Month: February 2017

Categories
Miscellaneous

How Vizio Got Busted for Spying on Its Customers

b2ap3_thumbnail_vizio_smart_tv_spying_400.jpg What have you watched on TV lately? Actually, never mind; if you don’t want to tell us, we can just ask Vizio. Relax–we’re not actually going through with this, but the fact remains that 11 million owners of Vizio televisions had their viewing habits tracked by the manufacturer. Were you one of them?

A fine by the Federal Trade Commission, totalling $2.2 million, was issued to Vizio following its actions of collecting data on users. This data included what the televisions were displaying, regardless of what the input was; whether it was smart TV apps, DVD players, air broadcasts, the TV’s IP addresses, or cable boxes. Whatever the TV had on it, Vizio could gather the data and do with it as it pleased. A federal court ordered Vizio to delete any data that they collected before March 2016 because their customers were not told of the company’s data sharing practices.

To remedy this, Vizio now makes its data collection practices available through the TV’s settings. Also part of their settlement, Vizio now sends notifications directly to the user’s screen. Jerry Huang, Vizio’s General Counsel, issued a statement regarding the incident: “Instead, as the complaint notes, the practices challenged by the government related only to the use of viewing data in the ‘aggregate’ to create summary reports measuring viewing audiences or behaviors. Today, the FTC has made clear that all smart TV makers should get people’s consent before collecting and sharing television viewing information and Vizio now is leading the way.”

Of course, the question of what Vizio did with all of that data needs to be asked. Perhaps the company used the data to understand how customers were using its hardware, such as how frequently it was used and what kinds of devices were used in conjunction with it. This way, Vizio could use the data to better their products and make them more useful. Of course, that’s an optimistic view.

Another way that Vizio could have used this data is by collecting it to distribute to paying partners for marketing purposes. This type of data collection would be very lucrative for Vizio, a practice that could be difficult to ignore.

Was this collection of data a clear violation of generally-accepted ethics? That’s debatable, but the truth of the matter is that Vizio would have had a better time of it if they gave their customers the choice of being involved these data collection practices. If anything, it should make you consider how you’re using your own Internet-connected devices. You never know if and how they might be spying on you.

What are your thoughts on this development? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog.

Categories
Technology

Is New Hardware Procurement on Your IT Budget?

b2ap3_thumbnail_hardware_cost_400.jpg Depending on how long you’ve had your current workstation, you might start to see performance problems. Eventually, you’ll start to see issues that could cause downtime and lead to wasted assets. Therefore, you need to have a plan in order to replace your hardware before it fails. What’s the best way to do this without breaking your budget?

The answer is easy, and it’s called hardware procurement. This is way to help your business commit to regular hardware refreshes without spending an exorbitant amount of cash doing so. Through hardware procurement, you can get replacement servers, workstations, network components, and so much more without having to pay for them up-front.

How it Works
Purchasing new hardware can often be a financial problem, especially for big ticket items. You might be in the red for months following a hardware failure, or even up to a year. Still, even if it’s expensive, hardware refreshes are borderline necessary if you want to make sure that your business doesn’t fall victim to the eventual hardware failure, which can cause data loss. The question, therefore, is how you can accomplish all of this without breaking your IT budget.

Let’s Get Started with an Assessment
Are you unsure about investing in hardware procurement? COMPANYNAME can offer you a complete assessment of your IT infrastructure. This tells us if you have any outdated hardware components that are running in a way which might threaten your network with downtime. Furthermore, we can build you out an IT roadmap that helps you plan out your hardware refreshes for the next five or even ten years. This is crucial if you want to make sure that your organization can best implement new hardware in the long run.

Routinely updating your hardware is an important part of keeping your network secure, as well. Older hardware may not be getting the proper security patches and updates, which could put your business at risk of hacking attacks, in addition to the amplified risk of hardware failure. You don’t have the luxury of waiting until something bad happens to you, as the threat is omnipresent and could happen at any time.

