by Felicien | Aug 22, 2017 | Education
The Apple iOS Notes application is a great tool with so many practical features. However, many don’t know about these hidden tools to extend the Notes experience. Check them out here.
The Apple’s Notes application is built into all versions of iOS. Ever since the release of the original iPhone in 2007, it’s been the perfect way to handle word processing on-the-go.
Notes will get a significant overhaul when iOS 11 is released in the fall of 2017. If beta versions are any indication, you’ll be impressed with the new capabilities Notes provides. Here are just a few of them:
Notes Stationary
With Notes, iOS 11 you’ll be able to change the default stationary—select yours from a range of lined and gridded paper styles. Change the default style for all your notes, or on a note-by-note basis. Just tap the “New Note” button and select the “Share” arrow. Or from your computer keyboard hit “CMD” + “N”. Once you select the “Lines & Grids” option, you see all the styles to choose from.
Superior Organization
The iOS 11 version of the Notes app has some great options for organizing. Until now, Notes appeared on one screen. You could create folders, but extensive organization wasn’t a possibility—Until now, that is.
In iOS 11, all you have to do is swipe the title of a note with your finger to open up a new list of organizational options. In addition to moving and deleting notes, you can password-protect a note. This is perfect for people in enterprise environments who share devices like iPads.
Pinning
You can also pin a note to the top of your list, so it’s always within reach. To do this, simply swipe right on the name of the note, and release. The note will be pinned in place so it can’t be moved even if you organize by date created, or alphabetize by title, etc.
Moving and Deleting Notes
Previous versions of Notes allowed you to quickly delete a note or move it into a folder with a few swipes of your finger. This basic functionality remains in the iOS 11 version—However, it’s gotten a significant makeover.
Now, when you swipe on a note and select “Move,” you won’t see a list of all the folders you created. Instead, you’ll see icons that represent things like attachments and images. This lets you quickly view your options so you can move your note. All you have to do is tap on the folder and the selected note will move there instantly. This won’t take more than a few seconds.
However, when you attempt to delete or move a password-protected note, you’ll now be prompted to enter the password (or use Touch ID depending on the settings on your device). You won’t be able to do anything unless you provide the proper credentials, which, again, helps to keep your confidential information private.
If at any point you make a mistake when it comes to moving and organizing your notes, all you have to do is physically shake your iPhone or iPad for a second or two to undo it. You don’t need to go through the menu system.
More New Features
The new iOS 11 Notes app comes with advanced features that add value for enterprise users in particular. If you own an iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil, you can now sketch anywhere in any note, at any time. Certain text tools that were only in the macOS version of Notes, will now be available in iOS 11.
Use the camera on your device to scan paper notes and save them in Notes until you move them to the folder of your choice. Previously, this feature was only available in third-party apps, most of which will now be unnecessary.
These are just a few of the new, hidden features in Notes iOS 11. If you’d like to learn more for your business in {city} contact {company} at {phone} or {email}.
by Felicien | Aug 21, 2017 | Education
Want to Grow Your Business? It May Be Time to Rethink Your Goals.
I love football.
Not just watching a game on Sunday afternoon, or playing touch football every Thanksgiving with my family — I love the rules.
The rules of football differ from those of other sports because you don’t just define the ultimate goal of winning the game, but, also, how the team must meet small goals to accomplish this large one.
These small goals: scoring touchdowns or field goals, are again broken down into even smaller ones (such as moving the ball at least 10 yards in a maximum of four downs).
In football, everyone understands that if their team accomplishes a series of small goals they have a better chance to reach the big one—to win the game. Unfortunately, many small business owners fail to realize that the same holds true for their companies.
As a business owner, you must establish both long-term and short-term goals. Long-term goals are great when you’re looking at the big picture— They help you visualize where you want to end up. But there’s one major problem with long-term goals—They can take years, or even decades to reach.
