Windows 10 Anniversary Update

The latest update to Microsoft's operating system became available from yesterday.

New features include a new Windows Ink feature, a dedicated hub designed for devices like the Surface Pro 4, and other 2-in-1s with styluses, which will work with your fingers for doodling and inking on screenshots, and a number of UI improvements to the Start menu, notification centre, taskbar and overall dark theme.

It's made tweaks to the digital assistant Cortana too, allowing it to work on the lock screen and answer queries, and Microsoft's Edge browser is getting new extensions like LastPass, 1Password, AdBlock, and EverNote.

Here's how to download and start using the updated software: http://bit.ly/2aSh07a

A Fond Farewell to Microsoft's Internet Explorer Browser

Image credit: Gizmodo

Microsoft has ended all technical support and security updates for the older versions of its Internet Explorer browser. Currently 20% of web traffic takes place on versions 8, 9 and 10 of the browser, with only 55% of Internet Explorer users using the latest version. 

Around 340 million people still rely on older versions of the IE browser and customers are encouraged  "to upgrade and stay up-to-date on the latest browser for a faster, more secure browsing experience." The older browsers will now be more likely to be hit by hackers and cyber attacks, so it's worth updating to keep your devices secure. 

However, upgrading to the most recent version of Internet Explorer isn't catch-free, as many website and online services are designed to work with specific versions of the browser. 

NetMarketShare estimates that Internet Explorer accounts for 57% of the browser market, compared with 25% for Chrome, 12% for Firefox and 5% for Apple's Safari. Microsoft has been warning users of the upgrade for some time, but will user actually make the switch to the latest version of IE or will it draw them to rival browsers? 

What will you being doing? Let us know your thoughts. 

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. 

Microsoft Unveils Enterprise Class Devices

Image credit: The Next Web

Last week Microsoft unveiled the new Surface tablet and Surface Book, a high-end hybrid laptop, aimed at being the only devices professionals need at work and home. 

Microsoft says that both devices have enough battery life to last the working day, are thin and light with high specs and a sleek finish. Microsoft also boasts that the new Surface devices are up to 50% faster than the MacBook Air and Pro.

We like many of the new improvements including a screen that has very precise detection of touch with pen input. The Surface Book is a powerful machine with an Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce graphics card and the screen can be detached so it can used as a tablet or flipped so it sits on top of the keyboard.

The Surface Pro 4 will be the first to run Windows 10, which will include Windows Hello and MDM support. According to Principal analyst from Ovum, Richard Edwards, these additions should appeals to enterprises’ need to simplify management and security.

With flexi working slowly becoming the norm, Microsoft is hoping that these machines will appeal to professionals who want to use a device in and outside the office. 

Edwards says Microsoft is looking to "displace the MacBook Air, which it sees as the target device favoured by the young and trendy people who like to be super mobile but still want that laptop experience".

Gartner research director Roberta Cozza highlights that capturing this market is essential if the Surface is to gain popularity within business. Enterprises are starting to listen to their staff on what devices to purchase, especially when they’re to be used at home as well and in the office. 

"They are building a portfolio that many professional users will like," she said.

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.

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.

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.

End Of The Road for Windows Server 2003

Time has nearly run out for Windows Server 2003, in a few short months Microsoft is going to stop support. This means that the stream of security updates and bug fixes customers have received over the last 12 years will cease. 

People may wonder what all the fuss is about: Windows Server 2003 has been around for 12 years, surely it’s time for an update, right? However, businesses typically don’t replace critical servers and infrastructure often, definitely not in the same way consumers upgrade to the latest Apple products. 

Microsoft will pull support on July 14, and over the last week businesses have been discussing the effect impending support suspension will have on SMEs who haven’t upgraded their servers. Over the next few weeks these businesses will have some major decisions to make about the future of their server environments, and we're here to help with this awkward transition.  

A recent survey from Spiceworks revealed that companies across the US are allocating $60,000 for migration-related expenses on average, and that many of these migrations have already begun. For SMEs in the UK, if you haven’t started migrating to new servers, now is definitely the time to do so, because after July 14 2015 holdouts face a risky future. 