To learn more about hardware refreshes and network audits, reach out to COMPANYNAME at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
How To

Tip of the Week: How to Prevent Windows 10 From Restarting While You’re Working

b2ap3_thumbnail_restart_windows_10_400.jpg How many times has this happened to you: you’ve walked back to your home or work PC after taking a break, only to find that Windows 10 installed new updates and automatically restarted? Thanks to Windows 10’s notoriously aggressive update behavior, any work that wasn’t saved was lost forever. It can be very frustrating to lose a project that you’ve spent hours on, through no fault of your own. Luckily, there are steps you can take to easily create a restart schedule.

In the fall of 2016, Microsoft issued an Anniversary Update to the Windows 10 OS. With this update, Microsoft included a new feature called “Active Hours.” Active Hours was created to let users specify the times when they’re more likely to be using their computers. In order to set up an Active Hours restart schedule, ensure that your computer has the Anniversary update installed (check your PC settings to see if it has already present). If you need help installing Windows 10 Anniversary, you can download this Update Assistant on Microsoft’s website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/features.

After Windows 10 Anniversary is properly installed, follow these steps to setup Active Hours on your PC:

  1. Click on the Start menu and then the Settings. As a shortcut, you can also use Windows key + i on your keyboard.
  2. Next, select Update & Security.
    ib win 10 1
  3. Under the Windows Update tab, which will show up automatically, you’ll see a link to Change active hours. Click that.
    ib win 10 2
  4. From there, you can set your active hours (note: time lengths exceeding 12 hours will be marked as invalid).
    ib win 10 3
  5. Click Save to confirm your changes.

Now your PC will not install updates during those specified hours. But again, at most, you’re only covered for a 12-hour period. So, what about those times when you need to pull an all-nighter to complete a project? Not only can Windows 10 updates interrupt your productivity, they can also take a long time to install. To further prevent unwanted installations and restarts, you can also adjust your restart settings.

To change your restart settings, you’ll need to stay in the Update & Security section of your PC settings. Next:

  1. Click on Restart options, which is located under Change active hours.
    ib win 10 4
  2. Turn the feature On.
    ib win 10 5
  3. Next, set the day and time when you’d like Windows to finish installing updates. There is no need to save anything. As long as the switch is set to On, you’re all set.
    ib win 10 6

If you find that the On/Off switch is grayed out and you aren’t able to adjust it, this means that there are no new updates available at that time. In other words, you won’t have to worry about updates finishing up and forcing your PC to restart. Be sure to keep an eye on your restart options if you are planning to burn the candle at both ends.

There you have it. Windows 10 will no longer be able to bully you into halting your productivity. For more tips on how to avoid downtime for your hardware, give COMPANYNAME a call at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
Cloud

Your Plate is Full Enough. Updating Software Shouldn’t Be on It

b2ap3_thumbnail_enterprise_software_updates_400.jpg Making sure that your company’s software solutions are up-to-date is something that should take priority, but it’s a chore that’s difficult to perform without a little help. How can you make sure that security patches and updates are always implemented, without sacrificing all of the time and effort required to do so? Even if you don’t think you need them, we promise that they are worth your time–or that of your IT staff.

There’s no way around the importance of implementing software updates, no matter how hard you look for it. In terms of preventing threats from taking advantage of existing vulnerabilities in your software, applying patches is one of the best countermeasures that you can take. You want to make sure that you are taking a calculated approach to your updates so as to make sure there are no cut corners or mistakes being made.

Having a Maintenance Routine is Crucial
From a break-fix IT standpoint, your business will only get much-needed software updates when something goes wrong with your IT infrastructure. This is counterproductive, as you want software patches and security updates to be installed as soon as possible, following their release. Plus, it’s just bad business for a break-fix IT company to do something for you that would keep your technology from working properly. After all, their entire business model relies on your technology not working as intended, so why would they go out of their way to update your software?

Having someone be in charge of implementing software updates is the best way to make sure that this task actually happens. This also presents another important question: do you have employees who have time to do all of this? Keep in mind that software updates need to be done in a timely manner, and it’s likely that they will need to be performed after-hours, so as not to disturb daily operations.

