Computers are continually increasing in power. In fact, such is the weight of this pattern of hardware power doubling in power every two years that it even has it's own phrase to acknowledge this observation: Moore's Law. While processing power may be going from strength to strength, the fact is that many businesses struggle, or simply cannot keep up with the changes; it's just too costly. This is one reason why the idea of virtualization can be appealing to many company owners and managers.

Virtualization is the act of taking an existing system, say a server, and creating a virtual copy of it that is hosted either in a physical unit or somewhere out of the office. Some systems you can virtualize include: Desktops, Operating Systems, servers, hardware and storage. Most small businesses start with storage and server virtualization as this can usually be done with relative ease and at an affordable cost.

Benefits of virtualization The question many business owners ask when they are looking into virtualization is what benefits it can bring. While the positives are numerous, here are the five most common:

1. Reduced space Physical hardware can take up a lot of space, and the common trend among many businesses is that the space available per person is shrinking in order to save costs. Take for example your servers. If you virtualize these, you can probably fit all of them onto one or two units. This will reduce the space your hardware takes up, freeing up extra storage capacity or possibly another desk.

2. Reduced overhead Having hardware and servers in an office can be expensive to maintain. You have to have climate control to start with which means higher electricity bills and higher maintenance costs. Virtualization will often reduce overhead costs and save you money. Beyond that, many solutions offer a pay-per-use pricing model which makes predicting costs easier.

3. Quicker backup and recovery Many virtualization solution providers also offer backup services that can be automated. This means that your vital data is always backed up and protected. Beyond that, the backups can be stored at a different location, meaning that if there is a disaster, you can recover lost data quickly and easily.

4. Longer hardware replacement cycles Virtualized solutions and platforms often require lower computing resources because they are hosted on the provider's servers. This means that you won't have to replace existing tech hardware. Beyond that, existing systems can be used for longer which will save you money.

5. Virtualization is scalable If your company is growing, you will eventually have to add new systems. In an already cramped office this means finding the space for hardware or servers needed to support your growth, not to mention investing in systems that are compatible with existing hardware. Virtualization is highly scalable, and can grow with your company, often without the need for extra services.

In general, virtualization could help your business grow, while IT costs remain stable, or are even decreased. If you would like to learn more about how virtualization of your systems can help your company, contact us today.

An integral component of the modern tablet and smartphone is the software, or more specifically the apps. Apps provide users with the ability to interact with their phones and do virtually anything. The way the vast majority of users get apps onto their tablets is by downloading them from an app store. Google users do this through Google Play, which has recently been updated with a new layout.

Here's an overview of the new Google Play layout which was introduced May 15, along with some tips on how you can get the most out of it.

The new layout When you first open the updated app you will notice that there is now a series of buttons under the search bar. These colorful buttons will bring you to the different services associated with Google Play. For example, in the US there is now a button for: Movies & TV, Books, Games, Music, Magazines and Apps. Tapping on each will take you to the different stores. i.e., Apps will take you to the Apps section of the Play store.

Each section of Play now has an expanded layout, with three (two for phones) apps/books/albums per row. Just below the search bar is a horizontal menu bar that you can swipe left or right to see different options. For example, on the Apps section you will see the different app categories like Home, Top Paid, Top Free, etc. Swiping to the left will bring up more app categories.

Each app is now shown in its own card with a larger picture, the name, rating and price. Tapping on an app will open a new window that shows more information about that specific app. All apps now have integration with Google+ meaning that if a friend +1's the app, their profile picture will show up in the app's information.

Probably the biggest update, aside from the improved layout, is Google Play will now notify you when there is a large app update, if you are connected to mobile data. This is really useful, especially if you have a limited amount of data.

How to use the new Play store While the idea and basic use of Google Play hasn't changed, it may be harder to find some information, or to figure out how to use it at first. Here's an overview of how to use the new Play store:

Installing apps You can either tap the Apps button from the landing page of the Play store to look for apps, or type the name or type of app you're looking for in the search bar. Once you find the right app, tap on it to bring up the information screen. Pressing Install at the top of the window will open the App permissions window. Tap Accept and the app will download and install. If it costs money, you will first be asked to select a method of payment before you are able to download.

