4 Hot Accessories for the iPhone Fanatic

We all love our phones, but there are some things that they just can't do. iPhone batteries drain fast and they can be inconvenient to do work on. Luckily there are tons of fun and helpful gadgets and accessories on the market to make your iPhone do everything you want it to and more. Check out the list below for some of the hottest accessories you should invest in for your iPhone!

1. Bluetooth Keyboard

Sometimes you want to work on the go but can't or don't want to lug your laptop around. A Bluetooth keyboard allows you to type right onto your iPhone! The full-sized keyboard folds up for portability and storage, plus it comes with a phone stand so you can easily see what you are typing.

2. Portable Power Accessories

If you use your iPhone a lot, you know how fast your battery can drain. Don't get stuck out and about with a dead or dying phone! TYLT has a large selection of portable battery packs and travel chargers so you can juice up your phone anywhere. They come in a variety of power capacities, so you can choose if you need portable power for a trip to the mall or a long weekend in the woods.

3. Camera Lens Attachment

When you are posting a lot of photos to Instagram, the iPhone camera may not be good enough quality for your selfies. That's why you need a lens attachment! There are tons on the market that do different things, but this one is 4-in-1. It clips over your phone camera lens and can capture 10x zoom, 15x zoom, wide-angle, and fish-eye photos and videos.

4. Bike Mount

Don't know where to put your phone while cycling? Try investing in a bike mount, which will securely attach your phone to your handlebars. It will keep your phone from falling out of your bag or pocket as you ride. It is also great if you are biking somewhere new and need to keep looking at directions or GPS on your phone. You can also keep track of your fitness apps while you ride!

With all of the awesome accessories in today's market, you can make your iPhone do anything you can dream up! Whether you want to capture amazing photos, get work done on your commute, boost your battery on the go, or keep your phone at hand while exercising, these gadgets will make your life easier.

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Identity Theft: 4 Disturbing Signs Your Personal Information Is Vulnerable

Although many people like to believe that it would never happen to them, anyone can become the victim of identity theft. The number of criminals who seek out personal data for financial gain is on the rise, and most people don't even know when or how they are vulnerable. When you want to keep yourself and your personal information safe from harm, then you need to learn the warning signs so that you can spot problems before it is too late. Here are just a few things to watch out for when it comes to keeping your information safe.

                            

Slow Computer
If your computer usually starts up and loads programs quickly but has recently slowed down, it could mean that you have unknowingly installed tracking software on your computer. These programs hide in normal software, but once installed, they will steal your sensitive data and send it to a remote server. The hacker will then access your information and use it to steal your identity. That is why most any tech professionals, such as those at Ottawa IT support, would advise you to keep your anti-virus software updated.

Unusual Charges
If you have noticed any unusual charges on your bank statement, you might feel tempted to ignore it. People often dismiss random charges, but doing so is a mistake. When a hacker first gains access to your credit or bank information, they will often make small purchases to determine whether the account is still active. If you notice any suspicious activity on your account, contact your bank right away. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Weird Phone Calls
Have you recently received a phone call from your bank or financial institution regarding your personal information? If so, then call your bank back to verify that it was them who contacted you. If a criminal learns which bank you use, they can then fake their phone number and pretend to work for the bank. Using their cover, they will try to extract your account number. Hackers can also even pretend to be tech companies wanting to help. Whenever you see suspicious activity like that do all that you can to avoid it.

Drop in Credit Score
If you have great credit but have recently been declined for a credit card or bank loan, then it's time to check your credit score. Criminals will often use your information to take out loans in your name. When they don't make the payments, your credit rating will start to drop, so it's vital to report any unauthorized loans as soon as you notice them. If you wait too long to take action, then solving your problem and fixing your credit score becomes that much harder. Calling your bank in time might enable you to have the suspicious loans removed from your account.

Overall, having your personal and bank information stolen can happen to anyone. That is why it is essential for you to know the warning signs of suspicious activity. Make sure to do all that you can to learn more about tech security and teach your families so that you can avoid an unnecessary issues and keep your information safe.