So… How Do You Do It?
For organizations that have an in-house IT department, the responsibility of software updates will usually fall to their technicians. Considering how many things can go wrong if this doesn’t go according to plan, you want to make sure that this process is only handled by professionals. For businesses that don’t have the technical know-how, managed service providers allow for outsourced maintenance–including the remote implementation of security patches and updates. This means that you don’t have to use your company’s time and resources to implement software updates, allowing you to focus on keeping operations running.

Even businesses that do have an internal IT department can benefit from a remote monitoring and management solution. If you find that your IT staff is overworked and they don’t have time for mundane, time-consuming tasks like applying updates, COMPANYNAME can provide co-managed IT care to help your team. While your IT staff is busy innovating, we can take care of the tasks that nobody really wants to do, like issuing software updates to all workstations on your network.

Besides updating your workstations, other available updates for your technology can also be handled relatively easily by our team. Here are a few examples that you’ll want to keep in mind as you decide how you want to implement your software updates.

  • Operating systems: Remember the fiasco from a couple years ago when Microsoft stopped supporting its popular operating system, Windows XP? This is what can happen if you don’t routinely update your operating systems. You’ll no longer receive security updates and you’ll put your company’s sensitive data in jeopardy.
  • Legacy applications: When you rely on mission-critical software, you might be hesitant to implement patches or upgrade the software. Therefore, you need the assistance of technical experts who can help you either move away from legacy applications or install updates in a way that won’t cause downtime.
  • Hardware quality: Thinking beyond just software, your hardware needs regular attention as well, if you want to make sure operations aren’t hindered by unnecessary downtime. Hardware refreshes should be considered in tandem with your software updates, as there’s no reason to update the operating system on a failing piece of hardware when you can kill two birds with one stone by simply ordering a new workstation.

Does all of this sound intimidating? Reach out to COMPANYNAME and you’ll never have to worry about software updates again. To learn more about what we can do for your SMB, reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
Business

The Difference Between a Satisfied Employee vs a Loyal Employee is Huge

b2ap3_thumbnail_brand_amd_employee_loyalty_400.jpg When you’re emotionally invested in something, there’s a better chance that you will enjoy it and find reason to do it. This is why marketers always attempt to use a good old tug-at-the-heartstrings tactic, as they know that if they can get their audience invested on an emotional level, they’ll be more willing to take the dive and try something new. The same tactic can be used to turn good employees into great employees.

Dr. John Fleming of Gallup conducted a survey that shows as much. He suspected that customer loyalty to a specific brand, product, person, or company was the result of an emotional attachment. To go the extra distance and get someone from being satisfied to loyal, the same general formula can be applied. According to Jay Forte of REWORK, the formula works like this:

  • If we don’t get it right, we create a dissatisfied customer. These customers don’t return.
  • If we get it right (deliver the service or product as expected), then we create a satisfied customer. These customers may return.
  • If we get it right and do something more (something that creates an emotional connection), then we create a loyal customer. These customers not only return, but they become brand evangelists.

If you consider why you’re loyal to the brands that you are, this makes a whole lot of sense. The formula predicts that this “conversion” from being a normal customer to a loyal customer is the result of getting more than what was expected from a brand in the first place. In other words, exceeding expectations is the key to taking satisfied customers and turning them into loyal, lifelong customers.

Now, let’s return to the original question; how can you turn a normal employee who is satisfied with their role in your organization, into a driven worker who wants to help your business succeed not just for its own sake, but for their own. One way you can bridge this emotional connection is by providing your employees with not just working technology, but top-notch technology.

  • Not getting it right: Imagine that you are an employee at a growing organization who is stuck using a lackluster workstation prone to freezing. You would quickly grow frustrated and imagine that management doesn’t care that your job performance depends on their technology working properly.
  • Getting it right: Now imagine that you’ve been given technology that works properly and keeps downtime to a minimum. Your major points of contention are taken care so you can perform your job adequately. These types of scenarios might allow for good work, but certainly not exceptional work.
  • Exceeding expectations: What if you were not only provided with working technology, but management also listened to your preferences and made sure that everyone was using technology that they were comfortable with? What if employees could use their own devices for work purposes? For many users, this is what is meant by going above and beyond.

