Windows 10…Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’

Windows 10 is continuing its rollout. If you have a qualified computer, you can upgrade to the new OS for Windows-based computers over the next 11 months or so. We’re seeing a lot of tips and tricks for Win 10 floating around the Internet, and that’s a good sign people are embracing it. Here are some remedies for some concerns.

For the most part, Windows 10 has been working fine for most installations. The biggest early problem we have seen is with application software that has been customized primarily for businesses. In all likelihood, the app software publisher should be the one to update their code to meet the needs of Windows 10. Check with them to see if they have updated their code. If enough customers let them know it’s a need, they’ll get it done to protect their business base, if nothing else. If they don’t do it, start planning for new app software because change is an ongoing process, and you’ll hit serious limitations with an outdated program.

Microsoft is pushing out updates and fixes as other issues are reported, so we don’t think it’s worth waiting for bugs to be corrected. It took less than two weeks for the company to start issuing the cumulative updates, and the new OS is designed to install them automatically.

However, if you want to turn off the automation and choose which updates to install and when to install them, you can select those options. You can also choose to update all Windows 10 computers on a network.

A number of users are concerned about Windows 10’s capability to share passwords for Wi-Fi networks. Again, you can turn off that function.

You can explore all of your options by going to the new Control Panel. Click on Settings and then click on Updates and Security. Then, click on Advanced Options. Choose “How Updates are Installed” and “How Updates are Delivered” customize them to your preferences.

Some problems with Windows 10 have involved drivers. Check with the manufacturers or Windows Updates to see if new drivers are available. They should be there, and everything works fine once you install the new drivers.

While we have seen a lot of complaints about having to pay for some features that used to be free, we’re seeing that many of them involve having to pay for games such as Solitaire. Our reaction: “Come on!”

The more important concern is whether to use Microsoft’s built-in (free) security software. We’ll just remind you that Microsoft is not in the security business. We strongly encourage you to get your security software from providers who specialize in that field.

Again, just to repeat the experience of loading Windows 10 on my son’s computer, all I did was start the process. While it was loading, I ran some errands. When I returned home, all I had to was accept the licensing agreement, and the computer was ready to go.

We know new technology has its quirks, and we know some people can be intimidated by it. We can talk you through some of the issues with a quick phone call – 973-433-6676 – or remote in to help you. We can also answer some of your questions by email. Just let us know how we can serve you.

Office 2016 Crosses Multiple Platforms

If you find working across multiple platforms problematic, Microsoft has your solution with Office 2016. The new version is now in preview for IT specialists and developers, and we like how it will be consistent across PC and Mac platforms and on all devices.

Consistency is a big deal, especially for on-the-go business users who switch between Windows and Mac operating systems as well as switching among computers and devices. There have been differences in application-use options and appearances when opening Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, and your annoyance has increased with your level of urgency when you need to work.

Some nice touches for Office 2016 include color-coded headers that correspond to the apps you have open. That’s a great little convenience when you’re working with a Word doc and Excel file – and maybe with a PowerPoint presentation open, too. As you get into working with an app, the ribbon will have a “Tell Me What You Want to Do” box where you can type in your request, such as inserting a table or a picture. You’ll get a list of options.

Outlook will be more customizable to your computer’s or device’s screen, and the photo application within Office 2016 will automatically orient any photo you insert to the portrait or landscape mode so that you’re no longer stuck with an upside-down or sideways view.

Office 2016 should also be better at keeping data from falling into the wrong hands. Expanded use of the “Data Loss Protection” feature, previously found only in Outlook, Exchange, OneDrive for Business, and SharePoint allows administrators to create rules to prevent things like leaks of personally identifying information, such as emails that appear to contain social security numbers.

Office 2016 is available for the Mac, while the Windows version is for developers and IT professionals. Following the Microsoft trend, it’s available by subscription, which we like because it keeps the program up to date for all performance and security solutions.

Those of you who have Office 365 will be able to get Office 2016 as part of your update rights. That’s one of the benefits of the subscription. If we’re holding volume licenses for your business, we’ll give you your upgrade when we can both maximize installation efficiency.

We’ll keep you updated on how we like working with our version of Office 2016, but if you’re ready for an office update, don’t wait. We can help you buy and install Office 365 now and then guide you smoothly through the transition to the latest version. If you’re not sure whether you should use the subscription version of Office or buy it outright, we can present the pros and cons of each for you. Just remember, if you buy it outright, we can’t install or reinstall your software without the disk and serial number.

Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us with any questions you have about Office 365 and what’s coming in Office 2016. We can help you install it and sync it for all of your licensed computers and devices.

Windows 10: Our Initial Evaluation

We just installed a test version of Windows 10 on one of our laptops to put it through its paces. Based on first impressions, we like a lot of what we’re seeing – unlike Windows 8.

For our businesses, which need to accommodate a wide range of technical knowledge among their users, getting everyone up to speed will be much faster. While Windows 10 has some features of Windows 8, it has much more in common with Windows 7 and XP.

The new Start menu gets back to the efficiency many users became accustomed to with Windows 7 and XP, beginning with its location at the bottom left corner of the screen. But it will have some of the visual cues from Windows 8 that made that OS more adaptable to tablets and smart phones. You’ll be able to customize the application programs you want to activate from the Start menu by adjusting the size and location of tiles to click and launch. If your computer is set up with a touchscreen, you’ll be able to tap and swipe just like you do on a device. That feature may prove useful for people who go back and forth between computers and devices.

Windows 10 will let you click a button to see all of your open apps and windows, and a black box running along the bottom of the display will prompt you to create a virtual desktop to keep everything you open there as an independent work space. Users who like to run several different types of programs will be able to create separate desktops for each. Business users will be able to create one desktop for specific applications related to one type of business task. Home office users will be able to separate work and personal-use applications, and home users will be able to group all sort of uses such as shopping, entertainment and gaming.

Microsoft will be getting closer to how we work and play in many other areas. It will include Cortana, its virtual assistant, which will be able to run in the background and offer assistance as you browse. That will be more useful on mobile devices, especially if you need something like a review and directions for a restaurant on your browser.

The new Photos app will scan your devices and OneDrive account for photos and arrange them into a giant collection. It will also automatically enhance all of the photos it finds, fixing red-eye and exposure levels if you like. It will be completely optional, and works on raw files, too — if you don’t like a change, you can undo it so you can undo changes without affecting the original file.

These are just some general improvements we like for Windows 10. What are some features or capabilities you’d like to see in the new OS? Let us know by phone – 973-433-6676 – or email. We can see if they’re included and help you access them.

Remember, Microsoft will offer a “free upgrade” from Windows 7 when Windows 10 is released this summer, but as we’ve noted before, the free version is likely intended to get you into a subscription that will automatically update to maintain system performance and security. We can discuss that, too.

 

‘Free’ Windows 10 Upgrade

Microsoft plans to introduce Windows 10 during the second half of the year – and it’s offering free upgrades for Windows 7 and 8. Free? Well, sort of.

Although nothing is set in cyberstone, early indications are that Microsoft will provide a free upgrade for qualified customers for a year. After that, you may have an option to continue with whatever version you downloaded; buy a copy or sign up for a subscription.

That last possibility may be the way Microsoft will go. The company has been pushing subscription-based software for a long time – at least as far as time is measured in technology – and it seems to be successful. Office 365 is a major part of their business, and when it’s time to upgrade software, Microsoft upgrades Office 365 first.

We like Office 365, and our customers who have subscribed like it. We know email will always work, and we know that all the performance and security updates will be installed. If Windows 10 follows the Office 365 model, we believe it will be a great product, especially for homes, home offices and small businesses.

The upgrade offer will likely apply to Windows-based computers and devices, and that makes sense for Microsoft as the company tries to expand and strengthen its customer base through integration. The company believes that as customers start to learn better how the software works, they will grow to appreciate (or become dependent upon) the innovations and will pay to stay on board with the most up-to-date software available.

So, who may be left out of the free offer? Enterprise users will not qualify for the free upgrade. In not so many words, Microsoft notes that enterprise customers are already on subscription for the service and that they will see the value of maintaining Microsoft across all of their platforms.

Many anti-virus programs and other applications are already available through subscription, and we advise you to take advantage of the benefits. In almost all cases, the subscription works out to be less expensive when you factor in all the benefits of performance and security – especially as hacking becomes more prevalent.

Now would be a good time to start assessing how you can take advantage of Windows 10. Most of the systems on Windows 7 and all of the systems on Windows 8 or 8.1 should be able to migrate to the new OS. We can help you evaluate your current system and see how it can meet your ongoing needs over the next 6 to 24 months. That can help you budget for seamlessly moving forward with your technology. Call us at 973-433-6676 or email us to set up an appointment.

