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Apple introduces new features in iOS 11.3

When you updated your Apple devices to iOS 11, you may have noticed the significant decrease in battery life. To solve that issue, Apple is releasing iOS 11.3, which comes with battery performance fixes and more features. Here’s everything we know so far about the new OS.

Battery management features

You might recall the infamous iOS software update in 2016 that deliberately slowed down iPhones.

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07 Feb, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in iPad, iPhone category
Apple introduces new features in iOS 11.3

When you updated your Apple devices to iOS 11, you may have noticed the significant decrease in battery life. To solve that issue, Apple is releasing iOS 11.3, which comes with battery performance fixes and more features. Here’s everything we know so far about the new OS.

Battery management features

You might recall the infamous iOS software update in 2016 that deliberately slowed down iPhones. Apple claims that this update was meant to prevent devices from an unexpected shutdown in case of low battery charge, old batteries, or extremely cold temperatures. Unsurprisingly, many users were unhappy about this, which is why Apple is including another battery management capability in its latest iOS update.

When you update to iOS 11.3, your devices’ battery life wouldn’t necessarily be longer; rather, you’ll have an option to disable the feature that slows down the phone. That means you can keep your phone running at peak or have your phone running slow with an extended battery life.

Business chat

With the Business chat feature, a user can ping a company’s customer service representative via the iMessage app to make an inquiry or purchase a product using Apple Pay. This could offer great convenience to customers, as they no longer have to call a company’s hotline or search for their contact details online.

But there’s a catch: This functionality is available only in selected business apps, including Wells Fargo, Lowe’s, Discover, and a few other brands.

Read and delete iMessages

Another iMessage update is the syncing of read and deleted messages. In the new OS, messages will more seamlessly sync across all devices, including iPhone, iPad and Mac. This makes it easier for you to organize your messages, ensures you’re all caught up on new messages, and keeps deleted messages deleted on all synced devices.

Augmented reality enhancements

ARKit, Apple’s augmented reality (AR) platform, allows developers to create AR applications for iPhones and iPads running on iOS 11 or higher. However, apps developed on this platform were limited to recognizing horizontal surfaces and regular-shaped objects. That means AR-capable apps will work only when used to capture a virtual object horizontally.

In iOS 11.3, the AR capability extends to vertical surfaces and irregularly shaped objects like spherical or other multi-dimensional items, and recognize flat-surface objects like signs and posters. This gives AR developers greater capability to build more complex apps.

Other key updates

The Health app also gets a new feature called Health Records, which consolidates your medical records from hospitals and clinics that allow patient records integration with the Apple app. Users can also expect key updates on Apple Music, Apple News, mobile location functionality, and other usability improvements.

As with any OS releases, iOS 11.3 will come with security updates and other enhancements that can be highly relevant to businesses using Apple devices. Our technology consultants can help you make the most of these updates and features. Call us for mobile productivity tips and tricks.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How to enjoy a better laptop experience

Did you just get the newest MacBook Pro? Or the Lenovo Yoga 920? Either would be very exciting, but before you start showing off your new purchase, there are five steps you should take to make your laptop experience even more enjoyable and long-lasting.

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06 Feb, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Hardware, Windows category
How to enjoy a better laptop experience

Did you just get the newest MacBook Pro? Or the Lenovo Yoga 920? Either would be very exciting, but before you start showing off your new purchase, there are five steps you should take to make your laptop experience even more enjoyable and long-lasting.

1. Update your laptop’s operating system

One of the first things you should do before using your laptop is upgrade its operating system. Assuming you did not purchase the laptop right when it was released, your laptop will still be running an older operating system. With important patches and fixes released in each new update, it is recommended that you install the latest one to ensure your laptop is free of any vulnerabilities.

2. Remove bloatware

Opening your laptop for the first time, you might notice that there are already several preloaded software in the system -- some of which you will probably never use. These are known as bloatware.

These apps take up a lot of your valuable drive space, so consider getting rid of them. The easiest way to do this is by downloading a bulk uninstaller, which allows you to check all the bloatware apps you don't want and remove them in one fell swoop.

3. Install protection software

It’s no secret that the world we live in is unsafe. And with so much confidential information nowadays becoming digitalized, it is necessary to protect yourself against losing important data from your computer. The solution to this is very simple. By installing antivirus software that can automatically -- or manually -- scan your computer at a scheduled time, potential attacks can be thwarted before they become more serious.

Not only is your laptop’s data vulnerable to cyberattacks, there is always a chance your laptop can get lost or stolen. While there are preventive steps you can take -- such as being mindful while using your laptop in public places -- another solution would be to install anti-theft software. Security features such as “Find My Device” for Windows 10 and “Prey” for other operating systems can help you locate your device if it’s ever stolen or misplaced.

4. Optimize your power settings

One of the most frequent problems that laptop users have is that their batteries run out of juice too fast. However, you can actually extend the battery life by making a few tweaks to your power settings.

