Technology is getting a little cloudy! That doesn't mean it's about to rain but that the concept of the cloud is seeping into almost every arm of technology. This has brought about a drastic increase in our ability to collaborate and share documents. There are still holdouts however, and if you have a Mac there is another way to share files.

If you use Apple's OS X in your company you can share files and folders by using the Public or Shared Folder. This folder can be found by:

1. Opening any file. In the left-hand side of the window scroll down to Places.
2. Clicking on the user account you log into your computer with. This is usually your account name with the house icon beside it.
3. Double-clicking on the Public or Shared Folder.

This folder is set up to share any files that are placed in it with other users on the same computer or network. Depending on the version of OS X you use, you may see a folder labeled Drop Box. This is a folder where you can drop files into for you to see and use, but is not related to Dropbox, the cloud storage program.

How to set up your Shared Folder Regardless of your version of OS X, you should have Shared Folder. You can configure which files and folders you want to share by:

1. Clicking the Apple icon at the top-left of the screen.
2. Selecting System Preferences followed by Sharing.
3. Ticking the box beside File Sharing.
4. Pressing the + under File Sharing and selecting the folder you would like to share, followed by Add.

You'll notice that when you click on the file you chose to share, you will see a black bar that says: Shared Folder across the top of the folder window.

You will also notice the window labeled Users identifies a number of different users, along with the privilege each has. These permissions, which you can apply, dictate what individual users can do with the shared files or folders. There are four different privileges you can assign:

• Read & Write - Users can open, edit, copy and delete files in the folder.
• Read Only - Users can open and copy files out of the folder.
• Write Only (Drop Box) - Users can copy files into the Drop Box folder but can't see what's in the folder. They can overwrite files if they drag and drop a file with the same name into this folder.
• No Access - Users cannot see or access any of the files or folders.

Should my company use this? Using the Shared Folder be a good way to share documents with users within the same network. However, there is little to nothing in the system to keep the files secure. If someone connects to your network, and you have allowed Everyone to see Read & Write they will be able to see, edit and possibly delete files.

It is also a good idea to be aware that the Shared Folder is set to share with anyone connected on the same network. This means that if you connect to another network that isn't in the office, the Shared Folder will be accessible to other users on the same network. This can create a bit of a security issue. To negate this, you should turn off file sharing from the System Preferences, Sharing option if you aren't using it, or are away from your main network.

At the very least you should ensure the sharing permissions are set in a way whereby files aren't accidentally shared. If you would like to learn more about other ways to share files with your colleagues, please contact us, we may have a solution for you.

These days we use our smartphones for pretty much everything but calling. When you do have to make a call, especially to a business, you will likely have to go through the automated switchboard and enter extension numbers just to get the person you want. This can be a pain, especially if you call the same person and have to go through the same process on a regular basis. If you have an iPhone, there is a way around this however.

Here's how you can add number extensions to your iPhone contacts:

1. Open Contacts and either press the '+' for a new contact, or select the contact's number you would like to add the extension to and press Edit.
2. Enter the new contact's normal number without the extension under the Mobile, Work or Home field. If you are editing a contact's number, press on the number you would like to edit and tap on the end of the number.
3. Press the '+*#' button located at the bottom-left of the dial pad.
4. Select Wait. You'll notice a ';' at the end of the number.
5. Add the contact's extension. It should look something like this: 123-123-4567;321 (if the contact has a three digit extension).
6. Press Done and the contact's number will be saved or updated.

If the number was entered correctly, you should see a secondary button under the contact information when you call that person. It will say something like Dial-321. Pressing this after the line has engaged will dial the extension and connect you to that person. This is useful if you don't know how long you will have to wait to be able to dial the extension, but you will have to hit the Dial button on your phone to enter the extension.

