Google's Revolutionary 'OnHub' Router Fixes Bad Wi-Fi

There has been many high profile product launches this month from the likes of Apple and Amazon, so you might have missed Google’s launch of their brand new Wi-Fi router called ‘OnHub’. Google claim this brand new router will solve the most commonly occurring network issues in the home and small workplaces.

Google have worked really hard to make this router look aesthetically pleasing in order to solve a common efficiency problem. Google Group Product Manager Tron Wuellner, explained “many of us keep our router on the floor and out of sight, where it doesn’t work as well. We replaced unruly cords and blinking lights with antennas and subtle, useful lighting, so you’ll be happy placing OnHub out in the open, where your router performs its best.”

The router has a whole number of new features including 13 antennae and ‘smart software’ that allows OnHub to search for the best channel for the strongest connection when it is set up. The software runs in the background while the router is woking to continually adjust the channel. The OnHub is a clever little router as it also allows users to prioritise some devices to ensure that they have the fastest connection.

The OnHub offers users a new and innovative way to manage their router through the Google On smartphone application, which allows users to monitor bandwidth, run network checks, offer solutions to router problems and share the router’s password easily via text or email.

This state-of-the-art router is another device to add to Google’s ‘smart home’ range, with the company already promising continuous online updates and further OnHub devices from other hardware partners. 

The “easy router that cures bad Wi-Fi” (Mashable) has not launched in the UK yet, but expect it soon.

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Queen Elizabeth II: One of the UK’s Most Powerful Brands (and Longest Reigning Monarch)

Image from the Royal Household

Queen Elizabeth II may want to keep things low key and “business as usual”, but millions throughout the country are celebrating today as she becomes Britain’s longest reigning monarch. However, Professor Qing Wang from Warwick Business School has found that the Queen is more than a monarch, she is an essential figure for promoting the UK’s products and businesses. 

Professor Wang said: “The Queen and the royal family are the most significant symbols of British heritage and tradition. They inject a sense of continuity and national identity in the globalised and ever-changing world we live in today.

“The Queen and all the history that comes with her, gives British luxury brands an edge and distinctive advantage.”

Global demand for "Made in Britain" labels means UK luxury good firms are set to get a sales boost, as stated in a report from Frontier Economics. By 2019 the value of sales is said to reach around £51.1bn and, according to Wang, Chinese consumers are showing the biggest growing appetite for British luxury goods. 

Professor Wang conducted a survey of Chinese consumers and asked them what they associated with Britain and the “Britishness” they like so much. Her results show that the Queen and the Royal Family were top of the list. 

“Luxury goods are defined as those satisfying hedonic rather than functional needs and our research has found this is an area that Britain enjoys a distinct advantage in,” said Professor Wang.

“The Queen is a significant reason for this, as a very important factor that makes Britain stand out is that it incorporates tradition and innovation seamlessly.

“Put differently, Britain’s advantage lies in the so-called soft power, which is defined as the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than through coercion, and the UK’s royal heritage is a key part of that.

“The extent of its impact is hard to measure and even harder to replicate. As China promotes its own soft power, it has increasingly turned to Britain for inspiration.”

Professor Wang believes that products and services linked to the Queen and the royal family has helped protect them from any slump in the market.

“The continued profit and sale decline of luxury brands are a strong indication that luxury brands are losing their lustre due to over exposure in the global marketplace and outsourcing of production to other countries.

“There is a trickle-down effect of shoppers looking to emulate the luxury lifestyle, but the conspicuous consumption of middle-class consumers is threatening the very essence of luxury being exclusive.

“But the link to the most important British heritage – royalty - reaffirms to consumers the brand’s authenticity and reminds the public of the golden bygone age. Unique and customised product offerings combined with exquisite craftsmanship and the royal association continue to drive sales in emerging markets.”

Specialist brand and business valuation agency, Brand Finance, has put a figure on the monarchy’s value to the UK. The firm found that that the British Monarchy is worth about £57 bn and will make a net contribution to the economy this year of £1.16bn.

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or contact us via our website.

360ict’s Tips For Relocating Your Business

According to a survey conducted by E.ON this year, over the last 5 years small businesses have lost an average of 7.5 working days as a result of moving premises. 

