It offers 5GB (gigabytes) of storage for free. People pay on a rising scale for more space. Experts say that Google is “late” to the market. 16TB of space could hold more than 4,000 two-hour movies coded in 720p high-definition resolution.

Cloud living

“Today, we’re introducing Google Drive – a central place where you can create, share, collaborate and keep all of your stuff,” said Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Chrome and Apps in a blog post.

“Whether you’re working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive.” The service will allow users to upload and access videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs and other documents.

It can be installed to a Mac or PC or as an app to an Android phone or tablet. Google said that it was working on an app for Apple’s mobile operating system, which should be available in the coming weeks. For blind users, Drive can be accessed with a screen reader.

“Google Drive will hit some competitors very hard and shake up the market,” said Hanns Kohler-Kruner from tech research firm Gartner. “It will also create another stream of more focused and potential ad revenue for Google around the content of personal files on Google Drive.”

Grand canyon

Google will draw on its search expertise to help differentiate the service. Users will be able search by keyword and filter by file type, owner or activity. Drive will also recognise text in scanned documents using optical character recognition (OCR) technology.

This would allow someone, for example, to upload a scanned image of an old newspaper clipping and search for a word from the text of the news article.

Google Drive will also use image recognition. “If you drag and drop photos from your Grand Canyon trip to Drive, the next time you search for Grand Canyon, photos of it will pop up,” said Mr Pichai.

The first 5GB of storage comes free.

After that users can choose to upgrade to 25GB for $2.49 (£1.50) a month, 100GB for $4.99 a month, 1TB for $49.99 or 16TB for $799.99.

When users upgrade to a paid account, their Gmail account storage will automatically expand to 25GB. By contrast, Microsoft offers yearly contracts. It charges $50 for maximum storage of 100GB.

Dropbox offers individual users up to 100GB at a rate of $19.99 per month or $199 per year. It also sells larger amounts to groups with the cost and size determined by how many people share the space.

Facebook?

Cloud services have become hugely popular as people seek to access content from a variety of places and devices. Dropbox helped popularise the idea of storage in the cloud, but risks being undercut by its rivals

Richard Edwards, principal analyst at research firm Ovum, said that Google was “very late” to the market but that its move could spur others.

“Facebook doesn’t have a cloud service but this may prompt it into an acquisition,” he said. “If Facebook was to buy Dropbox that would be a game-changer.”

In anticipation of Google’s announcement, rivals updated their own services. Dropbox now allows users to give non-members access to files via emailed links. Until now it had required both parties to sign up to its service and have shared folders.

Microsoft has also improved its SkyDrive service. Among other features, it has integrated the drive into Windows Explorer and Apple’s Finder so that it works as an extension of the desktop. It also added capability to access files stored on the drive from an iPad as well as the iPhone and Windows Phone-based handsets.

Google Drive has been blocked in China, joining YouTube and Google+ as well as other non-Google services including Twitter, Dropbox, Facebook and Foursquare which all fall foul of the country’s firewall.

Beijing restricts access to prevent “instability”, although some users get round the restrictions by using VPN (virtual private network) services.

For professional and affordable IT tech support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by BBC and can be seen here.

In an attempt to take advantage of the popularity of free photo-sharing app Instagram among smartphone users, malware writers have created fake Instagram websites to distribute Android Trojan horses, according to security researchers from antivirus firms Sophos and Trend Micro.

Originally developed for Apple’s iOS devices, Instagram allows smartphone users to take photos, apply various digital filters to them and share the resulting images on social networking websites. There are over 30 million registered Instagram accounts as of April 2012, according to its creators.

At the beginning of April, an Android version of the app was released on Google Play and it was downloaded more than one million times during the first 12 hours.

The company that developed Instagram was acquired by Facebook for almost $1 billion on April 12, which attracted the attention of the media and, as it usually happens with popular events, that of cybercriminals. “We discovered a spoofed web page containing a rogue version of Instagram,” Trend Micro fraud analyst Karla Agregado said in a blog post on Tuesday. “The said web page mimics Instagram‘s legitimate download page.”

The fake Instagram website contains text in Russian and distributes an Android Trojan horse that, once installed, sends SMS messages to premium-rate numbers without the phone owner’s authorization, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, in a blog post on Wednesday.

The rogue app’s installer, also called the APK, contains several pictures of a man that has been the subject of a photobomb-type meme in Russia. A large number of random images with this man’s picture digitally added into them can be found on Russian websites.

It’s not clear why the creators of this Android malware decided to include this photo into the malicious APK, but it isn’t the first time this has been done. In February, security researchers from Symantec reported about server-side polymorphic Android malware that contained the same picture. “It’s quite likely that whoever is behind this latest malware campaign is also using the names and images of other popular smartphone apps as bait,” Cluley said.

Last week, security researchers from Sophos reported about a similar piece of Android malware that masqueraded as the new Angry Birds Space game in order to trick users into installing it on their phones. Trend Micro researchers have seen several fake websites during the past few days that masquerade as download pages for popular games like Fruit Ninja, Temple Run or Talking Tom Cat, Agregado said. “Users are advised to remain cautious before downloading Android apps, specially those hosted on third-party app stores.”

For professional and affordable website design and web development, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by InfoWorld and can be seen here.

A keyword or keyword phrase is a word or series of words that a user enters into a search engine. Keyword research refers to the process of choosing a few of the infinite number of possible keyword phrases to use in search engine optimization efforts for your website.

