5 Quick and Easy Ways to Protect Your PC Online

1) Don't open emails from unknown sources - Email is the mail way that computers contract worms, viruses, Trojan horses, and a host of other malware. Be especially careful not to open any attachments from an unknown source.

2) Keep your PC protected with antivirus software - If you've got a Windows PC and you don't have an antivirus product installed on your system, you're just asking for it! Be sure not to click on any of those "Free antivirus software, click here!" pop-up ads or emails. They have been known to actually GIVE you viruses! Make sure that you purchase your antivirus from a well known, trusted company. Also, be sure to keep the subscriptions up to date at all times, as new malware is released daily. To ensure that you're using the right antivirus software for your needs, please check in with your IT service provider.

3) Scan everything - Be sure to always scan disc's, jump-drives, and especially all downloads / email attachments.

4) Keep your system current with software updates - Not only do you want to make sure your antivirus software is always up to date, be sure and keep your computer software up to date with the latest security patches. If you run Windows, visit the Windows Update website. It's got the patches your Windows operating system needs.

5. Develop safe downloading and clicking habits - Be careful what sites you download things off of the internet. Try to go to the source for software patches and downloads. Be very wary of any programs a chat application tries to send you; i.e. AIM or MSN messenger. A lot of people don't think twice before they click a random link and often end up sorry for it. Most likely, your old college roommate really isn't going to be the one sending you a "How much do you know about me" quiz or a "Click here to claim your prize!"

Keep these few tips in mind and your PC will thank you for it!

Apple TV

Cable networks have got us in a compromising state — their prices are pretty high (especially considering how much TV an average working adult actually watches,) and there are very few options out there to choose from. Many of us are paying well over 100 bucks a month for cable and Internet. That said, would you be willing to pay 30 dollars a month to trade in your cable box and watch TV via iTunes instead?

Apple is trying to rally up support from various TV networks; they hope to round up enough networks to allow themselves to introduce a monthly subscription service that would deliver TV programs via iTunes multimedia software. Apple’s new TV pitch will allow its users to have cable access without any hardware or boxes, it simply will be an extension of its already popular iTunes software, which last year had a reported 65+ million user accounts.

Nothing has been finalized yet, but there have been rumblings that Disney will be the first big network to jump on board with Apple on this idea. Apple has not commented on this suspicion, but the past has proved that Disney is usually willing to experiment with Apple. Also, Apple CEO Steve Jobs is Disney’s largest single shareholder to date.

Apple’s latest idea has both intrigued networks and posed some serious concerns. Of course it would be great to have additional revenue, but networks would also chance sabotaging existing relationships with their current cable networks, like Comcast. Losing advertising dollars and the potential for show ratings to become skewed are two more concerns that are floating around networks.

Apple will not reveal a release date for this service yet, and they know that there are still some things to workout internally. Stay tuned because their TV subscription service may not be far from its release. Maybe you will be able to chop down your cable in 2010.

BridgeTech to Offer Managed Email Services

BridgeTech is pleased to be able to offer the latest release of ExchangeDefender 5, just announced this week! With this new infrastructure, we'll be able to provide our customers with best in class email service - offering the ultimate in convenience, security and reliability. For example, we are now able to offer an Exchange Server failover (a redundant server at a remote location) that takes over within 60 seconds of your email server going down, or even if you just need to perform system maintenance, your backup server will kick in and email service will continue uninterrupted. Add spam filtering, antivirus, and compliance with e-discovery regulations, and you have a killer email service offering. Drop us a line to find out more.

The new BridgeTech Blog

Thanks for checking out the new BridgeTech Blog. Here we'll be giving tips on keeping your systems up and running, how to use your existing tools more efficiently, and perspectives no recent news and new products in the tech world.
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Have a great weekend!