If you have to back up your files due to some dreaded virus, or you just want to have a secure backup, don’t forget about backing up your important e-mails.  If you solely work off of Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, MSN, or another online e-mail service, then you don’t have to worry about backing up since your e-mails are stored online.  However, if you use Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Thunderbird, Entourage, or Mail, then, you have to know where your e-mails and contacts are stored so you can back them up.

Here’s where the major e-mail software clients are stored:

• Outlook - In Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<Profile>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook; In Windows Vista/7: C:\Users\<Profile>\AppData\Local\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
• Outlook Express - C:\Documents and Settings\<Profile>\Application Data\Outlook Express\{ID} or C:\Documents and Settings\<Profile>\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{ID}\Outlook Express.  Contacts are found in: C:\Documents and Settings\<Profile>\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book
• Windows Mail - C:\Users\<Profile>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail.  Contacts are found in:  C:\Users\Contacts
• Thunderbird - C:\Users\<Profile>\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\xxxxx.default\Mail
• Entourage - Home\Documents\Microsoft User Data\Office X Identities\Main Identity\Database
• Mac Mail - Home\Library\Mail

To back up your e-mail, make sure you are out of the program you backing up from or else it won’t let you back it up.  If you need further help with backing up, you can contact an e-mail specialist.

Not every computer network needs a full-fledged in-house Exchange server for e-mail support.  If you have a small office with 2 - 10 users, you can implement a solid cost-effective solution where you outsource your email.

Below are 2 options you may select:

Option 1:

GoDaddy Hosted Exchange E-mail – Group Plans - $56.99/month (another plan to compare: Intermedia - http://www.intermedia.net/exchange-hosting/small-business-exchange-hosting/pricing.asp )

http://www.godaddy.com/email/hosted-exchange.aspx?ci=15562

      -          20GB of pooled storage for 5 email accounts

-          You get free Outlook 2007

-          Shared access to calendar and contacts

-          Blackberry & iPhones can sync emails, contacts, and calendar wirelessly on the fly

Option 2:

GoDaddy Unlimiited Business Plan: $2.50/month

http://www.godaddy.com/email/email-hosting.aspx?ci=15558

-          Unlimited storage for 10 email accounts

-          Shared calendar (not shared contacts)

-          Can sync only e-mails with Outlook (by using IMAP service) with Blackberry & iPhones

Option 1 gives you all the features, but there’s an obvious price difference.  Option 2 should work fine as long as you don’t need to share contacts or sync with phones the calendar and contacts.  You can also set up your domain name and website host with Godaddy.

Microsoft is pumping out Outlook versions faster than the Yankees win championships.  Now, Outlook 2010 is around the corner.  Is Outlook 2010 worth the upgrade? 

Here are a few new features in Outlook 2010:

1. Backstage View - A new page in Outlook allows you to better administer your e-mails, contacts, and calendar.  On this page, you can clean up your mailbox; have easy access to auto-responses (out-of-office); and set rules and alerts all with an easy-to-find interface.
2. Publish Online - Easily share calendar and personal info with a team or others online.  This makes it easy share info quickly with others.  This feature will definitely compete nicely with Google apps.
3. Extensive calendar - Lots of views encompass the calendar which shows better daily views, meetings, and availability.

These options make upgrading appealing.  However, we don’t see an urgent need to upgrade so that any tech issues can be panned out first.

Microsoft Exchange 2003 is a nice e-mail system for computer users.  It offers solid sharing among calendars, e-mails, and contacts as well as reliable file sharing and VPN access from home.  We are now approaching 2010 and Exchange 2010 has already come out.  Should you consider upgrading to Exchange 2007 or just going full-throttle to 2010.

The consensus is that Exchange 2010 is stable and the 3 main features of 2010 are worth the upgrade.

