Computer Tip of the Day: Upgrading to Windows 10

computer tip of the day upgrading to windows 10

computer tip of the day

Microsoft updates are the most annoying updates on the market. However, there comes a time when you have to bite the bullet and upgrade in order to keep abreast of industry standards.

This computer tip of the day lets you know how to upgrade to Windows 10.

Upgrade While it is Free.

July 29, 2016 is the final day that Microsoft will offer the Windows 10 upgrade for free to those offices running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 Update. Make sure that you are upgrading to Pro or Enterprise and that you include the Windows Update for Business.

Turn Off the Keylogger.

You may have heard that Windows 10 comes defaulted to a keylogger that transmits all of your activity back to Microsoft. Here is the link to turn off that creepy option for good.

Decide Whether You Need Azure Active Directory.

Azure Active Directory is a relatively decent option for businesses that have already transitioned into the cloud. Its implementation gives you access to thousands of SaaS applications in the cloud such as Concur, DropBox, Office365 and Salesforce.com.

However, you may not need Azure Active Directory if you are not transmitting data through the cloud. Implementation when you are not using the cloud in this capacity can complicate the user interface needlessly, slowing down your office productivity and basically putting a bunch of junk in the way of basic operations.

Please contact us for IT support in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. We pride ourselves on taking care of your ideas and supporting your business with a sturdy infrastructure.

What is expected of IT support?

what is expected of it support

IT support

Computer use has become as completely commonplace as telephones, typewriters and filing cabinets used to be. Computers are carefully designed to be as user-friendly as possible. However, computers are really extraordinarily complicated. They rely on a wide range of software, made to different standards by different producers. The software integrates with the internal workings of the computers in different ways. The makers of computers, software, and the governors of the internet have become adept at hiding the complexity under layers of user-friendly processes and standards, but the complexity and technical mysteries of these very complicated systems sometimes do rear their heads and cause confusion. Most business users of computers just want them to perform their tasks and get confused when the technical complexity escapes the computer’s camouflage. Here are some examples of the most asked tech questions for IT support.

People like to run Windows in their offices on their lap tops but they also want to access the Windows format on their other devices. Some of the most common questions have to do with running Windows on other operating systems. The LogMeIn app is a subscription service that allows users to access their Windows systems on their portable devices.

Microsoft Office is one the most popular multi-function office utilities. Many people ask how they can access the functions of Microsoft Office on their Android system devices. Microsoft does offer acomplete version of office for Android 4.0 and later.

A lot of questions concern wrinkles in the installation of applications. Sometimes applications require special licenses or the use of thumb drives for licensing purposes.

Transferring of data is a big concern in business. Limits to the size of files is a problem for business that want to transfer large graphics or data files. Many business people have not embraced the cloud and want data to be stored on their own drives. There is a lot of confusion in the business community about the transfer of large data files.

The problem of software licensing is at the root of many questions. Small business people want to extend the use of their software. Questions concern the constraints to buying more licenses and distributing them to staff.

The use of email accounts is the source of a lot of questions. Since there are several major email systems (Yahoo, Gmail, Outlook, etc.) questions often arise about syncing multiple email accounts. Businesses just want one inbox.

The problem of too much access to email also comes up. Business people ask how is it possible to set permissions which can give others limited access to email. The area of administrative permissions is something that confuses many business questioners.

Control of malware is at the nub of many questions. Removing malware can be very difficult and costly. You can get training in how to remove it yourself, or can find experts who can do it for you.

Running applications faster and speeding the operation of systems that seem to run slowly is another big question source. Issues like hard-disk defragging, removing unused drivers, removing software from the start-up tray are all part of the answer. Sometimes more memory is also required.

Syncing file content across devices is an issue that frequently comes up. ActiveSync is a way to keep mobile devices up to data. When you use ActiveSync you have to set it up correctly for best results.

Battery life poses a lot of questions. How do you make batteries last longer? How do maintain battery life? Lithium Ion batteries which run most modern electronics work best if you recharge them frequently, not from full drain but with shallow charges. Keep the batteries cool and don’t plug in your device when the battery is 100% charged.

4 Corner IT is a managed services provider offering for your Florida business. Aligning heavily with the cloud, we successfully serve industries ranging from legal firms to assisted living facilities to emergency air rescue.

