DygiScape

EXCLUSIVE: AOL Teases Users By Allowing Few to Turn Off Promotional Footer Text in E-Mail

EXCLUSIVE — It appears that AOL has plans to allow their users to disable the promotional text at the bottom of their e-mail. At this time, it appears only a select few have been able to successfully disable the company’s ads at the bottom of their e-mail. More »

13 Ways to Improve Your Gas Mileage

In light a fragile economy, I’d like to talk about 13 tactics you can employ to save hundreds at the pump, without buying a Prius. We know gasoline prices have risen to economy-shattering levels, so what can you do about it? Fight it — use less, spend less and enjoy life more. More »

Top 11 Botnets Could Send 9 Billion E-Mail Spams

PCW is running an interesting article about the several botnets out there, which control more than a million machines; which could result in more than nine billion pieces of spam to be slung into our Inboxes. More »

Free Alternatives to AOL

I’m often asked if there are other online services to use besides AOL, but still have the same ease of use. To help summarize my response, I’ve put together a small list of alternative services which are free that are similar or better than the AOL equivalent. More »

How to Uninstall RealPlayer

RealPlayer has been labeled Badware and they’ve advised that you uninstall RealPlayer. However, understand that uninstall is not enough to remove their software. This media player will reside in your computer even after uninstalling. I’ll describe below how to completely remove RealPlayer from your computer and provide some great free alternatives to it.

More »

Laptops, National Security and You.

Wow. If you think we’re safer when it comes to information security, think again. I don’t mean this in as bad of a way as you might think. Before I go in to details, let’s have a look at these headlines:

• Stolen laptop prompts Administaff to alert 159,000 of possible breach
• 10,000 Employees’ Data on Stolen Laptop
• Theft Of Gap Laptop Puts 800,000 Job Applicants At Risk
• TJX theft tops 45.6 million card numbers
• Laptop Stolen From D.C. Home

I could go on and on … but how many times does a mistake have to happen before it sinks in. Employee-issued laptops are a hot item these days, as they have confidential company information, personal information, customer information, and more. Information security starts with you, not the enterprise virus scan or the corporate firewall (but those are important, too.)

Trying not to sound like an anti-drug PSA, but it’s easily possible to take people’s information, fraudulently create accounts, false identification, and possibly use in the purchase of weapons. In essence, one laptop theft can result in domestic terrorism. A stretch, I know, but it only encourages it.

Here’s a detailed guide for protecting your work-issued laptop, and I don’t even work in risk management:

• Guard your laptop like it’s your next unborn child. Never leave it unattended in your car, house, coffee shop, or a friend’s house. Not that they will necessarily steal it, but you want to be accountable for where your computer is at all times.
• Going away for a while? Leave your work laptop in a secure location at work. You can’t steal something if it isn’t there, and it will be one less worry. If you’re on vacation, make it vacation and disconnect. The world will not stop if you don’t respond to your e-mail.
• Trust but verify. In downloading attachments, performing various troubleshooting, and responding to peculiar requests, trust it — but verify it. That means even though you regularly talk to someone, and they said something like “send me those records,” when you aren’t sure, take it offline and verify it with them via telephone or in person. (Credit: Junkyard Willie for the phrase.)
• Do not install “gateway” software. What is gateway software? P2P applications, simply. Anything that can download and/or share files from the computer to the rest of the Web. You really don’t want your financial document to be posted on Frostwire, do you?
• Periodically re-image your machine. While we all don’t want our laptop stolen, testing the reliability of recovering backed up data is good to familiarize yourself with types of information your laptop carries. In addition, re-imaging will ensure that unknown programs installed or collected over time are removed and don’t pose as a risk.
• Make frequent, Network-based backups — Don’t store locally. As tempting as it is to keep all your documents on your computer, it’s wise to store it over the network (at work), so you can find the files you need from any machine. In addition to adding this ability, it will also allow you to perform damage control by accounting for what files are on your computer and what’s not.
• Using Public Wifi? Don’t connect to “Free Public Wifi” or similar SSID names in a public area. Often these are other computers, and could be used to easily connect and circumvent your firewall. If you use wireless, make sure it’s encrypted, and if you’re doing work, connect to your VPN so you can guarantee a secure link and no sniffers can pick up your data.
• Engage yourself in security discussion. Don’t wait to be a victim, listen to the security folks at your work and listen to their advice. They know their stuff, they understand your frustrations and can help you work around them easily. Likewise, be sure you check for updates for your software, as that is another hole.
• Never write down passwords. When we were signing onto AOL in the early ’90s, having passwords written down on a piece of paper was acceptable, not these days when we’re all fighting embracing information security risks. Often the easiest way to defeat security, [sic] is often the easiest way.