You can automate this further by replacing the semicolon (;) with a comma (,). The comma tells the switchboard to pause, and then enter the number after the comma. This will often connect you directly to the person without having to press an extra button. The number should look something like this: 123-123-4567,321

If you use an iPhone for your business communication and call clients who are behind switchboards this is a nifty time-saving feature. For more information on how the iPhone can help power your business, please contact us today.

The cloud has been an instrumental driver of the success of modern tablets. When it comes to tablets using the iOS (iPad and iPad mini), the cloud is often used to integrate files across devices, as often more than one service is utilized. This means that if you use the cloud, you likely have more than one app and likely struggle to manage or share files across different services. A new app makes managing all your different cloud storage services far easier.

Readdle Documents is an app for iPad users that acts as a central platform that connects with cloud storage providers like Dropbox, Box, iCloud, Drive, etc. and allows users to keep their multiple services organized.

What exactly is Documents? Documents is an app that enables users to manage their various cloud services. This robust app also allows users to view Word documents, PDFs, listen to music and watch video stored on various services directly in the app.

The functionality doesn't stop there however, as you can also copy files from one service and move them to another directly in the app. No more having to download files from one and upload to another. You can also use this app to save web pages for reading at a later date, which could be useful if you are going to be away from data or Wi-Fi for an extended period of time.

There is one downside to the app: You can't edit documents. If you need to edit a document you have to do so in the app the document is stored in.

Will businesses benefit? If you use multiple cloud storage apps in your business, the Documents app will be beneficial in helping you access and manage files on the go. At best, this is an organizational tool to help make accessing files easier. One really positive element of this app that many businesses owners will like is that it's free. Another benefit is that you also have the option to password protect files.

While this app might be free, if you don't use cloud storage services this probably isn't the best app for you. However, there are enough features to benefit users of cloud services, making this app potentially valuable.

How do I get the app? Documents is available on the Apple App Store. Once you have downloaded the app onto your iPad, start it up and you'll be able to add your cloud services by clicking on Network (located on the left-hand menu) and selecting the service you use. Input your account information and you should be ready to go.

If you would like to learn more about Documents, or how the iPad can fit into your business, get in touch with us. We are happy to sit down with you and tell you more!

One of the bigger reasons users are moving in increasingly large numbers to Apple's platform, OS X, is because of usability. While OS X is easier to use, it can be difficult to master. The reason for this is its heavy reliance on keyboard shortcuts. Some would argue that it's these shortcuts that give the OS the edge over their bigger rivals, Windows. There are some great shortcuts out there that make managing a single program, and moving to another, super easy.

Here's four keyboard shortcuts for OS X that will help make it easier to manage programs where you have multiple windows open e.g., Internet browsers or word processors.

Hide the current program If you are working with two or more different programs, it can be quite distracting. Imagine having your browser with three windows, a word processor, iTunes and Photoshop open all at once. It's a lot of clutter isn't it?

When not using the program, you can hide it by pressing Command + H. Hiding a program won't close it, rather it will just make the windows you have open invisible. This is similar to Minimize on Windows systems. When you click on the program's icon in the system tray (bottom of the screen), your windows will reopen. You can also hide programs by pressing Option (alt on some keyboards) and clicking on the icon at the bottom of the screen.

Hide all other open applications If you need to focus, you're not going to be able to do so with numerous programs and windows open, as it's too distracting. You also don't want to lose the content in these open windows. So why not hide them? Yes, you could click on each one and manually hide it, but this takes time. Instead, go to the program you want to keep open and press Command+Option(alt on some keyboards)+H. This will hide all other open applications and windows. They can be opened again by clicking on the icon at the bottom of the screen.

Cycle between windows in same application Look at your current browser. Chances are high that you have more than one window open and are normally switching between them on a regular basis. It can be time consuming and annoying to have to move your mouse and click on another window. To save time, press Command+` (located above Tab, it's often labeled with ~). This will cycle through open windows within the same program.

