Nexus Blog

Chrome pips IE to top of the browser charts

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:06:00 +0000

Google's Chrome has taken its place as the world's most popular browser and has left Internet Explorer in second position.

Whilst the ranking (taken from StatCounter's Global Stats) from last week (14-20th May) firmly places Chrome in pole position it is actually down to usage in Asia and South America. The US still favours IE and Europe Firefox, albeit Chrome sits in second position for the pair.

Cloudy, actually today it's snowing...

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Tue, 15 May 2012 08:50:00 +0000

We at Nexus pride ourselves on giving information to our clients. We have recently noticed that the more we talk about cloud computer the more people look at you like you have just switched to another language – in this case techno babble!

I therefore decided to put this to the test and have asked all at Nexus the same question – What is the cloud? And to be honest we all have a different opinion and view ‘the cloud’ as a different entity. As with clouds you have different types and the formation of each provide a different look and feel. This is the same for the technology cloud; you have a range from obtaining email services through to Facebook. In fact cloud technology has been around for a long time but under a different name. As a technology company we acknowledge we need to embrace the cloud and thus we have decided to put together various papers covering standard questions and answers which will help you the client decide whether a potential cloud service has a silver lining.

If you would like a copy of the FAQ’s we produce please click here and email me. I will add you to our new newsletter ‘cloudy days’ and keep you posted on the techno weather.

Gareth.

It doesn't get PC viruses - It gets Mac viruses!

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:12:00 +0000

Summary - Microsoft released seven security updates yesterday to fix 23 vulnerabilities in Windows. Apple release an update in Feb that covered 51 vulnerabilities.

All software producers face attack of their software and potential flaws in their coding. The most important aspect is the speed at which the vulnerability is patched or fixed.

Microsoft release their patches on what is termed Patch Tuesday (yesterday), a monthly delivery of all updates. Any emergency update will still be released as and when but on average it this is the day for updates. Each update is provided with a full transparent break down of why it is needed, what is fixes and thus allows IT guys (like me) to decided on whether the patch is needed for clients and rolled out.

Apple on the other hand are very guarded on their OS and patching. Recently we have seen the flashback malware attack the Mac community and it took Apple 49 days to deliver a patch. In this time some 600,000 users were infected.

I believe Apple has had it easy to date as Microsoft were deemed as the ones with shoddy software and those Mac users had delight over the fact their systems didn't need virus protection or updates. Moving forward more and more people are combining both Apple and Microsoft and thus companies need, in my opinion, both transparency and continuity in updates. This provides the end user with the confidence that their manufacturer not only cares and has their finger on the pulse but also ensures minimum disruption in the work place.

Linked In app released for Ipad

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:42:00 +0000

For all you LinkedIn fans there is now a LinkedIn app. I have been using the Andriod version on my HTC and it is very user friendly. The iPad version will add a calendar that will link data of the people you're meeting. Best of all its FREE!!

Plans for a single Operating System at Microsoft

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Andy Lees, the President of Windows Phone, has said that a “single ecosystem” for PCs, phones, tablets and other devices could emerge by 2015.

Andy Lee was speaking at the at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference. He said, “You can have full PC compute power available in whatever form factor you like,” said Lees, implying that the company might wish to use a common interface across different devices. The trend, already visible in Windows 8 for PCs apparently learning from Windows Phone, would mean replicate Apple’s recent use of gestures on PCs, laptops, tablets and phones.
Lees also commented on the fact that Microsoft wants to provide “coherence and consistency” across different devices, “particularly with Xbox”. So far, the company has used its IE9 browser on phones and PCs.

Nilay Patel claimed “Microsoft is planning to somehow harmonize not only Windows for PCs and Windows Phone, but also the Xbox operating system sometime within the next four years — a timeframe that perfectly lines up with both the end of the Xbox 360′s 10-year lifecycle and the end of Windows 8′s expected three-year run.”

Watch out for fake virus alerts

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 07:56:00 +0000

Rogue security software, also known as "scareware," is software that appears to be beneficial from a security perspective but provides limited or no security, generates erroneous or misleading alerts, or attempts to lure users into participating in fraudulent transactions.

How does rogue security software get on my computer?
Rogue security software designers create legitimate looking pop-up windows that advertise security update software. These windows might appear on your screen while you surf the web.

