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The new flashy set of PCs your company just bought last year are becoming outdated, and you don’t have enough IT staff to maintain them. The same goes with servers, wireless printers and faxes. If this is your current situation, it might be time to consider changing the way you obtain and manage your hardware. […]

28 Jul, 2016 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Hardware category

2016July28_Hardware_BThe new flashy set of PCs your company just bought last year are becoming outdated, and you don’t have enough IT staff to maintain them. The same goes with servers, wireless printers and faxes. If this is your current situation, it might be time to consider changing the way you obtain and manage your hardware. Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) is a pay-as-you-go model where you pay your Managed Services Provider a monthly fee while they take care of all your hardware upgrades, maintenance and management. Here are 5 reasons HaaS might be a better answer for your business.

1. Save money

The first reason is simple: money. For SMBs, cash flow is a crucial matter. By shifting to HaaS you can say goodbye to the tedious and costly process of having to buy all the hardware outright. By paying a monthly fee to a Managed Services Providers (MSPs), you can turn a big capital investment into a small, manageable operational expense that leaves you money for other urgent matters.

2. Kiss out-of-date tech goodbye

Given limited financial resource, it’s not easy for SMEs to catch up with the latest technology. In a highly competitive business arena, you cannot win the game with your century old CPU while your competitors benefit from the latest technology. By using HaaS, your MSP has a responsibility to ensure that all of your hardware is capable of handling tasks efficiently, and they will achieve that through hardware upgrades and replacements.

3. Better maintenance

Buying new hardware isn’t the end of everything. Like most things in life, hardware needs to be taken care of. And most of the time, SMEs lack the proper expertise, knowledge, or even time to maintain it. HaaS solves this problem by letting your MSP do all the hardware management for you.

4. Better scalability for your business

As time progresses, your organization grows and changes, which means the needs for IT equipment changes too. HaaS solutions allow you to scale up or down as your business needs change so you don’t have to stick with unnecessary tools you no longer use.

5. Improve security

When it comes to security, software isn't the only thing that needs to be up to date -- your hardware does too. HaaS makes it easy to update to newer hardware, which is crucial to ensure adequate security. For instance, if you need a more powerful backup and recovery solution, your MSP will help you obtain new equipment as needed.

Thinking about switching to Haas but not sure where to start? Why not contact us today? We provide a variety of HaaS solutions tailored to suit any business’s needs. Tell us your IT requirements and let’s see what we can do.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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In today’s modern day and age, the term “upgrade” has become associated with everything from hotel rooms to web browsers. It usually implies “better,” and who wouldn’t want that? After returning from a brief break, the web browser debuted its arsenal of upgraded functions -- 8 to be exact -- that helps make every browsing […]

27 Jul, 2016 / by Complete Technology Resources / in category

2016July27_Browsers_BIn today’s modern day and age, the term “upgrade” has become associated with everything from hotel rooms to web browsers. It usually implies “better,” and who wouldn’t want that? After returning from a brief break, the web browser debuted its arsenal of upgraded functions -- 8 to be exact -- that helps make every browsing session more effortless and efficient. Here they are:

Firefox Hello

Introducing Firefox’s very own chat client complete with video chat functionalities. Access this bad boy by clicking on the smiley face on the top-right corner. Google Hangouts users should get the hang of it in no time -- no software download necessary. Technically, you don’t even have to be on Firefox to use Hello; just be sure you’re on WebRTC-supported browsers like Chrome or Opera.

Firefox’s secret interface

Catering to the more tech-savvy users, Firefox’s secret interface gives you a peek behind the curtain into the world of coding. This helps you make adjustments to improve browser performance. Don’t have too much fun, though -- exercise caution at all times!

Customize your Control Panel

Choose which items you want to see, and maybe even discover new ones you might have never known about! Decorate your control panel all you like! Click on the hamburger in the top-right corner and then click Customize at the bottom. Drag and drop desired items into the “Additional Tools and Features” window, and presto!