Shift to another application If you have hidden other programs, or want to quickly move from one program to another without having to close open ones, you can press Command + Tab. This will move you to the next open program (usually organized alphabetically, with the current open program first). If you keep Command pressed, and hit Tab you will see a window pop-up with open programs. You can press Tab to cycle between programs. You'll notice a box around an icon, and when you let Command go it will switch to that application.

These four shortcuts are just a few that can help make navigation and program management more convenient. If you would like to learn more OS X shortcuts, or about how OS X can make your life easier, please contact us today.

When it comes to computer operating systems, many companies are doing away with the install DVDs and allowing users to simply download the OS. This is a bit of a double-edged sword because if anything happens to your computer, or if you need to reinstall the OS, you can't do so because you don't have the install DVD. To prevent this from happening you can create a bootable install DVD or USB stick.

A bootable install dish is a DVD or USB drive that contains a copy of the operating system, usually for backup purposes. If your computer crashes you can reinstall the OS by simply putting the DVD or USB into the related drive and following the prompts. This is also useful if you have other Macs in the home or office and don't want to download new versions of the OS on every computer. Note: There seems to be a trend with some Apple products to not have a DVD drive, so it may be a good idea to do this on a USB stick.

Starting from OS X 10.8, Apple has said that any new OS will be available only as a digital download. The way this works is that you download the OS file on each system you want to install it on. Once you download the update and install it the original download file is deleted. If you need to install again you have to re-download the OS again. Therefore, it's a good idea to create a bootable drive.

Before you create a bootable disk you need a few things:

For a bootable DVD

1. A computer with a DVD burner.
2. A blank DVD with 4.7GB of storage space.
3. A downloaded copy of the latest Mac OS (In this case: OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion). You can download this from the Apple Mac Store.

Note: The link is to the US version of the store, if you aren't in the US, you will need to go to your country's Apple Store.

For a bootable USB

1. A blank USB stick with at least 8GB of space.

Note: The drive needs to have nothing on it, so buying a new one is the preferred method.

1. A downloaded copy of the latest Mac OS (In this case: OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion). You can download it from the Apple Mac Store.

Note: The link is to the US version of the store, if you aren't in the US, you will need to go to your country's Apple Store.

How to create a bootable install After you have downloaded the OS it's important that you DON'T open it and start installing the update. In other words: You need to create the bootable drive before you install.

Here's how to create your bootable install drive:

1. Navigate to where you downloaded the OS. It is usually in your Downloads or Applications folder and should be labeled Install OS X Mountain Lion (If you downloaded Mountain Lion).
2. Right click on the file and select Show Package Contents.
3. Navigate to Contents followed by Shared Support. You should see a file called InstallESD.dmg.
4. Open the Applications folder and select the Utilities folder. Open the Disk Utility app.
5. Drag the InstallESD.dmg file into the empty space of the white box in the right-hand side of the Disk Utility app.
6. Insert the blank DVD or USB device. If you are using a USB device, it must be blank and formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). It should show up in the list of drives located above the white box in Disk Utilities.
7. Drag the USB or DVD icon into the Destination bar in the central part of the window. Note: The Source bar should read: InstallESD.dmg.
8. Click Restore - located in the bottom of the central part of the Disk Utility - if you are using a USB drive. Click Burn if you are using a DVD.

It will take a few minutes to burn or copy the files to the DVD or USB. When this is finished you should have a bootable install drive. You now have a few options.

• If you would like to do a 'fresh install' - delete everything on your system - you can put the disk in the drive, turn off your computer, turn it on again and hold the Option key to open the installer. Be warned though, this will delete everything on your Mac's hard drive.
• If you would like to upgrade, but keep all of your settings and files, you can open the installer from the disk, and follow the instructions.

Creating a bootable install drive is a good idea and should be a part of any company's backup and disaster recovery plans. If you have any questions about the process, or would like to learn more, please contact us.

