What makes a great keyboard
Just like a new smartphone or car, new keyboard models can also garner ooh and ahs from people. But novelty fades, and you may end up asking this question: What is the best one for me? Whether your keyboard is used for business or leisure, a great model will make a difference. When it’s time to shop for a new keyboard, the following can help you make the right purchase. Connectivity If your computer mouse can go wireless, why can’t your keyboard too? But it will depend on what exactly you use the keyboard for. Keyboards are normally plug-and-play devices that don’t require additional software installation (excluding certain gaming models).; Wired models draw power from a USB connection, eliminating the use of batteries. Gamers tend to prefer wired over wireless because they won’t have to deal with lag and interference issues. If you want to declutter, then wireless is the way to go. With this type of keyboard, data is transmitted to your PC either through a radio frequency connection to a USB receiver or via Bluetooth. Wireless models have their pros and cons, but they reduce the number of cables on your desk and give you more flexibility. You can lie on the couch and type from across the room. Also, most models connect to the PC via a 2.4-GHz wireless dongle that can also be used for cordless phones and Wi-Fi, providing connectivity to multiple devices at once. The right type of key switches This aspect of keyboard design is widely mentioned in reviews, yet many people overlook the importance of the type of switches used for individual keys. Although the intricate mechanisms that hide beneath the keys may not excite you, the difference you feel from each type will. The three main types of key switches include silicone dome, scissor, and mechanical switches. Keyboards that come with a new desktop PC generally use silicone-dome switches, whereby two dimpled layers of silicone membrane form a grid of rubber bubbles that acts as the switch for each key. This requires you to press the key hard to type a letter, gradually diminishing its springiness and responsiveness over time. The newer laptops and ultrabooks use scissor switches which have a mechanical stabilizer for uniformity. Moreover, under each keycap is a plunger that allows for shorter key travel. This causes scissor switch keyboards to have a shallow typing feel, making them more durable than silicone dome switches. What keyboard enthusiasts can’t get enough of are mechanical switch keyboards. Their advantages lies in the spring-loaded sliding keypost beneath each key. Several variations are available with slightly different sensations or sounds. Mechanical switches generally provide enhanced tactile feedback and have a clicking sound. Thanks to their sturdy switch mechanisms and durable springs, these keyboards last longer and can easily be repaired.. Furthermore, each keystroke registers quickly, making them ideal for touch typists. Ergonomics To keep carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress injury at bay, keyboards are designed to keep your hands in a neutral position while typing. Not only do ergonomic keyboards provide greater comfort, but they also reduce joint and tendon stress. This prevents inflammation and pricey surgical procedures. Ergonomic features range from simple padded wrist-rests to elaborate curved and sloped keyboards. It won’t take long to examine your current keyboard and see how well it works. Do not settle for anything but the best. If you need help finding the right keyboard, email or drop us a line. We’re more than happy to hear from you. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Improve communication by dealing with VoIP issues
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems are cheaper and more efficient than regular phones and businesses are jumping on board. However, transitioning without a plan can cause a range of issues that many business owners never expected. Here are a few you should keep in mind. Poor call quality Complicated and frustrating VoIP system management Negative on-hold experience for customers Experiencing any of these issues can tarnish your company’s reputation and result in a loss of profits, so it’s important to implement the following solutions. Know what you want out of your VoIP phone solution If your business handles hundreds of customer service calls a day, you will have different telephony needs than a business that is mainly using their phone system as a method for internal communication. That’s why it’s important to know exactly what you want out of your VoIP phone solution. Do you want to use it to answer a few customer service calls a day and communicate between internal staff? Will you be holding video meetings with it? If you know what you want out of your VoIP system in advance, it sets you up to have a practical discussion of your bandwidth and feature requirements with a service provider. Find an experienced service provider VoIP providers can make or break the success of your new phone system. The three problems listed above can all be avoided with an experienced service provider installing and maintaining your system. They let you know the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the technology, and give you realistic expectations of what you’ll get from the service. This ensures you aren’t let down and that you don’t suffer a bad telephony experience that irritates customers. A trusted VoIP provider will also have in-depth experience with installations. They can help you define a strategy that meets your business’s specific needs, provide recommendations on system design and management, and enable the superb call experience your customers expect. Additionally, the right VoIP providers may offer training and support to ensure you understand how to use the system effectively. They’re also a quick phone call away if problems arise. What if your existing VoIP system has turned buggy? Although it’s better to consult an experienced VoIP provider before your initial installation, it’s not too late to course-correct. A trusted VoIP provider can help you resolve many of the issues you’re experiencing. Don’t settle for a VoIP system that hurts your business. You can make VoIP work for your business, and save thousands of dollars in the process. If you need advice on installing a new VoIP system or fixing your current one, don’t hesitate to call us. Our experts can provide you with the consultation, support, and service that enables your business to enjoy the cost savings and power of VoIP. Call us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
