Business Networking Tip: Create Gravity!

When going to an event or even a regular speaking engagement, wear something that is identifiable. All Pop icons have some sort of "signature" to their appearance. Steve Jobs was always seen in jeans and a turtleneck; Donald Trump has loud and bold ties; to name a few.

So how do you display your signature even in a low lit networking event? Simple; wear an attention grabbing piece of clothing. 

• Digital Name Badge
• Regular name badge with blinking LED
• Bright colored piece of clothing

These garments don't have to be extravagant, just simple and easy to identify. An unusual hat, vest or tie could easily do the trick.

There are 3 main reasons to creating your gravity...

1. It creates a presence in the crowd without saying or doing anything
2. Easily becomes an ice breaker as on-lookers will want to know what the unique piece is about. This works especially well in getting leverage into a clique group that isn't networking, yet could be a power connection for you
3. Most importantly, it creates an instant memory for those you've interacted with and even those that you may only have gotten their card without much discussion. When you do your follow up calls, you can jog their memory with "I was the guy wearing the flashing green name badge at XYZ Networking event" instead of "I was the guy that was about your height wearing  a suit at the event yesterday" which was about 75% of the entire room and doesn't help you stand out from the crowd.

If you are looking for an ice breaking for any network event, I highly recommenced the iDigiTag. I use one everywhere I go and its hard to not be remembered!
http://idigitag.com/video-badge/

Questions, or ideas, we love to get your feedback. 

Until next time, 

Will Kutzler

F1 Networx Inc.

New York's Premier Tech Management Group

www.f1networx.com

631-764-2600

Your Emergency Kit Is Missing This

Your Emergency Kit Is Missing This

Like most people, your Home/Auto Emergency Kit includes the necessities to ensure a basic set of safety. These days however, that kit needs a refresh. With so many of us depending on our mobile devices for communication, having a dead cellphone battery in the middle of a storm is not good.

Fortunately, its a cheap and easy fix. Get a small portable battery pack. 

This unit has a decent capacity, flashlight built in and is easy to stow away

http://amzn.to/1z2wAlZ

Or if you need a larger and more durable unit that can recharge itself...
http://amzn.to/1th8jZV

The price for both of these are very reasonably priced and can get you out of a jam. Best part is that you can charge it in the car, from a laptop or other USB sources like a Cable TV Box. Keep one in the car, and another in the house.

Additionally, if you are in the Tri-State region, CVS and Staples has these units (without flashlight) for $10 or less.

On the left is the small charger, on the right is the Levin Solar unit.

Questions, feel free to contact us.

William Kutzler

F1 Networx Inc.

New York's Premier Tech Management Group

631-764-2600

2014 World Cup Gadget Go Bag

How to stay connected even if you're touring the 2014 World Cup

Lets face it, we live in a highly connected world and being away from the office is becoming a greater challenge as our need to interact at a moments notice becomes the norm. So if you're a road warrior, busy executive, or a journalist traveling to report the latest of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, I'll help guide you to getting the 5 essentials into your Go Bag. Lets go...

1. ---TABLET/Smartphone---
   Even with tablets and smartphones becoming faster and flexible (ie Samsung Galaxy Tab), you could leave the laptop in the office provided you have a bluetooth keyboard to go along with you. If you use an Android or Windows tablet, you'll be able to connect wireless (or USB wired) mouse as well which can make things easier. For those of us that travel internationally, having a removable SIM card is a HUGE win as you'll see below how it helps.
2. ---Longer USB Cables---
   While battery life is very important, the cable that came with your device is far too short to be practical. You'd want a 6-10ft USB cable or at least an extension cable so that you aren't hovering near an outlet. A major point to keep an eye on is the thickness of the wire in the cable. Also called the gauge of the wire, listed as AWG on the white print on the wire itself. Having a wire that is too thin (cheapo generic cables on e-bay for example) may be a bargain, but the wire itself wont be able to reliably carry the electricity to your device, especially on longer cable runs. A tell-tale sign of the wire being too thin is erratic behavior from your device while charging, charging stops after a short period of being plugged in, or not charging at all. The lower the AWG rating, the more power it can carry. A good rating for your kit would be 22 AWG. The data pins can be 28 AWG since they dont need to support heavy power loads.
   Example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189234
   
   Notice how thick the cable is going into the USB connectors, you should be able to clearly notice the thicker wire inside.
   
   
3. ---Universal USB Charger---
   Thirsty devices like high end smartphones and tablets need 1-2 amps [respectively] of power from the charger to fill the battery in a reasonable time. Make sure you bring a charger that can supply more Amps than your device would need. A good travel charger should have a minimum of 2 USB ports that can supply at least 2.1 amps collectively. If you are charging a tablet AND a smartphone at the same time, you'll need at least 3.1 or a 4.2 amp charger to charge both devices at the same time. Don't forget international power compatibility.
   Example: http://www.ianker.com/product/71AN7105-W5A
   
