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Directive Blogs

Directive has been serving the Oneonta area since 1993, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

5 Ways Millennials Can Reverse-Mentor Your Staff

b2ap3_thumbnail_learn_from_millenials_400.jpgMillennials may be looked down upon in the average workplace for a number of reasons that are entirely subjective, whether it be that they’re “spoiled rotten” or “just plain rude.” But in today’s workplace based around technology, millennials have a huge advantage, and have even given long-time CIOs a run for their money when it comes to technology management.

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Uber Used Technology to Break the Mold, Can Your Business?

b2ap3_thumbnail_what_about_uber_400.jpgAt a September tradeshow event, Travis Kalanick, cofounder and CEO of Uber, said five words in an interview that made everyone give pause to the potential for technology to shape our world for the better, “Every car should be Uber.”

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A Look At the 3 Best Smartphones Available On Today’s Market

b2ap3_thumbnail_smartphone_new_os_400.jpgThere’s no denying that smartphones are the predominant consumer technology in the world at the moment. Over a billion smartphones were sold each of the past two years, with growth coming in at a fairly impressive 23 percent from 2013 to 2014. Growth is projected to decrease slightly in future years (around 12 percent in 2015), but it’s obvious by now, smartphone usage will be the principal manner people will access the Internet going forward.

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3 Ways That Your Business Can Improve Innovation

b2ap3_thumbnail_innovation_brings_profits_400.jpgWhen it seems like every idea has already been patented or brought to fruition, that’s a key indicator that innovation in your company is lacking. Traditionally, advancements in business technology have driven innovation for companies. If your company’s innovation well is running dry, then there are measures that your business can take to become more innovative.

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How You Approach Technology Affects Your Entire Budget

b2ap3_thumbnail_technology_support_budget_400.jpgChances are that when you begin going through your expense reports, one of the most glaring expenses your business has is payroll. It is possibly the most crucial cost you will be subject to. In fact, small businesses need to realize that by hiring employees, a large portion of your operational budget is out the window. To properly grow a business, you may need to take an alternative view to the traditional business model; including your technology management.

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4 Ways to Equip Your Business With the Technology it Needs

b2ap3_thumbnail_it_support_plug_400.jpgIn a world where time is a luxury that the average business owner lacks, it can be burdensome to come up with new technology initiatives. The main issue that this presents is that it can be difficult to improve your operations if your technology’s growth is stunted. Stagnate technology deployment can be detrimental to your business’s success.

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VoIP is the Ultimate Solution for Your Communication Woes

b2ap3_thumbnail_voip_phone_400.jpgOne major technology pain point businesses have revolves around communication. If your clients and prospects can’t effectively reach your staff, customer support and productivity is weakened. Customers need more out of your phone system, and VoIP solutions offer more features with less expenses.

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Humans and Robots: An Uneasy Trust

b2ap3_thumbnail_robot_killer_400.jpgAs technology grows more advanced, humans turn to robots to replace certain monotonous jobs. The goal here is to create a society where people are free to spend more time enjoying life. However, technology is prone to both technical problems and user error, which can lead to disastrous consequences.

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4 Virtual Reality Technologies Poised to Shake Up the Market

b2ap3_thumbnail_virtual_reality_technology_400.jpgEntertainment has grown so synonymous with smartphones and technology that it’s almost impossible to think about these innovations without considering their entertainment value. Virtual reality augmentation, while slightly different, is an emerging technology that brings elements of virtual space to the lives of everyday users. So, how does virtual reality work, and can it be used for more than just entertainment purposes?

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Tip of the Week: 4 Chrome Extensions for an Enhanced Browsing Experience

b2ap3_thumbnail_chrome_extensions_400.jpgIf you use Google Chrome as your browser of choice, you know that Chrome’s extensions provide a certain level of versatility. Basically, they’re add-ons to your browser, which can perform a number of functions. They’re mostly used for enriching your browsing experience or adding new features to your browser that might not be available on other platforms. Here are four useful browser extensions to help you get the most out of Chrome.

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Less Than 1% of Hackers Can Bypass Facelock Security App

b2ap3_thumbnail_facial_recognition_security_400.jpgPeople use and reuse old passwords time and again, and then they get two-factor authentication to augment their fifteen-character passwords. Wouldn’t it be great if your computer could recognize you just by how well you recognize others?

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Why You Should Go With a Solid State Drive if You Can Afford It

b2ap3_thumbnail_solid_state_drive_400.jpgIf you’re in the market for a new computer, then you’re going to have to make a decision: Go with a traditional hard drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD). While a computer equipped with an HDD will cost you less money, an SSD promises to faster speeds and a longer lifespan. This begs the question, is SSD worth the extra money?

