Finding Your Way Round the Android Market

Nope, we’re not about to tell you how to go all ‘Star Wars’ and create your own Androids to do your bidding for you.

The Androids in question are those little bits of magic that you find in the Android market for your Android-based mobile phone.

How to use the Android market

As with iPhone Apps, you can access the Android market in two ways: via the official web based browser store, or through your phone.

Let’s take a look at the online store first.

Through the browser-based store, you can download your chosen apps directly to your phone from your desktop PC. All you need to do is sign in to the store using your Google login.

The other method is via your phone. The easiest way is through the Market icon on your mobile (of course, your phone will have to be connected to the internet to do this).

Once in the store, it’s divided into apps, games and downloads. The first 2 are again divided into various categories, whilst the downloads section shows you the apps you already have and any updates.

Keeping your information safe

Our previous post ‘How Safe is the Data on Your Smartphone?’ looked at how you can keep your data safe from hackers.

One of the key messages was to ensure you only download official apps from dedicated app stores. But to remain ultra safe, invest in a mobile security product, such as Bullguard Mobile Security – it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.

Author: MPM Computer Consultancy provides IT Services, Support and Training to sole traders and small businesses in Ipswich. Bury St Edmunds and surrounding villages.

How Safe is the Data on Your Smartphone?

In today’s day and age, we all shred important documents to minimise the risk of fraudsters getting hold of our personal data. But what about your smartphone?

Think for a moment about what is stored on it – your emails, bank account information, social networks and that’s just the tip of the ice berg. This wealth of personal information could potentially be swiped by malware (malicious software) or by someone physically stealing your phone.

Bet that’s got you thinking.

But they’ve got safeguards – haven’t they?

Sure, the iPhone has a ‘sandbox’ configuration making the OS pretty secure, but advances in malware means you should never rest on your laurels thinking your phone’s manufacturer has got everything covered.

As for Android phones, they are more closely related to PCs to, potentially, are an easy target for hackers.

And let’s face it, regardless of what magic software your phone contains to fend off would-be hackers, if it gets stolen, it’s game over.

Keeping your smartphone safe

A lot of advice about staying save is common-sense, but it never hurts to reiterate it:

• Only download official apps from reputable dedicated app stores
• Always check the areas of your phone you’re allowing the app to have access to (e.g. access to sending SMS messages shouldn’t always be needed, and can be exploited to rack up huge bills using premium rate numbers)
• Regularly update your smartphone’s OS
• Turn off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions when you’re not using them

To stay extra safe,  you can also take the extra step of utilising a mobile security product such as Bullguard Mobile Security.

At the end of the day, keep your smartphone secure when out and about and be vigilant about what you download on to it. Remember, one phone can hold a lot of information about you – so make sure it stays safe.

Author: MPM Computer Consultancy provides IT Services, Support and Training to sole traders and small businesses in Ipswich. Bury St Edmunds and surrounding villages.

Bribery Act – Is Your Business up to Speed?

Way back in July 2011, the Bribery Act 2010 came into force.

It applies to all businesses within the UK.

If you’re a business owner, have you taken the necessary steps to make sure you comply?

The Bribery Act contains 4 main criminal offences, namely:

• Offering, promising or giving a bribe
• Requesting, agreeing to receiving, or accepting a bribe
• Bribing a foreign public official
• Failing to prevent a bribe being paid on an organisation’s behalf

Potentially, your business could fall foul of this legislation if it can’t show that it has put in place ‘adequate measures’ to prevent bribery taking place.

What do you need to do?

Your first step will be to determine whether there is a risk that an employee, agent, subsidiary partner, or other person carrying out services for on your behalf, carrying out an act that falls within any of the four offences listed above.

For more guidance, the Government has published these guidelines on the 6 principles every business should follow to help you ensure compliance with the Act.

So, are you compliant?

Getting a Handle on Your IT

Everything is going computerised – OK, so that’s not exactly headline news, but you’d be surprised at the number of companies out there still battling with paper records.

To those who don’t use it a lot, technology can seem daunting. There’s that constant fear of pressing the wrong button and losing everything. And what happens when something goes wrong?

The sad fact is that if you don’t get a handle on your IT and drag your business into the 21st century, you’re going to be left behind.

Get your training started

Take a look at these questions:

• Are you a small company trying to compete in the big world of commerce?
• Are you fed up with manual cash books, sales books, carbon copy invoices and hand written quotations?
• Do you own a computer, but are not sure how best to utilise it?
• Would you like a computer but don’t know where to begin, and have no one to guide you to buy one?
• Would you like some affordable help?

Go on, be honest, how many times did you say ‘yes’?

It’s time to take the bull by the horns (or computer by the keyboard) and get to grips with technology – it’s really not as difficult as you think.

Contacting your local IT training specialist will help your business compete with the big boys.

Before you know it, you’ll be surfing, word processing and spread-sheeting like a professional.

What are you waiting for? Find your nearest IT training company today and embrace technology.

Do You Need a QR Code?

Curious little white boxes filled with random black squares are everywhere these days.

