One of the most commonly marketed features of computers is the processor. The only problem is that the information can be a little confusing, as there are literally hundreds of different processors available, each with some sort of special feature. There’s no need to be confused, in fact, picking a processor really comes down to three different choices.

The processor, or CPU, is arguably the most important hardware component. It’s responsible for telling the other parts what to do, much like your brain. The processor is also an integral component in determining how useful an electronic device will be.

Processors are ranked in terms of hertz, or more commonly gigahertz e.g., 2.5 GHz. This is the frequency they run at. Generally, the higher the speed, the better the performance. Three different manufacturers produce a vast majority of the processors available for purchase.

1. Intel. Intel is the most popular and well-known maker of processors. Manufacturers like Dell, Apple, Samsung and HP all use Intel processors in their computers. Intel processors are the most stable and offer the best all-round performance. The current i3, i5 and i7 models represent entry, middle and high level hardware.
2. AMD. AMD is Intel’s biggest competitor, offering processors that are similar to Intel's, but at a, for the most part, cheaper price. The majority of computer manufacturers, except for Apple, also offer products with AMD processors. AMD’s Athlon processors are budget models while Phenom and FX are mainstream and high level respectively.
3. ARM. ARM processors are generally used in smartphones, mobile devices and tablets. Apple’s iPhone and iPad; Samsung’s Galaxy line and HTC devices all use some form of ARM processor in their mobile devices. A rule of thumb is, if it doesn’t have AMD or Intel in the name, it’s most likely an ARM processor.

When you’re looking for a new computer, it’s important to pay attention to the processor, as it will ultimately determine what you can do with the computer. If you’re ready for a new computer, and are unsure of solutions open to you, please contact us.

Smartphones are one of the tools that have been instrumental in blurring the lines between our personal and professional lives. While we’re at home, we access our work email and while we’re at work, we’re checking our personal email, all on the same device. As such, we tend to have a large amount of confidential information on our phones and should be taking steps to secure them.

Whether you have an Android, iPhone or Windows Phone 7, here are two tips to keep your smartphone secure:

Lock your screen If you have data or information on your phone you would like to keep secure, the first thing you should do is lock your screen. Most smartphone users lock their phone with a 4 digit number combination, but it’s recommended you use a password for higher security.

• On Android. To establish a password on your device go to Settings and select Security. Press Screen lock. On Ice Cream Sandwich, you have six options for security, with the least secure at the top and most secure at the bottom. Many users select Pattern or Password. Enter the password twice and press Confirm.
• On iPhone. Select the Settings app followed by General. From there select Passcode Lock and turn it on. You’ll be asked to set your passcode and confirm it.
• On Windows Phone. To set a passcode go to the home screen of your device. Open Settings from your Application list and select Lock & Wallpaper. Press Password, enter your password and then press Done.

It’s recommended that you set a password that’s unique. Don’t use your birthday, address or phone number. At the same time, you have to make it easy to remember. If you’re having trouble coming up with a password, this video by Mozilla is a big help.

Enable remote wipe While passwords and other security codes will go a long way in preventing others from accessing your phone, it often isn’t enough. The next step in device security is to set up the ability to remotely wipe your device.

• On Android. At this time there is no native remote wipe option on your phone. You’ll have to download an app from the Play store. The apps work by using a push service - you “push” the commands to your phone from another source i.e., a website. When you install the app, you’ll have to register your phone and access it from a website.
• On iPhone. The iPhone has remote wipe capabilities which can be accessed through iCloud. On your device select Settings, iCloud and turn on Find my iPhone. If you lose your phone log into iCloud and select Find my iPhone. From there you’ll be able to remotely wipe your device.
• On Windows Phone. If you lose your phone you can remotely wipe it by going to the Windows Phone website, logging in and selecting My Phone. From there you’ll be able to wipe your phone.

Even if you don’t have confidential information on your phone, it’s a good idea to, at the very least, set a solid passcode on your phone. Adding the ability to remotely wipe your phone will ensure the information won’t be viewed by other people. If you’d like other ways to keep your mobile phone secure, please contact us.

Voice technology can be put to use in your business in new and innovative ways. In this article, we will look at how voice technology can improve warehouse operations. Read on to find out how voice technology can enhance the picking and packing process to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and safety in your warehouse.

