What Does the Death of the Land-Line Mean? Nowadays, we are overwhelmed with ways of communicating like social media, texting, and video calls. It’s no surprise that the good old fashion telephone is becoming obsolete. The truth is that the new generation prefers the less interactive means of communicating like texting over talking on the phone. But when it comes to life at the office, where you can find a land line on every desk, trends seem to differ. Studies found the following: 83% of office workers are issued desk phone Despite mobile devices, 65% of them still use their desk phone for business calls. The remaining 30% are the younger generation of workers that prefer to use their mobile devices over the office landline. In a recent study done by TollFreeForwarding.com, researchers found that if people between the ages of 25 and 34 are given to option to phone, meet face-to-face, text, or email, only 6.5% chose phone. That same study was done with 16-24-year olds and 72% said they are actually scared to use the phone. Not surprisingly when researchers asked people over 55, 35% said they do not like using the phone. However, researchers found that over 91% of office workers said that phone calls are still an important part of business communication. Therefore, businesses must leverage a more innovative method of phone communication, such as VoIP services – wherein employees of all ages will enjoy features, such as: The ability to make calls from a smartphone, desktop, or tablet as long as there’s an Internet connection. A multitude of capabilities, like desk-to-desk calling and automated attendant, to stay connected at all times. Lower costs as long-distance fees are eliminated, which means your phone bill gets cut in half almost immediately. Stay up-to-date on the latest technology news. Contact {company} at {phone} or send us an email at {email}. We are your trusted technology partner for the latest IT solutions.

For those who are up for the latest and greatest – we have the new Office 2016 suite. Those with subscriptions will have the option to upgrade to Office 2016. Microsoft is announcing availability starting Sept 22nd, while Volume licensing is available at their Volume Licensing Service Center starting Oct 1st. Those who are on Office 365 Pro Plus that pay an exclusive fee for Office Apps will have the monthly feature and security updates. Microsoft has created a new term for updating Office to the latest and greatest. This new term is called Current Branch – this approach or tool will always keep you updated with the most up to date Office apps and capabilities. Those with businesses will have the option for Current Branch for Business that can delay updates such as Office 2016. You can choose when to deploy Office 2016, with your organization’s very own customization and idiosyncrasies. There are a slew of new features. The main highlights from Office 2016 are: Modern productivity Pen and Ink Ease of use Cloud connection Intelligent experiences Accessibility Real-Time Collaboration Tell Me bar (Remember Clippy?) Insights New Charts and Graphs For more on Office 2016 features from Microsoft click here Stay tuned after the release date as there a slew of new and exciting features. Mac users will have Office 2016 available via Office 365 portal. It appears that the upgrades are positive, and {company} will help keep your business updated every step of the way. If your organization is unsure of when or how to upgrade, contact {company} at {phone} or send us an email: {email}.

The popular Exchange 2007 will soon be coming to the end of its product life cycle. After going into extended support in April of 2012, the program is reaching the end of its 5 year extension and will be losing support from Microsoft April of 2017. That may seem far away right now, but keep in mind that on May 27th, Microsoft released new upgrades for Exchange 2010 and Exchange 2013 but not for Exchange 2007. The last time Exchange 2007 received an update specific to the program was February of 2014. This either means that Exchange 2007 is perfect and cannot be improved or Microsoft has thrown in the towel on the 8 year old software. Since being put into extended support, Microsoft is only obligated to update security for Exchange 2007 – assuring that the product is still safe to use with the innovation to the program being put in newer versions like 2010 and 2013. After April 2017, Microsoft will no longer offer any support for the program and users will need to scavenge public forums and blogs for information on how to fix their outdated software. Although the end of service date isn’t until 2017, users would be wise to upgrade programs before Microsoft’s neglect of Exchange 2007 leaves them stranded. These are the recommended choices: Office 365 Exchange 2010 Exchange 2013 These programs provide all of the tools you depended on in Exchange 2007. Although upgrading is a drag, moving to a more modern program means opening up your communication to a more modern audience – improving your messaging infrastructure and productivity significantly. Stay up-to-date and keep your technology current with the help of {company}. We provide managed IT services wherein we handle all of your IT needs for a flat-rate monthly fee. Call {phone} or email us at {email}.

