Category: Domain Related

January 21, 2020

Domain Related

Reading Time: 5 minutes

It’s likely accurate to say that most people put a lot more priority on security measures for their desktops or notebooks than they do for their phones. While it is true that most mobile operating systems will have anti-virus features to some extent, it’s becoming increasingly clear that nowadays that’s not going to be sufficient much of the time. Incidences of phones become infected with malware are increasingly common, and there’s going to be very few people who aren’t familiar with that term. However, one newer variety of ‘ware’ that isn’t going to be as universally well known as malware is going to the subject our post here today. Here at 4GoodHosting, we may a quality Canadian web hosting provider but our higher level of web-savviness doesn’t make us any less at risk of these bugs messing with our mobile devices than the rest of the average citizenry is. The difference is we’re in a position to always be made aware of new threats that come along, whereas most of your likely aren’t. That’s why we always make a point to share these types of information. Who wouldn’t be especially displeased to find out their phone has been compromised, so here it is – a discussion about the newest type of malware to arrive onto the scene – what exactly is ‘fleeceware’, and what can we do about it? Perils of Free Trial Periods Before we discuss this new type of malware, iPhone users can breathe easier and then see themselves out. Fleeceware is making victims out of Android users exclusively, at least for now, and it’s de facto delivery method is actually through the Google Play Store. Obviously this is one of the most visited digital storefronts in the world, if a recent research survey is to be believed then these Fleeceware apps have been unwittingly downloaded and installed by over 600 million Android users after making purchases through Google Play. Now for those of you who don’t have the most expansive vocabulary, fleece – when used as a verb – is ‘to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion’ (credit to the good folks behind Merriam-Webster’...

January 14, 2020

Domain Related

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Most people will need to look no further than their video doorbells, wireless thermostats, and the like to know to just what extent the IoT (Internet of Things) is increasingly integral to the conveniences of modern life. It was inevitable that consumer goods and appliance manufacturers would utilize the power of the Internet to make these products more personalized AND powerful. The majority of us are quite enthused with the development, although there are some concerns about privacy. All in all though, the ongoing development of the IoT is a big benefit for consumers for whom their everyday lives take up nearly all of available attention, and anything that can make the task that come along with it easier is going to be especially welcome. Here at 4GoodHosting, we’re like any good Canadian web hosting in that these types of trends and technological developments are especially interesting to us given the digital nature of what we do here. While it would be a challenge to find anyone who’s not at least somewhat familiar with IoT, it’s going to be understandable if you haven’t hear of UWB (Ultra Wideband) connectivity. That’s what we’re going to discuss with our entry here today, and the first thing to know about it is that it’s going to be an integral part of the IoT being expanded to have even greater functional capacities. Getting to Know UWB The new line of iPhones need no introduction, but one interesting point about them is they contain a chip called a U1 chip that provides Ultra Wideband connectivity. These chips are said to provide ‘spatial awareness’ – the ability for your phone to recognize its surroundings and the objects in it. In more example-based terms, it’s what allows one iPhone 11 user to point their phone at another iPhone 11 and transfer a file or photo. UWB is a short-range, wireless communication protocol that is similar to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in that it uses radio waves, but it’s different in that it operates at a very high frequency. It also uses a wide spectrum of several GHz. 15+ years ago, UWB was used for military radars and covert...

January 7, 2020

Domain Related

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The new year – and a new decade – are upon us now and for many of us our New Year’s resolution will be to further our careers. Sure, there’s going to be many other resolutions too but no matter what industry you work in there’s always something to be said for expanding the horizons of what you’re able to do. For those who work in IT, it’s probably fair to say that there’s even more pressure to continually be mastering more given the extremely competitive nature of the industry and the willingness of companies to jettison employees in favors of more capable ones if an when they present themselves. That certainly is the nature of that industry, but every one of us that enjoys digital connectivity and everything that comes along with it needs to be thankful for what web and app developers do for us. Here at 4GoodHosting, being a leading Canadian web hosting provider doesn’t qualify us for such appreciation, but we do sit in position that lets us have a more insider’s view into what goes on in the IT industry and how there’s never a day when these developers can rest on the laurels. It’s entirely true that if you’re not moving forward and learning and exploring all the time, you’re likely not long for the profession. As long as user behavior and user needs are changing, then web and application development will always be changing similarly. Fail to keep up with that and it’s going to be impossible to keep your products and projects relevant. The answer of course is to expand your skill set so that you’re able to catch the balls no matter which direction they fly at you from. With that understood, here are 6 key skill areas where web and app developers would be wise to put their focuses in 2020. Artificial intelligence AI’s importance in application development can’t be stressed strongly enough at the moment. Most people who are in this business will know the extent to which it’s become so ubiquitous. Many users won’t even realise their interacting with AI or machine learning systems, but the fact that...