Since long-term goals take so long to reach, employees often feel overwhelmed by them. The result can be a significant decrease in productivity. No matter how hard an employee works, he can’t realize immediate results and gets discouraged.
However, when businesses set more easily attainable short-term goals, success can quickly be achieved, building confidence and motivation.
To gain the most from short-term goals, you must keep them meaningful and achievable. I suggest that my clients review their current goals at least once a year to ensure they’re still relevant. Perhaps it’s time for you examine your current short-term goals to determine if they’re still worthwhile.
Five Short-Term Goals to Define.
Re-examine your products and services. It all starts with how well you and your team understand the products and services you sell. Studies show that a knowledgeable and enthusiastic staffis one of the best ways to instill a high level of trust in your customers. Your staff must know enough to impress potential customers with a deep understanding of your products, and have the ability to demonstrate your company’s unique sales proposition. Aim to hold a few employee workshops and training seminars throughout the year.
Get to know your customers. Without customers, your business might as well not exist. How much do you really know about the people who keep your business in the black? Do you have a clear, up-to-date idea about who your customers are, and what they need and want from your company? Many small businesses don’t, and suffer for it. If you don’t have a clue about your customers, you should set a goal to better understand them better. Consider speaking with ten customers a month, or send 100 email surveys a week to build a clearer picture of your ideal customers.
Explore marketing alternatives. Marketing is a huge challenge for most small businesses. These days, successful marketing looks a lot different than it did just five years ago. Is your business using the most effective and up-to-date marketing tools? Maybe it’s time to reexamine your marketing strategies. Online marketing, using blogs and social media, is no longer an option, it’s a necessity. If your business’ online marketing isn’t where you want it to be, set a short-term goal to do something about it. Create a goal to post at least once on social media each day, or commit to writing and distributing a monthly newsletter to your customers.
Introduce additional technology. Technology is a great time-saver and critical component for any business. However, many small companies are still apprehensive about it. Set a short-term goal to learn as much as possible about the new technologies that could benefit your business. Then, set short-term goals to incorporate them.
Set several small goals to show employee appreciation. You can’t run your business without a great staff. Isn’t it about time you showed your employees how much they mean to you? Get to know each one of them. Spend time talking to them, not just about business, but about their lives in general (and share some info about yours). This is a way to show that you see them as more than just employees. Organize a company-wide appreciation event each month. It can be as simple as a pizza party, or as extravagant as an employee family day at an amusement park (or football game!).
by Felicien | Aug 21, 2017 | Education
With Windows, You Can Forget Flying with Your Laptop.
Flying is tough enough without having to lug your laptop onboard with you. Windows to Go can help you lighten your load!
9/11 changed a lot in the U.S. Over fifteen years later, the attack it is still shaping national and international security decisions. Airplane passengers, especially those traveling internationally, have borne the brunt of additional security requirements. Extensive baggage checks and body scans are now the new normal when flying.
Overall, most of us have taken this in stride, knowing that it’s all for our own safety and the safety of others. Outside of momentary inconveniences, these regulations haven’t had much of an impact on business travel.
However, recent developments may mean there are big changes on the horizon. During a short period in 2017, flying with a laptop to some locations was banned. At this point many companies began to worry—What would they do if the laptop ban expanded to flights originating or terminating in the US?
Even after the ban was lifted, many continued to question whether traveling with a laptop full of sensitive information was ever a good idea in the first place.
As story after story about laptops that went missing appeared, corporations and government agencies started looking for ways to keep this from happening to them. The good news is there’s a solution to this problem. It is called, Windows To Go, and it fits in your pocket.
What is Windows to Go?
Windows to Go is a self-contained Windows plug-and-play workspace that can be installed on a USB thumb drive. When you plug the USB thumb drive into almost any host computer, you can boot up with your own secure workstation. Windows to Go isolates itself from the host computer’s hard drive, preventing any malware on the host from infecting the thumb drive.
