Whether or not your business should accept mobile payments is a question every business owner needs to ask themselves. Does it benefit your company to have the ability to receive payments immediately, as well as offer multiple payment options? If you answer yes, then it is likely mobile payments would benefit you and your business. Making the Right Choice If you are just embarking on the process of making payment option decisions for your business, or in the process of re-evaluating what payment methods you will accept it is best to begin by evaluating the way your products and services are brought to market. When making the choice, consider your clients, who they are and what payment preferences have been in the past. Mobile payments are appreciated by more technology savvy buyers who embrace the concept of making payments via their smartphones. If your company sells their products in a variety of locations, including client sites, expos or while travelling than mobile payments can be a large advantage for the business. It allows the business to close a sale on the spot, and payment can be made immediately. Not having this ability could cost you the sale as potential customers and clients will often say they will be in contact and they are never heard from again. Mobile Payments Include: Google Wallet PayPal Square Simplify Commerce What to Consider There are several considerations to me made when choosing what payment options will work for your unique circumstances, such as what will work with the technology you are already using. It can be quite simple to implement mobile payments, and be as easy as getting a credit card ready that attaches to your phone. Be sure to investigate whether or not mobile payment devices and apps can properly integrate with the software your business already uses, as well as carefully considering the cost of these services, and weighing them against the likely benefits of offering them. It is important to ensure that your chosen mobile payment service integrates with your accounting software, as well as your merchant account, if there is one, as well as any and all other financial systems that may be used by the business. It is important to always remember that credit card transactions contain highly sensitive financial and personal information, so if you decide to accept mobile payment it is critical to do your homework and do business with a trusted and reputable provider that takes the appropriate measures to safeguard all of your client’s information. Many clients prefer to pay for their products and services via credit card, and are now starting to do it with phones as well. If you think that mobile payment options have the potential to boost your business’s sales and profits it seems like a natural decision to investigate it further and we can help you with that!  Our IT professionals are immersed in technology every day, so you can feel rest assured knowing that we have your best interests in hand.  We can provide you with the strategic guidance you need to make informed technology decisions that not only benefit you, but also your business. For more information on using mobile payments to help your business reach the next level of success and how our Managed IT services could be the perfect fit for you, contact {company} at {phone} or send an email directly to {email}.  

Microsoft’s new Windows 10 operating system is a simple, familiar, and easy to use OS that operates with more speed and power than ever before, but similar to all new releases in the IT world, there are some bugs. Microsoft has been testing and researching the OS, and they’ve incorporated major upgrades in the Build 10565. Here is a list of what you can expect from the upgrades of Build 10565: Skype Integration Microsoft will be including Skype video calling and messaging into the new Operating System. This will allow users free calling across 3G and 4G data and WIFI connections. The Integration won’t be perfect, but Microsoft is working on making it as efficient and simple to use as possible. Microsoft Edge Microsoft’s Edge Browser is receiving a few upgrades, such as tab preview and syncing reading items with favorites or frequently visited sites. There are various other upgrades to come for those using the new browser. Cortana Those with Surface Pro items can now use their Surface pen to write down notes and have the Cortana recognize and schedule events and set reminders. Cortana is also capable of scanning your email for confirmation messages and scheduling concerts or other ticket events. Other minor fixes made include: Sounds will now work when windows are minimized Context menus are now smaller for the mouse pad Contacts can be pinned to the start menu You can hide desktop items Applications will not appear more than once on the task bar {company} provides managed IT services wherein we handle all of your technology and provide guidance when needed to help you figure out what new technologies are right for you. Call {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

And It’s Costlier Than You’d Think to Wake Up. Imagine your worst nightmare: coming into the office, turning on your desktop, and finding that all of your data is gone – financial records, customer information, everything – deleted. IT shouldn’t be something you’re afraid of; but when cybercriminals start causing trouble, it’s crucial that you take notice. One small mistake could compromise your livelihood, and attackers are pulling out every trick imaginable to scam victims into clicking on dangerous links, downloading attachments, or compromising sensitive information. So how do you separate the tricks from treats in your inbox? These tips will make sure you spot a ghoul before they infect your network. They Prey on Your Fears Whenever there’s a big story circulating, cybercriminals take it and run. When news of the heartbleed bug broke in 2014, attackers would send emails disguised as security warnings or important information; victims who clicked on links were then infected with ransomware and other bugs. They’re Always Wearing Masks Like we said, cybercriminals are smart and very adaptive; they’ll never simply identify themself. Emails always come disguised as “breaking news”, a friend in need, an urgent warning, and so on. Being vigilant with your inbox is the best way to stay safe – never click on a link or download an attachment that you’re not expecting or that looks suspicious. You’re Constantly Being Watched Think about your social media presence; how protected are you online? Phishing scams have been around for a while, but a new form called spear-phishing attacks are even more sinister and dangerous. Using information from your Facebook, Instagram, and other accounts, attackers gather a wide range of knowledge; your friends, your likes, your location, and more. They use that info to create a fake persona, engage you through email, and then coax you into sending money or compromising data. Their Scare Tactics Will Suck The Life Out of Your Business A cybercriminal that targets your inbox usually isn’t just after you; when data is compromised, your entire business is affected. That’s why you need to think twice before falling for an email that claims to be from your bank or FedEx, asking you to clarify account numbers and information. Pick up the phone and call before you ever make transactions through Email or give out sensitive information. Halloween is rapidly approaching and you need to keep your inbox safe from the ghouls that are constantly lurking. Get in touch with {company} to discuss the most effective ways to protect your business against malicious intruders. Contact our IT experts at {email} or {phone}.

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}.