A hand placing a receiver back down on a telephone.

The ins and outs of VOIP

Voice Over IP

What is VoIP (Voice Over IP)? VoIP is a technology that enables one to telephone people via the internet rather than using a regular phone. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. The phone calls are relatively cheap and sometimes free. You can call people all over the world from your VoIP handset or PC and other people can call you using either VoIP or an ordinary telephone. Read more

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Email phishing

What does “phishing” actually mean?

Phishing sounds like fishing because that’s what it is. The criminals send out an email as bait to lure you in and once you’re hooked they reel you in. Email phishing is a crime that’s difficult to stop. Those behind it are very clever and manage to evade detection through their use of sophisticated techniques.

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The Crypto locker virus and why you should care

You might be mistaken for thinking that Crypto Locker virus is some kind of illness you might get. It’s actually a lot more sinister than that! Crypto Locker Virus is a particularly nasty type of computer virus that targets computers running Microsoft Windows. It’s not YOU that needs to be afraid, it’s your PC. Read more

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8 steps to PC maintenance heaven

The vast majority of people pay very little attention to PC maintenance. As a result sooner or later their computers either slow down or simply crash with increasing regularity.

The fact is that you don’t need to be a computer expert to keep your machine operating at reasonable efficiency; you simply need to follow 8 simple steps:

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5 reasons why you should consider using Microsoft Office 365

Ever since the first Microsoft office applications became available, people have been buying the software either as a part of a package that comes with their computer or by paying for it separately.

Recently, the advent of Software as a Service (SaaS) and Cloud Computing has changed how software developers offer their products. No more so than in the case of Microsoft’s Office 365. Users now have instant access to common Office applications without the need to invest or install the complete software package.

Microsoft Office 365 is quite simply a subscription service. This service offers the standard applications that all users are familiar with such as: Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. The question remains, is it right for you? With this in mind, we have compiled a list of 5 key reasons why you should consider using Office 365.

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Essential upgrade notification for Windows XP and Office 2003 users

Are you still a Windows XP or Office 2003 fan? If you are still using either of these Microsoft products, read on, and pay careful attention!

Microsoft are requesting all Windows XP and Office 2003 users to upgrade to a newer version by April 2014. If this deadline is missed, there’s a risk of your business losing time and money to bugs and security flaws.

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Do Small Business Servers Increase Efficiency?

As a small business expands, it can often be difficult to make new technology available to all employees in all the relevant locations. This is when it’s good to start thinking about a small business server.

The installation of a small business server creates access to all company documents. This includes e-mail, calendars, images and documents stored in one, central location. All suitably authorised employees, once remotely connected to the system, can access the server remotely. This aids growth as employees can access files from their own computers wherever in the world they may be.

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Computer Security – Beating the Blaggers and Hackers

How secure are your personal and business secrets and assets? According to the press, there are people who get paid thousands of pounds to hack computers and mobile phones. These hackers don’t mind if you’re a business or personal user, if you’ve got valuable information, they want it. Computer Security is therefore imperative to the survival of your business.

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Data Recovery? Leave it to the Experts…

In a busy world, distractions are frequent and accidents inevitably happen. From accidentally deleting a file to a stolen mobile phone or laptop, have you prepared your data should the worst happen? It is important to have a back up in place should you experience data loss or theft. Bean IT’s data recovery service can help get you or your business up and running again in no time.

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Can Open Source Software Save You Money

IT systems can often represent a material element of a business’s overhead budget. It is essential during tough economic times to keep costs under control. One solution that deserves further investigation is the use of open source software.

Open source solutions for server operating systems and desktop applications could save thousands of pounds per year in licensing costs. Free server operating systems such as the Cent OS Linux platform can potentially dispense with costly and confusing licensing systems completely and can, even on older hardware, run more efficiently than their Microsoft alternatives.
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