Assess browser health

Firefox’s Health Reports compiles data on user behavior and overall performance to provide you with comparisons and meaningful tips. Also, the aggregated data reveals various ways to improve your browsing experience. This personalized report consists of figures on browsing data, time spent browsing, crashes, as well as how long it takes to open a new tab (measured in milliseconds, of course).

The master password

‘One can never be too safe’ is the mentality you should have every time you log on. Enter the master password. This acts like a key that unlocks all your vital passwords and information that could be detrimental if left exposed. Create your own by going to the Menu button > Options > Security tab. Then check the box next to “Use a master password” and follow the directions in the pop-up window.

Customize your own shortcuts

If Mozilla’s current shortcuts take too long to master, consider your problem solved. With the help of the Customizable Shortcuts extension, you have the luxury to design your very own shortcut sequences. No more confusion, no more time wasted.

URL Auto-Complete

To spare you the fuss of entering prefixes or suffixes, Firefox lets the new URL auto-complete feature do the work for you. For example, type in “wordpress” in the address bar followed by Ctrl + Enter (Mac: Command + Enter) and voila! Firefox fills in the www and the .com parts. Other variations include “Wordpress” followed by Control + Shift + Enter (Mac: Command + Shift + Enter) for .org sites. For any dot-net sites, you would type the URL followed by Shift + Enter.

Firefox Share

If you haven’t noticed the tiny paper plane icon in the top left corner, then say hello to the new Firefox share button. This enables you to share whatever you want to a multitude of social media accounts. Make sure you’re logged into the accounts you want to send to, and spread the word with a single click. Manage accounts by heading to the Add-ons manager > services.

Improving browser usage is key to acquiring a competitive edge -- a vital component to rising above the rest and achieving success. If you have any questions or are uncertain about any Firefox upgrades, feel free to give us a call. We are more than happy to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Have you seen folks wandering around downtown, staring at their phone like it was a map pointing them to a pot of gold? Or ordering pizza over a Facebook chat conversation with an awkward cashier? With some creative marketing and structuring, your SMB could be on the other side of those people’s phones. Tech fads, […]

26 Jul, 2016 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Business Value category

2016July25_BusinessValue_BHave you seen folks wandering around downtown, staring at their phone like it was a map pointing them to a pot of gold? Or ordering pizza over a Facebook chat conversation with an awkward cashier? With some creative marketing and structuring, your SMB could be on the other side of those people’s phones. Tech fads, even if they don’t last long, are a treasure trove of cheap new customers -- if you know how to cheaply capitalize on these trends. Here are our five tips on how to achieve that.

Get in early

One of the biggest indicators of how successful your SMB will be in making big gains off of a new trend is how early you get in. Fads, especially in the tech world, can come and go in no time. Be careful not to invest in resources with a long-term commitment like new logos or graphics, but instead in low-cost workarounds like special promotions and social media campaigns that put you front and center immediately. Once the popular kids have moved onto a fresh fixation, you’ll be ready to move forward without skipping a beat.

Use existing tools

How can you get up to speed quickly without investing too much in permanent resources? The trick is to hijack existing opportunities and strategies for your own message. For example, John Deere has been selling farming equipment for over 150 years, with no signs of slowing down. But with a creative combination of existing GPS technology and mobile devices, they quickly jumped to the forefront of the “Internet of Things” craze by connecting their vehicles to crop planning practices.

Participate in the narrative

So you’ve identified a trend you want to cash in on and you’ve commandeered existing tools to help sell your product. How else can you gain momentum? Social media is everywhere nowadays, and it doesn’t seem to be a dying trend. However, it’s no panacea; simply posting “We’ve got a promotion on all seasonal products #inserttechfadhere” won’t bring obsessed customers to your doorstep. Take a minute to understand the mechanics of what pulls everyone away from work, friends, and family, and show participants you’re one of them. Is it competitive? Polarizing? Take a stand or pick a team and invite customers who are “on your side” to get a discount.

