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Upgrading

Consider These Great PC Upgrades

If you are in the market for a new PC, check out these tips on how to upgrade your PC and get more value for your dollars before you pull out your credit card.

A solid state drive
Nothing like an SSD to give you a more practical and noticeable performance increase. With more capacity and more chips and channels, you are guaranteed faster performance.

A faster CPU
You may want to add a new CPU if your computer is old and if the before-mentioned SSD does not entirely fulfill your needs.

Get more memory
With more memory, your operating system will spend less time moving data to disk and you will be able work with more open apps and large files.

Choose a larger display
While a touch screen might blow up your budget, you can opt for a 23-, 24-, 27-inch 1080p model for an affordable price and it will offer you a much better and productive computing experience.

Better gear: keyboard and mouse
Explore the world of wireless, wired, touch and ergonomic keyboard and mouse models and choose one that makes sitting at your computer a breeze.

After all, all our work is done with a keyboard and a mouse, and they need to be as much comfortable as possible.

Windows 8 – WOW Does It Look Different!

Scott Blake is a Senior Network Engineer with Tech Experts.

Microsoft’s venture into a truly mobile operating system, that can be spread spectrum across all of their platforms, was in theory a great idea.

What went wrong was underestimating the public’s attachment to the look and feel of their Windows XP and Windows 7 (we’ll just forget about Vista) operating system.

With many users still looking sideways at the new stylish Windows 8 interface, and even with the slight upgrades and changes in looks (ha, I laugh at the new start button) that Windows 8.1 has brought on since its release.

For many users out there, this still is not a big enough change to truly bring enjoyment to their personal computer experience.

If you are in “ever search mode” to locate and regain that look and feel of operating systems of yesteryear, there are two great programs that allow anyone of any level of computer experience to install and customize to regain that feeling of comfort.

Classic Shell, a freeware program, can enable a legacy-style Start menu and Windows Explorer interface. You can even have the Windows 7 menu back! But why stop there? Windows XP and Windows Classic menus are available as well. The Classic style will be a comfort to anyone upgrading from Windows 98.

The classic Explorer settings can also transport you into the way-back machine, and users can now have the simple Windows XP style back that they know and love.

A small low impact application that gives you a true look and feel of a Windows 7 interface, while still maintaining the complete functionally of the Windows 8 operating system.

Classic Shell, gives you a true start button and brings back Печатьthat all too familiar look and feel of your dearly departed Windows XP or 7 systems.

Check it out, it even offers a “Shut Down” button. Classic Shell also allows for customization of the new start menu.

Created by Stardock, a company that’s been making Windows user interface mod’s for years, Start8 comes as a free 30-day-trial. After that, you can “unlock” the third-party software for just $4.99.
Start8 does not re-enable the Windows Start menu. Instead, it creates a new menu that looks similar to it. Because of this, Stardock provides a great deal of customization.

Users can make the menu appear Metro-like by giving it square edges, or can stick with the Windows 7 look by giving it rounded edges. It’s also possible to change color, add or remove translucency, and give the Start menu button a custom icon.

And that’s just the beginning. There’s a plethora of options available in the app’s configuration and control menus for users to explore and customize.

Considering its low price and the large number of options, I think this software is a good deal. I even like the optional faux-Metro style.

However, Start8 doesn’t add any new functionality, so users are essentially paying $5 to have what was bundled with Windows 7.

So there you go. Two great choices, it just all comes down to “to pay or not pay, that is the question.”
Remember the technicians at Tech Experts are always ready to lend a hand.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

The Top 5 Upgrades To Speed Up Your Systems Now

Scott Blake is a Senior Network Engineer with Tech Experts.

Things happen a lot faster in a small business than they do in the corporate world. This is why it is critical for small business owners to ensure their technology is up to date.

Here are five upgrades you should consider including in your IT budget to help you get things done faster.

Get a faster Internet connection
Surprisingly, many businesses which completely rely on Internet connectivity still settle for slow Internet speeds.

It may not seem obvious at first; however, speeding up your Internet connection will speed your business activities, such as file downloads and webpage loading.

You might even consider signing up for a second internet line with another provider just so you can balance your Internet access between the two.

