Contact us
Tel: 01263 862610
(Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Email:
Swap styles
The Josh.biz website uses a single stylesheet to dictate how pages are displayed. Swap stylesheets using the buttons below:
 
Inspired by
CSS Zen Garden
|
|
The Josh.biz Blog
Posted: Monday, 15th March, 2010, Category: Technology News
 Many users of Windows have been greeted by a window with the title above. This window appears after system startup and leads to another window called Select Your Web Browser with a random selection of browsers presented. A shortcut icon is also added to the desktop. Here’s a quick word to explain what this is about.
Users should note that this is a legitimate Windows application that has been added (through Windows Updates) to European versions of Windows by Microsoft to comply with European Union regulations. It basically allows European Windows users to select a different web browser other than Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Ironically, many users don’t even know what a browser is and most will be uninterested in changing their current choice of browser. Browsers simply allow you to view web pages so it’s not rocket science. Most users tend to use Microsoft Internet Explorer (since it’s comes free and preinstalled with Windows) or Mozilla Firefox. Google Chrome is becoming popular (known to be very fast). Apple Safari is frequently used by Apple computer owners (and is also the chosen browser used on the iPhone).
Our advice is to stick with your favourite. I personally use Internet Explorer. This is for two main reasons. Firstly because most of my customers will view the web pages I design through this browser so it makes sense for me to use the same. Secondly, I use IE becuase I think it renders text very smoothly on the screen compared to other browsers.
So now you can consider using a new browser or simply stick with your favourite. If you find that this screen becomes a nuisance, we’ll shortly be telling you how it can be removed/stopped.
Posted: Saturday, 13th March, 2010, Category: Tips and advice
 Here’s another great offer currently available at mymemory.co.uk – the Pretec 4GB i-Disc Bullet USB Flash Drive. This is a good quality product.
This rugged USB flash drive is perfect for transporting data and boasts resistance to water, fire, and any heavy impact or crashes. The copper metal housing is discretely sized and very solid.
It’s so discrete and stylish that you could carry it around as a key fob for use any time you need it. It’s a shame you don’t get any spare rubber sealing rings but this is a minor criticism.
Highly recommended.
View the the Pretec 4GB i-Disc Bullet USB Flash Drive at mymemory.co.uk
Posted: Friday, 26th February, 2010, Category: Internet News
Here’s just a quick reminder about the scam known as domain slamming. If you’ve received any warning about your domain name expiring and the chance to renew it immediately, proceed with absolute caution and ensure you read our previous blog post about domain slamming. If you’re a Josh.biz client and want us to check it for you, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Posted: Tuesday, 23rd February, 2010, Category: Tips and advice
 Since as long ago as September last year, you may have noticed the appearance of a pale blue sidebar on the left of your page display in Internet Explorer (as per image right). The culprit is Google Sidewiki, a new feature introduced with the Google Toolbar. It’s there for users to leave comments on visited web pages (which might then be shared with other users). If you don’t use Internet Explorer with the Google Toolbar installed, you probably won’t have this.
Now, the important bit. If you would prefer for your screen space not to be eaten up by this sidebar, how do you turn it off? Follow these steps:
- Find your Google Toolbar and look for the settings button (a spanner) as shown here:
- From the option categories on the left, choose Tools
- Deselect the checkbox next to Sidewiki (see screenshot)
And good riddance, the Google Sidewiki sidebar should now be banished.
Posted: Monday, 22nd February, 2010, Category: Technology News
 Just as I’ve jumped ship from Windows Mobile to Apple iPhone, Microsoft have released a new version of their mobile operating system, now to be renamed Windows Phone. Don’t they just love renaming things at Microsoft?
It doesn’t look like it will be available for some time yet though and reviews have been quite mixed. Microsoft Phone 7 looks like it might be a good step in the right direction by Microsoft but I’m yet to be convinced they have done enough to catch up with their competition.
The new interface borrows heavily from Microsoft’s music software/player, the Zune (not available in the UK).
I’ll be sticking with the Apple iPhone…
Posted: Monday, 22nd February, 2010, Category: Technology News
 We’ve tried out the beta version of this version but actually I didn’t like the look and feel of it as much as Office 2007! It has taken years to get users used to the complexity of these products but now Microsoft don’t seem to be able to leave it alone. The controversial ribbon menu introduced with Office 2007 has been quite painful to casual users but is now set to become standard. So you’d better learn to love it.
If you’re looking to purchase Office 2007 for home use, the Home and Student edition (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint – but notably, not Outlook) can currently be purchased for around £60 from eBuyer.com. This provides a licence which permits the software to be installed on up to 3 PCs in the same household. This offers very good value for money.
