(Waco, TX) We recently discovered some pretty nasty viruses traveling around social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. These newer viruses can outsmart even the most savvy of internet users. Often times, it just takes one click and your computer does the rest. These viruses disable your anti-virus software and install vicious malware that can disrupt the functionality of your computer, stealing valuable information from you at the same time. All-in-all its a jungle out there, so you need to be protected. Here are some quick pointers to stay safe.

1. Keep your anti-virus databases up-to-date. Whether you use Norton, Kaspersky, McAfee, it doesn’t matter. You need to keep your virus definitions as current as possible. Thousands of new viruses pop up every day, and it is important to give your software the information it needs to protect against any new threats.

2. Make sure that your operating system and all of its programs are updated constantly. Most large-scale virus infections and vulnerabilities occur because companies and individuals disable automatic updates for their operating systems. Don’t let this happen to you. Keep your programs updated!

3. Download a reliable anti-malware program. Be careful with this, as some anti-malware programs can be malicious software themselves. We strongly recommend running a scan with an anti-malware program regularly to ensure that your not infected. We recommend Malware Bytes, which can be downloaded straight from CNET, where it just received an editor’s choice award.

Malware Bytes download link

Here is a brief description about what it does, straight from the source:

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. With one of the fastest, most effective quick scans and malware removal capabilities on the market, this program is the perfect addition to your PC’s defenses. The full version of the product includes a number of key features, including the ability to schedule updates and scans and most importantly, a real-time malware protection module that blocks malicious processes before they even start.

We hope that you take some of our advice and please surf carefully. If you have any questions about internet security at home or at your company, do not hesitate to contact BN Design. Be safe out there.

Lin Lin Design has chosen BN Design to develop an eCommerce site for their budding art, photo and design business. The site will allow users to view their extensive portfolio and prints can be purchased for delivery throughout the World.

(Belton, Texas)  BN Design completed an exciting project for SUMOsonix, a rapidly expanding local studio. They offer services in both audio consultation and recording. They wanted two great sites for both areas of their business in one complete package.

You can visit their homepage at SUMOsonix.com or jump straight to Audio Consultation or the Recording Studio.

The BN Design team has been hard at work and we have three great projects launching next week. We will have more information and links up on Tuesday. Have a great weekend.

Google rolled out a brand new version of its Google for Advertisers web site. We STRONGLY recommend visiting this site if you are responsible for making advertising decisions at your company. Google is the most popular site in the world, and they have outlined how their services and ads can help your company succeed in any market.

The following is from the Google for Advertisers announcement page located here.

Here are four ways to dive in and get the most from the site:

1. Read up on our various media platforms. This site gives straightforward descriptions of each of Google’s platforms (like search, TV, the Content Network or mobile) and all of the supporting tools. You’ll learn how to reach your audience in relevant and useful ways across devices, locations and languages.
2. Take a ride on ‘The Marketing Cycle.’ We put Google solutions in the context of how they can be applied across all the stages of building an effective advertising campaign — ways to sculpt your strategy, creative development, media deployment, measurement and optimization — which together help you better plan campaigns that make an impact and deliver strong ROI.
3. Stick it to a marketing objective. Explore a [very fictional] marketing example that illustrates how Google tools could come together to solve for a particular goal. We hope it inspires you, and offers a chuckle or two.
4. Build your personal ‘toolkit.’ As you browse the site and find Google tools that pique your interest, you can add them to your online toolkit. This way you can easily hone in on the solutions that are right for you and share them with your colleagues.

At BN Design we are always looking for ways to help our customers cut costs– by saving on the electricity bill, our customers can help the planet too. In honor of Earth Day, here are a few tips to help you do both:

1. Don’t use a screen saver if you have an LCD monitor. Modern LCD monitors do not suffer from the limitations of older technologies used in the past and images will not be “burned” into the screen. Screen savers may look cool, but leaving those monitors on can really add up. When the work day’s over, simply turn off your monitor. This is the first tip we give companies, because it’s so simple and effective.

2. If you don’t have an LCD monitor and are still using a CRT, switch. LCD’s use about 60% less power anyway and you will be able to implement step 1.

3. Turn off all extra peripherals, (printers, fans, desk lamps, etc.) while your workstation is not in use. We suggest using one power strip (with surge protection) for everything on your desk, and after your computer is shut off for the day, simply flip the switch. This will really add up to great savings. If you have a server, simply turn off the monitor when it’s not needed.

4. When purchasing an appliance of any kind for the office, always look for The Energy Star logo. You may pay a little extra, but you’ll save in the long run.

5. Use as many CFL’s as possible. This is not a gimmick. You may be surprised by the price, but you really will see a difference in your bill.

Okay, try these first five tips and see how much you save. And if you have any tips for us, just send us an email.

Happy Earth Day!

Early this morning we received news from PCWorld that Microsoft had officially branded the next office productivity sweet Office 2010. As we were in the middle of linking to this article, it was removed and postponed until tomorrow morning. Luckily we got most of the scoop so here it is:

Microsoft released a beta version of its exchange server today as well as details about the upcoming Office 2010. The project was originally titled Office 14 but few thought this name would stick. The company also has plans for a web-based version. Here is a first look:

Office 14 first look

The full article will be available tomorrow morning at PCWorld.

We are so excited for the next Office release and we will be first in line to buy the product (whatever its name is) when is becomes available.

BatemanLLP.com is the online home of the Athens, TX based law firm Bateman & Bateman LLP. Visit the site here:

Athens Texas Law Firm

Runt Entertainment is an artist development company located in Waco, Texas.  Visit the site here:

Runt Entertainment

Register.com, a registrar and hosting company, may have experienced a denial of service attack attributed to the Conficker virus. We were able to gain access to the FTP and it appeared that the mail servers were unaffected.

Check back here for updates.

No BN Design customers have experienced any outages from the Conficker virus; we implemented several new security features to remove vulnerabilities. To report any suspicious activity call our Business Continuity Team @ 254.366.4828.

We’ve received news that most of register.com’s services are back online and the rest should be up by the end of April 2.