These QR Codes (Quick Response) are springing up on packaging, leaflets, websites and even clothing. So what are they and do you need one?

Well, for starters they’re not new. They’ve been used in Japan since the 90s, but it’s only in recent years that we’ve seen them used widely here.

The codes can be read using a QR Code reader, which is an app that can be downloaded to your smartphone. Once scanned, the code will unveil its secrets – a mobile website, URL, voucher, promotion code, map etc.

How QR Codes can help your business

If you’re still struggling to see how one of these odd little boxes can benefit your business, perhaps this will help.

You can use them to:

• Get more customers – by directing people to your website
• Get more email subscribers – use the code to direct people to a sign-up form
• Enhance your customer service – use the code to take people to a customer service video

How can you get one?

You can generate your own QR Code using a number of online generators. One of these is Goo.gl, which is a URL shortener and QR Code generator all in one (which basically means you can track the effectiveness of your code).

Where can you put it?

You can put it practically anywhere. You just have to remember that in order to read it, it must be flat and un-creased.

So, you can use them on your:

• Business cards
• Flyers and brochures
• Website
• Posters etc.

Keeping up with the techy Jones’s is fast becoming the norm for many businesses. If you want to be seen as being ‘with it’ and keeping up with technological advances, you have to use new marketing initiatives, such as the QR Code.

But, as with all marketing, it’s essential you continually measure its effectiveness to see if your market are responding to this new technology.

 

Author: MPM Computer Consultancy provides IT Services, Support and Training to sole traders and small businesses in Ipswich. Bury St Edmunds and surrounding villages.

The Real Cost of Fraud to Small Businesses

According to a recent article in FSB First Voice, fraud is costing small businesses, on average, £2,725 every year.

That is a significant sum that many business can’t absorb.

Con, scam, swindle, dupe, ploy – no matter how you dress it up, it all amounts to the same thing – FRAUD.

So, as a small business owner what can you do to minimise the threat?

Protecting your business  from fraud

The article in FSB First Voice offers 4 top tips to help you spot the bad guys before they cost you money:

1. Always remember that it is the retailer’s responsibility to spot fraudulent orders and to put procedures in place to deal with dodgy transactions when they occur
2. If you receive an order request that seems to good to be true – it usually is. Make background checks if you’re unsure to be on the safe side
3. Make sure cleared payment for goods and services has been received before you make any shipments
4. If you’re unsure about a customer, check to make sure their identity and card details marry up by contacting your payment processor

Above all be vigilant and trust your instincts. If something doesn’t ring true, or (as in number 2) it seems to good to be true, check it out and don’t be afraid to walk away – you could be saving yourself a lot of money and stress.

For more top tips on how to avoid fraud, check out the Action Fraud website.

Author: MPM Computer Consultancy provides IT Services, Support and Training to sole traders and small businesses in Ipswich. Bury St Edmunds and surrounding villages.

Mobile Data – An IT Headache

A recent article in Microscope.co.uk, looked at the changing landscape of IT and the impact it is having on data security.

According to Dave Everitt, general manager EMEA at Absolute Software, the increasing use of personal devices (such as smartphones) in the workplace is dramatically changing the landscape for IT departments everywhere.

He uses the term ‘consumerisation’ of IT to describe the increasing use of smartphones by social media savvy employees and how companies must devise ways of managing and securing company data held on those devices, without using ‘big brother’ tactics.

Today, more and more employees are taking their own devices into work and using them to store company data on them. If an employee synchs their company email with their personal smartphone, who is responsible if that phone is stolen and the data lost?

There could be trouble ahead…

Companies will be forced to put in place procedures to ensure their data integrity by the growing number of laws around data security.

If companies don’t comply, they could face hefty fines (not to mention damage to their reputation). The article goes on to say that ‘according to the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of a data breach to an organisation in the UK is £1.7 million, while in Germany it is €2.41 million’.

Not only that, but with a public that’s more aware of the security of their personal information, and a more mobile workforce, IT departments are facing a monumental headache.

What can be done?

IT departments simply have to get to grips with situation and put procedures in place to prevent a disaster from happening. The article made several suggestions:

• Think ahead – think of the worst possible scenario and work backwards to ensure you have the systems in place should a laptop, for example, ‘drift’ off the network
• Make sure you know what devices you have and where they are
• Install an asset management system that can keep track of multiple operating systems (such as Windows, Macs, smartphones etc.) via a single console
• Work with HR and Legal to implement a clear policy on the use of consumer devices at work. Decide what is acceptable and legislate against what isn’t
• Communicate – it’s IT’s job to talk to employees and to make sure everyone is aware of the reasons for having security policies in place. Also make sure they know what to do, should the worse happen, and a laptop goes missing

Technology has been responsible for many great things, but it can be a double edged sword. Greater mobility of data has compromised its safety and companies must work hard to ensure their customers’ data remains safe.

To read the full article, click here.

Author: MPM Computer Consultancy provides IT Services, Support and Training to sole traders and small businesses in Ipswich. Bury St Edmunds and surrounding villages.