For example, if you’re planning a family trip to Disney World and want to find the weather forecast, you might search for the phrase: “average Orlando weather in June.” Google takes this text and compares it against the billions of web pages in its index, using its complex algorithms to determine which sites represent the best matches.

Here’s a look at what you need to know about keyword research for your site, why you should care and how to get started:

What makes a good keyword?

Getting a high rank in search engine results pages is important, but it’s the specific keywords you’re ranked for that can determine how successful your website will be.

To understand the difference, compare a site that’s ranked for “make money online” to one that gets a high ranking for “online tutorials on underwater basket weaving.” Because more people are searching for the first phrase, a search engine ranking for that term can generate significantly more traffic and hopefully enable the site to make more money.

Two important concepts help us determine which keywords to target: search volume and competition. Volume refers to the number of people who enter your chosen keywords into the search engines. Greater search volume is usually better, enabling your site to draw more natural traffic.

But search volume should be tempered by a careful analysis of the competitiveness of the keyword phrase. In the example above, the keyword “make money online” receives significantly more volume, but it will be much more difficult to get your site bumped into the top 10 search results for that phrase than for “online tutorials on underwater basket weaving.”

How do I conduct keyword research?

The first step involves researching potential keyword phrases to target. There are plenty of tools that provide this data, but one of the easiest to use is Google’s free Adwords Keyword Research Tool.

You can enter phrases related to your website or just your site address, and the program will generate a list of keywords to consider. The tool also will provide data on how many global and local searches occur for a particular word or phrase each month, as well as Google’s estimate of the difficulty of getting ranked for the keyword.

Unfortunately, there are no “search volume versus competitiveness” rules to follow when choosing keywords to target from this list. But keep in mind that while the competitive keywords will require more time and effort to build a high ranking, they can pay off in increased search traffic to your site.

As you research keywords and integrate them into your site, you should start to see a pattern in terms of the ideal mix of search volume and competitiveness. Much will depend on how big an investment you’re willing to make in search engine optimization.

How do I integrate keyword research into my website?

Once you’ve identified a few potential keyword targets, start integrating them into your site. To increase your chances of getting ranked for your chosen terms, you’ll want to follow standard search engine optimization practices, including any of the following:

• Create pages on your site featuring helpful content based on your target keywords.
• Incorporate your target keywords into your page’s HTML in various places, including your site’s title, heading and meta description tags.
• Build backlinks pointing at your site using your target keyword as anchor text. The anchor text of a link refers to the part that remains visible and underlined on the referring page. For example, the link <a href=”http://www.yoursite.com”>keyword phrase</a> would appear like this: keyword phrase. This lets the search engines know that this phrase is relevant to your site.

It will take some effort to target particular keywords but, over time, your research should yield significant improvement in search traffic volume.

For professional and affordable website design and web development, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by Entrepreneur and can be seen here.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The problem is that most IT admins are making the same huge mistakes over and over.

Security mistake No. 1: Assuming that patching is good enough

Every company I’ve ever audited tells me it has patching under control. What the company means is that the operating systems running on most of its computers have been patched. The most popular and most attacked applications? Not so much.

For example, when I find an Apache Web server running it’s never fully patched. If the computer has Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Flash, or Java, the same is true. They’re almost never patched. It’s not a coincidence that they’re also the most successfully exploited applications. This huge disconnect has been true for years.

IT admins think they have patching under control because they bought a comprehensive patching program, assigned someone to oversee it, got better patching than before, and checked it off their to-do list. Never mind that the patching was never perfect, never patched all computers, and didn’t patch every piece of vulnerable software. Somehow all that was glassed over and quickly forgotten.

On top of that, many departments won’t patch many of the applications they want to patch because of real (or perceived) application compatibility problems. For example, they update Java one day, hear that it caused some random error to appear in one department’s application, and by default are forbidden to update Java — forever. Or they have to keep a bazillion versions of Java around because updating it could possibly cause problems.

Years pass while most computers aren’t fully patched. Management goes along happily thinking that the patching problem is solved, whereas it’s just as bad as ever. Hackers have a field day.

Security mistake No. 2: Failing to understand what apps are running

Most IT departments have no clue about the programs running on their computers. New computers come preloaded with dozens of utilities and programs the user doesn’t need, then users routinely add more. It’s not unusual for a normal PC to be running hundreds of programs and utilities at startup.

How can you manage what you don’t even know you have? Lots of these programs have huge, known vulnerabilities or vendor-implemented backdoors that anyone can take advantage of. If you want to secure your environment, you have to inventory what programs are running, get rid of what you don’t need, and secure the rest.

Security mistake No. 3: Overlooking the anomalies

Although hackers can break in without being detected, it’s hard for them to hack away without doing something anomalous. Hackers need to explore the network, connecting from one computer to other computers that never talk to each other. Basically, hackers perform tasks that regular end-users would almost never do.

Most IT admins do not have good baselines about what activities and activity levels are expected and normal. If you don’t define what is normal, how can you detect the abnormal and send an alert? The Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report  says year after year that almost every data breach would have been detected or prevented if the victims had implemented the controls they should have had in place all along.

Security mistake No. 4: Neglecting to ride herd on password policy

We all know that passwords should be strong (long and complex) and changed frequently. Every admin I talk to says their passwords are strong. But whenever I check, they aren’t. Well, they might be strong in some areas, but in the places they really count, like enterprisewide service accounts, domain-wide accounts, and other super-user accounts, they are weak.