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Jurassic World in 3D is Nothing New for These Scientist

b2ap3_thumbnail_scanning_for_fossils_400.jpgWith Jurassic World hitting theaters, today seems fitting to talk about a new use for 3D printing that you might not have thought of: recreating fossils. Researchers in Kenya are taking advantage of this new technology to study and preserve fossils that could potentially be damaged by the intense weather conditions of the Turkana Basin.

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How Basic Economics Is Slowing Down Moore’s Law

b2ap3_thumbnail_transistor_moores_law_400.jpgIn 1965, the technological landscape was much different from what we see now. The idea of having a small computer in your pocket in the form of a smartphone was but a distant dream. Now, it’s commonplace for all but the youngest of children to have a smartphone. How is this possible? Well, it’s all thanks to Moore’s law, which has led the development of new technology for the past 50 years.

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Can You Spot an Article Written By a Robot?

b2ap3_thumbnail_blue_robot_400.jpgWhen your website has content or makes changes to its existing content, it can be of great benefit to your business’s marketing endeavors. In fact, it’s so important that innovators and programmers have built software that’s designed to perform the act of content writing. In other words, there are robots that compose web content. How does the writing of a robot hold up to that which is written by a human?

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Why We’re Happy to Reveal Our IT Secrets

b2ap3_thumbnail_fix_own_computer_400.jpgA whole lot of technical training is what separates an average PC user from the IT technician servicing their malfunctioning computer. We know a lot about how technology works, and this knowledge is no guarded secret. In fact, we’re happy to share it with you.

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Your Droid Phone is Inferior to the Greatest Droid of All, R2-D2

b2ap3_thumbnail_r2d2_400.jpgIn 1977 the first Star Wars movie premiered, entitled “A New Hope.” The science-fiction film became a hit and spawned a franchise that’s still going strong 38 years later, with the upcoming release of its much-anticipated seventh feature film, “The Force Awakens.” In fact, Star Wars is such a big deal that it has its own holiday, celebrated every May 4th (May the 4th be with you).

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A Trap So Devious that Even Admiral Ackbar Missed It

b2ap3_thumbnail_may_the_4th_death_star_400.jpgWith the long-awaited release of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens this December, today’s Star Wars Day holiday may be the biggest yet (May the 4th be with you). As a technology-loving IT company, we’re happy to honor our favorite science fiction franchise by taking a fun look at its futuristic space technology.

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Tip of the Week: Understanding Business Technology Acronyms

b2ap3_thumbnail_what_do_these_acronyms_mean_400.jpgBefore investing in a solution for your business, it’s important to understand what you’re getting into. Sometimes it can be difficult, especially with all of the jargon floating around. In fact, an excessive amount of this “geekspeak” can intimidate prospective clients, and maybe even frighten away a sale. While it’s avoided as much as possible, it sometimes can’t be helped, and some business owners are still lost on certain sayings or acronyms.

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How to Find the VoIP Solution that’s Perfect for Your Business

b2ap3_thumbnail_voip_for_your_business_400.jpgWhen it comes to business communications technology, you don’t want to be caught using technology that’s outdated. Thanks to the innovations afforded to your company by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), you can have access to lots of game-changing telephone features that blow traditional phone systems out of the water. Has your business switched to the VoIP advantage?

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The 3 Ways to Resolve a Technology Issue

b2ap3_thumbnail_resolution_to_problem_400.jpgYou know that one unlucky employee that seems to have the most problems with their computer? Perhaps they keep getting an error that no one can replicate, or they need a little help setting up a Mail Merge? Due to most managers only knowing of two technical support options, business owners can get stuck in a tough spot with employees like this.

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The Best Way to Take Advantage of New Tech is With a Long-Term Replacement Plan

b2ap3_thumbnail_technology_strategy_400_20150130-155455_1.jpgNew technology is meant to improve upon its previous design. This is technology 101. Despite this well-known fact, many business owners are hesitant to adopt new technology, choosing instead to continue using older equipment in an effort to save money. A better approach to technology for your business is to have a long-term replacement plan.

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4 Qualities to Look For In the Next Company that Services Your Tech

b2ap3_thumbnail_professional_vendor_relationships_400.jpgAs a small business owner, you want the best technology that will assist your company and allow it to grow. Not all technology vendors can do this for you. In order to get the most out of your technology, you need to separate the champs from the chumps. That’s where our vendor management service comes in.

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IT Techie, Hurry Up My Downloads Tonight [VIDEO]

b2ap3_thumbnail_hurry_up_downloads_400.jpgAn IT parody song to the tune of “Santa Baby.”

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Are You Using Technology Fit for a Museum?

b2ap3_thumbnail_old_tech_400.jpgWhat’s the technology in your office like? There’s a pretty good chance that at least some of the equipment you’re using may be obsolete. To find out if you’re using any obsolete technologies, let’s take a stroll down the Museum of Obsolete Objects and see what they’ve got on display.