Reduce your display brightness, but not so much that it causes eye and mental fatigue
Use the Sleep or Hibernate mode for your operating system

5. Set up a backup plan

Imagine spending months working on an important project and suddenly finding it nonexistent the next day just because your laptop crashed. Deadlines will be missed. Profit margins will decrease. Customers will leave unhappy. And if worse comes to worst, you’ll be out of business.

Why add more unnecessary stress if you can prevent it from happening in the first place? By setting up an automatic backup system, you can regularly save all your important files; that way, you’d still have access to the data anytime were anything to happen to the original file.

You can also store all your important documents in the cloud, which ensures access whenever you need, even if your laptop crashed or got stolen.

Getting a new laptop can be fun, but the joy might be short-lived if you don’t set up any preventive measures from the start. Call us for information on how we can help you secure your company’s laptop today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Tackling data storage issues in healthcare

Electronic health records (EHR) have enabled the healthcare industry to make spectacular advancements in patient care. But with this new technology comes concerns regarding privacy and security. While many companies are flocking to the cloud, some healthcare practices are creating better solutions with virtualization technology.

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05 Feb, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Hardware category
Tackling data storage issues in healthcare

Electronic health records (EHR) have enabled the healthcare industry to make spectacular advancements in patient care. But with this new technology comes concerns regarding privacy and security. While many companies are flocking to the cloud, some healthcare practices are creating better solutions with virtualization technology.

What is virtualization?

There are countless ways for healthcare practices to improve their operations with virtualization, but each type of virtualization uses software to define hardware parameters that are more in line with a practice’s needs.

For example, if you had a web portal for patients to view their appointment details or visit summaries, you’d need a desktop computer or server to run an application that kept the service running 24/7. But with a limited budget, you might also want that workstation to be available for other tasks and applications. As long as the portal service and miscellaneous programs are installed on the same computer, they’ll be competing for resources and slowing each other down.

With virtualization, you could use software to create two virtual, totally independent computers. Half of your workstation’s hardware would be dedicated to your web portal service, and the other half would be set aside for other tasks and applications. You define how much power each half gets so a performance issue with one half never drags down the other.

Storage virtualization in healthcare

One of the biggest pain points for healthcare providers is how to keep up with storage demands for EHRs. IT solutions need to be both secure and flexible enough to meet the evolving needs of patients and industry regulations.

Storage virtualization allows healthcare companies to design solutions based on their needs rather than the hardware they have on hand. For instance, if you have a server for EHRs that is running out of space, you could use software to pool leftover space from other servers and workstations to create one huge virtual drive.

With more efficient resource distribution, you can keep sensitive documents stored on site without investing in expensive hardware upgrades.

How to set up a virtualization solution

Setting up any sort of virtualization system is a complex process that requires an intimate understanding of computer hardware and software. To learn more about what sort of cost reductions our services can give you, give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Virtual DR: The best anti-ransomware tool

From CryptoLocker to WannaCry, ransomware has grown in sophistication and scope over the past few years. And given its widespread success with hackers, more ransomware attacks will likely be developed further into 2018. In anticipation of these attacks, many experts are saying that virtualized disaster recovery solutions may be the best way to defend against future ransomware.

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02 Feb, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Business Continuity category
Virtual DR: The best anti-ransomware tool

From CryptoLocker to WannaCry, ransomware has grown in sophistication and scope over the past few years. And given its widespread success with hackers, more ransomware attacks will likely be developed further into 2018. In anticipation of these attacks, many experts are saying that virtualized disaster recovery solutions may be the best way to defend against future ransomware.

Virtual DR
Virtual DR solutions allow you to create point-in-time copies, or “snapshots,” of operating systems, data, and virtual machines as they appear at a given point in time. These snapshots can then be loaded onto any workstation with everything still intact. In the event of a ransomware attack, administrators can essentially roll back the system to a point before the malware hit.

What’s great about point-in-time copy features is that they are automated. Just schedule the snapshots, and your virtual DR software will do the rest. And although virtual DR solutions vary, most of them have the capacity to store thousands of point-in-time copies, giving you plenty of restore points to choose from.

Why virtual DR trumps traditional DR
Traditional DR methods don’t have these features. Even though most computer operating systems have a system restore functionality, modern ransomware strains are designed to disable them. On the other hand, virtual DR software isolates point-in-time copies and restore functionality from virtual machines, which means they can’t be affected if one virtual machine was compromised with ransomware.

Another reason why traditional DR is not a great option is because there is a lot of manual labor involved. You have to copy all your data into a backup drive, reinstall applications, and reconfigure hardware. By the time you’ve recovered from the ransomware attack, the financial and reputational damage caused by downtime will have taken its toll on your business.

When recovering your system, you want as little hassle as possible. With virtual DR, you can load a clean, ransomware-free snapshot onto your system in less than 30 minutes.

However, implementing virtual DR can be complex, especially if you don’t have much IT expertise. But if you partner with us, this won’t be a problem! Call us today to get robust solutions that guarantee business continuity.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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