I’ve got an axiom: The more powerful the account, and the less likely it will ever be to be changed. Wanna find out how strong your password policy really is? Run a query to see how many days it’s been since the last password change. I guarantee you’ll find accounts that have gone without a password change for thousands of days.

Security mistake No. 5: Failing to educate users about the latest threats

This one befuddles me the most. We say end-users are our weakest links, but then we don’t educate them about the latest threats. Regarding latest threats, I mean the big majority of attacks for the last five years. Most end-users are incredibly educated about email file attachment attacks — you know, the attacks that used to be popular 10 years ago.

But ask end-users if they realize they are most likely to be infected by a website that they know, trust, and visit every day — and you’ll hear crickets. Most end-users have no idea about malicious ads on their favorite website orr the fact that popular Internet search engines may get them infected. They don’t know that the cute little app being pushed their way by a friend in Facebook is most likely malicious. They don’t know the difference between their antivirus software and the fake one that just popped up a window on the screen. They don’t know because we don’t teach them.

These five weaknesses are far from new. They’ve been around for over two decades. What I’m constantly surprised by is the complacency. They have checked off the item and are moving on to bigger tasks — when in fact, their environment may be very broken. All they would have to do is ask a few questions or run a few queries.

To all those IT admins who realize this stuff is broken, I salute you. At least you know. That’s the first step. You’re ahead of the game.

For professional and affordable IT support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by InfoWorld and can be seen here.

What’s the new iPad’s screen resolution?

Like the iPhone 4 and 4S, the new iPad has a Retina display—a term Apple uses to describe a screen with a high-enough pixel density that you can’t discern individual pixels at normal viewing distances. The Retina display for the iPad boasts a resolution of 2048-by-1536 pixels—over 3.1 million pixels in total—at the same 9.7-inch (diagonal) screen size as before, for a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch. (For a point of comparison, a 1080p TV has a resolution of just 1920 by 1080 pixels.) Apple also says the new iPad’s display offers 44 percent better color saturation than the screen on the iPad 2.

Though the new screen’s 264-ppi pixel density is lower than that of the iPhone 4 and 4S (326 ppi), Apple argues that both are Retina displays because you generally hold an iPad farther from your eyes than a phone. This blog post by astronomer Phil Plait, who did the math, seems to agree.

Will my current apps still work with the new screen resolution?

Existing iPad apps will work fine with the new screen, but those updated for Retina-display resolutions will look much better. To drive this point home, Apple has updated pretty much every one of its own iPad apps for Retina display: the iWork suite, GarageBand, iMovie, Remote, Find My Friends—you name it. And, of course, the new iPhoto app also supports Retina displays.

Do iPad apps that haven’t been updated for the Retina display look pixelated and blurry like their non-Retina iPhone counterparts?

They’re not exactly blurry, but they are noticeably pixelated. This is especially an issue for apps that use graphics for text, rather than rendered text—we’ve seen some pretty disappointing magazine apps and Newsstand publications.

When you use an Retina-updated iPhone app—one that doesn’t natively support the iPad—does the iPad use the app’s Retina graphics?

Yes, iPhone-only apps uses their Retina graphics when run on a Retina-display iPad. Which means that, contrary to what you might expect, Retina-optimized iPhone apps actually look better on the new iPad than on an iPad 2, because the iPad 2 uses an iPhone app’s non-Retina graphics.

Which apps benefit the most from the retina display?

Anything displaying photos, video, or text will—once updated for the Retina display—see the biggest improvements.

Does FaceTime benefit from the retina display?

It depends on the camera the person on the other end is using. If they’re using an HD camera, the new display will take advantage of the higher-resolution video. If they’re using a lower-resolution camera—such as the front camera on an iPad—the image will look just as bad as it actually is.

Do websites look any different?

If a website uses 72dpi images and graphics—as many do—you’ll notice right away, though text should still look good. Between the iPhone 4 and 4S, and now the new iPad, we suspect (and hope) many sites will start using higher-resolution graphics.

How does the new display look in sunlight?

Because of the higher resolution, it obviously looks better, but in terms of reflections, it’s the same as the screen on the iPad 2. If you’ll be using the iPad in direct sunlight, you might want to consider an anti-glare screen cover.

Are there any downsides to the Retina display?

One worth noting: As developers update their iPad apps for the Retina display, those apps will increase in size—some will be a little bigger, while others will be much bigger. Which means that, all other things being equal, a 16GB iPad will hold fewer apps than it did before. Interestingly, this will be more of an annoyance to people without a third-generation iPad: Those with the new tablet will appreciate the improved appearance, while those with older iPads—and, when it comes to universal apps, with an iPhone or iPod touch—will end up downloading extra data they can’t use.

Does the new iPad’s screen offer pressure sensitivity or “haptic” feedback?

No, contrary to a good number of rumors, neither of these features made it into the new iPad. However, like the iPad 2, the new model can use its built-in accelerometer to detect how hard you’re tapping the screen, using that data to enhance apps such as GarageBand.

The iPad 2’s cameras weren’t very good. Are they better on the new iPad?

The new iPad’s front camera—the one facing you as you use the tablet—remains a FaceTime-quality camera with VGA resolution. The back camera, however, has been upgraded significantly. Whereas the iPad 2’s back camera could take photos and videos at 720p resolution (1280 by 720, or roughly 0.9 MP), the new iPad sports a 5-megapixel (2592 by 1936 pixels) iSight camera, much like the one in the iPhone 4. Apple says the new camera offers improved sharpness, and it supports auto-exposure, auto-focus, auto-face-detection, auto-exposure lock, auto-focus lock, and (for low-light images) temporal noise reduction. It can record 1080p video, and it uses the iPad’s improved processing horsepower to provide image stabilization.