This will speed things up and provide a safety net in case one provider’s network fails. Most of the firewalls we recommend automatically have two Internet connections for redundancy.

Upgrade to Gigabit networking
Upgrading your network speed to Gigabit Ethernet will give you a 10-fold increase in network throughput.

GbE used to be expensive; however, today there are affordable gigabit network switches. In addition GbE works over CAT 5E cabling that is widely deployed, and it is typically built into most desktops and laptops.

Upgrade hard drives to Solid State Drives
If you are not yet ready for a company-wide system upgrade, you can still stretch the lifespan of your desktops/laptops by upgrading the hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD).Печать

An SSD can read and write data at a higher speed, which allows users to boot up their systems and launch applications faster. SSDs are affordable; even a lower-end model will deliver a significant system boost.
We’ve seen incredible performance increases when installing solid state drives. Windows will boot in 5 to 10 seconds, Word loads instantly, and even QuickBooks speeds up.

Switch to 802.11n  wireless
If your office runs on an 802.11b or 802.11g Wi-Fi network, this would be a good time to deploy the 802.11n wireless.

This comes with a faster wireless speed that makes for a better experience and can support more wireless devices. Note that GbE is necessary to support these faster 300 Mbps 802.11n Wi-Fi access points.

Upgrade computer RAM
More RAM never hurts, and this is bolstered by the sheer affordability of RAM.

While modern computers with 4GB or more of RAM generally have adequate memory for nearly all user demands, increasing your RAM allows you to reduce virtual memory or even turn it off. This makes for a much faster computing experience.

(Image Source: iCLIPART)

The Importance Of Planning Your Computer Upgrades

by Jeremy Miller, Technician
When considering upgrades to your computer or network, planning is a very important part of the process. Planning can save you a lot of wasted time and money.

When planning your upgrades you will want to think about what all is involved and attempt to address any issues prior to installation to prevent down time as much as possible.

First you will need to understand what you need to upgrade. Can you upgrade your current setup or will you have to purchase entirely new equipment to upgrade? There are many components of an upgrade that may not work together with older technology.

You can find this a lot if you upgrade to a new workstation and some of your software is not compatible with the new operating system on the computer.

You will also find that older hardware sometimes cannot be upgraded with new hardware without replacing the motherboards or the whole computer.

Hardware and software both have limits on how much other software and hardware that they support.

A good example of this is: If you bought a good computer about 8 years ago the maximum amount of RAM you could use was about 4 gigabytes. It is now common to have 4 gigabytes to be the minimum amount of RAM installed.

Some software out there will not even run well unless it is over 4 gigabytes of RAM. The old computer cannot be upgraded with more RAM so you would need to purchase a new computer in order to get more RAM.

If you were to buy the RAM to upgrade the computer you may have just wasted time and money. This is why planning is so important.

If the upgrade is for an organization or business you may have purchased RAM for many workstations. A lot of time the RAM would be incompatible with a newer computer as well.

When planning for any type of computer or network upgrade you will want to look at how long you have already had your existing setup.

You can expect to get about 5 years out of any device whether it is a desktop, laptop, printer or other device. If your equipment is that old or older it is usually better to replace the equipment.

There are many reasons for upgrading versus updating. The biggest reason is that it is time to replace. Usually five years after you purchase your computer there is software and hardware that will make it very easy to upgrade.

If you wait much longer then your existing equipment will not be easily upgraded to the newer computers.

When you plan to upgrade your computers you can save money by getting deals or specials. This is because when you plan, you know what you will need and you can wait for sales or promotions.

If you do not plan then more than likely you will be upgrading when your computers start causing issues. This is not a good practice. You will end up having more down time due to low-performing computers and the time it will take to get the faulty computers fixed or replaced can easily end up costing more than the cost of replacing your workstations regularly.

We are always consulting clients and helping with upgrades and migrations, if you have any questions feel free to contact us. We are more than happy to help you with any sort of computer or network upgrades.

Office 365 Or Office 2013: Which Is Right For You?

by Jeremy Miller, Technician
You’ve probably heard a lot of things in the news about Microsoft’s Office 365.

