 Microsoft is rolling out the next iteration of its operating system, Windows 11. Of course, new = better, right? But, when it comes to Windows 11, you may want to consider waiting. Here’s why.
Typically, software updates are something to install as a matter of course. The manufacturer, after all, is delivering the latest and greatest in its upgrade. This can be new efficiencies, improved processes, and increased security. CNN calls the Windows 11 release “the biggest update we’ve seen to Microsoft PC software in more than half a decade.” But when it comes to Windows 11, do some research first. You may not want to be an early adopter. When to Upgrade There are still people using Windows 7, even though the system is no longer supported by the manufacturer. That, we do not recommend. Without support or security updates, these systems are vulnerable to malware attacks. Meanwhile, the release of Windows 11 indicates Windows 10 is on its way out. Yet Microsoft has said it will support Windows 10 until October 14, 2025. The company typically keeps a ten-year lifespan for its products. So, you don't need to upgrade immediately. And for some businesses, it makes sense to wait longer to make the switch from 10 to 11. After all, it is not yet an essential upgrade. Those on Windows 10 will see some advantages, yes. We'll talk more about that next. But, unless you’re a heavy multitasker or need a sleeker visual design on your desktop, you can wait. By waiting, you’ll also get the advantage of others being the ones to discover the launch issues and bugs. The software has been available in beta since June. Still, as more users get access, you can expect more updates on the horizon. To help you decide if you’re ready to upgrade, you’ll first want to see if you are eligible for the free upgrade. Also, visit Microsoft's website to see if your PC can run the software (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications). If you have a custom-built desktop, you’ll want to run a health check to see if you have the TPM 2.0 Windows 11 requires. This is a specific security module, so you don’t want to overlook this! Why Upgrade to Windows 11 Windows 11 is a redesigned operating system aiming at improved user navigation. Expect:
How to Upgrade The upgrade is rolling out gradually. Those who recently purchased a new laptop before Windows 11 was pre-installed have access now. If you are an existing Windows 10 user, you'll see the Windows 11 upgrade sometime between now and mid-2022. Most users will go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for Updates. If available, you'll see a Feature update to Windows 11. Click Download and install. Remember to backup all your important documents before starting the installation process! Also, don’t fall for any fake versions of Windows 11. Wait to receive an official notification of a systems update. Do not click on links promising the software on social media or via email. You could end up downloading malware.  Nobody likes to be told what they can’t do. Still, there are certain never dos that you should keep in mind when it comes to your work computer. This article captures the top six things you should avoid doing on your work computer.
#1 Don’t login to personal sites and services Sure, we’re all guilty of wanting to check our personal email or take a quick peek at social media while at work, but you do not want to login to your personal accounts on a work computer, especially not a shared one! Browsers that remember our passwords to sites such as Facebook or your bank can be useful. How many different passwords can one human be expected to remember after all? But letting the browser save your personal access credentials risks your security. The next person to use that computer could access your private data. #2 Don’t allow remote access Maybe your computer isn’t working the way you want it to: it’s too slow. Something is up with an app. You’re worried you’ve inadvertently downloaded malware onto your work device. Then there’s that friend you have that “knows computers.” With remote support software being so easy to use these days, you figure it’s easier to ask your friend for help. Work doesn’t even need to know. But would you let that friend walk into the office and start working on your computer? Probably not. Your business has its own people it trusts to do work on its computers. If you were on-site, you’d tell your supervisor, or at least IT, if you had a computer concern. Even when working virtually, you want to do the same thing. Allowing remote access is both a security and productivity risk. Plus, your computer could be set in a specific way by your company. Your tech-savvy friend isn’t going to know why and how those particular configurations were established. #3 Don’t store personal data We’re all in favor of having more than one backup. Still, you don’t want to make your work computer a storage solution for your personal data, because you can’t be sure that other people at work can’t look through your files. You also run the risk of losing access to that data if the business