How much RAM is in the new iPad?

Apple’s tech specs webpage doesn’t include information about the amount of RAM in the new iPad, but we’ve run several third-party utilities that indicate the new model includes 1GB of RAM.

What’s new about the processor? What about improved graphics?

The iPhone 4S and iPad 2 are both powered by a custom-designed A5 system-on-a-chip processor. The new iPad gets a significant bump in power thanks to a new, dual-core A5X processor, which also contains a quad-core graphics processing unit (GPU). Apple claims the A5X’s graphics performance is four times that of the Tegra 3 chip used in many competing tablets, although the company doesn’t indicate the metric it’s using. In addition, that improved graphics capability lets app developers increase the level of detail in their apps—and take advantage of the new Retina display.

Does the new iPad offer 4G/LTE wireless, or is it still just 3G?

Like its predecessors, the new iPad is available in versions with just Wi-Fi and versions with both Wi-Fi and cellular networking capabilities. But this time around, the cellular models include 4G/LTE wireless, along with additional 3G-network compatibility. The AT&T model supports AT&T’s 700 and 2100 MHz LTE networks; The Verizon model supports Verizon’s 700 MHz LTE networks.

Both models are 3G capable, supporting 850, 900, 1900, and 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA networks and 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz GSM/EDGE networks. The Verizon model also supports Verizon’s own 800 and 1900 MHz CDMA networks.

That may not mean much to the average person, but the main differences from the previous iPad are the additions of three faster wireless technologies: LTE, HSDPA, and HSPA+, which offer theoretical maximum download speeds of 73, 42, and 21 Mbps, respectively, compared with a maximum HSPA download speed of 7.2 Mbps on the iPad 2.

We don’t yet have details about all non-U.S. carriers, but Apple has announced that the new iPad also works with LTE on Bell, Rogers, and Telus in Canada.

Are there still different versions for Verizon and AT&T’s networks?

Essentially, yes. As we said, AT&T and Verizon are using the same 4G technology, LTE, but the two carriers have different frequency bands, meaning that you still need to choose whether you’re going to go with Verizon or AT&T at the time of purchase. The Verizon version can fall back to either CDMA (in the U.S.) or GSM (overseas) for 3G, the AT&T version can only fall back to GSM.

What about people who use Sprint?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a model for Sprint’s cellular network—at least not yet. Sprint’s initial 4G rollout was based on WiMax, a different technology from LTE. Sprint is now rolling out LTE, but it’s early days and Apple’s not supporting it right now.

How do the new screen and 4G/LTE connectivity affect battery life?

The iPad 2 claimed 10 hours of battery life for Wi-Fi surfing, movie watching, and music listening, or 9 hours of 3G surfing. Despite a screen and wireless connectivity that use more power, as well as a more-powerful graphics processor, the new iPad claims to offer identical battery life. That seems to be the case in our testing and, in fact, battery life when using LTE isn’t much different than when using Wi-Fi.

How did Apple squeeze similar battery life out of the new iPad? While the new iPads are the same height and width as their predecessors, the Wi-Fi and 3G models are each 0.03 inches thicker than the respective iPad 2 models. While that might not seem like much, it adds up to just under two cubic inches of additional volume inside the new iPad. We’re betting most of that space is filled with battery, which would also help explain why the new iPads are, depending on the model, 0.11 to 0.12 pounds heavier than their immediate predecessors. Indeed, the new iPad’s battery capacity is listed as 42.5 watt-hours, compared to 25 watt-hours for the iPad 2.

Given that the battery has nearly twice the capacity, does it take twice as long to charge?

No, it’s not linear. It does take longer than before, but not twice as long. Just a bit longer.

How noticeable is that weight increase over the iPad 2?

The new models are only about a tenth of a pound heavier than their respective predecessors, so there’s not a huge difference. If you’re used to an iPad 2, you may detect the extra weight the first time you pick it up, but unless you’re regularly switching between an iPad 2 and the new iPad, you’ll soon stop noticing. (And, of course, the new iPad is considerably lighter than the original iPad.)

What about personal hotspots?

The new iPad includes software for—assuming your carrier supports it—setting up a personal hotspot, just as you can do on the iPhone 4 and 4S. This feature lets you share your cellular-data connection between up to 5 connected devices at a time.

Do I still need to be on a Wi-Fi network to use FaceTime?

Apple didn’t announce any changes to FaceTime, so, yes, you’ll still be restricted to Wi-Fi if you want to video chat with the grandparents.

What’s this Bluetooth 4.0 about?

Like the iPhone 4S, the new iPad includes Bluetooth 4.0, the latest version of the Bluetooth standard. Bluetooth 4.0 includes all the features of Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (the version used in the iPad 2), so existing Bluetooth accessories should work fine. But version 4.0 adds a new protocol called Bluetooth low energy, which allows for devices that require much less power to operate and connect. (The folks behind Bluetooth call Bluetooth 4.0-capable devices Smart Ready.) Examples of devices that might take advantage of Bluetooth low energy are exercise and medical devices such as heart-rate and blood-sugar monitors. Bluetooth 4.0 might also be a boon for artists who want to use pressure-sensitive styluses.

Is the new iPad’s speaker any better?

As far as we can tell, it’s pretty much the same as the one on the iPad 2.

Does it still have a dock-connector port?

