Take Your Seat

I save every client email because when you contact me with a problem, I can see what related problems you’ve had and find a solution faster. I have good rules to file every email, but there are still lots and lots of messages to manage. I’m not a programmer, but I developed a routine using Copilot to make my email searches more efficient.

Admittedly, it took some doing to develop my system, and it took some refining to get it to where I wanted it to be. The key for me – and for just about all users – was knowing the right questions to ask Copilot to get the desired outcome.

I use Outlook just like most of you to manage my email, and I need to manage my messages across several email addresses and services, such as my own domain and providers such as Gmail. Outlook can search every email address you have, but it doesn’t always show you every message – which means the message you need is hiding somewhere.

Using the AI power of Copilot, I was able to write a routine to handle detailed email searches meeting numerous criteria. The beauty of AI is that I could write them in English, not code, and get answers back in English. That helped me refine my search instructions by asking Copilot more questions.

However, there are two caveats.

The first caveat is that you need to understand how computer programming works (just like you understand how your car works but don’t necessarily know how to fix it). Computers are extremely anal, so you must ask exact questions. AI doesn’t do a good job – yet – of reading your mind. If you’re too general, you’ll get vague answers.

In my case, I had to use a combination of AI and some manual steps before being able to tell the software how I wanted my email stored and how to develop new routines for storage going forward. I have been able to cut my search time dramatically to provide you with better service.

The second caveat is that you need to invest in a license (or seat in tech jargon), to get the most out of Copilot – or just about any AI engine. The free versions just have the power to create the routines that can really make a difference. Licensing can run $20 to $30 per seat, so you need to know who in your organization needs the capability of Copilot and has the ability to use it.

Going in, you can be assured that Microsoft is aware of your privacy concerns and doesn’t use your data to train its AI models. Microsoft 365 Copilot complies with privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and security measures are in place regardless of whether you have a Pro license.

We can help you with the entire Copilot process. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss what you need Copilot to do, writing instructions for Copilot, determining the number of seats you’ll need and training the people who will occupy those seats.

Cameras, Audio and NVRs

Businesses and homeowners are turning to the latest video and sound recording systems to improve their security systems. But as news reports show, even the most sophisticated systems can be defeated by knocking them off Wi-Fi networks. You can regain your edge by putting your cameras and sound recording devices on an NVR – network video recorder – system.

An NVR is a specialized computer system designed to record video from IP cameras over a network. It serves as a central hub for video surveillance, enabling storage and remote viewing of footage. Because it works on a hard-wired ethernet network instead of Wi-Fi, you can harden your system security and still have it work across multiple networks and any devices that can access the internet.

What we like about NVRs is that they avoid Wi-Fi networks, which can be the weakest links in any communications/security system. As long as there is power to the hub – to which cameras and microphones are connected – your system remains fully functional.

A number of security systems use DVRs to record, process and save collected images. NVRs offer several key advantages:

  • They handle video that is already encoded by the cameras, which allows for efficient storage and management. Video quality is up to 4K.
  • Video can be recorded to various storage devices, including hard drives, USB flash drives, and memory cards.
  • Users can access recorded footage remotely via smartphones or PCs, enhancing surveillance capabilities and use features such as video analytics, motion detection, and remote configuration.
  • Power over Ethernet (PoE) can simplify installation by providing power and data through a single cable.
  • They continue to record images even if your internet service goes out.

When you add it all up, NVRs are increasingly preferable to DVRs for modern surveillance systems because of their efficiency, scalability, and advanced capabilities. However, installing and configuring an NVR is not a DIY project. Hardware installation requires a trained professional, and an IT specialist can configure your system based on your needs and your tech setup.

We can help you decide if an NVR is right for you, help you select a system that meets your needs, recommend an installer and then configure your system for maximum effectiveness. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to learn more about NVR technology and schedule an appointment to get into the specifics of your needs.

Know Your Dongle Specs

Dongles are a fact of life. We want smaller, lighter-weight computers, especially when we travel, but we don’t want to sacrifice capability. Plugging a dongle with multiple ports into our device can increase the number of tools we can use but not knowing how the ports are labeled can cost you efficiency.

One of the biggest inefficiencies of dongle use is that we don’t plug our power connection into the proper port. That means we run on battery power more than we want and waste the connection on something else, such as a thumb drive or external hard drive.

You can improve your life considerably if you plug the USB part of your power adapter into the power delivery port on your dongle. It’s usual indicated by a “bolt” symbol. That’s the simple part.

The more complicated part is that no two dongles are created equal. There are differences in how a hub manages and shares bandwidth between devices connected to it matters. You may have noticed that MacBooks and some Windows laptops that clone the MacBook design have two USB-C ports next to each other. Some dongle manufacturers take advantage of that by selling a hub that connects to both ports at once, and so it can share the bandwidth of both ports around.

It’s common for these hub devices to have a single upstream USB controller that handles bandwidth allocation between devices. If you have a USB 3.1 dongle – or hub – and have a faster USB 4 plug and device plugged into the dongle, you’ll only get the slower performance speed. It’s just like feeding a fire hydrant connection into a garden hose. The best solution is to get a dongle that matches your fastest port, such as a Thunderbolt dongle for a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt is a brand name for high-powered USB systems.

If you have a fast portable hard drive to connect to your computer or other device, the same principles apply. You need a dongle or hub that matches the speed of your device and the drive.

We can help you make sure your computers and devices are matched with a compatible dongle. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us with your computer’s specifications or the make and model of your computer. We can look at the specs and help you match up a suitable dongle. Don’t let it dangle.