“Data Deception”

By Carlo Cannavale

There’s the age old saying, “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”.  That most certainly applies to data storage.  Backing up our important files is critical and while cloud storage is a viable option, many of us still prefer having physical backups. That’s why it’s so important to make sure when shopping for external hard drives, USB flash drives, or SD cards, that they are what they say they are.  When scouring the pages of the internet, it’s easy to be swayed by the promises of many terabytes of storage for very few dollars. Choosing to save those few dollars can end up costing you quite a bit down the line.  I’ll paint the picture for you. You have that big trip to Europe planned. You have your fancy camera ready to snap all those memories. You want an SD card large enough to store those memories. You find a deal for a 1 TB micro SD card for only $10 when they usually sell for $80. It’s a brand you’ve never heard of but no matter. You go on your trip. You snap a thousand pictures and hours of video. You get back, pop that card into your computer, ready to edit and share and find that only a quarter of what you shot is there. What happened to the rest of it?!  The sad truth is that it’s gone. What you thought was a 1 TB card was actually a 64 GB card, modified to show up as a 1 TB card in your camera. The physical size of the card can’t be modified so when you reach 64 GB worth of photos, instead of your camera telling you the card is full, it just loops around and starts writing new photos over the old ones, losing those old ones forever. Imagine that same scenario with an external USB drive. All your important documents, photos, videos, work files, most of them either missing or corrupted. It’s a scary thought. When buying storage, make sure you are buying from a reputable brand and reputable retailer. Test your storage if possible by copying all your data over from a known good backup and opening the files, making sure everything is showing up and working. Also, keep that known working backup along with your new one, having multiple backups is always a good practice whether physical or in the cloud. Your data is important so don’t chance it to save a few bucks.

 

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Mobile Leave Requests

By Lisa Sawyer

Some employees have been notified by Payroll Services that they have been transitioned to Self Service for Leave Requests and Approvals.  If you are one of the lucky ones, did you know that you can now request time off and view your leave balances from your phone?  Your Supervisors can also approve leave requests right from their mobile device.  In order to access Self Service, go to your myCanyons app and click on either the “Leaves & Contact Info” or the “Self Service” tile from the Staff profile. From here, you can use all the Leave screens that you are using in the desktop version.  How convenient is that!

 

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Celebrating Valentine's Day in the Digital Age

By Mayra Cuellar

In the era of technology, love finds new and innovative ways to express itself. This Valentine's Day, embrace the digital wave and discover how technology can add a touch of modernity to your celebration of love. From virtual dates to personalized digital surprises, let's explore how to make your Valentine's Day memorable with the help of cutting-edge tech.

 

Virtual date night

Distance can't dampen the spirit of love when technology comes into play. Plan a virtual date night with your significant other using video conferencing platforms. Share a meal together. You can dress up, arrange a candlelit dinner, and spend quality time together without being physically in the same room. Technology bridges the gap, allowing you to create meaningful connections despite physical distances.

 

Send takeout to your partner

Ordering food delivery is a great way to surprise your partner with their favorite meal. You can use apps like Uber Eats or Grubhub to order food and have it delivered to their doorstep. This is a thoughtful gesture that shows you are thinking of them on this special day.

 

Stream games together

If you and your partner are gamers, you can use platforms like Steam or Xbox Live to play games together. This is a fun way to bond and spend time together while still being physically apart.

 

Watch a movie at the same time

Thanks to Netflix Party or Amazon Prime Video, couples can watch a movie together while being in different locations. You can chat and share your thoughts on the movie in real-time, making it feel like you are watching it together.

 

Create a shared Spotify playlist

Music is a powerful way to connect with your partner. You can create a shared playlist on Spotify and add songs that are meaningful to your relationship. This is a great way to show your partner how much you care about them.

 

This Valentine's Day, let technology be your ally in creating a celebration that reflects the modern age of love. Whether you're physically apart or just want to infuse a tech-savvy twist into your romantic gestures, the possibilities are endless. Embrace the digital realm and make this Valentine's Day a memorable fusion of love and technology.

 

 

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Presentation Prep

By Justin Smith

Do you find yourself presenting from a different computer regularly? Has the configuration of a projector or Television image caused stress in your setup workflow? This quick tip may be what you are missing.

Both the Windows and Mac-OS support a keyboard shortcut to quickly switch your computer, or laptop, into "mirrored mode". This means you can display the exact same image on all screens attached to your computer.

 

Windows:  Press the [WINDOWS] key and [P] on your keyboard at the same time.
     Then click "Duplicate" or "Mirror"

Mac OS:  Press the [COMMAND] key and [F1] on your keyboard at the same time.

 

Press the key combination again to revers the feature and continue EXTENDING your image across multiple devices.

To make more advanced changes, give our helpdesk a call so we can help you with your specific devices.

 

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Show Your Computer Some Love for Valentine’s Day

by By Pete Hernandez and Mayra Cuellar

 

• Valentine's Day is celebrated all over the world as a day of love and affection. While most people show their love towards their significant others, friends, and family, there is one important thing in our lives that often gets overlooked - our computers. Our personal computers are always there for us, day in and day out, helping us in our work, studies, and entertainment. So, why not take some time this Valentine's Day to show your computer some love? Here are some suggestions:

   

  • Clean it up: Just like how we like to look our best on special occasions, our computers deserve to be cleaned up too. Get rid of any unnecessary files, programs, and shortcuts that you don't need. Run a disk cleanup and defragmentation to optimize your computer's performance.

   

  • Run Windows updates: Keeping everything up to date will help your computer run its best.

   

  • Back up your files: Keep your files backed up to an external drive or cloud storage using one-dive

   

  • Upgrade it: If your computer is running slow, consider upgrading its hardware. You can add more RAM, upgrade your hard drive to an SSD, or even replace your graphics card. Upgrading your computer's hardware can give it a new lease of life and make it run faster and smoother.

   

  • Protect it: Just like how we protect our loved ones, we need to protect our computers from viruses, malware, and other threats. Install a good antivirus software and keep it updated regularly. Use a strong password and enable two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access.

   

  • Customize it: Make your computer look and feel unique by customizing it. Change your desktop wallpaper, add some cool icons, and personalize your settings. You can even install custom themes and skins to give your computer a whole new look.

   

  • Appreciate it: Lastly, don't forget to appreciate your computer for all the hard work it does for you. Say thank you by leaving a positive review or rating for your favorite software or hardware. Take care of your computer and it will take care of you.

   

  This Valentine's Day, let's show some love and appreciation towards our faithful companions - our computers. By taking some time to clean, upgrade, protect, customize, and appreciate our computers, we can make them last longer and perform better. Happy Valentine's Day to you and your computer!

 

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