What Office Delve does for Office 365 users
Office 365 is a cloud-based productivity suite that is popular with small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It’s offered in a wide variety of subscription plans, making it even more popular among businesses. To deal with users’ concerns with storing/accessing data within Office 365, Microsoft has released Office Delve. What is Office Delve? Office Delve is a cloud-based data visualization tool that helps business users get the most out of their data related to Office 365. This nifty tool allows you to: Discover new information – Delve displays information from different sources in Office 365 that you may find useful for what you’re currently working on. Discover what you need – Documents you have seen before, or have recently worked on, are highlighted and made easier for you to find, regardless of where they are stored. This makes it less taxing to find work you have been doing in the past, and continue from where you left off. Discover new connections – Typing a name in Office 365 will allow you to see what a user is working on, their connections, and even connect with them to build relationships and share information. How does it work? Microsoft has powered Delve with a tool called Graph to provide users with information they’ll likely find useful. Graph maps the relationships between the various Office 365 users in your company, and the content/information related to them. This “map” is then used by Delve to provide users with what they need, when they need it. Content and information is displayed on a card-based screen, which can be found under the Delve tab in the main Office 365 launch screen. Aside from content such as profile information, links to documents, or information, users can also see: likes, views, comments, and tags, which brings a deeper social integration into Office 365. Delve also orders content a number of different ways, including: What you’ve recently worked on – shows you content in card-form that you have recently opened or worked on Content that has been shared with you – shows the content your colleagues have shared with you Content that has been presented to you – shows content that colleagues have presented recently, or content that has been sent to you While this idea works great on the desktop, many Office 365 users access their systems from their mobile devices. The good news is that Delve is also available to mobile users. On your device, you can browse cards with files, swipe left or right on each card to view files, and even search for colleagues and view files they have shared with you and their recent activity. Is my data safe with Office Delve? In Delve, only you can see your documents because there are no changes in permissions. Unauthorized third parties cannot view your activities, like what documents you opened, what emails you sent out and received, or what conversations you had on Skype for Business. Other people can see that you edited a document, but only if they have access to that same file. If you are looking to learn more about Delve, contact us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
What is a web host?
Businesses need to have an online presence these days, and that usually starts with having a website. But to access your website on the internet, you need to partner with a web host. This blog post breaks down the basics of a web host and the two most common types of hosting. What is a web host? A web host sells or leases memory space on its servers so your website can have a virtual location on the internet. Their services include online storage for all of your site’s files and web pages. Many web hosts also offer domain name hosting, which creates a web address that users can type to access your website (e.g. google.com, inc.com, etc.). Combine these two hosting services and you have the main foundations for your website. You can also get domain-based email addresses (e.g. ryan@google.com) and website databases from web hosts. Essentially, your web host can store everything your website needs. When you sign up with a web host, you will usually pay a monthly fee, which the company uses to maintain and invest in new servers for hosting, increase access speeds, and provide better services. What are the two most common types of web hosting? There are hundreds, if not thousands of web hosts around the world, but they usually fall in one of two categories: Shared hosting – Multiple, different websites are stored on one physical hosting server. Sites have their own partition (section of storage) that is kept separate from other sites on the same server. Dedicated hosting – One website is hosted per server. This means you have all of the server’s capacity to yourself. Which hosting type is best for my business website? Most websites use shared hosting because it’s more affordable while still offering generally stable access and access speeds. This is the ideal hosting type for most small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with fairly simple websites. If your website is going to be large (e.g. thousands of pages) and you are going to host complex features like advanced eCommerce, streaming, etc., then it would be best to opt for a dedicated hosting service. Examples of large sites include Google, Amazon, and government sites, among others. With numerous web hosts out there, selecting the right fit can be quite challenging. But with our IT expertise and solutions, we can help you find the web host that will work best for your business needs. Contact us today to get started with your online presence. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Analytics are critical for effective data backups
