Newsletter #11 - Daylight Savings Time and Microsoft Outlook

Daylight Savings Time

From Microsoft's website:

Beginning in 2007, daylight saving time (DST) will be extended in the United States. DST will start on March 11, 2007, which is three weeks earlier than usual, and it will end on November 4, 2007, which is one week later than usual. This results in a new DST period that is four weeks longer than in previous years.

Unless certain updates are applied to your computer, the time zone settings for your computer's system clock may be incorrect during this four-week period. In particular, you must make sure that both your Windows operating system and your calendar programs are updated.

To Outlook or No?

We often have clients ask us what Outlook is and whether or not they should be using it. Outlook is an email client, that is to say, a program that downloads emails from whatever email service you subscribe to, such as AT&T, Yahoo, Gmail, etc. In addition to downloading the emails, Outlooks helps to organize them in ways that may help you view them quickly. In addition, Outlook can assist you in finding specific emails, organizing emails by topic, and backing up your correspondence for the long term. Beyond all of this email functionality, Outlook offers you a spectacular Address book, a great Calendar, flexible Tasks - all of which are integrated.

Some of you are already using this program and love it, but may not be using it to its full potential. Others may not be utilizing it at all. For those of you that are not using Outlook, we heartily endorse it! It helps us stay organized with day-to-day tasks, keep up with clients and friends, and (as much as possible) helps keep us from missing important appointments.

The greatest part of Outlook is that it integrates seamlessly with our Smartphones (Moto Q for Aaron, T-Mobile Dash for Don). Our phones synchronize with Outlook, allowing us to carry our calendars, complete address books, and emails (if we want). Some free email services may not integrate with Outlook, though almost all have a way to interface with Outlook these days. For those that are paying for your email service, including email addresses you received from your Internet Service Provider, you will most likely be able to manage your emails using Outlook.

If you are interested in using Outlook and need help, we would be glad to help you. If you're already using it and have questions about it, or if you have hundreds or thousands of emails and it's begun to get sluggish or you are afraid that at any second you are going to loose everything, we can teach you how to better manage that inbox. Please contact us if you'd like to set up an appointment to start using Outlook, or start using it to its potential!

Interesting Links

• How to help prevent computer viruses
  This is a great article from Microsoft on some basic preventive maintenance techniques that will help you stay virus-free.
• Signs your computer needs replacement
  CNET Community offers some readers' responses on when you might want to consider if it's time to purchase a new computer.

We hope you all have a great week, and please let us know how we can serve you.

Don and Aaron

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