Northern Computer Long Haul Adventure Race

At Northern Computer we are committed to supporting causes that matter to our communities. We aim to make a difference through corporate donations and sponsorships.

We are proud to be involved in the First Annual Northern Computer Longhaul Adventure Race (www.longhauladventurerace.com) taking place at Kirschner Mountain on September 22nd, in support of Crossroads Addictions Services Society (www.xrdstc.net). The treatment centre works to change the lives of those dealing with addictions as well as the stigma surrounding addiction.

With the 2012 Northern Computer Longhaul Adventure Race, teams of 4 will use their physical, mental and planning skills to complete the adventure course together. Team members will compete in a number of different stages including running and hiking sections of varying lengths and difficulties, an obstacle course with both natural and manmade elements and several mental and physical challenges along the course. The teams will finish the race by working together to overcome the final signature obstacle of the course and then spend the rest of the afternoon cheering other teams through the finish line and swapping stories to live music with great food and new friends!

Teams will be asked to gather pledges (min. $100 per team member) to be able to compete in the race and net proceeds will go directly to the Crossroads Addictions Services Society. And there will be rewards for most money raised, best dressed teams, fastest times and more!

So come on out, get a team together and join the fun. If you aren’t able to come out, please consider donating to our team. Donations can be made under any of our team member’s names – Andrea Pearson, Janet Fitchett, Keenan Ferguson or Keith Hind. Every bit of support is greatly appreciated.

For more information on the race, to donate to our team or to register a team visit www.longhauladventurerace.com

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Conserve Energy with your Laptop to Reduce your Carbon Footprint

Have you ever wondered what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint? Have you ever wanted to find simple ways to be more green? Making small changes in your life can have a large impact on our environment. Small choices can reduce the negative impact that the things we do have on the Earth. It is important to be mindful of how we are treating the earth.

While there are many things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint, something many of us use every day, a laptop, is a good place to start. Becoming green is a large task. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Start small and add more green habits slowly so they become a way of life, rather than another task to add to your to do list.
The following are ways you can conserve energy with your laptop. Start implementing some of these tips in your life and turn over a new ‘green’ leaf. Start slowly and add more as you go.

Adjust Screen Brightness
Having your screen brightness at its’ max will use up a lot of energy. Adjust the screen to a lower light to save energy and lengthen battery life. Simply find the button on your screen, or often one of your function keys, and turn down the brightness.

Sleep Mode
Computers are an important part of our lives. Many people use them all day at work. However, there are times we are stepping away from our computer, but aren’t ready to completely turn it off. When you know you are going to be away from the computer for a little bit, turn it to sleep mode. This way, your computer will be using less energy while you are away.

How do you set your computer to sleep mode?
Windows: Start --> Control Panel --> Power Options

Mac: System Preferences --> Energy Saver

Close Applications Not In Use

If you are not using an application, close it. If an application is open, it is consuming energy. If you do not currently need it, close it. You want to make sure of this especially with applications that have a lot of graphics like games and pictures. Just like we don’t leave all the lights in our house on in rooms we aren’t using, we don’t keep applications up that aren’t in use.

Stick with a Laptop

A lot of the energy consumed by laptops happens during manufacturing. Because of this, taking care of your laptop so you don’t have to constantly buy a new one is a way to conserve energy. However, if the time does come that you need to replace your laptop, get another laptop. Laptops consume about 1/6 the amount of energy a PC uses. If you must upgrade, stay in the laptop world. You will use a lot less energy to run your laptop than you would use if you were running a PC.

Use Built in Power-Saving Features

There are features built into a computer to lessen the amount of power being used. One great power-saving feature is idle mode. This will put certain parts of your computer into idle mode, such as the hard drive, when not in use.

Author Bio:

David Borg is a writer for Dell. When David isn’t working he enjoys spending time with his two kids.

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Watching the Things You Love on the Screen You Love

You just came back from vacation and want to share your pictures and video with your family and friends. You all gather and stand around your computer monitor in the den. Not the most ideal environment to share your memories.

One day all TVs will be connected to the Internet and your home network, but that day hasn’t arrived yet, and for now, products like the WD TV Live media player are the missing connectivity link. The players can access content (files) on your PC and on the web (YouTube, Netflix) and display them on your TV.

