Productivity Plugins For Major Browsers: Computer Tip Of The Day

productivity plugins for major browsers computer tip of the day

When you are on your computer at work, it is too easy to get distracted. A world of information and entertainment is at your fingertips. Thankfully, there are a few browser plugins and extensions that make it simple to stay on task. Here are some of the best productivity plugins for each of the major browsers.

Safari: Self Control

With the Self Control application for Mac computers, you can set your own controls for “banned” sites. All you have to do is simply create a list of sites that you don’t want to visit. Perhaps you are trying to work, so you block Facebook and Twitter. Or maybe, you are home from work and block your professional email to keep your focus on family. Regardless of the end result, this application works on a timer and makes it nearly impossible to reach any of your outlawed sites.

Chrome: AdBlocker

This plugin doesn’t prevent you from visiting off-task sites, but it makes them less distracting when you do. It eliminates all flashy ads from your screen so you are not distracted by pop-ups and banners while you are trying to work. It even claims to work for Facebook ads, so it is definitely worth a try!

Edge: Pocket

If you find yourself getting distracted by headlines and interesting Facebook articles, this is for you. Pocket is practically a virtual notebook for you to save all of the articles you wish to read later. When you find yourself procrastinating on a site that is particularly interesting, you can add it to your Pocket queue with one simple click and read it when you have time.

These are just a few of the most popular, well-known and effective plugins, but there are thousands available. With a bit of research you can find a program that is perfect for your needs. For more technology support, contact us–we are here to help.

Computer Tip of the Day – Don’t Forget Those Control Keys!

computer tip of the day don t forget those control keys

We all like to be as efficient as we can be. Whether you are in Word or composing an e-mail, if you prefer the keypad to the mouse, using control- keys can save you a lot of time! Our computer tip of the day will help.

Computer Tip of the Day

You’ve probably seen at least some of these, but here’s a comprehensive list of Control+one letter commands.

  • Ctrl + A    Select All
  • Ctrl + B    Bold the selection or toggle Bold on and off
  • Ctrl + C    Copy the selected text
  • Ctrl + D    Open the Font Dialog Box
  • Ctrl + E    Center align text
  • Ctrl + F    Open Find Dialog Box
  • Ctrl + G    Open GoTo Dialog Box
  • Ctrl + H    Open Find and Replace Dialog Box
  • Ctrl + I     Italicize selected text or toggle Italicize on and off
  • Ctrl + J     Justifies the selected text (aligns to both left and right margins)
  • Ctrl + K    Insert Hyperlink
  • Ctrl + L     Left align text
  • Ctrl + M    Indent the paragraph
  • Ctrl + N    Open new blank document
  • Ctrl + O    Opens the Open Document Dialog Box
  • Ctrl + P     Opens Print Dialog Box
  • Ctrl + Q    Remove Paragraph Formatting
  • Ctrl + R    Right align text
  • Ctrl + S    Save open document
  • Ctrl + T    Create hanging indent
  • Ctrl + U    Underline selected text or toggle underline on and off
  • Ctrl + V    Paste previously copied text
  • Ctrl + W   Close Word document
  • Ctrl + X    Cut selected text
  • Ctrl + Y    Redo an undone action, or repeat an action
  • Ctrl + Z    CtrlZ is the hero of control keys. While holding down the Ctrl key, press the Z and it will undo your last action. Inadvertently deleted the text from your term paper? No problem, before you do anything else, press CtrlZ and your text will magically reappear!

If you don’t already have it, you might want to save this list to your desktop for easy reference. While Ctrl + Z can definitely save your bacon, all of those other lovely Ctrl keys can save you a lot of time! To find out more about this and lots of other useful tech tips, please contact us.

Computer Tip of the Day: Speeding Up Your Device

computer tip of the day speeding up your device
Speeding Up Your Device

When you first buy a new computer at the store, it’s amazing how fast it runs. Pages load up quickly, there’s little to no slowdown, plus files and videos download almost instantly.

As the years go on, though, not only does your computer begin to show its age, but it doesn’t run as fast as it once did. Even if your computer is a few years old, however, there are ways to speed it up. Not to mention an old our outdated computer isn’t always the reason why it’s running slow. Here are a few things to consider.

