Online Technical Support

Malware assuming as antivirus software is over extension fast with tens of millions of computers infected each month, according to a address to be appear on Wednesday from PandaLabs.

PandaLabs begin 1,000 samples of fake windows antivirus software in the first division of 2008. In a year, that amount had developed to 111,000. And in the second division of 2009, it accomplished 374,000, Luis Corrons, technical director of PandaLabs said in a recent interview.

"We have created a specific team to accord with this," he said, of the rogue antivirus software that issues false warnings of infections in adjustment to get person to pay for software they do not need. The programs as well about download a Trojan or added malware.

PandaLabs begin that 3 percent to 5 percent of all the humans who scanned their PCs with Panda antivirus software were infected. Using that and common computer stats from Forrester, PandaLabs estimates there could be as abounding as 35 actor computers adulterated per ages with rogue antivirus programs.

About 3 percent of the humans who see the affected warnings fall for it, bifurcation over $50 for an annual authorization or $80 for a lifetime license, according to Corrons.

Last September, a hacker was able to access rogue antivirus maker Baka Software and apparent that in one period an associate fabricated added than $80,000 in about a week, said Sean-Paul Correll, a PandaLabs threat researcher.
A Finjan address from March estimated that affected antivirus distributors can accomplish added than $10,000 a day.

"The general consumer doesn't understand" the threat, Correll said. "No legitimate antivirus vendor will start a scan automatically on your computer without your consent."

After all the activity about the Conficker threat, advisers seemed about adequate that it angry out to deliver affected antivirus software instead of something much worse.

Remote managed services are gaining a lot of attraction these days. Companies are looking to outsource the maintenance and monitoring of their IT infrastructure to a third party to improve efficiency and save costs. BizTech2.com caught up with Uday Challu, founding partner and CEO, iYogi, to see what the company has to offer in this space.

As far as Enterprise and SME customers are concerned, which verticals are you focusing on?

Our focus will mostly be on small companies with around five to 100 users and also firms that have multiple small branch offices like travel agencies, retail stores etc.

What kind of support services do you provide to your customers? What is the Green PC service?

iYogi provides the next generation of remote computer support services for consumers and businesses. For consumers, our live 24/7 support extends to technologies we use everyday, including hardware, software applications, devices, peripherals and networking equipment. iYogi also offers a full range of business IT solutions including managed monitoring, managed services, set-up and installation services, and incident-based services.

Green PC Service

With the current state of the global climate and increasing dependency on the computer, iYogi helps PC users reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time. iYogi’s Green PC service is the first in the independent computer support industry to offer customers a way to save money, conserve energy and protect the environment by optimising their PC’s efficiency. Consumers and businesses can save up to $200 per year, per desktop, in energy costs with iYogi’s Green PC application. This green application makes the computer environmentally friendly by reducing power consumption by almost 50 percent.

Our Green PC dashboard helps customise power settings and calculate power savings in kWh (kilowatt hour). The Green PC dashboard also gives a status on the reduction of CO2 and how responsible usage will benefit the environment by saving trees. A customised service that increases the energy efficiency of computers, undertakes the below-mentioned three primary initiatives:

- Computer assessment, analysing settings and PC energy use
- Customised efficiency planning geared specifically to the individual’s usage patterns
- Implementing setting changes to maximise the computer’s energy use


What are the technologies that allow you to offer 24/7 support and ensure there is no downtime at the client site?

We have invested significantly in developing a comprehensive monitoring and management tools stack. This enables us to manage and monitor all devices in the office network as well as for branch offices and mobile users. Our tools continuously monitor the customer’s network and notify our NOC (Network Operations Centre) in case of problems. Based on the set of events, tickets are automatically generated and escalated to corresponding teams. Over and above our proactive approach, the customer always has an option to call our 24X7 support line for issues that are not identified via the monitoring tools.

Please throw some light on your proprietary iMantra technology.

iMantra is a CRM system, which is tailor-made to suit the emerging business needs at iYogi. It allows for the formation of individualised customer relationships with the aim of providing personalised services to each subscriber. This tool is built on the latest java technology with a layered architecture that makes it scalable and secure. This architecture provides a seamless workflow and independent channels for various business needs: sales, support, quality and customer service. The entire system can be exposed in the form of secure APIs and Web services, which makes it a re-usable entity.

Your business model is similar to BPOs in India providing technical support to offshore customers. What unique values do you bring to this ecosystem that would help a potential client choose you over a competitor?

iYogi’s business model is different from traditional BPOs. Some key factors that differentiate iYogi include:

- Direct-to-consumer and -small business: iYogi delivers technical support services directly to consumers and small businesses and is a global technical support brand based out of India. Unlike traditional BPOs in India, iYogi does not provide any private label support and/ or work on behalf of large OEMs or software publishers.

- Optmised Processes: iYogi has developed proprietary processes for consistently delivering on a resolution rate of 87 percent, which is among the highest published benchmarks in the support industry, where averages hover in the range of 50 percent.