Windows to Go has been available since September of 2011. It was officially released with the Windows 8 Enterprise edition. Now, Windows to Go is available with the Enterprise and Education versions of Windows 10.
It’s important to note that there are significant differences between Windows 10 and Windows to Go. Windows to Go doesn’t include:
Access to external media
The Windows Recovery Environment
The Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
The ability to refresh, reset or update.
How Can You Get Windows to Go?
Here’s the truth. Getting a USB thumb drive with Windows to Go isn’t as easy as picking up a copy of the latest Windows OS in your local store. It takes a fair bit of technical skill to install Windows to Go successfully. If you’re up for this, or your IT guy is, you’re in luck. Microsoft offers a tutorial to walk you step by step through the process.
Before you begin, you’ll need:
Windows 10 Enterprise, an approved USB thumb drive (see below),
A Windows Deployment Tool,
The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool, and
A license.
A Windows to Go license is available through the Software Assurance Program. You can choose between two different types of licenses. Choosing a per-device license gives you permission to use any third-party computer as long as it’s off-site. A per-user license let you use Windows to Go anywhere, off-site or on-site.
Microsoft currently endorses only a few brands of certified thumb drives. However, some have installed Windows to Go successfully on other brands. (Of course, these installations won’t be supported by Microsoft.)
Microsoft suggests using:
IronKey Workspace W700
IronKey Workspace W500
IronKey Workspace W300
Kingston DataTraveler Workspace for Windows To Go
Spyrus Portable Workplace
Spyrus Secure Portable Workplace
Super Talent Express RC8 for Windows To Go
Western Digital My Passport Enterprise
Spyrus recommends using their Deployment Suite to install Windows to Go on a Spyrus brand thumb drive. Prepare the Western Digital My Passport Enterprise drive before installing Windows To Go by running the WD Compass utility.
How to Use Windows to Go When Traveling
Windows to Go can save you a lot of hassles while flying for business. However, what’s the best way to use a Windows to Go thumb drive when you get to your destination? After all, you still need a host computer to access the information on the USB. And, the host computer requires very low specs to work with Windows to Go. You can find requirements from the Windows To Go website.
While it’s true you still need a computer, there are lots of options. The best and most convenient option is to use a computer belonging to a trusted colleague once you arrive. This option is secure and inexpensive.
If this isn’t possible, you may want to purchase an inexpensive laptop at your destination. This is more expensive, but very secure. Purchasing a burner laptop is a particular good option if you need to spend an extended amount of time at your location.
The third choice is to use a public computer in your hotel or cyber cafe. Obviously, this is the least secure option.
There’s always the fourth option of packing a completely formatted computer with your checked luggage to use as the host. Although this is very secure and convenient, it requires you to put up with many of the same hassles you wanted to avoid in the first place. And, trying to explain to a customs agent why you’re bringing a blank computer into their country may be difficult.
If you have to fly frequently for your business, Windows to Go may become your new best friend.
For more information about Microsoft products, or other IT solutions for your business in {city}, contact {company} at {phone} or {email}.
by Felicien | Aug 21, 2017 | Education
Microsoft has been busy adding popular apps to its Office 365 platform. Now small businesses that weren’t ready to make the investment in O365 have more reason to do so.
If you haven’t signed on to Office 365 you’ll want to now. Once you take a look at these great, new applications, you’ll be convinced that using O365 can revolutionize your small business.
Call your Microsoft Office 365 consultants at {company} today. Call {phone}.
Microsoft Connections
Email marketing is an important tool to grow your business, but it can be overwhelming for a small business. Now, with Microsoft Connections, you can easily create professional-looking email marketing campaigns.
Use their pre-designed templates for newsletters, announcements, subscription forms and more. This is important because it’s been shown that appearance is a vital factor in conversions.
Because Connections is closely integrated to Microsoft Outlook, you can manage your subscribers, and target specific groups of customers and prospects. With it you can record new sign-ups, and calculate your open rates with activity analytics. Plus, it’s free when you sign up for O365.