Let’s explain the difference between Office 365, and the traditional version of Microsoft Office you’re used to using on your computer.

Standard versions of Office 2013 are licensed or boxed product. You can purchase a license to this product from any local or online retailer.

Office 365 is a subscription based product. You purchase this license either monthly or annually. You can also use this product on more than one computer and it is transferrable to other computers. This license is not transferrable to another user.

You should know right away both versions of Office will not run on any Windows Operating system prior to Windows 7.

The Office 2013 license is very straight forward: You simply install Office like you always have. However, unlike previous Office versions, you cannot remove it and install it on another computer.

The Office 365 license is much more malleable, and is licensed and sold by version. Office 365 comes in four versions: Home Premium, Small Business, Midsize Business, and Enterprise. Office 365 is licensed per user.

Office 365 Home Premium comes with Word, Excel, Power Point, One Note, Outlook, Publisher, Access, 20 GB of Skydrive cloud storage, and 60 minutes of calling if you have a Skype account. This version is not available to businesses.

Office 365 Small Business includes everything Home Premium has plus Microsoft Lync and business email which will offer 25 GB per month, and many other features.

Office 365 Midsize Business requires an annual commitment. This version will allow you to have up to 300 users. This has everything Small Business has plus Microsoft InfoPath.

Office 365 Enterprise also requires an annual commitment, but there are no limits as to the number of users you can have.

This version has everything that Midsize Business has plus Unified Discovery, Data Loss Prevention, and Role-based access.

Unified Discovery will allow you to search across Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync.

With Role-Based access you can control access and assign it to different groups.

You can create data loss prevention polices and templates for protecting sensitive information. These features will aid in keeping your business compliant with various regulatory requirements.

Choosing your version of Office is pretty straightforward. If you’re a light Office user, or only use a few features of Office then Office 2013 is best for you. You can choose which version you need based on the Office tools that you use.

If your company uses many features of Office, and you want to avoid large upfront software costs, then Office 365 is your best bet.

You will still be able to use Office 365 with no Internet connection. It does require an Internet connection to install and sync, however, and of course for email access.

You can access Office from anywhere using Office on Demand, which is not full-featured, but will allow you to read and edit documents.

Office 365 is the best bet for small and growing companies. You can add and remove new users and computers.

When you upgrade computers you will be able to remove Office from the old computer to install on a new computer.

You will also get more features like business email and calendars, a public website, team sites, web conferencing, and instant messaging.

If your company needs any help making a decision about which version of Office would best suit you, or if you would like help installing and configuring Office, please give us a call. We’d be happy to help.

Windows XP: Usage Declining After 10 Years

With Windows XP being released more than 10 years ago its still amazing that it is still on top when it comes to the most widely used operating system. The question still stands however, why?!

Many users have become comfortable with Windows XP and everyone hates change so it is really no surprise that users are holding on to the antiquated operating system. There are however major problems with holding onto old technology.

The first major problem is support. Windows XP is slated to lose its support in early August of 2014. “So why not hold on to Windows XP a little longer, I heard Windows 8 is coming out soon?” While there are many users out there with that mentality, it is bad practice to hold on to an operating system beyond its useful life.

The fact is there is a great alternative to Windows XP that has been out long enough that the bugs have been worked out and is a stable alternative. Windows 7 is the alternative, while many users are nervous about moving on to a new operating system because they don’t like change, Windows 7 is a very intuitive, stable and user friendly operating system.

The second reason you should not be holding on to Windows XP over Windows 7 is the simple fact of security. Windows 7 has been proven to be more than five times as secure as Windows XP.That’s right, all those viruses you get in Windows XP due to its numerous security holes do not exist in Windows 7. While its true there are still some viruses and malware in Windows 7, this is true of any software (Yes even a Mac…).

Many businesses are starting to see these facts as well and are not waiting around for Windows 8. So why are they not waiting?

Well, current reviews of Windows 8 have very mixed opinions on whether or not it will be a good fit for businesses. Much like Vista was to the Windows XP user, Windows 8 is going to be a very different looking and feeling operating system.Many people in the Information Technology field have their doubts as to whether it will fit into businesses well due to the drastic changes that have been made in the users interface.