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How Will Future Technologies Change Two-Factor Authentication?

b2ap3_thumbnail_two_factor_authentication_400.jpgIn these times, passwords are losing their effectiveness. Hackers can now input millions of passwords every second to crack your code. Even now, professionals are working on new solutions which can jumpstart online security. While using a password is still an ideal choice, there are plenty of other options that are being discussed in the two-factor authentication field.

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People are the X Factor for a Successful Technology Strategy

b2ap3_thumbnail_company_collaboration_400.jpgBusinesses look to technology to solve their problems and make operations more efficient, and rightfully so, after all, technology is synonymous with “solution.” Although, just purchasing new technology isn’t enough to automatically see the desired results. New technology must be accompanied by intentional implementation efforts, which includes adapting it to your company’s culture. In other words, working with people.

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Unlike Lightning, Solar Flares Can Strike the Same Place Twice

b2ap3_thumbnail_solar_flares_400.jpgIn 1859, our planet was hit with the largest recorded solar flare. This particular flare was known as the Carrington Event and it produced auroras that could be seen all around the world, even as far south as the Caribbean. The 1859 solar flare caused minimal damage and was seen mainly as an oddity. If such a flare struck today, however, the world would erupt into chaos.

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Do You Have an IT Professional Aiding Your Technology Choices?

b2ap3_thumbnail_b2ap3_thumbnail_outsource_it_400.jpg Who's in charge of making the decisions in your business concerning technology? Ideally, you want an internal IT manager or a CIO with IT experience calling the tech shots. However, many businesses don't have this luxury. According to a CompTIA survey from last November, 48 percent of businesses have managers making decisions about technology implementation that don't have IT experience.

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Is Your Business Ready for the Security Challenges of Wearable Tech?

b2ap3_thumbnail_wearable_security_400.jpgDue to the growing popularity of employees using their personal devices in the workplace (BYOD), many companies have created BYOD policies to handle the unique security threats brought about by these devices. Does the new trend of wearable technology mean that you need a separate WYOD policy?

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Breathe Life into Your Laptop Battery

b2ap3_thumbnail_battery_low_400.jpgIf we told you that a battery's performance decreases as time goes on, how many of you would be surprised? The same goes for anything. Nothing lasts forever, and batteries are no different. However, there are ways you can increase the lifespan of your laptop's battery. Portable technology is important for your business, and a good, strong laptop battery is necessary.

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Complete Your 21st Century Home with a Computerized Communications Console!

b2ap3_thumbnail_twenty_first_century_computing_400.jpgPeople in 1967 were fascinated with new technology. During this era, technology advanced so quickly in such a short amount of time that people looked in wonderment at the future and made wild predictions at what the 2000s would look like. How accurate were the predictions of the 1960's scientific community? Let's check in with Walter Cronkite to find out!

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Signs Your Technology Might Be Older Than You

b2ap3_thumbnail_old_tech_signs_400.jpgWhen we think of technology in terms of age, we often look at how long the machine has lasted for. Some machines from the mid-90's are still running, which makes them almost twenty years old. In terms of human life, that's not a very long time, but if you look at it in terms of quality working conditions, you'll find that these computers are kind of like dogs and cats. They may only be several years old, but in terms of actual age, their lifespan makes them much older than you realize.

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The Facebook Family of the Future

Facebook LogoThe ramifications of social media have extended well beyond just a tool used to keep in touch with friends. From games, to advertising, to even aiding in the overthrow of Middle Eastern governments, social media has added a new and powerful dynamics to the way people use technology. For better or for worse, social media also adds new and interesting dynamics to the most social part of our lives, our families.

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Retro 1800s Business Practices Can Cost Your Company Money!

b2ap3_thumbnail_document_management_400.jpgTrivia time! Do you know what device was invented in 1892 that changed the face of offices around the world? If you guessed the fax machine then you're close, but you need to think further ahead by almost 50 years (the first fax machine was patented in 1843 by Alexander Bain). More influential than even the fax machine is the file cabinet, established in 1892.

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Don’t Fear New Technology’s Learning Curve!

b2ap3_thumbnail_you_will_be_ok_400.jpgWe are creatures of habit. We love our routines and live in "comfort zones." Getting anybody to do anything outside of their comfort zone is always challenging. A comfort zone typically applies to social situations, but it can also apply to technology. Don't let an emotional attachment to old technology keep you from taking advantage of new money-making solutions!

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Bluetooth: 20 Years Down, Many More to Come

b2ap3_thumbnail_bluetooth_is_20_400.jpgThere's been a lot of exciting talk lately about brand new technology including biometrics, smart appliances, and wearable technology. With all of this kind of buzz, it's easy to forget about older technology, even if it still provides value to the industry. Bluetooth technology is one of the most exceptional technologies of recent history, and it's celebrating its 20th birthday this year!