Find what apps you have installed Searching your tablet for apps you have installed can be a be a chore. Luckily Google Play keeps a record of all apps you have installed. To see your apps:

1. Open Google Play.
2. Press the three vertical grey squares in the top right of the window.
3. Select My apps.
4. You can tap on an app to bring up more information about it, and uninstall it by tapping Uninstall.

Tinker with your settings We recommend that you take a minute and ensure your settings meet your requirements. You can access Google Play's settings by:

1. Opening Google Play.
2. Pressing the three vertical grey squares in the top right of the window.
3. Selecting Settings.

It is a good idea to tap on Auto-update apps and set it to Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only. This will ensure that you are not using mobile data to download updates. If you have a credit card linked with your Google account, it is a good idea to set a password to restrict purchases. Simply tap on Password from the Settings menu and enter a password.

Overall, this update makes the Google Play store look inviting, and easier to use. If you would like to learn more about how an Android tablet or device can be used in your organization, contact us today.

To some fans of Apple's products the thought of using anything from Google is simply ludicrous. Why would you use something from a competitor? Well, it could be that the product or app is better than anything else out there. This is true for Google Search, which brings Google's powerful search tools to the iPad and iPhone. The app has recently been updated with a new feature called Google Now. Have you heard of it?

Here's a brief overview of Google Now, and how to install and use it.

Ok, so, what exactly is Google Now? Google Now is best thought of as Google's answer to Apple's Siri. It's an app that functions like a personal assistant and has become a large component of Google's Search for mobile app. The idea of Now is that you can use natural language to search for answers to questions, find recommendations or even perform actions like creating a calendar entry, or writing an email.

Google Now also passively delivers information that it thinks is useful to you. While creepy at first, especially when you see how accurate predictions can be, it is actually a really cool tool. What's interesting about Google Now is that relevant information is displayed below search results in what are called 'cards'. The cards shown will depend on your location, recent searches, calendar and even method of transport.

Probably the best way to explain Google Now is through an example:

Say you have a meeting with a potential supplier at a coffee shop across town tomorrow. You pull up the Google Search app on your iPad, tap the microphone button and ask Google, "What's the coffee shop on 5th Avenue?". Google searches for the coffee shop and comes back with three search results including the shop you are looking for. You then enter the name and address in your Google Calendar, along with the date and time.

The next day, you look at the Google Search app again because you've forgotten the exact address. Just below the Search bar you will see that new cards have popped up. The first is a reminder of the scheduled event, along with the contact information of the person you are meeting. Just below that is a map on how to get to the coffee shop, along with driving directions.

When you get in the car, you notice that traffic seems a little heavier than usual, so you pull up Google Search and the card has been updated with a map showing current traffic along with what Google thinks will be the fastest route, without you having to ask.

This app works surprisingly well, and many users have noted that both search results and the cards are accurate. Where Google Now really shines is when you are traveling. If you go to another country, cards will pop up with the exchange rate, translator, local map with landmarks, time back home and even flight information (assuming the reservation has been sent to your Gmail account).

How to install and use If this app sounds interesting, all you have to do to get it is download Google Search app from the Apple App Store, install it, open it and sign in using your Google account. Cards will start to popup after a couple of days. You can tweak what cards appear by using the search feature, or through the app's settings.

While this is a Google product, it can be useful for your Apple device, especially if you have a Google account. If you would like to learn more about this app or how the iPad can make your business easier, contact us today to see how we can help.

One of the more popular tech trends in recent years is the increasing adoption of video based communication. Many are familiar with products like Skype which allow face-to-face communication from anywhere there is an Internet connection. Did you know that Google has baked video conferencing into their newly released Google Hangouts? If your company uses Google, this could be a great marketing tool. The only question is, how exactly can you leverage it?

Below are four ways you or your business could use the video conferencing capabilities of Google Hangouts.

1. Provide customer support If you have a product or service, you have likely had clients contact you with questions or concerns. When customers are having problems, they normally prefer to talk face-to-face with a real person. The problem is, you may not be where your customers are, or they may not be able to reach you.

Hangouts provides you with an ideal channel where customers can contact you, see your face and discuss problems they may be having.

2. Product demonstrations Have a product that customers have been asking how to use, or would like to know more about? Why not host a Hangout? This is a great platform that allows you and up to 10 customers to interact. You can show them how the product works, how it can help them and answer questions all face-to-face. If a participant would like to learn more, you can then host a one-on-one Hangout.

