Small Business Computing Staff

by David Schloss James Vali knows the value of networking. President of Vali Music, an agency based in Norwood, N.J. that books music and entertainment for private and corporate functions, Vali spends almost all of his busy days dealing with clients, musicians, contractors, and event planners. Rarely seen without a phone to his ear and […]

by Joey Lattimer Extendnet 4000Rating 89 The extendnet 4000 is an all-in-one suite designed to give network users access to the Internet, serve a Web site, provide office e-mail, and protect the network from hackers. Built on Red Hat Linux, the ExtendNet 4000 provides an alternative to building from scratch. The application we tested came […]

by Jamie McAfee Every Jan. 1, we make another set of resolutions to improve our lives: lose weight, spend more time with the kids, put in time at a local charity. Technology, too, is something we depend on to make life better. But while you may not be able to become a better person overnight, […]

by Steve Bennett MAX I.C.Live Video Communication StationRating 81 Are we there yet? This is the question asked by many business people waiting for the dawning of the Age of Videoconferencing. The answer: we’re getting closer. And the MAX i.c.Live Video Communication Station (VCS) is good evidence of that. At first glance, the VCS looks […]

by Angela R. Garber Justin Knupp knew that his network would never be more at risk than it would be moving across town in the back of a truck. Faced with the prospect of simultaneously relocating, quadrupling the size of the network, and hiring an assistant, the information technology manager for the National Cable Television […]

by David G. Propson Last fall, president clinton enacted a law that made digital signatures legally equivalent to their inky counterparts. This could simplify many common processes, from approving building plans to grudgingly accepting non-disclosure agreements. For some fields, it could jump-start streamlining efforts that have stumbled over too much paperwork in the past. But […]

by Cathy Brower I just got back from the comdex computer show in fun-filled Las Vegas, and I thought I might share a few observations with you. As always, the show featured some exciting new gizmos. The coolest: one that used voice recognition to retrieve stock quotes. On the James Bond front, I saw a […]

by Mike Langberg E-tailers Cry FoulRemember the nervous nellies who worried about using their credit cards on line? Turns out consumers have nothing to worry about — their loss is limited to $50 if their credit card numbers are stolen. But e-tailers can be hurt by “chargeback” fraud, in which dishonest recipients deny receiving merchandise […]

by David Haskin For most, meetings and presentations conducted over the Web still seem like a pie-in-the-sky promise or a fond figment of a few salespeople’s imagination. But for some, they are already a vital business tool, and the number of establishments venturing into the wilds of Internet meetings are growing. So is the technology […]

by Charles Gajeway Imagine how frustrated you’d be if one day you went to the grocery store, filled a cart with all your favorite snacks, and waited an eternity at the checkout counter, only to discover they couldn’t take your money. This is precisely how many small online businesses treat their customers these days. While […]

by Amy H. Blankstein The problem with the Internet isn’t a lack of information. The real issue is finding dependable information quickly. Tech24.com provides advice for people who don’t have the time to spend in search of technology help and tools. Information seekers can ask questions through live chat or via e-mail. If technicians can’t […]

by Angela R. Garber In The Beginning There was Yahoo And It Was Pretty Good. It was the first successful portal: the one place where consumers could launch Web searches, read news, check the weather, make travel plans, find local businesses. Countless companies jumped into the fray, aiming their sites at any number of niches, […]