When iPhone released the iOS 9 installation, users could hardly wait to experience the new and exciting features that it had to offer. However, there was one feature in particular that proved to be more of a nuisance to iPhone users than a benefit. That feature was their Wi-Fi assist feature. Almost immediately after installation, iPhone users were noticing substantial increases in their data usage, prompting many to believe that their new operating systems may have had a bug. Further investigations into the situation revealed that the cause of the data usage discrepancies actually stemmed from the operating systems Wi-Fi Assist feature, which automatically turns on the user’s cellular data when their Wi-Fi connectivity is low. Wi-Fi Assist Could Be Activating Your Data Plan Even When Wi-Fi is Accessible Although this new feature appears to seemingly offer an added level of convenience to the users’ mobile internet use experience, it is definitely not without flaws.  In fact, people who are not on unlimited data plans could be in for an unwelcomed surprise on their next cellular bill. Many users have found that the Wi-Fi Assist feature is overcompensating by switching over to data even when users are well within their Wi-Fi’s reach. Which could mean that your phone could be burning up your data, even while you are in your home or office! How to Disable Wi-Fi Assist Luckily disabling the Wi-Fi Assist feature is fairly simple. This will easily allow you to turn Wi-Fi assist on when you are away from your Wi-Fi signal, and then turn it off when you return home. Below are instructions on how to disable the Wi-Fi Assist feature: Go to settings > Cellular (referred to as Mobile Data in certain regions) Scroll to the bottom of the page until you find the Wi-Fi Assist feature Select “off” All iPhones running on iOS 9 come with the Wi-Fi Assist feature automatically set to “on” and must be manually disabled if you do not wish to use the feature. Find out more about the latest iOS 9 features. Contact {company} at {phone} or send us an email at {email}. We’re here to manage all of your technology so you can focus on what’s important: running your company.

Is Your Business Prepared to Handle This? While Microsoft will be ending extended support for SQL Server 2005 on April 12, 2016, don’t forget that support for Windows Server 2003 ended on July 14, 2015.  Now is the time to migrate to a SQL Server 2014 or Azure SQL Database to achieve breakthrough performance and optimize your data platform infrastructure while maintaining security and compliance. So what does this mean for businesses still running SQL Server 2005?  After this date, no security updates, hotfixes, or Microsoft professional support will be available. Continuing to run the product after the end of support may expose your business to security risks, increased maintenance and operations costs, as well as compliance violations and possibly a fine. To avoid the risks of running unsupported software, now is the time to start planning your migration.  Although it seems like there is plenty of time, {company} recommends planning now to ensure you make the move on time, as migrations can take up to several months to complete.  Whether you’re on your own or with {company}, we have the resources you need to plan a successful migration. However you can still obtain more information from Microsoft on understanding the impact of the ending of SQL Server 2005 extended support, why upgrading to a newer data platform will benefit your business and various resources outlining how to take advantage of SQL Server improvements at www.microsoft.com/sqlserverupgrade. We encourage you though to contact us and we will assist you on your journey to discover the value that Microsoft SQL Server 2014 can add to your organization.  Contact {company} today by calling us at {phone} or sending out team an email to {email}. 

Does Your iPhone Really Have the Best Camera? For as long as smartphones have had cameras, it seems that Apple had been ahead of the game. But is this a result of clever marketing or photographic evidence? With competitor companies like Samsung and LG growing in leaps and bounds in their advancements, their camera specs. match or exceed that of Apple’s. The most common judge of a camera’s quality is the megapixel count. How does your iPhone measure up? iPhone 6S: Back camera megapixels – 8. Front camera megapixels: 1.2. Samsung GS6: Back camera megapixels – 16. Front camera megapixels: 5. LG 6 Flex 2: Back camera megapixels – 13. Front camera megapixels: 2.1. Apple’s claim to fame was found in the iPhone 4s’ custom image signal processor, but since its June 2010 release, companies like HTC and LG have developed the same technology. Another way that Apple has stayed ahead of the camera curve is by not revealing who makes their sensors, but recent teardowns of Apple products have found that their main supplier is Sony. Sony also makes the lens sensors for Samsung and other smartphone companies. So really, what is the difference? Apple claims that the focus of their cameras is not to produce a “beautiful” photo but a realistic one, leaving photo shop and blemish corrections to post production. Companies like Samsung and LG’s cameras tend to produce a more polished “beautiful” photo. However, Apple claims that the iPhones signature Retina Flash can make the difference in getting a clear shot in low light environments and the “deep stretch isolation” technology makes up for the lack of megapixels. The question of who has the better phone is best answered by the question “what are you using the phone for?”. For the landscapes and fine detail portraits, some phones may be better than others, but for the quick selfie or snapchat, the best phone is the one in your pocket. Stay up to date with technology by learning more about how your device measures up against the rest. Looking for an IT company that proactively managers your technology to make sure you’re leveraging the right solutions? Contact us at {phone} or email us at {email}.