The "updates" or "alerts" in the pop-up windows call for you to take some sort of action, such as clicking to install the software, accept recommended updates, or remove unwanted viruses or spyware. When you click, the rogue security software downloads to your computer.

Rogue security software might also appear in the list of search results when you are searching for trustworthy antispyware software, so it is important to protect your computer.

For the full article from Microsoft click here.

If you do end up with nasties on your machine our advice is to switch it off and contact us on 0845 644 2731, we can clean it up and save your data. On that note always, always ensure you have an upto date backup!

Microsoft Buys Skype for $8.5 Billion - Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Wed, 11 May 2011 07:35:00 +0000

You’ve heard the rumors and now it is official, Microsoft has acquired Skype for a whopping $8.5 billion. On the face of it you may think that purchasing a company for such a vast amount given that Skype made a $7 million loss last year is somewhat bizarre, but I think there are several reasons for this purchase.

Firstly, the integration into existing products such as Xbox and Windows Phone 7, it certainly would be a contender for Apple’s Facetime if you implement in your living room, using Kinect!!

Secondly, with the up and coming cloud services Office365, Microsoft Lync will play a major part in providing business class services and the adoption of Skype will provide an inroad to a whole new client base. Making the move from a free product to a paid service in the region of $5 for a bundle of value add services seems to make sense.

Finally, competition, in my opinion if you have a lot of money in the bank then it makes sense to purchase an existing technology to enhance your portfolio or indeed if you want your technology to succeed then simply remove your competition!

Smartphone Envy

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000

We are noticing increasing use of smartphones amongst the business community, and it's a trend we've made sure we're on top of – our services  often include sourcing, setting up and helping clients get the best out of their handsets. 

Security is often raised as an objection when IT managers are asked to implement smartphones into the business toolkit. Blackberries, iPhones and other mobile devices can be ticking time bombs full of confidential information – the modern day equivalent of the briefcase left on a train. At the recent Mobile World Congress, one of the new handsets unveiled was the Samsung Galaxy SII, which has sufficient security control to allay the fears of the most nervous IT manager.

The advent of cloud services has led to a widespread change

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000

The advent of cloud services has led to a widespread change in the way even the smallest businesses are able to manage and share information. Access to a server that can automatically manage backups and basic system management, and offer centralised storage facilities has become the rule, rather than the exception. Small Business Server Standard is designed and priced for businesses with up to 75 employees, but until now, Microsoft hasn't offered a solution for very small businesses.

This is all set to change with the announcement that Small Business Server Essentials 2011, has been successfully beta tested, and is now categorised as a release candidate (a version which has the potential to be a final product, and is ready for release) SBS Essentials is intended for smaller organisations (up to 25 people) and will provide a cost-effective way to access business information remotely, support business applications, and enable swift uncomplicated connection with email and other online services.

SBS Standard has become rather like a favourite pair of slippers at Nexus, so we're very interested in seeing what the new version has to offer both us, and more importantly, our clients!

Microsoft have announced the release of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:20:00 +0000

Microsoft have announced the release of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) now available to download from www.microsoft.com. The service pack is the first major upgrade since Windows 7 was released in 2009, and has been described, somewhat unkindly, as “just a series of bug fixes”.

There is little on there that is going to interest the average business user, and very little that hasn't already been available as a separate upgrade, but it does finally group together the fixes for all the little niggles that have been annoying IT managers operating Windows 7.

One problem we can see immediately with this service pack is its size. It's a large and clunky beastie, which is going to require a significant download time, so timing needs to be planned with care to avoid disruption.

Microsoft commented previously that there was no reason to wait for SP1 before migrating to Windows 7, but now it's here, there couldn't really be a better time to consider a move. We'll examine some of the features in greater detail when we've had a chance to look more closely at them, so watch this space.

Whatever your situation do not let your business STOP due to having an unreliable IT system in place.

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:06:00 +0000

The London Stock Exchange made businesses sit up and take  note when trading stopped due to system downtime. Investigations are still in place to find out exactly what happened, but you can only imagine the chaos caused. That’s why our team at Nexus feel it is vital that all businesses have the correct IT system in place to protect themselves from potential downtime.

Nexus is offering your business a free trial of our Active Fix Agent service.
To take advantage of the free 30 day offer (worth £25) simply call us on: 0845 644 2731 or email and we will be happy to take you through the process.