- Comprehensive technology platform: iYogi’s global delivery platform, iMantra, gets smarter with every customer interaction. It documents every problem, the solution and relevant hardware and software aspects, while capturing each customer’s demographic information and creating a behavioural profile. All of this information is at the fingertips of iYogi’s Global Tech Experts. This set-up combines a knowledge base with a comprehensive set of tools and technology expertise. iYogi offers a range of tools that complement its remote support services for helping customers maintain technology at peak performance levels. iYogi’s products include iYogi Smart PC Scan, iYogi Support Dock, iYogi Green PC and iYogi PC Optimization.

How do you plan to move up the value chain in the times to come?

The growing use and penetration of the Internet and new Web-based applications has consequently opened the door to threats and vulnerabilities, which affect the system performance and ultimately lead to degrading performance. If the threats are diagnosed early on, the impact on efficiency can be minimised considerably. Currently, a user only realizes that he needs technical support once the damage has occurred and reactive methods of support are used to recover from the loss.
At iYogi, we are developing our capabilities to not only provide support when demanded, but to also monitor, pre-empt and fix threats before they can cause any damage to the computer. This will be possible only by combining technology with processes that are capable of re-defining the way technical support is delivered today.

What is your India strategy?

Technically, we are capable of servicing any geography including India. At this stage, we are looking for the right kind of partners to find access to potential customers and provide them a consolidated, 360-degree solution and services for issues relating to hardware, software, network etc. We aim to launch our India services in the coming six to eight months. Our services will offer clients a one-stop solution for all their business needs.

Source : BizTech2.com

Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine appointed as President Global Channel Sales at iYogi

New York, NY, May 11th, 2009 : iYogi, a global direct to consumer and small business remote technical support provider, today announced it’s acquisition of Clean Machine Inc, a provider of remotely administered PC security and performance management services. Clean Machine will operate as a separate brand under the iYogi services umbrella along with the recently lunched Support Dock (www.supportdock.com) and its comprehensive range of 24/7 technical support services for computers, printers, MP3 players, digital camera, routers, servers and more than 100 software applications. Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine is appointed as the President of Global Channel Sales for iYogi.

iYogi will integrate technology and innovation that Clean Machine Inc. has developed for delivering an enhanced service experience by proactively managing the health and security for PC's and Apple Computers. This acquisition also broadens iYogi's access to key markets through Clean Machine's existing partnerships. Larry Gordon's past experience and successful track record will accelerate iYogi's expansion through his focus on global alliances.
Commenting on the acquisition of Clean Machine Inc., Uday Challu, CEO & Co-founder of iYogi, said,

"This acquisition will help iYogi to enhance our customer experience and extend our market reach to the millions of consumers that are challenged by the increasingly complex technology environment. Clean Machine's proactive maintenance and management of PCs in home and small business environment will be our launch platform for building the next generation of managed services for consumers."

"We are delighted to have Larry spearheading partnerships and global alliances for iYogi. His incredible experience in marketing, sales and building global alliances will help forge partnerships with retailers, multiple service operators, software publishers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and other such companies that are at the frontlines for managing tech support issues for consumers and small businesses",

added Challu.

With more than 20 years of experience, Larry Gordon has played a variety of strategic roles in marketing, sales and building alliances. Larry was the Executive Vice President at Capgemini and Kanbay. He was also VP of Global Marketing for Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leader in global IT services and Director of Marketing for New York based Information Builders.

"I am excited to join a company that shares a common mission to Clean Machine in creating a global brand for delivering the best technical support to consumers and small businesses. We also share a common approach of utilizing highly skilled talent with leading edge tools, thereby delivering services at incredible price-points, with high margins for our partners",

said Larry Gordon, the newly appointed President of Global Channel Sales at iYogi.

ABOUT IYOGI

Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, USA, iYogi provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. IYogi's 24/7 phone and remote technical assistance, spans across a comprehensive range of technologies we use every day from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing its proprietary technology iMantra , and highly qualified technicians, iYogi delivers amongst the highest benchmarks for resolution and customer satisfaction. iYogi is privately held and funded by SAP Ventures, Canaan Partners, and SVB India Capital Partners. iYogi was recently awarded the Red Herring Global 100 Award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most innovative private companies driving the future of technology. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.net.

ABOUT CLEAN MACHINE

Clean Machine Inc. is a NJ-based and incorporated company that helps consumers and small business owners easily manage and protect their computing environments safely and cost effectively. The company is has a unique, powerful and inexpensive PC concierge service. Specifically, each customer is assigned a highly-trained tech concierge who remotely examines their computer system on a scheduled and very secure basis. The PC concierge will immediately fix software-based problems and prevent new threats to the customer's computing environment including offensive pop-ups, browser redirects and slow performance, and then provides a detailed report. Clean Machine's proprietary Radar(TM) technology (Remote Access Detection Audit and Repair) allows its expert technicians to remotely resolve any problems, eliminating the need for customers to go through the frustrating process of speaking with a tech support expert, and still having to do the work themselves. In other words, the Clean Machine PC concierges do it all. For more information on Clean Machine please visit www.pccleanmachine.com.