What it comes down to is providing employees a good reason to stick around, as it would be a shame for good employees to leave if management can’t offer them emotional investment in their work. Similarly, it would be a shame if your technology were to break down if you don’t make time to take care of it. This is something that you don’t have to worry about; or, rather, you shouldn’t have to. After all, COMPANYNAME is here to help.

We believe that if we can provide great IT support, we can help your business improve and exceed even your own expectations. To learn more, reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
Technology

Samsung Galaxy vs Google Pixel, Which is Best for You?

b2ap3_thumbnail_smartphone_comparison_400.jpg When it comes to Android mobile OS-run smartphones, consumers may wonder where the value is when they see so many name brands charging premium prices for their flagship devices. Two of the most popular devices, the Google Pixel and the Samsung Galaxy s7, seem to be in a league of their own in the Android market. Today we do a brief comparison:

Google Pixel & Google Pixel XL
Brand awareness plays a major part in whether or not a device is economically viable. In the past, Google has released their “flagship” devices under the Nexus monicker, and users have found them to be the cleanest Android-run devices on the market. The Google Nexus brand has been manufactured by several companies including Huawei, HTC, and LG as Google doesn’t find that the cost of starting their own smartphone manufacturing outfit to be viable. This time around Google once again partnered with HTC to create their newest namesake device, the Google Pixel.

Designed and marketed as the first truly Google phone, the Pixel comes in two sizes: one with a 5-inch display and a 2,700 mAh battery, and a larger version called the Pixel XL that features a 5.5-inch display and a larger 3,450 mAh battery. Otherwise the two devices are identical, making the choice between the smaller and larger versions more of a matter of preference than a deliberation between specifications.

Both devices feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor with 4GB of RAM, and a 12.3 dual-LED camera, that is now considered by industry professionals as one of the best camera experiences available on a smartphone today. They both are made from aluminum and glass and come with a rear-mounted fingerprint reader for security.

The Pixel comes in three colors: Quite Black, Very Silver, and Really Blue. Customers can choose a device with an ample 32GB of onboard storage, or a 128GB version for those users in need of more storage space for their media. The device is available for all major carriers and can also be purchased on the Google Store, where financing is available.

Google Pixel
Dimensions – Aluminum & Glass design, 5.04 oz
Display – 5” AMOLED, 1080 x 1920 (~441 ppi)
Particulars – Android OS v7.1 {Nougat}, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, Adreno 530, 4GB RAM, 32/128GB Internal Storage)
External Memory & SIM – None, Nano-SIM
Cameras – Rear facing: 12.3 MP, front facing: 8 MP
Battery – Non-removable 2,770 mAh
Other Information – Rear-mounted fingerprint reader, fast charging enabled, NFC enabled
Google Pixel XL
Dimensions – Aluminum & Glass design, 5.93 oz
Display – 5.5” AMOLED, 1440 x 2560 (~534 ppi)
Particulars – Android OS v7.1 {Nougat}, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, Adreno 530, 4GB RAM, 32/128GB Internal Storage
External Memory & SIM – None, Nano-SIM
Cameras – Rear facing: 12.3 MP, front facing: 8 MP
Battery – Non-removable 3,450 mAh
Other Information – Rear-mounted fingerprint reader, fast charging enabled, NFC enabled

Samsung Galaxy s7 & Samsung Galaxy s7 Edge
If there has been an industry leader in the smartphone space, it has to be Samsung. Not only do they manufacture some of the most popular (and powerful) smartphones on the market, they produce components for several of their competitors’ devices. In a testament to their overwhelming popularity, of all the smartphones purchased in the first quarter of 2016, nearly a quarter of them were made by Samsung. Only time will tell if those numbers are sustained after their flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, was recalled and discontinued after hundreds of them were distributed with violently faulty batteries.

The Galaxy s7, however, is probably still the best smartphone on the market. The s7, and it’s sister product, the Galaxy s7 Edge, come with Super AMOLED displays, the most advanced chipset of any phone on the market and 4GB of RAM. If there is a feature you would like to see on a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy s7, and s7 Edge, have it. They are dust and water resistant, they feature an always-on display, a great performing battery, and a return of expandable storage capabilities up to 200GB.

