Just compare the spec's with the other leading vendors and you can see that it is a real contender.
Simply sign in to the website with a Microsoft Live account (you probably already have one) and away you go!
SkyDrive Link
Thursday 30 August 2012
#Skydrive - 7 Gb free online storage!
Skydrive has undergone a large overhaul recently and is looking great, but below the good looks is a great product too.
Just compare the spec's with the other leading vendors and you can see that it is a real contender.
Simply sign in to the website with a Microsoft Live account (you probably already have one) and away you go!
SkyDrive Link
Just compare the spec's with the other leading vendors and you can see that it is a real contender.
Simply sign in to the website with a Microsoft Live account (you probably already have one) and away you go!
SkyDrive Link
Samsungs first Windows 8 Phone released - ATIV S
Released at the IFA Berlin, Samsung released the first of their Windows 8 Mobile devices- The ATIV S
Here are some of the highlights:
- 4.8" screen
- 720x1280 pixels resolution
- 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus (Krait) chipset
- 16 GB or 32 GB storage space (additional MicroSD card slot)
- 8MP Camera - LED flash and 1080p video recording capabilities
- Windows Phone 8!
Wednesday 29 August 2012
Which is the best anti-virus
This is something that we are often asked and it can be a difficult question to answer.
Many people like to stick with the big boys like McAfee and Symantec as they have a proven track record. Other decide on price but few actually compare the field.
One reason for this is that it is really hard to find an independant test which compares all of the options and delivers this in a usable.
I have recent found http://www.av-comparatives.org who produce independant tests and award based on performance.
The 2012 test results are very interesting with top awards - 3 stars - going to some of the smaller players:
-BitDefender
-G Data
-Kaspersky
-Qihoo
-F-Secure
And some of the bigger hitters getting just 1 star:
-McAfee
-Sophos
-Trend Micro
Take a look at the following link for more info:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/images/docs/avc_prot_2012a_en.pdf
Many people like to stick with the big boys like McAfee and Symantec as they have a proven track record. Other decide on price but few actually compare the field.
One reason for this is that it is really hard to find an independant test which compares all of the options and delivers this in a usable.
I have recent found http://www.av-comparatives.org who produce independant tests and award based on performance.
The 2012 test results are very interesting with top awards - 3 stars - going to some of the smaller players:
-BitDefender
-G Data
-Kaspersky
-Qihoo
-F-Secure
And some of the bigger hitters getting just 1 star:
-McAfee
-Sophos
-Trend Micro
Take a look at the following link for more info:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/images/docs/avc_prot_2012a_en.pdf
Windows Server 2012 - Due September 4th
SBS might be dead, but Windows Server is alive and kicking and its on its way!
4th of September
Tuesday 28 August 2012
Outlook.com - better than hotmail - part 1
Having scoured the Internet for something interesting to look at (interesting to a geeky IT nerd anyhow), I have found Microsofts new version of Hotmail.
First impressions are really good, with a clean design and instant integration with Microsofts web-apps (web based version of word, excel, powerpoint) and Skydrive with 7Gb of FREE storage...... WAIT A MINUTE.....
I have just checked and I have 25Gb of free space.... nice!
It also integrates with twitter and facebook and seems to be a decent single portal for most desktop users.
It looks better than the old trusty Gmail, so I am making a bold move and I'm going to import all of my emails (it tells me I can hold up to 4 POP accounts in outlook.com)
Seems simple enough, enter username and password and click go.....
fail. Ok try again...
fail.
Log into Googlemail to make sure that my password is OK. it is.
Ah... a big red banner saying that my account has been accessed by an unusual IP address. Go through the process of allowing that IP address and all OK. Everything imported in seconds..
i will update in a week or so to see how I got on.
First impressions are really good, with a clean design and instant integration with Microsofts web-apps (web based version of word, excel, powerpoint) and Skydrive with 7Gb of FREE storage...... WAIT A MINUTE.....
I have just checked and I have 25Gb of free space.... nice!
It also integrates with twitter and facebook and seems to be a decent single portal for most desktop users.
It looks better than the old trusty Gmail, so I am making a bold move and I'm going to import all of my emails (it tells me I can hold up to 4 POP accounts in outlook.com)
Seems simple enough, enter username and password and click go.....
fail. Ok try again...
fail.
Log into Googlemail to make sure that my password is OK. it is.
Ah... a big red banner saying that my account has been accessed by an unusual IP address. Go through the process of allowing that IP address and all OK. Everything imported in seconds..
i will update in a week or so to see how I got on.
#VMWorld 2012 - Europe - Register now!
VMworld 2012 // 9-11th of october
It is going to be a big deal again this year and is being held in the US as I type.
