Resolve to be tech smart in 2009

By Anne Krishnan

Kick off 2009 with eight resolutions that will help you make the most of your computer, the Internet and other tech devices:

1. Be skeptical: “It’s not necessary to unplug your computer and bury it in concrete in order to stay safe (although it may be tempting at times), but a more circumspect approach can really help,” says Jeff Crume, executive IT security architect for IBM. His suggestions:

UDon’t take the phisher’s bait. Stop for a second and ask yourself why a bank that you have a long-standing relationship with (or worse still, one you’ve never even heard of) would suddenly have forgotten your personal details and need you to verify them over the Web, Crume said.

UDon’t believe most of what you read in browser pop-up ads, especially those claiming to help secure your system, as they are probably going to do just the opposite.

UDon’t respond to or forward e-mail making grandiose claims, telling unbelievable stories or promising to bring you good luck or fortune.

UDon’t click on every link you see. The Internet, like the real world, has good neighborhoods and bad ones, Crume said. If you go to the wrong Web sites, you could end up with a system that is riddled with spyware, viruses and other nasty stuff.

Surf safer with free tools such as SiteAdvisor, a plugin for Firefox or Internet Explorer that rates the safety of Web sites as you browse or search. You can download it or learn more at www.siteadvisor.com/download/ff.html.

2. Go hands-free: Talking on your phone while driving can be dangerous. Many late-model mobile phones have Bluetooth, and that technology allows you to talk through wireless headsets, speaker phones or devices built into the car.

And, hopefully, it goes without saying — texting while driving is a real no-no.

3. Manage your online profile: You can expect to be Googled by everyone from prospective employers to potential dates. Do you know what they’ll find?

UCheck your profiles: You may have started your Facebook or MySpace profile as a high school or college student. If you’ve let it slide, check back to make sure it’s showing the face you want to present on the Web.

UBe proactive: Use the Internet to your benefit by starting a blog or building a Web page for your family or business. You also can create a professional profile on a site such as LinkedIn.

4. Create a spam account: Limit the spam you sort through daily by setting up an e-mail address (through Yahoo! Gmail, AOL, Hotmail or your Internet provider) that you use exclusively when shopping and signing up for online accounts. If you already have an e-mail account that gets a lot of spam, create a new address to use for your personal communications.

5. Be secure: Protect your computer and your home network from outside invaders.

UPut a password on your wireless network. It’s easy, and it protects you from bandwidth thieves.

UInstall security patches for your operating system.

UChoose and use antivirus software, and be sure to update it when newer versions come out.

6. Back up: Drives are getting larger, faster and cheaper, but they are also getting less reliable, said Bob Chandler, president of Raleigh, N.C., technology firm MacVantage Inc.

The good news is that external, USB-attached hard drives with loads of storage are reasonably priced and often come with software that can automate the back-up process, minimizing your exposure to lost files.

Macs make it particularly easy, Chandler said. The latest Mac operating system, Leopard, has a feature called Time Machine that backs up to an external hard drive every hour. A companion product called Time Capsule integrates a wireless router and hard drive.

7. Take your software with you: More and more software is designed to be carried with you on a portable device. When your USB flash drive, portable hard drive, iPod or other portable device is plugged into a Windows computer, you have access to your software and personal data just as you would on your own PC. When you unplug the device, none of your personal data is left behind.

8. Unplug: Technology can be wonderful, but it doesn’t replace spending time with people you care about or other hobbies and interests. Resolve to unplug now and then to rediscover your old pleasures.

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2008, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)