Hybrid “Green” Computers

September 20, 2010 // No Comments »

Going green has surged into the computer market this past year. Hybrid computers are the “new” environmentally-friendly choice of computers, with its power-saving laptop components, use of recycled materials and minimal packaging. Dell has recently introduced The Studio Hybrid, which starts at $500 a unit (Dell Hybrid). It is a impact and Eco-friendly choice to make if you are in the market for a computer.

The many benefits of going for this type of computer is the simple fact, that when you don’t need the extra power as you would for high graphic websites, video games or editing, you can simply hit the power save button. Using minimal power, you are still able to surf the web, check email and use most office software without noticing any difference. This can be used effectively for email purposes, web surfing or using office documents. You save on power, heat and noise. Especially with a notebook, you want to preserve that battery life when you can.

Another piece of equipment to keep in mind when you are looking to cut cost on energy and to help out the environment, is the energy saving power strip. One particular model, The Smart Power Strip, offers power surge protection and line noise filtering, while being able to sense the flow of electrical current through the strip’s control outlet. So if your computer or printer has not been in use for a while, it will automatically power it down. Although a great idea, it is important to remember to save your work before leaving the computer idle.

Going green applies to much more than recycling and using re-usable bags these days. If you are in the market for a new computer, consider going green and purchasing a hybrid!

Posted in Resources, Technology

Need Screen Sharing and Conferencing? It’s Free with Mikogo!

September 3, 2010 // No Comments »

If you host small online meetings or conferences, teach online or have any need to share content but don’t want to pay high prices, then you should check out the latest desktop sharing tool – Mikogo.

Mikago lets you share any screen content or application over the Internet with up to 10 users simultaneously. And it’s free for both commercial and private use! Here are some of the applications:

• Web conferences
• Online meetings
• Product demonstrations
• Web presentations
• Remote support
• Team projects
• Webinars

Mikogo comes from BeamYourScreen, who offers a number of Web collaboration solutions. Most of BeamYourScreen’s products are not free – they offer more sophisticated features like   a greater number of participants (up to 25), an HTML viewer and live customer support. The free version is great for small, simple applications. All of Mikogo’s features work on a Windows platform – a number will also run on a MAC platform.

Here’s how Mikogo works:

1. The organizer initiates a phone conference.
2. The organizer starts a Mikogo session,  gets a unique 9-digit session ID from the Mikogo server, and distributes the session ID to the participants.
3. Participants open their Internet browser, go to www.mikogo.com, and click on “Join Session”. No installations or registrations required for the participants. They simply join the session by  entering the session ID.
4. A connection is instantly established, and the participants can view the organizer’s screen in real time via the Mikogo viewer window.

Download it here and give the application a try. It’s cool, it’s free and it’s available in several languages.

Posted in Resources, Small Business, Software, Technology