goes out of business or lays staff off. Employee accounts can be wiped out by businesses when they sever relationships with staff. #4 Don’t connect personal storage devices USB or thumb drives are convenient, as such drives help move data around easily. But the drive can be installed in many different computers and networks along the way. Connecting that USB to a work computer could transfer malware. You really don’t want to connect someone else’s storage device to your work computer. Criminals actually target organizations by leaving infected thumb drives in the parking lot. All they need is one person to pick up the drive and plug it in to a work computer. Trying to reunite the drive with its user didn’t go over so well for that Good Samaritan! #5 Don’t do your side business or job search You don’t want to do these on a work computer unless you want to risk getting caught, because your computer activity can be tracked. Some businesses do full-blown screen recording. Others will maintain an overview of sites you visit. There are different laws in various states and countries regarding employee monitoring, but you are using a work device on a business network. Doing your own side project during work hours on the business computer won’t go over well. #6 Don’t log on to public Wi-Fi Don't log in to business applications or sensitive data connected to public Wi-Fi. There are many risks. You could end up:
These never dos could endanger your personal data, business network, or your very job. Steer clear of these common mistakes made on work computers. Be smart, be safe.  A laptop can hold your life. If you’re working from home, it’s essential to your income. For students, it’s where you keep all your notes and essays. Plus, there are the personal photos and videos. And you sometimes use it to stream your TV shows, or to video chat with friends and family. You may even make music, create art, or be writing the next bestselling novel on your laptop. So, you want to keep it in great shape. Here are five tips to protect your laptop. #1 Don’t drop it Or throw it, or stand on it, or expect it to withstand any serious impact. OK, that’s pretty obvious. You also don’t want to use your laptop in the bathtub or at the pool. Even a simple water spill on a laptop can damage the circuitry. If you do get your laptop wet, immediately turn it off and unplug everything attached to it. #2 Open carefully Laptops are getting thinner in every iteration. Some now even have foldable screens. The thinner and more flexible screen may look sleek and cool, but it’s also less rigid, which makes it more prone to damage. Especially on lower-cost laptops, the screen can flex if you open the computer up from just one side. Yet, many of us hold a laptop in one hand and open the lid with the other. This can cause the screen to twist. Use both hands to open the laptop. Or get into the habit of opening your laptop from the center to avoid flex. #3 Don’t bedazzle your keyboard or screen Alright, maybe you weren’t planning on putting faux rhinestones on the screen or keyboard. Still, reconsider any decorations you have thought of adding. Even a keyboard protector (to prevent dust or spills getting into the circuitry) or camera privacy sticker could damage some of the new super-thin laptops. It’s just that there is now so little clearance between the keyboard and the screen. If you really must have your stickers, put them on the protective sleeve that you get for your laptop. #4 Disconnect carefully Your laptop needs a consistent power source. If you damage the power cord connection, you’re done. So, make sure you pull the power cord out straight. Yanking it out sideways could damage the port. Also be aware of where your power cord is connecting to the wall outlet. If you leave the cord trailing along the floor, someone could trip over it, or it could get caught on a rolling chair. This could not only damage the charging port but even pull the entire laptop onto the floor. That brings us back to #1, don’t drop the laptop! #5 Keep it cool No, you don’t have to store it into a refrigerator (please don’t!), but heat isn’t good for your laptop. You’ll want to keep your computer away from external sources of heat. Again, as the laptops get thinner, they are more vulnerable to internal overheating. Ensure that the laptop’s intake ports are unblocked so that air can flow through and cool the circuitry. You might also blow dust out of the vents using canned air. Also, avoid placing your laptop on very soft surfaces. A soft, uneven surface is more likely to block the internal fans. This leaves your device unable to regulate its temperature. You could even buy a laptop cooling stand, which provides extra fans to improve air circulation. Average laptop lifespan will vary between two to five years. Keep your laptop on the longer side of that by taking these tips to heart. If something does happen to your laptop, give us a call at 218-240-8802. Our IT experts are here to help you find the best laptop for you, upgrade and secure your laptop, or fix your laptop when you need it.  