Posts Tagged knoxville
Give a Free Website to Your Favorite Church or Non-profit!
Posted by admin in church, Company & Product Profiles, Email, Free Stuff, fun, Internet, joomla, mobile, news, productivity, Simplicity, Technology & Gadgets, Timesavers, tips, Tools, Tricks & Hacks, Web, Web Applications, Website Development, wordpress on September 1, 2011
Here at Allyte, we’re big supporters of local churches and non-profit organizations. This month, Allyte is giving away a website (through our new product, called Speak) and 1 year of hosting to one church or non-profit organization. Winner to be announced September 17, 2011.
TEDx Knoxville, July 6, 2011
Posted by admin in Company & Product Profiles, Free Stuff, Internet, productivity, Simplicity, Uncategorized on July 7, 2011
How to Understand Google Analytics Reports – Part 2 of 3
Posted by brandon in Company & Product Profiles, File and Data Sharing, Free Stuff, google docs, how to, Instruction, Internet, joomla, productivity, Security, Simplicity, Technology & Gadgets, Timesavers, tips, Tools, Tricks & Hacks, Web, Web Applications, Website Development, wordpress on June 7, 2011
Read part 1 of the “How to Understand Google Analytics Reports” series here.
Your Google Analytics report contains great information about visitors to your website that can assist in optimizing your site for the end-user. Let’s jump straight in. If you downloaded the Google Analytics Sample Report, we’re looking at page 3, titled “Visitors Overview”.
Again, the report includes a line graph to visualize the visitor breakdown by day and a contrasting color comparison to the previous month. It’s very similar to the line graph on page 1.
Below this graph is the breakdown of visitors to the site with a comparison to the previous month. Much of this information is duplicated from the previous 2 pages, but I want to make a point about absolute unique visitors.
We defined “visits” in part 1 of this series, but the next statistic down is “absolute unique visitors”. Here’s the meaning of the term, as defined by Google:
Unique Visitors represents the number of unduplicated (counted only once) visitors to your website over the course of a specified time period. A Unique Visitor is determined using cookies.
This represents, possibly more accurately, the number of devices that have accessed your device, rather than the actual number of people. It can be assumed that a single individual will access the same sites from a work computer as they would a home computer or mobile device. Each of these devices is registered as an “absolute unique visitor” according to Google’s definition.
Below this absolute unique visitors statistic is a summary of the usage of your site, most of which was outlined in Part 1 of this series.
Next down the line is the Technical Profile section. This is where you’ll find numbers about the internet browsers and connection speeds being used to access your site. This information is important because if most of your users are using Internet Explorer to access your website (and I suspect they are), you’ll need to test the website using Internet Explorer for compatibility and display issues. The connection speed can also have an impact on the end-user’s experience of your website. If most users are on a dial-up connection, a flash-intensive or graphics-heavy website is not going to offer a good user experience, and will likely cause your bounce rate to decrease.
The Traffic Sources Overview section of the report provides information about how people find your website. Google defines traffic sources in three ways:
- Direct traffic – the visitor has typed your website address into the address bar of their browser.
- Referring sites – the visitor clicked on a link from a third-party website to access yours.
- Search engines – the visitor searched for a certain term or terms and found your website in the results.
The report even includes a nice little pie chart to visualize this data.
Below this visualization on the left side are the numbers for the most popular traffic sources for your site. Depending on how you want people to find your website, these numbers are helpful for optimizing the website’s performance on search engines or advertising platforms. If your only form of marketing is handing out business cards with the web address, then direct traffic may be your top source. On the other hand, if your website is real estate, you’ll probably want great results with search engines.
Speaking of search engines, the right side column of pages 5 and 6 are the search terms visitors have used to search and find your website. This information is helpful in determining if people are actually finding what they are searching for when they arrive at your website. For example, let’s say you own Pisa Pizza, an online retailer that sells pizza kits. The keywords you want to see in this list are “Pisa Pizza”, “pizza”, and “pizza kit”. If people aren’t finding your website through these search terms, it’s time to improve your website’s search engine optimization.
That’s it for part 2 of “How to Understand Google Analytics”. Part 3 will come later this week.
Prominent Knoxville Church Launches New Website
Posted by brandon in church, Company & Product Profiles, Email, Internet, joomla, Uncategorized, Web, Website Development on May 31, 2011
When Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee was ready to upgrade their website, they wanted something that was visually attractive and easy to manage from anywhere. Allyte recommended a Joomla 1.5 CMS and left the design choice in their hands. In the end, the team chose a RocketTheme design because of its visual impact and feature set. Take a look at the final product below.