Currently, Western Digital (WD) has two player options– the WD TV Live and the WD TV Live Hub that can display your content. Both can play most media file formats of your own videos, photos and music files in high definition. They can also stream movies, YouTube videos and connect with Facebook. The WD TV Live Hub additionally has a 1 TB network drive for local storage and can stream to any DLNA device (such as a Blu-Ray player) in your home. The WD TV Live does not have a local storage option or the ability to stream to other devices, but it does come with Wi-Fi, and the WD TV Live Hub does not, although an optional USB wireless adapter is available.

To summarize, the features of the WD TV Live include:

·         Play almost any type of media file including video, music and photos

·         Plug and play from a USB device including camcorders and digital cameras

·         Streaming services such as Netflix, Facebook and YouTube are part of the offerings

·         Works with USB keyboards for easy text input

·         HDMI and Composite Video Outputs

·         Connect wired or wirelessly with a USB wireless adapter (sold separately) to your network

Additional features  with the WD TV Live Hub:

·         Store and play your media files on the 1TB hard drive

·         Stream to other DLNA devices (Blu-Ray players, game consoles) in your home

Additional features of the WD TV Live: 

·         Built in Wi-Fi

In a nutshell, if you want a device that will stream and play back your downloaded files, these are both leading models in media playback devices. With pricing under $150.00 for the WD TV Live, this makes it an attractive box for playing your local and online media on the big screen you love!

- Janet F, IT Consultant

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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5 Tips to Keep Your Technology Costs Down and WORKING for You

In the day to day demands of managing your company’s network there can be challenges in keeping servers and workstations operating flawlessly and controlling ongoing costs. These challenges are complicated by the demands from the business to support more devices, more crossover technologies and to keep costs down. So we’ve compiled a list of tips that can help to keep your technology costs down and WORKING for you:

1.       Lease new equipment. This can give you the advantage of no upfront costs and a fixed monthly fee.

2.       Make the move to cloud services. Cloud services allow you to create a budget with fixed monthly costs without the worries of network maintenance. Read more about Northern Computer’s cloud services here.

3.       Have an emergency backup plan. Being unprepared for hardware failure can result in unforeseen costs and downtime and possibly even data loss. An IT consultant can help with disaster planning.

4.       Consider outsourcing or signing up for managed services that offer a fixed monthly cost.For those companies that don’t have the budget for an dedicated IT person, this allows you to have a part time IT professional to monitor your critical servers or systems, provide priority based break-fix and support, and provide scheduled maintenance. Read more about managed services here.

5.       Keep your virus and malware protection up to date. Each time a workstation or server has problems IT resources must be redirected to fix those problems, you incur additional costs and workers are robbed of productivity. Your company’s information security can even be jeopardized.

If you plan to purchase new systems or services to replace or add to current assets and are looking for options, but don't know exactly what kind of technology you require to grow your business, or aren't sure how much it will cost, talking to a trusted IT consultant can be your biggest ally. If they know your business, they can often pinpoint what you need or recommend a variety of solutions to choose from.


Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca  or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Web Filtering

How are your employees using their time at work? Are you concerned that employees may be using the Internet for non-work-related surfing that can pose security threats, such as viruses, to your company network and reduce productivity?

What is web filtering?

Web filtering is a security solution that allows you to control Internet traffic that flows through your network. It encompasses non work related surfing, virus and malware protection. The program screens an incoming web page and determines whether some or all of it should be displayed to a user. It checks the content against a set of rules that is put in place by an administrator. Web pages are also checked for malicious content. It enforces Internet usage policies by blocking access to Web sites and Internet applications that are not related to business, and it eliminates spyware and other forms of malware from your organization. No more productivity loss trying to repair computers or make computers usable again after they have been infected with malware or viruses.

How does it Work?

Policies and rules are setup through a web based interface. Four types of rules can be applied that are able to block, allow, warn (display company policies) or monitor users. When a user tries to enter a restricted site or use a restricted application, an access denied screen will pop up and deny the user from entering the site. Below is an overview of how web filtering restrictions can be set up:

1.       Choose the restrictions for web filtering and application usage:

·         There are over 50 categories of websites that can be chosen

·         Applications (iTunes, messaging, Skype) can be allowed or blocked

·         Specific sites can be blocked or allowed

·         Specific types of content can be blocked, such as flash files

·         Create custom categories

2.       Choose Who to Apply the Rules to:

·         Rules can be set as global policies (your entire organization), to specific users or groups or machines, or to guest users. Exceptions can also be set up for certain users or restricting access for certain times of the day.