In the early to mid 2000s one of the most popular 'smartphones' was the BlackBerry. Business users loved it for many different reasons, one of the most common being the QWERTY keyboard. BlackBerry's time in the spotlight is over however and the iPhone is now the go-to for many users. One common gripe about the iPhone however is the keyboard. It definitely takes a while to get used to, especially if you are upgrading from a phone with a physical keyboard.

Here are four tip to make the typing experience better on your iPhone.

1. Lock caps lock - While the use of capital letters while typing is generally frowned upon, there are times when you need to type more than one letter in a row in caps. Most users will hit the caps button (upward pointing arrow) on the keyboard, type a letter and then hit it again to type another in caps. You can lock the keyboard in caps mode by double tapping the caps lock button. You'll notice the key turns blue, indicating caps lock is on. When you are finished, tap it once to turn it off. 2. Turn off auto-correct - We've all seen the funny and sometimes embarrassing texts blamed on auto-correct. While useful when getting used to typing on the iPhone, it can be more of a hindrance than a help after you've gotten the hang of it. You can turn auto-correct off by selecting Settings, followed by General, Keyboard and finally setting Auto-Correction to Off. 3. Long-press keys for more options - At first glance, the iPhone's keyboard is a little sparse with many of the standard keys beyond the letters and number keys missing. They are still there, however but just not labeled. With many keys, a long-press on the key will bring up a number of different options and other keys. For example: a long-press on the A key will bring up different letters associated with a, or a long press on ? will bring up the option to use an inverted question mark or an exclamation point. Play around with the keys, and you'll soon see a ton of different typing options emerge. 4. Stop typing .com - Did you know that you don't have to always type .com, .net or .org? In certain places, the iPhone will put it in for you. For example, when you are typing a web address on the browser, you can do a long-press on the . to get a pop-up of a whole bunch of dot something endings. This will also work in the email To, CC and BCC: fields.

The above tips are just a few ways to make it easier to type on the iPhone. Do you have another typing tip? Let us know; or, if you would like to learn more, please contact us.

Tablets are gaining traction in businesses, many are starting to integrate them in some function. One of the more popular tablets is Apple's iPad. One of the reasons people love it so much is largely because of the sheer amount of apps. Some of these help users increase their productivity, something that many businesses can benefit from.

Here's some useful apps for the iPad that can help boost your productivity.

Document compatibility It's highly likely that your office uses a document production program that isn't made by Apple - Microsoft Office. Using another program to create documents and then spending time formatting on your work computer isn't a great productivity booster, but there are options.

If you do use Microsoft Office the iPad kind of supports Office documents through Apple's iWork. iWork does support Office files, however formatting and other things like fonts normally won't transfer over. This can be counter-productive.

While there will be a version of Microsoft Office heading to the iPad sometime in early 2013 (no set date yet), you're likely better off purchasing an app like Documents to Go which allows users to open, edit and create Office documents.

If you aren't doing serious work on the iPad and just need it for mobile document production, you can skip paying for an app and instead sign up for an outlook.com or Office 365 account. Doing so will give you access to cloud based versions of Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and Excel.

Not a Microsoft fan? There's also Google Drive. It's not 100% compatible with Microsoft Office  though as many functions and formatting won't transfer over properly. However, with solid word, spreadsheet and presentation programs it's a great option for Google users.

Notes Because of the iPad's size, it's a perfect tool to take notes on. There are literally hundreds of different note apps available for the iPad, some are great, others lack functionality. One of the most consistent is Evernote. Evernote is available for nearly every system, so a note made on your iPad can be accessed on your computer, iPhone, Android Device or even BlackBerry.

Evernote really excels when you need to take simple notes. There's also a number of excellent  add-on apps like Penultimate - which allows you to take handwritten notes - which make it a nearly all-in-one solution. The best part is: The basic app is free.

Sharing files When you are mobile with the iPad, you will no doubt need to share files with users. There are many different ways you can do this. The easiest way is to use an app like Dropbox or SugarSync which allows you to upload files and share them when needed. While you can upload most programs or files, you won't be able to edit some of these.