Compare screenshots of Word 2010 and Word 2007
Posted: Friday, 19th February, 2010, Category: Technology News
 Yes, I’ve finally relented and given up my old Windows Mobile 6 Samsung Omnia which has been replaced by an Apple iPhone 3GS. Back in September 2009 I was moaning on a previous blog post about the unavailability of the iPhone with Vodaphone – generally agreed to be the best network here in North Norfolk.
Once the handset became available on Vodaphone (around Christmas) and after being offered an upgrade 1 year before my 24 month contract officially ended, I just had to jump onto the iPhone bandwagon.
And five days later, what’s my verdict? Well, I think it’s an outstandingly impressive piece of hardware. If you’re the type of person who might have carried a Filofax around in the nineties, then this phone is for you.
It’s beautiful, stylish, multi-functional and incredibly easy to use. It’s the first handset with a keyboard which I can actually use without major stress. With over 100,000 apps (software plug ins) available to download it’s functionality seems endless. And yes, there are some great little games which can be played at high resolution to pass the time when stuck waiting for a bus.
Any groans and moans? Yes.
- There’s no FM Radio. Rumour has it that recent handsets actually have this functionality built in as ‘sleeping hardware’ but Apple haven’t released an app to make it available yet. They’re apparently trying to tie it in with the iTunes software – hence the delay.
- Being forced to use the iTunes software
- As with all things Apple, nothing’s cheap except the apps.
- As we get no 3G coverage in North Norfolk, I’m stuck with fairly slow download speeds except if I’m in Norwich or at home (connected to my home wifi). But you can’t blame Apple for that. Maybe 3G will come to North Norfolk one day. But hey, don’t hold your breath. Look how long it’s taking to get the A11 duelled!
- No Flash Player support (somewhat surprisingly). I suspect this is for technical reasons rather than a move against this popular technology. But it’s quite a serious ommission. Some websites operate entirely in Flash.
But all things considered, the Apple iPhone is definitely one of the best pieces of kit I’ve seen for many years. I’m VERY impressed.
Posted: Friday, 19th February, 2010, Category: Better Web Design, Tips and advice
 Apologies for the rather geeky title for this post but that’s exactly what we’re going to be discussing here – the importance of ensuring that every page within your website has a well composed title and description tag.
Anyone who runs a website and wants more visitors should be aware of their importance. This is one of the most effective (and free) techniques you can employ to gain higher listings on search engines and to encourage users to visit your web pages.
In this article we’ll be focusing on the way in which Google indexes web pages (due to it’s overriding popularity). But these guidelines apply equally to most other search engines.
Posted: Wednesday, 27th January, 2010, Category: Tips and advice
 Twice this week we have been contacted by users who have suffered from hard disk failures, in both cases with serious implications. Case A is a self-employed person who looks to have lost all their emails and contacts since 2007 (and possibly more). Case B is a retired person who may have lost treasured photos and more.
Josh.biz urges all computer users to take the matter of back-ups very seriously. Whilst working as an IT technician for two years, by the far the most frequent fault was faulty hard disks. Once they begin to fail (often generating random errors which the user ‘just gets on with’), it’s a slippery slope to losing everything. It’s usually at this point that the pain of what might have been lost suddenly creeps in.
Backing up can be easily accomplished by merely copying your vital files (i.e. those you want to keep forever) to another hard disk or device separate from your computer. This might be a CD, a DVD, a USB drive or best of all, an external hard disk. Most versions of Windows have a built in back up facility provided for free to speed up the process. Other purchasable products are available.
If in doubt (and in North Norfolk), consult these experts. Have a device. Have a plan. And, do it.
Posted: Wednesday, 27th January, 2010, Category: Technology News
Well, not exactly. It will be until at least June or July before the iPad ‘possibly’ lands in England. So I might be waiting for some time up here in North Norfolk… But it has been unveiled today by Mr Jobs. Chief executive of Apple, Steve Jobs described it as “advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price”.
It certainly looks interesting. It appears to be a hybrid of a smart phone (i.e. an iPhone) and a laptop, with all of the iPhones beauty but with a bigger screen. It’s also tipped to be competing in the newly emerging e-book reader market. If the specification proves to be popular, you can expect other manufacturers to clone it quite quickly, just as with the iPhone. But as with the iPhone, these reproductions never seem to quite cut the mustard.
The iPad has the potential to be an overnight success. It could be ideal for homes, a non-intrusive device which gives you access to everything – internet, television, music, movies, photos, documents, email, texts, games).
Gosh, it’s a shame so many pubs are closing.
|