Business processes and activities in the warehouse have traditionally been very receptive to automation, with the goal of improving efficiency and effectiveness. Automation has been focused on areas including managing stock levels, tracking stock movements, and more. The processes done on the warehouse floor itself, such as item picking and packing, are now largely run by computer-based systems. One attempt at automation included outfitting staff with handheld systems, but they proved to be impractical or prohibitive since they required the use of both hands, were complicated to use, and made the overall process too complicated. Employees have generally preferred to stick with the simple pen and paper instead. But recent advancements in human-to-computer interfaces—such as the use of voice commands instead of keyboard and mouse, pen-based, or touch based systems—promises to change this.

Using voice technology, warehouse staff and managers can now send and receive instructions via voice, using a headset connected to a back-end system that understands and processes voice instructions and can respond in a natural sounding human voice. This can result in:

• Faster and more accurate order fulfillment: Warehouse staff can be given more specific and accurate instructions allowing them to navigate the warehouse, identify specific bins or pallets containing items for packing, and be able to pick out the correct quantities for the right order.
• Cost savings: Faster and more accurate fulfillment can result in reduced costs over time as it reduces the need to redo work, avoids costly customer returns and dissatisfaction, and lessens other costs such as training time for employees.
• Improved safety: With pallets and bins stacked in long, tall rows, forklifts and other heavy machinery zipping from one place to another, and people moving around, usually in a hurry, with both hands full and sometimes distracted, accidents are commonplace in warehouses. With voice technology, this can be avoided by getting people to focus with voice commands, and freeing up their hands and body to work on other things.

Voice technology in the warehouse is new but promises to deliver great benefits for businesses who employ it. If you are interested, let us know so we can help you find out how UC can enable your warehouse or any other part of your business today.

These days, many businesses rely on electronic data for all sorts of tasks and for all kinds of transactions. Which then begs the question, what happens if you lose it all – or even a part of it? Do you have a disaster recovery plan to lean on in case that happens?

The high cost of downtime Did you know that for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the average cost of downtime is about $12,500? And that's beside all the headaches you're bound to get from a steady loss of clients (as your downtime continues) as well as from the hefty fines and lawsuits that you will probably have to face.

All this is why, with most (if not all) businesses nowadays that depend on electronic data to support their day-to-day operations and transactions, an effective disaster recovery plan is a necessity.

For many, especially SMBs, outsourcing data recovery is the more efficient and cost-effective way to address disaster recovery. Of course, since we are talking about sensitive and important company data, it is also important to assess several factors that will affect your choice of vendor, such as the time it takes them to put you back online, and the regularity and frequency of backups.

Recovery in the cloud While there are still some organizations that rely on traditional disaster recovery methods, there is a growing demand for cloud-based disaster recovery, since it's less complicated to manage (especially for the organization itself) and much more affordable.

Cloud-based disaster recovery enables you to be free from a dependence on hardware, and also usually increases the frequency of backups to an offsite server, making data recovered in case of any incident very recent and much easier to work with. Cloud-based recovery has many more advantages, but the bottom line is that it allows you to be back to normal in a matter of hours, and sometimes even less than an hour – minimizing any negative impact on operations and productivity.

Don't make the mistake of being unprepared when disaster strikes – and it will, sooner or later, to a degree you can never predict. So it's best to make sure you take measures to ensure that your data will always be kept safe, secure, and recent. Contact us for a comprehensive and custom plan that will meet your specific needs.

A new scam is preying on the uninformed to steal from them valuable information over the phone. Read on to learn how you can prevent yourself and others from falling victim to these clever criminals.

Unfortunately, there are people with bad intentions who want to cheat you of time and money. Phone scammers use fear to prey on unsuspecting people to steal information that they can use, by pretending that they can help you with imagined computer problems or offering some helpful-sounding enticement. Your employees are the targets of these scams, as well as your first line of defense.

Here are some tips for preparing your front line to deal with these types of phone support scams.

Never trust unsolicited calls

It may seem like common sense, but when an employee is busy or distracted, it can be easy for a phone scammer to sound convincing and trustworthy. Scammers can be very clever and sound legitimate by claiming that they represent a software company like Microsoft or Google, and they often use publicly available phone directories, so they might know names and other business information when they call. Make sure your employees know that an unsolicited tech support call should never be trusted… ever.