Do You Really Want to Hire That Computer Guy from Craigslist? Desperate times call for desperate measures, or so we’ve heard, but do you really want to hire a computer guy you’re not 100% certain is great? Think about it: everything you do within your organization depends on technology. If your technology doesn’t work properly, you can’t get anything done – and that means losing valuable productivity time and missing business opportunities. {company} knows when you need technology support, you need it fast. But wait one minute before hiring that computer guy from craigslist! Call {phone} or send us an email: {email}. We’re here to transform the way you use technology, instead of simply fixing broken equipment. When you need technology support, you need it fast; but here’s the thing: computer guys from craigslist have a secret: they want your technology to break, and they want it to break often, because that means they’re able to come in and charge you high amounts to fix the issue; often taking a ‘band aid’ approach instead of getting down to the root of the issue. Do you really want to hire a computer guy as opposed to an entire team of experts who can act as your entire IT department? Here’s the difference you can expect from an outsourced IT company: More knowledge and skill-sets: A computer guy from craigslist might be knowledgeable, sure, but they don’t have the knowledge and skill-sets of an entire team that’s certified and trained on an ongoing basis. Dedication to staying proactive: A computer guy from craigslist WANTS you to call them with issues, whereas an outsourced IT company stays proactive to prevent issues from occurring in the first place. Strategic planning to achieve goals: A computer guy from craigslist is simply not a partner, they’re someone you call when things break, whereas an outsourced IT company partners with you to achieve goals and objectives. Unsurpassed level of client service: A computer guy from craigslist might strive to make sure you’re satisfied, sure, but not in the way an outsourced IT department with a reputation to build will. Think hard before you hire that computer guy from craigslist, or better yet, contact {company} at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

Google Releases Impressive New Tool – Giving You Armor to Fight Relentless Spyware That Frustrates Your Staff to No End! New Software Removal and Browser Reset Tool Released By Google for Chrome Users In an effort to combat such common user issues as spyware and crapware, Google has recently launched a new tool to their arsenal. This tool will be a valuable asset and is a great start in providing assistance in cleaning up infected computers that are underperforming and bogged down with useless nonsense. Discover how quick and simple the new software removal and browser reset tool is – all you need to do is:  Navigate to google.com/chrome/srt Click the download now button. When using the tool, users will have the option of resetting all of the computer’s customized settings, which can be really useful if you are experiencing system difficulties. This software removal tool will trigger this reset even if no crapware has been found on the computer. The tool runs in two phases: Scanning your computer for toolbars or other issues that are affecting the web browser. Uninstalling your extensions, clearing cache/cookies and resetting your browser settings. The second phase is optional and can easily be canceled depending on your unique needs, however, it’s incredibly handy for slow performing workstations. Interested in learning more? Contact {company} at {phone} or by email at {email}.

The cloud-computing market wouldn’t be as exciting if there wasn’t any competition – it’s good to have options! For those unsure or unfamiliar; Azure is a cloud-based platform service directly from Microsoft. There are 4 main competitors on the market. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is leading the pack, but that’s not to say Azure isn’t catching up. In fact, Azure’s Q1 2015 indicates a +96% growth! Is your organization ready for AWS or Azure? Throughout October 2014, Microsoft gained 10,000 new clients per week on Azure. Below you can see how rapid these Cloud Infrastructures are growing by revenue: Microsoft has learned from Office 365 and implemented the same winning formula. Their Azure roadmap promises tons of new features that will further enhance their platform -The Cloud Platform System known as “cloud in a box”-. One new feature they will be offering is on-demand cloud-based access to Windows Server and System Center. To get up to date with Azure’s newest features, click here and check out Azure’s roadmap. Gaining leverage is the three main cloud nomenclatures, Software as a Service (SaaS) – currently their largest player is Office 365, and then Azure’s winning combination – Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Organizations should take notes as Microsoft invests a great deal of marketing efforts into spicing up Azure. Azure offers a broad range of deployment options for vendors and service providers, as well as the largest VMs in the cloud. Our team of engineers can help leverage Azure to benefit your business, so call us today!