LH AGENDA > Articles by: Megan Iemma

Author: Megan Iemma

You’ve probably heard all the horror stories about people losing all their data – important documents they were working on, all their contacts and phone numbers, or worse yet, a lifetime of family photos and videos. Perhaps they lost their phone or tablet, or their hard drive fried. This has happened to me twice: one was my laptop, and the other was my smartphone.

In this day and age, backing up your devices is a must whenever you buy a new device, whether it be a laptop, smartphone or tablet. This really needs to be a major part of any sale that is made to a customer (especially for someone who has never used that brand).

Here are my three golden rules for backing up data:

1. Backup to the power of three (have three different places where information is backed up, just in case your backup, or your backup of your backup fails).
2. Ask how to backup your information, and backup regularly
3. Learn how you can automate your backup, and easily copy any remaining files over to a new device.

How to back-up your laptop/desktop for Macs:

There is a great chart on this website on what options you have to backup your data. After my hard-drive crashed on my first MacBook, I bought an external hard drive (that had 2 x the capacity of my internal hard drive).It often pays to do your research online first before going out to buy the device

Always check on the back of the external hard drives box that it supports Mac devices and your particular operating system. Make sure you check whether the device needs to support Firewire 8000 (rather than just USB 2.0), otherwise you might need to buy an adapter. It often pays to do your research online first before going out to buy the device.

I currently use Time Machine (click on link for step by step process). This only needs to be set up once and you can go back to previous backed up versions, if you have accidentally deleted files or would like to look for earlier versions of files.

I bought an external Western Drive 1TB My Passport for Mac to use as my backup drive. The reason I love using external hard drives that are formatted especially for Macs is that often it’s just a matter of plugging the device and opening ‘Time Machine’ on your Mac (desktop or Macbook/Macbook Pro/MacBook Air).

There are also cloud options available.

How to backup your laptop/desktop for PCs:

When you buy a new device, set up the back-up system as a first priority, before disaster strikes!

Your options are:

1. Use a Cloud based option for backing up your PC (but it probably won’t back up all of your important documents, and you may not want to put all your sensitive documents on there).

2. Use an external hard drive as mentioned above, and follow the steps in this article.

How to backup your iOS devices:

When setting up an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch for the very 1st time, it’s vital to go through these steps. Set up an iTunes account first as this is important to backing up to iCloud (as an extra source of backup).

Then follow the steps in this article. It’s important to also backup regularly, just in case you lose new information. I often back up once a week and do this by plugging my device into my computer. In iTunes, it will say “Syncing this device”. Any apps, music and videos can then be updated and backed up.

How to backup your Android devices:

One of the reasons I decided to write this article was what happened to me last Friday after doing the 4.3 update for my Android smartphone (Galaxy S4 Mini). When I bought my phone from my provider, there were no instructions given to backup data. I have had my phone since late Jan, so there were photos, videos and my contacts. I looked in the instructions in the box that came with the phone and there was no instructions about ‘Kies’, which is the equivalent of iTunes (but without the ability to buy apps).

If you have a Samsung phone, here are the steps to use ‘Kies’. Kies is the backup program you use for your Samsung devices. It is also the program you can use to transfer files such as music, photos and videos to your Samsung device. You should do this when you get your new phone, after you have entered data. Also, do regular backups, just like you would with your laptop.

Here is also an article about backing up certain components of your ‘Android’ smartphone.

If you do these steps for any of these devices, then there will be definitely less heartache if something does happen.

Do you have any horror stories about losing your data? Did you ever recover it? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

Featured Image: Leonardo Rizzi

It’s widely assumed that the generation of 18 to 30 year olds are all tech-savvy. Often, my friends will say they are, but if I delve a bit deeper I find that their skills aren’t as advanced as they believe.

When I started up Tech Coach HQ in March last year, it was to help businesspeople who needed to update their tech skills. I noticed that the digital divide was growing wider, especially among women.

The divide existed not just in operating day to day technology, such as online tools, but also in skills such as managing mobile devices.

“People need to be tech savvy to be relevant in a tech heavy world”

I reached out to my followers on social media to see what they thought. There were a variety of responses—for example, @katiehage: “People need to be tech savvy to be relevant in a tech heavy world”. Or another from @taylorman_mandy: “They will be redundant in their roles, if they don’t become ‘tech savvy’”.