   
   A USB charger like the one above helps cut down on wire clutter and having to drag around wall chargers especially if you are traveling with other people.
4. ---Microsoft Lync with IP Phone Integration---
   Microsoft Lync much more than just a messaging platform when it teams up with an IP Phone System. You can have your desk phone travel with you abroad without using international calling minutes on your cell. Launch conferences, live chat (voice, video and text) with team members and collaborate in real-time all from your tablet or phone. Hosted PBX systems like CallTower give you all the features without having to foot the bill for all the technology on the back-end to make it work. It works wonders with your desk phone which I'll post Hosted PBX reviews in a later blog. When traveling international, Lync and hosted IP phone can cut your need for international roaming minutes which is a major money saver for those long conference calls. If your phone or tablet has a removable SIM card, it is highly recommended that you purchase a local SIM card for the area that you are traveling in. Data rates for local SIM cards are many many times cheaper than using your USA issued card. Combine Lync, Hosted IP softphone app and your new local SIM card and you have the winning trifecta! Send e-mail to your heart's content, facebook and twitter updates, Voice-over-IP calls till you're blue in the face! All at a fraction of the cost if you used the SIM card from back home.
5. ---Portable Power Pack---
   Most of the time, you can go a full day on a single charge, but if you need more juice a portable power pack can give you a battery boost just when you need it most. These devices are measured in mAh, or milliamp hours. mAh is defined as the total amount of energy a battery can store at one time [phonescoop.com]. So a power hungry device (tablet) will draw more power in a shorter time than charging your phone will from the same power pack. Remember, just like the USB Charging Kit if there is more than 1 USB port, you need to check out the TOTAL use from all the devices charging at 1 time to see how fast you will drain the portable battery pack. Phonescoop.com gives an easy breakdown of the math here
   
   
   Notice on the battery pack, it has 2 specific USB output ports, a 1 Amp and a 2 Amp for your phone and tablet respectively. To the right is a dual port USB car charger that also has a dedicated charging port for phone and tablet (1 amp, 2 amp). You can charge a phone in either port, but tablets must use the higher output port to charger properly.

Whether you're on the road, on a plane back home or waiting to board your flight to catch the next Wimbledon match, the 5 devices above should help keep you connected even when everyone else is scrambling for a charger.

We love to hear from our visitors, leave us a note, comment, praise, feedback in the comments section down below!

-Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.
631-764-2600

Google Chromecast

While the final frontier of technology dominance has been the TV in the living room, companies very rarely make a splash. Even the hyped Apple can't crack the code, as their Apple TV turned out to be a blundering failure. Enter Google and their Chromecast. As of the last year, Google released the product called Chromecast. It isn't a set-top box or a whole TV, instead, its an HDMI device with a Wi-Fi chip in it. The entire function of this tiny widget is to bridge the content and apps from your phone, tablet and PC over to your TV. The cost is a tiny $35 and is available everywhere [Staples, Best Buy, RadioShack and all over online].

Setup is a breeze. The hardest part is connecting it to your TV, just plug it in and change the input. If its wall mounted, it can take a little longer since you aren't taking your TV off the wall to connect it quicker. Takes 5-7 minutes after you have the app installed. During the setup from your mobile device, the widget has the Wi-Fi profile configured, gets the latest firmware update and configures itself for the format of your TV.

What you need

• TV with available HDMI and USB port
• if you dont have USB, thats OK the kit comes with a Wall Adapter for it
• Mobile device with access to an App Store/Google Play to download the Chromecast app
• Wi-Fi network coverage that reaches the TV
• the stronger the signal, the smoother the experience will be

Picture quality was outstanding, worked with my Droid Razr Maxx HD, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Samsung Galaxy S4 without a hitch. At times, I've noticed the device doesnt want to connect, but turning the TV on/off does the trick. It could be the USB port on my TV not putting out enough power to drive the Chromecast which using the supplied AC Adapter would potentially resolve that, but I didn't want to run any wires and it happens very rarely. Netflix, YouTube, Revision 3 channels looked great on my TV in 1080p and I could multi-task on my device while the chromecast was streaming either browsing the web, looking for the next video to cast or adding something to the playback queue. All in all, easy and it doesnt require its own interface to interact with, just adds a button that lets you Cast to the TV of your choice if you have multiple Chromecasts on the same network.

All in all, I would totally recommend these. They're a steal at $35, a breeze to setup and for about $100 you can add online content to 3 TV's in your home/office without additional subscriptions.

Don't Be The 70%

Did you know that the optimal condition for static electric shocks is cold dry air? The wintertime gives you plenty of opportunity to charge up with static electricity and then inadvertently zap your sensitive electronics like memory cards, hard drives, PC and servers. This looming risk goes unnoticed until the question comes up…Do we have a backup?

According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 70% of small businesses that have a major data loss go out of business within a year. They fail not because of a flaw in the product or service they offer, but because the business was not properly managed from the IT side. In order to successfully manage the most valuable aspect of any business - data, a business has to hire an IT administrator, outsource the IT management task or get training on how to fulfill the IT task themselves. Small and mid-size businesses usually do not have dedicated IT staff and have little desire to spend a lot of time or money on technology or sign up for complicated licensing agreements.

Why do people make spyware, viruses and Spam Mail

We've asked the age old question, why in the heck would someone create and distribute a virus, spyware or bombard your PC with Spam mail or pop-ups? The answer is simple...money! Typically originating from countries where laws against this type of behavior are lax, a breeding ground for deception and fraud flourish. Not every piece of malware is written for the same purpose. Depending on what it is, the objective for how it makes the hacker money can be different. Below I'll go into 8 ways of what happens.

1.       Selling you something - they setup a fake storefront and either steal your credit card info or ship you counterfeit / stolen goods.

