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This year saw the end of Windows XP (and Office 2003) support. It saw really slow adoption of Windows 8 in businesses of all sizes. Windows 10 was announced (and what happened to Windows 9?). Next year will see the end of Microsoft support for Windows Server 2003…and Windows 10 will become available for purchase.

It seems like we’ve been looking at a lot of old computer gear lately. There’s many reasons why people hold onto their computer systems longer than they really should… The current machine is running fine (not most of the time but sometimes), cost of the new gear and upgrading, the hardware upgrade also requiring upgrades to other software, and the hassle and learning curve on what’s often going to be a new operating system and/or applications are just a few.

How about $55,492? Last month, an Ohio guy by the name of Zack Brown posted a “Kickstarter” campaign. If you’ve not heard about Kickstarter, it’s a kind of on-line crowd-funding platform that works mostly through social media.

Someone, like Zack, puts up a Kickstarter campaign.

…when, as we’ve already seen around the country, the weather demonstrates its power, all too often with awful and tragic results.

But it doesn’t take a hurricane or an F5 tornado for the weather to create problems… even the seasonal thunderstorm can create havoc for electronics – and that reminds us of the power and room environment issues we see every spring and through the summer.

Recently, a friend forwarded me one of those Internet “Top 10 Things That <fill in the blank>” emails that I almost always delete without reading. This one caught my attention though, as it was titled something like “Things That May Disappear in Our Lifetime”.

OK, got me.

One common business term thrown around with relish is overhead. In business this is usually known as ongoing expenses incurred in operating a business. This operating expense is something all companies have, and in tight economic situations it’s often one of the first costs managers try to decrease.

Microsoft’s email program, Outlook, is used in companies worldwide. Because of this widespread popularity, many users can switch jobs or systems and be immediately comfortable with at least one element. The same can be said for new versions of Outlook.

Email plays a big role in the way people do business. Whether you work from a fixed location at an office desk or from a mobile device on the go, the kind of email you use can define your level of productivity. Are you sure that the email system you are using is the right one for you? Whether you work from an office or are productive while on the go, email most likely plays a big factor in the way you go about your business. Unbeknownst to many, some types of email systems have certain limitations that by extension can also limit the level of productivity of your business, and especially for people in the organization who must also work while out in the field. One major issue for many people is synchronicity. Many people need their emails to be accessible on their mobile phones, PDAs, or other mobile devices, and they need them to be properly synchronized with their desktop workstations. The need to constantly update conversations and email threads from mobile devices to desktops with certain types of email can prove to be tedious and unproductive– and some email system types don’t include this ability at all. Depending on the way you use your email, especially when on the go, having full access and full control of your account can define how productive you and others in your organization can be. Besides providing a much better degree of synchronization and integration with mobile devices, certain types of email systems also have features for sharing and collaboration features that allow you to set schedules and share files from your mailbox, as well as central storage for emails that allows you to access your account seamlessly with any mobile device, regardless of where you are located. Of course, having a full-featured email system might not be best for everyone. The key is to know whether adapting a more bare-bones system is cost-effective for your business (especially in the long run). Sometimes the top of the line may be needed, and sometimes all you need is a bit of tweaking on your less fully featured system. Not sure which is best? Call us and we’ll be glad to sit down with you and assess what kind of email system is best suited for you and your business.