Q. My new cell phone comes with biometric fingerprint recognition. Why doesn't TimePilot make a system that does the same thing?

A. Compared to a timeclock, cell phones have it easy. All they have to do is look at a fingerprint and decide if it belongs to one particular person. Timeclocks, on the other hand, need to take that same fingerprint information and match it to one of hundreds or even thousands of people.

It's very fashionable, but we think the technology just isn't quite there yet. The average error rate is 1%, and that's too much.

In addition, there's the fraud factor: After a county in Pennsylvania spent $700,000 on a biometric system for its 1,600 employees, it found that some employees had used a flaw in the system to clock in others. A doctor in Sao Paulo, Brazil, used molded silicone fingers with real employees' fingerprints to fool her hospital's biometric system.

By the way, there are also people whose fingerprints are especially difficult to read: bricklayers and roofers (because their fingerprints are worn down), secretaries (because they handle a lot of paper), cancer patients (a side effect of chemotherapy drugs) and older people (their skin is less elastic). This Scientific American article gives details.

Q. Does the Vetro timeclock have back-up battery capability? We have lost power several times and the clock became inactive, requiring it to be reset.

A.Vetro currently does not have a built-in battery backup. However, we offer an external accessory that provides that feature.

The Vetro Battery Backup provides enough power to keep your clock running for up to three hours. While on battery power, the date and time on the clock remain accurate, employees can clock in and out and transactions can be downloaded as normal. When the power comes back on, the battery recharges to prepare for the next outage.

The Vetro Battery Backup also acts as a surge suppressor, stopping power surges from damaging your Vetro clock. It's $39. Here's a link with details.


Check Out Our New Video for TimePilot Extreme Blue!

It's available on YouTube
right here:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/dEZ8GlgkZ6s


Morning medicine: Body clocks are why doctors often prescribe taking medicines at certain times of day. For example, this report says both aspirin and antihistamines work best taken in the morning. But some types of chemotherapy for cancer may be more effective and less toxic if administered at night.

Source

Big Ben's real name is "Elizabeth": The famous clock tower in London is commonly known as "Big Ben," but that's not its official name. Until 2012, it was known as "The Clock Tower"; it was renamed the "Elizabeth Tower" to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign. Big Ben is actually the name of the 16-ton bell inside the tower.

Source

Click for a printable version of this newsletterWelcome!
TimePilot newsletter No. 41

Whether you're a current or future TimePilot customer, we're glad to see you.

Every month we'll offer news about TimePilot products, tips on how to use them more efficiently, some of the "cool stuff" our employees have come across and a special deal available only to those who receive this newsletter!

In this issue:

  • TimePilot Q&A: Why no biometric; TimePilot Central on multiple PCs; Vetro backup battery.
  • TimePilot Lead Story: Moving TimePilot to a new PC.
  • Cool Stuff: DownNotifier.com.
  • The Deal:  25% off iButtons.

We've noticed that quite a few of our customers are buying new computers, and a frequent question for our tech support specialists is how to move a TimePilot system to a new PC. We covered this topic in an article two years ago, and we're re-running it to (hopefully) save you a support call or email:

Moving TimePilot
to a New Computer

You bought a new computer? Congratulations!

After it’s all unpacked and set up and Windows 8 is updated and you installed an anti-virus program (you did do that, didn’t you?), you probably want to get TimePilot installed and running.

Basically, the TimePilot software comes in two major pieces: the database and TimePilot Central, which works with the database. If you have a network server, the database is probably on the server and TimePilot Central is on a PC. If you don't have a network, both pieces are probably on a single PC.

(Note: These instructions assume you want to continue using your current database, which contains all your employees' information. If you want to start again from scratch, see the Quick Start Guide that came with your system or download one here.)

Here's how to make the move:

  1. If your TimePilot database is on a server, skip this step and go straight to Step 2.

    If your database is on your old computer and you want to move it to the new one, before you start the installation, copy the folder on the old computer that contains the TimePilot data to a USB drive and paste it onto the new PC’s hard drive. See the box at right to learn where to find the database folder.

  2. Using your TimePilot CD, run the TimePilot Installation Wizard to install TimePilot Central and its associated programs (TimePilot Vetro Manager or Clock Manager, Crystal Reports viewer, etc.) on the new computer. Don’t uninstall TimePilot Central from the old computer just yet—you may need it later in the setup process. Can't find your CD? Our download page is here, or you can contact TimePilot tech support for advice.

  3. Start TimePilot Central on the new computer.
  1. The first thing the new installation will do is ask you if it should create a new TimePilot database or if you want to use an already established one. Click the “Open an Existing TimePilot Database” and navigate to the database you pasted onto the hard drive in Step 1 or the database on your server. See the sidebar, "Where's My Database?" if you aren't sure where it is.

  2. Click “Open” to connect your current database with the new software installation.

  3. The TimePilot software will probably tell you that it needs updating. It’s important that you follow the instructions to bring your software up to the latest version.

  4. You'll also be asked for your software serial number. It's on a sticker attached to the printed warranty information that came with your clock, or, if you have an older TimePilot product, on the inside cover of the user manual. Can't find your number? Contact TimePilot tech support for advice.

  5. If you wish, you can uninstall the TimePilot Central software from the old computer or leave it on there as a backup. It's up to you.

That’s it. Now you can log in to TimePilot Central and start working. Enjoy your new computer!


This month’s special offer
to TimePilot newsletter readers:

25% off iButtons!


Choose your color, choose your quantity!

5 iButtons: $30 (regularly $39.50)
10 iButtons: $44 (reg. $59)
30 iButtons: $119 (reg. $159)
50 iButtons: $187 (reg. $249)
100 iButtons: $337 (reg. $449)
200 iButtons: $536 (reg. $715)

These prices are available for a limited time. To learn more about the deal, click here, visit www.TimePilot.com/newsletter/newsletter4.htm or call us at 1-630-879-6400.

To learn more about the deal, click here, visit www.TimePilot.com/newsletter/newsletter4.htm or call us at 1-630-879-6400.

Every once in a while, our employees come across “cool stuff.”
This is where they share their finds.

DownNotifier.com

Your organization's web site is pretty important, right? Is it up and running right now? Or has it been down for the last half-hour without your knowledge?

DownNotifier.com is a simple, free tool that alerts you when your web site goes down. Here's how it works: Every 5 minutes, DownNotifier.com tries to access your site. If it can access the site, all's well; if not, it send you an email or text message notifying you. If your site is down, it keeps trying every 5 minutes; when it comes back up, it emails or texts you again. That's it: simple and unobtrusive. Signup is a breeze, and DownNotifier doesn't show up in your web site's hit totals.

There's also a premium version. For $14.95 per year, your site will be monitored every minute (instead of every 5) and you get more detail in your reports.

We've used it for years and like it very much.

www.DownNotifier.com