Like the Samsung Galaxy s7, the s7 Edge features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display, but the Edge features a rounded edge-to-edge design that some may favor. Each device features a fingerprint reader for security, fast-charging, and NFC for use with data transfer and payment platforms. It comes in six colors: Black, White, Gold, Silver, Pink Gold, Black Pearl, and Coral Blue; and, is available on every major smartphone carrier.

Samsung Galaxy s7
Dimensions – Corning Gorilla Glass 4 back panel
Display – 5.1 inches, 1440 x 2560 pixels (~577 ppi pixel density)
Particulars – Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to v7.0 (Nougat), Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 Exynos 8890 Octa,, 4GB RAM, 32/64GB Internal Storage
External Memory & SIM – microSD, up to 200GB (dedicated slot) – single-SIM model
microSD, up to 200GB (uses SIM 2 slot) – dual-SIM model
Cameras – Rear facing: 12 MP, Front facing: 9 MP
Battery – Non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery
Other Information – Fast charging enabled, NFC enabled
Sumsung Galaxy s7 Edge
Dimensions – Corning Gorilla Glass 4 back panel
Display – 5.5 inches, 1440 x 2560 pixels (~534 ppi pixel density)
Particulars – Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to v7.0 (Nougat), Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 Exynos 8890 Octa, 4GB RAM, 32/64/128GB Internal storage
External Memory & SIM – microSD, up to 200GB (dedicated slot) – single-SIM model
microSD, up to 200GB (uses SIM 2 slot) – dual-SIM model
Cameras – Rear facing: 12 MP, front facing: 5 MP
Battery – Non-removable Li-Ion 3600 mAh battery
Other Information – Fast charging enabled, NFC enabled

With the smartphone space becoming more and more convoluted, each of these devices provide a substantial upgrade over last year’s smartphones, while providing users the specifications and usability they seek in a new product. Their superior build-quality and industry-leading internals provide consumers the value they seek when shopping for the best smartphone for their dollar.

For more information about the latest mobile technology, call us today at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
Alerts

Tip of the Week: Here’s Your PC’s Wish List for National Clean Out Your Computer Day

b2ap3_thumbnail_embrace_clean_your_pc_day_400.jpg Do you know what today is? It’s National Clean Out Your Computer Day! This means that there is no time like the present to make sure that you’re taking good care of your business’s technology assets. In honor of this day, we’ll discuss ways in which you can take better care of your technology.

Consider Your Unused Applications
It’s inevitable that your organization will stop using certain applications as time goes on. Maybe they’re just not necessary anymore, or they became outdated and you replaced them with better, more efficient solutions. Regardless, it’s important to make sure that you’re not paying for software that you no longer use, so make sure that you routinely uninstall software that fits this description. It’s a best practice to evaluate whether or not you need software that’s only used once or twice every couple of months.

Be Ready to Update Your Software
If you want to make sure that your PC is operating at maximum capacity, you need to keep your software updated. Patches and updates are designed with two purposes in mind: 1) Shore up weaknesses in security protocol, and 2) Improve the performance of the software. This is why it’s so important to make sure that you always keep your software up to date. Just be sure that all of your legacy apps don’t suffer from compatibility issues before upgrading to the latest versions, so reach out to COMPANYNAME before making the jump.

Run Defrag Software
Do you ever wonder what happens when you save and delete files, or move them from place to place on your hard drive? Pieces of your data wind up being stored in various locations, which makes it more difficult for your computer to effectively gather and open them when the need arises. Defragging your hard drive essentially gathers all of these pieces of data and places them where they originated, thus improving PC performance. Keep in mind that defragging only applies to hard disc drives, not solid state drives. Also, if you’re running a newer version of Windows, then you don’t have to worry about defragging because Windows will automatically do this for you when the drive isn’t in use. Defragging software is a great way to negate trouble, but if you’re hesitant to try this yourself, be sure to reach out to COMPANYNAME.

Clear Your Workstation of Dust
Dust collects over time, so it’s in your best interest to clear it before it can cause damage to your workstation. A can of compressed air can help you blow away the dust that collects around vents and fans on your computer. Also be sure to turn your keyboard upside down and shake it to clear away skin particles and food crumbs that may have fallen into it.