December 31, 2019

Domain Related

Reading Time: 6 minutes

There’s all sorts of different people, and all sorts of different prerogatives for each of them. But for those who are in business for themselves, one wish for the New Year that will be shared between all of them is the wish for greater business success, and the profitability that comes along with that. Now we could go on about the new economic realities of the digital world here in the 21st century, but we’re sure you don’t need to be informed of what you already know. Offering customers the option to buy online is an absolute must for nearly any business, particularly one that’s in retail. It can even extend to service, albeit to a lesser extent. There’s a darn good reason why so many business don’t spare expense when it comes to building their online identity – something that extends way beyond simply having a good website. Here at 4GoodHosting, one inherent attribute that comes with be a quality Canadian web hosting provider is really understanding the value of doing this. We do have a free website builder for those who purchase our advanced level web hosting packages, but there’s so much to be said for paid web design as web developers understand that navigation and general structure are every bit as important as visual appeal. Today we’re going to close out 2019 with 6 improvement you can – and should – make to your website to improve navigation and therefore have more visitors ending up in the checkout rather than ‘bouncing’. For those who don’t know, your ‘bounce rate’ is the number for the amount of visitors who leave a site within a certain time of arriving on it. And believe me when I tell you that they WILL ‘bounce’ if they find your site to be even the slightest bit user-unfriendly. Right then, no more about that. Here’s these 6 very doable tips for you. Slim Menus Navigation is key to everything that is important about your website. Trying to force all of your navigation means into one area can have negative results when it comes to the user and their being pleased with how the...

December 24, 2019

Domain Related

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Optical data transfer has been an absolute godsend for business computing interests since the USB cable arrived on the scene many, many years ago. Since then what was speedy has become downright fast, and when Apple introduced Thunderbolt technology nearly 10 years ago it was definitely a game changer for rapid charging and transferring large quantities of data between devices without having to twiddle your thumbs for a long time while that task was completed. It would seem that the speedy transfer revolution isn’t done yet, as instead of competing with the USB-C port, the Thunderbolt 3 port that’s been on the scene since 2016 has decided to join forces with it to offer the newest and best choice for lightning-fast data transfer and charging capabilities. Here at 4GoodHosting, we’re just the same as any other good Canadian web hosting provider in that we know that even the most layperson individual is going to have large-scale data transfer tasks from time to time, and if not more often than that. Thunderbolt 3 is definitely going to be the solution of-choice for both Mac and PC users, and for people who are in business or creative arts it’s going to be a game changer for sure. Big Boom Data Transfer & Recharging As mentioned, Thunderbolt technology has been around since the late 2000s, but once Thunderbolt 3 showed up in 2016, times had changed. USB-C had stolen the thunder and emerged as the latest version of the standard - an updated and powerful USB cable that could deliver up to 15 watts of power for devices and up to 100 watts for charging compatible laptops or similar devices. This was a major advancement for USB, and the future of many common computer connections was changed for good. The guys behind Thunderbolt’s development at Apple had to make an objective decision. What they chose to do is rather than facing off against USB-C, they chose to join with it. Thunderbolt 3 then ditched the old DisplayPort connection base, and decided to go with a USB-C connection. Combining the two technologies has resulted in one particularly powerful hybrid. By going with USB-C Thunderbolt...

December 17, 2019

Domain Related

Reading Time: 6 minutes

We’re well aware that most the time we’re discussing something more explicitly related to web hosting, computing, or online business interests with our blog here. In a few instances we’ve discussed Blockchain technology and the Internet of Things, but we’ve never discussed them together before, and certain not within the context of how the two could be coming together in the future to ensure that what you’re putting on your dinner plate IS what you think you’re putting on your dinner plate. Recent industry news is highlighting this exact possibility, and we’ll get into explaining just how exactly this may work. Here at 4GoodHosting, we’re like all other quality Canadian web hosting providers in that we very much enjoy hearing of how digital technology advances have the ability to not only make life better for many, but also to make it a lot more difficult for those who purposefully choose to be deceitful in the interest of making a dirty dollar. So let’s get right to it, in the interest of any and all who’ve been sold farmed Tilapia that’s labelled as ocean-caught wild cod or something similar. The Full Food Journey – Detailed Entirely If what we are to understand here, the way blockchain and IoT tracking technology will be able to trace any grown, raised, or cultivated food along its entire journey from farms to grocery store shelves will change the food industry in very revolutionary ways. Most notably, it may actually LOWER your grocery bill. That may be made possible by reducing retailers' costs by streamlining supply chains and simplifying regulatory compliance. All of this is according to a new study by Juniper Research in the United Kingdom. The primary key to all of this would be blockchain's immutable ledger, which when combined with IoT sensors and trackers, would create a supremely efficient food recall process. But how would it take on the huge problem that is food fraud? For those not familiar, Food fraud is when food is mislabelled, diluted or substituted food and ingredients. Let’s take an example, any example. How about extra virgin olive oil? It may be on your local grocery’s shelf labelled...

