Google Spreadsheets are getting even better!

As Google Apps resellers one of the hardest tasks we are faced with is convincing users to change to Google Docs and to move away from using their comfortable and well known Microsoft Office Suite. 

We started using Docs about 5 years ago - and initially the going was tough. You could not use formulae, formatting was difficult and a number of other features were just not available yet. 

Then things changed. And changed. And they have just not stopped changing. 

Google announced that they are going to be spending time working on Google Spreadsheets - with this update being the largest one in recent memory. Now that makes my ears perk up - because with all the awesome changes that have already come in - what else are they going to pull out of the hat?

New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and they work offline.

You can now really plough through work using the new Spreadsheets. They are safer, faster, boast a number of new features and on top of all that - they work offline now. 

Bigger and faster spreadsheets.

At OpenNetworks we do a lot of Apps Scripting - and in a couple of projects we have run into data limits on spreadsheets. Crazy - we know - but one particular client just has so much data that needed to be dealt with. So the addition of support for millions of cells eliminates the need for complex solutions. Loading sheets and doing calculations are all quicker even in complex spreadsheets - and that makes the use of the spreadsheets for tasks a complete no-brainer. 

Filter views.

This is a feature that I personally have been waiting for. And just in time for Christmas - here it is! You can now name, save and share different views of your data. I especially like that when collaborating - so I can sort a spreadsheet for my needs and the team collaborating on it do not have to see my filters on their screen. And vice versa. 

Using formulae and complex functions

Using basic formulae or getting stuck into complex functions? New function help makes it much easier and with error highlighting and colouring to spot your mistakes, fixing them is a cinch. 

Offline and need to work? No worries!

Being online all the time is a bonus. But let's be honest, it is not always a reality. So Google have come to our rescue and you can now make edits to Google Spreadsheets offline. When you reconnect to the internet - your edits automatically sync. Want to get set up for that - then follow these instructions to set up offline for Chrome. 

So are you keen to try it out?

Turn on new spreadsheet features by checking the “Try the new Google Sheets” box in your Google Drive settings. From then on, all new spreadsheets you create will work offline and include these new features. Google will be working on Spreadsheets for a while still. They are going to be adding a small list of missing features in the coming months, so keep an eye out for the changes!

Want to know more? Get hold of OpenNetworks on +27 11 317 4900 or mail us on sales@opennetworks.com.

The difference between Add and Move in Google Docs.

It's very easy to drag files and folders around in Google Drive, too easy in fact, and dragging items moves them for everyone in your domain... so take care.

One of the best things about Google Drive is the ability to store folders - which may be hidden many levels down in a Company folder hierarchy - directly in the top level of your My Drive.

Let's say you have a Marketing folder and you are always working in "Marketing/Years/2013/PR - 4 levels down, you can move that PR folder to your My Drive for easy access. Brilliant, but be careful that you don't also move the folder for everyone else. A simple way to ensure you keep the folder structure in place is always press Ctrl and then drag. Alternatively, use the Move to menu item - whilst remembering to click Ctrl when ticking "My Drive" in your folder tree. Both of these actions "Add" a folder rather than "Move" a folder - it's exactly how Windows handles it.

If you are about to "Move" a folder Google does warn you - so watch out for pop up windows warning about sharing, if you see one, carefully consider whether you do want to "Move" the folder out of a shared area.

In our experience, the best practice for an administrator is to consider folder permissions and encourage users to Add items rather than Move them. 

Take a look at this example:

• Caroline and Tori work in Marketing and share a Marketing folder
• Tori creates a folder Marketing and adds 3 sub-folders to it (Logos; PR; Case Studies) along with all the relevant files. She then shares the folder with Caroline.
• Caroline is responsible for PR and just wants the PR sub-folder. If she drags the folder into My Drive she actually moves the PR folder from the top level Marketing folder.
• When Tori next checks the Marketing folder the PR folder has "disappeared".

In this example, a quick fix is for Caroline to go to hes My Drive and "Add" the PR folder back in to the Marketing folder, but if a lot of users are using "move" it could get very messy. Tori can also stop Caroline from removing anything by giving her "view only" access to the Marketing folder.