3. Conduct team meetings There are two useful Hangouts features that could be a boon to productivity. The first is the ability to share your screen with participants and the other is built in compatibility with productivity apps like Google Drive. This allows you and your team to collaborate on a document, spreadsheet or even presentation.

Hosting a Hangout is also great if you or a teammate is away. You can still work together because Hangouts is now Google's main chat app with integration across desktop and mobile devices. As long as you have an Internet connection, and a device with a camera you can join a Hangout. Imagine having someone out in the field with a tablet talking to colleagues who are on their desktops. This will make your team and company more productive.

4. Launch a new product or service Google Hangouts allows you to live stream events on both Google+ and YouTube. This could be useful if you are launching a new product, or service and want to enable people who can't make it to the event to take part. You can even record the event so people can watch it later.

While still relatively new, video conferencing and webinars are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways for small businesses to really connect with their customers regardless of their location. If you are looking to learn more about Google Hangouts and how they could be used in your business, please contact us today.

One of the more popular productivity oriented programs on the market today is Microsoft's Office 365. Based in the cloud, this platform offers business users a way to increase productivity of their whole organization while making communication and sharing easier. A lesser known feature included in Office 365 subscriptions is Office Web Apps. Microsoft aims to make this a more prominent feature and has recently announced two new updates that could make it more useful.

Here's an overview of Office Web Apps and the two upcoming updates for the platform.

What exactly is Office Web Apps? Office Web Apps (OWA) is a browser based version of Microsoft Office. OWA includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote which users can access through almost any web browser. These apps are available free of charge to everyone with a Microsoft SkyDrive and most Office 365 users.

The beauty of OWA is that it allows users to open, edit, collaborate on, and store the most popular Office documents from a variety of devices. What this means is that as long as a user has a Microsoft Account and is connected to the Internet, they can access Office software without actually having it installed on their computer or device.

If you've used OWA, you know that it's great for opening Office documents, basic editing and creating basic documents. The major downside is, these web based apps are missing a number of more advanced features e.g., Find and Replace in Word. Microsoft has stated that they are committed to introducing more features, and have recently announced two that could make OWA an even more viable solution for businesses.

Real-time collaboration In the current version of OWA collaboration is possible. However a user will need to refresh the browser window to see changes made by another editor. This is hardly ideal, especially if you have more than two people working on the same document.

Microsoft aims to change this by introducing real-time editing. This means that if you and three other colleagues are working on the same document, you will see the changes as they are made; so there's no need to refresh.

This feature is currently being rolled out to PowerPoint users, and should be applied to the other OWA apps sometime in the near future (there has been no specific date set by Microsoft, but it should be by the end of the year).

Editing from Android tablets While OWA may not be the best choice for desktop users, especially since the vast majority already have Office installed on their computers, it's great for mobile users. At this time, only Windows 8 tablet and iPad users have been able to access OWA from their devices. The recently announced update will soon bring this functionality to Android tablets as well.

Microsoft has not set a date as to when Android tablets will be able to access OWA, but it should be before the end of 2013, possibly the end of the summer. They also noted that they are working to speed up the service for tablets, which will foster even more efficient collaboration.

If you are interested in learning more about OWA, Office 365 or any of Microsoft's other programs please contact us today to see how we can help.

Cyber crime has been around since the very early days of the Internet and has it has become an increasingly serious problem as the number of Internet users has increased. This trend is likely to continue, and you can be guaranteed that you'll continue to see news about websites being hacked and valuable information exposed. One of the latest sites to be hacked is LivingSocial.

LivingSocial is a daily deals website that focuses on bringing bargains and original deals to users based on their geographical location. In late April, news broke that the website had suffered a massive cyber attack with 50 million accounts being compromised.

From the reports we have seen, the attack targeted accounts world-wide with only account holders in Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines being unaffected. An email sent out by Tim O'Shaughnessy, LivingSocial's CEO shortly after the incident said, "We recently experienced a cyber-attack on our computer systems that resulted in unauthorized access to some customer data from our servers. We are actively working with law enforcement to investigate this issue."

The company assured users that their credit card data had not been compromised, as they are kept in another database. Account passwords were also encrypted, which means they are harder to crack but not impossible.