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Mountains of Old Monitors are Creating an Ecological Disaster!

b2ap3_thumbnail_ecological_disaster_400.jpgRemember when you upgraded to a flat screen TV or monitor just a few years ago? You may have marveled at the increased picture quality and celebrated getting rid of your old and bulky equipment, but do you know what happened to the old CRT monitor after you threw it out? Unfortunately, the answer doesn't bode well for the environment.

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Check Out this Freaky Old Internet PSA

b2ap3_thumbnail_in_the_future_400.jpg19 years ago, a class of fifth graders from Helena, Montana was featured in a PSA video that, looking back, made some eerily-close predictions about how the Internet is used today. When this PSA was shot in 1995, only 0.4% of the world's population regularly used the Internet. Today, nearly 39% of the world uses it, and for good reason, as predicted all those years ago.

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You Might Be a Technology Redneck If…

b2ap3_thumbnail_technology_redneck_400.jpgNot too many years ago comedian Jeff Foxworthy became a star with his trademark "You Might Be a Redneck If..." jokes. Rednecks are an interesting breed that do things backwards because they stubbornly believe that it's the best way, and like all of us, rednecks use technology. Are you a technology redneck? Check out our redneck technology list to find out.

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3 of the Most Common Downtime Scenarios Caused by Technology

b2ap3_thumbnail_ugh_more_downtime_400.jpgWe've reached a point with technology that we're totally dependant upon it to accomplish most mission-critical business tasks. This is great for getting business done efficiently, but being dependent upon technology makes operations virtually impossible when technology fails. This is called downtime, and your business needs to be prepared for every downtime scenario possible.

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How Technology Can Help Your Green Campaign

b2ap3_thumbnail_go_green_with_technology_400.jpgOne of the greatest trends to hit business culture within the last few years has been going green, aka, being environmentally conscious. Companies that adopt green culture end up helping the Earth, improving their brand reputation, gaining tax credits, and attracting new green-minded customers. If you're considering going green, one of the easiest places to start is with your technology.

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3 Cloud Computing Mistakes Businesses Should Avoid

b2ap3_thumbnail_bad_practices_for_cloud_400.jpgSmall business owners accept that they need to find alternative solutions to issues that larger organizations can just throw money at. Money is often tight for a small business and no where is this more evident than when dealing in technology. Larger organizations can afford state-of-the art IT, but thanks to the cloud, your business can experience enterprise-level IT at a price that makes sense for your budget.

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It’s About the Best Solution, Not the Latest

b2ap3_thumbnail_best_business_solutions_400.jpgYou may have been using a PC long enough to remember just how awesome Microsoft Word 98 was. When Microsoft first released their Office 98 productivity suite with programs like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, there was really nothing quite like it on the market. Unfortunately for some businesses, Word 98 isn't nostalgia, it's a daily reality.

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3 IT Solutions to Boost Law Office Productivity

b2ap3_thumbnail_law_solutions_that_work_400.jpgLawyers have certainly played a huge part in modern western society, as they battle at the center of every legal trial, hearing, and financial exchange. Just like any other businessman, lawyers highly depend on their office technology to aid them in their business operations. Here are three effective technology solutions that any lawyer could benefit from.

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The Modern Office has Come a Long Way in 150 Years!

b2ap3_thumbnail_modern_office_has_changed_400.jpgThe modern office has been heavily influenced by technology. Today, offices revolve around computers, but even before computers became commonplace, offices were still designed around the technology of their time. As we're witnessing technology change the world, the modern office is sure to follow suit.

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Yep, We’ve Got that Covered Too!

b2ap3_thumbnail_vendor_help_96.jpgTechnology is a major part of everything your business does. Therefore, you need a technology partner that does more than just fixes your computers. For example, if your smartphone decided that, "today is a good day to die," then it wouldn't matter how great your workstation was running, your day would still be ruined.

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Gain the Technological Advantage when Starting a New Business

b2ap3_thumbnail_start_button_400.jpgStarting a new business is a huge undertaking that's highly demanding. Wishy washy people need not apply. An individual starting a new company will need to take into consideration every possible scenario and make plans for it as best they can. Taking advantage of the right technology from the very beginning will make starting a new business much easier.

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Is Your Business Taking Advantage of New Technology?

b2ap3_thumbnail_technology_consulting_400.jpgFuturistic technology has been springing up in unexpected places lately, it seeks to aid previously unrelated household tools like ovens and refrigerators, and used as supplements to help people aid their everyday lives. It is highly advantageous to be on the cutting edge of new technology, as it is not only showing up to help consumers, but to aid offices and business owners around the world. Are you paying attention to the latest trends?

