My Inbox
is Exploding
How to Get Rid of Unwanted Spam
by Liz Calder
IT Support Specialist
We all get legitimate spam. Coupons and sale fliers from our favorite retail chains, invoices and e-bills ("legitimate spam") which make up a large portion of the email traffic that flows across the Internet. Most of the time, these are items for which we intentionally registered, for instance shipping receipts from Amazon or fliers from our favorite hotel chain. If you are like me, you want or need many of these items but you don't need to see them all the time.
Legitimate spam can also hide important emails as they pile up unread in your inbox. If you have 100 unread items in your inbox, it becomes more difficult to notice the email about the critical meeting that was just moved to 10:00.
Fortunately with a little planning, you can put your inbox on a permanent diet.
- Set up a new account with Gmail or Yahoo (we will call it "shopping" for this article) with free Internet mail service (I prefer Gmail because it will auto-forward my bills to my real email without my personal account appearing on marketing lists).
- Update accounts like Amazon, utility bills, travel clubs, etc. to send email only to the new "shopping" account (this is a tedious step but worth it in the long run).
- If you are using a Gmail account, you can set automatic
filters for bills (or other important items) so that they automatically forward to your real account. (Use this sparingly; if you forward everything, your inbox will remain bloated. Only forward things you really want to see).
- When setting up a new account with online storefront or when you are asked for an email address, give out the "shopping" address.
Now your purchase invoices, coupon flyers and sales events are safely tucked away in your "shopping" account. If you need to check on a purchase or get a coupon before leaving for dinner, they are right there waiting. They no longer overwhelm your inbox and you now see the email about the important meeting that just got changed.
Meet the
Seltek Team
Liz Calder
is an IT Support Specialist. She graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in International Studies. Liz
began her career in technical support at Dell in the Major Accounts Division and has worked in Information Technology for over 15 years. She served as Director of IT for a local law firm before relocating with her family to North Carolina and renewing her working relationship with SELTEK in 2015. Liz is Dell certified.
Liz says: "The journey from the tally stick to the smartphone is an adventure of millions of successes and failures and often the greatest advances came from what started as a very humble experiment. So when I look at technology, I don't tend to be fascinated with an individual concept as much as with the enormous symphony of ideas that have brought us to where we are today."
Seltek News
CyberSecurity questions are at the top of the list for our clients. To additionally respond to these concerns,
Wayne Love
has completed extensive training and is now a
Certified Ethical Hacker
. At the end of June, he will reach the level of
Certified Penetration Tester
. Attempting to hack into the system is an important step in a CyberSecurity assessment.
What is VPN?
Virtual Private Network (VPN) uses the Internet to securely connect a private network such as a company's private system or intranet. For example, when you are connected to the office system from home, you are relying on VPN to keep that transmission of data secure.
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On the Move
Making Your Business More Mobile
by Kara Mueller
IT Support Specialist & Certified Computer Examiner
Whether in the office, at home, the library, or a hotel, there is always work to be done. We are living in an increasingly mobile world which can mean great things for your ability to work from just about anywhere. Check out these technology tips and consider the benefits of applying them to your business.
Dictation and Speech-to-Text
You may be familiar with using speech-to-text when drafting a text message to a friend or family member. Why not use the same technology to make yourself more efficient? Using technology for dictation can be quite beneficial - it can be quicker than typing, or just a good way to capture your thoughts and ideas more quickly and naturally than typing.
You probably have some convenient solutions at hand right now. Smartphones, tablets, PCs, even a computer with Windows and a microphone can be used to dictate.
Smartphone apps - There are many apps available to make dictation easy with your smartphone whether you're traveling or in the office.
Dragon Dictation (iOS) and
Dictadroid (Android) are just a few examples. These apps make wonderful alternatives to older dictation methods since you can immediately send any recordings directly to your office computer or to a transcriber or convert your speech to text.
