Don’t send the wrong message in your email

Sometimes when you type too quickly......

Sometimes you are in a hurry and type your email too quickly but signing off to colleagues as “retards” instead of  “regards” may send the wrong message

Handyweb.ie and Goldens Spiders Shortlist

Handyweb.ie included in Golden Spiders Shortlist 2009

It is a major achievement to be included in the short list as it is representative of the whole country and includes  very large Dublin based web companies some of whom employ over 50 people. “Our setup in Mullingar is a 4 person operation -quality rather than quantity -and we are thrilled that the calibre of our web design and development team are once again being recognised at national level” – says Shaun Bryson, Sales Director, handyweb.ie . Handyweb.ie  has been in existence for over 5 years and has developed over 600 web solutions for a diverse range of businesses. Their   in-house web  development expertise allows handyweb to provide the best available business solutions online within budget specifications. Their web solutions range from brochure websites to fully automated complete online businesses. Presently there are 24 websites in development and they are also working with a number of local entrepreneurs on developing exciting complete online business solutions, which even at this stage, have the capacity to be major internet businesses in the near future.

The website developed by handyweb for iliatapasandmore.ie has been included in the shortlist of Golden Spiders 2009 for Best Travel and Tourism website 2009.   Julie Kenny of Ilia Tapas is no stranger to awards in the restaurant business and already this year Ilia Tapas and More has won the “Best Restaurant Website in Ireland Award 2009″ from the Restaurants Association of Ireland. The inclusion of Ilia Tapas and More in the   Golden Spiders shortlist  is further recognition of the quality and care Julie and Joe took with their website and their belief in choosing the high calibre local web design and development team at Handyweb.ie based at 36 Dominick Street, Mullingar
The overall winners of the Golden Spiders will be announced on November 19th next.
Ilia Tapas website can  be viewed at www.iliatapasandmore.ie.  All shortlisted Golden Spider nominations can be viewed on the Golden Spiders website http://www.goldenspiders.ie/categories.php Handyweb can be contacted at sales@handyweb.ie or view their website www.handyweb.ie

Credit Card Safety – is your credit card data on your room swipe card?

How safe is your hotel swipe card?

Having had my credit card scammed in Barcelona – I have spent some time wondering how this happened. I was able to pinpoint that the only place I used it was at the hotel reception.  This even surprised me as I kept my eye on it all all times during the booking in and checking out transactions at reception.  A week later my credit card company rang to know if I had spent €500 euros on some Swedish property investment.
Recently I came across a piece of information (on http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=48307fc273893149b0f93498214a3822&p=34192432#post34192432) .
I have no basis of verifying or knowing if it is true or false – but in the interests of safety I will be holding on to my hotel room swipe cards in future – so that I can personally oversee this data being destroy. I know it is not total protection – but at least it would appear to be a positive step?

Extract from the Boards website: -
This is pretty good info. Never even thought about key cards containing anything other than an access code for the room!HOTEL KEY CARDSEver wonder what is on your magnetic key card?

Answer:
a. Customer’s name
B. Customer’s partial home address
c. Hotel room number
d. Check-in date and out dates
e. Customer’s credit card number and expiration date!

When you turn them in to the front desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner. An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.

Simply put, hotels do not erase the information on these cards until an employee reissues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new guest’s information is electronically ‘overwritten’ on the card and the previous guest’s information is erased in the overwriting process.

But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with YOUR INFORMATION ON IT!

The bottom line is: Keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy them. NEVER leave them behind in the room or room wastebasket, and NEVER turn them into the front desk when you check out of a room. They will not charge you for the card (it’s illegal) and you’ll be sure you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it that could be easily lifted off with any simple scanning device card reader.

For the same reason, if you arrive at the airport and discover you still have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up, especially through the electronic information strip!

If you have a small magnet, pass it across the magnetic strip several times. Then try it in the door, it will not work. It erases everything on the card.

Information courtesy of: Metropolitan Police Service. END.

Anyone who knows more, please let me know.!

7 most annoying Email habits1

Avoid 7 bad habits in your email

Most annoying things you can do on Email –

Think before you click send on your email.  I feel a reminder on good email etiquette would not go astray- particularly to people new to email or those in a hurry – who do not mean to offend ( but do!)

Email is probably the most used form of communication, outside of texting – and it is fast and easy to track.  Almost everyone uses it…….. and some people do not know ( maybe because they are new to email or maybe because they have just not thought about it) but some of the things you might do – could annoy the receiver of your email very much – and if that is not your intent – then please read on!.

1)      BCC not CC -Personally the most annoying email for me is one  in which I see my email address as one of 100’s listed in a c.c. instead of using BCC ( blind carbon copy)- where my email address is not sent to 100’s of users that I may not want to see it used on. Common courtesy should be that if someone give you their email address – it is for the purpose of sharing with you ( not 10,0000 – other contacts you have- it is simply bad manners to make such assumptions and will at least “annoy” the person who shared their email address with you.  Please note C.C. should be used for groups ( e.g. small group of work colleagues or acquaintances ( who already have each others emails)  who are working on a project so they can see who else has got the email and they wont end up forwarding it to them .

2) Chain Letters – are taboo amongst emailers – What must common sense users of email think of you if you feel pressurised (for fear of something dreadful happening if you do not do it!) to forward chain letters. Have you any idea how many millions of emails would be going round in circles if everyone did this – the internet would block up – if this happened. So please, get a live and bin chain letters.