Moving is always a stressful task, whether you’re moving to a new home or moving your company to a new location, however 31% of SME owners and managers in London say that moving premises is the second most stressful task of their job, more than finances (27%) and customer complaints (13%). 

Anthony Ainsworth, business energy director at E.ON says, 'To hear that more than three quarters of SMEs are staying in potentially inappropriate premises because moving is considered just too hard is surprising. The disruptions businesses face are a very real barrier to relocation and possible future growth.'

But it doesn’t have to be that stressful, we regularly helps companies in Central London, Croydon and Bromley to relocate with 100% customer satisfaction: “What seemed like a daunting and expensive task to begin with, actually turned out to be a cost-effective and simple move with 360ict.” - John Edwards, Company Owner.

If you are thinking of moving, it’s worth getting in contact with one of our relocation advisors.

When should you start thinking about relocation?

Is there enough space: Do you have free desks for new recruits? Do you have enough storage space? When clients walk through the door do they see an organised office? If the answer is no, you definitely want to start looking for a bigger space.

How do you decide on location?

If you’re an SME with a small team you don’t want to be too far from other like-minded companies. For example, if you’re an IT Company or a Business IT Support Company in London look for offices in known tech-hub areas like East London, or the more affordable Croydon. 

If you’re thinking about sharing an office space make sure there are companies or individuals that your team can connect with and that there’s a lively atmosphere. You want to be somewhere dynamic so that your members of staff are inspired. 

Make sure you check the facilities too: internet, storage, parking, local facilities, number of desks and so on. 

Consider a consultant

For some companies a workplace consultant can help to ensure that your new office is running efficiently. This could involve allowing your employees to work remotely or encouraging flexible working times, perhaps staff could use their own laptops too.  

Take advantage of tax breaks

This is a really important tip: Keep up to date on tax allowances because they can save you a lot of money. 

Plan ahead

Think about the things that could go wrong ahead of time. For example, is the internet already set up before you arrive? Are the phones working? Do you need these installed? Will members of staff have to work from home for a couple of days? Always plan for the possibility that there could be a few problems. 

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Which Political Party Offers The Most Support For SMES?

Image Source: Mark Pack

When it comes to the political divide there’s one thing that all entrepreneurs and SMEs can agree on: extra government support is needed. 

The Entrepreneurs Network recently carried out an annual poll of 100 MPs, which shows that Labour and Conservative MPs have very different views on how best to support British entrepreneurs and SMEs.

Growth Business highlighted the key findings from the report:

• ‘It suggests almost two-thirds (63%) of Labour MPs believe increasing grants and loans for entrepreneurs would be the best way to support them’
• Among Conservative MPs, ‘a regime of tax cuts, including slashing business rates and corporate tax, is the most popular policy for driving entrepreneurial growth. Almost all (89%) from the ruling party are in favour of this approach’
• ‘The issue that splits the house more than any other is the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU – or Brexit. More than half (58%) of Conservative MPs believe that this would be a positive move for entrepreneurs – whereas only 1% of Labour MPs feel the same way’

MPs Are Vocal

• Growth Business quotes the Entrepreneurs Network Director Philip Salter as saying he was encouraged to see that 'MPs are increasingly vocal about supporting Britain’s entrepreneurs’
• ‘But he added he found MPs respective view on the EU the most enlightening – especially Labour MPs’ strong support for the EU.’

Ill-Informed About Current Programmes

Growth Business says both sides seem equally poorly informed about current support structures

• ‘More than one-third of Conservative MPs (38%) have not heard of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). And a further 18% don’t feel they know enough’ to comment
• Labour MPs, despite presenting as broadly supportive of introducing more grants and loans, are ‘also similarly ignorant of current government programmes. More than half (61%) were not aware of Innovate UK – a series of competitions in which £536m of government money is up for grabs’

See the full piece on Growth Business.

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Will The Apprenticeship Levy Benefit SMEs?

Image source: www.tracweb.co.uk

The UK government is still 100% committed to the planned apprenticeship levy, despite concerns from business leaders, David Cameron said this week.

The Prime Minister has said the levy will help create 3 million apprenticeships across the country and will make larger employers contribute funding to apprenticeship training. 

A new series of industry standards will be introduced for apprenticeships in a varied range of professions from IT, engineering and transport to fashion. 

However, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has voiced concerns that it would not deliver the skilled youth businesses would want, and it would do very little to help SMEs. 

CBI said: "With an apprenticeship levy for larger employers set to be introduced following the Budget, the CBI is concerned that while it may fund more apprenticeships to meet the Government's target of three million, it will not deliver the high-quality, business-relevant training needed, and do little to help small or medium-sized businesses.”

David Cameron responded: "The greatest asset any employer has is their workforce. And by investing in them, they are investing in the success and future of their business. As a One Nation Government, we are committed to supporting three million quality apprenticeships over the next five years - to help strengthen our economy, deliver the skills that employers need and give millions more hard-working people financial security and a brighter future.”

The government has set an extremely high target to reach. Should they focus on creating quality apprenticeships over volume? Would the scheme be more likely to benefit small businesses if this were the case? 

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Calais Crisis Costing UK Businesses Millions

Image source: independent.co.uk

Over the last few weeks drivers have faced huge delays at the Channel tunnel due to the migrant crisis in Calais. So far the UK and French governments haven’t found a solution to the number of migrants now arriving at the port. This has had a huge impact on British businesses as they are being forced to find alternative ways of transporting their goods over the Channel. 

Many companies have had to use aircrafts to transfers essential goods, but even though it is a quick-fix solution, it will cost a lot more money in the long run. 

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) believes the Calais crisis is costing the UK £250m a day in lost trade. The Guardian stated that the study, which was commissioned by Dove economics consultancy Oxera “calculated the annual value of goods in the 2.2m freight vehicles travelling via Dover and Calais to be £89bn, a figure quoted by the FTA as the yearly worth of UK trade.”

What's even more troubling is the fact that the figure could be higher still: Dover claims freight traffic has expanded "considerably" since the study and that it only takes into account ferries, which represent 63% of Channel crossings. The real figure could be as much as £160bn, which would equate to £440m a day in lost trade.

The owner of Lincolnshire-based Denby Transport told ITV News his own company has lost "tens of thousands" of pounds and Welsh haulage firm MCL Logistics told the BBC that it is facing a bill of £100,000 a month. Rolls-Royce, the British carmaker, spoke to The Financial Times and said that the crisis had caused huge delays to incoming car parts: “We have experienced disruption to our production. It’s a challenge, it’s disruptive and we’d rather it wasn’t happening.”

The costs calculated don’t even take in to the consideration the strain on public services. The BBC says Operation Stack has so far cost Kent Police around £700,000, while the Government has said it will spend up to £7m improving security around the tunnel to deal with migrants attempting to illegally enter the UK.

The government is also deciding whether more ferry capacity can be added to different crossing in the UK, including Hull, Portsmouth and Plymouth. However the FTA said the governments needs to come up with long term solutions: “It is an additional cost for hauliers to drive to other ports. If the truck drives another 40 or 50 miles then that adds to costs.”


360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

The Collaboration of The Year: Windows 7 + 8 = Windows 10. Will You Update?

Windows 10, the new operating system from Microsoft, has started rolling out to customers worldwide. 

Back in 2012 Windows 8 didn’t receive a very warm welcome from users, so this release is extremely important for Microsoft. There has been much speculation and hype about Windows 10 over the last few months, but was it worth the wait? 

Microsoft decided to bypass Windows 9 and jump straight to Windows 10 (a good marketing ploy to keep up with Apple’s OS X?!) in an attempt to combine the “best elements” of Windows 7 and Windows 8. One of the more controversial features of Windows 8, the “live tiles”, still features in Windows 10, but now they are used as shortcuts to the user’s favourite applications. The start menu is also back from Windows 7, which allows users to browse through a list of their most-used programs. 

Microsoft hopes that Windows 10 will steer the company in a new direction. Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, describes the OS as “Windows as a Service,” meaning that users can expect improvements to the OS at anytime through the internet, rather than having to wait for another big update in a few years.  

Aside from the live tiles and start menu, here’s what else is new in Windows 10: 

• The interface looks similar to Windows 7
• The “familiar and easy to use” OS has moved away from the touch-screen
• The virtual assistant, Cortana, is now available
• Windows Hello - a biometric authentication facility that lets people unlock their computer and specific applications by fingerprint of facial recognition scan
• Edge - A successor to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer
• There’s a new notification sidebar that lets users review recent notifications

Consumers and small businesses are being offered free upgrades on existing computers running Windows 7 or 8 at any point over the next year. Microsoft has made the OS system more appealing to developers through it’s new “universal app platform” too.