2.       Steal your login info - the objective here is to capture the login for sites like PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, and Banking sites. This can be done in 2 ways: hijack your web browsing sessions and silently transmit your login details to a server somewhere on the internet. OR, rick you with Spam e-mail that looks very close to what a bank or other institution would send. Typically they ask you to reset your password or update your login info via a link in the email. If you visit that site, it is engineered to look exactly like the institution they are stealing your info from.

3.       Pay-per-click fraud - After compromising a user's computer the hacker can install malware that manipulates Internet traffic. They redirect the victim’s clicks to advertisements located on the criminals’ webpage. They make money from ad networks by sending traffic to their customers’ ads. Ever have the problem when you go to Google and every single search you do goes to a site you didn't want? That's exactly what Pay-Per-Click Fraud is.

4.       Fake security software - also disguised as fake anti-virus, these typically are very intrusive and you can't close them out. It shows you virus scans and hundreds of infections then ask for you to purchase the product to remove them. After the credit card has been submitted, it is then sold on the Black Market. Call your Credit Card Company immediately if you've fallen victim to one of these scams.

5.       Ransomware - this malware is a quickly spreading very rapidly. It encrypts your documents, boot files or other critical component of your PC and holds it hostage until you pay a ransom. The only person that has the decryption key is the criminal. As of late, fake FBI warnings stating the police have detected child porn on your computer. The warning tells the victim their computer has been locked and they must pay a $100 fine to unlock it.

6.       Social media spam - they steal your Facebook, MySpace, Twitter account and then use it to spam everyone in your networks.

7.       Banking malware - rather than taking just your username and password, this type of malware also sends video clips of your PC as you login so they capture the entire process to the banking sites.

8.       Premium-rate SMS fraud - Rather than ask you for your credit card or pull money straight from your bank account, they use your cell phone. Ever respond to a survey on Facebook and they ask for your cell number? You just signed up for a premium-rate SMS service. The app you downloaded may come with a program that can send text messages to premium rate numbers at your expense, like an international number.

So what can you do to protect yourself and your business? Keep your anti-virus and anti-spam systems updated. Next train and notify employees when counterfeit e-mails from banks are coming through.  If you have fallen victim, immediately contact your Credit Card Company or Bank and notify them your account has been compromised. Change the credit card number or freeze the account. The better your protections are, the better you can shield yourself from these attacks. The Astaro firewall platform has dual anti-virus and dual spam filters in addition to rejecting traffic based on the country it came from. Just from the last point can reduce spam and fraud website traffic by 80% or better.

If you need assistance setting up systems and training employees against such types of attacks, drop us a line. We’re here to help you. Or if you have questions, we can answer them too. Thanks!

Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.

631-764-2600

info@f1networx.com

www.f1networx.com

Think a traditional phone system is saving you money? Guess again...

The cell phone has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last 5 years, but your office phone system is still using technology from the dinosaur era and you're still paying  per line every month and not getting a single feature from it. Humans are creatures of habit (unfortunately) which is why so many businesses over-spend by several thousands of dollars each year!

But Will, I'm using Optimum Voice for my calling, its cheap and I get unlimited minutes. While that's all well and good, the OV service provides no features other than a dial tone to your phone system! As for the unlimited calling, businesses use very little outbound minutes compared to their inbound calls. Even if you are using a T1 to handle your phone calls, you're paying way more than you should for having a minimal set of features.

Are you paying a maintenance contract for that phone system that's connected in your back room? That's another cost! These contracts typically only cover a small portion of repair/service to your outdated phone system. If you need a replacement part, that's a surprise cost. Give you an example, we had a customer with a 5 year old Avaya Phone System, the voice mail board burned out. Cost to replace: $3,400. Ouch! They ditched that old box and went to a hosted phone system (more on that later in the blog).

The worst part about having a phone system in the back room is that you get stuck in what we call the triangle of problems. There is a problem with the phones, so you call the "phone guy" then the conversations go something like this...

1. You: Call the "Phone Guy"
2. Phone Guy: Well if we have to schedule a service call and it wasn't a problem with the phone system, then we're going to bill you". 
3. You: But I have a contract.
4. Phone Guy: It doesn't matter if you have a contract, if it wasn't a phone system problem, then we bill you. We suggest you call your phone company which would be [Verizon, Cablevision, Lightpath, Broadview, etc).
5. You: Stop doing your job and Call your phone company, wait on hold, and troubleshoot the phone problem.
6. Phone Company: We don't see anything wrong on our end, all signals and lines are OK.. There's something wrong at your location. We suggest you contact your phone guy.
   ---So you hang up and call the phone guy again.
7. You to Phone Guy: we called the phone company and they said everything was OK on their end. Something is going on with the phone system and we need it fixed, please have someone come out to repair it.
8. Phone Guy: We have an opening for Thursday.
9. You: Thursday of Next week?! What am I supposed to do until then? 
10. Phone Guy: ......

That's the problem with your typical phone system.

Have you heard about phone calls going through the internet? Its called Voice over IP or VoIP for short. Many people are hesitant to use this for their office but in fact they have been using it for years! That cable or FIOS modem that  you have your phone system plugged into....that is sending your calls over the internet. Using a T1? Same thing but in a different type of connection.