3) Texting in Email - Email is not text, so please, please, please – particularly in a business or formal email – do not use txt format. I have quite a number of contacts – who speak different languages and we get by adequately using google translate on our emails (try this in text format and it’s a disaster).

4)      Forward, Forward … I have received emails that have been forwarded through over 50 email addresses and have to read down through 50 references of all of these to get to the message.  After one or two forwards, just cut and paste the text into a new email and save lots of unnecessary scrolling.

5) Spell Check -– the text of your email says a lot about you and a number of spelling errors send the wrong message. Do you want the recipient to think that perhaps you are careless, lazy or illiterate? Do run a spellcheck before you send.

6)      Missing Attachment – While you’re running the spell check, perhaps you would double check if your email refers to the “attachment” you forgot to include. You would not believe how often emails are sent without the mentioned “attachment”.

7)      Upper and Lower case - In an email all upper case suggests you are shouting, all lower case ( including the first letter of each sentence) suggests a “texter” who has not yet got the hang of email.

Trust me, if you adhere to the above 7 practices when you email, you will be making more friends and be recognised as a competent emailer.

Good email etiquette make for better all round communication

Cupright International – fighting MRSA

Cupright International - Fighting MRSA

Just launched is a full online shop website for Cupright International – who are to the forefront of fighting all germs in medical facilities through their innovative use of Copper based products.

Cupright market a range of products that although not harmful to people have a devastating effect on bacteria, virus and fungal spores. Hospitals across the world are now beginning to appreciate the effect these products can have on infections and are installing fittings throughout to complement their cleaning regimes and enhance their fight reducing the risk of acquiring an infection after surgery.

Website Designed and developed by handyweb.ie

Bicycles – Bike to Work – Bike Hire @ L’Estrangebikes.com

Bikes - Great Value

Lestrangebikes.com – is the complete website for Bicycles to suit all ages and all uses.  Fantastic value available together with the assurance of quality testing of all bicycles before taking delivery. We also specialise in givernment the bike to work scheme where empoyees can avail of up to 1,000 euro spend on a bicycle with the co-operatation of their employers .

Mullingar has established itself as the first cycle route in Ireland with 3 fantanstic routes planned so you can take in all the best of this great midlands town, it canals and countryside. Lestrangebikes.com are the listed supplier of hire bikes for these great facilities.

Go on , be green, be fit ,be safe and get value from money at www.lestrangebikes.com.

Complete range of accessories available and we service all makes of bikes.

Website designed and developed by handyweb.ie

Pasta Bella – Quality Italian Restaurant

Pasta Bella Restaurant launches website

Enjoy the delicious taste of Italy from our extensive menu.

Whether you wish to enjoy your meal in the surrounds of our intimate and tasty décor or perhaps you would like to enjoy our cuisine in your own home. Either way we invite you to whet your appetite by viewing our extensive menu, wine list and taking the full tour of our website.

Quality Food, wine and atmostphere – Dine with us or at home and enjoy the same superb taste of Italy. Website just launched at www.pastabellarestaurant.ie

Website designed and developed by handyweb.ie

Bridaines Bears – Handcrafted Dolls and Teddies

Dolls, Teddies , crafts

Bridanes has just launched her website – after years of compliments from friends for handcrafted gifts she has been making – she now has built up a collection of individual bears and dolls – each one unique – and once purchased – is removed from the website.  Whether its the joy of owning something truely unique and handcrafted – or if you wish to have a special message “its a boy” or “happy Birthday” to complete your purchase- then please visit this unique handcraft website – www.bridainebears.com

Internet Explorer losing ground – Firefox, Chrome, Safari gain

Internet Explorer still the largest usage in August 09

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser posted its largest market share loss last month since 2008, Web metrics company Net Applications  advise on 1/09/2009

Meanwhile, Google’s Chrome continues to gain on Apple’s Safari, closing within 1.25 percentage points. At its current pace, Chrome will replace Safari as the No. 3 browser in less than a year.

Internet Explorer dropped 1.1 percentage points last month, to 66.6 percent. The slide was the browser’s steepest since last November, when it dropped by 2 percentage points, according to Net Applications.

In the last 12 months, IE has lost 8.6 points of browser share.

read more here

Vincent Weafer – Mullingars “Superman” of Internet Security

Vincent Weafer - Symantec Senior Director of Development

All the way from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland to Cupertino, California and a few  pitstops in between – has been the life of Vincent Weafer who in 1998 became director of Symantecs Antivirus Centre. Symantec is one of worlds leading internet security businesses and is best known for its Norton Suite of Antivirus products.
Vincent ( Profile here ) is regularly featured on major US TV networks, Radio, podcasts ( click here for just one) , as well as frequent interviews with US daily newspapers, computer magazines and on many, many websites ( sample here) .
Vincent is also a sought after speaker of note at international conferences on Computer and Internet Virus matters and travels the world to participate in these annual events. In the publishing world his book as co-author is ” The Symantec guide to Home Internet Security” ( available on amazon)
So- when you are worried about not having the right anti-virus software or wondering where your next computer threat will come from – then rest easy like the good people of “metropolis” as the Superman from Mullingar and the worldwide Symantec team are 24/7 keeping ahead of the next malicious “krypton” attack.