Most technology you buy in stores comes with a warranty of some sort. It might be included or an add-on. Still, it is unlikely to last the lifetime of the device or software, and it seems inevitable that your desktop will die immediately after the warranty runs out. Don’t worry, you still have options. Murphy’s Law of warranty says that you will have no problems with your computer or printer while it’s covered. Then, as if waiting for the most inconvenient time to go bust, the technology fails just after your warranty ends. After the frustration of looking up that warranty plan to see the expiration date a few weeks ago, your first response might be to take that device back to the store. You’ve noticed they have a service desk, and that’s where you made the purchase. But the technicians on-site are likely to send your laptop to the manufacturer repair. That could be far away, which negates the convenience of taking it down to your local store. You could wait weeks for your item to get to the repair center. Then, it stills needs attention and returning to your store. Also know that many manufacturers charge a premium for outside-of-warranty repairs. Now that you’re one or two years into a relationship with the products, they hope you’ll decide upgrading is easier. They actually have a planned lifecycle for computer hardware and plan the warranty end accordingly. Of course, if you are within days of your warranty's end, ask if the manufacturer will continue to cover the technology. Sometimes it actually will. The manufacturer may also use this opportunity to sell you an extended warranty. Some help with manufacturer warrantyOur first piece of advice? Be proactive about technology issues. Don’t put off getting something looked at. You may discover you could have saved money by having it checked out under warranty. Check your eligibility by visiting the manufacturer’s website and typing in the product serial number to check the warranty. Quickly find the page by searching the manufacturer’s name and “check warranty status.” It’s a good idea to keep track of when your warranty is set to expire. That way, you’ll be more likely to request service in a timely manner. Don’t believe us? Have you ever planned to take an item back to the store only to leave it until the return window has closed? Small business computer repair shops specialize in repairing out-of-warranty devices. They can run diagnostic tests to determine the problem. Then, they'll help you decide whether it’s worth the cost of repairs. If so, they can fix it at a competitive rate. Plus, you get personalized service. There’s also the peace of mind that comes from knowing where your computer is at all times. You're not worrying about it shipping around the country to a manufacturer’s repair shop. The timeline reduces, too, as the IT experts are on-site at a convenient computer repair outfit. We can help keep your computers and other technological devices up and running. Contact us today at 218-240-8802!  Video gaming is an entertainment for all ages. The main demographic is 18–34 years, but those 34–54 are another big segment – even larger than the under-18 group – although the youngest group may spend the most hours gaming, especially during a pandemic. Regardless, PC gamers of any age want the most powerful, fastest computer they can get. It’s difficult to beat the Boss Level of that favorite game if your computer is lagging. The horror! If you’re serious about gaming, consider the ideas in this article to achieve your next personal best. The gaming industry is moving to Triple-A titles. Think Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty. These AAA video games are the equivalent of blockbuster movies. They take months to years for massive teams of people to develop, everything about such games is ambitious (even the price!). The graphics and animation are more immersive, the storylines offer hours of content and encourage open exploration, and the games have a grander scale and improved sound design, too. All that requires more from your computer. Depending on the age of your computer, you may not need to replace it to power the latest, greatest games. Or you could upgrade to a more powerful video card. Adding more random access memory (RAM) might also take a computer up to the Triple-A level. Troubleshooting the Home-Gaming PC Whether you're trying the Triple A game or not, you may run into other problems. A screen locks up, a system crashes, or you see weird graphics or wonky textures in a game. You shoot an opponent with a direct hit, and he takes the win. Any of these problems can ruin your gaming experience. Various issues cause these headaches for home gamers. Regrettably, they can be difficult to diagnose. The problems might be tied to:
Build Your Own Gaming PC If you decide it’s time to get a new gaming PC, a popular option now is to custom-build your own. Our experts can do that for you! When you customize your own gaming PC, you get a computer that matches exactly what you’re trying to do. Don’t settle for a sale computer using lower-quality parts and offering limited upgradability. Avoid buying a brand-name computer pre-loaded with bloatware. Instead, our technician can help you pick the processing and other parts to personalize your system, even down to the color of the fans or console lights.  Why You Should Never Use A Free Email Address For Your Business
