So. Which is the better password? Keep in mind that hackers can design programs to run thousands of password guesses per second….

If you picked the second one — the string of common words — give yourself a gold star! It’s the stronger, more secure password. It’s also easier to remember than the first. And it goes against all of the password advice we’ve been given to date.

“Through 20 years of effort, we’ve successfully trained everyone to use passwords that are hard for humans to remember, but easy for computers to guess,” writes Randall Munroe, mathematician and creator of the brilliant XKCD.com, “a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.”

According to Munroe’s calculations, the jumbled password could be cracked in about three days by a program running 1000 guesses a second — child’s play, in other words. The same program would need 550 years to guess the second password, which has roughly 44 bits of entropy (compared to the other’s 28).

What does this mean to you? It means you can stop picking (and forgetting) gobbledygook passwords. Instead, choose a few generic words (avoid proper nouns like your dog’s name or your hometown) and commit them to memory. Time required? Less than a minute. Brain cells required? Very few. Now your passwords are stronger AND easier to remember.

See Munroe’s comic here.

/ forward slash
Leans forward. Forward slashes are for Internet addresses.

: colon
Also used in Internet addresses. Traditionally this mark informs the reader that what follows the mark proves, explains, or lists elements of what preceded the mark. (Wikipedia)

\ backslash
Leans backward. Backslashes are for Windows folder and file names.

/ Slash
Former lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses. Born Saul Hudson in London, England.

- hyphen
Sometimes called a “dash,” but these should be used to hyphenate things.

– en dash
Rarely used. Typography sticklers use them to indicate a period of time. January–June; The years 2001–2003.

– em dash
Indicate(s) added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought. Can be used in place of parentheses or commas in informal writing. Em dashes don’t always render correctly in web browsers. A common workaround is to use two hyphens — with a space on each end.

_ underscore
These are helpful for naming documents that will be uploaded to the web because they separate words and improve readability. (Files on the web cannot have spaces in their names; any spaces are typically replaced with the unsightly % (percentage character).

| pipe, or vertical bar
A lovely character, don’t you think? Very handy for title tags on websites.

This means that your business could deduct the total cost of certain purchases on equipment one time rather than having to depreciate it over time. This can have huge tax advantages because large equipment purchases can significantly reduce your tax obligation. Here is an example of the potential savings on a purchase of $ 50,000 for new equipment:

• Original cost of equipment: $ 50,000
• Assumed tax bracket: 35 percent
• Total first year deduction: $ 50,000
• Tax savings on equipment purchase: $ 17,500
• Lowered new cost of equipment after tax savings: $ 32,500

NOTE: If you wait until 2012, the limit on the Section 179 deduction will decrease to only $ 125,000 for assets only up to $ 500,000. More information on Section 179 can be found at Section179.org or by speaking with you tax advisor.

The Red Cross encourages three actions with their “Be Red Cross Ready” campaign: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed. The worst time to scramble for solutions is during an emergency. Start making personal, family, and community preparations now, so you know who to rely on.

American Red Cross Website

Do you return to certain websites on a regular basis? With Google Reader, you can read them all in one clutter-free place, making keeping up with your favorite blogs and news sites as easy as checking your email. Plus, you can easily share articles and save them for later — all it takes is a Google account.

Instapaper

Instapaper is “a simple tool to save web pages for reading later.” Just start an account, click and drag the bookmarklet to your browser’s bookmarks bar, and click it whenever you want to save a web page (i.e. lengthy article or silly video) for later. The nice thing about Instapaper is its accessibility — since it’s web-based, you can access your saved articles from any computer.

[Free] web + mobile

Readability

Like Instapaper, Readability lets you save pages for later as well as “zap online clutter” from web pages to improve your reading experience. Imagine: no more annoying animated ads trying to distract you from the content at hand. The $5 monthly fee supports writers and publishers, helping them continue to produce great material.