Remember Your Computer’s Insides
Before cleaning your PC’s insides, make sure that you properly shut down your computer and unplug it from the wall. If you’re not in the habit of peeking inside your computer, you may be surprised to see it coated in a layer of dust. This dust comes from the computer’s fans, and it can cause some serious performance issues, like overheating and computer crashes. Take a can of compressed air and blow away any dirt or dust that persists within. Also of note is that you should never touch components with just your bare hands, as the oil on your fingers could potentially cause damage. We’d prefer that you reach out to a trusted technician like those at COMPANYNAME before trying any internal maintenance yourself.

If all of this sounds like too much work, well… we can’t blame you. After all, you have a business to run. What you can do is reach out to COMPANYNAME and have our trusted technicians take good care of your technology. To learn more, reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
Technology

4 Options for Backing Up Your Data. Which is Best?

b2ap3_thumbnail_backup_and_recovery_400.jpg It’s every business owner’s worst nightmare; they wake up to find out that their entire data infrastructure has been wiped out by some unexpected natural disaster or hacking attack. The only way to guarantee that your business’s future remains intact is to have some sort of data backup and recovery system, just in case of the worst.

However, if you’re unfamiliar with data backup solutions, you might not know where to start. We’ve outlined several options that your business has, as well as which ones are the superior choice.

Local Data Backup
Most organizations will immediately think of local data backup as their first option. While it’s a great way to avoid the risks of not having any data backup at all, keep in mind that it’s far from the ideal solution. Two types of local data backup solutions are magnetic tape and external hard drives. These allow you to keep a copy of your business’s data on-site in the event of a disaster, but it’s not a guarantee if you want to ensure the recovery of your data.

Imagine for a moment that your business was struck by a disaster so great that it eliminated pretty much everything that your organization had stored in your office. Fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, or floods all have this destructive capability. If this were to happen, your organization would be left without a trace of data to go off of. Furthermore, you also run the risk of malware infections, user error, or hardware failure when hosting your data backups on-site.

So… what’s the next best thing?

Cloud Backup
The next logical step would be to host your data off-site, and the cloud allows for just that. If your in-house infrastructure were to be rendered obsolete or incapacitated by some sort of disaster, you could restore your data quickly and efficiently through the use of a cloud backup and restoration process. Plus, you can forget about the potential user error that could arise from having to manually set and restore through tape backups.

Multiple Data Center Backups
Before going all-in on a cloud-based backup, you should ask them how many data centers that they use to store your data. Ultimately, you want your organization’s data to be stored in as many different locations as possible, as this improves the odds that your data can be located and restored. Basically, if the data can’t be found in one data center due to some sort of internal problem, you’ll know with certainty that at least one of them has it.

Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR)
For organizations that are serious about business continuity, an enterprise-level Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution is the best option to ensure the preservation of your mission-critical assets. BDR works by taking a backup of only files that have been changed since the last backup was taken, which allows it to take multiple backups throughout the workday instead of just one large backup after-hours. These backups are then stored in the cloud for future access.

BDR can also restore directly to a device, or to the BDR hardware itself, depending on just how bad the disaster is. This keeps downtime to a minimum and helps you get back in business as soon as possible following a disaster. If you have nothing to restore your data to, a backup device with all of your data can be sent to your office’s location overnight.

Are you ready to get started with BDR? To learn more, reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.

Categories
Best Practices

Tip of the Week: How to Charge Your Mobile Device Battery Faster

b2ap3_thumbnail_charge_your_smartphone_battery_400.jpg Most of the time, you don’t care about how long it takes to charge your device’s battery–that is, until you find yourself in a bind and need a full charge ASAP! It’s in a moment like this when you frantically ask the question, “Is there any way to make this battery charge any faster!?” Fortunately, there is.

Power Off Your Device
The first charging tip happens to be the most obvious: turn off the device while it charges. This way, your battery is fully devoted to the task of charging, instead of your juice being diverted to open apps.

Although, as we’re all well aware, there are many times when you need a charge, but you’re not in a position to power off your device. After all, you may need to take a phone call or use the device to get work done. In an all-too-common scenario such as this, there are actions you can take to speed up a charge. Consider the following.