How most of these work is that you put a copy of the app on your hard drive which is essentially a folder. When you put files/folders into this folder, they will be uploaded to the cloud and allow you to access the files/folders from any device you have installed the app on.

There are many other apps available that can help boost your productivity. Have you found some that you can't live without? Let us know.

It's been an interesting year for operating systems, in the first half of 2012 Apple released OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion). Later in the year, Microsoft released the much awaited Windows 8. Because of this, many businesses have been holding off upgrading their computers. Now that Windows 8 is out, some users have decided it may be time to make the switch to OS X, but are still unsure.

If you're still on the fence about OS X, here are five advantages of 10.8.

• Centralized notifications - Windows 8 uses tiles and while they look great, they take up a lot of room and can make you miss important notifications. With OS X, all your notifications are in one place - the Notification Center. With Notification Center you can customize what apps will show notifications and even the order of importance. Need to get some work done? Quickly and simply turn off all notifications. When you're done, turn these back on, and all notifications will pop up.
• AirPlay mirroring - Do you give lots of presentations? If so then you no doubt carry a laptop around with a whole mess of cords. OS X has a feature called AirPlay mirroring which allows you to beam your display on to any HDMI TV, that's connected to an Apple TV unit. This could be useful if you're planning to go to an all Mac environment. No messing with cables, just bring the laptop, press a button and away you go.
• iCloud for easy sync - If you use any of Apple's other devices, you can sync information and files across all Apple devices using iCloud. This is a great feature as you won't have to worry about which device has what file. If it's on iCloud, it can be accessed by any Apple device that is compatible with iCloud - pretty much any modern Apple product.
• Don't type it, speak it - If you have your hands full, and need to take notes, or even draft a letter you can use your voice. In any place you can type, hitting the Function key twice will bring up the Speak to Type option. From there, speak and the words will show up, normally with correct punctuation.
• Integrated Messaging - One of the more popular categories of apps on smartphones are those related to chat. iMessages for the iPhone is great, you can send texts for free to any user. It's not great when you are at work and your phone keeps buzzing, annoying colleagues. Messages is an app for OS X that takes all the popular chat programs like iMessages, Google Talk, Yahoo!, etc. and combines them into one app. The cool thing about this is that you can text people on their iPhones, and vice-versa. This makes chatting more convenient.

These are just a few of the great features Mountain Lion offers that users will find make the OS a completely different, and arguably better, experience over Windows. If you're interested in switching over to Apple, please let us know, we may have a solution for you.

There is little doubt as to the most popular office production suite. Microsoft Office has been the program of choice for almost two decades and shows no sign of giving this status up in the near future. In late January Microsoft officially released Office 2013, and as usual released numerous versions aimed at meeting the needs of different users.

Here's a brief overview of the different versions of Office 2013 released last month.

A tale of three Offices There are three different types of Office: Standalone, Subscription and RT. The standalone versions are similar to older versions of Office, as you will be able to buy these in stores. You pay once, and have access to the software that comes in that bundle, as you would with older versions. The only difference is that older versions came on CDs or DVDs, while the newer versions are really a code that you enter on the Microsoft website to download Office.

Subscription based versions are referred to as Office 365 for home, and are sold on a per month/year basis. You will be able to buy a year subscription in stores, which will come with an activation code you can enter in the Office site to download the software. This option is heavily integrated with the cloud and users will be able to store and access documents by signing into their SkyDrive account. You can also store files on your computer.

The RT version of Office is a tablet specific version engineered for use with touchscreen devices. This version comes installed on all RT tablets like the Microsoft Surface. This will only work on tablets running ARM processors and will only be available to users who buy a specific tablet. You won't be able to buy the software in stores, or online.