Merge the fad with your business model

With a little creative brainstorming, most business models can actually integrate their product or service with a passing trend. Chatbots have been shoring up the “deep learning” revolution, and clothing retailers have come up with a really creative way to employ them to drive sales. By simply providing their chatbots with a fashion tree, the bots can ask basic questions which whittle down clothing recommendations to those that align with customers’ tastes.

Address difficulties presented by the fad

What if you can’t find a way for your products or services to directly interact with the blazing new trend? The next best thing is to provide solutions to problems presented by it. Does interacting with the popular app or activity eat up a lot of mobile device battery? Remind passersby your outlets are available for customers, or that you sell mobile battery packs. Does it require driving all over town? Remind customers of your latest car rental promotion. Sometimes just associating yourself with the trend is enough.

Not sure how to integrate your business with the latest fads? We’re the experts on all things technology related, from the most recent to the ancient. As a small- to medium-sized business owner, getting the most value out of your technology investments is crucial to getting your foot in the door and working your way toward bigger profits. From machine learning to Pokémon GO, no question is too trivial -- ask us today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Most people have always assumed that a landline from the established local telco is what their office needs, but the new reality is that you have options. Now you can choose to make calls over the internet with VoIP (Voice over IP) and enjoy convenience, simple set-up, and all the features you’d expect from a […]

25 Jul, 2016 / by Complete Technology Resources / in VoIP category

2016July25_VoIP_BMost people have always assumed that a landline from the established local telco is what their office needs, but the new reality is that you have options. Now you can choose to make calls over the internet with VoIP (Voice over IP) and enjoy convenience, simple set-up, and all the features you’d expect from a traditional phone system, for less money. But what about call quality?

Phones are an absolutely essential aspect of any company’s communications arsenal. And after Alexander Graham Bell made the first coast-to-coast long-distance call in 1915, it was clear that this was technology that had the power to transform business. But as with all emerging technologies, there were some kinks to work out.

Those earliest phones had power and leakage issues surrounding the wet cell batteries; more recently, cell phones have had their failings as well, such as dropped calls and short battery life; and today, VoIP technology has to deal with some minor complications, too.

The keyword, though, is “minor,” and our aim today is to help you identify these relatively slight hangups and help you optimize an already superior telephony solution.

Voice Echo

It’s fun to hear your voice repeating throughout the high-walled canyon you’re hiking, but not so great when you’re having a quick chat on the phone. And while VoIP echo won’t totally disrupt your conversation, there are a few things you can do to reduce it such as adjusting volume and gain settings, upgrading your USB headsets, or even implementing VoIP echo cancellation software.

Static

Many VoIP systems use an ATA, or Analog Telephone Adapter, to convert analog voice signals to digital signals. This sometimes produces static during calls, with the culprits usually being incompatible power supplies or feedback from the phones plugged into the ATA. Easy fixes include unplugging/replugging the ATA and/or the devices connected to it, or switching to IP Phones which require no analog/digital conversions.

Choppy Voice

The main factor in disjointed, start-stop sounding messages in a VoIP environment is packet loss, which occurs if individual data “packets” are lost in transmission. When this occurs, the gateway at the receiving end of the call tries to predict what’s been lost, but when it can’t, the gap in data remains empty. With a simple tweak to your VoIP system’s bandwidth settings, sending and receiving voice data will become smoother and significantly reduce these interruptions.

Post-dial Delay

Commonly referred to as PDD in VoIP parlance, post-dial delay is fairly self-explanatory. It refers to a delay between the time the caller finishes dialing and when they hear ringing, a busy signal, or some other kind of “in-call” information. It can be a nuisance when, instead of the ringing being delayed, it never actually occurs and you suddenly realize that your call has been connected. This is actually an externality from a vital piece of VoIP technology known as SIP. At the moment the only solace we can offer is that its widespread nature means you’re not alone, and a solution should be coming along soon.

By now it’s clear to most SMBs that a VoIP phone system can benefit their business, even with the occasional delayed ring or scratchy call. Because what we’ve learned from previous telephony advances is that inconveniences like this are manageable; and we can help you manage. From VoIP planning to installation to optimization, contact us today for more information.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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