Please contact us to learn more.

 

 

Computer Tip of the Day: Choosing a Brand for Your Small Business

computer tip of the day choosing a brand for your small business

Computer Tip of the Day

In order to create an effective digital business network for a small company, you must decide on a brand for the office. The computer tip of the day is how to effectively choose a brand that will create an effective network for you.

Choosing an OS

There is now very little difference between the two major operating systems, Windows and the Apple Mac OS. Choose whichever platform supports the software that your critical employees use, and make sure that you buy computers for the same operating system for all departments.

If you are in the tech industry, you may benefit from the Linux system, but only if you have in-house staff with in-depth computer knowledge.

Investing in Mobility

If you want your employees to move with your data, you will need to invest in a mobile platform that connects to your office network. Ensure that the OS on your mobile devices matches the brand for your stationary computers.

CPU vs GPU Power

You will spend much more money upgrading your CPU power than you will GPU power; however, GPU upgrades can give you up to 1000 times the efficiency of a CPU power up.

No matter which OS you choose, make sure that you have computers that are modern enough to upgrade through their GPU. You will pay more upfront, but you will save tens of thousands of dollars later.

Please feel free to contact us for your IT support. Focus your efforts where they need to be while we focus on protecting your hard work.

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Absolute and Relative Cell References in Excel

absolute and relative cell references in excel computer tip of the day

Microsoft Excel is one of the most powerful computing tools available to a business person, regardless of the context in which they work, be it a home office, small business or trans-national corporation.  Among the many tools available in Excel, absolute and relative cell references are one of the more often over-looked and misunderstood.

Your computer tip of the day is what they are and how to use them both:

A relative cell reference is generated automatically by excel whenever you attempt to insert a cell reference in a formula. They are distinctive by the combination of letters and numbers that appear in the formula and the highlight produced on the cell being referenced.  Relative references have great power: as you copy and paste the formula left, right, up or down in your workbook, the formula updates to match its’ new position in the document and recalculate based on how far it moved in both directions. This in incredibly powerful for summing columns, or concatenating text strings in rows, for example.

Absolute cell references are different. You have to create them manually, by inserting a dollar sign in front of each portion of a relative cell reference. Yes, you can have partially absolute and partially relative cell references in the same place. An absolute cell reference will always find the exact cell specified, no matter where or how you copy the formula within the spreadsheet. This is an incredibly powerful tool if you need to apply things like a fixed percentage across a range of values, but that percentage needs to be the same for every value. You could simply specify that percentage at the top of the column, and then fill down the absolute reference formula in the same column.

Here are some examples:

  • Relative cell reference:  “B32”, “D17”, “G4”
  • Absolute cell reference:  “$B32”, “D$17”, “$G$4

Absolute and relative cell references are another powerful tool you can use to make Excel work easier for you. Contact us to learn more.

The Best Office 365 Features For Businesses

the best office 365 features for businesses
office 365 features

With their release of Office 365, Microsoft aims to help businesses that currently rely on Microsoft’s Office applications. Office 365 is a new suite of programs that will help businesses become more productive, along with keeping their information secure. If you are a business owner/manager, here are just a few of the office 365 features that may interest you.

Allow For Greater Productivity

When it comes to productivity – something every business manager is after – it all comes down to one thing: how easy is it to do your work? If something makes your job easier, it will increase productivity. That is essentially the goal of Office 365. Microsoft designed this suite of programs with simplicity in mind, so that your employees can spend more time worrying about their own tasks, rather than the technology performing them.

In The Cloud

One of the ways that Microsoft made these programs easier to use is by connecting everything through their cloud storage system. This means that employees can share files more quickly, make changes to those files, and access them from anywhere. As long as you have a computer, tablet or smart phone and an internet connection, you can access everything you need.

Administrator Control

Lastly, Microsoft has made it so administrators have a high level of control over the product, something that will make your IT department happy. By giving you more control over the system, you can monitor what is going on within the program, and correct any problems on the spot, should they arise. This means less time waiting for your IT guy to get off the phone with Microsoft’s support team, and more time being spent getting work done.

As you can see, there are some great features that can benefit your business, and there are many more. If you would like to learn more about how this suite of programs can help your business to become more productive, please feel free to contact us at any time.