A hosted phone system takes that clunky box in the back room and puts it into a datacenter. The benefits of this are many. Here are a few...

• Many features that would cost big money on a regular system
• Predictable monthly cost that is comparable to what you pay now
• 1 Phone call to get repairs, changes, upgrades and questions answered
• Ability to use more than 1 internet connection. A real-time backup for phones AND your PC's.
• and much more

We've installed many systems that allow businesses to protect themselves from not just phone system problems and the high cost, but from natural disasters like Hurricane Irene. Just because your office doesn't have power, does not mean you wont be able to get calls from your customers or have to forward every call you get to a single cell phone.

Questions, comments, and feedback are always welcome.

William Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.
New York's Premier Technology Management Group
631-764-2600
info@f1networx.com
www.F1Networx.com

Summertime Danger

Did you know…the summer months are the most dangerous for devices connected to wall outlets?

Here's why: In the summer, the electric grid experiences significant burdens from increased demand from fans and air conditioners. Why you may be comfy and cool in the office, your PC and network equipment is being battered by wild power variations at the outlet. It’s a problem because it can lead to unstable performance, shortened hardware lifespan, but worst of all...total system failure.

So how can we protect valuable equipment that your business depends on every day? Its simple. Any device that is critical to keeping your network and communications running should have a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply, aka battery backup) connected between the wall outlet and your equipment. This is the most important detail; it MUST have the following features:

• Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR)
• It helps by correcting low and high voltage conditions without using the battery (ie. brownouts)
• Power conditioning 
• This protects connected equipment from "Dirty Power" (surges, spikes, lightning, noise, etc)
• Accurate run-time needs
• Don't use a UPS that's smaller than your normal power requirement.
• Make sure you will have enough battery time to shut down the equipment and still have some charge left
• Remember,  batteries lose their charge over time

The good news is that protecting yourself from stable power is cheap! You may ask yourself "Why do I need this, everything is working fine", and it may be OK...for now. The cost incurred AFTER a power related failure is typically between 4 and 10 times more expensive than protecting yourself before it happened! Penny Wise, Dollar Foolish, it just doesn't pay.

We can help you stay protected so you don't need to sweat it.

Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc
http://www.f1networx.com

Late Model HP PC High Failure Rates

HP has discovered that some P66xx and S56xx and HPE-4xx Desktop Models built in the June / July 2010 time frame have system boards with a slightly higher than expected failure rate. The following computers may experience no video at start up and stop responding.

These systems include:

Model Name                                                     Product Number

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-400f Desktop PC    BT470AA

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-400y Desktop PC    BT471AA

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-410f Desktop PC    BM424AA

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-410y Desktop PC    BM425AA

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-441f Desktop PC    BT519AA

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-447c Desktop PC    BT584AA

HP Pavilion p6610f Desktop PC                   BM417AA

HP Pavilion p6616f Desktop PC                   BT503AA

HP Pavilion p6617c Desktop PC                  BT427AA

HP Pavilion p6620f Desktop PC                   BM419AA

HP Pavilion p6622f Desktop PC                   BT492AA

HP Pavilion p6633w Desktop PC                                 BT429AA

HP Pavilion p6636f Desktop PC                   BT512AA

HP Pavilion p6640f Desktop PC                   BM422AA

HP Pavilion p6653w Desktop PC                                 BT529AA

HP Pavilion p6654y Desktop PC                  BT551AA

HP Pavilion p6674y Desktop PC                  BT552AA

HP Pavilion p6677c Desktop PC                  BT432AA

HP Pavilion p6687c Desktop PC                  BT543AA

HP Pavilion Slimline s5660f Desktop PC   BM430AA

Based upon HP records concerning your computer purchase(s), your

computer(s) may be affected. HP is implementing a Limited Warranty Enhancement for your system.

If you are seeing this type of failure, HP recommends that you

visit:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c03199423

This document describes the program and how it will affect you.

HP regrets any inconvenience this may have caused you and we look forward to assisting you.

Sincerely,

Hewlett-Packard Company


If you need additional assistance with resolving this you can contact us at 631-764-2600 or e-mail us at info@f1netwox.com

-Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc. 

Check Out My New Credit Card Terminal !!!

We're used to things getting smaller, but usually the price doesn't follow. That is until you look at credit card processing...

I recently got the Square Card Reader over the weekend. Like all new technology, we have to take a grain of salt with it. This product though has blown away my expectations. Since spotting this a few months back, I was waiting to take the leap, and I'm glad I did!

Here's how it works....
Using your smartphone or tablet (Android / iOS), download the Square App and connect the FREE reader which they sent by mail. Plug the reader into the headphone jack, launch the app and you now have a credit card terminal! Punch in the amount to charge, swipe the card, hit the process transaction icon, done. You can even do manual card entry. You can even issue a refund right from your transaction history register on the device!

This is all great but how much does it cost? Simple: 2.75% per transaction (3.5% + 15cents for manual entry). Thats it. No minimums, no terminal fee or merchant fees, no tiered pricing, no guessing. I LOVE IT.

So what about the receipt and signature? No worries. The receipt gets emailed or text messaged to them on the spot! And the signature is entered right on the screen with their finger or a stylus.

Process the payment over 2G, 3G, 4G or WiFi, all the data is encrypted. They adhere to the highest industry standards (PCI Level 1).