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7 Tech Etiquette Tips for the Office

b2ap3_thumbnail_7_tips_400.jpgThere seem to be some commonly unspoken rules about the appropriateness of using certain technology throughout the course of the workday. You may have an IT practices policy in your office, but for some of us, we need to infer proper times, places, and limits of our technology use. Here are some courtesy tips for tech use throughout your day at the office.

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Is it OK to Leave Your Gadgets out in the Cold?

b2ap3_thumbnail_ice_and_computers_do_not_mix_400.jpgAt this moment, people in the United States are experiencing one of the most brutally cold winters in recent memory and can't wait for the relief that spring will bring. Cold weather makes humans do crazy things, like leave their technology in freezing temperatures for long periods of time. Is it ok for your gadgets to chill out, or not?

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Manage and Secure All of Your Credit Cards with Coin

b2ap3_thumbnail_coin_manage_your_accounts_400.jpgThere are many different applications on the market that will allow you to digitally make payments and manage your money. We have featured payment solutions in the past like Square Cash and PayPal, but there are other solid digital payment options on the market that are worth your consideration. One of the most exciting options is called Coin and it will be out this summer!

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Smart Phones Are Now Smart Home Devices

b2ap3_thumbnail_smart_home_advancing_400.jpgTechnological and smart device leviathan, Samsung, has announced its plan to turn homes into smart hubs with its Android mobile devices controlling the action. Samsung is already at the forefront of the smartphone and smart TV market, but it also manufactures other products such as refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners. Now it has created a way for all of them to speak to one another.

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LiFi Lights the Way to Fast Wireless Networking

b2ap3_thumbnail_lifi_light_400.jpgIn a digital age where nothing seems to be private or secure, no matter what steps you take, comes hope with a technology called LiFi. What is LiFi? Put simply, it's a new way for digital information to be passed through spectrums of visible light. It's very fast, at 10 gigabytes per second; currently more than 250 times faster than the fastest broadband connection!

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Google as the Technology Culture Curator

b2ap3_thumbnail_google_innovation_400.jpgGoogle is so entrenched in the culture of the planet that we no longer say, "Search for it", instead, we say, "Google it." Most of us use Google products on a daily basis that go beyond its search engine. From tablets and smartphones running Android, to Google's Chromebook running Chrome OS, Google is directly competing with Microsoft and Apple for the world's business and affection.

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Another Year, Another Smartphone

b2ap3_thumbnail_ayas400.jpg2013 might go down in history as the bridge year between high-end handheld electronics and wearable gadgets that offer enhanced flexibility and access, but for now, the best electronics for communication, collaboration, and convenience are the handheld computers that we've learned to lean on. Below are some of the top smartphone options on the market.

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Your Guide to High-Tech Holiday Goodies

b2ap3_thumbnail_techgift400.jpgIt's time once again for holiday shopping, and you've got a plethora of technology choices before you. With so many options, it's easy to get confused and grab the first thing you come across. To help you avoid the stress of shopping for technology this holiday season, we've prepared for you this guide so you can be sure that you're purchasing the best item for people on your list.

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Is Augmented Reality the Future of Marketing?

b2ap3_thumbnail_arstorm400.jpgConcocting a comprehensive and concise marketing strategy is extremely important for any small business. Across the board, the average company uses between 8%-to-15% of their gross revenue to reinvest into marketing themselves. When you consider how large of a percentage of an organization's workable capital that really is, you'll begin to understand why companies are trying to find a solutions to cut their marketing costs. They need not look any further than the palm of their hand to find that very solution.

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The 50 Year History of Our Industry

b2ap3_thumbnail_msphist400.jpgWorking in the IT industry means embracing change and the latest technology trends. Doing the same thing day-in and day-out is a luxury we don't have, and frankly, sounds kind of boring. Since computers were first invented, there's been a need to service them. Here's a look at how the IT service industry has changed over the past 50 years.

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Amazon Suggests Drone Deliveries Not Far Off

b2ap3_thumbnail_adrone400.jpgDo you ever feel like you're living in the future? With all the technological advancements designed and manufactured to entertain us or make our lives easier, we don't often take a minute to realize how much the world has changed in a very short period of time.

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Is Square Cash the Future of Digital Payment?

b2ap3_thumbnail_squarecash400.jpgBy now the vast majority of people have settled into using the Internet as a 24-hour shopping center, where almost anything imaginable can be purchased and shipped right to your door. From goods to services, everything under the sun has a digital price tag. While most of us have used a credit card to buy something online, many of us have alternatively chosen a more secure option, especially when closing deals with individuals on online auction sites like eBay. That option has traditionally been PayPal, which in many ways, has helped to revolutionize the way people transfer money. In fact, PayPal has been so successful, and essential to eBay's success, that eBay bought the company in 2002.