This isn’t simply a female problem. There are also many men who are bluffing their way through this new digital landscape.

Why is it so hard for people to adopt new technology?

Fear of the unknown. Who knows what could happen if something goes wrong?
The speed at which technology is changing. It can be overwhelming when you have to learn how to use new operating systems, or even new mobile devices, on a regular basis.
Inconvenience. Getting used to a new system and processes, whether for personal or business use, takes time and effort. It will be slow and sometimes frustrating as you adapt. I love working with my clients to make those tech headaches not so insurmountable.

What are the benefits of being tech-savvy?

Being tech-savvy opens doors, especially for women returning to work after a long break

Employment. Being tech-savvy opens doors, especially for women returning to work after a long break. This was definitely the case for me, after having two daughters. It opened doors for employment in areas that previously would not have been available to other, less skilled mothers returning from maternity leave.
Learning. There is a wealth of knowledge online, if you know where to look. The approach that I take is ‘infowhelm’. Yes, the amount of information can be overwhelming, but I take the view that I can process it later (and break it down into small chunks first).
For example, I use LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Scoop.It, and YouTube to find new articles and videos, and for my research. There are also online courses available through sites such as Udemy.
Save time, money (and even stress). There are some circumstances where technology has definitely made my life more productive (therefore saving time and money). I am much more organised with my finances, time management and note-taking via my iPad. This has enabled me to focus on the things that I enjoy.
For example, I use Evernote as my digital organiser, Informant Pro for my calendar and list of things to do, and Expensify to keep track of receipts.
Mobile and Internet Banking. This saves a lot time when managing a business, or even a household, as you can manage your money and pay your bills online.
Cloud Computing. You can back up your data on the internet, so you can still access it from another computer. There is also software available through the internet, which saves you from needing to install specific programs.
I know of some friends who refuse to use anything that is ‘stored on the Internet’. The biggest problem is that software and data storage is shifting to a cloud base (and this is not going to go away any time soon).

What can I do about it?

The solution lies with developing one skill at a time. Take lessons, ask questions, and most importantly, make an effort to use the skill in your everyday life, whether at home or at work.

I’ve put together Pinterest boards on various tech topics such as ‘ScreenCast and Video Tools’, where you can do your research, watch webinars and YouTube Videos, and ask for help via Twitter.

In 2014, everyone needs to learn tech skills and tools that will help them in their professional lives. Being a digital ostrich (that is, ignoring technology) will leave you struggling to keep up with the increased productivity and efficiency of others who know how to make technology work for them. My mission in 2014 with Tech Coach HQ is to empower women (and men!) globally to be comfortable with the vast range of technology available, and to use it to their advantage.

If you are not willing to learn
No one can help you
If you are determined to learn
No one can stop you.

Featured image: J. Paxon Reyes

For quite a while, I have been a ‘gadget girl’. I love researching all the latest gadgets I could use in my daily life. This is most evident by the number of cooking appliances I have in my laundry cupboard (they wouldn’t fit in the kitchen). From personal experience, I’ve found that there are a few must-have gadgets for women on the go.

Charge your device via your handbag

This is a fantastic Australian invention called the Hustle Bag, devised by the husband and wife team of Lisa and John Winters. They are specially designed bags and wallets with a built-in power pack that can charge a smartphone up to 4 times (a must when working from early morning till late at night). It is fitted with a Micro USB connector (for most smartphones except iPhones), as well as connectors for iPhone 4 and 5. The bag itself is charged via a charge pad (that comes with the Hustle Bag), which is AC powered.

Find lost items

There are gadgets on the market that help you keep track of your items (or pets). Usually a small sticker or piece of plastic, they simply attach to (or slip into) whatever you want to track. They’re great for those who always are losing their keys, phones, wallets or simply need reminding of where their car is parked. Another useful application is for travellers to put them in their luggage, as some of the products will alert you on your mobile phone when they are near.

StickNFind is one product and Tile is another (due to ship in the Australian Autumn 2014). Both sync with mobile apps, which are used for tracking.