While Windows 8 is still not released to the general public yet, it still appears that it will be too big of a change for those in the business world that generally are not early adopters of new Windows operating systems (Sound familiar?).

Many businesses are just starting to push into Windows 7 for their primary workstations and the numbers of Windows XP  computers versus the number of Windows 7 computers out are starting to show that. Windows XP has dropped over 10% in the past year which is huge! As a matter of fact Windows 7 gained 15% last year which  means not only is it doing well enough to take those XP users, but it also managed to steal some users from other operating systems.

The long and short is it is time to get that upgrade and stop wasting your time with Windows XP. Windows XP will cost you more to maintain due to the fact that it is more likely to have viruses and other problems. Windows 7 is the way to go don’t wait until Windows XP support finally dies then decide its time.The time is now, save yourself the hassle and plan the upgrade process now rather than waiting till the last minute.

We can get you upgraded to Windows 7 or, if your computer is too old to put the money and time into it to switch to Windows 7, we can get a computer for you with Windows 7 and transfer all of your existing data to it. Just give us a call.

 

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Tech Experts

Upgrade Your Computer For The New Year!

The question arises every time there is an issue with the typical system.  Should I upgrade the system, or by a new one?”

This question is most easily answered with a little more information.

How old is the system? Typically a system 6 plus years old or so is probably  ot going to worth the expense of upgrading. You would probably get a better bang for your buck replacing the system.

However, if your system is not really that old you can achieve remarkable  performance improvements by upgrading your system.

For instance, upgrading you hard drive increases your “physical memory.” Physical memory is the amount of hard drive space you have for the storage of data.

Many newer systems come with an average of 100-300 Gigabytes of on-board  physical memory. While this may sound like a lot, you might find that your physical memory can fill up fast.

With more and more people storing photos and homemade movies on their PC, without adequate storage space, you could find that you’ve run out of space and you may need to delete old memories for new ones. And no one wants to lose those memories.

Luckily, the cost of physical memory  is getting cheaper every day, without sacrificing any of the storage quality. And now, solid state hard drives arequite expense, and the performance is even better. Best of all, there are no moving parts to fail.

Adding RAM or “in use memory” is one way to increase performance rather inexpensively. RAM determines how much data you can work with at any one time.

If your RAM is low, you may be able to run a limited number of programs simultaneously. The higher amount of RAM your computer uses, the more applications and data you can access at the same time and the more
quickly your CPU can work. The CPU and RAM work nearly hand-in-hand to increase the speed and functionality of your computer.

By increasing your CPU and RAM, you will be able to work with more than one  program at one time and switch between the applications quickly with less lag time.

The CPU is where all the processing of data takes place. The more powerful  your computer’s brain (CPU), the faster your computer can process tasks. For example, if you get a little frustrated waiting for your web browser to load, upgrading your processing speed could help your computer start up faster, and help applicationslaunch more quickly.

We have upgraded my workstation here at the office by adding more RAM, and I cannot believe the difference this has made in the ability of the system to process data quickly. If there is one upgrade I would recommend over any other, it would be to upgrade your computer’s memory.

Even the biggest and best upgrades can’t help a computer that is slowed down because it is thoroughly infected. You have to take care when you are on the Internet and watch for malware that can attack your freshly upgraded computer.

And remember to let the techs at Tech Experts assist you in all your computing needs.

Computer Slowing Down? Try A Memory Upgrade!

I just turned a little older, and as anyone my age can attest, the first thing to go is your “memory.”

It is no different with your computer. I recently upgraded our workstations here at Tech Experts, from 1gb of RAM to 2gb, and I could not believe the difference in the way our stations run. Programs that I use on a daily basis run unbelievably fast.

I’ve been asked over the years, “What exactly is RAM?” RAM (Random Access Memory) is the temporary working memory that the Windows operating system, programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and documents use when your computer is running.

Don’t confuse RAM with hard drive storage, which is where all your files are stashed. For years, processors and software have been growing increasingly RAM-hungry. Even just a year ago, 512mb was considered enough. We started out at 1gb, and upgraded to 2gb in our stations, which seems to be the “sweet spot” for Windows XP.