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Why You Should Care About the New iPad Air

b2ap3_thumbnail_ipadair400.jpgApple is at it again. After record breaking sales of the new iPhone 5s, Apple announced a new product line with confidence. CEO Tim Cooke and his staff recently launched new MacBook models, the Mac Pro workstation, a new OS, a new iPad mini model, and the most anticipated highlight; the new iPad Air.

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7 Tech Assets You Need to Succeed

b2ap3_thumbnail_list400.jpgAs a small business, your goal should not only be to survive, but to thrive. Many times, small businesses try to cut costs by not purchasing essential equipment and services. Unfortunately, because of its cost, technology ends up on the backburner of the priority list. Don't cut corners. Here are seven tech assets you need to invest in.

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How Restarting Your Computer Magically Fixes Everything

b2ap3_thumbnail_restart400.jpgWhen experiencing a computer problem, what is the first thing you do to troubleshoot it? If you are an experienced PC user, then you will try turning your machine on and off again. Your computer's restart button can feel like a magic wand that takes care of any issue, but do you know how this fix-it wizardry works?

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4 Ways Increased Tablet Sales Are Changing Business

b2ap3_thumbnail_tab400.jpgAccording to a new study from the International Data Corporation, tablets are expected to outsell PCs for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2014. While mobile device sales have been trending this way for years, this is the first time the mighty PC will be dethroned by a gadget. What does this mean for your business?

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What’s Up with Google Glass?

b2ap3_thumbnail_glass400.jpgEvery once ina while, a radical piece of technology is introduced to the market that has the potential to change everything. Over the last half century alone, digital music, cell phones, GPS technology, PCs, and much more hit the market and changed the way technology is incorporated into our daily lives and workplaces. Is Google Glass the next revolutionary gadget?

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A Fax Machine Can Hinder Productivity

b2ap3_thumbnail_fserv400.jpgFirst introduced by Xerox back in the 1964, the fax machine, or Long Distance Xerography as it was called then, was the hottest office productivity tool of its day. This new technology saved workers from having to send documents via mail, which dramatically improved office communications. Nearly fifty years later, and the fax machine has become a hindrance to office productivity.

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What Does a Fully Realized BYOD Environment Look Like?

b2ap3_thumbnail_bywowd400.jpgThe growing popularity of employees bringing in their own devices into the workplace (BYOD) is challenging the traditional model of IT for businesses. Many companies are embracing BYOD and adapting their IT networks accordingly. With the way things are trending, it's important to ask yourself where all of this is heading, and consider what a fully realized BYOD environment will look like.

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4 Tips to Build a Network Jigsaw Puzzle

b2ap3_thumbnail_puzman400.jpgYour IT infrastructure is a lot like a puzzle. There are many pieces of technology that connect to form one big solution. If just one piece of the puzzle is missing, then the picture is incomplete and the solution will not work properly. Good thing we're great at piecing together IT puzzles!

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Power Up with the TYLT Energi+ Backpack

b2ap3_thumbnail_backpack400.jpgThe latest technology trend is wearable gadgets. Devices like smart watches and Google Glass are worn for easy transportation, but most wearable tech users will not use their smart watch as their main device; instead it will complement their laptop, tablet, smartphone, and other non-wearable technology. The TYLT Energi+ backpack is a solution that lets you wear all of your devices.

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The Environmental Impact of Your Mobile Device

b2ap3_thumbnail_nrg400.jpgWhat's the difference between an iPhone and a refrigerator? You can probably list off a dozen without even trying because they are both designed for two very different purposes, that is, until Apple makes an app to cool your food. Although, there is one thing they both have in common: Energy consumption.

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4 Tips to Avoid Network Cable Spaghetti

b2ap3_thumbnail_cables400.jpgThere's good spaghetti, and then there's bad spaghetti. Everybody loves a big plate of spaghetti, and everybody hates when network wiring becomes so tangled that it looks like spaghetti. Preventing your network from being confused with spaghetti takes careful planning and maintenance. Here are four cabling best practices that will prevent bad spaghetti.

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5 BYOD Worst Case Scenarios You Need to Plan For

b2ap3_thumbnail_byodude400.jpgAs the mobile device market is booming, more employees are bringing in their own device to work (BYOD). Advantages to BYOD include a workforce that's mobile, increased employee satisfaction, and more; but using personal devices comes with risks, and business owners must consider these risks before allowing BYOD in their office.

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3D Printing: The Alpha Version Replicator

b2ap3_thumbnail_3d400.jpgHave you ever wondered what it would be like to simply tell a computer what you wanted to eat, and within a couple minutes have your favorite dish displayed before you? Or what if you needed a new kidney or heart and didn't have to be put on a waiting list? This technology isn't that far off with all the experiments and advancements in 3D printing!