Broadcast your music

photo credit: Theen …

I own two Bluetooth popup speakers, the MOSHI Double Bass Burger and AirBeatz Portable Wireless Speaker. These are brilliant for listening to music on the go, as I simply need to turn them on and connect my phone via Bluetooth – no annoying cables required. These are small and can easily slip into a handbag. There are also larger bluetooth speakers (see here for reviews).

Listen to your music

Retrograde headphones are back (not just the ear buds) and I must admit they are vital on any flight especially when you have important work to get done or even just read a book in peace. In my view, it is essential to have noise-cancelling headphones for travelling (there are ear bud versions as well).

Popular brands such as BOSE, Sony, Beats, all produce these headphones, and CNET has just updated their review of these brands. They aren’t particularly cheap, but anything that lasts a long time and delivers outstanding sound is well worth it. I have owned a pair of BOSE Quiet Comfort 15 since 2007, and they are amazing at removing noise, especially on crowded trains. They are also exceedingly comfortable.

Track your fitness

Ever wanted to know how many steps you have walked or calories you have burned? The FitBit Force is the latest to come out in the range of FitBit products. I had a FitBit Flex and loved using it, as it gave me motivation to hit those 10,000 steps every day. The FitBit Force is due on in Jan 2014 in Australia. Check out the latest review by PC Mag on this new product.

(Editor’s note: We’ve done a round-up of fitness devices previously, if you’re curious about other options).

Transport your gadgets in style

A must for any businesswoman or entrepreneur is to have a stylish laptop handbag whether for your PC/Mac and iPad. I find it so much easier to go to a business meeting with clients with my laptop handbag rather than a backpack. I love the Zafino range for both laptop handbags and rolling laptop bags as they are both stylish and extremely practical, with lots of pockets – a must in any laptop handbag. I also love that it is an Australian brand developed by Mindi Chisholm from Sydney.

There are many more gadgets out there worth looking into, but these are the ones I own and use on a regular basis. They have, without a doubt, made my working life (and life in general) much easier.

What items do you find invaluable when travelling on business? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Featured Image: LoKan Sardari. Other photos kindly provided by the companies.

Megan Iemma

Technology Coach and “IT” girl Megan Iemma is a thought leader in the world of technology and its uses. An educator and techno geek, Megan combined her passions for education and technology and founded Tech Coach HQ working with businesses and their teams to improve processes and embrace the productivity technology has to offer.

Tech Coach HQ started a #30dayblog challenge on 1st November focusing on all the different ways of using a mobile device in business. As part of this challenge, I’ve been using an iPad as the primary device to run my business for 30 days. I don’t have a smartphone (yet), which means that I had only the iPad to rely on.

Image Source

I’m already using different digital workflows to achieve certain tasks, but this challenge has forced me to improve my processes. There have been some decided benefits along the way as well as a few unexpected challenges.

Benefits of an iPad:

Here are my top 5 benefits for using mobile devices (tablets and phones) for any business:

All-day power. The iPad’s battery lasts long enough for me to use it through most of the day. I also bought a battery pack that extends the amount of time I can use it, something I’d highly recommend. It is able to completely recharge the iPad once, or a smartphone up to five times.
Creating media such as images and photos. Having one device to shoot, edit and then export videos and photos makes publishing content much easier.
Presentations: I love presenting from the ‘palm of my hand’ and have developed a ‘five step process’ shared on Day 13 of the 30 Day challenge blog posts.
Document Management. Being able to view, edit and share documents such as Microsoft Office or Google Drive documents via the iPad has been a massive advantage especially when dealing with prospective clients or during business meetings. I have been able to access files quickly and update as necessary.
Working on the go. It doesn’t matter where I am. This was evident when I had to travel to Bendigo for a 2 hour workshop (which meant travelling two hours each way from Melbourne to Bendigo). I was able to prepare a presentation, mark-up and annotate PDF’s for an upcoming marketing workshop and listen to audiobooks on leadership.