Office 365 versions

• Office 365 Home Premium - This version has two pricing schemes: USD$9.99 a month or USD$99.99 a year. Users who chose this option will be able to install it on five different computers, and will be able to use: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher. You will also get 20GB free storage with SkyDrive and 60 Skype minutes a month. Office on Demand - a 'streaming' version of Office that you can access over the Internet is also included.
• Office 365 University - This version is the same as Home Premium but is for university students and staff. The subscription costs USD$79.99 for four years, and can be installed on two different machines. If you are doing a part-time course, you should also be eligible for this.

Office 2013 standalone versions

• Office Home & Student 2013 - This is the more traditional version of Office which costs USD$139.99 and can be installed on one computer. Users who purchase this version will get Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote, but won't have the cloud based Office 365 extras.
• Office Home & Business 2013 - At USD$219.99, this version comes with the same software as Office Home & Student, and also includes Outlook. It can be installed on one computer. This is the likely version small businesses will purchase if they don't want to pay for a subscription.
• Office Professional 2013 - Like other versions of Office 2013, this is a single install and costs USD$399.99. Primarily aimed at businesses, this version comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access and Publisher.

It should be noted that the standalone versions of Office have a perpetual license which means that you can use them for as long as you like.

Is this Office 365 for business? The new versions of Office, including Office 365 Home Premium are technically for home use. While this new version contains the name 'Office 365' it is actually different from the Office 365 used in businesses. If you currently use the business offering in your company (email servers, instant messaging, SharePoint, etc), there are new versions coming February 27. If you don't use Office 365 in your business, and are just looking for a new version of Office, Home Premium could be a good option.

Looking to upgrade to a new version of Office, or would like to learn more about how they can help your business, contact us today.

Microsoft Office has grown from a simple office suite, offering a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software, into a product that allows users to run a whole office. Because products like Office 365 are made up of a number of individual programs there often needs to be a mesh that combines all the output into one central area. This program is SharePoint.

SharePoint is a great way for companies to enhance Microsoft Office 365's capabilities. It has many benefits that small to medium business owners can take advantage of. Here's five of the best.

1. Office Web Apps SharePoint can be linked with Office Web Apps (the browser based version of Office), which will give your employees access to their documents anywhere they have access to a Web browser with an Internet connection.

2. Easier sharing of documents When working with different Office programs, some files can become so large that they can't be shared over email, or take too long to upload and send. SharePoint provides users with a central location they can save their documents to. This makes it easier for parties to access and share information. Tools like PowerPivot, for example, make it possible to share massive spreadsheets.

3. A collaborative environment When you have multiple employees working on the same document, keeping updated can be tough as each user will likely have different versions saved on their computer. This makes updating a hassle. It's even harder when users are located in different locations and rely on email or teleconferencing to work together.

With SharePoint's central file system, users view the same document. If changes are made by one person they will immediately show on the document. This coherence promotes and makes collaboration more effective, while also making it easier for managers to collate, view and make changes to ensure all users are on the same page - quite literally!

4. Simplified way to find documents SharePoint supports many different file types beyond the ones used by Office. For example, there are media plugins that allow videos stored in the library to be streamed from anywhere in SharePoint. This central library, if used by all employees to store necessary files, is easily searchable and employees will be better able to quickly find the information they need. No more having to ask Jim from HR about where to find tax forms, just search on SharePoint.

SharePoint's server based software also makes it easier for businesses to combine different systems into one central system where information is accessible.

5. It's manageable SharePoint also provides tools that make it easier for content managers, team leads, etc. to coordinate documents and user activity. This program has been designed with administration, deployment and use in mind, giving companies a convenient way to stay on top of all the information they generate. If you have employees leave the company, the information and documents they worked on are already on SharePoint, so you don't have to worry about not being able to find files on hard drives.

SharePoint brings a lot of functionality to Office 365 users and can be the key to not only efficient document creation but management as well. If you would like to learn more about how you can extend your business capabilities with Office 365 and SharePoint, please call us.