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3 Actions to Gain and Maintain an Efficient Network

b2ap3_thumbnail_strategy400.jpgHow long has it been since you last had a comprehensive assessment of your company's technology situation? If it's been more than a year since your last technology assessment, or if you have never had one, then you may be missing out on some great money-saving solutions. You can discover these solutions with a business review.

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Microsoft Claims Xbox One is a “Justifiable Business Expense”

b2ap3_thumbnail_xboxone400.jpgSeriously. In a recent blog post, Microsoft makes the case that the upcoming Xbox One is more than a gaming console; it's actually a powerful business tool. The way Microsoft sees things, the $499 Xbox One is "entirely justifiable as a business expense." Before you laugh, consider the business friendly features of the Xbox One.

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Shut the Back Door! Paying Attention to Your Customers

b2ap3_thumbnail_backdoor400.jpgIf the front door represents the entry point to your company where prospects turn into customers, then the back door represents weaknesses in your business model that provide customers with reasons to look elsewhere.

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5 Business Technology Trends

b2ap3_thumbnail_trends4002.jpgIn a recent economics survey of small to medium-sized businesses by Oxford University, it was discovered that two-thirds of companies believe that technology is the key to transforming their business in order to "achieve longevity and sustainable growth." This survey reveals a lot about how businesses worldwide feel about technology. Does your business identify with any these trends?

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Out With The Old, In With The New

b2ap3_thumbnail_tape400.jpgFor those of us that have been able to witness the current technological revolution, we can say mankind has progressed at an exceptional rate. Remember spending hours on your TRS-80 writing code to play the simplest of games? At that point, if you didn't have the floppy disk drive, once you turned it off you had to spend all that time to rewrite the code. This period has taken us from bulky PCs (albeit still marvelous at the time) to devices with hundreds of times the computing power that fit in the palm of our hands.

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Innovation Doesn’t Stop

b2ap3_thumbnail_ideas400.pngConsider for a moment the computer you're using right now. Does it have wires? If so, how thick is the monitor you're using to view this? How many gigabytes is your hard drive? How many Microsoft Works documents could you have fit on your trusty 16-gigabyte USB thumb drive?Computing has certainly come a long way in the last four-plus decades; and it's getting exponentially better by the day.

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Use Rhythm for Better Sleep

b2ap3_thumbnail_sleep400.pngThere are many different sleep solutions on the market; some are simple like a fluffier pillow, others are more elaborate like a sleep apnea CPAP mask that assists with breathing. According to a new study by the University of Tubingen in Germany, the best sleep solution may be syncing the sounds around you with the rhythms of your brain.

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Don’t Let Technology Sink Your Budget!

b2ap3_thumbnail_Sinking400.jpgThe whole point of making a budget is to control costs. All it takes is one surprise to undo all the careful work of budget planning. No department is immune to unplanned expenses, and while it's impossible to totally prevent budget-busting expenses across the board, you can take action to turn many surprise expenses into controllable costs.

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The Internet of Things as the Next Big Thing

b2ap3_thumbnail_IoT400.jpgWhen you hear the phrase, "The machines are taking over," you may think of science fiction stories where robots become self-aware and enslave humanity. You may not have realized it, but the machines have already taken over; not with a violent uprising, but through what's called the Internet of Things (IoT).

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You Can't Print Money with a Fax Machine

b2ap3_thumbnail_fax400.jpgWith everything going digital, it's hard to believe that fax machines are still used today. What's funny, is that this same statement is true today just like it was ten years ago. Yet, sales of fax machines continue to increase every year. An alternative that's better in every way is a fax server solution; here are five ways it can save you money.

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Vanity IT - Smartphones

b2ap3_thumbnail_Smartphone400.jpgWe are smack-dab in a mobile revolution. With any large-scale societal change brought on by technology, there are growing pains involved. Nowhere is this more evident than in the business world. How can you make this major technological shift benefit your business? Consider that the individuals that work in your office have indubitably been in open competition in their acquisitions of the newest mobile devices. Since they are buying them anyway, determining ways to harness the power of these devices to work for your company’s benefit is a sound strategy. Here are a list of some of the top-selling mobile devices of 2012 and what each manufacturer has on the horizon for 2013.

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Vanity IT - Tablets

b2ap3_thumbnail_tablets400.jpgIn part one of Vanity IT, we covered the numerous high-powered handsets that are on the market and available for users to add a degree of productivity that had been simply unavailable before. While smartphones are the most used mobile device by far, many people are looking to the larger devices to accomplish tasks on the go. Some companies are beginning to issue devices to their employees in a concerted effort to take advantage of the flexibility that these larger mobile devices give them.

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Vanity IT - Other Devices

b2ap3_thumbnail_LapTop400.jpgIn the first two parts of our Vanity IT series, we’ve gone over how some of the top smartphones and tablets can potentially bring additional productivity to your workplace with a proper Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and Mobile Device Management strategies. In our final edition of our Vanity IT series, we will go into other mobile devices that can present your company IT solutions and solve many of your remote computing problems.

