Five easy ways to protect your business from internet fraud.

Many internet hackers prey upon users who are too complacent or just too busy to keep their guard up. However, if you do nothing else to protect yourself from online fraud, at least take care of these simple measures:

1. Install anti-virus software and anti-adware/spyware software.

2. If you are not behind a firewall, activate it and make sure that only the necessary incoming/outgoing connections are allowed.

3. Keep your operating system and browser updated. If you don’t know how to do this, just go to the website of the company that produces your system and browser (i.e. Microsoft Updates if you’re using Windows) and look for an "Updates" link, which should be easy to find. You can also set your computer to update automatically.

4. When you get emails from unfamiliar sources, do not open attachments or click on links. Even familiar sources may have infected files so use caution when opening attachments.

5. Don’t download freeware or shareware from sites or sources you’re not familiar with.

Power in an affordable package

Apple has made a small breakthrough with the new MacBook 13-inch. Costing around $1,699, the new MacBook is an affordable version of the MacBook Pro 15-inch and MacBook Pro 17-inch, keeping most of the cool features of the larger versions but with a smaller size and price tag.

The MacBook 13-inch has all the features that you would expect from Apple, such as the characteristic inch-thin body and a classy white surface that matches Apple’s iPod and other accessories.

The MacBook 13-inch features a stunning glossy screen that makes viewing photos and movies a pleasure, and it comes with the MagSafe adapter, the iSight webcam, Apple's Front Row, the Apple Remote, and the iLife '06 Suite.

Overall, though, if you’re looking for a Mac system in a notebook, this is a great choice at a good price.

If you need to install a Windows application, Apple provides a free download of Bootcamp, available here. You will need a copy of a Windows XP Pro to complete the installation.

Save time in Excel by building your own template.

If you and your colleagues regularly work with the same kind of data in Excel, templates can save you hours of time. Whenever you find you’re repeatedly opening, renaming, or changing the data in the same spreadsheet, it’s time to make a template for it.

Microsoft has several templates available to choose from online. In Excel, open New Workbook task pane and select Templates on Office Online.

Still can’t find what you need? No problem. You can build your own.

When the spreadsheet is open, go to Data and Validation. The drop-down lists let you put limits on the kind of data that can be entered in the template. This will help you avoid errors later on.

Next you’ll want to protect your format and your formulas to make sure other users don’t make costly changes while entering new data.

Select the cells in which data can be entered, click on Format | Cells and click on the Protection tab. Deselect Locked. Then choose Tools | Protection | Protect Sheet. Select the actions that you want to allow users to do, then select Protect worksheet and contents of locked cells. Finally, click on File then Properties then Summary. Enter the details and enable the Save Picture Preview option. Go to File and Save As. Select Template from the drop-down menu and give your template a name before clicking on Save.

When you’re ready to use the template, go to File | New. On the right, go to Templates and click on My Computer. Double click on your template, and you’re all set.

Brent, how do I prevent a "patch crash"?

Every now and then, a company issues updates on its products, usually for browsers or operating systems, such as Windows, Internet Explorer, and Firefox.

These updates are usually designed to “patch up” a problem or hole in the software, and they are often critical for the security of your computer. Unfortunately, sometimes the patches create new, unintended problems.

Here’s how you can avoid or escape the bad effects of a patch.

The first step is to create a restore point before you install the new patch. In Windows, go to the Start menu, select Programs, then System Tools and system restore. Follow the instructions for creating a restore point. If a patch should ever interfere with your system, you’ll be able to restore the system so that it functions as it did before the patch was installed.

As a last resort, you can go to the Add/Remove Software function in your Control Panel and remove the new patch. But this is recommended only as an absolute last resort, as it may cause other problems or leave you vulnerable to new viruses and worms.

Are you using the fastest ISP?

The speed of different Internet Service Providers (ISP) has always been tough to compare and test, because browsing involves downloading lots of different files as individual “pieces.” The number and size of these pieces is constantly varied.

On top of that, your own browsing experience is dictated by how quickly your computer can process and display all the pieces.

And then speeds can vary at different times due to many different factors.

Although a T-1 line is the best internet option available, it is not the most affordable option, costing several hundreds of dollars per month.

This summer, PC Magazine did a vast study to find the “best” ISP (i.e., usually the fastest under most circumstances) starting at under $100 per month. Using a downloadable program, thousands of users participated in this daunting quest to find the quickest ISP.

Here’s what they found, in a nutshell:

If you have access in your area, Verizon fiber service leaves all other ISPs in the dust. After more than 2,000 tests, the average speed was 293 Kbps. Fiber optics will probably be more widely used in the future, but for now the technology isn’t available in all areas.

In general, the fastest cable ISPs beat the speediest DSL, but AT&T Yahoo!, the hands-down speed champion of DSL, actually beats most of the cable providers.

So if you’re willing to pay more for cable, go with Adelphia or Comcast. If you have DSL, AT&T Yahoo! will give you the quickest browsing experience.

You can check out the results of the fastest ISPs by region here.

Troubleshoot your own digital camera problems

Often when you have a problem with your digital camera, the camera is just fine. Some camera repair shops report that ten to fifteen percent of the cameras that are sent in for repair aren't really broken. Here are some common digital camera “problems” that you can fix yourself:

Camera won’t take pictures.
The memory card is probably full.

There’s a soft spot on all of the pictures.
Clean the lens. It probably has a fingerprint.

Every shot is overexposed or underexposed.
Check the Program mode. There may be a two stop overexposure or underexposure programmed for certain conditions that you have accidentally activated.

The viewfinder is blurred
Adjust the diopter on the eye piece.

The camera is sluggish
You’re probably using the wrong batteries. Low- power cells are less expensive, but they don’t deliver the full power you need for digital cameras and other electronics.

Spend a few extra bucks on good batteries that were made for digital camera use, and you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration.

The pictures are pixelated
Check the menu and change the picture quality to the highest setting.