Collecting data is vital for keeping records, tracking performance, and delighting customers. With so much on the line, it’s never been more important to have backups of all your files. If your data is growing at a rate that’s hard to keep up with, analytics tools are an awesome way to figure out which backups matter most and how to prioritize them. An excess of information Nowadays, too much data may sound like a good thing. But for many organizations, creating backups in real-time isn’t economical. So if you’ve wondered how you should structure your backup plan to prioritize the critical files, we have an answer: Analytics tools. Analyzing vast amounts of data quickly and affordably has never been easier for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The key is working with experienced IT professionals to customize a solution to meet your needs. As an MSP (managed IT services provider), we’ve spent years designing business continuity and disaster recovery plans, often for SMBs that couldn’t create backups every hour. A smarter solution Depending on your needs, we can set up sophisticated analytics tools that determine what is most essential to your business’s day-to-day operations. These solutions prioritize data in order of importance and translate that to a backup structure that ensures the right data is safe and sound should disaster strike. These tools integrate with your existing data-backup solution but provide it with a map of what to save first, and what to leave for later. That results in faster recovery times in the event of untimely outages or disruptions. Furthermore, using analytics increases efficiency and decreases overall backup costs by providing a better picture of what is unimportant versus what is unnecessary. SMBs have been the drivers of innovation for decades because, as they say, “necessity is the mother of invention.” So whether you’re interested in top-of-the-line IT solutions or just need to get a better handle on disaster recovery, we’re ready to create a customized backup solution, just for you. Take a second to analyze that, then give us a call. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Declutter your desktop and get more work done
Anything that hinders productivity is considered detrimental to profit, and a cluttered computer is one of them. Even a little time spent looking for files and applications in a crowded desktop can eventually add up to hours of downtime. Worse, it can mean losing critical data like important reports. Here are some tips to help your employees clear their desktops and optimize their virtual working space. 1. Before you begin, do a bit of recon Before you go about deleting everything from your desktop, think about what you really want to keep. This will be vary from person to person, but most people treat their desktop as a place where they put files, folders, and app shortcuts that they want to access quickly. Take the time to prioritize your files and folders. An easy way to do this is to right-click on an empty area of your desktop (where there are no icons) and select “Auto arrange icons”. This will organize your icons into a grid format that makes it easier for you to see and work with them. Then, right-click on the empty space and hover your mouse over “Sort by” and select “Date modified” to arrange the icons by the date they were last opened, with the latest on top. 2. Create holding and app shortcut folders People often use their desktop to hold files like downloads, photos, screenshots, and even email attachments. This can lead to a messy desktop in a short period of time. In truth, you probably don’t need all these shortcuts on your desktop. Instead, create a folder on your desktop for all non-essential files and folders. Use this folder for non-important or temporary items. If you don’t intend to keep a file, icon, photo, etc. for long, put it in this folder. Once you are done with the file, simply go to the holding folder and delete it. It also helps if you create a shortcut folder. When you install new programs on Windows, a shortcut icon is often automatically added to your desktop. However, these desktop shortcuts should be for frequently used programs only. For programs that aren’t used that often, it is best to create a separate folder. 3. Be ruthless in cleaning Once you have your folders set up, it’s time to get rid of the clutter. If you haven’t used a file, folder, etc. in the past two months or so, you should seriously consider getting rid of it. Examine your desktop and uninstall programs you no longer use, delete images you don’t need, move unimportant files, and place the rest in relevant folders. Once completed, take a look at your browser to see where it stores downloaded files. If your browser downloads files to your desktop by default, go to Settings and change the target location to the Downloads folder. 4. Stick with your plan Once you have decluttered your desktop, try to stick with the rules you’ve made. Whenever you download something, ask yourself whether this should go to the desktop or someplace else. Of course, sticking with these rules won’t always be easy, so take time once or twice a month to revisit your desktop and clean it up a bit. 5. Use the taskbar or Start menu for apps With Windows 10, you can actually pin apps to the Start menu and the bottom taskbar. This is a great alternative to simply having program shortcuts on your desktop. To pin apps, open your apps list (click the down arrow from the Windows Start screen) and right-click on the application you would like to pin. Simply select “Pin to Start” or “Pin to taskbar” for the option you want. 6. Strategically position your wallpaper An interesting way to minimize clutter is to pick a wallpaper that you enjoy looking at – whether it’s your favorite picture, slogan. Frame the image so the focus is in the center of your desktop. Then, place your icons around the image in a way that they still allow you to see the image. If you can’t see the image, then you have too many icons, and it may be time to get rid of a few. Also, having an image you like serves as a reminder to keep icons to a minimum.. It’s a proactive solution eliminate clutter from your desktop.. If you are looking to learn more about using Windows in your office, contact us today to see how we can help. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Beware of distributed spam distraction