How does it work?
We will install our Active Fix Agent on your computer, which carries out a series of automated tasks. The tasks optimise your computer and install recommended Microsoft approved updates. No data is obtained from your computer, and we comply with the data protection act 1998.

Nexus Azure update

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:12:00 +0000

The second phase of beta testing has gone extremely well and we’re currently in the process of testing SBS 2011 Essentials which will use Windows Azure email services. Meanwhile we're well ahead of schedule and due to the success of our testing, we should be ready to go ahead with Azure very soon.

Microsoft has injected a small fortune into the marketing of its new online services, and we can’t hide from the continuous advertising and press on the subject, in fact, as I’m writing this blog, an advert has just appeared on the TV plugging Windows Cloud for home to suit the whole family.

That got me thinking! With all the hype and no doubt many business owners looking for real reasons to change - why should SME’s migrate to cloud?

Nexus love to share, and we'd be happy to discuss the idea of Azure including the potential savings and increased productivity that your business will benefit from with a simple migration to Windows online services.

We found a great article on Computer weekly called “Five reasons growing SMEs cannot ignore the cloud and what companies are actually doing.”

The article includes a free white paper with real case studies.

View Computer Weekly

What a difference a New Year makes!

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:55:00 +0000

Yes, we’re still in a recession and yes, times are hard - but it’s amazing what a little focus and energy can do to help motivate a team.

The last few months have been extremely exciting for Nexus, with a long list of new clients’ joining the company and we hope that this exciting stage of growth continues. Like many of our existing clients, we hope they find our services to be as effective and supportive to their business.

In addition we’d also like to say a big thank you and goodbye to Will. Will is leaving Nexus for pastures new. He’s been a great member of our team and will be missed. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish Will and his family all the best for the future.

In order to continue giving our clients the professional and reliable service we pride ourselves on, we have increased our team to cater to the growing demands of clients new and old. With that said we’d like to welcome two new IT specialists to our team, Oliver Smith and Benn Fielder.

Benn brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience and has worked for a long list of well-known brands including Estée Lauder, John Lewis and Harrods. Oliver will be the baby of the group at only 17 years old, a Windows accredited, Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist.

We know you want more and we’re here to deliver!

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:52:00 +0000

When your office IT fails you feel helpless, frustrated and angry due to the increased downtime, losing money and not being in control. Having an IT infrastructure in place that can increase productivity, eliminate downtime and identify and solve problems before they start affecting your business will not only make you feel in control, but it will put the relevant systems in place to manage your business’s growth. Your IT will therefore, grow to suit your business and allow the people in your business to continue doing what they do best.

Our solution comes at a time when the dynamics of the IT industry are changing. Organisations want more than the usual ‘fix and restore’ service, they want whole business problems solved with the use on innovative IT! With decision making moving toward the CFO and CEO, they want their money to go a lot further and have a long term plan for their IT. For IT companies like us this means huge investment and the need for different types of skilled staff. Nexus is always one step ahead and have the staff and solutions in place to help your business.

So what can Nexus do to help solve that problem?

Well, we have it all figured out! Just call to find out more!

Blazing the trail with successful testing and installation of the new Microsoft Cloud services.

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Nexus Business Group is blazing the trail with successful testing and installation of the new Microsoft Cloud services. The innovative Windows Azure platform with its flexible cloud-computing is a scalable service that will grow with your business making this an affordable option for many SME’s. To reduce the risk of security and downtime the patches and maintenance are all managed in a secure environment with over 99.9% uptime.

Nexus pride themselves on staying one step ahead of the competition when it comes to adopting new technology, enabling them to provide their clients with the most up-to-date and affordable IT solutions. The rapidly growing IT company is focused on customer delivery and satisfaction, committed and focused to their clients and market needs. Their excellent reputation is further endorsed by their status as Microsoft Certified Partners. Ever the innovators, they are comfortable testing beta versions which keeps them at the forefront of technological development, able to provide their customers with the most cutting edge solutions available.

So why you should consider moving to the Windows Azure platform?
1. Reduced hardware and software costs
2. Increased accessibility
- In businesses today it is vital for staff to be able to access all the data they need from anywhere.
3. Reduced business risk
- Nexus's beta testing will help make the transition a smooth one Stay one step ahead yourself.

Keep an eye on these monthly feeds for an up to date running commentary on our beta testing right up to the launch in June.

Why work with a Microsoft Certified Partner?