SequoyahChurch.org
5 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Computer
Posted by brandon in Company & Product Profiles, Computer Repair, Computer Service, Downloads, Email, File and Data Sharing, Free Stuff, how to, Instruction, Internet, productivity, Security, Simplicity, Spam, Technology & Gadgets, Timesavers, tips, Tools, Tricks & Hacks on May 26, 2011
The original article appeared in the May/June 2011 issue of Cityview Magazine. The version here is complete with links and a little more information than was in the original.
Note: these tips are generally for Windows users.
- Checkpoint Charlie
Security software keeps your computer safe from malicious and harmful programs. Make sure your software is up-to-date and that it provides the level of protection you need. Most free security software packages like AVG and Avast provide a basic level of protection that doesn’t fully protect against the types of threats found on the internet. For a comprehensive level of protection, look at paid versions of security software that provides “internet security”. Some of the best security software can be purchased for around $80, with licenses for 3 computers. That’s not bad, considering malware removal costs between $75-$125. PCWorld.com offers reviews of this year’s best software. The software I like the best is Kaspersky Internet Security 2011. It keeps the computer secure and clean without killing performance like some other software does. For coverage on three computers, it’s $65 from the manufacturer, or $50 from Allyte. Contact us pick up this software. - Malware, Spyware, and Viruses, Oh My!
Now that you have solid security on your computer, be sure to use it. Schedule a weekly scan during a time that you don’t typically use the computer. Your computer can pick up incredible amounts of junk software and files while browsing the internet. It happens without your knowledge most of the time. A regular scan with this software will keep your computer running more effiicently, but keep in mind that no security software is perfect, so this isn’t a license to go anywhere you please online. Use good judgment when visiting websites and never, under any circumstances, use peer-to-peer software like Limewire or BearShare. Peer-to-peer networks like these are full of malicious software that will damage your computer, not to mention the software piracy factor. If you find a particularly difficult instance of malware or spyware, there are some specialized tools for home users that work well to remove these – take a look at Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Spybot Search & Destroy. - Backup, Backup, Backup!
Do you keep anything important on your computer? Music? Pictures? Movies? Documents? What would happen to those files if your hard drive crashed? Sleep a little easier at night by knowing your data is backed up regularly. The most reliable type of backup is the one you don’t have to think about. External hard drives are good for desktops that are stationary. But for a laptop, I recommend an online backup service that automatically and securely stores your files on the web while you’re on the go. One of the best is Dropbox, which provides 2 GB for free, 50 GB for $99/year or 100 GB for $200/year. Dropbox also synchronizes these files across multiple computers, so you’re never left without that file you need.
Tip: This service also comes in handy in lots of other situations like when you and a coworker need access to the same files across offices or while you’re on the road. - Your Hard Drive is Fragmented and You Don’t Even Know It
When files are copied, created, deleted, and moved around the hard drive, bits and pieces of them are scattered around the drive. Windows has a built-in tool to clean up these bits and pieces, helping your hard drive find what it needs more efficiently. To use this tool, simply click the Windows button, then click “Run”. Type in “dfrg.msc” (Windows XP) or “dfrgui” (Vista/Windows 7) and press enter. This will run the Disk Defragmenter. Choose your drive, then click “Defragment”. It can take some time to do this, so go grab some coffee and relax while you wait. - Your Computer is Running Too Many Programs
Take a look at your computer screen. Go ahead, take this magazine with you to your computer and look at the bottom right corner of your computer screen where the clock is. That’s your system tray. Now look along the tray to the left. Do you actually need all of those programs? They’re slowing the computer down. Go to the Control Panel and find Programs and Features (Add/Remove Programs for XP users) and uninstall the ones you don’t need, or at the very least, right-click on the system tray icon and tell the software not to run when the computer is turned on. Uninstall those internet toolbars while you’re at it. They’re not helping matters. But don’t make changes to printers or security software. You’re gonna need those. - Bonus: Send the Dust Bunnies Packing
You’ve made it this far and you’ve conditioned your computer to perform like a champ. Can you do one more thing? It might require some courage. It’ll also require a can of compressed air and a screwdriver. Disconnect all the cables from your desktop computer and take it outside. Remove the cover from your computer and use the compressed air to blow the dust out of the case. You might need a hazmat suit if your computer is particularly dirty.
Did You Know?
Posted by admin in church, Company & Product Profiles, Email, File and Data Sharing, foursquare, Free Stuff, fun, google docs, home, Internet, news, Photos, productivity, Security, Sports, Technology & Gadgets, tips, Tools, Web Applications on October 29, 2010
The convergence of technology, media in particular, is effecting the way people worldwide do business, socialize, gather information, make connections, and draw conclusions.