Low-Cost Upgrades for Your Office Systems

When an office system doesn’t seem to perform at the warp speed it once did, your instinct may be to replace it. We won’t call that “warped” thinking, but you can get more mileage out of your equipment. It’s been a good way to get off to a great start with new clients who come to us with a sense of desperation.

One client came to us after their server crashed. In discussing the problem, we learned that most of the company’s people worked from outside the office. They used GoToMyPC to log in, access their files and do their work. The limited access meant that employees had to schedule their time to access the server and their files, and that was grossly inefficient.

The client wanted to add more applications and files to the system, and they were ready to buy a new server to accommodate all they wanted to do. We showed them that it was unnecessary.

Our solution was to set up a Dropbox system. It eliminated the need to schedule server access, simplified the process for getting files and made life much easier. Dropbox is one of many applications that use off-site storage for files – aka The Cloud – but it’s the one that worked best in this situation.

We also made life easier for Michelle at another new client’s office. Michelle is not a person; Michelle is a desktop PC in a three-person office, and the problem was that the three people in the office couldn’t access files when they needed them.

Our simple solution was to install a network drive in Michelle. Now, everyone can work efficiently.

Of course, there are times when a new server – and little reorganization – can solve the problem. One client had a number of printers with identity crises. Some of the printers had the same names but served different functions, and some that served the same functions had different names.

By installing a new server and standardizing the nomenclature for all the printers, the server can assume administrative responsibilities, allowing all the technology to run as it’s supposed to.

By the way, if your office has Macs and Windows-based software, we can set up a virtual PC that can run the software faster than a regular PC.

Do you want to find less expensive ways to have a more efficient office? Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss your current setup and your productivity needs. It might be an easier fix than you think.

 

Security and Convenience

Major retailers have been vulnerable to security breaches because we want convenience. New credit card systems that rely on chips instead of magnetic strips will help solve the security issue and so will Apple’s new ApplePay, which uses NFC (Near Field Communications) technology.

There won’t be any need to open an app or even wake your display because of the combination of NFC and the antenna in iPhone 6. To pay, just hold your iPhone near the contactless reader with your finger on Touch ID. You don’t even have to look at the screen to know your payment information was successfully sent. A subtle vibration and beep lets you know.

Instead of using your actual credit and debit card numbers the system assigns a unique Device Account Number that is encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element, a dedicated chip in iPhone. These numbers are never stored on Apple servers. When you make a purchase, the Device Account Number, along with a transaction-specific dynamic security code, is used to process your payment. So your actual credit or debit card numbers are never shared by Apple with merchants or transmitted with payment.

If your iPhone is ever lost or stolen, you can use Find My iPhone to quickly put your device in Lost Mode so nothing is accessible, or you can wipe your iPhone clean completely.

This is a major step toward convenience and security. Another step will be the replacement of that magnetic strip on your credit with chip technology already in use in most of the world. Again, it will separate your credit and debit card info from the info stored by retailers.

Retailers’ storage of your transactions and credit and debit card info has given you the convenience of being able to return merchandise without a receipt. It also presented a plump, juicy target for hackers. Banks, which bear the liability of covering the cost of fraud, are behind efforts to speed up the conversion to this new technology. Their goal, of course, is to minimize their risk, and they’ll minimize ours, too.

New credit and debit cards will be better for those of us who still carry them around in our wallets. Apple Pay and evolving technologies will help us get rid of our wallets all together – and probably our keys, too.

Millennials are driving device technology. They don’t like to bother with carrying wallets and keys and anything else they deem bulky. The changes are likely to trickle down to the rest of us, especially as we find them to be secure and convenient.

While the new technology looks great, there are other steps you can take now to protect your data. We’ve discussed these measures before:

  • Strengthen your password. The greater the combination you can use of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters, the longer it will take for hackers to crack your password.
  • Use two-factor authentication for Internet access to your data. It’s a second password, a reference to a graphic symbol or an answer to a question. Dropbox now offers it, and you can click here to learn more.
  • Look before you click. Use common sense when clicking on websites or opening attachments to email. If something doesn’t look right or feel right, leave it alone.
  • Make sure your protection is up to date and running. Anti-virus programs, malware programs and firewalls for home and office systems can prevent unwanted problems and intrusions. Make sure you have all systems up to date and turned on.