The money is transferred within 1 business day via ACH, unlike PayPal which holds it in their account until you  initiate the transfer.

So what are you waiting for? Ditch the terminals from 1990 and get Square today! Available at Radioshack and Online at https://squareup.com/

You will need the following:

1. A Smartphone or Tablet
• Apple device running iOS 4.1 or higher (iPad iOS 5.0+ for register version)
• Android running 2.1 or higher 
2. A 3.5mm headset jack with microphone (audio jack adaptors are not supported)
3. A screen size specified as Normal or Large (Small screen sizes are not supported)
4. GPS enabled
5.  A data connection

This is a solid solution for anyone on the Go or even at a fixed location. They will provide you with multiple readers if you have several devices to swipe from, for free.

Are you an E-Hoarder??

We've all seen the episodes on TV where out in the middle of nowhere this house is packed with garbage as far as the eye can see. We just can't believe it! Many of us swear that we will never get that way, but the truth is, you probably already are a hoarder.... an E-Hoarder that is. Don't be scared though, depending on what industry you work in, it may be a requirement, like finance and legal for example.
The most common thing for people to retain massive histories of is e-mail. The typical worker gets about 105 emails per day. That's over 25,000 emails per year!! While for some this doesn't sound like much, keep in mind that when you send a message, it saves a copy in your sent items too. So for those of us with busy mailboxes, its no surprise to become overwhelmed with thousands of emails when the year ends. The root cause of our affliction has been due to progress in technology! But isn't technology supposed to help? Well it is, but the problem is that storing information has become cheaper to do! Back in 2000, 1 Gigabyte cost about $9, today that same Gigabyte costs closer to $.08! 1GB costs less than 1% vs. back in 2000, which enables the mentality, "Theres plenty of space on my server, so why bother deleting?". There in lies the problem....

We've subjected ourselves to information overload and bloated storage costs. It isn't storing all those emails that's the issue, there's no way to find what you're looking for unless its been promptly sorted! So now we require a search engine for our mailboxes. With search engines like Google and Bing, we're accustomed to instant and accurate search results, but on desktops and servers however, its a whole different ball game. Comparatively, searching our own data is similar to using a stone and chisel to take notes, its just not up to snuff. The inability to find the information we need can leave us in a heap of other troubles, particularly when it comes to litigation.

When you are being sued or vice versa, having your data properly classified is essential. E-discovery is the stage of the legal research process whereby legal teams are sifting through mountains of data to find information that is relevant to the case. The faster they can find relevant information, the lower your legal costs can be. The efficiency of your organization to purge data is also a key function as well. Knowing when you can wipe data from the systems is extremely important as it keeps your data set manageable.

So in short, do some house cleaning and consider upgrading your document management system as this would be a good time to do it.

-Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.

Think the "new iPad" really is cutting edge? Guess again...

The "new iPad" and the latest releases from other tablet makers like Motorola and Samsung are all flawed in one main way...the screen. Having a higher resolution (better quality picture) really only contributes to a small portion of the tablet experience.

The real advancements are to be seen in the responsiveness of the screen, not so much about what the other components are (memory, processor, and the like). A recent publication by the Microsoft Applied Sciences Group has broken the barrier into the next generation of touch screen interaction.

ALL tablets (yes, even the new iPad) all suffer from touch screens with slow response times, about 100ms (milliseconds, 1 / 1000 of a second). A true touch experience needs a screen with a response of at least 5ms. The Microsoft Lab has developed a screen that achieves 1ms! The video link at the bottom of the post demonstrates this why this is so important.

You Tube Link to Video

-Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc
New York's Premiere Technology Management Company
www.f1networx.com

XBOX360 technology makes home robots a reality!

The human body as the new game controller has been all the rage in the last 2 years. While we were amazed at how these game consoles are bringing new levels of entertainment to the home for people of all ages, technology enthusiasts were already looking into the future.

Microsoft has now released their programming development kit for the Microsoft Kinect sensor bar.

The future of robotics is coming, limited only to what your program makes of it.
http://www.microsoft.com/robotics/#About

-William Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.
www.f1networx.com

What Internet "Speed" Really Means

We all want to go fast, especially on the internet, but so many consumers are misled everyday by the advertisements of service providers.

When they [Cable Company, FiOS, Whoever] say that they're the fastest, they really mean that their service has the most capacity. On a network, speed means how long it takes for a signal to go from your end of a network to another. The technical term for this is latency, measured in milliseconds.

The service providers are actually describing capacity, measured in Megabits (Mbps) or Gigabits (Gbps) per second. What this means is you have a connection that allows for a lot more traffic before it gets bogged down. Think of a 6 lane highway.

Depending on your needs, you may want lower latency instead of higher capacity. If you have a web server, lower latency is better when you have many small pieces to transmit. An FTP server is completely different because you would want to move those large files in less time or be able to handle more transfers at one time. With the FTP server, how long it takes to make the connection isn't as important as how much data it can move when there is a large volume of data to move.

Here's an easier way to understand it...

Latency:
You need to deliver a letter (small files like a webpage) to someone across the country. Low Latency (fast) means you hop into a Formula 1 racecar and zip it across the country. If you need to transport many letters, this connection is great. This would be a T1 or other dedicated connection.