What should you do? If you have a LivingSocial account, we recommend that you go and change your password immediately. This can be done by:

1. Going to LivingSocial's forgot your password page.
2. Entering the email address you used to sign up for the account with.
3. Pressing Reset Password.
4. Checking your email for an email from LivingSocial and following the instructions in the email.

It is advisable to pick a new password, one that is as different as possible from your old password and, as always, the longer, the better.

Is there anything I can to do protect my company? If you are a business owner who has websites that encourage customers to sign up for updates, accounts, etc. you may be wondering how you can keep your user's information secure from cyber attack. In truth, you can't keep your important information 100% secure, if a hacker is committed enough, they will be able to get the information they need or wreak the havoc they want to. But what you can do is to make it as hard as possible for cybercriminals to get your information. This could be as simple as using multiple databases to store different bits of information, or as complex as using the latest encryption methods and systems.

Each business is unique, and the best way to ensure your valuable data is secure is to work with an IT partner who takes the time to get to know your security needs and develop a solution that is as near to 100% secure as possible.

If you are worried about the security of your systems, contact us today. We may have the perfect solution that will meet your needs and budget.

Social media has become an important part of any business's marketing strategy. By having an active presence on the main networks, you will likely see increased sales or at the very least an increase in brand recognition. So, while social media is an invaluable marketing tool, there are also other departments which could benefit from it.

Below are four non-marketing oriented uses of social media that businesses could benefit from.

Hiring LinkedIn is a social network dedicated to helping professionals and organizations connect and find jobs and new talent. Most social savvy companies will have a presence on this network and may even hire exclusively from here.

If you are looking for new employees, it wouldn't hurt to have a LinkedIn profile. To find the best talent, you need to forge and maintain connections (usually starting with people you know), and be somewhat active in groups and on message boards.

It's also important to not forget the other major networks when it comes to hiring. Tweeting a job opening on Twitter, or posting ads on Facebook could also help you find your next employee. Facebook can be particularly useful because you can pay to target ads (in this case, job openings) at specific demographics.

Internal communications Communication is an important part of business, and most people choose to communicate using email. You have probably seen emails with jokes, invitations to after work events, lunch orders, etc. sent to the whole company and also received the many replies that go with it. This can get very annoying, and also confusing.

Why not utilize social media for non-essential (aka. not related to work) communication. Set up a Facebook group where your employees can share content, invitations to lunch or after work gatherings, interesting stories, etc. That way you can limit email to more important, business-related aspects.

Using social media for internal communication is also beneficial for companies with younger workers. Most already see Facebook, Twitter, etc. as their main form of communication, some even feel more comfortable communicating over this medium as opposed to speaking out in meetings. Having a group portal or Facebook page could give less-empowered employees a way to voice their ideas, and maybe even improve on them with feedback from others.

Learning A common complaint of many business owners is that they have a tough time staying on top of ever-changing trends and what currently interests their customers. Using social media to connect with your customers can be a great way to learn not only hot trends but also about new ideas.

Customer service When it comes to social media, users will often complain publicly on their wall or through their tweets. This is bad for you, as the reach of this complaint can go a long way and make you look bad. Some companies have decided to confront this head on by having specific customer service accounts. If a customer complains, has an issue, or even compliments you, be active and respond using that account.

If done properly, over time, you will see more and more people reaching out to your customer service account through social media. This also gives you another way to please clients or turn around negative customer experiences.

Social media and the various platforms are not only great for marketing, but can be incredibly useful for other business functions. Do you have any other ways you use social media? Let us know. Or, if you would like to learn more about how it can help your company, then contact us today.

Internet giant Google didn't become the company it is today by creating one product and not changing. It's quite the opposite, really. They are constantly introducing new products or making changes to existing ones to make a user's experience better. One of the latest changes made by Google is a small, yet potentially important, one to the search results page.

This change, while not a major overhaul, did move some features around, making the overall results look cleaner.

With any search results that show a website, you will notice the site name in blue (clicking on it will take you to the website). Below the main result, you can see the URL (website address) in green. Beside the green URL there is now a downward facing green arrow. If you press this you should get a drop-down with up to three options:

• Cached - Clicking on this will show a snapshot of the page from a previous date - the link is from when Google last visited the page. According to Google, the cache is a backup of the page in case the current page is not available. While not generally important to many viewers, Google actually uses websites in their cache to determine if your site is relevant to various search terms.