Don't be fooled by claims to "help"

Scammers often offer to help solve a computer problem or sell a software license. Once they have an employee talking, they might try to:

• Trick your employee into installing malicious software that could capture sensitive data, such as online banking user names and passwords.
• Take control of your employee's computer remotely and adjust settings to leave the computer vulnerable.
• Request credit card information so they can bill you for phony services.
• Direct your employee to fraudulent websites that ask for credit card or financial information.

Employees should be on guard to verify, take names, and hang up if there is any question.

Take precautions

If you use an MSP or other outsourced IT services company, make sure that your employees know who they are and the security procedures that they follow. Monitors that IT providers offer can help to improve your security system and avoid malware issues.

Security should be a key part of your IT plan. Let's talk about how we can help you prevent the unthinkable.

For smaller businesses with less manpower and resources at their disposal, it's a challenge to keep up with ever-evolving IT trends in order to grow and provide clients with the service they need. But with the help of Managed Service Providers, or MSPs, handling and managing your IT doesn't need to be as complicated or as costly as you might think.

The nature of business has changed. Companies, no matter how small, can market products and services worldwide over the Internet. At the same time, customers can find products and services from your competitors in just a few clicks of the mouse. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) can help you maintain the technology that will give you the edge to compete and win.

Global business requirements

To compete effectively in a global market, your business needs:

• Integrated internal and external business support systems.
• Up-to-the-minute access to sales, order processing, and production information for fast decision making.
• Flexible processes that can adapt dynamically to changes in the business climate.
• A fast, reliable, and secure IP network.

Maintaining the networking infrastructure is often the biggest challenge for a small company. It's expensive to keep up with new technologies and devote IT resources to ongoing network management.

The value of a Managed Service Provider

A qualified Managed Service Provider (MSP) can bridge the gap to give you access to leading network technologies. MSPs provide management expertise without requiring high initial capital investment or ongoing costs associated with technology upkeep. A partnership with an MSP will:

• Reduce costs, including traditional service fees, as well as hardware and IT operations costs.
• Increase support levels and network availability without additional staff.
• Keep IT costs stable and predictable.
• Provide access to the latest technology and skill sets with limited risk.

Let's talk about how you can compete better globally and take your business to the next level without big capital investment.

On February 29, 2012 Microsoft will launch a Customer Preview of its new Operating System, Windows 8. The Customer Preview, commonly called a Beta, is a pre-release product aimed to let Windows users test and learn the operating system before the release of the retail version, scheduled for late 2012. The OS has been driving lots of interest and businesses are eager to get their hands it. But the big question is, what features does it have that will help my business?

Windows To Go Windows To Go is a new feature aimed specifically at businesses. It will allow Windows 8 to be placed onto a USB drive and run from the USB on any computer with a USB port. This is great for Small Businesses as they will be able to save costs, and managers and employees will be able to use the OS anywhere.

No need to update your hardware It seems, to many businesses’ dismay, that whenever a new OS is released the hardware to run it needs to be upgraded. This can be costly, especially with the rate that new OSs are released. With Windows 8, users will not need to update their hardware if they have systems that can run Windows 7. This should bring about great cost savings to any business that wants to upgrade.

Cross Platform Integration with Mobile Phones and Tablets Windows 8 will run on tablets and phones, allowing for users to choose and use the system that works best for them. What this means is that Windows 8 on a tablet, phone, computer will look the same and be able to run or share the same programs, making cross platform integration easy.

Sync to the cloud Microsoft recently released their take on cloud integration, SkyDrive, which will work as a single drive for all Windows devices. Users will have all their files in one place and will be able to access them from any Windows device.

These features will be a great help for businesses, but businesses eager to join the Customer Preview should be aware that this Windows 8 will only be a beta and is not the finished product as such, there will be bugs and some software incompatibilities. If you would like to know upgrade, or know more about Windows 8 and other Microsoft programs please contact us.

In today's corporate environment, it's not enough to be available to your colleagues and customers 24/7 - they want to see you in high definition, and they want to hear you clearly. But has your investment in high-end videoconferencing equipment created an open door for those wanting to know your business secrets?