1. E-mail recovery - With Exchange 2010, you can run a new feature called DAG, or database availability group, which means you can mirror mailboxes for future recoveries.  For instance, if your mailbox goes down, the mirrored mailbox will be easily accessible and useable versus a tape or external hard drive restore used with Exchange 2003.  Plus, if a company has 2 offices with servers, the IT administrator can store secondary mailboxes on the 2nd server so that if the 1st server crashes, the 2nd server would automatically be used as the primary server.
2.   Non-bloated storage - Exchange 03 brings along with it the need to have lots of storage to swiftly run several mailboxes.  Exchange 10 has improved storage capabilities so you don’t need as much storage and can even run a basic SATA hard drive or external hard drive to support more e-mail users and storage.
3. Easy multi-platform user support - Whether you have a Mac, iPhone, Blackberry or Linux, Exchange 2010 has built-in support for these users.  Exchange 03 and 07 do not offer seamless integration like this new Exchange version.

Overall, Exchange 2010 is a good version to go with.  Another nice feature is its integrated voice mail feature so that messages may be set up as text e-mails.  Overall, Exchange 2010, it is set up to work smoothly with Windows 7.  So, you can skip the Windows Vista and Exchange 07 versions and go right to the stabile Windows 7 and Exchange 2010.  Outlook 2010 is trickling out now, but it’s too early to give the 2 thumbs up yet on this version.

Gmail is a free account that is great to use.  It store gigabytes of storage and can be accessed from any computer.  It could get a little tricky for the email setup if going through Outlook, Outlook Express, on your iPhone, blackberry, or another mobile device.

Typically, internet e-mail accounts are set up through a POP account which is a technology where the e-mails from Gmail, for instance, are downloaded to your computer.  So, all your e-mail will reside on your computer after viewing it versus still remaining on Gmail, or the Internet site, for webmail viewing.  Another way to set up your e-mails is via IMAP which stores all of your e-mails on the Internet site and is viewable from your computer or mobile device.

Lately, Gmail has required to be set up via an IMAP account since mobile devices and software, such as Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Entourage, are unable to handle downloading the e-mails.  IMAP doesn’t conflict with Gmail’s technology since it basically just allows you to view what is already on the Gmail mail server versus manipulating it by downloading e-mails as POP accounts demonstrate.

Follow these 6 steps to ensure your Gmail is set up via IMAP properly:

1. Log into your Gmail account online
2. Go to Settings
3. Click on Forwarding and POP/IMAP
4. Enable IMAP below
5. You may follow how to set up your Outlook, Thunderbird or other software or phone by clicking on the Configure your email client link
6. Make sure to Save Changes to enable the IMAP setting.

If you receive too many e-mails for you to keep up with, you can now create a canned or set response to reply with.

Here’s you set it up:

1. Click “Settings” link by Gmail at the top-right.
2. Click the “Labs” tab.
3. Click “Enable” next to the “Canned Responses.”
4. Click “Save Changes.”

To create a canned response for later use:

1. Compose an e-mail and make sure not to provide a “To” or subject.
2. Click the “Canned responses” link under the subject. You’ll see a pop-up menu.
3. Click “New canned response” under “Save.

That’s it.  You don’t have to be a tech guru to set it up, and it looks like you’re on top of your e-mails when you respond quickly with canned responses.

A typical e-mail issue is being able to receive e-mails, but not being able to send.  When you think about it, it doesn’t make sense that your e-mails are half working.  But, when you break it down in terms of how the e-mail flow works, you’ll be able to better troubleshoot and fix your computer issue.

When you set up your e-mail account, you have to set up the incoming (POP3) and outgoing (SMTP) server information.  For Windows, you may set up an e-mail account within Outlook or Outlook Express.  For Mac, you may configure the pop3 and smtp settings within Entourage, Mail, and Thunderbird.  These settings define how you will receive and send e-mails.  In terms of receiving e-mails, it’s pretty simple - you just need to input the information your e-mail provider gives you.  If you have gmail, it is pop.gmail.com.  For TimeWarner’s Roadrunner, it is pop-server.nyc.rr.com.  So, you would just enter this pop3 or incoming info where the field is requested.