Microsoft Listings
To reach new and existing customers, it’s essential that your business gets listed online in places like Google Business Profiles, Facebook, Yelp, and so on. They give you more channels for conversions and engagement. However, doing this can be time consuming.
No longer! Microsoft’s Listings provides a dashboard so you can manage these listings easily. With Listings, when you change one profile all of your other profiles listings are automatically updated.
You can also see at a glance how many people are viewing your profiles, and what they’re saying about you. Yes, you could do most of this “by hand,” but it all in one place is far easier.
Microsoft Invoicing
You need a positive cash flow to keep your business running smoothly. However, keeping up with invoicing in busy times can be challenging. With Microsoft Invoicing you can quickly create professional-looking invoices and estimates. The faster these go out, the sooner you’ll get paid.
Again, there are other apps out there designed for invoice management, but because by Listing is tied into QuickBooks and PayPal via Office 365 you can accept credit and debit cards online, and sync data, and transfer invoicing information to your accountant— everything the modern small business needs to grow.
Skype for Business
If you haven’t looked into Skype for Business, you must give it a try—It’s one of the best apps for web conferencing in a professional setting, especially if you have contacts around the world.
You can create group connections with anyone who has a phone or an Internet connection. Plus, you can manage conversations with automatic subtitles, translation, and other communication tools.
Skype for Business is compatible with the Office suite, allowing you to easily schedule meetings, or join Skype conversations right from Word and PowerPoint. If your current web-conferencing tool isn’t cutting it, take a look at Skype for Business.
Microsoft Teams and Yammer
Yammer is a social media app that Microsoft purchased. It provides some great features that mix perfectly with Teams. Teams’ integration and additional tools make let you pull data from SharePoint, OneNote and Skype at any time during a conversation. With it you can even pop open documents and work on changes right there for fast and easy collaboration.
Create different chats based on specific topics or projects:
Shift conversation members fluidly depending on exactly who needs to be involved: and
If you already use project management software, there’s a good chance that it will also be compatible with Teams!
Teams will be your ideal “hub” for teamwork.
Sway
Sway makes it easy to create and share interactive reports, personal stories, presentations, and more. You can easily design and present information in modern, interactive, and attention-getting ways.
Pull in information from online sources, and whip up a clever creation that you can then share and publish with anyone you need. Add your own text and pictures, search for and let Sway do the rest. It’s ideal for everything from investor presentations to workplace training for new employees.
Outlook Customer Manager
Customer Manager works particularly well with Outlook’s Connections. It uses Outlook to fuel data for lead contact info and where they are in your sale/marketing process (conversations, appointments, and more). CM keeps tracks of these things, reminds you to take action, and gives you to-do lists. It’s ideal for a busy account manager in a small business.
Microsoft Stream
Stream is a platform that allows you to share videos securely throughout your organization using applications in O365 like Teams and Yammer. You’re always hearing about just how important videos are to today’s marketing and engagement – now you can freely share video projects, and even company video messages across your system without worrying about security issues.
For more information about Office 365 and these revolutionizing applications for your growing business in {city}, contact {company}. Our IT services and expertise can help you reach your goals. Call {phone} or send us an email at: {email} to schedule no-cost, no-pressure consultation.
by Felicien | Aug 21, 2017 | Education
Cloud-based storage options are in high demand in today’s media-heavy world. Are you taking full advantage of all that Apple’s iCloud has to offer?
Cloud storage is one of the most exciting new developments in technology. It provides you with the ability to access files and information when, where and how you’d like.
However, as with any new technology, there have been some startup pains. If you’ve used an online file storage option, you may have experienced files that magically disappear, and syncing that suddenly stops.
For some, cloud storage is viewed with skepticism. However, once you experience the power and security of Apple’s iCloud Storage, you’ll never want to go back to physical storage again.
iCloud provides the ultimate in portability for your important data, with a simple structure that encourages sharing and collaboration across devices.