It is also known as "scareware,".Mainly it takes advantage of user's desire to keep their PC or Systems protected. The rogue software lures users into paying for spyware protection that is actually malware offering little or no real protection.Actually they are generally designed to steal personal information. According to Microsoft Security Intelligence Report shows that such programmes are now among the top threats across the world.



For example, two rogue families, Win32/FakeXPA and Win32/FakeSecSen, were detected on more than 1.5 million computers by Microsoft, catapulting them into the top 10 threats in the second half of the year. In addition, Win32/Renos, a threat that is used to deliver rogue security software, was detected on 4.4 million unique computers, an increase of 66.6 per cent over the first half of 2008.

Rogue security software and other social engineering attacks such as these compromise people's privacy and are costly; some take personal information and drain bank accounts, while others infect computers and rob businesses of productivity.

Google Introduce two new improvements to its search

First is related to expansion of a list of useful related searches and the second is the addition of longer search result descriptions - both of which help guide users more effectively to the information they need.

Google is deploying a new technology

that can better understand associations and concepts related to searches, and one of its first applications offers users more useful related searches (the terms found at the bottom, and sometimes at the top, of the search results page).

For example, if you search for [principles of physics], Google's algorithms understand that "angular momentum," "special relativity," "big bang" and "quantum mechanic" are related terms that could help you find what you need.

With this Google can target more queries, more languages, and make their suggestions more relevant to what users actually need to know.

They are also offering refinements for longer queries.

The new related searches will feature starting today in 37 languages all around the world.

The second change is when users do a search on Google, each result starts with a dark blue title and is followed by a few lines of text ("snippet"), which gives you an idea of what each page is about. To give more context, the snippet shows how the words of the query appear on the page by highlighting them in bold.

When a long query with more than three words is entered, Google will increase the number of lines in the snippet to provide more information and show more of the words typed in the context of the page.

Computer technical help

Are you tired of your computer? Our computer technicians repair your PC in your home or office. Online tech support resources provide computer service and computer repair on most makes and models of computers and PCs.

If you have a high speed Internet connection, service technicians can securely access and repair your computer remotely. Your PC will be diagnosed using different diagnostic tools at which point a problem should be found, diagnosed and repaired while you remain in the comforts of home. It's like having a personal computer technician to resolve all your computer problems.

Since most computer users do not have time to learn those complicated computer knowledge, tech support offers a nice way to all to get acquainted with the intricacies involved within their system.

Although, you have to pay much money to computer technical support to get the answer you concerned, but it's really worth your money. Most of these companies concentrate their efforts exclusively on home and small office computer users who require greater attention to detail and personalized service. Most of the times they maintain retail stores that allow them to keep costs low in order to provide competitive service prices.

There are number of online computer support companies that offer home computer repair services. These services include repairs, up-gradations, and installations for new system, virus spyware removal, networking and more. Highly trained computer technicians perform all of these services. Many computer technicians will travel to your home or office to diagnosis, estimate and complete upgrades and repairs. In most cases, all work can be done in a single visit. However, it can be an expensive choice as in home repair technicians charge on the basis of per hour.

If you find a service that you like and the fees sound fine, make sure to take a guarantee for your fees. For example, if you find an individual that quotes you a rate of $30 an hour, and says your problem will take 2 - 3 hours, what happens if the tech later says it actually took six or seven hours to get it done.

Computer Repair

Have you ever experienced computer problems like regular PC shut down, slow speed of your computer, blue screen of death, etc? According to industry connoisseurs, 93.7% of computers are found infected with virus and spyware and other malicious matter. Your infected PC can lead to thousands. With online computer repair companies, you can safely get rid off nasty computer errors and problems with a few simple mouse clicks! Problems with your PC can be a common cause of internal malfunctioning of your system and external security threats.

Well! Nowadays, there are a lot of technical solutions to all such nasty computer technical problems but the most popular is the remote tech support services. These are people who fix your computer problems onsite as well as offsite on demand. With these services, you don't need to employ techs to repair your PC. It's actually you doing the work.

Contacting online computer support resources is very simple. You simply need to call their toll free technical support contact number and tell them about all your issues concerning your computer. Some remote tech support services are extended through email and chat as well.

These technicians also have tools to be able to see exactly what is happening when you do the instructions given to you. They also have software that can access your computer remotely and be able to see what you are doing on your own screens. This is very useful since as you are doing your own computer troubleshooting with the help of the technician, you will be as well learning how to repair your PC on your own in case the same problem persists again.

These resources offer high quality, affordable computer repair and home PC support. You can also ask your support technicians about tips and tweaks to make most of your computer. The general array of computer support services also include desktop support, PC health check up services, PC security services, data backup, email support, Microsoft Office support, repair services for networking and multimedia devices.

Another factor of online computer support services which grabs the attention of computer enthusiasts is their 24x7 availability.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1342016