Disable the Device’s Internet Connection
Your phone uses a bunch of juice just to stay connected to the World Wide Web. If the task you’re working on doesn’t require an Internet connection, then you can disconnect from the web by activating airplane mode. While in airplane mode, you can still use many of your device’s core apps, like the calendar, calculator, alarm clock, etc.

Turn Off Bluetooth
Bluetooth is another major power drain for mobile devices. If you’re not in need of a Bluetooth signal, then your device will charge faster if Bluetooth is turned off.

Use a Wall Outlet
Yes, you can charge your device while it’s plugged into another device’s USB port, but the reality of the situation is that a direct connection to a wall outlet provides way more juice than another device’s USB port. In fact, in some scenarios, you may experience that a device charging via another device’s USB only prevents your device from losing power more quickly.

The mechanics behind this actually makes a lot of sense. Essentially, different chargers have different power outputs. PC Advisor explains, “While a PC’s USB port is specified at 2.5W for USB 1.0 and 2.0 and 4.5W for USB 3.0 (so always use a USB 3.0 port in preference to USB 1.0 or 2.0 when available), a phone charger might be rated at 5W and a tablet charger 10W, for example.”

Upgrade Your Charger
We should note that just because you’ve got your device plugged into the wall, doesn’t mean that it’s receiving the maximum charge. Sometimes, a charger may be rated at 5W when your device can accept a higher charge like 10W. If this is the case, then upgrading your charger appropriately will allow you to take full advantage of your phone’s charging potential. To better understand your device’s charging capability, consult the owner’s manual.

Quick Charge 2.0 By Qualcomm
Thinking beyond the tweaks you can make to your device, you can employ an outside solution like Quick Charge 2.0 by Qualcomm and have a 3300mAh battery reach 60 percent capacity in only 30 minutes. Compare this to a normal 5W charger which would charge the same battery to 12 percent in the same amount of time. Of course, the catch is that the device needs to be running certain Snapdragon processors. So again, be sure to look into your device’s capabilities before following through with this solution. See the Quick Charge 2.0 in action by clicking here >>

By trying these best practices, you should be able to get the charge you need in order to supercharge your productivity! Do you have any additional tips that you try to get the most out of your device’s battery? If so, share them in the comments below!

Categories
Business

How Consolidating Your Technology Vendors Will Save You a Ton of Time

b2ap3_thumbnail_vendor_management_services_400.jpg Who manages the relationships that your organization has with its various vendors? Do you have someone who specifically handles this role, or is it pushed onto your already-full schedule? If this is something that takes up a significant portion of your day, vendor management (though necessary) can become a detriment. Thankfully, there is a better way to handle your vendor relationships, and it doesn’t involve stretching yourself thin.

With COMPANYNAME’s vendor management strategy, an outsourced provider directly handles all vendor relationships so that your organization doesn’t have to. Vendor management solutions have the potential to save your organization a large amount of time and capital.

Basically, how this works is that you no longer have to deal with the frustrating and time-consuming process of reaching out to each and every one of your vendors, and the outsourced provider handles this responsibility for you. In a sense, a service provider like COMPANYNAME can be your single point of contact for your technology vendors.

There should be no question whether you have time to deal with the emails and phone calls required to keep up with your technology. We can handle all of this for you, plus some, reaching out to your vendors as your business encounters issues. If you have questions about your products, you don’t have to worry about being put on hold or finding the right technician. We’ll deal with all of that for you so that you don’t have to waste your time.

Consolidating Your Vendors Into a Single Phone Number
Without vendor management, your business would be wasting countless hours that would be better spent on profitable initiatives. Furthermore, relying on vendors to resolve issues can quickly put a time-sensitive project behind schedule. With outsourced vendor management, you achieve all of the goals that you want to get to without sacrificing the time that you would spend making sure that your technology solutions are working as intended. This single point of contact allows you to take the unpredictability out of your tech support.

If your business wants to improve operations and take technology management to the next level, consider our vendor management services. To learn more, reach out to us at PHONENUMBER.