Challenges of an iPad:

There isn’t one app that will do everything for you. Sometimes it is a matter of working out which apps work best for the final product. You will need to compromise by adapting your workflow depending on the limitations of the app.
Determining which apps are right for you. Researching apps does take time and it does take a lot of refinement to get exactly what you are looking for. You’ll go through a lot of trial and error to find the specific ones that fit with your workflow.
Experimenting with apps can be costly. App directories are exactly that—directories. Just because an app is in a directory doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Sometimes, you need to buy them and try them out for yourself.
Some systems won’t work, don’t work with iPads. Not all processes can be replaced by an iPad, especially in a retail business where there are custom systems that need certain programs to work.
Digital de-cluttering can be painful. Balancing paper and digital processes is difficult, especially deciding what goes digital and what stays physical. If you don’t have good systems set up in the first place, it can definitely take double the time to complete the task.

Other Useful Tips:

Sharing resources via my Pinterest board has been one way of keeping track of resources and also gaining ideas for this 30 Day Blog Challenge. I use ‘Geek Mummy’s 6 step process to ‘pin’ ideas and websites from web sites outside of the Pinterest app via my iPad.

Overall, I think it has been an interesting challenge, and I will continue to use the iPad as my primary device. The benefits listed above certainly outweigh the challenges! Tech Coach HQ will also be turning it into an eBook at the end of this year full of interactive content such as videos.

So, readers, I’d love to hear what you think: How far off is the computer being dead and being replaced by other technology?

Featured image by atmtx

Megan Iemma

Technology Coach and “IT” girl Megan Iemma is a thought leader in the world of technology and its uses. An educator and technogeek, Megan combined her passions for education and technology and founded Tech Coach HQ working with businesses and their teams to improve processes and embrace the productivity technology has to offer.

When travelling for work or for leisure, your smartphone or tablet can make a difference in communicating with your colleagues, family and friends. In 2012, a record 8.2 million of Australians travelled abroad of which 10% travelled for business. In this era of connectivity, it’s crucial to have apps that allow you to do a myriad of things while travelling.

There are a variety of apps which allow you to keep track of various aspects of your job or personal communication while on the move. There are also tools that can be used for managing clients or accounts while you are away. I have been experimenting with these recently whilst travelling domestically in Australia and more recently overseas.

Mophie – Image Source: US CPSC

One suggestion is always to take a power pack for your device such as a ‘Mophie’. This is a rugged travel battery charger for smartphones, tablets and and USB devices. The one I currently have is the Mophie Juice pack ‘Powerstation ® PRO which can power my phone and iPad.

There is nothing worse than being at a conference or business meetings all day (and you are actively using them) than suddenly having to find a powerpoint to charge your device. It will provide several charges for a smartphone and 1 full charge for a tablet device.

Screenshot of Tripit- Image Source: TripIt App page

Tripit

Tripit in conjunction with Flight Tracker Pro ($10.49):

When travelling it is crucial that you have access to your itinerary and flight details whether it is for domestic or international travel. It automatically syncs your itineraries with Tripit (app/online) (I highly advise setting up a Tripit account for personal or leisure travel) as well as syncing with your phone’s calendar. Often when waiting for family members or friends to visit, I use Flight Tracker Pro to see the arrival or departure times. You can also check for flight cancellations using this app.

Viber Screenshot – Image Source: Viber App page

Viber

Viber is available for Mac, PC, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Bada and Nokia Phones. This app lets you send free messages and also make free calls to other Viber users, on any device and network, in any country! Viber syncs your contacts, messages and call history with your desktop and then you can continue on your mobile device.

Expensify Screenshot- Image Source: Expensify App store

Expensify

With more businesses and workplaces going ‘paperless’ or nearly ‘paperless’ it is important to be able to capture receipts, track time or mileage. This helps ensure business travel tracks smoothly and gives you the ability to create expense reports quickly and easily. This app is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phones.

CloudOn Screenshot – Image Source: CloudOn App store

CloudOn

I use CloudOn to manage my files remotely using Dropbox and Google Drive. The ability to create, review and share Microsoft Office files from any device, using your favorite cloud storage provider with CloudOn. It is available for both Android and iOS apps as well as using Chrome or the Safari Browser for desktop.

AroundMe Screenshot – Image Source: AroundMe App store

Aroundme

Aroundme (Free)

If you’ve ever been interstate or overseas on a work trip and needed to find the closest bank, post office or even a pharmacy, this app is a must-have for your device. It includes the distance and where to find it on Google Maps.