Call your local IT Managed Services company at {phone}.
The History of iCloud
While some may think cloud-based storage is relatively new, Apple’s iCloud came to market in October 2011. It now provides nearly 800 million users an inexpensive option to:
Store data files for download,
Manage Apple devices if they’re lost or stolen, and
Send and share data with other users.
What started as Apple’s MobileMe Service, now extends to bookmarks, calendars, email, iWork documents and more. iCloud utilizes seamless wireless technology to sync your files across mobile, desktop and even Windows devices, as long as they’re all logged into the same iCloud ID.
Great Features
Apple’s iCloud service offers the same functionality that you’ll find with other popular file storage options, such as Amazon’s Cloud Drive, Dropbox or Microsoft’s OneDrive. While these platforms provide document and photo storage, iCloud takes things one step further, with syncing and backup capabilities for Apple devices and apps.
What truly sets iCloud apart is its ability to reload a device without it being physically tied to a computer (as long as you have a robust WiFi connection). Alternatively, if someone grabs your phone, you can remotely disable it using location-based services.
You can purchase additional storage directly from your device. The purchase goes through your iTunes account. Storage fees range from $0.99 per month for 50GB of storage, to up to $9.99 per month for a full 2TB of space.
Privacy Concerns
With digital data, photos and personal information stored in the cloud, some people may be concerned about data privacy and security. Industry security professionals claim that data stored in the cloud is at least as secure as having your data stored on a local server – and possibly even more so.
How is this possible? First, all data is transferred via a secure sockets layer that utilizes WebDAV, IMAP or HTTPS. The information stored on Apple’s servers is encrypted and uses authentication tokens to upload and download information to and from devices without a password.
The notable exceptions are Notes and Email, neither of which are encrypted. This is due to performance issues, and the need to enable text searches.
Apple’s continuity feature called Handoff, provides a secure and efficient transfer between platforms and devices that’s fully integrated with the operating system. This is one of the ways Apple provides enhanced functionality, such as with “Find my iPhone,” and the ability to find friends who share their location.
iCloud Tips and Tricks
While there are any number of apps that can sync across iCloud, perhaps the most important is Find My iPhone. It allows you to play sounds to physically locate your phone, iPad, iPod and iWatch. In the event your device is lost or stolen, you can “brick” and erase the device to ensure no one can access your data. The beauty of this is that, even if a thief reboots your device, it’s still useless. Users are required to enter the correct iCloud password in order to gain access, making it much less attractive to would-be thieves.
Use iCloud’s Keychain functionality to create a secure password key from your phone. Turn on this feature by first ensuring your phone has a passcode. Then go to Settings > iCloud > Keychain to activate the app. Once setup is complete, you can save passwords from Safari on your Keychain instead of within your less-secure Safari browser.
“Restore” provides you an easy way to reset a device to factory setting, and quickly bring it back to the correct, last-known build. While iOS crashes aren’t prevalent, there’s always the potential that an overload of apps, or a miss-fired upgrade can cause degradation of your device. In this case, simply wipe your phone and tap “Restore from iCloud” to return your phone to the last backup point with no loss.
On a data allowance? No problem. Simply go to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Drive and restrict the number of apps you use. This helps you from experiencing overages on data plans, or stops you from overages while you’re traveling outside the U.S.
Shift large files around using iCloud, and you’ll save yourself some frustration – especially when sending them via email. While it feels like a slight a workaround, you can access this semi-hidden functionality by sending an email with a large attachment. It’s important to note that this only works for files less than 5GB. You can ignore warnings when sending excessively large files. Hit “Send” and Mail will automagically display a Mail Drop button. Selecting this option loads your file to iCloud in the background, sends the recipient a link, and doesn’t charge your iCloud account for storage.
Apple’s iCloud is only one of the key features that makes the technology giant stand out from the competition. Unless you have a solid understanding of iCloud, you may not be getting all the value you deserve from your investment.