When it comes to security, Windows Server 2003 is certainly no Fort Knox, but continuing to use it post July 14 could have some serious security repercussions. 

Ade Foxall, CEO of application portfolio management firm Camwood, believes that “after the recent migration away from Windows XP, IT departments should be more aware than ever of the dangers of using an out-of-date platform. And yet, the lack of awareness surrounding Server 2003 is about to pose an unprecedented security threat to businesses all over the world.”

There is an upside to moving away from Windows Server 2003: businesses have the opportunity to modernise their environments, like moving to the cloud. In another survey conducted by Spiceworks, they found that 64% of business planned to migrate to Windows Server 2012 while the remainder would take their applications into the virtual space.

This is a critical time for SMEs and it’s important that the right decisions are made. Here at 360ict we can help businesses move away from Windows Server 2003 in a simple and affordable manner. If you have any questions, please get in touch!  

360ict provides managed IT services and support for SMEs in central London and the south-east, including London Victoria, Euston, 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 XP Still Going Strong

Despite being 13 years old, Windows XP is still one of the most popular operating systems according to Net Application’s Web stats, which gave XP a 16.9 share for the month of March. Even though it’s still the second most-used operating system, the number of people using XP has significantly dropped. Though XP’s grip on the market is loosening, it still beats Windows 8 and 8.1 collective share of 14 percent. Windows 7 holds the top spot, with a share of 58 percent. 

Microsoft ended support for XP over a year ago, which put an end to bug fixes, however users are still reluctant to upgrade, even though they are more vulnerable to security threats. 

This has had a ripple effect for other companies, for example, chipmaker Intel slashed nearly $1 billion of it’s quavery revenue outlook. This is mainly because small and midsize businesses have been reluctant to upgrade from XP. 

For those determined not to upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1 the next release comes this summer when Windows 10 will become available. If SMBs want to upgrade from XP to Windows 10, it won’t be an easy process. You won’t be able to upgrade your PCs directly to Windows 10, you’ll have to upgrade to Windows 8.1 first, or buy new PCs already equipped with Windows 10 this summer: not the cheapest of options!

Are you a Windows XP user? Will you be sticking with XP or biting the bullet and upgrading to 8.1 to access 10? Let us know your thoughts! If you need help deciding, we're supporting companies in London Euston, Victoria, Croydon and Bromley throughout the year with their transition to Windows 10 - get in touch for more information. 

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. 

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. 

British Airways still using out-of-date Windows XP

London’s airport chaos may have been exacerbated by Microsoft Windows XP still being used across various critical systems with one of the world’s largest airlines choosing to process boarding passes on the OS.

British Airways, which has been badly hit by the shutting of London’s airspace earlier today, still uses the out of date OS to print off customer boarding passes with the photos above showing the Ctrl+Alt+Del command still very much present in Heathrow Terminal 5.

Microsoft told businesses for months in the lead up to 8 April 2014 that support was ending and despite that being the case, around 44 per cent of all Windows desktop machines are powered by XP.

The UK government secured a costly £5.5 million extension of support for Windows XP and it seems like British Airways has done the same, otherwise it is leaving itself vulnerable to all manner of different threats.

Small and medium sized businesses [SMBs] have been one group that has been quick to say goodbye to Windows XP, yet there were still 18 per cent conducting everyday business using the OS in July, according to Bit Defender. Many are still worried about the alternatives and are holding out for Windows 10, something that is incredibly risky when it comes to security.

The Nation Air Traffic Service [Nats] centre, which opened in 2002, has yet to come out with an explanation as to why the “technical problem” has occurred and it comes after a telephone glitch affected the same Hampshire based control room last year.

Rumours are currently pointing to the problem being software based and whilst it’s too early to speculate that Windows XP is used by the Nats, the fact that BA is still using the outdated OS is enough of a worry in itself.

Our advice to SMBs still using it: Get it out before it’s too late.