Boston based Rapid7 is a security company that specializes in finding holes in computer systems, and earlier this year their chief security officer, HD Moore, found a way to remotely spy on top firms' conference rooms across the nation.

Moore wrote a program that scans the Internet for unsecured videoconferencing systems, and found that by simply calling in, his researchers could not only see and hear inside boardrooms, but they could also move the camera and utilize its zoom. In less than two hours, they had gained access to 5,000 video conference systems.

Information at Risk

If a hacker can access your boardroom through your videoconferencing equipment; your company is left extremely vulnerable. Private conversations, trade secrets and privileged financial information are all up for grabs. By operating the camera using mouse gestures, a hacker could see who is present at your boardroom meetings. Silence will afford anonymity no longer.

Once in, a hacker could also see who's on your speed-dial and connect to any boardroom on your list, negating security measures that your colleagues or customers may have put in place.

Protect Company Information

While time and money have been put into ensuring your videoconferencing equipment's visual and audio clarity, it's time to make security your number one priority. If you are still using unsecured systems set up outside firewalls, it's time to evaluate the system and look at alternatives.

In addition, systems that include a feature that automatically accepts inbound calls so users do not have to press an "accept" button every time someone dials in are adding to your security risk. Anyone can dial in and look around a room, and the only sign of their presence is a tiny light on a console unit.

There are trade-offs with every connection you make from your business to the outside world. Make sure that you are aware of the risks and taking the security steps that are right for your company. Call us if you would like to make your boardroom more secure.

For those of you using Google Mail or Gmail, chances are you're familiar with the "stars" feature, which serves as a visual reminder to follow up on certain messages or mark their importance. You may not know, though, that you can use different types of stars. To do so, click on the Gear icon in the upper right corner of the screen, click Mail Settings, and on the General tab look for the Stars section.

You will see many different types of stars that you can cycle through. Drag the stars between the lists that you want to use and in the order you prefer. Another neat trick is to use the name of the star to filter messages. Simply hover over the star to learn its name (i.e., "red-bang"), then use the "has" prefix to filter by star name. For example, typing "has:red-bang" in your search box will show all messages with that star name.

Healthy business relationships are part of what makes a successful business. And like any other business relationship, it's important to be able to connect with and trust your Managed Service Provider (MSP) in order to maximize your partnership with them and your company's own productivity and growth.

Business relationships are cultivated. Grown. That's what you do – at least if you want your business to flourish. The healthier your business relationships, the more productive and efficient your operations become.

Naturally, this applies to your relationship with your Managed Service Provider (MSP). Your IT is an important part of your day-to-day operations, and contributes greatly to how productive your business can become – so establishing good working rapport with your MSP is especially essential. Here are a few pointers for building and maintaining a great relationship with your current or prospective MSP partner.

Assess what your MSP can provide for you Sit down with your MSP to learn their ideas for your business, then carefully assess whether the services they offer support and augment your operations – current and planned. Look closely at contracts and make sure you understand the fine print, and carefully evaluate whether the service agreement meets your needs. Do some research about prospective MSPs (which is easy to do through the Internet) to verify their claims. Making sure you have the right fit is an important first step in getting the most out of an MSP.

Define roles and manage expectations Make sure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and understood early in the process, especially if your MSP is integrated with or augmenting an existing IT operation. This will help minimize overlapping job roles (which is ultimately unproductive for the both of you), as well as territorial disputes and misunderstandings.

Communicate constantly While your MSP will essentially manage your IT, it's still YOUR IT department. Make sure that you open healthy channels of feedback and communication. It's also recommended that you keep your MSP informed of any new directions or strategies that you feel will affect the IT operations that your MSP partner handles. It's a good idea to schedule regular planning sessions and meetings with them so that they will be able to anticipate what you need – and provide it – in line with your own goals and timetables.

Establish trust and respect your MSP's decisions Treat your MSP like you would your IT manager. Give them general direction, and then let them do what they do best: manage IT. Entrusting your IT to an outside contractor can be a difficult decision, but as long as your MSP is reliable and secure, it may very well be one of the best business decisions you've ever made.