Now you can buy your new iPhone 6 or 6+ and enjoy the benefits of Apple Pay and NFC – whenever the technology is activated, most likely in October.

What your thoughts on this? How willing are you to embrace this new technology? Share your thoughts with us. And if you have any questions about buying an iPhone 6 or 6+ or any other phone, tablet or computer and getting them all to work together, drop us an email or give us a call at 973-433-6676.

The OS Outlook

Operating System updates are a way of life, but some of them can offer the means to change your technology life.

Apple’s iOS 8 is getting all the attention now because it coincides with the introduction of the iPhone 6 models and the Apple Watch. In our home, we’re using the new OS to monitor and control our kids’ use of their phones and devices, and we’re taking advantage of cool features, such as integrating with our iPads and computers.

Yosemite, the next OS for Apple computers will have similar ties. The net effect will be to put more pieces of the integration puzzle together.

Similarly, Google is looking for more integration with its Android OS for mobile devices and Chrome for laptop and desktop computers. Reports indicate that Android ???L devices will able to tell a Chromebook the user is nearby and have the laptop automatically login — doing away with the password once again. Chrome will also be able to display SMS messages and call details on a Chromebook and warn that your nearby phone is running low on battery.

On the Microsoft side, we’re working hard to get past our issues with Windows 8, which we believe fell short of integrating the tablet look and feel with laptop and desktop computers. We are looking forward to hearing about changes or seeing previews of the next Windows OS – hopefully a new Windows 9.

To counter the problems of Windows 8, we have encouraged clients to buy new computers capable of running Windows 7. We are now hearing rumors that Microsoft will end its support of Windows 7 in January 2015. What that means is that support options will change.

We believe Windows 7 will remain a strong OS. Many companies are still rolling out Windows 7 systems, and we still see more XP operating systems than we care to acknowledge. We continue to recommend migrating from XP to Windows 7 to get better performance and tighter security.

We can help you select and manage devices, computers and operating systems. Drop us an email or call us at 973-433-6676 to discuss your needs.

Spend More for Speed and Capacity

As we demand more performance from our IT systems, our choices can come down to balancing the speed to write files and the cost of storage media. You can have the best of both worlds if you combine planning and foresight.

A number of so-called “power users” have fallen in love with SSD (solid state) drives, which are totally electronic. They contain no moving parts and they can write data to memory with lightning speed. But they have their downsides, such as cost per gigabyte of storage and the lifetime of the data in flash memory. Data recovery is a much more complicated and labor-intensive process than if you have mechanical drives.

As a result, we think they’re better suited for users with higher levels of technical knowledge and corporations that have the technical capability to support the drives and their users. Most users and small businesses can get great system performance by buying the right drives for computers and servers and planning to replace systems after five years.

We find some basics have held true over our 20 years of IT service.

For individual computers, we recommend SATA drives. They are more than adequate in terms of storage size and speed and provide good cost value. Today’s desktop and laptop computers are available with hard drives having 1 terabyte or more of storage. Some bargain hunters think they’re saving money by buying a smaller 500 GB hard drive, but file sizes are growing larger, and they can eat up free space very quickly. If you’re planning to keep your computer five years – or even longer – you’ll likely exhaust the capacity sooner than you planned, and you’ll need to replace the hard drive (and restore files) or buy a larger external hard drive. As we’ve noted before, once you approach 60% to 75% of your hard drive’s capacity, you make it more difficult for your computer to write files to the drive, and that can severely limit performance. It’s much more cost-effective to buy a large-capacity drive with the computer, which is already set up with the right RAM (random access memory) capacity and motherboard to optimize performance.In addition to size, get a hard drive with enough speed. In general, SATA drives range up to 7200 RPM. When you combine the larger size and RAM with the higher speed, you’ll get better performance for a longer time, and that will keep you happier with your investment.

If you do find you need a new hard drive for your desktop, we may be able to walk you through the process of installing your new drive and recovering your data from an online backup site or an external drive.

For a server, we’ve found SAS drives running at 10,000 to 15,000 RPM offer the best performance. Again, your needs will grow as your business grows, and you’ll want to be able to add upgraded application software, more file storage capacity and more users without sacrificing performance. Whatever you save in buying under-performing technology can be eaten up very quickly in reduced production and unnecessary, unplanned downtime.