Capacity:
Now while the race car is fast, it can't carry large packages or freight (big files on an FTP Server), therein lies the problem. Here you would use a slightly slower connection (an 18 wheel truck) , to handle much more in one delivery. It takes longer but if you are moving many large files or have many people to deliver to, you want more capacity, speed isn't as important.

Common Connection types:

• T1/metro Ethernet - fast (private highway for your files), expensive, corporate grade, guaranteed speed and up-time metrics
  
• Cable Internet - "slow", but has a lot of capacity shared across subscribers, no service up-time guarantee, cheap
  
• FiOS (Fiber) - faster than cable, has much more capacity than cable, but no service up-time guarantee, cheap

There are many other options, but for the small business, it really comes down to these 4.

Depending on your internet usage needs (web server, e-mail, FTP, VoIP) having a cable/fios connection may not be the best solution.

We've helped countless companies measure their needs with the connectivity they really need, not just what they've seen on TV.

Thanks for reading,

F1 Networx Inc.
New York's Premiere Technology Management Group
631-446-1221
http://www.f1networx.com

How To Install SugarCRM on Synology NAS

UPDATE: As of late, with the latest release of the Synology DSM 4.0, the SugarCRM is now available as an app in the Package Center which makes the entire process listed below, obsolete. Check the Synology support page to see if your NAS has a firmware update available to it for DSM 4. Same rules apply though, the higher end unit you have, the better the performance will be.

Since day 1 I have loved the Synology line of NAS products. Its so much more than a Network Attached Storage. The company has released packages that can be easily downloaded and deployed but I want it to do more.

Since discovering SugarCRM a few years ago, I had needed to install it to a linux/windows pc or as a Virtual Appliance. Since then I have found that the Synology box runs most of the components of the LAMP needed for Sugar out of the box. Some need to be enabled but thats not a big deal.

What we will be installing is the SugarCRM Community Edition (open source) which is 100% free.

So how is it done? Here we go....

The platform:

Synology DS209 (firmware version 3.0 1337)
2x WD Caviar Black 750GB in RAID 1
1Gbps CAT6 link to the network
APC Back-UPS RS 1500 connected via USB

SugarCRM Community Edition v6.1.0 beta4

Disclaimer--I, nor F1 Networx Inc. are responsible for any data loss that may occur as a result of following this procedure. Back-up your data before you proceed. Do not attempt if you don't understand what you are doing.

STEP 1--Have a PC connected to the internet and download the latest ZIP of the SugarCRM www folder. Download it here. If the link doesn't work, use the full line-->
http://www.sugarforge.org/content/downloads/helper.php?dl=/frs/download.php/7361/SugarCE-6.1.0beta4.zip
STEP 2--Open the zip folder and extract it to a folder on your desktop. After extracting, rename the folder to "sugarcrm".

STEP 3--Now we need to login to the Synology NAS and enable the web server function.

Go to the Control Panel icon, then under Network Services, click on the Web Services icon. Then check off the Enable Web Station, and Enable MySQL.

Press OK to save the changes.

STEP 4--Now that the web site is running, it will create a new share called "web". This is the linux equivalent of the /var/www directory. We need to assign write privileges for our user. So go back to the control panel, and under:

1. File Sharing and Privileges
2. Click on the File Sharing icon
3. Navigate to the "web" share name and click on it
4. Click on the Privileges Setup button at the top
5. You will now see all the users and their access rights to the share, mark off the Read/Write check box for the users that you want to have edit access to the web share.
6. Press OK to save
7. Close out of the control panel frame

STEP 5--We need to install the SQL manager to setup the database. Download the SQL Manager package from the Synology website. http://www.synology.com/support/download.php
You need to choose the model of your NAS, navigate to the bottom of the downloads where you will see phpMyAdmin Package. Download the zip file to your desktop and extract it.

STEP 6--Install the phpMyAdmin Package to the NAS. Go to the system button (see pic below), go to Package Management, click Install, click Browse, navigate to your desktop where you extracted the zip of the phpMyAdmin Package.spk file, press Next, mark off "Run after install".

STEP 7--Create the database using phpMyAdmin link located in the URL field. See pic below.

when prompted for a login/pass, the default username is root, there is no password.

At the phpMyAdmin main screen create a database called "sugarcrm", dont change any settings for it. Now would be a good time to change the root password also.

STEP 8--Close out of the phpMyAdmin screen and logout from the Synology admin panel. Browse the web folder share on your NAS, \\ip-of-your-synology\web

Make sure you are using an account that has read/write credentials that we set earlier.

Copy the sugarcrm folder that we extracted and renamed back in Step 2 and paste it into the web folder on your Synology NAS. After the copy completes, use your web browser and navigate to http://ip-of-your-synology/sugarcrm/install.php

That will bring you to the configuration wizard of SugarCRM. When prompted for the database password, username will be root, the password is blank unless you changed it. Where it asks for a database, type in "sugarcrm" (without the quotes). After the setup completes, you can close your web browser.

STEP 9--Login to to the SugarCRM console. Use your web browser and navigate to http://ip-of-your-nas/sugarcrm/index.php

Initially you will login with the same credentials that you use for the admin account of the admin panel of the Synology.

STEP 10--You're all set to manage your client relationships more effectively. At this point it is suggested that you add the web share and the mysql databases to your back-up routine on the Synology.