The best advice is to consider folder permissions when initially setting up Google Drive and educate users to make use of the "Add to My Drive" button or remember to hold the Ctrl button when dragging files.

Google vs. Microsoft: Guess Which Company Isn’t Encrypting Your Data?

In a recent survey released by the Electronic Frontier Foundation of the top technology companies, Microsoft fails to comply with a number of data encryption and security recommendations while Google excels on all fronts.

To ensure data security, the EFF recommends technology companies follow protocols in five areas:

1. Encrypt Websites with Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)

If HTTPs is implemented, communications between a user’s computer and the given website are encrypted.

Google and Microsoft are both compliant.

2. Enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)

However, to ensure the communication remains secure, companies should enabled HTTP Strict Transport Security or HSTS. HSTS uses secure communications to prevent certain attacks if a network pretends that the site visited has asked to communicate insecurely.

Microsoft is non-compliant.

3. Encrypt Data Center Links

This protocol asks companies to encrypt communications between a company’s own cloud servers and their data centers. This precaution ensures data is protected in the case that an attacker has access to physical data links or has compromised network equipment.

Microsoft is non-compliant.

4. Implement STARTTLS for email transfer

STARTTLS is an opportunistic encryption system, which encrypts communications between email servers that use the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) standard. If users operating on different email servers (ie. Gmail and Outlook.com) email one another, data must travel over the internet. If both servers understand STARTTLS the communication is encrypted in transit. However, if only one of the two complies with STARTTLS, the data is vulnerable to surveillance.

Microsoft’s Outlook.com is non-compliant – more reason than ever to make sure everyone in your company has a standard email address.

5. Use Forward Secrecy for Encryption Keys

Forward secrecy is designed to protect communications previously encrypted regardless of whether or not one of the service providers’ keys is later compromised. If a provider fails to implement Forward Secrecy, an attacker who gains access to a service provider’s secret key can use that key to read previously encrypted communications.

Microsoft’s compliance is undetermined.

For more on the findings, visit Gizmodo here.

Source: bettercloud blog

Wearable computing

How the world has changed and advanced. 

I remember our first PC at home - an old Amiga 2000. I actually think I still have it in storage somewhere. Just because the games were really really cool... Well they were for the 80s. 

Then we moved on to DOS machines, then floppy discs were replaced by the CD Rom. Laptops made an appearance and the good old desktop became very gauche. Laptops were the new thing. And to be dead honest they are still hanging on for dear life. The laptop was then also developed further through tablets and smart phones. The trend was each getting smaller than the one before - the human race is constantly wanting things to be smaller, better and yet we do not want to lose any functionality. 

Remember when JeanClaude was the coolest Tech wearer we all knew??

So the tech world has taken what the populous is asking for and applied it in sometimes strange but more often than not mind boggling ways.

Personally I have a smart phone - android driven that I love. It is quite big, and ticks all the boxes for me. I can get to my mail, CRM, browser, Docs and all the social platforms I use.

In a previous post we looked at how the internet has matured through the ages and Google Glass was mentioned. As I said there - many things run the risk of being traded for a pair. I find them fascinating and on top of that the way technology has become a part of our every day existence is both scary and very exciting. 

So the next step that the Tech Brainiacs have come up with is Wearable Technology or Wearable Computing. 

Ok great - so what does that mean? Wikipedia starts off saying:

"Wearable computers, also known as body-borne computers are miniature electronic devices that are worn by the bearer under, with or on top of clothing.^[1] This class of wearable technology has been developed for general or special purpose information technologies and media development. Wearable computers are especially useful for applications that require more complex computational support than just hardware coded logics."

This Wikipedia article looks at technology through the ages - starting in the 1600s with the Qing Dynasty. To read the whole article - click here. The most basic form of wearable computing that we all knew were the Casio watches, with the keyboard. If you had one of those you were cutting edge. A real serious geek. 

Two of the most interesting developments are the Apple iWatch, Galaxy Gear and Google Glass.

Now the Samsung Galaxy Gear is a companion device that integrates the Samsung Galaxy experience even further into Samsung users everyday lives. It features voice activation for hands free calls as well as a wealth of other voice features made possible through S Voice. 