Yes, the new iPad still uses Apple’s 30-pin dock-connector port, so a dock-connector cable will continue to be the only cable you can plug directly into your iPad.

Are there any other other hardware changes?

Not really. By and large, the new iPad looks pretty much exactly like the iPad 2—at least until you get a load of the Retina display.

What about software? Does the new iPad have Siri?

When Apple introduced the iPhone 4S, it introduced two software features that are often conflated: Siri and dictation. There’s no Siri in the new iPad, but the dictation features have made the move. Just as with the iPhone 4S, the new iPad features a microphone button on its virtual keyboard. Press it and speak, and your words will be translated into written text. Like the 4S, the new iPad’s dictation feature supports U.S., British, and Australian English, as well as French, German, and Japanese.

How good is the dictation feature?

It’s basically systemwide Nuance dictation, so it’s just as good as the dictation feature on the iPhone 4S.

Any other software improvements?

A few minor changes accompanied iOS 5.1, which launched alongside the new iPad, such as the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream, camera face detection now highlighting all faces in a picture, a slightly redesigned Camera app UI for the iPad, Genius Mixes and Genius playlists for iTunes Match users, improved audio for movies and TV shows, podcast controls for playback speed and a 30-second rewind for the iPad, and fixes for bugs affecting battery life.

Does the new iPad still have magnets built-in? Does the Smart Cover still work?

Yes, the new model has the same magnetic Sleep/Wake feature as the iPad 2. And while the version of the Smart Cover that Apple is selling today has a different model number than the one originally designed for the iPad 2, Apple’s website claims the new version works with both iPad models. We suspect this means that the original Smart Cover models will fit the new iPad, as well.

Can I use my iPad 2 case with the new iPad?

The iPad 2 and the new iPad are each 9.5 inches tall and 7.31 inches wide, but as we noted above, the new models are 0.03 inches thicker. This difference is small enough that most cases designed for the iPad 2 should fit the new model, although cases that fit exceptionally snugly, or are designed with especially fine precision, might—in theory—have issues. We haven’t come across any yet, but we’ll be testing many more as we get more iPads in-house.

So it’s called the iPad 3, right?

Actually, no. For whatever reason, Apple is publicly calling this new model iPad—the same name as the original iPad. While some people take issue with this confusing nomenclature, others see no problem with iPad, iPad 2, and iPad again. In places where iPad might cause confusion—support articles and the online Apple Store—the company has been using iPad (third generation) or iPad (3rd generation), but the public name is simply iPad.

What configurations are available, and how much will each cost?

As with the iPad 2, the differences between available models are the wireless capabilities, the screen-bezel color, and the storage capacity. Specifically, the new iPad is available in Wi-Fi-only or Wi-Fi + 4G models, the latter for AT&T (GSM) or Verizon (CDMA); in black or white; and with 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage (sorry, there’s still no 128GB model). Yes, this means there are still 18 different models available, at least in the U.S.

As is common for Apple products, the new iPad models have the same price points as the previous models: The 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB Wi-Fi-only models will sell for $499, $599, and $699, respectively, while the corresponding Wi-Fi + 4G models will sell for $629, $729, and $829.

What’s this about a new AppleCare+ option for iPad?

AppleCare+, which debuted with the iPhone 4S last fall, is a version of AppleCare that covers accidental damage. Like standard AppleCare plans, the new AppleCare+ for iPad provides two full years of hardware warranty-repair coverage and telephone support (compared to 90 days of phone support and one year of hardware coverage for the iPad’s stock warranty). But AppleCare+ also covers, over that two-year period, two incidents of accidental damage—for each incident, Apple will replace a damaged iPad with a new or refurbished unit for a fee of $49.

You must purchase AppleCare+ within 30 days of the purchase of the iPad itself.

Will Apple be keeping the iPad 2 around at a lower price, as it does with previous-generation iPhone models?

Yes, the company will continue to sell the 16GB iPad 2, in black or white, at a lower price. The Wi-Fi-only model will be priced at $399, and the 3G-capable version will sell for $529—each $100 lower than before.

So when can I get my hands on a new iPad?

Apple says the new iPad models will be available on March 16 in the U.S. and several other countries, including Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and Hong Kong. One week later it’ll roll out in 25 more countries.

For professional and affordable IT support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by MAC World and can be seen here.

iPhone users have iTunes, but Android users must figure out their own syncing arrangement. Of the numerous Android syncing programs out there, I recommend trying DoubleTwist first. DoubleTwist reliably gets the job done with minimal hassle. I’ve found no other comprehensive media-syncing tool that costs nothing, offers such a clean and functional interface, and works with most Android phones. What’s more, if you’re willing to shell out $5, you can pick up a companion app that enables Wi-Fi syncing. Here’s how to get started.

Step 1: Download and install DoubleTwist for PC. Although a free DoubleTwist media-player app is available for Android, you need only the desktop version to set up sync.

Step 2: Launch DoubleTwist, and it will scan your PC for media. You can import music, photos, and videos that the program does not automatically find, as well as playlists from iTunes and Windows Media Player, by exploring the Library menu.

Step 3: Connect your Android phone to your PC via USB, and then click the status bar and set your phone to USB Mass Storage or Disk Drive mode. You’ll see your phone under Devices in DoubleTwist.

Syncing music and photos with DoubleTwist.

Step 4: Click the name of your Android phone to open sync options. You can sync all or part of your media collection by browsing tabs (Music, Photos, Videos), choosing options, and clicking the Sync button. Notice that you can have DoubleTwist import new media from your phone during the sync. If you prefer, you can also drag and drop individual files between the DoubleTwist Library and your device.

