​Listen up! Not all email services are created equal. Let that sink in a moment.
 
What do we mean by that? Put simply, we mean that email service should not be a “crapshoot.” Choosing an email service needs to be more than a question of convenience. You need to balance ease of use with security and reliability. Some of the most popular email services just don't cut it.
 
At the bottom of the barrel is Yahoo Mail, which has suffered countless security breaches. One of the worst breaches, dubbed Yahoo Bleed, was left unpatched for more than two years while sensitive user data was being “bled” out of server memory.
 
In fact, according to The Daily Scam, Yahoo Mail is the “worst email service on the planet.”  They cite the incidence of hacked user accounts, along with the number of email scams that are launched by users with Yahoo email addresses. What’s inside these scam emails? “We have found that the vast majority of scam or hacked emails from Yahoo contain the same type of thing over and over…a single, malicious link that can cause a computer infection if clicked,” according to The Daily Scam. 
  
Running a close second for the worst service is AOL, which has morphed into an advertising company. The user interface buries the email inbox in a sea of “news” and ads. They run a close second in the sheer amount of hacked email accounts, followed by Hotmail (now called Outlook.com) in third place. You may recall that Yahoo and AOL were purchased by Verizon, and will soon come under one umbrella known as Oath. This is not expected to change the user accounts, but the company is asking users to change passwords since hacker attacks compromised more than 500 million accounts.
 
What about email accounts provided by your Internet Service Provider (Charter, ATT, etc.)? These accounts tend to lock you into service with that provider, and the reliability of the email server is questionable.
 
Here are the best personal email providers:
 
Gmail, the top free email service, takes quality and security seriously.  It’s hard to go wrong with a Gmail account. 
 
iCloud works great with Apple devices, and provides both security and reliability.
 
Then there are paid services, such Fastmail.com and Runbox. They value your privacy, and they never sort through your email in order to send you advertising. They’re also ad-free and offer 24/7 support.

For businesses reliant on Microsoft Outlook for email, Office 365 powered by Exchange is also a top pick.
 
Do you need help setting up the best email service for your needs? Call Asheville Digital Lifestyle today.
​

​For many of us, our business, our jobs, even our daily lives depend upon technology – computers, tablets, and mobile phones – in order to function smoothly.
 
Asheville Digital Lifestyle specializes in keeping your technology performing at peak efficiency. That’s why we recommend a regular maintenance schedule for the tech tools in your life.
 
The ideal schedule would be quarterly or prior to any major new purchase or upgrade. Here’s what needs to be checked:

Security
 
Antivirus maintenance: We need to be sure your antivirus programs are updating properly. New viruses and malware are created daily. Your antivirus software is designed to keep up, but you need to update the virus and malware definitions regularly.
 
Review password management: Are you changing your passwords? Are you using the same passwords across multiple sites? We recommend strongly against doing this. If one site gets hacked or breached, your password is no longer secure. If you’ve used it across multiple sites, then none of those accounts are secure.
 
Safe and effective data backup: Is your data backed up properly to hard drive, the cloud, or both? We can’t emphasize strongly enough the importance of having multiple backups of important or sensitive data. Good operating practice is tow have at least two separate backups. However, if these are both onsite backups, you run the risk of losing all your data in the event of fire, water damage, or theft.
 
At least one backup needs to be kept at a separate site. Then if disaster strikes, all your valuable date can be restored. If your business depends upon this data, you can’t be too careful.
 
Cloud-based backup is a good choice for offsite storage. Three good choices are Barracuda, Carbonite, and Azure. Please click on the names for more information.
 
Maintenance
 
Are your important software programs up-to-date and working properly? Sometimes software needs to be updated in order to continue running properly.
 
Is your operating system up to date? It’s important to run the latest operating system your computer can handle. Not all computers can run the latest systems. We can determine which system is best for your computer.
 
Is your browser up to date? Having the latest browser keeps your system compatible with most sites. This is especially important if you do online banking and bill paying. Each time your bank updates their system, you want to be sure your browser’s security features can keep up. However, just as with operating systems, not all computers can run the latest browsers. We’ll check your system and make sure you have the most up-to-date browser.
 
Replacement
 
Some computers are too old and outdated to continue functioning efficiently. If yours has reached “the point of no return,” we can help you set up a new system. We will analyze your needs and recommend the best hardware and software for your unique situation.
 
With a new computer, you might need to update peripherals, such as printers and network routers. We’ll make sure your system is up to speed.
 
Along with your new computer comes the need to transfer all your data from your old drive to your new one. We’ll get everything ported over, then troubleshoot everything for any potential problems. Finally, we’ll sync up your new computer to your cell phone and tablet to keep it all at tip-top efficiency.
 
Give us a call today: Asheville Digital Lifestyle, 828-354-037. Or click here to book an appointment online.