Learn how your company in {city} can realize productivity gains from iCloud. Contact {company} at {phone} or via email {email} and we’ll provide a no-cost, no-pressure consult.
by Felicien | Aug 18, 2017 | Education
FUN WITH NUMBERS!
You Can Now Collaborate in Real-time with Excel.
Have you ever wanted to work on a spreadsheet with someone, and the technology didn’t work as expected? If you’ve been waiting for real-time collaboration in Excel, it’s here! There are still a few glitches, but overall, the service works well, and it offers remote teams another way to work together.
The co-authoring function in Excel has been available since September 2015 on select versions of Word—So you might wonder why it took so long to develop a real-time spreadsheet tool.
Unfortunately, even now, it’s not a full rollout—Many desktop versions of Excel don’t include this feature. Only individuals with an Office 365 subscription can to take advantage of Excel’s new functionality and collaborate in real time.
Co-Authoring
While Google led the way when it comes to real-time collaboration and co-authoring, Microsoft has been playing catch up over the past few years. There are many challenges to overcome when more than one person edits a file. This is because it requires an exact timestamp application to ensure edits are applied in the correct order.
As geographically remote individuals continue to look for ways to work together more effectively, real-time collaboration has become their rallying cry. Until recently, they were only able to collaborate on PowerPoint and Word documents. To co-author spreadsheets required using Google Sheets or other online alternatives.
Sharing Requirements
There are specific requirements when making files available for online sharing.
Before you can use Excel’s sharing options, Microsoft requires that you use one of their file-storage options: OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online or OneDrive.
You must also be logged into an active instance of Office 365 to take advantage of the collaborative tools.
Turning on the auto-save function is the next critical step to ensure that your changes aren’t overwritten by others.
Sharing workbooks is relatively easy:
You access the tools through the in-app “Share” button located on the upper right-hand side of the screen.
Add your collaborators by typing them in, or looking them up via your linked Outlook address book.
An added bonus is the ability to select the type of collaboration rights you want for specific individuals. This ensures the sanctity of your spreadsheet.
One caveat to keep in mind: You can either make the spreadsheet “read only” or “full editing”— There really aren’t any in-between options available.
Confusing Issues
The steps leading up to sharing a file for collaboration make a great deal of sense. However, Microsoft confuses the issue once the request to collaborate has been received.
It’s important to note that you can’t simply open the file and begin collaborating. Instead, there are a few additional steps that include clicking an “Edit Workbook” button, and selecting whether to edit in the browser or in Excel.
If you don’t have the latest build of Excel that includes collaboration capabilities, the only option is to edit within the browser window. However, once setup is complete, the “fun with numbers” truly begins. You can see others actively editing in the shared workbook—Each individual is visually indicated by a separate color. Not sure which color corresponds to which individual? Simply hover over a change being made, and you can see that collaborator’s name.
There Are Still Some Glitches to Deal With.
While the thought of real-time collaboration on a spreadsheet is exciting, the execution leaves a bit to be desired. Some collaborators note that what should be real-time changes actually present a lag time of up to 10 seconds (or more!). This can make real-time editing difficult.
This is exacerbated by a slow Internet connection, and can pose some challenges. While you can still see the individuals who are actively collaborating on a spreadsheet, the best way to communicate is via the built-in Skype instance that allows for voice calls and instant messaging.
Working in concert with others in the Microsoft Excel framework still lags behind the experience you’ll have with Google’s G Suite, the enterprise-scale productivity tool offered by the tech giant.
It’s Worth Trying
Even with these drawbacks, the new Microsoft Office 365 subscription that includes Excel collaboration is a great way to help teams quickly get on the same page when editing spreadsheets. Technology teams will love that the advanced features are built right into the platform, requiring no additional service or installation.
When you’re ready to see how Office 365 productivity tools can supercharge your office operations, contact {company} in {city} at {phone} or via email: {email} Our experts will ensure your teams have the means to work together regardless of their physical location.