It’s frustrating to receive dozens of spam messages in your email inbox. Spam mail is so easy to delete, which is why most people think it’s just a harmless annoyance. But hackers have devised a way to make use of spam mail for criminal purposes. It’s called distributed spam distraction, and here’s what you need to know about it. Understanding DSD Distributed spam distraction (DSD) is designed to inundate your inbox with thousands of nonsensical email. There are no dangerous links, ads, or attachments involved, just random excerpts of text stolen from books and websites. What’s worse, the email and IP addresses used are all different, so victims can’t simply block a specific sender. These attacks last anywhere from 12 to 24 hours and can flood inboxes with as many as 60,000 messages. While they may seem like harmless annoyances, the true purpose of DSD is to draw victims’ attention away from what hackers are doing behind the scenes. And what hackers are doing is exploiting your personally identifiable information (PII) to make unauthorized purchases or pilfer cash directly from your accounts. The DSD acts as a sort of smokescreen to hide payment confirmation messages behind a deluge of spam messages. New tactics Over the years, hackers have developed new tactics involving DSD. Several reports have shown that, instead of nonsensical emails, hackers are using automated software to have their targets sign up for thousands of free accounts and newsletters to distract them with authentic messages. This allows DSD blasts to slip past spam filters that have been designed to weed out malicious code and gibberish text used by traditional DSD attacks. What’s even more worrying is that any ill-intentioned individual can go on the dark web and pay for DSD services. They just have to provide a hacker with their target’s name, email address, and credit card numbers — all of which can also be purchased on the dark web — and pay as little as $40 to send 20,000 spam messages. How to stop it DSD is a clear sign that your account has been hijacked, so whenever you receive dozens of emails in quick succession, contact your bank to cancel any unfamiliar transactions and change your login credentials as soon as possible. It’s also important to update your anti-spam software (or get one if you still don’t have one) to protect your inbox from future DSD attacks. Hackers only initiate DSD attacks after they’ve obtained their target’s email address and personal information, so make sure your accounts and identity are well protected. You should regularly change your passwords and pins, enable multifactor authentication, set up text alerts for whenever online purchases are made in your name, and be careful about sharing personal information. For more tips on how to deal with DSD attacks and other cyberattacks, call us today. We offer powerful tools and expert advice that will ensure your business’s safety. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
What Google Assistant can do for you
Before there was Google Assistant, there was Google Now. In 2016, it replaced Google Now as the virtual assistant (VA) in the Google app for Android and iOS. The updated VA offers plenty of functionalities to Google device users. Here are a few that you should take advantage of. Locate the best route to any location Google Assistant works seamlessly with Google Maps, which makes it a great tool for finding the best route to any location. For instance, if you’re trying to find the best route home, just turn on the app and say, “Get me home.” It will then work with Google Maps to let you know the ideal route based on your current location. You can also check for traffic updates with Google Assistant, and get the latest information on road closures and traffic diversions. This feature is perfect for people who are often on the move. Make a shopping list with your voice Google Assistant can also help you make shopping lists with ease — just “talk” to the app. To do this, open the app and say, “Add [item] to my shopping list.” Google Assistant will then collate all the items on your shopping list and read it back to you for good measure. Stay updated with the latest news Too busy to browse the day’s news? Why not have Google Assistant read them for you? If you say “Play the news,” Google Assistant will begin reading the stories from news sources you have saved in your RSS feeds, social media accounts, etc. You can make Google Assistant play, pause, and stop reading at any time, as well as request it to read articles from a particular source or media site. Take control of your smart home If you’re enhancing your living space with smart devices like ovens, light bulbs, or thermostats that operate automatically, Google Assistant can help you easily control them. For example, you can say, “Okay. Google, turn off lights in the living room.” To activate Google Assistant, tap on the menu icon at the upper-right section of the screen and choose Settings. You can then add the smart devices in your house that are compatible with your app. Measurement and currency conversions and language translation You can also use Google Assistant to convert measurements, currencies, and other data. You can even ask it to get exchange rates between the US dollar and a foreign currency. Just say, “What is 12 US dollars in euros?” The trusty assistant also has a nifty language translation feature. Check the email inbox and appointments calendar If you’re using Google Assistant, chances are you’re using other services like Gmail or Google Calendar, so why not use your voice-activated helper to connect to these apps? You can ask Google Assistant to skim through your Gmail inboxes for target keywords, or pull up a recently added appointment in your Calendar app. Google Assistant can also work with your Google Keep app, which is handy for taking down notes. These are just a few of the things Google Assistant can do for you. If you have questions about this tool, get in touch with our experts who are ready to help you. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Is virtualization right for your company?
