Last week, I was upgraded to Office 2010. Here are a few of my favorite updates.

1.  Open Recently-used Files With Two Keystrokes

In older versions of Office, the File menu always displayed your recently-used documents, which you could open by typing Alt-F1, then the number of the document on the list (1 for the most recent, 2 for next most recent, etc.). This feature isn’t turned on by default in Office 2010, but you can activate it by entering the Backstage view (File Menu), selecting Recent, and adding a checkbox next to "Quickly access this number of recent documents." Change the number to whatever number of documents you want to see on the list. In the Recent Documents list, you can "pin" a document to the list so that it will always appear, even if you haven't opened it recently. A nifty new feature lets you "pin" entire folders to the list of Recent Places in the right-hand column on the menu.

2.  Customize The Ribbon

Office finally lets you rearrange the Ribbon the way you want by clicking the File tab to go to Backstage, selecting Options, and then Customize Ribbon. In the right-hand column, you can create a new tab or a new group on an existing tab, remove or rearrange items already on the Ribbon by selecting them in the right-hand column, or select items that you want to add from the list on the left. Long-term Office users may want to use the "Commands not on the ribbon," function because you can now add a command that you used in older versions of Word that nixed from the Ribbon due to lack of demand. Note: A button the lower right lets you export your customizations to other Office setups.

3.  Make Your Own Quick Steps in Outlook

Outlook's new Quick Steps feature lets you create one-click (or one-keystroke) e-mail actions. For example, moving a message to a folder you use for archiving messages. You create a new Quick Step by going to Outlook’s Home tab, then clicking Quick Steps, Create New. There you'll assign a name, shortcut key, and tooltip for your Quick Step, then use the drop down menus to select one or more actions. When you're done, your new Quick Step will be available from the gallery of Quick Steps in the Home tab, or via a shortcut key.

There will be more in our tip of the week of Facebook, so follow us there to learn more.
 

Are you like me where you can barely get a signal from your cell phone in your home?  Well, cell phone providers have figured out a way to eliminate poor signals in your home where you need a strong signal the most.  Now introducing what is called “The Femtocell”.

You are probably saying “A femtowhat"?  Trust me, I said the same thing.  A femtocell is basically a mini cell phone tower that is designed for use in a home or a small business.  It uses your existing broadband internet connection to provide the 5 bars of cell phone coverage we are all looking for.  With femtocells, the days of standing outside or near your window to get a signal will be over. 
  
 Femtocells look similar to wireless routers and are used to route cell phone calls through broadband internet connections and then back to cellular networks.  A phone call is made from someone’s cell phone, and as it is being made it is redirected to the femtocell device, then sent through your internet connection and from there is redirected back to the cell network. Even writing that made my head hurt.

Femtocells allow cell phone users to get better signal in indoor areas where before they had little or no service because of a dead zone.  Another added benefit of using a femtocell within your home involves better data performance which results in a better experience with music, photos, and live video on your cell phone.

At this time most femtocells can support up to 5 cell phones at one specific time and they work with all major cell phone signal types. This means that a femtocell can be used with most major U.S. carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon.
 
Most wireless customers should be able to purchase femtocells direct from their cell phone company.  This would generally include availability from electronics retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
AT&T is offering their version for a one-time fee of $150, although I have heard of some people receiving one for free if they complain enough.  Verizon’s offering when it goes on sale should be available for around $250 dollars.  Sprint’s variation of the femtocell sells for around $50 with a $15 a month single line plan or a $30 a month family plan.

In summary, many of you are probably asking yourselves, do I need this contraption?  The answer to that question is, maybe.  If you live in an area that does not have great coverage then I would suggest looking in to one.  I myself might be forced to get one because no matter the cell phone provider, I just do not get any kind of signal at my home.  Shelling out $150 (yes I am on the dreaded AT&T network) for a usable phone at home is worth it in my opinion.  If you have a good signal at home then you probably do not need to worry about it.

If you have any questions at all or would like help determining if you actually could use a femtocell then do not hesitate to contact Kotori Technologies.

Everyone is confused right now, “What is A Cloud Computer?”, and “Where is this Cloud?” Why in a Cloud?”  “What’s up with the Cloud?”  ”Hey, Hey you, get off of my Cloud!” Well Cloud is just another name for the Internet. Period. We all know what that is right? Well that’s all it is, except it’s your own special Internet, your special Cloud, used only for you.

 Most people don’t care where the information is coming from as long as it’s coming. No down time, No server issues, No storage issues. Just be there when I need you.  For you the Business owner this Cloud is the diamond in the rough of your checkbook.  No more spending thousands of dollars on servers as your business grows or the tens of thousands on storage as you need and the regulations kept on you by government entities to keep your data safe.  Here’s The Cloud.

 You as the user might not even know, when at work, the files you use or the programs you run every day, yes they are right there on your workstation, but they are stored somewhere. Right now that somewhere is in a back room full of all kinds of cool looking computers and switches and stuff that looks like NASA used yesterday.  The owner of the company or the corporation you work for has spent thousands and thousands of dollars in that room so work can keep going on.   

 The Cloud now eliminates all the mess in the back room and all your files and programs that you use are now in your own little Internet (Cloud) only used and accessed by you.  So no more big closets full of switches, no more servers off line and cannot get things done today, no more worry of losing critical information that has been forgotten to be backed up. Where’s all your info? It’s “in the Clouds”. So the next time conversations come up about Cloud Computing, you’ll know your heads not in the Clouds, your information is.

This week I have a few Windows 7 tips to help with your documents.

Displaying the “My Recent Documents folder” on the Start menu will make things easier and faster since it will display a list of all the documents you've recently used for easy access.
1. Using the right button of your mouse, click on Start and proceed to Properties.
2. Click on Customize.
3. Go to the Advance tab by clicking on it.
4. On the Recent documents, click on the check box that says List my most recently opened documents. Then, click OK and click OK again.
5. To check if the process worked, click on the Start menu. You should see the My Recent Documents displayed.

Put a “Pin Up” of the Folders You Use Most  Windows 7 allows you to “pin up” the folders you use most on your taskbar. Simply hold your mouse over the favorite folder, right click, and drag it onto the taskbar. Windows 7 automatically ins itself to the Explorer Jump List. To open the folder, right click on the Explorer (folders) con and select the folder you want.

Next week, I will have a few tips for Office 2010, as I got the upgrade yesterday!!

This week I have compiled a few more Windows 7 tips. Hope you enjoy.

1.       Shift The Window From One Monitor To Another

If you are using two or more monitors, then you might want to move the Windows from one to another. There is a very simple way to do it.

All you have to do is press the Windows Key + Shift Key + Left or Right Arrow Key, depending on what monitor you want to move it to.

2.       Custom Power Button

There is an option to replace the “Shut Down” button with another action, if you rarely shut down the computer, but you more often restart it or put it on sleep.

Right click the Start Button, go to Properties and choose the ‘Power Boot Action” to do whatever you want, from the given options.

3.       Make The Taskbar Smaller

If you feel like the taskbar is using too much of your screen space, you can choose to make the icons smaller. To do this, right-click on the Start button, then go to Properties -> Taskbar and set it to “Use small icons”        

4.       Clear The Desktop

If there are too many windows on the desktop, you can clear it by shaking a window from left to right and all others will minimize. To restore the other windows you have to shake the active one again.

5.       Lock The Screen

There is no Lock Screen button in the Start Menu anymore, so you have to press the Windows Key + L to lock it, now. It seems easier, in case you don’t forget the shortkey

Keep reading....there are lots more to come.