If you want to enable wireless sync with the $5 DoubleTwist AirSync app, you can set it up in three easy steps.

Step 1: Connect your computer and phone to the same wireless network.

Step 2: Launch AirSync, and select Yes to set up Wi-Fi pairing.

Step 3: Click the name of your phone under Devices in the DoubleTwist desktop program. Enter the passcode displayed on your phone. You can now perform the same syncing operations described above.

For professional and affordable IT support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by PC World and can be seen here.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first smartphone to run the latest version of Google’s Android platform, 4.0 or properly called: Ice Cream Sandwich. It boasts a strikingly large 4.65in Super AMOLED HD screen and has a distinctive teardrop design. Naturally, its going to be compared to the popular Apple iPhone 4S. So, how does it stack up?

The Galaxy Nexus has a bigger screen, a camera that claims to have zero shutter lag and runs Google’s most advanced version of Android yet. Is it enough to compete with the iPhone 4S? Let’s take a closer look.

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Specifications

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Display

The Galaxy Nexus has a strikingly large 4.65in Super AMOLED HD display — one of the biggest screens currently available on the market. The HD points to a high definition resolution of 1280×720; we can tell you that the Galaxy Nexus displays an ultra sharp and crisp image. The screen is bright, vivid and clear and text is crisp and smooth with minimal visible aberrations. The large size of the screen makes the Galaxy Nexus great for video playback but the best benefit of the screen is the experience it creates when reading and Web browsing. Our only complaint is that the automatic brightness setting is often erratic.

The iPhone 4S on the other hand has the same 3.5in sized display as the iPhone 4 it replaced. It looks TINY alongside the Galaxy Nexus but remains one of the best screens on any phone we’ve reviewed. The iPhone 4S display uses IPS technology and its 640×960 pixel resolution has been described as a “retina” display due to the human eye being unable to distinguish individual pixels. The iPhone 4S’s screen has a pixel density of 330ppi — slightly higher than the 316ppi of the Galaxy Nexus.

Verdict: The iPhone 4S’ screen remains one of the best ever produced on a mobile device, but we have to award the win here to the Galaxy Nexus. Not only does it dwarf the iPhone in size, its also the best screen we’ve ever seen on any Android phone. Text is crisp and clear making reading and Web browsing a delightful experience, while the size of the screen doesn’t make handling the phone an awkward experience.

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Design

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Nexus with a curved screen and a body that has a teardrop profile — this means the phone is thicker at the top and slightly wider towards the bottom. The curvature makes the Galaxy Nexus feel natural to hold and therefore comfortable to use. If you’re worried that the Galaxy Nexus might be too big, don’t — the phone has on-screen controls rather than capacitive keys that were previously standard on Android phones, so it isn’t much bigger than the popular Samsung Galaxy S II.

Unfortunately, the Galaxy Nexus’ battery cover is way too fiddly and difficult to put back on once its removed. It’s only a minor issue but the fit and finish is a step behind the iPhone 4S — the plastic feels durable but it doesn’t look or feel as sturdy as a premium device should. We really like the non-slip grip that the back of the Galaxy Nexus provides, but we wish Samsung paid more attention to detail.

The Apple iPhone 4S on the other hand retains an identical design to the iPhone 4. It’s constructed largely from aluminium and glass, is just 9.3mm thick and has an industrial look and feel with distinctive, sharp edges. The iPhone 4S also retains the iPhone 4′s glass back that does look slick but attracts plenty of fingerprints. The iPhone 4S is a superbly constructed smartphone, but it doesn’t feel as comfortable to hold as the Galaxy Nexus due to its sharp edges

Verdict: We love the Galaxy Nexus’ teardrop design, its subtle curve and the way it feels in our hands, but the winner here is the iPhone 4S. It may not be as comfortable to hold but there is no doubting it’s superb build quality and construction. The iPhone 4S feels exactly like a premium smartphone should and even though the design is essentially more than a year old, it hasn’t aged.

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Software

The Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to run Google’s latest Android software, Ice Cream Sandwich. The entire user interface has been refreshed to create a more uniform look and feel. It’s faster and slicker than any previous Android software. It feels more consistent and easier to use. The camera shutter is staggeringly fast: there is almost zero shutter lag, so images are captured as soon as you press the on-screen shutter key. The Web browser is speedy and smooth and performance is consistently excellent.

The iPhone 4S runs Apple’s latest iOS 5 operating system. It offers the same familiar swipeable home screen enhanced by folders, and the consistent Apple UI look and feel extending across all of the standard applications. If you have never used an iPhone before, you can expect a device that is easy to pick up and use, a well-populated App Store, and excellent multimedia capabilities. The latest iOS 5 version of Apple’s platform also introduces iCloud, a cloud storage solution that automatically stores your content and makes it available on multiple devices including a Mac or PC. All iPhone users get 5GB of cloud storage for free but can upgrade to larger capacities for an extra cost: 10GB for $21 per year, 20GB for $42 per year or 50GB for $105 per year.

Verdict: Ice Cream Sandwich is a delicious upgrade to Android and ties up alot of loose ends. It’s slicker, faster and easier to use than ever before. Despite this, Apple’s iOS platform remains easier to use and its user interface is far more consistent. A choice between these two platforms ultimately comes down to personal preference: Android is far more flexible and offers more features, but the iPhone does the basics and does them incredibly well. Some might love iOS’ elegance, others may hate its oversimplified approach. Some might love tinkering with Android, others may find it confusing. On that basis, we’re calling this one a draw.