Now that you are guarding your laptop like a paranoid conspiracy theorist with tinfoil on your head, take a moment to just step back and combine the information you know now along with reality. It’s acceptable to not follow all the above steps, just understand the risks involved and manage those risks accordingly.

9 Must-Read Tips Before You Relocate With Your Employer!

Some of you might know that I relocated with my company from the southwest to the mid-Atlantic. As a result I admit that I’ve made some mistake in this process and I’ll do anything to help someone else from making them like I did.

So you just landed an awesome job promotion and you’re moving with the company, known as relocation, congratulations! Don’t get caught up in the moment yet, you will need to get started performing in-depth research.

I’ll be honest. I’ve made some mistakes, but I can assure you that they won’t be made again. Onward we go …

Mistakes I’ve made during my relocation:

• Inadequate research
• Trusting people’s advice without verifying
• Not setting a financial road map
• Not paying debts before moving
• Procrastinated to prepare vehicle
• Making a large purchase too soon.

Given I’ve made a few mistakes, I can say I’ve earned a degree in how to properly move from one side of the ‘States to the other. Shifting from my experience, here are some excellent tips to help you relocate across the country with your employer:

• Make a financial plan. Sticking to a financial plan is challenging, however, taking a lot of time to create a financial boundary on things will give to a better overall understanding of the financial impact purchases have.
• Keep all receipts of transactions. This is a staple if you will be compensated for travel and relocation costs. However, even if you are not being compensating; having a hard-copy of transactions will help you understand where the money went.
• Understand the Cost of Living differences. I’ve done my homework on this, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to compare the cost of living between your state and where you’re going to. Consider spending some time filling out online calculators to get an idea of the differences. Use these calculators with 65% confidence because reality varies.
• Network, network, network. Wherever possible, make your best effort to network with contacts on your interview to understand the culture differences, current events and suggestions on living there. This will help give you some starting points of research before you sign any leases and will give you a better understand what current events will be impacting you during your move (e.g. construction, tax increases, etc.)
• No matter how much your salary is — DO NOT BUY ANYTHING LARGE! Be extremely careful in your first few months of settling in. I made a mistake of purchasing a car because of my error of evaluating my upcoming finances. Please, learn from me and don’t purchase a car until you live in your residence for a few months. This will provide a more accurate financial outlook with bills, taxes and your ability to make the ends meet.
• Research Rental properties and get $100! Perform intensive research into your new home. You can narrow down your search by location, price and amenities based on your needs. While considering your apartment, check out what current and former tenants said about it on Apartment Ratings.
• Set aside time to explore the area. Just drive around, practice your route (and alternative routes) to your work, home, shopping centers and malls. This will help you become more relaxed when you need to travel to a new place.
• Negotiate the job offer. When they make an offer, don’t immediately accept — say something along the lines of, “Thank you, is it alright if I look this over and get back to you in few days?” This accomplishes a few things: the ball is in your court, you have the option to negotiate, and you now have some time to finalize your research, set a baseline and your target salary to negotiate with. Keep in mind, that you may not necessary want a raise in annual salary, if you can garner a reimbursement package, a sign-on bonus, or other perks like vacation available upfront. Again, it’s a negotiation process, employers (should) respect that moving across the country is a major change.
• Relax. If you make any rushed or urgent decisions, most likely, they will be poor decisions. Take the time to relax and consider your options, financial obligations, and life’s goals. Give yourself the time to relax and let the tension go, otherwise it will all go to your head.

Using these tips will help you be more prepared when moving across the country. Let my mistake become your insider’s advantage!

[tags]Relocation, Living, Salary, Employer, Employee, Jobs, Promotion, Information, Reference[/tags]

Winter Weather Driving Tips

It finally got really icy where I live, being from Arizona and having no clue about driving on ice, it can be a challenge for a sunbelt driver. Well I decided to seek out advice from experts, and here is what I’ve concluded on how to drive in the snow.