[$5/mo.] web + mobile

Long Reads

Not sure what to read? With Long Reads, you’ll never be without great reading material. The volunteer editors at Long Reads take the time to curate the best articles on the web, pulling from great periodicals like the New Yorker, the Atlantic Monthly and Sports Illustrated. Sink your teeth into some great essays, short stories and long-form journalism.

[Free] web

If you’re ready for a new technology experience for your business, please contact us.

Making credit card purchases is not the only way the tablet has changed business. It has in some cases fundamentally influenced the way many businesses operate. Here are a few examples of companies that have come up with some innovative uses for tablets.

A high-end Italian restaurant in New York City called De Santos has given their entire wait staff iPad 2s. The staff uses them to take orders as well as swipe your credit card after the meal. The thought is that this will reduce mistakes and increase efficiency.

Puma stores in Africa, Asia and Europe have installed iPad stations called The Creative Factory.
At these stations customers can design sneakers and see other designs around from people around the globe as well as find our about the other creators. Puma seeks to connect the world with active footwear.

You will find no storefront or store clerks at SHOPBOX, an addition to the DeKalb Market in Brooklyn. You will, however, find items for sale in shipping containers with glass sides. On the end of the container an iPad is secured for shoppers to register and then text what they would like to purchase. The products are shipped directly to their homes. How’s that for window-shopping!

As tablet technology improves, people will continue to come up with creative uses for it. How will innovation change the future?  Will it eventually be “retro” to have human wait staff at restaurants? Will malls be done away with all together? Isaac Asimov said “The only constant is change” and this is glaringly true where technology is concerned. Advancements are made so quickly we hardly notice how drastically they change our lives. Usually these changes make our everyday life easier, so let’s relax, let it happen, and wait for our hovercrafts.

Opening an Email

Informal

Writing an email to a close friend isn’t something that needs a lot of propriety. Much like other forms of communication, an email can be more relaxed when writing to someone you know well and are comfortable with. Using just the recipient’s name or a simple “Hi,” should be sufficient and communicate closeness to the reader.

Formal

Writing to someone you don’t know well or to an employer figure requires a bit more formality. Using “Dear” followed by the intended reader’s name or “Good afternoon” or “Good evening” Should express the proper amount of respect and formality.

Respectful

Use this tone when writing to a higher institution such as a prospective employer. Opening with “To whom it may concern” communicates a high level of regard and lets the reader know they are being approached in a highly professional tone.

Closing an Email

Informal

Again, using your name is always a good way to end an informal email. However, using “Love,” or “With love,” is also a good option in this setting, as it communicates closeness.
Unlike writing in the formal and respectful tones, letting the reader know the closeness you feel in your relationship is a good thing.

Formal

Much like opening a formal email, you should end your message with respect but not too much pomp and circumstance. Using “Sincerely,” is the classic choice, however ending with “Yours truly,” or similar will communicate respect while also sounding less programmed. This is a nice bridge between an informal and a respectful tone.

Respectful

Be sure to follow through with a respective tone until the end of your message. Finishing with “Sincerely,” or “Regards,” communicates respect. Depending on the nature of your message, you may also want to include “Thank you for your time,” if the email is requesting any sort of action.

The next time you sit down to send an email consider the nature of your email, the relationship you share with the recipient and the message you want to convey.

Pentium Allergy? – In 2002, a Dutch woman filed a lawsuit against Intel because she said she got hives from her Pentium processor. However, the 486-base processor did not have the same affect on her. The case never went to court. I assume no one was “itching” to take it.

Google Leads a Woman into Danger? – In 2009, a women sued Google for giving her bad walking directions. The woman was hit by a car after following Google Maps walking directions onto a dark narrow highway without pedestrian paths. A judge dismissed the case and Google “dodged” the lawsuit.

Star Wars Galaxies Killed by Sony! – In 2010, angry fans of Star Wars Galaxies filed a class-action lawsuit against Sony for shutting down this online game. The MMORPG had had a steadily decreasing subscribership for several years.  I guess the “force” was not strong enough to sustain the game, the fans, or the case.

I hope these unbelievable tech lawsuits made you smile. If you have heard of any more, please share them with us by leaving a comment here or on one of our other social media accounts!