Category Archives: gear

advice, blogging, Business, editorial, gear, lifestyle, resources

What Would You Do If Your Computer Crashed?

The question above is one I don’t even like to type out. It horrifies me to even think about my computer crashing. While this is a nightmare for most people–for the writer, it is a disaster of epic proportions. Articles you could re-sell, invoices, work in progress…gone…just like that.

I’m a huge fan of backup, and so today we are offering Freelance-Zone readers a peek at an online backup option–Mozy. Here with us today is Brent Bird, the Marketing Manager for Mozy, to share a bit about what the service is like.

(And be sure to check out the special coupon/code they gave us below–just for Freelance-Zone readers! If you aren’t ready for that, try it out for free first and see what you think.)

generic-backup-plan-125x1251. What is Mozy and how would it be useful to a freelance writer?

Mozy provides secure, online backup for all of the files stored on your computer. As a freelance writer, your career and oftentimes years of hard work can be stored on your system’s hard drive. Mozy makes sure you’re protected in case your hard drive crashes, your computer gets a virus or if you accidentally leave your laptop in a taxi or on a plane. Once you’re backed up, all of your most important files are stored in Mozy’s secure datacenters, available to be restored to your new machine, anytime you choose.  

2. Can you explain a bit about how the backup works and what you can store?

When you download Mozy, you are asked to select the files that you’d like to backup. Mozy makes this easy for you by pre-selecting “backup sets” of the most popular file types that customers typically choose to protect—documents, music files, photos, etc. Select what you would like to be backed up on your own hard drive, then choose your backup schedule. You can backup once a week, once a day, or even as often as every two hours. The initial backup can take some time, depending on the amount you’re backing up and your connection speed. However, once all of your information is securely in the cloud, Mozy then searches for changes to existing files or new files, so each subsequent backup is very fast.

3. How do you protect the stored data?

Mozy encrypts all of the data on your computer, in transit and at rest in our datacenters. We use 256-bit AES encryption technology which is the same encryption system used by the military. When you select files for backup, Mozy encrypts them on your computer, and then transports them over the Internet to our datacenters. In transit, the files are encrypted with 128-bit SSL encryption, which is the same technology used by financial institutions to send and receive financial transactions. All of your data is then stored in our datacenters in an encrypted state. You can even choose your own personal encryption key which only you will have access to. Your information cannot be decrypted without this key, so you can have ultimate control. Your data has never been safer.

4. What is the advantage of doing backup this way as opposed to more traditional media, such as DVDs or external hard drives?

Using external hard drives or DVDs to backup your data is a good idea, as any backup method is important. However, Mozy is automatic and secure, so that once you set it up, you’ll never have to think about it again. Your information is also securely encrypted, so your information is protected. With an external hard drive, you’ll need to manually move information to the hard drive on a regular basis or remember to upload your photos or your most recent work. That hard drive can also fail or crash without warning. With Mozy, you can set it and forget it and know that all new and important data is being backed up automatically.

5. What else can you tell freelance writers about Mozy?

Mozy wants to make sure that all freelance writers are protected by offering a 15% discount off of our normal rates. Simply enter promo code FREELANCE15 at purchase to receive the discount. Mozy also gives everyone 2GB for free, so you can try it out and see how it works for you. Need more than 2GB? MozyHome is only $4.95 a month for unlimited storage. Purchase an annual subscription and get a month free or purchase a biennial subscription and get 3 months for free. Whatever you choose, make sure you’re backing up your work somehow.

editorial, gear, lifestyle

Free Wi-Fi Thursday July 1st at Starbucks

Starbucks free wi fi

by Joe Wallace

Thursday is the day Starbucks changes the game plan from its old “two hours of free wi-fi as long as you use your Starbucks card” concept to the new free-for-all unlimited wi-fi access plan. Freelancers tired of jostling for position in other crowded coffee shops, Panera Bread and other locations now have unlimited access at Starbucks…and those living nearby a Starbucks will likely reap the benefits, too.

The full details of the new free wi-fi access include the following excellent features–NO login, NO time limit, and no requirement to use a Starbucks card to access.

You might think I sound like a Starbucks shill at this point, but that’s not the reason I am excited by this development. For years, companies and local governments have paid varying degrees of lip service to the idea that wi-fi access could and should be free for all. If memory serves, Portland is one city that had designs on a city-run free wi-fi program, and Chicago has often flirted with the concept (usually during election years).

The Starbucks move is a step closer to the reality of convenient, cost-free access, and speaking as an uber-mobile freelancer myself, I welcome the new option even if I don’t drink the coffee. They WILL lure me in for a cup of Tazo Earl Grey, but the main attraction is that free wireless access. Thanks to Starbucks, one of my major logistical problems is solved.

I run a blog about vinyl records and indie record stores called Turntabling.net. In August I will blog across the country from Chicago to New York City, hitting record stores along the way to blog about, review, etc.It’s called Vinyl Road Rage and last year garnered a bit of nice viral attention so it’s back again this year.

Since the iPhone operating system I currently use doesn’t officially support tethering (so I can use the iPhone 3G wireless signal to connect my laptop) I need an alternative to post detailed blog entries. Now, thanks to Starbucks, there’s a solution at practically every corner.

This is extremely forward-thinking for a major corporation, and I applaud them for going the extra mile. It will make my August Vinyl Road Rage trip as awesome as it could possibly be.

I personally will be at Starbucks on Thursday in Chicago’s Lincoln Square district to celebrate and blog about the new wi-fi-volution. I know this is extremely nerdy of me, but it’s an excellent thing Starbucks is doing and I aim to support it. Join me!
Continue reading Free Wi-Fi Thursday July 1st at Starbucks →

advice, editorial, gear, lifestyle

Pandora Radio

pandoraby Catherine L. Tully

As a freelance writer, one of the perks of the job is that you can take your laptop and hit a coffee shop for a few hours to write and relax. I like going to Panera. Love the atmosphere and the tea–but I hate the music. The style of jazz they play is just too noisy for me when I’m trying to write.