Galaxy Nexus vs iPhone 4S: Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a 5-megapixel camera with single-LED flash that also doubles as a full HD 1080p video recorder. The best feature of the camera is its speed: it takes photos with virtually zero shutter lag and it really has to be seen to be believed. You can easily capture a whole heap of images in a matter of seconds, as the picture is taken the moment you press the on-screen shutter key. The Galaxy Nexus also has a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera will handle video calls and also record 720p HD video: a nifty addition for those who like to record themselves.

The iPhone 4S has 8-megapixel camera that’s widely regarded as one of the best mobile phone cameras on the market. It has a backlight illuminated CMOS sensor that claims to offer better performance in low light situations. The 4S camera can record 1080p video and has an image signal processor to provide image stabilisation and face recognition. Apple says the iPhone 4S takes 1.1 seconds to be ready for a photo and then just half a second between successive photos: not as quick as the Galaxy Nexus, but still very fast.

Verdict: The Galaxy Nexus has a good camera, but the iPhone 4S has a great camera. We loved the fact that there is virtually zero shutter lag on the Galaxy Nexus but the iPhone 4S generally produces better quality images with a little more detail, less image noise and better exposure. The Galaxy Nexus is by no means a bad camera: in many instances it produces more natural looking photos than the iPhone 4S and its macro performance is very similar. But the win here goes to Apple.

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Internals

The main appeal of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus may be its Ice Cream Sandwich software, but the phone is packing some serious hardware, too. The Galaxy Nexus is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, has 1GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory. There is no microSD card slot for extra storage, so you’ll have to make the most of the on-board memory. A 1750mAh battery powers the device.

The iPhone 4S is powered by an 800MHz Apple A5 dual core processor, but only has 512MB of RAM. It also has a dual-core graphics processor to speed up gaming. According to Apple, the dual core CPU combined with the dual-core GPU makes graphics performance up to seven times faster than the iPhone 4. A real positive is the 64GB model iPhone 4S, along with the standard 16GB and 32GB models. The iPhone 4S has a 1420mAh battery.

Verdict: The Galaxy Nexus has a bigger battery, a faster processor and more RAM, but the iPhone 4S has more internal memory. In the end, how the internals work depends on the software: the iPhone 4S may have a slower processor on paper, but is anything but a slow phone. In the end, we’ll call this one a draw.

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Other features

The Galaxy Nexus supports a wide range of video and music files and best of all it doesn’t require software like iTunes to get music and video files onto it. You can simply plug the Galaxy Nexus into a PC via a USB port and drag and drop files onto the device. On a Windows PC the Galaxy Nexus appears in the control panel as a “portable device”, but on a Mac or Linux computer you will need to download the Android File Transfer application in order to move files to and from the phone.

The Apple iPhone 4S requires iTunes software to synchronise video and music files. It doesn’t come with a HDMI-out port, but an optional Apple Digital AV Adapter ($45) can mirror whatever is on your iPhone 4S screen to a high definition TV. The Galaxy Nexus can be connected to a television via HDMI but only if you purchase a seperate MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) adapter that uses the micro-USB port to output 1080p HD video and audio via HDMI.

The Galaxy Nexus comes pre-loaded with the Google Maps Navigation application that offers free turn-by-turn GPS navigation. This is a real advantage over third-party turn-by-turn GPS applications for the iPhone 4S that often cost well over $50.

The iPhone 4S comes with an exclusive software feature called Siri voice control. It’s a voice assistant that lets you talk to perform tasks, such as asking for the weather forecast, making a calendar appointment, setting your alarm and creating a reminder. It’s a Beta release, but Siri works with Australian English in addition to US and UK English languages.

Another point worth noting is the fact that the iPhone 4S is a world phone, meaning it will work across both 3G and CDMA networks. There are no longer any CDMA networks in Australia, but for those who frequently travel to the US, the iPhone 4S’ status as a “world phone” will definitely come in handy. The Galaxy Nexus is a quad-band HSDPA phone, so it will work across all Australian 3G networks including Telstra’s 850MHz Next G network, and the 900 and 2100MHz networks used by Optus and Vodafone in Australia. Samsung says an LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus will be available “depending on the region” but has not clarified whether Australia will be part of that. Telstra’s new 4G network operates on the LTE 1800MHz spectrum band.

For professional and affordable IT support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by Techworld and can be seen here.

If this is making you feel overwhelmed, relax. There are a number of apps and online tools that can make managing and forecasting your business finances a lot easier.

We tested a number of online cash-flow management tools to come up with our five picks that provide the most value for your time and money:

1. Free Cash-Flow Projection Templates

The simplest way to conduct your own cash-flow analysis is to download one of the many free cash-flow forecasting templates embedded in well-known business applications.

While they don’t have the features of more sophisticated tools, cash-flow projection templates save the time it can take to create a similar one from scratch. Microsoft Office provides several detailed spreadsheets for Excel pre-loaded into its desktop software, with more available for download from the Office website.

Google Docs offers templates which can be shared and edited with other members of your Google Apps account. You can search for cash-flow tools through Google Docs’ list of templates to find the best one for your business. SCORE — a nonprofit which provides mentorship services for small businesses and entrepreneurs — also offers templates for cash-flow forecasting and other financial statements.