Built-in speech-to-text - the iPhone and iPad (3rd generation and newer) have built-in options for speech-to-text. When connected to the internet, press the microphone button on the iPhone/iPad keyboard to begin dictation rather than typing. Use it for writing an e-mail, sending a text message, or creating a note. More information about the use of Siri for speech-to-text can be found on
Apple's site.
Windows - With a Windows 7, 8 or 10 computer and a connected microphone, give Speech Recognition a try. To begin, simply click Start, then type Speech Recognition and hit enter. Here is some more information from Microsoft on how to begin using the application:
Windows 7,
Windows 8
Go Paperless
Carrying around massive folders of documents and pictures can be a pain, and printing files and photos is expensive and time consuming. There are many ways you can start living paperlessly by using technology.
Smartphone and tablet cameras have come a long way and are able to capture really high quality, crisp images in seconds. Use the camera to scan physical documents and send them immediately via e-mail. There's even an app for that! For iOS, try
Scanbot (Free version, $1.99 for upgrade). Android users, try
CamScanner.
Easily show video and pictures to others. With an adapter, you can connect your tablet or smartphone to a projector to display a large image on a wall or screen. This Lightning to HDMI
adapter by Apple will allow you to easily and quickly connect your iPhone or iPad to an HDMI television, monitor or projector. Cables are available at most electronics stores.
Don't have a projector easily accessible but still need to give presentations? How about a
portable projector? These small devices are great to have on hand even as a backup solution when planning a presentation in an unfamiliar place.
Pocket Chargers
What good is all this technology if the battery is dead? Battery chargers have become much more inexpensive and portable than in the past and it is certainly worth considering getting one if you find yourself running out of battery life frequently and are not always able to re-charge. There are many different types out there, from
small chargers that will allow you to get a few extra hours out of your phone, to
larger capacity ones that will allow you to charge multiple devices at the same time, multiple times.
Internet Access
Of course, being mobile means we need to stay connected. Wi-Fi hotspots are becoming much more widespread but there are still some instances when Wi-Fi may not be available. A Wi-Fi-only laptop or tablet is not much use if you cannot access the Internet. If you have a smartphone (and a decent cell signal), a feature you may have and not know about is the personal hotspot. This turns your smartphone into a Wi-Fi hotspot which then allows you to connect other devices to it. Both Android and iPhone have this feature. Before using it, check with your cell provider to be sure the feature will not cost extra. Also, be careful using your Wi-Fi hotspot for streaming video or audio - these use a lot more cell data than just text messages and e-mail, and you could find yourself getting close to (or going over) your monthly data allotment.
Android - Tether with Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth or USB
If you do work from a location with public Wi-Fi access like a hotel, airport or café, remember to practice safe public Wi-Fi use. Never enter information into websites over public Wi-Fi that do not display the "lock" icon in the browser and begin with https:// (instead of http). The https refers to an encrypted connection. Also be sure that your file sharing is turned OFF when using public Wi-Fi. Here's a great article from Lifehacker.com that shows how to
turn off file sharing in Windows and on Mac.
For Attorneys and Law Firms
WestlawNext - free with a subscription to Westlaw. You can access your research anywhere, even when offline. Available for the kindle fire, Windows phone, Blackberry, iOS and Android.
LexisNexis - LexisNexis has a number of apps that are available for the iPhone and iPad including CourtLink, LexisNexis Legal News and more.
Thomson Reuters ProView - from the app store: "Thomson Reuters ProView™ is a professional grade platform that allows you to interact with your eBooks in entirely new ways. This free app lets you access your most trusted legal reference materials where you need them most - everywhere."
iJuror - for the iPad, there is an app that allows you to configure seating charts for jurors. Tap the seats to add juror information, add notes as the trial goes along, Share your information via e-mail. $14.99
Lawyer Index - by Martindale. Provides direct access to the Martindale-Hubbell database of more than one million lawyers. Free.
Code of Virginia - From the website: "An entire bookcase of law in your pocket - the app is suitable for anyone in Virginia working in law enforcement, or for lawyers or law students intending to practice law in Virginia." $5.99.
For even
more legal apps, check out this comprehensive list by lawyerist.com.
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