affordable installation services and can assist you with increasing your RAM. Call our office for more details and to setup an appointment.