My quick fix? Pandora Radio. I simply pop on my headphones, plug them into my iPhone and hit some sort of ambient, new age music for the duration. I have to keep it on low, and I can’t use it if what I’m doing requires a lot of actual thinking, but for rote tasks or revisions it works perfectly. (And you can get it on your laptop as well.)

Pandora is free and it has some pretty cool features.  I highly recommend trying it out.

freelance money, gear, lifestyle

Freelance Opportunities…at Starbucks

starbucks coffee

Wired reports on an interesting development that means more freelance opportunities at Starbucks. And possibly WITH Starbucks.

In the last few years, unless you have an AT&T account or purchase and use a Starbucks gift card, there was no such thing as a publicly available wi-fi signal at the famous coffee shop chain. iPhone users could happily freelance away thanks to their AT&T mobile login, but the rest of the freelancers had to make do some other way.

But Starbucks has finally realized what all those people typing away furiously at their Macs and Windows laptops REALLY want from Starbucks aside from those high-calorie pastries and pricey lattes. A place to get stuff done–an office away from home. One that has music that won’t make you run screaming for the earplugs (except when they play that Paul McCartney album AGAIN for the millionth time.)

According to Wired, “Starting July 1, Starbucks will let anyone connect to its WiFi network for free. This fall, the company will add a content network called Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo and other sites, which will include local content you won’t be able to read anywhere else. Both offerings will be free.”

Now that in itself is very good news, but did you see the hidden freelance opportunity possibly lurking in that sentence? Starbucks Digital is offering unique content on their free wi-fi network.
That means jobs for writers. Possibly permanent gigs combined with contract gigs. The free wi-fi wakeup call has finally come and that means VERY good things for anyone living within range of a Starbucks who doesn’t have a good indie coffee shop nearby. Hey, our sympathies are definitely with the indies…what can we say?
But if you’re in need of a steady gig and drooling over the notion of working for a company that could as a perk of employment or contract possibly set you up with free java? You’re probably already looking in the Careers section of Starbucks Inc trying to find those Writer Wanted listings.
Business, editorial, gear, lifestyle

New iPhone + New Data Plan = Bad Combo

iphoneby Catherine L. Tully

This isn’t a good thing.

I’m not going to go over all the details–you can read them for yourself. Long story short–limits on data use are coming. And as a writer–you should be very, very scared.

AT&T has just started charging for data based on useage when it comes to the iPhone. Will this have an impact on you? Probably not…at least…not yet. But as we use mobile devices more and more, we’ll stream video, “tweet”, play music, send e-mail and plug coordinates into our GPS. Data use will continue to rise. And one day in the not too distant future, this harmless “new plan” will wind up hurting us all.

App developers will stop shooting the moon with their ideas and scale back. After all–who will want to buy an app that will hog the data use allotted for the month? Other companies will start following suit and charging for data use–and before you know it–the limits will go down and the price will go up. You know–like how some fast food places start out serving large portions which then get smaller and smaller as time goes on?

I see nothing good here for the consumer. Save five dollars a month now–and pay 10 (or even more) later on down the road. The fact is that once this door has opened, it could start a whole new chapter in computer use. I see the writing on the wall, and I don’t like it one bit.

I have always dreaded the fact that one day we might get charged for the amount of e-mail we send, or the amount of time we spend on the computer. This is our job. The way we make our living. It makes me very nervous.

Big business is getting greedy again. Watch out.

As for me? I’m going to stay on the iPhone/AT&T plan I have as long as I can–and hope for a revolt. Anybody with me?

gear, lifestyle

5 Social Media Tips For Freelancers

Twitter Social Media dos and donts
By Joe Wallace

It’s funny how history repeats itself. Ten years ago, freelancers and business owners were wondering if they should start websites to promote the business. It wasn’t quite mandatory yet back then. Today people have the same issues with social media. “Should I get more involved with Twitter and Facebook?”

That question is like, soooo last century.

Of COURSE you should be. But for the right reasons and with the right strategies.

Gang of Four founder and social web contrarian Dave Allen is fond of saying that simply having a Facebook and Twitter account does not equal having a digital strategy, and I have to agree. So many people DO believe that, though–that using social media IS the strategy as opposed to simply having another tool in the box to use.

The first place I start when telling people how to use Twitter and Facebook? Make a plan and decide what you want to DO with these tools. It’s not enough to post things and hope people pay attention.

Once you have a strategy and know what you want to accomplish with your social media accounts, then you are ready to really take advantage of the following advice:

  1. Don’t be content to post an endless stream of quotations and self-promotion. People want to know YOU’RE there.
  2. Opinions vary, but I’m of the mind that posting links in every post isn’t the best way to use social media. Sometimes we all fall into a rut here–myself included, but refer to #1. People want to know YOU are there…not just your agenda.
  3. Following the right people is an art–don’t just populate your friends and following lists for the sake of the numbers like we ALL did when we first got our Twitter and Facebook accounts. Be selective. Target your audience and go after THEM.
  4. Don’t ignore your DM, inbox, and other tw0-way communication tools associated with your social media account. Sometimes you learn a lot about how NOT to use the social web by weeding out the spam and useless messages you’re going to get.
  5. It’s very tempting for freelancers to lean in favor of potential clients or colleagues when friending and following. Don’t be so self-conscious about your friends and follows–add the people who are relevant to what you’re doing on the web and let the chips fall where they may.