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:17:00 +0000

 Microsoft Certified Partners have demonstrated expertise. Each Microsoft Certified Partner must employ a minimum number of Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) who have a demonstrated level of technical expertise and the proven ability to deliver solutions featuring Microsoft products. MCPs must pass certification exams developed by Microsoft.

 Microsoft Certified Partners have a broad-range of experience. Microsoft Certified Partners typically offer several areas of technical expertise including infrastructure, networking, office automation, e-commerce, collaboration, business intelligence, and other leading edge disciplines. Microsoft Certified Partner services include consulting, training, implementation, maintenance/support, and hosting services.

 Microsoft Certified Partners have direct support from Microsoft. Microsoft Certified Partners have access to 24 x 7 x 365 support for your project whenever they need additional support from Microsoft.

 Microsoft Certified Partners offer a real world perspective to your technology strategies. Microsoft Certified Partners have been in the business, on average, for more than 5 years. They bring experience to your projects gained through conducting similar projects over many years of service.

 Microsoft Certified Partners are local. With more than 26,000 Microsoft Certified Partner organizations worldwide, there’s a technical expert near you...Nexus Business Group!

Have you heard of iNewspaper?

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:52:00 +0000

Apple who have changed the face of digital music with iTunes are months away from doing a comparative service with newspapers. The tablet application, iNewspaper (it is thought to be named) will be similar to iBooks and will esentially be a newsagent, which can be accessed in one place, as opposed to going in and out of different apps. This service will begin in America, and will hope to boost sales of the Apple iPad.

Internet Explorer 9 Power Tips and Initial Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:58:00 +0000

If you haven't yet downloaded Internet Explorer 9 I suggest you take the time to. You do, however, need to have either Vista or Windows 7.

The look and feel of IE9 is a little Chrome meets Firefox but as ever Microsoft seemed to have delivered another cracking product.

Top tips visit here: http://tinyurl.com/39tkdos

In short 'pinned shortcuts' will become the way forward along with search in the address bar and my favourite - dragging a tab out in order to view both pages at the same time - nice!

To see for yourself click here and download from Microsoft:
http://tinyurl.com/23wc3hp

Latest NOD32 Eset Update - 5418 Outlook Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:09:00 +0000

If you are running Nod32 (ESET) and have had your latest update 5418 you will have to restart your machine. Symptoms of the update are Outlook and Word hanging / crashing.

This can be resolved by restarting your machine and when reopening your applications do not select safe mode or disable the plugin as this may cause vulnerability in your systems security.

Amazon Grocery Store unveiled

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:13:00 +0000

Amazon.co.uk has launched its new site. Together with Amazon’s traditional books, DVD’s and games etc. online shoppers can now buy groceries ranging from nappies to noodles! Amazon will be offering free delivery on more than 22,000 top grocery lines from companies such as Pampers, Kraft, Walkers and Kenco.
Consumers can also purchase ethnic and specialist goods such as kosher, organic, gluten-free and sugar-free food.

Online grocery shopping in the UK is currently dominated by Tesco, which has 45.1 per cent of sales. Sainsbury's has a 14.1 per cent share while Asda is close behind at 13.7 per cent. Morrisons is expected to launch an online shopping site in the near future and Marks & Spencer has also said it is considering the move. Customers could potentially save money on their groceries by buying in bulk. People can also shop online at Amazon on their smartphones.

Amazon will be stocking 2,000 products at its five warehouses around the UK, with its largest facility, of 800,000 square feet, at Swansea Bay in Wales. The remaining products, including fresh and chilled items, will be sent from outside suppliers.

iPhone 4 alternatives

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 10:20:00 +0000

Samsung Galaxy S
This is the only phone, that does everything the iPhone 4 does. It also comes with free satnav courtesy of Google. Samsung’s take on the Android interface also includes a Social Hub that aggregates social network data about all your contacts, and there’s a 4in AMOLED screen and a camera with the ability to shoot HD movies. With video calling Apps such as Fring, you can hold your own teleconferences. All that remains to be seen is whether it will acquire the cache of an Apple device. It runs Android 2.1, but will get an update in the future.

iPhone 3GS
Hold onto the iPhone 3GS , many of the new iPhone4’s new features are software-dependent, and the new Apple mobile operating system, iOS4 will be available for free to all iPhone 3GS users. The new software will breathe new life in to your 3GS, bringing with it Folders (for organising your apps), Multitasking (so you can run more than one app at once), unified Mail inboxes and the iBooks ebook app.