For outgoing e-mail or smtp info, it could be a little trickier.  It is recommended to stick with the e-mail provider’s info first (i.e. gmail: smtp.gmail.com).  However, within the last couple of years, some of the Internet Providers (i.e. TimeWarner, Verizon) require for you to enter their settings for outgoing e-mail.  For instance, although you have gmail for your e-mail account, your Verizon DSL might require inputting its settings to send e-mails. 

How do you know that you need to enter your Internet Providers smtp settings instead of your e-mail provider’s outgoing information?  If sending e-mails works fine at home, but you have trouble when visiting elsewhere, then that could be the sure case of needing to switch the SMTP setting to you ISP (Internet Service Provider).  This If you’re still having trouble resolving your SMTP issue, then you probably need to call an NYC computer technician to help.

Microsoft Outlook has become the prevalent e-mail solution for companies, small businesses, and home offices.  But, should you give Lotus Notes some consideration?  Perhaps, if you have a technical support person by your side.

Lotus Notes is the software installed on your computer, like Outlook, and will require a Domino server (not Microsoft Exchange), to administer the email accounts.  We will discuss the Lotus Notes pros and cons below since most of you are less familiar with this e-mail software than Outlook.

Here are the positives with Lotus Notes:

1. Includes diary, calendar, email, to-do list (like Outlook)
2. Ability to create databases for workflow management (like public folders in Outlook)
3. Mobile users may access e-mails remotely via VPN or webmail (like Windows remote access)
4. It’s very secure (a plus over the more vulnerable Microsoft environment)
5. Domino tech support is reliable

Now, for the negatives of Lotus Notes:

1. Notes is a clunky looking interface similar to Outlook 97
2. Navigation is awkward (think Netscape browser from the 90’s)
3. Any type of workgroup creation, e-mail addition, or changes requires a technical administrative support person.  This is the biggest negative.  Out of the box, Lotus needs a lot of manipulation.
4. Domino and Lotus Notes must be constantly updated and backed up for optimal processing (not as crucial with Outlook and Exchange Server).

Overall, we like Outlook over Lotus Notes.  Outlook allows for an intuitive mind to get by using Outlook and with the proper permissions, allows for creating public folders, share e-mails and contacts, and for more overall flexibility.  Lotus Notes typically needs to be administered through the Notes server for many options.  Also, Lotus, due to its limited user base and thus slow software updates, is prone to running into database corruptions. 

Backing up your Outlook Express e-mails could be an arduous task if you’re not sure where to start.  Further,  you must not forget to back up your address book as well for your important contacts.  The textbook approach will have you perform many different steps that will have you scratching your head at the end.  To just back up your emails and address book is really just a simple task.  It is recommended to back up you Outlook Express to an external hard drive or other media to ensure your data is available in case of a hard drive crash.

Here’s how to back up your Outlook Express:

1. For the e-mails, go to: C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\ i.e. {37118E75-BE35-4208-915D-3225236303EE}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
2. Copy and paste this Outlook Express Folder to an external hard drive or other media.
3. For the Addresses, go to: C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Microsoft.
4. Copy and paste this folder to an external hard drive or other media.

That’s it!  No need to export, compact, or configure anything else.  Following the above steps will help you back up your Outlook Express.

There are a few e-mail tricks that could save the day or just make your life a little bit easier.  Here they are:

1.  Undelete an Outlook e-mail:  You scan your e-mails every day and quickly delete spam and junk mail.  Oh wait a minute, that e-mail you just deleted is actually important.  How do you get it back?  Just hit CTRL and Z and viola…your deleted e-mail is back!

2.  How to send a professional bulk e-mail list:  If you need to e-mail a list of people, but don’t want to show their e-mail addresses to everybody, put their e-mails addresses in the BCC field so that they are anonymous.

3.  How to find an e-mail address:  You’re looking to e-mail your friend, but cannot find his e-mail address.  Go into Google and type your friend’s name in quotes followed by the state.  i.e. “John Doe” new york