Winter Weather Driving Tips

1. Make sure your car is maintained. This includes brakes, cooling system, fluid levels, windshield wipers and tires.
2. Use Winter/All-Season Tires. These tires have unique tread pattern and temperature tolerances. Invest in a set of all-season tires if you experience the “four seasons”. Make sure the tire pressure is set to the PSI that is labeled on the driver’s door. If you are like me, and use aftermarket tires, it should be labeled on the tire itself. If unsure, 35PSI is a safe number until you confirm it with a mechanic.
3. Drive Slow. Velocity coupled with your vehicle’s momentum with minimal traction is dangerous. Driving slow will be helpful for everyone. But, if you’re approaching and uphill, keep the vehicle going by slightly speeding up.
4. Don’t accelerate or brake suddenly. This behavior will often make your vehicle lose traction instantly, and spin out. Ease into it, just like your driving instructor always told you.
5. Let your vehicle warm up. This is often a no-brainer, but if your fluids are cold or near frozen, they can’t circulate. Warming the vehicle up before driving will render a warmer car, and your engine block will love you for it. True, it consumes gas, but it is worth it.
6. De-Ice/Snow your entire car. Don’t just do the windshield or your glass. It’s important to brush all the snow off your car. The reason is three parts: it will slide off, into your windshield when you are stopping, and it might slide off into someone else, it might be the law in your state. If you don’t have one already, purchase a decent Ice Scraper with a Brush.
7. Be prepared for the worst. You never know what’s going to happen when, even with the best luxury or 4WD vehicle. Keeping a road safety kit in your trunk is helpful. It helps to include flashlights, jumper cables, a tool set, and contact information for your insurance company and towing company.

I hope that information helps. There are numerous other tips and information, but taking driving cautiously will be the underlying tip for all of these. Even if you have a luxury vehicle or a four-wheel-drive, you can’t beat lack of friction. Take a moment to safely understand how your vehicle handles in the snow in an empty parking lot. Hopefully, we’ll be safer drivers in the snow. Take a look at other tips and checklists: here, here and here.

What winter driving tips do you have?
[tags]Snow, Ice, Winter, Tires, Cars, Vehicles, Safety, Cold Weather, Tips, Advice, Blog[/tags]

Internet Shopping Tips

With the end of the year being one of the Internet’s strongest shopping seasons, it goes without saying that one should shop secure.

Holiday Shopping Tips

• Research
  It is always a very good idea to research an item so you know exactly what you are getting. An easy way of doing in-depth research is to use Google and enter the item’s model number to see if there are reviews available. From there, you can make up your mind if that item is the best gift for your friends.
  
• Compare
  Now that you know what you want, compare the prices. My favorite price comparison tool is PriceGrabber. Also keep in mind, some merchants have specials for last-minute shoppers and give a discounted shipping rate.
  
• Check Yo’ Self
  When you find a place online to purchase something, it is always a good idea to check your security on your browser. The easiest way is to look at the bottom of your web browser for a gold padlock. That means the site is secure and is checked against security registries like Verisign, Thawte, and others. If you don’t see a lock, it may not be the most secure web site and I recommend looking elsewhere.
  
• Print and Confirm
  After you make your purchase online; you are encouraged to print your order confirmation. Doing this is very important, especially if any questions or concerns come up; you have a copy of exactly what was ordered, how much, and have reference to their tracking systems. This has saved me hours of time and frustration!
  
• Relax
  Understand that last-minute shoppers need to act quickly yet make sensible decisions online. That can sometimes leave you stressed in the process. Embrace the fun of it – you are getting gifts in mere minutes, rather than spending hours finding parking spaces.

Four Tips to Search Engine Success

Briefly, I would like to share a few tips that I’ve learned that render quality search engine success. If you want, share your tips and a link back.

1. Network. You need to network around within your niche and link to each other and you will gain organic traffic from them; in addition to higher PageRank.
2. Content. You will never be successful if you don’t have content that serves web audiences. No content = no way for SE’s to rank with. You need fuel for the fire. If you can have user-generated content - the better.
3. Know Your Audience. Rather, target your audience accordingly. Instead of targeting “Watches” - go for a specific goal that surfers might be looking for “Gold Rolex Watches”. Get in touch and react to your audience so you can grow with it. This includes targeting with META tags, and having a duality in terms of comprehensive content.
4. Accessibility. Complying to web standards is a goal but not a “rule.” You want to do your best to make your page to be accessible for any browser, connection, or device (such as a PDA). XHTML is a standard that browsers are adapting to and you can always validate your page and find what needs to be done by checking out the W3C Validator.

What tips have your proven to be successful?

[tags]Web, Search Engine Optimization, Success, Internet, Keywords, Traffic, Money[/tags]