HTC Desire
The HTC Desire has been the best-looking handset on the market. It is solidly constructed, and it runs Android 2.1. Therefore it offers full multitasking, free satnav, video-calling via apps and there’s also HTC’s Sense user interface. An upgrade to Android 2.2, which means a massive speed bump and wifi hotspotting, is promised when Google officially release the new software.

Nexus One
The first phone to have Google’s design influence over traditional Android handsets, the Nexus One has a slick handset, and is likely to be the first phone that will get upgraded to FroYo (Android 2.2) – it’s intuitive, a viable iPod substitute when used with the Amazon MP3 store, and the price is coming down rapidly. It’s also available in Vodafone stores, rather than online only as it was in America.

Dell Streak
This 5in tablet computer is said by Dell to be very much a data-first device, albeit one that happens to make phone calls. An alternative to the iPad perhaps? Video playback is impressive too. Use it with a Bluetooth headset, and the Dell Streak can expand the possibilities of what you can do on the move. It currently runs Android 1.6, and no released Android app is yet a patch on those available on the iPad for reading magazines or newspapers.

Windows 8 - too soon?

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:20:00 +0000

Leaked documents detailing Microsoft’s initial thoughts on the development of Windows 8 have surfaced on the internet. Microsoft allegedly presented the slides to computer manufacturers to preview the next version of Windows.
The PowerPoint presentation,suggested that facial recognition for log in and compatibility with a range of new computers and tablets could be a key part of the forthcoming product – sound familiar? The era of light computing has begun. Apple’s iPad is only the first among a new class of devices that turns on instantly, and gives the user access to the workflows that they want.
Other key features included a focus on improving start-up times, which have previously been cited by consumer groups as a cause of frustration, as well as an easy way to reset PCs to their default settings without deleting users’ information.
The software will also build on Microsoft’s current Marketplace and turn it into a more fully fledged App Store. Although all the information is thought to represent Microsoft’s first thoughts about Windows 8, it demonstrates that the new operating system is at a stage where the company can begin sharing its ideas with PC partners. The point in question is does all of this development come too soon after Windows 7 which many have yet to upgrade to?

Recycle ink cartridges and save money

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 11:15:00 +0000

Empty cartridges Ltd has created a hassle-free service that makes recycling more attractive than ever. All you have to do is register at http://www.emptycartridge.co.uk/ and send them a minimum of 30 empty cartridges.
Recycling your laser cartridges & mobile phones with Empty Cartridge is environmentally friendly and helps to reduce the 250 million cartridges dumped in landfill sites in the last decade as well as helping you raise money for your cause or business. According to current statistics, only 5% of empty toner cartridges are currently being recycled - this means 95% of these items are simply discarded and end up in landfill sites. As well as taking up room in our already-limited landfill sites, it can take up to 1.5 litres of oil to produce a new laser cartridge from scratch and a discarded used toner cartridges and ink cartridges can take over 1000 years! to decompose, this is not good news for our environment!

So good for the environment and good for your pocket!

Free E-Book - Entrepreneur Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 11:08:00 +0000

smarta.com have launched its first ebook aimed at providing budding entrepeneurs and SMEs with inspiration. The ebook titled 'the smartest brains in business 2010 and byond' is available to download here and is worth a read.

Does the ipad live up to the hype?

noreply@blogger.com (Gareth McQuaid) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:19:00 +0000

Apple has earned a reputation as the maker of some of the most elegant and user-friendly computers, music players and smartphones in the business. The Apple iPad does not disappoint and may be the most impressive piece of Apple hardware yet!

It is bigger than an iPhone, and much lighter than a laptop. The build quality is excellent. The aluminium back feels great under the finger and nothing feels cheap.The front is almost entirely glass, save for a thin aluminium frame. The back is a gently curved plate of anodised aluminium. All the content is so seductive to look at, the screen is so bright and all those things you have grown used to watching on the small screens of iPods and iPhones suddenly leap out at you on the bigger iPad.

In essence the iPad is a blank slate, designed to perform the tasks you set it. The blank slate Apple has created has enormous potential and will change its purpose quickly. Even so, you may want to hold off until the inevitable second edition which may have improved connectivity and extra capabilities – if you can wait a whole year!

To find out more about the technical performance of the iPad go to:
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/apple-ipad-review-11-06-2010/