NOTES.... on my unit, the delay in page response varies from instant to a few seconds (3-4) depending on how much content and intensity of the page request. If you are doing this on a higher end unit, like a "+ series" unit or are using WD Raptors/SSD your results will likely be better. This system is very processor intensive, so the faster the better. RAM and HDD usage impacts are minimal.

Feedback is much appreciated. Thanks!!!

Until next time,

Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.
http://www.f1networx.com

MagicJack Test and Trial Results

January 6th, 2009

Cost - $40 + tax (or shipping) --> this includes the widget and 1 year of service. Each additional year is $20 or 5 years for $60 which is awesome price for a basic portable VoIP connection.
Setup Time - about 15 minutes.
Ease of Installation- very easy
System requirements

• Windows or Mac
• DSL or better internet connection (40kbps up and down)
  
• about 40MB of RAM (you could use less but this is a safe amount)
  

Pros - Portability, flexibility and platform compatibility, cost

Cons - Need a computer (Windows and Mac ONLY) to maintain the dial tone. Customer support is via Instant Message and user forums.

The run down,

I saw the commercials on TV and was highly skeptical at first. Who wouldn't be when they see it? To add further skepticism to the ads, I read online about billing and shipping nightmares. When I saw the MJ at my local Best Buy, I figured, what the heck, if it sucks, Ill just return it. So I went and bought it. I've tried it on my XP Pro desktop (SP2), XP SP3 laptop and a MacBook for good measure. My home internet connection is cable connection provided by Cablevision (15Mbps/2Mbps). My router (hacked Buffalo 54G router with DD-WRT) has QoS already setup for my 2 Vonage lines and adding the desktop that was running the MJ was pie (add the MAC address).

The plan has unlimited calling in the United States which is basic unlimited service. Which is perfect for much of us and for $20 per year, you cant beat that!! Unlike Vonage that for $25 a month you get unlimited calling in North America and big parts of Europe. But Vonage is awesome too, don't get me wrong. I have Vonage and MJ and would never get ripped off by a "triple play" scam as long as I have a decent internet connection.

I have tested the unit on the cable modem connection and it ran like, well, magic. There is some slight delay due to the cable network. It would probably run better on a FIOS due to lower latency. DSL would be quite the opposite but it would work. Additionally, I went down to my local Panera Bread and tried it out on the Mac and Windows laptop and it worked fine. If you use this on a wireless connection, your voice latency is likely to increase but you probably wont notice it. Be aware that latency adds up though. DSL, Wireless LAN connection and the general latency of VoIP can cause delayed transmissions but your mileage may vary.

Whats Inside the box?

1. the MagicJack
2. 3 inch USB extension cable
3. Quick setup guide

I found that the initial setup was straightforward and there were no tricks.

Heres the setup:

1. Unpack
2. Plug it into a free USB port on your PC, not a USB hub unless your having problems powering the unit. And if you do plug it into a hub, it better be a powered hub, not passive.
3. When you first plug the unit in, it takes about a minute to get itself going. Initially, it worked fine but I went to the MagicJack website to download MagicFix to update the firmware on the widget just to avoid any possible bugs that may have existed.
   
4. Follow the on screen prompts to setup your account and phone number
   
5. When you setup your account for the first time, you assign 911 location, user account (required) and phone number.
6. Once you do that, your MJ will take a moment to apply your account and activate your phone number. DONE!!

I was off and calling in no time.

PRODUCT SUPPORT

• This is what will make or break a lot of companies. Magic Jack is not your solution if you are hesitant to troubleshoot your PC problems alone.
• The forums for this product are a step above all others. 95% of the problems can be solved here. These forums are actively monitored and commented by technicians.
  
• For problems not resolved by the forums or you want to speak with someone, you have to use their IM support. There is no phone number for support. Level 1 support for MagicJack is horrible. They are painfully scripted. Even if you follow their forums, they will repeat it.

I had to experience their IM support when my MagicJack stopped receiving calls. I followed every single troubleshooting possibility and some that were not mentioned. Even after repeating what I already had done to troubleshoot, they still repeated it so be prepared for some frustration. DEMAND TO SPEAK WITH A LEVEL 2, they are slightly more competent and are the only ones that can forward your problem to back-end technicians. After 40 minutes, they forwarded my issue to back-end techs and within 3-5 hours (as promised) I should be able to receive calls. So at least their back-end techs are good, but I can't say the same for their front line support.


Bottom Line:

I love this gadget!! I can take a dial tone with me everywhere, softphone or bring a portable landline phone with me and I'm good to go. Heck if I just wanted to forward this to a cell phone or mask another number, I can. Voice mail is easy to use both from the handset, e-mail and softphone (which has a speed dial in the app). Even though their support isn't too good, I don't need to use it and if I do, its for a rare case, so it isn't that big of a deal. Besides, what do you expect for $20 or less a year?

DO NOT use this service as a phone number for your house alarm. Additionally, if you don't have a backup (like a cell phone) then it may be too much of a risk of an outage.

Hope this helps those who are looking for a cheap and simple dial tone. If your looking for a more stationary home phone service, then Vonage is your solution.

There is soo much more to this story but its lengthy already. If you have any questions or want more detail, I welcome your inquiries. Thanks everyone!

Until the next gadget....

-Will of F1 Networx Inc.

Upcomming Reviews: MagicJack and LG Rumor

We recently got a MagicJack and an LG Rumor on the Sprint Network.