Big businesses are unlikely to adopt the OS right away, but will SMEs? Tech consultancy Gartner has advised its clients to wait until the second half of 2016 before they do the update.

For home uses, if you decide you don’t like Windows 10, it is worth knowing there is a "rollback" option that works for the first 30 days.

Have you started using Windows 10? Tell us what you think of it! 

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Encrypted Communication Apps Could Be Banned in the UK

Over the past few weeks the press has been warning that WhatsApp and all other encrypted communication applications could be banned in the UK. But why would the government ban these extremely popular communication applications? 

In 2012, Home Secretary Theresa May proposed a new communications data bill called Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill, which would compel technology companies to track, record and store mobile phone and web usage from their users. It has become known as the “Snooper’s Charter” but aspects of the bill have been deemed “inconsistent with EU law” - most notably Article Eight of European Convention of Human Rights, which concerns an individual’s right to privacy.

WhatsApp, iMessage, SnapChat and other popular messaging services use end-to-end encryption to keep texts and multimedia safe from prying eyes. David Cameron had hoped to outlaw this level of privacy to help law enforcement services track and monitor potential terrorist threats.

Many technology companies have spoken out against the measures and refuse to remove the end-to-end encryption from their services. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, said that Apple has “never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services ... and we never will."

Out of the 55,772 readers of the bill, 49,079 voted against the changes proposed that meant providers, phone companies and technology firms store a record of all online activity. This would include everything from Google searches to Facebook conversations and SnapChat videos, which could be accessed at anytime by law enforcement agencies. 

Here at 360ict we understand the need to protect the country from potential threats, but do you think this bill takes it a step too far? Let us know your thoughts.

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Small Businesses In The UK Grow At Fastest Pace In Five Years

Britain’s small businesses grew solidly over the last three months, according to the latest small business index from the Federation of Small Business (FSB). The strong improvement in small business confidence suggests the sector will continue to grow this year. 

In the study, published on 22 June 2015, the FSB found that 65.3% of small businesses surveyed are striving to increase their business remotely or rapidly between June and September 2015. This is excellent news for London IT support companies. 

The lobby group’s small business index suggested that there has been a “robust” improvement in confidence, which pushed up productivity, job creation and investment at a faster rate than in the economy as a whole. 

It said growth and investment intentions had reached new highs since it began compiling its index in 2010.

It also said it had found a “few negatives” in the overall picture. The gains were to spread evenly over the UK, however — by far the highest concentration of growing small business were found in the South East of England, followed by the Midlands. In Wales confidence and employment fell, and Scotland also reported lower business confidence. 

John Allan, the FSB national chairman, said: "The results... are very positive and show the major role that small businesses play in the growth of the UK's economy. It is critical the new government continues to develop the right environment to support businesses planning to grow, invest and take on new staff in the next 12 months. In the Budget and its upcoming Enterprise Bill, ministers should prioritise supporting small business growth, simplify business taxes, raise skills and tackle poor payment practices.”

The UK government is working on an Enterprise Bill, which it hopes will make the UK a leading place to set up and expand small businesses, including IT support companies in London, and should create two million jobs between 2015 and 2020. This is just one of many initiatives that the government are planning to implement for businesses in the next five years. 

360ict provides managed IT services and emergency IT support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including Bromley and Croydon. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Windows 10 Operating System: What To Expect And Release Dates

Businesses across the UK have been wondering when the Windows 10 free upgrade will become available following months of speculation. Well, Microsoft has finally confirmed that the new operating system will be released at the end of the month.

Companies currently running the Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 operating systems have a year to download the free Windows 10, which will be available from June 29.

Windows 10 was first announced early this year and is currently in the final stages of beta testing. Along with the Windows 10 announcement, Microsoft also confirmed that it would be the last-ever version of the Windows operating system, which came as a shock to many.

Unlike with previous versions, Windows 10 will be used across all Microsoft devices, there will not be a separate Windows Phone 10 operating system. However, Microsoft revealed at their Build developer conference that the release would be staggered across other devices, following the PC launch. 