There are more travel apps that are becoming available for both business and leisure travel that help manage communication, productivity and overall trip planning. Often these apps work best in conjunction with other apps such as using Expensify and Evernote or Tripit with Flight Tracker Pro. Ultimately, always look at reviews on app directories or within the app itself. Just because it’s free, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a good app!

Do you know any apps that are perfect for the workplace or business? We’d love to hear about it.

Featured Image Credit: Think Panama

Megan Iemma

Technology Coach and “IT” girl Megan Iemma is a thought leader in the world of technology and its uses. An educator and technogeek, Megan combined her passions for education and technology and founded Tech Coach HQ working with businesses and their teams to improve processes and embrace the productivity technology has to offer.

You might have heard someone say that they use ‘Prezi’ for their presentations, but not really understand what it is or how it works.

‘Prezi’ is an online presentation software (with a difference) that is both a web based tool and an app for iOS devices. To see the workaround for Android, please click on the link.

Presentations in today’s digital world need to have collaborative access and the ability to share what you are doing via social media and email. When working with teams whether it’s based locally or globally, it is vital that more than one person have access to a presentation (two heads are always better than one).

I always work better when I have those ideas to bounce off and recently have been working on a Prezi for a company and it is been vital for my client to see changes as they are being made (and tell me where they see the vision of the Prezi going). It also means that the client has access to the presentation and can make any final changes if need be.

Here is my latest Pinterest board on “Presentation Ideas and Tools’ with great Prezi resources and ideas.

Three Different Tiers within Prezi

Free – This entitles you to only having PUBLIC Prezi’s, 100 MB of space and the ability to edit and share Prezi’s.

Enjoy ($59 a year) – This entitles you to having PRIVATE Prezi’s (choose who to share with), your own logo, 500mb of space and backup support.

PRO ($159 a year) – This entitles you to having PRIVATE Prezi’s, ability to work desktop application, own logo, premium support and 2B of space.

Where to start with Prezi

Prezi has three ways of creating a presentation at the start (once you have set up an account). These are (directly importing a Powerpoint), using a template and starting from scratch.

When doing a presentation, always plan it first! I learnt this the hard way with Prezi- even to the point of numbering my ideas so that I create a ‘path’ in the order that the slides or information will flow between.

6 STEPS to using Prezi

Step 1: If you have never used Prezi, then start from a template (having things already set up makes learning it much easier). Prezi is essentially about the workflow and presentation of ideas (in a non-linear) way with amazing tools to help engage your audience.

Step 2: Choose a colour theme (see image below). You can always customise this later on (especially if your client or company has a specific colour palette).

Step 3

Step 3: Add text, images and other files into your Prezi. The boxes can always be moved around and added to with more information.

Step 4

Step 4: The best tip I received for images:

Go to ‘Frames/Arrows” (top of webpage) and choose invisible frames. Add the invisible frame (drag top left to bottom right over your image).

These frames give you the option to become a new ‘slide’ on the side of your ‘Prezi’ and the ability to add extra detail (such as rotating your image and zooming into the image during your presentation).

I love the ability to be able to zoom in and zoom out with the plus/minus feature that appears on the right hand side of the screen.

Step 5

Step 5: The most important step: Choosing the path….

One of the amazing features of ‘Prezi’ is the ability to rotate your images and ‘fly’ into your images or text. This is where the templates have these features already set up (later, try it on your own if you are a first time user). You can always change the path of your slides (left side bar) and move the slides up and down or use the ‘pencil’ tool to choose a new direction for your slides.

Step 6

Step 6: Share, Collaborate and Present

Share via social media and email and then you can present via the iPad app or download your presentation.

http://tiny.cc/0hzt2w Here is an example of a ‘Prezi’ template that I have used to demonstrate some of the features.

Image credit: JuditK

Megan Iemma

Technology Coach and “IT” girl Megan Iemma is a thought leader in the world of technology and its uses. An educator and technogeek, Megan combined her passions for education and technology and founded Tech Coach HQ working with businesses and their teams to improve processes and embrace the productivity technology has to offer.