If you are working in Word, have a couple of websites open in Internet Explorer, and Outlook is open for your e-mail, inside your computer, each of your programs is competing for RAM. Windows is juggling which program gets priority at a given moment.

If you don’t have enough RAM, Windows will use the hard drive as virtual memory. The problem is, though, that swapping programs back and forth between RAM and your hard drive is much less efficient than keeping everything in RAM.

If your system seems sluggish and you notice lots of hard drive activity, chances are good that adding RAM memory will rev your system up. Programs that you run in a business environment need to process information RIGHT NOW. That’s why we’re recommending all of our clients upgrade to 2gb of RAM in their workstations. The speed improvement is incredible!

 

Upgrade Your Computer Network Now and Save A Bundle of Money on Taxes, Hardware and Support

If you hate handing over a chunk of money to Uncle Sam every year (and who doesn’t!), then listen up…

If you upgrade your computer network before December 31st, you can claim a BIG tax deduction THIS YEAR.

And, to sweeten the deal, we’ve uncovered a number of rebates and discounts on workstations, servers, and laptops to save you even MORE money on a upgrade. Plus, as a bonus to anyone doing a complete network upgrade, we are giving away 3 FREE months of our network monitoring service. This service is designed to keep your network always up, always fast, and always secure. After all, you don’t want your data to become corrupt or lost due to a virus, hardware failure, or a glitch.

With the tax savings, discounts, and free support, NOW is the absolute BEST time to upgrade those old computers.

But hurry! You only have until December 31st to make the upgrade! Give us a call today at (734) 457-5000, or e-mail sales@expertsmi.com.

Five Steps To Integrating Your Small Business’ Computer Systems

Your small business is growing fast. Your technology needs are changing just as rapidly. But starting over with a totally new system isn’t an option – who can afford the downtime? Sometimes it can feel like needing to change a tire, but not being able to afford to stop your car.

A better solution is to replace components you’ve outgrown – such as software or a lower-end printer – and add them to the existing computer system.

Tech Experts relies on a methodical approach to integrating new technology for our clients – a five-step process that any small business can follow when adding PCs or software:

1: Identify the problem 
When your business sees its customer satisfaction, efficiency and employee satisfaction levels plummeting, you know it is time to make a change.

But even if your company isn’t experiencing bottlenecks, there may still be opportunities to improve overall efficiency.

We suggest companies start by looking at whatever they do repeatedly for customers. Then, seek out technology that can help the business do that work faster or better. Remember, inefficiency is expensive!

2: Determine What You Need
Once you’ve zeroed in on things needing improvement, the next step is finding the best technology for the situation. In most cases, small business owners shouldn’t be making such choices themselves, but many still try to “cobble it together.”

Whether you hire our firm, or another technology expert, we strongly advocate hiring an tech consultant to recommend equipment and a plan for the future.

We also advise sticking with name-brand hardware and software to avoid most major problems. Ninety percent of a small business’s needs can be handled by off-the-shelf products, many of which are already seamlessly integrated. Basically, this means that they’ll “play nice with other equipment.”

3: Develop a plan 
After selecting (us) as your computer experts, the next step is creating a plan for getting from where you are to where you need to be tech-wise. A timeline, equipment list and critical steps should be part of that plan, including how employees will be brought into the loop.

One of the key things business owners overlook is their personnel. While many employees may be ahead of the curve in their familiarity with different technologies, don’t assume everyone is. Some may actually be tech-averse. Don’t jump too far ahead with the technology. Take incremental steps and everyone can use the new features and benefit from them, rather than being frustrated.

4: Install the Equipment
Likewise, the fewer systems the better. Sixty percent of enterprise software sits on a shelf unused. Only invest in computers and software that will improve your company’s performance. Don’t implement technology for technology’s sake – do it to make more money.

Training should also be a part of your roll-out plan, as well as access to consultants for post support and maintenance.

5: Keep It Maintained 
Contracting with a professional computer company like Tech Experts and keeping software and hardware up-to-date will assure that your technology and your business run smoothly – and continue to grow together.
Give us a call today at (734) 457-5000, or send us an email at: sales@expertsmi.com.

Thank you!