December 10, 2019

Domain Related

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The appeal of the notebook computer in comparison to the desktop is that the notebook allows for portable personal computing, and that’s a big plus for people nowadays. More often than not people’s laptops will be plugged in when they’re resting on a desktop at home, but when they’ve got them tagging along outside of it then there’s few things worse than seeing your notebook’s battery start to wane dangerously low. Some notebooks are worse than others with the way they tear through a battery reserve in very little No time, and these days many of you have likely seem the new Chromebook commercials that promote a product with a superior long-life battery to prevent any of the ‘we’re dying over here’ as they say in the commercial. No matter what you might be doing on your laptop, a near-dead battery while you’re still a long way from home is definitely not cool. Here at 4GoodHosting, we’re like the individuals at any good Canadian web hosting provider who will be similarly anxious anytime our devices are dipping way too much for our liking. One of the things the nature of our job does for us is it has us in a position to soak up a lot of information on the world of computing, and we soak it up pretty readily. When we learned of these tips for getting more battery life for your notebook, we thought it’s exactly the kind of information that would be well received in our blog. So here goes for this week. Start with a Visit to Power Settings Every laptop battery is built to handle a certain number of charge cycles. This number is typically somewhere around 500 full cycles — and in some instances more. A charge cycle equals one full discharge down to 0% before recharging back up to 100%. Similarly, a discharge down to 50% and then topping up to 100% would equal half a cycle. Over the course of the battery’s working life, each charge cycle decreases its capacity from the original design specification. The less often your drain it, the longer the battery will last. A good place to...

December 3, 2019

Domain Related

Reading Time: 5 minutes

With all the talk about the ongoing advent of supercomputers and all they’re poised to do and having major ramifications for our day-to-day existences, there hasn’t been a whole lot of talk about the technological discoveries that are enabling these new mega processor computers to do what they do. Often times it’s not that they’re doing something which they weren’t capable of doing previously, and more that they’re doing them infinitely faster than they could before. Size is only part of it, as most of these new super computers are nowhere near the room-taking behemoths that were seen in the late ’70s and early 80s. Here at 4GoodHosting, we imagine there isn’t so much as one reliable Canadian web hosting provider who’s not keeping close tabs on these developments. Given the nature of the business we’re in, this stuff is especially relevant and we’re quite confident in guessing that it’s similarly must-read stuff for those of you with business interests that tied to what the World Wide Web is capable of as well. So today we’re going to look at how one particular component of computers that have been part of them since the beginning – magnets – are now having being supercharged in a very particular way. If this is something that interests you, read on. The Power in Disrupted Magnetism A necessary scientific preface here; magnets rapidly recover their magnetic properties following any sharp hit that disrupts their magnetism. Over recent years there’s been more research into this phenomenon, and it appears that was for good reason. Lasers were fired at slim magnets, and what happened after the laser beam hit it was that the magnetic spins of the material’s atoms started behaving more like a fluid, rather than a solid. As a result the magnetic properties formed ‘droplets’. The researchers then compared the magnetic activity to filling a jar with oil and water, and then shaking the container. How all of this is relevant is in how the spins of zapped magnets act like those in superfluids, with the magnets increase the expanse and concentration of properties due to the new molecular arrangement that is promoted by...

November 26, 2019

Domain Related

Reading Time: 7 minutes

If you live in one of the major metro areas of the country you will very likely have never had to deal with insufficient internet connectivity. Consider yourself fortunate, as that’s exactly the frustration that many people in more rural areas of the country have had to tolerate for a good long while now. The fact is that Gigabit internet speeds were something that you did without if you were living somewhere without much in the way of population. Which is a shame, as quite often those spots are the best places to be in the country if you want an especially high quality of life. The good news of course is that this is changing. Long-awaited gigabit internet speeds are slowly but surely coming to a growing number of smaller communities in Canada, as fiber infrastructure improves and companies offer ultra-fast service packages. Here at 4GoodHosting, this is something that we’ve heard lamented by people in these areas, and that’s likely the case for nearly every good Canadian web hosting provider too. So what we’re going to do here this week is share what we know about ways you can be best prepared for the high-speed Internet revolution that may well be on your horizon too if you’re living in smaller town Canada. Here’s 5 simple and very doable suggestions for you Set Up Quality Wired Connections Wired connections tend to be better for gigabit speeds due to their reliability and lack of interference. To benefit from the best of gigabit internet, the right wired connections go a long way and if you’re on a desktop most of the time this is the way you want to go. Start with evaluating the wired connection from the internet modem to your router. Most modern Ethernet ports manufactured in the last few years are gigabit Ethernet capable. However, if you have a router or other wired device that’s older than that, then it may be using an older type of Ethernet connection and possibly one that will not be able to support Gigabit Internet speeds. In this scenario what’s going to happen is the router will bottleneck your entire home network,...