Don't fret though, VMWorld is coming to Europe on the 9-11th of october and you can book yourself a place here: http://www.vmworld.com/registration.jspa
All of the major IT vendors will be there to tell you about their latest products including Dell, Cisco, EMC, HP, NetApp to name a few.
Get there!
It is going to be a big deal again this year and is being held in the US as I type.
Don't fret though, VMWorld is coming to Europe on the 9-11th of october and you can book yourself a place here: http://www.vmworld.com/registration.jspa
All of the major IT vendors will be there to tell you about their latest products including Dell, Cisco, EMC, HP, NetApp to name a few.
Get there!
Friday 24 August 2012
Get Windows 8 for £14.99
Have you bought a Windows 7 PC lately? If so, get yourself over to Microsoft and sign up for a copy of Windows 8 for just £14.99!
http://www.windowsupgradeoffer.com/en-GB
PC's bought between 2 June 2012 and 31 January 2013 qualify.
Windows 8 is due for release int he next couple of months and your new O/S will be shipped to you as soon as it goes live.
http://www.windowsupgradeoffer.com/en-GB
PC's bought between 2 June 2012 and 31 January 2013 qualify.
Windows 8 is due for release int he next couple of months and your new O/S will be shipped to you as soon as it goes live.
Wednesday 22 August 2012
Major McAfee Failure
We have just had a call from McAfee and have been told that
there has been a major problem with a DAT update delivered yesterday.
Customers with VirusScan 8.8 who have downloaded DAT update 6807 or 6808 will experience PC issues: http://www.scmagazineuk.com/mcafees-defected-update-causes-user-chaos/article/255393/
Anyone who has installed them will need to run a Hotfix :
https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB76004
Friday 17 August 2012
Microsoft SBS is Dead
SBS RIP - SBS Axed
It's true, at the time of posting Microsoft have decided to axe their portfolio of SBS (Small Business Server) products.
The current incarnation, Small Business Server 2011, will continue to be available for most of 2013, but after that it will be no more.
SBS essentials will die,
SBS Standard will die,
and SBS Premium will die.
Microsoft have been repeating a mantra insisting that their coud suite, Office 365,will provide everything that a small or medium size company would need and more, but is not right for everyone and we want choice.
As a reseller, support company and advocate of Microsofts Cloud services, a large volume of our business is still with the SBS family of products.
So if SBS is dead, what can we do?
The on-premise alternative to SBS is to buy the separate Microsoft licenses - Windows Server and Exchange.
At the very least (when following best practise) you will need two Windows Server licenses and one Exchange license. The approximate license cost for a 15 user company would be about £2,750.00. This compares to a cost of approx' £1,400.00 for the equivalent SBS software.
So, why do customers continue to buy SBS over Office365? Simply because it works, it is affordable and it is tried and tested over many years. For the same reasons, they don't yet trust Office365.
I think that there is no doubt that Microsoft is the clear market leader in the small and medium business server market, largely thanks to SBS. So it seems very strange to risk this dominant position to go toe to toe with Google Apps and other cloud offerings.
They key here is choice, if customers are faced with no choice, even the most ardent Microsoft fan is going to at least look at the competition to see how it compares. Microsoft may find that some customers who would never stray from SBS will suddlenly shop around for the best cloud offering and they won't all buy into the Microsoft dream.
It's true, at the time of posting Microsoft have decided to axe their portfolio of SBS (Small Business Server) products.
The current incarnation, Small Business Server 2011, will continue to be available for most of 2013, but after that it will be no more.
SBS essentials will die,
SBS Standard will die,
and SBS Premium will die.
Microsoft have been repeating a mantra insisting that their coud suite, Office 365,will provide everything that a small or medium size company would need and more, but is not right for everyone and we want choice.
As a reseller, support company and advocate of Microsofts Cloud services, a large volume of our business is still with the SBS family of products.
So if SBS is dead, what can we do?
The on-premise alternative to SBS is to buy the separate Microsoft licenses - Windows Server and Exchange.
At the very least (when following best practise) you will need two Windows Server licenses and one Exchange license. The approximate license cost for a 15 user company would be about £2,750.00. This compares to a cost of approx' £1,400.00 for the equivalent SBS software.
So, why do customers continue to buy SBS over Office365? Simply because it works, it is affordable and it is tried and tested over many years. For the same reasons, they don't yet trust Office365.
I think that there is no doubt that Microsoft is the clear market leader in the small and medium business server market, largely thanks to SBS. So it seems very strange to risk this dominant position to go toe to toe with Google Apps and other cloud offerings.
They key here is choice, if customers are faced with no choice, even the most ardent Microsoft fan is going to at least look at the competition to see how it compares. Microsoft may find that some customers who would never stray from SBS will suddlenly shop around for the best cloud offering and they won't all buy into the Microsoft dream.
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