There is a whole lot more information available on these devices - Samsung has quite a lot of info here as well as the Product Specs. Looking forward to getting your hands on one yet? 

Wearable computing will shortly be an integral part of our futures as tech users - just take a look at how often you, and the people around you, use your mobile phones, tablets and phablets to communicate, get info and also share knowledge and experiences. These smart phones are pretty much "wearable" tech - you rarely leave the house with out them - they are just not attached to you yet! It is too early to tell whether the release of the Galaxy Gear by Samsung will take the world by storm - and it will be interesting to see what Apple comes up with to compete - or will they disrupt? 

Watch this space........

So many browsers to choose from...

But which one to use?

Currently there are a number of browsers available to use for internet access at the moment - which one would be best for you to use? The three main contenders currently are Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Well - IE is not really a contender - but it is still widely used - mainly because of legacy use or users just do not know of any other browsers.

Currently Google Chrome is the world's most popular internet browser - with 43% of Global Web Surfers choosing Chrome. 

Looking at the image below it is amazing to see what the numbers are for Africa - where we fall smack bang in range with the worldwide figures. Possibly because we are a rather new entrant into the internet world and the legacy use of Internet Explorer is not so prevalent. North America for instance has a larger percentage of users who still prefer using IE in comparison with the rest of the world.

 We can even bring those numbers closer to home. When we take a look at the number of OpenNetworks CRM users that are using the different browsers the numbers look as follows: 

So the proof is in the pudding - or in the numbers rather! OpenNetworks users are most definitely ahead of the curve with the majority using Chrome to access their Google Apps and OpenNetworks CRM. But what are the differences between the browsers - and why is Chrome recommended above the others? We will take a look at that in another blog article as well. 

The Internet through the ages.

Working in the realm of the internet never ceases to amaze me. Daily we are faced with changes to an interface, a browser or just buttons that change - and this frustrates even the high level users out there. So what about the people out there who deem themselves "Technophobes"? 

My mother is a self professed "Technophobe" which amazes me to no end as she has achieved some pretty amazing stuff in her life. Ask her to hunt down a puff-adder with nothing more than a pick axe and a paper bag and she is on it. But downloading a program and installing it on the new laptop that some sales guy suckered her into buying - whoa now. That is a little too much to ask. 

So I thought that we could take a little look at how technology has advanced through the ages. In 1969 the internet was the future of shopping, in 1981 it was going to be the way to access news and 1993 resulted in a revolution that involved internet to be pronounced as in-turr-nett. 

So with no further ado - a little light entertainment follows:

1969 and Fingertip Shopping

Little did they know in those days just how internet shopping would take off. And imagine being able to communicate with people all over the world in written form!

Sitting drinking your coffee in the morning and reading the paper on a computer - far fetched!

Now take it even further and add images, comics and pictures in. Then put it on a personal computer that is the size of a piece of paper. 

The implications of where we come from on where we are headed are mind boggling. A mere 32 years ago the thought of reading Newspapers over the internet was a revelation - and owning a Personal Computer was something that got you onto the news. 

Fast forward to today - and let's see what the world is using the power of the internet for. One of the most amazing (and my personal favourite) is the creation and development of Google Glass. If you do not know about it you are in for a treat. If you are one of those people who are afraid of tech taking over - rather don't watch it. Sarah Connor would have killed for this tech while battling the Terminators. Although Skynet probably would have created it...

And for those of us who say all of that is not possible - you are right, but it is coming along in leaps and bounds......

So keep an eye open for when Google Glass hits our shores - I for one am dying to get my hands on one of these. 

Google Goorus State of the Google Universe.

What an amazing graphic representation of the Google Universe. 

Seriously - these guys are doing it right!

Google Gooru is the top online information resource for everything Gmail / Google Apps. You can learn everything you need to know about using Google Apps and all the different parts of it - Docs, Sites, Hangouts and everything else as well! 

It doesn't matter if you're new to Google Apps or an experienced user looking to keep up with the latest updates, Google Gooru can help.

If you want updates on the latest Google features, Google Apps tips and tricks, or Google-related news, sign up for their daily newsletter!

