Bits & Bytes Gazette – Nov 2013

ITS Newsletter – Pass IT On

November 2013

Our days are getting a little bit shorter and colder, but with this amazing weather we can’t really complain. We still get the luxury of seeing stunning autumn colors cover our beautiful city. Lots of changes have been happening in the tech world recently, but I would have to say the biggest gossip is the changes with Blackberry. They have been put up for sale and also have released their exclusive instant messaging to more users. Also in this newsletter, is a little warning of a nasty ransomware virus that has been going around. Happy reading!

What’s in Novembers’ Newsletter?:

· BBM available for Android and Apple

· ITS Warning of virus mail

· Mavericks OS 10.9

· Windows 8.1

· XBOX1 vs. PS4

· Deal of the Month

· Tech Tip of the Month

· This Month in Tech History

· November Events

BBM available for Android and Apple:

This past month we have seen some big changes at Blackberry. Still on the market to be bought and they have released BBM to other smartphones. The free instant messaging app from Blackberry has been quite a hit, with millions of downloads in the first week, and still going strong. The have currently only released the app to iOS and Android users, but pretty sure it will be rolled out across all platforms. There have been some compatibility issues and other glitches, but it is slowly getting better for the new comers. Hopefully on the next update from Blackberry it will give all users the full functionality of the app, so soon enough video chat and voice messaging will be available. Blackberry is also coming out with Blackberry Channels, a ‘social engagement platform’. This will allow users to connect with groups, artists, business, and brands. This is still in the making and more information will be available soon.

Check out the links below for more information on Blackberry and BBM

· http://mobilesyrup.com/2013/10/26/bbm-channels-to-exit-beta-soon-plus-bbm-voice-and-video-calling-coming-to-android-and-ios-users-within-months/

· http://n4bb.com/goodbye-bbm-line-hello-100-million-users/

· http://www.phonearena.com/news/BlackBerry-working-on-a-fix-for-BBM-for-iOS-bogus-reviews-found-on-Google-Play-Store_id48643

· http://www.talkandroid.com/181070-bbm-channels-voice-and-video-coming-to-bbm-for-android-soon/

· http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/124465-blackberry-acquisition-top-suitors-to-buy-out-the-company

OS X 10.9 Mavericks:

More good news from Apple this month is the release of Mavericks; Apple’s 10^th operating system. So, what’s new? Well this time there are more than 200 new features than the previous Mountain Lion, lots of tweaks and integration between apps and devices, Maps and iBooks too. But the best thing is that it is available for free for anyone that has a compatible operating system, which is a first for Apple to do for their upgrades.

Check out videos, reviews, and more information here.

http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/os-x-10-9-what-we-want-to-see-from-apple-s-new-mac-os-1148525

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/10/22/apple-release-os-x-10-9-mavericks/

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/2303413/mac-os-x-109-mavericks-review

Windows 8.1:

This month marks Windows 28^th anniversary, Microsoft’s operating system. When Windows 8 came out there were lots of changes such as the removal of the ‘start’ button and the touch-screen interface. Microsoft has returned the ‘start’ button for all those users who have been accustomed to it for so long. They have also changed the interface so it still is tablet ‘touch-screen’ friendly, but on desktops; it still holds the more classic look. This new upgrade is free for current users of Windows 8 and is available to download. Computers being sold with Windows 8.1 are available, as well as stand-alone copies of the software. Part of Microsoft’s new plan is to begin releasing upgrades more frequently to comply with the current industry trends where upgrades/new products/ improvements are constantly being offered instead of just once a year.

Check out videos, reviews, and more information here.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/windows-8-1-released-by-microsoft-1.2100781

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57607810-75/microsofts-windows-8.1-arrives-a-look-back-and-ahead/

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/windows-8-1-1161745/review

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2425875,00.asp

Xbox One vs. PS4

It seems kind of early, but Christmas is coming up and you have to start thinking about what to get for the kids, teenagers, or big-kid adults. 2 of the biggest names in video games have released new consoles: Xbox- with Xbox 1 & Sony- with Play Station 4. Which one is better? Well it depends what the person prefers. The Xbox is supposed to be an all-in-one console, so you do not need anything else, live streaming, voice control, and an enhanced Kinect (motion-sensor remote). PS4 has concentrated their improvements on games, amazing graphics, and the removable and upgradable hard drive. Check out a few comparisons with the links below to see which would be the perfect gift for someone… or yourself.

http://ca.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/PS4_vs._Xbox_One_vs._Wii_U_Comparison_Chart

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/ps4-vs-xbox,review-1844-9.html

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/ps4-vs-xbox-720-which-is-better-1127315

ITS Warning of virus mail:

I’m sure most of you would have received an email from our help desk within the last couple of weeks, but for those of you who haven’t, please read below the alert.

This is an important message from ITS Consulting Inc.

There is a particularly nasty piece of malware in the wild that, if it infects your computer, can encrypt your data and try to force you to pay a ransom to get the data back.

It currently looks like this.

If you see this, unfortunately it is already too late.

A detailed article on the malware is located here:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/cryptolocker-ransomware-information

As in all cases with malware, the most important defense is prevention so beyond having current and functional anti-virus software protecting you, you MUST remain vigilant about not opening unknown attachments or otherwise allowing unknown programs to run.

If you do manage to get infected by this malware, please contact us right away and we will do what we can to try and recover any encrypted data.

Please contact our office via help(at)itsmail(dot)ca or 604-484-4300 if you have any questions or concerns.

Deal of the Month:

Each month we will supply you with a product that we believe is a great deal and may suit your business or personal needs. This is an opportunity for you to save time and energy shopping around for what’s best at the best price, because we have done it for you!

Corsair Flash Voyager GT CMFVYGT3A-64GB 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive

Price: $ 98.00

*Tax and Shipping not included

If you are interested please contact the sales team at https://itsconsultinginc.ca/contact/

Tech Tip of the Month:

Brought to you by Alandale Training a great resource online for tips and on-site computer training courses in Vancouver, BC. Visit their site at www.alandaletraining.com.

Putting a second Excel workbook on a second monitor

If you are working with two Word documents and you have two monitors, it can be useful to put one Word window on each monitor so you can see both documents at the same time. Most Windows programs open each file in a new window so it’s easy to arrange them on your monitors the way you want.

Excel is the exception to this rule. Each workbook you open is part of the Excel window rather than having a window of its own. If you want to put two workbooks on two monitors, you’ll need to open Excel twice.

In Windows 7, the quickest way of doing this is to open Excel then press Shift as you click on the Excel task bar button. This opens a second Excel window and you can then get the workbook you want and put one Excel window on each monitor.

In Windows XP, you’ll need to open Excel in the usual way both times.

If you liked this tip click here to join the Alandale Training Mailing List to receive more great tech tips.

This Month in Tech History:

· November 4^th 1879: – Ka-Ching! The World’s First Cash Register

· November 29^th 1972:- Pong, a Game Any Drunk Can Play

· November 20^th 1985: – Windows 1.0 is released

· November 10th 1983:- Computer ‘Virus’ Is Born

· November 23^rd 1963: –Doctor Who Materializes on BBC

November Events:

· November 10, 2013- Comedy Stands for Education

· November 20, 2013- Chowder Chowdown

· November 22, 2013- Vancouver Christmas Market