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Computer Tech Guru: Mastering and Managing Your System

The modern world certainly runs on computers. Without computers and the internet, nearly nothing as we know it now would exist. It would be a very different world indeed. However, not everyone is as knowledgeable of computers as they should be. If you own a business with a significant computer system, you should try to learn more about how it works. Here’s some information that can help.

                                    


LAN, WAN and WLAN
Three things you should have a good understanding of to comprehend a business computer system is LAN, WAN and WLAN. LAN stands for local area network. This is a group of computers that are situated in the same location and are connected to each other either physically through wire or wirelessly through a Wi-Fi internet connection. LAN set-ups are very common in business offices or school classrooms. The type of LAN that uses wireless connections is sometimes referred to as a WLAN. WAN stands for wide area network. This is a much larger network and usually consists of something much more massive like a cable company that provides internet through a fiber optic network. The entire internet, in fact, can be thought of as a WAN.

IT Infrastructure Needs
Most companies have some kind of LAN. Others, like internet service providers, may deal with WANs. Whatever the case, you need to understand the IT infrastructure needs of your business. Some companies, like Bedrock IT, offer Ottawa IT services for businesses in need of IT support. Do you want to run a simple LAN in your office workspace? Do you need sell to products over the internet? Do you need to install a point of sale (POS) system in your retail store to perform credit card purchases and record sales data for accounting purposes and later analysis? All of these have different IT infrastructure needs and require different hardware, software and network connections.

IT Certification
Being able to effectively manage a large computer network can be intimidating. Simply learning what everything is called and what it does may not be enough. In that case, to truly become a guru, you may want to consider obtaining IT certification to work with certain kinds of computer systems.
In general, there are two kinds of certifications. There are vendor specific and vendor-neutral certifications. For example, you could obtain a vendor specific certification to learn how to work with computer networks that use Cisco Systems hardware. Alternatively, you could obtain a vendor-neutral certification from the Electronics Technicians Association to gain the title of Network Systems Technician.


Overall, becoming a knowledgeable expert on your business’s computer networks and systems requires a lot of learning and hard work. However, gaining this knowledge can help you form a competitive advantage and open plenty of doors for you in the job market.

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The Biggest Challenges Facing IT Pros in 2016

In the world of IT, it's exhausting trying to keep systems running smoothly. There are new issues popping up before the old ones are fully resolved. Here are some of the key areas where IT pros will continue to see challenges through 2016.

Security
It's apparent that cyber attacks are becoming both more frequent and more sophisticated. From the Ashley Madison breach to the Tewksbury, MA police department ransomware, it's clear hackers are not just lone wolves anymore, but part of larger organizations. IT focus needs to be on protecting data. Customers expect that credit card numbers, passwords, and personal info will be secure, or they won't do business. A planned approach for securing data not just in storage, but especially in transit, remains a priority.

Privacy
Given the well-publicized battle between Apple and the US government, privacy will be an increasingly important issue. The EU is designing its own data protection regulations. There could be serious consequences for trading and archiving customer data. The public understands that digital data can persist forever and be sent all over the world to become an ongoing target of hackers, fraudsters, and robo-callers. The demand for data privacy measures is something every company will have to deal with.

Branding
The key to marketing success is standing out in a digital world, and that means IT involvement. Internet giants like Google and Facebook are providing their own online analytic tools that may be confusing to the technically-challenged. A social media page is invaluable today, and mobile devices, customized apps, and responsive web pages are expanding as a market. All these technical channels mean a growing role for IT consultants and specialists who can bring these vital skills to company promotion.

Keeping up-to-date
Fitness bands and smart watches are becoming almost as ubiquitous as smart phones. Pressure is put on IT pros to provide solutions that address and leverage technologies that change faster than they can be implemented. New expansion and migration projects will keep coming up, so it's essential that your team include individuals qualified in project management who can bring staff together and get the most from them when it counts. Consider hiring individuals with an online master’s in project management to make this happen.

Every IT department is likely to find more on its plate, especially in smaller companies where funds are limited and small teams are nonetheless tasked with maintaining and securing networks, help desk, software, hardware, and development. The sensible solution is not to attempt everything, but establish priorities and call in help when needed.

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