Virtualization has become a popular solution for many businesses to back up servers, upgrade hardware, or move to the cloud. Deploying virtualized systems has proven cost-effective and efficient for many companies, but is it right for your organization? Here are some factors you ought to consider. The advantages One of the most significant advantages of virtualization is that it eliminates the need to buy more hardware to supplement your company’s requirements. Because it consolidates your physical servers, there’s no need to maintain and update unnecessary hardware. This means less time and money spent on maintaining and running your servers and managing desk side support. Moreover, virtual machines have made backing up your entire data center a lot less demanding. That’s because virtual machines take up-to-date snapshots of your servers and redeploy them seamlessly to another device. Unlike physical servers that require you to create backups of your server and current data, virtual backups cut the waiting time for server reboots. Virtualization also eliminates the risk of accidentally losing files. Should disaster strike your physical servers, you can easily migrate your virtual machines to another device and keep working as if the incident never happened. Additionally, opting for virtualization allows your company to have a higher degree of technological versatility because virtual machines have the added flexibility to run on different platforms, servers, and hardware. This means you won’t be tied down to a single IT provider. What’s more, your company has the freedom to upgrade hardware without long server downtimes. Finally, utilizing virtualization solutions puts your business in a good position to easily migrate to a prolific cloud environment. Factors to consider With no apparent disadvantages to virtualization, you’re probably getting ready to set up some virtual machines. But before you start virtualizing your business, consider the following factors first: Initial costs to set up your network’s hardware and software still exist, so thoroughly check the services and devices that your company needs before moving forward. Note that virtualization is an effective solution when you start with 5–7 servers running at your workplace. Usually, 10–15 is the optimal number of servers when you’ll start seeing a return on your investment. If you have fewer servers than the ones suggested above, then it’s probably best to opt for a different IT solution. It’s important to consider your staff’s skills and experience with technology before switching to virtualized systems. Do they need training? How can you help them transition quickly to the proposed infrastructure? Will your business have enough storage capacity? As a general rule, you should set aside 30–40 GB per user. Think about setting up failovers to ensure the security of your virtual system. Some applications are not compatible with virtualization such as mobile, media-rich, and certain security apps. So if your employees tend to use these types of software, it would probably be best to deploy a smaller-scale virtualization solution. Pay attention to the conditions of your software license. Installing some applications on several computers could lead to increased costs. Overall, the increased flexibility and reduced cost that a virtualized system offers are well worth the effort. While there are initial challenges to implementing virtual machines, many small businesses believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. To find out if virtualization solutions are for you, contact us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
4 Free Google apps you need on your device
Did you know that Google offers more than just Gmail, Maps, and YouTube? A quick browse through Google Play will introduce you to a host of apps that can make your life easier. Window shopping at the Google store, however, means an inundation of productivity-destroying entertainment apps, and you probably have no time to sift through them all. But we do, so make room on your device for these four extremely useful Google tools. Chrome Remote Desktop This cross-platform app gives users a highly reliable level of support. If you need remote assistance, you can grant someone temporary access to your desktop through this app, and revoke it once the issue has been resolved. The app also lets you access your own desktop from any of your mobile devices (smartphone, tablet, Chromebook) so you can work on your files or use programs. Simply install the Google Chrome extension, assign a pin for remote access, and start sharing. Trusted Contacts It’s a dangerous world out there, which is why location-sharing apps such as Trusted Contacts are heaven-sent. With Trusted Contacts, you can request location information from, or share yours with, a contact who’s also using the app. Location sharing has long been part of most apps with a GPS functionality, but what sets Trusted Contacts apart is its ability to send a person’s location even when offline. In instances when a person’s location is requested and there’s no answer within five minutes, the app automatically sends the contact’s last known location. Google Handwriting Input Typing on smartphones isn’t easy for everyone, and that’s why enhancements such as Swype are a welcome feature to touchscreen keyboards. Google Handwriting Input works like Swype, but is more flexible and doesn’t require precise strokes. You can handwrite your IMs and text messages, perform searches, and even create emojis using your finger or a stylus. This app may not seem like much, but it can be quite useful for those who communicate in languages with special characters. Google Trips Organizing business or leisurely travel is taxing and having to use multiple apps just adds to the chaos. Google Trips reduces the hassle by putting all data — such as itinerary, hotel location, available transportation, and other trip-related information — into one app and letting you access it online or offline. It also provides recommendations on popular attractions, day trips, and things to do based on the itineraries and other travel-related information you’ve stored in your Gmail. The answer to some of your business’s most pressing needs may be hidden in plain sight in the App Store. We’re constantly on the lookout for process-enhancing apps and tools, so we know which solutions are best for you. Contact us today for advice. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.