<li><strong>Similar -</strong> Will search for sites similar to that result. This is a great way to find similar content to what is shown on that specific page.</li>

<li><strong>Share -</strong> Allows you to quickly share the site on your Google+ page. This means that you don't have to open your Google+ page to share content, just press Share and a pop-up window will open where you can add a comment and pick which friends/circles to share it with. This option is great for all Google+ users, as it makes sharing quicker and easier.</li>

While certainly not the biggest change Google has made to the search results page, this could prove to be helpful, especially if you share content, or need to find similar content on a regular basis. If you would like to learn more about how Google fits into your business, please contact us today.

An interesting tech trend of the past couple of years is the increasingly diverse services offered by large companies. Take Microsoft for instance: You have email, Office, cloud storage, Xbox, Windows Phone, etc. These services are about as different as they come, but are all linked by your Microsoft Account. But having all of your eggs in one basket could pose a security threat, especially if your account has a weak password. This is why Microsoft recently introduced a two-step verification to make it harder for hackers to gain access to your Account.

Below is an overview of the two-step verification system Microsoft has recently implemented.

What is it? If you use any of Microsoft's products, you likely have a Microsoft Account. This account is what you use to access SkyDrive, Outlook, Skype, Office or even the Xbox. The whole idea of this is that you have one account for all of Microsoft's products and services.

While this is great (you only have to remember one username and password), it can be a security issue. If a hacker gets into your account, they could have access to all of your personal information. Microsoft realizes this and has recently introduced two-step verification, a new Microsoft Account feature that beefs up your account's security.

Two-step verification is a feature that will ask you additional questions when you try to log in to your Microsoft Account. For example, you may be asked to enter a PIN or phrase that is sent to your phone. If you have used your credit card at the Microsoft Store, or on an Xbox in the past year, you have likely seen this feature in action. Now, Microsoft has extended it to your account.

This new feature is not mandatory for your Microsoft Account, so you have to sign up for it. But It is a good idea to consider enabling this function on your account, especially if you have sensitive information stored online. While this won't make your account 100% hack proof, it will drastically cut down the chance of a hacker gaining access.

How to set up two-step verification Microsoft has made it really easy to enable this security measure. You can do so by:

1. Going to https://account.live.com/proofs/Manage and logging into your Microsoft Account.
2. Selecting your phone number and Text from the drop down menu and pressing Next on the window that opens to receive a text message with a code. If you don't see this option, you should be taken directly to they account management screen
3. Entering the code you get on your mobile device and pressing Submit.
4. Clicking on Security Info under Overview.
5. Selecting Set up two-step verification followed by Next.
6. Picking from how you would like to receive verification codes (Authenticator app, Phone, or another email account). We recommend the app, which you can download onto your mobile device.
7. Following the instructions on the screen and entering the code that is sent your the option you selected above, and pressing Next.

Your account should now have two-step verification. The next time you log in, you will be asked to verify the login using the option your selected. For example, if you selected a text message, you will receive a text on your phone with a code.

If you would like to learn more about your Microsoft Account and security measures you can take to, please contact us today.

Meaningful Use Stage 2 begins on January 1, 2014, and while many health-care providers have implemented electronic medical records (EMRs) in preparation, stumbling blocks exist. Here are three of them.

Getting patients to use portals. More than 50% of patients seen during the reporting period must receive timely online access to their health information, which means within four business days. Additionally, more than 5% of patients seen in that period must actually, "view, download, or transmit to a third party their health information."

Exchanging data. Health-care providers must provide a summary-of-care record for more than 50% of transitions of care and referrals, and for 10% of those transitions, the summary must be transmitted electronically. Moreover, at least one exchange must occur with a recipient who uses a different EMR. And, the data must be able to be generated in a specified format.

Creating medication and lab orders. More than 60% of medication orders and 30% of lab test orders must be done electronically, and test orders will involve new workflows in many practices.

While these three potential stumbling blocks may seem large, there is some good news: Stage 2 shouldn’t be burdensome for health-care providers who attested in Stage 1, as you’re essentially just demonstrating a higher level of use. If you are preparing for Stage 2, and are worried about potential challenges, contact us today to see how we can help make the tranistion smooth and worry free.