Expect to change some headings and tinker with these templates. But if you fill in expenses, sales and client data, these tools can help you learn a lot more about your money.

2. QuickBooks’ Cash Flow Forecast Report

Intuit’s QuickBooks has built a cash-flow forecast feature into its popular accounting tools. You can define different aspects of your business — such as receivables, bank balances and credit card ledgers — to get a more accurate cash-flow model. Once the report is generated, estimates can be broken down by clicking links and changing date ranges.

3. You Need a Budget’s Online Expense Tracking and Planning Tools

Though mostly aimed at tracking expenses for consumers and household budgets, You Need a Budget‘s $60 single-purchase, downloadable app can offer forward-looking pending estimates for smaller firms, too.

The software automatically generates a budget based on your uploaded bank statements, which can then be edited according to your business needs. Based on this information, You Need a Budget estimates how much money you should expect to have and how much you may still need on hand to meet your costs.

Although the app tends not to offer as detailed an analysis as QuickBooks’s Cash Flow Forecast, it’s not nearly as complex to use with an easy-to-understand interface and jargon-free tutorials.

4. Pulse’s Cash-Flow Modeling Software

For a more comprehensive tool, Pulse is a dedicated cash-flow Web app that allows you to review your company’s cash flow online in unlimited detail.

You can input financial information manually or from a spreadsheet to generate a cash-flow model that can be viewed day-to-day or in weekly or monthly periods. It offers a number of graphics and charts for visualizing how money moves in and out of your business.

Pulse also includes significant collaboration features. Multiple users can edit or view cash flow as well as add notes to income and expenses, which makes Pulse handy for sharing information with a team or with consultants.

Paid accounts start at $14 per month for up to three users and 3 GB of file storage.

5. Master PlanGuru

If your business is outgrowing all these options, one option is PlanGuru. It allows for financial forecasts up to 10 years out as well as automatic management of company income statements and balance sheets — in Excel or QuickBooks files and other formats.

From that, PlanGuru generates a statement with up to 20 different methodologies. You can use it to forecast just about any hypothetical business situation.

All this power comes with a clear risk. Users need to know how to manage money in a complex enterprise, or pay someone who does. PlanGuru is available as a download for $399. It can also be installed on a network server for collaboration at $399 for one user and $250 for each additional user.

Remember, no matter which online tool you use, your forecast is only as good as the data you enter into it. For cash-flow projection tools to function properly and provide the most accurate forecasts, your software needs to be accurate with sales, expenses data and the proper dates for all transactions.

For professional and affordable IT support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally written by Jonathan Blum and published by Entrepreneur and can be seen here.

The good news is that a growing number of affordable products, beyond traditional alarm systems, can help keep your physical facilities and equipment safe. Here are six tools to consider if you’re looking to secure your company’s valuable

1. A Keypad, Key Card or “Biometric” Lock System

Digital lock systems can replace a traditional key with a digital combination, employee identification card, finger print or retina scan. Systems with keycards or passwords can be centrally controlled and monitored, and they are more convenient than traditional locks and keys. Prices for these systems can start as low as $100 per door. Some entry-level options include a LockState keyless lock (around $120) and the BioAxxis Biometric Deadbolt ($225).

2. Device-Tracking Software

With more employees taking company equipment home, there’s a greater chance that some items can go missing. Installing tracking software can help you locate and retrieve these devices when they go missing.

Tracking software uses global positioning system coordinates — just like the GPS in your car and the mapping software on your mobile phone — to pinpoint where your missing device is. Some systems also can locate your mobile device through proprietary technology if someone uses it to access the Internet.

There are free, open-source options such as Prey, as well as numerous products with additional features that you can buy. Absolute Software’s LoJack for laptops, for example, starts at $40 for one year.

3. Portable Device Locks

Laptops and other portable technology devices are among some of the most commonly stolen business items. But installing locks that tether them to desks or other hard-to-move objects can reduce the likelihood of theft. Such locks typically start around $20 and can go as high as $100, depending on the brand and style.

Some examples include Kensington’s combination laptop lock ($20) as well as its iPad case/lock combination ($60).

4. Non-Removable Identification Labels

Metal tags engraved with company information can be attached with weather resistant and tamper resistant “high bond” adhesive to business equipment that can be easily stolen. Thieves know that it will be harder to sell stolen devices with permanent labels or to use them in public.

Prices vary depending on the type of label and quantity ordered, but expect to spend about $8 apiece for metal labels with adhesive backing. Two companies to consider for custom metal labels are Metalmarkermfg.com and YEUELL.

5. Motion-Sensing Lights

Motion-sensing light technology systems trigger lights when there is activity in the immediate vicinity, alerting employees to suspicious activity. These detectors can work with any light, whether in a secure area inside your office or in a dark area outside.

Simple outdoor motion-sensing spotlights are relatively inexpensive, such as the Lithonia double-head spotlight (about $120). The price of indoor systems can vary depending on the size of your space.

6. New or Updated Surveillance Equipment

Unless you’re a relatively new business, chances are your security cameras and monitoring system are outdated. That is, if you have any at all.

For less than $500, several systems allow you to view your security camera feeds from any device, using a Wi-Fi network. Options include an entry-level Uniden three-camera wireless system ($300) and the Lorex four-camera set ($650) which is designed for mobile viewing.

The physical security of your business and the devices you use is as important as the safety of your business data. Using one or a combination of these tools can help ensure that your business is not an easy target for theft.

For professional and affordable IT support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally written by Raymond Ray and published by Entrepreneur and can be seen here.