So what can we expect from Windows 10 for PC? There’s a new feature called Continuum, which means people using Windows 10 with a mouse and keyboard will see the new system in a classic desktop mode. 

Microsoft has also brought back the Start Menu, hurrah!, and the tiles adopted in Windows 8 will still feature when users open the Start Menu. 

Say goodbye to Internet Explorer, Windows 10 will come with a new browser called Microsoft Edge, which will allow users to annotate webpages or save them to read later… pretty cool. Also, we’re sure you’ve all seen the adverts by now, Microsoft’s personal assistant tool Cortana will finally be available for PC. 

We think Microsoft’s Windows 10 release sounds very promising. What do you think? Will you upgrade or are you sticking with an older version? Let us know your thoughts. 

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.

Skype for Business Heralds New Era For Communication

This week Microsoft launched a preview of Skype for Business with a clear message: this is just the beginning. Microsoft is preparing for the future of “smart living” with the idea that Skype will be available on any device, anywhere, and users will be able to share date, translate calls and have two-way annotated meetings.

Skype for Business will unify Lync and Skype: according to Microsoft “over 100 million people now use Microsoft Lync to communicate for work, with 79 percent of U.S. enterprises currently using or planning to deploy Lync for telephony.” Combine that with Skype’s 50 billion minutes of traffic every month, and Skype for Business will surely become the preferred choice for business-to-business and business-to-consumer communications. 

Through this collaboration users will be able to place calls and start conferences over old school landline connections with a traditional phone number. This is great news; previously this functionality would require businesses to have a Lync Server set-up and pay a separate PTSN service from a third-party. Microsoft is now working with Vodafone (and other companies) to make the transitions between VoIP and landline calls easier in Office 365. 

Lync Room Systems is also getting an update to become Skype Room Systems, an initiative to supplement physical meeting spaces with Skype technology. Skype for Business will integrate all of Lync’s features into a Skype-style interface, which will allow Lync users to connect to anyone using a Skype user name. All of the productivity-boosting communication tools will still be available and enhanced. 

If your business isn’t using Office 365 currently, now is the time to start thinking about incorporating it into your company. Earlier this week Microsoft unveiled the technical preview of the Skype for Business client, which gives customers an opportunity to trial Skype for Business and begin preparing for deployment. If you have any questions about Office 365, or are interested in Skype for Business (the new service will begin rolling out next month), get in touch today for more information about how we can help you improve your business communication services with Office 365.  

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including London Victoria, Euston, Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website. 

Why Your SMB Needs Windows 10

Microsoft finally pulled down the curtain on Windows 10 just last week and with the double-digits came promises of holograms and a revamp that will see the OS push the company into an era of subscriptions and constant updates.

Where small businesses are concerned the new OS could be in situation where it is still trying to persuade certain firms to move over from Windows XP, even though the end of life was supposed to take place almost a year ago. What features will help it to do this though?

The Start Menu

Much to the chagrin of its user base Microsoft got rid of the start menu in Windows 8 and it makes a triumphant return on Windows 10 complete with a brand new interface. The Windows 8 tiled interface owed a lot to touchscreen devices and that explains why the live tiles still remain in some capacity in order for it to be an OS that spreads across all platforms - an advantage for BYOD policies.

Free upgrade

Everyone loves a freebie and the best news of all is that Windows 10 comes as a completely free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 customers. So if you really hate what Windows 8 has done for your business rest assure that when 10 comes out you can get it free of charge - for a year at least.

Windows-as-a-Service

You’ve downloaded Windows 10 as a free upgrade but what about when it’s outdated? Microsoft will support your version of Windows for the entire lifetime of the device or devices in question through regular updates. It’s likely to have teething problems at first but after a while this new OS attitude will add value to your small business.

Keep your files even safer

Nothing has been confirmed by Microsoft and we might be jumping the gun but there have been hints of a new security feature that can keep your enterprise’s files extremely safe. It’s rumoured this would work by employing data separation at file level and removing the requirement for enterprise apps to be run inside a “container” that cannot be used by other apps on the machine. Under the new method files would stay completely secure when used across all devices or even uploaded to the cloud.

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including London Victoria, Euston, Croydon and Bromley. For more advice on gaining competitive advantage as a mid-sized company, give us a call on 0208 663 4000 or head to our website.