The message is clear: email is king. Many clients and customers choose to communicate primarily by email and as you know, it gives a fantastic ROI in your marketing strategy…unless you’re using a free email like Hotmail, Gmail, or even your internet provider. If that’s the case, you’re losing business each and every day. It looks unprofessional: Imagine if banks used free email accounts – you’d never feel comfortable giving them your personal details let alone any money. How people perceive your business is what makes your business. Without that professional touch, you’ll appear temporary and fly-by-night. It puts your credibility into question and sends the message that you’re not serious about doing business – or worse – that you’re prepared to cut corners. It erases your experience: Newer, fledgling businesses often start out with a free email address. The address clearly communicates that they are new and have little experience, and are perhaps testing the waters in a new direction. They’re not even remotely proven yet and are firmly within the hobby-zone. Continuing to use the free address once your business moves into the professional arena means you’ll struggle to build momentum and any experience will be negated. It’s forgettable or inappropriate: Your business success hinges on being memorable enough to gain referral custom and results from your advertising. Unfortunately, free email addresses are by default filled with hard to remember clutter, for example – joesplumbing_1985@hotmail.com or milkshakes_mybabby@gmail.com. Neither of these roll off the tongue, is appropriate for business, or can be remembered without a high likelihood of typos and bounce back. Branded email addresses such as joe@joesplumbing.com make running a profitable, scalable business much easier. It’s not permanent or safe: When you use a free email address you are at the mercy of the email provider. They may close down operations or cancel your account for any reason. These types of accounts are also often hacked and leaked on a global scale. When a better internet or email deal comes along, you’re still stuck using the old address because it’s printed on your business cards, car lettering and flyers. Some will agree to keep the address open for a fee, but you’ll lose the control and flexibility you need to grow your business. With your own domain name, you own it and can move it to a new business-grade email service easily. You’ll also have complete master control over the addresses within your domain, resetting passwords and creating/closing accounts at will.  When you’ve upgraded to a new computer, the old one is a bit of an albatross. You paid good money for that desktop or laptop, and you want to continue to see return on investment. Plus, disposing of that technology feels wasteful. It’s not as if a computer is going to compost itself! To help, we’ve provided seven solid ideas for how to repurpose your old, extra computers. #1 Turn it into a Kids’ PC Make the computer available exclusively to your young ones. You can set the device up with parental controls software to:
#2 Make a PC for Seniors Or, accommodate those at the other end of the seven stages of man. Turn the computer into one geared for older family members. Optimize screen display color contrast for those with poor vision. Make the text size bigger. Set up the use of voice commands. You might even use puffy paint on the keyboard to make common keys easier to find. #3 Convert to Storage Storing documents, videos, photos, and music on your computer takes up a lot of room. So, turn that extra computer into a media storage device to keep your new computer in top shape. Think of it as an external storage device with much more capacity than a thumb drive. Backing up your documents and media to the cloud is always an option. Yet, you may have more that you want to store than you want to pay the fee for storing. #4 Share a Printer on the Network If you have a printer that connects via a USB cable, you can generally print from that computer only. You can turn your old computer into a print server that shares the printer over the network. This way, any computer on the same network can make use of the printer. #5 Donate If the computer is in decent condition, donate it to a school, library, charity or other non-profit. Of course, before doing so, you’ll want to clean it up:
#6 Sell Parts You could continue to see value from that extra computer by parting it out. This is a good idea especially when the computer is no longer working and can’t be held onto as a backup (just in case). In some cases, parts sell for more than complete computers. When you’re looking for that new computer or would like to recycle or donate your old one, our IT experts can help. Contact us today at 218-240-8802. |