MagicJack has had alot of hype about being the absolute lowest cost VoIP provider in the world while still maintaining good call quality. We're here to put those claims to the test against other major players like Vonage and Verizon FiOS/Optimum Voice.

As always we are looking out for the consumers by cutting through all the hype and getting down to real world performance. Check back soon for a full review.

-Will, F1 Networx

Sound ID SM100 Bluetooth Headset Review

The Sound ID SM100 Bluetooth Headset Review

Brand - Sound ID
Model - SM100
Hanging Style - In Ear and Ear Loop
Sizes - small, medium and large rubber ear pieces
Weight - .4 ounces (11 grams)
Ear Orientation - Left or Right
Battery Life - 8 Hours in Phone mode
Rechargers Included - USB Power plug charger, wall charger, car charger
Warranty - 1 year
Price - $65

Phone Used in Testing the Unit - Blackberry 8130 on the Sprint Network

1 - First Impression

It is a very small unit, not the smallest on the market but small enough to not extend past your ear. Feels light and sturdy in the hand. Buttons are small but seem to be easy enough to access once you get used to its layout. There is a call control button on the face of the unit, volume up/down are paired close to the boom mic and the environmental control near the outer part of the headset.

2 - Usage

Pairing the phone was easy and worked on the first try. Hold down the call toggle button until th e light flashes red and green. Put your phone/PC into search mode. Once they find eachother, enter code 0000 (zero x 4) on the phone and your all set! As with other phones, be sure to charge the headset before initiating a pair up.

When first using the device, it took some time to figure out which ear piece size fits most comfortable. The medium size was already installed when we unpacked it. At first it seems too large but after some adjusting it securely fits in my ear. My ears are slightly smaller than most but there is a smaller ear piece in case I needed to change down. Changing the ear pieces was very easy to do. To adjust the ear orientation, there is a left/right indicator that tells you which way to turn the rubber ear piece. Once in your ear, it sits securely no matter how much I tried to shake it out. Additionally I was not using the included ear loop.

The rubber ear piece sits securely in your ear, blocking off most of the sound coming in that ear. To solve that, there is an environmental mode which is toggled by the solitary button. It acts like a hearing aid mode that takes in the ambient noise and amplifies to (4 levels of amplification - off, low, medium and high). This feature really works which I was quite impressed by. Other in-ear headsets cut off the ambient noise, effectively making you deaf in one ear which was the problem I had with the Plantronics Voyager 815 (the worst headset I have ever used).

The environmental mode is also activated during a call. It uses dual microphones to sort your voice from the environmental noise. Depending on how much noise there is, you can toggle the filtering level. When adjusting the environmental levels it does take a few seconds to compensate in the new level.

Keeping the unit charged up is a non issue with this device. Whether by a computer, car or wall outlet, you can keep it charged up when not in use. One thing that is common with all other headsets is that when in charge mode, it disconnects from the phone. Pressing the call toggle button reconnects the headset to the phone.

Battery Life is claimed at 8 hours and falls very close to it. I managed to go 2 solid days on the phone without needing to charge. When the device was going dead, a tone rang in the headset and a red LED flashed as well. I was able to charge it up while in the car and most conveniently while near my PC. One thing that was a trivial but obvious need is having a USB extension cable. They supply you with a USB to barrel plug charger but it may be difficult, like when using a laptop, to charge the unit. I strongly suggest getting a USB extension cable if you will be charging from a computer frequently.

Distance was marginally better than most other headsets I have used. It may be the bluetooth capabilities of the Blackberry 8130 that may be the main limit to the headset's distance but still was able to perform solidly in the day to day use.

A bonus feature that is unique to the SM100 is a 2 way radio mode. A peer-to-peer 2 way communication link with another SM100. This feature was not tested but we found it an interesting way to use a collection of these headsets with other staff members.

Switching between environmental mode (hearing aid mode) and phone mode occurs seamlessly as calls are connected and ended. Voice command/redial (depending on what your phone supports) is initiated by holding the volume up button for 3 seconds. The button is on the small side but easy to reach once you get used to the layout and ear orientation.

3 - Conclusion

This a solid performer at a good price. Battery, comfort and value are this unit's strong points. One thing that I found as a downside is that a USB extension cable was not included. Not a big deal since such a cable is available online for about $10. Since they give you a wall and car charger, the USB charge is not such a big deal. The 3 rubber ear pieces should work for just about everyone and the included ear clip is a nice touch for those of us who use in rough environments or smaller ears.

8.8 out of 10

Thanks for reading our blog review. If you have any questions, visit us online and send us your questions through our contact form at http://www.f1networx.net/contactus.html or respond back right on the blog.

Will Kutzler
F1 Networx Inc.

IMG00139.jpg

Hey! I can blog from my blackberry! Ask me how!
Regards,

Will

F1 Networx Inc. Joins the blogosphere

Welcome!

We at F1 Networx have created a blog to keep you posted for current items, events and information for our clients and associates.

Will is the member who will be keeping up on this but as we grow, each team member of F1 will maintain a blog with their own expressions of technology. Not every perspective fits everyone so we feel that allowing our team to engage our clients openly helps foster a strong 1-to-1 philosophy upon which this company has been founded on.

Again, we welcome you to our realm and hope you enjoy your visit.

All the best,

F1 Networx Inc.