Watch this video, then ask yourself: How do I use these tools connect with those around me?
Description from YouTube:
This is another official update to the original “Shift Happens” video. This completely new Fall 2009 version includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence and technology, and was developed in partnership with The Economist. For more information, or to join the conversation, please visithttp://mediaconvergence.economist.com and http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com.
Credits:
Content by XPLANE, The Economist, Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod and Laura Bestler. Music by DoKashiteru, “Home Tonight.” Design and development by XPLANE, http://www.xplane.com.You can follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/xplane
How to Stream Live University of Tennessee Sports Audio to Your iPhone
Posted by admin in Company & Product Profiles, Computer Service, Downloads, File and Data Sharing, Free Stuff, fun, home, how to, Instruction, Internet, news, productivity, Simplicity, Sports, Technology & Gadgets, Timesavers, tips, Tools, Tricks & Hacks, Web, Web Applications on October 2, 2010
You’ll need two things to stream Tennessee sports audio to your iPhone.
The first is an app that can use an audio source. FStream is a good one. Find it and install it on your iPhone.
The second is an audio stream source. Use this source:
http://st1.webradioworld.net/tunein.php/wecofm/playlist.asx
Now, four steps:
- Copy the source from above.
- Open FStream and go to Favorites.
- Click “Edit”, then “Add new webradio”.
- Give it any name you want, paste the source into the URL field. Encoding doesn’t matter. Hit save.
That’s it. Now, you can go to the Play tab of the FStream app and click on the stream. It should start right away. I have a solid stream even on a weak Edge connection on AT&T.
Calls From Your Computer: Google Voice versus Skype
Posted by admin in Company & Product Profiles, Downloads, Free Stuff, Internet, news, productivity, Simplicity, Technology & Gadgets, Timesavers, tips, Tools, Tricks & Hacks, Web, Web Applications on September 21, 2010
CNET compared two of the most popular voice-over-ip (aka VOIP) services available – Google Voice and Skype. Each service offers its own advantages, and I have my personal favorite, but watch the video below to see who CNET chose as the winner in this contest.
Computer Repair in Knoxville and Maryville, Tennessee
Posted by admin in Company & Product Profiles, Computer Repair, Computer Service, Free Stuff, home, how to, Internet, news, productivity, Security, Simplicity, Technology & Gadgets, Timesavers, tips, Tools, Tricks & Hacks on September 15, 2010
Finding a trustworthy place to get your computer repaired can be a difficult thing to do. Some shops want to keep your computer for weeks at a time, cutting down on your productivity. Others have you wait in a long line just to drop off the computer. It can be a frustrating experience just to talk with someone about your ailing computer.
There is a better solution. Allyte Technology Solutions repairs computers in Knoxville and Maryville, Tennessee. We provide friendly, personal, cost-effective computer service at your location. On-site service allows us to ensure the computer works properly and eliminates the hassle of dealing with messy cables and wires.
Call Allyte Technology Solutions for in-home or in-office computer service. You won’t be disappointed.
Questions to Ask Before Leaving Your Computer for Repair or Service
Posted by admin in Company & Product Profiles, Computer Repair, Computer Service, Email, File and Data Sharing, Free Stuff, home, how to, productivity, Security, Simplicity, Technology & Gadgets, tips, Tricks & Hacks on August 4, 2010
Leaving your computer and its data with a service or repair center can be a little nerve-racking. Your data – email, pictures, music, documents, spreadsheets, presentations – are all contained on this computer and you don’t want it to be vulnerable.
Some service centers will wipe a hard drive clean without thinking twice. When your computer returns to you, it has returned completely to factory settings. A side note – there are some good services available for home and office data backup. They do cost on the front end, but save a ton of time, trouble, and possibly money in the event you need your data restored.
In other cases, the customer may arrive to pickup the computer, only to find exorbitant fees are due for the service. It would have been better to replace the laptop than pay the fees for repair.
To prevent situations like this, there are some key questions you should ask before leaving your computer for repair.
- Will you backup my data before doing work that could compromise it?
- What is the fee for doing a backup for me?
- Will I receive a copy of my data if you wipe the hard drive clean?
- What are the estimated charges for this repair? Can I get that in writing?
- If the charges are significantly more than you estimate, will you let me know before doing the work?
This set of questions is a good place to start when getting service on a laptop or desktop computer. Depending on your service request, you may want to ask more questions.
For good data backup solutions, look at Dropbox, Cobian Backup, ElephantDrive, JungleDisk, Carbonite, and Mozy.
For good computer repair and service, look no further than Allyte Technology Solutions.