Computer Viruses

Believe it or not, your software might not always detect when there’s a virus or unwanted program. Especially since some viruses are made to remain hidden and undetected on your device. Eventually, this could cause your computer to run slower than usual.

Always be sure to do a thorough scan and see if any unwanted files that are plaguing your device. Also, be cautious about what you download.

Files and Downloads

Another reason for slowdown, might be due to the amount of files you’ve downloaded, especially depending on the size of them. Over the years, this will eventually take a toll on your device.

Be sure to delete unnecessary files on a regular basis, and remove downloads from your computer when you no longer have use for them. Some of the larger downloads, for example, can take up to thousands of megabytes of storage on your hard drive.

Programs in the Background

Sometimes, there are programs running in the background on startup, and this could be causing your computer to run slower than usual. Open up the task manager on occasion, and see which files/applications are running and taking up space in the background. If you don’t need them, remove the applications.

For more information regarding useful computer tips, feel free to contact us today at AE Technology Group. We look forward to hearing from you, and assisting you in the best ways possible.

Dealing With Ransomware: Our Computer Tip of the Day

dealing with ransomware our computer tip of the day

Any basic computer user knows about the dangers that lurk on the Internet. From email scams, to generic computer viruses, and suspicious links, making smart decisions while surfing the web is important. As important as this is, however, one of the more common dangers lurking in cyberspace, is ransomware. A malicious tool that locks your computer and demands a ransom, it’s nearly impossible to get rid of once you’re infected. There are plenty of ways to avoid it, however. Here are some things to keep in mind when dealing with ransomware.

dealing with ransomware

Be Careful While Surfing the Web

Ransomware is often found on suspicious sites, so always be careful when you’re surfing the web. It’s not always easy to know which sites are safe and which are dangerous, so be sure you have the right anti-virus software. Aside from protecting you while web browsing, it also gives you an indication as to which sites are dangerous, before you even visit them. Many anti-virus programs also have a feature where in the web browser search results, you can see which sites should be visited with caution. That’s part of dealing with ransomware.

Avoid Suspicious Links 

Aside from suspicious websites, always be careful when clicking links, especially in emails. Many times, the email may seem legitimate, and it might even appear to come from someone you know. Upon clicking the link, though, your device could end up getting infected with ransomware. Always be sure you know the link is completely valid, and don’t trust emails that seem too suspicious when you are dealing with ransomware.

For more useful computer tips regarding dealing with ransomware, feel free to contact us today at AE Technology Group. We look forward to hearing from you, and assisting you in the best way possible.

Disasters in the Workplace: How to Handle Them

disasters in the workplace how to handle them

Disasters in the workplace are something that many businesses tend to overlook. It’s not that they aren’t aware of these incidents, but some companies think it won’t happen to them. However, disasters in the workplace are very unpredictable, and could strike at any moment. Whether it’s a coffee spill, a power outage, or even a ransomware attack, it’s essential you know how to recover from disaster. However, it’s one thing to have a recovery plan, but you also need to know how to handle each disaster that befalls your business as well. After all, every incident needs to be handled differently.

disasters in the workplace

Disasters in the workplace

For example, when it comes to a tornado or hurricane, not only should your data be stored away, but it would also be wise to invest in multiple buildings for your organization. That way, if your business was impacted or even destroyed, you would easily be able to access all info off-site, and continue your business from there. However, how would you handle a cyber attack? After all, that’s a lot more common in the workplace than a natural disaster.

When it comes to threats such as ransomware, cloud computing is a top priority. With this method, all your info is backed up and accessible over the Internet, instead of your computer’s hard drive. Essentially, this strips the hacker of all power. After all, ransomware is a malicious tool that locks all the files on your hard drive, and threatens them with deletion. Considering you have everything stored in cyberspace, however, these threats are null and avoid.

For more information about disaster recovery, as well as how to handle various incidents in the workplace, feel free to contact us today at AE Technology Group. We look forward to hearing from you, and assisting you in the best way possible.