For us, the bottom line is getting our clients to think proactively about planning for a cost-effective technology purchase today and budgeting for the next purchase. Everyone has different needs and budget constraints, but everyone has the opportunity to take a smart approach. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss your hard-drive and system needs for your computers and servers. Making the right decision today can save you money and give you peace of mind.

Software: A Cost of Doing Business

A common question from a number of our smaller clients is:” Does that computer price include (Microsoft) Office?” Our answer is always “no,” and it’s followed by the comment: “Well, our previous guy included Office.” That inclusion may have been questionable at best and didn’t do the client any favors.

The issue typically arises when we go to set up a computer system we ordered for a client. They may have been running a copy of Office but have no master disks or a product key, which indicates they don’t have a licensed copy. That makes it impossible to install the software.

We are not the software police, and we’re not making any accusations. It’s entirely possible you had a legal copy to use if the person who installed the software had a license to do so. Our tipoff is when we see a small business running the enterprise version of Office. No small business would ever buy this version of Office, and Microsoft doesn’t sell single copies. If you happen to be running it, only the person who installed it would be able to reinstall it – if he still has the license.

But as with everything else in life, nothing is really free. If you have “free” use or reduced-cost use of software such as Office but can’t reinstall it and continue your operations seamlessly, what have you saved?

What other costs might you incur? The cheaper cost is simply buying the software. The more expensive cost is any business interruption that results from losing your application software unexpectedly.

What are your options?

First, you can buy a single copy for one-time use on one computer. Shop online. The cost should be somewhere around $220.

If you have more than one computer, you can buy a subscription to Office 365, which provides your Microsoft Office suite and Outlook. It costs $150 per year to cover up to five computers, and you can find plans to cover more computers if needed. With Office 365, you will access your application and data files over the Internet – through the cloud – and you can store a data file, such as a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, on your computer’s hard drive.

You can also buy multiple-computer licenses from Microsoft, and that might be beneficial for small businesses still using Office 2007 or 2010. You’ll need to buy Office 2013, but you’ll have “downgrade” rights to license the software and get the media and product keys you’ll need for reinstallations.

We can help you select the right software purchase plan for your business or home based on the number of computers you have and the versions that make sense for continuity and consistency. Give us a call – 973-433-6676 – or send us an email to set up an appointment. Software has a cost, but not having licensed software usually carries a higher cost.

It’s a Matter of Trust – and Reassurance

Choosing the right technology is a balance between investing your money wisely and getting enough system capability and capacity to do a little more than you might envision at the time of purchase. The planning stage is the time to ask questions and get advice from your IT provider and trusted friends.

Most people are not that tech savvy, but they buy what they’re told because they trust an advisor or more knowledgeable friend. To paraphrase a PSA (public service announcement) from a few years ago, friends don’t let friends buy the wrong technology. Our friendly and professional advice is: Don’t skimp on technology today because it will cost you more money in less time than you think.

The story of a client with a two-year-old computer illustrates the point. He’s rapidly running out of space on his hard drive – which has only 80 GB of storage. Not only is the storage space too small, the rest of the computer’s tech specs are just not up to date for today’s world. A computer should last three to five years. So, spending $100 or $200 more would have avoided spending $500 to $600 or so now.

In 25 years in the IT business, one of the things we’ve learned is that we always ask our technology systems to do more than we planned. Today, a hard drive with 250 GB of space is relatively small, 500 GB can be acceptable, and 1 TB (terabyte) or more is ideal. Besides needing more storage space for bigger files – at work or at home – we need more RAM (random access memory) and faster processors to work with larger more complex files or handle streaming video over the Internet. Disk speeds are faster, too, also improving performance.

As for cost, we haven’t raised our prices on computers for the past two years, but you still get more. That’s because technology continues to improve and prices actually come down. In a sense, you get more power for the same money every time you make a purchase.

In addition to giving you more power, we don’t partition hard drives. This gives you the flexibility to add more programs and the space to store files and access them. When you change computers or hard drives, it’s easier to transfer your data and programs.

Rapidly changing technology makes it imperative to have a professional assessment for your business and a consultation for home computers. Good planning will help you get the best value for your money and give you better performance with fewer worries about your system’s ability to handle more tasks. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to start your assessment or just to ask our opinion. And check with your knowledgeable friends, too. As we see it, the only way you can go wrong is by not going far enough.