3.       Generate Reports:

·         The reporting feature is capable of generating over 50 types of reports. Reports can be generated to monitor specific users, attempted entry to blocked sites, amount of time spent on the Internet and much more. These reports can be automatically scheduled to be emailed as well.

What does it cost?

The average employee is reported to spend up to 2 hours a day surfing the Internet on non -work related activities. Web filtering is an investment in increased productivity, security and business continuity.  Filtering is paid on a monthly basis for each user or device that filtering is setup for. Northern Computer’s monthly filtering fee is less than $5.00 per user or device. A one-time setup fee may apply.

For more information please contact our sales team at sales@northerncomputer.ca or call us at 250-762-7753 Ext 3.


Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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How to send a large file

Have you ever had trouble sending a particular file attachment through e-mail, and wondered why? The file is probably too large. Most mail servers restrict attachment sizes to a maximum of 10MB, and sometimes even less than that. If you're trying to send someone a video file, a large batch of photos, or anything else that exceeds the limit, the e-mail won't go through. (Think of it as trying to stuff an oversize package into a small mailbox.) Fortunately, there are ways around these restrictions.

Email: For Large Files Under 10-25 MB

Email is one of the most common ways to make file transfers, especially among users who do not transfer files often. Email is also safe and secure, so you do not have to worry about other individuals accessing the files. You can also compress large files with compression software. The user on the other end does not need the compression software to decompress the attachment.

Online File Delivery Services: For Larger File Sizes

A variety of online services exist that let users send, receive and track files. YouSendIt is a simple to use program that offers different options, features and costs. The service is provided at no cost for file sizes up to 50MB. The sender just needs to create an account, enter the recipients email address, attach the file and send it. The recipient receives an email notification with a URL that lets them download the file.

Another option is Dropbox. Dropbox also offers free and paid services with varying options, but works differently than YouSendIt. It integrates with your desktop, laptop or any other devices that you have so that all of your files are available on the web and all these files automatically sync between all of your devices. Shared files and folders can be setup for different users to share and access. You can read more about Dropbox on our blog http://northerncomputer.blogspot.ca/2012/03/what-is-dropbox.html.

FTP: For Heavy File Transfer Loads

FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is designed to transfer many large files at once. If you have the need to make large file transfers often, then you can look into this option. Unfortunately, setting up FTP accounts and servers can be a tedious task.  A secure FTP site may be required if you are transferring sensitive documents. Northern Computer technicians can help to setup an FTP site if you are often required to transfer large files.

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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Do I need an SSD? Is it worth the price?

A solid state drive (SSD) is a hard drive for your computer without the moving parts. A normal hard disk drive has spinning disks from which data is written and read.

What are the advantages of an SSD?

Because SSDs have no moving parts, they tend to be much more durable and reliable. A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is prone to mechanical failure from vibrations or drops – an SSD is not. This decreases the risk of data loss due to shock and vibration, and this means time between failure (MTBF) greatly exceeds that of traditional hard disk drives, giving users peace of mind that it will retain their files for the long term.

An SSD is up to 10 times faster than a 7,200 RPM HDD. Users can quickly boot and shut down their systems, launch applications faster and reduce wait times. SSDs are the types of drives found in tablets.

They are more durable and power efficient. They consume 30 percent less power than a HDD while generating less heat and noise, making it an ideal solution for notebook users who want to maximize their battery life while computing on the go.

So, is it worth it?

For the price of my 128 GB SSD one could buy a 1 TB HDD. SSDs are still expensive and it can be hard to trade-off storage space for performance. If you have a PC with expansion space it’s no problem, just put your operating system on the SSD and pictures, videos, and music on your HDD. If you’re looking to upgrade a laptop it can be harder to decide. There may be other, cheaper ways to increase performance, such as a RAM upgrade.

However, if you need more space you might need to go for a traditional HDD, but make sure that it is at least a 7200 RPM drive.

As technology makes advancements and memory capacity can be added to smaller spaces, the price of SSDs will reduce.  For now, you just need to decide on what is more important - space or performance.

- Janet F, IT Consultant

Northern Computer - Your Trusted Partner
#1 - 495 Banks Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6A2
Phone: 250.762.7753 Fax: 250.861.1861 Toll-Free: 1.877.257.2896
Email: sales@northerncomputer.ca or service@northerncomputer.ca
Web: http://www.northerncomputer.ca

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