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The Internet, Solving Problems for 20 Years!

b2ap3_thumbnail_90sProblem400.jpgThe Internet was originally designed in 1989 as a tool for the European science agency CERN to help share information among physicist in universities around the world. On April 30th, 1993, the Internet went public. Back in 1993, Internet founders like Tim Berners-Lee did not likely realize that his invention would solve more problems than physics ever could.

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Make Your Technology Work for You

b2ap3_thumbnail_Work4U400.jpgHaving an IT infrastructure that works properly is the goal for every IT department. While it’s nice to have all of your technology in working order, this is just one part of the successful business/technology equation. Having your IT network properly designed to meet the needs of your business will maximize your productivity and make your technology work for you!

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Servers and Energy Costs are Shrinking with Microservers

b2ap3_thumbnail_ShrinkServer400.jpgServers have always been one of the more expensive yet crucial pieces of your IT infrastructure. A new development in servers is the microserver, which is a stripped down version of a server. The appeal is that they can be designed to handle one task efficiently, and therefore, use fewer resources while costing less to purchase and maintain.

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The Advantages of Business Technology

b2ap3_thumbnail_Save400.jpgAs a business, you do things differently than the mild-mannered consumer. Like paying bills, it’s not like a business can sit down for half an hour every month, write a few checks, and then be done with it. Businesses have employees whose major duty is paying bills. Technology is the same way, and businesses have different technology needs than consumers.

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How to Optimize Your PC’s Startup Speeds

b2ap3_thumbnail_SpeedStart400.jpgDuring the first week of PC ownership, you may have felt like the guy from the old Maxwell stereo ads being 'blown away' with your blazing start-up speeds. The "Wow Factor" eventually wore off, and after a year or two, your computer's start-up speed may have slowed down. What happened, and how can you again be blown away?

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When a Supercomputer is Not Enough

b2ap3_thumbnail_supercomp400.jpgWe are all familiar with the black and white pictures of old warehouse-sized supercomputers. These machines are now obsolete and we have way more power today sitting on our desks. The most recent supercomputer to be disassembled due to irrelevance was not an old computer made of tubes and pulleys, but rather, it was from 2008.

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Now is the Time to Get Your Business a Mobile App

b2ap3_thumbnail_MobileApps400.jpgThe consumer adaptation of mobile devices continues to skyrocket. In America, there is a 46% ownership rate of smartphones among adults, this according to Pew Research. Tablets are also a booming market, projected to sell 1.2 billion units in 2013. If your business is not taking advantage of this trend, then you may be missing out on a golden opportunity.

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Hackers are Taking Advantage of Technology Improvements

b2ap3_thumbnail_HackerSkull400.jpgUsing strong passwords is a critical part of keeping your network protected. For years we have been preaching the need to use complex passwords, along with the need to use different passwords for different accounts. As the technology of crackers (not the salted kind) improves, the need to be diligent about password security intensifies.

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4 Steps We Take to Fix Your PCs

b2ap3_thumbnail_ITFixes400.jpgWhat do you do with a broken computer? You can take the time to learn how to fix it yourself, you can drop it off at a computer repair shop, or you can call in a technician. While all of these methods will get your PC up and running again, we think that we have found the best way to handle a broken computer.

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The E-mail Switchboard

b2ap3_thumbnail_EmailSwitch693.jpgE-mail and other forms of digital communication have revolutionized the way humans interact. Anybody old enough to remember life before e-mail (B.E.), can tell some great stories that include kooky characters like Mr. Stamp and Mrs. Envelope. E-mail has changed things; all of us use it every day, but how does it work?

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Coffitivity, What Creativity Sounds Like

b2ap3_thumbnail_ListenCoff400.jpgWhen it comes to listening to music while getting work done, it seems like you can either do it or you can't. Some office workers need absolute silence to get work done. Other people can turn up the volume, tune out the world, and still think clearly. Coffitivity is an audio app that brings balance between the right and left brain.

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The 3 Biggest Reasons PC Upgrades are Avoided

b2ap3_thumbnail_OldComputer400.jpgAs an IT company, we get excited about the newest computer hardware and software. We try to convince everybody that upgrades are great, but some people cannot be shaken from their devotion to what is familiar and refuse to upgrade their tech. In our experience, here are the three biggest reasons why upgrades are avoided.

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What’s so Great about BYOD?

b2ap3_thumbnail_BOYDSync400.jpgBring Your Own Device (BYOD), is changing the look and feel of the modern office. As the ownership rate of mobile devices among American adults creeps closer to reaching 50%, more gadgets are showing up around the office, and they are being used to get work done! If you have yet to embrace BYOD in your office, then you will want consider these 3 advantages.

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