Google Apps for Business and Viruses

After the last blog post about passwords and email harvesting - I got to thinking about our Google Apps experience over the last couple of years. And what our virus / spam experience has been.

From the 1st of March 2006 I can say with great confidence that we at OpenNetworks have not received a computer virus through our email. We may have picked up problems when users download dodgy files or stick hard drives in with viruses on them - but not a single virus through our email. I repeat - NOT A SINGLE ONE. 

Do I even need to say that we have been using Google Apps since the 1st of March 2006? Over the last couple of years we have progressed from GMail users, to Google Apps users, to Google Apps for Business users to an Enterprise Google Apps Partner and Premium SMB Reseller in South Africa. So we have seen how Google Apps has grown, adapted and advanced. 

SPAM
Who does not hate that word. Or the time it takes to sift through the countless emails either offering you money, or asking for your money in exchange for random growth spurts. Thankfully I only see those emails when I choose to (so really when I am exceptionally bored and need a good laugh). Why and how - I hear you mutter..... Well, Google has one of the best spam blockers in the business, and it's integrated into Google Apps. Spam is purged every 30 days. You do not see it - and millions of people are reporting the odd message that slips through at the same time - which means it probably will not hit your inbox at all. 

Email Viruses
As I mentioned earlier - these are a thing of the past. Seriously.

Google has built in virus checking, and they enforce checking of documents before allowing a user to download any message. Most computer viruses are contained in executable files, so standard virus detectors scan messages for executable files that appear to be viruses. Google helps block viruses in the most direct possible way: by not allowing users to receive executable files (such as files ending in .exe) that could contain damaging executable code; even if they are sent in a compressed (.zip, .tar, .tgz, .taz, .z, .gz) format. For more on what Google does to protect you from viruses - check this support article out. 

Google also supplies Chrome™ and Firefox® users with constantly updated filters against phishing and malware.

By combining advanced algorithms with reports about misleading pages from a number of sources, Google downloads to your browser a list of information about sites that may engage in phishing or contain malicious software. Safe Browsing is often able to automatically warn you when you encounter a page that's trying to trick you into disclosing personal information.

Barring human error (ie downloading stuff or plugging in a dodgy hard drive) - the chances of getting a virus are nil through your email. So I ask again - if security is a concern - why are organisations not considering Google Apps for their Businesses?

Passwords and programs

Amazing what people come up with!! 'Check out these new properties that just got on my table. They are all for-sale at good prices. CLICK HERE and view the properties, if you are interested kindly get back to me immediately.' Have you ever seen or received one of these mails? I have - and was pretty convinced because we are currently in the process of looking at houses.  If you have also received one of these: DO NOT follow the link - and DO NOT complete the fake Login process that they have created. They are collecting your email address and password - then logging in and sending the same mail to all your contacts. Amazing though - very specific - property orientated and the mail looks pretty legit! Maybe in a fit of non-concentration you clicked on the link and were taken to this page: You click on the corresponding image and hey presto - a dialog box pops up asking for your email address and password.  If you have accidentally completed this: Please change your password immediately. Go to your name at the top right of your GMail screen and click on it then go to Security and click on change password. Change your password and save the changes. Make sure that you go to your email inbox and scroll to the very bottom you will see a link saying Last account activity: 1 minute ago Details Click on the "details" link and on the box that pops up - click on Sign out all other sessions. This will make sure that the person who is accessing your email is kicked out - and also no longer has the valid password.  Your password should be treated like your ATM or online banking pin - don't give it to anyone!  To see more on the importance of passwords - read our post on Passwords - what's all the fuss about?

Passwords - what's all the fuss about?

Cracking a password is not that difficult for someone who knows what they are doing - so now -more than ever - it is super important to make sure your password is suited to protecting you online.

Instant Checkmate created the infographic below to show some interesting stats regarding passwords and the realities of how we use them. Quick highlights: One third of people use the same password for all their logins, and the weakest passwords that are being used out there include "12345678" and "password"!

Any other tips or tricks you can think of? 

Want help creating a safe password? Check out Correct Horse Battery Staple, where you can generate a secure password.